Matzav

When Sheba Medical Center first received 46 hostages released from Hamas captivity in late 2023 and early 2024, Dr. Noya Shilo, head of the hospital’s Return to Life Center for hostages and their families, acknowledged that there was no established procedure to follow. “There was no protocol and few guidelines in medical literature for how to handle this,” she said at the time.

Now, Times of Israel reports, with another group of freed hostages expected to return, Sheba announced on Thursday that it is “in the midst of final preparations” to receive some of the roughly 20 living captives being released under the latest ceasefire deal.

The Health Ministry confirmed that the healthcare system has now created “specific guidelines” for hospitals designated to treat the returnees. These updated protocols have been adapted to address the expected medical and psychological conditions of individuals who have endured more than 734 days in captivity.

Times of Israel reports that the preparations, overseen by Dr. Hagar Mizrachi, head of the ministry’s Medical Division, draw on “lessons learned from previous releases and rescue operations.”

Alongside Sheba Medical Center, the designated treatment centers include Tel Aviv Sourasky (Ichilov) Medical Center in Tel Aviv and Beilinson Medical Center in Petah Tikva. In cases requiring emergency care, returnees may be transported to Soroka University Medical Center in Beersheba or Barzilai Medical Center in Ashkelon—both closer to Gaza.

The National Center of Forensic Medicine at Abu Kabir has also finalized arrangements to receive and identify the bodies of hostages who did not survive, continuing a process similar to that used in past operations.

The Health Ministry revealed that it contacted the Red Cross several weeks ago, requesting that Hamas not attempt to overfeed captives before their release. The concern, the ministry explained, is that the terror group might do so to disguise signs of long-term starvation.

Medical experts warned that after extended malnutrition, a sudden increase in food consumption can lead to a dangerous condition called refeeding syndrome, which can trigger neurological, respiratory, and cardiac complications.

None of the hostages have been visited by Red Cross representatives throughout their imprisonment in Gaza.

To ensure proper recovery, the Health Ministry instructed hospitals to care for the returnees in separate, secure areas away from other patients, including the emergency department.

Each freed hostage will be placed in a private room, accompanied by family members or trusted companions. The designated area will include both shared spaces for group gatherings and secluded areas for rest and family interaction, according to the ministry.

Given the extended duration of captivity, hospitals were advised to conduct a thorough review of each person’s medical background, paying special attention to untreated conditions that may have worsened during captivity.

A preliminary medical assessment will take place immediately upon arrival “if possible, in the presence of a family member or trusted companion,” the ministry stated.

After family reunification, a second, more detailed evaluation will be performed in coordination with security officials to complete the full medical review.

Each returnee will be examined by a nurse and an emergency medicine specialist, with additional consultations arranged as needed. Hospitals will also receive data on any food or medical care provided immediately upon the hostages’ arrival in Israel. The ministry emphasized that hospitals should consult senior specialists before finalizing treatment decisions.

During the hospitalization period, a multidisciplinary support team will be assembled for each patient. This team will include a primary physician, consulting doctors, a nurse, social worker, psychiatrist, psychologist, dietitian, and forensic doctor.

The team will collaborate closely to develop a personalized, long-term care plan for each returnee.

At Beilinson Hospital, Dr. Michal Steinman, the director of nursing, recalled that preparations to receive nine hostages in February 2024 felt like “detective work.” “We went system by system, ears, eyes, mouth, hair, skin, kidneys, urine, whatever it is, muscles, to think what is happening to a person who is under those conditions of captivity,” Steinman said.

Hospitals will also conduct a psychiatric evaluation within 24 hours of admission. If unusual psychological symptoms are observed, they will be reviewed alongside physical assessments to determine whether they stem from medical causes.

A psychiatrist will lead the overall mental health care plan, guiding medical teams in trauma-sensitive treatment, coordinating with security officials, and providing ongoing support to both the returnee and their family.

A dietitian will evaluate each patient’s nutritional status through physical exams, lab tests, and medical history, with a focus on preventing refeeding syndrome. Families will receive detailed instruction, and each returnee will receive a customized daily meal plan adjusted to their recovery progress.

After completing medical and psychological assessments, staff will decide whether continued hospitalization is necessary or if the patient can safely transition to outpatient care. The ministry recommended that all returnees remain hospitalized for at least four days within the dedicated care unit to ensure stability and close monitoring.

“The return from captivity requires immediate medical evaluation and treatment in hospital, followed by long-term physical, mental, and social care and monitoring after discharge,” the Health Ministry wrote. “The response must be comprehensive, ongoing, and personalized, while maintaining strict privacy.”

{Matzav.com Israel}

Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir’s insistence on blocking the release of certain Palestinian prisoners, including convicted terrorists, has reportedly led to a delay in the security cabinet meeting regarding the ceasefire agreement. According to the Kan public broadcaster, his objections also postponed the subsequent full cabinet session that was meant to approve the deal.

The security cabinet session concluded only recently, but the larger government meeting, initially planned for 6 p.m., was pushed back by more than three hours. The delay further stalled the expected ratification of the agreement that aims to secure the return of the 48 remaining hostages held by terrorist factions in Gaza — 20 of whom are believed to still be alive.

