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IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir warned Friday that Israel’s military is maintaining its highest level of operational readiness amid fears of further terrorist attacks, announcing additional troop deployments throughout Yehuda and Shomron following the deadly shooting near Chevron that claimed the lives of two Israeli soldiers.

Zamir delivered the warning during a visit to the scene of the terrorist attack at Yehuda Junction, where he reviewed the circumstances of the shooting and met with senior military and security commanders. He said preliminary findings indicate that the soldiers who confronted the terrorists prevented a potentially far more devastating attack against Israeli civilians.

The IDF chief emphasized that security forces would continue pursuing everyone involved in planning or carrying out the attack, while also preparing for the possibility of additional violence during the sensitive days ahead.

Two soldiers from the IDF’s Ari Battalion, Staff Sergeant Ron Yonatan Roytman and Sergeant Yuval Shai Svilem, were killed in the attack. Their actions, according to military investigators, prevented the terrorists from reaching their intended civilian targets.

During his visit, Zamir toured the area where the shooting occurred and conducted an operational assessment with Central Command chief Maj. Gen. Avi Bluth, 98th Division commander Brig. Gen. Meni Liberty, acting Civil Administration head Brig. Gen. (Res.) Ilan Malka, the commander of the Yehuda Regional Brigade, the regional Border Police commander, representatives of the Shin Bet, and other senior officers.

The military leadership examined the initial findings of the investigation, the response of the soldiers at the checkpoint, and the measures being implemented to prevent additional attacks.

“The outcome of the encounter with the terrorist cell is painful, but the initial inquiry indicates that the actions of the Ari Battalion troops prevented a serious attack against Israeli civilians. We will act decisively, pursue and reach all those involved in the attack,” Zamir said.

The chief of staff said the military had already anticipated the possibility of heightened violence in Yehuda and Shomron and had taken steps to reinforce its presence throughout the region.

Among the measures announced was the deployment of the 98th Division’s headquarters, together with substantial additional forces, to strengthen security operations and provide a rapid response to emerging threats.

Zamir said the military’s recent counterterrorism activity had already prevented numerous attacks and pledged that the security establishment would continue acting against terrorist organizations and their operatives.

“Based on the situational assessment, we prepared for the possibility of escalation in Judea and Samaria, reinforced our troops and deployed the 98th Division headquarters and numerous additional troops to the area. Our troops’ operations in the area have prevented and thwarted numerous attacks in recent weeks. We will act decisively and pursue all those involved in the attack. Anyone who attempts to harm us should know that we will reach them,” he added.

The reinforcement of the 98th Division is part of a broader military effort to strengthen security ahead of Israel’s upcoming Knesset elections. Earlier this month, Zamir warned that intelligence assessments pointed to an increased risk of escalation and ordered additional forces into the region.

The IDF has also raised its readiness across multiple fronts, with commanders instructed to maintain the ability to respond rapidly to attempted attacks while continuing proactive operations against terrorist infrastructure.

At the attack site, Zamir stressed that the military would maintain an aggressive posture toward terrorist threats while exercising restraint and avoiding actions that could unnecessarily inflame the security situation.

“We are at the highest level of readiness and alert across all fronts. Our primary mission is to thwart terrorism and ensure security and stability for Israeli civilians. We will continue to strike and take proactive action wherever necessary, while acting with composure. We will not be drawn into provocations or allow our enemies to influence our actions, particularly as we enter this sensitive week. We will also conduct an inquiry into this attack to learn from it and draw lessons for the future,” the Chief of Staff continued.

The reference to the coming week follows a series of security assessments conducted ahead of Tuesday’s elections, with the military preparing for the possibility that terrorist organizations could attempt to exploit the heightened political tensions.

The deadly shooting also prompted immediate security measures around Chevron. Israeli forces imposed restrictions on movement in the area, while military commanders approved expanded arrest operations and intensified intelligence activity aimed at identifying individuals who may have assisted the terrorists.

Investigators discovered a substantial quantity of ammunition in the attackers’ vehicle, strengthening the military’s assessment that the gunmen had intended to carry out a larger attack against Israeli civilians.

The two terrorists were eliminated after a gun battle lasting approximately 20 minutes. According to the military, the deputy commander of the Ari Battalion and a company commander were among the officers who responded to the shooting and killed the attackers.

The Ari Battalion, part of the Home Front Command’s Search and Rescue Brigade, was carrying out its first operational deployment in Yehuda and Shomron when the attack occurred.

Zamir instructed commanders to examine the circumstances of the shooting thoroughly, including the initial encounter, the deployment of forces and the response that ultimately brought the attack to an end.

He emphasized that the investigation would be used to identify operational lessons and improve the military’s ability to prevent similar attacks.

The chief of staff concluded his visit by paying tribute to the two fallen soldiers and expressing his condolences to their families.

“I extend my deepest condolences to the families of SSGT Ron Yonatan Roytman and SGT Yuval Shai Svilem, who fell while defending Israeli civilians and preventing an even more serious attack. I also wish the wounded a speedy recovery,” concluded Zamir.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump is standing firmly behind Republican Ohio gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy following a fierce controversy over a campaign advertisement featuring the estranged mother of his Democratic opponent, Amy Acton, who accuses her daughter of being dishonest.

The commercial has provoked criticism from Republicans and Democrats alike, with some political figures condemning the use of Acton’s painful family history in a statewide election campaign. Trump, however, has urged Ramaswamy to continue broadcasting the advertisement, arguing that its effectiveness is precisely why critics want it taken off the air.

In a lengthy message posted on Truth Social, Trump praised the commercial and accused the news media of attempting to pressure the Republican candidate into abandoning a powerful political attack.

“The Press is trying to convince everyone that this Ad is bad, because it’s so good!” Trump wrote. “Who wouldn’t use such an Ad? I would, it’s called, ‘hitting pay dirt.'”



The advertisement features Donna Arthur, Acton’s mother, delivering a sharply critical assessment of her daughter directly to the camera.

“It’s not easy for a mother to say this, but Amy has a serious problem,” Arthur says in the video. “She is a liar.”

The commercial has drawn particular scrutiny because of the deeply troubled relationship between Acton and her mother, which dates back to Acton’s childhood.

According to reporting by The Wall Street Journal, Acton became estranged from Arthur after her stepfather, who has since died, was charged with sexually abusing her. Her mother remained with the stepfather and subsequently relocated to another state.

The circumstances have prompted critics to question the appropriateness of featuring Arthur in a political advertisement attacking her daughter.

Acton’s brother denounced the commercial as a “despicable low,” pointing to the abuse his sister endured as a child and the painful family history surrounding her relationship with their mother.

The controversy has become a major issue in the closely contested race to replace Republican Gov. Mike DeWine, who is barred by term limits from seeking another consecutive term.

Trump has dismissed objections to the advertisement, contending that Democrats and major news organizations would embrace a comparable attack if it were directed at a Republican candidate.

The president also directed his anger at DeWine, who publicly urged Ramaswamy to stop airing the commercial. Trump branded the outgoing governor a “RINO” and questioned his loyalty to the Republican Party.

“He probably wants a Dumocrat to win, and certainly doesn’t want someone who will do a much better job than he is capable of doing,” Trump wrote.

DeWine, however, has maintained that the advertisement crosses an unacceptable line. Speaking to reporters Thursday, the Republican governor said, “It’s just wrong,” and called for the commercial to be withdrawn.

Ohio Republican Sen. Jon Husted, who is running for reelection in his own closely watched Senate contest, also expressed reservations about the campaign’s decision to feature Acton’s mother.

“I would not have run that ad,” Husted said.

Despite their objections, both DeWine and Husted have continued supporting Ramaswamy’s candidacy, separating their criticism of the advertisement from their positions in the gubernatorial race.

Vice President JD Vance has taken the opposite approach, defending Ramaswamy and criticizing fellow Republicans who have complained about the commercial.

Vance argued that “politics is a tough business,” dismissing the suggestion that the controversy required Ramaswamy to abandon the advertisement.

During a campaign appearance in Cincinnati on Wednesday, Vance also urged Republicans to stop complaining about the campaign’s tactics and concentrate on winning the election.

Trump revealed additional details about his involvement while addressing supporters Thursday evening at a rally in Sioux City, Iowa.

According to the president, Ramaswamy personally contacted him to ask whether he should withdraw the commercial amid the growing backlash.

Trump said he advised the candidate to ignore the criticism and continue broadcasting it.

“So I told him, leave it up and look upstairs and say: ‘thank you, God, very much,'” Trump said.

Ramaswamy’s campaign has committed approximately $4 million to promoting the advertisement, which began airing on television Thursday after initially circulating online.

The campaign has defended its decision, arguing that Arthur’s allegations raise legitimate questions about Acton’s credibility.

Acton’s campaign has strongly rejected that characterization, accusing Ramaswamy of exploiting a painful childhood experience for political purposes.

The controversy has also prompted renewed examination of the events surrounding Acton’s childhood. Court records from Mahoning County dating to 1978 document proceedings involving the removal of Acton and her brother from their mother’s household after their stepfather was indicted on a rape charge involving Acton, who was 12 at the time.

The records indicate that the stepfather subsequently disappeared from his last known address and was never taken into custody despite multiple arrest warrants. Arthur remained married to him until his death in 2004.

The documents have drawn additional attention because Arthur’s appearance in the advertisement challenges her daughter’s account of her childhood. Acton’s brother has publicly supported his sister’s description of the abuse and family circumstances.

Acton, a physician who previously served as Ohio’s health director, has said she has not seen her mother since 1978.

The dispute has erupted at a particularly sensitive point in the governor’s race, with several recent surveys showing Acton ahead of Ramaswamy.

A Fox News poll conducted October 15–19 placed Acton at 50 percent and Ramaswamy at 48 percent among likely voters, a two-point difference within the survey’s margin of error.

A separate Marist poll conducted October 15–18 found Acton receiving 50 percent support compared with 43 percent for Ramaswamy. Other surveys have shown smaller differences between the candidates, underscoring the uncertainty surrounding the November 3 election.

The race has attracted national attention because Ohio has not elected a Democratic governor in two decades, while Trump carried the state by approximately 11 percentage points in the 2024 presidential election.

Ramaswamy, a businessman and former presidential candidate, entered the race with Trump’s endorsement and has emphasized reducing taxes, combating crime and advancing conservative policies.

