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A classified internal memo circulated by Hamas leadership to its senior administrators in the Gaza Strip, ahead of the expected arrival of a technocratic government, lays out a strategy for maintaining Hamas’s rule over the territory even after the new administration formally takes office, according to a report by Kan News.

The document reportedly provides specific guidance to Hamas’s administrative officials on how they are expected to conduct themselves on a daily basis in relation to the incoming technocratic government.

Under the instructions outlined in the memo, officials are told to carry on with their regular responsibilities without alteration, effectively behaving as though no transition has taken place and ensuring that existing control structures remain intact.

The document also warns officials against criticizing members of the technocratic government or its leader on social media platforms, a move intended to prevent visible clashes or public disputes.

At the same time, the memo explicitly orders officials not to form any direct personal relationships with government representatives and not to transfer information or reports to them, except via the “relevant authority,” which, in practice, refers to Hamas itself.

Through these directives, the document describes an arrangement in which the technocratic government appears to function outwardly, while actual authority over administrative systems, information channels, and bureaucratic operations continues to rest firmly with Hamas.

Alongside these political maneuvers, the terror group is reportedly advancing its military capabilities under the protection of the ceasefire. Channel 13 News reported that the Israel Defense Forces recently placed a formal warning document on the desk of Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, alerting him to a marked increase in Hamas’s military buildup in Gaza.

According to that assessment, the IDF believes Hamas is actively working to safeguard its strength and preserve both its civilian authority and military dominance in the Strip.

The core concern raised in the warning is that even within a “technocratic government” framework, Hamas will be able to retain effective control over Gaza unless the organization is fully disarmed.

{Matzav.com}

The IDF says an airstrike carried out yesterday in southern Lebanon killed a senior Hezbollah air defense terrorist, while a separate strike this morning killed another terrorist of the terror group. According to the military, the strike in the town of Harouf killed Ali al-Hadi Mustafa al-Haqqani, identified as a senior terrorist in Hezbollah’s air […]

Israel’s Transport Ministry on Sunday approved Tesla’s participation in a supervised autonomous-driving trial, allowing Tesla vehicles to operate using advanced driver-assistance systems while a human driver remains seated behind the wheel and able to take control at any time. Israeli officials said the move is part of a broader push to cement the country’s status […]

Amid ongoing tensions with Iran, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir says the military is in a “period of improving readiness for war.” “We must continue to draw lessons from the events of October 7, strengthen the defensive posture, and be prepared for a sequence of offensive actions across all theaters of war,” […]

Sec. of War Pete Hegseth: “American strength is not going anywhere anytime soon. We will dominate in every domain.”

The White House has published a video touting its push for the expansion of school choice, featuring Agudah’s Rabbi A.D. Motzen.

U.S. citizens and immigration groups sued Marco Rubio and the State Department in federal court to block a visa ban affecting people from 75 countries. •⁠ ⁠The lawsuit challenges a State Department policy that suspended visa approvals, arguing it violates long-standing immigration law. •⁠ ⁠The State Department said the policy was needed to prevent immigrants […]

Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei released a string of statements alleging that recent unrest in Iran was not spontaneous but rather a coordinated operation directed by foreign actors, which he labeled a “sedition” aimed at destabilizing the Islamic Republic.

In his remarks, Khamenei asserted that the disturbances were engineered by external forces, specifically blaming “Zionists & the US.” He said he had learned “through a certain channel that the CIA & Mossad deployed all of their resources into the field,” but maintained that despite those efforts, “they were defeated.” According to him, the sedition’s plan “was developed abroad, and it was managed from abroad.”

Khamenei further argued that Washington’s role was evident from comments made by the US President. “When we say the sedition was orchestrated by the US, it isn’t merely a claim,” he wrote, adding that the President’s own words made this clear. He claimed that the US President directly addressed the rioters, telling them, “Keep going, keep going. I’m coming [to help].”

The Iranian leader said such unrest was not an isolated incident, describing Iran as a nation that remains “in friction with the interests of global aggressors.” He posed the question of how long these attempts would persist and answered that they would continue “until the Iranian nation reaches a point where the enemy is left hopeless,” concluding, “And we will reach that point.”

Khamenei praised the actions of Iran’s security forces, stating that law enforcement, the Basij, and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps “carried out their duties in full.” At the same time, he emphasized that the decisive factor was public action, saying “it was the people themselves who trampled the fire of sedition into ashes.”

Turning to economic demonstrations, Khamenei acknowledged that some participants had legitimate complaints. He said shopkeepers “did have grievances and their demands were logical and justified,” but alleged that violent elements used those protests as cover. Once merchants understood that the demonstrations were turning into riots, he claimed, “they separated themselves.”

