April 23: At state ceremony, Holocaust survivor says prayer for hostages’ return

Former South Korea president Moon Jae-in indicted for corruption

People watch a live broadcast of South Korean President Moon Jae-in's New Year's speech at the Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2018. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

South Korea’s prosecutors say they have indicted former president Moon Jae-in on corruption charges related to the employment of his son-in-law at an airline.

Moon was “indicted for corruption for receiving 217 million won (USD 150,000) in connection with facilitating the employment of his son-in-law at an airline”, the Jeonju District Prosecutors’ Office says in a statement.

The case adds to the political drama gripping South Korea, which is facing elections on June 3 after Yoon Suk Yeol was stripped of his presidency for imposing martial law briefly.

Moon, who served as president from 2017 to 2022, was known for pursuing engagement with North Korea, including brokering talks between Pyongyang’s leader Kim Jong Un and US President Donald Trump during his first term.

According to prosecutors, Moon’s son-in-law was appointed managing director by low-cost airline Thai Eastar Jet, “despite lacking any relevant experience or qualifications in the airline industry.”

The airline, which was effectively controlled by a former MP from Moon’s party, had given Moon’s son-in-law the job in a bid to win favours from the then president, prosecutors say.

With Moon’s indictment, two former presidents of South Korea are concurrently in the cross-hairs of justice.

Disgraced ex-president Yoon is currently facing trial on insurrection charges over his December 3 martial law decree, which lasted only around six hours as it was voted down by opposition MPs.

At least two killed, 54 wounded in Kyiv missile attack — mayor

At least two people were killed and more than 50 wounded in a missile attack in Kyiv early Thursday, the city mayor says, revising an earlier casualty toll.

“Two people were killed in the capital,” Vitali Klitschko says on Telegram. “54 people were injured. 38 of them, including 6 children, were hospitalized.

Settlers reportedly torch Palestinian home and adjacent agricultural lands in Jordan Valley

Palestinian media reports that Israeli settlers in the Jordan Valley of the West Bank torched a home and adjacent agricultural lands in the Palestinian village of Bardala.

Locals say ambulances and firetrucks trying to reach the scene have been blocked by Israeli authorities.

مستوطنون يحرقون أراضي ومنازل في قرية بردلا بالأغوار الشمالية بالضفة الغربية pic.twitter.com/gUmjJLSnv1

— شبكة قدس الإخبارية (@qudsn) April 23, 2025

Trump: ‘I think we have a deal with Russia,’ but Zelensky the hold out

US President Donald Trump says he thinks Russia has agreed to a deal to end the conflict in Ukraine, with President Volodymyr Zelensky now the holdout.

“I think we have a deal with Russia. We have to get a deal with Zelensky,” Trump tells reporters in the Oval Office. “I thought it might be easier to deal with Zelensky. So far it’s been harder.”

Yale strips recognition from anti-Israel group after Ben Gvir protest encampment

Yale University pulls its recognition of an anti-Israel student group after protesters briefly set up a protest encampment last night ahead of a visit to the area by National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir.

Yale says in a statement that the protest was unauthorized and violated campus protest policies. University officials informed the activists of the policies and cleared the area, the university says.

While interacting with the students, campus staff identified activists that had been previously warned or disciplined for violating school policy. Those students receive written notice that they “are subject to immediate disciplinary action,” Yale says. An investigation into the protest is ongoing.

The campus protest group, Yalies4Palestine, encouraged demonstrators to attend the protest on social media and joined an unregistered group to take credit for the demonstration, a day after Yalies4Palestine met with college officials about policy violations. The group was warned that there would be consequences for further violations during that meeting, the university says.

“Because Yalies4Palestine has flagrantly violated the rules to which the Yale College Dean’s Office holds all registered student organizations, Yale College today notified Yalies4Palestine that the College is withdrawing its status as a registered student organization,” the university says. “Concerns have been raised about disturbing antisemitic conduct at the gathering. The university is investigating those concerns, as harassment and discrimination are antithetical to learning and scholarship. Yale condemns antisemitism and will hold those who violate our policies accountable through our disciplinary processes.”

The Yale Daily News reports that the protesters set up eight tents on campus, similar to the protest encampments that rocked US campuses last spring, and vowed to stay the night. The protest disbanded hours later due to fears of “retribution” from the university, the report says.

Yale’s statement comes as the Trump administration cracks down on anti-Israel activism at leading colleges around the US.

Ben Gvir is scheduled to meet with Yale students and faculty at an off-campus event tonight. The group hosting the event, Shabtai, is independent from the university.

Yalies4Palestine posts an image on Instagram of Ben Gvir’s face splattered with blood, announcing a protest for tonight.

Leftist Israelis are also protesting Ben Gvir’s visit. The expat protest group UnXeptable posts a video of activists hassling Ben Gvir as he arrives at an airport in New York.

“Do you want to send a message to Omri Miran?” an activist shouts at Ben Gvir. The Hamas terror group released a video of hostage Miran earlier today and the activists accuse the Netanyahu government of neglecting the captives.

ערב יום השואה בן גביר הטרוריסט בחיוכים ולבבות לקריאות מפגינים לישראלים ויהודים אמריקאים, בנחיתתן בשדה התעופה הקטן ביותר של ניו יורק, ווסטצסטר, בדרכו לניו הייבן לא נוותר לו בשום מקום, ומחר בקואליציה של מעל 24 ארגונים יהודיים נחכה לו בניו יורק , בן גביר מסוכן לישראל ליהדות ולאזור… pic.twitter.com/t4DU3a85RC

— UnXeptable (@UnxeptableD) April 23, 2025

At state ceremony, Holocaust survivor says prayer for return of all hostages from Gaza

Holocaust survivor Gad Fartouk says a prayer for the hostages held by terrorists in Gaza, at Yad Vashem in Jerusalem to mark Holocaust Remembrance Day, April 23, 2025. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)

Lighting a torch during the official Holocaust Remembrance Day ceremony at Yad Vashem, Holocaust survivor Gad Fartouk says a prayer for the swift return of the 59 hostages held by Palestinian terrorists in Gaza.

שורד השואה גד פרטוק נשא תפילה לחזרת החטופים טרם הדליק את המשואה בטקס הרשמי ביד ושם@yaara_shapira pic.twitter.com/VRZS2WwMXW

— כאן חדשות (@kann_news) April 23, 2025

PM accuses Shin Bet of ‘persecuting right-wing activists’ in post ahead of Holocaust Remembrance Day

Amid his continued push to oust Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accuses the domestic security agency of “persecuting right-wing activists.”

In a post on X right before the start of Holocaust Remembrance Day, Netanyahu shares a recording of a conversation between the head of the Shin Bet’s Jewish Division and a senior police officer in the West Bank, during which the former discusses wanting to use a controversial practice to detain a suspect without charge.

The conversation ends with the police officer, Cdr. Avishai Muallem, telling the Shin Bet agent that “you have nothing on [the suspect].”

The recording comes several weeks after the release of an earlier tape of the Shin Bet official and Muallem — who is suspected of ignoring Jewish nationalist attacks to curry favor with National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir — generated outcry over the agent’s description of radical settler youths as “shmucks,” leading him to suspend himself.

Jerusalem lights up the Old City walls for Holocaust Remembrance Day

The walls of Jerusalem's Old City are lit up for Holocaust Remembrance Day, April 23, 2025. (Arnon Bossani)

In honor of Holocaust Remembrance Day, the Jerusalem Municipality is illuminating the Old City walls with the yellow patch symbol, alongside memorial candles and the words “Remember” and “Never Forget.”

The capital is home to approximately 7,900 Holocaust survivors, to whom the municipality says it provides social services throughout the year.

Cornell cancels campus performance by singer who said ‘F— Israel,’ ‘long live the intifada’

FILE - Kehlani performs at All Points East festival on August 18, 2023, in London. (Alberto Pezzali/Invision/AP, File)

An R&B singer who said, “F— Israel” has been disinvited from performing at Cornell University’s end-of-semester concert following outcry from Jewish students.

After a student board announced on April 10 that the singer, Kehlani, would headline the school’s annual “Slope Day” concert, the student group Cornellians for Israel called on the school to rescind the pick. Initially, Cornell President Michael Kotlikoff told students that it was “too late” to secure another performer and that the school had altered her contract to mitigate any political displays.

But in an email to the Cornell community this morning, Kotlikoff announces that Kehlani’s performance has been canceled.

“In the days since Kehlani was announced, I have heard grave concerns from our community that many are angry, hurt, and confused that Slope Day would feature a performer who has espoused antisemitic, anti-Israel sentiments in performances, videos, and on social media,” Kotlikoff, who is Jewish, wrote in an email. “While any artist has the right in our country to express hateful views, Slope Day is about uniting our community, not dividing it.”

An alternative lineup for the event has not been announced, but Kotlikoff said that the school would “revise the process for researching and selecting performers” moving forward.

Kehlani released a music video last June that flashes the message “Long Live the Intifada,” a reference to two Palestinian uprisings against Israel, the latter of which killed an estimated 1,000 people. The previous month, in a video on X, she condemned other artists for staying silent on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, saying, “It’s f— Israel, it’s f— Zionism, and it’s also f— a lot of y’all too.”

The controversy surrounding the artist’s upcoming performance comes as Cornell is poised to lose $1 billion in federal funding from the Trump administration, ostensibly over its handling of campus antisemitism.

‘We’ll never march to Auschwitz without being able to walk out,’ says March of the Living president

Cantor Shai Abramson leads the audience at the official March of the Living ceremony in singing "Hatikva," April 22, 2025. (Jessica Steinberg/Times of Israel)

At the opening ceremony for the March of the Living held at Kraków’s Opera House, the president of the International March of the Living, tells the audience of some 700 that the annual march from Birkenau to Auschwitz that takes place on Holocaust Remembrance Day is a statement to the world.

“We will never march to Auschwitz without being able to walk out,” says Phyllis Greenberg Heideman, repeating her call to create a world free of hate.

This year’s event marking 80 years since the end of World War II includes 190 buses and 90 delegations from 40 countries worldwide, says Greenberg Heideman.

