Yet alongside applause for this extraordinary achievement during such challenging times, Raphael faced a barrage of accusations about "vote rigging" and "manipulations" from various countries criticizing the public voting system. Then, like an unexpected character in a drama about the entertainment world, Scooter Braun stepped into the spotlight.

Braun (43), a Jewish-American who orchestrated the careers of megastars like Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande, and Demi Lovato, wasn't previously known as a vocal supporter of Israel. However, since October 7, he underwent a transformation, evolving from someone who typically remained behind the scenes into an Israeli advocacy champion armed with Instagram and an uncompromising sense of justice.

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A post shared by Scott "Scooter" Braun (@scooterbraun)

On Tuesday, Braun uploaded a video to his Instagram that expressed his unwavering support for Yuval and her remarkable musical achievement, "I want to talk about Eurovision because I was just reading that there are people having an issue with this young woman, Yuval, taking second place at Eurovision," he began before immediately confronting anyone questioning Raphael's success.

Braun offered no halfhearted defense. He underscored that the Eurovision manager had definitively stated that there is no evidence of vote manipulation or irregularities. His message was clear: stop inventing conspiracies because they simply aren't real.

Braun continued by exposing what he sees as the music industry's hypocrisy – an industry that claims to champion new talent but often shuts out those who don't conform to expectations. "Yuval won the audience vote. Have any of you ever made a huge superstar globally? I don't think so," he said and added, "So what makes you think that you know what the public wants?"

Yuval Raphael's narrative, Braun emphasized, transcends the typical pop star story. She survived the Nova massacre and, despite her trauma, chooses to sing messages of hope, love, and peace. "Here's a girl who survived the Nova massacre, who had her life almost taken away while she was celebrating in a music festival. And she has the courage to go on stage and sing a song about overcoming those odds and a song about there being another day to live and live in love and peace, and a video that represents that. And you're questioning why the public loved this song and loved her," he continued.

While major producers and cultural critics persist in their skepticism, Braun concluded his message with unmistakable clarity, "She was number one in the public vote and number two overall in the competition. And I would just say being number one by the public is the most important thing," he clarified, "So stop questioning her and question your own taste. Because the public spoke and you should listen to them. And a new day will rise."

The post 'The public has spoken': Scooter Braun defends Israeli Eurovision star appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

The 2024 Glastonbury Festival is facing significant backlash for the prominent display of Palestinian flags and the presentation of false claims about Israel, including a statement that "Over 20,000 children have been murdered by Israel in 9 months."

One of Britain's most prestigious music events, Glastonbury traditionally celebrates music and the arts. However, this year's festival has sparked outrage among attendees who argue it has become a platform for divisive and antisemitic content.

Glastonbury 2024 is hitting a sour note with fans. Here's why this iconic music festival is causing major controversy: https://t.co/uzsrRfM1MF pic.twitter.com/bU8Y2SytUD

— Israel Hayom English (@IsraelHayomEng) June 30, 2024

Throughout the five-day event, Palestinian flags were conspicuously displayed across the festival grounds, appearing during performances. Organizers permitted a "Palestine" stall to sell badges depicting Israel being replaced entirely by the Palestinian flag.

The developments ignited heated debates on social media. Critics pointed out an imbalance in the political discourse, noting the absence of tributes to victims of the Oct. 7 terror attacks in Israel, where hundreds of people were murdered and raped by Hamas terrorists at the Nova music festival. One Twitter user questioned, "I wonder if the Palestinian flag-waving people at Glastonbury 2024 give a thought to the young people massacred at Nova."

Our message on the Glastonbury screens to 10,000 heads before the set pic.twitter.com/6kK4vcC9Dw

— KNEECAP (@KNEECAPCEOL) June 29, 2024

Adding to the political atmosphere, a leaflet-making class was held on the festival premises, allowing protesters to create and distribute their own materials. This move further fueled the debate about the event's focus, with one attendee lamenting that Glastonbury was "no longer a music festival" and had become a platform to "poison minds."

