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The Hostages and Missing Families Forum is calling on Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu to take accountability for the perceived neglect of the hostages following the discovery of six bodies in the Gaza Strip.

According to the forum, the deaths of these hostages are a “direct result” of Netanyahu’s decision to “torpedo” proposed deals for their release, as well as his insistence that the IDF maintain its position in the Philadelphi Corridor.

“Over the past months, eight hostages were rescued alive in military operations, compared to 105 hostages who were released in the [November] deal,” the forum noted.

The forum further urged, “Don’t hide behind the IDF spokesperson. Give the public an account of the never-ending abandonment.”

{Matzav.com Israel}

Israeli President Isaac Herzog expressed deep sorrow over the tragic death of six Israeli hostages at the hands of their Hamas captors before a rescue operation could be carried out.

“The heart of an entire nation is shattered to pieces with the news of the murder of Ori Danino, Carmel Gat, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Alexander Lonanov, Almog Sarusi, and Eden Yerushalmi, whose bodies were brought back from Gaza in a military operation,” President Herzog said. “On behalf of the State of Israel, I embrace their families with all my heart, and apologize for failing to bring them home safely.”

“We will continue to fight relentlessly against the criminal, terrorist organization Hamas, which has once again proven there is no end to its willingness to commit murder and crimes against humanity.

“The blood of our brothers cries out to us. Our sisters and brothers are still there enduring Hell. The supreme covenant between the state and its citizens is to ensure their safety. We have the sacred and urgent mission to bring them home,” Herzog said.

IDF Spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari revealed that the Hamas terrorists killed the six hostages just before the IDF forces arrived to rescue them.

In response to the deaths of the hostages, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said, “During this painful and difficult time, my thoughts and my heart are with the families of the hostages who were killed: Ori Danino. Alexander Lobanov. Almog Sarusi. Hersh Goldberg-Polin. Carmel Gat. Eden Yerushalmi.”

“They were held hostage by Hamas and murdered in cold blood. May their memory be a blessing. I commend the IDF and ISA forces for conducting a complex operation to retrieve the bodies of the hostages for burial in Israel,” Gallant stated.

{Matzav.com Israel}

President Joe Biden stated shortly before midnight night that he is “devastated and outraged” after the U.S. citizen Hersh Goldberg-Polin was identified among six bodies that Israeli forces recovered earlier in the day in a tunnel in Rafah.

Biden vowed that “Hamas leaders will pay for these crimes,” but then said that the United States “will keep working around the clock” to secure a deal—which would be between the Jewish state and the Hamas terror organization—to release the rest of the hostages.

“Hersh was among the innocents brutally attacked while attending a music festival for peace in Israel on Oct. 7. He lost his arm helping friends and strangers during Hamas’s savage massacre. He had just turned 23. He planned to travel the world,” Biden stated. “I have gotten to know his parents, Jon and Rachel. They have been courageous, wise, and steadfast, even as they have endured the unimaginable.”

Goldberg-Polin’s parents have been “relentless and irrepressible champions of their son and of all the hostages held in unconscionable conditions,” the president added. “I admire them and grieve with them more deeply than words can express. I know all Americans tonight will have them in their prayers, just as Jill and I will.”

Biden called Goldberg-Polin’s death “as tragic as it is reprehensible.”

“Our hearts break after receiving the devastating news of the hostages’ bodies being found in Hamas tunnels,” stated Danny Danon, the Israeli ambassador to the United Nations. “Our thoughts are with the families who have lost their loved ones. The terrorist monsters who murdered innocent hostages deserve nothing less than death.”

Goldberg-Polin is “an American hero, who will be remembered for his kindness and selflessness. Our hearts break for Jon, Rachel and their entire family, as well as the other families who found out today their loved ones won’t be coming home. May their memory be a blessing,” stated Antony Blinken, the U.S. secretary of state who is Jewish.

