IF HAMAS REJECTS THE PLAN. TRUMPS SAYS ISRAEL CAN GO DESTROY HAMAS.AND NETANYAHU SAYS THEY WILL ON THEIR OWN.

IF HAMAS REJECTS THE PLAN. TRUMPS SAYS ISRAEL CAN GO DESTROY HAMAS.AND NETANYAHU SAYS THEY WILL ON THEIR OWN.

And here are the bounderies of the land that Israel will inherit either through war or peace or God in the future. God says its Israels land and only Israels land. They will have every inch God promised them of this land in the future.
Egypt east of the Nile River, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, The southern part of Turkey and the Western Half of Iraq west of the Euphrates. Gen 13:14-15, Psm 105:9,11, Gen 15:18, Exe 23:31, Num 34:1-12, Josh 1:4.ALL THIS LAND ISRAEL WILL DEFINATELY OWN IN THE FUTURE, ITS ISRAELS NOT ISHMAELS LAND.12 TRIBES INHERIT LAND IN THE FUTURE.

Joel 3:2-King James Version (YOU DIVIDE JERUSALEM IN HALF - YOUR POKING GOD IN THE EYE - GOD SAYS AN EYE FOR AN EYE AND A TOOTH FOR A TOOTH- YOU WANNA DIVIDE JERUSALEM IN HALF -  HALF OF EARTHS POPULATION 4 BILLION DIE ON EARTH.
2 I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land.

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.

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU AGREES WITH THE PLAN. HAMAS CLAIMES THEY NEVER GOT THE FINAL PLAN FROM TRUMP. HAMAS I PREDICT WILL REJECT THE PLAN.THEY WILL HAVE 72 HOURS TO MAKE A DECISION.THEN ISRAEL CAN DESTROY THEM HOW EVER LONG IT TAKES.SAYS TRUMP. NETANYAHU SAYS ISRAEL WILL ANNILATE HAMAS ALONE NO HELP FROM AMERICA. 

I PREDICT HAMAS WILL REFUSE THIS PLAN. I BELIEVE THEN ISRAEL WILL CAPTURE ALL OF GAZA. THEN ANNEX THE WESTBANK AND JORDAN VALLEY. AND GET RID OF THE ARABS IN THE WEST BANK ALSO. OR MAYBE ISRAEL WHEN THEY ANNEX THE JORDAN VALLEY. WILL BUILD THE CITY IN EZEKIEL 39 HAMONA. AND GIVE THE ARABS THAT CITY. AND THE REST ISRAEL GETS.AFTER ALL 300 MILLION RUSSIA, ARAB, MUSLIMS WILL BE BURIED IN THE JORDAN VALLEY WHEN THEY COME AGAINST ISRAEL. AND IF THE ARABS ALREADY HAVE A CITY. THEN THEY CAN BURRY THEIR DEAD ON THEIR OWN LAND. LIKE EZEKIEL 39 SAYS.

Netanyahu: If Hamas rejects Trump’s plan, ‘then Israel will finish the job by itself’-By Lazar Berman-SEP 29,25

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says that if Hamas rejects US President Donald Trump’s plan, “or if they supposedly accept it and then basically do everything to counter it, then Israel will finish the job by itself.”“This can be done the easy way or it can be done the hard way, but it will be done,” he promises. “We prefer the easy way, but it has to be done. All these goals must be achieved, because we didn’t fight this horrible fight, sacrifice the finest of our young men to have Hamas stay in Gaza and threaten us again and again and again with these horrific massacres.”Netanyahu says a Palestinian state “would reward terrorists, undermine security, and endanger Israel’s very existence.”He stresses that the Palestinian Authority can “have no role whatsoever in Gaza without undergoing a radical and genuine transformation.”“That means ending “pay to slay,” changing the poisonous textbooks that teach hatred to Jews, to Palestinian children, stopping incitement in the media, ending lawfare against Israel at the ICC, the ICJ, recognizing the Jewish state, and many, many other reforms,” says Netanyahu.He says that Trump’s plan “can be not only a new beginning for Gaza, I think it can be a new beginning for the entire region.”He says that the Abraham Accords can be expanded and re-energized: “It’s not going to be easy. It’s tough going. But I think if we succeed, you’re absolutely right. We’re going to open possibilities that nobody even dreamed of.”“Those who attack us pay a heavy price,” says Netanyahu. “But those who partner with us advance progress and security for their peoples.”Turning to the phone call with his Qatari counterpart, Netanyahu says that he told him, “Israel was targeting terrorists. It wasn’t targeting Qatar. And of course, we regretted the loss of the Qatari citizen. It wasn’t our target.”He adds that working out grievances with Qatar in the trilateral body announced by Trump “would be good for everyone. “

Netanyahu says Trump’s Gaza plan ‘achieves our war aims’By Lazar Berman-SEP 29,25

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declares his support for US President Donald Trump’s plan to end the war in Gaza, saying it “achieves our war aims” and can end the fighting.“It will bring back to Israel all our hostages, dismantle Hamas’s military capabilities, end its political rule, and ensure that Gaza never again poses a threat to Israel.”The first step, according to Netanyahu, will be “a modest withdrawal” followed by the release of all hostages within 72 hours. The next step will be the establishment of an international body charged with disarming Hamas and demilitarizing Gaza.If this international body succeeds, “we will have permanently ended the war,” declares Netanyahu. Military withdrawals, he says, will be linked to the progress or demilitarization.Netanyahu says Trump’s plan is consistent with the five principles he set for the end of the war and the day after Hamas.Israel will retain security responsibility, including a security perimeter “for the foreseeable future,” says Netanyahu.Gaza will not be run by Hamas or by the Palestinian Authority, says Netanyahu.“We are giving everybody a chance to have this done peacefully,” says Netanyahu.He says that under Trump’s leadership, “we are taking the next step to win the war and expand the peace.”Netanyahu thanks Trump for his friendship and leadership: “From Jerusalem to Tehran, from the Golan Heights to Gaza, you’ve proven time and again what I’ve said many times — you are the greatest friend that Israel has ever had in the White House.”“It’s not even close,” says Netanyahu.

