π️Lonny's War Update- October 229, 2023 - May 22, 2024 π️
π️Day 229 that 128 of our hostages in Hamas captivity
**There is nothing more important than getting them home! NOTHING!**
“I’ve never met them,
But I miss them.
I’ve never met them,
but I think of them every second.
I’ve never met them,
but they are my family.
BRING THEM HOME NOW!!!”
There is no victory until all of the hostages are home!
ΧΧΧ Χ Χ¦ΧΧΧ Χ’Χ Χ©ΧΧ ΧΧΧΧΧ€ΧΧ ΧΧΧΧͺRed Alerts - Missile, Rocket, Drone (UAV - unmanned aerial vehicles), and Terror Attacks and Death Announcements
*11:40pm last night- north- rockets Matan Baruch, Dafna, Golan Height
*8:50am- north- rockets kibbutz Malkia
*3:40pm- north- rockets AjarToday is the 23rd Birthday of Omer Vankert who was kidnapped from the Nova music festival. He and his friend Kim arrived at Nova an hour before the attack began. Kim was killed by Hamas terrorists and Omer was seen handcuffed behind his back being taken violently to Gaza by the terrorists. Omer surfers from chronic colitis and has not been receiving any medical care or medicine since his captivity to the best of anyone’s knowledge. Omer’s grandmother, Tsili Wenkert, 82, is a Holocaust survivor who was freed by the Russian Red Army on the way to Auschwitz. The family received a tip that Russian President Vladimir Putin is trying to help hostages with family members who are Holocaust survivors, as “they have some sensitivity to that,” said Wenkert, speaking to The Times of Israel.
Hostage Updates
The family met with the Russian ambassador and were aware of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s conversation with Putin, but weren’t privy to the details of that conversation. They were told that Wenkert’s name is on the Russian list of hostages. Nothing has happened since then and there hasn’t been any sign of life. Link to the web page set up by his family to get help in rescuing Omer
- Captives' Families Headquarters: Tonight we will release footage of the abduction of the lookouts on October 7
The parents of the 5 lookout soldiers abducted from the Nahal Oz base have approved the release this evening of difficult footage from the moments of their abduction. The video was filmed by the body cameras worn by Hamas militants, and images from it were circulated in January. The Families Headquarters: "The video is a severe indictment of the national failure to abandon the hostages."The Captives' Families Headquarters announced that the parents of Liri Albeg, Karina Aryev, Agam Berger, Daniela Gilboa and Naama Levi - the lookout soldiers abducted from the Nahal Oz base and held captive by Hamas for 229 days - have decided to release to the public and media this evening at 6pm the footage of the girls' abduction, as documented by the body cameras of Hamas militants on 7.10.The 3:10 minute edited and censored video does not include extremely difficult parts - where the many dead at the Nahal Oz base can be seen, the dead in the armored vehicle from which the lookouts were abducted, and other segments of severe violence. According to the Headquarters, the video is difficult to watch and shows the violence and humiliation the girls endured, and the sense of horror that gripped them.The Hostages Families Headquarters statement read: "Every additional testimony coming from the hostages screams the same sad truth - they all must be returned home. The video is a severe indictment of the national failure to abandon the hostage women and men. There is no greater mission, no more significant victory, and no chance to restore hope to Israel without returning them all - the living for rehabilitation and the murdered for burial. The government of Israel must not waste another moment - it must return to the negotiating table today!"On Black Saturday, 15 lookout soldiers serving at the Nahal Oz base were killed, and 7 were taken captive alive to Gaza. Soldier Ori Megidish was rescued by IDF forces after 23 days in captivity, Noa Marziano was killed by Hamas militants while in captivity and her body was returned by the IDF for burial in Israel. link
- Over 1,400 academic staff and administrators from institutions of higher education in Israel have signed a petition urging the Israeli government to promptly end the war in Gaza and to secure the immediate release of the hostages.
The petition — titled “A Call on the Israeli Government to End the War and Ensure the Return of the Hostages” — states, “We, faculty and administrative staff at academic institutions in Israel, call on the Israeli government to end the war in Gaza without delay and ensure the immediate return of the hostages,” emphasizing that both these things are “moral imperatives that align with Israel’s interests.”
The petitioners argue that Israel had the right to defend itself following Hamas’ horrific attacks on October 7, in which some 1,200 people were killed and 252 were taken hostage. However, they claim that “this initial purpose has been exhausted, partly because the government has deliberately avoided setting a strategic or political vision beyond the war, instead aiming for an undefined ‘complete victory’ which, even according to senior military officials, is not only unachievable but likely to result in the death of the hostages.”
The petition says that the right to self-defense “does not grant the right to wage a war without a realistic end or one aimed at the political survival of the leadership.”
Along with causing “tremendous harm to civilians in Gaza, starvation, and unprecedented destruction of infrastructure,” the signatories say prolonging the war has led to many Israeli casualties, “mental harm to hundreds of thousands, enormous economic damage, and a severe deterioration of the rule of law,” in Israel and the West Bank. link
- Israel’s tailored operations in Rafah and the military pressure that the IDF has been exerting on Hamas in the southern Gaza city might lead to “some opportunities for getting the hostage deal back on track,” a senior Biden administration official says in a briefing with reporters.
Israeli leaders have repeatedly maintained that military pressure, particularly in Hamas’s last main stronghold of Rafah, is essential in coaxing Hamas to agree to a hostage deal. The US has not refuted that stance outright but has said that a major military operation in Rafah would actually embolden Hamas in the hostage talks.
Israel has taken some of its recommendations regarding Rafah planning into account, the US official says, indicating that this is what allowed Israel to potentially improve its standing in the negotiations, rather than harm the effort.
Breaking the current impasse in the hostage negotiations was a topic of conversation that came up in every one of US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan’s meetings in Saudi Arabia and Israel over the weekend, the official says.
“We think we might have some openings to do that. We have a decent plan,” the official adds, without elaborating.
The senior Biden official notes that much of Washington’s broader regional agenda hinges on first securing a hostage deal that would produce an initial weeks-long pause in the fighting that the US aims to turn into something more enduring. Link
Gaza
- An IDF spokesperson updated that under the leadership of the Gaza Division, Aman intelligence and the Shin Bet, aircraft from the Air Force neutralized in Khan Yunis the militant Ahmad Yasser al-Qara, a central anti-aircraft operative in Hamas who led attacks and terror plots against IDF forces during the war and was being tracked by the Southern Command. "Al-Qara participated in the terror attack in the Gaza envelope on 7.10 and during the fighting, he attempted to fire many times towards our forces in the Strip area."
"During the preparation for the strike, Unit 414 identified a child who was near the militant, so they immediately halted the strike after identification," the IDF spokesperson noted. "After the child moved away from the range of the building, the strike was carried out in which two additional militants were neutralized."
Additionally, the IDF spokesperson noted that fighter jets from the Air Force, guided by the Southern Command and the Intelligence Directorate, neutralized five Hamas militants operating from the 'Fahmi al-Jarjawi' school compound in the Daraj Tufah area in northern Gaza Strip. "Among the militants neutralized in the strike was the militant Fadi Salim, head of the information apparatus in Hamas' Gaza Brigade. Alongside him, three militants from the organization's intelligence apparatus and another Nukhabah militant were neutralized."
- Report in Politico: The latest assessment of American intelligence concludes that Israel has only managed to neutralize about 30%-35% of the fighters that Hamas had before October 7th, and that 65% of the terror organization's tunnels are still active. Additionally, since October 7th, Hamas has managed to recruit thousands of new fighters. In the Biden administration, there are concerns that Israel is missing the opportunity to defeat Hamas, and they described Israel's strategy in Gaza as a "self-defeat" and "opening the door for Hamas to remain." In Washington, criticism is being leveled that Israel failed to maintain control over areas in the Strip after clearing them, displacing the civilian population and turning world public opinion against it, while allowing Hamas to recruit thousands of new fighters. The American criticism was kept secret for a long period, but is now becoming public due to what is described as "frustration" from watching Israel refuse to change its policy. "We want to encourage Israel to focus on the need to link military operations to a strategy for ending the fighting. We will continue to press on this," a senior Biden administration official said.
An IDF reservist with the Carmeli Brigade’s 222nd Battalion was seriously wounded during fighting in the northern Gaza Strip yesterday, the military announces. He was brought to a hospital in Israel for treatment.
Two hundred and eighty-three soldiers have been killed during the IDF’s ongoing ground offensive against Hamas and amid operations along the Gaza border.
A civilian Defense Ministry contractor has also been killed in the Strip. Another 1,752 soldiers have been wounded in the ground operation — 349 seriously , 577 moderately, and 822 lightly, according to IDF data. link
The United Nations has planned new routes within the Gaza Strip to transport aid from a US-built floating pier after crowds of desperate Palestinians intercepted 11 trucks, causing a halt to deliveries that continued for a third day on Tuesday.
The temporary pier was anchored to a Gaza beach last Thursday as Israel comes under growing global pressure to allow more supplies into the besieged coastal enclave, where it is at war with Hamas and famine looms.
Operations began on Friday and 10 aid trucks were driven by UN contractors to a World Food Program warehouse in Deir El Balah in Gaza. But on Saturday, only five trucks made it to the warehouse after 11 others were intercepted.
“Crowds had stopped the trucks at various points along the way. There was … what I think I would refer to as self-distribution,” UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters in New York today.
“These trucks were traveling through areas where there’d been no aid. I think people feared that they would never see aid. They grabbed what they could,” he said.
Distribution was paused as the UN planned new routes and coordination of deliveries in a bid to prevent more aid being intercepted, said Abeer Etefa, a WFP spokesperson in Cairo.
“The missions were planned for today using the new routes to avoid the crowds,” she said. Dujarric later said there had been no transportation of aid from the pier since Saturday.
US officials have said that once up and running the pier would initially handle 90 trucks a day, but that number could go to 150 trucks. The UN has said at least 500 trucks a day are needed to enter Gaza.
- US indicates initial satisfaction with changes to Israeli military plans for Rafah
An IDF reservist with the Carmeli Brigade’s 222nd Battalion was seriously wounded during fighting in the northern Gaza Strip yesterday, the military announces. He was brought to a hospital in Israel for treatment.
Two hundred and eighty-three soldiers have been killed during the IDF’s ongoing ground offensive against Hamas and amid operations along the Gaza border.
A civilian Defense Ministry contractor has also been killed in the Strip. Another 1,752 soldiers have been wounded in the ground operation — 349 seriously , 577 moderately, and 822 lightly, according to IDF data. link
The United Nations has planned new routes within the Gaza Strip to transport aid from a US-built floating pier after crowds of desperate Palestinians intercepted 11 trucks, causing a halt to deliveries that continued for a third day on Tuesday.
The temporary pier was anchored to a Gaza beach last Thursday as Israel comes under growing global pressure to allow more supplies into the besieged coastal enclave, where it is at war with Hamas and famine looms.
Operations began on Friday and 10 aid trucks were driven by UN contractors to a World Food Program warehouse in Deir El Balah in Gaza. But on Saturday, only five trucks made it to the warehouse after 11 others were intercepted.
“Crowds had stopped the trucks at various points along the way. There was … what I think I would refer to as self-distribution,” UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters in New York today.
“These trucks were traveling through areas where there’d been no aid. I think people feared that they would never see aid. They grabbed what they could,” he said.
Distribution was paused as the UN planned new routes and coordination of deliveries in a bid to prevent more aid being intercepted, said Abeer Etefa, a WFP spokesperson in Cairo.
“The missions were planned for today using the new routes to avoid the crowds,” she said. Dujarric later said there had been no transportation of aid from the pier since Saturday.
US officials have said that once up and running the pier would initially handle 90 trucks a day, but that number could go to 150 trucks. The UN has said at least 500 trucks a day are needed to enter Gaza.
Senior Biden official suggests updated IDF operations add pressure on Hamas, may help revive hostage talks, says nuclear piece of near-final Saudi deal ‘very much in our interests’. Full article
Northern Israel - Lebanon/Hizbollah
West Bank
Politics and the Region
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is pressed during his CNN interview why he has refused interviews on Israeli media networks since October 7.
He has given 22 interviews since October 7 — all of them with foreign media outlets.
“That’s the tendentious reporting of a lot of the Israeli media. I can tell you, what they’re not telling you is, I have done… two dozen or 20 or 15 press conferences with Israeli media. They can ask anything they want, and they do.”
The last press conference he held, though, was two months ago. CNN’s question was also regarding interviews, not press conferences where Netanyahu has more control over the format and questioning. link Once again, Netanyahu issues an utter lie. He avoids interviews with the Israeli press because he doesn't want to answer the hardest questions in Hebrew to the Israeli public. We have learned that what he says in English is vastly different than what he says in Hebrew, and as this article states, he doesn't have control over the Israeli press' questions and formats.
China will continue to strengthen strategic cooperation with Iran, safeguard common interests, and make endeavors for regional and world peace, Chinese state media reports, citing comments from Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
Wang made the remarks in talks today with Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Mahdi Safari, while attending a meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).
“Iran has lost outstanding leaders and China has lost good friends and partners, said Wang, according to Xinhua news. “In this difficult time, China firmly stands by Iranian friends,” he says, referring to the death of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi on Sunday. link -- China is not a friend. They are a very supportive member of the Axis of Evil that includes Iran, North Korea, Russia, China and all of the Iranian proxies. Their goals are to disrupt and destroy the western style of life.
The office of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas welcomes the announcements by Norway, Spain and Ireland of their recognition of a Palestinian state, which will take effect on May 28.
In three separate statements, the PA Presidency applauds the support given by the three countries over the past years to the rights of the Palestinian people, and their votes in favor of Palestinian “self-determination on their land” in international forums.
