Feed aggregator

An Israeli government representative told The Jerusalem Post on Wednesday that Hamas is fully aware of the locations where at least some of the bodies of the 21 hostages still unreturned are buried.

Despite this, the terror organization has repeatedly insisted that it does not know the whereabouts of all those who were killed in captivity. As recently as Wednesday night, Hamas reiterated that it has already transferred every hostage it was able to locate.

According to Hamas, finding the rest of the bodies would require “major logistical work” and advanced search tools that it claims are not currently available to them.

The Israel Defense Forces confirmed on Wednesday that the Red Cross had received the remains of two murdered hostages from Hamas.

Just one day earlier, the terror group delivered the body of a Gazan man who had aided Israel’s military in identifying Hamas tunnels, substituting him for one of the expected hostage bodies when it handed over four corpses to Israel.

“Hamas released a body that is not that of a fallen soldier. We are clear when we say this: Hamas must return all the fallen hostages; we will not compromise and will spare no effort until all the fallen are returned,” the statement read.

“Hamas committed to this before President Trump, and all the fallen must come home. Humanitarian aid has never been interrupted. For questions, please contact the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) and the IDF.”

{Matzav.com}

On Tuesday, Hamas handed over the body of a Gazan civilian who had aided Israeli forces in uncovering terror tunnels, mistakenly presenting it as one of the fallen hostages during the transfer of four bodies to Israel.

Initially, Israeli officials believed the confusion stemmed from an identification error. The body had been dressed in an IDF uniform, leading investigators to assume it was that of a soldier who had been killed in combat.

“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israel will utilize every possible means to ensure the return of all hostages’ remains,” an Israeli official said following the discovery.

A day later, Netanyahu’s office confirmed to the international media that Hamas’s delivery of a Gazan body instead of a hostage’s remains was considered a breach of U.S. President Donald Trump’s peace accord governing the ceasefire and hostage exchange.

The spokesperson emphasized that even with these violations, Israel has continued to allow humanitarian assistance to flow into Gaza without disruption.

“Hamas released a body that is not that of a fallen soldier. We are clear when we say this: Hamas must return all the fallen hostages; we will not compromise and will spare no effort until all the fallen are returned,” the statement read.

“Hamas committed to this before President Trump, and all the fallen must come home. Humanitarian aid has never been interrupted. For questions, please contact the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) and the IDF.”

According to Israeli officials, the families of those still missing have expressed how vital it is to recover the remains of their loved ones. “The families of the fallen said that their return would save the lives of all the family members,” they explained. “This would allow the bodies to be brought to an Israeli grave, and thus they could return to their lives.”

Meanwhile, Israeli authorities confirmed early Wednesday morning that the Abu Kabir Forensic Institute had successfully identified the remains of three hostages: Uriel Baruch, Staff Sergeant Tamir Nimrodi, and Eitan Levi.

{Matzav.com}

We hope you had a wonderful Yom Tov and wish you success in the upcoming year. Tonight/Tomorrow is the yahrtzeit of the holy Ribnitzer Rebbe zt”l – he supported our work at Yad L’Achim and you should read the amazing story with him and a rescued child – CLICK HERE. His kever has become one of the most visited holy sites in America – submit names for free HERE  HISTORIC FREE OPPORTUNITY: With one click or call – you can submit names for tefillah to 2 places! At the Ribnitzer Rebbe, as well as at the Chasam Sofer in Slovakia –  for his yahrtzeit Friday! TO SUBMIT YOUR NAMES AND/OR SUPPORT – CLICK HERE or call our us at 1-718-690-2944 and we will be happy to take your names over the phone     Incredible Story!: The Ribnitzer Rebbe zt”l, was very close to Yad L’Achim. He personally supported Yad L’Achim, was involved in our work and gave his bracha (blessing) for all who support Yad L’Achim in their work of Pidyon Shvuyim.   To read the incredible story about the Ribnitzer Rebbe, children rescued from an Arab Village by Yad L’Achim, Rav Shach and Satmar CLICK HERE   The Chasam Sofer Yahrtzeit is Chaf Hay Tishrei – Free Tefilla by Yad L’Achim!   Tefillos can be for SHIDDUCHIM – CHILDREN – HEALTH – PARNASSAH & all personal requests Join (FOR FREE) the many whose prayers were answered at these holy sites (no donation required) CLICK HERE or visit www.YADLACHIM.orgor call our us at 1-718-690-2944 and we will be happy to take your names over the phone   SHARE THIS VIA WHATSAPPKnow someone who can benefit from this free tefillah?   Redeem YIZKOR Pledge! – CLICK HERE or call us at 1-718-690-2944

Just two days after being freed from nearly two years of inhumane torment at the hands of Hamas, 22-year-old IDF soldier Matan Angrest spoke about the unimaginable suffering he endured—and the emunah that kept him alive throughout.

