Chief of Staff in Gaza: 'We will dismantle Hamas'

www.israelnationalnews.com/news/432221

IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir says IDF will continue dismantling Hamas and demilitarizing Gaza: ‘Those who took part in the 10/7 massacre will be hunted down until they are all eliminated.'

https://video.a7.org/media/a7radio/misc/video/26/aug/fe7871a27f294d78bda9ce27dc56716b.webm

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir conducted a tour of Gaza on Tuesday together with Southern Command Chief Maj. Gen. Yaniv Asor, Gaza Division Commander Brig. Gen. Liron Bitito, and brigade and battalion commanders.

During the tour, Zamir spoke with commanders, who briefed him on the operational situation and the activities of IDF forces in the area.

Zamir expressed his appreciation for the soldiers and commanders operating in Gaza to protect Israeli civilians. Referring to the ongoing campaign, he said: “In about a month and a half, we will mark three years since October 7. Three years in which the IDF has faced a complex, continuous, multi-front campaign-in Gaza, Judea and Samaria, Lebanon, Syria, Iran, and additional arenas."

He added: “This is a very significant challenge for the IDF, and we have achieved extraordinary results on every front and in every sector. Our forces have prevailed in every battle, significantly weakened all our enemies, and struck their capabilities and infrastructure. We continue to prepare and remain vigilant on all fronts, understanding that the campaign is not over."

Zamir addressed the IDF’s objectives in Gaza, stating: “In Gaza, we are not giving up on the overriding objective-demilitarizing Gaza and dismantling Hamas, using all necessary means. We continue to systematically target Hamas and its leaders wherever they are, as part of an ongoing campaign to prevent it from rebuilding its strength."

The IDF chief also addressed the pursuit of terrorists who participated in the October 7 massacre: “The pursuit of the October 7 terrorists continues. Anyone who took part in the massacre will be hunted down until they are all eliminated. This is a long-term mission to which the command and the entire IDF are committed."

Zamir said the IDF has changed its approach following the October 7 attacks: “Our message is clear: We investigated and are learning the lessons. The IDF will not return to the concepts we experienced on October 6. There will be no containment of threats."

“We will not allow the enemy to rebuild itself, we will not allow terrorist infrastructure to become established, and we will act whenever possible to eliminate threats as they emerge," he said.

“We are listening to the voices of the residents, understand their concerns, and will know how to reach anyone behind a threat against them," Zamir said. “Our forces are deployed on the front lines ahead of the communities and continue to thwart terrorist infrastructure and terrorists."

Zamir also addressed the movement of forces between different fronts, noting that only about three months ago he had met commanders of the Givati Brigade and 401st Brigade on the northern border. “Now you are here, continuing to deepen the achievements in Gaza. Southern Command and the division continue to precisely thwart threats whenever the opportunity arises."

The IDF chief praised the forces’ activities, saying: “There are tremendous achievements here, based on the determined and uncompromising activity of the forces on the ground. This is also not the first time I have met the reservist battalion of the 11th Brigade. The battalion is mobilized for 90 days in this round. I am aware of the extraordinary burden on reservists and their families. We are committed to continuing to act on your behalf."

North Macedonia Strengthens Relations With Israel

https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-906494

North Macedonia has made ties with Israel a foreign-policy priority

Foreign Minister Timčo Mucunski tells The Jerusalem Post that his first official visit to Israel is intended to take already “excellent” relations to the next level

North Macedonia has made strengthening relations with Israel a priority of its foreign policy and is seeking to expand cooperation in areas ranging from defense and investment to tourism and water management, Foreign Minister Timčo Mucunski told The Jerusalem Post during his first official visit to Israel.

Mucunski spoke to the Post in Jerusalem following talks with Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, during a short visit focused heavily on expanding bilateral ties.

“We have had a very strong relationship with Israel, but also myself with Gideon, over the last few years,” Mucunski said. “I think that this visit is an opportunity to move the bilateral relationship to the next step, to move from a place where we’re at right now, which is excellent bilateral relations, to having that relationship develop into various different areas of mutual importance.”

During their meeting, Sa’ar and Mucunski signed two cooperation agreements and discussed expanding ties in agriculture, water management, security, innovation, tourism, health, and education.

Expanding, investing in defense ties

Mucunski told the Post that the two sides also discussed cooperation between their defense industries, increasing investment and restoring direct air links between Israel and Macedonia.

