A senior Hamas official told the Saudi Asharq News outlet that the terror group is not seeking new negotiations and Israel should live up to its past agreements instead. “The movement has not closed the door on negotiations but there is no need for new agreements given the existing one that all parties signed,” he said. The official threatened that the continued IDF airstrikes on Gaza will result in “the killing of many Israeli hostages.” Meanwhile, the IDF announced on Wednesday morning that it carried out a series of airstrikes on terror targets across Gaza overnight Tuesday, including Hamas terrorists in northern Gaza who were preparing to fire rockets at Israel.

Israel is considering adopting a new policy toward Hamas to try to prevent the terror group from harming the remaining hostages in Gaza amid the IDF’s resumption of airstrikes, Channel 12 News reported on Tuesday evening. Israel is to threaten Hamas that any harm to a hostage will be met with the annexation of territory from the Gaza Strip. The understanding in Israel is that the loss of territory is what scares Hamas the most, even more than the loss of life. The report added that Israel has conveyed to the mediators that it will not compromise on anything less than the Witkopf plan for the release of the hostages, meaning the release of at least half of the hostages in exchange for an extension of the ceasefire. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

Every year on Purim, the home of Rabbi Yaakov Bender, the legendary Rosh Yeshiva of Darchei Torah, is visited by countless children, their joyous energy filling the air as they collect for various causes. It is a tradition that has long been encouraged—an opportunity to instill in children the value of helping others. “I am more than happy to give them $5 or $10 each, aside from some of the major campaigns,” Rabbi Bender writes in a post-Purim letter addressed to parents. “In years past, I have always encouraged the talmidim of our Yeshiva to feel the pain of others, urging them to find a way to alleviate the burdens of Yidden. One of those ways is to raise money for the indigent and poor.

A heartbreaking tragedy has shaken the Lakewood community, as a 4-month-old infant was niftar after being accidentally left in a vehicle near 5th Street and Princeton Avenue on Tuesday afternoon, leaving residents in shock and mourning. Hatzolah of Central Jersey responded swiftly to the scene shortly before 1:30 PM, where paramedics worked tirelessly to save the child’s life. The infant was urgently transported to Monmouth Medical Center Southern Campus in Lakewood, but despite all efforts, the child was tragically Niftar. Details surrounding the incident remain limited at this time. Additional information, including levaya arrangements, will be shared with the tzibbur as soon as they are made available. Baruch Dayan HaEmmes… (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

President Donald Trump spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin for at least 90 minutes Tuesday about ending the war in Ukraine, the White House said, noting that the two leaders agreed that “negotiations will begin immediately in the Middle East.” The two leaders also agreed to a ceasefire against energy infrastructure, both sides said. The call began at 10 a.m. ET, according to White House spokesman Dan Scavino. The White House then said around 12:52 p.m. that the call was over, though it would not say initially exactly when each side hung up. “Today, President Trump and President Putin spoke about the need for peace and a ceasefire in the Ukraine war. Both leaders agreed this conflict needs to end with a lasting peace,” the White House said in a statement after the call.

The IDF and Shin Bet (ISA) confirmed on Tuesday that they have eliminated Essam al-Da’alis, the most senior Hamas official in Gaza, in a relentless wave of precision airstrikes Monday night. The head of the Hamas government, the man who orchestrated terror and controlled the group’s iron grip over Gaza, is no more. Over the past 24 hours, Israeli forces rained destruction upon dozens of terror compounds and high-ranking operatives, striking at the very heart of Hamas’ leadership. Al-Da’alis, the architect of Hamas’ governance and terror operations, rose to power after his predecessor, Rawhi Mushtaha, was wiped out in July 2024. From behind the scenes, he wielded control over Hamas’ military and political machine, ensuring its every function served one purpose—terror.

Amid unprecedented US strikes on Houthi leaders and infrastructure in Yemen, sources revealed that senior Houthi leaders have fled the capital city of Sana’a, the Wall Street Journal reported. One source said that buses with tinted windows transported the families of some Houthi leaders from the Al-Jarraf neighborhood in Sana’a, where many of them reside. The source added that the leaders traveled north of the capital to mountainous areas where they hope to shelter from the strikes. Leaders entrusted with governing areas of the capital have disappeared from sight.

Five senior Hamas officials were reportedly eliminated in the surprise resumption of IDF strikes on Gaza overnight Monday. The IDF said that it carried out an extensive wave of airstrikes aimed at eliminating Hamas military commanders, political leaders, and terror infrastructure in the wake of reports that Hamas and Islamic Jihad took advantage of the “ceasefire” to rebuild its troops and military infrastructure and was actively planning attacks in Gaza border communities. Meanwhile, defense officials have warned in recent weeks and days that Hamas has been actively recruiting tens of thousands of new terrorists and preparing for another invasion of Israel.

YWN regrets to inform you of the tragic Petira of Yeshaya (Shuki) Roth from Flatbush (Israel), who was killed in a crash on the Palisades Parkway on Monday. He was 30. According to reports by Monsey Scoop, the crash occurred at around 5:45PM on the Palisades Northbound heading from the George Washington Bridge toward Monsey, near Exit 1. Hatzolah and other emergency personnel were on the scene, and transported him to Hackensack Medical center where he was unfortunately Niftar. The Niftar leaves behind a wife. Rabbi Abe Friedman, Chaplain for the Palisades Police (PIPPD),diligently worked with local and state officials to ensure proper Kavod Hames for the Niftar and timely notification of families.

The Middle East stands on a knife’s edge as a cascade of developments suggests the United States may be poised to imminently join Israel in a dramatic military strike against Iran’s nuclear program. From fiery rhetoric out of Washington to Houthi aggression in the Red Sea and an unprecedented American military buildup in the region, the pieces of a volatile puzzle are falling into place with breathtaking speed. The question reverberating through diplomatic corridors and military command centers alike: Is this the moment the long-simmering standoff with Tehran erupts into all-out war?