US SAID TO PITCH PROJECT SURPRISE - $112 BILLION PLAN TO REBUILD GAZA AS LUXURY DESTINATION.

JEWISH KING JESUS IS COMING AT THE RAPTURE FOR US IN THE CLOUDS-DON'T MISS IT FOR THE WORLD.THE BIBLE TAKEN LITERALLY- WHEN THE PLAIN SENSE MAKES GOOD SENSE-SEEK NO OTHER SENSE-LEST YOU END UP IN NONSENSE.GET SAVED NOW- CALL ON JESUS TODAY.THE ONLY SAVIOR OF THE WHOLE EARTH - NO OTHER. 1 COR 15:23-JESUS THE FIRST FRUITS-CHRISTIANS RAPTURED TO JESUS-FIRST FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT-23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.ROMANS 8:23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.(THE PRE-TRIB RAPTURE)

 US SAID TO PITCH PROJECT SURPRISE - $112 BILLION PLAN TO REBUILD GAZA AS LUXURY DESTINATION.

FINALLY THE EUROPEAN UNION IS TALKING ABOUT HAVING THEIR OWN ARMY.AND IT MUST HAPPEN.
REVELATION 19:16-21
16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King Of Kings, And Lord Of Lords.(JESUS RETURNG TO EARTH LITERALLY ON A WHITE HORSE WITH THE RAPTURED CHRISTIANS 7 YEARS EARLIER)
17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God;
18 That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great.(2ND TIME GOD-JESUS TELLS THE 500 MILLION MIGRATING BIRDS TO GET READY TO EAT HUMAN FLESH.THE FIRST TIME WAS WHEN GOD TOLD THE 500 MILLION MIGRATING BIRDS-TO EAT RUSSIA,GERMAN,ARAB, MUSLIM BODIES FOR 7 MONTHS IN EZEK 38 @ 39.
19 And I saw the beast,(E.U WORLD LEADER) and the kings of the earth, and their armies,(HERE IT SAYS THE E.U WILL HAVE ITS OWN ARMY) gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, (JESUS) and against his army.(RAPTURED CHRISTIANS)
20 And the beast (E.U WORLD LEADER) was taken, and with him the false prophet (POPE FRANCIS) that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.
21 And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.

Zephaniah 2:1-15
1 Gather together, yes, gather,O shameless nation,
2 before the decree takes effect[a] -before the day passes away like chaff—before there comes upon you the burning anger of the Lord, before there comes upon you the day of the anger of the Lord.
3 Seek the Lord, all you humble of the land, who do his just commands;[b] seek righteousness; seek humility; perhaps you may be hidden on the day of the anger of the Lord.
4 For Gaza shall be deserted, and Ashkelon shall become a desolation; Ashdod's people shall be driven out at noon, and Ekron shall be uprooted.
5 Woe to you inhabitants of the seacoast, you nation of the Cherethites! The word of the Lord is against you, O Canaan, land of the Philistines; and I will destroy you until no inhabitant is left.
6 And you, O seacoast, shall be pastures, with meadows[c] for shepherds and folds for flocks.
7 The seacoast shall become the possession of the remnant of the house of Judah, on which they shall graze, and in the houses of Ashkelon they shall lie down at evening. For the Lord their God will be mindful of them and restore their fortunes.
8 “I have heard the taunts of Moab (JORDAN) and the revilings of the Ammonites, how they have taunted my people and made boasts against their territory.
9 Therefore, as I live,” declares the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, Moab shall become like Sodom, and the Ammonites like Gomorrah, a land possessed by nettles and salt pits, and a waste forever.The remnant of my people shall plunder them, and the survivors of my nation shall possess them.”
10 This shall be their lot in return for their pride, because they taunted and boasted against the people of the Lord of hosts.
11 The Lord will be awesome against them; for he will famish all the gods of the earth, and to him shall bow down, each in its place, all the lands of the nations.
12 You also, O Cushites, shall be slain by my sword.
13 And he will stretch out his hand against the north and destroy Assyria,(SYRIA) and he will make Nineveh a desolation, a dry waste like the desert.
14 Herds shall lie down in her midst, all kinds of beasts;[d] even the owl and the hedgehog[e]  shall lodge in her capitals; a voice shall hoot in the window; devastation will be on the threshold; for her cedar work will be laid bare.
15 This is the exultant city that lived securely, that said in her heart, “I am, and there is no one else.” What a desolation she has become, a lair for wild beasts! Everyone who passes by her hisses and shakes his fist.Sa'ar: No free meals; talks possible if more hostages freed Israel halts aid into Gaza, citing Hamas refusal to extend first phase of truce
Footnotes-a -Zephaniah 2:2 Hebrew gives birth, b-Zephaniah 2:3 Or who carry out his judgment, c-Zephaniah 2:6 Or caves, d-Zephaniah 2:14 Hebrew beasts of every nation, e-Zephaniah 2:14 The identity of the animals rendered owl and hedgehog is uncertain

DANIEL 2:37-45
37 Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory.
38 And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold.
39 And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth.
40 And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise.
41 And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters' clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay.
42 And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken.
43 And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.
44 And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.
45 Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.

DANIEL 7:17-26
17 These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth.
18 But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.
19 Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was diverse from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of brass; which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet;
20 And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows.
21 I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them;
22 Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.
23 Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.
24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.
25 And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.
26 But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end.

THE WORLD IN 10 WORLD TRADE BLOCS LEAD BY THE EUROPEAN UNION THE WORLD LEADER, NOT AMERICA.I PREDICT.

THE EUROPEAN UNION AND REVIVED ROMAN WORLD GOVERNMENT
DANIEL 2:31-33,36-43, DAN 7:3-8,17

First From Daniel Chapter 2

1 EGYPT
2 ASSYRIA
3 BABYLON (HEAD OF GOLD) DAN 2:31-32,36-38, DAN 1:1
4 MEDO-PERSIANS (CHEST & ARMS OF SILVER) DAN 2:32,39, DAN 9:1
5 GREECE (WAIST & HIPS OF BRONZE) DAN 2:32,39, DAN 11:2
6 ROME (2 LEGS OF IRON) DAN 2:33,40, ROM 1:6
7 REVIVED ROME (EU) (FEET IRON & CLAY) DAN 2:33,41-43,10 TOES

Now From Daniel Chapter 7

1 EGYPT
2 ASSYRIA
3 BABYLON (LION WITH EAGLES WINGS) DAN 7:4, DAN 1:1
4 MEDO-PERSIANS (BEAR ON HIND LEGS) DAN 7:5, DAN 9:1
5 GREECE (LEOPARD 4 WINGS, 4 HEADS) DAN 7:6, DAN 11:2
6 ROME (HUGE IRON TEETH) DAN 7:7 (10 HORNS), ROM 1:6
7 REVIVED ROME (EU) DAN 7:8,19-20,23-25 10 HORNS, 10 KINGS
REV 17:9,12, 10 HORNS, 10 KINGS, 7 HILLS ROME. REV 13:1 BEAST WITH 7 HEADS. THE E.U LEADER OF WORLD GOVERNMENT DAN 2:40-45, 7:7-8,23-25,27, 8:23, REV 13:3,7,8,12,14,16

REVELATION 17:10-12
10 And there are seven kings (7TH WORLD EMPIRE IN HISTORY) five are fallen, (EGYPT, ASSYRIA, BABYLON,:MEDO-PERSIAN,GREECE and one is,(IN POWER IN JOHNS DAY-ROME) and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh,(FUTURE-REVIVED ROMAN EMPIRE-EUROPEAN UNION TODAY) he must continue a short space.(7 YEARS OF WORLD DOMINATION-BUT 3 1/2 YEARS OF NEW WORLD ORDER OR ONE WORLD GOVERNMENT)
12 And the ten horns (10 WORLD TRADE BLOCS OR REGIONS) which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.

REVELATION 17:12-13
12 And the ten horns (10 WORLD TRADE BLOCS-NATIONS) which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.
13 These have one mind,(WORLD SOCIALISM) and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.

We shall have World Government, whether or not we like it. The only question is whether World Government will be achieved by conquest or consent.James Paul Warburg appearing before the Senate on 7th February 1950

Like a famous WWII Belgian General,Paul Henry Spock said in 1957:We need no commission, we have already too many. What we need is a man who is great enough to be able to keep all the people in subjection to himself and to lift us out of the economic bog into which we threaten to sink. Send us such a man. Be he a god or a devil, we will accept him.And today, sadly, the world is indeed ready for such a man. 

DICK MORRIS-This truly creates a global economic system. From now on, don’t look to Washington for the rule making, look to Brussels.

THE CLUB OF ROME FOUNDER AURELIO PECCEI WANTS THE WORLD IN 10 REGIONAL TRADING BLOCKS.

REVELATION 16:1-2
1 And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth.
2 And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image.

REVELATION 13:16-18
16 And he(FALSE POPE) causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, (SLAVE) to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:(CHIP IMPLANT)
17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
18 Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.(6-6-6) A NUMBER SYSTEM

I KNOW THIS MARK WILL BE A MICROCHIP IMPLANT UNDER THE SKIN. LETS LOOK UP WHAT THE WORD MARK SAYS IN REVELATION 13:16-18, 14:9,11, 15:2, 16:2, 19:20, 20:4-ALL THESE VERSES FROM THE BOOK OF REVELATION SPEAK OF THIS DICTATORS MARK. NOW LETS SEE WHAT IT MEANS FROM STRONGS EXAUSTIVE CONCORDANCE OF THE BIBLE. UNDER MARK PAGE 684.MARK UNDER MARK. THE OLD TESTAMENT IS UNDER HEBREW AND THE NEW TESTAMENT IS UNDER GREEK. SO WHEN WE LOOK UNDER REVELATION 13:16-17 WE SEE IT IS UNDER GREEK, SO WE GO TO GREEK IN THE BACK SECTION AND GO TO 5480 TO SEE WHAT IT SAYS THIS MARK WOULD BE. SO LETS GET TO IT.MARK IN STRONGS GREEK 5480 XAPAYUA CHARAGMA, KHAR-AG-MAH: FROM THE SAME AS 5482: A SCRATCH OR ETCHING, I.E STAMP (AS A BADGE OF SERVITUDE), OR SCULPTURED FIGURE-(STATUE):-GRAVEN, MARK FROM 5482 XAPAE CHARAX, KHAR-AX; FROM XAPAOOW CHARASSO (TO SHARPEN TO A POINT; AKIN TO 1125 THROUGH THE IDEA OF SCRATCHING); A STAKE, I.E (BYIMPL.) A PALISADE OR RAMPART (MILITARY MOUND FOR CIRCUMVALLATION IN A SIEGE): - TRENCH FROM 1125 YPAPOE GRAPHO, GRAF-0; A PRIM. VERB; TO "GRAVE", ESPEC. TO WRITE; FIG. TO DESCRIBE:-DESCRIBE, WRITE (-ING, -TEN).G5516-GO TO G4742-666 - STRONGS NT 4742: στίγμα - στίγμα, στιγματος, τό (from στίζω to prick; (cf. Latinstimulus, etc.; German stechen, English stick, sting, etc.; Curtius, § 226)), a mark pricked in or branded upon the body. According to ancient oriental usage, slaves and soldiers bore the name or stamp of their master or commander branded or pricked (cut) into their bodies to indicate what master or general they belonged to, and there were even some devotees who stamped themselves in this way with the token of their gods (cf. Deyling, Observations, iii., p. 423ff); hence, τά στίγματα τοῦ (κυρίου so Rec.) Ἰησοῦ, the marks of (the Lord) Jesus, which Paul in Galatians 6:17 says he bears branded on his body, are the traces left there by the perils, hardships, imprisonments, scourgings, endured by him for the cause of Christ, and which mark him as Christ's faithful and approved votary, servant, soldier (see Lightfoots Commentary on Galatians, the passage cited). (Herodotus 7, 233; Aristotle, Aelian, Plutarch, Lcian, others.) 

THE INVENTOR OF THE MICROCHIP IMPLANT-CARL SANDERS MICROCHIP ENGINEER LEADER
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgH9D6n4ZWo

THE MICROCHIP IMPLANT IN YOUR RIGHT HAND OR FOREHEAD.

LEVETICUS 19.28
Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the LORD.

