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Brigadier General Barak Hiram, who leads the IDF’s Gaza Division, conveyed that Hamas is on the verge of disintegration, with its control mechanisms failing and its authority in Gaza steadily deteriorating.

According to Kan News, Hiram indicated that the situation in Gaza could eventually lead to Hamas being ousted by its own population. He pointed out that Hamas is facing serious financial difficulties, especially in paying its members, which is contributing to the breakdown of its administrative and military functions.

“We see that the pressure we’re applying—both directly on Hamas’ military arm and on its governing structures, as well as the indirect pressure on the population—is having a significant effect,” Hiram said during a meeting with residents of Kibbutz Nirim, located near the Gaza frontier.

He continued, “It’s pushing them into positions they previously wouldn’t even consider, both in terms of returning the hostages and in their grip on Gaza. I believe we’ll see their release through a negotiated agreement made possible by pressure. It’s not only the heroic operations—it’s both those and the pressure.”

Hiram pointed out that “Hamas has been having a very hard time paying salaries to its entire apparatus in recent months. Now, as soon as the apparatus ceases to exist, and people stop reporting for Hamas work, Hamas loses its power and Hamas ceases to exist.”

Describing the nature of Hamas rule, he said, “Hamas is a dictatorial regime, and more than it fears an outside enemy, it fears an internal one,” and warned that despotic Arab regimes fear uprisings more than foreign threats. “For Arab rulers, their worst nightmare is the people dragging them into the streets. I believe that the last Hamas leader—if we don’t manage to kill him—will be taken out by the people, who will treat him as Libyans treated Gadhafi. When that happens, we’ll know the time is right to form a new model of governance in that area—one that isn’t Hamas.”

He underscored that the elimination of Hamas’s infrastructure and the interruption of its capabilities are essential to achieving Israel’s military objectives. He also confirmed that the army has neutralized all underground tunnels connecting Gaza to Egypt, stating that such tunnels no longer exist.

On the topic of humanitarian assistance, Hiram stressed the need for close oversight to block the trafficking of contraband and the creation of weapons. He noted that freeing the hostages is more likely to happen through persistent pressure rather than relying solely on battlefield achievements.

Though he acknowledged that major hurdles remain, Hiram voiced optimism about the IDF’s continued efforts to neutralize Hamas and bring back a sense of safety.

{Matzav.com}

Renowned Israeli chef and television food personality Meir Adoni has made a public commitment to only operate kosher establishments moving forward, citing a deepened connection to his Jewish faith since the events of October 7.

In a candid interview with Hadass Tzuri for Channel 14 Magazine, Adoni announced, “I will never open a restaurant that isn’t kosher again—because in Israel, I cook for the Jewish people.”

Adoni, a well-known figure in Israel’s culinary world, shared that the tragic events of Simchas Torah have sparked a spiritual transformation not only in his life, but in the lives of many across the country. “I’ve always felt connected to tradition—I put on tefillin, I make kiddush, I go to shul on yomim tovim,” he said. “But I think for many people, faith has sharpened and grown stronger since October 7.”

He described how countless Israelis have taken on new religious commitments, from donning tefillin and reciting brachos to observing Shabbos more carefully and reinforcing the Jewish spirit in their homes.

“For me personally, my connection with the Creator has become stronger,” Adoni added. “I have a direct connection with Hashem—I speak to Him a lot. It’s a real dialogue of tefillah and gratitude.”

Adoni’s statement reflects a growing trend among public figures in Israel who, in the wake of national trauma, are turning inward and embracing Yiddishkeit and Torah living with new intensity.

{Matzav.com Israel}

National Public Radio and three local stations filed a lawsuit Tuesday against President Donald Trump, arguing that an executive order aimed at cutting federal funding for the organization is illegal. The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Washington by NPR, Colorado Public Radio, Aspen Public Radio and KUTE, Inc. argues that Trump’s executive order to slash public subsidies to PBS and NPR violates the First Amendment. Trump issued the executive order earlier this month that instructs the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and other federal agencies “to cease Federal funding for NPR and PBS” and requires that they work to root out indirect sources of public financing for the news organizations. Trump issued the order after alleging there is “bias” in the broadcasters’ reporting. “The Order’s objectives could not be clearer: the Order aims to punish NPR for the content of news and other programming the President dislikes and chill the free exercise of First Amendment rights by NPR and individual public radio stations across the country,” the lawsuit alleges. “The Order is textbook retaliation and viewpoint-based discrimination in violation of the First Amendment, and it interferes with NPR’s and the Local Member Stations’ freedom of expressive association and editorial discretion,” it said. (AP)

There are books you read. And then there are books that read you.

