(photo: Getty Images via AFP)

U.S. President Donald Trump will draw a “red line” on how long Hamas has to accept his 20-point plan to end the war in Gaza, the White House said Thursday, as signs emerged that the militant group’s leaders are divided and leaning toward rejecting the proposal.

White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told Fox News... that the administration is engaged in “sensitive conversations” led by Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff.

Trump unveiled the plan earlier this week, saying Israel had already agreed to the terms.

The framework calls for: The release of all hostages within 72 hours in exchange for 250 Palestinians serving life sentences in Israeli prisons, a staged Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, the disarmament of Hamas, and the creation of a transitional governing authority backed by an international stabilization force.

(photo: Getty Images)

Two people were killed on Thursday in a terrorist attack at an Orthodox synagogue in Manchester, England.

The terrorist rammed his car into worshippers outside the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation on Middleton Road before exiting the vehicle and stabbing others on Yom Kippur, Judaism’s holiest day. The attack took place at around 9:30 a.m. local time.

Three additional people were seriously wounded.

Police later confirmed that the terrorist had been killed, although it remains unclear whether he was carrying an explosive device.

The White House on Wednesday published an executive order from US President Donald Trump instructing the government to view any armed attack on Qatar as “a threat to the peace and security of the United States.”

The order, a notable American commitment to ensure the security of an Arab state, came some three weeks after an Israeli strike targeting Hamas leaders in Doha prompted criticism from Trump and outrage from the Qataris.

The White House on Wednesday published an executive order from US President Donald Trump instructing the government to view any armed attack on Qatar as “a threat to the peace and security of the United States.”

The order, a notable American commitment to ensure the security of an Arab state, came some three weeks after an Israeli strike targeting Hamas leaders in Doha prompted criticism from Trump and outrage from the Qataris. Several lower-level members of the Palestinian terrorist group and a Qatari guard were killed in the attack, which failed to kill the key Hamas leaders it was targeting.

Trump subsequently promised that such an attack would not recur, and this week persuaded Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to apologize to his Qatari counterpart for the strike and promise not to do so again.

The same threats that were allowed to fester for years in Gaza are bubbling up in Judea and Samaria, Danny Danon, the Israeli ambassador to the United Nations, told the U.N. Security Council on Monday.

Danon added that it is time to move beyond the “speeches, theater and spectacle” of last week’s General Assembly and “face reality.”

The Israeli envoy compared the assembly of rockets in small workshops in Judea and Samaria to methods that Hamas has used in Gaza. One workshop was found in Tulkarem, some 15 miles from Netanya on Israel’s coast—about the distance between central London and Heathrow Airport.

Defense Minister Israel Katz said Wednesday that the IDF is close to encircling Gaza City and that residents have a “last opportunity” to flee but will need to go through Israeli checkpoints, as Hamas was set to respond to a US ceasefire proposal that Israel agreed to.

Katz’s ultimatum came as medical sources in Hamas-run Gaza reported at least 35 people killed by Israeli fire across the enclave. Israel, which is seeking to conquer Gaza City, on Wednesday announced the closure of a road leading to the city, while the Red Cross said the fighting forced it to temporarily suspend operations there.

Meanwhile, terrorists in the northern Gaza Strip fired two rockets at southern Israel, which were intercepted by the IDF Wednesday afternoon. The attack, which set off sirens in Gaza border communities, did not result in damage or injuries.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday night touted his “historic” visit to Washington, speaking before returning to Israel after U.S. President Donald Trump presented his plan to end the Gaza war.

“It was an excellent visit, both the start at the United Nations and the conclusion in Washington,” Netanyahu said in a Hebrew video on X.

Instead of Hamas isolating the Jewish state, “We turned the tables and isolated Hamas,” the prime minister continued, noting that “now the whole world, including the Arab and Muslim world, is pressuring Hamas to accept the terms we set together with President Trump.”

Qatar’s Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani tells Al Jazeera that Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza, as described in the White House plan to end the war, requires “clarification and discussion.”

He adds, however, that ending the war is “a clear clause in the plan.”

He also says that a postwar government of Gaza is mentioned in the plan, and this will be a matter for discussion with the Americans, but “has nothing to do with Israel.”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

09/29/25

Readout of President Trump's Call with Prime Minister Netanyahu of Israel and Prime Minister Al Thani of Qatar

Today, President Donald J. Trump hosted a trilateral phone call with His Excellency Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel and His Excellency Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani of Qatar. 

The President expressed his desire to put Israeli-Qatar relations on a positive track after years of mutual grievances and miscommunications.

The leaders accepted the president’s proposal to establish a trilateral mechanism to enhance coordination, improve communication, resolve mutual grievances, and strengthen collective efforts to prevent threats. They underscored their shared commitment to working together constructively and clearing away misperceptions, while building on the longstanding ties both have with the United States.

As a first step, Prime Minister Netanyahu expressed his deep regret that Israel’s missile strike against Hamas targets in Qatar unintentionally killed a Qatari serviceman.