HERES WHAT THE WORLD WOULD LOOK LIKE (SINCE THERE WILL BE WORLD GOVERNMENT IN THE FUTURE)-UPDATED VERSION (10 WORLD TRADE BLOCS)

01 CANADA, U.S.A, MEXICO
02 EUROPEAN UNION,WESTERN EUROPE
03 JAPAN
04 AUSTRALIA,NEW ZEALAND, S AFRICA, ISRAEL AND PACIFIC ISLANDS
05 EASTERN EUROPE
06 SOUTHERN, CENTRAL AND LATIN AMERICAS
07 NORTH AFRICA, AND MIDEAST (MOSLEMS)
08 CENTRAL AFRICA
09 SOUTH AND SOUTHEAST ASIA
10 CENTRAL ASIA

THE CLUB OF ROME WANTS A WORLD CHARISMATIC DICTATOR (EITHER RELIGIOUS, POLITICAL OR SCIENTIFICAL) TO HEAD THIS WORLD GOVERNMENT. REV 13:3,7-8, DAN 7:23-24

WORLD POWERS IN THE END TIME

NORTH - RUSSIA EZEK 38:1-2, 39:1-2
SOUTH - EGYPT DAN 11:42
EAST - CHINA DAN 11:44,REV 16:12
WEST - EUROPEAN UNION DAN 7:23-24 (NOT THE U.S.A)
http://israel7777777.blogspot.ca/2012/03/10-world-trade-blocs-one-world.html
http://israndjer.blogspot.ca/2006/09/how-eu-takes-world-control.html 
http://israndjer.blogspot.ca/2012/05/one-world-religion-crislam.html 

FINALLY THE EUROPEAN UNION IS TALKING ABOUT HAVING THEIR OWN ARMY.AND IT MUST HAPPEN.
REVELATION 19:16-21
16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King Of Kings, And Lord Of Lords.(JESUS RETURNG TO EARTH LITERALLY ON A WHITE HORSE WITH THE RAPTURED CHRISTIANS 7 YEARS EARLIER)
17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God;
18 That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great.(2ND TIME GOD-JESUS TELLS THE 500 MILLION MIGRATING BIRDS TO GET READY TO EAT HUMAN FLESH.THE FIRST TIME WAS WHEN GOD TOLD THE 500 MILLION MIGRATING BIRDS-TO EAT RUSSIA,GERMAN,ARAB, MUSLIM BODIES FOR 7 MONTHS IN EZEK 38 @ 39.
19 And I saw the beast,(E.U WORLD LEADER) and the kings of the earth, and their armies,(HERE IT SAYS THE E.U WILL HAVE ITS OWN ARMY) gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, (JESUS) and against his army.(RAPTURED CHRISTIANS)
20 And the beast (E.U WORLD LEADER) was taken, and with him the false prophet (POPE FRANCIS) that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.
21 And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.

COUNCIL FOR EUROPE ON DEFENCE
https://defence-industry-space.ec.europa.eu/document/download/6d6f889c-e58d-4caa-8f3b-8b93154fe206_en?filename=SAFE%20Regulation.pdf

US, Qatar, Egypt, Turkey urge restraint in Gaza after Miami talks.

Miami, Dec 20 (AFP) Dec 20, 2025-The United States was joined Saturday by Qatar, Egypt and Turkey in urging parties in the Gaza ceasefire to uphold their obligations and exercise restraint, the chief US envoy said after talks in Miami.Top officials from each nation met with Steve Witkoff, President Donald Trump's special envoy, to review the first stage of the ceasefire that came into effect on October 10."We reaffirm our full commitment to the entirety of the President's 20-point peace plan and call on all parties to uphold their obligations, exercise restraint, and cooperate with monitoring arrangements," said a statement posted by Witkoff on X.Their meeting came amid continuing strains on the agreement.Gaza's civil defense said six people were killed Friday in Israeli shelling of a shelter. That brought to 400 the number of Palestinians killed by Israeli fire since the deal took effect.Israel has also repeatedly accused Hamas of violating the truce, with the military reporting of its three soldiers killed in the territory since October.Saturday's statement cited progress yielded in the first stage of the peace agreement, including expanded humanitarian assistance, return of hostage bodies, partial force withdrawals and a reduction in hostilities.It called for "the near-term establishment and operationalization" of a transitional administration which is due to happen in the second phase of the agreement, and said consultations would continue in the coming weeks over its implementation.Under the deal's terms, Israel is supposed to withdraw from its positions in Gaza, an interim authority is to govern the Palestinian territory instead of Hamas, and an international stabilization force is to be deployed.On Friday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed hope that countries would contribute troops for the stabilization force, but also urged the disarmament of Hamas, warning the process would unravel unless that happened.

US said to pitch ‘Project Sunrise’ — $112B plan to rebuild Gaza as luxury destination-Reported proposal drafted by top Trump officials Kushner and Witkoff to be completed over 10 years; imagines ‘New Rafah’ as seat of government, Gaza City as hi-tech ‘smart city’By ToI Staff 20 December 2025, 4:32 am

A US proposal to rebuild war-torn Gaza into a high-tech, luxurious coastal destination over the next two decades has been pitched to possible donor countries, according to a report on Friday.The project, which would cost $112 billion over the first 10 years, was developed by a team led by US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff over the past 45 days, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing US officials.Initially, the US would commit to “anchor” the program by providing $60 billion, while envisioning Gaza being able to self-fund parts of the proposal as it gets underway, according to the report.The 32 pages of PowerPoint slides, labeled “sensitive but unclassified” and detailing a four-stage vision to clear the rubble, rebuild the Strip, and take Gazans out of poverty, has been shown to wealthy Gulf countries, Turkey, and Egypt, the Journal reported.Earlier this year, Trump floated an idea for the US to take over and rebuild the Strip to create “the Riviera of the Middle East,” while Palestinian residents were permanently relocated. His announcement in February was rebuked by several countries but was welcomed by Israel’s government. Trump has since walked back the provision for Gazans to be permanently removed.The 20-year-long roadmap would be completed in four stages, beginning in the south with Rafah and Khan Younis, then the central camps, before finishing with Gaza City, the report said.It would involve clearing the rubble, unexploded bombs, and Hamas tunnels while temporary shelter and medical centers are provided to Gazan residents — though it doesn’t specify exactly where they would live during this reconstruction, according to the Journal.Then, the construction of permanent residences, public facilities and infrastructure would begin, the report said.After essential work is completed, the luxury penthouse residences, as part of the “glitzy riviera,” as well as high-tech rail transport, would begin construction, according to the report.One of the slides seen by the Journal is titled “New Rafah,” with the plan envisioning the city as a “seat of governance” for the Strip. “They would live in a city with more than 100,000 housing units, 200 or more schools, and more than 75 medical facilities and 180 mosques and cultural centers,” the Journal reported.Another reimagines “Gaza as a ‘smart city’ with tech-driven governance and services.”By the 10th year, 70 percent of Gaza’s coastline should be monetized, with the reported proposal estimating the Strip could generate over $55 billion in long-run investment returns.The reported plan requires, in bold and in red, that Hamas “demilitarize and decommission all weapons and tunnels,” a demand that the terror group has so far rejected.Both Israel and the US have insisted that the terror group must disarm before Gaza can be rehabilitated. Trump officials told the Journal that the plan could get underway within two months, if security conditions permit.The plan has received mixed opinions among US officials, with some skeptical that Hamas will relinquish its weapons, thereby allowing it to be implemented, or even if potential donor nations would fund the proposal, according to the Journal.Others think it is the “most detailed and optimistic” plan yet for Gaza’s potential future, the report said.“The Trump Administration will continue to work diligently with our partners to sustain a lasting peace and lay the groundwork for a peaceful and prosperous Gaza,” a White House spokesperson told the Journal when asked to comment.The report comes as Witkoff was set to meet on Friday in Miami with senior Qatari, Egyptian, and Turkish officials to discuss phase two of the Gaza ceasefire.The four countries believe that both Israel and Hamas are dragging their feet to avoid implementing the deal’s second phase, and are eager to decide on a joint approach for getting both sides to move forward, according to the report.Under the second stage, Israel is supposed to withdraw from its positions in Gaza, an interim authority is to govern the territory instead of Hamas, and an international stabilization force is to be deployed.But progress in moving to that phase of the agreement has so far been slow, while the ceasefire remains fragile with both sides alleging violations. Israel killed senior Hamas commander Raed Saad in Gaza last weekend, a move that reportedly sparked Trump to warn of jeopardizing the truce.So far, Palestinian terrorists have released all of the hostages, except for the body of police Master Sgt. Ran Gvili.The Trump administration is now keen to proceed to the difficult second stage, with the provision for Hamas to lay down its weapons being a particular sticking point.The third phase includes the reconstruction of the vast areas of Gaza leveled during the war, which was triggered by Hamas’s October 2023 devastating invasion of southern Israel.Jacob Magid contributed to this report.

Government announces 19 new West Bank settlements and legalized outposts-11 new settlements to be built, 8 outposts and neighborhoods recognized as settlements, including two evacuated in 2005; Smotrich says move aims to thwart Palestinian state By Jeremy Sharon-21 December 2025, 4:50 pm

The government on Sunday formally announced that 11 new settlements will be established in the West Bank, along with the legalization or recognition of eight illegal outposts and neighborhoods of existing settlements as new official settlements.The new settlements spanning the length and breadth of the West Bank had been detailed in a resolution proposed by Defense Minister Israel Katz and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, and were approved by the security cabinet on December 12.Smotrich said the announcement was aimed at blocking a Palestinian state.The newly recognized settlements are Kida, Esh Kodesh, Givat Harel, Mishol, Kochav Hashachar-North, Nof Gilad, Ganim, Kadim, Shalem, Har Bezek, Reihanit, Rosh Ha’ayin-East, Tammun, P’nei Kedem, Yatziv, Ya’ar El Keren, Allenby, Yitav-West, and Nahal Doron.About half of the outposts are located deep inside the West Bank, while the others are dispersed more or less evenly along the Green Line that separates the territory from Israel.Some of the outposts have been in place for decades. For example, Givat Harel was established in 1998, and nearby Esh Kodesh in 2000, according to settlement watchdog Peace Now.Ganim and Kadim were evacuated under the terms of the 2005 Disengagement, in which Israel withdrew unilaterally from Gaza and four settlements in the northern Samaria district of the West Bank. The other two, Homesh and Sa Nur, were formally reestablished in May this year.The government passed legislation in March 2023 annulling the clauses of the legislation that led to the evacuation of those four settlements, paving the way for their reestablishment.The security cabinet approved a decision to split off the neighborhood of Givat Harel from Givat Haroeh in February 2023.“After 20 years, we are righting a painful injustice and returning Ganim and Kadim to the settlement map, alongside other important settlements throughout Judea and Samaria,” said Smotrich in announcing the new settlements.“We are stopping the establishment of a Palestinian terrorist state on the ground. We will continue to develop, build and settle in the land of our ancestors, with faith in the righteousness of the path,” he said.The international community — with the notable exception of the United States under President Donald Trump — considers Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal under international law. Israel, which conquered the area in the 1967 Six Day War, disputes that position, citing historic ties to the region and a security imperative in holding on to it.The latest approvals come days after the United Nations said the expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank had reached its highest level since at least 2017.Smotrich has included in the state budget, approved by the cabinet last week, a plan to spend about NIS 2.7 billion ($841 million) over five years on the expansion of settlements and legalization of outposts that were built without government permits. The plan was opposed by a plurality of respondents in a poll earlier in the month by Zman Yisrael, The Times of Israel’sHebrew-language sister site.With Sunday’s approvals, the government has approved for construction or retroactively legalized 69 new settlements since it took office at the end of 2022, Smotrich said.Before that, virtually no new settlements had been approved or outposts legalized since the late 1990s.The approval increases the number of settlements in the West Bank by nearly 50 percent from 141 in 2022 to 210 after the current round of authorizations, according to Peace Now.The expansion of settlements in the West Bank is at its highest rate since at least 2017, when the United Nations began tracking such data, according to a report by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres earlier this month.In 2025, “plans for nearly 47,390 housing units were advanced, approved, or tendered, compared with some 26,170 in 2024,” the report, which was seen by AFP, said.Guterres condemned the “relentless” expansion, saying it “continues to fuel tensions, impede access by Palestinians to their land and threaten the viability of a fully independent, democratic, contiguous and sovereign Palestinian State.”“These figures represent a sharp increase compared to previous years,” he added, noting an average of 12,815 housing units were added annually between 2017 and 2022.Since the war in Gaza was sparked by the Hamas-led October 7 massacre in 2023, calls for the establishment of a Palestinian state have proliferated, with several European countries, Canada and Australia recently moving to formally recognize such a state, drawing rebukes from Israel, which cast the declarations as rewards for terror.Agencies contributed to this report.

