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Israeli armored units have withdrawn from Gaza as the ceasefire took effect.

Reports from Gaza say IDF tanks have withdrawn from the coastal road in Nuseirat, clearing the way for residents to travel freely between the northern and southern parts of the Strip.

Trump is scheduled to address the Israeli Knesset on Monday morning.

The ceasefire in Gaza officially took effect at noon Israel time, with the IDF confirming that its forces have withdrawn to the agreed-upon positions under the deal with Hamas to secure the release of all hostages held by the terror group.

Thousands of Gazans are heading back to northern Gaza along the coastal Rashid Road as the ceasefire goes into effect.

President Donald Trump did not receive this year’s Nobel Peace Prize, even after successfully negotiating a landmark ceasefire between Israel and Hamas that brought an end to more than two years of intense fighting.

The outcome wasn’t viewed as a deliberate slight, but rather a matter of unfortunate timing. The Norwegian Nobel Committee, made up of five members, had already chosen its winner on Monday—two days before the ceasefire deal was finalized—awarding the honor to Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado.

“We receive thousands and thousands of letters every year of people wanting to say what — for them — leads to peace,” explained Nobel Committee chair Jørgen Watne Frydnes on Friday.

“This committee sits in a room filled with the portraits of all laureates. That room is filled with both courage and integrity. We base only our decision on the work and will of Alfred Nobel.”

Following the announcement of the Gaza ceasefire, scenes of jubilation broke out both in Tel Aviv and in the devastated streets of Gaza. Videos circulated online showing people chanting Trump’s name, with some calling out, “Nobel Prize to Trump!”

Trump has also been widely praised for his ongoing diplomatic efforts during his second term, particularly for helping to de-escalate tensions between Russia and Ukraine.

Supporters have cited his role in mediating long-standing international disputes — including those between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda, Cambodia and Thailand, India and Pakistan, Serbia and Kosovo, Egypt and Ethiopia, and Azerbaijan and Armenia — as evidence that he deserves the prestigious recognition.

Rep. Andy Barr (R-Ky.) became the latest to officially nominate the president for the honor on Thursday, praising him “in recognition of his extraordinary record of diplomatic achievement.”

In his nomination letter to Frydnes, Barr wrote that no “world leader has done more to advance peace and prosperity in the world than President Donald Trump.”

According to a source close to the president, Trump and his team had not expected a win this year, noting that they view the 2026 prize as a more realistic goal given the timeline of his recent peace initiatives.

Detractors, however, argue that Trump’s record is not without controversy, pointing to incidents such as June’s bombing of Iranian nuclear sites, his remarks about potentially acquiring Greenland from Denmark, and his decision to rename the Defense Department as the Department of War as reasons he should not have been eligible for the honor.

To date, only four U.S. presidents have been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize: Theodore Roosevelt in 1906, Woodrow Wilson in 1920, Jimmy Carter in 2002, and Barack Obama in 2009.

{Matzav.com}

New York City mayoral hopeful Zohran Mamdani spent Thursday Chol Hamoed Sukkos visiting Williamsburg, where he met with representatives of both branches of Satmar, those affiliated with Rav Aharon Teitelbaum and those following Rav Zalman Leib Teitelbaum.

His visit came a day after a news report claimed that he’d be meeting with representatives of Agudath Israel of America – a fallacious claim. Matzav.com confirmed that Mamdani had never been scheduled to meet with Agudah representation yesterday.

In Williamsburg, Mamdani stopped by the sukkah of Moshe Indig, where Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, and other community figures were present.

Dressed in a velvet yarmulka, he later visited the sukkah of Rabbi Shalom Landau, a rabbi with a notable social-media presence, and then made his way to the sukkah of Abe Deutsch.

The gatherings were marked by warm words and expressions of appreciation from local Satmar askanim, who praised Mamdani for visiting and told him how much they support him.

The scene, however, stood in sharp contrast to Mamdani’s long record of hostility toward Israel and statements widely viewed as offensive to the Jewish community.

A Record of Hostile Rhetoric

Over the years, Mamdani has amassed a lengthy history of incendiary statements about Israel. In a 2021 rally, he publicly declared himself “anti-Zionist.” He has also long supported the BDS movement, promoting boycotts and divestment campaigns targeting Israel.

During interviews and debates, Mamdani has refused to condemn the chant “Globalize the Intifada.” When pressed several times on national television to repudiate the slogan, he declined, explaining, “My concern is to start to walk down the line of language … making clear what language I believe is permissible or impermissible takes me into a place … of the president.”

In defending that refusal, Mamdani argued that the very word intifada simply means “struggle,” and even compared it to the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, saying, “The very word [Intifada] has been used by the Holocaust Museum when translating the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising into Arabic because it’s a word that means struggle.” The comparison has sparked outrage from Jewish groups and Holocaust historians, who called the analogy appalling.

Mamdani has repeatedly accused Israel of deliberate and criminal acts. Appearing on national television, he said Israel was guilty of “killing civilians indiscriminately,” calling its military actions “cruel, limitless, criminal.”

