π️Lonny's War Update- October 279, 2023 - July 11, 2024 π️
π️Day 279 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!ΧΧΧ Χ Χ¦ΧΧΧ Χ’Χ Χ©ΧΧ ΧΧΧΧΧ€ΧΧ ΧΧΧΧͺ
Red Alerts - Missile, Rocket, Drone (UAV - unmanned aerial vehicles), and Terror Attacks and Death Announcements
*8:00pm last night- north- rockets Shtula*10:10pm last night - north - Misgav Am
*9:20am - south- rockets Yated, Holit, Dekel, Sde Avraham, Avshalom, Yavul, Kerem Shalom
*10:40am - north - hostile aircraft - Dishon, Yiftach, Malia, Mevo'ot Hermon, Ramot Naftali
*9:20am - south- rockets Yated, Holit, Dekel, Sde Avraham, Avshalom, Yavul, Kerem Shalom
*10:40am - north - hostile aircraft - Dishon, Yiftach, Malia, Mevo'ot Hermon, Ramot Naftali
*11:00am - north - hostile aircraft - Hanita, Batzet, Leeman, Metuva, Rosh Hanikra, Shlomi, Achziv. Kabri, Ya'ara, Shlomi, Yechiam, Ein Yacuv, Givaton, Netiv Hashiyara*11:05am - north - rockets - Batzet *11:05am - north - hostile aircraft - Neve Ziv, Sheikh Danon*2:00pm - south - Rockets Nir Yisrael
Hostage Updates
The brother of hostage Itzik Elgarat, who was forcibly removed from a Knesset committee meeting earlier this week, is refused entry into the Knesset, Hebrew media says.
Danny Elgarat tells Haaretz he was refused entry after he passed through security and already was given a visitor’s tag.
“Someone called the Knesset sergeant-at-arms, and he came and said it was too close to the incident on Monday, that [the guards] were still traumatized,” he says, adding that he told the sergeant that he wanted to “lower the flames.”
However, the officer said it was “difficult” to change his position.
An official later tells Haaretz that Elgarat did not speak to the sergeant-at-arms, and must have spoken to someone else.
After that, Elgarat says the director general of the Knesset, Moshe Edri, came and affirmed the decision to not allow him entry.
“I could have caused a provocation, but I preferred not to do so because enough happened this week due to their lack of judgment,” Elgarat says.
“People are entering the Knesset who have been convicted of supporting terror; he’s called [National Security Minister Itamar] Ben Gvir. I thwarted terrorism my entire life and I cannot enter,” he says, referring to the far-right lawmaker’s past convictions.
Knesset guards on Monday forcibly dragged Elgarat out of a parliamentary committee meeting after he interrupted the brother of another abductee speaking out against the latest hostage agreement being negotiated between Israel and the terror group.
- Parents of surveillance soldiers slain on Oct. 7 make final plea to IDF for footage, recordings
Parents of surveillance soldiers killed during Hamas’s October 7 massacre say they will petition the High Court of Justice if the military does not give them footage and recordings of their daughters on the day.
“As long as the transfer of the above documentation to my clients does not harm the security of the state, there is no good reason to continue to keep it from my clients. Second, only through the requested documentation will my clients receive answers to their unanswered questions,” a letter by the parents’ lawyers to IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi says.
The letter tells Halevi he has a duty to the families of those who fell on October 7, and that their appeal comes after all other avenues were ignored by the military.
Lawyers ask for an answer to the request within 21 days.
- My brother’s Facebook post:
Hostage Updates
The brother of hostage Itzik Elgarat, who was forcibly removed from a Knesset committee meeting earlier this week, is refused entry into the Knesset, Hebrew media says.
Danny Elgarat tells Haaretz he was refused entry after he passed through security and already was given a visitor’s tag.
“Someone called the Knesset sergeant-at-arms, and he came and said it was too close to the incident on Monday, that [the guards] were still traumatized,” he says, adding that he told the sergeant that he wanted to “lower the flames.”
However, the officer said it was “difficult” to change his position.
An official later tells Haaretz that Elgarat did not speak to the sergeant-at-arms, and must have spoken to someone else.
After that, Elgarat says the director general of the Knesset, Moshe Edri, came and affirmed the decision to not allow him entry.
“I could have caused a provocation, but I preferred not to do so because enough happened this week due to their lack of judgment,” Elgarat says.
“People are entering the Knesset who have been convicted of supporting terror; he’s called [National Security Minister Itamar] Ben Gvir. I thwarted terrorism my entire life and I cannot enter,” he says, referring to the far-right lawmaker’s past convictions.
Knesset guards on Monday forcibly dragged Elgarat out of a parliamentary committee meeting after he interrupted the brother of another abductee speaking out against the latest hostage agreement being negotiated between Israel and the terror group.
- Parents of surveillance soldiers slain on Oct. 7 make final plea to IDF for footage, recordings
Parents of surveillance soldiers killed during Hamas’s October 7 massacre say they will petition the High Court of Justice if the military does not give them footage and recordings of their daughters on the day.
“As long as the transfer of the above documentation to my clients does not harm the security of the state, there is no good reason to continue to keep it from my clients. Second, only through the requested documentation will my clients receive answers to their unanswered questions,” a letter by the parents’ lawyers to IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi says.
The letter tells Halevi he has a duty to the families of those who fell on October 7, and that their appeal comes after all other avenues were ignored by the military.
Lawyers ask for an answer to the request within 21 days. - My brother’s Facebook post:
Some thoughts on the renewed negotiations:
First of all - the big issue - if this is what happened - then this is in fact a breakthrough - but i am totally unsure if Hamas has agreed to this:
Beginning the implementation of Phase I - 32 hostages, six weeks of ceasefire, Israeli redeployment outside of populated areas (where are these non-populated areas?), also the issue of number of humanitarian aid trucks and their delivery - who is in charge of distribution? Where? How? Movement of people from south to north? Who? How many people? When? Can Israel check them? The number of Palestinian prisoners to be released – the categories of prisoners? Israeli veto on names? Where are they released to? What are the terms of their release? Timing - prisoners to hostages? Who does the logistics - ICRC? someone else? - these are the main issues that must be answered if progress will be made.
