Israel presses southern Gaza after collapse of Hamas cease-fire

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A prominent Republican lawmaker is calling on a left-wing fundraising juggernaut to stop processing contributions for Hamas-sympathizing groups.

ActBlue, the leading fundraising platform for Democrat campaigns and groups nationwide, processes donations for a handful of organizations that have partaken in or amplified rallies celebrating Hamas' bloody Oct. 7 attack on innocent Israeli civilians that left more than 1,200 dead and hundreds taken hostage.

"It's shocking that Democrats' primary fundraising vehicle is helping bankroll antisemitic protests across the country where Hamas terrorists are honored as martyrs," Montana Republican Sen. Steve Daines, chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, told Fox News Digital.

"ActBlue should cut off access to these pro-Hamas groups or Democrats should leave the platform," Daines said.

ActBlue, which has helped raise more than $12 billion for Democrat politicians and causes, helps round up donations for several groups that have backed rallies in support of Hamas' bloody incursion or issued statements supporting it.

One such group for which ActBlue helped process donations is the U.S.-Palestinian Community Network (USPCN), the Daily Caller reported. The USPCN has hosted multiple protests to celebrate Hamas' deadly aggression on Israeli civilians.

In October, the USPCN organized an "All Out for Palestine" protest in Houston, where protesters praised Hamas as "martyrs." They also organized identical rallies in other areas, such as Detroit, where protesters chanted, "When people are occupied, violence is justified."

Fox News' Joe Schoffstall contributed to this report.

The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff responded to mounting concerns that China poses a serious threat to U.S. security, while also arguing NATO is "stronger than it's ever been."

"The first thing I'd tell them is they ought to be very proud of their military, if we're ready for whatever comes our way," Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr. told Fox News' Shannon Bream on "Fox News Sunday" at the Reagan National Defense Forum.

"At the same time, we want to be so ready that we don't have a conflict," Brown added. "And you know, as we're here, it says ‘peace through strength.' Our strength that we demonstrate as a military will bring that peace."

Brown was responding to a Ronald Reagan Institute poll that found 51% of Americans see China as the nation posing the greatest threat to the U.S., up from the 43% of Americans who reported the same at this time last year.

The poll also found a majority of Americans believe that over the next 10 years, China will outpace the U.S. both from a military standpoint and economically. Brown explained that he is focused on "accelerating change" in order to keep up.

"Well, my real role here and job is to actually make sure that… on the military side that doesn't occur, which is why I'm so focused on accelerating change," he said.

"It's why I'm focused on the collaboration we do, particularly having gotten out here the past couple years, not only here to Reagan, but also out to Silicon Valley, and looking at how we work together on our national defense and how that helps us economically," he went on.

Fox News' Emma Colton contributed to this report.

Source: KTVU

A group of pro-Palestinian protesters organized outside the house of Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., on Sunday, according to FOX 2 San Francisco.

Code Pink, an feminist anti-war organization, spearheaded the protest. Organizers told FOX 2 that around 100 demonstrators were expected to take part.

The demonstration began at around 9 a.m. and ran through noon.

Protesters carried signs and chanted for a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war, which has been escalating since October 7. Some wore pink wigs or pink shirts to signify their affiliation with Code Pink.

File photo of a military convoy of US forces makes its way through Erbil. (Photo by Yunus Keles/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

A U.S. official told Fox News that American forces killed five Iranian proxy fighters in a one-way drone strike in northern Iraq near Erbil on Sunday.

According to the official, the militants were observed preparing a drone or rocket attack believed to target U.S. forces. American forces carried out the strike before the weapons could be launched.

Iraqi security forces confirmed to the U.S. that five militants died. The attacks were not pre-planned.

U.S. forces have been attacked at least 75 times in the Middle East since October 17, amid the escalation of the Israel-Hamas war. The incidents have occurred in Iraq and Syria.

Fox News Digital's Liz Friden contributed to this report.

The guided missile destroyer USS Carney (DDG 64) patrols the waters of the Gulf.

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) released a statement announcing that three international vessels in the Red Sea were attacked four times on Sunday.