Under the terms of the deal, Israel is set to release 250 Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences, along with approximately 1,700 Gazans who were detained following the Hamas-led assault on October 7, 2023, which triggered the current war.

While Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has already declared his opposition to the agreement, Ben Gvir has not publicly revealed how he intends to vote. However, the Otzma Yehudit chairman has warned that he will withdraw his party from the coalition if Hamas “continues to exist” once the hostages are freed — a position consistent with his earlier walkout from the government during a previous ceasefire earlier this year.

Tens of thousands of Yidden attended a mass Birkas Kohanim this morning at the Kosel. The large Birkas Kohanim is held every Chol Hamoed and draws tremendous crowds.

The entire Old City of Yerushalayim was closed to vehicles as thousands streamed by foot and via bus to the Kosel. Some had davened Shacharis elsewhere, while others took part at minyanim at the Kosel. All joined together for the central Birkas Kohanim, with the Kosel chazzan calling out the bracha over a microphone. Hundreds of kohanim gathered at the front of the minyan, right by the Kosel, to bentch their fellow Yidden.

After davening, many in the crowd went to greet Rav Shmuel Rabinovitch, rov of the Kosel, and the chief rabbis to receive their bracha and wish them chag sameiach.

The biannual event was first started by Rav Menachem Mendel Gefner zt”l.

This was the 56th year since the first public Birkas Kohanim took place on Sukkos at the Kosel.

WATCH:

President Donald Trump convened a Cabinet meeting on Thursday to discuss the newly signed ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, a deal that will result in the release of all remaining hostages by early next week.

Opening the meeting, Trump celebrated the development as a major diplomatic triumph. “As you know, last night we reached a momentous breakthrough in the Middle East … we ended the war in Gaza, and on a much bigger basis, created peace.”

The president confirmed that every hostage still held in Gaza will soon return home. “We secured the release of all of the remaining hostages, and they should be released on Monday or Tuesday,” he said. “Getting them is a complicated process – I’d rather not tell you what they have to do to get them.”

Trump announced plans to travel to the region over the weekend, with a signing ceremony expected to take place in Egypt. He is also slated to visit Israel on Sunday as part of the peace mission.

Reflecting on the events that triggered the war, Trump said he “remembers October 7th,” describing it as “terrible.” He added that Hamas had suffered devastating losses in what he described as “big retribution,” estimating that the terror group had “probably lost about 70,000 people.”

“At some point, that whole thing has to stop,” Trump continued. “Gaza is going to be slowly redone … by certain countries. What they make will do wonders for Gaza.”

In a rare comment of approval for the press, Trump commended news outlets for their reporting on the breakthrough, saying the media had covered the development “very fairly.”

The president also credited June’s military strikes on Iran as a contributing factor to the success of the ceasefire, noting that Tehran had been on the verge of completing a nuclear weapon. He warned that, had Iran succeeded, it would have cast a “dark cloud” over the peace process.

{Matzav.com}

According to an Israeli official cited by Hebrew-language outlets, the bodies of slain Hamas figures Yahya Sinwar and his brother Mohammed Sinwar will not be included in the developing hostage-prisoner exchange agreement.

Yahya Sinwar, regarded as the chief mastermind behind the October 7 massacre, and his brother Mohammed, who temporarily led the terrorist organization, were both eliminated by Israeli forces.

{Matzav.com}

WATCH:

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee lavished praise on President Donald Trump for what he described as a once-unimaginable accomplishment — a sweeping Middle East peace accord that ends the Gaza conflict and secures the release of hostages held by Hamas.

“I’m ecstatic with the news that President Trump has done what people thought not possible,” Huckabee told Newsmax on Thursday. “He’s made it so that the hostages are going to come home; there will be an end to the war in Gaza; and Hamas won’t have a future there.”

Huckabee said the success of the deal, from its ceasefire terms to the diplomatic cooperation that made it possible, stemmed directly from Trump’s personal involvement and determination.

“Everything he said needed to happen, it’s going to happen. And it’s going to happen for one reason: that’s because President Trump is the one who made this all work together,” Huckabee said during an appearance on National Report.

He applauded Trump’s efforts to bring together regional partners while remaining a steadfast ally of Israel throughout the negotiations.

“Don’t let anyone take this from him. This is his achievement, and he deserves the credit for it — all of the credit,” Huckabee said.

Huckabee acknowledged the roles of key figures such as Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, who assisted in the talks, but maintained that Trump alone deserves the ultimate recognition.

“It’s the quarterback that threw the touchdown pass — and that’s Donald Trump,” he said.

The ambassador, who has served in his post throughout Trump’s second term, said the landmark deal would finally offer solace to the families of the captives and bring long-sought stability to the region.

“How grateful I am to be able to serve with him, for him, and to see this incredible achievement that is going to mean the world to these families — and to the entire nation of Israel,” he said.

Reflecting on Trump’s enduring support for Israel, Huckabee recalled the president’s first-term decisions to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, move the U.S. Embassy there, and affirm Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights.

