As Israel marks its 77th Independence Day and President Donald Trump completes his first 100 days in office, my heart is somewhere else entirely: in the darkness of Gaza, where my son Bar remains in captivity — frail, frightened, and forgotten by far too many.
Bar Kupershtein is 23 years old. He was abducted by Hamas terrorists at 9:15 a.m. on October 7, 2023, from the Nova Music Festival. Just three hours earlier, at 6:30 a.m., Bar called to check in on his grandmother as sirens sounded across Israel. He assured her that he was ok and would soon be returning home. He never made it. Instead of running, Bar stayed and helped others flee the area. He provided medical aid to the wounded, organized the evacuation of thousands, and — despite opportunities to run for his life — chose to remain behind to save lives. Survivors have testified to his heroism.
<div id="attachment_913445" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-913445" class="size-large wp-image-913445" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/MixCollage-29-Apr-2025-10-42-AM-2184-1024x576.jpg" alt="Credit: Kupershtein family. Bar Kupershtein." width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/MixCollage-29-Apr-2025-10-42-AM-2184-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/MixCollage-29-Apr-2025-10-42-AM-2184-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/MixCollage-29-Apr-2025-10-42-AM-2184-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/MixCollage-29-Apr-2025-10-42-AM-2184-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/MixCollage-29-Apr-2025-10-42-AM-2184-2048x1152.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Credit: Kupershtein family.</div>
That decision, one rooted in bravery and selflessness, led to his capture.
This is who Bar is: a caregiver, a leader, a young man of tremendous character.
I myself was seriously injured in 2019 while volunteering as a medic, on my way to resuscitate a 4-year-old girl. A terrible car accident left me disabled and struggling to speak. This is where Bar really stepped up. He moved in with his grandparents to make space for my caregiver and began working at the festival to help support our family, including his four siblings. He became the pillar of our family.
Now, that pillar is crumbling in an underground tunnel beneath Gaza.
In a recently released video by Hamas, used as psychological propaganda, Bar appears gaunt, drastically thinner, his eyes hollow, and his body weak. He did not speak, we did not hear his voice. He looks like a different person — one shaped not by time, but by torment.
Our entire family is struggling to maintain hope. I am learning to speak again so I can be Bar’s voice, calling out from the silence of the tunnels. My father, Bar’s grandfather, is a Holocaust survivor — he has suffered two strokes since Bar’s abduction. My mother is battling bowel cancer and undergoing chemotherapy. The pain has seeped into every corner of our home and yet nothing is as severe as painful as longing for Bar’s release.
<div id="attachment_913447" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-913447" class="size-large wp-image-913447" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/MixCollage-29-Apr-2025-09-44-AM-9910-1024x576.jpg" alt="Credit: Kupershtein family. Tal Kupershtein speaks at a rally on behalf of his son, Bar." width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/MixCollage-29-Apr-2025-09-44-AM-9910-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/MixCollage-29-Apr-2025-09-44-AM-9910-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/MixCollage-29-Apr-2025-09-44-AM-9910-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/MixCollage-29-Apr-2025-09-44-AM-9910-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/MixCollage-29-Apr-2025-09-44-AM-9910-2048x1152.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Credit: Kupershtein family.</div>
President Trump, your first 100 days have shown boldness and decisiveness on many fronts. You have demonstrated strength and urgency during this period. I implore you now to bring that same resolve to this urgent humanitarian crisis. The United States has long prided itself as a beacon of moral leadership. You have the power to rally the international community. You have the influence to pressure Hamas. You have the ability to make a deal happen. Please use it.
Now I ask you — beg you — to apply that same determination to the ongoing hostage crisis. Use your influence to rally international partners. Press every available lever. Show the world that America stands for life, for freedom, and for human dignity.
To the global community: do not let these hostages fade from view. Their suffering continues every day as negotiations stall and the world grows quieter. Bar and the 58 others held in Gaza are not just numbers — they are our children, our parents, our friends, and loved ones.
If your child were held underground in darkness, I’m sure you would not stop short of anything to bring them home. So I will never stop! The world must never stop until they all come home!
My son is still alive. But we are running out of time. Let these 100 days be remembered not just for politics, but for courage — for choosing life over fear, action over delay, hope over silence. And please help me hug my son again!
I promise, when Bar finally returns — when I see him again — I will summon every bone in my broken, wheelchair-bound body to rise. I will teach myself to walk again, if only to take one step closer to my son. To hold him. To remind him that he was never alone.
Bring my Bar home.
* * *
Tal Kupershtein is the father of Bar Kupershtein who was kidnapped by Hamas from the Nova Music Festival on October 7, 2023.

ISRAEL-PALESTINIAN-CONFLICT-HOSTAGES

Bring My Son Home: A Father’s Plea To President Trump And The World

Bring My Son Home: A Father's Plea To President Trump And The World

Gaza

Hamas

Hostages

Israel

Nova festival

October 7

Opinion

President Trump

WASHINGTON — Missouri&#8217;s Republican senator Josh Hawley unleashed on Code Pink activists who confronted him in the halls of Congress on Thursday, videos first obtained by The Daily Wire show.
As the senator took a question from a reporter about TikTok, the head of Code Pink, Medea Benjamin, questioned Hawley, &#8220;How about weapons to Israel?&#8221; holding a phone up to his face to record his response. Hawley, aware of which group she was with, quickly responded: &#8220;Oh, you&#8217;re the China people! You are 100% funded by the Chinese Communist Party.&#8221;
Code Pink is a far-left anti-war group known for its antisemitism and ties to China. The <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/05/world/europe/neville-roy-singham-china-propaganda.html">New York Times reported</a> in 2023 that the group is part of a &#8220;lavishly funded influence campaign&#8221; working closely with &#8220;the Chinese government media machine&#8221; to promote the CCP — it has, in turn, gone as far as defending the Chinese detention of Uyghur Muslims.
The group, which has aligned with Hamas since its October 7, 2023 terrorist attack against Israel, has <a href="https://dailycaller.com/2024/09/17/josh-hawley-fires-back-protesters-swarmed-him-after-hearing-code-pink-palestine-ccp/">repeatedly protested</a> against Hawley, who has defended the Trump administration in its efforts to deport anti-Israel protesters who promote Hamas on college campuses.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
NEW: Videos obtained by <a href="https://twitter.com/realDailyWire?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDailyWire</a> show <a href="https://twitter.com/HawleyMO?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HawleyMO</a> unleashing on pro-CCP Code Pink activists protesting against Israel.
&quot;It is a moral travesty what you do,&quot; he tells Code Pink&#39;s Medea Benjamin. &quot;You have blood on your hands&#8230;you&#39;re awash in blood and dirty money.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/8BeeLBZkgb">pic.twitter.com/8BeeLBZkgb</a>
&mdash; Mary Margaret Olohan (@MaryMargOlohan) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaryMargOlohan/status/1907951358717624669?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 4, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;You&#8217;re deflecting from all the money you take from AIPAC! You&#8217;re a foreign agent!&#8221; the activist exclaimed on Thursday. &#8220;You&#8217;re a baby killer because you want to send more bombs to kill more children in Gaza.&#8221;
Hawley responded, interjecting between her responses: &#8220;You are anti-semite&#8230;.anti-Israel, pro-China, pro-CCP, it is disgusting. Your organization has defended the Uyghurs being violated, being persecuted, it is a moral travesty what you do.&#8221;
&#8220;Where is the blood on your hands?&#8221; he continued emphatically. &#8220;You have blood on your hands. You&#8217;re awash in blood and dirty money and I hope that you are accountable for that one day.&#8221;
She continued to follow him as he walked away, surrounded by reporters.
Another video obtained by The Daily Wire shows Benjamin pursuing Hawley, asking why he is sending taxpayer dollars to &#8220;bomb people in Gaza,&#8221; questioning, &#8220;Are you America first? Are you America first?&#8221;
At this point, another activist appears on the scene, this one dressed in a black and white keffiyeh, and she tells Hawley, &#8220;You&#8217;re a baby killer.&#8221;
&#8220;You&#8217;re a baby killer,&#8221; he responded. &#8220;The Uyghur babies? Their blood is on your hands. The blood of the Chinese is on your hands. And of course of the Jews.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
The Code Pink activists followed Hawley, berating him for supporting Israel. 
Hawley was giving it right back.
&quot;You&#39;re just a Jew hater, right? You&#39;re along for the ride?&quot; 
&quot;You are rabidly anti-Israel. You are absolutely morally despicable. You are appalling.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/PRsRs17dDo">pic.twitter.com/PRsRs17dDo</a>
&mdash; Mary Margaret Olohan (@MaryMargOlohan) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaryMargOlohan/status/1907951360764510557?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 4, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The second, younger activist laughs as she films close to Hawley&#8217;s face and asks, &#8220;You&#8217;re a Christian Zionist right?&#8221;
&#8220;Oh no, no, don&#8217;t accuse ME of things,&#8221; he responded. &#8220;You&#8217;re a Jew hater. You would destroy the nation of Israel.&#8221;
&#8220;Sir, you&#8217;re a public official,&#8221; laughs the activist. &#8220;You&#8217;re a public official!&#8221;
&#8220;Which means what, I can&#8217;t speak truth to power?&#8221; he asked.
They continue to argue as the senator leans in and tells the activist: &#8220;You love China, you are taking their money, and you are rabidly anti-Israel. You are absolutely morally despicable and I look forward to one day, the moral come-uppance that you will deserve.&#8221;
&#8220;I&#8217;m a health care worker!&#8221; the activist pipes up. &#8220;I save lives!&#8221;
&#8220;You are appalling,&#8221; he responds. &#8220;You don&#8217;t save lives, you are killing Jews and loving it. You are despicable.&#8221;
&#8220;You are a war criminal, baby killer,&#8221; responds the younger activist, raising her voice emotionally as the senator departs. In the background, the elderly activist calls after him, &#8220;Baby killer, you have blood on your hands.&#8221;
During a Senate Help Committee last week on antisemitism on campuses, the senator grilled a Democrat witness on what is being done to protect students on college campuses for anti-semitism. Hawley strongly defended the decision to deport Ivy League anti-Israel ringleader Mahmoud Khalil, saying: “I want to say for the record, I’m glad [Mahmoud Khalil] is gone, and I hope he never comes back.&#8221;
Code Pink did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Daily Wire.

Congress Meets To Work On Budget Reconciliation Process

Hawley Unloads On Code Pink Activists: ‘You’re Awash in Blood And Dirty Money’

Abortion

Code Pink

Josh Hawley

The Israel Defense Forces entered a new phase of the ground offensive in Gaza this week, pressuring Hamas to release the 59 hostages still in captivity.
The IDF is trying to establish the “Morag Corridor” to cut off Rafah from Khan Younis. This would help the IDF surround Rafah, which Israeli Prime Minister <a href="https://x.com/netanyahu/status/1907459855788449978" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Benjamin Netanyahu said</a> the move is an effort to increase pressure on Hamas “step by step.”
“We are now cutting off the Strip and we are increasing the pressure step by step… so they will give us our hostages,” Netanyahu said. “The longer they refuse to give them up, the more the pressure will increase until they do.”
The Morag Corridor is located where the Israeli settlement, Morag, stood before being forcibly evacuated during Israel’s 2005 withdrawal from Gaza.
The strategy is in line with other sectioning efforts by the IDF including controlling the Philadelphia Corridor that separates Gaza and Egypt as well as the Netzarim Corridor in central Gaza which splits Gaza’s north and south.
The IDF is close to controlling 30% of Gazan territory, a source <a href="https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-848505" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told the Jerusalem Post</a>. If Hamas does not agree to a new hostage deal soon, the larger invasion may be ordered, sources say.
The IDF issued an evacuation order to most areas of Rafah on Monday, telling residents that <a href="https://x.com/AvichayAdraee/status/1906595629993967915?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1906595629993967915%7Ctwgr%5E7c501a14faa2378c0b7e233d0f0e36126e82d3c0%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.jns.org%2Fisrael-orders-mass-evacuation-of-rafah-as-offensive-intensifies%2F" target="_blank" rel="noopener">troops are returning</a> to the area to fight “with great force to eliminate the capabilities of terrorist organizations in these areas.”
Overnight, the Israeli Air Force carried out strikes on more than 50 Hamas sites, with dozens more carried out during the day, the Times of Israel reported.
The IDF announced on Wednesday that troops in its 14th Brigade successfully encircled the Tel al-Sultan area in Rafah. Soldiers eliminated dozens of terrorists and dismantled weapons and terrorist infrastructure, according to the announcement.
“The only thing that can halt our further advance is the release of our hostages!” Chief of the General Staff in Gaza LTG Eyal Zamir said during a visit to Rafah. “Their return would allow our forces to reposition and enable the continuation of negotiations.”
Since the collapse of the ceasefire, Israel has eliminated more than a dozen Hamas leaders.
Many experts speculate that Israel was able to use the two-month ceasefire as an opportunity to gather intelligence about the whereabouts of Hamas leaders. Many of those killed were key to maintaining Hamas’ control over Gaza’s population, beyond just its militant operations.
Gazans <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/rare-anti-hamas-protests-erupt-in-gaza-as-residents-call-for-peace" target="_blank" rel="noopener">took to the streets</a> in the last week all around the strip, calling for an end to Hamas rule, in a rare display of opposition to the terrorist group. Protesters marched through Beit Lahiya in northern Gaza carrying white flags, demanding Hamas end its rule, and calling for the Israeli hostages to be released.
In response, Hamas has begun attacking protesters including Odai al-Rabei, a 22-year-Gazan who was abducted from Gaza City, tortured, and murdered by terrorists before being returned to his family home, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hamas-kidnaps-tortures-and-murders-anti-hamas-protester" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to his family</a>.

