Sunday, August 17, 2025

08/17 Links: Gaza woman who died in Italian hospital had leukemia; War Expert Debunks Gaza Lies; Terrorists in the kitchen; Singer Idan Amedi reunites with combat medic who saved him

From Ian:

David Collier: Rinse and Repeat: Another Gaza Famine Lie Goes Viral
Once bitten, twice – bite me again
What makes this latest famine hoax even more astonishing is that it comes barely a week after the last one collapsed. In that case, international outlets took the image of a child with healthy siblings, a boy suffering from a tragic but very specific medical condition (CP) and presented him as evidence of mass starvation.

The lie was so blatant that even the New York Times and other major outlets were forced to roll back their claims once the truth emerged.

Incredibly, the same terrorist-supporting journalist – Ahmed al-Arini – appears to have broken both stories (1, 2).

This is not sloppy journalism. It is not an innocent mistake. It is the same trick, deployed twice in as many weeks, by the same actors. That is proof that legacy media are not being misled – they are knowingly promoting a lie.

So what is the truth?
We live in an age where too many journalists have become activists, media standards have collapsed, and editors are chasing clicks with sensationalism over accuracy. When the story can be shaped to fit a preferred narrative, fact-checking is abandoned. The presence of 1000s of journalists in the UK who once worked for foreign Islamist outfits makes a bad situation even worse.

So if there is no famine, if starvation is not widespread, then what is really happening?

The honest answer ‘its complicated’ won’t suffice. Not when we are facing a coordinated media campaign that promotes a modern-day blood libel. So I am going to generalise.

For context – in the UK today there are currently about 86000 children with life-threatening or life-limiting conditions.

To support the ‘famine’ narrative, The recent Sky News said hospitals are ‘overwhelmed’ with cases. Yes – so are the UK hospitals and we are not even in a war-zone. There were over 3000 recorded child deaths in the UK in 2023. Over 400 people die in the UK each year from malnutrition.

Now imagine a desperate conflict here. A journalist could walk into an NHS ward, take images of desperately ill children, and spin them as evidence of deliberate starvation by our enemy. Technically nothing about the picture would be false, but the framing and narrative would be a lie. That is exactly what is happening now in Gaza.

Take the latest BBC coverage – a headline that feeds the false famine narrative, suggesting starvation-related death. A child’s image used to create additional emotional pull. Only buried deep in the text does the article admit it is likely the woman suffered from a ‘serious congenital disease’. This is not journalism. This is manipulation.

Yes – war is awful. During conflict, wherever possible, very sick people should be evacuated so they can access the treatment they need. The tragic reality is that many will still not survive.

But tragedy is no excuse for fraud. We do not want media to wave an Israeli flag. We just ask that they stop acting as a mouthpiece for Hamas, and return to the most basic duty of journalism – we want them to tell the truth.
IDF Reservist Describes Scene at GHF Aid Site in Gaza
The truth about Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) aid sites has been grossly distorted. During a recent tour in Gaza as an infantry reservist, I was tasked with helping to secure the area around a safe distribution site (SDS) in southern Gaza. I did not see mass starvation in Gaza. Of the tens of thousands of civilians, there was no one close to the emaciated state of hostage Evyatar David.

With the contracting of the GHF, the IDF sought to prevent a severe humanitarian situation for civilians while avoiding resupplying Hamas through compromised aid organizations. Part of Hamas's control over the population was through its near monopoly over food and other humanitarian aid.

The area around SDS sites is still enemy territory, and there are still enemy forces without uniforms concealed among civilians, seeking to kill IDF soldiers. At the site where I was, aid seekers were supposed to leave vehicles beyond a security barrier that also served as a marker for what not to cross when the zone and aid site were closed. Fences, barbed wire, and warning signs were placed to prevent civilians from entering military zones.

Once the GHF site opened, a daily deluge of tens of thousands attempted to enter the site and grab aid. The Gazans at times overran and tore down the forward barriers. I never once saw anything resembling a line or queue. Live-fire warning shots were only employed on the extremely rare occasion that Gazans in the aid site yard deviated toward the closed military zone that was out of their way.

While it's impossible not to feel sympathy for people who have to gather food in such a manner, Palestinian aid seekers are constantly seeking to overrun the compound. Desperation was not the only driving factor. War profiteering and criminality are also driving forces. Trades and sales were being made in the SDS courtyard. Brawls over aid were not uncommon, and larger men could be seen waiting on the periphery, not joining the rush with the others.

Shots were almost exclusively warning shots fired at sand dunes. It was emphasized repeatedly to our unit that we did not want to kill any civilians, which would be counterproductive to the mission. Our experience is in stark contrast to the idea that the IDF was deliberately shooting aid seekers. When these warning shots ceased to be employed for a time, pending a review, the aid sites were overrun several times and GHF personnel were injured. The chaos was only rolled back by the resumption of warning shots by designated marksmen and snipers.
Terrorists in the kitchen: How aid organizations help Hamas and fight Israel
Aid organizations' "starvation" campaign, together with the "genocide" campaign, have succeeded in driving down Israel's international standing. But how much of these campaigns is based on outright lies that the media uncritically amplify? Already, the amount of food entering Gaza far exceeds the threshold set by international standards.

On Thursday, 104 organizations published a joint statement claiming Israel is preventing them from delivering aid and imposing excessive preconditions. Of the 104, 84 never submitted requests. Only 20 applied, three were denied, one was approved and the rest are still under review. In practice, dozens of other organizations operate in Gaza in coordination with Israel because they met the requirements.

In other words, the joint statement is just another stage in the propaganda war. A storm over nothing. Many of these organizations are fringe groups that seize every opportunity to attack Israel. Organizations whose requests were denied refused to provide employee lists.

