[COMMUNICATED]
by Rabbi Eliezer Sandler
The concept of the Yissachar-Zevulun Torah Learning Pact goes back well over 3,500 years, to the time of Yaakov Avinu and his sons. It is named for the Torah pact between two of his sons – Yissachar the scholar and Zevulun the merchant. Not only was it an equal pact but, Chazal explained, the deed of Zevulun/the Sponsor is considered even greater than that of Yissachar, because without the support of Zevulun, Yissachar would not have had the wherewithal to study Torah undisturbed.”
It is well-known that when it comes to learning Torah, people who sponsor the learning, often do so, not just as a donation. By financially supporting specific Torah scholars, they enter into a binding, written, signed and sealed learning partnership pact whereby the Sponsor (the Zevulun) is deemed by Halacha as if he personally studied the Torah completed by the Scholar (the Yissachar). (See below.)
Thus, those who support the Talmidei Chachomim at Shas Yiden via a Yissachar-Zevulun Pact merit a portion in every daf of the entire Talmud Bavli and associated texts that they study, and complete the entire cycle in the space of ONE year. Some of the Sponsors opt to continue sponsoring repeat cycles of Shas which accrue to them.
Sar Hatorah, Maran Hagaon Harav Chaim Kanievsky, zt”l, Nasi Shas Yiden, emphasized: The most mehudar Yissachar-Zevulun pact to support in our times is that offered by Shas Yiden – it comprises the entire Shas, Rashi and Tosfos – all in just one year!
Rav Chaim explained why this pact with Shas Yiden is the most mehudar. Chazal say that the highest level of learning is when one understands what he is learning b’iyun u’ve’amkus. However, even higher than that is when one remembers b’al peh all what he has learned. I have farhered the Shas Yiden avreichim geonim many times and can attest ZEI KENNEN SHAS (they know Shas)!
YES! YOU CAN MAKE
your OWN SIYUM on the ENTIRE Shas, Rashi & Tosfos IN JUST ONE YEAR!
The Yissachar-Zevulun Pact in Halacha
The Shulchan Aruch in Yoreh De’ah Chapter 246 regarding the efficacy of the Yissachar-Zevulun Sponsorship Pact for the Zevulun (the Sponsor) states clearly: It is deemed as if he (the one sponsoring the learning) himself learned all the Torah studied under the pact.
All the learning under the Shas Yiden Yissachar-Zevulun Pact is yours בעוה”ז ובעוה”ב (in both This World and the World to Come)! Concerning this, the Netziv of Volozhin comments that in Olam Habah, the Zevulun sponsor will sit together with the Gedolei Torah of the past and merit to participate in their discussions and pilpulim on all the Torah learned.
Achieve Almost 7 million Mitzvos in One Year
The Vilna Gaon in Shnos Eliyahu Pe’ah 41 states that one should hold precious every word of Torah that he learns because each word is considered a mitzvah of its own.
Thus, since in Talmud Bavli, Rashi and Tosfos there are 6,608,891 words, that translates into almost 7 million mitzvos accruing through Yissachar-Zevulun at Shas Yiden.
Official Shtar from Shas Yiden
Each Yissachar-Zevulun pact is confirmed by an official contract (shtar) from Shas Yiden specifying the learning of the entire Shas, and is witnessed by talmidei chachomim.
All who wish to enter into a Yissachar-Zevulun Pact for the entire Shas during ONE year should contact Shas Yiden to make arrangements: 718-702-1528.
The opportunity to complete the entire Shas has been a cherished way to honor family members and others as a prized achievement. It has also proven to be a source of comfort for mourners to obtain such a zechus for their dear ones during the year of mourning – a siyum of the entire Shas can be completed on the yahrzeit!
Yissachar-Zevulun Pact –
Beyond the Grave
The legendary visionary and “Father of Yeshivos”, Reb Chaim of Volozhin, was the founder of the famous yeshiva in the town of Volozhin and the beloved talmid of the Vilna Gaon.
