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The IDF on Wednesday released the identities of several Gaza soccer players, coaches, and a FIFA referee whom it says were not merely athletes, but active members of the military wings of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, pushing back against international allegations that Israel deliberately targeted Palestinian sports figures during the war.

According to the military, the disclosure was prompted by what it described as a growing international campaign accusing Israeli forces of intentionally killing Palestinian athletes in Gaza solely because of their involvement in sports.

The IDF said that intelligence gathered during the war enabled it to identify the operational roles and terrorist affiliations of a number of individuals who were killed. It argued that many of those individuals had been portrayed abroad exclusively as soccer players, referees, or coaches, while their membership in terrorist organizations was omitted.

Israeli defense officials maintained that these accusations are part of a broader effort to discredit Israel internationally. The IDF said it has repeatedly encountered cases in which terrorists killed during military operations were publicly presented only as journalists, humanitarian workers, or other civilian professionals, with no mention of their involvement in terrorist activity.

The military stated that it intends to continue releasing similar information when possible in order to counter what it described as misleading narratives and provide what it says is a fuller account of those targeted during the conflict.

Among those identified by the IDF was Mohammed Mohammed Hassan Barakat, a soccer player whom the military said was a member of the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization and infiltrated Israel during the October 7 massacre.

The IDF identified Mahmoud Kamal Mohammad Ali Al-Rifi, also a soccer player, as a Company Commander in Hamas’ Aerial Array.

Mohammed Mansour, described as both a soccer player and coach, was identified by the military as the Deputy Commander of Hamas’ Nuseirat Battalion who infiltrated Israel during the October 7 massacre.

The military said Ahmed Mohammed Hassan Abu Al-Atta, a soccer player, served as a Platoon Commander in the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization.

According to the IDF, Abdullah Riyadh Abdullah Khattab, another soccer player, was an operative in Islamic Jihad’s anti-tank unit.

Mohammed Sami Mohammed Khattab, an international FIFA referee, was identified by the IDF as a member of Islamic Jihad’s Central Camps Brigade.

The military also identified Ali Mahmoud Ahmed Al-Kurd, a soccer player and coach, as an Islamic Jihad Platoon Commander in Rafah.

Mohammad Emad Ata Hussouna, a soccer player, was identified by the IDF as a member of Hamas’ military wing who infiltrated Israeli territory during the October 7 massacre.

The IDF further identified Tariq Ziad Hussein Al-Hour as a terrorist in Hamas’ military wing.

His relative, Mohammed Ziad Hussein Al-Hour, was identified by the military as a Platoon Commander in Hamas’ Nuseirat Battalion.

The IDF also identified Mahmoud Osama Al-Jazzar, a soccer player, as a combat operative in the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization.

Finally, the military identified Mohammad Nidal Mohammed Al-Hawajri, a soccer player, as a Combat Commander in Hamas’ Nuseirat Battalion.

{Matzav.com}

WATCH:

The United States and Saudi Arabia have officially entered into a landmark civil nuclear partnership after senior officials from both countries signed a sweeping cooperation agreement on Wednesday, paving the way for decades of economic collaboration, expanded energy development, and billions of dollars in potential investment.

US Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman formalized the agreement, marking a significant milestone in relations between Washington and Riyadh. The accord establishes the framework for peaceful nuclear cooperation and is expected to deepen the two nations’ long-term strategic and commercial ties.

The Department of Energy said the agreement, known as a “123 agreement” under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, was signed together with a bilateral safeguards agreement. Together, the documents create the legal structure for a multi-billion-dollar partnership while reaffirming both countries’ commitment to international nuclear nonproliferation requirements.

As part of the deal, American companies will receive substantial opportunities to participate in the development of Saudi Arabia’s civilian nuclear energy sector. US officials said the agreement will generate business for American manufacturers, strengthen domestic supply chains, support industrial jobs, and help Saudi Arabia meet its growing long-term electricity needs.

Officials also emphasized that the agreement strengthens security both in the United States and throughout the Middle East by enforcing strict standards for nuclear safety, security, and nonproliferation. At the same time, they said it enhances the global competitiveness of American nuclear technology.

“These agreements reflect our two nations’ shared commitment to strengthening US-Saudi commercial relations, delivering prosperity at home and security to our allies abroad,” said Secretary Wright. “Rest assured, these agreements uphold the highest standards of nuclear safety and nonproliferation, while relying on the world’s best nuclear technology and scientists, designed right here in the United States. Thanks to President Trump, the American nuclear renaissance is underway and will deliver long-term benefits to the American and Saudi people.”

The White House described the agreement as another step in President Trump’s effort to reestablish American leadership in the global civilian nuclear industry.

According to the Department of Energy, the agreement is designed to expand exports of American nuclear technology, create well-paying US jobs, stimulate economic growth, strengthen national and energy security, reinforce international nonproliferation efforts, and further solidify the strategic relationship between the United States and Saudi Arabia.

The agreement will now be submitted to Congress, where lawmakers must complete the review process required under federal law before it can move forward.

The Wall Street Journal first reported details of the agreement Tuesday evening, saying the multi-billion-dollar arrangement gives US companies a dominant role in building Saudi Arabia’s civilian nuclear infrastructure while shutting out competing foreign firms from winning the project.

A key provision under consideration would allow American companies to build a uranium enrichment facility inside Saudi Arabia if a joint feasibility study concludes that the project is practical. US officials have said American supervision would ensure the program remains strictly civilian and cannot be diverted for military purposes.

The agreement has already drawn opposition from some pro-Israel voices. Earlier Wednesday, the Zionist Organization of America called on Congress to reject the proposal, arguing that it could accelerate nuclear proliferation in the region and ultimately endanger Israel.

