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The Pentagon has developed plans for a sweeping new military offensive against Iran that could involve three days of intensive American airstrikes against missile facilities, drone installations, Revolutionary Guard headquarters and critical energy infrastructure, even as President Donald Trump has rejected multiple proposals for renewed attacks and announced that no strikes will take place before the November 3 midterm elections.

According to a report published Thursday by The New York Times, American military commanders are preparing for the possibility of a major escalation in the conflict with Tehran, with the United States moving toward a deployment of three aircraft carriers in the Middle East. The buildup would represent one of the largest concentrations of American naval power in the region in recent years.

The military planning is continuing despite Trump’s reluctance to approve another major offensive. Administration officials told the newspaper that the president has requested additional military options targeting Iran while repeatedly declining to authorize the operations presented to him.

Senior Pentagon officials and White House national security advisers have reportedly submitted five separate proposals involving substantial attacks against Iranian military assets or the Iranian-backed Houthi terrorist organization in Yemen. Trump turned down all five.

Nevertheless, the administration has continued examining possible courses of action should diplomatic negotiations fail or Iranian attacks prompt a change in American strategy.

Vice President JD Vance led a meeting of senior national security officials at Camp David last Friday, where the latest military proposals were reviewed. The discussions focused on potential targets, the scope of an American response and the consequences of another major confrontation with Iran.

One option reportedly calls for a concentrated offensive lasting approximately 72 hours, during which American forces would seek to inflict extensive damage on Iran’s military capabilities.

Among the targets under consideration are Iranian ballistic missile stockpiles, drone production and storage facilities, and military infrastructure that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has rebuilt since the war began.

The Pentagon is also examining possible attacks on Iranian energy facilities, Revolutionary Guard command centers and other military headquarters that play important roles in coordinating the country’s operations.

Axios previously reported on aspects of the administration’s renewed military planning, which comes amid increasing concern over Iran’s attacks on commercial shipping and its ability to threaten American installations throughout the Middle East.

The military preparations are unfolding alongside diplomatic contacts intended to bring the conflict to an end. American officials have expressed cautious encouragement about negotiations conducted through intermediaries, although substantial disagreements remain between Washington and Tehran.

A central obstacle is Iran’s nuclear program. The Trump administration wants Tehran’s nuclear activities addressed as a priority in any comprehensive agreement, while Iranian negotiators have insisted that nuclear issues should be handled only during the concluding phase of discussions.

Iran has also resisted American demands that it relinquish its uranium stockpile or abandon enrichment activities, leaving a major divide between the two governments despite continuing diplomatic exchanges.

On Thursday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi confirmed that Tehran was reviewing Washington’s response to a proposal submitted through mediators. Iranian officials indicated that they expected to provide a further response within days.

The Iranian proposal reportedly includes relief from American economic sanctions and the naval blockade, along with the release of frozen assets, in exchange for steps toward reopening the Strait of Hormuz and pursuing broader negotiations.

Trump has rejected Iran’s latest offer, but administration officials have continued working through diplomatic channels in an effort to find an agreement.

The American military, meanwhile, is confronting an Iranian adversary that intelligence officials believe has adapted its tactics during the months of fighting.

According to the Times report, Iranian improvements in missile and drone operations have forced American forces to use larger numbers of defensive interceptors than earlier in the conflict, creating additional pressure on already strained ammunition supplies.

The concern extends beyond the immediate cost of defending American bases. Military planners are weighing whether another prolonged confrontation could further reduce the stockpiles needed to protect U.S. forces and allies against future attacks.

American intelligence assessments also indicate that Iran has improved its targeting capabilities with assistance from satellite imagery provided by Chinese companies. That information has reportedly helped Iranian forces identify and target American military installations with greater precision.

At sea, Iran has continued attacking commercial vessels despite the absence of another major American offensive.

British maritime monitoring authorities have recorded at least 13 attacks against ships since the last significant exchange of American and Iranian strikes in September, while U.S. intelligence officials believe the actual number may be closer to 20.

The situation has become particularly dangerous around the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway through which a substantial share of the world’s oil shipments ordinarily passes.

Recent attacks have disrupted commercial shipping and driven up global energy prices, with Brent crude climbing above $105 per barrel Thursday amid renewed fears about the security of oil supplies.

Shipping volumes through the strait have fluctuated sharply as commercial operators contend with the threat of Iranian missiles, drones and other attacks. The disruption has also contributed to higher fuel costs and broader economic uncertainty.

The United States has maintained a naval blockade intended to prevent Iranian oil exports while allowing shipments from other Gulf producers to continue.

American military officials say their operations have helped secure major shipping routes, clear mines from key transit lanes and protect commercial vessels moving through the region.

U.S. Central Command said Thursday that American forces had facilitated the movement of more than 1.25 billion barrels of crude oil from Gulf partners in recent months while preventing Iranian oil exports under the blockade.

The American naval buildup is expected to include the USS Theodore Roosevelt, which is reportedly scheduled to reach the region later this month, adding another carrier strike group to the substantial forces already operating in and around the Middle East.

The deployments are intended to provide American commanders with additional offensive and defensive capabilities, including aircraft that could participate in strikes against Iranian targets if Trump authorizes renewed military action.

Despite the preparations, the president publicly ruled out another American attack before Election Day.

“We are having productive discussions with the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

In his announcement, Trump described Iran as facing severe economic and military difficulties and made clear that Washington would maintain its naval blockade while negotiations continued.

He said that approximately 22 million barrels of oil had moved through the Strait of Hormuz the previous night, with none of the shipments originating in or destined for Iran. The figure was presented by the president and was not independently verified.

Trump explicitly declared that American forces would not resume attacks against Iran before the November 3 congressional elections, while reiterating his determination to prevent Tehran from obtaining nuclear weapons.

The announcement came after months of intermittent military confrontations following the American and Israeli strikes against Iran in February, which triggered a wider conflict involving Iranian retaliation, attacks on shipping and repeated diplomatic efforts to halt the fighting.

A temporary ceasefire reached in June subsequently collapsed, and hostilities intensified again in September, when American strikes against Iranian military installations were followed by retaliatory missile attacks against U.S. bases in the region.

The continuing conflict has also become a major domestic political issue as Americans face higher gasoline prices and concerns about the economic consequences of prolonged fighting.

Recent polling has reflected public dissatisfaction with the administration’s handling of the war, adding to the political pressures surrounding the president’s decisions in the final weeks before the midterm elections.

Nevertheless, Trump’s announcement does not mean that the Pentagon is suspending preparations for possible military operations after November 3.

According to the Times, American commanders are maintaining plans that would allow them to begin a major offensive within days if the president changes his position and authorizes renewed strikes.

The newspaper emphasized that preparing military options does not establish that an attack will occur. Trump has repeatedly sought additional proposals while declining to approve them, and senior officials continue to weigh the dangers of escalation against the potential consequences of allowing Iran to rebuild its military capabilities.

One of the most serious concerns remains the strain on American defensive missile inventories. Officials fear that another large-scale confrontation could require extensive interceptor use, potentially reducing the military’s ability to protect American bases, personnel and regional allies against further Iranian retaliation.

For now, the administration is pursuing negotiations while maintaining its blockade and strengthening the American military presence in the region, leaving the Pentagon prepared for a substantial new campaign without an order from the president to launch one.

{Matzav.com}

Israeli authorities are preparing to introduce advanced surveillance technology and redesigned border-control gates at Ben Gurion Airport after discovering that 64 chareidi young men classified as military draft evaders managed to leave the country for Uman despite being subject to travel restrictions. Their departures were not recorded by the border-control system, and the irregularities were discovered only when they returned to Israel.

According to a report by Kan News, the Population and Immigration Authority is developing a major upgrade to its border-control infrastructure, incorporating artificial intelligence, surveillance cameras, and two-stage automated passage gates intended to prevent travelers from bypassing immigration checks.

The new equipment is expected to be introduced at entry checkpoints during 2026, while installation at departure checkpoints, where the recent breaches occurred, is scheduled for 2027.

The planned changes follow an investigation into how dozens of chareidi travelers managed to depart for Uman during the Yom Tov season without their exits appearing in official immigration records, despite outstanding orders prohibiting them from leaving the country.

Police investigators suspect that some of the individuals used a method known as tailgating, in which a person follows closely behind another passenger through an automated border-control gate, passing through before the barrier closes.

Security camera footage reportedly enabled authorities to identify several of those involved. All 64 cases were referred to Ben Gurion Airport police on suspicion of violating Israel’s Entry Law.

Some of the young men have already been questioned under caution, while the remainder are expected to be summoned for questioning.

Figures presented during discussions concerning the military draft controversy showed that 188 individuals had been arrested at Ben Gurion Airport in connection with their military status. Of those, 64 were identified only after returning from overseas, having previously left Israel without their departures being properly registered.

Additional figures emerged during a meeting chaired by Deputy Attorney General Gil Limon, where officials reviewed enforcement activity against individuals classified by the military as draft evaders or deserters.

According to the data presented, 212 young men were arrested at border crossings during September on account of their military status. Approximately 163 of those arrested were members of the chareidi community.

The discussions also revealed that authorities had generally refrained from carrying out proactive arrest operations during the Yom Tov period. The IDF is now preparing to resume such operations during October.

The report emerged amid another day of widespread unrest over the arrests of bnei yeshiva, as hundreds of Peleg Yerushalmi demonstrators blocked major roads in Yerushalayim and near Bnei Brak on Thursday afternoon.

Protesters shut down sections of Route 4 and the entrance to Yerushalayim for approximately two hours, leading to serious traffic disruptions and confrontations with police attempting to reopen the roads.

In another incident during the demonstrations, police were called upon to extract Shas chairman Aryeh Deri and Minister Michael Malkieli after protesters gathered around a building hosting a Shas party event.

{Matzav.com}

Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders reaffirmed her state’s support for Israel as she welcomed her father, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, back to Arkansas on for a series of commemorations marking the third anniversary of the October 7 Hamas massacre.

The governor and her father joined Jewish leaders, elected officials and community representatives in Little Rock to remember the approximately 1,200 people murdered by Hamas terrorists on October 7, 2023, and to honor the victims, survivors and families whose lives were devastated by the attacks.

Sanders used the occasion to deliver a public declaration of solidarity with Israel, emphasizing that Arkansas would continue to support the Jewish state and ensure that the experiences of those affected by the massacre remain at the forefront of public remembrance.

“In Arkansas, we make no apology for standing with Israel. We lift up the voices that matter: the victims, the people of Israel, and those who stood beside them through some of their darkest days. Glad to have my dad Ambassador Mike Huckabee back home to mark this solemn day,” Sanders wrote in a public statement.

The commemorations included a ceremony at the Arkansas State Capitol, where Ambassador Huckabee, who previously served as governor of Arkansas, spoke about the continuing consequences of the October 7 attacks and the broader threat posed by terrorist organizations operating in the Middle East.

Huckabee recalled being in Israel when the attacks occurred three years earlier, describing how he sheltered in a bunker while maintaining communication with President Donald Trump. He said the devastation caused by the terrorists remains visible in parts of Israel, where buildings and communities continue to bear the scars of the massacre and subsequent war.

The ambassador also reflected on the challenges of representing the United States in Israel during a period of continuing regional conflict, saying that despite the dangers and pressures associated with the assignment, he considers it a privilege to serve.

“I sometimes ask the president, what did I do to you? You send me to one of the most intense places on earth, but I tell you, I wouldn’t be anywhere else right now, to serve my country, my flag, and to serve a president who had the courage to recognize the threat to America and the American people and to say enough,” Huckabee told those assembled.

The event brought together several prominent Arkansas officials, including Secretary of State Cole Jester and Attorney General Tim Griffin, who joined the governor and ambassador in condemning the Hamas attacks and expressing support for Israel.

Representatives of the Jewish community also addressed the gathering, including Rav Pinchus Ciment, regional director of Lubavitch of Arkansas, and Harry Ehrenberg of the Arkansas Jewish Federation. Albert Veksler, director of the Jerusalem Prayer Breakfast, participated as well, speaking about the events of October 7 and their continuing impact.

The commemoration was hosted by Jason Rapert, founder and president of the National Association of Christian Lawmakers, which organized the ceremony in cooperation with state officials. Rapert thanked participants for speaking out against antisemitism and supporting Israel.