“We have 80 survivors this year, it’s very symbolic, as it’s 80 years since WWII, thank God,” she says. “It will probably be the last time in this godforsaken place, Auschwitz Birkenau.”

Danny Danon, the representative of Israel to the UN, speaks at the ceremony about the lack of global outrage after the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack, nearly 80 years after the viciousness of the Holocaust.

“What followed was silence all around the world,” says Danon.
“Jewish people are not victims of history, we are its authors.”

Police chiefs and officers from around the world, a pastor and philanthropists light six candles in memory of the six million Jewish victims of the Holocaust before the audience recites the Kaddish mourners’ prayer together.

Senior Democrat Dick Durbin says he won’t seek reelection to US Senate

FILE - US Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin, an Illinois Democrat, is seen at the Capitol in Washington, November 14, 2024. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

WASHINGTON — US Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois says he will not seek reelection in 2026, ending his more than four-decade career representing Illinois and accelerating a generational shift in Senate Democratic leadership where he has long held the No. 2 position.

Durbin, 80, is in his fifth Senate term and was first elected to the US House of Representatives in 1982. His decision not to run will set off a scramble for his Senate seat in solidly Democratic Illinois and for his leadership position in Washington, as many in the party agitate for a new and more aggressive approach to confronting Republican President Donald Trump in his second term.

“The decision of whether to run has not been easy,” Durbin says in a video posted to X. “I truly love the job of being a United States senator. But in my heart I know it’s time to pass the torch.”

When first elected to Congress in 1982, a redrawn district, an economic recession and funding from pro-Israel forces were factors in Durbin’s victory over Paul Findley, an 11-term Republican congressman who was best known for his criticism of American policy toward Israel and support of Palestinians. Durbin himself has become increasingly critical of Israel, voting in favor of failed motions to block weapons sales to Israel amid the ongoing war with Hamas in Gaza.

Cannes says film festival will ‘honor’ Gaza photojournalist killed in Israeli strike

The Cannes film festival says that the screening of a documentary about Gaza photojournalist Fatima Hassouna at the event next month will honor her work after the “horror” of her death in an Israeli airstrike last week.

“Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk” by Iranian director Sepideh Farsi is to be shown at ACID Cannes, at this year’s May 13-24 festival, which runs parallel to the main competition.

The film features conversations between Farsi and Hassouna as the 25-year-old photographer documents the impact of Israel’s devastating war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Hassouna was killed along with 10 relatives in an airstrike on her family home in northern Gaza last Wednesday, the day after the documentary was announced as part of the ACID Cannes selection.

The Israel Defense Forces has said the strike targeted a Hamas member.

“The Cannes Film Festival wishes to express its horror and deep sorrow at this tragedy, which has moved and shocked the entire world,” the festival says in a statement on Hassouna sent to AFP.

“While a film is little in the face of such a tragedy, its screening at the ACID section in Cannes on May 15 will be, in addition to the message of the film itself, a way of honoring the memory of the young woman, a victim like so many others of the war,” it adds.

Just before her death, Hassouna wrote on social media that “if I die, I want a loud death. I don’t want to be just breaking news, or a number in a group.”

FBI reportedly raids anti-Israel group linked to demonstrations at U of Michigan

The FBI and police raid the homes of anti-Israel activists tied to demonstrations at the University of Michigan, local media reports.

The officers searched homes at the Michigan towns of Ypsilanti, Ann Arbor, and Canton, the Detroit Metro Times reports, citing a statement from the state attorney general.

The targets of the raid are US citizens and immigration enforcement is not involved, the report says.

At one of the locations, several people were handcuffed and released after about 15 minutes, MLive, a local news site, reports.

An anti-Israel activist group, the Tahrir Coalition, first reported the raids.

IDF says troops killed Palestinian who hurled explosive device at them in West Bank

The IDF says troops killed a Palestinian who hurled an explosive device at the forces in the West Bank town of Yamun, near Jenin, earlier today.

Netanyahu says Hamas ‘exactly’ like the Nazis, vows Israel ‘will never surrender’

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks at the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial Museum in Jerusalem on the eve of Holocaust Remembrance Day, April 23, 2025. (Yad Vashem / Screenshot)

Speaking at the official state Holocaust Remembrance Day ceremony at Yad Vashem, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu likens the Hamas terror group to the Nazis.

“Indeed, they are exactly like the Nazis, just like Hitler,” Netanyahu says. “They wish to kill and destroy all of the Jews, and they openly declare their intention to destroy the state of the Jews. They say so out loud, but it’s not going to happen. We are determined to annihilate the monsters of Hamas, these monsters who committed the worst massacre that we’ve experienced since the Holocaust.”

Netanyahu stresses the importance of fighting evil, citing the operation in Gaza’s Rafah last spring as an example.

“Exactly a year ago, I stood in this very same place, and I spoke adamantly against those elements in the international community who sought to tie our hands. They warned us that if we enter Rafah, they will impose an arms embargo on Israel,” he says. “I said that, as the prime minister of the State of Israel, no one will prevent us from defending ourselves. No one will tie our hands. If we need to stand alone, we shall stand alone.”

In fighting back since Hamas’s invasion and mass-murder, says Netanyahu, “We have changed the face of the Middle East. Anyone who feared that, after the slaughter of October 7, we would face another Holocaust, saw how we turned the tables. On this Holocaust Remembrance Day, I promise: The military pressure on Hamas will continue. We will destroy all of its capabilities. We will return all our hostages. We will defeat Hamas. And we will prevent Iran from attaining nuclear weapons.”

He describes the regime in Iran as “an existential threat — not only to our future, but to the destiny of all humanity,” and vows that Israel will ensure Iran does not attain nuclear weapons.

“If Israel, heaven forbid, were to fail in this campaign, the Western states would be next in line…. But Israel will not lose,” he says. “Israel will not capitulate.”

Mossad chief David Barnea (left) talks with Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar at the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial Museum in Jerusalem on the eve of Holocaust Remembrance Day, April 23, 2025. (Yad Vashem / Screenshot

Netanyahu contrasts the vulnerable state of Jews during the Holocaust with Israel’s current military strength. “During the Holocaust, we were like dust carried away by the wind,” he says. “Today, we have a powerful force that protects us, respected by the whole world. We have a country, we have an army, we have security forces.”

“We will never surrender,” Netanyahu says. “Victory demands resilience. Thanks to the resilience and unity of all of the citizens of Israel, we have already achieved great achievements, and we will achieve further achievements until victory comes.”

Oct. 7 survivors, freed hostages sing ‘Hatikva’ at Auschwitz

Kibbutz Be'eri survivor Daniel Weiss sings with hostage family members under the gate of Auschwitz on April 23, 2025 (Courtesy)

As October 7 survivors, released hostages and hostage family members tour Auschwitz ahead of the start of the March of the Living, they carry Israeli flags and sing “Hatikva” as they walk through the main gate of the concentration camp, infamous for bearing the quote “Arbeit macht frei (Work Sets You Free).”

Kibbutz Be’eri survivor Daniel Weiss, whose parents were killed on October 7, 2023, walks barefoot through the camp while leading the group in song.

“I will lift up my eyes to the mountains, from where does my help come? I will lift up my eyes to the mountains,” sings Weiss, a musician in his 20s.

“O Guardian of Israel, guard the remnant of Israel, and suffer not Israel to perish, who say, Hear, O Israel,” sings the group softly and in unison.

Kibbutz Be’eri survivor Daniel Weiss sings with hostage family members under the gate of Auschwitz on April 23, 2025 (Courtesy)

The group visited the 16th century Remah synagogue in Krakow on Tuesday, where released hostage Agam Berger and her mother, along with Shelly Shem Tov, the mother of released hostage Omer Shem Tov, and Laly Derai, mother of slain soldier Saadia Derai, stood in the courtyard of the Orthodox synagogue.

They sang the Krakow Nigun, the wordless melody composed by Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach decades ago when he first visited the ancient synagogue.

Bereaved Israelis, relatives of hostages and released hostages sing Hatikva at Auschwitz, April 23, 2025 (Dov Gil-Har for KAN via X)

Members of the group are also filmed singing Hatikva in Auschwitz Gas Chamber I.

Bereaved Israelis, relatives of hostages and released hostages sing Hatikva at Auschwitz, April 23, 2025 (Channel 12 screenshot)

״התקווה״: משלחת שורדי השבי ובני המשפחות בתא הגזים באושוויץ 1. pic.twitter.com/rwyPO6JY9r

— Dov Gil-Har (@DovGilHar) April 23, 2025

UN atomic chief says team to visit Iran to discuss restoring nuclear monitoring

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General, Rafael Mariano Grossi, center, visits an exhibition of Iran's nuclear achievements, in Tehran, Iran, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (Atomic Energy Organization of Iran via AP)

WASHINGTON — Iran has agreed to allow in an International Atomic Energy Agency technical team in the coming days to discuss restoring camera surveillance at nuclear sites, the head of the UN nuclear watchdog says, calling it an encouraging signal of Iran’s attitude toward nuclear talks with the United States.

Rafael Mariano Grossi, speaking to reporters in Washington after meeting with Iranian officials in Tehran last week, joins the American and Iranian sides in projecting optimism after a second round of negotiations Saturday over the Islamic Republic’s rapidly advancing nuclear program. Technical-level talks are expected this week.

Iranian leaders are engaged “with a sense of trying to get to an agreement,” Grossi says. “That is my impression.”

Israelis pack Hostages Square for gathering marking Holocaust Remembrance Day

Large crowds of Israelis gather at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv for a special Holocaust Remembrance Day gathering, to support the families of the hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, April 23, 2025. (Adar Eyal / Pro-Democracy Protest Movement)

Large crowds of Israelis fill Hostages Square in Tel Aviv for an event organized to coincide with Holocaust Remembrance Day.

Anat Angrest (left), mother of hostage Matan Angrest, speaks at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv, alongside Holocaust survivor Aliza Landau, at a special gathering to mark Israel’s Holocaust Remembrance Day, April 23, 2025. (Paulina Patimer / Hostages’ Families Forum)

The gathering is arranged by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum and the Zikaron BaSalon initiative (literally, “commemoration in the living room”), which brings Holocaust survivors’ stories to groups.