North Macedonia's Foreign Minister Timčo Mucunski met with Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar during a 24-hour diplomatic visit to Israel, focused on expanding bilateral ties. (credit: SHLOMI AMSALEM/GPO)

“One of the first things that we talked about is if we can work together to establish a direct flight between Tel Aviv and Skopje, or Tel Aviv and Ohrid, which is our main tourist center and a city that I believe that every Israeli would love to visit at some point,” he said.

The two ministers also signed agreements focusing on education, culture, and sports, while tasking their teams with looking at further opportunities in water management, agriculture, investment, and defense.

Mucunski described a direct flight as an important first step toward increasing the movement of people and businesses between the countries.

“We would love to have more and more tourists from Israel visiting Skopje, visiting Ohrid, but as well as the entirety of our country,” he said.

The visit comes amid a noticeable increase in high-level contacts between Israel and North Macedonia - Skopje Mayor Orce Gjiogjievski visited for the MUNI EXPO in June, and MP Rashela Mizarahi led a parliamentary delegation from the Balkan nation in January. Mucunski said the trend reflects a deliberate policy adopted by the government of Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski.

Mickoski believes in stronger collaboration with Israel

“Prime Minister Mickoski himself believes that stronger collaboration with Israel is a necessity for our country to also be successful,” he said. “There are many things that we can learn from you. There are many common values that we share, both domestically and internationally.

“Since the formation of our government, we have made the bilateral relationship with Israel one of the priorities of our foreign policy,” he added.

Mucunski said he and Sa’ar communicate “on a fairly regular basis” and have remained in frequent contact despite Monday marking his first visit to the country.

Sa’ar, meanwhile, thanked North Macedonia for standing alongside Israel in international forums, particularly since the October 7 massacre.

“North Macedonia has demonstrated its friendship by standing up to these attempts in the international arena,” Sa’ar said. “We appreciate its voting record and its support for Israel. Israel values its friends who stand by it in difficult times.”

For Mucunski, one example of the relationship came following the deadly nightclub fire in Kočani in March 2025, which left 63 people dead, when Israel dispatched a medical delegation to Macedonia to help treat victims.

“Gideon Sa’ar was one of the first foreign ministers to call me,” Mucunski recalled. “I might not remember the content of the call, but I remember what happened very quickly after.”

A team of Israeli doctors arrived shortly afterward and began working alongside Macedonian medical teams, he said.

“They were performing surgery in our hospitals and helping our doctors with their experience and their in-depth knowledge, and helping to save the lives of many young individuals,” Mucunski said. “This situation was proof that Israel stands by my country.”

A European gateway for Israelis 

Mucunski said North Macedonia now hopes to position itself as a destination not only for Israeli tourists but also for Israeli companies seeking access to European markets.

“We want to be a gateway for Israelis who want to visit Europe,” he said. “But we want to be a gateway not just for tourists, but also for Israeli businesses.”

He pointed to Macedonia’s position along two major European transport corridors, investment in energy connectivity, and its efforts to attract foreign investment.

“We can also be a gateway for Israelis who want to invest in a European market that hasn’t been fully utilized by the Israeli business community,” Mucunski said.

Monday’s visit lasted only around 24 hours, but Mucunski said he expected it to be the first of more visits to Israel.

“This is my first visit,” he said, “but I am absolutely sure that it will not be my last.”

The Jerusalem Post will publish a longer, in-depth interview with Foreign Minister Timčo Mucunski later this week.

https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-906494

     4th Century BCE Ritual Complex

‘Zionists rape, eat children’ — Speaker at Toronto anti-Israel rally

worldisraelnews.com/zionists-rape-eat-children-speaker-at-toronto-anti-israel-rally/

Police appealed for witnesses after a video of the antisemitic speech circulated widely online.

By World Israel News Staff

Canadian police have launched a hate crime investigation after a speaker at an anti-Israel rally in Toronto claimed that Zionists sexually assault, murder and eat children.

The speaker was identified by a Jewish watchdog account on X as university lecturer Dr. Abbas Hamze. A video of Hamze’s remarks circulated widely online, drawing thousands of views.

“The British colonizers have planted this cancerous, this cancerous, false Zionist state of Israel. It’s Falasteen [Palestine],” Hamze says in the clip.