The gathering concluded with a prayer led by Pastor Happy Caldwell, a member of the association’s governing board, who prayed for peace in Israel and for families still suffering from the consequences of the terrorist attacks.

The State Capitol ceremony was followed by an Arkansas Remembers reception at the Governor’s Mansion, held in the Janet M. Huckabee Grand Hall, named for the ambassador’s wife and the governor’s mother.

The anniversary observances also coincided with a development in Arkansas’ role in Israel’s defense. Earlier Wednesday, Sanders joined Sen. Tom Cotton and Rep. Bruce Westerman at the Raytheon-Rafael Protection Systems facility in East Camden, where officials marked the first shipment of Tamir interceptor missiles manufactured in the state for Israel’s Iron Dome missile-defense system.

The $63 million manufacturing facility, which opened in November 2025, is expected to generate as many as 60 jobs. It will also produce SkyHunter interceptors, an American version of the Tamir missile, for the U.S. Marine Corps.

For Sanders, the project has particular personal significance because her parents reside in Israel, where Mike Huckabee serves as America’s ambassador.

“Today is even more special to me, because my own parents are some of those who the Iron Dome protects, along with 250,000 other American citizens who call Israel home,” Sanders said.

“They spent most of last summer huddled in a bunker,” she added. “They saw what Hamas and Iranian missiles would do if not taken out, and they’re alive today because of the Iron Dome.”

During his visit, Ambassador Huckabee also drew attention to the suffering of Israeli families who have lost loved ones in the war, including the family of Israeli Ambassador to the United States Yechiel Leiter.

Leiter had been expected to participate in the Arkansas commemorations but remained in Israel at the bedside of his son, Neria, who was critically injured in a terrorist vehicle-ramming attack in September.

“The reason that Ambassador Leiter is not here is because his son was brutally attacked by Palestinian terrorists who rammed a vehicle into him,” Huckabee explained. “He’s in very critical condition, and so Ambassador Leiter obviously is at his bedside.”

The Leiter family had already suffered a devastating loss when another son, Major Moshe Yedidya Leiter, was killed while fighting Hamas in Gaza in November 2023.

Huckabee also emphasized that Americans were among the victims of the October 7 massacre and warned against viewing the terrorist attack as a tragedy affecting Israel alone.

“Too many Americans forget that there were 46 Americans murdered that day,” he said.

The ambassador further argued that the conflict with Iran and its terrorist proxies has direct implications for American national security, rejecting the suggestion that the United States’ involvement in the region is solely about protecting Israel.

“If everybody thinks this is about Israel, they’re not paying attention,” Huckabee said. “It was never just about Israel. It was always about the United States.”

“This is absolutely putting America first,” he added. “None of the actions are taken to benefit anybody other than America and the American people.”

The Arkansas events thus brought together the state’s political leadership, Jewish community representatives and American officials serving in Israel, with the governor and her father emphasizing both remembrance of the October 7 victims and the continuing American-Israeli security relationship.

President Donald Trump declared Thursday that the White House considers anyone who continues using the term “artificial intelligence” instead of his preferred designation, “super intelligence,” to be an enemy of the administration, escalating his campaign to change the name of one of the world’s fastest-growing technologies.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump issued an extraordinary warning to individuals and organizations that have not adopted the terminology he recently introduced through an executive order.

“The White House considers anyone that uses the term, ‘Artificial Intelligence,’ as opposed to the highly accepted new and more accurate term, ‘Super Intelligence,’ THE ENEMY!” Trump wrote.

The statement follows Trump’s September 29 executive order directing federal departments and agencies to replace the familiar terms “artificial intelligence” and “AI” with “super intelligence” and “SI” in government communications, websites, reports, policy documents and other materials.

Trump has repeatedly argued that the word “artificial” inaccurately characterizes the technology, suggesting that it is fake or inferior when, in his view, the systems represent an extraordinary technological achievement.

During a White House gathering with leading technology executives on September 29, the president defended his proposed terminology change.

“It’s not artificial. We all agree on that,” Trump said.

He had introduced the proposed change during his September 22 address to the United Nations General Assembly, arguing that the technology deserved a name reflecting its capabilities.

“It makes it sound fake, and it is not fake. It’s actually amazing,” Trump said.

The executive order applies to federal government communications and does not establish penalties for private citizens, businesses or organizations that continue using the established terminology. Trump’s Thursday declaration did not explain what consequences, if any, would follow from being characterized as an enemy of the White House.

The administration’s effort has also encountered resistance from the technology industry, where artificial intelligence and superintelligence have long carried different meanings.

Artificial intelligence generally refers to computer systems capable of performing tasks associated with human intelligence, including generating text, analyzing information, recognizing images and making predictions.

Superintelligence, by contrast, traditionally describes a hypothetical level of machine intelligence that surpasses human capabilities across virtually every intellectual field. Researchers generally do not consider existing AI systems to have reached that threshold.

Despite the distinction, Trump’s executive order applies the new label to technologies already covered by the federal government’s existing definition of artificial intelligence.

The order also requires the president’s science and technology adviser to develop proposed legislative language within 60 days to establish a formal federal definition of super intelligence and determine whether existing statutory terminology should be revised.

Some prominent technology figures have begun embracing Trump’s preferred language. Elon Musk has indicated that his company’s AI operation would adopt the name SpaceXSI, replacing the AI abbreviation with SI.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang also used the administration’s new terminology during the September 29 White House event, referring to data centers as “superintelligence factories.”

Other major technology companies have continued using artificial intelligence in their public communications, even as they pursue the development of more advanced systems.

The White House itself has not fully abandoned the old terminology. Government websites and materials from the Office of Science and Technology Policy have continued referring to artificial intelligence despite the president’s directive.

California Governor Gavin Newsom has also rejected the terminology change, directing state agencies to retain the established term.

Trump’s push comes as his administration seeks to accelerate American technological development and maintain an advantage over China in advanced computing.

Earlier this month, the president announced the creation of a federal Super Intelligence Force, headed by Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton, to coordinate government policy concerning the technology.

The task force is expected to examine the opportunities and risks associated with increasingly capable AI systems, including national security concerns, while developing recommendations intended to preserve American technological leadership.

On Thursday, the task force’s four senior leaders were scheduled to meet, with a gathering of the full committee expected the following week.

{Matzav.com}

Zionist Organization of America President Morton Klein has called for New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani to be removed from office, accusing him of displaying hostility toward Jews after the mayor issued a statement marking the third anniversary of Hamas’ October 7 massacre that condemned Israel for alleged genocide while failing to mention Jews.

Speaking Thursday on Newsmax’s “Bianca Across the Nation,” Klein delivered a blistering attack on the Democratic socialist mayor, arguing that his remarks and longstanding positions on Israel should disqualify him from continuing to lead New York City.

“I call him mayor jihadist Jew-hater. That’s what he is,” Klein said.

The controversy erupted after Mamdani released a statement Wednesday describing the October 7, 2023, Hamas atrocities as “horrific war crimes” and expressing sympathy for families who lost loved ones in the terrorist assault.

However, Mamdani also asserted that the suffering “did not begin nor end that day” and accused Israel of an “ongoing genocide in Gaza,” along with allegations of war crimes, occupation, and apartheid.

The statement drew immediate criticism from Jewish organizations and Israeli representatives, who objected to the mayor’s decision to combine his acknowledgment of the Hamas massacre with sweeping accusations against Israel.

The Anti-Defamation League pointed out that Mamdani’s statement did not explicitly mention Jews, despite the anniversary commemorating the deadliest attack on the Jewish people since the Holocaust.

The mayor also encountered a hostile reception Wednesday evening when he appeared at an October 7 memorial gathering in Union Square, where demonstrators booed him.

Klein cited Mamdani’s previous refusal to condemn the slogan “globalize the intifada,” a phrase that Jewish organizations and other critics have warned encourages violence against Jews around the world.

During his 2025 mayoral campaign, Mamdani declined to denounce the expression, maintaining that he did not personally use it. He subsequently indicated that he would discourage others from employing the slogan.

“He wouldn’t condemn it. This guy is simply a Jew-hater,” Klein said. “We really need the major newspapers and more politicians condemning him.”

The ZOA president argued that Mamdani’s behavior warranted consequences extending beyond public criticism, insisting that the mayor should be compelled to leave office.

“His actions are so heinous, so hateful, that he really should be impeached,” he said. “If he was making similar comments against Blacks or gays, it would be absolutely intolerable, and he would be forced to resign. He should be forced to resign.”

Although Klein called for impeachment, New York City’s governing charter does not establish an impeachment procedure for removing a mayor.

New York’s governor does possess the authority to remove a sitting mayor under a separate legal process, which requires that charges be presented and that the mayor receive an opportunity to respond.

Mamdani assumed office on January 1, 2026, becoming New York City’s first Muslim mayor. His election followed a contentious campaign in which his statements about Israel, the Gaza war, and antisemitism repeatedly drew objections from Jewish organizations, including the ADL.

Since entering City Hall, Mamdani has sought to engage with Jewish communities by meeting with rabbonim, attending shul services, and promising to confront antisemitism.

His statements surrounding October 7, however, have remained a source of controversy.

On the second anniversary of the Hamas massacre in 2025, Mamdani characterized the terrorist assault, which killed approximately 1,200 people and resulted in more than 250 hostages being abducted into Gaza, as a “horrific war crime.”

In that same statement, he also demanded an end to what he described as Israel’s “genocidal war” in Gaza, prompting Israel’s Foreign Ministry to condemn his remarks as “shameful.”

On Thursday, Mamdani stood by his handling of the anniversary despite criticism from Jewish leaders and pro-Palestinian demonstrators. At a news conference in Brooklyn, he declined to condemn the protesters who had disrupted the Union Square gathering, where some participants chanted in support of Hamas.

The vigil, organized by Israelis for Peace, was intended to commemorate those murdered in the October 7 attacks as well as Palestinians killed during the subsequent war. Anti-Israel demonstrators converged on the gathering, shouting at participants and accusing Mamdani of betraying their cause by attending.

The backlash against the mayor also included criticism from Israel’s consul general in New York, Ofir Akunis, who condemned Mamdani’s anniversary statement as an insult to the memory of the October 7 victims.

New York Board of Rabbis representative Joe Potasnik likewise objected to the mayor’s decision to use the anniversary to level accusations against Israel, arguing that the Jewish community should have been allowed a day of mourning without another political confrontation.

{Matzav.com}

The renowned Brisk Yeshiva in Yerushalayim, headed by Rav Avrohom Yehoshua Soloveitchik, is reportedly preparing to accept approximately 300 to 400 bochurim for the upcoming winter zman, marking a significant reopening of admissions after several zmanim during which the yeshiva did not take in new talmidim.

According to sources, the decision comes amid changes in the yeshiva’s student body, with a substantial number of existing bochurim having departed or preparing to leave for other yeshivos, including Bais Medrash Govoha in Lakewood.

The anticipated admissions would represent a major development for Brisk, which has long been regarded as one of the most sought-after destinations for advanced American yeshiva bochurim spending their years of learning in Eretz Yisroel.

Under the leadership of Rav Avrohom Yehoshua Soloveitchik, a son of Rav Berel Soloveitchik and grandson of the Brisker Rov, the yeshiva has maintained its distinctive approach to learning, with particular emphasis on the rigorous analytical method associated with the Brisker tradition.

Admission to the yeshiva has historically been highly competitive, with demand frequently exceeding the number of places available. Its reputation has made acceptance into Brisk an important milestone for many American bochurim seeking to continue their learning in Yerushalayim.

The yeshiva has experienced periods of restricted admissions in the past. A historical account published more than two decades ago described a previous year in which Rav Avrohom Yehoshua declined to accept new students because of overcrowding, before eventually admitting approximately 200 American bochurim following appeals from American roshei yeshiva.

The latest reported reopening, however, would involve a considerably larger incoming group, with estimates placing the expected number of new students between 300 and 400.

{Matzav.com}

[Videos below.] Massive demonstrations organized by Peleg Yerushalmi brought major highways in Yerushalayim and central Israel to a standstill Thursday afternoon, as hundreds of protesters blocked roads for approximately two hours in opposition to the renewed arrests of yeshiva bochurim over military enlistment. The protests erupted into confrontations with police, who deployed stun grenades and batons, while footage showing officers violently removing demonstrators, including a policewoman tearing a protester’s tzitzis, generated widespread attention.

