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Tag: Israeli

Israeli military experts weigh in on Trump’s ‘all hell’ threat to Hamas and what it could look like

TEL AVIV, Israel — As the first phase of the fragile Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreement nears completion, Israel is mulling its next steps against the backdrop of President Donald Trump’s repeated threats to unleash “hell” unless all the hostages are released.

Fox News Digital spoke to Israeli military experts to see how they viewed what would be in store for Hamas if the ceasefire deal collapses.

“The only alternative is the resumption of the war in Gaza with all the forces that can be allocated,” Maj. Gen. Yaakov Amidror (res.), a former Israeli National Security Council chief and currently a fellow at the Washington-based JINSA think tank, told Fox News Digital.

“Because we have a ceasefire in Lebanon, we can use huge forces inside Gaza to end Hamas. This is one of the reasons why Hamas didn’t break the truce until now, they understand the alternative is a full-blown war for which they are not ready,” he added.

RUBIO, NETANYAHU AFFIRM ‘COMMON STRATEGY’ FOR GAZA, SET SIGHTS ON IRAN IN JOINT STATEMENT

IDF forces are seen operating in Rafah, a city in the Gaza Strip. (IDF Spokesman’s Office)

On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Jerusalem and insisted that the two countries were working in lockstep.

“We have a shared strategy, which cannot always be detailed to the public, including when the gates of hell will open. And they will open if all our hostages are not returned, every last one of them,” Netanyahu said.

Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus (ret.), a former IDF international spokesperson and now a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, says Hamas’s refusal to return all the hostages, coupled with the prevailing political realities in the Middle East and Trump’s willingness to reshuffle the deck, will necessitate the IDF’s resumption of fighting in Gaza “at a higher intensity and with less restrictions and limitations.”

“The aim will be to defeat Hamas and to take control over the Gaza Strip. I believe that Hamas’s center of gravity is the distribution of humanitarian aid and in the next round of fighting Israel will seek to take ownership of that,” he added.

President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu answer questions during a joint press conference in the East Room at the White House on Feb. 4, 2025. (REUTERS/Leah Millis)

Former IDF military intelligence chief Amos Yadlin similarly told Fox News Digital that “never in history have two entities been at war and one is helping the other survive with food, fuel and everything else.”

He also noted that the Biden administration had “basically embargoed heavy bombs, [but] Trump has already lifted this and will not limit Israel in using them.”

Israel received a U.S. shipment of 2,000-pound MK-84 munitions overnight Saturday, with Defense Minister Israel Katz saying the development “serves as further evidence of the strong alliance between Israel and the United States.”

ISRAEL’S UN AMBASSADOR SLAMS PALESTINIAN PLAN FOR GAZA, DEMANDS PA FIRST ‘CONDEMN HAMAS’

Hamas terrorists take up positions ahead of a hostage release in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, on Feb. 8, 2025. (AP)

Trump’s words and deeds have given the impression that he will fully back Israel’s goal to defeat the Palestinian terror group militarily, Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Giora Eiland, a former head of the Israeli National Security Council, told Fox News Digital.

“But this misses the point, as we have already been fighting there for 16 months. The only significant leverage left, which was prevented by the Biden administration, is to interrupt all flow of equipment, fuel, food, water and other essential matters into the enclave,” Eiland said.

“This is the only thing that can cause real concern in Gaza and which might persuade the leadership to agree to release the hostages.”

Meanwhile, the Israel Defense Forces has increased troop reinforcements and mobilized reservists in the Southern Command to prepare for “any scenario.” When asked to share with Fox News Digital information regarding Hamas’s remaining weapons stockpile, the IDF declined to comment.

Hamas initially possessed an estimated 17,000 mid- and long-range missiles, with the former able to hit targets between seven and 14 kilometers away and the latter beyond 15 kilometers, according to Maj. Gen. Tamir Hayman (res.), executive director of the Tel Aviv-based Institute for National Security Studies and another former head of the IDF’s Military Intelligence Directorate.

TRUMP’S GAZA RELOCATION PROPOSAL SPARKS HEATED DEBATE AMONG PALESTINIANS: ‘NO LIFE LEFT HERE’

Israeli combat engineers have worked to destroy terrorist targets and locate terrorist tunnels in the “Philadelphia Corridor” along a small strip of land at the border between Egypt and Gaza. (TPS-IL/File)

“In terms of Hamas’s long-range missiles, the current capabilities are minor, if at all. Mid-range was probably reduced to approximately less than 100 total, and for short-range capabilities such as mortars and drones, it’s hard to estimate,” he told Fox News Digital.

Hayman agrees that “all hell” might entail President Donald Trump giving carte blanche to Israel to use 2,000-pound bombs or greater leeway to demolish swaths of territory using bulldozers and other heavy machinery to prevent Hamas from regenerating.

Israel might also change its fighting strategy to ensure Hamas is no longer able to regroup by retaking territory evacuated by troops in Gaza, according to Brig. Gen. Yossi Kuperwasser (res.), a former head of research in the IDF’s Military Intelligence Directorate.

