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In Jerusalem’s Old City, nearly all souvenir shops are closed. In Haifa’s flea market, forlorn merchants polish their wares on empty streets. Airlines are canceling flights, businesses are failing and luxury hotels are half empty. Nearly 11 months into the war with Hamas, Israel’s economy is struggling with the war in Gaza showing no signs of ending and threatens to escalate into a wider conflict. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has tried to allay concerns by saying the economic damage is only temporary. But the bloodiest, most destructive war ever between Israel and Hamas has hurt thousands of small businesses and compromised international trust in an economy once thought of as an entrepreneurial dynamo. The Hamas assault that destroyed kibbutzim and daily attacks on Israel by Hezbollah terrorists in Lebanon have also driven tens of thousands of people from their homes along Israel’s northern and southern borders and caused large-scale damage. The Israeli economy has recovered from previous shocks, including shorter wars with Hamas. But this longer conflict has created a bigger strain, including the cost of rebuilding, compensating families of victims and reserve soldiers, and vast military spending. The drawn-out nature of the fighting and the threat of further escalation with Iran and its Lebanese proxy, Hezbollah, have an especially harsh impact on tourism. Though tourism is not a major driver of the economy, the damage has hurt thousands of workers and small businesses. “The hardest thing is that we don’t know when the war will end,” said Israeli tour guide Daniel Jacob, whose family is living off savings. “We need to finish the war before this year’s end. If it’s another half a year, I don’t know how long we’re going to make it.” Jacob, 45, returned in April from six months of duty as a reserve soldier to find out that business had dried up. He was forced to shutter the tourism company he spent two decades developing. His only income is aid from the government, which pays him half his prewar salary every few months. Meir Sabag, a Haifa antiques dealer whose shop sat empty, said business is worse now than during the COVID-19 pandemic. On a recent weekday, the formerly bustling port of Haifa, a major hub of Israeli import-export where massive container ships would often stop, was still. With Yemen’s Houthi rebel group endangering ships passing through Egypt’s Suez Canal, many long-haul ships have stopped using Israeli ports as hubs, said a port official who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was sharing internal information. He said Israeli ports saw a 16% percent drop in shipping in the first half of the year, compared with the same period in 2023. Renewed U.S.-led cease-fire efforts appear to be sputtering, and Iran and Hezbollah have threatened to avenge the recent assassinations of top militant leaders, raising the threat of a wider regional war. These fears have prompted major airlines, including Delta, United and Lufthansa, to suspend flights in and out of Israel. Yacov Sheinin, an Israeli economist with decades of experience advising Israeli premiers and government ministries, said the total cost of the war could amount to $120 billion, or 20% of the country’s gross domestic product, a broad measure of economic activity. Of all 38 member countries in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and […]

Dear Matzav Inbox,

There’s been a lot of hock lately about overpricing in the frum community and how frum families are often being taken for a ride. I’m not here to argue—I agree. I’m the biggest comparison shopper you’ll find. I run around to stores, checking out prices, and getting the best deals on everything.

But I think we need to remind ourselves of something important. Supporting Yidden is actually a mitzvah. The posuk says, “Vechi Timkaru Mimkar Leamisecha, Oa Kanah Miyad Amisecha Al Tono Ish Es Achiv,” which means, “When you sell or purchase from your brother, do not cheat him.” From this posuk, we learn that a Yid is supposed to support Jewish businesses when doing commerce. This means that one should buy products from a Yid and sell products to a Yid.

Now, is this an obligation or just good advice?

Some poskim rule that this din isn’t an obligation, but simply good advice, so one can choose to buy or sell to a goy over a Yid if he wishes. However, the majority of poskim hold that this halacha is an absolute obligation on every Yid, not just a matter of chassidus, encouragement, or good advice. Practically, this mitzvah is to be treated as an actual obligation. (For Matzav readers who want to know more: See Shu”t Rama 10; Tashbatz 3:151; Chasam Sofer C.M. 79; Pischei Teshuvah C.M. 156:6; Maharam Shick C.M. 31; Ahavas Chesed 5:6; Minchas Yitzchak 3:129).

