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Tensions are peaking in the Israeli political arena as the chareidi parties gear up for one of the most dramatic moves in recent memory—their potential withdrawal from the government coalition. While some blame MK Yuli Edelstein for blindsiding them with unexpected sanctions targeting the olam haTorah, others are directing their anger at Prime Minister Netanyahu himself.

Late Tuesday night, Matzav.com revealed that Rav Dov Landau was initially hesitant to topple the government over the conscription bill. However, just hours later, a formal statement from his home indicated a complete turnaround: the decision had been made to dissolve the government. This marked a stunning development.

As reported previously, a critical meeting was held between MK Yuli Edelstein, chairman of the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, and senior chareidi officials involved in the drafting of the new conscription legislation.

At the start of that meeting, held early in the evening, there was cautious optimism that common ground could be found. Based on this hope, Rav Landau urged patience and decided to wait for the outcome before determining whether to proceed with efforts to bring down the government.

Following the meeting, chareidi representatives briefed Rav Landau’s aides. Throughout the night, urgent consultations took place in the rosh yeshiva’s home. Initially, statements attributed to the rosh yeshiva appeared in the Israeli Yated suggesting a more conciliatory tone: “In these days, the leadership of Prime Minister Netanyahu is being tested—whether he will fulfill his promises to protect the status of Torah scholars.” But things quickly shifted again.

In the early hours of the morning, as the rest of the country slept, a turning point occurred. Despite a statement from Edelstein’s office declaring the meeting had ended on a positive note, Rav Landau was updated at 5:30 a.m. by his grandson, who explained that no agreement had been reached on the draft bill.

After a brief reflection, Rav Landau instructed his grandson: “Call Rabbi Gafni and tell him in my name—we must dissolve the Knesset and advance legislation to schedule elections immediately. We cannot allow harm to befall our soul’s essence: the bnei yeshiva. They must continue learning Torah without disruption.” The grandson relayed the message promptly.

While these were the technical steps leading to the decision, we have also learned of intense frustration within the chareidi political leadership. Their anger is directed not only at Edelstein but also at Netanyahu, whom they accuse of long-standing deception.

A senior Degel HaTorah figure shared: “The public doesn’t realize how insane this situation is. We’ve been negotiating with Edelstein for over a year regarding the draft law. We agreed to nearly all of his bizarre demands, and then at the last second, he betrays us in an utterly unacceptable way.”

He continued: “Edelstein has clearly made a deal with Bennett. Our assessments show he plans to run on a joint list with him. He’s now leveraging anti-chareidi sentiment to generate headlines. Just today, the same protest groups that demonstrated against him are now planning rallies in his support—because they see he’s the one who can bring down Netanyahu. They’ll elevate him like they tried to do with Galant. Next thing you know, he’ll be Bennett’s number two.”

A senior official in Agudas Yisrael echoed these sentiments: “The real problem is Netanyahu. He always appoints the wrong people to the most sensitive roles. Edelstein, a senior Likud member, was denied a ministerial position due to his strained relationship with Netanyahu and was instead placed at the head of the committee.”

“That appointment gave him the perfect platform to get back at Netanyahu—and now the chareidi public is caught in the crossfire. Edelstein is exactly like [President] Rivlin. He knows he has no future in Likud due to tensions with Netanyahu, so he’s looking for an exit strategy. If not with Bennett, then perhaps he’ll try to become president—with opposition and media support—just to spite Netanyahu.”

Many are now asking: if a government tailored to chareidi interests couldn’t deliver, what good will elections do? Won’t the chareidim lose more than they gain?

A source close to one of the gedolim explained: “The question is backward. What do we have now with Netanyahu? The bizarre sanctions Edelstein proposed won’t survive a High Court challenge. They’re not only discriminatory against Arabs—they’re plainly illegal. Edelstein even said in the meeting he plans to revoke rights even for those who meet the draft quotas!”

“That’s why the premise of the question is wrong,” the source continued. “We want to return to where we were a decade ago—when we held the balance of power. Netanyahu lied to us again and again, and we followed blindly out of loyalty to the right-wing bloc. Now, the fact that we’re willing to go to elections against Netanyahu is a powerful message. It should light a fire under the opposition that we’re open to joining a government led by them.”

He added: “Netanyahu is barely present. He’s consumed by his court hearings and takes the chareidi support for granted. Now he’s realizing this crisis is real—and we won’t just roll over. If he wants us to stay, he better offer a real and fair solution.”

