WASHINGTON—President Donald Trump marked the second anniversary of the Hamas&#8217;s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel by spending the afternoon with Edan Alexander, who was held in Hamas captivity for 584 days.
The president hosted the 21-year-old Alexander and his family at the White House on Tuesday afternoon, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt shared. The president also met with the family of Omer Neutra, who was killed by Hamas on October 7. Neutra&#8217;s body is still in Gaza, but the White House emphasized on Tuesday that Trump is &#8220;committed to bringing every hostage home.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Today, on the second anniversary of the October 7 attack, President Trump welcomed Edan Alexander, who was held hostage by Hamas for 584 days, and the family of Omer Neutra to the Oval Office.
President Trump is committed to bringing every hostage home.💛🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/GrvgrUTNkX">pic.twitter.com/GrvgrUTNkX</a>
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1975666391425466767?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 7, 2025</a></blockquote>
The Trump administration negotiated Alexander&#8217;s release in May 2025. He is an American, who was born in Rockville, Maryland and later moved to New Jersey. In high school, Alexander joined the Israel Defense Forces, and while he was at an outpost near Kibbutz Nir Oz, he was taken captive by Hamas during the October 7 massacre.
The Daily Wire&#8217;s Kassy Akiva <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-last-living-american-hostage-edan-alexander-released-following-trump-admin-efforts">previously reported</a> that Alexander had been seen in Hamas propaganda videos and is the first male IDF soldier who was abducted during the massacre to be released. While he was held in captivity, his parents were fighting tirelessly for his release by meeting with world leaders, aggressively keeping his name in the news, and speaking at high profile events.
<div id="attachment_982479" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/two-years-after-october-7-massacre-trump-welcomes-hamas-hostage-edan-alexander-to-the-white-house/hamas-releases-israeli-american-hostage-edan-alexander-in-gaza" rel="attachment wp-att-982479"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-982479" class="wp-image-982479 size-full" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/GettyImages-2214167360.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/GettyImages-2214167360.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/GettyImages-2214167360-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/GettyImages-2214167360-768x432.jpg 768w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a>Edan Alexander is welcomed by Israeli forces after Hamas released him in Tel Aviv (Photo by Israeli Defense Forces / IDF/Anadolu via Getty Images)</div>
Hamas killed and kidnapped the body of the 21-year-old Neutra on October 7, 2023, but it was not until December 2024 that his family learned for certain that he had been killed that day. They had been told that he was being held hostage and had held out hope that he would survive.
&#8220;Omer Neutra (21) was born and raised in the United States and chose to immigrate to Israel as a lone soldier, enlisting in the Armored Corps after completing a preparatory year with the Tzabar Garin program,&#8221;the Hostages and Missing Families Forum said in a statement when Neutra&#8217;s death was known.
&#8220;Omer loved sports, playing soccer, basketball, and volleyball, and served as the captain of his school’s sports teams. Family and friends described him as a warm, optimistic, and caring individual who &#8216;lights up the room the moment he enters.'&#8221;
<div id="attachment_982477" style="width: 854px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/two-years-after-october-7-massacre-trump-welcomes-hamas-hostage-edan-alexander-to-the-white-house/released-israeli-american-soldier-edan-alexander-reunites-with-his-family" rel="attachment wp-att-982477"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-982477" class="wp-image-982477 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/GettyImages-2214163092-844x576.jpg" alt="" width="844" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/GettyImages-2214163092-844x576.jpg 844w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/GettyImages-2214163092-300x205.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/GettyImages-2214163092-768x524.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/GettyImages-2214163092.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 844px) 100vw, 844px" /></a>Edan Alexander reuniting with his family (Photo by Israeli Defense Forces / IDF/Anadolu via Getty Images)</div>
&#8220;President Trump recently said it’s time to bring all the hostages home — and time for the war to end,&#8221; Neutra&#8217;s <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/this-july-4th-freedom-demands-we-bring-the-hostages-home">parents wrote in a Fourth of July op-ed</a> for The Daily Wire. &#8220;We agree. Immense strength has been shown over the past 21 months. Incredible military achievements against Iran, Hezbollah, and Hamas. Now, it is time for that strength to deliver peace.&#8221;
&#8220;But peace cannot begin until every hostage comes home,&#8221; they argued. &#8220;There is no real end to the fighting in Gaza while 50 hostages remain in underground tunnels, cut off from the world, and while families like ours live in daily anguish. Peace cannot be built on the backs of unresolved suffering.&#8221;
&#8220;This is not a partisan issue. This is not just an Israeli issue. It is an American issue — and a human issue. Omer is one of our own, but so are the other 49 souls still trapped in darkness. If we mean what we say when we salute the flag or sing the national anthem, we cannot remain silent while any innocent person is held by a U.S.-designated terror group.&#8221;

Edan Alexander

Two Years After October 7 Massacre, Trump Welcomes Hamas Hostage Edan Alexander To The White House

