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A senior Hamas official, Osama Hamdan, claims that no one knows how many of the 116 remaining Israeli hostages in Gaza are still alive. In an interview with CNN on Thursday, Hamdan denied having any information about the hostages’ status, saying, “No one has any idea about this.” Hamas has refused to provide a list of living hostages and has only sporadically released signs of life for some captives, mainly for propaganda purposes. Hamdan also rejected that the four hostages rescued by Israeli forces last weekend had been abused during their captivity. When pressed about the testimony of a doctor who treated the rescued Israelis and reported that they were beaten “almost every day” and suffered from malnutrition, Hamdan blamed Israel for any mental health issues the hostages may have. The status of the remaining hostages is a critical issue in negotiations for a potential deal between Israel and Hamas. Israeli negotiators have demanded that living hostages be released before dead bodies, while Hamas negotiators have sought deals that would allow them to release an indeterminate number of bodies in place of living captives. Hamdan called the proposed deal to release Israeli hostages in exchange for a ceasefire and the release of Palestinian prisoners a “positive step,” but refused to endorse it. He insisted that Israel must accept a complete withdrawal from Gaza and allow Palestinians to determine their future. Hamdan also denied a report that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar has insisted that civilian bloodshed in Gaza is a “necessary sacrifice” that will lead to the liberation of Palestine. He called the report “fake messages” intended to incite opposition to Sinwar. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

A growing migrant crisis has transformed Boston’s Logan International Airport into an impromptu shelter, with over 100 migrants sleeping on the floors due to a lack of space and resources at nearby facilities. Despite efforts to address the issue, the number of migrants seeking refuge at the airport has surged in recent weeks, with many facing harsh conditions. According to police, the migrants are using the airport as a temporary shelter, with some arriving at all hours and staying for extended periods. A MassPort representative acknowledged the situation, citing a shortage of staff and resources at surrounding facilities, which has led to migrants being bussed to state welcome centers during the day and returned to the airport at night. The migrants are enduring poor conditions, sleeping on hard and cold floors, facing constant light and noise from airport announcements, and waiting on a list for shelter space to become available. The situation has become increasingly dire since state shelters reached maximum capacity in November, with many forced to wait for a spot to open up. While Massachusetts does not have sanctuary state laws, local cities like Boston have implemented some form of sanctuary policies. Governor Maura Healey has attempted to address the issue by converting a former prison into a shelter for homeless families, including migrants. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

In a rare and significant meeting, Israel’s top general, Gen. Herzi Halevi, met with his counterparts from several Arab militaries in Bahrain earlier this week to discuss regional security cooperation. The low-profile meeting, facilitated by U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), aimed to promote military dialogue and cooperation between Israel and Arab countries despite the latter’s public criticism and condemnation of Israeli military operations in Gaza. Senior generals from Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Egypt attended the meeting alongside U.S. Gen. Michel “Erik” Kurilla and Gen. Halevi. The meeting signals a continued commitment to regional security cooperation, building on recent successes in air and missile defense. The meeting’s significance lies in the participation of senior military officials from countries that have historically had tense relations with Israel. The U.S. views the defeat of Iran’s missile and drone attack on Israel on April 13 as a major achievement, made possible through regional cooperation and intelligence sharing. Jordan and Saudi Arabia played an active role in intercepting missiles and drones that passed through their airspace, highlighting the effectiveness of regional security cooperation. The Israel Defense Forces declined to comment on the meeting, and CENTCOM has yet to respond to questions. However, the meeting underscores the ongoing efforts to strengthen regional security ties, even in the face of political sensitivities and public criticism. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

They’re having a ruff time.

Newly released agency records have shed new light on the Secret Service’s dire morale following a series of biting incidents by Commander Biden, the German Shepherd belonging to President Joe Biden. Commander’s biting spree is believed to have become a mounting problem for members of Biden’s protective force before he was re-homed in 2023. Those incidents rose in the latest report, from at least 24 separate biting incidents to now up to three dozen, according to conservative nonprofit group Judicial Watch, which obtained 116 pages of U.S. Secret Service records from the Department of Homeland Security under the Freedom of Information Act.

Biden was allegedly witness to at least 3 of the biting incidents, including one in Sept. 2023 where during a walk with the president in the Kennedy Garden along the South Lawn of the White House, Commander bit the arm of a Secret Service member, tearing holes in their suit, then biting them again moments later.

