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Authorities announced Sunday morning that 54-year-old hostage Ronen Engel Hy”d has been identified by forensic experts as one of the two bodies returned on Friday night from Gaza by Hamas. Engel was murdered by Hamas terrorists on October 7, 2023, in Kibbutz Nir Oz, and his body was taken into Gaza. His wife, Karina, and their daughters, Mika and Yuval, were also kidnapped that day and later released a month later as part of a ceasefire deal. On Friday night, the Red Cross received the caskets containing Engel’s remains and another, still-unidentified hostage from Gaza and transferred them to the IDF for formal identification.

Ezra Friedlander, Founder and CEO of The Friedlander Group, made eyebrow-raising remarks defending New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, a politician widely criticized for his anti-Israel and anti-Semitic rhetoric.

Appearing on The Moster Show, Friedlander made the stunning claim that if Mamdani, a far-left progressive who has repeatedly targeted the Jewish community and defended Hamas sympathizers, were to win the mayoralty, he would not harm Jewish interests.

“No mayor of New York City getting elected today in the Democratic Party is going to have the support on the social issues for this community,” Friedlander said. “The question is, can we live our lives without government interference?”

Friedlander went on to praise Mamdani’s political skill and intellect, comments that will stun listeners given Mamdani’s record of hostility toward Israel. “Look, he’s a very smart guy. He’s very, very talented. He’s up there with Obama, with a Clinton,” Friedlander said. “I I’m I’m a contrarian. I actually believe should Mamdani become the mayor, he’s going to call this police commission and says, ‘Look, one community I want you to protect is the Jewish community. The last thing I want on my plate is for someone to accuse me that I haven’t been protected.’”

His remarks didn’t stop there. Friedlander further speculated that Mamdani would somehow cooperate with religious schools. “And even when it comes to yeshivas, I don’t think he’s going to interfere,” he said. “I think he’s going to say, ‘Look, I have too much on my plate right now. I’ll work very collegially with with the with the yeshiva community and and and they’ll be surprised.’ That’s my gut feeling. without knowing anything. I’ve never spoken to this person in my life.”

{Matzav.com}

The body of Israeli hostage Ronen Engel was one of those handed over last night by Hamas, according to an announcement from both Kibbutz Nir Oz and the Hostages and Missing Families Forum.

In a statement, the Families Forum said it “embraces the Engel family,” describing the recovery of his remains as “a form of relief for a family living in agonizing uncertainty and doubt for over two years.”

Engel, 54, was abducted along with his wife, Karina, and their daughters, Mika and Yuval, during the Hamas invasion of Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7, 2023.

A month later, his wife and two daughters were released from Gaza captivity. In December of that same year, the IDF publicly confirmed that Ronen had been killed while being held hostage.

He leaves behind his wife, Karina, daughters Mika and Yuval, and his son Tom, who was not at home at the time of the attack, as well as siblings and extended family members.

Originally from Tel Aviv, Engel and his family relocated to Nir Oz in 2010, the Families Forum noted in its statement earlier today.

A man of many talents, Engel was a professional photographer, a devoted Magen David Adom volunteer medic, an avid motorcyclist who loved exploring Israel’s landscapes, and a creative artist known for transforming scrap iron into striking works of art.

{Matzav.com}

A Palestinian terrorist tied to Hamas and accused of helping massacre 60 civilians at Kibbutz Kfar Aza on October 7, 2023, was captured this week in Louisiana — marking the first U.S. arrest of its kind connected to the atrocities of that day.

Federal authorities said that 33-year-old Mahmoud Amin Ya’Qub Al-Muhtadi was taken into custody on Thursday in Lafayette, Louisiana, where he had been living and working under a false identity. According to a criminal complaint, he entered the United States after lying on his visa application about his background in terrorism and militant activity.

Investigators allege that Al-Muhtadi belonged to a Hamas-linked faction and personally joined the invasion into southern Israel on October 7, participating in the massacre at Kfar Aza, where families were slaughtered inside their homes.

Court filings describe the Kfar Aza attack as one of the most brutal of that day — resulting in 60 deaths and the abduction of 19 civilians, including four Americans who were murdered and one who was taken hostage.

Authorities said Al-Muhtadi held a leadership role within the National Resistance Brigades (NRB), the armed wing of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP). On the morning of October 7, after hearing Hamas commander Mohammed Deif’s call to arms, he mobilized a group of fighters.

“He spent the next two hours coordinating a group of armed fighters to join him in traveling from Gaza to Israel to participate in Hamas’s attack,” the complaint reads, adding that “by 10:01 a.m., cell phone data placed Al-Muhtadi near Kfar Aza.”

Before crossing into Israel, investigators said, Al-Muhtadi made a series of phone calls with other militants, expressing excitement about the assault. “We are ready man. And if you want me to go east with you, I’m ready,” one recruit told him.

“Get ready … The borders are open I swear,” Al-Muhtadi replied.

In another call recorded at 8:42 a.m., Al-Muhtadi said: “There is lots [sic] of soldiers [Israel Defense Forces soldiers] that have been kidnapped … it’s a game, which will be a good one.”