“The killing of these hostages only further confirms Hamas’s depravity. It should release all the hostages immediately,” Blinken said. “We will continue to work with our partners in the region to secure an agreement without delay that frees the remaining hostages.”

“Hamas murdered Hersh Goldberg-Polin, an American-Israeli hostage, kidnapped from a music festival for peace on Oct. 7,” stated the Republican Jewish Coalition. “Israel’s fight against these barbaric terrorists is America’s fight.”

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris stated of Goldberg-Polin that “we now know he was murdered by Hamas.”

“Doug and my prayers are with Jon Polin and Rachel Goldberg-Polin, Hersh’s parents, and with everyone who knew and loved Hersh. When I met with Jon and Rachel earlier this year, I told them: ‘You are not alone,’” Harris stated. “That remains true as they mourn this terrible loss. Americans and people around the world will pray for Jon, Rachel and their family and send them love and strength. As is said in the Jewish tradition, may Hersh’s memory be a blessing.”

“Hamas is an evil terrorist organization. With these murders, Hamas has even more American blood on its hands. I strongly condemn Hamas’s continued brutality, and so must the entire world,” Harris said. “From its massacre of 1,200 people to sexual violence, taking of hostages and these murders, Hamas’s depravity is evident and horrifying.”

“The threat Hamas poses to the people of Israel—and American citizens in Israel—must be eliminated and Hamas cannot control Gaza,” Harris said. She added that “the Palestinian people too have suffered under Hamas’s rule for nearly two decades.”

“As vice president, I have no higher priority than the safety of American citizens, wherever they are in the world,” she said. “President Biden and I will never waver in our commitment to free the Americans and all those held hostage in Gaza.”

Members of Congress also commented on Goldberg-Polin.

“I am absolutely heartbroken by the deaths of several hostages held by Hamas, including U.S. citizen Hersh Goldberg-Polin,” stated Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. “These innocent people should all be home today with their families; instead they were murdered by terrorists. My heart is with all of the bereaved families, including the Goldberg-Polin family, who I met earlier this summer.”

“For 331 days we prayed for Hersh’s safe return. Today we learned he was murdered in Gaza. May his memory be a blessing,” stated Rep. Brad Schneider (D-Ill.), who is Jewish.

JNS

The British government expressed its deep concern on Friday regarding Israel’s ongoing military actions in the occupied West Bank, Reuters reports.

“We continue to call on Israeli authorities to exercise restraint, adhere to international law, and clamp down on the actions of those who seek to inflame tensions,” stated a spokesperson for Britain’s Foreign Office.

Since the onset of Israel’s conflict with Hamas terrorists in Gaza nearly 11 months ago, clashes between Israeli forces and Palestinians in the West Bank have intensified.

According to Palestinian reports, over 660 individuals—both combatants and civilians—have lost their lives, with some fatalities resulting from vigilante-style attacks by Jewish settlers on Palestinian communities in the West Bank.

In one of the largest operations in the Israeli-occupied territory in recent months, Israeli troops on Thursday killed a local commander of the Iranian-backed Islamic Jihad movement along with four other militants during a gunbattle.

“We recognize Israel’s need to defend itself against security threats, but we are deeply worried by the methods Israel has employed and by reports of civilian casualties and the destruction of civilian infrastructure,” the Foreign Office spokesperson said.

The spokesperson also noted that the UK “strongly condemns settler violence” and stressed that further conflict and instability in the occupied West Bank would benefit no one.

