In the above video, British Foreign Secretary David Lammy
attacks, with great ignorance, the distribution of aid by the “new Israeli
method” and calls it inhumane. In practice, he is supporting Hamas and does not
understand that the method he demands for food distribution (UN trucks to Hamas
warehouses) is the one that kills and strengthens Hamas’s objectives.
Ignorance and deliberate deception by Hamas propaganda are
leading Western countries to demand that aid enter the Gaza Strip directly into
the hands of Hamas – how does this work, and where is the path of interests?
Since the distribution of aid packages in the Strip began
through the American fund GHF, Hamas and the UN have been fighting it every
step of the way. The reason Hamas and the UN are cooperating here is shared
interests – power and control.
For decades, the UN
built a corrupt aid distribution system in the Strip that operated in a
systematic and well-known way. Hamas coveted this and very quickly learned to
control it, turning it into one of its sources of income and one of its bases
of power for controlling the population.
When the American aid fund GHF began operating in the Strip
about two months ago, Hamas' and the UN’s control over the flow of aid to the
Strip was undermined. They suddenly had a competitor who received support from
the US President.
From that moment, Hamas and the UN each acted to discredit
the aid distribution efforts of the GHF fund – it simply took the power out of
the hands of Hamas. Hamas launched an aggressive media campaign against the
fund and even tried (and is still trying) to harm it through terror.
The Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza systematically
floods the media daily with reports of casualties (sometimes dozens a day),
attributing them to food distribution by the GHF fund – something that is
completely untrue. It’s simply a systematic lie that Western media outlets
embrace, thus creating a reality that doesn’t exist.
For the UN, this is wonderful – the same interest. The UN
wants to control the aid. The absurdity is so great that the latest claim by
Hamas and the Gaza Health Ministry about around 100 deaths daily, supposedly
while trying to get food, was attributed entirely to the American fund’s food
distribution efforts, when in reality the entire incident revolved around aid
trucks that the UN brought in through Zikim in the northern Strip – with no
connection to GHF at all.
In other words, the headlines about the recent casualties
that filled Western media should actually have supported the American fund’s
activities – because it was the aid brought in by the UN that caused the
deaths. And that’s without even mentioning that the UN’s delivery of aid
strengthens Hamas, which distributes the aid to its associates and to merchants
who profit from the free aid and, in the process, enrich Hamas’s coffers.
How Hamas exploits psychology to harm Israel from within and
abroad - opinion
If we want to win – not just the battles but also the war – we must start by understanding the battlefield we’re actually on.
IRWIN J. (YITZCHAK) MANSDORF MAY 12, 2025 (Jerusalem Centre for Public Affairs)
One of the most basic insights in behavioral psychology is
that people are wired to respond to immediate rewards even if those carry
long-term consequences. Whether it’s eating another slice of cake, smoking a
harmful cigarette, or running a red light, we tend to act when the benefit is
now and the price is later. If the reward feels good enough and the threat
seems distant enough, we take the risk.
This is not just human nature. It’s a weapon; one that Hamas has used masterfully in
its psychological war against Israel and the West over the past 18 months.
With the help of Iranian and Qatari backers,
Hamas has turned hostage diplomacy into a psychological trap. The emotional
appeal of bringing hostages home – a deeply human desire – has become the bait.
The cost? A stronger, bolder, more dangerous Hamas, just as ideologically
committed to Israel’s destruction as ever.
And the trap is working.
In Israel, fatigue from the ongoing war has begun to
show.
Reservists still show up, but morale is fraying as the
burden falls unevenly across society. Public discourse is dominated by the
plight of the hostages. Families appear on TV daily. Emotional appeals grip the
nation. Understandably, the public pressure to “do something” grows – and Hamas
knows this. That’s why, every few weeks, another hostage video surfaces,
precisely timed to stoke hope, pain, and division.
The price of a deal with Hamas
Every potential deal with Hamas carries a price. And the
terror organization ensures that the price is steep. Within Israel, a moral
rift is deepening. For some, particularly hostage families, nothing matters
more than bringing loved ones home. For others, the memory of October 7 and the
desire to ensure it never happens again means defeating Hamas, even at terrible
cost.
This is the heart of our moral dilemma: Two values – both
legitimate – that feel increasingly irreconcilable.
