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Tag: Tel Aviv

  • Opinion | Israel Proves the Danger of an ‘Independent’ Justice System

    The Supreme Court could be enabling a criminal conspiracy to prosecute IDF reservists unjustly.

    Avi Bell

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  • Thousands gather in Tel Aviv to demand state probe on October 7 failures

    “The people of Israel deserve answers about how the terrible failure happened and how to prevent it from happening again,” former prime minister Naftali Bennett published on X/Twitter.

    Thousands of people gathered at Habima Square, Tel Aviv, on Saturday night, demanding a state probe into the failures of the October 7 massacre, arguing that the government led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu must recognize the mistakes committed during Hamas’s attack on Israel.

    The protest was organized by the October Council, an activist group made up of hundreds of families affected by the massacre.

    “The people of Israel deserve answers about how the terrible failure happened and how to prevent it from happening again,” former prime minister Naftali Bennett, who was present at the protest, published on X/Twitter.

    Other opposition leaders were present alongside Bennett, including Yair Lapid, Avigdor Liberman, Benny Gantz, Gadi Eisenkot, and Yair Golan.

    “Tonight in the square, we gathered with one clear call – the establishment of a state commission of inquiry. In our government, this will happen in the first days,” Lapid wrote on X.

    In a separate event at Hostage Square, families of the hostages gathered to demand the return of the three missing hostages whose remains are still held by Hamas in Gaza.

    Strong message against Netanyahu

    “Nine ministers and officials in the government of default and disaster were called this week for the despicable task of training the creep called the ‘Special Investigation Committee.’ Their mission is to ensure that the truth is not investigated and never comes to light,” former MK Yizhar Shai, father of the late Yaron Shai, a Nahal Brigade soldier who fell on October 7, said.

    Shai served as an MK for Gantz’s Blue and White party, and was Innovation, Science, and Technology minister.

    Lior Akerman, a former brigadier-general who served as a Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) division head, said he used to identify with the right-wing policies in Israel, but the current events have made him understand that “the problems are no longer between right and left.”

    “For three years now, the government has been attacking and harming the state’s institutions, its security organizations, the legal system, and the law,” Akerman said. He also claimed that the current administration is trampling on the values of statehood, morality, and unity in an effort to create a dictatorship.

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  • MAG Tomer Yerushalmi, former military prosecutor Matan Solomesh arrested in leak probe

    Israel Police arrested MAG Tomer Yerushalmi and former military prosecutor Matan Solomesh in an ongoing investigation into a suspected leak and serious offenses.

    MAG Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi and former military prosecutor Matan Solomesh were arrested late Sunday night as part of an ongoing Israel Police investigation into a suspected leak and other serious criminal offenses.

    A police spokesperson said the arrests were carried out by a special investigative team and form part of a continuing inquiry.

    Both suspects are expected to be brought on Sunday before the Tel Aviv Magistrate’s Court for a remand hearing, according to the police statement.

    IDF Military Advocate-General Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi seen at the Supreme Court in Jerusalem, October 1, 2024 (credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90)

    Tomer-Yerushalmi found alive near Tel Aviv beach after suicide concerns

    Former IDF Military Advocate-General Maj.-Gen. Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi was found alive and unharmed on Sunday evening on a beach in north Tel Aviv after a widespread search lasting hours, following a report of her disappearance, and fears were raised that she might take her own life.

    The embattled top military jurist, the second woman in the IDF to hold the rank of major-general, resigned on Friday after Defense Minister Israel Katz threatened to fire her for allegedly leaking the Sde Teiman investigation video that shows soldiers using excessive force against a Palestinian terrorist in detention. She then apparently lied about not knowing the source of the leak.

    “This afternoon, we received a report about a missing person with concerns for her life. With bolstered forces, we arrived in the area and deployed all the resources at our disposal – by sea, on land, and through technological means. I can say that after extensive searches, she is currently being escorted by soldiers and police officers for a physical examination, and she will be brought to us at the police station,” the Tel Aviv District Police commander stated after she was found.

    Yonah Jeremy Bob and Corinne Baum contributed to this story.

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  • Former hostage ‘Matan [Angrest] was forced to endure horrific interrogations,’ mother Anat says

    Anat Angrest talked during a rally in Tel Aviv’s Hostage Square on Saturday, demanding the release of the remaining Gaza hostages.

    Released hostage Matan Angrest “was forced to endure horrific interrogations in the tunnel basements while severely wounded, bleeding, hovering between life and death for long months,” his mother, Anat, said during a rally in Tel Aviv on Saturday demanding the release of the remaining Gaza hostages.

    “His body bears scars of courage, scars that, as a mother, I find difficult to look at and to imagine what he went through,” she continued. “He still doesn’t tell me everything; he protects me. He says, ‘Leave it, Mom, the main thing is I’m here.’ But his eyes fill with tears when he remembers that Itay Chen is still there. At every opportunity, he says he wants to put on his uniform and bring him back,” she said.

    The demonstration was held in Hostage Square in Tel Aviv alongside families of the remaining 13 deceased hostages, recently freed hostage, their families, and friends.

    “We will never be whole again, but we can be a people who have healed,” Noam Katz, daughter of Lior Rudaeff, said. “A people who choose life, who choose light, a people who choose not to give up hope. This is my dream. This is our promise.”

    Lishay Miran-Lavi, wife to Omri Miran, said that “Omri is home tonight watching over our daughters. This picture is no longer a dream – it’s reality, and it’s thanks to you, good people.”

    “You stood with us, marched with us, and prayed with us. You opened doors to the highest halls of power and the smallest houses of worship. You ensured the voices of our loved ones were heard even when the world turned away,” Moshe, Omri’s brother, added.

    Eitan Horn at the hostage demonstration with his brothers Amos and Iair Horn, October 25, 2025. (credit: Paulina Patimer)

    Those in attendance also include recently freed hostage Eitan Horn, accompanied by his brother Amos and Iair Horn, the latter also being released from Hamas captivity in February of this year.

    Other participants included family members of former hostages who were released in the US-brokered hostage, ceasefire deal.

    Kibbutz Nir Oz demands return of remaining hostages

    Another protest was held in Kibbutz Nir Oz alongside the Tel Aviv demonstration, with the main demand also being the return of all 13 hostages still held in Gaza by Hamas.

    “My grandfather survived about four months in the Hamas tunnels in deplorable conditions, with very little food and water and no medical care at the age of 85,” said Gali Nochomovitz, granddaughter of hostage Amiram Cooper.

    She added, “Grandma returned with a broken shoulder. While she was in captivity, Grandpa took care of her. He helped her do everything, even though he was also in a bad mental and physical health condition. On the day of her release, my grandfather was the one who told her that she was coming home. And literally within a few moments, the terrorists took Grandma, and they didn’t have time to say goodbye. And from there they parted ways.”

    True, my grandfather’s time is over, but my time and my family’s time have come to a halt. It is our duty to return all 13 martyrs who remained in captivity and not leave anyone behind. Not to leave any family behind. We deserve certainty; he deserves a proper and dignified burial on the land of the kibbutz he loved so much. We will not stop fighting, Grandpa. Until the last captive!”

    Other participants included Zamir Haimi, uncle of Tal Haimi, a member of the Nir Yitzhak readiness class who had recently returned to Israel; Silvia Cuneo, mother of the former hostages David and Ariel Cuneo; and Renana Gome-Yaakov, mother of the former hostages Or and Gil Yaakov.

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  • Opinion | An English City Bars Israeli Soccer Fans

    Is Britain safe for Jews? On Thursday authorities in Birmingham, the country’s second-largest city, prohibited the fans of an Israeli soccer team from attending a match next month, even though the threats to cause trouble are coming from locals. What an alarming message from police, and it comes barely two weeks after an Islamist terror attack on a synagogue in Manchester.

    The match, scheduled for Nov. 6, is part of a larger tournament and will pit Birmingham’s Aston Villa team against Maccabi Tel Aviv. The Safety Advisory Group, an arm of the city government, last week barred Tel Aviv fans from attending, ruling that the event is “high risk.” West Midlands Police, which advises the committee, said the decision “is based on current intelligence and previous incidents.”

