A senior Hamas official has drawn widespread condemnation after claiming in a televised interview that Israel staged the October 7 Nova music festival massacre and that Israeli forces were responsible for the killings.
The remarks were made by Osama Hamdan, a member of Hamas’s political bureau, during an interview broadcast by Norway’s NRK television network. According to summaries circulated by blogger Yehuda Teitelbaum, Hamdan denied that Hamas murdered civilians during the October 7 attacks and advanced a series of conspiracy claims about the events of that day.
Hamdan asserted that the massacre at the Nova festival was carried out by Israeli forces, claiming the attack was conducted by Israeli troops who fired from helicopters under the pretext that they were targeting Hamas gunmen. He further alleged that individuals wearing Qassam Brigade symbols at the festival should be investigated.
Throughout the interview, Hamdan insisted that Hamas never deliberately targeted civilians, hospitals, schools, or mosques. He argued that all such accusations are false and maintained that responsibility for civilian deaths lies entirely with Israel.
He also claimed Hamas holds democratic legitimacy because it won Palestinian legislative elections in 2006, while acknowledging that those were the last elections held and that a significant portion of Gaza’s current population was not yet born at the time.
Hamdan maintained that Palestinians in Gaza are free to criticize Hamas and denied the existence of fear or repression in the territory, contradicting numerous reports and testimonies from Gaza residents describing harsh internal crackdowns.
When asked what responsibility Hamas bears for the devastation in Gaza, Hamdan placed full blame on Israel and refused to acknowledge any role by Hamas in triggering the war.
He openly defended beatings, torture, and public executions of Palestinians accused of collaborating with Israel, describing such actions as legal, moral, and consistent with Palestinian law, including executions carried out within 48 hours.
Hamdan categorically rejected the idea of disarmament, stating that Hamas would relinquish its weapons only after a full Israeli withdrawal to the 1967 lines, the implementation of a mass “right of return,” and international guarantees—conditions he described as non-negotiable.
Asked whether Hamas would attack Israel again despite the destruction in Gaza, Hamdan declined to rule it out, affirming that the “resistance will continue.”
In February 2025, he said Hamas would rebuild and expand its capabilities in Gaza so it could “attack Israel at any time we want.” He also stated that anyone seeking to replace Israel’s role would be treated as Israel, adding that issues related to weapons, leadership, and the resistance movement are not open for discussion.
His remarks mirror earlier statements he made in December 2023, one month after the massacre, when he told a Lebanese television channel that a “war of liberation is coming,” adding that it would not be “just another October 7” and that he did not believe it was far off. When asked whether he regretted the October 7 attacks, he responded, “Regret crushing an entire division of the occupation army?” He also claimed that all 1,200 people killed near the Gaza border “belonged to the occupation army” and said at the time, “We do not regret October 7.”
{Matzav.com}
The government on Sunday approved a landmark plan to begin formal land registration proceedings in Judea and Samaria for the first time since 1967, a move officials describe as a major shift in civilian administration in the area.
The proposal was advanced by Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Minister Yariv Levin, Finance Minister and Minister in the Defense Ministry Bezalel Smotrich, and Defense Minister Yisroel Katz. It calls for restarting official land registry operations, commonly referred to as the “Tabu,” canceling outdated Jordanian-era laws, and unsealing land records that have remained closed for decades.
The decision is being viewed as one of the most far-reaching changes to civilian governance in Judea and Samaria since the Six-Day War. According to the government, the objective is to bring clarity to land ownership, curb fraudulent claims, and strengthen Israel’s administrative control in the region.
Under the resolution, the Land Registration and Rights Authority within the Justice Ministry will be empowered to oversee the new regulatory process. The agency will receive a dedicated budget and additional personnel to implement the plan.
Among the practical implications of the move is the formal registration of extensive tracts of land in Judea and Samaria under the state’s name.
In an official statement, the government said the renewed procedures will enable a transparent and comprehensive review of property rights, help settle legal disputes, and facilitate organized infrastructure development and land marketing. The statement also noted that the decision comes in response to land regulation efforts advanced by the Palestinian Authority in Area C.
Katz emphasized, “The renewal of the land regulation in Judea and Samaria is a vital security and governance move aimed at ensuring Israel’s control, enforcement, and full operational freedom in the area. Land regulation prevents unilateral actions, reduces attempts at illegal land seizures, and disrupts terrorist infrastructure that undermines stability and security. This is a necessary step for creating operational and legal certainty, enabling the IDF and the security forces to act decisively to protect Israeli citizens and safeguard national interests. I thank Ministers Smotrich and Levin for their cooperation.”
