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After two years, a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas terrorists officially took hold Friday at noon local time, marking the first step toward ending the devastating war started by Hamas. Under the agreement, Israeli troops will begin a partial withdrawal and all fighting is to halt completely within 24 hours. As part of the deal, Hamas terrorists must release every Israeli and foreign hostage—both living and deceased—within 72 hours, by Monday evening. In exchange, Israel will free hundreds of Palestinian terrorists from its jails.

The following are the hostages believed to be alive:

Matan Angrest, 22

A young Israeli soldier, Matan was taken on October 7 from his tank stationed near the Nahal Oz base. Survivors later reported that he was kept underground in grim conditions. His mother, Anat Angrest, told The Times of Israel in April 2025 that fellow hostages described her son as “starving and being held in a little cage in the dark.”
“He doesn’t see the daylight,” she said. “He is exposed to torture and violence and never sees the Red Cross.” A Hamas video from March 7 showed Matan frail and disfigured. “Matan’s face is not symmetric anymore,” Anat said. “His hand that was badly injured wasn’t treated, and we know it doesn’t function anymore. He will be disabled his whole life.”

Gali and Ziv Berman, 28
Twin brothers from Kibbutz Kfar Aza, the Bermans were taken during the October 7 assault. For months, their family received no word until February 2025, when freed hostages confirmed the twins were alive but in poor health and held separately. Their family released a statement saying, “We know you don’t understand how you can still be there, or when you will be free again. We promise you this will happen – you will return to the safe embrace of your mother. Hold on just a little longer, survive, and dream of a happy ending.”

Elkana Bohbot, 36
An Israeli-Colombian logistics manager and father of a five-year-old, Elkana was abducted at the Nova festival. His family last spoke to him by phone as he helped evacuate the wounded. Hours later, Hamas published a video showing him bloodied and bound. Two later propaganda clips in March and May depicted him weak and silent, with fellow hostage Yosef-Chaim Ohana speaking on his behalf. His aunt, Ruth Amiel, told i24 News, “In our hearts, we know he is there, that he is alive. We hope he will not lose hope and confidence and that he knows we are doing everything we can to see him return to us.”

Rom Braslavski, 21
A security guard at the Nova festival, Rom stayed behind to help others escape. According to the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, he was shot while rescuing a wounded person. His family has not heard from him since.

Ariel and David Cunio
Brothers aged 28 and 35, they were taken from Kibbutz Nir Oz along with relatives. Another brother, Eitan, escaped and said Ariel’s last words were: “We are in a horror movie.” Ariel’s partner, Arbel Yehud, was freed in January 2025; David’s wife, Sharon, and their twin daughters were released in November 2023. Sharon’s sister, Daniele, and niece, Emilia, were also freed that month.

Evyatar David, 24
Evyatar was at the Nova festival when he texted that the site was under attack. Later, his family received a video of him handcuffed in a dark room. “He was emaciated, skin and bones,” his brother Ilay told ABC News. “We know that the only thing keeping Evyatar alive is his faith – and you can see it in his eyes.”

Guy Gilboa-Dalal, 24
Abducted with his friend Evyatar David, Guy appeared briefly in a Hamas video in September. “It’s so hard, missing him all day every day,” his brother Gal told The Guardian. “And as time goes by it’s getting harder and harder [to bear], and harder and harder to see the light at the end of the tunnel.”

Maxime Herkin, 37
A Russian-Israeli and father of one, Maxime had relocated to Israel after leaving Ukraine. He was captured at the Nova festival and later appeared in Hamas footage covered in bandages, seemingly forced to claim injury from an Israeli airstrike.

Eitan Horn, 38
An Argentine educator who worked at Nir Oz, Eitan was taken with his brother Yair, who was freed in February. He had dedicated his life to helping new immigrants integrate into Israeli society.

Bipin Joshi, 24
A Nepalese agriculture student, Bipin was interning at Kibbutz Alumim when he was kidnapped. “We just want him back,” his sister told The Times of Israel. “It’s too much for me and my family.”

