Biden sends top adviser to Israel as pressure builds along Egyptian border in Gaza
President Biden sent National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan to Israel on Thursday to meet with Israeli officials amid an apparent rift between the U.S. and Israel when it comes to the post-war governance of Gaza. Pressure is also building along Gaza's southern border with Egypt, as refugees seek to cross over.
Coverage for this event has ended.
The body of hostage Elia Toledano, 28, was recovered in Gaza and brought back to Israel, the Israel Defense Forces said Friday morning.
Toledano was present at the Nova music festival and was one of many taken hostage by Hamas terrorists during the group's unprecedented attack in Israel on Oct. 7. His body was located by IDF Special Forces.
The force said it sends Toledano's family "heartfelt condolences."
"Our national mission is to locate the hostages and return all of them home. We are working together with security agencies, and with all intelligence and operational means in order to return all of the hostages home," the IDF wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said the Biden administration is "undermining Israel" by VP Kamala Harris' alleged push of Palestinian sympathy.
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, called out Vice President Kamala Harris for allegedly pushing President Biden and other administration officials to be more sympathetic toward Palestinians.
His comments come after Politico reported Thursday that Harris has recently been pushing those in the Biden administration, including Biden himself, to be more sympathetic toward Palestinians and show more concern for the damage in Gaza.
One person close to the vice president's office told the outlet that the U.S. should start being "tougher" on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
In a statement to Fox News, Cruz said "Since day 1 Biden administration officials have been pathologically obsessed with undermining Israel. Unfortunately and infuriatingly, that obsession continues in the aftermath of Hamas's atrocities on October 7. The costs for America and Israel's national security are catastrophic."
The source allegedly said that Harris has been "more forceful at seeking a long-term peace and two-state solution."
Harris' Press Secretary Kirsten Allen told the outlet "there is no daylight between the president and the vice president, nor has there been," adding the vice president and Biden "have been clear: Israel has a right and responsibility to defend itself; humanitarian aid must be allowed to flow into Gaza; innocent civilians must be protected; and the United States remains committed to a two-state solution."
Former UN Ambassador and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley joined 'Hannity' Thursday night to discuss President Biden's foreign policy decisions as the Israel-Hamas war rages on.
The 2024 presidential candidate said Iran is the reason terrorist groups like Hamas, Hezbollah and Houthis exist, and encouraged the Biden administration to cut all funding to the country.
"This is about preventing war and Biden is failing on the job miserably and making the world less safe," Haley said.
Watch the full interview in the video above.
The White House shared a recap of National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan's visit with Israeli officials on Thursday during his trip to the Middle East.
Sullivan met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his War Cabinet, Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant, National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi, and member of the War Cabinet Benny Gantz Thursday in Tel Aviv to discuss the Jewish State's ongoing fight against Hamas terrorists.
The recap from the White House said Sullivan and all Israeli officials share the "objective of defeating Hamas, while minimizing harm to civilians and ensuring the increased and sustained flow of humanitarian assistance into Gaza."
The meetings included detailed briefings on Israel's military operations in Gaza, including its objectives, phasing and goals to shift from "high intensity clearing operations to lower intensity surgical operations" against Hamas terrorists.
Sullivan reaffirmed America's support for Israel in its right to defend itself and its citizens against Hamas and "stressed the importance" of increasing efforts with the UN, Egypt and other partners to deliver and distribute humanitarian aid in Gaza.
Sullivan discussed efforts by America's military – and allies and other partners – to deter attempts at expanding the conflict regionally, including in the Red Sea.
He also expressed President Biden’s "commitment to restoring calm along the Blue Line through a combination of deterrence and diplomacy."
Hollywood celebrities have been joining in on the condemnation of the presidents of the country's top universities following their brutal testimony on Capitol Hill tackling antisemitism on college campuses last week.
Harvard President Dr. Claudine Gay, now former UPenn President Liz Magill and MIT President Sally Kornbluth were grilled by Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., on whether calls of "intifada" or the genocide of Jews violated their universities' codes of conduct on Dec. 5.
All three of them failed to offer a yes or no response, with some arguing that "context" would be needed to make a determination.
"Friends" star David Schwimmer offered a blistering takedown of the "morally bankrupt" university presidents on social media.
"Incapable of answering even the most direct ‘yes' or ‘no’ questions, watch them duck and smirk at the unbridled anti-Semitism and calls for genocide on their campuses. Where is the outrage among students, faculty and alumni demanding their resignations, an official apology and enforcement of the codes of conduct?" Schwimmer asked on Instagram on Friday.
Actress Debra Messing shared a clip of MSNBC's Al Sharpton condemning the testimony on "Morning Joe," agreeing with him when he said, "This is not hard. This is not difficult."
Actor and comedian Michael Rapaport posted a blunt video message for the university presidents on Instagram.
