The viral claim that a Gazan boy was “gunned down” by Israel’s military inside a U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation site is false. The Daily Wire has exclusively confirmed that “Amir” is alive — and in a safe, undisclosed location after a false tale about his death was spread by an American contractor.
The news that the boy is alive and unharmed debunks the claim made by former Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) contractor Tony Aguilar, who has garnered attention from politicians, major media outlets, and prominent podcasts such as the Tucker Carlson Show.
The child, who was erroneously labeled “Amir” by Aguilar but is actually named Abdul Rahim Muhammad Hamden, can be seen in footage obtained by The Daily Wire smiling and introducing himself to an interviewer.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Remember ex-GHF contractor Tony Aguilar&#8217;s claim that he saw a little Gazan boy named &#8220;Amir&#8221; run into &#8220;a wall of bullets&#8221; and suffer &#8220;a shot to the torso, a shot to the leg, dead?&#8221;
Well it&#8217;s not true. “Amir” is alive and well.
My latest for <a href="https://twitter.com/realDailyWire?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realdailywire</a>: <a href="https://t.co/OMxdNvHIOk">pic.twitter.com/OMxdNvHIOk</a>
— Kassy Akiva (@KassyAkiva) <a href="https://twitter.com/KassyAkiva/status/1963572845230878943?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 4, 2025</a></blockquote>
Aguilar set the internet ablaze with his claim that he met the boy while working at a GHF aid site on May 28, only to see him killed shortly after by the Israel Defense Forces. His account and video of the boy he called “Amir” walking up to him went viral, fueling criticism of Israel as well as the U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.
The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-new-evidence-calls-into-question-viral-story-of-gazan-boy-amir-killed-at-ghf-aid-site?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=5&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=EXCLUSIVE%3A+New+Evidence+Calls+Into+Question+Viral+Story+Of+Gazan+Boy+%E2%80%98Amir%E2%80%99+Killed+At+GHF+Aid+Site" target="_blank" rel="noopener">previously reported</a> that there were major inconsistencies in Aguilar’s story. Not only were the details he shared about their interaction inconsistent with a third party’s footage of it, but the boy’s stepmother said she had seen the boy alive for at least two months after Aguilar claimed he was dead.
In a taped testimonial, Siham Al-Jarabe’a said the boy didn’t go missing until July 28—around the same time Aguilar began telling his story in the media. He insisted that the boy was killed on May 28, and even shared details, saying he witnessed “a shot to the torso” and “a shot to the leg.”
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-new-evidence-calls-into-question-viral-story-of-gazan-boy-amir-killed-at-ghf-aid-site?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=5&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=EXCLUSIVE%3A+New+Evidence+Calls+Into+Question+Viral+Story+Of+Gazan+Boy+%E2%80%98Amir%E2%80%99+Killed+At+GHF+Aid+Site" target="_blank" rel="noopener">READ MORE: New Evidence Calls Into Question Viral Story Of Gazan Boy ‘Amir’ Killed At GHF Aid Site</a>
The Gaza Humanitarian Fund commenced a search for the boy after Aguilar began telling his story in America. GHF’s ex-military contractors — some of whom specialize in hostage rescue — and humanitarian staff took the lead, leaning on connections they had made with local Gazans since beginning operations in May, The Daily Wire has learned.
After interviews with family members and weeks of detective work, the boy, who actually goes by the name Abood, was found living with his birth mother after he abruptly left his stepmother’s home in July. The child’s identity was confirmed through biometrics, and he remained in possession of the shirt he wore in Aguilar&#8217;s viral video.
<div id="attachment_968479" style="width: 442px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-968479" class="size-large wp-image-968479" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/signal-2025-08-22-151623-432x576.jpeg" alt="" width="432" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/signal-2025-08-22-151623-432x576.jpeg 432w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/signal-2025-08-22-151623-225x300.jpeg 225w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/signal-2025-08-22-151623-768x1024.jpeg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/signal-2025-08-22-151623-1152x1536.jpeg 1152w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/signal-2025-08-22-151623.jpeg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 432px) 100vw, 432px" />Abood&#8217;s shirt seen in Aguilar&#8217;s viral video. (Courtesy)</div>
Abood was escorted in disguise to an undisclosed safe location by the GHF team about two weeks ago for his safety.
“We’re incredibly relieved that Abood is alive and safe,” GHF spokesperson Chapin Fay told The Daily Wire. “That outcome is thanks to the heroic efforts of our team of American veterans, local Gazan staff, and humanitarians who worked quietly for weeks to find him and get him to safety. Their courage and determination saved this boy’s life.”
According to sources familiar with the operation, there was a serious concern that Abood’s life was at risk following Aguilar’s story going viral — his story is being used as a propaganda tool by nefarious actors, including Hamas, in an effort to undermine both Israel and U.S.-backed efforts to deliver food to Gazans.
Fay added that Aguilar’s false story about the boy swept through the media because outlets rushed to publish it without confirming facts.
“They owe Abood — and the public — an apology and a retraction,” said Fay, who is scheduled to hold a news conference later this morning..
Aguilar <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmxBUpyb2oI" target="_blank" rel="noopener">first spoke about</a> Amir on July 28 on an American podcast called Unxeptable, which discloses on a <a href="https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/unxeptable" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fundraising page</a> that it exists only to criticize the Israeli government. During the interview, Aguilar recounted how he met “Amir” at GHF’s Safe Distribution Site 2.
Aguilar said he told the boy, “People care. You’re a human being and people care about you,” before he kneeled and placed his hands on the side of Al-Jarabe’a’s face. He added that Amir responded by kissing him and saying thank you in English, before he walked away and was shot dead, Aguilar said.
<div id="attachment_968529" style="width: 442px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-968529" class="size-large wp-image-968529" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/signal-2025-09-03-224933-432x576.jpeg" alt="" width="432" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/signal-2025-09-03-224933-432x576.jpeg 432w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/signal-2025-09-03-224933-225x300.jpeg 225w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/signal-2025-09-03-224933-768x1024.jpeg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/signal-2025-09-03-224933-1152x1536.jpeg 1152w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/signal-2025-09-03-224933.jpeg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 432px) 100vw, 432px" />Abood recently posing with a soccer ball. (Courtesy)</div>
“He sets his food down, and he places his hands on my face — on the side of my face, on my cheeks — these frail, skeleton, emaciated hands, dirty. And he puts them on my face, and he kissed me. He kissed me, and he said, ‘Thank you,’ in English. Thank you. And he collected his items, and he walked back to the group, and then he was shot at with pepper spray and tear gas and stun grenades and bullets — shot at his feet and in the air — and he runs away, scared.”
Aguilar told the same story on several large platforms, including MSNBC, the Tucker Carlson Show, and even <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?si=sByloGU3f60OfLFI&amp;v=cWVC5d4490Y&amp;feature=youtu.be" target="_blank" rel="noopener">in an interview</a> with a sitting Democrat Senator, Maryland’s Chris Van Hollen.
<a href="https://x.com/tcnetwork/status/1951284710149333292?s=46&amp;t=o-U3qwC25WnWaylJ0oeG7Q" target="_blank" rel="noopener">On Carlson’s show</a>, released July 31, Aguilar went even further with the story, comparing the child to his own son.
“I see my son’s face when I look at him,” Aguilar said. “I didn’t get this second hand. I didn’t see it from afar and then assume. I saw it. I touched it. I felt it.”
He went on to add that “Amir” was killed by the IDF.
That was all before The Daily Wire’s report last month, in which it was revealed that a review of body cam footage from an American security contractor standing next to Aguilar showed a very different interaction than what Aguilar described.
The footage shows the boy walking up to the man wearing the body cam and kissing his hand. He then turns to Aguilar and appears to ask for help convincing the crowd to let them take food. Aguilar responds by touching the boy’s shoulders and chest.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
The contractor wearing the body cam told The Daily Wire that Aguilar’s story is “fabricated.”
&#8220;There is no profound English dialog, kneeling at his level, nor does the boy drop his aid to kiss Tony and say ‘thank you’ to him in English.&#8221;
Side-by-side video👇 <a href="https://t.co/YaQpDmw4CN" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pic.twitter.com/YaQpDmw4CN</a>
— Kassy Akiva (@KassyAkiva) <a href="https://twitter.com/KassyAkiva/status/1954734297379918285?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">August 11, 2025</a></blockquote>
“This little young man here, obviously pretty young, he has food,” Aguilar says while recording his video. “Go home, go home, okay? Thank you.”
The little boy then walks away toward the crowd.
In response to questions ahead of The Daily Wire’s August 10 report casting doubt on Aguilar’s story, the former contractor clarified that he saw “Amir” lying motionless on the ground, but could not confirm his death.
“I saw Amir’s body on the ground, having fallen/dropped to the ground amidst the gunfire from the IDF, which was being fired toward the crowd as a crowd control measure to keep them moving in a westerly direction to the Morag Corridor as they left the site,” Aguilar said in an email. “It has always been my position that he, and others, were dead. The body wasn’t moving. Others ran or limped away. I, nor anyone, could verify that he was dead.”
“Considering that he has not been found, and he has not been seen, it is safe to say that my assessment is correct,” Aguilar added.
But following the report, Aguilar<a href="https://www.youtube.com/live/sLqoPRs9_9I" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> continued to</a> tell the story in various interviews, and even added details.
In an August 23 interview streamed on YouTube, Aguilar told the story again, claiming that the boy ran into a “wall of bullets” and that he suffered “a shot to the torso, a shot to the leg, dead.”
On Wednesday, Aguilar interrupted a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, shouting that the “United States government is complicit in genocide.”
“Off to jail,” Chairman Jim Risch (R-ID) responded.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Earlier today, Retired Green Beret Anthony Aguilar — the ex-GHF subcontractor fired for &#8220;creating a hostile work environment&#8221; and who lied about key parts of his story — was escorted from a Senate hearing after interrupting and falsely accusing the U.S. of complicity in genocide <a href="https://t.co/uO6OzmeN1E" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pic.twitter.com/uO6OzmeN1E</a>
— Eitan Fischberger (@EFischberger) <a href="https://twitter.com/EFischberger/status/1963352549500883270?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">September 3, 2025</a></blockquote>
In a video interview with Abood, reviewed by The Daily Wire, he says he has never been hurt inside or outside a GHF site.
The GHF asserts that no incident involving IDF fire on civilians occurred at their distribution site on May 28—the day Aguilar claims. GHF added that even if such an event had happened, Aguilar would not have been able to see it, as its contractors are prohibited from leaving the secure aid sites — which are set back from the IDF positions, lack a direct line of sight, and are separated by physical barriers like berms.
The IDF told The Daily Wire that there were no casualties from IDF fire reported during the operating hours of the humanitarian aid distribution center on that day either.
The stepmother Al-Jarabe’a, who does not own a phone with an internet connection, was initially confused by Aguilar’s story, which she saw two days after she says her step-son went missing on July 28. In an interview filmed on August 5, she said she believed Aguilar mixed up his dates and actually took the footage in July instead of May. Aguilar’s work with GHF ended in June, when he was terminated by the security contractor staffing aid sites “due to poor performance, volatile conflicts with staff, and erratic behavior.”
Reports from both <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/video/newsfeed/2025/8/4/relative-of-photographed-boy-killed-at-gaza-aid-site-cant-find-his-body#flips-6376529917112:0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Al Jazeera</a> and <a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/gaza-family-boy-amir-killed-ghf-site-still-have-not-received-his-body" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Middle East Eye</a> feature edited videos of Al-Jarabe’a, in which she says she is searching for her son, without indicating that she was calling into question when he went missing.
According to GHF, Aguilar’s contract was terminated on June 13 “due to poor performance, volatile conflicts with staff, and erratic behavior.” In multiple screenshots of text messages shared with the press, Aguilar is seen both lashing out at GHF staff and requesting to be rehired. In a screenshot of GHF’s executive team chat provided to The Daily Wire, a leader reiterates on June 13 that Aguilar was fired after being given opportunities at two different locations but still receiving “negative feedback.”
Aguilar claims he was not fired, but resigned.

