Feed aggregator
Thousands to Flock to Krakow for Yahrtzeit of the Maor V’Shemesh, Who Promised Abundant Livelihood to Those Who Daven with a Minyan
Despite ongoing turbulence in Israel and Jewish communities worldwide, thousands of Jews from across the globe are expected to converge on Krakow, Poland, this Friday, Rosh Chodesh Tammuz, for the yahrtzeit of the Maor V’Shemesh, Rav Kalonymus Kalman Epstein ztz”l, one of the early leaders of the Chassidic movement. His kever, located in Krakow’s historic Jewish cemetery, has long been revered as a place of salvation—especially in matters of parnassah.
Each year, large groups travel from Europe, the United States, and even Israel to be at the tziyun of the Maor V’Shemesh on the day of his hilulah. This year, due to widespread flight cancellations from Israel—including a canceled charter—many Israelis have been forced to cancel their plans. In response, organizers have established a free “kvittel service,” allowing people to submit names for prayer remotely.
The Maor V’Shemesh left behind a powerful promise: “Anyone who davens with the tzibbur is guaranteed to have their livelihood provided generously every single day.” This incredible assurance has drawn countless Jews to strengthen their commitment to tefillah b’tzibbur, particularly on the hilulah, when many travel to Krakow to renew their dedication and daven fervently for personal and communal salvation.
Travel agencies have reported a dramatic spike in interest from Jewish communities across Europe and North America. The surge in participation is especially notable this year, given the global challenges facing Klal Yisroel.
To accommodate those unable to travel, a dedicated system was set up both in Israel and abroad to accept kvitlach. These will be placed at the tziyun and mentioned during the special minyan that will be held there. Many participants are including a written commitment to strengthen their tefillah b’tzibbur, in keeping with the Maor V’Shemesh’s legacy.
Names can be submitted via email to: maorvshemesh@gmail.com. All names received will be printed and read at the kever on the day of the yahrtzeit.
Organizers also confirmed that the central hilulah seudah, attended by rabbanim and chassidim near the tziyun, will take place as usual in a large tent erected at the site.
{Matzav.com Israel}
In Epic Rant, Trump Demands End To Netanyahu’s Trial: ‘The US Saved Israel, And Now Is Going To Save Bibi’
President Donald Trump urged Israeli authorities to put an end to the legal proceedings against Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, calling the charges a politically driven attack.
“I was shocked to hear that the State of Israel, which has just had one of its Greatest Moments in History, and is strongly led by Bibi Netanyahu, is continuing its ridiculous Witch Hunt against their Great War Time Prime Minister!” Trump declared in a detailed message posted on Truth Social.
He criticized the ongoing corruption trial as a baseless pursuit with political motives.
“Bibi Netanyahu’s trial should be CANCELLED, IMMEDIATELY, or a Pardon given to a Great Hero, who has done so much for the State,” he wrote, describing Netanyahu as a pivotal leader undeserving of such treatment.
Trump insisted that American support had been instrumental in aiding Israel during its most critical moments, and now it was time for the U.S. to help Netanyahu personally. “It was the United States of America that saved Israel, and now it is going to be the United States of America that saves Bibi Netanyahu. THIS TRAVESTY OF ‘JUSTICE’ CAN NOT BE ALLOWED!” he exclaimed.
He also claimed to have recently found out about Netanyahu being required to appear in court early next week. “Just learned that Bibi has been summoned to Court on Monday,” Trump wrote, although it wasn’t clear which specific legal session he meant. Netanyahu’s cross-examination had already begun earlier in the month but was paused due to the wartime state of emergency declared by the Israeli judiciary, which has limited court activity to essential matters only.
{Matzav.com}Moshe Gafni: ‘I Don’t Understand What We Are Fighting For In Gaza’
MK Moshe Gafni, who leads the Degel HaTorah faction within United Torah Judaism, stirred outrage from right-wing politicians on Wednesday morning after questioning the rationale behind Israel’s continued military campaign in Gaza.
As he opened a session of the Knesset Finance Committee, which he chairs, Gafni thanked both Hashem and President Donald Trump for bringing an end to the conflict with Iran. He also expressed sorrow over the loss of seven IDF soldiers the previous day. But he then voiced sharp skepticism over the war in Gaza. “But I don’t understand, even to this very moment, what we are fighting for there,” he added. “I don’t understand what the need is. What are we going to do there when soldiers are being killed all the time?… We need a Trump to come here and say, We are returning the hostages, stopping all these things, and returning to normal. But apparently we haven’t merited this yet.”
