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Einav Zangauker, the mother of hostage Matan Zangauker, delivered a fierce message to the prime minister at Begin Gate in Tel Aviv, declaring that if her son comes back in a coffin, she will hold him personally accountable for murder, the Jerusalem Post reports.

“According to a senior security official, my Matan could have been home already last week,” Zangauker said. “The government of Israel and its leader put a partial outline for a deal on the table and decided to torpedo it at the last minute a month ago. Every time we face a new false spin from Netanyahu.

“If Matan returns in a bag, I will ensure Netanyahu is charged with murder,” she said.

Later that evening, Israelis planned to rally against the IDF’s looming operation in Gaza City, demanding a ceasefire deal without delay. The Hostage and Missing Families Forum warned that intensifying military actions endanger captives. “History is repeating itself! Forty-two of our brothers and sisters were kidnapped alive and murdered in captivity – we must not reach hostage number 43,” the forum said.

At the end of July, Hamas informed mediators it would not pursue further talks until the humanitarian conditions in Gaza were addressed. Communication was then cut off, according to an Israeli source cited by The Jerusalem Post. Around the same time, the Post reported that Israel had officially replied to a Hamas position paper, making it clear the government rejected Hamas’s demand to release prisoners still alive in exchange for the remains of hostages. In mid-August, Prime Minister Netanyahu stated at a press conference that Hamas had been deceitful in the negotiations. He said Hamas demanded the release of Nukhba terrorists, insisted on international guarantees to prevent renewed fighting, and called for Israel’s complete withdrawal from Gaza, including the Philadelphi Corridor. Netanyahu said that such conditions were unacceptable to any Israeli government. Although Hamas later signaled openness to a limited arrangement, Israel has maintained that it will only accept a full agreement that secures the freedom of all 49 hostages still held.

“Hamas is interested in a deal. More than a week ago, it gave its consent to Witkoff’s terms, and only Netanyahu refuses to send a negotiating team and sign a deal,” said Yehuda Cohen, father of hostage Nimrod Cohen, at Begin Gate. “Why hasn’t Israel discussed the proposal yet since Hamas’ response? There is one person who stands against the will and interest of the people – his name is Benjamin Netanyahu, and he is afraid of two things: the extremists in his government and public pressure.”

“While my son is fighting for his life in captivity and an entire nation is struggling to bring him out of there, the government intends to conquer the Strip and gamble on his life and on the lives of the living hostages, to erase the fallen forever, and to gamble as well on our heroic soldiers,” Itzik Horn, father of hostage Eitan Horn, said at Begin Gate. “Sitting in the government and the cabinet is a group of deranged people, and every citizen in Israel must ask whether these people are worthy of making decisions about their fate.”

{Matzav.com Israel}

On Friday night, a man walked Chicago’s Peterson Park neighborhood shouting antisemitic slurs like “Heil Hitler” and making violent threats. Because it was Shabbos, a resident asked a non-Jew to call police. While officers came, they only told him to leave — no further action was taken.

President Donald Trump became the center of a viral storm over the weekend after tens of thousands of posts on X falsely claimed the 79-year-old president had died. The phrase “Trump is dead” appeared in more than 90,000 posts, fueled by Trump’s recent absence from public events, ongoing questions about his health, and cryptic commentary from his political allies. The White House quickly sought to stamp out the rumors, calling them baseless and insisting that Trump remains in “excellent health and fit to serve.” On Saturday, cameras captured the president walking on a golf course with family members and Secret Service agents, looking healthy and energetic — widely seen as a staged rebuttal to the frenzy. Vice President JD Vance inadvertently fanned the flames earlier in the week when he told USA Today he was prepared to step in if a “terrible tragedy” struck the president. But Vance insisted Trump remains vigorous, describing him as “the last person making phone calls at night, and the first in the morning.” “Yes, terrible tragedies happen,” Vance said. “But I feel very confident the president of the United States is in good shape, is going to serve out the remainder of his term, and do great things for the American people.” Speculation around Trump’s condition is not new. Last month, the White House disclosed that he had been diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency after tests on swelling in his legs. Officials also acknowledged that heavy makeup on his right hand in July concealed a bruise attributed to minor soft-tissue irritation caused by frequent handshakes and aspirin use. Those disclosures added fuel to social media chatter, with some users suggesting the administration was downplaying the severity of his condition. The president has faced false death reports before. In September 2023, Donald Trump Jr.’s X account was hacked, and a hoax post claimed his father had died and that he was entering the presidential race himself. Reactions to the latest wave of posts ranged from mockery to genuine alarm. Some users treated the rumor as dark comedy, while others expressed unease at the sheer volume of speculation. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Pro-terrorist Hasan Piker speaking at a American pro Palestinian event: “Do it out of spite… find that anger within your heart to continue.”

