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Palestinian media reported that Azzam al-Hayya, the son of Hamas’s Gaza-based leader Khalil al-Hayya, was killed in an Israeli strike in the Gaza Strip, with Israeli officials later indicating he was not the intended target.

Responding to the reports, an Israeli official said that “al-Hayya’s son was not a target for assassination, but he may have been present at the location where IDF forces struck in Gaza during the day.” The official suggested that his death occurred incidentally during an operation carried out by Israeli forces.

A separate senior security source stated that the son of the Hamas leader was considered an “active terrorist” within the organization, adding that his presence at a site where operatives were being targeted pointed to his involvement in militant activity.

Subsequent reports indicated that the strike itself had been directed at a Nukhba commander believed to have overseen one of the Hamas infiltration routes along the Gaza border during the October 7 massacre.

{Matzav.com}

A significant development for the city of Beit Shemesh was confirmed with the approval of a large parcel of land for a new branch of Yeshivas Mir Yerushalayim, marking another milestone in the city’s expanding Torah infrastructure.

According to the report, a five-dunam site in the heart of the newly developed Ramat Beit Shemesh Hei 2 (Neve Shamir) neighborhood has been officially designated for the establishment of a major new campus of the Mir Yeshiva, led by the rosh yeshiva, Rav Eliezer Yehuda Finkel.

The allocation, which followed a detailed professional process, received strong backing from Mayor Shmuel Greenberg, who has prioritized the strengthening of Torah institutions as a key component of the city’s growth. The move is being viewed as a natural continuation of the Mir Yeshiva’s remarkable expansion over the years.

Originally based in the Beit Yisrael neighborhood of Yerushalayim, Mir has grown into the largest yeshiva in the world and has since established prominent branches, including the well-known Mir Brachfeld campus in Modi’in Illit and a yeshiva for younger talmidim in the Ramat Shlomo neighborhood of Yerushalayim.

The decision to open an additional branch in Beit Shemesh is widely seen as further solidifying Ramat Beit Shemesh Hei as a major Torah center. Residents and city leaders expressed excitement over the expected arrival of hundreds of bnei Torah affiliated with Mir, noting that their presence will infuse the developing neighborhood with a strong רוחניות and the distinct spirit associated with the Mirrer tradition.

At this stage, yeshiva leadership is preparing to begin the planning phase, with the goal of constructing a large, state-of-the-art campus that will accommodate growing demand and support the continued expansion of the yeshiva as it establishes a new home in Beit Shemesh.

Israel’s political system was thrown into turmoil Wednesday following a report that Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu asked senior chareidi party officials to remove the draft law from the agenda and postpone its advancement until after the elections.

The report triggered swift and sharp reactions. In response, the office of Degel HaTorah chairman MK Moshe Gafni quickly issued a denial, insisting the report “never happened.” However, that immediate dismissal raised eyebrows among political observers, as the original publication did not attribute a direct quote to Gafni, prompting questions about how he could so definitively reject the claim.

Political insiders suggested that Gafni may have been aware of the discussions through internal channels and moved quickly to deny the report before it became clear who had been approached or how the information was leaked. In any case, the denial itself only intensified the uncertainty surrounding the behind-the-scenes developments.

Throughout the day, figures within the chareidi parties and those close to the prime minister reportedly attempted to identify the source of the leak, but no clear answer had emerged.

Meanwhile, United Torah Judaism chairman and Minister Yitzchak Goldknopf did not echo the denial and instead launched a direct attack on Netanyahu. Responding to the report, he said: “The truth has come out. As I have said from the beginning, Netanyahu has no and never had any intention of honoring the coalition agreement and the commitments to the chareidi parties.”

Strong remarks were also heard from within the government. Minister Shlomo Karhi said in an interview with Kol Berama radio that the draft law must be passed “the way we want,” even if it leads to a confrontation with the High Court. He added: “The legal advisory system is trying to thwart and interfere with our policy; the golem must return to its natural place and to the dust.”

{Matzav.com}

A new intelligence assessment from the US Department of Homeland Security indicates that the gunman who disrupted President Trump’s dinner with White House correspondents and fired a weapon roughly ten days ago may have been driven in part by opposition to the war in Iran.

“The suspect, Cole Thomas Allen, had numerous political and social grievances. The conflict in Iran may have contributed to his decision to carry out the attack,” the report states. Officials pointed to the suspect’s online activity, which included posts critical of the war in Iran.

A representative for the Department of Homeland Security declined to address the contents of the assessment directly. “These reports inform our partners of the most up-to-date information available following significant events impacting homeland security,” the spokesperson said.

As reported earlier, Allen forced his way into the Washington dinner event attended by President Trump and members of the White House press corps, where he fired at a Secret Service agent. The agent was unharmed. Secret Service personnel subdued Allen at the scene. During subsequent questioning, he has not revealed what led him to attempt to assassinate Trump.

Court documents filed by the Department of Justice show that Allen has been charged with a series of offenses, including attempted assassination, using a firearm during a violent crime, unlawful possession of a weapon, and shooting at a Secret Service agent. Prosecutors wrote in their filings that “Allen disagreed with Trump politically and sought to fight against the administration’s policies and decisions, which he viewed as morally wrong.”