Hamze then launched into a series of conspiracy theories and allegations targeting Zionists and Israel.

“These Zionists have never had a country of their own because of their mischief; they are the most kicked-out people in the world for making black magic and horrible things,” he continues.

“We can see the corruption crystal clear in the Epstein Island where they have seduced leaders from all around the world, including Trump. They have raped and killed and eaten children at the same time. They have done the unimaginable to blackmail them and control them,” he added.

The allegations echo longstanding antisemitic blood libels, which falsely accuse Jews of murdering or using the blood or bodies of children. Such accusations have historically been used to incite violence and persecution against Jewish communities.

Hamze has previously attracted the attention of Leviathan because of his history of publicly railing against the Jewish state.

Following the circulation of the video, Toronto Police Service’s hate crimes unit announced that it was investigating the remarks and appealed to witnesses to come forward.

The investigation comes amid concerns from Jewish organizations about a series of demonstrations and incidents targeting Toronto’s Jewish community.

“Week after week, for nearly three years, the Jewish community has been harassed and targeted at Bathurst and Sheppard, the heart of a Toronto Jewish neighborhood,” the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) said in a media statement.

“And now, an individual … accusing Jews of using ‘black magic,’ raping, murdering, and eating children,” the organization added. “This cannot be allowed to continue without consequences.”

1,600-year-old Samson Mosaic Goes on Public Display in Galilee

jewishpress.com/1600-year-old-samson-mosaic-goes-on-public-display-in-galilee/

A Talmudic period mosaic depicting the Israelite judge Samson on display at Beit Yigal Allon in Kibbutz Ginosar on Aug. 23, 2026. Photo by Eitan Elhadez-Barak/TPS-IL.

(Aug. 24, 2026 / Eitan Elhadez-Barak/TPS-IL) A 1,600-year-old mosaic depicting the biblical hero Samson went on public display Sunday for the first time after more than a decade of archaeological excavations at Hukok in the eastern Lower Galilee.
The mosaic, uncovered in the remains of an ancient synagogue used by a Jewish community during the Talmudic period, dates to the fourth or fifth century. It depicts scenes from the Book of Judges, including Samson carrying the gates of Gaza and tying torches to the tails of foxes.

Hukok, near the Sea of Galilee, was a Jewish community during the Roman and Byzantine periods.

The mosaic is part of the “Secrets of Law” exhibition at Beit Yigal Allon in Kibbutz Ginosar, on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. The exhibition also features photographs of other mosaics discovered at the synagogue, as well as remains of an underground hiding-place system discovered at the site.

The exhibition was organized in cooperation with the Israel Antiquities Authority and Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael-Jewish National Fund, an Israeli organization involved in environmental conservation, land reclamation, forestry and development.

Victim of Trebuchet

https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-16074585/Skeleton-160-fractures-confirmed-victim-trebuchet.html

Skeleton with more than 160 fractures is the first confirmed victim of a trebuchet

A skeleton found with more than 160 fractures is now believed to be the first ever identified victim of a trebuchet-style catapult, it has been revealed.

The discovery came after medieval warfare expert Dr Jo Buckberry, an archaeologist at the University of Bradford, re-examined a 700-year-old set of human remains known as Skeleton 150, The Times reported. 

The bones were originally excavated in 1997, found buried beside eight other people beneath the royal chapel at Stirling Castle in Scotland. 

The pattern and intensity of the bone breaks suggested to Dr Buckberry that the man had been struck by a giant projectile travelling at rapid speed. 

The ribs also had nearly 60 zigzag-shaped fractures while the shoulder showed signs of a deep break.

'I had never seen anything like it, ever,' Dr Buckberry said. 'Every single rib on both sides has at least one fracture. The whole shoulder complex is crushed. The skull alone has over 60 fractures.'

The academic later saw a similar break at a forensic anthropology workshop which belonged to a person killed in a car crash.

'The reason it's weird is that it's a high-velocity injury, and you just don't get high velocity in the medieval period,' she told the newspaper. 

A trebuchet at the Medieval Centre in the town of Sundby on the Danish island of Lolland. Trebuchets were used during the Middle Ages by besiegers to bombard a fortress or a city by throwing stones, burning balls and other heavy and damaging items at the enemy 

A skeleton of a soldier found in Scotland's Stirling Castle has been identified as the first confirmed victim of a trebuchet attack, which broke their skull (pictured) in 60 places 

Dr Buckberry studied the remains with Patrick Randolph-Quinney of Uppsala University and found that the injuries also did not conform with a fall from castle walls.