Bochrim from Yeshivas Mir Yerushalyim dancing after Kiddush Levana on Motzei Shabbos.

Mayor of Yerushalyim, Moshe Lion, was warmly welcomed together with MK Moshe Gafni to the singing of “Se’u She’arim” at the inauguration of the new building of Talmud Torah HaMasorah, which fully integrates children with special needs into the school.

Yoav Gallant, Israel’s former defense minister, disclosed in a televised interview that the Mossad’s initial plan for striking Iran had been abandoned before October 7. He explained on Meet the Press that the strategy was ultimately set aside.

According to Gallant, the proposed operation was “too complex and not lethal enough.” He added that in March 2023 he had advanced an alternative strategy, which he described as a “100 day paper,” focused on concentrated aerial attacks against the Iranian regime.

The shelved proposal, he explained, would have cost the state billions of shekels and required an enormous amount of intelligence to implement effectively. Gallant said repeated delays meant it would not have been operational in time for Israel to respond when needed.

“Anyone going to war with Iran must assume Hezbollah will be drawn in,” he continued, while criticizing Naftali Bennett and Benny Gantz for failing to expand Israel’s military stockpiles when they were in government. “200,000 shells were taken from us for Ukraine. Did they order a single new shell to be produced? The answer is no.”

Gallant expressed admiration for the IDF’s role in Operation Rising Lion, stressing that while the Mossad played a small part, the Air Force executed most of the mission with intelligence gathered by the military.

He said Iran’s nuclear program has been pushed back “by years,” though he cautioned that Tehran will eventually rebuild and Israel must be ready for the next confrontation on that front.

Gallant also outlined that at the start of the Israel-Hamas conflict, five objectives were defined. Of these, three have already been realized: dismantling Hamas’ organizational capacity, eliminating much of its leadership, and securing unrestricted military freedom for the IDF inside Gaza.

“To achieve the two remaining goals, returning the hostages and replacing Hamas’ rule with an adequate alternative, requires a political arrangement,” Gallant said on the program. He argued that National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich currently wield “veto power” within the government.

He pressed them, and the rest of the cabinet, to accept the ceasefire and hostage-release proposal put forward by U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff.

“We do not leave anyone behind: Not wounded soldiers and definitely not civilians,” Gallant said. “I believe that we must bring all the hostages home and if we can bring home ten hostages, half of those who are still alive, and the remains of the deceased hostages in the first stage of the deal, then we must take it.”

{Matzav.com}

The White House has confirmed it is moving forward with a plan to rebrand the Pentagon, with officials saying the Department of Defense will once again be called the Department of War, according to The Wall Street Journal.

The original Department of War was created in 1789 to oversee the country’s armed forces. Its name was altered after World War II to the National Military Establishment, before being changed again to the Department of Defense.

Deputy press secretary Anna Kelly explained to Fox News that the move reflects an effort to bring back traditional American military principles.

“As President [Donald] Trump said, our military should be focused on offense — not just defense — which is why he has prioritized warfighters at the Pentagon instead of DEI and woke ideology,” Kelly wrote in a statement. “Stay tuned!”