On the anniversary of October 7, Mamdani issued a public statement accusing Israel of waging a “genocidal war” in Gaza. “A death toll that now far exceeds 67,000; with the Israeli military bombing homes, hospitals, and schools into rubble,” he wrote. “Every day in Gaza has become a place where grief itself has run out of language.” He went on to claim that “the United States is complicit” in Israel’s “occupation and apartheid.”

When questioned during the mayoral debates, Mamdani refused to affirm Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state. He has also stated that he would seek to have Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu arrested if he visited New York, claiming authority under the International Criminal Court.

Throughout his political career, Mamdani has been described as a “longtime anti-Israel activist.” He has promoted boycotts against institutions with Israeli partnerships, including Cornell Tech, which he urged New Yorkers to shun because of its academic ties to Israel.

Even when the topic shifted to antisemitism, Mamdani’s rhetoric often drew criticism for evasion and lack of empathy. In one televised debate, he initially ignored the subject entirely when asked about rising antisemitism, only mentioning it after being pressed again.

{Matzav.com}

In a televised address on Friday, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu called the newly approved hostage-ceasefire deal a triumph of Israeli resolve, crediting a mix of “relentless military pressure” and “unwavering diplomacy” — including help from U.S. President Donald Trump — for forcing Hamas to agree to release the remaining captives and end the Gaza war. “I believed that if we applied heavy military pressure, combined with heavy diplomatic pressure, we would absolutely be able to return all of our hostages,” Netanyahu said from his office in Jerusalem. “And that is exactly what we did.” The prime minister, who has faced growing pressure and condemnation at home and abroad over the war’s duration and humanitarian toll, said he was unmoved by both domestic dissent and international caution. “There was pressure not to go into Rafah, not to take the Philadelphi Corridor, not to operate in other theaters — to end the war and leave Gaza while Hamas, Hezbollah, and others were at the height of their power,” he said. “But one consideration guided my decisions: the security of Israel.” Netanyahu dismissed claims that the agreement — which will see the release of all hostages in exchange for a permanent ceasefire and the freeing of Palestinian prisoners — could have been reached months earlier. “Hamas never agreed to release all of our hostages while we remain deep inside the Strip,” he said. “Hamas agreed to the deal only when it felt the sword resting on its neck — and it is still on its neck.” He credited the IDF’s advance into Gaza City and what he described as “massive diplomatic pressure from our big friend President Trump” for shifting the balance. “This powerful combination caused Hamas to give back all of our hostages while the IDF remains deep inside the Strip and holds all the key positions,” Netanyahu said, promising that later stages of the deal would lead to Hamas’s full disarmament and Gaza’s demilitarization. “If this is achieved the easy way, great,” he warned. “And if not, it will be achieved the hard way.” The prime minister thanked Trump “for his world leadership and his unceasing efforts” in forging the deal, calling him “a true friend of our people.” He also named Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner, along with Israel’s Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, for their roles in the talks. Netanyahu took direct aim at critics who said freeing all the hostages without full IDF withdrawal was impossible. “They said there is no way to bring back the rest of the hostages without giving in to Hamas’s demand — that the IDF leave the Strip, the buffer zone, the Philadelphi corridor,” he said. “They were wrong.” He said Israel’s broader objectives remain unchanged: eliminating the Iranian threat and dismantling what he called “the Iranian axis,” which he said includes Hamas and Hezbollah. “That means achieving the goals of the war — returning the hostages, removing the ballistic and nuclear threat from Iran, and breaking the Iranian axis,” Netanyahu said. Netanyahu pledged to locate and return the bodies of slain hostages “for a Jewish burial,” calling it a “holy obligation of mutual responsibility.” He paid tribute to IDF soldiers and the families of the fallen, promising that Israel’s struggle “is not yet over.” “The Simchat Torah holiday two […]