Large crowds of Israelis listen to an address by Holocaust survivor Aliza Landau at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv, at a special Holocaust Remembrance Day gathering, to support the families of the hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, April 23, 2025. (Adar Eyal / Pro-Democracy Protest Movement)

Among the speakers are Holocaust survivor Aliza Landau; Anat Angrest, mother of hostage Matan Angrest; and Kobi Ohel, father of hostage Alon Ohel.

Appealing for unity, Herzog warns ‘history won’t forgive those who dismantle Israel from within’

President Isaac Herzog speaks at the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial Museum in Jerusalem on the eve of Holocaust Remembrance Day, April 23, 2025. (Yad Vashem / Screenshot)

In his address at the official state ceremony at Yad Vashem for Holocaust Remembrance Day, President Isaac Herzog issues an appeal for national unity.

Herzog says he often meets with Holocaust survivors, who share their horrific personal stories, but they all conclude with the same message: “President, please, we beg, we demand — the division within us is terrible. Let there be unity in the people.”

“History will not forgive those who behave irresponsibly and dismantle us from within,” Herzog says. “We must not allow the poison of social media, and the experts in smearing and polarization, to take over the soul of the people and destroy us from within.”

Herzog says he views the survivors’ stories as a victory for the Jewish people.

“I find myself saying – sometimes silently – to myself, sometimes aloud – to them, ‘Here – you won. Here – we won.'”

Calling for collective reflection during the 10 days leading to Independence Day, Herzog says, “Let us lower the flames. Let us mend our hearts.”

He also says that while nothing compares to “the scale and systematicness” of the Holocaust, “it’s impossible not to be exposed to the terrifying testimonies from the heart of the horror on October 7… and not be shocked by the echoes of that historical catastrophe.”

Israel to send low-level representation to pope’s funeral

Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin, left, prays in front of the body of Pope Francis laid out in state inside his private chapel at the Vatican, April 21, 2025. (Vatican Media via AP, HO)

Most major nations will be sending heads of state or government, or royalty, to Pope Francis’s funeral on Saturday, but Israel will be represented only by its ambassador to the Vatican.

The decision to keep the representation at about the lowest level possible is a sign of how far Israel’s relations with the Vatican have deteriorated since the start of the war with Hamas in Gaza in 2023, diplomats say.

It also follows an Israeli government decision to delete a social media post that had offered condolences for the pope’s death.

WATCH: Israel marks Holocaust Remembrance Day

The annual Holocaust Remembrance Day ceremony has started at Yad Vashem’s Warsaw Ghetto Square in Jerusalem.

This year’s theme for the ceremony is “Out of the Depths: The Anguish of Liberation and Rebirth.”

President Isaac Herzog and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will both deliver remarks. Yad Vashem Chairman Dani Dayan will light the Memorial Torch.

Six Holocaust survivors will light torches: Arie Durst, Monika Barzel, Felix Sorin, Rachel Katz, Arie Reiter and Gad Fartouk.

Eva Erben will deliver remarks on behalf of the survivors while fellow Holocaust survivor Yehuda Hauptman will recite a prayer for the souls of the martyrs.

Trump lashes out at Zelensky for refusing to formally cede Crimea to Russia

US President Donald Trump, right, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky clash in the Oval Office at the White House on February 28, 2025, in Washington, DC. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images/AFP)

WASHINGTON — US President Donald Trump says a deal on halting the Ukraine war is “very close,” but slams Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky over his refusal to formally cede Crimea to Russia.

“It’s inflammatory statements like Zelenskyy’s that makes it so difficult to settle this War,” Trump says in a post on Truth Social, adding that “We are very close to a Deal.”

Contradicting PM, Likud spokesman says ‘professionals’ decide which hostages are freed

Contradicting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a spokesman for his Likud party says unidentified Israeli officials are responsible for choosing the hostages who will be freed during ceasefires with Hamas.

In a post responding to comments by Einav Zangauker that Netanyahu plans to leave her son Matan in captivity “as revenge” for her criticism of the premier, Guy Levy says “the list [of hostages to be freed] is chosen by professionals and not the prime minister.”

“The prime minister is committed to continuing to return everyone home… including your dear Matan,” Levy writes on X.

Levy’s post comes a week after Netanyahu told the mother of hostage Avinatan Or that “only Hamas determines who will be on the list” of those to be released.

IDF: Strike on former school in Gaza City targeted Hamas and Islamic Jihad operatives

Palestinians inspect the damage after an Israeli airstrike on Yaffa School, in Gaza City, April 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)

The IDF and Shin Bet say an airstrike early this morning targeted Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad operatives embedded within a former school in Gaza City.

The strike on the Yaffa School, which served as a shelter for displaced Gazans, killed at least six Palestinians, according to local media reports.

According to the military, Hamas and Islamic Jihad were using the school as a command center to plan and carry out attacks on Israel and troops.

The IDF says it took steps to mitigate civilian harm in the strike, including the use of a “precision munition, aerial surveillance and additional intelligence.”

“The terror organizations systematically violate international law while taking over civilian infrastructure, and while brutally exploiting the civilian population as a human shield for its terror attacks,” the military adds.

احتراق خيام وفصول وبداخلها نازحين جراء قصف الاحتلال مدرسة يافا في حي التفاح شرق مدينة غزة pic.twitter.com/JqzdxGtGfD

— شبكة قدس الإخبارية (@qudsn) April 23, 2025

Military official says West Bank shooting doesn’t appear linked to terror

The shooting incident near the West Bank settlement of Elon Moreh is apparently not terror-related, but rather a feud between Palestinians in the nearby town of Salem, according to a military official.

There are no reports of injuries to Israelis in the incident.

The IDF is operating in Salem currently and has encircled the town, the official adds.

IDF says looking into reports of shooting near Elon Moreh settlement

The IDF says it has received reports of a shooting near the West Bank settlement of Elon Moreh.

It says further details will be provided soon.

Fire service says 9 lightly hurt in blazes; PM warns against ‘fire traps’

A Fire and Rescue Authority spokesman tells The Times of Israel that nine people have been lightly injured as a result of the blazes outside Jerusalem, including seven firefighters and two civilians. Hebrew media reports indicate a Border Police officer was also injured.

Speaking to rescue services in the command center where authorities are overseeing efforts to battle the fires, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recommends speaking with allies like Greece to prepare reserve firefighting forces.

He warns against “fire traps.”

“That is, there are open evacuation routes, and they must not be closed from settlements, and if you are unable to close them and the fire is about to close on a settlement, evacuate the settlement, and of course, not allow entry into fire traps,” he says.

Netanyahu also stresses to firefighters the importance of protecting Jerusalem and its western suburbs.

“Inform people not to come, the public — not to come close, not to enter the range of the fire,” he says. “This is simply a lifesaver.”

Omri Miran’s family: Never again? On eve of Holocaust Remembrance Day an Israeli is crying out in a Hamas tunnel

A still image of a Hamas propaganda video released on April 23, 2025, showing hostage Omri Miran. (Courtesy)

After Hamas releases a propaganda video of hostage Omri Miran, his family okays the publication of a still image from the clip.

“On the eve of Holocaust Remembrance Day, on which it’s customary to say ‘never again,’ there is an Israeli citizen crying out for help in a Hamas tunnel. This is a disgrace for the State of Israel,” Miran’s family says in a statement released by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum.

“Our Omri is strong and will not break, but his heart is broken. A year and a half, and 58 hostages are waiting to be brought back. We will not give up and will continue to fight until Omri comes back to us.

IDF says 9 Hezbollah operatives killed in Lebanon strikes this past week

In a summary of activities in Lebanon over the past week, the IDF says it killed nine Hezbollah operatives and struck over 40 sites belonging to the terror group.

The IDF says the strikes come as part of efforts to prevent Hezbollah from rearming. Operatives involved in Hezbollah’s regrouping efforts and those who Israel says were violating the ceasefire were targeted.

It publishes footage of some of the strikes this past week.

Since the start of the ceasefire in Lebanon, the IDF says it has killed over 140 Hezbollah operatives.

IDF strikes on Hezbollah operatives in Lebanon in mid-April, in footage released by the IDF on April 23, 2025. (Israel Defense Forces)

Rights group asks High Court to compel IDF to disclose whereabouts of detained Gaza medic

The HaMoked civil rights organization files a habeas corpus motion to the High Court of Justice against the IDF’s refusal to disclose the whereabouts of Asaad Nasasra, a Palestinian paramedic who survived the March 23 incident in which troops killed 15 rescue workers.

The deaths of the emergency and rescue personnel was widely condemned around the world, with the IDF subsequently dismissing the deputy commander of the Golani Brigade’s reconnaissance unit over the attack, while also finding that the attack didn’t violate the army’s code of ethics.

Nasasra was detained during the incident but his family have been unable to contact him, and HaMoked sent a request to the IDF on behalf of Nasasra’s wife to find out where he was being held.

The IDF told HaMoked in response earlier this week that it had decided to ban Nasasra from meeting with a lawyer until May 7, prompting the organization to file its habeas corpus motion to the High Court.

“This petition concerns the most basic right of a detainee: that his detention and location will be made known,” says attorney Ameeneh Qumbar of HaMoked.

“This is also the right of the detainee’s family, to know the fate of their loved one. Israeli authorities must immediately inform his family of Mr. Nasasra’s whereabouts, even if he is not allowed to meet with an attorney. However, the circumstances of Mr. Nasasra’s detention raise grave concerns regarding his well-being and he should have immediate access to a lawyer in order to ensure his basic rights.”

The IDF does not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Jordan accuses Muslim Brotherhood of destabilizing kingdom, producing and stockpiling arms

Jordan’s interior minister accuses the country’s branch of the Muslim Brotherhood of seeking to destabilize the kingdom, as well as manufacturing and stockpiling weapons, after moving to ban the group.

Interior Minister Mazen al-Faraya tells reporters that “members of the so-called Muslim Brotherhood… are operating in the shadows and engage in activities that could undermine stability and security.” He adds that authorities found “explosives and weapons transported between Jordanian cities and stored in residential areas,” as well as covert missile manufacturing facilities and “training and recruitment operations” linked to the group.

China hits out at ‘illegal’ US nuclear sanctions on Iran

In this photo released by Iranian Foreign Ministry, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, left, shakes hands with China's Vice Prime Minister Ding Xuexiang during their meeting in Beijing, China, April 23, 2025. (Iranian Foreign Ministry via AP)

BEIJING — China supports Iran in holding nuclear talks with the United States but opposes resorting to force and “illegal” unilateral sanctions in resolving the issue, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi tells his Iranian counterpart.

Beijing is willing to deepen coordination and cooperation with Tehran on international and regional affairs, Wang tells Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi during talks in the Chinese capital, according to a ministry statement.

Hamas releases propaganda video of hostage Omri Miran

Omri Miran from Kibbutz Nahal Oz was taken captive by Hamas terrorists to Gaza on October 7, 2023. (Courtesy)

The Hamas terror group’s military wing releases a propaganda video of hostage Omri Miran, who was abducted from Kibbutz Nahal Oz on October 7, 2023.

Miran previously appeared in a Hamas propaganda video last April. Following the release of other hostages during the most recent ceasefire, Miran’s family reported receiving confirmation that he is alive from hostages who were held alongside him up until last July.

Israeli media outlets refrain from sharing hostage videos or still images from them without the family’s permission.

Sharon Osbourne calls for Kneecap to lose US visas after anti-Israel performance at Coachella

Screen capture from video of Irish band Kneecap displaying anti-Israel, pro-Palestinian messaging during its performance at the Coachella music festival in California, April 19, 2025. (X. Used in accordance with Clause 27a of the Copyright Law)

Jewish stars are condemning Kneecap after the Irish band delivered an anti-Israel performance during its set at Coachella.

At least one is calling for the Trump administration to revoke the band’s work visas in advance of its upcoming — and nearly sold-out — US tour.

“Their actions included projections of anti-Israel messages and hate speech, and this band openly support terrorist organizations,” writes Sharon Osbourne on Instagram. “This behavior raises concerns about the appropriateness of their participation in such a festival and further shows they are booked to play in the USA.”

Osbourne, a Jewish TV personality and the wife of metal legend Ozzy Osbourne, is referring to Kneecap’s social media posts venerating Hezbollah and its performance at Coachella. There, the band projected a series of messages that accused Israel of genocide, condemned US support for the Israeli military and concluded, “F–k Israel. Free Palestine.”

The group also led Coachella attendees in chanting “Free, free Palestine.”

Peter Himmelman, a Jewish singer and songwriter, calls Kneecap “savvy provocateurs” and accuses the group of manipulating the crowd.

PM visits command center set up to coordinate firefighting response

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu holds a situation assessment with rescue and fire services battling the blazes in Eshtaol Forest in the ad hoc command center.

Some 110 squads of firefighters, eight firefighting planes and a helicopter are working to extinguish the conflagrations north of Beit Shemesh.

IDF says helping battle major blaze in Jerusalem area

Firefighters try to extinguish a fire which broke out near Moshav Eshtaol, April 23, 2025. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)

The IDF says it is taking part in firefighting efforts as a major blaze spreads in the Judean foothills and Jerusalem area.

Fire engines belonging to the Israeli Air Force and Technological and Logistics Directorate are operating alongside the Fire and Rescue Service and Israel Police, the army says.

An IAF aircraft is also assisting with building an “aerial picture” of the fire.

Additionally, members of the Home Front Command were dispatched to assist with evacuating civilians from areas under threat.

Israel must seek to be strong and respected rather than loved, PM tells Holocaust survivors

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara Netanyahu meet with Holocaust survivors ahead of Holocaust Remembrance Day in Israel, April 22, 2025. (Maayan Toaf/GPO)

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife, Sara Netanyahu, met yesterday with Holocaust survivors slated to light torches at the opening ceremony of Holocaust Remembrance Day at Yad Vashem this evening, the Prime Minister’s Office says in a statement.

“Your personal stories are incredibly moving — and they are also our collective stories,” Netanyahu told the survivors in the PMO’s readout.

In the meeting, the premier spoke about the historic 1961 debate between famous British historian Arnold Toynbee and Isaac Herzog, the late uncle of Israel’s current president, who was ambassador to Canada at the time, in which Herzog challenged Toynbee’s comparison of the Jewish people to an extinct “fossil.”

“We are not a fossil. We possess a life force… a great life force that allowed us to overcome the most terrible events in the history of humanity and to return and rebuild our land and our state,” said the prime minister.

“This generation — your descendants, your grandchildren and great-grandchildren — is simply extraordinary,” continued Netanyahu, referring to soldiers he’s met on the frontlines in Gaza and Lebanon, who he said “know they are fighting for our future and for the survival of our people… They are ready to fight with immense power.”

“I don’t want people to love us,” added Netanyahu, saying that “I’d be glad if they did, but that’s not my goal. I want them to respect us. Nations may hate one another — but they don’t attack each other if there’s mutual respect.

“If you are strong enough, you are respected. If you are weak, they may love you — and still destroy you. That’s what they did to the Jews. They eulogized us,” said the prime minister.

Great-grandson of Dwight Eisenhower joins Holocaust survivors at March of the Living

Naftali Furst and Merrill Eisenhower at Auschwitz on April 23, 2025 (Jessica Steinberg/Times of Israel)

Merrill Eisenhower, the great-grandson of General Dwight D. Eisenhower, the US president who, as an army general, had led the Allied forces that liberated the camps, joins Holocaust survivors at Auschwitz ahead of the March of the Living, which officially begins this evening.

It’s his second time at the concentration camp, according to Eisenhower, who lives in Kansas with his wife and four children. He says spending time at Auschwitz is necessary to remember “what happened here.”

“This can never happen again. Generations must be educated,” says Eisenhower. “My great-grandfather spent his whole life dedicated to peace.”

Survivor Naftali Furst, who remembers seeing General Eisenhower around the time that he and his brother were saved from the death march, gives his great-grandson a framed sketch of himself and his older brother standing under the Auschwitz gate.

Furst, his brother and their parents all survived the camps and came to Israel several years later, settling on a kibbutz.

Other survivors also tell their personal stories of survival, thanking Eisenhower for his great-grandfather’s acts.

“We’re alive because of the sacrifices made,” says Martin Stern, a survivor from England who was hidden by other families as a child in the Netherlands.

Israel rejects ‘ethically outrageous’ E3 statement demanding restart of Gaza aid

The Foreign Ministry responds to today’s joint statement by the United Kingdom, France, and Germany condemning Israel’s blockade of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip, in a press release shared by the ministry’s spokesman.

“Israel is fighting Hamas, which steals humanitarian aid, uses it to rebuild its war machine, and hides behind civilians,” says the Foreign Ministry, adding that it “categorically reject[s] the claim of ‘politicization of humanitarian aid’ as stated in the E3’s statement.”

In the statement, the three nations’ foreign ministers called for the immediate resumption of aid deliveries to the Strip and criticized recent comments on the issue by Defense Minister Israel Katz. They also called for Israel to do more to protect Palestinian civilians in Gaza, for Hamas to release the remaining 59 hostages, and for all parties to return to a ceasefire.

“Article 70 of the First Additional Protocol to the Geneva Conventions requires aid when ‘the civilian population is not adequately supplied,’” continues the statement from the Foreign Ministry, adding, “During the 42-day ceasefire, 25,000 aid trucks entered Gaza. Israel is monitoring the situation on the ground, and there is no shortage of aid in Gaza.”

“According to Article 23 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, a side is not obliged to allow in aid if it is ‘likely to assist the military or economic efforts of the enemy.’ Hamas hijacked the humanitarian aid to rebuild its terror machine,” further states the ministry.

Instead of mentioning that “Hamas is the one targeting Israeli civilians while hiding behind Palestinian civilians,” the three countries “chose to accuse Israel of strikes on humanitarian personnel and healthcare facilities — this is morally twisted and wrong,” according to the press release.

The Foreign Ministry asserts that the IDF “conducts thorough and transparent investigations” in cases involving civilian casualties, and says that “all condemnations should be directed at Hamas, which hides in hospitals and behind civilians.”

“The so-called balance the E3 statement is trying to create between Israel and Hamas is ethically outrageous,” the response goes on, saying that the countries mention “only in passing the fact that Hamas still holds 59 hostages in inhumane conditions underground.”

“The war can end tomorrow if the hostages are released and Hamas lays down its weapons,” concludes the ministry.

Yale students launch short-lived protest encampment ahead of Ben Gvir visit

Anti-Israel protesters set up a protest encampment last night to protest a visit to the area by Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, the Yale Daily News reports.

The demonstrators set up eight tents on campus and vowed to stay the night, but disbanded hours later due to fears of “retribution” from the university, the report says.

BREAKING: The new encampment at Yale is set up in Beinecke Plaza. pic.twitter.com/mckGvfyUvt

— Stu (@thestustustudio) April 23, 2025

Ben Gvir is scheduled to attend an off-campus event for Yale students and faculty later today. The group hosting the event, Shabtai, is independent from the university.

Iran fortifying underground nuclear sites amid talks with US — report

A handout picture released by Iran's Atomic Energy Organization on November 4, 2019, shows the atomic enrichment facilities Natanz nuclear research center, some 300 kilometers south of capital Tehran. (HO / Atomic Energy Organization of Iran / AFP)

Iran is ringing two deeply buried tunnel complexes with a massive security perimeter linked to its main nuclear facility, a report says, amid US and Israeli threats of attack.

The Institute for Science and International Security releases its report based on recent satellite imagery as the US and Iran prepare to hold a third round of talks this weekend on a possible deal to reimpose restraints on Tehran’s nuclear program.

David Albright, the institute president, says the new perimeter suggests that the tunnel complexes, under construction beneath Mt. Kolang Gaz La for several years, could become operational relatively soon.

Tehran has not allowed UN nuclear inspectors access to the complexes, Albright says.

That has raised concerns that they could be used to store Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium or undeclared nuclear materials, and advanced centrifuges that could quickly purify enough uranium for a bomb, he says.

