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Oct 7 anniversary: Netanyahu finds unlikely ally amid concerns of government collapse, uncertain hostage deal
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FIRST ON FOX: Two years since the horrific events of Oct. 7, 2023 when Hamas terrorists attacked Israel and killed 1,200 men, women and children, before they took 251 others into the Gaza Strip, there is still no hostage deal and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government is facing possible collapse.
Netanyahu has found an unlikely ally in former Prime Minister and leader of the opposition, Yair Lapid, who extended a «security net» to the conservative leader this week in a move to secure the government as negotiations with Hamas remain ongoing.
«Nothing is more important than making this deal, bringing our hostages back home,» Lapid said in an interview with Fox News Digital.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin talks to U.S. President Donald Trump during a meeting in the Oval Office of the White House on April 7, 2025 in Washington. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
TRUMP’S PEACE DEAL COULD END THE WAR IN GAZA OR NETANYAHU’S CAREER
The need for Lapid’s political backing comes as right-wing leaders in Netanyahu’s coalition, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, have repeatedly criticized Netanyahu’s acceptance of President Donald Trump’s peace plan with Hamas and threatened to leave the coalition at numerous points over the last year.
Netanyahu’s coalition lost its majority in the Israeli parliament in July when two ultra-Orthodox parties left their ministerial posts after an exemption that granted religious students a pass for military conscription expired.
The move left Netanyahu’s coalition in control of just 50 of the 120 seats in the Knesset.
«Now he’s totally dependent on the extreme alt-right within his government that says no to any deal [with Hamas],» Lapid explained.
When asked how likely he thought it was that special elections would be triggered once parliament returns from its Autumn break on Oct. 19, Lapid said, «very likely.»
A special election is unlikely to happen sooner than February or March 2026, Lapid explained, pointing to a designated time frame that allows for campaigning in Israel, should the Knesset trigger an early election cycle by November – just seven months sooner than the previously scheduled October 2026 elections.
Former Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid addresses the media outside a polling station in Israel’s coastal city of Tel Aviv after casting his vote in the country’s fifth election in four years on Nov. 1, 2022. (Jack Guez/AFP via Getty Images))
TRUMP UNVEILS 20-POINT PLAN TO SECURE PEACE IN GAZA, INCLUDING GRANTING SOME HAMAS MEMBERS ‘AMNESTY’
Lapid believes the Israeli public will favor a more centrist government that would encompass both the right and left, a move that would still prioritize Israeli security, but also ensure there is an end to the war in Gaza and repairs are made to Jerusalem’s international standing.
«If there’s one thing I’m sorry about, [it] is the fact that nobody in the government has the political courage to stand up and say…this is a just war, we are doing what needs to be done in order to protect ourselves, but we are sorry for every child that loses his life,» Lapid said. «Children should not die in grownups’ wars.»
«As Jews, as human beings, as people who believe in Judeo-Christian traditions and morality, it’s heartbreaking,» he added.
Lapid said this failure of the current government not only led to ambiguity when it came to Israel’s strategy in countering Hamas, it fueled what he said is media bias and false reporting, and it cost Israel dearly in terms of international support, even among «groups that traditionally supported Israel.»
The opposition leader described a meeting he had with Netanyahu on Oct. 7, 2023, in which he said the prime minister appeared «gray and tired and old all of a sudden.»
Protestors hold photos of hostages as they march during a rally calling for the Israeli government to sign a deal to release the hostages held in the Gaza Strip, on Aug. 26, 2025 in Tel Aviv, Israel. (Amir Levy/Getty Images)
ISRAEL, HAMAS MEET IN EGYPT TO REVIVE TRUMP PEACE PLAN AHEAD OF OCT 7 ANNIVERSARY
«I said something at that meeting that later on became a cliché – I said, «Prime Minister, this is the worst day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust.
«What we need to do, is form a unity government,» he said. «You have to get rid of the extremists in your government, and we can create a unity of government because we have opposite us, a challenge that is unparalleled to anything you, or I, have ever seen.»
Lapid said Netanyahu was «reluctant» to pursue this route.
«Until this day, I’m sorry about this. I thought it was the right thing to do, and I still think it was the right thing to do,» he added.
Netanyahu has spent 15 years as Israel’s prime minister, first serving from March 2009 to June 2021, before retaking the top job in December 2022.
Lapid described his lengthy tenure as «admirable» and emblematic of his «resilience.»
«But in other ways, I can see now, to say politely, the benefits of the two-term limits that you have in the United States,» he added.
