Matzav

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A letter signed by the Rashash alongside other Rabbis of Jerusalem (see below), appealing for help due to the particular dire situation prevailing in Jerusalem.  Signatures of the Rashash on letters of emissaries are exceedingly rare, but due to the tremendous importance of this mission, which constituted pikuach nefesh and the last lifeline for the community standing on the brink of collapse, he added his signature.

Roughly 300,000 people filled Hostages Square in Tel Aviv and nearby streets today for a massive demonstration organized by the families of the hostages, according to figures released by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, based on police assessments.

Out of that total, around 150,000 crowded into the square itself, while another 70,000 participants marched from Savidor Train Station together with hostage relatives before joining the main gathering.

The rally marked the closing event of a full day of protests and a nationwide strike, which challenged the government’s decision to escalate the war in Gaza instead of working toward an agreement to secure the hostages’ release.

Supporters from across Israel traveled in large convoys to Tel Aviv, standing shoulder to shoulder with the hostage families and voicing their opposition to the government’s course of action.

{Matzav.com}

The Department of Housing and Urban Development is preparing to enforce an English-only policy across nearly all of its programs and internal operations, according to a memo reported on by The NY Post.

The directive, drafted by HUD’s deputy secretary, is scheduled for distribution on Monday and aligns with President Trump’s March executive order that officially established English as the language of the United States.

“We are one people, united, and we will speak with one voice and one language to deliver on our mission of expanding housing that is affordable, helping those in need, caring for our most vulnerable Americans, and revitalizing rural, tribal, and urban communities,” HUD deputy secretary Andrew Hughes wrote in the memo.

Although the department is shifting to English as the default, some exceptions will remain in place to comply with existing federal law.

These carveouts will apply to protections guaranteed under the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Violence Against Women Act, which contain nondiscrimination rules that in some cases require accommodations involving language.

“HUD will continue to ensure that all persons have meaningful access to HUD programs and services,” Hughes emphasized. He added that the agency “will continue to provide communication services to the hearing and seeing impaired, and persons with related disabilities.”

Beyond these limited exceptions, HUD operations will transition fully to English.

Earlier administrations had promoted multilingual outreach at HUD, in an effort to assist low-income immigrants who were lawfully present in the country but lacked strong English skills.

Before this policy shift, HUD offered services in 222 languages and ran a translation hotline for those unable to communicate effectively in English, according to a flyer cited by The Post.

In 2001, just before leaving office, President Bill Clinton issued an executive action designed to broaden federal access for individuals with limited English proficiency.

Trump’s March executive order formally nullified Clinton’s directive, although it also stated that “nothing in this order, however, requires or directs any change in the services provided by any agency.”

After reviewing Justice Department recommendations, HUD determined that phasing out translations was the most effective way to implement the order — a move that some agency officials argue will also reduce costs for taxpayers.

The transition will begin “effective immediately,” Hughes wrote, explaining that the department will start eliminating translated content from its website and other materials in what he described as an “ongoing and iterative” rollout.

“All HUD communications, correspondence, and physical and digital published materials will be produced exclusively in English and that we will no longer offer non-English translation services,” Hughes’ memo states.

“Additionally, please immediately remove all printed or digital collateral about non-English translation services currently displayed in HUD offices or HUD-funded facilities. Printed or digital collateral not in English can be replaced with an English-only version.”

HUD leadership is also planning to audit existing contracts tied to translation and interpretation services.

The Justice Department circulated guidance to all federal agencies last month explaining how to apply Trump’s order.

In approximately six months, DOJ will issue updated instructions, open a public comment period, and decide whether additional modifications to implementation are necessary.

{Matzav.com}

Naftali Bennett, Israel’s former prime minister, delivered harsh criticism of the country’s leadership today, focusing on both the security and political arenas.

“There isn’t an Israeli who doesn’t want to bring all the hostages home and defeat Hamas,” he declared.

Bennett went on to say, “The current government has failed in the two goals it set for itself.” He continued, “Because it places politics above the lives of its citizens, it has brought reservists to unprecedented exhaustion and turned most of the world against us. That’s why Israel is stuck.”

Discussing the way leaders relate to the public, Bennett charged, “To conceal its failures, the government returns to its expertise of dividing the people and creating two camps: a camp supposedly in favor of the hostages but weak and supportive of glorifying Hamas, and a camp supposedly indifferent to the hostages but in favor of defeating Hamas. As long as the appearance of two opposing camps exists, the government is freed from accountability for its failures, which is why it constantly fuels the internal conflict.”

He further stressed, “The current government is an autoimmune disease, causing the state to fight itself. Only replacing it will bring the solution.”

Bennett’s remarks came as the Hostages’ Families Forum, together with anti-government and anti-war activists, staged a nationwide “Day of Disruption” to demand that the government secure the release of hostages and bring the war to a close.

Protests erupted in roughly 400 locations around the country, including outside the residences of government ministers and Knesset members. Demonstrators shut down major thoroughfares such as Route 1 leading to Jerusalem and the Ra’anana Junction. In addition, hundreds of vehicles set out from Latrun in a convoy aimed at demanding an end to the fighting.

{Matzav.com}

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) lashed out at President Trump following his high-profile summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, condemning the outcome and accusing Trump of betraying Ukraine.

“Looks like once again Trump is selling out Ukraine and bowing down to dictator Putin,” Schumer posted on X. “No Nobel Peace Prize for that.”

The Democratic leader’s criticism came shortly after Hillary Clinton made a pointed remark that she would consider putting Trump’s name forward for the Nobel Peace Prize if he were able to extract a ceasefire deal from Putin.

Trump and Putin sat down Friday at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage for about three hours. While the White House withheld specifics of their discussion, Trump characterized the exchange as “productive” and indicated that while movement was made, there was no final agreement.