Hamas operatives have been known to infiltrate UNRWA and Doctors Without Borders (MSF) staff. Israel cannot approve activities by organizations that provide cover for terrorist operatives. Why should Israel allow organizations that deny its very right to exist to operate?

In recent days, food prices have fallen: 1 kg. of flour, which had risen to 500 shekels, dropped to 10-20 shekels. So how is there hunger? Shortages are caused by aid being stolen, primarily by Hamas. The population is under Hamas rule, not Israeli control. If Hamas wanted, food would reach everyone - but it does not, because Hamas wants to blame Israel. Western media lead the campaign and amplify Hamas propaganda. That does not help Gaza residents; it only serves Hamas.


Gaza woman who died in Italian hospital had leukemia
A Gazan woman who died Friday in an Italian hospital after being transferred for treatment was suffering from leukemia, the Israeli Defense Ministry’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) unit said on Sunday.

Marah Zohry was flown to the Italian city of Pisa with her mother on an overnight flight Wednesday, in a humanitarian operation in coordination with the Italian government.

International media outlets led by the BBC reporting her death this weekend highlighted her malnutrition without mentioning her cancer diagnosis.

“The hospital said she had suffered severe loss of weight and muscle,” the BBC wrote, “while Italian news agencies reported she was suffering from severe malnutrition.”

The report went on to cite United Nations claims of “widespread malnutrition” in the Gaza Strip.

“The facts which the [BBC] report did not mention: 20-year-old Marah Zohry suffered from leukemia,” COGAT posted on X, affixing a copy of her Aug. 9 medical report from Gaza’s Naser Hospital.

According to the Gaza hospital report, Zohry was suffering from pancytopenia, indicating a failure of bone marrow function, and pleural effusion with high lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and was undergoing convulsions.

Israel had approved an Italian request to evacuate the woman because of her illness, and had proposed several earlier dates for her transfer, the Israeli Defense Ministry unit said.

“Israel facilitates the medical transfer of patients, with a focus on children, and encourages countries around the world to make such requests, while Hamas keeps cynically exploiting them for their twisted agenda,” COGAT posted on X Sunday.

“Will the BBC retract the story and apologize?” U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee asked Sunday on X. “Of course. The same day a Baskin Robbins opens a franchise in hell.”


IDF OKs war’s next stage, Gaza City in sights
The military has approved plans for the next stage of the war in Gaza, and “will continue striking until Hamas is defeated, with the hostages constantly in our sight,” Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said on Sunday.

During a visit to IDF Southern Command headquarters in Beersheva, Zamir said that the military would “soon” move to the next stage of “Operation Gideon’s Chariots, “during which we will continue to deepen the damage against Hamas in Gaza City until its defeat.

“Gideon’s Chariots,” he continued, has achieved its goals: “Hamas no longer possesses the capabilities it held before the operation—we have struck it hard.”

Zamir, who was accompanied on his visit by senior officers, said “the current campaign was “another layer in a long-term, planned strategy with a multi-arena perspective aiming to strike all elements of the axis, first and foremost Iran.”

According to Israel’s Army Radio on Sunday morning, the plan is to besiege Gaza City, with the aim of gaining control of it by Oct. 7, two years to the day from the devastating Hamas attack that sparked the war.

The operation will reportedly require at least four divisions, including the 98th, 36th and 162nd Divisions. Additional reserve brigades will also be called up, involving tens of thousands of reservists.

Hundreds of thousands of residents will be required to evacuate Gaza City. Gaza’s current humanitarian zones do not have enough space to house the new evacuees, so the IDF will vacate certain areas it currently controls to make room for them, according to Army Radio.

Israel, through COGAT, the Israeli Defense Ministry unit that handles civilian affairs in the Gaza Strip, will supply tents to the evacuees, Army Radio said.

The aid will pass through the Kerem Shalom Crossing to the southern Gaza Strip, in cooperation with the United Nations and international organizations, according to the report.

The IDF has already begun operating in Gaza City’s southwestern Zeitoun quarter, targeting explosives, gunmen and terrorist infrastructure above and below ground, the army reported on Friday.

On Friday, during a meeting with the IDF’s General Staff Forum, Zamir endorsed “the central concept for the plan for the next stages” in the war, the army said.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has insisted that Israel will not occupy the Strip, saying the expansion of the war is aimed at destroying Hamas and freeing the local population from its regime of terror.


IDF strikes terrorist cell operating near central Gaza hospital
An IDF aircraft on Saturday night struck an armed Hamas terrorist cell that operated adjacent to, and outside of, the Al-Maamadani Hospital compound in the area of Zaytun in the central Gaza Strip.

The terrorists were seen storing weapons and equipping themselves with weapons at the hospital compound and using it as a place of shelter.

"The Hamas terrorist organization continues to use hospitals in the Gaza Strip for terrorist purposes, cynically and brutally exploiting the civilian population in and around the hospital," the IDF stated.

The military clarified that prior to and during the strike, steps were taken to mitigate harm to civilians, including the use of precise munitions, aerial surveillance, and additional intelligence.


Censored tweet:
Whenever you get to see pictures from inside Gaza hospitals (as opposed to Pallywood street theater staged for the western media), you notice that almost everyone is a military aged male.

Israel strikes Houthi energy infrastructure site in Yemen
The Israel Defense Forces said on Sunday morning that it had struck a “terror infrastructure site” in the Saana area of Houthi-controlled Yemen.

“The IDF struck from a distance of 2,000 kilometers from Israel, deep inside Yemen, targeting an energy infrastructure site that served the Houthi terrorist regime,” the military announced, saying that the strike was in response to repeated missile and drone attacks against Israel by the Iranian-backed terrorist group.

According to media reports, the Israeli Navy carried out the strike, with explosions heard near a power plant in the capital. It would mark the second time that naval forces were used in an operation against the Iranian-backed terror group instead of the air force. Israeli Navy missile ships struck “terror targets” at the Houthi-controlled port of Hudaydah on June 10.