Backing Gafni’s concerns, Shas MK Yinon Azulai said the time had come to wrap up the operation. “We must do everything to end this war now when we are strong, not weak, and bring back the hostages,” he said.
Gafni’s remarks also found support outside the political arena. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum issued a statement praising his candor, posting on social media that he was “telling the truth as it is, without embellishment or spin.”
“The war in Gaza has exhausted itself, and is being waged without a clear purpose or real plan. It is time to show courage and say in a clear voice: Return the hostages, stop the fighting. This is the correct solution, this is the only way to complete an Israeli victory,” the organization declared.
Still, his comments triggered fierce backlash from the political right. The Otzma Yehudit party, led by National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, accused Gafni of undermining the nation’s security by publicly casting doubt on the necessity of the war.
The party issued a statement denouncing Gafni, saying his remarks “recall similar statements by the extreme leftist Moshe Ya’alon, harms Israel’s security and the families of the fallen heroes,” referring to the former defense minister’s controversial claim that Israel was engaged in “ethnic cleansing” in northern Gaza.
The statement emphasized that Israeli forces were currently engaged in a critical battle against “the Nazi terrorist organization Hamas” and that their mission was to “restore security to the residents of the south in particular and to the residents of Israel in general, and to return all of our hostages, living and dead.” The party also asserted that the sacrifices made by Israeli soldiers obligate the country to continue fighting until Hamas is defeated.
Ben Gvir personally slammed Gafni’s words as a disgrace. “What are they fighting for there?” he asked rhetorically. “They are fighting a war of survival, so that there will be no more October 7s, no more rape, massacre and murder,” he told Army Radio, noting that his own son is currently serving in the IDF.
Yehuda Wald, who serves as the director general of the Religious Zionism party, also lashed out at Gafni, arguing that someone who doesn’t send his own children into combat has no place making such comments. The chareidi community, of which Gafni is a part, almost entirely avoids military service.
Likud MK Dan Illouz added his voice to the condemnation, pointing to the horrors of Hamas’s October 7 rampage. He said soldiers were in Gaza “so that babies will never again be burned alive inside their homes, as happened in Kfar Aza.”
He continued by referencing recent coalition threats: “It is not surprising that those who don’t understand this threatened only two weeks ago, when Israel was on the verge of attacking Iran, to overthrow a right-wing government in the middle of a war of survival only so as to not take part in that war,” he posted on X.
Gafni’s Degel HaTorah faction is one half of the United Torah Judaism bloc, which has recently threatened to break up the Knesset if efforts to draft chareidim into the army proceed.
Within both coalition and opposition ranks, there has been a renewed push for legislation that would close the decades-old exemption allowing full-time yeshiva students to avoid IDF service. The shortage of troops during wartime has only added urgency to the debate.
Gafni was also targeted by members of the center and left, although their criticisms focused more on his role in the coalition than the substance of his remarks.
Yesh Atid MK Merav Ben-Ari addressed the Knesset and pushed back on Gafni’s call for Trump to intervene. She argued that what was really needed was a prime minister who would “ignore messianic, delusional and mandate-less elements” and instead respond to the will of the Israeli public, which she said favors ending the war and retrieving the hostages.
MK Gilad Kariv of The Democrats party echoed that critique, highlighting Gafni’s own power in the ruling coalition. “You bear personal and direct responsibility for everything happening in the Strip. If you don’t understand why the war in Gaza is continuing, what the hell are you doing in the coalition?” he wrote on social media.
{Matzav.com Israel}Roshei Yeshiva Welcome Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch Back to Eretz Yisroel: “We Raised Double the Amount from Last Year”
In a remarkable demonstration of kavod haTorah, leading roshei yeshiva from across Eretz Yisroel gathered on Wednesday to warmly welcome the Slabodka Rosh Yeshiva, Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch, upon his return from a successful fundraising mission abroad on behalf of Keren Olam HaTorah.