Photos of the signage at a Yale University dining hall circulated on social media this week after the word "Israeli" was removed from a popular salad dish, prompting a swift response from the school.
Yale sophomore and editor in chief of The Yale Free Press Sahar Tartak first reported the change in a post Monday on X, formerly known as Twitter, saying, "At Yale, the years-old, popular 'Israeli couscous salad with spinach and tomatoes,' has been renamed in our dining halls as the same exact dish but without the word 'Israeli.'"
After another student shared a photo the following day showing a dining hall label for the salad offering that included the word "Israeli," Tartak included her own photos and said, "Here's the before/after, so that no one is misled. The change was made, then undone upon outreach from Jewish students. Dining administrators emailed me this: 'Considering it is the main ingredient, it is appropriate to remain in the title, and we will correct this oversight.'"
A closer look at the X images shows the dining card labels have dates in the bottom lefthand corner. The first image from Tartark is labeled "Israeli Couscous Salad" with a date of "Lunch, 11/1/23" while her second with "Israeli" missing is dated "Lunch, 12/11/23."
The other student's photo with "Israeli" back on the food label is dated "Dinner, 12/11/23."
Yale Hospitality sent their response to the student's concern, which appeared to match what Tartak reported, to Fox News Digital, aiming to provide context on the process of reviewing and planning new menus, which they said began in July.
Read the full article from Kendall Tietz.
Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar’s days appeared to be “numbered,” a senior U.S. officials said Thursday.
“I think it's safe to say his days are numbered. I also think it's safe to say it doesn't matter how long that takes,” the official said, according to Reuters.
“I also think it’s safe to say it doesn’t matter how long it takes…justice will be served,” the senior administration official added, noting that Sinwar has “American blood on his hands," the Times of Israel reported.
Israel has accused Sinwar of being the mastermind behind the terror group’s Oct. 7th attack that killed some 1,200 people resulted in around 240 people being held captive. Leaflets were recently dropped into the Gaza Strip offering cash rewards amounting to $1 million for information leading to the capture of Hamas’ top leaders.
A $400,000 reward is being offered for Sinwar.
Israeli forces have been working to track Sinwar and his cohorts for weeks. They surrounded his home in southern Gaza earlier in December, but he is believed to have taken shelter somewhere in the labyrinth of Hamas tunnels beneath Khan Younis, the largest city in southern Gaza.
Sinwar is known in Israel as the "Butcher of Khan Younis" for his violent and cruel torture methods against his enemies, both Israeli and Palestinian.
Sinwar is a longtime militant activist and joined Hamas shortly after its founding in 1987. Two years later, he was arrested by Israel for his involvement in the abduction and killing of two Israelis, as well as the torturing and murder of four Palestinians he considered to be collaborators.
Sentenced to life in prison, Sinwar ended up serving 22 years in an Israeli jail and was eventually released as part of a prisoner exchange for the abducted Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit in 2011.
Fox News Digital's Chris Pandolfo and Ruth Marks Eglash contributed to this report.
The White House is remaining silent after dozens of reported Biden administration staffers protested their boss's Israel policy on Wednesday, calling for a cease-fire in the Jewish nation's war against terrorists.
The protesters, wearing masks and sunglasses at night to hide their faces, called for Biden to push for a cease-fire in the war started by the Palestinian terrorist organization Hamas' surprise attack on innocent Israelis.
"Ceasefire" was spelled out with lit candles in front of the protesters with a sign behind them reading, "President Biden, your staff demands a ceasefire."
The protesters ranged from career Biden administration staffers to political appointees, according to multiple media reports.
Fox News Digital asked the Biden White House multiple times whether the president had any comment on his staffers' reported protest over his foreign policy, whether he knows who the protesters are, and whether the protesters would face disciplinary actions.
The White House did not answer Fox News Digital's questions.
Read the full article from Houston Keene.
The White House on Thursday doubled down on its insistence that there is "no daylight" between President Biden and Vice President Harris regarding support for the Palestinian people.
At the daily White House press briefing, Fox News' Peter Doocy asked National Security Council spokesman John Kirby about a Politico report that said Harris has urged Biden to show more concern for Palestinian casualties in the Israel-Hamas war.
Kirby said the White House has already refuted "the basic premise of the story, that there's some sort of daylight between the vice president and the president."
Politico on Thursday cited three unnamed sources in a report that said Harris has been urging White House officials, including Biden, to show more sensitivity to Palestinian civilians.
Harris has reportedly argued internally that the White House needs a "day after" plan for when the fighting in Gaza stops and believes the U.S. should be "tougher" on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Harris has reportedly argued internally that the White House needs a "day after" plan for when the fighting in Gaza stops and believes the U.S. should be "tougher" on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
A senior administration official told Politico the vice president has called for being "more forceful at seeking a long-term peace and two-state solution."
Read the full article by Chris Pandolfo.