Moments of Greatness by Rabbi Yitzchok Hisiger is nothing short of a revelation. In a Jewish world blessed with countless story collections, this one stands in a league of its own — a towering masterpiece that doesn’t just inspire, it awakens.

From the very first page, you’re ushered into a world where the impossible becomes reality, where a handwritten letter to Avinu shebashamayim triggers a shidduch no human could’ve orchestrated… where a quiet housewife dares to confront the most powerful man on earth… and where a single pasuk whispered during Elul transforms the course of a young man’s life long after the Yomim Nora’im have passed.

These aren’t just stories. They are seismic moments — flashes of spiritual brilliance that pierce through the routine and reveal the infinite greatness pulsing just beneath the surface of everyday life.

Rabbi Hisiger, already beloved for his clarity, warmth, and insight, has outdone himself here. With his signature narrative precision and impeccable taste for the extraordinary, he has curated a collection so moving, so electrifying, that you’ll find yourself pausing after each story — not to catch your breath, but to let your soul catch up.

This isn’t feel-good fluff. It’s soul food. The kind that nourishes the deepest parts of you.

What makes Moments of Greatness different?

• The stories stay with you. Long after the book is closed, the people in its pages linger. The emunah. The courage. The quiet acts of greatness no one noticed… except Hashem.

• The message is clear: Greatness isn’t reserved for gedolim and giants. It’s found in the quiet heroism of regular people — people like you and me — who rise to the moment and choose to make it eternal.

• The writing is addictive. Crisp, flowing, and deeply sincere. There’s no fluff, no filler — just raw, real, riveting inspiration.

With breathtaking hashkafah and stories that will make you laugh, cry, and sometimes both at once, this book belongs in every Jewish home, on every Shabbos table, and in the hands of anyone who believes in the power of a single moment to change everything.

Moments of Greatness isn’t just the best story collection in years. It may be the best book in years.

Read it. Gift it. Live it.

Because when greatness flashes before your eyes — even for a moment — you’re never quite the same again.

Moments of Greatness is available at your local better Judaica store or HERE.

A newly emerging, highly contagious strain of COVID-19 that has been driving up hospital admissions in China has now made its way to the United States, with infections confirmed in multiple locations including New York City, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Known as NB.1.81, the variant was initially identified in the U.S. between late March and early April, discovered in travelers arriving through airports in California, Virginia, Washington, and New York City. Further cases have since been documented in states such as Rhode Island, Ohio, and Hawaii.

The CDC reported that the number of U.S. cases remains too limited to include in its regular variant tracking reports. However, medical professionals caution that the strain’s aggressive spread in China indicates it may transmit more rapidly than other dominant COVID-19 variants.

Public health experts began monitoring NB.1.8.1 closely once it overtook other strains as the most common variant in China, resulting in widespread infections throughout Asia.

Health officials in Hong Kong have observed a sharp rise in COVID-related hospital visits and ER cases over the past month, saying the current surge is the most severe in at least a year.

Reports from Hong Kong noted 81 serious cases and 30 deaths within four weeks, with elderly individuals — especially those 65 and older — comprising the bulk of those affected.

Mainland Chinese data show that the percentage of emergency room patients testing positive for COVID has more than doubled recently, climbing from 7.5% to over 16%. Hospitalization rates have also risen to above 6%, according to the state-affiliated China Daily newspaper.

Despite these alarming figures, Hong Kong authorities, under the influence of Beijing, attempted to minimize concerns, insisting that NB.1.81 does not appear to cause more severe illness compared to earlier variants.

“What they’re seeing in China, Hong Kong and some other areas where this variant has really surged, is an increase in hospitalization,” Dr. Amy Edwards, a pediatrics professor at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, told CBS News.