Gaza

Hamas

Israel

October 7

Critics across the political spectrum ripped New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani on Tuesday for a statement commemorating the second anniversary of the October 7 terror attack on Israel.
Mamdani posted a statement to his X account on Tuesday that reflects on the attack that marked the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust. After commemorating the “horrific war crime,” the self-described “democratic socialist” dedicated most of his statement to condemning Israel for perpetrating “genocide” in Gaza, citing fatality numbers from the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry.
“In the aftermath of that day, Prime Minister Netanyahu and the Israeli government launched a genocidal war: a death toll that now far exceeds 67,000; with the Israeli military bombing homes, hospitals, and schools into rubble,” said Mamdani, without noting that Hamas often uses civilian buildings for military functions, in which case those buildings <a href="https://ihl-databases.icrc.org/en/customary-ihl/v1/rule10">become</a> legitimate military targets under international law.
“Every day in Gaza has become a place where grief itself has run out of language. I mourn these lives and pray for the families that have been shattered. Our government has been complicit through it all,” he continued. “This must end. The occupation and apartheid must end. Peace must be pursued through diplomacy, not war crimes, and our government must act to end these atrocities and hold those responsible to account.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
My statement on the two year anniversary of October 7, 2023. <a href="https://t.co/JlsXUeAeYd">pic.twitter.com/JlsXUeAeYd</a>
— Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@ZohranKMamdani) <a href="https://twitter.com/ZohranKMamdani/status/1975550702056538512?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 7, 2025</a></blockquote>
The statement drew backlash from the Right and the Left. Dan McLaughlin, a senior writer for National Review, was one of many who accused Mamdani of victim-blaming.
“If Israel’s war *in response to being invaded* is &#8216;genocidal,&#8217; most of the wars fought in the past century would meet that standard on the part of most of the combatants, even those resisting the conquest of their country &amp; the enslavement or extinction of their people,” <a href="https://x.com/baseballcrank/status/1975601985505432051">said</a> McLaughlin.
MSNBC columnist Michael Cohen <a href="https://x.com/speechboy71/status/1975572563033309558">hit</a> Mamdani as well: “On the second anniversary of October 7, one anodyne sentence on how murdering Jews is bad. And the rest is yet another seedy, pejorative attack on Israel.”
David Frum, a writer at The Atlantic, <a href="https://x.com/davidfrum/status/1975560012404826408">posted</a>: “This is a genuinely useful statement. The chilly formulaic language about the 10/7 atrocity &#8230; the intense angry passion of the denunciation of Israel&#8217;s self-defense &#8230; together they arrestingly reveal what the author cares about and what/who he does not care about.”
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GOP Rep. Mike Lawler of New York said that not only should Mamdani’s statement disqualify him to run for mayor, but that anyone who endorses the Democratic candidate should be out of American politics.
Mamdani has <a href="https://www.zohranfornyc.com/endorsements">gained</a> support from notable Democrats such as Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and New York Governor Kathy Hochul.
“This statement is beyond disqualifying — anyone who endorses him for Mayor is completely unqualified too,” Lawler posted. “Any New York Democrat who supports this insanity needs to be defeated at the ballot box.”
Mamdani’s statement <a href="https://x.com/IsraelMFA/status/1975598416097857604">earned</a> reproach from Israel’s Foreign Ministry as well.
“​​Two years after Hamas launched its barbaric massacre against Israel and the Jewish people, Mamdani has chosen to act as a mouthpiece for Hamas propaganda — spreading Hamas’s fake genocide campaign,” the ministry responded. “By repeating Hamas’s lies, he excuses terror and normalizes antisemitism. He stands with Jews only when they are dead. Shameful.”

Zohran Mamdani

Mamdani Blasted For October 7 Post: ‘He Stands With Jews Only When They Are Dead’

New York City

Terrorism

World

WASHINGTON—Republicans are urging the IRS to prioritize revoking the tax-exempt status of eight organizations with alleged &#8220;links to designated foreign terrorist groups,&#8221; and others &#8220;linked to violence and unrest&#8221; across the nation.
The <a href="https://waysandmeans.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/10.6.25-Letter-to-IRS.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">letter</a>, from Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith (R-MO) to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and IRS CEO Frank Bisignano, comes on the second anniversary of Hamas&#8217;s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel.
“From the international funding sources and activities of tax-exempt entities in the U.S., and the role of certain organizations in fostering antisemitism on college campuses, the Committee has remained steadfast in ensuring that all tax-exempt organizations are abiding by their exempt status,” the letter reads.
Smith referred some of the groups named in Tuesday&#8217;s letter to the IRS for revocation during the 118th Congress. In his letter, the chairman noted that shortly after the committee sent revocation letters, the Treasury Department designated Samidoun as a terrorist organization &#8220;that serves as an international fundraiser for the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, a Foreign Terrorist Organization.&#8221;
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However, Smith said that due to recent “political violence and the continued concerning actions by the previously referred organizations with ties to official foreign terrorist organizations,” he said it is important that the IRS takes action.
“These organizations have failed to operate for their tax exempt purpose. Tax-exempt status is a privilege, not a right, and in exchange, organizations must operate for stated exempt purposes,” Smith said.
Smith notes that the Americans for Justice in Palestine Educational Foundation, American Muslims for Palestine, and Islamic Relief USA, are “suspected of having terrorist ties to groups like Hamas,” and claims they use ties to “actively support and funnel resources in support of terrorism.”
The letter names the following organizations: Americans for Justice in Palestine Educational Foundation, American Muslims for Palestine, Islamic Relief USA, Alliance for Global Justice, WESPAC Foundation, Tides Foundation, Peoples Media Project (The Palestine Chronicle), and The People’s Forum.
It includes other groups: Alliance for Global Justice, WESPAC Foundation, and the Tides Foundation, which they say “disrupt college campuses, incite violence and intimidation, and illegal riot across the United States.”
Students for Justice in Palestine and Samidoun were cited as one of the notable projects, according to the letter.
Late last month, President Donald Trump issued a <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/09/countering-domestic-terrorism-and-organized-political-violence/#:~:text=(j)%20The%20Commissioner%20of%20the,for%20investigation%20and%20possible%20prosecution." target="_blank" rel="noopener">National Security Presidential Memorandum</a> directing the IRS to make sure no tax-exempt entities are &#8220;directly or indirectly financing political violence or domestic terrorism.&#8221;
The letter applauded the move and said Committee Republicans are &#8220;glad that the Trump Administration is taking the threat of tax-exempt entities with ties to political violence and terrorism seriously.&#8221;
Smith encouraged the IRS to prioritize examinations and vowed to continue their oversight work on tax-exempt organizations.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent

Republicans Mark Oct. 7 With Calls For IRS To Revoke Tax-Exempt Status Of Terrorist-Linked Groups

Scott Bessent

Taxes

WASHINGTON—The second anniversary of Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel coincided with the first day of Sukkot, a seven-day holiday Jews commemorate by constructing huts outdoors.
To mark this dual observance, the Hostages &amp; Missing Families Forum on Tuesday hosted a “Sukkah of Hope” event at The Kennedy Center. The Sukkah will be up on Tuesday and Wednesday for events commemorating the tragedy, and the “EDUT: The Visual Testimony of October 7” exhibit will be open at the venue until the end of the month, according to a news release.
“We remember the innocent concert goers who were violently murdered by Hamas,” Kennedy Center President Richard Grenell said in a statement. “And we remember the families who are still waiting for their loved ones to be returned.”
Tuesday’s event comes amid cautious optimism about a deal to stop the fighting between Israel and Hamas, which could include the remaining release of 48 hostages. Twenty of the hostages are presumed to be still alive, according to the United Nations, as advocates are still demanding the opportunity for a proper burial for deceased hostages.
“We need to have the hostages released so we can move forward,” Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said at the event, which he and his wife’s foundation helped lead.
Survivors of the October 7 attack, including freed hostage Keith Siegel, noted how the captors had “absolute power” over their lives and recounted how he was “starved, denied water, beaten” and faced horrific living conditions.
President Donald Trump has been pushing for a possible deal to end the war, saying in a Truth Social Post on Sunday that steps are being taken to “release the hostages, end the War in Gaza but, more importantly, finally have long sought PEACE in the Middle East.”
Specifically, Trump noted that there have been conversations “with Hamas” and with different countries, including those from the Arab and Muslim world.
“The technical teams will again meet Monday, in Egypt, to work through and clarify the final details. I am told that the first phase should be completed this week, and I am asking everyone to MOVE FAST. I will continue to monitor this Centuries old “conflict.” TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE OR, MASSIVE BLOODSHED WILL FOLLOW — SOMETHING THAT NOBODY WANTS TO SEE!” the president wrote.
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The potential peace agreement is bringing renewed attention from Americans to the issue, which Yotam Cohen, brother of hostage Nimrod Cohen, says people are hoping for.
“First of all, I think the most important thing right now is that the Israelis want this war to end,” Cohen told The Daily Wire at a press conference following the event.
Cohen added that the majority of Israelis “want this bloodshed to end.”
“For the hostages, for the Israeli soldiers, for the people of Israel, and also people who are thinking on the other side, on peace in the Middle East, and the Palestinians who are suffering. And we&#8217;ve come here not as politicians, not to promote some grand idea, but to fight for life, to save lives, to fight for humanity,” Cohen added.
“Our loved ones suffered that day and are victims of the seventh of October. And we came here to stop this cycle of violence and to whoever is trying to see what the people of Israel truly want.”

ISRAEL-PALESTINIAN-CONFLICT-HOSTAGES

Kennedy Center Marks Oct. 7 With ‘Sukkah Of Hope,’ Calls For Remaining Hostages To Be Freed