“He was so instrumental and historic in his efforts,” Huckabee said. “Then in his second term, bringing really the end of the war with Iran by sending the B-2 bombers in at the very strategic moment. And now this historic peace agreement.”

Huckabee noted that Trump’s consistent backing of Israel has made him deeply admired by its citizens.

“If Donald Trump were on the ballot in Israel, he would get 95% of the vote,” Huckabee said, “and the 5% who didn’t vote for him — they’re all in insane asylums.”

Under the agreement, every hostage held by Hamas — both those alive and those who perished — is expected to be returned to their families by Tuesday.

“We hope it’s as early as Sunday, but certainly by Tuesday,” Huckabee said, acknowledging that coordination and health concerns remain. “These are people that have been starved and tortured for two years, so it’s not going to be a minute too soon.”

The main challenge, he said, is ensuring Hamas fulfills its obligation to deliver all captives simultaneously, including identifying and returning the bodies of the deceased. Israel has confirmed that 20 hostages are alive and 28 are dead.

“I think we know that they will be able to produce all of the living hostages and I think most, if not all of the deceased hostages. But the deceased hostages will be the biggest challenge in some cases, just to make sure they know where they are,” Huckabee said. “My prayer is that all of them, every hostage, deceased and living, will return to their families.”

Huckabee concluded with a pledge of ongoing commitment from both nations: “Both Israel and the United States will not rest and will never stop doing everything possible to make sure that all the hostages are discovered and brought home.”

{Matzav.com}

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., struck a tone of defiance as the government shutdown entered its ninth day, asserting that “every day gets better” for Democrats who have continued to reject Republican efforts to reopen the government without addressing healthcare funding.

Despite the impasse showing no progress toward resolution, Schumer and his caucus remain firm in their stance. Speaking to Punchbowl News from his Capitol Hill office, Schumer projected optimism, saying his party had anticipated a showdown over healthcare and was now “gaining political momentum” even as the effects of the shutdown ripple across the country.

“Every day gets better for us,” Schumer said. “We knew healthcare would be the focal point, and we prepared for it. Their whole theory was — threaten us, bamboozle us, and we would submit in a day or two.”

After fending off three early defections, Schumer has managed to keep his party unified against the GOP’s clean continuing resolution that would restore government operations. Democrats have refused to budge, continuing to demand an extension of Obamacare subsidies as part of any deal.

According to Schumer, public sentiment is leaning in Democrats’ favor. He argued that voters primarily blame President Donald Trump and Republicans for the ongoing shutdown, with polling data backing that view. “Even the pain that’s caused — when things are actually shut down, they blame Trump. Because he’s in charge,” Schumer said.

Republicans counter that Democrats triggered the crisis by rejecting a bipartisan funding proposal, but Schumer and his allies maintain that Trump’s threats of mass firings and deep agency cuts have only galvanized resistance to GOP pressure.

Although Trump has yet to act on those threats, reports from Punchbowl indicate that his decision to halt infrastructure funds for blue states has further solidified Democratic resolve.

The administration has attempted to minimize the shutdown’s consequences by diverting tariff revenues to sustain the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) nutrition program. Democrats, however, have taken that as a sign the White House is feeling political heat.

Schumer, who faced backlash from progressives earlier in the year for cooperating with Republicans on a spending measure, has been in frequent contact with key party figures — including former President Barack Obama, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and several Democratic governors — as he works to maintain cohesion within his ranks.

“We knew that this would be a hard fight,” he said. “But every day we’re getting better and better as the message sinks in more deeply.”

Even as he is praised by many on the left for holding firm, Schumer’s leadership remains under scrutiny. Some activists see his toughness as long overdue. “He hasn’t surrendered yet,” said Indivisible co-founder Ezra Levin. Yet others remain cautious, warning that any premature deal could trigger calls for his removal as party leader.

Republicans, meanwhile, have accused Schumer of capitulating to his party’s progressive base. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., derided the senator’s approach as “desperate attempts to rehabilitate his own image,” while House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., mocked Schumer’s tactics as “throwing a tantrum.”

{Matzav.com}

FOX News Media wrapped up the third quarter of 2025 as the top-performing news organization on YouTube, surpassing one billion total video views.

The network outpaced MSNBC by more than 200 million views and exceeded the combined totals of NBC News, ABC News, and CBS News.

Fueled by an especially busy news cycle, FOX News saw a 45% increase in YouTube engagement from the previous year, reaching 1.1 billion video views. MSNBC followed with 848 million, CNN with 627 million, NBC News with 424 million, ABC News with 359 million, and CBS News with 163 million, according to analytics from Emplifi.

This marks the fourth quarter in a row that FOX News has maintained its lead over all competing news outlets on YouTube.

In September alone, FOX News pulled in 408 million views, leaving MSNBC’s 254 million and CNN’s 232 million far behind. NBC News recorded 135 million views that month, ABC News reached 128 million, and CBS News finished with 70 million.