“Israel could mount an attack in a different way than we saw till now. Instead of taking control of areas and then leaving them, we would keep control, minimizing Hamas’s ability to rule over the population in Gaza and thus its ability to survive,” he told Fox News Digital.

Palestinians return to their homes in Gaza City, Feb. 2, 2025, after a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. (Ali Jadallah/Anadolu via Getty Images)

The long-term presence of Israeli boots on the ground would likely be a precondition for actualizing Trump’s vow to “take over” and transform Gaza into the “Riviera of the Middle East,” an assertion Trump made alongside Netanyahu at the White House on Feb. 4.

Meir Ben Shabbat, head of the Misgav Institute for National Security & Zionist Strategy and former head of the Israeli National Security Council, told Fox News Digital that Israel must push for “the collapse of Hamas rule, the demilitarization of Gaza and the creation of conditions to prevent this area from posing a threat to the security of Israeli citizens.”

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He said these conditions are “essential to ensure that this round of fighting will be the last,” he added. “To achieve this, Israel will have to resume fighting at a time that suits it.”

On Sunday, Netanyahu informed special envoy Steve Witkoff during a meeting that he would convene the Security Cabinet on Monday to discuss phase 2 of the agreement.

Amelie Botbol is a freelance journalist based in Tel Aviv. Her articles have appeared in the New York Post, Canada’s National Post, and the Washington Times. Amelie can be followed on X @DatReporter

February 17, 2025
Israeli UN ambassador blasts Palestinian plan for Gaza: ‘Condemn Hamas’

Gazans respond to President Trump’s plan

The Center For Peace Communications spoke to Gazans about President Trump’s plan to relocate them to Egypt, Jordan and other countries. (Video courtesy: The Center For Peace Communications.)

EXCLUSIVE – Israel’s United Nations Ambassador Danny Danon is making the Jewish State’s disapproval of the Palestinian Authority’s (PA) “Relief and Early Recovery Plan” for Gaza crystal clear.

“It would be better if they dealt with terrorism in Judea and Samaria and condemn Hamas,” Ambassador Danon told Fox News Digital exclusively. Judea and Samaria are commonly referred to as the West Bank outside of Israel.

The PA’s plan, which was submitted to the U.N. Security Council for review, is broken up into three phases and will cost approximately $3.5 billion, according to documents obtained by Fox News Digital. It calls for an “international commitment to end the Israeli siege” in the Gaza Strip and “longer-term changes.”

“The end of Israel’s occupation of the State of Palestine and the achievement of the two-state solution, as outlined in numerous U.N. resolutions as well as the Arab Peace Initiative, is the only [way] forward for the State of Palestine and the State of Israel to live side by side in peace and security,” the PA’s plan reads.

TRUMP’S GAZA RELOCATION PROPOSAL SPARKS HEATED DEBATE AMONG PALESTINIANS: ‘NO LIFE LEFT HERE’

Israeli Permanent Member to the United Nations Danny Danon speaks during a session of the Security Council at the New York City headquarters. (Israel United Nations mission)

Israel’s Mission to the U.N. condemned the plan in a statement provided exclusively to Fox News Digital. Israel sees the plan presented by the PA as a way to “circumvent basic security requirements, including disarming Hamas.”

“While the Trump administration presents plans to change the reality in Gaza, including voluntarily transferring the residents of the Strip to other countries, the Palestinian Authority offers the U.N. an independent reconstruction plan – without any reference to the demilitarization of the Strip or Hamas’ responsibility for the destruction caused to it,” the statement from Israel’s Mission to the U.N. said.

In its plan, the PA puts the onus of ensuring the delivery of humanitarian supplies to Gaza on Israel, calling it the “occupying power.” However, in 2005, Israel unilaterally pulled out of the Gaza Strip, and Hamas took over after a 2006 election.

The physical restoration of Gaza is not the only focus of the PA’s plan; there is also the establishment of a “Governmental Emergency Operations Room” to oversee the plan, along with the controversial United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).

Destroyed buildings are pictured in the west of Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip on Feb. 11, 2025, amid the current ceasefire deal in the war between Israel and Hamas. (BASHAR TALEB/AFP via Getty Images)

EGYPT REPORTEDLY RELEASES DETAILS ON PLAN TO REBUILD GAZA; THERE’S NO MENTION OF ‘COOPERATION’ WITH THE US

Both the PA and UNRWA have been accused by Israel of perpetuating terrorism and violence.

“The Palestinian Authority, which has not yet condemned the atrocities of October 7, does not have the moral standing and executive ability to take part in these issues,” Ambassador Danon told Fox News Digital. “It would have been better if they had focused on stopping the rotten culture of incitement and demanded a stop to the ugly terrorism that has reared its head in Judea and Samaria.”

Upon reviewing the PA’s documents, Fox News Digital did not find any references to the Oct. 7 attacks, or the hostages taken into Gaza by force. The PA did, however, repeatedly accuse Israel of committing “genocidal aggression” in Gaza.