The event, held at the Fattal lounge at Ben Gurion Airport, was attended by many gedolei Torah. Among the rabbonim present were Rav Kook (Rosh Yeshivas Maor HaTalmud), Rav Eliezer Yehuda Finkel (Rosh Yeshivas Mir), Rav Avraham Salim (Moetzet Chachmei HaTorah of Shas), Rav Chaim Peretz Berman (Rosh Yeshivas Ponovezh), Rav Dovid Yitzchok Shapiro (Rosh Yeshivas Be’er Yaakov), Rav Levi (Rosh Yeshivas Be’er HaTorah), Rav Ehrenfeld (Rosh Yeshivas Mishnas Akiva), Rav Ettinger (Rosh Yeshivas Knesses Yechezkel), Rav Yaakovzon (Rosh Yeshivas Maor Yitzchok Chemed), and Rav Ziskind (Rosh Yeshivas Keser Torah), among others.
The Rosh Yeshiva was received at the airport by MK Yitzchok Pindrus and his chief of staff, Moshe Reber, who coordinated the logistics with airport and police authorities. A large police presence secured the event, ensuring the safe arrival of gedolei Yisroel and gabbaim into the Fattal complex.
As Rav Hirsch entered the Fattal conference hall, the gedolim rose in his honor, greeting him with baruch haba and shalom aleichem. The Rosh Yeshiva then delivered heartfelt words of gratitude to Hashem for the overwhelming success of his trip on behalf of Keren Olam HaTorah. He shared that contrary to fears that donors might hesitate since the previous campaign was presented as a one-time effort, the opposite occurred.
“There was concern people would say, ‘You promised it was only once.’ But in reality, it was the exact opposite—it was simply extraordinary. People gave twice as much as they did last year. That was the mindset this year—that they should give more,” Rav Hirsch said. “R’ Shimon Glick even jokingly asked, ‘What happened to the yetzer hara? Did it go to sleep?’ Truly, it was something exceptional—the public gave wholeheartedly to Keren Olam HaTorah.”
Following his remarks, members of the Moetzes delivered brief divrei brachah and hakaras hatov, including Rav Kook, Rav Avraham Salim, Rav Eliezer Yehuda Finkel, and Rav Chaim Peretz Berman. They expressed gratitude on behalf of the Torah world to Rav Hirsch, acknowledging his selfless dedication to sustaining Torah learning both in Eretz Yisroel and abroad.
After the event, Rav Hirsch returned to his home near the Slabdoka yeshiva, where he resumed his learning schedule and continued receiving people for hadracha and brachah.
קבלת פנים לרה”י הגרמ”ה הירש בנתב”גצילום: שלומי כהן קבלת פנים לרה”י הגרמ”ה הירש בנתב”גצילום: שלומי כהן קבלת פנים לרה”י הגרמ”ה הירש בנתב”גצילום: שלומי כהן קבלת פנים לרה”י הגרמ”ה הירש בנתב”גצילום: שלומי כהן קבלת פנים לרה”י הגרמ”ה הירש בנתב”גצילום: שלומי כהן קבלת פנים לרה”י הגרמ”ה הירש בנתב”גצילום: שלומי כהן קבלת פנים לרה”י הגרמ”ה הירש בנתב”גצילום: שלומי כהן קבלת פנים לרה”י הגרמ”ה הירש בנתב”גצילום: שלומי כהן קבלת פנים לרה”י הגרמ”ה הירש בנתב”גצילום: שלומי כהן קבלת פנים לרה”י הגרמ”ה הירש בנתב”גצילום: שלומי כהן קבלת פנים לרה”י הגרמ”ה הירש בנתב”גצילום: שלומי כהן קבלת פנים לרה”י הגרמ”ה הירש בנתב”גצילום: שלומי כהן