The controversy extended to the performers as well. Dua Lipa, a headlining act, made her stance clear by performing near Palestinian flags in the crowd. The Grammy award-winner, who has a history of antisemitic rhetoric, appeared to acknowledge the flags during her performance.

GLASTONBURY @glastonbury have allowed a "palestine" stall to sells badges depicting Israel being wiped out entirely and replaced with just the Palestine flag.@emilyeavis you wiped off Star of David's from the M.Levine sign.

Care to explain this too?

@__jacker__ pic.twitter.com/LswpUK9rRP

— Kosher (@KosherCockney) June 28, 2024

The political nature of this year's festival has led some fans to call for Somerset Council to revoke Glastonbury's license, claiming it "celebrates terrorism." Others have expressed intentions to boycott future events.

The post Glastonbury hits sour note with attendees for 'celebrating terrorism' appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

NASA has announced that a rare stellar event, known as a nova, is expected to illuminate the night sky later this year. This celestial phenomenon, described by the space agency as a "once-in-a-lifetime" occurrence, is predicted to be visible without the need for telescopes or specialized equipment.

According to VOA News, astronomers anticipate the nova will likely occur by September 2024. The event will involve a binary star system located in the constellation Corona Borealis, approximately 3,000 light-years from Earth. This system, named T Coronae Borealis, consists of two gravitationally linked stars: a white dwarf and a red giant.

NASA explains that a nova results from dramatic changes in a star that cause it to release a significant amount of energy, temporarily becoming extremely bright. Unlike a supernova, which marks the final destruction of a star, a nova allows the white dwarf to remain active after the event.

The process leading to a nova in a binary system involves the transfer of hydrogen from the red giant to the white dwarf. Over time, this accumulation creates intense pressure and heat on the white dwarf's surface. "This buildup can cause a thermonuclear explosion large enough to blast away the material the white dwarf had collected," astronomers told AFP.

The upcoming nova has generated excitement within the scientific community. Sumner Starrfield, a professor of astrophysics at Arizona State University, expressed his anticipation to AFP: "It could be today... but I hope it's not," he joked while working on a paper to predict what astronomers might learn from the event.

This nova will mark at least the third time humans have witnessed such an event from the T Coronae Borealis system. AFP reports that Irish astronomer John Birmingham first discovered it in 1866, with a subsequent appearance in 1946.

Rebekah Hounsell, a research scientist specializing in nova events at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, highlighted the potential impact of this celestial display. She told AFP, "This may create a lot of astronomers out there" as it can "fuel the next generation of scientists." She hopes that it could provide young people with "a cosmic event they can observe for themselves, ask their own questions, and collect their own data."

The post Stellar performance: NASA predicts 'once-in-a-lifetime' explosion by September 2024 appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

Abdel Rahman Al Jamal, a 63-year-old veteran of the Gaza legislative council, is deeply entrenched in Hamas' apparatus and has played a central role in the recent hostage crisis. In his book "Lexicon of the Hamas Movement," Guy Aviad, an expert in Palestinian terror organizations and Israel's military history, says Al Jamal was born in the Nuseirat refugee camp, Al Jamal began as a student of Islamic law before earning a doctorate and eventually serving as the dean of religious studies at Gaza's Islamic College. 

Video: Hostage rescue operation in Nuseirat refugee camp / Credit: IDF Spokesperson's Unit

While not an official member of Hamas' military wing, Al Jamal stands accused of coordinating terrorist attacks by the wing against Egyptian forces in Sinai after meeting with the movement's leader Khaled Mashaal, according to an Egyptian indictment. His extended family, closely tied to the Hamas regime, is a wealthy clan owning several properties in Nuseirat, including the home where three of the four Israeli hostages rescued on Saturday were held captive for months.

The Al Jamal family's civilian hideout

One of the homes belonging to Al Jamal's clan became the place of captivity for Almog Meir Jan, Andrey Kozlov, and Shlomi Ziv. The house is owned by a relative, Abdullah, a former journalist for the Hamas-affiliated Palestine Now news agency who had articles published in Al Jazeera. Abdullah's 74-year-old father, Ahmed Youssef, previously served as a senior adviser to former Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and maintains ties to the current leadership, illustrating the family's prestige and connections within the regime.

