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The pristine German college town of Tübingen flourishes today, in stark contrast to its dark past.

The southwestern city of 90,000 was once home to Theodor Dannecker, a Nazi captain and one of the closest aides to Adolf Eichmann, known as the "architect of the Holocaust." In 1933, the University of Tübingen, where many of the infamous Nazi soldiers known as SS trained until 1945, proudly billed itself as "Jew free." These days, Tübingen is acknowledging its painful history in order to rise above it.

"We can only live here as Christians in this congregation if we take responsibility for the history of this city," Jobst Bittner, founder of both Tübingen’s TOS Church and the March of Life initiative, where descendants of Nazis organize marches against antisemitism with Christians and Jews throughout the world, told Israel’s Channel 11.

The television outlet's report showed a banner across the windows of the TOS church that read "Bring Them Home Now," a call to release nearly 100 Israeli and American hostages held by Hamas in Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023. Inside the church is a store with merchandise and books about Israel. Downstairs is the "Museum of Guilt," which displays pictures of Nazis from Tübingen, with photographs of mass graves that were once hidden in cigar boxes as souvenirs of the Holocaust.

CLICK HERE FOR FOX NEWS DIGITAL'S COVERAGE OF ‘ANTISEMITISM EXPOSED’

Another segment in the report showed young people from the church singing "Am Yisrael Chai" ("The People of Israel Live") even though they barely know Hebrew. During the holiday of Sukkot, they build sukkahs (temporary huts) to celebrate the Israelites’ freedom from enslavement in Egypt.

Heinz Reuss, an elder at TOS Church and international director of the March of Life, described last year’s Sukkot celebrated in the Market Square in the center of town as "very beautiful." He said that the rabbis from the next town came to Tübingen to recite blessings, just like he does during Hanukkah when they light the menorah candles.

The musical, "A Ship Makes History," based on the story of a Holocaust survivor and Exodus, has also been performed during Hanukkah. Michaela Buckel, program director of the March of Life movement and author of the play, described how it teaches children about the Holocaust in a non-threatening way and that she was inspired by the resiliency of the Jewish people after the Holocaust.

"I wanted to focus the play on this willingness to live and to fight for new life, even though it's hard," she said.

Reuss said the Christians at his church celebrate some of the Jewish holidays as a gesture of friendship and to acknowledge "that’s where the blessing comes from, the Jewish roots."

Addressing the town’s antisemitic history, Reuss remembered a turning point in 2003, when a lot of congregants started to discover that their own family members had been Nazis.

"It was a powerful time of repentance and also of healing in some way," he said. 

TOS worship leader Kim-Sophie Kasch, 24, told Fox News Digital that when she was 7 years old, after her great-grandfather died, her family discovered that he was a Nazi. He had been part of the Wehrmacht armed forces of Nazi Germany and had been in European areas "where they committed crimes against the Polish-Lithuanian population (and) also the Jews who lived there."

Kasch described her father as being "really shocked when he heard about his grandpa."

Reuss said that when TOS church congregants found out there were eight concentration camps located around Tübingen, as well as the grim trails of death marches, "everything became visible. Everyone saw it." 

He described how they organized a prayer march with descendants of Holocaust survivors and descendants of Nazis, which became a three-day event. 

"It was very, very meaningful for us," said Reuss. 

Since 2007, March of Life events have been held in hundreds of cities in more than 20 countries, where Holocaust survivors and descendants of Nazis visit concentration camp sites and mass graves across Europe. 

In 2009, the movement expanded to the United States, where it became known as the March of Remembrance, a memorial walk every spring on Yom HaShoah, Holocaust and Heroism Remembrance Day.

"The message is remembrance, reconciliation and making a stand for Israel and against antisemitism," Reuss said. "It teaches the lessons of the Holocaust, and we encourage people to really face the history of antisemitism in their own families."

Reuss said his great-grandfather from the Netherlands, who was an Orthodox reform Christian, saved Jewish lives by refusing to sign a declaration stating that he was not Jewish because he didn’t want to betray his Jewish friends. He expressed disappointment that his German grandfather on his father’s side did not display the same courage and withdrew from Jewish people. 

"It's so important to really speak out and not be silent in your personal surroundings and your workspace, because this is antisemitism. It’s evil. It's something that doesn't stop with the Jews," Reuss said.

Reuss told Fox News Digital how this year, for Holocaust Remembrance Day on Jan. 27, survivor Irene Shashar, who was born on Dec. 12, 1937, as Ruth Lewkowicz, will be honored at the TOS church. She will speak the day before, telling congregants her story of survival in Warsaw.

The Nazis invaded Shashar’s homeland of Poland when she was 2 years old, and her father was murdered when she was 5. Shashar credits her mother’s ingenuity for helping her to survive by hiding her in closets and sewers with her beloved doll, Laleczka. Referring to her two children and seven grandchildren at a U.N. speech in 2020, she declared, "I survived … Hitler didn’t win and I have proof."

South Korean prosecutors have indicted impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol on charges of leading a rebellion after he briefly imposed martial law last month, according to the country’s opposition party, as well as several South Korean media reports. 

Yoon, a conservative, has presidential immunity from most criminal prosecutions, but the privilege does not extend to allegations of rebellion or treason. By law in South Korea, the leader of a rebellion can face life in prison or the death penalty. 

"The prosecution has decided to indict Yoon Suk Yeol, who is facing charges of being a ringleader of insurrection," Democratic Party spokesman Han Min-soo said at a press conference, according to Reuters. "The punishment of the ringleader of insurrection now begins finally."

The move announced Sunday makes Yoon the first sitting South Korean president to face an indictment and criminal investigation, according to the Washington Post. 

Yoon became the second conservative president to be impeached in South Korea when the opposition-led parliament voted to suspend his duties on Dec. 14. 

IMPEACHED SOUTH KOREAN PRESIDENT DETAINED WEEKS AFTER MARTIAL LAW CHAOS

He was arrested earlier this month over his Dec. 3, 2024, martial law decree that plunged Asia's fourth-largest economy and a key U.S. ally into political turmoil. Yoon has steadfastly denied any wrongdoing, calling his martial law a legitimate act of governance meant to raise public awareness of the danger of the liberal-controlled National Assembly, which obstructed his agenda and impeached top officials. 

In declaring martial law, Yoon called the assembly "a den of criminals" and vowed to eliminate "shameless North Korea followers and anti-state forces." 

He sent troops and police officers to the assembly, but enough lawmakers still managed to enter an assembly chamber to vote down Yoon’s decree unanimously, forcing his Cabinet to lift it. 

Though Yoon rescinded the decree after just six hours, the martial law imposition was the first of its kind in South Korea in more than 40 years and evoked painful memories of past dictatorial rules in the 1960s-80s. 

Yoon had resisted efforts by investigative authorities to question or detain him. After a days-long standoff between his security detail and authorities, Yoon was then apprehended on Jan. 15 in a massive law enforcement operation at his presidential compound, becoming the first sitting South Korean president to be arrested. Yoon, a former prosecutor himself, has been held in solitary confinement since then, according to Reuters. 

SOUTH KOREA’S IMPEACHED PRESIDENT AVOIDS ARREST ATTEMPT AFTER HOURSLONG STANDOFF

After a local court on Jan. 19 approved a formal arrest warrant to extend Yoon’s detainment, dozens of his supporters stormed the court building, destroying windows, doors and other property, according to the Associated Press. They also attacked police officers with bricks, steel pipes and other objects. The violence left 17 police officers injured, and police said they detained 46 protesters.

Separate from criminal judicial proceedings, the Constitutional Court is now deliberating whether to formally dismiss Yoon as president or reinstate him.

Leading Yoon’s investigation was the Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials, but since his detainment Yoon has refused to attend CIO’s questioning, saying it has no legal authority to investigate rebellion allegations. The CIO has said it can investigate Yoon’s rebellion allegation as it’s related to his abuse of power and other allegations. 

The CIO handed over Yoon’s case to the Seoul prosecutors’ office Friday and asked it to indict him on rebellion, abuse of power and obstruction of the National Assembly. 

In a statement Saturday, Yoon’s defense team urged prosecutors to immediately release Yoon and launch an investigation into the CIO.

South Korean media outlets, including Yonhap news agency, reported on Sunday that the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office indicted Yoon on rebellion charges.

Yoon’s defense minister, police chief and several other military commanders have already been arrested over their roles in the martial law decree.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

As part of the second stage of the high-stakes ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, four female hostages who had been held by the terror group in Gaza for 477 days — Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy and Liri Albag — were reunited with their families Saturday. 