Segev Kalfon, 27
Segev tried to flee the Nova festival on foot but was captured. His mother said he worked in a bakery and studied finance, noting that he struggled with anxiety even before his abduction.

Bar Kuperstein, 23
Bar worked at the Nova festival and was seized while aiding the wounded. His family recognized him in a Hamas video released in April but have received no updates since.

Omri Miran, 48
Taken from Kibbutz Nachal Oz, Omri appeared in a Hamas video in April. His brother-in-law, Moshe Lavi, told NPR, “Roni just celebrated her fourth birthday – a second without her father. Alma is two years old. Never celebrated a birthday with her father.”

Eitan Abraham Mor, 25
A security guard at the Nova festival, Eitan was last seen assisting others to safety. His father said the family’s “last sign of life” was months earlier.

Tamir Nimrodi, 20
A soldier stationed near Gaza, Tamir was captured at 18. “He always said I was his best friend,” his mother, Cherut Nimrodi, told The Jerusalem Post. “The emptiness in my heart is indescribable.”

Yosef-Chaim Ohana, 25
Set to leave for the U.S. to train as a pilot, Yosef-Chaim was kidnapped at the Nova festival after staying to help others flee. The IDF later confirmed he was alive in Gaza.

Alon Ohel, 24
A pianist with dual Israeli-German citizenship, Alon was filmed in a Hamas video pleading for a deal. His mother, Idit Alon, told The Jerusalem Post, “There’s still something of him, his smile – in one moment it gives a lot of hope.”

Avinatan Or, 32
Abducted from the Nova festival alongside his partner, Noa Argamani—who was freed in June 2024—Avinatan’s fate was confirmed in March 2025. “We always knew he was alive. Now it’s officially confirmed,” said his brother Moshe.

Matan Zangauker, 25
Taken from Nir Oz with his partner, Mexican national Lana Gritzewsky—released after 55 days—Matan’s mother, Einav, wrote in Haaretz: “My Matan, stay strong. I will never give up on you.”

Hamas has told mediators that locating the bodies of hostages who died in captivity could take longer than releasing the survivors.

The International Committee of the Red Cross urged that all transfers under the ceasefire be conducted “safely and with dignity.” The organization said it has helped facilitate the release of 148 hostages and 1,931 Palestinian detainees since October 2023, as well as the repatriation of human remains.

Israeli authorities have confirmed the deaths of 26 hostages, including Itay Chen, Inbar Hayman, Arie Zalmanowicz, Lior Rudaeff, Eliyahu Margalit, Meny Godard, Amiram Cooper, Tamir Adar, Muhammad Al-Atarash, Sahar Baruch, Uriel Baruch, Ronen Engel, Hadar Goldin, Ran Gvili, Tal Haimi, Guy Illouz, Eitan Levi, Joshua Loitu Mollel, Omer Neutra, Dror Oz, Oz Daniel, Daniel Peretz, Yossi Sharabi, Asaf Hamami, Sonthaya Oakkharasri, and Sudthisak Rinthalak.

{Matzav.com Israel}

Witkoff and Jared at the Kosel: Witkoff says “We are very happy and blessed that the hostages will hopefully out on Monday,” he says, adding that “there will be peace, and lots of lives saved.”

Joey Newcomb and band farbreingin at K’hal Mevakshei Hashem in Lawrence last night.

Trump warns that China is imposing new export controls on rare earths and other materials, calling it a hostile move to monopolize global markets. He says the U.S. will respond with major new tariffs on Chinese goods to “financially counter” Beijing’s actions.

Jared Kushner, Ivanka Trump, and Steve Witkoff davening at the Kosel today as the fragile permanent ceasefire in Gaza goes into effect.

The U.S. and Qatar have agreed to establish a Qatari Air Force base at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho.

US envoy Steve Witkoff seen shaking lulav and esrog at the Kosel this morning, as President Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz, the rabbi of the kosel, look on.

The Israeli military says its troops demolished a building in Ayta ash-Shab, southern Lebanon, where a weapons cache belonging to the Hezbollah terror group was stored.