In a statement, ZOA National President Morton A. Klein described the proposed agreement as “a serious, dangerous mistake,” arguing that it “seems likely to lead to widespread nuclear proliferation throughout the Middle East and redouble Iran’s determination to rapidly obtain nuclear weapons at all costs.”

Saudi Arabia has long maintained that developing a civilian nuclear program is essential to capitalize on its untapped uranium reserves and diversify its energy production. Officials say greater reliance on nuclear power would reduce domestic oil consumption, allowing the kingdom to export more crude and increase government revenues.

Although Saudi officials continue to insist their nuclear ambitions are entirely peaceful, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman declared in 2018 that if Iran were to successfully develop a nuclear weapon, Saudi Arabia would pursue one as well.

{Matzav.com}

Rav Shraga Shteinman, rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Orchos Torah in Bnei Brak, delivered a forceful defense of lomdei Torah, rejecting accusations that yeshiva bochurim are “parasites” and declaring that those making such claims have the accusation backwards.

Speaking during a question-and-answer session with Rav Eliav Miller, Rav Shteinman compared yeshiva students to a vital branch of the military, describing them as “Hashem’s army” and emphasizing the indispensable role of Torah learning in sustaining the Jewish people.

Rav Miller opened the discussion by asking about what he described as the growing persecution of the Torah world.

“Today there is an unprecedented persecution of Torah, with people from within Klal Yisroel attacking the Torah world,” Rav Miller said. “Some of the bochurim here are approaching the age where they themselves may become targets. How should they view this? Are they soldiers of Hashem? Are those attacking them really attacking Hakadosh Baruch Hu? What should their inner perspective be?”

Rav Shteinman responded by citing the Rambam’s comments at the end of Hilchos Shemittah V’Yovel.

“The Rambam says that Shevet Levi, because they were set aside to learn Torah and serve Hashem, are called ‘Hashem’s army.’ Just as there is an Air Force, a Ground Force, and a Navy, there is also ‘Hashem’s army.’ And it is not only Shevet Levi. Anyone who understands the value of Torah, separates himself from worldly pursuits, and dedicates himself to learning becomes part of Hashem’s army.”

Rav Shteinman noted that hostility toward Torah observance is nothing new.

“There have always been periods of persecution,” he said. “Young people think this is something unique to our generation, but I remember that every few years there is another wave of hatred.”

He recalled the atmosphere during the famous Yossele Schumacher affair, when religious Jews were harassed over the disappearance of the young boy.

“There was a time when they were searching for a child named Yossele. A religious child couldn’t walk down the street without being beaten. They would ask, ‘Tell me where Yossele is!’ Did I hide him? Did I kidnap him? That’s how it was. Every few years there is another atmosphere like this. It is the work of the yetzer hara. The same thing happened in Communist Russia. ‘Your destroyers and those who lay you waste shall come from among you.'”

He expressed confidence that the current tensions would eventually pass.

“That is the way of the world. We are not frightened by it. ‘A decree is destined to be annulled.’ This too will pass. We have survived many hardships and many tragedies, and with Hashem’s help we will survive this as well. Torah will always endure. ‘Hashem will not forsake His people.’ There have been times when learning Torah was more difficult and times when it was easier, but the Torah and those who learn it will always remain. They are the pinnacle. They are Hashem’s army. We have nothing to fear.”

When Rav Miller compared today’s hostility toward the Torah world to the persecution of religious Jews under the Bolsheviks, Rav Shteinman agreed.

“Under the Bolsheviks, it was Jews who fought against Judaism,” he said. “There was a Jewish division called the Yevsektsiya. They informed on religious Jews and because of them Volozhin was closed. The problems always came from them. They fought against Judaism. But we survived it. Every few years there are challenges like these, and they pass.”

Rav Miller then asked about those who label yeshiva bochurim as “parasites.”

“Thousands of bochurim are sitting here,” he said. “People call them parasites. Are they parasites?”

“The ones calling them that—they are the parasites!” Rav Shteinman replied. “What does the world exist on? The Gemara says that the entire world was sustained in the merit of Rabi Chanina ben Dosa, even though he himself lived on a measure of carobs. The whole world is sustained by Torah. Rav Chaim of Volozhin explains the verse, ‘If not for My covenant day and night, I would not have established the laws of heaven and earth.’ If Torah learning were to stop for even a single moment, the entire world would return to chaos. Everyone exists because of Torah learning. And they are parasites? People simply do not understand that. Not everyone is privileged to understand it.”

At the conclusion of the session, Rav Miller thanked Rav Shteinman for addressing the students throughout the year and asked him to bless those preparing to enter the larger yeshivos.

Rav Shteinman responded with a bracha that the bochurim continue growing in Torah and yiras Shamayim.

“Hashem should help that everyone continue to toil in Torah and fear of Heaven, becoming great talmidei chachamim who are complete both in Torah and in good middos,” he said. “As we approach bein hazmanim, everyone should be especially careful and remain connected to Torah. The haftarah of Tishah B’Av says, ‘To cut off child from outside, young men from the streets.’ The commentators explain that troubles begin when people are out in the streets. Even today, those attacking Torah learners encounter them in the streets. So far, at least, they have not entered the batei medrash. Those who are learning Torah have not been harmed. One must remain connected to Torah. Perhaps there is a little less learning and a little less supervision during bein hazmanim, but anyone who stays connected to Torah will not suffer harm.”22

{Matzav.com}

Canada has agreed to give the United States half of the net revenue generated by the Gordie Howe International Bridge during its first 15 years of operation, according to a newly released agreement between the two countries that has already sparked political criticism north of the border.

The agreement, made public Wednesday, provides that Canada will split 50% of the bridge’s net revenue with an economic development fund that is “established and solely controlled” by the U.S. government during the bridge’s first 15 years in service, CBC reported.