IDF Holds Exhibition Of Hamas October 7 Attack Materials

Israel Heats Up Ground Offensive In Gaza In Effort To Pressure Hamas To Return Hostages

Israel Defense Forces (IDF)

The following is an excerpt from &#8220;<a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DQQ47DR3">The Wake Up Call: Global Jihad and the Rise of Antisemitism in a World Gone Mad</a>,&#8221; by Israel Ellis (Post Hill Press/Wicked Son).
* * *
<h3>A Conversation on Healing and the Battle for Humanity </h3>
October 7 should be a traumatic jolt for anyone who is a lover of life. We must stand united and resolved to make the world a safer place for the future generations that will follow. For if the lovers of life cannot heal the hate, we are truly lost at sea.
I met George, a doctor from Germany, at a healing retreat on Koh Pha Ngan, an island in the south of Thailand. During the first of our many conversations, I described some of the ideas that would later become these chapters, and in answer to his piqued interest, I went on to explain to him the events that took place in Israel on October 7 and the theater of the world since. We got around to the existential question on what it takes to save our world from itself, and both readily agreed in the simplicity that peace comes from love. And to love is to heal. Our conversation turned to philosophy and the infinity of the cosmos. It’s the kind of place that leads you into these thoughts. I brought up the biblical story of Jonah, the unwilling oracle, who warned the people of Nineveh, who repented without question because they came to understand the severity of the warnings and the opportunity to change. I asked George: Where is today’s Jonah to tell the haters wrong from right? To warn us of the consequences of hate?
The next morning George sat beside me and told me had he reflected on the prior evening’s discourse. “I agree,” he said with slow, carefully chosen words. “Both sides need to heal.” He saw my body tense up at the reference to “sides.” The idea of shared moral equivalence between Israel and Hamas is a typical red herring of those that will not fully condemn Hamas and stand for Israel. George gently raised a placating hand and asked me for patience. “Can you for a moment accept that there is a part of Hamas within you?” I caught my breath.
We sat in silence while I pondered this and took effort to examine George through a different lens. He has no connection to Israel; he is not affected by what happened on October 7 except that he is a lover of life and a healer and he is saddened that this event has happened in a world he deems has turned itself upside down. He lives his life in a bubble, not intentionally, but rather because he was born into it; a privileged Western bubble with all the trappings, including the luxury to question his existence and the next steps in his life. He is a good person. He is not committed to any specific ideology, except for his life and those of his patients. He is not a liberal nor does he consider himself a conservative. He will not take up a placard and join a protest. He believes that all people should live together in peace. He stays out of business that is not his to judge, because he knows his opinion will have no effect on the outcome.
It occurred to me that his apathy is part of the challenge the world faces; he places his complete trust in his government to manage the situation. He corrected me when I suggested this, and instead claimed it is humanity itself that he trusts. “Humanity will eventually find their way, they always do,” he said.
But I disagreed. “This is not a stream of water trickling through the path of least resistance,” I said. “To avoid long and painful consequences, we sometimes must act to protect humanity from and for itself.”
The impossibility of the situation Israel finds itself in is a predicament for the free world. To counter the epidemic of Global Jihad will require some sacrifice of liberty, and this can be a slippery slope. And yet, it has already begun. The UK has the most extensive and sophisticated closed-circuit video monitoring system of its kind in the world, complete with facial recognition and AI capabilities. There are few places left in London where you can escape someone watching you. This invasion of privacy is the compromise for security. But this does nothing to weed out the problem of radicalization by its roots. These bandaid solutions will only drive the Jihad further underground into the metaphorical and literal tunnels. The only long-term solution depends on overhauling how the next generation comes to see their world. Confronting the hold that the radicals have institutionalized over young people, dismantling the arenas for hate, and policing the spread of lies and calls to Jihad, is of the most critical importance. Like the cameras in London, it is not pretty to impose law and confront hate.
<div id="attachment_901781" style="width: 383px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-901781" class="wp-image-901781 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/71mKLbBu7OL._SL1360_-373x576.jpg" alt="Post Hill Press/Wicked Son" width="373" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/71mKLbBu7OL._SL1360_-373x576.jpg 373w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/71mKLbBu7OL._SL1360_-194x300.jpg 194w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/71mKLbBu7OL._SL1360_-768x1187.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/71mKLbBu7OL._SL1360_.jpg 880w" sizes="(max-width: 373px) 100vw, 373px" />Post Hill Press/Wicked Son</div>
I returned to the present with the clang of a spoon against my metal cup. George waited for my answer. Can I accept that there is something of Hamas in all of us? It is a difficult question, because on the face of it it seems a bizarre and hurtful theory by someone who knows little about the situation on the ground. But I have come to respect George, and I knew he was not playing with me. What he asked me is if we are all capable of playing the part of Hamas if we were wearing the shoe on the other foot.
I looked across at George and asked him thoughtfully if he has siblings. “Yes,” he answered, not really sure of where I was going with this. “I have a sister, she is eight years younger than myself.” I asked him if he ever felt jealousy toward her. He assures me that he did. When she first arrived home, the focus of his entire world shifted to her. “Did you ever have evil and violent thoughts about how to deal with that? Did you plan to kill her?” I asked, to his wide-eyed look. Of course, this is extreme, but relevant. “I love my sister to this day,” he stammers. “I would never harm her.” He takes a slow breath in and admits “regardless of how much she may have infuriated me as a young boy.”
In the story of Cain and Abel. Cain, the older brother, is jealous at the acceptance of Abel’s’ sacrifice to God, and in response he kills him. Cain is new to all these powerful emotions, being only the third person to ever live, he has no context for dealing and how to manage these feelings. Leading up to the act, he could not have understood the consequences of his actions, yet as his brother lay unmoving beneath him, he realizes immediately by some intuitive force that he has committed a grave transgression. “Am I my brother’s keeper?” he responds to God, when questioned of Abel’s whereabouts, a clear defensive diversion away from the moral consequence of what he has done. There are direct lessons that can be interpreted from this story; the moral wrongness of murder, the accountability, the shame and regret, and the divine justice that follows.
In my own paraphrasing of Genesis 4:11-12, I quote; “Cain, the earth received your brother’s blood from your hand, thereby the ground will give you nothing in return, and you are banished and will walk the earth without home.” This is a very clear and powerful statement that is made, one that neither Jews, Christians, or Muslims will disagree with. A person who commits murder will become a wanderer, a refugee wherever they go. They are Cain, who was deserving of justice, even though no lawbook had ever told him murder was wrong.
What happened on October 7 was a collective sociopathic act that crossed a line from which there can be no return, not just for the Hamas terrorists that came armed with guns and bombs, but for the people of Gaza who supported the invasion and followed in its wake, rampaging through residential areas, pillaging, burning, and committing barbaric acts of rape and live dismemberment. The people of Gaza, everyday citizens, came to set fire to buildings with people still inside. If you poll Gazans today, the majority will support Hamas and celebrate the events of October 7. If you survey the Palestinian people in the lands controlled by the PA, chances are there will be a strong empathy for the Gazans whose immorality brought them to their own destruction. If you poll the Pan Arab world, you will likely find an alarming number of people in support of Hamas. 
The October 7 attacks ignited global outrage, revealing deep-seated hatred and a disturbing lack of empathy. Those who march in support of Israel’s destruction or celebrate Hamas’s violence are morally complicit in these heinous acts. Like Cain, who committed the first murder despite having no explicit prohibition, these supporters cannot claim ignorance as a defense for their actions. And this is the difference between a terrorist, a terrorist sympathizer, and a fundamentally good person. The masked people holding placards celebrating Hamas and chanting for the genocide of Jews, participating in protests and encampments, these are not just the useful idiots of Hamas, these are useful evildoers for Hamas.
* * *
Israel Ellis is <a href="https://israelellis.com/in-the-media/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">an entrepreneur</a> and the father of an IDF soldier. He is the author of &#8220;<a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DQQ47DR3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Wake Up Call</a>&#8221; (Post Hill Press/Wicked Son).
This excerpt is published by permission from Post Hill Press/Wicked Son.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