Amir

EXCLUSIVE: Viral Story Of Gaza Child ‘Gunned Down’ By Israel Officially Debunked — The Boy Is Alive

Gaza

Gaza Humanitarian Foundation

Hamas

Israel

The Qatar-based news outlet Al Jazeera coordinates with the terror group Hamas to silence, and often torture, critics and independent media voices in the Gaza Strip.
The Free Press and the Center for Peace Communications <a href="https://www.thefp.com/p/watch-gazan-journalists-say-al-jazeera">released</a> the results of an investigation into reporting from Gaza on Tuesday. The investigation includes interviews with journalists in Gaza, as well as expert analysis of reporting out of Gaza by the center’s COO, Michael Nahum.
“You have to be affiliated with Hamas to work at Al-Jazeera. Especially in Gaza, because most jobs go through Hamas. Hamas is the primary authority deciding who gets hired and who doesn&#8217;t. So, the majority of Al-Jazeera staff are an inseparable part of Hamas,” one independent reporter said in an interview. The reporter’s face has been blurred out in a <a href="https://x.com/PeaceComCenter/status/1962925792406450258">video</a> accompanying the report to protect his anonymity.
Independent reporters in Gaza say that Al Jazeera reporters work with Hamas in Gaza to help identify Palestinian critics and journalists who have reported information critical of the terror group. During the two years that Israel has waged war against Hamas in Gaza, Al Jazeera reporters have served as the terror group’s reconnaissance and surveillance because they can move more freely around the strip that Hamas militants.
The report mentions several Al Jazeera reporters who are alleged to work closely, or even for, Hamas while outwardly presenting themselves as journalists for Al Jazeera.
“Mohamed Washah is a journalist with Al-Jazeera and the head of Al Jazeera’s operations in the Gaza Strip. … If you look at his Instagram account, you’d see photos with all the Hamas leaders, just like Anas Al-Sharif,” one anonymous Gazan journalist said, referring to two Al Jazeera reporters.
“Mohamed Washah in Gaza is a member of the Al-Qassam Brigades and works in Hamas’ internal security centers. He conducts investigations, incites, and directs Hamas’ executive security to break people’s limbs, arrest journalists, terrorize them, and slander their reputation,” a Gazan reporter said.
“Mohamed Washah is a journalist with Al-Jazeera and the head of Al Jazeera’s operations in the Gaza Strip. … [But] if you look at his Instagram account, you’d see photos with all the Hamas leaders, just like Anas Al-Sharif.”
“When the [anti-Hamas] protests were going on, Al Jazeera, through it’s journalists under Mohamed Washah’s direction, and with Anas Al-Sharif present, tried to buy the loyalty of people and leading families in the northern Gaza Strip so that these young people or these residents would not protest against Hamas,” a reporter said.
Al Jazeera reporters will lure targets – including those critical of Hamas or reporters that are not directly affiliated with the terror group – to places where Hamas terrorists stay, such as in hospitals. Once the targets are lured into the proper locations, they may be beaten and tortured. One unnamed reporter featured in the video had his legs broken by Hamas.
The Israel Defense Forces have identified reporters with Hamas affiliations. Hamas documents uncovered through the course of the war identified six Al Jazeera reporters who worked with the terror group, according to the Israeli military.
“The IDF has disclosed intelligence information and numerous documents found in Gaza confirming the military affiliation of six Al Jazeera journalists in Gaza with Hamas and the Islamic Jihad terrorist organizations. They are: Anas Jamal Mahmoud Al-Sharif, Alaa Abdul Aziz Muhammad Salama, Hossam Basel Abdul Karim Shabat, Ashraf Sami Ashour Saraj, Ismail Farid Muhammad Abu Omar, and Talal Mahmoud Abdul Rahman Aruki,” the IDF <a href="https://www.idf.il/en/mini-sites/al-jazeera-hamas-connection/">said</a> in a news release.
In another instance showing how closely Al Jazeera journalists work with the terror group, one Al Jazeera writer was <a href="https://nypost.com/2024/06/09/world-news/gaza-journalist-held-3-hostages-in-his-home-with-his-family-israeli-military-says/">found</a> to have held hostages stolen on October 7 in his own home.

