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Zohran Mamdani, a Muslim Democratic socialist and the presumed frontrunner in the New York City mayor’s race, has big socialist plans for America’s largest city.

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Brussels saw an enormous turnout on Sunday as tens of thousands rallied in opposition to Israel.

Local police placed the crowd at roughly 70,000, though event organizers claimed the march drew closer to 120,000. Demonstrators, many dressed in red and holding up red cards, demanded harsher measures against Israel, pointing to the dire conditions in Gaza.

Gregory Mauze, who serves as spokesperson for the Belgo-Palestinian group ABP, declared, “In the face of the ongoing genocide, the measures taken are not yet adequate.”

The protest followed an announcement by Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot that Belgium will move forward with recognizing a Palestinian state and introducing strict sanctions against Israel, citing the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza.

Prevot strongly criticized Israel’s military campaign, insisting it breaches international law and the duty to avert genocide.

He stated that Belgium would formally acknowledge “Palestine” as a sovereign state, aligning with the position of France and Saudi Arabia, who are expected to present recognition at the upcoming UN General Assembly.

According to his statement, the recognition will only occur once Hamas has freed all hostages and no longer retains political authority over Palestinian Arab areas. In addition, Belgium emphasized its pledge to assist in rebuilding “Palestine” and to step up efforts to combat antisemitism by engaging security forces and Jewish community leaders.

{Matzav.com}

Skyrocketing housing values and a shortage of homes on the market gave homeowners the upper hand for years when it came time to sell. That’s no longer a given. Across the country, it’s getting tougher for sellers to drive a hard bargain. A dearth of home shoppers who can afford to buy and uncertainty about the outlook for the economy, jobs and mortgage rates is putting pressure on sellers to give ground at the negotiating table. In some markets, mainly in the South and West, homeowners who are eager to sell are more likely to give buyers a better deal. This could include a lower price, up-front money to nudge down the buyer’s mortgage rate, and funds for closing costs and any repairs or improvements that may pop up after the home inspection. The reasons: Would-be buyers balk at what they view as unreasonable asking prices, while at the same time new construction is giving buyers more options and putting pressure on sellers to make their homes more appealing. As a result, while the national median home listing price rose slightly in July, some metro areas saw a decline, signaling a reversal in the power dynamic between buyers and sellers. It’s rare to see the type of eye-popping bidding wars that exploded home values by roughly 50% nationally earlier this decade. Low-ball offers are more common. Despite this hopeful trend, the housing market remains mired in a slump. Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes are running about 1.3% below where they were through the first seven months of last year, when they sank to their lowest level in nearly 30 years. The national median home listing price rose slightly in July from a year earlier to $439,450, according to Realtor.com. The real estate listing company found the most a homebuyer who earns the median U.S. household income can afford to spend on a home is $298,000. The analysis assumes a 20% down payment and a 30-year mortgage at a fixed rate of 6.74%. By those criteria, 7 out of 10 home shoppers are priced out of the market. Homes linger on the market as sales slow The housing market has been in a rut since 2022, when mortgage rates began climbing from historic lows. The number of homes available for sale sank while prices kept rising. Nationally, more homes are going on sale and remaining unsold longer because buyers have been unwilling or unable to make a deal. Active listings — a tally that encompasses all homes on the market except those pending a finalized sale — increased in July for the 21st month in a row, climbing nearly 25% from a year earlier, according to Realtor.com. The tide turns slowly The inventory of homes for sale across the U.S. has increased gradually as the market has slowed and is now at a level where supply and demand are more balanced. But in states like Texas and Florida, the number of homes on the market has climbed sharply, partly because those states are hotbeds of new home construction. Home shoppers may now have more leverage relative to sellers in the South and West, where home inventory has risen in the single digits, compared to pre-pandemic levels. Conditions are tougher in markets in the Midwest and Northeast, where the supply of homes […]

Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu told his ministers on Sunday that he would rather ensure Hamas’s defeat than receive sympathetic coverage abroad about Israel’s downfall.

His statement came after widespread demonstrations inside Israel demanding that the government negotiate a deal with Hamas for the release of hostages and bring the war to an end.

Officials have signaled that Israel is prepared to consider an agreement, but only if all captives are freed at the same time and Hamas is stripped of its weapons and removed from control. Meanwhile, the Israel Defense Forces spent the weekend readying for a ground advance on Gaza City, Hamas’s central base.

Netanyahu’s comments in full were:

“We are intensifying the operation on the outskirts of, and inside, Gaza City. We are eliminating Nukhba terrorists who played a significant role in the October 7 massacre, including the accursed terrorist who called his parents and took pride in having personally murdered 10 Israelis. Now we called the family and informed it that this terrorist has been eliminated. It is a clear message that we will reach them all. I want to thank, on your behalf as well, the ISA and the IDF for doing this important work.

“We are eliminating terrorist infrastructure and nefarious terrorist high-rises. We have established an additional humanitarian corridor to enable the civilian population in Gaza to leave for a safe place and receive humanitarian assistance there. In the meantime, approximately 100,000 people have left Gaza. Hamas is trying to do its utmost so that no one will go and they will stay there in order to serve as human shields for it. By the way, it does not refrain from any means. Only recently we have seen how it shoots women and children in the legs and if necessary, shoots them. Therefore, it is expected that it will try to prevent the exit that is necessary from a humanitarian perspective and from our perspective regarding the war. We want to focus on the terrorists themselves and enable the civilian population to go out.

“On Friday, Hamas issued a cruel and reprehensible video of [hostages] Alon Ohel and Guy Gilboa-Dalal. I must say that I spoke at length with their families on Friday and underscored – on behalf of myself, you and the entire people – our support for them. I must also say that most citizens of Israel, the great majority of the citizens of Israel, are standing steadfast against this psychological terrorism.

“Our effort in Gaza against the last strongholds, in effect last important stronghold, Gaza City, is part of our effort to complete the crushing of the stranglehold by the Iranian axis. This axis was intended to destroy the State of Israel, and by dismantling it and striking it, we are removing an existential threat to Israel, the primary threat.

“We have landed very severe blows on Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis, just recently you saw this, and we brought about the fall of the Assad regime. Of course, the peak was the severe blow on the patron of this axis – Iran, and the distancing of the existential of nuclear bombs and ballistic missiles over our heads. We will continue this effort until we achieve all of our objectives for the war.

“I am aware of the price that we are paying in the diplomatic and public diplomacy fields for the State of Israel and the best way to get out of this, of course, is to establish completely new mechanisms as we mentioned, and – of course – to end the war as fast as possible with the victory that we have defined: Eliminating Hamas, the return of all the hostages and ensuring that Gaza never again threatens Israel.

“But regarding the public diplomacy damage, I would like to say one thing: If I need to choose between victory over our enemies and malicious propaganda against us, I choose victory over our enemies, as opposed to the opposite. I do not want stories that we have been beaten by our enemies and for us to be eulogized well in the global media. I choose victory.”

{Matzav.com Israel}

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir was at the scene of the terror attack in Jerusalem and made the following remarks: “I send condolences to the families, and we are all davening for the recovery of the wounded. One thing must be remembered, Mr. Prime Minister: this was an act of heroism — by a Chareidi soldier from the Hashmonayim Brigade, and by two Chareidim who had received firearms through the weapons reform. I’ve said it before — weapons save lives, and this must be remembered. I call on the citizens of Israel: go and arm yourselves.” “And one more thing: just yesterday, the Supreme Court eased the conditions of the Nukhba terrorists, ruling that their prison menu should be changed. My friends, this is no game. When the Supreme Court does something like this, it sends a dangerous message to terrorists. I say to the judges of the Supreme Court — do not do this. To interfere now with the menu of the Nukhba terrorists, after all security officials, Mr. Prime Minister, have said that harsh conditions add to deterrence — this must not happen. Prison conditions are a crucial part of deterrence.” “And one final point: we have the law allowing the expulsion of terrorists’ families. In recent weeks, I signed 35 such orders, and I believe that the new Interior Minister, Yariv Levin, will approve these requests. Expelling terrorists’ families, together with tough measures in the prisons, along with the efforts of the Shin Bet, the IDF, the police, the IPS, and the weapons reform — this is the way forward. I say again: go and arm yourselves.” (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

President Trump voiced displeasure over the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine after Moscow launched its most extensive drone assault on Kyiv since the start of the war. The escalation has drawn attention to the difficulty his administration has faced in securing a peace agreement, even after his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin last month.

