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Israel on Monday delivered an ultimatum to Hamas, warning the terrorist group to free hostages and disarm or face total destruction of Gaza City. “A mighty hurricane will hit the skies of Gaza City today, and the roofs of the terror towers will shake,” Defense Minister Yisrael Katz declared in a post on X. “This is a final warning to the murderers and rapists of Hamas in Gaza and in the luxury hotels abroad: Release the hostages and lay down your weapons — or Gaza will be destroyed, and you will be annihilated.” Katz said the IDF is preparing to “expand the maneuver to defeat Gaza,” signaling an escalation of operations ordered by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last month to capture the city and wipe out Hamas’s remaining strongholds. The threats came just one day after President Donald Trump, who has been mediating cease-fire talks, issued his own ultimatum to Hamas. “The Israelis have accepted my Terms. It is time for Hamas to accept as well,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “I have warned Hamas about the consequences of not accepting. This is my last warning, there will not be another one!” He did not clarify what the terms entailed. Hamas, under mounting pressure, has said it may release some hostages in exchange for a temporary truce. Netanyahu, however, has rejected partial deals, insisting the group must free all captives and surrender. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

The aftermath of this morning’s deadly shooting attack at the Ramot Junction in Yerushalayim continues to send shockwaves through families and witnesses, as relatives of the injured share their anguish and survivors recount moments of sheer terror.

Yaakov Yisrael Gueta, whose mother Osnat was critically wounded in the shooting, described the horror that gripped him when he heard the news. “When I heard about it, my heart skipped a beat,” he said. “Ramot Junction is just two stops from home. The doctor told us that my mother was shot in the stomach, and with Hashem’s help she will recover soon.”

He emphasized his mother’s life of kindness and selflessness: “My mother is a woman whose entire life is chesed—she just gives and gives without stopping. She will come out of the operating room. I turn to all of Klal Yisroel: please daven that Hashem will say ‘enough’ to our suffering.”

Gueta added that the family is holding back the news from the younger children: “We are six siblings. Three of them are still little kids in cheder and they don’t know anything yet. We’ll update them when they come home.”

Another victim, Esther Lugasi, who was lightly injured in the attack, recalled the harrowing moments as she spoke from Shaare Zedek Medical Center. “It’s not simple—I’m still shaking. I’ve never experienced anything like this—it’s horrifying,” she said.

“I was on my way to visit my parents. The bus stopped at Ramot Junction, people got on, and the bus was packed. All the other buses left, but ours stayed put. The driver opened the doors, some people got off, and I was about to board the 62 line—suddenly gunfire erupted from every direction. It felt like running for my life without end.”

She described the sheer panic: “I felt like I was about to die. I stopped and told myself, ‘If I’m going to die, then I’m going to die,’ but I kept running. We hid in the terminal, and the gunfire kept echoing until finally there was silence. There were children and strollers—one woman was clutching her baby and tossed aside the stroller. We waited there until a medic came over to me. I was terrified to leave.”

{Matzav.com Israel}

Police in Kathmandu opened fire Monday on protesters demonstrating against a government ban on social media, killing at least 17 people and wounding 145, officials said. The death toll was announced by police official Shekhar Khanal. He said that 28 police officers were among the wounded, as smaller protests continued into late Monday evening. Rallies swept the streets of Kathmandu around the Parliament building, which was surrounded by tens of thousands of people angry over the decision by authorities to block most social media platforms including Facebook, X and YouTube. Officials said the companies had failed to register and submit to government oversight. Protesters pushed through barbed wire and forced riot police to retreat inside the Parliament complex. Police eventually opened fire at the protesters. The situation remained tense and the government announced a curfew for Monday around Parliament, the government secretariat, presidential house and key parts of the city. Seven of those killed and scores of wounded were received at the National Trauma Center, the country’s main hospital located in the heart of Kathmandu. “Many of them are in serious condition and appear to have been shot in the head and chest,” said Dr. Badri Risal, a physician. Families waited anxiously outside for news of their relatives while people lined up to donate blood. “Stop the ban on social media, stop corruption not social media,” the crowds outside parliament chanted, waving the red and blue national flags. Monday’s rally was called the protest of Gen Z, generally referring to people born between 1995 and 2010. About two dozen social network platforms that are widely used in Nepal were repeatedly given notices to register their companies officially in the country, the government said. Those which failed to register have been blocked since last week. TikTok, Viber and three other platforms have registered and operate without interruption. The move by the authorities came as the government sent a bill for a debate in Parliament that wants to ensure that social platforms are “properly managed, responsible and accountable.” It includes asking the companies to appoint a liaison office or point in the country. The bill has been widely criticized as a tool for censorship and punishing government opponents who voice their protests online. Rights groups have called it an attempt by the government to curb freedom of expression and violate fundamental rights. Nepal in 2023 banned video-sharing app TikTok for disrupting “social harmony, goodwill and diffusing indecent materials.” The ban was lifted last year after TikTok’s executives pledged to comply with local laws. (AP)

