Terrorist

An 83-year-old woman was brutally stabbed to death by a Palestinian terrorist outside her nursing home in Herzliya, Israel, on Friday. Police identified the victim as Ludmila Lipovsky, a long-time resident of the town.

Protests were held in Damascus after a Christmas tree was set on fire in a Syrian village.

In the wake of a deadly Christmas market attack in Magdeburg, Germany, pro-Hamas protesters stormed St. Mary’s Church in Dublin, Ireland, disrupting a Catholic Mass.

Barbara Leaf, the State Department’s top official for the Middle East, will travel to Damascus this week, marking a significant step in U.S. diplomatic engagement with Syria.

U.S. officials are raising alarms over the possibility of thousands of ISIS fighters escaping from detention centers in Syria due to ongoing Turkish-backed military operations.

The National Border Patrol Council (NBPC) endorsed Tulsi Gabbard to be the Director of National Intelligence under the Trump administration.

President Joe Biden raised eyebrows on Monday evening during the White House Hanukkah reception by claiming credit for the release of over 100 hostages held by Hamas in Gaza.

Hamas has agreed to meet two major Israeli demands in ongoing ceasefire talks, including allowing the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to remain in Gaza during a pause in fighting, according to The Wall Street Journal. The terrorist group also provided a list of hostages, including American citizens, marking a significant development toward a potential ceasefire agreement.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with outgoing White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan on Thursday in Jerusalem, emphasizing the importance of protecting vulnerable minorities in Syria. These groups include Christians, Druze, Kurds, and others who face significant threats amidst ongoing conflict.

Turkish-backed militias, operating under the Syrian National Army (SNA), have advanced into northern Syria, displacing tens of thousands of Kurdish civilians. The SNA captured Manbij, a Kurdish-controlled city, on Tuesday. This followed last week’s seizure of Shahba, where Kurdish officials reported over 120,000 people were forced to flee. The SNA’s offensive is part of “Operation Dawn of Freedom,” aimed at removing Kurdish forces from northern Syria.