Thousands of Palestinians began moving north along Gaza’s Rasheed Street today, marking the start of a northward return as part of the truce agreement between Israel and Hamas. Under the terms of the deal, the IDF were required to withdraw eastward from Rasheed Street and dismantle military posts in the area. Footage captured last night shows the IDF pulling out of Netzarim, fulfilling its obligations under the ceasefire. Following their withdrawal, American private military contractors (PMCs) were seen entering the “Netzarim Corridor” in central Gaza. The PMCs have been assigned to oversee the safe return of Gazans to the northern part of the Strip and monitor vehicles moving through the corridor.

Thousands of Germans gathered in Berlin and other cities on Saturday to protest the rise of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party ahead of the country’s general election on February 23. The protests, held under the banner “sea of light against the right turn,” aimed to highlight concerns over the party’s growing influence and the threat of right-wing extremism in the nation. At Berlin’s iconic Brandenburg Gate, demonstrators lit their phones, blew whistles, and sang anti-fascist songs. In Cologne, protesters held banners denouncing the AfD, which has become the second-largest party in pre-election polls, behind the Union bloc of center-right parties led by Friedrich Merz.

Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), a long-time ally of former President Donald Trump, criticized the decision to issue blanket pardons for individuals charged in the January 6 Capitol riot. Appearing on Meet the Press, Graham expressed concern about the potential consequences of pardoning those involved in violent acts during the insurrection. “I fear that you will get more violence,” Graham said, addressing the pardons issued by Trump. “Pardoning the people who went into the Capitol and beat up a police officer violently, I think was a mistake, because it seems to suggest that’s an okay thing to do.” Graham compared Trump’s blanket pardons to those issued by President Joe Biden just minutes before leaving office, when Biden pardoned several family members.

Ron, the father of Daniella Gilboa, who was released from captivity on Shabbos, came to shul on Sunday morning to thank Hashem for his daughter’s release, reciting Nishmas in front of the open Aron Kodesh. An interesting fact about Gilboa is that her name used to be Danielle but her parents changed it to Daniella on the advice of a Rav two weeks after her abduction. The Rav told them that adding the letter “hei” to the end of a name symbolizes Hashem’s protection of that person. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

Israeli President Yitzchak Herzog and First Lady Michal Herzog visited the Lubavitcher Rebbe’s Ohel on Sunday morning, marking the first time a sitting Israeli President and First Lady have visited it. The visit was the President’s first stop on his U.S. trip and was hosted by Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky on behalf of Chabad Headquarters. During their time at the Ohel, the President and his wife took a moment to reflect on the enduring impact of the Rebbe’s vision and the global work of Chabad in strengthening Jewish life and identity. President Herzog and the First Lady davened at the Ohel for the safe return of hostages held by Hamas, the well-being of Israel’s soldiers, and in memory of those who tragically lost their lives. “We are very moved to be here at the resting place of the Rebbe.

Agam Berger is among the hostages expected to be released on Shabbos. Her mother, Merav, made a tremendous Kiddush Hashem and made a video urging Israeli media to honor Shabbos by refraining from coverage. Merav said “We are waiting with bated breath for our daughters…. We also know that it will apparently happen on Shabbos, and not for no reason, either: Our enemies apparently intended that.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday to declassify government files related to the assassinations of former President John F. Kennedy, Robert Kennedy, and Martin Luther King Jr. While signing the order, Trump declared, “Everything will be revealed,” and handed the signing pen to Robert F. Kennedy Jr. “That’s a big one, huh? A lot of people have been waiting for this for decades,” Trump added. Trump had previously promised to release all records related to JFK’s 1963 assassination in Dallas, an event that remains shrouded in mystery and conspiracy theories. The shooter, Lee Harvey Oswald, was killed shortly after his arrest, fueling decades of speculation about the events surrounding the assassination.

A senior Israeli military officer, Maj. Gen. Oded Basiuk, was confronted by a journalist during an official visit to London yesterday. Basiuk, who serves as the head of the IDF’s Operations Directorate, was approached outside a British security think tank near the UK Ministry of Defence headquarters. In a video shared by Declassified UK, a British investigative news outlet, journalist Alex Morris is seen attempting to question Basiuk. “General Basiuk, what did you discuss with the MoD?” Morris asked as he approached the IDF officer. Morris then escalated his questioning, asking, “Are you worried about the ICC [International Criminal Court] investigating you for war crimes?” and shouting, “Are you a war criminal, General Basiuk?” as the general entered the building without responding.

The IDF confirmed on Wednesday that Hussein Fayyad, the commander of Hamas’s Beit Hanoun battalion, is still alive, despite earlier “confirming” that he was killed in a targeted operation in May. The acknowledgment came after footage released today showed Fayyad alive, prompting the IDF to re-examine its previous assessment. “In May, the IDF and Shin Bet determined with a high level of probability that Fayyad had been eliminated,” the IDF said in a statement. “This conclusion led to an official announcement at the time.” However, the IDF admitted that subsequent examinations revealed flaws in the intelligence that informed their earlier assessment.

Former President Donald Trump has suggested that Joe Biden should have issued himself a pardon before the end of his presidency, reigniting debates over the use of preemptive pardons. The remarks came during a preview of an upcoming interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity, set to air Wednesday at 9 p.m. EST. In the teaser, Trump accused Biden of weaponizing the Department of Justice to target him politically, pointing to the federal indictments he faces in Florida and Washington. Trump implied that Biden’s actions could leave him vulnerable to similar treatment. “This guy went around giving everybody pardons,” Trump said, referring to Biden’s last-minute preemptive pardons issued during his final hours in office.