Trump reiterated his support Friday, describing Ramaswamy as “a brilliant and outstanding person” and predicting that his administration would “MAKE OHIO GREAT AGAIN.”

With Election Day approaching, the controversy has become a central feature of the campaign’s closing weeks, placing the candidates’ competing arguments about character and judgment alongside the economic and policy issues that have dominated much of the contest.

First Lady Melania Trump has brokered a ceasefire agreement between Russia and Ukraine, securing a temporary halt to fighting in a Russian-occupied Ukrainian city to allow humanitarian supplies to enter and trapped civilians to escape, the White House announced Friday.

The agreement, scheduled to take effect Thursday, October 29, represents an unusual diplomatic achievement for a first lady, who personally helped negotiate the arrangement with officials from both countries amid the continuing war between Moscow and Kyiv.

The ceasefire will apply specifically to Oleshky, a devastated city in southern Ukraine that has been under Russian control since the opening days of the February 2022 invasion. It is intended to provide a safe passageway for civilians and permit desperately needed deliveries of food, medicine and other essential supplies.

The agreement does not constitute a nationwide ceasefire or an end to the war. Fighting elsewhere in Ukraine is expected to continue as President Donald Trump pursues broader negotiations aimed at ending the conflict.

According to the White House, Melania Trump and a representative worked directly with Russian and Ukrainian leadership to establish the terms of the arrangement, including the timing of the ceasefire, procedures for delivering assistance and plans for evacuating residents.

The first lady served as what the administration described as an exclusive intermediary between the two sides, helping coordinate the humanitarian agreement despite the continuing hostilities.

Oleshky, situated across the Dnipro River from the regional capital of Kherson, has experienced catastrophic conditions during more than four years of war.

Before Russia’s invasion, approximately 24,000 people lived in the city. Today, an estimated 1,700 to 2,000 residents remain, most of them elderly people who have been unable to flee. Approximately 50 children are also believed to remain in the area.

Residents have endured severe shortages of food, medicine, electricity and clean water, while destroyed infrastructure, land mines and continued military attacks have made evacuations extremely dangerous.

Melania Trump described the humanitarian emergency in stark terms.

“The situation in Oleshky is dire. Oleshky is a front-line war city on the brink of disaster. Oleshky’s remaining population is comprised primarily of elderly residents who urgently need medical attention, medicine, food, and clean water,” she said.

The first lady said the conditions made direct intervention necessary to prevent further suffering.

“The people of Oleshky have limited electricity, live amid mined roads, and endure regular military attacks. It was abundantly clear that without my intervention, the possibility to bring humanitarian aid into the city and to evacuate the elderly would be impossible.”

Under the agreement, civilian representatives from Russia and Ukraine will cooperate in assessing the needs of residents, coordinating relief deliveries and arranging transportation for those wishing to leave.

Residents will be permitted to choose their preferred destination, including areas controlled by either Russia or Ukraine.

“Non-military, civilian leaders from both countries will work together to visit Oleshky residents in their homes and determine the level of assistance they require. Residents who wish to evacuate will receive coordinated support and transportation to their preferred destination. I anticipate some will want to go to Russia, and some to Ukraine,” Melania Trump explained.

The first lady also announced that an American news organization would accompany the humanitarian teams to document their activities and help ensure that the evacuation process respects the wishes of individual families.

“I have also secured an impartial American media organization to accompany and document Russian and Ukrainian teams on the ground throughout the process. This will play a significant role in ensuring that the wishes of each family are faithfully respected.”

Newsmax subsequently reported that it would participate in covering the humanitarian operation.

The agreement grew out of Melania Trump’s earlier humanitarian efforts involving Ukrainian children who were taken to Russia during the war and subsequently reunited with their families.

According to the White House, the first lady has helped facilitate six separate reunification operations involving 34 children.

The crisis in Oleshky was brought to her attention during a private conversation at her Fostering the Future Together event in New York City, held in conjunction with the 81st United Nations General Assembly.

After learning about conditions in the city, Melania Trump and her representative reportedly contacted Russian and Ukrainian officials through diplomatic channels established during the earlier child-reunification efforts.

“My representative and I immediately leveraged the communication channel we established with Russia and Ukraine through the previous six reunifications of 34 children. Both nations promptly assigned teams to coordinate the complex mechanics involved, including demining. All parties have worked around the clock since that moment,” she said.

The preparations have included discussions about clearing mines, establishing safe transportation routes and coordinating access for humanitarian personnel.

The Kremlin publicly welcomed the agreement Friday, with spokesman Dmitry Peskov acknowledging the first lady’s involvement and praising her contribution to the negotiations.

“We welcome the efforts of the First Lady of the United States, Mrs Melania Trump, who has made a significant contribution to the coordination of the humanitarian operation,” Peskov said.

Peskov indicated that the humanitarian arrangements had also been discussed during a recent conversation between President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

He said civilians wishing to leave Oleshky would be permitted to do so and that the evacuation operation was expected to continue for several days.

Ukraine’s chief negotiator, David Arakhamia, also confirmed the agreement, saying preparations were underway to establish humanitarian corridors allowing residents to leave and relief supplies to enter.

Arakhamia indicated that the arrangement followed an extended diplomatic effort involving Melania Trump and Pope Leo XIV, whose involvement helped advance discussions between the warring sides.

The Russian military separately announced plans to suspend firing to facilitate the humanitarian operation, although statements from Moscow and Washington gave different indications about the precise timetable for implementation.

The ceasefire represents a significant development for Oleshky, where residents have faced increasingly desperate conditions.

The city suffered catastrophic flooding following the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam in June 2023, with approximately 90 percent of its territory inundated, according to White House figures.

Since then, residents have faced continuing military attacks, damaged infrastructure and severe restrictions on their ability to obtain basic necessities.

Humanitarian organizations have struggled to reach the city because of its location near the front lines and the danger posed by drones, artillery and mined roads.

Ukraine has attempted to deliver food to isolated residents using drones, but such operations have provided only limited relief.

The newly announced agreement is intended to establish a more reliable method of delivering assistance while allowing civilians to leave through designated evacuation routes.

Ukrainian human rights officials have welcomed the diplomatic initiative while cautioning that implementing the ceasefire and safely transporting residents will remain extremely difficult.

The announcement comes as President Trump continues pressing for a broader settlement between Russia and Ukraine, with negotiations complicated by disagreements over territory, security guarantees and the terms of any permanent cessation of hostilities.

Although the Oleshky agreement is limited to a single city, it demonstrates that the two countries remain capable of reaching specific humanitarian arrangements despite their wider disagreements.

For Melania Trump, the agreement represents an expansion of her diplomatic involvement beyond efforts to reunite children separated from their families during the war.

The immediate test will come on October 29, when the temporary ceasefire is scheduled to begin and humanitarian teams are expected to start implementing the evacuation and relief operation.

If carried out successfully, the agreement could provide desperately needed assistance to thousands of civilians who have spent years trapped in one of the war’s most devastated communities.

The White House has not indicated that the arrangement will lead to a broader ceasefire, but officials hope the humanitarian operation will proceed with the cooperation of both Russian and Ukrainian authorities.

For the remaining residents of Oleshky, the agreement offers the prospect of food, medical assistance and a safe route out of a city where war has made ordinary life increasingly impossible.

Israel’s chareidi political parties are adjusting their Election Day operations in response to new restrictions on collecting and reporting voter information at polling stations, prompting campaign organizers to establish alternative systems for monitoring turnout and identifying supporters who have not yet voted.

The changes come ahead of Tuesday’s Knesset elections, when United Torah Judaism and Shas are expected to mobilize extensive networks of activists to encourage voters to reach the polls.

For years, party organizations have relied on information gathered by representatives stationed at polling locations to monitor participation throughout the day. The information has helped campaign headquarters determine which supporters have already cast ballots and which voters may require additional reminders or transportation assistance.

Under the new restrictions, party representatives face limitations on collecting and transmitting voter information from inside polling stations.

In response, chareidi campaign organizers are preparing voluntary check-in stations outside voting locations, where supporters will be encouraged to report that they have voted.

The alternative arrangement is intended to allow campaign headquarters to continue tracking participation without relying on information obtained from inside the polling stations.

The ruling at the center of the controversy was issued by Supreme Court Justice Noam Sohlberg, chairman of the Central Elections Committee, who determined that polling-station representatives could not transmit information about individual voters to party headquarters through election applications.

The restriction was subsequently extended to digital reporting of the number of voters who had cast ballots at individual polling stations. The court’s position was that information obtained by officials serving inside polling stations could not be used for partisan turnout operations.

The decision represents a major operational challenge for the chareidi parties, whose highly organized Election Day campaigns have traditionally depended on detailed, continuously updated voter information.

Agudas Yisroel has developed a particularly unusual response, establishing what campaign organizers have dubbed the “Sohlberg Headquarters.”

Under the plan, stations will be positioned outside polling locations where Agudas Yisroel has supporters. Voters will be asked to report voluntarily after casting their ballots, allowing campaign workers to update their records and avoid repeatedly contacting individuals who have already voted.

In addition, Agudas Yisroel intends to establish dedicated tents at groups of polling stations, staffed by kollel members who will assist with the reporting process.

The operation is being organized under the direction of Yerushalayim Deputy Mayor Tzachi Brim.

Campaign organizers have adopted the slogan, “If you voted but didn’t report, you didn’t vote,” emphasizing the importance they attach to keeping headquarters informed throughout Election Day.

The slogan is intended to encourage supporters to report their participation after leaving the polling station. It does not suggest that a ballot is invalid if a voter declines to report.

Degel HaTorah is pursuing a different strategy.

Its original plan called for seminary girls to gather in wedding halls and make telephone calls throughout Election Day, contacting supporters and encouraging them to vote.

Following legal difficulties, party organizers reportedly abandoned that arrangement and instead decided to establish an expanded, paid women’s campaign operation, larger than those employed during previous elections.

The operation will focus on contacting voters and encouraging participation without relying on the restricted information from inside polling stations.

Shas, meanwhile, is preparing a highly structured reporting network designed to track voter participation through multiple levels of campaign leadership.

Under its system, one coordinator will be responsible for approximately 50 voters, ensuring that each person reaches the polls.

Those coordinators will report to supervisors overseeing larger groups, who will transmit information to municipal campaign officials. The information will ultimately reach Shas chairman Aryeh Deri through a dedicated computerized system.

Shas is also expected to operate reporting stations outside polling locations.

