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Hamas Names Oct. 7 Mastermind Sinwar as Leader After Haniyeh Assassination
Yahya Sinwar, head of the Palestinian terror group Hamas in Gaza, in Gaza City on April 14, 2023. Photo: Yousef Masoud / SOPA Images/Sipa USA via Reuters Connect
Hamas named its Gaza leader Yahya Sinwar as successor to former political chief Ismail Haniyeh, who was assassinated in Tehran last week, the Palestinian terror group said on Tuesday, in a move that reinforces the radical path pursued since the Oct. 7 massacre across southern Israel.
Sinwar, the architect of the most devastating attack on Israel in decades, has been in hiding in Gaza, defying Israeli attempts to kill him since the start of the war.
“The Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas announces the selection of Commander Yahya Sinwar as the head of the political bureau of the movement, succeeding the martyr Commander Ismail Haniyeh, may Allah have mercy on him,” the movement said in a brief statement.
News of the appointment, which came as Israel braces for a likely attack from Iran following the killing of Haniyeh in Tehran, was greeted with a salvo of rockets from Gaza from the bands of terrorists still fighting Israeli troops in the besieged enclave.
“The appointment means that Israel needs to face Sinwar over a solution to Gaza war,” said a regional diplomat familiar with the talks brokered by Egypt and Qatar, which are aimed at bringing a halt to the fighting in Gaza and a return of 115 Israeli and foreign hostages still held in the enclave.
“It is a message of toughness and it is uncompromising.”
Sinwar, who spent half his adult life in Israeli prisons, was the most powerful Hamas leader left alive following the assassination of Haniyeh, which has left the region on the brink of a wider regional conflict after Iran vowed harsh retaliation.
Israel has not claimed responsibility for the assassination but it has said it killed other senior leaders, including Hamas deputy leader Saleh al-Arouri, who was killed in Beirut, and Mohammed Deif, the Islamist movement’s military commander.
Born in a refugee camp in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis, Sinwar, 61, was elected as Hamas‘ leader in Gaza in 2017 after gaining a reputation as a ruthless enforcer among Palestinians and an implacable enemy of Israel.
Israel’s chief military spokesman, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, blamed Sinwar for the Oct 7 attack and said Israel would continue to pursue him.
“There is only one place for Yahya Sinwar, and it is beside Mohammed Deif and the rest of the Oct. 7 terrorists,” he told Al-Arabiya television, according to a statement released by the military. “That is the only place we’re preparing and intending for him.”
CEASEFIRE TALKS
In a sign that the movement had united around the choice of Sinwar, Khaled Meshaal, a former leader who had been seen as a potential successor to Haniyeh, was said by senior sources in the movement to have backed Sinwar “in loyalty to Gaza and its people, who are waging the battle of the Flood of Al-Aqsa.”
For Israel, the appointment confirms Hamas as a foe dedicated to its destruction and is likely to reinforce Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s insistence that Israel must pursue its campaign in Gaza to the end.
The White House declined to comment on Sinwar‘s appointment. But a person familiar with Washington’s thinking said the selection suggested that Hamas could toughen its position in ceasefire negotiations and make it harder to reach a deal.
They added, however, that Israel was already aware that even before his formal appointment Sinwar would have the final word on any agreement to halt the fighting, and the announcement merely set the seal on that.
Ten months since the surprise attack by thousands of Hamas-led terrorists who swarmed into Israeli communities around the Gaza Strip in the early hours of the morning of Oct. 7, the war has turned the Middle East on its head and threatened to spiral into a wider regional conflict.
Some 1,200 Israelis and foreigners were killed and more than 250 taken hostage into Gaza. In response, Israel launched a military campaign aimed at freeing the hostages and dismantling Hamas’ military and governing capabilities. According to Hamas-controlled health authorities in Gaza, almost 40,000 people have died during the campaign, although experts have cast doubt on the reliability of casualty figures from Hamas-run sources in the war-torn enclave.
Attempts at reaching a ceasefire that would give the exhausted population a respite and enable the hostages remaining in captivity to be brought home have foundered amid mutual recriminations from Hamas and Israel.
Hamas official Osama Hamdan told Al Jazeera that the terror group remained committed to reaching a deal and the team that handled the negotiations under Haniyeh would continue under Sinwar, who he said was following the talks closely.
But Hani Al-Masri, a political analyst in Ramallah, said Sinwar‘s appointment to lead the movement overall was a direct challenge to Israel, and sent a message about Hamas‘ adherence to his “extremist and resistant approach.”
“As Sinwar manages the negotiations, he will manage the movement,” he said.
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Israel’s Defense Exports Hit Record $15 Billion in 2024 Despite European Pressure, Calls for Arms Embargo

Israeli troops on the ground in Gaza. Photo: IDF via Reuters
Israel reached a new all-time high in defense exports in 2024, nearing $15 billion — the fourth consecutive year of record-breaking sales — despite mounting international criticism over the war in Gaza and growing pressure from European countries to suspend arms deals.
In a press release on Wednesday, Israel’s Defense Ministry announced that defense exports reached over $14.7 billion last year — a 13 percent increase from 2023 — with more than half of the deals valued at over $100 million.
According to the ministry, Israel’s military exports have more than doubled over the past five years, highlighting the industry’s rapid expansion and growing global demand.
“This tremendous achievement is a direct result of the successes of the IDF [Israel Defense Forces] and defense industries against Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, the Ayatollah regime in Iran, and in additional arenas where we operate against Israel’s enemies,” Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a statement.
“The world sees Israeli strength and seeks to be a partner in it. We will continue strengthening the IDF and the Israeli economy through security innovation to ensure clear superiority against any threat – anywhere and anytime,” Katz continued.
In 2024, over half of the Jewish state’s defense contracts were with European countries — up from 35 percent the previous year — as many in the region have increased their defense spending following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Despite increasing pressure and widespread anti-Israel sentiment among European governments amid the current conflict in Gaza, this latest data seems to contradict recent calls by European leaders to impose an arms embargo on the Jewish state over its defensive campaign in Gaza against the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas.
On Wednesday, Germany reversed its earlier threat to halt arms deliveries to Israel, reaffirming its commitment to continue cooperation and maintain defense contracts with Jerusalem.
“Germany will continue to support the State of Israel, including with arms deliveries,” German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul told lawmakers in parliament.
Last week, Berlin warned it would take unspecified measures against Israel if it continued its military campaign in Gaza, citing concerns that exported weapons were being used in violation of humanitarian law.
“Our full support for the right to exist and the security of the State of Israel must not be instrumentalized for the conflict and the warfare currently being waged in the Gaza Strip,” Wadephul said in a statement.
Germany would be “examining whether what is happening in the Gaza Strip is compatible with international humanitarian law,” he continued. “Further arms deliveries will be authorized based on the outcome of that review.”
Spain and Ireland are among the countries in Europe that have threatened or taken steps to limit arms deals with Israel, while others such as France have threatened unspecified harsh measures against the Jewish state.
According to the Israeli defense ministry’s report, since the outbreak of war on Oct. 7, 2023, after the Hamas-led invasion of and massacre across southern Israel, the operational successes and proven battlefield performance of Israeli systems have fueled strong international demand for Israel’s defense technology.
Last year, the export of missiles, rockets, and air defense systems reached a new high, making up 48 percent of the total deal volume — up from 36 percent in 2023.
Similarly, satellite and space systems exports surged, accounting for 8 percent of total deals in 2024 — quadrupling their share from 2 percent in 2023.
While Europe dominated Israel’s defense export market in 2024, significant portions also went to other regions. Asia and the Pacific made up 23 percent of total sales — slightly lower than in previous years, when the region approached 30 percent.
Exports to Abraham Accords countries fell to 12 percent, down from 23 percent in 2022, while North America remained stable at around 9 percent.
The post Israel’s Defense Exports Hit Record $15 Billion in 2024 Despite European Pressure, Calls for Arms Embargo first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Israel Recovers Bodies of 2 Slain Hostages From Gaza

An undated photo of Judith Weinstein-Haggai and Gadi Haggai. Photo: Screenshot
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Shin Bet security agency recovered the bodies of two deceased hostages during a special operation in Gaza, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced on Thursday.
Gadi Haggai and Judith Weinstein-Haggai, a married couple with US citizenship, were murdered during their morning walk near their home in Kibbutz Nir Oz on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas-led Palestinian terrorists invaded southern Israel and perpetrated the largest single-day massacre of Jews since the Holocaust. Their bodies were taken to Gaza as hostages.
“We will not rest or be silent until we return all of our abductees home — the living and the dead alike,” Netanyahu said in a statement. “Together with all citizens of Israel, my wife and I convey our heartfelt condolences to the dear families. Our hearts grieve over this terrible loss. May their memories be blessed.”
The IDF discovered the corpses of Gadi Haggai and Judith Weinstein-Haggai in Khan Younis in southern Gaza, having announced their deaths in December 2023, and described the operation to retrieve the bodies as designed to prevent the killings of any hostages who remain alive. The IDF said that intelligence from the military and Shin Bet “led to accurate planning of a covert operation, which was carried out while preserving the lives of the other hostages and led to the recovery of the bodies of the two.”
The couple’s daughter, Iris Weinstein Haggai, wrote Thursday on Instagram that “my beautiful parents have been freed. We have certainty. Thank you to the IDF, the FBI, the Israeli and the American governments and to everyone who supported and is supporting us and all hostage families always – We couldn’t have breathed without you. 2 WOMEN are still held by monsters in Gaza, 56 hostages are held hostage In Gaza, our hearts will not be whole until all 56 hostages are back home
They must all come home.”
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum released a statement which called the recovery of the couple “painful and heartbreaking” but added that “it also brings healing to our uncertainty.” The group stated that “their return reminds us all that it is the state’s duty to bring everyone home, so that we, the families, together with all the people of Israel, can begin the process of healing and recovery … The mission can be completed as early as tomorrow morning. This is what the majority of the Israeli people want.”
Kibbutz Nir Oz described Judith as an English teacher with expertise instructing special needs students and those struggling with anxiety, while it called her husband “a sharp and gifted brass musician” as well as “a chef, and a devotee of healthy vegan food and sports.”
Of the 251 hostages kidnapped during the Oct. 7 atrocities, 55 remain in captivity, including the bodies of at least 33 confirmed dead by the IDF. Twenty are believed to be alive. Terrorist groups in Gaza are also holding the body of an IDF soldier killed in 2014.
“The State of Israel is morally and nationally committed to returning our brothers and sisters, living and not living, and we will continue acting with determination until the mission is complete,” Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a statement.
Gadi, 72, and Judith, 70, leave behind four children and seven grandchildren.
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Tribeca Film Festival Begins in NY, Featuring Israeli and Jewish-Themed Documentaries, Feature Films

A promotional photo for “Dead Language.” Photo: Tribeca Film Festival
The 2025 Tribeca Film Festival begins this week in New York City’s lower Manhattan and features a lineup of Jewish and Israel-related films, including the world premiere of several films and the North American premiere of a documentary about a former Hamas hostage.
“Holding Liat” follows the parents of Israeli-American dual citizen Liat Beinin Atzili, who was kidnapped by Hamas-led terrorists from Kibbutz Nir Oz in southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, especially her father, as he advocates in the US for her release and safe return home. Atzili was released in the first Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal in late 2023. Her husband, Aviv Atzili, was killed on Oct. 7 and his body is still being held in Gaza. The film, which won the top documentary prize at the Berlin International Film Festival earlier this year, was directed by Brandon Kramer and co-produced by Darren Aronofsky. “Holding Liat” will have its North American premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival on June 9, with additional screenings on June 10-12.
The only Israeli feature film being screened at Tribeca is “Dead Language” by Michal Brezis and Oded Binnun, which is an expanded version of their Oscar-nominated short film “Aya.” The film is about a woman who is waiting at the airport for her husband but impulsively decides to pick up a stranger instead and pretends to be his chauffeur. It will be screened as part of Tribeca’s Viewpoints section, which last year awarded Tom Nesher’s “Come Closer,” an Israeli film that later won the Ophir Award for best feature film. “Dead Language” is making its world premiere at Tribeca on June 9, with additional screenings on June 10 and June 12.
Also making its world premiere at Tribeca is the documentary “Barbara Walters: Tell Me Everything,” about the life and career of the Jewish television personality, iconic interviewer, and news host who died in 2022 at the age 92. The former co-host of “The Today Show” was the first woman to host an American network evening news program and went on to co-create “The View.” The documentary, directed by Jackie Jesko, features commentary about Walters from her colleagues, friends, and some of the subjects she interviewed. “Barbara Walters: Tell Me Everything” will make its world premiere at Tribeca on June 12, with further screenings on June 13 and June 15.
Comedian, actor, and podcast host Marc Maron will participate in a discussion on stage following Tribeca’s New York premiere of “Are We Good?” a documentary about his everyday life, career, and the sudden loss of his partner, filmmaker Lynn Shelton. The film is directed by Steven Feinartz and premieres June 14, with an additional screening on June 15.
The late, legendary Jewish performance artist Andy Kaufman is the subject of another documentary being screened at Tribeca, titled “Andy Kaufman Is Me.” Directed by Clay Tweel, the film features marionette puppetry, Kaufman’s never-before-heard audio diaries, and his semi-autobiographical, unfinished novel. The film festival described the documentary as a “wildly entertaining” film and “a trippy, funny, and deeply personal ride through the mind of a man who never played by the rules — and never wanted to.” The film also features interviews with his siblings, Michael and Carol Kaufman, as well as David Letterman, Carol Kane, Tim Heidecker, and others. Kaufman died of lung cancer in 1984 at the age of 35. “Andy Kaufman Is Me” will have its world premiere at Tribeca on June 6 and there will be additional screenings on June 7 and June 12.
Making its New York premiere at Tribeca is “Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore.” Filmmaker, actress, and writer Shoshannah Stern’s debut documentary spotlights the life of influential Jewish deaf actor Marlee Matlin, who became an Oscar winner in 1987 at the age of 19 for her performance in “Children of a Lesser God.” Her other film credits include “CODA,” which won an Oscar in 2021 for best picture and garnered Matlin a Screen Actors Guild award. “Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore” will premiere as part of the Tribeca Film Festival on June 9 with additional screenings on June 11 and 12.
The Tribeca Film Festival runs from June 4-15. It was created by Jane Rosenthal, Robert De Niro, and Craig Hatkoff to help revive lower Manhattan following the 9/11 terrorist attack.
The post Tribeca Film Festival Begins in NY, Featuring Israeli and Jewish-Themed Documentaries, Feature Films first appeared on Algemeiner.com.