Senator Marco Rubio delivered a forceful condemnation of Hamas during his Senate confirmation hearing on Wednesday, as he seeks to become Secretary of State under President-elect Donald Trump. Rubio’s comments underscored his intent to take a hardline approach against the terrorist group, which he described as a major obstacle to peace and stability in the Middle East. “Hamas sent a bunch of savages into Israel with the express and explicit purpose of targeting civilians,” Rubio said, referencing the Oct. 7 massacre. “How can any nation state on the planet coexist side-by-side with a group of savages like Hamas?” Rubio stated unequivocally that Hamas could not continue to govern Gaza, pointing to the group’s stated goal of Israel’s destruction.

President Joe Biden and President-elect Donald Trump are both claiming credit for Israel and Hamas agreeing to a ceasefire deal in Gaza after the White House brought Trump’s Middle East envoy into negotiations that have dragged on for months. Trump wasted no time in asserting he was the moving force behind the deal, whose final details were still being ironed out, according to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office. “This EPIC ceasefire agreement could have only happened as a result of our Historic Victory in November, as it signaled to the entire World that my Administration would seek Peace and negotiate deals to ensure the safety of all Americans, and our Allies,” Trump wrote on social media.

LAUDERHILL, FL – In a momentous gathering that highlighted the strength of community collaboration, over 300 members of the Lauderhill community came together for a Family Fun Day to celebrate the dedication of the first HSF Ambulance in Lauderhill. The ambulance, generously donated by members of the Lauderhill community, represents a significant enhancement to local emergency medical services. The celebration drew prominent local and federal officials, demonstrating the broad support for this vital community initiative. United States Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick delivered a passionate speech highlighting the importance of Hatzalah’s medical services in the community and presented HSF with a prestigious proclamation from the U.S. House of Representatives.

For all of his life, Motty Sigall, a member of the renowned Mezamrim Choir, thought Torah learning just wasn’t for him. Struggling with dyslexia and ADHD, he was thrown out of yeshivos and had resigned himself to the idea that he was simply not a “learner.” But one shiur and a life-changing Shabbos experience changed everything. Motty recalls a Thursday evening when he heard a shiur on Emunah and Bitachon from the Bais Halevi. The maggid shiur spoke about the four questions every neshama will be asked after 120 years, including, “Did you set aside times to learn Torah?” Motty thought he had a valid excuse — learning wasn’t his strength. The next day, Motty traveled to a Kinyan HaMesechta Shabbos event as part of the Mezamrim Choir, which was hired to inspire the attendees with music.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir has stirred controversy by admitting he has blocked a hostage-ceasefire agreement multiple times over the past year. In a video posted on X, Ben Gvir urged Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich to join him in threatening to leave Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition if the agreement proceeds. “In the last year, using our political power, we managed to prevent this deal from going ahead, time after time,” he wrote alongside the video. Ben Gvir expressed frustration, claiming his influence has waned since Netanyahu expanded the coalition by including Gideon Sa’ar’s New Hope party. “Recently other actors who support the deal have joined the government and we no longer hold the balance of power,” he added. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

The IDF reports that air defenses intercepted a missile fired from Yemen toward Israel. Warning sirens were triggered in several areas, including the West Bank, Jordan Valley, Afula region, and near Beit Shean, due to concerns about falling debris. No injuries or damage have been reported so far.

Rabbi Mendy Piekarski and Rabbi Dovid Weiss join Katy Tur on MSNBC to share their experience evacuating from the California wildfires and to discuss how they are still going to have services to help their community come together. CLICK HERE TO DONATE  CLICK HERE TO DONATE As wildfires ravage Los Angeles, thousands of Jewish families have been forced to evacuate, leaving behind homes, memories, and a sense of safety. In this chaos, Chabad is on the front lines, providing hope and lifesaving support. From the moment the fires began spreading, our rabbis and volunteers took action—extinguishing flames, checking homes, and delivering relief where it’s needed most. We’ve opened the Chabad House as a refuge, ensuring no one is left without shelter, food, or support.

Luai Ahmed, 30, grew up in Yemen, where he was taught from a young age, or “brainwashed” as he describes it to hate Jews and Israel. When he was 20, he fled from Yemen to Sweden after Al-Queda threatened his family due to the work of his mother, Amal Basha, a peace and women’s rights activist. In Sweden, he met an Israeli for the first time in his life, later describing how due to the brainwashing he received as a child against Jews and Israelis, he felt “his hair standing on end” when he realized he was looking at “the creature” called an Israeli and Jew. He later met other Jews and Israelis in Sweden and began realizing that he had been fed a pack of lies. A writer and a successful social media influencer, Ahmad decided to dedicate his career to fighting antisemitism.

The IDF carried out intelligence-based strikes on Hezbollah terror targets in Lebanon in response to threats against Israeli civilians and troops. The operation, coordinated through the ceasefire monitoring mechanism, targeted a rocket launcher, a military site, and weapon-smuggling routes along the Syria-Lebanon border. According to Israeli Army Radio, tonight’s strikes in southern Lebanon targeted Hezbollah weapons depots and multiple border crossings between Syria and Lebanon. Reports suggest the action was taken after Israel urged the Lebanese Army to address the situation, but no action was taken. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

A devastating five-alarm fire broke out early Friday at a Bronx apartment building, leaving at least seven people injured. Firefighters rushed to the scene at 2910 Wallace Avenue, a six-story residential building in the East Bronx, shortly after 1:40 a.m. Dramatic footage captured flames pouring from the roof as the blaze consumed the structure. The FDNY gave the following statement to the media: “We arrived here a little after 1:45 this morning. We found fire in the ceiling above the top floor, between the ceiling and the underside of the roof that’s called the cockloft. It’s an open area for the entire length and width of the building. This building is about 200 feet wide, about 100 feet deep, and we had fire throughout that cockloft.