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Israeli Journalist: Trump and Netanyahu May Have Set a Strategic Trap for Hamas

Matzav -

Tamir Morag, diplomatic correspondent for Israel’s Channel 14, suggested that the latest developments surrounding the Gaza ceasefire framework could be part of a calculated maneuver by President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu designed to corner Hamas.

Morag urged Israel to approach the coming days as a test of Hamas’s intentions, arguing that the terror group’s response will determine the next phase of the conflict.

“Israel must test Hamas with this trial — let’s see if it releases all the hostages within 72 hours. If it doesn’t, Israel can dismantle it; and if it does — even better: we get the hostages back, and Hamas will continue refusing to disarm and leave Gaza — then Israel can dismantle it,” Morag said.

According to Morag, the structure of the proposed ceasefire and withdrawal plan may have been deliberately designed to create a lose-lose situation for Hamas. If the group refuses to comply with the terms, it will face intensified Israeli military action; if it does comply, it risks exposing its own weakness while still failing to meet international expectations for disarmament.

“It is very likely that this is a trap set by Trump and Netanyahu for Hamas,” Morag added, implying that the deal may have been strategically crafted to force the terror organization into an impossible position — either to release the hostages and lose leverage, or to reject the deal and face devastating consequences.

{Matzav.com Israel}

Israel Tells U.S. It Plans Long-Term Presence in Three Key Areas of Gaza

Matzav -

Israel has informed the United States that it intends to keep a military foothold in three strategic areas of Gaza for the foreseeable future, even after the broader withdrawal of IDF troops, Kan News reported.

The report stated that Israel plans to maintain its presence in a security buffer zone surrounding Gaza, along the Philadelphi Route bordering Egypt, and on “Hill 70,” a vital high-ground position overlooking Nachal Oz. That ridge once served as the eastern edge of Gaza City’s Shujaiya neighborhood and holds significant tactical importance.

Earlier in the evening, a senior diplomatic official reaffirmed that Israeli forces remain fully operational in Gaza and emphasized that no ceasefire agreement has been reached with Hamas.

“We are now in the first stage of this framework,” the source said. “The IDF remains in Gaza, and any withdrawal will be only to the yellow line and to the encirclement of Gaza City during the hostage release stage.”

The official added that this stage should not be mistaken for a truce. “No one is withdrawing at this point — this is a reduction of fire, not a ceasefire. In the first stage, all hostages will be released, and from there, negotiations will continue.”

{Matzav.com}

Trump Announces Israeli Agreement on Gaza Withdrawal Line for Ceasefire Plan

Matzav -

President Donald Trump announced tonight that Israel has approved an initial withdrawal line as part of ongoing negotiations for a Gaza ceasefire.

“After negotiations, Israel has agreed to the initial withdrawal line, which we have shown to, and shared with, Hamas,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “When Hamas confirms, the Ceasefire will be IMMEDIATELY effective, the Hostages and Prisoner Exchange will begin, and we will create the conditions for the next phase of withdrawal, which will bring us close to the end of this 3,000 YEAR CATASTROPHE. Thank you for your attention to this matter and, STAY TUNED!”

Trump included with his post a detailed map highlighting the agreed-upon withdrawal boundaries.

The map reveals that Israel will retain control of the Philadelphi Corridor—a narrow border zone between Egypt and Gaza—along with “Hill 70,” a key high-ground position overlooking Israeli communities.

Earlier in the evening, a senior diplomatic official emphasized that Israel has not declared a ceasefire and that its troops remain active inside Gaza.

“We are now in the first stage of this framework,” the source said. “The IDF remains in Gaza, and any withdrawal will be only to the yellow line and to the encirclement of Gaza City during the hostage release stage.”

The official further clarified that no full retreat is taking place yet. “No one is withdrawing at this point — this is a reduction of fire, not a ceasefire. In the first stage, all hostages will be released, and from there, negotiations will continue.”

