Panama offered free passage to U.S. Navy vessels traveling through the Panama Canal following a meeting between Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino on Sunday, according to a senior Trump administration official.

The move will save the United States between $2.5 million and $3 million a year. Reducing the cost of using the canal has been a priority for President Donald Trump, who in December slammed the “exorbitant” rates Panama charged the Navy for passage.

During a tour of the canal, the Panama Canal Authority told Rubio that it would work with the United States to “optimize transit priority of U.S. Navy vessels,” according to a statement from the authority.

Fifty-two percent of transits through the canal have ports of origin or destinations in the United States, according to the authority.

Rubio on Sunday gave Mulino an ultimatum over China’s growing influence over the Panama Canal in a face-to-face meeting.

According to State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce, Rubio informed Mulino that Trump has made a preliminary determination that the Chinese Communist Party’s “position of influence and control” over the Panama Canal is a violation of the Treaty Concerning the Permanent Neutrality and Operation of the Panama Canal.

“Secretary Rubio made clear that this status quo is unacceptable and that absent immediate changes, it would require the United States to take measures necessary to protect its rights under the Treaty,” the statement said.

On Sunday night, Mulino announced that his country would not be renewing its agreement with China’s Belt and Road Initiative, and would look into ending the agreement earlier than the set end date.

NEW: After meeting with @SecRubio today, Panama’s president announced the country will not be renewing its memo with China on its Belt and Road Initiative.

Panama will also look into ending the agreement earlier than the set end date. pic.twitter.com/g7WF0w9WhT

— Kassy Akiva (@KassyAkiva) February 2, 2025

“One important thing, which is a decision I made and communicated to him, is that the 2017 memorandum of understanding on the Silk Road, part of the Belt and Road Initiative, will not be renewed by my government,” Mulino said. “We are going to study the possibility of whether it can be ended earlier or not.”

Trump has pressured Panama to reduce Chinese influence over the canal or face the United States retaking control. Trump argued that this influence could result in the canal being closed off to the United States, posing a threat to national security and violating the treaty. He also pointed out that the United States was instrumental in building the canal, with many Americans losing their lives during its construction.

The United States ceded the canal to Panama in 1999, pursuant to a 1977 treaty signed by President Jimmy Carter.

Mulino has maintained that Panama controls the canal despite a Hong Kong company operating ports at both sides of the canal.

Jordan’s King Abdullah accepted an invitation to meet with President Donald Trump at the White House on February 11.

The meeting comes amid Trump’s repeated calls for Jordan and Egypt to take in refugees from Gaza, which he has described as a “demolition site.”

“King Abdullah II will meet with US President Donald Trump at the White House on Tuesday, February 11, 2025, after His Majesty received an invitation letter from President Trump last week,” the Jordanian palace said in a statement.

Trump has said that he believes Arab nations should step up to help build new lives for the refugees who have been living through 15 months of war.

“You’re talking about a million and a half people, and we just clean out that whole thing,” Trump said. “I don’t know, something has to happen, but it’s literally a demolition site right now. Almost everything’s demolished and people are dying there, so I’d rather get involved with some of the Arab nations and build housing in a different location where I think they could maybe live in peace for a change.”

Leaders of both Jordan and Egypt have rejected any such proposal.

“I think Jordan will take people, yeah, people from Gaza, and I think Egypt will take them also. I mean, I heard somebody said they’re not going to, but I think they will. I feel confident they will,” Trump also said when asked about his idea.

On Saturday, the foreign ministers of Qatar, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the Secretary-General of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) rejected Trump’s idea in a statement.

“They also rejected any efforts to encourage the transfer or uprooting of Palestinians from their land, under any circumstances or justifications,” the statement, released by the Qatari government, said. “Such actions, they noted, threaten regional stability, exacerbate the conflict, and undermine the prospects for peace and coexistence among the region’s peoples.”

Secretary of State Marco Rubio gave Panama President José Raúl Mulino an ultimatum today over China’s growing influence over the Panama Canal in a face-to-face meeting.

According to State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce, Rubio informed Mulino that President Donald Trump has made a preliminary determination that the Chinese Communist Party’s “position of influence and control” over the Panama Canal is a violation of the Treaty Concerning the Permanent Neutrality and Operation of the Panama Canal.

“Secretary Rubio made clear that this status quo is unacceptable and that absent immediate changes, it would require the United States to take measures necessary to protect its rights under the Treaty,” the statement said.

The meeting comes as Trump has pressured Panama to reduce the influence of Chinese companies over the canal, which is vital to global trade. Trump argued that this influence could result in the canal being closed off to the U.S., posing a threat to national security and violating the treaty. He also pointed out that the U.S. was instrumental in building the canal in the early 1900s, with many Americans losing their lives during its construction.

Mulino has maintained that Panama controls the canal despite a Hong Kong company operating ports at both sides of the canal.

Rubio also thanked Mulino for his support of the program to repatriate illegal immigrants, which has reduced illegal migration through the Darien Gap.

The two leaders also spoke about improving the playing field for fair competition by U.S. businesses, and Mulino’s support for a democratic, free Venezuela.

“Secretary Rubio expressed his gratitude for the productive discussion and underscored the United States’ dedication to making both nations safer, stronger, and more prosperous,” the statement added. “He noted this meeting marks an important step in reinvigorating the strategic relationship between the United States and Panama, in line with President Trump’s vision.”

In the meeting was also Panama’s Foreign Minister Javier Martínez-Acha.

Rubio kicked off his Central American tour in Panama today where, in addition to his meeting with the country’s leader, he is touring the Miraflores Locks at the Panama canal, and meeting with U.S. embassy staff and their families. Rubio will also visit El Salvador, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and the Dominican Republic from February 1 to 6.

Rubio’s trip is the first time a secretary of state chose to travel to Latin America as the first trip in over 100 years, reported Fox News.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu boarded a flight to Washington, D.C., on Sunday ahead of his meeting with President Donald Trump on Tuesday. Netanyahu will be the first foreign leader hosted at the White House under Trump’s second administration.

Ahead of his departure, Netanyahu emphasized the importance of the meeting and outlined the issues to discuss, including defeating Hamas, releasing all hostages, and dealing with Iran and its proxies.

“I’m leaving for a very important meeting with President Trump in Washington,” the leader of the Jewish state told reporters. “The fact that this would be President Trump’s first meeting with a foreign leader since his inauguration is telling.”

Netanyahu called the honor of him being the first invited a “a testimony to the strength of the Israeli-American alliance” and a “testimony to the strength of our personal friendship.”

I’m leaving for a very important meeting with @realDonaldTrump in Washington.

The fact that this would be President Trump’s first meeting with a foreign leader since his inauguration is telling.

