π️Lonny's War Update- October 341, 2023 - September 11, 2024 π️
π️Day 341 that 101 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!!!”
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
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
*6:35pm yesterday - north - hostile aircraft - Yiftach, Ramot Naftali, Dishon*6:40pm yesterday - north - hostile aircraft - Yiftach, Ramot Naftali, Mevo'ot Hermon,
*6:45pm yesterday - north - hostile aircraft - Hatzor Haglilit, Rosh Pina, Ami'ad
*7:10pm yesterday - north - rockets - Avivim
*7:20pm yesterday - north - rockets - Ayelet Hashahar
*7:20am- south - rockets - Kissufim
*7:40am - south - rockets - Erez*10:10am - West Bank - terror attack - car ramming near Givat Assaf - one person critically injured*4:10pm - north - rockets - Avirim, Achziv, Leeman, Fasura
*4:50pm - north - rockts - Kfar Szold, Arab al Aramsha, Eilon - over 60 rockets launched from Lebanon to the north
Two soldiers were killed and several were wounded after an Israeli Air Force helicopter crashed in the southern Gaza Strip last night, in what the military describes as an accident.
According to an initial IAF probe, a UH-60 Black Hawk from the 123rd Squadron had flown to Rafah with a Unit 669 medical team at around 11:30 p.m. to evacuate a seriously wounded combat engineer during fighting in the area.
During the final landing stage inside an IDF encampment in Rafah, the helicopter impacted the ground instead of touching down correctly. According to the probe, the helicopter was not hit by enemy fire, and the crash occurred moments before the aircraft was supposed to land, meaning it did not fall from a significant height. The helicopter was still heavily damaged in the crash, and all those aboard it were hurt.
In all, two soldiers were killed and another eight were taken to hospitals, four of them in serious condition. Among the four seriously wounded is the combat engineer who was injured separately.
It is still unclear what led to the crash, although the IAF describes it as an accident. A probe has been launched to determine why the helicopter impacted the ground in the encampment instead of landing correctly.
- Reserve Master Sergeant Daniel Alloush, 37 from Tel Aviv
-Reserve Master Sergeant Tom Ish-Shalom, 38 from Nes Harim
Both served in the IAF’s elite search and rescue Unit 669.
Sgt. Maj. (res.) Tom Ish-Shalom (left) and Sgt. Maj. (res.) Daniel Alloush (right), killed in a helicopter crash in southern Gaza, early September 11, 2024. (Israel Defense Forces)May their memories forever be a blessing
*6:45pm yesterday - north - hostile aircraft - Hatzor Haglilit, Rosh Pina, Ami'ad
*7:10pm yesterday - north - rockets - Avivim
*7:20pm yesterday - north - rockets - Ayelet Hashahar
*7:20am- south - rockets - Kissufim
*7:40am - south - rockets - Erez
*4:50pm - north - rockts - Kfar Szold, Arab al Aramsha, Eilon - over 60 rockets launched from Lebanon to the north
Two soldiers were killed and several were wounded after an Israeli Air Force helicopter crashed in the southern Gaza Strip last night, in what the military describes as an accident.
According to an initial IAF probe, a UH-60 Black Hawk from the 123rd Squadron had flown to Rafah with a Unit 669 medical team at around 11:30 p.m. to evacuate a seriously wounded combat engineer during fighting in the area.
During the final landing stage inside an IDF encampment in Rafah, the helicopter impacted the ground instead of touching down correctly. According to the probe, the helicopter was not hit by enemy fire, and the crash occurred moments before the aircraft was supposed to land, meaning it did not fall from a significant height. The helicopter was still heavily damaged in the crash, and all those aboard it were hurt.
In all, two soldiers were killed and another eight were taken to hospitals, four of them in serious condition. Among the four seriously wounded is the combat engineer who was injured separately.
It is still unclear what led to the crash, although the IAF describes it as an accident. A probe has been launched to determine why the helicopter impacted the ground in the encampment instead of landing correctly.
- Reserve Master Sergeant Daniel Alloush, 37 from Tel Aviv
-Reserve Master Sergeant Tom Ish-Shalom, 38 from Nes Harim
Both served in the IAF’s elite search and rescue Unit 669.