TOPSHOT-ISRAEL-PALESTINIAN-CONFLICT

‘Am I My Brother’s Keeper?’: Cain, Hamas, And The Aftermath Of October 7

'Am I My Brother’s Keeper?': Cain, Hamas, And The Aftermath Of October 7

Anti-Semitism

Bible

Books

Islamic Jihad

Jewish

Freed Israeli hostage Yarden Bibas spoke publicly Sunday for the first time since his release and the funeral for his wife, Shiri, and two young sons. Ariel and Kfir.
Bibas and other freed hostages spoke about their experiences on <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/freed-israeli-hostages-call-for-ceasefire-with-hamas-return-of-gaza-captives-60-minutes-transcript/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">60 Minutes</a>. Bibas said he chose to do his first interview with an American outlet because he wanted to get the attention of President Donald Trump, whom he credits for saving him and says is the only person who can stop the war.
“Please stop — stop this war and help — help bring all the hostages back,” Bibas said as his message for Trump. “I know he can help. I&#8217;m here because of Trump. I&#8217;m here only because of him. I think he&#8217;s the only one who can stop this war again.”
Bibas believes ending the war is the only way to free the remaining hostages home, including his childhood best friend, David Cunio. Cunio was kidnapped with his wife, Sharon, and two children, who were released in the November 2023 hostage exchange deal.
“We did everything together. He was with me in every big thing in my life. He was in my wedding. And now I&#8217;m having the — probably the — the hardest thing I have to move with my life, and David is not with me. I lost my wife and kids. Sharon must not lose her husband.&#8221;
Bibas said it was frightening to hear IDF airstrikes while being held in Hamas’ terror tunnels.
“It&#8217;s scary,” Bibas said. “You don&#8217;t know when it&#8217;s gonna happen. And when it happens, you&#8217;re afraid for your life. The whole earth would move like an earthquake, but underground.”
“Everything could collapse any moment,” he added.
Israel eliminated more than a dozen Hamas leaders in the week after the ceasefire collapsed following Hamas’s refusal to release more hostages or agree to multiple extension proposals.
Speaking about his wife and sons, Bibas said they were murdered in “cold blood” with “bare hands,” a claim supported by forensic assessments of the bodies.
“They were murdered in cold blood, bare hands,” Bibas said. “[Hamas] used to tell me — ‘Oh, doesn&#8217;t matter. You&#8217;ll get a new wife. Get new kids. Better wife. Better kids.’”
American hostage Keith Siegel, who <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/american-hostage-to-be-released-tomorrow-from-gaza-six-remain-in-captivity" target="_blank" rel="noopener">was freed</a> in February, opened up about his time in captivity, claiming that Hamas sexually assaulted female hostages in front of him.
Siegel, who was originally held with his wife, Aviva, and other female and child hostages until her release after 51 days, said there was constant abuse in captivity.
“I witnessed a young woman who was being tortured by the terrorists. I mean literal, you know, torture, not just in the figurative sense,” he said. “I saw sexual assault with female hostages.”
Following Aviva’s release, Siegel said conditions became worse. He was often beaten and starved.
Siegel quickly put interviewer Lesley Stahl in her place after she asked if Hamas actually starved Siegel, or if the terrorists simply didn’t have food themselves.
“No, I think they starved me and they — they would often eat in front of me and not offer me food,” Siegel said.
Siegel also said that Hamas shaved all the men’s heads and genitals to humiliate them.
“I think they thought it was maybe it amused them or, you know, humiliating. I felt humiliated,” Siegel said.
Bibas <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/yarden-bibas-delivers-heartbreaking-eulogy-at-funeral-of-his-wife-and-sons" target="_blank" rel="noopener">delivered a heartbreaking</a> eulogy for Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir last month after their bodies were returned from Hamas terrorists and officially identified.
“Shiri, this is the closest I’ve been to you since October 7th, and I can’t kiss or hug you, and it’s breaking me,” Bibas said, fighting back tears.
Bibas asked for forgiveness for what happened to the family on October 7. Shiri, 32, was taken hostage by Hamas and killed while in captivity, along with their sons, Ariel and Kfir, who were just four years old and eight months old when abducted by the terrorists.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The fully translated euology of Yarden Bibas to his wife Shiri, and sons Kfir and Ariel.
&#8220;Mi Amor&#8221;
I remember the first time I said &#8220;mi amor&#8221; to you. It was at the very beginning of our relationship. You told me to only call you that if I was certain I loved you, not to say it… <a href="https://t.co/x7laGqM91T" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pic.twitter.com/x7laGqM91T</a>
— Kassy Akiva (@KassyAkiva) <a href="https://twitter.com/KassyAkiva/status/1894723970001207734?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">February 26, 2025</a></blockquote>
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“Do you remember our last decision together? In the safe room, I asked if we should ‘fight or surrender.’ You said fight, so I fought. Shiri, I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you all. If only I had known what would happen, I wouldn’t have fired.”
The bodies of Ariel and Kfir were handed over last month, along with the corpses of Oded Lifshitz and an unknown Gazan woman that Hamas claimed was Shiri, after Hamas paraded them on stage in front of cheering crowds in a propaganda spectacle. Shiri’s body was later returned after an uproar over Hamas returning the wrong body.
The news of the death of the Bibas boys has sparked international outrage and brought the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/bibas-brothers-join-count-of-55-israeli-children-killed-since-october-7-attacks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">total number of children</a> from Israel who have died in the fallout of the October 7 attacks to 55.
Footage of Shiri’s terrified face while holding the two redheaded boys went viral after October 7, making the family a symbol of the horror Hamas terrorists inflicted on Israeli civilians that day.