During the attacks, the USS Carney shot down three drones linked to Yemeni Houthis.

"Today, there were four attacks against three separate commercial vessels operating in international waters in the southern Red Sea," the statement explained. "These three vessels are connected to 14 separate nations."

"The Arleigh-Burke Class destroyer USS CARNEY responded to the distress calls from the ships and provided assistance," the press release added.

On Sunday morning, the USS Carney first detected that Houthi ballistic missiles were headed towards Unity Explorer, a vessel owned and operated by the United Kingdom. The USS Carney shot down the Houthi unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) headed towards United Explorer and did not incur any damage or injuries to personnel.

After the first incident, the Unity Explorer was struck on Sunday afternoon by another UAV and sustained minor damage. The USS Carney destroyed another UAV that was headed towards the ship.

Two other vessels named Number 9 and Sophie II were struck by missiles that afternoon. The USS Carney was able to shoot down a UAV headed towards Sophie II.

"These attacks represent a direct threat to international commerce and maritime security. They have jeopardized the lives of international crews representing multiple countries around the world," CENTCOM added. "We also have every reason to believe that these attacks, while launched by the Houthis in Yemen, are fully enabled by Iran."

"The United States will consider all appropriate responses in full coordination with its international allies and partners," the press release concluded.

Israeli Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission Eliav Benjamin appeared on "Fox News Live" on Sunday to talk about the latest developments from the Israel-Hamas war.

During the interview, Benjamin said that the Israeli military is "very careful" about mitigating harm to civilians in Gaza.

"We are very careful with what we're doing when it comes to try[ing] not to affect those who are noncombatants," the official explained. "At the end of the day, we need to remember that we are after Hamas."

"We are after the terrorists and we are after taking them out and their ability to ever govern or orchestrate any terrorist attacks in the future," Benjamin added.

Benjamin also said that Israel is "continuing to do everything we possibly can to get [hostages] released immediately."

"We've seen the release so far of 110 hostages. There are still 137 or so who are still in captivity in Gaza held by Hamas and other terrorist entities there," he said. "We are calling for the international community to lean on Hamas, to release them unconditionally."

White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby on Sunday blamed Hamas for ending the temporary cease-fire agreement with Israel. 

In an appearance on "Fox News Sunday," Kirby told host Shannon Bream that the United States believes eight or nine Americans are still held hostage by Hamas in Gaza, including one woman whose condition and whereabouts are unknown.

"We just don’t have perfect visibility," Kirby said. "We’re at this literally by the hour, and we want to get that [cease-fire] put back in place so that, again, more hostages can come out." 

Read the full article about John Kirby by Danielle Wallace

Cameraman Ben Jary captures Gaza strikes in Sderot, Israel on Dec. 2. (Fox News)

The coming week marks two months since the horrible Hamas terror attack on Israel that left 1,200 dead and 240 held hostage. 

And it also marks our second trip to the region during this crisis. Some things have gotten a bit better.

There were over a hundred hostages freed and some relief aid made it to the battered people of Gaza during the brief cease-fire in fighting. 

But to a large degree, things have gotten worse and more complicated.

Read the full piece by Greg Palkot

Former Ambassador-At-Large Nathan Sales appeared on "FOX News Live" on Sunday to discuss recent attacks against American forces in the Middle East by Iranian proxies.

"Iran is behind everything that we're seeing in terms of attacks directed on U.S. forces," Sales explained. "We're seeing Iranian proxies attack Americans in Syria and Iraq and now from Yemen. And they're going to keep doing it until we make them stop."

Sales argued that the U.S. military will need to do more than "blowing up empty munitions depots in the desert in the middle of the night," in order to mitigate the strikes.

"You're going to actually have to take action and take strikes against the people responsible for these attacks," he said. "And that doesn't just mean the proxies. That also means the Iranian puppet masters, the ones who are pulling the strings."

The former ambassador added that the Yemeni Houthi movement, which was considered a terrorist organization under the Trump administration and taken off the list when President Biden came into office, should be reclassified as terrorists.