The demonstrations, which began at approximately 4 p.m., shut down Route 4 near Bnei Brak and the main entrance to Yerushalayim near the Chords Bridge. The disruptions caused extensive traffic congestion, interfered with light rail operations in the capital, and prompted warnings to travelers heading to Ben Gurion Airport.

The protests followed the arrests of two chareidi men in Be’er Sheva and Eilat earlier in the week after authorities determined that they were wanted for failing to report for military service. According to additional reports, two yeshiva bochurim were sentenced to 20 days in military detention, further intensifying anger within Peleg Yerushalmi.

Rav Azriel Auerbach, a leading figure in Peleg Yerushalmi, issued a call for widespread demonstrations in response to the arrests. The appeal was directed to the broader membership of the movement, rather than only those activists who ordinarily participate in highway blockades.

The Committee to Save the Torah World, an organization associated with the movement, accused military authorities of arresting bnei yeshiva because of their continued Torah learning and called for large-scale protests throughout the country.

In Yerushalayim, hundreds of demonstrators gathered near the Chords Bridge, occupying the roadway and blocking one of the city’s principal entrances. Additional protesters assembled along Bar Ilan Street, where traffic was also disrupted.

Police redirected motorists to alternative roads as traffic backed up across the surrounding area. The demonstrations also forced interruptions to the Yerushalayim light rail system, particularly near the Central Bus Station, with some services suspended and others operating along shortened or divided routes.

One of the most serious incidents occurred when a chareidi IDF soldier driving through the area found himself surrounded by demonstrators. Protesters blocked his vehicle, prompting police to intervene and extract him from the crowd.

Officers deployed stun grenades and other crowd-control measures during the rescue operation. Video footage from the scene showed police attempting to force demonstrators away from the vehicle as the confrontation intensified.

Other recordings from the Yerushalayim protest showed officers striking demonstrators with batons while attempting to clear the roadway.

In one widely circulated video, a female police officer was seen grabbing the tzitzis of a protester lying on the road and pulling on them until they tore. The footage drew particular attention because of the religious significance of the garment and the force used against the demonstrator.

Another recording appeared to show a police officer throwing a stun grenade directly toward the upper body of a protester, raising questions about whether the device was used in accordance with appropriate safety procedures.

A separate confrontation near the Chords Bridge involved a vehicle that began moving while demonstrators were gathered around it. A protester was dragged or struck by the vehicle, and reports indicated that a yeshiva bochur suffered minor injuries.

Police rejected allegations that the driver had deliberately attempted to run over the demonstrator. Authorities maintained that the protester had grabbed onto the vehicle and said they possessed footage supporting their account.

Meanwhile, in the Bnei Brak area, hundreds of demonstrators entered Route 4 near the Coca-Cola Bridge, sitting across the traffic lanes and bringing traffic to a halt in both directions between the Aluf Sadeh and Em Hamoshavot interchanges.

Protesters chanted, “We will die rather than enlist,” as police attempted to clear the highway.

The closures created major traffic backups along Route 4 and nearby roads. Congestion had already begun developing before the scheduled start of the demonstrations, as authorities prepared for the anticipated disruptions.

Israel’s National Roads Company reported heavy traffic stretching from the Rishon LeZion area toward Givat Shmuel, while Route 1 experienced significant congestion between Latrun and Shoresh and between Motza and the Harel interchange.

The Israel Airports Authority advised passengers traveling to Ben Gurion Airport to leave earlier than usual because of the possibility of serious delays on surrounding roads.

Police declared the demonstrations unlawful after protesters refused instructions to leave the roadway. Mounted officers and other police units were deployed to remove demonstrators, resulting in further confrontations.

Police said some protesters shouted “Nazis” at officers and physically confronted motorists attempting to pass through the affected areas.

Initial reports indicated that two demonstrators had been arrested on suspicion of assaulting police officers. A subsequent police update reported three arrests on Route 4 on suspicion of attacking officers, with additional arrests reported in Yerushalayim.

Police Commissioner Daniel Levy instructed officers to disperse demonstrations involving roadblocks and public disturbances.

“Protest is a right; disturbing public order is not,” Levy said in a statement issued during the unrest.

The protests came after several unsuccessful attempts by military police to arrest chareidi men wanted for failing to report for enlistment.

In Modi’in earlier in the week, military police attempting to arrest a bochur at a residential building were surrounded by hundreds of protesters after activists circulated an emergency alert.

Demonstrators entered the building and reportedly reached the apartment itself, gathering around the wanted man and preventing officers from taking him into custody.

Police reinforcements were eventually called to extract the military personnel, who left without making the arrest.

A similar incident unfolded Thursday morning in Bat Yam, where military police arrived at the residence of another wanted chareidi man. Activists associated with the emergency alert network known as Tzeva Shachor summoned protesters, and the officers ultimately withdrew without arresting him.

During Thursday’s demonstrations, protesters also surrounded a building in Modi’in Illit where Shas was holding an election campaign gathering. Shas chairman Aryeh Deri was present at the event, according to a party spokesperson.

The protests therefore extended beyond the principal highway blockades, with demonstrators also directing their anger toward political figures amid the continuing controversy over the military draft of bnei yeshiva.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu condemned the highway closures, arguing that the demonstrators did not represent the broader chareidi community.

“These blockades do not represent the overwhelming majority of the chareidi public; an extremist faction of Kaplan, Kaplan, is organizing this,” Netanyahu said, referring to the anti-government protest movement associated with Kaplan Street in Tel Aviv.

By approximately 6:30 p.m., police reported that the main demonstrations had ended and that Route 4 near Bnei Brak and the entrance to Yerushalayim had reopened to traffic.

VIDEOS:

{Matzav.com}

Lakewood’s Board of Education has reinstated free courtesy busing for more than 300 public school students following protests by parents, even as thousands of families sending their children to yeshivos and private schools are being required to pay $675 per child for the same category of non-mandated transportation.

The decision, approved unanimously in a 9-0 vote, commits approximately $245,000 in district funding to restore transportation for 307 public school students who had lost the service because of budget cuts. The reversal came after parents and students packed a contentious Board of Education meeting and demanded that the district restore their children’s bus routes.

The development has intensified a controversy that has gripped Lakewood since the beginning of the school year, raising questions about why public school students are receiving taxpayer-funded transportation while private school families, many already struggling with substantial tuition bills and rising living expenses, must pay hundreds of dollars per child.

The Asbury Park Press reported that the board reversed its earlier decision after dozens of parents and students pressed officials to restore the service at Wednesday’s meeting. The unanimous vote authorized the district to cover the transportation expense rather than leave the affected families responsible for arranging their own rides.

For Lakewood’s Orthodox Jewish community, however, the decision has highlighted a disparity that has been at the center of the transportation debate for weeks. Parents of non-mandated yeshiva students are still being charged $675 per child through the Lakewood Student Transportation Authority, known as LSTA.

For a family with four children requiring non-mandated busing, the annual cost amounts to $2,700. A family with five children faces a $3,375 transportation bill, in addition to school tuition, property taxes and other household expenses.

The distinction involves students who live close enough to their schools that New Jersey law does not ordinarily require publicly funded transportation. Under state regulations, elementary school students generally qualify for mandated transportation when they live more than two miles from school, while the threshold for high school students is more than two and a half miles.

Children living within those distances are classified as non-mandated. Transportation for them is considered a courtesy service, although local officials have historically provided subsidies to help families obtain busing.

For years, Lakewood Township helped finance courtesy transportation for both public and nonpublic school students. Public school students received the service without a direct charge, while parents of non-mandated private school students paid a subsidized fee through LSTA.

That arrangement was thrown into turmoil this summer when township officials eliminated funding for the program amid a municipal budget shortfall.

The township had previously contributed approximately $1.4 million toward courtesy busing for public school students and $2.75 million toward subsidies for non-mandated private school students.

With those contributions eliminated, LSTA initially announced that the annual charge for non-mandated transportation would rise from $385 to $945 per child for the 2026–27 school year.

The announcement, made shortly before the start of the school year, triggered widespread anger among parents who suddenly faced hundreds or thousands of dollars in additional transportation expenses.

Following negotiations involving LSTA, local officials and community representatives, the fee was subsequently reduced to $675 per child. Although that represented a substantial reduction from the initially announced $945 rate, it remained $290 higher than the previous year’s $385 charge.

Meanwhile, Lakewood’s public school students initially faced the complete elimination of courtesy busing after the township withdrew its financial support.

The Board of Education voted in August to discontinue the service, but state-appointed fiscal monitor Louise Davis subsequently directed the district to continue transporting non-mandated public school students whose walking routes crossed roads classified as hazardous.

Approximately 80% of Lakewood’s 1,475 non-mandated public school students qualified under that exception, leaving roughly 300 children without transportation.

The remaining families continued demanding that the district restore the service, culminating in the board’s decision to approve funding for those students as well.

The controversy extends beyond the 307 students whose transportation has now been restored. According to figures reported by The Voice of Lakewood, approximately 12,952 non-mandated private school students reside in the district, compared with 1,475 non-mandated public school students.

An estimated 98% of those private school students must cross at least one road designated as hazardous by the Lakewood Police Department on their way to school. Nevertheless, their parents have not been granted the same publicly funded hazardous-route transportation that the district has provided to qualifying public school students.

The Board of Education attempted to address that disparity at a special meeting on September 9, voting to extend hazardous-route transportation to eligible nonpublic school students. The proposal carried an estimated cost of $14.9 million.

Davis, who exercises state oversight of the financially troubled school district, placed the resolution under advisement, preventing it from taking effect while she reviewed its financial implications.

In a subsequent written decision, the monitor rejected the proposal, citing the district’s lack of available funding and the additional borrowing that would be required.

“There is no available funding,” Davis wrote.

Her decision noted that the district had already sought more than $132 million in state loans for the current school year. Providing hazardous-route transportation to nonpublic school students would require an additional $14.9 million.

Yet when the board voted to restore courtesy transportation for the remaining public school students, Davis allowed the measure to stand.

That distinction has become a central point of contention among board members and community representatives, who argue that the district is applying different standards to children based on whether they attend public or private schools.

Board President Moshe Bender acknowledged that members had expected the monitor to block the public school transportation resolution as well.

“She surprised us when she allowed the resolution to stand, but we really had nothing to lose either way,” Bender told The Voice of Lakewood.

“Now that she allowed the resolution to pass, it’s a win for us because it shows how she is willing to give the public-school students courtesy busing—which is like a treat, which no one is legally entitled to—while denying nonpublic-school students busing even if they have a hazardous route to school.”

The board also renewed its effort to secure hazardous-route transportation for private school students, approving a revised resolution and authorizing borrowing to cover the proposed $14.9 million cost. Davis again placed the measures under advisement.

The dispute has raised legal questions about the district’s transportation policies. Board members have challenged the legal reasoning behind the monitor’s decision, while the district’s attorney has warned that providing hazardous-route transportation to public school students but withholding it from similarly situated private school students could expose the district to litigation.

At an earlier meeting, Assemblyman Avi Schnall sharply criticized the distinction, arguing that the safety of a child’s walking route should not depend on which school the child attends.

“This is appalling—that we have someone who’s willing to say that that [public school] child cannot walk on dangerous roads, and that [private school] child could, to me, is a shame. And [it’s] shameful that this is what’s being promoted from a state-appointed monitor,” Schnall said.

The transportation controversy is unfolding as Lakewood homeowners contend with a substantial increase in property taxes. Residents have reported annual increases of approximately $700 to $900, adding to frustration over municipal spending and the loss of transportation subsidies. The precise increase varies by property, and the reported range does not represent a uniform charge on every household.

For many families, the combined financial burden is considerable. A household facing an $800 annual property tax increase and paying $675 each for four children’s non-mandated busing would incur $3,500 in combined annual property tax increases and transportation charges.

Even measured against last year’s subsidized transportation rate, that same family would be paying $1,160 more for busing alone.

The financial situation has also renewed attention to Lakewood’s unusual school enrollment structure. While the township has one of New Jersey’s largest school-age populations, the overwhelming majority of its children attend private schools and yeshivos.

Local officials have long argued that the state’s school funding formula does not adequately account for the transportation and other obligations associated with such a large nonpublic school population.

The district has accumulated substantial debt to the state over years of borrowing to cover operating shortfalls, a situation that led to the appointment of a state fiscal monitor with authority over major financial decisions.

The latest vote has now created a situation in which all 1,475 non-mandated public school students are again eligible for district-funded transportation, while thousands of non-mandated private school students remain dependent on a paid LSTA program.

The dispute may ultimately be decided in court. Parents of yeshiva students are considering legal action challenging the monitor’s refusal to authorize comparable hazardous-route transportation for nonpublic school children.

For now, the Board of Education’s decision means that 307 public school students who had lost their bus service will once again receive transportation at public expense, while Lakewood’s private school families continue paying $675 per child and await a resolution to the dispute over hazardous-route busing.

{Matzav.com}

The IDF announced Thursday evening that Captain Eliav Chaim Tzapalamus, a 21-year-old combat engineering officer from Haifa, was killed when a military Humvee overturned during an operational mission in southern Lebanon. Three other Israeli soldiers were lightly injured in the accident.

The fatal incident occurred Thursday afternoon in the vicinity of the Litani River, where Israeli troops from the 7th Armored Brigade were carrying out military operations. Tzapalamus served in the Combat Engineering Corps’ 603rd Battalion, operating under the 7th Brigade within the IDF’s 36th Division.

According to preliminary military findings, the Humvee carrying the soldiers overturned during the operation. Tzapalamus was killed, while the three other soldiers sustained minor injuries and were transported to a hospital for medical treatment. Their families were subsequently informed.

The IDF has opened an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the accident. Military officials have not yet disclosed what caused the vehicle to overturn.

Tzapalamus was the son of Heli, an employee of the Haifa Municipality, and Benny, who works for Israel Railways. His death prompted an outpouring of grief in Haifa, where Mayor Yona Yahav issued a statement mourning the young officer and extending condolences to his family.

“Eliav went out to defend his people and his country and will not return. He was part of the generation of heroes of the State of Israel – a generation of young people with dreams, aspirations, and an entire future ahead of them, who carry on their shoulders an enormous responsibility for the security of the country and the safety of its citizens. A generation that reminds us all what duty, dedication, and love of the land mean.”

The mayor also addressed Tzapalamus’ mother directly, acknowledging her connection to the municipal workforce and the grief being felt by her colleagues.

“Eliav is the son of Heli, an employee of the Haifa Municipality, and Benny. Dear Heli, all of us – your friends and colleagues at the Haifa Municipality – are devastated and heartbroken,” he wrote.

Tzapalamus’ levayah is scheduled for Friday, October 9, at 1 p.m. at the military cemetery in Haifa.

The tragedy occurred as Israeli forces continued operations in southern Lebanon despite the withdrawal of some troops from the area. IDF units remain active in a security zone, conducting operations to seize weapons and strike terrorist infrastructure.

Earlier Thursday, residents of communities in the northern Galilee were advised that explosions could be heard as a result of military activity across the border. Airstrikes were also reported in several areas of southern Lebanon.

Tzapalamus’ death follows other fatal operational accidents involving Israeli forces in recent months. On September 24, two reservists, Master Sgt. Nadav Keli, 24, of Har Halutz, and Master Sgt. Ofek Mualem, 23, of Yerushalayim, were killed when an Israeli military explosive drone malfunctioned during an operation in northern Gaza.

Earlier, Major Harel Birenstock, 34, of Nokdim, and Master Sgt. Tamir Vaknin, 33, of Eilat, were killed by an explosive device in the southern Lebanese village of Majdal Zoun. Both were serving with the Paratroopers Brigade’s 55th Brigade.

In June, Master Sgt. Basel Sweid, 32, of Peki’in, was killed when a military fuel truck overturned in the southern Lebanese area of Rab Thalathin. Another soldier was moderately injured in that accident.

According to Israeli military casualty figures reported Thursday, 971 IDF personnel have been killed since the beginning of the war, including 88 soldiers who fell in southern Lebanon.

{Matzav.com}

[Video below.] Israeli police have completed an investigation into the deliberate burning of a sukkah in central Yerushalayim during Sukkos, with prosecutors preparing to indict a 52-year-old Arab resident of the Old City in what authorities suspect was a racially motivated attack.

The incident occurred on Sunday, September 27, in the Agrippas Street area, near Yerushalayim’s bustling Machane Yehuda market. Police believe the suspect intentionally set fire to the sukkah during the Yom Tov.

On Thursday, police announced that investigators from the Lev Habira station had completed their investigation and assembled evidence against the suspect. A prosecutor’s declaration was submitted to the court on Wednesday, signaling the intention to file a formal indictment in the coming days.

The case began when police received a report that a sukkah had been set on fire in the center of the city. Officers immediately opened an investigation to determine the circumstances of the blaze and identify whoever was responsible.

Detectives from the Lev Habira station worked alongside surveillance personnel from the Yerushalayim District, examining available evidence and conducting intelligence and operational activities.

Investigators soon concluded that the fire was suspected to have been deliberately set rather than caused by an accident. Evidence gathered during the investigation also raised suspicions that the act was motivated by racial hatred.

Police subsequently identified a 52-year-old resident of the Old City as the suspect. He was located and arrested shortly after the incident and taken for questioning.

The suspect was brought before a court, which extended his detention on several occasions while investigators continued gathering evidence and examining the circumstances surrounding the fire.

Following the completion of the investigation, prosecutors submitted a formal declaration stating their intention to pursue criminal charges.

The suspected arson occurred during Chol Hamoed Sukkos, when Jewish families spend time eating and gathering in their sukkos in fulfillment of the mitzvah of the Yom Tov.

The location of the incident, in the heavily traveled Agrippas Street area, added to the seriousness of the case. The street runs through one of central Yerushalayim’s busiest commercial districts, surrounded by residential buildings, stores and pedestrian traffic.

The suspected racial motive is a central component of the investigation, with police treating the burning of the sukkah as a possible hate-motivated offense rather than an ordinary property crime.

Authorities have not publicly disclosed whether anyone was inside the sukkah when the fire was started, whether there were injuries, or the full extent of the damage.

Police also released footage connected to the incident as they announced the conclusion of the investigation.

The suspect’s identity has not been publicly released. As of Thursday’s announcement, the anticipated indictment had not yet been filed, and the allegations remain subject to court proceedings.

The case now moves toward prosecution, with the police investigation completed and the state preparing to bring formal charges over the burning of the sukkah during Sukkos.

{Matzav.com}

[Video below.] An Egyptian pilot reportedly employed by EgyptAir has sparked fresh aviation security concerns after posting footage of an Israeli El Al passenger jet at an airport in Italy, accompanied by a recording of former Egyptian President Anwar Sadat declaring, “An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, and violence for violence.”

The video, posted Wednesday by Osama Mansour, who identifies himself on social media as an EgyptAir pilot, shows an El Al aircraft parked at an Italian airport as an EgyptAir plane moves into view nearby. As the Egyptian aircraft approaches, the soundtrack plays an excerpt from Sadat’s 1973 wartime speech threatening retaliation against Israel.

The recording includes Sadat’s declaration: “Let the Israelis remember what I always said: ‘An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth’.”

The video was shared on Mansour’s Instagram and Facebook accounts, accompanied by an Arabic caption that translates roughly as “A surprise entry disrupts the course of events.”

The footage quickly circulated across Israeli social media Thursday, drawing particular attention because it was posted just days after the attempted terrorist attack aboard a FlyDubai passenger flight bound for Israel.

The FlyDubai incident involved an Omani co-pilot who allegedly attacked the aircraft’s Indian captain and attempted to seize control of the plane. The confrontation prompted renewed scrutiny of airline personnel, security screening and the potential dangers posed by radicalized individuals with access to passenger aircraft.

Against that backdrop, Mansour’s decision to combine footage of an Israeli civilian airliner with a speech invoking retaliation and violence raised questions among Israeli aviation observers about the appropriateness of such messaging by someone identifying himself as a commercial airline pilot.

Israeli aviation journalist Itay Blumental was among those who publicized the footage, questioning whether European airports and international aviation authorities should permit pilots displaying potentially violent attitudes to operate passenger aircraft.

The recording attracted unusually widespread attention compared with Mansour’s previous social media activity. By Thursday evening, the Instagram video had accumulated more than 6,200 likes, while most of his earlier posts had received between 20 and 100 likes. Other reports indicated that the footage had been viewed more than one million times across social media.

The controversy also comes at a particularly sensitive moment in Egyptian-Israeli relations, with the video appearing during the anniversary of the 1973 Yom Kippur War, which Egypt commemorates annually on October 6.

Sadat, who led Egypt during that war, subsequently became the first Arab leader to sign a peace treaty with Israel. The 1979 agreement established formal diplomatic relations between the countries and resulted in Israel’s withdrawal from the Sinai Peninsula.

The speech selected for Mansour’s video, however, comes from the earlier period of military confrontation between the two countries.

Egyptian media coverage has presented the footage in a different light, describing it as a patriotic video marking the anniversary of Egypt’s 1973 military campaign. That interpretation contrasts with concerns expressed in Israel over the use of violent wartime rhetoric alongside images of an Israeli passenger aircraft.

The video itself does not contain an explicit statement by Mansour threatening to attack the El Al aircraft or its passengers, and there is no publicly established evidence that he intended to carry out an act of violence.

Although Mansour identifies himself as an EgyptAir pilot, independent confirmation of his current employment status has not been publicly established. No official response from EgyptAir regarding the video had been reported as of Thursday.

The incident follows another controversy involving an airline pilot whose social media activity raised concerns about extremist rhetoric.

Israeli media reported Thursday that United Airlines had suspended Captain Ibrahim R. Muslim following renewed complaints about social media posts praising the Oct. 7 massacre. According to those reports, the pilot had previously been suspended in November 2023 over similar material before eventually returning to work.

A United Airlines flight attendant told Israeli media that employees had raised concerns about the pilot following the 2023 massacre and renewed their complaints after the FlyDubai incident.

The latest episode has added to the growing debate over how airlines assess the conduct of flight crews outside the cockpit, particularly when their public statements involve violent political rhetoric or hostility toward countries whose citizens may be aboard their aircraft.

{Matzav.com}

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani was loudly heckled and confronted by pro-Palestinian demonstrators Wednesday evening as he attended a candlelight vigil in Manhattan marking the third anniversary of the Oct. 7 Hamas massacre. Some of the protesters carried Hamas and Hezbollah flags while accusing the mayor of abandoning the Palestinian cause since taking office.

The confrontation erupted in Union Square, where the organization Israelis for Peace had arranged a memorial honoring Israelis murdered in the Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attack and Palestinians killed during the subsequent war in Gaza. Demonstrators who had gathered earlier outside City Hall marched to the memorial, where their shouting disrupted the proceedings and drew attention away from the commemorative gathering.

Mamdani, holding a candle and standing alongside former City Comptroller Brad Lander, remained largely expressionless as protesters directed a barrage of insults and accusations toward him. Several demonstrators wearing keffiyehs shouted at the mayor, demanding that he take a stronger position against Israel.

“You coward!” some protesters yelled. “How do you let this happen?”

Other demonstrators repeatedly chanted, “Zohran you can’t hide, we charge you with genocide,” while additional slogans included “Mayor Mamdani take a stand. Stop the sale of stolen land” and “Shame on you.”

The disruption came as an unusual public rebuke of Mamdani from activists who have generally shared his outspoken criticism of Israel. The protesters accused him of failing to translate his political positions into sufficient action since becoming mayor, and some objected to his participation in a memorial organized by an Israeli group.

For those attending the vigil, the confrontation turned an already emotional anniversary into an especially painful evening. Tamar Glazerman, co-founder of Israelis for Peace, described the gathering as “a difficult night, heckled by a few hundred counter-protesters.”

“Verbally, it was very violent,” she said, adding “what I think is unfortunate is the lack of listening.”

Glazerman said the demonstrators appeared unwilling to hear the message of the memorial, which sought to acknowledge the suffering of both Israelis and Palestinians.