Some additional questions: Why did Netanyahu agree to send only the head of the Mossad (Dede Barnea) and not the head of the Shabak (Ronen Bar) and the Chief Negotiator from the army (Nitzan Alon)? How much of a mandate did the Head of Mossad get from Netanyahu? Can any deal be accepted by Netanyahu’s government? If yes, would Ben Gvir and Smotrich remain in the government? Why is Israel negotiating for only 32 hostages and not all 120? Is it possible that Hamas was pressured into accepting a deal that does not obligate Israel to end the war or has the US promised Qatar and Egypt that the US would force the end of the war? Has the US received assurances from Lebanon that if the war in Gaza ends, the war in the north would also end?
There are many additional questions. I believe that I have the answers to some of them, but most remain without answers.
Gershon Baskin, July 5, 2024
- Gallant: The deal advances national interests; IDF Chief: Ultra-Orthodox can serve in a battalion in the Jordan Valley - and study Torah
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant spoke at a graduation ceremony at the National Security College. "Even in these hours, as IDF soldiers are working to eliminate Hamas, we have an obligation to bring the hostages home. This is a supreme moral imperative - and a declared war goal. The determined action of the defense establishment has created the conditions for the move to return the hostages." Gallant emphasized: "A limited window of opportunity has opened for us to fulfill our ethical and moral duty to return hostages. The conditions that will be created following the deal will advance our national and security interests, and as for the risks that may arise - the IDF and security forces know how to overcome them."
IDF Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi, also spoke. "Disputes among us inspire hope in our enemies, while solidarity and cohesion are key to our national security, today and in the future. An agreement for the return of hostages, beyond its importance in the urgent moral sense of saving lives, contains the basic values required for an exemplary society and a society that desires life," he said. Regarding the issue of the draft exemption law for yeshiva students, Halevi said, "The same applies to sharing the burden, or more precisely, the right to bear it. This too is necessary to ensure the existence of the State of Israel. Think about what could happen in war and in the economy when members of the ultra-Orthodox community enlist. A yeshiva in the Jordan Valley, for example, that combines Torah study with holding a battalion sector in defense, is something that can and must be done."
The Chief of Staff also referred to the main findings of the investigation conducted by the IDF in recent months on the management of the battles in Be'eri on October 7, which are expected to be published tomorrow. "On Simchat Torah, we failed our supreme test to provide security. We are investigating courageously in order to improve and to restore public trust in the IDF, the basis of our strength."
Additionally, the Chief of Staff addressed the continuation of the fighting. "The changing threats challenge the principle of managing short wars, which is a fundamental principle in Israel's security concept since its establishment. We have always strived for a quick decision against regular enemy armies, to remove threats and to release reserve forces early to their vital civilian role for the development of the state." Halevi emphasized: "The current war is different. This is a war against a destructive extreme idea, originating in Iran and its aspirations to destroy Israel, with its arms extended around us."
He added: "It's important to remember that alongside the military campaign, a war of consciousness and narratives is being waged in world public opinion. Commanders must understand that perception is not reality, but its influence on it is great. The world tends to support those perceived as weak, not those who are right. Israel is perceived as strong, and rightly so; it pays a price for this - unjustly - but if the condition for support is to be weak, it's better that we are strong." link The most important part of this article is that Galant has reached the point and says that a hostage deal is the most important thing to do at this time, even if we have to end the war for now. It goes above all else: politics, defeating Hamas, everything. Galant has been saying this for a few weeks already but now is the money time when a real deal can be worked out as long as Netanyahu doesn't kill it as he has every deal and every negotiation since November.
A senior Hamas official claims Israel is “intensifying” its military operations in the Gaza Strip in an attempt to pressure the terror group into a deal, and warns that it will have the opposite effect. In recent days, the IDF has issued evacuation warnings in Gaza City, and earlier today said it had wrapped up a two-week raid in the eastern Shejaiya neighborhood. At the same time, the IDF has been continuing to operate in southern Gaza’s Rafah, and elsewhere across northern Gaza and the center of the Strip.
The IDF is also investigating reports that dozens of Palestinian civilians were killed and wounded in a strike in Khan Younis earlier this week. The IDF said a fighter jet launched a “precision munition” during a strike against a Hamas terrorist who had participated in the October 7 massacre.
Speaking to AFP about what he says are increased military operations, Hamas official Hossam Badran says that Israel “is trying to pressure negotiations by intensifying bombing operations, displacement and committing massacres”.
As long-stalled diplomatic efforts have gathered pace, aiming for a hostage release deal and Gaza truce after more than nine months of devastating war, Badran claims Israel was trying to force Hamas’s hands.
The Israeli government is “hoping that the resistance will relinquish its legitimate demands,” which include a complete ceasefire and full withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, he says, but adds that “the continuation of massacres compels us to adhere to our demands,” he said.
On Sunday, a Hamas official told AFP on condition of anonymity that the group was ready to discuss a hostage release deal with Israel even without a “complete” ceasefire.
But now, Badran says, “we cannot determine to what extent the negotiations can proceed despite the flexibility we have shown.”
Families of hostages have set out on the first leg of a four-day march from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem to call for a hostage deal after Einav Zangauker — whose son Matan is held hostage in Gaza — alleged earlier today that the police were refusing to approve the route.
Following Zangauker’s statement, the Israel Police said it was working to approve the route, and that Police Commissioner Kobi Shabtai had spoken to her to explain the difficulties with ensuring the safety of the marchers walking on Route 1 — one of the country’s busiest routes.
The march organizers received permission late in the afternoon to proceed with the first leg of the route and are appealing for the remaining days to be approved, as well, Walla news reports.