Howard Lutnick

The Kennedy Center

The Trump administration reflected on October 7, 2023, on Tuesday, acknowledging Hamas’ “brutal terrorist attack” on Israel and reaffirming that the United States is committed to “its unwavering support for Israel’s right to exist, to defend itself, and to ensure the safety of its people.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio released a <a href="https://www.state.gov/releases/office-of-the-spokesperson/2025/10/two-year-anniversary-of-october-7th-attack/">statement</a> on the anniversary of the attack, saying, “Today marks two years since the attacks of October 7, when Hamas murdered more than 1,200 innocent men, women, and children — including 46 Americans — in the most brutal terrorist attack in Israel’s history.”
“As the United States marks this tragic anniversary and honors the victims, we renew our resolve to prevent such evil from ever taking place again,” Rubio pledged.
Vice President JD Vance also remembered the massive terrorist attack on Israel, <a href="https://x.com/JDVance/status/1975544380435169422">posting</a> on X on Tuesday, “On this second anniversary of the terrible terrorist attacks of October 7, we remember all of the innocent people brutally murdered by Hamas. And we continue to work towards President Trump’s plan to bring the remaining hostages home and build a lasting peace for all.”
President Donald Trump is scheduled to <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/10/07/us-news/trump-to-host-edan-alexander-american-who-spent-584-days-in-hamas-captivity-at-white-house/">host</a> Eden Alexander, an American who was held hostage by Hamas for nearly 600 days, at the White House on Tuesday afternoon. Alexander was freed by Hamas in May and is believed to have been the last surviving American taken hostage by the terror group during its October 7, 2023, attack.
The second anniversary comes as President Donald Trump seeks to close out a peace deal between Israel and Hamas. Last Friday, Hamas <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hamas-says-it-will-release-all-hostages-but-does-not-agree-to-other-details-of-trumps-peace-plan">said</a> it would release the rest of the remaining hostages, but added that it wanted to continue negotiating Trump’s 20-point peace plan. In a statement on Friday, the terror group did not agree to disarm, a major point in the plan laid out by Trump. The group also did not address Trump’s offer to give terrorists amnesty to live in Gaza or the option to be given safe passage elsewhere if they lay down their weapons.
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Trump remains optimistic that a peace deal will be secured between Israel and Hamas to bring an end to the two-year war. If the terrorists don’t agree to Trump’s plan, the president warned on Sunday that they would face “complete obliteration.” Trump initially gave Hamas a 6:00 p.m. ET deadline on Sunday to agree to the peace deal.
“Under President Trump’s leadership, America is leading the effort to secure the release of all hostages, end Hamas’s rule in Gaza, and advance a durable peace that ensures not only Israel’s security, but generational peace and prosperity for the region. This vision of stability, security, and a future free from terror is at the heart of the President’s 20-Point Plan,” Rubio added in his statement.
The Secretary of State also addressed the “troubling surge in antisemitism” that has plagued the United States and other nations since the attack on Israel.
“As I have said, there can be no compromise with antisemitism,” Rubio added. “We continue to condemn all acts of terrorism and antisemitism against Israel, and we call on the international community to stand with Israel during this painful anniversary.”

Donald Trump/October 7 Memorial

Trump Admin Remembers October 7: ‘Most Brutal Terrorist Attack In Israel’s History’

Donald Trump

Global Politics

Marco Rubio

Politics

terrorist attack

On October 7, 2023, Hamas was parading in the streets.
The terrorist group in the Gaza Strip had perpetrated one of the most shocking atrocities in history, delivering what it believed would be a lasting body blow to Israel. It was so proud of the spectacle that it put its rape and torture of Israeli civilians live on camera for the world to see.
If you listen to speeches at the United Nations or read mainstream media headlines two years on, you&#8217;d think Israel is on the brink of collapse — trapped in an unprecedented crisis that began with the Hamas terrorist attack. Hamas is celebrating today&#8217;s anniversary, with leadership <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/09/25/middleeast/hamas-official-oct-7-golden-moment-intl">telling</a> CNN that the attack created a “golden moment for the world to change the history.”
But here in the real world, things haven’t turned out quite like the terrorists had hoped.
Gaza, which Israel mistakenly ceded to the Palestinians two decades ago, is now a parking lot. Nearly every prominent Hamas leader is dead. The terror groups&#8217; Arab allies, including the Qataris who once bankrolled them, are now engaging with the United States and Israel on a negotiated surrender. 
And on top of all that: Israel has never been more secure. 
With a strengthened resolve, justified desire for retribution, and a pledge to its people that it would never let an attack like October 7 happen again, the Jewish state has managed to wipe out more than just Hamas.
Two years ago, Israel was encircled by some of the most dangerous and ruthless enemies in the region. A lot has changed since then.
Hezbollah had over 100,000 rockets trained at Israel&#8217;s northern border two years ago. Israel has since decimated its <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hezbollah-terrorist-leader-hassan-nasrallah-dead-following-israeli-air-strike">leadership</a> and ranks with <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0kn7BQ4IhM">exploding beepers.</a>
Former Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad is hiding out in Russia, and the new regime in Damascus has signaled a willingness to open relations with Israel. And most importantly, Israel, with the help of President Donald Trump and a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/how-to-win-a-war-in-37-hours-daily-wire-goes-inside-whiteman-air-force-base">fleet of B-2 bombers</a>, carried out attack plans years in the making to decimate Iran’s leadership and nuclear capabilities. 
Even the economic boycotts so popular among American leftists have been parried, with <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-08-05/israel-s-stock-market-has-been-soaring-despite-years-of-war?embedded-checkout=true">Israel&#8217;s economy soaring</a>.
Only one threat remains: the group that lit the match two years ago.
Hamas&#8217; infrastructure is crumbling, its leadership is hiding or being hunted down, and its grip on Gaza is weakening by the day. Its demise appears to be a question of when, not if. And that &#8220;when&#8221; feels fast approaching. 
If Hamas doesn&#8217;t agree to Trump&#8217;s peace terms, the president has promised &#8220;<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hamas-faces-complete-obliteration-if-it-wont-give-up-gaza-trump-says">complete obliteration</a>&#8221; of the terrorist group. We suggest calling the Ayatollah and asking how calling Trump&#8217;s bluff worked out for Iran.
There are certainly criticisms of how Israel accomplished this. Some say Israel took too long to exact revenge for the atrocities of October 7, arguing that anti-Israel sentiment grew as the world saw Israel carry out its devastating response. Some say Israel went too far, creating a public relations crisis with footage of the aftermath of its offensive. 
But Israel’s critics, like Greta Thunberg, were <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/israel-to-show-greta-thunberg-graphic-footage-of-hamas-october-7-massacre">less moved when they were shown footage</a> of what Hamas did on October 7. Almost as if Israel’s haters need no reason to hate the Jewish State other than the fact that it’s a Jewish state? 
As <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/12/nyregion/mamdani-arrest-netanyahu-nyc-mayor.html">leftists chirp</a> and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-viral-story-of-gaza-child-gunned-down-by-israel-officially-debunked-the-boy-is-alive">spread lies</a>, Israel is winning, decisively putting an end to those who seek its destruction. And that’s the toughest pill for Israel’s haters to swallow.