CDC testing of international travelers has provided insight into the variant’s international spread, with infections linked to visits in countries like China, France, South Korea, Thailand, the Netherlands, Japan, Spain, Taiwan, and Vietnam.

As with earlier strains of the virus, NB.1.81 can lead to symptoms such as fever, sore throat, fatigue, and coughing.

Subhash Verma, a professor at the University of Nevada specializing in microbiology and immunology, commented on the variant’s potential: “It appears to have a growth advantage, suggesting it may spread more easily.”

“In other words, it is more transmissible,” she told CBS News.

Both Verma and Edwards stressed that, at this stage, there is no evidence suggesting the variant causes more severe illness than previous strains.

Dr. Edwin Tsui, who heads Hong Kong’s Centre for Health Protection, cautioned against complacency, stating the new strain “should not be taken lightly.” He emphasized concerns that the virus might have adapted further to escape current vaccine protections.

“The CHP will continue to closely monitor the situation of the variant strains in accordance with the World Health Organization’s recommendation, and be cautious of the possible emergence of more virulent or vaccine-mismatched strains of the virus in the future,” he stated.

This development coincides with a new policy shift announced by the Trump administration, which will now limit annual COVID-19 booster recommendations to elderly individuals and those deemed medically vulnerable.

On Tuesday, the CDC confirmed it will stop advising healthy children and pregnant women to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

{Matzav.com}

Walmart fined for shipping realistic toy guns to New York, violating state law Walmart agreed to pay a small fine and promised to ensure its third-party resellers are unable to sell imitation toy guns to buyers in New York. New York Attorney General Letitia James said that the retail giant’s online store shipped at least nine such toys to the state. State law bans retailers from selling or shipping toy guns of certain colors — black, dark blue, silver, or aluminum — that look like real weapons.

Dozens of Yidden gathered to demonstrate at a building site in Yehud, a city in central Israel, asserting that the land under development may be the location of an ancient bais hakevaros.

Video footage from the scene captured several chareidi men sprawled on the ground within the work zone, symbolically pouring dirt into sections of the site that had already been dug up as a show of opposition.

On Tuesday, Border Police forces responded by forcibly removing the demonstrators from the premises.

The protesters insist that the site is the resting place of hundreds of Jews from the era of the Second Beis Hamikdash. In response to the unrest, the local municipality issued a message to Yehud residents stating that it was “aware of the incident” and described those involved as “a fringe chareidi group that objects to the construction at the site.”

The developers behind the project, Aura Israel, found themselves at the center of the storm as members of the group reportedly threatened a boycott of the company. On Monday morning, protestors appeared outside what was said to be the home of Yaacov Atrakchi, founder and owner of Aura Israel, to intensify their campaign.

Although no definitive proof has been presented yet regarding the presence of a bais hakevaros, the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) told The Jerusalem Post that “preliminary inspections indicated the presence of archaeological remains.”

In its official statement, the IAA confirmed that a limited excavation had begun at the request of Aura Israel. “The excavation is revealing tombs dating to the Roman period and the Bronze Age. At this stage, it is not possible to attribute the finds to any specific ethnic group. Such conclusions may emerge in more advanced stages of the research,” the statement noted.

The project in question aims to create 300 residential units spread across six apartment buildings, ranging in height from four to twelve floors.

{Matzav.com}

A man accused of brutally assaulting an off-duty NYPD officer in a shocking weekend attack has been captured hundreds of miles away. Taveon Hargrove, 23, was taken into custody Tuesday morning by members of the U.S. Marshals Regional Fugitive Task Force in North Chesterfield, Virginia, bringing a dramatic end to a multi-day manhunt. He now awaits extradition to New York City, where charges are pending. The arrest comes just days after the violent incident rocked the Bronx. Early Saturday morning, near St. Peters Avenue in the Parkchester section, Hargrove and another still-unidentified suspect allegedly ambushed a 27-year-old off-duty officer, knocking him to the ground before punching, kicking, and robbing him at knifepoint. The officer suffered multiple facial fractures and remains hospitalized in stable condition. Authorities also arrested Hargrove’s father, who is accused of using the officer’s stolen credit card at several Bronx bodegas in the hours following the assault. Surveillance footage released Monday helped lead to Hargrove’s arrest, though the second attacker remains at large. The Police Benevolent Association issued a statement following the capture: “Thank you to our NYPD detectives and U.S. Marshals for ending this vicious cop-basher’s run. But the job is far from over. Even when his criminal partner is caught, we must still stand together to make sure the justice system does its job: protect the cops who protect NYC.” (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