Instead the fractures suggested that the man had been standing when he was hit by something from behind, killing him instantly, according to Archaeology News magazine. 

England's King Edward I unveiled a trebuchet known as 'War Wolf' in 1304 - which historical records show was used during his siege on Stirling Castle during the Scottish Wars of Independence. 

Thus it could very possibly have been the weapon that ended the life of Skeleton 150 and led to his unusual injuries. 

The trebuchet was a medieval siege weapon, operated using a counterweight to propel a long arm, attached to a sling, which could hurl a projectile with great force and accuracy at enemy fortifications. 

The device struck fear into the hearts of enemy soldiers and was used during the Middle Ages by besiegers to bombard a fortress or a city by throwing stones, burning balls and other heavy and damaging items at the enemy.

Frequently it was not used to target individual soldiers but to break down castle walls to gain access to the interior.  

What is a trebuchet?

A trebuchet is a type of medieval siege engine used to hurl heavy objects over long distances.

It works by using a long wooden arm mounted on a pivot, with a sling attached to one end.

A heavy counterweight on the opposite end drops rapidly, causing the throwing arm to swing upwards.

The sling then releases its projectile at high speed towards the target.

Trebuchets were mainly used to attack castles and fortified towns, often by smashing walls or launching objects over defences.

They became especially important in medieval warfare from around the 12th century, before gradually being replaced by gunpowder artillery.

https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-16074585/Skeleton-160-fractures-confirmed-victim-trebuchet.html

Mike Rogers asks AIPAC to stand down in Michigan Senate race - analysis

www.i24news.tv/en/news/international/americas/artc-mike-rogers-asks-aipac-to-stand-down-in-michigan-senate-race-analysis-2

If Mike Rogers can’t defeat Abdul El-Sayed, despite the massive financial advantages the Republican party has, it’s questionable what difference AIPAC funding would play

The news of a reported rupture between Mike Rogers, the Republican former House member and Senate candidate in Michigan, and AIPAC, is an indication of the pro-Israel organization’s political toxicity among Democrats.

Rogers is said to have told AIPAC he doesn’t want their help in his general election campaign against Democrat Abdul El-Sayed, who used AIPAC’s support of his primary opponent, Rep. Haley Stevens, as a cudgel against her, narrowly advancing while AIPAC shelled out $30 million to try to defeat him.

One can argue whether Rogers’ method here is a savvy one. To think a pro-Israel Republican would tell AIPAC he’s better off without them – that they are a net-negative in his mind – is shocking.

It may also be the best thing possible.

Before the 2022 election cycle, AIPAC didn’t endorse candidates and didn’t directly fund them, either. Since the formation of its United Democracy Project super PAC, spending has gone from $26 million in the 2022 cycle, to $38 million in 2024, up to $62 million so far this year, with roughly half of that thrown down the drain against El-Sayed, according to the OpenSecrets tracker.

https://snippet.univtec.com/share/5a11f35ee2

While intuitively that money is needed now more than ever due to Israel’s unpopularity in the Democratic party, AIPAC’s success has been a mixed bag at best, and its foray into Democratic primaries, often with ads that don’t mention Israel, and sometimes supporting the most radical primary candidate in a general election hedge, have drawn fire from critics and even some friends.

There is zero doubt that antisemites are going to paint any loss for their candidate against someone with pro-Israel bona fides as having been engineered by the Jews, whether AIPAC’s money flows into the race or not. That’s the nature of antisemites, who see a Jewish conspiracy behind every door.

But, El-Sayed barely made it through the primary, as unsettling as his victory is. There is already a movement among Michigan’s Jewish leaders, including Democrats, to steer voters to Rogers in the general election.

If Rogers can’t defeat El-Sayed, despite the massive financial advantages the Republican party has, and despite El-Sayed’s deficiencies, it’s questionable what difference AIPAC funding would play.

Perhaps the best possible outcome is for AIPAC to listen to Rogers, sit this one out, and watch a Republican defeat an anti-Israel Democrat without them, just as anti-Israel candidates were consistently defeated for decades without an AIPAC endorsement or direct funding.