ISRAEL-PALESTINIAN-CONFLICT-HOSTAGES-BIBAS

Yarden Bibas Describes Hamas Brutality, Thanks Trump In First Interview Since Release

60 Minutes

Odai al-Rabei, a 22-year-Gazan who has been involved in anti-Hamas protests, was abducted from Gaza City, tortured, and murdered by terrorists before being returned to his family home, according to his family.
Graphic images of al-Rabei’s mutilated body went viral on social media showing the extent of the torture by Hamas’s al-Qassam brigades terrorists.
Odai’s family was <a href="https://x.com/HowidyHamza/status/1906079616747315281">seen in a video</a> accusing a “sinful, rogue group affiliated with the Qassem Brigades” of the act, adding that “they dragged him and tortured him to death with all kinds of hard tools.”
The family added that the “unjust criminals” should face an “iron fist.”
“Odai fasted Ramadan, he prayed, and he read the Quran,” the family added. “We call on all human rights organizations and institutions to stand in support of the people of Gaza against these criminals. O Allah, take revenge.”
At his funeral procession, thousands of participants voiced their rage chanting, “In spirit and blood we’ll redeem you, Odai,” and “Out, out, out! Hamas out!” <a href="https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-848143">according to the Jerusalem Post</a>.
<a href="https://x.com/HowidyHamza">According to</a> Palestinian activist Hamza Howidy, in Odai’s last video posted to social media, he spoke about Hamas terrorizing his family and shooting his brother. 
Gazans <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/rare-anti-hamas-protests-erupt-in-gaza-as-residents-call-for-peace">took to the streets</a> three days last week all around the strip, calling for an end to Hamas rule, in a rare display of opposition to the terrorist group. Protesters marched through Beit Lahiya in northern Gaza carrying white flags, demanding Hamas end its rule, and calling for the Israeli hostages to be released.
Israeli Prime Minister <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/netanyahu-hamas-gaza-protests-israel">Benjamin Netanyahu said</a> the rare anti-Hamas protests in the streets of Gaza over the past two days are proof that Israel’s policies are working.
“In recent days, we have seen something we have never seen before — public protests against Hamas rule in Gaza,” Netanyahu said in the Knesset, <a href="https://www.jns.org/netanyahu-gaza-protests-against-hamas-proof-our-policy-is-working/">Jewish News Syndicate reported</a>. “This shows that our policy is working.”
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz praised the protesters and encouraged others to join in, calling it the “only way to stop the war.”
“Learn from the residents of Beit Lahiiya, as they did, you should also demand the removal of Hamas from Gaza and the immediate release of all Israeli hostages,” Katz said. “This is the only way to stop the war.”
He added that military operations will soon spread in Gaza, which may require more evacuations from combat zones.
“The plans are ready and approved. Hamas is risking your life and will make you lose your homes and more and more land that will be added to the Israeli defense array,” Katz said.
The protests marked the first time Gazans had taken to the streets to call for peace since January 2024, though those protests were smaller.
In recent weeks, Israel <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/israel-eliminates-dozens-of-top-hamas-leaders-following-ceasefire-collapse">eliminated</a> more than a dozen Hamas leaders, many of whom were key to maintaining Hamas’ control over Gaza’s population, beyond just its militant operations.
In addition to air strikes, IDF troops have begun ground activities in central and southern Gaza to create a buffer zone between the north and south of the strip.
“We eliminated tens of thousands of terrorists and senior murderers,” Netanyahu said while speaking during a debate in the Knesset, which his political opposition is able to call once a month. “As long as Hamas persists in refusing to release our hostages, the pressure we apply will become stronger and stronger. This includes capturing territories and other moves I will not elaborate on here.”
Netanyahu’s comments build on Katz’s threat to annex part of the Gaza Strip if Hamas continues to refuse to release the 59 hostages held by the terror group.
“I have instructed the IDF to seize additional areas in Gaza, evacuate the population, and expand security zones around Gaza to protect Israeli communities and IDF soldiers,” Katz said, <a href="https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-847025">according</a> to The Jerusalem Post. “The more Hamas persists in its refusal to release the hostages, the more territory it will lose, which will be annexed to Israel.”

Thousands in Gaza Protest in Rare Call to End Hamas’s Rule

Hamas Kidnaps, Tortures, And Murders Anti-Hamas Protester

Global Politics

Protesters

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the rare anti-Hamas protests in the streets of Gaza over the past two days are proof that Israel’s policies are working.
“In recent days, we have seen something we have never seen before — public protests against Hamas rule in Gaza,” Netanyahu said in the Knesset, <a href="https://www.jns.org/netanyahu-gaza-protests-against-hamas-proof-our-policy-is-working/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jewish News Syndicate reported</a>. “This shows that our policy is working.”
Gazans <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/rare-anti-hamas-protests-erupt-in-gaza-as-residents-call-for-peace" target="_blank" rel="noopener">took to the streets</a> Tuesday and Wednesday all around the strip, calling for an end to Hamas rule, in a rare display of opposition to the terrorist group.
Protesters marched through Beit Lahiya in northern Gaza carrying white flags, demanding Hamas end its rule, and calling for the Israeli hostages to be released.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz praised the protesters and encouraged others to join in, calling it the “only way to stop the war.”
“Learn from the residents of Beit Lahiiya, as they did, you should also demand the removal of Hamas from Gaza and the immediate release of all Israeli hostages,” Katz said. “This is the only way to stop the war.”
He added that military operations will soon spread in Gaza, which may require more evacuations from combat zones.
“The plans are ready and approved. Hamas is risking your life and will make you lose your homes and more and more land that will be added to the Israeli defense array,” Katz said.
In a video posted by the Center for Peace Communications, protesters are heard chanting, “‘Hamas get out!’ Gaza’s people don’t want wars. They demand the end of Hamas’s rule. They demand peace.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🚨Anti-Hamas protests break out in Gaza
“The people are chanting, ‘Hamas get out!’ Gaza&#8217;s people don&#8217;t want wars. They demand the end of Hamas&#8217;s rule. They demand peace.&#8221;
Watch: <a href="https://t.co/aBNmXS5E5G" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pic.twitter.com/aBNmXS5E5G</a>
— Center for Peace Communications (@PeaceComCenter) <a href="https://twitter.com/PeaceComCenter/status/1904572896845922544?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">March 25, 2025</a></blockquote>
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In Khan Younis, <a href="https://x.com/KhalilJeries/status/1904614555134631970" target="_blank" rel="noopener">protesters were reported chanting,</a> “Oh the shame, you sold Gaza with dollars,” and, “Hamas is a terrorist.”
In the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza, Gazans chanted “Out, out Hamas!”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Breaking 🚨a massive protest took place in the Nuseirat refugee camp in the middle of the Gaza Strip. The protesters chanted the slogan that has become unified throughout the strip: “Out, Out Hamas.”
There is no area in the Gaza Strip today that has not seen anti-Hamas protests. <a href="https://t.co/DrCyiSmkeG" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pic.twitter.com/DrCyiSmkeG</a>
— Khalil Sayegh (@KhalilJeries) <a href="https://twitter.com/KhalilJeries/status/1904905137379815701?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">March 26, 2025</a></blockquote>
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In response, Hamas <a href="https://x.com/HowidyHamza/status/1904572074275774656" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> started to attack the protesters in the street. Hamas-aligned media outlets have either ignored the protests or claimed they were incited by Israel, <a href="https://x.com/KhalilJeries/status/1904925219656974633" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to</a> Palestinian Christian activist Khalil Sayegh.
The protests marked the first time Gazans had taken to the streets to call for peace since January 2024, though those protests were smaller.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/israel-eliminates-dozens-of-top-hamas-leaders-following-ceasefire-collapse" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Over the past week</a>, Israel eliminated more than a dozen Hamas leaders, many of whom were key to maintaining Hamas’ control over Gaza’s population, beyond just its militant operations.
In addition to air strikes, IDF troops have begun ground activities in central and southern Gaza to create a buffer zone between the north and south of the strip.
“We eliminated tens of thousands of terrorists and senior murderers,” Netanyahu said while speaking during a debate in the Knesset, which his political opposition is able to call once a month. “As long as Hamas persists in refusing to release our hostages, the pressure we apply will become stronger and stronger. This includes capturing territories and other moves I will not elaborate on here.”
Netanyahu&#8217;s comments build on Katz’s threat to annex part of the Gaza Strip if Hamas continues to refuse to release the 59 hostages held by the terror group.
“I have instructed the IDF to seize additional areas in Gaza, evacuate the population, and expand security zones around Gaza to protect Israeli communities and IDF soldiers,” Katz said, <a href="https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-847025" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to The Jerusalem Post. “The more Hamas persists in its refusal to release the hostages, the more territory it will lose, which will be annexed to Israel.”
Last month, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/watch-gazan-civilians-support-trumps-relocation-plan-say-their-home-is-uninhabitable" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Wire</a> published interviews with Gazans who said they were in favor of relocating to more habitable locations outside of the Gaza Strip, in line with President Donald Trump’s proposal.
“It is our right in Gaza to have freedom of movement and travel,” said a 22-year-old law student, her face blurred for safety, during an interview obtained by The Daily Wire. “In light of the suffering by the people of Gaza, the need to travel has become urgent, as it is no longer suitable for living a dignified life as other people live.”