Reb Chaim had an ongoing Yissachar-Zevulun pact with a local shoemaker – a man who was not learned but who dearly valued Torah learning. They had a ‘deal’ whereby the shoemaker would pay the monthly financial support needed for Reb Chaim and his family. For this financial support, the shoemaker would have an equal share in all Reb Chaim’s daily Torah study – both in the mitzvah of Torah study בעוה”ז and that the knowledge of the Torah learned would continue to be his בעוה”ב (in the World to Come).
One day the shoemaker passed away suddenly. During the shiva period, Reb Chaim was facing a perplexing halachic question and researched high and low for a solution. That night the shoemaker appeared to him in a dream and gave him the full solution that he sought. Reb Chaim was amazed and commented, “Azoi gich, Azoi Gich – So quickly, so quickly has he acquired the zchus and knowledge of the Torah that I have studied!”
In the words of Gedolei Torah:
Maran Hagaon Harav Chaim Kanievsky, zt”l, Nasi Shas Yiden:
“In just ONE year, through Yissachar-Zevulun at Shas Yiden, you can be zoche to the entire Shas forever – בעוה”ז ובעוה”ב (in olam hazeh and olam habah).
“Moreover, whoever supports Shas Yiden is zocheh to fulfill both Yissachar-Zevulun and support of aniyei (the poor of) Eretz Yisroel in the fullest sense of the word.
“Those who support Shas Yiden will be saved from chevlei (the travails of) Moshiach – spiritually and materially, and will be zoche to have ehrlicher bonim u’vanos yir’eishomayim ”
Maran Hagaon Harav Dov Lando, shlit”a, Rosh Yeshiva, Slabodka:
“Who compares to the Shas Yiden? Incredible talmidei chachomim geonim who raised the bar in limud Hashas b’iyun u’v’amkus. Blessed are those who enter a Yissachar-Zevulun pact with them.”
Hamashpia Hagadol Reb Meilech Biederman, shlit”a:
“Yissachar-Zevulun at Shas Yiden – best possible deal, and in just 1 year! 100% partnership! 100% Shas x 5 times! 100% Shisha Sidrei Mishna – בעוה”ז ובעוה”ב”
Sanzer Rebbe, shlit”a:
“A first in 2000 years of Jewish history! Until Shas Yiden, never a Torah institution where ALL the avreichim metzuyonim v’geonim know the entire Shas by heart”
Harav Yaakov Hillel, shlit”a:
“Therefore, the great mitzvah to support the efforts [of the Talmidei Chachomim] with generous donations in order that they should continue diligently with their studies to enhance the greatness of the Torah and its glory.
Kamala Harris is openly embracing her place in American political lore, telling The New York Times that she considers herself a “historic figure” and noting that her likeness will soon be carved in marble for display in Congress. Speaking ahead of the release of her book, 107 Days, Harris said she no longer feels “burdened” by trying to secure her legacy and brushed aside questions about her political future.
“I understand the focus on ’28 and all that,” she told the Times, insisting that her imprint on history is already assured. “But there will be a marble bust of me in Congress. I am a historic figure like any Vice President of the United States ever was.” She went on to praise the energy surrounding her book tour, saying, “Thousands of people are coming to hear my voice. Thousands and thousands. Every place we’ve gone has been sold out.”
Her remarks allude to the long-running Senate practice of commissioning marble busts of former vice presidents—a custom dating back to the late 19th century—and arrive as Harris uses her book rollout to air grievances with major figures in her own party. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, among others, comes in for sharp criticism.
In the book, Harris claims Shapiro peppered her team with excessive questions, including “how he might arrange to get Pennsylvania artists’ work on loan from the Smithsonian.” She further writes that he seemed intent on involvement in every matter, prompting her to remind him that “a vice president is not a co-president.”