Hamas is exploiting this divide with precision. One day, it
offers a temporary hudna (“ceasefire”). The next, it releases a hostage video.
All the while, it plays the victim: children under rubble, hospitals without
power, shelters destroyed. The images are tragic – but they also serve a
purpose. The responsibility, they suggest, lies not with Hamas, but with
Israel.
Incredibly, many Israelis, who despise Hamas and all it
stands for, fall into this psychological trap. Instead of demanding that Hamas release the
hostages unconditionally, as international law requires, public anger
often turns inward, toward the Israeli government. It is a striking success of
Hamas’s psychologically asymmetric strategy.
The same is true in the West. There, the dominant narrative
is one of Israeli
oppression and “genocide” in Gaza. This narrative is a result of years
of emotional manipulation and moral confusion.
Headlines show starving children and suffering patients,
rarely acknowledging Hamas’s role in initiating the conflict or continuing to
hold innocent Israelis captive. The moral burden shifts to Israel, while the
terrorists evade accountability.
What does this all mean? First, we must take a more sober
view of the reality we’re in. The moral imperative to rescue living hostages is
real – but so is the government’s duty to protect its citizens from future
atrocities.
These are not easy choices. But they are not mutually
exclusive either. We must stop demonizing decisions we disagree with and start
appreciating the weight of the dilemma.
Second, we must recognize that Hamas is watching us,
learning about us, and playing us.
Militarily, we may be stronger. But on the psychological
battlefield, Hamas currently holds the emotional upper hand. That’s how it
continues to manipulate public opinion, both in Israel and in the West.
Our protests, our discourse, and our divisions have become
tools in the hands of our enemy. Israelis must consider not just what they are
demanding, but how those demands are expressed.
In the West, those who value freedom, justice, and moral
clarity must understand that the same tactics Hamas uses against Israel can –
and will – be used against them too.
The threat is not only to Israel’s resolve. It is to the
moral fabric of democratic societies that fall for the easy narratives of
victimhood.
Psychological warfare is still warfare. And if we want to win – not just the battles but also the war – we must start by understanding the battlefield we’re actually on.
For full article go to https://tinyurl.com/yhjk3mn7
The United Nations on Monday said it suspended its humanitarian operations in the stronghold of Yemen’s Houthi rebels after they detained eight more U.N. staffers, affecting the global response to one of the world’s worst humanitarian disasters.
In a statement, the U.N. said the “extraordinary” decision to pause all operations and programs in northern Saada province was due to the lack of necessary security conditions and guarantees.
A spokesman for the Houthis didn’t immediately respond to messages seeking comment.
The rebels in recent months have detained dozens of U.N. staffers, as well as people associated with aid groups, civil society and the once-open U.S. Embassy in Sanaa, Yemen’s capital. None of the U.N. staffers has been released.
The U.N. statement said the pause in operations is meant to give the Houthis and the world body time to “arrange the release of arbitrarily detained U.N. personnel and ensure that the necessary conditions are in place to deliver critical humanitarian support” in rebel-held areas.
It said the latest detained U.N. staffers — taken late last month — included six working in Saada, on Yemen’s northern border with Saudi Arabia.
Seven U.N. agencies operate in Saada, including the World Food Program, the World Health Organization and UNICEF, along with several international aid organizations, according to the U.N. humanitarian agency.
The U.N. late last month suspended all travel into Houthi-held areas.
The war in Yemen has killed more than 150,000 people, including fighters and civilians. The Iranian-backed Houthis have been fighting Yemen’s internationally recognized government, which is backed by a Saudi-led coalition, since 2014, when they descended from their stronghold in Saada and took control of Sanaa and most of the north.
The
U.N. had projected that over 19 million people across Yemen will need
humanitarian assistance this year as many deal with climate shocks,
malnutrition, cholera and the economic effects of war.
In the ongoing battle between Druze, Bedouin and Syrian regime forces, the IDF is targeting the Syrian regime near Druze strongholds: In parallel, the Israeli Air Force struck Syrian military vehicles — including tanks, APCs, and MLRS — advancing toward the Druze-majority city of Sweida in southern Syria. These strikes were conducted to block the convoys' access, prevent escalation and protect the Druze.