The different approaches illustrate the importance all three chareidi factions attach to maximizing turnout, particularly in an election in which smaller political movements are attempting to attract voters dissatisfied with the established parties.

The campaign comes amid continuing tensions over the military draft controversy, which has generated anger among some chareidi voters and raised concerns within the established parties about potential defections or abstentions.

With the election approaching, party officials are attempting to ensure that supporters who intend to vote actually reach their polling stations.

The new restrictions mean that campaign workers will have to rely more heavily on voluntary reporting, telephone outreach, and neighborhood-level organization rather than the automated voter information systems used in previous elections.

For the chareidi parties, the challenge is substantial. Their ability to mobilize voters has long been regarded as one of their principal electoral strengths, particularly in closely contested elections where relatively small changes in turnout can affect the distribution of Knesset seats.

The elaborate preparations now underway reflect their determination to preserve that advantage despite the court’s restrictions, with extensive networks of volunteers and paid workers expected to operate throughout Election Day.

Two former senior FBI officials have been criminally charged with lying to Congress about their involvement in investigations concerning Hunter Biden, with federal prosecutors alleging that the pair concealed their roles in shaping the public narrative surrounding his controversial laptop ahead of the 2020 presidential election.

Nikki Floris and Bradley Benavides, who held leadership positions in the FBI’s Foreign Influence Task Force, surrendered to federal authorities Friday after being charged in connection with statements they made during congressional interviews in 2023.

The charges were announced by U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro and FBI Director Kash Patel, who said investigators had uncovered evidence contradicting the former officials’ assertions that their task force played no role in the Hunter Biden investigations.

“Floris and Benavides allegedly lied to Congress about their roles in the FBI’s Hunter Biden investigations, with one claiming they only learned about it from Wikipedia – despite evidence showing their involvement in helping shape the public narrative about Hunter Biden’s laptop right before the election,” Pirro said.

The case centers on the FBI’s handling of information involving Hunter Biden during the closing months of the 2020 presidential campaign, when questions about the authenticity of his laptop and the bureau’s response to reporting about its contents became the subject of intense political controversy.

According to federal authorities, Floris and Benavides provided misleading accounts of their responsibilities while testifying before congressional investigators examining the FBI’s activities during that period.

Floris served as deputy assistant director overseeing the Foreign Influence Task Force from approximately the middle of 2019 until mid-2022. Benavides held the position of section chief of the same task force beginning in mid-2019 and continuing through the 2020 election.

Patel said both officials denied that the task force had participated in the bureau’s investigations involving Hunter Biden, despite records and testimony that investigators now contend demonstrate otherwise.

“Floris led the FITF as a Deputy Assistant Director from mid-2019 through mid-2022. Benavides was the FITF Section Chief from mid-2019 through the 2020 election,” added Patel.

“Both testified that the FITF was not involved in the Hunter Biden investigations. Documentary evidence, contemporaneous communications, and witness accounts contradict their testimony,” the FBI boss said.

The FBI director also highlighted an alleged private remark by Floris that investigators apparently consider significant in assessing her role during the election period.

“Floris is also on record privately claiming to be ‘running a shadow government’ during the 2020 election in her role on the FITF,” he noted.

The allegation concerning the remark was presented by Patel as part of the government’s case against Floris. The full circumstances in which the statement was allegedly made were not detailed in the announcement.

A person familiar with the prosecution said the allegations arose from sworn transcribed interviews conducted by the House Judiciary Committee in 2023. Floris appeared before congressional investigators on July 19, while Benavides was questioned on September 28.

Both former officials have been charged with one count of making false statements to Congress, a federal offense. Prosecutors allege that their testimony misrepresented what they knew about the FBI’s Hunter Biden investigations and the extent of the Foreign Influence Task Force’s involvement.

Court documents released Friday indicate that investigators relied on internal communications, documentary records and witness accounts in developing the case. Prosecutors maintain that those materials demonstrate that the two officials possessed considerably more knowledge of the investigations than they acknowledged to lawmakers.

The Foreign Influence Task Force was established to address foreign interference in American elections, particularly following concerns about Russian efforts to influence the 2016 presidential race. Its activities during the 2020 campaign have since come under scrutiny from congressional Republicans who questioned whether federal law enforcement improperly influenced public discussion of politically sensitive information.

The controversy surrounding Hunter Biden’s laptop began in October 2020, when the New York Post published reports based on material allegedly recovered from a computer he had left at a Delaware repair shop. The reports generated widespread political debate in the weeks before the presidential election.

Questions subsequently arose over how federal investigators handled the laptop and whether warnings about possible foreign disinformation contributed to skepticism about the reporting. The FBI had obtained the laptop in 2019, and material from it was later used in federal proceedings involving Hunter Biden.

The Justice Department’s criminal complaint alleges that Floris and Benavides attempted to conceal the task force’s involvement in discussions and activities connected to those investigations. The accusations concern their statements to Congress, rather than charges that they personally altered evidence or committed an offense in the underlying Hunter Biden investigation.

The prosecution has already drawn a forceful response from Floris’s attorneys, who accuse the Justice Department of bringing a politically motivated case.

“Nikki Floris is a patriot. She served our nation as a dedicated FBI intelligence officer for nearly 20 years. Yet today, the DOJ has accused her falsely of a crime on the say-so of politicians, not on the facts. It’s no coincidence the government is filing these nonsense charges now, years later, on the eve of an election,” her lawyers said.

Her attorneys also challenged the government’s motives, saying the charges were intended to advance a political narrative rather than address genuine criminal conduct.

“The government’s reasons for charging Nikki are as transparent as they are unjust: to push a false narrative for a shot at political points,” they said.

An attorney representing Benavides was not immediately available for comment when the charges were announced.

Both defendants appeared in federal court in Washington on Friday. Prosecutors did not seek to have them detained while the proceedings continue.

The case was brought through a criminal complaint rather than a grand jury indictment, and a preliminary hearing was scheduled for Tuesday. During the initial proceedings, the judge raised questions about the unusual timing and procedural posture of the prosecution.

The charges were announced just 11 days before the November 3 midterm elections, adding to the political attention surrounding a case involving actions taken during the 2020 presidential campaign.

The Foreign Influence Task Force was disbanded in 2025 after the Trump administration began reviewing the FBI’s handling of politically sensitive investigations and allegations of institutional bias.

For federal prosecutors, the case now centers on whether Floris and Benavides knowingly misled congressional investigators about their knowledge and activities. Their attorneys will have an opportunity to challenge the government’s evidence as the proceedings move forward.

The arrests represent a significant development in the continuing examination of the FBI’s conduct during the 2020 election, although the allegations remain unproven and both defendants are presumed innocent unless convicted.

The case is expected to draw further attention as investigators’ evidence and the defendants’ responses are examined in federal court.

Rav Avrohom Salim, member of the Moetzet Chachmei HaTorah of Shas, visited Yeshivas Orchos Meir in the Bayit Vegan neighborhood of Yerushalayim following the sentencing of one of its bochurim, Eliyahu Dabada, to 20 days in military prison over the army draft issue.

The visit, which took place Thursday, was intended to strengthen the yeshiva’s bochurim amid growing concern over the arrest and imprisonment of yeshiva students who have not reported for military service.

Rav Salim delivered a special address to the bochurim, offering words of encouragement and emphasizing the importance of remaining steadfast in their Torah learning despite the uncertainty surrounding the draft controversy.

The imprisonment of Dabada has generated concern among his fellow bochurim and the yeshiva’s leadership, particularly as enforcement proceedings against chareidi young men have become an increasingly contentious issue in Israel.

The case comes against the backdrop of a broader struggle over the status of yeshiva students, with chareidi rabbonim and political representatives warning that the military’s enforcement policies threaten the ability of young men to continue their studies uninterrupted.

Rav Salim’s visit took place Tuesday, October 20, when the yeshiva interrupted its regular afternoon learning session to receive him. Hundreds of bochurim greeted the Rosh Yeshiva with enthusiastic singing as he entered the study hall, accompanied by the yeshiva’s Rosh Yeshiva, Rav Meir Vaknin.

During an approximately 20-minute address, Rav Salim spoke about Dabada’s imprisonment and the responsibility of yeshiva students to remain committed to their learning.

The visit also carried a political message ahead of the upcoming elections. Rav Salim told the bochurim that, in his view, the appropriate electoral choices for a Torah-observant voter were Shas and United Torah Judaism.

His remarks included references to National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, whose parties have attracted some support among younger chareidi voters.

When the question arose as to which party the bochurim should actually support, Rav Salim directed them to consult their own Rosh Yeshiva, Rav Vaknin, and follow his guidance.

Dabada was arrested on October 7 at approximately 4 a.m. at his parents’ home in Be’er Sheva by military police. He was subsequently transferred to Military Prison 10 and sentenced to 20 days of confinement.

Following his arrest, Rav Salim, Rav Moshe Maya, and Rav Shlomo Machpud sent letters offering him encouragement and support.

Hundreds of students and alumni of Orchos Meir also gathered outside Military Prison 10 in a demonstration organized at the direction of Rav Vaknin. The gathering included prayers, singing, and expressions of solidarity with their imprisoned fellow student.

The case has also generated political controversy. According to an October 19 report by Army Radio correspondent Mordechai Halperin, members of Shas’s Moetzes Chachmei HaTorah, including Rav Maya and Rav Salim, had expressed interest in personally visiting Dabada in prison.

Dabada’s family reportedly began coordinating the proposed visits with his attorneys, but the report alleged that Shas officials intervened to discourage the visits because of concerns about their possible effect on the party’s election campaign.

{Matzav.com}

A disturbing incident in Bnei Brak has sparked condemnation after the elderly Strikover Rebbe was reportedly assaulted by a group of troublemakers while leaving a wedding this week.

The incident occurred at approximately 11:15 p.m. Tuesday night as the Rebbe was making his way out of a wedding celebrating the marriage of a son of the Leipniker Rebbe, held at the Heichalei HaPaar wedding hall in Bnei Brak.

According to eyewitness accounts, a group of individuals confronted the Strikover Rebbe as he attempted to leave the simcha. The confrontation escalated into physical violence, and during the disturbance, the Rebbe’s hat was knocked from his head.

The incident generated particular outrage because of the Rebbe’s advanced age and his standing as one of the senior admorim of the generation.

Reports of the confrontation spread quickly through Bnei Brak and the wider chareidi community, prompting strong expressions of condemnation over the treatment of an elderly Torah leader.