Sgt. Maj. (res.) Tom Ish-Shalom (left) and Sgt. Maj. (res.) Daniel Alloush (right), killed in a helicopter crash in southern Gaza, early September 11, 2024. (Israel Defense Forces)
Hostage Updates
Anti-government, pro-hostage deal protesters begin intermittently blocking traffic on Tel Aviv’s Begin Street, in front of the IDF headquarters.
They call on drivers to join the “struggle for the soul of this country.” Some drivers exit their cars to join the protesters, while others appear somewhat irked.
“We won’t agree to a government of abandoners,” the protesters chant.
The roadblocks last a few minutes, after which protesters let traffic through.
This is the third day in the second straight week of daily protests on Begin Street. The protests began after the army announced last Sunday that it recovered six recently slain hostages.
About 150 protesters are currently gathered outside the IDF headquarters. Previous daily protests have drawn closer to 2,000.
Nearby, in Hostages Square, hostage families will hold a public singing event, which is set to feature Elhanan Danino, father of Ori Danino, one of the six executed hostages whose bodies were recovered last weekend.
The elder Danino has drawn attention in recent days after footage emerged of him harshly criticizing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for his failure to bring the hostages home.
**Carmel Gat's Family: "It Wasn't the Tunnel That Killed Her, But the Prime Minister Who Said 'No' to the Deal."**
**Eden Yerushalmi's Mother: "I Felt Shock, My Heart Broke. They Were Six Heroic Hostages Who Supported Each Other." Ori Danino's Father: "I Promised the Other Families That I Would Do Everything to Bring Back Those Who Remain; Netanyahu's Actions Are No Longer Acceptable."**
The Gat family emphasized: "Cabinet ministers are horrified? This is a substitute for self-reflection on wrong decisions."
Before the release of the video this evening (Tuesday) showing the Rafah tunnel where hostages Hirsh Goldberg-Polin, Eden Yerushalmi, Ori Danino, Almog Sarusi, Carmel Gat, and Alex Lobanov were held and murdered, their relatives shared their pain and called on the government to save the remaining hostages. The family headquarters called on the public to protest, stating that the hostages "suffered until their last breath. They begged us to save them, pleaded for their lives, and we failed to rescue them. They were executed in cold blood."
IDF spokesperson Brigadier General Daniel Hagari made a statement this evening and revealed harrowing footage from the Rafah tunnel. The army showed the video to the families, and with their approval, decided to release it to the public. The video shows Hagari descending into the low tunnel, struggling to stand, and pointing to bloodstains at the spot where, according to him, the hostages were murdered. "This is a transit tunnel; it's impossible to stand here," Hagari described while bent over, emphasizing the difficult humidity conditions as well. Hagari also displayed urine bottles and what might be a pit used for waste.
Shirit Yerushalmi, Eden's mother, said that Hagari had shown them the video last Saturday. "He didn't know how long Eden had been there, but based on the equipment, the estimate is weeks. We were horrified. The tunnel is very narrow and suffocating; there was no fan or lighting. There was a battery and headlamps, a lot of water bottles, and energy bars. That was all in terms of food," she shared. "There were mattresses like those used by the army, the small dark ones," she said. "If they weren't lying down, they had to stand against the wall to allow passage. It's not even a tunnel; it's a passageway of the tunnel. The width is that of a mattress, and the height is low. Hagari said he couldn't stand upright in it. There was no bathroom or shower," she added about the conditions Eden was held in. "There was a bucket, full of urine bottles. The conditions were terrible. There was barely any air. I think what kept them going, especially Eden, was being together. They were six heroic hostages, each one a world of their own to their family. I believe they supported each other. Knowing Eden was with another girl also encouraged me a bit, that she wasn't the only woman. And knowing she was with this specific group encouraged us even more because we knew the people from the stories and articles."
