π️Lonny's War Update- October 318, 2023 - August 19, 2024 π️
π️Day 318 that 115 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!!!”
Dolev, Tamir and Johnny, three friends from Nir Oz - all gone
The late Dolev Yehud - was buried June 5 in Kibbutz Nir Oz.
The late Johnny (Yonathan) Siman Tov - buried in Kibbutz Nir Oz.
The late Tamir Adar - his body being held captive by Hamas.
In the photo, the three of them are full of life in a moment of pure happiness on Dolev's wedding day.
We’re waiting for you, all of you.
A deal is the only way to bring
all the hostages home- the murdered for burial and the living for rehabilitation.
#BringThemHomeNow #TurnTheHorrorIntoHope
Dolev, Tamir and Johnny, three friends from Nir Oz - all gone
The late Dolev Yehud - was buried June 5 in Kibbutz Nir Oz.
The late Johnny (Yonathan) Siman Tov - buried in Kibbutz Nir Oz.
The late Tamir Adar - his body being held captive by Hamas.
In the photo, the three of them are full of life in a moment of pure happiness on Dolev's wedding day.
A deal is the only way to bring
all the hostages home- the murdered for burial and the living for rehabilitation.
#BringThemHomeNow #TurnTheHorrorIntoHope
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
*7:50pm yesterday - north - rockets Even Menahem, Zra'it, Netua, Shomera, Shtula
*8:00pm yesterday - attempted Suicide bomber terror attack in Tel Aviv. The terrorist had an 8 kilogram (18pound) backpack of explosives and it appears that he was headed to a packed synagogue to blow himself up and kill as many as possible. Fortunately, his bomb exploded prematurely and he was the only one killed. Islamic Jihad and Hamas have taken credit for the attempt, but there is no information yet, who was behind the attack*6:35am- north -rockets Hanita
*6:35am- north - hostile aircraft- Lochemei Haghetto’ot, Mizra’a, Regba, Achziv, Batzet, Metzuba, Hanita*6:40am- north- hostile aircraft- Metzuba, Leeman, Shlomi, Batzet, Yaara, Avdon, Gesher Haziv, Nahariya, Saar*7:00am- north -rockets- Shtula, Shomera, Zra’it *7:30am- north - rockets Zra’it, Even Menahem, Shomera, Shtula*2:40pm - north - rockets Hanita
*4:00pm - north - rockets Marglaiot
**An Israeli civilian security guard was killed in a terror attack yesterday at the Bar-On industrial park near the West Bank settlement of Kedumim on Sunday, the military and medics said.
The man had reported to the Israel Defense Forces on Sunday that he had been attacked by a Palestinian assailant with a hammer. The man, in his mid-30s, was on duty in the industrial park, located in the northern West Bank, at the time of the attack.
According to medics who arrived on the scene of the attack, the man was hit over the head with a hammer. He was taken to Beilinson Hospital in Petah Tikva in critical condition, where his death was later declared.
In a statement, the IDF said that during the attack, the assailant snatched the security guard’s handgun and fled the scene. “Many IDF troops have begun a pursuit of the terrorist,” the IDF added. A military source said that the terrorist was not holed up in the industrial park.. His name is Gidon Peri, 38 from Kedumin. May his memory forever be a blessing.
**The army announced the death of a non commissioned officer and another seriously wounded in a Hizbollah explosive drone attack in the north today. Chief Warrant Officer Mahmood Amaria, 45, a tracker from the northern Beduin village of Ibtin.
May his memory forever be a blessing
*8:00pm yesterday - attempted Suicide bomber terror attack in Tel Aviv. The terrorist had an 8 kilogram (18pound) backpack of explosives and it appears that he was headed to a packed synagogue to blow himself up and kill as many as possible. Fortunately, his bomb exploded prematurely and he was the only one killed. Islamic Jihad and Hamas have taken credit for the attempt, but there is no information yet, who was behind the attack
*6:35am- north - hostile aircraft- Lochemei Haghetto’ot, Mizra’a, Regba, Achziv, Batzet, Metzuba, Hanita
*4:00pm - north - rockets Marglaiot
**An Israeli civilian security guard was killed in a terror attack yesterday at the Bar-On industrial park near the West Bank settlement of Kedumim on Sunday, the military and medics said.
The man had reported to the Israel Defense Forces on Sunday that he had been attacked by a Palestinian assailant with a hammer. The man, in his mid-30s, was on duty in the industrial park, located in the northern West Bank, at the time of the attack.
According to medics who arrived on the scene of the attack, the man was hit over the head with a hammer. He was taken to Beilinson Hospital in Petah Tikva in critical condition, where his death was later declared.
In a statement, the IDF said that during the attack, the assailant snatched the security guard’s handgun and fled the scene. “Many IDF troops have begun a pursuit of the terrorist,” the IDF added. A military source said that the terrorist was not holed up in the industrial park.. His name is Gidon Peri, 38 from Kedumin. May his memory forever be a blessing.
**The army announced the death of a non commissioned officer and another seriously wounded in a Hizbollah explosive drone attack in the north today. Chief Warrant Officer Mahmood Amaria, 45, a tracker from the northern Beduin village of Ibtin.
May his memory forever be a blessing
Hostage Updates
- Hamas' refusal, Gallant's warning, Biden's optimism - and the sharp debate: "Losing a deal"
Negotiations are in crisis, despite optimism from the Qatar summit, and just before the Cairo meeting. Hamas claimed Netanyahu's conditions prevent an agreement: "The offer meets his demands." The Defense Minister warned of a regional war, staff members urged the PM to be flexible, and his office accused "leakers." Hostage families responded: "Foot-dragging costs lives."
Pessimism prevails among those involved in talks to release the hostages, despite the optimism expressed by some sources after the Doha summit last weekend. Meanwhile, two delegations are working - one still in Qatar, and another arriving for the summit in Cairo this weekend.
Hamas did not unequivocally reject the outline but said yesterday (Sunday) that the new proposal "meets Netanyahu's demands, including postponing a permanent ceasefire and not fully withdrawing from Gaza," preventing a deal. The terrorist organization's statement read: "The new proposal responds to Netanyahu's conditions and aligns with them, especially postponing a permanent ceasefire and comprehensive withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, and his insistence on continuing the occupation of Netzarim, Rafah crossing, and the Philadelphia Corridor. New conditions were also set in the prisoner exchange file, and Netanyahu backtracked on other conditions - which prevents the completion of the deal."
Hamas claimed: "We see Netanyahu as solely responsible for thwarting the mediators' efforts and preventing an agreement, and responsible for the lives of his hostages and the danger to which our people are exposed, as a result of his ongoing aggression in the Gaza Strip. We confirm our commitment to the agreements reached on July 2, based on Biden's statement and the Security Council resolution, and we call on the mediators to take responsibility and compel the occupation to implement what was agreed upon."
U.S. President Joe Biden sounded optimistic last night when he told reporters that he believes a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip is "still possible," and that Washington is "not giving up on its efforts" on the issue.
Meanwhile, a working-level delegation composed of representatives from the Shin Bet, IDF, and Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories left for Cairo. A source familiar with the negotiations said the situation is currently complex and delicate, requiring patience for a couple of days to see developments. According to him, it's clear that without compromise from Netanyahu - there will be no deal. However, it's also important to understand Sinwar's red lines, and an Israeli senior official claims that Hamas is keeping its cards close to its chest. "Maybe he's waiting for the development of a regional war with Iran and Hezbollah. Only if he realizes he has no choice, a deal might be possible. Qatar and Egypt are committed to showing the United States that they're applying pressure, but in fact, they have no real leverage over Hamas," the senior official claimed.
Against this complex backdrop, a sharp dispute erupted between the negotiating team and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a meeting held yesterday. Team members pushed for flexibility and warned of losing the opportunity for a deal. According to security sources, negotiating team members are very frustrated and feel the deal is slipping through their fingers. There's a sense that Netanyahu is not interested in a deal and is relying on Sinwar's refusal.