I think it’s a testimony to the strength of the Israeli-American alliance. It’s… pic.twitter.com/wWYrC7mYrF

— Benjamin Netanyahu – בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) February 2, 2025

Trump’s relationship has been more warm than predecessors former President Barack Obama and former President Joe Biden. Upon taking office, Trump reversed the Biden administration’s hold on 2,000-pound bombs being delivered to Israel.

Netanyahu also touted the accomplishments Israel and the U.S. had under the former Trump administration, including the Abraham Accords.

“That friendship and that cooperation has already yielded important results for Israel and the Middle East, including the historic Abraham Accords that President Trump led and which brought four historic peace treaties between Israel and its Arab neighbors,” he said.

Netanyahu added that while Israel and the Israel Defense Forces successfully weakened their enemies in the Middle East and “redrawn the map,” he believes that with the Trump administration, they can “redraw it even further and for the better.”

“I believe that we can strengthen security, broaden the circle of peace and achieve a remarkable era of peace through strength,” Netanyahu added.

Netanyahu’s visit comes as Trump works to negotiate the release of all hostages held by Hamas terrorists in Gaza. So far, 13 of the 33 hostages slated to be released under the first phase of the deal have been freed, including U.S. citizen Keith Siegel. Seven more Americans are still held hostage. An additional 5 Thai hostages were released under a separate agreement.

In Trump’s invitation letter, he said he was “looking forward to discussing how we can bring peace to Israel and its neighbors, and efforts to counter our shared adversaries.”

“It will be my honor to host you as my first foreign leader during my second term,” Trump added.

The United Kingdom’s former prime minister, Theresa May, was the first to visit Trump at the White House during his first term.

Keith Seigel, the first American to be released in the latest phase of the hostage deal is set to return home on Saturday.

Thirty-five-year-old Yarden Bibas and 54-year-old French-Israel citizen Ofer Kalderon will also be released. Bibas’s wife, Shiri, 33, and two children, Ariel 5 and Kfir 2, are on the list of hostages, though Hamas claims they have been killed.

Only men over the age of 50 or in poor health will be released in the first phase of the deal.

An American citizen, Sagui Dekel-Chen, is also expected to be released during the first phase of the deal. The fate of the remaining hostages, including five Americans, will be determined later in following phases

Seigel, 65, is a dual Israel-U.S. citizen who moved from North Carolina to Israel in 1980 was abducted from Kibbutz Kfar Aza, where Hamas murdered, burned, and kidnapped Israeli civilians. 

Siegel had his ribs broken during the attack, according to the American Jewish Committee (AJC). Emily Damari, who was released earlier this month offered to switch places with Siegel because of his poor health, reported The Jerusalem Post.

Siegel and his wife, Aviva, were abducted by terrorists who drove them to Gaza in their own car. Aviva was freed during the previous ceasefire in November 2023 after 51 days. The couple’s niece previously said that Hamas reassured Aviva her husband would be released a day or two after her.

The father of four and grandfather of five appeared in a Hamas propaganda video in April where he cried and said he missed his family and told them not to worry. 

Siegel, an occupational therapist, is interested in nature, yoga and meditation, according to his niece. A vegetarian, his family describes him as a calm man and peacemaker. He reportedly learned Arabic to communicate with the Arab workers at his kibbutz.

Siegel was unable to say goodbye to his mother, Gladys, who passed away last year in North Carolina at age 97. The family chose to shield her of the news of her son’s captivity before she died, according to AJC.

“My grandmother passed away yesterday morning,” Siegel’s daughter wrote on social media in December. “My father’s mother is gone, and he couldn’t say goodbye to her because he’s been held captive by Hamas for over a year. Dad won’t be able to stand with us at the cemetery tomorrow or say goodbye to the woman who raised and loved him his entire life.”

The hostages that have been released so far in the first phase of the deal include Israelis Arbel Yehoud, Gadi Mozes, Agam Berger, Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy, Liri Albag, Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher, and Emily Damari and Thai citizens: Thenna Pongsak, Sathian Suwannakham, Sriaoun Watchara, Seathao Bannawat, and Rumnao Surasak.

Each hostage was exchanged for multiple Palestinian prisoners, including those convicted of terrorism.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delayed the release of Palestinian terrorists following Hamas’s dangerous spectacle of releasing Israeli hostages into a mob earlier today. 

Israeli citizens Arbel Yehoud, Gadi Mozes, and Agam Berger were released on Thursday along with Thai citizens Thenna Pongsak, Sathian Suwannakham, Sriaoun Watchara, Seathao Bannawat, and Rumnao Surasak.

The chaotic release of Yehoud, Mozes, and the five Thai citizens took place near the rubble of slain Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar’s home, where the two Israelis were forced to walk through a large crowd rushing toward them.

“I view with great severity the shocking scenes during the release of our hostages,” said Netanyahu. “This is further proof of the unimaginable cruelty of the Hamas terrorist organization.”

In a statement, Netanyahu’s office said the release of the terrorists who were supposed to be exchanged for the hostages will be “be delayed until the safe exit of our hostages in the next phases is assured.”

“Israel demands that the mediators see to this,” the statement added.

The mediators reportedly conveyed a commitment for a safe exit for hostages who are due to be released in future handoffs, according to Netanyahu’s office.

“While the scenes of abuse and terror towards the hostages as they were transferred to the Red Cross were horrifying, we are moved to tears by the return from captivity of Agam Berger, Arbel Yehoud, and Gadi Mozes, along with the five Thai citizens released today,” Israeli President Isaac Herzog said in a statement.

Under the first phase of the ceasefire agreement, 33 hostages are supposed to be exchanged for 3,000 Palestinian prisoners, though Israel believes eight of the hostages are dead. So far, Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy, Liri Albag, Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher, and Emily Damari have been released in addition to those today.

Yehoud and Mozes were held by the terrorist group Palestinian Islamic Jihad, while Berger, Pongsak, Suwannakham, Watchara, Bannawat and Surasak were held by Hamas. The Thai citizens were working on Israeli farms when they were kidnapped by terrorists on October 7.

Agam was abducted from Nahal-Oz base with her fellow IDF soldiers Ariev, Gilboa, Levy, and Albag. Similarly to her friends who were released last week, Agam was paraded on a stage in a fake IDF uniform by Hamas. 

Heartwarming videos quickly spread across the internet of Agam reuniting with her parents after 482 days.

Today, 20-year-old former hostage Agam Berger reunited with her family after being held by terrorists for 482 days. pic.twitter.com/1UlQ2v3qUa

— Kassy Akiva (@KassyAkiva) January 30, 2025

President Donald Trump will soon sign an executive order that marshals all federal resources to combat anti-Semitism and demands the deportation of anti-Semitic demonstrators who violated U.S. laws, including students on visas.