"Watching the video, I felt shock," she continued. "My heart broke; it hurt. The tunnel is so narrow, no air, so hot. I asked the IDF spokesperson what the temperature was like inside, if it's hot outside, and he said it was catastrophic. It was very hard for us as a family to understand where she was. We also don't know where she was before; they can't tell us. The feeling of missing out is the only feeling we've had since we learned about the murder," she said. "They survived for 11 months, and to think they were so close to getting out and were murdered — I still have that feeling. At first, I found it strange that Farhan was alone; I asked if he was with them, but I understood he went through an interrogation, and he wasn't with them. Maybe they decided not to kill him because he's Muslim; that was his luck. I wish my daughter and the other hostages had that luck."
The family headquarters emphasized that "there are still 101 hostages in Gaza. They are there, suffering, hungry, exhausted, and what keeps them going is only the hope that we will continue to fight for them. For everyone, the living to rehabilitation and the fallen and murdered to be buried in their homeland. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is busy with spins and thwarting every deal, but we, the citizens of Israel, won't let that happen. Come out into the streets and fight with us; together, we will cry out for a deal now," the statement added.
As reported by Ynet, the video was also shown to ministers at the political-security cabinet meeting the day before yesterday, and they expressed horror at it. In the footage, filmed by IDF forces and shown to the ministers under the direction of Defense Minister Yoav Galant, the narrow tunnel where the hostages were held is seen. It is a tunnel where it's almost impossible to stand, with high humidity and no air.
The footage shows the hostages living in inhumane conditions, starving, and living without basic hygiene. The hostages had very little food in captivity and significantly lost weight. Eden Yerushalmi's body was found weighing only 36 kilograms. The video also shows bloodstains, scattered clothes, and urine bottles.
**"Netanyahu's Conduct Is No Longer Acceptable."**
Elchanan Danino, Ori's father, said today in the hostages' square: "I was horrified and shocked when I saw the video, but that was yesterday — now I'm focused on the present, on helping whoever I can. We need to focus on bringing back whoever we can now, healthy and whole." He also referred to his difficult conversation with Netanyahu, saying, "I never spoke anywhere before; I didn't plan the recording that was published, I spoke from my heart because I promised the families of the other hostages that I would do everything for them. This conduct (by Netanyahu) is no longer acceptable, and I will continue to fight for them."
The Gat family stated: "There is no denying the inhumane conditions in which the hostages managed to survive, and the cabinet cannot continue to act wrongly as it has so far. The horrific video has been haunting us for three days. What killed them was not the lack of air and light, not the lack of food and water, nor the diseases in the terror tunnels — but the Prime Minister of Israel who said 'no' to a deal that would bring them back, and the military pressure that led the guard to pull the trigger. The horror expressed by the cabinet ministers and their leader after watching the video serves as a substitute for self-reflection on the wrong decisions they made and an understanding that they need to make opposite decisions that would bring the hostages home alive and not in coffins."
According to the family, "Carmel didn't believe in revenge. No one has the right to take revenge in her name. The only thing that must be done now is to bring back all the hostages in a deal before the military pressure leads to their deaths. May her memory be a blessing. Finally, we thank Brigadier General Daniel Hagari for documenting the tunnel and updating us in a personal, sensitive, and detailed manner."
**"Carmel Did Her Part in the Deal to Survive."**
Shai Dickman, Carmel Gat's cousin, told Ynet about the difficulty of watching the video. "Seeing the space where Carmel was made me realize that Carmel was there; it suddenly confirmed that she was alive, knowing she was together with five other people. Six in one space. Seeing that she had a chess set, even in the previous place she was held. The pieces were arranged; I could imagine her playing chess; it made me feel her presence, and then everything else sank in. That she's no longer there, that this is the small space where six people were. A depth of twenty meters. Little air, suffocation, the smell that was probably there from doing all their needs in front of a terrorist. With all the horrific, humiliating, and unbearable conditions, understanding that she held on, that the tunnel didn't kill her. The vehicle didn't kill her; she shared her pita, her protein bar; she did her part in the deal and did everything to survive and take care of others to survive.
"What ultimately killed her was a bullet to the head; the one who pulled the trigger was a Hamas terrorist. I don't forget that Hamas murdered her mother, kidnapped, and murdered her too. But with the IDF's statement, it's clear the trigger was military pressure, and it's very hard. With the sadness I feel that Carmel will no longer be, we won't see the picture of her curls coming down from the ambulance, wrapped in her brothers. I won't accept that, and she won't get her life back; I will always have a hole in my heart shaped like Carmel, but I will have to live alongside it and accept it like every bereaved family. The horrific video haunts us in nightmares. Carmel and the hostages were strong together and survived together. Now even the IDF understands — military pressure kills hostages."