Under the terms of the deal, net revenue consists of all tolls and other income collected from the Detroit-to-Windsor bridge after deducting operating expenses.

The wording of the agreement appears to conflict with earlier statements made by Prime Minister Mark Carney, who had previously indicated that Canada would not begin sharing money until it had fully repaid the debt incurred to construct the bridge.

Carney later explained that the agreement concerns net revenue rather than net profits. Opposition lawmakers, however, argued that his clarification only created additional confusion and pressed the government to release the complete agreement.

Canada paid the full $4.7 billion cost of building the international crossing.

Under the original agreement negotiated more than a decade ago, Canada and the state of Michigan were expected to divide toll revenue only after construction costs had been recovered, a benchmark that was projected to take many years to reach.

Canadian officials have insisted that the original agreement remains in force.

The newly published document does not specify which expenses qualify as operating costs, nor does it mention repayment of Canada’s construction debt before revenue sharing begins.

The Trump administration has maintained that the revenue-sharing arrangement would take effect before Canada finishes paying the bridge’s principal and interest obligations.

Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre criticized Carney on Wednesday, accusing the prime minister of contradicting his earlier promise that Canada would first repay the debt before sharing any bridge revenue with the United States.

The agreement also states that both governments will jointly establish the goals of the economic development fund, which “will be for the benefit of the United States and trade between Canada and the United States.”

In addition, the document says officials from both countries will work together to complete the legal, financial, and administrative framework necessary to implement the agreement “as expeditiously as possible.”

The deal follows months of uncertainty surrounding the bridge after President Donald Trump warned earlier this year that he could prevent the crossing from opening unless Canada accepted a series of concessions, despite Canada’s financing of both the bridge and the surrounding infrastructure.

At the same time, Canadian officials announced they are canceling a joint U.S.-Canada ceremony that had been scheduled for Friday to celebrate the bridge’s opening. The decision came after Trump imposed a 50% tariff earlier this week on certain Canadian imports, including dairy products and alcoholic beverages.

“In light of trade action threatened by the United States earlier this week, it would be inappropriate to proceed with a celebratory event between the two countries,” Jenna Ghassabeh, a spokesperson for Canadian Infrastructure Minister Gregor Robertson, said in a statement.

Instead, Canada plans to hold its own opening ceremony on Friday, ahead of the bridge’s official opening on July 27.

Trump announced the latest tariffs on Monday, with administration officials saying the measures would affect a wide range of Canadian products, “from wine to hockey sticks to cement.”

The White House said the tariffs were imposed in response to what it described as “discriminatory” Canadian trade policies.

Ghassabeh emphasized that Canada remains committed to opening the bridge on schedule on July 27, “and to celebrating this milestone among Canadians on July 24th.”

It remains unclear whether U.S. officials intend to hold a separate opening ceremony of their own.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump said Wednesday that Iran is seeking an agreement with the United States but remains unwilling to commit to one, as American military operations against Iranian targets continue and Washington warns of even harsher retaliation if attacks on international shipping persist.

Speaking at a campaign rally in Marietta, Georgia, Trump argued that Tehran is eager to negotiate but continues to undermine the process by repeatedly changing its positions.

“They’re getting hit so hard, and they want to make a deal – but I say they’re not ready to make a deal because every time they make a deal they want to change it and everything. They’re not ready,” Trump told the crowd.

Trump on Iran: "They're getting hit so hard, and they want to make a deal — but I say they're not ready to make a deal because every time they make a deal they want to change it and everything. They're not ready." pic.twitter.com/MZqmlxTUBN

— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) July 22, 2026

The President also declared that the United States has the upper hand in its confrontation with Iran and vowed that the regime would never again be able to threaten America as it has in the past.

The US is “winning in the Islamic Republic of Iran and we are ensuring that they will never ever be able to do to us what they have done to so many,” Trump said.

He also accused the Iranian regime of carrying out a brutal crackdown on anti-government demonstrators in recent months.

“They’ve killed 52,000 plus protesters. People that were protesting have been killed over the last four months. Nobody wants to talk about it,” he added.

Trump’s remarks followed a sharply worded warning issued earlier in the day, in which he threatened to dramatically expand US military action if Iran continues targeting commercial vessels traveling through the Strait of Hormuz.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote: “From this point forward, any time the Islamic Republic of Iran shoots at a ship in the Strait of Hormuz, whether it be by Missile, Rocket, Drone, or any other device or weapon, the United States will bomb and destroy ONE BRIDGE OR POWER PLANT, including those located next to, or in, the Capital City of Tehran. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP.”

Earlier Wednesday, US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that American forces had completed another round of strikes inside Iran, marking the 11th consecutive night of military operations.

CENTCOM said the latest attacks focused on Iranian military command centers, naval assets, aircraft shelters, drone warehouses, and logistics facilities, with the objective of further reducing Iran’s ability to threaten commercial shipping through the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.

“Over the past three months, Iran has attacked more than 30 commercial vessels transiting the international waterway vital for regional and global trade. The unwarranted attacks have endangered hundreds of innocent mariners and undermined freedom of navigation,” said CENTCOM.

{Matzav.com}

A federal judge has scheduled the drug trafficking trial of former Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, for June 1, setting the stage for a high-profile courtroom battle as the couple continues to challenge the legality of the U.S. military operation that removed them from power and brought them to the United States.

U.S. District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein announced the trial date Wednesday after attorneys for both the prosecution and defense agreed to the proposed schedule. Beginning in early September, defense lawyers are expected to file motions seeking dismissal of the indictment. The couple is scheduled to return to court on Nov. 17 for oral arguments on those motions.