Hamas is not mentioned in the PA’s plan, which aligns with the two factions’ history of friction.

In February 2024, Russia attempted to launch peace talks between the PA and Hamas. Hamas urged Russia in October 2024 to push PA President Mahmoud Abbas to agree to a unity government for post-war Gaza, but so far nothing has come from those efforts.

While Israel’s Mission to the U.N. condemned the PA’s plan, it also admitted that the “chance that it will be overwhelmingly accepted remains an open question, especially in light of the Trump administration’s new policy on Gaza.”

President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu answer questions during a joint press conference in the East Room at the White House in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 4, 2025 ( REUTERS/Leah Millis)

HAMAS SAYS IT WILL FREE MORE ISRAELI HOSTAGES ON SATURDAY AS ORIGINALLY PLANNED

When Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited D.C. earlier this month, President Trump said the U.S. would “take over” Gaza and relocate the Palestinians living there.

When recently asked about the president’s plan, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt ruled out the idea of putting American troops on the ground in Gaza. Instead, she said that President Trump would “strike a deal with our partners in the region.”

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Before he returned to the Oval Office, President Trump warned Hamas that there would be “hell to pay” if the hostages were not returned. Since then, several hostages have been released.

Saturday will see three more Israeli hostages released, including American Sagui Dekel Chen.

Rachel Wolf is a breaking news writer for Fox News Digital and FOX Business.

February 14, 2025
‘Hatred underpins them’: Nurses suspended after viral video threatening to kill Israeli man

Two Sydney nurses who threatened on camera to kill an Israeli man and other Jewish people in their care were identified and immediately suspended from practicing.

The Australian Department of Health and Aged Care announced in a statement on Thursday that the Nursing and Midwifery Council of New South Wales (NSW) suspended the registrations of registered nurses Ahmad Rashad Nadir and Sarah Abu Lebdeh, effective immediately.

Nadir and Lebdeh, who initially claimed they were doctors while donning scrubs, threatened Israeli influencer Max Veifer on an international video chat website called Chatrouletka.

Australian authorities are investigating after two healthcare workers claimed to have killed Jews in their care. (Credit: @maxveifer via Instagram)

AUSTRALIAN HEALTHCARE WORKERS THREATEN ISRAELI MAN, CLAIM TO HAVE KILLED JEWS IN THEIR CARE ON CAMERA

After asking Veifer about his nationality, Lebdeh said “it’s Palentine’s country, not your country you piece of s—,” according to the video.

She proceeded to tell Veifer “when the time comes, I want you to remember my face, so you can understand that you will die the most disgusting death.”

Nadir chimed in and they both said they would not treat Veifer and would kill him if he came to their hospital.

“You have no idea how many Israelis came to this hospital and…,” Nadir said, while sliding his arm across his neck in a throat-slashing motion.

The Australia Department of Health and Aged Care released a statement announcing the nurses were suspended. (Google Maps)

The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency automatically updated their record on the public register of practitioners, making the two Bankstown Hospital nurses unable to practice nursing anywhere in Australia, in any context.

“The idea that you would single out a particular group in our community and indicate you wouldn’t care for them, let alone actively threaten their lives, runs against every single principle in our health care system,” the health department wrote in the statement.

JEWISH CHILDREN, TEENS VIOLENTLY ATTACKED IN LONDON: ‘STREETS ARE NO LONGER SAFE’

Officials said “their sickening comments – and the hatred that underpins them – have no place in our health system and no place anywhere in Australia.”

The department added Australians have a right to feel safe wherever they go and “nowhere should be safer” than a hospital.

“Health workers have a solemn duty to treat and heal everyone who comes before them needing help,” according to the statement. “The overwhelming majority hold to that oath.”

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese posted on X after the video went viral online. (Mick Tsikas/AAP Image via AP)

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed on Tuesday the pair were “rightly” referred to the NSW Police for criminal investigation.

“Individuals found to have committed criminal antisemitic acts will face the full force of our laws,” Albanese wrote in a post on X. “The footage is sickening and shameful.”

On Wednesday, Australia enacted a hate crimes bill imposing minimum mandatory penalties for certain hate-related crimes, including six years for terrorist offenses, three years for financing terrorism and one year for displaying hate symbols.

NSW Health Minister Ryan Park, Health Department secretary Susan Pearce and David Ossip from the Jewish Board of Deputies visited Bankstown Hospital, where the two nurses worked, on Thursday. (NSW government)

COLUMBIA GROUP’S ANTISEMITIC NEWSPAPER DRAWS OUTRAGE FROM NY LAWMAKER, AS UNIVERSITY INVESTIGATES

NSW Health Minister Ryan Park claimed there was “no evidence” the nurses harmed patients in their care, but the investigation is ongoing.

Lebdeh’s family members spoke to various news outlets claiming she was “baited” and that she was “sorry,” the New York Post reported.

Israel’s biggest newspaper, Israel Hayom, seemingly responded to the remarks with a story titled, “Sorry, not sorry,” and accused the two nurses of minimizing the incident, according to the report.

