🎗️Lonny's War Update- October 247, 2023 - June 9, 2024 🎗️

  

🎗️Day 247 that 120 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!

‎אין נצחון עד שכל החטופים בבית

Red Alerts - Missile, Rocket, Drone (UAV - unmanned aerial vehicles), and Terror Attacks and Death Announcements

*9:00pm last night- south - Rockets - Kfar Aza, Nir Am, Ibim, Sderot, Mefalsim, T'kuma - Gaza Border communities

*12:05pm- north - rockets/missiles - Snir, Shamir, Kfar Szold, Sha'ar Yeshuv, Upper Galilee

*12:15pm- north - hostile aircraft - Golan Heights, Upper Galilee

*12:55pm- north - hostile aircraft - Golan Heights, Upper Galilee

*1:25pm- north - hostile aircraft - Golan Heights, Upper Galilee

*1:35pm - south - rockets Holit, Sufa. Gaza Border communities

*2:50pm - south - rockets  Sufa. Gaza Border communities - A rocket exploded in an open area outside Kibbutz Sufa in the Gaza Strip, after an alarm warning of rocket and rocket fire was activated at the location.

*3:50pm - north - rockets/missiles - Avivim, Yiron

*4:20pm - north - rockets/missiles - Avivim, Yiron

*4:25pm - north - continuous rocket barrages to the Upper Gaililee

*4:35 - north - rockets/missiles kibbutz Malkia

*4:40 - north - rockets/missiles kibbutz Malkia

**Eliran Mizrahi, a post-traumatic reserve soldier, fought in Gaza after the October 7th attack until he was discharged due to an injury. The day before yesterday (Friday) he took his own life, after receiving a reserve duty order (Tzav 8). His family is demanding that he be recognized as an IDF casualty and that he receive a military funeral, but the Ministry of Defense and the IDF's Human Resources Directorate (Gaza) are refusing.

Mizrahi, 40, was a resident of Maale Adumim, married and father of four children - a 12-year-old daughter, 10-year-old son on the spectrum, 8-year-old daughter and 6-year-old daughter. He was a combat engineering soldier and operated a D9 bulldozer. His family said that on October 8th he evacuated bodies of those murdered at the "Nova" event near Kibbutz Re'im, and with the ground entry into Gaza - he entered with his team. Since then he had been in reserve duty until April. After being injured in Gaza he took a break, was integrated into the Rehabilitation Department at the Ministry of Defense and was recognized as post-traumatic and an IDF disabled veteran. Nevertheless, he received another Tzav 8 and was supposed to report today in Rafiah. Mizrahi's family is waging a battle with the Ministry of Defense to have him recognized as an IDF casualty and be buried in a military funeral. The Ministry of Defense and Gaza are refusing because he was not in active reserve duty. "The Ministry of Defense told us that he is not entitled to an official burial since he was not incorporated into the IDF," said family members, "even though today he was supposed to report for reserve duty - and that's what broke him."

"All of this happened only because of this war. He lost his soul in this war," his family recounted. His sister Shir added, "The man gave his life for this country and our army, doesn't he deserve a military burial? Instead of dealing with mourning, we're fighting for his honor."

Jenny, Mizrahi's mother, said, "Not a single army representative spoke to us since Friday. Only yesterday did they speak to his wife. My son did 186 reserve duty days, he was in Khan Yunis and Beit Hanoun, in all sectors, opened routes, he was at the forefront. He entered the war, suffered from post-trauma and the state is unwilling to give him a military funeral. We will not bury him until we get a military burial."  link  Yesterday, I listed 4 different issues that have occurred since October 7 where the army hasn't learned its own lessons. Unfortunately, this is another one and it cost the life a reserve soldier and has destroyed his family. The fact that he was already designated as post traumatic, the army had no right to issue him with another call up notice. And if that wasn't enough (and it should have been), the Defense Ministry is refusing to recognize him as a casualty of this horrible war because he wasn't serving at the time he killed himself. I'm sure we haven't heard the last of this.

May his memory be a blessing.

Hostage Updates 

• Relatives of dead hostages chide Netanyahu: ‘When it ends badly, he doesn’t come or call’- Some relatives of hostages who died in Gaza criticize Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for personally meeting the families of today’s rescued hostages, while sufficing with sending a written message when rescue attempts go awry.