Tony Blair hails Trump’s Gaza proposal as ‘best chance’ to end war-By Jacob Magid-SEP 29,25

WASHINGTON — Former UK prime minister Tony Blair welcomes the US proposal for ending the Gaza war, which envisions him serving on an international advisory board headed by US President Donald Trump that will oversee a transitional government of Palestinian technocrats responsible for administering Gaza after the war.“President Trump has put down a bold and intelligent plan which, if agreed, can end the war, bring immediate relief to Gaza, the chance of a brighter and better future for its people, whilst ensuring Israel’s absolute and enduring security and the release of all hostages,” Blair says in his first public statement on the issue.“It offers us the best chance of ending two years of war, misery and suffering and I thank President Trump for his leadership, determination and commitment,” Blair says.“In particular, [Trump’s] willingness to chair the Board of Peace to oversee the new Gaza is a huge signal of support and confidence in the future of Gaza, of the possibility of Israelis and Palestinians finding a path to peace, and of the potential for a broader regional and global alliance to counter the forces of extremism and promote peace and prosperity between nations,” adds the former British premier.The US plan borrows heavily from Blair’s own proposal to create a transitional Palestinian government to administer the Strip after the war, which was first revealed by The Times of Israel.

Trump pans leaders who ‘foolishly recognized’ Palestine, predicts expansion of Abraham Accords-By Lazar Berman-SEP 29,25

US President Donald Trump critiques leaders who have “foolishly recognized a Palestinian state.”“Good people, but I think they’re doing that because they’re really tired of what’s been going on for so many decades,” he surmises.“Let’s not forget how we got here,” says Trump. “Hamas was elected by the Palestinian people. Israel withdrew from Gaza, thinking they would live in peace,” he continues, mixing up the order of the two events.“They say, you take it, this is our contribution to peace, but that didn’t work out,” Trump continues. “It was the opposite of peace. They pulled away. They let then have it, and I never forgot that, because I said, that doesn’t sound like a good deal to me. As a real estate person, they gave up the ocean. I said, who would do this deal.”“They gave up the most magnificent piece of land in the Middle East, and they said, all we want to do now is have peace, and that request was not honored.”“Instead of building a better life for the Palestinians,” Hamas diverted resources meant for the Palestinians into “over 400 miles of tunnels and terror infrastructure, rocket production facilities, and their military command posts and launch sites in hospitals, schools, and mosques,” Trump continues. “So if you went after them, you wouldn’t even realize, and you’d end up knocking out a hospital or a school or a mosque.”“A terrible way to have to fight.”Trump says that there are “many, many” Palestinians who want to live in peace. He challenges the Palestinians “to take responsibility for their destiny… to fully condemn and prohibit terrorism and earn their way to a brighter future. They don’t want the life that they’ve had. They’ve had a rough life with Hamas.”If the Palestinian Authority does not carry out reforms, it will have only itself to blame, says Trump.Trump says his plan creates the conditions for “durable Israeli security and Palestinian success.”“There shouldn’t have to be a shot fired, maybe for eternity,” he says. “Wouldn’t that be nice.”In a suddenly jovial mood, Trump begins pronouncing “Abraham” in the Abraham Accords close to the Hebrew name, saying, “it’s so much nicer. So much more elegant.”He says his predecessor Joe Biden “didn’t even know what the hell they were” and did not expand them.Trump predicts that the accords will be expanded and “packed,” and that maybe Iran could join someday. “We expect, we hope, that we’re going to get along with Iran. I think they’re going to be open to it.”Trump lists his achievements that make him Israel’s best friend ever in the White House, continuing to blast Biden as clueless.He says that he and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had a “long, strong talk” and that Netanyahu understands that “it’s time.”Many countries have gained respect for Israel “for the way they fight,” Trump says, adding that he also has more respect for Israel for that reason.Those who make peace with Israel thrive, says Trump, while those who try to destroy Israel “haven’t done well.”“Israel is not going anywhere,” Trump says, adding that they are going to coexist with Lebanon, Syria, and Saudi Arabia.