Shai added, "What I'm not willing to accept is the knowledge that they gave up on her. She could have been brought back up until ten days ago; her name was on the missing list in November, and she survived months afterward. Even in July, her name appeared; Carmel and Eden, Hirsh and Almog, could have been here alive if the government had chosen their lives. I understand that the government prefers to kill a terrorist rather than bring Carmel back. With sadness, I can live; with that, I cannot. When people leave the world, we have no way of knowing. But in this case, we do know. We know where and how it happened, and we could have saved her and the other five, and I can't live with it."
Finally, he mentioned the broadcast of the horror video, stating, "I saw Carmel sitting; I saw blood on the wall. I can think of Carmel not understanding where she was in the dark, in the noise, and suddenly hearing the guard start shooting, knowing she's next. I can't live with that." link
Urine bottles and bullet casings: Captives killed two days after Alkadi rescue
The IDF released video footage of the tunnel in Rafah where six hostages were killed in late August.
The tunnel shaft was discovered inside a child’s bedroom in Gaza, and it extends 20 meters into the ground and connects to a 120-meter-long tunnel. The tunnel is narrow with low ceilings, no rooms, and has a metal door at its end.
“This is a ‘passage’ tunnel, not a ‘room’ tunnel. Standing up straight is impossible, and the humidity is extreme,” IDF Spokesman R.-Adm. Daniel Hagari said.
“Here, we can see their blood on the floor. This is where their final moments occurred: Hersh [Goldberg-Polin], Eden [Yerushalmi], Carmel [Gat], Ori [Danino], Almog [Sarusi], and Alex [Lobanov]. They were brutally murdered here.
“It is extremely difficult to survive in such conditions. They were heroes, coldly murdered by terrorists who build tunnels beneath children’s bedrooms and hide with captives,” he added.
Hagari noted that the evidence is still being analyzed and he displayed some of the objects found within the tunnel, indicating the prolonged stay of the hostages.
Among the objects found were bottles of urine, a makeshift bucket cesspool, women’s hygiene products, as well as various weapons, including Kalashnikov magazines and bullet shells.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum called the “Tunnel of Horrors” footage “shocking.”
“It reveals the horrific conditions endured by Carmel Gat, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Alex Lobanov, Almog Sarusi, Ori Danino, and Eden Yerushalmi – for 11 months. They were confined in narrow 1.5-meter tunnels, deep underground, deprived of air and sanitary conditions, and subjected to constant mental and physical abuse before their brutal execution.
“There are 101 hostages still held in Gaza, enduring unimaginable suffering. Hungry, exhausted, and tortured, they cling to a single hope: that we will continue fighting for their freedom. They trust us to bring them home.”
The killing of the hostages has been highly controversial as many political and defense officials believe they could have been saved in a hostage exchange deal as part of a ceasefire with Hamas if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had not, in their mind, held off a deal in order to hold onto the Philadelphi Corridor in Rafah.
Controversy on the DealIn addition, the IDF confirmed on Tuesday that the six hostages were killed by their Hamas captors on August 29, two days after the IDF rescued Israeli-Bedouin Qaid Farhan Alkadi on August 27 from a nearby tunnel.
The IDF said it does not know the exact time the six hostages were killed.
The timing essentially confirms that the six hostages were killed in response to the rescue of Alkadi. However, it also likely disqualifies drawing any direct connection to the Israeli cabinet vote on keeping the Philadelphi Corridor in any hostage deal early Friday.
Further, the IDF said it had found the bodies of terrorists nearby who might have been the killers of the hostages.
These terrorists were trying to escape the tunnel area above ground.
The IDF is analyzing the DNA of the terrorists as well as the DNA within the tunnel and relating to the hostages to see if there is a connection.
It believes that two terrorists were involved in killing the hostages.
Based on the amount of food, bathroom facilities, mattresses, and the stock of weapons nearby, the IDF estimated that the hostages and their captors had been in the area for more than a week and possibly significantly longer.
