Defense Minister Yoav Gallant declared on Sunday that Hamas is on the brink of collapse, unable to recover from the pressure of Israeli operations and cut off from its weapons supply. During a visit to southern Gaza’s Rafah, Gallant asserted that the Palestinian terror group is “a broken force running out of time.” The Israel Defense Forces have returned to areas where they previously operated to confront a re-emergence of Hamas forces, nine months into the war. According to Israeli officials, the army has defeated all but four Hamas battalions in the Gaza Strip, with two in Rafah and two in central Gaza. Gallant emphasized the significance of the Rafah offensive, stating, “The fighting here in Rafah signifies a very important thing.

Longtime Trump ally Steve Bannon was taken into custody Monday after surrendering at a federal prison to begin a four-month sentence on contempt charges for defying a subpoena in the congressional investigation into the U.S. Capitol attack. Bannon arrived at the Federal Correctional Institution in Danbury, Connecticut, around noon and was formally taken into federal custody, the Bureau of Prisons said. Speaking to reporters, Bannon called himself a “political prisoner,” said former President Donald Trump was “very supportive” of him and slammed Democrats, including Attorney General Merrick Garland. “I am proud of going to prison,” Bannon said, adding he was “standing up to the Garland corrupt DOJ.” Shortly before he arrived to surrender, a small group of supporters, including Rep.

A heart-wrenching phone call between a mother and her son ended in tragedy last week when Sgt. Eyal Shynes, 19, was shot and killed while serving in the southern Gaza Strip. His mother, Meirav Shynes, was on the phone with him when he was hit by a sniper, leaving her helpless as she listened to his cries for help before succumbing to his wounds. Meirav recalled the conversation, saying, “We spoke for a few minutes… And then suddenly I hear that they are shooting him, and that’s how the conversation ended. But we still heard everything, and it was terrible.” She immediately understood that her son was wounded but didn’t think he had been killed. As she and her husband drove to the Tel Aviv area, they began to suspect the worst when they didn’t receive any updates from the army.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Monday insisted that President Joe Biden can still win her state, a key battleground in the 2024 election, even as many national Democrats question whether Biden should move forward after his shaky debate performance. Whitmer’s statement comes as many in her party question whether she could step in for Biden and run against Republican Donald Trump this fall. Whitmer and several other top national Democrats have publicly backed Biden since Thursday’s debate. “I am proud to support Joe Biden as our nominee and I am behind him 100 percent in the fight to defeat Donald Trump,” she said in her statement.

The Supreme Court opened the door Monday to new, broad challenges to regulations long after they take effect, the third blow in a week to federal agencies. The justices ruled 6-3 in favor of a truck stop in North Dakota that wants to sue over a regulation on debit card swipe fees that the federal appeals court in Washington upheld 10 years ago. Federal law sets a six-year deadline for broad challenges to regulations. In this case, the regulation from the Federal Reserve governing the fees merchants must pay banks whenever customers use a debit card took effect in 2011. The deadline for lawsuits over the regulation was in 2017. Corner Post, a truck stop in Watford City in western North Dakota, didn’t open its doors until 2018.

Following the launch of 20 rockets at southern Israel from Khan Younis on Monday morning, the IDF on Monday evening ordered Gazans in eastern Khan Younis to evacuate the area. The IDF’s Arabic spokesperson published the announcement on social media, including a map of the zones that must be evacuated. The IDF already completed operations in Khan Younis, the second-largest city in Gaza, but based on the rocket barrage and the evacuation orders, Hamas has retaken control of the city. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

A high-profile politician in the far-right Alternative for Germany party was convicted for the second time Monday of knowingly using a Nazi slogan at a political event. Björn Höcke, who plans to run for governor in the eastern state of Thuringia in September, was fined for using the banned Nazi slogan “Everything for Germany.” The Halle Regional Court found the 52-year-old guilty of using signs of unconstitutional and terrorist organizations and sentenced him to a fine of 130 daily rates of 130 euros each — or 16,900 euros ($18,000) — German news agency dpa reported. An appeal against the ruling is possible. The conviction won’t block him from running in the election. The charge of using symbols of an unconstitutional organization can carry a fine or up to three years in prison.

For kids, summer can revolve around playgrounds, pools, bikes and just being outside. For parents, it can mean a litany of ouchies to take care of — including scrapes, sunburns and dehydration, pediatricians say. “Kids should play and have every opportunity to use their imagination, but we need to take precautions to keep them as safe as possible,” Dr. Danielle Mercurio, a pediatrician at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital. Here are the top things pediatricians say you should keep an eye on. What to do when your child is overheated It’s important to take precautions in warmer weather, especially with younger kids, who are more susceptible to heat illness, Mercurio said.

Following the widespread condemnation of the Shin Bet for the release of the director of Shifa Hospital on Monday, the Shin Bet released a statement trying to place the blame for the release on National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. “Recently,” the Shin Bet wrote, “a decision was made to change the designation of the ‘Sdeh Teiman’ facility so that detainees will be held there for short periods only. Accordingly, the Shin Bet and the IDF, following the discussions held under the chairmanship of the National Security Council, were required to act to release dozens of prisoners in order to free up prison cells.

First Lady Jill Biden is featured on the cover of Vogue’s latest issue, in a profile in which she vows to “continue to fight” and insists that “we will not let those 90 minutes define the four years he’s been president.” The First Lady’s defiance comes amidst widespread criticism and calls from Democrats for the President to step aside, following his disastrous debate performance against former President Donald Trump. Jill Biden has faced accusations of “elder abuse” for not forcing her 81-year-old husband to give up his re-election campaign.