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A baby in Yerushalayim’s Meah She’arim neighborhood who had not been vaccinated against measles collapsed at home on Thursday and passed away shortly after losing consciousness.

Volunteers from United Hatzalah rushed to the scene, performed CPR, and transported the child—about a year and a half old—to Hadassah Mount Scopus Medical Center in extremely critical condition while continuing resuscitation efforts.

Despite their attempts, the medical team at the hospital was unable to revive him and ultimately confirmed his death.

This tragedy is the fifth measles-related fatality in Israel since the outbreak began earlier this year. Based on global statistics, the mortality rate in developed countries is around one per 1,000 measles cases, suggesting there may have been as many as 5,000 infections nationwide, although the official case count is significantly lower.

Over Rosh Hashanah, a 13-month-old girl also died from measles after doctors fought for two months to save her. Though she had received all vaccinations permitted for her age, she had not yet reached the stage for the MMR vaccine when she contracted the virus at 11 months old.

Earlier this week, the Health Ministry announced that a 16-month-old boy who had not been vaccinated succumbed to measles complications over the weekend.

{Matzav.com}

Speaking over video after the United States revoked his visa, the Palestinian leader told world leaders Thursday that his people reject the 2023 Hamas attack on Israel and pledged that the militant group would have no role in governing the Gaza Strip after war ends and must hand over its weapons to his administration. Said Mahmoud Abbas to his people: “The dawn of freedom will emerge.” Abbas told the U.N. General Assembly that Palestinians in Gaza “have been facing a war of genocide, destruction, starvation and displacement” by Israel. His speech came as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu heads to New York to give his own address in person on Friday. In a short but resolute speech, Abbas lay out his continued vision for a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza alongside Israel. That two-state solution has gained traction after a string of countries – including top U.S. allies — announced recognition of a Palestinian state this past week. But it also appears further than ever from realities on the ground. Netanyahu’s government has rejected the creation of a Palestinian state. Israeli troops control most of the Gaza Strip. Netanyahu says Israel will maintain security control over the territory after Hamas is defeated, and he has rejected giving Abbas’ Palestinian Authority any role in there. Some ministers in Netanyahu’s government have pushed for annexing the occupied West Bank, where Abbas’ authority currently administers small pockets of territory. “There can be no justice if Palestine is not freed,” Abbas said. He said the Palestinian Authority is “ready to bear full responsibility for governance and security” in Gaza. He added that “Hamas will have no role to play in governance,” and will have to hand over their weapons to the Palestinian authorities. Hamas has agreed to step down from power in Gaza but has rejected Israeli demands that it disarm, saying it has a right to resist Israeli occupation. Abbas said Israel’s campaign in Gaza “is not merely an aggression, it is a war crime and a crime against humanity.” Abbas thanked the world leaders who have stood up for Palestinians throughout the Gaza war, saying that the recent recognition of Palestinian statehood has presented his people with hope for peace and an end to the conflict. He welcomed the recent announcements from France, the U.K. and Canada to recognize them as an independent state and called for the remains few dozen countries to do the same. But, he added, that symbolic recognition is not enough to address the present moment. “The time has come for the international community to do right by the Palestinian people, so that they may obtain their rights for their legitimate rights to be rid of the occupation and to not remain a hostage to the temperament of Israeli politics, which denies our rights and continue in their injustice, oppression and aggression,” Abbas said. Before concluding, he sent a message of hope to the Palestinian people, saying that no matter how long the suffering continues, “its results will not break our will to live and survive.” “The dawn of freedom will emerge, and the flag of Palestine will fly high in our skies as a symbol of dignity, steadfastness and being free from the occupation,” Abbas said. “We will not leave our homeland. We will not leave our lands.” (AP)

BREAKING: Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov claims NATO and the EU have declared war on Russia and are actively involved.

The IDF says today’s strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen were the most powerful yet against the Iran-backed group, with 20 jets striking seven sites, including the Houthi General Staff headquarters and an intelligence base.

The IDF released images of Israeli Air Force F-15 jets taking off for strikes against Houthis in Yemen earlier today.

Earlier today, Israeli forces struck a Hamas site in Gaza City, destroying numerous weapons and stolen humanitarian aid, the IDF reported.

Trump on the Democrats trying to force a government shutdown: “They asked us to do something that’s totally unreasonable. They never change — they want to give money away to illegals… and we don’t want to do that.”

Israel’s Ambassador to the UN greeted Prime Minister Netanyahu as he landed in the US.

Trump on Gaza: “I had a great meeting with [Middle East] leaders… at UNGA — and I think we’re close to getting some kind of a deal done. We want to get the hostages back. I have to get the hostages back.”

Trump on Turkish President Erdogan: “This is a tough man. This is a guy who’s highly opinionated. Usually I don’t like opinionated people, but I always like this one.”