Just as one is required to give precedence to a Yid in buying or selling, the same applies in renting. One is also to give precedence to hiring a Jewish employee. And it’s a Biblical positive command to lend money to a Jewish pauper. This applies even if the borrower is wealthy but temporarily in need of money. One is required to lend money to a Yid before lending to others.

Some poskim rule that if the Jewish-owned product costs much more than the outside product, then one is not required to buy it from the Yid. However, other poskim rule that one is obligated to give precedence to the Yid and buy from him even if his product is more expensive than the others and thus purchasing from the Yid would cause him a monetary loss. Some poskim hold that this applies even if buying from the Yid involves a great monetary loss. Others rule that one is not required to give precedence to a Yid if doing so involves a great loss, and one is only required to do so in a case of slight loss. Furthermore, even in the case of a slight loss, one is only required to give precedence to buying from a Yid if his price is equal to the market value. If, however, he is selling it for more than market value, then one is not required to buy from him for a greater amount.

So, let’s keep trying to get the best price—but don’t forget that it’s a mitzvah to support Yidden, and according to many poskim, this applies even if purchasing from a Yid involves more expense or a loss.

Sincerely,
Gedalya F.

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A 39-year-old Lakewood father of 7 is missing after disappearing near the Bushkill Boat Launch on the Delaware River a short time ago. Baruch Dov ben Sarah was on a small boat with his children when several of them fell or jumped into the water and required assistance getting back on. The father jumped into the water and got them all back on their vessel when a wave reportedly overtook him and he disappeared below the surface. Emergency personnel are on the scene searching the lake, with a large team of volunteers responding from Chaveirem of Rockland, Catskills Hatzolah, Monsey Hatzolah and Lakewood Hatzolah. Please daven for Baruch Dov ben Sarah.

The U.N. health agency on Monday launched a six-month plan to help stanch outbreaks of mpox transmission, including ramping up staffing in affected countries and boosting surveillance, prevention and response strategies. The World Health Organization said it expects the plan from September through February next year will require $135 million in funding and aims to improve fair access to vaccines, notably in African countries hardest hit by the outbreak. “The mpox outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and neighboring countries can be controlled, and can be stopped,” said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in a statement. The agency is “significantly scaling up staff” in affected countries, it said. In mid-August, WHO classified the current mpox outbreak as a global health emergency. Also Monday, German government spokesperson Steffen Hebestreit said Germany is donating 100,000 doses of mpox vaccine to affected countries from stocks held by its military, German news agency dpa reported. Last Tuesday, Congo — the hardest-hit country — reported more than 1,000 new mpox cases over the previous week. In its latest update on the outbreak, the African Centers for Disease Control reported that as of Thursday, more than 21,300 suspected or confirmed cases and 590 deaths have been reported this year in 12 African countries. Mpox belongs to the same family of viruses as smallpox but typically causes milder symptoms like fever, chills and body aches. It mostly spreads through close skin-to-skin contact, including sexual intercourse. People with more serious cases can develop lesions on the face, hands, chest and genitals. (AP)

Each week, the “tzaddik of Tiveriah,” Rav Dov Kook, traditionally spends seudah shlishis with his talmidim after the end of Shabbos, delivering words of hisorerus for an extended hour after Shabbos has ended.

This past Motzoei Shabbos, Parshas Eikev, Rav Kook strangely deviated from his custom and continued seudah shlishis for many hours deep into the night.

While in a state of great spiritual uplift, Rav Kook turned and whispered to his brother-in-law, Rav Eliezer Roth, head of the Asos Mishpat Bais Din and son-in-law of Rav Yitzchok Zilberstein, “Boruch Hashem, all the judgments and decrees have been sweetened.”

This occurred shortly before a dramatic preemptive strike by Israel within Lebanon.

As the meal was coming to an end and the alarms had already begun in the northern settlements, Rav Kook threw candies towards his close talmidim and said, “These will be in place of the missiles.”

The meal lasted until five in the morning. Afterward, Rav Kook davened Maariv with great devotion and immediately afterward davened Shacharis at sunrise. Following Shacharis, he made Havdalah.

