July 5: Army detains settler activists who tried to breach border with Syria

Michigan Democrat suspends Senate run, with Israel critic El-Sayed still in race

Michigan State Sen. Mallory McMorrow, a candidate for the US Senate, during an interview following a campaign event on February 5, 2026, at Churchill's Food & Spirits in Flint, Michigan. (AP/Emily Elconin)

Michigan Democrat Mallory McMorrow suspends her campaign for the US Senate, abruptly reshaping the party primary just a month before the election and leaving a two-person contest between moderate Haley Stevens and progressive Abdul El-Sayed.

McMorrow’s exit comes after many Democrats increasingly viewed her as a long shot for the nomination. It also creates a fresh dynamic in one of the country’s most closely watched Senate races, forcing Democratic voters into a direct choice between Stevens, a mainstream congresswoman backed by much of the party establishment, and El-Sayed, supported by many progressive movement leaders.

The binary choice will be on full display Tuesday, when Stevens and El-Sayed are set to face off in a televised debate. During a May debate, El-Sayed repeatedly went on the offensive against Stevens, who mostly declined to engage directly with him.

While McMorrow did not elaborate on her decision to exit the race, a person with direct knowledge said the biggest factor was the recent influx of outside spending boosting Stevens. The American Israel Public Affairs Committee has poured millions into ads supporting Stevens, leaving both McMorrow and El-Sayed struggling to keep pace. The person, who would only speak on condition of anonymity, said McMorrow has no plans to endorse either remaining candidate at this point.

Venezuela quake death toll rises to 3,342, according to official figures

Residents and rescue workers search through the rubble of buildings damaged in the earthquakes that struck La Guaira, Venezuela, July 2, 2026. (AP/Ariana Cubillos)

The death toll from Venezuela’s twin earthquakes has risen to 3,342 with more than 16,700 injured in the disaster, according to updated official figures released today.

The June 24 disaster toppled scores of buildings in the La Guaira area north of the capital Caracas, and thousands are still reported missing.

Palestinian ministry says Israeli forces kill teen in West Bank

The Palestinian health ministry says Israeli forces fatally shot a 16-year-old boy in the West Bank, the second reported killing of a Palestinian teenager within a week.

Two other boys, both aged 14, were injured in the incident at the Qalandia refugee camp near Ramallah, the ministry says.

“Sixteen-year-old Waleed Nidal Waleed Abu Sneineh was pronounced dead after being shot by Israeli forces,” the ministry said.

“Two other children sustained gunshot wounds to… lower limbs in the same incident.”

The Israeli military does not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Army detains settler activists who tried to breach border with Syria

Dozens of Israeli settler activists attempted to breach the border into Syria earlier today before being detained by the army, the military says.

The activists, who call themselves the Bashan Pioneers, have attempted to enter Syria multiple times in the past year, seeking to establish settlements in the area. They have received support from some lawmakers.

The IDF says the activists were detained and handed over to the police for further questioning.

“The IDF strongly condemns the attempted border crossing and emphasizes that this is a serious incident and a criminal offense that endangers both IDF soldiers and civilians,” the army adds.

טרללת בגבול סוריה, פרק נוסף: כ- 70 פעילי תנועת "חלוצי הבשן" ניסו לחדור אחר הצהריים לסוריה מאזור החרמון. בעקבות מידע מקדים, באוגדה 210 השתלטו על העבריינים סמוך לגבול, והנסיון הפעם כשל.

בכירים בצה"ל מפנים הערב אצבע מאשימה לעבר גורמי האכיפה: משטרה, פרקליטות, ובתי המשפט, שלא ממצים… pic.twitter.com/CaPJ0tyxaG

— איתי בלומנטל ???????? Itay Blumental (@ItayBlumental) July 5, 2026

An ’emotional moment’: Former hostages Sasha Troufanov and Sapir Cohen are married

Released hostages Sasha Troufanov and Sapir Cohen pose after getting engaged in a photo released on July 9, 2025 (Courtesy)

Former hostages Sasha Troufanov and Sapir Cohen were married this evening, some 17 months following Troufanov’s release from captivity in Gaza.

Both were abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz during the October 7, 2023, terror attack, while visiting family there. The two had only recently moved in together in Ramat Gan. Troufanov said that after breaking into their home, terrorists punched him and stabbed his shoulder, and that despite having wrapped herself in a blanket and hiding under the bed, they found Cohen.

Cohen was released two months later, during the November 2023 ceasefire, but Troufanov’s release would not come until February 2025, after more than 400 days in captivity. He had to undergo extensive medical treatments upon his return, due to untreated injuries to his legs, where he was shot by the terrorists.

Troufanov’s mother Yelena and grandmother Irena Tati were also kidnapped and released. His father Vitaly was murdered during the onslaught.

Troufanov proposed a few months after his release.

In a press conference shortly after Troufanov was freed, Cohen said he told her he had prayed in captivity that she would find another man to love, as he believed he would never be coming home.

“Last night, Sasha told me that during all this time [since he was taken hostage and held in Gaza], he prayed for me to find a man to love, prayed that I wouldn’t wait for him,” she said, her voice shaking. “He didn’t want me waiting for a man he thought would never return home. He didn’t believe he would survive.”

Today he tells assembled guests, which include several other former hostages: “I want to thank you for coming today to share this joy with us, this evening, this emotional moment. You’ve been with us every step of the way. Thank you so much. I love you.”

Mazal tov!!!

Former hostages Sasha Tropanov and Sapir Cohen are getting married right now pic.twitter.com/BbnKQ2ydRv

— Documenting Israel (@DocumentIsrael) July 5, 2026

Attorney general says cabinet decision against High Court ‘undermines rule of law’

Attorney General Gali Baharav Miara at a Knesset House committee meeting, Jerusalem, June 8, 2026. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara says the cabinet’s declaration today that it will go against a High Court ruling “is another grave attempt to thwart judicial decisions issued by the High Court… and to intimidate anyone who seeks to implement those decisions or rely on them.”

In its earlier statement, the cabinet said it “will not recognize any decision, approval, appointment, or action taken by the Council of the Second Authority as long as the council does not meet the explicit minimum requirements established by law.”

It did so after the court ruled that the commercial broadcasting regulatory body can continue operating despite lacking a two-thirds quorum of members.

Baharav-Miara says this position “undermines the fundamental principles of the rule of law.”

Bereaved relative: Shin Bet chief defended removing Oct. 7 memorial by saying ‘enough time has passed’

Shin Bet director David Zini at Mount Herzl Military Cemetery in Jerusalem during Memorial Day on April 21, 2026. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)

Shin Bet chief David Zini defended his decision to dismantle a memorial at the entrance to the agency’s Tel Aviv headquarters commemorating employees killed in the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led onslaught by saying that “enough time has passed” since the attack, according to a bereaved relative who participated in a phone call between Zini and victims’ families on Thursday, Channel 12 reports.

Zoli Mor — whose sister-in-law Smadar Mor Idan, a Shin Bet employee, and her husband, Roee Idan, were both killed during the massacre — tells the Hebrew network that he was stunned by Zini’s remarks.