“We didn’t get there, but we have a good chance,” Trump said to the press after the meeting, declining to answer follow-up questions. Later, he briefed NATO and European allies on the talks, who in turn reiterated their strong commitment to Ukraine.

Schumer, issuing a further rebuke Friday evening, accused Trump of giving Putin undue prestige, referring to him as an “authoritarian thug.”

“Instead of standing with Ukraine and our allies, Trump stood shoulder to shoulder with an autocrat that has terrorized the Ukrainian people and the globe for years,” Schumer wrote on X. “While we wait for critical details of what was discussed — on first take it appears Trump handed Putin legitimacy, a global stage, zero accountability, and got nothing in return.”

“Our fear is that this wasn’t diplomacy — it was just theater,” Schumer added.

Trump countered the Democratic attacks later that night in an appearance with Fox News host Sean Hannity, maintaining that the responsibility now falls on Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to work out a settlement. Trump and Zelensky are scheduled to meet at the White House on Monday.

Earlier in the week, Clinton had remarked that she would back Trump’s candidacy for a Nobel Peace Prize if he could broker an end to the war, now entering its fourth year, in a way that undercuts Moscow’s claims to Ukrainian land. Trump publicly thanked her for the acknowledgment.

But Zelensky rejected Trump’s floated idea that any ceasefire might involve trading Ukrainian territory already seized by Russia since its 2022 invasion.

“We will never leave the Donbas,” Zelensky told journalists on Tuesday.

{Matzav.com}

A new cancer vaccine in development has shown encouraging results in preventing the return of certain aggressive cancers.

Researchers from the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, together with other institutions, carried out a phase 1 clinical trial of the vaccine known as ELI-002 2P in 25 patients previously treated for colorectal and pancreatic cancers.

These patients had already undergone surgical removal of tumors but still displayed “signs of minimal residual disease,” meaning fragments of cancer-related DNA remained in their systems, putting them at high risk of relapse, according to a UCLA statement.

Studies show that more than 80% of pancreatic cancer cases recur after surgery, and for nearly half of patients this happens in the first year. For colorectal cancer, the chance of recurrence ranges between 30% and 50%, most commonly within two years of surgery.

Mutations in the KRAS gene are linked to about 50% of colorectal cancers and over 90% of pancreatic cancers. The new vaccine, designed to target these mutations, was delivered in a sequence of injections intended to stimulate immune activity in the lymph nodes.

Results showed that 21 out of 25 participants produced “KRAS-specific T cells,” demonstrating a robust immune response. Those who developed stronger T-cell activity were more likely to remain free of cancer recurrence than those with weaker responses.

In six patients — three with pancreatic cancer and three with colorectal cancer — the vaccine appeared to clear all measurable signs of the disease.

Among the group with the most significant immune response, most remained free of cancer nearly 20 months after vaccination. The trial results were published in Nature Medicine.

“This is an exciting advance for patients with KRAS-driven cancers, particularly pancreatic cancer, where recurrence after standard treatment is almost a given and effective therapies are limited,” said lead study author Zev Wainberg, M.D., professor of medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and researcher at the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center.

“We observed that patients who developed strong immune responses to the vaccine remained disease-free and survived for much longer than expected.”

The researchers also noted that 67% of participants displayed immune responses to “additional tumor-associated mutations,” pointing to the vaccine’s potential in driving “broader anti-tumor activity.”

A key advantage of ELI-002 2P is that it is “off-the-shelf,” meaning it is produced in standardized form and does not need to be customized for each patient.

“This study shows that the ELI-002 2P vaccine can safely and effectively train the immune system to recognize and fight cancer-driving mutations,” Wainberg said.

“It offers a promising approach to generating precise and durable immune responses without the complexity or cost of fully personalized vaccines.”

Enrollment has already been completed for a phase 2 clinical trial of an updated version, ELI-002 7P, which is designed to cover a wider range of KRAS mutations, the announcement noted.

The research was funded by Elicio Therapeutics, the Massachusetts-based company behind the vaccine, and carried out in collaboration with MD Anderson Cancer Center and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

Fox News senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel, who was not part of the study, said the findings highlight the growing role of targeted therapies in oncology.

“Solid tumors, especially pancreatic, can be difficult to treat because they are not as mutagenic (capable of inducing or causing mutations) as hematological malignancies (blood cancers) or melanoma, for example, so they don’t have as many ready targets for immunotherapy,” he explained to Fox News Digital.

“The new cancer vaccine from UCLA is very promising as a major tool against these cancers, as it ‘programs’ the immune system to target these mutations and has been shown in the NATURE study to elicit a strong clinical response.”

{Matzav.com}

Fox News host Mark Levin lays out what is known of Russian President Vladimir Putin in light of his summit with President Donald Trump on ‘Life, Liberty & Levin.’

WATCH:

Top European officials are preparing to stand alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during his meeting with President Trump at the White House on Monday, following concerns about how Trump’s Alaska talks with Russian leader Vladimir Putin played out.

Those set to attend include European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, all of whom confirmed travel plans to Washington, DC.

It remains uncertain whether every one of these leaders will sit in on the White House session itself or hold separate discussions with Trump during their visit.

“They’re not coming here tomorrow to keep Zelensky from being bullied,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio told CBS News’ “Face the Nation” on Sunday. “This is such a stupid media narrative… We’ve been working with these people for weeks.”

“We invited them to come,” Rubio added.

Of particular note, Zelensky’s delegation includes Stubb, Meloni, and Rutte, each of whom has cultivated a notably warm relationship with Trump.

Some of these leaders have developed such close connections with him that they’ve been nicknamed “the Trump whisperer.”

Hanging over Monday’s gathering of allies is the tense February 28 Oval Office encounter between Trump and Zelensky, which broke down into a televised shouting exchange.

European officials regard the upcoming meeting with Trump as pivotal for Ukraine’s future, particularly after his face-to-face with Putin last Friday.

In advance of that summit, Trump had warned Putin to pursue peace in Ukraine or be hit with new sanctions, telling Fox News that he “won’t be happy” if a ceasefire wasn’t reached.

Putin did not agree to halt hostilities, but Trump afterward emphasized that there had been “progress” and pointed toward a more comprehensive peace agreement as preferable to a temporary truce.

Though much of what was discussed remains unclear, reports indicated that Putin pressed for Ukraine to surrender the remaining areas of resource-rich Donetsk, a largely Russian-speaking territory.

In return, Putin reportedly offered the possibility of freezing combat in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, according to Axios.

Analysts expressed skepticism about those rumored terms, noting that Donetsk — described as a “fortress belt” — is heavily defended by Ukrainian forces. Surrendering it could allow Russia to reignite fighting later and drive deeper into Ukraine with greater ease.

During the summit, Putin also sought to flatter Trump. Trump later told Fox News’ Sean Hannity that the Russian leader claimed the 2020 election had been stolen from him and that the Ukraine war would not have erupted if Trump had been in power.

Former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson denounced the meeting, calling it “the most vomit-inducing episode in all the tawdry history of international diplomacy.”

The gathering marked Putin’s first visit to the United States in nearly ten years and his first face-to-face with an American president since the Ukraine conflict began.

{Matzav.com}

Police announced on Sunday that 32 people have been detained across the country in connection with disruptive demonstrations organized under the banner of the “Day of Disruption.” The protests, spearheaded by the Hostages’ Families Forum along with anti-government and anti-war movements, aimed to paralyze daily life and the economy to pressure leaders into securing the release of hostages and ending the war.

Authorities added that all roadways in Yerushalayim that had been blocked due to the protests were once again open, and normal traffic had resumed.

“Since the morning, Jerusalem District Police and Border Police officers have been working to restore order due to demonstrations at several intersections in the capital on Begin Boulevard and Route 16, which included riots while blocking the roads, and several clashes between protesters and officers have occurred,” the police said. They continued, “During these clashes, the police arrested seven rioters and they were taken for questioning at the police station.”

In Tel Aviv, tensions flared earlier in the day when a truck attempted to drive through a crowd of demonstrators at the Kaplan-Leonardo Da Vinci intersection. The driver argued with the protesters after trying to push through. Demonstrations also blocked Route 4 in both directions, while at the Em Hamoshavot Junction between Petach Tikva and Bnei Brak, tires were set on fire.

At the entrance to the Route 16 tunnel into Yerushalayim, police declared the gathering illegal and used a water cannon to disperse activists who sat on the ground, holding onto one another. The demonstrators later moved from the entrance to block the tunnel’s exit instead.

Law enforcement later reported that “dozens of participants began to riot while blocking the Route 16 tunnel and clashing with officers. So far, the police have arrested seven suspects.” Meanwhile, Israel Railways said conditions at stations had eased considerably, noting that “no crowding is observed at this hour,” following morning delays from road closures and a brief crash of its website that was subsequently repaired.

Figures released by Sheba, the company that oversees the national debit card payment system, suggested that the strike had only a limited influence on overall commerce. Between 8:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m., transactions processed through Sheba totaled 584.26 million shekels, down 5.1% from the 615.87 million shekels recorded during the same time frame last Sunday, August 10, 2025.

{Matzav.com}

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The Hirschman family is facing a moment of both great joy and overwhelming challenge. Their daughter’s wedding is fast approaching, yet the weight of years of severe medical hardship has left them emotionally and financially drained. 

The White House brushed off a report from NPR claiming that confidential U.S. documents about President Trump’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska were left sitting on a public printer at a hotel, dismissing the story as “hilarious.”

“It’s hilarious that NPR is publishing a multi-page lunch menu and calling it a ‘security breach,’” White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly said in a statement to NewsNation. “This type of self-proclaimed ‘investigative journalism’ is why no one takes them seriously and they are no longer taxpayer-funded thanks to President Trump.”

According to NPR, the packet consisted of eight pages containing details of the summit, including schedules, locations, and even the phone numbers of three U.S. staff members. The materials were reportedly discovered on a printer at the hotel before Trump and Putin met Friday at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson outside Anchorage.

The front page laid out Friday’s meeting schedule, noting that Trump was expected to present Putin with a gift. Four of the pages identified top American and Russian participants present in Alaska, while one page listed contact information for three U.S. advance officials. Two more pages contained the planned seating chart and menu for a working lunch.

Although that meal never actually occurred, the documents revealed it had been designed as a three-course affair featuring a starter salad, followed by either filet mignon or halibut olympia. NPR reported these details after obtaining the paperwork.

The documents bore the imprint of the Office of the Chief of Protocol, a division of the State Department that describes its role as to “advance the foreign policy goals of the United States by creating an environment for successful diplomacy. Our team extends the first hand that welcomes presidents, prime ministers, ruling monarchs, and other leaders to our country.”

{Matzav.com}

A photo shared by Israel’s ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, Yossi Shelley, caused an uproar after he posted a picture of himself donning tefillin on Friday. The ambassador later removed the post following sharp criticism from Israeli security officials who said the photo constituted a serious breach of security protocol.

In the image, Shelley was seen wrapped in a white tallis and wearing tefillin. He had written: “Today in Abu Dhabi, I have the privilege of praying for the safe return of all the hostages, for the well-being of our brave soldiers, and for peace and security across the entire region.”

