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Trump on the Gaza Deal: “Negotiations are going on right now and will probably take a couple of days.”

Before entering Gaza, the Chashmonaim soldiers gathered for a hachnosas sefer Torah — dancing and singing as they escorted an army-issued sefer Torah into the Strip.

The IDF’s Chashmonaim Brigade has begun operating in Gaza for the first time as a battalion-level combat team, the army announced this week. The deployment marks a milestone for the chareidi unit, which until now had only sent smaller reserve teams into combat zones. The brigade — made up of its first standing army company and its first reserve company — will operate under the IDF’s 98th Division, currently active in Gaza City.

Sec. Rubio on Gaza: “This is not something that can drag out. We cannot be here three weeks from now still discussing the logistics of how hostages are going to be released. That has to happen really quickly in order for the rest of this deal to gain momentum.”

Photographer Eliezer Feinstein provides us with a glimpse into the Erev Sukkos scenes in Bnei Brak.

RUBIO: “Until Gaza is governed by people that are not interested in destroying Israel, until there are no security threats emanating against Israel from Gaza, forget about statehood — you’re not going to have peace, so we have to create the conditions for that.”

Sec. Rubio breaks down President Trump’s plan for peace and the response from Hamas: “They have agreed to the President’s hostage release framework and what needs to happen now is… the conditions have to be created for that to happen.”

Israel’s Foreign Ministry dismissed allegations of mistreatment of Greta Thunberg and other Global Sumud flotilla activists as “brazen lies,” even as National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir said he was “proud” detainees were being treated like terrorists. In a statement posted to X, the Foreign Ministry said “all the detainees’ legal rights are fully upheld,” and argued the claims were contradicted by the detainees’ own decisions. “Interestingly enough, Greta herself and other detainees refused to expedite their deportation and insisted on prolonging their stay in custody,” the ministry wrote. “Greta also did not complain to the Israeli authorities about any of these ludicrous and baseless allegations — because they never occurred.” The legal aid organization Adalah countered that numerous detainees reported being denied food and water and physically manhandled by Israeli authorities. Thunberg, the Swedish climate activist, has reportedly endured bedbug-infested conditions while in detention, according to the group. Adalah said Thunberg has met Swedish embassy officials but, as of Saturday, had not yet met with a lawyer. The group is representing flotilla detainees in legal proceedings aimed at facilitating their deportation. Undercutting the government’s denial, Ben Gvir — who oversees Israel’s prison system — openly embraced tough handling of the flotilla detainees after visiting Ketziot Prison. “I was proud that we are treating the ‘flotilla activists’ as terror supporters,” he said. “Whoever supports terrorism is a terrorist, and deserves the conditions of terrorists… It is worthwhile for them to experience the conditions in Ketziot prison, and think twice before they come close to Israel again. That’s how it works.” Ben Gvir further claimed the flotilla carried no meaningful aid for Gaza: “I was there, on their boats, I didn’t see aid and I didn’t see humanitarian. I saw one Materna [baby formula] and an entire wild party of people who were dressing up as human rights activists.” The Foreign Ministry’s assertion that Thunberg and others declined expedited deportation underscores a standoff shaping the legal and political optics of the case: activists seeking to contest Israel’s narrative from inside the system, and a government intent on projecting zero tolerance toward what it labels “terror support.” (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

What was meant to be a dream Tishrei journey turned into a nightmare for dozens of travelers, many of whom ended up stranded abroad or spending Rosh Hashanah in airport terminals, Matzav.com has learned.

Dozens of Chabad chassidim, including entire families, fell victim to an elaborate travel scam. They each paid thousands of shekels to a man who posed as a legitimate travel agent — only to discover, at the last moment, that their flight tickets were completely fake.

According to sources, some of the victims arrived at Ben Gurion Airport ready to fly, only to be told that their names didn’t appear on any passenger lists. Others managed to board their initial flights, but were later stuck in cities like Paris, London, and Athens when their connecting flight tickets were exposed as fraudulent.

The police launched an investigation and detained the suspect over the weekend. He was later released, though the investigation is ongoing.

Since his release, more victims from across Israel have come forward, submitting fresh complaints about the same man. Authorities say they have already gathered dozens of new testimonies.

