Matzav

During a combative address to the Knesset on Wednesday, Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu praised what he described as landmark successes in the Gaza war, claiming his administration had achieved “tremendous achievements” that “changed the face of the Middle East” and “broke the stranglehold of the Iranian axis.”

Listing what he called key victories, Netanyahu highlighted the killing of top Hamas operatives, and for the first time, publicly stated that the IDF had taken out Muhammad Sinwar — the brother of Yahya Sinwar, the mastermind behind the October 7 attack.

Responding to criticism that the government has abandoned efforts to rescue the 58 hostages still held in Gaza, Netanyahu insisted otherwise, asserting he was responsible for the return of 197 captives, “148 of whom are alive.” He stressed that “only military pressure” led to those outcomes.

He also used the occasion to rebuke his political rivals, stating that if the opposition had been in charge, none of these accomplishments would have occurred.

The speech came after the opposition successfully invoked a parliamentary rule requiring Netanyahu’s presence at a special debate titled: “The total failure of the government in achieving the war aims — returning the hostages and destroying Hamas.”

Opposition Leader Yair Lapid fired back, accusing Netanyahu of squandering the trust and cooperation of the United States. He referenced the Biden administration’s quiet diplomacy with Iran, its deal with the Houthis in Yemen that excluded Israel, the removal of sanctions on Syria, and strengthened ties with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

As Netanyahu spoke, relatives of captives currently held in Gaza staged a silent protest in the Knesset gallery, pointedly turning their backs on the prime minister. At the same time, opposition lawmakers repeatedly heckled him, prompting Speaker Amir Ohana to restore order several times.

Netanyahu lashed out at his critics, saying they were detached from the reality of the war. “Have you fallen on your heads? Are you on planet Earth? … In Israel’s wars there have never been so many achievements on so many fronts,” he said.

He declared that Israel had “repelled the terrorists, eliminated Deif, Haniyeh, Yahya Sinwar and Muhammad Sinwar. We cut off the supply of weapons to Hamas, returned about 90 percent of the residents of the Gaza border region to their homes, and we are making a dramatic change in the Gaza Strip.”

According to Netanyahu, the war had reshaped regional dynamics and weakened Iran’s influence, completely contradicting the narrative of defeat pushed by his detractors.

Critics, meanwhile, argue the government has failed to articulate a post-war vision for Gaza, stretched out the conflict without clear objectives, and deepened Israel’s diplomatic isolation. They also hold Netanyahu accountable for the initial security failures of October 7.

Rejecting the idea that he had abandoned the hostages, Netanyahu called such accusations “lies,” and reaffirmed his commitment. “Every hostage means the world to me. I am working to return all our hostages, the living and the dead,” he said.

He emphasized that the recovery of the majority of the 251 hostages taken on October 7 was due to continued military action, not concessions. According to Netanyahu, had the opposition’s demands been followed, “Hamas would have fortified its power in Gaza… We would have had more kidnappings, more rape, more massacres, more Hamas on the fences.”

He maintained that total victory requires Gaza’s demilitarization and removing Hamas leadership. “We achieved all the achievements because we didn’t listen to you,” Netanyahu said. “We withstood pressures at home and abroad and stuck to the goal of destroying Hamas’s military and governmental capabilities and returning the hostages. The majority of the people support us.”

In his rebuttal, Lapid directly blamed Netanyahu for the failures of October 7 and contended that Israel had been in a stronger position during his own term in office with Naftali Bennett. He said his government had ensured “security for the residents of the south” and maintained strong ties with both the U.S. and regional allies.

“If I had said two and a half years ago that you would be getting up [at night] three times a week because of missiles from Yemen, you would have thought I was crazy. If I had said that the Iranians would attack us, you would have thought I needed to switch meds. Two and a half years ago, the situation was under control,” said Lapid.

He criticized the erosion of U.S.-Israel relations under Netanyahu’s watch. “You lost Trump,” Lapid charged. “The Americans made a deal with the Houthis behind your back without you knowing. The president met with the president of Syria, without you knowing. Renewed ties with Erdogan, without you knowing.”

{Matzav.com}

Iair Horn, who was freed from Hamas captivity in February amid a Gaza ceasefire arrangement, expressed deep uncertainty about the fate of his younger brother, Eitan Horn, who remains in captivity.

At a rally in Hostages Square commemorating 600 days since Hamas’s brutal October 7 attack, Horn described the paralyzing anxiety he lived with underground. “In the tunnels, you can’t know if a terrorist will get up one morning and just shoot you, or if the tunnel where you’re sleeping will be blown up because of a bomb,” he said.

He recalled one terrifying moment during an Israeli strike, when his captors forced them to flee. “They grabbed us and we started running in a totally crooked tunnel, which could collapse at any moment, trying to escape the bombing and toxic fumes.”

Horn then shared a searing memory involving his brother. “We run and run until Eitan sits, with all his 100 and something kilos… and tells me: ‘I’ve come this far. Leave me,’” he recounted. “I grabbed him by the arm and dragged him, dragged as much as I could, until my strength ran out.”

Faced with the grim reality, Horn told his brother: “‘If you don’t start moving, we’ll both die here.’”

“So he got up,” Horn continued. “Now I’m not there to drag him by the arm.”

He said that what saved them then was luck — but luck alone is no longer enough. “We were saved by luck, but the luck has run out,” he said. “Instead of luck, we need to sign off on an end to the war. Instead of luck, we need to bring back the 58 hostages, now — drag them out by the arm to a safe place back home.”

