The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) which were operating in south Gaza were not specifically seeking to target him, but a body recovered at the scene suggests he may have been killed. Israeli sources and media are saying there is a “high likelihood” Sinwar has been killed.

“At this stage, the identity of the terrorists cannot be confirmed,” the Israeli army and air force said in a joint statement as speculation mounts, also as gruesome photographs of a badly mangled body circulate widely online.

The Washington Post writes that “A body, believed to be Sinwar’s, is being brought to Israel for DNA analysis, according to an Israeli official who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.” According to more details:

“We have his DNA from when he was in jail,” Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon said in an interview in September, at a previous moment when Israeli authorities believed they might have killed the Hamas leader. Danon said at the time that DNA analysis had been run on previous bodies, but that the testing had not been a match.

According to Israeli journalist Nadav Eyal, “A reserve IDF force operating near Rafah spotted three armed men in a building, which was then hit by a drone/tank shell.”

He describes that “A man resembling Sinwar and a Hamas regiment commander were found dead with a substantial amount of cash and weapons. This was part of the ongoing IDF operation, not a targeted assassination. No hostages are believed to have been present, but the ground is being inspected to confirm.”

The Israeli police says its forensics team has identified Sinwar's body according to pictures of his teeth that were taken by soldiers on the ground and compared to photos of his teeth Israel has. DNA test is still ongoing https://t.co/XNx5DlJ6Lk

— Barak Ravid (@BarakRavid) October 17, 2024

While Israel’s military is urging caution and patience amid all the rumors, if confirmed it would be a huge win for Israel, and major setback for Hamas:

Army chief Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi vowed to “find him (Sinwar), attack him” and force Hamas to find another leader.

Sinwar — Hamas’s leader in Gaza since 2017 — has not been seen since the October 7 attack, the deadliest in Israel’s history.

It would certainly mark the biggest development of the conflict since the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on July 31st of this year.

Israeli army publishes footage of what it says is the operation that “led to the assassination of Yahya Sinwar”…

الجيش الإسرائيلي ينشر صورا لما قال إنها للعملية التي "أدت لاغتيال يحيى السنوار" #غزة #قناة_العربية #فلسطين pic.twitter.com/XDlh3gjILp

— العربية عاجل (@AlArabiya_Brk) October 17, 2024

A prominent open source analysis X account, OSINTdefender, writes that “One of the Images claimed to show the Body of Yahya Sinwar, following an Israeli Strike earlier today on Southern Gaza. With Facial Features as well as his Watch appearing to be an Exact Match to the Leader of Hamas.”

Strong rumors of his death have been circulating in Arabic media as well.

UPDATE: Israel is "close" to confirming Yahya Sinwar DNA, but "NOT FINAL" a source tells @AlMonitor . 2 Sources told Kan Sinwar has been killed. No comment from Hamas yet https://t.co/B5cMpTXFEr

— Joyce Karam (@Joyce_Karam) October 17, 2024

Below is a quick review of his bio, via Al Jazeera:

• Yahya Sinwar was born in the Khan Younis refugee camp in southern Gaza in 1962.
• His family were refugees from Majdal Askalan, or what became Ashkelon, after the creation of Israel in 1948.
• Sinwar spent 22 years of his life in Israeli prisons, for allegedly planning the abduction and killing of two Israeli soldiers in 1988. He was freed in 2011 as part of a prisoner exchange deal.
• An Israeli government assessment of his years in detention described him as “ruthless” and “powerful”.
• He used his time in jail to become fluent in Hebrew.
• Sinwar succeeded Ismail Haniyeh as Hamas’s leader in Gaza in 2017. He became the group’s leader after Israel assassinated Haniyeh in July.
• After the October 7 attack in southern Israel, which he is accused of masterminding, the Israeli military described him as a “dead man walking”.

About 1,200 Israelis were killed Oct. 7 during Hamas’ terrorist attack exactly one year ago, a rampage of rape, torture, and murder in southern Israel. The terrorists took another 240 as hostages.