Security experts, however, immediately raised alarms, warning that the background details of the picture could potentially expose the exact location of the Israeli embassy in Abu Dhabi. Such information, they noted, could place the mission at risk, especially amid growing threats from Iranian-backed terror groups, including the possibility of drone attacks.

Kan 11 reported that Israeli security sources called the ambassador’s actions a “serious violation” of security procedures. The report added that officials in the United Arab Emirates themselves were angered by the posting of the photo.

In response to demands from Israel’s security establishment, Shelley quickly deleted the picture from his account.

{Matzav.com Israel}

The controversy over National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir’s visit to the prison cell of terrorist Marwan Barghouti continues to generate heated reactions in Israel and abroad. Responding to the backlash, Ben Gvir doubled down last night, declaring: “The days of leisure in Israeli prisons are over. There is a master of the house, and he’s no pushover.”

Ben Gvir’s remarks came after strong criticism from Arab media outlets, Palestinian officials, and even members of the Knesset. In his statement, the minister lashed out at his opponents, saying: “I hear the left’s whining — ‘this angers Hamas’ — about pictures of Barghouti, the vile murderer they want as the next ‘Palestinian’ leader. I want to remind them: for years you sold us illusions, that if we just appeased Hamas, avoided upsetting them, gave them money, workers, and free passage of goods, they would somehow turn sweet and harmless, and the world would love us. Those days are over. In the Middle East, deterrence is what brings results, not fantasies.”

Reports in Haaretz quoted Barghouti’s relatives as saying they were “shocked at the change in Marwan’s appearance, his exhaustion, and the hunger he is enduring.” According to Ynet, family members expressed fear “that Marwan will be executed inside his cell on Ben Gvir’s orders.” Barghouti’s son Qassam claimed: “There is a direct threat from Ben Gvir on my father’s life. We fear for him. He has been assaulted by prison guards several times since October 7.”

The Palestinian Prisoners’ Authority condemned the visit as a “direct threat” to Barghouti’s safety. The Palestinian Foreign Ministry described it as “a dangerous escalation and a blatant violation of international conventions,” urging urgent international intervention. PLO Executive Committee Deputy Chairman Hussein al-Sheikh wrote on X: “Ben Gvir’s threat to leader Marwan Barghouti in his cell is the peak of psychological, moral, and physical terror against the prisoners, and a severe violation of humanitarian and international conventions. This represents an unprecedented deterioration in the occupation’s policies toward Palestinian prisoners, which requires immediate intervention from international institutions to protect them.”

Inside the Knesset, Arab lawmakers joined the chorus of condemnation. MK Ayman Odeh wrote: “Every time I see the vile behavior of the fascists, I see both weakness and stupidity. They are weak and stupid, very weak and even more stupid.” He continued: “When the world watches this footage, they will see another face of the ugliness of the occupation: Itamar Ben Gvir as a terrorist in a tie, tormenting Marwan Barghouti in solitary confinement under even harsher conditions.”

Odeh added: “But one fact is certain: evil, by nature, is weak against a people fighting for its freedom. The Palestinian people will defeat the occupation and every one of the Ben Gvirs.”

His party colleague, MK Ofer Cassif, went further, predicting a reversal of roles: “The day is not far off when the pathetic, hollow Kahanist will be behind bars, and Barghouti will be leading the independent Palestinian state. Very soon.”

{Matzav.com Israel}

Recordings broadcast by Israel’s Channel 12 revealed former Military Intelligence Directorate head Aharon Haliva insisting that the catastrophic failures of October 7 require nothing less than a sweeping reorganization of Israel’s defense system.

The tapes captured Haliva making controversial remarks about the large number of Palestinian deaths, chastising new cabinet members for their lack of experience, and reviewing discussions about prewar efforts to eliminate senior Hamas figures Yahya Sinwar and Muhammad Deif.

Reflecting on the broader conflict, Haliva said, “We are the best army in the world, we are the best country in the world,” as he spoke about the fighting across multiple arenas and Israel’s overall state.

Responding to accusations that the “beepers” system was his creation, Haliva dismissed the charge, saying, “Nothing is because of me. It is not about me, it is not even about people. It is something much deeper, over many years.” During the war, the term “beepers” became a nickname for the urgent paging alerts that summoned personnel and units.

Haliva, who previously commanded the IDF’s Military Intelligence Directorate (AMAN), said the Hamas assault of October 7 “demands a much deeper correction. It is not a matter of changing one person. Can we replace the chief of staff and everything will be fine? I oppose the view that this was an accident. What happened requires dismantling and reassembly.”

Addressing one of the central intelligence shortcomings, Haliva admitted, “One of the hardest problems before October 7 was the belief that intelligence was omnipotent. It is not just arrogance, it is deeper.”

He added, “When I was asked at 50th anniversary events for the Yom Kippur War whether this could happen again, I said yes. I know what happened at Pearl Harbor, I know what happened on 9/11, and I know what happened in 1973. I am telling you today, it can happen again.”

According to him, his objective in the aftermath of the war was to ensure that such disasters would occur “once every fifty years to once every hundred years.”

Haliva pushed back against arguments that warnings on the night of October 6 should have triggered full-scale mobilization, saying the entrenched belief that intelligence would always provide clear alerts made it unrealistic to react to every signal. “Keeping 300,000 reservists on duty every day” was not feasible, he explained, describing intelligence gathering as “a crazy puzzle” with constant, disconnected pieces. Reservists, he stressed, are Israel’s backbone, and their mass call-up comes at enormous social and economic cost—one that is justified only when an attack is considered imminent.

The recordings also indicated that prior to October 7, the Shin Bet had already been working with his directorate on plans to eliminate Hamas’s top leaders.