"Within weeks of taking office, the Biden administration took them off the terror list," Sales said. "Maybe they need to reconsider that and put them back on."

Fox News’ Greg Palkot joined ‘Fox News Live’ on Sunday to report on the Israel-Hamas war as negotiators reached a dead end in their talks qith Qatar.

Israeli forces are continuing to ramp up their campaign against Hamas, now turning their focus toward southern Gaza. Israel targeted Hamas and Hazbollah with strikes throughout the day.

Joe Biden surrogate Kevin Walling and Fox News contributor Mollie Hemingway joined ‘MediaBuzz’ to discuss a New York Times report finding that Israel ignored terrorism warnings ahead of Hamas’ attack on Oct. 7.

Hemmingway compared the situation to similar intelligence failures that occurred in the U.S. leading up toe the September 11 terrorist attacks.

Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., says that any condemnation of Hamas for its terrorism should be "balanced" with criticism of Israel for its "outrages against Palestinians."

Jayapal made the statement during a Sunday morning appearance on CNN's "State of the Union" with host Dana Bash. Bash pressed Jayapal to condemn Hamas for its crimes against women specificially during its Oct. 7 massacre in Israel.

While Jayapal did condemn Hamas, she argued that Israel has committed crimes as well.

"Rape is horrific. Sexual assault is horrific. I think that it happens in war situations. Terrorist organizations like Hamas, obviously, are using these as tools," Jayapal said. "However, I think we have to balanced about bringing in the outrages agaisnt Palestinians. 15,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli airstrikes, three-quarters of whom are women and children."

Pentagon says US warship, commercial vessels under attack in Red Sea

The Pentagon said Sunday a U.S. warship and multiple commercial vessels came under attack in the Red Sea..

The development signifies a serious escalation in a series of maritime attacks in the Middle East linked to the Israel-Hamas war.

"We’re aware of reports regarding attacks on the USS Carney and commercial vessels in the Red Sea and will provide information as it becomes available," the Pentagon said, according to the Associated Press. 

The Carney is an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer.

The British military earlier said there had been a suspected drone attack and explosions in the Red Sea, without elaborating.

Read the full article by Fox News' Danielle Wallace

Paris stabbing suspect was released from prison after plotting Islamic terror attack before

The suspect arrested in the vicious stabbing in Paris that left a German national dead and two others injured steps from the Eiffel Tower was released from prison in 2020 after plotting an Islamic terror attack, according to France's interior minister. 

Speaking to reporters late Saturday, French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said the arrested suspect, a French citizen in his mid-20s, was distraught over how "many Muslims are dying in Afghanistan and in Palestine," claiming that France was an accomplice, according to reports by The Associated Press and Politico. 

Darmanin said the accused attacker apparently cried "Allahu Akbar" (God is great), according to the AP. 

"I send all my condolences to the family and loved ones of the German national who died this evening during the terrorist attack in Paris and think with emotion of the people currently injured and in care," Macron wrote in a post on X on Saturday. "My most sincere thanks to the emergency forces who made it possible to quickly arrest a suspect. The national anti-terrorism prosecutor's office now seized will be responsible for shedding light on this matter so that justice can be done in the name of the French people." 

French President Emmanuel Macron swiftly condemned Saturday's incident as "a terrorist attack."

Read the full article by Fox News' Danielle Wallace

Harvard whistleblower points to 'undisguised calls for the murder of Jews' amid federal probe

A Harvard alum called on the U.S. Department of Education to expand its probe of the university to include the Ivy League school's "laissez-faire attitude" toward protesters' "undisguised calls for the murder of Jews."

The new allegations are based on concerns over Harvard's lack of response to anti-Israel demonstrators who appeared to call for violence against Jews in Israel just a day after the DOE announced their investigation.

In a letter addressed to OCR's Boston chief attorney Kristi R. Harris on Saturday, the alum thanked Harris for opening the investigation but called for its expansion. 