In the aftermath of Monday morning’s deadly attack at the Ramot Junction in Yerushalayim, where six people were murdered, two terrorists were eliminated by a soldier from the Chashmonayim Brigade together with a chareidi avreich who was armed and present at the scene. The soldier has now described the intense moments of the confrontation and his immediate actions afterwards.

The shooting took place around 10:10 a.m., when two terrorists from the villages of Qatanna and al-Qubeiba opened fire on commuters waiting at the bus stop. Within moments, the soldier and the avreich engaged the attackers and killed them, preventing further loss of life.

The platoon commander recalled the encounter in an interview with N12: “I told him, ‘Let me, I have a long weapon.’ I identified two terrorists and opened fire on them until I saw them fall. Then we advanced slightly in line, and I kept shooting until I saw they stopped moving. From there I disengaged and began treating the wounded.”

The soldier said he quickly applied tourniquets to two injured women at the scene. Once security and medical teams arrived, he returned to where he had downed the terrorists. “I approached the police and told them, ‘Hello, I’m the one who neutralized them,’” he recounted. He was then taken to give official testimony about the sequence of events.

The heroism of the soldier and the armed avreich is credited with preventing an even greater tragedy at the already blood-soaked scene.

{Matzav.com Israel}

Hours after the murderous terror attack at the Ramot Junction that claimed the lives of six people, a preliminary investigation has revealed the route taken by the two terrorists. Both attackers, residents of the villages of Qatanna and al-Qubeiba near Ramallah, infiltrated Israel through a known gap in the security barrier near Dahiyat al-Barid, north of Yerushalayim.

The Route to the Attack

According to security officials, the terrorists left their villages armed with personal weapons. With the help of an accomplice, they reached the Israeli side of the fence in the area of the Qalandiya and A-Ram refugee camps.

They crossed through a breach known to security services as “the Dahiyah,” named after Dahiyat al-Barid, a familiar alleyway in the area. A driver who regularly smuggles illegal entrants then transported them to Ramot Junction. There, they opened fire on passengers waiting for Egged Bus 62, the line bound for the central bus station in Yerushalayim.

Arrests Following the Attack

By midday, police announced the arrest of a suspect from eastern Yerushalayim whose involvement is under investigation. Meanwhile, Channel 12 reported that the IDF detained the father of one of the attackers, Mutana Naji Amru.

Photographs circulated on Palestinian networks showed the arrest operations and the terrorists themselves.

IDF forces have encircled the villages of Qatanna and al-Qubeiba, conducting house-to-house searches and questioning suspects. Additional checkpoints have been set up across the Ramallah area to prevent further infiltration.

Wider Counterterror Operations

Simultaneously, the IDF has launched a brigade-level counterterror mission in northern Shomron under the Menashe Regional Brigade. Troops have been sweeping areas in the Sanur Valley, Far’a Camp, and Kabatiya.

During the overnight operations, reserve fighters from the elite Duvdevan Unit, working with the Shin Bet, arrested a terrorist who had been advancing attack plots. Security forces also seized weapons and tens of thousands of shekels in terror funds.

The IDF Spokesperson confirmed that operations are continuing both in the Binyamin region, where the Ramot attack originated, and throughout the Menashe Brigade sector, as part of the broader effort to dismantle terror infrastructure and reinforce security along the seam line and major roads.

{Matzav.com Israel}

President Donald Trump defended Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. against criticism from the political establishment, remarking that Kennedy has “a lot of good ideas.”

Speaking with Breitbart News during a press gaggle on the White House South Lawn on Sunday before leaving for the U.S. Open final, Trump was asked about the wave of attacks directed at Kennedy by figures such as Chris Christie, Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR), Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and others.

“Well, he’s a different kind of a guy,” Trump told Breitbart News. “He’s got a lot of good ideas, but he’s got a lot of ideas. You know, normally, they don’t have any ideas, and that’s why we have problems with autism and so many other things, because we’re coming up with the answers for autism. You watch.”