“I was told, on the last slide of my visit, that after the holidays we were opening a joint reorganization with Shin Bet to collect intelligence on Deif and Sinwar in order to kill them, because every time we prepared a plan they moved, and you have to re-collect on them,” Haliva said, naming Muhammad Deif, the Qassam Brigades’ longtime military chief, and Yahya Sinwar, Hamas’s head in Gaza.

Perhaps the most inflammatory remarks came when Haliva stated, “The fact that there are already 50,000 dead in Gaza is necessary and required for future generations. For everything that happened on October 7, for every person on October 7, 50 Palestinians need to die. It does not matter now if they are children. I am not speaking from revenge. I am speaking to future generations. They need a Nakba from time to time to feel the price. There is no choice in this crazy neighborhood.” The Arabic word Nakba, meaning “catastrophe,” is the Palestinian term for the 1948 war and the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians.

Haliva also described the hours immediately before the attack. He said that overnight, his aide contacted him once about “an unusual development” being handled by Southern Command and its operations officer, and assured him he would be woken again if necessary. “There are Shin Bet documents from that night that say, ‘In our assessment, the quiet will be maintained.’ Everything is documented,” Haliva said, while arguing that the real issue was the larger strategic concept, not one missed signal.

He portrayed IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Herzi Halevi as hyper-cautious, saying, “not a negligent person, he is paranoid, God help us.” Haliva explained that calling an 8:30 a.m. assessment on October 7 reflected that “everyone feeding him intelligence gave him the sense there was an unusual development, not something immediate.”

Haliva lashed out at some of the less experienced figures in Israel’s current cabinet. He criticized National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, remarking, “What do you expect such a person to do? Learn. This is a serious profession. Start learning intelligence, operational plans, capabilities, munitions, and other relevant topics. Smotrich did not know what ‘Nukhba’ was,” he said, referencing Hamas’s elite fighters. “Today, they explained they did not know there was starvation of hostages. How much intelligence do they read? How many briefings do they receive? How many deep security discussions on Gaza did they hold? Check.”

When asked whether Israel’s policy rested on his own claim that Hamas had been deterred, Haliva rejected the suggestion. “This prime minister is very attentive, the most attentive person in the world. He listens, he reads. You can also say he is very timid, so he would be alarmed by other things. He does not rush to wars; he does not rush to strike. He had doubts. All of that is fine. But in the end, in the test of results, everything failed.” While he did not explicitly name Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the leaked excerpts, Israeli media linked the remarks to him.

The recordings sparked fury among bereaved families. Sheli Mashal-Yogev, whose daughter Libi Cohen-Meguri was killed at the Nova music festival near Re’im on October 7, voiced outrage in an interview with Kan News.

“Since when did taking responsibility become a fig leaf? What is taking responsibility? Take blame,” she said. “He showed not a drop of anguish. We are the ones in anguish.” Mashal-Yogev said she replayed the report twice and could not sleep: “He says the Shin Bet failed, the government failed, the army failed. Where are you? Thousands were murdered. Libi is buried, and I am tormented. He says, ‘I took responsibility,’ and goes out with a fat pension?”

She continued, “Do not claim responsibility and a minute later fly abroad. Sit humbled in my living room and explain yourself,” adding, “The word ‘responsibility’ does not absolve you. You are guilty that my Libi is buried. Take the blame upon yourself. You say ‘the IDF erred in a years-long concept.’ You are the concept.” She emphasized that accountability extends beyond Haliva alone: “We are not absolving the government, the Shin Bet, the police, or the chief of staff. They are all guilty. No one has moved.”

{Matzav.com}

Israel’s Health Ministry reported the country’s second death of a young child from measles. The victim, a one-and-a-half-year-old boy, fell ill at home for several days before being brought to the emergency department of a hospital in Yerushalayim. He had not been immunized with the measles vaccine, which is part of the standard childhood vaccination plan.

Medical personnel attempted to resuscitate him, performing CPR during the ambulance transfer and continuing efforts once he arrived at the hospital. Despite their attempts, the boy could not be saved and his passing was confirmed.

Officials explained that this comes just days after another toddler, also unvaccinated, succumbed to complications of the virus. That child had been dependent on an ECMO machine for weeks before ultimately dying earlier this week.

Since measles began spreading in Israel around April, health authorities say that by Thursday, August 14, 2025, there have been 526 confirmed cases, of which 209 remain active. Yet, the ratio of hospitalizations and fatalities compared to total reported infections suggests that the actual scale of the outbreak is larger than official numbers indicate. Typically, in developed countries, about nine people per 1,000 measles cases require hospitalization, and one per 1,000 dies.

The greatest concentration of patients is in Yerushalayim and Beit Shemesh, with most severe cases involving children who have not received vaccinations.

As of Thursday, 19 children under six years old remain hospitalized, two of them in intensive care. One of those is still attached to an ECMO machine. On Wednesday, doctors were unable to save another unvaccinated two-year-old, who died after battling the disease.

Measles, a highly infectious virus, generally begins with fever, exhaustion, runny nose, and rash, but it can quickly escalate into dangerous and sometimes fatal complications.

The Health Ministry’s regular vaccination program calls for two shots—one administered at the age of one and the second given in first grade. Because of the outbreak, the ministry has instructed clinics in high-risk regions to move up the timing of the second dose. Additionally, in outbreak centers such as Yerushalayim, Beit Shemesh, and Bnei Brak, an extra early dose is being recommended for babies between six and twelve months old.

The Ministry appealed to the public, stating: “If you feel unwell, avoid attending crowded events. In case of need, coordinate your arrival at a clinic or emergency room and inform the medical staff. Vaccination saves lives.”

Parents can book appointments for the measles vaccine through the Health Ministry’s *5400 hotline or by contacting their local health fund.