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    The Editorial Board

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  • VIDEO: Hostages reunite with their families, friends in Israel

    After two years of the Israel-Hamas war, all 20 living hostages have been freed and are in Israel as part of a ceasefire agreement. Video above: People celebrate at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv after hostages releasedThousands of Israelis gathered in Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square, singing and cheering as the initial hostages were released. Guy Gilboa-Dalal was kidnapped from the Nova Music Festival on Oct. 7. Evyatar David, Gilboa-Dalal’s childhood best friend, was also abducted from the festival and reunited with his family Monday.Watch below: Guy Gilboa-Dalal reunites with his family after being freedAlon Ohel was taken from the Nova Music Festival on Oct. 7.Watch below: Former hostage Alon Ohel meets with his familyEvyatar David was reunited with his family after being kidnapped from the Nova Music Festival along with his childhood best friend, Guy Gilboa-Dalal, who also returned to his family Monday.Watch below: Former hostage Evyatar David reunites with his familyBar Kupershtein was kidnapped from the Nova Music Festival on Oct. 7.Watch below: Released Israeli hostage Bar Kupershtein reunites with familyZiv and Gali Berman were kidnapped from their home in kibbutz Kfar-Aza on Oct. 7. Their mother, Liran Berman, told CNN in February that other hostages who had been released had informed the family that the twin brothers were alive but separated from each other.Watch below: Former hostages Gali and Ziv Berman on their way to hospital in Israeli Air Force helicopterMore than 1,900 Palestinian prisoners were also freed as part of the ceasefire.Watch below: People celebrate in West Bank as released Palestinians reunite with their familiesSenior Hamas official Osama Hamdan said the release of 250 Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences was included in the ceasefire deal.Watch below: Released prisoner says prison conditions are terrible, celebrates releaseAll the hostages freed Monday are men, as women, children and men older than 50 were released under previous ceasefire deals.Watch below: The 13 remaining living hostages have been released by Hamas

    After two years of the Israel-Hamas war, all 20 living hostages have been freed and are in Israel as part of a ceasefire agreement.

    Video above: People celebrate at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv after hostages released

    Thousands of Israelis gathered in Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square, singing and cheering as the initial hostages were released.

    Guy Gilboa-Dalal was kidnapped from the Nova Music Festival on Oct. 7. Evyatar David, Gilboa-Dalal’s childhood best friend, was also abducted from the festival and reunited with his family Monday.

    Watch below: Guy Gilboa-Dalal reunites with his family after being freed

    Alon Ohel was taken from the Nova Music Festival on Oct. 7.

    Watch below: Former hostage Alon Ohel meets with his family

    Evyatar David was reunited with his family after being kidnapped from the Nova Music Festival along with his childhood best friend, Guy Gilboa-Dalal, who also returned to his family Monday.

    Watch below: Former hostage Evyatar David reunites with his family


    Ziv and Gali Berman were kidnapped from their home in kibbutz Kfar-Aza on Oct. 7. Their mother, Liran Berman, told CNN in February that other hostages who had been released had informed the family that the twin brothers were alive but separated from each other.

    Watch below: Former hostages Gali and Ziv Berman on their way to hospital in Israeli Air Force helicopter

    More than 1,900 Palestinian prisoners were also freed as part of the ceasefire.

    Watch below: People celebrate in West Bank as released Palestinians reunite with their families

    Senior Hamas official Osama Hamdan said the release of 250 Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences was included in the ceasefire deal.

    Watch below: Released prisoner says prison conditions are terrible, celebrates release

    All the hostages freed Monday are men, as women, children and men older than 50 were released under previous ceasefire deals.

    Watch below: The 13 remaining living hostages have been released by Hamas


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  • Hamas releases all 20 remaining living hostages as part of Gaza ceasefire

    Hamas released all 20 remaining living hostages held in Gaza on Monday, as part of a ceasefire pausing two years of war that pummeled the territory, killed tens of thousands of Palestinians, and had left scores of captives in militant hands.The hostages, all men, returned to Israel, where they will be reunited with their families and undergo medical checks. The bodies of the remaining 28 dead hostages are also expected to be handed over as part of the deal, although the exact timing remained unclear.Meanwhile, a convoy of Israeli vehicles, Red Cross jeeps and buses left Ofer Prison for the occupied West Bank on Monday afternoon, carrying some of the 250 long-term prisoners set to be released in the exachange. The buses are headed to the center of Beitunia, the nearest Palestinian town, where friends and families await their arrival.In Tel Aviv, families and friends of the hostages who gathered in a square broke into wild cheers as Israeli television channels announced that the first group of hostages was in the hands of the Red Cross. Tens of thousands of Israelis watched the transfers at public screenings across the country.Israel released the first photos of hostages arriving home, including one showing 28-year-old twins Gali and Ziv Berman embracing as they were reunited. Hostages previously released had said the twins from Kfar Aza were held separately.The photos of the first seven hostages released Monday showed them looking pale but less gaunt than some of the hostages freed in January.Earlier, while Palestinians awaited the release of hundreds of prisoners held by Israel, an armored vehicle flying an Israeli flag fired tear gas and rubber bullets at a crowd. As drones buzzed overhead, the group scattered.The tear gas followed the circulation of a flier warning that anyone supporting what it called “terrorist organizations” risked arrest. Israel’s military did not respond to questions about the flier, which The Associated Press obtained on site.While major questions remain about the future of Hamas and Gaza, the exchange of hostages and prisoners raised hopes for ending the deadliest war ever between Israel and the militant group.The ceasefire is also expected to be accompanied by a surge of humanitarian aid into Gaza, parts of which are experiencing famine.U.S. President Donald Trump arrived in the region, where he plans to discuss the U.S.-proposed deal and postwar plans with other leaders.The war began when Hamas-led militants launched a surprise attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, in which some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, were killed and 251 taken hostage.In Israel’s ensuing offensive, more than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which doesn’t differentiate between civilians and combatants but says around half the dead were women and children. The ministry is part of the Hamas-run government, and the U.N. and many independent experts consider its figures to be the most reliable estimate of wartime casualties.The toll is expected to grow as bodies are pulled from rubble previously made inaccessible by fighting.The war has destroyed large swaths of Gaza and displaced about 90% of its some 2 million residents. It has also triggered other conflicts in the region, sparked worldwide protests and led to allegations of genocide that Israel denies.”Much of Gaza is a wasteland,” U.N. humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher told the AP on Sunday. Living hostages being released firstThe hostages’ return caps a painful chapter for Israel. Since they were captured in the attack that ignited the war, newscasts have marked their days in captivity and Israelis have worn yellow pins and ribbons in solidarity. Tens of thousands have joined their families in weekly demonstrations calling for their release.As the war dragged on, demonstrators accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of dragging his feet for political purposes, even as he accused Hamas of intransigence. Last week, under heavy international pressure and increasing isolation for Israel, the bitter enemies agreed to the ceasefire.With the hostages’ release, the sense of urgency around the war for many Israelis will be effectively over.It remains unclear when the remains of 28 dead hostages will be returned. An international task force will work to locate deceased hostages who are not returned within 72 hours, said Gal Hirsch, Israel’s coordinator for the hostages and the missing.Meanwhile, buses lined up in Khan Younis in the Gaza Strip on Monday morning in anticipation of the release of prisoners.The exact timing has not been announced for the release of Palestinian prisoners. They include 250 people serving life sentences for convictions in attacks on Israelis, in addition to 1,700 seized from Gaza during the war and held without charge. They will be returned to the West Bank or Gaza or sent into exile.Trump is traveling to Israel and EgyptTrump arrived Monday in Israel, where the White House said he will meet with families of the hostages and speak at the Knesset, Israel’s parliament. Vice President JD Vance said Trump was likely to meet with newly freed hostages.”The war is over,” Trump told to reporters as he departed — even though his ceasefire deal leaves many unanswered questions about the future of Hamas and Gaza.Among the most thorny is Israel’s insistence that a weakened Hamas disarm. Hamas refuses to do that and wants to ensure Israel pulls its troops completely out of Gaza.So far, the Israeli military has withdrawn from much of Gaza City, the southern city of Khan Younis and other areas. Troops remain in most of the southern city of Rafah, towns of Gaza’s far north, and the wide strip along the length of Gaza’s border with Israel.The future governance of Gaza also remains unclear. Under the U.S. plan, an international body will govern the territory, overseeing Palestinian technocrats running day-to-day affairs. Hamas has said Gaza’s government should be worked out among Palestinians.Later Monday, Trump will head to Egypt, where he and Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi will lead a summit with leaders from more than 20 countries on the future of Gaza and the broader Middle East.Mahmoud Abbas, leader of the internationally recognized Palestinian Authority, will attend, according to a judge and adviser to Abbas, Mahmoud al-Habbash. The plan envisions an eventual role for the Palestinian Authority — something Netanyahu has long opposed. But it requires the authority, which administers parts of the West Bank, to undergo a sweeping reform program that could take years.The plan also calls for an Arab-led international security force in Gaza, along with Palestinian police trained by Egypt and Jordan. It said Israeli forces would leave areas as those forces deploy. About 200 U.S. troops are now in Israel to monitor the ceasefire.The plan also mentions the possibility of a future Palestinian state, another nonstarter for Netanyahu.___Magdy reported from Cairo and Lidman from Jerusalem. Associated Press writers Josef Federman in Truro, Massachusetts; Bassem Mroue in Beirut; Jalal Bwaitel in Ramallah, West Bank, and Sam Mednick in Tel Aviv, Israel contributed to this report.

