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The IDF carried out a major overnight operation in southern Lebanon early Thursday, destroying a vast Hezbollah tunnel complex near the Beaufort Ridge that Israeli officials say was a key part of the terror group’s long-term plan to infiltrate and attack communities throughout the Galilee.

In a joint statement, Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz said the underground network played a central role in Hezbollah’s strategy to invade Israeli towns in northern Israel.

The statement said the military used roughly 700 tons of explosives to demolish the extensive tunnel system as part of its continued campaign to eliminate Hezbollah’s terrorist infrastructure in southern Lebanon.

Israeli officials added that the operation was launched after Hezbollah committed what they described as a clear violation of the ceasefire agreement.

Netanyahu and Katz reiterated that Israel will respond forcefully to any future violations. “Any attempt by Hezbollah to target IDF forces or Israeli civilians will be met with a harsh and powerful response that will exact a heavy toll on the terror organization,” the statement read.

The IDF Spokesperson’s Unit also announced the operation, stating, “A short while ago, as part of a limited activity within the area of the Security Zone, IDF soldiers dismantled several key underground tunnels beneath the Beaufort Ridge.”

According to the military, the underground facility functioned as a primary command center where Hezbollah commanders and operatives coordinated combat operations and directed attacks against Israeli troops and civilians.

The IDF said the sprawling tunnel complex represented one of Hezbollah’s most significant strategic strongholds. Built over approximately two decades and stretching across multiple underground levels, it served as the central command center for Hezbollah’s Bader Unit in southern Lebanon. Israeli officials said the project was financed and planned by the Iranian regime.

“The tunnel network posed a threat to the residents of northern Israel and IDF soldiers, as it was located just 6 kilometers away from the area of Metula and the Galilee Panhandle. Over the course of the war, dozens of UAVs, explosive devices, and anti-tank missiles were launched from this infrastructure toward Israeli civilians and IDF soldiers. Tonight, the IDF dismantled a significant portion of the underground tunnel network,” it continued.

The military said preparations for the demolition had been underway for weeks. “Over the past several weeks,” the IDF statement continued, “IDF soldiers completed their deployment in the area of the Beaufort Ridge, while maintaining operational control of the underground tunnel network and preparing it for dismantling.”

The IDF emphasized that its forces remain fully prepared for any escalation along the northern front. “IDF soldiers continue to operate in the area of Ali Taher Ridge, remain on high alert, and are prepared for both defensive and offensive scenarios. Attacks on IDF soldiers will be responded to accordingly.”

Reaffirming Israel’s position on the ceasefire, the military concluded, “The IDF continues to remain committed to the ceasefire agreement in Lebanon and will continue to operate to remove any threat posed to IDF soldiers.”

Hours before the controlled explosions began, authorities notified residents across northern Israel that loud blasts would likely be heard between 11:00 p.m. and 1:00 a.m. because of planned military activity in the area.

Because of the enormous amount of explosives used, residents of Metula and Misgav Am were instructed to keep their windows open to reduce the risk of shattered glass from the shockwaves. Officials emphasized that there was no change in the overall security situation and that no additional safety directives were issued for surrounding communities.

{Matzav.com}

Michael Cohen is joining the growing list of New Yorkers outraged after receiving a city notice warning that he could be hit with Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s controversial new pied-à-terre tax unless he proves his Manhattan apartment is his primary residence.

Cohen, who once served as President Trump’s longtime fixer, told The Post that he was stunned when a letter arrived earlier this week directing him to verify that his condominium at Trump Park Avenue on the Upper East Side is his main home or risk paying tens of thousands of dollars in additional taxes.

“I have been paying NYC property taxes for 34 years,” he fumed to The Post on Thursday. “I’m registered as a voter here yet now I have to go through the exercise in demonstrating to the city that I’m a resident.”

Beyond objecting to the notice itself, Cohen said he is deeply troubled by the amount of personal information City Hall is demanding from homeowners, particularly under an administration he believes has made wealthy residents a political target.