{Matzav.com}

Mahmoud Khalil, the well-known agitator with a long record of anti-Israel activity, surfaced once again in New York City this past Shabbos. Speaking outside the New York Public Library during a major demonstration, he quoted an Al Jazeera reporter who was also tied to Hamas and addressed the crowd gathered for the anti-Israel event.

Several thousand demonstrators filled the area, raising placards that carried messages such as “Stop starving Gaza,” “Stop killing journalists,” and “Defeat imperialist/Zionist genocidal war-makers.”

Khalil, age 30, positioned himself prominently on the steps of the library and delivered remarks lasting about seven minutes. His speech revolved around Anas al-Sharif, who was killed last week by an Israeli strike in Gaza. Israeli officials have stated that al-Sharif led a Hamas terror cell, a claim rejected both by him during his life and by Al Jazeera.

In his address, Khalil referred to what he described as al-Sharif’s final statement and proclaimed to the roughly 2,000 people present—among them at least one participant wearing the green headband of Hamas’ Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades—“The time is now, the bridges towards liberation start with us.”

Following the speeches, the activists left the library and marched uptown toward Columbus Circle, chanting their slogans as they moved through the heart of Manhattan.

Khalil, who once studied at Columbia University and gained attention there for organizing anti-Israel protests, has a history of attracting controversy. Earlier this year, in March, he was taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on claims that he posed a national security risk. He was freed in late June when a judge decided that his detention had violated constitutional protections.

The activist has also been harshly criticized for his public comments defending the atrocities of October 7, 2023, the attack that triggered the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas. In an interview with the New York Times on August 6, he characterized the massacre as a “desperate attempt” by Hamas to “just break the cycle” of Palestinian suffering. He would not call it a “mistake,” though he conceded that “targeting civilians is wrong.”

Not long after his release, Khalil resurfaced at another protest in June. Video circulated on social media captured him among the crowd, which shouted chants such as “Palestine will live forever” and “from the river to the sea.”

{Matzav.com}

The uproar over the arrests of yeshiva bochurim who failed to report to draft offices continues, with sharp criticism voiced by a leading Sephardic Torah figure. On Motzoei Shabbos, Rav Yehuda Cohen, a member of the Moetzet Chachmei HaTorah of Sas, spoke during a shiur at the Yazdim Shul and charged that every arrested bochur so far has been of Sephardic background.

“On Friday night they arrested another bochur from Be’er Yehuda,” Rav Cohen said. “Listen carefully—every single one of those arrested are Sephardim! Only Sephardim! Let those who vote for ‘these’ parties know just how much they love Sephardim. They don’t dare arrest Ashkenazim, only Sephardim. I said already two years ago—they are Ashkenazim, they will never be touched, only Sephardim. They think we are nothing, completely nothing.”

As reported earlier here on Matzav, hours before Shabbos, a yeshiva student of Sephardic origin from Yeshivas Be’er Yehuda in Yerushalayim was detained by traffic police and handed over to military police custody.

A review by Matzav.com has found that every single arrest to date has involved Sephardic yeshiva students or baalei teshuvah studying in chozrim b’teshuvah yeshivos. Even attempted arrests that failed targeted students from the same groups.

A senior figure close to the Shas leadership said: “This is a deliberate move by the IDF. They are afraid to confront the Litvish or the Chassidim, fearing it will spark massive upheaval. So they go after the ‘weaker’ ones—our Sephardic yeshiva students and the baalei teshuvah. It’s a disgrace that must be addressed.”

The source added: “We are of course opposed to the arrest of any yeshiva student whatsoever. Anyone sitting and learning Torah must be left in peace to continue his studies—that is the mission of our representatives, to ensure this right. But it is intolerable that enforcement is aimed exclusively at our community. That cannot be excused.”

The IDF, however, rejected those claims, stating that the arrests are random and not specifically targeting Sephardim or baalei teshuvah. According to them, the enforcement operations take place in non-chareidi areas, “so naturally in mixed neighborhoods there are more Sephardim and baalei teshuvah.”

An IDF spokesperson stated: “The Military Police Corps carries out enforcement actions against draft evaders and deserters in accordance with the law. There has been no change in policy.”

Meanwhile, protests continued Motzoei Shabbos outside Military Prison 10, with large crowds from various Chassidic communities demonstrating. At present, seven bochurim and avreichim are being held there.

{Matzav.com Israel}

European leaders have been asked to participate in upcoming discussions between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and President Donald Trump in Washington on Monday, according to a source who spoke with Reuters.

The individual noted that it was still uncertain exactly which heads of state would take part.

Zelenskyy had earlier announced that he would meet with Trump in Washington after the U.S.-Russia summit failed to produce an agreement to end the war in Ukraine, now dragging into its fourth year.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated today that the U.S. has signaled its willingness to help provide security assurances for Ukraine.

“And the good news is that America is ready to participate in such security guarantees and is not leaving it to the Europeans alone,” Merz said in an interview with German broadcaster ZDF, after he and other European leaders were debriefed by Trump on his talks with Vladimir Putin.

Shortly after meeting with Putin, Trump declared that only a comprehensive peace deal—not a temporary truce—could bring the war to an end. His position reflected Putin’s stance that Russia rejects a ceasefire and instead seeks a broader settlement that takes Moscow’s priorities into account.

Following calls with Zelenskyy and European officials, Trump wrote on Truth Social:
“A great and very successful day in Alaska! The meeting with President Vladimir Putin of Russia went very well, as did a late night phone call with President Zelenskyy of Ukraine, and various European Leaders, including the highly respected Secretary General of NATO. It was determined by all that the best way to end the horrific war between Russia and Ukraine is to go directly to a Peace Agreement, which would end the war, and not a mere Ceasefire Agreement, which often times do not hold up. President Zelenskyy will be coming to D.C., the Oval Office, on Monday afternoon. If all works out, we will then schedule a meeting with President Putin. Potentially, millions of people’s lives will be saved. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”

Those remarks mirrored comments from Putin that Russia wants a long-term settlement rather than a short-term pause in fighting.