{Matzav.com}

UK Police Question 6 Suspects Over Deadly Yom Kippur Attack At Manchester Shul

Yeshiva World News -

U.K. police on Saturday were questioning six people arrested on suspicion of terror offenses after an attack on a shul in northwest England on Yom Kippur that left two people dead and Britain’s Jewish community shocked and grieving. Jihad Al-Shamie, 35, was shot dead by police on Thursday outside the Heaton Park Congregation Synagogue in Manchester after he rammed a car into pedestrians, attacked them with a knife and tried to force his way into the building. Melvin Cravitz, 66, and Adrian Daulby, 53, were killed in the attack on Yom Kippur. Police say Daulby was accidentally shot by an armed officer as he and others barricaded the shul to block Al-Shamie from entering. Three other men are hospitalized with serious injuries. Detectives say Al-Shamie, a British citizen of Syrian origin who lived in Manchester, may have been influenced by “extreme Islamist ideology.” He wore what appeared to be an explosives belt, which was found to be fake. Police said that Al-Shamie was on bail over an alleged assault on a woman at the time of the attack, but hadn’t been charged. Three men and three women were arrested in the greater Manchester area on suspicion of the “commission, preparation and instigation of acts of terrorism,” as police work to determine whether the attacker acted alone. A court on Saturday granted police five more days to hold four of the suspects: men ages 30 and 32, and women ages 46 and 61. An 18-year-old woman and a 43-year-old man are also being questioned. Police haven’t identified those arrested or disclosed their links to Al-Shamie. Antisemitic incidents on the rise The attack has devastated Britain’s Jewish community and intensified debate about the line between criticism of Israel and antisemitism. Recorded antisemitic incidents in the U.K. have risen sharply since Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel and Israel’s ensuing campaign against Hamas in Gaza, according to Community Security Trust, a charity that provides advice and protection for British Jews. Pro-Palestinian demonstrations, which have been held regularly since the war in Gaza began, have played a role in spreading hatred of Jews. Some also say that the U.K.’s recognition of a Palestinian state last month has emboldened antisemitism — a claim that the government rejects. Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy was interrupted by boos and shouts of “Shame on you” on Friday as he addressed a vigil for victims of the attack in Manchester. Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis, the head of Orthodox Judaism in Britain, said that the attack was the result of “an unrelenting wave of Jew hatred” on the streets and online. Pro-Palestinian demonstrators were held in Manchester and London on Saturday despite objections from police and politicians. U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that organizers should “recognize and respect the grief of British Jews this week” and postpone the protests. About 100 people gathered in a central Manchester square in heavy rain, waving Palestinian flags and demanding an end to the war in Gaza. In London, organizers said that about 1,000 people demonstrated against the banning of Palestine Action, a direct-action group that has vandalized British military planes and targeted sites with links to the Israeli military. It has been labeled a terrorist organization by the government, making support for the group illegal. Police officers carried away a number […]

Trump Amplifies Tel Aviv Hostage Rally to Pressure for Gaza Deal

Yeshiva World News -

President Donald Trump on Saturday night spotlighted a massive rally in Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square, using it to amplify his call for Israel and Hamas to implement the U.S.-brokered deal to end the Gaza war and bring home all remaining Israeli captives. Posting a photo of the rally from above, Trump wrote that it was time for “the government to close the deal,” underscoring what he described as “the overwhelming desire of the Israeli people for peace through strength.” The image showed a sea of demonstrators beneath a banner that read “It’s now or never” — a slogan that has become the rallying cry of families demanding the return of hostages held in Gaza. The post marked Trump’s latest effort to publicly pressure both sides to accept the 21-point framework he unveiled at the White House last week. The plan, which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has already endorsed, outlines a phased ceasefire tied to the staged release of hostages, humanitarian aid corridors, and an international mechanism for Gaza’s reconstruction and demilitarization. Trump has said that once implemented, the agreement would “end the war, bring every hostage home, and ensure that Hamas never again threatens the State of Israel.” While Hamas leadership has so far resisted the proposal, sources familiar with negotiations say internal divisions within the group are widening as public demonstrations in Israel intensify. Trump’s post appeared designed to highlight that growing pressure, both moral and political, from Israeli citizens demanding an end to the war. The Tel Aviv protest — one of the largest since the start of the war — drew thousands of Israelis, including hostage families, reservists, and civil society leaders. Trump first took note of the Hostages Square movement during his Sept. 29 announcement of the Gaza peace proposal, praising the demonstrators as “a voice of courage and unity.” His renewed focus on the rallies reflects a deliberate effort to connect American diplomacy with Israeli public sentiment, signaling that the White House sees the movement as a key factor in shaping the conflict’s endgame. U.S. officials say Hamas has been presented with the terms of the Trump plan through mediators in Qatar and Egypt. While the group has yet to formally respond, intelligence assessments indicate that senior figures are weighing their options amid widespread fatigue in Gaza. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Trump Administration to Federalize 300 Illinois National Guard Troops