Sharren Haskel, deputy minister of foreign affairs of the state of Israel, reacted to the viral video, calling the nurses “racist.” (@Sharren Haskel via X)

Sharren Haskel, deputy minister of foreign affairs of the state of Israel, posted on X, commending Australian officials for their response, and calling the pair “racist.”

“Thank you, @ChrisMinnsMP for your swift and decisive action against the racist nurses who threatened to kill Jews. Your dedication and efforts in combating antisemitism over the past month are commendable, and we deeply appreciate your commitment to protecting the Jewish community of New South Wales.”

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Haskel added there must be “zero tolerance” for racism and antisemitism and noted threats must be met with “the full force of the law.”

A synagogue was firebombed in Melbourne on Dec. 6, which authorities are now investigating as a likely terrorist attack. Other reports indicate cars have been set aflame and buildings have been vandalized in Sydney Jewish communities.

Alexandra Koch is a breaking news writer for Fox News Digital. Prior to joining Fox News, Alexandra covered breaking news, crime, religion, and the military in the southeast.

February 14, 2025
Hamas says it will free more Israeli hostages on Saturday as originally planned

Hamas announced on Thursday it will free all Israeli hostages as originally planned, according to The Associated Press.

The move comes days after President Donald Trump issued an ultimatum to the terrorist group threatening to end the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip if they did not release the hostages by Saturday, adding that he would “let all hell break out.”

TRUMP SAYS CEASEFIRE SHOULD BE CANCELED IF HOSTAGES AREN’T RELEASED BY SATURDAY

Hamas had threatened to delay freeing Israeli captives, accusing the Jewish State of failing to live up to obligations.

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This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.

Alex Nitzberg is a writer for Fox News Digital.

February 13, 2025
Israeli hostage’s mom tells Trump, Netanyahu her son could die if war resumes

Idit Ohel, the mother of Israeli hostage Alon Ohel, urgently pleaded for President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to secure the release of the remaining Oct. 7 captives held by Hamas amid fears the current ceasefire deal is disintegrating.

“They have no more time. And please don’t go back to war. Please. Because if that happens, if we go back to war, the hostages could die. The hostages that are alive could die,” she told Fox News Digital. “That’s what happened last time. Last time we saw that after the hostages came out and war started, so many hostages died and were murdered by Hamas. So we cannot let this happen. Please do everything in your power and do something for my son. He’s in the tunnels. He’s crying for help.”

Idit Ohel said she received confirmation that her son is still alive from released hostages Eli Sharabi and Or Levy, two of the three gaunt, frail-looking Israelis forced to speak Saturday during a Hamas hand-over ceremony in Gaza.

The mother said the released hostages, who were held with her son for part of their nearly 500 days in captivity, told her that Alon Ohel is unable to see out of an eye after being struck by shrapnel when Hamas was closing in on Oct. 7, 2023. Alon Ohel, a civilian, was attending the Nova music festival when terrorists attacked, and he took cover in a bomb shelter. Hamas pounded the shelter with grenades and gunfire, and he “was taken, wounded, with blood all over him,” Idit Ohel said.

ISRAEL SLAMS PALESTINIAN ‘DECEPTION SCHEME’ OVER CLAIM IT HALTED TERROR REWARDS PROGRAM

A placard of Alon Ohel seen during a rally marking his 24th birthday in Tel Aviv. (Eyal Warshavsky/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Alon Ohel’s ancestors survived the Holocaust, including his great-grandfather who weighed just 30 kilos [about 66 pounds] when he was released from the Auschwitz concentration camp, Idit Ohel said. “So if he was alive today, he would probably die instantly just knowing that his great-grandson in the year of 2025 is starving,” she said. “Alon has these genes. So he’s fighting. He’s fighting for his life every day.”

Under the deal, another three hostages were due to be released by next Saturday, but Hamas said Monday that the group would not let them go, accusing Israel of violating terms of the ceasefire agreement.

Concerns that fighting will resume are rising. Trump has since said that Hamas must release all remaining 76 hostages by noon Saturday, or he would demand the ceasefire deal be canceled and “let all hell break out.” Netanyahu backed the demand.

Israeli media is reporting that Trump’s envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, is being dispatched to Israel and Qatar this week to prevent the ceasefire deal from unraveling. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected in Israel on Saturday.

To Trump and Netayanhu directly, Idit Ohel said, “Do something and bring them home. Please. Please.”

Idit Ohel speaks to the crowd during a Tel Aviv rally marking the 24th Birthday of her son Alon Ohel who is held hostage by Hamas. (Eyal Warshavsky/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

“Give him a chance. It’s unbearable. Something has to change. You have to do everything in your power to bring him home to me, to his family,” she said. “There’s still hostages alive. There’s still hostages alive. Please. Please, do something.”

Idit Ohel said she learned her son is being held in tunnels without medical attention and little food and has been “tortured, chained and starved.”

“It’s not humane. There’s so much food getting into Gaza, and he’s not getting any of it,” she said.