Alarming’ survey: US college students prefer Palestinians as an ally over Israel-Poll by Yale University’s Buckley Institute also finds nearly half of students think it’s okay to shout down speakers, and that Cuba’s economic model is better than the US’s By Zev Stub-Today, 5:29 pm-SEP 29,25

One-third of American college students believe the Palestinians are a better ally for the United States than Israel, according to a poll published last week by Yale University’s Buckley Institute.The survey of 820 undergraduates across the US, conducted in early September, found that 33 percent of respondents said Palestine was a better ally for the United States, while only 29% said Israel was the better option of the two. The remaining 38% said they were unsure, leaving 71% wary of a relationship that US President Donald Trump has referred to as “an unbreakable bond.”Among self-identified liberals, the Palestine option was preferred 46%-25%. Among conservatives, Israel was ahead 43%-16%. Those who identified as moderates preferred Israel moderately, by a margin of 30%-26%.It was not clear whether students believed that Palestine referred to the Palestinian Authority widely seen as teetering on the brink of collapse, the Hamas terrorist group that currently rules the Gaza Strip, or another entity.The study by Buckley, whose mission is to promote intellectual diversity and freedom of speech at Yale, comes at a time when Jews increasingly experience antisemitism on college campuses. A recent survey by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and the World Union of Jewish Students (WUJS) found that 78% of Jewish students now conceal their religious identity and 81% hide their Zionist identity on campuses worldwide, while a separate ADL study found that 83% of Jewish American college students have experienced or witnessed antisemitism firsthand.In a separate question about the feasibility of a two-state solution where Israel and Palestine live peacefully next to each other, 46% said they thought it was possible, 44% said it was not possible, and 10% said they were unsure.Regarding the US government’s recent conflicts with universities over antisemitism issues, 47% of students said they believe there is an antisemitism issue on campus that merits some government involvement. Another 23% believe campus antisemitism exists but colleges and universities should handle it themselves, and 16% believe there is no antisemitism issue in the first place.The study, which surveyed students’ attitudes about a number of contemporary issues, found that record levels of undergraduates believe in the importance of the US Constitution and freedom of speech. A record 60% acknowledged that “hate speech, no matter how racist or bigoted it is, is still technically protected under the First Amendment,” while 72% of undergraduates said it is more important for their college or university to encourage free speech than to prevent offensive dialogue.At the same time, 48% of students said they believe it is sometimes acceptable to shout down or disrupt speakers, while almost four in ten believe physical violence can be justified to stop hate speech.Some 38% think political comments they don’t like can be harmful to their mental health, and one in three believes offensive speech should be subject to criminal prosecution, the survey found.Additionally, while capitalism outpolled socialism by a narrow 40% to 36%, the survey found that 46% of undergraduates believe that “socialist countries like Cuba and the Soviet Union… offer a better economic model than capitalist countries like the United States,” versus 39% who disagree.“It is clear that despite support for free speech in theory, America’s undergraduates don’t support it in practice,” said Buckley Institute founder and Executive Director Lauren Noble. “America’s college students support shout-downs and violence to stop offensive speech at an alarming rate, particularly worrying in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s assassination. And they have a concerning predilection for the Cuban and Soviet economies. American higher education is in trouble.”

Trump: Bibi wants peace, and Hamas respects the Arab world-Trump: Gaza deal ‘in final stages’; Netanyahu: Working on it, but it’s not yet done-US president strikes jubilant tone, declaring there’s a ‘real chance for greatness’ in the Middle East, but PM casts doubt on viability of some parts of Trump’s vision By Nava Freiberg and Jacob Magid-28 September 2025, 8:40 pmUpdated at 9:03 pm