For half a year, Hamas terrorists took over the upper floor of this spacious Al Jamal family home in Nuseirat, holding the three hostages under armed guard. As reported by The Wall Street Journal, the captives were confined to a single room with thin mattresses to sleep on, passing time playing cards and learning Arabic. Kozlov, a recent Russian immigrant to Israel, also learned Hebrew. Access to television was rare, and any violation of the strict rules imposed by their captors resulted in punishment, including confinement in the bathroom or threats of execution.

Shockingly, throughout this ordeal, the Al Jamal family members, children included, continued residing on the lower floor of the house where the kitchen was located. On one occasion when the family left, the hostages were permitted to use the kitchen facilities. When IDF forces eventually stormed the home to free the captives, Abdullah, his father, and wife were killed in the operation. 

An IDF statement following the raid highlighted how "the hostages were held alongside Abdullah's family members in his family's home," condemning it as "further evidence that the Hamas terror organization uses the civilian population as human shields."

This tactic extended to Noa Argamani, another hostage rescued from an apartment merely 200 meters away from the Al Jamal residence. Images of the room where she was held, circulated on Arab social media, revealed a closet, bed, and two dolls – small comforts amid the harsh conditions she endured while confined for months and forced to remain silent to avoid angering her captors. Argamani later stated the house belonged to a wealthy Nuseirat family who told her she was fortunate to be held by them rather than others, suggesting the Al Jamal clan may have been involved in that holding location as well.

Hamas' widespread civilian hideout network

The Al Jamal clan's role in the hostage crisis exemplifies how Hamas cynically exploits Gaza's civilian population to further its military objectives. While the terror group's indiscriminate use of human shields is well-documented, the recent hostage crisis reveals a new depth of depravity in embedding captives within civilian homes and neighborhoods.

As captives have been freed or rescued, their testimonies, coupled with insights from security officials and analysts, have gradually exposed Hamas' modus operandi of concealing hostages at the heart of Gaza's civil society. The operation's success, despite Israel's lacking a physical intelligence presence in Gaza for two decades, underscores the terrorist group's effectiveness in this regard – at least initially.

Hostages reported being shuttled between various hideout apartments during their captivity, occasionally transported in ambulances or disguised in traditional Arab attire to avoid detection. Argamani recounted encountering other captives like Itay Svirsky and Yossi Sharabi, who were murdered in captivity, during these transfers. Meir Jan corroborated that he, Kozlov, and Ziv were repeatedly moved between hiding apartments by their Hamas captors.

Some hostages, like the Marman and Limberg families abducted from Kibbutz Nir Yitzhak, were held in vacant apartments with no residing families. Mia Limberg, 17, held in Gaza for 53 days, described being kept on the second floor of a Rafah home that had been evacuated, surrounded by a "civilian neighborhood" with the "voices of vendors and children" audible from the streets.

"The neighborhood was full of Hamas people, and those who guarded us were terrorists," Limberg recounted. "The terrorists told us not to make noise because if they heard us, they would come and murder us." The constant sounds of IDF bombings heightened her terror, as she feared the building's collapse would expose their location, resulting in mob violence or execution by their captors.

Released captives like Limberg aided the IDF's subsequent operation to extract the remaining hostages in that Rafah apartment, Luis Herr and Fernando Simon Marman. 

"We were in an apartment of a family in Rafah, on the second floor, but the family wasn't there, only our guards," Herr recalled. "We heard people's voices and mostly the bombings from the IDF. It was clear there was a war between Israel and Gaza."

Hamas' trusted civilian confidants

This extensive network of civilian hideouts stems from Hamas' longstanding embeddedness within Gaza's social fabric, having originated as a grassroots movement before evolving into a terrorist entity and de facto government. Over the years, the group has developed operational procedures for concealing operatives in designated apartments amid the general population, extending this protocol to hiding kidnapped Israeli soldiers like Nachshon Wachsman and Gilad Schalit.

Gilad Schalit, who was kidnapped to Gaza in 2006, was held for five years in hiding apartments in the strip. He was guarded by an isolated group of Hamas terrorists who were part of the organization's "shadow unit." "This is a very small group, completely cut off from the world, whose job is to guard prisoners 24/7 for an extended period," Aviad said. "It's a focused group of professional terrorists whose job is this." However, the "shadow unit" members, like hiding apartments, are a limited resource. It seems that ahead of Oct. 7, Hamas prepared a plethora of hiding apartments and detention facilities in tunnels throughout the strip.

As for the families entrusted with "hosting" captives in their homes, they are meticulously vetted based on multigenerational ties and absolute fealty to Hamas' ideology, often cemented through intermarriages. 

"These are connections that go back years, and as a result, trust develops between the sides, which is the key word here," explained Harel Chorev, a historian tracking Hamas networks. "Hamas is heavily embedded within the population, usually through certain families identified with it...Once Hamas managed to penetrate this space, it became an inherent part of the identity of those clans."

While some experts suggest intimidation plays a role, most assert genuine ideological belief and loyalty take precedence. "Apart from the loyalty and belief in Hamas' way, that family father knows that if he doesn't cooperate with Hamas, they'll separate his head from his body," noted former Shin Bet coordinator Adi Carmi. "And yet, in my opinion, fear is the least significant component. The main component is trust."

However, researcher Ronit Marzan offers a different perspective, portraying Gaza's civilians as hostages themselves under Hamas' oppressive rule. "Gaza residents who have fled say that anyone left in Gaza has no choice but to cooperate with Hamas and remain silent," she said, citing reports of brutal reprisals against entire families for any dissent, including torture, imprisonment, and denial of healthcare and jobs.

Overcoming intelligence obstacles

The use of trusted civilian confidants to hide captives significantly impeded Israeli intelligence efforts to locate the hostages. "People who are ostensibly uninvolved and not known as operatives of the military wing are people the Israeli intelligence may not necessarily be familiar with," Carmi acknowledged. "And indeed, we see that this method works."

For two decades following Israel's withdrawal from Gaza, the Shin Bet lacked a physical presence in the territory, relying primarily on signals intelligence. However, the widespread ground operation during the recent conflict enabled human intelligence gathering through interrogations and local sources, allowing the agency to gradually piece together the hostages' likely locations.

Carmi continued, "After the IDF entered the area, the Shin Bet began striving for contact, until eventually it succeeded in locating where the captives were being held. Once you start arresting people, interrogating them and operating them, you learn the area at a much higher resolution."

It is crucial to note that the "strategic" captives who remain in Hamas' grip are IDF soldiers seized during combat operations, including the observation officers from Nahal Oz. According to Shin Bet officials and security experts consulted, these prisoners represent Hamas' final bargaining chips, which the group will be highly reluctant to relinquish to Israel.

Unlike the hostages held in civilian homes, it is likely that these captive soldiers are not being detained above ground, but rather in designated subterranean facilities Hamas constructed specifically for this purpose. These holding sites are believed to be located deep within the tunnel networks underlying Rafah and Khan Younis.

Consensus among the officials indicates that the living conditions endured by these captive military personnel are considerably harsher than those experienced by hostages sheltered in residential dwellings above ground.

Thus far, the sole female soldier rescued from Hamas captivity through a military operation is Ori Megidish, who was extracted from within Gaza during the early stages of the war. However, according to some sources, even Megidish was not held in a tunnel complex, but rather in a private residential home.

The post How Hamas keeps hostages in the heart of Gaza, alongside families, children appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

Less than a week ago, Israel and the world were stunned by the heroic IDF operation leading to the rescue of the four hostages Andrey Kozlov, 27, Noa Argamani, 25, Almog Meir Jan, 21, and Shlomi Ziv, 40 held at the Nuseirat refugee camp in the Gaza Strip by the Hamas terror group.

In a candid interview with Israel Hayom, Kozlov's parents – Michael and Yevgenia – recalled the emotional reunion with their son, who was abducted at the Nova music festival, where he worked as a security guard, and spoke about his lengthy ordeal in captivity, and the dramatic moment he realized rescue was underway.