“Only someone who is inside this story, inside this movie, can understand what it means to say ‘time has passed.’ There is no such thing as ‘time has passed.’ Three innocent children grew up here who saw their parents murdered before their eyes. One girl was kidnapped to Gaza for 51 days. How does a sentence like that come out of your mouth?” Mor says.

Roee and Smadar’s daughter Avigail, who was three years old during the October 7 attack, was abducted to Gaza and released nearly two months later during a temporary truce. Her two siblings survived the attack after hiding in a closet, and the three children were later taken in by Mor and his wife Liron.

According to Haaretz, which first reported Zini’s decision to remove the memorial, the Shin Bet chief also apologized to the families during Thursday’s call for the fact that they learned about the move from media reports rather than directly from the agency.

Kan survey has Eisenkot neck and neck with Likud at 23 seats

A Kan news poll has Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar party equaling Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud, a first for the network (though not for polls in general).

The survey has both Likud and Yashar at 23 seats; Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid’s Together at 16; The Democrats, Otzma Yehudit and Yisrael Beytenu at 9 each; Shas and United Torah Judaism at 8 each; Hadash-Ta’al at 6; Religious Zionism at 5; and Ra’am at 4.

Zionist opposition parties stand at 57 seats, while the current coalition is at 53. The Arab parties have 10 seats.

Cabinet secretary denies ministers declared their intent to disobey High Court: ‘It was sharp criticism’

Cabinet Secretary Yossi Fuchs attends a debate on ultra-Orthodox enlistment in the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, January 27, 2025. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

Cabinet Secretary Yossi Fuchs denies that the cabinet today declared its intention to disobey the High Court of Justice.

“Contrary to reports, the statement does not contain a single word calling for noncompliance with the High Court of Justice’s ruling,” Fuchs says on X. “Rather, it expresses sharp criticism of a ruling that contradicts the explicit wording of the law.”

He adds that “the cabinet stated that it will use all legal means at its disposal to overturn the decision in the future.”

In its earlier statement, the cabinet said, “Today, the government unanimously approved a proposal… declaring that it will not recognize any decision, approval, appointment, or action taken by the Council of the Second Authority as long as the council does not meet the explicit minimum requirements established by law.”

It did so after the court ruled that the commercial broadcasting regulatory body can continue operating despite lacking a two-thirds quorum of members.

“A ruling that directly contradicts the clear language of the law cannot confer authority that does not exist under the law,” the cabinet statement said.

IDF says it struck Hezbollah operatives near Israeli troops in south Lebanon

A cell of Hezbollah operatives identified near Israeli troops in southern Lebanon was targeted in an airstrike earlier today, the IDF says.

The military says troops of the Commando Brigade spotted the operatives riding motorcycles in the village of al-Aaqaide, near Nabatieh and close to Israel’s buffer zone.

“The terrorists’ activity posed a threat to our forces,” the military says, adding that they were struck “to remove the threat.”

לאחר שפעלו בסמוך לכוחות: צה"ל תקף חוליית מחבלים מארגון הטרור חיזבאללה במרחב אל עקידה

מוקדם יותר היום, כוחות עוצבת הקומנדו זיהו חוליית מחבלים מארגון הטרור חיזבאללה שפעלה על גבי אופנועים במרחב אל עקידה, סמוך למרחב הביטחוני בו פועלים כוחות צה"ל.

פעילותם של המחבלים היוותה איום על… pic.twitter.com/EbvNDshnwx

— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) July 5, 2026

Trump to meet leaders of Ukraine, Syria alongside NATO summit

US President Donald Trump will meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Syrian ⁠President Ahmed al-Sharaa on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Turkey this week, the White House says.

Man shot dead by cops after allegedly charging them with a knife in Bat Yam

Police say a man was shot by officers when he charged them with a knife earlier today in Bat Yam, south of Tel Aviv.

The officers had arrived on the scene after receiving a report that the man was engaging in disorderly conduct and causing damage to vehicles, police say. Police add that the incident was criminal in nature and not nationalist.

The man, in his mid-50s, was pronounced dead at Wolfson Hospital in nearby Holon after being rushed there in serious condition, first responders say.

His body has been transferred to the forensic medicine institute in Tel Aviv for further investigation.

Netanyahu says some Lebanese Christian villages asked to be ‘annexed’ by Israel

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says that some Christian villages in Lebanon have asked to be annexed by Israel in order to receive protection from the Hezbollah terror group.

Talking up Israel’s treatment of Christians in the Middle East during a Fox News interview, Netanyahu says that “the Christian villages in Lebanon, some of them have actually asked to be annexed to Israel because we protect them against the Hezbollah fanatics who want to kill them — and we do the same things with Christians everywhere.”

The premier does not specify which Christian villages he is referring to, or if such calls were made privately or publicly.

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar and Defense Minister Israel Katz have both said Israel does not have territorial ambitions in Lebanon, but that it won’t withdraw from the security zone it has established in southern Lebanon so long as Hezbollah remains a threat.

Later in the interview, Netanyahu says the recent Israel-Lebanon deal brokered by Washington has shown that he and US President Donald Trump “have more cards to play” in terms of expanding Israel’s ties in the region, adding that Lebanon “would like to free itself of Hezbollah.”

Netanyahu: We also take care of our friends, especially the Christians in the Middle East. The Christian villages in Lebanon, some of them have actually asked to be annexed to Israel. We protect Christians in the Middle East pic.twitter.com/SyeCM2PHMm

— Acyn (@Acyn) July 5, 2026

Without offering specific evidence, Netanyahu argues: “It’s not only the Christians in Lebanon who asked for our protection. It’s the Druze, it’s Muslims, the Sunni muslims and quite a few of the Shiite muslims too… they’d like to free Lebanon. I hope we can get more peace deals.”

While not a formal peace deal, the Israel-Lebanon framework formalized both countries’ intent to eventually normalize relations following the disarmament of Hezbollah and a full Israeli withdrawal from its southern Lebanon security zone.

President Herzog says disobeying High Court rulings is ‘a red line,’ hours after government declares it will do so

President Isaac Herzog attends an event for outstanding soldiers as part of Israel’s 78th Independence Day celebrations in Jerusalem on April 20, 2026. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)

President Isaac Herzog says disobeying High Court rulings is “a red line.”

“Statements calling for noncompliance with [High Court] rulings strike at the heart of the nation’s unity,” he writes on X. “I have made this clear before, and I will repeat it again and again: Refusing to comply with a court ruling is a red line that must not be crossed under any circumstances.”

Herzog issues the statement hours after, for the first time in Israel’s history, the government openly declared that it will not respect a High Court of Justice ruling, escalating its feud with the judiciary to constitutional crisis levels.

In a declaration issued by the cabinet, the government vowed not to respect the High Court’s decision in June to enable the Council of the Second Authority commercial broadcasting regulatory body to resume operations despite lacking a two-thirds quorum of members.

Netanyahu: Trump and I share same goals on Iran, but ‘deal or no deal,’ Tehran won’t get nukes

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insists that he and US President Donald Trump share the same goals on Iran, but stresses that whether or not Washington reaches a nuclear deal with Tehran, he will ensure that it never obtains a nuclear weapon so long as he is prime minister.

Asked about ongoing tensions over the US-Iran memorandum of understanding and subsequent nuclear talks, Netanyahu insists that he and Trump “are set on the same goal.”