{Matzav.com}

Osiel Cárdenas Guillén, one of Mexico’s most-feared drug lords, has been released from a U.S. prison after serving most of a 25-year prison sentence, authorities confirmed Friday. A U.S. Bureau of Prisons official said Cárdenas Guillén had been released from prison and was placed in the custody of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. That would normally suggest he would be deported back to Mexico. A Mexican official who was not authorized to be quoted by name said Cárdenas Guillén faces two arrest warrants in Mexico, making it likely he would be detained upon arrival. The former head of the Gulf cartel was known for his brutality. He created the most bloodthirsty gang of hitmen Mexico has ever known, the Zetas, which routinely slaughtered migrants and innocent people. Cárdenas Guillén was sentenced to 25 years in prison in 2010 and ordered to forfeit tens of millions of dollars. It was not clear why he did not serve his full sentence, but he had been extradited to the U.S. in January 2007. The 57-year-old native of the border city of Matamoros, Mexico, moved tons of cocaine and made millions of dollars through the Gulf cartel, based in the border cities of Reynosa and Matamoros. He created the Zetas, a gang of former Mexican special forces soldiers who he recruited to become his private army and hit squad. They committed acts of terror that regularly involved slaughtering dozens of people, decapitating them or dumping heaps of hacked-up bodies on roadways. The Zetas lived on long after Cárdenas Guillén was captured in 2003. By 2010, the Zetas had formed their own cartel, spreading terror-style attacks across Mexico as far south as Tabasco until their top leaders were killed or arrested in 2012-2013. An offshoot of the Zetas, the Northeast cartel, continues to control the border city of Nuevo Laredo, across from Laredo, Texas. But Cárdenas Guillén’s own gang, the Gulf cartel, has become hopelessly splintered after more than a decade of bloody infighting between factions with names like The Metros, The Cyclones, The Reds and The Scorpions. Cárdenas Guillén’s own nickname was “El Mata Amigos,” or “The one who kills his friends.” Cárdenas Guillén’s most brazen act was when he surrounded and stopped a vehicle carrying two U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agents and one of their informants in 1999 in the border city of Matamoros, across from Brownsville, Texas. His gunmen pointed their weapons at the agents and demanded they hand over the informant, who would almost certainly be tortured and killed. The agents toughed it out and refused, reminding him it would be a bad decision to kill employees of the DEA. Cárdenas Guillén eventually called off his gunmen, but not before reportedly saying “You gringos, this is my territory.” (AP)

Russian President Vladimir Putin gifted North Korea’s Kim Jong Un two dozen horses in the latest animal related show of diplomacy between the two bordering countries. The 19 stallions and five mares are said to be Orlov Trotters, Kim’s favorite breed.

In 2022, Kim’s regime received 30 of the prized horses as allegations surfaced of a transfer of arms between North Korean and Russia.

According to South Korean media, the 24 additional animals are allegedly part of a payment for artillery shells sent to Russia for its efforts in the Ukraine War.

The Russian president and Kim committed to a military co-operation in June, after which the North Korean leader gifted Putin two Pungsan dogs, a local breed. In return, Kim received a gift of 447 goats. Read more at The Times.

Former President Donald Trump has seemingly come out in support of legalizing marijuana. The former president made the claim in a post yesterday on his Truth Social platform, declaring he would “take our streets back by being tough & smart on violent, & all other types, of Crime.”

Part of that plan includes not spending taxpayer dollars “arresting adults with personal amounts of it on them.”

Under Florida’s Amendment 3, where Trump resides, he explained that many more states will make personal amounts of weed legal. However, Trump shared that he believes some legislation still needed around weed in public spaces.

“So we do not smell marijuana everywhere we go, like we do in many of the Democrat run Cities.” He concluded, “We will make America SAFE again!” Read more at Truth Social.

