Iran has further increased its stockpile of uranium enriched to near weapons-grade levels in defiance of international demands, a confidential report by the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog said Thursday. The report by the International Atomic Energy Agency said that as of Aug. 17, Iran has 164.7 kilograms (363.1 pounds) of uranium enriched up to 60 %. That’s an increase of 22.6 kilograms (49.8 pounds) since the IAEA’s last report in May. Uranium enriched up to 60% purity is just a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90%.

A 33-year-old man faced terrorism charges over an arson attack on a French synagogue last weekend that he said was aimed at defending Palestinians and changing Israeli policy, prosecutors said Wednesday. The attack revived concerns about antisemitism in France, notably linked to the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, and led to heightened security at Jewish places of worship around the country. A police officer was injured after the suspect set multiple fires around the Beth Yaacov synagogue Saturday in the Mediterranean resort town of La Grande Motte. The suspect, identified by prosecutors only by his initials EHK, fled the scene but was later arrested. He was injured in the thorax, arm and face during the arrest, France’s national counterterrorism prosecutor’s office said in a statement.

Shlomi Ziv and Almog Meir Jan, two of the hostages rescued from Gaza in Operation Arnon, have opened up for the first time about their harrowing ordeal in captivity. They were interviewed as part of the Government Press Office’s national documentation project. Andrey Kozlov, who was held together with Ziv and Jan, has spoken to numerous media outlets, (including the GPO’s project earlier this month) about the physical and emotional abuse he and his fellow captives endured. Their hands and feet were bound for the first two months, they were locked in the bathroom buried under blankets in the summer heat, and were told time and time again that Israel and their loved ones had abandoned them.

Kaid Farhan Al-Qadi, who was rescued from Gaza on Tuesday after 326 days in captivity, was released from the hospital on Wednesday and reunited with his 87-year-old mother. “I missed my mother very much, I was afraid I would never see her again,” he said after the emotional reunion. “Thank G-d, I came back and hugged her. We’re both alive. I’ll do anything for my mother, she is my strength in life.” Qadi’s relatives said, “Farhan is very attached to his mother. She is his life. He’s been by her side since he returned. They talk, smile, and hug. It is a meeting that was not expected, but in the end, it happened. It’s immense happiness for all of us.”   (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

Guatemalan authorities are currently investigating serious allegations of child abuse within the Lev Tahor cult, a community already facing accusations of forced marriages. This past Friday, authorities attempted to check on the condition of children living on a farm owned by Lev Tahor in Oratorio, located southwest of Guatemala City. Despite having a court order, officials reported that access to the premises was restricted by members of the cult. “We’re very concerned about the situation within the community,” said Lucrecia Prera, a lawyer representing the state in matters concerning children and adolescents.

Democratic Rep. Ritchie Torres of New York has blasted three major U.S. airlines—American, Delta, and United—for their continued suspension of flights to Israel, arguing that the decision is tantamount to an “effective boycott” of the country. In a letter addressed to the CEOs of the airlines and obtained by YWN, Torres expressed concern that the ongoing suspension has made air travel to Israel increasingly difficult and expensive. “The lack of competition has made air travel to Israel less available and less affordable, putting customers at the mercy of a de facto monopoly that can easily gouge prices with impunity,” Torres wrote to American Airlines CEO Robert Isom, Delta CEO Ed Bastian, and United CEO Scott Kirby.

Senior Hamas official Khaled Mashal, once considered a leading contender to replace the assassinated Ismail Haniyeh, has called for a resumption of suicide bombings in the West Bank and urged Palestinians and their supporters to engage in “actual resistance” against Israel. His remarks, reported by Arabic media, were made during a conference in Istanbul, Turkey. According to Sky News Arabia, Mashal expressed the desire of the Hamas terror group to “return to [suicide] operations.” He framed the ongoing conflict with Israel, including the war in Gaza and frequent IDF raids in the West Bank, as a situation that necessitates open conflict. “They are fighting us with open conflict, and we are confronting them with open conflict,” Mashal said.

Israeli security forces launched an extensive counterterrorism operation in northern Shomron and Jordan on Tuesday, with forces on a scale not seen since Operation Protective Shield in 2002.  As of Thursday morning, at least 17 terrorists have been eliminated by Israeli security forces, including the chief of the Tulkarm branch of the Islamic Jihad. Ynet military commentator Yosi Yehoshua wrote on Thursday morning: “Two comments about the operation: 1. If the border with Jordan is not closed, explosives will continue to flow to Jenin, Tulkarm and the other terror hubs. We need to close the ‘East Philadelphi Corridor’ and not just chase the terror in Jenin.” Channel 14 military commentator Hallel Biton Rosen wrote: “This is a long-term operation and has no deadline.

The relatives of Kaid Farhan Al-Qadi, who was rescued from Gaza on Tuesday after 326 days in captivity, said that he endured harsh conditions and was held in isolation and almost total darkness. Alkadi’s cousin, Faiz Sana, expressed shock at the amount of weight he had lost during his captivity, saying, “He changed, he lost at least 20 kilograms.” Qadi’s brother told Reshet Bet on Wednesday morning: “He looks awful, skin and bones, it’s scary.” The IDF soldiers who rescued him said that Qadi was so weak and malnourished that he didn’t have the strength to climb out of the tunnel on his own. Qadi ws initially held with other captives but had been held alone since December and spent long periods of time alone with his captors.

It was revealed on Thursday that Aryeh Zalmanovich, H’yd, 85, was the Jewish captive who was murdered next to Kaid Farhan Al-Qadi, the Bedouin-Israeli captive rescued from Gaza on Tuesday. Qadi, who was held with other captives in the first two months after his abduction, told security forces, relatives, and former Rahat Mayor Ata Abu Madighem that he experienced a great emotional crisis when a Jewish captive was murdered next to him. Channel 12 News reported on Thursday that the IDF connected Qadi with Zalmanovich’s family. Qadi told Zalmanovich’s son that he and his father were held in a Gazan hospital for a period of time – until Zalmanovich, H’yd, was murdered. He added that shortly after the murder, he was moved underground where he was held alone until his rescue.