Containers are seen on the Maersk's container ship Maersk Gibraltar at the APM Terminals in the port of Algeciras, Spain on January 19. REUTERS/Jon Nazca/File Photo
The Iran-backed Yemeni Armed Forces claimed Thursday that its navy attacked a Danish container ship with a drone.
In a statement, the Houthis said the Maersik Gebrelater was heading toward to an “Israeli entity” when it was attacked and that the “hit was direct.”
The shipping company Maersk said the ship was targeted by a missile near the entrance of the Red Sea at the Bab al-Mandab Strait. It was heading from Salalah, Oman, to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. No injuries were reported.
U.S. defense officials said the drone did no hit the ship.
“Following the missile launch, the M/V Maersk Gibraltar was hailed by the Houthis, who threatened further missile attacks,” U.S. Central Command said in a statement. “While this incident did not involve US Forces, we continue to closely monitor the situation. These attacks continue to threaten international maritime security.”
The Houthi rebels have been targeting container ships since Israel declared war on Hamas in October.
"The recent attacks on commercial vessels in the Bad al-Mandab Strait are extremely concerning. The current situation puts seafarer lives at risk and is unsustainable for global trade," Maersk said in a statement.
U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tennessee, standing next to President Biden. (U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen / X)
U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tennessee, likened Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Russian President Vladimir Putin over Israel wars with Hamas.
In post on X, Cohen criticized Israel’s bombing campaign in Gaza, which has killed thousands.
“Netanyahu has gone way too far and (National Security Adviser) Jake Sullivan will be informing him that the bombing must be greatly limited or Israel will be without its last real friend, the USA & Joe Biden,” Cohen wrote.
“The President is finished with Bibi’s Putin-like no-holds-barred war. Hostages first! Civilians never,” he added.
Cohen has criticized Netanyahu in the past. In 2015, he boycotted the prime minister’s speech before Congress with dozens of other Democrats, calling it “political theatre” worthy of an Oscar.
“The political game was won,” he said at the time, “but the world game of peace was lost.”
President Joe Biden is greeted by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after arriving at Ben Gurion International Airport, on Oct. 18 in Tel Aviv. The United States has offered strong support to Israel in its war against Hamas. But the allies ar increasingly at odds over what will happen to the Gaza Strip once the war winds down. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
The Zionist Organization of America accused President Biden of fanning the flames of antisemitism with his claim that Israel was engaging in "indiscriminate bombing" in the Gaza Strip.
ZOA National President Morton A. Klein issued a statement on Thursday saying the pro-Israel group "strongly condemns President Joe Biden’s dangerous, indiscriminate remarks on December 12th, falsely accusing Israel of ‘indiscriminate bombing’ in Gaza; criticizing and calling for changing Israel’s democratically elected government; and calling for Israel to ‘strengthen’ and reward the Palestinian Authority (PA) terror regime with a Palestinian Arab state carved out of Israel’s lawful land (a so-called ‘two-state solution’) – while the PA is celebrating the October 7th atrocities, continuing to pay terrorists huge lifetime pensions to murder Jews and insisting that Hamas must be part of a Palestinian state ; and the PA’s ruling Fatah party is bragging about its brigades participating in the October 7th atrocities."
"Falsely accusing Israel of ‘indiscriminate bombing’ creates more fuel for attacking American Jews. Biden’s widely disseminated, reckless remarks will likely inspire more antisemitism, at a time when American Jews are being attacked on college campuses and American streets at record breaking levels,” the statement continued.
“Even his spokesman John Kirby said no country, including America, does more to protect civilian lives.” "Biden voiced his unjustified criticisms of Israel and his statements interfering with and attempting to undermine Israeli democracy at a closed-door campaign reception on December 12, 2023,” the group said.
“Biden’s remarks were then published on the White House website and amplified in media around the world."
According to a transcript shared by the White House, Biden told donors at a campaign reception in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday about recent conversations with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment, but they did not immediately respond.
President Joe Biden meets with Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during the NATO summit in Madrid in June 2022. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
President Biden discussed “strengthening the NATO Alliance” with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday, the White House said.
They also discussed the importance of admitting Sweden to the alliance and “further enhancing Türkiye’s NATO interoperability, and agreed to remain in close contact in the lead up to the July 2024 NATO Summit in Washington,” a readout of the call said.
During the conversation, Biden repeatedly Israel’s right to defend itself.
“The leaders also discussed efforts to increase humanitarian assistance to Gaza and protect civilians and the need for a political horizon for the Palestinian people,” the White House said.
White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan takes questions during the daily press briefing at the White House in Washington. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst
National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said the Biden administration wants to see the governance of the Gaza Strip connected with the West Bank, the other Palestinian territory.
Speaking with Israel's Channel 12 television, Sullivan said both areas need to be connected under a "revamped and revitalized" Palestinian Authority.