Later on Sunday, the Israeli Air Force intercepted a missile fired from Yemen that triggered air-raid sirens across central Israel, including in Tel Aviv. There were no reports of injuries or damage.

Defense Minister Israel Katz vowed to extract a heavy toll from the Houthis for the attack.

“The Houthis will pay with interest for every attempt to fire at Israel,” he wrote on X. “We are imposing an air and sea blockade on them that hurts them greatly, and this morning we struck infrastructure and energy targets. This is just the beginning. What follows will be powerful and painful. Whoever raises a hand against Israel, their hand will be cut off.”

The Houthis have been launching missile and drone attacks on the Jewish state—including a direct missile hit near Ben-Gurion International Airport on May 4—since the Hamas-led terrorist attacks on Oct. 7, 2023.
FDD: ‘Houthis Will Pay With Compound Interest’: Israeli Navy Responds to Repeated Attacks by Striking Houthi-controlled Power Plant in Yemen
Israel Strikes Sana’a: The Israeli Navy conducted a long-distance strike against the Houthi-controlled Haziz power station near the Yemeni capital of Sana’a on August 17, responding to “repeated attacks by the Houthi terror regime against the State of Israel and its citizens.” Local media reported large explosions that knocked generators out of service. The Iran-backed Houthis have launched at least seven unanswered ballistic missiles and seven drones against Israel since the last time the IDF struck Houthi targets on July 21.

Katz Vows to Continue Strikes: The Houthis replied hours later by launching a ballistic missile towards Israel, sending Israeli civilians into bomb shelters. The missile was intercepted by the Israeli Air Force, causing no injuries. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz vowed that the “Houthis will pay with compound interest for every attempt to fire at Israel.” He added that the morning’s strike was just the beginning. “The continuation will be strong and painful,” he said on X. “Whoever raises a hand against Israel — their hand will be cut off.”

Threatening Attacks on International Shipping: In late July, Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree threatened to escalate attacks on international shipping to impose a naval blockade on Israel. Saree warned that the group will target “all ships belonging to any company that deals with the ports of the Israeli enemy.” Since November 2023, when the Houthis began attacking Israel in solidarity with Hamas in Gaza, they have launched more than 145 attacks on vessels in the region using missiles and drones, taking dozens of crew members hostage, killing at least eight, and sinking at least four ships.

FDD Expert Response
“Israel’s campaign against Houthi infrastructure has re-initiated, and not a moment too soon. Time has shown that the only response that deters Iranian proxy misbehavior is aggressive cost imposition. Israel will need to do more of these strikes if it wants to prevent Houthi actions in the future — and the United States would be well advised to join Israel in these strikes in Yemen.” — RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery, Senior Fellow and Senior Director of FDD’s Center on Cyber and Technology

“The Houthis’ propaganda strategy has centered on projecting the image of enforcing a sea and air blockade on Israel in response to the war in Gaza. In reality, they cannot impose such a blockade in a significant or sustained way. Conversely, Defense Minister Katz’s remarks should not be understood as a literal declaration of an Israeli blockade against the Houthis. Rather, Katz turned the Houthis’ rhetoric of imposing a blockade on Israel back against them, framing that the Jewish state is conducting the same measures in a complicated war of information.” — Joe Truzman, Senior Research Analyst and Editor at FDD’s Long War Journal


Prices plummet in Gaza as aid influx transforms markets
New internal data from the Israeli security establishment shows a sharp decline in the prices of basic goods in Gaza following the massive influx of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip in recent weeks.

According to the data, which was presented to decision-makers, prices of essential products in Gaza’s markets have dropped by dozens of percentage points.

Officials say the price cuts reflect the impact of continuous aid convoys, which have flooded the Strip with flour, rice, sugar, and other staples.

How much have prices dropped in Gaza?
Here are some examples: A kilogram of flour, which cost between NIS 80-100 about three weeks ago, is now priced at NIS 18. A kilogram of sugar, which costs NIS 300, now costs NIS 50. A kilogram of pasta dropped from NIS 100 to NIS 10. A kilogram of rice, which was NIS 120 three weeks ago, now sells for NIS 30. Oil, lentils, and hummus, which previously went for NIS 90 per kilogram/liter, have now dropped to NIS 30, NIS 20, and NIS 10, respectively.

Although the data originates from the security establishment, it is also corroborated by international organizations and aid groups operating in the area.

Israeli officials say the influx of humanitarian aid will continue, and is expected to grow, in the coming weeks.

Despite the improvement, humanitarian organizations stress that Gaza’s overall humanitarian crisis remains severe. While food is becoming more accessible, challenges persist in areas such as medical supplies, clean water, fuel, and adequate shelter.


'You are letting us die': Matan Zangauker pleads from Hamas captivity in new video
A newly released video of Matan Zangauker, who has been held hostage by Hamas since October 7, showed the 25-year-old pleading with the Israeli public and leadership to bring him home, describing his severe physical and psychological deterioration.

“Every day I die a little more, another part of me dies,” Zangauker said in the video, published Sunday evening by his mother, Einav Zangauker. “You are letting us die... I hope you are doing everything possible to change the situation.”

Zangauker was kidnapped alongside his partner, Ilana Gritzewsky, from Kibbutz Nir Oz during the Hamas-led onslaught. While Gritzewsky was released in an earlier deal, Matan remains in captivity and has been subjected to physical abuse, psychological torture, and medical neglect.

In the video, orignally retretived by the IDF in the Gaza Strip, Matan appealed directly to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: “I heard that you promised $5 million and safe passage out of Gaza to anyone who surrenders one of us. I am very disappointed.”

“This is your failure and the failure of your government since October 7. People of Israel, don’t abandon us, we are still alive. We want to return safely before we go insane. Isolation kills, and the darkness is frightening.”

Turning to his family, he said, “Mom, I watch you, I hear a lot about you. I understand the things you are doing. I hear about the actions you are taking. I am very glad to hear you are okay. I hope to see you again, to meet you soon. I hope to sit with you again at the table, to eat with you, talk with you, drink with you.”

The emotional recording ended with a call to protest outside the Prime Minister’s Residence: “Don’t let him sleep, not even for a minute. We are suffering. It is only right that he and his family suffer like us. I hope that soon we will be reunited. I don’t know why this has taken so long. Why is there no deal? Why are we still here? Don’t forget us, don’t forget us.”


Gal Gadot visits Hostages Square amid nationwide strike urging release
Israeli actress Gal Gadot stopped by Hostages Square in Tel Aviv on Sunday to show support for the families of the hostages during a nationwide strike opposing the government’s decision to expand the war in Gaza while negotiations for a deal to release the remaining 50 captives are stalled.

The “Wonder Woman” actress met with a handful of relatives of the hostages while visiting the square, including Einav Zangauker, the mother of hostage Matan Zangauker; and former hostage Yocheved Lifshitz, whose husband Oded was murdered in captivity by Hamas and his body returned to Israel in a deal earlier this year.

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum also released a video of Gadot speaking with and embracing Lishay Miran-Lavi, the wife of hostage Omri Miran. In the footage, Miran-Lavi can be heard thanking Gadot for coming out to support the families.

Gadot, who does not currently reside in Israel but has been in the country for the past few weeks, has been an outspoken advocate on social media and elsewhere for the hostages and their families since the brutal Hamas-led massacre in southern Israel on October 7, 2023, that started the war.

Earlier this year, she said that the events of October 7 pushed her to speak publicly about charged political issues, “even if it’s extremely uncomfortable.”

Last month, the Hollywood star sat down with a group of released female hostages. In a video from the meeting shared by former captive Doron Steinbrecher on Instagram, Gadot told the women that they were “an inspiration and give strength to all of us.”


Former hostage Ilana Gritzwesky holds symbolic 'wedding' for partner still in Hamas captivity
Captivity survivor Ilana Gritzwesky, alongside Einav Zangauker, held a mock wedding ceremony for her boyfriend Matan Zangauker, who is still in Hamas captivity in Gaza, during a demonstration at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv on Sunday.

"Matan. If you weren't taken, we could've been married. I don't stop thinking about what was taken from us in just one day. Our world was changed, and you were taken from me," Gritzwesky said.

"You're not here to hug me, and I'm not here to keep you strong. I'm fighting for you until you return, you and all of the hostages. We will bring you back alive, heal together, and god willing, build our home together in Israel."

The crowd subsequently cheered, "You are not alone, we are with you."

Shortly after the event concluded, sirens sounded due to a missile from Yemen, and attendees were forced to take cover.


Hostage’s father: Protests Aim to topple gov’t, not free hostages
Avishai David, the father of hostage Evyatar David, voiced strong criticism against Sunday's disruptive nationwide demonstrations and said that their true purpose is not to return the hostages but rather to topple the government.

Avishai says he feels worse as time goes on: "It's difficult for us after seeing him in such a bad condition. It's difficult for us, it's difficult for him."

The hostage's father criticized the Hostages' Families Forum and stressed that some of its actions are politically motivated: "Some of the families do not want this conduct. The hidden and declared goal is first of all to topple the government and its leader. There are amazing people in the forum who sacrifice a lot for the families, but what's behind it is sending the government home."

According to David, "There is a movement that hitched a ride on the backs of the hostages' families. I say this with regret; it's very hard for me. There are some things the forum did that were amazing, but every once in a while, the flame against the government and Netanyahu rises. There is a negative force that isn't letting up, that won't miss an opportunity to oppose the government and topple Netanyahu.

David clarified that while he appreciates some of the activities, there are those who are politically motivated: "There are people in the forum who do amazing things, but there are people in the back who come with an anti-Netanyahu approach.

The father was especially enraged by the use of a photo showing his son in captivity to promote the strike: "We saw the picture on the flyers promoting the strike; the strike is so wrong, I don't know who it helps. It horrified us that they used a picture of my son, as he looked burned by fire, and exploited it for political propaganda. It's upsetting and weakening. It's difficult for me; the cynicism and hypocrisy are so intense."

Avishai's remarks echo those of other families of hostages, who have expressed frustration over the way their pain is being used in internal political battles.


War Expert Debunks Gaza Lies - John Spencer
John Spencer is a retired U.S. Army Major and leading expert on urban warfare, known for his frontline experience, strategic insights, and influential writing on modern combat in cities.

00:00 Introduction
05:50 What Is The Correct Way Of Looking At The Situation In Gaza?
16:57 Population Displacement In War
26:22 The Casualty Statistics
37:28 Was There A Three Month Food And Aid Blockade By Israel In Gaza?
49:19 Is Israel Playing Into Hamas' Hands?
01:02:10 Is It Even Possible To Defeat Hamas?
01:03:32 How Should Israel End This War?
01:15:20 What's The One Thing We're Not Talking About As A Society That We Really Should Be?


"Britain's Next" — Islamist Qatar’s billion-dollar war on the West: Ruth Wasserman Lande
Ruth Wasserman Lande is a former Israeli Knesset member, diplomat, intelligence expert, and Arabist — and she has a stark warning for Britain. Fresh from her viral Channel 4 interview, she tells Jonathan Sacerdoti why Western media is complicit in whitewashing extremism, how Qatar bankrolls the Muslim Brotherhood’s PR machine, and why the West is blind to the religious war already unfolding.