{Matzav.com Israel}

Kamala Harris has raised over $540 million in donations since starting her campaign in July, the Democratic nominee’s campaign said in a memo on Sunday, citing it as a “record for any campaign in history.”

The Harris-Walz campaign raised about $82 million of that sum during the Democratic National Convention last week, campaign spokesperson Ammar Moussa confirmed in a post on Twitter.

Donations hit the $500 million mark shortly before the vice president’s acceptance speech on Thursday, campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon reported in the memo.

“Immediately after her speech, we saw our best fundraising hour since launch day,” O’Malley Dillon wrote. Previously, the campaign reported a record-breaking $81 million in donations in the 24 hours after Harris declared her candidacy. The campaign estimated about one third of the donations during the Chicago conference came from first-time donors. About two-thirds of those first-time donors were women, and the most common listed occupations were “teacher” and “nurse.” Read more. 

{Matzav.com}

One person was killed and three were injured by a landslide that prompted a mandatory evacuation in the Alaska city of Ketchikan, authorities said. Three people were transported to Ketchikan Medical Center following the landslide, which struck around 4 p.m. Sunday and damaged homes and infrastructure, the Ketchikan Gateway Borough and City of Ketchikan said in a joint statement Sunday. Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy declared an emergency for Ketchikan, while Borough Mayor Rodney Dial and city Mayor Dave Kiffer issued a separate emergency declaration. “Friends, is with a heavy heart we relay that a landslide in the city has taken a life, caused several injuries, damaged homes and impacted our community,” Dial said in the statement. Kiffer said the loss of life was “heartbreaking, and my heart goes out to those who lost their homes.” “In my 65 years in Ketchikan, I have never seen a slide of this magnitude. With the slides we have seen across the region, there is clearly a region-wide issue that we need to try to understand with the support of our State geologist,” Kiffer said. Two of the victims were admitted to the hospital and one was treated and released. All other individuals have been accounted for, the statement said. Multiple homes were impacted by the landslide and a mandatory evacuation was ordered for residents of Third Avenue and nearby streets, while a shelter was set up at Ketchikan High School, the borough and city said. A potential secondary landslide area was identified to the south of the original slide location and crews were standing by, the statement said. Power was restored to some affected areas by 8:15 p.m. Other areas will remain without power while the landslide is cleared and broken power poles are replaced, the borough and city said. Various local and state agencies responded to the landslide in the southeastern Alaska city located about 297 miles (478 kilometers) south of Juneau, the state capital. A Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management Response Specialist and federal Department of Transportation personnel are expected to travel to Ketchikan on Monday, Dunleavy said. “I have directed state agencies to make available all resources and staff for the response effort,” Dunleavy said, noting the city was receiving assistance from the State Emergency Operations Center. The landslide followed a weekend bout of rain amid an abnormally dry August for the region, said Andrew Park, a meteorologist in Juneau with the National Weather Service. The heaviest rainfall came overnight Saturday and moved south through the Ketchikan area on Sunday. The event occurred absent of some of the red flags meteorologists typically look for, such as high winds, Park said. “There weren’t any of the big red flags we would normally see,” said Park, although he said landslides can be relatively unpredictable. He said the region seeing landslides of different magnitudes isn’t rare, even on dry days, but “we don’t really see the impacts” because the population density is so small. “If you ever fly over the panhandle and you look down, you can see landslide scars all over the place — massive landslide scars,” he said. “In terms of, is it unsual for it to impact our cities? Very. This is a very unusual event. But landslides are not unusual to our region.” Landslides tend to garner […]