Australian PM Anthony Albanese booed by angry attendees-10,000-strong crowd gathers on Bondi Beach to mark week since Hanukkah terror attack-Jewish leader reads message of support from Ahmed al Ahmed, who disarmed gunman; state premier says authorities failed, Jewish community can’t fight antisemitism alone By Agencies and ToI Staff 21 December 2025, 2:23 pm

Thousands of Australians, Jewish and non-Jewish alike, gathered at the famous Bondi Beach on Sunday to honor the victims of a terror attack a week earlier that targeted a seaside Jewish Hanukkah festival event.The nation held a day of reflection on Sunday to honor the 15 people killed and the dozens wounded in the attack by two gunmen. With security tight and flags at half-staff on government buildings, a minute of silence was held at 6:47 p.m. (9:47 a.m. Israel time), the time the attack began.Television and radio networks paused for a minute’s silence.Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese attended the event, where he was booed by angry attendees. Many have accused him of failing to protect the Jewish community against antisemitic hate crimes.Albanese, his predecessors John Howard and Scott Morrison, and Governor-General Sam Mostyn, who represents Australia’s head of state King Charles III, were among the dignitaries at the commemoration that drew more than 10,000 people.Albanese was booed by the crowd and met with cries of “shame” on arrival and again later when the speaker mentioned his name during the memorial. He sat in the front row wearing a kippah, the traditional male Jewish head covering.Albanese, under pressure from critics who say his center-left government has not done enough to curb a surge in antisemitism since the start of the war in Gaza, was not scheduled to speak at the event.Opposition leader Sussan Ley, who had said that a conservative government led by her would reverse a decision made by Albanese’s center-left Labor Party government this year to recognize a Palestinian state, was cheered.Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, have sought to link the Bondi Beach terror attack to Albanese’s recognition of Palestinian statehood.The Australian government has rejected the claim, and has said it has consistently denounced antisemitism over the last two years and passed legislation to criminalize hate speech. It expelled the Iranian ambassador earlier this year after accusing Tehran of directing two antisemitic arson attacks.Hero who disarmed gunman: ‘I stand with you’Speaking to the crowd, local Jewish leader David Ossip read a message from Ahmed al Ahmed, the bystander who rushed to disarm one of the gunmen during the massacre.Ossip, who heads the local Jewish Board of Deputies, paid tribute to Israeli Gefen Bitton and Syrian-born Ahmed, who both ran toward the terrorist amid the shooting and, Ossip said, “whose unbelievable bravery saved so many lives last week.” Both were wounded during the confrontation.Ossip noted to cheers that Ahmed’s father was in the crowd, and said he saw Ahmed earlier in the day.“Ahmed has asked me to pass on the following message to us all: ‘The Lord is close to the brokenhearted. Today, I stand with you, my brothers and sisters,'” Ossip said. “Thank you, Ahmed.”He also praised the resilience of the Jewish community.“The answer to the current situation cannot just be more security and larger compounds,” he said.“Up until two years ago, Australia was always the lucky country for Jews. But sadly no more. We’ve lost our innocence,” he said. “We’ve seen the strength and resilience of the Jewish community, our community, who refused to retreat or cower or become consumed by vengeance, but instead have become more determined to build back bigger and better than before, prouder of who we are and more united.”He added, “The terrorists have picked the wrong community to mess with, because we, the Jewish community, are unbreakable. Resilience is in our veins.”The crowd responded by singing “Am Yisrael chai,” Hebrew for “The nation of Israel lives.”Ossip also praised local leaders for their response, moments after the huge crowd booed Albanese.“New South Wales Premier Chris Minns,” Ossip said, “who has not missed a funeral, a synagogue service, or an opportunity to be with the Jewish community this week. Thank you, Chris, for your leadership.”Ossip then introduced New South Wales Opposition Leader Kellie Sloane, whom he called “a hero.”“Last week, Kellie made the choice in the midst of the attack to go down to Bondi Beach, to go to where the incident was taking place, and she provided assistance to those who were injured and gave shelter to those who needed it… That is bravery, that is courage. Thank you, Kellie.”Ossip called for a royal commission — the equivalent of a state commission of inquiry in constitutional monarchies — in Australia to investigate the attack.Speaking at the memorial, 14-year-old survivor Chaya Dadon said: “We are getting stronger as a nation. We are growing. Sometimes growing hurts… Life is going to move on, and why not make the best of it?”State premier acknowledges failure of authorities-Premier Minns, who was cheered and praised at the memorial, said the terror attack was an attempt to marginalize, scatter, intimidate and cause fear.“You have reclaimed Bondi Beach for us,” he said. “In your defiance, in your resistance and resolve, you have returned to these sands just seven days after a shocking crime.”“I want to say this clearly and sincerely: We are deeply sorry. With humility, I acknowledge the government and its highest duty is to protect the citizens, and we did not do that one week ago,” he stated. “That reality weighs on me heavily.”“We must accept that responsibility and use that to do everything and anything we possibly can to stop it from happening again,” he continued, adding that Jewish people cannot carry the burden of fighting antisemitism alone.After the national minute of silence to mark one week since the attack, the Australian national anthem, “Advance Australia Fair,” played. Following that, Jewish communal leaders recited chapters of Psalms, as well as the “El Maleh Rachamim” prayer to memorialize the dead.Images of the victims, aged 10 to 87, were also projected at the ceremony. “Waltzing Matilda” was sung in honor of the youngest victim, 10-year-old Matilda, whose Ukrainian parents gave their first Australian-born daughter what they described as the most Australian name they knew.The event concluded with a candlelighting for the festival’s eighth and final night, emceed by Jewish Australian Olympic gold medalist Jessica Fox and lifeguard Anthony “Harries” Carroll.After the blessings, people were called up to light the menorah for the final time this holiday. Those honored included first responders, including from the Jewish emergency service Hatzolah; the police commissioner of New South Wales; children of two Chabad rabbis killed in the massacre, Eli Schlanger and Yaakov Levitan; the father of one of those wounded in the attack, Rabbi Leibel Lazaroff; the chevra kadisha, or Jewish burial society, that tended to the victims, and Matilda’s father.The shamash, which lights the menorah’s candles, was lit by the father of Ahmed al Ahmed, who was wounded as he rushed onto the scene and disarmed one of the attackers.Following the lighting, Hanukkah prayers and songs were sung, along with the song “I Am Australian.”Across the country, countless homes lined their windowsills with candles in a nationwide gesture of “light over darkness.”Herzog calls rise of antisemitism a ‘global emergency’The day was also marked in Jerusalem, at a ceremony hosted by President Isaac Herzog.“The rise of Jew-hatred across the world is a global emergency. The battle against antisemitism must be everyone’s battle against antisemitism,” he said at the President’s Residence.“This is an urgent call to action to prevent the next catastrophe. In each nation, combating antisemitism requires very strong and tough measures and strong leadership,” he added.“I want to say to the Jews of Australia, the people of Israel are with you,” Herzog continued, adding, “I hope to be able to visit all of you soon in Australia and bring you a message of love from Israel.”Albanese launches review of law enforcement-Albanese announced a review of the country’s law enforcement and intelligence agencies earlier on Sunday. He said the review, to be led by a former chief of Australia’s spy agency, would probe whether federal police and intelligence agencies have the “right powers, structures, processes and sharing arrangements in place to keep Australians safe.”The attack exposed gaps in gun-license assessments and information-sharing between agencies that policymakers have said they want to plug. Albanese has announced a nationwide gun buyback, while gun safety experts say the nation’s gun laws, among the world’s toughest, are riddled with loopholes.Authorities are investigating the shooting as an act of terrorism targeting Jews. Patrols and policing across the country have been ramped up to prevent further antisemitic violence. Authorities believe the gunmen were inspired by the terrorist Sunni Muslim group Islamic State.“The ISIS-inspired atrocity last Sunday reinforces the rapidly changing security environment in our nation. Our security agencies must be in the best position to respond,” Albanese said in a statement, adding that the review would conclude by the end of April.The Bondi Beach attack was the most serious of a string of antisemitic incidents in Australia, which have included attacks on synagogues, buildings and cars, since the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, massacre in Israel, which sparked the war in Gaza.Albanese condemned anti-immigration rallies being held in Sydney and Melbourne on Sunday. Only about 200 people were at the Sydney rally.Alleged gunman Sajid Akram, 50, was shot dead by police at the scene. His 24-year-old son, Naveed Akram, was also shot by police and emerged from a coma on Tuesday. He has been charged with 59 offenses, including murder and terrorism, according to police. He remains in custody in the hospital.Nava Freiberg contributed to this report.

Turkish spy chief meets top Hamas official on ceasefire-Gaza mediators urge sides to keep truce, after meeting sees little headway on Trump plan-Source says officials from US, Qatar, Egypt and Turkey discussed ways to push Israel, Hamas toward compromise on phase 2, which includes Board of Peace, International Stabilization Force By Jacob Magid and Agencies 20 December 2025, 11:43 pm

The mediators of the fragile Gaza ceasefire expressed their support Saturday for US President Donald Trump’s peace plan for the Gaza Strip following a Friday meeting in Miami, but a source briefed on the meeting said little progress was made on implementing the US proposal beyond the current truce.A joint statement issued by the US, Qatar, Egypt and Turkey was light on details and didn’t contain any new announcement.The mediating countries urged both Israel and the Hamas terror group – which remains the de facto government of about half the Strip – to adhere to the peace plan, and to exercise more restraint to avoid a return to war.The mediators also called for the swift establishment of a so-called Board of Peace as envisioned by the plan, and of a technocratic government to oversee the Strip’s postwar management.Attending the meeting Friday were US special envoy Steve Witkoff, Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed Abdulrahman Al Thani, Egyptian intel chief Hassan Rashad and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.The source briefed on the sit-down said advancement into the second phase of the ceasefire will require compromises from the leaders of Israel and Hamas regarding the issues of the IDF’s withdrawal from Gaza and disarmament.The mediators discussed ways to pressure the two sides toward an agreement, but the source said that Israel and Hamas can’t be forced against their will.The joint statement said the four representatives met “to review the implementation of the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire and to advance preparations for the second phase.”The plan’s first phase, which Israel and Hamas agreed to in the October deal, consists of the initial ceasefire, a limited pullback by the Israel Defense Forces, a hostage-prisoner swap and a surge in humanitarian aid.Both sides accuse the other of violating the terms of the first phase: Hamas has yet to return the body of one hostage, Sgt. Ran Gvili, while Israel has refused to open the Rafah Crossing between Egypt and Gaza in both directions, agreeing only to allow movement out of the Strip.Since the start of the ceasefire in October, the IDF has said it has killed dozens of terror operatives and other “suspects” who have crossed the Yellow Line — demarcating the military’s withdrawal in the Strip — and approached troops. Such incidents have taken place on a near-daily basis. Three troops have been killed in attacks since the ceasefire went into effect.According to the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry, nearly 400 Palestinians have been killed by Israel since the truce began. The ministry’s figures do not differentiate between civilians and combatants.Israel and Hamas have not formally signed on to the second phase. It is supposed to see the establishment of a Palestinian technocratic government for the Strip, overseen by a Trump-led Board of Peace, as well as the deployment of an International Stabilization Force as the IDF’s presence in the Strip is phased out.It also advances the decommissioning of Hamas’s weapons and the demilitarization of Gaza, though Hamas has vocally refused to lay down its arms.The US has struggled to recruit countries to join the International Stabilization Force, as questions remain unanswered regarding whether and how Hamas will disarm, and whether Israel will relinquish its control of Gaza.Nonetheless, the joint statement from mediators insisted that the first phase “has yielded progress, including expanded humanitarian assistance, the return of hostage bodies, partial force withdrawals and a reduction in hostilities.”The mediators said that during their meeting, they “emphasized enabling a governing body in Gaza under a unified Gazan authority to protect civilians and maintain public order.” This appeared to be a reference to the Palestinian technocratic government that also has yet to be stood up.The mediators said they also discussed “regional integration measures, including trade facilitation, infrastructure development and cooperation on energy, water and other shared resources,” saying this will be “essential to Gaza’s recovery, regional stability and long-term prosperity.”“In this context, we expressed our support for the near-term establishment and operationalization of the Board of Peace as a transitional administration for the civilian, security, and reconstruction tracks of the reconstruction,” the joint statement said.Both Hamas and the Palestinian Authority, which governs parts of the West Bank, are looking to have influence over what is supposed to be an independent body, but Israel has pushed back against this.The Trump plan calls for the PA to complete a “reform program,” and says that governance of Gaza could eventually be handed over to it, if and when the program has been completed. Israel, however, has consistently opposed any role in postwar Gaza for the PA.Turkey’s intelligence chief meets Hamas official-On Saturday, the head of Turkey’s MIT intelligence service met with top Hamas official Khalil al-Hayya, who heads the terror group’s negotiating team, and discussed necessary measures to be taken for proceeding to the second phase of the peace plan, Turkish security sources said.The Turkish sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said MIT chief Ibrahim Kalin met the Hamas delegation in Istanbul within the scope of the Gaza ceasefire agreement, and they discussed steps to be taken to prevent what they said were Israel’s ceasefire violations.They also discussed measures to be taken to resolve existing issues for proceeding to the second phase of the plan, the sources also said, without giving details.Israel has insisted that Turkey — whose government vocally supports Hamas and frequently compares Israel to Nazi Germany, but which serves as a mediator for the truce — not deploy any of its troops to Gaza. The US has expressed support for the idea of Turkish involvement in the Strip, but it excluded Ankara from recent talks on the International Stabilization Force.Times of Israel staff contributed to this report. 