Drawing on her years in intelligence, her study of Islam, and her political career, Ruth explains why October 7th shattered illusions not just for Israelis but for anyone in the West who still thinks radical Islam is about land or borders. From Hamas atrocities to Islamist indoctrination in schools from Sydney to London, she argues the West is next in line, and too many liberals are cheering it on.


"Shame on you": anti-Israel mob at RAF High Wycombe is virtue signalling from the protest class
Anti-Israel protesters chanted 'RAF shame on you' as they held a demonstration outside an air base calling for an embargo on selling arms to Israel. Jonathan Sacerdoti discusses the latest UK anti-Israel protests.


Lebanon THREATENS Hezbollah: Give up your weapons, or else! (with Jonathan Conricus)
What happens when Hezbollah’s grip on Lebanon begins to break? In this week’s episode, Gabriel Groisman, former Mayor of Bal Harbour, Florida, sits down with Lt. Col. (Res.) Jonathan Conricus, senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and former IDF Spokesperson, for a powerful discussion from the CUFI National Summit in Washington, D.C.

Together they explore Hezbollah’s mafia-like control of Lebanon, the shift in Lebanese politics and Israel’s new “no-nonsense” strategy against ceasefire violations. Conricus explains why the hostages held by Hamas present Israel with its most complex dilemma since 1948, why military pressure, not concessions, may be the only way forward and how U.S. and Christian support play a vital role in Israel’s resilience.

This in-depth conversation covers:
Hezbollah’s power structure and Lebanon’s changing stance
The future of Israel–Lebanon relations and regional stability
The harsh realities of Hamas’s hostage demands
U.S. and Christian Zionist support for Israel in a time of rising antisemitism




Israel Advocacy Movement: Destiny FREEZES When Israeli Asks THIS Question

Why Backing Israel Keeps America OUT of Bigger Wars | Misfit Patriot Joins Me Live
Join me live with Misfit Patriot as we break down how antisemitism is coming from both the far left and the far right — and why this dangerous alliance is more powerful than people realize. We’ll also explain why backing Israel isn’t just moral, it’s the smartest way to keep the United States out of bigger, deadlier wars in the future. Don’t miss this eye-opening discussion that challenges the narratives on both sides.

Zack Bonfilio, known as The Misfit Patriot, is a self-made entrepreneur, conservative commentator, and host of the "TMP Uncensored" podcast on Rumble. Based out of San Antonio, he's a vocal constitutionalist with a no-nonsense approach, challenging political extremism, cancel culture, and fighting woke ideology. Known for his unapologetic personality with a knack for trolling, he sparks debate on platforms like X, Instagram, and Rumble, focusing on current events, personal accountability, and conservative values.




Sally Rooney, fame doesn’t give you the right to fund terror
My usual rule is not to hold the morals of the artist against the art. But in Sally Rooney’s case, I find myself breaking this rule, largely as it’s no great sacrifice to do so. Her self-regarding prose is as conformist and mean-spirited as her politics. But the politics are openly evil.

Rooney is one of those haters of Israel who is so dedicated to the cause that she has made it her most talked-about feature, a personal crusade on a level only matched by the equally pale and sour-faced Palestine fanatic Greta Thunberg.

In 2021, Rooney stonily refused to let the Hebrew publisher Modin buy and translate her book Beautiful World, Where Are You? out of commitment to the cultural boycott of Israel and Israelis, a campaign that in some jurisdictions is classified as anti-Semitic.

Her commitment to Israel’s sworn enemies is now being tested by her brazen support of Palestine Action, designated a terror group in July after it broke into RAF base at Brize Norton and did millions of pounds of damage, committing sabotage and posing an aggressive threat to national security.

Rooney’s insouciant entitlement is quite something. Like the rest of her deranged crew, only when it cracks down on violent criminality in the name of Palestine does she think Britain has a problem with free speech and “political policing”.

Like Thunberg, Rooney is posing as a law-defying martyr for the Palestinian people, standing up to the global conspiracy (as they see it) to gaslight those who truly see (like them) the (non-existent) genocidal Israeli appetite for the blood of innocents.

She wrote in the Irish Times this weekend of her decision to send all her earnings from the BBC’s adaptations of her novels to Palestine Action. “If this makes me a ‘supporter of terror’ under UK law, so be it,” she wrote. “My books, at least for now, are still published in Britain, and are widely available in bookshops and even supermarkets. In recent years, the UK’s state broadcaster has also televised two fine adaptations of my novels, and therefore regularly pays me residual fees. I want to be clear that I intend to use these proceeds of my work, as well as my public platform generally, to go on supporting Palestine Action and direct action against genocide in whatever way I can. If the British state considers this ‘terrorism’, then perhaps it should investigate the shady organisations that continue to promote my work and fund my activities, such as WH Smith and the BBC.”

What a smug cow.


‘They’re in Wall Street, they’re in the White House’: Thousands protest Israel in NYC
Several thousand protesters rallied against Israel in New York City on Saturday, in the largest pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel protest held in the city in recent months.

The demonstration, dubbed “Stop Starving Gaza: Mass March for Humanity,” took place in front of the New York Public Library in Manhattan, next to Bryant Park, and was organized by an array of Arab-led and far-left socialist activist groups.

The crowd beat spoons against pans and held signs demanding to “Stop starving Gaza,” Stop killing journalists,” and “Defeat imperialist/Zionist genocidal war-makers.”

Palestinian flags waved above the crowds of people as they marched, chanting “End the siege on Gaza now!”

Brian Becker, of the far-left Answer Coalition, told the crowd that “the US government is standing with the fascist regime in Tel Aviv, but we, the American people, stand with you, the Palestinian people.”

“They’re in Wall Street, they’re in the White House, they’re in the center of imperialism,” Becker said.

Some in the crowd answered with shouts of “shame” and “murderers.”

The rally appeared to be the largest since the arrest of pro-Palestinian, anti-Israel activist Mahmoud Khalil in March mobilized several thousand protesters.


