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This isn’t an endorsement. None is necessary. Even a third grader can see what’s at stake in New York City’s mayoral election. This is now a two-candidate race between Zohran Mamdani (D) and Andrew Cuomo. The opportunity is now. The urgency is real. Curtis Sliwa (R) is probably a decent candidate anywhere else. But this is New York. He’s a Republican in a Democratic stronghold, and he doesn’t enjoy the support of President Trump — meaning his narrow pathway is closed. Sliwa means well, but he can’t win. So we are left with a stark choice, and the stakes could not be higher. New York is about to hand the keys to City Hall to a man whose greatest skill is manipulating algorithms. Mamdani has built a digital propaganda machine that would make any authoritarian proud. He runs on viral moments and manufactured outrage, not results. That might work for influencers, but it’s a recipe for disaster when you’re running a city of over 8 million people. New York is not ready for his radical experiment. He would dismantle the city’s cultural fabric that has taken 250 years to build. Worse, he doesn’t have the experience. You can’t just go from riding in a plane to flying a 787. He’s too young, too raw, and too naïve about what makes this city work. And unlike every mayor before him, he’ll never have to face real accountability — his social media army has been trained to attack critics, not question their leader. Mamdani seems like a decent guy, but his policies would raise taxes, make our streets less safe, decimate New York’s economic base and drive out businesses. He is on the record as anti-NYPD, a harsh critic of Israel, and he has floated the abolition of private property. He is far too comfortable in the company of antisemites and he won’t back away from his own calls, using the language of terrorism, to “globalize the intifada. He is bankrolled by a radical network that doesn’t believe in America or the freedoms that made this country great. That’s not just bad politics — it’s dangerous. Lock your doors, New Yorkers. His proposals — rent freezes, free buses, city-owned groceries, 200,000 new government housing units on top of the New York City Housing Authority’s more than 177,000 — would supposedly be funded by tax hikes on millionaires and corporations. But this will just drive them all to Florida, leaving the bill for the middle class. Mamdani’s followers don’t understand what the New York City Housing Authority is. They don’t understand municipal bonds. They’ll vote for revolution because it got 4 million views. Being mayor isn’t a Tik Tok video. It means solving real problems: crime, housing, homelessness, jobs. It means managing a budget bigger than that of most states. The state of New York already faces a $3 billion deficit, and our economic base is packing its bags. Viral moments won’t replace serious solutions. By the time his followers realize the rent freeze destroyed housing construction, the algorithm will have moved on. Andrew Cuomo paid his price. Nobody’s perfect. He faced the consequences. But he’s done the job. He has governed through crises, kept the economy growing and balanced budgets. On housing — the issue New Yorkers care about most — he […]

After a period of quiet over Sukkos, the military police have resumed arresting bnei yeshivos. A talmid of Ohr HaChaim yeshivah was arrested overnight Monday at his home in Adam, a moshav in the Binyamin area (also known as Geva Binyamin). According to the bochur’s family members, the military police arrived in large numbers and even blocked several streets around his home to prevent protesters from gathering in the area. It should be noted that reports published on Monday that Chareidi “draft dodgers” will no longer be arrested apply only to the Israel Police and not the military police.  

Dozens of rabbonim from across New York City are urging Orthodox Jews to turn out in large numbers for the upcoming New York City mayoral election, calling voting “a fundamental responsibility to guard the freedoms we enjoy.” In a public letter released Tuesday by Agudah, the rabbonim describe the upcoming race as critical for the Jewish community’s future and safety, warning that “attacks on Jews have surged both locally and across the world” and that “dangerous rhetoric, at all levels, has become commonplace.” “The support for the security of Jews in Eretz Yisroel being debated in mainstream political circles is deeply concerning,” the statement reads. “That this debate is occurring at the center of the largest concentration of Jews outside of Eretz Yisroel is frightening. We have already seen its pernicious impact on our own safety.” The rabbonim stress that every member of the community has an obligation to engage in this hishtadlus, regardless of the election’s outcome. “The only hedge spurring a candidate with future political aspirations to moderate his stance,” they write, “is for him to know that he has a large, motivated voting constituency to contend with.” The letter emphasizes that a strong Orthodox turnout will send a message of political strength and civic engagement. “Such a turnout would be a powerful demonstration of the koach hatzibbur at this critical time,” the signatories wrote. Local, regional, and national Orthodox organizations, the letter notes, are coordinating to mobilize voters and ensure “unprecedented voting participation in our communities.”

Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu has dismissed his national security adviser, Tzachi Hanegbi, with the change taking effect immediately, following internal friction over major wartime decisions in Gaza.

Hanegbi, a veteran Likud figure who has held ministerial posts since the 1990s, was said to have disagreed with Netanyahu’s plan to send ground forces into Gaza City during the summer and had also opposed last month’s failed attempt to target Hamas leaders in Qatar.

Hanegbi’s deputy, Gil Reich, will step in as acting national security adviser and head of the National Security Council. Reich, who assumed the deputy post in 2022, previously served as the deputy director of Israel’s Atomic Energy Commission.

Netanyahu issued a statement expressing appreciation for Hanegbi’s service and wishing him “much success in his future endeavors and good health.”

In his own farewell remarks, Hanegbi acknowledged the tensions that had marked his relationship with the prime minister.

“I thanked the prime minister for the privilege of being a partner in shaping Israel’s foreign and security policy during challenging years — for the opportunity to express an independent position in sensitive discussions, and for the professional dialogue we maintained, even in times of disagreement,” he said.

Hanegbi emphasized that the conflict which began on October 7, 2023, remains unresolved despite the recent ceasefire.

“Our fighters remain on guard on many fronts,” he said, “and the mission to bring all our hostages home has not yet been completed. Nor has the obligation yet been fulfilled — by diplomatic or military means — to ensure that the terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip are removed from power, disarmed, and that Gaza will no longer pose a threat to Israel.”

Netanyahu has repeatedly defined Israel’s war aims as freeing the hostages, eliminating Hamas, and preventing Gaza from ever again threatening the Jewish state.

Hanegbi also accepted personal responsibility for what he described as the “terrible failure of October 7,” and — in a veiled rebuke of Netanyahu’s resistance to a state inquiry — said it “must be thoroughly investigated to ensure that the necessary lessons are learned and to help restore the public trust that has been shaken.”

“We must all remain committed and attentive to the needs of those who have borne the dearest price of all — the bereaved families and the wounded, in body and soul,” Hanegbi said, urging national solidarity as “essential to ensuring the eternity of Israel.”

According to Israel’s Kan broadcaster, Netanyahu had assured Hanegbi only days before his removal that he would keep his job, even as reports surfaced that the prime minister was frustrated with him.

Sources close to Netanyahu told Kan that Hanegbi had leaked information to the media and acted against the premier’s interests. They added that Sara Netanyahu, the prime minister’s wife, was reportedly displeased with Hanegbi’s conduct — a factor that may have influenced the decision.

The shake-up comes as Netanyahu’s circle continues to thin. Chief of Staff Tzachi Braverman is preparing to leave for London as Israel’s new ambassador, while Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer is said to be considering stepping away from public life in the near future.

The prime minister previously dismissed Defense Minister Yoav Gallant last November, IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi has since retired, and multiple senior officers and officials have resigned amid the fallout from the catastrophic failures of October 7.

{Matzav.com}

A man whose convictions for storming the U.S. Capitol were erased by President Donald Trump’s mass pardons has been arrested on a charge that he threatened to kill House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. Christopher P. Moynihan is accused of sending a text message on Friday noting that Jeffries, a New York Democrat, would be making a speech in New York City this week. “I cannot allow this terrorist to live,” Moynihan wrote, according to a report by a state police investigator. Moynihan also wrote that Jeffries “must be eliminated” and texted, “I will kill him for the future,” the police report says. Moynihan, of Clinton, New York, is charged with a felony count of making a terroristic threat. It was unclear if he had an attorney representing him in the case, and efforts to contact him and his parents by email and phone were unsuccessful. Moynihan who’s 34, was sentenced to 21 months in prison for joining a mob’s Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. In January, he was among hundreds of convicted Capitol rioters who received a pardon from Trump on the Republican president’s first day back in the White House. Jeffries thanked investigators “for their swift and decisive action to apprehend a dangerous individual who made a credible death threat against me with every intention to carry it out.” “Unfortunately, our brave men and women in law enforcement are being forced to spend their time keeping our communities safe from these violent individuals who should never have been pardoned,” Jeffries said in a statement. House Speaker Mike Johnson was asked about the case during a news conference on Tuesday and said he did not know any details of the threat against Jeffries. “We denounce violence from anybody, anytime. Those people should be arrested and tried,” said Johnson, a Louisiana Republican. The New York State Police said it was notified of the threat by an FBI task force on Saturday. Moynihan was arraigned on Sunday in a local court in New York’s Dutchess County. He is due back in the Town of Clinton Court on Thursday. Dutchess County District Attorney Anthony Parisi said his office is reviewing the case “for legal and factual sufficiency.” “Threats made against elected officials and members of the public will not be tolerated,” Parisi said in a statement on Tuesday. On Jan. 6, Moynihan breached police barricades before entering the Capitol through the Rotunda Door. He entered the Senate chamber, rifled through a notebook on a senator’s desk and joined other rioters in shouting and chanting at the Senate dais, prosecutors said. “Moynihan did not leave the Senate Chamber until he was forced out by police,” they wrote. In 2022, U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper convicted Moynihan of a felony for obstructing the Jan. 6 joint session of Congress for certifying Democrat Joe Biden’s victory over Trump in the 2020 presidential election. Moynihan also pleaded guilty to five other riot-related counts. (AP)

