In a scathing interview aired Thursday, former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of repeatedly hesitating to use military force against Hamas and Hezbollah, undermining a potential hostage-ceasefire deal, and failing to implement a political strategy to build on Israel’s military gains in Gaza. Gallant, who was dismissed by Netanyahu in November, broke his silence in his first Israeli television interview since leaving office. Speaking with Channel 12’s Uvda, he did not hold back in criticizing Netanyahu’s handling of the ongoing war, arguing that Israel had squandered a critical opportunity to strike Hezbollah early in the conflict.

Ari Rosenfeld, the frum non-commissioned officer who was accused of leaking documents to the Prime Minister’s Office, was finally released from prison after 100 days and received a hero’s welcome, with hundreds greeting him with singing and dancing outside his home in Bnei Brak. Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi [Likud] participated in the celebration and stated to the media: “The abuse and malice in the arrest of reserve soldier Ari Rosenfeld, who, if we had patriots like him on October 6, the reality would likely have been different, proves once again how much the justice system and the prosecution are plagued by deep rot.

In a bold defense of Israel’s sovereignty and security, President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday imposing tough sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC) after it issued an unprecedented and politically motivated arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The ICC, a controversial tribunal with no authority over Israel or the United States, accused Netanyahu of war crimes over his nation’s justified military response to Hamas’s brutal October 7th massacre. Neither the U.S. nor Israel recognizes the ICC, which has been widely criticized for its bias and overreach.

Israeli security forces have arrested the owner of a bookstore in Yerushalayim’s Old City on suspicion of distributing materials that incite terrorism, including works by senior Hezbollah and Hamas leaders. The arrest followed a routine search by police officers, who discovered pro-terror content in the bag of a female suspect in the Old City. Upon questioning, she claimed to have recently purchased the materials from a nearby bookstore. Investigators from the Israel Police’s David Precinct subsequently raided the shop, uncovering a collection of books containing “inciting and terrorist content, the sale and distribution of which is prohibited,” according to the police statement.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has launched Title VI investigations into four top medical schools—Harvard, Columbia, Brown, and Johns Hopkins—over allegations of antisemitism during their 2024 commencement ceremonies. The move marks a significant expansion of federal scrutiny into campus antisemitism, a process that was previously concentrated within the Department of Education. The investigations, announced this week, stem from reports of antisemitic incidents at the graduation ceremonies of the medical programs in question.

A vast network of Chinese-made security cameras may already be giving China access to some of America’s most critical infrastructure, according to a chilling new warning from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). These internet-connected cameras, installed in chemical plants, power grids, and other essential industries, have little to no security protections. Even worse, by default, they communicate directly with their manufacturers in China, creating a massive cybersecurity risk. The DHS bulletin warns that China could exploit these vulnerabilities to launch cyberattacks, suppress or manipulate safety alarms, and even disable critical fail-safe systems—all without American companies realizing they’ve been compromised.

Agam Berger and her mother Meirav are now renowned for their spiritual gevurah, with both mother and daughter strengthening their emunah and observance of mitzvos during Agam’s long ordeal in Gazan captivity, including Shabbos, Kashrus, and tefillos. Agam was the only female IDF soldier who returned to Israel on a weekday rather than Shabbos, fulfilling her mother’s wish that no one be mechallel Shabbos to cover the story of her release. Another ruchniyus-related story about Agam is that she returned to Israel on the one-year anniversary of the reopening of the Amalei HaTorah kollel in Holon, which was re-opened in the zechus of the return of the hostages and the welfare of the IDF soldiers in battle.

In response to a surge in antisemitic incidents, Australia has passed sweeping new anti-hate crime laws, introducing mandatory minimum sentences for terrorism-related offenses and the public display of hate symbols. Under the legislation, offenders will face a minimum of 12 months in prison for lesser hate crimes, such as performing a Nazi salute in public, while those convicted of terrorism offenses will receive at least six years behind bars. “I want people who are engaged in antisemitism to be held to account, to be charged, to be incarcerated,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told Sky News. His comments mark a significant shift, as he had initially opposed mandatory minimum sentences for hate crimes.

President Donald Trump stunned the world when he said the United States would “take over” the Gaza Strip. On Thursday morning, he clarified his plan just a bit, but left many questions lingering. Trump first floated the idea during a joint press briefing with Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, reportedly catching his Israeli counterpart off guard, according to Axios. Since then, the Trump team has sought to clarify aspects of the plan, particularly in response to criticism that it implies forced displacement of Gaza’s Palestinian population. In a Truth Social post on Thursday, Trump suggested that Israel would transfer control of Gaza to the United States after military operations conclude.