GQ Platformed Twitch Streamer Hasan Piker and This Is Why You Should Care
Key Takeaways:
Hasan Piker is a Twitch streamer, popular among Gen-Z and known for his “unfiltered” political commentating, especially his socialist, anti-Israel, and terror sympathizing views.
Gentlemen’s Quarterly (GQ) gave him an exclusive spread that painted him as relatable, under siege, and edgy.
This seems to be a wider issue across the Condé Nast media company’s publications, which engage in politics in addition to culture.

GQ’s admiring profile of “political influencer” Hasan Piker – known for his antisemitic and terror sympathizing comments — underlines Condé Nast’s troubling blend of politics and pop culture once again.

Who is Hasan Piker, and What is Twitch?

Furthermore, why should you care?

Twitch is a popular livestreaming platform, made well-known by video gamers. It allows users and content creators to interact and form a community using live broadcasts of competitions, musical performances, and video gaming content creators playing games while providing commentary, among other commentary-driven content.

Hasan Piker, known as @HasanAbi online, has 2.9 million followers on his Twitch account alone. Although he is often portrayed by mainstream American press as “unfiltered” and someone who pushes the boundaries, his comments are bigoted, hateful, and dangerous.

Here are some of the most vile things he has said, unapologetically:
He has called Orthodox Jews “inbred.”
He has said his favorite flag is the Hezbollah flag and openly expresses support for terror groups Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis.
He compares Zionists to neo-Nazis and says they should be shunned in society.
He repeatedly justifies and excuses Hamas’ brutal October 7 attacks on Israel.
He denied mass rapes were committed by Hamas and their followers on October 7 and says “not a single bit of that has been verified.”
He called the deceased Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah “a pretty brilliant person.”

Piker regularly streams on Twitch, ranting for hours on end to his under-30s audience, at least some of whom are presumably getting their political understanding about Israel and Jewish people mainly from him.


Proscribing Palestine Action was about ‘criminal violence’ not Gaza, says Cooper
Yvette Cooper has said she proscribed Palestine Action because of its “violent criminality” and “disturbing” plans for future attacks rather than its protests over Gaza.

The organisation was designated as a terror group in July, alongside groups like Hamas and al-Qaeda, meaning its supporters now face 14 years in jail.

Ms Cooper’s decision to ban Palestine Action came hours after two vandals had broken into RAF Brize Norton and sprayed red paint onto the engines of two Airbus Voyager aircraft.

More than 700 people have since been arrested for supporting the group and the decision has prompted a backlash from Left-wing Labour MPs.

Critics of the ban have claimed that it is an overreaction to Palestine Action’s demonstrations and stunts in response to the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

But in an article for The Observer, the Home Secretary said: “Some may think it is just a regular protest group known for occasional stunts.

“But that is not the extent of its past activities. Nor does it reflect disturbing information given to me that covered ideas and planning for future attacks.” RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire and vandalised two military aircraft, causing £7m of damage.

Ms Cooper insisted that “important details” about the group’s activities cannot yet be made public because of live criminal proceedings.

But insisting that its high-profile stunts were not “the only concern”, she added: “Public protests on the Gaza crisis will continue through the summer, and the overwhelming majority of those involved do not and will not endorse violent and criminal tactics.

“That is why the proscription of this group is not about protest or the Palestinian cause. In a democracy, lawful protest is a fundamental right but violent criminality is not.”


UKLFI: University College London Hospital apologises for anti-Zionist posters
A London hospital trust has apologized for the distress caused by offensive posters claiming “Zionism is Poison” which scared Jewish patients and made them feel the hospital was unsafe.

The University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (UCLH Trust) has assured UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI) that the posters have been removed, and any similar posters will also be taken down immediately, and that disciplinary action will be taken against the perpetrators if they are found. Staff have been reminded not to display political messages and security staff have been told to remain alert.

UKLFI was contacted by a patient, undergoing major tests at the hospital, who saw many of the posters and felt “vulnerable and scared “in a hospital that had such posters on its walls. She told UKLFI that she was grateful that no one knew she is Jewish. She felt “angry, distressed and upset” about the posters. She said ““I’m an outpatient but g-d forbid in other circumstances to feel so vulnerable already and be surrounded by hostility would be so scary. I shouldn’t have to remove my Star of David necklace to go to a hospital visit”.

The poster read:
“Israel is starving and killing Palestinians in Gaza.
Children are being slaughtered beyond measure.
We have a voice, they don’t.
We are the generation that can influence the system & government.
Please do your own research and come to your own conclusions. Do not let the mainstream media influence you. It is poison. Zionism is Poison.
People are being killed, just to show the world what is happening, see for yourself:
(One of the Instagram accounts promoted by the poster was that of Anas Al-Sharif, the target of a recent strike by the IDF which identified him as the leader of a rocket-launching squad in Hamas’s Nukhba force.)

David Probert, the Chief Executive of UCLH Trust told UKLFI: “Firstly, I would like to apologise on behalf of UCLH for the distress and upset caused by these posters. At UCLH, we value diversity and inclusivity, and we are committed to providing a fair and non-discriminatory service to all individuals, regardless of background.

Following receipt of your letter, I promptly made internal enquiries and was informed that the posters were initially noticed last week. This matter was immediately treated as an incident, and all the posters were removed without delay. Senior members of staff conducted a walk-around to ensure no further posters remained. Additionally, the department’s newsletter addressed the incident, reminding staff of the Trust’s policy against displaying political messages and encouraging vigilance in identifying and removing any similar materials. Security personnel have also been instructed to remain alert.”


Channel 4 News presenter launders terrorist propaganda
One of the most egregious examples of a British media outlet promoting Hamas propaganda occurred during an Channel 4 News interview of GHF Spokesperson Chapin Fay, by presenter Krishnan Guru-Murthy, which aired on Aug. 15.