"That's something that requires intensive consultations with the Palestinians first, as well as with the Israeli government,” he explained. “But it will require reform, it will require an updating of how the Palestinian Authority approaches governance."
The Palestinian Authority has limited authority in the West Bank and used to govern Gaza until it was ousted in 2007 after a brief civil war with Hamas.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said last month that the Palestinian Authority should not be allowed to run Gaza.
He has accused PA President Mahmoud Abbas of encouraging terrorism against Israel.
Sullivan said the Biden administration has held talks with Israel but has not directed the Jewish state on how to conduct its war against Hamas.
"I'm not here to lecture or dictate. Israel is a friend and a partner. We sit down and we consult and we talk as friends."
Israel's President Isaac Herzog speaks during an interview at his official residence in Jerusalem on Thursday. (AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo)
Israeli President Isaac Herzog said talks about a potential two-state solution are premature amid the ongoing war between his country and Hamas.
In a Thursday interview with The Associated Press, Herzog said now isn’t the right time to discuss establishing an independent Palestinian state.
“What I want to urge is against just saying two-state solution. Why? Because there is an emotional chapter here that must be dealt with. My nation is bereaving. My nation is in trauma,” he said.
“In order to get back to the idea of dividing the land, of negotiating peace or talking to the Palestinians, etc., one has to deal first and foremost with the emotional trauma that we are going through and the need and demand for full sense of security for all people,” Herzog added.
His remarks came a day before a meeting with the White House’s national security adviser, Jake Sullivan.
Israeli leaders have spoken out against such discussions or attempts to restart the peace process following Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack that killed some 1,200 people.
Israel has rebuffed international calls for a permanent cease-fire, noting that Hamas broke the previous cease-fire with its unprecedented attack.
"We're ready for whatever comes our way," Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr. told Fox News' Shannon Bream on "Fox News Sunday" earlier this month. (AP/Andrew Harnik)
Air Force Gen. Charles Q. Brown, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, will join Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin for meeting in Israel in the coming days, the Pentagon said Thursday.
It will be Brown’s first trip to the Middle East as chairman. Both men will meet with senior Israeli officials.
"While in Israel, the secretary (Austin) will meet with the prime minister and minister of defense to underscore U.S. enduring support for Israel's right to defend itself from terrorism, reinforce the importance of taking civilian safety into account during operations and the critical need to increase delivery of humanitarian assistance," Air Force Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder told reporters.
Austin leaves for the Middle East on Saturday with visit to Qatar and Bahrain planned as well.
Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan makes statements with Greece's Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis after their meeting at Maximos Mansion in Athens, Greece, on Dec. 7, 2023. Erdogan used a speech on human rights Saturday Dec. 9, 2023 to accuse the West of “barbarism” for its stance on the Israel-Hamas war and what he alleged was its toleration of Islamophobia. (AP Photo/Michael Varaklas, File)
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told President Biden in a phone call that the United States has a historic responsibility to achieve a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas in quick fashion, the office of the Turkish president said Thursday.
Israel has bombarded the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip since the terror group’s Oct. 7 attack on Israeli communities.
The war has resulted in an ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
“President Erdoğan stated that the humanitarian tragedy unfolding in Gaza must be stopped immediately, that the withdrawal of the unconditional support the U.S. provides to Israel may ensure a ceasefire quickly,” Erdogan’s office said.
Calls for a cease-fire are “being voiced more loudly in recent days both by the world and the U.S. public opinion, and that it is the historical responsibility of the U.S. to achieve a lasting ceasefire in the region without delay," the Turkish leader said.
The longer Israel’s offensive goes on, the Jewish state could face more negative regional and global consequences, said Erdogan’s office.
Israel has vowed to keep fighting with the goal of eliminating Hamas, which has called for the destruction of the Jewish state.
Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meets with International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) President Mirjana Spoljaric Egger on Thursday. (Israel Prime Minister's Office)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) President Mirjana Spoljaric Egger on Thursday to pressure Hamas to aid its remaining hostages.
"My goal, as you know in our conversations, is to see how we can help the remaining hostages. You have every avenue, every right and every expectation to place public pressure on Hamas,” Netanyahu said.
He also presented Egger with a package of various medicines and demanded the ICRC “fulfill its role and deliver it to the hostages in Gaza,” the prime Minister’s office said.
Netanyahu also voiced concern over the organization’s supposed neutral stance during the conflict.
“I want to express my gratitude for your help in securing the release of the hostages, but at the same time, some of the statements that have come out from your organization seem to not make the distinction that I’ve just made.”
A Palestinian fighter from the Izz el-Deen al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of the Hamas movement, gestures inside an underground tunnel in Gaza August 18, 2014. REUTERS/Mohammed Salem
Hamas terrorist fighters will not be safe in the terror group’s vast network of underground tunnels in the Gaza Strip, the Israel Defense Forces said.