Al Jazeera

Al Jazeera Works With Hamas To Silence, Torture Independent Reporters In Gaza

An initial inquiry by the Israeli Defense Forces into Monday’s strike on Gaza’s Nasser Hospital found that six terrorists were among the 20 people the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry reported as killed.
The strike, which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described as a &#8220;tragic mishap&#8221; due to civilian deaths, consisted of both an initial attack and a second strike — captured in viral footage — that occurred as rescue workers arrived.
According to the IDF, the Golani Brigade troops identified a camera positioned by Hamas in the area of the hospital that was being used to monitor Israeli troop movements in order to “direct terrorist activities against them.”
The IDF added that it had intelligence confirming that Hamas has used Nasser Hospital to carry out terrorist activities since the start of the war.
“In light of this, the troops operated to remove the threat by striking and dismantling the camera and the inquiry showed that the troops operated to remove the threat,” the IDF said.
One of the six terrorists, according to the IDF, was Jum’a Khaled Jum’a al-Najjar, who infiltrated Israel during Hamas’s October 7, 2023 massacre of Israeli civilians.
The IDF said others killed in the strike included Hamas terrorists Hisham Tayseer Ibrahim Quweder, Imad Abd al-Hakim Ali al-Shaer, Salah Yusuf Muhsin Barbakh, and Omar Kamal Shahada Abu Teim, as well as Palestinian Islamic Jihad member Muhammad Ahmad Salem Abu Hadaf.
<div id="attachment_965339" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-965339" class="size-large wp-image-965339" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/8646113c-b285-4c67-adef-93e00ea02a07-1024x576.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/8646113c-b285-4c67-adef-93e00ea02a07-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/8646113c-b285-4c67-adef-93e00ea02a07-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/8646113c-b285-4c67-adef-93e00ea02a07-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/8646113c-b285-4c67-adef-93e00ea02a07-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/8646113c-b285-4c67-adef-93e00ea02a07.jpg 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />The terrorists killed in the Monday strike on Nasser Hospital in Gaza, according to the IDF.</div>
Netanyahu apologized for the harm caused to civilians in a post on Monday, calling it a “tragic mishap.”
“Israel deeply regrets the tragic mishap that occurred today at the Nasser Hospital in Gaza,” Netanyahu <a href="https://x.com/netanyahu/status/1960030187933835604">wrote</a>. “Israel values the work of journalists, medical staff, and all civilians.”
In the aftermath, world leaders swiftly condemned the attack, including UN Secretary-General António Guterres, who called for a prompt investigation.
&#8220;The Secretary-General recalls that civilians, including medical personnel and journalists, must be respected and protected at all times. He calls for a prompt, impartial investigation into these killings,&#8221; Guterres’s spokesperson told reporters.
Others killed in the strike included individuals affiliated with media outlets such as Al Jazeera and Reuters: Mariam Abu Dagga, Mohammed Salama, Ahmed Abu Aziz, Moaz Abu Taha.
According to Israeli activist <a href="https://x.com/EFischberger/status/1960071111254979027">Eitan Fischbarger</a>, several of them had troubling histories. Salama, who worked with Al Jazeera, reportedly entered Israel on October 7. Dagga hosted trainings for Hamas’s “information ministry” in 2019. Ahmed Abu Aziz called October 7 “the greatest day of our generation,” and Taha glorified on social media a terrorist who killed Rabbi Raziel Shevach, a father of six.
While the initial inquiry has concluded, the IDF’s Chief of the General Staff instructed that additional gaps be examined, including the authorization process prior to the strike, the type of ammunition approved for use, and the timing of the authorization.
He added that Israel’s war is with “Hamas terrorists” and its goals are “defeating Hamas and bringing our hostages home.”

IDF Concludes Initial Investigation Into Strike On Gaza’s Nasser Hospital

The truck drivers tasked with transporting aid throughout Gaza say they have been villainized while they put their lives at risk, often attacked by mobs and armed looters as they try to carry out the humanitarian missions. 
Near Gaza’s Kerem Shalom crossing, where thousands of United Nations aid truckloads sit undelivered and rotting in the sun, drivers told The Daily Wire of the dangers they face on the road. One driver explained that the mobs use tools to yank their doors open and assault them. Another driver said it feels like “a thousand” people climb on the windshield, completely blocking his line of sight. 
“We can’t see a thing,” one driver in the group of men who transport aid for various humanitarian organizations, including the United Nations, said. Another pointed to a truck hit by gunfire behind him during the interview.
“People make us aid drivers feel like we caused the war that we caused hunger in Gaza, that we’re thieves, that we run people over,” one driver said. “We have videos to prove that people cause the problems.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
NEW: The Daily Wire went inside Gaza, where we spoke with humanitarian truck drivers who described being attacked and having their trucks looted.
“They break our doors to hit the driver.&#8221;
WATCH: <a href="https://t.co/8bhFc9yH2o">pic.twitter.com/8bhFc9yH2o</a>
— Kassy Akiva (@KassyAkiva) <a href="https://twitter.com/KassyAkiva/status/1960364342412448184?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 26, 2025</a></blockquote>
The drivers’ comments come as <a href="https://info.un2720.org/">new UN data</a> shows that almost all of its humanitarian aid in Gaza is being looted before it reaches its destination. In July, 1,123 trucks collected aid, but 1,055 were intercepted by Gazan civilians or “armed actors,” leaving just 73 trucks—6.5% of the total—successfully delivered. 
“There is no future for Gaza, no future left,” one of the drivers said. “No homes, no water, nowhere to sleep, no food! Half this aid is damaged under the sun. The other half sold by thieves and traders.”
<div id="attachment_964975" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-964975" class="size-large wp-image-964975" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Caged-trucks-1024x576.png" alt="" width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Caged-trucks-1024x576.png 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Caged-trucks-300x169.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Caged-trucks-768x432.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Caged-trucks-1536x864.png 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Caged-trucks.png 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Humanitarian aid trucks in Gaza are reinforced with wire and metal to protect drivers. (Photo: Yisroel Teitelbaum/The Daily Wire)</div>
“They break our doors to hit the driver,” he said. The drivers claimed that they face problems when entering the dense areas with aid and when exiting.
Several trucks nearby were fortified with metal cages over the windows and windshields and barbed wire on top.
The drivers hope that in the future there will be an exchange of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners and that the war will come to an end. 
“We want to be done with this,” one driver said.
Another—who said he was working in Israel at the time of the October 7 massacre—reflected positively on his time working in Israel.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/death-penalty-on-the-table-for-killer-of-israeli-embassy-staffers?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=6&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Death+Penalty+On+The+Table+For+Killer+Of+Israeli+Embassy+Staffers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DEATH PENALTY ON THE TABLE FOR KILLER OF ISRAELI EMBASSY STAFFERS</a>
“They, as a people, treat us well, war or not,” he said. “I was treated with kindness. I lived with them and worked there two years before the war… My boss gave me complete trust.”
When asked who they’d like to rule Gaza, they were open to all options.
“Anyone,” one driver said. “Just rid us of this grief so we can commute in peace.”
Last week, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), a United Nations-backed organization responsible for monitoring global hunger, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/un-backed-watchdog-set-to-declare-famine-in-gaza-amid-accusations-of-flawed-data?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=UN-Backed+Watchdog+Set+To+Declare+Famine+in+Gaza+Amid+Accusations+of+Flawed+Data">declared a famine</a> in Gaza City. According to critics, including the Israeli government, the classification relied on faulty and Hamas-sourced data.
“An objective assessment of the IPC report exposes a systematic lowering of standards: neutrality of safeguards abandoned, critical stakeholders excluded, data selectively used, projections skewed toward worst cases, famine thresholds bent until they no longer matched the IPC manual itself, and transparency sidelined as key datasets and analytical reasoning remain inaccessible to outside scrutiny,” Israel’s Ambassador to the United States, Yechiel Leiter, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/un-backed-watchdog-set-to-declare-famine-in-gaza-amid-accusations-of-flawed-data?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=UN-Backed+Watchdog+Set+To+Declare+Famine+in+Gaza+Amid+Accusations+of+Flawed+Data">posted on X</a>.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/netanyahu-confirms-israels-plans-to-fully-take-control-of-gaza?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=6&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Netanyahu+Confirms+Israel%E2%80%99s+Plans+To+Fully+Take+Control+Of+Gaza" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NETANYAHU CONFIRMS ISRAEL’S PLANS TO FULLY TAKE CONTROL OF GAZA</a>
The U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation — which says it has distributed over 138 million meals since launching on May 26 — says it does not face looting by either armed actors or Gazan civilians, thanks to its model of handing out aid from secure sites. GHF is responsible for carrying out President Donald Trump’s <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-orders-humanitarian-aid-delivered-gaza?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=15&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+Sends+Aid+To+Gaza.+Israel+Will+Not+Distribute+It." target="_blank" rel="noopener">aid initiative</a> in Gaza, which aims to deliver humanitarian aid directly to civilians while preventing Hamas from intercepting supplies.
For months, GHF has offered to assist the UN in delivering aid, but the offer has gone unanswered. Instead, the UN <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/well-break-your-legs-un-accused-of-mafia-type-response-to-u-s-led-gaza-relief-efforts">has vilified</a> the group, claiming it endangers civilians by distributing aid at locations near Israeli Defense Forces operations.
The GHF has pushed back on the accusations, noting that aid supplies are emptied daily by Gazan civilians, many of whom express thanks for the free assistance.
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_campaign=summer&amp;utm_content=editorialsummersale&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial&amp;_gl=1*mvupz4*_gcl_au*MzY2NTk5MDEuMTc1MDA5MTgyOC4yMTA3MzU2NzIuMTc1MzI4MDA2OS4xNzUzMjgwMDY5*_ga*MTg3Njc1NzM0Ny4xNzAyMzk3MzQy*_ga_CZKR9ZYKJP*czE3NTU1MjIzMTUkbzExMjUkZzEkdDE3NTU1MjU4MDIkajU4JGwwJGgw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">End of Summer Sale – Get 40% off New DailyWire+ Annual Memberships</a>
“The media says our sites are a death trap, but our workers are interacting with these people every day,” Johnnie Moore, the GHF executive chairman, told The Daily Wire. “We see at our distribution sites something people haven’t seen in a long time in the Gaza Strip: we see smiles every single day on the faces of women, on the faces of children.”
Earlier this month, over 220 organizations <a href="https://israelfriends.us/support-ghf/">signed a letter</a> supporting the GHF and urging the UN to collaborate with the organization.