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan has asked the Justice Department to investigate former CIA Director John Brennan, alleging that Brennan misled Congress about the CIA’s involvement with the Steele dossier during testimony last year.

In a letter sent Tuesday to Attorney General Pam Bondi, Jordan charged that Brennan provided false statements in his 2023 testimony before the House Judiciary Committee. He accused the ex-spy chief of wrongly denying that the CIA had relied on the Steele dossier while preparing the 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment (ICA) on Russian interference in the U.S. election, and of falsely asserting that the agency opposed using it.

The Steele dossier — a controversial compilation of memos alleging connections between Donald Trump and Russian officials — was assembled in 2016 by former British intelligence officer Christopher Steele and later given to the FBI.

Jordan wrote that later investigations “confirmed that the Clinton campaign and the DNC paid Steele via the law firm Perkins Coie and opposition research firm Fusion GPS to provide derogatory information about Trump’s purported ties to Russia, which resulted in the discredited dossier.”

According to Jordan, documents declassified by the Trump administration in July 2025 indicate Brennan had personally approved incorporating information from the dossier into the intelligence report, despite objections from top CIA personnel.

During a closed-door interview on May 11, 2023, Brennan stated that “the CIA was not involved at all with the [Steele] dossier.”

However, newly released records suggest otherwise. The declassified files show that the inclusion of dossier material in the ICA “was jointly made by the Directors of CIA and FBI.”

“Brennan’s assertion that the CIA was not ‘involved at all’ with the Steele dossier cannot be reconciled with the facts,” Jordan wrote. “As the newly declassified documents show, a CIA officer drafted the annex containing a summary of the dossier; Brennan made the ultimate decision, along with then-FBI Director James Comey, to include information from the dossier in the ICA; and, as discussed further below, Brennan overruled senior CIA officers who objected to the inclusion of the dossier material.”

Although any potential criminal charges are beyond the five-year statute of limitations, Jordan further accused Brennan of lying to Congress back in 2017 during a hearing before the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI), arguing that the earlier incident “indicates a pattern of Brennan’s willingness to lie to Congress about the Steele dossier.”

“The HPSCI report and the CIA memorandum confirm not only that the Steele dossier was used as a basis for the ICA, but that Brennan insisted on its inclusion,” Jordan wrote. “This stands in stark contrast with Brennan’s testimony to HPSCI that the dossier was not used in drafting the ICA. … Brennan’s testimony before the Committee on May 11, 2023, was a brazen attempt to knowingly and willfully testify falsely and fictitiously to material facts.”

{Matzav.com}

POTUS on Hamas: “We could put that out in two minutes. We’re giving them a chance… If they don’t honor the deal, they’ll be taken care of very quickly — but I’d rather not have to do that.”

Hamas on Tuesday night transferred two caskets it said contained the remains of deceased Israeli hostages to the Red Cross, marking the latest exchange under the fragile U.S.-brokered ceasefire in Gaza even as violence threatens to upend the deal. The International Committee of the Red Cross confirmed it facilitated the handover to the IDF, who draped the caskets in Israeli flags and held a brief ceremony led by a military rabbi before transferring them to Israel’s Abu Kabir forensic institute in Tel Aviv for identification. The terror group’s military wing claimed the bodies had been “retrieved today in the Strip,” without identifying the victims. If confirmed, the return would lower the number of deceased hostages still held by Hamas from 15 to 13. At the start of the ceasefire on October 10, the remains of 28 Israeli captives were believed to be inside Gaza. Tuesday’s transfer came a day after Hamas returned the body of slain hostage Tal Haimi, part of the ongoing exchange framework that trades the bodies of Palestinian casualties for Israeli hostages. Under the agreement, Israel returns the remains of 15 Palestinians for every Israeli body handed over. The Red Cross said it also facilitated the repatriation of 15 Palestinian bodies to Gaza on Tuesday, bringing the total transferred under the deal to 165. “The International Committee of the Red Cross today facilitated the transfer of deceased Palestinians to authorities in Gaza,” the organization said in a statement. The handovers took place as Israel reported new clashes in southern Gaza. Two IDF soldiers were lightly wounded earlier Tuesday when their tank was struck by an explosive device near Khan Younis. The military said the soldiers were evacuated to a hospital and that an investigation is underway to determine when the device was planted. The incident followed a deadly flare-up two days earlier in Rafah, where gunmen emerged from a tunnel inside Israeli-held territory and launched RPGs at troops, killing two soldiers and wounding several others. Israel blamed Hamas for the attack, though the group denied responsibility, claiming it had “lost contact” with its operatives in the area. In response, the IDF struck roughly 20 targets in Gaza, with Hamas-run civil defense officials claiming 45 people were killed. Those figures could not be independently verified. The latest exchange underscores both the delicate progress and persistent volatility of the ceasefire framework — one that hinges on Hamas continuing to return hostages, living or deceased, in exchange for bodies and humanitarian relief, and on Israel exercising restraint in its military operations. Officials from both sides, speaking through intermediaries, have signaled a desire to maintain the fragile calm, but with the situation on the ground still tense, the risk of renewed fighting remains high. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Hamas terrorists have unleashed a wave of internal terror in Gaza, rounding up Palestinians, torturing them, and executing them in the streets, according to shocking new footage released by Israel.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry shared disturbing video from inside the Gaza Strip showing masked gunmen, believed to be Hamas operatives, dragging a screaming man across the street before viciously beating him.

As the helpless victim writhes on the ground, one of the terrorists raises his rifle and fires multiple rounds into the man’s leg and torso. A second detainee, forced to watch the execution, breaks down sobbing as gunfire echoes through the street.

The gunmen then move on to others they had detained, beating and killing them one by one as part of Hamas’s campaign to crush any internal dissent and reestablish dominance during the fragile cease-fire.

“We call on all media outlets to give appropriate coverage to this threat to regional security,” the Israeli Foreign Ministry posted on X along with the chilling footage. “Responsible journalism should shine a light on this.”

“Hamas — the terror state controlling Gaza — is brutalizing Palestinians as it seeks to reestablish control,” the ministry added, warning viewers that the content was “difficult viewing.”

Another clip released by the ministry shows a group of masked men, also believed to be Hamas members, standing around an injured man and beating him mercilessly with sticks.

The bloodied victim tries in vain to protect his face and head as the attackers continue striking him. When he attempts to crawl beneath a car to escape, one of the men drags him back out to the middle of the road, where the assault continues in full view of bystanders.

These scenes add to mounting evidence of Hamas’s violent efforts to restore its grip on Gaza, coming just days after public executions were reported in Gaza City.

Both Israeli and Palestinian Authority officials have pointed to these brutal acts as proof that Hamas has no intention of laying down its weapons or relinquishing control — core conditions outlined in President Trump’s peace plan.

While Trump initially signaled understanding toward efforts to suppress armed gangs in Gaza, the escalating violence against civilians prompted him to issue a warning to Hamas that the attacks must stop — or international forces could intervene. Trump stated Tuesday that several Middle Eastern allies were ready to send troops to “straighten [out] Hamas” if the group “continues to act badly.”

{Matzav.com}

Vice President JD Vance spoke to reporters in southern Israel Tuesday evening while on a mission to bolster the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, laying out his assessment of the early days of the U.S. diplomatic push.

“We are one week into President Trump’s historic peace plan in the Middle East, and things are going, frankly, better than I expected that they would,” Vance said as he opened his remarks.

Asked about Ankara’s potential part in enforcing the truce and helping stabilize Gaza — despite Turkey’s past backing for Hamas — Vance said multiple actors will be needed to address the region’s humanitarian and security challenges.

“We think everybody has a role to play here,” Vance responded. “Some of that’s going to be financial, some of that’s going to be in reconstruction, some of that’s just in communication with the various parties.”

He stressed that any deployment of foreign forces would be decided with Israel’s consent, while praising steps Turkey has already taken in the process.

“We’re not going to force anything on our Israeli friends when it comes to foreign troops on their soil, but we do think that there’s a constructive role for the Turks to play, and frankly, they’ve already played a very constructive role,” he added.

Vance acknowledged difficult history when addressing Turkey’s ties to Hamas, but urged forward-looking cooperation as the best path to lasting calm.

He noted that Turkey “has supported Hamas is the past,” but argued that pointing fingers won’t replace the work needed to secure a stable future: “no one who is a party to this conflict can look at the conflict and not point at something that they don’t like and that they disagree with … The way that we’re going to get to peace is to focus on the future, which is what the President of the United States has asked us to do.”

On the sensitive subject of recovering the remains of hostages still in Gaza, Vance said bringing the deceased home is a shared priority for all involved.

“it is a focus of everybody here to get those bodies back home to their families so that they can have a proper burial.”

But he warned the public that the recovery effort faces severe practical obstacles and that results will not be immediate.

“some of these hostages are buried under thousands of pounds of rubble. Some of the hostages – nobody even knows where they are. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t work to get them, and that doesn’t mean we don’t have confidence that we will. It’s just a reason to counsel in favor of a little bit of patience.”

Turning his remarks directly to Hamas, Vance reiterated the core demands of the administration’s plan and the consequences of refusal to comply.

“Our warning to Hamas is very straightforward. The terms of the 20-point plan that the President put out there are very clear,” he continued. “It’s that Hamas has to disarm, it’s that Hamas has to actually behave itself, and it’s that Hamas – while all the fighters can be given some sort of clemency, they’re not going to be able to kill each other and they’re not going to be able to kill their fellow Palestinians. Now again, that’s going to take time … but right now, where I stand, I feel confident we’re going to be in a place where this place lasts, where it’s durable.”

He concluded with a stark threat should the group refuse to cooperate, while stopping short of setting a deadline for compliance.

“If Hamas doesn’t cooperate, then as the President of the United States has said, Hamas is going to be obliterated.”

{Matzav.com}

New Jersey gubernatorial candidate Mikie Sherrill has been absent from more than half of her congressional votes this year—by far the worst attendance record among members of the House, according to official data.

The Democratic congresswoman, now in her fourth term, has seen her voting participation plummet since declaring her candidacy to succeed outgoing Governor Phil Murphy late last year. Her Republican rival, Jack Ciattarelli, has accused her of abandoning her congressional duties to focus on her campaign.

While it’s common for sitting lawmakers running for higher office to miss some votes, Sherrill’s record stands out. Reports by PolitiFact and the New Jersey Globe reveal that since announcing her bid on November 18, 2024, she has failed to vote on about 55% of major House measures.

Fox News added that since the start of the 119th Congress in January, Sherrill has skipped 53% of votes—145 in total—placing her far behind her colleagues in attendance.

Her absentee rate dwarfs that of the next most absent New Jersey representative, Donald Norcross, who has missed 83 votes this year.

Ciattarelli’s campaign wasted no time attacking her record. “She ran for re-election to Congress in 2024 knowing full well she had no intention of doing her job,” said campaign strategist Chris Russell in a statement to Fox News.

“And when she did show up, the two most consequential votes she cast were to raise taxes on working people and shut down the government,” he continued, referencing her opposition to a temporary spending bill and to President Trump’s “big beautiful bill.”

“That Sherrill missed nearly 90% of the votes she was supposed to cast over the last three months is shameful,” Russell added, citing her voting record between July 23 and September 18.

In response, Sherrill’s campaign avoided commenting directly on the absences but defended her commitment to New Jersey. “Mikie Sherrill is out there every day fighting for New Jersey on critical issues like the Gateway Tunnel Project, which Trump ‘terminated’ and said ‘is dead,’” campaign communications director Sean Higgins told The New York Post.