According to insiders from multiple chareidi parties, disentangling from Netanyahu could also improve their legal standing. “If we’re no longer beholden to Netanyahu,” the source explained, “it could make a difference in how the next government and the High Court view the situation. The idea of inflicting harsh sanctions on the olam haTorah is absurd. Secular draft-dodgers still receive all benefits, yet someone who devotes his life to Torah is treated worse than Bedouins or Eritreans—who, by the way, receive far more government assistance.”

Despite the fiery declarations, the chareidi parties are not yet pulling the plug. A key meeting is scheduled tonight between Netanyahu and Edelstein, after which the path forward may become clearer.

As for the timing of potential elections, the chareidi parties are strongly opposed to holding them during Elul—just three and a half months from now—as it would disrupt Elul zeman in the yeshivos. Their preference is for elections to be held around Chanukah time instead.

Whether Netanyahu—often dubbed “the magician”—can reverse course and salvage the coalition remains to be seen.

{Matzav.com Israel}

Vietnam has abolished its long-standing two-child limit on Tuesday to try and reverse declining birth rates and ease the pressures of an aging population. The National Assembly passed amendments scrapping rules that limit families to having one or two children, state media Vietnam News Agency reported on Wednesday. Vietnamese families are having fewer children than ever before. The birth rate in 2021 was 2.11 children per woman, just over the replacement rate required for a population to avoid shrinking over the long term. Since then, the birth rate has steadily declined: to 2.01 in 2022, 1.96 in 2023 and 1.91 in 2024. Vietnam isn’t the only Asian country with low fertility. But, unlike Japan, South Korea or Singapore, it is still a developing economy. Nguyen Thu Linh, 37, a marketing manager in Vietnam’s capital Hanoi, said that she and her husband decided to have only one child because she and her husband wanted to ensure that they could give their 6-year-old son the best education and upbringing that they could afford. “Sometimes, I think about having another child so my son can have a sibling, but there’s so much financial and time pressure if you have another child.” Vietnam introduced rules blocking families from having more than two children in 1988, with the idea that women would spend less time on childcare and more time working. Vietnam’s “golden population” period — when working age people outnumber those who depend on them — began in 2007 and is expected to last until 2039. The number of people who can work is likely to peak in 2042 and, by 2054, the population may start shrinking. All of this could make it harder to grow the economy, since there will be fewer workers while the cost of supporting the needs of the elderly grows. Birth rates in Vietnam aren’t falling evenly. In Ho Chi Minh City — the country’s biggest city and economic hub — the fertility rate in 2024 was just 1.39 children per woman, much lower than the national average. At the same time, nearly 12% of the city’s population was over 60, putting pressure on welfare services. To help, local officials started offering about $120 to women who have two children before turning 35 last December. Vietnam is also dealing with a unbalanced gender ratio, partly because due long-standing preferences for sons. Doctors aren’t allowed to tell parents the baby’s sex before birth, and sex-selective abortions are banned. On Tuesday, the health ministry proposed tripling the fine for choosing a baby’s sex before birth to $3,800, state media reported. China imposed a one-child policy in 1979 amid worries about overpopulation. But as the country faces growing concerns about the long-term economic and societal challenges of an aging population, it has been slowly easing the policy to allow a second child and then a third child in 2021, but with little success at boosting birthrates. (AP)

The Washington Post is preparing to welcome content from Substack authors and other independent contributors, but there’s a new condition: all submissions must first be screened by an artificial intelligence system before reaching the paper’s editorial team, according to four individuals familiar with the initiative who spoke to The New York Times on Tuesday.

This strategic move is part of an effort to revive the newspaper’s financial stability after facing consecutive years of significant financial losses.

“In a presentation to employees on Wednesday morning, Post publisher Will Lewis painted a stark picture of the Post’s finances, revealing that the publication has lost $77 million over the last year and has been bleeding digital readers for several years,” the Post reported in May 2024.

Jeff Bezos, the paper’s owner and Amazon founder, has reportedly been having difficulty reversing the organization’s downturn, according to the Times. The paper now intends to broaden its opinion content by including pieces from freelancers and journalists from smaller regional publications. These submissions are intended to “appeal to readers who want more breadth than the Post’s current opinion section and more quality than social platforms like Reddit and X,” the Times reported.