Maduro, 63, and Flores, 69, have remained in custody at a federal detention facility in Brooklyn since U.S. forces conducted a pre-dawn raid at their Caracas residence in early January and transported them to New York.

Neither defendant addressed the court during Wednesday’s brief 15-minute hearing. Seated separately at defense tables alongside their legal teams, both have pleaded not guilty to charges alleging they participated in a conspiracy to funnel cocaine into the United States. If convicted, they could each face life imprisonment.

Before the hearing began, Maduro greeted court personnel and shook hands with attorneys representing both himself and his wife. Wearing a tan jail uniform and appearing noticeably slimmer, the former Venezuelan leader smiled, spoke casually with his attorney, and appeared relaxed despite the proceedings.

Throughout the hearing, Maduro listened to a live Spanish translation through headphones. With his hands clasped in front of him for much of the proceeding, he occasionally took notes on a white legal pad using a black pen. As deputy U.S. marshals escorted him from the courtroom, he waved toward someone seated in the gallery.

The Trump administration has defended the January operation, characterizing it as a “surgical law enforcement operation” tied to a criminal case first filed six years earlier. Maduro, however, has insisted that he is a prisoner of war and has described his capture as a kidnapping.

Federal prosecutors allege that Maduro orchestrated a long-running conspiracy to send thousands of tons of cocaine into the United States by working with elements of Venezuelan law enforcement to assist major drug traffickers.

“I am not guilty. I am a decent man, the constitutional president of my country,” he said in Spanish at his arraignment in January.

Maduro’s attorney, Barry Pollack, has said he intends to challenge what he calls Maduro’s “military abduction,” arguing that the circumstances surrounding his client’s capture raise significant legal questions.

Addressing the court on Wednesday, Pollack said his first objective will be to seek dismissal of the indictment on sovereign immunity grounds. If that argument succeeds, he said, Maduro would no longer be required to defend himself against the criminal charges.

Defense attorneys have maintained that the case presents numerous complicated legal issues that must be resolved before any trial can proceed.

{Matzav.com}

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee sharply condemned New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Wednesday, branding him “an evil anti-Semite” and accusing him of deliberately fueling hatred against Jews after the mayor once again referred to Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu as a “war criminal.”

Huckabee’s remarks came in response to a video released by Mamdani in which the mayor reiterated his criticism of Netanyahu while acknowledging that New York City has no legal authority to arrest the Israeli leader if he attends the U.N. General Assembly in September.

Responding on X, Huckabee rejected the notion that Mamdani’s comments stemmed from ignorance. “Would be easy to say NY Mayor is just an ignorant bigot, but he is not dumb,” Huckabee wrote on X. “He’s an evil anti-Semite who deliberately lies about serious things like ‘genocide’ to stoke Jew hate.”

Huckabee went even further, suggesting that the mayor himself should face legal consequences. “If anyone should be arrested, it’s the Mayor of NY for incitement. NYC should be ashamed,” he added.

The ambassador also reposted a video clip showing Mamdani referring to Netanyahu as “a war criminal.”

According to The New York Times, Mamdani said his administration examined whether the New York Police Department could enforce the International Criminal Court’s 2024 arrest warrant against Netanyahu but ultimately determined that the city lacked “independent legal authority” to carry out such an arrest.

Mamdani argued that while New York City could not act on its own, Washington could. “The federal government, however, does,” Mamdani said, urging the United States to join the ICC and enforce the warrant.

The socialist Democratic mayor also declared that “Benjamin Netanyahu is not welcome in New York City,” accusing the Israeli prime minister of being “the architect of a horrific genocide against the Palestinian people.”

President Donald Trump rejected that possibility earlier this week, stating that Netanyahu “will not be arrested, in any way, shape, or form” while visiting the United States.

Legal analysts likewise dismissed Mamdani’s suggestion that New York City could have arrested the Israeli premier. According to CNN, the network’s senior legal analyst described the proposal as “utterly ridiculous,” explaining that matters involving foreign policy fall exclusively under federal jurisdiction and noting that the United States is not a member of the Rome Statute that established the ICC.

Israel has consistently denied the ICC’s accusations of war crimes in Gaza, arguing that its military has taken extraordinary steps to minimize civilian casualties while combating Hamas in the wake of the terrorist organization’s October 7, 2023 massacre.

According to the Gaza Health Ministry, more than 73,000 Palestinians have been killed since the war began, including thousands of women and children. The ministry does not differentiate between civilians and terrorists in its casualty figures.

Mamdani’s latest comments also prompted a forceful response from Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, who accused the mayor of amplifying “Hamas’ propaganda” instead of focusing on the needs of New York City’s residents.

The Simon Wiesenthal Center also criticized Mamdani, saying he was abusing the influence of his office to promote rhetoric that further isolates Israel and deepens divisions within the United States, according to CNN.

{Matzav.com}

Nearly nine months after regaining his freedom from Hamas captivity in Gaza, Bar Kupershtein returned to the Nova Music Festival memorial in Re’im, where he was kidnapped during the October 7, 2023 massacre. At the site, he donned tefillin, recited Shema, and participated in the writing of a Sefer Torah.

Kupershtein shared images from the emotional visit on Instagram, showing him praying at the exact location where Hamas terrorists abducted him. The photos also captured him adding a letter to a specially prepared Sefer Torah that had been brought to the memorial.

On the morning of October 7, Kupershtein was serving as the deputy security officer at the Supernova Music Festival when Hamas launched its deadly assault. Rather than escaping the attack, he repeatedly drove an ATV back into the danger zone to evacuate wounded victims and provide lifesaving assistance. During one of those rescue missions, he stopped to help injured festivalgoers and was ultimately seized by the terrorists and taken into Gaza.