In the aftermath of the incident, Rav Dov Landau, Rosh Yeshivas Slabodka, paid a personal visit to the Strikover Rebbe to offer chizuk and express his concern.

The precise circumstances surrounding the confrontation have not been fully established, and published accounts differ on certain details, including the identity of those involved and the sequence of events.

However, multiple reports agree that the Rebbe was confronted during the wedding celebration and that the encounter involved physical aggression.

The incident came just days after another confrontation involving a prominent rebbe.

On Sunday evening, the Karlin-Stoliner Rebbe was targeted by extremists as he departed a family wedding in Beit Shemesh. According to reports, individuals shouted insults and hurled stones and other objects at his vehicle.

The Stoliner Rebbe was not injured in that incident, but the attack drew condemnation from across the chareidi community.

The two incidents, occurring within days of each other, have intensified concern over violence and harassment directed at rabbonim and admorim.

In the wake of the Strikover incident, chareidi commentators emphasized that disagreements, however strongly held, cannot justify physical attacks or the public humiliation of Torah leaders.

One published condemnation stated, “Violence is not the way of Torah and should not be directed against anyone, particularly rabbonim and Torah scholars.”

The incident has also renewed discussion about the conduct of fringe elements whose actions have repeatedly generated concern within the chareidi community.

As of now, no confirmed information had emerged regarding arrests or criminal charges specifically connected to the incident involving the Strikover Rebbe.

{Matzav.com}

Agudas Yisroel chairman Yitzchok Goldknopf has declared that his party will not automatically support Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu in forming the next Israeli government, even if the right-wing and chareidi parties secure a 61-seat majority in the upcoming elections.

Goldknopf is demanding written commitments addressing the status of yeshiva students and the military draft controversy before agreeing to recommend Netanyahu for another term as prime minister.

The position, outlined in an interview published Thursday, underscores the continuing importance of the draft issue within Agudas Yisroel as Israel approaches Election Day.

Goldknopf made clear that the arithmetic of a potential coalition would not, by itself, be sufficient to secure his party’s support. He wants binding political assurances concerning the future of yeshiva students and the protection of Torah study.

The dispute over military conscription has dominated relations between the chareidi parties and Netanyahu’s government, particularly following court decisions and enforcement measures affecting yeshiva students who have not enlisted.

For Agudas Yisroel, the question is whether a future coalition agreement would provide sufficiently clear commitments to address those concerns.

Goldknopf’s insistence on written guarantees reflects the party’s reluctance to rely solely on verbal promises or general declarations of support for the yeshiva world.

The dispute also reflects a deeper breakdown in trust between Ger and Netanyahu over commitments made during previous coalition negotiations.

Goldknopf has previously recounted that the Gerer Rebbe instructed him to obtain a concrete guarantee that legislation protecting the status of yeshiva students would actually be enacted.

During those negotiations, Netanyahu offered Goldknopf ministerial responsibilities, but Goldknopf later said that the Gerer Rebbe had wanted something more substantial than a government position as assurance that the draft issue would be resolved.

The legislation was never completed to the satisfaction of Agudas Yisroel’s leadership, and the controversy continued to intensify as yeshiva students faced mounting legal uncertainty and enforcement measures.

In a separate statement earlier in the campaign, Goldknopf accused Netanyahu of failing to seriously pursue a solution to the draft crisis and declared that his party would support only a future government that addresses the status of yeshiva and kollel students.

The issue has also contributed to tensions within United Torah Judaism itself, particularly between the Ger faction of Agudas Yisroel and the Degel HaTorah leadership.

In recent days, UTJ chairman Yaakov Asher has held discussions with Goldknopf and the Gerer Rebbe as party officials have attempted to resolve disagreements ahead of the elections.

The Gerer Rebbe has issued a call for his chassidim to support United Torah Judaism, although separate reports Thursday indicated that he was still declining to personally sign the traditional election proclamation of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah.

Meanwhile, reports have suggested that Ger representatives may be prepared to abstain rather than oppose the establishment of a government headed by opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot, illustrating the extent to which the movement is reconsidering its longstanding political alignment with Netanyahu.

Those reports have not established what Agudas Yisroel will ultimately do following the elections, when any coalition arrangement would still require approval from the party’s rabbinic leadership.

Goldknopf’s position nevertheless introduces an important qualification into the calculations surrounding a possible Netanyahu coalition: even if the parties traditionally associated with the prime minister collectively reach the required 61 seats, Agudas Yisroel’s participation cannot necessarily be assumed.

{Matzav.com}

Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and longtime Middle East adviser, is facing explosive allegations that he secretly gained access to approximately $2 billion supplied by Saudi Arabian and United Arab Emirates leaders during Trump’s first administration, including an alleged $1 billion transfer routed through Israel with the assistance of Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu.

The accusations, published Thursday by Vanity Fair in an excerpt from an upcoming investigative book, claim that Netanyahu helped arrange for a massive sum of money to be placed in an account at the Bank of Israel, potentially concealing its connection to Kushner by making the funds appear to belong to the Israeli government.

Kushner has categorically rejected the allegations, calling them fabricated and unsupported by financial documentation. Former U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman, who is accused in the report of serving as an intermediary between Kushner and Netanyahu, has also denied the claims.

The allegations have not been independently substantiated, and no criminal wrongdoing has been established. Nevertheless, the report has generated considerable attention because of the enormous sums involved and the suggestion that senior figures in three Middle Eastern governments participated in undisclosed financial arrangements involving a top White House adviser.

The claims appear in Princes and Thieves: Jared Kushner and Mohamed bin Zayed’s Secret Plot to Remake the Middle East, a forthcoming book by investigative journalist Matthew Cole, whose findings were excerpted in Vanity Fair.

According to Cole, the alleged financial network originated in discussions involving United Arab Emirates leader Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, both of whom developed close relationships with Kushner during Trump’s first presidency.

The book claims that the Gulf leaders initially considered establishing a fund exceeding $10 billion to support diplomatic and political initiatives associated with the incoming Trump administration. That proposal reportedly evolved into a series of smaller financial arrangements involving accounts in the UAE and Israel.

Cole alleges that approximately $2 billion was ultimately made available through accounts connected to Kushner, although the precise arrangements through which the Saudi and Emirati leaders allegedly contributed the funds remain unclear.

One of the most serious allegations involves a purported $1 billion transfer in 2018.

According to the book, Mohamed bin Zayed arranged for approximately $1 billion to be transferred through Azerbaijan to Israel, where the money was intended for Kushner.

Cole cites a person familiar with the alleged arrangement who claims Netanyahu encouraged Kushner to place the funds in an account at Israel’s central bank, where they would appear to be government assets rather than money associated with an American presidential adviser.

The report further alleges that Netanyahu required Kushner to notify him before conducting transactions involving the account.

Because the Bank of Israel does not ordinarily maintain personal accounts, the alleged arrangement would raise significant questions about how the money could have been deposited and accessed.

Cole claims the account operated under a system requiring two authorized individuals to approve transactions, with Netanyahu allegedly exercising oversight over the funds.

According to the report, Kushner communicated with Netanyahu about the account through Friedman, who was serving as U.S. ambassador to Israel.

Friedman emphatically rejected the allegation, describing it as “100 percent false.”

Kushner’s attorney likewise denied that any such account existed or that the alleged arrangement ever occurred.

The investigation also describes a separate account in the United Arab Emirates, allegedly containing approximately $750 million and maintained at First Abu Dhabi Bank.

Cole claims the account was funded through the Watani Al Emarat Foundation, a UAE government-supported organization allegedly used to facilitate sensitive overseas financial and security operations.

According to the report, Kushner was designated as an authorized signatory, giving him the ability to access the funds even though the account was formally owned by the foundation.

The author alleges that the money was transferred through an Azerbaijani financial institution, making it more difficult to determine its original source.

The alleged arrangement first came to the attention of Dutch intelligence officials, according to Cole, after they obtained access to information from a Russian military intelligence operation.

The report claims that Dutch intelligence officers recruited a Russian hacker who had access to servers operated by Russia’s GRU military intelligence agency. Among the materials discovered were screenshots taken from Kushner’s iPhone.

By early 2018, Dutch specialists had reportedly identified a vulnerability that allowed them to observe activity on Kushner’s phone, including his alleged access to the UAE bank account.

Cole says the surveillance provided investigators with information about financial transfers involving hundreds of millions of dollars, prompting questions about the relationship between Kushner and the Gulf governments.

The author also alleges that some of the money associated with the Israeli account was subsequently transferred through banks in Cyprus, although the report does not establish where all the funds ultimately went.

A third alleged arrangement involved a separate fund connected to possible Israeli military assistance to the UAE in the event of a major Iranian attack.

According to Cole, the proposed arrangement was intended to finance emergency defense cooperation between Israel and the Gulf state as the two countries moved toward closer diplomatic relations.

The allegations are particularly significant because Kushner played a central role in negotiating the Abraham Accords, the historic normalization agreements between Israel and several Arab countries during Trump’s first administration.

Cole raises questions about whether the alleged financial arrangements were properly disclosed under American ethics and financial reporting requirements.

As a senior White House adviser, Kushner was subject to federal disclosure rules governing financial interests and certain relationships with foreign governments.

The report cites several senior officials from the first Trump administration who said they were unaware of any presidential authorization for Kushner to maintain access to the alleged foreign accounts.

Cole also quotes a former federal prosecutor who suggested that, if the allegations were substantiated and financial benefits were exchanged for official influence, the conduct could raise questions under federal bribery and foreign-agent laws.

However, the publication does not establish that Kushner received personal payments, that the alleged accounts existed, or that any laws were violated.

Kushner responded Thursday with an unusually forceful public statement, accusing Cole of inventing the allegations and failing to produce documentation supporting them.

“The allegations made by this author are completely insane and never happened,” Kushner said.

He emphasized that neither the article nor the author had produced the underlying financial records necessary to verify the extraordinary claims.

“We denied every one of these claims on the record, yet the author failed to provide a single shred of evidence to substantiate any of them. No bank statements, wire transfer records, account numbers, transaction dates, or other verifiable details were provided to support these extraordinary accusations.”

Kushner also rejected the suggestion that such arrangements could have escaped scrutiny during the extensive investigations of the first Trump administration.

“I voluntarily cooperated with these investigations, providing over 30 hours of testimony. None of these allegations ever surfaced, because none of these events ever happened,” he said.