However, all potential contributors will be required to work with an AI platform called Ember. As the Times described it, Ember will assist writers with various tools, including a “‘story strength’ tracker that tells writers how their piece is shaping up, with a sidebar that lays out basic parts of story structure: ‘early thesis,’ ‘supporting points’ and [a] ‘memorable ending.’”

One source told the Times that the AI program is also designed to suggest prompts to help writers add “solid supporting points.”

{Matzav.com}

In a stirring display of kavod haTorah, thousands gathered at the Ponevezh Yeshiva for a monumental hachnasas Sefer Torah in memory of the late Rosh Yeshiva, HaGaon HaRav Gershon Edelstein zt”l. The event marked a fitting tribute to the towering gadol hador whose life was a beacon of Torah and yiras Shamayim. The event began with the writing of the final letters in the Sefer Torah at the home of the Rosh Yeshiva zt”l. From there, a vibrant procession, led by Ponevezh Rosh Yeshiva HaGaon HaRav Berel Povarsky, commenced at the residence of Yeshiva President HaRav Eliezer Kahaneman. The streets of Bnei Brak came alive with song and dance, culminating in an electrifying scene at the yeshiva square and the iconic Ponevezh Yeshiva. VIDEO AND PHOTOS FOR YWN BY SHUKI LERER

Two Palestinians were apprehended at the Tel Aviv light rail station, found carrying IDF uniforms.

India state minister has stated that several people were killed in a stampede at a cricket game.

Mohamed Sabry Soliman, the man accused of carrying out a violent arson attack in Colorado, appeared in a disturbing video prior to the assault, in which he launched into a series of anti-American and anti-Zionist tirades, stating, “God is greater” than “Zionists” and “America.”

The video, which surfaced on a pro-Hamas Telegram account, was reportedly recorded in Boulder before the incident. It includes erratic jump cuts and audio distortions, making the footage at times difficult to follow.

In the recording, Soliman can be heard saying, “God is greater than everything. God is greater than the Zionists. God is greater than America and its weapons. God is greater than the F35 planes,” delivering his message directly to the camera in what seems to be a self-recorded segment.

He then goes on to question the silence surrounding perceived injustice, asking, “Why remain silent about injustice? Why this humiliation and degradation that we live?”

Soliman, an Egyptian citizen aged 45, is facing several criminal charges including attempted murder, assault, and illegal possession of an incendiary device. Authorities allege he attacked participants at a demonstration in support of releasing Israeli hostages, leaving a dozen people injured.

In addition to state-level charges, Soliman is also being prosecuted on federal hate crime counts.

{Matzav.com}

Join the PCS Bookkeeping Course and learn the fundamental skills required to launch a successful career in a sought-after field.  Small business owners will learn how to manage their own finances Start Date:  Men – June 16                     Women – July 1  Separate tracks for remote students! Schedule: twice a week, 8pm-10pm Limited slots remaining Limited Partial Scholarships Available Partial listing of topics:– Managing Finances– Payroll and Taxes– Advanced Features– Customer and Vendor Management  Contact: raizy@nj.pcsjobs.org  |  732-905-9700 ext. 606 or visit: https://pcsnynj.org/course/bookkeeping

President Donald Trump’s big bill making its way through Congress will cut taxes by $3.7 trillion but also increase deficits by $2.4 trillion over the next decade, according to an analysis released Wednesday by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. The CBO also said the package would reduce federal outlays, or spending, by $1.3 trillion over that period. The analysis comes at a crucial moment in the legislative process as Trump is pushing Congress to have the final product on his desk to sign into law by Fourth of July. The work of the CBO, which for decades has served as the official scorekeeper of legislation in Congress, will be weighed by lawmakers and others seeking to understand the budgetary impacts of the sprawling 1,000-page plus package. Ahead of CBO’s release, the White House and Republican leaders criticized the budget office in a pre-emptive campaign designed to sow doubt in its findings. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said CBO has been “historically wrong” and Senate Majority Leader John Thune said the CBO was “flat wrong” because it underestimated the potential revenue from Trump’s first round of tax breaks in 2017. The CBO last year said receipts were $1.5 trillion or 5.6% greater than predicted, in large part because of the “burst of inflation” during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021. Leavitt also suggested that CBO’s employees are biased, even though certain budget office workers face strict ethical rules — including restrictions on campaign donations and political activity — to ensure objectivity and impartiality. Alongside the costs of the bill, the CBO had previously estimated that 8.6 million people would no longer have health care and 4 million fewer would have food stamps each month due to the legislation’s proposed changes to Medicaid and other programs. The bill, called the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” after the president’s own catch phrase, is grinding its way through Congress, as the top priority of Republicans, who control both the House and Senate — and face stiff opposition from Democrats at every step in the process. Democrats call it Trump’s “big, ugly bill.” All told, the package seeks to extend the individual income tax breaks that had been approved in 2017, but will expire in December if Congress fails to act, while adding new ones, including no taxes on tips. It also includes a massive buildup of $350 billion for border security, deportations and national security. (AP)

Donald Trump said Xi Jinping was “extremely hard to make a deal with” as the leaders of the world’s two largest economies battle over trade.