The PA Presidency further calls on other European countries to follow their example and recognize a Palestinian state “in order to achieve a two-state solution based on international resolutions and the 1967 borders.” The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) also released a statement welcoming the decision by Norway, Spain and Ireland.
Hussein al-Sheikh, secretary general of the PLO’s Executive Committee, writes on X that these are “historical moments in which the free world triumphs for truth and justice after long decades of Palestinian national struggle” and that “this is the path to stability, security and peace in the region. Link —there are many who buy into Netanyahu’s statement that recognition of the Palestinian State and/or discussions that will lead to a two state solution is a prize for the terror of Hamas. In fact, it is just the opposite. Hamas’ main goal as it appears in their charter is the destruction of Israel. A two state solution that includes recognition of the State of Israel, which the PLO has also signed on to both by Arafat and Abu Mazen, is one of the best ways to hit back at Hamas and Iran. With this solution, most of the Arab and Muslim world will join in recognition and normalization with Israel. It is a game changer for the region and the only right thing for Israel. The first thing it would do would be to end the debilitating and destructive occupation of another people which is a rotting factor to our society and it gives us a chance to build a better future as an integral part of the region.
Hamas has released a statement condemning the residents of Gaza for celebrating the death of the Iranian president and foreign minister. Hamas also threatens to pursue and legally prosecute those who participated in the celebration.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is pressed during his CNN interview why he has refused interviews on Israeli media networks since October 7.
He has given 22 interviews since October 7 — all of them with foreign media outlets.
“That’s the tendentious reporting of a lot of the Israeli media. I can tell you, what they’re not telling you is, I have done… two dozen or 20 or 15 press conferences with Israeli media. They can ask anything they want, and they do.”
The last press conference he held, though, was two months ago. CNN’s question was also regarding interviews, not press conferences where Netanyahu has more control over the format and questioning. link Once again, Netanyahu issues an utter lie. He avoids interviews with the Israeli press because he doesn't want to answer the hardest questions in Hebrew to the Israeli public. We have learned that what he says in English is vastly different than what he says in Hebrew, and as this article states, he doesn't have control over the Israeli press' questions and formats.
China will continue to strengthen strategic cooperation with Iran, safeguard common interests, and make endeavors for regional and world peace, Chinese state media reports, citing comments from Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
Wang made the remarks in talks today with Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Mahdi Safari, while attending a meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).
“Iran has lost outstanding leaders and China has lost good friends and partners, said Wang, according to Xinhua news. “In this difficult time, China firmly stands by Iranian friends,” he says, referring to the death of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi on Sunday. link -- China is not a friend. They are a very supportive member of the Axis of Evil that includes Iran, North Korea, Russia, China and all of the Iranian proxies. Their goals are to disrupt and destroy the western style of life.
The office of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas welcomes the announcements by Norway, Spain and Ireland of their recognition of a Palestinian state, which will take effect on May 28.
In three separate statements, the PA Presidency applauds the support given by the three countries over the past years to the rights of the Palestinian people, and their votes in favor of Palestinian “self-determination on their land” in international forums.
The PA Presidency further calls on other European countries to follow their example and recognize a Palestinian state “in order to achieve a two-state solution based on international resolutions and the 1967 borders.” The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) also released a statement welcoming the decision by Norway, Spain and Ireland.
Hussein al-Sheikh, secretary general of the PLO’s Executive Committee, writes on X that these are “historical moments in which the free world triumphs for truth and justice after long decades of Palestinian national struggle” and that “this is the path to stability, security and peace in the region. Link —there are many who buy into Netanyahu’s statement that recognition of the Palestinian State and/or discussions that will lead to a two state solution is a prize for the terror of Hamas. In fact, it is just the opposite. Hamas’ main goal as it appears in their charter is the destruction of Israel. A two state solution that includes recognition of the State of Israel, which the PLO has also signed on to both by Arafat and Abu Mazen, is one of the best ways to hit back at Hamas and Iran. With this solution, most of the Arab and Muslim world will join in recognition and normalization with Israel. It is a game changer for the region and the only right thing for Israel. The first thing it would do would be to end the debilitating and destructive occupation of another people which is a rotting factor to our society and it gives us a chance to build a better future as an integral part of the region.
Hamas has released a statement condemning the residents of Gaza for celebrating the death of the Iranian president and foreign minister. Hamas also threatens to pursue and legally prosecute those who participated in the celebration.
Acronyms and Glossary
ICC - International Criminal Court in the Hague
IJC - International Court of Justice in the Hague
UAV - Unmanned Aerial vehicle, Drone. Could be used for surveillance and reconnaissance, or be weaponized with missiles or contain explosives for 'suicide' explosion mission
PA - Palestinian Authority - President Mahmud Abbas, aka Abu Mazen
PMO- Prime Minister's Office
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