ISRAEL-PALESTINIAN-WAR-HOSTAGES-FUNERAL

Two Years After October 7: Israel Isn’t Dead. Hamas Will Be Soon.

HBO Max will commemorate the second anniversary of the Hamas October 7 terrorist attack on Israel by airing the scripted series, “One Day in October.”
The limited series is based on real accounts from the horrific attack in 2023, which resulted in the massacre of more than 1,200 Israelis and hundreds of others being taken hostage. It first premiered on Israeli network Yes Drama on the first anniversary of the coordinated raid.
The project is said to include “seven emotionally gripping and artistically interwoven narratives of love, courage, sacrifice, and survival. From families torn apart to moments of hope emerging in the face of unspeakable tragedy to incredible bravery against the odds, each episode reveals the human cost and resilience born out of chaos. The series portrays the victims’ and survivors’ experiences of that day and is brought to life by a distinguished cast and acclaimed creative team,” per <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/hbo-hamas-israel-one-day-in-october-7-series-1236372113/">The Hollywood Reporter</a>.
FOX Entertainment Studios President Fernando Szew said of the series, “The tragic events on October 7th had a profound impact on all of us. From the very beginning, we approached this series with the utmost care, sensitivity, and urgency to ensure that the stories were told with authenticity and respect, and paying homage to the victims and the heroic survivors.” 
Szew added that the creators “have truly created compelling storytelling that we are proud to showcase.”
“For me, film and television have always been more than entertainment, they are a way to bear witness. These are stories of ordinary people facing extraordinary moments,” Daniel Finkelman, founder of the production company Sparks Go, said. “In a time when truth is fragile, the most powerful thing we can do is to appeal to humanity itself. My hope is that these stories will open hearts and spark meaningful conversation.”
Last year, Finkelman discussed what compelled him to make the series. 
“After Oct. 7, I realized that when you know what you are willing to die for, you know what you are ready to live for,” he <a href="https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/culture/article-822942">said</a>, per The Jerusalem Post. “I realized what we are fighting for.”
“We’re being shown real footage on the news of people being abducted and no one gives a f***,” the producer added. “So we thought, let’s tell the narrative the way people like to be entertained.”
The cast includes actors Swell Ariel Or, Noa Kedar, Naomi Levov, Hisham Sulliman, Wael Hamdun, and Yuval Semo.

HBO Max Announces Series Dramatizing Hamas’s Oct. 7 Terror Attack On Israel

Entertainment

Television

The Israeli military says it took out senior leadership of Hamas that was living safely in Qatar, away from the military offensive being waged against Hamas in Gaza since its October 7, 2023, terrorist attack.
In a &#8220;precise strike,&#8221; the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Israel Security Agency (ISA) struck deep into the heart of Hamas’s leadership — not in Gaza, but in the plush Katara neighborhood of Doha, Qatar, a longtime haven for the terror group’s senior command.
Among those reportedly targeted: Khalil al-Hayya, the deputy to former Gaza Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar and head of Hamas’s negotiation team; Zaher Jabarin, a key figure in Hamas’s military wing; and others including Hussam Badran, Taher al-Nono, and Ali Darwish — all known operatives tied to the planning and execution of the October 7 massacre that left over 1,200 Israelis dead.
The IDF released this statement:
<blockquote>
The IDF and ISA conducted a precise strike targeting the senior leadership of the Hamas terrorist organization. For years, these members of the Hamas leadership have led the terrorist organization&#8217;s operations, are directly responsible for the brutal October 7 massacre, and have been orchestrating and managing the war against the State of Israel. Prior to the strike, measures were taken in order to mitigate harm to civilians, including the use of precise munitions and additional intelligence. The IDF and ISA will continue to operate with determination in order to defeat the Hamas terrorist organization responsible for the October 7 massacre.
</blockquote>
🚨JUST IN: First footage from Doha, the capital of Qatar <a href="https://t.co/N4LXArfZ5J">https://t.co/N4LXArfZ5J</a> <a href="https://t.co/BI3jc36WXf">pic.twitter.com/BI3jc36WXf</a>
— Raylan Givens (@JewishWarrior13) <a href="https://twitter.com/JewishWarrior13/status/1965399422654972277?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 9, 2025</a>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Qatar responded on Tuesday by <a href="https://x.com/majedalansari/status/1965407402607677474">condemning</a> the attack, calling it a &#8220;blatant violation of all international laws and norms.&#8221;
Amid speculation about United States involvement in the strike, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said it was a &#8220;wholly independent Israeli operation.&#8221;
&#8220;Today&#8217;s action against the top terrorist chieftains of Hamas was a wholly independent Israeli operation,&#8221; Netanyahu said. &#8220;Israel initiated it, Israel conducted it, and Israel takes full responsibility.&#8221;
The attack comes just days after the United States indicated it was running out of patience with the terrorist group. On Sunday, President Donald Trump gave his final warning to Hamas, writing on Truth Social: &#8220;I have warned Hamas about the consequences of not accepting.&#8221;
The Hamas terror masterminds had been living comfortably in Qatar, a country that openly harbors Hamas leaders, funds their operations, and maintains warm ties with Iran — the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism. Ismail Haniyeh, Khaled Mashal — chairman of the Hamas Political Bureau from 1996 until May 2017, when he was succeeded by Haniyeh — and Moussa Abu Marzouk — all with blood on their hands — had maintained a political base in Doha, where they celebrated the October 7 atrocities from afar.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Hamas leaders on October 7 were praying in Doha, Qatar while watching the massacre unfolding on television. I suspect some of these leaders were targeted today by Israel. <a href="https://t.co/z2zBxoiHBa">pic.twitter.com/z2zBxoiHBa</a>
— Joe Truzman (@JoeTruzman) <a href="https://twitter.com/JoeTruzman/status/1965406047176372661?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 9, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Back in 2017, U.S. lawmakers <a href="https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CHRG-115hhrg26427/html/CHRG-115hhrg26427.htm">raised the alarm</a> about Qatar’s terror ties. Former congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) blasted the Gulf state for acting as a revolving door for Hamas, the Taliban, and al-Qaeda-linked financiers. “Qatar has openly housed Hamas leaders… and has failed to prosecute them,” she warned, citing evidence of financial support even to Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the mastermind of 9/11.
Former Treasury official David Cohen echoed those concerns, describing Qatar as a “permissive terrorist financing environment,&#8221; where fundraisers for groups like Hamas and ISIS operated freely — often as local agents of broader networks stretching into Kuwait.
Despite claiming to serve as a “moderating force,” Qatar has <a href="https://www.fdd.org/analysis/2023/12/19/10-things-to-know-about-hamas-and-qatar/">pumped billions</a> of dollars to Hamas. Some of that money has been used to buy fuel from Egypt — fuel Hamas then resells to fund its terror machine. Other funds have gone directly into paying Hamas’s so-called “civil workers” in Gaza.
The death of Haniyeh — Hamas’s political bureau chief — in a July 2024 bombing in Tehran underscored the tangled web of alliances between Hamas, Iran, and Qatar.
Qatar’s role as a safe harbor for terrorists has long been an open secret. Now, with strikes reaching Doha, it may finally be on notice: harboring terrorists comes at a cost.