The Syrian regime had entered Sweida amid deadly clashes
with Bedouin tribes, prompting concerns in Israel over the safety of the Druze
population there.
In a joint statement, Prime Minister Netanyahu and Defense
Minister Katz declared: “We have instructed the IDF to strike Syrian forces and
weapons in the Sweida area. This action follows Syrian forces entering the
territory in violation of demilitarization agreements and threatening Israel.”
They underscored Israel’s unwavering commitment to protect
the Druze in Syria, highlighting the strong familial and historical bonds with
Israel’s own Druze citizens. “Israel is committed to preventing harm to the
Druze in Syria due to the deep brotherly alliance with our Druze citizens in
Israel... and we are acting to ensure the demilitarization of the area adjacent
to our border with Syria,” the statement added.
Following these instructions, the IDF promptly struck regime
convoys approaching the region, targeting both vehicles and roads to halt
further movement.
This strategic message
demonstrates Israel’s commitment upholding border demilitarization agreements.
The IDF remains on high alert and prepared for all future developments.
The IDF, under the direction of the Intelligence Directorate and Northern Command, launched a wave of airstrikes today targeting Hezbollah terror sites in Lebanon’s Beqaa region. The strikes focused on military compounds used by Hezbollah's elite “Radwan Force” for weapons training and tactical drills aimed at preparing yet again, attacks on IDF soldiers and Israeli civilians.
This force is infamous for its "Conquer the Galilee" plan, a long-standing threat that saw a major setback in September 2024 when Israeli operations eliminated its commanders in Beirut and southern Lebanon during Operation Northern Arrows. Since then, Hezbollah has attempted to rebuild Radwan’s operational strength — efforts that the IDF has worked continuously to disrupt over the past two years.
Defense Minister Israel Katz stated: “Our strikes in Lebanon are a clear message to the Hezbollah terror organization — which is working to rebuild its Radwan Force infiltration capabilities against Israel — and to the Lebanese government, which is obligated to uphold its commitments to Israel. We will strike every terrorist, eliminate every threat, and respond with maximum force to any attempt at rebuilding.”
Katz emphasized that Hezbollah’s use of these training camps, along with their storage of weapons, violates Israeli-Lebanese agreements and poses an ongoing threat to Israel's national security.
From Yaffa
Shir Raz of the Reichman International School, Haifa University
Honesty, accuracy, information verification, fairness,
independence, responsibility.
This is not a theoretical concept. These are the fundamental
principles that differentiate between press and propaganda.
And when we're in the midst of a war for our existence, this
question is not just principled - it's fatal. Because when a journalist
violates these standards, he not only abuses the public trust - he puts them in
grave danger.
In an article written in October 2023 after the explosion at
Al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza, I described the moral, ethical and professional
failure of the elite newspapers - The New York Times, the BBC, the CNN, the
Guardian - which almost unanimously stood by the Hamas propaganda, echoed his
lies without even checking or verifying, and without really correcting even
when it was already clear that the lie was revealed.
In recent months this sick propaganda has been infiltrating,
like a poisonous bug, also into the conversation in Israel, with the movements
and messages that have been developed in the explanatory systems of Hamas and
Iran - penetrating the press, academia and Israeli politics:
• israel kills children"
• "Concentration Camp"
• "Genocide"
Same narrative, same framing, same rhetoric, same terms that
Hamas and Iran have planted in their propaganda starting October 7.
Already on the 7th of this month, the Guardian published an
interview with a holocaust historian from the Hebrew University, Prof. Amos
Goldberg, who without hesitation used the horrifying pair of words
"concentration camp".
And just yesterday - the Haaretz newspaper published an
opinion column that sounded almost identical.
This is not investigative journalism. Not a criticism, nor a
"human journalistic observation".
This is copy paste of the words of the terrorists.
A page of messages and rhetoric of Hamas and Iran - copied
and adopted by the international press, and now mostly the horror also by
journalists, academics and politicians in Israel.
And in the journalistic aspect - it's a kick in the head for
any ethical, moral and professional code. Because a journalist does not make an
effort and echoes a narrative of a terrorist organization and doesn't even quote
the Hamas message page as if there was an investigation.
I don't step on our children, brothers and friends who are
in the active field - just to show "morality".
.
