Saturday, November 1, 2025

Hostage Update: 11 Israeli and foreign deceased hostages still in Gaza 
The bodies of Sahar Baruch, 25, and Amiram Cooper, 84, both killed by Hamas in captivity, were returned this week. At the time of Sahar's kidnapping, his brother was shot in the head and his grandmother was murdered with an axe. In December 2023, Hamas released a video showing three living elderly hostages, including Amiram Cooper.
The latest: Hamas tried to pass off partial remains as those of hostages 

FOREIGN INFLUENCES - There's an important new book being released in April, The Hidden Hand by Warren Kinsella, it documents the highly-planned and well-funded global propaganda campaign to delegitimize Israel and sow the seeds of antisemitism in the aftermath of October 7th.  America appears to be totally unprepared for the onslaught of political manipulation by foreign actors. Both the State Department's Global Engagement Center (GEC) and the Counter Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (R/FIMI) Office were shut down, in December 2024 and April 2025 respectively. This week, Russia Today, RT, celebrated its 20th Anniversary as the Kremlin’s ‘Propaganda Bullhorn.’  RT is the Russian government’s most prominent and best-funded propaganda aka "news" outlet. The Kremlin is set to spend $1.77 billion on state media in 2026, with $388 million reserved for RT. While that sounds like a hefty sum, it pales in comparison to China's billions of dollars spent each year on influencers, propaganda, and suppressing and censoring dissenting voices. Iran does it too; though they publicly bemoaned their lack of success after pouring millions into spreading Islam in Japan.

CHINA 
Western Intelligence Warns: Iran Rebuilding Ballistic Missile Program with China’s Support Despite UN Sanctions 
IRAN 
Fury in Iran over Alleged Plan to Grant Citizenship Through Temporary Marriage  https://www.meforum.org/mef-observer/fury-in-iran-over-alleged-plan-to-grant-citizenship-through-temporary-marriage

ISRAEL
Under Trump's ceasefire/peace plan, the deployment of the CENTCOM ISF (US troops) is a condition for Israel's further withdrawal from the roughly 50% of Gaza's territory it still holds. The force is expected to focus on securing Gaza's borders with Israel and Egypt and preventing arms smuggling. But that all depends on Hamas agreeing to give up its authority and weapons, which the terror group continues to refuse to do. Meanwhile, Hamas is also refusing to return all the remaining hostages to Israel. While the ceasefire hasn't fully collapsed, Michael Oren looks at What If Phase One Were the Final Phase? https://claritywithmichaeloren.substack.com/p/what-if-phase-one-were-the-final

GERMANY
German public broadcaster ZDF confirmed that an employee of one of its Gazan media affiliates who was killed last week in Gaza was a Hamas operative.  ZDF said it suspended all cooperation with the Palestine Media Production. 

JORDAN
EmojiJordan's King Abdullah II stated that "nobody will want to touch" an international mission in Gaza if its mandate is "peace enforcing" 
EmojiJordanian Lawyer Loses License After Representing Israeli Kibbutz 
EmojiIsrael is building a new security barrier along its border with Jordan, stretching over 250 miles from the Golan Heights to the Eilat region, to prevent weapons smuggling and terrorism. https://themedialine.org/headlines/construction-on-jordan-border-fence-to-start-soon-israeli-defense-minister-says

LEBANON
Hezbollah has been sneaking rockets in from Syria  There’s been steady fire on the northern border for days.

PALESTINIANS/HAMAS/PA/GAZA
EmojiOver the past week, international partners have delivered more than 600 trucks of commercial goods and aid into Gaza daily. Nearly 40 nations and international organizations represented at the CMCC are working together to help flow humanitarian, logistical and security assistance into Gaza.
EmojiA drone operated by the American command center observed Hamas operatives looting a humanitarian aid truck in Gaza 
EmojiLeaders of anti-Hamas militias in Gaza say they will not accept involvement of Turkey or Qatar in postwar Gaza as both support Hamas and protect terrorists. 
EmojiPalestinians Still Prefer Hamas and 'Armed Struggle' Against Israel - Polls show the challenges facing the implementation of the Trump plan - Most Palestinians are openly opposed to disarming Hamas and supportive of Iran, Hezbollah, and the Houthis
EmojiRemaining terror groups in Gaza - A recap of some of the many, terrorist groups in Gaza, which include the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades (Hamas), The Al‑Quds Brigades (Saraya al‑Quds) - the armed wing of Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), the Nukhba Force (Arabic for “elite”) - Hamas’s special forces unit within the al-Qassam Brigades. Abu Ali Mustafa Brigades of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, Jihad Jibril, the National Resistance Brigades, the Al-Nasser Salah-al-Din Brigades, the Al Ansar Brigades, the Mujahideen Brigades, the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, and many others. 
EmojiVideo of Hamas staged hostage recovery https://worldisraelnews.com/watch-hamas-stages-fake-hostage-body-recovery/

QATAR
Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani called the deadly attack on IDF soldiers in Rafah a “violation” of the ceasefire, adding that Hamas’ actions were “disappointing and frustrating.”  Note: Majed al-Ansari the chief spokesperson for the PM and foreign advisor has a history of praising Hamas suicide bombings.

SYRIA
Russia—far from leaving Syria in the aftermath of Bashar Al-Assad’s overthrow and exile to Moscow—never really left and is strengthening its ties to the Al-Sharaa government by the day. https://www.meforum.org/mef-observer/russia-returns-to-syria-but-did-it-ever-leave

UN/WHO
EmojiUNIFIL shot down an Israeli drone in south Lebanon. UNIFIL was created to disarm Hezbollah. It has failed to do so for years. And now it’s shooting down Israeli drones intended to keep Hezbollah from growing stronger.
EmojiWorld Health Organization invented the Gaza famine to pressure Israel. 

USA
EmojiBipartisan Senators Vow to Block Kuwait Ambassador Nominee - President Trump nominated Amer Ghalib, a Democrat and the mayor of Hamtramck, Michigan, who endorsed Trump in the 2024 presidential election, as ambassador to Kuwait. Ghalib has failed to explain his praise for Saddam Hussein and support for antisemitic commentary and refused to adequately explain his support for the Muslim Brotherhood and opposition to the Abraham Accords, revealing a fundamental misalignment with Trump administration policies. Last week, the Trump administration withdrew its nominee to lead the Office of Special Counsel, Paul Ingrassia, after POLITICO reported on texts that showed him making racist and antisemitic remarks to fellow Republicans. https://www.meforum.org/exclusive-islamist-hamtramck-mayor-bigotry
EmojiThe FBI has foiled another major Islamist terror plot targeting multiple synagogues in America. The suspects — all based in Dearborn, Michigan — planned to massacre Jews on U.S. soil.
EmojiDays before the election, anti-Israel NYC mayoral frontrunner Zohran Mamdani said he would move to end the Israeli Technion’s partnership with Cornell

ON CAMPUS
EmojiUniversity Leaders Say ‘Organized Networks,’ Including Iran, Drove Anti-Israel Campus Unrest.  https://freebeacon.com/campus/university-leaders-say-organized-networks-including-iran-drove-anti-israel-campus-unrest/
EmojiCampus Security Fees: New Burden on Students 

IN THE MEDIA
EmojiA journalist for THE CITY, a New York City news nonprofit, Marina Samuel, supports killing Israeli diplomats in the US https://worldisraelnews.com/nyc-news-nonprofit-hired-pro-hamas-organizer-who-raised-money-for-terrorists-and-defended-assassination-of-israeli-diplomats/
EmojiFrom Al-Shifa to the Tunnels: The BBC’s Two-Year Cover-Up of Hamas’ War Tactics
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