“Can we please find a way to get this dog muzzled,” an official in the agency’s Safety, Health & Environmental Division wrote in September 2023. Both The White House and the Secret Service did not respond to a request for comment from the New York Post. Read more at Judicial Watch.

IDF Chief of Staff Hertzi Halevi approved an operational plan for the establishment of a Chareidi brigade in the IDF that will include 3,000 soldiers. According to an Army Radio report on Thursday morning, the brigade will include three battalions, two of which will be regular infantry units that include full service and one that will be a reserve battalion. The training period for the Chareidi reserve soldiers will last three months. Afterward, they will be released and called up according to need. The plan was led by the head of the IDF Manpower Directorate, Maj.-Gen. Yaniv Asor, other IDF officials, and Chareidi Rabbanim, led by Rabbi Dovid Label. It was agreed that the brigade would not include women at all and will have a special admissions committee that will verify that applicants are indeed Chareidi. All the commanders will be religious. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

A video of IDF reserve soldiers operating a trebuchet [a type of catapult] that circulated online on Thursday aroused the curiosity of viewers who wondered why one of the world’s most technologically advanced armies was using ancient warfare reminiscent of the Roman era. The answer is that IDF reserve soldiers on the northern border have been operating trebuchets to shoot incendiary material to the Lebanese side of the border to burn the dense brush that Hezbollah uses to camouflage and obscure their positions. Hezbollah terrorists take advantage of the dense vegetation to hide mortars, short-range rocket launchers and themselves, and the thicket makes it difficult for IDF soldiers to locate the Hezbollah cells hiding in the area. At the beginning of the war, the reserve soldiers used Molotov cocktails to try to burn the vegetation and expose the area. According to Lebanese reports, they also used phosphorus bombs that caused fires as well as incendiary drones. In order to find a permanent solution to the problem without using valuable artillery, reserve soldiers decided to assemble a trebuchet, the tool used for hurling stones and burning objects for hundreds of meters that was used in Europe until the 15th century. According to reports, the IDF commanders were not pleased by the medieval solution and instructed the soldiers to use explosive drones. The IDF responded to the report by stating, “This is a local initiative and not a tool that is widely used.” “The area on the Lebanese border is characterized by boulders, thickets, and dense thorn vegetation, which poses a challenge to the IDF troops deployed to defend the area.” (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

A new CBS News/YouGov poll finds that former President Donald Trump holds a one-point lead over President Joe Biden nationally, with 49% of likely voters supporting Trump compared to 48% for Biden. The poll also indicates that Trump supporters are more enthusiastic, with 78% having “very strong” support for the former president, compared to 69% of Biden backers. Additionally, 54% of Biden supporters say their vote would be in opposition to Trump, while 52% of Trump backers say they would vote for him because they “like” him. The poll’s findings are consistent with other national polls, such as Emerson College and Morning Consult, which also show Trump holding a slim lead over Biden. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani has “lung disease” that may have been caused by his time in lower Manhattan immediately after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, his lawyers said in a court filing earlier this week, according to the New York Post.

Giuliani is seeking to retain control of his finances amid bankruptcy proceedings, with his lawyers claiming that the 80-year-old has a “limited” earning potential as a result of his deteriorating health. “[Giuliani] is suffering from possible 9/11 lung disease and his future earning capacity is limited both by his age and future health,” the filing, submitted Monday, reads.

The onetime personal lawyer for Donald Trump owes a steep $148 million in damages incurred after he was found liable for defamation against a pair of Georgia election workers he falsely claimed were part of a conspiracy to commit voter fraud and throw the state’s 2020 election. Giuliani filed for bankruptcy in December 2023. Read more. 

President Joe Biden appeared to wander off at the G7 summit in Italy, with officials needing to pull him back to focus.

As world leaders applauded a parachuting presentation, Biden could be seen trailing off and stepping away from the group, appearing to talk to an officer packing a bag.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who hosted the meeting of world leaders, then pulled back the US president to get his attention so he can rejoin his fellow world leaders.