“I’m not happy, I’m not happy about the whole situation,” Trump said to reporters upon his return to Joint Base Andrews following his trip to New York, where he attended the U.S. Open men’s final.

The president emphasized that no one had taken a harder stance on Russia and Putin than he had. He defended his continuing push to negotiate an end to the fighting.

“I’m not thrilled with what’s happening,” Trump continued. “I believe we’re going to get it settled. I’m not happy with anything having to do with that war.”

Sunday’s strike on Ukraine marked the first time Russia targeted a government building, signaling another intensification of Moscow’s campaign.

Despite Trump’s growing irritation with the lack of progress, the assault suggested that Putin had no plans to reduce his military operations.

When addressing the issue, Trump notably avoided directly criticizing either Russia or its leader.

Asked what he believed was the biggest barrier to achieving peace, Trump refrained from pointing to Putin or the Kremlin.

“Well we’re going to see. We have some very interesting discussions,” he said, adding that European leaders would soon arrive in Washington for talks.

In recent weeks, Trump has made clear his mounting frustration with Putin. On Sunday, he again said he had believed the Russia-Ukraine war would be the simplest conflict to resolve upon resuming office, but it has proven to be one of the hardest.

Trump also spoke about the war in Gaza, sharing confidence that progress was being made there as well.

“I think we’re going to have a deal on Gaza very soon. It’s a problem we want to solve for the Middle East, for Israel, for everyone,” Trump said.

Switching to domestic matters, the president said his administration would soon announce the next focus of its crime crackdown.

“We’re going to make a decision about where we’re going to go in the next day or two,” Trump stated, while criticizing violence in Chicago and insisting that the capital had been secured due to his policies.

Before wrapping up, Trump commented on his appearance at the U.S. Open, where reactions were mixed between boos and applause. He admitted he had not been sure how he would be received in New York City but praised the attendees.

He described the spectators as “great fans.”

{Matzav.com}

One of the six people murdered in the Ramot terror attack on Monday morning was identified as Reb Levi Yitzchak Pash, H’yd. He was evacuated from the scene in critical condition, and the hospital later pronounced his death.  Yeshivas Kol Torah, where the niftar worked for many years, issued a statement saying, “With deep sorrow and grief, Yeshivas Kol Torah Yeshiva announces the murder of its devoted staff member, Reb Levi Yitzchak Pash, H’yd, in the horrific shooting attack that took place this morning at the Ramot Junction in Jerusalem.  “Reb Levi Yitzchak, H’yd, a resident of Tel Tzion and longtime maintenance worker at the yeshivah, was well-known and beloved among the talmidei yeshivah and residents of the neighborhood. Over the years, he became known as a man devoted to acts of chessed, generous with his money, and constantly immersed in Torah study. He dedicated his life to serving the public and supporting the talmidim of the yeshiva.” Reb Pash, z’l, was on the way to Kol Torah and was standing at the bus stop with a Rosh Mesivta from the yeshivah when someone offered them a ride. He had already sat down in the car, but then someone who needed to get to the hospital for medical treatment asked for a ride. Reb Pash, z’l, willingly gave up his seat, left the car and was murdered minutes later. His levaya will depart from Yeshivas Kol Torah in Bayit Vegan at 4:30 p.m. Another victim was a newlywed avreich, Reb Yaakov Pinto, H’yd, 25, a resident of Jerusalem who got married only three months ago. He was born in Spain, and he is his parents’ only son. As a bochur, he moved to Israel to learn at Yeshivas Nehora, later transferring to Yeshivas Derech Emunah in Lod. He served as a madrich in Yeshivas Chedvas HaTorah in Jerusalem. The levaya is scheduled to take place on Tuesday at Yeshivas Derech Emunah in Lod. The third victim was a 31-year-old avreich, Reb Yisrael Mantzer, H’yd, of Jerusalem. He was born in Bnei Brak and as a bochur learned in Yeshivas Chevron. After his marriage to the daughter of HaRav Greineman, the menahel of the Taharos Kollel in the Ponvezher Beis Medrash, he began learning in the kollel of HaGaon HaRav Chaim Tzvi Rosenberg in the Givat Shaul neighborhood of Jerusalem.  He was killed al Kiddush Hashem on the way to kollel, leaving behind his wife, three children, parents and siblings. A fourth victim was the chashuve avreich HaRav Dovid Yosef, H’yd, 43, a resident of Ramot, murdered al Kiddush Hashem with his sefarim in his hands while on the way to kollel. The fifth victim was identified as Reb Mordechai Steintzag, H’yd, 79, a resident of Ramot who made aliyah from the U.S. decades ago and was the owner of the well-known Dr. Mark’s Bakery in Beit Shemesh. A cardiologist by training, he made it his mission to spread the awareness of a healthy diet in Israel, of which there was little awareness at the time. The small home bakery he founded became a pioneer and leader in the field of healthy flours and breads and now has several branches, with the main one in Beit Shemesh. His neighbors in Ramot Bet told B’Chadrei Chareidim that 10 years ago, he donated a Sefer […]

A Chareidi avreich, armed with a firearm, was the first to charge at the terrorists during the deadly shooting attack at the Ramot Junction. He opened fire at the attackers and assisted in neutralizing them along with an off-duty IDF soldier who serves as squad commander in the IDF’s Chashmonaim Brigade for Chareidi soldiers. Security camera footage shows the avreich running toward the terrorists and shooting, while dozens of civilians can be seen fleeing the scene in panic. The avreich received his gun license a year ago.   (YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

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One of the victims injured in the brutal terror attack at the Ramot Junction in Yerushalayim is HaGaon HaRav Yaakov Sharabani, Rosh Yeshiva of *Maor HaTorah* in Yerushalayim and son-in-law of HaGaon HaRav Avraham Salim, shlita, member of the Moetzes Chachmei HaTorah. The Rosh Yeshiva was struck in the back by a bullet and evacuated to Shaarei Tzedek Hospital. Rav Sharabani had been traveling by bus from his home on Mintz Street in Ramot to the yeshiva to deliver his daily shiur when the attack occurred. Bichasdei Hashem, the Rosh Yeshiva is fully conscious. The public is asked to daven for Yaakov Chaim ben Tamar Ivon. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

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A terrorist released in the deal to free hostages from Gaza on October 7 was featured on a panel at the Detroit People’s Conference for Palestine last Sunday, according to a report from The Jerusalem Post, which reviewed social media activity from those who attended.

Hossam Shaheen, a member of Tanzim freed on February 1 in the swap with Hamas, appeared virtually during a session titled “The Palestinian Struggle Behind Bars.” He was joined on screen by Arab Barghouti, the son of convicted terrorist leader Marwan Barghouti, and journalist Lama Ghosheh.

Although most of the conference, which ran from August 29 to 31, was streamed live by BreakThrough News and archived on its platforms, Shaheen’s appearance was conspicuously absent. The two videos related to the Sunday session were removed from the broadcaster’s YouTube playlist, and aside from a brief Instagram notice on August 18 mentioning Shaheen, organizers avoided highlighting the panel in their online promotions.

Nevertheless, posts from attendees on TikTok confirmed that Shaheen, Ghosheh, and Barghouti all took part by video call. The Palestinian Youth Movement, one of the conference hosts, even posted an illustrated sketch of the session in a Thursday photo album on Instagram.

Shaheen was previously known for establishing an al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigade cell operating in the Jerusalem region. He was responsible for recruiting operatives and providing them with arms for planned attacks. Israeli forces arrested him in Ramallah in 2004.

The announcement of Shaheen’s participation sparked sharp criticism after it was revealed he had been serving a 27-year sentence for attempted murder and conspiracy to commit murder before being freed.

In the wake of those revelations, the U.S. State Department issued warnings regarding international invitees who might seek visas to attend. Journalist Abubaker Abed, who was denied entry, told the gathering remotely that the United States was a “fascist and sadistic country.”

One of the participating groups, Writers Against the War on Gaza (WAWOG), listed Barghouti and Ghosheh in an online thread about the panels but omitted any reference to Shaheen.