“We want to see Iran give up its nuclear weapons program. We want to see the nuclear-enriched material removed. We want to see the enrichment sites for nuclear material dismantled. We have other common objectives,” he says.

“President Trump believes that after the battering that the two of us — Israel and the United States — gave to Iran, he thinks that he can generate enough leeway, enough pressure through the negotiations to get these goals achieved. And, you know, we respect that, and I hope he succeeds,” Netanyahu continues, before adding, “I can tell you this: Deal or no deal, as long as I’m prime minister, Iran will not have nuclear weapons.”

Netanyahu declines to comment on the apparent progress of the US-Iran talks or criticism by his supporters that the MOU with Washington leaves the Iranian regime intact and poised to recover, saying negotiations are “not over” and “I would judge it when it’s over.”

“Believe me, if I have things that I want to point out in my own opinions, I do so in a free way. And when he has things he wants to tell me, he does that in a free way too. That’s what friends and allies do with each other,” he adds, after recently announcing that he and Trump agreed to meet in Washington soon, apparently at Netanyahu’s request.

“The most important thing is that we have a common goal. And that means Iran does not have nuclear weapons or the capacity to make nuclear weapons,” he says, adding that the world is “very lucky” that Trump is “leading the free world in this common effort.”

Syria expecting Macron in first post-Assad visit by Western head of state

French President Emmanuel Macron waves upon his arrival at the Seoul airport in Seongnam, South Korea, Thursday, April 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

Syria says it is expecting a visit by French President Emmanuel Macron, the first by a Western European head of state since Syria’s new leader Ahmed al-Sharaa took power in 2024.

State news agency SANA, citing the Syrian presidency’s media office, says “Macron is expected to visit Syria to discuss ways of strengthening bilateral relations and issues of common interest,” without specifying a date for the trip.

The French presidency does not immediately comment.

The last French president to visit was Nicolas Sarkozy in 2009, before longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad brutally crushed pro-democracy protests in 2011, sparking a conflict that killed more than half a million people and devastated Syria.

SANA says Macron will be accompanied by a delegation “including investors and representatives of French companies,” and discussions will also address “regional and international” developments.

Netanyahu rejects Vance claim that Trump is Israel’s only friend, says ‘many’ nations seek closer ties

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pushes back on remarks by US Vice President JD Vance that US President Donald Trump is currently the only world leader supportive of Israel, insisting that Jerusalem still has “many friends” internationally despite growing global criticism.

Amid tensions with the Trump administration during ongoing US-Iran talks, Netanyahu is asked during an interview with Fox News to respond to remarks by Vance — which he directed at Israeli critics of the US-Iran deal — that Trump “is the only head of state in the entire world who is sympathetic” to Israel at this time.

Netanyahu replies that while he and Vance have a “very good relationship,” that “doesn’t mean that I agree with everything that he says.”

???? — NOW: Netanyahu on Fox News says despite what JD Vance said about his Cabinet, many leaders call him telling him how much they respect him and asking to make deals: We have many many friends…" pic.twitter.com/FUhkIDFgKg

— Belaaz News (@TheBelaaz) July 5, 2026

“Trump is a great — the greatest friend we ever had in the White House — and I stand by that completely,” Netanyahu stresses, before adding, “we have some other friends.”

He points to India first, saying, “It has 1.4 billion people. And boy, do we have tremendous support there.” He cites the “overwhelming support” he says he receives on his Facebook page, apparently referring to engagement from Indian users, as evidence.

“And we have many others,” the premier continues, repeating a claim he has made in the past that despite the rise of anti-Israeli and antisemitic views among many countries’ populations, global leaders continue to approach him seeking cooperation with Israel, especially on defense and technology.

“In many countries, because their media and their social media are inundated with anti-Israel, antisemitic material, many leaders, you know, call me up and say, ‘Hey, look, I’ve got this problem with public opinion, but I want you to know, we respect you, and can we make some deals, and can you teach us some of the things that your military does, and can we have some of your AI and cyber expertise?”

“You know, Israel is the number two country in cyber in the world, and our technology is so good. So the relations are not quite as they appear, and we have many, many friends,” he says.

Netanyahu rejects the notion that there is currently a “rift” between him and Trump over Iran, saying, “Trump is the leader of the United States. He does what’s good for America. I’m the leader of Israel, the one and only Jewish state. I do what’s good for Israel.

“Ninety-nine percent of the time, we see eye to eye. But as in any family, any close friendship, there are sometimes differences of opinion, and we discuss them openly… and usually we resolve them too.”

‘Leading to anarchy’: Opposition assails government for declaring intent to disobey High Court

Yashar chairman Gadi Eisenkot speaks at the launch of his party's election campaign in Hod Hasharon, June 30, 2026. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)

The opposition assails the government’s announcement that it will not obey a High Court of Justice decision allowing the Council of the Second Authority, the commercial broadcasting regulatory body, to continue operating despite lacking a two-thirds quorum of members.

It is the first time the government has said it will not obey a court order, and could lead to a constitutional crisis.

Yashar party chief Gadi Eisenkot accuses the government of “assaulting Israeli democracy. Netanyahu is dividing Israel.”

Opposition Leader Yair Lapid says a government that disobeys the High Court will become an illegal government. “We will not accept its rulings and decisions.”

Former prime minister Naftali Bennett, who leads the Together party with Lapid, warns that non-compliance with the court will lead to “anarchy on the streets and to the collapse of our state.”

Head of The Democrats party Yair Golan says the decision is a preview of what will happen on election day in October.

“This government knows it has no chance of winning elections, and therefore it is waging a war on the rule of law,” he says. “This is a criminal government that has no red lines.”

The head of the Israel Bar Association, attorney Amit Becher, says: “It is not coincidental that the government’s grave decision not to obey a High Court ruling is tied to the attempt to destroy press freedom.”

“One can disagree with a ruling, claim it is wrong, criticize it,” he says. “But a government can never violate a court ruling. A government that does not accept the principle that it is subject to the law and to court decisions — breaches its duty, dismantles society, and rebels against the state and the people.”

Israeli airstrike reported in southern Lebanon

Lebanese media reports an Israeli airstrike between Kfar Tebnit and Nabatieh al-Fawqa, near the Ali Taher ridge in southern Lebanon.

There is no immediate comment from the IDF on the strike, but the military has previously said it continues to operate at the Ali Taher ridge, beneath which Hezbollah has a massive underground complex, where some 30 operatives are holed up.

The military has said it will “not allow Hezbollah terrorists to exit the underground tunnel network or move in the area of the ridge.”

غارة إسرائيلية استهدفت منطقة النبطية الفوقا جنوب لبنان pic.twitter.com/BTMyBcqqTN

— هنا لبنان (@thisislebnews) July 5, 2026

Syria postpones first session of new parliament

Syrian authorities have postponed the first meeting of the country’s new transitional parliament, days after announcing the inaugural session was scheduled for Monday.

“The convening of the first session of the people’s assembly has been postponed to a date to be determined later,” state television reports, citing an electoral official and without specifying a reason.

Syria’s new authorities dissolved the country’s rubber-stamp legislature after toppling longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, and adopted a temporary constitutional declaration to cover a five-year transition period.

In October last year, in a process criticized as undemocratic, local committees appointed by the electoral commission — which was in turn appointed by President Ahmed al-Sharaa — began selecting two-thirds of the 210 members of the new parliament, with Sharaa to appoint the remaining third.

He appointed 70 members this week.

Druze-majority Sweida province in the south has still not designated its members, after sectarian bloodshed there last year. Electoral authorities have said the selection process would be held there when conditions are “appropriate.”

Public warned to keep away from pufferfish proliferating in Mediterranean

The Israel Nature and Parks Authority warns the public not to touch pufferfish found on the sand on Mediterranean beaches. The fish, known in Hebrew and Arabic as Abu Nafha, has venomous spines that can be highly painful if touched. It can also be deadly if eaten.

The pufferfish is an invasive species that came to Israeli waters via the Suez Canal.

¹אזהרה ‼️ בחופי קיסריה נמצא דג רעיל מת.
בעלי הכלבים, הרחיקו את הכלבים מהדג – נגיסה בו עלולה להסתיים במותו של הכלב

▪️דיווח שהתקבל בימים האחרונים באפליקציית SeaWatch של החברה להגנת הטבע חשף מקרה נוסף של הימצאות דג לגינון מוארך (Lagocephalus sceleratus), ממשפחת אבו־נפחאיים, בחוף pic.twitter.com/NeFhp6HPdY

— Judeoespañol ???????? (@Judeoespanol) May 28, 2025

The Authority asks fishermen not to leave any such fish on the shoreline if caught accidentally.

“It is the duty of adults and children alike to know not to touch fish found in the sand,” says Rotem Sadeh, marine district manager for the Northern Region and Israel Nature and Parks Authority.

Central Elections Committee plans live broadcast of vote-counting for ‘most transparent election ever’

Central Election Committee workers count the final ballots at Knesset on November 3, 2022 (Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90)

The acting director of the Central Elections Committee says he plans a live broadcast of the vote-counting in the upcoming election, to increase public trust in the process and the results.

Din Livne tells Kan he plans to ensure the national vote in October is “the most transparent election ever.”

He warns that the country’s enemies hope to sow discord and “preemptively delegitimize the election results.”

One step to counter this, he says, is to broadcast the count conducted at the Knesset on election night — when officials of the CEC aggregate the results from polling stations around the country to produce the final national tally.

“Anyone who wants to watch will be able to do so. I will also livestream the room where the double-envelope ballots are stored. There are between 600,000 and 700,000 double-envelope ballots, and anyone who wants to see how they are handled will be able to watch live on our website.”

Double-envelope ballots are cast by members of security forces, prisoners, hospital patients and staff, diplomats serving abroad, residents of senior-citizen and assisted living facilities, and people who voted at polling stations for those with physical disabilities.

“It may be a bit boring” to watch, Livne says, “but anyone entertaining one conspiracy theory or another will be able to see that there is absolutely no basis for them.”

Livne stresses that there is “no” way an election could be rigged, but says the danger is that the public could believe otherwise.

“There are now advanced technological tools that make it much, much easier to convince people that what happened didn’t happen — and that the opposite did,” he says.

Police announce arrest of 4 suspects in deadly Umm al-Fahm shooting

Police announce the arrest of four suspects in the deadly shooting in the northern Arab town of Umm al-Fahm this morning.

The statement doesn’t identify the suspects, say where they were arrested, or specify a suspected motive for the shooting, which killed a man and moderately wounded another.

The Umm al-Fahm shooting took place shortly after another man was shot dead in the Arab town of Deir Hanna, also in northern Israel.

The Abraham Initiatives coexistence watchdog names the men killed in Deir Hanna and Umm al-Fahm as Muhammad Halayla and Muhammad Kassab, respectively.

Their deaths bring the number of Arab homicide victims in Israel this year to 152, an 18% increase over the 128 Arab homicide victims by this time in 2025, which was the community’s bloodiest year on record, according to the watchdog.

IDF veteran who self-immolated urges Knesset to prioritize combat soldiers, not Torah study

Itzik Saidyan, an IDF veteran who self-immolated outside the Defense Ministry’s Rehabilitation Department for wounded soldiers in 2021, tells a Knesset committee that the nation must give the highest priority to those who serve on the front lines.

“With all due respect to the value of Torah and military service, the correction that is most needed here is to give supreme value to those who went into battle, those who sacrificed their lives, who were willing to die,” Saidyan says in a passionate speech to the Knesset House Committee, as it debates the proposed Basic Law declaring Torah study a foundational value of the State of Israel.

“There are people who, in practice, are perhaps 10 percent [of the population] according to the data, who go into battle. They lost friends right before their eyes. They collected bodies. They sacrificed everything – everything – not in theory, in the line of fire,” he says.

חובת צפייה – איציק סעידיאן זועק, לוחם גולני והלום קרב, זועק מדם ליבו בחוק יסוד לימוד תורה – ״התיקון היחיד שצריך לעשות זה לקבוע כערך עליון את מי שיצא לקרב, את שהקריב את החיים שלו והיה מוכן למות!״ pic.twitter.com/8ZArZwes5I

— דפנה ליאל (@DaphnaLiel) July 5, 2026

“And you bring the Torah here, there’s no problem… but the first thing, the very first priority is the fighters, the ones who go into battle… those who were in the line of fire, who were injured… who lost part of their body and soul…. who feel that the state has forgotten them,” Saidyan says. “They need to feel every day when they wake up in the morning that the state appreciates and recognizes them.”

The proposed Basic Law is intended to shield Haredi draft evaders from sanctions and prosecution. Some 80,000 ultra-Orthodox men aged between 18 and 24 are currently believed to be eligible for military service, but have not enlisted, despite a persistent IDF manpower shortage. Absent a constitution, Basic Laws in Israel have the highest legal status in the country.

Saidyan’s 2021 self-immolation attracted national attention to the plight of IDF veterans traumatized by events that happened during their military service. At the time, Saidyan spoke about his years-long struggle to receive the care he sought for PTSD, which he said stemmed from his service in the military.

The Defense Ministry warned last week that the Rehabilitation Department could “collapse” under the weight of the growing number of casualties, urging the government to immediately implement the recommendations recently made by a public committee.

The ministry said approximately 26,200 wounded IDF soldiers and security personnel have sought treatment through its Rehabilitation Department since the war began on October 7, 2023, and that the total number of wounded from all of Israel’s wars under the department’s care is expected to surpass 90,000 in 2026, a more than 40% increase within three years.

High Court orders Netanyahu to justify employment of acting PMO director who’s under police investigation

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seen after a court hearing in his trial, at the Jerusalem District Court, June 29, 2026. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

The High Court of Justice issues a conditional order against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in response to a petition asking the court to have Drorit Steinmetz cease serving as acting director of the Prime Minister’s Office.

The court gave Netanyahu until August 13 to file his response to the court.

Steinmetz, who is considered close to the Netanyahu family, particularly the premier’s wife, Sara, has been serving as acting director since February 2025, and her position has been renewed every three months.

The Movement for Integrity in Government has petitioned the High Court to oust Steinmetz because she’s being investigated on suspicion of theft by a public servant, false registration in corporate documents, fraudulent receipt of a benefit under aggravated circumstances, and fraud and breach of trust.