He further expressed regret that, in targeting Hamas leadership during hostage negotiations, Israel violated Qatari sovereignty and affirmed that Israel will not conduct such an attack again in the future.

Prime Minister Al Thani welcomed these assurances, emphasizing Qatar’s readiness to continue contributing meaningfully to regional security and stability. Prime Minister Netanyahu expressed commitment to the same.  

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has arrived at the White House for his meeting with US President Donald Trump.

While greeting Netanyahu, Trump is asked by reporters whether he is confident about the chances for peace in Gaza and of a deal to end the war in Gaza.

“I am — I’m very confident,” Trump responds before the two leaders head into the White House.

Follow the link for the latest commentary by Tania Curado Koenig.

US President Donald Trump hopes to finalize his 21-point peace plan for Gaza during his meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday.

Trump told Reuters in a phone interview on Sunday that "everybody wants to make the deal." He added that he has gotten a "very good response" from both Israeli and Arab leaders to the proposal, which he hopes will achieve a broader peace in the Middle East beyond Gaza.

Separately, the US president said that negotiations over his plan to end the war in Gaza are "at their final stages" and asserted that a deal could open the way for wider peace in the Middle East, Axios reported on Sunday night.

According to the Washington Post, the plan involves an immediate halt to fighting, the release of the remaining 20 living hostages and the bodies of 28 others held by Hamas within the first 48 hours of the deal, and the destruction of the group’s offensive weapons. It also includes political incentives, such as amnesty and safe passage abroad for Hamas members who agree to disarm, as well as a potential pathway toward Palestinian statehood once reforms are in place.

The United Nations reimposed “snapback” sanctions on the Iranian regime at 8 p.m. on Saturday as a result of the latter’s “significant non-performance” of its obligations under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, stated Marco Rubio, the U.S. secretary of state.

“The world will not acquiesce to threats and half measures, and Tehran will be held to account,” the secretary said.

Scott Bessent, the U.S. treasury secretary, stated that “Iran’s nuclear program poses a threat to our peace and prosperity.”

“President Trump gave Tehran every opportunity to reach a deal, yet they remain unserious,” Bessent said. “The decision by the U.N. Security Council to snapback sanctions against Iran is proof that the world will not kneel to Tehran’s threats.”

A gunman drove his truck into a Michigan church where hundreds were worshiping Sunday morning and opened fire, killing two and wounding 10 others before setting the building on fire, officials said.

EMERGENCY PRAYER CALL – SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2025

Bill Koenig Will Be Participating

We invite all Watch.org readers and intercessors to join today’s Emergency Prayer Call focused on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Donald Trump’s historic meeting scheduled for Monday.

This call is hosted by Israel365 Action and includes some of the leading prophetic, political, and spiritual voices in support of Israel.

Bill Koenig will be standing in prayer and insight alongside the following leaders: 

    •    Rabbi Pesach Wolicki, Executive Director, Israel365 Action
    •    Michele Bachmann, Dean, Robertson School of Government
    •    Bishop Robert Stearns, Founder, Eagles’ Wings
    •    Tony Perkins, President, Family Research Council
    •    Yossi Dagan, Head of the Shomron Regional Council
    •    MK Ohad Tal, Member of Knesset, Religious Zionism
    •    Rev. Kevin Jessip, President, Global Strategic Alliance
    •    Rabbi Tuly Weisz, Founder, Israel365
    •    Mario Bramnick, President, Latino Coalition for Israel
    •    Yisrael Gantz, Head of the Benjamin Regional Council
    •    William Koenig, White House Correspondent & Founder, Koenig’s Eye View

Date: Sunday, September 28, 2025

Time: 1 PM CST | 2 PM EST | 9 PM Israel Time. ---
To register click here: https://my.demio.com/ref/UrhsgznzQaKvIoAH 

“I have set watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem… they shall never hold their peace day or night.”
— Isaiah 62:6

Join us in intercession as we stand for the covenant land, the future of Israel, and for wisdom and righteousness in U.S. leadership.

Follow the link for the latest commentary by Tania Curado Koenig.

The US proposal for ending the war in Gaza encourages Palestinians to remain in the Strip and provides for the creation of a pathway to a future Palestinian state, according to a copy of the plan obtained by The Times of Israel.

...[T]he proposal’s envisioning of a potential pathway to a future Palestinian state, after Gaza’s redevelopment has advanced and the Palestinian Authority’s reform has been completed, also appears to be a major departure from the Trump administration’s policy to date, given that it has avoided expressing backing for a two-state solution.

...[T]he plan’s creation of a potential pathway to a future Palestinian state could well be a red line for Netanyahu, who has long campaigned on having prevented a two-state solution.

Negotiations with Arab states and Israel regarding the future of Gaza are underway, U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed on Friday night, speaking in the wake of reports of an ambitious 21-point peace plan put forth by Washington to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

“We are having very inspired and productive discussions with the Middle Eastern Community concerning Gaza,” Trump said via Truth Social.