“Because the only thing that matters is that we had Israelis in our name,” she said. “Not a word that we said had mattered.”

Another woman who participated in the candlelight ceremony said she “felt it was emotionally difficult” to witness the protesters interrupting an event intended to remember people who had lost their lives.

“It was like, are they even listening to what’s happening over here?,” the woman, who declined to identify herself, said.

“Because if they were listening, they might even hear that actually might even [hear] some points of agreement.”

The attendee criticized the demonstrators for displaying “zero nuance when lots of nuance is needed.”

“So it was extremely painful and very jarring personally,” she added.

The confrontation followed a demonstration earlier in the day outside City Hall, where approximately 125 pro-Palestinian activists assembled to denounce what they described as Mamdani’s “betrayal” of Palestinian interests.

“Mayor Mamdani, take a side, justice for Palestine,” the protesters chanted during the earlier gathering.

One participant displayed an image depicting Mamdani welcoming Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with a red carpet, apparently criticizing the mayor in connection with Netanyahu’s visit to New York the previous month.

After the City Hall demonstration, protesters made their way to Union Square, where their arrival created a tense atmosphere around the memorial. Images from the scene showed at least one individual displaying a Hamas flag, while other demonstrators carried signs criticizing Mamdani and Israel.

The mayor remained at the vigil despite the interruptions and did not publicly engage with those shouting at him. Following the gathering, he traveled uptown to Hinds Hall by Ayat, a Palestinian restaurant recognized by the Michelin Guide, where he met with Palestinian families, according to people familiar with his movements.

The incident occurred amid a separate controversy surrounding Mamdani’s official statement commemorating the third anniversary of the Oct. 7 massacre, in which approximately 1,200 people were murdered and 251 were abducted into Gaza.

Although Mamdani acknowledged the Hamas atrocities, his statement devoted considerable attention to criticizing Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, prompting objections from Jewish organizations and Israeli representatives who argued that he had used the anniversary to advance his political agenda.

The mayor referred to the “unthinkable loss” suffered when “Hamas killed more than 1,100 Israelis and abducted 251 others” on Oct. 7, 2023.

He then accused Israel of committing “war crimes” and carrying out an “ongoing genocide” in Gaza.

“The suffering did not begin nor end that day. It instead continued through the Israeli government’s devastating, ongoing genocide in Gaza,” Mamdani wrote, referring to Palestinian casualties during the war that followed the Hamas attack.

Jewish leaders responded by accusing the mayor of diminishing the significance of the massacre and failing to give adequate recognition to the Jewish victims on the anniversary of their deaths.

Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt sharply criticized Mamdani’s statement, pointing out that the mayor had not explicitly identified Jews as the targets of the Oct. 7 atrocities.

“Not once do you say “Jews,” Greenblatt wrote. “On Oct. 7, Hamas-led attackers murdered civilians, committed … violence, mutilated bodies and took hostages.”

“You are weaponizing a day meant for mourning the worst massacre of Jews since the Holocaust to recycle your usual anti-zionist talking points,” Greenblatt continued.

Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, also condemned the mayor’s approach, accusing him of redirecting attention away from the victims of Hamas on a day designated for remembering the massacre.

Danon said Mamdani was attempting to “hijack the only day we have for the victims of survivors.”

“He’s trying to hijack the day to talk about attacking Israel,” Danon said, adding “It’s like on 9/11 you talked about victims and al-Qaeda terrorists.”

“He’s dangerous and sophisticated,” the ambassador said of Mamdani. “He will go to both ceremonies and try to say he feels for both losses of life.”

The controversy comes amid continuing concerns about antisemitism in New York City. Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch recently reported that antisemitic incidents accounted for approximately 53% of confirmed hate crimes in the city during the first nine months of 2026, despite Jewish residents comprising roughly 10% of the population.

Mamdani has maintained that his administration is committed to protecting Jewish New Yorkers and combating antisemitism while continuing to oppose Israeli government policies. His handling of the issue has nevertheless drawn criticism from Jewish community leaders who believe his rhetoric has contributed to an increasingly hostile atmosphere.

Wednesday’s events also exposed tensions between the mayor and segments of the pro-Palestinian movement, with demonstrators accusing him of failing to deliver on their expectations even as Jewish leaders criticized his statements about Israel.

At Union Square, those tensions played out in full view of mourners who had gathered to commemorate the victims of Oct. 7, only to find their memorial disrupted by protesters directing chants and accusations at the mayor.

President Donald Trump announced Thursday that the United States will not launch military strikes against Iran before the November 3 midterm elections, even as Washington maintains its blockade of the Islamic Republic and continues applying economic and military pressure on Tehran.

The president made the announcement in a social media statement in which he reported progress in negotiations with Iranian officials, described Iran as facing severe economic and military difficulties, and reiterated that the United States would not permit Tehran to acquire nuclear weapons.

“We are having productive discussions with the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Trump wrote at the beginning of a statement posted on his social media platform.

Trump indicated that the ongoing negotiations had not led Washington to ease its pressure campaign. He described Iran’s position as increasingly difficult, pointing to the country’s economic problems and weakened military capabilities.

The president emphasized that the American blockade would remain in effect while diplomatic discussions continued, signaling that the administration intended to maintain its leverage over Tehran despite the temporary commitment to refrain from military action.

He also highlighted the volume of oil shipments passing through the Strait of Hormuz, the strategically important waterway connecting the Persian Gulf with international shipping routes.

According to Trump, approximately 22 million barrels of oil traveled through the strait overnight, with none of the shipments originating in Iran or intended for Iranian destinations.

The president cited those figures as evidence that international oil transportation was continuing at substantial levels while restrictions affecting Iran remained in place.

Trump then addressed the possibility of additional American military operations against the Islamic Republic, establishing a specific timetable tied to the upcoming congressional elections.

“We will not attack Iran at any time before the midterm elections in the United States on November 3.”

The declaration provides a public commitment that the administration will refrain from initiating attacks against Iran during the remaining weeks of the election campaign. It does not, however, establish what military options Washington might consider after November 3.

The announcement follows reports that the Trump administration had been reviewing plans for possible renewed military strikes against Iran before Election Day. The Pentagon had reportedly been instructed to prepare options for additional operations, although no final decision to launch an attack had been announced.

The United States and Israel began their military campaign against Iran in late February, triggering a wider confrontation that disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and sent energy prices sharply higher. Since then, Washington has sought to pressure Tehran through a combination of military deterrence, economic restrictions and negotiations.

The American blockade of Iranian ports has become a central element of that strategy. Washington has sought to prevent Iranian oil exports while allowing shipments from other countries to continue moving through the waterway, which carries a significant portion of the world’s petroleum supplies.

Iran and the United States have exchanged proposals in recent weeks aimed at ending the conflict and restoring normal maritime traffic. Trump rejected a recent Iranian offer, however, and significant disagreements remain over Tehran’s nuclear program, sanctions and control of shipping routes.

Among the unresolved issues is Iran’s refusal to abandon uranium enrichment or surrender its existing stockpile, despite American demands for substantial restrictions. Iranian officials maintain that their nuclear activities are intended for peaceful purposes, while Washington and Israel continue to warn about the possibility of an Iranian nuclear weapon.

The president’s announcement also comes as the Iran conflict increasingly influences the American midterm election campaign. Rising gasoline prices and concerns about the cost of military operations have become major political issues, with Republican candidates facing pressure over the administration’s handling of the war.

A recent Reuters/Ipsos survey found that 60% of Americans disapproved of Trump’s handling of the Iran conflict. The war has also become a significant concern for Republicans seeking to preserve their congressional majorities in the November elections.

Oil markets reacted to Thursday’s announcement, with crude prices retreating from earlier gains as traders assessed the reduced likelihood of immediate American military action. Brent crude moved toward $103 per barrel following the president’s statement, while U.S. benchmark crude fell to approximately $90.

Nevertheless, tensions in the Persian Gulf remain elevated. Recent attacks involving commercial vessels and threats to shipping routes have continued to raise concerns about the security of international energy supplies, even as American officials maintain that substantial volumes of oil are moving through the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump’s pledge applies specifically to the period before November 3. He did not say whether the United States would resume military operations after the elections if negotiations fail, leaving the administration’s longer-term intentions unresolved.

{Matzav.com}

The IDF announced Thursday that it had eliminated two Hamas terrorists in separate airstrikes in Gaza earlier this week, including a battalion commander who was involved in holding Israeli hostages Emily Damari, Romi Gonen and Matan Angrest during their captivity. The military said both terrorists had recently been involved in planning attacks against Israeli soldiers and civilians while working to rebuild Hamas’ military capabilities in violation of the ceasefire.

The first operation took place Monday in the Gaza City area, where the Israeli Air Force targeted and killed Muhammad Muhsen Nimr Yazji, a commander in Hamas’ Shati Battalion.

According to the IDF, Yazji played a role in holding Israeli captives in the Gaza City Brigade’s area of operations during the war. Among those held under the terrorist organization’s control were Damari, Gonen and Angrest, three Israelis whose abductions and captivity drew widespread attention.

Damari and Gonen were abducted during the Hamas-led massacre on October 7, 2023, while Angrest, an IDF soldier, was captured during the fighting that day.

In a separate operation Tuesday, Israeli forces carried out an airstrike in the Sabra neighborhood of Gaza City, killing Muhammad Fawzi Muhammad Awad Gamal, a member of Hamas’ Daraj Tuffah Battalion.

The IDF said both men had remained involved in terrorist activities despite the ceasefire agreement, including efforts to organize attacks targeting Israeli troops and civilians.

Military officials also accused the two operatives of participating in attempts to restore Hamas’ operational capabilities, activities the IDF described as repeated breaches of the ceasefire.

The military said the airstrikes were carried out to eliminate the threats posed by the terrorists and prevent them from advancing additional attacks.

Before carrying out the strikes, the IDF said it implemented measures intended to reduce the possibility of civilian casualties. These included employing precision-guided weapons and conducting aerial surveillance of the targeted locations.

The military did not provide specific details about the attacks the two terrorists were allegedly preparing, nor did it disclose whether additional Hamas operatives were present at the locations when the strikes occurred.

The announcement comes amid continuing Israeli operations against Hamas members accused of attempting to reorganize the terrorist group’s military infrastructure despite the ceasefire. Israeli officials have repeatedly warned that Hamas operatives are seeking to rebuild their forces and prepare additional attacks.

In another operation disclosed Wednesday, the IDF said it had eliminated two Hamas terrorists after they emerged from Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza. According to the military, one of the men subsequently planted explosive devices near the ceasefire line in an attempt to target Israeli soldiers. The second was identified as Muhammad Tammous, a Hamas sniper who also worked in Gaza’s civil defense services.

The latest operations also follow the IDF’s announcement last month that it had eliminated Mahmoud Abd al-Fattah Awad, another Hamas commander accused of participating in the captivity of Israeli hostages. The military identified seven former captives connected to that case: Daniella Gilboa, Karina Ariev, Doron Steinbrecher, Naama Levy, Ziv Berman, Omri Miran and Eitan Mor.

Under the ceasefire arrangement, Israeli forces remain deployed in designated areas of Gaza, with the military maintaining that it retains the authority to respond to immediate threats against its personnel and Israeli civilians.

The IDF said troops operating under Southern Command remain positioned in accordance with the agreement and will continue taking action against threats identified in the area.

{Matzav.com}

Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) is calling for a broad reassessment of America’s military relationship with Israel, raising the possibility of reconsidering weapons transfers, joint defense technology projects, and other longstanding elements of security cooperation between the two countries. His remarks signal that even military programs developed jointly by Washington and Yerushalayim could face renewed scrutiny as debate over American support for Israel continues in the Senate.

Appearing Wednesday on Bloomberg’s “Balance of Power,” Coons said that “we should have a re-examination of our relationship” between the United States and Israel. He specifically identified shared military development initiatives as an area requiring closer examination, declaring that “part of our re-examination needs to be looking at what weapons systems we’re developing jointly, what technology we’re developing jointly.”

The Delaware Democrat also indicated that the discussion should extend across a wide range of American exports to Israel, including equipment designed for civilian purposes that can also be used militarily. Referring to debates already taking place on Capitol Hill, Coons said, “we have hotly debated in the Senate over the last year, things from purely civilian items, but with military applications, like bulldozers, and things with purely military applications…I think all of that has to be reconsidered and debated.”

