Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee head Yuli Edelstein has indicated he would be open to removing a proposed penalty in the current conscription bill that would strip property tax discounts from members of the ultra-Orthodox community who avoid military service—so long as other punitive measures in the legislation remain intact, according to a Channel 12 report.

Activists aboard the ship “Madleen,” currently en route to the Gaza coastline in an effort to challenge Israel’s naval blockade, reported early Monday that a security alert was triggered on board. However, they later clarified that the alarm was ultimately a false one.
According to a message shared in the flotilla’s Telegram channel, “An alarm was sounded on deck, and life jackets are ready in case of an attempted takeover of the ship.” A follow-up message soon after stated, “The vessel that approached us has left. All eyes on deck, all eyes on Gaza.”

Negotiations over a potential hostage deal between Israel and Hamas have stalled again, according to two individuals with direct knowledge of the talks. Their comments follow recent signals of cautious hope from mediators, who believed Hamas might be softening its stance toward the proposal brought forward by U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff.

As tensions intensify over the draft law crisis threatening to fracture Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s sixth government, new efforts are underway to prevent the withdrawal of chareidi parties from the coalition. In a high-stakes meeting Thursday between Netanyahu, Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Chairman MK Yoel “Yuli” Edelstein, and former minister Ariel Attias, no resolution was reached.
But now, according to sources close to the Prime Minister, a compromise proposal has been floated to delay the implementation of controversial sanctions against Torah learners by several months. This delay would come after the passage of the draft law and is intended to ease the mounting pressure on coalition partners.

The nosi of the Great Rabbinical Court, Rishon L’Tzion Rav Dovid Yosef, issued a forceful rebuttal on Sunday evening following allegations raised earlier by Rav Kalman Ber regarding political interference in the appointment of dayanim. Rav Yosef firmly rejected the claims of improper influence and emphasized his personal responsibility for all judicial appointments.

Aura, a real estate development firm, confirmed to Arutz Sheva–Israel National News that human remains were extracted from one of its construction sites in Yehud, located in central Israel. The company emphasized that the removal was conducted in strict accordance with halacha (Jewish law) and under the guidance of an Orthodox rabbi with expertise in these matters.
This acknowledgment followed a decision by the Israel Antiquities Authority to file a complaint with the police and freeze construction activities. The suspension came after unauthorized individuals entered the site during the night, removed human remains, and took archaeological artifacts—an act considered a serious breach of Israeli law.

On Sunday, Transportation Minister Miri Regev granted an official Israeli trade license to Tus Air, a Cypriot airline, marking a significant step in expanding Israel’s aviation network.
With this authorization in place, Tus Air is now positioned to begin operating new flight routes connecting Israel to multiple destinations, including those beyond Europe. The airline will also be formally recognized as part of the group of Israeli-licensed carriers.
Minister Regev commented on the development, saying, “This is consumer and strategic news that will contribute to expanding competition, grow the number of destinations, and lead to a decrease in airfare. This is the second carrier to join the Israeli fleet.”

Knesset Interior Committee Chairman MK Yaakov Asher (UTJ) has sounded the alarm over a growing mortgage crisis, calling on Finance Minister Betzalel Smotrich and Bank of Israel Governor Amir Yaron to take swift and decisive action. His plea follows troubling reports showing a notable rise in missed mortgage payments across the country.
Speaking at a conference hosted by the Association of Chareidi Mortgage Advisors, Asher expressed serious concern over the direction the housing finance sector is heading. “When you start hearing about a rise in missed payments, that’s already an emergency,” he said. “Tightening financial conditions will only strangle mortgage holders, making it harder for them to repay, and that will push many into insolvency.”

A new report aired by Channel 12 on Sunday revealed a deeply disturbing act of psychological cruelty by Hamas against Israeli hostage Matan Zangauker. His family learned that Hamas had falsely assured him that he would be freed alongside US-Israeli captive Edan Alexander and reunited with his loved ones.
The report noted that this information surfaced following Alexander’s release. The two had been held in the same location, and Zangauker was led to believe he would be joining Alexander in freedom.

In a dramatic statement on Sunday, IDF spokesman Effie Defrin addressed the media from deep beneath the European Hospital in Khan Yunis, Gaza, where Israeli forces uncovered a hidden underground compound.
Delivering his remarks from the subterranean location, Defrin condemned Hamas for misappropriating civilian infrastructure for terror operations. “I am standing in the underground facility beneath the European Hospital in Khan Yunis. This is where European aid funds ended up – not in medical care, but in the construction of terror tunnels and infrastructure,” he declared, gesturing toward a pile of cash discovered in the tunnel system.