The Times of Israel is liveblogging Wednesday’s events as they happen.
Geological survey says quake felt in Israel was 2-2.3 in magnitude
The Geological Survey of Israel reports that the survey felt across parts of Israel registered at 2-2.3 in magnitude on the richter scale.
Pro-Netanyahu commentator attacks freed hostage Edan Alexander after his mother didn’t thank PM
A leading right-wing political commentator lashes out at freed hostage soldier Edan Alexander and his family, after his parents did not mention Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu when thanking US President Donald Trump and the administration’s envoys for their role in securing her son’s release.
Yinon Magal publishes a post on X accusing Edan’s mother Yael Alexander of a “repulsive performance of ungratefulness and lack of culture” for not thanking Netanyahu, adding “only in the toxic and disturbed atmosphere that the left and media are creating here can this happen.”
While hosting Channel 14’s “The Patriots,” he also attacks Alexander himself, claiming “the circumstances in which he was kidnapped are problematic.”
Magal’s remarks are denounced by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum as an “ugly attack” on Alexander and his family.
“Just as Yael Alexander said this evening: We choose unity, love of mankind and commitment to the values we were raised on. Time has run out, the world is watching and history will remember,” the group says in a statement.
6.3 magnitude earthquake in Crete felt across parts of Israel
Residents of numerous areas around Israel, including Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, report feeling an earthquake shortly after a 6.3 magnitude quake struck the island of Crete in Greece.
Azerbaijan, fronted by a Jewish singer, fails to advance to Eurovision final
The first big night of Eurovision 2025 in Basel, Switzerland, wraps up smoothly, with 10 acts from the first semifinal advancing to Saturday’s grand final.
On Thursday evening, another 16 acts — including Israel’s Yuval Raphael — will take the stage aiming for the last 10 spots in the grand final.
A handful of Palestinian flags could be seen in the audience tonight after Swiss organizers relaxed regulations from past years around permissible flags, although their presence was not strongly felt.
Azerbaijan, whose lead singer, Asaf Mishiyev, is a member of the country’s Mountain Jewish community, did not advance in tonight’s semifinal. Also ending their Eurovision run are Belgium, Cyprus, Croatia and Slovenia. The countries who did advance are Iceland, Poland, Estonia, Sweden, Ukraine, Portugal, Norway, San Marino, Albania and the Netherlands.
Thursday’s winning acts will join tonight’s qualifiers plus the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain and Switzerland on Saturday to vie for the top prize.
Israel said to arrest Shin Bet source in Gaza as Hamas double agent who falsely reassured handlers on eve of Oct. 7
A source in Gaza for the Shin Bet was arrested during the ongoing war and brought to Israel for questioning, during which he admitted to being a double agent, Channel 12 news reports.
The source reportedly told Israeli interrogators that on the night of October 6-7, 2023, he received a phone call from his Shin Bet handler and falsely assured them: “There is no offensive deployment by Hamas. I know. I’m up to date.”
According to the Ynet news site, which does not report that he admitted to being a double agent, the Shin Bet asset is a mid-ranking Hamas official.
He reportedly had been expected to provide crucial intelligence at a time when many Hamas operatives were already aware of the planned assault.
The agent’s statements were interpreted as a sign that an attack was less likely, contributing to the broader Israeli intelligence failure by reinforcing the false belief that Hamas was not preparing for an attack.
Channel 12 reports that few such calls were made to field agents that night, underscoring what Israeli officials now describe as a significant intelligence blind spot, and the affair is being treated as highly consequential in ongoing internal reviews.