ISRAEL-PALESTINIAN-CONFLICT-ANNIVERSARY

Netanyahu Says Anti-Hamas Protests Are Proof Israel’s Policies Are Working 

Benjamin Netanyahu

Gazans took to the streets Tuesday to call for an end to Hamas rule in a rare display of opposition to the terrorist group.
Protesters marched through Beit Lahiya in northern Gaza carrying white flags, demanding Hamas end its rule, and calling for the Israeli hostages to be released, <a href="https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-847577" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Jerusalem Post reported</a>.
In a video posted by the Center for Peace Communications, protesters are heard chanting, “‘Hamas get out!’ Gaza&#8217;s people don&#8217;t want wars. They demand the end of Hamas&#8217;s rule. They demand peace.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🚨Anti-Hamas protests break out in Gaza
“The people are chanting, ‘Hamas get out!’ Gaza&#8217;s people don&#8217;t want wars. They demand the end of Hamas&#8217;s rule. They demand peace.&#8221;
Watch: <a href="https://t.co/aBNmXS5E5G" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pic.twitter.com/aBNmXS5E5G</a>
— Center for Peace Communications (@PeaceComCenter) <a href="https://twitter.com/PeaceComCenter/status/1904572896845922544?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">March 25, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
In Khan Younis, <a href="https://x.com/KhalilJeries/status/1904614555134631970" target="_blank" rel="noopener">protesters were reported chanting,</a> &#8220;Oh the shame, you sold Gaza with dollars,&#8221; and, &#8220;Hamas is a terrorist.&#8221;
In response, Hamas <a href="https://x.com/HowidyHamza/status/1904572074275774656" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> started to attack the protesters in the street.
Despite hundreds of protesters participating, outlets that often cover Hamas favorably, such as Al Jazeera, have yet to give the protests any significant coverage.
According to Palestinian peace activist Hamza Howidy, Al Jazeera’s Anas Al-Sharif avoided covering the protest and is instead working to twist the narrative of the protests.
“Al Jazeera&#8217;s journalist, who hid while the protestors were looking for anyone to cover the anti-war &amp; anti-Hamas protests, is working to change the narrative and the demands of the protestors; we want to end the war and Hamas to step down from ruling Gaza,” Howidy tweeted.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Al Jazeera&#8217;s journalist, who hid while the protestors were looking for anyone to cover the anti-war &amp; anti-Hamas protests, is working to change the narrative and the demands of the protestors; we want to end the war and Hamas to step down from ruling Gaza. <a href="https://t.co/w1KvndXBAw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://t.co/w1KvndXBAw</a>
— Hamza (@HowidyHamza) <a href="https://twitter.com/HowidyHamza/status/1904590171867054146?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">March 25, 2025</a></blockquote>
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According to Palestinian Christian activist Khalil Sayegh, the leaders of Gaza City’s Shejaiya neighborhood called on Hamas to end its control and are urging more protests to take place tomorrow at noon.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Breaking 🚨: Shejaiya neighborhood Mokhtars (leaders) call on Hamas to end its control over the Gaza Strip and stop its people&#8217;s suffering. They are also calling for protests in Shejaiya tomorrow at noon. <a href="https://t.co/vcZfhh4bU8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pic.twitter.com/vcZfhh4bU8</a>
— Khalil Sayegh (@KhalilJeries) <a href="https://twitter.com/KhalilJeries/status/1904619679403979175?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">March 25, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The assembly of the Southern Gaza clans also called for a “popular uprising” against Hamas, accusing them of selling and gambling with Palestinian blood for their own interests, according to Sayegh.
The protests marked the first time Gazans had taken to the streets to call for peace since January 2024, though those protests were smaller.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/israel-eliminates-dozens-of-top-hamas-leaders-following-ceasefire-collapse" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Over the past week</a>, Israel eliminated more than a dozen Hamas leaders, many of whom were key to maintaining Hamas’ control over Gaza’s population, beyond just its militant operations.
In addition to air strikes, IDF troops have begun ground activities in central and southern Gaza to create a buffer zone between the north and south of the strip.
Defense Minister Israel Katz threatened last week to annex parts of the Gaza Strip if Hamas continues to refuse to release the 59 hostages held by the terror group.
“I have instructed the IDF to seize additional areas in Gaza, evacuate the population, and expand security zones around Gaza to protect Israeli communities and IDF soldiers,” Katz said, <a href="https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-847025" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to The Jerusalem Post. “The more Hamas persists in its refusal to release the hostages, the more territory it will lose, which will be annexed to Israel.”