WATCH:

By Rabbi Yair Hoffman The day after Yom Tov, beginning tonight, is called Isru Chag, which literally means “bind or connect the festival.” What is it all about? Where does Isru Chag come from? A brief introduction: The Jewish nation was woefully assimilated after the destruction of the first Bais HaMikdash. A remarkable re-dedication of the Jewish nation took place under Ezra and Nechemya during the time of Sukkos. Ezra (See Nechemia chapter 8) carefully instructed Klal Yisroel all about the halachos of Sukkos and they celebrated it. On the 24th of the month, (Nechemya 9:1) they all fasted. There is, however, a question. Why didn’t they fast on the 23rd? Why did they wait until the 24th? The Mishna L’Melech (Hilchos Kli HaMikdash) explains that it was because it was Isru Chag. Tosfos in Rosh haShana (19a “Bimei Ezra”) disagrees with this suggestion (it was suggested by Rav Yuden in the Yerushalmi AZ 1:1) saying that they did not yet observe the custom of Isru Chag and instead suggests that the month of Elul was an Ibbur month at the time. But others accept the Yerushalmi’s explanation. It is possible, however, that the Baalei Tosfos did not have our Yerushalmi as the Birchei Yoseph (494) actually states. THE SOURCE IN THE BAVLI Regardless of the above dispute, the Gemorah (Sukkah 45b) tells us in the name of Rabbi Yochanan in the name Rabbi Yochanan HaMekusi: “Whomever does a binding to the Chag with eating and drinking, the Pasuk considers it as if he had built a Mizbeach and offered korbanos upon it.” The Gemorah is actually making a drasha on the verse in Tehillim (118:27), where it states, “Tie the festival offering to the corners of the Mizbeach with strings.” There are two explanations of the term “binding to the Chag” found in Rashi. The first explanation refers to the holiday itself. The second explanation refers to the day after the holiday. This second explanation in the Rashi is referenced in the Ramah (OC 429:2). According to Rashi’s second explanation, Chazal darshen that this means to continue the joy of the Yom Tov onward to the next day. In this statement it is clear that the sages wish us to continue the Yom Tov, and to do so in a festive spirit, including food and drink. Some even have the custom to limit activities (See Torah Lishma Siman 140). THE ARIZAL The Arizal explains that there are still sparks of kedusha from the Yom Tov that are left over. These sparks should be channeled properly. Therefore, on isru Chag there is additional celebration in food and drink. We also do not fast or eulogize on Isru Chag (See Mogain Avrohom 425:8). The Bais Yoseph (OC 494) writes that the Yerushalmi in Avodah Zarah 1:1 calls Isru Chag with the term “Bna d’Moada” which means offspring of the Moed – of the holiday. THE SDEI CHEMED’S EXPLANATION We see from the Sdei Chemed (Aleph #154) an additional theme in the notion of Isru Chag. He writes that the practice originated in Eretz Yisroel because the Bnei Torah of Eretz Yisroel were concerned that the gentiles were feeling that the Jews were not united. Those outside of Eretz Yisroel observed two days of Yom Tov. Those within Eretz Yisroel observed one […]

A report detailed in The Jewish Chronicle revealed new details about the intelligence efforts leading up to Israel’s daring rescue of four hostages recently.

According to the report, Israel was made aware of the general location of the four hostages inside the Nuseirat camp in Gaza on May 12th, through intelligence. This promoted Israel to begin an all hands on deck intelligence effort to find the exact location of the hostages, and other crucial details necessary for any rescue mission. These efforts included teams of ‘Mista’arvim’ units – undercover agents dressed as local Arabs, who blend into the population to gather intelligence. The units spoke with local Gazans on the ground to try and gather information.

Intelligence gathered by the ‘Mista’arvim’ units along with arial surveillance and other technological means gave Israel an accurate picture of the hostage’s location and other important details, after 19 days. In early June, the information was presented to the War cabinet along with the heads of the IDF and Shin Bet, to come up with a rescue plan.

To gather and verify more information for a rescue mission, another team of undercover agents was sent into Nuseirat, including several women. The team arrived in town pretending to be displaced Gazans from Rafah, and asked to rent the exact house that Noa Aragamni was being held hostage. In exchange for a large sum, locals helped the undercover team rent a large house down the block.

The undercover team proceeded to gather intelligence while blending into the community – they went shopping in the market, took walks down the street, and sent the intelligence they gathered back.

Meanwhile, 28 Yamam fighters began training on two replicas of the two buildings where the hostages were held. After three days, IDF Chief of Staff, Herzi Halevi was informed that Yamam was ready to proceed. Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu was informed and gave his approval for the operation.

Most of the undercover team left the area, leaving just 4 operatives behind to ensure the hostages were not moved to another location.

On the morning of the operation, the 28 Yamam fighters made their way in two trucks to the two locations of the hostages, arriving outside before 11am. After further surveillance, the teams were given the go-ahead, and simultaneously began the operation.