Hostage negotiations remain stalled, with little progress in recent weeks.

An Israeli-American hostage, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, was murdered in the Gaza Strip about a month ago after enduring 11 months in captivity. His body was recovered in Gaza.

The bodies of three other Americans—Itay Chen, Judy Weinstein, and Gad Haggai—also are believed to be in Gaza.

Some details on the four Americans believed to be alive:

Edan Alexander

Alexander, now 20, was born in Tel Aviv but grew up in Tenafly, New Jersey. He was serving in Israeli’s Golani Brigade when Hamas terrorists attacked Israel. Alexander spoke to his mother on the morning of the attack and told her he was safe; shortly thereafter, his parents were unable to reach him.

Sagui Dekel-Chen

On Oct. 7, Dekel-Chen was living in Kibbutz Nir Oz with his wife and two daughters. He was busy at work that morning when he saw Hamas terrorists entering the kibbutz.

Dekel-Chen climbed onto the roof of the Kibbutz’s communal dining room to issue a warning before running home to his family. Finding them in a bomb shelter, he went back into the kibbutz to fight off the terrorists.

He was one of about 80 residents of Kibbutz Nir Oz to be taken hostage that day.

Dekel-Chen’s third daughter was born during his captivity.

Omer Neutra

Neutra was born in New York City in 2001. After high school, Neutra took a gap year and participated in a leadership program in Israel.

After a year there, Neutra decided to join the Israel Defense Forces and became a tank commander. On Oct. 7, he was serving close to Israel’s border with Gaza.

Neutra’s tank was found empty shortly after the terrorist attack.

Keith Siegel

Siegel and his wife were taken from their home in Kibbutz Kfar Aza on Oct. 7. Aviva Siegel was released Nov. 26, but her husband remains a hostage in Gaza.

Siegel, 65, is originally from Chapel Hill, North Carolina. He and his wife hid in their safe room during the Hamas attack, but terrorists found them and took them from their home.

Aviva Siegel said terrorists shoved her husband, breaking his ribs, and shot him in the hand.

As Israelis and Americans mark the one-year anniversary of the Oct. 7 terrorist attack, Yael Eckstein, president and CEO of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, sits down with The Daily Signal.

In the interview, Eckstein talks about how the day will be remembered in Israel and what life has been like in the Jewish state since the attack.

Iran launched hundreds of missiles into Israeli territory — most, but not all, of which were intercepted — in retaliation for Israel’s attacks against Tehran and Hezbollah in recent weeks and months. With the war against Hamas in Gaza largely coming to a close, Israel’s primary focus is now on combating Iran and Hezbollah, two much larger adversaries that threaten to throw the already chaotic Middle East region further into turmoil, national security experts told the Daily Caller News Foundation.

“Hamas is a shadow of its former self. Israel is going to continue to try to eradicate them, but it’s sort of a guerilla campaign. Hamas is being starved and smoked out. I suspect that you’re going to see Hamas go underground somewhat — more figuratively than literally at this point,” former State Department official Gabriel Noronha told the DCNF.

The Iranian strike is one of the latest developments in the ongoing regional conflict, though it is undoubtedly not the last. Israel has yet to respond to the attack but, military spokesman Daniel Hagari promised on Tuesday there would be “consequences” for Iran.

“Iran made a big mistake – and it will pay for it,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin said during a security cabinet meeting on Tuesday.

It’s not clear what route of retaliation Israel may choose to take, although it reportedly had warned Tehran on Monday — ahead of the missile salvo — that it would go after Iranian nuclear and oil facilities if it were attacked. Former Israeli intelligence official Avi Melamed told the DCNF he didn’t anticipate Israel would strike nuclear or oil sites, but that other major infrastructure — such as military or logistics sites — would be targets.

“Non-kinetic” methods could also be employed by Israel against Iran, Melamed said.

“That’s my estimation for the features of the expected Israeli response,” Melamed told the DCNF, noting that the timing of such a response would likely be sooner than later.