The United States will send a 200-person military team to the Middle East to help monitor and enforce the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, senior U.S. officials said Thursday, marking Washington’s most direct on-the-ground role in the conflict since the Gaza war began nearly two years ago. Admiral Brad Cooper, head of U.S. Central Command, will lead the mission, which officials described as a “multinational oversight operation” designed to ensure both sides adhere to the terms of the U.S.-brokered ceasefire and hostage release deal announced earlier this week by President Donald Trump. “Admiral Cooper will initially have 200 people on the ground. His role will be to oversee, observe, make sure there are no violations,” one senior official said. “The Israelis will obviously be in constant touch with them.” The deployment, which includes Egyptian, Qatari, Turkish, and possibly Emirati military officers embedded within the U.S.-led team, represents a rare joint security mechanism linking Israel and Arab states — many of which do not maintain formal diplomatic relations with Jerusalem. U.S. officials emphasized that no American troops will enter Gaza, describing the mission as strictly observational and logistical. “The notion is to make it collegial, if you will,” the official said, adding that the team’s presence in negotiations “gave a lot of confidence and security to the Arab countries.” That confidence, officials said, was key to persuading Hamas to sign onto the deal. “It was passed on to Hamas that we were taking a very strong role — or rather, that the president was taking a very strong position — in standing behind his guarantees and commitments here,” a second senior official said. According to the officials, the new team’s duties include helping establish a joint command and control center that will coordinate among the IDF and participating Arab militaries. The American contingent will consist of personnel with expertise in logistics, engineering, security, planning, and transport, with several members already en route to the region. It remains uncertain where the oversight team will be based. A source familiar with the matter told The Times of Israel that the troops will likely be stationed in Egypt, near the Rafah crossing, while White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt suggested they would be deployed to Israel. The ambiguity reflects diplomatic sensitivities: Egypt is logistically and politically better positioned to host a multilateral coordination center that includes Qatar and Turkey — two nations with which Israel has strained relations. Officials offered no formal timetable for the mission’s full operational launch, though Cooper reportedly told mediators in Cairo that he could have the command post functional within two and a half weeks. During a Thursday cabinet meeting at the White House, President Trump hailed Cooper’s leadership and credited the admiral — alongside his special envoy Steve Witkoff, senior adviser Jared Kushner, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio — for their roles in finalizing the Gaza deal. “Cooper — I hear he’s been fantastic,” Trump said. “He’s done a great job making this plan happen.” (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado won the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday, winning recognition as a woman “who keeps the flame of democracy burning amid a growing darkness.” The former opposition presidential candidate was lauded for being a “key, unifying figure” in the once deeply divided opposition to President Nicolás Maduro’s government, said Jørgen Watne Frydnes, chair of the Norwegian Nobel committee. “In the past year, Ms. Machado has been forced to live in hiding,” Watne Frydnes said. Despite serious threats against her life, she has remained in the country, a choice that has inspired millions. When authoritarians seize power, it is crucial to recognize courageous defenders of freedom who rise and resist.” Machado’s ally, Edmundo González, who lives in exile in Spain, celebrated the Nobel award as a “very well-deserved recognition” of her fight and that of Venezuelans for freedom and democracy. He posted a short video on X of himself speaking by phone with Machado. “I am in shock,” she said, adding, “I cannot believe it.” “This is something that the Venezuelan people deserve,” Machado said in a call with the Norwegian Nobel Institute. “I am just part of a huge movement. … I’m humbled, I’m grateful and I’m honored not only by this recognition, but I’m honored to be part of what’s going on in Venezuela today.” “I believe that we are very close to achieving, finally, freedom for our country and peace for the region,” she said, adding that “even though we face the most brutal violence, our society has resisted” and insisted on struggling by peaceful means. “I believe that the world will now understand how urgent it is to finally, you know, succeed.” Maduro’s government has routinely targeted its real or perceived opponents. Machado, who turned 58 this week, was set to run against Maduro in last year’s presidential election, but the government disqualified her. González, who had never run for office before, took her place. The lead-up to the election saw widespread repression, including disqualifications, arrests and human rights violations. The crackdown on dissent only increased after the country’s National Electoral Council, which is stacked with Maduro loyalists, declared him the winner despite credible evidence to the contrary. The election results announced by the Electoral Council sparked protests across the country to which the government responded with force that ended with more than 20 people dead. They also prompted an end to diplomatic relations between Venezuela and various foreign countries, including Argentina. Machado went into hiding and has not been seen in public since January. A Venezuelan court issued an arrest warrant for González over the publication of election results. He went into exile in Spain and was granted asylum. More than 800 people are in prison in Venezuela for political reasons, according to the human rights advocacy group Foro Penal. Among them is González’s son-in-law, Rafael Tudares, who was detained in January. Dozens of those prisoners actively participated in Machado’s efforts last year. Some of her closest collaborators, including her campaign manager, avoided prison by sheltering for more than a year at a diplomatic compound in Caracas. They remained there until May, when they fled to the U.S. Early Friday in Caracas, some people heading to work expressed disbelief at the news of Machado’s win. “I don’t know what can be […]