A bizarre metallic sphere, spotted soaring through the skies before crash-landing in the small town of Buga, Colombia, on March 2, has sparked a firestorm of speculation about its origins, with some researchers claiming it could be evidence of extraterrestrial technology. The discovery has drawn global attention, dividing scientists and fueling debates about whether the object is alien, an elaborate hoax, or something else entirely. The sphere, described as a seamless, silver orb roughly the size of a bowling ball, was recovered shortly after its dramatic descent. Witnesses reported seeing it zigzag through the sky in a manner that defied the movement of conventional aircraft, before it landed in a rural area near Buga. Local authorities quickly cordoned off the site to prevent tampering, and a team of researchers, led by radiologist Dr. Jose Luis Velazquez, began examining the object. Velazquez, who conducted initial X-ray scans, described the sphere as a “very rare piece” with no visible welds or joints—features typically associated with human manufacturing. “Its internal structure is composed of three dense layers of metal-like material, with 18 microspheres surrounding a central nucleus that appears to be a chip,” he told reporters. The absence of seams, combined with the object’s unusual composition, has led Velazquez to assert that the sphere could be of extraterrestrial origin. “I’ve never seen anything like this,” he added, noting that the materials appear to be high-density and unlike anything known in human technology. Adding to the mystery, the sphere’s surface is reportedly etched with symbols resembling ancient writing systems, including runes, Ogham, and Mesopotamian scripts. The object, weighing approximately 4.5 pounds and cold to the touch, also reportedly emitted smoke and vaporized water when doused, according to David Velez el Potro, who claimed to have recovered it. Velez el Potro, speaking to Maussan Television, said the finder became ill for days after touching the sphere. However, not all experts are convinced of the sphere’s otherworldly origins. Dr. Julia Mossbridge, a physicist at the University of San Diego, has urged caution, suggesting the object may be a “really cool art project.” Speaking to Fox News Digital, Mossbridge emphasized the need for rigorous scientific analysis before jumping to conclusions. “It looks so human-made to me,” she said, warning that premature claims of alien technology could discredit legitimate investigations into unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAPs). She recommended that the sphere be studied by nonpartisan groups like the Galileo Project, which could determine if its materials are “clearly non-human-made.” The discovery has reignited global interest in UAPs, coming at a time when governments and scientists are increasingly open about investigating unexplained phenomena. Mossbridge noted that the U.S. government, through the Pentagon’s All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), has acknowledged hundreds of UAP cases, though no evidence of extraterrestrial origins has been confirmed. “We’ve been looking at UAPs for decades,” she said, advocating for international cooperation to study objects like the Buga sphere. “The era of hiding things that are not hideable is over.” The Buga sphere is not the first of its kind to puzzle researchers. In 1974, a similar object, dubbed the “Betz Sphere,” was found in Florida and studied by the U.S. Navy, though its origins remained unresolved. Other comparable cases have been reported in Australia, Russia, and Japan, often attributed to experimental technology or natural phenomena like […]

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has revised its guidelines, announcing that it will no longer advise healthy children or pregnant women to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. The decision was made public by the Trump administration on Tuesday.

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. criticized the prior administration’s approach, stating in a video message, “Last year, the Biden administration urged healthy children to get yet another COVID shot despite the lack of any critical data to support the repeat booster strategy in children.”

Echoing that sentiment, FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary remarked, “There’s no evidence that healthy kids need it today and most countries have stopped recommending it for children.”

The policy update follows signals made last week by leading health authorities indicating a move toward limiting access to the yearly COVID booster. While the shot will remain available for older adults and individuals with underlying health risks, it will no longer be broadly advised for the general population, especially children and expectant mothers.

The earlier recommendation covered everyone aged six months and older. Now, under the revised policy, those 65 and above, along with others deemed vulnerable, will continue to be eligible for the booster, while broader distribution will be subject to further data and review.