Political analysts had long wondered why Harris chose Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz instead of Shapiro as her running mate, and her newly published anecdotes have now drawn an angry response. Shapiro dismissed her portrayal outright, saying in an interview with The Atlantic, “She wrote that in her book? That’s complete and utter [garbage].” He added, “I can tell you that her accounts are just blatant lies.” Defending his approach, he continued, “I did ask a bunch of questions. Wouldn’t you ask questions if someone was talking to you about forming a partnership and working together?”
Shapiro chalked up her storytelling to self-promotion, concluding, “She’s trying to sell books. Period.”
Harris also directs frustration at Biden’s White House, accusing senior aides of sidelining her both during their administration and throughout her campaign against Trump. She writes that “Getting anything positive said about my work or any defense against untrue attacks was almost impossible,” asserting that the administration was content to let her take the political hits for the border crisis and other controversies.
{Matzav.com}
A sharp warning was issued today against Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara over her ongoing delay in deciding whether to reopen the criminal investigation into the 2021 Meron disaster, which claimed the lives of 45 men, boys, and children.
Retired judge Prof. Menachem Finkelstein, the Commissioner for Public Complaints Against State Representatives in the Courts, cautioned on Tuesday that time is running out and that the risk of the case becoming time-barred is growing. His remarks were reported by Ynet.
Finkelstein said the prolonged inaction harms not only the bereaved families who have waited years for accountability, but also the ability of the justice system to conduct any future prosecution fairly. “Unfortunately, it can be said that at this stage even a decision whether to open a criminal proceeding does not appear on the horizon. This state of affairs is unacceptable,” he warned.
The original criminal probe was halted after then–Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit stopped the process upon the establishment of the national commission of inquiry. That panel completed its work in March 2024 and formally recommended that the Attorney General consider renewing the criminal investigation. Yet no determination has been made since.
In her response to the commissioner, Baharav-Miara noted that following a petition to the High Court—which was dismissed—the State Prosecutor’s Office continues to review the commission’s findings with an expanded team. Finkelstein, however, said that was insufficient: “The time that has passed since the judgment in the petition requires, in my view, a significant acceleration of the actions taken.”
He also revealed a troubling detail: some materials submitted to the inquiry committee have still not been forwarded to the police or the prosecution, despite being essential for any investigation. Additional delays, he warned, could result in severe procedural harm—and may later serve as grounds to close the case.
“Past experience teaches that such delays may later serve as a significant factor in a decision not to open an investigation or not to file indictments,” he wrote. “This must be prevented, and action must be taken before the statute of limitations runs out.”
The national commission’s final report issued sweeping criticism of the authorities involved. “We found a corrupt culture within our own house. This harmful culture led to the terrible disaster on Mount Meron… This disaster could have been prevented, and it should have been prevented,” the panel wrote. It added that the police operated under “fixed assumptions,” including the belief that attendance could not be capped, and noted that “no serious staff work was ever done” to address crowd-control risks.
The report attributed personal responsibility to several senior officials, including Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu; Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana, who at the time served as Minister of Public Security; and former Police Commissioner Kobi Shabtai.
{Matzav.com}
The Department of Homeland Security is sounding the alarm over new California data showing that publicly funded ambulance rides could soar by as much as 383%, a spike the Trump administration is using to intensify its attacks on Gov. Gavin Newsom’s policies extending Medi-Cal and Medicaid access to illegal immigrants.
Officials in Washington have repeatedly faulted California for allowing state and federal healthcare dollars to cover emergency services for migrants without legal status—a dispute that became a flashpoint during the recent government shutdown. DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told Fox News Digital that “President Trump consistently promised to protect Medicaid for eligible beneficiaries” and said the administration is now working to ensure taxpayer funds are not diverted to those who are not legally entitled to them. She added, “To keep that promise after Joe Biden flooded our country with tens of millions of illegal aliens, CMS and DHS are exploring an initiative to ensure that illegal aliens are not receiving Medicaid benefits that are meant for law-abiding Americans.”