First, we should be clear: It wasn’t an interview in the traditional understanding of that word in the Western journalistic tradition. Rather, as you’ll see if you watch it in full, Guru-Murthy acts more like a prosecutor cross-examining a defendant in a murder trial. The Channel 4 News presenter is so convinced of GHF and Israel’s guilt – an assumption driven by his willing participation in the Hamas to Western media disinformation network – that he appeared to assume that every word coming out of the well-informed GHF spokesperson’s mouth was a lie.

While there are numerous examples of Guru-Murthy spreading disinformation and falsely accusing Fay of lying, the most astonishing narrative promoted by the presenter in the 23 minute exchange was when the presenter said or asked several times, in different variations, “Aren’t you the bait in a death trap? You’re luring people in and then they’re getting killed”.

Fay correctly called that out as Hamas propaganda.

In fact, the proscribed terror group first made that claim on May 27, one day after GHF began operating. “The occupation forces, positioned in or around those areas, opened live fire on starving civilians who were lured to these locations under the pretense of receiving aid,” the Hamas-run Government Media Office said.

The Hamas media office repeated the libel on June 3, writing that “These sites are nothing short of baited killing grounds. Civilians, driven by starvation under an imposed siege and famine, are lured to these areas and then gunned down in cold blood.“.

Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor, the Hamas-affiliated propaganda front which masquerades as a “human rights group”, issued a press release on July 20 titled “Starving civilians in northern Gaza lured to aid sites and executed, revealing brutal pattern of Israel’s genocide“.

In short, the Channel 4 News presenter promoted, in his own voice, the demented Hamas conspiracy-theory that Israel and the US set up a fake food distribution service as bait to lure Palestinians there so that Israel can murder them – the laundering of terrorist propaganda that you’d expect to see on Iranian PressTV rather than on a publicly-owned British broadcaster.


BBC News again does selective framing of events yet to happen
In other words, although BBC News website editors were apparently convinced that their audiences needed no fewer than fourteen items framing a “major escalation” that has yet to take place, they did not consider it necessary to provide readers with information in their own words concerning the main context to what was repeatedly described as a “takeover plan”, including the essential background that is Hamas’ continued presence, military infrastructure and holding of hostages in those particular areas.

That omission obviously hinders audience comprehension of the fact that “misery for Palestinians” could be avoided were Hamas to release the fifty hostages it still holds more than 22 months after starting the current war – and that crucial point is of course the essential factor for understanding of this topic as a whole.


Moroccan journalist detained in Cuba over Israel travel
A Moroccan journalist associated with an American think tank was detained during a routine transit flight through Havana because of the Israeli stamps in his passport.

The Philadelphia-based Middle East Forum (MEF) condemned the arbitrary detention, interrogation and forced deportation of Amine Ayoub, a fellow in the organization who was held for 32 hours without food or water before being sent back to Morocco.

The incident began when Ayoub arrived at José Martí International Airport via France en route to the Bahamas for a family reunion.

Cuban authorities subjected him to a nearly five-hour interrogation focused obsessively on Israeli visa stamps, seized his phone under false pretenses of “checking reservations,” and ultimately denied his onward travel without explanation or documentation, the organization said.

“I didn’t know Cuba was going to hate me and treat me like this,” Ayoub told Ynet website last Wednesday. “When I landed, they treated me like a terrorist.”

Eventually, he was allowed to visit Cuba for a few days, but when he went to take the flight to the Bahamas where he was to meet with his Houston-based brother, Ayoub was prevented from doing so even though he had a valid visa.

Confined to a stark holding room with metal chairs, he was kept under constant surveillance, escorted by guards even to the bathroom, and given neither food nor water throughout his ordeal before he was deported on a flight back to Morocco by the chief of police.

“The Cuban regime’s savage treatment of Amine Ayoub exposes the depths of its authoritarian malice and its willingness to export Middle Eastern extremism to the Western Hemisphere,” MEF Executive Director Gregg Roman said in a statement on Thursday. “This despotic government deliberately avoided creating any official record of Mr. Ayoub’s detention—a calculated attempt to intimidate advocates for truth and democracy while evading accountability.”


In Gaza, Tribal Fighters Stepping into Governance
As the political vacuum in Gaza left by Hamas's retreat deepens, clan-based militias are stepping into governance roles, mediating disputes and escorting aid convoys in parts of the Strip. Rooted in Bedouin and clan traditions, these kinship systems have long mediated disputes, distributed aid and maintained social order when formal government structures faltered. The war has brought them back to the forefront, operating as de facto municipal authorities in many neighborhoods.

A Hamas-free pocket in eastern Rafah is controlled by the clan-based "Popular Forces" of Yasser Abu Shabab. They have a Facebook page with 30,000 followers. The group showcases its activities through frequent online updates. On July 31, it said its fighters "secured and imported dozens of trucks" carrying flour and other supplies.

Omar Salim, 22, a student from Rafah, said, "These days, a lot of families are moving into areas controlled by the "Popular Forces" because they feel safer there than in the neighborhoods where Hamas militias are still around."

In Deir al-Balah, Ibrahim Ahmed, 36, said, "Israeli forces have largely subdued Hamas, which now clings to a mere handful of weapons, primarily to instill fear among civilians and quash dissent. Hamas's claims about readiness to resist an Israeli takeover of Gaza City are hollow media posturing - a facade for maintaining their waning influence." He added that armed groups like Abu Shabab "navigate freely within Israeli-controlled territories" and avoid conflict with Israeli forces.

Meanwhile, Hamas's counterintelligence Sahm unit continues to kill, torture, maim and intimidate Palestinians in Gaza suspected of dissent or collaboration, with the group posting graphic images and videos of its actions on Telegram.