He continued, “If things go the way they should, Syria will take part, Lebanon will take part … it’s going to be a third world war … it will be a war of attritions. That will be perfect.”

Federal agents said additional phone logs show Al-Muhtadi urging others to “bring the rifles,” as well as ammunition and magazines, before heading toward the kibbutz.

Among those murdered at Kfar Aza were American citizens — including a 38-year-old woman and her husband, a photographer; a 67-year-old couple; and a 22-year-old U.S.-born soldier who rushed to defend the community. The couple’s three-year-old daughter was kidnapped and held hostage for 50 days, the complaint says.

Following the massacre, Al-Muhtadi reportedly fled Gaza and applied for a U.S. visa from Cairo on June 26, 2024. On his application, prosecutors say, he lied repeatedly — denying any combat experience, denying affiliation with terrorist organizations, and falsely asserting that he had never committed acts of violence.

By September 12, 2024, he had arrived in Tulsa, Oklahoma, telling officials he planned to work in either auto repair or the food industry. Within days, however, he reportedly told friends he had to stop posting pro-Hamas content now that he was in the United States.

The complaint also states that on February 20, 2025, Al-Muhtadi posted photos of a Glock 26 handgun on social media.

Federal agents tracked him to Lafayette in June 2025, where he was finally arrested.

He appeared Friday morning in federal court in Lafayette, facing charges of visa fraud and providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization. He has not yet entered a plea and was ordered held without bail pending a detention hearing on Wednesday. If convicted, he could face life in prison on the terrorism-related charge alone.

Attorney General Pam Bondi praised the arrest, calling it a milestone in the work of the Department of Justice’s Joint Task Force 10-7, which investigates individuals linked to the October 7 attacks. “After hiding out in the United States, this monster has been found and charged with participating in the atrocities of October 7 — the single deadliest day for Jewish people since the Holocaust,” Bondi said.

“While nothing can fully heal the scars left by Hamas’s brutal attack, this Department’s Joint Task Force October 7 is dedicated to finding and prosecuting those responsible for that horrific day, including the murder of dozens of American citizens.”

Lara Burns, a retired FBI counterterrorism agent who investigated Hamas for eight years, told The Post she expects this to be the first of multiple arrests in the U.S. tied to participants in the October 7 massacre. “I believe it’s only the first [arrest], of probably a few, that we will see like this,” she said.

Burns, who now leads terrorism research at George Washington University, noted that investigators had to sift through vast amounts of digital data to link Al-Muhtadi directly to the attack. “The first arrest may be indicative of the fact that they are making progress in linking individual actors to the attacks of that day and, if so, you may see more arrests coming in the future,” she said.

“I think this is a very positive step in holding those accountable who participated in the atrocities that day,” Burns added. “It’s sending the message that no matter how long it takes, when the US government identifies perpetrators of the terrorist attack, justice will be served.”

{Matzav.com}

Vice President J.D. Vance is scheduled to travel to Israel next week for a high-level visit that will focus on advancing the Trump administration’s multi-phase plan to conclude the war in Gaza. He is expected to land in Israel on Tuesday and depart on Thursday.

The vice president’s discussions in Yerushalayim will center on completing Phase A of the ceasefire agreement, which includes ensuring the return of all hostages and the remains of the fallen. He will also meet with Israeli leaders to coordinate the transition into Phase B of the Trump plan.

Special envoy Steve Witkoff is slated to join the vice president on the trip, underscoring the administration’s commitment to overseeing the agreement’s implementation firsthand.

Vance’s visit comes amid mounting debate within Israel over whether to move ahead with the next phase of the plan. President Trump recently announced that Phase B was ready to begin, but Israeli officials have expressed hesitation, insisting that progress cannot continue until Hamas returns all the deceased hostages still held in Gaza.

Earlier this evening, Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu ordered new measures in response to Hamas’s refusal to comply, including keeping the Rafah Crossing closed to humanitarian shipments until the bodies are returned.

{Matzav.com}

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy traveled to Washington seeking long-range Tomahawk missiles, but his meeting with President Donald Trump ended with a mutual decision to halt military escalation and push for an immediate ceasefire. Trump later directed both Moscow and Kyiv to “stop where they are.”

“The meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine was very interesting, and cordial, but I told him, as I likewise strongly suggested to President Putin, that it is time to stop the killing, and make a DEAL!” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “Enough blood has been shed, with property lines being defined by War and Guts. They should stop where they are. Let both claim Victory, let History decide! No more shooting, no more Death, no more vast and unsustainable sums of money spent. This is a War that would have never started if I were President. Thousands of people being slaughtered each and every week — NO MORE, GO HOME TO YOUR FAMILIES IN PEACE!”

Speaking after his White House meeting, Zelenskyy backed the call for a halt to fighting instead of further arming Ukraine. “President Trump is right: We have to stop where we are,” he said. Zelenskyy added that the war can “hopefully” end “without thinking about Tomahawks,” hinting that Kyiv would instead seek expanded intelligence cooperation with Washington as part of broader security guarantees.

Trump’s irritation with the prolonged war has been evident since his return to office, but his latest remarks signal renewed pressure on Kyiv to abandon efforts to reclaim lost territory. Upon arriving in Florida for the weekend, Trump again urged both sides to “stop the war immediately,” and appeared to suggest that Russia might retain the areas it currently holds. “You go by the battle line wherever it is — otherwise it’s too complicated,” Trump told reporters. “You stop at the battle line and both sides should go home, go to their families, stop the killing, and that should be it.”

This shift in tone comes after Trump had recently expressed a harder line toward Vladimir Putin and greater openness to arming Ukraine. Instead of supplying NATO with Tomahawks that would later reach Ukraine, Trump has chosen to prioritize diplomacy over escalation.

Only weeks ago, after a meeting with Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly, Trump said he believed Ukraine could retake all the land lost since 2022—a stark contrast to his current stance that Kyiv should accept a ceasefire along existing battle lines.

Following Friday’s White House talks, Zelenskyy again voiced support for renewed negotiations but avoided directly addressing whether he would consider ceding territory. “The president is right we have to stop where we are, and then to speak,” he said when asked about Trump’s social media post.

Trump’s attitude appeared to shift after a lengthy phone conversation with Putin on Thursday, during which the two agreed to meet soon in Budapest, Hungary. The president also informed Zelenskyy that he was leaning against authorizing the sale of Tomahawk missiles, which Ukraine views as critical leverage to compel Russia to negotiate.

Zelenskyy hinted that Trump’s success in brokering a ceasefire in Gaza gave him hope that the U.S. leader could similarly mediate peace with Moscow—despite the territory Ukraine has lost since Russia’s invasion more than a decade ago.

At the beginning of the White House meeting, Zelenskyy presented a proposal to trade Ukrainian drone technology for the U.S.-made Tomahawks, but Trump voiced concern about depleting American weapons reserves. “I have an obligation also to make sure that we’re completely stocked up as a country, because you never know what’s going to happen in war and peace,” Trump said. “We’d much rather have them not need Tomahawks. We’d much rather have the war be over to be honest.”

In a separate interview, Zelenskyy told NBC’s Meet the Press that Trump’s position was not a firm rejection. “It’s good that President Trump didn’t say ‘no,’ but for today, didn’t say ‘yes,’” he said. Still, he maintained that “we need Tomahawks” because “it’s very difficult just to operate only with Ukrainian drones.”

Trump’s hesitancy disappointed Ukrainian officials, who had hoped for approval to purchase the 995-mile-range missiles. After Thursday’s call with Putin, however, Trump appeared less inclined to move forward, echoing Putin’s warning that providing Kyiv with Tomahawks “won’t change the situation on the battlefield, but would cause substantial damage to the relationship between our countries,” according to Kremlin adviser Yuri Ushakov.

Friday’s meeting marked the fifth time Trump and Zelenskyy have met since January. Trump later told reporters that it was “to be determined” whether Zelenskyy would participate directly in the upcoming talks in Hungary, suggesting separate but coordinated meetings might be more productive. “These two leaders do not like each other, and we want to make it comfortable for everybody,” Trump said.

Zelenskyy responded that his stance toward Putin is not personal but based on the ongoing aggression against his country. “They attacked us, so they are an enemy for us. They don’t intend to stop,” he said. “So they are an enemy. It is not about someone just hating someone else. Although, undoubtedly, we hate the enemy. Undoubtedly.”

Trump has long promised to end the conflict quickly, though progress has been elusive. His previous efforts—including a summit with Putin in Alaska and meetings with Zelenskyy and European leaders—failed to produce a breakthrough as Russia intensified its offensive.

Asked whether he worries that Putin is merely stringing him along, Trump replied that he was aware of the risk but confident in his ability to manage the Russian leader. “I’ve been played all my life by the best of them, and I came out really well,” he said. “I think I’m pretty good at this stuff.”

{Matzav.com}

Hamas issued a statement tonight blasting Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu’s directive to keep the Rafah Crossing closed, accusing Israel of obstructing the agreed-upon exchange process tied to the current ceasefire deal.

Earlier in the evening, the Prime Minister’s Office released an official statement outlining Netanyahu’s position: “Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu has instructed that the Rafah Crossing not open until further notice. Its opening will be weighed in accordance with the way Hamas implements its part in the return of the deceased hostages and in the implementation of the agreed-upon plan.”

In response, Hamas claimed that Israel’s refusal “will cause delays in the transfer of the hostages’ bodies under the ceasefire agreement.”

Israeli security sources confirmed that all of the bodies of the hostages are still inside Gaza, contradicting Hamas’s claims that it has fulfilled its obligations.

The Rafah Crossing, which serves as the key passageway between Egypt and Gaza, had been slated to reopen as part of the truce arrangement reached between the sides. But Israel’s decision followed Hamas’s failure to comply with the conditions, particularly regarding the full return of the hostages’ remains.

Earlier in the week, Hamas publicly asserted that it had already returned all the bodies in its custody. Israeli officials, however, dismissed that claim, saying intelligence clearly shows that Hamas retains control over or has immediate access to at least eight additional bodies that have yet to be released.

