National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir on Monday said that a Lebanon ceasefire is a “big mistake.” Ben-Gvir’s statements came after reports on Sunday that Israel agreed to a US-brokered ceasefire with Hezbollah, pending final approval. Subsequent reports on Monday afternoon said that Israel and Lebanon agreed to a ceasefire and an announcement will be made after Israel’s security cabinet approves the deal on Tuesday. “The agreement with Lebanon is a big mistake,” Ben-Gvir stated. “It’s a historic missed opportunity to eliminate Hezbollah. I understand all the constraints and justifications but it still is a serious mistake. We have to listen to the commanders fighting on the battlefront, listen to the heads of the local authorities.

A devastating tragedy struck the community of Rechasim on Monday, after word spread of the tragic Petira of Rav Eliyahu Cohen, 40, who sustained critical injuries while heroically attempting to save the life of an infant during a fire on Wednesday, November 6, on Alonim Street. The deadly fire had engulfed a residential apartment, claiming the life of six-month-old Uriah David Moshe Z”L and destroying a Shul and a Sefer Torah. Rav Cohen, who ran out of the nearby Kollel “Mishkan Amram” where he was sitting and learning, and attempted to rescue the baby. He was gravely injured in the process. Thousands Davened fervently for his recovery, but sadly, he succumbed to his injuries. Last week, thousands of Rechasim residents participated in the funeral for the burnt Sifrei Torah.

Israel and Lebanon have agreed to the terms of the ceasefire agreement to end the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, a senior US official told Axios on Monday. The parties have yet to announce the agreement, but the security cabinet is expected to approve the deal on Tuesday, an Israeli source reported. “We think we have a deal. We are at the goal line but haven’t crossed it yet. The Israeli cabinet needs to approve the deal on Tuesday, and something can always go wrong by then,” said the US official. The report adds that the draft ceasefire agreement includes a 60-day transition period during which the Israeli military will withdraw from southern Lebanon, the Lebanese army will deploy in areas close to the border, and Hezbollah will move its weapons from north of the Litani River.

A heartbreaking accident occurred on Monday afternoon in Jerusalem when a 10-year-old girl was fatally struck by a bus on Rechov Shimon HaTzadik. Emergency teams from Magen David Adom (MDA) rushed to the scene, where they found the girl trapped beneath the bus, unconscious. Despite rescue efforts, MDA paramedics were forced to pronounce her dead at the scene due to the severity of her injuries. The police have launched an investigation to determine the circumstances of the accident. Shimon Zaltz, an emergency medic from MDA, described the tragic scene: “The girl was trapped under the bus, unconscious, without a pulse, and not breathing, suffering from multi-system trauma.

The body of HaKadosh Rabbi Tzvi Kogan, H’yd, has been released for burial, Emirati authorities announced early Monday afternoon. The aron was placed on an El Al plane and is now on the way to Israel for kevurah in a joint effort of the representatives of the local Jewish kehilla, Israel’s Foreign Ministry, and the international division of ZAKA. The time and date of the levaya have not yet been announced but it will possibly take place on Monday evening. The release of the body came after the UAE’s announcement earlier on Monday revealing the identities of the three suspects in the murder arrested in the country on Sunday. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

Syrian opposition media report that an Iranian Mahan Air flight en route from Tehran to Damascus on Thursday was forced to turn around following an Israeli warning. The plane reportedly returned to Iran after pilots, under orders from higher authorities, decided against landing in Syria. According to the reports, the aircraft was carrying ammunition and planned to land at a Russian-controlled airport in Syria. However, Russian officials allegedly blocked its landing, fearing a potential Israeli airstrike. On the same day, another flight reportedly returned to Tehran under similar circumstances. Syrian opposition sources claim such incidents have become increasingly frequent in recent weeks, highlighting heightened tensions over Iranian supply routes in the region.

Emirati Ambassador to the US Yousef Al Otaiba issued a statement on Sunday condemning the murder of Rabbi Tzvi Kogan, H’yd, adding that it was “a crime against the UAE.” “Today the UAE mourns for Rabbi Zvi Kogan,” he wrote. “Our thoughts are with his family, friends and community over his senseless death.” “Zvi Kogan’s murder was more than a crime in the UAE – it was a crime against the UAE. It was an attack on our homeland, on our values and on our vision. In the UAE, we welcome everyone. We embrace peaceful coexistence.

The United Arab Emirates on Monday released photos and the names of the three suspects in the murder of Rabbi Tzvi Kogan, H’yd. The photos show the suspects bound and blindfolded and identified them as Makhmudjon Abdurahim, 28; Azizi Kamlovich, 33; and Olimpi  Tohirovich, 28. The Emirati Interior Ministry said that all three suspects, who were arrested in the country on Sunday, are Uzbek nationals. Although initial Israeli reports estimated that an Iranian terror cell that commonly recruits Uzbek nationals to target Jews and Israelis was responsible for Rabbi Kogan’s murder, Israeli media outlets reported on Monday that security officials now estimate that Iran was not behind the murder.

Iran was not directly involved in the abduction and murder of Chabad shaliach Rabbi Tzvi Kogan, H’yd, Israeli media outlets reported on Monday. Although initial reports indicated that Iran was behind the heinous abduction and murder, Israeli security sources now estimate that the terror cell was directed by a different terror organization, possibly Hamas or Islamic Jihad. Israeli intelligence blog Intelli Times reported on Sunday that Tehran directs a terror affiliate [Unit 400] that is linked to its Quds Force that dispatches Uzbek nationals with Shiite-Iranian heritage on terror missions to kill Jews or Israelis. According to the report, Unit 400 was likely involved in Rabbi Kogan’s murder.

The Iranian Embassy in the United Arab Emirates has strongly denied allegations that Iran was involved in the murder of Chabad shliach in Abu Dhabi, Rabbi Zvi Kogan. In a statement to Reuters, Tehran’s embassy categorically rejected claims linking the Iranian regime to the killing, calling them “unfounded and politically motivated.” Rabbi Kogan’s body was discovered early Sunday morning in Al Ain, a city near the Oman border, approximately 150 kilometers (93 miles) from Abu Dhabi. The shocking discovery has sent shockwaves through the Jewish community in the UAE and across the world. Hebrew media reports indicate that Israeli authorities suspect the involvement of a group of Uzbek nationals, allegedly recruited by Iran to carry out the attack.