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Postal carriers across Europe and other parts of the world are preparing to suspend merchandise shipments to the U.S. following the Trump administration’s decision to end the long-standing de minimis tariff exemption.

The “de minimis” rule previously allowed international carriers to deliver goods valued at under $800 into the U.S. without paying import duties.

The White House announced weeks ago that the exemption would be eliminated, linking the change to efforts aimed at curbing the flow of fentanyl and other illicit substances entering the country.

DHL, Europe’s largest shipping company, issued a statement Friday on its website saying: “Deutsche Post and DHL Parcel Germany will no longer be able to accept and transport parcels and postal items containing goods from business customers destined for the U.S.” The change took effect immediately.

The new regulations officially go into effect on August 29.

DHL clarified that its suspension would only be temporary, citing the need to adapt to “new processes required by U.S. authorities for postal shipping, which differ from the previously applicable regulations.”

The company added: “Key questions remain unresolved, particularly regarding how and by whom customs duties will be collected in the future, what additional data will be required, and how the data transmission to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection will be carried out.”

Postal providers in several other European countries — including Denmark, Sweden, Italy, Austria, France, and Belgium — have also announced plans to pause merchandise deliveries to the U.S.

The BBC reported that the U.K.’s Royal Mail has also temporarily suspended parcel shipments.

Outside of Europe, Singapore and Thailand have stated that they too will halt packages headed to the U.S. until there is more clarity regarding the new procedures.

“The halt underscores the sweeping disruption caused by President Trump’s decision to eliminate the de minimis threshold, which previously allowed low-value parcels to enter the US without customs duties,” Thailand Post said in a statement. “The exemption, capped at US$800 per person per day, facilitated millions of small packages from around the world entering the US smoothly.”

Australia Post confirmed that it has also paused a limited number of parcels originating from other countries and bound for the U.S.

Meanwhile, Royal Mail reassured consumers and businesses that it is working closely with U.S. authorities to adapt: “We have been working hard with US authorities and international partners to adapt our services to meet the new US de minimis requirements so UK consumers and businesses can continue to use our services when they come into effect,” the company said.

The U.S. had already removed the de minimis exemption for packages arriving from China back in May.

According to the White House, the rule was being exploited by Chinese-based shippers, who allegedly concealed synthetic opioids and other illegal drugs in low-value parcels to bypass customs inspections.

The administration also cited explosive growth in de minimis imports, which surged from 134 million shipments in 2015 to 1.34 billion in 2024, according to the Financial Times.

The policy change is expected to significantly affect Chinese-based fast-fashion giants like Temu and Shein, which rely heavily on direct-to-consumer shipping under the previous exemption.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump stated during a press briefing in the Oval Office on Friday that fewer than 20 hostages still being held by terror organizations in Gaza are believed to be alive. His comments deeply unsettled the families of the captives and prompted an immediate denial from Israel’s top hostage negotiator.

Speaking with reporters inside the White House, Trump highlighted his role in securing the release of hostages during the ceasefire deal between January and March. He condemned Hamas for “extortion” and discussed ongoing efforts to free the remaining captives.

“So now they have 20,” he said, “but the 20 is actually probably not 20 because a couple of them are not around any longer.”

The president offered no further explanation for his claim that fewer than 20 hostages remain alive but stressed that the administration is working tirelessly to bring them home. “We’re doing everything we can to get the hostages out, it’s not easy,” he said.

Trump went on to denounce Hamas’s tactics, calling the situation “extortion” and asserting that “it has to end.” He also remarked that he believed a military rescue could be “safer, in many ways” than continuing to negotiate with Hamas.

Reporters also pressed Trump on why the United States appears to be supporting Israel’s plan to take control of Gaza City, despite opposition from many hostage families who fear such an operation could endanger their loved ones.

“Not all of them,” Trump responded, suggesting that some families actually back Israel’s strategy.

He then reminded the press of his prior efforts: “And you have to understand, I’m the one who got all of the hostages out,” he said, claiming responsibility for securing the release of “hundreds” of captives, even though fewer than 150 were still held in Gaza when he assumed office on January 20.

In response to his remarks, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum issued a statement saying: “Mr. President, there are 50 hostages. For us, each and every one of them is a world in itself.”

The statement went on to criticize Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, saying, “If [Strategic Affairs Minister Ron] Dermer, who only talks to the Americans and doesn’t bother to talk to or meet with the families of the hostages, knows something different, he should have informed the families first.”

Shortly afterward, Gal Hirsch, Israel’s coordinator for hostage affairs, released his own statement contradicting Trump’s comments: “According to the information we have, there is no change in the number of living hostages.”

Hirsch clarified the figures in a message to the families: “Twenty of the hostages are alive, two [others] are in grave danger for their lives, 28 are no longer alive and have been declared deceased.”

Israel has consistently stated that terror groups in Gaza are holding a total of 50 hostages, including 49 who were among the 251 abducted during the Hamas-led assault on October 7, 2023. The bodies of at least 28 of those captives have been confirmed dead by the IDF. Officials believe 20 remain alive, while two others are in critical danger. In addition, Hamas continues to hold the remains of an IDF soldier killed in Gaza in 2014.

Trump’s comments come as Israel prepares for a major military push to take control of Gaza City, while international mediators race to restart negotiations in hopes of preventing the upcoming operation.

{Matzav.com}

Alleged MS-13 member and accused human smuggler Kilmar Abrego Garcia was released from a Tennessee jail on Friday and reunited with his family in Maryland, but he could still face deportation to Uganda by the end of the weekend, with Immigration and Customs Enforcement requiring him to report on Monday.

Abrego Garcia, 30, had been in custody at the Putnam County Jail in Cookeville since June, after the Trump administration arranged for his return from El Salvador to face charges related to human smuggling.

He is now traveling back to Maryland under the supervision of a private security escort, returning for the first time since his mistaken removal from the United States in March. Under the terms set by U.S. Magistrate Judge Barbara Holmes, Abrego Garcia has just 48 hours to arrive at his brother’s home, where he will remain on strict home confinement.

“While his release brings some relief, we all know that he is far from safe,” his attorney Simon Sandoval-Mohensberg told NBC News.

“ICE detention or deportation to an unknown third country still threatens to tear his family apart. A measure of justice has been done, but the government must stop pursuing actions that would once again separate his family,” the attorney added.

In court filings earlier this week, Abrego Garcia’s legal team stated that they hired a private security firm to accompany him as he crossed state lines. Judge Holmes approved his release while his federal case on human smuggling charges continues.

Under the ruling, the Salvadoran national must wear an ankle monitor, report to ICE’s Baltimore office, and may leave his home only for work, religious services, or other activities specifically authorized by the court.

“Today has been a very special day because I have seen my family for the first time in more than 160 days,” Abrego Garcia said in a statement.

“I’d like to thank all the people who have supported me because after this long time, I have witnessed that so many people have been by my side with such positivity,” he added.

“Today I am grateful to God because He has heard me, and today I am out. We are steps closer to justice, but justice has not been fully served.”

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem condemned the ruling, calling Abrego Garcia’s release “a new low.”

“By ordering this monster loose on America’s streets, the judge has shown a complete disregard for the safety of the American people,” Noem wrote on X.

“We will not stop fighting till this Salvadoran man faces justice and is OUT of our country.”

Shortly after his release, Abrego Garcia’s attorneys were informed by Homeland Security and ICE that federal officials could deport him to Uganda “no earlier than 72 hours from now,” according to sources who spoke with Fox News.

Court documents also reveal that Abrego Garcia must report to ICE’s Baltimore office at 8 a.m. Monday for an interview.

The smuggling accusations trace back to a 2022 traffic stop in Tennessee, where police pulled over Abrego Garcia on suspicion of human trafficking after finding eight passengers in his car without any luggage. He was not charged at the time.

He has also faced prior allegations of domestic abuse from his wife, Jennifer Vasquez Sura, a U.S. citizen who has publicly defended his innocence and continues to advocate on his behalf.

Earlier this year, the Trump administration deported Abrego Garcia to El Salvador along with other suspected gang members to the notorious CECOT prison facility. Officials later admitted he had been removed in error due to an “administrative mistake” under President Trump’s use of the 18th-century Alien Enemies Act, but maintained that “he was confirmed to be a ranking member of the MS-13 gang by a proven and reliable source.”

Abrego Garcia has denied any involvement with MS-13 or other violent gangs.

Last month, a federal judge issued an order requiring immigration authorities to wait 72 hours after his release before attempting to deport him to a third country such as Mexico or South Sudan, neither of which are his country of origin.

The ruling also directed that Abrego Garcia be placed back under the supervision of ICE’s Baltimore field office, which had previously monitored him before his March arrest.

Abrego Garcia first crossed into the United States illegally in 2011. In 2019, he was granted protection from deportation based on alleged threats from MS-13’s rivals in El Salvador.

The White House strongly criticized the decision to release him, calling it “an insult” to victims and vowing that Abrego Garcia “will face justice.”

“Abrego Garcia is a criminal illegal alien, wife-beater, and an MS-13 gang member facing serious charges of human smuggling,” White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said in a statement to NBC.

“He will face justice for his crimes. It’s an insult to his victims that this left-wing magistrate intervened to put him back on the streets. Garcia will be subject to ankle monitoring to ensure the safety of the American public until further action can be taken.”