Nobel Peace Prize winner María Corina Machado praises President Trump and dedicates her award to him.

President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff joined Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner in visiting and davening at the Kosel on Friday, just days after helping broker a historic ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. Speaking from the Kosel plaza, Witkoff told reporters he was “very happy” about the truce, which he said would “hopefully” see hostages released as early as Monday. “There will be peace, and lots of lives saved,” he added. Witkoff and Kushner arrived in Israel on Thursday, a day after finalizing the ceasefire and hostage-release agreement in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. Trump is expected to join his daughter and son-in-law in Yerushalayim on Monday for a brief “in and out” visit, during which he will address the Knesset before returning to the United States, officials confirmed. The visit will coincide with the deadline for Hamas to release hostages under the U.S.-backed Gaza ceasefire deal. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

There will be no permanent ceasefire in Gaza unless Hamas surrenders all 48 hostages—both living and deceased—and completely disarms as required under the terms of the newly finalized agreement between Israel and Hamas, Israel’s ambassador to the United States, Yechiel Leiter, told Fox News Digital on Thursday.

The Israeli government is set to ratify the peace accord initially introduced by President Donald Trump late last month and subsequently accepted by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Despite the optimism surrounding the deal, questions persist regarding Hamas’ capacity and willingness to deliver the bodies of all deceased hostages within the 72-hour period beginning Friday night, as stipulated in the agreement.

“They have an obligation to return everyone in 72 hours. Hopefully we’re going be able to keep everything within that framework,” Leiter said when asked about concerns over Hamas’ readiness to return the remains of the captives. “There are some glitches that we have to deal with, and this issue is one of them.

“But we need to see all the bodies back, and I don’t think we’re going to be able to move forward until we do have everyone,” he added.

Leiter explained that one of the key difficulties is that Hamas failed to document where some of the bodies were buried or left. He stressed, however, that Israel will not pull back its forces from Gaza until every hostage—living or deceased—is accounted for.

An international task force composed of representatives from the U.S., Qatar, and Egypt has been formed to assist Israel in locating and recovering the bodies. The White House, however, did not respond to Fox News Digital’s inquiry about whether American personnel would participate directly in the recovery efforts.

The agreement was finalized overnight after intensive mediation involving officials from the U.S., Egypt, and Qatar, who worked with both Hamas and Israeli negotiators to finalize the remaining details. It remains uncertain whether any modifications were made to Trump’s original 20-point peace plan.

Reports over the weekend indicated that Hamas had objected to the disarmament clause, even though the agreement would grant its members amnesty and allow them safe passage to a third country if they chose to leave Gaza. Leiter declined to comment on whether Hamas had ultimately accepted that condition.

“We hope it proceeds according to the president’s plan,” Leiter said. “We assume, having long experience with Hamas and Islamic Jihad and these terrorist organizations, that there are going to be glitches along the way.

“Look, they’re going down. This is basically a surrender on Hamas’s part. They don’t like it one bit, and they’re going to do whatever they can to try to show that they’re still relevant,” the ambassador warned.

The disarmament clause is not included in the first stage of the deal, which focuses on the release of all hostages, Israel’s partial withdrawal to a predetermined line, and the liberation of about 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, including 250 convicted of terrorist acts and murders.

The second stage is expected to address Hamas’ complete disarmament and the demilitarization of Gaza, alongside an international rebuilding initiative to be directed by a “peace body” led by President Trump.

“We’ve put all the focus now on the first phase,” Leiter noted, acknowledging that Hamas statements hinting at resistance to disarmament could jeopardize the second phase of the peace plan.

“But that’s part of the plan – that’s very clearly part of the president’s plan. That was the goal set out by Prime Minister Netanyahu from the outset, that Hamas is disarmed, that Gaza is de-radicalized and demilitarized.

“We can’t go back into a situation where we have Jihadi militants sitting at our border, or else we haven’t accomplished anything,” the ambassador said. “This is performance-based. They disarm, they are disarmed if necessary, and then Israel withdraws.”