Horn made an emotional plea to Israeli leaders. “We can’t sacrifice anymore — enough,” he said. “Enlisted soldiers giving their body and soul — I’d rather they be on vacation. Brave, experienced reservists — I’d rather they took their kids to kindergarten every morning.”

Addressing Israel’s leader directly, Horn added, “So I address you, Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu. You brought me back home. Do it again.” His words were met with loud boos from the audience at the mention of the prime minister’s name.

Another former hostage, Ohad Ben Ami, who was freed alongside Yair Horn, spoke about the five men who were held with him in a Hamas tunnel — Yosef-Haim Ohana, Bar Kuperstein, Elkana Bohbot, Segev Kalfon, and Maxim Herkin — and who remain in captivity. “Everyone is still alive — with the operative word being ‘still,’” said Ben Ami.

Reflecting on footage Hamas released of them, Ben Ami said, “In the latest videos [published by Hamas] I saw them, but not like I knew them. The fear I saw in their eyes doesn’t leave me. Their physical condition is awful, their mental condition is still more awful.”

He described the day-to-day horrors they endured. “In the tunnels, we lived off of scraps, physically and emotionally, and while I’m here talking to you, they’re still there, breathing, but barely,” he said.

He closed with a somber call to action. “Don’t let them be forgotten,” he said. “Don’t let day 601 come as though nothing happened.”

As Ben Ami left the podium, the crowd erupted with a chant: “Hero!”

{Matzav.com Israel}

A humanitarian relief effort in Gaza spiraled into disorder as thousands of Palestinians, pushed to the brink by severe hunger, overwhelmed a food distribution site managed by a US-funded organization. Israeli forces fired into the air in an attempt to restore order, while American personnel supervising the operation briefly pulled back for safety.

The region has endured nearly three months of severe restrictions on aid, leaving over two million residents in Gaza teetering on the edge of starvation. Last week marked the first instance of aid resuming, albeit in limited amounts.

Footage from the distribution hub in Tel al-Sultan, operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), captured scenes of chaos: crowds breaking down fences and scaling barricades meant to manage the line.

Palestinian health authorities reported that one individual was fatally shot and 48 others were injured during the disturbance. The deceased succumbed to serious wounds at the Red Cross field hospital in Rafah.

Later that day, GHF announced it had successfully opened a second site in Rafah, distributing eight truckloads of food without any major disruptions. The Tel al-Sultan location also resumed operations after receiving a new shipment of supplies.

“There’s no way to keep order here. People are starving,” said Wafiq Qdeih, who showed up Tuesday hoping to get food. “The Israeli soldiers fired into the air, the Americans and their staff pulled out, and we couldn’t get anything.”

Others echoed similar sentiments, noting the physical difficulty of reaching the center and the chaos once there. “It’s far away, and it took us a lot to get here. I’m exhausted,” said a man named Abu Ramzi. “There are just too many people. Security can’t manage this.”

A diplomatic source, speaking anonymously, said the mayhem “was entirely predictable.”

GHF admitted the situation spiraled out of control, stating it had temporarily stepped back to allow aid to be collected safely by a smaller group. “This aligns with our protocols aimed at preventing injuries,” a GHF representative explained.

According to a security source, American contractors on the ground did not discharge their weapons, and the plan was to resume aid delivery at the original site the following day. The Israeli military confirmed firing warning shots outside the compound but denied using aerial fire, saying the scene had since stabilized.

Amjad al-Shawa, who heads the Palestinian NGO Network, blamed the turmoil on Israel’s blockade. “This was an inevitable failure,” he said. “Starving people as a tactic violates every humanitarian standard, and distributing food like this was never going to work.”

The GHF said it had handed out around 8,000 boxes, equating to nearly half a million meals so far. The organization claims it aims to provide food to about 1.2 million people — 60% of Gaza’s population — by the end of the week.

Though GHF said its operations officially launched Monday, photos from the site showed only a few individuals receiving boxes amid a largely empty distribution yard.

The group said it was preparing three more locations to expand its reach — two in the south and one in the central area. Notably, all southern locations fall within zones recently subjected to mass evacuation orders, raising further questions about access and planning.

No centers have been set up in northern Gaza, drawing harsh criticism from humanitarian groups. The United Nations previously cautioned that this selective placement could reinforce what some officials see as Israel’s push to relocate Gaza’s population southward — a strategy publicly supported by Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz.

Wednesday marked 600 days since the conflict between Israel and Hamas reignited after the deadly October 7 attacks, with no signs of an imminent ceasefire despite mounting international condemnation, including from allies of Israel.

Earlier this week, an Israeli military official revealed plans for Israel to establish control over 75% of Gaza in the coming two months, a move that could confine over two million Palestinians to a fraction of the territory.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu previously stated that the population would be relocated entirely to the south.

The GHF’s method of aid delivery has been slammed by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, which warned that the model was “not viable, contrary to humanitarian principles, and dangerously insecure,” according to internal documents obtained by CNN.

At a press briefing Tuesday, an Israeli official said both GHF’s approach and the previous UN-coordinated efforts were functioning concurrently. COGAT, the Israeli agency overseeing coordination with Gaza, reported that 95 aid trucks entered the region that day.

UNRWA, the UN agency assisting Palestinian refugees, reiterated its readiness to distribute large-scale aid immediately once permitted. “We’re fully prepared,” the agency stated.

UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini condemned the scenes at the Tel al-Sultan site as a breakdown of dignity and order. “The images of people crushed against fences, desperate for food — they were horrifying, humiliating, and dangerous,” he said. “This kind of chaos wastes resources and distracts from the broader tragedy.”

Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the UN’s humanitarian coordination office, was equally critical. “This private aid scheme misses the point. What’s needed is full access through all crossings, safe conditions for aid workers, and fast-tracked approvals for the supplies we already have waiting just outside Gaza,” he said.