קבלת פנים לרה”י הגרמ”ה הירש בנתב”גצילום: שלומי כהן קבלת פנים לרה”י הגרמ”ה הירש בנתב”גצילום: שלומי כהן קבלת פנים לרה”י הגרמ”ה הירש בנתב”גצילום: שלומי כהן קבלת פנים לרה”י הגרמ”ה הירש בנתב”גצילום: שלומי כהן קבלת פנים לרה”י הגרמ”ה הירש בנתב”גצילום: שלומי כהן קבלת פנים לרה”י הגרמ”ה הירש בנתב”גצילום: שלומי כהן קבלת פנים לרה”י הגרמ”ה הירש בנתב”גצילום: שלומי כהן קבלת פנים לרה”י הגרמ”ה הירש בנתב”גצילום: שלומי כהן קבלת פנים לרה”י הגרמ”ה הירש בנתב”גצילום: שלומי כהן קבלת פנים לרה”י הגרמ”ה הירש בנתב”גצילום: שלומי כהן קבלת פנים לרה”י הגרמ”ה הירש בנתב”גצילום: שלומי כהן קבלת פנים לרה”י הגרמ”ה הירש בנתב”גצילום: שלומי כהן קבלת פנים לרה”י הגרמ”ה הירש בנתב”גצילום: שלומי כהן קבלת פנים לרה”י הגרמ”ה הירש בנתב”גצילום: שלומי כהן קבלת פנים לרה”י הגרמ”ה הירש בנתב”גצילום: שלומי כהן קבלת פנים לרה”י הגרמ”ה הירש בנתב”גצילום: שלומי כהן קבלת פנים לרה”י הגרמ”ה הירש בנתב”גצילום: שלומי כהן קבלת פנים לרה”י הגרמ”ה הירש בנתב”גצילום: שלומי כהןקבלת פנים לרה”י הגרמ”ה הירש בנתב”גצילום: שלומי כהן
קבלת פנים לרה”י הגרמ”ה הירש בנתב”גצילום: שלומי כהן קבלת פנים לרה”י הגרמ”ה הירש בנתב”גצילום: שלומי כהן קבלת פנים לרה”י הגרמ”ה הירש בנתב”גצילום: שלומי כהן קבלת פנים לרה”י הגרמ”ה הירש בנתב”גצילום: שלומי כהן קבלת פנים לרה”י הגרמ”ה הירש בנתב”גצילום: שלומי כהן קבלת פנים לרה”י הגרמ”ה הירש בנתב”גצילום: שלומי כהן קבלת פנים לרה”י הגרמ”ה הירש בנתב”גצילום: שלומי כהן קבלת פנים לרה”י הגרמ”ה הירש בנתב”גצילום: שלומי כהן {Matzav.com}
Photo Essay: Yud Gimmel Middos at the Kever of Rav Michel Yehuda Lefkowitz zt”l Upon His Yahrtzeit
Fourteen years after the passing of the great rosh yeshiva, Rav Michel Yehuda Lefkowitz zt”l, author of Minchas Yehuda and one of the gedolei Torah of the Torah world, large crowds gathered at his kever in the Ponovezh Cemetery to mark his yahrtzeit with tefillos and cries for rachamei Shamayim.
As the sun began to set, a special tefillah gathering was held at the kever, led by the Rosh Yeshiva’s sons. His son, the mashgiach, Rav Moshe Dovid Lefkowitz—mashgiach of Yeshivos Be’er Yaakov and Mishkenos HaTorah, and rav of the Heichal Moshe community in Bnei Brak—led the gathering. As the day came to a close, and in light of the difficult times, the crowd joined together in an emotional recitation of the Yud Gimmel Middos, weeping as they beseeched Hashem for salvation and compassion for Klal Yisroel.
Rav Moshe Dovid also offered words of chizuk, urging the participants to not only daven, but also to recognize and express gratitude for the many open miracles and chassadim that have been evident in recent days. He quoted timeless teachings from his father, Rav Michel Yehuda, emphasizing their continued relevance for every generation.
Following the stirring Kel Malei Rachamim, kaddish was recited by his son, Rav Avrohom Yitzchok Lefkowitz, Rosh Yeshiva of Beis Medrash Elyon.
Among those who joined the gathering were Rav Aharon Shapira, Rosh Yeshiva of Rabbeinu Moshe Shmuel, and the Rosh Yeshiva’s grandson, Rav Yitzchok Shaul Kanievsky.