Families of hostages set out on the first leg of a four-day march from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem to call for a hostage deal, July 10, 2024. (Yael Gadot/Pro-Democracy Protest Movement)
- Crucial Moments at the Doha Summit: Israel's Condition for the Deal - and the Mediators' Solutions
As part of the 4 limiting principles set - Netanyahu demands preventing thousands of armed militants from returning to northern Gaza • Return of unarmed Gazans will only be allowed under American guarantees • Hamas aims to integrate militants among civilians in northern Gaza • Still - one of the main focus points: the issue of Rafah and the Philadelphi Corridor
Mossad chief Dadi Barnea left today (Wednesday) for summit talks in Doha - with big question marks hovering over the negotiations. The summit's goal is, of course, to reach a deal for the return of the hostages, and the teams are already preparing for the approaching decision. **What Israel won't be willing to compromise on - and what difficulties is Hamas posing? N12 clarifies**
Mossad chief Dadi Barnea left today (Wednesday) for summit talks in Doha - with big question marks hovering over the negotiations. The summit's goal is, of course, to reach a deal for the return of the hostages, and the teams are already preparing for the approaching decision. **What Israel won't be willing to compromise on - and what difficulties is Hamas posing? N12 clarifies**
Israel has repeatedly demonstrated flexibility towards Hamas but has also defined its red lines. One of the clauses that Prime Minister Netanyahu added as part of the four principles to be maintained in the negotiations is preventing thousands of armed militants from returning from southern Gaza to the north. This clause is also perceived among foreign sources as an Israeli decision to remain in the corridor that bisects Gaza. Tonight we are publishing for the first time that as part of the dialogue between Israel and the U.S. on the deal components, Israel says it is willing to allow Gazans to return to northern Gaza, but asks the U.S. to agree to sign a guarantee that in case of a deal, and armed militants move to northern Gaza, this would be a clear violation of the agreement - and Israel could resume fighting.
This way, Israel would withdraw from the corridor but ensure that only unarmed Gazans return to northern Gaza. This move won't be so simple because this agreement has another side - Hamas. It's clear that the terrorist organization wants to return militants northward so they can blend in among the civilian population. In Doha, they are preparing for a particularly intensive series of discussions, which could continue tomorrow. The most important thing now is to anchor the agreements between the parties to make room for narrowing the gaps. A significant gap is the Philadelphi Corridor and the Rafah crossing. When Netanyahu's outline was launched with Biden's approval, Israel did not control the Philadelphi Corridor and the Rafah crossing. Now Israel is trying to see how, on one hand, it can maintain the asset to prevent reinforcement, and on the other hand, allow the deal to be implemented.
In Cairo, Israeli, American, and Egyptian proposals were raised, talking about sensors along the corridor. Also, Israel expressed agreement to the Palestinian presence at the Rafah crossing, but without Hamas and without the Palestinian Authority flag. Now Hamas's agreement is also needed. Sources familiar with the negotiation details say with cautious optimism that there seems to be a possibility to reach an agreement and that the conditions are optimal. However, we need to keep a finger on the pulse and also examine Sinwar's steps and his willingness to reach an agreement. It's also important to understand that as close as we are to an agreement, we are close to an explosion. The rope can be pulled to both sides and now everything depends on the leadership.
Netanyahu's office, on the other hand, claimed that "The report is incorrect. Prime Minister Netanyahu stands firm on the security principles for the deal, including preventing the transfer of weapons and militants to northern Gaza, as well as Israeli control over the Philadelphi Corridor and Rafah crossing, and not just settling for external guarantees for this." link
- Israel and the Hamas terror group have agreed to hand over control of the Gaza Strip to a new Palestinian force during the crucial second stage of a three-phase proposal for a ceasefire and hostage-prisoner release deal in the war-torn territory, the Washington Post reported Wednesday.
Citing unnamed US officials, the report by commentator David Ignatius said that a US-trained force of 2,500 supporters of the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority would be charged with security in Gaza. Members of the force are to be drawn from those who are already in Gaza and have been vetted by Israel. The force would also be backed by moderate Arab states, the report said.
There was no confirmation of the report from Israel or Hamas. But the report comes a week after two Israelis and one US official told The Times of Israel that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office has privately been walking back its opposition to the involvement of individuals linked to the PA in managing Gaza after the war. Hamas seized control of Gaza from the PA in 2007 in a bloody coup, and the rival Palestinian groups have remained at odds ever since, with Hamas the de facto ruler of Gaza.
The reported development appears to address one of the key elements of the process of transitioning from Hamas rule to an alternative regime in Gaza, which is a declared aim of Israel’s military offensive prompted by Hamas’s devastating October 7 attack.
During that massive cross-border assault, thousands of Hamas-led terrorists killed some 1,200 people in Israel and abducted 251 who were taken as hostages to Gaza. Israel has vowed to destroy Hamas, topple its regime and free the hostages.
US officials told the Post that both Israel and Hamas have shown willingness to accept an “interim governance” plan that would start in the second phase of the deal.
One official told the Post that Hamas has said it is “prepared to relinquish authority to the interim governance arrangement.” link This is a very early report and no official has confirmed it. Currently, I am very skeptical on a number of points. While Hamas has stated unofficially that it is willing to give up municipal control of the Strip, they have continually stated and demanded that they will be the security and military force in the strip, meaning a continuation of their strong hold on the population and terror activities. This, they are not willing to relinquish at all. The other aspect of this is Netanyahu agreeing that the PA will fill the governing role of Gaza, something that he has fought tooth and nail throughout. I could see that people associated with the PA could be amenable to him, but not as officially being part of the PA. We need to wait and see what comes from official sources and not from commentators.
Gaza
The IDF says it has wrapped up its two-week-long raid in Gaza City’s Shejaiya neighborhood, during which combat engineers demolished eight major tunnels and killed more than 150 gunmen.