“I’m extremely concerned about submitting this information to a democratic socialist who has campaigned and continues to campaign on taking dollars out of the pockets of wealthy New Yorkers or anyone he perceives to be wealthy,” Cohen said, adding that numerous neighbors in his building also received identical letters.

The city recently began mailing notices to tens of thousands of property owners, instructing them to establish that their homes are primary residences or face liability under the new tax approved by Mayor Mamdani and Gov. Kathy Hochul as part of this year’s state budget.

The tax applies to second homes valued at $5 million or more, as well as vacant condominiums and co-ops worth at least $1 million that are not used as primary residences.

Because condominium and co-op tax rates range from 4% to 6.5%, Cohen estimates he could be forced to pay nearly $50,000 annually if the city mistakenly classifies his apartment as a second home.

As previously reported by The Post, homeowners seeking to avoid the tax must complete a lengthy verification process and provide documentation proving where they primarily live.

Among the requested documents is a recently filed federal or state tax return, a requirement Cohen said crossed the line.

“Who would give their tax returns?” he incredulously asked. “This is beyond abnormal.”

Although the city says applicants may instead submit alternative proof, such as a driver’s license, Cohen said the online portal would not allow him to complete the process without uploading his tax return, describing the website as difficult to navigate.

He also objected to the city’s request for the Social Security numbers of every person residing in the apartment.

In cases where a property is owned through a trust or limited liability company, the city also requires copies of trust documents or an affidavit from the trustee or managing member affirming that the property serves as the owner’s primary residence.

Cohen said his apartment in the historic former Hotel Delmonico is held in a trust, explaining that the arrangement protects the property from potential lawsuits or judgments while also helping ensure a smooth transfer of assets to his children.

The extensive personal information requested by the city has also raised concerns for Cohen about how securely the data will be stored and who may ultimately have access to it. Cohen, who has since repaired his relationship with President Trump after serving as a key witness in the 2023 New York business fraud case, questioned whether the city can adequately safeguard such sensitive records.

“Who is going to have access to this information and use it?” he said. “Will the people in the administration all have access and where is it going to sit? Is it a secured website?”

His concerns intensified after the Mamdani administration this week published a searchable online database listing the names and addresses of property owners whose homes could be subject to the new tax.

The public release of that information sparked widespread backlash from residents who argued the database unnecessarily exposed homeowners’ personal information and created potential security risks.

“It was very disconcerting to see my name listed and to see many of my neighbors,” employment labor attorney Carolyn Richmond told The NY Post.

Calling the database an effort to publicly embarrass successful New Yorkers, Richmond said the list is an attempt at “shaming everyone in this city who has worked hard to succeed.”

{Matzav.com}

The U.S. Army has revealed a sophisticated new electronic warfare system known as the “Hammer of the Gods,” a portable platform built to throw enemy precision-guided weapons off course by disrupting the signals they rely on to accurately strike their targets.

Designed for covert deployment aboard U.S. military vessels, the advanced system interferes with the guidance technology used by long-range artillery, cruise missiles, and other precision munitions, dramatically reducing their ability to hit intended targets.

While the Army has spent the past two years evaluating land-based versions of the technology, officials said a successful demonstration conducted earlier this month off the West Coast marked the system’s first maritime test.

The Hammer of the Gods functions by jamming positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) signals—the critical data modern precision weapons depend on for accurate navigation.

Once those PNT signals are disrupted, advanced missiles and guided projectiles lose the information needed to stay on course, making them significantly more likely to miss their targets and slowing down enemy operations.

In addition to disrupting hostile weapons, the platform includes its own communications network, allowing U.S. and allied forces to maintain reliable communications even while the jamming system is active or in environments where normal communications have been compromised.

Army officials told Fox News that the recent maritime trial demonstrated the system’s ability to be successfully deployed, operated, and recovered under realistic sea-based conditions.

