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In a horrific display of psychological warfare, Hamas recently distributed a video on Telegram showing six hostages who were brutally murdered by the group last week.

Hamas declared that it would soon release what it called the hostages’ “final message to the world” before they were killed later that day. The footage included brief segments where the hostages spoke directly into the camera.

This past weekend, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the Israel Security Agency (ISA) managed to locate and retrieve the remains of the hostages, Carmel Gat, Eden Yerushalmi, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Alexander Lobanov, Almog Sarusi, and Master Sergeant Ori Danino, from an underground tunnel.

According to forensic experts at the Institute of Forensic Medicine in Tel Aviv, the six hostages were likely murdered between 48 to 72 hours prior to the examination (on Thursday or early Friday morning).

On Motzoei Shabbos, the IDF and ISA conducted a successful operation to locate and bring back the bodies of the hostages from an underground tunnel in the Rafah area of the Gaza Strip, subsequently returning them to Israel.

These individuals had been kidnapped on October 7th, 2023, and were killed within the last two days by Hamas operatives in Gaza. Their bodies were discovered 20 meters below ground without any prior intelligence. The recovery took place approximately a kilometer from the tunnel where hostage Farhan al-Qadi was rescued the previous week.

The autopsies of the six hostages, whose remains were recovered on Motzoei Shabbos, revealed that they had been shot in the head and other areas. No signs of torture were detected.

{Matzav.com Israel}

Several cars at the back of a motorcade carrying Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walz crashed while heading from the airport to a campaign stop in Milwaukee on Monday, but Walz was unhurt. The crashed occurred shortly before 1 p.m. local time. Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign said she spoke with Walz shortly after the crash and that he was not injured. The campaign said the crash involved cars near the rear of the motorcade, not closer to the front, where Walz, who is also the governor of Minnesota, was riding. A member of Walz traveling staff, who was in a van carrying reporters, was injured and being treated by medics, according to a pool report from a reporter traveling in Walz’s motorcade. The pool reporter said others in the van were shaken but appeared to be OK after being “violently thrown forward, as our van slammed into the one in front of us and was hit from behind.” It wasn’t immediately clear what caused the crash. The crash occurred after Walz and his wife, Gwen, were greeted at the airport by Democratic Rep. Gwen Moore of Wisconsin. The trio embraced, chatted and posed for a photo before the motorcade began heading to the event. Monday’s campaign stops marking Labor Day were Walz’s first aboard the Harris-Walz campaign charter aircraft. It bears decals of an American flag, the words Harris-Walz, and “A New Way Forward.” (AP)

Hamas has issued a stark warning, stating that Israeli hostages held in Gaza will return “inside coffins” if Israel attempts to free them through military action rather than negotiating a deal.

Vans carrying members of the press that were part of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’s motorcade were involved in a crash on Monday afternoon. Journalists traveling with the vice presidential nominee said the crash happened shortly before 1 p.m. on Interstate 794. Walz was on his way to an event celebrating Labor Day in Milwaukee. A staff member in one of the press vans appeared to have a broken arm and was being treated by medics, according to the journalists, who said they were violently thrown forward as one van slammed into another in front of it and then was hit from behind. Walz’s vehicle was not involved in the crash, according to the campaign.

The Lufthansa group which includes Lufthansa, Austrian airlines, Swiss, Brussels airlines will restart their flights to Tel Aviv this coming Thursday.

Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived Monday in Mongolia, a member of the international court that issued an arrest warrant for him. The official visit, in which he is to meet Tuesday with Mongolian leader Ukhnaa Khurelsukh, is Putin’s first to a member country of the International Criminal Court since it issued a warrant for his arrest nearly 18 months ago on charges of war crimes in Ukraine. Ukraine has called on Mongolia to arrest Putin and hand him over to the court in The Hague. A spokesperson for Putin said last week that the Kremlin isn’t worried about the visit. Members of the international court are bound to detain suspects if an arrest warrant has been issued, but the court doesn’t have any enforcement mechanism. Mongolia, a sparsely populated country between Russia and China, is heavily dependent on the former for fuel and electricity and on the latter for investment in its mining industry. The ICC has accused Putin of being responsible for the abductions of children from Ukraine, where the fighting has raged for 2½ years. Putin and the Mongolian leader on Tuesday are to attend a ceremony marking the 1939 victory of Soviet and Mongolian troops over the Japanese army that had taken control of Manchuria in northeastern China. Thousands of soldiers died in months of fighting in a dispute over where the border was between Manchuria and Mongolia. Though Putin has faced international isolation over the invasion of Ukraine, he visited North Korea and Vietnam last month and has also visited China twice in the past year. He joined a meeting in Johannesburg by video link last year after the South African government lobbied against him showing up for the BRICS summit, a group that also includes China and other emerging economies. South Africa is an ICC member. (AP)