IDF troops operate in Gaza City's Shejaiya neighborhood, in a handout image published July 10, 2024 (Israel Defense Forces)
It publishes new footage showing one of the tunnels, and of it being destroyed by the elite Yahalom combat engineering unit. In the past day, two tunnels were destroyed in Shejaiya, bringing the total amid the operation to eight, according to the IDF.In the tunnels, the IDF says troops with the 98th Division found weapons, laptops and other military equipment used by Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad operatives.
The IDF also releases footage showing a small drone sent into a building by soldiers of the Paratroopers Brigade and identifying two gunmen. According to the IDF, tanks shelled the building, killing the pair.
Two IDF reservists with the Alexandroni Brigade were seriously wounded this morning during fighting in Gaza City, the military announces.
According to an initial military probe, the troops were wounded by an explosive device. The troops were taken to hospitals in Israel for treatment.
The IDF says it has wrapped up its two-week-long raid in Gaza City’s Shejaiya neighborhood, during which combat engineers demolished eight major tunnels and killed more than 150 gunmen.
In the tunnels, the IDF says troops with the 98th Division found weapons, laptops and other military equipment used by Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad operatives.
The IDF also releases footage showing a small drone sent into a building by soldiers of the Paratroopers Brigade and identifying two gunmen. According to the IDF, tanks shelled the building, killing the pair.
Two IDF reservists with the Alexandroni Brigade were seriously wounded this morning during fighting in Gaza City, the military announces.
According to an initial military probe, the troops were wounded by an explosive device. The troops were taken to hospitals in Israel for treatment.
Northern Israel - Lebanon/Hizbollah/Syria
- **Son Bids Farewell to Parents Killed in Golan: "I Won't Forget You. I've Taken Responsibility to Look After My Siblings"**
**Matan, the eldest son of Noa and Nir Barness who were killed by a direct hit on their car in the Golan Heights, eulogized his parents on Instagram: "I have no words, I can't believe it. Thank you, Mom and Dad, for the best life possible". In a statement before their funeral, he said: "We are definitely not orphans"**
**"You are pure in soul and body, I miss our private jokes":** This is what 18-year-old Matan, the eldest son of Noa Adar Barness and Nir Barness, who were killed yesterday (Tuesday) by a rocket hit on their car in the Golan, wrote. Matan bid farewell to his parents, writing on his Instagram account that "I have no words to describe how hurt and confused I am. I feel like I wasn't told enough, I can't believe it. Thank you, Mom and Dad, for the best life possible. You taught me so many things that make me strong today. I know you're proud of me up there, and I'm sure you're sitting and saying 'wow, what a family we have'". I wanted to say sorry if I ever hurt you, you are my breath of air. Pure people in soul and body. Good people who always helped everyone, funny people with whom every minute was joy and laughter. I miss our private jokes, I'll always remember that Barness is a brand. In one word - thank you."
Before his parents' funeral in Netanya, Matan made a statement: "We are not alone, and every time someone writes that we've been left orphans, we are really, really not orphans. We have family and friends of my parents surrounding us. I want to tell my parents that they are amazing, amazing, amazing parents and I will never forget that."
Noa and Nir, 46, from Kibbutz Ortal and parents to three children aged 13, 16, and 18, were initially critically injured by the rocket hit, and later pronounced dead at the scene. Nir previously worked as CEO of the "Ortal Kibbutz Tourism" hospitality complex and managed the farm's poultry sector, while Noa worked as a chocolatier - creating chocolate and leading workshops - and was the secretary of the kibbutz's orchard sector.
After the announcement of their death, Hagar Adar, Noa's sister, said: "We are still in shock. They took half a day off for errands in Karmiel, I spoke with them half an hour before it happened. I can't believe Noa is gone, we were three sisters. This coming Friday we were supposed to have a sisters' evening with Mom who wanted to meet with us. We will wrap the children with the whole family, they understand and know what happened and are involved in the decisions we'll need to make."
The incident occurred after sirens were activated in several different areas in the Golan, where about 40 rockets were fired from Lebanon. Fire and Rescue services updated after the incident that seven firefighting teams worked to extinguish fires that broke out due to the barrage. It was reported that there were more than eight fire spots in open areas as a result of the falls.
The MDA paramedics who arrived at the scene, Aviv Atari and Tarek Hayeb, said: "Immediately after the sirens, we received a report of two casualties and headed to the location. We arrived at the area and the sight was difficult. We saw a car that took a direct hit, and in its front part a man and woman unconscious who were critically injured. During the medical treatment, additional sirens were heard and we ran to take shelter and treated the incident under the sirens. Army forces assisted us on site. This is a very difficult incident."
From Kibbutz Ortal, where the couple and their children lived, it was reported: "Heavy mourning has descended on Kibbutz Ortal. Noa and Nir Barness, members of the kibbutz, were killed by a direct hit on their car. Noa and Nir were central and beloved members of Ortal. They came to Ortal in 2012. The Ortal community is strong and united, supporting the family and coping with the situation."
He added: "They gave me everything and gave me the best life I could have. They have now given me the responsibility to look after my siblings, and I think they gave me this honor. And that's it. I'm ready to take on this decision. There are people with me who will always help me. Thank you for all the concern, and those who write, it warms (our hearts - Y.K.) very much. Thank you very much."
May their memories forever be a blessing.
Several Hezbollah operatives spotted entering a building in southern Lebanon’s Tayr Harfa earlier today were targeted in an airstrike, the IDF says.
The operatives had been identified by troops with the 228th “Alon” Brigade using a drone. A short while later the building was struck by a fighter jet.
Separately, additional Hezbollah sites in Taybeh were struck, the IDF adds.
One rocket was also fired from Lebanon at the Shtula area this evening. According to the IDF, the projectile struck an open area. video
- Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah says that the terror group’s goal throughout the last nine months of near-daily attacks on northern Israel is to “exhaust the enemy materially, financially and mentally,” and claims that it has achieved this.
