The Lakewood community is once again plunged into mourning with the heartbreaking news that Refoel Faham z”l, one of the survivors of Friday morning’s horrific car crash, has tragically succumbed to his injuries. Refoel z”l had been critically injured in the devastating accident that occurred on Hope Chapel Road near New Central Avenue.  Hatzolah paramedics rushed him to Jersey Shore University Medical Center, where he underwent emergency surgery and received intensive medical care for over 18 hours. Despite the valiant efforts of the medical team, Refoel was niftar shortly before the onset of Shabbos. The accident, which unfolded early Friday morning, involved a Toyota Sienna carrying five bochurim.

The IDF has deployed all infantry and armored brigades into Gaza in a significant expansion of the operation, Kan News reported on Motzei Shabbos. The Paratroopers Brigade, which entered the Strip in the past day, was the last to enter, joining the Golani, Givati, Nachal, Kfir, Commando, 7th, 188th, and 401st Armored Brigades, along with several reserve brigades. Sources in the Southern Command told Army Radio that military operations are being carried out very gradually, with the use of massive engineering equipment – including bulldozers and D9s – to neutralize booby traps and explosives planted by Hamas throughout the area.

A horrific tragedy unfolded early Friday morning in Lakewood, when a vehicle carrying five bochurim crashed and erupted into flames on Hope Chapel between Clearstream and New Central, tragically resulting in the petirah of two of the occupants. Preliminary reports indicate that the vehicle, a Toyota Sienna, was traveling along Hope Chapel Road when it struck a deer, causing the driver to lose control. The minivan veered off the roadway and crashed, bursting into flames. A passerby who came upon the harrowing scene reportedly saw the vehicle engulfed in flames and immediately called 911. Emergency services were dispatched, with Hatzolah being called in for backup. Two of the bochurim were tragically niftar at the scene.

The brutal murder of two Israeli embassy staffers, Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim, outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday night has been met with a bloodcurdling response from pro-Hamas groups, who have hailed the killings as a “heroic attack.” The victims, a young couple on the cusp of engagement, were gunned down by 30-year-old Elias Rodriguez as they left an American Jewish Committee (AJC) event aimed at fostering dialogue on the Gaza crisis. Rodriguez, who shouted “Free Palestine” during his arrest, fired 21 shots at the couple, killing them in a targeted act of antisemitic terrorism. Yet, instead of universal condemnation, pro-Hamas groups have repulsively glorified the attack.

“Last night in Washington something horrific happened. A brutal terrorist shot in cold blood a young beautiful couple – Yaron Lischinsky and Sara Milgrim. Yaron had just bought an engagement ring for Sarah. He was planning to give it to her in Jerusalem next week. They were planning to start a new and happy life together. Well, that tragically did not happen. Yaron and Sarah weren’t the victims of a random crime. The terrorist who cruelly gunned them down did so for one reason and one reason alone – he wanted to kill Jews. And as he was taken away, he chanted, ‘Free Palestine!’ This is exactly the same chant we heard on October 7th. On that day, thousands of terrorists stormed into Israel from Gaza. They beheaded men. They raped women. They burned babies alive.

Israel is completely changing its strategy in the Swords of Iron war and aims for a full conquest of the Strip, while separating the civilian population from Hamas terrorists, Channel 12 reported on Thursday. Since the beginning of the war, Israel has been dealing with what seems to be an insurmountable problem: the civilian population in the Gaza Strip, which Hamas uses as human shields. Since the beginning of the war, IDF soldiers have been clearing areas in Gaza of terrorists and then leaving the area and allowing civilians to return to their homes. But of course, Hamas would return to the area along with the civilians. IDF soldiers have been forced to return to the same areas time and time again, clearing houses and streets of Hamas terrorists, at great risk to their lives.

Israel is preparing for a rapid military strike against Iran’s nuclear facilities if ongoing negotiations between Tehran and Washington fall apart, according to a report by Axios citing two Israeli sources familiar with the matter. According to one source, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is closely watching the diplomatic developments and awaiting the right political moment to act. “Bibi is waiting for the nuclear talks to collapse and for the moment Trump will be disappointed about the negotiations and open to giving him the go-ahead,” the source said, referring to President Donald Trump. The Israeli intelligence community, which once believed a deal was within reach, now reportedly sees the talks nearing collapse.

In an interview with Israel’s N12, recently released hostage Yarden Bibas – whose wife, Shiri, and two sons, Ariel and Kfir hy”d, were murdered in captivity – opened up about the harrowing months he spent in Hamas captivity — and the unbreakable bond he shared with his best friend, David Cunio, who remains a hostage in Gaza to this day. Bibas revealed that during his time in captivity, he came face to face with Yahya Sinwar, the now-dead Hamas leader who orchestrated the October 7 massacre. “Sinwar asked me what he could do for me,” Bibas recounted. “I told him I wanted to stay with David, my best friend. He promised it would be done.” But that promise was short-lived. Just two to three weeks later, the two were forcibly separated.

Despite sending call-up orders to over 24,000 Charedi men since last summer, the IDF has seen only a small fraction – 5% – begin the enlistment process. In a tense session of the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee’s Subcommittee for IDF Human Resources, Brig. Gen. Shay Tayeb revealed that just 1,212 Charedi men have begun the initial stages of enlistment, despite thousands receiving formal draft notices. Of the 2,399 who were sent immediate call-up orders, 545 failed to appear by their mandatory reporting date. Military protocol deems any individual who ignores three draft notices a “draft evader,” triggering an automatic arrest warrant.

IDF forces in the Jenin refugee camp on Wednesday fired warning shots in the air during a tour of a delegation of foreign diplomats in the city, causing them to flee the area. According to Palestinian reports, the delegation included 25 representatives from European and Arab countries. Yisrael Hayom reported that the delegation was provided with an approved route as the area is considered an active combat zone. Nevertheless, the delegation deviated from the route and approached an area banned to civilians, causing the IDF soldiers to suspect the delegation members were terror suspects. The commander of the Yehudah and Shomron Division immediately investigated the incident and ordered IDF representatives to hold diplomatic contacts with international diplomats to explain the incident.