IDF limits gatherings across Israel

 

The IDF on Saturday night announced changes to the Home Front Command's guidelines for Israeli civilians.

The changes apply from Saturday night at 11:00p.m. to Monday night at 11:00p.m.

"Following a situational assessment, it was determined that as of 23:00 Israel time tonight, changes will be made to the Home Front Command’s defensive guidelines," the announcement read.

"As part of the changes, it was decided to prohibit educational activities across Israel. In green areas, gatherings will be limited to 1,000 people.

"The instructions published on the official Home Front Command channels must be adhered to and followed. The full instructions are updated on the National Emergency Portal and the Home Front Command app."

Earlier on Saturday, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant warned, "Iran is a terrorist state - the world is seeing this now more than ever. We are determined to defend our citizens against this terrorism, and we will know how to respond to it."

"I ask the citizens of Israel to follow the instructions published by the IDF and the Home Front Command."

Missing Jewish Child Shepherd 14 found dead Was Murdered by Arabs

On Shabbos, the body of 14-year-old Binyamin Ahimeir was located in the area of Malachei Hashalom by the IDF, ISA, and Israel Police.

Binyamin Ahimeir went missing on Friday morning, and was murdered in a terrorist attack.

Initial reports said that Ahimeir, a shepherd, left at six in the morning, but later the flock he led returned to the village of Malachei Hashalom without him.

The incident is under review.

Security forces are continuing the pursuit after those suspected of carrying out the attack.

"The security agencies send their heartfelt condolences to the family," a statement read.

 

US moves forces to Middle East to prepare for 'imminent' Iran strike

The U.S. has moved more forces into the Middle East to prepare for what officials believe could be an 'imminent' strike by Iran on Israel that could spark a full-scale war. The Pentagon is beefing up its presence in the region and the USS Dwight Eisenhower has been sent into the Red Sea in a warning to Tehran and to protect American personnel should the violence spill over, multiple reports suggest.

U.S. officials fear that hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles could be used in retaliation for an April 1 strike on a building adjacent to the Iranian embassy in Damascus, Syria. Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei vowed retribution in the wake of the attack, to which Tel-Aviv - yet to take responsibility for the strike on Damascus.

Zera Shimshon Parshas Tazria

 

Chilling moment Hamas leader brushes off news his 3 sons, 4 grandkids were killed in IDF airstrike

 

The "Family that traveled Together and Died Together" 

A shocking video captured Hamas’ top political leader Ismail Haniyeh barely reacting to the news that his three sons and four grandchildren have been killed in an Israeli airstrike — and insisting that he continue with the tour he was on of a hospital.

Haniyeh, 61, was visiting injured Palestinians at the hospital in Qatar, where he lives in exile, on Wednesday when he got a call from someone saying through sobs in Arabic: “Hazem, Mohammed and Amir have been killed, along with their children.”

Hamas’ tough-talking chief diplomat barely reacts and remains unnervingly calm, only uttering the words: “God rest their souls.”

When an aide asks Haniyeh if they should cut the hospital visit short in light of the tragic development, Haniyeh casually dismisses the idea.

“No, why? Let’s continue,” he says, sounding bizarrely upbeat as he walks to the door.

Haniyeh, who has 13 children, according to Hamas sources, later said in an interview with Al Jazeera that his family members “were martyred on the road to liberating Jerusalem and the Al-Aqsa Mosque.”

The top Hamas leader’s sons and four grandchildren — three boys and a girl — were riding in a car through Gaza’s Shati refugee camp to visit relatives on the first day of the Eid-al-Fitr holiday when it was hit by an Israeli missile.

The Israeli military confirmed the airstrike, saying that Hanieyeh’s sons were targeted because they were terrorists.

It did not comment on the deaths of the grandchildren, claiming there was “no information on that right now.”

Haniyeh lashed out at Israel, saying it was “driven by the spirit of revenge.”

He said the deaths of his loved ones would not soften Hamas’ stance in the ongoing cease-fire talks with Israel.

“The blood of my sons is not dearer than the blood of our people,” he told Al Jazeera. “The enemy will be delusional if it thinks that targeting my sons, at the climax of the negotiations and before the movement sends its response, will push Hamas to change its position.”

It has since emerged that Israel Defense Forces (IDF) carried out the bombing that annihilated Hanieyeh’s family members allegedly without consulting either Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, reported Walla news citing senior officials.

The attack was planned by the IDF and the Shin Bet internal security service, according to the report.

Chareidie Minister Arbel: 'Haredim must understand: There's no moral option to continue this way'

 

Interior Minister Moshe Arbel, of the Sephardic-haredi Shas party, has stated that the haredi public must change its perspective and realize that the refusal to enlist in the IDF is no longer relevant.

Speaking on the Fourth Quarter Movement podcast, Arbel said, "The reality after October 7 is a reality that the haredi public needs to understand and internalize that there is no longer a moral option of continuing this way."

"Each year, there are 1,500 who are eligible to enlist - they must be part of those who bear the burden.

"In addition, there are a significant number of institutions which are designated for struggling youth. All of those institutions - there is no justification in the world that those who by definition do not learn Torah as their occupation should not be part of the army."

In February, Arbel sent a letter to Yossi Levy, CEO of Netzach Yehuda.

In his letter, later published by Yediot Ahronot, Arbel encouraged the integration of haredim into meaningful, long-term military service. He particularly expressed his pleasure at the significant increase in interest among haredi youth to enlist for combat service in the upcoming draft.