  Avi Marciano, father of Noa Marciano who was murdered in captivity before her body was returned from Gaza, writes on Facebook: “I’m looking at Yaakov, the father of Noa Argamani, and can’t not be moved. I’m genuinely happy for all the families who got to embrace their loved ones. I’m also jealous. This highlights how our ending was bad. When it ends badly, the prime minister doesn’t come. He also doesn’t call.”

  Yonatan Shamriz, whose brother Alon was mistakenly killed by IDF troops along with two other hostages, chastises Netanyahu for “taking half a day to get a grip” on October 7, yet rushing today to meet the rescued hostages and their families “within 15 minutes.”

  Referring to comments by military officials that today’s rescue mission was a “hair’s breadth” between success and failure, Shamriz claims Netanyahu gambled “50-50” on the hostages’ lives, and that had it failed the families would “only have gotten a letter.”  link As with everything he does, whether to call or visit the families of hostages is a political decision for Netanyahu. He has never made a call to any of the families of the 1200 people killed on October 7, nor did he make a condolence call or invite them to meet with him. He deliberately doesn't have press conferences with Israeli press because he doesn't want to answer the questions that make him look bad. Reuven Yablonka, the father of Hanan Yablonka whose body was rescued 2 weeks ago (he was thought to still be alive) went to the hospital to be with the families of the returning hostages yesterday to give his support. He was asked if anyone has called him since Hanan's body was brought back for burial. He told that President Herzog called him and made a condolence visit during the Shiva as did some Knesset members and even a couple of ministers, but nothing from Netanyahu, not even a text message. Of course not, because his son was brought back dead and that is not good publicity for Netanyahu. The good of the country, the good of the hostages always comes a distant second behind what is good for Netanyahu. Video of Reuven Yablonka in hebrew
  
  **Opposition Leader Yair Lapid criticizes Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for not meeting with the families of those killed on October 7 or the hostages killed in Gaza. “If you are the prime minister – you are the prime minister of both successes and failures,” Lapid tells the Kan public broadcaster. “Disappearing when things don’t go your way is disgraceful, but is this something we didn’t know about before?”

  There has been growing criticism of Netanyahu for meeting personally with the families of the hostages rescued yesterday, while sufficing with sending a written message when rescue attempts go awry, or nothing at all in many cases.

  Former minister Izhar Shay, whose son IDF Sgt. Yaron Oree Shay was killed on October 7 defending an Israeli community during Hamas’s attack on Israel, posts a photo of his son with Netanyahu. “I am one of those bereaved parents who the prime minister did not bother to call. My son fell among heroes and in his death saved the lives of hundreds of citizens,” Shay writes. “But even if he had been murdered in his sleep or kidnapped from his home, a moral and honorable prime minister would have called to comfort and give strength. And to apologize that it happened on his watch. I’m not mad at him. Not at all. I despise him, wretched man,” he writes.  link

• US provided intel that helped Israel’s hostage rescue operation:

  Intelligence provided by the United States helped Israel carry out the successful mission to rescue the four hostages from Gaza, according to The New York Times.

  Citing unnamed American and Israeli officials briefed on the matter, the outlet says a team of American officials in Israel helped by “providing intelligence and other logistical support.”

  The report says that “Intelligence collection and analysis teams from the US and the UK have been in Israel throughout the war, assisting Israeli intelligence in collecting and analyzing information related to the hostages.” link It has come out that the US and UK have intelligence teams on the ground in Israel since October 7 and they have been sharing their intel with our intelligence agencies. They have drones flying over all of the areas of hostilities on a regular basis and that information was critical in the success of the operation.

• 

  
  Israel’s military operation that freed four hostages held by Hamas in Gaza’s Nuseirat refugee camp will not affect the current prisoner-hostage swap deal, according to the deputy chief of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror group.
  Mohammad Al-Hindi says that conditions for the deal remain the same, in comments to Hamas-affiliated Al-Aqsa TV. PIJ is an ally of Hamas in Gaza.