יום היארצייט של רבי מיכל יהודה ליפקוביץ זצ”לצילום: ש.פ.ה יום היארצייט של רבי מיכל יהודה ליפקוביץ זצ”לצילום: ש.פ.ה יום היארצייט של רבי מיכל יהודה ליפקוביץ זצ”לצילום: ש.פ.ה יום היארצייט של רבי מיכל יהודה ליפקוביץ זצ”לצילום: ש.פ.ה יום היארצייט של רבי מיכל יהודה ליפקוביץ זצ”לצילום: ש.פ.ה יום היארצייט של רבי מיכל יהודה ליפקוביץ זצ”לצילום: ש.פ.ה יום היארצייט של רבי מיכל יהודה ליפקוביץ זצ”לצילום: ש.פ.ה יום היארצייט של רבי מיכל יהודה ליפקוביץ זצ”לצילום: ש.פ.ה יום היארצייט של רבי מיכל יהודה ליפקוביץ זצ”לצילום: ש.פ.ה יום היארצייט של רבי מיכל יהודה ליפקוביץ זצ”לצילום: ש.פ.ה יום היארצייט של רבי מיכל יהודה ליפקוביץ זצ”לצילום: ש.פ.ה יום היארצייט של רבי מיכל יהודה ליפקוביץ זצ”לצילום: ש.פ.ה יום היארצייט של רבי מיכל יהודה ליפקוביץ זצ”לצילום: ש.פ.ה יום היארצייט של רבי מיכל יהודה ליפקוביץ זצ”לצילום: ש.פ.ה יום היארצייט של רבי מיכל יהודה ליפקוביץ זצ”לצילום: ש.פ.ה יום היארצייט של רבי מיכל יהודה ליפקוביץ זצ”לצילום: ש.פ.ה יום היארצייט של רבי מיכל יהודה ליפקוביץ זצ”לצילום: ש.פ.ה יום היארצייט של רבי מיכל יהודה ליפקוביץ זצ”לצילום: ש.פ.ה יום היארצייט של רבי מיכל יהודה ליפקוביץ זצ”לצילום: ש.פ.ה יום היארצייט של רבי מיכל יהודה ליפקוביץ זצ”לצילום: ש.פ.ה יום היארצייט של רבי מיכל יהודה ליפקוביץ זצ”לצילום: ש.פ.ה יום היארצייט של רבי מיכל יהודה ליפקוביץ זצ”לצילום: ש.פ.ה יום היארצייט של רבי מיכל יהודה ליפקוביץ זצ”לצילום: ש.פ.ה יום היארצייט של רבי מיכל יהודה ליפקוביץ זצ”לצילום: ש.פ.ה יום היארצייט של רבי מיכל יהודה ליפקוביץ זצ”לצילום: ש.פ.ה יום היארצייט של רבי מיכל יהודה ליפקוביץ זצ”לצילום: ש.פ.ה יום היארצייט של רבי מיכל יהודה ליפקוביץ זצ”לצילום: ש.פ.ה יום היארצייט של רבי מיכל יהודה ליפקוביץ זצ”לצילום: ש.פ.ה יום היארצייט של רבי מיכל יהודה ליפקוביץ זצ”לצילום: ש.פ.ה יום היארצייט של רבי מיכל יהודה ליפקוביץ זצ”לצילום: ש.פ.ה{Matzav.com}
Abbas Pens Letter To Trump Hailing Him For Iran Ceasefire, Reiterating Readiness For Peace With Israel
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas sent a letter to President Donald Trump praising his successful efforts in brokering a ceasefire between Israel and Iran and expressing renewed commitment to pursuing a full peace agreement with Israel.
In his message, Abbas emphasized that the truce between Iran and Israel marks a key moment in efforts to ease broader tensions in the region.
The Palestinian leader also extended his appreciation to Trump for what he described as the president’s “courageous” recent appeals to bring an end to the fighting in Gaza.
“This constitutes an additional step in [your] important efforts to achieve a just and comprehensive peace between us, the Israelis, and the entire world,” Abbas writes.
According to the letter, Abbas confirmed his administration’s eagerness to resume serious negotiations with Trump and regional partners to reach a peace accord under a defined schedule aimed at resolving the conflict and creating long-term security for both sides.
The letter states Abbas “reiterated our full readiness to work closely with [Trump] and relevant Arab and international parties to immediately negotiate and implement a comprehensive peace agreement within a clear and binding timeframe that ends the occupation and achieves security and stability for all, a just and lasting peace.”
He went on to convey optimism that with Trump’s involvement, long-standing obstacles could be overcome.
“With you, we can achieve what seemed impossible: a recognized, free, sovereign and secure Palestine, a recognized and secure Israel, and a region that enjoys peace, prosperity and integration,” Abbas tells Trump.
In recent months, Abbas has made a concerted effort to build rapport with the Trump administration. He issued a decree ending a deeply criticized policy that had provided payments to the families of Palestinian prisoners and those killed in attacks, with benefits tied to the length of their sentences.
