Leftist protesters held a “chometz protest” outside the home of Environmental Protection Minister Idit Silman (Likud) on Monday morning, the first day of Chol HaMoed in Israel, spreading dozens of pitas outside her home. The leftists, who engaged in the same type of anti-religious protests before October 7, feigned concern over the hostages by tying the protest to their plight, writing “one pita a day” with the pitas as a reference to the starvation rations the hostages receive in Gaza. Silman, formerly a Yamina MK, brought down the Bennett-Lapid government three years ago over the Health Minister’s order to allow chometz into hospitals on Pesach in violation of Israel’s religious status quo.

The condition of Hagaon HaRav Meir Mazuz further deteriorated overnight Sunday. The Rosh Yeshivah was transferred to the ICU and is sedated and ventilated. HaRav Mazuz was hospitalized two weeks ago and is in great need of Rachamei Shamayim. Members of the Rosh Yeshivha’s household stated on Monday morning, the first day of Chol HaMoed in Israel: “Following a deterioration in the Rosh Yeshiva’s condition, Maran is now undergoing a life-threatening procedure.

The Hamas terror group published a propaganda video of US-Israeli citizen Edan Alexander on Motzei Shabbos, Leil HaSeder. The family approved the release of a screenshot from the video. “As we begin the holiday evening in the USA, our family in Israel is preparing to sit around the Seder table,” the family said in a statement. “Our Edan, a lone soldier who immigrated to Israel and enlisted in the Golani Brigade to defend the country and its citizens, is still being held captive by Hamas.” “So when you sit down to mark Passover, remember that this is not a holiday of freedom as long as Edan and the other 58 hostages are not home.” Alexander grew up in New Jersey and made aliyah at age 18 to serve in the IDF. He was abducted from his base on October 7.

An immigration judge ruled on Friday that Mahmoud Khalil could be expelled from the United States because of his participation in anti-Israel demonstrations at Columbia University. The decision, delivered by Judge Jamee Comans in a Louisiana courtroom, was part of a broader federal push to remove Khalil, a Syrian-born U.S. permanent resident, due to his activism.
Judge Comans declared that the federal government had “established by clear and convincing evidence that [Khalil] is removable,” following a hearing that lasted about two hours.

The Palestinian Authority has extended a formal invitation to the Trump administration, requesting that it verify the implementation of a newly restructured welfare program that has long faced criticism for allegedly promoting terrorism. This was disclosed to The Times of Israel on Friday by both a U.S. official and a representative of the PA.
The invitation was conveyed in a letter sent on Wednesday by Hussein al-Sheikh, a senior aide to PA President Mahmoud Abbas, addressed to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

JENA, La.

President Donald Trump is sending a firm message to Iran, signaling that every possible strategy is under consideration to stop Tehran from becoming a nuclear-armed nation, according to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt during a media briefing on Friday.
Her remarks came ahead of planned negotiations between the United States and Iran, which are set to take place on Saturday in Oman.

The Trump administration has directed immigration authorities to confirm whether non-citizens have submitted their personal details to a digital registry, marking a new phase in the broader crackdown on undocumented immigrants.
According to a directive issued to field agents, any migrant found without proof of registration should be “treated as an immigration enforcement priority,” and the matter should be “referred to the US Department of Justice for criminal prosecution.”
An internal source at ICE noted that officials expect a large portion of undocumented migrants will avoid registering, effectively placing them in immediate jeopardy of detention and removal.

As Pesach approaches, communities around the world prepare for the Yom Tov through the age-old halachic process of mechiras chametz. In Yerushalayim, this time-honored tradition took place under the auspices of the Eidah HaChareidis, with the participation of its senior dayanim and rabbinic leaders.
Heading the proceedings was HaGaon Harav Moshe Sternbuch, raavad of the Eidah HaChareidis, who arrived at the Beis Din headquarters in the Givat Moshe neighborhood to conduct the sale, as he does each year.
Photographer Shlomi Trichter was on site to capture the scene: