🎗️Lonny's War Update- October 321, 2023 - August 22, 2024 🎗️

  

🎗️Day 321 that 109 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!!!”

Alex Dancyg, 76 years old, was abducted alive to Gaza, where his life tragically ended, on an unknown date, while in Hamas terror organization's captivity.

Alex's body was found in the tunnels of Khan Younis and has now been returned home to Israel.

We remember and honor his legacy.

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

There is no victory until all of the hostages are home!

‎אין נצחון עד שכל החטופים בבית

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

*7:10pm yesterday - north - rockets - Ramot Naftali

*5:50am - north - rockets - Rosh Hanikra
*8:30am - north - hostile aircraft - Misgav Am
*9:40am - north - rockets - Kfar Yuval, Kiryat Shemona, Tel Hai, Maayan Baruch
*10:35am - north - rockets - Kiryat Shemona
*2:40pm - north - rockets - Kiryat Shemona, Manara
*5:35pm - north - rockets - Zra'it, Shomera, Shtula

Hostage Updates 

• The Israeli negotiating team has departed for Cairo for talks on a hostage deal, an Israeli official tells The Times of Israel.

  The team is headed by Mossad chief David Barnea, and includes Maj. Gen. Eliezer Toledano, head of the IDF General Staff Strategy and Third-Circle Directorate.

  CIA chief William Burns will be leading the US team, CNN reports.
• Hostages Forum: Bullet wounds found on recovered hostages’ bodies are ‘further proof of cruelty of terrorists’
  

  The Hostages and Missing Families Forum says that signs of bullet wounds found in autopsies on the bodies of hostages recovered by the IDF from southern Gaza earlier this week are “further proof of the cruelty of the terrorists who have been holding 109 hostages for 321 days.”

  In a statement, the Hostages Forum calls on the government to immediately close a deal with the Hamas terror group to free the remaining hostages kidnapped on October 7.

  “Every minute that the deal is not yet completed, another hostage could die, and after 10 and a half months of war during which the hostages are suffering and dying, we all know that the return of all of the hostages will only be possible through a deal.”

  The statement adds that the extraction of the bodies of Alex Dancyg, 75, Yagev Buchshtav, 35, Chaim Peri, 79, Yoram Metzger, 80, Nadav Popplewell, 51, and Avraham Munder, 78 earlier this week is “not a picture of victory, it is a picture of the complete failure of the country’s leadership, with six hostages who were supposed to come home alive returning in coffins.”

  A short while ago the IDF confirmed that the bodies of the six hostages all had signs of gunshot wounds, according to initial autopsy findings.

  All six are known to have been taken to Gaza alive during the Hamas-led invasion and slaughter in southern Israel on October 7, 2023, and were killed over the course of the 10-month-long war.

• 3 of the Captives Whose Bodies Were Extricated from Gaza Laid to Rest Yesterday

  
  

  Yigal Buchbut, Nadav Poplavsky and Abraham Monder, three of the captives whose bodies were extricated from Gaza, were laid to rest today. Yigal's mother: "In what world does a mother have to express gratitude for the return of her son who was abandoned and murdered?" Keren Monder, Abraham's daughter: "I feared we would lose you forever in the tunnels."

  

  
  

  
  

  The funerals of Yigal Buchbut, Nadav Poplavsky and Abraham Monder, three of the captives whose bodies were extricated from a tunnel in Khan Yunis, were held today (Wednesday).

  
  

  The funeral procession for Yigal and Nadav took place in Kibbutz Nirim. Yigal's mother Esther eulogized him: "I thought a lot about meeting you, a simple family reunion, which I had hoped for. Your world was a beautiful one - family, life, music, infinite knowledge. Your heart was open and sensitive, a non-judgmental heart that knew how to see people. At the shiva, many people shared how your sensitivity touched them, your care, the music you exposed them to."

  
  

  "In what world does a family sit shiva and wait for their dead son to return. In what world is a mother supposed to think the nightmare will end with the return of her son for burial. In what world must a mother express gratitude for the return of her son who was abandoned and murdered. In what world must families beg, scream, and cry for the return of their loved ones, alive and murdered. Return them all. Today I again ask forgiveness, my dear child, forgiveness that we failed, forgiveness. Rest in peace, my beloved son. I promise to continue on your path, to find the good in the bad and do good."

  

  
  

  
  

  Ruth Monder, Abraham's widow, said at his funeral in Nirim Oz: "We knew each other for 62 years, 58 of them living together in harmony, despite our differences. We watched Maccabi Tel Aviv soccer and basketball games, you were an upright and devoted man to your beloved, you especially loved our grandson Ohad. You loved to sing in ceremonies and holidays. We have missed you for a long time and you are missed by us."

  
  

  Keren Monder bid farewell to her father Abraham: "This is not how I wanted to say goodbye to a father like you. We can find comfort that you have reached your final resting place. Thank you to the IDF soldiers. There were moments when I feared we would lose you forever in the tunnels." She criticized the security establishment and the prime minister in her remarks: "If only we were blessed with leaders with your moral compass. I remain here ashamed that no soldier or officer came to your aid on that terrible Shabbat. You were abandoned to die in front of your burning home. If careless officers had heeded the warnings and prepared forces along the border area, my father could have been returned alive and redeemed from the anguish of the soul. If only the Prime Minister and his ministers had acted with political compassion and not sacrificed you. If only they had sought a photo op of a victory facade."