FOX News Media’s strong focus on digital engagement throughout 2025 has fueled its success on YouTube. The FOX News Clips hub, which launched in May to share the latest reports and insights from FOX News Channel, continues to expand its reach. The primary FOX News account now boasts over 14.5 million subscribers, while FOX Business drew 166 million views during the same quarter.

In addition to its dominance on YouTube, FOX News achieved its most successful quarter ever across social media, generating more than 500 million interactions on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X, as reported by Emplifi.

The network’s social breakdown included 283 million Facebook interactions, 98 million on Instagram, 19.4 million on X, and 105.4 million on TikTok.

FOX News also continued to outperform its competitors on traditional television, maintaining its position as the most-watched network during weekday primetime throughout 2025.

Across the board, FOX News Channel averaged 3.3 million weekday primetime viewers through September. In comparison, CBS and ABC each averaged 3.1 million, NBC reached 3 million, and ESPN followed with 2.1 million. Among cable news networks, FOX News led MSNBC’s 1.2 million and CNN’s 641,000 by wide margins.

Throughout the third quarter, FOX News averaged 1.6 million viewers across the entire broadcast day, while MSNBC drew 492,000 and CNN had 396,000. During primetime, FOX News averaged 2.5 million total viewers, more than triple MSNBC’s 802,000 and nearly five times CNN’s 538,000.

The latest results extend FOX News’s unprecedented streak, marking its 95th consecutive quarter as the top-rated cable news network in primetime viewership.

{Matzav.com}

The BBC has issued an apology after an internal staff email marking the second anniversary of the October 7 attacks referred to the massacre as an “escalation,” The Telegraph reports.

The controversial message was circulated to employees in acknowledgment of the anniversary of the Hamas atrocities. It was later retracted and addressed internally after staff expressed outrage over the wording.

The email had been sent by the BBC Audiences division, which regularly provides updates on viewer research and offers staff guidance on audience feedback and media engagement.

The message stated, “As we reach the two-year anniversary of the escalations in the Israel-Gaza conflict, we asked UK audiences what they want and need from news coverage moving forward.” Instead of including photos of Israeli victims of the Hamas assault, the email featured an image of Palestinian women and children standing amid the ruins of destroyed buildings in Gaza.

According to The Telegraph, a senior BBC news presenter explained that the email was written by a junior employee. He remarked, “I don’t think the people who wrote that are evil; I think they just don’t understand anything about the modern world.”

He added, “To use a picture of Palestinian suffering when you are marking the second anniversary of the October 7 attacks: how does that get signed off? It just epitomises everything the BBC is having to grapple with internally.”

Danny Cohen, who previously served as BBC television’s director, sharply criticized the incident. Speaking to The Telegraph, he said, “This is shocking but not surprising. It is another example of the everyday institutional bias at the BBC.”

“To call the 7 October terrorist massacre an ‘escalation’ is deeply offensive. It is the kind of language Hamas might use,” he continued.

“One might also assume that on this day, the picture used by the BBC would focus on Jewish victims of the October 7 pogrom. But the BBC’s instinctive bias meant that this was not the case, even on this day of mourning.”

A BBC representative defended the image selection when speaking with The Telegraph, explaining that the photo of Gaza was chosen because the internal update discussed public attitudes toward the broader Israel-Gaza conflict.

The email also linked to a longer internal article recounting the events of October 7 and the ongoing war. It read: “On October 7, 2023, the conflict between Palestine and Israel reached a new escalation when Hamas attacked southern Israel, killing 1,200 and taking over 200 hostages.

“In response, Israel launched a prolonged military campaign in Gaza, resulting in widespread destruction and a humanitarian crisis. Over the following months, ceasefire efforts stalled, global pressure intensified, and civilian casualties continued to rise, sparking worldwide protests and diplomatic tensions.”

The note went on to say, “In September 2025, the UK government announced its formal recognition of the State of Palestine, shortly before the two-year anniversary of the Hamas attack.”

“This moment presents both a challenge and an opportunity for BBC journalists in how they cover the conflict for our audiences.”

After the message circulated, numerous employees voiced frustration over its phrasing and the choice of imagery. A BBC insider told The Telegraph: “It is shocking that such a description of a one-sided atrocity is used in, of all things, a briefing about audience expectations from the BBC. It demonstrates – again – unconscious bias and terrible insensitivity towards Jewish staff.”

Following the internal backlash, the broadcaster issued an apology. A BBC spokesperson said: “This internal staff email should have been worded differently and we’re sorry for any offence caused. We are editing it and will replace the text on our intranet.”

The incident adds to a growing series of controversies surrounding allegations of anti-Israel bias within the BBC.

Earlier this year, in February 2025, the network apologized after anchor Nicky Schiller mistakenly described three Israeli hostages who had been freed as “prisoners” on live television.

In July, the BBC again came under fire for airing the documentary Gaza: How to Survive A War Zone, after it emerged that the narrator had close personal ties to Hamas — a breach of the network’s editorial standards on impartiality and accuracy.

{Matzav.com}

A senior official from Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu’s office told Reuters that the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas in Gaza will take effect once the Israeli government formally ratifies the deal later this evening.

