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Thursday, October 02, 2025

10/02 Links: Jihad Al-Shamie, Terrorist of Syrian Descent, Kills 2 in Car Ramming, Stabbing Attack Outside UK Synagogue on Yom Kippur

From Ian:

Stephen Pollard: Manchester was always coming –authorities let Jew-haters roam free
As I write, we know nothing about the perpetrator of today’s attack in Manchester. But we know lots about the context of the attack, because we Jews have been living and breathing it for some years, with increasing desperation that it would lead to an incident such as today’s.

Last night in London, for example, a “pro-Palestine” mob took over one of the busiest streets, setting of fireworks and chanting for Israel’s destruction. They were left to their own devices, free to do what they wanted when they wanted, and to chant whatever they liked. And it was entirely normal. Because that is where we are now. Mobs of supposed "Free Palestine” protestors are given free rein. The authorities stand and watch.

The other night I was driving along Holborn when a convoy of cyclists with Palestine flags screamed abuse and brought chaos to the area. There were no police anywhere to be seen.

Today’s attack in Manchester was always coming, because the authorities have made it clear to Jew haters that they are effectively free to go about their business. When they chant “Khaybar, Khaybar, Ya Yahud! Jaish Mohammad sawf ya’ud!” on the hate marches, (“Khaybar, Khaybar, O Jews! The Army of Muhammad Will Return!” – a reference to the battle of Khaybar in 628, when Mohamed’s army besieged and destroyed a thriving Jewish community) the police stand and watch. When they call for global intifada – the murder of Jews – no one does a thing.

The message sent by the authorities could hardly be clearer – Jew hate is fine. And the Jew haters take that message and run with it. They run with it when they parade through the streets of our cities. They run with it when they desecrate memorials to those killed on October 7 and tributes to the hostages, as in Brighton. They run with it when they scream abuse at Jews. They run with it on social media, where antisemitism is so open and common that it barely even registers any more. And they run with it when they commit atrocities as in Manchester today.

We have already heard that awful lie today, that there is no place for antisemitism in Britain. It’s a lie because the evidence could not be clearer that there is a very welcome place for antisemitism in Britain, and the more the merrier. Today’s attack will prompt so much more of it. But when hundreds of thousands are allowed to do their worst, and the authorities stand and watch, we know what it means. It means Jew hate. It means attacks. It means Manchester.
Jake Wallis Simons: Jews feel safer facing Hamas in Israel than living in Labour’s Britain
When Jews hear Sir Keir Starmer and David Lammy, who have recently recognised a state of Palestine without first demanding that the hostages be freed, so cloyingly offer thoughts and prayers to the Jews, it is hard not to see them as part of the problem.

This is the party that has begun appropriating the Union flag and the language of patriotism – the very things it has spent decades scorning – for the sake of political expediency.

This is the party that adopted a definition of “Islamophobia” back in 2019, and is pushing to write it into law, caving to pressure from the most dangerous sources.

This is the party that has shamefully parroted every Israelophobic smear to have emerged from the UN, from “famine” to “genocide”, even though they are patently false. To this Government, nothing means anything, least of all words of solidarity for the Jews.

Since October 7, I have had many conversations with Israelis in which I have begun by asking how they are bearing up. The answer is always the same. “We’re fine,” they say. “But how are you?”

Of course, there are more terror attacks in Israel than Britain, for now at least. But there is low crime, strong social solidarity, a booming economy, a soaring birth rate, powerful defence and one of the highest levels of happiness in the world. There are few mental health problems, few deaths of despair. You can live as a family with your head held high.

Israelis know two things well. They know who they are and they know who their enemies are. They can spend the night in a bomb shelter and then go to work, attend a wedding, live, love and laugh. These are things that Britain has forgotten, and the results are all around us, not least on the bloody street outside the Heaton Park synagogue in north Manchester.

My final sentence, which I am about to type, is intended to be read most chillingly through Gentile eyes. To many Jews, life feels safer in Israel than in Britain.
Jake Wallis Simons: Spare me your crocodile tears
Either way, we have reached a point where our leaders more eagerly embrace those who would like to kill us than the people they are supposed to protect. From immigration to Israel, the government invariably picks the wrong side. Our culture is committing slow suicide while self-righteously demanding that Israel commits it more quickly.

Well, Israel won’t. And nor will the Jews. But the effect of all this over the two years since October 7 is that the public has become convinced that Israel is a genocidal, apartheid, Nazi state and Hamas are the courageous “resistance”.

You and I know that the opposite is true. Israel could have destroyed Gaza City with a single bomb, yet it sends its soldiers house-to-house at great risk to themselves. Why? Because it is not genocidal.

Israel could have starved every man, woman and child in Gaza to death within two weeks of October 7. Yet it continues to provide food to the Strip; in the last six weeks, it has provided 40 million meals. Why? Because it does not use famine as a weapon of war.

After the relentless propaganda campaign, however, instigated largely by the United Nations, most people will likely believe the very opposite of the truth. The Manchester killer almost certainly believed that, too.

What we are seeing is nothing less than the successful brainwashing of an entire society to embrace the agenda of the very jihadis who would have the West subverted and everybody who resists dead.

Keir Starmer, David Lammy and their cronies have spent the last two years directing all their condemnation at Israel, the democracy defending itself against jihad, and putting almost no pressure on Hamas, which started this war and would attack us all if it could.

That culminated in the recognition of a Palestinian state, which did not even require the release of the hostages as a condition, and for which Hamas heartily congratulated Britain. In May, the UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher claimed on the BBC that “14,000 babies” would die within “48 hours” in Gaza. This claim was repeated by no fewer than 13 MPs in Parliament. When those babies did not die after all, how many of them apologised? Precious few.

Now these people have the gall to shed crocodile tears about the attack in Manchester today. They have long been part of the problem, making a whole society believe that black is white and the jihadis are the victims. Shame on them.
Britain has abandoned Jews to this savagery
Even before 7 October in Israel – the most deadly assault on Jews since the Holocaust, two years ago this week – British Jews could see what was coming. Even before Hamas sent its killers and rapists into kibbutzim and dance parties, even before Western capitals erupted in jubilation about those apocalyptic incursions, British Jews made up 0.5 per cent of the population and a quarter of the victims of religious hate crimes. Jewish pensioners would be suckerpunched in north London. A Jewish cemetery in Kent was desecrated eight times in 10 years. Security around schools and synagogues became a grim fact of British Jewish life. Meanwhile, we had TV debates about whether it was racist for Boris Johnson to mock the burqa, or Adele to wear her hair in braids and wave a Jamaican flag during Notting Hill Carnival. It shames us.

Then came the pogrom, and the reins came off. Anti-Semitic incidents in Britain hit a 40-year high. Assaults on Jews surged by almost 100 per cent. Islamic activists chanted Arabic war slogans about the murder of Jews on London demonstrations, while Israelophobic leftists pretended not to notice. And this post-7 October 2023 carnival of Jew hatred peaked before the IDF rolled into Gaza, to destroy the jihadists and retrieve Israel’s stolen citizens. This was a bigoted, violent celebration of the murder of Jews. And it isn’t abating, either. The Community Security Trust recorded 1,521 anti-Semitic incidents in the first half of 2025, the second-highest number… since 2024.

We wait to learn more about the killer and his motives. Counter-terror police believe they know his identity, but aren’t letting on just yet. Investigations are ongoing. Two further arrests have been made. But I dare say we need not wait to conclude that Crumpsall is where years – nay, decades – of a growing, ambient Jew hatred leaves us. In which the age-old blood libels have been repackaged for the ‘pro-Palestine’ idiots. In which Israel is cast as the killer of babies and the grand puppeteer of geopolitical affairs. In which British Jews – a tiny, embattled minority smaller in number than British Sikhs – are once again cast as the eternal scapegoat for all of society’s and the world’s ills. As the great, sinister, ‘privileged’ bogeymen of the intersectional pyramid.

After Crumpsall, we must stand in solidarity with our Jewish brothers and sisters. And we must do so much more than that. Any gentile who has ever talked publicly or written about the scourge of anti-Semitism – even just occasionally, as I have – will have had this experience: British Jews offering their heartfelt gratitude, for what we all know should be the bare minimum. And yet far too many struggle even to do that. We have let this happen. It is our cancer to remove. And remove it we must.


Jihad Al-Shamie, Terrorist of Syrian Descent, Kills 2 in Car Ramming, Stabbing Attack Outside UK Synagogue on Yom Kippur
A terrorist identified by police as Jihad al-Shamie, of Syrian descent, killed two and injured three others in a car ramming and stabbing attack outside a U.K. synagogue on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish calendar.

Al-Shamie, who entered the United Kingdom as a child and became a British citizen in 2006, drove a vehicle into a crowd outside Manchester’s Heaton Park Synagogue at around 9:30 a.m. local time, then got out and stabbed a bystander, according to the Wall Street Journal and the Guardian. Police killed the assailant and have since arrested three individuals—two men in their 30s and a woman in her 60s—in connection with the incident, the New York Times reported.