The campaign also took a swipe at Ciattarelli, accusing him of being subservient to the Trump administration. “No wonder Jack continues to trail, even in Fox News’ polling, where he can’t break through the mid-40s and voters are rejecting him on healthcare, costs, taxes, and utilities,” Higgins said.

The race between Sherrill and Ciattarelli has turned increasingly combative as polls tighten heading into the final stretch.

Data from GovTrack shows that as the campaign intensified, Sherrill missed 56% of her votes from April through June and 64% from July through September.

Although other members of Congress running for higher office have occasionally skipped votes, none have done so at the same rate. For instance, Michigan’s Elissa Slotkin participated in 99% of votes while campaigning for the Senate, and six other House lawmakers pursuing Senate seats maintained attendance above 80%.

Only Senator Adam Schiff, then a California congressman running for the Senate, had a comparably poor attendance record, missing 48% of House votes last year, according to Fox News.

{Matzav.com}

The Cleveland community was zocheh on Monday to host Harav Dov Landau shlit”a, and Harav Yosef Chevroni shlit”a, who arrived early that morning as part of a visit to America on behalf of Keren Olam HaTorah — the initiative established under the guidance of Gedolei Eretz Yisroel to support yeshivos and kollelim facing unprecedented financial strain following government funding cuts in Eretz Yisroel. Rav Dov and Rav Yosef landed in Cleveland at approximately 7:00 a.m., where they were greeted by askanim and local rabbanim. They proceeded to the home of R’ Moshe Katz, where they davened Shacharis and recited Birchas HaGomel. Throughout the morning, Rav Landau and Chevroni held a series of private meetings with several local tomchei Torah and leading baalei tzedakah, following which Rav Dov addressed a massive asifah of approximately 2,000 children from Cleveland’s various mosdos haTorah. The sight of the city’s tinokos shel beis rabban — gathered together to see and hear a living link to the previous generations of gedolei Yisroel — was profoundly moving. Rav Landau spoke briefly but warmly about the power of limud haTorah, urging the children to appreciate the zechus they have to learn and to grow into true ovdei hashem. The centerpiece of the visit was the community-wide asifah held in the evening at the Hebrew Academy, where more than 3,000 members of the kehilla gathered to hear from klal yisroel’s leading manhig. In his powerful address, Rav Dov spoke about the centrality of Torah as the lifeblood of Klal Yisroel, emphasizing that Keren Olam HaTorah is not merely a financial campaign, but a mission to uphold the very foundation of Am Yisroel. He implored the audience to recognize that supporting Torah is not a favor to others, but the greatest privilege and responsibility of every Yid. Upon the conclusion of the asifa Rav Dov immediately boarded a flight to Los Angeles – despite the grueling day and his weakened state – where he was joined by other gedolei Yisroel for further meetings and asifos as part of the ongoing effort to strengthen Keren Olam HaTorah and ensure the continued vitality of yeshivos and kollelim across Eretz Yisroel. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Pershing Square CEO Bill Ackman joins ‘Squawk Box’ to discuss the state of the NYC mayoral election, his thoughts on Zohran Mamdani, state of the economy, his thoughts on the second Trump presidency, state of U.S.-China relations, U.S. government’s stake in Intel, AI boom, and more.

WATCH:

The Israel Defense Forces announced that the remains of two hostages have been returned to Israel after Hamas handed the coffins over to the Red Cross for transfer.

“Two coffins of deceased hostages, escorted by IDF troops, crossed the border into the State of Israel a short while ago and are on their way to the National Institute for Forensic Medicine, where identification procedures will be carried out,” the military said. “IDF representatives are accompanying the families. The IDF urges the public to act with sensitivity and wait for official identification, which will first be communicated to the families of the deceased hostages.”

Before the exchange took place, the army urged restraint as the Red Cross prepared to retrieve the coffins from Hamas. “The IDF requests that the public act with sensitivity and wait for the official identification, which will first be provided to the families of the hostages. Hamas is required to uphold the agreement and take the necessary steps to return all the deceased hostages,” it said.

Shortly afterward, the military confirmed that the handover was in progress. “According to information provided by the Red Cross, two coffins of deceased hostages have been transferred into their custody and are on their way to IDF troops in the Gaza Strip. Hamas is required to uphold the agreement and take the necessary steps to return all the deceased hostages,” the IDF reported.