In exchange, Israel released 121 Palestinian prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment for deadly terror attacks and an additional 79 prisoners serving lengthy sentences.

The release of Palestinian prisoners — some convicted of heinous terrorist acts — has stirred profound emotions and debate across Israel. While the deal has helped the return of hostages held in Gaza, it comes at a heavy cost. 

Families of victims of the released prisoners have expressed anguish, grappling with the pain of reopening old wounds while recognizing the importance of reuniting hostages with their loved ones.

HAMAS RELEASES 4 FEMALE HOSTAGES AS PART OF ISRAEL CEASEFIRE

Hillel Fuld, whose brother Ari was killed six years ago by a Palestinian terrorist, shared the personal toll of hearing the perpetrator might be freed. 

"It’s a punch to the gut, for sure, but I don’t think our personal loss changes our opinion on this deal," Fuld said. "It’s both terrible and beautiful — terrible strategically, but beautiful because the hostages’ families get to reunite with their loved ones."

Fuld also highlighted security concerns. 

"My understanding is that the terrorist who murdered my brother will be deported outside of Israel, to Turkey or Qatar," Fuld said. "I’m not overly worried about that, but those returning to Judea and Samaria are definitely a security concern. I hope the government has a plan for what comes next."

Orit Mark Etinger lost her father, Michael Mark, in a 2016 terrorist attack. Her younger brother, Fedya, who survived the attack that killed their father, was killed in Gaza. Two of her cousins were also victims of terror attacks. 

"When I first heard about the decision to release terrorist prisoners in exchange for hostages, I felt deep pain and anguish," Etinger told Fox New Digital, "Releasing murderers who destroyed entire lives is unbearable. No one can bring my father back. Meanwhile, the terrorist who murdered him may now walk freely on the street.

"One of my father’s murderers had already been released in the Shalit deal and returned to kill. We understand who we’re dealing with, which is why we fear the repercussions of releasing murderers with blood on their hands. But we cannot leave the hostages — innocent people — living in hell in Gaza. They must come home." 

Two of the prisoners released Saturday were involved in the terrorist attack that killed her father. 

Among the 1,900 prisoners to be released in the ceasefire agreement are individuals responsible for some of the deadliest attacks in Israeli history. Wael Qassem is serving 35 life sentences for orchestrating suicide bombings that killed 35 people. Majdi Za'atri, sentenced to 23 life terms, drove a suicide bomber to a Jerusalem bus stop in 2003, killing 23, including children.

Another terrorist released on Saturday, according to the Israelis, was Mardawi Tabat, who "was serving 21 life sentences for murdering 21 civilians and injuring 150 others in five suicide bombings and shooting attacks," according to a post on X.

Other high-profile prisoners include Ammar Al-Ziben, serving 32 life sentences for planning multiple suicide bombings, including the double bombing at the Mahane Yehuda Market in 1997 that killed 16. Ahmad Salah, serving 21 life sentences, was involved in two Jerusalem suicide bus bombings in 2004 that killed 19 people and injured over 100.

Israeli General Security Service Director Ronen Bar warned that 82% of the 1,024 prisoners released in the 2011 Gilad Shalit exchange returned to terrorism. 

"Many of the leaders of Hamas who orchestrated the Oct. 7 massacre were among those released in previous deals," Bar told the security cabinet, while still recommending going ahead with the deal.

BITTERSWEET REJOICING AS FIRST HOSTAGES RETURN TO ISRAEL AFTER 471 DAYS IN CAPTIVITY

Zohar Dvir, former commander of the elite Yamam counterterrorism unit, told Fox News Digital, "Arresting such a terrorist requires immense investment in intelligence, planning, creativity and a high level of risk for our forces, who often pay a heavy price. However, when it comes to the lives of many hostages, we are compelled to pay a heavy price by releasing terrorists.

"The chances of rescuing them alive diminish dramatically from one operation to the next, as time passes. The way to release hostages alive is through a deal. Talking from experience, the security establishment has a long memory and will settle accounts with everyone sooner or later, wherever they may be."

Israeli journalist Yair Cherki, whose brother was killed in a terrorist attack in Jerusalem, weighed in on the deal’s implications. 

"Israel succumbed to humanitarian pressure at the most critical moment, providing aid that effectively reinforced Hamas’s civilian control in Gaza," Cherki said. "Diplomatically, the strategy relied entirely on waiting for Trump, which proved to be a dead end. Like Biden’s "don’t," Trump’s gates of hell also worked both ways, leaving Israel without any diplomatic leverage.

"After 15 months, the time for the hostages has run out, and Israel is left with no choice but to accept the deal to bring the hostages home and begin healing a fractured society. Releasing these terrorists is not just a problem for the victims’ families, but for all Israeli society and future victims.

"This cycle of deals leading to murder and kidnapping must end. Releasing the hostages reflects our society’s commitment to life and mutual responsibility. This is our DNA."

Even those directly affected, like Fuld and Etinger, acknowledge the hostages must be prioritized. 

"Most families support the deal because they would do anything to bring their loved ones back," Etinger noted. "But we fear these released terrorists will harm others."

Cherki underscored the collective responsibility of Israeli society. 

"This deal is not just about individual families," Cherki said. "It’s about a society’s commitment to life and solidarity. Despite its flaws, this deal may serve as a key to healing a broken nation."

President Donald Trump said Saturday he wants Jordan, Egypt and other Arab nations to accept more Palestinian refugees from the Gaza Strip, potentially moving out enough people to "just clean out" the area destroyed in the Israel-Hamas war, which is now under a ceasefire.

Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One that he had a conversation earlier in the day with King Abdullah II of Jordan and would speak Sunday with President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi of Egypt.

"I’d like Egypt to take people," Trump said. "You’re talking about probably a million and a half people, and we just clean out that whole thing and say, 'You know, it’s over.'"

Trump said he applauded Jordan for accepting Palestinian refugees but that he told the king: "I’d love for you to take on more, because I’m looking at the whole Gaza Strip right now, and it’s a mess. It’s a real mess."

HAMAS RELEASES 4 FEMALE HOSTAGES AS PART OF ISRAEL CEASEFIRE DEAL

A drastic displacement like this would contradict Palestinian identity and deep connection to Gaza.

"Palestinians in Gaza—like Palestinians in the West Bank and Israel—overwhelmingly trace their ancestry to cities and villages in the region that today comprises Israel and Palestine," former U.S. Rep. Justin Amash, who is Palestinian, wrote on X. "The idea that they are some kind of spillover from other countries in the so-called Arab world—that they are just interchangeable with other 'Arabs'—is a false but routinely employed rhetorical device to erase their history on the land."

"They are the descendants of Canaanites, Israelites, Phoenicians, and other ancient Levantine peoples," Amash, a libertarian, said. "Their ancestry overlaps with that of their Jewish neighbors, but they are converts to Christianity, Islam, and other religions. Any effort to force them out or to pressure them to leave under threat of force is simply ethnic cleansing."

But Trump said the part of the world that encompasses Gaza, has "had many, many conflicts" over centuries and that resettling "could be temporary or long term."

"Something has to happen," Trump said. "But it’s literally a demolition site right now. Almost everything’s demolished, and people are dying there. So, I’d rather get involved with some of the Arab nations, and build housing in a different location, where they can maybe live in peace for a change."

Senior Israeli officials said, according to Israel's Channel 12, that "Trump’s statement about the migration of Gazans to Muslim countries is not a slip of the tongue but part of a much broader move than it seems, coordinated with Israel."

On Monday, after he was inaugurated, Trump suggested that Gaza has "really got to be rebuilt in a different way."

"Gaza is interesting," he added. "It’s a phenomenal location, on the sea. The best weather, you know, everything is good. It’s like, some beautiful things could be done with it, but it’s very interesting."

SURVIVOR OF NOVA MUSIC FESTIVAL HAMAS TERROR ATTACK WINS SLOT TO REPRESENT ISRAEL AT EUROVISION

Trump also said Saturday that he ended former President Joe Biden's hold on sending 2,000-pound bombs to Israel that was in place during the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, which has been under a ceasefire for a week.

"We released them today," Trump said of the bombs. "They’ve been waiting for them for a long time." Trump said he lifted the ban on the bombs "Because they bought them."

Biden had halted the delivery of the bombs in May in an effort to prevent Israel from launching an all-out assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah.