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that Israel was working with US President Donald Trump to advance Washington’s plan for ending the war in Gaza, although he appeared less optimistic than the American leader, who hours earlier claimed there was a “real chance for greatness” in the Middle East.Trump’s vision to end the war in Gaza was presented to Arab leaders last week as a 21-point plan — a copy of which was obtained by The Times of Israel.The president has sounded increasingly upbeat about his plan’s chance of success in recent days, and on Sunday morning took to Truth Social to declare that there was a real chance for GREATNESS IN THE MIDDLE EAST.”“ALL ARE ON BOARD FOR SOMETHING SPECIAL,” he wrote.“FIRST TIME EVER. WE WILL GET IT DONE!!!” Trump added in a follow-up all-cap post on Truth Social.But when speaking to Fox News later in the day, Netanyahu appeared more cautious.“We’re working on it,“ he told the network. “It’s not been finalized yet, but we’re working with President Trump’s team, actually, as we speak.”“I hope we can make it a go, because we want to free our hostages, we want to get rid of Hamas rule, and have them disarmed, Gaza demilitarized, and a new future set up for Gazans and Israelis alike, and for the whole region,” the premier continued.Trump, too, acknowledged that the agreement was not yet a done deal, telling the Axios news outlet and Israel’s Channel 12 later on Sunday that the talks were “at their final stages,” and expressing hope that an agreement could be announced within the next two days, following his meeting with Netanyahu at the White House on Monday.“Everybody has come together to get a deal, but we still have to get it done,” he said in a phone interview, adding: “The Arab countries were fantastic to work with on this, and Hamas is coming with them. [Hamas has] great respect for the Arab world.”“The Arab world wants peace, Israel wants peace and Bibi wants peace,” Trump said, using Netanyahu’s nickname. “If we get this done, it will be a great day for Israel and for the Middle East.”He also told Reuters he’d received a “very good response” from both Israel and Arab leaders about the US plan. “Everybody wants to make the deal,” Trump said.But casting doubt on whether everyone was truly as “on board” with Trump’s vision as the president claimed, a source familiar with the matter told The Times of Israel on Sunday that with Israel yet to sign off on the proposal, it had not even been presented to Hamas yet.The source said that Arab countries have been submitting recommended edits to the plan they were presented with, and the US was expected to finalize the proposal on Sunday.Last week, Trump indicated that he would need to meet with Netanyahu first in order for his plan to be finalized. The meeting will take place at the White House on Monday.It is unclear whether Jerusalem will sign off on the proposal as it currently stands, given that several of the points directly contradict Netanyahu’s promises regarding the “day after” in Gaza, and the expectations of his far-right coalition allies.Netanyahu stands firm against Palestinian Authority-One bone of contention is the Palestinian Authority, which Israel has sworn time and again will not be allowed to play any role in the enclave, while the Trump plan envisions it taking over at an unspecified date once it has “completed its reform program.”The Trump plan also places an emphasis on creating conditions for “a credible pathway to Palestinian statehood,” another thing that Netanyahu has vowed will not happen on his watch.To that end, Netanyahu told Fox that his opposition to the PA, which he strongly restated last week at the United Nations General Assembly, had not changed.Pointing to what he said was the PA’s incitement tactics and its financing of terror, the premier said he doubted it could be persuaded to abandon such activities.“I haven’t changed my positions, and I think that the credibility or the likelihood of the things — a reformed Palestinian Authority that changes completely its stripes, that accepts the Jewish state, that teaches its children to embrace coexistence… If all that is turned on its head… well, good luck. Some people will believe it happens. I don’t think it’s going to happen.”Netanyahu did tell the news network, however, that Israel would allow Hamas leaders safe passage out of Gaza if they were to end the war, but cautioned that “the details of this have to be worked out.”“If Hamas leaders finish the war, release all the hostages, we let them out,” he said. “All of that, I think, is part of the plan. I’m not going to preempt it, because we’re having these discussions exactly right now.”The Kan public broadcaster cited a source close to the premier as saying that “significant gaps” remained between Netanyahu and the White House on the conditions for ending the war.According to the report, Netanyahu canceled his plans for Sunday in order to meet with his inner circle of advisers ahead of his meeting with Trump. He also reportedly met with US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, seeking to narrow gaps over the possible deal.Out of the loop-Meanwhile, Israel’s security establishment has been excluded from discussions on Trump’s plan, with details withheld even from IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir and the security cabinet, Channel 12 reported on Sunday night.Netanyahu has kept the process tightly held through a small circle including his top adviser, Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, and his military secretary, Roman Gofman, according to the Hebrew network.The report noted that Netanyahu held a similar policy of secrecy regarding the Abraham Accords normalization agreements during Trump’s last term, and around potential Saudi normalization leading up to the war in Gaza.The reported exclusion comes despite the high-level security considerations surrounding the framework, under which the war would end immediately, hostages would be released within 48 hours, and the IDF would gradually withdraw under US guarantees.The Prime Minister’s Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the report.Amendments by regional players-While Israel and Hamas have yet to sign off on the plan, Jordan’s King Abdullah said on Sunday that many details of it were “in line with what has been agreed upon.”Jordan and a number of other countries in the region have made or suggested several amendments to the US proposal since it was shown to them, the Qatari Al-Araby al-Jadeed news outlet reported Sunday.One key change was a suggestion for the transitional Gazan government to be composed of Palestinian technocrats, rather than an international body as had initially been proposed, the outlet reported, citing an unnamed source familiar with the matter.The international community should instead play a more hands-off role, the countries were said to have suggested, in the form of a supervisory body.The amended plan would also see international peacekeeping forces stationed only along the Gaza border, rather than inside the Strip itself, which the report said had been the US’s original plan.Optimism, but a chance for derailment-Offering more insight into the US’s expectations regarding the viability of Trump’s plan, Vice President JD Vance told Fox News that there was still a “very complicated” negotiation process happening behind the scenes with the US, Israel and Arab leaders, but he nevertheless felt “more optimistic” than he has in months.“I think the president’s optimism is warranted here,” he said, referring to Trump’s social media posts. “I feel more optimistic about where we are right now than where we have been at any point in the last few months.”“But let’s be realistic, these things can get derailed at the very last minute,” the vice president cautioned. “So while I remain very hopeful, I am cautiously hopeful.”He said that the US proposal accomplished Washington’s three goals: releasing the hostages, making sure that Hamas is no longer a “terror threat” to Israel, and ensuring that aid can enter Gaza “for the many innocent people who are caught up in the conflict.”The Fox News reporter then incorrectly claimed that Trump said earlier this week that he would not allow Gaza to be controlled by Israel, apparently referring to his assertion that he would not allow Israel to annex the West Bank.Trump “wants Gaza to be controlled by the people who live there,” Vance said in response. “He wants the West Bank to be controlled by the people who live there, and he wants the terrorist networks that are around the Israelis to be dismantled so they can no longer pose a threat to Israel.”Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.