The suspicions against Steinmetz stem from her alleged role in a scandal involving Social Equality Minister May Golan, specifically allegations that she secured a job for Golan’s media adviser Harel Hershkowitz, the grandson of former civil service commissioner Daniel Hershkowitz. The senior Hershkowitz was replaced earlier this month by Doron Cohen.

In first, government says it won’t heed High Court ruling, raising fears of constitutional crisis

(L-R) Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi at the Knesset in Jerusalem, on May 25, 2026; Justice Minister Yariv Levin in Jerusalem, July 5, 2026 (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

The government approves a declaration in cabinet stating that it will not respect a High Court of Justice decision last month that allows the Council of the Second Authority commercial broadcasting regulatory body to continue operating despite lacking a two-thirds quorum of members.

The declaration could create a constitutional crisis if the Council of the Second Authority makes decisions that the court would consider valid but that the government rejects, a situation that could create legal anarchy.

In a resolution proposed by Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi and Justice Minister Yariv Levin, the government states that it will not recognize any decisions made by the Second Authority’s council in its current status.

“Today, the government unanimously approved a proposal… declaring that it will not recognize any decision, approval, appointment, or action taken by the Council of the Second Authority as long as the council does not meet the explicit minimum requirements established by law,” the declaration states.

The government argues that the court order violates one of the provisions of the 1990 law for the Second Authority, and says that “the government has determined that the rule of law obligates all governmental authorities, including the court,” and that “a ruling that directly contradicts the clear language of the law cannot confer authority that does not exist under the law.”

In June, the High Court issued an especially sharp ruling against Karhi, freezing the government’s decision to change the composition of the Council of the Second Authority.

It also ruled that the council could continue to operate without a quorum after several members of the council resigned, saying that it suspected that the members resigned to deliberately stymie the council’s operations and a court ruling in May on the matter.

The court ruled therefore that these resignations would not count toward the necessary quorum for the council ‘s operations, meaning that the council could continue to carry out its functions.

The court stated that its ruling was justified due to what it said was the “deliberate obstruction and paralysis of the council’s operations” Karhi ostensibly orchestrated in the wake of the court’s interim order in May.

Zamir tours Beaufort Castle and nearby Hezbollah tunnel, says IDF ready for offensive if ceasefire violated

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir is seen at the Beaufort Castle in southern Lebanon, July 5, 2026. (Israel Defense Forces)

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir toured the Beaufort Castle area in southern Lebanon this morning, including a major Hezbollah tunnel system built beneath the ridge, the military says.

Zamir says the Beaufort Ridge is a strategic area that is “saturated with terror infrastructure,” according to remarks provided by the IDF.

“The Hezbollah terror organization, financed and directed by Iran, built underground routes in the area over the course of decades to threaten the northern communities. Our forces now control the key terrain aboveground and these underground routes belowground,” he says.

Zamir says that the Lebanese army “is required to fulfill its commitment under the historic agreement that was signed, and act to clear the area of Hezbollah terrorists,” referring to areas in southern Lebanon outside of the IDF’s control

“At the same time, the IDF will continue to operate decisively to remove threats in Lebanese territory and is prepared to launch a rapid offensive if the ceasefire is violated,” he adds.

Israel appoints first-ever resident ambassador to Slovenia amid warming ties

Israel says it has named its first-ever resident ambassador to Slovenia, signaling a diplomatic reset after Ljubljana’s change of government.

Ties between Israel and Slovenia had soured under the previous center-left government of prime minister Robert Golob, but have warmed significantly since conservative Prime Minister Janez Jansa took office.

The Foreign Ministry announces that Ruth Cohen‑Dar — until now non-resident ambassador to Slovenia and Malta — will become the country’s first permanent envoy in Ljubljana.

The move follows Israel’s decision last month to open an embassy in Slovenia.

“The decision to establish the embassy was made after many years of a downturn in relations between Israel and Slovenia, and following the formation of a new government in Slovenia headed by Janez Jansa, a friend of Israel,” the ministry says.

Slovenia’s new conservative-led government lifted an arms embargo on Israel, scrapped entry bans on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and two of his ministers, and reversed a ban on imports from settlements in the West Bank. Jansa’s government has also removed a Palestinian flag symbolically displayed on the government building since Slovenia recognized Palestinian statehood in 2024.

More than 1 million Israelis waited over a month to see medical specialist, says CBS

The Central Bureau of Statistics says that more one million Israelis who required a medical specialist in 2025 were forced to wait more than a month for an appointment.

Among those seeking specialist care, 24 percent -— about 800,000 people -— waited between one and three months, while nearly 10%, exceeding 300,000 Israelis, languished on waitlists for more than three months, according to Ynet.

Long delays were particularly acute in specific specialties. Sixty-seven percent of patients seeking a gastroenterologist waited over two weeks, alongside 62% for internal medicine specialists, and 60% each for neurologists and urologists.

The survey also found that 1.2 million Israelis aged 20 and over, or 19 percent of the adult population, turned to private medical care for their health needs.

The survey also found that some 1.5 million citizens, representing a quarter of the population, believe the quality of care in public hospitals is poor.

Iran and Qatar resume maritime trade after 5-month suspension, Iranian state media reports

Maritime trade between Iran and Qatar has resumed after a roughly five-month suspension, Iran’s commercial attaché in Doha tells state media.

Abbas Abdolkhani says shipping between Iran’s Dayyer port and Qatar’s Al Ruwais port resumed following coordination between the Iranian embassy in Doha and Qatari authorities.

Hendel not expected to run with Gantz and Simhi amid Haredi coalition dispute

(L-R) Yoaz Hendel in Petah Tikva, May 10, 2026 (Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90) Blue and White chief MK Benny Gantz at the Knesset on June 29, 2026 (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90) and Dedy Simhi in Jerusalem, July 5, 2026 (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90 )

Talks between Yoaz Hendel’s Reservists party and an emerging alliance led by Blue and White chairman Benny Gantz and political newcomer Dedy Simhi have collapsed over disagreements about joining a possible future coalition with the ultra-Orthodox parties, according to Hebrew media reports.

Hendel is now reportedly in advanced talks with former Blue and White MK Chili Tropper, who left Gantz’s party in May, as well as senior lawmaker Yuli Edelstein, who quit Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party yesterday and has been reported to be forming a new right-wing breakaway party from Likud along with former Likud minister and UN Ambassador Gilad Erdan, and current Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel.

A Reservists spokesperson tells The Times of Israel that there is no update on the party’s plans, saying that it has been holding “a series of meetings with various figures” in recent weeks while Hendel, a reserve battalion commander, remains on active duty and that “no decision will be made until he returns.”

Last month, amid widespread speculation that Hendel, Gantz and Simhi were close to announcing a joint run, The Times of Israel reported that the negotiations had stalled over a fundamental disagreement between Hendel and Simhi over the possibility of joining a coalition that includes the ultra-Orthodox parties.

Hendel, who founded the fledgling Reservists last year to pass a universal draft law, has repeatedly ruled out joining a coalition with the Haredi parties, which are campaigning to preserve draft exemptions for ultra-Orthodox men.

Simhi, by contrast, is willing to join a government with the Haredi parties, and has said that his primary goal is forming a “broad Zionist government” and preventing another election.