The unveiling of the Hammer of the Gods is the latest in a series of advanced military technologies the United States has showcased in recent months.

Earlier this year, during the dramatic rescue of a U.S. Air Force officer who had been shot down over Iran, intelligence officials relied on a previously undisclosed CIA technology called “Ghost Murmur,” which they said located the stranded airman by remotely detecting his heartbeat.

The highly advanced system combines nitrogen-vacancy center (NV) diamonds—capable of sensing tiny magnetic fields—with artificial intelligence that filters out surrounding interference, allowing human heartbeats to be detected even from the air.

Officials have not disclosed the distance from which Ghost Murmur located the downed pilot, but University of Wisconsin-Madison physics professor Thad Walker said that identifying a heartbeat from as far as 100 meters away would be an “astounding” achievement.

President Trump praised the breakthrough technology during a phone call with The Post, saying, “Nobody even knows what that is. Nobody has ever heard of it before,” before suggesting that the U.S. possesses even more classified capabilities that remain hidden from public view.

“We have many other things that nobody has ever heard about. We have equipment the likes of which nobody has ever even thought about,” he intimated.

{Matzav.com}

Dear Matzav Inbox,

A new Skver shtiebel opened this past Shabbos in the Nanuet–New City area.

According to Rockland Daily, the shtiebel was established after several Skver families moved into the neighborhood and was opened with the encouragement and bracha of the Skverer Rebbe. It is reportedly the ninth Skver shtiebel serving families throughout the greater Monsey area.

Under normal circumstances, there would be nothing objectionable about that. Yidden should be free to purchase homes legally, establish shuls, educate their children and build communities wherever the law allows.

But New Square’s leadership has demanded that the same freedom not be extended to everyone else.

Remember the Letter

Years ago, New Square’s leadership issued a letter asking Orthodox Jewish families not to purchase homes within approximately one mile of the village.

The explanation was explicit.

New Square needed to remain an “isolated corner” and a “secluded shtetl.” The letter warned that if other frum families moved too close, Skver children could be exposed to different standards of business, shopping and tznius, threatening the community’s supposed “high level of purity.”

The message was unmistakable:

Stay away from us.

Do not move near us.

Do not allow your families, institutions and children to come too close to ours.

We must remain isolated. We must remain separate. We must remain pure.

Yet today, Skver families are being encouraged to move directly into the established neighborhoods of other frum Jews.

There is a growing Skver presence on McNamara Road. The Francis Place shtiebel continues to expand. There is a Skver girls’ school on College Road. And now another shtiebel has opened near New City with the reported encouragement of the Rebbe himself.

So where did the concern for isolation go?

If living among Jews with different customs, shopping habits and standards is so dangerous, why is New Square leadership encouraging its own followers to establish outposts throughout greater Monsey?

Why are Skver families permitted to live among us, while we are told that living near them threatens their purity?

Isolation in One Direction

No one is demanding that Skver families leave Nanuet, New City, Wesley Hills or any other neighborhood.

No one is calling for their shtieblach to be closed.

No one is claiming that their children threaten the character or purity of our communities.

The surrounding Monsey community generally accepts a basic principle: Jews have the right to live, daven and build institutions wherever they may legally do so.

But that principle must work both ways.

New Square cannot insist that its followers may expand throughout the surrounding region while demanding that the surrounding region remain frozen a mile away from its borders.

It cannot celebrate new Skver communities inside other neighborhoods while describing other Jews moving near New Square as a spiritual danger.

It cannot say, “Stay away from us,” while steadily moving closer to everyone else.

That is not isolation. It is a one-way policy of control.

Choose One Standard

New Square’s leadership must choose.

Either living among the broader frum community is acceptable, in which case the entire justification for the mile policy collapses.

Or living among other frum communities is genuinely dangerous, in which case New Square leadership should explain why it is encouraging families, shuls and schools to expand throughout greater Monsey.