• Hamas' Arrogance Sin - Threats on the "Day After": This is How "Operation Armon" is Reflected in Gaza: The rescue of the four abducted may be the boldest undercover operation ever conducted by the IDF • The Palestinians began investigating and believe the forces entered in furniture trucks for displaced persons, the IDF Arabic spokesman denies • Hamas is examining whether the forces arrived from the direction of the American floating dock and warning of a "devastating impact on the lives of the abductees" • In Gaza, they attack the terror organization, which uses them as human shields

  The heroic operation in which Noa Argaman, Shlomi Ziv, Almog Jean and Andrei Kozlov were released was received with shock not only in Israel, but among Hamas militants as well. Alongside the complete surprise, the operation once again proved the cynical use by the terror organization of the Strip's residents as human shields. Its choice to hold the abductees in the heart of Gaza, in a populated area - above ground. How was the rescue operation perceived in the Strip - from the leaders down to the refugees?

  Bolder Than an Action Movie

  In recent years we have seen quite a few undercover operations by special units in areas under Israeli security control: from Nablus through Jenin to Hebron. These were always complex operations, but nothing was like this rescue operation - which looked as if it was taken from a well-written action thriller. Daylight battles, in the most hostile place possible: the Nuseirat refugee camp in the center of the Gaza Strip. On regular days, the refugee camp has about 50,000 residents - but today, during the war, there are many more. In addition to the refugees from Rafah, thousands of Hamas militants who fled the southern Strip in recent months are entrenched in Nuseirat. The army needed surprise. The forces did not arrive with thundering tanks, but quietly and in perfect order as part of a meticulously planned, sensitive and especially delicate operation. The goal was to get in, surprise and sting. According to Palestinian reports, the fighters entered in humanitarian aid trucks, of which there are many in the Strip. Furniture trucks for displaced persons, which were in fact a "Trojan horse" that allowed them to get close to the houses where the abductees were being held. This, as mentioned, based solely on reports on Palestinian websites.  

  Hamas Seeks Explanations

  Hamas' process of learning lessons has already begun. Hamas understands that the heavy blow they suffered stems, among other things, from their excessive self-confidence. The terror organization chose to "keep" the abductees above ground and not below it, in tunnels. They thought they would be safe there and that this place was out of the IDF's reach. They thought wrong. The terror organization is already examining from where that alleged truck arrived. Whether they managed to penetrate from the American floating dock or perhaps they came from the Egyptian direction instead. Hamas knows how to conduct investigations and draw lessons of this kind. We saw this, for example, in 2018, when a Matkal force (special forces) was caught in Khan Yunis - in an operation in which Lt. Col. Mahmoud Khair Al-Din was killed. Despite the reports, IDF Arabic spokesman Avichay Adraee stressed last night that "Our special forces did not enter the Nuseirat area through any vehicle or aid truck. They did not use the American floating jetty in any way during the operation."

  Reactions of Hamas Leaders  

  Israel's main concern is that the Gaza terror organization will carry out its threats that the daring rescue operation will lead to worsening conditions for the abductees still held captive by Hamas. The military wing's spokesman, Abu Ubaidah, warned that the operation "will pose a great danger to the hostages." And he added that "it (the operation) will have a devastating impact on their lives." Senior Hamas official Mahmoud Mardawi added that "Israel carried out a massacre in Nuseirat - with US assistance. The resistance will take steps that will affect the lives of the hostages after the operation." Many Gazans are not pointing an accusing finger at Israel or the US, but rather at Hamas. They level harsh accusations at it and claim, rightly, that it is they who turn them into human shields and that because of them so many refugees are being killed in the fighting. Even a member of Hamas' political bureau, Izzat al-Rishq, strongly attacked Israel and said: "They managed to free their hostages in a difficult and complex operation, under heavy fire - eight months after the start of the war. The resistance is still at the heart of the battle, and there are still many things on the agenda. The last word will always come from the resistance. This operation will not change the final price Israel will have to pay." link  Hamas has always used their own people as human shields. As the past 20 years have shown, Hamas doesn't give a damn about the suffering and deaths of Gazan Palestinians as long as it serves their purposes, especially in the area of propaganda, using their deaths as a symbol to show the world what Israel does to innocent Palestinian. Neither they nor the warped world of Hamas supporters cares that it is Hamas that deliberately puts their own people in this position. Even though Hamas was completely surprised and mortified by the daring operation that led to the rescue of 4 living hostages, they quickly got their act together to make certain statements that should make us all very nervous. They stated that this action will work against all the living hostages they are still holding (best estimates are that there are less than 70 living hostages of the 120 they are holding). It is very easy for them to make our hostages suffer even more and the greatest fear is that they may kill some of the hostages to make this point.  They also laughingly stated that none of the rescued hostages were soldiers. We all know that the most important hostages to Hamas are the soldiers or those they declare are soldiers (men and women falling in the range of active duty or reserve duty). This is the reason they put such a high price tag on soldiers in captivity. Their demand are for 300 Palestinian prisoners to be released for each soldier hostage release.
  From this rescue, we know that there were hostages being held above ground and not all of them in the tunnels. It is my assumption that they are holding all of the soldiers in the tunnels. As a result of this operation, we can be sure that they have moved any other hostages that were above ground to either other above ground locations or moved them into the tunnels as well. Even with all of the tunnels we have located and destroyed, American intelligence believes that we have only uncovered and destroyed around 35% of the Hamas tunnels, which means that they have ample spaces to move and keep moving our hostages.
  This operation was daring and incredible but we must remember that in 8 months of the war, the army has only succeeded in rescuing 7 living hostages  One of Hamas' spokesmen said that at this rate, it will take the army 20 years to rescue the remaining hostages. The only way for us to get the hostages home is through a deal!