Iran has said that advanced centrifuges would be assembled in one complex in place of a facility at the nearby Natanz plant, the centerpiece of its nuclear program, destroyed by sabotage in 2020.

The complexes, Albright says, are being built at depths much greater than Iran’s deeply buried uranium enrichment facility at Fordo, near the holy city of Qom.

Commercial satellite images taken on March 29 showed hardened entrances to the complexes, high wall panels erected along the verges of a graded road encircling the mountain peak, and excavations for the installation of more panels, the report says.

The north side of the perimeter joins the Natanz plant security ring, it says.

More firefighters pulled in to battle brush fires

The Fire and Rescue Authority is enlisting firefighters from six districts to put out a wave of forest fires currently engulfing central Israel.

According to Hebrew media, 110 squads of firefighters, eight firefighting planes and a helicopter are working to extinguish the conflagrations overtaking Eshtaol Forest, north of Beit Shemesh.

Meanwhile, 25 other teams are operating near Route 6 in the Shfela region to protect the moshavs of Petahia, Pedaya and Yatzitz.

The fires are currently spreading north in the direction of Route 1, says a police spokesman. Officers are scanning for hikers in areas threatened by the brush fires.

Jerusalem District police are evacuating residents of Beit Meir, as well as Eshtaol and Mesilat Zion, to the nearby moshavim of Tzora and Beit Nekofa.

Jordan outlaws Muslim Brotherhood, confiscates its assets and offices

Weaponry seized in what Jordan said was a plot linked to the Muslim Brotherhood to carry out attacks on targets inside the kingdom involving rockets and drones, April 15, 2025. (Jordanian General Intelligence Department via X, used in accordance with Clause 27a of the Copyright Law)

Jordanian authorities have outlawed the Muslim Brotherhood, a Hamas ally and Jordan’s largest opposition group, and confiscated its assets after members of the group were found to be linked to a sabotage plot, Interior Minister Mazen Fraya says.

The decision will take immediate effect, officials say.

Last week, Jordanian security forces arrested 16 people linked to the Muslim Brotherhood who were trained and financed in Lebanon and had plotted attacks on targets inside the kingdom involving rockets and drones.

Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.

France evacuates over 100 Palestinians from Gaza

France evacuates over 100 Palestinians from the Gaza Strip, a French official tells The Times of Israel.

The effort is part of France’s campaign since the war started 18 months ago to evacuate French nationals, Palestinians working for France and their relatives, and Palestinians with links to France. The Gazans were evacuated for health and humanitarian reasons, says the official.

Israel has made approval of evacuations from Gaza easier in recent weeks, The Times of Israel has learned.

Rubio says Trump determined to stop Iran from gaining nuclear weapons, but hopes to do so through negotiations

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says that US President Donald Trump is determined to prevent Iran from attaining a nuclear weapon, and would prefer to do that by negotiations.

“We do not want a war,” Rubio says on the Honestly with Bari Weiss podcast. “We do not want to see war. This is not a president that campaigned on starting wars. And as he said very clearly, Iran is not going to have a nuclear weapon and he reserves every right to prevent that from happening, but he would prefer it not happen. He would prefer that there not be a need to resort to military force, either by us or anybody else. He would prefer that it’d be something that we can negotiate.”

He offers a vote of confidence in US special envoy Steve Witkoff, saying, “We have good people negotiating.”

“The Iranians have shown a willingness to talk. We’re going to talk to them,” stresses Rubio, adding that “if Iran wants a civil nuclear program, they can have one just like many other countries in the world have one. That is, they import enriched material.”

A third round of US-Iran nuclear talks is scheduled for Saturday.

Rubio emphasizes how “complex” a war with Iran would be.

“Any military action at this point in the Middle East, whether it’s against Iran by us or anybody else, could in fact trigger a broader conflict,” he says.

“They have spent billions of dollars developing military capabilities that we’re seeing, for example, being used in Ukraine right now, with drones and the like.”

IDF won’t meet 2024-2025 Haredi conscription targets, official tells Knesset defense committee

Despite aiming to recruit 4,800 Haredi men during the 2024-2025 draft cycle, only 1,721 have enlisted thus far, Lt. Col. Avigdor Dickstein, head of the Haredi branch of the IDF’s Personnel Directorate, tells the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.

“We set ourselves a target of 4,800 and we will not reach that. There is an upward trend here, but it is not sufficient and does not correspond to the very large operational need,” he says.

Out of 18,915 Haredi men issued conscription orders during the current enlistment cycle, only 232 have joined the army, 57 of them in combat roles.

According to Dickstein, 1,840 of those recruits ignored initial draft orders and received an immediate call-up order that, if ignored, makes them draft evaders.

The consequences of being declared a draft evader include receiving a “no exit order” — being barred from leaving the country — and, during any encounter with the police, the draft dodger can be arrested.

So far, 962 have been declared draft evaders, Dickstein said, while another 68 received exemptions for various reasons.

Since January, 340 people eligible for enlistment have been held up at Ben Gurion Airport, 322 of them while attempting to exit the country. Of that number, 100 people, half of them Haredi, were prevented from leaving.

“Currently, the most significant and effective sanction is Ben Gurion Airport; there is currently no other sanction,” Dickstein states. “There is the ability to make arrests, but it is extremely ineffective. If I grab him and put him in a police car, will he end up enlisting?”

Israel pavilion showcases history and innovation at Expo 2025 in Osaka

Israeli and Japanese officials at the opening of the Israeli pavilion at the 2025 World Expo in Osaka, on April 23, 2025. (The Israel Commission for Expo 2025 in Osaka)

Israel has opened its pavilion at the 2025 World Expo in Osaka, the Foreign Ministry announces today.

In a festive ceremony led by Ambassador to Japan Gilad Cohen and Commissioner General of the Israeli Expo Yahel Vilan, a mezuzah — a case containing parchment with Jewish scripture traditionally affixed by Jews to their doorframes — is placed at the pavilion’s entrance “to symbolize its connection to Jewish heritage,” while Cohen dedicates the event to the 59 hostages still held in Gaza, reads the statement.

“We pray for the speedy return of all 59 hostages, and hope to welcome them here at the pavilion in Osaka,” says Cohen.

The pavilion features ancient artifacts from Jerusalem alongside Israeli technological innovations, says the Foreign Ministry, adding that over one million visitors are expected at the pavilion, which will host events on health, tech, tourism, and more throughout the six-month exhibition, “highlighting Israel’s contributions to the world and to Japan in particular.”

Among the attendees at the opening are members of parliament, the deputy governor of Osaka Prefecture, the mayor of Osaka, and various government representatives, as well as foreign diplomats, business leaders, and friends of Israel in Japan, says the Foreign Ministry.

“Especially in this challenging time, Israel is proud to raise its flag at Expo 2025 and share the Israeli story. The pavilion stands as a testament to Israel’s unique ability to honor its rich heritage while leading global innovation,” adds Cohen.

IDF acknowledges issues with new long-range missile alert system during Houthi attack

The IDF acknowledges that there were delays in issuing an early warning to civilians in this morning’s Houthi ballistic missile attack on the Haifa area.

The military recently deployed a new system to alert civilians of long-range missile attacks via a push notification on their phones, 3-5 minutes before sirens sound. The system was used in the early-morning attack, though the early alert was received very shortly before the sirens sounded.

According to the IDF, there were no issues with detecting the missile, but a “malfunction occurred in the transmitting of information” from the Israeli Air Force to the Home Front Command.

“The issue was addressed, but the information was transmitted partially and with a delay,” the military says.

“As a result, the preliminary directives were activated at shorter intervals than required,” the IDF adds.

Edelstein says defense committee will soon start drafting final version of Haredi conscription bill

Addressing the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, chairman Yuli Edelstein (Likud) announces that his committee will continue hearing testimony and background data for several more sessions before drafting a final version of the coalition’s controversial bill regulating ultra-Orthodox conscription.

“We will continue with a few more final debates to cover all the relevant material and hear from all the relevant parties, and then we will move on to writing the draft law,” he says.

Despite the prime minister’s assurances to his ultra-Orthodox allies that it will pass, the legislation has long been stuck in committee, with Edelstein pledging that he will “only produce a real conscription law that will significantly increase the IDF’s conscription base.”

Edelstein’s comments came after the publication of a recording of a call between Haredi representatives and an adviser to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in which the adviser could be heard stating that the bill would be passed “with or without” Edelstein.

During today’s committee hearing, lawmakers are presented with data from the Central Bureau of Statistics showing that ultra-Orthodox Jews currently constitute nearly a quarter of the annual draft cohort of 18-year-old Jewish males in Israel.

IDF continues to see high turnout of women drafting to combat units

Women in IDF combat positions (Credit: IDF Spokesperson's Unit)

The IDF says it’s continuing to see a high turnout of women joining combat units, releasing data from the military’s March-April draft.

The military often funnels more conscripts than it actually needs to certain units, expecting a certain percentage to refuse the positions.

According to data from the IDF, the Border Defense Corps’ light infantry units saw a 129% draft turnout among female conscripts, and the corps’ Combat Intelligence Collection units — where surveillance soldiers serve — saw a 132% turnout.

The Artillery Corps saw a 142% draft turnout; the Air Force’s air defense array saw 115%; the Home Front Command’s Search and Rescue units saw 132%; and the Border Police saw 107%.

“In this recruitment, too, the high motivation of the enlistees to take an active and meaningful part in the various challenges facing the IDF is evident, as combat soldiers in the different units,” the military says.

Additionally, the IDF says this draft period also included a pilot program for female recruits to serve as combat soldiers in the Military Intelligence Directorate’s Unit 504, which specializes in HUMINT, or human intelligence.

Similarly, among male conscripts, there was a high turnout of soldiers drafting to combat units, all above 100%, according to the IDF.

Police evacuate Eshtaol, Mesilat Zion, near Beit Shemesh as large fire spreads on outskirts of Jerusalem

Police are evacuating Eshtaol and Mesilat Zion, moshavim near Beit Shemesh, as quick-spreading brush fires continue to blaze on the outskirts of Jerusalem.