Matan, a tank crewman who was captured in the fierce battle at Nachal Oz on October 7, 2023, shared how his belief in Hashem never wavered, even in the depths of the tunnels beneath Gaza. “It was clear to me that I’d get out of captivity,” he said. “The place I was in was bombed, but I wasn’t hurt; it was a series of miracles.”

He recounted his experiences on Wednesday from Ichilov Medical Center in Tel Aviv, where he is recovering from the severe injuries inflicted during his captivity. During the visit, he met with Mrs. Tzili Schneider, founder and CEO of Kesher Yehudi, who gifted him a brand-new pair of tefillin.

Matan’s story is one of extraordinary resilience. He was the sole survivor of his tank after it was struck, taken hostage, and dragged into Gaza. His mother, Anat, revealed this week that “Matan underwent very severe torture,” describing “severe burns on his right arm and fingers, harm to his vision, and unlivable conditions.” His father, Chagai, added that “they treated him like a captured soldier. His condition was very bad; they tortured him. He has a lot of injuries that occurred during the seven months after his abduction. He was taken from place to place, sometimes with seven other men in one pit, and he contended with isolation, starvation, and constant fear.”

Despite enduring such cruelty, Matan refused to let his spirit be broken. Even in the earliest days of his captivity, while still reeling from the trauma, he clung tightly to his connection with Hashem. “I insisted on putting on tefillin and getting a siddur and Tanach,” he said. “I demanded from the captors to receive those things.” Incredibly, his captors agreed—and even a senior Hamas member provided him with a siddur.

From that moment on, tefillah became his lifeline. “As part of my routine, I prayed three times a day, morning, afternoon, and night,” Matan recalled. “It protected me, it gave me hope.” In the suffocating tunnels of Gaza, surrounded by cruelty and death, his emunah became his oxygen. “It was clear that I’d get out of captivity. The place I was in was bombed, but I wasn’t hurt; it was a series of miracles.”

Mrs. Schneider, who listened to Matan’s account firsthand, said she was deeply moved by the strength of his neshomah. “He’s a true hero who held on to his Judaism even in hell. It was incredible to see Matan’s pure faith—how, amid the horrors of Hamas’s tunnels, he found immense inner strength and reconnected to faith and trust in the Creator.”

{Matzav.com}

Senior American officials confirmed on Wednesday that work is progressing to form an international force to help restore order in Gaza, as outlined in President Donald Trump’s peace framework, Reuters reported.

Central to the initiative is a U.S.-supported multinational stabilization force. Washington has pledged to contribute as many as 200 troops in a support capacity, though none are expected to enter Gaza itself.

During a press briefing, advisers to the president highlighted the fragile situation between the IDF and Hamas fighters. “Right now what we’re looking to accomplish is just a basic stabilization of the situation. The international stabilization force is starting to be constructed,” one of the advisers explained.

Negotiations are ongoing with multiple countries that could take part in the operation, including Indonesia, Egypt, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Azerbaijan. A small contingent of roughly two dozen American troops is already stationed nearby to assist with “coordination, oversight” as the groundwork for the mission is laid.

“The goal is to use all the different local partners who want to help and be involved,” the adviser said, emphasizing the cooperative nature of the plan.

Following Hamas’ execution of seven men in Gaza City accused of aiding Israel, officials began exploring the establishment of designated safe zones for civilians to prevent similar acts of violence, one adviser told reporters.

A second adviser stressed that there are no intentions to remove Gazans from their homes, noting that rebuilding plans are being drawn up for areas cleared of Hamas elements.

On the sensitive matter of recovering the bodies of Israeli hostages who were killed in Gaza, the advisers asked the public to remain patient, explaining that many of the remains are likely trapped beneath collapsed buildings and unexploded munitions. They revealed that discussions are underway about possibly offering incentives for information that could assist in locating the bodies.

Their comments came shortly after Hamas’ military wing claimed it no longer possesses any remains of deceased hostages. “We met our end of the agreement, we released all the living hostages, and what we have as far as deceased hostages. Regarding the rest, we will need great efforts and special tools to find them,” the terror group said in a statement.

