The rains are expected to continue on Thursday. By the afternoon – and particularly tomorrow – precipitation will intensify significantly, bringing a high risk of flooding. Localized rainfall is possible in the southern Negev. There is a serious concern regarding flash floods in the streams of the Judean Desert, the Dead Sea, and the northern Arava. A severe flood warning is in effect for the coastal plain and the Shfela (lowlands). Winds will be brisk, and temperatures will dip below the seasonal average.

Video: Storm Byron in Israel / Credit: Omri Zinger, Moshe Ben Simchon

Minute by minute – all the updates

1:40 p.m. | A tree collapsed in the courtyard of an educational institution in Rishon LeZion. Magen David Adom teams provided medical treatment and evacuated two approximately 10-year-old girls in mild condition with head injuries to Shamir-Assaf Harofeh Hospital.

1:30 p.m. | Magen David Adom teams were dispatched in the last half hour to several locations in the Shfela (lowlands), where vehicles became trapped in floodwaters. Rescue units are currently assisting with extraction efforts and stand ready to provide medical treatment if required.

Video: Yavne floods on Dec. 11, 2025 / Credit: Usage under Article 27a of Israel's intellectual property law

1:22 p.m. | Floodwaters have inundated King George Street in Tel Aviv.

1:15 p.m. | Footage from the Gaza Strip shows the collapse of a four-story building in the al-Nasr neighborhood of western Gaza City.

12:20 p.m. | Intense rainfall has lashed the Shfela (lowlands) in recent hours, with flooding recorded in cities including Rehovot. Rishon LeZion recorded 40 millimeters (1.6 inches) of rain in just three hours. Heavy rains persist along the northern coast, raising concerns of flooding near Zichron Yaakov. These heavy rains will continue along the coastal plain – specifically the southern coast and the lowlands – before spreading inland. Flash floods are expected in the Dead Sea streams throughout the day.

Video: Gaza building collapses during Storm Byron / Dec. 11, 2025

11:50 a.m. | Heavy fog has been reported in Daliyat al-Karmel.

10:50 a.m. | Interim Summary – High daily rainfall totals were measured this morning, primarily in the Carmel and Carmel Coast regions. Because this area also received significant precipitation at the start of the current system, cumulative totals there are far higher than in the rest of the country.

In the Nahal Me'arot Nature Reserve, 205 millimeters (8 inches) have accumulated since Saturday, with 94 millimeters (3.7 inches) falling in the last 24 hours alone. Atlit recorded 193 millimeters (7.6 inches) over the past three days, including 93 millimeters (3.7 inches) in the last day. Storm-level totals of 130-150 millimeters (5.1-5.9 inches) were recorded in Haifa and the Carmel, while the coastal plain north of Haifa and the northern Sharon region saw 100-120 millimeters (3.9-4.7 inches).

Video: Tel Aviv flooding on King George Street / Credit: Adi Nirman

Additionally, highly developed cloud formations moved over the area in the last 24 hours, bringing reports of hail. Today, the weather map will finally balance out as northwesterly winds drive the main rain clouds toward the center and south of the country.

Rainfall in central and southern Israel is expected to intensify. Within less than 24 hours, accumulations of 50-100 millimeters (2-4 inches) – and locally even more – are possible in the central and southern coastal plain. Heavy rain is also forecast for the central mountains, with a high probability of flash floods in the Judean Desert and northern Negev.

10:15 a.m. | Flooding and rain from Storm Byron reported in Gaza – civilians were seen attempting to navigate flooded roads.

9:30 a.m. | A 53-year-old man was found lifeless in Netanya with signs of hypothermia following the cold weather.

8:30 a.m. | Rainfall records for the last 48 hours according to the Israel Meteorological Service: Ein Carmel 165 millimeters (6.5 inches), Haifa Technion 139.7 millimeters (5.5 inches), Zichron Ya'akov 112.6 millimeters (4.4 inches), Shavei Zion 104.8 millimeters (4.1 inches), Nahariya 99.9 millimeters (3.9 inches).

7:57 a.m. | The Haifa and Carmel areas are leading the accumulated precipitation amounts over the last two days with 160–170 millimeters (6.3–6.7 inches), and 70 millimeters (2.8 inches) in the last 12 hours.