New identity checks reshaping US federal student aid-Dec 15, 2025, 5:44 pm EST    | Anthony Kimery

The U.S. Department of Education (DoE) publicly credited enhanced identity verification measures with preventing more than $1 billion in attempted federal student aid fraud, a dramatic response to what officials described as an escalating threat from sophisticated fraud rings and automated attacks on the nation’s financial aid system.At the heart of the department’s 2025 anti-fraud strategy is a fundamental change in how Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) submissions are treated when identity risk is suspected.Rather than allowing FAFSA forms to progress unchallenged to disbursement, the department now flags certain applicants for heightened scrutiny, requiring that those individuals present a valid, unexpired government-issued photo identification either in person or via a live video conference before aid dollars can be released.Institutions are then expected to retain a copy of that documentation in their records.This approach grew out of evidence that fraud attempts were not isolated glitches but represented systemic exploitation of weak identity assurance.In one instance referenced by the department, nearly 150,000 suspicious identities were identified shortly after these enhanced checks were launched, triggering institution-level action to block fraudulent aid before it reached bad actors.“American citizens have to present an ID to purchase a ticket to travel or to rent a car – it’s only right that they should present an ID to access tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars to fund their education,” said Secretary of Education Linda McMahon.“From day one, the Trump Administration has been committed to rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse across the federal government,” McMahon said. “As a result, $1 billion in taxpayer funds will now support students pursuing the American dream, rather than falling into the hands of criminals. Merry Christmas, taxpayers!”Much of this misuse was attributed to international fraud rings and automated “bots” posing as students to capture grants and loans, a pattern analogous to the “ghost student” phenomenon reported in state systems where fake or stolen identities siphon millions from legitimate aid streams.In practice, the department’s identity verification effort represents a significant shift toward front-end fraud prevention. Traditional FAFSA workflows focused on eligibility based on financial and demographic data, with less emphasis on confirming the real-world identity of the applicant.The new verification requirement adds an explicit step where human verification intersects with digital data, forcing institutions to stop and validate that the person requesting aid is who they claim to be. This reduces the possibility of fraudsters who might otherwise manipulate online forms and synthetically generated identities.Still, this type of identity verification is not without challenges. First, there is the sheer operational scale. FAFSA receives millions of applications annually, and routing even a fraction of those into a verification queue demands substantial institutional resources.Colleges and universities must develop or expand procedures to conduct live identity checks – whether through in-person meetings or secure video sessions – while ensuring compliance with federal standards.Institutions also face practical questions about data retention and privacy since scanned identity documents must be securely stored and auditable without exposing students to undue risk.Technical challenges compound the operational ones. Identity verification systems inherently balance false positives and false negatives. Flag too many legitimate applicants as suspicious and the burden on financial aid offices – as well as the risk of delaying necessary funds for real students – grows. Fail to flag enough fraud and abuse continues undetected.This tension places a premium on the fraud detection models that sit upstream of verification requirements. These models use algorithms and historical data to assess inconsistencies in FAFSA submissions, but they must constantly adapt to evolving fraud tactics, especially in an era where AI can fabricate realistic identities that evade simple heuristics or rule-based screening.Another significant challenge is equity and accessibility. Identity verification requirements may inadvertently create hurdles for applicants without easy access to government-issued photo IDs or the technology needed for secure video calls.Applicants in rural areas, those without reliable broadband, or individuals who have lost identity documents through circumstances beyond their control may face delays or additional burdens.Ensuring that fraud prevention does not disproportionately disadvantage vulnerable students is a concern that advocates and policymakers continue to raise as verification systems mature.The Department of Education is investing in a dedicated fraud detection team within Federal Student Aid (FSA) that aims to refine both the identification of high-risk applications and the analytic models that precede formal identity checks.This approach reflects recognition that identity verification is only one piece of a broader ecosystem of fraud defense. Better use of machine learning and anomaly detection, more effective integration of interagency data, and improved cooperation with law enforcement are all part of the future landscape for student aid fraud prevention.The department has also taken steps to educate applicants and families about scams and fake institutions, launching guidance on StudentAid.gov/scams to help people recognize fraudulent offers and misrepresented colleges attempting to harvest personal information.“The new page details how scammers have created fake college websites to trick students with AI-generated content and false promises designed to seem real,” the department said. “The ‘schools’ claim to offer real degrees and financial aid, and use fake videos, chatbots, and copied content to fool prospective students into applying or paying fees.”Fraud schemes often succeed not because of technical loopholes alone, but because individuals are unaware of red flags or the proper channels through which legitimate financial aid is delivered.The department is also investing in the building and hiring of a new fraud detection team within FSA that will be responsible for combatting fraud and abuse.As the Department of Education refines its identity verification regime, a harder question looms over the next phase of reform. And that is whether federal student aid should begin adopting identity assurance practices drawn from the private sector, and if so, which ones.In industries such as banking, payments, and insurance, identity verification has evolved into a layered system that combines document checks, device intelligence, behavioral signals, and continuous monitoring rather than one-time validation.Financial institutions rarely rely on a single ID scan or live check alone. Instead, they assess whether an applicant’s behavior aligns with historical patterns, whether devices are reused across multiple identities, and whether networks of applications appear coordinated. These approaches are designed to detect fraud rings, not just individual impostors, and they have proven effective against the same types of automated and synthetic identity attacks now targeting federal aid systems.Fraud affecting federal student aid increasingly mirrors the tactics seen in fintech and e-commerce, including large-scale bot activity, credential stuffing, and identity recycling.Applying industry-tested techniques could help move the department from reactive verification to proactive fraud interdiction, reducing the need to subject legitimate students to intrusive checks after the fact.But importing private-sector practices into a federal benefits system carries real risks. Many commercial identity tools rely on opaque scoring models, proprietary data sources, or continuous surveillance of user behavior across platforms.In a student aid context, those approaches raise profound questions about transparency, due process, and fairness.Unlike a bank customer, a FAFSA applicant is not engaging in a voluntary commercial transaction; they are seeking access to a public benefit that Congress has explicitly designed to be broadly accessible.Excessive reliance on black-box risk scores or third-party identity vendors could undermine trust, particularly if applicants are denied or delayed without clear explanations or meaningful avenues for appeal.There is also a legal and ethical distinction between verifying identity and expanding data collection. Some industry practices depend on aggregating device fingerprints, geolocation histories, or behavioral biometrics that may exceed what is necessary to establish eligibility for aid.Without clear statutory guardrails, adopting such measures could expose the department to challenges over privacy, data minimization, and mission creep.The path forward may lie in selective adoption rather than wholesale imitation. Techniques that focus on detecting coordinated fraud patterns, strengthening cross-application analytics, and improving anomaly detection could enhance security without turning FAFSA into a surveillance system.At the same time, any expansion of identity assurance should be accompanied by clear standards for transparency, limits on data retention, and protections for applicants who are wrongly flagged.

STORMS HURRICANES-TORNADOES

OZONE DEPLETION JUDGEMENT ON THE EARTH DUE TO SIN

ISAIAH 30:26-27
26 Moreover the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold,(7X OR 7-DEGREES HOTTER) as the light of seven days, in the day that the LORD bindeth up the breach of his people,(ISRAEL) and healeth the stroke of their wound.
27 Behold, the name of the LORD cometh from far, burning with his anger, and the burden thereof is heavy: his lips are full of indignation, and his tongue as a devouring fire:

MATTHEW 24:21-22,29
21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
22 And except those days should be shortened,(DAY LIGHT HOURS SHORTENED) there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake (ISRAELS SAKE) those days shall be shortened (Daylight hours shortened)(THE ASTEROID HITS EARTH HERE)
29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:

REVELATION 16:7-9
7 And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments.
8 And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire.
9 And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory.

EZEKIEL 32:6-9
6  I will also water with thy blood the land wherein thou swimmest, even to the mountains; and the rivers shall be full of thee.
7  And when I shall put thee out, I will cover the heaven, and make the stars thereof dark; I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon shall not give her light.
8  All the bright lights of heaven will I make dark over thee, and set darkness upon thy land, saith the Lord GOD.
9  I will also vex the hearts of many people, when I shall bring thy destruction among the nations, into the countries which thou hast not known.

REVELATION 16:3-7
3 And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul died in the sea.(enviromentalists won't like this result)
4 And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood.
5 And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus.
6 For they(False World Church and Dictator and baby murderers by abortion) have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy.

ISAIAH 30:26-27
26 Moreover the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold,(7X OR 7-DEGREES HOTTER) as the light of seven days, in the day that the LORD bindeth up the breach of his people,(ISRAEL) and healeth the stroke of their wound.
27 Behold, the name of the LORD cometh from far, burning with his anger, and the burden thereof is heavy: his lips are full of indignation, and his tongue as a devouring fire:

MARK 13:8
8 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:(ETHNIC GROUP AGAINST ETHNIC GROUP) and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows.

LUKE 21:11
11 And great earthquakes shall be in divers places,(DIFFERNT PLACES AT THE SAME TIME) and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.

2 Peter 3:6-7 Amplified Bible (AMP) (HOT SUN, NUKES ETC)
6 By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. 
7 By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.

LUKE 21:25-26
25 And there shall be signs in the sun,(HEATING UP-SOLAR ECLIPSES) and in the moon,(MAN ON THE MOON-LUNAR ECLIPSES) and in the stars;(ASTEROIDS-PROPHECY SIGNS) and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity;(MASS CONFUSION) the sea and the waves roaring;(FIERCE WINDS)
26 Men’s hearts failing them for fear,(TORNADOES,HURRICANES,STORMS) and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth:(DESTRUCTION-HEAVENLY OBJECTS) for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.(FROM QUAKES,NUKES ETC)

2.6-5 km SE of San Ramon, CA-2025-12-20 16:10:32 (UTC)-9.1 km
4.3-off the coast of Oregon-2025-12-20 14:05:13 (UTC)-10.0 km
3.0-6 km S of Ojai, CA-2025-12-20 14:01:43 (UTC)-8.4 km
2.8-7 km S of Ojai, CA-2025-12-20 12:47:12 (UTC)-7.2 km
5.3-73 km SSE of Nemuro, Japan-2025-12-20 12:30:32 (UTC)-39.8 km
2.8-16 km SW of Lakeport, CA-2025-12-20 10:56:13 (UTC)-4.5 km
3.4-114 km N of Yakutat, Alaska-2025-12-20 09:39:44 (UTC)-4.1 km
2.9-25 km WSW of Petrolia, CA-2025-12-20 08:28:33 (UTC)-17.0 km
2.6-132 km W of Ferndale, California-2025-12-20 08:28:17 (UTC)-10.0 km
3.4-21 km NE of San Lucas, CA-2025-12-20 07:51:35 (UTC)-.5 km
2.9-4 km SE of San Ramon, CA-2025-12-20 04:10:00 (UTC)-8.1 km
3.1-4 km SE of San Ramon, CA-2025-12-20 03:57:56 (UTC)-4.7 km
4.0-5 km SSE of San Ramon, CA-2025-12-20 03:56:09 (UTC)-9.6 km
3.6-5 km SSE of San Ramon, CA-2025-12-20 03:49:28 (UTC)-9.6 km
2.5-5 km SE of San Ramon, CA-2025-12-20 03:41:31 (UTC)-8.0 km 

INVENTION OF THE ATOMIC BOMB.