 

 

 

“We’re coming up with the answers for other things that normal people, regular people, easy to get along with people, wouldn’t be able to do. He’s got a lot of ideas, and so do I, and we’re going to clean it up,” Trump added.

Last month, Kennedy moved to revoke the emergency use authorizations for the coronavirus vaccines, though he allowed them to remain available to those who choose to receive them after consulting with their doctors. He also insisted that pharmaceutical companies must provide placebo-controlled trials. Trump, for his part, demanded openness from the drug industry regarding the effectiveness of COVID-19 treatments just last week.

Kennedy also appeared before the Senate Finance Committee on Thursday, where he faced sharp questioning from establishment Democrats including Wyden and Warren, but managed to hold his ground.

During one notable moment, Kennedy confronted Warren for taking campaign contributions from the pharmaceutical industry, pointing out that while vaccines remain accessible to Americans, they are not appropriate for every individual. “I never promised that I was going to recommend products for which there is no indication, and I know you’ve taken $855,000 from pharmaceutical companies, senator,” Kennedy said to Warren, while stressing that he was not removing vaccines from public availability.

The attacks against him did not stop there. On Sunday, Chris Christie escalated the criticism, dismissing Kennedy as “foolish” and “wholly unqualified” during an appearance on ABC’s This Week.

{Matzav.com}

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu visited the scene of the terror attack at the Ramot Junction in Jerusalem on Monday, in which six people were murdered and 16 people were injured. The murderous attack occurred a day after Israel’s Supreme Court issued an outrageous ruling that the state must improve the diet of imprisoned Nukhba terrorists. It should be noted that the ruling not only benefits heinous mass murderers and rapists, who are already being fed in accordance with international law, but also besmirches Israel by claiming that it was “abusing” Palestinians. Similar false reports have been used to incite Palestinians to commit violence against Israelis. “We’re at war,” Netanyahu said at the scene. “A powerful war against terror on several fronts.” The prime minister then issued a scathing message directly to the Supreme Court: “The court—you’re also in this war; you’re also part of this war. We don’t make it easy for our enemies. We’ll strike them hard—and so should you.” National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who spearheaded a transformation in prison conditions for Palestinian security prisoners, also slammed the Supreme Court at the scene of the attack. The video of Netanyahu’s speech at the scene of the attack published on his social media accounts did not include his remarks against the court. (YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

Authorities have released the names of six victims, Hashem yikom damam, who were murdered Monday morning in the horrific terror attack at a bus stop near the Ramot Junction in Yerushalayim.

The attack targeted passengers of Egged Bus 62, a line that runs daily from Ramot to the city center and is heavily used by the chareidi community. The tragedy, which could easily have claimed even more lives, has left the community shaken.

Reb Levi Yitzchak Pash Hy”d, 57

Reb Levi Yitzchak Pash, a longtime resident of Tel Tzion, was born in 1967 to Rav Shlomo Pash and Rebbetzin Tziporah, daughter of the Stretiner Rebbe of Yerushalayim. He married the daughter of Rav Eliezer Chaim Estreicher, a prominent Erlauer chassid.

Beloved throughout Bayit Vegan, where he worked as a devoted maintenance employee at Yeshivas Kol Torah, he was known for his generosity, humility, and dedication to Torah learning. Just last night he attended a family wedding in Beitar.

On Monday morning, he initially secured a ride to the yeshiva but gave up his seat to another man in urgent need of hospital treatment. Moments later, as he stood waiting at Ramot, he was murdered. He leaves behind a large family, including three unmarried children.

His levayah was scheduled to begin Monday afternoon at Shamgar Funeral Home, followed by a procession to Kol Torah and burial on Har HaMenuchos.

Reb Yaakov Pinto Hy”d, 25

Born in Spain in 2000, Reb Yaakov Pinto was the only child of his parents. As a teenager he immigrated to Eretz Yisroel, studying at Yeshivas Nehora under Rav Avraham Greenbaum and later at Yeshivas Derech Emunah in Lod under Rav Zvi Braverman.

He married his wife Osnat at the start of the recent Iranian onslaught and served as a mentor at Yeshivas Chevras HaTorah in Yerushalayim. The yeshiva released a statement mourning “the heartbreaking loss of our guide and friend, Rav Yaakov Pinto zt”l.”

His levayah was expected to take place Tuesday at Yeshivas Derech Emunah in Lod.

Reb Alter Yisrael Mitzner Hy”d, 31

Reb Alter Yisrael Mitzner, a member of a well-known rabbinic family, was born in Bnei Brak in 1995 to Rav Uri Meir Mitzner and Rebbetzin Rivka. He was one of triplets. After studying at Talmud Torah Razi-Li and Yeshivas Nachlas Dovid in Petach Tikvah, he advanced to Yeshivas Chevron in Yerushalayim.

He married the daughter of Rav Chaim Greineman, director of Kollel Taharos in Ponovezh. His wife, Efrat Greineman, serves in the Chareidi Education Department of the Yerushalayim Municipality.

Rav Yisrael learned in Kollel Meisharim under Rav Chaim Tzvi Rozenberg in Givat Shaul. Friends describe him as refined, brilliant, and fully immersed in Torah. He leaves behind his parents, his wife, and three young children.

His levayah is set for Monday evening in Bnei Brak, with burial in the Vizhnitz cemetery.

Reb Yosef David Hy”d, 43

Rav Yosef David, a resident of Ramot, was killed on his way to kollel with his seforim in hand. Born in 1986, he was a devoted oved Hashem, a mispallel at the Mishkan Shraga shul, and the husband of a well-known kindergarten teacher in Ramot. He leaves behind his wife and children.

Reb Mordechai Steintz Hy”d, 79

Known fondly as “Dr. Mark,” Reb Mordechai Steintz founded the popular “Doctor Mark’s Bakery” in Beit Shemesh. Originally from the United States, he was trained as a cardiologist but devoted much of his life to promoting healthy living and wholesome bread products, pioneering a revolution in Israel’s baking industry.

He was beloved in his Ramot community for his warmth, chessed, and commitment to strengthening Torah institutions. A decade ago, he donated a Sefer Torah to his local shul. Neighbors remembered him as “sweeter than honey, always looking to help.”

Mrs. Sarita (Sarah) Mendelson Hy”d, 60

The sixth victim was Mrs. Sarita Mendelson of Ramat Shlomo, who served as head of municipal relations in the finance department of the Bnei Akiva movement. She was on her way to work at the organization’s national headquarters when she was murdered.

In a statement, Bnei Akiva said: “The movement mourns the murder of our dear colleague Sarita Mendelson, a dedicated leader for decades. We embrace her family during this painful time. May the land not cover her blood.”

{Matzav.com Israel}

Jury selection began Monday in the trial of a man charged with trying to assassinate Donald Trump while he played golf last year in South Florida. The court has blocked off four weeks for the trial of Ryan Routh, but attorneys are expecting they’ll need less time. Jury selection is expected to take three days, with attorneys questioning three sets of 60 prospective jurors. They’re trying to find 12 jurors and four alternates. Opening statements are scheduled to begin Thursday, and prosecutors will begin their case immediately after that. U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon signed off in July on Routh’s request to represent himself but said court-appointed attorneys need to remain as standby counsel. Cannon confirmed during a hearing last week that Routh would be dressed in professional business attire for the trial. She also explained to Routh that he would be allowed to use a podium while speaking to the jury or questioning witnesses, but he would not have free rein of the courtroom. Cannon is a Trump-appointed judge who drew scrutiny for her handling of a criminal case accusing Trump of illegally storing classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach. The case became mired in delays as motions piled up over months, and was ultimately dismissed by Cannon last year after she concluded that the special counsel tapped by the Justice Department to investigate Trump was illegally appointed. Routh’s trial begins nearly a year after prosecutors say a U.S. Secret Service agent thwarted Routh’s attempt to shoot the Republican presidential nominee. Routh, 59, has pleaded not guilty to charges of attempting to assassinate a major presidential candidate, assaulting a federal officer and several firearm violations. Just nine weeks earlier, Trump had survived another attempt on his life while campaigning in Pennsylvania. That gunman had fired eight shots, with one bullet grazing Trump’s ear, before being shot by a Secret Service counter sniper. Prosecutors have said Routh methodically plotted to kill Trump for weeks before aiming a rifle through the shrubbery as Trump played golf on Sept. 15, 2024, at his West Palm Beach country club. A Secret Service agent spotted Routh before Trump came into view. Officials said Routh aimed his rifle at the agent, who opened fire, causing Routh to drop his weapon and flee without firing a shot. Law enforcement obtained help from a witness who prosecutors said informed officers that he saw a person fleeing. The witness was then flown in a police helicopter to a nearby interstate where Routh was arrested, and the witnesses confirmed it was the person he had seen, prosecutors have said. The judge last week unsealed the prosecutor’s 33-page list of exhibits that could be introduced as evidence at the trial. It says prosecutors have photos of Routh holding the same model of semi-automatic rifle found at Trump’s club. Routh was a North Carolina construction worker who in recent years had moved to Hawaii. A self-styled mercenary leader, Routh spoke out to anyone who would listen about his dangerous, sometimes violent plans to insert himself into conflicts around the world, witnesses have told The Associated Press. In the early days of the war in Ukraine, Routh tried to recruit soldiers from Afghanistan, Moldova and Taiwan to fight the Russians. In his native Greensboro, North Carolina, he was arrested […]