Following the cabinet’s endorsement of the plan, a 24-hour window will open during which the decision may be contested in Israel’s High Court of Justice. After that period expires, Hamas will have 72 hours to meet its obligations under the agreement, which include releasing all hostages — both those alive and those who were killed in captivity.

As a result, Hamas is now expected to complete the release of the hostages by Monday instead of Sunday, as had been initially anticipated.

Originally, the truce was scheduled to start at noon, though that timeline has shifted slightly. The arrangement is based on an informal understanding between the parties rather than a signed, binding document.

Under the terms of the agreement, Israel, the United States, Qatar, and Egypt will form a joint task force dedicated to locating and recovering the bodies of hostages whose whereabouts remain unknown.

According to information obtained by The Jerusalem Post, the task force will have access to heavy machinery and equipment to carry out complex operations such as excavation or demolition when necessary to retrieve remains.

The initiative’s ultimate objective is to bring back to Israel as many of the kidnapped individuals’ bodies as possible — alongside the living captives — within the 72-hour window set by the agreement.

{Matzav.com Israel}

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee joins ‘Mornings with Maria’ to discuss President Donald Trump’s Israel-Hamas peace deal, the return of hostages and broader realignment in the Middle East.

WATCH:

Arab affairs analyst Zvi Yehezkeli cautioned that despite the deep sense of relief surrounding the hostages’ return, the initial phase of the current agreement delivers sweeping benefits to Hamas at Israel’s expense, Arutz Sheva reports.

“This morning we were informed that the hostages are returning and there is no greater joy,” Yehezkeli said. “Now we need to view the agreement from the enemies’ perspective. What are its implications? The first stage is clear: the release of all our hostages and the bodies of the fallen, two years after they were abducted — and, on the other hand, a massive exchange: 250 prisoners serving life sentences and another 1,700 detainees. That is a critical boost to terrorism.”

He argued that the terms of the arrangement reveal how poorly Israel continues to handle negotiations within the Middle East — a weakness that has lingered even since October 7. The current exchange ratio, he said, is worse than in previous agreements and demonstrates that Hamas has succeeded in strengthening its infrastructure both in Gaza and in Judea and Samaria. “I hope Israel insisted that they return to the Gaza Strip and not to Judea and Samaria,” he added.

From Yehezkeli’s perspective, Hamas can now boast that it “took the maximum number of prisoners, stopped the war, remains armed and remains the authority in Gaza,” achieving every one of its key objectives. He noted that the organization never surrendered or disarmed, and that even if international or Arab peacekeeping forces are brought in, Hamas will continue to dominate Gaza. “Those poor people who said there was starvation now receive Egyptian trucks and are happy and coming out of all the tunnels,” he said.

Yehezkeli emphasized that Israel must already be planning for renewed military action once the hostages are home. He expressed concern that President Donald Trump’s involvement in advancing the deal placed excessive emphasis on concessions and reflected misplaced optimism about the nature of peace in the region. “On October 7 they murdered and butchered our women, our children, and our soldiers,” he said. “The Palestinian Authority sees a state and Hamas sees ongoing war and continued rule.”

He advised that Israel approach the next stage with calculated precision, imposing its own conditions while targeting high-ranking terrorists who gain freedom through the deal and ensuring Hamas is stripped of its weaponry. Otherwise, he warned, a new generation will grow up convinced that violence pays. “If Israel acts according to Trump’s agreement and every time it fires a shot he asks ‘why are you doing this,’ we will not have achieved our objectives in Gaza,” he said.

Yehezkeli concluded that Hamas’s ideology, influence, and military capacity remain intact, and that the impending prisoner releases will put dangerous operatives back into circulation. “The war is not over. There is immense joy, but this is not peace nor the end of the war — rather a pause to receive our hostages, and we must continue because Hamas cannot remain in Gaza,” he said.

{Matzav.com Israel}

The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office announced that Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu has chosen the name Shavim L’gvulam (“Returning to their Border”) for the operation to free the hostages. The title draws from a posuk in Yirmiyahu 31:16, which foretells the return of the Jewish people from exile.

According to the current timetable, both the Security Cabinet and the full government are slated to meet today to give their approval for the initial stage of the hostage deal. This phase involves the release of Palestinian security prisoners in exchange for the hostages. The Cabinet will gather in the afternoon, followed by a broader government session later in the day. At this stage, only this portion of the agreement will be brought for authorization.

Once the government grants its approval, the IDF will begin pulling back its forces to a designated line established in coordination with Hamas under the agreement. Israel has pledged to finalize this redeployment within 24 hours. While the precise boundary has not been made public, an Israeli official indicated that it closely resembles the “yellow line” unveiled by President Trump over the weekend, though some modifications were made after consultations with Israeli security officials.

As part of this redeployment, Israeli forces will withdraw from Gaza City, which they recently re-entered during Operation Gideon’s Chariot 2. Israel will still maintain control over approximately 53 percent of the Gaza Strip following the maneuver.

After the pullback is complete, a 72-hour period will begin during which Hamas must release the hostages quietly, without any formal public events. Estimates suggest that the surviving captives will be freed on Sunday, while the remains of those who were killed will be returned on Monday.