BREAKING: Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Wednesday that the US nuclear deal proposal was “against Tehran’s national interests” and that Iran will not abandon uranium enrichment. Speaking at an event marking 36 years since the death of his predecessor, Khamenei said in a speech that uranium enrichment is key to the country’s nuclear program and that the US proposal to end it violates Iranian independence. Khamenei also addressed President Trump, saying, “Who are you to tell us whether we can have a nuclear program or not? We will not give up the ability to enrich uranium.”

Master Sergeant (Res.) Alon Farkas, 27, from Kabri, was killed in action during a battle in northern Gaza, the IDF confirmed Wednesday. Farkas served in the 6646th Reconnaissance Battalion of the 646th Brigade.

The confrontation that claimed Farkas’s life also left another reservist from the same battalion critically wounded. The injured soldier was quickly transported to a hospital for urgent care, and his family has been informed of his condition.

In a separate encounter in Gaza, a Hamas drone dropped an explosive device on a group of soldiers operating in Jabaliya, northern Gaza. As a result, two members of the elite Yahalom Unit sustained moderate injuries, and a Shin Bet officer suffered light wounds.

On Tuesday, the IDF released the names of three soldiers from the Givati Brigade’s 9th Battalion who lost their lives during clashes in northern Gaza: Staff Sergeant Lior Steinberg, Staff Sergeant Ofek Barhana, and Staff Sergeant Omer Van Gelder.

Steinberg, 20, from Petach Tikva, and Barhana, 20, from Yavne, both served as combat medics. Van Gelder, 22, from Ma’ale Adumim, held the position of squad commander.

Two other troops were moderately hurt in the same incident that resulted in the deaths of the three soldiers.

As of now, the total number of IDF soldiers killed since the war began stands at 861.

{Matzav.com Israel}

YWN regrets to inform you of the petira of Rebbetzin Miriam Chava Rubin A”H, daughter of the Kossover Rebbe, HaRav Shraga Feivish Hager ZT”L—who was niftar less than a year ago. She was the wife of Rav Yisocher Rubin, Koznitz-Siget Rav. Rebbetzin Rubin A”H, who recently married off her eldest child, passed away following an illness. She leaves behind eight yesomim. She was just 42 years old. The Levaya will take place Wednesday morning (Isru Chag Shavuos) at 11:00 AM at the Kossover Beis Medrash in Boro Park at 1355-55th Street, followed by the kevurah at the Viznitzer Beis HaChaim in Monsey. Besuros Tovos!  

The home of Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch has issued a stark warning: If there is no significant breakthrough on the long-stalled draft law, the Degel HaTorah faction within United Torah Judaism will exit the governing coalition.

This announcement follows what is perceived as a continued standstill in legislation that would accommodate chareidi yeshiva students within Israel’s mandatory military conscription framework. The statement from Rav Hirsch’s home emphasized that without a dramatic change, the time has come to take decisive action.

The ultimatum comes as a critical meeting took place between MK Yuli Edelstein, chairman of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, and former Shas MK Ariel Attias. According to reports, Prime Minister Netanyahu’s office is considering removing Edelstein from his position due to his firm opposition to a maximalist draft law, which has been heavily backed by the chareidi parties. However, Netanyahu’s office has officially denied the claims.

Sources close to the Prime Minister are reportedly evaluating whether such a political shake-up would buy enough time to appease chareidi demands and allow for the legislation to pass within their desired timeline.

Earlier Tuesday, the crisis over the draft law appeared to reach a boiling point. Motti Babchik, close aide to UTJ chairman and Housing Minister Yitzchok Goldknopf, met with National Unity leader Benny Gantz. The meeting is part of a broader effort by Agudas Yisroel to explore a potential Knesset dissolution bill, a move that could bring down the government altogether.