Captives kept in cages
It recalled that when it penetrated one of the largest tunnels where hostages had been kept in cages in Khan Yunis in January and later, those hostages were moved to other locations either in Khan Yunis or in Rafah.
Moreover, the IDF revealed that to find the six hostages’ bodies it had to use a D-9 armored bulldozer to break through a structure and then a mix of powerful hammers and drills to break through materials that Hamas had placed over the bodies to make it harder to discover them.
Also, the IDF said it has tried to learn lessons from this and other incidents in which its operational activities may have endangered hostages so as to minimize such risks in the future while maintaining ongoing military pressure on Hamas. link. Video of tunnel where hostages were killed
**Liam Was Abused in the Tunnel: "Hands Tied, They Pushed Cake to Me Once a Day, So I Would Die Slowly"**
Liam Or, who returned in the hostage deal, published a long message on Instagram in which he criticized: "Philadelphi Route, total victory—what is that compared to human lives? The hostages have been going through a Holocaust for almost a year." He went on to describe "days when I slept with my hands tied behind my back on sand and rocks in the tunnels," and emphasized, "You can't stop them from abusing you."
Liam Or, 19, who was released from Hamas captivity in the hostage deal, shared this evening (Tuesday) on Instagram about what he went through in the tunnels in the Gaza Strip. According to him, "I'm not a big fan of sharing or of media in general, but sometimes things come up, and if there's a chance to get exposure, then why not. Human lives, our lives, are something we sometimes take for granted, and we do stupid things, and that's okay. We are allowed to 'play' with our lives; it's natural, and it's fun. But other people are not allowed to play with our lives. And it's happening. For too many days already.
"'Philadelphi Route,' 'this will prevent the next October 7,' 'total victory'—compared to human lives? There was a Holocaust on the soil of our land, which I'm sure the military has learned from, and it won't happen again. My heart is already torn from the fact that every day soldiers are falling, and that right here, just a few kilometers from where I live, citizens of our country are sleeping, held in captivity. In captivity. Suddenly, after talking about it every day for almost a year, it sounds more acceptable to the ear, doesn't it? It's easy to sit on the couch and talk about the hostages as a headline and not as people who have been going through a Holocaust for almost a year."
"I was there," Or added. "To some of you, I'm a partner, son, brother, relative, friend from home, from the stands, or maybe just strangers or maybe public figures who are just waiting for a Hapoel fan kid to post something that can serve your army of followers (a reference to the backlash he received on social media after posting a story from the game against Beitar Jerusalem). But when you all look at me, you'll notice that I'm okay. I truly believe that now, after almost 10 months since my release, I feel better. But here I am, currently in Thailand, and I put on the party bracelet a little too tight, and all I can think about is the few days when I slept with my hands tied behind my back on the sand and rocks there in the tunnels, and the way they pushed a small piece of cake to me once a day so I wouldn't die quickly but slowly."
Or added: "When your hands are tied, you can't prevent the monsters there from abusing you, and how easy it is when you have a gunshot wound in your stomach. If by mistake I made you uncomfortable, and maybe even a little shaken, it will pass for you in 5 minutes. But for me, it won't. The hostages who are there need to start taking care of their souls and their bodies. The families must see their loved ones already. Please consider before you respond to the families of hostages because their loved ones are not with them, and it's hard for them—it could have been your family. Bring them back home already—and if you don't know how, then please don't make it harder for the families of the hostages." link
Israel offers Sinwar safe passage from Gaza for hostages
Israel’s chief negotiator for hostages and missing persons, Gal Hirsch, proposed offering Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar safe passage out of Gaza in exchange for the 101 hostages still in captivity in an interview with Bloomberg on Tuesday.
“I’m ready to provide safe passage to Sinwar, his family, whoever wants to join him. We want the hostages back. We want demilitarization, de-radicalization of course — a new system that will manage Gaza," he stated.
According to the report, the proposal has been on the table for two days, yet it is unclear what the response has been.