Law enforcement has closed Route 38 to traffic from Beit Shemesh to Jerusalem, a spokesman says, as firefighters work to extinguish the wildfires in the area.

Houthis claim to have launched ballistic missile, UAV toward Israel overnight

The Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for launching a hypersonic ballistic missile toward what they says was a military target in Haifa, as well as launching a UAV toward a “vital target” in Jaffa.

Sirens sounded in northern Israel early this morning after a ballistic missile was launched from Yemen. The IDF has said that the projectile was likely intercepted.

Holocaust survivors, relatives tour Auschwitz ahead of March of the Living

Survivors Susan Rosenberg finds her uncle‘s name in the Book of Names in Auschwitz on April 23, 2025 (Jessica Steinberg/Times of Israel)

On Wednesday morning, some 8,000 visitors, including Holocaust survivors, tour Auschwitz, ahead of the official start of March of the Living, marking 80 years since the liberation of the Nazi concentration camps and the end of World War II.

Survivors enter Block 27, where the seven-meter-long Book of Names is exhibited, with 4,800,000 names of victims of the Holocaust.

Survivor Suzannah Rosenberg finds her uncle, whose last name, Avraham, is listed on one of the first pages of the Book of Names.

Holocaust survivor Ella Katz, part of the delegation from Israel, weeps uncontrollably when she finds the name of her grandmother who was killed in Auschwitz. Katz and her father hid in the forest when she was 2.5 years old.

“I only remember the end, when I was older,” she says. “It was so very cold.”

Ella Katz and her daughter Hait Shaham at Auschwitz on April 23, 2025 (Jessica Steinberg/Times of Israel)

Eighty Holocaust survivors will be present at this year’s March of the Living, along with released hostages and hostage family members.

Israel’s President Isaac Herzog and First Lady Michal Herzog will attend the 2025 March of the Living from Auschwitz to Birkenau alongside Polish President Andrzej Duda.

Survivor Ella Katz points to a picture of her grandmother’s name in the Book of Names in Block 27 in Auschwitz on April 23, 2025 (Jessica Steinberg/Times of Israel)

Police confirm death of diver attacked by shark off coast of Hadera earlier this week

Search and rescue teams search for a diver who went missing after he was attacked by sharks near the beach in Hadera, April 22, 2025. (Tal Gal/FLASH90)

Police confirm the death of a diver attacked by a shark two days ago off the coast of Hadera, after finding human remains yesterday during their search.

Law enforcement sent the remains to the Abu Kabir forensics institute for examination yesterday and just now received test results back that “confirm the identity of the missing swimmer,” a law enforcement spokesman says.

Police will continue searching for “additional findings” on Hadera Stream beach, the site of the attack, and express their condolences to the victim’s family.

“We will continue to accompany them throughout this difficult process,” the statement continues.

Herzog to travel to Poland with 10 freed hostages to attend March of the Living

President Isaac Herzog will depart for Poland tomorrow to take part in the annual March of the Living at the Auschwitz-Birkenau extermination camp, along with 10 Israelis freed from captivity in Gaza.

Herzog will be joined by liberated hostages Eli Sharabi, Hagar Brodutch, Almog Meir Jan, Moran Stella Yanai, Gadi Moses, Keith Siegel, Chen Goldstein Almog, Raaya Rotem, Agam Berger, and Ori Megidish, according to the President’s Residence. He will also be joined by families of those slain on October 7 and families of hostages.

Before the march begins tomorrow, Herzog will meet Polish President Andrzej Duda at 10:30 a.m. local time. According to Herzog’s office, the two will focus on “efforts to secure the release of the hostages held in Gaza, and on the importance of combating antisemitism worldwide.” They will offer joint statements before laying a wreath at Auschwitz’s Black Wall, where executions took place.

The two leaders will also meet youth delegations from Israel and Poland.

Herzog will deliver remarks at the main memorial ceremony in Birkenau at 3:30 p.m. local time.

Some 80 Holocaust survivors will join Herzog for the March, which takes place on Yom Hashoah, the Jewish Holocaust memorial day.

MK Gilad Kariv at Latin Patriarchate: I’m ashamed of my government for not expressing condolences over Francis

MK Gilad Kariv visits the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem to express his condolences over Pope Francis’ passing, April 23, 2025. (Rossella Tercatin/Times of Israel)

Labor MK Gilad Kariv visits the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem to express his condolences over Pope Francis’ passing.

“I’m here in order to express my condolences on behalf of the vast majority of Israeli citizens,” he tells The Times of Israel. “We present our condolences to both the Christian believers that live in Israel and to the hundreds of millions of Catholic Christians around the world.”

Kariv harshly criticizes the government for not doing the same.

“I’m ashamed by the fact that the Israeli government and the Israeli Knesset did not release an official message of condolences,” he adds. “Our president, Isaac Herzog, did it, and I expect, and I demand the prime minister, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Interior Affairs, to do the same.”

Kariv highlights how, in his opinion, the vast majority of Israelis appreciated the deep friendship of the late pope with the Jewish people, his commitment to bring back all the hostages and his commitment to establishing “a sustainable peace in the Promised Land.”

Asked about the controversial statements criticizing Israel that Francis made after October 7, Kariv says that it is legitimate to have different opinions.

“I know personally that Pope Francis was a close friend of the Jewish people and the State of Israel, and he was more than allowed to express concern over Gaza,” the MK says. “We know how to embrace the differences in opinions.”

PA’s Abbas tells ‘sons of dogs’ Hamas to release hostages, remove Israel’s ‘excuses’ for Gaza war

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas speaks during a conference at the Arab League headquarters in Cairo, Egypt, Feb. 12, 2023. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil, File)

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas calls on Hamas in a speech to release hostages in order to remove Israel’s pretext to continue its war in Gaza.

“The first priority is to stop the war of extermination in Gaza. It must be stopped – hundreds are being killed every day,” says Abbas. “Why don’t you hand over the hostages?”

Calling Hamas “sons of dogs,” the PA president tells the terror group to “release those you’re holding and put an end to this story. Shut down their [Israel’s] excuses. End it.”

He makes these remarks during a speech at the opening of the PLO Central Council meeting.

Abbas adds that the council rejects Israel’s attempts to uproot Gaza’s residents from their homes, calling it a “new Nakba,” referring to the mass displacement of some 700,000 Palestinians in Israel’s 1948 War of Independence.

“We reject this. It’s an inseparable part of our land — what’s happening in Gaza is also happening in Jenin, everywhere,” he says.

Large blaze erupts near Route 6 in central Israel, police preparing for possible evacuation of nearby homes

A forest fire in central Israel on April 23, 2025 (Fire and Rescue Services)

Multiple fire crews are battling a large blaze that erupted near Route 6 in central Israel, forcing the highway’s closure in both directions and leading police to prepare for the possible evacuation of nearby homes.

The Fire and Rescue Service says that 21 firefighting crews and two aircraft are working along Route 6 to wrestle the fire under control.

The road is closed in both directions between the Nesharim and Sorek junctions, and trains have been suspended due to the proximity of the fire to rail infrastructure.

Channel 12 reports that fire crews were forced to instruct drivers along the route to abandon their vehicles and evacuate on foot.

In light of the risk of the fire spreading further, the Israel Police says that it is preparing for the possibility that residents of nearby communities will be forced to evacuate their homes.

Elsewhere in Israel, firefighting crews are also battling a forest fire that erupted at the entrance to Moshav Tarum, close to Bet Shemesh.

Seven Fire and Rescue crews are on the scene, and 14 more have been dispatched to the area, along with four firefighting aircraft.

Route 44 has been closed in both directions in the vicinity of the fire, and drivers have been instructed to avoid the area.

Germany, France, UK call for immediate resumption of Gaza aid deliveries

The foreign ministers of Germany, France and the United Kingdom call on Israel to restart the entry of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip in a joint statement.

“Humanitarian aid must never be used as a political tool,” reads the statement, which marks today as the 50th day since Israel imposed a total blockade on aid entering the Strip after the collapse of a ceasefire with the Hamas terror group.

“Humanitarians must be able to deliver aid to those who need it most, independent of parties to the conflict and in accordance with their humanitarian principles,” continues the statement, declaring that “Israel must ensure unhindered access for the UN and humanitarian organizations to operate safely across Gaza.”

“Hamas must not divert aid for their own financial gain or use civilian infrastructure for military purposes,” it adds.

IDF officials have said that the halt on the entry of humanitarian aid has helped weaken Hamas in recent weeks during the renewed military campaign in Gaza, as before the ceasefire ended, much of the aid would be captured by the terror group. It would then either use the consignments of supplies or sell them to the population at increased prices, to pay for the salaries of its operatives and to recruit more members.

The joint statement calls for Israel to do more to protect Gazan civilians, for Hamas to immediately release the remaining 59 hostages, and for all parties to return to a ceasefire.

The foreign ministers criticize Defense Minister Israel Katz’s “recent comments politicizing humanitarian aid and Israeli plans to remain in Gaza after the war.”

Katz said last Wednesday that Israel has no intention of allowing humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip until a “civilian” mechanism is established to bypass Hamas’s control of supplies, and that the IDF would remain in buffer zones “in any temporary or permanent reality in Gaza” to protect nearby Israeli communities.

Reports recently surfaced that during last night’s security cabinet meeting, the defense minister informed the cabinet that Israel would have no choice but to resume aid deliveries within the next week or two, but must ensure that it does not reach Hamas, though an Israeli official told The Times of Israel today that “no decision has been made” on the matter.

Iran says latest US sanctions show ‘lack of goodwill’ amid ongoing nuclear talks

Iran’s foreign ministry condemns the latest US sanctions targeting its oil network, calling the move a sign of Washington’s “hostile approach” ahead of a third round of nuclear talks.

In a statement, Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei says the US policy of imposing sanctions on the Iranian people is a “clear contradiction with the United States’ demand for dialogue and negotiation and indicates America’s lack of goodwill and seriousness in this regard.”

