The IDF says it has successfully demolished a Hamas tunnel in the central Gaza Strip, which was situated just 1.5 kilometers away from the Israeli border. The operation was carried out by reservists of the 646th Brigade in coordination with combat engineers from the elite Yahalom unit. The IDF revealed that the tunnel, spanning one kilometer in length and located 20 meters underground, served as a critical covert connection between northern and southern parts of the Gaza Strip. After its discovery, the tunnel was destroyed by combat engineers, neutralizing the threat it had once posed. During the operation, the IDF also uncovered a cache of military equipment, including rockets and anti-aircraft missiles, positively linked to Hamas. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Dion Marsh, 28, of Manchester, NJ, pled guilty today to a single count of Terrorism over his attacks against Jews in Lakewood and Jackson in 2022. At the time of his sentencing on March 22, 2024, the State will be seeking a term of 30 years New Jersey State Prison without the possibility of parole. On April 8, 2022, at approximately 1:10 p.m., a Jewish man was operating a 2011 Toyota Camry heading northbound on Arlington Avenue in Lakewood, when he was approached by a male suspect on foot who attempted to open the door to the vehicle. The victim locked the door as he observed the suspect approach the vehicle. As the suspect tried to open the door, the victim accelerated and began to pull away.

A rare spontaneous protest was held by Gazan civilians against Hamas during which they called for the release of the Israeli hostages so the war could end. A video of the protest, which took place outside a hospital in the city of Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip, was published on Wednesday by IDF Arabic spokesperson Avichay Adraee. The majority of protesters seem to be women and children. Adraee wrote: “Leaders of Hamas-ISIS, headed by Sinwar – listen to the cries of your people, your children, and wives who are expressing their anger at the situation you caused in Gaza.” “They demand that you return the Israeli hostages to their homes so that the war will stop and they can return home.

A senior Israeli political source said on Wednesday morning that reports of progress in talks between Israel and Hamas on a hostage and ceasefire deal are untrue. Reuters reported on Tuesday evening that the latest round of mediation efforts led by Qatar, Washington and Egypt has resulted in an agreement “in principle” of an initial ceasefire of about 30 days after Hamas first proposed a ceasefire of several months.

Donald Trump won the New Hampshire primary on Tuesday, tightening his grip on the Republican presidential nomination and bolstering the likelihood of a rematch later this year against President Joe Biden. The result was a setback for former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, who invested significant time and financial resources into winning the state. She was the last major challenger in the race after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis ended his presidential bid over the weekend, allowing her to campaign as the sole alternative to Trump. Haley intensified her criticism of the former president, questioning his mental acuity and pitching herself as a unifying candidate who would usher in generational change. The appeals failed to resonate with enough voters.

In the latest shocking incident of antisemitism at Harvard University, posters of Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza that were posted at the university were defaced with hate graffiti. Photos and footage circulating online show the posters bearing antisemitic conspiracy theory slogans such as “Israel did 9/11” and “I knew Epstein personally”, in reference to Jeffrey Epstein. On the poster of Hamas’s youngest hostage, one-year-old Kfir Bibas, someone wrote “head still on”. Other posters bore slogans such as “Sure, Jan,” a popular response to someone saying something not believable to the listener. The graffiti was discovered yesterday as university students return to campus after winter break.

The IDF says its troops have located a large Hamas tunnel network in the Khan Younis area of southern Gaza that features the largest underground weapons production site discovered to date in the region. Troops from the 7th Armored Brigade and the elite Yahalom combat engineering team conducted the operation in a “strategic and central” Hamas stronghold in Khan Younis, situated in a residential area near two schools. As troops raided the area, Hamas operatives responded with gunfire, launching RPGs, and detonating tunnel entrances to prevent entry. The IDF reports engaging in multiple battles with “many” Hamas gunmen, killing them through close-quarters combat, machine gun fire, tank shelling, and airstrikes.

The IDF has announced the deaths of 10 soldiers who were killed in an incident in the southern Gaza Strip on Monday, during which two buildings collapsed following a large explosion, and a tank was apparently hit by an RPG. Their deaths bring the toll of slain troops in the ground offensive against Hamas to 208. The IDF is still probing the cause of the blast, but it is thought to have been caused by an RPG fired at the building where mines were stored. Rescue efforts continued for several hours after the incident. The soldiers have been named as: Matan Lazar Hadar Kapeluk Sergey Gontmaher Elkana Yehuda Sfez Yoval Lopez Yoav Levi Nicholas Bergerr Cydrick Garin Rafael Elias Mosheyoff Barak Haim Ben Valid

Israeli officials have proposed a temporary truce, lasting up to two months, in return for the liberation of all hostages held in Gaza, according to statements made on Monday. This comes after intense discussions regarding the conflict between Israel and Hamas, particularly focusing on the hostage situation. The plan, which received approval from Israel’s war cabinet and involves coordination with Qatari and Egyptian mediators, aims to secure the release of over 130 hostages held by Hamas, as per two Israeli officials involved in the negotiations who spoke to Axios. The initial phase of the hostage release would prioritize women, men over 60 years old, and those with critical health conditions or severe health issues.

The Washington Post published a disturbing report on Sunday about the growing phenomenon of October 7th denial, with groups and forums on online media, such as TikTok, Reddit and 4chan, linking Israel to “false flag” – a staged event that casts blame on another party. Although the October 7th assault was the most well-documented in history, with the Hamas terrorists themselves shamelessly recording their unspeakable acts of torture, violence, and murder, false flag narratives denying the attacks tripled on social media in the weeks following the attack. A small but growing group denies the basic facts of the attacks, pushing a spectrum of falsehoods and misleading narratives that minimize the violence or dispute its origins.