He went further in condemning the publication and questioning the author’s motives.

“These are outrageous fabrications being presented as investigative journalism. This is not journalism. It is a mixture of fantasy, fiction, and advocacy, written by someone who is either deeply disturbed or acting with sinister intent.”

Friedman, who was identified in the report as an alleged intermediary, also issued an emphatic denial.

“I know absolutely nothing about any of these allegations,” Friedman said, “and the specific allegations about me or my alleged involvement in this alleged scheme are 100% false.”

Kushner’s legal representatives have likewise maintained that he never held the alleged accounts and complied with applicable legal requirements during his White House service.

The controversy comes as Kushner continues to play a role in President Trump’s diplomatic efforts, working alongside special envoy Steve Witkoff on sensitive international negotiations.

Kushner’s business relationships in the Middle East have previously attracted scrutiny, particularly investments made in his private equity firm, Affinity Partners, after he left the White House in 2021. Those publicly reported investments are separate from the secret financial arrangements alleged in Cole’s new book.

In an unusual meeting at his home in Bnei Brak, Rav Dov Landau, Rosh Yeshiva of Slabodka, met with dozens of working chareidi men and businessmen, listened to their concerns about the challenges facing their families, and assured them that they remain an integral part of the Torah community.

The gathering, held Wednesday evening, came amid growing dissatisfaction among some working members of the Litvishe yeshiva community who feel that their educational and communal needs have not received sufficient attention from the established chareidi political parties.

During the meeting, Rav Landau pledged to personally approach Degel HaTorah’s Knesset representatives and party leadership to address those concerns, particularly difficulties involving their children’s education and the need for additional Torah learning opportunities.

“You are part of the Torah world,” Rav Landau told the participants, emphasizing that working chareidim share the same religious outlook and belong fully within the broader Torah community.

The gathering was arranged by a group known as Mateh Amelim, an unofficial Degel HaTorah initiative working with chareidim who earn a livelihood outside the traditional full-time Torah study framework.

Among those present were businessmen, community activists, and other prominent members of the working chareidi community, including Yisroel Reisner, Chaim Goloventzitz, Shuki Feldstein, Rav Rafael Manat, Yedidya Meir, Dovi Weinroth, and others.

The meeting followed an earlier conversation between Rav Landau and Rav Rafael Manat, who brought to the Rosh Yeshiva’s attention the frustrations being expressed by numerous working chareidi families.

According to reports, Manat described complaints from individuals who believe that their representatives have failed to adequately address their particular circumstances, including educational arrangements and other communal concerns.

Some of those individuals have consequently been considering supporting newly established political parties in the upcoming Israeli elections.

Rav Landau agreed to receive a delegation representing this segment of the community and spent considerable time listening to their concerns.

Addressing the gathering, the Rosh Yeshiva explained that he had carefully considered the issues raised and had decided to prepare a written response.

“After listening attentively to their complaints and their pain, I felt it appropriate to put my position on this matter in writing,” he said.

He welcomed the participants as Jews devoted to Torah observance who seek to understand their responsibilities at the present time.

Rav Landau then read aloud a letter he had prepared addressing the upcoming elections and the importance he attaches to maintaining the community’s established political representation.

In the letter, he urged those concerned about their children’s continued adherence to Torah and mitzvos to support United Torah Judaism, whose ballot symbol is Gimmel, rather than newly established political lists.

He warned that abstaining from voting or supporting alternative parties could, in his view, undermine the long-term interests of the Torah community.

The Rosh Yeshiva described the matter as one that caused him considerable anguish, saying that he was writing out of deep concern for the future of Jewish families and their children.

At the same time, Rav Landau acknowledged that the complaints brought before him required serious attention.

In a significant undertaking to the participants, he declared:

“Without making a formal vow, I will approach the Knesset members of Degel HaTorah and the party leadership so that they find a way to assist and address educational matters and other issues requiring solutions for chareidim and G-d-fearing Jews who work to support their families, and to establish Torah classes for them.”

The undertaking addressed one of the central concerns expressed by the delegation: that working chareidi families sometimes encounter difficulties obtaining appropriate educational arrangements and other services within their communities.

Rav Landau made clear that earning a livelihood does not place a person outside the Torah community.

“You are part of the Torah world,” he told the gathering.

He further emphasized that the community shares a common religious outlook and that working chareidim are an inseparable part of the constituency represented by Degel HaTorah.

{Matzav.com}

Eight yeshiva bochurim who were imprisoned by Israeli military authorities over their failure to report for army service were released Friday from Prison 10, where they had been held for periods ranging from ten days to approximately five weeks. Their release comes amid continuing controversy over the arrest and imprisonment of chareidi yeshiva students under Israel’s military conscription laws.

Family members, friends and fellow bochurim gathered outside the military prison to welcome the eight young men, greeting them with singing and dancing as they emerged from detention. The celebration was organized with the assistance of the Nosenim Gav organization, which also presented the released bochurim with gifts.

Among those freed was Eliyahu Davda, a talmid at Yeshivas Orchos Meir in the Bayit Vegan neighborhood of Yerushalayim. Davda had been arrested by military police during an early-morning operation at his family’s home in Be’er Sheva and subsequently sentenced to 20 days in prison. Four days were deducted from his sentence, allowing him to return home Friday after 16 days behind bars.

His imprisonment had generated considerable concern among his fellow talmidim and the yeshiva’s rabbonim. The rosh yeshiva, Rav M. Vaknin, delivered words of chizuk to the bochurim, while members of the yeshiva participated in a gathering for tefillah and chizuk outside Prison 10.

Rav Avraham Salim also sent Davda a personal letter of encouragement and subsequently visited the yeshiva in Bayit Vegan, where the regular seder was interrupted so that he could address the talmidim.

Another bochur released Friday was Yakir Ralbag, who previously learned at Yeshivas Chevron in Givat Mordechai and currently attends the yeshiva headed by Rav N. Sosovsky in Beit Meir. Ralbag was arrested in Eilat earlier this month and transferred to military custody. Although initially sentenced to 20 days, he was released after serving 17 days.

Also released was Itamar Shoker, who served 20 days after being handed over to military authorities at a police station in Yerushalayim. Yishai Sogbaker, who was arrested at the Yerushalayim recruitment office, was likewise released after serving 20 days.

Uriel Elnatanov, who was detained at Ben Gurion Airport, completed a 20-day sentence, while Nehorai Dahan, arrested at the airport upon returning from Uman, was freed after serving ten days.

The remaining two released prisoners were Elchanan Neiman, a Chabad bochur who spent 17 days in detention, and Eliya Uzri, who was imprisoned for approximately five weeks after being arrested upon his return from Uman.

{Matzav.com}

A massive kinnus is scheduled to take place in Bnei Brak this Sunday evening, with leading Gedolei Yisroel expected to participate in a major gathering organized by Degel HaTorah and United Torah Judaism ahead of Tuesday’s Israeli elections.

The gathering, which will take place under the banner “Lehikahel V’Laamod Al Nafsheinu,” is being organized amid mounting concern over the challenges facing the Torah world and the ongoing controversy surrounding the status of bnei yeshivos.

The kinnus will begin at 7:15 p.m. on Sunday, 14 Cheshvan, along Derech Eim HaMoshavot near the Rav Landau Bridge, in the Sofrim neighborhood of northern Bnei Brak, adjacent to Kiryat Herzog.

Organizers are preparing for tens of thousands of participants from Bnei Brak and other chareidi communities throughout Eretz Yisroel. Public transportation services from major chareidi population centers are being increased, along with train service to the nearby Bnei Brak railway station.

Ahead of the gathering, Gedolei Yisroel issued a special letter describing the present situation as a critical moment for the Torah world and calling upon the chareidi public to regard participation in the kinnus as a sacred obligation.

The letter opens with the posuk, “Eis tzarah hi l’Yaakov u’mimenah yivasheia,” describing the difficult circumstances confronting lomdei Torah and the yeshivos.

In their letter, the Gedolei Yisroel call upon all those who are chareidim l’dvar Hashem to participate in the emergency gathering, which they describe as being held for the preservation and strengthening of Torah and in support of the United Torah Judaism list, represented by the letter Gimmel on the ballot.

The letter emphasizes that the current challenges facing the yeshiva world require a response from the entire Torah community.

“At this time of distress, when the Torah world is being disgraced and bnei Torah are being persecuted, it is impossible to stand on the sidelines. Rather, there is an obligation to stand up and act with all our strength for the sake of Torah and those who study it,” the Gedolei Yisroel write.

They further stress the importance of attending the gathering at what they describe as a decisive hour for the future of the Torah community.

The letter concludes with a special bracha for those who take part in the gathering and the strengthening of Torah and its lomdim.

The Gedolei Yisroel express their wish that participants merit abundant siyata d’Shmaya, bracha v’hatzlacha, and the zechus of seeing their children and grandchildren grow into righteous, G-d-fearing Jews devoted to Torah and mitzvos throughout their lives.

Preparations for the large gathering are already underway, with arrangements being made to accommodate the anticipated crowds and facilitate access to the area.

Organizers announced that the kinus has received authorization from the Israel Police and requested that all participants follow the instructions of the sadranim and security personnel.

Derech Eim HaMoshavot will be closed to vehicular traffic during the hours of the gathering, and participants are being encouraged to utilize the expanded public transportation services.

A designated area will also be established for members of the media and representatives of news organizations covering the event.

The Bnei Brak gathering follows several weeks of visits and chizuk gatherings conducted by leading roshei yeshiva throughout Eretz Yisroel in advance of the elections.

Earlier this week, Rav Dov Landau and Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch traveled to northern Eretz Yisroel for a series of major gatherings in Charish, Haifa, and Afula, where thousands of bnei Torah assembled to hear their words of chizuk.

Sunday’s gathering in Bnei Brak is expected to serve as the central concluding kinus of the election campaign, bringing together Gedolei Yisroel and thousands of members of the chareidi community shortly before the polls open Tuesday.

{Matzav.com}

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A 49-year-old Toms River man has admitted responsibility for a shooting in Lakewood that left another man wounded in both arms, pleading guilty Thursday to aggravated assault and a weapons offense in a case dating back to January 2024.

Million Brown-Bey entered his guilty pleas on October 22 before Ocean County Superior Court Judge Kimarie Rahill, according to Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer. Prosecutors intend to seek a ten-year state prison sentence when Brown-Bey returns to court for sentencing on December 18.