At the location where Argamani was held, the Yamam fighters eliminated the terrorists holding her hostage, and took her safely out of the apartment in under six minutes. She was brought to a helicopter and flown back to Israel.

However at the second apartment, a heavy firefight broke out. Unbeknown ahead of time, some 30 terrorists were inside the apartment, and opened up large volumes of gunfire and RPG fire at the Yamam team. It is now assumed the additional terrorists arrived either the night before or the morning of the operation. Meanwhile, a few members of the team had used a ladder to climb up to a third floor room where the hostages had been held. At one point the Yamam fighters hid the hostages in a bathroom while the other fighters continued the firefight in another part of the house.

In a long battle at short range inside the apartment, the operatives managed to eliminate all the terrorists inside the apartment. However during the firefight, Arnon Zamora was severely injured. At one point he lay on the floor bleeding, while three medics and a doctor attempted to save his life, as the battle ensued.

Upon hearing the gunfire, large numbers of terrorists emerged from tunnels nearby. The team evacuated the hostages and Zamora on a stretcher from the building, while under fire. However their escape vehicle was hit by two RPG missiles.

At this point, plan B was activated. With cover from the Israeli Air Force, Israeli Navy and tanks, soldiers from the Paratroopers, Golani and Givati infantry brigades charged into the area on foot. With the reinforcements and the air power, the battle space was isolated and an escape path was opened for the hostages, who were brought to helicopters and flown back to Israel.

Hamas has claimed that the battle killed 274 Palestinians, including women and children. However Israel believes that 104 Gazans were killed or injured – and all of whom were terrorists or armed civilians who worked with Hamas.

After the battle the Israeli Air Force bombed and destroyed the two buildings where the hostages were held. Tragically, Arnon Zamora was pronounced dead after arriving at the hospital.

{Matzav.com}

An indictment was filed on Thursday against a Yerushalayim man who vandalized a shaitel shop in the city, causing damage worth hundreds of thousands of shekels due to ideological reasons.

A few weeks ago, the shop owner reported the incident to the police. Following the report, the Lev Habira station in the Yerushalayim District initiated an investigation to identify and locate the suspect, who was captured on surveillance cameras at the scene.

According to the investigation and the indictment, the suspect broke into the business in the early morning hours of May 24th.

Once inside, the suspect damaged dozens of wigs by spraying them with paint and cutting them before fleeing the scene. The owner estimated the damages to be over half a million shekels.

Detectives arrested the suspect, who was then taken in for questioning at the Lev Habira station in Jerusalem. The court extended his detention to allow for the completion of necessary actions in his case.

Chief Superintendent Lior Ben-Shalom, the investigations and intelligence officer at the Lev Habira station, commented on the case: “This suspect acted out of ideological motives, which he believes prohibit the use of wigs by chareidi women, and committed criminal acts by breaking into a business and causing substantial damage. Our investigation efforts, which began immediately after receiving the report about the incident, bore fruit after we carried out various investigatory actions to locate and arrest him. The detectives from the Lev Habira station arrested the suspect, and the station investigators managed to gather an evidential basis which led to the indictment against him.”

{Matzav.com Israel}

Religious Zionist Party Director Yehuda Wald shared a forceful message on social media criticizing Shas Chairman Aryeh Deri’s role in the War Cabinet.

“Aryeh Deri shouldn’t come to the War Cabinet meetings anymore until he makes a true step to bring substantial chareidi enlistment,” Wald wrote.

He continued, “He cannot morally and ethically send me and my friends to the battlefield to fight for the country while he sits quietly on the side and doesn’t do enough to ensure that his children and his voters’ children enlist and fight with us. I’ve had enough.”

Meretz Chairman Uri Zaki questioned Wald in a comment: “Didn’t you vote for the exemption this week? I’m confused.” Wald replied, “No. We voted to continue Benny Gantz’s plan. This is a starting point for discussions that will be held in the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee to form an updated law.”

He further added, “I expect Deri and his chareidi colleagues in the government to get involved, find solutions, advance significant measures, and understand that we need a substantial change in light of the war.”