    Hamas released all 20 remaining living hostages held in Gaza on Monday, as part of a ceasefire pausing two years of war that pummeled the territory, killed tens of thousands of Palestinians, and had left scores of captives in militant hands.

    Seven of the hostages were released early Monday, while the remaining 13 were freed a few hours later.

    The 20, all men, were being reunited with their families and expected to undergo medical checks.

    The bodies of the remaining 28 dead hostages are also expected to be handed over as part of the deal, although the exact timing remained unclear.

    Families and friends of the hostages who gathered in a square in Tel Aviv broke into wild cheers as Israeli television channels announced that the first group of hostages was in the hands of the Red Cross. Tens of thousands of Israelis watched the transfers at public screenings across the country.

    Israel released the first photos of hostages arriving home, including one showing 28-year-old twins Gali and Ziv Berman embracing as they were reunited. Hostages previously released had said the twins from Kfar Aza were held separately.

    The photos of the first seven hostages released Monday showed them looking pale but less gaunt than some of the hostages freed in January.

    Palestinians, meanwhile, awaited the release of hundreds of prisoners held by Israel. In the West Bank, an armored vehicle flying an Israeli flag fired tear gas and rubber bullets at a crowd waiting near Ofer Prison. As drones buzzed overhead, the group scattered.

    The tear gas followed the circulation of a flier warning that anyone supporting what it called “terrorist organizations” risked arrest. Israel’s military did not respond to questions about the flier, which The Associated Press obtained on site.

    While major questions remain about the future of Hamas and Gaza, the exchange of hostages and prisoners raised hopes for ending the deadliest war ever between Israel and the militant group.

    The ceasefire is also expected to be accompanied by a surge of humanitarian aid into Gaza, parts of which are experiencing famine.

    U.S. President Donald Trump arrived in the region, where he plans to discuss the U.S.-proposed deal and postwar plans with other leaders.

    The war began when Hamas-led militants launched a surprise attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, in which some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, were killed and 251 taken hostage.

    In Israel’s ensuing offensive, more than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which doesn’t differentiate between civilians and combatants but says around half the dead were women and children. The ministry is part of the Hamas-run government, and the U.N. and many independent experts consider its figures to be the most reliable estimate of wartime casualties.

    The toll is expected to grow as bodies are pulled from rubble previously made inaccessible by fighting.

    The war has destroyed large swaths of Gaza and displaced about 90% of its some 2 million residents. It has also triggered other conflicts in the region, sparked worldwide protests and led to allegations of genocide that Israel denies.

    “Much of Gaza is a wasteland,” U.N. humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher told the AP on Sunday.

    Living hostages being released first

    The hostages’ return caps a painful chapter for Israel. Since they were captured in the attack that ignited the war, newscasts have marked their days in captivity and Israelis have worn yellow pins and ribbons in solidarity. Tens of thousands have joined their families in weekly demonstrations calling for their release.

    As the war dragged on, demonstrators accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of dragging his feet for political purposes, even as he accused Hamas of intransigence. Last week, under heavy international pressure and increasing isolation for Israel, the bitter enemies agreed to the ceasefire.

    With the hostages’ release, the sense of urgency around the war for many Israelis will be effectively over.

    It remains unclear when the remains of 28 dead hostages will be returned. An international task force will work to locate deceased hostages who are not returned within 72 hours, said Gal Hirsch, Israel’s coordinator for the hostages and the missing.

    Meanwhile, buses lined up in Khan Younis in the Gaza Strip on Monday morning in anticipation of the release of prisoners.

    The exact timing has not been announced for the release of Palestinian prisoners. They include 250 people serving life sentences for convictions in attacks on Israelis, in addition to 1,700 seized from Gaza during the war and held without charge. They will be returned to the West Bank or Gaza or sent into exile.

    Trump is traveling to Israel and Egypt

    Trump arrived Monday in Israel, where the White House said he will meet with families of the hostages and speak at the Knesset, Israel’s parliament. Vice President JD Vance said Trump was likely to meet with newly freed hostages.

    “The war is over,” Trump told to reporters as he departed — even though his ceasefire deal leaves many unanswered questions about the future of Hamas and Gaza.

    Among the most thorny is Israel’s insistence that a weakened Hamas disarm. Hamas refuses to do that and wants to ensure Israel pulls its troops completely out of Gaza.

    So far, the Israeli military has withdrawn from much of Gaza City, the southern city of Khan Younis and other areas. Troops remain in most of the southern city of Rafah, towns of Gaza’s far north, and the wide strip along the length of Gaza’s border with Israel.

    The future governance of Gaza also remains unclear. Under the U.S. plan, an international body will govern the territory, overseeing Palestinian technocrats running day-to-day affairs. Hamas has said Gaza’s government should be worked out among Palestinians.

    Later Monday, Trump will head to Egypt, where he and Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi will lead a summit with leaders from more than 20 countries on the future of Gaza and the broader Middle East.

    Mahmoud Abbas, leader of the internationally recognized Palestinian Authority, will attend, according to a judge and adviser to Abbas, Mahmoud al-Habbash. The plan envisions an eventual role for the Palestinian Authority — something Netanyahu has long opposed. But it requires the authority, which administers parts of the West Bank, to undergo a sweeping reform program that could take years.

    The plan also calls for an Arab-led international security force in Gaza, along with Palestinian police trained by Egypt and Jordan. It said Israeli forces would leave areas as those forces deploy. About 200 U.S. troops are now in Israel to monitor the ceasefire.

    The plan also mentions the possibility of a future Palestinian state, another nonstarter for Netanyahu.

    ___

    Magdy reported from Cairo and Lidman from Jerusalem. Associated Press writers Josef Federman in Truro, Massachusetts; Bassem Mroue in Beirut; Jalal Bwaitel in Ramallah, West Bank, and Sam Mednick in Tel Aviv, Israel contributed to this report.

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  • Israel and Hamas will exchange hostages and prisoners after agreeing to 1st phase of Gaza peace plan