Five IDF soldiers seriously hurt in Hamas attack on army encampment in Gaza City-Two rockets launched from Gaza, both fall short inside Strip; Gazan authorities report 18 killed in attacks as Israeli military conducts 140 strikes By Emanuel Fabian-Today, 4:37 pmUpdated at 9:44 pm-SEP 29,25

Five Israeli soldiers, including two officers, were seriously wounded and six others were lightly injured in a Hamas attack on an army encampment in Gaza City on Monday afternoon, the military announced.The attack came hours after two rockets were launched from northern Gaza, the second time in just over a week that such attacks were made on Israeli territory, and as the Israel Defense Forces pressed on with an all-out assault on Gaza City, whose aim, Israel says, is to wipe out Hamas in its final redoubts.The Hamas attack began at around 5:25 p.m. with a cell of five terror operatives infiltrating an army encampment and setting off two explosive devices against a tank of the 7th Armored Brigade’s 82nd Battalion.Troops at the encampment exchanged fire with the gunmen, killing at least two of them — one by tank shelling and one in a close-quarters gun battle, according to the IDF.The IDF said it was hunting for the three surviving Hamas gunmen who managed to flee the encampment after the attack.During the incident, a medical officer, a tank officer, and three soldiers of the 82nd Battalion were seriously injured, the IDF said. Six other troops were lightly hurt. The soldiers were all taken to hospitals, and their families were notified.Hours earlier, two rockets were fired from northern Gaza at the Nahal Oz area, a community on the Strip’s border. Interceptors were fired at the two rockets, which ultimately did not cross the border and fell short inside the Strip, according to the IDFAlerts were activated in open areas only, and not in any towns, “according to protocol,” the military added.Last week, two rockets were fired at Ashdod, one of which was intercepted, while the other hit an open area.Meanwhile, Gaza medics linked to Hamas said the military killed at least 18 people across the Strip, most of them in Gaza City. The figures could not be verified, and did not distinguish between fighters and noncombatants.The Israeli Air Force struck some 140 targets in the Gaza Strip in the past day, including buildings used by terror groups, operatives, and other infrastructure, the military said.The Israeli Navy also operated in Gaza, shelling a weapons depot and other buildings used by Hamas operatives in the Strip’s north, the IDF said.The strikes came as ground troops from three IDF divisions continued to push into Gaza City.The IDF said the 36th Division destroyed several buildings used by Hamas to observe forces, and directed a drone strike that killed a cell of gunmen planting bombs; troops of the 98th Division killed a Hamas operative who had launched mortars at the forces; and soldiers of the 162nd Division killed several operatives and neutralized booby traps.Elsewhere, in northern Gaza, the 99th Division hit several more buildings used by Hamas for surveillance, while in the Strip’s south, soldiers of the Gaza Division killed several operatives near the forces in the southern Khan Younis area, the IDF said.The war in Gaza was triggered by Hamas on October 7, 2023, when it led a devastating invasion of southern Israel that killed 1,200 people and saw 251 hostages taken to Gaza.High-rise bomb-The IDF has struck dozens of tall buildings in Gaza City in recent weeks, saying they were being used by Hamas as command posts and for surveillance, and some were rigged up with booby-traps.On Monday, the military published a video showing troops locating an explosive device planted by Hamas in a high-rise building in the city.According to the military, the bomb was found on the sixth floor of the tower using a drone. The booby trap was “neutralized,” and no soldiers were injured in the incident, the army said.Israeli tanks, meanwhile, advanced to within a few hundred meters of Gaza City’s main Al Shifa Hospital, where doctors say hundreds of patients are still being treated despite Israeli orders to leave.Health officials said tanks had also surrounded the area around nearby Al Helo hospital, housing 90 patients, including 12 babies in incubators. Medics said it was shelled overnight.Also on Monday, the IDF and Shin Bet announced that the deputy commander of the Hamas Zeitoun Battalion in Gaza City, who led hostage release ceremonies and participated in the October 7 onslaught, was killed in a recent airstrike.The Hamas commander, Musa Shaldan, was killed in a strike carried out by the Israeli Air Force last week, according to the IDF.As a company commander in the Zeitoun Battalion, Shaldan invaded Israel with his forces on October 7, 2023, the IDF said. Additionally, the army said he was one of the leaders of Hamas’s incendiary balloon launches at Israel before the war.During the war, Shaldan was responsible for the release of hostages from Gaza City, and he was seen leading Hamas’s release ceremonies earlier this year, the military said.The IDF said that during the war, Shaldan led numerous attacks against Israeli troops — including sniper fire, explosives, and anti-tank fire — while sheltering in “humanitarian compounds.” He was also responsible for Hamas’s fighting positions in Zeitoun.Previously, Shaldan served as the intelligence chief in the Zeitoun Battalion and a deputy company commander, the army added.On Sunday, the IDF and Shin Bet announced that a Hamas Nukhba Force commander who led the killing and kidnapping of Israelis from a roadside bomb shelter near Kibbutz Re’im during the October 7, 2023, onslaught had been killed in a recent airstrike in the Gaza Strip.According to the military, Hassan Mahmoud Hassan Hussein served as a Nukha company commander in Hamas’s Bureij Battalion.Hussein, alongside another Nukhba force commander, Muhammad Abu Attawi, led the attack on a bomb shelter near Re’im where partygoers from the Nova festival had fled to.Four people were taken hostage alive from the shelter and 16 were murdered. Seven managed to survive and were later rescued.Hussein was also involved in attacks on troops during the war in Gaza, the IDF said.Attawi, the other Nukba commander involved in the attack on the Re’im shelter, was killed in an Israeli strike in October 2024.Also Sunday, Israeli troops operating in Gaza City killed a Hamas operative who attempted to plant a bomb next to an armored personnel carrier, the military said.According to the IDF, the troops spotted the operative and opened fire on him as he tried to detonate the bomb against a Namer APC.A short while later, an additional cell of Hamas gunmen was identified in the area, and the forces called in a drone strike that killed them, the army said.The army issued footage showing the operative who was killed trying to approach the troops, and airstrikes directed by the forces.The incident took place during operations of the 188th Armored Brigade and Bislamach Brigade — the IDF’s School for Infantry Corps Professions and Squad Commanders — under the 98th Division.Agencies contributed to this report.