Authorities have declared the incident a terrorist attack, BBC reported. Video footage shows an officer shouting "he has a bomb" and telling members of the public to move away from the attacker.

The synagogue, about three miles north of the city center, sits in Manchester’s northern suburbs, which are home to a large Jewish community.

"Police forces are stepping up patrols across the country at synagogues and Jewish sites and more widely to provide reassurance to all those communities who have been affected," the head of the U.K.’s counterterrorism policing, Laurence Taylor, said at a news conference, according to the Times.

"The fact that this has taken place on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, makes it all the more horrific," U.K. prime minister Keir Starmer wrote in an X post. "My thoughts are with the loved ones of all those affected."

Starmer, on Sept. 21, announced the United Kingdom's recognition of a Palestinian state with no conditions. The move was denounced by the families of Israeli hostages who said it "dramatically complicated efforts to bring home our loved ones."

The terrorist attack comes amid a surge in anti-Semitism across Europe. The United Kingdom had 1,500 anti-Semitic incidents in the first half of 2025, second only to the first six months of last year, according to the Community Security Trust. The European Commission likewise reported last year that "the conflicts in the Middle East have led to levels of antisemitism unprecedented since the founding of the European Union."

German police on Wednesday arrested three suspected Hamas members for allegedly procuring weapons to carry out "assassinations targeting Israeli or Jewish institutions." In February, four other suspected members of Hamas went on trial in Berlin for plotting attacks on Jewish institutions across Europe.


Synagogue security and worshippers praised for ‘immediate bravery’ in the face of Manchester attacker
The chief constable of Greater Manchester Police has praised security staff and congregants at Manchester’s Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue for their “immediate bravery” in confronting the terrorist who carried out a car-ramming and knife attack at the shul this morning, leaving two people dead, and two others seriously injured.

Sir Stephen Watson said in a statement broadcast live this afternoon: "There were a large number of worshippers attending the synagogue at the time of this attack, but thanks to the immediate bravery of security staff and the worshippers inside, as well as the fast response of the police, the attacker was prevented from gaining access.

"All those inside were safely contained until police were able to confirm that it was safe to leave the premises.”

Watson added: “Yom Kippur is a day where we see our Jewish community attending their places of worship, places where they and their families should feel entirely safe from harm."

The identity of the attacker, who was shot dead by armed police at the scene, has not yet been disclosed, but police have confirmed they are treating the incident as a terror attack, and Watson said two arrests have been made: “I can confirm that two other individuals have been arrested in connection with this incident and urgent inquiries are ongoing.”

The identities of the victims have not been shared either, though police confirmed the two who had been killed were members of Manchester’s Jewish community.

The head of UK counter-terror policing, assistant commissioner Laurence Taylor, held a separate press conference earlier in the day, where he said police believe they know the attacker's identity, "but for safety reasons at the scene” were unable to reveal it.

He said: “Based on what we know, counter terrorism policing has declared this a terrorist incident,” he said.


Synagogue attacker named as Jihad Al-Shamie, a British citizen of Syrian descent
The Manchester synagogue terror attacker has been named as Jihad Al-Shamie, a 35-year-old British citizen of Syrian descent.

Two people were killed and two more injured after he carried out a stabbing attack at Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation at around 9.30 this morning during the Yom Kippur service.

The attacker was shot within seven minutes of the first call to the emergency services.

A house in Langley Crescent, Prestwich – which appears to be a council house – was raided by police this afternoon.

Counter-terrorism police released the name and age of the attacker, and said he was a British citizen of Syrian descent. His name did not appear in any records of Prevent, the UK government's counter-terrorism programme, they said.

A neighbour told the Telegraph she recognised the occupant of the property raided from photographs of the synagogue attacker.

She said: “He lived there 10 years, with no wife or kids that I could see. He never seemed to speak to anyone around here.


Video *graphic* This was the moment a police officer shot the terrorist who stabbed a group of Jews in front of a synagogue in Manchester, England today

Longer video *graphic* Four people were injured in a terrorist knife attack at a synagogue in Manchester
According to the BBC, the attacker first drove a car into a group of people outside the synagogue, then stabbed four individuals.

The suspect was shot dead by police.


Terror Attack in Manchester: We Knew This Was Coming…
Something different today… this is our Substack Rapid Response, where we break down the horrific events in Manchester, a suspected terror attack leaving victims injured and now dead and a community shaken.