“In parallel, I must work on plans B, C, and D because I must bring the hostages back home,” Hirsch said. “The clock is ticking; the hostages do not have time,” Hirsch added. link This proposal only shows how little people like Gal Hirsch understand Hamas and specifically Yihya Sinwar. I, too am no expert, but I have learned from my brother who has spent more time talking and negotiating directly with Hamas than any other Israeli. Though he has never talked to Sinwar directly, he has spoken to his representatives and has a better understanding than most. However, he always says that the only person who truly knows what's going on in Sinwar's head is Sinwar. That being said, I have learned that SInwar has no intention whatsoever of leaving Gaza. Now, perhaps more than ever in the last 11 months, he feels victorious and he believes that he and Hamas will continue to rule in Gaza, will rebuild the fighting forces of Hamas and continue to be a threat to Israel until they can bring about our destruction. This is not a person who will leave Gaza just to save his own skin. Even if push came to shove, he has always been prepared to die in this fight and he believes that the heaven waiting for him when he dies a martyr fighting the Zionist enemy, will be the best heaven imaginable. There is a story that my brother was told by a reliable source and we have heard it confirmed by others in the know. After he was released from Israeli prison, he got married and within 10 years, he had a slew of children. A colleague asked him why he doesn't give his wife a break and refrain from having more children. He reportedly said that 3 of his children will be arrested and be in Israeli prisons, 3 will be killed in the battle with the Zionists and that leaves only 3. He said he needs many more children to fight the battles. This is a man (more like a monster) who doesn't give a damn about the lives of his children and has no issue if they go to prison or get killed in the fight. This is not a man who will leave Gaza just to save his won life.
Hundreds of demonstrators protested in Tel Aviv on Tuesday, demanding the government reach a deal to free the hostages as the Israel Defense Forces revealed footage taken from a cramped, bloody tunnel where the bodies of six executed captives were found last week.
The forum representing the families of hostages warned that the tunnel evidence underlined that the lives of the remaining hostages were “hanging by a thread.”
Israelis protest for the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza outside the Defense Ministry Headquarters in Tel Aviv, September 10, 2024. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
Demonstrators intermittently blocked traffic outside the Defense Ministry headquarters in Tel Aviv and called on drivers to join the “struggle for the soul of this country.” Some drivers exited their cars to join the protesters, while others appeared somewhat irked by the disruptions.
“We won’t agree to a government of abandoners,” the protesters chanted.
The roadblocks lasted a few minutes, after which protesters let traffic through.
Hostage Updates
Anti-government, pro-hostage deal protesters begin intermittently blocking traffic on Tel Aviv’s Begin Street, in front of the IDF headquarters.
They call on drivers to join the “struggle for the soul of this country.” Some drivers exit their cars to join the protesters, while others appear somewhat irked.
“We won’t agree to a government of abandoners,” the protesters chant.
The roadblocks last a few minutes, after which protesters let traffic through.
This is the third day in the second straight week of daily protests on Begin Street. The protests began after the army announced last Sunday that it recovered six recently slain hostages.
About 150 protesters are currently gathered outside the IDF headquarters. Previous daily protests have drawn closer to 2,000.
Nearby, in Hostages Square, hostage families will hold a public singing event, which is set to feature Elhanan Danino, father of Ori Danino, one of the six executed hostages whose bodies were recovered last weekend.
The elder Danino has drawn attention in recent days after footage emerged of him harshly criticizing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for his failure to bring the hostages home.
**Carmel Gat's Family: "It Wasn't the Tunnel That Killed Her, But the Prime Minister Who Said 'No' to the Deal."**
**Eden Yerushalmi's Mother: "I Felt Shock, My Heart Broke. They Were Six Heroic Hostages Who Supported Each Other." Ori Danino's Father: "I Promised the Other Families That I Would Do Everything to Bring Back Those Who Remain; Netanyahu's Actions Are No Longer Acceptable."**
The Gat family emphasized: "Cabinet ministers are horrified? This is a substitute for self-reflection on wrong decisions."
Before the release of the video this evening (Tuesday) showing the Rafah tunnel where hostages Hirsh Goldberg-Polin, Eden Yerushalmi, Ori Danino, Almog Sarusi, Carmel Gat, and Alex Lobanov were held and murdered, their relatives shared their pain and called on the government to save the remaining hostages. The family headquarters called on the public to protest, stating that the hostages "suffered until their last breath. They begged us to save them, pleaded for their lives, and we failed to rescue them. They were executed in cold blood."