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) has provided details about the type of food it is distributing in Gaza, regarding its ongoing operations and its application for US government funding.
According to the organization, each aid box distributed is
designed to sustain a family of 5.5 individuals for approximately 3.5 days.
The contents of the boxes vary slightly depending on
availability and cost but typically include flour, sugar, rice, cooking oil,
pasta, a protein such as canned tuna, and dried beans. Additional items such as
tea, coffee, cookies, chocolates are available. GHF has also begun distributing potatoes,
which the organization said have been well received by recipients.
GHF delivered more than 66 million
meals over a month
The
group stated that the food packages exceed the caloric minimums set by the
international humanitarian community and are consistent with aid typically
provided by other organizations. GHF said it has also distributed aid on behalf
of other humanitarian groups.GHF spokesperson Chapin Fay said on Tuesday that
the organization has delivered more than 66 million meals over a month and
highlighted what he described as the group’s success in distributing food
without interference from Hamas.
“GHF has done what others could not: deliver free,
nutritious, and secure emergency food aid directly to the people of Gaza
without interference from Hamas,” said Fay. “In just over a month, we’ve
delivered more than 66 million meals. We’re grateful to the Trump
Administration for recognizing the impact of our work with a $30 million
commitment to help expand our operations.”
The group also addressed questions surrounding a review
performed by USAID of GHF’s application for grant funding, stating that the
process is routine and that the organization is cooperating fully. Fay noted
that the organization’s operational model is designed to prevent diversion,
fraud, or misuse of aid.
“Every dollar we receive is safeguarded to ensure all
resources – which will eventually include American taxpayer funds – reach the
people of Gaza, not Hamas,” he said.
GHF also alleged that some long-standing international
aid groups have failed to prevent diversion of aid in Gaza and claimed that
such organizations view GHF as a threat. Fay said that such criticism only
harms the civilian population.
“The bottom line is GHF is delivering where others have
not,” the organization concluded.
(For full article go to https://tinyurl.com/mry8yf26)
Nvidia is actively
seeking land to build a massive multibillion-dollar tech campus in Israel’s
north, which is expected to provide thousands of jobs in what promises to be a
major expansion of the US chip giant’s operations in the country.
The computing juggernaut
announced on Sunday that it had issued a so-called request for information
(RFI) tender to locate a plot of land spanning 70 to 120 dunams (30 acres) with
construction rights to build a campus of 80,000–180,000 square meters. Nvidia
is interested in buying land with “high accessibility to main traffic arteries
and public transportation” around Zichron Yaakov, Haifa, and the Jezreel Valley
areas.
“It’s a very sizable
investment, and to decide to locate it in Israel goes a long way and is a sign
of confidence in the Israeli high-tech ecosystem,” Israel Innovation Authority
CEO Dror Bin told The Times of Israel. “This declaration is mutually beneficial:
Nvidia is enjoying the benefits of the local ecosystem and talent, and the
ecosystem will enjoy this big investment of Nvidia because it will help Israel
remain at the forefront of innovation and technology, especially in the
artificial intelligence space.”
Bin added that a project
of this size is slated to be one of the largest tech campuses in Israel. Its
economic implications for the north of the country, he said, range from
Nvidia’s level of commitment to Israel to the broader employment and suppliers
needed to support the tech campus, and the companies that will develop around
the site.
As global tech firms
including Microsoft, Amazon, Alphabet, and Tesla race to build AI data centers
and dominate the emerging technology, demand for Nvidia’s most advanced
processors is surging.
“Israel is a superpower
when it comes to chip design and development, and most of the large
multinationals such as Intel and Apple that develop chips have a presence in
Israel because of the local human talent and its capabilities in making real
breakthroughs,” Bin added.
Nvidia’s R&D
activities in Israel are already the firm’s largest outside of the US. At the
end of December, the chipmaker announced the completion of the acquisition of
Israeli AI workload management startup Run:ai for an estimated $700 million.
Nvidia employs over
5,000 workers in Israel in seven R&D centers, from Yokne’am, the
headquarters of Mellanox, to Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Ra’anana, and Beersheba in
the south. This year, Nvidia also boosted its footprint in Tel Aviv by renting
another 10 floors in the Rubinstein Twin Towers, in addition to the eight
floors it already occupied.