2 PETER 3:10-11
10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements (NUKES) shall melt with fervent heat,(BLAST) the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.(BUT ITS NO END OF THE WORLD HOGWASH)
11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved,(BY NUKES INCLUDING 3 BILLION PEOPLE) what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,

NUCLEAR WEAPONS WILL BE USED.

JESUS SHED HIS BLOOD FOR US THAT WE CAN BE SAVED FOREVER.AND DURING WW3 PEOPLES BLOOD WILL BE SHED AS A JUDGEMENT FOR HATING HIM AND ISRAEL.GOD IS NOT MOCKED.

ZEPHANIAH 1:2-3
2  I will utterly consume all things from off the land, saith the LORD.
3  I will consume man and beast; I will consume the fowls of the heaven, and the fishes of the sea, and the stumblingblocks with the wicked; and I will cut off man from off the land, saith the LORD.

PSALMS 97:3
3 A fire goeth before him, and burneth up his enemies round about.

EZEKIEL 5:15-17
15  So it shall be a reproach and a taunt, an instruction and an astonishment unto the (ARAB/MUSLIM) nations that are round about thee,(ISRAEL) when I shall execute judgments in thee in anger and in fury and in furious rebukes. I the LORD have spoken it.
16  When I shall send upon them the evil arrows of famine, which shall be for their destruction, and which I will send to destroy you: and I will increase the famine upon you, and will break your staff of bread:
17  So will I send upon you famine and evil beasts,(WHEN RUSSIA/MUSLIMS GET DEFEATED THIER BODIES GET EATEN BY BIRDS,ANIMALS IN ISRAEL MIGRATION SEASON) and they shall bereave thee; and pestilence and blood shall pass through thee;(NUKES) and I will bring the sword upon thee. I the LORD have spoken it.

REVELATION 14:18-20
18 And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe.
19 And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.
20 And the winepress was trodden without the city,(JERUSALEM) and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.(200 MILES) (THE SIZE OF ISRAEL)

ISAIAH 66:15-18
15 For, behold, the LORD will come with fire,(NUKES) and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire.
16 For by fire and by his sword will the LORD plead with all flesh: and the slain of the LORD shall be many.
17 They that sanctify themselves, and purify themselves in the gardens behind one tree in the midst, eating swine's flesh, and the abomination, and the mouse, shall be consumed together, saith the LORD.
18 For I know their works and their thoughts: it shall come, that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come, and see my glory.

ISAIAH 26:21
21 For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity:(GOD/ISRAEL HATE AND BRAKING OF HIS COMMANDMENTS) the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.(WW3,1/2 earths population die - 3 BILLION).

ISAIAH 13:6-13 KJV
6 Howl ye; for the day of the LORD is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty.
7 Therefore shall all hands be faint, and every man's heart shall melt:(FROM FRIGHT)
8 And they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth: they shall be amazed one at another; their faces shall be as flames.
9 Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it.
10 For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine.
11 And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.
12 I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir.
13 Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the LORD of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger.

ISAIAH 24:17-23 KJV
17 Fear, and the pit, and the snare, are upon thee, O inhabitant of the earth.
18 And it shall come to pass, that he who fleeth from the noise of the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that cometh up out of the midst of the pit shall be taken in the snare: for the windows from on high are open, and the foundations of the earth do shake.
19 The earth is utterly broken down, the earth is clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly.
20 The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage; and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it; and it shall fall, and not rise again.
21 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the LORD shall punish the host of the high ones that are on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth.
22 And they shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison, and after many days shall they be visited.
23 Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the LORD of hosts shall reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously.

2 TIMOTHY 3:1
1 This know also, that in the last days perilous (DANGEROUS) times shall come.

JOEL 2:3,30

ZECHARIAH 14:12-13
12 And this shall be the plague wherewith the LORD will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet,(DISOLVED FROM ATOMIC BOMB) and their eyes shall consume away in their holes,(DISOLVED FROM ATOMIC BOMB) and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth.(DISOLVED FROM ATOMIC BOMB)(BECAUSE NUKES HAVE BEEN USED ON ISRAELS ENEMIES)(GOD PROTECTS ISRAEL AND ALWAYS WILL)
13 And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great tumult from the LORD shall be among them; and they shall lay hold every one on the hand of his neighbour, and his hand shall rise up against the hand of his neighbour.(1/2-3 BILLION DIE IN WW3)(THIS IS AN ATOMIC BOMB EFFECT)

EZEKIEL 20:47
47 And say to the forest of the south, Hear the word of the LORD; Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will kindle a fire in thee, and it shall devour every green tree in thee, and every dry tree: the flaming flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north shall be burned therein.

ZEPHANIAH 1:18
18 Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the LORD'S wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land.

MALACHI 4:1
1 For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven;(FROM ATOMIC BOMBS) and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.

REVELATION 8:7
7 The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.

REVELATION 9:18
18 By these three was the third part of men killed,(2 BILLION) by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths.(ATOMIC BOMBS)(RUSSIA CHINA DESTROYED BY ISRAELS ATOMIC BOMBS)

REVELATION 16:12-16
12 And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates;(WERE WW3 STARTS IN IRAQ OR SYRIA OR TURKEY) and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.
13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon,(SATAN) and out of the mouth of the beast,(WORLD DICTATOR) and out of the mouth of the false prophet.(FALSE POPE)
14 For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.(WERE 2 BILLION DIE FROM NUKE WAR)
15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.
16 And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.
17 And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done.

PROOF HALF ON EARTH DIE DURING THE 7 YR TRIBULATION PERIOD (8 BILLION ON EARTH)

REVELATION 6:7-8 (8 BILLION- 2 BILLION = 6 BILLION)
7 And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.
8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse:(CHLORES GREEN) and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth,(2 BILLION) to kill with sword,(WEAPONS) and with hunger,(FAMINE) and with death,(INCURABLE DISEASES) and with the beasts of the earth.(ANIMAL TO HUMAN DISEASE).

REVELATION 9:15,18 (6 BILLION - 2 BILLION = 4 BILLION)
15 And the four(DEMONIC WAR) angels were loosed,
18 By these three was the third part of men killed,(2 BILLION) by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths.(NUCLEAR ATOMIC BOMBS)

HALF OF EARTHS POPULATION DIE DURING THE 7 YR TRIBULATION.(THESE VERSES ARE JUDGEMENT SCRIPTURES NOT RAPTURE SCRIPTURES)

LUKE 17:34-37 (8 TOTAL BILLION - 4 BILLION DEAD IN TRIB = 4 BILLION TO JESUS KINGDOM) (HALF DIE DURING THE 7 YR TRIBULATION PERIOD JUST LIKE THE BIBLE SAYS)(GOD DOES NOT LIE)(AND NOTICE MOST DIE IN WAR AND DISEASES-NOT COMETS-ASTEROIDS-QUAKES OR TSUNAMIS)
34 I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken,(IN WW3 JUDGEMENT) and the other shall be left.(half earths population 4 billion die in the 7 yr trib)
35 Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken,(IN WW3 JUDGEMENT) and the other left.
36 Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken,(IN WW3 JUDGEMENT) and the other left.
37 And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together.(Christians have new bodies,this is the people against Jerusalem during the 7 yr treaty)(Christians bodies are not being eaten by the birds).THESE ARE JUDGEMENT SCRIPTURES-NOT RAPTURE SCRIPTURES.BECAUSE NOT HALF OF PEOPLE ON EARTH ARE CHRISTIANS.AND THE CONTEXT IN LUKE 17 IS THE 7 YEAR TRIBULATION OR 7 YR TREATY PERIOD.WHICH IS JUDGEMENT ON THE EARTH.NOT 50% RAPTURED TO HEAVEN.

MATTHEW 24:37-42 (THESE ARE JUDGEMENT SCRIPTURES-SURE NOT RAPTURE SCRIPTURES)
37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
40 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken,(IN WW3 JUDGEMENT) and the other left.
41 Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken,(IN WW3 JUDGEMENT) and the other left.
42 Watch therefore:(FOR THE LAST DAYS SIGNS HAPPENING) for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.

Army chief, hinting at potential new Iran war, says IDF will strike ‘wherever required’Iranian FM claims nation has rebuilt all facilities damaged in June’s 12-day war with the Jewish state, warns against fresh attack-By Emanuel Fabian-and ToI Staff 21 December 2025, 6:10 pm

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir warned Sunday that the military will strike Israel’s enemies “wherever required, on near and distant fronts alike,” apparently hinting that Israel may again need to attack in Iran.“At the center of the longest and most complex war in Israel’s history stands the campaign against Iran,” he said, in reference to the multifront war that erupted on October 7, 2023, with Hamas’s attack on southern Israel, and drew in Lebanon’s Hezbollah, Yemen’s Houthis, Iraqi militias and the Islamic Republic itself.“Iran is the one that financed and armed the ring of strangulation around Israel and stood behind the plans for its destruction,” he said at a changeover ceremony for the head of the IDF Planning Directorate.Zamir’s comments came a day after NBC News reported that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will present plans for a new potential attack on Iran to US President Donald Trump during his upcoming visit to Washington.According to the report, which cited several unnamed officials with knowledge of the matter, Israel is growing increasingly concerned that Iran is rebuilding and even expanding its ballistic missile production in the wake of the nations’ 12-day war in June.While Israel has publicly called Iran’s nuclear program an existential threat, officials quoted in the report said that the ballistic missiles were seen by Jerusalem as a more pressing concern. “The nuclear weapons program is very concerning. There’s an attempt to reconstitute. [But] it’s not that immediate,” a source with knowledge of Israel’s plans told NBC News.“The threat of the missiles is very real, and we weren’t able to prevent them all last time,” another source said.A source with knowledge on the matter, as well as former US officials, told NBC that Jerusalem believes Iran’s renewed production of ballistic missiles could increase to 3,000 per year if left unchecked.Perhaps lending credence to Israel’s concerns, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi claimed Sunday that the Islamic Republic had rebuilt its strategic facilities damaged in the Israeli assault in June. Speaking to Russia Today, Araghchi said his country was “fully prepared” for a new round of fighting if it comes.“In fact, we have reconstructed everything that was damaged in the previous aggression. If they want to repeat the same failed experience, they will not achieve a better result,” he told RT, as reported by Iran’s ISNA news agency.Araghchi added: “The reality is that our facilities have been damaged, and seriously so. But there is another reality, and that is that our technology remains intact, and technology cannot be bombed. Our determination and will also still exist. We have a completely legitimate right to the peaceful use of nuclear technology, including enrichment, and we want to use this right.”The Iranian diplomat argued that Iran was willing to reach “a fair and balanced agreement” on its nuclear program, achieved through negotiation, but we are not ready to accept dictation.”“We are prepared to provide full assurance that our program is peaceful and will remain peaceful forever. This is exactly what we did in 2015,” he said.Iran, which regularly calls for the destruction of Israel, has consistently denied seeking to acquire nuclear weapons. However, it has enriched uranium to levels that have no peaceful application, obstructed international inspectors from checking its nuclear facilities, and expanded its ballistic missile capabilities. When the war began, Israel said Iran had recently taken steps toward weaponization.Israel launched its war against Iran in June, targeting the Islamic Republic’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs, and citing an imminent existential threat to the Jewish state.Over 12 days, successive waves of airstrikes killed Iranian nuclear scientists, took out much of the supply and production capacity for the missile program, and damaged uranium enrichment sites, with the US joining in the last days to take out underground nuclear facilities that only heavy bunker-buster bombs could penetrate.Iran said over 1,000 people were killed by Israeli strikes in the war. It retaliated by launching over 500 ballistic missiles and around 1,100 drones at Israel, which killed 32 people and wounded over 3,000 in Israel, according to health officials and hospitals.In all, Israel suffered 36 missile impacts and one drone strike in populated areas, causing damage to 2,305 homes in 240 buildings, along with two universities and a hospital, and leaving over 13,000 Israelis displaced.