The backlash extended beyond the UN. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas also denounced the aid setup, accusing it of politicizing humanitarian assistance. “We’ve been very clear — humanitarian aid is not something to be privatized or weaponized,” she said Wednesday. “Bypassing the UN undermines the principles that guide emergency relief.”

While Israel and the US declined to publicly name the groups involved in the aid effort, photos from GHF’s operations showed boxes labeled “Rahma Worldwide,” a Michigan-based charity that describes its mission as delivering aid to the world’s most vulnerable populations.

{Matzav.com}

New York City’s new congestion pricing system brought in $215.7 million over its first four months, even as the Trump administration pushes to halt the program.

Beginning January 5, most drivers entering Manhattan below 60th Street during peak hours have been required to pay a $9 fee. By the end of April, those tolls had brought in revenue nearly matching the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s projection of $217 million. The MTA, which oversees the city’s public transit, expects the toll will net around $500 million in 2025 after expenses.

This marks the first congestion toll of its kind in the United States. The initiative faced a serious challenge earlier this week from US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who warned the MTA that his agency might start pulling back federal approvals or funds as early as May 28 unless the program was stopped. But on Tuesday, US District Judge Lewis Liman issued a temporary order blocking the federal government from intervening until at least June 9, as he considers the legality of such a move.

The court’s decision gave the MTA a temporary but crucial victory. The agency insists it cannot proceed with its financial plans without the tolls, which are expected to support a major bond issuance—projected to raise $15 billion—for future infrastructure and modernization projects.

Duffy has voiced strong opposition to the initiative, arguing that “the toll hurts working-class families and small businesses.” In February, he overturned a green light issued by the Biden administration for the program, citing the absence of a no-cost route for drivers.

The tolling program was introduced to reduce vehicle volume in one of the world’s most gridlocked urban centers, improve air quality, and fund much-needed upgrades to the city’s aging transit infrastructure.

And it appears to be achieving that goal. Since the toll began, the number of vehicles entering the core of Manhattan—including two non-tolled expressways within the same area—has dropped by 8.1 million, or roughly 11% on average per day, according to the MTA.

Public sentiment toward the toll is improving as well. A Siena College survey conducted May 12–15 showed that 39% of registered New York voters now support the initiative, up from 29% in December.

{Matzav.com}

The valuation of New Jersey’s American Dream mall has dropped by $800 million, dealing a serious financial blow to investors who hold municipal bonds secured by payments in lieu of property taxes (PILOTs).

The sprawling 3.5 million square-foot property—home to a theme park, water attraction, and indoor ski slope—was recently reappraised at $2.5 billion by East Rutherford for the quarter ending June 30. That’s a steep decline from its earlier valuation of $3.3 billion, according to an updated tax notice published on the EMMA platform of the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board.

To support construction of the $5 billion project, New Jersey approved $1.1 billion in tax-exempt bonds. At the time, officials promoted the mall as an economic catalyst that would create jobs and generate long-term tax revenue for the state.

Roughly $800 million of those bonds are backed by PILOT payments that are supposed to be equivalent to 90% of what the property taxes would have been.

Last year, American Dream’s annual contribution to the bond trustee was $48.4 million—falling short of the $54.1 million required for annual debt servicing. To avoid default, the trustee had to tap into reserve funds to make the payments to bondholders.

With the current valuation set at $2.5 billion, this year’s PILOT obligation is expected to total just $36.5 million. As a result, the shortfall will once again have to be covered by reserve funds. A $27 million interest payment is due on June 1. As of December 1, 2024, the trustee had $38 million remaining in reserves, according to a financial filing.

“The total annual PILOT payment is now falling significantly below the original projections and various scenarios presented in the bond offering document,” said Lisa Washburn, a managing director at Municipal Market Analytics. “It seems increasingly likely that full principal will not be repaid on the bonds.”

Despite the mall’s declining value, the market price for American Dream PILOT bonds maturing in 2050 with a 7% interest rate remained relatively stable, trading at around 100.8 cents on the dollar on Wednesday. That’s only a slight dip from 101 cents on April 14, Bloomberg data shows. Investment firm Nuveen LLC is the largest bondholder, with nearly $700 million of the debt on its books.

Nuveen spokesperson Sally Lyden did not respond to a request for comment.

Located just across the Hudson River from New York City, the American Dream complex opened in October 2019, roughly 20 years after the concept was first introduced. But only months after its launch, the pandemic shut down much of the country, delaying the opening of its retail component until October 2020.

Although business has been improving, total sales still fall well short of expectations. The complex brought in about $650 million in sales in 2024, up 18% from the previous year, but still far below the $2 billion forecasted in a 2017 feasibility study for its first year.

American Dream is currently challenging its property assessments from 2019 through 2025, arguing that the COVID-19 pandemic severely diminished the site’s value.

Should those appeals succeed, the risk of delayed repayment to bondholders will increase. Notably, under the bond terms, a delay in paying principal or interest doesn’t trigger a default event.

The $800 million in PILOT bonds is scheduled to mature through balloon payments in 2027, 2037, 2042, and 2050.

If the trustee lacks sufficient funds when those payments come due, the bonds can be extended through December 1, 2056. However, if the debt remains unpaid by that date, bondholders are no longer entitled to any further compensation.

{Matzav.com}

In a recorded speech presented to participants at the IHRA International Conference on Combating Antisemitism, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio extended his appreciation to Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar for inviting him to address the gathering. The conference, led by Israel, was hosted at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Yerushalayim.