IDF Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said the terror group’s group tunnels won’t be able to shield its fighters as the fighting intensifies.
Earlier in the day, IDF troops killed several Hamas fighters in a tunnel. “In the Hamas tunnels, the troops planted explosives… we identified the terrorists with a camera, and killed several terrorists in this incident,” Hagari said in a Thursday press conference.
He said senior Hamas officials choose to hide underground and use civilians as human shields.
Hagari said the IDF has “new combat means” to kill Hamas operatives in its tunnels.
“We will enter, plant explosives in locations we know terrorists frequent, and will wait for the right moment to kill them underground,” he said. “The terrorists won't be safe underground.”
Sami Abu Zuhri holds a press conference at National Union of Tunisian Journalists building in Tunis, Tunisia, on May 31, 2021. (Yassine Gaidi/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
A top Hamas official has called for violence against the allies of Israel, specifically attacking American and British "interests" as a price for the deaths of Gaza citizens.
“When (Secretary of State Antony) Blinken is justifying the killing of women and children, the sons of our nation should say to him: You are the enemy, just like (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu, and you must pay the price, just like Netanyahu," Sami Abu Zuhri, the head of the political department of Hamas abroad, said during a recent broadcast.
Zuhri made his comments, which the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) translated, on Al-Aqsa TV on Dec. 5, a few days after the end of the temporary pause that allowed Hamas and Israel to exchange hostages and prisoners, respectively.
Hamas runs the Al-Aqsa TV network in the Gaza Strip, playing news and propaganda throughout the day.
Read the full article from Peter Aitken.
U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan attends a joint news conference with South Korea's National Security Adviser Cho Tae-yong and Japan's National Security Secretariat Secretary-General Takeo Akiba at the presidential office on Saturday. (Chung Sung-Jun/Pool Photo via AP)
The Biden administration is pushing back on media reports that National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Israel’s “high-intensity” military operations in Gaza needs to end within weeks, not months.
Sullivan didn’t attach any specific timeline during the conversations with Israeli officials, Fox News has learned.
Officials said the Biden administration has not been telling Israel how to conduct its war against Hamas. Instead, it has been raising questions and offering advice.
Axios reported that Sullivan told the Israelis the high-intensity phase of the war needs to end in a meeting with Netanyahu and two cabinet officials.
The White House feels that moving to lower intensity operations will reduce civilian casualties and allow more humanitarian aid to flow into Gaza, the report said.
"National Security Adviser Sullivan made clear in all meetings that the high intensity kinetic campaign needed to transition to the next lower intensity phase in a matter of weeks not months. [This is not] a deadline and we understand the campaign must and will continue, but in a lower intensity manner," a senior U.S. official reportedly told Axios.
US pushes Israel to end Gaza ground war within weeks: report
President Biden's administration is pushing Israel to dramatically scale back its war against Hamas in Gaza by the end of the year, according to a new report.
According to the New York Times, the U.S. has asked that Israel turn to a more targeted strategy using Israeli special operations units to bring down Hamas leaders and rescue hostages. It would signal an end to the large-scale airstrikes and artillery barrages that have played the leading role in Israel's war thus far.
The report comes just after Biden himself criticized Israel's "indiscriminate bombing" in Gaza this week. He has also divided with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the future of Gaza following the war. Biden has called for a two-state solution, while Netanyahu has warned that Israel will have to take control over the region for a significant period following the end of its campaign.
National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan was in Israel on Thursday, and Israeli officials told him that they do not expect the war to conclude for many months.
Palestinian PM says Biden administration must 'walk the walk' on a two-state solution
Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh said Thursday that the Biden administration must now "walk the walk" when it comes to implementing a two-state solution following the end of the Israel-Hamas war.
“Now that the United States has talked the talk, we want Washington to walk the walk, meaning that we need specific measures to implement the two-state solution, not only believe in the two-state solution,” he told the Associated Press in an interview.
President Biden in November called for a two-state solution for Israel and Palestinians in the Middle East, but one that is "free from Hamas."
"As we strive for peace, Gaza and the West Bank should be reunited under a single governance structure, ultimately under a revitalized Palestinian Authority, as we all work toward a two-state solution," the president added in an op-ed published by The Washington Post.
Fox News' Greg Norman contributed to this report
Read the full article by Fox News' Adam Sabes
Republicans push to 'defund' Harvard, other colleges that 'promote antisemitism'
A Republican-led effort to strip Harvard and other higher education institutions of federal funding is gaining steam, as calls grow in Congress to "defund" any institutions that allow antisemitism on campus.
Less than two weeks after the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attack on Israel, a group of GOP senators, led by Sen. Tim Scott (S.C.), introduced legislation that would rescind federal education funding for colleges and universities that allow "violent antisemitism," pointing directly to Harvard's silence at the time after more than 30 student organizations at the school blamed Israel for Hamas's attack on its civilians.