{Matzav.com}

Edith (Dita) Kraus, a Holocaust survivor who once safeguarded books for children in Auschwitz’s notorious Block 31, passed away today at the age of 96.

Kraus, who kindled one of the memorial torches during the 2014 Holocaust Remembrance Day ceremony, inspired the acclaimed novel The Librarian of Auschwitz, which was based on her extraordinary courage and resilience.

According to Yad Vashem, Edith (Dita) Kraus, née Polach, was born in 1929 in Prague to Dr. Hans Polach, a respected lawyer, and his wife, Elizabeth. Their peaceful life was shattered when Germany invaded Czechoslovakia in March 1939, and her father lost his job under the new regime.

When Germany began its assault on Poland in September 1939, Dita’s parents sent her to live in a rural village for safety. However, by 1940 she was back in Prague, continuing her education through private lessons. It was around this time, at a sports ground designated for Jews, that she first encountered Fredy Hirsch — a charismatic educator and sports leader whose influence would later change her life.

In November 1942, Dita and her parents were deported to the Theresienstadt ghetto. She lived in the girls’ barracks and worked in agriculture, visiting her grandmother Katharina each evening in a nearby building where she had been placed after being deported with Dita’s grandfather earlier that year.

Despite the harsh and overcrowded conditions, Theresienstadt maintained a thriving cultural atmosphere, with classes, performances, and lectures. Fredy Hirsch played a leading role, promoting physical activity and instilling Jewish identity and mutual responsibility. Dita took part in his programs and also performed in the children’s opera Brundibár. She studied art with Friedl Dicker-Brandeis, a talented artist who encouraged self-expression through drawing. Friedl was later deported to Auschwitz and murdered.

In December 1943, Dita and her parents were sent to Auschwitz, where they were tattooed and confined in the Czech family camp in Birkenau. Her mother became sick and was placed in isolation. Six weeks later, Dita’s father perished, and the young girl was left to convey the devastating news: “I reached the wall of the isolation barrack, the wall behind which my mother lay, and shouted the news to her through the wall.”

At Auschwitz, Dita took charge of a secret library for the children’s block. Under Fredy Hirsch’s leadership, the block became a rare haven where Zionist instructors engaged the children in lessons on history, geography, and Judaism, keeping their spirits alive amid horror. Among the instructors was Otto Kraus, who would later become her husband.

In March 1944, tragedy struck when half the children were killed and Fredy Hirsch also died. Dita continued caring for the few remaining books and children. Two months later, Josef Mengele selected Dita and her mother for forced labor in Hamburg, where they worked under brutal conditions before being transferred to the camps of Neugraben and Tiefstack. In March 1945, they were sent to Bergen-Belsen, liberated weeks later by British forces. Shortly after liberation, Dita’s mother succumbed to illness and exhaustion on June 29, 1945.

After the war, Dita returned to Prague, where she was reunited with her grandmother, her aunt, and Otto Kraus, who had also survived. The two married, built a family, and in 1949 made aliyah to Israel with their son. Both devoted their lives to education, teaching for decades at the Hadassim Youth Village.

Dita and Otto Kraus raised three children and were blessed with four grandchildren.

{Matzav.com}

A delegation of gedolei Eretz Yisroel — Harav Dov Landau shlit”a, Harav Chaim Peretz Berman shlit”a (Rosh Yeshiva of Ponovezh, visiting America for the first time), Harav Eliezer Yehuda Finkel shlit”a (Rosh Yeshiva of Mir Yerushalayim), Harav Avraham Salim shlit”a, and Harav Yerucham Olshin shlit”a (Rosh Yeshiva of Beth Medrash Govoha) — will be traveling to the United States next week, with stops in Cleveland and Los Angeles, to garner further financial support for Keren Olam HaTorah. On Monday, October 20, Cleveland will have the zechus of welcoming Harav Dov Landau, who will arrive to be mechazek and inspire the tzibbur in this vital mission. The day’s schedule will begin with a special children’s gathering at 11:30 a.m., providing an opportunity for tinokos shel beis rabban to meet the gadol hador. At 7:15 p.m., a community-wide asifa for men will take place at the Hebrew Academy, Oakwood Campus, 1516 Warrensville Center Road, where Rav Dov will personally address the tzibbur. On Tuesday evening, the West Coast will host a historic asifa with Rav Dov and the other gedolim at the Saban Theatre, 8440 Wilshire Blvd, beginning at 8:30 p.m., where thousands are expected to join together b’achdus to demonstrate their ahavas haTorah v’lomdeha. The asifa will also feature divrei hisorerus from Rav Ephraim Wachsman shlit”a, who will serve as the guest speaker. Over the past two years, the olam haTorah in Eretz Yisroel has been facing severe and painful government funding cuts, leaving thousands of yeshivos and kollelim struggling to keep their doors open for their bochurim and avreichem. At the urging of the gedolim, Keren Olam HaTorah was founded to ensure that the kol Torah in Eretz Yisroel continues to thrive. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

A delegation of gedolei Eretz Yisroel — Harav Dov Landau, Harav Chaim Peretz Berman (Rosh Yeshiva of Ponovezh, visiting America for the first time), Harav Eliezer Yehuda Finkel (Rosh Yeshiva of Mir Yerushalayim), and Harav Avraham Salim — will be traveling to the United States next week, with stops in Cleveland and Los Angeles, to garner further financial support for Keren Olam HaTorah.