McLaughlin argued that California has already been forced to confront the strain its policies created, saying, “California should understand this principle pretty well by now, since they had to announce they were freezing Medi-Cal enrollment for illegal immigrants earlier this year.” Newsom revealed in May that the state would halt new Medi-Cal enrollment for undocumented adults beginning in 2026, and later announced plans to require those already in the program to begin paying monthly premiums in mid-2027. Although Newsom initially sought a $100 monthly charge, the Democratic-controlled legislature reduced the figure to $30.
Those not yet enrolled will be barred from applying starting in 2026, a restriction that narrows who can receive emergency Medicaid services—but does not eliminate one of the most expensive elements: ambulance transportation. According to the California Department of Health Care Services, the cost of a taxpayer-funded ambulance trip surged from $339 per ride in 2022 to $1,168 in 2024. The state has now asked the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to approve rates of $1,597 for 2025 and $1,637 for 2026—a jump that amounts to roughly 382%.
Although California did not explicitly tie its soaring ambulance expenditures to services for illegal migrants, DHS suggested there may be a connection and used the moment to reiterate the administration’s push for more detailed data about migrants receiving care. McLaughlin said, “This information sharing is essential to identify who is in our country, including violent criminals, determine what public safety and terror threats may exist so we can neutralize them and identify what public benefits these aliens are using at taxpayer expense.” She followed with a pointed critique: “California Democrats, like Gavin Newsom, should stop putting illegal aliens over Americans.”
Part of the controversy centers on California’s use of intergovernmental transfers, or IGTs—transactions in which counties and public hospitals send funds to the state, allowing California to claim those dollars as Medicaid spending. The federal government then matches that inflated amount. Afterward, states can return the original money to the local entities while keeping the federal match. According to DHS, this mechanism contributes to widening disparities: private ambulance providers remain stuck at a reimbursement rate of $339, while publicly funded ambulance services in California have seen dramatically increased payouts.
DHS argues that taxpayers nationwide are effectively subsidizing a system that inflates costs and helps bankroll healthcare for illegal immigrants. The administration notes that while other states also rely on IGTs, California’s exceptionally large undocumented population makes it particularly vulnerable to federal scrutiny—and a prime target for the Trump administration’s broader effort to restrict benefits for those in the country illegally.
{Matzav.com}
In the closing stretch of his term, New York City Mayor Eric Adams tapped former journalist Pat Smith to serve as the interim head of the Civilian Complaint Review Board. The choice lands just weeks before Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani takes office and instantly hands him a politically sensitive decision.
According to the New York Post, Smith’s appointment fills a leadership gap at the CCRB as the Adams administration winds down. Smith has sat on the board before and was among the three members who supported the officers involved in the fatal shooting of Win Rosario, a Queens resident with mental health struggles.
Those familiar with the agency do not expect Smith to overhaul anything during the waning weeks of Adams’ tenure. The larger question is what happens once Mamdani is sworn in on January 1, 2026. If the new mayor wants to install his own leadership, he will have to replace Smith almost immediately—a move that could ignite backlash from police unions that favored Smith’s return.
Mamdani already enters office with a fraught relationship with those unions. He spent part of his campaign walking back earlier remarks seen as hostile to law enforcement. He was also criticized after suggesting that the CCRB, not the police commissioner, should have the ultimate say in disciplinary matters. Since naming Jessica Tisch as his incoming police commissioner, Mamdani has not clarified whether he still supports that approach.
The CCRB’s structure gives its chair considerable influence over public messaging and management of its more than 200 employees, even though the chair holds only one vote among 15 members who publicly weigh disciplinary recommendations.
Smith’s appointment is not the only late-game move Adams has made that will reverberate into the next administration. In October, Adams revamped the Rent Guidelines Board by installing several members viewed as aligned with property owners—potentially complicating Mamdani’s promise to secure a freeze on rents for stabilized apartments. Without a successful court challenge, those appointments could push any freeze off the table for at least two years.
The mayor-elect’s transition plans also drew attention for another reason. Mamdani added Mysonne Linen—an activist and rapper who served seven years in state prison for armed robbery—to his transition team. Linen, now 49, was listed in late November as part of the committee advising on the city’s criminal legal system.