They cannot reasonably claim both.

Skver families are welcome to live among us. They are welcome to establish shuls among us. They are welcome to educate their children among us.

But the same right must be extended to everyone else.

The original letter should be withdrawn. The mile policy should end. And the families harmed by it deserve acknowledgment and an apology.

Until then, each new Skver outpost will expose the same glaring contradiction:

The mile only runs one way.

Binyomin Ribiat

A remarkable celebration of Torah and achdus took place this week in Kerestir, Hungary, as more than 150 talmidim of the newly established Satmar Kibbutz Yeshiva concluded a European chizuk journey with a festive Siyum HaShas held in the restored bais medrash of Rav Yeshaya’le of Kerestir zt”l.

The yeshiva, located in Monsey, was founded earlier this year by the Satmar Rebbeto provide a full-time Torah framework for older bochurim who graduated from the Satmar Yeshiva in Queens. The Rebbe has reportedly made the project one of his highest priorities, viewing it as especially close to his heart.

Today, the yeshiva is home to more than 150 older bochurim who have chosen to continue intensive Torah learning in a structured yeshiva environment tailored to their stage of life.

Leading the delegation throughout the European trip was the Rosh Yeshiva, Harav Yaakov Ber Teitelbaum, Av Beis Din of Sighet-Boro Park and a son of the Satmar Rebbe, who accompanied the talmidim during the entire journey.

The highlight of the trip was the stop in Kerestir, where the talmidim established a temporary yeshiva in the recently restored bais medrash of Rav Yeshaya’le of Kerestir. The restoration project, led by descendants of the tzaddik through “Reb Yeshaya’le’s House,” is nearing completion, and the talmidim held regular sedorim there throughout their stay.

The Siyum HaShas itself took place in the “Heichal Avraham Shmuel Samet,” a hall donated by philanthropist Reb Yechezkel Dovid Berkowitz, one of the prominent supporters of Satmar. The event also served as a moving display of unity between different Chassidic courts and the Satmar community.

On the evening before the siyum, the Toldos Aharon Rebbe visited the “Reb Yeshaya’le’s House” complex, operated by the Rubin family, descendants of Rav Yeshaya’le. While touring the site, the Rebbe spent several minutes studying a display listing the masechtos learned by the yeshiva’s talmidim. He inquired about the new yeshiva, learned about its focus on older bochurim and its learning schedule, and expressed admiration for both the scope of the Torah learning and the vision behind the initiative.

The following day, the Toldos Aharon Rebbe made an unexpected appearance at the Siyum HaShas. He spoke with Harav Yaakov Ber Teitelbaum and then joined him in a joyous dance to the accompaniment of the orchestra, delighting the hundreds of participants gathered for the celebration.

{Matzav.com}

United Torah Judaism MK Uri Maklev said Thursday that he would not be surprised if Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu’s first move after the next election is to try forming a coalition with Gadi Eisenkot instead of the Chareidi parties, stressing that the Chareidi bloc is independent and will act according to its own interests.

Speaking in an interview with Avi Moskoff and Avi Gadolovitch on Kol Berama Radio’s “One in the Afternoon” program, Maklev said, “I wouldn’t be surprised if Netanyahu’s first attempt is to form a government with Eisenkot. Netanyahu’s first concern is Netanyahu. He is not committed to the bloc. We will do what’s best for us—we are a bloc unto ourselves.”

Maklev also appeared to suggest that new Chareidi political factions are receiving significant financial backing from undisclosed sources, hinting that more information could eventually become public.

“The day will come when people will know where the major funding came from. I know where the money is coming from. Once that becomes known, there will be no need to discuss all these other things,” he said, without providing further details.

Turning to Israel’s High Court of Justice, which recently struck down legislation freezing the arrests of yeshiva students over the military draft, Maklev defended the coalition’s decision to advance the measure despite anticipating a legal challenge.