A high-ranking official in Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu’s office has addressed President Joe Biden’s assertion that the prime minister is not making sufficient efforts to finalize a hostage deal.

“It is surprising that President Biden is putting pressure on Prime Minister Netanyahu, who accepted the US (hostage deal) proposal as early as May 31 and also agreed to the US bridging proposal on August 16, while not holding Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar accountable, as he continues to firmly reject any agreement,” the official remarks.

The Israeli official continues, highlighting the risk associated with Biden’s comments, particularly in light of recent events: “Biden’s admission is especially dangerous when it is made just days after Hamas executed six Israeli hostages, including an American citizen,” referencing the killing of Hersh Goldberg-Polin.

In their statement, Netanyahu’s office refers to the US proposal from May 31, which actually stems from a speech where Biden disclosed details about an Israeli hostage deal that Netanyahu had already approved.

Notably, that proposal did not address Israel’s later demand to retain control over the Philadelphi Corridor on the Gaza-Egypt border, a measure intended to prevent Hamas from smuggling weapons. This demand, first raised by Netanyahu in July, has resulted in a prolonged stalemate in negotiations, which the US and other mediators have been trying to resolve.

This demand has also led to a clash between Netanyahu and his security establishment, who advocate for compromising on the issue. They argue that the IDF could reoccupy the corridor if necessary but warn that prolonging the negotiations over this demand endangers the hostages’ lives.

{Matzav.com Israel}

Sadly, left-wing groups took advantage of the evil of Hamas terrorists, who executed six hostages in cold blood, and used it as a political tool to attack Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and the government and call to Israelis to fill the streets and “shut down the country.” Political leaders who in an ideal world, would call for unity during a tragic time amid a war, used the opportunity to incite the public instead. Opposition leader Yair Lapid accused Netanyahu and the government of “abandoning” the hostages to die in captivity. National Unity chairman Benny Gantz on Sunday called to hold protests against the government and Histadrut chairman Arnon Bar-David once again abused his power to call a general strike and “shut down the country.” Fortunately, his plan failed. Deceptive headlines in the left-wing press have continuously announced for months that “Netanyahu is torpedoing a hostage release deal!” Just like the headlines in the news before the October 7 assault that “Netanyahu is destroying democracy!” – the facts don’t seem to matter. Israel already tried leaving the Philadelphi Corridor unguarded – when it left the Gaza Strip in 2005. Everyone is now very well aware of how that turned out. Leaving the Philadelphi Corridor unguarded once again is asking for another October 7, chalilah. Surprisingly, Channel 12 News published a report on Sunday evening in support of Netanyahu, saying that officials present at the last political-security cabinet meeting said on Sunday that Mossad chief Dedi Barnea supports Netanyahu’s position that the Israeli demand – “approved and completely accepted by the Biden administration” – regarding an Israeli military presence along the Philadelphi Corridor must be maintained. Last week, the members of the Cabinet voted that the IDF will maintain a military presence along the Philadelphi Corridor as part of a potential deal with Hamas. Eight ministers voted in favor of the decision, with only Defense Minister Yoav Gallant voting against it. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