Until now, Trump and Kyiv’s European allies had been pushing for a ceasefire to pave the way for negotiations.

Zelenskyy, excluded from the Alaska gathering, said he and Trump had a “long and substantive” discussion early today. He expressed gratitude for the invitation to Washington, where he said they would “discuss all of the details regarding ending the killing and the war.”

This will mark Zelenskyy’s first visit to the United States since Trump sharply criticized him as “disrespectful” during a February 28 Oval Office meeting.

Trump, who also spoke again today with European leaders, confirmed that Zelenskyy would come to the White House on Monday, adding that “if all works out, we will then schedule a meeting with President Putin.”

On Friday, Trump hosted Putin in the U.S. for the first time in ten years and since the full-scale assault on Ukraine began. Despite the symbolism, Trump provided few specifics on what had been discussed.

Ahead of the talks, Trump had warned there would be “very severe consequences” for Russia if Putin refused to bring the conflict to an end.

Zelenskyy underscored that European participation is vital.

“It is important that Europeans are involved at every stage to ensure reliable security guarantees together with America,” he said. “We also discussed positive signals from the American side regarding participation in guaranteeing Ukraine’s security.”

Though he did not elaborate, Zelenskyy has previously mentioned that a plan to deploy foreign troops in Ukraine stalled because it lacked American backing.

He said his conversations with Trump—first one-on-one and later with European leaders—lasted more than 90 minutes.

During remarks in Alaska, Trump stressed that “there’s no deal until there’s a deal,” after Putin claimed progress had been made and warned European countries not to “torpedo the nascent progress.”

In a Fox News interview before leaving Alaska, Trump suggested the responsibility now lies heavily with Zelenskyy “to get it done,” though he acknowledged Europe would also need to play a role.

After Trump’s calls, European leaders issued a joint statement committing to work toward “a trilateral summit with European support.”

The message, signed by French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, and the European Union’s top officials, declared that “Ukraine must have ironclad security guarantees” and welcomed Washington’s willingness to help provide them.

“It will be up to Ukraine to make decisions on its territory,” the statement read. “International borders must not be changed by force.” Notably, it omitted any reference to a ceasefire, which they had previously sought.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas pointed out that “the harsh reality is that Russia has no intention of ending this war anytime soon,” citing Moscow’s new strikes on Ukraine even as talks were taking place.

“Putin continues to drag out negotiations and hopes he gets away with it. He left Anchorage without making any commitments to end the killing,” she said.

Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala added that the summit showed “while the U.S. and its allies are looking for ways to peace, Putin is still only interested in making the greatest possible territorial gains and restoring the Soviet empire.”

The fighting between Russian and Ukrainian forces continues along a 1,000-kilometer front line. Since the spring, Russia has made its most significant territorial advances since the earliest days of the war.

“Vladimir Putin came to the Alaska summit with the principal goal of stalling any pressure on Russia to end the war,” said Neil Melvin, director of international security at the London-based Royal United Services Institute. “He will consider the summit outcome as mission accomplished.”

Zelenskyy signaled his support for Trump’s idea of a trilateral summit. He remarked that “key issues can be discussed at the level of leaders, and a trilateral format is suitable for this.”

However, Putin’s adviser Yuri Ushakov told Russian state TV that such a three-way meeting had not been brought up in U.S.-Russia discussions. “The topic has not been touched upon yet,” he said, according to RIA Novosti.

Posting on X, Zelenskyy said he urged Trump that “sanctions should be strengthened if there is no trilateral meeting or if Russia tries to evade an honest end to the war.”

Russian officials largely welcomed Friday’s meeting, describing it as a symbolic signal that Putin’s isolation from the West is diminishing.

Dmitry Medvedev, deputy head of Russia’s Security Council, hailed the talks as an important step forward in U.S.-Russia dialogue, saying they were “calm, without ultimatums and threats.”

Meanwhile, Ukrainian officials reported that overnight Russian forces launched a ballistic missile and 85 Shahed drones, 61 of which were intercepted. Attacks targeted Sumy, Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, and Chernihiv.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said its defenses had downed 29 Ukrainian drones over Russian territory and the Sea of Azov during the same period.

{Matzav.com}

Melania Trump has written a direct appeal to Russian President Vladimir Putin, addressing the suffering of children caught in the conflict in Ukraine.

“Every child shares the same quiet dreams in their heart, whether born randomly into a nation’s rustic countryside or a magnificent city-center. They dream of love, possibility, and safety from danger,” she wrote in her message, dated August 15.

The first lady emphasized that “as parents, it is our duty to nurture the next generation’s hope. As leaders, the responsibility to sustain our children extends beyond the comfort of a few. Undeniably, we must strive to paint a dignity-filled world for all – so that every soul may wake to peace, and so that the future itself is perfectly guarded.”

According to a White House official speaking to NewsNation, President Trump personally handed the letter to Putin prior to their highly anticipated meeting in Alaska. The summit, lasting nearly three hours, took place at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson near Anchorage, though Melania Trump was not in attendance.

Since the invasion began in February 2022, Russia has been accused of seizing thousands of Ukrainian children, moving them into Russia, assigning them citizenship, and integrating them into Russian schools.

The United Nations criticized Moscow in March for the severe hardship inflicted on Ukrainian minors during the prolonged war. Russian authorities, however, have insisted they are relocating children to shield them from violence.