Six people were murdered and a dozen more wounded in a terrorist shooting in the northern Yerushalayim neighborhood of Ramot this morning.

The Magen David Adom emergency medical response group identified five of the slain victims as a man and a woman in their 50s and three men in their 30s.

The sixth fatality, who was not immediately identified, was pronounced dead in the afternoon after medical staff were unable to save them.

Magen David Adom paramedics transferred seven seriously wounded people to hospitals in Yerushalayim, it said. Two others were moderately injured, and three sustained light wounds.

Two terrorists were neutralized at the scene by an Israel Defense Forces soldier and an armed civilian. The soldier was identified in reports as a squad commander in the IDF’s Chashmonean Brigade.

The Hamas terrorist organization in a statement praised “the heroic and unique operation” carried out by “two Palestinian resistance fighters,” calling the murders “a natural response to the occupation’s crimes.”

The statement called on Palestinians across Judea and Samaria to “escalate the confrontation with the occupation and its settlers.”

Nadav Taib, a paramedic with Magen David Adom, said in a statement shared by the organization he “arrived at the location with large forces immediately after receiving the report of people wounded by gunfire.

“We saw people lying on the road, unconscious, on the side of the road and the sidewalk near a bus stop. There was widespread destruction at the scene, shattered glass on the ground and commotion,” he stated.

Magen David Adom “provided medical treatment to the wounded and continues to treat and evacuate them to hospitals,” the paramedic said.

Israel Police spokesman Aryeh Doron told local media that the incident was still ongoing some 30 minutes after the initial report. Security forces were said to be investigating a suspicious object at the scene.

The news outlet reported that the IDF ordered the closure of security checkpoints between Yerushalayim and Judea and Samaria pending a situational assessment at its Central Command headquarters.

“Following the shooting attack at the Ramot Junction earlier today, IDF soldiers were dispatched to the area and are conducting searches for suspects in cooperation with the Israel Police,” the military stated.

Israeli forces were said to be “encircling several villages on the outskirts of Ramallah to thwart terrorism, carrying out questioning and searches in the area, and reinforcing defensive efforts along the security barrier.”

Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu also convened a situational assessment with the heads of the defense establishment, his office said.

According to Channel 12 News, Israel’s security agencies believe that the terrorists arrived by car from a village in the Ramallah area of Samaria. They reportedly used locally produced submachine guns. JNS

{Matzav.com Israel}

Zohran Mamdani, a Muslim Democratic socialist and the presumed frontrunner in the New York City mayor’s race, has big socialist plans for America’s largest city.

WATCH:

Brussels saw an enormous turnout on Sunday as tens of thousands rallied in opposition to Israel.

Local police placed the crowd at roughly 70,000, though event organizers claimed the march drew closer to 120,000. Demonstrators, many dressed in red and holding up red cards, demanded harsher measures against Israel, pointing to the dire conditions in Gaza.

Gregory Mauze, who serves as spokesperson for the Belgo-Palestinian group ABP, declared, “In the face of the ongoing genocide, the measures taken are not yet adequate.”

The protest followed an announcement by Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot that Belgium will move forward with recognizing a Palestinian state and introducing strict sanctions against Israel, citing the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza.

Prevot strongly criticized Israel’s military campaign, insisting it breaches international law and the duty to avert genocide.

He stated that Belgium would formally acknowledge “Palestine” as a sovereign state, aligning with the position of France and Saudi Arabia, who are expected to present recognition at the upcoming UN General Assembly.

According to his statement, the recognition will only occur once Hamas has freed all hostages and no longer retains political authority over Palestinian Arab areas. In addition, Belgium emphasized its pledge to assist in rebuilding “Palestine” and to step up efforts to combat antisemitism by engaging security forces and Jewish community leaders.