{Matzav.com}

Israel has assessed that at least two hostages held in Gaza are in life-threatening condition, according to Hebrew media reports. The revelation comes just a day after U.S. President Donald Trump claimed fewer than 20 hostages remain alive—contradicting Israel’s official figures and sending families of the captives into despair. Channel 12 reported that senior Israeli officials fear that time is running out. Yet officials admitted they did not know what prompted Trump to suggest that “a couple of them are not around any longer” during his Friday press conference. In an effort to calm the uproar, Israel’s hostage envoy Gal Hirsch reassured families: “According to the information we have, there is no change in the number of living hostages.” He outlined that 20 hostages remain alive, two are in grave condition, and 28 have been confirmed dead. In total, Israel believes 50 hostages are still held in Gaza—49 from the October 7 abduction and one IDF soldier killed in 2014 whose body remains in Hamas’s possession. Families, however, are demanding full transparency, insisting that Israel provide them with all available information about their loved ones. The heightened concern coincides with Israel’s preparations for a large-scale offensive to capture Gaza City. Channel 13 reported that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, facing warnings that the captives could be executed or killed in IDF strikes during the operation, has reluctantly agreed to send a delegation to renewed ceasefire talks. But despite this shift, no date or location has been set for negotiations. Mediators Qatar and Egypt are increasingly frustrated by Netanyahu’s zig-zagging stance. After persuading Hamas to accept a framework Israel had previously agreed to—a 60-day truce in exchange for 10 hostages—Netanyahu has now walked back support, demanding a comprehensive deal that includes Hamas’s disarmament and new governance for Gaza. Egyptian officials blasted Israel’s terms as “unworkable” and damaging to ceasefire prospects. Compounding the pressure, Channel 12 reported that Netanyahu and top aide Ron Dermer assessed Trump’s backing for Israel’s Gaza City campaign is conditional and time-limited. Trump, they said, expects a swift, decisive operation and does not want the war dragged out. During a recent meeting, tensions flared between IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir and far-right ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir. The ministers demanded an uncompromising siege of Gaza City residents. “No water, no electricity, they can die of hunger or surrender,” Smotrich reportedly told Zamir. The IDF chief shot back: “You don’t understand anything. You don’t know what a brigade or battalion is. This takes time.” (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

The Texas Senate officially approved a new Republican-leaning congressional voting map early Saturday morning, sending the measure to Gov. Greg Abbott for his expected signature.

President Donald Trump strongly supported the plan, urging its passage to bolster the GOP’s position ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. The newly drawn map includes five additional districts designed to favor Republican candidates.

Governor Abbott, a Republican, is expected to sign the bill into law quickly, but Democrats have already vowed to challenge it in court.

The push by Trump and Texas’ Republican-controlled Legislature sparked a two-week walkout by state Democrats and triggered a broader wave of redistricting efforts nationwide.

Democrats had prepared for a final stand in the Senate, aiming to prolong the process and force the vote into the early hours of the morning in a last-ditch attempt to stall the measure’s passage.

State Sen. Carol Alvarado, who leads the Senate Democratic caucus, announced on social media that she intended to filibuster the bill with a lengthy floor speech that could last several hours. However, just before she was scheduled to begin, the Senate unexpectedly recessed for a long dinner break.

When lawmakers returned, Alvarado never got the chance to speak. Republican senators accused her of violating chamber rules, alleging she had used a campaign email to raise money while promoting her planned filibuster.

Sen. Charles Perry said it “appears to be potentially unlawful, at least unethical, using state resources for a campaign purpose.”

A spokesperson for Alvarado did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The weeks-long standoff has deeply divided the Texas Legislature, with Democrats staging walkouts and Republicans threatening to issue arrest warrants to bring them back to the chamber. Much of the legislative drama centered in the House, which passed the map on Wednesday.

During debate, Democrats fiercely questioned Sen. Phil King, the bill’s Republican sponsor, arguing the redrawn map violated the Voting Rights Act by diminishing minority representation and diluting the voting power of communities of color.

King rejected those allegations, saying: “I had two goals in mind: That all maps would be legal and would be better for Republican congressional candidates in Texas.”

He added that “there is extreme risk the Republican majority will be lost” in the House if the new map is not adopted.

The showdown in Texas has intensified a broader national redistricting battle, with governors across the country — from both parties — taking steps to redraw congressional maps.

In California, Democrats passed a bill on Thursday calling for a special election in November to allow voters to approve a redrawn map that could secure Democrats five additional House seats next year. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the measure into law almost immediately.

Newsom defended the move, saying: “This is not something six weeks ago that I ever imagined that I’d be doing. This is a reaction to an assault on our democracy in Texas.”

Unlike Texas, where the Legislature directly draws district boundaries, California typically uses a nonpartisan redistricting commission to prevent partisan influence. However, the proposal requires voter approval before taking effect.

On Friday, Gov. Abbott criticized California’s strategy, calling it “a joke” and maintaining that Texas’ map is constitutional while California’s would likely be overturned.

Nationally, Democrats are currently within three seats of regaining the House majority, but historically, the president’s party tends to lose ground in the midterm elections.