Khamenei likened the events to a coup attempt and explained why he believed that definition applied. He said it was because “the goal was to destroy the centers effective in the country’s governance,” asserting that attackers focused on police units, IRGC bases, government offices, and banks.

He also alleged that certain ringleaders, whom he claimed were trained by the US and Zionists, were responsible for what he described as “engineered killings.” According to Khamenei, these figures even turned on “the foot soldiers whom they themselves had drawn into the field with their propaganda,” attacking them from behind.

According to Khamenei, the central objective of the sedition was to erode internal security. He warned that “when security is gone, nothing is left,” adding that without security there can be “no production, no schools, no research, no scientific knowledge, and no progress.”

He concluded by comparing the violence to that of the Daesh terror organization. “A defining feature of this sedition was its violence; it was like that of the Daesh,” he said. Referring to the origins of ISIS, Khamenei cited a statement he attributed to President Donald Trump, saying, “We created ISIS.” He claimed that, similar to Daesh, those involved in the unrest “burned people alive” and “beheaded people,” carrying out the same kinds of atrocities.

{Matzav.com}

Trump on recent displays of military excellence: “I spoke with China, he goes, ‘Very impressive. Very impressive.’ I spoke to Putin, he goes, ‘Wow, that was something’ — and that’s what we want. We have to be respected.”

The United States may be on the brink of its first-ever population decline, potentially as soon as this year, far earlier than long-range forecasts once suggested. New estimates from federal agencies and independent economists indicate that President Donald Trump’s aggressive immigration enforcement has sharply reduced net migration, pushing the country toward a demographic milestone never before recorded, Bloomberg reported Monday.

For generations, population gains in the U.S. were sustained largely by immigration, which compensated for declining birth rates and a rising number of deaths as the population aged.

That long-standing pattern appears to be breaking faster than expected. Analysts from across the ideological spectrum now say that immigration policies enacted during Trump’s second term are hastening a demographic shift that had previously been projected to occur much later.

As recently as 2023, the U.S. Census Bureau’s long-term outlook estimated that the nation’s population would not begin to contract until 2081.

More recent figures, however, suggest that schedule may have dramatically changed.

According to Census Bureau data released this week, the U.S. population increased by only 0.5%, or about 1.8 million people, in the year ending July 1, 2025. That marked the slowest annual growth rate since the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Officials attributed most of that slowdown to a steep decline in net migration, which dropped to 1.3 million from 2.7 million the previous year.

During the same period, births exceeded deaths by 519,000, a margin that continues to shrink each year.

The Congressional Budget Office has warned that by around 2030, deaths are expected to surpass births entirely, meaning immigration would become the only factor preventing population loss.

Census officials now anticipate that net migration will decline even further, to roughly 316,000 in the year ending July 2026, with the United States, in their words, “trending toward negative net migration.”

Independent analysts suggest the shift may already be underway. Economists from the American Enterprise Institute and the Brookings Institution estimate that net migration may have turned negative in 2025, with the immigrant population shrinking by between 10,000 and 295,000 people.

Their projections for this year are even more stark, forecasting outcomes ranging from a modest increase of 185,000 immigrants to a decline of as many as 925,000 — estimates calculated before additional legal immigration restrictions were announced this year.

Should immigration losses outweigh the already diminishing excess of births over deaths, the total U.S. population would begin to fall. Under the most pessimistic scenario outlined by the researchers, the population would shrink by more than 400,000 people this year.

“We could be at around zero or negative on population,” said Tara Watson, director of the Brookings Center for Economic Security and Opportunity and a co-author of the analysis.

Demographers note that since the first national census was conducted in 1790, the United States has never officially recorded a nationwide population decline.

Some historians point to 1918 as a possible exception, when the Spanish flu outbreak combined with the overseas deployment of millions of U.S. troops may have temporarily reduced the number of people living in the country.

Economists caution that the consequences of reduced immigration and potential population decline would likely unfold gradually, affecting labor force growth, economic output, and government finances over time rather than triggering immediate shocks.

The Trump administration maintains that stricter immigration policies will strengthen opportunities for native-born workers and relieve strain on housing markets and public services.

White House officials have also cited expanded workforce training initiatives and broader access to temporary worker visas as measures intended to address potential labor shortages.