In the annals of American political theater, few storylines are as richly ironic as Thursday’s federal indictment of New York Attorney General Letitia James. The Democrat, who built her career on a crusade against Donald Trump, now finds herself on the receiving end of a Justice Department probe she decries as “desperate weaponization.” This turn of events isn’t just poetic justice—it illustrates how the left’s long-standing flirtation with lawfare against conservatives has sown the seeds of its own backlash, eroding public trust in institutions and inviting the very retaliation she now laments. Let’s rewind to 2018, when James was campaigning for attorney general. Eager to burnish her progressive credentials in a Democratic primary, she didn’t mince words about her intentions toward the incoming president. “We should never forget that the President of the United States is not above the law,” James declared on election night, vowing to “shine a bright light into every dark corner of his real estate dealings.” This wasn’t a post-investigation promise; it was a preemptive pledge, made months before she even took office. As New York Public Advocate, James had already been a vocal Trump critic, but her rhetoric escalated into a explicit commitment to probe the Trump Organization, his foundation, and his personal finances—jurisdictions conveniently headquartered in Manhattan. Critics warned at the time that such declarations smacked of prosecutorial bias, inverting the principle that investigations must be impartial, driven by evidence rather than electoral ambition. True to her word, James delivered. Her office launched a multi-year civil probe, culminating in a 2022 lawsuit accusing Trump and his company of fraudulently inflating asset values to secure loans and insurance. The case, presided over by a judge with well-documented anti-Trump donations, resulted in a staggering $450 million judgment (later reduced on appeal). Conservatives rightly viewed it as a textbook example of the “weaponization” narrative Trump popularized: a state enforcer, elected on anti-Trump fervor, wielding regulatory power to hamstring a political rival. James’s approach echoed the broader Democratic strategy—think Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg’s novel revival of a dormant federal statute to indict Trump on hush-money charges, or Fani Willis’s Georgia election probe, marred by conflicts of interest. These weren’t blind applications of justice; they were calibrated strikes in a partisan war, often stretching legal norms to ensnare a common foe. Fast-forward to today. and the script has flipped. A federal grand jury in Virginia—under a Trump-appointed U.S. Attorney, Lindsey Halligan—indicted James on Thursday on one count of bank fraud and one count of making false statements to a financial institution. The charges stem from her 2020 purchase of a Norfolk, Virginia, property, where she allegedly misrepresented it as a secondary residence to secure a favorable $109,600 mortgage, only to rent it out as an investment—potentially saving her nearly $19,000 in interest. This comes hot on the heels of James Comey’s indictment in the same district for lying to Congress, another Trump nemesis. James’s response? A fiery statement branding the case a “continuation of the president’s desperate weaponization of our justice system.” She insists her Trump probe was “based on the facts and the evidence, not politics,” and vows to fight the “baseless charges” while continuing to “protect New Yorkers.” Democrats like Gov. Kathy Hochul and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries echoed the outrage, decrying it as Trump’s “corrupt” […]

A multinational task force including Israel, the United States, Turkey, Egypt, and Qatar will be established to locate the bodies of Israeli hostages still missing in the Gaza Strip. The formation of the joint mission was finalized during the Sharm el-Sheikh negotiations in Egypt, where U.S., Qatari, Egyptian, and Turkish mediators secured the landmark agreement that halted nearly two years of war between Israel and Hamas. The task force’s mandate will be to find and recover the bodies of hostages whose locations remain unknown, including those believed to have been buried under Gaza’s vast network of tunnels and rubble. A senior Turkish official said Ankara would participate directly in the operation, underscoring Turkey’s expanding diplomatic role in post-war Gaza reconstruction and mediation efforts. “Since we expect there to be difficulties, we acted to set up an international task force that will have everything needed, including information and resources, to return the hostages to Israel,” said Gal Hirsch, Israel’s special coordinator for hostage affairs. 48 hostages remain in Gaza, including 47 from the original 251 people abducted during Hamas’s October 7, 2023 massacre. The IDF has confirmed at least 26 are dead, with 20 believed alive and two in critical condition or unaccounted for. Among those held is the body of an Israeli soldier killed during the 2014 Gaza war, whose remains Hamas has long refused to return. Under the terms of President Donald Trump’s ceasefire plan, all hostages — living and dead — are to be returned within 72 hours of the truce’s implementation, which began on Friday. But Hamas has told mediators that it does not know the whereabouts of several deceased captives, complicating its ability to meet that deadline. “Some of the bodies may have been lost in collapsed tunnels or handed to unaffiliated groups,” one Israeli official told CNN, noting that intelligence assessments suggest seven to fifteen bodies may remain unaccounted for. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been aware of the situation “for months,” officials added. The new task force will combine forensic, intelligence, and engineering teams from the participating nations, supported by data from Israel’s military intelligence and Shin Bet. Officials said the mission will work closely with Egyptian border authorities and international humanitarian groups to coordinate search areas. The effort represents a rare operational collaboration between Israel and Turkey, whose diplomatic ties have been strained for over a decade, and comes amid deep skepticism in Israel about Hamas’s willingness or ability to cooperate. The initiative also reflects the complex realities of the ceasefire deal — hailed by Washington as a diplomatic breakthrough but still fraught with logistical and moral challenges. Israel’s experience with hostage recovery has been agonizingly slow. Between January and March 2025, Hamas released 30 captives — including 20 Israeli civilians, five soldiers, and five Thai nationals — along with the bodies of eight slain Israelis. One additional hostage, a dual American-Israeli citizen, was freed in May as a “gesture” to the U.S. Those releases followed a weeklong truce in November 2023, when 105 civilians were freed, and an earlier period in which four hostages were released shortly after the war began. So far, eight hostages have been rescued alive in Israeli operations, while the bodies of 51 others have been recovered — among them three captives mistakenly killed by IDF troops during […]

Vice President JD Vance resurrected one of President Trump’s memorable jabs Thursday, joking about a “Palestinian” lawmaker while taking aim at Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) over both the ongoing government shutdown and the newly announced Middle East peace deal.

“The reason we’re here is because the president actually charted a different course with a different team,” Vance said, alluding to special Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, who has been deeply involved in the latest round of negotiations.

“Obviously the president of the United States, a New York real estate billionaire, one of the most famous New Yorkers in the world, has a lot of interaction with a lot of people who are very pro-Israel,” the vice president continued.

“He also, of course, knew one of the most famous Palestinians in the world, Chuck Schumer,” Vance ribbed, drawing laughter from the audience.

