Friday, October 3, 2025

What You Need to Know:

US President Donald Trump on Monday unveiled a peace plan to end the war in Gaza in a joint press conference with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House.  

The plan, already approved by Jerusalem, would end fighting within 72 hours of Hamas’s agreement. It calls the release of all remaining Israeli hostages (living and dead), the return of nearly 2,000 Gazan prisoners, amnesty for Hamas members who disarm, plans for aid and reconstruction in Gaza, demilitarization and governing by a “technocratic, apolitical Palestinian committee.”  

Foreign ministers from Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the UAE, Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkey, Qatar and Egypt praised the plan and pledged to advance it. These nations are expected to pressure Hamas to accept, though if they refuse, Trump told Netanyahu in front of the press, “you’d have our full backing to do what you would have to do.”

Netanyahu said that he supports President Trump’s plan to end the war in Gaza, that it “achieves our war aims” in returning the Israeli hostages, dismantling Hamas’s military and political power, and eliminating future threats from Gaza.

Trump told reporters on Tuesday that Hamas has about “three or four days to respond” and that “Hamas is either going to be doing it or not, and if it’s not, it’s going to be a very sad end.”

Dig Deeper:

Trump Unveils “Historic” Gaza Peace Plan, Hails Backing from Israel, Arab, Muslim States

Trump, Netanyahu Unveil 20-point Plan to End War in Gaza, Release Hostages within 72 Hours

PM Netanyahu's Statement with President Donald Trump in the White House

Trump Says Hamas Has “Three or Four Days” to Respond to Gaza Plan or “Pay in Hell”

World Leaders Welcome Trump’s Gaza Initiative

What You Need to Know:

The war in Gaza continues, and terrorists in the Strip are still firing rockets toward Israel—though more intermittently, as the Israeli military presses on with its offensive to dismantle Hamas. The attacks trigger sirens, disrupt daily life for thousands and cause ongoing trauma.

Just as Israel’s Arab neighbors in 1973 exploited Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish year, to launch a surprise attack on the Jewish state, Israel’s enemies today continue trying to disrupt the high holidays.

On Wednesday night, the ushering in of Yom Kippur:

• Hamas fired five rockets from northern Gaza to Ashdod. Four of the rockets were intercepted, while the fifth landed in an open area, causing no damage. Hours earlier, two projectiles were fired toward Israeli communities northeast of Gaza, triggering rocket sirens. Both were intercepted by the Israeli Air Force.
• The Houthis in Yemen also launched a drone toward Israel on Wednesday, which the IDF intercepted near Eilat, Israel’s southernmost point. Last Sunday, they launched a ballistic missile that triggered sirens across central Israel at 1 a.m but was successfully intercepted.
• Israeli security forces seized and dismantled 15 rockets, explosives and firearms in an overnight raid near Ramallah, the de facto capital of the Palestinian Authority, which lies just over 21 kilometers (13 mi.) from Jerusalem.

On Thursday, the Israeli navy intercepted the so-called Gaza Flotilla—41 ships carrying about 400 activists, including climate and pro-Palestinian activist Greta Thunberg—attempting to break Israel’s maritime blockade on Gaza. The activists are being sent to Israel and will be deported to Europe.

Dig Deeper:

Hamas Fires 5 Rockets from Gaza on Yom Kippur, Triggering Sirens in Ashdod

Terrorists in Gaza Fire Five Rockets at Israel on Yom Kippur

IDF Downs Houthi Missile from Yemen

Israel Intercepts Gaza Flotilla, Says Blockade not Breached; Thunberg, Others Detained

IDF Seizes 15 Rockets in Raid near Ramallah

What You Need to Know:

When Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the UN General Assembly last Friday, representatives from nearly 100 UN member nations—half of the body—staged a walkout, met with applause and cheers.