Kennedy, along with other prominent figures in the health field like Makary and National Institutes of Health Director Jay Bhattacharya, have consistently expressed reservations about administering the vaccine to individuals not considered at high risk.

“Bottom line: It’s common sense and it’s good science. We are now one step closer to realizing [President Trump]’s promise to Make America Healthy Again,” Kennedy posted on X.

This shift in U.S. policy brings it in closer alignment with international standards, where many nations have already narrowed their vaccination recommendations.

Many countries now maintain similar protocols around COVID-19 vaccine access.

For instance, nations such as Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, and Switzerland encourage the annual shot for individuals aged 65 and older or for those classified as high-risk.

Germany and the Netherlands have set their age threshold at 60, while the UK has focused its guidance on those aged 75 and above. Sweden, meanwhile, reserves its recommendation for those 80 and older.

In related news, the FDA earlier this month authorized Novavax’s COVID-19 vaccine for seniors 65 and up, and for those between 12 and 64 who have at least one serious medical condition that raises their risk from COVID-19.

{Matzav.com}

WATCH: CCTV cameras capture the massive explosion at Shandong Youdao Chemical’s plant in China’s Shandong province, the world’s largest chlorpyrifos producer, sending thick gray and orange smoke plumes hundreds of meters high. Casualties are unknown, with rescue operations ongoing.

Israel’s establishment of humanitarian aid hubs is being seen as a pivotal moment in the unraveling of Hamas’s dominance in Gaza, according to an Israeli official who spoke with The Jerusalem Post on Tuesday. The IDF has unveiled two major food distribution centers, which are intended to provide sustenance for as many as 600,000 Palestinians within a week.

These aid centers are positioned at Tel Sultan, located deep in the southern Gaza area of Rafah, and at the Morag Corridor, slightly to the north of Rafah.

Plans are underway to launch a third site near Khan Yunis in the mid-southern region and a fourth one in central Gaza. However, it remains uncertain whether these additional locations will open in the coming days or if it will take several weeks.

Officials told The Post that while the aid centers are expected to quickly scale up their distribution capabilities, no firm timetable has been established for when they will hit peak operational capacity.

For now, no similar aid facility is planned for northern Gaza. As a result, approximately one million Palestinians in that region will continue receiving assistance from United Nations agencies, as has been the case in recent days and for much of the ongoing conflict.

According to the sources, while Israel is instituting new protocols to prevent Hamas from hijacking food supplies in northern Gaza, the central goal of the four new centers in the south and center is to loosen Hamas’s grip on humanitarian aid—something Israel believes international groups, including the UN, have failed to address meaningfully.

Management of the food aid initiative will be overseen by American firms UG Solutions and Safe Reach Solutions under a newly organized humanitarian body for Gaza.

Still, the project has not been without internal turmoil. Several high-ranking members of this new authority have stepped down recently, citing outside pressure from global organizations that view these efforts as a means for Israel to exert control over food distribution and to potentially exclude civilians affiliated with Hamas.

The handling of northern Gaza may also be partially shaped by diplomatic considerations. Israel’s decision to avoid setting up centers there could appease critics who argue it’s unlawful to withhold food from certain sectors of the population—even those with ties to terrorist groups like Hamas.

International agencies and human rights groups denounce Hamas’s actions but have consistently refused to implement restrictions on who is eligible to receive humanitarian aid.

In contrast, the newly established centers will integrate security screening processes from both Israel and the U.S., which could lead to the apprehension of armed individuals or those suspected of being linked to Hamas.

Another strategic element of placing these centers outside the northern region is to fragment Gaza territorially—creating zones that are increasingly free of Hamas’s influence, even if other parts remain under its control.

These developments coincide with the deepening military offensive, as five IDF divisions have recently advanced further into the Strip.

The IDF has stated that this current phase, which includes securing up to 75% of Gaza and embedding the new aid framework into the area’s fabric, could unfold over roughly two months. The ultimate aim is to significantly erode Hamas’s dominance over the civilian population.

{Matzav.com}

President Trump warns Moscow, claiming Russia avoided ‘REALLY BAD’ consequences only thanks to him.