Israeli officials have reportedly told the Trump administration that implementation of the Gaza ceasefire cannot move forward unless Hamas intensifies efforts to recover and return the bodies of slain hostages, according to Axios.

Under the agreement’s terms, Hamas must make a “maximum effort” to locate and return the remains of 28 dead hostages, including two Americans. Israeli sources told Axios that Hamas has failed to meet this requirement.

The report said the deal nearly collapsed earlier this week but was salvaged after Hamas delivered five additional bodies in recent days, bringing the total recovered to nine. In response, Israel decided not to scale back humanitarian aid to Gaza and chose to keep the Rafah crossing with Egypt open for now.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump said in an interview with CNN on Wednesday that Israeli troops could return to combat in Gaza if Hamas does not abide by the current truce, declaring that Israel could restart military operations “as soon as I say the word.”

“What’s going on with Hamas – that’ll be straightened out quickly,” President Trump remarked in a short phone conversation with the network.

According to Trump, Hamas has been violating a central clause of the ceasefire, which mandates the release of all hostages—both living and deceased. While all 20 surviving captives have been freed, only eight bodies have been delivered, and one of those was found not to belong to a hostage.

Trump’s 20-point peace proposal explicitly states in Point 4, “Within 72 hours of Israel publicly accepting this agreement, all hostages, alive and deceased, will be returned.”

“Getting those 20 hostages out was paramount,” the president told CNN, underscoring the importance of securing their release.

Trump also weighed in on reports of unrest within Gaza following the deal, suggesting Hamas may be cracking down on competing groups. “Right now, Hamas is going in and clearing out the gangs, violent gangs,” he said. When asked whether civilians might be caught in the violence, Trump replied, “I’m doing research on it. We’ll find out about it. It could be gangs plus.”

Pressed on what would occur if Hamas refuses to lay down its arms, Trump responded, “I think about it. Israel will return to those streets as soon as I say the word. If Israel could go in and knock the crap out of them, they’d do that.”

“I had to hold them back,” he continued, alluding to his conversations with Prime Minister Netanyahu’s administration. “I had it out with Bibi.”

Despite the difficulties, Trump expressed confidence that the truce and ongoing peace process enjoy broad global backing. He said that 59 nations have endorsed the agreement, calling it historic: “We’ve never seen anything like this. Now it’s all happening.”

He concluded by highlighting the momentum of regional cooperation under the Abraham Accords, noting, “They want to be part of the Abraham Accords. Now that Iran isn’t a problem.”

{Matzav.com}

The military arm of the Hamas terror group issued a statement asserting that it no longer has the bodies of any deceased hostages in its possession.

“We met our end of the agreement, we released all the living hostages, and what we have as far as deceased hostages. Regarding the rest, we will need great efforts and special tools to find them,” the group declared.

Meanwhile, the IDF and Shin Bet confirmed that, based on intelligence gathered, the Red Cross is en route to a location in northern Gaza to receive several coffins containing the remains of hostages. They later reported that two coffins holding deceased hostages were successfully handed over and are now being transported to IDF and ISA teams stationed in the Gaza Strip.

President Donald Trump stated in an interview with CNN that the IDF would be authorized to resume military operations in Gaza “as soon as I say the word” should Hamas fail to uphold the terms of the ceasefire.

{Matzav.com}

President Trump says Hamas has told his top aides that it will disarm, and that the terror group could be dealt with “violently” if it refuses do so. “I spoke to Hamas, and I said, ‘You’re going to disarm, right?’ ‘Yes, sir. We’re going to disarm.’ — That’s what they told me. They will disarm or we will disarm them,” Trump tells reporters at the White House. “We have told them we want disarm, and they will disarm. And if they don’t disarm, we will disarm them, and it’ll happen quickly and perhaps violently, but they will disarm,” he says. “Do you understand me? … They will disarm.” Pressed on how he plans to go about doing that, Trump says, “I don’t have to explain that to you… They know I’m not playing games.”

Since Monday, Hamas has released the bodies of seven deceased hostages and one body that it claimed was a hostage but was revealed by the IDF to be an unknown Gazan. The bodies of 19 other hostages will remain in Gaza. A joint international task force is to be established to locate the missing bodies, and an Egyptian team is already operating in the Strip to locate and extract deceased hostages.

Yael Adar, the mother of slain hostage Tamir Adar, delivered an impassioned rebuke of Israel’s leadership during an interview on Channel 12, accusing the government of abandoning the families of those murdered in captivity.