A White House document on the executive order expected to be signed Wednesday, obtained by The Daily Wire, directs agency heads to submit recommendations to the Trump administration within 60 days, outlining all of the available tools to combat anti-Semitism.

Under the order, the Justice Department is instructed to quell pro-Hamas vandalism and intimidation by investigating and punishing “anti-Jewish racism in leftist, anti-American colleges and universities.”

The order comes in response to a rise in anti-Semitic protests following Hamas’ rape, murder, and kidnapping of Israeli civilians on October 7, 2023. Many of these protests have taken place on college campuses, where students have been documented defending Hamas’ attack, chanting ethnic cleansing slogans, committing vandalism, and setting up encampments that have led to the harassment and intimidation of Jewish students

Anti-Semitic incidents on campus have surged over 500% since the October 7 attack, according to the Anti-Defamation League.

The document accuses the Biden administration of refusing to protect American Jews’ civil rights and of “turning a blind eye to this coordinated assault on public order.”

Congress has led efforts to investigate and punish universities that did not and are still not working to curb anti-Semitism on their campuses.

A December congressional report on anti-Semitism found that some of America’s most prominent universities not only refused to crack down on anti-Semitism, but they gave disparate disciplinary actions to Jewish students versus their antagonists.

“The failure of our federal government departments and agencies is astounding,” the report states.

In a September speech, Trump warned that he would “inform every college president that if you do not end anti-Semitic propaganda, they will lose their accreditation and federal taxpayer support.”

He added that Jewish Americans must have “equal protection,” and that the United States government will not “subsidize the creation of terrorist sympathizers, and we’re not going to do it, certainly [not] on American soil.”

“The new Senate Republican majority is going to work with the Trump administration to enforce the law in the face of campuses that have fanned the flames of hate through inaction,” Senator Joni Ernst previously told The Daily Wire. “Elite universities have made their bed, and they’ve got to lie in it, but not on the taxpayers’ dime.”

Despite enduring 477 days of unimaginable horror in Hamas captivity, four female Israeli hostages were joyfully reunited with their loved ones today.

Upon their release, 20-year-old Karina Ariev, 20-year-old Daniella Gilboa, 20-year-old Naama Levy, and 19-year-old Liri Albag shared information about their suffering. According to Israeli media reports, the women were held in both civilian homes and Hamas tunnels where they were subjected to complete darkness for extended periods of time.

The women were often denied showers and held in unhygienic conditions and suffered from severe hunger during some periods. They were reportedly not allowed to hold hands or cry. Some of the women were also subjected to forced labor for their captors, including cooking and cleaning.

Some of the women learned Arabic to communicate and were able to see some news coverage about the protests calling for their release.

Shortly before being released, Hamas paraded the women on a stage in fake Israeli Defense Uniforms and “gift bags.”

Upon their return, the IDF released videos and photos of the women reuniting with their families spread across social media.

Daniella Gilboa, Liri Albag, Naama Levy and Karina Ariev reuniting with their families after 477 days of Hamas captivity. pic.twitter.com/Mp8qqi43PR

— Kassy Akiva (@KassyAkiva) January 25, 2025

“My wife and I, together with the entire people of Israel, embrace Liri and her friends who have emerged into a great light,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said to Shira and Eli Albag, the parents of Liri Albag.

“I am pleased that in our great efforts, of the IDF and all those involved, we succeeded in bringing this about. This is truly a great day. We are working on the release of everyone else,” he added.

All four of the women are IDF soldiers who were abducted from the Nahal-Oz base on October 7.

The women were seen in a video from their abduction that sparked outrage in May, showing the terrorists calling the bloodied women “so beautiful” and “sabaya,” which can be translated to “sex slave” or “young woman,” depending on the pronunciation.

Under the first phase of the deal, an additional 26 hostages will be released, in addition to Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher, and Emily Damari, the women who were released last week in exchange for 90 Palestinian prisoners.

The list will contain two Americans: Keith Siegel, 65, and Sagui Dekel-Chen, 36. The fate of the remaining 64 hostages in Gaza will be addressed in the later phases of the agreement.

Levy was seen in a viral video from the attack that showed her in bloodied sweatpants being shoved into a vehicle. The footage raised concerns she had been sexually assaulted, though her brother said that in at least the first 50 days of her captivity, she was not a victim of sexual violence, The Jerusalem Post reported. Levy previously volunteered for the United Nations, Red Cross, and Hands of Peace — a group that promised coexistence between Israelis and Palestinians.

Jerusalamite Ariev, known for her love of cooking, singing, dancing, and writing, was able to speak to her parents twice in the moments before she was abducted. Her sister told the Daily Mail that she was instructed to “keep our parents safe and to be strong and not to wallow in sorrow but to continue living.”

Gilboa, who was seen in a July Hamas propaganda video, is deeply missed by her boyfriend who reportedly asked her parents for a blessing to propose to her.

“My son asked her parents for her hand in marriage, to which they answered yes, even though they are only 19-20 years old. Right after that, he shouted to the sky – ‘I’m going to propose to you!’” the boyfriend’s father reportedly said. “He prays that she will come back soon and be reunited with him and her family.”

Albag, who was abducted only a day after she started her work as an observer at Nahal-Oz base, was seen in a Hamas propaganda video in January where she said she and the others are “living in a nightmare.” Albag was held as a domestic slave together with rescued hostage Noa Argamani.

Hamas released the names of four female hostages it plans to release on Sunday as part of the ongoing ceasefire agreement  — but Israel says the list does not comply with the deal.

20-year-old Karina Ariev, 20-year-old Daniella Gilboa, 20-year-old Naama Levy, and 19-year-old Liri Albag are set to be released. All four of the women are Israeli Defense Force soldiers who were abducted from the Nahal-Oz base on October 7.

The women were seen in a video from their abduction that sparked outrage in May, showing the terrorists calling the bloodied women “so beautiful” and “sabaya,” which can be translated to “sex slave” or “young woman,” depending on the pronunciation.

Each woman will be exchanged for as many as 50 Palestinian prisoners, according to the agreement. The prisoners will include terrorists serving life sentences. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Office said Hamas’s list with Ariev, Gilboa, Levy, and Albag does not comply with the agreement, citing the deal stating that one of the hostages should be a civilian.

Under the first phase of the deal, an additional 26 hostages will be released, in addition to Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher, and Emily Damari, the women who were released last week in exchange for 90 Palestinian prisoners. Hamas is also expected to release a list with the status of the remaining 26 hostages. The list will contain two Americans: Keith Siegel, 65, and Sagui Dekel-Chen, 36.

The fate of the remaining 64 hostages in Gaza will be addressed in the later phases of the agreement.