HAMAS SAYS IT’S DELAYING NEXT HOSTAGE RELEASE, CLAIMING CEASEFIRE VIOLATIONS

“Alon, right now as we speak, is still being not fed, sleeping on the floor, being chained, constrained. So he cannot move for 494 days,” Idit Ohel said. “My son is important. My son is only an innocent civilian. He went to the Nova festival to have fun. He’s a pianist. He loves music. He did nothing wrong to nobody. We need to get him out now. He cannot continue. This is humanitarian.”

Days before Trump took office, Israel and Hamas reached a ceasefire agreement. Former President Joe Biden said at the time that the first phase involved a “surge of humanitarian assistance into Gaza” – something Idit Ohel stressed her son is not getting.

She said the International Committee of the Red Cross “have never seen Alon and have never seen any of the hostages – [he] didn’t get any treatment.”

Israelis stand under placards with photos of hostages during a rally in Tel Aviv marking the 24th Birthday of Alon Ohel, who is held by Hamas in Gaza. (Eyal Warshavsky/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

“Where is he? Why is he not coming?” Idit Ohel added. “I do not understand it. I will never understand it. This is wrong. This is not moral.”

Ohel rallied thousands in Tel Aviv over the weekend on her son’s 24th birthday – the second birthday he has spent in captivity since the Oct. 7 attacks.

“I wanted to say happy birthday to my son. I couldn’t even talk [to him] and see and hear his voice,” she said. “When I heard about his condition, I fainted … I haven’t been sleeping for days … I cannot control what Hamas is doing to my son.”

“Every mother in this world. Think just for a second. If there’s one night that your son or daughter doesn’t eat, you can’t even live with yourself,” Ohel added. “My son has not been getting food for 494 days.”

The mother also delivered a message directly to her son.

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“If you’re listening to me, you know I love you and your father loves you. And we’re doing everything in our power to make sure that you’re home alive. You’re coming home. And there’s so many people all over the world and in Israel that are with you and are praying for you,” Ohel said, asking fellow musicians to play songs in her son’s honor in the coming days. “And you are not alone, Alon. You are not alone.”

Danielle Wallace is a breaking news and politics reporter at Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to [email protected] and on X: @danimwallace.

February 13, 2025
Australian health care workers threaten Israeli man, claim to have killed Jews in their care

Two Australian healthcare workers are being investigated after threatening to kill an Israeli man on camera, claiming they had previously killed Jews in their care.

The man and woman, who said they were doctors, spoke with the man via Chatrouletka, a website where strangers are matched internationally to have conversations.

After the Israeli man revealed his nationality, the female worker said “it’s Palentine’s country, not your country you piece of s—,” according to the video.

Skyline of Sydney, Australia, which is the capital of New South Wales (Photo by Alexi Rosenfeld/Getty Images) (Getty )

JEWISH CHILDREN, TEENS VIOLENTLY ATTACKED IN LONDON: ‘STREETS ARE NO LONGER SAFE’

As the Israeli man asked for peace, the conversation escalated, and the woman said “when the time comes, I want you to remember my face, so you can understand that you will die the most disgusting death.”

The pair went on to say they wouldn’t treat the man, and would kill him if he came to their hospital.

The man in scrubs said “you have no idea how many Israelis came to this hospital and…,” while sliding his arm across his neck in a throat slashing motion.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (centre) gives an address to the Leaders’ Plenary during the 2024 ASEAN-Australia Special Summit at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre in Melbourne, Australia, March 6, 2024. (Joel Carrett/Pool via Reuters/ File Photo)

New South Wales Premier Chris Minns confirmed the two individuals are workers at Bankstown Hospital.

Minns and Australia Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed the pair were identified quickly and were “stood down” by NSW authorities.

“They have rightly been referred to the NSW Police for criminal investigation,” Albanese wrote in a statement Tuesday on X. “Individuals found to have committed criminal antisemitic acts will face the full force of our laws.”

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – DECEMBER 06: Members of the Synagogue recover items from the Adass Israel Synagogue on December 06, 2024, in Melbourne, Australia. An arson attack on the Adass Israel Synagogue in Melbourne forced congregants to flee as flames engulfed the building early on Friday morning. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned the incident as an antisemitic act, emphasizing that such violence at a place of worship is unacceptable in Australia. (Photo by Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images)

Albanese described the comments as “vile,” and condemned the healthcare workers’ actions.

“The antisemitic video circulating today is disgusting,” he wrote. “The footage is sickening and shameful. These antisemitic comments, driven by hate, have no place in our health system and no place anywhere in Australia.”

A synagogue was fire-bombed in Melbourne on Dec. 6, which authorities are now investigating as a likely terrorist attack. Other reports indicate cars have been set aflame and buildings have been vandalized in Sydney Jewish communities.