Arbel also told Levy how happy he is about the more than 800 new haredi soldiers who have joined the IDF since October 7th. And in an interview, Arbel argued that it is totally indefensible for haredim to claim exemption from military service simply because they are haredim. Like all other Israeli citizens, they should serve, he told the interviewer, except for those who are genuinely engaged in full-time Torah study.

29% of Charedim favor draft of those not studying Torah

 

Makor Rishon found that 29 percent of haredim support the drafting of those who do not study seriously in Yeshiva.

When the survey group, 500 respondents representing a sample of the haredi society, were asked about their estimation of the number of haredim not studying. 25 percent claimed that there are at most one thousand such individuals.

23 percent estimated that there are between one thousand to 3,000 students who "dodge" serious study, 14 percent claimed there are up to 5,000 such individuals, and an equal percentage claimed there are between 5,000 to ten thousand haredim liable for military draft not studying. 12 percent claimed that the group evading studies is larger, up to 20,000, and only about 4 percent in each group noted that in their opinion 30, 40, or 50 thousand are not studying seriously.

In other words, half of the haredim believe that even if those who are not studying are drafted, their number will not exceed 3,000.

Other findings pointed to continued strong opposition to the draft among the haredim . Only 2.7 percent replied that they support military or national service for all haredim , 3.8 percent answered that they prefer national or civilian service only for all haredim . Only 2.3 percent supported service for all the haredim , except for a few thousand Yeshiva students who will continue to study in the Yeshivot.

Haredi respondents were asked about the reasons for their opposition to the draft. 40.3 percent of them stated that the main reason is that in their opinion, studying Torah is no less important than service, 34.8 percent mentioned the fear of not remaining haredim , and 15.9 percent justified it with fear of the service and its dangers.

US And Israeli Officials Fear Most Hostages Held By Hamas Have Been Killed but Biden Continues to insist on a Ceasefire

 Talks continue in Cairo for a hostage release deal and temporary truce, but US and Israeli officials have expressed fears that most of the Israeli hostages held by Hamas since October 7 have been killed in captivity, according to a Wall Street Journal report on Wednesday. While the IDF has confirmed the deaths of 34 of the 129 remaining hostages, officials estimate that the number of deaths could be much higher, with some US estimates suggesting that most hostages are already dead.

The report states that some hostages were likely killed by Israeli strikes on Gaza, while others died from health issues, including injuries sustained during their abduction. Those still alive are believed to be used as human shields, surrounding Hamas leadership in Gaza tunnels.

Hamas has indicated that it may be unable to provide 40 living hostages for the initial release, as previously agreed upon. Israel has insisted that 40 living hostages must be freed in the first phase, with any shortage made up from other categories.

Mossad chief David Barnea told cabinet ministers on Wednesday that freeing all 133 captives and remains held in Gaza in a single truce agreement would be impossible, with at best 40 people being freed in a first phase.

Of the 253 hostages kidnapped during the October 7 attacks, 105 civilians were released during a weeklong truce in late November, and four hostages were released prior to that. Three hostages have been rescued alive, and the bodies of 12 hostages have been recovered, including three mistakenly killed by the military. One person is still listed as missing since October 7.

Hamas is also holding the bodies of fallen IDF soldiers Oron Shaul and Hadar Goldin since 2014, as well as two Israeli civilians, Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed, who are believed to be alive after entering the Gaza Strip on their own accord in 2014 and 2015, respectively.

OJ Simpson, The Jew Killer Acquitted of Murder in ‘Trial of the Century,’ Dies at 76

 

O.J. Simpson, the decorated football superstar and Hollywood actor who was acquitted of charges he killed his former wife and her Jewish friend but was found liable in a separate civil trial, has died. He was 76.

The family announced on Simpson’s official X account that he died Wednesday of prostate cancer. Simpson’s attorney confirmed to TMZ on Thursday that he died in Las Vegas.

Simpson earned fame, fortune and adulation through football and show business, but his legacy was forever changed by the June 1994 knife slayings of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Ronald Goldman in Los Angeles.

Live TV coverage of his arrest after a famous slow-speed chase marked a stunning fall from grace.

He had seemed to transcend racial barriers as the star Trojans tailback for college football’s powerful University of Southern California in the late 1960s, as a rental car ad pitchman rushing through airports in the late 1970s, and as the husband of a blond and blue-eyed high school homecoming queen in the 1980s.

“I’m not Black, I’m O.J.,” he liked to tell friends.

The public was mesmerized by his “trial of the century” on live TV. His case sparked debates on race, gender, domestic abuse, celebrity justice and police misconduct.

‘Who Walks Away from a Friend During a Time of War?’

 

U.S. President Joe Biden has “changed his tune” toward the Jewish state, “especially in these last few months,” House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) charged on Wednesday.

“President Biden has walked away from the strong relationship we have with Israel. You saw Majority Leader Schumer’s comments calling for the prime minister of Israel to be replaced during a time of war. Who walks away from a friend during a time of war?” the Louisiana Republican said. “That’s when you stand with your friends the most, as House Republicans continue to do.”

“We are proud to stand with Israel and their right to defend themselves,” Scalise added.

“Do you stand with Israel or not in a time of war and their right to defend themselves from a terrorist organization who ended the ceasefire?” he added. “If there’s any talk of ceasefire, President Biden, that ended on Oct. 7, when Hamas decided to barbarically murder, not just Jews in Israel, but others.”

“They’re still holding over 100 hostages, including American citizens, and when President Biden called for a ceasefire, he didn’t precondition it on Hamas releasing the hostages,” he said.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu an “obstacle” to peace, along with Hamas and the Palestinian Authority, and said there should be a change in Israel’s leadership during a March 14 talk on the Senate floor.