PALESTINIAN-ISRAEL-CONFLICT

Rare Anti-Hamas Protests Erupt In Gaza As Residents Call For Peace

Protests

Israel eliminated more than a dozen Hamas leaders in the week after the Israeli Defense Forces resumed airstrikes and ground operations following the collapse of the ceasefire.
Many experts speculate that Israel was able to use the two-month ceasefire as an opportunity to gather intelligence about the whereabouts of Hamas leaders. Many of those killed were key to maintaining Hamas’ control over Gaza’s population, beyond just its militant operations. This signals Israel’s determination to dismantle both the group&#8217;s political and military grip on the territory.
Defense Minister Israel Katz threatened last week to annex parts of the Gaza Strip if Hamas continues to refuse to release the 59 hostages held by the terror group.
“I have instructed the IDF to seize additional areas in Gaza, evacuate the population, and expand security zones around Gaza to protect Israeli communities and IDF soldiers,” Katz said, <a href="https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-847025">according</a> to The Jerusalem Post. “The more Hamas persists in its refusal to release the hostages, the more territory it will lose, which will be annexed to Israel.”
In addition to air strikes, IDF troops have begun ground activities in central and southern Gaza to create a buffer zone between the north and south of the strip.
On the first night of air strikes, Israel killed four senior Hamas officials including Essam al-Da’alis, Hamas’s political Gazan prime minister; Mahmoud Marzouk Ahmed Abu-Watfa, the Minister of Internal Affairs; Bahajat Hassan Mohammed Abu Sultan, Head of Hamas’ Internal Security Forces; and Ahmed Amar Abdullah Alhata, Hamas Minister of Justice.
Al-Da’alis was acting as a defactor prime minister and replaced Rawhi Mushtaha who was eliminated by Israel in July 2024. He was responsible for the integration of all Hamas’ branches and their uses for terrorist purposes. He also served as the key point of contact with senior Hamas terrorists outside of the strip, according to the IDF.
The next day, the IDF struck dozens of targets, eliminating Yasser Muhammad Harb Musa, who was responsible for promoting and directing terrorist activities against Israel who previously worked closely with eliminated Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, according to the IDF. Muhammad Al-Jamsi, the head of the Hamas Emergency Committee, and Yasseer Muhammad Harb Muca, the head of the Development Office in Hamas’ executive committee were also killed in the strikes.
On Thursday, the IDF announced that it eliminated Rashid Jahjuh, the head of Hamas’ General Security Forces, Ayman Atsalih, the security forces&#8217; head for the Khan Yunis sector, and Ismail Abd al-Aal, a central terrorist in Islamic Jihad’s unit for weapons smuggling.
“Hamas’ General Security Forces, which was led by Rashid Juhjuh, is a cover central unit within Hamas,” the IDF explained. “Among other responsibilities, the unit is responsible for exposing ‘collaborators,’ safeguarding Hamas senior members and assets within Gaza and abroad, and suppressing opposition to Hamas rule.”
On Friday, Osama Tabash, the head of Hamas’ Military intelligence in southern Gaza was eliminated. According to the IDF, Tabash had a role in planning and coordinating the October 7 massacre and was responsible for rebuilding Hamas’ military capabilities over the last year.
“His elimination impairs Hamas’ intelligence-gathering capabilities and its attempt to harm IDF troops operating in the area,” the IDF said in a statement.
Over the weekend, the IDF announced the elimination of Salah Bardawil, the head of Hamas’ planning and development office in the southern Gaza Strip.
“Bardawil served as a senior terrorist in Hamas’ political bureau, and as part of his role, directed the strategic and military planning of the Hamas terrorist organization in the Gaza strip,” the IDF said in a statement. “This elimination further degrades Hamas’ military and government capabilities.”
The deputy commander of Hamas’ Gaza Brigade, Ahmad Salman ‘Awj Shimali, who helped build the brigade’s force in preparation for October 7, and the commander of Hamas’ Shejaiya Battalion, Jamil Wadiya, were also eliminated.
In another attack on Sunday, Israel used precise munitions to target the Nasser Hospital compound following an “extensive intelligence-gathering process,” which resulted in the elimination of Ismail Barhoum, the head of Hamas’ finances and institutions in its political bureau who succeeded al-Da’alis and was acting in the capacity of a prime minister.
“This is yet another example of the way that the Hamas terrorist organization systemically violated international law while taking over civilian infrastructure in a manner that prevents the rehabilitation and livelihood of the Gazan population, and while brutally exploiting the civilian population as a human shield for its terror attacks against the State of Israel,” the IDF said in a statement.
On Monday, the IDF announced that it struck over 100 pickup trucks that were used for terrorist purposes, including ones used in the October 7 attack.
Hamas shot a few rockets at Israel including on Monday, all of which fell in open areas or were intercepted by the IDF.

Israel Eliminates Dozens Of Top Hamas Leaders Following Ceasefire Collapse

The Israel Defense Forces announced on Monday night that it has resumed extensive airstrikes on Hamas targets in Gaza.
The strikes are the most significant IDF strikes on Gaza since the beginning of the ceasefire on January 17 and come after Hamas failed to agree to proposals to extend the ceasefire.
The prime minister&#8217;s office released a statement:
<blockquote>Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz have instructed the IDF to take strong action against the Hamas terrorist organization in the Gaza Strip. This follows Hamas&#8217;s repeated refusal to release our hostages, as well as its rejection of all of the proposals it has received from US Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff and from the mediators. The IDF is, at this time, attacking targets of the Hamas terrorist organization throughout the Gaza Strip in order to achieve the objectives of the war as they have been determined by the political echelon including the release of all of our hostages, the living and the deceased. Israel will, from now on, act against Hamas with increasing military strength. The operational plan was presented by the IDF over the weekend and approved by the political leadership.</blockquote>
A later statement added that the Israeli civilian communities near the Gaza Strip would enter “limited activity” defensive guidelines, which is a heightened level of security that will not allow for education activity.
Earlier on Monday, the IDF struck two terrorists who were attempting to plant an explosive device near IDF troops in central Gaza.
The IDF also struck targets in Syria, including command centers and military sites containing weapons and military vehicles belonging to the deposed regime of Bashar Al-Assad.
“The presence of military assets in southern Syria poses a threat to the State of Israel,” the IDF said in a statement. “The IDF will not allow the presence of military threats in southern Syria and will operate against it.”
Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon were also targeted by the IDF on Monday.