• Yossi Jan, 57 the father of 22-year-old Almog Meir Jan, died several hours before his son's rescue from Hamas captivity in Gaza. Yossi was a resident of Kfar Saba and died at his home. Yesterday, family members arrived at his home to inform him of his son's rescue, but he was lifeless.

  Rabbi Lior Engelman, an acquaintance of the father, recounted that "On Friday I came to Yossi to give him challah for Shabbat and I didn't know what was behind the door. Yossi loved Almog with all his heart and agonized day after day. His heart could not take it and tragically, 20 hours before the joy that awaited him - he fell silent." Engelman added that "Yossi was a man whose life was not simple along the way, and the sorrow over Almog gnawed at him day by day."  Dina Jan, Yossi's sister, said in an interview this morning that she found him lifeless when she came to tell him about Almog's rescue. According to her, during the entire period that Almog was in captivity, her brother "was close to the television, clinging to every piece of information. He loved Almog so much and cared for him. Every deal that blew up in his face, his heart broke." May his memory be a blessing

  
  Almog Meir Jan after his rescue and before he knew of his father's death
  
  

  
  

• 
  

  A photo is released showing Andrey Kozlov, freed from Gaza in an Israeli military operation yesterday, meeting with his parents for the first time. Kozlov’s parents, who live in Russia, landed in Israel this morning and immediately went to see their son at Sheba Medical Center in Ramat Gan.

• According to the Argamani family, Noa was held in the home of a family that initially did not allow her to shower at all, but after she insisted again and again, the family eventually acquiesced to this request. Noa also said that she learned Arabic during her 246 days in captivity, which enabled her to converse with the family.

  She further related that the house from which the IDF rescued her belonged to a relatively wealthy family, and according to her, they gave her food whenever she asked. However, they said she was not allowed to go outside the house and hardly saw daylight. The head of the family that held her told her she was "blessed by Allah" and because she had come to them, he explained to her that her conditions were relatively good and said to her: "You're lucky with God that you ended up with our family."

  The family reports that Noa is smiling 'from ear to ear' and that her physical and mental health is good. Argaman confirmed in a conversation with her family that for a long period she was held captive with the abducted Yosef Sha'ari and Itai Savirsky, who were murdered by the Hamas terror organization.

  Noa met with her father for the first time at Sheba Hospital, where she underwent initial examinations - and from there she continued to Ichilov, where her mother, who is battling a serious illness, is hospitalized. Her father Yaakov shared, "It's just a dream - she was released on my birthday. She feels great and looks wonderful."

  From the details of the operation that were allowed to be published, it emerged that the vehicle to which Noa Argaman was evacuated from the building where she was held encountered a militant with an RPG. In a split-second decision, the fighters drove backwards and reported to the helicopter to eliminate the militants. Additionally, the truck with the three other abductees stopped due to an engine problem. 

