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It is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the petirah of Rav Tzvi Lercher zt”l.

Rav Lercher was known for his lifelong attachment to Torah learning and for the deep impression left upon him by his years studying under Rav Moshe Feinstein zt”l. Those who knew him describe a steady presence whose life reflected dedication to Torah and avodas Hashem and commitment to his family.

He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Miriam Lercher; his sons, Rav Shmuel Yosef Lercher, Reb Yaakov Lercher, and Reb Mordechai Lercher; and his daughters, Mrs. Chaykie Adler, Mrs. Peppy Klugman, and Mrs. Etty Kotler; and grandchildren.

The levayah will take place on Sunday morning at Shomer Hadas Chapels in Boro Park at 9:15 a.m.

Yehi zichro baruch.

{Matzav.com}

Retired Brig. Gen. Gal Hirsch, who until recently served as Israel’s coordinator for captives and missing persons, delivered disturbing testimony in a television interview, saying he endured severe verbal abuse and repeated death threats during his tenure — including threats he attributed to Einav Zangauker, the mother of hostage Matan Zangauker.

Speaking on Channel 14’s program The Patriots, Hirsch described what he called shocking conduct toward him while carrying out his duties, saying the atmosphere crossed lines that cannot be ignored indefinitely.

“I understood the pain of the hostage families — it was completely justified, and I absorbed everything,” Hirsch said. “But that immunity cannot remain forever.”

Hirsch stated that he received multiple death threats, including from Zangauker, and stressed that it was not an isolated incident. “I received death threats from Einav Zangauker as well, and it didn’t happen just once,” he said. According to Hirsch, she also physically assaulted a female IDF officer in his office, though the officer chose, “out of her own nobility,” not to file a complaint.

The former coordinator also alleged that Zangauker asked him not to make public her requests for personal meetings with the prime minister. “After that, she took things outside, including recordings,” Hirsch said. “It shocks me how meetings between hostage families and the prime minister were recorded constantly.”

Hirsch emphasized that while his empathy for the families remains unchanged, boundaries must exist. “I want to make it clear that my heart is always with the hostage families — they went through something horrific — but there will no longer be immunity for those who say things that are out of place,” he said.

He further revealed that he filed a lawsuit last week against one individual who accused him of being a murderer, and said that another lawsuit would be filed in the coming days against a person who threatened him and his family. “I have another list, and it will be carried out,” Hirsch added.

{Matzav.com}

Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman cautioned during a closed-door briefing in Washington on Friday that failing to act on U.S. threats against Iran would leave Tehran more confident and politically strengthened, according to people familiar with the discussion.

In remarks cited by Axios, Prince Khalid, the brother of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, told think tank analysts and representatives of Jewish organizations, “At this point, if this doesn’t happen, it will only embolden the regime.”

The warning comes as tensions between Washington and Tehran continue to escalate, with President Donald Trump publicly raising the possibility of military action to pressure Iran back into nuclear negotiations following recent American and Israeli operations targeting Iranian-linked sites. During the briefing, Prince Khalid underscored the importance of limiting the risk of wider regional escalation should any strike be carried out.

The message appeared to contrast with more conciliatory signals from Riyadh in recent days, including a call between Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, in which Saudi Arabia reportedly assured Iran that its airspace would not be used for attacks and emphasized the need for regional stability. The briefing was part of Prince Khalid’s broader visit to the United States, which included meetings at the Pentagon, the State Department, and the White House focused largely on Iran.

While no U.S. strike has yet taken place, the situation remains highly volatile following recent U.S. and Israeli actions against Iranian targets. Iran has threatened immediate retaliation in response to any direct attack, leaving the Trump administration weighing the risks of military action against the prospect of the “emboldened” Iran that Prince Khalid warned could emerge from continued inaction.

[COMMUNICATED]

Inspire 2.0

Taking the Next Step; Reaching the next Level

Project Inspire’s Convention all about “Turning Inspiration into Action”

What makes a Project Inspire convention unforgettable, a can’t miss event?

 What encourages attendees to register well in advance, with a filled-to-capacity crowd year after year? Why is it arguably the most ‘sold out’ event of the season?

Is it the stellar lineup of speakers, the ‘cream of the crop’ flown in from across the globe? The dazzling, impeccable melava malka program, where magical surprises and tear-jerking reunions are carefully choreographed, where stories of longing, of making a 180, bring us to laughter and tears? Is it the incredible ruach, the camaraderie, the depth of connection? Or is it simply the caliber of the crowd, who are not just looking for yet another weekend of canned sound bites?

Perhaps it is the so-called ‘regular people,’ who have transformed the lives of their brothers and sisters, with a smile, a kind word, a caring gesture.

Because being part of the Project Inspire is a badge of honor, a symbol of something greater than ourselves and our routines. It’s about igniting a revolution, turning inspiration into action, and action into a movement.

It’s the burning desire, deep within our souls, to reach out to our unaffiliated fellow Jews, to make a difference and stem the tide of apathy and disinterest. It’s the searing pain we feel when we realize that the level of assimilation has reached shocking levels.

Welcome to Project Inspire 2.0: Not just an ordinary convention. Where the crowd is handpicked, more connected, and more invested. Where ‘regular’ people who don’t consider themselves the kiruv ‘type’ are empowered to do amazing things.

This year, especially, with a trendy new venue at the Tarrytown House Estates in Westchester County, the program at Project Inspire is carefully curated– not just to entertain and inspire, but to spur lasting action.  

With an impressive lineup of Torah and kiruv personalities, including Rabbi Moshe Weinberger of Aish Kodesh; Rabbi Ephraim Eliyahu Schapiro; Rabbi Menachem Nissel; Rabbi Aaron Kotler; Rabbi Shlomo Farhi, and Charlie Hararay, and a unique women’s program, including Mrs. Dina Schoonmaker, Mrs. Debbie Greenblatt, and Rebetzin Estie Hamilton, the focus will be on ‘depth you can feel.’ Yehuda Green and Shulem Lemmer will add a melodious accompaniment to the tefillos and Shabbos meals.

 It’s not just another convention. It’s a launch pad for action, giving every attendee the tools, partnership, and direction they need to take things one step further.

This is your convention, your story, and our shared mission. Welcome to Project Inspire 2.0, where we laugh together, cry together, and be inspired together. More meaning. More connection. More impact.

Be a part of the movement, and be forever changed. Rooms are going fast. Don’t miss it!
Click here for more info

By John McLaughlin and Jim McLaughlin

Despite a barrage of hostile media coverage and relentless attacks from the left, President Donald Trump’s standing with voters remains remarkably steady — especially on the issue of border security.

Our latest national survey shows Trump’s job approval is unchanged from last month: 50% approve, including 36% who approve of both his persona and his policies, and another 14% who approve of his policies. Forty-seven percent disapprove. [Poll: 1,000 likely voters, plus or minus 3.1%, 95% confidence interval, conducted January 21–27]

The reason Trump’s approval remains firm is simple: His base is rock solid.

Among Trump 2024 voters, his approval stands at 89% to 9%. Among Republicans, it is 88% to 11%.

Among conservatives, 85% approve and just 14% disapprove.

That kind of loyalty is rare in modern American politics — and it is driven largely by Trump’s unwavering stance on immigration enforcement.

During a stretch of frigid, snowy weather, the biggest national political story became ICE operations in Minneapolis.

Watching the legacy left-wing media’s slanted coverage of these enforcement actions made one thing clear: The press is actively trying to help anti-Trump Democrats weaken the federal government’s ability to enforce immigration law.

If federal immigration enforcement is neutered, the result is de facto open borders.

Millions of illegal immigrants will continue to pour into the United States — whether they are criminals, terrorists, or individuals who will drain billions of dollars in public assistance from American taxpayers.

Our polling explains exactly why the left is losing this argument.

When voters were asked whether they favor or oppose “deporting known criminal and terrorist migrants who have entered the country illegally,” an overwhelming 87% support deportation, including 67% who strongly support it. Only 10% opposed.

Interestingly, Hispanic voters supported deportation by a strong 79% to 19% margin. These numbers are virtually unchanged from December, when support stood at 86% to 8%.

Despite nonstop messaging from the open-borders media, Democrats, and left-wing nonprofits, the American people have not budged: foreign criminals must go.

Support remains strong even when the question expands beyond criminals.

Asked whether they favor or oppose “deporting migrants who have entered the country illegally,” 62% of voters support deportation, including 39% who strongly support it. Thirty-two percent oppose.

Hispanic voters are divided — 46% support deportation, while 49% oppose. Again, these numbers show only modest movement from December (66% support, 27% oppose).

In short, the left has failed to change public opinion on the goal: Americans want illegal immigration stopped.

Where the left has made progress is not on the ends, but on the means — specifically, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

ICE is the federal law enforcement agency tasked with arresting and deporting illegal immigrants.

Without ICE, the United States reverts to the Biden-Harris open borders policy that allowed millions of illegal immigrants to enter the country unchecked.

ICE’s image has taken a hit. Its favorable rating now stands at 42%, with 50% unfavorable. Among Hispanic voters, ICE is viewed unfavorably by a 58% to 31% margin.

That polarization is reflected in attitudes toward abolishing the agency altogether.

When voters were asked whether they favor or oppose defunding and abolishing ICE, the electorate was split: 46% support, 48% oppose.

Republicans oppose abolition by a decisive 66% to 31%. Democrats favor it 65% to 30%. Independents lean against it, 47% to 41%. Hispanic voters support defunding ICE 56% to 40%.

Ironically, voters are less divided when it comes to punishing sanctuary cities.

Nearly half of voters (48%) support cutting off federal funding to sanctuary cities like New York, Los Angeles, and Minneapolis that refuse to cooperate with federal law enforcement in deporting criminal illegal aliens. Forty-two percent oppose.

Trump 2024 voters support defunding sanctuary cities by a commanding 75% to 17%. Harris 2024 voters oppose it 70% to 20%. Hispanic voters are evenly split.

Voters are also rejecting radical state-level defiance of federal immigration law.

A majority (51%) oppose Minnesota Democrat Gov. Tim Walz’s effort to turn his state into an open-borders sanctuary that shields criminal illegal immigrants from deportation. Only 36% support Walz’s position.

Perhaps most striking, voters strongly back decisive action against the international drug trade.

A solid 58% approve of President Trump using the U.S. military to stop the flow of deadly drugs like fentanyl from Venezuela, including capturing Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who was indicted in 2020 for drug trafficking.

Only 36% oppose. Majorities of Hispanics (52%), independents (54%), and moderates (53%) all support Trump’s approach.

The conclusion is clear.

Deporting criminal illegal immigrants remains overwhelmingly popular. Deporting illegal immigrants more broadly is also supported by a majority of Americans. What has become polarized is the mechanism — ICE — and the enforcement tools required to get the job done.

Republicans must refocus the debate on outcomes and expose Democratic opposition to ICE for what it truly is: a strategy to reopen the borders and invite millions more illegal immigrants into the country. President Trump understands this—and voters are standing firmly with him.

(c) Newsmax

President Donald Trump said today that alleged fraud in Minnesota far surpasses earlier estimates, writing on Truth Social that “the theft and fraud in Minnesota is far greater than the $19 billion originally projected.”

Trump’s remarks came as House Oversight Committee Chairman Rep. James Comer of Kentucky announced that Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison will testify under oath on March 4 as part of a congressional probe.

The upcoming testimony is tied to a federal investigation examining alleged fraud and misuse of funds within Minnesota-administered social services programs.

In his Truth Social post, Trump sharply criticized Minnesota officials and Rep. Ilhan Omar, writing:

“The Biden Administration knew this FRAUD was happening, and did absolutely nothing about it.
“Scammer” Illhan Omar and her absolutely terrible friends from Somalia should all be in jail right now or, far worse, send them back to Somalia.
“Governor” Waltz is either the most CORRUPT government official in history, or the most INCOMPETENT.
“Even a very low IQ person, of which there are many, should have known what was going on in Minnesota!!! President DJT.”

Comer said Friday that Walz and Ellison are scheduled to appear at a hearing titled “Oversight of Fraud and Misuse of Federal Funds in Minnesota: Part II,” set for Wednesday, March 4, 2026, at 10 a.m. Eastern Time.

In announcing the hearing, the committee said its investigation began in December 2025 after federal prosecutors outlined what lawmakers described as widespread fraud and money laundering within the state’s social services framework.

At the outset of the inquiry, committee officials said criminal networks “have stolen an estimated $9 billion” in taxpayer dollars intended for programs such as child nutrition assistance, services for children with autism, housing aid, and Medicaid.

Investigators and prosecutors have publicly cited varying figures when describing the scope of the suspected losses.

No court has yet established a final statewide total.

In December, a federal prosecutor said that half or more of approximately $18 billion in federal funding distributed to 14 Minnesota-run programs since 2018 may have been stolen.

The investigations trace back to the COVID-19 pandemic and include the Feeding Our Future case, which federal prosecutors have characterized as a large-scale scheme involving federal child nutrition funds.

Last month, 57 individuals linked to Feeding Our Future were convicted.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump on Friday publicly praised Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and border czar Tom Homan, portraying both as key figures in his administration’s border enforcement and public safety efforts while forcefully defending Noem amid intensifying criticism tied to federal law enforcement actions in Minnesota.

In a post on Truth Social late Friday, Trump accused political opponents of unfairly targeting Noem and framed the attacks as rooted in hostility toward her performance and position.

“The Radical Left Lunatics, Insurrectionists, Agitators, and Thugs, are going after Kristi Noem, the Secretary of Homeland Security, because she is a woman, and has done a really GREAT JOB!” Trump wrote.

Trump credited Noem with overseeing what he described as sweeping improvements in border security and crime reduction since the start of his second term a year ago, saying the administration had reversed conditions it inherited.

“The Border disaster that I inherited is fixed,” Trump wrote, asserting that “the violent criminals that were allowed into our Country through Sleepy Joe’s ‘sick’ Open Border Policy, are largely gone, or being strongly sought for purposes of removal.”

The president also made broad claims about nationwide crime trends, saying the U.S. murder rate had dropped to a historic low and pointing to improvements in major cities.

Trump said the murder rate “just reached the lowest level in history, 125 years,” adding that Washington, D.C., “is now one of the safest cities in America,” while noting that “numerous other once very dangerous cities” have also seen progress.

He urged Republicans to stand firm, accused Democrats of financial misconduct, and dismissed protests as a cover for wrongdoing.

“They should all be in jail,” Trump wrote, saying he was elected on “Strong Borders, and Law and Order.”

The posts come as Noem faces mounting criticism over her response to deadly shootings in Minnesota involving federal immigration officers, as well as scrutiny over her oversight of disaster relief funding through the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Officials and lawmakers from both parties have called on Noem to step down, with some raising the possibility of impeachment proceedings.

Following the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by Department of Homeland Security agents in Minneapolis last Saturday, Noem described him as a “domestic terrorist” and said he was “brandishing” a gun at the time of the encounter.

She made similar statements earlier this month after Renee Good was shot and killed by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer in Minneapolis.

Trump concluded his message about Noem by expressing gratitude and emphasizing the political implications of the moment.

“Thank you to Secretary Kristi Noem,” he wrote. “Remember, ELECTIONS HAVE CONSEQUENCES!!!”

In a separate Truth Social post, Trump also singled out Homan for praise, describing him as uniquely effective and commending his work on border enforcement.

“Border Czar (Plus!) Tom Homan is doing a FANTASTIC JOB. He is one of a kind. Thank you Tom!!! President DJT”

{Matzav.com}

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has signed a new executive order instructing the city’s police department to examine any claims of unlawful conduct by federal immigration agents and to refer those agents for possible prosecution when warranted, his office announced today.

Johnson revealed the move in a post on X, saying he had enacted what he called the “ICE On Notice” executive order, which he said is designed to “laying the groundwork to investigate and prosecute ICE agents if they break the law in Chicago.”

“There is no such thing as absolute immunity in America,” Johnson wrote. “Chicago will not stand by as ICE terrorizes our communities.”

Under the order, Chicago police officers are directed to retain body-worn camera footage from encounters involving federal immigration agents and to identify the supervising federal official present at the scene. Officers are also instructed to file reports documenting any alleged violations of state or local law committed by federal personnel.

The move represents a sharper stance by City Hall toward Immigration and Customs Enforcement and fits within Chicago’s long-standing position as a sanctuary city, where cooperation with federal immigration enforcement is restricted.

Johnson’s language indicates that the order is intended not just as a procedural directive, but also as a signal to immigrant communities that the city plans to push back against what he characterizes as fear-based enforcement tactics.

By asserting that there is no such thing as “absolute immunity,” the mayor appeared to challenge the notion that federal officers are beyond accountability when operating within city limits.

His comments highlight a larger national dispute over the reach of federal immigration authorities and the extent to which local governments can contest enforcement actions they believe exceed legal limits.

The announcement comes amid intense national debate over immigration enforcement, as major cities increasingly take independent steps to influence how federal policy is carried out locally.

Johnson did not outline when the executive order would formally take effect or detail specific enforcement mechanisms, but his remarks suggest Chicago intends to more closely monitor ICE operations and pursue accountability if laws are broken.

“With today’s order, we are putting ICE on notice in our city. Chicago will not sit idly by while Trump floods federal agents into our communities and terrorizes our residents,” Johnson wrote in a statement.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Associated Press. As a general matter, federal officers are typically shielded from state prosecution for actions performed in the course of their official duties.

That immunity applies only when the actions in question are authorized under federal law and are deemed necessary and proper.

Across the country, prominent Democratic leaders at the state and local level have pushed back against the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement policies, particularly following the deaths of two U.S. citizens who were killed by federal agents in Minneapolis.

In Minnesota, state officials filed a lawsuit challenging the deployment of additional immigration officers, but a federal judge today declined to issue a preliminary injunction that would have halted the operation.

In New York, Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul on Friday proposed legislation that would prohibit local law enforcement agencies from being deputized by ICE to participate in immigration enforcement activities.

{Matzav.com}

NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani said Friday that his administration will continue to compel homeless New Yorkers to leave the streets only “as a last resort,” even as City Hall disclosed that 13 people have now died outdoors and dangerously cold temperatures are expected to intensify over the weekend.

The Democratic socialist reiterated that outreach teams will require people to enter shelters only when they are judged to be a danger to themselves or others, maintaining that position as forecasted wind chills were expected to plunge to a real-feel low of minus 1 degree from Saturday into Sunday.

When asked how city workers decide whether someone poses a risk to themselves, Mamdani said the determination depends on a range of considerations before forcing someone inside, including whether the individual appears adequately dressed for the cold.

“There are a number of specific criteria that is used in determining whether one is a danger to themselves or to others,” Mamdani told reporters while attending an unrelated event in Long Island City.

“I think we can find some of this criteria also in how an individual is clothed, whether they are deemed to actually be warm in those settings, as well as their behavior,” Hizzoner said.

“And for the New Yorkers who are deemed to be a threat to themselves or to others, there is a process of involuntary confinement which is a last resort,” he continued. “However, it has been utilized a number of times whenever city workers have come to that conclusion.”

Later Friday, the mayor’s office announced that the number of people who have died outdoors had increased by three since last Saturday, when the city was hit by prolonged subfreezing weather and Winter Storm Fern.

A City Hall spokesperson said the total now stands at 13 deaths, up from the 10 reported earlier in the week, covering the period from Saturday through Tuesday. Officials did not release further details about the three additional deaths, and the timing of those fatalities remained unclear.

City officials previously said that at least six of the initial 10 people who died outdoors had earlier contact with the city’s shelter system, and that seven of those deaths were believed to be linked to hypothermia.

The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner was still reviewing the cases to determine official causes of death for all 13 individuals, and their names had not yet been formally released.

One of the deceased was identified as Frederick Jones, 67, who had previously experienced homelessness and was discovered dead Saturday morning in Midtown, roughly a mile from his government-subsidized apartment building, according to a report.

Police responded twice to calls involving Jones — once Friday morning and again around 11:30 p.m. that night, before the coldest temperatures set in — but he declined assistance during the first encounter and did not meet the threshold for involuntary removal. During the second call, first responders were unable to locate him, Gothamist reported.

“I’m just in shock,” Shonell McKinley, Jones’ court-appointed guardian, told the outlet.

“He should not have been outside. He had a roof over his head.”

Another person who died was Michael Veronico, 44, who was found Saturday morning outside a building near Warren Street in Brooklyn and appeared to be homeless.

According to Gothamist, his family said he likely died alone in the extreme cold from a drug overdose after struggling with substance abuse for years.

Mamdani’s administration said Friday that the city has opened 18 “enhanced warming centers” and 20 standard warming centers and has significantly increased outreach efforts ahead of the weekend deep freeze.

Workers from the Department of Homeless Services are now putting in overtime and canvassing streets every two hours, rather than every four, in search of unsheltered individuals.

Since a “cold blue” emergency was declared on Jan. 19, City Hall said outreach teams have placed 825 people into “safe havens” and other shelter options and carried out 15 involuntary removals.

Despite those efforts, Mamdani’s restrained approach to moving people indoors has drawn criticism, including from former Mayor Eric Adams, who urged him to take more aggressive action.

“On 12/05/25, I begged then Mayor-elect Mamdani not to reverse our policy that kept homeless New Yorkers from freezing outdoors in makeshift encampments,” Adams wrote Thursday on X, referring to Mamdani’s decision to halt homeless encampment sweeps upon taking office.

Mamdani had also instructed police and sanitation workers to stop dismantling homeless encampments in the weeks leading up to the deadly cold spell, The Post reported Thursday.

Adams appeared to place responsibility for the deaths on his successor, calling for a return to the prior policy.

“Every day of delay risks more lives,” he said.

Queens Republican Councilwoman Joann Ariola also pressed Mamdani to take firmer steps to move people off the streets.

“If he wants to do better, the Mayor could start by actually enforcing the Code Blue so our most vulnerable stop freezing to death on our streets,” she said.

“Especially during Code Blue conditions, involuntary commitment has to be on the table to protect people who clearly lack the capacity to understand the danger of remaining on the streets in extreme weather,” said Queens Councilman Phil Wong, a Democrat.

“We’ve already seen 10 people die, and we are not seeing the urgency needed to use tools like involuntary commitment quickly enough to prevent further loss of life.”

Among those found dead Saturday morning was a homeless woman identified by law enforcement sources as 64-year-old Barbara Szuter in Brooklyn, authorities said.

That same morning, a 60-year-old man was discovered outside St. Barnabas Hospital in the Bronx. Staff rushed him inside for treatment, but he was later pronounced dead, police said.

Authorities also reported that one man in Manhattan and another in Queens were separately found outdoors Saturday morning and later died at local hospitals.

One of the victims, 52-year-old Nolberto Jimbo-Niola, was found seated on a bench in North Corona, Queens, on Sunday morning, just days after being discharged from Elmhurst Hospital, according to Gothamist, citing state Sen. Jessica Ramos and other officials.

Another fatality was 90-year-old Doreen Ellis, who lived in a Brooklyn apartment and was found dead Monday morning after wandering outside during the snowstorm the night before. Loved ones told Gothamist that she suffered from dementia.

A man whose age was not immediately available was also found dead Monday morning at a construction site in the Bronx.

The 10th death reported before the updated tally involved a 47-year-old man who apparently fell from a bench, struck his head, and was found dead Tuesday outside a Key Foods supermarket in Flushing, Queens, sources told The Post.

City data shows there were 29 cold-exposure deaths in 2023, based on the most recent figures that do not distinguish between people who were homeless and those who had shelter. From 2020 through 2023, the city averaged roughly 34 cold-exposure fatalities each year.

{Matzav.com}

A federal judge in Texas on Saturday ordered the release of a 5-year-old boy and his father who had been transferred to a detention facility amid President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement actions in Minnesota.

In a written ruling issued Saturday, U.S. District Judge Fred Biery sharply criticized the government’s handling of the case involving Liam Conejo Ramos and his father, Adrian Conejo Arias, writing that the two “seek nothing but the modicum of due process and the rule of law.”

“Observing human behavior confirms that for some among us, the perfidious lust for unbridled power and the imposition of cruelty in its quest know no bounds and are bereft of human decency,” Biery wrote. “And the rule of law be damned.”

Federal officers detained the father and son last week after Conejo Ramos returned home from preschool. An image of the child wearing a bright blue hat and carrying a Spider-Man backpack quickly spread online, sparking widespread anger as immigration enforcement activity in the state intensified.

Biery accused the government of disregarding constitutional protections and said the administration appeared to require what he described as a basic refresher in civics.

“Civics lesson to the government: Administrative warrants issued by the executive branch to itself do not pass probable cause muster,” Biery wrote. “That is called the fox guarding the henhouse. The Constitution requires an independent judicial officer.”

The judge appended the widely circulated photograph of the child to the ruling beneath his signature, along with two verses from the Bible.

{Matzav.com}

A partial shutdown of the federal government began at midnight after Congress failed to enact six remaining appropriations bills before the deadline, leaving multiple agencies without authorized funding.