Undeterred, Netanyahu pointed to a QR code pinned to his suit linking to footage of Hamas’s atrocities on October 7, 2023, for anyone who had forgotten. He recounted the barbaric acts and read the names of the 20 remaining living hostages. Then, announcing loudspeakers had been set up to broadcast live into Gaza, he addressed the hostages in Hebrew, telling them they had not been forgotten. In the next portion, livestreamed to Gazan cellphones, Netanyahu told them to lay down their arms and release the hostages.

The prime minister decried accusations of genocide and starvation, citing Israel’s warnings to civilians before strikes. He quoted the head of urban warfare studies, Col. John Spencer, who said that “Israel is applying more measures to minimize civilian casualties than any military in history.” He noted that over two billion tons of aid have entered Gaza, but even the UN has acknowledged that Hamas steals up to 85% of the aid.

Netanyahu criticized countries such as France, Britain, Australia and Canada for recognizing a Palestinian state, comparing it to giving Al Qaeda a state near New York City after 9/11. He emphasized that Palestinians have rejected every peace plan that includes coexisting with Israel.

Nevertheless, several Middle Eastern representatives condemned Israel for “genocide” and called for a Palestinian state. Egypt’s delegate accused Israel of “extremist ideology” and waging an “unjust war waged against defenseless civilians, for a sin they did not commit, driven by an extremist ideology.” We hope that he scanned Netanyahu’s QR code and saw the true costs of extremist ideology.

Dig Deeper:

Netanyahu: We Won’t Let the World Shove a Terror State Down our Throat

Netanyahu UN Speech Draws Attention from Iran, Gaza

Alone at the Podium

In Defiant UN Speech, PM Rips World Leaders for Turning Backs on Israel, Recognizing Palestine

What You Need to Know:

An Israeli officer was seriously wounded and two others lightly wounded in a shooting attack on an army post in central Gaza on Thursday. The attack occurred when a terrorist breached the military post and opened fire. The terrorist was killed in the ensuing gun battle.  

On Monday, an IDF reserve officer was severely wounded in an explosion at an Israeli military outpost in Southern Syria. The IDF established security zones in southern Syria after the fall of former President Bashar al-Assad and his regime in 2024, as ongoing clashes hold potential for attacks on Israel.

Also on Monday, five IDF soldiers were seriously wounded and six more lightly injured when five Hamas terrorists attacked an army post in Gaza City, opening fire and setting off explosives on a tank. The IDF killed at least two of the terrorists in a gunfight, the Times of Israel reported. Among the wounded were a tank officer and a medical officer.

As we continue praying for Israeli soldiers in Gaza and protecting Israel’s borders, let us continue praying for the safety for the remaining hostages in the Gaza Strip and for their quick, safe return home after spending so many days and nights in darkness. Pray for a miracle that Hamas will be pressured by their Arab brethren to accept President Trump’s peace deal and put an end to the fighting.

Dig Deeper:

Hamas Fires 5 Rockets from Gaza on Yom Kippur, Triggering Sirens in Ashdod

IDF Officer Severely Injured in Blast at Syrian Outpost

Five IDF Soldiers Seriously Hurt in Hamas Attack on Army Encampment in Gaza City

What You Need to Know:

When Hamas terrorists rampaged through Israel nearly two years ago on October 7, killing, stealing and destroying, they murdered more than 1,200 people. They captured 251 hostages. They wounded hundreds. They changed life as the Israelis then knew it. Reeling from that violent day two years ago, some 62,000 Israeli civilians were displaced from their homes in communities surrounding the Gaza Strip. 

And some of them are only beginning the journey home now. And for the families returning to their homes, as the JNS reported, “the challenge is not only rebuilding destroyed homes and infrastructure but also restoring a sense of safety, security and belonging.”

Bridges for Peace has stood with the people of Israel throughout the pain and aftermath of October 7. We have helped renovate a bomb shelter to double as a therapy room for children in a community that was attacked on October 7. We have provided hygiene kits, cheer bags, furniture, appliances and other necessities for Israelis displaced by war. We have sponsored counseling and therapy for traumatized children. We are here to support and stand with hurting people on their journey toward healing.