Following the transfer, Israel noted that thirteen additional bodies of hostages remain in Gaza.

The Prime Minister’s Office released its own statement confirming the process. “Israel has received, via the Red Cross, coffins containing the remains of two deceased hostages, which were handed over to an IDF and ISA force inside the Gaza Strip. From there, the coffins will be transferred to Israel, where they will be received in a military ceremony in the presence of the IDF Chief Rabbi.”

“They will then be transferred to the Health Ministry National Center of Forensic Medicine. Upon completion of the identification process, formal notification will be delivered to their families. All of the hostages’ families have been updated accordingly, and our hearts are with them in this difficult hour. The effort to return our hostages is ongoing and will not cease until the last hostage is returned. The public is requested to respect the families’ privacy and to refrain from spreading rumors and unofficial and unverified information. We will continue to provide updates with reliable information as necessary,” the PMO said.

{Matzav.com}

A California man has agreed to plead guilty to acting as an illegal agent for the Chinese government in Southern California while working as a campaign advisor for a local politician. Yaoning “Mike” Sun is expected to appear in court in Los Angeles on Monday to enter his plea under a deal with federal prosecutors, according to a copy of the agreement available in online court records. It was signed by Sun, his attorney and a prosecutor earlier this month. If the plea is accepted by a judge, Sun could face a maximum sentence of up to 10 years in prison, the agreement says. The U.S. attorney’s office in Los Angeles declined to comment on the deal. Sun’s attorney, Adam Olin, also declined to comment. Under the agreement, Sun acknowledges acting as a foreign agent on behalf of the People’s Republic of China from 2022 to 2024 without notifying the U.S. attorney general as required by law. Sun is a Chinese citizen living in the U.S. legally, the U.S. attorney’s office said. The case against Sun was filed during President Joe Biden’s administration amid a time of rising concern that the Chinese government had cultivated a network of operatives to influence local elections in the U.S. to install politicians who were friendly to Beijing and could help promote Chinese interests. Sun was accused of conspiring with Chen Jun, who was sentenced in New York to 20 months in prison for acting as an illegal agent of the Chinese government. According to the plea deal, Sun received instructions from Chinese government officials to post pro-Beijing content on a website he ran with another individual who became a candidate for local office and won election in 2022. Sun worked as a campaign advisor for the individual and the following year drafted a report for Chinese officials seeking funding and assignments for more pro-Beijing activities, the agreement says. “Defendant and Individual 1 received and executed directives from PRC government officials to post pro-PRC content on the website, and sometimes sought approval from PRC government officials to post other pro-PRC content on the website,” the agreement says. The individual is not named in court papers. Sun was listed as a campaign treasurer for Arcadia City Council candidate Eileen Wang on a campaign statement filing stamped in February 2022, according to records on the city’s website. Arcadia is a city of nearly 60,000 people northeast of Los Angeles with a large Asian population, according to census data. After Sun was arrested in December, Arcadia City Manager Dominic Lazzaretto said Sun had no affiliation with the city. Lazzaretto said Wang had not been charged and planned to cooperate with federal officials. A message was left Monday for Wang at Arcadia City Hall. (AP)

WATCH: Two coffins, believed to hold the remains of deceased hostages, crossing into Israeli territory under military escort.

Vice President JD Vance lashed out at sections of the American and Western media on Tuesday, accusing reporters of showing “a weird attitude” and even “rooting for failure” as the administration’s landmark Middle East peace initiative gains momentum.

“Things are going, frankly, better than I expected that they were,” Vance said during a press conference in southern Israel to mark the inauguration of the new Civilian-Military Cooperation Center. “This is a very, very tough situation. You have two peoples, two enemies who fought a very tough conflict against each other.

“You have a terrorist organization on one hand that murdered a lot of innocent people. You’ve got an Israeli army that was defending itself on the other, that has learned a lot over the past couple of years.”

Vance said that even with Sunday’s brief interruption in the ceasefire between Hamas and the Israeli Defense Forces, the process continues to move forward. He applauded the teamwork among Israeli officials, U.S. representatives, and regional allies, while taking issue with what he described as consistently gloomy portrayals in American news outlets.

“There’s this weird attitude I’ve sensed in the American media and the Western media, where there’s almost this desire to root for failure,” he said. “Every time there’s an act of violence, there’s this inclination to say, ‘This is the end of the ceasefire.’