A member of the Jewish community recovers an item from the Adass Israel Synagogue on December 06, 2024, in Melbourne, Australia. An arson attack on the Adass Israel Synagogue in Melbourne forced congregants to flee as flames engulfed the building early on Friday morning. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned the incident as an antisemitic act, emphasizing that such violence at a place of worship is unacceptable in Australia. (Photo by Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images) (Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images))

The Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ) reported more than 2,000 antisemitic incidents in Australia since Palestinian militants attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. Data was collected between Oct. 1, 2023 and Sept. 30, 2024.

In a news conference on Tuesday, Alexander Ryvchin, ECAJ co-chief executive officer, said members of the community have felt unsafe at Australian hospitals.

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“Hospitals are a place where people should never feel unsafe,” Ryvchin said. “It’s the exact contrary. People should feel entirely comfortable that they’ll be treated based on their condition and humanity, not in the way that we saw in that video.”

He added the incident was the “tip of the iceberg,” and he believes there are many Australians with the same ideology.

Members of the local Jewish community look at the damage of the arson attack at the Adass Israel Synagogue on December 06, 2024, in Melbourne, Australia. An arson attack on the Adass Israel Synagogue in Melbourne forced congregants to flee as flames engulfed the building early on Friday morning. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned the incident as an antisemitic act, emphasizing that such violence at a place of worship is unacceptable in Australia. (Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images)

“Antisemitism has sadly taken root in Australia, and we need to expunge it root and branch,” Ryvchin said. “There need to be consequences.”

On Wednesday, Australia enacted a hate crimes bill imposing minimum mandatory penalties for certain hate-related crimes, including six years for terrorist offenses, three years for financing terrorism and one year for displaying hate symbols.

“There have been similar instances of such behavior in Sydney and Perth where perpetrators have been convicted and given only a token fine,” the ECAJ wrote in a statement posted on its website. “That is also unacceptable because perpetrators come to regard such fines as merely the cost of “doing business” and not as a real deterrent.”

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese posted on X after the video went viral online. (Mick Tsikas/AAP Image via AP)

Though it has faced more intolerance, the Jewish population of Australia is substantially smaller than the Muslim population, which accounts for 3.2%, according to previous reporting. Jews account for just 0.4% of the population.

The Australian Federal Police was previously tasked with conducting an operation that would “focus on threats, violence, and hatred” targeting the Jewish community, Fox News Digital reported.

In addition, the Prime Minister allocated $25 million, about $15 million in the U.S., beginning in 2022 to increase security for Jewish organizations, according to a Reuters report. He also took a stand against hate speech and banned the Nazi salute.

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Fox News’ Beth Bailey contributed to this story.

Alexandra Koch is a breaking news writer for Fox News Digital. Prior to joining Fox News, Alexandra covered breaking news, crime, religion, and the military in the southeast.

February 12, 2025
Israeli cabinet backs Trump’s demand for Hamas to release all hostages

Israel’s security cabinet fully supports President Donald Trump’s demand that the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas release all of its hostages by noon on Saturday or that “all hell is going to break out,” an Israeli official told Fox News.

The declaration comes after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened his security cabinet Tuesday after Hamas announced it is delaying the next release of Israeli hostages.

“The decision I passed in the Cabinet unanimously is this: If Hamas does not return our hostages by Saturday noon – the ceasefire will end, and the IDF will resume intense combat until Hamas is decisively defeated,” Netanyahu said in a statement following the meeting.

“In light of Hamas’ announcement of its decision to violate the agreement and not release our hostages, I instructed the IDF last night to amass forces inside and around the Gaza Strip. This operation is currently underway and will be completed as soon as possible,” Netanyahu added.

TRUMP SAYS CEASEFIRE SHOULD BE CANCELED IF HOSTAGES AREN’T RELEASED BY SATURDAY

Israeli captives, from left to the right, Ohad Ben Ami, Eli Sharabi and Or Levy, who have been held hostage by Hamas in Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023, are escorted by Hamas fighters on a stage before being handed over to the Red Cross in Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip on Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025. (AP/Abdel Kareem Hana)

“We also welcomed the President’s revolutionary vision for the future of Gaza,” Netanyahu said.

Trump said Monday if Hamas does not return all hostages by noon on Saturday, he will call for the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip to be canceled and “let all hell break out.”

“If all the Gaza hostages aren’t returned by Saturday at 12 p.m., I would say cancel the ceasefire,” Trump said in the Oval Office. “Let all hell break out; Israel can override it.”

Trump stressed that Hamas needs to release “all of them — not in drips and drabs.”

“Saturday at 12pm and after that, I would say, all hell is going to break out,” Trump said.

Trump reiterated his demand on Tuesday and told reporters that he believes Hamas will listen to him.

ISRAEL SLAMS PALESTINIAN ‘DECEPTION SCHEME’ OVER CLAIM IT HALTED TERROR REWARDS PROGRAM

Israeli soldiers gather by the border with the Gaza Strip in southern Israel on Tuesday, Feb.11. (AP/Ariel Schalit)

A Hamas spokesperson said Monday that the terrorist group will delay the next planned release of hostages in the Gaza Strip after accusing Israel of violating the ceasefire agreement.