From the afternoon hours, the rains will enter the central and southern coast with strong rainfall intensity and dozens of millimeters of accumulation. The heavy rains will continue until the evening hours at least.

5:45 a.m. | Starting this morning (Thursday), temperatures will drop below the seasonal average. Rain accompanied by thunderstorms will fall intermittently from northern Israel to the northern Negev, with light rain possible in the southern Negev. Furthermore, there is a risk of flash floods in the Judean Desert, Dead Sea, and northern Arava streams, and a severe risk of urban flooding along the Coastal Plain and in the Shfela (Lowlands). Strong wind gusts are likely.

11:08 p.m. | Municipalities across the country have raised their alert level to "full storm protocol" in anticipation of the weather system. Operational units specializing in drainage, infrastructure, enforcement, and security have been reinforced and placed on standby to handle flooding, road blockages, and debris removal. Pumping crews and heavy engineering equipment have been deployed, underground passage systems inspected, and municipal call centers are operating on an emergency footing. The public is urged to avoid crossing flooded roads on foot or by vehicle, to secure loose objects susceptible to strong winds, and to avoid entering basements or underground parking garages during flood events.

10:24 p.m. | Update from Netivei Israel (National Transport Infrastructure Company): Road 40 has been closed to traffic in both directions from Tzihor Junction to the entrance of Mitzpe Ramon due to flooding.

The post Winter storm update: Heavy rain, flood warnings, and road closures appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

The US witnessed last night a nadir in its history when a prominent activist was assassinated purely for his views. This constituted an attack on free speech, on the capacity for discourse and hearing dissenting voices. Those incapable of countering his arguments opted to attack him. In the US – a symbol of the free world and Western democracy – one cannot accept circumstances where political-ideological debate culminates in murder.

Remarkable ability possessed by few globally

Kirk stood as a genuine friend of the State of Israel, a passionate advocate who decisively confronted pro-Palestinian activists, and with refined words, educated them thoroughly. His debates went viral online, and no one in the hasbara world (public diplomacy) could ignore his ability to make his case and the expertise he displayed.

He understood how to corner his opposition and guide them through planned maneuvers to leave them speechless. This represents a remarkable ability possessed by few globally. Additionally, he was a rhetorician brimming with style.

During the past two years, when the State of Israel's position hit bottom internationally, few worldwide stood with us proudly and powerfully, and Kirk ranked among the most prominent and significant of these. Specifically due to his standing and influence across the US, his backing carried tremendous meaning.

Currently, the pursuit continues for the attacker whose identity remains unknown, while everyone remains traumatized. I'm getting cancellation notices for event after event from my scheduled advocacy mission here.

It remains uncertain how the US will recover from this incident and its ultimate consequences, but clearly Kirk's assassination constitutes a defining moment. Each social advocate engaged in debates and ideological battles, particularly regarding Israeli advocacy, now faces genuine mortal danger.

A dark day for the US, and for Israel

Kirk was assassinated and became a casualty in his struggle for truth. He was assassinated there on stage with a microphone in hand while performing what he excelled at most. This marks a dark day in US history, but furthermore, it marks a dark day for the State of Israel which lost one of the finest and most genuine representatives it possessed, though he wasn't Israeli and though he wasn't Jewish.

During the past day, I've gotten inquiries from individuals asking whether Kirk's assassination will impact my mission and my advocacy efforts. So, yes, it will, since I hold numerous events similar to what took place at Utah Valley University, where he was shot, and thus I'll have to exercise far greater caution, verify security exists consistently, and remain vigilant and prepared constantly.

But will I halt due to this? Categorically no. One cannot fear confronting individuals who think differently and attempting dialogue while presenting them with facts. This is presumably what the attacker desired would occur. This is what the violent and antisemitic demonstrators would desire to occur. But if it were Kirk's decision, I'm certain he would request not to halt due to what occurred, but conversely, simply to persist and amplify.

May his memory be a blessing.

The post Israel advocates face deadly reality in post-October 7 America appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

Israel Hayom has learned that Kirk confirmed his attendance after Minister of Diaspora Affairs Amichai Chikli invited him through a mutual acquaintance, Kirk's pastor, Rob McCoy. The Annual International Conference on Combating Antisemitism, which gathers many of Israel's most passionate supporters from around the world, was set to include Kirk this year, who frequently fought for Israel's reputation on campuses and in media interviews.