Three people were dead after a small plane crashed into a row of townhouses Saturday morning in a neighborhood east of Portland, setting the homes ablaze, authorities told KATU-TV. Officials earlier in the day had said the plane was carrying two people and that at least one resident had been unaccounted for. Photos and videos published by KGW-TV in Portland showed one of the townhomes engulfed in flames while black smoke poured out of the adjoining houses. Gresham Fire Chief Scott Lewis said the fire had spread to at least four of the homes, displacing up to six families. He said two people were treated at the scene, but he didn’t describe the type or severity of injuries. The Federal Aviation Administration identified the aircraft as a twin-engine Cessna 421C, which it says went down around 10:30 a.m. near Troutdale Airport, about a 30-minute drive east of Portland. As the plane went down, it knocked over a pole and power lines, causing a separate brush fire in a nearby field, according to the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office. The plane was split into multiple parts as it crashed in the residential area in the city of Fairview, which is home to about 10,000 people. Lewis said the first call about the fire came from staff at the Troutdale Airport’s control tower, who saw a thick plume of smoke rising in the air. But Lewis said that initial reports indicated “there was no mayday, no call for emergency” from the aircraft itself before it crashed. The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation into the crash. The agency has sent two investigators to the site of the crash who will document the wreckage, spokesperson Peter Knudson said. He did not release further details about the crash. The website for the Port of Portland, which oversees general aviation and marine operations in the Portland area, describes Troutdale Airport as a “flight training and recreational airport.” (AP)

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Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu released a recorded message on Sunday morning following the announcement earlier in the morning that the IDF had rescued the bodies of six hostages who were recently murdered by Hamas. It should be noted that Netanyahu’s statements come after left-wing groups, who have conveniently forgotten that their protests encouraged Hamas to carry out their murderous plans,  piggybacked on the tragic news to attack the government, blaming it for the lack of a hostage deal rather than blaming Hamas. Left-wing groups, including the Hostages and Missing Families Forum which represents the families of some of the hostages, have called to “shut down” the country in protest of the government and are urging the Histadrut and local politicians to call a general strike on Monday. “This is a difficult day,” Netanyahu said. “The hearts of the entire nation are broken. Along with all the citizens of Israel, I was shocked to the depths of my soul by the terrible cold-blooded murder of six of our hostages: Carmel Gat, Eden Yerushalmi, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Alex Lubnov, Almog Sarusi, and Ori Danino, Zichronam L’Bracha. Hashem Yikom Damam.” “Together with the entire nation, my wife and I share in the deep grief of the families. We all mourn with them. I would like to express my deep appreciation for our forces,  the brave IDF soldiers and Shin Bet operatives who risk their lives for the return of our sons and daughters. “I say to the Hamas terrorists who murdered our hostages and their leaders – your blood is on your heads. We will not rest and we will not be silent. We will hunt you down and make you accountable. “We are fighting on all fronts against a cruel enemy who wants to murder us all. Just this morning the enemy murdered three police officers in Chevron. My wife and I send our heartfelt condolences to their families. “We saw the unimaginable cruelty of the Hamas murderers on October 7 and we saw it again in the tunnels under Rafah. The fact that Hamas continues to commit atrocities like those they committed on October 7 obliges us to do everything so that it cannot commit these atrocities again. “Citizens of Israel, our efforts to free our hostages continue all the time. Since December, Hamas has refused to carry out real negotiations. Three months ago, on May 27, Israel agreed to a hostage release deal with the full backing of the United States. Hamas refused. Even after the United States updated the outline of the deal on August 16 – we agreed, and Hamas again refused. “These days, while Israel is conducting intensive negotiations with the mediators in a supreme effort to reach a deal, Hamas continues to adamantly refuse every proposal. Worse than that, at that very moment they murdered six of our hostages. Whoever murders hostages – does not want a deal. “From our side, we are not relenting. The Israeli government is committed, and I am personally committed, to continue striving for a deal that will return all our hostages and guarantee our security and existence.” Following the release of Netanyahu’s statements, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum called on Netanyahu to “stop blaming everyone and take responsibility for your failures.” (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

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Woodbourne, Catskills: – Firefighters battled a large fire at the Kossener Shul on Riverside Drive in Woodbourne early Sunday morning, CATSKILL SCOOP REPORTED. The blaze caused a collapse of the building which was caught on dramatic video footage below, but Bichasdei Hashem, no injuries have been reported. Quick-thinking individuals managed to safely remove the Sifrei Torah from the shul before the situation worsened. The fire broke out as the summer season came to a close, with the camp already empty, minimizing the potential for casualties. It was unknown what sparked the blaze. THIS STORY WAS FIRST PUBLISHED ON THE CATSKILL SCOOP STATUS – SIGN UP NOW TO NEVER MISS A STORY IN LIVE TIME 24 HOURS A DAY! CLICK HERE SIGN UP TO THE CATSKILL SCOOP WHATSAPP STATUS TO BE INFORMED OF CATSKILL NEWS IN LIVE TIME (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

TERROR: Three Israelis were killed in a drive-by terror shooting on Sunday morning near the Tarqumiya checkpoint, located around 7.5 miles northwest of Chevron in Judea.