“All of the Countries within the Region are involved, Hamas is very much aware of these discussions, and Israel has been informed at all levels, including Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu,” he continued.

On Tuesday, the Trump administration presented a 21-point plan to Arab leaders on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly annual general debate in New York, which would see a prompt release of all the remaining hostages, the transfer of power in the Strip to an intermediary Arab-led government, and the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Palestinian enclave, according to CNN.

The meeting between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump in Washington is scheduled for Monday, following Trump's announcement that "we are very close to a deal in Gaza." A senior political official said Saturday evening that Netanyahu remains committed to the five conditions approved by the Diplomatic-Security Cabinet for ending the war and will present them to Trump. Despite Trump's remarks, the official added that sovereignty will also be raised in the talks.

Germany's foreign minister Johann Wadephul urged global action on multiple crises in an address before the United Nations General Assembly on Saturday, reaffirming Berlin's long-standing commitment to Israel's security. He called for the release of Israeli hostages in Gaza and reaffirmed Germany's commitment to Israel's security while backing a two-state solution...

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in his UN address, denounces the leaders of “France, Britain, Australia, Canada, and other countries” for recognizing Palestinian statehood this week. “They did so after the horrors committed by Hamas on October 7,” he fumes. “Horrors praised on that day by nearly 90% of the Palestinian population,” he claims. “They celebrated. They danced on the rooftops. They threw candies. That’s both in Gaza and in Judea Samaria, the West Bank, as you call it.” He says the Palestinians did the same on 9/11.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu raised the possibility of peace with Syria and Lebanon during his speech to the United Nations General Assembly on September 26.

His remarks suggested a willingness to move toward normalization, but longstanding regional tensions and complex dynamics along Israel’s northern borders continue to complicate the picture.

In the case of Syria, Israel has shown interest in protecting the Druze population in Sweida, a minority group located in southern Syria near the Israeli border. Israeli officials see this as both a moral and strategic imperative, particularly as instability in the region risks drawing in hostile actors. Sweida has become a focal point in broader conversations about Syria’s future and Israel’s role in shaping developments near its frontier.

Netanyahu will meet with Trump on Monday at the White House, where the U.S. leader will brief him on his conversations with Gulf and Arab leaders on his administration’s 21-point plan for how Gaza will be run and reconstructed when the war ends.

Follow the link for the latest commentary by Tania Curado Koenig.

In his first public comments on the matter, US President Donald Trump announced Thursday that he will not allow Israel to annex the West Bank.

“I will not allow Israel to annex the West Bank. Nope, I will not allow it. It’s not going to happen. ... There's been enough. It's time to stop now.” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office when asked to confirm reports that he assured Arab and Muslim leaders of that stance during a multilateral meeting held Tuesday on the UN General Assembly sidelines.

Trump also stressed that he spoke with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about the issue.

Tropical Storm Humberto is forecast to become a major hurricane in the central Atlantic, but the next system expected to develop, which would be named Imelda, may become a larger threat to parts of the Southeast U.S. and Bahamas as the Atlantic hurricane season shifts into a higher gear following Hurricane Gabrielle.

(photo: AP)

US President Donald Trump says “we’re close to getting some kind of deal done” in Gaza after his “great” multilateral meeting on Wednesday on the UN General Assembly sidelines with the leaders of eight Arab and Muslim countries on the issue.

Trump tells reporters in the Oval Office during the public portion of his sit-down with visiting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that “a lot was determined in that [Wednesday] meeting” during which Trump presented a 21-point plan for ending the war in Gaza and establishing a non-Hamas body to govern the Strip.

“I have to meet with Israel. They know what I want. I think we can get that one done. I hope we can get that done. A lot of people are dying,” Trump says.

WASHINGTON, Sept 25 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump suggested the U.S. could lift sanctions on Turkey and allow it to buy U.S. F-35 jets as he kicked off talks with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday, but said he wanted Ankara to stop purchases of Russian oil.

Erdogan's first visit to the White House in about six years started off with a warm welcome from Trump. Seated side by side in the Oval Office, Trump called Erdogan a "very tough man" and said they remained "friends" while his predecessor Joe Biden was in office.

(photo: X)

The Israeli Air Force carried out strikes on Thursday against Houthi military sites in Yemen’s capital Sanaa, in response to the Iran-backed group’s repeated attacks on Israel, including a drone attack on Eilat a day prior.

The Israel Defense Forces said it struck seven targets belonging to the Houthis’ “security and intelligence apparatus” and army, including a top military headquarters. Defense Minister Israel Katz said the “powerful” strikes killed “many dozens of Houthi terror operatives, and destroyed stockpiles of UAVs and weaponry.”

The Houthis’ Al-Masirah television reported that the “Israeli aggression” on Sanaa came moments before it began broadcasting a weekly pre-recorded speech by the terror group’s leader, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi.