The family of Israeli-American hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin says he has been killed in the Gaza Strip. The family issued a statement early Sunday, hours after the Israeli army said it had located bodies in Gaza. “With broken hearts, the Goldberg-Polin family is devastated to announce the death of their beloved son and brother, Hersh,” it said. “The family thanks you all for your love and support and asks for privacy at this time.” There was no immediate comment from the army, or details about the other bodies found. The 23-year-old Goldberg-Polin was among the hostages seized by terrorists at the Nova music festival in southern Israel on Oct. 7. He lost part of an arm in the attack.

New York City is grappling with a disturbing surge in hate crimes, with attacks against Jews and Muslims skyrocketing this year. According to NYPD data, antisemitic incidents have increased by 74% (240 from 138) and anti-Muslim attacks have ballooned by 357% (32 from 7) through August 25. Overall, hate crimes across the city have surged by 29% (427 from 332), with Manhattan leading the charge (174 incidents), followed by Brooklyn (157), Queens (64), and the Bronx and Staten Island (both 16). Notably, Queens saw a 36% drop in hate crimes, despite three swastikas being found in Woodhaven on August 14. The NYPD’s Hate Crime Task Force has made 177 arrests, a 23% increase from last year.

A trio of young Trump enthusiasts stole the show at Friday’s rally in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, as they entertained attendees and Right Side Broadcasting Network (RSBN) hosts with a spot-on impersonation of the former president. As lines formed outside the rally venue, eager supporters waited to hear from former President Donald Trump. RSBN, known for its extensive coverage of Trump events, mingled with the crowd, interviewing attendees ahead of the rally’s start. During their interactions, the crew stumbled upon a memorable scene—a pint-sized Trump impersonator, flanked by two equally small “Secret Service” agents.

Recent assessments have revealed that the number of Gazans who breached the Israeli border on October 7 was double what was initially believed, according to a report by Channel 12 on Saturday. Data from the Israel Defense Forces’ Gaza Division shows that around 3,800 members of Hamas’s elite Nukhba forces were among the estimated 6,000 Gazans who crossed into Israel that day. This significant increase highlights the scale of the infiltration during the attack.

Late Motzei Shabbos, the IDF announced the discovery of more bodies underground in Gaza, which are likely those of Israeli hostages previously held by Hamas. Amid social media speculation regarding the identities of the potential hostages, the IDF stated that confirmation would only be possible once the bodies have been returned to Israel and examined by professional experts, likely on Sunday. IDF sources clarified that if the bodies are indeed those of hostages, they were not killed in any recent skirmish with Hamas in the area, as no military force was used nearby. In Rehoboth, Delaware, US President Joe Biden, after leaving a church service, commented on the IDF’s statement about finding bodies in Gaza that could be hostages.

The IDF on Motzei Shabbos announced that an IDF soldier was killed in a shootout with two Hamas terrorists in Jenin on Shabbos morning in a counterterrorism raid carried out as part of the ongoing Operation Summer Camps in Yehudah and Shomron and the Jordan Valley. The soldier was identified as Staff Sgt. Elkana Navon, H”yd, 20, from Petach Tikvah. He served as a squad commander in the 906th Battalion of the Bislamach Brigade. He was the fourth talmid of the Hesder Yeshivah in Kiryat Shmona to fall in battle since October 7. At about 6 a.m., IDF forces approached a building in Jenin that housed terrorists. Two senior Hamas terrorists who were both responsible for numerous terror attacks, managed to surprise them, opening fire from close range.

A potentially deadly coordinated double terror attack in two areas of Gush Etzion on Friday night miraculously ended with only three people injured. The first incident occurred close to midnight when a car exploded at a gas station at the Gush Etzion Junction. A car had pulled up to the station against the flow of traffic and as it pulled up, the hood caught on fire. The terrorist then emerged from the car, completely burned. A gas station employee told Ynet that at first, an employee tried to douse the terrorist with a water hose, thinking it was an accidental car fire. But then the terrorist began running and trying to attack the security forces who had arrived at the scene. IDF soldiers opened fire, killing him.

American enthusiasm for the upcoming November elections has notably increased, with a significant boost coming from Democratic voters. According to a newly released Gallup poll, nearly 8 in 10 Democrats reported being “more enthusiastic than usual” about voting. Gallup’s memo highlights that overall enthusiasm for the election has surged, with 69% of U.S. adults now expressing increased eagerness to vote, up from 54% in March. This increase is particularly pronounced among Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents, whose enthusiasm jumped from 55% in March to 78% in August. In contrast, Republicans and Republican-leaning independents saw a smaller rise, from 59% in March to 64% in the August poll.

In a statement released on Friday, the IDF announced the completion of a three-week operation in the southern Gaza Strip. The operation, which began in early August, focused on demolishing tunnels, targeting Hamas infrastructure, and recovering the bodies of hostages. According to the IDF, the operation resulted in the demolition of six tunnels belonging to terror groups, totaling approximately six kilometers of underground passages. Additionally, troops killed over 250 gunmen, recovered the bodies of six hostages, and demolished Hamas infrastructure above ground. The operation was carried out by the 98th Division, which was withdrawn from Gaza on Friday to prepare for future operations.

For those who find themselves catching up on sleep during the weekend after a busy week, there may be good news for your heart. According to new research set to be presented at the European Society of Cardiology Congress on Sunday, sleeping in on the weekends could reduce the risk of heart disease by approximately 20%. The study, which analyzed data from 90,903 participants, examined the impact of “catch-up” sleep on heart health. Participants self-reported their sleep patterns, with sleep deprivation defined as getting less than seven hours of sleep per night. Among the participants, 19,816 were identified as sleep-deprived and were monitored for heart health over the course of a decade.