Yeshiva World News -

The Trump administration plans to federalize 300 members of the Illinois National Guard, Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker said Saturday, after the Pentagon informed the troops they would be called up. Pritzker did not specify when or where they would be deployed, though Trump has previously threatened to send forces to Chicago.

Trump Urges Gaza Hostage Deal With Rally Photo From Tel Aviv

Yeshiva World News -

President Trump posts a photo from the rally earlier tonight at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv urging the government to close the deal he proposed for ending the Gaza war and returning all the hostages. The photo shows the crowd from above, holding a banner that reads: “It’s now or never.”

Netanyahu Moves to Hold Fragile Coalition Together as Far-Right Ministers Threaten Revolt Over Trump Gaza Deal

Yeshiva World News -

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich in a tense two-hour session aimed at keeping Israel’s governing coalition intact amid mounting far-right backlash to President Donald Trump’s Gaza peace deal. According to Walla News, the meeting — described by one participant as “somber but direct” — followed Ben Gvir’s threat earlier in the evening that his Otzma Yehudit party would leave the government if Hamas “continues to exist” after the hostages are returned. Smotrich, the hardline finance minister who joined part of the meeting, had accused Netanyahu earlier in the day of making a “serious mistake” by halting offensive military operations in Gaza at Trump’s request. Both men have publicly opposed every previous ceasefire-for-hostages proposal, arguing that any end to the war short of Hamas’s destruction amounts to surrender. But despite their rhetoric, neither has pulled out of the coalition — at least not yet. Ben Gvir and Smotrich, who lead two of the most ideologically rigid factions in Netanyahu’s bloc, have long pushed for annexing Gaza and resettling it with Israelis — a policy Trump’s 21-point peace framework explicitly rules out. The plan, unveiled at the White House last week and now endorsed by Netanyahu, would secure the release of all Israeli hostages and establish an internationally monitored transitional authority in Gaza, with strict demilitarization guarantees. The two ministers’ threats have thrown Netanyahu into one of the most precarious moments of his political career, forcing him to balance Israel’s domestic divisions with an agreement backed by Washington, the Israeli security establishment, and a broad swath of public opinion. Opposition leaders signaled over the weekend that they will back the Trump deal even if parts of Netanyahu’s right-wing coalition collapse. “There will be a Knesset majority for this,” one opposition lawmaker said. “No one will stand in the way of bringing our people home.” Despite the public saber-rattling, Haaretz reported that Netanyahu has maintained near-daily communication with Ben Gvir and Smotrich in recent days, updating them and keeping them closely informed of negotiations. That suggests the prime minister is trying to prevent a full-blown coalition rupture — or at least delay one until after the hostages are freed. Sources close to Netanyahu told Haaretz the prime minister’s priority is clear: securing the hostages’ release, even if it risks toppling his government. “He would rather see the hostages come home and face new elections than preserve his coalition at their expense,” one aide said — though similar statements from Netanyahu in the past have been met with skepticism. The political tension underscores the strain inside Israel’s wartime cabinet as the Trump deal moves closer to implementation. While Netanyahu has framed his decision as a moral imperative and a strategic necessity, Ben Gvir and Smotrich see it as capitulation to Hamas and a betrayal of Israel’s long-term deterrence. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

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