“Bringing the arrests law forward was not a mistake. We knew we were heading for a confrontation with the High Court. Every law the High Court strikes down undermines the court’s own legitimacy,” he said.

Maklev added that he was not advocating defying the court’s rulings but sharply criticized what he described as judicial overreach.

“I never said not to obey the High Court—we’re not anarchists. But if the High Court acts unlawfully, then the police should summon them for questioning,” he said.

The UTJ lawmaker also reserved harsh criticism for the Religious Zionism Party, accusing it of contributing to tensions surrounding the enlistment of yeshiva students.

“When Religious Zionism says, ‘We’re not opposed to Torah study, but it’s possible to do both,’ that is the statement that created confusion and fueled the greatest incitement,” Maklev said. “As a party, Religious Zionism has been the most problematic member of this coalition.”

{Matzav.com}

Newly released recordings have sparked criticism after an Israeli judge was heard making remarks perceived as mocking Chareidi witnesses during court proceedings. The witnesses filed a formal complaint, alleging the comments reflected prejudice against the Chareidi community, but the complaint was ultimately closed after the judge apologized and judicial authorities accepted her explanation.

The recordings, aired by Israel’s Channel 14, feature Hadera Magistrate’s Court Judge Yifat Unger-Biton addressing two Chareidi witnesses in what they described as a dismissive and insulting manner during a hearing.

In one recording, the judge tells a witness, “Sir, you speak at lightning speed. I’m saying that you’re used to going into tefillos at the shul and finishing them very quickly. You race through the prayers at a crazy pace. Nobody besides you can even understand the prayers… But here we speak slowly. We need to understand what you’re saying.”

In another exchange from the same case, the judge asks a different witness, “Is this your affidavit? This tzetel (Yiddish for ‘note’) that you brought with you?” The witness replied, “You call it a tzetel, but for us it’s a significant document.”

The two witnesses subsequently filed a complaint with Israel’s Commissioner for Complaints Against Judges, Justice Asher Kula, arguing that the judge’s remarks demonstrated bias against Chareidim, demeaned both them and their religious practices, and undermined confidence in the judiciary’s impartiality.

In her response, Judge Unger-Biton acknowledged that she may have chosen her words poorly but insisted she had no intention of offending the witnesses. She said she was attempting to speak in terms that would be familiar to them and offered an apology for her remarks.

After reviewing her response, Justice Kula decided to close the complaint. In his written decision, he stated, “Even if the judge’s explanations are correct… a judge must always be careful with his or her words and pay attention to how they may be perceived from an objective standpoint. The judge did the right thing by apologizing in her response for her remarks to the witnesses.”

The report also noted that this was not the first time Judge Unger-Biton had come under scrutiny over recorded courtroom comments. According to the report, another recording surfaced in 2019 in which she questioned one of the parties during a hearing using language that also drew public attention.

In a statement, the Judicial Authority’s spokesperson said, “In her response to the Commissioner for Complaints Against Judges, the judge apologized for her remarks, and the commissioner determined that the matter had been fully addressed.”

{Matzav.com}

Israeli police have arrested a man suspected of vandalizing the headquarters of Channel 12 News in Tel Aviv by hurling rocks at the building’s entrance and leaving behind a threatening letter apparently directed at journalists and public officials. Authorities said the investigation was conducted jointly with the Shin Bet security agency.

According to police, the suspect is a man in his 40s from Ramat Gan. He was taken into custody on Thursday by detectives from the Tel Aviv District’s Central Unit on suspicion of making threats against members of the media and public figures while also causing damage to the entrance of the Channel 12 News offices.

The incident took place on July 28, when officers on routine patrol noticed that the glass entrance door to the office building on Haskalah Boulevard had been shattered. Investigators also discovered a threatening letter near the entrance that was apparently addressed to journalists and public officials.

The investigation, led by the Tel Aviv Central Unit together with the Ayalon investigative unit and the Shin Bet, determined that the suspect allegedly threw rocks at the building’s entrance doors before fleeing the scene, leaving the threatening letter behind.

Police said investigators later identified and located the suspect, who was subsequently arrested and questioned. A court-issued gag order that had previously prohibited publication of details about the investigation was lifted following Thursday’s police announcement.

The attack is the latest in a series of incidents targeting Channel 12’s offices in Tel Aviv. Over the past month, the building’s glass entrance doors have been smashed on two separate occasions. In one of those incidents, surveillance footage reportedly captured a masked individual throwing a brick at the entrance.

In recent months, threatening graffiti and messages directed at Channel 12 journalists have also been sprayed around the news organization’s offices. Police opened investigations into the repeated attacks, culminating in the arrest announced on Thursday.

{Matzav.com}

Visitors to the Galilee community of Migdal experienced an inspiring encounter during the bein hazmanim vacation period when one of the senior roshei yeshiva of the generation, Rav Tzvi Kushelevsky, paid a special visit to the local Chabad House and shared the unwavering faith that sustained him for decades before he merited to have his first child at the age of 89.

Rav Kushelevsky, Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivas Heichal HaTorah, has become a symbol of extraordinary faith and trust in Hashem throughout the Torah world after the widely celebrated birth of his first son at an age when doctors had long insisted it was impossible. He was warmly welcomed by the staff of the Migdal Chabad House, which serves local residents and the many vacationers who visit the area, especially during the summer months. The Rosh Yeshiva expressed his deep appreciation for the center’s extensive outreach efforts and encouraged its emissaries in their sacred work.

During the visit, Rav Kushelevsky delivered heartfelt remarks focused on the importance of living with joy and simple faith.

“Everything that Hashem does is only for the good. The main thing is that the Satan confuses people—if there were no Satan, everything would be clear. A person must understand that G-d does only good, and people should always be happy—that is the main thing. There is a wonderful community here that believes with simple faith, the faith that a person feels in his heart that everything G-d does is only for the good.”

Reflecting on the miracle that transformed his own life, the Rosh Yeshiva shared an emotional personal message.

“I waited 89 years to have children. All the greatest doctors and professors said it was impossible, but they don’t know that G-d does whatever He wants, whenever He wants. But a person needs merit—and this is the merit: believing that everything G-d does is for the good. You have to bring that into your heart and into your mind, and come to recognize how much G-d loves every one of us. He isn’t interested in all the professors; He is interested only in the Jew who believes and knows that everything is good. What we think is nothing. G-d does only good, and even if you don’t see it now, faith itself will transform everything for the good, and through our faith, the Messiah will also come.”

Those in attendance said the Rosh Yeshiva’s words left a profound impression on the packed gathering at the Chabad House.

The uplifting event concluded with residents and visitors joining Rav Kushelevsky in singing “Your Kindness Never Ends,” offering thanks to Hashem for His countless blessings and praying for salvation for both the Jewish people as a whole and for individuals in need.

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{Matzav.com}

Prosecutors have filed a chilling indictment alleging that Binyamin Yosef Chaim Friedrich carefully planned the murder of Rav Amos Guetta zt”l, entering the Rav’s room under the pretense of wanting to daven at his bedside before allegedly stabbing the incapacitated rov to death. He now faces charges of aggravated intentional murder, aggravated assault, and unlawful possession of a knife.

The State Attorney’s Office submitted the indictment to the Central District Court in Lod, accusing Friedrich of intentionally murdering Rav Amos Guetta. In addition to the murder charge, prosecutors also accuse him of aggravated assault and illegally possessing a knife.

According to the indictment, Rav Guetta was in extremely fragile health at the time of the attack. The beloved rov was bedridden, connected to medical equipment, required constant care, and was legally recognized as a helpless person.

Prosecutors allege that Friedrich made the decision ahead of time to murder the Rav. According to the indictment, he took a knife with a 21-centimeter blade from the yeshiva kitchen, concealed it inside his pants, and arrived at the Rav’s home at approximately 5:39 a.m.

The indictment states that Friedrich asked the Rav’s caregiver, Yaakov, for permission to enter the room, explaining that he wished to recite Tehillim beside the Rav’s bed. After Yaakov allowed him inside, the defendant allegedly stood near the foot of the bed, quietly recited a brief prayer for several moments, then suddenly drew the concealed knife and stabbed Rav Guetta in the area between his chest and abdomen.

According to prosecutors, when Yaakov rushed to stop the attack, a violent struggle broke out during which the caregiver injured his hand. Despite the attempt to restrain him, Friedrich allegedly continued the assault, stabbing Rav Guetta three additional times in the abdomen before the knife slipped from his grasp.

The indictment further alleges that Friedrich fled the home, leaving the gravely wounded Rav lying in his bed. As Yaakov pursued him toward the exit, the defendant allegedly turned to face the caregiver, raised his fists in a threatening manner, and then escaped.

Prosecutors have charged Friedrich with aggravated intentional murder, contending that the attack was premeditated and carried out against a victim who was legally incapable of defending himself. He also faces charges of aggravated assault and unlawful possession of a knife.

{Matzav.com}

Hamas has reportedly sent a letter to the White House outlining a proposal for a long-term ceasefire in Gaza, appealing directly to President Donald Trump with an offer that includes a gradual disarmament in exchange for sweeping Israeli concessions. Israeli officials, however, have dismissed the proposal as a tactic designed to delay military action rather than a genuine peace initiative.

According to a report aired Thursday by Israel’s Channel 13 News, Hamas is seeking a 10- to 15-year “hudna,” or extended truce, in the Gaza Strip. The report comes nearly three years after the October 7 massacre, as diplomatic efforts surrounding Gaza continue to intensify.

The report says Hamas leaders drafted a letter in English and delivered it to the White House. In the message, the terror group tells President Trump it is willing to abide by an agreement and gradually disarm, while requesting a prolonged ceasefire under which Israel would halt military operations in Gaza, end targeted killings of senior Hamas figures, and begin a phased withdrawal of IDF forces from the Strip.

Israeli officials quickly rejected the proposal, characterizing it as Hamas “spin.” They said the terms bear little resemblance to the framework negotiated under President Trump’s plan last October.

Israeli sources said the proposal “has no chance” of being accepted, calling it a “desperate attempt” by Hamas to buy additional time. According to those officials, Hamas is chiefly trying to avoid being found in violation of Trump’s agreement, since doing so would give Israel grounds to restart military operations in Gaza.

Earlier Thursday, Channel 13 released additional details about the proposed arrangement. Under the reported framework, Hamas would gradually surrender some of its weapons over several years, but would stop short of relinquishing its heavy arsenal.

The proposal also envisions Arab countries providing millions of dollars in “retirement compensation” to Hamas officials who would step aside and be replaced by a technocratic governing committee.

In exchange, Israel would reportedly agree to a lengthy ceasefire that would include ending targeted strikes against Hamas leaders in Gaza. While the IDF would remain along the “Yellow Line” security corridor, it would gradually withdraw from certain other areas.

American, regional, and Palestinian officials told Channel 13 that the proposal amounts to a “fiction,” arguing that Hamas is unlikely to hand over all of its weapons to a third party it does not trust. They also noted that the document makes no commitment to reveal or dismantle Hamas’s vast tunnel network.

A senior Israeli official stressed, “The issue of Gaza did not come up at all during the meeting between Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Trump. Israel demands the complete disarmament of Hamas, including the removal of all weapons from Gaza and the full demilitarization of the Strip as a precondition for any process.”