U.S. military assets positioned in the region provided defense to Israel during the Iranian strikes on Tuesday. U.S. officials have thus far declined to comment on what Israel’s next move might be, although they have similarly warned of “consequences.”

It’s unlikely that the U.S. would participate in a joint attack against Iran, but officials have vowed that more defenses will be provided to Israel if need be, and Melamed told the DCNF that an Israeli response is at the very least likely being coordinated with U.S. officials.

Israel is also facing a challenge in Hezbollah, Iran’s largest and most capable terrorist proxy network. Hezbollah began firing at Israel over the Lebanon border last October, out of support for Hamas’ invasion of Israel at the time, which ended in the murder of approximately 1,200 people and lit the fuse for a broader regional war.

“It’s clear that Israel is determined to rid Lebanon of Hezbollah,” senior fellow at the Strauss Center and former Pentagon official Simone Ledeen told the DCNF. “Do the Israelis need to get every single one of those Hezbollah fighters? No, of course not. They need Hezbollah to lay down their arms and surrender… the Israelis [are] really focused on getting to that objective.”

The conflict between Israel and Hezbollah has heated up rapidly in recent weeks. Israel has carried out sweeping airstrikes against Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon and remotely detonated thousands of the terrorist group’s personal communication devices in September, sending explosions sweeping throughout the country.

Israel killed Hezbollah’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah, in an airstrike in Beirut on Friday, creating further chaos for the group and raising alarm in Iran. Now Israeli forces are conducting a series of ground raids over the border in southern Lebanon, in what could be the prelude to a larger ground invasion.

“From all accounts that I’m seeing, the next phase is, you have to launch a ground invasion and take out as many Hezbollah operatives as possible,” Noronha told the DCNF. “Hezbollah will bite back hard, and it’ll get pretty ugly, but it’s not entirely clear where this goes from there.”

As things stand, Israel is essentially in a multi-front conflict with Iran, Hezbollah, Hamas, and other Iranian-backed terror groups scattered throughout the Middle East. Arguably the least threatening actor right now is Hamas, which has been thoroughly weakened since last year. Israeli forces have killed nearly 18,000 Hamas fighters since last year, according to the most recent estimates, which is about half the manpower the group started with when it invaded Israel in late 2023.

Several Hamas leaders have also been killed or assassinated since last year. The group’s prime leader, Yahya Sinwar, has been in hiding from Israeli forces in tunnels underground Gaza, which Hamas often utilizes for operations. Many sections of those tunnels have been destroyed by Israeli forces, however.

“They’re going to be the resistance force for what they will label the Israeli occupation of Gaza, probably for a long time,” Noronha told the DCNF. “But it won’t be warfare. It’ll be an insurgency.”

Israeli forces have wrapped some of their operations in Gaza, although the prospects of a full ceasefire with Hamas anytime soon remain low. Though questions remain about Gaza — such as who will rebuild or govern over the region when the war ends — the conversation is shifting to Iran, Hezbollah and other Western adversaries, especially in light of recent developments, experts told the DCNF.

“You see the shift right now,” Melamed told the DCNF, pointing to Iran’s strike against Israel on Tuesday and the risk of an even bigger Israel-Iran standoff. “Those ramifications are much bigger than the ramifications of the story of Israel and Hamas. At the end of the day, they’re all part of the same story. But the significance of the ramifications of an Israel-Hezbollah collision, and an Israel-Iran collision are far bigger than they are in comparison to Hamas.”

As for the U.S. role in the current state of affairs, the Biden-Harris administration has been working for months in trying to secure a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, and more recently between Israel and Hezbollah; those efforts have largely failed. Biden-Harris officials have often urged Israel to refrain from military operations and instead sought diplomatic off-ramps to resolve the multiple conflicts, though the U.S. continues to provide defensive assets for Israel and has not spoken out against a possible response from Israel against Iran.

The Biden-Harris administration’s foreign policy in dealing with Iran and the Middle East more broadly has been criticized by some as misguided or incompetent. Iran has raked in hundreds of billions of dollars in recent years from oil revenues made under the eased sanctions of the Biden-Harris administration, and additional billions from sanctions waivers. Iran uses its funds to back various terror groups like Hezbollah and Hamas.

On Hezbollah, former Pentagon official Simone Ledeen told the DCNF that the Biden-Harris administration should provide its support behind Israel’s efforts to defeat the terrorist group, but didn’t have high hopes that would be the case.

“What should we do? We should be voicing our full-throated support for Israel and providing them everything that they asked for in order to achieve a total victory in this war, full stop,” Ledeen told the DCNF. “What will we do? Nothing, practically nothing.”

The IDF and White House did not respond to a request for comment.

All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact [email protected].

There are approximately 100,000 Israelis that have been unable to return to their homes in northern Israel for months, and Netanyahu has become convinced that the only way that they can be safely returned to their homes is to force Hezbollah out of southern Lebanon.  But of course Hezbollah will not go willingly.  In fact, Hezbollah has warned that there will be “all-out war” if IDF forces attempt to enter southern Lebanon.

Unfortunately, any hope for a peaceful resolution appears to be gone and we are being told that the Israeli government has decided to launch a military operation in southern Lebanon “as soon as international legitimacy and IDF manpower” allow for it.  The following comes from a Times of Israel article entitled “PM said to warn Israel faces ‘large-scale confrontation’ with Hezbollah in near future”…

According to Channel 13 news, Netanyahu believes that Israel is headed for an inevitable all-out confrontation with Hezbollah, as a diplomatic solution that could bring an end to the near-daily cross-border clashes with the Lebanese terror group remains elusive.

Citing an unnamed Netanyahu associate, Channel 13 reported that no timeline had been established for the expected confrontation, which has been promised by top officials for months, and as such, it could be in weeks or months from now.

The assessment that the skirmishes with Hezbollah on the northern border, which have led to the displacement of tens of thousands of Israelis, would not be solved through a diplomatic solution was shared by the security chiefs, the report stated, and as such it was agreed that a military operation should be launched as soon as international legitimacy and IDF manpower allowed for it.

So many people are going to die on both sides.

But it has become clear that nobody will ever be able to persuade Hezbollah to stop firing at targets in northern Israel.

So a decision has been made that it is time to take action.

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has been against a military campaign in southern Lebanon, and there are reports that he may soon be fired by Netanyahu…

There is currently widespread speculation in Israeli media that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will soon terminate Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, which would constitute a monumental reshuffle of his cabinet. The two have reportedly been clashing over war strategy, especially on what to do about the crisis in northern Israel, an area which has come under daily rocket and drone attack from Lebanese Hezbollah.

“The drafts of the agreement have already been drawn up … Netanyahu is preparing for Gallant’s dismissal in the near future … Galant will be fired by Netanyahu,” Israeli news outlet Ynet reported Monday.

Gallant is reportedly wanting to avoid immediate escalation of the war with Hezbollah in the north, reportedly clashing with the army’s Northern Command chief Ori Gordin, who is calling for the government to approve a large-scale operation in Lebanon to destroy Hezbollah.

It is very difficult to succeed when everyone is not pulling in the same direction.

Either Gallant has to go or Gordin has go to.

And it appears that Gallant is going to be the one that will be forced out.

But I do not expect the IDF to launch a military operation in southern Lebanon quite yet.

Netanyahu is scheduled to address the UN General Assembly later this month, and during that address I expect him to publicly make his case for military action against Hezbollah…

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to travel to the United States later this month to deliver an address to the U.N. General Assembly on Sept. 27, his office announced on Sunday.

The Israeli premier is slated to leave for New York on Sept. 24 for meetings with world leaders on the sidelines of the event, according to the statement.

Netanyahu is to address the 79th Session of the U.N. General Assembly three days later, on Friday afternoon, and fly back that Sunday.

I do not think that all-out war will erupt before Netanyahu delivers that speech.

But it may come fairly soon afterwards.

Interestingly, this will be the first time that Netanyahu has spoken to the UN General Assembly after the Palestinians were granted a seat among the member states…

Palestinians took a seat among member states at the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, a new right accorded to the Palestinian Authority’s delegation despite it not being a full member of the body.