Schumer didn’t take kindly to the remark, firing back with a pointed statement. “Someone like JD Vance should know to ‘couch’ his language more carefully,” Schumer said. “Anyways, I’ll be here, ready to make a deal to save Americans’ healthcare and reopen the federal government that Republicans shut down.”

Though Schumer frequently highlights his position as the highest-ranking Jewish member of Congress, Trump has repeatedly mocked him as a “Palestinian,” a nickname he began using during the 2024 campaign when accusing the Brooklyn Democrat of failing to adequately back Israel.

The president later extended the same insult to Joe Biden. “As far as Israel and Hamas, Israel’s the one that wants to go — he said the only one who wants to keep going is Hamas. Actually, Israel is the one. And you should let them go and let them finish the job,” Trump said during his June 27, 2024, debate against the Democratic incumbent.

“He doesn’t want to do it. He’s become like a Palestinian. But they don’t like him, because he’s a very bad Palestinian. He’s a weak one.”

Trump again turned his criticism toward Schumer after the Senate leader urged Israelis to oust Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the middle of the country’s war against Hamas. “Look at a guy like Sen. Schumer. … I come from New York, I knew Schumer,” Trump told supporters at a rally in Virginia the day after the debate.

“He’s become a Palestinian. He’s a Palestinian now. Congratulations. He was very loyal to Israel and to Jewish people. He’s Jewish. But he’s become a Palestinian because they have a couple more votes or something.”

Earlier this year, Trump repeated the insult from the Oval Office, telling reporters, “Schumer is a Palestinian, as far as I’m concerned.”

“He’s become a Palestinian. He used to be Jewish. He’s not Jewish anymore. He’s a Palestinian,” the president erupted.

{Matzav.com}

The IDF completed its withdrawal to agreed-upon deployment lines in the Gaza Strip on Friday, officially activating a fragile ceasefire and triggering a 72-hour deadline for Hamas to release all remaining hostages under the first phase of the U.S.-brokered deal. The pullback, finalized at noon, came under fire. Artillery and airstrikes continued in several zones as troops repositioned, and a reservist soldier was killed by a Hamas sniper just hours before the ceasefire began — a reminder of the volatility that remains on the ground. The IDF later identified the fallen soldier as Sgt. First Class (res.) Michael Mordechai Nachmani hy”d, 26, of Dimona, serving in the 614th Combat Engineering Battalion. His death brought Israel’s military toll since the start of the ground operation to 472, including two police officers and three civilian contractors. Under the terms of the deal, Hamas has until noon Monday to hand over all surviving hostages and as many of the bodies of the dead as it can locate. Following the redeployment, Israel now holds roughly 53 percent of Gaza’s territory, much of it outside dense population centers. That includes a buffer zone along the Strip’s entire perimeter and control of key corridors: the Philadelphi Corridor on the Egypt-Gaza border, the northern towns of Beit Hanoun and Beit Lahiya, the eastern ridges of Gaza City, and broad swaths of Rafah and Khan Younis in the south. Both the IDF and Hamas’s Civil Defense agency issued public warnings Friday urging civilians to stay away from areas where Israeli forces remain deployed. “According to the agreement, IDF troops will remain deployed in specific areas of the Gaza Strip. Do not approach IDF troops in the area until further notice,” said Col. Avichay Adraee, the army’s Arabic-language spokesperson. “Approaching the forces exposes you to danger.” He said movement between north and south Gaza would be allowed via the Rashid coastal road and Salah a-Din highway, but cautioned against entering sensitive areas: “Approaching Beit Hanoun, Beit Lahiya, Shejaiya, Rafah crossing, or the Philadelphi Corridor remains extremely dangerous.” Adraee also warned civilians to stay out of the Mediterranean: “There is great danger in fishing, swimming, and diving. We warn against entering the sea in the coming days.” Hamas’s Civil Defense echoed the warning, telling Gazans to avoid border areas “until an official announcement is made about a full withdrawal.” Despite the cautions, video footage from Gaza showed hundreds of residents moving north along the coastal road toward Gaza City — the war-ravaged urban center that has seen some of the most intense fighting of the conflict. Under the terms of the U.S.-brokered agreement, Israel is expected to release 250 Palestinian security prisoners serving life sentences, as well as 1,700 Gazans detained since the October 7 attacks. Hamas has informed mediators it may not be able to account for all the bodies of slain hostages, which could complicate the timeline of the exchange. For Gaza, the truce brought a measure of relief — and uncertainty. Much of the territory has been reduced to rubble after months of fighting, with over a million people displaced. For Israel, the pause represents both a diplomatic breakthrough and a test of trust in Hamas’s commitment to the terms of the deal. As the 72-hour clock began ticking Friday, both sides brace for what could either […]

A seventh infant has tragically died in Yerushalayim from measles, marking yet another devastating loss in the ongoing outbreak. The Ministry of Health is calling on parents to ensure their children are immediately vaccinated to prevent additional deaths.

Health officials confirmed that all of the infants who have succumbed to the illness were previously healthy with no underlying medical issues. Four arrived at hospitals in critical condition. In several instances, delays in treatment following the onset of symptoms proved fatal, and in one particularly severe case, a baby’s limbs had to be amputated due to complications.