While he remained in captivity, his mother, Julie, initiated the “Tefillin for Every Hostage” campaign. As part of the effort, Bar’s personal tefillin were lent to thousands of young Jews in Israel and around the world, who used them as a zechus while praying for his safe return.

After returning home, Kupershtein revealed that tefillah had become one of the greatest sources of strength during his months in captivity. “When I heard my captors praying, I realized that if they pray, I have to pray and strengthen myself even more.”

Following his release, he also spearheaded a large public tefillin-laying gathering at Hostages Square.

The visit to Re’im came only days after Kupershtein announced on social media that he was preparing to move into a new apartment, writing that he hoped “to start from scratch.”

After asking for assistance furnishing his new home with basic household necessities, he received an overwhelming response from the public, with thousands offering to help. “I can’t keep up with all the messages. It moves me to tears to see how everyone wants to help,” Kuperstein wrote in response to the outpouring of support he received.

{Matzav.com}

The IDF has quietly constructed a massive sand barrier stretching across large portions of the Gaza Strip, creating a new dividing line between territory under Israeli military control and areas still held by Hamas, according to satellite imagery and confirmation from the military, the Jerusalem Post reports.

The previously undisclosed project came to light after Earth-imaging company Planet Labs PBC documented extensive terrain changes in Gaza and shared its findings with The Associated Press, which first reported the development.

Satellite images indicate that more than 23 kilometers of sand embankments have been built over the past several months. Much of the construction cuts through areas where Palestinian communities once existed before being demolished during the war.

The Jerusalem Post reports that the newly constructed barrier spans well over half the length of the Gaza Strip, which measures roughly 40 kilometers from north to south and reaches a maximum width of about 11 kilometers.

It remains uncertain whether Israel intends to extend the sand wall across the entire Strip. It is also unclear whether the long-term objective is to confine Hamas and Gaza’s population of more than two million people to approximately 30% of the territory, or to maintain a boundary closer to the roughly 47% of Gaza that remained under Hamas control following the October 2025 ceasefire.

When asked by The Jerusalem Post about the project, the IDF declined to discuss the overall scope of the barrier or provide additional details regarding its long-term plans.

Over recent months, Israeli forces have steadily expanded the territory under their control with little direct fighting, gradually pushing Hamas back from the positions established after the October 2025 ceasefire. Israeli officials have linked those moves to Hamas’s failure to begin the disarmament process that was scheduled to start in early 2026.

Hamas, however, has maintained that it is not required to begin even partial disarmament until Israel permits reconstruction efforts to begin inside Gaza.

The Board of Peace, which oversees implementation of the October 2025 ceasefire, has generally sided with Israel on the dispute over Hamas’s obligations. At the same time, the board—and President Donald Trump, who plays a leading role in its efforts—have publicly opposed launching another large-scale Israeli offensive into Hamas-controlled areas.

Neither U.S. Central Command, which is responsible for monitoring the ceasefire, nor the Board of Peace responded to questions from the Associated Press regarding the newly constructed barrier.

The IDF told The Jerusalem Post that the sand embankment is intended to establish a clearly defined no-go zone for Palestinians living in Hamas-controlled territory while also strengthening defenses against any future infiltration attempts targeting Israeli communities near the border.

The military’s concerns are rooted in the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack, when terrorists were able to reach nearby Israeli towns and villages within minutes because of their close proximity to Gaza.

Planet Labs PBC reported that one section of the barrier in southern Gaza expanded by more than two kilometers between July 1 and July 15.

That southern segment had previously stretched only about 500 meters but has since grown to approximately 2.4 kilometers, extending through the devastated city of Rafah from the direction of the al-Mawasi coastal refugee camps.

According to the Associated Press, if construction continues along its current route, the southern section will eventually connect with the barrier’s longest uninterrupted stretch, which already extends for roughly 17 kilometers from the Khan Yunis area northward toward Gaza City.

Although critics have expressed concern that Israel could be laying the groundwork for a permanent territorial presence in Gaza, the IDF has previously dismantled major military positions and withdrawn from significant areas during the war, including its departure from the Morag Corridor in early 2025 after establishing substantial infrastructure there.

{Matzav.com}

R. James Woolsey, the former director of the Central Intelligence Agency who guided the agency through the early post-Cold War years and became one of America’s most influential national security voices, died Tuesday at his Washington, D.C., home. He was 84.

According to his wife, Conchita Sarnoff Woolsey, he died after suffering a stroke, The Washington Post reported. She also said his health had steadily deteriorated due to Havana syndrome, the mysterious condition that has affected hundreds of U.S. intelligence officers and diplomats stationed around the world.

Woolsey assumed leadership of the CIA in 1993 during the opening years of the Clinton administration, at a time when the United States was reassessing its intelligence priorities following the collapse of the Soviet Union. Throughout his career, he served both Democratic and Republican administrations and earned widespread recognition as a leading authority on national security.

During his Senate confirmation hearing, Woolsey cautioned lawmakers against believing the end of the Cold War had eliminated America’s most serious threats. “Yes, we have slain a large dragon,” he said. “But we live now in a jungle filled with a bewildering variety of poisonous snakes,” pointing to terrorism, North Korea, arms proliferation and organized crime as emerging threats, The Wall Street Journal reported.

His tenure at the CIA was soon dominated by one of the agency’s most damaging espionage scandals. In 1994, veteran CIA officer Aldrich Ames was arrested after admitting he had spent nearly a decade spying for the Soviet Union and later Russia.

Following the Ames scandal, Woolsey disciplined 11 current and former CIA officials but chose not to dismiss anyone. He argued that those most responsible had already retired and maintained that the intelligence failure reflected broader institutional shortcomings rather than the actions of any one individual.