{Matzav.com}
Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman used a live appearance on Newsmax’s “National Report” to make official what had been increasingly expected: he is running for governor of New York. The broadcast followed the release of his first campaign video, signaling the start of what could become a high-profile Republican showdown with Rep. Elise Stefanik as both aim to take on Gov. Kathy Hochul in 2026.
Rather than dwell on the potential intraparty rivalry, Blakeman highlighted what he described as proof of his ability to win in politically mixed territory. He pointed to his most recent victory in Nassau County—an area he noted leans Democratic—as evidence that his message resonates across ideological lines. “Everybody wants the same thing. They want safe neighborhoods and they want low taxes. They want economic development. They want jobs. They want prosperity. They want a better place to live for their kids and their grandkids. I’m the guy that can do that,” Blakeman said, framing his campaign as focused on broad, kitchen-table concerns.
Stefanik’s recent swipe—claiming he has “no shot” and is motivated by ego—was mentioned during the interview, but Blakeman avoided turning the conversation into a GOP brawl. He said his attention is on defeating Hochul and underscored what he views as his advantage: hands-on experience managing a major suburban county with a multibillion-dollar budget.
The conversation then shifted to an attack video from Hochul’s camp, which attempted to tie Blakeman to President Donald Trump on issues ranging from tariffs to remarks about citizen militias. Blakeman was unapologetic about his relationship with Trump, remarking that he has not “run away” from him and calling Trump the most effective president he has seen. He added that he would gladly accept Trump’s endorsement while continuing his efforts to appeal to voters beyond the Republican base.
When the topic turned to New York City’s political landscape, Blakeman said he would not support any attempts by Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani to raise taxes. He also suggested that Albany could step in if the city government fails to enforce the law, including through measures that would bring state-level law enforcement into the picture to bolster public safety.
{Matzav.com}
Channel 12 News disclosed Tuesday night that, long before Isaac Herzog entered the President’s Residence, a confidential legal analysis was drafted at the request of businessman Moti Sander—an ally of Herzog—to explore whether Benjamin Netanyahu could receive a presidential pardon before any indictment was formally issued.
The document, authored by prominent attorney Eyal Rozovsky, was meant to outline a legal path that could theoretically have cleared the way for such a pardon. This effort was taking shape in the tense days immediately preceding Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit’s announcement that charges would, in fact, be filed against Netanyahu. Ultimately, the proposal never materialized into action, and the legal proceedings pushed ahead as originally planned.
People familiar with the behind-the-scenes maneuvering during Herzog’s campaign say that certain political actors believed a pardon arrangement might be achievable. According to those accounts, Herzog reached out to both Netanyahu and then-President Reuven Rivlin, exploring a scenario in which Netanyahu would permanently step away from political life in exchange for being pardoned.
The President’s Office, however, issued a sweeping rejection of every element of that narrative, insisting that no such arrangement was ever contemplated. “There was never any agreement, understanding, or recognition – explicit, implicit, or hinted – between President Isaac Herzog and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu linking Herzog’s presidency to Netanyahu’s legal matters, including a pardon. Anyone claiming otherwise is lying and risks a defamation lawsuit,” the statement declared.
Turning to the leaked legal memo itself, the office emphasized that the entire matter traces back to a private individual, not the president or his campaign. “This is a complete and recycled falsehood by an individual named Moti Sander, who had no role in the presidential campaign whatsoever. As has been repeatedly published, the opinion was a private initiative by Mr. Sander, and reports at the time clearly stated that the President was not connected to it. President Herzog never saw this legal opinion and only became aware of it years later when it surfaced in the media. It should also be emphasized that President Herzog was elected by an unprecedented majority, receiving broad support from across the political spectrum, and did not need Netanyahu’s support or that of anyone associated with him.”