We break down the CST’s frontline role in protecting synagogues, to the toxic propaganda climate fuelling antisemitism, to Britain’s wider counter-terror failures. We dig into what this means for Jewish communities, national security, and the West’s future.

If you want access to all of our rapid response breakdowns, sign up to our Substack today and join us on The Brink.

Chapters
0:00 Manchester Attack: Initial Reactions and Security Measures
2:18 Role and Training of the Community Security Trust (CST)
5:00 Police and Military Response to Terror Attacks
8:39 Journalistic Perspective on Terror Attacks
12:59 Political and Social Implications of Terror Attacks
15:42 Impact of Propaganda and Social Media on Public Perception
25:51 Jewish Community's Response to Increased Threats
33:30 Final Thoughts and Call to Action




British Jews are being 'betrayed by their own government'
Patrick Christys delivers a blistering monologue following the horrific terror attack at a Manchester synagogue, in which 35-year-old Jihad Al-Shamie – a British citizen of Syrian descent – drove into Jewish worshippers and launched a knife attack on Yom Kippur. Christys names the politician and cultural failures that allowed such hatred to fester, calling out those who imported extremism, ignored the warning signs, and now offer only “thoughts and prayers.


US judge dismisses Oct. 7 victims’ $1B suit against UNRWA, ignoring DOJ’s stance
A US judge has dismissed a lawsuit against the UN agency for the Palestinians, UNRWA, saying that UNRWA has immunity.

The ruling contradicts a statement by federal authorities earlier this year, stating that UNRWA did not have immunity in the case.

The lawsuit, the Estate of Tamar Kedem Simon Tov v. United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), was filed last year in the federal Southern District Court of New York.

The families of around 100 victims of the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led terror assault claimed $1 billion in damages from UNRWA, asserting that the UN agency aided and abetted the terror group’s attack.

In April, the Department of Justice sent a letter to the judge, stating that UNRWA had played a significant role in “heinous offenses” by Hamas on October 7, and that “UNRWA is not immune from this litigation.”

That went against the position of the Department of Justice under the Biden administration, which had said that UNRWA had immunity in US courts.

Related: UN says 9 UNRWA employees ‘may have been involved’ in Oct 7 attack, have been fired

The judge in the case — US District Judge Analisa Torres — dismissed the case, despite the Department of Justice’s position.

“Because UNRWA is a subsidiary organ of the United Nations and has not waived its immunity,” Torres wrote, “this court lacks subject matter jurisdiction over Plaintiffs’ claims. Defendants’ motion to dismiss is granted, and the complaint dismissed.” Four Gazans named by the IDF on March 4, 2024, as UNRWA staffers and Hamas members who participated in the October 7 massacre (IDF Spokesman)

A lawyer for the plaintiffs, Gavriel Mairone, said the judge “totally misinterpreted the most important argument that we made.”

“We’re definitely appealing and we think, respectfully, that the judge’s opinion is erroneous,” he said.


Trump to set ‘red line’ for Hamas response amid signs group will reject Gaza peace plan
U.S. President Donald Trump will set a red line on how long to give Hamas to accept his 20-point plan to end the war in Gaza, the White House said Thursday, as both Israel and Hamas weigh the proposal amid intense regional diplomacy.

White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told Fox News that Trump is prepared to draw a line on Hamas’ response time. “This is an acceptable plan, and we hope and expect Hamas should accept this plan so we can move forward,” she said. The administration, she added, is engaged in “sensitive conversations” and leaving further statements to the president and his envoy, Steve Witkoff.

Trump unveiled the plan Tuesday, pledging that Israel had already signed off and that all hostages held by Hamas would be released within 72 hours in exchange for 250 Palestinians serving life sentences in Israeli prisons. The framework also calls for a staged Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, the disarmament of Hamas, and the introduction of a transitional governing body overseen by an international force.

Hamas debates response
Hamas has yet to issue an official reply, though officials told international media that internal discussions are underway. A source close to the group told AFP it would need “two to three days at most” to respond, with key points of contention including the demand to disarm, the future of its officials in Gaza, and guarantees of a full Israeli withdrawal. Reporting by the BBC said Izz al-Din Haddad, Hamas’ top commander inside Gaza, told mediators he rejects the plan outright, warning it was designed to “finish Hamas” whether the group accepts it or not. Still, some Hamas leaders based in Qatar are said to be more open to a deal with modifications, though they hold little sway over the hostages in Gaza.

Lebanon’s Hezbollah-linked daily Al-Akhbar reported that Hamas leaders are especially focused on clauses regarding the international force, demilitarization, Israel’s withdrawal map, reforms to the Palestinian Authority, and proposals for interfaith dialogue. Hamas views the deployment of international forces as “de facto reoccupation” and has demanded clarity on their identity, size, powers and areas of operation. The group also rejects what it calls “political blackmail” tied to Palestinian Authority reform and opposes interfaith dialogue as religious “normalization.”

Analysts note divisions within Hamas. Some figures support approving the plan under U.S. guarantees that Israel will uphold the terms, while others insist on major revisions, particularly on disarmament and the expulsion of Hamas officials. A Palestinian familiar with the talks told Reuters, “Acceptance of the plan is a disaster, rejection is also a disaster — these are only bitter choices.”

Saudi daily Asharq Al-Awsat reported that even Haddad signaled he wanted to respond “positively,” though previous gestures of openness have often collapsed in the absence of agreement with Israel.


Israeli Navy intercepts Global Sumud Flotilla vessels, Greta Thunberg among detained activists
The Israeli Navy intercepted 39 boats, part of the Global Sumud Flotilla fleet carrying aid and foreign activists to the Gaza Strip, between Wednesday and Thursday, during the holiest day of the Jewish calendar, Yom Kippur.

Cameras broadcasting live feeds from the boats showed Israeli soldiers sporting helmets and night vision goggles boarding the ships, while passengers including Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, huddled together in life vests with their hands up.

The IDF shared that during the 12 hour operation to prevent the infiltration attempt, Navy units, including Shayetet 13, Flotilla 3, Snapir female operators, and other naval combat units, worked to stop the activists.

Prior to the interception, Israeli forces called out to the vessel and requested they turn around, the IDF confirmed. After failing to change direction away from Israeli territory, the more than 400 vessel passengers were transferred to Ashdod Port.

A video from the Foreign Ministry showed Thunberg, the most prominent of the flotilla's passengers, sitting on a deck surrounded by soldiers.

Israel declares incident concluded, says 'provocation is over'
"The Hamas-Sumud provocation is over," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Thursday. "None of the Hamas-Sumud provocation yachts has succeeded in its attempt to enter an active combat zone or breach the lawful naval blockade.

The Foreign Ministry added that all passengers were safe and in good health, stating that were making their way to Israel before their deportation to Europe.

One more flotilla vessel remained at a distance from Gazan waters, the ministry said, warning that Israeli forces would prevent its entry should it choose to approach further.
Seth Frantzman: What can we learn from Israel's peaceful interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla? Israel's history with Gaza-bound flotillas
This isn't the first time Israel has stopped Gaza-bound flotillas. It has been dealing with this issue since 2010 in the wake of the 2009 war in Gaza. Much has been learned since the Mavi Marmara flotilla, which was mostly backed by a Turkish NGO called IHH, which is seen as right-leaning and linked to the ruling party of Turkey. With some 400 activists in the flotilla, many of them aboard the Mavi Marmara, the logistics of interception were complex. Israel sent forces to land on the deck of the large ship from helicopters. When the Israeli forces were attacked, 10 activists were killed in the melee. This deeply harmed the already-strained Israel-Turkish relations because the victims were Turkish. It also showed that new tactics were needed.

The interception of other ships over the last years has shown that the activists and the navy have learned. The activists now make it clear they are not armed and don’t attempt to attack the Israeli forces. The Israeli interceptions have also been successful and largely peaceful, considering the complex circumstances of boarding a boat at night. Israel prefers to take action at night historically.

A lesson of the Sumud Flotilla is that activists were able to coordinate a large effort. They got a lot of media coverage, with some 2.5 million people watching the live camera feeds as the group approached Israel. In addition, there were large protests in Turkey, Italy, and other countries backing the flotilla. The activists included politicians and other figures from various countries.

Israel has portrayed the flotilla activists as both attention-seeking “selfie” types, as well as claiming that the flotilla may be linked to people who have links to organizations that may be linked to Hamas. However, most of the claims of links to Hamas have not been proven, such as assertions that the ships were owned by a “front” company.

This lack of clarity is not helpful for the public because ship ownership is not that complicated to figure out. The flotilla published all the MMSI numbers and names of all the vessels and their location in real-time throughout the journey. As such, the activists attempted to be transparent.