{Matzav.com}

The Internal Revenue Service announced on Thursday a wide range of annual inflation-related adjustments for dozens of tax provisions, incorporating the updates mandated by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA).

The newly released figures will primarily take effect for the 2026 tax year.

For most taxpayers who take the standard deduction rather than itemizing, the deduction will rise to $16,100 for single filers and $32,200 for married couples filing jointly. The OBBBA had already raised the standard deduction for 2025 to $15,750 for individuals and $31,500 for joint filers.

The agency also updated its marginal tax brackets, increasing the income thresholds to reflect inflation.

The highest tax rate will remain 37% in 2026, applying to single earners making over $640,600 and to married couples filing jointly with incomes above $768,700. The revised brackets and rates for 2026 are as follows:

• 35% for incomes over $256,225 for single filers and $512,450 for married filers.

• 32% for incomes over $201,775 for single filers and $403,550 for married filers.

• 24% for incomes over $105,700 for single filers and $211,400 for married filers.

• 22% for incomes over $50,400 for single filers and $100,800 for married filers.

• 12% for incomes over $12,400 for single filers and $24,800 for married filers.

• 10% for incomes up to $12,400 for single filers and $24,800 for married filers.

Among other OBBBA-related changes, the federal estate tax exclusion will rise to $15 million for individuals who die in 2026, up from $13.99 million in 2025.

The adoption tax credit will increase slightly to $17,670 for 2026, compared to $17,280 in 2025, with up to $5,120 of that credit refundable.

For the alternative minimum tax, the exemption will be $90,100, beginning to phase out at $500,000 for individuals and $1 million for married couples filing jointly.

The OBBBA also significantly raised the employer-provided childcare tax credit, increasing the maximum benefit from $150,000 to $500,000 — or up to $600,000 for qualifying small businesses.

Inflation indexing will also impact several other provisions. The earned income tax credit will now have a maximum benefit of $8,231 for eligible families with three or more children, up from $8,046 in 2025.

Employee contributions to health flexible spending accounts will rise to $3,400 in 2026, an increase of $100. Cafeteria plans that permit unused funds to carry over will now allow up to $680 to be rolled over, up $20 from 2025.

For individuals with self-only medical savings account coverage, the minimum deductible will increase to $2,900 (up $50) and the maximum deductible will rise to $4,400 (up $100). The maximum out-of-pocket cap will be $5,850, a $150 increase.

For families with medical savings accounts, the deductible range will be between $5,850 and $8,750, and the total out-of-pocket limit will reach $10,700 for 2026.

Transportation-related benefits will also see a small boost, with the monthly limit for qualified commuter and parking expenses climbing by $15 to $340.

The annual gift tax exclusion will remain unchanged at $19,000 for 2026.

Several provisions that were once adjusted annually for inflation will remain fixed going forward, including personal exemptions, itemized deduction thresholds, and the income level used to phase out the lifetime learning credit.

{Matzav.com}

A multinational task force is being created to locate the remains of Israeli hostages whose bodies are still unaccounted for in the Gaza Strip, according to reports published Thursday.

Turkey will participate in the effort alongside Israel, the United States, Qatar, and Egypt, a senior Turkish official confirmed.

Turkish representatives were involved in the recent negotiations in Egypt that produced the ceasefire and hostage-release deal, working in coordination with U.S., Egyptian, and Qatari mediators.

The agreement to establish the joint task force was reached during the talks in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt — discussions that culminated in the ceasefire and release arrangement announced overnight by U.S. President Donald Trump, the reports said.

Currently, terror factions in Gaza are holding 48 hostages, including 47 of the 251 individuals kidnapped during the Hamas-led assault on Israel on October 7, 2023. The Israel Defense Forces have confirmed that at least 26 of these hostages are deceased. Twenty are believed to still be alive, while officials fear for the condition of two others. Among the bodies in Hamas’s possession is that of an IDF soldier who fell in battle in Gaza in 2014.

Under Trump’s plan, all hostages — both the living and the deceased — are to be returned to Israel within 72 hours after the ceasefire takes effect.