Levy was seen in a viral video from the attack that showed her in bloodied sweatpants being shoved into a vehicle. The footage raised concerns she had been sexually assaulted, though her brother said that in the 50 days of her captivity, she was not a victim of sexual violence, The Jerusalem Post reported. Levy previously volunteered for the United Nations, Red Cross, and Hands of Peace—a group that promised coexistence between Israelis and Palestinians.

Jerusalamite Ariev, known for her love of cooking, singing, dancing, and writing, was able to speak to her parents twice in the moments before she was abducted. Her sister told the Daily Mail that she was instructed to “keep our parents safe and to be strong and not to wallow in sorrow but to continue living.”

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Gilboa, who was seen in a July Hamas propaganda video, is deeply missed by her boyfriend who reportedly asked her parents for a blessing to propose to her.

“My son asked her parents for her hand in marriage, to which they answered yes, even though they are only 19-20 years old. Right after that, he shouted to the sky – ‘I’m going to propose to you!’” the boyfriend’s father reportedly said. “He prays that she will come back soon and be reunited with him and her family.”

Albag, who was abducted only a day after she started her work as an observer at  Nahal-Oz base, was seen in a Hamas propaganda video in January where she said she and the others are “living in a nightmare.” Albag was held as a domestic slave together with rescued hostage Noa Argamani.

Several leaders of Gaza hospitals are high-ranking members of Hamas, while many others have terrorist ties, a Daily Wire review of Arab media reports and social media posts found.

The Daily Wire previously exposed that Kamal Adwan Hospital director Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, whose recent detainment caused international uproar for his release, was characterized in Arab media as a Hamas colonel. His social media posts show his support for Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israeli civilians.

But Abu Safiya is not the only Gaza hospital leader with ties to Hamas. He is joined by current and former leaders of the Indonesian Hospital in Beit Lahia, Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, and Gaza European Hospital near Khan Yunis.

Dr. Saleh al-Hams, Nursing Director of Gaza European Hospital

Dr. Saleh al-Hams, the nursing director of the Gaza European Hospital, has made several public posts on Facebook that indicate his strong ties to Hamas. In 2017, al-Hams uploaded a photo of himself wearing a military camouflage jacket and a hat adorned with the logo of Hamas’s military wing, the Qassam Brigades. He donned the same outfit in a photo at a 2018 event with others wearing Hamas logos.

In a 2020 post, al-Hams shared images of Hamas members and a child holding a rifle, with a caption reading: “Our resistance is more than paying the price for the victory of the undermined and whoever stands with us in truth, we do not support him in unjustness and whoever doesn’t like it should prepare the preparation list for the next confrontation to be the alternative.”

Al-Hams celebrated Hamas’s October 7, 2024 attack on Israel the following day, calling it a “gift.”

“I did not imagine that I would enter the threshold of fifty years, that I would live to fill my eyes with moments of pride and dignity as I live them today, and to receive a gift as I received them yesterday and today,” he wrote.

In another post, Hams shared a video of victims of the California wildfires receiving medical treatment, where he states Gaza hospitals were bombarded by Americans’ missiles, adding “you tasted from the same cup, and the response was divine.” In a second post about the victims of the wildfires, he wrote, “I hope you’re having a reflective moment to review your attitudes.”

Dr. Mohammed Abu Salmiya, Head of Al Shifa Hospital

Dr. Mohammed Abu Salmiya, the head of Al Shifa Hospital —  who was awarded the Arab Doctor of the Year Award in 2024 — has participated in Hamas events, including an event celebrating the terror group’s 32nd anniversary. According to a 2019 article from Pal Times, Salmiya spoke at the event alongside Hamas officials, where he thanked Hamas and spoke about martyrs.

“During the speech of the martyrs’ families, Dr. Muhammad Abu Salmiya thanked the Hamas movement and the family of the Sheikh Ahmed Yassin Mosque for this wonderful gesture, through which Hamas and the family of the mosque confirmed that they are loyal to the blood of the martyrs, the sons of the neighborhood from all factions,” the article read.

Salmiya, a pediatrician, was arrested in November 2023 and remained in Israeli detention for seven months on suspicion of allowing his hospital to serve as a Hamas command and control center that also held hostages. Tunnel networks were found under Shifa Hospital, and hundreds of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad gunmen were killed in fights with the IDF at the complex. The body of 19-year-old Israeli hostage Noa Marciano was found in a building next to the hospital. In May, her parents claimed a doctor at the hospital killed Marciano, Jewish News Syndicate reported.

Salmiya — who claims he was tortured in prison — sparked significant controversy in Israel, which followed a directive from the National Security Council directing Israeli security agency Shin Beit to create a list of prisoners to be freed due to lack of space in jails. The Shin Bet reportedly reprimanded the senior official who approved Salmiya’s release.

In 2014, Salmiya uploaded a photo to Facebook of himself with a Qassam Brigades logo at the bottom. In 2013, he posted a photo of a man in a Hamas headband, with the caption: “My enemy is coming to you, coming from every house, alley and street. Our hope is for tomorrow, God willing.” In 2014, he shared a graphic of the Al Qassam Brigades logo on an airplane. The next day, he shared an image with fighters of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad with the caption, “Brothers in blood, brothers in arms, this is the true unity.”

Salmiya has also used his Facebook page to praise a November 2022 terror attack at a Jerusalem bus stop where a 15-year-old boy was killed and 14 others were injured. Salmiya has also publicly mourned terrorists including Udai Tamimi, who killed an Israeli soldier when opening fire at the entrance of Ma’ale Adumim.

According to investigator David Collier, Salmiya’s brother, Khalid Abu Salmia, was a leader of  the al-Qassam Brigades before he was killed in a targeted strike in 2004.

Atef al-Kahlout, Former Head of Indonesian Hospital

Atef al-Kahlout who served as head of the Indonesian Hospital until 2024, is also an alleged Hamas colonel. Al-Kahlout has been quoted in Western media including the Wall Street Journal, CNN, and the New York Times.

A 2011 article from the Palestinian media outlet Al Ray features a photo of al-Kahlout in military uniform, reporting that he affirmed medical services are “fully prepared to confront the enemy’s crimes against our people.” When he was appointed as Hamas’s deputy director general of military medical services in 2010, he was referred to as a “colonel” multiple times in an article, a title that appeared again in a 2012 article.

In 2015, he posted a photo of himself with deceased Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and Hamas official Fathi Hamad on Facebook, and another with just Hamad. Haniyeh was the leader of Hamas until his assassination in Iran in July 2024. Hamad came under international scrutiny in 2019 after calling on the Palestinian diaspora to “attack every Jew on the globe by way of slaughter and killing,” though he later attempted to walk back his comments.

Al-Kahlout’s Facebook also includes a picture of him wearing the Hamas scarf and several pictures of the Hamas logo.