Speaking at a memorial event for senior Hezbollah official Mohammed Nasser, who was killed in an Israeli strike last week, Nasrallah claims that the clashes on the Lebanon border have successfully distracted Israel from the ongoing war against Hamas in Gaza. The situation in northern Israel has “made them understand that if they want it to stop, they must stop the aggression in Gaza,” he adds.
He says that if there is a breakthrough in the ongoing negotiations between Israel and Hamas that results in a ceasefire in Gaza, Hezbollah will “also cease” its attacks on Israel “without any discussion or negotiation.” -- there is every reason to believe that Hizbollah will stop hostilities if a deal is reached in Gaza. That is precisely what happened in November with the only hostage deal. This, however leaves Hizbollah in place with all of the danger and threats it presents to the North and all over Israel. As Hezbollah continues to launch near-daily attacks on northern Israel, analysts believe that the Iran-backed terror group has stockpiled 130,000 to 150,000 rockets and missiles, the Washington Post says in a report examining the group’s weapons arsenal and the extent of the attacks it could be capable of launching against Israel in a full-fledged war.
According to the report, the majority of Hezbollah’s weapons are low-grade unguided munitions, but they could still overwhelm Israel’s aerial defenses if launched in large enough quantities.
Israel has “already spent a lot of Iron Dome interceptors during the war in Gaza,” Fabian Hinz, a defense and military analyst at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, tells the Washington Post. “How many do they have left?”
In addition, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has also claimed that the group possesses precision-guided missiles, although they have never been revealed to the public.
Another weapon that could call into doubt Israel’s level of preparation is the short-range “Fatah” ballistic missile that Hezbollah has in its arsenal, the report says. The missile can travel 155 to 186 miles and contains 992 to 1,1012 pounds of explosives.
While Israel has the necessary air defense to defend itself against smaller drone and missile attacks, Shaan Shaikh, a fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and deputy director of its Missile Defense Project, tells the Washington Post that it may not be able to do so against Fatah missiles and others like it.
“How effective are David’s Sling and Arrow interceptors against these missiles?” he says. “Can the IDF detect, track and fire on these missiles while they’re being prepped for launch?”
- **Son Bids Farewell to Parents Killed in Golan: "I Won't Forget You. I've Taken Responsibility to Look After My Siblings"****Matan, the eldest son of Noa and Nir Barness who were killed by a direct hit on their car in the Golan Heights, eulogized his parents on Instagram: "I have no words, I can't believe it. Thank you, Mom and Dad, for the best life possible". In a statement before their funeral, he said: "We are definitely not orphans"****"You are pure in soul and body, I miss our private jokes":** This is what 18-year-old Matan, the eldest son of Noa Adar Barness and Nir Barness, who were killed yesterday (Tuesday) by a rocket hit on their car in the Golan, wrote. Matan bid farewell to his parents, writing on his Instagram account that "I have no words to describe how hurt and confused I am. I feel like I wasn't told enough, I can't believe it. Thank you, Mom and Dad, for the best life possible. You taught me so many things that make me strong today. I know you're proud of me up there, and I'm sure you're sitting and saying 'wow, what a family we have'". I wanted to say sorry if I ever hurt you, you are my breath of air. Pure people in soul and body. Good people who always helped everyone, funny people with whom every minute was joy and laughter. I miss our private jokes, I'll always remember that Barness is a brand. In one word - thank you."Before his parents' funeral in Netanya, Matan made a statement: "We are not alone, and every time someone writes that we've been left orphans, we are really, really not orphans. We have family and friends of my parents surrounding us. I want to tell my parents that they are amazing, amazing, amazing parents and I will never forget that."Noa and Nir, 46, from Kibbutz Ortal and parents to three children aged 13, 16, and 18, were initially critically injured by the rocket hit, and later pronounced dead at the scene. Nir previously worked as CEO of the "Ortal Kibbutz Tourism" hospitality complex and managed the farm's poultry sector, while Noa worked as a chocolatier - creating chocolate and leading workshops - and was the secretary of the kibbutz's orchard sector.After the announcement of their death, Hagar Adar, Noa's sister, said: "We are still in shock. They took half a day off for errands in Karmiel, I spoke with them half an hour before it happened. I can't believe Noa is gone, we were three sisters. This coming Friday we were supposed to have a sisters' evening with Mom who wanted to meet with us. We will wrap the children with the whole family, they understand and know what happened and are involved in the decisions we'll need to make."The incident occurred after sirens were activated in several different areas in the Golan, where about 40 rockets were fired from Lebanon. Fire and Rescue services updated after the incident that seven firefighting teams worked to extinguish fires that broke out due to the barrage. It was reported that there were more than eight fire spots in open areas as a result of the falls.The MDA paramedics who arrived at the scene, Aviv Atari and Tarek Hayeb, said: "Immediately after the sirens, we received a report of two casualties and headed to the location. We arrived at the area and the sight was difficult. We saw a car that took a direct hit, and in its front part a man and woman unconscious who were critically injured. During the medical treatment, additional sirens were heard and we ran to take shelter and treated the incident under the sirens. Army forces assisted us on site. This is a very difficult incident."From Kibbutz Ortal, where the couple and their children lived, it was reported: "Heavy mourning has descended on Kibbutz Ortal. Noa and Nir Barness, members of the kibbutz, were killed by a direct hit on their car. Noa and Nir were central and beloved members of Ortal. They came to Ortal in 2012. The Ortal community is strong and united, supporting the family and coping with the situation."He added: "They gave me everything and gave me the best life I could have. They have now given me the responsibility to look after my siblings, and I think they gave me this honor. And that's it. I'm ready to take on this decision. There are people with me who will always help me. Thank you for all the concern, and those who write, it warms (our hearts - Y.K.) very much. Thank you very much."