In the same meeting, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant demanded to bring the issue for discussion in the expanded cabinet, saying that Israel is at a strategic crossroads, with not only the moral choice between "deal - yes or no" on the table, but "regional war - yes or no." Gallant warned that if the deal falls through, the chances of Israel being dragged into a regional war will increase.
The Prime Minister's Office yesterday accused "serial leakers" of damaging the ability to advance a deal. The office stated that these leakers "claimed for months that Hamas would never agree to give up ending the war as a condition for a deal, and suggested surrendering to Hamas' demand. They were wrong then - and they are wrong today. The Prime Minister firmly insisted on this fundamental demand - which is crucial to achieving the war's objectives - and Hamas changed its position."
It was further stated: "Even today, the Prime Minister insists that we remain in the Philadelphia Corridor to prevent the re-arming of terrorist elements. The Prime Minister will continue to work to promote a deal that will maximize the number of living hostages and allow the achievement of all war objectives."
In response, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum criticized Netanyahu and the government. "More than ten months have passed. The war and foot-dragging have come at a costly and unforgivable price in the lives of the hostages. We would like to remind the Prime Minister that the vast majority of hostages were released in a deal. Eight months have passed, and the government has failed to bring about another deal. 115 hostages are waiting for their country to bring them home; we will not allow another failure.
"Until the last hostage returns home, it means that the State of Israel and its leader have not done everything in their power to bring them back. Only the return of all hostages will restore hope to the State of Israel, lives to rehabilitation, and the fallen and murdered to burial in their land."
At the beginning of yesterday's government meeting, Netanyahu referred to the ongoing deal talks after the Qatar summit, saying: "We are conducting negotiations, not giving in. There are things we can be flexible about, and there are things we cannot be flexible about - and we insist on them." Netanyahu will meet today at 11:00 AM in the PM's office with U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, who arrived in Israel last night. At the start of his remarks, the PM made it clear that Israel is "prepared to defend itself and respond severely to any threat." He added that "we are determined to defend ourselves, and we are also determined to exact a very heavy price from any enemy who dares to attack us - from any arena." Regarding the contacts, he noted that "in parallel, we are negotiating the release of our hostages. This is a moral and national mission of the highest order. We are conducting very complex negotiations with a murderous, unscrupulous, and recalcitrant terrorist organization on the other side."
He emphasized: "We are conducting negotiations, not giving in. There are things we can be flexible about, and there are things we cannot be flexible about - and we insist on them. We know very well how to distinguish between the two. Therefore, alongside the tremendous efforts we are making to bring back our hostages, we stand firm on the principles we have set, which are essential for Israel's security."
He clarified that these principles "are in line with the May 27 outline, which received American support," and wished to emphasize again that "Hamas, until this moment, sticks to its refusal. It didn't even send a representative to the talks in Doha. Therefore, the pressure should be directed at Hamas and Sinwar, not the Israeli government. Strong military pressure and strong political pressure are the way to achieve the release of our hostages."
Despite once again trying to shift the blame for foot-dragging to Sinwar, a senior government official told ynet that Netanyahu "fears a deal because he doesn't want the war to end." According to him, "He will always find an excuse why a deal can't be made. Netanyahu understands that the meaning of a deal is the end of the war and the end of the government, and therefore he won't execute it." link
- In the defense establishment, there are calls for a deal now: "Temporary concessions to bring back living hostages"
Officials in the defense establishment are not optimistic about the complex negotiations in Doha and Cairo, but believe that at this timing, Israel has the upper hand - and should strive for a deal. They also believe that the ceasefire, if and when it happens, should be used to prepare for war against Hezbollah. "How much longer can we keep the residents of the north out of their homes?" said sources in the defense establishment who are familiar with the negotiations that moved from Qatar to Egypt to achieve a ceasefire in the region and a hostage deal. They don't currently identify optimistic signs for reaching an agreement - and therefore believe that a way to progress towards an arrangement should be found. The desired direction from their perspective: changing the war objectives and building up forces for a possible confrontation with Hezbollah in Lebanon.
"We have the upper hand at this timing," said a security official. "The Philadelphia Corridor is more of a political issue than a security one, and the agreement being formulated now is for the return of hostages and not for the day after and the end of the war. We can always return and take control of the corridor when we decide. What exactly will happen in six to eight weeks of ceasefire? Will Hamas dig tunnels? No. The concession is temporary to bring back living hostages. If this deal is missed, what will we say to ourselves? That we wasted an opportunity because of a few weeks' pause in fighting?"
Another security official believes that the current time should be used to prepare for changing the war's objectives (toppling Hamas rule, destroying its military capabilities, removing the terror threat from the Gaza Strip to Israel, and freeing the hostages), and to build up forces for a possible war against Hezbollah. In Israel, it's understood that Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah will not give up on revenge against Israel following the assassination of Fuad Shukr in Beirut's Dahieh, and such an event could escalate from a "ping-pong" of mutual responses to a wider war.
"How many more months can we keep the residents of the north out of their homes?" say the security officials who support changing the war's objectives. "From a strategic view, it's said that the U.S. is pushing for an agreement that serves Israel by reducing pressure against Iran and Hezbollah. The most important card we hold is returning to fighting, and we intend to stand by this as we did in the previous hostage deal in November."
In Israel, it's estimated that Hezbollah will attack soon, and is just waiting for a crisis in the negotiations for a ceasefire and hostage deal. It's further estimated that the Shiite terror organization will carry out extensive fire into Israeli territory, and for the first time in the war, will include Tel Aviv in the circle of launches. This way, Nasrallah won't appear to be the one who blew up the deal, but from his perspective, he'll have justification to attack. This is an updated assessment, but Israel is certainly preparing for this scenario as well.
While eyes are on the continuation of negotiations for a ceasefire and hostage deal, senior security officials warned in the political-security cabinet meeting held on Thursday that the Iranian or Hezbollah revenge for the assassination of Fuad Shukr in Beirut and Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran doesn't have to include a missile and drone attack, but could also involve attempts to assassinate ministers, members of Knesset, senior IDF officers past and present, and former senior officials in the Mossad and Shin Bet.
Following the concern of assassination attempts on Israeli officials, the Shin Bet has increased its alertness and simultaneously issued strict guidelines to all relevant bodies. In accordance with the increased vigilance following the assassinations in Lebanon and Iran, there is an assessment that harming a senior Israeli official would be considered a huge achievement. The recommendation to all potential targets is to increase vigilance.
The negotiations for a deal have now moved to Cairo, and an Israeli working-level delegation has departed for the Egyptian capital. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the issue at the start of the government meeting: "We are conducting negotiations, not giving in. There are things we can be flexible about, and there are things we cannot be flexible about - and we insist on them."
Netanyahu emphasized: "We are conducting negotiations, not giving in. There are things we can be flexible about, and there are things we cannot be flexible about - and we insist on them. We know very well how to distinguish between the two. Therefore, alongside the tremendous efforts we are making to bring back our hostages, we stand firm on the principles we have set, which are essential for Israel's security." link
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has asked Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to hold deliberations on the potential hostage-ceasefire deal with the participation of the full cabinet, rather than in the current small forum that includes Netanyahu, Gallant, Minister Ron Dermer and MK Aryeh Deri, Channel 12 news reports.
Gallant is arguing that the deliberations on the deal are of vast national significance, going beyond even the issue of terms for the return of the hostages, and extending to the potential for a descent into regional war.
Ordinarily, the full cabinet would only be required to approve a finalized deal. But, Gallant has reportedly told Netanyahu, it is inappropriate for the discussions over the deal to be held in any forum other than the full cabinet because of the potential implications, the TV report says.
Gallant has reportedly made the request of Netanyahu twice — on Thursday and again today, in the presence of the three senior security officials, Mossad’s David Barnea, Shin Bet’s Ronen Bar and the IDF’s Nitzan Alon, who have been leading the negotiations. Netanyahu has not agreed to it thus far, the report says.