In May, an overwhelming majority of the General Assembly asserted that Palestinians deserved full membership, a move that has been blocked by the United States, which along with Israel says recognition of Palestinian statehood must come through a peace agreement.

The General Assembly granted the delegation certain new rights in a resolution, which still excludes it from being able to vote or be a member of the Security Council.

The coming war is going to be absolutely horrifying.

In the aftermath of the war, I expect that there will be a full-fledged Palestinian state and that they will be given full membership at the United Nations.

Needless to say, that will have enormous implications for all of us.

But before we get to that, the entire region is going to be facing an apocalyptic war. You see, the truth is that Israel isn’t just going to be fighting Hezbollah.

Israel will be fighting an alliance of Islamic nations and terror groups, and more fighters are pouring into the region with each passing day.

In fact, it is being reported that large numbers of Houthi fighters have been arriving in Syria…

A Houthi source confirmed the arrival of Houthi fighters from Yemen to Syrian territory, according to reports.

The confirmation comes after a Syrian source told i24NEWS’ Hebrew channel that the Iran-backed Yemeni group was on its way to Israel’s border with Syria in the Golan Heights.

The Yemeni armed group claimed that “this is a prelude to a new phase of escalation against Israel.”

Both sides are preparing for war, and this is going to be the sort of war where both sides don’t hold anything back.

The death and destruction that we will witness will shock the entire globe.

We have been warned that this war would be coming for a very long time, and now we are almost there.

So many lives have already been lost since last October, and now the entire Middle East stands right on the brink of a complete and utter nightmare.

Michael’s new book entitled “Why” is available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.com, and you can subscribe to his Substack newsletter at michaeltsnyder.substack.com.

Now, after seemingly rushing to align with a narrative that has repeatedly failed, Harris stated, “I will always give Israel the ability to defend itself, in particular as it relates … to Iran and any threat that Iran and its proxies pose to Israel. But we must have a two-state solution where we can rebuild Gaza, where the Palestinians have security, self-determination and the dignity they so rightly deserve.”

This rhetoric is not only naive but dangerously out of touch with the realities on the ground.

David Friedman, former U.S. ambassador to Israel, bluntly declared, “After Oct. 7th, the two-state became a dead letter. A Palestinian state between Israel and Jordan will destabilize both countries and bring only additional terror and misery.”

His words underscore the futility of pursuing a two-state solution in the current climate, where Palestinian leadership has shown nothing but rejectionism towards peace.

Friedman further criticized Harris, asserting, “Vice President Harris should stop parroting failed theories and trying to force a square peg into a round hole. She should empower Israel to reach a just and workable solution on its own and not interfere in matters where she is neither competent nor well-informed.”

This is a call for a more pragmatic approach, one that recognizes the complexities of the situation rather than clinging to outdated ideologies.

Jonathan Conricus, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, added, “The so-called two-state solution may have been possible to implement 31 years ago, but four straight Palestinian rejections of Israeli peace offers have made it clear that the current Palestinian leadership does not aspire to end the conflict and achieve peace.”

This stark reality should serve as a wake-up call for those in power who continue to push for a solution that has long been rejected by the very parties it aims to help.

Polling data reveals a troubling trend, as Conricus noted: “Polling of the Palestinian population in Gaza and Palestinian Authority-controlled areas shows clear popular Palestinian support for Hamas, signaling that the Palestinian population supports the genocidal vision of annihilating Israel through jihad, as demonstrated by Hamas on Oct. 7.”

This is not just a political issue; it’s a matter of life and death, and the implications of Harris’ stance could be catastrophic.

Joel Rubin, a former deputy assistant secretary of state, acknowledged the challenges, stating, “The two-state solution is on life support right now, but just because this is a difficult moment to envision a peaceful endgame between Israel and the Palestinians that’s rooted in diplomatic compromise, that does not mean it should not be the goal.”