“Over the past three weeks, the resistance leadership has monitored the enemy’s violations and failure to fulfill its obligations under the agreement; including the delay in allowing the return of the displaced to the northern Gaza Strip, targeting them with direct shelling and gunfire in various areas across Gaza, and denying relief supplies of all kinds to enter as agreed, while the resistance has implemented all its obligations,” Abu Obeida, the spokesperson for Hamas’ military wing, said.

Israel and Hamas are in the midst of a six-week ceasefire, during which Hamas has committed to releasing 33 hostages captured in its Oct. 7, 2023 attack in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.

Displaced Palestinians, carrying their belongings in vehicles, wait at a security checkpoint in the Netzarim corridor while traveling from central Gaza to their homes in the northern Gaza Strip on Tuesday, Feb. 11. (AP/Abdel Kareem Hana)

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The sides have carried out five swaps since the ceasefire went into effect last month, freeing 21 hostages and more than 730 Palestinian prisoners. The next exchange, scheduled for next Saturday, calls for three more Israeli hostages to be freed in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.

Fox News’ Yael Rotem-Kuriel, Brooke Singman, Danielle Wallace, Yonat Friling and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Greg Norman is a reporter at Fox News Digital.

February 11, 2025
Israeli defense minister orders IDF to plan for Gazans to leave

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Defense Minister Israel Katz said Thursday he welcomes President Donald Trump’s proposal for large numbers of Palestinians to leave the Gaza Strip as he instructed the IDF to prepare a plan in line with the controversial plan.

Katz said Trump’s “bold plan” could “create extensive opportunities for those in Gaza who wish to leave.”

Trump’s plan initially stated that Gaza’s population would be “permanently” relocated while the United States rebuilds the territory, but U.S. officials later walked back those comments, saying the relocation would only be temporary.

TRUMP’S PROPOSED US TAKEOVER OF GAZA STRIP ELICITS POSITIVE RESPONSE ACROSS ADMINISTRATION

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz looks on, amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza between Israel and Hamas, in Jerusalem, November 7, 2024. (REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun)

“The U.S. will take over the Gaza Strip, and we will do a job with it, too,” Trump said Tuesday evening in a joint press conference with Netanyahu. “We’ll own it and be responsible for dismantling all of the dangerous, unexplored bombs and other weapons on the site.”

“Level the site and get rid of the destroyed buildings, level it out, create an economic development that will supply unlimited numbers of jobs and housing for the people of the area,” he said. “Do a real job. Do something different. Just can’t go back. If you go back, it’s going to end up the same way it has for 100 years.”

ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER LAUDS TRUMP’S LEADERSHIP WHEN ASKED IF BIDEN SHOULD TAKE CREDIT FOR CEASEFIRE

Israelis protestors set a fire as they block a road in Tel Aviv on November 5, 2024, after the dismissal of the defense minister, amid the ongoing war between Israel and the militant Hamas group. (JACK GUEZ/AFP via Getty Images)

Katz said he believes that the plan should include multiple exit options for any country willing to receive them.

“The plan will include exit options via land crossings, as well as special arrangements for departure by sea and air. Countries such as Spain, Ireland, Norway, and others, which have falsely accused Israel over its actions in Gaza, are legally obligated to allow Gazans to enter their territory. Their hypocrisy will be exposed if they refuse,” said Katz.

Displaced Palestinians return to their homes in the northern Gaza Strip on Monday. (AP/Abdel Kareem Hana)

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As of now, the plan has been rejected by the Palestinians as well as many in the international community who believe it is forcible displacement and violates international law. Rights groups said it would amount to forcible displacement in violation of international law.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

February 6, 2025
Israeli prime minister lauds Trump’s leadership when asked if Biden should take credit for ceasefire

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lauded President Donald Trump’s leadership when asked who should take credit for the ceasefire deal reached in the waning days of the Biden administration.

“Prime Minister Netanyahu, we’ve heard Joe Biden and Donald Trump take credit for the hostage and ceasefire deal. Who do you think deserves more credit?” Fox News’ Peter Doocy asked Netanyahu as he joined Trump in the Oval Office on Tuesday.

“I think President Trump had a great force and powerful leadership to this effort. I appreciate it,” Netanyahu responded. “He sent a very good emissary. He’s helped a lot. And, you know, I’ll just tell you, I’m happy that they’re here. And I’m sure the president is happy that they’re here. And I would think that’s about enough.”

Israel and Hamas reached a ceasefire deal Jan. 15, just days before Biden exited the White House, and Trump entered it, on Jan. 20. The ceasefire followed a meeting between Trump’s then-incoming Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, and Netanyahu.

TRUMP EYES ABRAHAM ACCORDS EXPANSION, GAZA REBUILD WITH NETANYAHU MEETING ON DECK

President Donald Trump, right, accompanied by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, left, speaks during a meeting in the Oval Office Feb. 4, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images )

Credit for the ceasefire was claimed by both Biden and Trump, with the 46th president taking a victory lap for the achievement in the opening remarks of his farewell address to the nation.