Israel strikes Hamas in Qatar

Israel Strikes Hamas Leaders In Qatar, Says It Was An ‘Independent Israeli Operation’

Qatar

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=" (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=" (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=" (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=" (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

Hostages

Movies

Sundance Film Festival

Toronto Film Festival

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

Let’s take a moment to examine how despicable the legacy media is.
Let’s contrast an actual heroic human being, the kind we need more of in America, the kind the media hates, with a person who&#8217;s awful, a person the media continue to tout.
First, the hero. His name is Edward Coristine and he was ripped up and down by the media when he first came onto the public scene. Why? Because he was working for Elon Musk&#8217;s Department of Governmental Efficiency and he was known as “Big Balls.’
According to the Left-wing media, the idea that you would have a young man who calls himself with this moniker, looking over the American budgetary system and saying, “This doesn&#8217;t belong and this does belong,” was the end of the world.
That was terrible. That was awful. We couldn&#8217;t have somebody like that working in our system.
But it turns out that Edward Coristine isn&#8217;t just a young genius who is capable of looking at budgetary numbers and figuring out where the waste, fraud, and abuse are. It turns out he is an amazing dude.
According to <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2025/08/05/trump-administration-staffer-known-as-big-balls-assaulted-in-dc-00494990">Politico</a>:
<blockquote>A 19-year-old man known as “Big Balls” who played a key role in the DOGE initiative to shrink the size of government was assaulted over the weekend in Washington, according to city police. Edward Coristine, who still works for the government, was assaulted by approximately 10 juveniles near Dupont Circle about 3 a.m. Sunday, according to a police report obtained by POLITICO. Police arrested two 15-year olds as they attempted to flee the scene. 
A black iPhone 16 valued at $1,000 was also reported stolen during the incident, according to the report. President Donald Trump posted a photo on his social media platform showing a shirtless Coristine with what appeared to be blood spattered on his face, body and pants. He called for a change in the law so that the juveniles who attacked him could be charged as adults.</blockquote>
Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114977985620971126">wrote</a>: 
<blockquote>Crime in Washington, D.C., is totally out of control. Local “youths” and gang members, some only 14, 15, and 16-years-old, are randomly attacking, mugging, maiming, and shooting innocent Citizens, at the same time knowing that they will be almost immediately released. They are not afraid of Law Enforcement because they know nothing ever happens to them, but it’s going to happen now! The Law in D.C. must be changed to prosecute these “minors” as adults, and lock them up for a long time, starting at age 14. The most recent victim was beaten mercilessly by local thugs.  
Washington, D.C., must be safe, clean, and beautiful for all Americans and, importantly, for the World to see. If D.C. doesn’t get its act together, and quickly, we will have no choice but to take Federal control of the City, and run this City how it should be run, and put criminals on notice that they’re not going to get away with it anymore. Perhaps it should have been done a long time ago, then this incredible young man, and so many others, would not have had to go through the horrors of Violent Crime. If this continues, I am going to exert my powers, and FEDERALIZE this City. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!</blockquote>
What exactly happened here?
Apparently, Coristine said that the assailants approached him outside his vehicle while he was with a woman identified in the report as his significant other. He told police officers he got the other person into the vehicle just before he was attacked.
This young man made sure that the woman was not attacked. Elon Musk <a href="https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1952836498971344926">wrote</a> on X, “A few days ago, a gang of about a dozen young men tried to assault a woman in her car at night in DC. A @Doge team member saw what was happening, ran to defend her and was severely beaten to the point of concussion, but he saved her. It is time to federalize DC.”