This announcement followed comments from Trump earlier in the week, where he indicated the adjustment was coming soon.

“You know, we call it the Department of Defense, but between us, I think we’re going to change the name,” the president said at the White House earlier in the week. “You want to know the truth, I think we’re going to have some information on that, maybe soon.”

He also pointed to the legacy of the department’s original name, stressing its association with decisive victories.

“We won World War I [and] World War II. It was called the Department of War. To me, that’s really what it is,” he said. “I’m talking to the people. Everybody likes that. We had an unbelievable history of victory when it was Department of War. Then we changed it to Department of Defense.”

Since Congress is responsible for authorizing executive departments, a legal change would require an amendment, although Trump suggested he may not see that as necessary.

“I’m sure Congress will go along if we need that. I don’t think we even need that. But, if we need that, I’m sure Congress will go along,” Trump said. “Defense is too defensive. And we want to be defensive, but we want to be offensive too if we have to be. So, it just sounded to me like a better name.”

At this stage, the president could either push legislation to formally establish the new title or move ahead with an unofficial rebranding on his own.

{Matzav.com}

Trump announced he will sign an executive order requiring voter ID for every ballot and banning universal mail-in voting, declaring: “USE PAPER BALLOTS ONLY!”

The boats participating in the “Freedom Flotilla to Gaza” are preparing for their departure today from the port of Barcelona towards the port of Gaza.

In a joint operation, the Judea and Samaria District police, IDF troops, and Border Police arrested 10 suspects and seized dozens of weapons and explosives as part of their ongoing crackdown on illegal arms possession and use.

IDF forces foiled a weapons smuggling attempt on Israel’s western border after spotting a drone crossing into the Paran Brigade area on Saturday; soldiers intercepted the drone, seized the weapons, and transferred them to security authorities for further handling.

HATE IN FRANCE: The Holocaust memorial in Lyon, France, was defaced with graffiti reading “Free Gaza.”

Gazan journalists report a major movement of evacuees yesterday from northern Gaza to the south along the coastal road, ahead of Israel’s latest operation.

Lebanese media report that Israel has dropped leaflets over southern Lebanon, warning residents against assisting Hezbollah in rebuilding its border terror infrastructure.

A train derailed in Egypt’s Matrouh Governorate while heading to Cairo, leaving passengers outraged as help failed to arrive for hours; the accident killed three people and injured 54 others.

Organizers of the “Freedom Flotilla to Gaza” announced that a fleet will depart from Barcelona on August 31 and another from Tunisia on September 4, with around 70 ships expected to join in an attempt to “break the siege,” and Greta Thunberg is reportedly set to sail to Gaza again.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard declared that it had detained eight people accused of trying to provide Israel’s Mossad intelligence service with details about senior Iranian commanders and sensitive military coordinates, according to Reuters.

The arrests are tied to Israel’s aerial offensive in June, which struck Iranian nuclear facilities and left both senior officers and civilians dead.

Officials in the Revolutionary Guard claimed the suspects had undergone virtual training sessions led by Mossad. The group was reportedly caught in Iran’s northeast before they could carry out their mission, and authorities say they confiscated equipment designed for building bombs, launch devices, and booby traps.

Tehran has long alleged that Israel is behind sabotage and covert actions inside Iran, and frequently announces arrests or executions of people it says spied for Mossad.

Last year, Iran announced the execution of a man it called a “terrorist” who had been accused of working with Mossad in connection with a drone strike against a defense ministry facility in central Iran the previous year.

One month earlier, Iranian officials claimed they had executed four individuals for spying for Mossad, asserting that the group had been in contact with Mossad director David Barnea, received training in Africa, and slipped into Iran through Iraq’s Kurdish region.

In December 2023, Tehran further reported that it had executed what it described as an “Israeli Mossad spy” in the country’s southeast.