Families of hostages protest, demanding the release from Hamas captivity in the Gaza Strip, at the plaza known as the hostages square in Tel Aviv, Israel, Saturday, Aug. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)
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The opposition leader said he thinks Israelis are ready for a «unity government» in response to Netanyahu’s hard-right coalition, noting that he thinks the upcoming elections will be «interesting.»
«It’s going to cross political lines, and it’s going to be based on hope,» he added in reference to the bloc he is building. «I know it sounds like big words, but I’m telling you, it is what we need right now.
«It’s been the hardest two years of everybody’s lifetime. And the first time in a long, long time, the fragility of the Israeli society was tangible to us. And we need to rebuild,» Lapid added.
Netanyahu’s office did not respond to Fox News Digital’s questions by the time this report was published.
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INTERNACIONAL
Ataque a la caravana presidencial en Ecuador: el Gobierno denunció un intento de asesinato contra Daniel Noboa
El presidente de Ecuador, Daniel Noboa, fue atacado este 7 de octubre mientras encabezaba una caravana oficial en la provincia de Cañar, donde tenía previsto anunciar y supervisar obras de agua potable y alcantarillado, según informó la Presidencia. El Ejecutivo indicó que un grupo de personas lanzó piedras y disparos contra los vehículos del convoy en el cantón Tambo, cuando la comitiva se dirigía hacia el estadio local para participar en el evento oficial.
Pese al ataque, el mandatario logró llegar a su destino y cumplió con toda la agenda prevista, que incluyó la entrega del sistema de alcantarillado de Sigsihuayco, la supervisión de los avances de la planta de tratamiento de aguas residuales y la firma de un convenio para construir un nuevo sistema de alcantarillado en Quilloac. Las inversiones suman más de USD 6 millones y beneficiarán a cerca de 26.000 habitantes de la zona, de acuerdo con la Secretaría de Comunicación.
La ministra de Energía y Ambiente, Inés Manzano, confirmó en declaraciones a la prensa que el Gobierno presentó una denuncia por tentativa de asesinato contra el presidente de la República. “A las 2:41 de la tarde presentamos la denuncia por tentativa de asesinato en el cantón Tambo, cuando el presidente se aprestaba a participar en el evento. Aparecieron alrededor de 500 personas que lanzaron piedras y también hay signos de bala en el carro del presidente”, afirmó. Pese a esta última declaración la Policía ha indicado que los atacantes “procedieron a lanzar piedras contra los vehículos de la caravana presidencial”.
Manzano precisó que cinco personas fueron detenidas en el lugar y que serán procesadas por terrorismo. “Esto no lo vamos a permitir. Ecuador dice sí a la paz, sí al trabajo. Estas clases de manifestaciones violentas no son las que el país necesita en un momento de progreso y desarrollo”, agregó.
“El presidente está bien, sigue con su itinerario y no permitirá que actos de violencia frenen su trabajo por el país”, sostuvo Manzano. Según la funcionaria, la audiencia de flagrancia para los detenidos se instalaría esta misma tarde.
El ataque se produjo en medio de un clima de tensión política y social marcado por las movilizaciones convocadas por la Confederación de Nacionalidades Indígenas del Ecuador (Conaie) contra el fin del subsidio al diésel, que ya cumplen su tercera semana.
Aunque las autoridades no atribuyeron directamente el ataque a la organización indígena, Manzano aseguró que “las comunidades ancestrales no están involucradas”, sino que “son células criminales las que están provocando estos actos de terrorismo”. Añadió que no se debe generalizar la responsabilidad sobre todo el movimiento indígena y mencionó que existen dirigentes con denuncias previas por terrorismo.
Desde la Presidencia, el comunicado oficial describió el hecho como una acción de “grupos desestabilizadores que obedecen órdenes de radicalización” y que “intentaron impedir, por la fuerza, la entrega de una obra destinada a mejorar la vida de una comunidad”. La Secretaría de Comunicación afirmó que todos los detenidos serán procesados por los delitos de terrorismo e intento de asesinato y aseguró que “no lograron detener al Gobierno Nacional”.
Durante su discurso en Cañar, Noboa se refirió directamente al ataque y lo vinculó con sectores que, según dijo, buscan evitar reformas políticas en el país. “A diferencia de quienes no quieren una nueva Constitución, ni reducir el número de asambleístas, ni que los recursos públicos lleguen a la gente, nosotros buscamos el camino democrático. Hay quienes quieren mantener poder en unos pocos espacios y dañan la vida de la mayoría de ecuatorianos para conseguirlo”, manifestó el mandatario.
El Ejecutivo anunció que reforzará las medidas de seguridad del mandatario y que los responsables serán llevados ante la justicia. “Dispararle al carro del presidente, dañar bienes del Estado y atacar una obra pública no tiene nada de pacífico. Son actos criminales”, concluyó Manzano.
El ataque a la caravana presidencial en Cañar ocurre mientras el Gobierno busca retomar el control del orden público tras protestas y bloqueos en al menos cuatro provincias del país.
corresponsal:Desde Quito
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President Donald Trump issued a letter to the Hostages and Missing Families Forum on the second anniversary of the Oct. 7 massacre, thanking them for their appeal to the Norwegian Nobel Committee.
«Since the abhorrent events of October 7, 2023, that saw families ripped apart, children torn from their parents’ arms, and innocent people shot, killed, and raped, I have been resolved to returning all the hostages home, and ensuring the total destruction of Hamas so these horrific acts may never be repeated. These unspeakable scenes have been seared into our memories, and we will never forget,» Trump wrote.
«My entire administration has been touched by the fact that, through the unimaginable pain and suffering of spending two years not knowing where your loved ones are, you have continued telling their stories and advocating on their behalf.»
ISRAEL, HAMAS MEET IN EGYPT TO REVIVE TRUMP PEACE PLAN AHEAD OF OCT. 7 ANNIVERSARY
President Donald Trump meets with freed Israeli hostages Ohad Ben Ami and Raz Ben Ami, and Ilay and Leela David, the siblings of Evyatar David, who is still held hostage by Hamas in Gaza. Sept. 2025. (The White House)
On Monday, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum issued a letter to the Nobel Committee, saying that after two years of suffering, they felt that Trump’s efforts brought them to a turning point. The group also acknowledged the number of hostages released since Trump’s inauguration, giving some families their loved ones and others «the dignity of burial and closure.»
«President Trump’s determination to bring peace made possible what many said was impossible. From the moment of his inauguration, he brought us light through our darkest times,» the forum wrote. «We are confident that he will not rest until the last hostage is brought home, the war has ended, and peace and prosperity are restored to the people of the Middle East.»
«In this past year, no leader or organization has contributed more to peace around the world than President Trump. While many have spoken eloquently about peace, he has achieved it. While others have offered empty promises, he has delivered tangible results that have saved countless lives,» the forum added.
TRUMP ANNOUNCES ISRAEL AGREES TO GAZA ‘INITIAL WITHDRAWAL LINE’ AS ‘3,000 YEAR CATASTROPHE’ NEARS END
People lift a banner and portraits of Israelis held hostage in the Gaza Strip since 2023, during a rally in Tel Aviv marking the second anniversary of the attacks by Palestinian terrorists, on Oct. 7, 2025. (AHMAD GHARABLI/AFP via Getty Images)
It’s unclear whether Trump will win the prize, but that does not mean he has given up on achieving peace and ending the war.
Trump over the weekend urged the negotiators involved in the indirect talks to «move fast,» but he signaled that he viewed Hamas’ response as positive and called on Israel to «immediately stop the bombing of Gaza.»
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accepted the 20-point plan while in the U.S. last month. While Hamas said it was ready to release the hostages, it did not give a definitive answer on Trump’s plan.
President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the State Dining Room at the White House on Sept. 29, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (POOL)
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Secretary of State Marco Rubio hailed Trump’s deal as «a historic opportunity to close this dark chapter, and to build a foundation for lasting peace and security for all.»
Chief negotiators from Israel and Hamas convened in Egypt on Tuesday as negotiations regarding Trump’s peace plan continued. An Egyptian official with knowledge of the talks told The Associated Press that Hamas and Israel agreed on most of the first-phase terms, including the release of the hostages and the establishment of a ceasefire.
Fox News Digital’s Caitlin McFall contributed to this report.
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INTERNACIONAL
Alexander Vindman’s congressman brother leads off Dems boosting Jay Jones after texts: ‘Send a message’
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Democratic Virginia Rep. Yevgeny «Eugene» Vindman, twin brother of Trump impeachment figure Alexander Vindman, blasted out to his Twitter followers a call to vote for Democrats Jay Jones and Abigail Spanberger days after texts showed the former referenced killing Republicans.
Meanwhile, a House of Delegates candidate in conservative southside Virginia doubles and triples down on support of Jones amid social media pushback.
As Jones’ controversy and campaign unraveled over the weekend, Vindman, D-Va., took to X to issue comments standing behind the entire Democratic ticket.
«We’re just a month out from Election Day in Virginia. It’s time for our Commonwealth to send a message that we’re tired of Republican chaos,» Vindman wrote Sunday, two days after texts came to light showing Jones envisioning the murder of then-Virginia House Speaker Todd Gilbert, R-Shenandoah.
YOUNGKIN SAYS DEMOCRAT AG CANDIDATE JAY JONES MUST ‘STEP AWAY IN DISGRACE’ OVER TEXTS ABOUT FORMER GOP LEADER
Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., center, talks with Rep. Eugene Vindman, left, and his brother Alexander Vindman in Washington in 2024. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
Virginia «make a plan to vote — early if you can,» he said, adding «for» and the three X handles for gubernatorial nominee Abigail Spanberger, lieutenant gubernatorial nominee Ghazala Hashmi and Jones.
«Your voice couldn’t be more important this year,» concluded Rep. Eugene Vindman, who coincidentally holds Democratic gubernatorial nominee Abigail Spanberger’s former seat.
The post got ratioed by critics, including one telling Vindman, «Nobody is voting for Jay ‘Two Bullet’ Jones.»
«Get lost,» the man wrote.
JAY JONES SAID IF MORE POLICE WERE KILLED IT WOULD REDUCE SHOOTINGS OF CIVILIANS, ACCORDING TO VIRGINIA LAWMAKER
Another respondent posted a meme image of the Harrison family from «Pawn Stars» speaking with a customer and the caption «We need to tone down the political violence rhetoric» – «Virginia Democrats: Best I can do is murder your children.»
A third posted the ubiquitous «Marked Safe From… Today» flag meme, with the caption «Virginia Attorney General candidate Jay Jones.»
«Virginia — not for lovers anymore,» another wrote, referring to the Old Dominion’s famous 50-year tourism slogan.
Rep. Eugene Vindman’s brother Alexander Vindman was a key figure in then-Rep. Adam Schiff’s impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump. Schiff defended then-witness Alexander Vindman in congressional hearings after Trump and other Republicans repeatedly condemned the former Ukraine-focused National Security Council staffer.
In Washington, Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine also defended his support for Jones, saying he’s known the former Norfolk state delegate for 25 years.
«I think those statements were not in character, and he has apologized — I wish other people in public life would sincerely apologize for stuff,» Kaine said.
At the other end of Virginia, a Democrat running for a seat in Pittsylvania County and vicinity doubled and tripled down on her endorsement of Jones as the controversy continued.
YOUNGKIN PRESSES DEMS TO PUSH JAY JONES OFF VIRGINIA AG TICKET AFTER ‘BEYOND DISQUALIFYING’ MESSAGES SURFACE
Candidate Melody Cartwright, a former graphic designer at the Virginia Museum of Natural History in Martinsville, lambasted the delegate whom Jones had incidentally texted the invective to and vociferously defended the attorney generalship nominee.
Jay Jones «will defend Virginia’s rights, healthcare, and education. Stay the course,» Cartwright wrote on X, inscribing Jones’ handle.
«I stand with (Jay Jones) period. End of statement,» Cartwright wrote in a second tweet, both of which were lambasted by critics.
«Then you stand for a man who fantasizes about the murder of his political opponent’s children and wants to kill them, the parents, and piss on their graves,» replied former Energy Department staffer Matt van Swol.
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NASCAR’s Martinsville Speedway, seen here, is the anchor of Del. Eric Phillips’ district where he is running against Democrat Melody Cartwright. (Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
Another critic said Cartwright’s comment wasn’t just a show of support but «an endorsement of an (expletive) death-obsessed lunatic.»
«No one is surprised. By you, by him, or by your entire party. It’s who you are,» wrote conservative figure Western Lensman.
Another reply included a one-second clip of conservative journalist Andrew Breitbart from his CPAC 2012 intro video, saying «War,» which had been one of the last appearances by the major right-wing figure before his death just days later. Breitbart’s stern-faced delivery of the singular word grew into a memorialization on the right in the time since; depicting the view that the left holds visceral hatred for the right.
Virginia Del. Eric Phillips, R-Martinsville, who defeated Cartwright last cycle and faces her again, told Fox News Digital it’s «not the Virginia way» to even entertain chatter in terms of what Jones referenced in his texts.
«It’s disturbing and disgraceful for my opponent to defend Jay Jones’ vile comments,» Phillips said of Cartwright.
«Standing with someone who talks about shooting colleagues in the head, harming their children, and desecrating graves is indefensible,» Phillips added.
«Anyone who excuses or embraces that kind of hate has no business asking to serve in the Virginia House of Delegates.»
In a separate tweet, Cartwright also bashed Virginia Del. Carrie Coyner, R-Chester, who originally had shared Jones’ texts with the National Review and Fox News Digital.
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