The charges stem from a shooting on January 7, 2024, when Lakewood police received reports of gunfire in the vicinity of the West Gate Shopping Complex.

Shortly afterward, a 27-year-old man arrived at Hackensack Meridian Health Ocean Medical Center in Brick Township suffering from gunshot wounds to both arms. Despite his injuries, the victim had managed to escape the scene and drive himself to the hospital, where he received treatment before being released.

Investigators subsequently determined that the victim had driven to a residence on Hillside Avenue when an individual approached his vehicle and discharged a firearm at least once. The gunfire struck the man in both arms, leaving him injured but able to flee.

Detectives from the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit and the Lakewood Police Department conducted an investigation that identified Brown-Bey as the gunman.

Four days after the shooting, on January 11, 2024, investigators arrested Brown-Bey and transported him to the Ocean County Jail. He has remained incarcerated there since his arrest.

Under the terms of the plea agreement, prosecutors will recommend a ten-year sentence in New Jersey State Prison for aggravated assault, subject to the state’s No Early Release Act, which generally requires offenders to serve at least 85 percent of their sentences before becoming eligible for parole.

The prosecution will also seek a concurrent ten-year sentence for the weapons offense, which carries a mandatory five-year period of parole ineligibility. Because the sentences would run concurrently, Brown-Bey would serve them at the same time rather than consecutively.

The case was prosecuted by Supervising Assistant Prosecutors Christopher Heisler and Kaitlyn Burke.

Prosecutor Billhimer acknowledged the work of investigators from his office and the Lakewood Police Department, along with personnel from the South Toms River Police Department, Lakehurst Police Department and Ocean County Sheriff’s Office, whose combined efforts led to Brown-Bey’s identification, arrest and guilty pleas.

Brown-Bey is scheduled to be sentenced on December 18, 2026.

{Matzav.com}

Getty Images, one of the world’s largest and most recognizable suppliers of photographs and video to news organizations, advertisers and businesses, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection after struggling with enormous debt, costly legal battles and mounting competition from artificial intelligence-generated imagery.

The company, whose photographs have appeared in newspapers, magazines and websites around the world for more than three decades, filed its bankruptcy petition Wednesday, October 21, in federal bankruptcy court in Delaware. The move is part of a sweeping financial restructuring that will take Getty Images private and place ownership in the hands of investors affiliated with the Getty family and Koch Equity Development.

The bankruptcy marks a dramatic development for a company that has long dominated the commercial photography industry, supplying images of presidents, celebrities, sporting events, breaking news and major international developments to thousands of media outlets.

Getty’s troubles reflect a combination of financial pressures and profound changes in the way businesses obtain visual content. Artificial intelligence tools now allow users to generate sophisticated photographs and illustrations in seconds, reducing the need to purchase certain types of stock photography from traditional licensing companies.

The company has also faced growing competition from digital content platforms, subscription-based image services and other suppliers offering inexpensive or freely available photographs.

Although Getty Images continues to operate a substantial business, its debt obligations and other liabilities have placed increasing pressure on its finances.

At a bankruptcy court hearing Thursday, the company’s attorney said Getty had entered Chapter 11 with approximately $1.46 billion in debt, despite generating roughly $978 million in revenue during the preceding 12 months. Its available cash had fallen to approximately $20 million by the time of the filing.

Getty’s financial difficulties were compounded by a series of expensive legal disputes with investors.

According to the company’s bankruptcy attorney, judgments arising from those disputes totaled approximately $200 million, with potential additional liabilities reaching as much as $275 million.

Getty has also spent approximately $35 million in legal fees over the past four years defending itself against the claims.

The litigation stems from disputes involving stock warrants issued in connection with Getty’s return to public markets in 2022. Investors alleged that the company improperly prevented them from exercising warrants that would have allowed them to purchase shares at $11.50 apiece, even as Getty’s stock briefly traded as high as $32.

Getty has already paid approximately $110 million to two investors following adverse court rulings. Another judgment of approximately $92 million added to the company’s financial difficulties.

A separate blow came earlier this year when Getty’s planned $3.7 billion merger with rival Shutterstock collapsed.

The proposed combination, announced in January 2025, would have brought together two of the world’s largest suppliers of licensed photographs and other visual content.

However, British competition regulators raised concerns that the merger would reduce competition in the market for editorial imagery.

Regulators required Shutterstock to sell its editorial photography business as a condition of approval, a demand Getty ultimately declined to accept.

Getty abandoned the merger in June, leaving the company without a transaction that had been expected to strengthen its position in an increasingly competitive market.

The failed deal also imposed substantial costs. Court documents indicate that Getty incurred more than $100 million in transaction-related fees, along with additional financing and compliance expenses.

Meanwhile, artificial intelligence has been reshaping the commercial photography business.

For decades, companies seeking professional images for advertisements, websites, brochures and other publications frequently turned to Getty Images or similar licensing services.

Today, generative AI platforms can produce custom illustrations, product backgrounds, conceptual images and other visual materials without requiring a traditional photography session or the purchase of an existing stock photograph.

The shift has placed particular pressure on Getty’s iStock business, which serves smaller companies and individual customers seeking affordable images.

According to bankruptcy documents, Getty’s total number of purchasing customers declined from approximately 835,000 in 2022 to about 636,000 during the 12 months ending June 30, 2026, a drop of roughly 24 percent.

The company’s annual subscriber base also declined, reflecting broader changes in how customers acquire photographs and other digital content.

AI competition, however, was only one factor behind Getty’s bankruptcy. The company’s heavy borrowing, rising interest expenses, investor litigation and failed Shutterstock merger all contributed to the financial crisis.

Under the restructuring agreement, investors associated with the Getty family and Koch Equity Development have committed to providing up to $533 million in new equity financing.

The investors will acquire complete ownership of Getty Images once the restructuring is completed, ending its status as a publicly traded company.

Koch Equity Development will also provide financing of approximately $143 million to support the bankruptcy process and maintain operations during the reorganization.

The restructuring is expected to substantially reduce Getty’s outstanding debt, extend repayment deadlines and lower its interest expenses.

Existing common shareholders are expected to lose their equity interests under the proposed plan.

Getty’s stock has already suffered an extraordinary collapse. Since returning to public markets in 2022 through a transaction that valued the company at approximately $4.8 billion, its shares have lost roughly 99 percent of their value.

The New York Stock Exchange began proceedings to delist Getty’s shares in September.

Despite the bankruptcy filing, Getty Images emphasized that it does not intend to shut down its operations.

The company said customers will continue to have access to its photographic archives, news coverage, video footage and licensing services throughout the restructuring.

Photographers, contributors, employees, business partners and vendors are also expected to continue working with the company under normal arrangements.

Getty CEO Craig Peters described the bankruptcy as a mechanism for carrying out a financial agreement already negotiated with the company’s major investors and creditors.

“Today’s filing is a procedural step to implement the financial restructuring previously announced. Getty Images continues to operate normally, serving customers and supporting contributors and partners around the world. This process addresses our capital structure and certain non-operating liabilities and supports expanded investment into our content and services,” Peters said.

Getty expects to complete its reorganization by the end of 2026, subject to bankruptcy court approval.

The company remains a major player in news and editorial photography, an area where original images captured at actual events retain importance despite the growth of artificial intelligence.

Getty’s photographers cover thousands of political, sporting, entertainment and international news events, producing images that publishers rely upon as authentic documentation.

That business differs from commercial stock photography, where AI-generated illustrations and generic images can often serve as substitutes for traditionally licensed photographs.

The bankruptcy nevertheless illustrates the enormous disruption taking place across the visual media industry.

A company that helped build the modern market for digital photography licensing is now attempting to rebuild its finances at a time when artificial intelligence is fundamentally changing the economics of producing and purchasing images.

For Getty Images, the immediate objective is to emerge from bankruptcy with less debt and sufficient financial flexibility to compete in the rapidly changing marketplace.

Whether the restructuring will restore its long-term financial strength remains uncertain, but the filing represents one of the most significant examples yet of the pressures confronting established photography businesses in the age of artificial intelligence.

{Matzav.com}

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Thursday that New Hampshire may prohibit voters from using student identification cards as proof of identity at polling places in the November 3 midterm elections, handing Republican officials a significant legal victory less than two weeks before voters head to the polls.

The decision allows the state to enforce its voter identification requirements without the modifications ordered by a federal district judge, who had determined that election officials were interpreting New Hampshire’s restrictions on student IDs more broadly than the law permitted.

The emergency ruling was supported by the Republican National Committee and comes as New Hampshire prepares for a closely watched U.S. Senate election that could help determine which party controls the chamber.

At issue was whether student identification cards could still be considered as supporting evidence when individuals seeking to vote lacked other acceptable documents establishing their identity.

A federal district judge had concluded that New Hampshire officials could not categorically disregard student IDs in those circumstances. Although the state’s new law tightened identification requirements, the judge determined that officials had exceeded its provisions by refusing to consider student identification alongside other available evidence.

The Supreme Court, however, intervened to prevent the lower court’s order from taking effect during the approaching election.

Rather than resolving the underlying disagreement over the proper interpretation of New Hampshire law, the justices focused on the dangers of changing election procedures shortly before voting begins.

The court relied on a longstanding principle discouraging federal judges from altering election rules too close to an election, particularly when such changes could confuse voters or interfere with election administration.

Known as the Purcell principle, the doctrine has repeatedly figured in Supreme Court disputes involving last-minute changes to voting procedures, ballot requirements, and election administration.

In its brief, unsigned opinion, the majority concluded that the district court had failed to identify circumstances sufficient to justify an exception to that principle.

“Here, the District Court did not point to anything that would justify deviating from that principle,” the majority wrote.

The opinion also referenced recent litigation involving Missouri’s congressional redistricting arrangements, where shifting judicial decisions had created uncertainty about the rules governing upcoming elections.

New Hampshire Attorney General John Formella, a Republican, welcomed Thursday’s ruling as a victory for the state’s ability to administer elections under its established legal requirements.

“New Hampshire has a responsibility to protect the integrity of its elections and ensure that election laws are applied as written,” Formella said in a statement. “The Supreme Court’s decision is an important victory for our efforts to defend those laws and prevent last-minute court orders from creating uncertainty for voters and election officials. We will continue to defend New Hampshire’s election laws and the safeguards they provide.”

The ruling was not unanimous.