In the following episode of “Inside the Agudah,” Rabbi Shlomo Soroka, Director of Government Affairs at Agudath Israel of America, sits with Rabbi Yitzchok Hisiger, Director of Torah Initiatives at Agudath Israel of America, to discuss his work on behalf of the frum community. Rabbi Soroka studied at Yeshivas Toras Moshe in Israel, Mirrer Yeshiva in Brooklyn, Beth Medrash Govoha in Lakewood, and Yeshivas Mir in Yerushalayim before moving to St. Louis in 2005. There, he served as associate rosh kollel and Executive Director of the St. Louis Kollel. In 2015, Rabbi Soroka relocated to Chicago and joined Agudath Israel of Illinois. As the Agudah’s Director of Government Affairs, Rabbi Soroka works closely with lawmakers to influence federal, state, and local legislation that will affect the Orthodox Jewish community. His primary focus is on the areas of education, public safety and security, and religious liberty. Rabbi Soroka played a key role in the creation, passage, and implementation of a tax credit scholarship program in 2018 that brought over $120 million in relief to Illinois’ yeshiva tuition-paying families. He has also secured numerous government grants for the Jewish community, totaling tens of millions of dollars. Watch and learn more about what Rabbi Soroka and the Agudah do each day.

WATCH:

Former President Donald Trump once again raised uncertainty about his participation in the upcoming ABC News debate with Vice President Kamala Harris, using his Truth Social platform to blast the network and its coverage. In a fiery post late Sunday, Trump took particular aim at host Jon Karl following his contentious interview with Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas, calling the network “FAKE NEWS” over its bias. “I watched ABC FAKE NEWS this morning, both lightweight reporter Jonathan Carl’s ridiculous and biased interview of Tom Cotton (who was fantastic!), and their so-called Panel of Trump Haters,” Trump wrote. He then questioned his involvement in the September 10 debate, asking, “Why would I do the Debate against Kamala Harris on that network?” The former president praised Cotton’s performance during the interview but criticized Karl’s handling of the conversation, which focused in part on Trump’s past comments about the Medal of Honor. Trump’s outburst comes at a time when his participation in the debate has been a subject of speculation, and his latest comments only fuel the uncertainty surrounding the planned event. Trump also referenced past controversies involving ABC News and its staff, including the 2016 incident where Donna Brazile, then an analyst for the network, was accused of leaking debate questions to Hillary Clinton’s campaign. Trump took this as an opportunity to cast further doubt on the network’s impartiality, writing, “Will panelist Donna Brazil give the questions to the Marxist Candidate like she did for Crooked Hillary Clinton? Will Kamala’s best friend, who heads up ABC, do likewise?” The former president also questioned the involvement of ABC’s George Stephanopoulos, whom he referred to mockingly as “Liddle’ George Slopadopolus,” and criticized Harris for refusing to debate on networks like Fox News and NBC. “Why did Harris turn down Fox, NBC, CBS, and even CNN? Stay tuned!!!” Trump wrote. A clip from the interview Trump was alluding to can be watched below. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

As a follow-up to our report last night, the Torah community is urgently requested to continue davening for Rav Avrohom Nesanel Zucker, rosh yeshiva of Yeshiva Gedolah Ohr Yisroel of Marine Park, Brooklyn, who is in critical need of rachamei Shomayim.

Because the condition has taken a turn for the worse, a name, Refoel has been added.

Rav Zucker sustained a severe head injury on Sunday and underwent a lengthy surgery. The situation is critical, and Klal Yisroel is asked to daven on his behalf.

Please daven for Refoel Avrohom Nesanel ben Masha Liba b’soch sha’ar cholei Yisroel.

{Matzav.com}

Gunmen in southwestern Pakistan killed at least 38 people in three separate attacks on Monday, officials said, while the military said security forces killed 21 insurgents, marking one of the deadliest days of violence in the restive Baluchistan province, with reports of other shootings and destruction in the area as well. Twenty-three people were fatally shot overnight after being taken from buses, vehicles and trucks in Musakhail, a district in Baluchistan, senior police official Ayub Achakzai said. The attackers burned at least 10 vehicles before fleeing. In a separate attack, gunmen killed at least nine people, including four police officers and five passersby, in Baluchistan’s Qalat district, authorities said. The bodies of six people were found in Bolan, where insurgents also blew up a railway track. They also attacked a police station in Mastung and attacked and burned vehicles in Gwadar, all districts in Baluchistan. No casualties were reported in those attacks. The military said 14 security forces were “martyred” while responding to the attacks. Those appeared to be included in the overall death toll. “Sanitization operations are being conducted and the instigators, perpetrators, facilitators and abettors of these heinous and cowardly acts, targeting innocent civilians, will be brought to justice,” the military said in a statement. Sarfraz Bugti, the chief minister in Baluchistan, told reporters in Quetta that operations against the insurgents are underway, and “those who killed our innocent civilians and security with be dealt with a full force.” Baluchistan has been the scene of a long-running insurgency in Pakistan, with an array of separatist groups staging attacks, mainly on security forces. The separatists have been demanding independence from the central government in Islamabad. Although Pakistani authorities say they have quelled the insurgency, violence in Baluchistan has persisted. The attack in Musakhail came hours after the outlawed Baluch Liberation Army separatist group warned people to stay away from highways as they launched attacks on security forces in various parts of the province. But there there was no immediate claim of responsibility for the latest killings. In a statement on Monday, the BLA only said it inflicted heavy losses on security forces in attacks in the province. Pakistan’s military and government did not immediately comment on that claim. The group often provides exaggerated figures of troop casualties. It said one female suicide bomber also took part in the attack on security forces. Separatists are known to ask people for their ID cards, and then abduct or kill those who are from outside the province. Many recent victims have come from neighboring Punjab province. Uzma Bukhari, a spokesperson for the Punjab provincial government, denounced the latest killings, saying the “attacks are a matter of grave concern” and urging the Baluchistan government to “step up efforts to eliminate BLA terrorists.” Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi in separate statements called the attack in Musakhail “barbaric” and vowed that those behind it would not escape justice. In May, gunmen fatally shot seven barbers in Gwadar, a port city in Baluchistan. In April, separatists killed nine people after abducting them from a bus on a highway in Baluchistan. They also killed two people and wounded six in another car they forced to stop. The BLA claimed responsibility for those attacks. Syed Muhammad Ali, an Islamabad-based […]

An Atzeres Tefillah will be held on Monday night for Rav Refoel Avrohom Nesanel ben Masha Leeba (Rav Avraham Zucker), the Rosh HaYeshiva of Yeshiva Gedola Ohr Yisroel in Flatbush, who remains in critical condition after a serious biking accident on Sunday. Despite wearing a helmet at the time of the accident, the rosh yeshiva suffered a severe head injury and is in need of tremendous Rachmei Shamayim. The name Refoel was added on Monday, as his condition remains extremely critical. A special minyan for Mincha/Maariv will be held Monday at 7:25 p.m. in the Yeshiva Ohr Yisrael Beis Medrash, followed by Tehillim for his Refuah Sheleima. For those unable to attend in person, a Zoom conference line will be open starting at 7:50 p.m. The Zoom can be accessed using this link, or by calling 929-205-6099, Meeting ID #293-224-1848, passcode 123456. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Rav Gershon Ribner, rosh kollel of Kollel Nesivos Hatorah and son-in-law of Rav Shneur Kotler, has succeeded in applying classical Talmudical analysis and methodology to understanding all areas of Yiddishkeit, bringing out its profundity and sense.

LISTEN:

NASA’s recent decision to enlist SpaceX to rescue two astronauts stranded on the International Space Station due to technical issues with Boeing’s Starliner has left Boeing employees feeling “humiliated,” according to one worker who spoke to The Post.

Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who were originally set to spend just eight days on the ISS after arriving in June, will now have to wait an additional six months for a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft to bring them back to Earth. The delay is due to the Starliner capsule experiencing a helium leak and malfunctioning thrusters.

A Boeing employee based in Florida expressed that this decision is another significant setback for the company, which has already been dealing with criticism following multiple commercial flight mishaps earlier this year.

“We have had so many embarrassments lately, we’re under a microscope. This just made it, like, 100 times worse,” said the worker, who requested anonymity.

“We hate SpaceX,” the employee admitted. “We talk s–t about them all the time, and now they’re bailing us out.”

“It’s shameful. I’m embarrassed, I’m horrified,” the worker added.

With morale at a low point, the employee suggested that many at Boeing are directing their frustration toward NASA for the situation.

Boeing insists that the Starliner could still safely return the astronauts to Earth after it successfully transported them to the ISS during its first crewed mission on June 5.

However, after more than two months of testing the spacecraft, which remains docked at the ISS, NASA opted to seek assistance from SpaceX.

The Starliner experienced a helium leak just before launch, and the problem worsened after docking at the ISS.

The capsule also encountered several thruster failures. While many of these issues have been addressed, NASA concluded that the safest course of action would be to have Wilmore and Williams return on SpaceX’s Dragon Crew-9 mission in February 2025.

“We believed that Starliner could bring them home safely, but NASA didn’t want to chance it,” the employee explained.

“They have their own PR issues and don’t need two dead astronauts,” he continued. “But we didn’t think that there would be dead astronauts. We’d never have recommended that they use us if they thought that it was going to be unsafe for them.”

Steve Stich, the manager of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, stated that discussions with Boeing “came down to a little disagreement about risk.”

Boeing did not comment directly on NASA’s decision to use SpaceX for the rescue. Instead, the company told The NY Post it was focused on ensuring that the Starliner could return to Earth safely.

“Boeing continues to focus, first and foremost, on the safety of the crew and spacecraft,” the company stated.

Boeing has already spent approximately $1.5 billion in cost overruns on top of the initial $4.5 billion contract it signed with NASA, which aims to use Starliner as a second transportation method to the ISS alongside SpaceX’s Crew Dragon.

The ongoing issues with Starliner could jeopardize its future and further tarnish Boeing’s already struggling reputation in the aerospace sector.

Boeing has been dealing with safety concerns since earlier this year, when a door panel blew off an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 9 jet after it was discovered that four essential bolts were missing.

The company has also faced numerous other high-profile incidents involving its aircraft, with over 20 whistleblowers raising concerns about safety and quality issues at Boeing — some of whom have reportedly died under mysterious circumstances.

{Matzav.com}

The 7th Brigade of the IDF has intensified operations on the outskirts of Deir al-Balah, eliminating dozens of terrorists and targeting over 100 terror sites in southern Gaza in recent weeks. During these operations, soldiers from the Yahalom Unit and 603rd Battalion dismantled a 700-meter Hamas tunnel. Additionally, the 202nd Battalion uncovered munitions, anti-tank missiles, and other military equipment stored beside a baby crib in a residential apartment’s children’s room.

The campaigns of Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump are arguing in advance of their high-stakes Sept. 10 debate over whether microphones should be muted except for the candidate whose turn it is to speak. While it’s common for campaigns to quibble beforehand over debate mechanics, both Harris and Trump are under pressure to deliver a strong performance next month in Philadelphia. The first debate during this campaign led to President Joe Biden’s departure from the race. Trump on Sunday night raised the possibility that he might not show up on ABC, posting on his Truth Social network that he had watched the network’s Sunday show with a “so-called Panel of Trump Haters” and posited, “why would I do the Debate against Kamala Harris on that network?” and urging followers to “Stay tuned!!” The current dispute centers on the muting of microphones when a candidate isn’t speaking, a condition both Biden and Trump accepted for their June debate hosted by CNN. Both sides are accusing the other of gaming the system to protect their candidate. Biden’s campaign team made microphone muting a condition of its decision to accept any debates this year, and some aides now regret the decision, saying voters were shielded from hearing Trump’s outbursts during the debate. That move likely would not have helped the incumbent Democrat’s disastrous performance. The Harris campaign now wants microphones to be live all the time, according to Harris spokesman Brian Fallon, who issued a statement needling Trump. “Trump’s handlers prefer the muted microphone because they don’t think their candidate can act presidential for 90 minutes on his own,” Fallon said. Harris “is ready to deal with Trump’s constant lies and interruptions in real time. Trump should stop hiding behind the mute button.” Trump spokesman Jason Miller retorted that the Republican nominee had “accepted the ABC debate under the exact same terms as the CNN debate.” He alleged Harris’ representatives sought “a seated debate, with notes, and opening statements.” Miller then took a shot at Harris not sitting for an interview or holding a news conference since Biden ended his reelection and endorsed her, arguing her campaign now wants “to give her a cheat sheet for the debate.” The Harris campaign denied Miller’s claim that she wanted notes. During a stop Monday in the Washington area following a visit to Arlington National Cemetery, Trump said “we agreed to the same rules” in terms of the Sept. 10 debate, adding: “The truth is they’re trying to get out of it.” Complicating the negotiations this year is that debates are being orchestrated on an ad hoc basis by host networks, as opposed to the bipartisan Commission on Presidential Debates, through which debate rules were negotiated privately. Microphones have been unmuted for both candidates for most of televised presidential debate history. The debate commission announced that its October 2020 debate would have microphones muted when candidates were not recognized to speak after the first Biden-Trump contest descended into a shouting match. The second 2020 debate with the microphone muting rules was widely celebrated for being more substantive than the earlier matchup. (AP)

Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar has reportedly been concealing himself among Palestinians by disguising as a woman after fleeing Gaza’s network of terror tunnels, according to Israeli intelligence reports. Sinwar, who masterminded the October 7 attacks, had already been on Israel’s wanted list before being elevated to head Hamas’s political faction following the recent assassination of Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.

He seized control of Hamas in Gaza in 2017 through coercion and intimidation, driving his opponents into exile.

Israeli military officials believe that capturing or eliminating Sinwar would deliver a fatal blow to Hamas’s leadership, leading to its potential collapse.

Concerned for his own safety, Sinwar reportedly imposed new conditions on the fragile ceasefire negotiations in Cairo last week to ensure his protection.

Israeli forces were reportedly just “minutes” away from apprehending him ten days ago during a raid on his Gaza tunnel hideout.

“We were close. We were in his underground compound. The coffee was still hot,” stated Brigadier General Dan Goldfus, the outgoing commander of the IDF’s 98th division. Since then, the 61-year-old has been evading capture among the displaced Palestinians in Gaza, as Israeli forces intensify their efforts to locate him.

“We have actually been minutes away more than once,” noted Shalom Ben Hanan, former head of three divisions of Israel’s Shin Bet security agency and an expert in the search for Sinwar.

“Our experience with other targeted operations has shown that Sinwar doesn’t stay in underground tunnels or special hiding places for more than 24 to 36 hours. He is aware that we can detect such underground sites using advanced technology. Knowing that a slip-up or intelligence breakthrough could lead to his capture, he must keep moving to avoid any fatal errors.”

Israeli assets within Gaza are reportedly using instant DNA kits to test suspects by obtaining a drop of blood during a casual handshake. This allows for rapid analysis and identification before the suspect can relocate.

A significant reward is also being offered for information leading to his capture.

“Sinwar is not well-regarded by many in Gaza,” a source revealed to the Sunday Express. “They believe he has led them to disaster, and the situation will only worsen as long as he remains at large.”

{Matzav.com Israel}

“There is one phenomenon that worries Hamas almost as much as the Israeli military in Gaza: the thousands of informants who risk their lives for Israel,” the Jewish Chronicle reported. Without informants, there would be no hostage rescue operations and targeted killings of senior Hamas officials. But what motivates the informants and how are they recruited? Informants’ fundamental mission is to locate targets: Hamas leaders, weapons production tunnels, and Hamas terrorists who operate in the Gaza Strip in civilian clothing. The informant then transmits the information to his Israeli handlers but rarely by phone or other devices due to fear of exposure. Instead, the information is conveyed in person at one of the Israeli kibbutzim in the Gaza border area. The only time a phone or another device is used is in exceptional circumstances such as when the information is “hot” – for example, in the case of a senior Hamas leader visiting a certain place for an hour or two or information about the location of hostages who will soon be relocated. In such a case, the informant will call the number of an Israeli-Arab, for example, his “aunt” who asks him about the situation in Gaza. Of course, the “aunt” is an Israeli intelligence agent. One of the informants who provided information that led to the elimination of Hamas leader Mohammed Deif was a 19-year-old Hamas messenger, whose job was to pass handwritten notes between Hamas members in tunnels underneath Gaza. The informant is no longer located in Gaza as his handlers promised him that if Deif’s elimination was successful, he would be flown at Israel’s cost to the United States and provided asylum. The process of recruiting an informant is long and complex. The first step is to uncover the potential informant’s weak point and what he needs – money, medical treatment, or an Israeli work permit. An informant who urgently needs something Israel can provide is the best candidate. Other informants’ weak points are social or psychological – the universal need to feel important and appreciated. Since the war began, the Shin Bet has recruited hundreds of Gazans and the information they provided has led to impressive operations. One Hamas terrorist who was captured by Israeli security forces during the war was recruited by Israeli intelligence forces. His Shin Bet handler gave him shoes with electronic chips and asked him to walk through the tunnels. His presence in the tunnels did not arouse suspicion because he was a known terrorist. The scans were sent directly to the Shin Bet headquarters in Ashkelon, eight miles from Gaza. Shin Bet operatives also recruited an especially valuable informant – a Gazan contractor who was involved in the excavation of the tunnel network under the Strip. He provided his handlers with a map of the tunnels and provided details such as their size and the type of concrete he used – which helped the Air Force determine which bombs to use to destroy them. This informant was almost captured by Hamas but his handlers eventually managed to smuggle him into Israel. Thousands of collaborators who fled Gaza and the Shomron after being exposed are now living in Israel, including all the Gazan informants who facilitated the rescue of four Israeli hostages from Gaza in June. Twelve members of two families […]

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz is once again facing allegations of lying about his past after an old letter from the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce, dated 2006, has resurfaced during his vice-presidential campaign.

When Walz was first campaigning for Congress in Minnesota, his campaign website claimed he had received an award from the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce in 1993 in recognition of his efforts with the business community, as noted in a 2006 article from the Post Bulletin.

However, this claim was false, as pointed out in a strongly worded letter from Barry L. Kennedy, who was president of the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce at the time.

“We researched this matter and can confirm that you have not been the recipient of any award from the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce,” the letter sent to Walz on November 1, 2006, stated.

“I am not going to draw a conclusion about your intentions by including this line in your biography. However, we respectfully request that you remove any reference to our organization as it could be considered an endorsement of your candidacy. It should be pointed out, however, that the US Chamber of Commerce has endorsed your opponent, Congressman Gil Gutknecht, for his support of small business issues,” Kennedy continued.

This letter was recently uncovered by Minnesota news outlet Alpha News, reigniting the controversy that originally surfaced in 2006.

The Post Bulletin, a newspaper in Rochester, Minnesota, reported in 2006 that Walz’s campaign had corrected its website, acknowledging that the governor did not win an award from the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce, but instead received recognition from the Nebraska Junior Chamber of Commerce, also known as the Jaycees.

At the time, Walz’s campaign manager described the situation as a “typographical error,” according to the Post Bulletin.

When asked by Fox Digital about the incident, the Harris-Walz campaign defended Walz’s communication style, noting that he often speaks “openly and off the cuff.”

“Governor Walz speaks the way real people speak — openly and off the cuff. The American people appreciate that Gov. Walz tells it like it is and doesn’t talk like a politician, and they appreciate the difference between someone who occasionally misspeaks and a pathological liar like Donald Trump,” the campaign stated.

These accusations add to a long list of criticisms that Walz has faced over the years for allegedly misrepresenting his background, particularly regarding claims about his military service.

Walz served in the Army National Guard for 24 years, retiring in 2005 before launching a successful congressional campaign. He represented Minnesota in the US House from 2007 to 2019.

Following his selection as Vice President Kamala Harris’s running mate, Walz has faced criticism from veterans who accuse him of falsely portraying his military service, particularly in referring to himself as a retired “command sergeant major.”

Although Walz was promoted to command sergeant major after a 2004 deployment to Italy, he did not complete the necessary coursework at the US Army Sergeants Major Academy to retain this rank upon retirement. Instead, he retired as a master sergeant, which is one rank lower.

“For 20 years, they let this guy go by with a lie that he deployed to Iraq, which he didn’t, and that he retired as a command sergeant major, which he did not. I mean, that’s just blatant lies,” Republican Virginia Senate candidate Hung Cao, a retired Navy captain, said to the New York Post this month about Walz.

Earlier this month, Walz’s former battalion commander in the Minnesota Army National Guard also released a sharply critical statement regarding Walz’s claim of being a “retired Command Sergeant Major.”

{Matzav.com}