Families call Trump after Hamas accepts peace plan ensuring hostages’ release
Family members of hostages being held by Hamas celebrated the acceptance of the peace plan pushed by President Donald Trump by calling him on the phone to thank him for his efforts, which include the release of the remaining 48 hostages.
A group of family members were with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick Wednesday night when they got the president on the phone for a quick conversation, a video from the Hostages and Missing Families Forum (HMFF) showed.
Upon answering the call, Trump was immediately met with positive remarks and cheers from the group.
Multiple people yelled, “Thank you!” while one person said, “You did it!” and another said, “This is amazing.”
HAMAS ACCEPTS TRUMP PEACE PLAN ENDING 2 YEARS OF WAR IN GAZA, RETURNING HOSTAGES
One man could be heard thanking the president for everything he has done for Israel and its people over the past few years.
“Mr. President, we believe in you. We know you’ve done so much for us … Since you became the president. Even before that. And we trust you fulfilled the mission until every hostage, every 48 of the hostages, are home,” the man said. “Thank you so much. Blessed be the peacemakers.”
Another man chimed in, “God bless you, Mr. President. God bless America.”
Before ending the phone call, Trump said all hostages would be returned on Monday, which garnered loud cheers from the group.
TRUMP THANKS GROUP REPRESENTING FAMILIES OF HOSTAGES FOR NOBEL PEACE PRIZE APPEAL
The family members were in Washington, D.C., this week with the HMFF to mark two years since Hamas launched its unprecedented attack on Israel.
Trump’s peace plan was accepted one day after the Oct. 7 anniversary.
“Yesterday, we gathered here in the Sukkah of Hope with the Trump administration. And today, President Trump has done it. He announced just now that our loved ones, the hostages are coming home,” the organization said in a news release on Wednesday.
HMFF assured it will continue fighting until all 48 hostages are returned to their families.
“We will not stop fighting until we see the last of the 48 return to their family. Those who were murdered in captivity, buried in the land of Israel, those who are still alive, walking through the border and reuniting with us, the families,” the organization said.
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The group thanked Trump for his courage and the administration for “doing everything you can to bring them home.”
“Let’s do it,” the statement concluded.
President Trump reflects on how Israel-Hamas deal came together after negotiations
President Donald Trump credited “luck” and “talent” for playing a role in getting a peace deal between Israel and Hamas after months of deadlock.
“The whole world came together, to be honest. So many countries that you wouldn’t have even thought of, they came together. The world has come together around this deal,” he said Wednesday in an exclusive interview on “Hannity” after announcing a deal that could see the end of the two-year-long war in the Middle East.
Trump added that the remaining hostages could be released as early as Monday.
BEFORE AND AFTER IMAGES SHOW DEVASTATING DESTRUCTION IN GAZA
Nearly 50 hostages remain in Gaza — 20 of whom are believed to be alive — according to figures compiled by Fox News.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wrote on X that he would convene his government Thursday to formally approve the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire and hostage-release deal.
Trump thanked Qatar, Egypt and Turkey for helping mediate the agreement, part of his 20-point peace plan.
The announcement came after U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner arrived in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, Wednesday to join negotiations to end the two-year-old war and free the remaining hostages.
“So many countries that you wouldn’t have thought of have wired their best wishes and their commitment to do whatever is necessary,” Trump told Fox News host Sean Hannity.
“The countries surrounding have all signed. I mean, they’re all signed up and — it’s been really an amazing period of time and so great for Israel, so great for Muslims, for the Arab countries, and so great for this country, for the United States of America, and that we could be involved in, you know, making a deal like this happen because it was, you know — many years they talked about peace in the Middle East. This is more than Gaza, this is peace in the Middle East and it’s an incredible thing.”
Sources told The Associated Press that Hamas plans to release all 20 living hostages this weekend and the Israeli military will begin withdrawing from most of Gaza.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, which has advocated for the release of all hostages since the Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attacks in southern Israel, welcomed the news of the agreement.