The Texas redistricting plan has already begun reshaping the 2026 political landscape. On Thursday, Democratic Rep. Lloyd Doggett, the longest-serving member of Texas’ congressional delegation, announced he will not seek reelection if the new map is implemented. Under the proposed lines, Doggett’s district would merge with that of another Democrat, Rep. Greg Casar.

President Trump has also been encouraging other Republican-led states, including Indiana and Missouri, to revise their district boundaries to add more competitive GOP seats. In Ohio, Republican lawmakers were already preparing to make their map more favorable to their party.

“Republicans are not finished in the United States,” Abbott declared.

Redistricting typically takes place once per decade following the census, but states are allowed to redraw maps mid-decade if they choose.

The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that while partisan gerrymandering is permitted under the Constitution, drawing maps based on race is prohibited.

Many Democratic-controlled states, including California and New York, impose stricter limits on redistricting through independent commissions or voter-approved measures, which gives Republicans in other states more flexibility to make rapid changes. For example, New York is barred from redrawing its maps until 2028, and even then, it would require a statewide referendum.

California’s current system was created after voters approved two ballot measures — one in 2008 establishing the independent redistricting commission, and another in 2010 expanding its authority to include congressional maps.

The escalating battle has left leaders on both sides warning about the risks of a partisan arms race.

California Assemblyman James Gallagher, the Republican minority leader, argued that Trump’s push for new GOP seats was misguided but also cautioned that Newsom’s “fight fire with fire” strategy could spiral out of control.

“You move forward fighting fire with fire, and what happens?” Gallagher asked. “You burn it all down.”

{Matzav.com}

According to a report published today by Axios, the number of illegal immigrants being held in federal detention facilities has surged by 50% since President Donald Trump took office in January.

New government statistics reveal that a record 60,000 detainees are currently being held in long-term detention centers, up significantly from the approximately 39,000 who were in custody at the conclusion of the Biden administration. These figures do not include migrants housed in newly established facilities, including the controversial “Alligator Alcatraz” detention center in the Florida Everglades, which has faced sharp criticism from progressive groups.

Amelia Dagen, a staff attorney at the Amica Center for Immigrant Rights, told the outlet: “It’s evident that the numbers being published by ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] about people held in long-term residential facilities is severely undercounting the number of people who are in ICE custody at any given moment.”

On Friday, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis remained defiant following a ruling by U.S. District Judge Kathleen William, who ordered that “Alligator Alcatraz” be shut down, citing environmental concerns tied to the facility’s location in the Everglades. The site has also drawn complaints from detainees about inadequate living conditions.

Over the past two months, the Trump administration has escalated its efforts to dramatically expand the number of detention facilities to accommodate the growing number of migrants taken into custody by ICE agents.

In June, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that Camp Atterbury in Indiana and Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in New Jersey will be used as temporary housing sites for illegal immigrants awaiting deportation. Camp Atterbury, situated about 40 miles south of Indianapolis, spans 34,000 acres and is managed by the Indiana National Guard. Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, covering 42,000 acres about 18 miles south of Trenton, operates under all branches of the U.S. military. Both locations will feature “soft-sided holding facilities” — tent-style structures with fenced-off sleeping areas — similar in setup to “Alligator Alcatraz.”

In July, the Trump administration revealed that it had awarded a $1.2 billion contract to a Virginia-based company to construct the largest illegal immigrant detention center in the country at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas. Once completed, the facility will be capable of housing 5,000 detainees and is expected to play a central role in the administration’s broader crackdown on immigration violations.

{Matzav.com}

In recordings reviewed by B’Chadrei Chareidim tonight, the former Rishon LeTzion, Rav Yitzchak Yosef, nosi of the Moetzet Chachmei HaTorah of Shas, addresses recent controversy surrounding his statements on the issue of IDF enlistment. The newly revealed audio captures the Rishon LeTzion clarifying that his words had been distorted and misunderstood.

In the recordings, Rav Yosef firmly rejects claims that he ever spoke against the army or its soldiers. He said: “Our Torah protects all the soldiers, it protects all the residents of the land. They twisted my words as though I spoke against the army — absolutely not. I visited all the bases — in the air, at sea, and on land — and I strengthened the soldiers. Among them are truly God-fearing men who set aside fixed times to learn Torah. I always gave them encouragement.”

Rav Yosef is also heard emphasizing that he harbors no animosity toward IDF soldiers: “There is no hatred whatsoever toward the soldiers — on the contrary, we deeply value what they do. The Iron Dome — it is HaKadosh Baruch Hu Who sends them to protect the residents of the land. But their strength must come from the Torah.”

He cited a Midrash about Dovid HaMelech, who sent his soldiers into battle while appointing Torah scholars to learn on their behalf, illustrating his view that Torah serves as the ultimate source of protection for the nation.