On Monday, October 20, Cleveland will have the zechus of welcoming Harav Dov Landau, who will arrive to be mechazek and inspire the tzibbur in this vital mission.

The day’s schedule will begin with a special children’s gathering at 11:30 a.m., providing an opportunity for tinokos shel beis rabban to meet the gadol hador. At 7:15 p.m., a community-wide asifa for men will take place at the Hebrew Academy, Oakwood Campus, 1516 Warrensville Center Road, where Rav Dov will personally address the tzibbur.

On Tuesday evening, the West Coast will host a historic asifa with Rav Dov and the other gedolim at the Saban Theatre, 8440 Wilshire Blvd, beginning at 8:30 p.m., where thousands are expected to join together b’achdus to demonstrate their ahavas haTorah v’lomdeha.

The asifa will also feature divrei hisorerus from Rav Ephraim Wachsman, who will serve as the guest speaker.

Over the past two years, the olam haTorah in Eretz Yisroel has been facing severe and painful government funding cuts, leaving thousands of yeshivos and kollelim struggling to keep their doors open for their bochurim and avreichem. At the urging of the gedolim, Keren Olam HaTorah was founded to ensure that the kol Torah in Eretz Yisroel continues to thrive.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump and the First Lady sent a heartfelt letter of condolence to the Orthodox Union following the sudden passing of Rabbi Moshe Hauer, who served as the organization’s Executive Vice President. Rabbi Hauer passed away suddenly on Shemini Atzeres at the age of 60.

In the official letter dated October 16, 2025, President Trump described Rabbi Hauer as “a man of deep faith, wisdom, and compassion whose life reflected an unwavering devotion to the Almighty, to his family, and to the Jewish community.” The President’s message emphasized Rabbi Hauer’s lifelong dedication to serving others and to strengthening the Jewish people.

“As a teacher, counselor, and friend, he dedicated his life to helping others and stood as a fierce advocate for the Jewish people,” the letter read. “His influence endures through the countless lives he uplifted and the communities he helped strengthen.”

President Trump and the First Lady expressed solidarity with the Orthodox Union community during this period of mourning, writing, “We join the Orthodox Union community in mourning Rabbi Hauer and celebrating his remarkable legacy. May the Almighty bless him and may his memory be a blessing to the countless lives he inspired.”

{Matzav.com}

Ukrainians shared their disappointment Saturday that the U.S. may not provide Kyiv with long-range Tomahawk missiles, while work to repair the damaged power supply to the country’s Zaporizhzhia power plant soothed other concerns surrounding Europe’s largest nuclear plant. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with President Donald Trump at the White House on Friday, after the U.S. leader signaled that Washington could provide Ukraine with the long-range missiles Kyiv believes will help bring Russian President Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table. Yet Zelenskyy ultimately left empty-handed — an outcome that dismayed, but did not surprise, many in the streets of the Ukrainian capital, who maintained their determination to end Russia’s 3 1/2-year invasion of their country. One Ukrainian military serviceman, Roman Vynnychenko, told The Associated Press that he believed the prospect of Tomahawk missiles for Ukraine was a political “game.” “Ukraine won’t get those missiles,” he said. Vynnychenko said Ukraine still needed to procure new weapons with or without American help, particularly as Russian drones and missiles continued to hit civilian infrastructure. “Every day civilians and soldiers die, buildings collapse, our streets and cities are being destroyed,” Vynnychenko said. Russia invaded its smaller neighbor in February 2022, sparking a 3 1/2-year conflict that has become a grinding war of attrition across a 1,250-kilometer (780-mile) frontline in Ukraine’s east and south. Trump’s frustration with the conflict has surfaced repeatedly in the nine months since he returned to office. In recent weeks, he had shown growing impatience with Putin and expressed greater openness to helping Ukraine win the war, including with the sale of Tomahawks. But Trump’s tone shifted again after he held a lengthy phone call with Putin on Thursday and announced that he planned to meet with the Russian leader in Budapest, Hungary, in the coming weeks. The talks raise new hopes that diplomatic progress could be made to end the war. But after multiple failed starts, Ukrainians are reluctant to believe that a significant breakthrough will take place soon. “To tell you the truth, I look at the news, but nowadays I read only the headlines. And even those make me sad,” Victoria Khramtsova, a psychologist, told the AP. “We have been at war for more than three years. We just want peace.” In the meantime, Russia continued its aerial bombardment of Ukraine, launching three missiles and 164 drones overnight, Ukraine’s Air Force said Saturday. It said that Ukrainian forces shot down 136 of the drones. Two people were injured after Russian drones targeted a gas station in the Zarichny district of Sumy in northeast Ukraine, local officials said Saturday. They were two women aged 51 and 53, according to regional Gov. Oleh Hryhorov. ‘Crucial for nuclear safety’ Elsewhere, work has begun to repair the damaged power supply to Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, the head of the U.N.’s nuclear watchdog said Saturday. The repairs are hoped to end a precarious four-week outage that saw it dependent on backup generators. Russian and Ukrainian forces established special ceasefire zones for repairs to be safely carried out, said the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi. He hailed the restoration of off-site power as “crucial for nuclear safety and security.” “Both sides engaged constructively with the IAEA to enable the complex repair plan to proceed,” Grossi said in a statement. […]

A shocking attack in Lakewood, NJ left a young frum man hospitalized this afternoon after an assailant violently targeted pedestrians walking along Vermont Avenue.