PM associate: Haredi draft bill will pass ‘with or without’ defense committee chair Edelstein

An associate of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is recorded telling ultra-Orthodox representatives that the government plans on passing a controversial bill dealing with Haredi enlistment “with or without” Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee chairman Yuli Edelstein

The remarks, made by Netanyahu adviser Nevo Katz, seem to suggest that the prime minister is considering removing the Likud lawmaker from his position.

Despite the prime minister’s assurances to his ultra-Orthodox allies, the legislation has long been stuck in committee, with Edelstein pledging that he will “only produce a real conscription law that will significantly increase the IDF’s conscription base.”

In the recording, which was published by the Behadrei Haredim news site, Katz can be heard accusing Edelstein of failing to cooperate with the government on the legislation and appears to dismiss public pressure to pass a bill that conscripts the Haredi community.

“There is great pressure on him from the national religious public. The national religious say what? The Haredim should enlist, yada, yada, yada,” he says — adding that the bill “will pass — with or without him.”

Asked to respond to the report, a spokesperson for the Prime Minister’s Office replies that they are “not offering comment on [the] draft law.”

In a post on X, Edelstein’s spokesman Maayan Samun states that “the only pressure we have is from the reservists and the families of the fighters and reserve servicemen.”

“The only conscription law that will be promoted in the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee is a real, correct and effective law. One that recruits Haredim to the army and relieves the burden on those serving,” he wrote.

Edelstein has long stood as a barrier to the controversial legislation’s passage, personally signing a declaration of principles calling for mass mobilization of Haredim as well as the imposition of “personal and financial sanctions” against those who fail to obey draft orders.

He has also explicitly stated that he is under no obligation to agree with the position of the government on the issue of ultra-Orthodox enlistment, rejecting a plan proposed by Defense Minister Israel Katz to gradually increase the number of ultra-Orthodox recruits year-over-year until it hits 50 percent of the annual eligible Haredi draft cohort in 2032.

According to Hebrew media reports, Netanyahu met with Edelstein in January to push him to advance the law, and those close to the prime minister informed Edelstein that he could be replaced as committee chairman if he does not play ball.

A spokesman for Edelstein denied at the time that any threats had been issued.

The following month, Edelstein again rejected what he called “conspiracy theories” that say the coalition will transfer the discussion to another committee.

Watchdog group calls for criminal investigation into PM’s alleged misconduct

The Movement for Quality Government in Israel calls on the attorney general to open a criminal investigation into Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over allegations of misconduct made by Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar in an affidavit he filed to the High Court of Justice on Monday.

In Bar’s affidavit, he accused Netanyahu of pressuring him to help the prime minister postpone his testimony in his criminal trial by citing security considerations that Bar did not believe existed, and of asking him to use the Shin Bet to act against anti-government activists involved in legitimate political protest.

The Movement for Quality Government argues in its letter to Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara that these alleged actions by Netanyahu constitute criminal violations of interfering in the course of justice, as well as breach of trust.

Using government powers for unlawful purposes could constitute a breach of trust, while trying to postpone testimony in court by pressuring a public official to make a declaration to the court that he did not believe could constitute interference in the course of justice.

“The series of facts that was set forth in the Shin Bet chief’s affidavit indicates a real and serious suspicion that Prime Minister Netanyahu committed a series of extremely serious offenses and harmed the very heart of democracy,” says the Movement for Quality Government.

It points out that the default position under the law is that a criminal investigation must be opened when the police are made aware that a crime has been committed, and that it is obligatory to open such an investigation due to the severity of the allegations and because they were brought to light by the Shin Bet chief who the organization describes as “the most senior figure in the law enforcement system.”

Four arrested for suspected gang rape of 14-year-old in Eilat

Four people have been arrested on suspicion of raping a 14-year-old girl in a vacation rental in Eilat, Hebrew media reports.

According to Ynet, the arrests were made after the girl filed a police complaint over the weekend.

Almost all details of the case have been placed under a gag order.

Ben Gvir attends dinner at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort on first official US visit

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir attended a dinner in his honor at US President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida yesterday evening during his first official US visit. While the president was not in attendance, Ben Gvir’s spokesman says that he met with “dozens of senior businessmen from Miami.”

The statement adds that Ben Gvir met with GOP House Majority Whip Tom Emmer and was “invited to speak to members of Congress and senators from the Republican Party.” Speaking with Emmer, Ben Gvir stated that “we need to bomb Hamas’s food storage facilities.”

Footage from the dinner published online shows Ben Gvir expressing his love for the American people and boasting about changes he instituted to conditions for security prisoners in Israeli prisons.

Prior to the dinner at Mar-a-Lago, Ben Gvir visited a Miami Police station.

In a statement, his spokesman says that “Ben-Gvir is expected to meet with representatives of Jewish communities, public figures and American government officials.”

At one point, he was reportedly expected to meet with his counterpart in the Trump administration, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, but that meeting is no longer happening, according to a report in Haaretz.

Representatives of the Anti-Defamation League, American Jewish Committee, Jewish Federations of North America and umbrella group Conference of Presidents all told JTA they were not meeting with Ben Gvir, with the latter three noting that no meeting request had been made.

???????????????? — BELAAZ VID: Israeli national security minister @itamarbengvir speaking now at the Fundraiser event taking place at Trump’s in Mar-a-Lago estate.

“I love the American people very much. We have a joint war against the jihad, for many years I’m fighting against them. Baruch… pic.twitter.com/8t5lJ7CeNF

— Belaaz News (@TheBelaaz) April 23, 2025

Mass honoring Pope Francis begins at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem

People gather at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem for a mass honoring Pope Francis, April 23, 2025. (Rossella Tercatin/Times of Israel)

Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, head Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, begins a mass “for the eternal repose of the soul” of Pope Francis at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, where according to Christian tradition Jesus was buried.

The ceremony begins with hymns accompanied by a choir and the organ.

Several hundred people gather inside the church to attend.

Israeli official says no decision yet on whether Gaza aid deliveries will be resumed

After reports of a bitter fight in last night’s security cabinet meeting between IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich over the distribution of humanitarian aid to Gaza, an Israeli official tells The Times of Israel that “no decision has been made on the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza.”

“The political echelon instructed the defense establishment and the IDF to deny Hamas control over humanitarian aid and any situation that could develop,” says the official.

According to the leaked remarks from last night, the spat between the two men erupted after Defense Minister Israel Katz informed the cabinet that Israel would have no choice but to resume aid deliveries to the war-torn Gaza Strip within the next week or two, but must ensure that it does not reach Hamas.

Zamir, in response, is said to have told Katz that the military would not be responsible for distributing the aid.

Netanyahu’s government ‘incapable of winning war,’ Lapid declares after Smotrich clashes with IDF chief

Opposition Leader Yair Lapid declares that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government “is incapable of winning the war” in the wake of Tuesday evening’s confrontation between Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and the recently appointed IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir over the distribution of humanitarian aid in Gaza.

“So now the government ministers are also attacking the new ‘offensive chief of staff’ they chose, creating conflicts in the cabinet and running to tell [everyone],” he says. “It’s time to recognize the facts: this government is incapable of winning the war.”

Netanyahu’s government “had a year and a half, received full support from the Americans, full support from the opposition, and the excuses are over. Not Biden, not Herzi, not Gallant — it’s them,” Lapid says, referring to former US president Joe Biden, ex-IDF chief of staff Herzi Halevi, and defense minister Yoav Gallant, all of whom drew significant criticism from members of Netanyahu’s cabinet.

“A government that encourages evasion [of military service by the ultra-Orthodox] has lost the trust of our heroic fighters, a government that is unable to define its strategy for the day after in Gaza will not bring victory. We will have to defeat Hamas under the next government. Now, bring back the hostages instead of blaming others all day for your failures,” Lapid says.

Smotrich says PM ‘ultimately responsible’ for handling Gaza war, must occupy Strip or lose right to govern

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, right, and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich attend a Knesset vote on the state budget, February 7, 2024. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “is the one who is ultimately responsible” for the handling of the war in Gaza, and if he does not occupy the territory and install a temporary military government then his “government has no right to exist,” Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich declares in what is being widely interpreted as a threat to bring down the government.

Smotrich’s comments come after he reportedly verbally sparred with IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir over the distribution of humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip during last night’s security cabinet meeting.

According to Hebrew-language media reports, the spat erupted after Defense Minister Israel Katz informed the cabinet that Israel would have no choice but to resume aid deliveries to the war-torn Gaza Strip within the next week or two, but must ensure that it does not reach Hamas.

Zamir, in response, is said to have told Katz that the military would not be responsible for distributing the aid, prompting Smotrich to retort that “the army does not choose its missions” and that the political echelon expects the IDF to be on top of aid distribution in order to ensure that none of the goods falls into Hamas’s hands.

Responding to the reports this morning, Smotrich reiterates, “Managing the civilian effort in Gaza in a way that does not fall into the hands of Hamas was and remains the most critical component for defeating Hamas and winning the war.”

“Without internalizing and implementing this, we will not be able to win,” he argues.

“I have been shouting this for a year and a half, and at my request, such an unequivocal directive to the IDF was included in an explicit cabinet decision that was received before the approval of the latest hostage deal.

“I have no complaints about the chief of staff. My criticism is of the prime minister, who does not enforce the implementation of the political echelon’s policy on the IDF,” the far-right minister continues.

“Introducing logistical aid that goes to Hamas is a step that I will not be a part of. Period!” he warns.

“The prime minister is the one who is ultimately responsible. Launch a campaign to defeat Hamas, occupy Gaza and implement a temporary military government until another solution is found, return the hostages and launch the Trump plan —  or this government has no right to exist,” he demands, referring to US President Donald Trump’s proposal to empty Gaza of its residents in order to rebuild the enclave.

Smotrich’s far-right Religious Zionism party currently holds seven Knesset seats out of the coalition’s 68, not enough to terminate Netanyahu’s majority if it were to quit.

Police find unexploded bomb near Netivot, believe it was left there by Hamas during Oct. 7 attack

An explosive device discovered by police near the southern city of Netivot which they believe was left there during Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack. (Israel Police)

The Southern District police say they found an unexploded bomb in southern Israel this morning that they believe was left there by Hamas terrorists during the October 7, 2023, attack.