Woolsey also acknowledged that his relationship with President Bill Clinton was limited during his time leading the CIA. He later remarked that the two met in person only a handful of times and famously joked that a pilot who crashed a plane onto the White House lawn “was me trying to get an appointment to see President Clinton.”

Before becoming CIA director, Woolsey served as undersecretary of the Navy during the Carter administration. He later played a key role in strategic arms negotiations under Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush.

Although he remained a registered Democrat for much of his public life, Woolsey became known for his hawkish views on defense and foreign policy, often finding common ground with conservative national security leaders.

After leaving government service, he continued to influence U.S. foreign policy through legal practice, consulting, and public policy work. He also briefly served as a senior adviser to President Donald Trump’s 2016 transition team before stepping down shortly before Trump took office.

A graduate of Stanford University, a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University, and a Yale Law School alumnus, Woolsey spent decades advocating for a strong intelligence community as a cornerstone of American national security.

He is survived by his wife, three sons from his first marriage, two stepchildren, and 10 grandchildren.

{Matzav.com}

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A record number of Americans are now classified as being outside the labor force, with new federal data showing that 105.8 million adults were not working or seeking employment in June—a milestone that has prompted renewed concern among economists about a growing exodus from the workforce.

Figures released by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis show that the number of Americans categorized as “not in the labor force” (NILF) climbed to an all-time high after approximately 832,000 people exited the workforce during June alone. The total now exceeds levels seen during both the Great Recession and the COVID-19 pandemic.

The NILF category includes all Americans age 16 and older who are neither employed nor actively looking for work, encompassing retirees, students, and others outside the labor market.

Nicholas Eberstadt, a leading labor economist and the Henry Wendt Chair in Political Economy at the American Enterprise Institute, said a closer examination of the data reveals a troubling trend, particularly among working-age men.

“We’ve got a big problem…with the flight from work of prime-age men. And what’s been carrying the overall prime-age labor force participation has been the strong involvement of women, not men,” said Eberstadt, who holds the Henry Wendt Chair in Political Economy at the American Enterprise Institute.

Roughly 5.3 million Americans—about 5% of those outside the labor force—are no longer participating because they have become discouraged or have stopped searching for employment altogether.

Meanwhile, an estimated 23.3 million Americans, or approximately 22% of the NILF population, are receiving long-term illness, disability, or similar government benefits.

That share now exceeds the percentage of Americans over age 16 who are enrolled in full-time education, a group that accounts for roughly 16% to 18% of the NILF population, or just over 19 million people.

Retirees continue to make up the largest segment of those outside the labor force, accounting for roughly half of the total. Economists note that this reflects the continued retirement of the Baby Boomer generation.

Among retirees, about 45% left the workforce at the traditional retirement age of 65 or older, while an estimated 3% to 5% chose to retire earlier.

Although the raw number of Americans outside the workforce has reached a historic high, labor force participation also declined. In June, only 59% of Americans were either working or actively seeking employment—the lowest level since September 2021, when the nation was emerging from the pandemic.

Before that, labor force participation had not fallen to such a low level since the aftermath of the Great Recession.

Eberstadt said another growing concern involves healthy, working-age Americans who have voluntarily stepped away from employment and are making little or no effort to return.

“Very roughly speaking, there are about 7 million of these men who are out of the labor force for the 25-to 54-year-olds,” said Eberstadt, whose 2016 book, “Men Without Work,” discussed the phenomenon of American men in their prime leaving the workforce.

He emphasized that the trend is not limited to men.

“There are about 3.5 million women who are kind of like the doppelgangers to this,” he said.

“There’s a growing group of dropout women who are neither working nor looking for work, have no children under the same roof with them, and no husband present.”

While America’s aging population contributes to the increase in retirees, Eberstadt argued that demographics alone cannot explain the decline in workforce participation.

“If you look at what’s going on in Europe and Japan, which are both aging, shrinking societies, their workforce participation rates are going up now. So it’s not as if it’s impossible for aging, shrinking societies to mobilize more or involve more in the workforce,” he said.

“These are the healthiest, best educated Americans that have ever lived on the planet,” Eberstadt said.

He attributed much of the problem to what he described as a fragmented network of disability and assistance programs that make it difficult to track recipients and, in some cases, may discourage workforce participation.

“The extent and the sprawl of participation or dependence upon different disability programs is a blind spot,” he said. “There’s no office in Washington, DC, big as it is, that can tell you how many Americans are receiving benefits from which disability programs and how many in collectivity and how many are receiving from multiple disability programs.”

As artificial intelligence continues reshaping white-collar industries and fueling concerns about future job losses, some policymakers have proposed adopting a universal basic income (UBI), under which citizens would receive guaranteed payments regardless of employment status.

Eberstadt argued that such a policy would likely encourage even more Americans to leave the workforce.

“Disruptive technologies in the past have been really great for people who have had skills,” he said. “Their productivity and incomes have gone up a lot.

“They’ve also displaced a lot of labor for people who don’t have skills. It looks like we’re going to be on that same track with AI, wherever it goes in the next 18 months or 10 years,” Eberstadt said.

“When Henry Ford came down the road, I don’t think that anybody had any idea what a combustion engine was going to do in mass-produced cars,” he said.

“But I would not like to see a guaranteed income, a UBI. Because I look at how men who are neither working nor looking for work say that they are spending their days now. And it is very depressing to see what they say they are doing. And I wouldn’t like us to be buying more of that,” he said.

“They are not engaged in civil society, not helping out around the house, not getting out of the house. Spending 2,000 hours a year in front of a screen. That’s a great warm-up act for becoming a statistic in deaths of despair,” he said.

{Matzav.com}

[COMMUNICATED]

Every year, Tisha B’Av asks us to remember the tragedies that changed the course of Jewish history. But behind every tragedy is a person. Behind every headline is a life forever changed. 