During the discussion, Barghouti highlighted the role of the “prisoners’ movement” in the Palestinian cause. He told attendees, “My father told me that hopelessness is a privilege that we Palestinians don’t have. He promised my mother when he proposed to her over 40 years ago: ‘We will live a normal life.’”

His father, Marwan Barghouti, helped establish Fatah’s armed faction and in 2004 was sentenced to five life terms for orchestrating terror attacks that left five people dead.

Ghosheh, for her part, accused Israeli prison authorities of mistreating and degrading Palestinian female security detainees. A clip of her comments was circulated by a conference participant on TikTok.

Last year, Ghosheh was sentenced to community service and probation and fined NIS 4,500 after being found guilty of expressing support for a terror group and for incitement. In a series of Facebook posts from 2022 and 2023, she lauded multiple terrorists, among them Ibrahim al-Nabulsi, describing the slain Lions’ Den commander as a “hero” whose gunfire laid “the foundations for a clear operating model.”

In another post from May 2022, she uploaded a photo of Palestinian Islamic Jihad members, writing that their battalion model would spread across the West Bank and lead to further confrontations. She tagged the entry with the phrase: “Resistance is a continued gift.”

Earlier this August, Ghosheh interviewed Shaheen for her program Freedom Breakers, during which he called himself a “freedom fighter” and spoke of jailed PFLP cell leader Walid Daqqah as being like a “brother.”

Shaheen was not the only controversial figure featured at the Detroit event. That same Sunday, Omar Assaf, a veteran of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, joined to condemn the Palestinian Authority as a “barrier” holding back Palestinians from fighting Israel.

The gathering also included a message from Mumia Abu-Jamal, convicted of murdering a Philadelphia police officer, who addressed participants in a pre-recorded statement.

Among those in attendance were Rep. Rashida Tlaib, Richmond Mayor Eduardo Martinez, and Green Party presidential hopeful Dr. Jill Stein. Although organizers toned down some of the rhetoric compared to the prior year, there were still repeated instances of speakers glorifying terrorists and attacking the United States. Martinez at one point said, “If Palestine were a schoolyard playground, I would be a Palestinian. And that part of me, that part of me that couldn’t endure the abuse anymore, would be Hamas.”

At last year’s event, the atmosphere was even more extreme, with nearly every panel praising terrorism. The main auditorium was named in honor of Walid Daqqah, whose wife gave the keynote speech. PFLP operative Wisam Rafeedie also appeared remotely after being denied a U.S. visa.

{Matzav.com}

Mail deliveries into the United States dropped by more than four-fifths after the Trump administration removed tariff-free status for inexpensive imports, the United Nations postal authority reported on Saturday.

According to the Universal Postal Union (UPU), it has begun introducing new systems to help postal organizations worldwide determine and collect customs duties and taxes, following Washington’s decision to end the “de minimis exemption” that previously applied to low-value packages.

Eighty-eight postal providers have informed the UPU that they have either fully or partially suspended service to the United States until there is a workable arrangement regarding parcels worth $800 or less, which had been the threshold under which foreign packages avoided customs charges.

“The global network saw postal traffic to the US come to a near-halt after the implementation of the new rules on Aug 29, 2025, which for the first time placed the burden of customs duty collection and remittance on transportation carriers or US Customs and Border Protection agency-approved qualified parties,” the UPU stated.

Data exchanged among members of the UPU’s electronic system indicated that mail flows from its 192 member nations—essentially covering nearly the whole globe—declined by 81% on August 29 compared to the prior week.

Headquartered in Bern, Switzerland, the agency explained that these “major operational disruptions” occurred because airlines and freight handlers said they were either unwilling or unable to process the duties, and foreign postal services had not set up connections with CBP-authorized intermediaries.

In the weeks before the regulation was enforced, the postal union had written to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio warning of the consequences it could trigger.

The de minimis exemption, which dates back to 1938, was described by the administration as a loophole that overseas companies used to dodge tariffs and that traffickers exploited to move narcotics into America.

Items that once bypassed customs checks now have to be processed and taxed at the tariff rate of their country of origin, which can fall anywhere between 10% and 50%.

Although the rules are being applied to all trading partners, Americans will still be exempt from paying duties on gifts worth up to $100 and on personal souvenirs up to $200 brought back from international travel, the White House confirmed.

The UPU added that its member organizations were not given adequate time or clear instruction to prepare for the protocols laid out in the executive order Donald Trump signed on July 30 that revoked duty-free treatment for lower-cost imports.

{Matzav.com}

Crowds gathered at the port of Sidi Bou Said in Tunisia on Sunday to greet Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg, who arrived aboard a convoy of ships carrying aid bound for Gaza, according to the BBC.

Thunberg was joined by about 350 activists critical of Israel, all sailing as part of the Global Sumud Flotilla. Organizers of the effort said its purpose was to “break Israel’s illegal siege on Gaza.”

Addressing supporters at the port, the 22-year-old declared: “We all know why we are here. Just across the water there’s a genocide going on, a mass starvation by Israel’s murder machine.”

The group had departed Barcelona the previous Monday with a fleet of roughly 20 boats. Several vessels have now reached Tunisia, where they will coordinate with local teams and stock up on further supplies before continuing toward Gaza.

Although they were originally scheduled to leave Tunis on Sunday, organizers announced a delay until Wednesday, citing “technical and logistical reasons beyond management’s control” as the cause of the postponement.

In addition to Thunberg, the flotilla also features former Barcelona Mayor Ada Colau, who during her term cut the city’s official ties with Israel. The effort has attracted backing from Hollywood actors including Susan Sarandon and Liam Cunningham of HBO’s “Game of Thrones.”

Thunberg was deported from Israel earlier this year, in June, after participating in another flotilla, the Madleen, which was stopped by the Israeli navy.

Following that interception, the activists were supplied with food and water, even though many of them had recorded messages in advance alleging that they were “kidnapped” by the IDF.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry stated at the time that the cargo aboard the Madleen amounted to less than one truckload of aid and would instead be directed into Gaza through proper humanitarian channels.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump said Sunday that he expects progress soon toward both a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages held by Hamas.

“I think we’re going to have a deal on Gaza very soon. It’s a hell of a problem. It’s a problem we want to solve for the Middle East, for Israel, for everybody. But it’s a problem we’re going to get done,” the President said.

Speaking specifically about the hostages, Trump noted, “It could be a little bit less than 20 because some, you know, they tend to die. Even though they’re young people, largely, they’re dying. Young people don’t die. Young people stay alive. But with this whole thing, they tend to die.”

“But we have, let’s say, 20 people and we have about 38 bodies. I think we’re going to get them all,” he continued.

These remarks followed Trump’s confirmation that he had recently submitted a new plan to Hamas for a sweeping hostage arrangement that differs substantially from past proposals.

Under this initiative, all 48 hostages—both those still alive and those killed—would be released on the first day, while Israel would free hundreds of terrorists and thousands of Palestinian Arab prisoners.

The plan also calls for Israel to suspend its advance into Gaza City and open immediate negotiations to end the conflict, with the talks managed personally by President Trump. Fighting would remain paused so long as those negotiations continued.

On Truth Social, Trump wrote: “Everyone wants the hostages home. Everyone wants this war to end! The Israelis have accepted my terms. It is time for Hamas to accept as well. I have warned Hamas about the consequences of not accepting. This is my last warning; there will not be another one! Thank you for your attention to this matter.”

Officials close to Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu commented that “Israel is seriously considering President Trump’s proposal; Hamas will likely continue its refusal.”

Later on Sunday, Hamas issued a response, again attaching conditions to any deal for a ceasefire and hostage release.

“We have received several ideas from the American side through mediators to reach a ceasefire agreement. In this context, the Hamas movement welcomes any effort that supports stopping the aggression against our people and emphasizes its immediate readiness to sit at the negotiating table,” the group declared.

“It is our aim to discuss the release of all prisoners in exchange for a clear declaration of an end to the war and the complete withdrawal of forces from the Gaza Strip. Additionally, we seek the establishment of a committee to manage Gaza, composed of independent Palestinians, which would begin operations immediately. This would include an explicit and binding commitment from the enemy to uphold the agreements, preventing a recurrence of past instances where agreements were made but later rejected or canceled,” Hamas added.