EXCLUSIVE FOOTAGE: Gaza Aid Truck Drivers Detail Attacks And Looting

United Nations

The United Nations-backed organization responsible for monitoring global hunger is set to declare a famine in Gaza City on Friday morning, according to documents obtained by The Daily Wire.
The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), a UN-backed watchdog made up of Western governments, the United Nations, and nonprofit groups, will classify the humanitarian situation in Gaza as a famine. It will declare that the crisis is projected to spread to Deir al-Balah and Khan Younis.
This will be only the fifth time the IPC has declared a famine since its founding in 2004, and the first time it has classified two famines simultaneously, following its designation of Sudan in 2024. It is the first famine declared in the Middle East by the IPC.
The announcement comes as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu advances plans for his military to seize Gaza City by October 7, 2025—the anniversary of Hamas’s massacre of Israeli civilians. Israel’s effort aims to free the hostages, defeat Hamas, and establish a new, demilitarized Arab government that is neither the Palestinian Authority nor Hamas. Israel is preparing for mass evacuations in Gaza City and some Gazans have already left as the first phases of the offensive begin, <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/clyr7l0z9edo">reported the BBC</a>.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/netanyahu-confirms-israels-plans-to-fully-take-control-of-gaza?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=6&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Netanyahu+Confirms+Israel’s+Plans+To+Fully+Take+Control+Of+Gaza">NETANYAHU CONFIRMS ISRAEL’S PLANS TO FULLY TAKE CONTROL OF GAZA</a>
The IPC’s classification model came under fire last week after a <a href="https://freebeacon.com/israel/un-backed-famine-watchdog-quietly-changed-standards-easing-way-to-declare-famine-in-gaza/">Washington Free Beacon report</a> accused the organization of quietly relying on a less reliable metric to determine the presence of a famine. According to the Beacon, previous IPC reports relied on detailed height and weight measurements, but its July report introduced the “mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC)” metric, which was not typically used by the organization in determining a famine classification. 
Much of the raw data the IPC relies upon are sourced from the Hamas-run Gaza Ministry of Health or other terror-linked organizations, one of the least reliable sources of accurate information, the Beacon added.
Israel’s Ambassador to the United States, Yechiel Leiter, took to X Thursday evening ahead of the report to accuse the IPC of promoting Hamas propaganda and publishing misleading reports.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The evidence continues to mount that the campaign to demonize Israel through false accusations of starving Gazans is an orchestrated effort by U.N. agencies promoting Hamas propaganda.
Now, to further advance the malicious accusation the IPC is publishing a report “documenting”… <a href="https://t.co/l3HS2LAsD7">pic.twitter.com/l3HS2LAsD7</a>
— Ambassador Yechiel (Michael) Leiter (@yechielleiter) <a href="https://twitter.com/yechielleiter/status/1958663173218652560?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 21, 2025</a></blockquote>
“An objective assessment of the IPC report exposes a systematic lowering of standards: neutrality of safeguards abandoned, critical stakeholders excluded, data selectively used, projections skewed toward worst cases, famine thresholds bent until they no longer matched the IPC manual itself, and transparency sidelined as key datasets and analytical reasoning remain inaccessible to outside scrutiny,” Leiter posted.
Leiter referred to an <a href="https://govextra.gov.il/mda/ipc/gaza/">Israeli government report</a> making several accusations against the IPC including that it lacks neutrality, its history of off-target humanitarian predictions, and data concerns. 
According to the Network Contagion Research Institute&#8217;s <a href="https://networkcontagion.us/wp-content/uploads/Between-Data-and-Agenda_-Questioning-the-IPCs-Gaza-Famine-Projections.pdf">report</a> on the IPC, eighty percent of Gaza&#8217;s subregions &#8220;were exaggerated into higher famine phases than actually existed, making Gaza the single most overprotected region in the IPC&#8217;s recent global record.&#8221;
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/death-penalty-on-the-table-for-killer-of-israeli-embassy-staffers?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=6&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Death+Penalty+On+The+Table+For+Killer+Of+Israeli+Embassy+Staffers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DEATH PENALTY ON THE TABLE FOR KILLER OF ISRAELI EMBASSY STAFFERS</a>
Most notably, the Israeli report points to the IPC’s July report’s description of a 15 percent MUAC reference point for children as a “famine threshold” — even though in the <a href="https://www.ipcinfo.org/fileadmin/user_upload/ipcinfo/manual/IPC_Technical_Manual_3_Final.pdf?utm_source=theracket.news&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=no-the-un-didn-t-lower-its-standards-for-declaring-a-famine-in-gaza">organization’s manual</a>, it uses this point as only a cutoff for its Phase 4 “emergency” classification, not its Phase 5 “famine” classification. 
“By using the ‘famine threshold’ misnomer, IPC blurred a key distinction in its own classification system, lowering the bar for famine designations and making the situation appear worse than the data justified,” the Israeli report stated.
The Israeli report also alleged that much of the data comes from clinic-based screenings, despite IPC guidance prohibiting such sources. Children brought to clinics are more likely to be sick and malnourished than the general population.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-new-evidence-calls-into-question-viral-story-of-gazan-boy-amir-killed-at-ghf-aid-site?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=EXCLUSIVE%3A+New+Evidence+Calls+Into+Question+Viral+Story+Of+Gazan+Boy+%E2%80%98Amir%E2%80%99+Killed+At+GHF+Aid+Site" target="_blank" rel="noopener">EXCLUSIVE: NEW EVIDENCE CALLS INTO QUESTION VIRAL STORY OF GAZAN BOY ‘AMIR’ KILLED AT GHF AID SITE</a>
“MUAC was stripped of the contextualisation required by IPC’s own rules, thresholds were misrepresented, and clinic screenings were treated as if they were population surveys,” the report added. “Each of these shortcuts tilted the analysis toward more severe classifications than the evidence could sustain.”
IPC’s May report detected a “risk of a famine” which came at a time when the Israeli-imposed blockade on Gaza was just being lifted, yet its July report showed a “rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation.” It went so far as to say that “access to food and other essential items and services have plummeted to unprecedented levels,” despite an increase in aid both through the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation and the United Nations.
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According to the United Nations’ 2720 <a href="https://info.un2720.org/#graphs">Mechanism for Gaza</a>, in July, 19.8 thousand metric tonnes of humanitarian aid was delivered into Gaza, a 56% increase from June 2025 and a 140% increase from April 2024. In February 2025, 19.5K metric tonnes were delivered into Gaza, which was drastically higher than any of the 10 previous months, apart from January which saw 13.7K metric tonnes delivered. 
The problem however, comes from the aid being looted when being driven to UN aid sites, or the UN failing to deliver it at all, leaving thousands of truckloads of food to spoil in the hot sun. The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-new-footage-shows-un-convoy-driving-into-mob-of-gazans-casualties-reported?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=13&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=EXCLUSIVE%3A+New+Footage+Shows+UN+Convoy+Driving+Into+Mob+Of+Gazans%2C+Casualties+Reported">previously reported</a> on exclusive footage showing a mob attacking more than a dozen trucks carrying aid, led by vehicles marched with UN insignia.