Less than 2% of Gazans trust Hamas to manage and deliver humanitarian aid, as opposed to 5% who trust Israel & the U.S., according to a poll by The Arab World for Research and Development.

Alex Thompson on Fox News: “If you believe…that Donald Trump was and is an existential threat to democracy, you can rationalize anything, including sometimes doing undemocratic things.”

More footage shows the chaos at the aid distribution site in Rafah. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation says that its American security sub-contractors fell back in order to allow “a small number” of people to take food, and that operations have since returned to normal.

Freed Israeli hostage Omer Wenkert recounted the horrific abuse he endured while imprisoned in Hamas’s underground tunnels, describing a brutal deterioration in his treatment that coincided with Israel’s military operation in Rafah during May 2024.

“They deliberately deprived me of food,” Wenkert said while speaking at the Bar Association conference, recalling a period of two to three weeks during which he survived on just half a pita a day.

He described the conditions as especially cruel around the time the IDF advanced toward Rafah. “There was purposeful starvation, and calculated torment,” he said. “They put me in situations that seriously threatened my life — and did it just for amusement.”

Wenkert shared one disturbing incident in which a captor brought insect spray, stood him at the end of a narrow hallway, and sprayed directly into his open eyes. “He made sure to spray everything I might touch as well,” Wenkert said. “And then he started hitting me with an iron rod.”

He explained that during the first six and a half months of his ordeal, he was kept in solitary confinement, with minimal interaction from his captors. “They would approach me only occasionally,” he said.

Around his 80th day in captivity, Wenkert was transferred to a different tunnel corridor. He described this new area as “a pitch-black room with a dim light.” According to him, his captors attempted to destroy his sense of time and sanity. “They tried to unhinge me mentally,” he said. “Even when giving me food, they insisted I turn away while they placed it down. I was allowed to wash once every 50 days, and only with a small bottle of water. I didn’t have a proper bath until nine and a half months had passed.”

The tunnel where he spent most of his captivity was a narrow space measuring just 90 centimeters (about 35 inches) in width and 9 to 10 meters (roughly 29 to 32 feet) in length. He said there was a small hole designated as a toilet.

“I lay on a thin mattress, my back pressed to the wall,” he recalled. “I was trapped there for what I estimate was 420 days.”

On June 13, 2024, two other hostages, Evyatar David and Guy Gilboa-Dalal, were placed in the same tunnel section with him. Both men are still in Hamas captivity, more than 590 days after they were kidnapped on October 7, 2023.

“The arrival of others brought some mental relief,” Wenkert said. “But it got tighter. We had to share food and water, and the physical conditions became even more difficult. On the other hand, the physical abuse came to a stop.”

Now 23 years old, Wenkert had been among at least 40 individuals abducted by Hamas terrorists during the October 7 attack on the Supernova music festival in the Negev, where around 360 people were slaughtered.

His release came on February 22, 2025, after 505 days in captivity. He was freed as part of a temporary truce agreement between Israel and Hamas that later unraveled after its first stage.

At present, terror organizations in Gaza continue to hold 58 hostages. This includes 57 people taken on October 7 by Hamas-led attackers. Of these, the Israel Defense Forces have verified that at least 35 are deceased. Twenty hostages are believed to still be alive, while Israeli authorities have voiced serious concerns over the health and status of three others.

Between January and March 2025, Hamas released 30 captives — 20 Israeli civilians, five IDF soldiers, and five Thai nationals — in addition to the bodies of eight Israeli hostages who had been murdered. In May, the terror group handed over one more hostage, an Israeli-American citizen, calling it a “gesture” toward the United States.

Previously, during a one-week truce in late November 2023, Hamas freed 105 civilians, and four hostages were released in the initial weeks following the October 7 massacre. In total, Israel has released approximately 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, including convicted terrorists and others detained during the ongoing conflict.

Israeli forces have managed to rescue eight hostages alive through military operations. In addition, the bodies of 41 hostages have been recovered. This includes three mistakenly shot by Israeli troops during an escape attempt, as well as the remains of a soldier killed in 2014. Hamas continues to hold the body of another IDF soldier killed that same year, and he is included in the current list of 58 hostages still in Gaza.

