Three Israelis were injured in a stabbing attack on the second floor of a mall in Karmiel in northern Israel on Wednesday at about noon. Two are in very serious condition and the third is in moderate to serious condition. The terrorist was neutralized at the scene of the attack. This is a developing story. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

A five-week-old infant from the Jerusalem area whose mother refused to get vaccinated for whooping cough during pregnancy died of the disease about a week ago. Two days later, a seven-year-old girl from Netanya, whose parents refused to vaccinate her against tetanus, was hospitalized in the pediatric intensive care unit at Laniado Hospital after contracting the serious and excruciatingly painful disease. Ynet reported that the lowest vaccination rates against whooping cough are found almost exclusively in Jerusalem and in religious and Chareidi communities outside the capital. The report quoted Dr. Maurit Beeri, a pediatrician and the director of ALYN Rehabilitation Hospital for Children and Youth, who slammed parents who neglect their children by refusing to vaccinate them.

Hundreds of soldiers from the Netzach Yehudah battalion who fought in Gaza participated in a joyous Hachnasas Sefer Torah on Tuesday, marching from the Gazan border to the shul at the Erez base. The Sefer Torah was donated by members of the Syrian community in Brooklyn headed by HaRav Ezriel Mansour who spoke to Rav Yosef Tzvi Rimon, the Chief Rabbi of Gush Etzion, and told him that they were interested in donating a small Sefer Torah that could serve the needs of troops operating in Gaza. Ra Rimon recommended that the Sefer Torah be donated to Netzech Yehudah, whose soldiers are operating in Gaza and lost precious members.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir responded on Thursday to the Shin Bet placing blame on him for the release of the director of Shifa Hospital due to overcrowded prison conditions. To his credit, since he entered his position, Ben-Gvir has dramatically changed the formerly cushy conditions of Israeli jails for terrorists, where in the past they used to receive satisfying meals, earn a college degree and buy a choice of snacks at the canteen. An Israeli wrote on X on Tuesday: “You can like Ben-Gvir or not but you can’t argue with the fact that he sets a proper standard in the prisons for terrorists.

At the end of a public battle against the Defense Ministry and the IDF, the Public Council for Commemoration of Fallen Soldiers ruled almost unanimously on Tuesday that the family of fallen soldier Yisrael Yudkin, H’yd, should be allowed to inscribe the acronym of the words השם יקום דמו on his matzeivah. The 20 members of the Public Council for Commemoration of Fallen Soldiers discussed the request of the Yudkin family, which was joined by other religious families of fallen soldiers, and approved the request with a vote of 19 against 1.

A federal lawsuit has been filed in the US against Iran, Syria, and North Korea on behalf of 125 victims of the October 7 Hamas terror attack, seeking at least $4 billion in damages. The lawsuit, organized by the Anti-Defamation League and Crowell & Moring LLP, alleges that the three countries provided material support to Hamas, enabling the attack that killed 1,200 people and took 251 hostages. The plaintiffs, including US citizens injured in the attack and relatives of those killed, accuse the three countries of providing financial, military, and tactical support to Hamas. The US government has designated Iran, Syria, and North Korea as state sponsors of terrorism.

There was widespread outrage among government ministers when reports on Tuesday morning said that infrastructure work has begun in the Gaza Strip to connect a water desalination and sewage treatment facility water to Israel’s electrical grid. Channel 12 reported that it obtained a document showing that Defense Minister Yoav Gallant approved the work, calling it “a basic humanitarian need” in order to prevent the spread of disease. Finance Minister Betzalel Smotrich responded to the reports by stating: “We’ve lost it completely. We are rebuilding Gaza with our own hands – before demilitarization. Mr.

HaGaon HaRav Yitzchak Zilberstein, who serves as the Rosh Kollel of Beis Dovid in the city of Holon, was forced to inform his kollel members that he can no longer pay them a monthly stipend. The step follows the revocation of funds to yeshivos and kollelim in accordance with the decision of Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara and the Supreme Court. HaRav Zilberstein wrote in the letter that the “kupas hakollel” is empty…and whoever remains in Kollel Beis Dovid should know that unfortunately there are no funds for stipends. And Hashem Yisbarach should do good with those who show goodness to talmidei chachamim.” (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

The mother of Noa Argamani, Liora Argamani, z’l, who was rescued from captivity in Gaza last month died on Tuesday morning at the age of 61 in Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv. Liora’s death came after a three-year battle with brain cancer. After her daughter was abducted on October 7th, Liora tirelessly fought for her last wish – for her daughter to be released so she could reunite with her before her death. She wrote letters to US President Joe Biden and appeared on various media outlets. Sadly, by the time Noa was rescued, Liora was unable to communicate. However, family members and hospital staff believed that she understood that her daughter had returned home. Noa was able to stay at her mother’s side in the weeks before her death.

Reb Yishai Engelman, a Rosh Mesivta in the hesder yeshivah in Ma’ale Adumim was seriously injured on Monday in Gaza. He is sedated and ventilated in the ICU at Soroka Hospital in Be’er Sheva. His father, Rav Aharon Engelman, a Rav in the Ma’alot Yeshivah, asked for tefillos for his son, whom he said was injured by an explosive device. Please daven for a refuah sheleimah for Yishai ben Miriam b’toch sha’ar cholei Yisrael. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)