Those are the stories we rarely hear. 

This Tisha B’Av, Mostly Music presents Aftermath: When Hearts Refuse to Break, a powerful new Mostly Music Original featuring renowned and captivating storyteller Pinny Rubinstein. 

In this deeply moving film, Rubinstein takes viewers beyond the headlines and into the lives of extraordinary individuals who have faced unimaginable loss, trauma, and heartbreak, yet found the strength to rebuild. Aftermath will stream exclusively on Mostly Music in both Yiddish and English. 

For nearly two years, Rubinstein traveled across Israel, New York, Los Angeles, Canada, and Manchester in search of stories that deserved more than a passing mention. It was not about finding dramatic moments. It was about discovering the people behind them. 

The journey was anything but easy. Some interviews took months to earn. Others almost never happened. More than once, the project seemed impossible to complete. 

Yet through patience, empathy, and an unwavering commitment to telling these stories with dignity, people slowly entrusted Rubinstein with the most personal chapters of their lives. 

As he explains, “Some stories deserve more than a headline. They deserve to be experienced.” 

Rather than simply revisiting tragedy, Aftermath explores what came next. What happens when the cameras leave, the news cycle ends, and life must somehow continue? 

The film shines a light on resilience, emunah, healing, and the remarkable strength that can emerge from life’s deepest wounds. 

Those quiet moments become some of the film’s most powerful scenes, reminding viewers that true courage is not always found in dramatic speeches. Sometimes, it is found in the quiet determination to keep moving forward. 

What makes Aftermath so compelling is its authenticity. These are not rehearsed interviews or polished testimonials. They are deeply personal conversations with people who opened doors they had never opened before. 

As Rubinstein says, “What made this journey possible wasn’t the filming. It was the quiet willingness of people to let me into parts of their lives they had never spoken about before.” 

The result is more than a documentary. It is an unforgettable Tisha B’Av experience that reminds us that while suffering may leave its mark, it does not have to write the final chapter. 

Every frame carries a story. Every story carries a life. And every life reminds us that even after unimaginable darkness, the heart of a Yid refuses to break. 

Aftermath: When Hearts Refuse to Break
Streaming exclusively this Tisha B’Av on MostlyMusic.com, in English and Yiddish. 

Watch the full trailer or purchase “Aftermath” here: 
https://mostlymusic.com

Dear Matzav Inbox,

I have a question that I honestly can’t understand: Why do day camps close at midday on Erev Tishah B’Av?

Yes, I understand ending camp a little earlier. Counselors need time to get home and prepare for the fast, and families need time to get organized. Nobody is arguing with that. But noon? Seriously?

There is no issur for children to play on Erev Tishah B’Av. You can’t learn Torah, but kids can play ball, do activities, and have a perfectly appropriate camp day until a reasonable hour.

Instead, camps send thousands of children home before lunchtime while charging parents full tuition. Day camp tuition has become astronomical. Every year, the prices go up. Parents are paying premium rates, yet somehow they’re getting less and less.

What makes this especially frustrating is that the day camps aren’t the only ones affected by this decision. They’re forcing everyone else to deal with it too.

When camp closes at noon, thousands of parents suddenly have to leave work early. Offices lose employees for the afternoon. Businesses have to close early. People burn vacation days. Others scramble to find babysitters at the last minute. Some simply can’t leave work and are put in an impossible situation.

Why should day camp owners get to decide that the entire local workforce has to shut down early?

If there’s a real halachic reason that camps can’t operate past noon, then explain it. But if there isn’t—and I’ve yet to hear one—then this policy makes absolutely no sense.

It feels like the attitude is, “We’re closing, so everyone else can figure it out.”

That’s not fair to the families who are paying the bills.

Parents are not asking camps to stay open until six o’clock. But 12:00? That’s ridiculous.

For years, parents have accepted endless fees, shortened schedules, and more days off. At some point, enough is enough.

The day camps seem to forget that they’re providing a service that families depend on, not just entertainment for children. Working parents build their schedules around camp. Pulling the plug halfway through the day creates unnecessary headaches for thousands of families.

The community deserves an explanation and frankly it deserves better.

A Very Frustrated Parent

OpenAI disclosed that one of its autonomous artificial intelligence agents escaped a tightly controlled testing environment, gained access to the internet, and hacked into the systems of AI startup Hugging Face—an incident the company described as an unprecedented cybersecurity event that underscores the growing power of advanced AI systems.

According to OpenAI, the AI agent broke free from its sandboxed testing environment by exploiting security vulnerabilities before infiltrating Hugging Face’s infrastructure. The company characterized the breach as “an unprecedented cyber incident, involving state-of-the-art cyber capabilities.” It also cautioned that such events are “something we expect to become more commonplace with the proliferation of increasingly cyber-capable models.”

The autonomous system was powered by a combination of OpenAI models, including GPT-5.6 Sol and an even more advanced unreleased model. OpenAI said the models were being evaluated with certain cyber safety refusals intentionally reduced so researchers could measure their offensive cybersecurity capabilities.

Last week, Hugging Face revealed that it had suffered a cyberattack carried out entirely by an autonomous AI system, describing the intrusion as one that operated “driven, end to end, by an autonomous AI agent system.”

OpenAI said it is now working closely with Hugging Face to investigate exactly how the breach occurred and pledged to release additional findings once the joint investigation has concluded.

Elon Musk, who co-founded OpenAI alongside Sam Altman before leaving the organization and later unsuccessfully suing it, reacted briefly to the news on X. “Troubling …” he said.

{Matzav.com}

In this episode, Rabbi Yaakov Yosef Reinman discusses the decline of Jewish society, the destruction of the Beis Hamikdash and the beginning of the diaspora.