Prime Minister held a press conference on Monday evening, at which he answered questions in Hebrew. At the end of the presser, Netanyahu took a question in English. This was his response: “I want to ask you something: What has changed in the last five days? What has changed? “One thing: These murderers executed six of our hostages. They shot them in the back of the head. That’s what’s changed. “And now after this we’re asked to show seriousness? We’re asked to make concessions? “What message does this send Hamas? It says ‘Kill more hostages. Murder more hostages. You’ll get more concessions! “The pressure internationally must be directed at these killers; at Hamas. Not at Israel,” Netanyahu emphasized. “We say ‘yes’, they say ‘no’ all the time, but they also murder these people, and now we need maximum pressure on Hamas. “I don’t believe that either President Biden or anyone serious about achieving peace and achieving their release would seriously ask Israel — Israel — to make these concessions. We’ve already made them. Hamas has to make the concessions.” (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

During a cabinet meeting, Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant criticized Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, saying, “For one person, Gilad Shalit, you released 1,027 terrorists, including Sinwar,” according to a report by Kan News on Monday.

Both Gallant’s and Netanyahu’s offices declined to provide any comments on the report.

Gallant’s disapproval of the Prime Minister is linked to Netanyahu’s firm stance on the Philadelphi Corridor and the cabinet’s decision on Thursday, where a vote determined that the IDF would remain in the corridor as part of a deal to secure the release of hostages. This decision contradicts the positions held by the negotiation team and top defense officials.

The cabinet’s resolution passed with a majority of eight votes. Defense Minister Gallant opposed the decision, while National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir abstained. During the meeting, Prime Minister Netanyahu asserted that the tragic events of October 7th were due to the Philadelphi Corridor not being under Israeli control.

{Matzav.com Israel}

A Brazilian Supreme Court panel has upheld the decision of one of its justices to block billionaire Elon Musk’s social media platform X nationwide, according to the court’s website. The broader support among justices deals a blow to Musk and his supporters who have sought to characterize Justice Alexandre de Moraes as a renegade and authoritarian censor of political speech. The panel is comprised of five of the full bench’s 11 justices, including de Moraes, who last Friday ordered the platform blocked for having failed to name a local legal representative, as required by law. X will remain blocked until it complies with his orders and pays outstanding fines that as of last week exceeded $3 million, according to his decision. De Moraes’ also set a daily fine of 50,000 reais ($8,900) for people or companies using virtual private networks, or VPNs, to access X. Some legal experts questioned the grounds for that decision and how it would be enforced, including Brazil’s bar association, which said it would request the Supreme Court review that provision. But the majority of the panel on Monday upheld both the block and VPN fine — with one justice opposing the latter, unless users are shown to be using X to commit crimes. Brazil is one of the biggest markets for X, with tens of millions of users. And its block marked a dramatic escalation in a monthslong feud between Musk and de Moraes over free speech, far-right accounts and misinformation. (AP)

At the funeral of his 23-year-old son, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, who was tragically murdered after being taken hostage, Jon Polin addressed the crowd with a profound sense of grief and regret. “We failed you, Hersh. We all failed you. You would not have failed you,” he expressed with deep sorrow. “You would have pushed harder for justice. You would have worked to understand the other, to bridge differences. You would have challenged more people to challenge their own thinking.”

Polin spoke passionately about his son’s commitment to making sure that his death, along with the deaths of soldiers and countless innocent civilians, would not be in vain. “Your starting point would be returning all of the hostages,” he emphasized, highlighting Hersh’s unwavering dedication to justice.

Reflecting on the relentless efforts he and his wife made to save their son, Polin shared, “For 330 days, mom and I sought the proverbial stone that we could turn over to save you. Maybe, just maybe, your death is the stone that will bring home the remaining 101 hostages.”

He described how Hersh would continue to advocate for a new way of thinking in the region, believing in the importance of taking risks for the possibility of ending the ongoing cycles of violence. “You would keep on pushing for a rethinking of this region. You have said we must take a chance on a path with the potential to end the ongoing cycles of violence,” Polin said.

In his poignant tribute, Polin noted that his son would challenge every decision-maker to reflect on whether their actions contribute to a better future, and if not, to step aside. He also conveyed how Hersh’s belief in social justice had made him a global symbol for change, emphasizing his commitment to understanding others with dignity and respect.