However, Hamas has informed both mediators and Israeli negotiators that it does not know the whereabouts of several of the deceased hostages. The terror group reportedly said that meeting the 72-hour timeline will be difficult, though Israel expects that all bodies will ultimately be retrieved.

While Israel has made the recovery of all hostages a key condition of the agreement, officials acknowledge that identifying and locating the missing may require significant time.

“Since we expect there to be difficulties, we acted to set up an international task force that will have everything needed, including information and resources, to return the hostages to Israel,” said government hostage coordinator Gal Hirsch in an interview with Haaretz.

As part of the deal, Israel agreed to end active combat operations and release hundreds of Palestinian security prisoners, including individuals convicted of carrying out deadly terror attacks against Israelis.

Three Israeli officials told CNN on Wednesday that Hamas may be unable to locate all of the deceased hostages. According to these officials, Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu has been aware of this reality for several months.

One of the officials estimated that between seven and nine bodies might not be recovered, while another placed the number closer to 10 to 15. These figures are based on Israeli intelligence assessments and information emerging from the talks in Egypt, though officials cautioned that no precise count exists.

Hamas has previously told mediators that it is uncertain of the burial sites of some dead hostages.

Between January and March 2025, Hamas released 30 hostages — including 20 Israeli civilians, five soldiers, and five Thai nationals — along with the remains of eight Israelis who were killed in captivity. In May 2025, the terror group freed one additional hostage, a dual American-Israeli citizen, calling it a “gesture” to the United States.

Earlier, during a weeklong truce in November 2023, Hamas released 105 civilians, while four others were freed in the early stages of the war. In return, Israel has released about 2,000 Palestinians — a mix of convicted terrorists, security prisoners, and Gazan detainees arrested during the conflict.

Israeli forces have rescued eight hostages alive and recovered the bodies of 51 others, among them three who were mistakenly shot by Israeli troops while attempting to flee their captors, as well as the remains of the soldier killed in 2014.

{Matzav.com Israel}

A distinguished visit took place on Thursday, when HaGaon Rav Dov Landau, Rosh Yeshivas Slabodka, paid a visit to the sukkah of the Vizhnitzer Rebbe in Bnei Brak.

The meeting between the two was marked by warmth and mutual respect. During the visit, they reminisced about earlier years, when Rav Landau had the privilege of basking in the presence of the previous Vizhnitzer Rebbe, the Damesek Eliezer zt”l, during his time in the city of Rechovot in 1946. The conversation also touched upon the spiritual significance of the Yom Tov and reflections on the Yom Tov of Sukkos.

After partaking in a lechaim, the Rebbe personally escorted Rav Landau out of the sukkah and accompanied him to the street, where they exchanged brachos before parting.

But the visit concluded with an unexpected and heartwarming moment. As Rav Landau exited, a group of young Vizhnitzer bochurim began joyfully singing “Ki Orech Yamim” in his honor. True to his humility, Rav Landau motioned for them to stop the singing, not wishing to receive public tribute.

The spirited young chassidim, however, were quick to find a graceful solution. With a knowing smile, they explained that the song was being sung “for the honor of the rebbe.” Hearing this, Rav Landau acquiesced, allowing the melody to continue as he made his way to his car, driven by Vizhnitz philanthropist Reb Mattisyahu Yisroel Gruzinger.

The brief exchange left onlookers smiling — a perfect blend of modesty and wit, sealing the visit with harmony and respect.

{Matzav.com Israel}

During a Cabinet meeting with President Trump on Thursday, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. made the stunning – and ridiculous – claim that there is a link between babies getting a bris and autism, due to them often being administered Tylenol afterwards.

The Simchas Beis HaShoeva at Yeshiva Oryasa in Yerushalyim was held with the participation of singers Lipa Schmeltzer and Sruli Green.

המלוכה והממשלה! Hagaon HaRav Dov Landau and Hagaon HaRav Moshe Hillel Hirsch, the two Roshei Yeshiva of Slabodka, at Simchas Bais HaShoeva

The IDF has released video of some of the withdrawal happening in Gaza.