Syria monitor says US strikes killed at least five IS members.

Damascus, Dec 20 (AFP) Dec 20, 2025-A Syria monitor said Saturday that five Islamic State jihadist group members had been killed in US strikes overnight as Jordan confirmed it participated in the raids, after a deadly attack on American troops last weekend.US forces said they had struck more than 70 IS targets in what President Donald Trump described as "very serious retaliation" for the December 13 attack that killed two US soldiers and a US civilian.Washington has said a lone IS gunman carried out the attack in central Syria's Palmyra, home to UNESCO-listed ancient ruins and once controlled by jihadist fighters.It was the first such incident since the overthrow of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad in December last year, and Syrian authorities said the perpetrator was a security forces member who had been due to be fired for his "extremist Islamist ideas".IS has not claimed the attack.Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, told AFP that "at least five members of the Islamic State group were killed" in eastern Syria's Deir Ezzor province. They included the leader of a cell responsible for drones in the area.Jordan's military said its air force had joined the operation "to prevent extremist organisations from exploiting these areas as launching pads to threaten the security of Syria's neighbours and the region, particularly after terrorist organisation IS reconstituted itself and rebuilt its capacities in southern Syria".- 'Intense bombardment' -A Syrian security source told AFP that the US strikes targeted IS cells in Syria's vast Badia desert including in Homs, Deir Ezzor and Raqa provinces. The operation did not include ground operations.Most of the targets were in a mountainous area running north of Palmyra including towards Deir Ezzor, the source said, requesting anonymity.A US Central Command (CENTCOM) statement said the United States "struck more than 70 targets at multiple locations across central Syria with fighter jets, attack helicopters and artillery."The operation employed more than 100 precision munitions targeting known ISIS infrastructure and weapons sites," CENTCOM said, using an acronym for the Islamic State group.A Syrian security official, also requesting anonymity, told AFP "the bombardment was intense" and had lasted around five hours."The targets were far from population centres," the official said, adding that no displacement of residents had been reported and government forces had not been ordered to deploy to the targeted areas.Syria's foreign ministry, while not directly commenting on the strikes, said on X that the country was committed to fighting IS and "ensuring that it has no safe havens on Syrian territory, and will continue to intensify military operations against it wherever it poses a threat".Separately on Saturday, the Israeli military announced it had earlier this week detained a suspected IS member in southern Syria.In a statement, it said that on Wednesday "soldiers completed an operation in the area of Rafid in southern Syria to apprehend a suspected terrorist affiliated with ISIS"."The suspect was transferred for further processing in Israeli territory," the statement said.On Wednesday, Syrian state news agency SANA had reported an Israeli incursion in Quneitra province in far southern Syria.Since the fall of Assad, Israel has moved its troops into a UN-patrolled buffer zone separating Syrian and Israeli forces on the Golan Heights and has carried out repeated incursions.- 'Very serious retaliation' -Trump said in a post on his Truth Social network that the United States was "inflicting very serious retaliation, just as I promised, on the murderous terrorists responsible" for the Palmyra attack.CENTCOM said that since the attack, US and allied forces have "conducted 10 operations in Syria and Iraq resulting in the deaths or detention of 23 terrorist operatives", without specifying which groups the militants belonged to.The US personnel who were targeted were supporting Operation Inherent Resolve, the international effort to combat IS, which seized swathes of Syrian and Iraqi territory in 2014.IS was territorially defeated in Syria in 2019 but still maintains a presence particularly in the country's vast desert.US forces are currently deployed in Syria's Kurdish-controlled northeast as well as at Al-Tanf near the border with Jordan.Jordan played a key role in the US-led coalition against the IS, carrying out strikes and making military bases available, while the country has also been the target of IS attacks.bur-str-lg/dcp/jj

US strikes over 70 IS targets in Syria after attack on troops.

Washington, United States, Dec 20 (AFP) Dec 20, 2025-US forces struck more than 70 Islamic State group targets in Syria on Friday in what President Donald Trump described as "very serious retaliation" for an attack that killed three Americans last weekend.Washington said a lone gunman from the militant group carried out the December 13 attack in Palmyra -- home to UNESCO-listed ancient ruins and once controlled by jihadist fighters -- that left two US soldiers and a US civilian dead.In response, the United States "struck more than 70 targets at multiple locations across central Syria with fighter jets, attack helicopters, and artillery," US Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a statement."The operation employed more than 100 precision munitions targeting known ISIS infrastructure and weapons sites," CENTCOM said, using an acronym for the Islamic State group.Trump said in a post on his Truth Social network that the United States is "inflicting very serious retaliation, just as I promised, on the murderous terrorists responsible," and that those who attack Americans "WILL BE HIT HARDER THAN YOU HAVE EVER BEEN HIT BEFORE."CENTCOM said that US and allied forces have "conducted 10 operations in Syria and Iraq resulting in the deaths or detention of 23 terrorist operatives" following the Palmyra attack, without specifying which groups the militants belonged to.- 'No safe havens' -Syria's foreign ministry, while not directly commenting on the Friday strikes, said in a post on X that the country is committed to fighting the Islamic State (IS) group and "ensuring that it has no safe havens on Syrian territory, and will continue to intensify military operations against it wherever it poses a threat."The Americans killed in the Palmyra attack last weekend were Iowa National Guard sergeants William Howard and Edgar Torres Tovar, and Ayad Mansoor Sakat, a civilian from Michigan who worked as an interpreter.Trump, Hegseth and top military officer General Dan Caine were among the US officials who attended a somber ceremony marking the return of the dead to the United States on Wednesday.The attack was the first such incident since the overthrow of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad in December last year, and Syrian interior ministry spokesman Noureddine al-Baba said the perpetrator was a security forces member who was due to be fired for his "extremist Islamist ideas."The US personnel who were targeted were supporting Operation Inherent Resolve, the international effort to combat IS, which seized swaths of Syrian and Iraqi territory in 2014.The jihadists were ultimately defeated by local ground forces backed by international air strikes and other support, but IS still has a presence in Syria, especially in the country's vast desert.Trump has long been skeptical of Washington's presence in Syria, ordering the withdrawal of troops during his first term but ultimately leaving American forces in the country.The Pentagon announced in April that the United States would halve the number of US personnel in Syria in the following months, while US envoy for Syria Tom Barrack said in June that Washington would eventually reduce its bases in the country to one.US forces are currently deployed in Syria's Kurdish-controlled northeast as well as at Al-Tanf near the border with Jordan.

IDF says it nabbed suspected ISIS jihadist in southern Syria operation-Raid this week took place in village of al-Rafid, located in UN-patrolled buffer zone-By Emanuel Fabian-Today, 9:07 pm-DEC 20,25

The Israel Defense Forces captured a suspected Islamic State jihadist in an overnight raid earlier this week in southern Syria, the military said in a Saturday statement.The announcement came after the United States and Jordan conducted airstrikes overnight Friday against Islamic State targets in Syria, in response to a December 13 attack in the Syrian desert that killed two US soldiers and a US civilian interpreter.The US-led strikes killed at least five ISIS operatives, including the leader of a drone cell, according to Syrian and monitoring sources.The Israeli military said that the suspected ISIS operative was detained in the village of al-Rafid, which is located within a UN-patrolled buffer zone on the border that the IDF captured last year.The operation was carried out by troops of the 52nd Armored Battalion and field interrogators of the Military Intelligence Directorate’s Unit 504 — which specializes in human intelligence — under the command of the 474th “Golan” Regional Brigade.The alleged ISIS member was brought to Israel for further interrogation, the IDF said.The military added that it captured several weapons during the raid.The IDF has been deployed to nine posts inside southern Syria since the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime in December 2024, mostly within the UN-patrolled buffer zone on the border between the countries.Troops have been operating in areas up to around 15 kilometers (some nine miles) deep into Syria, aiming to capture weapons that Israel says could pose a threat to the country if they fall into the hands of “hostile forces.”Last month, six Israeli soldiers were wounded, including three seriously, after coming under fire by gunmen during an arrest operation in southern Syria.

 Israel plans to deploy Iron Beam laser defence system by year-end-The Israeli laser weapon-By Ferenc Szekely-Published on 02/12/2025 - 7:40 GMT+1

The first operational high-power laser beam will be deployed this year, providing a cost-effective and rapid solution for drones and unmanned aerial vehicles.Israel will deploy its Iron Beam laser defence system by the end of the year, following the high-power system's completion of operational testing in September, becoming the first country to field a combat-ready laser air defence system.The 100-kilowatt system successfully intercepted missiles, mortar shells, unmanned aerial vehicles and other aircraft during weeks of trials, demonstrating its ability to destroy targets with precision within seconds, the Israeli Defence Ministry stated.Iron Beam will provide Israel with a fifth layer of air defence, supplementing the Iron Dome, David's Sling and Arrow 2 and 3 systems.While existing systems achieve interception rates of 90-95% against offensive missile systems, their performance against drones and unmanned aerial vehicles has been lower, shooting down only about 50%.The laser system is designed to counter very low-flying devices tracking the ground, a capability that previous systems lacked.One of the most dangerous threats to Israel is the Iranian Shahed unmanned aircraft in its multiple iterations.The Shahed 136 drone has a carbon-fibre body, making it difficult to track on radar, and an electric motor that allows it to fly silently for up to 2,000 kilometres.The Shahed 149 can carry 13 bombs, while the 191 can be equipped with two missiles with a total payload of 50 kg. Both are capable of destroying civilian infrastructure.The Shahed, developed by Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps, has been used to hit several communities in northern Israel, with successful attacks recorded in Eilat, the Jordan Valley and elsewhere.One unmanned aircraft reached Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's home in Caesarea from Lebanon.Israeli soldiers on the northern border have struggled to respond effectively to the drone threat. However, a lower-powered version of the Iron Beam laser was already used in combat in October 2024, shooting down some 35 to 40 Hezbollah drones-What makes it so cheap? Iron Beam combines laser weaponry with its own sensors, fire control system, radar, electro-optical sensors and high-resolution tracking cameras, as well as a fire control computer.The system offers low-cost protection against sophisticated offensive threats. A shot costs only a few cents in electricity for a 100-kilowatt discharge, compared to $10,000-$100,000 or more per rocket.The laser requires no expendable ammunition, eliminating costs for explosives, propellant, guidance systems and composite bodies. It also requires no logistical supply chain, warehousing or shipping, and cannot run out of stock.Concealed laser weapon-Disguised laser weapon Aero Time-Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, which secretly developed Iron Beam, is one of Israel's three major defence companies alongside IAI and Elbit.The company specialises in precision weapons, including the Spike family of anti-tank missiles sold to 39 countries.Rafael's Trophy active defence system is the only one in the world to have been used in combat and has been fielded by the US Army.The company also produces David's Sling, purchased by Finland. Most of Rafael's equipment is compatible with NATO platforms.