As he concluded his eulogy, Polin spoke of the 23 precious years they had with Hersh, expressing a resolve to honor his son’s memory. “For 23 years of life we had with you were a blessing, we now will work to make your legacy a blessing. You were a really great guy, I love you,” he said, his voice filled with love and loss.

{Matzav.com Israel}

The United Kingdom announced on Monday that it will suspend approximately 30 out of 350 arms export licenses to Israel. UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy stated that the decision was made due to a “clear risk” that these exports could be used to commit or facilitate serious violations of international humanitarian law. Addressing lawmakers in the House of Commons, Lammy explained that a government assessment had identified certain UK arms exports to Israel as potentially problematic in the context of the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Consequently, the suspension was enacted under the UK’s Export Controls Act, specifically targeting equipment that may be utilized in the current hostilities. Lammy clarified that this move does not constitute a blanket ban or an arms embargo, emphasizing that the suspension is not a judgment of innocence or guilt but a precautionary measure. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

President Joe Biden accused Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu on Monday of not doing enough to secure a ceasefire-for-hostages-and-terrorists-release deal with Hamas, two weeks after Israel accepted the latest proposals put forward by Washington.

Asked by reporters outside the White House whether Netanyahu was doing enough, Biden said, “No.”

Biden’s criticism comes two days after Israeli forces retrieved the bodies of six hostages from Gaza. According to forensic findings, the captives were murdered 48 to 72 hours before the autopsies, which would place their deaths between Thursday and Friday morning.

The hostages were shot at short range, suggesting that their Hamas captors executed them, the L. Greenberg National Institute of Forensic Medicine in Tel Aviv’s Abu Kabir neighborhood said.

Hamas released video footage on Monday showing the six hostages and threatened to release their “last messages” before they were executed. JNS has decided not to publish the propaganda video on its website.

On Sunday, Netanyahu said in a recorded video statement that he was “outraged to the depths” of his soul by the murder of the hostages and blamed Hamas for continuing to block a ceasefire agreement.

“Whoever murders hostages—does not want a deal. For our part, we will not relent. The government of Israel is committed, and I am personally committed, to continue striving towards a deal that will return all of our hostages and ensure our security and our existence,” the premier said.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken has confirmed that Israel accepted Biden’s May 31 ceasefire-for-hostages outline, as well as last month’s so-called “bridging proposal” presented by the United States.

“In a very constructive meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu today, he confirmed to me that Israel accepts the bridging proposal, that he supports it,” the diplomat told reporters after meetings in Yerushalayim on Aug. 19, adding that “it’s now incumbent on Hamas to do the same.”

Hamas formally rejected the bridging proposal on Aug. 18, accusing Netanyahu of “setting new conditions and demands with the aim of thwarting the mediators’ efforts and prolonging the war.

“The new proposal responds to Netanyahu’s conditions, especially with regards to his refusal to stop the war and fully withdraw from Gaza,” it said in the statement. “We hold Netanyahu fully responsible for blocking an agreement and fully responsible for the lives of his prisoners,” Hamas said in a reference to the hostages it holds after more than 300 days.

The terrorist organization again stressed it would only agree to a deal that includes an end to the war and a withdrawal of all Israel Defense Forces soldiers from Gaza, as it outlined in its July 2 response to mediators.

After IDF soldiers recovered the remains of U.S. dual citizen Hersh Goldberg-Polin and five other hostages from Gaza, Biden said he was “devastated and outraged.” He vowed that “Hamas leaders will pay for these crimes,” but then said that the U.S. “will keep working around the clock” to secure a deal—which would be between the Jewish state and Hamas—to release the remaining 101 hostages.

Former President Donald Trump, the Republican nominee for the White House, on Sunday blamed the hostages’ deaths on “a complete lack of American strength and leadership.