{Matzav.com Israel}

An Orthodox Jewish man was violently attacked on Motzei Shabbos behind a condominium complex in North Baltimore, in what officials are investigating as an attempted carjacking. The incident occurred around 11 p.m. in the rear parking lot of Park Towers West. According to Baltimore City Councilman Yitzy Schleifer, two masked individuals ambushed the 62-year-old victim as he walked through the lot. “They just came up and punched him in the face,” said Schleifer, who was notified shortly after the attack and helped coordinate a police response. The assailants reportedly knocked the Jewish man to the ground and began striking him repeatedly. The victim ultimately drew a legally registered firearm, at which point the suspects fled. Schleifer said they initially ran off but circled back as the victim approached his car, continuing their aggression. “One of the suspects attempted to start the victim’s vehicle but was unsuccessful. As the suspects tried to assault him again, the victim drew his firearm and pointed it at them. The suspects then fled the scene on foot,” said a spokesperson for the Baltimore Police Department. Authorities believe the attackers may be juveniles. Emergency responders treated the Jewish man on scene for minor injuries. The incident is being investigated as an attempted carjacking. Councilman Schleifer noted a concerning uptick in vehicle-related crimes in the area. Just two months ago, several car break-ins were reported in the same lot, and police radio transmissions described suspects seen breaking into vehicles while wearing hoodies, masks, and light-colored jeans. On Sunday night, just miles from the scene of the previous night’s attack, another vehicle theft attempt occurred. “Someone attempted to steal his vehicle and damaged the driver’s side lock,” a dispatcher reported. The area has seen several similar incidents in recent months. In November, FOX45 reported a string of carjackings in the neighborhood targeting elderly residents, including a brutal attack that left one woman bloodied and unconscious in a parking lot. “What we’re seeing is that carjackings are up over 20% this month compared to this time last year,” said Schleifer. “It’s very troubling to see the numbers skyrocketing.” In addition to the rise in violent crime, Schleifer expressed concern over a national increase in antisemitic incidents. While the motive in this specific attack remains unclear, he said the Jewish community is feeling increasingly uneasy. “What we see is that people feel emboldened to be committing these kinds of violent acts and attacks against Jewish people, and that needs to stop,” he said. Schleifer criticized city leadership for failing to strongly condemn antisemitism, referencing a resolution in support of Israel that failed to pass last year. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

The Israel Ministry of Defense (IMOD) reported today that the 800th aircraft in a massive military airlift operation touched down in Israel on Tuesday morning, delivering critical equipment and weapons to support the nation’s ongoing war efforts. The operation, launched immediately after the war’s outbreak, is a coordinated effort led by the IMOD’s Defense Procurement Directorate (DPD) through its International Defense Transportation Unit. It involves collaboration with the IMOD’s Mission to the U.S., the IDF Planning and Force Build-Up Directorate, and the Israeli Air Force (IAF). According to the IMOD, the operation has transported over 90,000 tons of military supplies to Israel through 800 flights and approximately 140 maritime shipments. The equipment includes munitions, armored vehicles, individual protective gear, and medical supplies, all vital for sustaining Israel’s defense capabilities. The airlift and maritime efforts are part of a broader IMOD strategy to strengthen Israel’s domestic defense production while ensuring operational continuity. “This air and maritime transport operation constitutes a critical element in maintaining operational continuity, fulfilling comprehensive IDF requirements for achieving wartime objectives, and enhancing force readiness,” the IMOD stated. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Since the onset of the war, the United States has sent a massive quantity of military support to Israel, amounting to more than 90,000 tons of weaponry and defense supplies, according to an announcement from Israel’s Defense Ministry.

The ministry reported that today saw the arrival of the 800th cargo aircraft involved in this ongoing operation.

According to the ministry’s statement, the shipments to date have included “armored vehicles, munitions, ammunition, personal protection gear, and medical equipment.”

These deliveries, the ministry emphasized, are “a significant component” in enabling the Israel Defense Forces to sustain combat activities, “both for achieving the war objectives and for improving readiness and stockpiles.”

Coordinating this extensive logistical undertaking are several key agencies, including the Defense Ministry’s Directorate of Production and Procurement, its liaison office in the United States, the IDF’s Planning Directorate, and the Israeli Air Force.

{Matzav.com}