Thousands of people are already in Meron on Thursday Erev Lag B’Omer and tens of thousands are making their way to the site from all over Eretz Yisrael, as Jews prepare to celebrate Lag B’Omer. Like every year, the Hillulas HaRashbi will begin at 8:30 p.m. with the hadlakah of the Boyaner Rebbe, the only one who is permitted to hold an hadlakah on the roof of the tizon.

Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara escalated her war against Torah on Tuesday, ordering the IDF to send draft notices to all Chareidim of draft age in the upcoming draft year [which begins in June], without any distinction in their status as Lomdei Torah. There are approximately 80,000 bnei yeshivos who are eligible for the draft and about 18,000 have received draft orders.  The implication is that in the upcoming draft year, in addition to the new draft cohort, the IDF will have to send conscription notices to approximately 60,000 bnei yeshivos. Baharav-Miara, whose real goal is to topple the government, is escalating the crisis caused by reports of an arrest operation of Chareidi draft dodgers on Monday evening.

The military police are launching an arrest operation on Wednesday against Chareidim who have not reported for conscription orders sent to them in recent months. The arrest of bnei yeshivos for refusing to serve in the army is unprecedented, something that hasn’t happened since the establishment of the state. “In the first stage, we are talking about dozens, an action that is mainly supposed to create deterrence,” Ynet reported.

As fires continue to rage in Israel, Israel Police and the Shin Bet continue to find and arrest arson suspects. Several arson suspects were arrested in east Jerusalem and security teams in two other areas arrested suspects in two additional attacks, one in Rosh HaAyin and another in Beit Keshet, a kibbutz in northern Israel. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Police Chief Danny Levy deployed 14,000 police forces across the country in efforts to stop arson attempts.

A somber and heart-wrenching levaya took place on Sunday afternoon for Natasha (Sara) Saada A”H and her two young daughters, Diana (7) A”H and Debra (5) A”H, who were tragically killed in a devastating car accident on Shabbos afternoon near Ocean Parkway and Quentin Road. Hundreds of mourners gathered at Shomrei Hadas Chapels in Boro Park to give kavod acharon to the victims, whose lives were cut short in a senseless tragedy that has shaken the Flatbush Sephardic community and beyond. Rabbi Hillel Haber, Rabbi Yosef Ozeri, and Rabbi Shlomo Diamond delivered heartbreaking hespedim, offering words of chizuk and mourning the immeasurable loss. Leading Sephardic Rabbonim from across the community were in attendance, standing in solidarity with the grieving family.

In the wake of an unthinkable tragedy, New York City Mayor Eric Adams visited the Saada home on Sunday, offering words of solace to the grieving father, Sidney Saada yb”l, who lost his wife and two young daughters in a horrific car crash less than 24 hours earlier. The devastating incident occurred on Shabbos afternoon, when 32-year-old Miriam Yarimi, driving with a suspended license, struck and killed Natasha (Sara) Saada A”H, along with her 7-year-old daughter Diana A”H and 5-year-old daughter Debra A”H on Ocean Parkway near Quentin Road. The tragedy has also left the family’s four-year-old son, Pinchas Raphael Ben Sarah, in critical condition, fighting for his life.

A man was murdered and an IDF soldier was seriously injured on Monday morning in a combined ramming-stabbing-shooting attack at the Tishbi Junction near the northern city of Yokneam Illit. According to the police, a terrorist arrived at Route 66 and attempted to run over several people standing at a bus stop, seriously injuring a 20-year-old IDF soldier. He then exited his vehicle and stabbed the soldier and stole his weapon. The heinous terrorist then used the weapon to open fire at a passing vehicle. The driver was lightly injured and his 75-year-old father sitting next to him was murdered. The terrorist was neutralized by Border Police officers on their way to a unit training exercise who got out of their vehicles and eliminated the terrorist.

In a fiery address to the United Nations Security Council, former Hamas hostage Eli Sharabi delivered a searing indictment of the international aid system, accusing Hamas of stealing humanitarian supplies while hostages were left to starve in captivity. Sharabi, who survived unimaginable horrors while being held by Hamas, did not hold back. “When you talk about humanitarian aid, remember that Hamas eats like kings while the hostages are starving,” he told the council. He painted a harrowing picture of systematic aid theft, noting that Hamas terrorists funneled international aid—marked with UN and UNRWA symbols—into their tunnels, depriving both hostages and innocent civilians of desperately needed food. “I saw what happened to this aid,” Sharabi said. “Hamas is stealing it.

Sirens sounded across central Israel and the Shefelah early Thursday afternoon after Hamas fired three rockets at Israel for the first time in months. It is the first rocket fire since the ceasefire/hostage release deal began. The IDF spokesperson said that one rocket was intercepted and two rockets fell in open areas. B’Chasdei Hashem, there were no injuries or damage. Following the sirens, Hamas took responsibility for the rocket fire, saying that it launched M90 rockets at Israel. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

Reports indicate that Israel’s overnight attacks on Gaza, dubbed Operation Strength and Sword, have not necessarily ended the negotiations between Israel and Hamas. Egypt’s Foreign Ministry issued a harsh statement against the IDF attack but at the same time, reports from Qatar indicate that senior Egyptian intelligence officials urgently summoned the Hamas delegation to Cairo. According to Al-Arabiya, Egypt is holding frantic discussions with the mediators in an attempt to stop the escalation. Sources involved in the negotiations claim that there are efforts to reach a deal that will include the release of a number of Israeli hostages in exchange for a renewed ceasefire.