PALESTINIAN-ISRAEL-CONFLICT-AID

UN-Backed Watchdog Set To Declare Famine in Gaza Amid Accusations of Flawed Data

An Israeli man who was seized by Hamas on October 7, 2023, and spent approximately 491 days in captivity in Gaza after being abducted, revealed the insanely barbaric games the terrorist group played with their hostages.
Ohad Ben Ami had previously <a href="https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-848023?utm_source=chatgpt.com">described</a> being held “30 meters underground, in six meters of concrete and sand without air to breathe. We slept close together on a thin, damp, and wet mattress, with the same blanket that had been used as a sheet for over a year,” adding, “insects in the tunnel would get into our noses, mouths, ears, and everywhere else possible.”
“A high-ranking (Hamas) commander comes in, takes the Kalashnikov from the wall, inserts a magazine, cocks it, and says, ‘Choose three people that I’m going to kill and three people that I’m going to shoot in the knee.’ And he’s standing there with the Kalashnikov, ‘Come on. Come on. Hurry up. Come on,’” Ben Ami recalled.
“We’re six people, and no one wants to die,” he continued. “We start having discussion among ourselves. Nothing. And he’s like, “Come on. Come on. ‘Meanwhile, from the other side, our (Hamas) commander sees we’re not reaching a decision, so he draws lots. Then he says, ‘You, you, and you: sit here. You, you, and you: sit there. These three, I’m going to shoot them in the head, and these three, I’m going to shoot them in the leg.’”
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“Then, at some point, he says, ‘Okay, I’ll give each of you a chance to tell me why I shouldn’t kill you,’” he recalled. “And we’re all shaking; people are also crying. They start crying, bursting into tears, because they’re about to die any moment.”
“Suddenly, he changes it up,” Ben Ami stated. “He says, ‘Wait. He convinced me, so you switch places with him.’ And he swaps you around. Then, after an hour of all this back-and-forth, he suddenly unloads the weapon. ‘Get them out of here.’ Meaning, ‘I spared you.’”
“I used to try to have deep, personal conversations with the commander, and he tells me, ‘Listen. Don’t get confused. I hate you and want to kill you. Right now, the order I’ve been given is to keep you alive, because in exchange for you I get prisoners. And that’s what Islam told me so that’s what I’m doing. But know this: If I get an order to kill you, I’m not killing you with a gun; I’m killing you with a knife.’ And he looks me straight in the eye and says, ‘With a knife I’m killing you,’” Ben Ami said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
HORRIFYING
In a new interview, former hostage — Ohad Ben Ami tells us about the sick “execution games” Hamas terrorists forced six hostages to play in Gaza’s tunnels.
“Choose 3 people I’ll KILL. 
And 3 people that I’ll SHOOT in the knees.”
Unimaginable cruelty.
😞👇🏼 <a href="https://t.co/7Yzg6BfVsA">pic.twitter.com/7Yzg6BfVsA</a>
— Jeremy Kamali (@JeremyKamali) <a href="https://twitter.com/JeremyKamali/status/1957811170791800928?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 19, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

5th round of prisoner-hostage swap between Hamas and Israel

Israeli Hostage Reveals Hamas’s Barbaric Execution Game

Israeli hostages

Terrorism

World

President Donald Trump said Monday that the 50 remaining hostages in Gaza would return if Hamas were destroyed.
“We will only see the return of remaining hostages when Hamas is confronted and destroyed!!! The sooner this takes place, the better the chances of success will be,” Trump posted to TRUTH Social.
Trump’s post comes the day after hundreds of thousands of Israelis took to the streets of Tel Aviv to oppose Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plan to expand the offensive in Gaza following Hamas’ rejection of multiple ceasefire proposals.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
NEW: Trump says the hostages will be returned if Hamas is &#8220;confronted and destroyed.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/3x9uqYDECE" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pic.twitter.com/3x9uqYDECE</a>
— Kassy Akiva (@KassyAkiva) <a href="https://twitter.com/KassyAkiva/status/1957428831775580590?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">August 18, 2025</a></blockquote>
“Remember, I was the one who negotiated and got hundreds of hostages freed and released into Israel (and America!),” Trump added. “Play to WIN, or don’t play at all!”
At the protest in Tel Aviv, organized by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, family members of hostages spoke from the stage, demanding an end to the war and the return of their loved ones. The day of protest included strikes, business shuttering, solidarity, and road blockages.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-new-evidence-calls-into-question-viral-story-of-gazan-boy-amir-killed-at-ghf-aid-site?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=EXCLUSIVE%3A+New+Evidence+Calls+Into+Question+Viral+Story+Of+Gazan+Boy+%E2%80%98Amir%E2%80%99+Killed+At+GHF+Aid+Site" target="_blank" rel="noopener">EXCLUSIVE: NEW EVIDENCE CALLS INTO QUESTION VIRAL STORY OF GAZAN BOY ‘AMIR’ KILLED AT GHF AID SITE</a>
Netanyahu <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/netanyahu-confirms-israels-plans-to-fully-take-control-of-gaza?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=5&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Netanyahu+Confirms+Israel%E2%80%99s+Plans+To+Fully+Take+Control+Of+Gaza" target="_blank" rel="noopener">confirmed Israel’s plans</a> to fully take over Gaza earlier this month as an effort to expel Hamas from power and eventually allow an Arab civilian government — free from Hamas or the Palestinian Authority — to take control.
“We intend to in order to assure our security, remove Hamas there, enable the population to be free in Gaza, and to pass it to civilian governance that is not Hamas or anyone advocating for the destruction of Israel,” Netanyahu said in an interview with Fox News’ Bill Hemmer.
According to Netanyahu, there is no path forward with Hamas.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/death-penalty-on-the-table-for-killer-of-israeli-embassy-staffers?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=6&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Death+Penalty+On+The+Table+For+Killer+Of+Israeli+Embassy+Staffers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DEATH PENALTY ON THE TABLE FOR KILLER OF ISRAELI EMBASSY STAFFERS</a>
“You met Palestinians who are fighting Hamas because finally they see that they have a future that can rid themselves of this awful tyranny that not only holds our hostages but holds 2 million Palestinians in Gaza hostage,” Netanyahu told Hemmer, who visited a U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation site before the interview.
Netanyahu made it clear that Israel does not wish to occupy Gaza permanently, but would rather turn over control to a capable, Arab-led government.
“We don’t want to keep it, we want to have a security perimeter,” he said. “We don’t want to govern it. We don’t want to be there as a governing body. We want to hand it over to Arab forces that will govern it properly without threatening us.”
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Netanyahu’s plan includes first occupying Gaza City before October 7—the 3rd anniversary of Hamas’s massacre of Israeli civilians. Israel currently occupies about 75% of the Gaza Strip.
Some Gazans have already begun evacuating Gaza City, <a href="https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-864569" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported the Jerusalem Post</a>.

Trump And Hamas

Trump Says Hostages Will Only Return If Hamas ‘Is Confronted And Destroyed’

Benjamin Netanyahu

Donald Trump

Your average film festival won’t screen “A Minecraft Movie,” “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” or “Nobody 2.” And that’s a good thing.
Festivals give indie filmmakers a chance to shine in a crowded marketplace. They also shake up the theatrical experience by pushing audiences out of their comfort zone.
In short, prepare to be challenged. The best art does just that.
<div id="attachment_961513" style="width: 830px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-961513" class="wp-image-961513 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/GettyImages-2172182734-820x576.jpg" alt="TORONTO, ONTARIO - SEPTEMBER 15: Mike Downie accepts the &quot;People's Choice Documentary Award&quot; for &quot;The Tragically Hip: No Dress Rehearsal&quot; onstage at the TIFF 2024 Awards Ceremony during the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival at Luma on September 15, 2024 in Toronto, Ontario. (Photo by Jeremy Chan/Getty Images)" width="820" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/GettyImages-2172182734-820x576.jpg 820w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/GettyImages-2172182734-300x211.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/GettyImages-2172182734-768x539.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/GettyImages-2172182734.jpg 1024w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px" />TORONTO, ONTARIO &#8211; SEPTEMBER 15: Mike Downie accepts the &#8220;People&#8217;s Choice Documentary Award&#8221; for &#8220;The Tragically Hip: No Dress Rehearsal&#8221; onstage at the TIFF 2024 Awards Ceremony during the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival. (Photo by Jeremy Chan/Getty Images)</div>
Yet some modern film festivals are running from that unspoken promise. And, as is often the case, it involves cowardly programmers who refuse to provoke their presumably left-leaning audiences. In other situations, the festivals won’t stand behind art that could draw the wrong kind of crowd.
Protesters, to be specific, the kind that shout, “From the river to the sea…”
The latest, most embarrassing example? The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), one of the industry’s most prestigious events, recently <a href="https://deadline.com/2025/08/tiff-pulls-october-7-documentary-from-lineup-1236484968/comment-page-2/#comments">yanked an October 7 documentary</a> from its line up.
“The Road Between Us: The Ultimate Rescue” recalls how retired Israel Defense Forces General Noam Tibon saved Israelis targeted for death by Hamas terrorists during that cataclysmic day.
<div id="attachment_961501" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-961501" class="wp-image-961501 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/GettyImages-1827492879-1-864x576.jpg" alt="TEL AVIV, ISRAEL - DECEMBER 02: Major General (Res.) Noam Tibon speaks during a rally calling for the remaining hostages to be released a day after the temporary truce ended outside The Museum of Modern Art known as the 'The Hostages and Missing Square' on December 2, 2023 in Tel Aviv, Israel. The rally’s speakers included recently released hostages and their families, as well as Israeli performers. The end of the weeklong ceasefire between Israel and Hamas has also meant a halt to negotiations over the return of more Israeli hostages being held in Gaza. One hundred and ten hostages - a combination of Israelis and foreign nationals - were released during the recent pause in fighting, under half the number estimated to have been taken captive by Palestinian militants on Oct. 7. (Photo by Alexi J. Rosenfeld/Getty Images)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/GettyImages-1827492879-1-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/GettyImages-1827492879-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/GettyImages-1827492879-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/GettyImages-1827492879-1.jpg 1024w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />TEL AVIV, ISRAEL &#8211; DECEMBER 02: Major General (Res.) Noam Tibon. Alexi J. Rosenfeld/Getty Images</div>
But why cancel the documentary at all? TIFF officials initially said the film didn’t get the legal clearances for footage of Hamas soldiers attacking innocent Jews. That explanation drew instant ridicule, forcing TIFF to suggest it’s working to find a way <a href="https://deadline.com/2025/08/tiff-response-the-road-between-us-1236485877/">to solve the issues</a> and re-install the film into its lineup.
Now, an embarrassed TIFF says it will “<a href="https://nypost.com/2025/08/14/world-news/tiff-reverses-course-will-ensure-oct-7-doc-is-screened-following-swift-backlash/">ensure</a>” the film will screen at the September festival after a major media backlash.
The damage is done, no matter what kind of backpedal the festival attempts. Its absurd rationale is likely cover for the real issue – pro-Palestinian protesters would have swarmed the screening, as they’ve done countless times before.
<div id="attachment_961507" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-961507" class="size-large wp-image-961507" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/GettyImages-1711807696-864x576.jpg" alt="TOPSHOT - Palestinians transport a reportedly captured Israeli person, in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip, on October 7, 2023. One month after Israel was wracked by Hamas attacks, life has been upended for both the Palestinians and Israel after it launched a war of reprisal in the Gaza Strip. The October 7 attacks by Hamas militants who stormed across from Gaza and struck kibbutzim and southern Israeli areas killed 1,400 people, mostly civilians, and deeply scarred the nation. The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza says nearly 9,500 have been killed, two-thirds of them women and children, and mostly civilians. (Photo by AFP) (Photo by -/AFP via Getty Images)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/GettyImages-1711807696-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/GettyImages-1711807696-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/GettyImages-1711807696-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/GettyImages-1711807696.jpg 1024w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Photo by -/AFP via Getty Images</div>
Jewish artists (Michael Rapaport, Matisyahu) routinely find their shows canceled due to fear of pro-Palestinian protests. Festival-based violence could have ensued, although a strong show of force would likely prevent such an occurrence.
The Heckler’s Veto won. Again. It’s one reason why protesters keep on raising their voices. They get results.
Today’s festival programmer too often chooses to censor art rather than let it shine.
A more egregious example of festival cowardice? The Sundance Film Festival threw open its arms to “Jihad Rehab,” a celebrated film focusing on Muslim terrorists and their path to redemption.
The film actually screened the documentary in January 2022, coaxing two festival employees to resign in protest. That was just the beginning of the outrage. Some Muslim filmmakers howled over the film’s inclusion, arguing the film exposed the participants to potential danger. Others suggested the film’s director, a white woman named Meg Smaker, was the wrong person to tell the story.
<div id="attachment_961509" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-961509" class="size-large wp-image-961509" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/GettyImages-2196257724-864x576.jpg" alt="PARK CITY, UTAH - JANUARY 27: (EDITORS NOTE: This image was shot with a fisheye lens.) People stand in front of the Egyptian Theatre along Main Street during the 2025 Sundance Film Festival on January 27, 2025 in Park City, Utah. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/GettyImages-2196257724-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/GettyImages-2196257724-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/GettyImages-2196257724-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/GettyImages-2196257724.jpg 1024w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />David Becker/Getty Images</div>
Sundance later issued an apology for screening the film, and other festivals dropped “Jihad Rehab” from their lineups.
Smaker eventually won the PR war, with far-Left sites like The New York Times and The Atlantic rushing to her side. The film, retitled “The UnRedacted,” <a href="https://www.justwatch.com/us/search?q=the%20unredacted">still can’t be seen via VOD platforms, though.</a>
Still, the most recognizable film festival in the country couldn’t stand up for its own screened film. That sends a chilling signal throughout the creative community.
Pro-Palestinian pressure also got a trans-related documentary <a href="https://jewishjournal.com/commentary/columnist/editors-note/377538/french-transgender-film-gets-cancelled-because-it-made-israel-look-good/">canceled from a Belgium film festival last year</a>. “The Belle from Gaza” focused on a transgender Palestinian woman fleeing Gaza for her own safety and ending up in Tel Aviv.
Variety captured the current state of film festivals in 2023.
<blockquote>In fact, that quick-to-capitulate reflex underscores a new, unspoken modus operandi in which festivals — once the bastion of provocative, button-pushing fare — are desperate to avoid controversy and the wrath of any identity-focused Twitter mob. </blockquote>
It hasn’t gotten better since then. And there’s a second factor in play.
Modern film festivals display a sense of ideological uniformity that diminishes their cultural impact. Left-leaning features are commonplace, be it stories about abortion rights or pro-LGBTQ+ narratives.
Films that defy that ideology rarely, if ever, make the cut.
Imagine a film festival featuring “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/videos/what-is-a-woman?row=0&amp;elementPosition=4&amp;rowType=Square+Show+Carousel">What Is a Woman?</a>” The Daily Wire’s blistering take down of progressive gender beliefs.
<div id="attachment_805851" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/videos/what-is-a-woman?row=0&amp;elementPosition=4&amp;rowType=Square+Show+Carousel"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-805851" class="size-large wp-image-805851" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/MixCollage-01-Oct-2024-04-20-PM-2436-1024x576.jpg" alt="What is a Woman?" width="1024" height="576" /></a>Matt Walsh/What is a Woman?</div>
What about “The Fall of Minneapolis,” a harrowing account of the media’s false narratives surrounding George Floyd’s 2020 death?
Or consider “What Killed Michael Brown?” That 2020 movie exposed similarly skewed narratives surrounding the Missouri resident’s 2014 death following a police interaction.
Had any of those films made the film festival cut it might have sparked protests, resignations or both. Cancellations might have followed.
Festival programmers, by insisting on ideological purity, keep these kinds of projects out of their lineups. And few audience members are challenged along the way.
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Even stories told by those holding unorthodox views may not get a festival closeup. Podcaster Adam Carolla has complained that his opinions have kept his apolitical racing documentaries from debuting in film festivals. The most extreme example? His 2020 documentary “Uppity,” a testament to Willy T. Ribbs, the first black race car driver to compete in the Indy 500, didn’t make the festival circuit.
The film checked enough progressive boxes to be included, and the few critics who reviewed the film raved about its content. That didn’t help Carolla crack the festival market.
Hollywood’s progressive groupthink remains a problem, keeping great stories and actors off screen. A similar sentiment holds with film festivals. A fear of social media controversy, and backbone deficit, is making matters worse.
* * *
Christian Toto is an award-winning journalist, movie critic and editor of <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HollywoodInToto.com</a>. He previously served as associate editor with Breitbart News’ Big Hollywood. Follow him at <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HollywoodInToto.com</a>.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