Have the activists achieved their goals?
The activists may believe they succeeded by raising awareness. Their journey wasted more fuel and supplies than the ships were likely to be able to bring to Gaza. This is because all the people on board had to be fed. Moving aid by sailboat is not an efficient way to move aid. In fact, using sailboats for anything except recreation is not usually a good way of using them. There is, perhaps, one exception. The evacuation of Dunkirk was completed with small pleasure craft, many of them between 30-100 feet.

Overall, the flotilla may be seen as a success by its organizers. It is also a success for Israel’s navy. As such, these victories by both sides can be seen to reflect well on both. The activists didn’t use violence or even try to escape the navy, according to the initial reports. The boats sailed on a direct course, rather than trying to break off into groups and evade capture.

The navy seems to have been able to corral them with relative ease, using a variety of ships that the Israeli navy has access to. According to a video from the activists on the flotilla published on social media, the Israeli navy appeared to use patrol boats and also smaller craft, as well as a larger modern logistics support vessel.


IDF thwarts terror attack at Samaria crossing
The Israel Defense Forces on Thursday foiled a car-ramming attack at the Bell checkpoint in Samaria, which connects Palestinian areas including Ramallah to one of the two major Jerusalem–Tel Aviv highways, Route 443.

Two attackers arrived at the crossing in the Binyamin region of Samaria and tried to run over soldiers, the military said. One of the assailants, who was armed, exited the vehicle and attempted to fire at the troops, who then shot and killed him.

The second attacker was apprehended by Israeli forces.

No IDF personnel were injured.

On Tuesday, two Israeli teens were injured, including one moderately to seriously, in a terrorist attack on the Route 60 highway in the Gush Etzion region of Judea.

The IDF confirmed it had received reports of a combined ramming and stabbing at the Al-Khader Junction in the Etzion Brigade deployment area.

According to Ynet, the terrorist drove his car over Israelis gathered at a hitchhiking station. He then exited the vehicle and attempted to stab them.

The terrorist was neutralized by an armed civilian at the scene.
Hamas terrorist disguised as hostage attempts to kidnap IDF soldiers in Gaza
A Hamas terrorist disguised as a hostage attempted to lure IDF soldiers away into a possible trap on Monday night, N12 reported on Tuesday, citing the IDF Spokesperson's Unit.

During operations in the Gaza Strip, soldiers reportedly took notice of a figure waving a white flag in their direction and calling for help. Thinking the figure was a hostage, the soldiers radioed for assistance.

"Extensive searches were conducted," the military said, as reported by N12. "After no further findings were discovered, it was determined that the incident did not involve hostages but rather, most likely, the enemy.”

Three hostages mistakenly killed by IDF fire
In December 2023, Yotam Chaim, Samer Talalka, and Alon Shamrioz were mistakenly killed by IDF fire in the Gaza Strip after they had managed to flee from Hamas.

The three raised a white flag, cried for help in Hebrew, and kept their upper bodies bare so that no one would suspect they were hiding a bomb under their shirts.

According to an initial probe, the hostages were standing near a building with the words “help” and “SOS” spray-painted on its exterior walls. The IDF had also found a message saying “three hostages – help” on the building two days before the deadly altercation.
Terrorists in Gaza fire five rockets at Israel on Yom Kippur
Palestinian terrorists in the Gaza Strip fired five rockets at southern Israel on Wednesday night, as Jews marked Yom Kippur, their holiest day.

Four of the projectiles were intercepted, while the fifth struck an open area, the Israel Defense Forces said.

The barrage triggered air-raid sirens in the Lakhish region in south-central Israel, including in Ashdod. There were no reports of injuries or damage.

Hours earlier, the IDF reported that the Air Force had likely intercepted two additional projectiles fired into Israel from northern Gaza. Air-raid alerts were heard in several kibbutzim near the northeastern Strip—Kfar Aza, Sa’ad, Mefalsim and at the Nir Am Shooting Range.

Also on Wednesday, the IDF intercepted a drone launched at the Jewish state by Houthi terrorists in Yemen. The UAV was shot down off the coast of Eilat, but, “in accordance with protocol,” no sirens were sounded because it did not pose a threat.


Inside Mossad, with ex-spy chief Yossi Cohen | The Brendan O’Neill Show
Yossi Cohen – former Mossad chief and author of The Sword of Freedom – is the latest guest on _The Brendan O’Neill Show_. Yossi and Brendan discuss Mossad’s fearsome reputation, the existential threats facing Israel, and how espionage is critical to the Jewish State’s survival.