The lapse occurred even though the Senate moved late Friday to approve a package covering five funding bills and to temporarily extend funding for the Department of Homeland Security for two weeks, the key point of contention in negotiations. That agreement, reached between Senate Democrats and the White House, still requires approval from the House, which is scheduled to return to Washington on Monday.

The dispute that led to the shutdown has centered largely on immigration enforcement policy under President Donald Trump. Following the longest government shutdown in U.S. history last fall, lawmakers have been working bill by bill to fund federal agencies through September 2026. Six of the twelve required spending measures have already cleared Congress and been signed into law. The remaining six became the focus of the current standoff.

In recent weeks, bipartisan talks appeared close to producing a resolution. Draft legislative text for the outstanding measures was released on January 20. Five of the bills were bundled together, while the legislation funding DHS was kept separate. House Democrats warned they would not back the broader package if DHS funding was included, arguing that it failed to impose sufficient limits on Immigration and Customs Enforcement following the fatal shooting of Renee Good by an ICE officer in Minneapolis.

When the House voted last week, the DHS measure passed with support from only seven Democrats, while the larger funding package advanced with strong bipartisan backing. Lawmakers then combined the measures and sent them to the Senate in an effort to speed passage.

That strategy unraveled after the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis last weekend. Senate Democrats sharply opposed approving DHS funding without additional reforms, and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer announced that Democrats would withhold the votes needed to advance the package unless the DHS funding was removed.

Senators returned to Washington this week without a clear path forward. On Wednesday, Schumer outlined Democratic demands, including ending roving immigration patrols, banning the use of masks by agents, and tightening warrant requirements. Republicans, including some who criticized the events in Minneapolis, urged Democrats to take those concerns directly to the Trump administration.

Republican leaders initially pressed ahead with a procedural vote on the full funding package, which failed Thursday. Hours later, Senate Democrats and the White House reached a compromise. Under the deal, Democrats agreed to support the five non-DHS spending bills, while DHS funding would be extended at current levels for two weeks as negotiations over reforms continue.

The Senate approved the five-bill package Friday by a 71–29 vote and cleared a short-term funding extension for DHS by voice vote. Because of the changes, the House must now act on the revised package, but it is not scheduled to reconvene until Monday.

As a result of the funding lapse, several major departments and their subagencies are now unfunded. In addition to DHS, those affected include the Defense Department, State Department, Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, as well as the Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service.

Despite the shutdown, the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement operations are not expected to be disrupted. DHS received approximately $165 billion in additional funding last year through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, including $75 billion for ICE and $65 billion for Customs and Border Protection. That funding exceeds typical annual allocations and allows operations to continue without new appropriations.

Other parts of the federal government remain fully funded. The six spending bills already enacted cover agencies including the Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Agriculture, Food and Drug Administration, legislative branch operations, Department of Commerce, Justice Department, NASA, National Science Foundation, Department of Energy, Department of the Interior, and the Environmental Protection Agency.

Federal shutdowns occur under the Antideficiency Act, which bars agencies from spending money that Congress has not authorized. Each year, Congress must pass twelve appropriations bills before the fiscal year begins on October 1. Lawmakers often delay final action and package bills together or pass temporary funding extensions to allow negotiations to continue.

Last year, Congress missed the deadline without passing any funding measures or a short-term extension, triggering a shutdown that lasted 43 days.

When a shutdown takes effect, agencies without funding must halt nonessential activities. Each department determines which employees are considered essential. Essential personnel continue working without pay during the shutdown but are entitled to back pay once funding is restored. Nonessential employees are typically furloughed and also receive back pay after the government reopens.

Because the current funding lapse began over the weekend, most shutdown procedures will be implemented at the start of the next workweek. The impact is expected to be limited if the House approves the revised funding package quickly.

The most significant strain during shutdowns often falls on essential workers who must continue working without pay. During last year’s shutdown, the administration relied on alternative funding sources to pay members of the military. Air traffic controllers and airport security personnel, also deemed essential, continued working as staffing shortages led to flight delays and cancellations, with some workers reporting they had to take on second jobs to cover expenses.

The duration of the current shutdown will depend largely on House action. Some conservative lawmakers have signaled they want changes to the DHS bill or amendments to the overall package, but they could relent if the president pressures holdouts to support the measure. With Republicans holding only a narrow majority, Democrats could also step in to help pass the legislation if internal GOP divisions persist.

The next procedural step is scheduled for Monday afternoon, when the House Rules Committee is set to meet at 4 p.m. Eastern Time to consider the funding package. If it clears the committee, the bill would move to a rule vote on the House floor, typically decided by a simple majority. Some conservatives have warned they may block that vote if their demands are not addressed.

If the package stalls, House Speaker Mike Johnson could bring it to the floor under suspension of the rules, a process that would require a two-thirds majority for passage. Should the House ultimately approve the funding measures, President Trump is expected to sign them promptly, bringing the shutdown to an end.

{Matzav.com}

President Trump said today that his administration will not deploy federal forces to confront protests or riots in what he described as “poorly run” Democratic-led cities unless local officials formally request assistance.

The president laid out his policy in a Truth Social post, one day after anti-ICE demonstrations broke out in Los Angeles and Eugene, Oregon.

Trump said cities are expected to prevent lawless behavior, including assaults on officers, and are responsible for safeguarding federal property within their jurisdictions.

“I have instructed Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, that under no circumstances are we going to participate in various poorly run Democrat Cities with regard to their Protests and/or Riots unless, and until, they ask us for help,” Trump wrote this afternoon.

“We will, however, guard, and very powerfully so, any and all Federal Buildings that are being attacked by these highly paid Lunatics, Agitators, and Insurrectionists. Please be aware that I have instructed ICE and/or Border Patrol to be very forceful in this protection of Federal Government Property.”

Trump’s comments came as his administration faces legal challenges from Minneapolis, Chicago, and other cities that have opposed the presence of federal forces, including ICE. He also recently urged de-escalation following the shooting of Alex Pretti by Border Patrol agents in Minneapolis last weekend.

“If Local Governments are unable to handle the Insurrectionists, Agitators, and Anarchists, we will immediately go to the location where such help is requested, and take care of the situation very easily and methodically,” Trump said.

“It is your obligation to also protect our Federal Property, Buildings, Parks, and everything else. We are there to protect Federal Property, only as a back up, in that it is Local and State Responsibility to do so,” he added.

“Therefore, to all complaining Local Governments, Governors, and Mayors, let us know when you are ready, and we will be there — But, before we do so, you must use the word, ‘PLEASE.’”

Trump, who referred to the demonstrations opposing his immigration enforcement policies in Los Angeles as “The Los Angeles riots,” used sharp language throughout his post and warned of aggressive federal responses if federal sites are attacked.

“Remember that I stated, in the strongest of language, to BEWARE — ICE, Border Patrol or, if necessary, our Military, will be extremely powerful and tough in the protection of our Federal Property. We will not allow our Courthouses, Federal Buildings, or anything else under our protection, to be damaged in any way, shape, or form,” Trump wrote.

His statement followed a night of large and sometimes chaotic protests in Los Angeles and came a week after Pretti’s death, which set off a wave of violent demonstrations in Minneapolis.

“If Local Governments are unable to handle the Insurrectionists, Agitators, and Anarchists, we will immediately go to the location where such help is requested, and take care of the situation very easily and methodically, just as we did the Los Angeles Riots one year ago, where the Police Chief said that, ‘We couldn’t have done it without the help of the Federal Government.’”

“In the meantime, by copy of this Statement, I am informing Local Governments, as I did in Los Angeles when they were rioting at the end of the Biden Term, that you must protect your own State and Local Property,” Trump added.

Trump also pointed to unrest in Eugene, Oregon, saying protesters there caused significant damage Friday night.

“These criminals broke into a Federal Building, and did great damage, also scaring and harassing the hardworking employees. Local Police did nothing in order to stop it.”

Police in Eugene confirmed that demonstrators “breached the building and went inside,” though officials said officers acted to keep the situation “de-escalated.”

{Matzav.com}

The United States and Israel both rejected any involvement in a series of unexplained explosions across Iran on today that killed six people and injured more than a dozen, amid heightened regional tensions.

U.S. officials told CNN that an explosion in the southern Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas had no connection to military activity, despite reports that a large U.S. naval “armada” is expected to enter the Persian Gulf as friction with Tehran intensifies.

Israeli officials likewise dismissed allegations that Israel carried out a targeted drone strike against an Iranian military site, according to the report.

In Bandar Abbas, one child was killed and 14 others were wounded when an explosion tore through a residential building on today. Iranian state media initially attributed the blast to a gas leak, saying authorities were still investigating the cause.

Separately, on the opposite side of the Strait of Hormuz, another explosion struck Iran’s southwestern Khuzestan province, where five people were killed in what was also described as a gas-related incident, according to The Jerusalem Post.

Additional reports of explosions elsewhere in Iran circulated online, though these claims were not independently confirmed.

Iranian state media today rejected viral social media claims that naval officers from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had been killed in targeted drone attacks.

The incidents occurred as United States Central Command issued a warning to Iran ahead of planned live-fire military exercises in the Strait of Hormuz scheduled for Sunday.

“Any unsafe and unprofessional behavior near US forces, regional partners, or commercial vessels increases risks of collision, escalation, and destabilization,” CENTCOM wrote on X on Friday.

Even as tensions remain elevated, Iranian officials insisted that diplomatic efforts with Washington continue to advance.

“Contrary to the hype of the contrived media war, structural arrangements for negotiations are progressing,” wrote Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, in a post on X today.

{Matzav.com}

An Iranian operative working for Israel’s intelligence service revealed new details about clandestine actions carried out inside Iran during Israel’s 2025 campaign against Tehran’s nuclear program, describing how he joined the agency and participated in preemptive attacks ahead of Israeli airstrikes, Times of Israel reports.

The agent, whose identity was withheld for security reasons, gave the interview to Israel’s Channel 12 investigative program “Uvda,” where he recounted his personal motivations, his recruitment into the Mossad, and the events surrounding June 13, 2025, when Israel launched strikes it said were aimed at neutralizing an immediate existential threat posed by Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

In the early hours of June 13, as Israeli fighter jets began heading toward targets in Iran, a coordinated series of rocket and drone attacks launched from within Iran knocked out critical air defense systems, ballistic missile launchers, and struck senior Iranian military officials and nuclear scientists.

Those internal attacks cleared the way for the Israeli air campaign and delayed Iran’s ability to mount an immediate missile and drone response, though retaliatory strikes followed in subsequent days.

The operative, identified on the program only by the alias “Arash,” appeared in heavy disguise to prevent recognition. The program did not disclose where the interview was filmed, noting only that it was recorded before anti-regime protests erupted inside Iran in late December.

According to the report, Arash is about 40 years old. He said his opposition to the Iranian regime began in childhood, when school lessons were dominated by indoctrination against Israel and the United States. He recalled that when he was 11, his 17-year-old sister was arrested and beaten for failing to wear a hijab. Although his father paid to secure her release, the incident led the family to flee Iran for an unnamed Western country.

Arash said the experience left him determined to act against the regime and to assist friends who remained in Iran. At age 30, he said he searched for the Mossad online and found the agency’s website, sending a message without knowing what would come of it. Within days, he was contacted by an agent, and in 2015 he formally began working with the Mossad, receiving training abroad. While details were not disclosed, the report indicated that Arash visited Israel and has some command of Hebrew.

In the lead-up to the June 2025 operation, Arash was dispatched back into Iran, where he headed one of the teams responsible for internal strikes. He said his unit was instructed to transport a missile and launcher by car to a designated location.

He described driving through Tehran and stopping at a red light when a police vehicle pulled up next to them.

“If I make a mistake, everything is gone,” he recalled, describing the fear of exposure, before the police car drove off without incident.

Once in position, the team assembled the weapon and waited for further instructions. Arash said he remained in direct contact with Mossad handlers in Israel, though he declined to explain how. He said the team did not know the identity of the target, having been given only coordinates.

For two hours, the team waited in darkness for the final order.

“I was scared, scared about everything,” he said.

At around 3 a.m., the command was given and Arash launched the missile. He said the weapon was equipped with a camera, allowing him to see the target moments before impact.

That target, he later learned, was a ballistic missile prepared for launch toward Israel.

He told his handlers, “I did the job,” and said they immediately replied, “Yes, you did.”

The team withdrew at once to a safe apartment. Arash said that the following day he observed people in Tehran expressing happiness that the regime had suffered a setback. The operatives were eventually extracted from Iran, and Arash said he was taken to Israel, where he shared a celebratory toast with his handlers.

The brief conflict that followed lasted 12 days, during which Israel carried out extensive strikes on Iranian nuclear and ballistic missile facilities. Iran responded with missile attacks on Israeli military targets and population centers.