{Matzav.com Israel}

A U.S. Navy submarine has arrived in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in a show of force as a fleet of Russian warships gather for planned military exercises in the Caribbean. U.S. Southern Command said the USS Helena, a nuclear-powered fast attack submarine, pulled into the waters near the U.S. base in Cuba on Thursday, just a day after a Russian frigate, a nuclear-powered submarine, an oil tanker and a rescue tug crossed into Havana Bay after drills in the Atlantic Ocean. The stop is part of a “routine port visit” as the submarine travels through Southern Command’s region, it said in a social media post. Other U.S. ships also have been tracking and monitoring the Russian drills, which Pentagon officials say do not represent a threat to the United States. “This is not a surprise. We’ve seen them do these type of port calls before,” Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said Wednesday when asked about the Russian drills. “We of course take it seriously, but these exercises don’t pose a threat to the United States.” The exercises, however, come less than two weeks after President Joe Biden authorized Ukraine to use U.S.-provided weapons to strike inside Russia to protect Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city. Russian President Vladimir Putin then suggested his military could respond with “asymmetrical steps” elsewhere in the world. Singh said it wouldn’t be a surprise to see more Russian activity around the United States in such global exercises. The drills are in international waters, and U.S. officials expect the Russian ships to remain in the region through the summer and possibly also stop in Venezuela. Russia is a longtime ally of Venezuela and Cuba, and its warships and aircraft have periodically made forays into the Caribbean. Russian ships have occasionally docked in Havana since 2008, when a group of Russian vessels entered Cuban waters in what state media described as the first such visit in almost two decades. In 2015, a reconnaissance and communications ship arrived unannounced in Havana a day before the start of discussions between U.S. and Cuban officials on the reopening of diplomatic relations. (AP)

President Joe Biden and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a 10-year security agreement Thursday that they hailed as a milestone in relations between their countries, but that alone was not enough to stop Zelenskyy from wondering how much longer he could count on America’s support. Zelenskyy also said his country “urgently” needed additional air defense systems to protect Ukrainians and the nation’s infrastructure from Russia’s continued bombardment. The leaders signed the agreement on the sidelines of the annual Group of Seven summit, held this year in Italy, and Biden said the goal “is to strengthen Ukraine’s defense and deterrence capabilities.” Zelenskyy said at a joint news conference that the signing made for a “truly historic day,” but he also wondered about the durability of support from the United States and other allies. Ukraine’s president said the right question to ask is “for how long the unity in the world will remain? The unity in the U.S., together with European leaders” and how it will be influenced by the outcome of elections this year in many of those countries. Topping that list is voting in the U.S. in November in a campaign that could see the return of Republican Donald Trump to the presidency. Trump has been skeptical of providing additional military aid to Ukraine, at one point criticizing the “endless flow of American treasure.” He more recently has expressed openness to lending money instead and has said Ukraine’s independence is important to the United States. Biden said the U.S. has commitments from five countries that he did not name to provide Patriot missile and other air defense systems to Ukraine. He said countries that have been expecting the same weapons from the U.S. have been told they will have to wait because “everything we have is going to go to Ukraine until their needs are met.” Zelenskyy said he “urgently” needed seven Patriot systems. Biden then told him, “You’ll have some relatively quickly.” Germany is one of the five countries that have promised an additional Patriot system for Ukraine. Zelenskyy went on to deliver a stark warning about Russian aggression, saying that “if Ukraine does not withstand, the democracy of many countries, I am sure, won’t withstand either.” The U.S. and European countries also agreed to keep sanctioned Russian assets locked up until Moscow pays reparations for its invasion of Ukraine, clearing the way for a $50 billion loan package for Ukraine. Combined with new sanctions against Russia announced earlier in the week, Biden said the series of actions to support Ukraine show Putin that “he cannot wait us out. He cannot divide us.” The highly anticipated agreement will leverage interest and income from more than $260 billion in frozen Russian assets, largely held in Europe, to secure a $50 billion loan from the U.S. and additional loans from other partners. Ukraine will receive the first payments sometime this year, a U.S. official said. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity to preview the agreement, which will be included in the G7 leaders’ statement on Friday. Ukraine will be able to spend the money in several areas, including military, economic, humanitarian and reconstruction needs, the official said. The leaders’ statement on Friday will also preserve the option of confiscating the Russian assets entirely, for which the allies have yet […]

Senior Hamas official Osama Hamdan admits uncertainty regarding the status of the remaining 116 hostages taken on October 7, saying, “I don’t have any idea about that. No one has an idea about this,” in an interview with CNN.