Rubio began by recalling a well-known comment by Israel’s former Prime Minister Golda Meir, who quipped that Moshe Rabbeinu had guided the Jews to “the only place in the Middle East without oil.” But, as Rubio pointed out, “Israel’s wealth was never beneath the ground—it lay in its people.” He highlighted how the modern Jewish state was forged by those fleeing persecution and fueled by visionaries who turned a barren landscape into a thriving technological hub.

He drew a stark comparison between Israel’s forward-looking development and the choices made by surrounding regimes. “Rather than emulate Israel’s success,” he said, “they chose war and impoverished their own people in a futile effort to destroy the Jewish state.”

Rubio used the opportunity to sound an alarm about the enduring danger of antisemitism, calling it “the world’s oldest bigotry” and “the world’s most futile.” He outlined its long and tragic history—from ancient civilizations to the Holocaust and today’s radical groups like Hamas. Yet through it all, he remarked, “Israel stands and the Jewish people prosper.”

He also referenced the growing normalization of ties between Israel and Arab nations, specifically the Abraham Accords, as a beacon of hope for the region. “There are signs,” he said, “that the future may be closer than we dare dream, but only if antisemitism is confronted and defeated.”

Rubio’s tone shifted as he addressed a recent tragedy in the United States—the fatal shooting of Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim near the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C. He mourned their loss, stating they were killed “by a monster who did not care about Yaron’s faith or Sarah’s background.”

He underscored that the attacker had reportedly screamed “Free, free Palestine!” while being detained, noting this as yet another example of how anti-Israel slogans are often a front for antisemitic violence. “There can be no nuanced separation of hatred of Israel and hatred of the Jewish people,” he said, decrying attempts to delegitimize or boycott the Jewish state.

Rubio then defended newly enacted visa bans on individuals linked to antisemitic activity and made it clear that international organizations would face consequences for spreading anti-Israel hate. “There can be no coexistence with evil. There can be no nuance to hatred,” he said firmly.

He ended on a note of cautious hope, envisioning a transformed Middle East where peace and cooperation are possible. “We do see an eventual light at the end of this long tunnel of suffering,” he said, expressing belief that the Abraham Accords could be the blueprint for a better future.

{Matzav.com}

Hamas issued a statement on Wednesday declaring that it had come to terms with the Trump administration’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, on a broad outline for a potential ceasefire deal.

The group claimed the framework includes a total Israeli military pullout from Gaza, the provision of humanitarian assistance, the establishment of a technocratic committee to govern the region, and the release of 10 living hostages along with the remains of several others. In return, a number of Palestinian prisoners would be freed. Hamas said the plan is backed by international mediators, and they are now awaiting a definitive response.

Reacting to Hamas’s announcement, an Israeli government source dismissed it as another instance of manipulation by the terrorist group. The official stated, “As US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff said two days ago, while Israel agreed to his framework, Hamas continues to refuse.”

He further stressed, “Hamas’s offer is not accepted, not by Israel and not by the American administration.”

This announcement comes just days after it appeared that truce negotiations had unraveled.

On Monday, Steve Witkoff pushed back against claims that Hamas had endorsed his proposed arrangement for a ceasefire and the return of hostages, offering a scathing assessment of the group’s behavior.

“What I have seen from Hamas is disappointing and completely unacceptable,” Witkoff told Barak Ravid of Axios.

In contrast, the envoy told Ravid that Israel had given the green light to a provisional truce and hostage exchange that would result in the release of half of the captives still alive and the repatriation of half of the hostages who were killed. This, he said, “would lead to substantive negotiations to find a path to a permanent ceasefire, which I agreed to preside over.”

“The deal is on the table. Hamas should take it,” Witkoff urged.

Reuters reported on Sunday that Hamas was prepared to free 10 hostages in two batches as part of a proposed 70-day truce.

According to Egyptian press reports the same day, the potential agreement would stretch for at least two months and involve the release of ten Israeli hostages, along with the return of the bodies of sixteen others.

The breakdown of the exchange, as outlined in the reports, would see five hostages freed on day one of the deal, and the remaining five on the sixtieth day.

In addition, Hamas would transfer sixteen bodies, with the timeline structured to provide the group with an opportunity to identify the burial sites of those it says it has yet to locate.

The reports also indicated that Hamas is pushing for the release of all Gazan prisoners held by Israel, including those detained both prior to and after the October 7 atrocities.

{Matzav.com Israel}

During his visit to Israel following the tragic killing of two staff members from the Israeli Embassy in Washington, Israeli Consul General in New York Ofir Akunis gave an interview to Arutz Sheva – Israel National News. The deadly attack, which occurred in the Washington DC area, prompted Akunis to address the broader issues fueling such violence.

Opening his remarks with heartfelt sympathy, Akunis said, “First of all, I want to send my condolences to the families [of the murdered embassy employees]. It was a very sad day, not only in Washington, [but] to the whole Jewish communities around North America and around the world.” He went on to blame radical influences for fueling extremism on American college campuses, saying, “I think that the terrorist was brainwashed by the Qataris’ propaganda among the universities and the campuses in the United States.”

He pointed out that the attacker yelled “Free Palestine” during his arrest. But Akunis warned that the slogans being chanted by students are far more concerning. “It’s not only ‘Free Palestine.’ The main problem among the students in the universities and the campuses in the United States is that they are shouting ‘Death to America,’ Death to Israel,’ and ‘Intifada Intifada.’ This is unacceptable, and I am so very glad to see that the new policy by President Trump” combats this phenomenon.

To help provide international diplomats with context and clarity, Akunis organized a trip to Israel for several consuls general based in New York. “It was my initiative to bring them on their first visit in Israel, consuls general from New York – they are from Argentina, Serbia, from Bulgaria – to visit here for the first time to see from up close the beauty of the State of Israel and to understand from up close what is the meaning of Samaria to our security, what is the meaning of Jerusalem to our people, and to see Tel Aviv and other places.”

While in Israel, the delegation met with individuals who had experienced the horrors of the Nova music festival attack firsthand. Akunis recounted the emotional impact these encounters had. “They were shocked,” he said, describing the “horrific hours” the group spent speaking with survivors and witnessing the aftermath of the massacre.

Akunis expressed frustration that the atrocities of October 7 appear to be fading from global memory. “If leaders around the world – this week – they are talking about a Palestinian State after October 7th, I don’t think that they saw even one picture, with all due respect, of raped women, of bodies, burned bodies. I don’t want to be extreme, but we saw horrific, horrific pictures yesterday. I think that they missed it.”

He emphasized the importance of confronting world leaders with the unvarnished truth. “We must reflect the truth to the leaders, especially in Europe, but not only in Europe, and say to them that it will be a huge prize to terror if they will support the idea of the establishment of a Palestinian State, not in Gaza, and not in Judea and Samaria,” he declared.

In his media appearances across the United States, Akunis has consistently highlighted the role of Qatar in funding campus activism against Israel and the West. “I think this is the main problem. The Qataris support with a lot of money all the mobs in the United States in the campuses, in the universities. These days, you cannot do anything without money, and the money is from Qatar. So I am calling from here, from Jerusalem, to Qatar to stop their double game.”

He accused Qatar of playing both sides, referencing their involvement in hostage negotiations. “The double game is: Now they are hosting the negotiations to release the hostages from the tunnels that they built. They paid all the money. So they are hypocrites and we can’t stand it. I am saying it time after time after time in the American media and to congressmen and senators,” he said.

Akunis ended by tying the Washington shooter’s actions directly to ideological indoctrination. “You saw the influence” on the DC shooter, Akunis stated. “This is a brainwash and it must be stopped,” he concluded.

{Matzav.com}

During a fiery session in the Knesset on Wednesday, Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu participated in a charged debate called by opposition lawmakers. The session was titled: “The government’s complete failure in achieving the war’s goals: returning all the hostages and dismantling Hamas, and the severe harm to the equal burden (military conscription).”

Netanyahu began his speech by sharply criticizing the opposition for the debate’s framing. “I look at the headline that the opposition gave this debate: ‘The government’s complete failure in achieving the war’s goals,’ that’s what you wrote. And now I want to ask you – are you talking about our soldiers? Have you fallen on your head? Do you live on Earth or some other planet?” he exclaimed. Challenging the claim of “zero achievements,” he said, “So I wish to tell you what most Israelis know – in Israel’s wars, there have never been so many achievements on so many fronts.” His remarks prompted visible amusement from Opposition Leader Yair Lapid, who laughed and asked aloud, “What’s he talking about?”

In his remarks, Netanyahu highlighted the successes of the ongoing conflict and publicly confirmed for the first time that Mohammed Sinwar, the Hamas commander in Gaza and brother of Yahya Sinwar, had been killed. “Slander and defamation don’t affect me. You call these great achievements a failure? This is the truth, and it must be recognized – we changed the face of the Middle East. All this is the total opposite of failure. I know that it’s hard for you to admit the truth. I search among you for a fair person who will admit the truth, and I still haven’t found one. I think that there are those among you who want us to lose the war, and that’s because you lust for power. You haven’t gotten used to the right being in power, so I suggest that you begin to get used to it because it will continue. In the meantime, you continue to spread new lies,” he said emphatically.

Touching on the issue of the captives still held by Hamas, Netanyahu reiterated his commitment to their return. “To me, every hostage is the entire world. I am set on the goal of bringing back all the hostages, the living and deceased, as one. We stick to the holy mission of bringing them home. If they would listen to you, the opposition, many of the hostages would still be in Hamas’s dungeons.”

Responding to criticism over military draft inequities, particularly regarding chareidi enlistment, Netanyahu defended his administration’s intentions. “We want to advance a balanced, real conscription law. The previous government didn’t draft anyone, we will draft thousands,” he declared.

{Matzav.com}

US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff said Wednesday that he is preparing to present a fresh proposal aimed at brokering a ceasefire and hostage release agreement between Israel and Hamas.

“I think that we are on the precipice of sending out a new term sheet that hopefully will be delivered later on today. The President is going to review it,” Witkoff said during a press briefing in the Oval Office, standing beside the President.

Witkoff continued, expressing optimism: “I have some very good feelings about getting to a long-term resolution — a temporary ceasefire and a peaceful long-term resolution of that conflict.”

Earlier that day, Hamas declared that it had come to terms with Witkoff on a broad outline for a ceasefire plan. The group publicized that the framework had been agreed upon and was now awaiting further steps.

Reacting to the Hamas statement, an Israeli government source dismissed it as another attempt by the terror group to manipulate public perception through misinformation. The official noted, “As US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff said two days ago, while Israel agreed to his framework, Hamas continues to refuse.”

The official further emphasized that “Hamas’s offer is not accepted, not by Israel and not by the American administration.”

Speaking to reporters from the Oval Office on Wednesday, President Donald Trump said he urged Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu to avoid actions that might undermine the ongoing discussions with Iran.

When asked whether he issued a warning to Netanyahu, Trump replied candidly, “I’ll be honest – yes, I did,” before clarifying, “It’s not a warning, I said I don’t think it’s appropriate right now. We’re having very good discussions with them. I said I don’t think it’s appropriate right now because if we could settle it with a very strong document, with inspections, and no trust. I don’t trust anybody.”

