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US Homeland Security Chief Kristi Noem Mourns Victims of DC Jewish Museum Shooting at Jerusalem Memorial Event
US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar stand next to a memorial honoring Yaron Lishinsky and Sarah Milgrom in Jerusalem on Monday, May 26, 2025. Photo: Alex Brandon/Pool via REUTERS
US Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem on Monday participated in a Jerusalem memorial service honoring the lives of murdered Israeli embassy staffers Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Lynn Milgrim, praising the slain couple as unwavering advocates for peace between the Jewish state and its Arab neighbors.
“Today, we stand together with profound grief, and our hearts are heavy with the loss of these two radiant souls that we will no longer have with us,” Noem said. “In this moment of sorrow, we also ask that you would gather with us to honor their light and the unbreakable spirit of the Israeli and the American people.”
“Friends and family shared of Sarah that she glowed with warmth and compassion, dedicating her life to fostering peace and understanding,” Noem continued. “Their love for each other, a bond that was so strong that Yaron had already chosen a ring to propose to Sarah here in Jerusalem, reminds us of the dreams that terrorism seeks to destroy every single day — but we will not let hatred have the final word.”
Lischinsky, 30, and Milgrim, 26, who worked at the Israeli embassy in Washington, DC, and were set to become engaged to be married, were murdered last Wednesday night in what authorities are investigating as a targeted attack. The victims were fatally shot while exiting an event hosted by the American Jewish Committee (AJC) at the Capital Jewish Museum in the US capital.
Elias Rodriguez, a 31-year-old Chicago native, was charged with murdering the diplomats in what is being investigated as a possible hate crime. An affidavit filed by US federal authorities in support of the criminal complaint charging Rodriguez revealed that he said at the scene of the shooting, “I did it for Palestine; I did it for Gaza.” He also chanted “Free Palestine, Free Palestine” after being taken into custody, according to video of the incident.
Noem has emphasized issuing punishment and deportation for non-US citizens who support antisemitic violence and terrorism. Although Rodriguez is a US citizen, US intelligence agencies have warmed of Iran and Qatar spearheading misinformation efforts to radicalize Americans against Israel.
On Monday, Noem said that Lischinsky and Milgrim “stood for something that was much larger than themselves.”
“They have lived a life of significance that has forever changed us. Together they embody the very best of Israel: courageous, hopeful and dedicated to peace,” she added.
Noem arrived in Israel on Sunday evening just as Jerusalem Day festivities were beginning. The holiday, known in Hebrew as Yom Yerushalayim, commemorates Israel’s reunification of Jerusalem during the 1967 Six-Day War. For many Israelis, the day symbolizes the restoration of Jewish access to historic and religious sites, particularly in the Old City, including the Western Wall. Jerusalem Day is marked with parades, prayers, and nationalist celebrations, though it remains politically sensitive due to the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict and differing views on the status of East Jerusalem.
According to US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, Noem became the first US cabinet-level official to participate in the observance. While in Jerusalem, Noem visited the Western Wall, where she paused to pray and placed a note in one of its cracks.
On Sunday night, Noem also met with Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also in attendance. According to a statement from Ben-Gvir’s office, he thanked Noem for the US’s strident support of Israel, as well as for President Donald Trump’s proposals for Gaza once the current war ends. His plan, though not officially detailed, has reportedly included ideas such as international oversight, the possible involvement of Arab states in reconstruction, the potential relocation of Palestinians to neighboring countries, and efforts to prevent the terrorist group Hamas from regaining control — positions that align with Israeli security concerns.
The post US Homeland Security Chief Kristi Noem Mourns Victims of DC Jewish Museum Shooting at Jerusalem Memorial Event first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Netanyahu Criticizes Nation-Wide Strike That ‘Strengthens Hamas’
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a news conference in Jerusalem, Sept. 2, 2024. Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg/Pool via REUTERS
i24 News – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday harshly criticized nationwide demonstrations calling for the release of hostages and an end to the Gaza war.