Abbas has also denounced Hamas repeatedly and has been calling for the hostages to be freed. Earlier this month, he issued his first public condemnation of Hamas’s October 7 assault.
Despite these gestures, U.S. engagement with the Palestinian leadership has been minimal. Contacts between Washington and Ramallah have remained limited, with U.S. hostage envoy Adam Boehler instead focusing on direct talks with Hamas earlier this year to help free American captives. Trump has not spoken with Abbas since their phone call in November, when the PA leader congratulated him on winning the election.
{Matzav.com}
Bipartisan Bill Seeks to Ban Chinese AI From U.S. Government Systems
Trump Admin Allows Crypto as Mortgage Asset, Requires U.S.-Regulated Exchanges and Volatility Safeguards
Border Czar Homan Warns Mamdani: Federal Law Overrides NYC Mayor’s ICE Block, Vows Triple Enforcement
Leftists Storm Capitol Protesting Trump’s Spending Bill, Several Detained
Netanyahu, Katz Order IDF to Plan Against Hamas Seizing Gaza Aid Trucks
Sen. Schumer Hospitalized Briefly for Dehydration After Feeling Lightheaded, Returns to Capitol
Qatar, US Tout ‘Momentum’ In Gaza Truce-Hostage Talks As Result Of Iran Ceasefire
The United States and Qatar announced Wednesday that the fragile ceasefire between Iran and Israel has opened a potential window to reignite stalled negotiations between Israel and Hamas over a possible truce and hostage exchange deal in Gaza.
Majed Al Ansari, spokesman for Qatar’s Foreign Ministry, told CNN that Doha has maintained active communication with “all sides” involved in the hostage discussions. He said they hoped to use the momentum generated by the Iran-Israel ceasefire to advance the talks—remarks that closely mirrored those made by President Trump.
“This is the time now for President Trump to push for it and we believe he is sincere about it,” said Ansari. “We are willing to help on that.”
Ansari acknowledged that the truce had given the talks a boost, but warned against premature optimism.
“There was momentum created by the ceasefire in Iran and Israel,” he continued, “but we’re not out of the woods yet. There are a lot of details that I can’t discuss right now about the deal in place, but I can tell you it’s the same parameters that keep going in and out of the talks.”
He also addressed the tensions following Iran’s retaliatory strike on a U.S. base in Qatar, calling it a serious blow to Doha’s ties with Tehran.
Ansari’s remarks came on the heels of Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani’s statement a day earlier that “discussions are ongoing” with both Israel and Hamas, referring to a proposal reportedly put forward by the United States.
Speaking from the NATO summit in The Hague, President Trump said that Sunday’s U.S. military strike on Iranian nuclear facilities had produced “great progress” in the efforts to reach a Gaza ceasefire.
“I think that because of this attack that we made… we’re going to have some very good news,” he said. “Gaza is very close.”
Meanwhile, Hamas spokesman Taher al-Nunu confirmed to AFP on Wednesday that efforts to reach a deal had intensified.
“Our communications with the brother mediators in Egypt and Qatar have not stopped and have intensified in recent hours,” said al-Nunu.
Still, he warned that Hamas had “not yet received any new proposals” aimed at ending the conflict.
The Israeli government did not comment on the state of negotiations, offering only a general statement that it was continuing to pursue the release of hostages “on the battlefield and via negotiations.”
Since late May, the talks have been largely frozen. That was when Hamas reportedly rejected a U.S.-backed plan submitted by White House envoy Steve Witkoff, a response that Washington deemed “unacceptable.”
That plan had included a 60-day pause in fighting, a partial pullback of Israeli troops, and expanded humanitarian access, all in return for the release of 10 live hostages and 18 bodies of deceased hostages.
Hamas’s reply reportedly sought to restrict Israel’s ability to resume military action if no permanent truce was finalized by the end of the 60-day period.
In addition, Hamas opposed the U.S. proposal to release the 10 living captives in two waves—one on the first day of the truce and the second on the seventh—preferring instead to stagger the releases throughout the ceasefire window.
An earlier deal to exchange hostages for a ceasefire collapsed on March 2 after its initial 42-day phase concluded. Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu had refused to negotiate the second stage, which would have entailed a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza—something his far-right coalition partners adamantly oppose.