The 15-month-long war in Gaza started when Hamas launched a surprise attack against Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, prompting military retaliation from Israeli forces. Nearly 100 hostages remain captive in Gaza.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

President Donald Trump’s re-entrance into the White House has meant the complete overturning of Biden administration policies, the withdrawal of major international agreements and uncertainty that has left international partners waiting to see where they stand in the pecking order as some manage damage control while others vie for a seat at the table.

Trump’s actions came as no surprise this time around as the 47th president enters his second term. But what it means in terms of geopolitics remains unclear as adversaries and allies alike watch to see how these next four years will play out. 

TRUMP'S 'SHOCK AND AWE': FORGET FIRST 100 DAYS, NEW PRESIDENT SHOWS OFF FRENETIC PACE IN FIRST 100 HOURS

Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni: Trump met with Meloni, leader of the conservative Brothers of Italy party, at his Mar-a-Lago residence earlier this month. The Italian leader, who has already voiced her support for Trump’s position on international issues like increasing NATO defense spending, attended Trump’s inauguration on Monday. According to reports this week, she has been deemed the "Trump whisperer" and the "preferred interlocutor in the EU" – a particularly important relationship amid concern that Trump could start a trade war with Europe.

Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban: A long-time ally of Trump, Orban championed his return to the Oval Office this month and reportedly declared that with Trump in office he could launch the "second phase of the offensive that aims to occupy Brussels," which he claimed is "occupied by a left-liberal oligarchy." Orban, though invited, did not attend the inauguration due to a scheduling conflict. 

Argentina’s President Javier Milei: Once hailed by Trump as the leader to "make Argentina great again," Milei is looking to expand relations with the U.S. On Wednesday during the Davos World Economic Forum, he told Bloomberg he may be willing to leave the more than 30-year-old Mercosur trade bloc founded by Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay in 1991, if it means securing a new trade deal with the U.S.

WASHINGTON POST COLUMNIST SUGGESTS TRUMP MAY USE HIS CRYPTO TOKEN TO TAKE FOREIGN BRIBES

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi: India is also scrambling to secure a trade deal with the U.S. amid concerns over international tariffs. Despite improved ties between India and China, and a meeting between Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Russia last year, Reuters reported on Wednesday that Modi is looking to back off its reliance on Beijing – its largest trading partner – and instead lean in on relations with Washington. Modi is looking to meet with Trump in February. 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: Trump and Netanyahu maintained a strong relationship during the president’s first term, and a similar dynamic is expected to remain during Trump’s second term. Netanyahu on Monday released a video message congratulating Trump on his inauguration and said that "the best days of our alliance are yet to come." He also thanked Trump for the role his administration played in helping to broker a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, which initiated the return of the hostages still held in Gaza. 

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer: The U.S.-U.K. partnership has often been described as a "special relationship," and London has long been one of Washington’s closest allies. But the ties between the U.S. and U.K. will be tested as Trump faces Labour leader Keir Starmer, who has previously been critical of Trump. 

Starmer, in 2023, condemned the U.K.’s Conservative party for "behave[ing] more and more like Donald Trump" rather than embodying the values championed by Winston Churchill. 

"They look at the politics of America and want to bring that here," he said. "Is there anybody in the government now who feels a sense of obligation to anything other than their own self-interest? To democracy, the rule of law, serving our country?" 

"It’s all woke, woke, woke. Wedge, wedge, wedge. Divide, divide, divide," he added.

Starmer has since pledged to work with Trump and to ensure the "special relationship" endures, though he is expected to face a tough road.

UN URGES DIPLOMACY AS IRAN HITS NUCLEAR 'GAS PEDAL,' CONSERVATIVE COMMENTATOR TELLS TRUMP ‘DO NOT APPEASE’

France’s Emmanuel Macron: The leader of the U.S.’s oldest ally is the only remaining European leader on the United Nations Security Council who was in office alongside Trump during his first term. Trump and Macron often butted heads during Trump’s first term and, despite an invitation to the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral in December, reports indicate this time will likely be no different. 

While Macron was among the first to congratulate Trump on his second presidential victory, he also issued multiple statements of warning this week, first when he said that now is the time for a "European strategic wake-up call," emphasizing the need to lessen reliance on the U.S. for defense. 

The second warning came on Wednesday when it said "it is necessary more than ever for Europeans . . . to play their role of consolidating a united, strong and sovereign Europe" as it stares down stiff tariffs vowed by Trump. 

Germany’s Chancellor Olaf Scholz: Scholz’s predecessor, Angela Merkel, often went head-to-head with Trump and reportedly believed that the U.S. president specifically had it out for Germany during his first term. Scholz, who leads the left-leaning Social Democrats, appears to be following in a similar no-nonsense approach when it comes to the second Trump administration and on Wednesday made it clear that Trump "will be, and so much is already clear, a challenge." 

Speaking alongside Macron on Wednesday, Scholz pledged to stand united with his European allies and said, "Our position is clear. Europe is a big economic power with around 450 million citizens. We are strong, we stand together. Europe will not duck and hide but will be a constructive and self-confident partner."

WORLD LEADERS REACT AS TRUMP RE-ENTERS THE WHITE HOUSE

European Union: Trump has made clear that the EU is in his crosshairs, telling reporters this week, "The European Union is very, very bad to us." But President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen made clear this week she is ready to work with the new U.S. president.

"No other economies in the world are as integrated as we are," she said, noting that the trade volumes between the U.S. and Europe account for 30% of all trade globally, reported Reuters. "Our first priority will be to engage early, discuss common interests and be ready to negotiate."

She made clear that the EU will not be bullied by Trump and said, "We will be pragmatic, but we will always stand by our principles. To protect our interests and uphold our values – that is the European way."

EU feelings toward Trump appear fairly divided as the EU’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, has backed Trump’s push to increase defense spending across the board in Europe. Right-wing Danish member of the European Parliament Anders Vistisen addressed Trump’s stated desire to acquire Greenland and in a public message did not mince words.

"Dear President Trump, listen very carefully: Greenland has been part of the Danish kingdom for 800 years. It is an integrated part of our country. It is not for sale," Vistisen said. "Let me put it in words you might understand. Mr. Trump, f*** off!"

Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau: Following a series of dramatic reports and resignations relating to Trudeau’s handling of Trump after he was newly elected and claimed that Canada should be the U.S.’s 51st state, Trudeau resigned from the top job this month.

It remains unclear who will replace Trudeau in a March 9 election, within his Liberal Party ahead of the general election later this year, where the party is expected to lose to the country's Conservatives.

Trudeau has said, "There isn’t a snowball’s chance in hell that Canada would become part of the United States," and government officials across the board are bracing for a trade war with the U.S. after Trump threatened to levy 25% tariffs on Canada, starting Feb. 1. 

Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly said this week that Ottawa "will continue to work on preventing tariffs" but said that officials are also "working on retaliation." 

In the final hours of his term, President Joe Biden negotiated a prisoner exchange with the Taliban that released U.S. citizens Ryan Corbett and William Wallace McKenty from Taliban custody. 

Not included in the deal, however, were U.S. citizens George Glezmann and Mahmood Habibi.

On Saturday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio posted on X that he was "just hearing" of the detentions of additional Americans by the Taliban. 

"If this is true, we will have to immediately place a VERY BIG bounty on their top leaders, maybe even bigger than the one we had on Bin Laden," Rubio wrote.

2 AMERICANS RELEASED IN EXCHANGE FOR TALIBAN PRISONER

Dennis Fitzpatrick, who is coordinating efforts outside the U.S. government for Glezmann’s release, claimed Glezmann was "never a serious priority for the Biden White House." 

"President Biden and [former National Security Advisor] Jake Sullivan decided to leave George Glezmann in Kabul for no good reason," Fitzpatrick told Fox News Digital. "We are confident that President Trump’s clear-eyed leadership will secure George’s release to his family."

Fitzpatrick added that 66-year-old Glezmann is "a totally innocent man" who was "a hard-working, blue-collar airline mechanic before he was wrongfully detained. He doesn’t deserve to be used as a pawn."

Glezmann has been in detention since Dec. 5, 2022, when he was traveling to Afghanistan to "explore the cultural landscape and rich history of the country" according to a Senate resolution from July 2024 calling for his immediate release. 

The resolution states that Glezmann’s mental and physical condition were deteriorating as a result of his detention in a nine-foot square underground cell. He has only been allowed limited calls to family and has experienced "facial tumors, hypertension, severe malnutrition, and other medical conditions" as a result of his detention.

While the Taliban admit to holding Glezmann in custody, they insist they do not hold Mahmood Habibi. 