Police confirmed that evidence collection is actively underway. “Every complaint is being thoroughly investigated, and all necessary measures are being taken to uncover the full truth,” officials said.

{Matzav.com Israel}

Mexico’s Security Ministry said Saturday that it arrested an alleged local leader of the Tren de Aragua gang in Mexico City. Officials identified the suspect as Nelson Arturo “N,” 29, described as the leader and main operator of the transnational criminal group in the country. Authorities said that he was wanted on multiple charges, but in keeping with Mexican law don’t release suspects’ last names. Tren de Aragua originated in Venezuela more than a decade ago at an infamously lawless prison with hardened criminals in the central state of Aragua. The gang has expanded in recent years as more than 7.7 million Venezuelans fled economic turmoil and migrated to other Latin American countries or the U.S. The Trump administration declared the group a terrorist organization. U.S. officials have consistently blamed the gang for being at the root of the violence and illicit drug dealing that plague some U.S. cities. Trump has repeated his claim — contradicted by a declassified U.S. intelligence assessment — that Tren de Aragua is operating under Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s control. The size of the gang is unclear. Countries with large populations of Venezuelan migrants, including Peru and Colombia, have accused the group of being behind violence in the region. On Friday, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said that he ordered another strike on a small boat that he accused of carrying drugs in the waters off Venezuela, expanding what the Trump administration has declared is an “armed conflict” with cartels. So far, at least three of the strikes have been carried out on vessels that U.S. officials said had originated from Venezuela. The strikes followed a buildup of U.S. maritime forces in the Caribbean unlike any seen in recent times. In a post about the first strike last month, Trump claimed that the vessel was carrying members of the Tren de Aragua gang. Security agents carried out intelligence work and identified the suspect, who they accused of crimes including human trafficking, drug dealing, homicide, kidnapping and extortion. Along with the gang leader, two other men, ages 36 and 37, were arrested. Authorities said that they were found with more than 100 doses of drugs, two cellphones and cash. After the arrests, they were placed under the jurisdiction of the Attorney General’s Office to determine their legal status. On Wednesday, five alleged members of the gang were extradited from the United States to Chile, including one linked to the killing of a former Venezuelan soldier last year. (AP)

Tens of millions of people saw the horrific footage of Charlie Kirk’s shooting, whether they wanted to or not, a symptom of a culture in which everything is livestreamed and every moment analyzed, debated and often manipulated by people who no longer trust anything. As such, conspiracy theories are circulating about Kirk’s death, citing so-called evidence that the official story is incomplete, with the likes of Joe Rogan and Candace Owens leading the speculation. Piers Morgan takes a look at these so-called ‘Kirkspiracies’ in detail with former US Navy Seal Rob O’Neill, forensics scholar and host of the ‘Body Bags’ podcast, Joseph Scott Morgan and former CIA operative and host of The President’s Daily Brief, Mike Baker.

WATCH:

Dear Matzav Inbox,

Here we go again. The pre-Sukkos air is crisp, the leaves are turning, and the viruses are back. Every fall, we brace ourselves for the usual wave of respiratory illnesses, but this year, we’re dealing with something even more contagious: the new COVID-19 strain known as “Stratus.”

This variant, officially labeled XFG, has already pushed aside the previous dominant strain, “Nimbus,” and is sweeping through the country with frightening speed. It’s spreading so efficiently because it evades much of the body’s immune defense, leaving people vulnerable—even those who’ve been sick or vaccinated before.

Nineteen states are already reporting “high” or “very high” COVID levels in wastewater testing, with places like Nevada, Utah, Connecticut, and Delaware hit especially hard. And yes, it’s spreading in our communities too.

So what are we doing? Packing into shuls. Using the same mikvaos. Acting as if everything is fine while the virus keeps multiplying. It’s madness.

I’m saying this as bluntly as possible: shut it all down before it’s too late. We don’t need another outbreak tearing through our neighborhoods, our schools, and our homes. We’ve seen what happens when people ignore the warnings. It’s not heroic—it’s reckless.

You don’t have to be a doctor to understand basic cause and effect. Masks save lives. Distancing works. Common sense matters. When someone refuses to mask up, they’re not showing faith. They’re endangering others. They’re a rodef.

So yes, mask up, you rodef. Stay home if you’re sick. Keep the shuls closed until this wave passes. Because pikuach nefesh isn’t optional.