Addressing the current request submitted by Netanyahu just last week, the office added that no special treatment will be given. “The pardon request submitted by Prime Minister Netanyahu will be reviewed like any other. The process will take many weeks, and it is currently being examined by professional officials at the Ministry of Justice.”
{Matzav.com}
Health officials reported a heartbreaking loss this week, confirming that an 11-month-old child died on Tuesday after developing measles and experiencing severe complications. The baby had no underlying medical issues and had not yet received the routine vaccination that protects against the virus.
The Health Ministry explained that the infant was initially treated at Poriya Hospital in Tiberias before being urgently transferred to Haifa’s Rambam Medical Center. There, doctors placed him on an ECMO machine in an attempt to stabilize him, but despite extensive intervention, the infant did not survive.
Authorities noted that this case reflects a deeply concerning pattern. All 11 previous deaths recorded since the outbreak began were also among infants who were unvaccinated and otherwise healthy, underscoring the vulnerability of young children when exposed to measles.
In an appeal aimed at preventing further casualties, the Health Ministry stressed that routine immunization remains the most effective safeguard. “The vaccine saves lives,” the ministry stated, reiterating that the standard two-dose schedule includes one shot at age one and a second at age six.
Given the current spike in infections, health officials advise moving the second dose up to one and a half years old in high-risk regions. They also recommend vaccinating infants between six and eleven months during active outbreaks and caution families to avoid mass gatherings in affected areas if their children are not vaccinated.
The ministry listed the following cities and regions as outbreak zones: Jerusalem, Beit Shemesh, Bnei Brak, Harish, Modiin Illit, Nof HaGalil, Kiryat Gat, Ashdod, Safed, Netivot, Haifa, Tiberias, the Mateh Binyamin Regional Council, and Tekoa.
To meet growing demand, temporary vaccination centers, Tipat Halav clinics, and local health funds are operating in these areas, offering vaccines without the need to book appointments in advance.
{Matzav.com}
President Trump, in a pointed and unapologetic warning, made clear in a newly released Politico interview that Venezuelan strongman Nicolás Maduro has little time left in power. While keeping his options open, Trump would not dismiss the possibility of sending American troops to remove the embattled leader, insisting the administration is determined to dismantle the criminal networks that flourish under Maduro’s rule.
Throughout the interview, the president emphasized that Washington cannot permit the Caracas regime to continue operating as it has, particularly as US forces intensify their campaign against South American drug-smuggling operations. Still, he refused to outline specific steps the administration may take to trigger the collapse of Maduro’s government.
When Politico’s Dasha Burns pressed him on how far he was prepared to go to force Maduro from office, Trump gave no hints. “I don’t want to say that,” he replied, declining to reveal any red lines, escalation plans, or strategic boundaries.
Burns then asked directly whether Trump actually wanted Maduro gone. The president didn’t hedge. “His days are numbered,” he said, underscoring the certainty with which he views the Venezuelan dictator’s downfall.
He went on to accuse the regime of enabling violent criminal groups such as Tren de Aragua to funnel “drug dealers” into the United States. Trump stressed that the victims of Maduro’s misrule are the Venezuelan people themselves.
“I want the people of Venezuela to be treated well,” he told Burns. “I want the people of Venezuela, many of whom live in the United States, to be respected. I mean, they were tremendous to me. They voted for me 94% or something … I got to know the people well. They’re incredible people. And they were treated horribly by Maduro.”
The remarks come as US forces have executed more than 20 operations targeting suspected narcotrafficking vessels in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific since Sept. 2, lethal strikes that have resulted in more than 80 deaths. These actions reflect an accelerating US military effort to throttle drug pipelines connected to the region.
When asked whether he could categorically rule out sending ground troops into Venezuela, Trump would not offer reassurance. “I don’t want to rule in or out,” he said. Pressed again, he reiterated, “I don’t talk about it,” later adding that “I don’t want to talk to you about military strategy.”
