News Digest — 7/29/25
One Year After Hezbollah Rocket Killed 12 Children In Northern Israeli Druze Town, Grief Still Raw
At exactly 6:18 p.m. on July 27, 2024, the lives of 12 families in the northern Druze town of Majdal Shams were shattered in an instant. A Hezbollah rocket struck the local soccer field where children were playing, killing multiple young people and sending shock waves across the country. One year later, the community gathered on Sunday (27th) for the first memorial ceremony at the very site of the tragedy.
The field, once a space of laughter and games, has become a place of mourning and remembrance. Clad in black, grieving families, neighbors of the Druze community from across the GolanHeights stood together in somber solidarity. They embraced one another, united by loss and transformed the field into a sanctuary of shared sorrow.
In the year since the attack, the 12 bereaved families have endured unimaginable grief. Speaking with Ynet, some parents described the impossible burden of losing a child and the long, painful road of coping with such devastation. Despite the heartbreak, they stood together at the memorial, declaring quiet strength. “We have not forgotten.”
The Children killed in the rocket attack were:
• Alma Ayman Fakher Eldin, age 11
• Johnny Wadeea Ibrahim, age 13
• Milad Muadad al-Sha’ar, age 10
• Gevara Ebraheem, age 10
• Izeel Nasha’at Ayoub, age 12
• Naji Taher Alhalabi, age 11
• Vinees Adham Safadi, age 11
• Hazem Akram Abu Saleh, age 15
• Fair Laith Abu Saleh, age 16
• Yazan Nayeif Abu Saleh, age 11
• Nazem Fakher Saeb, age 15
• Ameer Rabeea Abu Saleh, age 16
The Battle Of Misinformation – Natasha Hausdorff
For all of Israel’s remarkable and inspiring victories across the seven kinetic fronts of this war against the forces of evil, Iran and its proxies have been gaining significant ground on the eighth front, in the realm of international media and diplomacy. It is a front Israel cannot afford to lose. The battle of misinformation and the propaganda campaigns of terrorist organizations has an undeniable effect on Israel’s ability to defend itself. Pressure from international players for Israel to cease its self-defense has increased as a result of false accusations of “genocide” or “ disproportionate force,” and Hamas has been emboldened at the negotiation table, rejecting US-brokered hostage release deals. Every aspect of the ongoing war has been impacted by the increasingly dangerous and damaging anti-Israel rhetoric of supposed allies in the West, predicated upon falsehoods.
For too long, there has been an inclination to give credence to lies, treating them as valid talking points that require a response, as though false narratives and the truth are of equal value. This attitude and approach are having a dire impact on the public’s understanding of the facts and the law.
Two messages need to be advanced with urgency in the international community. The first: “You have been lied to.” Whether it is the revival of ancient blood libels with the false claim that Israel targets civilians, or the photos of very sick children falsely presented as victims of starvation, the public and the politicians around the world need to understand they have been taken for a ride. The second: “You’re next.” Lest those in the US, UK, or Europe think that this propaganda war is just about Israel, they should understand that this propaganda campaign of manipulation will have a dire impact on their ability, not just Israel’s, to defend themselves against terror in the future.
Israel has set records and unprecedentedly high standards in the protection of civilians in armed conflict, facilitation of aid, and the painstakingly precise focus on terrorist targets. Military experts confirm this; all Israelis should know this. It is time the rest of the world appreciated it too.
Natasha Hausdorff is an international law expert and a senior member of UK Lawyers for Israel.
Israel: Viral Photo Of Gaza Boy Exploited To Push False Starvation Claims
Israeli officials said on Monday (28th) that five-year-old Palestinian child Osama al-Raqab, whose frail image was circulated globally as a symbol of alleged starvation in Gaza, is suffering from a severe genetic illness unrelated to the war.
The Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), a unit of the Israeli Defense Ministry, tweeted that Israel facilitated al-Raqab’s evacuation to Italy for treatment in June and condemned the use of his image in what it called a false narrative.
“Osama suffers from a serious genetic illness unrelated to the war,” COGAT stated.
“On June 12, we actively coordinated Osama’s exit from Gaza with his mother and brother through the Ramon Airport.” He is currently receiving medical care at a hospital in Italy.
COGAT is a military unit that coordinates civilian issues in Gaza, Judea and Samaria.
Al-Raqab’s photograph, which showed him visibly underweight and in distress, was widely shared on social media and reported in outlets including Al-Jazeera and Italian media as evidence of famine in Gaza.
“Tragic images rightfully stir strong emotions, but when they’re misused to fuel hatred and lies, they do more harm than good,” COGAT said, warning that “compassion should not be exploited for propaganda.”
The unit urged international audiences to “check the facts before parroting blame,” and released a recent image of Osama in an Italian hospital gown.
“His mother had previously pleaded for help, saying, “There’s no milk, no eggs, no meat – my child is dying slowly,” in an appeal that intensified calls for humanitarian intervention. At the time, many believed his condition reflected widespread starvation in the Strip.
The Israel Defense Forces on Sunday (27th) began airdropping humanitarian aid and instituted daily “tactical pauses” in Al-Mawasi, Deir al-Balah, and Gaza City between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m.
These pauses, coordinated with other international aid groups, are designed to allow safe passage for aid convoys delivering food and medicine.
“There is no starvation in Gaza,“ Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday (27th) at a conference of evangelical Christians in Jerusalem.
“We will continue to fight until we achieve the release of our hostages and the destruction of Hamas’ military and governing capabilities. They shall be there no more.”
At least 1,200 people were killed, and 252 Israelis and foreigners were taken hostage in Hamas’ attack on Israeli communities near the Gaza border on October 7, 2023, Of the 50 remaining hostages, around 30 are believed to be dead.