Rubin also pointed out, “We have seen it achieved with Arab states. There is no reason that it can’t be done with the Palestinians as long as the political will is there, extremism is rooted out and security arrangements are solid. So, for Vice President Harris to make this a priority is an inherently pro-Israel position, one that seeks to provide Israel with the long-term security and stability that it still clearly does not have.”

This perspective highlights the need for a more nuanced approach, one that prioritizes Israel’s security while addressing the complexities of Palestinian aspirations.

In a previous interview, Harris reiterated her commitment, saying, “I remain committed since I’ve been on Oct. 8 to what we must do to work toward a two-state solution where Israel is secure and in equal measure the Palestinians have security and self-determination and dignity.”

Her commitment seems to ignore the stark realities of the current geopolitical landscape. The Biden administration’s funding for the Palestinian Authority (PA) raises further concerns.

Itamar Marcus, director of Palestinian Media Watch, revealed, “The American and European funding boosts the Palestinian Authority budget by $600 million. The Palestinian Authority pays the salaries of imprisoned terrorists and the family members of the martyrs, and the amount comes to $300 million a year.”

This financial support, which indirectly funds terrorism, is a glaring contradiction to the administration’s stated goals of peace and stability.

Moreover, Mahmoud Abbas, the PA president, has made inflammatory statements, declaring, “America is the plague, and the plague is America” and “We implement Shari’a law: victory or martyrdom.”

Such rhetoric from a supposed moderate leader only serves to highlight the futility of the Biden-Harris administration’s approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The endorsement of a Palestinian state by Vice President Harris is not just a political miscalculation; it is a dangerous gamble that could have far-reaching consequences for both Israel and the broader Middle East. As the 2024 election looms, one must question whether this administration is truly committed to peace or merely playing politics as usual.

I think that those that brought the red heifers to Israel were planning to sacrifice one of them once they reached the proper age.

But then the war started and that changed everything.  In fact, a spokesperson for Hamas identified the red heifers as one of the reasons why Israel was attacked on October 7th, 2023…

Twenty miles north of Jerusalem, five Texas Red Angus cows chew on grass, oblivious to the fact that their mere presence in Israel was cited by Hamas as a reason for its massacre of Israeli civilians on October 7. The terror organization’s spokesperson says the cows were a justification for the attack, stating that bringing them to Israel was “an aggression” based on a “detestable religious myth.”

Apparently Hamas was convinced that if a red heifer was sacrificed Israel would make a move to take control of the Temple Mount so that the rebuilding of the Temple could begin…

Hamas has called the importation of the red cows an act of “aggression” because it falsely believes that the presence of the cows may ignite the rebuilding of the Temple, which the group thinks would end Arab control of the Temple Mount, where the Al-Aqsa Mosque is located.

Those that are involved in the red heifer project did not want to inflame tensions even more, and so the sacrifice of a red heifer was put off for another time.

But now that Hamas has almost been totally defeated, does that change things?

Middle East Eye is reporting that some of those involved in the red heifer project have been practicing for the day when a sacrifice will finally be allowed…

A group of religious Israelis have been pictured practising the ritual of the red heifer, which is meant to herald the building of a new Jewish temple on the site of Al-Aqsa Mosque.

According to Jewish tradition, the ashes of a perfectly red heifer cow are needed for the ritual purification that would allow a third temple to be built in Jerusalem.

Israeli journalist Yinon Magal was the one who originally broke this story.  The following is an English translation of what he posted on Twitter…

“Temple worshipers are now practicing the mitzvah [religious duty] of a red cow in front of the Temple Mount, which will enable the return of purity and the observance of all the temple mitzvahs,” posted journalist Yinon Magal on Tuesday, along with a picture of activists from the Temple Institute.

The photograph that accompanied that post is below…

There are two things that immediately jump out at me from this picture.

Number one, the cow that we see is most certainly not one of the five red heifers.

In fact, it is obviously not anywhere close to being a perfect red heifer.

Number two, this photograph was not taken on the Mount of Olives, because we can see the Mount of Olives in the background.

