The Times of Israel is liveblogging Saturday’s events as they happen.
Trump announces he’s revoking Biden’s security clearance, in payback move
PALM BEACH, Florida — US President Donald Trump says that he’s revoking former president Joe Biden’s security clearance and ending the daily intelligence briefings he’s receiving in payback for Biden doing the same to him in 2021.
Trump makes the announcement on social media shortly after arriving at Mar-a-Lago for the weekend.
“There is no need for Joe Biden to continue receiving access to classified information. Therefore, we are immediately revoking Joe Biden’s Security Clearances, and stopping his daily Intelligence Briefings,” Trump writes. “He set this precedent in 2021, when he instructed the Intelligence Community (IC) to stop the 45th President of the United States (ME!) from accessing details on National Security, a courtesy provided to former Presidents.”
Biden doesn’t immediately comment on the move.
Biden ended Trump’s intelligence briefings after Trump helped spur efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election and incited the January 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. At the time, Biden said Trump’s “erratic” behavior should prevent him from getting the intel briefings.
In his post, Trump cites the special counsel report last year into Biden’s handling of classified documents, saying, “The Hur Report revealed that Biden suffers from ‘poor memory’ and, even in his ‘prime,’ could not be trusted with sensitive information.”
He ends his post by saying, “I will always protect our National Security — JOE, YOU’RE FIRED. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
Health Ministry: Three hostages slated for release tomorrow will be brought to hospitals in central Israel
The Health Ministry says that the three hostages, Ohad Ben Ami, 56, Eli Sharabi, 52, and Or Levy, 34, scheduled to be released on Saturday morning from Gaza will arrive at either Ichilov Hospital or Sheba Medical Center after an initial medical assessment. Barzilai Medical Center and Soroka Medical Center will be prepared to provide immediate medical care if needed.
Medical teams and professionals at the hospitals are ready to receive them and to do everything necessary to provide medical, psychological, and any other required care.
The ministry reiterates its call for the public to exercise personal responsibility in managing exposure to news content and videos from Gaza, especially for children.
The ministry urges the public not to spread rumors regarding the hostages and to rely only on official sources for updates.
The ministry also reminds the public that these are sensitive moments for the returnees and their families, asking that their privacy be respected.
Protecting the privacy of the returnees is essential to ensuring their transition from captivity back to life, recovery and rehabilitation.
Report: Hostages will be handed over at two locations in Gaza, as in previous rounds
Hamas will hand over the three Israeli hostages from more than one location in the Gaza Strip, as in the previous two rounds, according to Palestinian media reports.
The release is expected to take place Saturday morning on Salah ad-Din Street in Deir al-Balah, in central Gaza, according to the Palestinian Quds News Network, with one release at 8:30 a.m. and another at noon.
There is no official confirmation of the schedule for the release, which comes amid a hostage-ceasefire deal with the Palestinian terror group that came into effect last month.