Turkey saves activists from leaky ship, as Gaza-bound flotilla nears Israeli waters-Red Crescent coordinates evacuation of 12 activists, after malfunction on one of 50 vessels aiming to break blockade on Strip and deliver symbolic humanitarian aid By Agencies and ToI Staff Today, 4:12 pm-SEP 29,25

Turkey helped evacuate activists aboard a Gaza-bound flotilla after one of the vessels broke down and began taking on water, organizers and the Turkish state-run news agency Anadolu reported Monday.The Global Sumud Flotilla, which includes Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg among its participants on some 50 boats, departed from Barcelona earlier this month, aiming to break Israel’s blockade of Gaza and deliver symbolic aid to the war-torn enclave. It expects to reach the Gaza Strip on Tuesday or Wednesday, if it is not turned away before then.In a statement posted on Instagram, the flotilla organizers said the mission was temporarily halted after one of the ships, Johnny M, sustained a leak in its engine room.“All participants have been safely transferred to another vessel. Some will be reassigned to other ships, while others will be brought ashore,” the statement said.According to Anadolu, the vessel was located in international waters between Crete, Cyprus and Egypt when it issued a distress call early Monday.Turkish authorities, including the Turkish Red Crescent, coordinated the evacuation effort.Semih Fener, the captain of one of the ships dispatched to assist, told Anadolu the incident was due to a technical malfunction, not a sinking.“We picked up 12 people and distributed them to other ships. Four people will return home,” he said, adding that the evacuees would travel to their respective countries via Turkey.The Turkish Red Crescent confirmed to AFP it had coordinated the evacuation.Wael Naouar, a spokesman for the flotilla’s Maghreb fleet, told Anadolu on Sunday the flotilla expects to reach Gaza, if it is not intercepted, by Tuesday, September 30, or Wednesday, October 1.Previous flotillas have been stopped by Israeli forces some distance from the shore, and made to dock in Israel instead.The Sumud flotilla paused for several days last week in Greek waters, and resumed sailing on Sunday.It is being escorted by one Spanish and two Italian navy vessels, which their respective governments have clarified are not expected to use military force.The navy ships were dispatched after, last Wednesday, the flotilla was struck in international waters off Crete by drones armed with stun grenades and irritants, which caused damage but no injuries.Flotilla organizers blamed Israel for the drone attacks. The Foreign Ministry did not respond directly to the accusation, but invited the flotilla to drop humanitarian aid for Israel to take to Gaza, or face consequences.Israel imposed a blockade on Gaza in 2007, saying it was a bid to stop the import of weapons after the Hamas terror group overthrew the Palestinian Authority and took control of the enclave.Israel has come under huge international pressure over its war in Gaza. The war started on October 7, 2023, when thousands of Hamas-led terrorists invaded Israel, killing some 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages.The war has sparked a humanitarian crisis in the Strip, with most of the population displaced.

Analysis-With ‘super-Sparta’ speech, Netanyahu snarls a tech sector already entangled by war-Saying out loud what many quietly understood, PM’s talk of an increasingly isolated economy seen as unhelpful for an industry struggling to navigate effects of global anti-Israel sentiment Sharon Wrobel-By Sharon Wrobel-Today, 3:56 pm-SEP 29,25