“This happened because Comrade Kamala Harris and Crooked Joe Biden are poor leaders. Americans are getting slaughtered overseas, while Kamala is disparaging and making up lies about gold star families, and Biden is sleeping on the beach on this 16th consecutive day of vacation,” Trump added in a post on his Truth Social platform. JNS

{Matzav.com}

Russian emergency officials said Monday they had recovered the bodies of all 22 people from a helicopter that crashed in Russia’s Far East leaving no survivors. The crash occurred in Kamchatka — a pristine peninsula with numerous volcanoes, known for its rugged beauty and rich wildlife. A Mi-8 helicopter with 19 tourists and three crew members on board, took off close to the Vachkazhets volcano on Saturday and rescuers located the wreckage the following day. Russian state news agency RIA Novosti said, citing emergency officials, that it likely crashed due to poor visibility in bad weather conditions. The local branch of the Investigative Committee, Russia’s top law enforcement body, said in a statement Monday that an investigation has been launched into a possible pilot error or a technical malfunction. The Mi-8 is a two-engine helicopter designed in the 1960s. It is widely used in Russia, where crashes have been frequent, as well as in neighboring countries and many other nations. Russian media described the flight operator Vityaz-Aero as one of the largest carriers in the Kamchatka region. After a helicopter crash in 2021, in which eight people were killed, authorities banned the company from transporting passengers pending an investigation into a possible violation of flight safety rules. Vityaz-Aero is the biggest of several local carriers that fly tourists to the Kronotsky reserve, a top attraction that includes Russia’s only geyser basin. (AP)

MI KIAMCHA YISROEL! Hatzolah of Montreal has begun providing patients being transported to the hospital with a portable battery bank, showing them they care beyond the call.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog asked the family of American-Israeli hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin for forgiveness for “failing” to bring him home alive. In a Hesped delivered at his Levaya on Har HaMenuchos Monday, Herzog said in Hebrew: “Beloved Hersh, with a torn and broken heart, I stand here today as the President of the State of Israel, bidding you farewell and asking for your forgiveness, from you, and from Carmel, from Eden, from Almog, from Alex, and Ori, and from all your loved ones. I apologize on behalf of the State of Israel, that we failed to protect you in the terrible disaster of October 7, that we failed to bring you home safely. I apologize that the country you immigrated to at the age of 7, wrapped in the Israeli flag, could not keep you safe.” Rachel, Jon, dear Libby, and Orly, grandparents, and the whole family – I ask for your forgiveness, forgiveness that we could not bring Hersh back home alive. Your special light, Hersh, captivated all of us from the first glance, even through the posters crying out for his return. Most of us did not have the privilege of knowing you in life, but you have been so alive in us for eleven months now; together with many other brothers and sisters, held captive by cursed, monstrous murderers – since Simchat Torah – which turned into the day of our disaster. Know this: We are witnesses, and we will never forget. There is no door in the world on which your beloved family did not knock for you, for your rescue and well-being. There is no stone they left unturned, no prayer or plea they did not cry out – from one end of the world to the other – in the ears of God and man. Michal and I met with your parents and family dozens of times in the past year, and we had the privilege of getting to know up close people of exceptional stature and to learn from them a lesson we will never forget – about a mother’s and father’s limitless love. Only recently, on the evening of Tisha B’Av, together with your parents, we prayed at the President’s Residence for your return, together with all the hostages. And now, our heart, already broken, is shattered into pieces. In one night, we were informed of the murder of six innocent and pure souls, each of them a whole world, with loved ones who have not slept a single full night, nor taken a full breath, for eleven months now. Now – the State of Israel has an urgent and immediate task. Decision-makers must do everything possible, with determination and courage, to save those who can still be saved, and to bring back all our sons and daughters, our brothers and sisters. This is not a political goal, and it must not become a political dispute. It is a supreme moral, Jewish, and human duty of the State of Israel to its citizens. We did not fulfill this duty. And now – we have a sacred and shared obligation, to stand up and bring them all back to their homeland. For the spirit, resilience, and unity of Israel. Of course, we do not forget for a moment our obligation to hold accountable […]

Dozens of Starlink satellite internet stations have arrived in Israel and will be installed in government offices, hospitals and emergency centers in the north in the coming days, Israeli Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi announced on Monday.

“The station will provide satellite wifi to the entire complex and will allow communication continuity in blackout cases and various other scenarios. And this is just the beginning,” Karhi tweeted.

Israel’s Communications Ministry approved Starlink’s use in Israel in February, enabling Israelis to access broadband services even in the event of disruption to ground-based communications.

“Starlink’s entry into Israel will enable advanced satellite communication routinely and during times of emergency,” said Karhi at the time.

Israel’s security authorities have also approved the use of Starlink in the Gaza Strip on a limited, case-by-case basis, in instances where it has been confirmed that the entity in question poses “no concern of risk or possibility of endangering national security,” the ministry added in a statement.

On Aug. 10, tech entrepreneur Elon Musk tweeted that he hoped “to do more to help people in Gaza.” His Starlink satellite internet service started operating in the Gaza Strip in late July.

He attached a post from Emirati influencer Hassan Sajwani, who tweeted thanks to Musk for helping the UAE’s Gaza Field Hospital in Rafah.

The field hospital was set up in December. Its director, Dr. Sultan Al Kaabi, told the Emirati English-language daily The National that the Starlink service has allowed for live video medical consultations with patients.

“We added the service to cooperate with Emirati hospitals and specialists from different countries,” he said. “We get consultations about certain cases that we don’t have speciality [for] here in Gaza to provide the best treatment.”

Israel at first opposed Starlink in Gaza but reversed the earlier policy due to changing conditions in the Strip and a desire to reach a delicate balance between humanitarian considerations, operational needs and broader geopolitical calculations that could invite outside actors from the region and the private sector to play bigger roles in post-war Gaza, according to observers in Israel.

(JNS)

Rep. Ro Khanna hinted that Vice President Kamala Harris’s team might be considering a “new direction” in U.S. policy toward Israel as the conflict in Gaza continues, including cutting off aid to the Jewish State. Khanna’s remarks came during an interview on NBC’s Meet The Press with host Kristen Welker, where the discussion centered around U.S. aid to Israel in the context of the ongoing war with Hamas. “I’ve been pushing her to support the enforcement of U.S. law. That is what the enforcement of the Leahy Law and our security laws require—that we don’t have unconditional aid,” Khanna said. He referenced historical precedent, noting that in 1982, after the Sabra and Shatila massacres in Lebanon, President Ronald Reagan pressured Israel by making it clear that U.S. aid would not be used to exacerbate humanitarian crises. When Welker asked Khanna directly whether Harris had expressed openness to conditioning aid to Israel, Khanna was cautious in his response, saying, “I will leave that for the vice president to articulate. But what she has at her team has expressed openness to a new direction.” “Anyone looking at this policy, you have hostages who still aren’t released. You have a war that has lasted almost 11 months. You have over 40,000 people in Gaza dying. We need a new direction of policy to bring the war to an end,” he said. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

In a peculiar turn of events in Oslo, Norway, police broke into a parked vehicle to rescue what they believed was a person in distress, only to discover a strikingly lifelike wax figure of Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu.

The sculpture, the work of controversial Norwegian artist Morten Viskum, was scheduled for display at an upcoming art fair. Viskum had placed his work in the car ahead of the event. The police action was prompted by a concerned citizen who reported seeing what appeared to be a lifeless body inside the vehicle.

NRK, a Norwegian news outlet, reports that Viskum has built a reputation for his provocative artistic endeavors, including previous wax sculptures of contentious world figures. His past works have featured likenesses of Russian President Vladimir Putin and former U.S. president Donald Trump.

Viskum’s notoriety extends beyond sculpture; he once distributed jars of olives containing rats to 20 supermarkets across Norway’s five largest urban centers. In another controversial project, he used a hand severed from a cadaver as a paintbrush, creating a series entitled “The hand that never stopped painting.”

Norway has long been known for its critical stance regarding Israeli policies. In the wake of the Oct. 7 Hamas onslaught on southern Israel, such criticism has only intensified in Norwegian artistic circles, with some exhibits veering into territory that has been labeled antisemitic.

Commenting on the incident, On Alpeleg, a former Israeli resident of Norway, tweeted: “Yet another instance of a Norwegian ‘artist’ pushing boundaries. Following other ‘artists’ who superimposed a keffiyeh on a portrait of Anne Frank and depicted Netanyahu as Hitler, this Norwegian ‘artist’ has now produced a wax effigy of Benjamin Netanyahu.”

(JNS)