President Trump is scheduled to arrive in Israel on Sunday, where he will deliver an address at the Knesset in Jerusalem.

Under the terms of the agreement, Israel will free 250 security prisoners, along with about 1,700 Gazans who were arrested after October 7 but had no direct involvement in the attacks, as well as 22 minors under the age of 18. Additionally, the bodies of 360 terrorists will be returned to Gaza.

The decision specifies that prisoners convicted of murder, manufacturing weapons used in fatal attacks, or directly involved in dispatching terrorists who carried out deadly assaults will be transferred to Gaza or to foreign countries. They will be permanently banned from entering Israel or the areas of Yehuda and Shomron.

{Matzav.com Israel}

Lawmakers on Capitol Hill are voicing alarm as worsening air travel disruptions spark memories of the 2019 government shutdown, when similar chaos ultimately pushed President Trump to agree to reopen the government. Many now fear history could repeat itself if the current shutdown continues.

Significant delays plagued airports nationwide on Monday and Tuesday as staffing shortages among air traffic controllers disrupted roughly 10,000 flights. Though the situation slightly improved on Wednesday—with about 3,000 flights still delayed, some due to bad weather in the Northeast—concern is growing rapidly among senators who recall how flight turmoil once became the breaking point that ended the nation’s longest shutdown.

“It becomes a pressure point,” said Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.). “You talk about disruptive — if air travel shuts down and all the air traffic controllers are sick, you basically have shut down the economy.” He added, “I hope we don’t get to that point.”

The 35-day shutdown in 2019 reached its climax when 10 air traffic controllers—six in Northern Virginia and four in Florida—called in sick, setting off massive delays that brought LaGuardia Airport in New York to a standstill and rippled through major East Coast airports.

This time, the fallout has not yet been as severe, though significant issues have been reported at airports in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Nashville in recent days. Over 1,000 flights have been canceled nationwide, with weather contributing to part of the problem.

The Department of Transportation announced earlier this week that more than 13,000 air traffic controllers are continuing to work without pay, as they, along with TSA employees, are classified as essential workers during the shutdown.

Senators are watching the unfolding situation closely, especially as they search for any external factors that might force movement on the stalemate. Democrats are pushing to extend Affordable Care Act subsidies set to expire on December 31, while Republicans are refusing to negotiate until Democrats agree to vote on reopening the government.

No progress was seen in the Senate on Wednesday, as Democrats once again rejected the GOP’s “clean” stopgap funding bill for the sixth time, a measure that would keep the government open through late November. Lawmakers on both sides admit that outside pressure—possibly from public anger over disrupted travel—may be what finally brings negotiations back to the table.

“I certainly worry about it,” said Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), whose state saw flight issues this week at Denver International Airport. “I think it is one of many things that is complicating having a government shutdown.”

Hickenlooper added that he and other senators have held several discussions about the growing air travel problems. “In the universe, that means we’re paying attention,” he said, though he noted the issue isn’t yet “dominating” Senate conversations.

Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), a close ally of Senate Majority Whip John Thune (R-S.D.), said he has been involved in informal discussions exploring possible solutions. While declining to reveal specifics, he described those talks as “pretty productive.”

Still, some lawmakers doubt that air travel disruptions—even at the scale of 2019—would be enough to break the current impasse. They argue that the administration appears far less inclined to compromise this time around.

“I think they’re too hunkered down,” one Republican senator said. “The difference is that in the past, [it] has been, kind of, hardball that was only pitched out of one corner. This administration is wired for a fight.”

“You’ve got the bully pulpit saying that it’s only happening because the Democrats refuse to fund the government at levels that they’ve voted for in the past,” the senator continued. “They may be erroneously banking on that pressure being what breaks the logjam. I don’t necessarily see it.”

Even so, some lawmakers remain hopeful that a full-blown air travel crisis could again compel swift action.

“Of any of the factors that led President Trump in 2019 to, ‘We’ve got to solve this,’ it was the air traffic control issue. The reason we don’t have a solution now is we have an unengaged president,” said Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.). “I’m hoping he rethinks his ‘be disengaged’ strategy because he’s got the key to helping resolve this if he wants to.”

“It wasn’t the air traffic controllers saying ‘we’re overworked and underpaid,’ it was the economic issue that made Trump realize, ‘Oh wait, we need to have vigorous aviation or the American economy doesn’t work,’” Kaine continued. “This one is really serious and he grasped that six years ago. I think there’s a good chance he’ll grasp it again.”

{Matzav.com}

British counterterrorism investigators disclosed chilling new details about last week’s assault on a Manchester synagogue, revealing that the attacker, Jihad al-Shamie, had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State in a phone call to police made during the violence itself.

Authorities said the revelations are part of the slow release of facts surrounding the attack, even though police were aware of much of this information within minutes of the incident. On Wednesday, counterterrorism officials confirmed that the 35-year-old Syrian migrant called a police operator as the rampage unfolded, boasting that he had “killed two Jews in the name of the Islamic State.”