Now, following Harvard President Claudine Gay's and other Ivy League presidents' disastrous testimony before the House, lawmakers in the lower chamber are launching their own efforts to prevent tax dollars from going to institutions that allow antisemitism.
Read the full article by Fox News' Breck Dumas
Iran-backed rebels fire missile at Danish shipping vessel in Red Sea: Report
Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen fired an anti-ship missile at a Danish trading vessel in the Red Sea on Thursday.
The attack, which missed the ship, marks at least the third attempted missile strike by the Houthis since Wednesday. The Maersk Gibraltar is owned by a Danish trading group, which stated that no injuries were reported in the incident.
A U.S. defense official also reportedly told AFP that "we have indications that a missile was fired at the Maersk Gibraltar from a Huthi-controlled area of Yemen, and that it hit the water and missed the ship."
Turkish lawmaker who suffered heart attack after saying Israel will suffer 'the wrath of God' dies
A Turkish lawmaker who suffered a heart attack on the floor of parliament immediately after he gave a speech saying Israel would "not be able to escape the wrath of God" for its war in Gaza, has died.
Hasan Bitmez, 53, a member of parliament from the Islamist Saadet Partisi, or Felicity Party, died Thursday at the Ankara City Hospital, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca announced. The death came days after Bitmez collapsed at the Turkish Grand National Assembly on Tuesday immediately after criticizing the Turkish government’s policy regarding the Israel-Hamas war.
In a translated version of his speech on Tuesday, Bitmez said, "Even if history remains silent, the truth will not remain silent. They think that if they get rid of us, there will be no problem. However, if you get rid of us, you will not be able to escape the torment of conscience. Even if you escape the torment of history, you will not be able to escape the wrath of God."
He then turned and fainted, hitting his head on what appeared to be a marble floor, prompting fellow legislators in the hall to assist him. Bitmez was then rushed to the hospital in "extremely serious and critical" condition. He later died.
Read the full article from Fox News' Lawrence Richard
Suspects in terror plots across Europe are Hamas members, German prosecutors say
Four men accused of plotting a series of terrorist attacks across Europe are members of the Hamas terrorist organization, German prosecutors alleged Thursday.
Dutch national Nazih R was arrested by police in Rotterdam, while Lebanon-born Abdelhamid Al A and Ibrahim El-R, as well as Egyptian national Mohamed B, were arrested in Berlin, officials said. Each of the four men are alleged to have close ties to leaders of Hamas' military.
"Following the terrible attacks by Hamas on the Israeli population, attacks on Jews in Jewish institutions have also increased in our country in recent weeks," German Justice Minister Marco Buschmann said in a statement. "We must therefore do everything we can to ensure that Jews in our country do not have to fear for their safety again."
The allegations comes days after Hamas officials called for violence against Americans and U.K. residents in response to ongoing support for Israel's war in Gaza.
Reuters contributed to this report
NAACP leader defends Harvard's Claudine Gay, says critics are pushing 'white supremacist agenda'
NAACP President Derrick Johnson defended embattled Harvard President Claudine Gay, claiming "attacks on her leadership are nothing more than political theatrics advancing a White supremacist agenda."
Gay has come under fire in recent weeks for both backlash to controversial comments about antisemitism and accusations of plagiarism. Harvard University’s highest governing body is standing by her, although it recently admitted a probe found "instances of inadequate citation" in her academic writings.
During congressional testimony last week, Gay was repeatedly asked if calling for the genocide of Jews was against Harvard policy. She didn't give a clear answer and repeatedly said it depended on the "context." Following intense backlash, she issued a statement clarifying that the university has a staunch position against calls for violence against the Jewish community.
Johnson took to social media to express his support for Gay.
"Enough is enough," he wrote on X. "Harvard President Claudine Gay is a distinguished scholar and professor with decades of service in higher education. The recent attacks on her leadership are nothing more than political theatrics advancing a White supremacist agenda."
Read the full article by Fox News' Brian flood
Israel ramps up raids in West Bank city as troops seize weapons, search hundreds of buildings
Israeli Defense Forces are in their third day of massive counterterrorism operation in the West Bank on Thursday.
IDF forces have searched more than 400 buildings, seizing weapons and bomb-making materials throughout the city of Jenin, the Wall Street Journal reported Thursday. Militants in the West Bank have ramped up their own operations amid Israel's war in Gaza, forcing the IDF to split its attention.
The circumstances have lead Israel to escalate its tactics in the region. The IDF had for decades limited itself only to ground operations in the West Bank, but no airstrikes and drone attacks have become relatively common alongisde ground raids, according to the WSJ.
Palestinian health authorities in the region say at least 12 people have been killed in the attacks, though they did not clarify whether the individuals were affiliated with terrorist organizations.
Fox News' Trey Yingst says Israel has informed President Biden's administration that it expected the war in Gaza to go on "more than several months."