TALIBAN DISMISS DISCRIMINATION ACCUSATIONS AS ‘ABSURD’ DESPITE BANNING WOMEN FROM THE PUBLIC IN AFGHANISTAN

Habibi’s brother Ahmad told Fox News Digital the family "know[s] that my brother is still in Taliban custody. I can't share too much about that because we don't want to put him or others at risk. But anyone accepting the Taliban's hollow suggestions that they do not have him is falling for their lies.

"We have multiple witnesses to his arrest by the [General Directorate of Intelligence (GDI)]. We have multiple witnesses who were held with him at GDI headquarters. The Taliban has always claimed they don't have him and don't know who he is. How do they explain the obvious contradictions to this?"

Ahmad also claimed the family "know[s] that the U.S. government has technical evidence that Mahmood was in GDI custody long after his arrest." 

He alleges the Biden National Security Council "micromanaged the State Department's effort to secure my brother's release" and "blocked [the State Department] from using the data in their discussions with the Taliban, even though we told them that it would have directly confronted the Taliban's claims that they never heard of my brother." 

TOP GENERAL IN FIGHT AGAINST THE TALIBAN SAYS AFGHANISTAN HAS ONCE AGAIN BECOME A ‘CRUCIBLE OF TERRORISM’ 

Neither the State Department nor the National Security Council responded to Fox News Digital’s requests for confirmation of Ahmad’s claims.

Fox News Digital also reached out to Taliban spokespersons Zabihullah Mujahid and Suhail Shaheen about Habibi’s detention and asked Mujahid what happened to Habibi after he was arrested by the GDI. Mujahid did not respond. Shaheen directed Fox News Digital to reach out to the GDI and claimed no knowledge of the situation.  

The Taliban have long sought the release of Guantanamo Bay detainee and al Qaeda facilitator Muhammad Rahim in exchange for the Americans they admitted were in their prisons. Ahmad Habibi told CBS News President Biden assured him in a Jan. 12 phone call that the U.S. would not release Rahim unless the Taliban released Habibi.

Former Principal Deputy Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs Hugh Dugan told Fox News Digital the Trump administration could pursue multiple "lines of effort" to secure the release of Glezmann and Habibi. 

Dugan said this could involve "outright rescue by the military" at one level or continued "subtle diplomacy in the background."  

Dugan said he recognized that "to say we're doing everything we can … is not satisfying to a family member, frankly, or anybody, and they want to hear that you're continuing to identify what might have eluded us all along, or that there's a crack in the horizon that's opening. 

"And we need to realize that that might be another step in our path to recovery and a line of effort has to be amended to accommodate new realities at any given moment."

A film shows a large group of children walking out of Auschwitz concentration camp in the company of nuns. Regina Horowitz recognized her own child and begged the camera operator to give her the frames of the film depicting Ryszard. 

There are very few survivors left as the world commemorates the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi death camp Auschwitz. The Horowitz family's tale of survival is one such documentation. 

The Kraków orphanage would send her Regina Horowitz to another address, where she miraculously found her five-year-old son, who was just as shocked to see his mom alive. And not just her, but also his sister Niusia and his grandmother . . . all three women saved by German industrialist Oskar Schindler. 

HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS CAN LIVE ON FOR GENERATIONS WITH CREATIVE USE OF NEW TECHNOLOGY

Renowned photographer Ryszard Horowitz was born on May 5th, 1939, to a loving family in the historic city of Kraków, the former capital of Poland, but just four months later Nazi Germany invaded Poland, resulting in utter devastation.

The war would turn brutal and sinister, especially for Poland's Jews.

"When the Germans marched into Kraków," Horowitz told Fox News Digital, "my parents' first reaction was to run away. They packed their suitcases and left me with my non-Jewish nanny, Antosia. But soon they returned with my sister, because they did not want me to stay behind. So, we were reunited but eventually forced to relocate to the ghetto."

The Nazis segregated Jews from the rest of the population, forcing them into Krakow’s notorious ghetto. Life was bleak behind the fences, in constant fear of Nazi persecution. 

Fortunately for Ryszard, there was an older boy there, called Roman Liebling, known later as Roman Polanski, who attended his third birthday party. According to Polanski, although food was scarce, by some miracle Ryszard’s mother, Regina, managed to procure hot chocolate for the kids. Ryszard, however, did not care for hot chocolate and refused to drink it.

TENNESSEE PROFESSOR REVEALS STORY OF HER LATE HUSBAND, A HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR, AMID TODAY'S ANTISEMITISM

By 1943, the Germans were liquidating Kraków’s ghetto, and the Horowitz family was forced to relocate to a Nazi concentration camp in Plaszow. It was run by a notorious Nazi commander, Austrian officer Amon Göth.

"It was a terrible camp, because the man in charge was an extremely brutal character. He created a tremendous sense of fear. He was shooting people right and left. He was like a God in terms of his power and made life there totally impossible," Horowitz recalled. 

Göth liked to throw parties in his villa, where two of Ryszard’s musician uncles were forced to play. 

One of the men attending the parties was German industrialist Oskar Schindler. His friendship with Göth enabled him to run a business that would ultimately become a lifeline for many of the camps Jews.

"Oscar Schindler got permission to open a factory producing utensils for the German army, and my family worked there." Horowitz explained.

Steven Spielberg introduced Oskar Schindler to the entire world in his 1993 movie "Schindler's List," and Horowitz shared some observations about the famed businessman.

 "Everybody will tell you something else about him. How good he was, how bad he was, how handsome he was, how many women he had, but the bottom line is . . . somehow, he felt this urge to save people. Once, he got into trouble when he kissed my sister when she gave him a cake for his birthday," Horowitz said. 

In 1944, the Germans decided it was time to dismantle Plaszow, disguise the traces of their atrocities, and close Schindler’s factory.  

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"Schindler managed to get permission to move a certain number of workers to his factory in Brünnlitz, in Czechoslovakia," Horowitz said. 

Brünnlitz was a German labor camp, and as Spielberg showed in his film, a list was created with names of those who would be relocated there. 

"There is no question that there was a list, and my family was on that list. I was not, because I was too small to work, but somehow, I managed to squeeze in. There were two transports, one of men and one of women. I was traveling with my father," Horowitz explained. 

Schindler’s men made it to Brünnlitz alive, but Ryszard’s life was about to unravel.

"We waited for the women to follow us to Brünnlitz. But, for some reason, we do not know why, they were sent to Auschwitz concentration camp instead," he said. 

Schindler hurried to Auschwitz to rescue his women and left Josef Leipold in charge of his factory. 

"Leipold was the exact opposite of Schindler." Horowitz said. "From the beginning, his idea was to finish us off. And he did not want children there. So, he packed us with our fathers and shipped us to Auschwitz."

Upon arriving at Auschwitz, Ryszard was selected to have concentration camp numbers tattooed on his forearm. Which meant he would stay alive, for a time.

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Oskar Schindler managed to rescue the women. They were aboard a train that was about to depart for Auschwitz.

Horowitz recalled these heartbreaking moments, "My cousin and I saw the train, and my mother was there, my sister, my grandmother . . . and they saw us. My mother was certain this was the last time she would see me. They went to Brünnlitz, and my father and I remained in Auschwitz."

In January 1945, with the Red Army approaching, German SS forces marched thousands of prisoners out of Auschwitz to different camps on German territory. Richard’s father, Dawid "Dolek" Horowitz, was forced to leave his son behind.

"I think that one of the reasons I survived was that a man in charge of a warehouse, Roman Gunz, agreed to look after me. Sometimes he would feed me, and when things got difficult, he would hide me in the warehouse or inside the infectious hospital ward," Horowitz said. 

Then one day, the nightmare of Auschwitz came to an end.

"When the Red Army came close to the camp, the Germans were in a panic. They rounded all the kids up and were ready to shoot us, but just then two German officers arrived on motorcycles screaming to drop everything and follow them, so they did," Horowitz remembered. 

A few hours later, Soviet troops entered Auschwitz.

"The Red Army arrived, most of them on horseback," he said. "They gave us food and sweets. They had cameras with them, and they recorded a lot of footage. The following day, nuns arrived and took us to an orphanage in Kraków. Polanski’s aunt Tosia found me there and took me to her apartment on Dluga Street. And Roman was already there."

In March 1945, Brünnlitz was liberated, and the Horowitz women returned to Kraków. 

"One day, my mom was out in the market Square, where they were showing a documentary movie about the liberation of Auschwitz, and she recognized me in it," Horowitz said. 

The Horowitz women moved in with Roman Polanski’s family. They were soon joined by Dawid Horowitz.

