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The Department of Justice on Tuesday unsealed criminal charges against Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar and other leaders of the brutal organization over the ‘terrorist atrocities’ of the Oct. 7, 2023, massacre in Israel.

The criminal complaint filed in federal court in New York City includes charges of conspiracy to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, conspiracy to murder U.S. nationals, and conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction resulting in death. 

It also accuses Iran and Lebanon’s Hezbollah of providing financial support and weapons, including rockets, that were used in the attack.

The complaint marks the first time that U.S. prosecutors have formally called out the masterminds of the Oct. 7 massacre. 

‘The charges unsealed today are just one part of our effort to target every aspect of Hamas’ operations,’ Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a video address. ‘These actions will not be our last. The Justice Department has a long memory. We will pursue the terrorists responsible for murdering Americans – and those who illegally provide them with material support – for the rest of their lives.’

Hamas stormed into Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 Israelis and taking hundreds more hostage. 

Tuesday’s charges come days after Israel Defense Forces recovered the bodies of six hostages – including 23-year-old Israeli American Hersh Goldberg-Polin – in the tunnels beneath Rafah in the Gaza Strip.  

Hamas chief Sinwar is believed to be hiding out somewhere in Hamas’ vast tunnel network beneath Gaza. It’s unclear how much contact he has with the outside world.

Sinwar was appointed the overall head of Hamas after the killing of Ismail Haniyeh in Iran and sits atop Israel’s most-wanted list. 

Other Hamas leaders charged include Haniyeh; Marwan Issa, the deputy leader of Hamas’ armed wing in Gaza who helped plan last year’s attack and who Israel says was killed when fighter jets struck an underground compound in central Gaza in March; Khaled Mashaal, another Haniyeh deputy and a former leader of the group; Mohammed Deif, Hamas’ longtime shadowy military leader who is thought to be dead after an Israeli airstrike in southern Gaza in July; and Ali Baraka, Hamas’ head of external relations.

The DOJ said at least one person – whose name they did not specify in the complaint – is ‘expected to be first brought to and arrested in the Southern District of New York.’

Fox News’ David Spunt and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Former President Trump plans to plead not guilty to the revised charges in the federal election inference case against him, a new court document shows.

According to a court filing obtained by Fox News, Trump signed an entry of not guilty plea. In the document, which was filed on Tuesday, Trump also waived his right to be present at his arraignment.

‘I authorize my attorneys to enter a plea of not guilty on my behalf to each and every count of the superseding indictment, Doc. 226,’ the document says. ‘I further state that I have received a copy of the superseding indictment and reviewed it with my counsel.’

The case pertains to Trump’s alleged efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. Last week, the former president was indicted and given revised criminal charges by Special Counsel Jack Smith, who alleges that the Republican candidate pressured former Vice President Pence to reject legitimate electoral votes, in addition to mounting fake electors in key states that went to President Biden, to attest to Trump’s electoral victory.

Smith revised the charges after a recent Supreme Court ruling extended presidential immunity for official White House acts in a 6-3 decision. 

The recent indictment retains the criminal charges against Trump, including conspiracy to defraud the United States; conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding; obstruction of and attempt to obstruct an official proceeding; and conspiracy against rights. Trump had previously pleaded not guilty to those charges.

Speaking with Shannon Bream during Sunday’s episode of ‘Fox News Sunday,’ Trump said he had ‘every right’ to do what he did after the 2020 presidential election.

‘Whoever heard you get indicted for interfering with a presidential election where you have every right to do it?’ Trump said.

Vice President Harris’s presidential campaign released a statement blasting Trump on Monday and claimed that the Republican candidate’s recent comments ‘make it clear that he believes he is above the law.’

‘Now, Trump is claiming he had ‘every right’ to interfere in the 2020 election. He did not,’ a Harris campaign spokesperson said in the statement.

Reuters and Fox News Digital’s Adam Shaw contributed to this report.

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After the United Kingdom paused some arms shipments to Israel on Monday, it’s not entirely clear whether Vice President Kamala Harris could follow the same path. 

The Democratic presidential candidate is under intense pressure from progressives to get tough on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as the war with Hamas drags on for nearly a year. 

Harris insists she’s committed to Israel’s defense. But as a peace deal continues to evade the war in Gaza, Harris has declined to answer questions on whether the U.S. could use its soft power in halting weapons shipments to a top ally in the Middle East to affect policy change under her leadership.

Last week, Harris was pressed on whether she would do anything differently from President Joe Biden with Israel and the war in Gaza. She answered in the negative, but quickly pivoted to the need for a peace deal. 

The Harris campaign did not respond to a request from Fox News Digital on whether halting weapons shipments would be on or off the table if Harris takes the White House. 

‘President Biden has tried unsuccessfully to end the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. He’s been doing it for months and months, along with you. Would you do anything differently? For example, would you withhold some U.S. weapons shipments to Israel?’ CNN’s Dana Bash asked the vice president on Thursday. 

‘Let me be very clear. I’m unequivocal and — and unwavering in my commitment to Israel’s defense and its ability to defend itself,’ she said, before detailing the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks and noting ‘too many Palestinian civilians have been killed.’ 

Some 42,000 Palestinians have died in the conflict since October, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. 

‘We have to get a deal done. This war must end,’ she went on. ‘Let’s get the hostages out. Let’s get the ceasefire done.’

‘But no change in policy in terms of arms and — and so forth?’ Bash pressed again. 

‘No. We have to get a deal done. Dana, we have to get a deal done. When you look at the significance of this to the families, to the people who are living in that region — a deal is not only the right thing to do to end this war but will unlock so much of what must happen next.’

‘I remain committed, since I’ve been on Oct. 8, to what we must do to work toward a two-state solution where Israel is secure and in equal measure the Palestinians have security and self-determination — and dignity.’

Israel said last week the U.S. had shipped more than 50,000 tons of arms and military equipment since war broke out in October. Congress passed a bill that included $26 billion in arms assistance for Israel and aid for Gaza in April. 

The United Kingdom on Monday paused dozens of weapons exports to Israel over concerns those arms could be used to violate international law. 

British Foreign Secretary David Lammy told lawmakers on Monday that the decision related to about 30 of 350 export licenses for equipment that includes parts for military aircraft and drones and items used for ground targeting.

Lammy said the British government believes the equipment ‘is for use in the current conflict in Gaza’ and represents a ‘clear risk’ that some could be used to ‘commit or facilitate a serious violation of international humanitarian law.’

Back home, Netanyahu is under attack from all sides after it was revealed that six Israeli hostages were found dead in a Hamas tunnel. Protesters took to the streets to demand a hostage deal over the weekend. Hersh Goldberg-Polin, a 23-year-old Israeli-American whose parents made an emotional plea for a hostage deal at the Democratic National Convention (DNC) last month, was among the dead.

President Joe Biden replied ‘no’ over the weekend when asked if Netanyahu is doing enough to secure the hostages. 

Over the weekend, Biden and Harris worked on a hostage deal with their negotiating team as the news of the additional deaths broke.

The president said ‘we’re very close’ to securing a hostage deal that all sides could agree to, though such a deal has evaded negotiators for months. ‘Hope springs eternal,’ he said.

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House Republican leaders are vowing to push back on anti-Israel protests that are once again taking over college campuses as students return for the fall semester.

It comes as activists have already begun defacing property and staging demonstrations at Columbia University in New York City, which was a hotbed of controversial activity in the spring.

‘There should be a zero tolerance policy for antisemitic violence on campus that targets Jewish students. If universities won’t hold protestors accountable, Congress will,’ Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., told Fox News Digital. ‘Just last month, we subpoenaed several Columbia University officials, and we will continue our investigations and take action on the floor as students return to campus.’

GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., similarly said, ‘Columbia University has repeatedly enabled radical pro-Hamas mobs, putting Jewish members of their community at risk and allowing antisemitic hate to take root at a once acclaimed institution. House Republicans will use every tool at our disposal to demand immediate action from Columbia University on behalf of the Jewish students who want to pursue their education without fear.’

House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., told Fox News Digital, ‘It’s no wonder the pro-terrorist mob is back at Columbia — the Democrats have enabled and empowered the antisemites in their party.’

Emmer said House Republicans would ‘continue to send a resounding message’ of support for Israel and for Jewish students in the U.S.

Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., meanwhile, urged the White House to speak out against the protests as well.

‘It is the first day of class at Columbia University and the pro-Terrorist, antisemitic mob is already back,’ Johnson wrote on X. ‘The Biden-Harris Administration should condemn this mob immediately.’

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for a response.

At least one protester was arrested during the Manhattan demonstrations on Tuesday, video shows. Footage also shows activists pushing barricades, and a second person was taken into custody outside of Columbia’s sister school, Barnard College.

Republicans have seized on Israel as a unifying issue for their own party as the left continues to fracture over U.S. relations with its close Middle Eastern ally.

Moderate Democrats, however, have pointed to the primary losses of anti-Israel progressives as proof that the left is capable of policing its own anti-Semitism problem.

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Former President Donald Trump is ramping up his campaign schedule ahead of the highly anticipated debate against Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris, with campaign officials telling Fox News Digital that meeting with voters and taking questions from the press is his way of ‘getting ready.’

Trump and Harris are expected to face off for the first time in a debate on Tuesday, Sept. 10 on ABC News. The debate will be held in Philadelphia at the National Constitution Center. 

The Harris campaign has agreed to the terms set forth in the initial agreement — the same terms used during the debate between Trump and President Biden in June. 

Biden’s debate performance against Trump led to his ouster, shaking up the election cycle and forcing a switch to the top of the Democrat ticket. Biden suspended his re-election campaign shortly after and endorsed Harris. 

‘We’re glad Kamala has finally agreed to the debate terms after trying to open up negotiations again,’ a Trump campaign official told Fox News Digital. 

The rules are as follows: no notes, no sitting, no audience and no open microphones. 

The Harris campaign had argued last month that microphones should be open, and not muted, throughout the debate but ultimately agreed to the initial terms. 

Ahead of next Tuesday’s debate, Trump is ramping up his campaign schedule with multiple events per day. 

Trump will be in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, for a town hall with Fox News’ Sean Hannity on Wednesday. 

On Thursday, Trump will travel to New York City to give a speech at the New York Economic Club. Later Thursday, he will deliver remarks to the Republican Jewish Coalition. 

On Friday, Trump is headed to North Carolina to meet with law enforcement groups, where he is expected to deliver remarks. 

On Saturday, the former president will hold a rally in Wisconsin. 

‘He uses rallies and speeches as a big part of debate prep,’ a campaign official told Fox News Digital. ‘Meeting with voters and interacting with the press is a form of getting ready — you have seen him doing more media engagements in the last couple of weeks.’ 

The official added: ‘In a lot of ways, that’s his preparation.’ 

Fox News Digital has learned that campaign senior adviser Jason Miller is leading debate preparations, with Stephen Miller and the policy team also involved. 

As for the Harris campaign, Fox News Digital reported last month that the vice president had recruited Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison attorney Karen Dunn to help with debate prep. Dunn helped prepare Harris for her 2020 vice presidential debate against then-Vice President Mike Pence. 

Dunn is simultaneously working as Google’s lead defense attorney in the Biden-Harris administration’s lawsuit against the tech giant. 

That lawsuit, United States v. Google LLC, is the Biden-Harris administration’s antitrust lawsuit targeting Google’s digital advertising practices. The trial is set to begin Sept. 9 — a day before the first presidential debate. 

‘Kamala Harris will never stand up to Big Tech because she’s being coached on what to say in the debates by Google’s top lawyer,’ Trump campaign senior adviser Tim Murtaugh told Fox News Digital. ‘Think about how outrageous it is — their administration is suing Google, but Harris is taking political advice from the defendant’s lawyer.’ 

Murtaugh said, ‘Any first year law student knows that’s a conflict of interest.’ 

Neither the Harris campaign nor Dunn responded to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. 

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