Ayelet Haris, head of the Kibbutz Movement’s Society and Community Division, told the JNS: “In our meetings, people spoke about the longing for home, the struggle to reconnect with the outside world, and the desire for community—a neighbor you can once again ask for a cup of milk.”

Dig Deeper:

Kibbutz Fund Distributes “Homecoming Kits” amid Return to Oct. 7-ravaged Communities

Zohar: A Brighter Tomorrow

A Beacon of Hope: Christians Supporting Israeli Refugees from the North

90% of Pre-Oct. 7 Residents Have Returned to Gaza Border Area, Joined by 2,500 Others

What You Need to Know:

Two people were murdered and four injured in a terror attack Thursday on a synagogue in Manchester, England, on Yom Kippur, the holiest day on the Jewish calendar.

The terrorist drove his car into a group of people outside the synagogue and then exited the vehicle, began stabbing people and attempted to break into the synagogue, which the rabbi had barricaded. The terrorist was shot and killed by the police and appeared to be wearing an explosive vest.

The brutal attack reflects the spike in antisemitic incidents in the UK since October 7, 2023. Over 1,500 antisemitic incidents were reported in the first half of 2025, the second-highest number ever recorded. Synagogues and Jewish neighborhoods in the UK are increasingly relying on security guards and heightened police presence.

The problem isn’t limited to the UK. Israel’s acting ambassador to Spain, Dana Erlich, said the Spanish government is actively fueling antisemitism—not in support of the Palestinians, but to harm Israel.

In France, a 67-year-old Orthodox Jewish man was assaulted Saturday by a man screaming. “Dirty Jew, I’m going to kill you,” while walking home from the mikvah in Essonne. He was left bloodied and bruised.

France recorded more than 640 antisemitic incidents in the first half of 2025—a 27.5% drop from the same period in 2024 but a 112.5% rise from 2023.

In Germany last Saturday, some 60,000 to 100,000 protesters gathered in Berlin for reportedly the nation’s largest pro-Gaza demonstration to date.

However, German daily newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine reported a group of about 50 people who held Israeli flags and pictures of the Israeli hostages in Gaza in a small counter-protest.

Dig Deeper:

2 Killed, 3 Seriously Injured in Yom Kippur Attack at UK Synagogue

Israel’s Acting Ambassador to Spain: Spanish Gov’t Contributing to Rise in Antisemitism

Germany’s Largest ever Pro-Gaza Protest: Up to 100,000 Take to Berlin to Call for End to “Genocide”

Jewish Man “Brutally Assaulted,” Called “Dirty Jew” in France

What You Need to Know:

No doubt the Hamas terrorists changed the lives of countless Israelis forever in their brutal attack on October, 7, 2023. In addition to the brutal murders and kidnapping of hostages, the terrorists left countless lives scarred, both physically and emotionally. But amid the darkness, it’s all that much more important to celebrate the bright spots and make the most of pockets of joy.

Michelle Rukovicin, an IDF intelligence systems technician, was severely wounded while defending her kibbutz, Kissufim, during the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023. Rukovicin sustained severe wounds from bullets and grenade fragments and lay bleeding for 14 hours as she awaited rescue inside her bomb shelter. Help finally came when a special forces unit entered the bomb shelter and, hearing her whisper that the terrorists were gone, were surprised to find her alive.

After spending three three months in a coma, Rukovicin’s rehabilitation process was long and grueling. But she battled through it with incredible strength and determination, all while her boyfriend, Rinat Kasimov, stayed faithfully by her side. On Tuesday, the two were married, marking the beginning of a new life together.

Rukovicin’s story symbolizes strength and courage in the face of indescribable tribulation and terror, as well as hope and optimism to push through the aftermath and find joy, healing and a future worth celebrating.

Dig Deeper:

Wounded Oct. 7 Survivor Weds Longtime Partner

Left for Dead on October 7: Michelle, The Most Injured Female Soldier of the Massacre