According to investigators, al-Shamie had initially approached the Heaton Park Synagogue and was turned away by congregants and volunteer guards. He then returned in a car, deliberately struck pedestrians, and emerged wielding a knife to continue his assault. Worshippers quickly barricaded the synagogue doors, and when police arrived seven minutes after the attack began, they found al-Shamie attempting to stab his way through a window.

Officers fatally shot al-Shamie at the scene. Tragically, a member of the local Jewish community was also killed when a police bullet intended for the terrorist pierced the building’s front door.

Police have stated that the attacker was “influenced by extreme Islamist ideology,” though they have not yet formally classified the event as a terror attack. Counterterrorism authorities added on Wednesday, “We are continuing to investigate the full circumstances and motivation behind what happened. The investigation is continuing at pace.”

In the aftermath of the assault, officials initially claimed al-Shamie had not been known to police—a statement now shown to be inaccurate. As more information emerges, the attacker’s personal background has grown increasingly troubling. According to the Daily Telegraph, al-Shamie was married to at least three women and also involved with a teenage girlfriend.

Despite polygamy being illegal in the United Kingdom, he maintained multiple marriages, all reportedly within the Islamic faith. Two of his wives were said to be white converts to Islam, and one has been arrested on suspicion of terror offenses since the attack.

Reports indicate that al-Shamie fathered three children with his first wife. Another woman has accused him of assaulting her “multiple times,” adding that he justified his behavior by claiming that under Islamic law, he was permitted to have “up to four wives.”

{Matzav.com}

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, both known for their left-wing policies, lashed out at President Donald Trump after he said they should face arrest for obstructing federal law enforcement operations.

“I will not back down,” Pritzker declared defiantly in a post on X soon after Trump’s comments. Johnson responded by accusing Trump of racism, saying the president “loves arresting black men.”

The controversy began Wednesday morning when Trump took to his Truth Social platform to condemn Pritzker and Johnson for what he described as ongoing interference with federal law enforcement agents working to restore order in Chicago.

“Chicago Mayor should be in jail for failing to protect Ice Officers! Governor Pritzker also!” Trump wrote.

Both Democrats fired back quickly. Pritzker denounced Trump as an “authoritarian” and insisted that he “would not back down” from defending his policies that shield illegal migrants.

“I will not back down,” Pritzker reiterated following Trump’s comments.

“Trump is now calling for the arrest of elected representatives checking his power,” he wrote. “What else is left on the path to full-blown authoritarianism?”

Mayor Johnson, meanwhile, accused Trump of racial bias.

“This is not the first time Trump has tried to have a Black man unjustly arrested,” Johnson said. “I’m not going anywhere.”

During an interview later that day on CNN, Johnson escalated his rhetoric, describing Trump as mentally unstable and a danger to democracy.

“Well, you know, first of all, this president is unstable, unhinged, a double minded individual that, quite frankly, is a threat to our democracy,” he said.

He continued, “And it’s certainly not the first time that Donald Trump has called for the arresting of a black man unjustly. I’m not going anywhere. I’m going to stay firm as the mayor of this amazing city, which was voted nine years in a row the best big city in America. And we’re going to defend all of Chicago.”

The president’s outburst came after reports surfaced that Chicago police officers were ordered not to provide assistance to federal agents during a violent confrontation with pro-migrant demonstrators on Sunday. ICE officers had reportedly called for emergency backup when their position was overrun, but local authorities refused to respond.

Adding to the tension, on Monday Johnson announced the creation of “ICE-free zones” across the city, asserting that his new executive orders would prohibit federal immigration agents from assembling on municipal properties to conduct raids or detain suspects.

{Matzav.com}

Israel and Hamas are gearing up to activate the opening stage of President Donald Trump’s initiative aimed at freeing hostages and halting the ongoing Gaza conflict.

According to the tentative timeline, Israel’s Security Cabinet and the government will convene on Thursday to authorize the exchange of terrorist prisoners for Israeli captives as part of the first stage of the plan. The Cabinet is scheduled to meet at 3:00 p.m., followed an hour later by a full government session. The broader terms of the deal are expected to be discussed and finalized at a later date.

Once approval is secured, the IDF will begin pulling back its forces to a designated line that was mutually agreed upon with Hamas. Israel has committed to completing this redeployment within 24 hours. While the precise boundary has not been disclosed, one Israeli official noted that it largely mirrors the “yellow line” President Trump revealed last weekend, with slight modifications accepted by Israel. As part of this move, Israeli forces will withdraw from Gaza City—recently re-entered during Operation Gideon’s Chariots II—while maintaining control over roughly 53% of Gaza’s territory.

When the withdrawal concludes, a 72-hour countdown will begin. Hamas will then be obligated to free all hostages at once, without any public fanfare or ceremonies. Based on current intelligence, hostages who are alive are expected to be released on Sunday, while the remains of those who were killed will be returned on Monday.

President Trump is scheduled to land in Israel on Sunday and is expected to deliver a speech before the Knesset.