Israeli officials made the announcement during a visit from National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan. Recent days have revealed a rift between the White House and Israel when it comes to the Gaza war, with Biden urging stronger efforts to spare civilian lives in Gaza. Biden has also called on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to consider a two-state solution.
"It is not easy to destroy them. It will require a long period of time - it will last more than several months, but we will win and we will destroy them [Hamas]. So thank you once again for coming to Israel, for helping us and for supporting us, and I look forward to our meeting," Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant told Sullivan.
Netanyahu has said that Israel will take control over Gaza for a significant period of time following the war, something Biden has said would be a mistake.
Israel offers Gazans $1 million reward for information on Yahya Sinwar, Hamas leadership
Israel dropped leaflets over Gaza offering cash rewards amounting to $1 million for information leading to the capture of Hamas' top leadership in the region on Thursday.
The top target on the list is Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, who awards $400,000, followed by his brother, Muhammed at $300,000. Muhammed commands Hamas forces in southern Gaza. The leaflet also offers $200,000 for Rafaa Salameh, who commands the Khan Yunis Battalion, and $100,000 for Mohammed Deif, Hamas' general military commander, according to the Tazpit Press Service.
Israeli forces have been working to track Sinwar and his cohorts for weeks. They surrounded his home in southern Gaza earlier in December, but he is believed to have taken shelter somewhere in the labyrinth of Hamas tunnels beneath Khan Younis, the largest city in southern Gaza.
Senior foreign affairs correspondent Greg Palkot delivered an update on Israeli casualties in Gaza on Thursday after the deadliest day of the conflict for the IDF.
Palkot says nine Israeli soldiers were killed in an ambush attack by Hamas terrorists in Gaza City. Israel has been operating in Gaza City for weeks, but Hamas remains an active threat in the area. The IDF has lost a total of 116 soldiers in the war so far, 20 of whom were killed by friendly fire or accidents.
Anti-Israel protesers shut down a freeway in Los Angeles, demanding that a cease-fire be implemented in Gaza.
The protesters blocked the freeway for roughly an hour before police arrived and dispersed them. Police say they detained roughly 75 people. Local media reported that a number of motorists had been fighting with the protesters before police arrived.
Hamas labels Biden admin the 'enemy' while calling for violence targeting Americans
A senior Hamas official called for violence against the U.S. and U.K. in a televised interview last week, saying American officials are "the enemy."
Sami Abu Zuhri, the head of Hamas' political department, said the U.S. and its allies deserve to "pay the price" for supporting Israel's war in Gaza. He specifically named Secretary of State Tony Blinken, comparing the diplomat to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
"When Blinken is justifying the killing of women and children, the sons of our nation should say to him: You are the enemy, just like Netanyahu, and you must pay the price, just like Netanyahu. We should keep this in mind," Zuhri said.
"So if our nation thinks that the heroic acts of Al-Qassam Brigades release it from its responsibility – that is a misconception and a mistaken assessment that should be discarded. The Al-Qassam Brigades are doing what they must do, and the people of Gaza are as steadfast as they must be," he continued.
"Now it is our nation's turn to pressure the Americans to stop this war. We need violent acts against American and British interests everywhere, as well as the interests of all the countries that support the occupation. They must pay a price for the blood of our women and children who are being killed in cold blood in the streets of Gaza. They must pay a price so that they know that Gaza is not alone, and that when they gave the order to kill, they should have been prepared to pay the necessary price."
Israeli forces arrested dozens of Hamas terrorists they say were sheltering inside a hospital in Gaza on Thursday.
IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari shared photos and footage of the militants being paraded out of the Kamal Adwan Hospital with their hands raised. Hagari said the over 70 militants surrendered their weapons to Israeli forces and were transfered for field interrogation.
Iran says a US-backed Red Sea security task force would create ‘extraordinary problems’
Iran is warning Thursday that a proposed U.S.-backed task force to protect ships from being attacked in the Red Sea would cause "extraordinary problems" in the region.
The comments from Iran's Defense Minister Mohammad Reza Ashtiani -- published by the Iranian Student News Agency, according to Reuters -- come after a U.S. defense official said the Navy destroyer USS Mason shot down a Houthi drone coming out of Yemen on Wednesday.
"If they make such an irrational move, they will be faced with extraordinary problems," Ashtiani was quoted as saying. "Nobody can make a move in a region where we have predominance."
Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said earlier this week that "the actions that we've seen from these Houthi forces are disturbing [and] rising" following a missile attack on a Norwegian commercial tanker in the Red Sea on Monday.
"They're dangerous and clearly a flagrant violation of international law. And so this is an international problem that requires an international solution. We do continue to consult closely with our international allies and partners on implementing a maritime task force," Ryder said during a press briefing.