Smotrich added, “We continue the settlement revolution and the holding of all territories of our land. For the first time since the Six-Day War, we are restoring order and governance to land management in Judea and Samaria. Regulated land arrangements prevent disputes, create legal certainty, prevent unilateral actions, and enable lawful and responsible development. The State of Israel is taking responsibility for its land and is acting according to the law, transparently and decisively.”
Levin concluded: “The proposal that was approved represents a true revolution in Judea and Samaria. The Land of Israel belongs to the people of Israel. The Israeli government is committed to deepening its hold over all its parts, and this decision reflects that commitment. I thank my friends, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Defense Minister Israel Katz, for advancing this proposal, and the professional staff in their offices who helped bring it to fruition.”
Authorities in Arizona are using advanced technology from the air as they continue searching for Nancy Guthrie, who vanished nearly two weeks ago. Investigators are flying over the Tucson desert with specialized equipment designed to detect a Bluetooth signal from her pacemaker, hoping it will help pinpoint her location.
A helicopter operated by the Pima County Sheriff’s Department has been moving slowly in a systematic grid pattern over the terrain near Nancy’s residence, attempting to pick up a signal from the implanted device, Fox News reported.
Residents previously noticed a helicopter flying in a comparable pattern close to her upscale home just days after she went missing. However, it remains uncertain whether that aircraft was equipped with the same Bluetooth-detecting technology at the time, according to Fox.
The effort to locate Savannah Guthrie’s mother has now stretched into its second week. Nancy Guthrie was reported missing on Feb. 1, after she was last seen at approximately 9:30 p.m. on Jan. 31. Authorities continue to focus their search in the area surrounding her Tucson home as the investigation remains active.
Sen. John Fetterman said during a weekend television appearance that elements within the Democratic Party have grown too comfortable aligning with anti-Israel activists, sharply criticizing certain colleagues and media figures while reaffirming his unwavering support for Israel.
Speaking on Fox News Channel’s “Saturday in America,” the Pennsylvania Democrat lamented what he described as a troubling trend inside his party. “There’s a rot in my party, standing with pro-Hamas” figures and antisemitic voices such as Hasan Piker, he said, singling out Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) as someone he believes has aligned herself with Piker.
Fetterman questioned why some Democrats appear quick to condemn Israel while remaining comparatively quiet about Iran’s human rights record. “Why is she so eager to criticize and find a way to criticize Israel? But I don’t really recall them saying anything as Iran was executing thousands and thousands of their protesters for that. Now, there was never any genocide in Gaza, absolutely. And there shouldn’t ever be any conditions for aid for Israel, because they were in an existential war. That’s part of the problem with the very anti-Israel part of my party. So, call that what it is. Why [can’t you] just stand — and why would you align yourself [with] raging [antisemites] and very pro-Hamas people like Hasan Piker?” he said.
The senator went on to argue that certain influential platforms have amplified voices he considers hostile to Israel. “There’s a rot in my party, standing with pro-Hamas people like that, whether it’s even in The New York Times, they’re [fascinated] with him. So, where we are — and call this is — and stand with Israel, that’s our special ally, and there was never a genocide. And when there is a genocide, where you’re executing tens of thousands of people in Iran, why not call that out too?” he added.
WATCH:
Rep. Nancy Pelosi cautioned that Democrats must remain alert ahead of the upcoming midterm elections, warning of potential “surveillance by the intelligence operation” and advising her party not to “put anything past” President Donald Trump.
Appearing Saturday on MS NOW’s The Weekend while attending the annual Munich Security Conference in Germany, Pelosi said she has been reassuring European officials that she is confident Democrats will regain control of the House of Representatives. She described having “absolute certainty” about a Democratic victory, even as she acknowledged deep worries about how the elections will unfold.
Pelosi pointed specifically to what she described as troubling involvement by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard in an FBI raid on a polling station in Fulton County, Georgia, where authorities sought to retrieve ballots from the 2020 election. The California lawmaker said the situation has heightened fears both domestically and abroad about election integrity.
“I hear that all over the United States, not just in Europe, that there is concern about the election. Let me just say that surveillance by the intelligence operation of our country, surveillance in our own country is something that is absolutely not to be allowed. And now, if there’s some particular reason, there’s one thing, but for the for them, for Tulsi to be looking into elections is really not right. It’s not lawful. It’s not right. But that doesn’t seem to ever bother the president. But you know what? We don’t agonize, we organize, and we have litigation. We have lawyering in terms in addition to in the courts, but at polling places and the rest, we have legislation.”