Israel resumed military operations in Gaza on March 18, and Netanyahu has since pledged to continue the campaign until Hamas is destroyed.
Although Netanyahu claimed just days before the June 13 Israeli strike on Iran that hostage talks were making “significant progress,” an Arab source familiar with the negotiations told The Times of Israel that no such progress had actually been made.
As it stands, Gaza-based terror groups are holding 50 hostages, 49 of whom were seized on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led terrorists slaughtered around 1,200 Israelis and kidnapped 251 more, igniting the current war. Hamas also possesses the body of an Israeli soldier killed in the 2014 Gaza conflict.
According to the IDF, 28 of the hostages still in captivity have been confirmed dead. Twenty are believed to be alive, while Israeli officials have expressed deep concern for the condition of two others.
{Matzav.com Israel}
CIA Director Ratcliffe: Intelligence Confirms Severe Damage to Iran’s Nuclear Program from Targeted Strikes
CIA DIRECTOR CONFIRMS: Iran Nuclear Program “Severely Damaged”
New Invention Allows People With Low Vision and the Elderly to Read Again
“RIDICULOUS”: Trump Breaks Silence On ‘Communist Lunatic’ Zohran Mamdani’s Win In Scathing NYC Mayoral Rant
President Trump unleashed a fiery response on Wednesday following Zohran Mamdani’s unexpected win in New York’s Democratic mayoral primary, slamming both his ideology and personal presentation.
“Democrats have crossed the line” by elevating “100% Communist Lunatic,” Trump railed in a Truth Social post.
He remarked that while radical figures have emerged in the party before, this instance went beyond what he viewed as acceptable boundaries. “We’ve had Radical Lefties before, but this is getting a little ridiculous,” he added.
Trump then turned his criticism toward Mamdani’s physical appearance and demeanor, pulling no punches.
“He looks TERRIBLE, his voice is grating, he’s not very smart, he’s got AOC+3, Dummies ALL, backing him, and even our Great Palestinian Senator, Cryin’ Chuck Schumer, is groveling over him.”
{Matzav.com}
Fed Chair Warns Tariffs May Raise Consumer Prices in Coming Months, Republicans Accuse Him of Bias
Mossad Chief David Barnea: Israel’s Presence in Iran Will Continue for Years
Mossad Director David Barnea released a highly unusual public video on Wednesday, offering a glimpse into his address to agents who took part in the dramatic series of operations against Iran beginning on June 13—operations that, by all accounts, deeply destabilized the Iranian regime.
Addressing his operatives with a pointed message to Iran, Barnea declared, “We will [continue to] be there, like we have been there.”
Barnea described the scope of Mossad’s accomplishments as “unimaginable,” alluding to their reported involvement in eliminating senior Iranian military officials and nuclear scientists, and in demolishing facilities related to Iran’s nuclear program, drone manufacturing, and ballistic missile capabilities.
In a revelation that underscored the breadth of the operation, Barnea confirmed that at its peak, Mossad had embedded hundreds of agents inside Iran. Their success, he explained, was the result of extensive planning: “We worked for months and years to do all of the right actions to get to the right moment…We understood the fatefulness of the hour.”
Barnea expressed gratitude to other security and intelligence partners, thanking IDF Intelligence, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, and the CIA for their close collaboration during the mission.
Turning to the conflict with Hamas, Barnea reaffirmed Mossad’s commitment to rescuing every one of the remaining hostages held in Gaza. He noted that 50 people are still captive, with 20 known to be alive. Until recently, the status of two of the hostages had been unclear.
On Friday, Mossad released rare footage showing its joint role with the Israeli Air Force in carrying out a preemptive attack on Iran’s ballistic missile stockpiles and air defense systems. The three clips include strikes on missile infrastructure, anti-air installations, and preparations leading up to the mission—though all agents’ faces remain concealed.
The videos suggest that Mossad may have used drones launched from within Iran itself to hit selected targets.
Tehran has previously blamed Mossad for drone strikes, including a notable 2021 attack on the Karaj nuclear facility and other sensitive operations.
While the IDF’s actions in the war have received broader public coverage, these new videos offer an unprecedented window into the secretive world of Israeli intelligence—a domain where Mossad’s operations are usually hidden from view and rarely acknowledged at all.
{Matzav.com}Pages