According to his Facebook page, he is currently working at other hospitals including Patient Friends Association Hospital, Public Aid Hospitals, and Al-Sahaba Medical Complex.

Dr. Marwan Sultan, Director of Indonesian Hospital

Al-Kahlout’s replacement, while not appearing to be a member of Hamas, has shared posts on social media that use inflammatory rhetoric against Jews and their allies.

In a 2014 post, Sultan called on Muslims to “rise up to help our brothers in Gaza” and “take revenge on the Jews and those who help them.” A few months later, he posted a request for Allah to save Al-Aqsa Mosque, located on the Temple Mount — Judaism’s most holy site —  to be saved “from the filth of the Jews.” In 2023, he mourned the death of former Palestinian Islamic Jihad spokesperson, Khader Adnan, who died after an 87-day hunger strike in an Israeli prison.

Sultan downplayed Hamas’s presence in Gaza’s hospitals in a 2023 interview, despite being a subordinate of al-Kahlout at the time. In December, the IDF killed five gunmen and detained others in an operation at the Indonesian Hospital, the Times of Israel reported.

Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, Director of Kamal Adwan Hospital

Aby Safiya, who has been published twice by The New York Times and profiled by CNN, is believed to be a terrorist operative and has been referred to as a colonel in five Arabic news articles, from four different articles spanning from 2017 to 2021. These articles were published in Quds Net News Agency, Alray, Pal Times, and Al Watan twice. A 2018 Facebook post by the Hamas-run Medical Services in Gaza refers to Abu Safiya as “Director of the Children’s Hospital, Colonel Hussam Abu Safiya.”

“It’s clear these news articles are using the word ‘aqeed’ to describe Hussam Abu Safiya which means military colonel,” Yigal Carmon, the president of the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) previously told The Daily Wire. “This word would not be used to describe someone running a hospital as a civilian.”

Abu Safiya’s ties to Hamas were first reported by Israeli activist Eitan Fischberger.

Safiya’s social media shows his support of the October 7 attack and hostility towards Jews, including a graphic of Palestinians breaching the Israeli border with the caption, “We are coming back to you, we are coming back, oh our country we are coming back.”

The next day, Abu Safiya wrote in a now-deleted Facebook post: “And they thought their fortresses would protect them from Allah, but Allah came upon them from where they did not expect, and cast terror into their hearts.”

Abu Safiya was arrested last month along with 240 others during a raid on Kamal Adwan Hospital. In the wake of his arrest, organizations including the World Health Organization, Amnesty International, and the Council on America-Islamic Relations (CAIR), have called for his release.

Al-Hams, Abu Salmiya, al-Kahlout, and Sultan did not respond to requests for comment.

Virginia Senate Democrats are attempting to block the nomination of a prominent advocate against anti-Semitism from joining George Mason University’s Board of Visitors, weeks after a George Mason student was arrested for helping plot a terror attack on Israel’s consulate in New York.

Kenneth Marcus, described by The New York Times as “The Man Who Helped Redefine Campus Anti-Semitism,” was appointed by Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin in June. However, the Virginia Senate Democrats voted this week to reject his appointment in the Privileges and Elections Committee.

Marcus is the founder and leader of the Brandeis Center, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting civil and human rights for Jewish people. He previously served as the Assistant U.S. Secretary of Education for Civil Rights in the first Trump administration and was a Distinguished Senior Fellow at George Mason’s Antonin Scalia Law School.

Marcus, who has been serving in the position since his nomination last summer — Virginia law allows nominees to serve prior to confirmation — was blindsided by the amendment that struck his name from the resolution of appointments.

“I was surprised and dismayed to learn of yesterday’s action and I am hopeful that the general assembly leadership in both chambers will reconsider,” Marcus said. “I have been at work trying to strengthen George Mason University for months now.”

Virginia’s legislature still has opportunities to add Marcus’s nomination back into the resolution, though sources say it could be an uphill battle.

During the brief debate, Sen. Aaron Rouse (D) noted that out of respect, appointees could not be referred to by name in the discussion. In response, Sen. Bill DeSteph (R) followed the guidelines of not using names, but questioned why certain nominees were being removed, stating, “I think members of the committee should know why certain nominees are stricken. Otherwise, if we infer the reason, it could go in the wrong direction.”

Sen. Adam Ebbin (D), who championed the amendment, responded, “I think that we found the nominees to be inconsistent with the expectations, goals and values we have for the work of those boards.”

A spokesman for Sen. Tara Durant (R) told The Daily Wire that Durant and every Republican voted against the amendment that removed Marcus’s appointment and others.

“There was no transparency in why the individuals were removed after inquiring to the Chair and the Senator that made the motion,” the spokesman said.

Durant later voted with 14 out of 15 members to approve the rest of Youngkin’s nominations.

Marcus emphasized his efforts in helping George Mason University take “significant actions,” including helping with the implementation of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of anti-Semitism into the university’s anti-discrimination policy.

Marcus noted that GMU’s adoption of the IHRA definition of anti-Semitism was helpful in Harvard’s settlement agreement this week in two lawsuits alleging the school of mishandling anti-Semitism on campus, which resulted in Harvard also adopting the definition.

“It’s not every day that Harvard University follows George Mason’s lead, so I was very pleased that that happened this week,” Marcus said.

“George Mason has not been immune to the anti-Semitic developments happening in higher education and there have been highly publicized incidents recently which has been a concern of mine and my colleagues,” Marcus told The Daily Wire.

Last month, George Mason freshman and Egyptian national Abdullah Ezzeldin Taha Mohamed Hassan was arrested for planning a terrorist attack on Israel’s consulate in New York. The student who operated pro-ISIS social media accounts glorifying violence against Jews faces 20 years if convicted of trying to teach someone how to create an explosive with intent to murder internationally protected persons.

“I have been deeply honored by Governor Youngkin’s nomination and have been proud to help GMU and its students,” Marcus added. “I certainly would appreciate any support that would be provided.”

Committee members Rouse, DeSteph, Ebbin, Sen. Craig Deeds (D), Sen. Travis Hackworth (R), Sen. Glen Sturtevant (R), Sen. Schuyler VanValkenburg (D), Sen. Jennifer Carroll Foy (D), Sen. Russet Perry (D), Sen. Saddam Azlan Salim (D), Sen. Tammy Milchi (R), Sen. Kannan Srinivasan (D), and Sen. Luther Henry Cifers (R) did not respond to a request for comment.

Worcester Public Schools directed bus drivers to not allow students off of the bus if U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials are waiting at bus stops, a letter reveals.

“A recent notification has gone out regarding ICE (Immigrations and Customs Enforcement) agents potentially being at bus stops,” the letter states. “If you are aware of any agents being at a stop, DO NOT let any student off the bus and contact the transportation office immediately.”

NEW: The school district of Massachusetts's second largest city is directing bus drivers to not let students off at stops where ICE agents are present. pic.twitter.com/vMlzX7jxUJ

— Kassy Akiva (@KassyAkiva) January 23, 2025

The letter comes amid Massachusetts leaders — including Democratic Gov. Maura Healey — promising to resist any crackdown on immigration under the new Trump administration in the sanctuary state. Massachusetts has been a focal point of the immigration crisis, with the state providing migrants with shelters in hotels that are often riddled with chaos, violence, rape, and wasteful spending, The Daily Wire previously reported.

The district of the second biggest city in Massachusetts sent a letter to families reminding them of policies and procedures if immigration officials arrive at schools or places such as bus stops, reported CBS News.

Superintendent Rachel Monarrez reportedly said her district will not coordinate with ICE and will not allow agents into facilities without a warrant signed by a federal judge.

A Massachusetts Republican Party spokesperson accused the district of “creating fake scenarios to rile up fear” in a statement to The Daily Wire.

“It’s clear that ICE is targeting violent criminals, not children,” Logan Trupiano said. “This political posturing is stoking unnecessary fear and deliberately misrepresenting what is actually happening on the streets.”

The Trump administration withdrew a Biden administration guideline that made “sensitive” areas like schools off-limits for ICE agents.

“Criminals will no longer be able to hide in America’s schools and churches to avoid arrest,” Acting Homeland Security Secretary Benjamine Huffman said in a Tuesday statement.

A progressive nonprofit is preparing school officials with instructions of how to deal with federal law enforcement officials, The Daily Wire reported. The Century Foundation advised principals to meet federal law enforcement at the door and inform them that “district protocols” require approval before entry and to call the district’s lawyers.

On Tuesday, Border Czar Tom Homan said that ICE agents have already started seeking out criminal illegal immigrants for deportation.

“ICE officers throughout the country were told today, ‘Go make arrests of those here illegally that have a public safety threat.’ So they’ve developed target sheets, an operational plan to go out in the field … so they’re out there right now looking for the most serious public safety threats throughout the country,” Homan said.

ICE and Monarrez did not respond to a request for comment.

The first three hostages to be released under Israel and Hamas’s hostage and ceasefire deal have safely arrived home after 471 days in captivity.

The three Israeli women, Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher and Emily Damari, were transferred from Hamas to the Red Cross amid a crowd swarming the transport vehicles in Gaza.

All three women are alive and were seen in footage standing on their own.

They will undergo medical evaluation in Israel and first be reunited with their mothers at the reception complex near Kibbutz Re’im and then their entire families at the hospital.

Terrorists of the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas’s armed wing, escort vehicles of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Saraya Square in western Gaza City on January 19, 2025. (Photo by Omar AL-QATTAA / AFP) (Photo by OMAR AL-QATTAA/AFP via Getty Images)

The ceasefire took effect at 11:15 after a delay of Hamas failing to hand over the list of hostages on time.

Steinbrecher, 31 and Damari, 28 were taken hostage from their homes in Kfar Aza on the morning of October 7. Gonen, 24, was taken hostage at the Nova music festival after being shot.

Sterinbrecher, a veterinary nurse who also holds Roamanian citizenship, was hiding under her bed when terrorists entered her apartment. Her last voice note to her loved ones was “they’ve got me, they’ve got me,” her mother recounted in a piece for the Financial Times.

Damari, who also holds British citizenship, was shot in her hand, injured by shrapnel, blindfolded, and taken into Gaza during Hamas’s attack, according to her mother. Her dog, Choocha, was reportedly shot by terrorists in the back of the neck.

President Joe Biden delivered remarks after the three women’s release, where he attempted to take a victory lap, despite the incoming Trump administration playing a large role in securing the deal that Biden had been unable to achieve for over a year.

The first wave of hostages released in this deal comes the day before President-elect Donald Trump is set to be inaugurated and begin his second term as president.

Under the deal’s first phase, 33 hostages will be exchanged for about 1,000 Palestinian terrorists from Israeli jails. The Israel Defense Forces will also pull back from certain areas of the Gaza Strip. The fate of the remaining 64 hostages in Gaza will be addressed in the later phases of the agreement.

The list of names of the 33 hostages includes two Americans: Keith Siegel, 65, and Sagui Dekel-Chen, 36. While the exact number of living hostages is uncertain, it is believed that only 22 of the 33 to be released are still alive.

The Israeli government approved the hostage and ceasefire deal between the Jewish state and Hamas after seven hours of negotiations.

The government approved the deal just after 1:00 a.m. on Saturday in Israel, the Jerusalem Post reported. Twenty-four ministers voted in favor of the deal, and eight voted against it. Among the latter camp was National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who earlier threatened to quit the government if the deal was approved, calling it “the end of the war before Hamas is beaten.”

The deal comes after over a year of negotiations that failed to take hold until president-elect Donald Trump included his envoys in the talks after threatening that there would be “all hell to pay” if the hostages were not released by the time he takes office on January 20.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly invoked Trump’s imminent inauguration during discussions Friday, telling ministers that the president-elect would fully support Israel and unfreeze weapons shipments to the Jewish state. Netanyahu also blamed Hamas for any holdup in the ceasefire negotiations up to this point.

“There was no deal on the table because Hamas opposed any deal,” Netanyahu said. “However, the situation changed because of the heroism of our fighters and because of our actions in the region, including our severe blow to the Iranian axis. Hamas remained isolated in this theater, and as a result, it folded and agreed to this deal.”

Under the deal’s first phase, 33 hostages will be exchanged for about 1,000 Palestinian terrorists from Israeli jails. The Israel Defense Forces will also pull back from certain areas of the Gaza Strip.

The fate of the remaining 65 hostages in Gaza will be addressed in the later phases of the agreement.

One of the hostages included in the first set of releases is 38-year-old Avera Mengistu, who was taken hostage in 2014 when the man, suffering from mental illness, crossed into the Gaza strip, reported the Jerusalem Post.

The list of names of the 33 hostages includes two Americans: Keith Siegel, 65, and Sagui Dekel-Chen, 36. While the exact number of living hostages is uncertain, it is believed that only 22 of the 33 to be released are still alive.

The release of the first three hostages could occur as soon as Sunday.

The deal passed with the support of the government’s Haredi ministers, who cited scripture in defense of their votes. The Orthodox Haredi, who had to exit negotiations at the beginning of the Sabbath, left instructions on how to vote.

Joining Ben-Gvir in voting no was Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who also threatened to leave the government should the deal pass. In response to those threats earlier this week, Netanyahu’s Likud Party said that “Anyone who dissolves the right-wing government will be remembered as an eternal disgrace.”