Just a week before the Jewish New Year, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu predicted a future of economic and diplomatic isolation and continuous warfare.Proclaiming that Israel had no other choice but to adapt and become a self-reliant economy with “autarkic characteristics,” Netanyahu said that Israel — known globally for the tech prowess that earned it the title of Startup Nation — must aspire to turn into a 21st-century “super-Sparta” as it braces for an era of trade sanctions and boycotts.Not surprisingly, the vision sent shockwaves through local financial markets, leaving investors and the tech community stupefied. After a fierce response from business and tech leaders, Netanyahu quickly backtracked, saying that his comments were focused on the defense industry and the need for security independence. But his clarification did little to calm worries over the fate of the broader economy.“It’s an unacceptable vision. No one is buying that [super-Sparta vision], as it’s irrelevant for Israel,” said Avi Hasson, the CEO of Startup Nation Central, an organization that tracks the local tech ecosystem. “Israel is not a superpower like China or the US — our economy as a whole relies on raw materials, and certainly for our tech economy, global connectivity is like our oxygen.”In recent weeks, European countries have ramped up pressure on Israel over fighting against Hamas in Gaza, warning of sanctions and downgraded trade ties alongside arms embargoes already going into effect.Earlier this month, the European Commission threatened to suspend part of a trade arrangement affecting about 5.8 billion euros ($6.78 billion) of Israeli exports to the European Union, its largest trading partner.“All of us were in shock about Netanyahu’s speech,” said Moran Chamsi, managing partner at Amplefields Investment Fund. “The past two years have been very challenging.”In ancient Greece, the leading city-state of Sparta is remembered for its self-imposed isolation, meant to preserve its militaristic way of life. The English adjective “spartan,” which often carries negative connotations, recalls the popular conception of the city’s austere lifestyle.While Israel may in practice be discreetly behaving like Sparta since the outbreak of war post-October 7, 2023, “it’s totally different when the prime minister says that out loud,” Chamsi said.Beyond the official embargoes and warnings, Hasson told The Times of Israel that it seemed more and more Israeli companies with business abroad were already feeling the effects of global anti-Israel sentiment.“We should be careful [not] to take anecdotes and create data out of them,” said Hasson, a former founding chairman of the Israel Innovation Authority. “Having said that, the anecdotes are piling up.”“It’s hard to determine whether people decide not to do business with or invest in a company because of that extra risk that Israel entails, or whether it’s ideological, or whether it’s because employees or customers are not going to be happy,” he said.Netanyahu’s admission that Israel faces increasing isolation sparked a panicked reaction from investors, sending shares on the previously robust Tel Aviv Stock Exchange down, though they rebounded this week after the US rolled out a fresh proposal to end the war.“When it comes to leadership, there’s a difference between a CEO feeling or knowing something and saying [it], let alone a prime minister who makes such statements that are heard not just in the UN — they are heard in the boardrooms, large companies, and in partners’ meetings of the large private equity investors,” said Hasson. “That was a very harmful comment to a lot of people… the people in the trenches, those who are fighting, the startups, and the industrials.”Despite fighting across multiple fronts and ballooning war costs, the performance of the leading stock indexes on the Tel Aviv bourse this year has repeatedly broken records, outperforming the world’s leading stock exchanges.Over the past year, the TA-35 index of blue-chip companies jumped by about 43 percent and the TA-90 index soared by about 48% as investors bet that Israel’s military achievements against Iran’s nuclear program — alongside the significant weakening of Iranian proxies in Lebanon, Syria and Gaza — would reduce risks to Israel’s security and economy.But Netanyahu’s comments popped bullish expectations that a ceasefire and an end to the fighting could be achieved in a matter of weeks, kicking off a period of accelerated postwar economic growth.Much of the hoped-for recovery would be driven by Israel’s tech sector, a pillar of the country’s economy that contributes about 20% of local GDP, makes up about 50% of total exports, and generates significant tax revenue.For years, Israel has developed a reputation for scientific and technological innovation built on the foundations of a free market economy, rule of law, and globalization. The Israeli tech industry is highly reliant on foreign capital, as about 80% of venture capital investments in local tech startups are generated from foreign funds.“From the beginning of 2025, the tech industry, with many startup founders, entrepreneurs, and employees on and off on reserve duty in Gaza, has been working very hard to remain resilient, and we see some recovery in investments, as the ecosystem has been preparing for the day after,” Chamsi said.“However, now some investors will likely decide to hold their investment process in Israel as they will want to wait out current developments, and others will be more hesitant for political reasons, which will create a delay in investments,” he added.Despite the ongoing war, investment in the Israeli tech market hit a three-year high in the first six months of this year, as funding difficulties hampering the local industry during last year’s more intense fighting on multiple fronts started to recede in late 2024.In July, Palo Alto Networks, founded by American-Israeli entrepreneur Nir Zuk, bought Israeli firm CyberArk in a deal valued at a staggering $25 billion. It was the biggest acquisition of an Israeli company after Google’s $32 billion purchase of Israeli-founded cybersecurity unicorn Wiz earlier this year.“There are certain investors who are actually doubling down on Israel, so activity hasn’t stopped, but it is under the radar and very selective,” said Hasson. “When investors map the world for innovation, Israel stands out as there are not so many places with a mature, sophisticated ecosystem that combines talent and entrepreneurship, and repeatedly delivers and continues to show unique capabilities of resiliency to shocks.”In July, Nvidia announced plans to build a massive multibillion-dollar tech campus in Israel’s north, which is expected to provide thousands of jobs, in a major expansion of the US chip giant’s operations in the country.However, Hasson, a former chief scientist at the Economy and Industry Ministry, acknowledged that “if you are not a cybersecurity company or an AI-related company, which are tech areas where Israel is a global leader, life is tough.”“In Israel, that means hundreds, if not thousands, of companies that are suffering right now and are dependent on foreign capital when the ability of venture capital firms to raise money is difficult, since they rely on foreign institutional investors who manage pension funds abroad and are less likely to invest in Israel,” he said.He expressed worries that tech companies could start leaving Israel, keeping themselves afloat but sinking the local economy. He estimated that he knew of more businesspeople who had moved away or made extended stays abroad in the last year than in the preceding decade.“Israeli founders have proven that they will do whatever it takes for their company to be resilient and succeed — which could also mean shifting tasks or transferring capital outside of Israel,” Hasson cautioned. “From a national point of view, the separation between the sector and the country is not good news, especially with recent developments.”

EU confirms reimposition of Iran sanctions after UN move, freezes central bank assets-Measures also include travel bans for Iranian officials, restrictions on buying crude oil, and on sale or supply of gold and certain naval equipment By Agencies Today, 2:31 pm-SEP 29,25.