Magen David Adom paramedics treated a man and a woman in their 30s at the scene before declaring them both dead. Another man in his 50s was evacuated to the hospital, where he was later pronounced dead as well.

The Israel Defense Forces opened a manhunt for the Palestinian terrorists, who opened fire from their car at passing vehicles on Route 35.

“Many forces launched a pursuit of the terrorists,” the IDF said.

The road was closed to traffic and security forces were preparing to search the Palestinian village of Idna.

Yaron Rosenthal, Head of the Gush Etzion Regional Council, expressed his concern over the incident, saying, “Unfortunately, this morning we witnessed a serious attack on a bus in the area of Tarkumiya, which joins the car bombs on Shabbat and the explosive device that was detonated last week in the east of Gush Etzion. We must preemptively go out to a purge operation of the terrorist nests in the Hebron district and the surrounding area. Terror must not be allowed to raise its head. I send my best wishes for a speedy recovery to the wounded and encourage the IDF soldiers who are fighting valiantly against terror.”

On Shabbos, an Israel Defense Forces soldier was killed and three others were wounded during clashes with Hamas terrorists in Jenin in northern Samaria.

The slain man was named as Staff Sgt. Elkana Navon, 20, of the Bislamach Brigade’s 906th Training Battalion, from Petach Tikvah.

Also on Shabbos, the Hamas terrorist group hailed the previous day’s “double heroic operation” after car bombers wounded three Israelis in the Gush Etzion region of Judea.

{Matzav.com Israel}

In an overnight operation, the IDF uncovered the bodies of six Israeli hostages inside a Hamas tunnel in Rafah, located in the southern Gaza Strip. The military indicated that the hostages were killed by their captors shortly before being discovered by Israeli troops.

The victims were identified as Hersh Goldberg-Polin, 23, Eden Yerushalmi, 24, Ori Danino, 25, Alex Lubnov, 32, Carmel Gat, 40, and Almog Sarusi, 25.

According to military sources, Hamas executed the six hostages not long before the troops reached them, possibly within a day or two prior. While the IDF lacked precise intelligence on the exact location of the hostages, they had general indications of the area where they might be held. As a result, the military exercised extreme caution while operating in that region.

The search began in a tunnel network yesterday, culminating in the tragic discovery of the deceased hostages in the afternoon. Their bodies were then transported out of Gaza overnight and brought to Israel for official identification.

The IDF confirmed that no direct engagements occurred with Hamas terrorists inside the tunnel. The individuals guarding the hostages, who are believed to have carried out the killings, fled the scene before the troops arrived.

This particular tunnel, where the six hostages were found, is situated about a kilometer from the location where IDF soldiers rescued hostage Farhan al-Qadi earlier this week.

Goldberg-Polin, Yerushalmi, Danino, Lubnov, and Sarusi were abducted by Hamas terrorists from the Nova music festival near Kibbutz Re’im on October 7, while Gat was taken from Kibbutz Be’eri.

IDF Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari confirmed the brutal killing of the hostages by Hamas just before the IDF’s arrival. “According to an initial assessment… they were brutally murdered by Hamas terrorists a short while before we reached them. They were abducted alive on the morning of October 7 by the Hamas terror group. Their bodies were found during the fighting in Rafah, in a tunnel, about a kilometer away from the tunnel from which we rescued Farhan al-Qadi a few days ago,” Hagari stated during a press conference.