He attributes the psychological state of the four recently rescued hostages to Israel’s actions, following a doctor’s report of their enduring continuous physical and emotional abuse during captivity. “I believe if they have mental problem, this is because of what Israel have done in Gaza,” Hamdan claims, controversially suggesting the hostages appeared healthier leaving Gaza than when they were taken.

Hamdan justifies Hamas’s refusal to accept truce terms, insisting that Israel must agree to a total ceasefire before hostage release discussions can proceed. Hamas requires “a clear position from Israel to accept the ceasefire, a complete withdrawal from Gaza, and let the Palestinians to determine their future by themselves, the reconstruction, the (lifting) of the siege … and we are ready to talk about a fair deal about the prisoners exchange,” he states.

He also dismisses a Wall Street Journal report alleging that Hamas’s Gaza leader Yahya Sinwar deemed civilian casualties a “necessary sacrifice,” calling it misinformation. “It was fake messages done by someone who is not Palestinian and (it) was sent (to the) Wall Street Journal as part of the pressure against Hamas and provoking the people against the leader,” Hamdan tells CNN, though providing no evidence for his claim.

{Matzav.com Israel}

The Israel Defense Forces confirmed on Wednesday the targeted killing of Hezbollah commander Sami Taleb Abdullah, who headed the Nasr Unit, or “Victory Force,” one of the Iranian-back terror group’s three divisions in Southern Lebanon, responsible for the eastern sector.

Abdullah, 55, who assumed his position in 2016, was killed in an airstrike Tuesday night in the Jouaiyya area, where he oversaw attacks since Oct. 7 on the cities of Kiryat Shmona and Safed, Moshavs Margaliot and Avivim, and other places. He was known within Hezbollah as Hajj Abu Taleb.

He also spearheaded attacks causing recent widespread fires in the Golan Heights and Upper Galilee, as well as the launch of Hezbollah’s Burkan missiles, which have a maximum range of 10 km. (6.2 miles) and carry up to 500 kg. (1,100 pounds) of explosive material, at Israeli communities.

He is the senior-most of some 300 Hezbollah terrorists killed since the Iranian proxy began near-daily attacks on Israel in the immediate aftermath of Hamas’s Oct. 7 massacre.

“Abdullah was one of Hezbollah’s most senior commanders in Southern Lebanon who planned, advanced and carried out a large number of terrorist attacks against Israeli civilians,” the IDF said.

Three additional terrorists were killed in Tuesday’s strike.

In response, Hezbollah fired more than 200 rockets at northern Israel. JNS

A corpse found on Thursday in the Sha’ar Hanegev region, adjacent to the northeastern Gaza Strip, is most likely that of a Hamas terrorist who took part in the Oct. 7 massacre, the Israel Police says.

A civilian discovered the remains, which were said to be in a state of “advanced decay,” at an intersection where terrorists murdered at least 26 people on Oct. 7.

Alongside the body, security forces located an empty combat vest and a shirt with Arabic letters on it. The writing on the shirt appeared to be the symbol of Hamas’s “military” wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades.

Police are still waiting for the full results of the identification process at the L. Greenberg National Institute of Forensic Medicine in Tel Aviv, also known as the Abu Kabir Forensic Institute.

“The suspicion is that this is a Hamas terrorist who was killed during the attack,” the Israel Police said in a statement on Thursday afternoon.

On Oct. 7, 2023, some 3,000 Hamas-led terrorists invaded Israel by land, sea and air, killing about 1,200 people, kidnapping 251 people back to Gaza and terrorizing hundreds of thousands more by using rape and torture as a weapon while temporarily conquering several Israeli communities.

Israeli security forces killed around a thousand of the terrorists who crossed the border fence that day and captured many others. JNS