While Israel Slept: How Hamas Surprised the Most Powerful Military in the Middle East - Yaakov Katz
This week, Bridget welcomes journalist Yaakov Katz for an in-depth conversation about his book While Israel Slept: How Hamas Surprised the Most Powerful Military in the Middle East. He and Bridget tackle the intelligence and strategic failures that enabled Hamas’s surprise attack on October 7th, 2023. They cover a brief history of the conflict in the region, Israel’s misguided policy of containment, the misunderstandings caused by the application of a Western mindset to a completely different ideology, becoming complacent in their reliance on technology, misunderstanding the motives of terrorist organizations, why no one wondered what Hamas had done with the billions of dollars in aid money it had received, whether or not Israel knew about the tunnel system being built in Gaza, how key warnings were missed, and the global rise of antisemitism that has followed.




Mamdani, appearing on ‘The View,’ earns applause for calling Gaza war a ‘genocide’
The audience of the popular daytime talk show “The View” applauded Zohran Mamdani after the New York City mayoral candidate said that he would “describe what is happening in Gaza as a genocide.”

The Democratic candidate, appearing on the ABC show Wednesday, said his “belief in a universality in international law” led him to make the declaration.

Mamdani was being questioned on his Israel beliefs by “The View” co-host Sara Haines, who has a Jewish husband. Haines, wearing a yellow pin for the Israeli hostages, told Mamdani he has “made inflammatory statements, like calling Israel an apartheid state and questioning its right to exist as a Jewish state.”

In response, the nominee reiterated what he said were his beliefs about Israel and its war in Gaza. “Millions of New Yorkers, myself included, care deeply about what’s happening in Israel and Palestine,” he said. “And so to be very, very clear, of course I condemn Hamas. Of course I’ve called Oct. 7 what it was, which is a horrific war crime.”

He then used the term “genocide” to describe conditions in Gaza, a definition he has used before and that Israel and its allies have rejected. But the crowd at “The View” gave the statement a warm reception.
Cuomo apologizes to New York Orthodox Jews for past handling of COVID-19 restrictions
Andrew Cuomo apologized Wednesday for having “caused pain in the Jewish community” during his term as New York governor, citing decisions he made regarding COVID-era public health restrictions.

The apology came on the eve of Yom Kippur and in the form of a video shared with Orthodox rabbis who soured on Cuomo when he was governor and now may be considering endorsing him in his mayoral run.

“We could have done better, and for that, I am truly sorry,” Cuomo said in the video. “My intentions don’t change the impact, and I sincerely ask for your understanding. On this holy Day of Atonement, I am committed to learning these lessons.”

Cuomo’s relationship with Orthodox Jews had dimmed in 2020 when he sought to enforce pandemic restrictions on gatherings in neighborhoods like Borough Park and Midwood — singling out haredi Orthodox communities, critics said. That October, the haredi umbrella body Agudath Israel of America sued him for discrimination.

In the video, which was shared with Orthodox rabbis, Cuomo said he’d “made decisions with the best of intentions to protect health and save lives.” But he said he understood why they had not always landed well.

“I recognize that some of those decisions caused pain in the Jewish community because we did not always fully consider the sensitivities and traditions that are so deeply important,” Cuomo said.

The video marked Cuomo’s first public apology for his handling of COVID-19 restrictions in Orthodox neighborhoods, where Cuomo imposed heavier restrictions due to high positivity rates that limited synagogue attendance, seen as essential to religious and cultural practices. He has reportedly apologized previously in meetings with Orthodox leaders and also said in an interview with VIN News before the primary that he “absolutely could have done more to meet with and talk to community leaders and rabbis” to ensure “their concerns were addressed.”

The apology comes days after Eric Adams, whose support from Orthodox Jews helped him win the 2021 mayoral election, ended his campaign for reelection. Cuomo has nabbed endorsements from an array of Orthodox organizations and community activists in the days since Adams dropped out, though many others have yet to endorse a candidate.


Shops, restaurants vandalized in many cities to protest Israel’s flotilla interception
A series of countries criticized Israel for its interception of an activist flotilla aiming to break the navy’s blockade of Gaza and deliver humanitarian aid, as Israeli forces detained more than 400 activists sailing on 41 boats. The interceptions were carried out without injuries to any of the activists, who were said by Israel to be “safe and healthy.”

Pro-Palestinian, anti-Israel demonstrators blocked traffic and vandalized shops and restaurants in multiple cities worldwide after the interceptions, which mainly took place overnight Wednesday-Thursday.