Name Withheld (because truth doesn’t always need applause)

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SING Entertainment has announced that with the help of the show’s sponsor, Whee, their chol hamoed concert will include a section with more affordable seating for families that wish to join their family show starring Benny Friedman.   Tishrei is a time where expenses tend to begin to pile up for families. For some, the expense of chol hamoed activities for a whole family can be overwhelming.   It is with that in mind that SING Entertainment, together with the show sponsor Whee, have announced a new feature for this year.   They designated a balcony section where tickets are listed at the most affordable price yet, with seats starting at just $36.   The goal of these seats is to make the show accessible and affordable to all fans to come and enjoy a fresh batch of simchas yom tov.   “We’re seeing these sell pretty fast” Eli Ickowics of SING Entertainment shared with YWN. “I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re sold out pretty soon. But that underscored the need that there is for these types of seats, and we are grateful to the team at Whee for helping us make this happen.”   Jewish music fans have been abuzz ever since last week’s concert announcement, eagerly trying to guess and predict which guest stars will be joining Benny Friedman at his October 12 show at the Newark Symphony Hall.   Keeping the info tight-lipped, the show’s producers have just kept saying “people are going to be stunned.”   On Sunday, October 12 at 3:00 PM “Benny and Friends” will take the stage for an afternoon concert titled “Whee Want To Sing With You” live at the Newark Symphony Hall brought to you by Whee.    Doors open at 2:00, show begins at 3:00. Tickets are now on sale at https://t.ly/sing.ywn  

[COMMUNICATED]

 

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Her mother is facing this battle alone but is fighting with everything she has and promised her daughter she will do whatever it takes to get her the treatment she needs.

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Nechama’s parents found a treatment course that can cure her. It’s long, far away and very expensive, and that can’t do it alone. 

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A new Washington Post poll has found that a significant number of American Jews disapprove of Israel’s handling of the ongoing war in Gaza, with 61% saying Israel has committed war crimes and roughly 40% accusing it of genocide.

Respondents expressed especially strong dissatisfaction with Israel’s leadership, as 68% gave Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu a negative assessment. Nearly half — 48% — described his leadership as “poor,” marking a 20-point rise in disapproval since a similar survey by the Pew Research Center five years ago.

[It should be noted that the poll was likely conducted among secular Jews. Religious Jews would seem to have a different opinion on these matters.]

Despite the criticism of Israel’s military conduct, there was near-unanimous agreement about Hamas’s culpability for the conflict. According to the poll, 94% of American Jews believe that Hamas has committed war crimes against Israel.

Overall opinion on Israel’s military campaign remains closely divided. Forty-six percent said they approve of Israel’s actions, while 48% disapprove — a near-even split. Nevertheless, Jews continue to show more support for Israel’s actions than the broader American public; a Gallup survey in July found that only 32% of all Americans approved of Israel’s response.

The Washington Post noted that initial backing for Israel’s military operation was strong among American Jews, as many viewed it as a necessary reaction to Hamas’s brutal October attack.

However, as the war has continued without a clear resolution and with mounting civilian casualties and humanitarian crises in Gaza, a growing number have withdrawn their earlier support.

Still, the survey found that American Jews retain a deep connection to Israel. Most respondents expressed pride in the nation’s existence and identity, with 76% saying that Israel’s survival is essential to the future of the Jewish people, and 58% saying they feel they have “a lot in common” with Israelis.

{Matzav.com}

Secretary Rubio on the Hamas response to President Trump’s peace plan: “They have said, basically, that they agree to his proposal and the framework for releasing the hostages. That’s an enormous achievement… There’s a lot of international pressure on Hamas to make this happen.”

President Trump told CNN Hamas faces “complete obliteration” if the group refuses to cede power and control of Gaza, amid ongoing efforts to push forward his proposed ceasefire plan. “Complete Obliteration!” Trump told CNN’s Jake Tapper when asked via text message on Saturday what would happen if Hamas insists on staying in power.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio: “Hope to reach a deal very soon. Hamas has agreed in principle to what will happen in Gaza after the war. The phase of disarming Hamas will be difficult. Very soon we’ll know if Hamas is serious.”

Severe flooding in Nepal has killed at least 47 people after heavy rains triggered landslides that destroyed bridges and blocked roads, with dozens still missing.