Hagari also emphasized the heightened caution exercised by the troops following the rescue of Farhan al-Qadi, driven by the suspicion that other hostages might still be in the vicinity. “Since Farhan was found, troops were given an emphasis on operating carefully even more than usual, because of the understanding that additional hostages may be in the area. We did not have information on the exact location of the hostages,” he said.

He further noted that Israeli forces engaged Hamas operatives on the surface near the tunnel during the operation.

{Matzav.com Israel}

There are initial reports of a shooting attack at a bus at the Tarqumiyah Junction near Chevron. Three people were critically and seriously injured after they came under heavy fire from terrorists in a passing car. MDA paramedics treated a man and a woman, both in their 30s, who were critically injured, and a man of about 50 who was seriously injured. The terrorists fled the scene. A large number of Israeli security forces have arrived at the area and launched a manhunt after the terrorists, including setting up roadblocks in the area. This is a developing story. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

“With broken hearts, the Goldberg-Polin family is devastated to announce the death of their beloved son and brother, Hersh. The family thanks you all for your love and support and asks for privacy at this time.” The crushing announcement from the family of American-Israeli hostage Hersh Goldberg Polin.

The family of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, a young man who had been held hostage, announced on Sunday morning that he has passed away.

Hersh Goldberg-Polin, an Israeli-American who was abducted on October 7, has been confirmed dead, according to his parents. “With broken hearts, the Goldberg-Polin family is devastated to announce the death of their beloved son and brother, Hersh. The family thanks you all for your love and support and asks for privacy at this time,” the family shared in a Facebook post.

It remains unclear if this tragic news is linked to the Israel Defense Forces’ statement on Saturday night, in which they reported efforts to identify bodies found in Gaza that were believed to be those of hostages who had been killed.

There has been no immediate response from the IDF regarding this development.

Originally from California, Goldberg-Polin was captured while attempting to flee terrorists who were attacking the Nova music festival. During the assault, he lost his hand in a grenade explosion. He was later seen in a video being taken into Gaza alive and appeared in a Hamas propaganda video in April.

Subsequently, the families of two other hostages, Eden Yerushalmi and Ori Danino, also announced that their loved ones had died while being held by Hamas.

{Matzav.com Israel}

The families of three hostages who were abducted by Hamas have confirmed that their loved ones were murdered in captivity, hours after the IDF said it had located bodies in Gaza. 23-year-old Hersh Goldberg-Polin hy”d was the first to be identified among the bodies. He was seized by terrorists at the Nova music festival in southern Israel on Oct. 7. He lost part of an arm in the attack. Goldberg-Polin’s parents became perhaps the most high-profile relatives of hostages on the international stage. They met with President Joe Biden and others and addressed the United Nations. On Aug. 21, they addressed a hushed hall at the Democratic National Convention, where the crowd chanted: “Bring them home.” A Hamas-issued video in April showing Goldberg-Polin clearly speaking under duress sparked new protests in Israel urging the government to do more to secure his and others’ freedom. The family of Ori Danino confirmed a short time later that he, too, was killed in captivity by Hamas terrorists. The family of a third hostage, Eden Yerushalmi hy”d, also confirmed that she had been killed and her body discovered by IDF troops earlier today in a Gaza terror tunnel. The bodies of three other hostages were found as well, but we are waiting for official confirmation to publish their names. “I am devastated and outraged,” President Joe Biden said about the horrific discovery.  It is as tragic as it is reprehensible. Make no mistake, Hamas leaders will pay for these crimes. And we will keep working around the clock for a deal to secure the release of the remaining hostages.” The finding of the deceased hostages is certain to put pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to reach a deal to bring home remaining hostages. The Israeli leader has said military pressure is needed to win their release as cease-fire efforts falter. Before Israel’s announcement, Israel said it believed 108 hostages were still held in Gaza and about one-third of them were dead. (YWN/AP)

Former President Trump speaks to Mark Levin on Vice President Kamala Harris’ policy stances and more on ‘Life, Liberty & Levin.’

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