{Matzav.com}

A Hamas internal security official announced that the group’s security forces in Gaza carried out the execution of six alleged “agents” accused of passing intelligence to Israel.

“The sword of resistance will not spare anyone who dares to be a dagger in the back of the resistance and its heroic men,” he declared.

According to his statement, the individuals were put to death “after it had been proven that the agents were involved in providing information that helped Israel attack homes, civilians and fighters during the war in the Gaza Strip.”

He further stated, “The verdict was carried out after the completion of the security and religious procedures, and Hamas is taking a firm approach against agents and any element that poses a direct danger to the internal front and the steadfastness of the Palestinian people.”

{Matzav.com Israel}

Just weeks before Rosh Hashanah, Israeli officials are pointing fingers at the Moldovan government, accusing it of sabotaging the agreement that was meant to enable tens of thousands of Breslover chassidim to travel to the kever of Rav Nachman of Breslov in Uman. According to the Israeli team overseeing the arrangements, the Moldovan authorities “did everything possible to prevent the deal from being finalized.”

A decisive meeting is scheduled for tomorrow to determine whether Romania will now serve as the transit country for the thousands of Israelis preparing to make the annual journey to the tziyun in Uman, Ukraine.

For weeks, Israel had been negotiating with Moldova and had even allocated significant funds toward a travel framework that would facilitate passage through the country. But those talks have collapsed. Israeli representatives involved in the discussions claim that despite financial concessions and extensive flexibility, the Moldovan side remained uncooperative. “It felt like there was no one to talk to,” one official said.

According to information obtained by Matzav.com, Moldova’s government insisted that Israel leave behind all the equipment and upgrades paid for in preparing the Chisinau airport for the Uman flights, even after Rosh Hashanah. The demand, which would allow Moldova permanent use of infrastructure funded by Israeli money, was described as the final straw that led to the breakdown of talks.

As a result, Israeli officials shifted their focus to Romania and have already opened discussions with its government about using Romanian airports as the main gateway for the thousands of travelers heading to Uman.

Tomorrow at midday, a high-level Israeli delegation—consisting of the Foreign Ministry director-general, the Prime Minister’s Office director-general, a senior Interior Ministry representative, and the director-general of the Yerushalayim Affairs Ministry—is scheduled to meet with counterparts in Romania. That meeting is expected to determine whether a workable solution can be secured in time for Yom Tov.

{Matzav.com}

I would like to raise an important topic—one that perhaps Klal Yisrael as a whole can consider returning to, for the sake of bringing yeshuos to so many who are still waiting. For generations, it was a minhag in Klal Yisrael to wish one another mazel tov at simchas. These words are not just a polite formality—they are true brachos. And when the recipient answers amen, it draws bracha and mazel into their life. At a wedding, when people would wish mazel tov to the chassan or kallah, the proper response was for the chassan or kallah to give a bracha back in return. Someone making a simcha has a unique koach at that time, and their heartfelt brachos can bring yeshuos to others. Chazal teach us that when we give someone a bracha, the words themselves rise to shamayim, and when answered with a sincere amen, they have the power to bring bracha down to this world. About twenty years ago, when the “shidduch crisis” became more pronounced, some older singles felt hurt by certain phrases that were being said—comments that didn’t always come across as sincere, or words like “IY”H by you” said without enough sensitivity. Out of respect for their pain, many in Klal Yisrael pulled back from this beautiful minhag, not wanting to cause discomfort. But as an older single myself, I want to give voice to what many of us who are still waiting feel but rarely say: we want your brachos. We need your tefillos. When they are offered with sincerity and energy, they mean more to us than you can imagine. Please don’t hold back from davening for us, from telling us you are davening, from giving us brachos, and from allowing us the privilege of answering amen. Let us bring back this old minhag—with sincerity, with warmth, and with the knowledge that every bracha, every amen, has the power to open gates of yeshuos. Signed, S.J. The views expressed in this letter are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of YWN. Have an opinion you would like to share? Send it to us for review. 

Israel’s High Court of Justice ruled on Sunday that the Israel Prison Service (IPS) is obligated to provide security prisoners with “basic living conditions,” including food in sufficient quantity and composition to safeguard their health.