Just a week ago, the sixth fatality was recorded — a one-and-a-half-year-old child who did not survive the infection. Days before that, a one-year-old baby was brought to Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital in critical condition after battling measles for three weeks. The child was transferred while undergoing extended resuscitation efforts, but doctors were unable to save his life.

During the same week, another child — a one-year-and-one-month-old girl — died after contracting measles. She had been hospitalized at Hadassah Ein Kerem two months earlier in critical condition, suffering from severe respiratory distress that required connection to an ECMO machine.

Doctors worked tirelessly for weeks to stabilize her, but her condition deteriorated, and she ultimately succumbed to multiple organ failure. Around the same time, yet another unvaccinated toddler lost his life to the disease.

At present, 25 patients are hospitalized with measles, most of them children under six who were not vaccinated. Six are in intensive care, and one remains connected to an ECMO machine.

The Ministry of Health reiterated that measles is a highly contagious and potentially deadly viral infection that can lead to serious complications such as pneumonia, encephalitis, and death — especially among babies, pregnant women, and those with weakened immune systems.

The disease spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes, and it infects over 90% of unvaccinated individuals who come into contact with it. Symptoms usually begin around two weeks after exposure and include high fever, dry cough, nasal congestion, red eyes, and a distinctive rash that starts on the face before spreading to the rest of the body.

In Israel, the standard vaccination schedule includes two doses: the first at 12 months and the second in first grade. However, in areas experiencing outbreaks, health authorities now recommend giving the second dose earlier — at 18 months.

Infants between six months and one year can also receive the vaccine if they have been exposed to the virus or are traveling to regions with active outbreaks. The Ministry recently approved immediate walk-in vaccinations for babies aged 6 to 11 months in outbreak zones, allowing parents to access shots without scheduling appointments.

Active measles outbreaks are currently reported in Jerusalem, Beit Shemesh, Kiryat Gat, Bnei Brak, Harish, Modiin Illit, and Nazareth. Vaccination centers have been set up in these cities to provide immunizations on a walk-in basis.

Parents can verify their children’s vaccination status through the government’s digital vaccination booklet. Children under six can be vaccinated at well-baby clinics, while older children and adults can receive their shots through their health funds.

For those exposed to a measles patient, preventive measures depend on age and vaccination status. Options include active vaccination within 72 hours of exposure or passive vaccination within six days. Pregnant women, infants, and immunocompromised individuals who are unvaccinated receive specialized preventive care.

The Ministry of Health continues to emphasize that vaccination is the most effective and safest means of preventing infection and halting the spread of measles across the country.

{Matzav.com Israel}

It is with great sadness that Matzav.comreports the petirah of Rav Nachum Ragoznitzky zt”l, Rosh Yeshiva of Meoros HaTorah in Kiryat Ye’arim–Telz Stone. He was 90 years old.

The levayah was held today Erev Shabbos Chol Hamoed Sukkos, at his home at 12 Rechov Nechemiah in Yerushalayim, proceeding to Har Hamenuchos for kevurah.

Rav Nachum was born in Yerushalayim on the 26th of Teves, 5695 (1935), to his father Rav Moshe zt”l and his mother Mrs. Mirel a”h. His grandfather, Rav Nachum Ragoznitzky zt”l, served as the administrator of Yeshivas Etz Chaim in Yerushalayim.

As a young man, Rav Nachum learned in Yeshivas Slabodka in Bnei Brak, where he formed a close bond with the Chazon Ish zt”l. Despite his youth, the Chazon Ish cherished him deeply and scheduled a regular weekly session to learn with him, each time discussing sugyos in depth. Rav Nachum would often seek the Chazon Ish’s advice on personal and halachic matters, maintaining a close relationship.

During those formative years, he also developed a connection with the Nadvorna chassidus. The Dvar Chaim of Nadvorna zt”l, through whose brachah Rav Nachum later merited to have a son, became a guiding influence. He later forged a strong friendship with the Be’er Yaakov of Nadvorna zt”l, the Dvar Chaim’s son, a connection that endured even after the latter became rebbe of Nadvorna. In his will, the Admor instructed that Rav Nachum Ragoznitzky be among those to circle his bier during the levayah.

Following his marriage to his wife, Rebbetzin Bina a”h, daughter of Rav Ephraim Lerman zt”l, Rav Nachum settled in Yerushalayim. He learned in the kollel adjacent to Yeshivas Shem Olam–Amshinov and also delivered shiurim there. It was during this period that he became very close to Rav Shmuel Auerbach zt”l, who was likewise serving as a maggid shiur in the same yeshiva. Their friendship was deep and enduring.

In 1983, Rav Nachum founded Yeshivas Meoros HaTorah in Kiryat Ye’arim–Telz Stone. The institution was established to guide and elevate graduates of national-religious high schools who sought to grow in Torah learning and yiras Shamayim. The yeshiva was named in memory of his grandfather, the noted mekubal Rav Meir Schwartz zt”l of Podhajce.