Gantz has used similar rhetoric, rejecting any coalition dependent on outside support from Arab parties but not explicitly ruled out sitting with the Haredi parties.

With neither Blue and White nor the Reservists polling above the 3.25% electoral threshold for months, a joint list including Gantz, Simhi and Hendel was projected to win seven seats, allowing both parties to comfortably enter the Knesset.

Israel eases licensing barriers for new immigrant psychologists

The government has approved a plan to ease licensing requirements for immigrant psychologists, allowing officials to be more flexible in evaluating psychology degrees, clinical training and professional experience obtained outside Israel.

Under the decision, put forward by Health Minister Haim Katz and Immigration and Absorption Minister Ofir Sofer, licensing authorities will be able to consider differences in psychology training programs across countries and to recognize foreign qualifications as equivalent to Israeli requirements when they meet legal and professional standards.

About 50 psychologists from around the world have already applied this year to immigrate to Israel and practice their profession, the ministries say. The new policy will allow professional committees to begin reviewing their credentials even before they arrive in the country.

The move follows other recent efforts to remove licensing barriers for regulated professions and comes amid a widespread lack of psychologists to deal with the mental health crisis since October 7, 2023.

Immigrants have long complained that Israel’s lengthy licensing processes for professions like medicine, engineering, social work, education, and finance prevent them from finding jobs in their fields, and in some cases, discourage them from moving to Israel.

More than 1,000 immigrant physicians have joined Israel’s health system over the past two years through initiatives designed to streamline the process, the Immigration and Absorption Ministry says.

Cargo ship under attack southwest of Yemen’s Hodeidah, maritime agency says

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations says it received a report of an incident 30 nautical miles southwest of Yemen’s Hodeidah, where a cargo vessel triggered a distress alert stating it was under attack by unknown armed assailants.

Authorities were investigating, and vessels were advised to transit with caution and report any suspicious activity to UKMTO, the agency says.

Government approves PM’s appointment of Ofir Levy as deputy head of National Security Council

Ofir Levy in an undated image (Yehuda Weinberg/PMO)

The government approves Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s appointment of Ofir Levy as deputy head of the National Security Council, the Prime Minister’s Office announces.

Levy will replace Gil Reich, who has completed his tenure, following a recommendation by recently appointed National Security Council chief Shmuel Ben Ezra. Reich was also serving as acting national security adviser after Tzachi Hanegbi was removed from the role in October, amid reported disagreements with the premier over Israel’s policies during the war against Hamas in Gaza.

Levy previously held roles as head of doctrine for the Armored Corps, commander of the 679th Reserve Brigade, and deputy commander of the 210th Golan Heights Regional Division, and served as a border defense consultant for Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, the PMO adds.

His appointment to the key role in Israeli security policy is for a five-year term and may be extended for additional periods, provided that the total duration of the appointment does not exceed ten years, according to the PMO.

2 Hamas operatives ‘advancing attacks’ on troops killed in Gaza strikes last week, IDF says

Two Hamas operatives who were advancing attacks on troops in Gaza were killed in strikes last week, the military announces.

The strikes killed Muhammad Najib Ashour, a platoon commander in Hamas’s Nukhba Force, and Tamer Saeed Abu Nakhal, a commander of a cell in Hamas’s military wing, according to the IDF.

“The two terrorists, who were involved in advancing attacks against IDF troops, posed a threat to the troops and were subsequently eliminated in precise strikes,” the military says.

No further details on the strikes, including when and where in the Strip they were carried out, are provided by the IDF.

צה"ל חיסל שני מחבלים שקידמו מתווי טרור נגד כוחותינו ברצועת עזה

בשתי תקיפות ברצועת עזה בשבוע שעבר, צה"ל חיסל את המחבל מוחמד נגיב עאשור, מפקד מחלקת נוח'בה מהזרוע הצבאית של ארגון הטרור חמאס, ואת המחבל תאמר סעיד אבו נחל, ראש חולייה מהזרוע הצבאית של ארגון הטרור חמאס.

שני המחבלים היו… pic.twitter.com/enlICvEddh

— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) July 5, 2026

Houthis killed 14 Yemeni government troops in attack south of Hodeidah, official says

Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels killed 14 troops in an attack south of the port city of Hodeidah, a military official aligned with the country’s internationally-recognized government says.

The official says pro-government forces had repelled the attack in Hays district, south of Hodeidah, in “clashes lasting for several hours at dawn on Saturday.”

He adds “fighting resulted in dead and wounded among (Houthi) ranks,” without specifying the number killed in the opposing force.

The Houthis have been at war with the government since 2015 in a conflict that has killed hundreds of thousands of people and triggered a major humanitarian crisis in Yemen.

The rebels control Yemen’s capital Sanaa and much of the north, including Hodeidah on Yemen’s western Red Sea coast, while the internationally recognized government holds much of the south.

The fighting between the two sides has largely been frozen since a UN-negotiated truce in 2022.

But on Friday the Houthis threatened airports and vital assets belonging to Saudi Arabia, a key backer of Yemen’s Aden-based government.

The rebel group, part of Iran’s “axis of resistance” against Israel and the United States, accused the kingdom of trying to stop an Iranian plane from landing.

After 7-day pause, Qatar says all maritime activities to resume immediately

Qatar says that maritime activities will resume with immediate effect, according to a Transport Ministry statement posted on X.

This reverses a June 29 advisory that had urged all vessels to suspend sailing and maritime activities until further notice.

Qatar did not provide a reason behind the original measure, but it came a day after it said one of its nationals had been killed after sustaining injuries from shrapnel due to “military operations in the region,” following the disappearance of his vessel.

Mojtaba Khamenei still absent on day 2 of father’s funeral in Tehran

Vehicles drive past a billboard showing the late Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Islamic Revolution Square in Tehran, Iran, July 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

Iran’s new Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei appears not to be in attendance on the second day of his father’s funeral in Tehran.

Three of Ali Khamenei’s sons — Masoud, Meysam and Mostafa — who hadn’t been seen since the war, are present at the mass prayer event.

Khamenei has not been seen in public since he was seriously injured — and his father, wife, and son were killed — in the opening strikes of the US-Israeli bombing campaign in Iran on February 28.

According to a New York Times report yesterday, Mojtaba Khamenei was absent from a memorial for his wife in Tehran on Wednesday.

He seeks to attend his father’s burial on Thursday in Mashhad and perform funeral rites, but has so far been refused due to concerns he could be targeted by Israel, the Times said, citing two unnamed Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps members and a person involved with planning the multi-day funeral.

טהראן: ילדיו של ח'אמנאי ליד ארונו של האב במהלך אירועי ההלוויה – ללא אחיהם מוג'תבא pic.twitter.com/fEwcxLAqlG

— החדשות – N12 (@N12News) July 5, 2026

Agencies contributed to this report.

Settlers said to steal cash from Palestinian restaurant near Nablus, then set it ablaze

Palestinians inspect the remains of a restaurant that was set on fire overnight by Israeli settlers near the West Bank town of Salfit, July 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammad)

The Palestinian news agency Wafa reports that settlers broke into a restaurant near Nablus overnight and stole cash before setting it on fire, completely destroying it.