"We all lived under one roof for two years, until my father got us a nice apartment near Market Square," Horowitz said. 

After the war, Poles found their country in ruins with a hostile communist regime in charge. 

"Most of my closest friends and their families were anti-communists. Everybody’s dream was to get out of Poland as fast as possible," Horowitz explained. 

Dawid Horowitz managed to open a store selling tools and building materials, with Polanski’s aunt Tosia as his business partner. Life went on.

"For me and my friends, life was pretty good at the time, because we were not engaged in politics. We were artists, and we believed that we lived in a totally free society, so we did what we wanted to do, and we had this amazing outlet, a cabaret called "Piwnica pod Barnami" (The Cellar under the Rams). And we had jazz," Horowitz recalled. 

In 1958, American jazz pianist Dave Brubeck arrived in Kraków to perform. Ryszard Horowitz was there with his camera and documented it in pictures. Little did he know that photography was his future. And that future was on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean.

"I had this opportunity because my uncles here in New York were ready to offer me room and board. And I also received a scholarship from the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn," Horowitz said. 

With his father’s encouragement and some U.S. dollars hidden in the heel of his shoe, Horowitz boarded the Polish ocean liner "MS Batory." 

Life as an immigrant in the Big Apple was a mixed bag. But at the Pratt Institute, Horowitz quickly exhibited a unique talent for photography.

"I created their first photography lab at Pratt, and I was asked to design their 75th anniversary yearbook, which I edited, and I pretty much took all the photographs for them. It was the first time in history that the New York Art Directors Club gave an award to a student. So, this became my portfolio," Horowitz explained. 

Ryszard connected with influential people who helped pave his way to success. Among them were photographer Richard Avedon, graphic artist Saul Steinberg and ballet choreographer Sergei Diaghilev, as well as his idol, disc jockey Willis Conover, who hosted the Jazz Hour on the Voice of America.

Through the lens of his camera, Horowitz saw the world somewhat differently. His photographs looked like computer-generated graphics, except that they predated the digital age. He became known as the pioneer of special effects photography. 

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"I found a way of reversing perspective and juxtaposing large objects to make them look small and vice versa," Horowitz said. 

Horowitz was a master of light. He learned to manipulate light to photograph expensive jewelry and new cars. 

"My art education in Kraków helped me – my devotion to the great masters of painting," Horowitz explained. 

His iconic commercial work captivated audiences in the world of advertising, bringing him fame and prestigious awards. He received honorary doctorates from the University of Warsaw and Wrocław in Poland, and in 2014, his hometown of Kraków made him an honorary citizen.

"Some of my photographs consist of different images taken in different parts of the world, and they are merged into a single unit that’s not jarring but believable. They appear as though they are an instance of a situation that never existed except in my head. That’s why I call myself a ‘photocomposer," Horowitz explained. 

He achieved success in his personal life as well. Since 1974, he’s been happily married to Anna Bogusz, and they have two grown sons: Daniel and Emil.

"I met Ania at a party. She was an architecture student from a Polish family living in Caracas, Venezuela. She was only passing through New York on her way to Paris to continue her studies. She never made it to Paris," Horowitz smiled, recollecting meeting the love of his life. 

So many years after he walked out of Auschwitz alive, Ryszard Horowitz feels blessed to live the American Dream with his family, and doing what he loves most – creating his photo compositions . . . and listening to jazz.

Argentinian President Javier Milei rallied against "the mental virus of woke ideology" during a fiery speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Thursday.  

Milei credited the fundamental values of Western civilization, like respect for life and liberty, free speech and freedom of religion, for enabling the Industrial Revolution that lifted "90% of the global population out of poverty." He then slammed wokeism as the disease that will destroy everything dear to the West. 

"This is the great epidemic of our time that must be cured. This is the cancer we need to get rid of. This ideology has colonized the world's most important institutions – from the political parties and governments of leading Western nations to global governance organizations, even NGOs, universities and media outlets," said Milei, adding, "Western civilization – and even the human species – will not be able to return to the path of progress demanded by our pioneering spirit. It is essential to break these ideological chains if we want to usher in a new golden age."

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Milei did not hold back talking about gender ideology and criticized the left for their radically liberal policies. 

He castigated those leaders who are "attempting to impose the idea that women are men and men are women simply based on self-perception. And they say nothing about when a man dresses as a woman and kills his opponent in a boxing ring, or when a male prison inmate claims to be a woman and ends up sexually assaulting women in prison."

Milei used an example of a same-sex couple in Georgia who were jailed last month for abusing and pimping their adopted boys to a pedophile ring, according to a report by the New York Post. 

The Argentine leader said, "I want to be clear when I say abuse. This is no euphemism, because in its most extreme forms, gender ideology is outright child abuse. They are pedophiles," Milei declared.

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Calling Elon Musk a dear friend, Milei put up a furious defense of children against the dangers of transgenderism. 

"Healthy children are being irreversibly harmed through hormone treatments and mutilation, as if a 5-year-old child could possibly consent to such things, and should their family not agree to this, there will always be state agents ready to step in in favour of what they call the best interests of the child."

Musk’s biological son transitioned into a girl a few years ago, which led the billionaire to remark that his child was figuratively "killed" by the "woke mind virus."

Milei added, "Only now are we beginning to see the effects of an entire generation that has mutilated their bodies, encouraged by a culture of sexual relativism, and these people will have to spend their entire lives in psychiatric treatment to cope with what they have done to themselves. Yet no one dares to speak about these issues. Not only that, but the vast majority have also been subjected to the misguided self-perceptions of a tiny minority."

The libertarian Milei became president in 2023, and the chaotic economy of Argentina has stabilized under his leadership, according to The Associated Press. He was optimistic about his country's future, calling it a "new Argentina," but not so much about the state of the world unless wokeism is reversed.

"Believe me, the scandalous experiments in the name of this criminal ideology will be condemned and likened to those committed in the darkest periods in our history."

Milei ended with his often said slogan, "Thank you all very much and long live freedom, damn it."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

The terrorist group Hamas released four additional hostages from Gaza on Saturday after a ceasefire deal with Israel took effect nearly a week ago.

Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy and Liri Albag — all of whom are members of the Israeli Defense Forces —were freed on Saturday in the second round of hostage releases.

In exchange, Israel was expected to free 200 Palestinian prisoners or detainees, including 120 militants serving life sentences after being convicted of deadly attacks.

The first round of hostage releases on Sunday freed Romi Gonen, Emily Demari, and Doron Steinbrecher.

Video from Palestine Square in Gaza shows the four newly released women hostages being taken from the cars. They are alive and walking, wearing uniforms.

HAMAS RELEASES NAMES OF 4 FEMALE HOSTAGES TO BE RELEASED NEXT, POSSIBLY VIOLATES DEAL

"The Red Cross has communicated that four Israeli hostages were transferred to them and are on their way toward IDF and ISA forces in the Gaza Strip," the IDF and Israeli Securities Authority said in a joint statement.

The four female soldiers were believed to have been, at least at one time, held all together.

Under the ceasefire deal, a total of 33 hostages are to be set free over the course of six weeks, including those already released, in exchange for hundreds of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.

Hamas agreed to release three female hostages on the first day of the deal, four on the seventh day and the remaining 26 over the next five weeks.

This is the second cease-fire achieved during the war that began more than a year ago.

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The 15-month-long war in Gaza started when Hamas launched a surprise attack against Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, prompting military retaliation from Israeli forces. Nearly 100 hostages remain captive in Gaza.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates. 

Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, has formally notified U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres of Israel’s demand for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) to cease its operations in Jerusalem and evacuate its premises by January 30, 2025. 

The directive follows recent legislation passed by the Israeli Knesset, terminating Israel’s agreements with UNRWA and citing national security concerns.

In a letter addressed to Guterres, Danon outlined the rationale behind the decision, emphasizing "the acute national security risks posed by the widespread infiltration of UNRWA’s ranks by Hamas and other terrorist organizations." He also accused the agency of failing to address Israel’s long-standing concerns and of compromising its "fundamental obligation to impartiality and neutrality beyond repair."

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President Donald Trumphas also been a vocal critic of UNRWA, withholding funding for it during his first term as president. The United States had previously been UNRWA’s largest donor, contributing more than $350 million annually. In March, Congress agreed to cut funding to the controversial agency for a year. 

A spokesperson for the U.N. Secretary-General told Fox News Digital, "The Secretary-General has been clear in the need to maintain support for UNRWA, which is the backbone of U.N. operations in the occupied Palestinian Territory."

Danon's letter stated that "months of good-faith engagement" with the United Nations had failed to produce results, accusing UNRWA of abusing its immunity to bypass local laws and regulations. He underscored Israel’s legal position, asserting that "no state is required to assist and cooperate with an entity that undermines its national security."

Anne Bayefsky, Director of the Touro Institute on Human Rights and the Holocaust and President of Human Rights Voices, told Fox News Digital said Israel's move is a long time coming. "UNRWA is a cash cow for the United Nations, and also for Palestinian so-called refugees who—in marked contrast to refugees everywhere else in the world—supposedly inherit their refugee status as long as the Jews are still there. UNRWA schools have taught generations of Palestinians to hate the Jews next door and to spend their lives seeking to terminate Israel instead of cohabiting in peace."

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The legislation passed by the Israeli Knesset includes two complementary bills that sever all ties between Israel and UNRWA, including the termination of diplomatic visas and services provided to the agency. The bills received overwhelming support from both coalition and opposition members of the Knesset.

Critics of the legislation, including the Biden administration, have warned that it could create a humanitarian crisis for the millions of Palestinians who rely on UNRWA for education, healthcare, and basic services. 

During a U.N. press briefing on Friday, a spokesperson responded to questions regarding the situation, stating, "We are in touch, but we have continued to emphasize the indispensability of UNRWA." When asked about contingency plans should the Israeli legislation be implemented, the spokesperson said, "We will see what the future brings. Obviously, we are doing our utmost and UNRWA will do its utmost to continue to provide aid to the people under our mandate, as much as we can."

Before the Israeli letter was made public, an UNRWA spokeswoman had previously told Fox News Digital they didn't have a plan in place for ongoing operations once the ban starts. 

The spokesperson claimed that, "UNRWA has the most robust systems in place in comparison to other United Nations agencies when it comes to the adherence to the principle of neutrality with regards to our programs that we do and our staff."

In August, UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini confirmed the probable involvement of UNRWA employees in the Oct.7 massacre. He later confirmed that at least nine UNRWA staffers were fired after an internal probe.

Danon called on the United Nations to "put an end to the unprecedented infiltration and abuse of a U.N. organ by terrorist organizations" to restore the U.N.’s credibility.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa signed into law a bill that will allow the government to seize land without having to pay compensation, which some in the government say is a threat to private ownership.

The law, which replaces the pre-democratic Expropriation Act of 1975, "outlines how expropriation can be done and on what basis" by the state, the government says, according to the BBC. 

Ramaphosa's party, the African National Congress, or ANC, hailed the law as a "significant milestone." However, some members of the government have signaled they will challenge the legality of the law. 

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The country's majority Black citizens own just a small fraction of farmland more than 30 years after the end of apartheid. Most landowners are part of the White minority, according to the news report. 

The new law allows for the expropriation of land without compensation only in circumstances where it is "just and equitable and in the public interest."

That includes when the property is not being used and there's no intention to either develop it or if it poses a public safety risk. 

"In terms of this law, an expropriating authority may not expropriate property arbitrarily or for a purpose other than a public purpose or in the public interest," Vincent Magwenya, the president's spokesperson, said in a news release. 

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"Expropriation may not be exercised unless the expropriating authority has without success attempted to reach an agreement with the owner or holder of a right in property for the acquisition thereof on reasonable terms," he added. 

The Democratic Alliance (DA), the second-largest party in the government, said it "strongly opposes" the law and was consulting with its lawyers.

It says that while it supports legislation addressing land restitution, it takes issue with the process followed by the country's parliament to enact the law, the BBC report states. 

The Freedom Front Plus party, which defends the rights of South Africa's White minority, vowed to challenge the law and do "everything in its power" to have it amended if it is found to be unconstitutional.

Colombia’s president issued a decree Friday giving him emergency powers to restore order in a coca-growing region bordering Venezuela that has been wracked in recent days by a deadly turf war among dissident rebel groups.

President Gustavo Petro's decree, which can be extended, gives him 90 days to impose curfews, restrict traffic and take other steps that would normally violate Colombians' civil rights or require congressional approval.

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It is the first time in more than a decade that a Colombian president has used such an extreme measure and underscores the seriousness of the current conflict in a country that for decades was paralyzed by political violence.

However, it applies only to the rural Catatumbo region near the border with Venezuela, where the Colombian state has struggled for decades to gain a foothold. In the past week, at least 80 people have been killed and an estimated 36,000 more displaced as fighting intensifies between the National Liberation Army, or ELN, and holdouts from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC.

Petro's conservative opponents have criticized the move, accusing the former guerrilla of riding roughshod over the constitution. But some activists have celebrated it, saying they are hopeful the move translates into better infrastructure, health care and schools in the traditionally lawless region.

"Why are the armed groups here? Because the last government hasn't made investments. They've abandoned us," Jaime Botero, an activist in the town of Tibu, told The Associated Press.

Earlier this week Petro reactivated arrest orders against 31 top ELN commanders that had been suspended as part of an effort to woo the the Cuban revolution-inspired insurgency into a peace deal to end its 60 year war against the state. Petro also suspended all peace talks, which have advanced slowly since he took office in 2022.

The ELN has traditionally dominated in Catatumbo but has been losing ground to holdouts from the FARC, a guerrilla group that largely disbanded after signing a peace deal in 2016 with the government.

The current conflict is spilling across the border into Venezuela, where some of those fleeing the violence have sought refuge.

The current whereabouts of the ELN peace negotiators is unknown. But Cuba's government this week said they are not there, leading some to speculate they may be hiding in Venezuela, which is one of the sponsors of Petro's peace initiative with the ELN.

The families of Israeli hostages Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy and Liri Albag have been informed that that their daughters, held in Gaza for 475 days, are slated to be freed on Saturday in the second round of hostage releases. 

Hamas revealed the names of the four women, all of whom are members of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) Friday, though the media was asked to wait until their families had been informed before releasing their identities. 

While the exchange of another four hostages under the deal is a positive step forward in the continued ceasefire, it also could be in direct violation of the agreement as female civilians were supposed to be released ahead of all female soldiers, followed by the elderly and wounded men. 

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Of the 30 remaining people Hamas has agreed to release in the first phase of the ceasefire following the release of three women last week, two others were female civilians, including Arbel Yehud and Shiri Bibas, along with her two sons Kfir, who was just 9 months old when he was abducted with his 4-year-old brother Ariel. 

Israel had instructed Hamas to release Yehud this week amid concerns that her captivity may be prolonged as she is believed to be held by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror group, not Hamas.

The world has also been waiting for news of the Bibas family. 

Hamas claimed in November 2023 that Shiri, Kfir and Ariel were killed in an Israeli airstrike, though Israel has said it has no intelligence to support these claims. 

Shiri and her sons have therefore never been assessed by Israeli officials to be deceased, and many have held out hope they will be reunited with Yaren Bibas, husband to Shiri and father to the two boys, who was separated from his family following their abduction on Oct. 7, 2023. 

He is also slated to be released within the first phase of the ceasefire. 

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Israeli officials reportedly told the families of the four women that though their daughters have been listed by Hamas for release tomorrow, this could still change. 

Officials also apparently spoke with the family of a fifth female IDF soldier still held by Hamas, Agam Berger, as well as Yehud’s family, though it is unclear what was discussed in either conversation. 

The four female soldiers set for release on Saturday were believed to have been, at least at one time, held all together along with Berger. 

The state of the young women has long remained unknown and concerns of sexual violence against the female Israeli soldiers has remained a persistent issue since their brutal capture from the Nahal Oz post in October 2023. 

Video footage on the day of the attack showed the women lined up, bloodied and injured as the Hamas terrorists yelled at them. 

The women were then loaded into a truck as Hamas terrorists fired guns into the air, and then driven into Gaza.

In exchange for their freedom, Israel has agreed to release a reported 50 Palestinian prisoners per female soldier, including those facing life sentences. 

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Friday confirmed that it will keep its forces in southern Lebanon as the 60-day truce comes to an end on Sunday.

Under the ceasefire deal agreed to in November, Jerusalem was to begin withdrawing troops from its northern neighbor – where it launched operations last fall in an effort to dismantle Hezbollah – and have all troops removed within 60 days. 

But Israeli officials have argued that the IDF will not withdraw its forces, because stipulations under the deal, including the removal of Hezbollah terrorists and weapons from the southern region of Lebanon, and the deployment of Lebanese and U.N. troops to the area, have not been adequately fulfilled. 