{Matzav.com}

Skyrocketing housing values and a shortage of homes on the market gave homeowners the upper hand for years when it came time to sell. That’s no longer a given. Across the country, it’s getting tougher for sellers to drive a hard bargain. A dearth of home shoppers who can afford to buy and uncertainty about the outlook for the economy, jobs and mortgage rates is putting pressure on sellers to give ground at the negotiating table. In some markets, mainly in the South and West, homeowners who are eager to sell are more likely to give buyers a better deal. This could include a lower price, up-front money to nudge down the buyer’s mortgage rate, and funds for closing costs and any repairs or improvements that may pop up after the home inspection. The reasons: Would-be buyers balk at what they view as unreasonable asking prices, while at the same time new construction is giving buyers more options and putting pressure on sellers to make their homes more appealing. As a result, while the national median home listing price rose slightly in July, some metro areas saw a decline, signaling a reversal in the power dynamic between buyers and sellers. It’s rare to see the type of eye-popping bidding wars that exploded home values by roughly 50% nationally earlier this decade. Low-ball offers are more common. Despite this hopeful trend, the housing market remains mired in a slump. Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes are running about 1.3% below where they were through the first seven months of last year, when they sank to their lowest level in nearly 30 years. The national median home listing price rose slightly in July from a year earlier to $439,450, according to Realtor.com. The real estate listing company found the most a homebuyer who earns the median U.S. household income can afford to spend on a home is $298,000. The analysis assumes a 20% down payment and a 30-year mortgage at a fixed rate of 6.74%. By those criteria, 7 out of 10 home shoppers are priced out of the market. Homes linger on the market as sales slow The housing market has been in a rut since 2022, when mortgage rates began climbing from historic lows. The number of homes available for sale sank while prices kept rising. Nationally, more homes are going on sale and remaining unsold longer because buyers have been unwilling or unable to make a deal. Active listings — a tally that encompasses all homes on the market except those pending a finalized sale — increased in July for the 21st month in a row, climbing nearly 25% from a year earlier, according to Realtor.com. The tide turns slowly The inventory of homes for sale across the U.S. has increased gradually as the market has slowed and is now at a level where supply and demand are more balanced. But in states like Texas and Florida, the number of homes on the market has climbed sharply, partly because those states are hotbeds of new home construction. Home shoppers may now have more leverage relative to sellers in the South and West, where home inventory has risen in the single digits, compared to pre-pandemic levels. Conditions are tougher in markets in the Midwest and Northeast, where the supply of homes […]

Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu told his ministers on Sunday that he would rather ensure Hamas’s defeat than receive sympathetic coverage abroad about Israel’s downfall.

His statement came after widespread demonstrations inside Israel demanding that the government negotiate a deal with Hamas for the release of hostages and bring the war to an end.

Officials have signaled that Israel is prepared to consider an agreement, but only if all captives are freed at the same time and Hamas is stripped of its weapons and removed from control. Meanwhile, the Israel Defense Forces spent the weekend readying for a ground advance on Gaza City, Hamas’s central base.

Netanyahu’s comments in full were:

“We are intensifying the operation on the outskirts of, and inside, Gaza City. We are eliminating Nukhba terrorists who played a significant role in the October 7 massacre, including the accursed terrorist who called his parents and took pride in having personally murdered 10 Israelis. Now we called the family and informed it that this terrorist has been eliminated. It is a clear message that we will reach them all. I want to thank, on your behalf as well, the ISA and the IDF for doing this important work.

“We are eliminating terrorist infrastructure and nefarious terrorist high-rises. We have established an additional humanitarian corridor to enable the civilian population in Gaza to leave for a safe place and receive humanitarian assistance there. In the meantime, approximately 100,000 people have left Gaza. Hamas is trying to do its utmost so that no one will go and they will stay there in order to serve as human shields for it. By the way, it does not refrain from any means. Only recently we have seen how it shoots women and children in the legs and if necessary, shoots them. Therefore, it is expected that it will try to prevent the exit that is necessary from a humanitarian perspective and from our perspective regarding the war. We want to focus on the terrorists themselves and enable the civilian population to go out.

“On Friday, Hamas issued a cruel and reprehensible video of [hostages] Alon Ohel and Guy Gilboa-Dalal. I must say that I spoke at length with their families on Friday and underscored – on behalf of myself, you and the entire people – our support for them. I must also say that most citizens of Israel, the great majority of the citizens of Israel, are standing steadfast against this psychological terrorism.