Hamas Official Blames Egypt For Gaza Hunger, Sparking Firestorm
A senior Hamas official in Gaza drew sharp criticism from Egypt after blaming Cairo in part for the humanitarian crisis in the enclave.
Khalil al-Hayya, a top figure in the Hamas leadership, addressed “the Egyptian people and their leaders” on Sunday (27th), asking, “Are your brothers in Gaza dying of hunger while they are at your border, close to you?”
Though Egyptian officials did not issue an official response, Saudi daily Asharq al-Awsat quoted an Egyptian source expressing astonishment, saying al-Hayya is “well aware of Cairo’s role.”
“Egypt will not accept any questioning of its role, its firm position on the Palestinian issue or its efforts to end the war and deliver aid to Gaza,” the source added. Other critics also voiced anger at the remarks.
In his speech, al-Hayya also addressed Jordan, calling it “a land of mobilization and solidarity” and urged the Jordanian public to escalate popular protests, denounce alleged crimes and prevent Israel from implementing plans to divide the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem.
The comments were not well received in Amman. “The Jordanian people do not take orders from outside or from Palestinian factions,” a Jordanian government source told Saudi broadcaster Al-Hadath. “These calls are unjustified and seek to incite chaos. Jordan has not failed to support the Palestinian people, and Jordanians remain committed to their homeland’s security.”
In Egypt, member of parliament Mostafa Bakry responded to X, questioning al-Hayya’s accusations. “Did Egypt fail or neglect to support our people in Gaza, politically or humanely?” he wrote. Did Egypt not take in thousands of wounded Palestinians, and alone provide a lot of aid to Gaza? “
Bakry, who said he had a lengthy conversation with al-Hayya months earlier, added, “I had hoped Hamas would condemn the siege on Egyptian embassies, carried out by the Muslim Brotherhood and its affiliates around the world. Instead you blame us for the hunger. You know Egypt’s role and its efforts. Will Hamas issue a statement speaking the truth about Egypt’s role —that Rafah crossing was never closed by Egypt, and that the sole responsibility lies with the “Israeli occupier? I hope so.”
Egypt, which serves as a mediator between Israel and Hamas, consistently emphasizes its support for Gaza. In a recent address, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi reiterated that Rafah crossing is designated for the passage of people and is not controlled solely by the Egyptian side. “There are more than five crossings into Gaza, from both Egypt and Israel,” he said. “The crossings from Egypt are Rafah and Kerem Shalom.”
“We have always acted positively, calling for an end to the war and a resolution to the Palestinian issue. We have been striving to deliver maximum amounts of aid into the Strip.”
Jewish Father And Son Attacked By Anti-Semitic Mob In Milan
A Jewish father was violently assaulted in front of his six-year-old son at a gas station in Milan, Italy, in what appears to have been an unprovoked anti-Semitic attack.
The father and son, both French nationals, had stopped to refuel and use the restroom when they were confronted by a hostile mob.
According to eyewitness accounts and video footage circulating on social media, the attackers began shouting “Free Palestine” and “murderer” at the tourists after noticing that the child was wearing a kippah and tzitzit — traditional Jewish headwear and tassels.
The aggressive crowd made obscene gestures toward the pair. Ultimately the father was violently thrown to the ground, beaten, and had his eyeglasses broken.
“This isn’t Nazi Germany in the 1930s. This is Italy in 2025,” wrote the community group Black and Jewish Unity, which posted the video of the attack on social media.
Social media users condemned the assault, with many comparing the scene to Holocaust-era persecution.
One Italian user said the video was “a shameful embarrassment” for the country, calling the mob “ignorant.”
The attack comes amid rising anti-Semitic incidents in Milan.
In June, anonymous posters reading “Israelis not welcome” were plastered across Jewish neighborhoods and tourist centers.
“Milan is no longer a safe place for Jews,” city council member Daniel Nahum said at the time.
“Anti-Zionism has become the modern form of anti-Semitism. These signs weren’t criticizing the Israeli government—they were criticizing all Israelis,” Nahum added.
“It’s like blaming all Russians for Putin, or all Iranians for Khamenei. The key difference, however, is that Israel is a democracy.”
The president of Milan’s Jewish community, Walter Meghnagi, slammed left-wing “pseudo-politicians” for stirring up anti-Jewish hostility.
“They do nothing but stoke hatred. They bear a large share of the responsibility for the spread of anti-Semitism,” he said.
“But no one seems to notice. At least some from the center-right have stood up to defend us.”
Granting Palestinian Statehood Does Not Make Moral Or Practical Sense – Jake Wallis Simons
Hamas has warmly welcomed French President Macron’s announcement that France was planning to recognize a state of Palestine. To put this in perspective, I suggest that Mr. Macron watch some of the footage of Oct. 7.
Perhaps the scene in which Ahmed Fozi Wadia, a Hamas paraglider, strolled into the home of the Taasa family in Netiv Ha’asara inside Israel and shot 17-year-old Or six times in the head. He then threw a grenade into the safe-room where the rest of the family was hiding. Or’s father, Gil, a fireman, threw himself onto the grenade to protect his other children and was killed instantly. Two of his sons were injured in the blast, with 8-year-old Shay’s eye blown out of its socket.
Well done, Mr. Macron. These are the people who are slapping you on the back. Unilaterally recognizing a Palestinian state stands out as the most myopic, destructive and treacherous foreign policy to have been dreamed up by our elites in recent memory.
Granting statehood to one of the most corrupt, brutal, inept and intransigent regimes on Earth – which has a taste for terrorism, given that it hands out financial rewards to those convicted of it– in order to pressure a democratic ally out of winning against the jihadis, makes no sense either for stability in the Middle East or our own national security. (Telegraph-UK)