2025 Canada’s Walk Of Fame Induction Gala

Cowardice Is Killing The Spirit Of Modern Film Festivals

Documentaries

Entertainment

Hostages

Movies

October 7

Sundance Film Festival

Toronto Film Festival

The father of an Israeli hostage who Hamas and Palestinian civilians took on October 7, 2023, believes that, despite his son being held captive, destroying Hamas must take precedence over saving the hostages, declaring that the goal for Israel “cannot be to bring [Hamas] to talks; it must be to destroy them.”
While the families of other hostages insist that saving the hostages must be prioritized over destroying Hamas, Tzvika Mor, the chairman of the Tikvah Forum and the father of hostage Eitan Mor — who was seized by Palestinians as he was working as a security guard at the Nova Festival — wants the IDF to pursue more aggressive actions, rather than mitigate the military response because of the hostages.
“The question isn’t what they’re going to do, but what is the goal?” he told <a href="https://jewishinsider.com/2025/08/tzvika-mor-gaza-war-hamas-hostages-israel-netanyahu/">Jewish Insider</a>. “If the goal is to lead Hamas to negotiate, it will fail, just like in Gideon’s Chariots, which took five months and didn’t bring back the hostages and didn’t destroy Hamas. The goal cannot be to bring [Hamas] to talks; it must be to destroy them.’
“Is our war in Gaza necessary?” he asked. “If there weren’t hostages, would we still need to go to war? The answer is yes, because [Hamas] cannot remain our neighbors after we saw what they can do, or they would do it again. They are religious people; they live for this. They don’t live for a nice house and a car and social status. Not for coffee shops and pilates. They live to kill Jews. They’re like zombies. You have to destroy them. The war would be necessary even if there were no hostages. &#8230; It cannot be that we will endanger 10 million Israelis because of the hostages. We need to solve that problem such that we are not harming national security.”
He asserted that making the hostages the number one priority “not only harms national security, but it also hurts the hostages, because Hamas learns that they’re the most important to us and raises the price all the time. It’s indescribable stupidity.”
If Israel “concedes in Gaza, Hamas will never give up all of the hostages … And what would the message be to the Arabs in Judea and Samaria, that kidnapping Israelis is the best thing to do?” he asked rhetorically.
Mor ripped the Israeli media that has criticized him for his stance, saying, “The Israeli media doesn’t help. They lead the campaign” to vilify him. “But I feel that I am a messenger of the people of Israel. It is clear to me that the people of Israel want to win … They are connected to their roots, to the Land of Israel and to Judaism. They don’t want to be sold dreams and delusions that ‘it will all be OK, we can give in to terror and then deal with it later.’ We can’t ‘deal’ with it. If we surrender, we will pay a higher price.”
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Mor analogized the current situation to the Biblical Abraham, who used an army to rescue his nephew Lot, who had been kidnapped by four kings. Abraham “didn’t talk to them. He didn’t pay them. He fought a war until they surrendered. That is the way,” he said, adding, “The war cannot be about the hostages, and I say that as the father of a hostage. How many soldiers should be killed for the hostages? You don’t go to war to bring back hostages. You go to war for sovereignty, for deterrence. Then, when you win, you get your captives back.”
Israel used to know that “it was clear that there was no negotiating with terrorists,” he recalled. “We would try to save our hostages and take risks, but we could not give in to terrorism.” He pointed out that the Yachin Research Center had estimated that four times more Israelis were killed in terrorist attacks between the signing of the Oslo Accords in 1993 and 2023 than in 1949-1992. “That means that since Israel gave in to terrorism, more Israelis were murdered. It’s clear … That needs to stop,” he commented.
“He is very strong, physically and mentally. He was very Zionist. He was a fighter and commander in the Golani Brigade &#8230; He’s not soft; he doesn’t whine. He is strong; he’s a leader. We are sure that if he is with other hostages, he is helping them and strengthening them,” Mor said of his son.
“Nova survivors said that Eitan left his hiding place and saved their lives, which his father said ‘tells you the most about him,’” Jewish Insider reported, as Mor added, “He could have gone home at 6:29, but he stayed to save people. He hid people and ran with them until he was kidnapped at 12:30, not by Hamas but by Gazan civilians.”

ISRAEL GAZA WAR

Father Of Israeli Hostage Delivers Ringing Message: Destroying Hamas Must Be The Main Objective

Father Of Israeli Hostage Delivers Ringing Message: Don't Prioritize Hostages Over Destroying Hamas

In an astonishing act, the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) canceled the showing of an Israeli documentary about the October 7, 2023, Hamas massacre of Israelis because the filmmakers did not receive permission from the Hamas terrorists whose own clips of the massacre are in the film.
“The Road Between Us: The Ultimate Rescue” revolves around Maj. Gen. Noam Tibon’s efforts to save his son Amir and his family when Hamas terrorists in Kibbutz Nahal Oz attacked them.
“The movie features footage taken from the cameras of terrorists, who filmed their atrocities as they marauded through Israeli communities. Over a quarter of Nahal Oz’s 400 residents were killed or taken hostage that day,” <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/toronto-film-fest-nixes-oct-7-doc-screening-said-to-cite-hamas-ownership-of-massacre-clips/">The Times of Israel</a> noted.
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A TIFF spokesperson told <a href="https://deadline.com/2025/08/tiff-pulls-october-7-documentary-from-lineup-1236484968/">Deadline</a>, which broke the story, “The invitation for the Canadian documentary film The Road Between Us: The Ultimate Rescue was withdrawn by TIFF because general requirements for inclusion in the festival, and conditions that were requested when the film was initially invited, were not met, including legal clearance of all footage. The purpose of the requested conditions was to protect TIFF from legal implications and to allow TIFF to manage and mitigate anticipated and known risks around the screening of a film about highly sensitive subject matter, including potential threat of significant disruption.”
According to Deadline, the festival wanted the filmmakers to “identify the source of the footage and confirmation of legal clearance,” including “a legal reporting letter confirming clearance of the footage.”
“We are shocked and saddened that a venerable film festival has defied its mission and censored its own programming by refusing this film,” the filmmakers told Deadline. “Ultimately, film is an art form that stimulates debate from every perspective that can both entertain us and make us uncomfortable. A film festival lays out the feast and the audience decides what they will or won’t see. We are not political filmmakers, nor are we activists; we are storytellers. We remain defiant, we will release the film, and we invite audiences, broadcasters, and streamers to make up their own mind, once they have seen it.”
“The Toronto Film Festival has succumbed to pressure and threats, and has chosen to silence and erase October 7,” Noam Tibon said. “My message to the festival management: The truth cannot be erased. The atrocities committed by Hamas cannot be erased or denied. &#8230; The festival management’s claim that the film cannot be screened because ‘permissions to use’ the footage of the Nukhba terrorists were not obtained is absurd and bizarre, and constitutes further harm to the victims.”
 “It is inconceivable that TIFF allows a small group of extremists — using intimidation and threats of violence — to dictate which films Canadians can see at the festival. This shameful decision sends an unequivocal message: Toronto’s Jewish community is no longer safe or welcome,” the Canadian Centre for Jewish and Israeli Affairs declared.