  A fighter who was nearby provided a protective envelope for the truck, and additional forces provided a wide umbrella of bombardment. After minutes of managing difficult combat, they protected the hostages with their bodies and thus rescued them. Furthermore, the footage shown was from the operation in Nuseirat, whose purpose was to prepare for the rescue operation and lay the groundwork for it.

  Yaakov Argaman described the first meeting between Noa, who returned from captivity, and her mother Liora Argaman, who is hospitalized with terminal cancer, in an interview with Yael Dan on Galei Tzahal: "Unfortunately, Noa's mother is in very difficult condition, she barely looked at her. It wasn't the reaction I had hoped for after eight months, and it was very difficult, but I believe she did register that it was Noa. There was a half-reaction. She registered but couldn't express the feelings or what she had really been waiting to say to her when she met her."

  Additionally, regarding Noa's condition, he said, "Noa looks good, with the same beautiful face and beautiful smile - and it's so exciting. She's completely fine, so far I feel like I'm in a long dream."  link

• Without declaring an "end to the siege": "This is the Israeli proposal for a deal presented by Biden"  Hamas has not yet given its response, but the Al-Jazeera network has already published the clauses of the Israeli proposal, which includes a demand to release 7 captives within a week. Subsequently, wounded, elderly, men and soldiers will also be released - and finally bodies. It was not specified how many militants will be released. The U.S., Egypt and Qatar will be guarantors: "They will make an effort to ensure that discussions on the second stage will continue until an agreement is reached." The UN will assist in reconstruction, and when will there be a full withdrawal from Gaza?

• Was Noa Argaman, who was released in the daring IDF operation at the Nuseirat refugee camp along with three other captives, held by an Al-Jazeera journalist and his doctor father? This is at least implied by a publication by a Palestinian serving as chairman of the Euro-Mediterranean organization for monitoring human rights.
  According to testimony published by the chairman of the organization, IDF forces in Nuseirat broke into the home of Dr. Ahmad al-Jamal, and eliminated three of those present - who apparently held the released captive. The "journalist" who was eliminated, Abdullah al-Jamal, worked for Al-Jazeera and concurrently published almost daily articles about alleged Israeli "massacres." -- It has been confirmed that the 3 other rescued hostages were held in their house. They were cooperating with Hamas and getting paid for holding Almog, Andrei and Shlomi. Abdallah was in fact active in Hamas and not just getting paid to hold the hostages. Abdallah and his father were killed during the rescue as the fighters killed everyone who was holding our hostages. link 

  

Gaza 

• Israeli troops continue to operate in the central Gaza Strip following yesterday’s hostage rescue mission in Nuseirat, the military says.
  The IDF’s 98th Division launched an offensive last week in east Bureij and east Deir al-Balah — east and southeast of Nuseirat, where the rescue operation took place.
  The division had participated in the operation, striking numerous targets and terror operatives in the area as special forces rescued the four hostages, the military says.
  Meanwhile, operations also continue in southern Gaza’s Rafah, where the IDF says troops of the 162nd Division located several tunnel shafts, mortar launchers, and other weapons over the past day.
  And in the Netzarim Corridor in central Gaza, the IDF says a drone strike was carried out against a cell that had opened fire at troops operating in the area.
  Another airstrike was carried out against a mortar launcher at the Islamic University in southern Gaza City, after several projectiles were launched at troops in the corridor. No injuries were caused in the mortar attack.
  Numerous more strikes were carried out across Gaza over the past day. The IDF says one strike killed an Islamic Jihad field commander.

• Was Noa Argamani, who was freed in the IDF's daring operation in the Nuseirat refugee camp along with three other abductees, held by an "Al-Jazeera" journalist and his doctor father? At least that is what is implied in a publication by the Palestinian who serves as the chairman of the European Organization - High School for monitoring human rights.

According to testimony published by the chairman of the organization, IDF forces in Nusirat broke into the home of the doctor Ahmed al-Jamal, and killed three of those present - who were probably holding the hostage that was released. The "journalist" who was eliminated, Abdullah al-Jamal, worked for "Al-Jazeera" and at the same time published as a reporter almost daily articles about Israeli "massacres".

Northern Israel - Lebanon/Hizbollah

• Israeli fighter jets struck several Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon last night and this morning, the military says. The IDF says the targets hit last night included infrastructure in Aitaroun and buildings used by the terror group in Rab al-Thalathine This morning, a rocket launcher in Houla was struck, the IDF adds. Also this morning, several rockets were launched from Lebanon at the Misgav Am area. According to the IDF, the rockets struck open areas, causing no injuries. video
  
  

•  After firing the rockets and launching the UAVs towards the Finger of the Galilee and the northern Golan, Hezbollah's "Al-Manar" network reported that Israel was attacking with artillery several towns in southern Lebanon.

• IDF: Two anti-tank missiles penetrated from Lebanon and exploded in northern Golan, no casualties. Fires broke out in the area An IDF spokesman provided an update following the alerts activated in northern Golan and the Galilee Panhandle, stating that two anti-tank missiles were identified crossing from Lebanese territory and exploding in the northern Golan area. "There are no casualties and the incident is being investigated." It was further stated that fires subsequently broke out in the area, with firefighting forces operating at various locations. Additionally, the IDF spokesman stated, following alerts about rocket and missile fire activated at 12:07 pm, that around ten launches were identified crossing from Lebanese territory and exploding in open areas around Zaura, resulting in fires there as well. There are no casualties. The IDF struck the sources of fire.

West Bank

•     

Politics 

• Opposition Leader Yair Lapid announces the establishment of a “documentation center” for police violence in the wake of an incident last night in which police violently arrested a doctor treating a woman at an anti-government protest in Tel Aviv.

  “There is no explanation and it is impossible to accept the photos in which police officers brutally beat and drag away a doctor who is providing treatment in the field, even though he identifies himself as a medical professional,” Lapid writes on X, calling for an investigation into the officers involved.

  “This is not Ben Gvir’s police force but that of the citizens of Israel,” he states, referring to far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, whose ministry oversees law enforcement.

  Lapid provides an email address to send documentation of police brutality “to make sure that the information is not ‘lost.'”

  Widely shared video from last night’s protest in Tel Aviv shows a police officer trying to grab a man wearing an orange emergency vest as he is treating an injured protester. The man, identified by Walla News as Dr. Udi Baharav, pushes her away and is then violently detained by a group of police.

  National Unity chairman Benny Gantz and Health Minister Uriel Busso also condemn the incident. In a statement, Gantz calls for an investigation, emphasizing that the police “must remember that their job is to protect the citizens” and allow demonstrations. Police commanders “should act according to the law and not according to the spirit of the minister,” he says. Busso echoes Gantz’s call for an investigation, stating that police must “refine their procedures and make sure that what we saw last night does not happen again.”

  According to police, 33 protesters were arrested during demonstrations in Tel Aviv yesterday.  video of the police attack  The Israeli police have long been known to act violently towards civilians especially at demonstrations. However, under Ben Gvir it has gotten progressively worse as they receive encouragement and even instructions from the criminal minister to treat the demonstrators at the protests for the hostages and those against the government, as traitors to the state and deserving of violence and arrests. As Benny Gantz said  the police “should act according to the law and not according to the spirit of the minister,” 

• Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday evening issued a plea for war cabinet minister Benny Gantz to set aside his plans to bolt the emergency government, as the war cabinet minister was widely expected to do so before the successful rescue of four living hostages from Gaza.

  “This is the time for unity and not for division,” the premier wrote on X. “We must stay unified among ourselves in the face of the big tasks ahead of us. I call on Benny Gantz — don’t leave the emergency government. Don’t give up on unity.”

  In a statement issued minutes later, Gantz responded that “alongside the justified joy in the achievement, we must remember that all the challenges Israel faces have remained as they were. Therefore, I tell the prime minister and the entire leadership — today, too, we must consider responsibly how it is best and possible to continue from here.”  Earlier in the day, Gantz canceled a news conference planned for the evening, during which he was expected to announce his National Unity party was leaving the government.

  In a May 18 speech, Gantz issued an ultimatum to Netanyahu, demanding the premier present an agreed-upon vision for Gaza’s post-war governance. If Netanyahu failed to do so by June 8, the former Israel Defense Forces chief of staff threatened to pull his centrist party out of the government.

  Gantz’s decision to delay his exit from the coalition came after the military’s surprise announcement Saturday afternoon that special forces operating in central Gaza’s Nuseirat refugee camp rescued four hostages kidnapped by Hamas terrorists on October 7 from the Supernova musical festival Shas party chairman Aryeh Deri, an observer in the war cabinet, also called on Gantz not to leave the emergency coalition, promising that the government “will continue to do everything to return all the hostages home.” 