ELIMINATED: A Hamas terrorist who took part in the October 7 attack on Israel’s Nahal Oz base was recently killed in Gaza, IDF Spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said, identifying him as Wael Matriyah, commander of a Nukhba Force platoon in Hamas’s Shati Battalion.

Ahead of Prime Minister Netanyahu’s UN speech, his office launched a sweeping awareness campaign in New York — with billboards and trucks near the UN and Times Square displaying “Remember October 7” and a QR code linking to a site documenting the atrocities and the 48 hostages still held in Gaza.

President Trump welcomes Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to the White House

FBI Director Kash Patel said Thursday that the gunman who opened fire on an ICE facility in Dallas, 29-year-old Joshua Jahn, sought to cause “real terror,” using apps to track ICE agents and searching for videos of Charlie Kirk’s assassination in Utah before the attack. Jahn fired from a rooftop, killing one detainee and injuring two others, before turning the gun on himself; investigators also found bullets at the scene marked “ANTI-ICE.”

Inspired by Hamas’s Oct. 7 massacre in Israel, a California man launched a series of Molotov cocktail attacks in 2024 — torching a UC police car, setting fires on the Berkeley campus, and trying to bomb the Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building in Oakland. Casey Robert Goonan has now been sentenced to nearly 20 years in prison. At sentencing, the judge branded him a “domestic terrorist,” saying his crimes were meant to intimidate governments. Prosecutors said Goonan also urged others to attack Bay Area campuses in support of Palestine.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has landed at JFK Airport in New York to attend the UN General Assembly and diplomatic meetings, before heading to Washington, D.C. Monday for a White House meeting with President Trump.

TOM HOMAN: “The rhetoric is what’s causing all of this hate… When they have a Congressman or someone that ran for Vice President of the United States comparing ICE to Nazis, that gives some of these nuts — it emboldens them to take action.”

In the wake of the Houthi attack on Eilat on Wedneday, which left dozens injured and marked the second strike in the city in a week,  Israel is set to deploy the Iron Beam (Magen Or) system—an advanced laser-based defense system—in the city. The system will provide an additional layer of protection against aerial threats from Yemen. The Iron Beam, considered a global breakthrough in air defense, was first deployed earlier this year in northern Israel, where it successfully intercepted numerous UAVs launched by Hezbollah. The system is capable of countering a wide array of threats, including drones, cruise missiles, mortars, and short-range rockets. It is fully integrated into Israel’s multi-layered defense network alongside Iron Dome and David’s Sling. Developed by Rafael in cooperation with Elbit Systems (responsible for the laser component), Iron Beam is the world’s first operational high-energy laser interceptor. It operates with a solid-state laser output of roughly 100 kilowatts. Each interception costs only a few dollars—the price of the electricity required to fire it—compared to about $50,000 per Iron Dome interception. This cost differential could transform the economic equation in Israel’s defense against enemies who fire low-cost rockets and UAVs. The system can intercept threats up to 10 kilometers by using a concentrated laser beam that cuts through a projectile’s steel casing, penetrates its warhead, and detonates the explosive inside. It entered operational service during the current war following a series of successful trials, with recent escalations fast-tracking its deployment. It should be noted that the Iron Beam does not replace existing interception systems but complements them by adding an additional defensive layer, especially against short-range threats, such as small drones and low-flying UAVs, freeing Iron Dome to engage other targets and improving overall efficiency. The Air Force will coordinate between systems to determine which platform will be activated against each threat. It is expected to counter small drones and UAVs launched from short distances, allowing Iron Dome to focus on other threats and improving overall resource efficiency. The Air Force will coordinate between all systems to determine which one will be activated against each detected threat. Meanwhile, the IDF on Thursday released the main findings of the initial investigation into the strike on Eilat, which revealed that the drone was detected at a relatively late stage, after which Home Front Command alerts were activated. The Iron Dome system attempted to intercept the aircraft but failed. The army stated that the initial inquiry identified the cause of the failed interception, and the system was immediately corrected. The details of the malfunction were withheld for security reasons. According to Army Radio journalist Doron Kadosh, the UAV flew at a low altitude, complicating the interception, though investigators cannot yet conclude that this was the direct cause of the failure. Kadosh also reported that a fighter jet and an attack helicopter were scrambled to intercept it but, due to the late detection, were launched too late to reach the area in time, leaving the Iron Dome as the only system engaged in the incident. The IDF added that the Air Force chief has ordered new measures to enhance preparedness, improve detection and interception capabilities, and strengthen overall defensive coverage in the Eilat area. (YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas accused Israel of committing “genocide” in Gaza during his remarks to the United Nations General Assembly in New York today.

Abbas, who had to deliver his address virtually after the Trump Administration revoked visas for PA officials, alleged that Israel is carrying out “genocide, destruction and starvation” in Gaza. He cited numbers from the Hamas-controlled Gaza Health Ministry, claiming that 220,000 people have been killed or wounded since the outbreak of war, insisting that most of the casualties were women, children, and the elderly.

He also lashed out at what he described as “settler violence” in Judea and Samaria, charging that settlers “attack unarmed Palestinian civilians” and “kill them in broad daylight under the protection of the Israeli occupation army.” Abbas avoided any mention of the ongoing wave of Palestinian terrorist attacks targeting Israelis.

In his only reference to the October 7 massacre, in which Hamas terrorists slaughtered 1,200 people, largely civilians, and kidnapped about 250 others, Abbas offered a mild denunciation. “Despite all that our people have suffered, we reject what Hamas carried out on the seventh of October. These actions that targeted Israeli civilians and took them hostage… do not represent the Palestinian people, nor do they represent their just struggle for freedom and independence.”

He also dismissed accusations that the pro-Hamas demonstrations that erupted across the globe after the October 7 massacre were antisemitic. “We reject confusing solidarity with the Palestinian cause [with] the issue of antisemitism — something we reject based on our values and principle,” Abbas asserted.

The PA chairman unveiled a nine-point proposal for Gaza, beginning with a call for an immediate, permanent ceasefire without conditions. His plan also calls for the release of “all hostages and prisoners on both sides,” a formulation that would mean freeing every Palestinian terrorist imprisoned in Israel in return for the 48 hostages still held by Hamas.

Abbas further declared that under his leadership, the Palestinian Authority is prepared “to bear full responsibility for governance and security” in Gaza, insisting that Hamas would not “have a role to play” in administering the territory. Several parts of his plan directly contradict positions held by Israel and the United States, such as his demand that Israel unfreeze PA tax revenues, funds withheld because of the PA’s ongoing policy of paying out tens of millions of dollars to terrorists and their families.

{Matzav.com}

The Trump administration has instructed federal agencies to brace for the possibility of permanent layoffs if the government partially shuts down after 11:59 p.m. on September 30.

On Wednesday night, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued a directive to agencies ordering them to dismiss employees in programs not required by law to continue operations during a shutdown.

“It has never been more important for the Administration to be prepared for a shutdown if the Democrats choose to pursue one,” OMB Director Russ Vought wrote in the memo.

“Once fiscal year 2026 appropriations are enacted, agencies should revise their RIFs [Reduction in Force] as needed to retain the minimal number of employees necessary to carry out statutory functions,” he continued. “Any proposed RIF plan must be submitted to OMB.”

The directive underscores the administration’s intent to make a shutdown politically costly for Democrats. Party leaders, who are trying to use the budget fight to push President Trump on healthcare policy, accused the White House of using scare tactics.

“Listen Russ, you are a malignant political hack. We will not be intimidated by your threat to engage in mass firings. Get lost,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) posted on X.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) charged the administration with preparing to go further than necessary during a shutdown.

“This is an attempt at intimidation. Donald Trump has been firing federal workers since day one — not to govern, but to scare,” Schumer said.
“This is nothing new and has nothing to do with funding the government. These unnecessary firings will either be overturned in court or the administration will end up hiring the workers back, just like they did as recently as today.”

The first outlet to reveal the existence of the OMB memo was Politico.

Traditionally, federal employees in nonessential positions are placed on furlough during a shutdown and later reinstated. Vought’s memo suggested the Trump administration is prepared to make those cuts permanent.

Earlier this year, Schumer drew backlash from progressives after choosing not to block a Republican bill that kept the government funded. His reasoning at the time included concern that Trump would seize the opportunity to push through mass firings, furthering conservatives’ longstanding goal of reducing the federal workforce.

Last week, House Republicans passed a straightforward continuing resolution to keep agencies funded through November 21. That plan faltered in the Senate due to the filibuster threshold of 60 votes. With Republicans holding 53 seats and Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) opposed, at least eight Democrats would have been needed to advance the bill.

Senate Democrats countered with their own continuing resolution, one that would have extended Affordable Care Act subsidies, undone Medicaid changes included in the GOP’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act (renamed the Working Families Tax Cut Act), and rolled back some of Trump’s funding freezes.

Trump was initially scheduled to meet with Schumer and Jeffries on Thursday to discuss the looming budget impasse. After talks with Republican leadership, he abruptly canceled the meeting.

“It’s so easy to just sit down and talk to us, and we know we’re not going to get everything, but he’s not even doing that,” Schumer complained during an appearance on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.”

Schumer has not eliminated the possibility of backing down in the standoff.

Both chambers of Congress are in recess this week. The Senate will return next week, but House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has indicated that the House will remain out until after the shutdown deadline passes.

The most recent partial government shutdown occurred in late 2018 and early 2019, stretching for 35 days, the longest in U.S. history.

{Matzav.com}