Lebanese PM says country close to completing Hezbollah disarmament south of Litani River-Nawaf Salam claims first phase of ceasefire-mandated plan is nearly done, with next stage planned north of river, amid Israeli skepticism-By Agencies and ToI Staff Today, 8:04 pm-DEC 20,25

Lebanon is close to completing the disarmament of Hezbollah south of the Litani River, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said on Saturday, as the country races to fulfill a key demand of its ceasefire with Israel before a year-end deadline.The US-backed ceasefire, agreed in November 2024, ended more than a year of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah and required the disarmament of the Iran-aligned terror group, starting in areas south of the river adjacent to Israel.Lebanese authorities, led by President Joseph Aoun and Salam, tasked the US-backed Lebanese army on August 5 with devising a plan to establish a state monopoly on arms by the end of the year.“Prime Minister Salam affirmed that the first phase of the weapons consolidation plan related to the area south of the Litani River is only days away from completion,” a statement from his office said.“The state is ready to move on to the second phase — namely [confiscating weapons] north of the Litani River — based on the plan prepared by the Lebanese army pursuant to a mandate from the government,” Salam added. The statement came after Salam held talks with Simon Karam, Lebanon’s top civilian negotiator on a committee overseeing the Hezbollah-Israel truce.However, Israel has questioned the effectiveness of the Lebanese military, and Hezbollah itself has repeatedly rejected calls to surrender its arms.Amid those concerns, the head of Lebanon’s army agreed earlier this week to document progress in disarming Hezbollah during talks Thursday with international envoys in Paris, the French foreign ministry said, as Beirut seeks to avert expanded Israeli strikes.Since the ceasefire, the sides have regularly accused each other of violations, with Israel questioning the Lebanese army’s efforts to disarm Hezbollah. Israeli warplanes have increasingly targeted Hezbollah in southern Lebanon and even in the capital, saying it is striking operatives violating the truce.Hezbollah, a Shiite Muslim terror group, has tried to resist the pressure — from its mainly Christian and Sunni Muslim opponents in Lebanon as well as from the US and Saudi Arabia — to disarm, saying it would be a mistake while Israel continues its airstrikes on the country.Israel has publicly urged Lebanese authorities to fulfill the conditions of the truce, saying it will act “as necessary” if Lebanon fails to take steps against Hezbollah.The US-brokered ceasefire with Hezbollah came after two months of open conflict in Lebanon late last year, including an IDF ground operation in the country’s south, in a bid to enable the safe return of some 60,000 residents of northern Israel displaced by the terror group’s near-daily attacks. The rocket attacks began on October 8, 2023 — a day after fellow Iran-backed terror group Hamas invaded southern Israel, sparking the war in Gaza.The ceasefire required both Israel and Hezbollah to vacate southern Lebanon, to be replaced by the Lebanese armed forces. Israel has withdrawn from all but five strategic posts along the border.Since the ceasefire, the IDF said it has killed over 380 Hezbollah operatives and members of allied terror groups in strikes, hit hundreds of Hezbollah sites, and conducted over 1,200 raids and other small operations in southern Lebanon.

US pursuing third oil tanker near Venezuela, officials say-Move follows Trump’s declaration of blockade on sanctioned Venezuelan oil; seizures may affect oil prices, analysts say-By Idrees Ali, Steve Holland and Helen Coster Today, 9:46 pm

REUTERS — The US Coast Guard was pursuing an oil tanker in international waters near Venezuela on Sunday, officials told Reuters, in what would be the third such operation in less than two weeks if successful.“The United States Coast Guard is in active pursuit of a sanctioned dark fleet vessel that is part of Venezuela’s illegal sanctions evasion,” a US official said. “It is flying a false flag and under a judicial seizure order.”Another official said the tanker was under sanctions, but added that it had not been boarded so far and that interceptions can take different forms — including sailing or flying close to vessels of concern.The officials, who were speaking on condition of anonymity, did not give a specific location for the operation or name the vessel being pursued.The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Sunday.US President Donald Trump last week announced a “blockade” of all oil tankers under sanctions entering and leaving Venezuela.Trump’s pressure campaign on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has included a ramped-up military presence in the region and more than two dozen military strikes on vessels in the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea near the South American nation. At least 100 people have been killed in the attacks.The first two oil tankers seized were operating on the black market and providing oil to countries under sanctions, Kevin Hassett, director of the White House’s National Economic Council, said in a TV interview on Sunday.“And so I don’t think that people need to be worried here in the US that the prices are going to go up because of these seizures of these ships,” Hassett said on CBS’s “Face the Nation” program. “There’s just a couple of them, and they were black market ships.”But one oil trader told Reuters that the seizures may push oil prices slightly higher when Asian trading resumes on Monday.“We might see prices increasing modestly at the opening, considering market participants could see this as an escalation with more Venezuelan barrels at risk as the tanker was not on a US sanctions list,” UBS analyst Giovanni Staunovo said.Another analyst said the seizures raise geopolitical risks and are likely to raise friction in the shadow fleet of vessels that move oil from sanctioned countries like Venezuela, Russia and Iran.The seizures could legitimize and encourage Ukraine to continue attacking Russian vessels and possibly encourage Europe to detain Moscow-linked dark fleet vessels as well, said Matias Togni, oil shipping analyst at NextBarrel.Venezuelan and Iranian oil output is already showing signs of slowing, Togni said, adding that he expects the same to happen with Russia. Oil from countries under sanctions is likely to be offered at steeper discounts as logistics become more expensive, which could help cap the gains in benchmark oil prices, he said.

Canadian police arrest 3 men for attempted kidnappings targeting women and Jews-Armed suspects, 1 of whom is also charged with offenses linked to ISIS support, tried to force victims into vehicles; Canadian Jewish leader demands government step up protection-By Luke Tress-20 December 2025, 12:25 am

Canadian police on Friday announced the arrest of three men for attempted kidnappings targeting Jews and women, and terrorism.The suspects were named as Waleed Khan, 26, Osman Azizov, 18, and Fahad Sadaat, 19. The suspects are all from Toronto.The arrests stemmed from two incidents earlier this year.In Toronto, in May, three men, one armed with a handgun and another with a knife, approached a woman and attempted to force her into a vehicle. The assailants fled when the attempted kidnapping was interrupted by a passing driver, police said in a statement.In June, in the nearby city of Mississauga, three men with a handgun, a rifle, and a knife exited a vehicle and chased two women. They also fled the scene after a passing motorist intervened, police said.The individuals were “targeting women and members of the Jewish community,” Toronto police chief Myron Demkiw said, without providing further details.The suspects’ residences were searched, uncovering firearms, ammunition, and high-capacity magazines, as well as other evidence that indicated hate motivation.“Investigators also uncovered links to terrorism,” a police statement said.A court-imposed gag order has prevented the publication of further details, the statement said.The suspects were charged with a total of 79 offenses, including conspiracy to commit kidnapping and hostage taking; weapons possession, sexual assault; motor vehicle theft; and forgery.Khan was charged with additional terrorism related offenses, according to the federal Royal Canadian Mounted Police, citing links to ISIS. Those charges included conspiracy to commit murder for a terrorist group.The arrests came amid fear in Diaspora Jewish communities following the antisemitic massacre in Australia last week. The shooters in that terror attack had ISIS flags in their vehicle.“As we saw in Sydney, we are one intelligence failure away from a devastating loss of life. A lack of urgency on the part of our leaders puts Canadians in danger,” said Noah Shack, the head of the Canadian umbrella group The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs.“We urge authorities to take decisive measures to hold extremists accountable for radicalizing Canadians and setting the stage for mass violence right here in our country,” Shack said.Last year, a father and son who entered Canada as asylum-seekers were arrested for plotting a mass attack on behalf of ISIS in Toronto.Also last year, a Pakistani man who entered Toronto on a visa was arrested in the neighboring province of Quebec for plotting an ISIS-inspired attack on Jews in New York City.Antisemitism has surged in Canada in recent years, even before the Hamas-led invasion of Israel on October 7, 2023, which sparked the war in Gaza. Since then, hate crimes against the Jewish population have grown astronomically.

Interview'Put them on the clock...then unleash Israel on 'em'Leading GOP senator: Hamas must be given deadline to disarm or face renewed war-Lindsey Graham tells Times of Israel the US should join future attack on Hezbollah; Iran should be attacked now if it is rebuilding nuclear and missile programs-By Lazar Berman-Today, 9:46 pm-DEC 21,25

Hamas must given a deadline for relinquishing its weapons, after which Israel will have a green light to return to combat operations across the Gaza Strip, US Senator Lindsey Graham told The Times of Israel on Sunday.“Put them on the clock,” said the South Carolina Republican, speaking from a Tel Aviv hotel. “If they don’t disarm in a credible way, then unleash Israel on ’em.”The second phase of US President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan for Gaza demands that Hamas disarm and the Strip be demilitarized. But leaders of the terror group have said publicly and consistently that they won’t give up all their weapons, and have never signed on to the second phase of the plan.A central element of the vision is a multi-national International Stabilization Force for Gaza, but securing firm troop commitments from partner nations has been an ongoing challenge for the White House. The mandate for the ISF has yet to be cemented, but by all accounts it will not include direct combat with Hamas if the terror group refuses to disarm.The international force has no chance of success  until “Hamas been disarmed,” said Graham. “There’s no international stabilizing force that’s going to come in here and fight.”Earlier Sunday, Graham met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar. His two-day visit comes a week before Netanyahu’s scheduled trip to the US to meet with Trump.“My advice to the President [Trump] is until Hamas is dealt out of the game militarily and politically, the chance of success is pretty remote,” he said.Even with the threat of renewed high-intensity Israeli military operations in Gaza, Graham said, there is little chance that Hamas will disarm voluntarily.“These people are religious zealots,” he said. “They’re religious Nazis. I have no confidence, short of their demise, that they’re ever going to do anything other than what they promised to do. Did they stop wanting to destroy Israel? Did they change their stated goals? No.”Iran, Hamas’s sponsor, is also “up to no good,” and still wants to attain a nuclear weapon, said Graham.Netanyahu will present plans for a possible fresh attack on Iran to Trump during his upcoming visit to Washington, NBC News reported Saturday, citing several unnamed officials.According to the report, Israel is growing increasingly concerned that Iran is rebuilding and even expanding its ballistic missile production in the wake of the nations’ 12-day war in June.Israel is also worried that Iran is rebuilding its nuclear enrichment program, which was heavily damaged by Israeli and American strikes, the report added.If Iran is indeed trying to enrich uranium again and to expand their ballistic missile program, said Graham, “it’d be in our national interest to hit them now.”A long memoryHezbollah in Lebanon must also be given a deadline to disarm, or face an Israeli attack, he urged.A November 2024 US-backed ceasefire — whose terms were widely seen as an acknowledgement by Hezbollah that it badly miscalculated in choosing war with Israel the day after Hamas’s October 7, 2023 invasion — required the disarmament of the Iran-aligned terror group, starting in areas adjacent to Israel.Lebanon is close to completing the disarmament of Hezbollah south of the Litani River, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said on Saturday.However, Israel has questioned the effectiveness of the Lebanese military, and Hezbollah itself has repeatedly rejected calls to surrender its arms.Graham urged the US to join in on any potential attack on Hezbollah: “I would like to fly with Israel. I would like the United States to participate in military operations, in the aerial side, against Hezbollah, if that’s what it takes to knock them out.”“I want our fingerprints on that,” Graham continued. “Let me tell you why: We had a lot of brave young Marines die at the hands of these bastards and we have a very long memory.”In October 1983, some 241 US military personnel — including 220 Marines — died in a Hezbollah truck bombing of a US Marines barracks in Lebanon. Less than a year later, the terror group bombed the American embassy in Beirut, killing 23 people.A landmark normalization deal with Saudi Arabia, something Graham has long pushed, will only happen “if you deal with the Iranian proxies,” he argued.Turning to Syria, Israel’s other northern neighbor, Graham insisted that the country’s President Ahmed al-Sharaa is “probably our best bet.”The IDF has been deployed to nine posts inside southern Syria for nearly a year, since former president Bashar al-Assad’s regime was brought down, mostly within a UN-patrolled buffer zone on the border between the countries.Trump earlier this month warned Israel against destabilizing Syria and its new leadership, days after IDF soldiers battled gunmen in the country’s south, and said he is “very satisfied” with the country’s performance under Sharaa.Sharaa’s Islamist-led alliance launched a lightning offensive in late November last year and took Damascus, bringing a sudden end to more than five decades of Assad family rule and over a decade of civil war.Sharaa has made progress abroad, including restoring Syria’s international standing and winning sanctions relief, but Israel remains wary, and has yet to conclude a security arrangement with the former jihadist leader.“Watch him close,” Graham warned. “I think he’s probably got limited capability — that’s for sure. But I’m willing to work with him. I don’t want to ask Israel to ignore security concerns terms coming out of Syria. Trust but verify is probably a good term to use here.”Republican civil war ‘real’Graham said that the brewing conflict among leading conservative figures is “real,” but that he is not concerned that the GOP will turn against Israel.“I’m not alarmed because I know where most Republicans are,” he said.Key figures in the Make America Great Again movement took to the stage at a Turning Point USA conference in Phoenix last week to tear into each other, blasting opponents for cozying up to fascists or accusing them of besmirching the memory of the assassinated conservative activist Charlie Kirk.Graham said that “75, 80 percent of Republicans are firmly in Israel’s camp.”The US and Israel “have common enemies and common values, democracy, and [Israel is] surrounded by a bunch of people that would kill us if they could get to us,” he added, arguing that “whatever we do to help Israel is a great investment.”“If we had to replace what the IDF, Mossad and Shin Bet did to help us, it’d be impossible,” Graham continued. “It’s in America’s interest to have a strong, vibrant Israel. Anything less would put us at risk. I think that’s not going to change anytime soon.”He said that he was urging Israel to cement a defense agreement with the US, similar to the one under discussion between Washington and Riyadh.The US-Israel security relationship “is assumed,” Graham warned. “It doesn’t formally exist. If you ever wanted to have a defense relationship, which I think would be beneficial in the United States, now is the time to do it.”Agencies contributed to this report.