Speaking at a government meeting, Netanyahu argued that such protests only strengthen Hamas and risk repeating the atrocities of October 7.
“Those who call today for an end to Hamas’s war not only harden the terrorist group’s position and delay the release of our hostages, but also guarantee that the horrors of October 7 will be repeated and that we will have to fight an endless war,” Netanyahu said.
The prime minister defended Israel’s ongoing military operations, citing strikes carried out in recent days: “In the last 24 hours, the navy attacked power stations in Yemen, IDF soldiers struck Zeitoun and eliminated dozens of terrorists in Gaza, and the air force targeted Hezbollah commanders and launch sites in Lebanon.”
He added that Israel’s response in Lebanon was consistent with the ceasefire agreement: “According to this agreement, we will meet with fire any violation and any attempt to arm Hezbollah.”
Netanyahu reaffirmed Israel’s conditions for ending the conflict, stressing the need for continued security control in Gaza and the group’s long-term demilitarization. He rejected Hamas’s demand for a full Israeli withdrawal: “They want us to leave Gaza entirely — from the north, the south, the Philadelphi corridor, and the security perimeter. That would only allow them to reorganize, rearm, and attack us again.”
The war has now entered its 681st day, with 49 hostages still held by Hamas.
Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands of Israelis joined a general strike organized by the Hostage Families Forum, calling for the return of all captives in a single deal and for an end to the war. Demonstrations spread across the country, at major intersections, government ministers’ homes, and familiar protest hubs such as Kaplan Junction and the Ayalon highways.
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Family Releases Footage of Matan Zangauker in Captivity
A screenshot of a video released by the family of hostage Matan Zangauker.
i24 News – The family of Matan Zangauker, the Israeli hostage held by Hamas since October 7, shared new footage of him from captivity on Sunday evening.
The video, obtained by the IDF, was recorded several months ago.
In the recording, 32-year-old Matan looks directly into the camera, addressing his loved ones: “Tato, Shani, Ilana, I miss you. God willing, we’ll see each other soon. All my friends and acquaintances, go out and make noise like only you know how.”
Matan was kidnapped from his home in Kibbutz Nir Oz, along with his partner Ilana Gritsievsky, who was released in a hostage deal last year. Since then, Matan has remained in Hamas custody while his family continues to fight for his return.
On the national protest day calling for the release of hostages, Ilana staged a poignant display at Hostages Square. Dressed in a wedding gown beneath a chuppah, she symbolically “married” Matan in his absence. “Matan, my curly-haired one, if you hadn’t been abducted, we could already be married. In a single day, our world was destroyed, and you’re not here to hold me. I’m fighting for you until you come back,” she said.
Matan’s mother, Einav, has emerged as a leading voice in the campaign for the hostages’ release and has sharply criticized Israel’s political leadership, accusing them of undermining potential hostage deals.
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Hamas Rejects Israel’s Gaza Relocation Plan
Palestinians, displaced by the Israeli offensive, shelter in a tent camp as the Israeli military prepares to relocate residents to southern Gaza, in Gaza City August 17, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Dawoud Abu Alkas
Palestinian terrorist group Hamas said on Sunday that Israel’s plan to relocate residents from Gaza City constitutes a “new wave of genocide and displacement” for hundreds of thousands of residents in the area.
The group said the planned deployment of tents and other shelter equipment by Israel into southern Gaza was a “blatant deception.”
The Israeli military has said it is preparing to provide tents and other equipment starting from Sunday ahead of its plan to relocate residents from combat zones to the south of the enclave “to ensure their safety.”
Hamas said in a statement that the deployment of tents under the guise of humanitarian purposes is a blatant deception intended to “cover up a brutal crime that the occupation forces prepare to execute.”
Israel said earlier this month that it intended to launch a new offensive to seize control of northern Gaza City, the enclave’s largest urban center. The plan has raised international alarm over the fate of the demolished strip, which is home to about 2.2 million people.