That’s not an admission that AIPAC doesn’t deserve to fund candidates in the same way, every super PAC does. It’s simply a realization, as difficult as it is to swallow, of its current standing, and the possibility that a candidate it supports in a crucial race can’t afford to be weighed down while AIPAC insists it belongs.

Wounded Israeli soldiers find support, challenge on South Africa trek

www.jns.org/feature/wounded-israeli-soldiers-find-support-challenge-on-south-africa-trek

Ten wounded soldiers take on a grueling trek through the Drakensberg Mountains as part of a recovery program supported by local Jewish communities.

Ten wounded Israeli soldiers traveled to South Africa recently for a recovery program combining support from local Jewish communities with a demanding trek through the Drakensberg mountain range.

Among them was Lt. Col. (res.) Almog S., 41, who was wounded in the thigh while commanding troops in Beit Hanoun in northern Gaza. Despite his injury, Almog declined evacuation, fearing that the sight of a wounded commander could undermine his soldiers’ morale, and continued directing his forces for hours.

After his reserve duty ended, however, Almog faced what he described as another battle: coping with the psychological impact of combat.

The trip was organized by Belev Echad, a New York-based nonprofit that supports Israeli soldiers wounded in action through respite programs, rehabilitation and emotional assistance.

The delegation’s first stop was Cape Town, where members of the local Jewish community hosted the soldiers.

“Considering the intense political sensitivities and hostility in South Africa surrounding Israel, we had to keep all activities strictly under the radar,” said Rabbi Pinchas Hecht, who helped organize the visit with the Marais Road Synagogue community. “We marketed the events exclusively within the local Jewish community, creating intimate, incredibly powerful engagements.”

The soldiers joined local residents for a run, attended synagogue services and shared their experiences with community members.

“It was an absolute honor to host these very special people. I think the soldiers deeply appreciated the opportunity to connect and see firsthand that—despite what the news says about South Africa—our community is immensely supportive and forever grateful to those who risk their lives” for Israel and the Jewish people, Hecht said.

The delegation then headed to the Drakensberg mountain range for four days without cellphones. The soldiers hiked about 15 kilometers (9 miles) a day, carrying 30-kilogram (66-pound) rucksacks and reaching elevations approaching 3,000 meters (9,800 feet) in freezing winter conditions.

“Up there, where the air is thin and the screens go dark, the noise of war and trauma fades away,” said Belev Echad founder Rabbi Uriel Vigler.

“When you take ten men who have sacrificed so much, put 30-kilogram bags on their backs, and lead them up the highest peaks in South Africa, they stop surviving as isolated individuals. They are forced to lean on one another,” Vigler’s wife, Shevy, added.

The journey ended in Johannesburg, where the soldiers were hosted by the Sydenham Synagogue and met with about 150 congregants at a Shabbat dinner.

“We made sure to spoil them, to thank them, and to give them experiences where they were pampered and loved,” Sydenham’s Rabbi Yehuda Stern said. “But we were inspired by them, by their heroism, by their courage, by what they’ve done.”

Israel moves attack helicopter squadron north

https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/432081

Why Israel is moving attack helicopters north

Following an Air Force investigation into the October 7 massacre, Squadron 190 has relocated north as the IDF seeks faster response times and greater readiness along Israel’s northern border.

The Israel Air Force has completed a major operational relocation, with Squadron 190, which operates attack helicopters, transferring its activities from Ramon Airbase in the Negev to Ramat David Airbase in northern Israel.

The move follows an Air Force investigation into the failures during the October 7th massacre and is intended to improve operational readiness and ensure a rapid response to developments along Israel’s northern border.

During the October 7th massacre, air crews were forced to operate under exceptionally complex conditions as they attempted to assist ground forces and civilians while working with an unclear and rapidly changing operational picture.

As part of the lessons learned from the events, the IDF decided to move attack helicopters closer to the northern front. The Air Force has emphasized the critical role of attack helicopters on the modern battlefield, particularly during extreme and rapidly developing situations.

One of the squadron’s crew members described the importance of the aircraft: “There is no substitute for this machine. It has no substitute on dark nights, in crazy weather, in the toughest situations there are. When a combat helicopter arrives, it changes the battle."

“I think the whole system today is a very well-oiled system, working amazingly," he added. “The ability to provide the fire ground forces need is on a significantly higher order of magnitude than what we had years ago. In the end, the security of the State and protecting the borders remain our only goals."

https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/432081