The restaurant’s owner, who also serves as the head of the Lubban ash-Sharqiya village council, Yaqub Oweis, tells Wafa that the damage is estimated at a cost of around NIS 1 million (approximately $330,000).

مليشيات المستوطنين هاجمت فجر اليوم مقهى أمام جامعة الزيتونة في منطقة وادي الشاعر ضمن أراضي قرية اللبن الشرقية جنوب نابلس pic.twitter.com/hWk722saSs

— Ultra Palestine – الترا فلسطين (@palestineultra) July 5, 2026

Channel 12 news office door smashed in attack by masked assailant in Tel Aviv

The glass door to the offices of Channel 12 news in Tel Aviv has been smashed in an overnight attack.

According to the broadcaster, security camera footage shows a masked suspect approaching the building holding a brick, before throwing it at the doors.

The attack comes amid a sharp uptick in incitement against journalists.

Reports say police have opened an investigation into the attack, which comes a month after graffiti inciting violence was daubed near the office.

הדלת בכניסה לחדשות 12 בתל אביב נופצה, כמה שבועות אחרי שרוססו שם כתובות גרפיטי מאיימות pic.twitter.com/rGjKI57pba

— לירי בורק שביט (@lirishavit) July 5, 2026

תיעוד:
אלמוני רעול פנים מנפץ את דלת הכניסה לאולפני חדשות 12, הלילה בת"א.
במשטרה פתחו בחקירה pic.twitter.com/VsHXPNMGR4

— Josh Breiner (@JoshBreiner) July 5, 2026

Fireworks spark brief blaze on Brooklyn Bridge; no injuries reported

Crowds enjoy a fireworks show from Brooklyn Bridge Park in the Brooklyn borough of New York, July 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Anna Connors)

Firefighters put out a blaze after the Brooklyn Bridge briefly caught fire during a firework display to mark the 250th anniversary of American independence.

There are no reports of injuries.

Fire breaks out on Brooklyn Bridge following fireworks display https://t.co/sXqV7DqZkM pic.twitter.com/wv7klvc9Z7

— New York Post (@nypost) July 5, 2026

Minister confirms Israel deployed Iron Dome battery to UAE during war

An Iron Dome Missile battery in central Israel on May 10, 2023 (Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)

Transportation Minister Miri Regev confirms that Israel deployed an Iron Dome battery to the United Arab Emirates early in the war with Iran.

“They understood that the ballistic missiles were one of the biggest challenges,” she tells Army Radio.

While Regev is the first Israeli official to publicly state that the missile defense system was sent to the UAE, US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee confirmed the move in May.

During the US-Israel war on Iran, Tehran launched sustained attacks on the UAE, firing some 550 ballistic and cruise missiles and more than 2,200 drones, according to the Emirati defense ministry, making it the most targeted country in the region, including Israel.

In April, Axios first reported that Israel had deployed the battery along with troops to operate it.

IRGC head and Quds Force commander attend funeral prayers for Khamenei

Shiite cleric Ayatollah Jafar Sobhani leads a funeral prayer at Tehran’s Grand Mosalla for late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and his family members.

Also in attendance are Khamenei’s sons Masoud, Meysam and Mostafa, as well as Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf and Revolutionary Guard head Gen. Ahmad Vahidi. Also there was Esmail Qaani, who leads the Guard’s expeditionary Quds Force.

But not attending was Iran’s new supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, another of Khamenei’s sons. He’s believed to be in hiding after reportedly being wounded in the airstrike that killed his father. Israel has threatened to kill him as well.

מפקד כוח קודס אסמאעיל קאאני ומפקד משמרות המהפכה אחמד וחידי נוכחים הבוקר בטקס הפרידה מח'אמנאי pic.twitter.com/GWdUjnf3SE

— החדשות – N12 (@N12News) July 5, 2026

Trump mixes patriotism with partisanship as he celebrates ‘glorious’ 250th independence anniversary

US President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump arrive at the Salute to America, an Independence Day event honoring the nation's 250th anniversary, July 4, 2026, on the National Mall in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

US President Donald Trump mixes partisan politics with patriotic appeals as he commemorates the 250th anniversary of American independence, a moment he declared “one of the most joyous and glorious milestones of all time.”

Speaking in Washington after storms prompted a roughly two-hour evacuation of the National Mall, Trump honors veterans, including several from World War II and one of the first Black officers to lead a Special Forces team in combat in Vietnam. They appear before flags that symbolized some of the most significant and challenging moments in American history, from the one that was draped over Abraham Lincoln’s casket to the one that flew on the plane piloted by the Wright Brothers.

Yet Trump also leans into partisan territory unusual for an Independence Day address, which presidents typically use as a moment to unify the country. Instead, he stumps again for the SAVE America Act, an elections bill that’s encountering challenges even from Trump’s fellow Republicans in Congress. He highlights his support for the Second Amendment and revived denunciations of communism, which are becoming an increasingly central part of Trump’s message ahead of the November midterms.

The speech caps a holiday that Trump has gone to great lengths to shape to his own tastes. He was introduced by two musical performers who often appear at his trademark rallies, including Lee Greenwood, who performed “God Bless America.” The event organizers were largely aligned with the White House, supplanting a bipartisan organization that was launched by Congress a decade ago.

“We will always be on top,” Trump says. “We will never let our country fall. We will always be the best.”

Call for Trump’s death draws cheers as huge crowd gathers for 2nd day of Khamenei’s funeral

Mourners gather beneath a portrait of the late Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during the funeral ceremonies for Khamenei and members of his family at the Imam Khomeini Mosalla Grand Mosque in Tehran, Iran, July 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

A performer at the funeral for Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei calls for the death of US President Donald Trump before a crowd of hundreds of thousands of people in the capital, Tehran.

The comment represents the first, direct call for Trump’s death by an emcee at the funeral, which has seen posters and graffiti calling for the killing of Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. That’s been a hard-line demand even as Tehran negotiates with the US over a permanent end to the war that’s disrupted global energy supplies.

Mohammad Rasouli, a poet, drew calls of “Death to America!” and “Death to Israel!”

Speaking to the crowd over loudspeakers at the funeral, Rasouli asks, referring to Trump: “Why is the most bastard man in the world still alive?”

The question drew cheers from the crowd.

A far-larger crowd for the funeral than yesterday is attending the ceremony.

Man killed in Umm al-Fahm, in night’s second deadly shooting in Arab community

A man in his 30s has been shot dead in Umm al-Fahm, in the night’s second deadly shooting in the Arab community, Hebrew media reports.

Magen David Adom says the man was found dead in his car, and a second man has been moderately wounded and taken to Haemek hospital in Afula.

Police officers are at the scene to search for suspects and collect evidence, with the force saying the shooting is criminal in nature and circumstances are being looked into.

Earlier, a man in his 50s was shot dead in Deir Hanna, near Sakhnin.

Man shot dead in Galilee, marking Arab community’s 150th homicide fatality this year

A man in his 50s has been shot dead in his car in Deir Hanna in the Galilee, near Sakhnin, with police believing it is a criminal hit, Hebrew media reports.

Magen David Adom medics have pronounced the man dead at the scene, and an investigation has been launched, the reports say.