Iran's Strategic Nuclear Dilemma
Two central pillars of Iran's security perception have been undermined since its war with Israel.

First, its nuclear program has suffered a severe blow, and second, the "resistance camp" of its regional proxies has been weakened to the point that, for now, it cannot stand by Iran's side.

Tehran must now formulate its nuclear policy under intense time pressure - caught between President Trump's ultimatum and the threat from the European countries (the E3) to renew UN Security Council sanctions by activating the "snap-back" clause.

Both deadlines converge at the end of this month. Failing to reach an agreement with the U.S. would lead to renewed and potentially heightened sanctions while also leaving open the risk of another attack.

In this strategic deadlock, Iran has no good options. Israel prefers no agreement, partly out of concerns that any new deal would be worse than the previous one.


UK museum stands by description of Nazi race laws as aimed at ‘observant’ Jews
A London museum is refusing to change its description of Nazi racial laws as only targeting “observant” Jews, even as academics labeled the caption in an exhibit as “nonsense,” British media reported.

The Imperial War Museum’s description said that under the 1935 Nuremberg Laws, “a person was defined as Jewish based on how many observant Jewish grandparents they had.”

In fact, the antisemitic law did not refer to observance in its criteria; rather, it described anyone who was recorded as having three or four Jewish grandparents as a Jew, while an individual with one or two Jewish grandparents was defined as mixed race, or Mischlinge.

The legislation stripped Jews of German citizenship and barred them from marrying or having sexual relations with ethnic Germans.

A retired New York academic, who asked not to be named, told The Guardian in a report published last week that she noticed the caption during a visit to the museum last year.

She said that while she was “extraordinarily impressed” by the rest of the exhibits, she told the IWM that “wording referring to observant Jewish grandparents with its lack of historical accuracy must be changed.”

“It disregards the vast majority of the Jewish population who are not observant,” she told the British daily, noting that the Nazis aimed to eradicate all Jewish people, regardless of their level of observance.

“This is such a misleading impression of the Nazi outlook that for me it’s reprehensible that it stays in the public domain,” she said.

In response, the IWM’s director general Caro Howell told the academic that it would “stand by the curatorial choices that we have made and that our expert advisers have reviewed,” an email cited by The Guardian read.

According to the email, Howell said that the museum’s integrity would be undermined if it made changes whenever “questions of interpretative nuance” were raised.
Brits turn back on Israeli anthem at wheelchair basketball game
The British Paralympic wheelchair basketball team disrespected the Israeli national anthem before a match against the Blue and White in Cologne on Saturday, turning their heads away as “Hatikva” was played.

Israel lost the game 74-64 in the third and final game of the group stage of the Nations Cup, a tournament that is preparation for the European Championships in October. Israel beat Germany and lost to Japan before Saturday’s match.

Israel secured 5th place in the tournament by defeating Poland 83-80 on Sunday.

Israel’s Sport 5 channel reported that the professional staff from the U.K. squad respected the anthem, making it easier to decide to proceed with the game.

Moshe “Mutz” Matalon, chairman of the Israel Paralympic Committee, intends to contact the International Wheelchair Basketball Federation to protest “the shameful behavior, which goes against the spirit of Paralympic sports.”
47 Israelis stranded in Bosnia after passports end up in waste bin
Dozens of Israeli tourists were stranded in Bosnia and Herzegovina on Sunday after their passports were thrown away in what a local newspaper described as an accident.

The CRNA Hronika news site posted footage on Sunday it said it obtained from a hotel lobby in Sarajevo showing a large envelope dropping from a filing cabinet into what looks to be a waste bin at a reception desk while an employee sorts papers nearby, but without a line of sight to the envelope. The time stamp on the video says it was captured at 1 a.m. on Saturday.

The news site said the footage was of the passports of 47 Israeli tourists ending up in the trash bin, before they were taken away to a landfill. Efforts to retrieve them have thus far been to no avail.

The tourists were due to return to Israel on Saturday, but their stays have been extended by at least several days, Ynet reported. The Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem said in a statement on Sunday: “The matter is known and is being handled by the Department for Israelis in Distress Abroad and Israel’s embassy in Belgrade.”

The incident in Bosnia and Herzegovina, where half of the population is Muslim, comes amid a spate of incidents in Europe in which Israelis were harassed, threatened and assaulted, often by Muslims, by attackers citing Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza.

But according to Oslobođenje, the oldest daily newspaper in circulation in the Bosnia and Herzegovina, the incident in Sarajevo was an accident.


Singer Idan Amedi reunites with combat medic who saved him
Israeli singer and actor Idan Amedi had an emotional reunion with a combat medic who treated him when he was injured in Gaza last year, after he spotted him at his concert on Saturday night.

Amedi, who is best known for his role on the hit TV show “Fauda,” was seriously injured by an explosion in January 2024 while serving in the Combat Engineering Corps reserves in Gaza. Six soldiers were killed and several others, including Amedi, were injured in the incident, which was apparently accidentally caused by troops.

On Saturday evening, as Amedi was performing his set at the Hutzot Hayotzer Festival in Jerusalem, an attendee informed him that the IDF combat medic who administered life-saving medical treatment to Amedi in the field was standing in the crowd.

Amedi immediately stepped off the stage and made his way to the barriers where the medic, Tuvia Book, was standing.

The two embraced to the cheers and applause of the audience, as Amedi urged the camera crew to feature Book on the large screens behind the stage.

“I love you,” Amedi told the visibly moved man. “I will never be able to thank you enough. Let me just give you a hug.”




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Elder of Ziyon - حـكـيـم صـهـيـون



This blog may be a labor of love for me, but it takes a lot of effort, time and money. For 20 years and 40,000 articles I have been providing accurate, original news that would have remained unnoticed. I've written hundreds of scoops and sometimes my reporting ends up making a real difference. I appreciate any donations you can give to keep this blog going.

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