Q: What was it like seeing Andrey for the first time upon his rescue?

Yevgenia: "Our initial conversation with Andrey was via video as we had not yet returned to Israel. Alongside immense joy, difficult to articulate, we felt trepidation about what, or rather who, we would encounter.

"We were convinced that after eight months in captivity, subjected to unimaginable horrors and trauma, we would fail to recognize him. I was terribly apprehensive about the state my son would be in after that prolonged period. Before he appeared on screen, I covered my mouth in sheer fear, blankly staring at the monitor."

"Then, abruptly, I saw him – Andrey. His eyes were wide open as he exclaimed, 'Mom, I survived twice. Mom, I'm fine, everything's okay, don't worry.' He likely feared our distress, aiming firstly to reassure us," she recounted with a smile.

"He continued, 'Mom, I knew I'd return, and now all will be well. Daily I thought of you, conversed with you in my mind, confident I'd rejoin you. Mom, don't worry, just don't.' Though attempting to comfort me, I witnessed the gamut of emotions overwhelming him at that moment, the entire ordeal etched on his face. It was profoundly moving.

"I strived to smile and remain calm for his benefit, to ease his burden. And indeed, after a few minutes, I began to perceive my son as he once was, he even started cracking jokes! His sole wish was to continue conversing with us, which we reciprocated."

Q: Did he tell you about his time in captivity?

Michael: "To recount his entire eight-month experience would require far more than a single interview. He recounted his ordeal at length, yet seemingly striving not to overwhelm us excessively, he endeavored to keep matters light with humor and optimism, even when describing terrifying, unimaginable adversity.

"For instance, he revealed that for the initial two months, his captors restrained him with hands tied behind his back, depicting how he contorted himself merely to eat. With mordant humor, he told us how fortunate he was to be so flexible, as it enabled him to eat with his hands rather than like an animal.

"He laughed at his luck when the terrorists eventually tied his hands in the front, and that his conditions were relatively decent as they occasionally permitted bathroom use, unlike other hostages, who were provided only with buckets in their rooms. These accounts are utterly deranged, yet he strove to recount them lightheartedly to ease our burden."

Yevgenia added, "He described the psychological torment his captors inflicted on him and fellow hostages. Comments like 'your girlfriend has surely moved on, your parents know nothing of you, and Israel has forgotten you they won't save you. The army actually wants you dead.

"Andrey revealed this was among the terrorists' key aims – constantly attempting to convince them Israel did not truly care, that no rescue was coming, that contrarily, the nation preferred them dead to resolve this hostages issue.'"

"Yet throughout, Andrey and his fellow hostages strove to bolster and assist one another. They conversed constantly, preventing one another from descending into despair's depths. Initially, it was immensely challenging for him as his Hebrew and English were poor, and the terrorists prohibited Hebrew.

"On one hand, I heard my son recount these events like a story, with optimism and humor, yet internally I grasped the enormity of the atrocity, tragedy, and unimaginable ordeals he endured over those long months, leaving indelible scars on him and us."

"As a mother, hearing your son say 'there are things I can never tell you' is heart-shattering, truly comprehending this entire event's profound gravity."

Q: What was the moment the IDF arrived to rescue Andrey like?

Michael: "Truthfully, even before he shared the details with us, we gathered in his hospital room to view the footage captured by the soldiers' bodycams. Until then, he had only seen videos uploaded by Gazan bloggers from a completely divergent perspective."

"The moment he witnessed the published footage, his emotions overwhelmed him uncontrollably. Covering his mouth, he exclaimed 'Yes, yes, that's me. That's really how it was, what I endured.' It was as if he relived it, truly processing his ordeal."

Yevgenia said, "Andrey revealed that realizing rescue was imminent, recognizing the fighters who came to extract him, he was utterly flooded with relief and calm. He said his sole desire was to embrace the rescuers, unwilling to relinquish that grasp. To him, they appeared not merely heroes, but truly superhuman.

"He still faces a lengthy road ahead, yet his optimism and fortitude fill us with immense pride. Not only did he avoid breaking under captivity despite the terrorists' efforts, he emerged stronger and more resilient."

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