Meanwhile, MK Moshe Gafni reportedly delivered a stern message to the Prime Minister’s office on behalf of the leading rabbinic figures of the Litvishe community—Rav Dov Landau and Rav Hirsch—that unless real progress is made on the draft legislation by tonight, instructions will be given to escalate political pressure immediately.

{Matzav.com Israel}

QUESTION:  Does Rav Moshe Feinstein’s leniency of chalav stam (milk that is supervised by government inspectors) apply to cheese? Is there such a thing as gevina stam? ANSWER: Shulchan Aruch (YD 115:2) writes that if a nochri makes cheese using herbs, even if one can tell that the cheese was made with herbs and not with rennet, it is considered gevinas Akum. The Rema writes that the general custom is like Shulchan Aruch. He adds that there were places (such as Narbonne) where they had a tradition to be lenient, but if one does not have this tradition it is forbidden to be lenient. In places without a lenient tradition, even if it is known that cheese was made with herbs, the Rema ruled that it is forbidden since a Yisroel did not supervise the cheesemaking. The Shach (YD 115:20) is even more stringent. According to the Shach, if a Yisroel did not add the rennet, even if he watched the cheese being made, the cheese is forbidden. Even though he knows the cheese was made with all kosher ingredients, it is gevinas akum since a Yisroel did not actually make the cheese. According to the Shach, it is obvious that government regulations will not make a difference. Although most poskim follow the ruling of the Rema, Rav Moshe Feinstein (Igros Moshe YD 1:50) writes explicitly that there is no substitute for a Yisroel supervising the making of the cheese. Government-regulated cheese would not be better than cheese of Narbonne, about which the Rema writes that the accepted custom is to be strict. Rav Moshe writes that even if a nochri would have ne’emanus to say that his cheese was made with kosher rennet, this would still not be any better than the cheese of Narbonne and would be considered gevinas akum. This is a different standard than is required for chalav Yisroel. Regarding chalav Yisroel, it is sufficient for the mashgiach to stand outside the barn, since the farmer is afraid of being caught contaminating the milk. Since fear of getting caught is sufficient for chalav Yisroel, government inspectors work as well. For gevinas Yisroel, however, there is no substitute to having a Yisroel supervise (or, according to the Shach, make) the cheese.

In a landmark ruling, the Israel Antiquities Authority and the Western Wall Heritage Foundation have announced that all stones from the Kosel HaMa’aravi currently scattered across various locations in Israel will be returned to their original location for genizah (burial), in accordance with the position of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel.

The decision comes in response to the recent transfer of a massive five-ton Kosel stone—believed to have fallen during the destruction of the Second Beis Hamikdash—for display at Ben Gurion Airport. The move drew strong opposition from the Chief Rabbinate and the Western Wall Heritage Foundation, which stressed that these stones are not archaeological artifacts to be exhibited, but sacred remnants that must be treated with halachic reverence and preserved as part of the sanctity of the Kosel.

On Tuesday, a pivotal meeting was held at the Kosel, bringing together senior rabbinic leaders and government officials, including the Chief Rabbis of Israel; the Rishon Letzion and President of the Rabbinical Courts, Rav Dovid Yosef; President of the Chief Rabbinate Council Rav Kalman Bar; Rav of the Kosel and holy sites Rav Shmuel Rabinowitz; Minister for Religious Services Michael Malchieli; Minister for Yerushalayim Affairs and Jewish Tradition Meir Porush; Minister of Heritage Amichai Eliyahu; Director of the Antiquities Authority Eli Eskosido; Director of the Western Wall Heritage Foundation Mordechai (Suli) Eliav; Director General of the Ministry for Religious Services Rabbi Yehuda Avidan; Director of the Chief Rabbinate Rabbi Yehuda Cohen; Director of the Yerushalayim and Jewish Tradition Ministry Shimi Elboim; along with representatives from the Antiquities Authority and the Jewish Quarter Development Company.

Prior to the meeting, the rabbonim and ministers visited the designated site where fallen Kosel stones from the time of the Second Bais Hamikdosh are respectfully preserved for genizah. Dozens of stones currently rest there in accordance with halachah. The leaders then convened in the office of the Rav of the Kosel, where the rabbonim reiterated their firm position that these stones are an inseparable part of the Kosel’s sanctity and must be treated accordingly.