"Harvard Hillel has reported that on November 29—a day after OCR notified me (and, presumably, Harvard) that it had opened a Title VI investigation—Harvard College students ‘had classes disrupted by a coordinated protest using bullhorns to blast abhorrent antisemitic calls to "globalize the intifada," and demands for the elimination of the Jewish state "from the river to the sea,"'" the letter says, citing an Instagram post by Harvard Hillel. 

"Both are undisguised calls for the murder of Jews and Israelis," the alum added.

Read the full article by Fox News' Danielle Wallace

Fox News’ Greg Palkot joined ‘Cavuto Live’ to report on the latest news emerging from the Israel-Hamas war in the first days since the cease-fire ended.

Israeli military officials say they are preparing for the next stage in the war as they turn their forcus to southern Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to "destroy" Hamas, but there remains an extensive civilian presence in the southern region.

The Israeli military released footage of extensive airstrikes against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon on Sunday following an attack by the terrorist organizations.

The Israeli military released footage of extensive airstrikes against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon on Sunday following an attack by the terrorist organizations.

Hezbollah claimed responsibility for an anti-tank missile attack that "lightly injured" multiple IDF servicemembers. Israel responded with artillery fire and airstrikes.

IDF warplanes recently attacked a number of targets of the terrorist organization Hezbollah, including terrorist infrastructure and military targets," IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari wrote in a statement. "Also, following the warnings in the north of the country, in the last hour a number of launches were detected towards Israeli territory from Lebanese territory. IDF forces attacked the sources of the fire with artillery."

Former Secretary of the Navy Kenneth Braithwaite joined Fox News to discuss the U.S. response to attacks on U.S. troops by Iran-backed proxies and the U.S. military presence and capability in the Middle East.

Braithwaite argued on Saturday that the U.S. is not doing enough to stabilize the region as Israel continues its war against Hamas. The U.S. has sought to deter Iran and its proxies from entering the conflict, but Hezbollah and Houthi rebels have ramped up attacks on U.S. bases and Israeli forces.

Tens of thousands gather with released Israeli hostages in Tel Aviv, call for relase of victims

Tens of thousands of people gathered with hostages released by Hamas late Saturday, calling for the immediate release of those hostages still in Gaza.

"I came to thank you because without you I wouldn't be here. Now we must bring back my (son) Sasha, and everyone. Now," released hostage Yelena Trupanov, 50, said during the event hosted in Tel Aviv.

Hamas released more than 100 hostages during last week's cease-fire, but Israel says the terrorist organization backed out of a deal to release all of the remaining women and children captives.

Roughly 140 hostages remain in Hamas custody in Gaza.

Reuters contributed to this report

UK-owned ship struck by rocket in the Red Sea: Report

A U.K.-owned trading vessel was struck by a rocket while passing the Yemeni coast in the Red Sea on Sunday.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency says it received "a report of Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAS) activity including a potential explosion... originating from the direction of Yemen," according to the Agence France-Presse. The organization did not report any injuries in the incident.

Tensions are rising in the region after Iran-backed Houthi rebels hijacked a vessel in the region last month. The terrorist group attempted an assault on another Israeli-linked vessel last week.

Hezbollah anti-tank missile strikes Israeli vehicle, wounds IDF troops

Hezbollah has claimed responsibility for an anti-tank missile strike against an Israeli vehicle in northern Israel on Sunday.

Israeli Defense Forces say multiple troops were "lightly injured" in the attack, while Hezbollah claims the attack resulted in at least one fatality. Israeli has responded with artillery fire on the launch site.

"Following the warning in the north of the country, an anti-tank missile was detected at an IDF vehicle in the Beit Hillel area. As a result, the vehicle was damaged. A number of IDF soldiers were slightly injured as a result of shrapnel," the IDF wrote in a statement. "Also, several launches were detected in the Har Dov area. Some of them fell in the territory of Lebanon. IDF forces attack the sources of the fire with artillery fire."

Hezbollah acknowledged the attack in its own statement on Sunday.

"In support of our steadfast Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip and in support of their brave and honorable resistance, the Mujahideen of the Islamic Resistance, at 1:10 pm on Sunday 12/3/2023, targeted a military vehicle at the Beit Hilal base with guided missiles, killing and wounding its crew," the terrorist group wrote.