According to witnesses, the victim — a man in his mid-twenties — had been walking with two friends between Chestnut Street and Route 70 when a vehicle suddenly pulled over. Without any warning or provocation, a man jumped out of the car and began assaulting them.

The group was reportedly beaten in a vicious and chaotic attack. One of the men sustained a serious leg injury during the assault.

Lakewood Police and Hatzolah responders arrived within minutes. Emergency medical personnel treated the victim on the scene before transporting him to a nearby hospital, where he was listed in stable condition.

Authorities have launched an investigation into the incident, and law enforcement officials are actively searching for the suspect responsible for the unprovoked assault.

{Matzav.com}

The U.S. State Department announced today that it had notified the countries overseeing the Gaza ceasefire about “credible reports” suggesting Hamas was preparing to violate the truce with an imminent attack on Palestinian civilians.

“This planned attack against Palestinian civilians would constitute a direct and grave violation of the ceasefire agreement,” the department said in its statement.

“Should Hamas proceed with this attack, measures will be taken to protect the people of Gaza and preserve the integrity of the ceasefire,” it added.

At the same time, Gaza-based media outlets reported that an Israeli naval vessel fired toward the Khan Yunis beach area in southern Gaza.

The development followed Hamas’s return of two additional sets of hostage remains on today, a move reportedly made under pressure from Israel and international mediators working to ensure compliance with the ceasefire agreement led by President Donald Trump. The terror group continues to delay the handover of other hostage remains, a key condition of the deal’s first phase.

Hamas issued a statement Friday urging mediators to push forward with the remaining terms of the agreement. The group emphasized the need to finalize the creation of a community support committee tasked with overseeing administration in the Gaza Strip.

Since the ceasefire took effect, Hamas has tried to reestablish dominance in Gaza, carrying out deadly attacks against rival clans and perceived opponents. Reports indicate that the group has killed at least 32 people in recent weeks as part of its efforts to consolidate power.

President Trump responded forcefully to the violence, writing on Truth Social that “if Hamas continues to kill people in Gaza, which was not the Deal, we will have no choice but to go in and kill them.”

He later told CNN that he would consider allowing Israeli forces to resume military operations in Gaza if Hamas fails to uphold its side of the ceasefire agreement.

For the first time since the truce began, the IDF confirmed on Friday that it had struck Hamas operatives, targeting several terrorists who emerged from a tunnel in Rafah and opened fire on Israeli soldiers.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump announced on Friday that he had issued a commutation order freeing former New York Congressman George Santos from federal prison immediately.

“George has been in solitary confinement for long stretches of time and, by all accounts, has been horribly mistreated,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “Therefore, I just signed a Commutation, releasing George Santos from prison, IMMEDIATELY. Good luck George, have a great life!”

Santos had been serving a more than seven-year prison sentence handed down in April. He had pleaded guilty last year to charges of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, which prosecutors said were part of a scheme to exploit campaign donors, his political party, and his own relatives for personal gain.

His lawyer confirmed that Santos was released around 11 p.m. Friday night.

Santos’ attorney earlier told NBC News that his client was “appreciative” of Trump for “his compassion in seeing the suffering Mr. Santos endured through the prosecution” and for commuting what he called a “draconian sentence.”

“His husband is picking him up right now, and he is overjoyed and thankful to Mr. Trump for the compassion he exhibited in releasing George and in commuting his sentence,” the attorney said.

According to a senior White House official, Trump made the decision earlier in the week after receiving “many” requests urging clemency.

“The reach-outs on this that President Trump got were overwhelming,” another official added. “He heard from so many people, and in recent days he decided it was the right decision. It’s his call, and he made it.”

Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia had been lobbying for Trump to intervene on Santos’ behalf. Speaking to NBC News, she confirmed she had been in touch with the Department of Justice about the case but declined to say whether she had spoken directly to Trump.

Greene argued that the punishment did not fit the crime. “George Santos never raped anybody, never murdered anybody, is not a child sex-trafficker. Why is he in solitary confinement?” she said. “That is an extreme treatment for someone for the crimes that he was convicted of.”

Her campaign for leniency began after learning Santos had spent more than a month in solitary confinement. In September, she posted on X that he had been placed there “‘for his safety’ due to threats.” Before reporting to prison, Santos himself had written on X that he “demand[ed] to be kept in solitary confinement for the entire duration” of his sentence, saying, “I refuse to lose my dignity in anyway shape or form.”