Read the full article by Fox News Greg Norman
US seeking 'broad' coalition to protect trade in Red Sea amid Houthi rebel attacks
The U.S. is seeking to set up the "broadest possible" coalition to protect trade vessels traversing the Red Sea from Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen.
The Houthi terrorist organization has launched missiles and carried out hijack operations against severl trade vessles near the coast of Yemen in recent weeks. The group has declared the actions in solidarity with Hamas and the Palestinian people.
U.S. Special Envoy for Yemen Tim Lenderking told Reuters the U.S. wanted the multi-national coalition to send "an important signal by the international community that Houthi threats to international shipping won't be tolerated."
Just this week, Houthis shot two anti-ship missiles at a civilian vessel and launched skiffs in an apparent hijack attempt. The USS Mason also shot down a one-way attack drone on Wednesday.
Reuters contributed to this report.
Netanyahu doubles down on vow to continue war against Hamas: 'Nothing will stop us'
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu doubled down on his vow to continue the war against Hamas regardless of the cost and of international pressure.
Netanyahu made the comments late Wednesday after the single most deadly day in the war for Israeli military members. The IDF lost nine soliders to a Hamas ambush in Gaza City on Wednesday, and the U.S. has signaled a rift over Israel's tactics in the war and plans for the post-war governance of Gaza.
“We are continuing until the end, there is no question,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said. “I say this even given the great pain and the international pressure. Nothing will stop us.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report
Major universities need to do more than demand their presidents resign to combat antisemitism, according to one academic.
Rabbi Dr. Morris Schwartz, the International Director of the Melton School of Adult Jewish Learning, spoke to Fox News Digital regarding the resignation of University of Pennsylvania president Liz Magill and its implications.
"I'm not surprised in the end that she needed to resign. And there was a lot of pressure on her. A lot of people were very disappointed with the way that she, not only herself but the others as well, spoke in the congressional hearing," Schwartz said.
He added, "What I was more concerned about is what goes on in a classroom and not so much about who is the exact administrator. There are times when leadership needs to step down because they can't be leaders anymore, because there is too much negative spin around that person, too many negative feelings around that person, and they need to step down. But I don't know that that's really going to, in the end, be the determining factor that makes a difference in what goes on at the University of Pennsylvania or any of the other schools, for that matter."
Magill faced heat after she and two other college presidents did not clarify whether calls for the genocide of Jews would violate their schools’ codes of conduct at a Congressional hearing. Many have since applauded Magill’s resignation and called for the others to do the same.
Read the full article by Fox News' Lindsay Kornick
Israel cancelled negotiations for a second round of hostage and prisoner exchanges in Qatar on Thursday.
The Israeli withdrawal comes as President Biden is sending his national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, to Israel. The U.S. and Israel have shown a public divide over how to prosecute the war against Hamas and over how to govern Gaza following the conflict.
Harvard president blasted after attending menorah lighting: 'Performative'
Harvard's embattled president Claudine Gay attended a menorah lighting ceremony at the university on Wednesday amid resounding calls to resign over antisemitism demonstrations on campus and a lackluster testimony to Congress on the topic.
Approximately 100 students attended the daily lighting ceremony, which was organized by the Harvard Chabad organization. Gay, alongside Professor Jeff Bussgang, was spotted lighting the first candle.
In an Instagram post, the Harvard Chabad announced Gay's presence at the lighting, which led to her being blasted in the comment section.
"When someone asks for a definition of the word, ‘performative,’ we can show them this!" one person wrote.
"What a joke," another wrote. "Absolutely disgraceful."
"Resign," others commented.
Gay's appearance came the day after Harvard’s highest governing body announced that they would not be terminating her.
Read the full article by Fox News Digital's Sarah Rumpf-Whitten
Israel's embassy in Washington, D.C., is raising awareness for the more than 130 hostages being held by Hamas terrorists in Gaza by lighting menorahs in their honor during Hanukkah.
"Over 130 hostages remain captive in Gaza," the embassy wrote on X, formerly Twitter. "This Hanukkah, we are going to #BeTheLight for those who can’t light a menorah this year."
In the post, pictures of the hostages could be seen on a wall behind multiple menorahs with lit candles.
Israel-Hamas war: Jake Sullivan to meet with Benjamin Netanyahu amid US-Israel rift
The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Wednesday that U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan will meet top Israeli officials on Thursday amid an apparent rift between the two countries.
"Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will, tomorrow [...] at the Kirya in Tel Aviv, meet with US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, who is arriving in Israel tomorrow as the guest of National Security Council Director and National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi," the statement read.
"US National Security Adviser Sullivan will also meet with President Isaac Herzog, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, Minister Benny Gantz and the members of the War Cabinet," the press release added.
Sullivan's visit comes after the U.S. and Israel appeared to divide on plans for the post-war governance of Gaza this week.
Fox News Digital's Dana Karni and Andrea Vacchiano contributed to this report.
Live Coverage begins here