“The Israeli government must convene immediately to approve the agreement. Any delay could exact a heavy toll on the hostages and soldiers,” the group wrote on X. “There are 48 hostages held by Hamas. Our moral and national obligation is to bring them all home — both the living and the deceased. Their return is essential to the healing and recovery of Israeli society as a whole. We will not rest until the last hostage comes home.”
Israel marked two years since the deadliest attack on the Jewish people since the Holocaust Tuesday amid global isolation and mounting pressure to end its ongoing war against Hamas.
ISRAEL SEIZES ANOTHER GAZA FLOTILLA
The Hamas-run Gaza Ministry of Health — which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants — says more than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed in the two-year war, according to Reuters.
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Mayor promises harsh penalties after rioters ‘attack’ police officers in Dem-run city
Between 200 and 300 people participated in a demonstration in downtown Boston on Tuesday night after what began as a pro-Palestinian protest quickly turned into a riot.
In total, 13 people were arrested after police say people in the group became violent toward police officers. The agitators also blocked an intersection, according to police.
“When officers attempted to move the group to the sidewalk to allow emergency vehicles to pass, protesters surrounded police cruisers, kicked vehicle doors and resisted dispersal efforts. Several officers were assaulted during this period, including one struck in the face. Protesters also ignited smoke devices and flares, further endangering officers and bystanders,” the Boston Police Department said in a statement.
Police said “as violence escalated,” more officers were deployed to the area while agitators “continued to resist dispersal.”
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During the melee, police officers reported that rioters were forcibly removing and damaging their equipment.
“During the disturbance, officers reported equipment being forcibly removed or damaged, including body-worn cameras, radios, bicycles and other duty gear,” the agency said.
Boston police made arrests for unlawful assembly, violent resistance and the obstruction of emergency response efforts.
Osama Khatib, 26, Roder Atwood, 21, Atalanta Carrig-Braun, 20, Haley MacIntyre, 24, Madeline Weikel, 27, Jacob Pettigrew, 22, Amun Prophet, 25, Laith Hintzman, 19, Benjamin Choucroun, 20, Owen Woodcock, 26, Prahlad Iyengar, 25, Styx Hatch, 19 and Gabrielle Smith, 28, were arrested on Tuesday night.
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According to Boston.com, the initial protest was organized by local Students for Justice in Palestine chapters, which coincided with the two-year mark of the Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attack by Hamas.
The protest was intended to “flood downtown for Palestine.”
According to the report, people yelled “F— you, Nazis” and “BPD is KKK” as they refused to leave the area.
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In a statement, Democratic Mayor Michelle Wu said that those who engaged in attacks on police will be prosecuted to the “fullest extent of the law.”
“We are extremely grateful for the work of the Boston Police in keeping the city safe and in supporting the right to peacefully protest. Boston will not tolerate violence, and we categorically condemn those who came into our community to attack our police officers. The individuals who engaged in these attacks must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” Wu said.
Protesters on Wednesday also showed up to the arraignments of those who were arrested during the riot on Tuesday night, according to the Boston Herald.
Porter explodes on staffer who steps into frame: ‘Get out of my f—ing shot!’
A video obtained by Politico and released Wednesday shows California Democratic gubernatorial candidate Katie Porter berating a staffer during a 2021 video call after stepping into her shot.
In the clip, then-U.S. Rep. Porter, D-Calif., is seen speaking with Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm about energy and climate issues. At one point, a staffer walks into the frame, prompting Porter to snap and yell, “Get out of my f—ing shot!”
She also scolded the staffer for having appeared in the background before.
“You were in my shot before that,” Porter said. “Stay out of my shot.”
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Politico noted that Porter’s outburst was edited out of the Department of Energy’s final version of the webinar.
The Porter campaign did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
The resurfaced footage follows another viral clip this week showing Porter lashing out at a reporter and attempting to end an interview.
During a segment on California’s redistricting effort, CBS California reporter Julie Watts asked Porter, “What do you say to the 40% of California voters who you’ll need in order to win, who voted for Trump?”
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Porter, considered by many to be the frontrunner in the race, responded, “How would I need them in order to win, ma’am?”
“Well, unless you think you’re going to get 60% of the vote,” Watts said, prompting Porter to laugh.
The exchange grew tense as Porter pushed back on the question, arguing over whether she needs to court Trump voters, particularly if she’s running head-to-head against another Democrat.
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“So you don’t need them to win,” Watts asked Porter.
“I feel like this is unnecessarily argumentative,” Porter said, prompting the reporter to point out that she had asked the same question to the other candidates in the race, and they answered it.
“I don’t want to keep doing this, I’m going to call it,” Porter said.
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“You’re not going to do the interview?” Watts said as Porter tried to remove her microphone.
“Nope, not like this I’m not, not with seven follow-ups to every single question you ask,” Porter responded.
When Watts reminded Porter that every candidate had answered the question, Porter said, “I don’t care.”
Porter told Watts after being pressed even more that she doesn’t “want to have an unhappy experience with you” and that she doesn’t “want this all on camera.”
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The clip drew widespread attention online, with conservatives criticizing Porter for struggling with follow-up questions.
‘You killed tens of thousands’: New Jersey gov debate erupts with explosive accusations
NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. — With under one month to go until Election Day in New Jersey’s competitive and combustible race for governor, Democratic Rep. Mikie Sherrill and Republican Jack Ciattarelli battled over Sherrill’s military record, Ciattarelli’s business career, and support for President Donald Trump during their second and final debate.
The showdown in New Jersey in the race to succeed term-limited Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy, which turned increasingly bitter in recent weeks, played out at Wednesday’s acrimonious debate.
In one heated exchange, Sherrill accused Ciattarelli of profiting off the opioid crisis, claiming that he “killed tens of thousands of people” through his ties to pharmaceutical industry-backed training materials.
And Ciattarelli fired back that Sherrill “broke the law,” as he pointed to a fine she paid four years ago for failing to timely disclose stock trades, as members of Congress are required to do under federal conflict-of-interest law.
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New Jersey and Virginia are the only two states to hold gubernatorial contests the year after a presidential election, which means the races traditionally grab outsized national attention.
And this year’s ballot box showdowns are viewed as crucial early tests of Trump’s popularity and second-term agenda, and are considered key barometers ahead of next year’s midterm elections for the U.S. House and Senate.
The two candidates took shots at each other over key issues, including New Jersey’s sky-high energy costs, property taxes, immigration, and the ongoing federal government shutdown.
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And while he isn’t on the ballot, Trump loomed large over the debate.
Ciattarelli, who cruised to the GOP nomination earlier this year after landing Trump’s endorsement, was asked where he disagrees with the president.
“I disagree with the president on the Empire Wind Farm for Long Island,” the Republican nominee answered.
Moments later, Sherrill charged that her GOP rival had “shown zero signs of standing up to this president. In fact, the president himself called Jack 100% MAGA, and he’s shown every sign of being that.”
Ciattarelli shot back that “in times of need, it’s best to have a relationship with whoever occupies the White House, and I will.”
Asked to grade the president’s performance so far during his second term, Ciattarelli said, “I’d certainly give the president an A. I think he’s right about everything that he’s doing.”
“I think that tells us all we need to know about who Jack Ciattarelli’s supporting. I give him an F right now,” Sherrill responded, as she pointed to New Jersey’s high cost of living.
Ciattarelli, a former state lawmaker and a certified public accountant who started a medical publishing company before getting into politics and winning election as a state lawmaker, is making his third straight run for New Jersey governor. And four years ago, he grabbed national attention as he came close to upsetting Murphy.
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It was during the 2021 campaign that Ciattarelli’s connection to opioid manufacturers first surfaced. Ciattarelli sold his company, which published content promoting the use of opioids as a low-risk treatment for chronic pain, in 2017.
“You’re trying to divert from the fact you killed tens of thousands of people by printing your misinformation, your propaganda,” Sherrill charged. “I think our kids deserve better. I think the people you got addicted and died deserve better than you.”
Ciattarelli responded, saying, “With regard to everything she just said about my professional career, which provided for my family, it’s a lie. I’m proud of my career.”
“Shame on you,” Ciattarelli added.
Sherrill shot back, “Shame on you, sir.”
Cittarrelli then blamed the fentanyl crisis on former President Joe Biden’s “open border” policies.
And at a post-debate news conference, he claimed the attack by Sherrill was “a desperate tactic by a desperate campaign on behalf of a desperate candidate.”
Sherrill, asked after the debate if she had proof directly linking Ciattarelli to the opioid deaths, told reporters, “I guess he’s not really expressed anything about this. I think there’s a lot we don’t know. I think he continues to not be very transparent about it.”
Ciattarelli, during the debate, fired back at Sherrill, saying, “I got to walk at my college graduation,” as he referred to the controversy surrounding Sherrill’s military records.
The race was rocked two weeks ago after a New Jersey Globe report revealed that Sherrill’s military records indicated that the United States Naval Academy blocked her from taking part in her 1994 graduation amid the cheating scandal.
Sherrill has claimed that Ciattarelli was going on a “witch hunt” over her improperly released military records, which raised questions about her possible involvement in a cheating scandal that rocked the U.S. Naval Academy three decades ago.
Ciattarelli and his campaign have repeatedly called on Sherrill, who went on to pilot helicopters during her military career after graduating from the Naval Academy, to release her military records to explain why she was prevented from attending her graduation ceremony.
But a separate report from CBS News revealed that the National Personnel Records Center, which is a branch of the National Archives and Records Administration, mistakenly released Sherrill’s improperly redacted military personnel files, which included private information like her Social Security number, to a Ciattarelli ally.
The National Archives, in a letter two weeks ago, apologized to Sherrill, saying the improper release was due to a government worker’s error over a legal records request.
Following the breach of the records, Sherrill’s campaign sent cease-and-desist letters to the National Archives and to Ciattarelli’s campaign, as well as to Russell and Nicholas De Gregorio, who is described by Sherrill’s team as “an agent of the campaign working at the direction of” Russell.
The Sherrill campaign also launched a digital ad taking aim at Ciattarelli.
“They broke the law to attack a veteran,” the narrator in the spot charged.
Sherrill, asked why she didn’t attend her graduation, said at the debate, “I didn’t turn in some of my classmates, so I didn’t walk at graduation because I come from an incredibly accountable place. But I went on to graduate. I was commissioned an officer in the United States Navy.”
And she reiterated that she does not want to give Ciattarelli and his campaign access to the records of her Naval Academy classmates.
And she asked, “Why my opponent still won’t take accountability for the release of those records. It’s under federal investigation that a member of his team, someone he vetted to be his lieutenant governor, actually got access to those records, said he was shocked and disgusted, and yet nevertheless shopped them out to reporters when he was asked about it, he acted as if he had no idea what his campaign was doing.”
“So either he’s really incompetent or he’s lying,” she argued.
Ciattarelli quickly responded, calling on Sherrill to release her records.
“We know for a fact that she wasn’t allowed to participate in the graduation ceremony. We know for a fact that her name was not listed in the commencement exercise program. She says it’s because she didn’t turn in classmates. That’s the honor code at West Point. That’s not the honor code at the Naval Academy. You don’t get punished for that. I think she was punished for something else,” he argued.
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While Democrats have long dominated federal and state legislative elections in blue-leaning New Jersey, Republicans are very competitive in gubernatorial contests, winning five out of the past ten elections.
And in the 2025 race, political history favors both parties.
The party that wins the White House tends to lose the New Jersey and Virginia gubernatorial elections the following year, which favors the Democrats. But Democrats in New Jersey are also trying to buck history — it’s been over six decades since a party won three straight Garden State gubernatorial elections.
Mask mandates return to California as federal vaccine guidance for COVID shifts
A county in California wine country is beefing up its vaccine recommendations and instituting a mask mandate, citing “greater risk” of contracting COVID-19 amid the start of the annual flu season.