Ed Martin, the U.S. pardon attorney, later said that Santos had no “greater friend” than Greene.

Santos began serving his sentence in July at a federal correctional facility in Fairton, New Jersey.

He rose to political prominence in 2022 after winning a congressional seat unexpectedly, but his career quickly unraveled when The New York Times exposed falsehoods in his biography and campaign claims.

By May 2023, Santos faced a federal indictment on charges of wire fraud and money laundering. That October, prosecutors added new counts, bringing the total to 23. Despite mounting pressure, he initially pleaded not guilty and refused to resign.

A subsequent House Ethics Committee investigation concluded there was “substantial evidence” that Santos “violated federal criminal laws,” including misusing campaign money and submitting false financial reports. The findings deepened the outrage within his own party.

In December 2023, after less than a year in office, Santos was expelled from Congress. He briefly attempted an independent campaign to reclaim his seat but abandoned the effort weeks later.

Trump, who has frequently used his presidential clemency powers, has granted pardons and commutations to hundreds, including roughly 1,500 individuals involved in the events of January 6, 2021, and several high-profile political figures such as former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, ex-Cincinnati councilman P.G. Sittenfeld, and Republican politicians Michael Grimm and John Rowland.

In his post about the Santos decision, Trump brushed off concerns about Santos’ record, writing that although Santos was a “rogue,” he was “not as bad as Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn.” In 2010, Blumenthal apologized for having “misspoken” by claiming he served “in Vietnam” rather than “during Vietnam,” despite never being deployed there.

“This rant is fabricated nonsense,” Blumenthal told NBC News on Friday night. “There’s no excuse for commuting George Santos’ sentence.”

Some Republican lawmakers who voted to expel Santos also condemned Trump’s move. Representative Andrew Garbarino of New York, who sits on the House Ethics Committee, said that serving only a few months of a seven-year sentence was “not justice.”

Representative Nick LaLota, another New York Republican, echoed that sentiment: “George Santos didn’t merely lie — he stole millions, defrauded an election, and his crimes (for which he pled guilty) warrant more than a three-month sentence. He should devote the rest of his life to demonstrating remorse and making restitution to those he wronged.”

Among those angered by the decision was Navy veteran Richard Osthoff, who had accused Santos in 2023 of refusing to release $3,000 raised for his dog’s life-saving surgery through a GoFundMe campaign.

Osthoff said he was “a little pissed off” after hearing of Santos’ release, accusing Trump of showing “disdain for veterans and for military members” and “abusing his powers.”

“My gut dropped; I felt like I was going to throw up,” Osthoff said. “He didn’t serve a drop in the bucket of his sentence, and now he will run around all over the place with a bigger ego and think he can get away with anything.”

{Matzav.com}

A plan to fire live artillery shells over a major Southern California highway as part of a military showcase attended Saturday by Vice President JD Vance drew strong objections from Gov. Gavin Newsom, who said safety concerns forced him to close a portion of the busy interstate. “The President is putting his ego over responsibility with this disregard for public safety,” the Democratic governor said in a statement. “Firing live rounds over a busy highway isn’t just wrong — it’s dangerous.” U.S. Marine officials at Camp Pendleton have said there was nothing unsafe about the artillery exercise and no need to disrupt traffic on Interstate 5, which is the main highway along the Pacific coast between San Diego and Los Angeles. Vance, a Republican, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth visited the base in North San Diego County to celebrate the Marine Corps’ 250th anniversary, and watch troops put on a show of amphibious vehicles and Marines demonstrating a beach assault. Vance and his wife, Usha, watched as aircraft shot across the sky and columns of smoke rose from munitions strikes. The state had considered closing the freeway earlier in the week, but the U.S. Marines said Thursday that the event would occur on approved training ranges and comport with established safety protocols. State transportation officials ultimately made the decision to close the freeway after practice firings over the freeway Friday evening and a request from event organizers for signage along the road stating “Overhead fire in progress.” The California Highway Patrol closed a 17-mile (27 kilometers) stretch of the highway Saturday. Severe traffic delays were reported Saturday morning and early afternoon in the area around the base. “This is all because of the White House-directed military event, that for the safety of the public, we need to shut down the freeway since they’re sending live ordinances over the freeway,” California Department of Transportation spokesperson Matt Rocco said. The California Highway Patrol reopened the I-5 briefly on Saturday afternoon to relieve some of the traffic congestion, Lt. Matt Gutierrez said, but then closed it again. U.S. Marines Capt. Gregory Dreibelbis said in a statement that there is artillery fire at the base nearly every week and that the exercises didn’t endanger motorists. “Weeks of deliberate planning and rehearsals ensured success at every phase of execution,” he said. In a statement to The New York Times, a spokesperson for Vance, William Martin, said Newsom misled the public about the safety risk. “If Gavin Newsom wants to oppose the training exercises that ensure our Armed Forces are the deadliest and most lethal fighting force in the world, then he can go right ahead,” Martin said. Rocco said the I-5 closure could cost up to another two hours of trip time for those commuting between San Diego and Los Angeles. The freeway carries with 80,000 travelers and $94 million in freight through the corridor daily, according to the governor’s office. Passenger rail services running parallel to the I-5 have also been canceled for the afternoon. (AP)

A defense contractor stole the spotlight at a major Army aviation summit by unveiling a mysterious aircraft — and then allegedly confessed to being behind the wave of “UFO” sightings that gripped New Jersey last year.