“A simple yet profound concept, Mr. Putin, as I am sure you agree, is that each generation’s descendants begin their lives with a purity – an innocence which stands above geography, government, and ideology,” Melania Trump declared.

She added, “Yet in today’s world, some children are forced to carry a quiet laughter, untouched by the darkness around them – a silent defiance against the forces that can potentially claim their future. Mr. Putin, you can singlehandedly restore their melodic laughter.”

Ukrainian officials report that more than 19,000 children have been transferred into Russia, though they caution the true figure is likely even higher.

In her letter, Melania Trump stressed that by “protecting the innocence of these children, you will do more than serve Russia alone—you serve humanity itself. Such a bold idea transcends all human division, and you, Mr. Putin, are fit to implement this vision with a stroke of the pen today.” She concluded pointedly: “It is time.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, speaking to reporters on Tuesday before the Trump-Putin summit, criticized Russia for blocking negotiations over the return of these children.

Zelensky said that while limited returns have been arranged with help from other countries, Ukraine has not been able to reach a broader deal with Moscow.

“That is why we wanted to get certain matters settled in this trilateral track: ceasefire, an all-for-all exchange, and the return of children,” Zelensky explained. “This is something everyone benefits from: President Trump benefits, the Russians lose nothing, the Ukrainians lose nothing. It’s a fair compromise.”

{Matzav.com}

President Trump shifted course midway through his private summit with Vladimir Putin on Friday, telling aides he no longer wanted to pursue a temporary truce in Ukraine but was instead aiming for a full-scale peace settlement, according to the New York Post. The reversal came about two hours into what turned into a three-hour conversation between the two leaders.

Trump concluded that too few issues remained unresolved to justify a stopgap arrangement, and he argued that halting hostilities temporarily would only extend the conflict rather than end it.

“Figuratively, the president sort of threw up his hands and said, ‘I’m not interested in a cease-fire anymore,’” said one individual briefed on the talks.

Trump emphasized his concern that a truce would center around “how long the cease fire will be” and “are they going to rearm?”

The Russians did not resist the change in tone, and Trump left Anchorage without securing a pause in fighting. Instead, he began placing calls to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders to explore the possibility of brokering an actual peace agreement.

According to the source, the outreach was received positively, and Trump quickly posted on social media that Zelensky would travel to the White House on Monday for direct discussions.

During the meeting, Putin demanded that Ukraine surrender the remaining section of the resource-rich Donetsk region, a heavily Russian-speaking area that first erupted in rebellion with Moscow’s backing in 2014.

Russia formally declared the entire region annexed in 2022.

Zelensky has firmly rejected the idea of ceding the northern part of Donetsk, saying that giving up those entrenched defensive positions would dismantle over a decade of Ukrainian fortifications and give Putin a platform to expand his offensives deeper into the country.

One possible compromise broached during the Alaska summit involved sending in an international peacekeeping force. Putin showed openness to UK and French troops patrolling the front lines to ensure fighting did not resume.

Two people familiar with the negotiations told the Post that Trump agreed in principle to that plan, viewing NATO’s involvement as a substitute for a direct American “security guarantee” to Ukraine. Previously, Trump had suggested that a minerals partnership between the U.S. and Ukraine could provide Kyiv with a similar form of protection.

At one point, Putin floated an expanded peacekeeping formula that would have included China, but he later leaned toward involving Turkey — a NATO member that maintains ties with Moscow — as a supplemental contributor alongside the more pro-Ukraine European nations.

European capitals appeared somewhat reassured when Putin told Trump he was “willing to stipulate” that Russia would not target other eastern European states. Still, a source cautioned that “Europeans think in centuries” and would remain wary beyond the lifespan of any U.S. presidency.

“The president got Putin to say out loud and agree to, in some way, memorialize that. … He said, ‘I will not attack a European country. … I have no interest in this,’ and that has always been the fear on the part of the Europeans,” the source explained.

“That went a long way in the calls last night with the Europeans.”

In an unusual move, Trump canceled a scheduled press conference and instead boarded Air Force One earlier than expected to return to Washington, continuing conversations with Zelensky and several European leaders while airborne.

During calls on Friday night and Saturday morning, Trump reinforced his view that a comprehensive peace deal could be achieved. Those conversations ultimately set the stage for his announcement that Zelensky would be in Washington on Monday.

Zelensky, however, has maintained that he cannot surrender territory without first holding a referendum in Ukraine, complicating prospects for any settlement if concessions over Donetsk are considered in exchange for international peacekeepers.

“Every issue is an ancillary issue, except Donetsk,” a source involved with the discussions remarked. “That’s the ball game right there, the future of Donetsk.”

Russia had already seized Crimea in 2014 and continues to exert partial control over three other Ukrainian provinces in addition to Donetsk, all of which Moscow claimed to annex.

The Anchorage gathering also featured choreographed displays of U.S. military power. Trump personally guided Putin along a red carpet as B-2 stealth bombers and fighter jets flew overhead, seemingly catching the Russian leader off guard.

Trump then invited Putin to ride with him in the presidential limousine, known as the Beast, for a short trip to the meeting site. Along the way, they passed another B-2 bomber on the runway, an unmistakable reminder of Trump’s June 13 strike on Iran carried out by the same aircraft type after Tehran rejected a U.S. deal.

“The last thing [Putin] saw when he went in that room was a B-2 close up and personal,” one source observed.

Inside, Trump was joined by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, long known for his tough stance on Russia, and Steve Witkoff, the special envoy who had prior experience negotiating with Putin. Their presence added layers of strategy, but the talks remained firmly dominated by Trump and Putin themselves.

Looking ahead, Trump has floated the idea of convening a three-way summit that would bring himself, Putin, and Zelensky together. The White House is currently being considered as the primary location for such a meeting.

{Matzav.com}