  “This is not the time for elections,” he said, stating that “Israel is still in the middle of a challenging campaign in the south and in the north and internal unity among us is critical in the continuation of the war, on the frontlines and on the home front.” full article Deri is so wrong, This is precisely the time for new elections. In fact, they should have been held months ago after the government should have taken responsibility for Oct 7 and resigned. As a reminder, the US had 2 elections during WW2 and the UK elected Churchill over Chamberlain during the beginning of the war and thank goodness they did. Netanyahu is our Chamberlain, but he refuses to take responsibility and leave. As for Gantz, it is very clear that his usefullness on the War Cabinet reached its climax a long time ago and throughout it all, Netanyahu has proven to put his own interests in front of the country's interest at every turn. Gantz should have left the government a long time ago. His press conference was rescheduled for this evening and I hope he will announce that he is finally leaving the government.  Netanyahu has not come through with a single one of Gantz demands from his letter of ultimatums that he presented last month. Based on that alone, it is time to walk the walk and not just talk the talk. Benny, Resign!

• Moshe Davidovich, head of the Asher Regional Council and chairman of the Line of Conflict Forum, said at the local government center conference under the title "Israeli Revival" that "the Israeli government treats the citizens of the north as a run over escapade with a bad plan of shielding for the north. The citizens are not prepared and are not protected." According to him, "The leadership in Israel now is not at the event, but is smearing us, that we are the state's scapegoat. The government should have done something else: not send people to hotels scattered all over the country, and also provide a response on the spot quite a bit too much and not too slowly as the government does."  --The translation is not very good, so I will explain. Davidovich (along with all the other northern council heads) are saying that the government is so out of it and has been totally removed from the reality of the situation in the north since the war began and it hasn't gotten any better. The government is besmirching the council heads and the northern residents, treating them as scapegoats for all the problems they are experiencing. The government has don't little for the residents except evacuating those who live withing 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) for over 8 months and anyone who lives a foot beyond has not been evacuated by the government and if they left the line of fire that they are in, it's on their dime. The Line of Conflict Forum has said the truth that the government has abandoned them and has shown no sign of changing.

The Region

• Two ships caught on fire after being hit by projectiles off Yemen’s Aden, two UK maritime agencies report.
  The British security firm Ambrey says an Antigua and Barbuda-flagged general cargo ship was struck by a missile 83 nautical miles southeast of Aden and caught fire. The fire was later contained.
  Earlier, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said it had received a report from a captain of a vessel of an incident 80 nautical miles southeast of Aden.
  “The ship was heading southwest along the Gulf of Aden at a speed of 8.2 knots when the forward station was struck by a missile. A fire started but was neutralized,” Ambrey says in an advisory note.
  “A second missile was sighted but did not hit the ship. Persons on board small boats in the vicinity opened fire on the ship during the incident.”
  Ambrey says the ship changed course to port and increased speed, adding that “no injuries were reported.”
  Separately, Ambrey and UKMTO say they received a report about another incident 70 nautical miles southwest of Aden.
  “The master reports that the vessel was hit by an unknown projectile on the aft section, which resulted in a fire. Damage control is underway,” UKMTO say in advisory note.
  They add that no casualties were reported and the vessel was proceeding to its next port of call.
  The Iran-backed Houthi rebels, which control the most populous parts of Yemen, has attacked ships off its coast for months, saying it is acting in solidarity with Palestinians amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.
  Houthi fighters have launched drone and missile attacks in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and Gulf of Aden, forcing shippers since November to take longer and more costly journeys around southern Africa.
  The United States and Britain have carried out strikes against Houthi targets in response to the attacks.

Acronyms and Glossary

COGAT - Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories

ICC - International Criminal Court in the Hague

IJC - International Court of Justice in the Hague

MDA - Magen David Adom - Israel Ambulance Corp

PA - Palestinian Authority - President Mahmud Abbas, aka Abu Mazen

PMO- Prime Minister's Office

UAV - Unmanned Aerial vehicle, Drone. Could be used for surveillance and reconnaissance, or be weaponized with missiles or contain explosives for 'suicide' explosion mission

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