In a discussion between Chikli and Pastor Rob McCoy, the latter mentioned that Kirk seldom leaves the US. Nevertheless, his team would arrange the visit and his address at the conference. All of this, as noted, is now impossible.

Minister Chikli wrote a eulogy for Kirk on Wednesday, noting among other things that "Charlie was a man of faith who lived the value of liberty, breathed it, and radiated it in every word and every deed. He understood that liberty is not an empty slogan, but the foundation of human existence – the condition for any free and just society. He naturally represented the unique, deep, and unbreakable bond between Israel and the United States. He knew that liberty is the shared value that stands at the core of the connection between the ancient nation of liberty and the new nation of liberty."

Chikli also wrote that "at the time he was shot and murdered, while seeking to promote those same values through discourse and persuasion, he wore a white shirt on which was written a single word – liberty – a word that has become his legacy and a call to action – to continue the fight and to stand together, Jews and Christians, Americans and Israelis, to ensure that liberty will prevail over the sword of Islamist fanaticism and over neo-Marxist tyranny, which dons a liberal mask."

The post Charlie Kirk was scheduled to visit Israel in January appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

Video: The alleged shooter on the roof running away / Reuters/courtesy Tanner McKay Maxwell

According to The Washington Post, a business school student at the university named Tanner Maxwell was filming the crowd that had gathered to hear Kirk speak. Across the courtyard stood a campus building known as the Losee Center. "Right when I hit the camera is when I heard the shot go off," Maxwell conveyed to The Washington Post.

Video: A closeup of the alleged shooter on the roof / Social media

The footage circulated widely on Wednesday evening, with a figure on the Losee Center roof being barely visible. When zoomed in and stabilized, the video reveals an individual who appears to be dressed in dark clothing running for approximately two seconds before leaving the frame as the camera pans, an analysis by The Washington Post found. The roof is located roughly 140 yards from where Kirk was shot.

Friend of a friend spotted the shooter on the roof before Charlie Kirk's assassination pic.twitter.com/pWUlpiBKit

— Chad Feldheimer (@ChadFeldheimer3) September 10, 2025

After the shooting, other video footage shows yellow police tape securing the area where the individual was seen running. A small group of police officers is stationed nearby. Late Wednesday, university spokeswoman Ellen Treanor stated that "the shot came from the direction of the Losee Center."

Kirk, 31, a key ally of President Donald Trump and founder of the conservative youth organization Turning Point USA, was struck in the neck and subsequently pronounced dead. At least two people were briefly detained after the incident but were quickly released. No suspects have been identified or charged, and it is not clear if the individual on the roof was involved in any capacity.

Beau Mason, commissioner for the Utah Department of Public Safety, said at a press conference that the gunshot appeared to be "a longer-distance shot from a roof." He also stated a person of interest was dressed entirely in dark clothing. The Utah Department of Public Safety said in a statement that the gunman "is believed to have fired from the roof of a building down to the location of the public event in the student courtyard."

A 20-second video taken from another angle, seemingly before the shooting, shows a motionless black shape in the same area of the roof. "So there's somebody on the roof right there," one person is heard saying, adding that the person had just run across the roof before assuming that position, a review of the footage by The Washington Post confirmed.

The post Is this Charlie Kirk's shooter? Video on rooftop emerges appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

Video: WARNING: DISTURBING FOOTAGE: The attack on Charlie Kirk

He was shot at the amphitheater of the university with hundreds gathering for his Q&A session, when shots were heard and blood began pouring from his neck. This was his first stop of his American Comeback Tour in which he planned to crisscross America and make the case of conservatism.

In that same year, encouraged by his mentor Bill Montgomery, Kirk forwent academic studies and founded the organization Turning Point USA at the age of 18. What started as a small initiative on American campuses grew within a few years into a large-scale conservative movement with thousands of chapters and enormous budgets. The organization is now considered the primary body in the US for political engagement among university and high school students.

Alongside his organizational work, Kirk built an impressive media career. He was a frequent guest on conservative networks, authored several successful books, and hosted a popular podcast and a nationally syndicated radio show. His digital platforms attract millions of followers and downloads, positioning him as one of the foremost voices in the conservative movement.

Over the years, Kirk also drew public criticism. It was alleged, among other things, that he fostered ties with extremist elements and promoted conspiracy theories, in addition to his organization's shift from emphasizing free-market values to a distinct Christian-nationalist identity. Nevertheless, his supporters viewed him as a central figure in recruiting and mobilizing young people for conservative political action and in bolstering the standing of President Donald Trump among the younger generation.

Kirk advocated for a foreign policy supportive of Israel within the conservative-evangelical discourse in the US. Since October 7, he voiced strong opinions against Hamas's actions and in support of Israel – including during confrontations with pro-Palestinian and Hamas supporters.

Beyond his organizational and media endeavors, Kirk cemented his position as one of President Donald Trump's closest allies. He was a central figure in recruiting young people for Trump's campaigns and co-led "Students for Trump," a student movement that worked to mobilize approximately one million students to vote in the 2020 election.

Kirk also played a significant role in the 2024 elections. Fundraising and grassroots efforts he led were directly credited with improving Trump's performance among young people, a demographic where Democrats traditionally held the lead. Kirk himself became a favored figure within the Trump family, and this past January, he joined Donald Trump Jr. on a trip to Greenland – a testament to the close personal and political bond that had formed.

Concurrently, Kirk was known as a steadfast supporter of Israel within the conservative camp. While a segment of the younger generation on the American right expresses skepticism toward traditional US foreign policy, Kirk was considered one of the leading voices in defense of Israel. He frequently confronted public displays of antisemitism among youth, especially following the October 7 attack, stressing that antisemitism is "poison for the mind" and "demonic evil."

Despite facing criticism for occasionally providing a platform to speakers with anti-Israel views and for voicing explicit opposition to calls to limit anti-Israel protests while stressing the importance of free speech, many in the pro-Israel community regarded him as a key ally in the struggle for the public opinion of the younger generation in the United States.

The post Charlie Kirk: The American Right's pro-Israel star who got silenced appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

In the lawsuit filed on Wednesday at the Petah Tikva Magistrate's Court, it was claimed that although Osher Ad markets itself to the ultra-Orthodox community and professes its kashrut to be Mehadrin, it sold a chametz product at its Petah Tikva location during Passover, leading the siblings to eat chametz on the holiday.

The statement of claim asserts "The defendant is a supermarket chain that directs its advertising and services to the ultra-Orthodox sector. The chain prides itself on the Mehadrin kashrut of its products and frequently promotes itself as being tailored to the ultra-Orthodox public."

According to the suit, on April 15, 2025, during the Passover holiday, the brother went to the Petah Tikva branch. "Plaintiff 1 relied on the defendant, as it states that it operates with rabbinic approval and under the supervision of Mehadrin kashrut authorities, and purchased, among other items, a 'gnocchi' product, based on the reasonable and required assumption that it was a kosher for Passover product. No sign on the product shelf or in any other location indicated that the product was chametz."

The siblings prepared and consumed the gnocchi at home. Subsequently, the brother examined the packaging and noticed that wheat flour was listed among the ingredients. "Upon learning of this, the plaintiffs were overcome with astonishment and profound shock. The mere realization that they had consumed chametz during the Passover holiday – an event representing a severe violation of their religious conscience and way of life – caused them intense feelings of distress, insult, and deep sorrow."

The lawsuit claims consumer deception and further, according to the Chametz Law (Prohibition of Chametz), any business owner is prohibited from publicly displaying chametz products during Passover. It was also claimed there was negligence, a violation of autonomy, a breach of disclosure duty, and mental anguish involved. Osher Ad did not provide a response.

The post The gnocchi that ruined Passover: Were Israelis deceived into buying chametz? appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

The 81-year-old Giuliani was traveling as a passenger in a Ford Bronco operated by his spokesperson, Ted Goodman, when a Honda RV driven by 19-year-old Lauren Kemp rear-ended of their vehicle shortly before 10:00 p.m. The collision forced both vehicles into the median and resulted in extensive damage, New Hampshire authorities stated Sunday.

State troopers and emergency responders who witnessed the crash provided immediate assistance, police confirmed to Time magazine. Goodman and Kemp, the 19-year-old driver, suffered "non-life-threatening" injuries and received hospital treatment.

Michael Ragusa, who serves as Giuliani's security chief, revealed on X Sunday that the former federal prosecutor had been "flagged down by a woman who was the victim of a domestic violence incident" prior to the accident. Giuliani had "immediately rendered assistance" and remained at the scene until law enforcement arrived to ensure the woman's safety. While traveling on the interstate afterward, Giuliani's vehicle was rear-ended "at high speed."

Ragusa stated that Giuliani was transported to a nearby trauma facility where medical staff diagnosed him with a fractured thoracic vertebra along with multiple lacerations and contusions. The former mayor also sustained injuries to his left arm and lower leg. "This was not a targeted attack," Ragusa emphasized, requesting respect for Giuliani's privacy during recovery and asking people to "refrain from spreading unfounded conspiracy theories."

Giuliani remains "fully alert and conscious, and his medical team is pleased with his progress," Ragusa told NPR on Sunday, adding that the former mayor "is eager to return to his work and looks forward to getting back to business in just a few days." The car accident remains under investigation by state police, and no criminal charges have been filed.

Known as "America's Mayor," Giuliani earned Time magazine's Person of the Year in 2001 for his leadership during and following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Giuliani subsequently became Trump's personal counsel in 2018 and played a significant role in the president's attempts to challenge and reverse the 2020 presidential election results, which resulted in his disbarment in New York and Washington D.C., along with a $148 million defamation judgment that he resolved earlier this year.

The post Rudy Giuliani suffers spinal fracture in high-speed car accident appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

Twenty-three years ago today, my dear friend Daniel Lewin fell victim to al-Qaida terrorists aboard American Airlines Flight 11 – the first casualty of the September 11 attacks.

At just 31, Daniel's life was tragically cut short. The 9/11 Commission report suggests he was stabbed by a hijacker seated behind him, likely while attempting to confront another terrorist in front of him, unaware of the danger at his back. Knowing Daniel as I did, I have no doubt he fought against the attackers on Flight 11. It was simply in his nature.

Our families both immigrated to Israel in the summer of 1984, settling at the integration center in Mevaseret Zion near Jerusalem. The Lewins arrived shortly before us, and Daniel and I quickly formed a close bond. We played in a rock band together, shared shifts at a local pizza place, explored Jerusalem's Old City, and traversed the country side by side. I vividly recall the night Daniel met his future wife – within moments of their first dance, it was as if they were the only two people in the room.

For years, I declined to speak publicly about Daniel's life. It wasn't until after I joined the ranks of bereaved families myself, following my father Richard Lakin's murder by Hamas, that I felt able to address such loss.

Much has been written about Daniel over the past 23 years, including a biography. Most accounts capture his essence accurately. Daniel was truly larger than life: more brilliant, stronger, more determined, more charismatic, and more energetic than anyone I've ever encountered. His intellect was so formidable it likely defied measurement, and he possessed enough drive to fuel an entire team of professional athletes.

Daniel was a force of nature, combining the stature of a giant with the raw power of a brontosaurus. His achievements speak volumes: an officer in the IDF's elite special forces unit Sayeret Matkal, top of his class at both the Technion and MIT, and the tech visionary who built Akamai Technologies into a multi-billion dollar enterprise that revolutionized internet speed and reliability.

While Daniel's public legacy is well-documented, one crucial aspect often goes underemphasized: his unwavering Zionism. Despite his success in Boston, Daniel's heart remained set on returning to Israel.

During a visit to the US in 2000, Daniel and I took a long walk along the Charles River, followed by lunch at a quaint Cuban restaurant. Afterward, we stood gazing at the Akamai building – a former MIT structure Daniel had commandeered for his company's headquarters. His eyes gleamed with pride and possibility as we discussed the future – both his own and Israel's.

Our conversation turned to the pressing need for electoral reform in Israel, which we both viewed as critical to the nation's long-term viability. We lamented how the current system rendered the government nearly dysfunctional and predicted the problem would only worsen.

While I expressed concern, Daniel outlined his solution with characteristic confidence: he would eventually return to Israel, we would establish a new political party, and he would personally fund an unprecedented campaign. His goal? To become prime minister and lead a new ruling coalition.

"It's simple," he asserted. "We'll adopt a constitution, overhaul the electoral system, and then tackle all of Israel's other challenges."

Daniel spoke with an unwavering determination uniquely his own. I have no doubt that had he not perished on September 11, Daniel would have returned to Israel and ultimately ascended to the role of prime minister. That day, I lost a cherished friend. And Israel lost precisely the kind of leader it so desperately needs today.

Micha Avni is a businessman and public activist who lost his father to a terror attack.

The post Daniel Lewin: The brilliant leader Israel lost on 9/11 appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

"I proposed on Sept. 16, 2001," Scott Honig recalls. 

It was just days after the horrific attacks on the US that stunned the nation and made everyone numb. 

But for Scott, it was a call to action and he popped the question to the surprise of his now-wife and her parents, who were literally speechless for 30 seconds when he told them about his plans and formally asked for their blessing. 

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The moment in which the critical mass had formed and made him pivot to this momentous decision was not the actual attack or the iconic images of the burning towers that we all remember. In fact, it was something much more deep. 

It was the sense of helplessness he saw in one man he saw on TV and who wasn't even supposed to be in the camera's frame. When he saw that man on the screen searching for his girlfriend who was in one of the Twin Towers, Scott realized that the marriage proposal plan he had already begun to formulate could no longer wait; there was simply no time for a calculated, well-thought-out move that would culminate with a marriage proposal. Such a timetable had to be tossed out the window. Now was the moment.  

"Steph and I had been dating at that point for just over a year. Seriously dating just over a year. Which for me was probably a little bit soon. I wasn't ready to propose, but I think she and I both knew that this was it, that this was going to lead to marriage. So I had it in my head that maybe December (2001), maybe the spring (2002). I was toying with the ideas of when and how and all of that," Scott explained in a phone interview. 

"At the time that this happened, Steph had just graduated from college, from Binghamton University, which is where we met, and she was then living in the city in the Upper West Side with some friends," Scott said, explaining that the couple was maintaining a long-distance relationship.

"Steph was about to start graduate school at Queens College. I was finishing up my last semester of my master's degree at Binghamton. So we were not together geographically at that point. And I was starting my student teaching, and finishing up my classes, and I was set to graduate that December, which I did." 

When he first heard the news on Tuesday, September 11, Scott and many of his coworkers could not imagine the scope of the attack, let alone that their lives would change forever. 

"So it was maybe my second week of student teaching when 9/11 happened. I was at a high school in Binghamton and somebody came into the office and said that a plane had hit one of the Twin Towers. And like most people, we thought, what a horrible accident. And somebody in the school where I was in actually set up a TV on a rolling cart and put on the news so people were watching the coverage. I watched live as the second plane hit," he said about how the day's events unfolded in upstate New York. "It was in an office that a bunch of the teachers shared. We weren't showing it to the students. It was for the staff, because this was big, so on their off period teachers wanted to watch the news. I remember everybody thinking as soon as the second plane hit, 'this is not an accident.' Because we were not in the NYC area school just sort of continued as normal, but for somebody who lived down-state I found it very difficult to do my job that day, knowing what had just happened." 

Q: Did anyone else beside the teaching staff know about it? 

"A little while after the plane had hit, I think the school made an announcement along the lines of 'planes had hit the World Trade Center and that we don't know the details, everybody continue on as usual and if there is something that needs to be updated we will update you.' So the students then knew, and I remember I had a senior, 12th-grade class. I had given them a creative writing prompt, where they had to use like a couple of random words to create a story and it was like 'beach ball,' 'spatula' and stuff like that. And one of the kids wrote a story where a plane flew into a building because the passengers were hitting a beach ball back and forth and got into a cockpit and distracted the pilot and the plane crashed. According to his story they had to pick all the people up off the street with a spatula. I was so horrified that they could joke about this thing that had just happened before we even really knew. But they were just kids, they hadn't put together that this wasn't more than an accident." 

Q: Was there a collective gasp when the second plane hit?

"Oh yeah, absolutely. And silence. People were sort of talking before that, and when the second plane hit the room went absolutely silent, I mean absolutely silent. And everybody sort of exchanged knowing glances because we knew this could not have been an accident. So I finished teaching at about noon and the first thing I needed to do was call Steph because although she didn't live or work or go to school in lower Manhattan I didn't know what her plans were that day, I didn't know if she was doing sightseeing the World Trade Center, or visiting friends downtown. And of course, you couldn't get a hold of anyone. The whole country lost cell connectivity. My father has also been on a business trip to North Carolina and he was supposed to be flying home that day. So I am trying to get a hold of him and Steph at the same time. He ended up renting a car because all flights had been grounded, but I didn't know that at the time." 

Q: How long before you made contact with her? 

"It was a few hours. Maybe 3 or 4 p.m. when I finally got a hold of everybody. And I knew that everybody whom I could think of was safe. And then for the rest of that day, and well into the night, I was glued to the news. We were trying to figure out what happened. I had some friends coming over to my apartment and we just sat and stared and cried and hugged. It was an awful day as you know."

Scott didn't know that this rather trivial gathering of people to watch the news and keep up with the latest on the tragedy would set in motion a chain of events that would have him engaged just five days later. 

"I remember some point in the evening, after the initial wave of horror and fear and past the news coverage shifted in its tone to speculating on why this happened and who was responsible, and the recovery effort of trying to get close enough to ground zero to start looking for survivors. There was a female news reporter standing on a street somewhere close enough to ground zero but far enough where she wasn't in danger or covered in smoke. And more interesting to me was what was happening behind her: A man walked into the shot and he was holding a little piece of paper which I later figured out was a photograph, and the reporter's microphone picked up his voice just enough for me to hear him say to other people who were just sort of in the background, 'Have you seen this woman?; this is my girlfriend, she worked  in Tower 2, has anybody seen her?' and then he said 'I was supposed to propose to her tonight.' And it broke me. That moment broke me.

"I knew from everything I had watched on the news that the likelihood that he was going to find her alive was small. For the most part if by that evening you hadn't heard from a person or you haven't seen them it wasn't looking good. So when I heard that man say that, it sort of immediately clicked. What am I waiting for? Anything could happen at any moment, so if I know that this is the person I want to be with and spend a life with, why am I waiting until December, why until spring? I am going to do this. And I started making the plan."

Q: So in the span of less than a week you had it all figured out with the ring and all? 

"So I immediately called my parents and I said that I was going to come home this weekend, that I am going to bring Steph with me and that I am going to ask her to marry me. They were thrilled and all that. The plan was that I was going to leave Binghamton after work on Friday, drive through the city, grab Steph and drive to my parents' home, which was weird because they had literally just moved two weeks before."

Q: You weren't concerned that she would pick up that something was off?

"I think she saw it as my way of reacting to the devastating thing that happened, and I was terrified she and my father were in some sort of danger and I wanted to see them and hug them. So I don't think it registered to her that she was going to get engaged that weekend. So I picked her and I drove to my parents' new house, so I needed directions to get to my parents' house because I had no idea where it was.

"So the next day, they were still unpacking and they were going to be painting the kitchen cabinet white. Steph actually had some experience, so it worked out well. So she and I got started helping them to paint, and then I had to intentionally anger her, by telling her that my grandparents had called and they needed my help, which was a complete lie."

Scott explained that this charade resulted in Steph staying alone for most of the day with his parents and it was obvious that this move left her perplexed because after all, he was the one who insisted on going to visit them. 

"So I left her alone with my parents painting cabinets, and as I walked out the door, she shot me this death look, like I can't believe you are leaving me to do this," he recalled. To his relief, despite Steph being outraged, it was safe to assume at this point that she was not suspecting that this was a ruse for a marriage proposal. 

 "And so, I did not go and see my parents, at least not yet. I drove to Stony Brook, I called her parents Joyce and Marty on the way, and I said, 'Are you home, I want to come see you.' And they said, 'Oh, you and Steph are going to come see us.' And I said, 'No no, just me'. They thought it was weird but it did not dawn on them what was happening. So we were sitting on their back patio, and I said some nice things about Steph, and I didn't tell them the whole Sept. 11 story [about the man searching for his girlfriend), I just didn't want it to be a downer. I ended it by saying 'So I am here to ask your permission to ask her to marry me.'

"Their jaw dropped open, I can't imagine how they didn't figure out why I was there, but they didn't and we sat in silence for probably about 30 seconds. They were just in shock, and thank goodness for my darling brother-in-law that I love dearly because he broke the silence by saying 'Well, I'm in.' And we all laughed and cried and hugged."

"So I left there with their blessing and with an engagement ring [an heirloom from Steph's mother that has been passed down from generation to generation in the family]. I knew that I wanted Steph to have something that was from me. Since the ring wasn't from me, that's when I drove to Valley Stream where I grew up and picked up my grandparents and they helped me shop for a pair of diamond earrings. We spent a few hours finding the right pair of hearings. Steph is not a flashy or showy person, so we got a pair of diamond studs that she wears to this day, she never takes them out, I then dropped my grandparents' home and came back to my parent's house in Plainview and I walked in and I got an even fiercer death stare from Steph because it had been four hours and the cabinets were painted and I didn't do any of it. Rightfully so [referring to her anger]. 

Scott explained that despite Steph's anger all-too apparent, she kept her cool, and eventually he managed to explain away his absence in a convincing manner. 

"I made up a story about how my grandparents needed help, it was all a lie, and she bought it. And later that night, Steph and I were just watching TV in my parents' basement, we were in our pajamas and I had the diamond ring in one pocket and a pair of diamond earrings in the other pocket. Eventually, I just decided at around 10:30 at night, I asked her to get off the couch and walk over to a different part of the basement and she said, 'Why what are you doing?' And I said,' Nothing, just come with me.'

"We walked over and took her hand and said nice things about her and about our relationship and all of this. I didn't bring up Sept. 11 because I didn't want it to be a downer, but I told her at a later date [that this was the trigger]. I got down on one knee and I started reaching into my pocket, and she looked down and said, 'What are you doing? What are you doing?' and I asked her if she would marry me. She started tearing up and hugged me and I put the ring on her and she was just hugging and crying. I whispered in her ear, 'You haven't answered the question yet.' And she responded, 'Yes!!!' We ran upstairs, she threw open my parents' bedroom door, dove into the bed between them, and shouted: 'I am going to be your daughter.'"

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The US has reached a plea agreement with Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the alleged mastermind of the September 11, 2001 terror attacks, and two co-defendants, according to the Department of Defense. The deal, which comes after 27 months of negotiations, removes the possibility of the death penalty for Mohammed, Walid Bin 'Attash, and Mustafa al Hawsawi.

In a letter obtained by CNN, prosecutors informed families of 9/11 victims and survivors that the three men have agreed to plead guilty to all charges, including the murder of 2,976 people listed in the charging sheet. The plea hearing could take place as early as next week.

"We recognize that the status of the case in general, and this news in particular, will understandably and appropriately elicit intense emotion," prosecutors wrote according to CNN, acknowledging that the decision would likely receive mixed reactions from family members who lost loved ones in the attacks.

The agreement avoids what would have been a complex and lengthy death penalty trial against Mohammed, who was captured in Pakistan in 2003. The military trial against him and his alleged co-conspirators had been delayed for years due to legal issues surrounding the use of evidence obtained through torture at secret CIA prisons in the 2000s. The trial date, originally set for January 11, 2021, was further postponed by the resignation of two judges and the COVID-19 pandemic.

As part of the agreement, the defendants will participate in a sentencing hearing where prosecutors and defense attorneys will present evidence to argue for an appropriate sentence short of the death penalty. Family members of victims may have the opportunity to testify about the impact of the attacks and provide victim impact statements.

The plea deal also requires the defendants to answer written questions from surviving victims and victims' families about their roles and motivations for conducting the attacks. Families have 45 days to submit questions, which the alleged co-conspirators are expected to answer by the end of the year.

However, some families have expressed dissatisfaction with the plea agreements. Brett Eagleson, president of 9/11 Justice, an organization representing survivors and family members, stated that they are "deeply troubled by these plea deals" and called for more information about Saudi Arabia's alleged involvement in the attacks.

The location where Mohammed and his co-defendants will serve their sentences remains unclear. The Biden administration has prioritized closing the Guantanamo Bay detention facility in Cuba, where the defendants are currently held, but dozens of detainees still remain at the site.

The post Death penalty off the table – plea deal reached with alleged 9/11 mastermind appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.