    Israel and Hamas agreed to the first phase of a peace plan for Gaza, paving the way for a pause in the fighting and the release of the remaining hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. Palestinians greeted the news cautiously Thursday as a possible breakthrough in ending the devastating 2-year-old war.Uncertainty remains about some of the thornier aspects of the plan advanced by the administration of President Donald Trump — such as whether and how Hamas will disarm, and who will govern Gaza. But the sides appear closer than they have been in months to ending a war that has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians, destroyed most of Gaza and brought famine to parts of it, and triggered other conflicts across the Middle East.The war, which began with Hamas’ deadly attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, has sparked worldwide protests and increasingly isolated Israel, as well as bringing allegations of genocide that Israel denies.Even with the agreement expected to be signed later in the day, Israeli strikes continued, with explosions seen Thursday morning in northern Gaza. There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties.The Israeli military did not immediately comment on the strikes but earlier in the day said it had begun preparations for the implementation of the ceasefire, and troops were planning to transition to “adjusted deployment lines.”Following news of the agreement, Alaa Abd Rabbo, originally from northern Gaza but forced to move multiple times during the war, said it was “a godsend.”“This is the day we have been waiting for,” he said from the central city of Deir al-Balah. “We want to go home.”In Tel Aviv, families of the remaining hostages popped champagne and cried tears of joy when the deal was announced.“This means that ALL of the Hostages will be released very soon, and Israel will withdraw their Troops to an agreed upon line as the first steps toward a Strong, Durable, and Everlasting Peace,” Trump wrote on social media late Wednesday after the agreement was reached. “All Parties will be treated fairly!”Under the terms, Hamas intends to release all 20 living hostages in a matter of days, while the Israeli military will begin a withdrawal from the majority of Gaza, people familiar with the matter told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss details of an agreement that has not fully been made public.In an interview on Fox News, Trump said Hamas will begin releasing hostages “probably” on Monday.The breakthrough came on the third day of indirect talks in Egypt.“With God’s help we will bring them all home,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu proclaimed on social media shortly after Trump’s announcement. Netanyahu said he would convene the government Thursday to approve the deal.Far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who has opposed previous ceasefire deals, said he had “mixed emotions on a complex morning.”While he welcomed the return of the hostages, he said he had “immense fear about the consequences of emptying the jails and releasing the next generation of terrorist leaders” and said that as soon as the hostages are returned, Israel must continue trying to eradicate Hamas and ensure Gaza is demilitarized.Hamas, meanwhile, called on Trump and the mediators to ensure that Israel implements “without disavowal or delay” the troop withdrawal, the entry of aid into the territory and the exchange of prisoners.Ahmed al-Farra, the general director of pediatrics at Khan Yunis’ Nasser Hospital, which has seen many of the casualties of the war, said he was still skeptical of Israel following through on the deal but held out hope.“We need to go back to living,” he said.Trump’s peace planThe Trump plan calls for an immediate ceasefire and release of the 48 hostages that militants in Gaza still hold from their attack on Israel two years ago. Some 1,200 people were killed by Hamas-led militants in that assault, and 251 were taken hostage. Israel believes around 20 of the hostages are still alive.Under the plan, Israel would maintain an open-ended military presence inside Gaza, along its border with Israel. An international force, comprised largely of troops from Arab and Muslim countries, would be responsible for security inside Gaza. The U.S. would lead a massive internationally funded reconstruction effort in Gaza.The plan also envisions an eventual role for the Palestinian Authority — something Netanyahu opposes. But it requires the authority, which administers parts of the West Bank, to undergo a sweeping reform program that could take years to implement.The Trump plan is even more vague about a future Palestinian state, which Netanyahu firmly rejects.Even with many details yet to be agreed, some Palestinians and Israelis expressed relief at the progress.“It’s a huge day, huge joy,” Ahmed Sheheiber, a Palestinian displaced man from northern Gaza, said of the ceasefire deal.Crying over the phone from his shelter in Gaza City, he said he was waiting “impatiently” for the ceasefire to go into effect to return to his home in the Jabaliya refugee camp.Joyful relatives of hostages and their supporters spilled into the central Tel Aviv square that has become the main gathering point in the struggle to free the captives.Einav Zangauker, the mother of Israeli captive Matan Zangauker and a prominent advocate for the hostages’ release, told reporters that she wants to tell her son she loves him.“If I have one dream, it is seeing Matan sleep in his own bed,” she said.This would be the third ceasefire since the start of the war.The first, in November 2023, saw more than 100 hostages, mainly women and children, freed in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. In the second, starting in January of this year, Palestinian militants released 25 Israeli hostages and the bodies of eight more in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. Israel ended that ceasefire in March with a surprise bombardment.Praying for a dealIn the Gaza Strip, where much of the territory lies in ruins, Palestinians have been desperate for a breakthrough. Thousands fleeing Israel’s latest ground offensive have set up makeshift tents along the beach in the central part of the territory, sometimes using blankets for shelter.More than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza and nearly 170,000 wounded, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.The ministry, which doesn’t differentiate between civilians and combatants but says around half of the deaths were women and children, is part of the Hamas-run government. The United Nations and many independent experts consider its figures to be the most reliable estimate of wartime casualties.Ayman Saber, a Palestinian from Khan Younis, reacted to the ceasefire announcement by saying he plans to return to his home city and try to rebuild his house, which was destroyed last year by an Israeli strike.“I will rebuild the house, we will rebuild Gaza,” he said.___Mednick reported from Tel Aviv, Israel, and Madhani from Washington. Associated Press writers Eric Tucker in Washington, Sarah El Deeb in Beirut, David Rising in Bangkok and Melanie Lidman in Tel Aviv, Israel, contributed to this report.

    CAIRO —

    Israel and Hamas agreed to the first phase of a peace plan for Gaza, paving the way for a pause in the fighting and the release of the remaining hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. Palestinians greeted the news cautiously Thursday as a possible breakthrough in ending the devastating 2-year-old war.

    Uncertainty remains about some of the thornier aspects of the plan advanced by the administration of President Donald Trump — such as whether and how Hamas will disarm, and who will govern Gaza. But the sides appear closer than they have been in months to ending a war that has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians, destroyed most of Gaza and brought famine to parts of it, and triggered other conflicts across the Middle East.

    The war, which began with Hamas’ deadly attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, has sparked worldwide protests and increasingly isolated Israel, as well as bringing allegations of genocide that Israel denies.

    Even with the agreement expected to be signed later in the day, Israeli strikes continued, with explosions seen Thursday morning in northern Gaza. There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties.

    The Israeli military did not immediately comment on the strikes but earlier in the day said it had begun preparations for the implementation of the ceasefire, and troops were planning to transition to “adjusted deployment lines.”

    Following news of the agreement, Alaa Abd Rabbo, originally from northern Gaza but forced to move multiple times during the war, said it was “a godsend.”

    “This is the day we have been waiting for,” he said from the central city of Deir al-Balah. “We want to go home.”

    In Tel Aviv, families of the remaining hostages popped champagne and cried tears of joy when the deal was announced.

    “This means that ALL of the Hostages will be released very soon, and Israel will withdraw their Troops to an agreed upon line as the first steps toward a Strong, Durable, and Everlasting Peace,” Trump wrote on social media late Wednesday after the agreement was reached. “All Parties will be treated fairly!”

    Under the terms, Hamas intends to release all 20 living hostages in a matter of days, while the Israeli military will begin a withdrawal from the majority of Gaza, people familiar with the matter told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss details of an agreement that has not fully been made public.

    In an interview on Fox News, Trump said Hamas will begin releasing hostages “probably” on Monday.

    The breakthrough came on the third day of indirect talks in Egypt.

    “With God’s help we will bring them all home,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu proclaimed on social media shortly after Trump’s announcement. Netanyahu said he would convene the government Thursday to approve the deal.

    Far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who has opposed previous ceasefire deals, said he had “mixed emotions on a complex morning.”

    While he welcomed the return of the hostages, he said he had “immense fear about the consequences of emptying the jails and releasing the next generation of terrorist leaders” and said that as soon as the hostages are returned, Israel must continue trying to eradicate Hamas and ensure Gaza is demilitarized.

    Hamas, meanwhile, called on Trump and the mediators to ensure that Israel implements “without disavowal or delay” the troop withdrawal, the entry of aid into the territory and the exchange of prisoners.

    Ahmed al-Farra, the general director of pediatrics at Khan Yunis’ Nasser Hospital, which has seen many of the casualties of the war, said he was still skeptical of Israel following through on the deal but held out hope.

    “We need to go back to living,” he said.

    Trump’s peace plan

    The Trump plan calls for an immediate ceasefire and release of the 48 hostages that militants in Gaza still hold from their attack on Israel two years ago. Some 1,200 people were killed by Hamas-led militants in that assault, and 251 were taken hostage. Israel believes around 20 of the hostages are still alive.

    Under the plan, Israel would maintain an open-ended military presence inside Gaza, along its border with Israel. An international force, comprised largely of troops from Arab and Muslim countries, would be responsible for security inside Gaza. The U.S. would lead a massive internationally funded reconstruction effort in Gaza.

    The plan also envisions an eventual role for the Palestinian Authority — something Netanyahu opposes. But it requires the authority, which administers parts of the West Bank, to undergo a sweeping reform program that could take years to implement.

    The Trump plan is even more vague about a future Palestinian state, which Netanyahu firmly rejects.

    Even with many details yet to be agreed, some Palestinians and Israelis expressed relief at the progress.

    “It’s a huge day, huge joy,” Ahmed Sheheiber, a Palestinian displaced man from northern Gaza, said of the ceasefire deal.

    Crying over the phone from his shelter in Gaza City, he said he was waiting “impatiently” for the ceasefire to go into effect to return to his home in the Jabaliya refugee camp.

    Joyful relatives of hostages and their supporters spilled into the central Tel Aviv square that has become the main gathering point in the struggle to free the captives.

    Einav Zangauker, the mother of Israeli captive Matan Zangauker and a prominent advocate for the hostages’ release, told reporters that she wants to tell her son she loves him.

    “If I have one dream, it is seeing Matan sleep in his own bed,” she said.

    This would be the third ceasefire since the start of the war.

    The first, in November 2023, saw more than 100 hostages, mainly women and children, freed in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. In the second, starting in January of this year, Palestinian militants released 25 Israeli hostages and the bodies of eight more in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. Israel ended that ceasefire in March with a surprise bombardment.