According to figures from the Abraham Initiatives group, which tracks Arab sector homicides, 150 members of the community have been killed so far this year, after the minority saw its deadliest year on record in 2025, with 252 killed in violent circumstances.

2 men arrested after pointing fake gun at synagogue-goers in Sydney

Two men have been arrested and allegedly charged after pointing a fake gun toward Jewish worshipers at a synagogue in Sydney’s Double Bay neighborhood, Australian media reports.

The reports say police were called to the scene at 12:10 p.m. on Saturday, as congregants at the Chabad synagogue were gathered outside after the end of Shabbat prayers.

Officers tracked and cornered the offenders’ car, found an imitation pistol which they took for forensic examination, and took the suspects, aged 22 and 25, to a police station for questioning, the reports say.

Cops took statements from people who had been outside the synagogue when the incident occurred.

Australia ????????

Two men are in custody in Sydney after a man in a vehicle allegedly pointed what appeared to be a firearm toward Jewish worshippers gathered outside Chabad Double Bay during Shabbat.

Police were called to Kiaora Road in Double Bay around midday, then tracked the… pic.twitter.com/wb7QBmxFYX

— TheJewishAlly (@TheJewishAlly) July 4, 2026

The synagogue’s Rabbi Yanky Berger tells congregants in an email after Shabbat that the suspects are “French nationals working as Uber Eats drivers,” who “have been charged with several offences.”

He says the fake firearm has been determined to be a water gun, and it was pointed toward the security guard who belongs to a local community security group (CSG).

“I want to reassure everyone that our CSG security team and NSW Police responded quickly and professionally. There is no ongoing threat, and we will keep the community informed should there be any further updates,” he says.

Double Bay is located in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs, not far from Bondi Beach, which in December saw an antisemitic mass shooting at a Hanukkah event that left 15 people dead.

Lawyer for Gaza hospital chief and Hamas officer Hussam Abu Safiya warns his life is in immediate danger

Kamal Adwan Hospital director Hussam Abu Safiya, in an undated screenshot taken from a Democracy Now video posted to YouTube on January 14, 2025 (Democracy Now screenshot/YouTube)

The health of Gaza hospital chief Hussam Abu Safiya, a Hamas officer, has recently deteriorated sharply in Israeli detention, to the point of danger to his life, the Physicians for Human Rights group claims.

The assessment is made after a visit made Thursday by Abu Safiya’s lawyer, Nasser Odeh, to the underground Rakefet interrogation facility in Nitzan Prison, to which the director of Kamal Adwan Hospital was transferred on June 24, the group says in a statement.

It says Odeh claimed in his affidavit that Abu Safiya “bore fresh, severe injuries to his head, around his eyes, and on his ears and neck — to the extent that his lawyer initially struggled to recognize him.”

Abu Safiya “experienced difficulty breathing,” appeared “extremely weak, struggled to sit upright without falling, and on several occasions seemed on the verge of losing consciousness,” and seemed “frightened” and “reluctant to speak freely due to fear of being targeted,” the attorney is said to have written.

“Based on these direct observations, Attorney Odeh concluded that Dr. Abu Safiya’s life is in immediate danger,” Physicians for Human Rights says, alleging that since being transferred to Rakefet, “he has been subjected to daily beatings, resulting in several instances of loss of consciousness, but without receiving appropriate medical treatment.”

He is quoted as saying during the meeting with his lawyer: “This is the last time you will see me… They brought me here to kill me. I don’t see myself surviving. This is the end.”

The group urges Abu Safiya’s immediate transfer to a different facility, an urgent visit by authorities to assess his condition, and “an urgent independent medical examination.”

The Israel Prisons Service comments, according to Haaretz, that it “operates in accordance with the law and under constant judicial review,” adding: “Every complaint received is examined and treated in accordance with protocol and in accordance with the law.”

Abu Safiya was arrested by Israeli forces during the war in Gaza in December 2024 and is one of the most prominent Gazan detainees. He is being held in solitary confinement and rights groups have called for his release.

He holds the rank of colonel in the Hamas Military Medical Services, according to the service itself and Palestinian media reports. A photograph from 2016 showing him wearing a Hamas uniform and sitting next to senior members of the terror group emerged after his arrest.

Last month, the Supreme Court rejected Abu Safiya’s appeal against his ongoing detention, ruling that he can continue to be held under Israel’s law for unlawful combatants despite criminal charges not having been brought against him. The text of the decision and its reasoning have yet to be released.

Report: Hamas decides to stall for time in talks for Gaza’s future, waiting for Knesset election results

The Hamas terror group has decided to stall for time in negotiations for its disarmament and for the implementation of US President Donald Trump’s plan for postwar Gaza, recognizing that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is doing the same due to the upcoming Knesset election, the Kan public broadcaster reports.

The outlet cites an internal document discussed in the past few days by the Palestinian jihadist movement. It says Hamas believes Netanyahu views any concession on Gaza as political suicide, and that he therefore is intentionally stalling in the indirect negotiations, which haven’t made meaningful progress in months.

Kan reports that the document reveals a proposal made to Hamas by mediators Qatar and Turkey, suggesting that the terror group show flexibility by making “tactical concessions,” including on its weapons. The mediators expected Netanyahu to reject any reciprocal concession due to electoral concerns, resulting in Hamas appearing to be the more cooperative side.

However, the report adds, Hamas decided after extensive discussions to reject this proposal, fearing that any concession it makes will become a starting point for future pressure to make further concessions.

Therefore, Hamas decided to adopt a strategy mirroring Israel’s — to stall for time until the end of 2026, and to see how the next Israeli government shapes up, the report concludes.

Masked Patriot Front white nationalists stage July 4 march through DC

Members of the US white supremacist group Patriot Front enter Eastern Market metro station on July 4, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Finn Gomez / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)

Hundreds of masked members of the white nationalist group Patriot Front march through parts of Washington, DC, ahead of Independence Day festivities planned for the evening.

The group posts on social media that it arrived in the capital with about 400 members, and Reuters photographers report seeing hundreds of people dressed in Patriot Front outfits traveling on DC Metro trains.

Videos posted on various social media platforms and shared on Patriot Front’s own Telegram channel show the group marching to drummers near the US Capitol building while wearing khaki pants and caps, blue shirts, white face coverings and sunglasses. Many were carrying the group’s flag, Confederate flags, and variations of the American flag, at times chanting “Reclaim America.”

Hundreds of masked members of the white suprematist, neo-fascist, extremist group Patriot Front marched across areas of Downtown Washington, D.C. earlier this morning, in the lead up to today’s celebrations for the Fourth of July. Members of the group gathered and chanted hate… pic.twitter.com/jl7Bqa47ZR

— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) July 4, 2026

Around midday, they boarded Metro trains and exited at New Carrollton, Maryland, in Washington’s northeast suburbs.

The Patriot Front, known for its uniforms, face masks and flash mob-style demonstrations, formed in 2017 after the deadly “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, at which they infamously chanted, “Jews will not replace us,” breaking off from the Vanguard America white supremacist group that was at the center of that protest, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center.

A manifesto on the Patriot Front website says, “Democracy has failed this once great nation,” and a “hard reset” is needed to “return to the traditions and virtues of our forefathers,” identifying them as European settlers.