While expressing admiration for IDF soldiers, Rav Yosef reaffirmed the centrality of Torah learning in safeguarding Klal Yisroel: “Without the Torah, Heaven forbid, soldiers could be injured or even killed. The Torah learners are our foundation, and they are the ones who give strength to the soldiers and the pilots.”

Rav Yosef also clarified that his earlier remarks were not intended as blanket criticism of the entire community of rabbanim and roshei yeshiva within the religious Zionist movement. He explained that “among them are truly righteous and G-d-fearing individuals,” stressing that his critique was directed only toward “a tiny minority” who, he said, had used disparaging language when speaking about yeshiva bochurim.

Concluding his comments, Rav Yosef called upon avreichim and yeshiva bochurim to strengthen their emunah and connection to Klal Yisroel: “You need to strengthen the proper perspective — to love the Jewish people, to care for the Jewish people, and to produce more soldiers for the Torah.”

{Matzav.com Israel}

It is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the passing of Rav Shmuel Zelivensky z”l, who for many years served as the administrator of Yeshivas Be’er Yaakov and Yeshivas Beis Dovid, as well as a devoted gabbai at Bais Medrash Tiferes Tzion in Bnei Brak. He was 84 years old.

The niftar was born on 29 Nissan, 5701 (1941), to his father, Harav Mordechai Alter, and his mother, Rebbetzin Yocheved, the daughter of the renowned gaon Rav Aryeh Shapira, Av Beis Din of Bialystok. He was a descendant of the Oneg Yom Tov.

In his youth, he studied at Yeshivas Be’er Yaakov, where he learned under his revered uncle, the rosh yeshiva, Rav Moshe Shmuel Shapira, who held him in great affection. He also developed a close connection with the legendary mashgiach, Rav Shlomo Wolbe, under whom he absorbed lifelong lessons of mussar and hashkafah.

Throughout his life, he endured years of illness and severe physical suffering, yet he carried his pain with dignity and maintained a spirit of warmth and positivity that inspired those around him. He was known to frequently sing heartfelt songs of emunah and bitachon in Hashem, uplifting those in his presence.

Rav Zelivensky served with devotion in supporting Yeshivas Be’er Yaakov for many years, later extending his efforts to bolster the growth of Mosdos Beis Dovid on Ben Zakai Street in Bnei Brak. In addition, he was a beloved and respected gabbai at Bais Medrash Tiferes Tzion and was known for his deep closeness to the mekubal, Rav Sroya Deblitzky.

He was the brother of the late Rav Chaim Naftali Hertz Zelivensky, founder and rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Me’or HaTalmud in Rechovot. Among his surviving siblings is Rav Pinchas Zelivensky, rosh kollel and rosh yeshiva of Merkaz HaTorah in Yerushalayim.

His sisters include Rebbetzin Miriam Grodzinsky, wife of Rav Yitzchak Grodzinsky, rosh kollel of Toras Avraham in Bnei Brak, and Rebbetzin Leah Lefkowitz, wife of Rav Moshe Dovid Lefkowitz, mashgiach of Yeshivas Be’er Yaakov and Yeshivas Mishkenos HaTorah, and rav of Kehillas Heichal Moshe in Bnei Brak.

The levayah was held tonight at Bais Medrash Yotzei Yeshivas Be’er Yaakov in Talmud Torah Toras Emes on Devorah HaNeviah in Bnei Brak. The kevurah will follow at the Ponovezh Beis HaChaim.

As the niftar left no descendants, the public is urged to dedicate limud Torah l’ilui nishmaso, Rav Shmuel ben Rav Mordechai Alter z”l.

Yehi zichro baruch.

{Matzav.com Israel}

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has dismissed a top U.S. general whose agency’s early intelligence assessment regarding the impact of U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites infuriated President Donald Trump, The Associated Press reported Friday, citing two sources and a senior White House official.

Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Kruse has been removed from his position as head of the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA). The decision marks the latest shake-up in U.S. military and intelligence leadership, coming just months after details of the initial assessment were leaked to the press.

The leaked report — published by outlets including CNN and The New York Times — asserted that U.S. strikes had only delayed Iran’s nuclear program by a few months, a conclusion that stood in direct conflict with statements from President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

A frustrated Trump blasted the coverage at the time, writing on Truth Social: “Fake news CNN, together with the failing New York Times, have teamed up in an attempt to demean one of the most successful military strikes in history. The nuclear sites in Iran are completely destroyed! Both the Times and CNN are getting slammed by the public!”

In late July, Trump demanded that CNN issue an apology for its reporting, referencing an interview on Fox News in which Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi admitted that U.S. airstrikes caused “serious” damage to Iran’s nuclear infrastructure.

Following the June strikes, Hegseth publicly criticized the media during a press conference, accusing them of displaying a strong anti-military bias. However, he did not provide direct evidence supporting claims that Iran’s nuclear production capabilities had been fully destroyed.