It cites Gallant saying that Israel is at a strategic crossroads and that if there is no deal, there is a growing risk of military escalation, ultimately leading to potentially unstoppable regional war involving Hezbollah and Iran. Thus the authority for how the negotiations play out should rest with the full cabinet.
The same Channel 12 report also claims that Netanyahu, in their meeting today, complained to the negotiators that they were too ready to compromise during their contacts with the mediators of the potential deal.
“You are carrying out negotiations. You can’t fold after two days,” Netanyahu reportedly chastised them.
In response, the negotiators were quoted saying: “We have not been negotiating for two days. We have been negotiating for months. [Control of the] Philadelphi Corridor [along the Gaza-Egypt border] is not a security issue [for the period while the deal is being implemented]. We will return there [with the IDF] if we need to [later].”
Netanyahu’s demand for an ongoing Israeli presence along the Philadelphi Corridor, and Hamas’s rejection of the demand, is widely reported to be one of the key obstacles to a potential deal. Link
After a three-hour meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Jerusalem on Monday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu put out a statement publicly backing the latest US “bridging proposal” that was presented to Israel and conveyed to Hamas at the end of talks in Doha last week.
“The Prime Minister reiterated Israel’s commitment to the current American proposal on the release of our hostages, which takes into account Israel’s security needs, which he strongly insists on,” the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement issued in Hebrew and English.
The statement marked the first time Netanyahu publicly endorsed the latest US formula.
On Saturday, Israel had cautiously welcomed the new US proposal. The PMO put out a statement at the time saying the proposal “contains components that are acceptable to Israel.”
Hamas rejected the US formula on Sunday night. In its statement, Hamas charged that Netanyahu “sets new conditions and demands” to thwart the talks and prolong the war in Gaza.
The terror group further claimed that the latest US-backed text was aligned with Israel’s demands.
The proposal, designed by the US to enable the finalizing of a hostages-for-ceasefire deal by the end of this week, seeks to solve disagreements over the continued deployment of Israeli forces along the Gaza-Egypt border and in the Netzarim Corridor in central Gaza, among other sticking points.
Channel 12 news reported on Monday evening that the US proposal provides for “some kind” of ongoing Israeli presence on the Philadelphi Corridor on the border with Egypt. However, it added, Israel’s negotiators have told Netanyahu that this is not acceptable to Hamas and that there will be no deal if he insists upon it. On Saturday, several Hebrew media outlets, including Channel 12, had reported that the bridging proposal does not provide for an Israeli presence on the Philadelphi Corridor, or for a mechanism in central Gaza to prevent the return of armed Hamas forces to the Strip’s north, as also demanded by Netanyahu.
According to the Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar on Monday, Israel agreed to gradually reduce the number of soldiers deployed on the Philadelphi Corridor, while in return Cairo agreed not to set a timetable for the troops’ complete withdrawal.
Egyptian officials still insisted that a full withdrawal be conducted as soon as possible, according to a source familiar with the talks quoted by Al-Akhbar. Egypt further asked the US negotiators to speed up the delivery of the equipment designated to secure the border route, and pledged to “work to ensure that there are no tunnels operating under it” through which weaponry could be smuggled into Gaza.
In addition to demanding an ongoing IDF presence along the Egypt-Gaza border and a mechanism to prevent Hamas fighters from moving north inside the Strip, Netanyahu has also insisted that Israel retain the right to resume the battle against Hamas in order to achieve both of the war’s declared aims — the release of all hostages and the destruction of Hamas.
It is not clear how the US “bridging proposal,” which has not been published, seeks to resolve these issues.
Netanyahu told Blinken in their meeting — which his office described as “positive” — that he would send his top negotiators to a summit in Cairo later this week, an Israeli official told The Times of Israel.
The team will be led by Mossad chief David Barnea, Shin Bet director Ronen Bar, and IDF hostage point man Nitzan Alon. full article Much of this report is speculation as there have not been any official statements. What we can be sure of is that Netanyahu has to ability and power to either make the deal and bring our hostages home or kill the deal as he has done until now, and sacrifice all of the living hostages. The bottom line for his is always politics and his own personal standing. If making a deal will suit his political position and standing, he will make the deal. If he feels that it will do damage to his political situation, he will make sure it fails, even if it means all of the hostages will die.
My brother's interview in the Guardian: These ceasefire talks have been doomed to fail – Netanyahu and Hamas have tied negotiators’ hands
Another round of ceasefire and hostage talks, this time in
Doha, has ended in disappointment. This is in large part because Israel’s prime
minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, is unlikely to accept any agreement that Hamas
could present as a victory – and has handcuffed the Israeli mediators with
conditions that appear impossible for Hamas to accept.
Beyond the substance of any potential agreement between the
two sides is the emotional juice of so much of the Israeli-Palestinian relationship:
the battle for national dignity and honour. Huge quantities of explosives have
been dropped on Gaza by Israel since 7 October because of the humiliation felt
by all Israelis, and especially Israel’s leaders and military. So much of this
war over more than 10 months has been fought on both sides as a war of revenge.
Nonetheless, it also has major strategic consequences for Israel, Hamas, the
Palestinian people, the nations of the region, and the world’s major powers –
above all the United States.
Hamas will view and present any agreement with Israel that
ends the war in Gaza, leads to the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the strip,
and releases Palestinian prisoners, as a victory and Israeli surrender.
Therefore Israeli negotiators will not agree to a full withdrawal, and are
demanding long-term Israeli military presence along the Gaza-Egypt border, and
a security mechanism that would ensure that armed Hamas and other military
personnel cannot move from the south of Gaza to the north. In addition,
Netanyahu is demanding a veto on the Palestinian prisoners who would be
released in the deal, and that those serving life sentences would be deported
outside Palestine for life. These additional conditions are unacceptable to
Hamas.
It is also difficult to imagine that Netanyahu will make any
deal with Hamas before the killing of the main Hamas leaders in Gaza, primarily
Yahya Sinwar. When the Israeli military finds Sinwar and kills him, there are
likely to be Israeli hostages surrounding him and the bunker may be
booby-trapped with explosives. There is likely to be a fight to the death that
may result in Israeli soldiers and hostages being killed as well as the Hamas
leaders and their soldiers. There is also a risk that Hamas militants will kill
more hostages when their leader is killed. For most of the people of Israel,
there is no victory without the return of the remaining Israeli hostages in
Gaza. Yet these negotiations make clear that Netanyahu has put his impossible
goal of total victory before their safe return. Many of them may no longer be
alive, whether killed by Hamas or Israeli bombs. There is a possibility that
some of those bodies may never be found and returned. Historically, Israel’s
ethos has been centered on the principle that no one is left behind. The world
was stunned in 2011 when Israel released 1,027 Palestinian prisoners (of whom
more than 300 were serving life terms for violent attacks) in exchange for just
one Israeli soldier. At the time, about 80% of Israelis supported that deal and
26 members of Netanyahu’s government voted in favour of it, with only three
ministers in opposition. That ethos seems now to be broken. No one can accuse
Netanyahu of not wanting to bring the hostages home, but it seems quite clear
that this is not his first priority. Most Israeli pundits believe that
Netanyahu’s “total victory” is more about extending the war for as long as
possible in order to remain in power. The prime minister is slowly rising in
the polls as his base, which in good part had deserted him after the Hamas
attack, begins to return.
The chances of successful Israeli-Hamas negotiations ride on
the amount of leverage mediators are willing to apply to both sides as fresh
talks resume next week. The US has significant power over Israel, both in the
political cover that the US provides Israel in the UN and in the ability to
stop the flow of bombs to Israel. The US could say that it would have Israel’s
back if it were attacked by Iran or by Hezbollah, but it would no longer
provide bombs for Israel to drop on Gaza. Egypt and Qatar each have significant
leverage over Hamas: parts of the Hamas leadership are based in Doha, while the
Rafah crossing has acted as a lifeline to the Gaza Strip. There are reported to
be 160,000 Palestinians who escaped the horrors of the war in Gaza and who are
overstaying their visas in Egypt. This is another point of leverage on Hamas,
or on the Palestinian people.
