Hamas’ military wing spokesman, Abu Obeida, announced on Monday that the terrorist group would postpone the planned release of hostages, claiming that Israel had violated the terms of the agreement. The next release of hostages, is set to take place this coming Shabbos, The delay comes as Israel prepares to enter the second phase of the deal, which is set to take effect after the initial phase concludes later this month. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

The Trump administration has demanded that the Palestinian Authority end its notorious “pay to slay” stipends, which incite terror by financially supporting terrorists in Israeli prisons and the families of terrorists who committed suicide or were killed in the act of carrying out terror attacks against Israelis, including the Nukhba terrorists who carried out the October 7 massacre. When ex-President Joe Biden entered office, he restored funding to the Palestinian Authority terror group, despite being well aware of its “pay to slay” payments, which includes terrorists who murdered US citizens. Biden took the step despite the fact that the funding violated US law, specifically the 2018 Taylor Force Act, which bans all US aid to the PA as long as it continues to fund terrorists.

President Trump welcomed Binyamin Netanyahu to the White House on Tuesday, making the Israeli prime minister the first foreign leader to meet Trump in his second term as president. As the pair sat and talked, they were peppered with questions by reporters, with Trump making it very clear whose side he was on in the Israel-Palestinian conflict. Prime Minister Netanyahu praised President Trump for securing the deal to release hostages in Gaza: “President Trump added great force and powerful leadership to this effort … I’m happy that they’re here.” Trump says, “Gaza maybe is a demolition site right now … you can’t live in Gaza right now. I think we need another location.” Reporter: Would Palestinians have the right to return to Gaza if they left during the rebuilding?

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu is scheduled to arrive at the White House at 4 p.m. local time (11 p.m. in Israel) for a highly anticipated meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump. According to the official White House schedule, the two leaders will first hold a private, 15-minute bilateral discussion in the Oval Office before being joined by their respective teams for expanded talks. At 5:10 p.m., Trump and Netanyahu will address the media in a joint press conference, a format they have used in previous meetings.

A critical shortage of air traffic controllers at Ronald Reagan National Airport may have played a role in Wednesday night’s deadly midair collision, according to a preliminary Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) safety report reviewed by The New York Times. The findings expose alarming staffing deficiencies that have long plagued the airport’s control tower, raising urgent questions about aviation safety in one of the nation’s busiest airspaces.

A horrifying mid-air collision between a commercial airliner and a military Black Hawk helicopter sent both aircraft plunging into the icy waters of the Potomac River on Wednesday night, sparking a massive search and rescue effort near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. According to early reports, the aircraft involved in the catastrophic crash was PSA Airlines Flight 5342, a Canadair Regional Jet CRJ-700 operating under American Airlines. The flight had been on its final approach to Reagan National after departing from Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport in Wichita, Kansas. Onboard were up to 60 passengers, whose fates remain uncertain as emergency teams race against time.

HaGaon HaRav Dov Landau delivered a shiur on Wednesday at Yeshivas Beit Shemaya, a Sephardi yeshivah in Bnei Brak. After the shiur, the Rosh Yeshivah spoke about the issue of the recruitment of bnei yeshivos. Sephardi Roshei Yeshivos and Rabbanim are especially concerned about the effect of increased IDF recruitment in the Chareidi sector since it is known that more Sephardi bochurim choose to serve in the army than Ashkenazim. HaRav Landau addressed this fact, saying to the bochurim: “You must be mechazeik and not give in to them.

Hamas is expected to inform Israel today of a third hostage to be released from Gaza tomorrow, alongside civilian Arbel Yehoud and soldier Agam Berger. Reports suggest that 65-year-old Keith Siegel, a U.S. citizen, may also be freed this week, though no official confirmation has been given, and it remains unclear whether this will happen tomorrow or on Shabbos, when three additional hostages are set to be released. In return, Israel will release Palestinian security prisoners—30 for each civilian hostage and 50 for Berger, including 30 convicted terrorists serving life sentences. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Shas chairman Aryeh Deri has issued a stark ultimatum to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, threatening to bring down the government if a conscription law exempting yeshiva bochurim from military service is not passed within two months. Speaking on Charedi radio station Kol Baramah, Deri declared, “If the status of lomdei torah isn’t regulated, we’ll go to elections in two months.” Deri expressed outrage at the current discourse surrounding yeshiva bochurim, lamenting, “Who would have dreamed that Torah scholars would be called criminals?” He also accused members of the national-religious camp of joining what he called a “hate campaign” and warned that their actions could lead to the collapse of the right-wing government.

Israel has confirmed that eight of the 26 hostages listed for release in the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire-hostage deal have been declared deceased, based on information provided by Hamas. Government spokesman David Mencer shared the devastating news with journalists, relaying details from the list submitted by Hamas. As part of the agreement, 33 hostages are to be released in the deal’s initial phase. Seven hostages have already been freed since the arrangement began on January 19, leaving 26 names remaining on the list. According to the Hamas information, 18 of these individuals are alive, while eight have tragically been confirmed dead. Overnight, Israeli authorities reported receiving the list, which provided long-awaited clarity on the fate of some of the captives.