Following the tour and deliberations, a unanimous decision was reached: all Kosel stones currently on display in places such as Ben Gurion Airport, the President’s Residence, the Kirya in Tel Aviv, the Israel Museum, and in Antiquities Authority warehouses will be removed from exhibition and respectfully interred alongside the other Kosel stones at their designated burial site. Additional safeguards will be implemented to protect the sanctity of the stones, including fencing off the genizah area and issuing public instructions prohibiting any use of the stones.

At the conclusion of the meeting, Eli Eskosido, Director of the Israel Antiquities Authority, affirmed the agency’s commitment to religious sensitivity: “The Israel Antiquities Authority will act on matters of holiness in line with the position of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel, and accordingly, all the stones will be returned for genizah at their proper site beside the other Kosel stones.”

{Matzav.com Israel}

A 22-year-old Vizhnitz chassid studying to become a sofer, is now at the center of one of the most unusual espionage cases in Israel’s history — a tale that began with financial stress, a smartphone, and a mysterious message from a woman named “Anna.” Facing mounting debts of nearly 70,000 shekels, which he attributed to “poor financial choices,” Stern purchased a smartphone in June 2024 — a rare and frowned-upon move in his kehilla. Hoping to make fast money trading cryptocurrency, he downloaded investment apps and joined several Telegram groups. It wasn’t long before he was scammed out of 5,000 shekels. Then came “Anna.” Claiming to be a Canadian activist running a campaign against traffic accidents in the UK, “Anna Elena” reached out to the chossid with an emotional appeal to “help save lives in Israel.” But according to Israeli security officials, “Anna” was no activist — she was an Iranian intelligence operative running a covert recruitment effort. At first, the requests were strange, but not overtly violent. Anna sent the avreich an image of bloodied hands with an English caption: “History will record that children were murdered. Let’s stand on the right side of history.” The chossid, who later claimed he couldn’t fully understand the English text, was told it was “for the protection of children.” He printed 150 copies of the image at a local store in Beit Shemesh, paying 150 shekels, and hid them under loose floor tiles in his apartment building. He then arranged for a second individual — also found online — to post them around Tel Aviv. For this effort, he received $50 in cryptocurrency. The “Anna” persona began requesting increasingly disturbing acts: burning a forest, placing a severed sheep’s head in front of the Israeli ambassador’s home, and staging grotesque public threats — such as placing a knife-stabbed doll inside a cardboard box. Most shockingly, she allegedly asked him what he would do if asked to shoot someone, offering $75,000 and an escape flight from Israel. The avreich declined, saying, “That’s not for me.” When Shin Bet agents arrested him at home, one investigator asked if he wanted to bring his tefillin. He replied they were at the Vizhnitz beis medrash. In a surreal moment, the agents drove him — just before dawn — to the shul to retrieve them. “He shook my hand and thanked me for treating him with understanding,” the investigator later recalled. The avreich’s story has reportedly stunned investigators. A sheltered chassidishe young man — a father, husband, and aspiring sofer — lured by debt, naiveté, and digital deception into the orbit of a hostile regime. He now faces serious security charges, with Israeli prosecutors expected to indict him for attempting to assist a foreign enemy in carrying out acts of incitement and subversion. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

President Donald Trump’s press secretary Karoline Leavitt pushed back sharply Monday against media reports that Israeli tanks fired on Palestinians attempting to access humanitarian aid in Gaza, accusing journalists of spreading unverified information sourced from Hamas. In response to mounting questions about alleged Israeli military actions near the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation — where multiple Palestinians have reportedly arrived at hospitals with gunshot wounds and some have died — Leavitt said the Trump administration is reviewing the reports but urged skepticism. “The President is aware of those reports and we are currently looking into the veracity of them,” Leavitt said during a White House press briefing. “Because unfortunately, unlike some in the media, we don’t take the word of Hamas with total truth. We like to look into it when they speak.” Leavitt singled out the BBC for criticism, citing a recent incident in which the outlet retracted a report accusing Israeli forces of killing civilians in Gaza. “Unlike the BBC, who had multiple headlines about Israeli tanks killing various numbers of civilians and then had to correct and take down their entire story — saying ‘we reviewed the footage and couldn’t find any evidence of anything’ — we take a different approach,” she said. Leavitt concluded her remarks with a broad rebuke of the press corps, accusing them of fueling global misinformation. “We’re going to look into the reports before we can confirm them from this podium, before we take action. And I suggest that journalists who actually care about truth do the same — to reduce the amount of misinformation that’s going around the globe on this front,” she said. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)