Thousands of protesters took to the streets in Dublin, Paris, Berlin and Geneva to condemn Israel for enforcing its naval blockade on Gaza, designed to prevent Hamas from importing weapons and components to make them. The activists brought symbolic quantities of humanitarian aid for Gaza with them. Israel had encouraged them to dock in Israel, and said it would transfer the aid to Gaza, but they refused.

Rallies also took place in Buenos Aires, Mexico City and Karachi.

Colombia expelled all remaining Israeli diplomats from the country and canceled a trade deal with Israel, while Turkey called Israel’s detention of activists an “act of terrorism.” Hamas, the terror group that sparked the two-year war in Gaza by invading Israel on October 7, 2023, massacring 1,200 people and abducting 252 hostsages, condemned the interceptions as a “crime of piracy and maritime terrorism against civilians.” The Palestinian Authority also condemned the interceptions and detentions.

A rare note of criticism for the flotilla came from Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who has criticized the activists in recent days and had called for the flotilla to halt. She said the activism “brings no benefit to the Palestinian people.”

The flotilla had been sailing toward Gaza for weeks. By Thursday afternoon, the government said the interception had ended without incident. Israel is processing the detained activists, who will then be deported.
Pro-Palestinian protesters to target Sydney Opera House with ‘message of hatred and division’
Sky News host Chris Kenny discusses how pro-Palestinian protesters are targeting the Sydney Opera House for a protest with anti-Israel messages of “hatred and division”.

“The pro-Palestinian protesters, the anti-Israel mob are at it again … they are looking to leverage the two-year anniversary of the October 7th atrocities to push their anti-Israel message, their lies … and their message of hatred and division,” Mr Kenny said.

“On that sickening occasion, one that shamed our nation around the world, police warned Jewish Australians not to attend this planned memorial, and they stood back and watched as hateful protesters chanted intimidatory messages at Australian Jews.

“Surely in two years the authorities will have learned something? I fear not.”




Rapper Azelaia Banks announces Tel Aviv show to mark Oct. 7
Rapper Azealia Banks has announced that she will perform in Israel next week, to mark the two-year anniversary of Hamas’s Oct. 7 invasion and massacre — and embark on a wide-ranging tour that includes a trip to a museum honoring an early Zionist leader who preached Jewish self-defense.

“Okay so listen… The Jewcy Diva is touching down in ISRAEL on October 4th — I’m coming back to get a real experience without the drama and the bs,” Banks wrote in a post on X Sunday announcing the visit.

Banks’ performance, set for Oct. 9 in Tel Aviv, marks the artist’s first return to Israel since 2018, when she vowed never to come back following a series of racist encounters during her visit. The artist appeared to have a change of heart about Israel in June when she declared “I’m a Zionist” on X.

In the performance announcement, Banks also said that Oct. 7 would be a day of “deep remembrance — honoring every life taken, every family touched.”

The New York rapper, singer, and songwriter outlined an extensive itinerary for her visit, including stops at the Dead Sea, Israel’s Holocaust memorial museum Yad Vashem and the site of the massacre at the Nova music festival.

She said she would also be meeting with Israeli soldiers and visiting the Jabotinsky Institute, a research center honoring Zeev Jabotinsky, the founder of revisionist Zionism who is a hero to some contemporary activists who believe Jews should fight antisemitism with force. The group Betar USA, which sees itself as reviving Jabotinsky’s mantle, shared Banks’ announcement and tweeted, “can’t wait to welcome her with Zionist love in Israel on October 3rd.”

The visit comes as over 400 artists and labels, including Bjork, Massive Attack and Paramore, have signed a petition titled “No Music for Genocide” calling for their music to be blocked from streaming in Israel.

In a post on Instagram, Banks decried her fellow musicians for the boycott effort, accusing them of “using Palestinian suffering to refurbish their back catalogues.”

“Why didn’t anyone boycott America when black people were going through it recently in the aftermath of Obamas tenure???,” wrote Banks. “Before you boycott Spotify in Israel Why haven’t artists collectively boycotted streaming services for paying us dirt???”

True to Banks’ pattern of making provocative statements about the Israel-Hamas conflict on her X account, she also used the moment to unleash a volley of posts on X over the past week that swung from pro-Israel to anti-Arab.

“The lore of Israel & Zionism and the Jews is charming and relatable as hell,” Banks posted on Saturday. “Israel is like wakanda for jews they really ate that. Zionism is iconic Zionism is punk.”

On Monday, the artist wrote that conservative Jewish political commentator Ben Shapiro is a “sex symbol” and also posted “g’mar chatimah tova,” the traditional greeting for Yom Kippur.




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