Over the last several months, Iran has carried out executions of at least eight people on espionage charges. Among them was nuclear scientist Rouzbeh Vadi, who was put to death on August 9, accused of passing intelligence to Israel concerning another scientist killed in Israeli strikes.

Just days after Vadi’s death, Iranian authorities revealed they had taken 20 more people into custody, claiming they too were tied to Mossad. Officials have warned that those found guilty will receive the harshest penalties.

{Matzav.com}

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Sunday morning referred to the attempted assassination of Hamas spokesman Abu Obeida at the weekly cabinet meeting, which was held in a secret location. “The IDF attacked the evil spokesman Abu Obeida,” Netanyahu said. “We are waiting for the results. I notice that Hamas’s announcement is a bit delayed; apparently there’s no one to speak for it.” A Palestinian source confirmed to Al Arabiya on Sunday morning that Abu Obeida was killed in the strike. According to the report, Abu Obeida’s family and Hamas officials confirmed his death. There has been no official confirmation from the terror group, which sometimes waits months before confirming the deaths of senior figures. New details about the targeted strike were revealed on Sunday. A Palestinian source told Sky News Arabia that Abu Obeida and his family had rented the apartment targeted in the strike only a few days ago. According to the same source, Abu Obeida’s wife and children were at home at the time of the attack. He noted that “large amounts of banknotes were scattered during the bombing.” IAF fighter jets fired a precision missile at the second and third floors of the building. The operation was overseen by the Shin Bet’s special operations command center in central Israel. The Palestinian source further told Sky News Arabia that after the attack, Hamas terrorists closed off the area around the building and prevented civilians from approaching the area so they could first retrieve the bodies. Abu Obeida, whose real name is Hudayfa Samir Abdallah al-Kahlout, has served as the spokesman for the Ezzedeen al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, since at least 2007. He concealed his face behind a red keffiyeh at all public appearances, gradually becoming a symbolic figure of the terror organization. Abu Obeida has been the driving force behind Hamas’ psychological terror warfare, and his elimination could undermine the group’s ability to shape public perception. His loss is expected to have a significant impact on the terror group due to his close ties to senior Hamas officials and his influence on the group’s decisions. (YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

Dovid HaMelech was always praising, composing and singing beautiful songs to Hashem. He encouraged us to do the same “שירו לה’ שיר חדש” – SING TO HASHEM A NEW SONG. Truth be said, we have so many reasons to be thankful and sing to Hashem.  So here we are with a new meaningful song “בקשו פני” for the start of חודש אלול. What better time is there then now, to release this hartzedeke melody, as we begin reciting twice daily these holy words in the prayer of “לדוד ה’ אורי וישעי”. It is Hashem’s timeless message to Dovid HaMelech and to all of us. “Seek and be aware of My Presence, everywhere, all the time”. This must be our number one priority and lifes mission. Hashem says, make sure I am involved in your life and take Me into consideration in all your decisions. To that end I thank Hashem for once again conveying His holy message through me in this beautiful melody and simultaneously through the release of the new holy Sefer לפניך. Living Lefonecho Lives is Hashem’s foremost will for all of us. כתיבה וחתימה טובה Check out the all new https://www.lefonecho.com/ website To listen or download Rabbi Yaakov Singer’s entire music album visit https://rabbiyaakovsinger.com/music/ To order the לפניך Sefer in Hebrew or English visit https://www.lefonecho.com/order-sefer Listen to some great Podcasts from Rabbi Yaakov Singer:https://listen.jewishpodcasts.fm/illuminating-parsha-insightshttps://listen.jewishpodcasts.fm/timelyilluminationshiurimhttps://listen.jewishpodcasts.fm/spiritualinspirationrabbiyaakovsingerhttps://listen.jewishpodcasts.fm/pirkei-avos-with-rabbi-yaakov-singer Visit the inspiring https://rabbiyaakovsinger.com/ website