Kruse’s removal comes amid other significant changes within the U.S. defense and intelligence community, including the early retirement of Air Force Gen. David Allvin and recent budget reductions affecting the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

{Matzav.com}

According to a report by Kan News, Hamas’ latest ceasefire offer includes a demand for the release of 150 terrorists who are currently serving life sentences in Israeli prisons.

At this point, however, Israeli officials have not yet received the list of specific names that Hamas wants to include in the exchange.

In addition to pushing for the release of these prisoners, Hamas has shown a slight shift in its stance regarding its earlier demand for a full evacuation of the “perimeter” — the buffer zone established by the IDF in the northern and central areas of the Gaza Strip. Based on its response to mediators, the terror group now appears willing to allow a buffer of at least 700 meters in certain locations. Reports indicate that the IDF is prepared to accept this adjusted arrangement.

Despite this apparent flexibility, Israel has not agreed to Hamas’ current proposal and continues to move forward with its military objectives, including preparations for a major operation aimed at seizing control of Gaza City. The IDF remains focused on readying its forces for an intensified ground campaign.

IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir told senior commanders that the offensive would be carried out carefully and in stages, “in order to minimize risk to soldiers.” He also explained that the upcoming battle would involve combat “above and below ground,” signaling that operations will address both surface and tunnel threats.

Under the plan, the IDF intends to call up roughly 60,000 reservists starting September 2. These soldiers will undergo about two weeks of intensive training before the launch of the offensive. Military assessments suggest that once the encirclement of Gaza City is completed, it will take approximately two additional months for Israel to secure full operational control of the area.

{Matzav.com}

In an exclusive interview with One America News (OAN), Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu spoke at length about the U.S.-Israel relationship and the ongoing war in Gaza, emphasizing that Israel is battling on two critical fronts — against Hamas militarily and against widespread disinformation in the global media.

Netanyahu stressed that “another great casualty of this war is the truth,” pointing to what he described as biased reporting and false narratives that misrepresent Israel’s actions and intentions.

During the interview with OAN anchor Stella Escobedo, the Prime Minister reiterated that the war cannot conclude until all hostages are freed, stating that Israel will only agree to a deal that secures the release of every single captive. “We’re considering anything that will get 50 hostages, at least 20 alive ones and up to 30 dead ones, back,” Netanyahu said.

He further explained that, despite Israel delivering more than two million tons of humanitarian aid to Gaza, Hamas continues to hold hostages in horrific conditions. Netanyahu accused the terrorist organization of subjecting them to “brutally tortured and starved” treatment, underscoring his position with a pointed remark: “The only policy of deliberate starvation in Gaza, contrary to the lies that are spread against Israel, is that the Hamas murderers starve our hostages.”

The Prime Minister made clear that Israel’s mission to dismantle Hamas remains unchanged. However, he added that if Hamas were to free every remaining hostage and surrender its weapons, Gaza could ultimately look forward to a more hopeful and stable future.

Netanyahu also addressed how Hamas exploits Israel’s humanitarian policy of warning civilians ahead of strikes, using those warnings to reposition and repeatedly hiding behind innocent Palestinians, effectively deploying them as “human shields.”

The conversation also touched on Netanyahu’s close partnership with President Donald Trump, whom he praised as an “extraordinary leader” and “extraordinarily valiant and wise.”

President Trump recently described both himself and Netanyahu as “wartime heroes” for their roles in addressing threats against Israel. Responding to the compliment, Netanyahu said, “That’s very kind of him,” and highlighted their collaboration in countering regional dangers. “President Trump took the right action, joined us in opposing this common enemy that wanted to develop atomic weapons and ballistic missiles to be able to deliver them deep into Europe and ultimately into the United States.”

Netanyahu also remarked that Trump had disregarded the “nonsense” warnings claiming he would be “dragged by Netanyahu into WWIII,” emphasizing that those fears have since been proven baseless. “All free people should thank President Trump for his leadership,” Netanyahu added.

He further criticized the mainstream press for promoting distorted narratives, singling out The New York Times for repeatedly publishing inaccurate reports. Netanyahu referenced a specific case involving a story that falsely claimed a Gazan child’s malnutrition was caused by Israeli policies. The outlet later corrected the report, clarifying that the child’s condition was due to cerebral palsy and a genetic disorder.

When asked if he planned to sue The New York Times, Netanyahu responded that legal action remains under consideration. Concluding the interview, he reflected on his resolve, saying he pushes past criticism by reminding himself, “if we don’t fight, we die.”

“There is no substitute for victory and we will win this war,” he declared.

{Matzav.com}

Top FBI officials told The New York Post that former Trump National Security Adviser John Bolton should face prosecution for allegedly sending highly classified government materials through a private server, while raising serious questions about why the Biden administration halted the investigation.

