News Brief

Jewish Agecy chairman Ze'ev Bielski said Saturday night that the organization would provide assistance to families of victims of the terror attacks in India. "It is impossible to believe that such a thing could happen at the Chabad House, which helped so many people and welcomed all who came through its doors," Bielski said Satuday night, The assistance would include financial aid to families who wanted to travel to India to find Israeli and Jewish relatives who may be injured or stuck in the country, he said. An unidentified number of Israelis remain unaccounted for in Mumbai, Israel Radio reported Saturday night.

Indian forces were still conducting mopping up operations at several locations late Saturday, including the Chabad House, thus bringing to a close three days of terror that has so far claimed the lives of 195 innocent victims of terror in Mumbai – a number Indian officials said was likely to rise, to as much as 350 as they began taking total stock of the damage.

Speaking to Channel One on Friday, Defense Minister Ehud Barak said that Israel had offered assistance to Indian authorities, but would not specify if he meant counter-terrorism expertise of humanitarian assistance. Barak said he was "not sure the situation had to last for three days, but that's what happened."