Bloomberg co-host Kailey Leinz pressed Coons on whether his proposed review could eventually translate into restrictions on American arms shipments, particularly if Israel’s military operations in Gaza and Lebanon continue without a diplomatic resolution. She also raised the prospect of Coons becoming chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in a future Senate.

Leinz asked, “Well, and if you potentially become the chair of the Foreign Relations Committee in the new Senate, as you talk about a re-examination of this relationship, could that also mean re-examining the arms that are provided to Israel if there is no peace solution by that time and they’re continuing to prosecute, not just what is happening in the Gaza Strip, but elsewhere as well, including Lebanon, could you see yourself deciding that there should be restrictions around what is provided?”

Coons responded by pointing to discussions about the future structure of American military assistance to Israel, including comments by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu suggesting that the two countries consider moving away from direct military grants as they negotiate their next long-term security assistance agreement.

“Look, Prime Minister Netanyahu himself has suggested that, as we negotiate the next MOU between the United States and Israel, we should seriously consider ending the direct donation to Israel of American military aid. We sell weapons, sophisticated, advanced weapons, to dozens and dozens of countries. Israel is and will remain our ally. And I think — I’ll stand by what I said, we should have a re-examination of our relationship.”

The memorandum of understanding, or MOU, governing American security assistance to Israel currently provides for $38 billion in military support over ten years, covering fiscal years 2019 through 2028. That framework includes $33 billion in foreign military financing and $5 billion for missile defense cooperation. Negotiations over a successor agreement will help determine the future of the security partnership.

Coons emphasized that reviewing the relationship would also require examining collaborative defense projects that have delivered important technological and strategic benefits to both countries. He cited the missile defense systems used to protect Israel from Iranian attacks as an example of the value of such cooperation.

“I think a part of our re-examination needs to be looking at what weapons systems we’re developing jointly, what technology we’re developing jointly. Some of the missile defense systems that have largely defended Israel from Iran were jointly developed between the United States and Israel, and there is real benefit to the American people in that.”

American-Israeli missile defense cooperation includes programs such as Arrow and David’s Sling, alongside extensive American support for Iron Dome. These systems have become central components of Israel’s defense against rockets, missiles, and other aerial threats, while joint development has also contributed to American defense capabilities.

The senator then turned to the controversial issue of heavy American-made bombs supplied to Israel during its war against Hamas. Coons alleged that 2,000-pound bombs had been used extensively against civilian targets in Gaza, and he linked that concern to the Biden administration’s earlier decision to suspend a shipment of such munitions.

“These 2,000-pound bombs have overwhelmingly been used on civilian targets in the war against Hamas in Gaza. And I think that was partly the cause for the pause by the Biden administration on their transfer. I thought that what was notified by the Trump administration was broader than just that transfer. And we have hotly debated in the Senate over the last year, things from purely civilian items, but with military applications, like bulldozers, and things with purely military applications, like the bombs you’re referencing. I think all of that has to be reconsidered and debated.”

Coons’ allegation about the use of heavy bombs against civilian targets was presented without supporting evidence in the interview. Israel has maintained that its military operations target Hamas terrorists and military infrastructure, and that Hamas’ use of civilian areas for military purposes has complicated efforts to avoid civilian casualties.

The Biden administration halted a shipment of 2,000-pound bombs in 2024 amid concerns over Israel’s military campaign in Rafah. President Trump’s administration subsequently reversed the hold in 2025, restoring the transfer of the munitions.

Coons did not announce a specific proposal to prohibit arms sales or terminate joint military projects. His comments nevertheless made clear that he wants Congress to revisit the full range of American military cooperation with Israel, from advanced weapons and missile defense development to equipment with potential battlefield applications.

The debate comes as Israel has already begun exploring a different model for its future relationship with Washington. In January, Netanyahu said he wanted Israel to gradually eliminate its dependence on American military aid over the next decade. Israeli defense officials have also discussed placing greater emphasis on joint research, weapons development, and strategic cooperation in a successor agreement, rather than relying primarily on direct financial assistance.

That distinction could become particularly significant if lawmakers pursue the broader review advocated by Coons. While Netanyahu’s proposal would reduce Israel’s reliance on American funding, Coons is suggesting that even the collaborative defense initiatives expected to play a larger role in the future relationship should be subject to congressional examination.

{Matzav.com}

A prominent posek has issued an unusual halachic ruling permitting the burial of a 44-year-old Jewish father of seven, whose body was discovered in Uman over Rosh Hashanah, to be delayed while investigators pursue mounting suspicions that he was murdered.

The ruling concerns R’ Yitzchok Elmakias z”l, a London resident who traveled to Uman for Rosh Hashanah and was subsequently found lifeless under circumstances that have raised serious questions about the cause of his death.

Although the initial possibility of a medical emergency had been considered, investigators now increasingly suspect that Elmakias was the victim of a homicide. The circumstances surrounding his death have prompted efforts to identify and locate a possible killer.

The developing investigation has also created a difficult halachic dilemma, pitting the obligation to arrange a prompt Jewish burial against the need to preserve evidence that could help investigators apprehend a suspected murderer.

According to a report by Emess, Ukrainian police authorities have indicated their willingness to release Elmakias’s body for burial without conducting further investigative procedures. However, a private detective agency involved in the case has urged that the investigation continue, arguing that additional efforts could lead to the identification and capture of the suspected killer.

Continuing those efforts would require the body to remain in refrigerated storage rather than being released immediately for kevurah.

Faced with the sensitive question, Nachman Dickstein, a ZAKA representative working overseas, sought an urgent halachic ruling from Rav Chaim Yosef Dovid Weiss, a Satmar dayan in Antwerp, Belgium.

Dickstein presented the conflicting considerations to the posek, explaining that local police were prepared to release the body, while private investigators believed there was a realistic possibility of locating the person responsible for Elmakias’s death if the investigation continued.

The question was whether halacha permits postponing a burial for the purpose of identifying and apprehending a murderer, particularly when doing so requires the deceased to remain in storage for an extended period.

In a detailed written response, Rav Weiss examined the issue through the teachings of Chazal and earlier halachic authorities.

He began by citing the Midrash Rabbah regarding the seriousness of halonas hameis, the prohibition against unnecessarily delaying burial.

Jewish law places considerable emphasis on the dignity of the deceased and the obligation to arrange burial without avoidable delay. The prohibition of halonas hameis is rooted in the Torah’s commandment that a body should not remain unburied overnight without a legitimate halachic justification.

Rav Weiss also cited the Sefer Chassidim, which discusses the spiritual significance of bringing a murderer to justice and teaches that a murder victim does not attain rest until justice is carried out against the killer.

However, the posek noted an important halachic distinction: legal rulings cannot necessarily be derived directly from passages of aggadah, even when those teachings offer insight into the gravity of a particular situation.

The question therefore required consideration of a more immediate halachic concern: the potential danger to other people if a murderer remains at large.

Rav Weiss reasoned that where there is a genuine concern of pikuach nefesh, because the suspected killer may pose a continuing threat to others, there is a basis for permitting the delay.

In his written response, he specifically referred to the circumstances of the Uman case, stating that the suspected murderer apparently belonged to a group of known dangerous individuals.

That concern, he explained, strengthened the argument for allowing investigators additional time to pursue the case.

After weighing the relevant sources and the information presented to him, Rav Weiss ruled that it is permissible to delay Elmakias’s burial for the purpose of continuing the investigation and attempting to locate the suspected killer.

The ruling provides halachic authorization for investigators to proceed with their efforts, even though doing so requires postponing the burial.

The decision does not establish that Elmakias was murdered, and the suspicions surrounding his death remain subject to investigation. No suspect has been publicly identified in the information released about the case.

For Elmakias’s family, the circumstances have compounded an already devastating tragedy. The London father of seven was found dead while in Uman for Rosh Hashanah, and weeks later, the question of exactly what happened to him remains unresolved.

The ruling by Rav Weiss now allows those involved in the case to continue pursuing answers without the additional concern that the necessary delay in burial violates halacha, provided the circumstances remain consistent with the considerations presented to the posek.

{Matzav.com}

For three years, the bedroom of Elitzur Hajbi Hy”d remained locked inside his family’s home in Moshav Yachini, untouched since the morning he was murdered by Hamas terrorists during the Simchas Torah massacre of October 7, 2023. This week, as Israel marked the third anniversary of the atrocities, his grieving family finally gathered the strength to open the door, leading to an emotional return by ZAKA volunteers to complete work that had remained unfinished since that terrible day.

Hajbi was among the victims murdered when Hamas terrorists invaded Moshav Yachini, a community in southern Israel, during the coordinated attacks that claimed approximately 1,200 lives across the region.

In the aftermath of the massacre, ZAKA volunteers worked throughout the devastated communities, recovering human remains and ensuring that victims received a proper Jewish burial. At the Hajbi home, most of the house was eventually cleaned and restored, but the bedroom where Elitzur had been murdered remained sealed.

For his family, entering the room was simply too painful. As the months turned into years, the door remained closed, preserving a part of the home that had become inseparable from the trauma of that morning.

In the days leading up to the third anniversary of the massacre, the family made the difficult decision to enter the bedroom for the first time since the attack.

Upon opening the room, family members discovered remains and other evidence that had been left behind. Recognizing the need to ensure that everything was handled in accordance with halacha and with the utmost respect for the deceased, they contacted ZAKA and requested assistance.

On Wednesday morning, ZAKA volunteers from the Sderot unit arrived at the Hajbi residence, accompanied by the organization’s deputy director of operations, Chaim Weingarten, and Rav Avi Deri, commander of ZAKA’s Lachish district.

The volunteers spent several hours carefully examining the room and collecting the remaining findings so they could be brought to kevurah.

For the ZAKA personnel, many of whom had spent the days following October 7 moving from one scene of devastation to another, the return to the Hajbi home was particularly emotional.

Weingarten described the experience as a deeply moving moment that brought him back to the work undertaken during the immediate aftermath of the massacre.

“When we arrived this morning and carried out the same work that we performed back then, we experienced a chilling sense of coming full circle,” he said.

“Precisely on this day, after the family had been unable to touch the room for three years, we merited to complete the work of honoring the deceased and bringing the remains to burial.”

Rav Avi Deri said the circumstances of Wednesday’s visit stood in stark contrast to the scenes ZAKA volunteers encountered three years earlier.

“Unlike three years ago, today we were not working alone among destroyed homes, but together with Elitzur’s son and brother,” he said.

“It is difficult to describe the feelings in words. We carried out our work with awe and reverence, praying that our efforts would provide the family with a little comfort.”

The presence of Hajbi’s son and brother alongside the volunteers added a particularly poignant dimension to the operation. Three years earlier, ZAKA personnel had entered homes throughout the region amid scenes of destruction and unimaginable loss. This time, they returned at the family’s request, working together with those who had spent the intervening years mourning their loved one.

The operation was carried out with particular sensitivity, recognizing both the emotional difficulty of reopening the room and the importance of ensuring that every remaining finding received the appropriate care and respect.

For the Hajbi family, the reopening of the bedroom marked a painful milestone in a grieving process that has continued for three years. The room that had remained closed since the morning of the massacre could finally be attended to, and the remaining findings could be brought to burial.

The volunteers departed after completing their work, having fulfilled a final obligation to Elitzur Hajbi Hy”d in the very room that his family had been unable to enter since the day he was murdered.

{Matzav.com}

Three years after the October 7 massacre and the outbreak of the war in Gaza, residents of the Palestinian enclave are describing a disturbing reality in which Hamas terrorists continue to patrol the streets, intimidate civilians, steal humanitarian aid and allegedly operate secret detention and interrogation facilities beneath hospitals.

In testimony provided to Israel’s Channel 12 News, two Gaza residents described the terrorist organization’s continuing presence throughout the territory, raising serious questions about efforts to dismantle Hamas’s military and governing capabilities.

Their accounts depict an organization that continues to exercise power over civilians through armed intimidation, surveillance and detention, despite the enormous destruction sustained in Gaza during the war.

One of the witnesses, a Gaza woman identified only by the Hebrew initial Aleph to protect her identity, described armed men operating openly in residential areas, particularly after dark.

“There is a phenomenon of armed men in the streets, especially at night,” she said.

According to her account, masked gunmen routinely stop vehicles, question passengers about their identities and sometimes demand identification documents.

The woman said the continued presence of armed groups has contributed to a breakdown in personal security, leaving ordinary residents vulnerable to crime and intimidation without effective protection.

“All kinds of problems and crimes are taking place, and there is no security authority that brings the criminal to justice, pursues the murderer or goes after the thief,” she said.

Her testimony suggests that despite the changes brought about by the war, armed Hamas operatives remain capable of exercising control over civilian movement and conducting security activities in populated areas.

A second witness, a Gaza activist identified only by the Hebrew initial Mem, offered an equally stark assessment of the terrorist organization’s continued influence.

“Hamas remains the same Hamas,” he said.

According to the activist, Hamas personnel repeatedly established themselves in areas of the Gaza Strip before displaced residents were able to return or relocate there.

He claimed that throughout the repeated movements of civilians between different parts of Gaza, Hamas operatives managed to arrive ahead of the population, maintaining their presence and reestablishing control wherever residents gathered.

The activist criticized the failure to establish a secure area free from Hamas influence, arguing that civilians had never been given a genuine opportunity to live under an alternative governing authority.

His comments reflect a central concern about Gaza’s future: even where Hamas has suffered significant military losses, its remaining armed personnel and organizational infrastructure may enable it to continue intimidating residents and obstructing attempts to establish a replacement administration.

The most disturbing allegations concern Gaza’s hospitals, where the witnesses say Hamas has established detention and interrogation facilities while using crowded medical compounds to conceal its activities.

The woman identified three major hospitals where she claimed Hamas operatives were active: Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah and Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis.

According to her testimony, Hamas personnel exploit the presence of patients, medical workers and displaced civilians to operate within the hospital complexes while avoiding detection.

“They have established prisons, interrogate people and summon them beneath the hospitals for questioning,” she said.

The activist provided a similar account, alleging that Hamas maintains torture facilities in the basement of Al-Shifa Hospital, where Palestinians suspected of opposing the organization can be detained and questioned.

He also accused Hamas of continuing to steal humanitarian assistance intended for Gaza’s civilian population, with supplies allegedly diverted and sold through the black market.

The allegations raise further concerns about the distribution of aid in Gaza, where shortages of food, medicine and other essential supplies have created severe hardship for civilians throughout the war.

The activist additionally claimed that Hamas maintains command-and-control centers within an area comprising approximately 29 percent of the Gaza Strip. The precise geographical meaning of that figure and the extent of the organization’s control could not be independently established from the testimony.

The new accounts follow earlier reports from Gaza residents describing Hamas’s use of civilian institutions to detain, interrogate and punish Palestinians accused of disloyalty.

In June, an investigation published by the Washington Free Beacon included testimony from three Gaza residents who described Hamas transforming schools and hospitals into detention facilities.

One resident said classrooms had been converted into makeshift prisons, while underground rooms within hospital compounds were used to hold detainees.

Another witness described severe abuse at Nasser Hospital, alleging that Palestinians brought to certain departments were beaten or shot in the legs.

The investigation also cited documents attributed to Hamas’s Interior Ministry directing individuals to appear at hospital facilities for questioning.

Separately, an investigation conducted by the IDF and Shin Bet and publicized in August identified what Israeli authorities described as a Hamas interrogation and torture center on the second floor of Nasser Hospital’s outpatient clinic complex.

Israeli security officials said the facility was used to interrogate, threaten and extort Palestinian residents as part of Hamas’s efforts to preserve its authority in southern Gaza.

The allegations received additional attention following a United Nations human rights investigation released in June, which documented widespread violence by Hamas-linked armed groups and police units against Palestinian civilians.

The UN report recorded 249 incidents between August 2024 and January 2026, including 108 deaths, involving executions, beatings, shootings and other forms of abuse. Investigators described violence carried out against people accused of collaborating with Israel, engaging in criminal activity or opposing Hamas.

Some incidents occurred in public places and hospital compounds, according to the findings. The UN investigation also identified evidence of torture associated with the Nasser Hospital complex.

The findings provided independent documentation of abuses by Hamas-linked forces, although they did not verify every allegation concerning the particular underground facilities described in the latest Channel 12 interviews.

Throughout the war, Israel has repeatedly accused Hamas of exploiting hospitals, schools and other civilian infrastructure to shelter operatives, store weapons and maintain command centers.

Israeli forces previously uncovered tunnel infrastructure at Al-Shifa Hospital and reported finding weapons and military equipment in several medical facilities. Hamas has denied using hospitals for military purposes, while international investigations have reached differing conclusions about the extent of such activity.

A previous UN commission confirmed the existence of a tunnel and shaft at Al-Shifa and verified that Israeli hostages had been brought into the hospital, but said it could not establish that the tunnel was used for military operations. Medical facilities retain special protections under international humanitarian law.

The latest testimony comes at a particularly sensitive moment, three years after Hamas terrorists carried out the October 7, 2023, massacre in southern Israel, murdering approximately 1,200 people and abducting 251 hostages.

Israel launched its military campaign with the declared objective of dismantling Hamas’s military and governing capabilities and preventing the organization from carrying out another attack of comparable scale.

Despite extensive Israeli military operations, the destruction of significant portions of Hamas’s infrastructure and the elimination of numerous senior commanders, the accounts emerging from Gaza suggest that the organization continues to maintain an armed presence and exercise coercive power over parts of the civilian population.

{Matzav.com}

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir launched an extraordinary public attack on Israel’s chareidi political leadership Thursday morning, accusing the heads of Shas and United Torah Judaism of betraying their constituents, manufacturing a political campaign against him to conceal their own failures, and treating chareidi voters as though they lack the intelligence to recognize what their representatives have failed to accomplish.

In a lengthy open letter addressed directly to the leaders of the chareidi parties, Ben-Gvir alleged that their attacks against him over the arrests of yeshiva bochurim were politically motivated and designed to divert attention from years of unsuccessful efforts to resolve the draft crisis and other issues affecting the chareidi community.

The Otzma Yehudit chairman also issued a pointed warning that he possesses damaging statements made privately by prominent rabbonim about senior chareidi politicians, including remarks from recent days that he claimed would leave some of those politicians too embarrassed to appear in public.

The letter represents a significant escalation in the increasingly bitter confrontation between Ben-Gvir and the chareidi parties ahead of the upcoming Knesset elections, as the struggle over military conscription, the arrest of yeshiva bochurim, and competition for chareidi votes intensifies.

Ben-Gvir opened his letter with a sarcastic introduction, accusing chareidi politicians of staging a campaign against him under the pretense of defending their constituents.

“An open letter to the heads of the chareidi parties: Hello, nice to meet you. My name is Itamar Ben-Gvir. Yesterday, you chose to launch a staged campaign against me. Ostensibly out of ‘concern’ for the public you were supposed to be looking after. In reality, it was a cynical political maneuver intended to divert attention from the anger over your failure to act on behalf of your voters throughout the entire last term.”

He continued by acknowledging the growing frustration within the chareidi community, arguing that the politicians responsible for representing that community had failed to deliver on a long list of important issues.

“I understand that there are elections and that there is tremendous anger against you within the chareidi community, perhaps justifiably so. I understand that you need to find someone to blame, to divert attention from the fact that for four years you failed to take care of the chareidi community, which today finds itself in a desperate situation: no draft arrangement, no budgets, no daycare, no affordable housing, no travel abroad, and only arrests.”

Ben-Gvir then accused the politicians of spending their time pursuing government positions and appointments rather than addressing the difficulties confronting their constituents.

“I truly understand everything, but Itamar Ben-Gvir is not to blame for the fact that for four years you focused on positions and appointments instead of dealing with the real problems of the precious community that sent you to the Knesset.”

The public confrontation follows a series of sharp attacks against Ben-Gvir by prominent figures in the chareidi community over the ongoing arrests of yeshiva bochurim classified by the military authorities as draft evaders.

On Wednesday evening, Rav Yitzchok Yosef delivered an unusually forceful criticism of Ben-Gvir during a hachnosas Sefer Torah in the Ramot neighborhood of Yerushalayim. Rav Yosef accused the national security minister of bearing responsibility for the arrests and suggested that Ben-Gvir stood to benefit politically if chareidi voters became angry with Shas.

Rav Yosef alleged that Ben-Gvir wanted unrest among yeshiva bochurim to generate resentment toward Shas and encourage voters to support Otzma Yehudit instead. He also questioned why the minister, who has demonstrated considerable political influence on other issues, could not intervene more effectively to prevent the arrests.

The criticism comes as chareidi political leaders face growing pressure over the unresolved draft issue, which has become one of the dominant concerns in the community. Arrests of yeshiva bochurim have prompted demonstrations and intensified demands for a legislative solution that would protect those engaged in full-time Torah study.

Ben-Gvir, however, rejected the contention that he was responsible for the arrests, arguing that the legal situation had been created by the very politicians now seeking to blame him.

In one of the letter’s most pointed passages, he accused the chareidi parties of making a serious strategic mistake by opposing his earlier efforts to dismiss Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara.

“It is worth reminding you again and again: At the beginning of the term, I was the one who demanded that the attorney general be dismissed, while you, the representatives of the chareidi parties, opposed it. You explained that you ‘knew how to make deals with her.’ You thought you were smarter, and you protected her in order to obtain her approval for appointments that were important to you. And now, thanks to your great wisdom, we have all reached the current disgraceful situation, for which you bear a substantial share of responsibility.”

Ben-Gvir argued that the chareidi parties had miscalculated by maintaining a working relationship with the attorney general in the hope of securing political and administrative concessions. He maintained that their decisions had ultimately contributed to the legal difficulties now confronting the community.

“There is no point in trying to shift the blame onto others. The simple truth is that your priorities were misguided, and you yourselves bear responsibility for the situation in which your community now finds itself.”

The minister then turned to the draft controversy itself, advancing a position that has long generated debate within chareidi political and rabbinic circles: encouraging those who are not actually learning in yeshiva to enter military frameworks designed for chareidi recruits, while protecting those genuinely devoted to full-time Torah study.

“If, for example, you had explicitly called upon those who are not learning to enlist in chareidi military tracks, you would have significantly reduced the public pressure on genuine Torah learners and enabled those who truly study Torah to continue learning.”

Ben-Gvir claimed that when he raised this proposal with chareidi politicians, they admitted that their reluctance stemmed from fear of opposition by the Peleg Yerushalmi.

“When I asked you why you were not doing this, you explained to me that you were afraid of the Peleg Yerushalmi. So when it comes to Ben-Gvir, suddenly you are brave?!”

The accusation was particularly provocative because it suggested that political calculations and concerns about internal communal opposition had prevented chareidi representatives from pursuing an arrangement that Ben-Gvir believes could have eased pressure on yeshiva bochurim.

The minister then presented what he described as evidence of his own efforts to assist chareidi men seeking employment and service opportunities in frameworks compatible with their religious requirements.

“I could speak for hours about the additional mistakes you made. That is not my purpose, but here is another small example: the recruitment of chareidim into the mehadrin tracks I established in the police and the Israel Prison Service.”

According to Ben-Gvir, those programs have already recruited approximately 1,400 chareidi men, with additional recruitment planned.

“I recruited 1,400 chareidim, and there is more to come. Many members of the chareidi community who are not learning are begging to join these sought-after tracks, which include entire groups from some of the most respected chassidic communities. I helped them with all my strength. And who completely ignored them? You, the chareidi representatives.”

He also criticized the chareidi parties over their handling of legislation introduced by Otzma Yehudit MK Limor Son Har-Melech to expand opportunities for gender-separated higher education.

The proposed legislation was intended to make it easier for chareidi students to pursue advanced academic degrees while maintaining separation between men and women, including by allowing chareidi seminaries to offer graduate-level programs.

“The same applies to the separate-studies law proposed by MK Limor Son Har-Melech of Otzma Yehudit, a law intended primarily to enable the chareidi community to pursue academic degrees in separate settings. A law that would allow chareidi seminaries to teach master’s and doctoral degrees. And who boycotted the vote on the law intended for your benefit? You, the chareidi representatives.”

Ben-Gvir maintained that these examples demonstrated a broader pattern in which chareidi politicians had failed to support initiatives that could directly benefit their own constituents.

Ben-Gvir devoted another substantial portion of his letter to defending his record on chareidi issues, claiming that his ministry has repeatedly intervened on behalf of chareidi communities while their elected representatives have failed to provide comparable support.

“I do not really need to present to the chareidi community what I have done for it. Everyone knows that one of the reasons the attorney general is asking the Supreme Court to remove me is my insistence on defending the rights of the chareidi community — in Bnei Brak, Yerushalayim, Meron and everywhere else.”

He pointed specifically to his efforts to change police procedures during demonstrations, arguing that chareidi protesters had historically faced harsher treatment than participants in anti-government protests elsewhere in Israel.

“I am the first minister who came and demanded equal treatment for the Kaplan protesters and the chareidi community, because chareidi blood is no less valuable. I am the one who completely eliminated the use of skunk water because it was used only against chareidim.”

The minister was referring to the foul-smelling liquid historically deployed by police during demonstrations, which has been a particular source of controversy during protests involving chareidi communities.

Ben-Gvir also cited his decisions to expand eligibility for civilian firearm licenses in predominantly chareidi neighborhoods and communities.

“I am the one who approved chareidi neighborhoods for firearm eligibility in Yerushalayim, Beit Shemesh, Kfar Chabad, and many other places. I am the one who cares for the chareidi community with genuine love, throughout the years, and does not suddenly remember it on the eve of elections.”

The letter then took an even more confrontational turn, with Ben-Gvir suggesting that he had deliberately refrained from exploiting internal disagreements within chareidi politics, despite having access to information that could prove highly embarrassing to senior politicians.

“Believe me, I also know how to play political games. There is not a day that goes by without chareidim approaching me, angry about your internal politics, and asking me to intervene.”

As an example, he referred to the recent removal of veteran Degel HaTorah MKs Moshe Gafni and Uri Maklev from the party’s Knesset slate, a development that generated considerable controversy within the party.

“When angry chareidim called me about the manner in which Gafni and Maklev were removed, I told them that it was not my business. I called personally to strengthen and encourage them, but I did not say a word publicly.”

The removal of Gafni and Maklev in September marked a major change in Degel HaTorah’s leadership. The decision surprised associates of the two veteran politicians, who had reportedly believed until shortly before the announcement that their positions on the party list were secure.

Ben-Gvir argued that he could have taken advantage of the controversy to damage his political rivals, particularly given his own efforts to attract chareidi voters to Otzma Yehudit.

“The same applies to the internal disputes between the various rabbinic courts, which I could easily have exploited. Every time the courts of rabbonim and admorim approached me angrily about the party operatives, I could have taken advantage of it.”

He then made one of the letter’s most explosive claims, asserting that private conversations with prominent rabbonim had provided him with statements that could cause serious political embarrassment.

“I have astonishing things from my conversations with senior rabbonim about the chareidi politicians, including from just the last few days. Believe me, statements of the kind that would cause several senior chareidi politicians to shut themselves inside their homes for a long time.”

Despite that warning, Ben-Gvir insisted that he had deliberately chosen not to publicize the remarks.

“But I did not use them, and I never considered using them. I love you. I do not hate you, and I am not persecuting you.”

The minister also disclosed what he described as private understandings with senior figures in the chareidi parties regarding his election campaign.

According to Ben-Gvir, representatives of those parties had recently approached him seeking to coordinate their electoral strategies and avoid direct competition for the established voting bases of Shas and United Torah Judaism.

“Just in the last few days, I received approaches from senior figures in the chareidi parties who wanted to ‘coordinate the campaign.’ They asked me not to appeal to United Torah Judaism and Shas voters, but only to the lost chareidi votes — those who do not intend to vote and those who intend to vote for parties that will not cross the electoral threshold — in order to save the right-wing bloc.”

Ben-Gvir claimed that he had accepted the request, despite the possibility of gaining additional votes by competing more directly with the chareidi parties.

“And I agreed, because I am not out to destroy you. So this is how you thank me?!”

The disclosure is particularly significant in the context of the approaching elections. Otzma Yehudit has been seeking to expand its support among chareidi voters, including those dissatisfied with the established parties over the draft crisis and other unresolved issues.

In September, Ben-Gvir announced that chareidi activist Yossi Goldberger would be placed ninth on the Otzma Yehudit Knesset list, a move widely viewed as an effort to strengthen the party’s connections with chareidi communities.

The minister’s latest letter suggests that his electoral strategy has become a source of growing tension with Shas and United Torah Judaism, particularly as both parties seek to maintain voter loyalty amid dissatisfaction over the failure to resolve the conscription issue.

Returning to the arrests of yeshiva bochurim, Ben-Gvir rejected accusations that he possesses the authority to stop the enforcement operations but has chosen not to exercise it.

“The truth is that you know perfectly well that everything I have written here is correct. On most of these issues, you quietly agreed with me that I was right.”

He then directly addressed the claim that his position as national security minister makes him responsible for the arrests carried out by police.

“You also know perfectly well that I have absolutely no ability to influence the arrests, which actually push people further away from enlistment. I recruited chareidim to the police, Border Police and Prison Service through genuine trust and concern.”

Ben-Gvir maintained that the arrests were being carried out pursuant to legal directives originating with the attorney general and the Supreme Court, rather than decisions made by his ministry.

“You know perfectly well that this is a direct instruction from the attorney general and the Supreme Court, the very people you foolishly protected for years.”

The issue of police involvement in the arrests has become increasingly contentious. Chareidi political leaders have argued that Ben-Gvir, as the minister responsible for the police, should use his influence to prevent the detention of yeshiva bochurim wanted by military authorities.

Ben-Gvir has countered that police officers are obligated to comply with binding legal instructions and that the minister cannot simply order them to disregard court rulings or enforcement requirements.

The legal dispute intensified in September when the Supreme Court struck down legislation intended to freeze arrests of chareidi draft evaders, clearing the way for renewed enforcement proceedings. The ruling added to the pressure on chareidi politicians, who have been unable to secure a lasting legislative arrangement governing the status of yeshiva students.

Against that backdrop, Ben-Gvir accused the chareidi parties of deliberately misleading their own voters by presenting him as responsible for a crisis he says they helped create.

“When you make these claims to your own public, saying that I am to blame, you are primarily revealing how much contempt you have for them and how little you respect their intelligence.”

He continued with particularly harsh language about the way chareidi politicians were treating their constituents.

“It is sad that you treat them as though they are intellectually deficient and sell them the lowest-grade lies.”

The minister then shifted from criticizing the politicians to praising the chareidi public, arguing that voters deserved greater respect from the people they had elected to represent them.

“The truth? The chareidi public deserves more respect from you. It is an intelligent, sharp and learned community. It does not deserve to be treated like fools while you continue promoting only your own political operatives.”

Ben-Gvir concluded the letter by urging the chareidi parties to abandon their attacks against him and focus instead on the problems confronting their constituents.

“I hope these words are sufficient. I hope you will begin focusing on what truly concerns the chareidi community instead of mocking your voters behind their backs.”

He then offered the politicians what he described as advice based on his own experience.

“Listen to me, from experience: Respect your voters, work for them, and they will appreciate you many times more.”

In his final remarks, Ben-Gvir pointed to the enthusiastic receptions he says he receives during visits to chareidi neighborhoods, presenting them as evidence that his approach has resonated with members of the community.

“When you see the tremendous love for me on the chareidi street, it is only because I genuinely respect and love every Jew. You should try it too. It works.”

{Matzav.com}

Israeli military police carried out a series of overnight operations in Dimona and Bat Yam in an effort to arrest yeshiva bochurim classified as draft evaders, but were forced to withdraw without making any arrests after protesters rushed to the targeted locations in response to emergency alerts.

The attempted arrests, which unfolded between Wednesday night and early Thursday morning, triggered confrontations between demonstrators and security personnel, with crowds gathering outside the homes of the wanted bochurim. Following the departure of the military police, protesters celebrated by dancing in the streets.

The operations came amid an intensifying campaign of arrests targeting yeshiva bochurim who have not reported for military service, and just hours before major demonstrations organized by the Peleg Yerushalmi were scheduled to take place in Yerushalayim and the Tel Aviv metropolitan area.

The first reported operation took place in Dimona at approximately 1 a.m., when military police arrived at a residence on Netiv HaLamed-Heh Street in an attempt to apprehend a yeshiva bochur. The operation was unsuccessful, and officers subsequently proceeded to another address on Molada Street.

At the second location, authorities sought to arrest two brothers from a Sephardic family, both of whom are yeshiva students. Their arrival prompted the activation of the “Black Color” emergency alert system, which is used to notify activists and community members when military police attempt to arrest yeshiva bochurim.

Dozens of Gerrer chassidim responded to the alert and hurried to the scene, gathering around the residence and preventing the officers from carrying out the arrests. The military police ultimately departed without taking either brother into custody.

After the officers withdrew, those gathered at the location broke into dancing, celebrating the unsuccessful arrest operation.

The overnight operations continued in Bat Yam, where military police arrived at approximately 4:30 a.m. at the home of a bochur studying in Yeshivas HaMeyasher, headed by the mekubal Rav Benayahu Shmueli.

According to reports, this was the third time authorities had attempted to arrest the same bochur. As in Dimona, the Black Color alert system was activated, bringing dozens of protesters to the scene before officers could complete the arrest.

Confrontations developed between demonstrators and the military police, with protesters attempting to prevent the officers from reaching the wanted bochur. The standoff continued for approximately an hour before the military police withdrew without making an arrest.

Following their departure, demonstrators again broke into dancing, celebrating what they viewed as another successful effort to prevent the detention of a yeshiva student.

The unsuccessful operations came amid a growing wave of arrests that has already resulted in several yeshiva bochurim being sentenced to military imprisonment.

On Wednesday, Eliyahu Davda, a talmid of Yeshivas Orchos Meir in Yerushalayim, was arrested by military police at his home in Be’er Sheva.

Following his arrest, Davda was initially transferred to a military detention facility in the IDF’s training base complex in southern Israel. He was subsequently moved to Military Prison 10, where he was tried and sentenced to 20 days of military confinement.

Another bochur, a talmid of Yeshivas Chevron Knesses Yisroel who was arrested Tuesday in Eilat, was also tried Wednesday and sentenced to 20 days in military prison.

Attorneys working with organizations that assist arrested yeshiva students are seeking to shorten the prison terms imposed on both bochurim.

The arrests have intensified tensions within the chareidi community as military authorities continue efforts to enforce draft requirements against yeshiva students who have not reported for service.

The latest developments have also prompted renewed protests and criticism of the chareidi political establishment, with activists demanding stronger action to protect yeshiva students from detention.

Against that backdrop, Rav Azriel Auerbach, leader of the Peleg Yerushalmi, instructed his followers Wednesday to organize major demonstrations on Thursday afternoon in response to the recent arrests.

The protests are scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. in Yerushalayim and the Gush Dan region, with organizers expecting substantial participation and significant traffic disruptions.

In a statement announcing the demonstrations, the Committee to Save the Torah World accused military authorities of arresting yeshiva students and kollel yungeleit because of their commitment to Torah learning.

The committee declared that the demonstrations were being organized in protest against the arrests and what it described as the failure of the established chareidi leadership to defend those being detained.

According to the statement, Rav Auerbach instructed the public to take part in large-scale demonstrations to protest the mistreatment of Torah learners.

The committee further reported that Rav Auerbach had sharply criticized those who previously promised to stand with yeshiva students but, in his view, had failed to do so as arrests intensified.

He also expressed outrage over the imprisonment of yeshiva bochurim and avreichim, describing the situation as a serious affront to kavod haTorah.

Followers of Rav Tzvi Friedman have likewise been instructed to participate in Thursday’s demonstrations, broadening the expected turnout.

Organizers anticipate that the protests will be among the largest held in recent months over the draft controversy, with major roads in Yerushalayim and central Israel potentially affected.

The planned demonstrations follow additional incidents earlier this week in which crowds were summoned to interfere with military police operations, including an attempted arrest near Kiryat Gat that was reportedly abandoned after demonstrators blocked a roadway.

{Matzav.com}