“Our effort in Gaza against the last strongholds, in effect last important stronghold, Gaza City, is part of our effort to complete the crushing of the stranglehold by the Iranian axis. This axis was intended to destroy the State of Israel, and by dismantling it and striking it, we are removing an existential threat to Israel, the primary threat.

“We have landed very severe blows on Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis, just recently you saw this, and we brought about the fall of the Assad regime. Of course, the peak was the severe blow on the patron of this axis – Iran, and the distancing of the existential of nuclear bombs and ballistic missiles over our heads. We will continue this effort until we achieve all of our objectives for the war.

“I am aware of the price that we are paying in the diplomatic and public diplomacy fields for the State of Israel and the best way to get out of this, of course, is to establish completely new mechanisms as we mentioned, and – of course – to end the war as fast as possible with the victory that we have defined: Eliminating Hamas, the return of all the hostages and ensuring that Gaza never again threatens Israel.

“But regarding the public diplomacy damage, I would like to say one thing: If I need to choose between victory over our enemies and malicious propaganda against us, I choose victory over our enemies, as opposed to the opposite. I do not want stories that we have been beaten by our enemies and for us to be eulogized well in the global media. I choose victory.”

{Matzav.com Israel}

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir was at the scene of the terror attack in Jerusalem and made the following remarks: “I send condolences to the families, and we are all davening for the recovery of the wounded. One thing must be remembered, Mr. Prime Minister: this was an act of heroism — by a Chareidi soldier from the Hashmonayim Brigade, and by two Chareidim who had received firearms through the weapons reform. I’ve said it before — weapons save lives, and this must be remembered. I call on the citizens of Israel: go and arm yourselves.” “And one more thing: just yesterday, the Supreme Court eased the conditions of the Nukhba terrorists, ruling that their prison menu should be changed. My friends, this is no game. When the Supreme Court does something like this, it sends a dangerous message to terrorists. I say to the judges of the Supreme Court — do not do this. To interfere now with the menu of the Nukhba terrorists, after all security officials, Mr. Prime Minister, have said that harsh conditions add to deterrence — this must not happen. Prison conditions are a crucial part of deterrence.” “And one final point: we have the law allowing the expulsion of terrorists’ families. In recent weeks, I signed 35 such orders, and I believe that the new Interior Minister, Yariv Levin, will approve these requests. Expelling terrorists’ families, together with tough measures in the prisons, along with the efforts of the Shin Bet, the IDF, the police, the IPS, and the weapons reform — this is the way forward. I say again: go and arm yourselves.” (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

President Trump voiced displeasure over the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine after Moscow launched its most extensive drone assault on Kyiv since the start of the war. The escalation has drawn attention to the difficulty his administration has faced in securing a peace agreement, even after his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin last month.

“I’m not happy, I’m not happy about the whole situation,” Trump said to reporters upon his return to Joint Base Andrews following his trip to New York, where he attended the U.S. Open men’s final.

The president emphasized that no one had taken a harder stance on Russia and Putin than he had. He defended his continuing push to negotiate an end to the fighting.

“I’m not thrilled with what’s happening,” Trump continued. “I believe we’re going to get it settled. I’m not happy with anything having to do with that war.”

Sunday’s strike on Ukraine marked the first time Russia targeted a government building, signaling another intensification of Moscow’s campaign.

Despite Trump’s growing irritation with the lack of progress, the assault suggested that Putin had no plans to reduce his military operations.

When addressing the issue, Trump notably avoided directly criticizing either Russia or its leader.

Asked what he believed was the biggest barrier to achieving peace, Trump refrained from pointing to Putin or the Kremlin.

“Well we’re going to see. We have some very interesting discussions,” he said, adding that European leaders would soon arrive in Washington for talks.

In recent weeks, Trump has made clear his mounting frustration with Putin. On Sunday, he again said he had believed the Russia-Ukraine war would be the simplest conflict to resolve upon resuming office, but it has proven to be one of the hardest.

Trump also spoke about the war in Gaza, sharing confidence that progress was being made there as well.

“I think we’re going to have a deal on Gaza very soon. It’s a problem we want to solve for the Middle East, for Israel, for everyone,” Trump said.

Switching to domestic matters, the president said his administration would soon announce the next focus of its crime crackdown.

“We’re going to make a decision about where we’re going to go in the next day or two,” Trump stated, while criticizing violence in Chicago and insisting that the capital had been secured due to his policies.

Before wrapping up, Trump commented on his appearance at the U.S. Open, where reactions were mixed between boos and applause. He admitted he had not been sure how he would be received in New York City but praised the attendees.