The decision followed a petition alleging that security inmates were suffering from hunger and malnutrition, particularly after their ability to purchase food at the prison canteen was revoked due to the ongoing war in Gaza, along with other benefits that had been removed.

Justices Daphne Barak-Erez and Ofer Grosskopf wrote in their ruling that the state must ensure that every prisoner actually receives food adequate to maintain his health. Justice Noam Sohlberg Minz, however, dissented, stating that the state already fulfills this obligation under current conditions.

Justice Barak-Erez added in her reasoning that the plight of Israeli hostages in Gaza should not justify mistreating prisoners in Israel, noting: “We will not align ourselves with the worst of our enemies. We will not follow in the ways of terror organizations. Moreover, painful testimonies from freed captives have shown that a harsher food regime for prisoners in Israel does not improve the situation of our brothers still held hostage, and may even worsen it.”

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir blasted the ruling, declaring: “Judges of the High Court—are you on Israel’s side? Our hostages in Gaza have no High Court to protect them. But the Nukhba murderers and vile rapists have, shamefully, a High Court standing up for them. We will continue to provide these terrorists only the bare minimum conditions required by law.”

Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Minister Yariv Levin also denounced the decision: “We have become accustomed to High Court judges exceeding their judicial role and taking over the running of the state. Apparently, that wasn’t enough. Now they’ve crowned themselves judges in ‘Master Chef.’ The High Court judges, or in their new title—the Supreme Dieticians—have found a recipe unmatched in the world for distorted morality. While our hostages starve in tunnels, two judges demand that we improve the meals served to the worst of terrorists. This ruling is yet another clear example of the damage the Supreme Court inflicts on Israel’s security. That is why I have insisted on changing the Judicial Appointments Committee, and I will continue to demand that future appointments produce judges focused on the security of Israeli citizens and true justice—not on currying favor in progressive legal circles abroad.”

The “Choosing Life” Forum, representing bereaved families and victims of terror, also issued a sharp response: “Once again, the High Court chooses to side with terrorists instead of standing with our bereaved families and terror victims. The judges’ preoccupation with the meals of despicable murderers is a slap in the face to those who paid the highest price—families whose loved ones were slaughtered in cold blood. As bereaved families and victims of terror, we expect the High Court to focus on protecting Israel’s citizens, not on the culinary preferences of terrorist killers and the policies of the Prison Service.”

{Matzav.com}

Shmuel Meidad, the head of the Honenu legal aid organization, revealed that he was warned by a senior official that the Shin Bet collected personal information about him after a senior official in the agency decided to “take Honenu down.” Meidad founded Honenu in 2001 to provide legal assistance to Israeli soldiers and civilians embroiled in legal trouble after defending themselves against Arabs due to Israel’s left-wing Israeli judicial system and foreign-funded radical left “human rights” groups. The Shin Bet’s Jewish Department collected information on the organization’s activities, including personal information about Meidad. Meidad said that this is “the crossing of a red line and the first case of the Shin Bet acting against a civilian and legal aid organization.” Meidad elaborated that after “a very senior figure from the system called me and said he had something urgent to tell me,” he came to the meeting accompanied by his attorney, Yossi Ben-Baruch. The senior official told him, “Listen, I know, and I confirmed it with an authorized source that the Shin Bet has made a decision to take Honenu down.” When Meidad asked if the intention was towards him personally or the organization, the senior official clarified: “No, no. You personally too.” When he asked how the Shin Bet planned on “taking him down,” he received a disturbing answer: “In any way.” “I was in shock,” Meidad said. “I remembered what happened 25 years ago when I founded Honenu. Many friends warned me, ‘Aren’t you afraid that the Shin Bet will harass you?’ and I would always answer that my wife told me not to be afraid. And I’m much more afraid of her.” Meidad said that after the decision was made to target him, Shin Bet investigators questioned suspects represented by Honenu lawyers about the organization and its lawyers. “This is an improper and forbidden practice, as investigative bodies should not act against legal representation in a case,” Meidad said. “Threats will not deter us,” Meidad asserted. “We will continue to do everything in our power to assist soldiers and civilians who find themselves in legal distress due to the security situation.” No response to the report has been received from the Shin Bet so far. (YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)