WATCH:

Chapter Forty-Seven: The Second Destruction

As we move into the first century of the common era, our reliance on the Jewish historian Flavius Josephus takes on a different character. Until this point, his works were based on sources and oral traditions. From this point on, he writes about contemporary events, either things he heard directly from his elders, in whose memories they were still fresh, or events in which he participated. Therefore, it is important to take a closer look at the man and his works.

The primary source for Jewish history during the period between the arrival of the Greeks three centuries before the common era and the destruction of the Beis Hamikdash almost four centuries later is the work of Josephus. There are other sources for Persian, Greek and Roman history. Authoritative Jewish sources, however, end with the completion of the Tanach and don’t resume until the recording of the Talmud and the Midrash. Even then, it is important to discern history from allegory.

Into this gap stepped one of the most important historians of the ancient world. His name was Yosef ben Gorion, otherwise known as Josephus. He was a member of the priestly Gorion family, a staunch Pharisee who was also fluent in Greek and familiar with secular culture. He lived during the first century of the common era and fought as a general in the Jewish revolt against the Roman Empire. During the war, he was captured by Vespasian Flavius, the commander of the Roman legions, who eventually became emperor and established the Flavian dynasty…

Read full chapter and earlier chapters at www.rabbireinman.com.

{Matzav.com}

A large police presence descended on Beth Medrash Govoha in Lakewood, NJ today after reports of possible gunfire sparked fears of an active threat, but the situation was quickly resolved when investigators determined the sounds came from maintenance work on the building’s roof.

The alarm was raised after several people called authorities to report what they believed were gunshots in the area, prompting an immediate and extensive response from the Lakewood Police Department and multiple emergency agencies.

Acting out of caution, law enforcement deployed dozens of armed officers to the campus, supported by K-9 teams and drones, while conducting a comprehensive search of the buildings to ensure there was no ongoing danger.

After completing the sweep, police confirmed that the loud noises were caused by an HVAC crew performing work on the roof. Authorities said there was never any threat to anyone.

{Matzav.com}

[COMMUNICATED]

Project Inspire is proud to announce the release of “The Unlikely Village,” an original film by Mint Media premiering on Tisha B’av 5786, exclusively on ProjectInspire.com in the USA and Canada.

The film tells the story of how Boro Park, a neighborhood built on generations of tradition, became something far bigger than its own streets: a source of inspiration for Jews of every background, from every walk of life, looking for connection, meaning, and a way back in.

At its core, “The Unlikely Village” is a story of friendship and mentorship. It follows the relationships that form when people from vastly different worlds find themselves walking the same sidewalk, literally and spiritually, and discover that transformation often begins in the most unexpected places.

“This film captures something we’ve felt for a long time but never quite put into words,” said a Project Inspire representative. “Boro Park isn’t just a neighborhood. For so many people searching for their place in Yiddishkeit, it has become a village in the truest sense, a place where someone always has a hand out to help.”

The premiere comes at a poignant time. Tisha B’av, a day associated with mourning and loss, has long been reframed by Project Inspire as a day of meaning and connection. “The Unlikely Village” continues that mission, using the day to tell a story of unity built from the ground up.

The project was made possible with the support of corporate sponsors Haas & Zaltz LLP, Kosher Palace, Fasten Halberstam, Daily Giving, Relation, and Saul N. Friedman & Co.

“The Unlikely Village” streams Tisha B’av 5786 at ProjectInspire.com.

Hundreds of talmidim from Yeshivas Brisk gathered Tuesday night at the Kosel to daven for the release and well-being of an American yeshiva bochur who has been jailed for several weeks on suspicion of setting fire to equipment used in the construction of Yerushalayim’s light rail. The bochur’s attorney insists he has been falsely accused, while his family claims he has been subjected to mistreatment during his incarceration.

The special tefillah gathering was led by the rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas HaGRM”D, Rav Yitzchok Zev Soloveitchik. In keeping with the longstanding Brisk custom, Rav Soloveitchik was seen davening at a distance from the stones of the Kosel rather than directly beside them.

The bochur, a talmid of Yeshivas Brisk in Yerushalayim who holds American citizenship, was arrested approximately three weeks ago. According to reports, police officers arrived at his apartment shortly after midnight, forced their way inside, and arrested him while he was still wearing his pajamas.

Authorities allege that he set fire to construction equipment on Bar-Ilan Street in Yerushalayim that was being used for work on the city’s light rail project.

The bochur has denied any involvement throughout his interrogations. Friends from the yeshiva say he was not even in the area when the incident occurred and insist the police have arrested the wrong person.

Police, however, say they possess video footage showing a yeshiva bochur setting a tractor on fire during the night and maintain that the individual seen in the recording is the suspect currently in custody.

His attorney continues to deny any connection between his client and the alleged arson. According to the lawyer, police have wrongly identified the bochur because many members of the Chareidi community dress similarly, including wearing traditional suspenders, making mistaken identification more likely.

The attorney further argued that authorities have been too quick to build a case against an innocent yeshiva student based on his appearance, claiming that similar misidentifications have occurred in previous cases.

The bochur’s family has also accused prison authorities of mistreating him because he is a foreign resident. They allege that for a week and a half after his arrest, he was not permitted to receive his tefillin or a change of clothing, forcing him to remain in the same pajamas in which he was arrested for nearly two weeks.

Last week, police filed an indictment against the bochur and asked the court to keep him in custody until the conclusion of the legal proceedings, formally charging him with the alleged offense.

In response, hundreds of his friends and fellow talmidim gathered at the Kosel under the leadership of Rav Soloveitchik to daven on his behalf. At the same time, supporters warned that if police do not withdraw what they describe as false accusations against the bochur, they intend to launch a major public campaign demanding his release.

{Matzav.com}