Adar revealed that before the recently announced hostage agreement, she questioned officials about what means Israel would have to ensure the return of the victims’ remains from Hamas.

“They told me that a live hostage is worth 100 Palestinian prisoners, including life-termers,” she says. “But a dead hostage is worth 15 Palestinian bodies. Why not 100 dead Palestinians?”

She maintained that Hamas had not actually violated the terms of the accord, explaining that “Israel agreed there was no deadline.”

Adar also condemned Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana for taking off his hostage pin, saying that the gesture reflected a mindset that “it’s over.”

Her comments came amid growing scrutiny over whether Hamas is fulfilling its obligations under the “Comprehensive End of Gaza War” agreement, signed Thursday in Egypt. That document required Hamas to hand over the remains of all hostages it holds—or can locate—within 72 hours of the ceasefire, meaning by noon today.

However, the same agreement includes a clause allowing for cases in which Hamas possesses information about the location of deceased captives but is unable to recover the bodies within the set timeframe. In such instances, those details are to be passed along to mediators for later follow-up.

A CNN report published last week cited three Israeli officials who confirmed that Hamas may be unable to recover every body. The officials said Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu has been aware of this reality for several months. One source estimated that seven to nine bodies might not be found, while another put the number between 10 and 15.

According to Channel 12, Qatari representatives in Sharm el-Sheikh have told Israeli negotiators that Hamas currently holds between 15 and 16 hostages.

{Matzav.com}

US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner held a late-night meeting with senior Hamas figure Khalil al-Khaya and other top members of the group at the Four Seasons Hotel in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, on Wednesday evening to finalize the agreement on the release of hostages and the ceasefire, according to a report released Monday.

Israeli journalist Barak Ravid, writing for Channel 12 and the US-based Axios, revealed that Qatari negotiators encouraged the American delegation to meet directly with the Hamas officials in order to overcome a deadlock in the ongoing discussions.

Ravid reported on Axios that, according to one insider, Hamas leaders were worried that once the hostages were released, Israel would resume its military campaign. They demanded clear guarantees that, so long as Hamas adhered to the terms, Trump would prevent Israel from restarting the war.

According to the report, Trump “had privately granted permission for Witkoff and Kushner to meet Hamas leaders if necessary to seal a deal” during an Oval Office conversation with his envoys before they left for Egypt.

Once in Sharm el-Sheikh, Witkoff informed the Qatari, Egyptian, and Turkish intermediaries that Trump had approved the meeting. The session took place when negotiations hit an impasse around 11 p.m.

“In the hotel room were the Egyptian and Turkish intelligence chiefs, senior Qatari officials, and the four most senior Hamas leaders involved in the negotiations,” Ravid wrote.

“The Hamas team was led by Khalil al-Hayya, who had survived an Israeli assassination attempt in Doha three weeks earlier,” he continued. Al-Hayya was the main target of Israel’s September 9 airstrike on Hamas offices in the Qatari capital, though the attempt failed to eliminate him or any other senior operatives.

During the 45-minute conversation, Witkoff reportedly told the Hamas delegation that holding onto the hostages was now “more of a liability than an asset for you,” and urged them to move forward with the first stage of Trump’s Gaza plan to “bring people home on both sides of the border.”

“President Trump’s message is that you will be treated fairly and that he stands behind all 20 points of his peace plan, and will make sure they are all implemented,” Witkoff said, according to the report.

Afterward, the Hamas delegation met privately with Egyptian, Qatari, and Turkish officials. Egypt’s intelligence chief, Hassan Rashad, then returned to the Americans and told them, “Based on the meeting we just had, we have a deal.”

Moments later, Trump publicly announced that the first phase of the agreement had been finalized.

This marked the second instance in which US officials had direct contact with Hamas representatives during the Gaza war. Earlier in the year, hostage envoy Adam Boehler had also met with Hamas leaders, a move that angered Israel and ultimately led to his dismissal from the post.

Boehler’s earlier meetings, which centered on efforts to secure the release of dual US-Israeli citizen Edan Alexander and the bodies of four slain dual nationals held in Gaza, had been fully coordinated with Witkoff, though Israeli officials had not been briefed in advance.

Following backlash, Boehler attempted to reassure Israeli leaders in a series of interviews, but his remarks about empathizing with “the human elements” within Hamas only deepened Israeli frustration and further strained relations.

{Matzav.com}

At the Egypt summit on Gaza, President Donald Trump declared that world leaders had gathered not only to mark the end of the Gaza conflict but to usher in what he called the dawn of a “beautiful Middle East.”