At this point, more than 10 months into the war with more
than 40,000 people killed in Gaza and more than 1,600 Israelis killed, this war
must come to an end. There is no military solution to this conflict and there
has never been one. There must be a new path to a negotiated end of the larger
conflict, but it begins by ending this war, Israel withdrawing from Gaza,
Israeli hostages coming home and the establishment of a secure border between
Gaza and Egypt. That would pave the way for the creation of a responsible and
legitimate non-Hamas government in Gaza, an Arab-led international force in
Gaza for a limited period of time, new elections in Palestine, new elections in
Israel and then a regional peace process that will bring about the two-state
solution, with an end to the Israeli occupation, a free democratic Palestine,
and freedom, peace and security for all.
Gershon Baskin is a former hostage negotiator and the Middle
East director for International Communities Organisation, a UK-based NGO link
Hostage Updates
- Hamas' refusal, Gallant's warning, Biden's optimism - and the sharp debate: "Losing a deal"Negotiations are in crisis, despite optimism from the Qatar summit, and just before the Cairo meeting. Hamas claimed Netanyahu's conditions prevent an agreement: "The offer meets his demands." The Defense Minister warned of a regional war, staff members urged the PM to be flexible, and his office accused "leakers." Hostage families responded: "Foot-dragging costs lives."Pessimism prevails among those involved in talks to release the hostages, despite the optimism expressed by some sources after the Doha summit last weekend. Meanwhile, two delegations are working - one still in Qatar, and another arriving for the summit in Cairo this weekend.Hamas did not unequivocally reject the outline but said yesterday (Sunday) that the new proposal "meets Netanyahu's demands, including postponing a permanent ceasefire and not fully withdrawing from Gaza," preventing a deal. The terrorist organization's statement read: "The new proposal responds to Netanyahu's conditions and aligns with them, especially postponing a permanent ceasefire and comprehensive withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, and his insistence on continuing the occupation of Netzarim, Rafah crossing, and the Philadelphia Corridor. New conditions were also set in the prisoner exchange file, and Netanyahu backtracked on other conditions - which prevents the completion of the deal."Hamas claimed: "We see Netanyahu as solely responsible for thwarting the mediators' efforts and preventing an agreement, and responsible for the lives of his hostages and the danger to which our people are exposed, as a result of his ongoing aggression in the Gaza Strip. We confirm our commitment to the agreements reached on July 2, based on Biden's statement and the Security Council resolution, and we call on the mediators to take responsibility and compel the occupation to implement what was agreed upon."U.S. President Joe Biden sounded optimistic last night when he told reporters that he believes a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip is "still possible," and that Washington is "not giving up on its efforts" on the issue.Meanwhile, a working-level delegation composed of representatives from the Shin Bet, IDF, and Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories left for Cairo. A source familiar with the negotiations said the situation is currently complex and delicate, requiring patience for a couple of days to see developments. According to him, it's clear that without compromise from Netanyahu - there will be no deal. However, it's also important to understand Sinwar's red lines, and an Israeli senior official claims that Hamas is keeping its cards close to its chest. "Maybe he's waiting for the development of a regional war with Iran and Hezbollah. Only if he realizes he has no choice, a deal might be possible. Qatar and Egypt are committed to showing the United States that they're applying pressure, but in fact, they have no real leverage over Hamas," the senior official claimed.Against this complex backdrop, a sharp dispute erupted between the negotiating team and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a meeting held yesterday. Team members pushed for flexibility and warned of losing the opportunity for a deal. According to security sources, negotiating team members are very frustrated and feel the deal is slipping through their fingers. There's a sense that Netanyahu is not interested in a deal and is relying on Sinwar's refusal.In the same meeting, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant demanded to bring the issue for discussion in the expanded cabinet, saying that Israel is at a strategic crossroads, with not only the moral choice between "deal - yes or no" on the table, but "regional war - yes or no." Gallant warned that if the deal falls through, the chances of Israel being dragged into a regional war will increase.The Prime Minister's Office yesterday accused "serial leakers" of damaging the ability to advance a deal. The office stated that these leakers "claimed for months that Hamas would never agree to give up ending the war as a condition for a deal, and suggested surrendering to Hamas' demand. They were wrong then - and they are wrong today. The Prime Minister firmly insisted on this fundamental demand - which is crucial to achieving the war's objectives - and Hamas changed its position."It was further stated: "Even today, the Prime Minister insists that we remain in the Philadelphia Corridor to prevent the re-arming of terrorist elements. The Prime Minister will continue to work to promote a deal that will maximize the number of living hostages and allow the achievement of all war objectives."In response, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum criticized Netanyahu and the government. "More than ten months have passed. The war and foot-dragging have come at a costly and unforgivable price in the lives of the hostages. We would like to remind the Prime Minister that the vast majority of hostages were released in a deal. Eight months have passed, and the government has failed to bring about another deal. 115 hostages are waiting for their country to bring them home; we will not allow another failure."Until the last hostage returns home, it means that the State of Israel and its leader have not done everything in their power to bring them back. Only the return of all hostages will restore hope to the State of Israel, lives to rehabilitation, and the fallen and murdered to burial in their land."At the beginning of yesterday's government meeting, Netanyahu referred to the ongoing deal talks after the Qatar summit, saying: "We are conducting negotiations, not giving in. There are things we can be flexible about, and there are things we cannot be flexible about - and we insist on them." Netanyahu will meet today at 11:00 AM in the PM's office with U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, who arrived in Israel last night. At the start of his remarks, the PM made it clear that Israel is "prepared to defend itself and respond severely to any threat." He added that "we are determined to defend ourselves, and we are also determined to exact a very heavy price from any enemy who dares to attack us - from any arena." Regarding the contacts, he noted that "in parallel, we are negotiating the release of our hostages. This is a moral and national mission of the highest order. We are conducting very complex negotiations with a murderous, unscrupulous, and recalcitrant terrorist organization on the other side."He emphasized: "We are conducting negotiations, not giving in. There are things we can be flexible about, and there are things we cannot be flexible about - and we insist on them. We know very well how to distinguish between the two. Therefore, alongside the tremendous efforts we are making to bring back our hostages, we stand firm on the principles we have set, which are essential for Israel's security."He clarified that these principles "are in line with the May 27 outline, which received American support," and wished to emphasize again that "Hamas, until this moment, sticks to its refusal. It didn't even send a representative to the talks in Doha. Therefore, the pressure should be directed at Hamas and Sinwar, not the Israeli government. Strong military pressure and strong political pressure are the way to achieve the release of our hostages."Despite once again trying to shift the blame for foot-dragging to Sinwar, a senior government official told ynet that Netanyahu "fears a deal because he doesn't want the war to end." According to him, "He will always find an excuse why a deal can't be made. Netanyahu understands that the meaning of a deal is the end of the war and the end of the government, and therefore he won't execute it." link
- In the defense establishment, there are calls for a deal now: "Temporary concessions to bring back living hostages"Officials in the defense establishment are not optimistic about the complex negotiations in Doha and Cairo, but believe that at this timing, Israel has the upper hand - and should strive for a deal. They also believe that the ceasefire, if and when it happens, should be used to prepare for war against Hezbollah. "How much longer can we keep the residents of the north out of their homes?" said sources in the defense establishment who are familiar with the negotiations that moved from Qatar to Egypt to achieve a ceasefire in the region and a hostage deal. They don't currently identify optimistic signs for reaching an agreement - and therefore believe that a way to progress towards an arrangement should be found. The desired direction from their perspective: changing the war objectives and building up forces for a possible confrontation with Hezbollah in Lebanon."We have the upper hand at this timing," said a security official. "The Philadelphia Corridor is more of a political issue than a security one, and the agreement being formulated now is for the return of hostages and not for the day after and the end of the war. We can always return and take control of the corridor when we decide. What exactly will happen in six to eight weeks of ceasefire? Will Hamas dig tunnels? No. The concession is temporary to bring back living hostages. If this deal is missed, what will we say to ourselves? That we wasted an opportunity because of a few weeks' pause in fighting?"Another security official believes that the current time should be used to prepare for changing the war's objectives (toppling Hamas rule, destroying its military capabilities, removing the terror threat from the Gaza Strip to Israel, and freeing the hostages), and to build up forces for a possible war against Hezbollah. In Israel, it's understood that Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah will not give up on revenge against Israel following the assassination of Fuad Shukr in Beirut's Dahieh, and such an event could escalate from a "ping-pong" of mutual responses to a wider war."How many more months can we keep the residents of the north out of their homes?" say the security officials who support changing the war's objectives. "From a strategic view, it's said that the U.S. is pushing for an agreement that serves Israel by reducing pressure against Iran and Hezbollah. The most important card we hold is returning to fighting, and we intend to stand by this as we did in the previous hostage deal in November."In Israel, it's estimated that Hezbollah will attack soon, and is just waiting for a crisis in the negotiations for a ceasefire and hostage deal. It's further estimated that the Shiite terror organization will carry out extensive fire into Israeli territory, and for the first time in the war, will include Tel Aviv in the circle of launches. This way, Nasrallah won't appear to be the one who blew up the deal, but from his perspective, he'll have justification to attack. This is an updated assessment, but Israel is certainly preparing for this scenario as well.While eyes are on the continuation of negotiations for a ceasefire and hostage deal, senior security officials warned in the political-security cabinet meeting held on Thursday that the Iranian or Hezbollah revenge for the assassination of Fuad Shukr in Beirut and Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran doesn't have to include a missile and drone attack, but could also involve attempts to assassinate ministers, members of Knesset, senior IDF officers past and present, and former senior officials in the Mossad and Shin Bet.Following the concern of assassination attempts on Israeli officials, the Shin Bet has increased its alertness and simultaneously issued strict guidelines to all relevant bodies. In accordance with the increased vigilance following the assassinations in Lebanon and Iran, there is an assessment that harming a senior Israeli official would be considered a huge achievement. The recommendation to all potential targets is to increase vigilance.The negotiations for a deal have now moved to Cairo, and an Israeli working-level delegation has departed for the Egyptian capital. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the issue at the start of the government meeting: "We are conducting negotiations, not giving in. There are things we can be flexible about, and there are things we cannot be flexible about - and we insist on them."Netanyahu emphasized: "We are conducting negotiations, not giving in. There are things we can be flexible about, and there are things we cannot be flexible about - and we insist on them. We know very well how to distinguish between the two. Therefore, alongside the tremendous efforts we are making to bring back our hostages, we stand firm on the principles we have set, which are essential for Israel's security." link
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has asked Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to hold deliberations on the potential hostage-ceasefire deal with the participation of the full cabinet, rather than in the current small forum that includes Netanyahu, Gallant, Minister Ron Dermer and MK Aryeh Deri, Channel 12 news reports.
Gallant is arguing that the deliberations on the deal are of vast national significance, going beyond even the issue of terms for the return of the hostages, and extending to the potential for a descent into regional war.
Ordinarily, the full cabinet would only be required to approve a finalized deal. But, Gallant has reportedly told Netanyahu, it is inappropriate for the discussions over the deal to be held in any forum other than the full cabinet because of the potential implications, the TV report says.
Gallant has reportedly made the request of Netanyahu twice — on Thursday and again today, in the presence of the three senior security officials, Mossad’s David Barnea, Shin Bet’s Ronen Bar and the IDF’s Nitzan Alon, who have been leading the negotiations. Netanyahu has not agreed to it thus far, the report says.
It cites Gallant saying that Israel is at a strategic crossroads and that if there is no deal, there is a growing risk of military escalation, ultimately leading to potentially unstoppable regional war involving Hezbollah and Iran. Thus the authority for how the negotiations play out should rest with the full cabinet.
The same Channel 12 report also claims that Netanyahu, in their meeting today, complained to the negotiators that they were too ready to compromise during their contacts with the mediators of the potential deal.
“You are carrying out negotiations. You can’t fold after two days,” Netanyahu reportedly chastised them.
In response, the negotiators were quoted saying: “We have not been negotiating for two days. We have been negotiating for months. [Control of the] Philadelphi Corridor [along the Gaza-Egypt border] is not a security issue [for the period while the deal is being implemented]. We will return there [with the IDF] if we need to [later].”
Netanyahu’s demand for an ongoing Israeli presence along the Philadelphi Corridor, and Hamas’s rejection of the demand, is widely reported to be one of the key obstacles to a potential deal. Link
After a three-hour meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Jerusalem on Monday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu put out a statement publicly backing the latest US “bridging proposal” that was presented to Israel and conveyed to Hamas at the end of talks in Doha last week.
“The Prime Minister reiterated Israel’s commitment to the current American proposal on the release of our hostages, which takes into account Israel’s security needs, which he strongly insists on,” the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement issued in Hebrew and English.
The statement marked the first time Netanyahu publicly endorsed the latest US formula.
On Saturday, Israel had cautiously welcomed the new US proposal. The PMO put out a statement at the time saying the proposal “contains components that are acceptable to Israel.”
Hamas rejected the US formula on Sunday night. In its statement, Hamas charged that Netanyahu “sets new conditions and demands” to thwart the talks and prolong the war in Gaza.
The terror group further claimed that the latest US-backed text was aligned with Israel’s demands.
The proposal, designed by the US to enable the finalizing of a hostages-for-ceasefire deal by the end of this week, seeks to solve disagreements over the continued deployment of Israeli forces along the Gaza-Egypt border and in the Netzarim Corridor in central Gaza, among other sticking points.
Channel 12 news reported on Monday evening that the US proposal provides for “some kind” of ongoing Israeli presence on the Philadelphi Corridor on the border with Egypt. However, it added, Israel’s negotiators have told Netanyahu that this is not acceptable to Hamas and that there will be no deal if he insists upon it. On Saturday, several Hebrew media outlets, including Channel 12, had reported that the bridging proposal does not provide for an Israeli presence on the Philadelphi Corridor, or for a mechanism in central Gaza to prevent the return of armed Hamas forces to the Strip’s north, as also demanded by Netanyahu.According to the Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar on Monday, Israel agreed to gradually reduce the number of soldiers deployed on the Philadelphi Corridor, while in return Cairo agreed not to set a timetable for the troops’ complete withdrawal.
Egyptian officials still insisted that a full withdrawal be conducted as soon as possible, according to a source familiar with the talks quoted by Al-Akhbar. Egypt further asked the US negotiators to speed up the delivery of the equipment designated to secure the border route, and pledged to “work to ensure that there are no tunnels operating under it” through which weaponry could be smuggled into Gaza.
In addition to demanding an ongoing IDF presence along the Egypt-Gaza border and a mechanism to prevent Hamas fighters from moving north inside the Strip, Netanyahu has also insisted that Israel retain the right to resume the battle against Hamas in order to achieve both of the war’s declared aims — the release of all hostages and the destruction of Hamas.
It is not clear how the US “bridging proposal,” which has not been published, seeks to resolve these issues.
Netanyahu told Blinken in their meeting — which his office described as “positive” — that he would send his top negotiators to a summit in Cairo later this week, an Israeli official told The Times of Israel.
The team will be led by Mossad chief David Barnea, Shin Bet director Ronen Bar, and IDF hostage point man Nitzan Alon. full article Much of this report is speculation as there have not been any official statements. What we can be sure of is that Netanyahu has to ability and power to either make the deal and bring our hostages home or kill the deal as he has done until now, and sacrifice all of the living hostages. The bottom line for his is always politics and his own personal standing. If making a deal will suit his political position and standing, he will make the deal. If he feels that it will do damage to his political situation, he will make sure it fails, even if it means all of the hostages will die.
My brother's interview in the Guardian: These ceasefire talks have been doomed to fail – Netanyahu and Hamas have tied negotiators’ hands
Another round of ceasefire and hostage talks, this time in Doha, has ended in disappointment. This is in large part because Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, is unlikely to accept any agreement that Hamas could present as a victory – and has handcuffed the Israeli mediators with conditions that appear impossible for Hamas to accept.
Beyond the substance of any potential agreement between the two sides is the emotional juice of so much of the Israeli-Palestinian relationship: the battle for national dignity and honour. Huge quantities of explosives have been dropped on Gaza by Israel since 7 October because of the humiliation felt by all Israelis, and especially Israel’s leaders and military. So much of this war over more than 10 months has been fought on both sides as a war of revenge. Nonetheless, it also has major strategic consequences for Israel, Hamas, the Palestinian people, the nations of the region, and the world’s major powers – above all the United States.
Hamas will view and present any agreement with Israel that ends the war in Gaza, leads to the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the strip, and releases Palestinian prisoners, as a victory and Israeli surrender. Therefore Israeli negotiators will not agree to a full withdrawal, and are demanding long-term Israeli military presence along the Gaza-Egypt border, and a security mechanism that would ensure that armed Hamas and other military personnel cannot move from the south of Gaza to the north. In addition, Netanyahu is demanding a veto on the Palestinian prisoners who would be released in the deal, and that those serving life sentences would be deported outside Palestine for life. These additional conditions are unacceptable to Hamas.
It is also difficult to imagine that Netanyahu will make any deal with Hamas before the killing of the main Hamas leaders in Gaza, primarily Yahya Sinwar. When the Israeli military finds Sinwar and kills him, there are likely to be Israeli hostages surrounding him and the bunker may be booby-trapped with explosives. There is likely to be a fight to the death that may result in Israeli soldiers and hostages being killed as well as the Hamas leaders and their soldiers. There is also a risk that Hamas militants will kill more hostages when their leader is killed. For most of the people of Israel, there is no victory without the return of the remaining Israeli hostages in Gaza. Yet these negotiations make clear that Netanyahu has put his impossible goal of total victory before their safe return. Many of them may no longer be alive, whether killed by Hamas or Israeli bombs. There is a possibility that some of those bodies may never be found and returned. Historically, Israel’s ethos has been centered on the principle that no one is left behind. The world was stunned in 2011 when Israel released 1,027 Palestinian prisoners (of whom more than 300 were serving life terms for violent attacks) in exchange for just one Israeli soldier. At the time, about 80% of Israelis supported that deal and 26 members of Netanyahu’s government voted in favour of it, with only three ministers in opposition. That ethos seems now to be broken. No one can accuse Netanyahu of not wanting to bring the hostages home, but it seems quite clear that this is not his first priority. Most Israeli pundits believe that Netanyahu’s “total victory” is more about extending the war for as long as possible in order to remain in power. The prime minister is slowly rising in the polls as his base, which in good part had deserted him after the Hamas attack, begins to return.
The chances of successful Israeli-Hamas negotiations ride on the amount of leverage mediators are willing to apply to both sides as fresh talks resume next week. The US has significant power over Israel, both in the political cover that the US provides Israel in the UN and in the ability to stop the flow of bombs to Israel. The US could say that it would have Israel’s back if it were attacked by Iran or by Hezbollah, but it would no longer provide bombs for Israel to drop on Gaza. Egypt and Qatar each have significant leverage over Hamas: parts of the Hamas leadership are based in Doha, while the Rafah crossing has acted as a lifeline to the Gaza Strip. There are reported to be 160,000 Palestinians who escaped the horrors of the war in Gaza and who are overstaying their visas in Egypt. This is another point of leverage on Hamas, or on the Palestinian people.
At this point, more than 10 months into the war with more than 40,000 people killed in Gaza and more than 1,600 Israelis killed, this war must come to an end. There is no military solution to this conflict and there has never been one. There must be a new path to a negotiated end of the larger conflict, but it begins by ending this war, Israel withdrawing from Gaza, Israeli hostages coming home and the establishment of a secure border between Gaza and Egypt. That would pave the way for the creation of a responsible and legitimate non-Hamas government in Gaza, an Arab-led international force in Gaza for a limited period of time, new elections in Palestine, new elections in Israel and then a regional peace process that will bring about the two-state solution, with an end to the Israeli occupation, a free democratic Palestine, and freedom, peace and security for all.
Gershon Baskin is a former hostage negotiator and the Middle East director for International Communities Organisation, a UK-based NGO link
Gaza
- The IDF’s 98th Division has returned to operate in the Hamad Town residential complex in southern Gaza’s Khan Younis, while also operating for the first time in the Deir al-Balah area, the military says.
The latest operation in Khan Younis and the outskirts of Deir al-Balah came following rocket fire and other intelligence that the IDF says indicates Hamas’s presence in the area.
So far, dozens of sites belonging to terror groups have been destroyed, and several cells of gunmen were killed amid the operation. The division’s Paratroopers Brigade is operating in the Hamad Town neighborhood and other areas of western Khan Younis, where soldiers are searching for tunnels, the IDF says. The military operated in Hamad earlier this year.
Meanwhile, the division’s 7th Armored Brigade is conducting operations on the outskirts of Deir al-Balah, the IDF says, an area that ground forces have mostly not yet operated in.
The IDF carried out a very limited operation in eastern Deir al-Balah in June, as part of preparations for a hostage rescue mission in Nuseirat.
A kilometer-and-a-half (nearly a mile) tunnel was recently demolished by combat engineers in southern Gaza’s Khan Younis, the IDF says.
Hamas terror operatives fled the tunnel as troops of the 7th Armored Brigade approached the area, the IDF says. The 603rd Combat Engineering Battalion and elite Yahalom unit later demolished the tunnel.
According to the military, inside the tunnel, troops found weapons and other equipment that would have enabled the Hamas operatives to whom they belonged to remain underground for long periods. video of the explosion of the tunnel
Other Hamas sites, both above and below ground, have been located in the Khan Younis area, the IDF says, including a facility found by the 603rd Battalion with dozens of rockets, launchers and anti-tank projectiles.
This image released by the military on August 19, 2024, shows weapons found in a Hamas tunnel in southern Gaza's Khan Younis. (Israel Defense Forces)
The latest operation in Khan Younis and the outskirts of Deir al-Balah came following rocket fire and other intelligence that the IDF says indicates Hamas’s presence in the area.
So far, dozens of sites belonging to terror groups have been destroyed, and several cells of gunmen were killed amid the operation. The division’s Paratroopers Brigade is operating in the Hamad Town neighborhood and other areas of western Khan Younis, where soldiers are searching for tunnels, the IDF says. The military operated in Hamad earlier this year.
Meanwhile, the division’s 7th Armored Brigade is conducting operations on the outskirts of Deir al-Balah, the IDF says, an area that ground forces have mostly not yet operated in.
The IDF carried out a very limited operation in eastern Deir al-Balah in June, as part of preparations for a hostage rescue mission in Nuseirat.
A kilometer-and-a-half (nearly a mile) tunnel was recently demolished by combat engineers in southern Gaza’s Khan Younis, the IDF says.
Hamas terror operatives fled the tunnel as troops of the 7th Armored Brigade approached the area, the IDF says. The 603rd Combat Engineering Battalion and elite Yahalom unit later demolished the tunnel.
According to the military, inside the tunnel, troops found weapons and other equipment that would have enabled the Hamas operatives to whom they belonged to remain underground for long periods. video of the explosion of the tunnel
Other Hamas sites, both above and below ground, have been located in the Khan Younis area, the IDF says, including a facility found by the 603rd Battalion with dozens of rockets, launchers and anti-tank projectiles.
This image released by the military on August 19, 2024, shows weapons found in a Hamas tunnel in southern Gaza's Khan Younis. (Israel Defense Forces)
Northern Israel - Lebanon/Hizbollah/Syria
The Galilee Medical Center in Nahariya says the soldier seriously wounded in a Hezbollah explosive drone attack in northern Israel this morning is in serious condition but his life is not in danger.
The soldier, suffering from shrapnel and blast injuries, underwent a series of surgeries and is now hospitalized in the general intensive care unit, the hospital says.
Three people who suffered from smoke inhalation were treated in the emergency room and have been discharged.
Chief Warrant Officer Mahmood Amaria, 45, a tracker in the 300th “Baram” Regional Brigade, was killed in the attack.
The Galilee Medical Center in Nahariya says the soldier seriously wounded in a Hezbollah explosive drone attack in northern Israel this morning is in serious condition but his life is not in danger.
The soldier, suffering from shrapnel and blast injuries, underwent a series of surgeries and is now hospitalized in the general intensive care unit, the hospital says.
Three people who suffered from smoke inhalation were treated in the emergency room and have been discharged.
Chief Warrant Officer Mahmood Amaria, 45, a tracker in the 300th “Baram” Regional Brigade, was killed in the attack.
West Bank and Jerusalem and Terror attacks within Israel
- Tel Aviv Police District Commander Peretz Amar says at a press conference that yesterday’s attempted suicide bombing in Tel Aviv could have been much worse.
“If the terrorists had entered [a nearby] synagogue this could have been a horrible tragedy,” said Amar of the explosion yesterday, which killed the suspect carrying the bomb and injured a bystander.
Amar says that police presence in the city has increased but there are no specific warnings of future attacks. The bomb, he says, “was likely built in the West Bank,” and the terror suspect had no history of criminal or terror offenses.
The Tel Aviv police chief says that the explosive device was “big and significant and if it hadn’t blown up outside, it would have wounded many people.”
“If the terrorists had entered [a nearby] synagogue this could have been a horrible tragedy,” said Amar of the explosion yesterday, which killed the suspect carrying the bomb and injured a bystander.
Amar says that police presence in the city has increased but there are no specific warnings of future attacks. The bomb, he says, “was likely built in the West Bank,” and the terror suspect had no history of criminal or terror offenses.
The Tel Aviv police chief says that the explosive device was “big and significant and if it hadn’t blown up outside, it would have wounded many people.”Politics and the War (general news)
Senior Likud officials estimate: The Knesset will dissolve
in the winter session opening in October
The Prime Minister believes that if negotiations for a
hostage release deal succeed, he will be able to approve it - even if Ben Gvir
and Smotrich oppose. "The attacks claiming he doesn't want a deal are
helping him with the right-wing faction of the coalition," say senior
Likud officials, who are already preparing for an expected election date.
The political system is in a state of high tension and
alertness following the negotiations for a hostage deal and ceasefire. Both in
the coalition and opposition, it's estimated that any decision made - success
in reaching a deal or failure and continued fighting - will necessarily lead to
significant movements in the political system, especially regarding the
dissolution of the Knesset and early elections.
Senior Likud officials and people who recently spoke with
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claim he is convinced he can politically lead
a hostage release deal, even if there is significant opposition from his two
right-wing partners, Ministers Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich. According
to Netanyahu's worst-case scenario, even if Ben Gvir and Smotrich leave the
government, they won't lead a move to dismantle the coalition and call for
early elections.
"Ben Gvir has no political problem going to the
opposition now, but he won't lead a move to dismantle the coalition because he
understands that then he'll be blamed for toppling a right-wing
government," a senior Likud minister explained yesterday. "If Netanyahu
thinks there's a good deal, he'll go for it despite Ben Gvir and
Smotrich," a Netanyahu associate said last night.
One of the Likud ministers said this week that the attacks
from the left against Netanyahu, claiming he supposedly doesn't want a hostage
release deal, are actually helping him with Ben Gvir and Smotrich.
"Netanyahu is accused of abandoning the hostages and
seemingly not wanting to release them from Hamas. But if a deal becomes
possible, these accusations could help him with the right wing of the
government - as proof that he refused to compromise until he got a good
deal," said the minister. Currently, the assessment of senior Likud
officials, which many share, is that the Knesset will dissolve during the
winter session that opens at the end of October. According to a political
source in Likud, in such a case, elections will be held in early spring 2025
(March) or early summer (June). However, a senior official in Netanyahu's
office who heard the assessment about the Knesset's dissolution and early
elections claimed that Netanyahu believes he can maintain the government and
coalition during the Knesset's winter session, so that elections will be held
during October-November 2025, about a year before their legal date. "If
the Knesset dissolves, it will be at the government's initiative and not at the
opposition's initiative, which had planned a joint move with Yoav Gallant and
Aryeh Deri to topple the government or form an alternative government instead
of Netanyahu," said a senior Likud official. It seems that early elections
are no longer a "dirty word" in Likud. Netanyahu's standing has
significantly improved compared to the first months of the war, and polls are
also showing an improving trend. One of the veteran politicians in Likud said
in a private conversation that if at the beginning of the war most ministers
and MKs in Likud claimed that Netanyahu cannot continue to lead Likud in the
next elections - today there is no other candidate who can replace him.
"Many of us believed that Netanyahu would not lead Likud in the next
elections, including his closest circle," he said. "However, in
recent weeks there has been a revolution in the trend, and today many in Likud
argue that only Netanyahu will lead Likud in the next elections. Anyone who
thought of succeeding Netanyahu following October 7 will have to wait for
another time." link No one should get their hopes up or start partying. This is pure speculation
Amid troop shortage, IDF to call up reservists previously released from duty
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has ordered the IDF to call back to duty reservists who were previously exempted due to personnel reductions.
The IDF in a joint statement with the Defense Ministry says the move comes following a new assessment and “the scope of the activities of the standing army and reserve forces, and as part of a process planned by the IDF to increase the reserve of service members.”
The reservists who will be called back to duty are those who were released from service due to personnel reductions and are younger than the exemption age, which is 40 for most soldiers, 45 for officers, and 49 for specialists.
The IDF says it has begun to call relevant Israelis who served in critical roles, and those who are fit to return to serve as reservists will do so “according to the operational need.”
The Palestinian Authority has reportedly issued a request to Israel to allow PA President Mahmoud Abbas to visit Gaza soon — something he vowed to do during a visit to Turkey last week.
According to a Walla news report, PLO secretary-general Hussein al-Sheikh sent a letter yesterday to National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi making the official request, and asking for Abbas to enter the Strip via a crossing from Israel, not through Rafah from Egypt.
The report suggests that Abbas expects the request to be rejected and will then use the rejection to further criticize Israel.
The Prime Minister believes that if negotiations for a
hostage release deal succeed, he will be able to approve it - even if Ben Gvir
and Smotrich oppose. "The attacks claiming he doesn't want a deal are
helping him with the right-wing faction of the coalition," say senior
Likud officials, who are already preparing for an expected election date.
The political system is in a state of high tension and
alertness following the negotiations for a hostage deal and ceasefire. Both in
the coalition and opposition, it's estimated that any decision made - success
in reaching a deal or failure and continued fighting - will necessarily lead to
significant movements in the political system, especially regarding the
dissolution of the Knesset and early elections.
Senior Likud officials and people who recently spoke with
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claim he is convinced he can politically lead
a hostage release deal, even if there is significant opposition from his two
right-wing partners, Ministers Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich. According
to Netanyahu's worst-case scenario, even if Ben Gvir and Smotrich leave the
government, they won't lead a move to dismantle the coalition and call for
early elections.
"Ben Gvir has no political problem going to the
opposition now, but he won't lead a move to dismantle the coalition because he
understands that then he'll be blamed for toppling a right-wing
government," a senior Likud minister explained yesterday. "If Netanyahu
thinks there's a good deal, he'll go for it despite Ben Gvir and
Smotrich," a Netanyahu associate said last night.
One of the Likud ministers said this week that the attacks
from the left against Netanyahu, claiming he supposedly doesn't want a hostage
release deal, are actually helping him with Ben Gvir and Smotrich.
Amid troop shortage, IDF to call up reservists previously released from duty
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has ordered the IDF to call back to duty reservists who were previously exempted due to personnel reductions.
The IDF in a joint statement with the Defense Ministry says the move comes following a new assessment and “the scope of the activities of the standing army and reserve forces, and as part of a process planned by the IDF to increase the reserve of service members.”
The reservists who will be called back to duty are those who were released from service due to personnel reductions and are younger than the exemption age, which is 40 for most soldiers, 45 for officers, and 49 for specialists.
The IDF says it has begun to call relevant Israelis who served in critical roles, and those who are fit to return to serve as reservists will do so “according to the operational need.”
The Palestinian Authority has reportedly issued a request to Israel to allow PA President Mahmoud Abbas to visit Gaza soon — something he vowed to do during a visit to Turkey last week.
According to a Walla news report, PLO secretary-general Hussein al-Sheikh sent a letter yesterday to National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi making the official request, and asking for Abbas to enter the Strip via a crossing from Israel, not through Rafah from Egypt.
The report suggests that Abbas expects the request to be rejected and will then use the rejection to further criticize Israel.
The Region and the World
US Central Command (CENTCOM) says its forces successfully destroyed one Houthi uncrewed aerial vehicle in a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen.
The Iran-backed Houthi terrorists have launched repeated drone and missile strikes on ships they perceive as bound to or related to Israel or the United States since November to show their support for the Palestinians in the Gaza war.
They have also targeted Israel with missiles and drones. 
Personal Stories
US Central Command (CENTCOM) says its forces successfully destroyed one Houthi uncrewed aerial vehicle in a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen.
The Iran-backed Houthi terrorists have launched repeated drone and missile strikes on ships they perceive as bound to or related to Israel or the United States since November to show their support for the Palestinians in the Gaza war.
They have also targeted Israel with missiles and drones.The young IDF officer who ran 8 miles to the Gaza border on Oct. 7 to fight terrorists
‘It was the hardest run I’d ever done’: 2nd Lt. Avichail Reuven tells his heroic story, which Netanyahu briefly shared with Congress last month to standing ovation, in TV interview
2nd Lt. Avichail Reuven speaks to Channel 12 News in Kiryat Malachi, August, 2024. (Channel 12 News, used in accordance with Clause 27a of the Copyright Law)
2nd Lt. Avichail Reuven speaks to Channel 12 News in Kiryat Malachi, August, 2024. (Channel 12 News, used in accordance with Clause 27a of the Copyright Law)
When Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the US Congress at the end of July, he named four Israeli soldiers who he said had been heroes since Hamas’s October 7 massacre. The first of the troops was young Israel Defense Forces officer 2nd Lt. Avichail Reuven, who ran 12 kilometers (8 miles) to the Gaza border on that Saturday to help fight off the terrorists.
Reuven was at his parents’ home in the southern city of Kiryat Malachi on October 7 when he was awakened by sirens. He was still in the midst of officer training at the time, but after hearing the news of a massive terrorist infiltration into the Gaza border communities in Israel, he decided he to go and help even though he had not been called up.
“I told my brother and friend that I was heading to the border. I said that if anything happened, I would just kill [the terrorists]. I felt like the guys were laughing at me a little,” he told Channel 12 News in an interview aired Friday evening.
“They told me ‘You’re crazy to go, there’s no reason for us to go with you.’ I also looked for friends with a car to drive there, but I couldn’t find anyone, so I decided that I would go to the interchange and start trying to catch a ride.”
Reuven put on his uniform, which was still damp from being laundered, and headed out with his rifle and his red paratrooper beret.
Not knowing exactly where he was going, Reuven waited at the main interchange near his home for someone to stop and give him a ride, but no one did, so he decided to start running. “It was difficult, running in a wet uniform, with sirens all the time and rockets falling in the area,” he said in the television interview.
Twelve kilometers and one hour later, Reuven found himself back on the highway, hot and thirsty but determined to keep going.
“It was the hardest run I’d ever done. It was the longest run I’d ever done in uniform in the heat. A nightmare,” he said.
After walking a little further along the highway, Reuven finally caught a ride with a civilian whose child had been at the Supernova music festival, where Hamas terrorists murdered some 360 people and took over 40 hostages during their rampage through southern Israel.
Reuven told Channel 12 that to this day he does not know the man’s name, but the driver gave him water and dropped Reuven off at an interchange outside Ashkelon when he realized that he couldn’t get to the site of the rave and help his child without a weapon.
At the interchange, Reuven was able to catch another ride, with a police car, to a checkpoint near Zikim, the location of an IDF basic training base that was among the sites infiltrated by terrorists that day.
“I argued a little with the police officers. I told them, ‘I’m going in. If not with you, I’m going in alone,'” Reuven said, adding that as he was talking to them, a deputy commander of a search and rescue battalion based in Zikim, whom he named only as Alexander, arrived and the two entered the base together.As they were in the midst of basic training, many of the soldiers on the Zikim base were not fully trained, so when the terrorists arrived, the commanders on base gathered all of the trainees into two bomb shelters and approached the fence to fight off the terrorists. Six commanders and one soldier in basic training were killed in the fighting.
Reuven and the other commander joined the battle as soon as they arrived.
“There was complete chaos here. Half the base was burned. A lot of shouting and you could see terrorists running all around the area,” Reuven said.
He and another commander joined forces to fight off terrorists and reached a bomb shelter where some 30 female basic training soldiers were waiting, one of whom was injured. Reuven tended to her wound.
“I said to them, ‘Listen, I need three strong girls. This is why you enlisted into a combat unit. Now is your moment to prove you’re fighters.'”
He then told the three soldiers to stand at the entrance to the bomb shelter and shoot in the head any terrorists they saw. He then made his way to a second bomb shelter to check on the male trainees, where there were more injured soldiers.
For the next couple of hours, he ran around the base fighting off terrorists and collecting stretchers and water for the soldiers in the bomb shelters.
Eventually, Reuven met Col. (res.) Erez Eshel, who had driven to Zikim from his home in Ma’ale Adumim.
“I meet a mission-driven young soldier, and I don’t understand who he is. I don’t know his name,” Eshel told Channel 12, adding that he saved Reuven’s phone number under the name “Saturday, Simchat Torah soldier.”
“He’s completely in it, he can handle his gun, he’s calm, he’s focused, and he can handle anything. He is a real super soldier,” Eshel said.
The two stayed a little longer at Zikim before heading to nearby Yiftah, Kfar Aza, and eventually, Kibbutz Be’eri, a community of around 1,000 residents of whom 101 civilians were killed on October 7, along with 31 security personnel.
All in all, terrorists murdered some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took 251 hostages during Hamas’s attack on Israel that day. The IDF spent the next few days fighting the terrorists and gradually arresting or killing all those who remained in Israel.
“I won’t say he’s the only soldier I picked up, but he is the only soldier who held up through all the fighting until early Sunday morning when I connected him with his company,” Eshel said.
Eshel told the commander of the IDF’s officers school in southern Israel, known as Bahad 1, about what Reuven did on October 7, and the commander told Netanyahu.
Reuven completed his officer training with distinction and accompanied Netanyahu to the US last month, where he got a standing ovation when the prime minister shared his story during his address to the joint session of Congress.
“In the early hours of October 7th, Avichail heard the news of Hamas’s bloody rampage. He put on his uniform, grabbed his rifle, but he didn’t have a car. So he ran eight miles to the frontlines of Gaza to defend his people,” Netanyahu told the US legislators.
“You heard that right. He ran eight miles, came to the frontlines, killed many terrorists and saved many, many lives. Avichail, we all honor your remarkable heroism.”
According to Channel 12, Reuven is now a company commander for paratroopers in basic training, and he insists on including long runs in his soldiers’ training process.
Reuven is the second child of nine born to Israeli immigrants from Ethiopia. In his teens, he struggled to finish high school and was classified as an at-risk youth. Because of this, he was not qualified to be recruited into the IDF as a paratrooper, but Reuven was determined and fought for his place in the unit.
Reuven told Channel 12 that he does not intend to retire from the IDF anytime soon.
“I want to continue in the army. It’s my mission, it’s what I believe in,” he said. link
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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