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson publicly dissented, challenging the majority’s conclusion that the lower court’s intervention created the type of disruption the Supreme Court has traditionally sought to prevent.

Jackson argued that the district judge was attempting to correct misleading statements about the state’s voting requirements, rather than impose a new set of election procedures.

In her view, an order requiring election officials to accurately describe existing law would reduce confusion rather than increase it.

“When a federal court determines that material misrepresentations are being made about a State’s election rules, an injunction to prohibit that conduct does not contribute to public confusion, it prevents that very problem,” Jackson wrote.

Her dissent highlighted a central disagreement over how the Purcell principle should apply when a lower court determines that voters are receiving inaccurate information about their legal rights.

The majority viewed the district court’s order as an inappropriate intervention immediately before an election, while Jackson maintained that correcting misinformation about existing requirements should not be treated as a disruptive change.

The Republican National Committee had urged the Supreme Court to grant New Hampshire’s emergency request, siding with state officials in their effort to enforce the student identification restrictions without the district court’s modifications.

In its submission, the RNC criticized the plaintiffs, the Coalition for Open Democracy, for failing to pursue their legal challenge more quickly.

The committee argued that the plaintiffs had allowed substantial time to pass before seeking judicial relief, making the resulting court intervention particularly problematic as Election Day approached.

“Months passed, and election season began, in the time that the Coalition waited,” the RNC’s lawyers wrote to the Supreme Court.

The dispute has taken on heightened political importance because New Hampshire is hosting one of the country’s most closely watched Senate contests.

Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas is competing against former Republican Sen. John Sununu for the seat being vacated by retiring Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen.

The outcome could have implications well beyond New Hampshire, with both political parties battling for control of the Senate in the next Congress.

Against that backdrop, the dispute over student identification cards has become part of the broader national debate over voter identification requirements and the balance between election security and access to the ballot.

Supporters of stricter identification standards argue that clear, enforceable rules are essential to protecting elections and maintaining public confidence in the voting process.

Opponents contend that restrictive identification policies can create unnecessary difficulties for eligible voters, particularly students and others who may not possess the documents accepted under state law.

Thursday’s Supreme Court action does not permanently settle the legal challenge or determine whether New Hampshire’s interpretation of its voter identification statute will ultimately withstand judicial review.

Instead, the ruling addresses the immediate question of which procedures may be enforced during the November election.

The underlying lawsuit will continue, and the dispute could return to the Supreme Court after the midterms, when the justices may have an opportunity to consider the legal questions without the urgency of an approaching election.

For now, New Hampshire election officials may proceed under their guidance excluding student identification cards, while voters will need to satisfy the state’s applicable identification requirements through other acceptable means.

The ruling represents another instance in which the Supreme Court has emphasized its reluctance to permit lower federal courts to change election procedures in the final weeks before voters cast their ballots.

With the November 3 elections approaching and the New Hampshire Senate race attracting national attention, the decision establishes the identification rules that state officials will be permitted to enforce as voters head to the polls.

The legal battle centers on House Bill 323, which was signed by Republican Gov. Kelly Ayotte in April and took effect in June. The legislation eliminated student identification cards issued by high schools, colleges, and universities from the list of documents expressly accepted as proof of identity for voting.

Previously, eligible students could present qualifying school-issued photo identification at polling places. Under the revised rules, voters must generally provide another accepted form of identification, such as a driver’s license, state-issued identification card, military identification, or U.S. passport.

The dispute arose because New Hampshire law also provides a procedure through which election officials can verify the identity of eligible voters who lack standard identification. The Coalition for Open Democracy argued that student IDs should remain available as supporting evidence under that procedure, even though they no longer independently satisfy the state’s identification requirement.

U.S. District Judge Joseph Laplante agreed with that narrower argument in an October 2 ruling. He left the Legislature’s restrictions intact but blocked additional instructions issued by Secretary of State David Scanlan that prevented election officials from considering student identification cards under the alternative verification procedure.

New Hampshire appealed, arguing that the district court’s intervention would force election administrators to revise their instructions shortly before the general election.

The Supreme Court’s October 22 order temporarily suspended the district court’s October 2 and October 5 directives while the appeal proceeds through the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit.

The justices did not determine whether the state’s interpretation of the identification law is ultimately constitutional or whether student IDs must be considered under the alternative verification process in future elections.

That distinction leaves the central legal questions unresolved while permitting New Hampshire to enforce its existing restrictions for the upcoming midterms.

The decision also means that students who lack other qualifying identification will need to follow the state’s remaining verification procedures rather than rely on a school-issued card.

With the Senate contest between Pappas and Sununu approaching, the ruling settles the immediate question of how New Hampshire election officials may treat student identification cards on November 3, while leaving the broader legal challenge for further proceedings.

Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu ordered Israeli security forces to impose an immediate closure on Chevron on Friday following the deadly terrorist shooting at Yehuda Junction, warning that the Hamas-affiliated gunmen responsible had apparently been preparing a much larger attack against Israeli civilians.

The prime minister issued the directive after consulting with Israel’s senior defense and intelligence officials, as investigators uncovered evidence indicating that the two terrorists had been carrying enough ammunition to carry out an attack considerably more extensive than the shooting at the military checkpoint.

Two Israeli soldiers, Staff Sergeant Ron Yonatan Roytman, 23, of Ashkelon, and Sergeant Yuval Shai Svilem, 20, of Hod Hasharon, were killed in the attack. Three additional soldiers were lightly wounded. The two terrorists were eliminated following a prolonged exchange of gunfire.

Netanyahu convened a security assessment with Defense Minister Yisroel Katz, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, the head of the Shin Bet, the national security adviser, and the commander of the IDF Central Command to review the attack and determine the military’s response.

“I have just concluded a security assessment with the Minister of Defense, the IDF Chief of Staff, the Director of the Shin Bet, the National Security Advisor, and the Commander of the IDF Central Command,” Netanyahu stated.

The prime minister said that the weapons and ammunition recovered from the terrorists pointed to preparations for an attack intended to claim numerous civilian lives.

“It appears that Hamas terrorists were planning a major attack aimed at murdering innocent civilians, as evidenced by the large quantities of weapons and ammunition discovered,” Netanyahu said.

Netanyahu credited the soldiers who confronted the gunmen with preventing the attackers from reaching their intended targets and inflicting even greater casualties.

“Our brave soldiers thwarted this attack with courage and determination. I commend them for their actions and wish our wounded a speedy recovery.”

The IDF’s preliminary investigation found that the two gunmen had traveled from Chevron in a vehicle carrying a substantial supply of ammunition. They were armed with an M4-style assault rifle and a handgun, while an additional container filled with ammunition was discovered inside their vehicle.

Military investigators believe the attackers had intended to reach Route 35, a major roadway connecting the Chevron area with central Israel, where they planned to target civilians. Their plans were apparently disrupted when they encountered a temporary checkpoint operated by soldiers from the Home Front Command’s Ari Battalion.

Unable to continue toward their intended destination, the terrorists reportedly left their vehicle and began shooting at the soldiers stationed at the checkpoint.

The gun battle unfolded at close range and continued for more than 20 minutes, with additional security personnel rushing to the area as the soldiers returned fire.

Both terrorists were eventually eliminated. The IDF said the soldiers’ resistance prevented the attackers from continuing toward their intended civilian targets.

The terrorists were subsequently identified as Mohammad Jaaba and Firas Jaaba, both 27-year-old residents of Chevron and members of the same family. Hamas praised the shooting, although its precise organizational role in directing the attack had not been independently established.

The soldiers involved in the confrontation belonged to the Ari Battalion, a recently established unit of the IDF Home Front Command’s Search and Rescue Brigade that was conducting its first operational deployment in Yehuda and Shomron.

Following the shooting, military commanders ordered additional troops into the area and established roadblocks around Chevron and neighboring communities. Central Command chief Maj. Gen. Avi Bluth directed forces to expand the restrictions as security personnel searched for possible accomplices and additional threats.

The government also instructed the military to prepare for the possibility of a broader closure throughout Yehuda and Shomron, particularly as Israel approaches Tuesday’s Knesset elections.

Netanyahu confirmed that he had authorized immediate restrictions around Chevron along with further measures aimed at preventing additional attacks.

“I have instructed the IDF and security forces to immediately cordon off the city of Hebron and take additional security measures to prevent terrorist attacks originating from Judea and Samaria,” he stated.

The prime minister said Israeli forces were being reinforced and that counterterrorism operations were continuing across the region.

“Our forces are operating with reinforcements to thwart terrorism and are carrying out extensive waves of arrests,” he said.

The heightened security measures come amid concerns that additional attacks could be attempted in the days leading up to the elections. Security officials have also been examining whether the two gunmen operated independently or received assistance from a wider terrorist network.

The discovery of the ammunition stockpile has become a central focus of the investigation, strengthening the military’s assessment that the shooting at the checkpoint was an unintended confrontation that prevented a potentially deadlier attack elsewhere.

Concluding his statement, Netanyahu issued an unequivocal warning to Hamas operatives and those responsible for organizing attacks against Israelis.

“We will pursue Hamas terrorists and those who sent them, wherever they are and at all times.”

“You have nowhere to hide.”

{Matzav.com}

A long-awaited step toward shalom between two prominent chassidic leaders took place Thursday afternoon, when the Vizhnitzer Rebbe of Bnei Brak, Rav Yisroel Hager, spoke by telephone with his brother-in-law, the Satmar Rebbe, Rav Aharon Teitelbaum, following several years of estrangement between them.

The conversation, which took place after an extended period during which the two Rebbes had not been in contact, was the culmination of quiet efforts by the Vizhnitzer Rebbe’s sons to restore the relationship between their father and their uncle.

The efforts began approximately a year and a half ago, when the Vizhnitzer Rebbe was in Los Angeles for medical treatment.

At that time, the Rebbe’s son, Rav Yaakov Mordechai Hager, Av Bais Din of Vizhnitz Elad, acting at the request of his brothers, reached out to his uncle, the Satmar Rebbe, in an effort to begin repairing the longstanding rift.

The initial contact opened a discreet channel of communication between the two families, with the hope that the relationship between the Rebbes could eventually be restored.

Over the ensuing year, the efforts toward shalom experienced periods of progress as well as setbacks. Although the initiatives did not immediately produce a breakthrough, contact between the sides was maintained discreetly, allowing the possibility of reconciliation to remain open.