{Matzav.com}

Chareidi askanim have warned that they may launch a widespread consumer boycott against the Israeli airline Israir if it continues to operate flights on Shabbos, according to a report aired Tuesday by N12 News.

Israir CEO Uri Sirkis acknowledged the mounting pressure, confirming that he had been called to Yerushalayim to meet with leading chareidi figures in an effort to address the growing dispute.

“It is important that public discourse be conducted with respect, while avoiding exclusion, ostracism, or boycotts,” Sirkis told investors, concluding with the Leviticus phrase, “You shall love your neighbor as thyself.”

Among Israel’s four main airlines, only El Al refrains from operating on Shabbos. Israir, Arkia, and Air Haifa all continue to run flights during the day of rest, serving a sizable portion of secular travelers and tourists.

Since Air Haifa primarily serves northern routes with limited destinations, a shift in Israir’s Shabbos policy would effectively leave Arkia as the sole airline offering Shabbos flights to most locations.

The potential boycott could extend well beyond air travel. Israir is owned by businessman Rami Levy, who also controls a large supermarket chain that carries his name.

{Matzav.com}

A serious incident during Lag BaOmer celebrations in Elad sparked outrage Tuesday night after a police officer allegedly assaulted a community rov in full view of children. The municipality issued a sharp condemnation, calling it a “serious incident that will not pass quietly.”

The confrontation occurred during the central bonfire of the Chaim Sha’al kehillah, led by Rav Shai Ovad. The kehillah, which includes many baalei batim and baalei teshuvah, holds its annual hadlakah at a designated area in the city’s amphitheater park.

This year, due to the intensity of the flames, sparks began spreading outward, raising safety concerns. A municipal truck arrived, and two workers began spraying water on the fire. However, the effort created a thick cloud of smoke that drifted toward the area where people were dancing, eating, and where children were gathered. Dozens of participants, including both adults and children, began coughing and choking.

As the smoke spread, police officers arrived to oversee the situation. A dispute broke out between residents and officers regarding the firefighting efforts, and amid the crowding, one officer attempted to detain a participant. Rav Shai Ovad, who stepped in to calm the situation and separate those involved, was allegedly attacked. According to witnesses, the officer “lunged at the rov, choked him with his hands, kneed him, and forced him to the ground.” Eyewitnesses also reported that tear gas was deployed at the scene.

Videos circulated within the community show the rov lying on the ground. Three avreichim were arrested in front of children, further escalating tensions at the scene.

Rav Ovad is known to be close to Mayor Yehuda Butbul, who was called to the location and worked to calm the situation.

Following the incident, the Elad municipality released a strongly worded statement: “A serious incident by law enforcement authorities. A severe and shocking harm to one of the most important community rabbonim in the city.” The statement added that “the incident will not pass quietly and will be dealt with to the fullest extent,” and emphasized that the city “strongly protests the harm to the honor of Torah and will act to prevent the recurrence of such incidents.”

President Donald Trump said Wednesday morning that direct, face-to-face negotiations between the United States and Iran are not imminent, even as reports have suggested the two sides may be nearing an understanding that could bring their 67-day conflict to a close.

In remarks to The New York Post, Trump dismissed the idea that another round of in-person discussions was on the horizon. When asked whether the outlet should send a correspondent back to Pakistan for renewed talks—following reports from sources in Islamabad that a tentative agreement was within reach—Trump replied, “I don’t think so.”

“I think we’ll do it — it’s too far,” he added. “No, it’s too much.”

Earlier that day, Trump addressed the situation on Truth Social, outlining the stakes of the ongoing negotiations. “[a]ssuming Iran agrees to give what has been agreed to, which is, perhaps, a big assumption, the already legendary Epic Fury will be at an end, and the highly effective Blockade will allow the Hormuz Strait to be OPEN TO ALL, including Iran. If they don’t agree, the bombing starts, and it will be, sadly, at a much higher level and intensity than it was before.”

Trump has previously indicated he would consider traveling to Pakistan to finalize a formal agreement, citing respect for the efforts of Pakistan’s defense chief, Asim Munir, who has been involved in mediating between Washington and Tehran.

The president cut short his phone conversation with The Post on Wednesday, saying he needed to attend a meeting with “the generals.”

His cautious tone follows a report by Axios stating that White House officials believe they are nearing agreement with Iran on a brief framework document that could serve as the basis for a comprehensive peace deal.

According to that report, the proposal includes “Iran committing to a moratorium on nuclear enrichment, the US agreeing to lift its sanctions and release billions in frozen Iranian funds, and both sides lifting restrictions” on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

Still, sources familiar with the negotiations told The Post that several versions of the proposal remain under consideration, and no final terms have been settled.

“Which one is going to be approved, no one knows,” said a Pakistani source familiar with mediation efforts.

Trump has made clear in prior conversations that he is reluctant to accept a temporary halt to Iran’s nuclear activity, instead favoring a permanent end to its ability to enrich uranium.

These developments follow Trump’s announcement Tuesday night that “Project Freedom” would be temporarily halted. The initiative had involved U.S. military escorts for commercial vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

According to officials, the pause came after appeals from Pakistan and “other countries,” including Saudi Arabia, which argued that such a move could help advance efforts toward ending the conflict.

{Matzav.com}