Egyptian officials told the Qatari outlet Al-Araby that under the agreement, the Rafah border crossing will reopen for movement in both directions. Additionally, 600 aid trucks per day will be permitted to enter Gaza to provide humanitarian relief.

An Israeli official emphasized that the accord will exclude members of Hamas’s Nukhba unit who took part in the October 7 atrocities, as well as the four senior figures the terror group had specifically demanded to be released.

In a statement about the agreement, Hamas said: “We are awaiting final agreement on the list of prisoners. We are committed to the prisoners and their families, that they remain at the heart of our priorities, and we will not rest until the last prisoner is released.”

{Matzav.com Israel}

Yisrael Beytenu leader MK Avigdor Lieberman outlined his plan for how to secure victory in the next national election, proposing a 63-seat coalition composed entirely of parties opposed to Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu — deliberately excluding both the chareidi and Arab factions.

“I saw a poll showing us around 61 seats, and if we fully tap into the potential, we could reach even more,” he said during an interview with Yediot Achronot.

Lieberman leveled scathing criticism at the chareidi establishment, accusing it of taking advantage of public resources. “Rabbis receive State salaries and pensions. A Chief Rabbi tells people that if they receive draft orders they should tear it up and throw it in the garbage,” he alleged.

He further lashed out at Slabodka rosh yeshiva Rav Dov Landau, attributing to him a statement: “These Zionists made the Arabs hate us. Those confused ones with knitted kippahs are dying in war because they don’t pray enough.”

Lieberman continued his tirade, asserting that “the chareidi establishment also opposed the founding of the State of Israel in 1948,” and adding, “To this day, the Lithuanian-chareidim recite mourning prayers on Independence Day. It’s utter madness. These are racist, sectarian parties. They live off this racism. Right now, it’s a battle over Israel’s character — Zionist and liberal or a state of Jewish law.”

In response, Rav Landau’s office issued a sharp denunciation, firmly rejecting the comments attributed to the rosh yeshiva. “Liberman, in his desperation over the progress in hostage deal negotiations and the fact that there are no elections on the horizon, has completely lost it,” the statement read.

“A week ago, he frightened the entire country with fabricated stories about Iran, and now he’s moved on to quoting invented statements,” the office added.

Lieberman’s remarks came just days after he sparked alarm by warning Israelis to prepare for an Iranian strike — despite no official reports or evidence pointing to any imminent threat.

A new report has revealed that the White House, working together with Qatari officials, crafted the wording of Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu’s apology to Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani following Israel’s accidental strike in Qatar on September 9.

According to Politico, “a powerful Qatari interlocutor and close ally of the country’s prime minister” was present in the Oval Office alongside President Donald Trump and Netanyahu to ensure that the Israeli leader delivered the apology exactly as written. The publication cited three individuals familiar with the details of the exchange.

The strike in question reportedly aimed to hit Hamas’s political leadership but did not achieve its intended objective.

The phone call containing the apology was placed directly from the Oval Office, with President Trump orchestrating and attending the conversation while meeting with Netanyahu. Soon after the call concluded, the White House unveiled its comprehensive plan for ending the Gaza conflict. During a joint press conference with Netanyahu, Trump announced that both Israel and the Arab world had agreed to the proposal.

In response to the report, Netanyahu’s office rejected the claims outright, calling them “fake news.”

“Prime Minister Netanyahu’s remarks in his conversation with the Qatari prime minister were determined by the prime minister himself, in consultation only with his professional team,” the Prime Minister’s Office said.

The office further clarified that “as for the Qatari official — he was present only during the call at the invitation of the American team, and there was no contact whatsoever with the Israeli team.”

Reports indicate that Qatar made Israel’s apology a precondition for resuming its role as mediator in negotiations between Israel and Hamas.

According to an official White House readout, Netanyahu “expressed his deep regret that Israel’s missile strike against Hamas targets in Qatar unintentionally killed a Qatari serviceman.”

The statement continued, noting that the Israeli leader “further expressed regret that, in targeting Hamas leadership during hostage negotiations, Israel violated Qatari sovereignty and affirmed that Israel will not conduct such an attack again in the future.”

Qatar’s government issued its own statement soon after, confirming the call and saying that Prime Minister al-Thani “expressed Qatar’s refusal to tolerate violations of its sovereignty” while reiterating his country’s readiness to keep participating in diplomatic efforts “to end the war in the Gaza Strip under the framework of the US president’s initiative.”

The apology represented a significant reversal for Netanyahu, who had previously maintained that Israel was within its legal and moral rights to strike Hamas targets, even those based in Qatar.

It was not the first time Netanyahu has issued such a statement. He previously apologized to Turkey “for any errors that could have led to loss of life” following the 2010 Mavi Marmara incident and to Jordan after a botched 1997 attempt to assassinate Hamas operative Khaled Mashaal in Amman.

Meanwhile, diplomatic talks are taking place in the Egyptian resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh over Trump’s proposed framework to end the war and secure the release of the 48 remaining hostages held in Gaza. The plan requires Hamas to surrender its weapons and relinquish authority over the territory to an international security force while Israel withdraws its troops.

{Matzav.com}