Tiff – Toronto International Film Festival

Canadian Film Festival Cancels October 7 Documentary Claiming Hamas Has Footage Rights

Toronto Film Festival Cancels October 7 Documentary Because Film Didn't Get Permission From Hamas

The Israel Defense Forces eliminated five armed terrorists who posed as workers for the World Central Kitchen organization that is helping feed people in Gaza. The World Central Kitchen itself corroborated the IDF claim.
The IDF released the following statement, headed, “Armed Terrorists Operated Under the Cover of a Fake Emblem of an International Organization Placed on a Vehicle in the Gaza Strip &#8211; And Were Eliminated From the Air.”
<blockquote>
The IDF announces that in a targeted airstrike last week, five armed terrorists were eliminated while near a vehicle marked with the emblem of the international humanitarian aid organization “World Central Kitchen” (WCK), despite having no affiliation with the organization, and while posing a threat to our troops.
The terrorists deliberately affixed the emblem and wore yellow vests in an attempt to conceal their activity and avoid being targeted, cynically exploiting the status and trust afforded to aid organizations.
Representatives from COGAT’s Gaza District Coordination and Liaison Office verified the information with the WCK organization, which confirmed that the vehicle seen in the Gaza Strip bearing the organization’s emblem had no connection to its operations.
In recent days, the vehicle was identified in the Deir al-Balah area, with several armed terrorists nearby that posed a threat to the troops located in the area. In response, an Israeli Air Force aircraft eliminated the terrorists.
Hamas and other terrorist organizations exploit the humanitarian effort to advance terrorist objectives at the expense of the welfare of the population in Gaza. The IDF, through COGAT, will continue to work in cooperation with international aid organizations to prevent their exploitation for terrorist purposes.
</blockquote>
Israel then released <a href="https://videoidf.azureedge.net/f04e0b34-75e2-47b0-b1e7-763ff0088771">footage</a> of the armed terrorists who used a vehicle marked with the WCK emblem.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
❗️WATCH: 5 armed terrorists operating within a vehicle marked with a fake “World Central Kitchen” emblem, despite having no affiliation with the organization. They wore yellow vests and cynically exploited the trust given to aid groups to conceal their activity.<a href="https://twitter.com/cogatonline?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@cogatonline</a>… <a href="https://t.co/fiKHqKSXFK">pic.twitter.com/fiKHqKSXFK</a>
&mdash; LTC Nadav Shoshani (@LTC_Shoshani) <a href="https://twitter.com/LTC_Shoshani/status/1955302018295210126?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 12, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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The World Central Kitchen released this statement on X:
<blockquote>
WCK was contacted by Israel&#8217;s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), and confirmed the vehicle and persons of interest were not affiliated with WCK. We strongly condemn anyone posing as WCK or other humanitarians as this endangers civilians and aid workers. The safety and security of our teams are our top priority.
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
WCK was contacted by Israel&#39;s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), and confirmed the vehicle and persons of interest were not affiliated with WCK. We strongly condemn anyone posing as WCK or other humanitarians as this endangers civilians and aid… <a href="https://t.co/unCohUdyu8">https://t.co/unCohUdyu8</a>
&mdash; World Central Kitchen (@WCKitchen) <a href="https://twitter.com/WCKitchen/status/1955316399846437138?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 12, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
After five terrorists were caught in Gaza wearing NGO World Central Kitchen gear, and after they had already tried posing as journalists and UNRWA workers &#8211; we can’t help but wonder:
What will they dress up as next? Our guess: a Disney princess. <a href="https://t.co/CiboLUpYcw">pic.twitter.com/CiboLUpYcw</a>
&mdash; Israel ישראל (@Israel) <a href="https://twitter.com/Israel/status/1955547448665051208?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 13, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Humanitarian aid trucks crossed Rafah Border Crossing after announcement of ceasefire

Hamas Terrorists Posing As Aid Workers Taken Out By Israel

Hamas Terrorists Killed By Israel Were Posing As World Central Kitchen Workers

World Health Kitchen

Inflation remains low despite media warnings about tariffs, as the U.S. extends its trade truce with China. The fallout from President Trump&#8217;s federal takeover of the D.C. police intensifies, with the city&#8217;s mayor and the media clashing over the reality of the crime crisis. Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu lays out his post-war plan for Gaza and pushes back on a &#8220;global campaign of lies&#8221; as international pressure mounts.
It’s Wednesday, August 13, 2025, and this is the news you need to know to start your day.
Morning Wire is available on video! You can watch today’s episode here:
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If you’d rather listen to your news, today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below:
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<h2>Trump Economy Holds Strong as Inflation Defies Predictions</h2>
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-960189" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MRN-8.13.25-Wed-SH1-1024x576.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MRN-8.13.25-Wed-SH1-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MRN-8.13.25-Wed-SH1-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MRN-8.13.25-Wed-SH1-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MRN-8.13.25-Wed-SH1-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MRN-8.13.25-Wed-SH1.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></div>
Topline: New data show U.S. inflation held steady at a lower-than-expected rate in July, defying dire predictions that President Trump’s tariffs would cause prices to skyrocket. 
Despite warnings from many experts and media outlets, inflation held steady at 2.7% in July, below the 2.8% predicted by economists. The new numbers show that prices for key goods are falling, with gasoline down 10% and eggs down 20%, while real wages are up 1.3% compared to last year. While outlets like The New York Times have tried to frame the numbers negatively, even CNN was forced to acknowledge falling energy and grocery prices. 
The good news comes as the U.S. and China agreed to extend their &#8220;trade truce&#8221; for another 90 days, holding tariffs at a reduced rate while negotiations continue. The administration’s massive trade deals with the European Union, U.K., South Korea, and Japan are already paying dividends. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says the new tariffs have already brought in over $100 billion and are projected to reach $300 billion by the end of the year. 
<h2>Fallout Intensifies Over Trump’s D.C. Takeover</h2>
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-960187" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MRN-8.13.25-Wed-SH2-1024x576.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MRN-8.13.25-Wed-SH2-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MRN-8.13.25-Wed-SH2-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MRN-8.13.25-Wed-SH2-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MRN-8.13.25-Wed-SH2-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MRN-8.13.25-Wed-SH2.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></div>
Topline: The fallout from President Trump’s decision to federalize the Washington, D.C., police force has intensified, sparking a furious debate between city leaders and the media over the reality of the capital&#8217;s crime crisis. 
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser has admitted she has no legal recourse to stop the federal intervention, but claims the crime wave is a fiction, stating that the city is at a &#8220;30-year violent crime low.&#8221; She is using the federal takeover to renew her calls for D.C. statehood. That narrative has been echoed by some in the media, with a New York Times reporter referring to a &#8220;nonexistent crime crisis.&#8221; 
However, journalists on the ground in D.C. tell a different story. An ABC News anchor detailed multiple recent shootings near her downtown office, while a CNN contributor said he witnessed a murder in Union Station just a few months ago. 
The D.C. police union is backing the president&#8217;s move, saying crime is &#8220;out of control.&#8221; The union&#8217;s president blamed a 2020 law that &#8220;handcuffed police officers&#8221; for creating a shortage of over 800 officers and making it impossible to properly police the city. 
<h2>Netanyahu Outlines Gaza Plan, Pushes Back on ‘Lies’</h2>
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-960185" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MRN-8.13.25-Wed-SH3-1024x576.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MRN-8.13.25-Wed-SH3-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MRN-8.13.25-Wed-SH3-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MRN-8.13.25-Wed-SH3-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MRN-8.13.25-Wed-SH3-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MRN-8.13.25-Wed-SH3.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></div>
Topline: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has laid out a five-point vision for a post-war Gaza and is pushing back against what he calls a &#8220;global campaign of lies&#8221; regarding the humanitarian situation in the territory. 
During a press conference, Netanyahu said Israel&#8217;s goal is to &#8220;free Gaza from Hamas terrorists,&#8221; not to occupy it. His five-point plan includes the defeat of Hamas and the release of all hostages, the demilitarization of Gaza, an established security zone on the border, and a new civilian administration that can live in peace with Israel. 
Netanyahu also pushed back on claims that Israel is causing a humanitarian crisis, stating that his country has allowed nearly two million tons of aid into Gaza. &#8220;Our policy throughout the war has been to prevent a humanitarian crisis, while Hamas’ policy has been to create it,&#8221; he said, noting that Hamas loots nearly 90% of aid trucks. A recent Daily Wire exclusive report from Kassy Akiva supported this, debunking a viral story about a Gazan boy who was allegedly killed by Israeli forces at an aid site. 
The comments come as international pressure on Israel mounts. Several European nations, including France, the U.K., and Canada, have recently moved to recognize a Palestinian state. Secretary of State Marco Rubio criticized the move, saying that by rewarding the Palestinians while Hamas still holds hostages, these countries have &#8220;emboldened&#8221; the terror group and made a ceasefire harder to achieve.

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