Over the decades, Rav Nachum inspired thousands of talmidim, teaching Torah and instilling a deep sense of yirah. His influence extended beyond Meoros HaTorah to other institutions, including the yeshivos of Belz, Amshinov, Or Sameach, and Kahal Adas Yerushalayim. Among his distinguished talmidim are the rebbe of Amshinov and the rebbe of Pinsk-Karlin, both of whom considered themselves his devoted disciples.

Rav Nachum was a towering gaon in Torah and a paradigm of derech eretz, a true remnant of a bygone generation who lived with humility and concealment, avoiding honor and acclaim throughout his life.

He leaves behind a family of children and grandchildren who continue his legacy of Torah and yiras Shamayim.

Yehi zichro boruch.

{Matzav.com Israel}

Speaking before a packed crowd at Washington’s Warner Theatre on Thursday, Kamala Harris said that efforts to restrain President Trump’s actions have largely collapsed, declaring that “any checks and balances to hold back President Trump have not worked.”

The event was part of a national tour promoting her new book, 107 Days, chronicling her presidential campaign. Harris sat down with journalist and podcaster Kara Swisher for an hour-long conversation before a sold-out audience.

“The point is that the guardrails have failed, for the most part,” Harris said. “Except one, which is the people and the power of God.”

“So right now, in this moment, if the Supreme Court isn’t a guardrail … what is, from a legal point of view, the guardrail that you see?” Harris continued. “Just the people.”

Harris accused congressional Republicans of being “complicit,” saying they “know what is wrong and [are] not stepping up.” Instead of “speaking up,” she said, they are “living in fear of retribution and are more invested in their own political survival than speaking up and taking the hits that may come.”

The former vice president praised congressional Democrats for standing firm in defense of Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies that are set to expire at the end of the year — a standoff that has fueled the government shutdown now approaching its tenth day.

“I know there are plenty of Republicans who know this is wrong, but they’re not stepping up,” she said.

Harris then spoke bluntly about the political climate, admitting, “I was very candid with all the friends here — I don’t know that it won’t get worse before it gets better … . Everyday, something happens.”

Turning her attention to recent controversies, Harris denounced New York Attorney General Letitia James’s indictment and took sharp aim at Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for claiming during a cabinet meeting that circumcision increases autism risk.

“My mother was an adviser at [the National Institutes of Health (NIH)], and she would leave us in the Bay Area to go to NIH, to work with scientists, who have as their goal to alleviate pain and to uplift the human condition,” Harris said.

Referring to current administration actions against the scientific community, she added that when looking at “what these people are doing right now, to end the war on cancer, to deny science and fire scientists,” it became “personal for me.”

On Kennedy’s remark about circumcision, Harris didn’t hold back: “It’s weird. It’s [profanity] up.”

“I don’t have the solution right now to how it stops before the end of his term,” Harris said. “But I know that we have to fight.”

“We have to fight,” she repeated. “We have to stay strong. We cannot get used to this. We cannot be overwhelmed, we cannot be silenced.”

At the end of her talk, Harris referred to a viral moment from earlier in the week when she visited The Getty Center in Los Angeles. “There is so much about this moment that is trying to make people feel like they’ve lost their minds, when in fact, these [profanity] are crazy!” she said, breaking into laughter as the audience erupted in cheers and applause.

{Matzav.com}

The IDF Spokesperson’s Unit announced early Friday morning that Sergeant First Class (Res.) Michael Mordechai Nachmani, 26, from Dimona, was killed in action in the northern Gaza Strip.

Nachmani, who served in the Combat Engineering 614th Battalion, fell to sniper fire on the outskirts of Gaza City’s Shati neighborhood. The incident occurred as Israeli forces were executing an initial withdrawal from the area.

This brings the number of soldiers who have fallen since the beginning of the war to 914.

In a separate development, the government approved early Friday the framework for the release of all hostages — including both the living and the deceased — according to an announcement from the Prime Minister’s Office.

Ministers Bezalel Smotrich, Orit Strock, Itamar Ben Gvir, Yitzchak Wasserlauf, and Amichai Eliyahu opposed the agreement, while Ofir Sofer of the Religious Zionist Party voted in favor.

Following the cabinet’s endorsement of the deal, a ceasefire in Gaza has officially gone into effect.

{Matzav.com Israel}

Zohran Mamdani, the leading candidate in New York’s mayoral race, declined to acknowledge President Donald Trump’s role in brokering the Gaza ceasefire. Instead, he turned his criticism toward Israel, even as other Democrats offered only cautious or reluctant recognition of the president’s involvement.

Democrats across the state said they were “hopeful” about the ceasefire agreement that is expected to secure the release of the remaining hostages. Still, many used the opportunity to attack Trump, with one lawmaker likening him to a “broken clock.”

Asked about the deal, Mamdani accused Israel of committing atrocities. “I’m hopeful at the news of a possible ceasefire. I hope that it is lasting. I hope that it brings peace,” he said during an interview on 1010 WINS, before launching into a sharp denunciation of Israel.

“And amidst that hope, a recognition that it does not erase the tragedy that has taken hold over these past two years,” Mamdani added. “A tragedy with Hamas’ horrific war crime on October 7th and the Israeli government’s horrific war crimes since then leading to the genocide of Palestinians.”

Mamdani’s campaign pointed reporters to his radio interview when asked if he believed Trump should be credited for the peace deal. At no point in the broadcast did the candidate mention the president.

The remarks came during the same week Mamdani faced harsh criticism for his attacks on Israel on the two-year anniversary of the October 7 massacre.

The ceasefire agreement championed by Trump calls for hostages to be released in its opening phase, while Israeli troops withdraw from some areas of Gaza.

The development sparked celebrations among both Israelis and Palestinians, but left-leaning politicians were slow to applaud Trump’s role in the achievement.

“If the agreement succeeds in securing the release of the hostages, disarming Hamas, and ending the war, then of course the President deserves credit,” said Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-Bronx). “Even a broken clock like Donald Trump can be right twice a day.”

Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz voiced enthusiasm about the deal, though he made clear his criticism of Trump remained. “I only wished it could have happened sooner,” he said, adding, “There’s very little good for which Trump can claim credit, only bad, but he certainly deserves some of the credit here.”

Other top Democrats sidestepped the matter. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, when pressed on CNN about Trump’s role, avoided a direct answer, saying only, “It’s a very positive step in the right direction.”

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, Governor Kathy Hochul, and mayoral contender Andrew Cuomo also praised the ceasefire itself but did not mention Trump in their remarks.

Republicans in New York, on the other hand, had no hesitation in applauding the president. “President Trump is a real dealmaker and leader and he’s not just negotiating an end to the Israel-Hamas war,” said Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-Staten Island/Brooklyn), highlighting his broader record of peace efforts.

Rep. Michael Lawler (R-Rockland/Westchester) also expressed gratitude, saying Trump deserved thanks “for leading this effort and working tirelessly to establish peace and bring the hostages home.”

Interestingly, Assemblyman Kalman Yeger, a Brooklyn Democrat, broke with his party and sided with Republicans. He said Trump deserves “much” credit for the breakthrough.

“The resilience of the Israeli people, the relentless focus of Prime Minister Netanyahu and his strong allies in the Knesset,” Yeger told The NY Post, “and the tremendous backing of a US President who recognized that no nation can survive if it gets on its knees to terror, combined for an unbreakable force that brought about the Hamas surrender and the hopeful quick return of the hostages.”

{Matzav.com}

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. raised eyebrows on Thursday when he suggested that circumcision might be connected to autism because infants are often given Tylenol after the procedure.

“There’s two studies which show children who are circumcised early have double the rate of autism, it’s highly likely, because they were given Tylenol,” Kennedy told President Trump during a cabinet meeting.

Kennedy did not name the studies, but in 2015 researchers in Denmark reviewed health data from nearly 343,000 boys and found that circumcised children were more likely to be diagnosed with autism before age 10 compared to those who were not circumcised.

The authors of that research proposed that undergoing painful surgery early in life might increase risks of later behavioral, developmental, or psychological difficulties.

Still, critics of the study quickly questioned its reliability, arguing the data was “flawed” and should have considered other common sources of early pain, such as urinary tract infections, as possible factors.

Some scientists have also suggested a simpler explanation: boys who undergo circumcision may have more interactions with doctors, raising the likelihood that autism is detected and diagnosed.

Another study, this one smaller and published in Ireland in 2024, came to a different conclusion. Researchers there reported that circumcised boys with autism “exhibited significant improvements” in irritability, sensory sensitivities, and repetitive behaviors compared to those who had not undergone the procedure.

That same study also noted relief in urinary symptoms, including pain, urgency, and nighttime frequency, which were said to be “significantly reduced.”

Rabbi Nechemia Markovits, a veteran mohel in Brooklyn who has performed circumcisions for nearly four decades, said the claim that Tylenol is always used after the procedure is inaccurate. “The procedure is quick and well-tolerated,” he told The NY Post.

“I place a light gauze with Vaseline to protect the area, and if there’s any mild discomfort, parents can use a gentle topical spray on the first day. Every family has direct access to me afterward through WhatsApp, and I guide them personally through the healing process until everything is completely healed.”

For children who are older at the time of circumcision, Rabbi Markovits acknowledged that Tylenol can help with temporary soreness. “I’ve never had newborns use Tylenol,” he said, later adding: “My focus is simply on providing safe, comfortable, and natural healing for each patient.”

Kennedy’s remarks came only weeks after President Trump himself criticized acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol, saying it should not be taken by pregnant women except in cases of high fever. He argued it could increase autism risk in unborn children.

Tylenol is widely used to reduce fever and treat pain, and medical experts point out it has been considered safe since it was introduced 70 years ago.

Despite pushback from doctors and women’s health advocates, Trump reinforced his position after Kennedy’s comments. “There’s a tremendous amount of proof or evidence, I would say as a non-doctor,” he said, adding that he had looked into the matter “a long time ago.”

“Just don’t take it. You have to tough it through sometimes. I’m addressing it as best I can as a non-doctor, but I’m a man of common sense.”

Autism diagnoses have risen dramatically in the United States, with rates up 400% since 2000. Today, one in every 31 children in America is affected.

{Matzav.com}