“It’s not the end. We are in a very good place.”

The vice president went on to commend the leadership of Ambassador Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner, Adm. Brad Cooper of U.S. Central Command, and American servicemembers who are working alongside Israeli personnel at the new coordination hub.

He acknowledged that achieving lasting peace will not happen overnight, but said the groundwork being laid offers real hope for a stable future. “You have Israelis and Americans working hand in hand to begin the plan to rebuild Gaza, implement long-term peace, and ensure security forces on the ground that can keep the peace,” Vance said.

{Matzav.com}

Two IDF soldiers were lightly wounded on Tuesday after their tank was struck by an explosive device in the Khan Younis area of southern Gaza, the military said. Both soldiers were evacuated to a hospital for treatment, and their families have been notified, according to the IDF. The explosion occurred around 12:30 p.m. as troops were conducting operations to clear the area of potential threats. An initial military investigation found no terrorists present at the time of the blast, suggesting the device had been planted earlier. The IDF said it is examining when and how the explosive was placed in the area. Following the incident, Israeli forces carried out air and artillery strikes against several targets nearby that “posed a threat to the troops operating in the area,” military officials said. The Khan Younis region has remained a focal point of ongoing IDF activity as Israeli forces work to dismantle remaining Hamas infrastructure and prevent renewed terrorist operations following the ceasefire. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

More and more incredible stories of the spiritual gevurah of the recently released hostages are emerging. The story of Matan Angrest, an IDF soldier who was on active duty on October 7 and was abducted from his tank position at Nachal Oz, seriously wounded and unconscious, and suffering from burns and wounds, is especially inspiring. Matan suffered from open wounds after his abduction that went untreated for months. Due to his status, he also suffered especially severe torture during his captivity. Despite his secular background, Matan began davening three times a day during captivity. For most of his captivity, Angrest was held with fellow hostage Gali Berman, who had a Chamisha Chumshei Torah, and they recited the entire sefer together at least 20 times. “I know every parsha by heart,” he said. Angrest, who did not grow up in a religious home, explained to Ba’al Chessed Shai Graucher that after five months, he needed something to sustain him. “Emunah provides a lot of chizzuk,” he said. He asked for a siddur, which a senior Hamas official eventually provided.   Matan’s father, Chagai (seen in the video below alongside his son), told Kan about the suffering his son endured. “He suffered more than others because he was a soldier, and that led to especially violent interrogations,” his father said. Matan’s gaunt condition upon his release shocked his family members. “We looked at him and said: ‘You’re a neis. It’s hard to believe you can even walk.” “He still can’t believe he can just drink water whenever he wants,” his father added. “They had almost nothing there. He needs to rebuild himself, physically and emotionally.” Matan’s mother told Kan that her son’s severe injuries caused the terrorists who abducted him on October 7 to debate whether it was “worth keeping him alive or to give up on him.” She said Matan told her, “I did what was expected of me as a soldier,” and that he is proud of his decision to fight the terrorists that morning, fully aware of the possibility that he might be taken captive. She added, “Before Matan came back, I didn’t change the sheets. I hadn’t touched his room since October 7. We kept his bedding, his scent, so that I could lie in his bed from time to time.” The video below shows Matan reciting Mizmor L’Todah, publicly thanking Hashem for his release: More stories of the recently released hostages connecting to ruchniyus in captivity can be read here and here and here, and here. (YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

After a period of quiet over Sukkos, the military police have resumed arresting bnei yeshivos. A talmid of Ohr HaChaim yeshivah was arrested overnight Monday at his home in Adam, a moshav in the Binyamin area (also known as Geva Binyamin). According to the bochur’s family members, the military police arrived in large numbers and even blocked several streets around his home to prevent protesters from gathering in the area. It should be noted that reports published on Monday that Chareidi “draft dodgers” will no longer be arrested apply only to the Israel Police and not the military police. Israel Police chief Danny Levy made a decision that bnei yeshivos who encounter Israel Police officers will no longer be arrested and transferred to the military police. His decision does not affect targeted arrests of bnei yeshivos by the military police. Some Chareidi sects have announced plans for protests on Tuesday evening. However, the official Peleg Yerushalmi sect stated that it will not hold demonstrations today. (YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)