    Praying for a deal

    In the Gaza Strip, where much of the territory lies in ruins, Palestinians have been desperate for a breakthrough. Thousands fleeing Israel’s latest ground offensive have set up makeshift tents along the beach in the central part of the territory, sometimes using blankets for shelter.

    More than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza and nearly 170,000 wounded, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.

    The ministry, which doesn’t differentiate between civilians and combatants but says around half of the deaths were women and children, is part of the Hamas-run government. The United Nations and many independent experts consider its figures to be the most reliable estimate of wartime casualties.

    Ayman Saber, a Palestinian from Khan Younis, reacted to the ceasefire announcement by saying he plans to return to his home city and try to rebuild his house, which was destroyed last year by an Israeli strike.

    “I will rebuild the house, we will rebuild Gaza,” he said.

    ___

    Mednick reported from Tel Aviv, Israel, and Madhani from Washington. Associated Press writers Eric Tucker in Washington, Sarah El Deeb in Beirut, David Rising in Bangkok and Melanie Lidman in Tel Aviv, Israel, contributed to this report.

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  • All train services to return to full operation starting Monday, Israel Railways says

    Infrastructure damage and safety work in the areas of Ganot and Vitkin forced the railway system to suspend operations, Israel Railways announced last Tuesday.

    All train lines will return to full operation on Monday, following nearly a week of closures, Israel Railways announced on Sunday.

    As of Sunday, train services have resumed between southern Israel and Tel Aviv, and will reach the Tel Aviv HaHagana station.

    Infrastructure damage and safety work in the areas of Ganot and Vitkin forced the railway system to suspend operations, Israel Railways announced last Tuesday.

    Israel Railways ‘seized opportunity’ during main station disruptions

    Disruptions were part of Israel Railways’ decision to “seize the opportunity” and add essential safety work originally scheduled for September to the current, ongoing repairs of the infrastructure damage.

    Israeli minister of Transportation Miri Regev seen with Israeli Railways workers. August 21, 2025. (credit: AVSHALOM SASSONI/FLASH90)

    The repairs were carried out on the railways between the Haganah and Hashalom train stations in Tel Aviv.

    Israel Railways said it would provide free shuttles to supplement transportation between Tel Aviv and the North, and between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, respectively. In addition, the light rail in Tel Aviv increased its activity in order to mitigate disruptions.

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  • ‘Time to intensify efforts’: Hadash Party backs mass protest against Gaza starvation in Tel Aviv

    Thousands of peace activists will stand together, participating in an anti-war, anti-hunger protest in Tel Aviv backed by the Hadash Arab party.

    The Hadash Party called for the broadest possible participation of the Arab public to take part in an upcoming protest on Saturday in Tel Aviv that will demonstrate against starvation in Gaza and the war.

    Hadash makes up one of the two Arab parties currently in the Knesset, in a joint list with Ta’al, known as Hadash-Ta’al.

    The protest was named “Stop the Starvation, Stop the War – Yes to Life and Peace.” It is expected to be an Arab-Jewish demonstration led by the High Follow-Up Committee for Arab Citizens of Israel, which is an extra-parliamentary organization dealing with matters concerning the Arab community.

    In a Thursday statement about the protest, Hadash slammed the recent actions of the current government, saying, “This is the time to intensify efforts and halt the deterioration.”

    The party’s statement began by criticizing Israel’s recent announcement of its Gaza City takeover plan.

    Activists attend a protest demanding an end to the war in Gaza, and against the humanitarian crises there, outside the US embassy in Tel Aviv, July 29, 2025. (credit: JAMAL AWAD/FLASH90)

    “The government of genocide intends to continue destroying all of Gaza City and the central cities and camps of the Strip,” Hadash said.

    “Already today, millions of refugees live in impossible conditions in tent cities, with the most vulnerable facing immediate danger of death. The planned invasion is expected to lead to an inevitable humanitarian disaster,” Hadash added.

    Thousands of Jewish and Arab activists will protest together in solidarity

    The party’s statement also addressed the situation in the West Bank, claiming that “ethnic cleansing is running unchecked.”

    Hadash condemned the recent approval of the construction project in the West Bank, led by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, marking asignificant expansion in Ma’aleh Adumim in an area known as E1.

    “In the face of all this, the basic human duty that must be upheld against all forms of murderous fascism is our responsibility—never again! It is in our hands to stop the genocide and the right-wing government,” the party said.

    “It is our duty to strive for a future that ensures recognition of the Palestinian people’s rights, thereby creating a future of security and prosperity for both peoples. To this end, we must raise our voices for the immediate cessation of the war and the return of all hostages, prisoners, and displaced persons to their homes,” Hadash added.

    The protest is planned to set out from Dizengoff Square at 4:00 p.m., where it will then proceed to Habima Square.

    Hadash said thousands ofJewish and Arab participants, peace activists, and communities from across the country are expected to participate.

    In recent developments with Hadash, the party’s leader met with the heads of the other three central Arab parties, Ra’am, Ta’al, and Balad, last week.

    The four parties decided to move forward with negotiations to reestablish the Joint List bloc in the meeting.

    The Joint List bloc, once made up of the four parties, began to break apart ahead of the 2021 elections after Ra’am left the alliance. Then, in a dramatic last-minute split in 2022, Balad broke off from the two remaining factions and filed a separate list.

    MK Ahmad Tibi, head of Hadash-Ta’al, told The Jerusalem Post after the meeting that “the four Arab lists must run together on a joint slate,” due to “the challenges facing Arab society in Israel and the state as a whole.”

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  • United, Delta Airlines suspending flights to and from Tel Aviv amid rising tensions

    United, Delta Airlines suspending flights to and from Tel Aviv amid rising tensions

    Travelers stranded at Newark Airport as airlines cancel flights to Tel Aviv


    Travelers stranded at Newark Airport as airlines cancel flights to Tel Aviv

    01:59

    United Airlines and Delta Airlines said Wednesday they are suspending daily flights to and from Israel, citing security concerns amid rising tensions in the Middle East. 

    The decisions came in the wake of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh’s assassination in Iran’s capital after he attending the inauguration of the country’s new president. Iran blamed Israel for the strike, with its foreign ministry saying the U.S. also bears responsibility as Israel’s biggest ally.

    United had resumed direct flights between the U.S. and Tel Aviv in June, following a decision last year to suspend flights in the wake of the October 7 Hamas attack in Israel. 

    “Beginning with this evening’s flight from Newark Liberty to Tel Aviv, we are suspending for security reasons our daily Tel Aviv service as we evaluate our next steps,” United said in a statement on Wednesday. “We continue to closely monitor the situation and will make decisions on resuming service with a focus on the safety of our customers and crews.”

    Delta said in a statement that its flights between New York’s JFK International Airport and Tel Aviv “will be paused through Friday, Aug. 2, due to ongoing conflict in the region. … Seats on Delta partner airlines Air France and EL AL Israel Airlines remain bookable on delta.com and through Delta Reservations when available.

    “Delta is continuously monitoring the evolving security environment and assessing our operations based on security guidance and intelligence reports and will communicate any updates as needed.

    “A travel waiver has been issued for all customers who booked travel to/from TLV before Aug. 14, 2024.”

    British Airways told CBS News it’s still operating flights to and from Tel Aviv and that it hasn’t canceled any flights “at this time.”

    If a flight is canceled or significantly delayed, airlines must refund passengers “promptly,” according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. The agency defines “prompt” as within seven business days if a ticket was purchased using a credit card, and within 20 days if a customer used cash or a check. 

    —With reporting by CBS News’ Kathryn Krupnik.

    Aimee Picchi

    Aimee Picchi is the associate managing editor for CBS MoneyWatch, where she covers business and personal finance. She previously worked at Bloomberg News and has written for national news outlets including USA Today and Consumer Reports.

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  • 1 dead, several hurt in Tel Aviv explosion, Israeli officials say

    1 dead, several hurt in Tel Aviv explosion, Israeli officials say

    New report on Oct. 7 Hamas war crimes


    Hamas committed numerous war crimes during Oct. 7 attacks, report finds

    01:52

    A large explosion rumbled through the streets of central Tel Aviv early Friday morning, raining down shards of shrapnel and injuring at least 10 people, first responders said.

    Israel’s military said that they were reviewing the explosion and increasing air patrols after the incident, which its initial inquiries determined was caused by “an aerial target.”

    It was not immediately clear how the strike evaded Israel’s air defenses or how Israel might respond.

    Israel’s emergency response service said at least 10 people were being treated for injuries, while a 50-year-old man was pronounced dead after the attack.

    Tel Aviv explosion
    Israeli policemen search the scene where an explosion took place in Tel Aviv on July 19, 2024. 

    GIL COHEN-MAGEN/AFP via Getty Images


    Based on verified social media footage, CBS News confirmed that the blast occurred a little over 200 yards from the U.S. Embassy’s Tel Aviv branch office.

    A U.S. official told CBS News there were no reports of American casualties. Multiple U.S. officials told CBS News that the origin of the attack was still being determined.  

    Yemen’s Houthis have repeatedly launched drones and missiles toward Israel throughout the nine-month-long war in sympathy with Hamas. But until Friday, all were intercepted by either Israel or Western allies with forces stationed in the region.

    Israel has so far not made attacks on the Houthis, allowing its allies instead to take the lead as it focuses its efforts on the war in Gaza and ongoing fighting with Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group.

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  • Israeli protesters block highways, call for cease-fire to return hostages 9 months into war in Gaza

    Israeli protesters block highways, call for cease-fire to return hostages 9 months into war in Gaza

    TEL AVIV, Israel — Marking nine months since the war in Gaza started, Israeli protesters blocked highways across the country Sunday, calling on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to step down and pushing for a cease-fire to bring back scores of hostages held by Hamas.

    The demonstrations come as long-running efforts to broker a truce gained momentum last week when Hamas dropped a key demand for an Israeli commitment to end the war. The militant group is still seeking a permanent cease-fire, while Netanyahu has vowed to keep fighting until Hamas is destroyed.

    Sunday’s “Day of Disruption” started at 6:29 a.m., the same time Hamas militants launched the first rockets toward Israel in the Oct. 7 attack that triggered the war. Protesters blocked main roads and demonstrated outside of the homes of government ministers.

    Near the border with Gaza, Israeli protestors released 1,500 black and yellow balloons to symbolize those fellow citizens who were killed and abducted.

    Hannah Golan said she came to protest the “devastating abandonment of our communities by our government.” She added: “It’s nine months today, to this black day, and still nobody in our government takes responsibility.”

    Palestinian militants killed some 1,200 people in the surprise attack and took 250 others hostage. Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed over 38,000 Palestinians, according to the territory’s Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between combatants and civilians in its count.

    About 120 hostages remain captive after more than 100 hostages were released as part of a November cease-fire deal. Israel has already concluded that more than 40 of the remaining hostages are dead, and there are fears that the number will grow as the war drags on.

    The United States has rallied the world behind a proposal for a phased cease-fire in which Hamas would release the remaining captives in return for a lasting cease-fire and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. But Hamas wants guarantees from mediators that the war will end, while Israel wants the freedom to resume fighting if talks over releasing the last batch of hostages drag on.

    Netanyahu has also said Israel is still committed to destroying Hamas’ military and governing abilities, and that it would resume the war after a pause to release hostages.

    Israel continues to battle pockets of Palestinian militants across Gaza after months of heavy bombing and ground operations that have devastated the territory’s main cities and displaced most of its population of 2.3 million people, often multiple times. On Sunday, Israel issued new evacuation orders for parts of Gaza City, which was heavily bombed and largely emptied early in the war.

    Bodies found with hands tied

    The Nasser Hospital in the southern Gaza town of Khan Younis said the bodies of three Palestinians were retrieved from the area of the Kerem Shalom crossing with Israel. A hospital statement said they were handcuffed, and an Associated Press reporter saw one of the bodies with bound hands.

    Abdel-Hadi Ghabaeen, an uncle of one of the deceased, said they had been working to secure the delivery of humanitarian aid and commercial shipments through the crossing. He said he saw soldiers detain them on Saturday, and that the bodies bore signs of beatings, with one having a broken leg.

    The Israeli military said it was looking into the reports.

    Thousands of Palestinians have been detained since the start of the war, and many of those who have been released, as well as some Israelis who have worked at detention facilities, say detainees have been tortured and held under harsh conditions. Israeli authorities have denied abusing prisoners.

    Israeli airstrikes overnight and into Sunday meanwhile killed at least 13 Palestinians, including the undersecretary of labor in the largely dismantled Hamas-run government.

    Ihab al-Ghussein was among four people killed in a strike on a school-turned-shelter in Gaza City, according to the Civil Defense, a first responders group under the Hamas-run government. Hamas mourned his loss in a statement and said a strike earlier in the war had destroyed his house and killed his wife and daughter.

    The Israeli military said it had struck a militant complex “in the area of a school building,” as well as a nearby Hamas weapons-making facility in Gaza City after taking steps to mitigate harm to civilians.

    Israel trades fire with Hezbollah

    The Lebanese militant group Hezbollah said early Sunday that it launched dozens of projectiles toward northern Israel, targeting areas more than 30 kilometers (20 miles) from the border, deeper than most launches. A 28-year-old man was seriously wounded, Israel’s national rescue service reported.

    Another attack near the border wounded three people, one of them seriously, according to the Galilee Medical Center. Israeli media reported that the critically wounded individual was an American citizen. There was no immediate confirmation from the army.

    Hezbollah began launching rocket and mortar attacks after the outbreak of the war in Gaza. The range and severity of the attacks and Israel’s counterstrikes have escalated in recent weeks, raising fears of an all-out war that would have catastrophic consequences for people on both sides of the border.

    Mediators from the United States, Egypt and Qatar have intensified their efforts in the past week to broker an agreement between Israel and Hamas. Hezbollah has said it will halt its attacks if there is a cease-fire in Gaza.

    The compromise on Saturday by Hamas could lead to the first pause in fighting since November and set the stage for further talks, though all sides still warned that a deal is not yet guaranteed.

    Washington’s phased deal would start with a “full and complete” six-week cease-fire during which older, sick and female hostages would be released in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. During those 42 days, Israeli forces would withdraw from densely populated areas of Gaza and allow the return of displaced people to their homes in northern Gaza.

    War-weary Palestinians in the Gaza Strip appeared pessimistic, after previous instances in which the two sides appeared to be closing in on a deal.

    “We have lived nine months of suffering,” said Heba Radi, a mother of six children living in a tent in the central city of Deir al-Balah, where she has been sheltering since they fled their home in Gaza City. “The cease-fire has become a distant dream.”

    ___ Magdy reported from Cairo.

    The video in the player above is from a previous report.

    Copyright © 2024 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

    AP

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  • Police and protesters clash in Tel Aviv as rallies across Israel demand Gaza ceasefire

    Police and protesters clash in Tel Aviv as rallies across Israel demand Gaza ceasefire

    (CNN) — Police and protesters clashed in Tel Aviv on Saturday night after a day of rallies calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and for the return of all hostages, according to several videos posted on social media.

    In the videos, horse-mounted police and water cannons can be seen in Tel Aviv’s Democracy Square attempting to disperse crowds refusing to leave, resulting in violent clashes.

    At a separate protest, police said they arrested two people “for disorderly conduct” after they allegedly left the approved demonstration site at the Kaplan intersection, headed to the Azrieli intersection and “lit fires and began to break the order, not obeying the police’s instructions.”

    CNN

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  • Someone bet against the Israeli stock market in the days before Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack

    Someone bet against the Israeli stock market in the days before Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack

    Five days before the deadliest attack in Israel’s history, a warning may have appeared on stock exchanges.

    A study by researchers from Columbia University and NYU called “Trading on Terror?” suggests that a trader may have been aware of the coming attack, bet against the Israeli economy and walked away with a profit by short selling on the U.S. and Israeli stock exchanges.

    Short selling is a trading strategy aimed at making a profit off an asset that is expected to drop in price; the seller “borrows” a security and sells it on the open market with the goal of buying it back later at a lower price and pocketing the difference.

    The study looked at the Israel Exchange-Traded Fund, a common way for people to make investments in Israel, which on any given day has around 2,000 shares shorted. On Oct. 2, that number shot up to over 227,000 shares. 

    According to Columbia Law School Professor Joshua Mitts, one of the authors of the study, “that’s extremely unusual.” It was also profitable: the shares sold short for one Israeli company alone yielded a profit of nearly $900,000.

    Israel Stock Exchange and Market as Shekel Recoups Most War Losses
    Workers participate in a memorial ceremony to mark a month since the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas militants, inside the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange in Tel Aviv, Israel, on Nov. 7, 2023.

    Kobi Wolf/Bloomberg via Getty Images


    Mitts and his co-author, Professor Robert J. Jackson Jr., ran a number of comparisons over the past 13 years to see whether the same thing had happened before other major moments of instability in Israel, like the 2014 Israel-Gaza war, the COVID-19 pandemic, or the judicial reform initiative that led millions of Israelis to take to the streets in protest.  