“From this moment forward, we can build a region that’s strong, stable, prosperous and united in rejecting the path of terror once and for all,” Trump says.

He recounted that the “final sprint” toward the agreement ending the Gaza war began during the UN General Assembly late last month, when he met with the heads of eight Arab and Muslim nations — several of whom, he admitted, “I don’t like in particular.”

“We listened and we exchanged ideas, and we kept pushing forward until the job was done,” Trump says. “The first steps to peace are always the hardest, and today, we’ve taken them together.

“I’ve just come from Israel, it was an amazing day to watch the hostages come in,” he continues. “The Israeli people are overjoyed that the war has ended. Many of you have had dancing in the streets.”

Turning his attention to the future of regional cooperation, Trump encouraged additional countries to embrace the peace framework. “I hope everybody is going to join the Abraham Accords… Now, a lot of people, even today, are talking about all joining up. So many people have talked to me about that, and it’s going to be a great tribute to the United States,” Trump says.

He pointed out that those already participating are “wealthy,” seemingly referencing the UAE, Bahrain, and Morocco — nations that normalized ties with Israel under the Accords.

“I hope everybody is now joining up. Now we have no excuses. We don’t have a Gaza and we don’t have an Iran as an excuse,” Trump says, alluding to the recent American strike on Iranian nuclear facilities, which he claimed “completely obliterated” the program.

“All the momentum now is toward a great, glorious and lasting peace,” Trump continues. “Our commitment to fulfilling the 20-point plan we developed together will be the crucial foundation for achieving that bright future” — a reference to his initiative outlining steps toward a potential Palestinian state.

{Matzav.com}

During Chol Hamoed Sukkos, crowds packed the central beis medrash of the Belz community in Ashdod to hear a special hashkafic address from the rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Avnei Nezer, Rav Zamir Cohen. The event drew hundreds of bnei Torah eager to hear the renowned scholar’s deep insights into the meaning of Sukkos.

Rav Cohen, who enjoys a close relationship and high esteem within Belz and frequently visits the Belzer Rebbe and delivers shiurim to Belzer avreichim, was accorded a remarkable display of honor and reverence.

The vast beis medrash, which seats roughly a thousand, was filled to capacity as avreichim streamed in to hear a penetrating hashkafic discussion on the essence of Sukkos. Rav Cohen explained that the Yom Tov is “the key to true joy in life,” teaching that this world is transient and that genuine happiness comes through spiritual growth rather than physical indulgence.

“Mi she’toleh tikvos b’gashmiyus – mis’achezev. Aval mi she’ro’eh es ha’olam hazeh k’prozdor – zoiche l’simchas chayim,” declared the rosh yeshiva. “One who places his hopes in material things will be disappointed, but one who sees this world as a corridor to the next attains true joy.”

He added, “Toras Hashem sustains creation at every moment, like a light that gives life to all. A talmid chacham carries within him that Divine light, and when one honors him, one is honoring the Shechinah itself.”

Rav Cohen concluded his remarks by extolling the immeasurable merit and contribution of bnei hayeshivos who devote themselves to Torah study, emphasizing that their learning upholds the very fabric of creation and protects the entire Klal Yisroel.

{Matzav.com}

Rama Duwaji, the wife of Democratic Party New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, drew sharp criticism over the weekend after publicly mourning the death of Saleh al-Jafarawi, a prominent Gaza-based influencer widely known by his online moniker “Mr. FAFO.” Jafarawi gained notoriety during the Israel-Hamas war for his pro-Hamas videos and open praise of the October 7th terrorist massacre in southern Israel, in which more than 1,200 people were slaughtered by armed Palestinian terrorists.

On Instagram, Duwaji shared a post announcing Jafarawi’s death, adding four broken heart emojis. She later reposted a video of Jafarawi celebrating the recent ceasefire, referring to him affectionately as “our Beloved Jafarawi.”

According to Hamas’s Al-Aqsa TV, Jafarawi was killed in Gaza City while accompanying Hamas fighters in an assault on an anti-Hamas faction. The Jerusalem Post reported that Jafarawi had “gained global attention for his viral videos from Gaza, frequently appearing in clips even after being falsely reported dead. On several occasions, he filmed himself from hospital beds after reportedly surviving attacks.”