One major site, however, remained beyond Israel’s reach: the Fordo uranium enrichment facility, buried deep beneath a mountain and protected from conventional Israeli airstrikes.

That challenge, officials said, had led the Mossad years earlier to devise an elaborate plan to smuggle a large quantity of explosives into Fordo and destroy it from within.

Several former intelligence and defense officials discussed the plan with “Uvda,” including former Mossad directors Yossi Cohen and Tamir Pardo, who led the agency from 2016 to 2021 and from 2011 to 2016, respectively.

They said Israel first uncovered the full scope of activities at Fordo in 2010, after which the Mossad began designing what Cohen described as an operation that, if executed, “would have been the greatest operation in the history of the country.”

According to the officials, the plan encountered serious reservations because of the massive resources required, its extreme complexity, the need for precisely synchronized actions, the large number of operatives involved, and the challenge of extracting them from Iran afterward. The Mossad favored relying on its own trained operatives rather than locally recruited agents, further complicating the mission, which Cohen indicated would have required dozens of participants.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was said to have strongly supported the plan and pushed for preparations to continue.

However, when Cohen became Mossad chief in 2016, the Obama administration had signed a nuclear agreement with Iran. Cohen said that by that point he had lost confidence that the operation could be carried out successfully, and the plan was shelved in favor of having the Israel Defense Forces prepare a direct strike.

In 2018, after the Trump administration withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal, Israel once again had room to plan for an attack. Officials said that after current Mossad director David Barnea took office, work on the internal sabotage plan was revived.

That effort was delayed again after Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel sparked the Gaza war. Officials said the IDF assets required for the Mossad operation were diverted to fighting in Gaza, leading Barnea to postpone the plan once more.

When Israel ultimately launched its strikes in 2025, officials said there was still no viable Israeli-only solution for Fordo. The expectation was that the United States, which possesses the necessary capabilities to strike deeply buried targets, would join the operation. Although Washington initially hesitated over concerns about Iranian retaliation against U.S. forces in the region, the U.S. ordered strikes on several Iranian nuclear sites, including Fordo, on June 22. A ceasefire brokered by the United States later brought the conflict to an end.

In response to the television report, Netanyahu’s office, which oversees the Mossad, said that “in contrast to what has been claimed, the prime minister led the preparation of a variety of plans for striking all elements of the program.” Regarding Fordo, the Prime Minister’s Office said that “attack plans were developed, some of which were not possible because of October 7,” while highlighting the close cooperation between Israel and the United States during the war.

{Matzav.com}

At least 32 Palestinians were reported killed overnight and into this morning in a series of Israeli airstrikes across the Gaza Strip, marking one of the deadliest episodes since the October ceasefire. The Israeli military said the attacks were carried out after what it described as a “violation of the ceasefire agreement,” and said the targets included senior terror operatives and weapons sites.

The Israel Defense Forces said the operation focused on four commanders from Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, along with a weapons storage facility, an arms production location, and two rocket launch positions.

“The terror organizations in the Strip systematically violate international law, while brutally exploiting civilian institutions and operating in the presence of the local population,” the military said in a statement.

Hamas’s civil defense agency reported that it recovered the bodies of 32 people killed at seven separate sites since this morning. According to Hamas officials, roughly a quarter of those killed were children, about one-third were women, one was an elderly man, and five were members of the Hamas-run police force.

The Hamas-controlled health ministry said an additional 30 people were injured in the strikes, with some listed in critical condition.

Those figures could not be independently confirmed, and Israel did not publish its own casualty numbers.

One of the reported attacks struck the Sheikh Radwan police station in Gaza City, which Hamas’s interior ministry said was hit this morning. Palestinian media outlets said 16 people were killed at the site, including police officers and detainees.

Hamas’s interior ministry said several civilians were among the dead at the police station, along with at least five police officers — one holding a rank equivalent to colonel, two equivalent to major, and two equivalent to lieutenant. The ministry added that at least 15 other officers were wounded.

In another incident, Palestinian media reported that three people were killed in an Israeli strike near a UNRWA school in the Nasser neighborhood of western Gaza City.

Hamas accused Israel of committing a “blatant violation of the ceasefire agreement,” claiming that 12 of those killed overnight were children. Hamas also said seven of the dead belonged to a single family sheltering in a displaced persons camp in Khan Younis.

According to the Israeli military, the airstrikes followed an incident on Friday in which eight gunmen emerged from a tunnel in southern Gaza’s Rafah area. The IDF said three of the gunmen were killed in subsequent strikes and that a fourth, described as a senior Hamas commander, was captured.

The army said the Rafah incident constituted a breach of the ceasefire.

After the escalation, Egypt’s foreign ministry issued a statement condemning Israel’s “repeated violations” of the truce and called on all sides to “exercise the utmost restraint,” ahead of the anticipated reopening of the Rafah Crossing.

The surge in violence came one day before Israel was set to reopen the Rafah Crossing — the only pedestrian passage between Gaza and Egypt — early next week, in line with the ceasefire agreement.

Qatar also denounced the Israeli strikes, saying: “The State of Qatar expresses its strong condemnation of the repeated Israeli violations of the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip… in a dangerous escalation that will inflame the situation and undermine regional and international efforts aimed at consolidating the truce.”

{Matzav.com}

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said in an interview aired today that President Donald Trump will not abandon Iranians who have risked their lives opposing the regime, stressing that the president’s words should be taken seriously.

“This is a president who has made many promises; you’ll be hard-pressed to find one that he hasn’t kept,” Huckabee said in the interview with Channel 12 News. “He doesn’t make empty threats.”

“What I would say to [the people of Iran] is, note carefully what the president says, take him at his word. He will keep his promise,” he added.

Huckabee also indicated that Washington has not yet reached a final decision on whether to launch a military strike against Tehran, saying Trump consistently prefers a diplomatic resolution in which Iran ends its threats toward Israel and the United States and abandons its nuclear ambitions.

“I would say that the decision still needs to be made,” the ambassador said. “President Trump is always hopeful for the best outcome. He is, in fact, let’s never forget, ‘the art of the deal.’ And if he can get that, then that’s ideal.”

“But if he can’t, he’s not afraid to do what he proved he would do last summer when he instigated Midnight Hammer,” Huckabee added, referring to U.S. strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities in June 2025.

While declining to predict whether the United States will strike Iran — a move that could prompt Iranian retaliation against Israel — Huckabee said the U.S. Embassy was taken aback when airlines began canceling flights to Israel amid rising tensions.

“Last weekend, airlines from around the world started canceling their flights, and honestly, our reaction at the embassy was, ‘what’s that about?’” he said.

“It completely caught us off guard,” Huckabee added. “We are not seeing any reason. We are not telling our embassy employees to restrict themselves to your homes, don’t go anywhere.”

Huckabee said he has no insight into the timing of any potential U.S. military action, nor whether “Iran will decide to initiate something” against Israel. He emphasized that Trump has not been speaking in terms of deadlines or ultimatums and said Israelis should continue their daily routines, “and if the sirens go off, respond.”

Iran has warned that if it comes under U.S. attack it will retaliate against Israel and has also threatened American military bases and aircraft carriers stationed in the region.

Trump has repeatedly warned that the United States could intervene if Iran continued killing protesters during its crackdown on nationwide demonstrations over economic hardship and political repression, though those protests have since subsided. Even so, the U.S. has deployed additional warships to the region in recent days.

Washington has said that any agreement with Iran would need to prohibit uranium enrichment, require the removal of already enriched material from the country, limit Iran’s long-range missile stockpiles, and curtail its support for regional proxy forces — conditions Tehran has rejected.

In the same interview, Huckabee said Turkey will not be permitted to purchase U.S. F-35 fighter jets, despite Trump suggesting otherwise last month, citing Ankara’s strained relations with Israel.

“Anyone to think that there’s an equality here, that it’s friend A, friend B, it’s not like that at all,” he said.

“[Turkey] is not going to get them,” he continued. “It has to go to the Senate, and it’s not likely to happen. And also, Turkey, by law, would not be able to get them unless they made major changes in the hardware that they have from Russia.”

Huckabee also said Turkey and Qatar, whose involvement on the Gaza Executive Board has raised Israeli concerns, will not govern Gaza but could play a role in pressuring Hamas to disarm. He voiced confidence that the terror group will ultimately give up its weapons as Trump’s Gaza plan advances to its next phase.

“The president said they’re going to disarm; they’re not going to have any role in Gaza,” he said. “How that happens, when it happens, and who’s going to do it? There are some question marks as to the answers to those. I’m convinced that all of those things will happen.”

“You have every Arab country in the world to sign the agreement, saying this is going to happen. Hamas signed the agreement,” he added. “I don’t trust Hamas to do anything, but I trust the rest of the world to say to Hamas, you signed it. You’re on the line for it. If you don’t fulfill it, the whole world is going to rise up and take you down.”

According to Huckabee, responsibility for Hamas’s disarmament will be shared broadly and not placed solely on Israel.

“It’ll be up to everybody,” he said.

Turning to regional diplomacy, Huckabee said he anticipates further expansion of the Abraham Accords, with additional countries joining the normalization framework.

The Saudis “have made some conflicting statements, but it’s their decision,” he said.

He added that even Lebanon joining the accords “is possible,” citing a recent meeting with the U.S. envoy to Beirut in which they discussed “how do we as Americans help our host countries move toward better understanding, deescalating and hopefully moving toward the president’s agenda of joining the Abraham Accords.”

Asked about his controversial appearance at Benjamin Netanyahu’s ongoing corruption trial last year, Huckabee said the United States does not seek to interfere with Israeli courts but does hold a view on the proceedings.

“Americans are as blunt as Israelis when it comes to expressing ourselves,” he said. “Yeah, I think we were taking a position, but it was not a position in challenging the integrity of the Supreme Court, but it was recognizing that what was happening sure mirrored a whole lot of what we saw in the United States going against President Trump.”

Huckabee, a close ally of Trump, was referring to the criminal cases brought against the U.S. president, who is the first American leader to be convicted of a felony.

He denied that Netanyahu had asked him to attend the trial and declined to explain how he obtained a Bugs Bunny doll that he held up outside the courthouse, referencing one of the allegations against the prime minister. “I’ll just say it appeared,” he said.

The ambassador also said the embassy has not discussed with Isaac Herzog whether he should consider a pardon for Netanyahu, adding that Trump respects Israel’s sovereignty and its judicial system.

Trump sent an open letter to Herzog in November urging him to exercise his pardon authority on Netanyahu’s behalf. Trump later claimed Herzog told him a pardon was “on its way,” which Herzog denied.

Asked whether Trump would publicly back Netanyahu in Israel’s next election, expected by October 2026 at the latest, Huckabee dismissed the idea.

“I don’t think the president is going to get involved in the elections,” he said.

A photograph from 2016 that has recently reemerged shows Hussam Abu Safiya, the director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, dressed in a Hamas uniform and standing alongside senior figures in the terror organization.

Abu Safiya holds the rank of colonel in Hamas’s Military Medical Services, according to statements from the MMS and reports in Palestinian media. The MMS operates separately from Hamas’s armed wing, the al-Qassam Brigades, but its personnel were directly involved in Hamas’s October 7, 2023, terror assault on southern Israel.

Israeli forces detained Abu Safiya in December 2024 during a raid on the hospital, along with nearly 240 other individuals. Israeli officials alleged at the time that Hamas had been using the medical complex as a command-and-control center.

Abu Safiya remains in Israeli custody. His legal representatives have alleged that he endured “severe physical abuse,” including beatings and electric shocks, while being held.

Despite his detention, Abu Safiya previously authored two opinion essays published by The New York Times criticizing Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. The newspaper did not disclose any Hamas affiliation in connection with those articles.

The image was circulated by NGO Monitor, which said it was originally posted to the MMS Facebook page roughly ten years ago. According to a report cited by the group and published in The New York Post, the photo depicts senior Hamas officers from the organization’s National Security Forces and the MMS marking the completion of the hospital.

The Israel Defense Forces has previously described Abu Safiya as a senior Hamas operative, though it has not accused him of direct involvement in specific terror attacks.

Another former director of Kamal Adwan Hospital, Ahmed Kahlot, was captured earlier in the war and later told interrogators that the MMS-linked hospital had been converted into a Hamas-controlled military site. He also said that at one stage the facility was used to hold a kidnapped Israeli soldier.

Kahlot, who said he has served as a lieutenant colonel in Hamas since 2010, further stated that approximately 16 hospital employees — including doctors, nurses, and paramedics — were also Hamas operatives affiliated with the al-Qassam Brigades.

{Matzav.com}