He did, however, reveal that US strikes aimed directly at Venezuelan territory are expected “very soon,” indicating a willingness to escalate pressure on Maduro. The administration has already amassed amphibious assets near Venezuela’s coastline, prompting Maduro to activate his armed forces and prepare for guerrilla-style resistance should American forces intervene.
During the discussion, Trump also broadened the scope of potential action, signaling openness to conducting strikes on targets in Mexico and Colombia. Both countries, he argued, play an even larger role in funneling fentanyl into the United States than organizations linked to Caracas.
While the White House places much of the blame on Venezuelan groups for trafficking illegal drugs northward, longstanding DEA assessments show that fentanyl — the deadliest substance in America’s overdose crisis — overwhelmingly originates in Mexico, made with chemical components sent from China.
{Matzav.com}
Nearly a month after intelligence uncovered the underground site where Lt. Hadar Goldin had been held, IDF units plunged deep beneath Rafah—descending some 20 meters—to breach the vast subterranean network known as “Dror Lavan.” Yahalom fighters, Shayetet 13 operatives, and engineering teams from the Gaza Division operated together in unusually harsh underground terrain.
Captain M, who commands a Yahalom company, describes a labyrinth that defied imagination. Calling it “one of the longest tunnels in the Gaza Strip,” he explains that the network amounted to a “metro,” stretching roughly 7 to 10 kilometers. “Additionally, its structure is especially challenging—twisted, split, and branched, with dozens of Hamas senior leaders’ living and command rooms inside,” he says, emphasizing the complexity hidden far below Rafah’s surface.
Long before the forces broke into the concrete arteries of the tunnel, intelligence officers had been piecing together the clues pointing to Hadar’s location. Roughly eighteen months earlier, once that intelligence solidified, combat engineers and special units launched a sustained operation, dismantling terror infrastructure as they searched for a precise point of entry. The process was grueling. “The work was Sisyphean and methodical—it wasn’t easy at all,” Captain M recalls. “But not a day went by without thinking of Hadar, which constantly reminded us why we were there.”
Inside, claustrophobia greeted the soldiers instantly. The passageway was tight, the ceiling low, and the walls coated with thin white panels mimicking tiles. Airflow was limited; darkness and suffocation were constant. As they advanced, soldiers pried away those panels, never knowing what each one concealed. “We understood that behind each tile, we could find Hadar, a command room, or a hideout for terrorists,” says Captain M, describing the pressure of every moment underground.
The operation’s success depended heavily on cooperation between IDF units. Shayetet 13 was responsible for deciphering the geometry of the tunnel system itself. “When the mission began, we started an in-depth process of learning the layout,” explains Lt. Col. G, a senior Shayetet 13 officer. “We tried to understand the tunnel’s length and depth and its route, using various technological tools we had.”
Once the mapping phase matured, the soldiers moved from study to action. Teams carved access points for engineers to enter specific sections, all while the search for Hadar continued in parallel. It was a slow, technical advance, demanding precision at every meter of progress.
Above ground, engineering battalions maneuvered in lockstep with the fighters below. “We worked on two channels,” says Lt. Col. R, the Gaza Division’s engineering officer. “The special forces, like Yahalom, fought inside the tunnel itself, actively searching for findings, while the battalion operated above ground, near the tunnel’s surroundings.”
The initial stage inside “Dror Lavan” was anything but quiet. Confrontations broke out repeatedly as troops encountered heavily entrenched militants. Clearing the “red forces” became essential before any meaningful underground work could advance. Soldiers engaged in numerous close-range battles to secure even small sections of the passageway.
Progress often meant peeling away tile after tile—day after day, week after week. “Each time, we marked off another part of the tunnel, another wing, and another twist,” Captain M recounts. Along the way, they uncovered Hamas living quarters, weapons stores, and command sites hidden behind those seemingly simple panels. The discoveries sharpened the soldiers’ awareness of how meticulously Hamas had embedded itself underground. “These moments made clear the danger and cunning of the terrorists and underscored the importance of our work—there is nothing more satisfying,” he says.