Officers found the explosive device in a small, suspicious-looking bag in an open area near Netivot.

A spokesman says the bomb was likely left by Hamas terrorists who tried to invade the city on October 7, 2023, but were thwarted by police and local security forces who worked to encircle the city and guard its entry points.

A police bomb squad is working to neutralize and further examine the explosive.

‘If you are not capable, we will bring in someone who is’: Smotrich, IDF chief clash over Gaza aid distribution

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich clashed with IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir over the distribution of humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip during last night’s security cabinet meeting, according to leaked remarks.

According to the leaked remarks, the spat between the two men erupted after Defense Minister Israel Katz informed the cabinet that Israel would have no choice but to resume aid deliveries to the war-torn Gaza Strip within the next week or two, but must ensure that it does not reach Hamas.

Zamir, in response, is said to have told Katz that the military would not be responsible for distributing the aid.

Smotrich is said to have retorted to Zamir that “the army does not choose its missions,” and that the political echelon expects the IDF to be on top of aid distribution in order to ensure that none of the goods falls into Hamas’s hands.

“We have specified to you that you need to prepare for this. We will decide the goal and you will decide how to complete it,” says the finance minister. “If you are not capable, we will bring in someone who is capable. If you do not know how to do it, we will find someone who does.”

At this point, according to the leaked transcript, he is interrupted by lawmakers asking him to lower his tone, but continues: “We determined that no aid will reach Hamas, and I don’t care how that is done. If you don’t know how to do it, then say: ‘Political echelon, I don’t know.’ In a democracy, the army doesn’t select its missions.”

“You will not stand here and say to us, ‘I will not do it,'” the finance minister warns. “That will not happen. Only the political echelon decides what the mission is.”

Turning to the war at large, Smotrich is also said to have criticized Zamir for how it is being waged, telling him that Israel needs to move into a “decisive phase” regarding the future of the Strip.

“There is a new chief of staff, we waited, we were patient, and we have reached the moment in which we need to move on,” he says. “The war cannot continue as it is now, and it cannot go on forever.”

Smotrich said to have walked out of security cabinet last night as Shin Bet chief spoke

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich continued his boycott of Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar during last night’s security cabinet meeting, according to leaked quotes published by Hebrew news outlets, and left the room rather than listen to him speak.

In one instance, Smotrich is said to have stopped Bar from responding after the security chief was asked about counterterrorism statistics in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, and urged the cabinet secretary to speed the meeting along, pointing out that Bar would have an opportunity to speak later in the proceedings.

“It’s not feasible for everyone to interject,” the far-right Religious Zionism leader is quoted as having said.

However, when Bar was later given the opportunity to issue his opinion on the matters discussed in the meeting, Smotrich is said to have abruptly exited the room, saying he “needed to go to the bathroom,” and only returned once Bar had finished speaking.

The Kan public broadcaster reports that Smotrich also questioned why the security cabinet needed to hear the opinions of the Shin Bet chief in the first place, saying, “We heard the IDF chief of staff, we don’t need everyone.”

Last week, a scheduled security cabinet meeting was canceled after Smotrich announced that he would not attend if Bar was invited.

At the time, Smotrich’s office said he had informed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of his decision, calling Bar a “dangerous man” who uses Shin Bet tools for “personal needs” and to “take revenge on politicians and journalists.”

Report: Hamas to propose new ceasefire framework including release of hostages in one phase, five-year truce

The Saudi-owned newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat reports that Hamas is expected to propose a new ceasefire framework for Gaza as its representatives arrive in Cairo.

According to the report, the proposal includes the release of all remaining hostages held in the Strip in one phase in exchange for an agreed-upon number of Palestinian prisoners, the withdrawal of IDF forces from the Gaza Strip to the positions held under the recent ceasefire deal, a halt to military operations, and the entry of humanitarian aid.

According to the report, Hamas will also demand a five-year ceasefire with international guarantees.

The report adds that the proposed agreement includes the establishment of a technocratic committee for civilian governance in the Gaza Strip, based on an Egyptian proposal published in recent months, and openness for a reconciliation agreement with rival Fatah.

The report is consistent with other items in recent days. Earlier this week, officials familiar with the matter told the Times of Israel that Hamas had informed Arab mediators it was willing to enter into a long-term truce with Israel, during which it would halt all military operations, including the development of weapons and the digging of tunnels.

Jacob Magid contributed to this report.

IDF says Yemen ballistic missile ‘probably intercepted successfully’

The military says the ballistic missile fired from Yemen toward northern Israel was “probably intercepted successfully” by air defenses.

The Magen David Adom ambulance service reports no direct injuries from the attack or impacts from debris, but says paramedics are treating a number of people who were injured while rushing for shelter.

Missile launched from Yemen sets off sirens in Haifa and other parts of north

The IDF says that a missile fired from Yemen set off warning sirens in Haifa and other parts of northern Israel.

Air defense systems have been activated to intercept the missile, the military adds.

TV: PM held security meeting days after Oct. 7 attack without a stenographer present

Four days after the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, terror onslaught in southern Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a meeting with top security officials to discuss striking Hezbollah’s leadership without including a stenographer or otherwise recording it, according to Channel 13 news.

The TV report says the meeting included then defense minister Yoav Gallant, then IDF chief of staff Herzi Halevi, other security officials and MKs Benny Gantz and Gadi Eisenkot of the National Unity party, who joined the government following the Hamas attack before resigning in 2024 due to differences over the direction of the war.

The network reports that Eisenkot, a former IDF chief of staff, objected to the lack of stenographer or use of recording equipment, saying that in over two decades of attending cabinet deliberations “I have never sat in a meeting of this type.”

“That is what bothers you?” Netanyahu was said to reply.

Eisenkot then reportedly said “a serious security meeting cannot be conducted like this,” at which point Netanyahu’s chief of staff Tzachi Braverman invited the stenographer into the room to start recording the proceedings.

Netanyahu’s office pushes back on the report.

“No planned meeting was called for the date cited in the report. A spontaneous security consultation was held after Gantz, Eisenkot and others came to the prime minister. When the consultation developed, the stenographer was invited to document. The claim as if there was a cabinet meeting is a lie,” the Prime Minister’s Office says,

Foreign Ministry deletes X post expressing sorrow over pope’s death

Pope Francis walks past a crucifix, during a weekly general audience at St Peter's square in Vatican on November 16, 2016. (ALBERTO PIZZOLI / AFP)

The Foreign Ministry erases a post on its official X account expressing sorrow over the death of Pope Francis.

“Rest in peace, Pope Francis. May his memory be a blessing,” read the post. It was taken down hours later, and diplomatic missions around the world were ordered to take down any similar posts and not to sign condolence books in Vatican embassies, the Ynet news site reports.

Israelis diplomats are furious at the decision and the damage it caused.

“We received no explanation, only an unequivocal order to delete,” a diplomat tells Ynet. “When we asked, we were told that the issue was ‘under review.’ This does not satisfy us, and certainly not the public to whom we represent Israel.”

“Not only did we not say words of condolence, but we chose to erase them – and that looks bad,” says another. “Very bad.”

A senior Foreign Ministry official tells the news site that the post went up “accidentally.”

President Isaac Herzog posted condolences on X, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been silent.

Francis became increasingly critical of Israel’s war in Gaza as time went on, often enraging Israeli officials and Jewish leaders.

Rubio meets with Qatari PM for talks on Gaza, Lebanon and Syria

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio (R) shakes hands with Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani as they meet at the State Department in Washington, April 22, 2025. (Oliver Contreras/AFP)

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met Tuesday in Washington with Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani.

The pair discussed “the important strategic partnership between the United States and Qatar, including close security and economic cooperation and shared efforts to address regional challenges in Gaza, Lebanon and Syria,” the US readout says.

Al Thani — who has been Qatar’s main mediator in ongoing hostage talks between Israel and Hamas — was also slated to meet with US special envoy to the Mideast Steve Witkoff. Egypt has played more of a lead role in mediating in recent weeks, but Qatar remains a key player trusted by the US.

‘I will die and they will put me in a pit’: Family of hostage Rom Braslavski air clip from Islamic Jihad propaganda video

Hostage Rom Braslavski speaks in a propaganda video newly cleared for publication by his family on April 22, 2025. (Screenshot/X)

The family of hostage Rom Braslavski has published additional footage of the 21-year-old captive, taken from a video released by his Palestinian Islamic Jihad captors last week.

Unlike the first clip cleared for publication by his family, Braslavski’s face is not blurred in the latest segment.

“Hello to everyone watching this video, my name is Rom Braslavski, 21 years old, from Jerusalem,” he begins in the video. “I am a prisoner of the Islamic Jihad, and have been held in the Gaza Strip for over a year and a half.”

The content of the video is likely dictated by his captors.

משפחתו של רום ברסלבסקי פרסמה קטע נוסף מהסרטון שלו בשבי: "עובר שנה וחצי של סבל וגיהינום"

המבזק החברתי: https://t.co/3ChEFVCyJl
המבזק החברתי בטלגרם:https://t.co/z26wp6Skq9 pic.twitter.com/ff1E51UyPN

— המבזק החברתי (@MivzakHervrati) April 22, 2025

“It has been a year and a half of suffering, every day is hell. It has been a year and a half of lacking food, lacking drink,” Braslavski continues. “There is no food. And there is no drink. The illnesses are severe, I’m sick half of the time.”

At this point, he lifts his shirt to reveal red sores across his torso that he says are constantly itchy.

“I suffer all day, I don’t know what to do with my life,” he says. “My mental state is very bad. My physical state is very bad. I have no life. I have no water. I have no food. I’m sick. There is no medicine. There is, of course, no hospital for me. Nobody will take me to the hospital.”

“The next time I am sick — nobody will take me to the hospital. What will happen is very simple: I will die and they will put me in a pit,” Braslavski says.

Braslavski’s family says they decided to release the unblurred footage published by his captors “so that his cry can be heard.”

“He’s not just screaming — he’s begging us to save him,” they say.

The video clip published by Islamic Jihad was the first recorded sign of life for Braslavski, who was abducted from the Nova music festival on October 7, 2023.