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said in a statement Friday, "Since the ceasefire agreement has not yet been fully enforced by the Lebanese government, the gradual withdrawal process will continue, in full coordination with the United States.

"The State of Israel will not endanger its communities and citizens," the statement added, noting that the withdrawal of Israeli forces was "conditional" on the security guarantees from Hezbollah and Beirut. 

The U.S. backed Israel's decision and in a statement first reported by The Times of Israel said, "President Trump is committed to ensuring Israeli citizens can safely return to their homes in northern Israel, while also supporting President Aoun and the new Lebanese government.

"All parties share the goal of ensuring Hezbollah does not have the ability to threaten the Lebanese people or their neighbors. To achieve these goals, a short, temporary ceasefire extension is urgently needed," White House National Security Council spokesperson Brian Hughes told the outlet. 

"We are pleased that the IDF has started the withdrawal from the central regions, and we continue to work closely with our regional partners to finalize the extension," he added.

The news that Israel may not be pulling all troops from Lebanon by the intended Jan. 26, 2025 deadline first emerged on Thursday. 

Hezbollah, in return, issued a statement and called on the Lebanese government and the nations that helped broker the truce, including the U.S. and France, "to move effectively" to "[ensure] the implementation of the full withdrawal and the deployment of the Lebanese army to the last inch of Lebanese territory and the return of the people to their villages quickly."

The statement urged governments "not to give room to any pretexts or arguments to prolong the occupation."

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More than 1.2 million people were reportedly displaced in Lebanon after fighting erupted amid Israel's October incursion – a move prompted following months of missile exchanges with Hezbollah in the aftermath of the Hamas Oct. 7, 2023 attacks. 

According to Israeli government spokesperson David Mencer, "There have been positive movements where the Lebanese army and UNIFIL [United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon] have taken the place of Hezbollah forces, as stipulated in the agreement."

However, these movements in southern Lebanon "have not been fast enough, and there is much more work to do," he told reporters on Thursday, according to Reuters. 

Israeli reports on Friday suggested that Jerusalem had petitioned the Trump administration to grant it a 30-day extension on fully withdrawing its forces from its northern neighbor. 

Fox News Digital could not immediately reach the White House, State Department or Lebanese government for comment. 

TEL AVIV - The Trump administration will do more than its predecessor to combat the tidal wave of Jew-hatred unleashed by Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, massacre, Israeli Minister for Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism Amichai Chikli told Fox News Digital. 

Chikli noted that, when confirmed, the new U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, former Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., will enter into one of the epicenters of the global assault on the Jewish people and their state.

"We saw Stefanik at the hearing on campus antisemitism in Congress," he said, noting that once confirmed as a senior member of the Trump administration she will be "stationed in one of the most hostile arenas: the U.N." Chikli added that she's "A warrior against antisemitism, we are very happy with her appointment."

STEFANIK TOUTS GRILLING COLLEGE ADMINISTRATORS IN SENATE CONFIRMATION HEARING

In December 2023, Stefanik was widely praised during a congressional hearing on the explosion of antisemitism at American universities. She asked the presidents of Harvard University, University of Pennsylvania and Massachusetts Institute of Technology if calling for genocide against Jews violated their codes of conduct.

A year later, Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson unveiled the U.S. House of Representatives Staff Report on Antisemitism, compiled by six congressional committees.

Chikli told Fox News Digital four actionable measures to curb the phenomenon: "Enforcing strict compliance with Title VI to prohibit discrimination and address antisemitism on campus; withholding federal funding to institutions that boycott Israel or tolerate antisemitic behavior; requiring universities to disclose foreign contributions and tightening government oversight; and revoking funding and tax exemptions for groups and universities that propagate antisemitism or support terror-related activities."

"This report from the speaker of the House shows that this [Trump] administration is highly committed to countering antisemitism," Chikli said.

In her new role, Stefanik has also promised to fight Jew-hatred at Turtle Bay, which she described as a "den of antisemitism."

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"Even before the barbaric terrorist attacks by Hamas on Oct. 7, the U.N. has continuously betrayed Israel and betrayed America, acting as an apologist for Iran and their terrorist proxies," Stefanik said in November after her nomination.

During her Senate confirmation on Tuesday, she said the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), a conduit for international aid to the Palestinians, should be "at the bottom of the list" of organizations to receive American funding.

In January 2024, then-President Joe Biden halted funding to UNRWA after Israel released evidence that the agency's staff participated in the Oct. 7 massacre. 

According to Chikli, UNRWA effectively serves as Hamas's educational system, which in turn makes it the engine fueling antisemitism throughout Gaza and Palestinian-administered territories in the West Bank, known by Israelis as Judea and Samaria.

"It takes a village to raise a child, and it takes a village to raise a terrorist. And if you put a child in UNRWA schools, you can be sure that he will graduate with the mindset of a terrorist," Chikli told Fox News Digital.

NEW REPORTS CLAIM UNRWA WORKS WITH TERRORISTS, TEACHES HATE AS AGENCY HITS BACK AT CRITICS

"[Palestinian children] will learn to admire suicide bombers, Hamas Nukhba terrorists who butchered innocent people. They go to schools named after terrorists, with textbooks that include math problems about how many Israeli soldiers were attacked or how many stones were thrown at them," he continued.

"That is why it is critical to make sure UNRWA is shut down," he added. 

In October, the Israeli parliament banned UNRWA from operating in the Jewish state. The law takes effect on Jan. 30.

A spokesperson for Israeli Opposition Leader Yair Lapid told Fox News Digital that "the government and the international community has had 90 days to find alternatives to UNRWA."

He declined to say whether Lapid was in contact with the Trump administration to discuss "day after" plans once UNRWA ceases operations. 

In August, UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini confirmed the probable involvement of at least 19 UNRWA employees in the Oct.7 massacre, saying that "the evidence – if authenticated and corroborated – could indicate that the UNRWA staff members may have been involved in the attacks."

He later confirmed that at least nine UNRWA staffers were fired after an internal probe.

UNRWA Director of Communications Juliette Touma told Fox News Digital that "we are committed to staying and delivering [aid] in the occupied Palestinian territories, including the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and East Jerusalem, until we cannot."

"UNRWA has the most robust systems in place in comparison to other United Nations agencies when it comes to the adherence to the principle of neutrality with regards to our programs that we do and our staff," she said. 

Asked whether the organization has put together a plan for ongoing operations once the Israeli ban kicks in, she said, "We have not."

Ayelet Samerano’s son, Yonatan, was kidnapped by a terrorist who also reportedly worked for UNRWA on Oct. 7, 2023. A video of the terrorist dragging Yonatan's lifeless body into a car went viral. 

"I will not let it go. I am pressuring the government very hard for the law, which passed in the Knesset, to be implemented," Samerano told Fox News Digital. "I didn’t know UNRWA before, but then I investigated and found many documents that prove it's involved in terror. That they were involved in taking hostages on Oct. 7 and holding kidnapped Israelis in their homes and buildings means there is no reason for this organization to continue to exist."

"We must ensure that UNRWA will be replaced by another organization that will help the Gazans and make sure terror does not infiltrate them," she continued. "People outside of Gaza and interested in real peace must teach a new curriculum that will create opportunities for Gazans, not terror."

Israeli Ambassador to the U.N. Danny Danon told Fox News Digital that Stefanik is "a staunch ally of Israel and of the Jewish people."

"She leads with moral clarity and a strong commitment to justice and truth," he said. "I am looking forward to working with her at the U.N., where the demonization and distortions about Israel are out of control."

A marble statue of a woman believed to be more than 2,000 years old was found abandoned in a garbage bag near the Greek city of Thessaloniki, police said Wednesday.

A resident discovered the 80-centimeter (31-inch) headless statue beside a trash bin in Neoi Epivates, outside Greece’s second-largest city. The man turned it over to local authorities, who contacted archaeologists to assess its significance.

US RETURNS TO GREECE 30 ANCIENT ARTIFACTS WORTH $3.7 MILLION, INCLUDING MARBLE STATUES

Police said experts, following an initial evaluation, determined the piece dates to the Hellenistic era, a period roughly between 320 and 30 B.C. that was marked by a flourishing of art and culture following the conquests of Alexander the Great.

The statue was sent for further examination by archaeologists. It will ultimately be handed over to the local antiquities authority for preservation and study.

Police opened an investigation to determine who discarded the statue and briefly detained a man for questioning who was later released without charge.

Accidental archaeological discoveries are relatively common in Greece, a country renowned for its ancient heritage, and often made during building construction or public works. In December, workers installing natural gas pipelines near Athens uncovered a Roman-era statue of Hermes buried upright in a brick-lined pit near the Acropolis.