{Matzav.com}

Senior U.S. and Iranian officials are preparing for what could be the first direct meeting between the two governments since nuclear negotiations collapsed and a brief war erupted last summer, according to Axios. White House envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi are expected to meet Friday in Istanbul, two sources said. A […]

Hamas says its internal security forces carried out coordinated ambushes over the past day against Israeli-backed armed groups operating in Gaza, underscoring the increasingly fragmented and violent power struggle inside the enclave. Hamas’ so-called Deterrent Force said its operatives targeted gang members in both Khan Younis and Gaza City, killing several and seizing weapons it […]

An Israeli woman has been detained in Turkey for more than 10 days on suspicion of insulting the Turkish flag, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and “Palestine.” The woman was taken into custody in Taksim Square, a central hub in Istanbul, after being handcuffed by police, according to photos circulating on social media. Israeli outlet Ynet […]

A special session marking 77 years since the establishment of the Knesset was held in the plenum, but it unfolded against a backdrop of controversy, absences, and political tension. The President of the State did not attend after the President of the Supreme Court was not invited, and most of the opposition boycotted the debate, although MK Yair Lapid did take the podium to speak.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the decision not to invite Supreme Court Justice Yitzhak Amit, expressing hope for reconciliation in the coming year. “I hope that next year we will overcome all the obstacles and reach full understandings. We want to arrive at the same understandings that guided the State of Israel for decades,” Netanyahu said.

Expanding on the issue, Netanyahu said, “We need to restore the balance between the three branches of government. In the past, it was customary that the judiciary was selected through the Knesset. Let us moderate the tone of the debate. I will act to reach understandings.”

Netanyahu went on to reflect more broadly on Israel’s system of governance. “Israel is not a perfect democracy. There is no such thing. We are a challenged democracy. I do not know of any other democracy that faces tests like those faced by the State of Israel. Let us tone down the language of the dispute-this is at least how I try to conduct myself. But such a Knesset is always preferable to one in which elected officials are not allowed to open their mouths. Silencing elected representatives would be the end of democracy. We have disagreements on fundamental issues-these disagreements are not a flaw in democracy. They are the essence of democracy, and the public decides at the ballot box.”

Turning to regional security, Netanyahu also addressed threats from Tehran, warning the Iranian regime against attacking Israel. “Anyone who attacks us will suffer unbearable consequences for them,” he said, referring to repeated threats to strike Israel if it is attacked by the United States.

Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana opened the anniversary debate and addressed the absences in the plenum. “The current controversy, because of which many members of Knesset are absent, concerns the custom whereby presidents of the Supreme Court were invited in previous years to mark the Knesset’s anniversaries. Unfortunately, there are other customs that have also been violated,” he said.

Ohana elaborated on what he described as additional breaches of long-standing norms. “For example, the custom, enshrined in law, whereby presidents of the Supreme Court were chosen by the Judicial Selection Committee convened by order of its chairperson, and not by court orders issued by colleagues of the designated president. That custom and that law were violated as well. There was also a custom whereby it was unthinkable to annul a Basic Law-a custom that was likewise trampled, in the midst of the war, by a decision that is patently unreasonable,” he added.

Continuing his remarks, Ohana criticized what he sees as an overreaction to the controversy surrounding invitations. “I regret that once again there are those who view non-invitation to a ceremonial event as a substantive blow to Israel’s democratic system. I regret even more that those same people accept with equanimity the transformation of the judiciary into a super-authority that can judge, legislate, and annul laws and Basic Laws, like an all-powerful king. One exception regarding invitations will be on national memorial days. As was the case last year, we will not drag the dispute into those sacred days.”

In closing, the Knesset Speaker emphasized his openness to dialogue while insisting on mutual respect between branches of government. “I repeat: the Knesset under my leadership is open to dialogue with the judicial system. Whenever the heads of the system ask to meet, talk, clarify, and try to bridge gaps, I commit that their outstretched hand will not be returned empty. Those who show respect will be respected. But respect between branches is not one-sided. One cannot demand that the legislative branch respect the judiciary while the judiciary continues to empty the legislature’s powers of their content. This is a fundamental matter for the existence of the State of Israel as Jewish and democratic. The Knesset cannot ignore the trampling of the public and must stand up for its rights,” the Speaker concluded.

{Matzav.com}

Authorities in Nepal have arrested six travel and mountain rescue executives accused of conducting fake rescues on the Himalayan nation’s high mountains to scam millions of dollars from international insurance companies, officials said Monday. Nepal’s Central Investigation Bureau arrested six people from three different travel and mountain rescue operators last week, accusing them of submitting […]

Opposition leader MK Yair Lapid rejected allegations that he conducted a private meeting with senior Qatari officials, insisting that the discussion took place together with families of Israeli hostages.

That version was challenged by a Kan News report, which said Lapid initially took part in a restricted meeting with senior Qatari representatives that included only members of his own staff and did not include the hostages’ families. The report added that a separate meeting was later held with representatives of three hostage families.

According to the report, both meetings were held on January 12, 2025, at the Four Seasons Hotel in Paris. The report further stated that during the discussions Lapid spoke positively about Qatar’s role in the negotiations and that topics involving potential future relations between Israel and Qatar were also raised.

Lapid’s office confirmed that an initial meeting took place without the families present. “Lapid and his team sat with the Qatari representative for a discussion on the issue of the hostages, and afterward the families of the hostages joined the meeting,” his office said.

Lapid went on to accuse the Prime Minister’s Office of double standards, alleging that it had quietly accepted millions of dollars from Qatar and enabled the transfer of tens of millions of dollars in cash to Hamas’s military wing. He also said that Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu apologized to Qatari officials at the White House after Operation Summit Of Fire and pledged that such an attack would not occur again.

Lapid maintained that the publication of the report was intended to divert attention from legislation he initiated that would classify Qatar as an enemy state. “We recommend that the Prime Minister’s Office support the law instead of continuing to sell the security of the State of Israel for monetary gain,” he said.

{Matzav.com}

Amid a series of painful tragedies that have recently struck the chareidi community, the mashgiach of Ponevezh Yeshiva, Rav Ezra Rothschild, delivered a forceful and emotional address in which he sharply condemned street posters and public demonstrations held against the rulings of the Gedolei HaDor. He warned that public ביזוי of Torah leadership is a grave matter, declaring that “the Torah demands redress,” and blaming such conduct for the calamities befalling the community.

Speaking with visible anguish, Rav Rothschild described the recent period as one of extraordinary pain. “In the past two weeks, terrible things have happened to Klal Yisroel—horrific tragedies, involving young people, both in the way they occurred and in their timing. Even today, the father of a yeshiva student passed away,” he said. “Without question, Hakadosh Baruch Hu is speaking to us. He has taken pure souls who merited to be a communal offering. We may not know exactly what Hashem wants from us, but the first thing a person must recognize is that Hashem is speaking to us. These are frightening events, not according to the natural order, and yet they share a similar pattern.”

Rav Rothschild then turned his focus to what he described as a deep and dangerous confusion within the public regarding kavod haTorah and the honor due to the Gedolei Yisroel. Quoting what he said he had heard in the name of a leading Torah authority, he stated that the recent tragedies were linked to the public disparagement of Torah leadership. “There has been, recently, a ביזוי of Gedolei Yisroel,” he said. “There were demonstrations—official demonstrations—by thousands of Jews against Gedolei Yisroel. This was not about the draft decree itself, but explicitly against the deferment law from military service. That is what was written.”

He expressed astonishment that public protests were staged against a matter already decided by the Gedolim. “What does it mean, a law of deferment from the draft? Gedolei Yisroel deliberated, ruled, and decided—and people demonstrate against that? Such a thing never existed. Tens of thousands of people participated. Most of them are innocent, simple people who were drawn in and are not to blame. But something terrible happened here. These demonstrations are against Daas Torah, completely against the way of the Torah.”

In particularly sharp terms, Rav Rothschild criticized attempts to undermine the authority of Rav Dov Landau, warning against the growing influence of “the street” and political activists. “This situation, where demonstrations are held against Gedolei Yisroel whom all of Klal Yisroel follows—Maran Rosh HaYeshiva Rav Dov Landau is greater than the entire generation, without question wiser, more G-d-fearing, and older,” he said. “Even if you think it doesn’t suit you or you don’t understand, you are obligated to listen.”

The mashgiach also issued a stark warning regarding street posters attacking gedolei Yisroel. “People become confused by the posters in the streets. Perhaps one should not read them at all. Perhaps they fall under the prohibition of bringing an abomination into one’s home—this is heresy. There are posters that publicly disgrace Gedolei Yisroel. These are the work of bad people,” he said emphatically. “Know this: all the street posters are from bad people. One must learn not to read them. Do not read them.”

Rav Rothschild concluded by reiterating the obligation of absolute obedience to Torah leadership and recalling the approach of Rav Aharon Leib Steinman. He related that when people once questioned Rav Steinman regarding the draft deferment law, Rav Steinman replied, “Everything you are saying, I also know. But there are things I know that you do not know.”

Summing up his message, Rav Rothschild said: “The Torah demands redress. Many have felt this deeply. Gedolei Yisroel see matters that others cannot see.”

{Matzav.com}