The European Union confirmed on Monday it had reimposed sweeping sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program, after the United Nations reinstated its overarching measures.“Today, the EU reinstated sanctions against Iran in response to its continued non-compliance with the nuclear agreement. The door for diplomatic negotiations remains open,” said the EU presidency in a statement.The EU said the sanctions included freezing the assets of the Iranian Central Bank and other Iranian banks, as well as travel bans on certain Iranian officials.It also banned Iran’s purchase and transportation of crude oil and the sale or supply of gold and certain naval equipment.The UN took the same step over the weekend after Western powers triggered the so-called “snapback” mechanism under the 2015 nuclear accord.The sanctions reintroduced by the 27-nation bloc included UN measures barring dealing with Tehran’s nuclear and ballistic missile activities.Like the EU, they also range broader to encompass financial measures.Tehran has condemned as “unjustifiable” the reinstatement of the UN sanctions.Israel hailed them as a “major development in response to Iran’s ongoing violations, especially on its military nuclear program.”Despite the reimposition, Western leaders stressed the channels for dialogue remained open.Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s top diplomat, said on Sunday the reimposition of sanctions “must not be the end of diplomacy.”Iran has long contended that it is not seeking nuclear weapons, but it has been enriching uranium to levels that have no peaceful application, barring UN nuclear inspectors, and regularly threatening to flatten Israeli cities.The sanctions are a “snapback” of measures frozen in 2015 when Iran agreed to major restrictions on its nuclear program under a deal negotiated by former US president Barack Obama.The United States already imposed massive sanctions, including trying to force all countries to shun Iranian oil, when US President Donald Trump withdrew from the deal in his first term.Iran and the United States had held several rounds of Omani-brokered talks earlier this year before they collapsed in June when first Israel and then the United States attacked Iranian nuclear facilities.

Pro-EU party narrowly wins Moldovan election marred by claims of Russian meddling-Victory seen as crucial for ex-Soviet republic to maintain push toward EU integration; analysts warn ruling party had ‘fragile’ win, will struggle to form stable government-By Agencies Today, 2:29 pm-SEP 29,25

CHISINAU, Moldova — Moldova’s ruling pro-EU party hailed victory in polls on Monday, overshadowed by accusations of Russian interference, evoking an “extraordinarily difficult struggle” to gain a slim parliamentary majority.The small European Union candidate nation, which borders Ukraine and has a pro-Russia breakaway region, has long been divided over whether to move closer to Brussels or maintain Soviet-era relations with Moscow.Sunday’s elections were seen as crucial for the ex-Soviet republic to maintain its push toward EU integration, launched after Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.“Russia threw everything dirty it had into the fight… It’s not only PAS that won the elections, the people won,” Igor Grosu, leader of the Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS), told a press conference.But analysts warned that the ruling party’s victory was “fragile” and that Russia could yet stir trouble.With over 99.91 percent of ballots counted, the party of President Maia Sandu had garnered 50.16 percent of the vote to elect members of the 101-seat parliament.That compared to 24.19 percent for the pro-Russian Patriotic Bloc, according to results published on the election commission’s website.The support for PAS was slightly lower than the 52.8 percent that it won in 2021.‘Right path’“It’s very nice to wake up in a Moldova which chose the right path: peace, development and stability,” Nadir Grinco, 25, who works in organizational communication, told AFP in Chisinau.“I’m feeling more confident… I won’t have to move abroad like I planned in case of less satisfying results,” she added.European leaders, including neighboring Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky, hailed the result as a victory for the continent.“Russia failed to destabilize Moldova even after spending huge, huge resources to undermine it and to corrupt whoever they could,” the wartime leader said.European Council head Antonio Costa said Moldova had chosen a “European future,” Poland’s prime minister hailed Moldova for foiling Russian ambitions, and France congratulated Moldovans on their “sovereign” choice.“Statistically speaking, PAS has guaranteed a fragile majority,” analyst Andrei Curararu of the Chisinau-based think tank WatchDog.md told AFP on Sunday night.But he warned that “danger” had not passed, “as a functional government is difficult to form.”It is likely that President Maia Sandu, who founded PAS in 2016, will opt for some continuity by nominating pro-Western Prime Minister Dorin Recean, an economist who has steered Moldova’s government through multiple crises since 2023. Recean has also previously served as Sandu’s defense and security adviser.After a legislative election, Moldova’s president nominates a prime minister, generally from the leading party or bloc, which can then try to form a new government. A proposed government then needs parliamentary approval.“The Kremlin has bankrolled too big of an operation to stand down and could resort to protests, bribing PAS MPs and other tactics to disrupt forming a stable pro-European government,” Curararu added.The ballot was overshadowed by fears of vote buying and unrest, as well as “an unprecedented campaign of disinformation” from Russia, according to the EU.Moscow has denied the allegations.Protest call-Igor Dodon, a former president and one of the leaders of the Patriotic Bloc, has called on people to “peacefully protest” on Monday, accusing PAS of stealing the vote.“If during the night there are falsifications … we will ask for elections to be repeated,” he said late Sunday.Voters in the country of 2.4 million — one of Europe’s poorest — have expressed frustration over economic hardship, as well as skepticism over the drive to join the EU.Liuba Peribicovski, a 75-year-old pensioner, said the result was “negative” for her, expressing disappointment with the EU.“Prove this meddling!” she challenged.The government has accused the Kremlin of spending hundreds of millions in “dirty money” to interfere in the campaign.In the lead-up to the vote, prosecutors carried out hundreds of searches related to what the government said was “electoral corruption” and “destabilization attempts,” with dozens arrested.Turnout stood at around 52 percent, similar to that of the last parliamentary elections in 2021.