May their memories forever be a blessing. Several Hezbollah operatives spotted entering a building in southern Lebanon’s Tayr Harfa earlier today were targeted in an airstrike, the IDF says.
The operatives had been identified by troops with the 228th “Alon” Brigade using a drone. A short while later the building was struck by a fighter jet.
Separately, additional Hezbollah sites in Taybeh were struck, the IDF adds.
One rocket was also fired from Lebanon at the Shtula area this evening. According to the IDF, the projectile struck an open area. video
- Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah says that the terror group’s goal throughout the last nine months of near-daily attacks on northern Israel is to “exhaust the enemy materially, financially and mentally,” and claims that it has achieved this.
Speaking at a memorial event for senior Hezbollah official Mohammed Nasser, who was killed in an Israeli strike last week, Nasrallah claims that the clashes on the Lebanon border have successfully distracted Israel from the ongoing war against Hamas in Gaza. The situation in northern Israel has “made them understand that if they want it to stop, they must stop the aggression in Gaza,” he adds.
He says that if there is a breakthrough in the ongoing negotiations between Israel and Hamas that results in a ceasefire in Gaza, Hezbollah will “also cease” its attacks on Israel “without any discussion or negotiation.” -- there is every reason to believe that Hizbollah will stop hostilities if a deal is reached in Gaza. That is precisely what happened in November with the only hostage deal. This, however leaves Hizbollah in place with all of the danger and threats it presents to the North and all over Israel. As Hezbollah continues to launch near-daily attacks on northern Israel, analysts believe that the Iran-backed terror group has stockpiled 130,000 to 150,000 rockets and missiles, the Washington Post says in a report examining the group’s weapons arsenal and the extent of the attacks it could be capable of launching against Israel in a full-fledged war.
According to the report, the majority of Hezbollah’s weapons are low-grade unguided munitions, but they could still overwhelm Israel’s aerial defenses if launched in large enough quantities.
Israel has “already spent a lot of Iron Dome interceptors during the war in Gaza,” Fabian Hinz, a defense and military analyst at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, tells the Washington Post. “How many do they have left?”
In addition, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has also claimed that the group possesses precision-guided missiles, although they have never been revealed to the public.
Another weapon that could call into doubt Israel’s level of preparation is the short-range “Fatah” ballistic missile that Hezbollah has in its arsenal, the report says. The missile can travel 155 to 186 miles and contains 992 to 1,1012 pounds of explosives.
While Israel has the necessary air defense to defend itself against smaller drone and missile attacks, Shaan Shaikh, a fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and deputy director of its Missile Defense Project, tells the Washington Post that it may not be able to do so against Fatah missiles and others like it.
“How effective are David’s Sling and Arrow interceptors against these missiles?” he says. “Can the IDF detect, track and fire on these missiles while they’re being prepped for launch?”
West Bank and Jerusalem
Politics and the War (general news)
Associates of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are considering whether Defense Minister Yoav Gallant should be fired in the coming months, due to what they say is his break from positions held by the coalition, Channel 12 reports.
According to the report, Netanyahu’s associates believe that Gallant is no longer beholden to the governing coalition, and as such must be removed from the role of defense minister. The associates have also accused him of being the source of leaks that have emerged from cabinet meetings in recent months.
The report claims that those close to the prime minister believe that if he is to be fired, it should be done during the Knesset’s upcoming summer recess, to avoid the possibility of it triggering elections.
The Prime Minister’s Office denies the report and insists that there is no animosity between the premier and the defense minister.
Gallant was fired by Netanyahu in March 2023 after he called for the government to pause its controversial judicial overhaul legislation. He was reinstated a month later when Netanyahu reversed his decision.
- General Appealed to Attorney General: Concern That Attempts Were Made to Alter War Protocols in the Prime Minister's Office
Associates of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are considering whether Defense Minister Yoav Gallant should be fired in the coming months, due to what they say is his break from positions held by the coalition, Channel 12 reports.
According to the report, Netanyahu’s associates believe that Gallant is no longer beholden to the governing coalition, and as such must be removed from the role of defense minister. The associates have also accused him of being the source of leaks that have emerged from cabinet meetings in recent months.
The report claims that those close to the prime minister believe that if he is to be fired, it should be done during the Knesset’s upcoming summer recess, to avoid the possibility of it triggering elections.
The Prime Minister’s Office denies the report and insists that there is no animosity between the premier and the defense minister.
Gallant was fired by Netanyahu in March 2023 after he called for the government to pause its controversial judicial overhaul legislation. He was reinstated a month later when Netanyahu reversed his decision.
**Exclusive:** Netanyahu's former military secretary, Major General Avi Gil, approached Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara on the matter. Even before that, sources in the Prime Minister's Office claimed that during the war, attempts were made to change some of the protocols of cabinet discussions and even transcripts of security phone calls. Prime Minister's Office: "Absolute lie"
The IDF and the defense establishment are concerned that attempts were made to alter transcripts and protocols of cabinet discussions and even phone calls about security updates with decision-makers, primarily Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The Prime Minister's former military secretary, Major General Avi Gil, sent a letter to the Attorney General on the matter several months ago. Senior officials familiar with the issue said the letter was received by Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara without copies. Sources in the defense establishment claim that since the beginning of the war, they have identified gaps between some of the transcripts and the discussions and conversations as they actually took place.
It now turns out that individuals in the Prime Minister's Office privately approached the Prime Minister's Military Secretary Gil, warning that an attempt was made by elements in Netanyahu's office during the war to change, or in their words "tamper with", some of the protocols or transcripts retroactively after several meetings. One of these classified discussions dealt with sensitive preparations for a significant political event. Netanyahu's office's attempt was allegedly made directly to Prime Minister's Office employees who deal with protocols.
Senior officials in the political system added that some of the restricted cabinet meetings, held at the beginning of the war in the "pit" in the Kirya, were transferred to the Prime Minister's Office; they said that while every discussion in the pit is recorded, in the Prime Minister's Office chambers (in the Kirya or Jerusalem) they have no such certainty. Senior officials in the defense establishment have been updated on the matter in recent months.