Atlantic Council fellow Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib offered context on Jafarawi’s death, writing, “Controversial Gaza activist, derogatorily called ‘Mr. FAFO’ due to his performative antics and well known for his support of Hamas and raising an estimated $10 million to build a children’s hospital, only to pocket the money, Saleh Al-Jafarawi, was killed today by unknown assailants. He was allegedly accompanying Hamas’s ‘Saham’ unit during clashes with the Doghmosh clan in Gaza City, possibly as a cameraman of sorts. Hamas-affiliated Telegram channels have been announcing his death, possibly as a way to incite further violence against the clan and justify even more killing of perceived opposition and alleged criminal elements.”

Duwaji’s tribute to Jafarawi quickly triggered backlash online, with many condemning her for expressing sympathy toward a Hamas propagandist.

Journalist Haviv Rettig Gur of The Free Press commented on the controversy, writing, “A lot of clarity suddenly as the war comes to an end. Mamdani’s wife is heartbroken at the death of a Hamas propagandist who died while participating in a massive Hamas massacre of Palestinians underway this very minute in Gaza.”

{Matzav.com}

During his address to the Israeli Knesset on Monday, President Donald Trump paused his speech to share a lighthearted moment about his new favorite way to say “Abraham,” as in the Abraham Accords — pronounced the way Israelis do: “Av-Ra-Hom.” Trump said he’s adopted the Hebrew-style pronunciation because it sounds “so cool.”

“I like calling it the Av-Ra-HOM accords,” Trump said, drawing laughter and applause from the audience. “Right? Av-Ra-HOM! It’s so cool.” After the cheers subsided, he added, “It’s so much, sort of, nicer, you know.”

He continued by contrasting his preferred version with the standard English one: “The Abraham Accords versus the Av-Ra-Hom.” The crowd enjoyed the moment, and Trump grinned as he played with the words.

This wasn’t the first time Trump had toyed with the pronunciation. When Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu visited the White House last month, Trump had called it the “Abra-HOM Accords,” explaining that he wanted to say it the way “the real people” say it.

The humorous exchange came shortly after Trump’s arrival in Israel to mark the release of 20 hostages held by Hamas. In a separate interview with Fox News on Monday, Trump suggested that the timing of the release was linked to U.S. military action against Iran earlier this year.

“I think it really started when we took out the nuclear capability of Iran,” Trump told reporter Trey Yingst. “When you look at what they had, you couldn’t have made this deal if somebody is sitting over there with a nuclear weapon over your head.”

Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law and one of the architects of the Abraham Accords five years ago, reportedly played a central role in mediating the new Israel-Hamas deal. The original Accords, brokered during Trump’s first term, normalized diplomatic relations between Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain.

Speaking at a rally in Tel Aviv on Saturday, Kushner said he was holding off on celebrating until the hostages were safely home. “I could not be more proud to see the way that the State of Israel and its people have carried themselves through this traumatic, unthinkable, horrific experience,” Kushner said. “Instead of replicating the barbarism of the enemy, you chose to be exceptional. You chose to stand for the values that you stand for, and I could not be more proud to be a friend of Israel.”

{Matzav.com}

NewsNation host Batya Ungar-Sargon sat down with conservative strategist and MAGA figure Steve Bannon over the weekend on her new show, BATYA!, for a wide-ranging discussion that touched on issues from New York politician Zohran Mamdani to Middle East diplomacy — and, most notably, whether President Donald Trump might find a way to seek a third term in office.

At one point in the interview, Ungar-Sargon directly pressed Bannon on the constitutional restriction preventing Trump from running again. “So let me ask you about Trump 2028. We have a 22nd Amendment, which bars anybody from running for a third term. Do you think that that’s not a barrier for him, or how do you see that?” she asked.

Bannon replied without hesitation, “I think that there are many different alternatives that, at the appropriate time, after the midterms in ’26, we will roll out,” adding, “But I think there are different alternatives to make sure that President Trump is on the ballot, and if he’s on the ballot, he’ll win.”

His comments echoed similar remarks he made earlier this year during an interview with Chris Cuomo. At that time, Cuomo reminded him, “You’re a smart guy. You know he’s term-limited. How do you think he gets another term?”

Bannon responded, “We’re working on it. I think we’ll have a couple of alternatives, let’s say that. We’ll see what the definition of term limit is.”

Cuomo sought to clarify the intent behind Bannon’s statements, asking, “So you’re talking about litigating this issue, because I don’t want people to listen to our interview and say, ‘Bannon’s cooking up an insurrection.’ You know what I mean? I want people to get a straight take on where your head is.”

“Chris, as you know, I’ve had greater long shots than this,” Bannon replied confidently, referring to his earlier predictions about Trump’s political resilience. “We’ve had greater long shots than Trump 2028, and we’ve got a lot of stuff we’re working on there. We’re not prepared to talk about it publicly, but in a couple months, I think we will be.”

WATCH:

{Matzav.com}

After Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu accepted President Donald Trump’s invitation to take part in the peace summit in Egypt, several Arab heads of state reportedly threatened to pull out if the Israeli leader attended. Among them, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan issued a particularly blunt warning to Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, saying he would order his plane to return to Ankara if Netanyahu showed up.

The ultimatum appeared to have its intended effect. Despite Trump’s personal encouragement to attend, Netanyahu decided to withdraw from the summit at the last minute.

According to Turkey’s state-run Anadolu news agency, Erdogan’s plane remained in a holding pattern in the air until Netanyahu’s withdrawal was confirmed. The outlet noted, “President Erdogan’s plane crossed the approach path to Sharm el-Sheikh and remained for a time over the Red Sea,” a sign that the Turkish leader had been awaiting the final word before landing.

Yisroel Hayom reported that Ankara also relayed its frustration to Washington, expressing anger that the invitation to Netanyahu had not been coordinated with them in advance. Following a series of consultations between U.S. officials and Netanyahu’s aides, the Israeli delegation decided to cancel the visit. Netanyahu’s office then sought a public explanation for the decision, eventually citing “the start of the holiday” as the reason for his absence. However, according to the report, there had been no actual discussion with the ultra-Orthodox or right-wing coalition factions regarding such a scheduling conflict.

A diplomatic official familiar with the matter told Yisroel Hayom that some regional leaders are still hesitant about fully embracing President Donald Trump’s sweeping Middle East peace vision. “Several countries are still not ready for President Donald Trump’s groundbreaking regional initiatives and more time and progress in other areas are needed to arrange a broad meeting of regional leaders with Israel,” the source explained.

The same official added that a conference of this scale would require considerable diplomatic groundwork and pre-agreed understandings between participating nations. “The president’s diplomatic spontaneity did not go down smoothly with several regional leaders,” the source said, describing the resistance that emerged behind the scenes.

Reports indicate that Trump intends to return to the region in the coming months for a longer, more formal visit, during which he plans to unveil what he has called his “mega deal” — a far-reaching political, strategic, and economic framework for the Middle East. The initiative is expected to build on the Abraham Accords, expanding them into new partnerships involving energy, trade, and regional development.

{Matzav.com}

Just hours after freeing the remaining living hostages it had held since October 7, 2023, the Hamas terror organization on Monday night executed several people in Gaza it accused of spying for Israel or being connected to ongoing power struggles between Hamas and local clans or armed groups.

According to a report by Ynet, the executions were carried out publicly before a large crowd that cheered and filmed the killings on their phones.

Palestinian Arab sources said the victims were targeted in what Hamas called a purge of individuals suspected of “treason” or of maintaining ties with foreign intelligence agencies.

The executions followed earlier incidents in recent weeks in which Hamas-affiliated social media accounts circulated disturbing videos of three Gazans being executed in Gaza City. Hamas claimed the men were collaborators with Israel.

In those videos, the condemned were shown blindfolded and bound as armed Hamas gunmen surrounded them. The footage depicted a large crowd of onlookers, including children, watching as the executions were carried out.

Despite Palestinian Authority law requiring that all executions be approved by PA chairman Mahmoud Abbas — who has imposed a moratorium on capital punishment — Hamas continues to carry out such killings unilaterally in Gaza, ignoring the requirement for presidential consent.

The terror group, which rejects Abbas’s authority, has repeatedly stated that it has the right to impose and implement death sentences without his approval.

Most of Hamas’s executions over the years have targeted those accused of being “Israeli spies.” In September 2022, the group executed two Gazans it claimed had provided intelligence to Israel leading to the deaths of two individuals.

In July, Hamas’s so-called internal security “deterrence” unit announced that it had conducted a series of “high-quality” operations in which twelve people were executed for alleged collaboration with Israel or participation in criminal activities.

Two months earlier, in May, Hamas also executed four men it accused of stealing humanitarian aid shipments entering Gaza — another example of the group’s violent and arbitrary enforcement of power inside the Strip.