High Court gives final extension for state to explain ban on press access to Gaza-After months of delays, judge scolds government, says it has until January 4 to respond; Foreign Press Association welcomes decision, calls for ‘unfettered’ press access-By Jeremy Sharon-21 December 2025, 8:38 pm

The High Court of Justice on Sunday gave the state a final extension to respond to a petition by the Foreign Press Association (FPA) demanding unfettered media access to Gaza, and scolded the government for its repeated delays despite a long series of extensions granted by the court.The FPA filed its petition in 2024, and the state has since been repeatedly granted delays on requests to update its position, first given in June of last year, that it cannot grant press access to Gaza on security grounds.In his decision, Justice Ofer Grosskopf pointed out that the state had agreed to file a response by November 23 but then requested and received two extensions, which gave it until Sunday to update the court on its position on granting journalists free access to Gaza, in light of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas that went into effect on October 10.“Now the respondents [the state and the defense minister] are requesting another extension, this time of three weeks, and they [may yet] ask for more. It is not possible to agree to this,” said Grosskopf, giving the state until January 4, instead of January 11 as requested, to file its response.If the state fails to file its position by then, Grosskopf said, the court will issue a decision regardless.The court’s decision was welcomed by the FPA: “After two years of the state’s delay tactics, we are pleased that the court’s patience has finally run out.”“We renew our call for the State of Israel to immediately grant journalists free and unfettered access to the Gaza Strip. And should the government continue to obstruct press freedoms, we hope that the Supreme Court will recognize and uphold those freedoms,” the FPA said in a statement.Israel’s policy, determined by the defense minister and the IDF, has been to deny independent access to all journalists to Gaza since the beginning of the war.It has, however, allowed Israeli journalists, and to a lesser extent foreign journalists, to enter Gaza as embedded reporters with IDF forces.The state has argued against allowing independent access to Gaza for the press on the grounds that the entry of journalists into the Strip would pose security risks to IDF soldiers and to the journalists themselves — concerns that have presumably been mitigated by the cessation of hostilities.Since the petition was filed a year ago, the state has requested eight deferrals for submitting its response, which were all granted by the court. The war against Iran in June this year also led to the postponement of a hearing.In its petition, the FPA argues that the blanket ban on independent access to Gaza for journalists “contravenes the foundational principles of the state as a democratic country, and represents a severe, unreasonable and disproportionate injury to the freedom of the press, freedom of expression, and freedom of employment for journalists and the right to information.”The FPA contends that the IDF has granted limited opportunities for embeds to foreign reporters compared to Israeli reporters, has chosen which reporters can enter mostly without consulting the FPA, and that the embeds are tightly controlled and do not allow for full and proper coverage of the war.

Iraq’s top judge says pro-Iran militias will coordinate with state on gun control-Judge says limits on use of arms to begin when need for fighting ceases, but Kataeb Hezbollah insists it will only discuss giving up weapons when foreign troops leave-By AFP 21 December 2025, 8:29 am

BAGHDAD, Iraq — The head of Iraq’s highest judicial body said Saturday that the leaders of armed factions have agreed to cooperate on the sensitive issue of the state’s monopoly on weapons.However, the powerful Kataeb Hezbollah group said that it would only discuss giving up its arms when foreign troops leave the country.“The resistance is a right, and its weapons will remain in the hands of its fighters,” the group said in a statement.The leaders of three other pro-Iran factions designated by Washington as terrorist groups said that it is time to restrict weapons to state control, although they too have stopped short of committing to disarm — a long-standing US demand.Faiq Zidan, the head of Iraq’s Supreme Judicial Council, in a statement, thanked “faction leaders for heeding his advice to coordinate together to enforce the rule of law, restrict weapons to state control, and transition to political action after the national need for military action has ceased.”After Iraq’s general elections in November, the United States demanded that the new government exclude six groups it designates as terrorists and instead move to dismantle them, Iraqi officials and diplomats told AFP.But some of the groups have increased their presence in the new parliament and are members of the Coordination Framework, a ruling alliance of Shiite parties with varying ties to Iran that holds the majority.The blacklisted groups are part of the Hashed al-Shaabi, a former paramilitary alliance that has integrated into the armed forces. But they have also developed a reputation for sometimes acting on their own.They are also part of the Tehran-backed so-called “axis of resistance,” and have called for the withdrawal of US troops — deployed in Iraq as part of an anti-jihadist coalition — and launched attacks against them.These groups include the powerful Asaib Ahl al-Haq faction, which won 27 seats in the elections.Iraq-based militias also launched dozens of attack drones at Israel since the war broke out in Gaza following Hamas’s October 7, 2023, assault, alongside other members of Iran’s so-called Axis of Resistance, including Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, and pro-Iran groups in Syria.The Shiite militias agreed to cease attacks on Israel in December 2024 at the urging of Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani, a report said at the time.Earlier this week, the group’s leader, Qais al-Khazali, a key figure in the Coordination Framework, said “we believe” in “the slogan to restrict weapons to the state,” and “we are now part of the state.”Two other groups, Harakat Ansar Allah al-Awfiya and Kataeb Imam Ali, said on Friday that it is time to “limit weapons to the state.”Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.

Army says it killed two terror operatives who crossed Gaza’s Yellow Line-Strike on pair who entered IDF-controlled part of Strip comes as army probes Friday attack said to have killed five in Gaza City, raising concerns that ceasefire violated By Emanuel Fabian-20 December 2025, 10:47 pm

The IDF said it killed two Palestinian terror operatives who crossed the Gaza ceasefire line in the Strip’s north on Saturday, in what has become a near-daily occurrence.According to the military, the pair crossed the Yellow Line and approached reservists of the Jerusalem Brigade, “in a way that posed an immediate threat” without specifying whether they were armed or what constituted the threat.The Israeli Air Force then struck and “eliminated the terrorists to remove the threat,” the army added.Since the start of the ceasefire in October, the IDF has said it has killed dozens of terror operatives and other “suspects” who have crossed the Yellow Line — demarcating the military’s withdrawal in the Strip — and approached troops. Such incidents have taken place on a near-daily basis.Saturday’s strike came a day after a separate strike in Gaza City that killed at least five, including civilians — some said to be children. The IDF said it had launched an investigation into the incident, amid concerns that the strike could amount to a violation of the US-brokered ceasefire agreement that went into effect on October 10.Gaza’s Hamas-run civil defense agency said the majority of the victims were children and that others were injured. The deaths could not be independently verified.The Hamas-run Gaza health ministry said on Thursday that at least 395 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire in the territory since the ceasefire came into effect. The toll cannot be verified and does not differentiate between civilians and combatants.Israel has repeatedly accused Hamas of violating the ceasefire, with three soldiers killed in Gaza since the truce entered into force.Separately, the army published footage on Saturday showing the demolition of Hamas tunnels on the Israeli side of the Yellow Line in the Khan Younis area of the southern Gaza Strip.The footage was released as the IDF announced that the Kfir Brigade was being replaced in the area by the 188th Armored Brigade.Over the past few months, the IDF said Kfir troops, alongside the elite Yahalom combat engineering unit, have demolished hundreds of “terror infrastructures” in Khan Younis, including a two-kilometer (1.2-mile) tunnel and another stretching hundreds of meters.

Macron, on UAE visit, announces new French aircraft carrier.

Abu Dhabi, Dec 21 (AFP) Dec 21, 2025-French President Emmanuel Macron said on Sunday he had given the official go-ahead to replace his country's flagship, the nuclear-powered Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier.That vessel, the only nuclear-powered carrier outside the US Navy, entered service in 2001 following more than a decade of construction."In line with the last two military programming laws, and after a thorough and comprehensive review, I have decided to equip France with a new aircraft carrier," Macron said, speaking during a visit to French troops in the United Arab Emirates.The decision to give the final go-ahead was made this week, he added."In an age of predators, we must be strong in order to be feared," Macron said.France first launched studies into replacing the Charles de Gaulle in 2018, with preliminary work beginning two years later.The announcement of the official start of construction comes despite a budgetary deadlock gripping the European Union's second-largest economy.Criticism in France, including from military chief General Fabien Mandon, had focused on whether other more pressing areas should be prioritised amid fears of a European war with Russia.This official launch will make it possible to sign all of the contracts necessary for the project, Macron's office said.Also nuclear-powered, the new carrier will be far larger than the current flagship.It will displace nearly 80,000 tons and be around 310 metres long, compared with 42,000 tons and 261 metres for the Charles de Gaulle.With a crew of 2,000, it will be able to hold 30 fighter jets.While the future ship will still be dwarfed by the 11 vast supercarriers of the US Navy, which each displace more than 100,000 tons, only China and Britain's Royal Navy currently operate similarly sized carriers, all of which are conventionally powered.- Focus on drug trafficking -Macron was speaking during a visit to the UAE to celebrate Christmas with French troops and to discuss bilateral ties with the Gulf state, with Paris hoping for more cooperation in its fight against drug trafficking.Macron met Emirati President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Sunday, with the French leader posting on X that they had discussed how to strengthen their strategic partnership, particularly for "stability in the Middle East".The UAE is a major buyer of French military hardware and Paris is reportedly considering turning to Abu Dhabi to rescue its troubled future fighter jet programme with Germany on the brink of pulling out.The French president traditionally celebrates the end-of-year holidays with troops deployed abroad, of whom there are more than 900 in the UAE.Some of their work focuses on the war against drug trafficking, with France hoping for more Emirati cooperation.Major traffickers are believed to have found refuge in the UAE, in Dubai in particular, and some are thought to have built up substantial real estate portfolios there.The French delegation includes Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin, who last month called on the UAE to extradite some 15 suspected drug traffickers wanted by France.neo-vl/led/amj/dcp/srm

North Korea says Japan's nuclear ambitions must be stopped 'at any cost'.

Seoul, Dec 21 (AFP) Dec 21, 2025-North Korea said on Sunday that Japan's nuclear ambitions "must be prevented at any cost", after a Tokyo official reportedly suggested the country should possess atomic weapons.Pyongyang's reaction came after the unnamed official in the prime minister's office was quoted by Kyodo News on Thursday as saying: "I think we should possess nuclear weapons."The official was reported to have been involved in devising Japan's security policy.The Kyodo report also quoted the source as saying: "In the end, we can only rely on ourselves" when explaining the necessity.Pyongyang said the remarks showed Tokyo was "openly revealing their ambition to possess nuclear weapons, going beyond the red line"."Japan's attempt to go nuclear must be prevented at any cost as it will bring mankind a great disaster," the director of the Institute for Japan Studies under the North's foreign ministry said in a statement carried by official Korean Central News Agency on Sunday."This is not a misstatement or a reckless assertion, but clearly reflects Japan's long-cherished ambition for nuclear weaponization," said the North Korean official, who was not named.The official added that if Japan acquired nuclear weapons, "Asian countries will suffer a horrible nuclear disaster and mankind will face a great disaster".The statement did not address Pyongyang's own nuclear programme, which includes an atomic test first carried out in 2006 in violation of UN resolutions.North Korea is believed to possess dozens of nuclear warheads and has repeatedly vowed to keep them despite a raft of international sanctions, saying it needs them to deter perceived military threats from the United States and its allies.In an address to the United Nations in September, Pyongyang's vice foreign minister Kim Son Gyong said his country would never surrender its nuclear weapons."We will never give up nuclear which is our state law, national policy and sovereign power as well as the right to existence. Under any circumstances, we will never walk away from this position," he said.North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has also said he is open to talks with Washington, provided Pyongyang is allowed to keep its nuclear arsenal.