The Sonoma County Department of Public Health’s Interim Health Officer Dr. Karen Smith issued an order Monday requiring anyone entering certain healthcare facilities in the county to wear a mask. Facilities subject to the order include skilled nursing facilities, portions of long-term care facilities where nursing care is provided, acute and non-acute rehabilitation facilities, infusion centers, and dialysis centers, according to the order.
“The rationale behind this order is to protect the most vulnerable populations (such as the elderly and cancer patients) and to try to prevent medical staff from getting sick and creating staffing problems for facilities,” a spokesperson for the Sonoma County Department of Health told Fox News Digital.
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The mask mandate will run from Nov. 1 until March 31, 2026, and the order states that Smith can expand the type of facilities subject to it on an as-needed basis. Additionally, the requirement will be put in place annually unless otherwise rescinded.
The order does provide some exemptions, including anyone “with a diagnosed medical condition, mental health condition, or disability that prevents the individual from wearing a face mask.” Hearing impaired folks who must see the mouth to communicate are also exempt, as well as anyone else for whom local, state or federal regulators deem could be harmed from wearing one.
The order also dictates what masks must be worn. A surgical mask, KN95, KF94, or N95 respirator are acceptable, but more informal masks, such as a scarf, ski mask, balaclava, bandana, turtleneck, collar, cloth mask, or “any mask that has an unfiltered, one-way exhaust valve,” will not satisfy the order’s requirements.
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Coinciding with the mask mandate in Sonoma County, Smith also issued stronger guidance pertaining to COVID-19 and flu vaccines, telling the public it is strongly recommended for everyone 6-months of age and older. She also recommended that both vaccinated and unvaccinated people wear masks in indoor public spaces when the COVID influenza risk is high.
Smith’s COVID-19 vaccine recommendations, and even her mask mandate aimed at protecting older populations, contradict guidance coming from Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
This week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention signed off on a new recommendation from HHS that removes the recommendation that adults 65 and older get vaccinated for COVID-19. The CDC also signed off on recommending that people ages 6-months to 64-years discuss with their doctors before they decide whether, or not, to get a COVID-19 vaccination.
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Meanwhile, Kennedy and HHS have also narrowed the approval scope for new COVID-19 vaccines, in addition to a series of other measures committed to “science, safety, and common sense.”
Disney making major changes to ticket prices at biggest US parks
The Walt Disney Company is reportedly raising ticket prices at its two major U.S. theme parks, citing higher labor costs and continued park expansions.
The price hikes took effect Wednesday at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida and Disneyland in Anaheim, California, Disney-focused news outlet MickeyVisit.com reported.
“Disney Parks offer a full day of experiences each day, with ticket, hotel, and dining options designed to suit a wide range of needs and budgets for all who visit,” Disney officials told FOX Business in an email. “Our commitment to creating magical experiences for everyone remains at the heart of what we do — and that will never change.”
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Visitors to Disneyland will face the largest price jumps. The park’s Tier 6 one-day ticket, used on the busiest, highest-demand days, rose $18 to $224 per adult — a 126% jump over the past decade, according to MickeyVisit.com.
The popular five-day Park Hopper pass, that grants access to Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure, rose $39 to $655.
The park’s Lightning Lane Multi-Pass rose 6.25% to $34 when purchased ahead of time, MickeyVisit.com reported.
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Disneyland’s Inspire Key, the park’s highest-tier annual pass, increased by $150 to $1,899. The Believe Key, the next level down, climbed $100 to $1,474.
In Orlando, Walt Disney World raised its peak one-day ticket price by $10, pushing it to $209. Annual passes rose between $20 and $80.
Parking fees also increased by $5 for both standard and preferred options.
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However, Disneyland’s Tier 0 one-day ticket — valid on the park’s least busy days — remains $104 for adults and $98 for children. That ticket will apply to 38 days in 2025, up from 15 last year, according to MickeyVisit.com.
Disney is also introducing a California Resident Park Hopper deal — three days for $249, or around $83 per day — valid from Jan. 1 through May 21 of next year.
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At Walt Disney World, starting and high-end prices will remain unchanged through October 2026. New offers, such as free dining for kids for an entire year, are also being rolled out, The New York Post reported, citing Disney.