Early Friday morning, federal agents carried out raids at Bolton’s Maryland residence and his Washington, D.C., office, searching for proof connected to an ongoing investigation into what officials describe as Bolton’s “alleged theft of highly sensitive national security documents.”

According to senior officials speaking to The New York Post, the suspected misconduct was first discovered back in 2020 through a “very specific intelligence capacity,” which reportedly produced incriminating information showing that Bolton had “transferred” classified material from his White House desk to his wife and daughter prior to his dismissal by Trump in September 2019.

Officials explained that investigators opened this separate probe in 2020 — unrelated to the earlier inquiry into Bolton’s 2020 book, “The Room Where it Happened” — and continued their work well into the Biden administration. However, the effort was ultimately “shelved,” according to sources familiar with the case.

Now, Trump’s Justice Department is questioning whether the Biden FBI intentionally avoided pursuing charges against one of Trump’s fiercest critics for political reasons.

“The [Biden administration] had probable cause to know that he had taken material that was detrimental to the national security of the United States, and they made no effort to retrieve it,” a senior FBI official told The New York Post.

Bolton has remained one of the most visible ex-Trump officials criticizing the former president, appearing frequently in the media. Some believe this motivated the administration’s decision to avoid prosecuting him.

“That was a friendly administration to [Bolton.] They kept bashing [Trump] the entire time for ‘weaponizing law enforcement,’ and they — by politically stopping a righteous investigation — are the ones who weaponized law enforcement,” the official alleged.

Sources familiar with the matter said the investigation was considered “air-tight” by several agents, yet it was buried so deeply that FBI Director Kash Patel only learned about it roughly a month after his confirmation in February. He became aware of the matter when requesting a briefing on open sensitive cases.

When the Bolton file came up, Patel reportedly believed it pertained to the already-closed inquiry regarding Bolton’s book. Investigators, however, clarified that this was an entirely separate case — one they had been “blocked from pursuing” for four years under the Biden administration.

The latest raid on Bolton’s properties was carried out to secure additional evidence supporting the accusations.

Federal agents reportedly recovered “a lot” of potential evidence from Bolton’s home and “a bunch” more from his D.C. office, according to the sources.

While investigators believe the case against Bolton is strong, officials emphasized that the Justice Department has no plans to take legal action against his wife or daughter.

{Matzav.com}

Three Jewish men who were placing posters of the hostages held by Hamas in Gaza were doused with red paint in a Frankfurt park on Friday by anti-capitalist activists.

“We were putting up posters with photos of the 50 hostages still in Hamas captivity on a fence in Frankfurt’s Grüneburgpark,” Sacha Stawski, 55, told the Bild newspaper.

Police confirmed the incident, according to the report, which took place around 5 p.m. local time. Due to the incident, law enforcement personnel will increase their presence in the area, Bild reported.

A municipality-approved tent encampment was set up last week in the central meadow of Grüneburgpark in Frankfurt’s Westend—a traditionally Jewish area near the city’s largest synagogue, Hessenschau, the online news portal of Hesse state public broadcaster Hessischer Rundfunk, reported.

The self-titled “System Change Camp” was initiated by various left-wing groups, such as Antifa and Ende Gelände (“Here and No Further”), a “climate justice group” that occupies coal mines and promotes civil disobedience, according to the report.

Palestinian flags, expressions of solidarity with Gaza and keffiyehs can be frequently seen in the camp of roughly 1,000 people, Hessenschau added.

Stawski said that earlier on Friday, he walked through the park with a local delegation of the Christian Democratic Union party, “and we were repeatedly pushed aside and prevented from leaving by a group of about 20 to 30 partly masked people. A man who was there with his son called the police,” Bild reported.

Later in the afternoon, Stawski returned to the park with two members of the Jewish community to hang posters with hostages photos. “I suddenly heard antisemitic chants, we were called child murderers, and I kept hearing shouts of ‘Free Palestine’ and ‘Genocide,’” he was quoted as saying.

Then a masked woman poured two tubes of red paint over him and the two others, Stawski said.

“The paint also poured over my glasses, so I could hardly see the perpetrator.”

Stawski is a member of the Honestly Concerned association, which campaigns against antisemitism in Germany.

Hen Mazzig, a fellow at the Tel Aviv Institute, writer, speaker and social media influencer, condemned the attack, saying, “Calling for the release of hostages tortured and starved by Hamas for nearly two years isn’t controversial. It’s basic humanity. And that this enrages the ‘Free Palestine’ crowd so much only exposes the depth of their antisemitism.”

Germany’s Free Democratic Party accused the camp in the park as a “stage for antisemitism,” according to Hessenschau.

“That this can happen in Grüneburgpark, with its Jewish history, is a disgrace for Frankfurt,” Benjamin Graumann, chairman of the local Jewish community, said in an interview with HR.