Remember, the media thought that this kid, this young man, was bad. He was bad because he was very online and he was young and he was smart, and he wanted to go through the governmental records. This was the kind of person we needed fewer of in America. According to our legacy media, “Big Balls” was the problem with America.
<h3><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/ep-2255-the-ben-shapiro-show?elementPosition=6&amp;row=2&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+Episodes&amp;rowType=Horizontal+Show+Episodes+Carousel" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WATCH: The Ben Shapiro Show</a></h3>
Meanwhile, the media was championing another young man, claiming that he is the kind of person America needs.
That would be Mahmoud Khalil.
Mahmoud Khalil, of course, was the import from abroad; an activist who hates America, who hates the West, who hates Israel, who is not only complicit in anti-Semitism, but is an anti-Semitic provocateur. He was imported to Columbia University to essentially act as an activist against the West, against America, against Israel and against Jews.
When the Trump administration looked at his participation in the violent student protests at Columbia, they decided to deport him. But a court stopped that deportation, and the entire Left rallied to his cause. He was a victim; America needed more Mahmoud Khalils.
Mahmoud Khalil is now out there on the talk circuit, and he sat with Ezra Klein over at the New York Times, where he promptly explained to Ezra Klein that essentially, October 7 was justified, that Israel had it coming, that there was no actual anti-Semitism at Columbia University or anything of the like.
According to the Left, this is the person, this Mahmoud Khalil, whom we need more of, and fewer of the “Big Balls” type of young men. We need more imports from third-world countries who hate America and hate Jews and make our country worse.
If you actually watch the entire interview with Ezra Klein, some of the things that Khalil said were astonishingly pro-terrorism.
At one point, he said, “Having lived in the Middle East most of my life” — he lived in Syria — “The only Jew you hear about is someone who&#8217;s trying to kill you. For those in Gaza and the West Bank, that&#8217;s the only Jewish person they encounter, the one at checkpoints, the one raiding their homes.”
Khalil didn&#8217;t grow up around Jews. He grew up in Syria. And yet he is openly stating that he grew up hating Jews.
And so he came to the United States. He found a bunch of Left-wing Jews like Jewish Voice for Peace — which is not Jewish or a voice for peace — and according to him, that&#8217;s what real Judaism is, which is an absurdity.
Khalil told Klein there was no anti-Semitism at Columbia. He said, “It&#8217;s not like anti-Semitism is happening at Columbia because of the Palestine movement,” which is, of course, a lie. And then he said, “From the river to the sea, from the Palestinian perspective, no one ever said it&#8217;s a violent call.” And then, of course, he defended “globalize the intifada.” He said October 7 was not an aggressive attack. He said it was just to break the cycle, that Palestinians were not being heard.
This Left-wing martyr is a pro-terror show. That&#8217;s always what he was.
But the Left insists that he be allowed into the country, and that not only that, we need more of these people in our country.
The contrast between the media vilification of this young white man who was working for the federal government to cut waste, fraud and abuse, the kind of person who will rush to a woman&#8217;s side to save her from being assaulted by thugs, and the absolutely kid-glove glowing treatment given to Mahmoud Khalil by Ezra Klein and the rest of the legacy media is astonishing and disgusting.
It speaks to not only what the media are, but what the Left has become. I will say it over and over and over again. The Left-wing is Zohran Mamdani. The Left-wing is not some moderate senator from Minnesota like Amy Klobuchar, who&#8217;s bad enough. It&#8217;s all Mamdani, period. It’s people like Khalil, who champions terrorism. That’s what the Left thinks is right for America.
But a genius kid who saves a woman from thugs and has a nickname they hate? He’s not right for America.
Their agenda could not be any more obvious. Or vicious.

US-POLITICS-MIGRANTS-KHALIL-EDUCATION-MIGRATION

America Needs ‘Big Balls,’ Not Mahmoud Khalil

America Needs 'Big Balls,' Not Mahmoud Khalil

Ben Shapiro

DOGE

gangs

Mahmoud Khalil

New York Times

Opinion

Washington D.C.