  
  

  Roy Zakkai, the brother of Ohad Monder Zakkai, Abraham's grandson, told N12: "This is a chilling shared fate. There is a connection between a father and son who were murdered a few months apart. Roy was buried in the Metzar and they brought him here to be buried where he was born. As someone who did not grow up here, I see it all as a waste of human life. On the one hand, I wonder how you even lived here? It's an unnecessary risk. But this is the kibbutz way. Zionist. It's a risk you have to take. I walked the fence here with my daughters. When we saw it breached, we realized it was a ruse."

  

  
  

  The operation to extricate the bodies of the six captives that took place on the night between Monday and Tuesday was carried out based on partial intelligence information received by the IDF, during which the forces operated in four tunnels, and in one of them the bodies were located - after hours of activity. During the operation, Hamas terrorists whose role was to guard the compound where the bodies were hidden were eliminated. link Netanyahu, nor any of his ministers bothered to call any of the families of the returned dead hostages to express their condolences. They only find the time when there is positive press such as the rescue of the 4 living hostages. There is no limits to the depths of their shame.
  
  
• Question mark around the summit, negotiation factors: Blinken gave a gift to Netanyahu - and killed the contacts

  
  

  The mediators have not yet announced the cancellation of the summit in Cairo, but sources involved in the contacts claim that the chances are dwindling, and that "almost desperate" attempts are being made to save the situation. "Blinken conveyed optimism for political reasons - and passed a death sentence on the deal," said sources involved in the prisoner exchange talks, who claimed today (Wednesday) that the chances of reaching an agreement are slim, and that "almost desperate" attempts are being made behind the scenes to save the deal and still convene a summit in Cairo towards the end of the week.

  
  

  According to the sources, the mediators have not yet announced the cancellation of the summit, but the very fact that it is being convened with a big question mark, and even if it does take place - the chances that it will end in a deal are "very low". The sources accused US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, who said yesterday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accepted the mediation proposal and the ball is now in Hamas' court, and claimed that he has severely disrupted the contacts and the chances of a Cairo summit. 

  
  

  "Blinken made a very serious 'Powell' move here, which shows naivety, amateurism, naivety and lack of understanding," they said. "He conveyed optimism for domestic American political considerations so that the Democratic convention in Chicago would go smoothly. But senior members of the Israeli negotiating team who listened to his press conference wanted to tear out their hair. He passed a death sentence on the deal. He aligned with Netanyahu and gave him a gift," added the sources involved in the contacts.

  
  

  "There is no deal and there is no summit if the Israeli insistence on the presence of forces in the Philadelphia axis continues. What was implied from Blinken's statements is that the US is giving a tailwind to Netanyahu to keep IDF forces in Philadelphia, at a time when both Egypt and Hamas are refusing." The sources explained that the expectation was that Blinken "would call on the parties to be flexible", but instead "he embraced Netanyahu and alienated Hamas, and now the chance of a summit is very small."

  
  

  According to them, "there is a big question mark on the chance and feasibility of a deal. The Israeli insistence on presence in Philadelphia - means there is no deal. All the heads of the security arms of Israel, headed by the Chief of Staff, say the IDF can withdraw from Philadelphia. But Netanyahu's insistence and Blinken's embrace killed the deal. Now they are trying the last embers of the chance to bring the parties to negotiations, but the chances are slim. "Everyone involved in the contacts knows that there is no deal if the soldiers remain in the Philadelphia axis, because Egypt is not willing and Hamas is not willing," they emphasized. "The Americans are sometimes so naive that it explodes. The American mediation proposal does not include appendices regarding Rafah and the Philadelphia axis. It is a vague general sentence. They killed the deal with their own hands, because there is no deal with the insistence on the presence of the IDF in the Philadelphia axis. It was supposed to be part of the negotiation."

  
  

  The sources also said that if there had been a deal, it would have immediately affected the situation in the north.  link It is absolutely ridiculous that there are those who are trying to blame Blinken for a deal falling through. There is one person and one person only who is responsible and has been responsible for destroying every chance of a deal and that is Binyamin Netanyahu. His stance on Philadephi route is the most hypocritical argument possible. He avoided and prevented the IDF from fighting for the Philidelphi route for 8 months and then, when they were finally given the green light, they took it in a matter of days. All of the security heads and the entire IDF General Staff have stated that Netanyahu's stance is unnecessary and they can retreat from Philadelphi and Netzarim with very low risk and if they need to retake them in the event of the deal breaking down, can do it within days, if not hours. It only proves that Netanyahu doesn't want a deal.

  
  

  My brother’s WLIW NY public radio interview about the hostage deal and ending the war - Radio interview
  
  

• The brother of Israeli hostage Carmel Gat says he finds “no other choice” but to highlight Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s intransigence in the ongoing hostage negotiations in addition to that of the Hamas terror organization.

  While Netanyahu announced earlier this week that he supports the latest US bridging proposal, officials told The Times of Israel earlier today that the offer goes too far toward the premier’s new demands which will hinder an agreement.

  Gili Roman laments a “cycle” that has been created in the hostage talks where Netanyahu delays progress by “insisting on different tactical points” that are dismissed as marginal by Israel’s negotiating team and rejected by Hamas.

  “Some of these demands are hindering progress, and if we withdraw them, we can really push Hamas into a corner,” Roman says.

  “The prime minister alone is forcing the negotiation team to stand and not compromise on very technical points, and Hamas, on the other hand, is still refusing to discuss the changes that are being brought to the table and is insisting on going back to the original agreement that US President Joe Biden laid out,” the hostage’s brother continues.

  Roman says that while advocating for his sister’s release abroad, his focus has been on raising awareness of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar’s opposition to a deal.

  Many in the international community “don’t want to speak about Hamas. They don’t want to hold Hamas accountable. This is our primary goal of addressing when we’re abroad,” Roman says.

  “Unfortunately, we’re getting to a point where we have no other choice but to also speak about our prime minister and our government. They are responsible for our wellbeing — both [Netanyahu and Sinwar] are accountable for where are at this moment” in the negotiations,” Roman adds.

• My brother's UK Channel 4 NEWS interview about the hostage deal and the war News interview with Gershon Baskin

• Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed in his meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday to withdraw IDF troops from the Philadelphi Corridor in the second stage of a potential hostage deal with Hamas, according to Kan news.

  The question of IDF deployment is a central sticking point in negotiations, as Israel insists that it must retain control over the Gaza-Egypt border, and Hamas rejects the continued presence of IDF troops.

  However, Netanyahu’s office issues a response that the report is “incorrect.”

  “Israel will insist on achieving all of its war goals, as defined by the cabinet — including the goal that Gaza will never again present a security threat to Israel,” the statement continues.

  “That requires closing the southern border,” it concludes, referring to the border between Egypt and Gaza, currently held by the IDF.  Link the terrible thing here is that both are probably correct. Netanyahu probably did give the ok to Blinken, either hoping that it wouldn't be leaked, or anticipating the link and seeing what the reaction would be (a trial balloon) and then claiming a denial when he didn't like what he was hearing. That's how a pathological liar operates.

• The incoming chief of the Military Intelligence Directorate, Maj. Gen. Shlomi Binder, says that Israel must dedicate its intelligence efforts to returning the hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip while readying for an escalation in the north.

  “We are in the midst of a just war, a hard and long [war], that may expand, and we will continue efforts to achieve its goals. We must dedicate our efforts to returning 109 hostages in the Gaza Strip. It is a national mission, ethical, of utmost importance, and urgent,” he says.

  “We must continue to increase our readiness for the campaign expanding in the north, and build a good intelligence [picture] for defense and attack, and for more distant arenas, as this directorate has proved recently,” Binder continues.

  Alongside fighting and preparing for escalation, Binder says the Intelligence Directorate will also need to investigate itself, make amends and improve from its mistakes.

  “Where we failed, we will need to investigate and improve; where we made mistakes we will learn and change; where fractures were opened, however big they are, we will insist to fix and repent,” he says.

  “The Israeli people have no other country, the State of Israel doesn’t have another IDF, and the IDF doesn’t have another Intelligence Directorate,” Binder adds.

• Bullets found in bodies of hostages returned this week

  According to assessments, terrorists guarding the hostages murdered them during captivity due to fears of a rescue operation during IDF bombing in the area where they were held • Families of hostages previously claimed: "Our relatives were murdered"

  

  Bullets were found in the bodies of hostages returned this week, as we are reporting today (Thursday) for the first time. The findings strengthen the assessment that the hostages were murdered by their guards out of fear of a rescue operation during IDF bombing of the area where they were held. Hamas terrorists guarding the hostages were killed in the bombing.

  Some families had previously stated that their relatives were murdered, and indeed, according to assessments, some of the hostages were killed. During the week, Ran Metzger, son of the late Yoram Metzger whose body was recovered from Gaza in this week's operation, was interviewed on 103FM. He said that his father was not harmed in an IDF operation. "Dad was shot, he wasn't hurt in an IDF operation. Dad was murdered. Hamas murdered my father, we had no accusation against the IDF on this matter," he said.

  The day before yesterday, during a military operation in Khan Yunis, the bodies of hostages Alex Dancyg, Chaim Perry, Yigev Buchshtav, Yoram Metzger, Nadav Popplewell, and Eliyahu Margalit were recovered. IDF forces operating in the Khan Yunis area for more than a week following precise intelligence information reached several tunnels, and in one of them found the bodies of the hostages.  link of the 109 hostages still in Hamas captivity, 36 were killed by Hamas, many while in captivity. These are the 36: "ז"ל" (of blessed memory) 

  Tamir Adar ז"ל
  Dror Or ז"ל
  Guy Iluz ז"ל
  Staff Sergeant Major Muhammad al-Atrash ז"ל
  Ronen Engel ז"ל
  Aviv Atzili ז"ל
  Cynthia Acree ז"ל
  Sahar Baruch ז"ל
  Uriel Baruch ז"ל
  Sergeant Ran Gvaili ז"ל
  Meni Goddard ז"ל
  Lieutenant Hadar Goldin ז"ל
  Corporal Shaked Dahan ז"ל
  Corporal Oz Daniel ז"ל
  Inbar Haiman ז"ל
  Ilan Weiss ז"ל
  Judy Weinstein-Haggai ז"ל
  Gadi Haggai ז"ל
  Aryeh Zalmanovich ז"ל
  Tal Haimi ז"ל
  Colonel Assaf Hamami ז"ל
  Staff Sergeant Itai Chen ז"ל
  Yair (Ya-Ya) Yaakov ז"ל
  Joshua Loitu Mollel ז"ל
  Eitan Levy ז"ל
  Staff Sergeant Shai Levinson ז"ל
  Eliyahu Margalit ז"ל
  Itai Svirsky ז"ל
  Yonatan Samerano ז"ל
  Major Daniel Peretz ז"ל
  Amiram Cooper ז"ל
  Ofra Kedar ז"ל
  Lior Rudaeff ז"ל
  Sutthisak Rintharak ז"ל
  Staff Sergeant Oron Shaul ז"ל
  Yossi Sharabi ז"ל

• The Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) terror group is still holding seven Israeli hostages it captured on October 7, the Saudi newspaper Asharq al-Awsat reports.

  On October 8, PIJ leader Ziyad Nakhaleh released a statement claiming that the group was holding more than 30 of the 251 hostages abducted into Gaza during the Hamas-led massacre in southern Israel the previous day.

  Some of them were released during a one-week truce in November, the paper notes. It is not clear if any of the hostages in the hands of the PIJ have died.

  The news outlet further reports that cooperation between Hamas and the PIJ has strengthened following the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran last month, not only in the Gaza Strip but also in the West Bank, as testified to by the failed suicide bombing by a Nablus resident in Tel Aviv on Sunday, for which the two terror groups claimed joint responsibility.
  

  While the Al Quds Brigades, the military wing of the PIJ, has lost a significant part of its manpower on the ground in Gaza (the upper echelons of the group are said to be safe abroad), its arsenal has suffered fewer losses than that of Hamas in the ongoing war, the report claims, quoting sources from inside the terror group.

  The good state of its military stockpiles allows it to regularly launch rockets at Israel, the paper says. The latest was a volley it claimed against the southern cities of Ashkelon and Sderot on August 6, but the group also launches rockets at IDF forces inside the Strip on an almost daily basis.

  The volleys are usually small, consisting of a maximum of three projectiles, and unlike Hamas it is still capable of firing from throughout the Strip, including Gaza City and the north, according to the report.

  Most of the projectiles in the PIJ arsenal are reportedly short-range, with a maximum firing distance of 7-8 kilometers (4.3-5 miles).

Gaza 

•  Documentation from the heart of a neighborhood in Rafah: Explosives in UNRWA bags and weapons near schools

  The IDF spokesperson updated that Nahal forces have been operating in the Tel Sultan neighborhood of Rafah in recent days as part of a divisional operation by Division 162. Led by the brigade's fire complex and forces on the ground, an armed terrorist cell and numerous terror infrastructures were destroyed by Air Force aircraft. 

  

  Under intelligence guidance, forces from Battalion 50 located numerous weapons, including firearms, explosives, vests, and intelligence documents, during searches near a school complex. In addition, the fighters located UNRWA bags containing explosives that were hidden in order to harm forces.

  
  
  

• "The Philadelphia Agreement" with Egypt Must Change - opinion piece by Ehud Yaari, Arab Affairs correspondent

  
  

  In the face of demands for an Israeli presence on the Philadelphi Corridor, Egypt adheres to the agreements from the time of disengagement that it never fulfilled • With Egyptian encouragement: Abu Mazen extends a hand to Dahlan, who will help his people deploy in Rafah

  
  

  An Israeli presence on the Philadelphi Corridor - regardless of its scope and format - will require a new agreement with Egypt, replacing the "agreed arrangements" signed by Israel and Egypt during the disengagement from the Gaza Strip on September 1, 2005. So far, the Egyptians refuse to reopen this issue, as they have no interest in appearing to allow the IDF to renew the siege on Gaza.

  
  

  Behind the scenes, the Egyptians are encouraging Abu Mazen to expedite his preparations - however unrealistic they may be - to send a Palestinian Authority force to both the Rafah crossing and other parts of the Strip. N12 has learned that in a meeting with all his security apparatus heads in Ramallah last night (Wednesday), Abu Mazen angrily ordered them to retake control of the northern West Bank, including refugee camps, and complete the preparation of a plan for deployment in the Gaza Strip. By the way, Abu Mazen is still determined to visit the Gaza Strip and has appointed a new committee of representatives from various political factions to work on arranging such a visit. For this purpose - as N12 has learned - Abu Mazen's people, led by his close right-hand man Hussein al-Sheikh, have begun, for the first time, to negotiate with Mohammed Dahlan's people, who was expelled from Fatah and tried in absentia. The contacts were held with Dahlan's deputy, Samir Masharawi, and the possibility of reconciliation between the two rival camps in Fatah was raised. Masharawi demanded that such reconciliation also include Marwan Barghouti's people. Following this, Abu Mazen approached the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister in charge of Middle East affairs, Sergei Bogdanov, and secured a promise that Moscow would host a meeting of representatives of the rival factions in Fatah. Abu Mazen would like to use the activity of Dahlan's people in the Gaza Strip in his attempt to take control there.

  
  

  However, from the Egyptians' perspective, all these steps still do not provide an answer to the question of who will deal with an armed Hamas underground in the long run. Israel has already probed Cairo regarding the possibility of updating the "agreed arrangements" from 2005, which no longer fit the reality on the Philadelphi Corridor. According to the "agreed arrangements," Egypt was allowed to maintain 750 border guard personnel equipped with light weapons only along the 14 kilometers of their border with the Gaza Strip, divided into four companies. Apart from these, it was agreed that they would be allowed to maintain several ground radars and eight light helicopters, each flight of which would be coordinated in advance with Israel. Egypt was also allowed to maintain four patrol boats on the western side. Coordination units were established between the forces in the field, in the Kerem Shalom area.

  
  

  The purpose of these agreed arrangements was for Egypt to act to prevent smuggling not only on the Philadelphi Corridor itself but also on the roads leading to it from the depths of Sinai. The Egyptians then requested to deploy forces along the Negev border as well, and in the years that followed, Israel approved, without publication, as part of the campaign against ISIS activity in Sinai, for Egypt to station forces, including tanks, beyond what was agreed in the military protocol of the peace treaty between the two countries from 1979. The Egyptians used this to build military infrastructure on the peninsula.

  
  

  Needless to say, real supervision of weapons smuggling never existed, nor was there serious supervision of truck movement from distances to Rafah. The Egyptian "Border Guard" simply included soldiers from the Second Army dressed in different uniforms. Large commercial companies with extensive connections to Egypt's General Intelligence and Military Intelligence played a role in the smuggling network, which included less weapons and more materials used to assemble rockets and the like in Hamas workshops inside Gaza. These companies, by the way, also collected thousands of dollars in the last ten months from about a hundred thousand Gazans who were allowed to cross into Egypt.

  
  

  In any case - and the United States agrees with this - a far-reaching change is required in the "agreed arrangements" agreement, especially if Israeli soldiers will be present on the Palestinian side of the border. This will require not only mediation by the commanders of the Multinational Force in Sinai but full diplomatic involvement of the Americans. Under the current circumstances, one cannot expect a change in the agreement that has long since gone bankrupt or its replacement with another legal structure. The Egyptians, for their part, continue to act as if the "agreed arrangements" are still valid, and the number of tunnels uncovered by combat engineering personnel only shows how much the Egyptians adhered to the text they signed. link
  
  
• "19-year-old Gazan helped eliminate Mohammed Deif": How Israel recruits collaborators under Hamas's nose

  
  

  They locate targets such as Hamas senior officials, tunnels for weapon production, and terrorist operatives blending in on the streets in civilian clothes • According to a report in Britain's largest Jewish newspaper, collaborators pass information to Israeli handlers in secret meetings in Gaza border communities • How does the method work, why do Gazans volunteer for Israel, and what happens with the information received?

  
  

  Hamas is not only fighting Israel but also traitors and collaborators operating within the terrorist organization's ranks. Hamas is troubled by thousands of alleged "moles" working for Israel. In an article published this morning (Thursday) in the British Jewish Chronicle, it was reported that without the work of collaborators, none of the operations to eliminate Hamas leaders or rescue hostages would have succeeded.

  
  

  How does Israel recruit - and why do Gazans volunteer?

  
  

  The basic mission of collaborators is to locate targets such as Hamas senior officials, tunnels for weapon production, and terrorist operatives blending in on Gaza's streets in civilian clothes. Collaborators pass information to Israeli handlers - usually not by phone or other devices, fearing exposure. According to the British newspaper, the meeting always takes place in one of the kibbutzim in southern Israel, near the Gaza border. The information is transferred to the Shin Bet and then to the IDF. Subsequently, after analysis, the information is passed to the government and cabinet, who plan possible courses of action based on the information provided by the collaborator. According to the report, communication devices are used only in exceptional cases such as "hot information" (requiring immediate action). For example, when a Hamas senior official visits a specific location for only an hour or two, or alternatively, when it involves information about hostages' locations with the understanding that the hostages will be moved that same day.

  
  

  The story of the 19-year-old spy

  
  

  According to the report, one of the collaborators involved in the elimination of Hamas Chief of Staff Mohammed Deif was only 19 years old. As part of his role, he had to deliver written messages between Hamas members scattered in tunnels throughout the Gaza Strip. The reason for this is that Hamas feared Israeli surveillance and tried to communicate only in writing - using code and colored paper. That young man, according to the report, is no longer in Gaza. The deal with him was that if the assassination operation succeeded, he would be flown at Israel's expense to the United States and receive political asylum. The successful elimination of Deif, according to the report, is what caused Hamas to be deeply concerned about the phenomenon of Gazan collaborators. As a result, Hamas even used the Al Jazeera news channel to threaten all Gaza residents against collaborating with Israel.  link

Northern Israel - Lebanon/Hizbollah/Syria

• 10 different areas: Significant Israeli Air Force attack against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon

  IDF Spokesperson: The IDF attacked and destroyed Hezbollah terror targets in more than 10 different areas in southern Lebanon. Fighter jets attacked Hezbollah terror targets in more than 10 different areas in southern Lebanon during the night. Among the targets attacked were weapons warehouses, military buildings, and a launcher used by the Hezbollah terror organization to carry out terror plans against the State of Israel.

  
  

  **On the brink of war in the north: IDF intensifies strikes and moves forces northward - Hezbollah promises to respond**

  
  

  Israel is moving forces, resources, and intelligence assets to the north and plans to respond forcefully to the heavy barrages fired today at civilian targets. • In recent days, the IDF has increased the intensity and range of its strikes, and Hezbollah has threatened to respond with escalation on its part.

  
  

  In recent days, the IDF has increased the intensity and scope of its strikes in Lebanon, and is planning a harsh response to the heavy barrages fired at civilian targets in the north over the past few days, as reported last night (Wednesday) on "The Central Edition". Following the progress in Gaza and the escalation of the intensity of fighting against Hezbollah, Israel has begun to transfer forces, resources, and intelligence assets to the north.

  
  

  Hezbollah fired 180 rockets towards Israel yesterday, directly hitting several houses in Katzrin. The terror organization's response to IDF strikes is intended to deter Israel from continuing to attack quality targets deep inside Lebanon. In recent months, there has been a gradual increase in the number and depth of attacks carried out by Hezbollah. Sources close to Hezbollah claimed that the organization is planning further escalation following IDF strikes deep inside the country. The sources said that what is delaying the organization's response to the assassination of the head of the military wing, Fuad Shukr, is the round of negotiations Israel is conducting with Hamas, and they claim the response will come when Hamas announces the end of the talks.

  
  

  This morning, the Air Force attacked in 10 different areas in Lebanon, including weapons stockpiles and launchers. Yesterday, the IDF attacked warehouses containing advanced Hezbollah weapons in the Bekaa area deep inside Lebanon. Following an Israeli decision, the strikes carried out by the army in recent days are more powerful and further from the border. The IDF is preparing for a wider escalation in the north, and to enable this, the army is trying to bring the fighting in Gaza to an end point and increase efforts to reach a hostage deal.

  
  

  Defense Minister Gallant visited the Philadelphi Corridor yesterday and said that the Rafah Brigade has been defeated. The Saudi channel Al-Sharq reported that the final conditions for a hostage deal presented by US Secretary of State Blinken include an Israeli presence in the Philadelphi Corridor and IDF supervision in the Netzarim Corridor over Gazans returning north, but did not include the nature of the presence.  Link
  
  

• Earlier today, a cell of Hezbollah operatives that launched rockets at the northern community of Zar’it was struck by fighter jets, the IDF says.

  According to the military, the operatives were spotted at a building in southern Lebanon’s Chihine.

  Another airstrike earlier today targeted a building used by Hezbollah in Kafr Kila, the IDF adds. video

West Bank and Jerusalem and Terror attacks within Israel

•  Disturbances in Jit village: 4 suspects arrested on suspicion of arson and throwing Molotov cocktails
  The Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) and Israel Police announced that they arrested 3 adults and a minor last night who are suspected of several terror incidents against Palestinians, including the serious disturbances on Thursday in the village of Jit in Samaria.   

• Air Force eliminates three wanted individuals in Tulkarem

  The IDF, together with the Shin Bet and Border Police, began a brigade operation last night in Tulkarem, in the Menashe Regional Brigade area. During the night, an aerial attack was carried out by an Air Force drone on an armed cell that endangered our forces. Three terrorists were found eliminated at the location as a result of the attack. IDF, Shin Bet, and Border Police forces continue the operation.

Politics and the War (general news)

•  Channel 12 publishes the initial findings of an IDF investigation into the Kfar Aza massacre on October 7, when terrorists massacred 64 kibbutz residents and kidnapped 19 people.

  According to the initial investigation, which has yet to be finalized and released officially, the military’s response to the assault was slow and uncoordinated. Forces only came until proper management by Sunday morning and only managed to secure full control of the community by Tuesday midday.

  One of the major failures of the military on the day was its inability to seal entrances to the kibbutz, which allowed up to 300 terrorists to infiltrate the community, from 6:30 a.m. on Saturday until 2 a.m. on Sunday. Security forces waited at the kibbutz gates from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. while residents were massacred and kidnapped. It remains unclear why forces were not deployed inside the community immediately, according to the reported findings.

  Additionally, the probe finds forces barely fought terrorists on Saturday night, for fear of casualties due to friendly fire.

  Most of the community’s residents were only evacuated on Sunday, due to the slow deployment of forces across all the neighborhoods in the kibbutz. Amid the chaos, some residents were evacuated on routes where terrorists were still active, endangering their lives, according to the investigation.

  Additionally, the investigation discovered an incident in which the military rescued bodies of dead soldiers while combat was ongoing and civilians had yet to be evacuated, the report says. Link

• The government is considering canceling a planned state memorial ceremony for the anniversary of the October 7 massacre, after several communities near the Gaza border, as well as the Hostage and Missing Families Forum, announced they would boycott the event, Channel 12 news reports.

  Many of the communities griped that they had been overlooked by the government since the outbreak of war and that they had failed to restore their confidence after failing to prevent the massacre and abductions. -- Although the towns of Ofakim and Sderot, both brutally attacked on October 7 have said they would participate in a government sponsored memorial event, the government should scrap their plans. Most, if not all of the other communities attacked (kibbutzim and moshavim) have stated that they will not participate or allow the government to use them and their communities for the event or filming. The government responsible for October 7, which refuses to acknowledge and take any form of responsibility, cannot ever be the government that will commemorate the worst day in the history of Israel.

  Transportation Minister Miri Regev asserts she will go ahead with planning a state memorial service on the anniversary of Hamas’s October 7 massacre despite a growing boycott among Gaza border communities and hostage families of the event.

  Regev says in a statement she can take the criticism of her role in planning the event.  --The totally obtuse Miri Regev is only concerned about putting on 'her' show. When she was appointed transportation minister, she insisted on keeping her hold of the management and budgets of state ceremonies such as Memorial Day and Independence Days and she sees this as just another opportunity to put on her show. Disgusting

  
  
  
  
  

• Maj. Gen. Aharon Haliva, in his last speech as head of the Military Intelligence Directorate, says he is responsible for not providing a warning ahead of Hamas’s October 7 onslaught.

  He also hints that he expects other officers to also take responsibility for their failures.

  “On that Saturday we did not fulfill the most important mission which we are tasked with, providing a warning for war,” he says.

  “The responsibility for the failures of the Military Intelligence Directorate is on me,” Haliva says.

  Haliva is quitting the IDF over his involvement in the failures that led to Hamas’s October 7 terror onslaught. Maj. Gen. Shlomi Binder is replacing him.

  “The responsibility and setting a personal example is a core value of the IDF, and in leadership in general. Taking responsibility is not words, it must be actions. My decision to end my role and resign from the IDF is the norm in which I was educated… it is what is expected of those marching forward and those charging at the front,” he says.

  Haliva also calls for establishing a state commission of inquiry into “all aspects that led to war, so that what happened to us will not happen ever again.” link Haliva, probably more than anyone else in the army bears the biggest burden of responsibility for October 7. Based on reports from within the army and by former IDF senior intelligence officers, Haliva's arrogance and narrow focus prevented critical intelligence from reaching the right people and taking appropriate actions prior to and including the early morning of October 7. Outside of the IDF, it is, of course Netanyahu who bears the biggest responsibility and blame.

• War of No Victory: Shame on those who call the recovery of six bodies of Israeli hostages a success! Shame on those who think that military pressure saves hostages – military pressure kills them! Shame on those who praise the flattening of Gaza and the killing of tens of thousands of Gazans!

  To be clear, the first hostage deal in November 2023 wasn’t done thanks to the military pressure, military pressure delayed this deal by at least two weeks. I say this with 100% certainty. It was possible to save dozens of additional hostages back in November 2023, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the army chiefs wanted to renew the war, to exert more military pressure, which resulted only in the killing of more hostages and many innocent Palestinians. Netanyahu is committing crimes against Israel, against the people of Israel, and of course, against the Palestinian people. This war must end, and it’s Netanyahu who is preventing it.

  There are another 109 Israeli hostages left in Gaza, a large number of them are probably not among the living. In order to bring them home, a deal must be made with Hamas. That includes ending the war and Israel withdrawing from Gaza. This war must end already. It’s possible to reach security arrangements that will protect Israel. Let’s not forget that what happened on 7 October wouldn’t have happened if there were 10 to 15 tanks on the border, and three attack helicopters in the air. That’s what it would have taken to prevent 3 000 murdering and pillaging Hamas and other criminals from entering Israel on that horrible day. When those Hamas fighters broke through Israel’s border, they were shocked that there was no Israeli army to prevent them from entering. One Hamas leader told me that they sent 1 500 of the elite fighters (Nukhba) into Israel and expected 1 000 of them to be killed. The same person said, “If we had known that there would be no army on the border, we would have sent 10 000 fighters and conquered Tel Aviv.”

  What happened on 7 October 2023 was the result of criminal negligence, arrogance, and political decisions that for decades turned the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) into the police force of the occupation and settlements. The IDF can protect the borders of Israel, and it could have protected Israel on 7 October if it had been there. The army and all of the Israeli security services have direct responsibility for the failure to read the clear intelligence signs that such an attack was about to happen. The chiefs or the army and intelligence services have spoken about taking responsibility, but almost none of them have yet to resign. Netanyahu refuses to accept direct responsibility, and keeps deflecting to the army, to the intelligence services, but he is the head, and he is responsible. His day is coming.

  Netanyahu is also directly responsible for tying the hands of the negotiators that he appointed to bring home the hostages. Unlike negotiations for the release of Gilad Shalit, who after five years in captivity – the longest any Israeli has been in the captivity of the enemy – Netanyahu instructed the Mossad agent in charge, David Meidan, to “Bring him home!”, Netanyahu hasn’t told the head of the Mossad, the head of the Shabak, and General Nitzan Alon, “Bring them home!” To the best of public knowledge, even after the last rounds of negotiations, the negotiators still didn’t have a mandate to make the decision to bring the hostages home. As of this morning, there remain 109 hostages in Gaza, with an assumption that most haven’t survived the more than 10 months in captivity. Israel had an ethos that “we don’t leave anyone behind”. That ethos has been broken, and with it the sense of social solidarity and mutual aid that were so much a part of what made Israel special.

  The issue of the Israeli hostages has become politicised by Netanyahu’s own propaganda machine. Those who demonstrate around the country for a deal, including the families of hostages, are cursed at and look upon as traitors, aiding Hamas in defeating Israel. Even hostages who have come home are often attacked on the streets by some people yelling at them that it’s a pity they survived. This kind of behaviour was unheard of in Israel in the past.

  Israel will never be the same after 7 October, and it will take many years to overcome the trauma of having so many hostages sacrificed for the unattainable goal of total victory. Hamas has largely been destroyed as a military machine and a government. But it remains powerful enough to engage in armed insurgency for many years to come, killing many Israeli soldiers along the way. It’s quite clear that the longer Israel remains in Gaza, the easier it will be for Hamas to recruit new fighters from the hundreds of thousands of people who have lost family members in this war and from the hundreds of thousands who have lost their homes and property to Israeli bombs. One would think that Israel had learned the lesson of staying in Lebanon for 18 years. But apparently not. There are still leaders in this country and officers in the army that think that total victory is within our reach and that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict can be solved through the use of force. That isn’t the case now, and there never has been a military solution to this conflict.

  Eventually, we’ll have new leaders in Israel and in Palestine. Eventually, we’ll understand that Israel will never have security if the Palestinians don’t have freedom and dignity. The Palestinians won’t have freedom and dignity if Israel doesn’t have security. To achieve this – freedom, dignity, and security for both peoples – we must, all of us, remove our failed leaders – on both sides and as quickly as possible.  link

  • The writer is a political and social entrepreneur who has dedicated his life to peace between Israel and her neighbours. He’s a founding member of the Kol Ezraheiha – Kol Muwanteneiha (All of the citizens) political party in Israel. He’s now the Middle East Director for ICO – International Communities Organization, a United Kingdom-based nongovernmental organisation.

The Region and the World

•    "Iran will delay revenge, but encourages Nasrallah to attack" | Sinwar's "waiting game"

"Washington Post": U.S. estimates that Tehran was deterred by the show of force in the region and will postpone its response to Haniyeh's assassination. However, it is urging Hezbollah, which may retreat from its plan to fire at Tel Aviv, to attack. According to the report, "Netanyahu offered some concessions" in a conversation with Biden, but Washington has been waiting for four days for answers to "basic questions" from Hamas

The U.S. has been waiting for four days to receive answers to basic questions from Hamas about the hostage deal negotiations. This was reported this morning (Thursday) in the "Washington Post", hours after the conversation between U.S. President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. In the conversation, according to the report, Netanyahu offered "some concessions", including presenting a map detailing how forces would be deployed on the Philadelphi Corridor - and American officials praised him for this.

However, as mentioned, meanwhile on the other side there are those who are not cooperating - and not answering questions, such as the identity of the hostages to be released in the deal. The terrorist organization is mainly silent in the face of the contacts being conducted in Doha and Cairo, say the Americans. In Washington, they believe that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, who also became the head of the organization's political bureau after Ismail Haniyeh's assassination in Tehran, is interested in a deal, but is playing a "waiting game", apparently hoping that Iran or Hezbollah will attack Israel and turn the war into a regional one. However, according to the report, it seems that at least Tehran will disappoint Sinwar. American officials believe that Iranian leaders have decided to postpone revenge for Haniyeh's assassination at the end of last month. According to the "Washington Post", it appears that Iran was deterred by the American show of force in the Middle East. However, U.S. officials fear that while Tehran has decided to postpone its attack - it is encouraging Hezbollah to attack.

So what will Hezbollah do? According to the report, the Americans believe that leader Hassan Nasrallah may retreat from the plan to fire a barrage of missiles towards the Tel Aviv area and Gush Dan, which could lead to a major escalation. However, they noted, Nasrallah has vowed to avenge the assassination of Fouad Shukr, Hezbollah's Chief of Staff, and he has many Israeli targets to choose from.

Last night, as mentioned, a conversation took place between Biden and Netanyahu, which was also joined by Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic Party's presidential nominee. The White House stated that during the call, they "discussed ongoing U.S. efforts to support Israel's defense against all threats from Iran, including its proxy groups - Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis, which include ongoing defensive deployment of U.S. military." It was also reported that "The President emphasized to Netanyahu the urgency of bringing a ceasefire and hostage release agreement to closure, and discussed with him the upcoming talks in Cairo to remove all remaining obstacles." The two apparently had a difficult conversation. During it, the American President tried to convince Netanyahu to be more flexible regarding his demands concerning the Philadelphi Corridor, while Netanyahu insists on maintaining an IDF presence in the corridor. The U.S. demands significant thinning of forces in phase 1, and full withdrawal in phase 2 of the deal. An Israeli source explained that "the U.S. demand is for thinning, partial withdrawal - and flexibility until reaching a deal." Another Israeli source claimed last night that U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, in his comments about Netanyahu accepting the bridging proposal and that now Hamas needs to do so, "committed an attack" - and now Biden is forced to try to save the deal.

Hamas, as reported in the "Washington Post", is not cooperating with the Americans - and not so much with the mediators either. This may be part of a "waiting game." Following a meeting between Hamas representatives and Islamic Jihad representatives held last night in Doha, the two terrorist organizations issued a joint statement - in which they accused Israel of "collapsing mediation efforts."

According to the statement, "The meeting reviewed developments on the ground, the stability of the resistance and its ability to launch an attack throughout occupied Palestine, as well as discussed the state of indirect negotiations and the occupation's position that blocks mediators' efforts to reach a ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement, emphasizing the position of the resistance and the Palestinian people that any agreement must achieve a comprehensive ceasefire, complete withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, start of reconstruction and end of the siege," the statement said.

The terrorist organizations further stated that "the occupation leaders are responsible for the collapse of efforts made by mediators by insisting on continuing aggression and denying what was done in previous stages, especially the proposal that the movement agreed to on July 2."

A summit in Cairo, if it takes place, might be tomorrow and Saturday, but will not start today. In any case, sources familiar with the details said that the chances for a deal are currently slim - and if there is eventually a summit, the chances of it ending in a deal are very low. The U.S. Special Envoy for the Middle East, Brett McGurk, was sent to Cairo to prepare for the summit and try to resolve the Philadelphi issue - which was, as mentioned, the focus of the conversation between Biden and Netanyahu.  Link

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Acronyms and Glossary

COGAT - Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories

ICC - International Criminal Court in the Hague

IJC - International Court of Justice in the Hague

MDA - Magen David Adom - Israel Ambulance Corp

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

PMO- Prime Minister's Office

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

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