The Israeli Justice Ministry released a list of names of 95 Palestinians set to be released, some of whom have been arrested for murder and are accused of being affiliated with Hamas, reported the Jerusalem Post.

The Iranian-backed Houthi terrorists in Yemen announced they would cease their attacks on Israel following the implementation of the ceasefire agreement.

This is a breaking story; please check back for more updates.

Tim Rice contributed to this report.

Israel’s security cabinet voted to approve the ceasefire and hostage deal between the Jewish state and Hamas on Friday. The deal is still awaiting a vote in the full cabinet in order to be approved.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, both of whom have voiced their reservations about the deal’s potential risks to Israel’s security, voted no. Ben-Gvir threatened to quit the government if the deal was approved.

Netanyahu’s Likud Party responded by stating that “Anyone who dissolves the right-wing government will be remembered as an eternal disgrace.”

In the deal’s first phase, about 33 hostages will be exchanged for 1,000 Palestinian terrorists in Israeli prisons. The Israel Defense Forces will also withdraw from parts of the Gaza Strip. The fate of the 65 hostages who remain in Gaza is set to be discussed in the later stages of the deal.

The names of the 33 hostages have been released, and the list includes two Americans: Keith Siegel, 65, and Sagui Dekel-Chen, 36. The first three hostages could be released as early as Sunday, pending the deal’s approval. Only 22 of those hostages are believed to be alive.

French President Emmanuel Macron said on X that two French citizens, Ofer Kalderon and Ohad Yahalomi, are expected to be among the first released. 

The full cabinet is expected to meet later on Friday.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog welcomed the vote’s results, stating that he expects “the government to follow suit in swiftly affirming this decision.”

“This is a vital step toward fulfilling the highest covenant between the state and its citizens,” he said. “There is no greater moral, human, Jewish, and Israeli duty. We must bring all of our hostages back home.”

The names of the 33 hostages expected to be released as part of the ceasefire and hostage deal between Israel and Hamas have been published. The deal is awaiting approval by the Israeli government’s full cabinet.

The hostages who may soon regain their freedom are mostly women and elderly people. The release is expected to take place over a six-week period, with the first three hostages possibly being freed on Sunday if the deal is approved.

Only 22 of the hostages are believed to be alive. The list includes two children, Ariel Bibas, 5, and Yarden Bibas, 2, who have captured the world’s attention after a video showed their mother holding them as they were taken hostage.

Two of seven American hostages are set to be freed: Keith Siegel, 65, and Sagui Dekel-Chen, 36.

Earlier this year, The Daily Wire interviewed Dekel-Chen’s father, who described his son as a hardworking man. Dekel-Chen was taken hostage on October 7, after hiding his pregnant wife and children in a safe room before going to help defend his kibbutz.

Siegel, originally from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, is an occupational therapist. His wife was freed in the November 2023 hostage deal.

In exchange for the hostages, about 1,000 Palestinian terrorists will be released from Israeli prisons during the first phase. The Israel Defense Forces will also withdraw from parts of the Gaza Strip under the agreement. The 65 hostages who will remain after the first phase of the deal will be negotiated for in later stages.

The hostages who will be released are:

1. Liri Albag
2. Itzhik Elgarat
3. Karina Ariev
4. Ohad Ben-Ami
5. Ariel Bibas
6. Yarden Bibas
7. Kfir Bibas
8. Shiri Silberman Bibas
9. Agam Berger
10. Romi Gonen
11. Danielle Gilboa
12. Emily Damari
13. Sagui Dekel-Chen
14. Yair Horn
15. Omer Wenkert
16. Alexander Troufanov
17. Arbel Yehud
18. Ohad Yahalomi
19. Eliya Cohen
20. Or Levy
21. Naama Levy
22. Oded Lifshitz
23. Gadi Moshe Moses
24. Avera Mengistu
25. Shlomo Mansur
26. Keith Siegel
27. Tsahi Idan
28. Ofer Calderon
29. Tal Shoham
30. Doron Steinbrecher
31. Omer Shem-Tov
32. Hisham Al Sayed
33. Eli Sharabi

A hostage and ceasefire deal has been reached between Israel and Hamas, according to U.S. and Israeli officials.

According to The Jerusalem Post, the deal will unfold in three phases. The first phase will include the release of 33 hostages — some of whom may be dead — and the Israeli Defense Forces withdrawing to an undefined security perimeter. Israel will reportedly release “many hundreds” of Palestinian prisoners, including terrorists who have killed Israelis.

Humanitarian aid will be increased and Palestinian civilians are also expected to be allowed to return to the northern part of the Gaza Strip with “security arrangements” in place, reported CNN.

The Israeli cabinet will meet Thursday morning to approve the deal. The first phase is expected to last 42 days, with negotiations for the subsequent stages set to begin on the 16th day.

The IDF has christened the hostage return operation “Wings of Freedom.”

The 33 released hostages are expected to be women, children, wounded people, and men over 50. Five female Israeli soldiers are expected to be released, each of whom will be exchanged for 50 Palestinians, 30 of whom are serving life sentences, according to the Associated Press. Palestinian prisoners will reportedly be released abroad or to the Gaza Strip instead of the West Bank.

During the final hours of the negotiations, Hamas made extra demands regarding the Philadelphi Corridor, reported The Jerusalem Post. The corridor has been seen as a strategic value to Israel by ensuring more weapons are not smuggled into Gaza from Egypt.

In a statement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office  noted that “Hamas folded on its last-minute demand to change the deployment of IDF forces in the Philadelphi Corridor. However, several items in the framework have yet to be finalized; we hope that the details will be finalized tonight.”

Statement from Netanyahu’s office:

“Due to the strong insistence of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Hamas folded on its last-minute demand to change the deployment of IDF forces in the Philadelphi Corridor. However, several items in the framework have yet to be finalized; we…

— Kassy Akiva (@KassyAkiva) January 15, 2025

About half of the hostages in Gaza — a mix of Israelis, Americans, elderly, women, children, and soldiers — are believed to be alive. Seven American hostages are still in Gaza, including Edan Alexander, Itay Chen, Sagui Dekel-Chen, Gadi Haggai, Judi Weinstein Haggai, Omer Neutra, and Keith Siegel.

President Trump touted the deal on social media on Wednesday, writing that the hostages would “be released shortly.” Trump has aggressively pushed for Hamas to release the hostages, saying there would be “all hell to pay” if they did not do so before he returned to office.

Some of the 98 hostages held by Hamas in Gaza may be coming home soon following a breakthrough in negotiations between Israel and the terror group.

Mediators delivered both Israel and Hamas a final draft of a hostage and ceasefire deal on Monday, which has fueled optimism that the hostages will soon be released after being kidnapped 465 days ago.

Hamas has not yet sent its final answer on the deal, but a source told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that if there were no major changes, then the “response will be positive,” reported the Jerusalem Post.

A Hamas official reportedly told CNN that the two parties were “very close to an agreement.” On Monday, Deputy National Security Adviser Jon Finer told CNN “there has been significant progress made.”

Kan News reported that Israeli Defense Forces officials directed relevant Israeli government entities to prepare for the possibility of hostages arriving after an agreement takes effect.

About half of the hostages in Gaza — a mix of Israelis, Americans, elderly, women, children, and soldiers — are believed to be alive. Seven American hostages are still in Gaza, including Edan Alexander, Itay Chen, Sagui Dekel-Chen, Gadi Haggai, Judi Weinstein Haggai, Omer Neutra, and Keith Siegel.

According to the Jerusalem Post, 33 hostages will be released during the first phase of the deal and on the 16th day of the deal, negotiations are expected to begin for the following stages. The first phase is reportedly anticipated to last 42 days.

Envoys of both President Joe Biden and President-elect Donald Trump joined negotiations, the Jerusalem Post reported. Netanyahu spoke with Biden on Sunday to discuss the progress in the negotiations taking place in Doha. Netanyahu’s office released a statement in which the prime minister thanked both Biden and Trump for “cooperating in this sacred mission.”

Earlier this month, Trump warned there would be “all hell to pay” if the hostages were not released before he takes office.

“Everybody is talking about the hostages who are being held so violently, inhumanely, and against the will of the entire World, in the Middle East – But it’s all talk, and no action!” he wrote. “Please let this TRUTH serve to represent that if the hostages are not released prior to January 20, 2025, the date that I proudly assume Office as President of the United States, there will be ALL HELL TO PAY in the Middle East, and for those in charge who perpetrated these atrocities against Humanity. Those responsible will be hit harder than anybody has been hit in the long and storied History of the United States of America. RELEASE THE HOSTAGES NOW!”

Various Israeli factions have opposed any deal that permits the release of Hamas terrorists. On Monday, the head of the Benjamin Regional Council and chairman of the Yesha Council — a group that represents municipal councils in Judea and Samaria — wrote to Netanyahu opposing a deal that includes such terms, the Jerusalem Post reported.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called the emerging agreement a “catastrophe” for Israel’s security, Jewish News Syndicate reported.

“The emerging deal is a catastrophe for the national security of the State of Israel,” said Smotrich. “We will not be part of a surrender deal that includes the release of arch-terrorists, halting the war, undermining the achievements that were secured with many lives lost, and abandoning numerous hostages.”

Hamas reportedly ordered its militants to be on high alert and avoid being in public, in case of Israeli assassinations before the agreement, according to a Monday report by Ashraq al-Awsat.

Another imam of a mosque near the home of the suspected ISIS member behind the New Year’s Day terrorist attack in New Orleans went on an anti-Semitic rant this summer where he accused Jews of “creating havoc everywhere.”

Fifteen people were killed and 35 were injured when Shamsud-Din Jabbar, 42, rammed a white pickup truck through a crowd in a blocked-off area of the French Quarter before opening fire. Jabbar, who is an American citizen and Army veteran and was in possession of an ISIS flag, was killed by law enforcement at the scene. 

The Houston Masjid Bilal, which is affiliated with the Islamic Society of Greater Houston (ISGH), is located close to Jabbar’s home.

In a video shared and partially translated by the Middle East Media Research Institute, Imam M. ElFarooqui delivered a sermon at the mosque in August 2024, where he spoke about a group of Jews who were forbidden by Allah to fish on Saturday, and instead used trenches to catch the fish passively.

Friday Sermon at Houston Mosque Where New Orleans Attacker Worshiped: The Jews Created Havoc Wherever They Went on the Face of This Earth; Allah Turned Some of Them into Monkeys, Pigs, Rats pic.twitter.com/2A2Erkgp4k

— MEMRI (@MEMRIReports) January 3, 2025

He stated Jews were punished for the act and said that Allah turned some of them into monkeys, pigs, and rats. 

“Do we think that Allah is not watching us here? That’s what the Jews thought. They thought Allah was watching them only in Jerusalem…so they went out everywhere on the face of this earth, started creating havoc everywhere.”

“Oh Allah, liberate the Al-Aqsa Mosque from the hands of the plunderers,” ElFarooqui added, referring to the mount where the Jewish Temple once stood in Jerusalem’s Old City, which is under the control of the Jordanian Islamic Waqf, overseen by the government of Jordan.

MEMRI shared another video on Thursday of the mosque’s Imam Eiad Soudan going on an anti-Semitic tirade where he explains why he thinks Hitler killed Jews.

“Why does the whole world want them to stay in Palestine? Because if they don’t stay in Palestine, they will go back to their countries,” and “they like to take control of the economy, everywhere they go…That is why the other countries don’t want them back.”

“Until this guy Hitler, with the nice mustache, came to power, he became empowered and we all know what he did. By the way, Hitler hated the Israelites so bad because of the economy thing, they were in control of the economy.”

Eiad Soudan, Imam of Houston Mosque Where New Orleans Attacker Worshiped: Jews Seek to Control the Economy Wherever They Go, That’s Why Hitler Killed Them; Europeans Support Israel Because They Don’t Want Jews Back in Their Countries (Archival) pic.twitter.com/AFXc7cIC82

— MEMRI (@MEMRIReports) January 2, 2025

Shortly after the attack, Houston Masjid Bilal discouraged its members from talking to the media, and said “if approached by the FBI and a response is necessary, please refer to CAIR and ISGH.”

The Daily Wire previously reported that CAIR Executive Director Nihad Awad said he was “happy to see” Gazans “breaking the siege and throwing down the shackles of their own land” on October 7, the day Hamas massacred and kidnapped Israeli civilians. Awad added that Israel does not have the right to self-defense.

A CAIR spokesperson told The Daily Wire that CAIR has not yet assumed an official role of handling inquiries for Houston Masjid Bilal.

ISGH condemned the terror attack in a statement and encouraged people with relevant information to speak to authorities.

“This act of terror and pure evil has no place in our community in society,” the statement read. “ISGH encourages anyone with any relevant information to come forward and duly report to law enforcement. ISGH is in contact with authorities and relevant law enforcement agencies are accorded the fullest cooperation needed.”

An FBI spokesperson said on Thursday that Jabbar uploaded five videos online detailing his plans for terrorism and expressing support for ISIS.

“Jabbar explains that he originally planned to harm his family and friends but was concerned the news headlines would not focus on the quote ‘war between the believers and the disbelievers,’” the FBI Deputy Assistant Director Christopher Raia said. “He states that he joined ISIS before this summer.”

The Islamic Society of Greater Houston did not immediately respond to a request for comment.