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The IDF Spokesperson’s Unit announced early Friday morning that Sergeant First Class (Res.) Michael Mordechai Nachmani, 26, from Dimona, was killed in action in the northern Gaza Strip.

Nachmani, who served in the Combat Engineering 614th Battalion, fell to sniper fire on the outskirts of Gaza City’s Shati neighborhood. The incident occurred as Israeli forces were executing an initial withdrawal from the area.

This brings the number of soldiers who have fallen since the beginning of the war to 914.

In a separate development, the government approved early Friday the framework for the release of all hostages — including both the living and the deceased — according to an announcement from the Prime Minister’s Office.

Ministers Bezalel Smotrich, Orit Strock, Itamar Ben Gvir, Yitzchak Wasserlauf, and Amichai Eliyahu opposed the agreement, while Ofir Sofer of the Religious Zionist Party voted in favor.

Following the cabinet’s endorsement of the deal, a ceasefire in Gaza has officially gone into effect.

{Matzav.com Israel}

Zohran Mamdani, the leading candidate in New York’s mayoral race, declined to acknowledge President Donald Trump’s role in brokering the Gaza ceasefire. Instead, he turned his criticism toward Israel, even as other Democrats offered only cautious or reluctant recognition of the president’s involvement.

Democrats across the state said they were “hopeful” about the ceasefire agreement that is expected to secure the release of the remaining hostages. Still, many used the opportunity to attack Trump, with one lawmaker likening him to a “broken clock.”

Asked about the deal, Mamdani accused Israel of committing atrocities. “I’m hopeful at the news of a possible ceasefire. I hope that it is lasting. I hope that it brings peace,” he said during an interview on 1010 WINS, before launching into a sharp denunciation of Israel.

“And amidst that hope, a recognition that it does not erase the tragedy that has taken hold over these past two years,” Mamdani added. “A tragedy with Hamas’ horrific war crime on October 7th and the Israeli government’s horrific war crimes since then leading to the genocide of Palestinians.”

Mamdani’s campaign pointed reporters to his radio interview when asked if he believed Trump should be credited for the peace deal. At no point in the broadcast did the candidate mention the president.

The remarks came during the same week Mamdani faced harsh criticism for his attacks on Israel on the two-year anniversary of the October 7 massacre.

The ceasefire agreement championed by Trump calls for hostages to be released in its opening phase, while Israeli troops withdraw from some areas of Gaza.

The development sparked celebrations among both Israelis and Palestinians, but left-leaning politicians were slow to applaud Trump’s role in the achievement.

“If the agreement succeeds in securing the release of the hostages, disarming Hamas, and ending the war, then of course the President deserves credit,” said Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-Bronx). “Even a broken clock like Donald Trump can be right twice a day.”

Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz voiced enthusiasm about the deal, though he made clear his criticism of Trump remained. “I only wished it could have happened sooner,” he said, adding, “There’s very little good for which Trump can claim credit, only bad, but he certainly deserves some of the credit here.”

Other top Democrats sidestepped the matter. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, when pressed on CNN about Trump’s role, avoided a direct answer, saying only, “It’s a very positive step in the right direction.”

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, Governor Kathy Hochul, and mayoral contender Andrew Cuomo also praised the ceasefire itself but did not mention Trump in their remarks.

Republicans in New York, on the other hand, had no hesitation in applauding the president. “President Trump is a real dealmaker and leader and he’s not just negotiating an end to the Israel-Hamas war,” said Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-Staten Island/Brooklyn), highlighting his broader record of peace efforts.

Rep. Michael Lawler (R-Rockland/Westchester) also expressed gratitude, saying Trump deserved thanks “for leading this effort and working tirelessly to establish peace and bring the hostages home.”

Interestingly, Assemblyman Kalman Yeger, a Brooklyn Democrat, broke with his party and sided with Republicans. He said Trump deserves “much” credit for the breakthrough.

“The resilience of the Israeli people, the relentless focus of Prime Minister Netanyahu and his strong allies in the Knesset,” Yeger told The NY Post, “and the tremendous backing of a US President who recognized that no nation can survive if it gets on its knees to terror, combined for an unbreakable force that brought about the Hamas surrender and the hopeful quick return of the hostages.”

{Matzav.com}

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. raised eyebrows on Thursday when he suggested that circumcision might be connected to autism because infants are often given Tylenol after the procedure.