    They found that the short-selling activity in early October was “really extraordinary, even when you compare it to those periods of instability, which there were many.”

    Something similar had happened before, though — on April 3, a couple of days before the Jewish holiday of Passover. The study links this to an Israeli media report claiming Hamas had initially planned its attack for the eve of Passover.

    “It’s almost the same magnitude.What are the odds?” asks Mitts.

    “The other thing we know,” he adds, “is that this looks to have been the product of a single trader, based on what we can see in the data. This is extraordinarily unusual.”

    All of this led them to their conclusion that the trades were not a coincidence, but a tactic by someone who knew the attack was coming. 

    “We think it’s virtually impossible this happened by chance,” Mitts told CBS News.

    Finding out exactly who made the trades, and the profit, would be “exceedingly difficult,” and Mitts says he is “pretty pessimistic” that whoever was betting against the Israeli economy will be found. Similarly, Mitts says it’s “not so easy to stop this sort of trading” from happening. Instead, he suggests a different goal.

    “What we really need to be asking is how do we internalize this sort of trading information in the public consciousness, from an intelligence standpoint, from a public discussions standpoint, from a policy standpoint. What are these signals? What are they teaching us?”

    There is growing evidence of the massive intelligence failures that preceded the Oct. 7 attacks. An Israeli soldier told CBS News last week that her team reported unusual activity on the Gaza side of the border beginning six months before the attack to her superiors in the IDF, but “they didn’t take anything seriously.”

    Mitts says this study shows yet another missed signal: “The stock market was screaming, “There’s something going on!””

    In response to the study, the Israel Securities Authority has said: “The matter is known to the authority and is under investigation by all the relevant parties.”

    “I don’t mean to say we found the next prediction of the future,” Mitts says, but he believes their work points to a tool that must be incorporated into the intelligence arsenal. “We shouldn’t have to write the paper two months later that reveals this.”

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  • The Israel-Hamas war is affecting the financial outlooks of these large companies

    The Israel-Hamas war is affecting the financial outlooks of these large companies

    The ‘Rhapsody of the Seas’ cruise liner carrying US citizens leaves the Israeli port of Haifa to be evacuated to the Mediterranean island of Cyprus on October 16, 2023, amid the ongoing battles between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas. 

    Aris Messinis | AFP | Getty Images

    Some of the world’s most well-known companies are already seeing the Israel-Hamas war weighing on operations.

    On Oct. 7, militant group Hamas struck Israeli towns in a surprise attack and took more than 200 hostages. More than 7,000 people have been killed in Gaza, per Palestinian health officials, while the Israeli Defense Forces said more than 1,400 have been killed in the country.

    Corporations that do business or have operations in the region have already begun seeing the war change their financial outlooks as the unrest weighs on everything from advertising dollars to tourism to supply chains. These early admissions come as world leaders grow increasingly concerned that the conflict will further intensify, with international calls for a cease-fire being rejected.

    United Airlines said fourth-quarter performance could vary depending on the length of flight suspensions in Tel Aviv. Its updated range for adjusted earnings per share came in below analysts’ forecasts.

    “We have unmatched geographic diversity with a large domestic network complemented by the largest long-haul international network and both are solidly profitable,” CEO Scott Kirby said earlier this month. “While this is a great attribute, it does create some short-term risk and volatility as we’re seeing right now with the transitory hit to margins this quarter as a result of the tragedy in Israel.”

    Travel changes

    United is one of several carriers including Delta Air Lines and American Airlines that have rushed to change schedules as the conflict has unfolded. Notably, El Al, the Israeli flag carrier, said it would fly on the Jewish Sabbath for the first time in more than four decades to help bring reservists abroad back to the country.

    Across the travel industry, the war is on the mind of corporate leaders. Plane-maker Boeing said in a regulatory filling that the conflict could potentially affect certain suppliers, in addition to airlines.

    About 1.5% of Royal Caribbean capacity in the fourth quarter had planned to visit Israel, CEO Jason Liberty said on the cruise line’s call on Thursday. A few of the adjusted sailings that were previously expected have home ports in Haifa, a city in the northern region of the country.

    The company also offered free use of its Rhapsody of the Seas vessel to the U.S. government to aid in the evacuation of Americans from Israel. Between the changed itineraries and use of the ship, the company estimated it would have an impact of 5 cents per share on its earnings. The company expects to see between $6.58 and $6.63 in adjusted earnings per share for the year.

    El Al Airlines airplane flying on February 2023.

    Nurphoto | Nurphoto | Getty Images

    “I would … like to recognize the incredible effort from our shoreside teams and crew on board Rhapsody of the Seas who have been working tirelessly with the U.S. Department of State to help safely evacuate Americans from Israel,” Liberty said. “My heartfelt gratitude goes out to all involved.”

    Still, Liberty said the cruise line’s customer base is sticky, so it may become more of a question of where they are going to travel rather than if they are going to cancel their plans.

    “They’re going to go somewhere with us,” he said. “That’s what we’re focused on making sure they’re doing.”

    ‘Unpredictable nature’

    Technology companies were among those seeing the conflict affect the workforce, advertising spending and supply chains.

    Snap said in its latest earnings release that it saw pauses in spending from a “large number of primarily brand-oriented advertising campaigns” immediately after the war began. That has weighed on revenue quarter to date.

    While the company said some of the campaigns that initially paused have now resumed, the company has also seen others that didn’t originally stop advertising now pause. Snap said it would be “imprudent” to offer formal guidance on what to expect for the current quarter “due to the unpredictable nature of war.”

    Meta finance chief Susan Li said the Facebook and Instagram parent has seen softer advertising spending so far in the quarter, correlating in timeline with the start of the conflict. Li noted that it isn’t necessarily due to any one event, but cooler spending has aligned in the past with the start of conflicts such as the Russian invasion of Ukraine last year.

    “This is something that we’re continuing to monitor,” Li told analysts during the company’s earnings call on Wednesday. “We’ve reflected the latest trends and advertiser reaction that we’ve seen into our Q4 outlook — which, again, we think reflects the greater uncertainty and volatility in the landscape ahead.”

    Align Technology is expecting increased headwinds from the uncertainty and potential supply chain issues tied to the conflict, according to Chief Financial Officer John Morici. He said the fourth-quarter operating margin, when adjusted for generally accepted accounting principles, should be down from the prior quarter as the company offers severance to adjust to headcount changes in this situation.

    Multiple corporations including Aon and West Pharmaceutical noted a continued focus on supporting employees and their family members who live and work in the region. Israel is known in part for its vibrant startup and technology scene, with entrepreneurs now wondering how to push forward in the new normal, especially as citizens get called to serve in reserve units.

    ServiceNow CEO William McDermott said during the company’s call with analysts on Wednesday that employee Shlomi Sividia was among those murdered at the Supernova Music Festival. He said Sividia was “highly respected, admired and a good friend to many.”

    “We stand in solidarity with our team and with their families. Terrorism has caused the unfathomable humanitarian crisis that now engulfs millions of people in Israel and Gaza,” McDermott said. “Our hearts pray for the innocent on all sides. Even with optimism in short supply, we choose to honor the dream of a peaceful and prosperous future for the Middle East region.”

    Companies specializing in defense have also been on alert as another international conflict breaks out.

    General Dynamics, the biggest U.S. artillery shell producer, had already been ramping up artillery production to meet needs amid the war in Ukraine, according to finance chief Jason Aiken. Now, the company is working to increase production to as high as 100,000 units per month, up from 14,000.

    “I think the Israel situation is only going to put upward pressure on that demand,” Aiken said during General Dynamics’ Wednesday earnings call.

    — CNBC’s Robert Hum, Morgan Brennan and Leslie Josephs contributed reporting.

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  • Israel’s expanded raids into Gaza mark major escalation in war

    Israel’s expanded raids into Gaza mark major escalation in war

    Israel’s expanded raids into Gaza mark major escalation in war – CBS News


    Watch CBS News



    Israel expanded ground operations in Gaza on Friday, nearly three weeks after Hamas launched an attack on the country. CBS News’ Charlie D’Agata, David Martin and Nancy Cordes have the latest.

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  • United Airlines plans to board passengers with window seats in economy class first

    United Airlines plans to board passengers with window seats in economy class first

    United Airlines says that it will start boarding passengers with window seats in economy class first starting next week, a move expected to speed up boarding times for flights.

    The airline said in an internal memo that it will implement the plan on October 26. Known as WILMA, which is meant to stand for window, middle and aisle, the plan was tested at four domestic locations and one hub. United said that it’s shown to save up to two minutes of boarding time.