In recent weeks, the Vizhnitzer Rebbe again expressed to members of his family his deep pain over the prolonged separation from his brother-in-law, a situation that he felt had been forced upon him.

His sons subsequently renewed their efforts to bring about a reconciliation.

Working in coordination with his brother, Rav Yaakov Mordechai Hager, the Rebbe’s son Rav Chaim Meir Hager, Av Bais Din of Vizhnitz, became personally involved in the matter, establishing direct contact with the Satmar Rebbe and members of his household.

The renewed efforts ultimately bore fruit Thursday, when arrangements were made for the two Rebbes to speak by telephone.

The conversation took place in a warm, familial atmosphere, with the Satmar Rebbe expressing particular concern for the health of his brother-in-law.

During their discussion, the Satmar Rebbe inquired about the Vizhnitzer Rebbe’s medical condition and extended heartfelt wishes for a complete and speedy refuah sheleimah, renewed strength, and a full return to good health.

The exchange was especially meaningful in light of the Vizhnitzer Rebbe’s health difficulties and the many tefillos being offered by his chassidim for his recovery.

News of the conversation spread quickly among chassidim, generating considerable emotion and relief following years of separation between the two Rebbes.

The development was welcomed as an encouraging step toward restoring the longstanding family relationship and bringing an end to the painful estrangement.

Particular appreciation was expressed for the efforts of the Vizhnitzer Rebbe’s sons, who worked patiently and discreetly over an extended period to bring about the conversation.

{Matzav.com}

The IDF has released the names of two Israeli soldiers killed Friday morning in a terrorist shooting attack at the Judea Junction near Chevron, where two Hamas-affiliated terrorists opened fire on a military checkpoint before being eliminated following a 20-minute gun battle.

The fallen soldiers were identified as Staff Sergeant Ron Yonatan Roytman, 23, of Ashkelon, and Sergeant Yuval Shai Svilem, 20, of Hod Hasharon. Both served in the Ari Battalion (775) of the IDF’s Search and Rescue Brigade.

Roytman served as a squad commander, while Svilem was a combat soldier in the same battalion.

Three additional soldiers from the battalion sustained light injuries during the attack. They were evacuated to a hospital for medical treatment, and their families were notified.

According to an initial military investigation, the two terrorists were 27-year-old residents of Chevron affiliated with Hamas. They arrived at the scene carrying an M4 rifle and a handgun, apparently intending to carry out an attack along Highway 35.

Investigators believe the terrorists changed their plans after determining that they could not reach their intended target. They instead opened fire on soldiers stationed at the nearby checkpoint, setting off a prolonged exchange of gunfire.

Israeli forces engaged the attackers for approximately 20 minutes before killing both terrorists and bringing the shooting to an end.

Magen David Adom reported that the other victims injured in the attack suffered light wounds and were receiving treatment at hospitals.

Following the attack, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir held a security assessment with senior military commanders, during which he praised the soldiers’ response and warned that the terrorists had apparently been preparing an even more devastating attack.

“This was a serious terrorist attack. The soldiers’ swift actions prevented an even more severe attack and further harm to civilians and security forces. A large quantity of ammunition was found in the vehicle the terrorists used to reach the scene of the attack, which was intended to be used in a larger-scale attack.”

Additional details emerging from the investigation indicate that the terrorists arrived in a vehicle bearing Israeli license plates and positioned themselves near a scrapyard, where they reportedly observed Israeli troops before launching their assault.

The soldiers had reportedly left a nearby military position to inspect vehicles at a checkpoint when the gunmen opened fire. The ensuing battle continued for approximately 20 minutes before Israeli forces eliminated both attackers.

Emergency medical personnel, including Magen David Adom teams and military medics, responded to the scene and treated the wounded before transporting them to hospitals in Yerushalayim, including Shaare Zedek and Hadassah Ein Kerem.

The IDF deployed additional forces to the area following the shooting, including soldiers from the elite Duvdevan unit, Border Police personnel, and aerial surveillance assets. Security forces also conducted searches to determine whether additional terrorists had been involved.

Israeli authorities imposed a security cordon around Chevron and several surrounding communities, while police closed portions of Highway 35 as investigators examined the scene and collected evidence.

Zamir subsequently approved intensified intelligence operations and additional arrest efforts in the region as the military sought to identify anyone who may have assisted the attackers.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday designed to reduce mortgage-related expenses, ease the financial burden on homeowners, and bring down construction costs as high interest rates continue to squeeze the American housing market.

The measure introduces several initiatives aimed at making homeownership more affordable, including a program that could eliminate certain mortgage insurance premiums, reduce refinancing expenses, and lower borrowing costs for qualifying homebuyers receiving federal assistance.

At the center of the order is a directive to Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte to establish a pilot program under which borrowers with government-backed mortgages could stop paying mortgage insurance premiums once they have accumulated sufficient equity in their properties.

The initiative is intended to prevent eligible homeowners from continuing to pay insurance charges after meeting the required equity threshold, potentially reducing their monthly housing expenses without requiring them to refinance their loans.

Trump also directed the creation of a federal task force charged with finding ways to make residential construction less expensive while improving the quality of newly built homes. The task force will examine how newer manufacturing techniques can be incorporated into housing projects that qualify for federal programs.

According to the White House, the effort will include “facilitating the use of modern manufacturing methods” to help streamline the production of residential units and address some of the expenses associated with building new housing.

In a statement accompanying the executive order, the administration presented the initiative as part of Trump’s broader effort to eliminate unnecessary regulations and expand opportunities for Americans seeking to purchase homes.

“Homeownership is a vital pillar of our great Nation, and President Trump and his Administration are working tirelessly to cut burdensome costs and red tape to make the American dream of homeownership more affordable for all Americans,” the White House said.

The announcement comes during a particularly difficult period for prospective homebuyers, with mortgage rates remaining above 7 percent after climbing sharply in recent months.

The increase has been driven in part by rising Treasury bond yields and higher energy prices associated with the war involving Iran, developments that have pushed up borrowing costs throughout the economy.

Although mortgage rates declined slightly this week, financing a home remains substantially more expensive than it was earlier in the year.

Figures released by Freddie Mac showed that the average interest rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage fell to 7.32 percent from 7.4 percent the previous week, marking the first weekly decline since the middle of August.

Rates on 15-year fixed mortgages also edged lower, dropping from 6.71 percent to 6.68 percent.

Despite those modest improvements, the sustained rise in borrowing costs has weakened demand for housing and made it increasingly difficult for buyers to qualify for affordable monthly payments.

The National Association of Realtors reported that pending home sales fell 7.3 percent between August and September, while declining 11.3 percent compared with the same period a year earlier.

The figures illustrate how rapidly changing financing conditions have affected the real estate market, even as employment and wage growth have provided some support for household purchasing power.

“Market conditions weakened in September due to fast-rising mortgage rates,” said Dr. Lawrence Yun, chief economist of the National Association of Realtors. “Although job growth and income gains can support home purchases, housing affordability is more affected by changes in mortgage rates.”

In addition to addressing mortgage insurance premiums, Trump’s order instructs Pulte to make permanent an existing Federal Housing Finance Agency pilot program that allows certain borrowers to use alternatives to traditional title insurance.

The program is intended to lower the closing expenses associated with refinancing a mortgage by reducing the need for conventional title insurance coverage in qualifying transactions.

The White House said expanding the initiative would “allow more borrowers to utilize cost-friendly alternatives” and provide homeowners with additional opportunities to reduce refinancing costs.

Trump also instructed Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins to pursue lower interest rates on single-family housing loans administered through their respective departments.

Those directives focus on federally supported lending programs that serve eligible rural borrowers and military veterans, among others.

The administration hopes that adjustments to those programs will make home financing less expensive for qualifying households, particularly at a time when conventional mortgage rates remain elevated.

Pulte, who has been among the president’s most vocal supporters, celebrated the executive order Thursday, describing it as the “greatest” presidential action ever taken to address housing affordability.

“Because of President Trump’s bold actions to put Americans First, millions of Americans will save thousands and thousands of dollars,” Pulte wrote on social media.

Pulte, who briefly held the position of acting director of national intelligence earlier this year, has been closely associated with the administration’s efforts to reshape federal housing policy.

The executive order also received a favorable response from the National Association of Realtors, whose leadership has repeatedly warned that elevated borrowing costs and the limited supply of affordable homes are placing homeownership beyond the reach of many Americans.

Shannon McGahn, the organization’s executive vice president, welcomed the administration’s initiative, saying it would help “address the costs associated with homeownership.”

She added that the measure “takes steps toward making homeownership more sustainable” for American households.

The order arrives as housing affordability has become an increasingly prominent economic and political concern, particularly among first-time buyers and families seeking larger homes.

Higher mortgage rates have significantly increased the monthly payments required to purchase a home, while existing homeowners who secured mortgages at substantially lower rates have had less incentive to sell and take on new financing.

That combination has contributed to a difficult market in which buyers face elevated borrowing expenses and sellers remain reluctant to give up favorable mortgage terms.

While the executive order seeks to address several costs associated with purchasing, financing, and constructing homes, its provisions will require implementation by federal agencies before borrowers can begin benefiting from the proposed changes.

The mortgage insurance initiative, in particular, will begin as a pilot program, meaning its eligibility requirements, scope, and potential savings will depend on rules developed by the Federal Housing Finance Agency.

Similarly, efforts to reduce construction expenses and adjust federal loan programs will depend on the actions taken by the agencies responsible for carrying out the president’s directives.

The measures do not directly establish lower interest rates for conventional mortgages, which remain heavily influenced by financial markets and broader economic conditions.

Nevertheless, the administration is positioning the order as a major step toward reducing the additional costs that make buying and maintaining a home more expensive.

With the housing market struggling under the weight of high borrowing costs, Trump is seeking to provide relief through changes to federal mortgage programs, refinancing procedures, and construction policies, even as broader interest-rate pressures continue to challenge prospective buyers.

The new measures are intended to complement existing federal housing programs rather than replace them, with the administration seeking to reduce costs at several stages of homeownership, from construction and financing to refinancing and ongoing mortgage payments.

The White House has not yet specified when the mortgage insurance pilot will begin or how many borrowers will qualify. Those details will be determined as the responsible federal agencies develop and implement the programs.

For homeowners and prospective buyers, the practical impact will depend on how quickly those changes take effect and whether the savings are substantial enough to offset the broader pressure of elevated mortgage interest rates.