“There’s two studies which show children who are circumcised early have double the rate of autism, it’s highly likely, because they were given Tylenol,” Kennedy told President Trump during a cabinet meeting.

Kennedy did not name the studies, but in 2015 researchers in Denmark reviewed health data from nearly 343,000 boys and found that circumcised children were more likely to be diagnosed with autism before age 10 compared to those who were not circumcised.

The authors of that research proposed that undergoing painful surgery early in life might increase risks of later behavioral, developmental, or psychological difficulties.

Still, critics of the study quickly questioned its reliability, arguing the data was “flawed” and should have considered other common sources of early pain, such as urinary tract infections, as possible factors.

Some scientists have also suggested a simpler explanation: boys who undergo circumcision may have more interactions with doctors, raising the likelihood that autism is detected and diagnosed.

Another study, this one smaller and published in Ireland in 2024, came to a different conclusion. Researchers there reported that circumcised boys with autism “exhibited significant improvements” in irritability, sensory sensitivities, and repetitive behaviors compared to those who had not undergone the procedure.

That same study also noted relief in urinary symptoms, including pain, urgency, and nighttime frequency, which were said to be “significantly reduced.”

Rabbi Nechemia Markovits, a veteran mohel in Brooklyn who has performed circumcisions for nearly four decades, said the claim that Tylenol is always used after the procedure is inaccurate. “The procedure is quick and well-tolerated,” he told The NY Post.

“I place a light gauze with Vaseline to protect the area, and if there’s any mild discomfort, parents can use a gentle topical spray on the first day. Every family has direct access to me afterward through WhatsApp, and I guide them personally through the healing process until everything is completely healed.”

For children who are older at the time of circumcision, Rabbi Markovits acknowledged that Tylenol can help with temporary soreness. “I’ve never had newborns use Tylenol,” he said, later adding: “My focus is simply on providing safe, comfortable, and natural healing for each patient.”

Kennedy’s remarks came only weeks after President Trump himself criticized acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol, saying it should not be taken by pregnant women except in cases of high fever. He argued it could increase autism risk in unborn children.

Tylenol is widely used to reduce fever and treat pain, and medical experts point out it has been considered safe since it was introduced 70 years ago.

Despite pushback from doctors and women’s health advocates, Trump reinforced his position after Kennedy’s comments. “There’s a tremendous amount of proof or evidence, I would say as a non-doctor,” he said, adding that he had looked into the matter “a long time ago.”

“Just don’t take it. You have to tough it through sometimes. I’m addressing it as best I can as a non-doctor, but I’m a man of common sense.”

Autism diagnoses have risen dramatically in the United States, with rates up 400% since 2000. Today, one in every 31 children in America is affected.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump brushed off questions about whether he expects to win the Nobel Peace Prize, telling reporters Thursday, “They’ll have to do what they do.”

Speaking from the Oval Office alongside Finland’s president, Trump listed his accomplishments in global diplomacy. “I solved the wars … I made seven deals. This would be number eight,” he said, referring to the first stage of the Gaza peace agreement.

He went on to point out that Russia and Ukraine could be the next breakthrough. “The one I thought I was going to make, and I think we will probably, because it’s a ridiculous war, it’s a horrible war, the worst since World War II if you look at the people dying, is Russia-Ukraine,” Trump said. “I think we’ll do that too – a lot of reasons for them to do it. And I think they’ll be coming to the table pretty soon, but this is the biggest of them all.”

Trump also highlighted his intervention in South Asia as another major milestone. “This is big, and although I think India and Pakistan is very big – two nuclear nations – I did that based on trade and because of the tariffs … I said if you guys are going to fight, I’m putting 100% tariffs on each of you, and they immediately stopped fighting, and that was going to go nuclear.”

Reflecting on the Nobel Peace Prize itself, Trump said he had no idea how the committee would act, but insisted his record is unmatched. “Nobody in history has solved eight wars in a period of nine months. And I’ve stopped eight wars. So that’s never happened before.”

“They’ll have to do what they do,” he added, referring to the Nobel Committee. “Whatever they do is fine. I know this, I didn’t do it for that. I did it because I saved a lot of lives.”

When reminded that Barack Obama received the prize early in his presidency, Trump fired back. “They gave it to Obama for doing absolutely nothing but destroying our country. He was not a good president.”