{Matzav.com Israel}

President Donald Trump joined the leaders of Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey on Tuesday in signing a declaration aimed at cementing the Gaza ceasefire, as dozens of world leaders gathered for a summit in the Egyptian resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh. “The document is going to spell out rules and regulations and lots of other things,” Trump told reporters before the signing, adding twice that “it’s going to hold up.” The White House later described the accord on social media as the “Gaza Peace Plan for peace in the Middle East.” The declaration, signed by Trump alongside Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, comes amid efforts to finalize the agreement between Israel and Hamas that secured the release of hostages and an end to fighting. Sissi opened the summit with brief remarks introducing Trump, calling the ceasefire “a foundation for stability” and reaffirming that a two-state solution remains “the only path” toward lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians. He said Egypt would work with the United States and regional partners to launch a reconstruction and development conference for Gaza “in the coming days.” Trump, speaking alongside Sissi before their bilateral meeting, praised the Egyptian president as “a powerful leader” and credited him with bringing a wide coalition of nations to the summit. “They wanted to get Gaza straightened out. They wanted to get the whole thing straightened out,” Trump said. “It got to a point where it was just crazy.” He added that global fears of “World War Three starting in the Middle East” were no longer warranted. Roughly 35 foreign leaders attended the gathering, including Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, marking his first in-person meeting with Trump since the president’s return to office. Netanyahu was notably absent, having withdrawn at the last minute, citing the start of Simchas Torah, though diplomatic sources said Erdogan and several other Muslim leaders had threatened to boycott the event if Netanyahu attended. Trump stood before a “Peace 2025” backdrop as he greeted each visiting leader individually before a group photo. The U.S. president also thanked mediators for helping reach the ceasefire, which includes the return of remaining deceased hostages held by Hamas. Israel has so far received only four of the 28 bodies expected. “It’s a pretty gruesome task,” he said. “They know the areas [where they’re located] and they’re doing it in conjunction with Israel, and they’re going to be finding quite a few of them.” U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio praised Egypt’s mediation efforts, saying the deal represents “one of the most important days for world peace in 50 years.” “It’s not simply about restoring Gaza,” Rubio said. “It is about transforming the region.” Special envoy Steve Witkoff, who has led negotiations alongside Jared Kushner, said implementation work had already begun and that he and his team would “be in Egypt quite a bit” in the weeks ahead. Sissi, in his closing remarks, said Egypt would ensure the agreement’s full implementation, including the release of remaining hostages and the delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza. Asked whether Sissi would join the “Board of Peace” that Trump’s plan envisions to oversee Gaza’s transitional government, Trump replied, “I’d like to have him on the board. I’d like to have many leaders […]

Israel is accusing Hamas of deliberately delaying the return of the bodies of slain hostages, rejecting the terror group’s claim that it needs more time to collect all 28 remains promised under the ceasefire deal, Channel 12 reports. Hamas has so far released only four bodies, which are currently being transferred out of Gaza by the IDF. The group told mediators that “limitations beyond our control and constraints in the field” prevented it from handing over more. It did not claim to have lost track of the bodies, only that retrieving them would take additional time. Some of the hostages’ remains may also be in areas currently under IDF control. The four caskets handed over to the Red Cross earlier this evening in southern Gaza are said by Hamas to be those of Guy Illouz, Yossi Sharabi, Bipin Joshi, and IDF Capt. Daniel Perez. The Red Cross transferred the bodies to the IDF, which said the caskets will be taken to the Abu Kabir Forensic Institute in Tel Aviv for identification, a process that could take up to two days. Before the caskets were taken out of Gaza, the IDF held a short ceremony led by a military rabbi. The caskets were draped in Israeli flags as troops saluted and recited Tehillim. Israeli officials are skeptical of Hamas’s explanation and believe the terror group is intentionally stalling. “We have been informed that later today, approximately four fallen hostages will be returned. Even at this hour, efforts are being made at all levels to exert pressure for the continuation of the process to return the bodies of the fallen,” IDF Spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said earlier in a video statement. “We demand that Hamas uphold its part of the agreement. We do not forget them for a moment and will not rest until all return to their families and to burial in Israel.” Israel has not confirmed that the bodies are those of the hostages Hamas claims. In a previous handover on February 20, 2025, Hamas gave Israel four bodies it said were those of hostages Shiri Bibas, her sons Ariel and Kfir, and Oded Lifshitz. Forensic testing later revealed that one of the bodies belonged to an unidentified Palestinian woman from Gaza, rather than that of Shiri Bibas. Hamas later transferred Bibas’s actual remains the following day. The IDF says it will verify the identities of the latest four remains before making any official confirmation. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)