Uwe Becker, the state of Hesse’s representative for Jewish life and the fight against antisemitism, and a former mayor of Frankfurt, said that “Israel-related antisemitism” was being spread at the camp.

In a tweet on Thursday, he stressed that a “mass demonstration of Israel-haters must not take place in Frankfurt,” referring to German anti-Israel groups that have called to hold a mass protest in the city on Aug. 30.

“In their public statements, the organizers make it clear that they reject Israel’s right to exist, and that their demand for the ‘liberation of Palestine’ from the river to the sea constitutes propaganda for the destruction of Israel,” Becker wrote in German.

“Anyone who speaks of Tel Aviv as an ‘occupied Jaffa’—meaning today’s southern part of Tel Aviv, and the city as a whole as occupied territory—does not want coexistence between Israelis and Palestinians but is calling for the annihilation of Israel,” he added.

Paula Fuchs, co-spokeswoman of the encampment, rejected allegations of antisemitism, according to Hessenschau.

She said that red lines have been drawn that forbid “antisemitic statements, as well as the trivialization or justification of the events of Oct. 7, [2023].”

However, photos of hostages in Gaza that have been put up by Israel supporters have been repeatedly torn down by the encampment participants.

The organizers said that they have no problems with the photos themselves, but that national flags are strictly prohibited in the camp. The images were accompanied by German and Israeli flags.

“In our program and for us generally, it’s about addressing as many injustices in our society as possible, discussing how we can change them, and therefore also shaping a system change—a fundamental transformation of society,” Hessenschau quoted the camp’s spokesman Sebastian Blessing as saying. JNS

{Matzav.com}

The Kretchnif-Siget Rebbe was urgently transported to the hospital on Friday evening after suffering a severe stroke during Mincha at his beis medrash in the Beis Yisroel neighborhood of Yerushalayim.

The Rebbe had arrived at his beis medrash on Rechov Rappaport for Mincha. In the middle of the tefillah, he suddenly collapsed in front of his chassidim.

Emergency personnel were called immediately, and the Rebbe was taken to Shaarei Tzedek Hospital, where doctors determined that he had suffered a serious stroke.

Sources within the chassidus say the Rebbe’s condition is very grave and he is in urgent need of rachamei Shamayim. Throughout Shabbos, tefillos were held in the beis medrash on his behalf.

As of Motzoei Shabbos, the Rebbe remains in critical condition, sedated and on a respirator.

All are asked to daven for the complete recovery of Zeida Eliezer Zev ben Shifra.

{Matzav.com Israel}

Lieutenant Ori Gerlic, a 20-year-old from Meitar, was tragically killed in action in Gaza, the IDF announced this evening.

Gerlic served as a platoon commander in the Shimshon Battalion of the Kfir Brigade and lost his life during fighting in the southern Gaza Strip.

Reports indicate that the incident occurred this afternoon near Khan Yunis when an explosion involving Israeli military equipment took place during an attack on a Hamas position.

Since the war began, a total of 899 IDF soldiers have fallen, including 454 who were killed during the Gaza operations. Across hospitals in Israel, 13 soldiers remain in critical condition, 150 are listed as moderately injured, and 3 are being treated for light wounds.

According to updated IDF figures, 6,204 soldiers have been wounded since the start of the war, with 2,876 of those injuries sustained since the commencement of the Gaza campaign. Additionally, 74 soldiers have died in operational accidents in the Gaza Strip since the fighting began.

{Matzav.com Israel}

YWN regrets to inform you of the Petira of HaRav Yisroel Meyer Shain ZT”L, who was a magid shiur in the Mirrer Yeshiva Mesivta (high school) for more than six decades. He was approximately 92 years old. Rav Shain was named for the Chofetz Chaim ZT”L, having been born shortly after his Petira. Over the course of more than 60 years, he taught thousands upon thousands of bochurim at Mirrer Yeshiva, where he was regarded as an iconic figure within the hanhalah. Remarkably, he continued serving as a rebbi until just last year, when illness forced him to retire. He was known as a tremendous masmid and oved Hashem, and was deeply beloved by his talmidim, who cherished both his Torah and his personal warmth. Rav Shain leaves behind a beautiful mishpacha of bnei Torah, marbitzei Torah, and talmidei chachomim, who continue in his path. Rav Shain was the son of R’ Moshe and Rebbetzin Ruchoma Shain Z”L the legendary tzadeikes who authored the world-renowned book “All For The Boss.” Levaya details will be published once they are confirmed. Boruch Dayan HaEmmes…

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President Trump holds up photo sent by Russian President Vladimir Putin: “I’m going to sign this for him … That’s a man named Vladimir Putin who I believe will be coming (to 2026 FIFA World Cup) depending on what happens.”

The Powerball jackpot has climbed to an estimated $700 million after no winner was drawn Wednesday, fueling excitement ahead of Saturday’s 10:59 p.m. ET drawing and making it one of the largest prizes in the game’s history.