He elaborated on what a robust deal would entail: “I want it very strong, where we could go in with inspectors, we can take whatever we want, we could blow up whatever we want, but nobody gets killed. We can blow up a lab, but nobody’s going to be in the lab, as opposed to everybody being in the lab when we blow it up.”

The President emphasized that he made his position clear to Netanyahu: “I told him that this would be inappropriate to do because we’re very close to a solution.”

Trump acknowledged that the situation is fluid and could shift quickly: “that could change at any moment. It could change with a phone call, but right now I think they want to make a deal, and if we can make a deal, it will save a lot of lives.”

Earlier during the press conference, Trump also addressed the dire conditions in Gaza. “We are getting food to the people of Gaza. It’s been a very nasty situation, a very nasty fight. October 7th was a very nasty day, the worst that I think I’ve ever seen. It was a horrible day, and people aren’t going to forget that either. So we’ll see how that all works out.”

{Matzav.com}

Hamas has announced that it has come to terms with U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff on what it describes as a “general framework” for a ceasefire agreement, and is now waiting for a “final response” to move forward.

According to a statement released by Hamas, the arrangement they’ve agreed to includes a “permanent ceasefire,” a full Israeli military withdrawal from Gaza, unrestricted humanitarian aid entering the region, and the establishment of a new governing body composed of independent Palestinian technocrats to take over administration of the territory, replacing Hamas after the deal is implemented.

The proposal also outlines the return of 10 Israeli hostages currently alive, as well as the bodies of several others who were killed, in return for a specific number of Palestinian prisoners to be released. The exchange is described as being “guaranteed by the mediators.”

As of now, 58 hostages are believed to remain captive inside Gaza.

Though Hamas is characterizing the agreement as significant progress, several critical details remain unresolved. Chief among them is how many Palestinian detainees will be freed as part of the deal.

At the same time, Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu has made it clear that he is only prepared to consider a temporary pause in the fighting, not a lasting ceasefire. He has also emphasized Israel’s need to maintain the option of returning to combat operations in Gaza if necessary.

The terms previously presented to Israel by Witkoff did not include a demand for a total Israeli troop withdrawal.

Hamas is signaling its willingness to agree to an initial short-term truce, but insists that once that truce is underway, discussions must begin toward a permanent end to hostilities in Gaza.

In addition, Hamas is demanding firm commitments from the mediators that Israel will not walk away from future talks, as it did earlier this year when it pulled out of the January agreement and relaunched military actions in March.

Netanyahu has now indicated he is prepared to enter negotiations over a lasting ceasefire if an initial truce is reached. However, according to a senior Arab diplomat speaking to The Times of Israel, Israeli officials are rejecting Hamas’ insistence that Yerushalayim be obligated by outside parties to remain engaged in long-term negotiations.

{Matzav.com Israel}

Dr. Robert Redfield, who previously led the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, stated in an interview on Tuesday that a significant number of people suffering from long COVID symptoms may not have had the virus at all — but instead developed their condition after receiving mRNA vaccines. He made the remarks on Newsmax, where he argued that pharmaceutical companies should no longer be shielded from class-action lawsuits.

Appearing on Finnerty, Redfield discussed the growing concern over injuries he believes are connected to the spike proteins generated by mRNA vaccines. He explained that he continues to treat patients regularly and has observed a troubling pattern.

“I spend, you know, two days a week in clinic, and my clinic is largely [treating] long COVID. And of patients with long COVID-like symptoms, probably about 20% of them, never had COVID. They got it from the mRNA vaccine,” Redfield told host Rob Finnerty.

He emphasized that the spike protein produced by the vaccine cannot be easily eliminated from the body once it’s there.

“When you give an mRNA vaccine, what you do is you give your body the [ribonucleic acid], which then turns your body into a factory to make spike protein,” he said. “Unfortunately, we don’t have a way to get rid of the spike protein. It just decays over time. But that time may be measured in months.”

Redfield criticized the current legal protections afforded to vaccine makers, which were established under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness (PREP) Act. The law grants immunity from liability in cases of injury or side effects related to vaccines or other countermeasures, unless there is evidence of willful misconduct.

According to Redfield, this legal immunity should be revoked. “But right now, as you know, they’ve been immune to lawsuits. That needs to be changed. These vaccine manufacturers have to be liable for their products.”

{Matzav.com}

The Toldos Aharon kehillah is mourning the petirah of one of its most revered elder chassidim, Rav Michoel Brizel z”l, at the age of 86.

Just days ago, Rav Michoel had shared joyous news with his fellow chassidim: the birth of a great-great-grandchild, marking the arrival of a fifth generation.

Rav Michoel, known fondly within the community as a dedicated member of “dem Rebbin’s minyan”—the daily Shacharis minyan held at the main Toldos Aharon beis medrash in Meah Shearim—was a fixture in the Tolsod Aharon beis medrash.

Born on Asarah B’Teves in 1938, he was a son of Rav Pinchos Brizel zt”l, and his mother, Rebbetzin Chana Yuta a”h, who was a daughter of Rav Chaim Hy”d, a dayan in Kleinwardein who was murdered in the Holocaust.

Rav Michoel married Rebbetzin Malka, a daughter of Rav Naftali Rosenfeld zt”l, a renowned askan who founded Bayis Laplaitos, a home for orphans and refugee children in Yerushalayim following World War II.

A lifelong avreich, Rav Michoel devoted himself fully to Torah study and avodas Hashem. His life was marked by simplicity, humility, and an unwavering commitment to his rebbeim—first the Divrei Emunah of Toldos Aharon zt”l and later his successor, the current Toldos Aharon Rebbe, to whom he was deeply attached.