International figures have already put Trump’s name forward. Malta’s Foreign Minister Ian Borg said on October 9 that he nominated Trump, citing his work in brokering an agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan along with other peace efforts.

In July, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he also recommended Trump for the Nobel, praising his role in advancing peace in the region.

This isn’t Trump’s first time being nominated. In prior years, his name has been submitted as well.

The Nobel Committee, which is composed of five members appointed by Norway’s parliament, reviews all nominations to ensure they come from qualified nominators. The deadline is February 1 each year, so Netanyahu’s recent recommendation would apply to the 2026 prize. Winners are announced each October, and the official ceremony takes place every December 10, the anniversary of Alfred Nobel’s death.

{Matzav.com}

A new Quinnipiac University poll shows that Zohran Mamdani remains the front-runner in the New York City mayoral race, but Andrew Cuomo has closed the gap significantly since Mayor Eric Adams bowed out of the contest.

According to the survey, Mamdani holds 46% of likely voters, Cuomo stands at 33% running as an independent, and Republican Curtis Sliwa holds steady with 15%.

Last month, Quinnipiac tested a four-way race that included Adams. In that poll, Mamdani had 45%, Cuomo just 23%, Sliwa 15%, and Adams 12%. With Adams no longer a factor, Mamdani’s advantage has shrunk from a 22-point margin to just 13.

The numbers suggest that most of Adams’ supporters shifted directly to Cuomo, who previously served three terms as governor. Sliwa’s backing remained unchanged from the earlier survey.

While Mamdani continues to lead, Quinnipiac analysts noted the dramatic change in Cuomo’s support. “The numbers changed but the contours of the race haven’t. Andrew Cuomo picked up the bulk of Adams’ supporters cutting into Zohran Mamdani’s lead, but Mamdani’s frontrunner status by double digits stays intact,” said Mary Snow, assistant director of the Quinnipiac poll.

Cuomo’s campaign pointed to the results as proof of momentum, even though Mamdani’s support also ticked upward. “Today’s Quinnipiac poll confirms what New Yorkers are seeing across the five boroughs — this race is shifting decisively. Andrew Cuomo is up 10 points since September, while Zohran Mamdani remains stagnant and Curtis Sliwa continues to fade away,” said Cuomo spokesman Rich Azzopardi.

The poll also revealed where each candidate draws their strongest backing. Mamdani dominates among Democrats (60%), Asian American voters (67%), younger voters ages 18–34 (62%), those 35–49 (60%), and people who identify as nonreligious (69%). He also leads among both black and Hispanic voters.

Cuomo’s most reliable base is Jewish voters, where he receives 60% support. Among Republicans, 54% favor Sliwa while 37% go for Cuomo.

When asked about ethics, respondents viewed Mamdani more positively than either Cuomo or Sliwa. But when it comes to experience, more voters agreed Cuomo has the “right kind of experience” to be mayor. His biggest hurdle, however, remains his reputation — including sexual harassment claims he denies but which forced his resignation in 2021. A majority of 52% still view him unfavorably.

Voters were also asked who would best defend New York’s interests in Washington under President Trump. The results were nearly even: 35% named Mamdani, 34% said Cuomo, and 22% picked Sliwa, with the rest undecided. “Much has been said about the issue not on the ballot but looming over the race: President Trump. Both Mamdani and Cuomo make the case they’ll be the best guardrail over New York City’s interests under Trump. But voters don’t see much daylight between them,” Snow observed.

On specific policy issues, Mamdani scores higher on lowering housing costs, with 48% to Cuomo’s 25% and Sliwa’s 13%. Cuomo is rated better on the economy, 41% to 35% for Mamdani, with Sliwa at 15%.

The poll also explored foreign policy views. Asked which candidate aligns most closely with their own stance on the Israel–Hamas conflict, 45% chose Mamdani, 26% Cuomo, and 13% Sliwa. More broadly, 43% of respondents said their sympathies lean more toward the Palestinians, compared to 22% who sided with Israelis. Roughly a third had no opinion.

Importantly, the survey concluded before President Trump announced the first stage of his ceasefire and hostage release plan for Israel and Hamas.

Quinnipiac surveyed 1,015 likely voters across the city between October 3 and October 7. The poll carries a margin of error of plus or minus 3.9 percentage points.

{Matzav.com}