I still see his face every time I think of Washington Square Park: a stranger who was unapologetically pro-Hamas and made clear that he cheered the October 7 massacre in Israel.
As an Olympian on Israel’s bobsled team — a team with both Jewish and Arab athletes — I decided to engage with the public following the horrific events of October 7, 2023.
So, on October 15, 2023, I spent eight hours in a folding chair in New York City’s Washington Square Park. I placed a table in front of me with a sign that called Hamas a brutal terror organization and Israel a force for good. “Change my mind,&#8221; the sign read. Passersby questioned Israel’s right to defend itself, some even denied the brutality of Hamas. I spent the day dismantling every excuse for terror. I met them all with history, with personal testimonies, and with the same grit I bring to my Olympic training. Almost no one came by to actually defend Hamas, but most were almost exclusively anti-Israel.
<div id="attachment_958343" style="width: 417px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-958343" class="wp-image-958343 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MixCollage-07-Aug-2025-02-29-PM-4687-407x576.jpg" alt="Credit: AJ Edleman" width="407" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MixCollage-07-Aug-2025-02-29-PM-4687-407x576.jpg 407w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MixCollage-07-Aug-2025-02-29-PM-4687-212x300.jpg 212w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MixCollage-07-Aug-2025-02-29-PM-4687-768x1086.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MixCollage-07-Aug-2025-02-29-PM-4687-1086x1536.jpg 1086w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MixCollage-07-Aug-2025-02-29-PM-4687-1448x2048.jpg 1448w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MixCollage-07-Aug-2025-02-29-PM-4687-scaled.jpg 1810w" sizes=" (max-width: 407px) 100vw, 407px" />Credit: AJ Edleman</div>
<div id="attachment_958345" style="width: 394px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-958345" class="wp-image-958345 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MixCollage-07-Aug-2025-02-27-PM-7656-384x576.jpg" alt="Credit: AJ Edleman" width="384" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MixCollage-07-Aug-2025-02-27-PM-7656-384x576.jpg 384w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MixCollage-07-Aug-2025-02-27-PM-7656-200x300.jpg 200w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MixCollage-07-Aug-2025-02-27-PM-7656-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MixCollage-07-Aug-2025-02-27-PM-7656-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MixCollage-07-Aug-2025-02-27-PM-7656-1365x2048.jpg 1365w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MixCollage-07-Aug-2025-02-27-PM-7656-1360x2040.jpg 1360w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MixCollage-07-Aug-2025-02-27-PM-7656-scaled.jpg 1707w" sizes=" (max-width: 384px) 100vw, 384px" />Credit: AJ Edleman</div>
But then, as the day was coming to a close, a man and his girlfriend approached the table. He was hot. Mad. Angry. He didn’t plead with a nuanced argument or context. He didn&#8217;t come to debate over Israel, he came to both defend Hamas and justify the attacks on October 7. It was deserved, you see. The natural reaction to Israel&#8217;s actions.
For over a decade, I have debated with all kinds of people on the topic of Israel. And there are some occasions when the feeling you are left with is far more powerful than the words the person used. I have hosted over a dozen events just like this one. And after debating hundreds of individuals, I can say that while I may forget the talking points, I can usually remember the overall feeling. This was just such an occasion. I could feel his hatred. This man hated who I was. What I was.
<div id="attachment_958347" style="width: 417px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-958347" class="size-large wp-image-958347" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MixCollage-07-Aug-2025-02-31-PM-4724-407x576.jpg" alt="Credit: David Zimand" width="407" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MixCollage-07-Aug-2025-02-31-PM-4724-407x576.jpg 407w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MixCollage-07-Aug-2025-02-31-PM-4724-212x300.jpg 212w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MixCollage-07-Aug-2025-02-31-PM-4724-768x1086.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MixCollage-07-Aug-2025-02-31-PM-4724-1086x1536.jpg 1086w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MixCollage-07-Aug-2025-02-31-PM-4724-1448x2048.jpg 1448w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MixCollage-07-Aug-2025-02-31-PM-4724-scaled.jpg 1810w" sizes=" (max-width: 407px) 100vw, 407px" />Credit: David Zimand</div>
It was only as his story at Columbia University broke into the news that a photographer-friend who had taken a picture of our encounter messaged me to ask if I realized who that was shouting at my face back in Washington Square Park: It was Mahmoud Khalil and his now-wife standing behind him as she nodded along with what he said.
And here’s what gets me: The media elevate voices like his because they somehow echo part of the cultural anger. We cut them slack, grant them platforms, then pat ourselves on the back for “honest debate.” But is shouting like a cheerleader for genocide really “honest”? Or is it moral abdication?
We treat his bloodlust as just another datapoint in a “heated discussion.” We ignore that he stands for rejoicing in the death of children. We gloss over the fact that someone who rationalizes cold-blooded massacre is someone we wouldn’t let babysit our own kids. Yet the legacy media puts them on a rhetorical pedestal and hands them the microphone.
Why do we give leeway to a man whose heart harbors hatred we’d recoil from in our personal lives? Because we in the West neutralize his crime into a “viewpoint” — and pretend there’s no difference between demanding justice and celebrating murder.
This is the hate-validation fallacy: assuming that any hatred we share is enough to legitimize the most extreme expressions of it. The media embrace the worst apologists for atrocity, then wonder why society feels more fractured than ever. Somehow, when it comes to Israel, this fallacy is dialed up to 11.
Are we so starved for certainty that we’ll champion the vilest among us just to prove we’re right? When did we decide that the loudest hate gets respect, while decency gets dismissed as propaganda?
Hamas stands for exulting in death — of Jews and their own people. There is no moral middle ground. And anyone who celebrates terror doesn’t have a “perspective” worth quoting — they’re a warning sign of how low discourse can sink.
That day in Washington Square Park, I saw his contempt up close. I saw how easily we can excuse the worst people when they confirm our biases. And I knew: if we don’t draw a line here, we lose more than a debate — we lose our humanity.
So, the next time you see a genocide apologist splashed across your feed, ask yourself: am I amplifying truth or validating hate? Because there’s a world of difference between making a point and aiding a monster.
We owe it to ourselves — and to every innocent life — to choose wisely. Reject the hate-validation fallacy. Refuse to give hate a stage. And remember: some voices deserve nothing but silence.
* * *
A.J. Edelman is an Israeli Olympian and captain of Israel’s Edelman Bobsled Team, a mixed Jewish/Druze team training for the 2026 Olympic Games, and in line to become Israel&#8217;s first ever multi-sport Olympian. When not sliding down mountains he is a writer and commentator.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

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