When they decide that the time has finally come for a red heifer to be sacrificed, it will be sacrificed on the Mount of Olives. But of course practice for such a ceremony can be conducted anywhere.

Ever since 1921, Jewish people have been prohibited from entering the Temple Mount unless they are ritually clean, and they can’t be ritually clean without the ashes of a red heifer…

The Chief Rabbinate of Jerusalem has also, since 1921, officially banned Jews from entering the Temple Mount. It ruled that Jews are forbidden to enter the site unless “ritually clean”, which is impossible without the ashes of a red heifer.

Many religious leaders are very much looking forward to the day when the ashes of a red heifer are finally available.

But one official from the Temple Institute recently told the Daily Wire that there “is no plan right now for using a kosher red heifer, killing it and turning it into ashes”…

Conducting a red heifer ceremony is controversial in rabbinic circles, and there is far from a consensus over whether it can even be done, according to the Temple Institute, which provides rabbinical supervision for the cows.

“There is no plan right now for using a kosher red heifer, killing it and turning it into ashes,” Yitzchak Reuven, the director of international development for the Temple Institute told The Daily Wire. “Anyone saying this is making it up. We will only do this when the time is right, because there is no point in doing it if the Jewish and rabbinic world won’t accept it.”

That sounds pretty definitive.

So even though they may be doing practice runs, we may not see the real thing for a while.

Meanwhile, the clock is ticking for the five red heifers.

In a previous article, I explained that the Temple Institute has determined that a red heifer does not qualify for a red heifer sacrifice until its third year has begun…

As for the time the red heifer may be used for this commandment –  the Sages state that it is valid when it reaches maturity, i.e. from the beginning of its third year. [13] From this age and onward the red heifer is valid without age limitations. Though, ideally, one should not wait till it passes the age of four, lest it grows hairs of colors that deem it invalid. [14]

All of the red heifers that were flown into Israel in 2022 are now old enough to qualify.

But as time passes, there is a risk that these red heifers will develop hairs that are not red and be disqualified.

More than half a million dollars has already been spent on these particular red heifers, and if every single one of them is ultimately disqualified those involved in the project will have to start from scratch.

I don’t think they want to do that.

So we shall see what happens.  Personally, I have a feeling that there is more going on behind the scenes than we are being told.

Michael’s new book entitled “Chaos” is available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.com, and you can subscribe to his Substack newsletter at michaeltsnyder.substack.com.

Hamas, which launched the Oct. 7 attack on Israel that took hundreds hostage and killed 1,200 people, agreed to no longer seek a commitment from Israel to completely end the war, according to the AP, citing an Egyptian and a Hama official. The proposal would stop the fighting for six weeks, with the terrorist group releasing female, ill and older hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and Israel withdrawing from the northern portion of Gaza.

The two sides would then negotiate the return of the remaining hostages in exchange for prisoners, with an eventual rebuilding program to be established, the AP reported. The proposal is backed by the United States.

President Joe Biden has urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to accept a ceasefire deal, saying during an April phone call that an “immediate ceasefire” is “essential.”

Israeli forces freed four hostages on June 8 in raids on two locations in the central Gaza refugee camp of Nuseirat. The freed hostages included Noa Argamani, Almog Meir Jan, Andrey Kozlov and Shlomi Ziv.

7 Oct: The moment Noa Argamani was captured and dragged off and screaming on a motorcycle.

8 June: The moment she hugs her father after rescue. pic.twitter.com/cXc8STFGvs

— Imtiaz Mahmood (@ImtiazMadmood) June 8, 2024

Argamani, whose abduction video was widely shared, had been among the most recognizable hostages. Her mother, Liora, who is battling stage four brain cancer, had previously released a video pleading to see her daughter before her death. The rescue operation, which took place under heavy fire, was described as a heroic effort by Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari of the IDF.

“Noa, Almog, Andrey and Shlomi – we are overjoyed to have you home,” Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant said in a statement. “Our troops conducted a heroic operation to rescue four hostages held by Hamas, and brought them home to Israel.”