Israel announced it struck military targets in Iran

Israel Resumes Extensive Airstrikes In Gaza For The First Time Since Ceasefire

World

Hamas said on Friday it plans to release the last living American hostage from Gaza.
Hamas claimed it plans to release 21-year-old Edan Alexander of New Jersey alongside the bodies of four other Americans who died while being held captive by Hamas. Hamas made the statement while it negotiates with Israel on the next phase of a ceasefire agreement. The terror group did not say when the release would take place, according to the <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/03/14/world-news/hamas-agrees-to-release-edan-alexander-last-living-american-hostage/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New York Post</a>.
There are 59 hostages still held in Gaza. Fewer than half are believed to be alive.
Hamas&#8217; claim to release Alexander came after U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/13/middleeast/us-israel-hamas-new-gaza-ceasefire-proposal-intl-latam/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">introduced</a> a new proposal to extend the ceasefire this week after the special envoy joined negotiations in Qatar. The proposal would extend the ceasefire by another month and included a release of hostages by Hamas and prisoners by Israel. It also included Israel lifting a two-week blockade on humanitarian assistance entering Gaza.
Witkoff appeared to dismiss Hamas’ claims about releasing Alexander in a joint statement with the United States National Security Council.
&#8220;President Trump has made it clear that Hamas will either release hostages immediately, or pay a severe price,” the statement said, according to <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/world/hamas-agrees-release-edan-alexander-last-living-american-hostage" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fox News</a>. &#8220;On Wednesday evening in Doha, U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff and National Security Council Senior Director for the Middle East and North Africa Eric Trager presented a ‘bridge’ proposal to extend the ceasefire beyond Ramadan and Passover, and allow time to negotiate a framework for a permanent ceasefire.”
&#8220;Under the ‘bridge’ proposal, Hamas would release living hostages in exchange for prisoners in accordance with previous formulas; the phase-one ceasefire would be extended to enable the resumption of significant humanitarian assistance; and the U.S. would work towards a durable solution to this intractable conflict during the extended ceasefire period,” it continued. “Through our Qatari and Egyptian partners, Hamas was told in no uncertain terms that this ‘bridge’ would have to be implemented soon – and that dual U.S.-Israeli citizen Edan Alexander would have to be released immediately.”
&#8220;Unfortunately, Hamas has chosen to respond by publicly claiming flexibility while privately making demands that are entirely impractical without a permanent ceasefire,&#8221; the statement said. &#8220;Hamas is making a very bad bet that time is on its side. It is not.&#8221;
Recently released hostages have reported that Alexander is still alive, though he is being held in alarming conditions. According to reports, Hamas is holding Alexander in a tunnel without sunlight. The New Jersey native appeared to be severely malnourished and starving, according to <a href="https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-845066" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Jerusalem Post</a>.
Alexander was also taken captive while in his Israel Defense Forces uniform and, as a soldier, treated much worse than civilian hostages. He has been repeatedly tortured during interrogations, according to reports.
Witkoff said on Thursday that securing Alexander’s release is a “top priority” for the United States.
&#8220;Edan Alexander is very important to us. He is wounded, and he is a top priority. I hope we see good behavior [from Hamas] next week and that I can get [to Qatar] and have good talks,&#8221; Witkoff said.

Edan Alexander

Hamas Teases Release Of Last Living American Hostage

Steve Witkoff

Terrorism

Israeli Minister of Finance Betzalel Smotrich announced Sunday that Israel plans to create a “special Emigration Administration” to support President Donald Trump’s plan to relocate Gazans.
“We are creating a special Emigration Administration,” Smotrich <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/smotrich-government-establishing-migration-administration-for-gaza-exodus/">said</a> during a meeting of the Knesset Land of Israel Caucus. “In order for the tremendous price our nation has paid and their tremendous determination not to devolve into yet another round of fighting the same war again, we must grab this opportunity with both hands, adopt the plan that has been floated by the US President.”
The authority is being prepared under the leadership of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Minister of Defense Israel Katz, according to Smotrich, who added that “budgetary constraints will not stand in the way.”
The authority’s first task will be working with the Trump administration to identify countries to absorb Gazans. Smotrich noted that such a plan would be complicated because even if 5,000 people were relocated each day, it would still take a year for emigration to be completed.
“The logistics are complicated because we have to know who the émigré’s are, where each one is going, what the needs are, and more,” he said.
More than 100 participants discussed and proposed practical steps to execute Trump’s plan for voluntary Gazan emigration and promote long-term stability in the region during the Knesset <a href="https://www.youtube.com/live/EjLdWdQFw3k" target="_blank" rel="noopener">caucus session</a> titled, “The New Middle East: The Plan for Voluntary Migration from Gaza.”
“Things that seemed impossible for many years are now completely legitimate topics for policy initiatives,” Caucus co-chair MK Yoel (Yuli) Edelstein said during the session. “We must not squander the opportunity to take the right steps toward the new Middle East we are discussing. I am pleased that we have convened to think together about the ways to build implementable programs that once seemed beyond imagination.”
Co-chair MK Simcha Rothman called Trump’s plan a “common sense revolution.”
“Time is of the essence and the clock is ticking; we must speak loudly and clearly in positive language — not only what must not be, but what must be,” Rothman said, adding that those who act against Trump’s plan for emigration are “collaborating with Hamas.”
MK Limor Son-Har-Melech, who is also a co-chair of the caucus, called for “large-scale Jewish settlement of Gaza, the restoration of Jewish life there, Jewish children once again playing in the streets of Gaza.”
Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-says-he-wants-to-permanently-relocate-all-gazans-in-meeting-with-netanyahu" target="_blank" rel="noopener">previously said</a> he does not support Israel building settlements in Gaza again, because he thinks Gaza isn’t a place for anyone to live until the reconstruction plan is complete. Several Jewish settlements were present in Gaza until 2005, when Israel removed 8,600 Israeli residents from their homes as part of its disengagement from Gaza.
Other participants included Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana, Smotrich, Minister of Settlement Affairs and National Projects MK Orit Strock, and former Minister of National Security MK Itamar Ben-Gvir.
Strock said that even if Hamas is subdued in Gaza, the strip still poses a threat to Israel.
“Even if we subdue Hamas as a civil and military leadership, so long as we do not enable the majority of the population of Gaza to emigrate we will not remove the threat,” Strock said. “That is what we must do and I say as a member of the government and the cabinet — this government will take responsibility.”
Israel Ganz, who heads the Binyamin Regional Council in Judea and Samaria, also known as the West Bank, called for Hamas members in his area to be removed because of the security risk.
“This is a historic moment for the  State of Israel: We have an American president in office who is encouraging us to think out of the box,” Ganz said. “We don’t need any other suggestions — we need only to get to work! The time has come for the Israeli government to take active steps toward implementing President Trump’s vision.”
Ben Gvir, who has become the boogeyman to Western media due to his hawkish, right-wing views, pointed out that he has proposed the plan before Trump.
“Since the beginning of the war, I have said repeatedly that the only &#8216;day after&#8217; solution for the Gaza Strip is to encourage voluntary emigration,” he said. “At first I was ridiculed, but today it is clear to everyone that this is the only realistic solution. Encouraging voluntary emigration is the order of the day. Government of Israel — Forward, to action!”
The Knesset Land of Israel Caucus is the largest in Israel’s parliament, with 80 Knesset members.
Israel <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hamas-ignores-deadline-to-release-hostages-israel-cuts-off-electricity-to-gaza" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cut off electricity</a> to Gaza following Hamas ignoring a Saturday deadline to release more of the 59 hostages still in captivity.
Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen <a href="https://www.politico.eu/article/israel-to-cut-electricity-in-gaza-immediately-energy-minister-says/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stated</a> on Sunday, adding on <a href="https://x.com/elicoh1/status/1898756463222260177" target="_blank" rel="noopener">X</a>, “I have now signed an order to cut off electricity to the Gaza Strip immediately. Enough with the talk, it’s time for action!”

Kamal Adwan Hospital after Israeli attacks on Gaza

Israel Announces Plans To Create An ‘Emigration Administration’ To Relocate Gazans

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