Thessaloniki weeks ago unveiled a trove of antiquities found during the decades-long construction of its metro system, which officially opened in November. Key finds, including a marble-paved Roman thoroughfare and tens of thousands of artifacts spanning the Greek, Byzantine, and Ottoman periods, are now showcased at subway stations.

A survivor of the Nova music festival terrorist attack by Hamas Oct. 7, 2023, has channeled her therapeutic journey through music and on Thursday secured the slot to represent Israel at the Eurovision Song Contest in Basel, Switzerland.

Yuval Raphael, 24, reportedly began singing as a way to cope with the trauma she endured after she, four of her friends and roughly 40 others attempted to hide in a roadside bomb shelter near Kibbutz Re'im after they fled the festival by car after the attack. 

Raphael, who was forced to hide under the bodies of those killed in front of her for about eight hours before help arrived, has shared her story and described how Hamas terrorists repeatedly returned to the bomb shelter and opened fire on those hiding inside. 

Eventually, the terrorists began throwing grenades into the concrete shelter, a story similar to what dozens endured that day, including American-Israeli Hersh Goldberg-Polin.

IDF KILLS HAMAS TERRORIST IT SAYS WORKED FOR UNRWA, LED CHARGE ON REIM BOMB SHELTER MASSACRE

"Music is one of the strongest ingredients in my healing process," she said during the competition Thursday, The Times of Israel reported.

Despite having no previous experience as a singer, Raphael secured her top spot after singing "The Writings on the Wall" followed by a rendition of ABBA’s "Dancing Queen" dedicated to "all the angels" killed in the October 2023 terrorist attack.  

Raphael had previously garnered international attention not with her powerhouse voice but by sharing her experience with the United Nations Human Rights Council in a move she said was not politically motivated but an attempt to bring attention to what innocent civilians endured that tragic day. 

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"I want to tell them the story of the country, of what I went through, of what others went through," she reportedly said ahead of the final. "I want to tell the story, but not from a place of seeking pity. I want it to be from a place of standing strong in the face of this and in the face of the boos I’m 100% sure will come from the crowd."

Raphael’s comments were in reference to the pushback she and other Israelis have faced during the international competitions, including in 2024, following the terrorist attack and subsequent Israel Defense Forces’ (IDF) operations in Gaza.

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Israel has faced calls to be banned from the international competition, but the European Broadcasting Union has rejected the push, affirming that Eurovision is a non-political music event. The 2024 Israeli contestant, Eden Golan, faced anti-Israeli protests and had to be granted a Shin Bet security detail.

Golan was also required to change the name of her song, "October Rain," to "Hurricane" because event officials believed it was too political, The Times of Israel reported.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has defended Elon Musk after media outlets described a gesture that the Tesla CEO made at President Donald Trump’s inauguration rally on Monday as a Nazi salute.

Netanyahu took to X on Thursday to post that Musk is "being falsely smeared."

"Elon is a great friend of Israel," the prime minister said. "He visited Israel after the October 7 massacre in which Hamas terrorists committed the worst atrocity against the Jewish people since the Holocaust. He has since repeatedly and forcefully supported Israel’s right to defend itself against genocidal terrorists and regimes who seek to annihilate the one and only Jewish state." 

Netanyahu went on to thank Musk for his support.

MEDIA OUTLETS ACCUSE ELON MUSK OF GIVING ‘FASCIST SALUTE’ AT TRUMP INAUGURATION RALLY

Musk made the gesture in question while speaking to a crowd of MAGA faithful at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.

"This is what victory feels like! And this was no ordinary victory, this was a fork in the road for human civilization… I just want to say thank you for making it happen, thank you. From my heart to yours," an ebullient Musk said as he placed his hand over his own heart and reached out to the crowd.

PBS News Hour fired out a post on X that said the Tesla CEO "gave what appeared to be a fascist salute," while the Jerusalem post wrote, "US billionaire Elon Musk appeared to make a Heil Hitler salute at the Washington DC Trump parade on Monday, following Trump's inauguration."

CNN host Erin Burnett played the clip of the gesture and called it an "odd salute."

ELON MUSK JOINS TRUMP AT DC RALLY: 'LOOKING FORWARD TO MAKING A LOT OF CHANGES'

Musk addressed the controversy Wednesday on X, which he owns, writing, "The radical leftists are really upset that they had to take time out of their busy day praising Hamas to call me a Nazi."

On Thursday, Musk poked fun at the reports in another post on X.

"Don’t say Hess to Nazi accusations! Some people will Goebbels anything down! Stop Gőring your enemies! His pronouns would’ve been He/Himmler! Bet you did nazi that coming," Musk wrote, adding a crying laughing emoji.

The Anti-Defamation League also defended Musk in a statement saying that the tech billionaire had made an "awkward gesture in a moment of enthusiasm, not a Nazi salute."

"In this moment, all sides should give each one another a bit of grace, perhaps even the benefit of the doubt and take a breath," the statement said. 

Fox News Digital's David Spector contributed to this report.

At least 12 train passengers were killed in western India Wednesday after being struck by another train on an adjacent track after they jumped from their coaches in panic to escape a rumored fire incident, the Press Trust of India reported.

At least six other people were injured, the news agency cited police officer Dattatraya Karale as saying.

The accident occurred in Maharashtra State, near the Pardhade railroad station, 255 miles northeast of Mumbai, India’s financial capital.

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PTI said the victims jumped off the Pushpak Express train, which had stopped after some passengers pulled an emergency chain. Those who disembarked were hit by another express train on the adjacent railroad track, PTI quoted railway spokesman Swapnil Nila as saying.

"Our preliminary information is that there were sparks inside one of the coaches of the Pushpak Express due to either a ‘hot axle’ or ‘brake-binding’ (jamming), and some passengers panicked. They pulled the chain, and some of them jumped down on the tracks. At the same time, Karnataka Express was passing on the adjoining track," a senior railway official told PTI.

Despite government efforts to improve rail safety, hundreds of accidents occur every year on India’s railways, which comprise the largest train network under one management in the world.

In 2023, two passenger trains collided after derailing in eastern India, killing more than 280 people and injuring hundreds in one of the country’s deadliest rail crashes in decades.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is focusing on the modernization of the British colonial-era railroad network in India, which has become the world’s most populous country with 1.42 billion.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is reportedly worried about the state of his country’s economy as President Donald Trump returns to the Oval Office. According to a Reuters report citing five sources, Trump's push to end the war in Ukraine is only adding to Putin's concerns.

Throughout his campaign, Trump pushed to end world conflicts, including the Russia-Ukraine war, which began with Putin’s 2022 invasion.

"I really do have a lot of confidence in his [Trump’s] ability to actually get to a position where this war is actually over," Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, Trump's pick for envoy to Ukraine & Russia, told "America Reports."

Russia’s economy has thrived despite international sanctions due to its oil, gas and mineral exports, but, according to Reuters, labor shortages and high interest rates have put strain on the economy. These challenges have allegedly led Russia’s elite to see a negotiated settlement with Ukraine as prudent, Reuters reported, citing two sources.

"There are problems, but unfortunately, problems are now the companions of almost all countries of the world," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Reuters. "The situation is assessed as stable, and there is a margin of safety."

In the same conversation with Reuters, Pskov reportedly acknowledged "problematic factors" in Russia’s economy, but said it was able to meet "all military requirements incrementally."

PUTIN SAYS RUSSIA READY TO COMPROMISE WITH TRUMP ON UKRAINE WAR

Last month, Putin said he was ready to compromise over Ukraine in possible talks with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on ending the war and had no conditions for starting talks with the Ukrainian authorities.

"We have always said that we are ready for negotiations and compromises," Putin said at the time, after saying that Russian forces, advancing across the entire front, were moving toward achieving their primary goals in Ukraine.

"In my opinion, soon there will be no one left who wants to fight. We are ready, but the other side needs to be ready for both negotiations and compromises."

PUTIN, XI VOW TO ‘DEEPEN’ ALLIANCE HOURS AFTER TRUMP RE-ENTERS THE WHITE HOUSE

Putin has made major foreign policy moves in preparation for the possible consequences of Trump’s return, including fortifying ties with Iran and China. On Jan. 21, less than a day after Trump entered office, Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged to "deepen strategic coordination."

Recently, Russia and Iran signed a partnership pact, which caused concern with the US and its allies. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov claimed the treaty was "not directed against anyone," comparing it to the country’s 2024 agreement with North Korea.