“After eight months of nonstop negotiation, my administration — by my administration — a cease-fire and hostage deal has been reached by Israel and Hamas, the elements of which I laid out in great detail in May of this year,” Biden said in his farewell address.

“This plan was developed and negotiated by my team and will be largely implemented by the incoming administration. That’s why I told my team to keep the incoming administration fully informed, because that’s how it should be, working together as Americans.”

Credit for the ceasefire was claimed by both President Donald Trump and former President Joe Biden, pictured here with former Vice President Kamala Harris, with Biden taking a victory lap for the achievement in the opening remarks of his farewell address to the nation. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

At another point of Tuesday’s joint press conference, Netanyahu argued that chances of peace in the Middle East increase when he and Trump — and Israel and the U.S. overall — work side by side.

TRUMP REINSTATES ‘MAXIMUM PRESSURE’ CAMPAIGN AGAINST IRAN

“When Israel and the United States work together, and President Trump and I work together, you know, the chances go up a lot [to reach the second phase of the ceasefire deal],” he said. “It’s when we don’t work together, when Israel and the United States don’t work together, that creates problems. When the other side sees daylight between us, and occasionally in the last few years … then it’s more difficult.”

Trump invited Netanyahu to the White House to discuss the ceasefire deal’s future, and Iran’s grip in the Middle East and resettling Gaza residents in other nations.

President Donald Trump, right, invited Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the White House to discuss the ceasefire deal’s future, and Iran’s grip in the Middle East and resettling Gaza residents in other nations. (Shawn Thew/EPA/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Iran has been at the forefront of Hamas’ war on Israel, assisting in funding the effort. Trump said during the press conference that war would not have broken out if he had been president back on Oct. 7, 2023 — citing that Iran was financially hobbled under his first administration.

“Iran was in big trouble when I left. They were broke,” Trump said. “They didn’t have money for Hamas. They didn’t have any money for Hezbollah. You had no problem. October 7th could have never happened when I left.”

ISRAEL’S NETANYAHU DEPARTS FOR US TO MEET WITH TRUMP, HOPING TO STRENGTHEN TIES WITH WASHINGTON

Netanyahu vowed during the press conference that he would bring home the remaining hostages in Hamas captivity, while adding that “Hamas is not going to be in Gaza” much longer.

Trump added that Gaza is too dangerous for even the soldiers currently on the ground.

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“It’s too dangerous for people. Nobody wants to be there,” he said. “Warriors don’t want to be there. Soldiers don’t want to be there. How can you have people go back? You’re saying go back into Gaza now? The same thing’s going to happen.”

“It’ll only be death,” he said.

February 4, 2025
Netanyahu furious about chaotic handover of Israeli hostages from Hamas

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dropped the hammer in response to what he described as “shocking scenes” when terrorists released hostages on Thursday.

Terrorists released Israeli and Thai hostages on Thursday, but Israeli President Isaac Herzog noted in a post on X that “the scenes of abuse and terror towards the hostages as they were transferred to the Red Cross were horrifying …”

Netanyahu responded by ordering a delay in the planned release of terrorists, demanding assurance regarding the release of hostages, but the prime minister’s office later indicated that the demand had been satisfied.

THIRD ROUND OF HOSTAGE RELEASES BEGINS AS PART OF HAMAS’ GAZA CEASEFIRE AGREEMENT WITH ISRAEL

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a press conference in Jerusalem on Dec. 9, 2024. (MAYA ALLERUZZO/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, together with Defense Minister Israel Katz, has ordered that the release of the terrorists slated to be released today be delayed until the safe exit of our hostages in the next phases is assured. Israel demands that the mediators see to this,” the office noted on X.

But it later seemed to indicate that the issue had been resolved, stating, “Pursuant to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s demand, the mediators have conveyed a commitment, according to which the safe exit of our hostages who are due to be released in the next phases has been assured.” It added, “Israel insists that the lessons be learned and that strict care be taken in the next phases regarding the safe return of our hostages.”

Netanyahu had indicated there were “shocking scenes” when the hostages were released.

ISRAEL ORDERS UNRWA TO CEASE OPERATIONS IN COUNTRY OVER TERROR TIES: ‘MISERABLY FAILED IN ITS MANDATE’

“I view with utmost severity the shocking scenes during the release of our hostages. This is additional proof of the inconceivable brutality of the Hamas terrorist organization,” Netanyahu noted, according to the prime minister’s office. “I demand that the mediators make certain that such terrible scenes do not recur, and guarantee the safety of our hostages. Whoever dares to harm our hostages will pay the price.”

Terrorists perpetrated a heinous attack against Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, slaughtering, kidnapping, and raping victims.

Israel responded by launching a war effort to wipe out Hamas.

FOX NEWS ‘ANTISEMITISM EXPOSED’ NEWSLETTER: TRUMP MOVES TO DEPORT HAMAS-SYMPATHIZING STUDENTS

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The release of hostages on Thursday came amid a ceasefire agreement.

Alex Nitzberg is a writer for Fox News Digital.

January 30, 2025