The Hostages Families Forum Headquarters praised the Israeli government for the rescue operation and urged the international community to pressure Hamas into accepting a proposed deal to release the remaining 120 hostages. “Every day there is a day too far,” the group emphasized.

Gallant expressed his joy at the successful operation and vowed to continue the fight until all hostages are returned home.

“The IDF, ISA and Special Forces operated with extraordinary courage under heavy fire, and succeeded in completing their mission,” he said.

As the rescued hostages receive medical care and reunite with their families, the Israeli government remains committed to bringing all remaining hostages home, whether alive for rehabilitation or deceased for burial.

Article generated from corporate media reports.

News outlet Axios has obtained an email sent by Israeli-American Democratic megadonor Haim Saban to White House officials, expressing profound discontent with Biden’s stance. Saban’s message, sent on Wednesday, called the decision “Bad, Bad, Bad, on all levels, Pls reconsider.” He further warned that the move “sends a terrible message to our allies in the region and beyond.”

In a CNN interview aired on Wednesday, Biden confirmed his position, stating that if Israel were to invade Rafah, the U.S. would not supply the weapons historically used to address such situations. However, he assured that the U.S. would continue to support Israel’s security through measures like the Iron Dome and other defensive capabilities.

Some Israelis and American politicians believe that Biden’s decision is a political maneuver to appease the far-left and progressive factions of the Democratic Party before the November election.

Hamas, with its leader Yahya Sinwar, has established a stronghold in Rafah, a city of over 1 million Palestinians. The terrorist organization is believed to be using hostages, potentially including Americans, as human shields to deter an Israeli incursion.

In his email, Saban accused Biden of abandoning the goals the U.S. has previously expressed in its support for Israel, including the defeat of Hamas. Saban pointed out the inconsistency in the U.S. stance, saying, “WE, the US, as you stated numerous times, believe that Hamas should be defeated. WE, the US, in this case YOU Mr President, have decided to stop sending munitions to Israel to achieve the goal that WE/YOU have set up for Israel and ourselves.”

Saban, who hosted a major fundraiser for Biden’s 2024 re-election campaign in February at his Los Angeles home, also said that the pause sends a message that the U.S. is bending to political pressure rather than doing what is right.

Mark Mellman, the CEO of Democratic Majority for Israel, echoed Saban’s sentiments, telling Axios that “there has never been a president more pro-Israel than Joe Biden.” He added, “At the same time, we are very concerned about what appears to be a significant shift in US policy.”

Mellman noted that many in the pro-Israel community are “very worried, very upset and very angry” about the administration’s threats and that they are unsure about the political consequences.

In response to this development, the House Oversight Committee has announced an investigation into the Biden administration’s threats to withhold offensive aid from Israel. The White House has yet to comment on the matter.

Article generated from corporate media reports.

At the University of Texas in Austin, police uncovered a cache of disturbing material hidden among art supplies at a protest encampment. The documents celebrated the death of innocent Jews and the destruction of Israel, including a piece that praised “over 2,300 rockets launched last year” at Israeli settlements.

Another document rejected peace and a two-state solution, calling for the complete liberation of the land “from the river to the sea.” Additionally, materials sourced from the “Resistance News Network,” a radical antisemitic Telegram channel promoting Hamas, were found on campuses in Illinois, New York, and California.

The materials also contained messages from recognized terrorist groups such as the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, threatening Israelis with violence. Experts have criticized the content as promoting extremism and the absolute elimination of Israel and Israelis through violence.

In addition to the propaganda, police found weapons, chains, and steel cables intended for barricading doors, and buckets of rocks and bricks to assault police. Of the 79 people arrested in connection with the UT protest, 45 had no affiliation with the university.

Similar situations have occurred at other campuses, with UC San Diego officials citing “significant dangers” in calling police to shut down an encampment where weapons, shields, and other tools for vandalism were found.

These incidents highlight a concerning trend of extremist and violent rhetoric and actions among some university protesters claiming to support Palestinian humanitarian rights.

Article generated from corporate media reports.