He described the spectators as “great fans.”

{Matzav.com}

One of the six people murdered in the Ramot terror attack on Monday morning was identified as Reb Levi Yitzchak Pash, H’yd. He was evacuated from the scene in critical condition, and the hospital later pronounced his death.  Yeshivas Kol Torah, where the niftar worked for many years, issued a statement saying, “With deep sorrow and grief, Yeshivas Kol Torah Yeshiva announces the murder of its devoted staff member, Reb Levi Yitzchak Pash, H’yd, in the horrific shooting attack that took place this morning at the Ramot Junction in Jerusalem.  “Reb Levi Yitzchak, H’yd, a resident of Tel Tzion and longtime maintenance worker at the yeshivah, was well-known and beloved among the talmidei yeshivah and residents of the neighborhood. Over the years, he became known as a man devoted to acts of chessed, generous with his money, and constantly immersed in Torah study. He dedicated his life to serving the public and supporting the talmidim of the yeshiva.” Reb Pash, z’l, was on the way to Kol Torah and was standing at the bus stop with a Rosh Mesivta from the yeshivah when someone offered them a ride. He had already sat down in the car, but then someone who needed to get to the hospital for medical treatment asked for a ride. Reb Pash, z’l, willingly gave up his seat, left the car and was murdered minutes later. His levaya will depart from Yeshivas Kol Torah in Bayit Vegan at 4:30 p.m. Another victim was a newlywed avreich, Reb Yaakov Pinto, H’yd, 25, a resident of Jerusalem who got married only three months ago. He was born in Spain, and he is his parents’ only son. As a bochur, he moved to Israel to learn at Yeshivas Nehora, later transferring to Yeshivas Derech Emunah in Lod. He served as a madrich in Yeshivas Chedvas HaTorah in Jerusalem. The levaya is scheduled to take place on Tuesday at Yeshivas Derech Emunah in Lod. The third victim was a 31-year-old avreich, Reb Yisrael Mantzer, H’yd, of Jerusalem. He was born in Bnei Brak and as a bochur learned in Yeshivas Chevron. After his marriage to the daughter of HaRav Greineman, the menahel of the Taharos Kollel in the Ponvezher Beis Medrash, he began learning in the kollel of HaGaon HaRav Chaim Tzvi Rosenberg in the Givat Shaul neighborhood of Jerusalem.  He was killed al Kiddush Hashem on the way to kollel, leaving behind his wife, three children, parents and siblings. A fourth victim was the chashuve avreich HaRav Dovid Yosef, H’yd, 43, a resident of Ramot, murdered al Kiddush Hashem with his sefarim in his hands while on the way to kollel. The fifth victim was identified as Reb Mordechai Steintzag, H’yd, 79, a resident of Ramot who made aliyah from the U.S. decades ago and was the owner of the well-known Dr. Mark’s Bakery in Beit Shemesh. A cardiologist by training, he made it his mission to spread the awareness of a healthy diet in Israel, of which there was little awareness at the time. The small home bakery he founded became a pioneer and leader in the field of healthy flours and breads and now has several branches, with the main one in Beit Shemesh. His neighbors in Ramot Bet told B’Chadrei Chareidim that 10 years ago, he donated a Sefer […]

A Chareidi avreich, armed with a firearm, was the first to charge at the terrorists during the deadly shooting attack at the Ramot Junction. He opened fire at the attackers and assisted in neutralizing them along with an off-duty IDF soldier who serves as squad commander in the IDF’s Chashmonaim Brigade for Chareidi soldiers. Security camera footage shows the avreich running toward the terrorists and shooting, while dozens of civilians can be seen fleeing the scene in panic. The avreich received his gun license a year ago.   (YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

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One of the victims injured in the brutal terror attack at the Ramot Junction in Yerushalayim is HaGaon HaRav Yaakov Sharabani, Rosh Yeshiva of *Maor HaTorah* in Yerushalayim and son-in-law of HaGaon HaRav Avraham Salim, shlita, member of the Moetzes Chachmei HaTorah. The Rosh Yeshiva was struck in the back by a bullet and evacuated to Shaarei Tzedek Hospital. Rav Sharabani had been traveling by bus from his home on Mintz Street in Ramot to the yeshiva to deliver his daily shiur when the attack occurred. Bichasdei Hashem, the Rosh Yeshiva is fully conscious. The public is asked to daven for Yaakov Chaim ben Tamar Ivon. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)