During the Army’s UAS and Launched Effects Summit held at Fort Rucker in August, the private company put on a live flight demonstration of a manned craft that stunned the audience with its strange structure and unconventional aerial maneuvers, an attendee told The Post.

“You remember that big UFO scare in New Jersey last year? Well, that was us,” one of the company’s employees reportedly told a small group after the flight demonstration, according to the same attendee who had been invited to the event.

The contractor’s representative claimed that the company was conducting test flights over New Jersey in November 2024 “to test out their capabilities,” and said that public notification wasn’t required because the operation was conducted under a confidential government contract.

Footage shared with The Post shows the unusual craft — about 20 feet wide with four wings — gliding at low altitude just above the trees while soldiers on the ground looked on in fascination.

“I thought it was the military testing something out on the other side of the base,” said the source, a military veteran and drone specialist, describing their first reaction upon seeing the object in flight on August 12 at Fort Rucker.

“It feels like it’s a UFO because it defies what you’re expecting to see,” the witness continued, saying the aircraft gave off an “uncanny valley feeling” as it silently moved across the sky.

“When it turned you almost completely lose sight of it,” the attendee recalled of the half-hour demonstration conducted within Fort Rucker’s controlled airspace.

“Which is why I think people were seeing this up in the sky and why there were reports of people seeing it and saying it disappeared.”

All individuals present at the conference were pre-screened and cleared by Fort Rucker leadership, who imposed tight security measures for participation, including a total ban on any devices containing Chinese-manufactured components, the source said.

“It would definitely have to be cleared,” the attendee explained, adding, “Somebody was 100% in charge of coordinating that.”

Fort Rucker, which serves as the headquarters for the Army’s Aviation Branch, did not respond to requests for comment.

Reports of unidentified drones over New Jersey first surfaced on November 13, 2024, near the Army’s Picatinny Arsenal in Morris County, and similar sightings continued throughout the state into early December.

President Trump’s Federal Aviation Administration said in January that much of the activity reported as mysterious drones likely came from hobbyists, recreational flyers, and private pilots.

The Army declined to comment on the matter, citing the ongoing federal government shutdown.

{Matzav.com}

Jackson, NJ – A major milestone was achieved last week in the development of the new Jackson Mikvah, as a specialized well was drilled on the property to establish the water source for the 40 se’ah. The Mikvah of Jackson is being built with exceptional chumras and hiddurim, including a well of genuine mayim chaim for the 40 se’ah required for the Mikvah. The event was attended by leading Poskim and Rabbonim from the Lakewood and Jackson communities, including the participation of renowned Mikvah expert, Rabbi Yitzchok Trieger, who is fully overseeing the Jackson Mikva project. The completion of this stage signifies a significant step towards the Mikvah project, which will change the kedusha landscape for the Jackson and Greater Lakewood area iy”h. To learn more about The Mikva of Jackson visit themoj.org

A Jewish attorney in London was taken into custody by Metropolitan Police officers after wearing a visible Magein Dovid necklace at a pro-Palestinian rally, with police reportedly claiming the Jewish symbol could “antagonize” demonstrators and “cause offense,” according to a report by The Telegraph on Saturday.

The lawyer told The Telegraph that he was handcuffed and held for nearly ten hours, saying the police were attempting to “criminalize the wearing of a Star of David.”

He was detained at approximately 7 p.m. on August 29 during a pro-Palestinian protest outside the Israeli Embassy in London. The attorney said he was there to observe the demonstration, documenting illegal activity among the protesters and monitoring the police response.

According to his account, officers restrained his hands behind his back before escorting him into a police vehicle, where he was held for interrogation.

The Metropolitan Police, however, denied that his arrest had anything to do with the necklace, asserting that he was detained for “repeatedly breaching” police instructions meant to keep rival groups separated, The Telegraph reported.

The lawyer maintained that he had filmed as many as 30 examples of criminal behavior from the protesters, none of which resulted in convictions. He also said he was subjected to verbal abuse, including being called a “Zionist baby killer.”

“Police are arguing that wearing a Star of David is antagonising to protesters while we have seen all manner of antisemitic slogans on placards and shouted at Jews that have gone unpunished,” he told The Telegraph, calling the incident one of the starkest examples of what he described as “two-tier policing.”

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar condemned the alleged arrest on X, labeling the incident a “moral disgrace.”

“The Star of David is a symbol of Jewish identity, not provocation. The fact that Jews are warned in central London not to display it publicly shows how rampant antisemitism spread through hateful ‘pro-Palestinian’ marches in Britain has poisoned the streets,” he wrote.

“British Authorities must act: ban antisemitic slogans and conduct a full institutional review,” Sa’ar added.

{Matzav.com}