As a reminder, a few weeks after the war began, the Attorney General issued a directive to the head of the National Security Council, Tzachi Hanegbi, to collect classified documents that were handed over to the Prime Minister's Office and dealt with the months before the war. The documents were allegedly collected in preparation for a possible investigation into the reasons and failures that led to the war. Among other things, Gidi Weitz published in Haaretz at the time that Chief of Staff Tzachi Braverman requested from stenographers in the Prime Minister's Office the full protocols of the meetings.
No response was received from the IDF, nor from Major General Avi Gil. No response was given from the Attorney General's office.
Following an inquiry to the Prime Minister's Office, it was stated: "Absolute lie, a report that never was and never existed. Anyone familiar with the work processes knows that such an event is not possible. All discussions are recorded and transcribed by law - and therefore their content cannot be changed." link This account should not be discounted at all. We cannot believe for a minute the response from the Prime Minister's office that it is lie. The PMO have issued lies multiple times throughout the war and when confronted with publication of the truth over the lies, the response has always been silence. Netanyahu's cronies have one major job and that is to protect Netanyahu, so the possibility of changes made in protocols is definitely believable.
Senior Sephardic rabbis in Israel have instructed yeshiva students to ignore any IDF recruitment orders that they receive in the coming weeks, and ban them from reporting at recruitment offices, even if it is to seek an exemption, according to Hebrew media reports.
The decision taken by the Sephardic rabbinical leadership stems from anger over the decision to start issuing recruitment orders to ultra-Orthodox men starting next month, as well as over the proposed law being discussed by the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, which seeks to introduce recruitment targets.
In their letter, the rabbis claim that the recruitment targets will bring about “the destruction of the Torah” and the “souls of a holy people.” link Many of these same rabbis receive their salaries from the State and they are calling on the yeshiva students to disregard legal draft calls. That is incitement to commit a crime. At the very least, these state salaried rabbis should be fired but it shouldn't stop there. They should be brought up on charges. If there was a public school principal who did the same, call to her students to illegally disregard their draft notices, that school principal would immediately be called to a hearing at the Education Ministry and possible fired, and then may have charges filed against her. There is supposed to be the same laws for all, but we all know that this is not true.- Head of Shin Bet’s southern district resigns over Oct. 7 failures – report
The head of the Shin Bet’s southern district has resigned from his role, making him the first member of the security agency to quit over the failures surrounding the October 7 Hamas terror onslaught, Channel 12 reports.
In a speech during his send-off from the organization, the security official said that he felt “a personal and moral obligation to ask for forgiveness from all those whose loved ones were murdered, whose children fell in battle, who were taken hostage and returned to Israel and those who are still held in captivity by the enemy, and all those who became displaced in their country,” the report says.
“Your forgiveness will not dull the failure but it will help to repair it,” the report cites him as saying. “It will never glue the fragments of the shattered heart back together, but it can strengthen the light that remains in the heart, in order to defeat the darkness.
Replacing him as head of the southern district is a senior official from the Shin Bet’s West Bank division, Channel 12 says.
The Region and the World
- FBI agents have taken testimonies from the survivors and relatives of victims of the October 7 massacre as the US Justice Department builds a case against financial backers of the Hamas terror group, Bloomberg reports.
The case is targeting avenues of support to the Hamas terror group, including funding from Qatar and Iran, sources familiar with the investigation tell Bloomberg.
According to the report, former hostages and the families of US citizens murdered during the devastating onslaught have provided footage and texts from those slain in order to create a detailed chronology of the massacre and identify its perpetrators.
A spokesperson for the US Justice Department declines to comment on the report.
The Biden administration has released about half of the shipment of heavy bombs it has withheld from Israel since May over concerns the IDF would use them in densely populated areas of Gaza, a US official tells The Times of Israel.
In May, the White House announced a decision to withhold a shipment of 1,800 2,000-lb bombs and 1,700 500-lb bombs, with US President Joe Biden threatening to freeze additional offensive weaponry if Israel launched a major military offensive in Gaza’s southernmost city of Rafah where over one million Palestinians were sheltering at the time.
Israel subsequently tailored its operations to account for the administration’s concerns of mass-civilian casualties, and the sides were on a path to resolve the issue of the withheld shipment, an Israeli official tells The Times of Israel.
But last month, Netanyahu publicly claimed that the US had adopted a broader policy of withholding weapons shipments from Israel, infuriating the Biden administration, and setting back efforts to at least partially release the withheld shipment of heavy bombs, the Israeli official says.
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant managed to patch over some of the disagreements during his visit to Washington in late June, the Israeli official adds, pointing to the subsequent US decision to release the 1,700 500-lb bombs.
Netanyahu has claimed that he only went public with the dispute over weapon transfers after months of efforts to solve the issue privately failed.
“We’ve been clear that our concern has been on the end-use of the 2,000-lb bombs, particularly in advance of Israel’s Rafah campaign, which they have announced they are concluding,” the US official says.
“Because of how these shipments are put together, other munitions may sometimes be co-mingled. That’s what happened here with the 500-lb bombs.”
“Since our main concern had been and remains the potential use of 2,000 lb bombs in Rafah and elsewhere in Gaza, the 500-lb bombs are moving forward as part of the usual process,” the US official adds. link Netanyahu's statements were made to draw attention away from his own petty political issues and they were a direct slap in the face to Israel's greatest supporter, Biden. No other president in the history of the US and Israel has proven themselves to be a better supporter than Biden. He not only talks the talk but he walks the walk even at his own political peril. Anyone who thinks that Biden is not the greatest supporter that Israel has ever had has no real idea of what has gone on for the past 9 months.
Personal Stories 
In no war in our people's history has there been a moment where so many entire/partial families or couples were wiped out together.On 10/7, this happened. The least I can do is remember and remind others of them.
