The IDF reported  that Master Sergeant (res.) Asaf Kafri, a 26-year-old resident of Beit Hashmonai, lost his life during a battle in northern Gaza. Kafri had been serving as a tank operator in the 79th Battalion, which is part of the 14th Armored Brigade.
During the same confrontation, three other soldiers sustained injuries. Among the wounded were a Yahalom Unit officer and a reservist from the same battalion as Kafri, both of whom were critically hurt. “The wounded were evacuated to a hospital for medical treatment and their families were notified,” said the IDF spokesperson.
The death toll for Israeli soldiers since the war began now stands at 849.

Klal Yisroel is requested to recite Tehillim for the complete and speedy recovery of HaGaon HaRav Dov Landau, Rosh Yeshivas Slabodka, who is currently undergoing surgery following a fall at his home. As reported by YWN on Thursday morning, the Gadol HaDor, aged 95, suffered severe pain after the incident and was unable to attend Shacharis at the yeshiva. He was promptly taken to the hospital, where tests and an X-ray were conducted. It was then learned, that the Rosh Yeshiva suffered a fractured hip. Based on the medical team’s recommendation, Rav Landau is now undergoing a surgical procedure led by Dr. Itai Holzer, head of the Orthopedic Department at the Mayanei HaYeshua Hospital. The name for tefillah is Efraim Dov ben Devorah b’soch sha’ar cholei Yisrael.

HY’D: Master Sergeant (Res.) Asaf Cafri, aged 26, from Beit Hashmonai, a tank driver in the 79th Battalion, ‘Machatz’ Brigade (14th), fell during combat in the northern Gaza Strip.

A large group of demonstrators hostile to Israel assembled outside Chabad-Lubavitch World Headquarters at 770 Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn’s Crown Heights neighborhood on Thursday evening.
The protesters, many of whom wore keffiyehs and covered their faces, were rallying against the arrival of Israel’s National Security Minister, Itamar Ben Gvir.
Ben Gvir’s visit to the U.S. includes stops in Florida, New York, and Washington, DC, where he has been engaging with both Jewish communities and political leaders.

President Donald Trump voiced his belief on Thursday that he deserves global acclaim for playing a central role in the establishment of the Abraham Accords—historic agreements that opened diplomatic ties between Israel and several Arab nations.
“Maybe for the Abraham Accords,” Trump remarked when questioned about a potential Nobel Peace Prize nomination. “I don’t want to get ahead of myself in this one.”
His remarks came during a meeting at the White House with a visiting Norwegian delegation, which included Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and Finance Minister Jens Stoltenberg.

What began as a high-profile visit by Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has descended into chaos, as hundreds of pro-Palestinian protesters converged outside the iconic Chabad-Lubavitch headquarters at 770 Eastern Parkway this evening, triggering confrontations, shouting matches, and reports of physical altercations with Lubavitcher bochurim. The unrest follows a whirlwind 24 hours for Ben-Gvir, a polarizing figure in Israeli politics known for his hardline views, whose presence has ignited fierce backlash across multiple New York City stops. On Wednesday night, Ben-Gvir was met with loud protests and jeering at Yale University, where demonstrators interrupted his address with chants and disruptions.

Ben Gvir is at Chabad World Headquarters, 770 Eastern Parkway in Crown Heights.

BREAKING: Hours before Luigi Mangione’s arraignment in federal court, prosecutors submitted formal notice that they intend to seek the death penalty if he’s convicted.

MEANWHILE :Ben Gvir long left 770 and is currently meeting with Crown Heights Rabbonim and community leaders at the home of Chanina Sperlin.

The Department of Transportation announced on Thursday that it had reassigned the group of prosecutors who recently questioned the legality of the agency’s decision to put an end to New York’s congestion pricing plan. The move came after a misstep in which these concerns were unintentionally exposed in a court filing.
A spokesperson for the DOT confirmed that the original legal team from the Southern District of New York had been replaced by attorneys from the Justice Department’s Civil Division. The spokesperson harshly criticized the earlier legal team for what she described as a serious breach in handling sensitive information related to the tolling initiative.

An upcoming exposé on the Israeli investigative program Hamakor, scheduled to air this Sunday on Channel 13, will reveal that members of President Joe Biden’s administration had considered ways to potentially oust Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the early days of the Gaza war. The broadcast includes testimonies from nine top officials within the administration, all sharing a glimpse into internal discussions that reportedly took place inside the White House.

The United States is preparing to unveil a massive arms deal for Saudi Arabia valued at over $100 billion, according to six individuals with firsthand knowledge of the negotiations, Reuters reports. The proposed agreement is expected to be officially announced during President Donald Trump’s visit to the kingdom in May.
This planned deal follows the Biden administration’s failed attempt to secure a similar agreement with Riyadh, which was intended to be part of a larger initiative that included Saudi recognition of Israel. That effort ultimately stalled and did not reach finalization.

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