Lloyd Austin says protection of Gaza civilian must be 'strategic imperative' for Israel

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin says he has "repeatedly" urged Israeli officials to do more to protect civilians in Gaza in recent weeks.

Austin spoke at the Reagan National Defense Forum in California on Saturday, saying the civilians of Gaza are the "center of gravity" for the ongoing conflict. Israel has continued its campaign against Hamas in southern Gaza after cease-fire negotiations broke down on Friday.

"In this kind of a fight, the center of gravity is the civilian population. And if you drive them into the arms of the enemy, you replace a tactical victory with a strategic defeat," Austin said.

"So I have repeatedly made clear to Israel's leaders that protecting Palestinian civilians in Gaza is both a moral responsibility and strategic imperative," he added.

Reuters contributed to this report

Israeli forces have discovered 800 Hamas tunnel shafts infesting northern Gaza

Israeli forces say they have uncovered 800 Hamas tunnel shafts leading to the terrorist organization's underground labyrinth as of Sunday.

The IDF says it has destroyed some 500 of the shafts, but many remain open. IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari posted footage of Israeli soldiers destroying the access points on social media on Sunday.

Israel is continuing its campaign into southern Gaza this week, where Hamas is expected to have a similar underground network.

Israel urges evacuations aroung Khan Younis as campaign against Hamas in southern Gaza ramps up

Israel urged Gaza residents in several areas around the southern city of Khan Younis to resign on Sunday as Israeli forces press Hamas.

Israel says it has achieved a series of military objectives in just the past 24 hours as of Sunday morning. Israel's cease-fire with Hamas collapsed on Friday, and the Israeli military has resumed attacks in Gaza.

Israel's UN ambassador slams Soros for donations to 'pro-Hamas groups' seeking destruction of Israel

Left-wing activist billionaire George Soros is facing intense criticism from Israel’s ambassador to the U.N. for pumping over $15 million into a network of nongovernmental organizations that allegedly support Hamas.

"George Soros’ donations to organizations that seek the destruction of the State of Israel as a Jewish state is shameful. However, I am not surprised," Israeli ambassador Gilad Erdan told Fox News Digital.

Hamas launched a full-blown invasion into southern Israel Oct. 7, resulting in the mass murder of 1,200 people, including over 30 Americans. Hamas also took more than 200 hostages. American citizens were among civilians kidnapped by the jihadi terrorist entity.

"For years, Soros has backed and transferred money to organizations supporting BDS that want to isolate Israel," added Erdan, who has been leading the diplomatic campaign at the U.N. to spell out Hamas’ crimes against humanity. "They have never been about real peace or any solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict."

BDS is an abbreviation for the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions campaign targeting the Jewish state. The German and Austrian parliaments classified BDS as an antisemitic movement that resembles the Nazi boycott of Jewish businesses during the nascent phase of the Holocaust.

Rachel Ehrenfeld, author of "The Soros Agenda," told Fox News Digital, "Support of pro-Hamas, pro-Palestinian groups in the U.S. is not limited to foreign entities. It also comes directly and indirectly from U.S.-based foundations. George and Alexander Soros’ Open Society Foundations (OSF) is one of them."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

A group of released Israeli hostages held their first public address in Tel Aviv on Saturday night, days after being freed from Hamas captivity.

Hadas Kalderon, the mother of 13-year-old former hostage Erez Kalderon and 16-year-old former hostage Sahar Kalderon, called her children "my own private superheroes."

She said that her kids compared their experience in Gaza to the popular video game Fortnite.

"My own private superheroes survived and returned," Kalderon said. "According to them, it was the war game Fortnite. A game that has become a reality, a reality that is beyond imagination."

The mother said that her husband is still in Gaza and called for him to be released.

"Their father, Ofer Kalderon, is still there," she added. "Sahar wants a father! Erez wants a father!"

Fox News Digital's Andrea Vacchiano and The Associated Press contributed to this report.