Pelosi also made clear that Democrats intend to oppose voter identification requirements that Trump has pledged will be implemented for the midterms. The House recently approved the SAVE Act, which would mandate identification to cast a ballot, with one Democrat siding with Republicans. The measure now faces significant obstacles in the Senate.
Although Pelosi expressed strong confidence in her party’s electoral prospects, she also warned that Trump could potentially involve federal forces in ways she believes might affect the election process.
“We’re dealing with it. And the president — people are concerned they’re going to send in ICE and the National Guard or this or that,” she argued. “Don’t put anything past him. As we saw on January 6th when the president of the United States personally incited an insurrection in our country, he’s capable of any bad thing.”
WATCH:
Barack Obama addressed long-running speculation about extraterrestrial life during a recent podcast appearance, joking about aliens while dismissing the idea of a government cover-up.
Speaking on Brian Tyler Cohen’s podcast, the 44th president was asked directly whether he believes aliens exist.
“They’re real, but I haven’t seen them,” Obama answered.
He also rejected claims that extraterrestrials are being concealed at the Nevada military installation commonly known as Area 51.
“There’s no underground facility, unless there’s this enormous conspiracy and they hid it from the President of the United States,” Obama continued.
Cohen followed up by asking what question first came to Obama’s mind after he entered the Oval Office. Obama said even then, the topic of aliens came up — though in jest.
“Uh, where are the aliens?” he joked.
The interview marked another occasion in which Obama has publicly discussed the possibility of life beyond Earth.
In a 2021 appearance on “The Late Late Show with James Corden,” Obama recalled that shortly after becoming president, he inquired whether the government had secret information about extraterrestrials or was studying them in a hidden facility. According to Obama, he was informed that no such program existed.
At the same time, Obama acknowledged that U.S. officials have taken seriously reports of unusual aerial objects that defy easy explanation.
“There is footage and records of objects in the skies that we don’t know exactly what they are,” he said. “We can’t explain how they moved, their trajectory. They did not have an easily explainable pattern. I think people still take seriously trying to investigate and figure out what that is.”
Following Obama’s remarks, Fox News White House correspondent Peter Doocy posed a question to President Joe Biden about unidentified aerial phenomena, or UAP.
“What do you think that it is?”
Biden replied, “I would ask (Obama) again.”
Interest in UAPs has grown significantly in recent years, drawing increased scrutiny from lawmakers and federal agencies. In 2023, Congress approved the Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena Disclosure Act, and the Department of War established the All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office to examine reports of unexplained sightings across air, land, sea, and space domains.
{Matzav.com}
President Donald Trump is pointing to a decline in mortgage rates since his return to the White House, contrasting current figures with higher borrowing costs during Joe Biden’s administration and framing the change as a sign of economic improvement.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump shared a graphic claiming that mortgage rates now stand at 5%, compared with levels of 6%, 7%, and 8% under Biden. The source of the specific numbers cited in the post was not immediately identified.
When Biden entered office in January 2021, mortgage rates were hovering near record lows, with the average 30-year fixed loan at roughly 2.7%. Over the following two years, however, rates climbed steeply as inflation accelerated and the Federal Reserve responded with a series of sharp interest rate hikes. By 2023, mortgage rates had risen above 7%, reaching their highest point in more than 20 years.
Although rates moderated somewhat in 2024, they remained well above the historic lows seen earlier in the decade.
Since Trump took office again in January 2025, borrowing costs for home loans have edged down slightly, with average 30-year rates settling into the low-6% range in the opening weeks of 2026.
Financial analysts caution that while presidential administrations can shape broader economic policy, mortgage rates are influenced primarily by inflation expectations, movements in the bond market, and decisions made by the Federal Reserve. As a result, they are not determined by the actions of any one president alone.
“Joe Biden’s inflation crisis crushed the dream of homeownership for millions of Americans — but President Trump is bringing it back,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News.
“Thanks to the President’s successful economic policies, unnecessary red tape is being cut at a historic pace, borrowing costs are easing, and income growth is outpacing home price gains — finally making housing more affordable again.”
Leavitt added: “President Trump knows America is strongest when it’s a nation of owners, not renters, and he is determined to unlock that opportunity for as many American families as possible.”