President Joe Biden will host a White House event next week celebrating an Obama-era directive that offered deportation protections for young undocumented immigrants, as his own administration prepares potential new benefits for others without legal status but with long-standing ties in the United States. White House officials are closing in on a plan that would tap Biden’s executive powers to shield spouses of U.S. citizens without legal status from deportation, offer them work permits and ease their path toward permanent residency and eventually American citizenship, according to five people with knowledge of the deliberations. The people said those actions could be unveiled as early as next week, although a White House official stressed Thursday that no final decisions have been made on what Biden will announce, if anything. As of earlier this week, Biden had not been presented with the proposal for his final approval, adding to the uncertainty for the timing of any announcement. The president is currently in Italy participating in the Group of Seven summit of the world’s wealthiest democracies. But Biden telegraphed last week as he rolled out his directive to crack down on asylum claims at the border — a move that has infuriated immigrant-rights groups and many Democratic lawmakers — that he would be announcing other actions more to the advocates’ liking. “Today, I have spoken about what we need to do to secure the border,” Biden said at the June 4 event at the White House. “In the weeks ahead — and I mean the weeks ahead — I will speak to how we can make our immigration system more fair and more just.” To protect the spouses of Americans, the administration is expected to use a process called “parole-in-place.” It not only offers deportation protections and work permits to qualifying immigrants but also removes a legal obstacle that prevents them from getting on a path to a green card, and eventually, U.S. citizenship. That power has already been used for other groups of immigrants, such as members of the U.S. military or their family members who lack legal status. For Biden’s actions, White House officials were narrowing in on a plan that would offer parole in place for spouses of Americans who have been here for at least five or 10 years, according to the people briefed on the deliberations. The people were granted anonymity to discuss internal White House deliberations. The immigrant advocacy group FWD.us estimates that there are roughly 1.1 million immigrants without legal status married to Americans. However, depending on how the Biden administration writes the proposal, the actual universe of people who could qualify for the president’s plan is likely far smaller. Advocates were also lobbying the White House to include benefits for immigrants lacking legal status who provide caregiving roles for American family members, according to two of the people familiar with the discussions, although that provision was seen as far less likely to be enacted for now. Allowing such caregivers to apply for a so-called “cancellation of removal” would affect immigrants like family members of Americans who have specific needs or disabilities. Amid these deliberations, the White House has invited lawmakers to an event Tuesday afternoon to celebrate the 12th anniversary of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, according to a person familiar with the […]

by Chaim Weber Jewish mothers are professional multi-taskers. Which can lead to all sorts of interesting questions. Imagine a busy woman borrowing her neighbor’s fleishig pot to make supper. But in between carpools, suggesting a shidduch, organizing a simcha, and calling back teachers, she accidentally used a spoon with dairy on it. If the amount of dairy was significant enough to not be batel and the pot was a type of pot that cannot be kashered, what is the halacha? Does she have to pay for the pot? The Opinion of the Rosh Ordinarily, a borrower is responsible for any accidents causing damage to a borrowed item. However, the Gemara in Bava Metzia (96b) tells us that there’s an exception called meisah machamas melacha – if an animal died while performing work. If an animal died while performing work, the borrower is exempt. The question is how far does this exemption go. The Rosh says that meisah machamas melacha only applies when the animal dies while performing the work for which it was borrowed. Not if the damage was incidental to the work. For example, if one borrowed a donkey for travel purposes and it died due to the travel effort, then the exemption of meisah machamas melacha would apply. However, if bandits killed it on the way, the meisah machamas melacha exemption wouldn’t apply, as the death wasn’t a direct result of the animal’s work. It was only incidental. Why wouldn’t incidental damage be an exemption? The Machaneh Ephraim (She’elia Upikadon 4) explains that the Rosh holds like the Ramban. The Ramban explains that the reason for meisah machamas melacha is that the owner shouldn’t have lent out the animal knowing that ordinary work would damage it. By lending out the animal, the owner was negligent and the borrower is therefore exempt. This reasoning only applies when the damage was the result of the animal’s usual labor. Not if it got damaged through other means. The Rema (Choshen Mishpat 340) quotes the opinion of the Rosh but gives a slightly different explanation. He notes that if the damage was only incidental and not a direct result of the work, it’s possible that this damage would have happened regardless of whether the animal was working or not. Therefore, the exemption of meisah machamas melacha can only apply when it was a direct result of the animal’s work – where there is a direct and traceable cause and effect. This explanation fits better in the wording of the Rosh, as quoted by the Tur (the Rosh’s son). The Opinion of the Ramah The Ramah (quoted in Tur, Choshen Mishpat 340) disagrees. The Ramah says the meisah machamas melacha exemption applies as long as the work caused the damage in any way, even if the cause was incidental. Therefore, if bandits killed an animal that was borrowed for the sake of travel, that’s also considered meisah machamas melacha, as the animal wouldn’t have been killed if it wasn’t traveling. According to the Ramah, the efforts of the journey don’t have to cause the damage – rather, as long as the damage wouldn’t have happened if the animal wasn’t working, the exemption of meisah machamas melacha would apply.   The Rambam appears to hold like the Ramah, as the Rambam (She’eila 1:3) cites […]