Despite his advanced age, Rav Michoel never wavered in his daily routine of tefillah and learning. He attended the famed – and long – Toldos Aharon minyan each morning and continued his full participation in learning and avodah with the same intensity and hislahavus that characterized him throughout the decades.

Known as an “Ish Meron,” Rav Michoel had a deep, emotional connection to Rashbi, Rabi Shimon bar Yochai. He maintained a regular sleeping spot in the rooms above the tziyon of Rashbi in Meron and would spend extended periods there.

He merited to raise an outstanding family, rich in Torah, avodah, and yiras Shamayim, with descendants spread across the Toldos Aharon and Toldos Avrohom Yitzchok communities.

The levayah is scheduled for this evening, at approximately 9:00 p.m., departing from the Toldos Aharon Beis Medrash on Rechov Meah Shearim. The levayah was delayed to allow the arrival of his only son, the noted baal menagen R’ Chaim Aharon Brizel, who is traveling from the United States.

Yehi zichro boruch.

{Matzav.com Israel}

Israeli health officials revealed Wednesday that a total of 62 measles infections have been reported across Israel.

In a number of those cases, the origin of the infection could not be determined. The overwhelming majority of those diagnosed had not received the measles vaccine. Roughly half of the patients have since made a full recovery.

The Health Ministry also released a warning tied to a confirmed measles patient who may have come into contact with the public at various venues. An investigation conducted by the Central District Health Office identified the following locations where the individual may have spread the virus:

The Ministry urged anyone who was at those locations during the specified times to verify their immunization status. Anyone over six months old who has not yet been vaccinated should do so immediately. Those who only received one dose of the vaccine should get the second dose, provided at least three months have passed since the first.

No further vaccination is typically required for people born before 1957, those who have had both doses of the vaccine, or individuals who contracted measles during childhood.

The Ministry also stressed that anyone with early signs of illness—such as a fever, weakness, nasal congestion, or a skin rash—should refrain from attending crowded events to minimize the risk of infecting others.

Anyone who has had direct exposure to a verified measles patient must adhere to Ministry of Health guidance, which may include testing and immunization. They should also stay away from public areas and must coordinate any visits to clinics or emergency departments in advance, making sure to inform the staff upon arrival.

{Matzav.com Israel}

Dear Matzav Inbox,

We’ve been told for years that we have a shidduch crisis. We’ve debated the age gap theory, we’ve restructured dating systems, we’ve hosted symposiums, podcasts, and panel discussions. And yet, the problem not only persists—it deepens.

But maybe the real crisis isn’t logistical. Maybe it’s not about the numbers. Maybe it’s about what we’ve become.

As Dr. Shmuel Waldman powerfully noted in a recent post, “We don’t have a shidduch crisis. We have a priorities crisis.”

Somewhere along the way, we’ve replaced values with value. A girl’s worth is assessed by her salary, her parents’ professions, her dress size, and how much support is “on the table.”

A boy’s potential is weighed against his yichus, his brother-in-law’s career, and the number of hours he intends to learn after he’s already exhausted from a 14-hour workday trying to make ends meet.

What are we doing?

We’ve created a system where perfection isn’t just expected, it’s demanded. Perfect resumes. Perfect families. Perfect bank accounts. Perfect future projections. We’ve made shidduchim into business mergers, not soul connections. And in this obsession with surface, we’ve forgotten to ask the questions that actually matter.

Do they know how to be mevater—to yield, to bend, to give?

Do they want to grow, to stretch beyond comfort zones, to become something greater?

Do they understand what it means to be a husband or a wife—not in theory, but in the silent, sacred work of building a Torah home?

Can they live within their means, or will the weight of unrealistic expectations destroy their shalom bayis before it ever begins?

Is there a Rav in their life—someone who can guide, challenge, comfort, and redirect them when life throws its curveballs?

Are they ehrlich?

We are raising a generation trained to reject real people in favor of paper ones. We treat beautiful neshamahs as resumes to scan, redline, and discard. And then we wonder why the crisis grows.

It’s time to stop.

Stop and look inward. Stop and ask: What do we truly want for our children? A perfect image to show off at a vort? Or a meaningful, durable, Torah-based life built by two people deeply committed to each other and to Hashem?

We say we want homes built on Torah u’middos, but we chase prestige, money, and externality. We talk about values, but we’re too afraid to value people who don’t check every shallow box.

Until we shift that conversation, no spreadsheet can fix this. No age-gap formula can resolve it. No shidduch initiative can correct a system built on the wrong foundations.

Let’s stop measuring people with rulers made of fear and fantasy. Let’s start asking the questions that actually lead to happy, lasting marriages.

Maybe it’s not the system that’s broken.

Maybe it’s us.

Sincerely,

A Parent 

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{Matzav.com}

In a newly released clip from an upcoming interview on CBS Sunday Morning, Tesla CEO Elon Musk expressed frustration over a recent Republican-backed spending measure that had been celebrated by President Donald Trump.

During the interview, Musk criticized the bill, saying, “So, you know, I was like, disappointed to see the massive spending bill, frankly, which increases the budget deficit, not decrease it and undermines the work the DOGE team is doing.”

CBS correspondent David Pogue responded by pointing out the contradiction between the bill’s goals and Musk’s efforts, remarking, “I actually thought that when this big beautiful bill came along, I mean, like, everything he’s done on DOGE gets wiped out in the first year.”

Musk offered a pointed take on the legislation’s branding, adding, “I think a bill can be big or it can be beautiful. But I don’t know if it can be both. My personal opinion.”

{Matzav.com}

The Congressional Research Service (CRS) has released a sobering new analysis revealing that North Korea may now possess enough fissile material to construct up to 90 nuclear warheads — a sharp rise from previous estimates of 20 to 60 warheads just a year ago.

According to CRS, Pyongyang’s nuclear and missile development continues to advance in defiance of United Nations Security Council sanctions and repeated international diplomatic overtures. “North Korea continues to advance its nuclear weapons and missile programs despite UN Security Council sanctions and high-level diplomatic efforts. The country’s ballistic missile testing, military parades, and policy statements suggest that North Korea is continuing to build a nuclear warfighting capability designed to evade regional ballistic missile defenses,” CRS warned in the report.

The report raises alarm over the apparent failure of traditional deterrence measures — including sanctions and joint U.S.–South Korean military drills — to curb North Korea’s drive to produce weapons-grade plutonium and enriched uranium at scale.

Evidence suggests that not only has Pyongyang upgraded its primary enrichment facility at Yongbyon, but it has also brought a second centrifuge complex online at Kangson. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi highlighted the emergence of this secondary site during a speech in Washington this April at the Council on Foreign Relations.

“It has spawned exponentially. The program is no longer, you know, the complex at Yongbyon. It’s Kangson. It’s other places also in the country,” Grossi explained.

He elaborated on the extent of the activity: “It’s a light water reactor. It’s a second and perhaps a third enrichment facility being built at the moment. It’s a reprocessing campaign, which is ongoing as we speak. And there’s, you know, a nuclear arsenal that exists.”

Grossi described the growth of North Korea’s nuclear program as “completely off the charts,” advocating for renewed diplomatic engagement. He referenced President Donald Trump’s outreach to Kim Jong-un as an example of a more effective path, despite that initiative being cut short by the 2020 election outcome. Grossi maintained that Trump’s direction was preferable to the stagnant sanctions approach.

Because North Korea remains so secretive, determining the exact amount of its fissile stockpile or how quickly it could convert that material into usable nuclear weapons is a challenge. However, the CRS report referenced estimates that North Korea has already built about 50 warheads and possesses enough nuclear material to produce approximately 40 more. It also cited a Department of Defense assessment warning that North Korea “is now postured to conduct a seventh nuclear test at a time of its choosing.”

One of the most pressing concerns is whether North Korea has achieved the ability to miniaturize nuclear weapons for deployment on long-range missiles. Kim Jong-un asserted in 2021 that his regime had succeeded in efforts to “miniaturize, lighten and standardize nuclear weapons and to make them tactical ones.”

While this statement points more toward battlefield or short-range use than full intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), the CRS cautioned that North Korea is rapidly closing in on that capability and is devoting significant resources to perfecting missile delivery systems.

“North Korea has been improving its ability to strike the continental United States with an ICBM through a series of tests, first in 2017, then in 2022, four times in 2023, and most recently in October 2024,” the report noted.

“North Korea has committed to expanding the performance of its precision guided tactical weapons, which can pose significant threats to South Korea and U.S. assets on the peninsula,” CRS added.

The report also warned of deepening military ties between Pyongyang and Moscow. Analysts believe North Korea may receive missile technology from Russia as a form of compensation for supplying troops and equipment to support the war effort in Ukraine. The head of U.S. forces stationed in South Korea told lawmakers in April that Russian assistance could lead to major “advancements” in North Korea’s weapons programs within the next three to five years.

Finally, CRS pointed to another troubling trend: North Korea is actively training its military in the operational use of nuclear weapons, indicating a shift toward readiness and execution rather than mere deterrence. This suggests Pyongyang wants to demonstrate to the United States and South Korea that any preemptive strike would fail to neutralize its nuclear capabilities.

“North Korean missile tests have demonstrated growing success and, coupled with increased operational training exercises, suggest a pattern designed to strengthen the credibility of North Korea’s regional nuclear deterrent strategy,” the report concluded.

{Matzav.com}

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A harrowing incident unfolded Motzoei Shabbos in Northwest Baltimore when a rabbi defended himself with a firearm, successfully fending off two attackers who assaulted him and attempted to steal his vehicle.

According to the Baltimore Police Department, the attack occurred around 9 p.m. on the 7100 block of Park Heights Avenue. The 62-year-old victim had just stepped outside to take out the trash when he was ambushed.

Authorities reported that the two suspects struck the man and forced him to the ground before trying to make off with his car. When they were unable to get the vehicle started, the attackers turned their aggression back on the victim—only to retreat when he pulled out a gun and aimed it at them. The suspects quickly fled the scene.

Police confirmed the victim legally owns the firearm and has a valid permit. He suffered only minor injuries and received medical attention at the location.

Baltimore City Councilman Isaac “Yitzy” Schleifer, who represents District 5, said he spoke with the victim shortly after the frightening encounter. “Just the brazenness of the incident, where they have no problem going and attacking, you know, an older person, somebody clearly who’s a person of faith – he was still dressed in in all of his attire coming from synagogue – and so, it’s really very upsetting,” Schleifer told 11 News.

Rabbi Velvel Belinsky also spoke to 11 News, expressing deep concern for the victim’s well-being and the broader implications for community safety. “When we hear about events like this, it’s definitely very disturbing because safety is a very big concern for us,” Belinsky said. “We are wishing him a speedy recovery. Unfortunately, he’s hurt. He was punched very, very hard, and I’m wishing him a speedy recovery. I conveyed my wishes for him, and I hope he’s going to be doing well.”

As of the latest update, no arrests have been made, and the investigation remains ongoing.

{Matzav.com}