    The change will begin with passengers in boarding Group 4. Those with window seats will board first, followed by those with middle seats and then those with aisle seats. United said that multiple customers on the same economy reservation, such as families, will be allowed to board their flight together.

    The plan will be implemented on domestic flights and some international flights.

    Individuals in first class and business class will see no change in their boarding process. There’s also no change for the pre-boarding group that includes travelers with disabilities, unaccompanied minors, active-duty military and families traveling with children that are 2 years old or younger.

    On Tuesday, United reported that it earned $1.14 billion in the vacation-heavy third quarter, but the airline forecast weaker profit the rest of the year due to surging jet fuel prices and the suspension of flights to Tel Aviv during the Israel-Hamas war.


    Flights to and from Israel halted amid fighting

    00:18

    United said its fourth-quarter adjusted profit would be between $1.50 and $1.80 per share, short of Wall Street’s expectations for $2.09 per share.

    The high end of the United forecast assumes that the airline will resume Tel Aviv flights next month, while the low end assumes no more flights this year. United and many other airlines halted the flights shortly after Hamas militants attacked Israel on October 7.

    Shares of United Airlines Holdings Inc. fell more than 7% in morning trading Wednesday.

    Bigger issues than boarding time

    While passengers may appreciate a faster, more efficient boarding process, the bulk of air traveler complaints to the Department of Transportation over the past decade have revolved around flight cancellations and delays — and the situation is only getting worse, according to a recent analysis by the U.S. Public Interest Group. 

    Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg this summer said his office is actively investigating the scheduling practices of several airlines for what a spokesperson described as “unrealistic.” 

    Adding to the problem is a shortage throughout the aviation industry of  roughly 32,000 commercial pilots, mechanics and air traffic controllers, a CBS News analysis of data from the FAA, U.S. Department of Transportation and U.S. Department of Labor, shows.

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  • Hamas, Israel trade blame for Gaza hospital blast

    Hamas, Israel trade blame for Gaza hospital blast

    Hamas, Israel trade blame for Gaza hospital blast – CBS News


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    The Gaza Health Ministry said at least 500 people were killed Tuesday when an airstrike hit a hospital compound in the center of Gaza City. Israeli officials denied targeting the hospital and said they believed the blast was caused by a rocket from Hamas or Islamic Jihad that fell short and struck the site. CBS News senior foreign correspondent Charlie D’Agata reports.

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  • How Israel’s tech community is responding to the Israel-Hamas war

    How Israel’s tech community is responding to the Israel-Hamas war

    Israeli soldiers on a tank are seen near the Israel-Gaza border. 

    Ilia Yefimovich | Picture Alliance | Getty Images

    On Saturday, Dvir Ben-Aroya woke up expecting to go on his regular morning run. Instead, he was met with blaring alarms and missiles flying over Tel Aviv. 

    Ben-Aroya, co-founder of Spike, a workplace collaboration platform with clients including Fiverr, Snowflake, Spotify and Wix, was confused for over an hour — “No one really knew what was going on,” he recalled — but as time passed, social media and texts from friends began to fill him in. 

    That morning, Hamas, the Palestinian militant organization, had carried out terrorist attacks near the Israel-Gaza border, killing civilians and taking hostages. On Sunday, Israel declared war and began implementing a siege of Gaza, cutting off access to power, food, water and fuel. So far, more than 1,000 Israelis have been killed, according to the Israeli Embassy in Washington; in Gaza and the West Bank the death toll is nearing 850, according to two health ministries in the region. 

    Follow our live coverage of the Israel-Hamas war.

    At 3 p.m. local time Saturday, Ben-Aroya held an all-hands meeting, and he says every one of his 35 full-time, Israel-based employees joined the call. People shared their experiences, and Ben-Aroya decided everyone should work from home for the foreseeable future, adding that if anyone wanted to move away from Israel with their family, the company would support them. At least 10% decided to take him up on that offer, he told CNBC, and he believes more will do so in the coming weeks. 

    Israel’s tech community accounts for nearly one-fifth of the country’s annual gross domestic product, making it the sector with the largest economic output in the country, according to the Israel Innovation Authority. The tech sector also makes up about 10% of the total labor force. Even during war, much of Israel’s tech community is still finding a way to push forward, according to Ben-Aroya and a handful of other members of the tech community CNBC spoke with. 

    Israeli soldiers stand guard at the site of the Supernova desert music Festival, after Israeli forces managed to secure areas around Re’im. 

    Ilia Yefimovich | Picture Alliance | Getty Images

    Ben-Aroya had been planning to launch Spike’s integrated artificial intelligence tool this past Monday, and he almost immediately decided to put the project on hold — but only for a week’s time. 

    For Amitai Ratzon, CEO of cybersecurity firm Pentera, Saturday began with “uncertainty and lots of confusion,” but when his company had its all-hands meeting on Monday, with 350 attendees, he recalled some Israel-based workers viewing work as a good distraction. For those who feel the opposite, the company is allowing them to take the time off they need. 

    Pentera operates from 20 countries, with Israel having the largest employee base, and it specializes in mimicking cyberattacks for clients such as BNP Paribas, Chanel and Sephora to identify system weaknesses. Ratzon said he has had to restructure some international commitments amid the conflict — canceling the training session some employees were flying into Israel for, asking someone to cover for his planned keynote address in Monaco, and having German and U.K. team members fly to a Dubai conference that Israel-based employees had been planning on attending. 

    “Everyone is covering for each other,” Ratzon told CNBC. 

    A considerable number of tech workers have already been called on for military reserve duty — a mobilization that so far totals about 360,000 Israelis. 

    Ratzon said Pentera has more than 20 of its best employees currently serving, “some of them on the front lines.” 

    Isaac Heller, CEO of Trullion, an accounting automation startup with offices in Tel Aviv, told CNBC that the company’s finance lead just finished its 2024 financial forecast and then immediately delivered new bulletproof vests for his Israeli Defense Forces unit after raising more than $50,000 to secure them.

    Of digital bank One Zero’s almost 450 employees — all based in Israel — about 10% were drafted for reserve duty, CEO Gal Bar Dea told CNBC. He was surprised to see people constantly volunteering to cover for each other in an employee WhatsApp group. 

    “This guy says he was drafted, all of a sudden three people jump in and cover his tasks,” Bar Dea said. “There’s a sense of business as usual, everything is moving forward. … We had some meetings today on new launches coming. Everyone is keeping moving and covering for each other.” 

    One Zero is working on a ChatGPT-like chatbot for customer service, and this week employees opted to join optional planning meetings and decided not to move the deadlines, Bar Dea said. The person leading the ChatGPT efforts, an Air Force pilot who has been drafted, chose to join conference calls in his military uniform in between his duties, Bar Dea said. 

    “Many, many members of the tech community have been called up to reserve duty,” Yaniv Sadka, an investment associate at aMoon, a health tech and life sciences-focused venture capital firm, told CNBC, adding that a large swath of the community has been called to serve in Israel’s intelligence units as their reserve duty.  

    “I will have, by tonight, already been to two military funerals,” Sadka said. 

    Some members of Israel’s tech community are working overtime on tech tools specific to the conflict, such as a bulletin board-type website for missing persons, cyberattack defense tools, a GoFundMe-like tool and even a resource for finding online psychologists, according to Bar Dea.

    “It’s pretty amazing — it’s the secret sauce of Israel … startup nation,” Bar Dea told CNBC, adding, “In two days, people are raising money, volunteering, taking kids in, building new houses, walking deserted dogs. … All the high-tech companies. People are building cyber stuff, communication stuff … stuff to help civilians … websites to find hostages.” 

    Sadka said that he’s “never seen anything like” the mass donations and mass volunteering happening at the moment. 

    “It’s thousands upon thousands upon thousands of people taking care of each other. There are everyone from teenagers to senior citizens helping,” he said. 

    Five minutes before Bar Dea’s call with CNBC, he said he heard sirens blaring from his office, and that his wife had taken his kids inside their home to shelter in place. 

    “It’s interesting trying to be the CEO of a bank or high-tech company, meanwhile I’m the father of a 10-year-old and a 6-year-old,” Bar Dea said, adding, “It’s very tough. It’s something we’ve never experienced before, ever. … Everyone is trying to get our hands around how to deal with it from a business perspective and also from a personal perspective.” 

    Sadka added, “It’s very difficult to concentrate on work when you’re dealing with all these personal matters and on securing yourself and the country.”

    More CNBC coverage of the Israel-Hamas war

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