“The 15-point document in question does not adequately address these demands, and Israel has conveyed its reservations on the matter to envoy Tony Blair. There will be no Israeli withdrawal from the Yellow Line in the Gaza Strip before Hamas is fully disarmed and the Strip is completely demilitarized.”

Channel 13 also reported earlier Thursday that two regional sources confirmed advanced negotiations are underway regarding a Hamas declaration that would relinquish control of Gaza and transfer authority to an International Stabilization Force while agreeing to disarm.

Those sources said discussions are also focusing on a formal signing ceremony in Egypt that could take place within the next several days.

The negotiations are reportedly being held in Cairo, where a senior Hamas delegation is meeting under the auspices of Egyptian intelligence, with Qatar and Turkey serving as mediators.

One regional source said only what were described as “minor” issues remain unresolved and that the Trump administration is pushing for an announcement that would allow the process to move ahead. According to that source, Hamas is prepared to transfer its weapons to a third party other than the Palestinian Authority, with an announcement potentially coming within days.

The recent diplomatic breakthrough is said to be the result of significant pressure from Egypt and Qatar, largely aimed at satisfying the White House. A signing ceremony could reportedly take place as early as today or tomorrow if the remaining disputes—including Israel’s authority to resume military operations and the powers granted to the stabilization force—are resolved.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir blasted the emerging proposal.

“With Nazis, you speak only through the sights of a rifle-and in no other way,” Ben Gvir said. “You do not commit to ending the targeted killings of terrorists or sign agreements with the devil, who has made our destruction his banner-not through a third party, not through mediators, and not through any other entity. Period.”

“After the October 7 massacre, the Prime Minister must make clear even to our closest friends that the only solution in Gaza that Israel is willing to support is encouraging emigration and destroying Hamas-no other solution.”

Yisrael Beytenu chairman Avigdor Liberman also denounced the proposal.

“Any agreement with Hamas is a return to the same conception that led the State of Israel to the October 7 massacre. Instead of agreements with Hamas, Hamas must be destroyed,” he said.

On Sunday, Israel’s Security Cabinet unanimously approved the entry of the International Stabilization Force into Gaza, an initiative launched by President Trump. Ben Gvir cast the lone dissenting vote.

A senior Israeli official said, “The initial approval for the International Stabilization Force was established in Trump’s 20-point plan, which led to the release of all the hostages. Israel insists that the IDF will continue to hold the Yellow Line, and there will be no withdrawal whatsoever until Hamas has been completely disarmed and the Gaza Strip fully demilitarized.”

“At this stage, the force consists of approximately 200 personnel from friendly countries such as Uganda and Morocco,” the official said.

The official further stated, “Today, the Security Cabinet approved granting immunity under the Law on Immunities for International Organizations to the ISF, which will operate in full coordination with the IDF in areas beyond the Yellow Line that are not under IDF control.”

“In practice, the entry of any ISF personnel will require the specific approval of the Prime Minister, the Defense Minister, and the Foreign Minister. The Cabinet also determined that Israel will decide which countries may contribute forces. Only countries with which Israel has peace agreements and that do not act against the State of Israel or its officials in the international arena will be permitted to participate.”

{Matzav.com}

After nearly two months of intensive medical treatment, encouraging news emerged regarding the condition of the renowned mekubal, Rav Chizkiyahu Dov HaKohen Kook. Family members reported a significant improvement in his condition, while stressing that he remains in need of continued tefillos.

According to the update released from the Rav’s home, he is now breathing on his own after approximately two months during which he was unable to do so without assistance.

Despite this encouraging development, the family emphasized that the public should continue davening intensely, particularly for the Rav’s left hand and fingers, whose condition remains a source of serious concern. They also reported that, at present, the Rav is still unable to see or speak, although he is able to hear those around him.

Members of the household and close associates are urging Klal Yisroel to continue pouring out heartfelt tefillos and supplications for the complete and speedy recovery of Rav Chizkiyahu Dov ben Shoshana.

{Matzav.com}