The Siman Tov family: Tamar Kedem, Yonatan, and children Shahar, Arbel, and Omer.The Kotz family: Parents Livnat and Aviv, and children Rotem, Yonatan, and Yiftach.The Kapshitzer family: Parents Zhenya and Dina, and children Alin and Eitan.
Families almost entirely wiped out:The Sharabi family: Mother Liane, daughters Noya and Yahel (Eli Sharabi, the father, kidnapped and fate unknown)The Bira family: Parents Yasmin and Oron and daughters Tair and Tahel. Their son remained alone, without parents and sisters.The Even family: Parents Rinat and Chen, and sons Alon and Ido (two children survived).The Zohar family: Parents Yaniv and Yasmin and daughters Keshet and Tchelet (son Ariel survived)The Alkuraan family: Four children killed by a rocket: Emil, Jawad, Muhammad, and Malik.The Hatzroni family: Twins Yanai and Liel, caretaker grandfather Aviya, and caretaker aunt Ayala (the twins' mother, Shira, survived).The Bibas family - fate unknown: Parents Yarden and Shiri and their children Ariel and Kfir.
Couples murdered together:Noah and Maayan Hershkowitz, Be'eriAmir and Mati Weiss, Be'eriRafi and Orit Svirsky, Be'eriSami and Ofra Kedar, Be'eriEvyatar and Lilach Kipnis, Be'eriYitzhak and Hanna Siton with their son Tal, Be'eriDror and Yonit Or, Be'eriMeni and Ayelet Godard, Be'eriMarina and Igor Lusev, Be'eriZe'ev and Zahava Hecker, Be'eriShmulik and Yehudit Weiss, Be'eriMarcel and Dror Kaplon, Be'eriMordechai Nave and Yona Fricker, Be'eriYona Cohen, Ohad Cohen, Mila Cohen, Be'eri (grandmother, son, granddaughter)Sergey and Victoria Gordeskul, OfakimYiftach and Maria Yachangilov, OfakimVladimir and Sonia Popov, OfakimDolev and Odia Swisa, SderotRonit and Roland Sultan, HolitShahar and Shlomi Matias, HolitMeir and Liz Alharrar, HolitEinav and Matias Bornstein, KarmielAvner and Maya Goren, Nir OzJudy and Gadi Hagai, Nir OzYossi and Margit Silverman, Nir OzBilha and Yakovi Yanon, Netiv HaAsaraAyelet Nir and Shlomo Molcho, Netiv HaAsaraRuti and Aryeh Akuni and their daughter Or, Netiv HaAsaraYizhar and Gila Peled with their son Daniel, Kfar AzaItai and Hadar Berdichevsky, Kfar AzaRam and Lili Itamari, Kfar AzaRoi and Smadar Idan, Kfar AzaAviv and Dorit Wertheim, Kfar AzaEitan and Tami Ziv, Kfar AzaYigal and Cindy Flash, Kfar AzaOrly and David Schwartzman, Kfar AzaNoam Elikim and Dikla Arava, along with Dikla's son Tomer, Nahal OzItai and Eti Zak along with their son Sagi, KisufimAdir and Shiraz Tamam, HolonNaji and Gal Abdush, Kiryat EkronEinav and Or Levy, Rishon LeZion (Einav murdered, Or kidnapped and fate unknown)Noa and Nir Baranes, Ortal.
The data was taken from a post by Nathanel Elinson who took the trouble to collect it himself.
The case is targeting avenues of support to the Hamas terror group, including funding from Qatar and Iran, sources familiar with the investigation tell Bloomberg.
According to the report, former hostages and the families of US citizens murdered during the devastating onslaught have provided footage and texts from those slain in order to create a detailed chronology of the massacre and identify its perpetrators.
A spokesperson for the US Justice Department declines to comment on the report.The Biden administration has released about half of the shipment of heavy bombs it has withheld from Israel since May over concerns the IDF would use them in densely populated areas of Gaza, a US official tells The Times of Israel.
In May, the White House announced a decision to withhold a shipment of 1,800 2,000-lb bombs and 1,700 500-lb bombs, with US President Joe Biden threatening to freeze additional offensive weaponry if Israel launched a major military offensive in Gaza’s southernmost city of Rafah where over one million Palestinians were sheltering at the time.
Israel subsequently tailored its operations to account for the administration’s concerns of mass-civilian casualties, and the sides were on a path to resolve the issue of the withheld shipment, an Israeli official tells The Times of Israel.
But last month, Netanyahu publicly claimed that the US had adopted a broader policy of withholding weapons shipments from Israel, infuriating the Biden administration, and setting back efforts to at least partially release the withheld shipment of heavy bombs, the Israeli official says.
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant managed to patch over some of the disagreements during his visit to Washington in late June, the Israeli official adds, pointing to the subsequent US decision to release the 1,700 500-lb bombs.
Netanyahu has claimed that he only went public with the dispute over weapon transfers after months of efforts to solve the issue privately failed.
“We’ve been clear that our concern has been on the end-use of the 2,000-lb bombs, particularly in advance of Israel’s Rafah campaign, which they have announced they are concluding,” the US official says.
“Because of how these shipments are put together, other munitions may sometimes be co-mingled. That’s what happened here with the 500-lb bombs.”
“Since our main concern had been and remains the potential use of 2,000 lb bombs in Rafah and elsewhere in Gaza, the 500-lb bombs are moving forward as part of the usual process,” the US official adds. link Netanyahu's statements were made to draw attention away from his own petty political issues and they were a direct slap in the face to Israel's greatest supporter, Biden. No other president in the history of the US and Israel has proven themselves to be a better supporter than Biden. He not only talks the talk but he walks the walk even at his own political peril. Anyone who thinks that Biden is not the greatest supporter that Israel has ever had has no real idea of what has gone on for the past 9 months.
Acronyms and Glossary
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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