Only after the ceasefire agreement that finally allowed Lt. Goldin’s remains to be brought back to Israel—a moment of profound national and personal significance—did the soldiers fully reflect on the magnitude of their mission. After securing control of the tunnel system, they could finally articulate what it meant to operate in total darkness for so many months. “We were there for a year and a half, with each day filled with numerous challenges. In the end, we were able to contribute to Hadar’s return,” concludes Lt. Col. G. “Even when the darkness felt endless and the narrow walls surrounded us, we knew why we were there. That kept us going, even when it was hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel.”
{Matzav.com}
Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu used his remarks at the Israeli Cyber Conference to insist that a sweeping national investigation must be created to address the breakdowns that led to the horrors of October 7. He emphasized that every layer of Israel’s leadership must come under scrutiny and that the process will be impartial and exhaustive.
In his address, Netanyahu declared that only a far-reaching inquiry can deliver real answers. “There was a failure here – a tremendous failure. This failure must be examined to the end. It must examine the political echelon, the military echelon, the security echelon – everyone. And this is only possible if we do it through a broad national commission of inquiry, one that is not tailored to one side or the other,” he said.
Netanyahu pointed to an American precedent as a model for how Israel should proceed. “Something similar was done in the United States. After the greatest disaster in U.S. history, 9/11, they established a commission made up half of Republicans and half of Democrats. No one had an advantage; each side could raise any question and summon any person they wanted. That is what will happen here as well. There will be no protection, and no shielding of one side over another. Everyone will present their case, everyone will be questioned, and only this way will we reach the truth. This is how it should be done, and that is what will be done.”
The prime minister also took the opportunity to highlight Israel’s dominance in cyber technology, praising years of strategic investment and the innovations that have fueled the country’s global standing. “Israel is a global cyber powerhouse. We receive a massive share of worldwide cyber investments. I reviewed the data – in per-capita cyber investment, we are ahead of every other country by a huge margin, and even in absolute numbers it is extremely high.”
He credited that success to a long-term national vision and the creativity of Israel’s tech talent. “This success stems first from a decision we made 12 years ago; I said that we must place Israel at the forefront of the world in this field. It was made possible thanks to the genius embedded in our people – the men and women who built the startups that astonished the world. The entire world comes here to see this: our national cyber center, which is essentially a global cyber hub. We intend to do the same in artificial intelligence, and we will enter the quantum field as well. In these three areas, Israel will be a global leader. This is essential for securing our future, our security, our economy, and the wellbeing of our citizens,” Netanyahu said.
{Matzav.com}
A newly surfaced account delivered to the investigative panel headed by Maj. Gen. (res.) Sami Turgeman has brought to light an Israeli blueprint to eliminate Hamas leaders Yahya Sinwar and Muhammad Deif, an operation that was blocked on at least two separate occasions by the political leadership, according to Ynet.
Testimony presented to the committee recounts that the Southern Command crafted an expansive strategy in 2022 and again in 2023. The proposal included precision strikes against Hamas command figures, hits on key military infrastructure, and tightly controlled ground operations intended to shift the balance in Gaza.
Despite the military’s readiness, the government did not green-light the initiative. According to the testimony, the overriding concern in the political tier was a determination to avoid setting off a major confrontation in the Gaza Strip by initiating such a bold move.
Security officials within the Shin Bet, the witnesses said, were inclined to back the proposed action, particularly as Sinwar’s rhetoric intensified and public pressure mounted in response to his provocative threats and incitement. One key guiding line of the government’s policy, as repeated to the committee, was to preserve Hamas governance and maintain stability in Gaza “at almost any cost.”
Even in situations where the Chief of Staff authorized early-stage planning, the testimonies reveal that the political echelon declined to make a conclusive determination, effectively freezing progress and preventing the initiative from moving forward.
Senior commanders who testified described the failure to proceed as the byproduct of a deeply flawed strategic assumption, one that “led to the cancellation of initiatives that could have changed the course of events.”
{Matzav.com}