IDF spokesperson Brigadier General Daniel Hagari made a statement this evening and revealed harrowing footage from the Rafah tunnel. The army showed the video to the families, and with their approval, decided to release it to the public. The video shows Hagari descending into the low tunnel, struggling to stand, and pointing to bloodstains at the spot where, according to him, the hostages were murdered. "This is a transit tunnel; it's impossible to stand here," Hagari described while bent over, emphasizing the difficult humidity conditions as well. Hagari also displayed urine bottles and what might be a pit used for waste.
Shirit Yerushalmi, Eden's mother, said that Hagari had shown them the video last Saturday. "He didn't know how long Eden had been there, but based on the equipment, the estimate is weeks. We were horrified. The tunnel is very narrow and suffocating; there was no fan or lighting. There was a battery and headlamps, a lot of water bottles, and energy bars. That was all in terms of food," she shared. "There were mattresses like those used by the army, the small dark ones," she said. "If they weren't lying down, they had to stand against the wall to allow passage. It's not even a tunnel; it's a passageway of the tunnel. The width is that of a mattress, and the height is low. Hagari said he couldn't stand upright in it. There was no bathroom or shower," she added about the conditions Eden was held in. "There was a bucket, full of urine bottles. The conditions were terrible. There was barely any air. I think what kept them going, especially Eden, was being together. They were six heroic hostages, each one a world of their own to their family. I believe they supported each other. Knowing Eden was with another girl also encouraged me a bit, that she wasn't the only woman. And knowing she was with this specific group encouraged us even more because we knew the people from the stories and articles."
"Watching the video, I felt shock," she continued. "My heart broke; it hurt. The tunnel is so narrow, no air, so hot. I asked the IDF spokesperson what the temperature was like inside, if it's hot outside, and he said it was catastrophic. It was very hard for us as a family to understand where she was. We also don't know where she was before; they can't tell us. The feeling of missing out is the only feeling we've had since we learned about the murder," she said. "They survived for 11 months, and to think they were so close to getting out and were murdered — I still have that feeling. At first, I found it strange that Farhan was alone; I asked if he was with them, but I understood he went through an interrogation, and he wasn't with them. Maybe they decided not to kill him because he's Muslim; that was his luck. I wish my daughter and the other hostages had that luck."
The family headquarters emphasized that "there are still 101 hostages in Gaza. They are there, suffering, hungry, exhausted, and what keeps them going is only the hope that we will continue to fight for them. For everyone, the living to rehabilitation and the fallen and murdered to be buried in their homeland. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is busy with spins and thwarting every deal, but we, the citizens of Israel, won't let that happen. Come out into the streets and fight with us; together, we will cry out for a deal now," the statement added.
As reported by Ynet, the video was also shown to ministers at the political-security cabinet meeting the day before yesterday, and they expressed horror at it. In the footage, filmed by IDF forces and shown to the ministers under the direction of Defense Minister Yoav Galant, the narrow tunnel where the hostages were held is seen. It is a tunnel where it's almost impossible to stand, with high humidity and no air.
The footage shows the hostages living in inhumane conditions, starving, and living without basic hygiene. The hostages had very little food in captivity and significantly lost weight. Eden Yerushalmi's body was found weighing only 36 kilograms. The video also shows bloodstains, scattered clothes, and urine bottles.
**"Netanyahu's Conduct Is No Longer Acceptable."**
Elchanan Danino, Ori's father, said today in the hostages' square: "I was horrified and shocked when I saw the video, but that was yesterday — now I'm focused on the present, on helping whoever I can. We need to focus on bringing back whoever we can now, healthy and whole." He also referred to his difficult conversation with Netanyahu, saying, "I never spoke anywhere before; I didn't plan the recording that was published, I spoke from my heart because I promised the families of the other hostages that I would do everything for them. This conduct (by Netanyahu) is no longer acceptable, and I will continue to fight for them."
The Gat family stated: "There is no denying the inhumane conditions in which the hostages managed to survive, and the cabinet cannot continue to act wrongly as it has so far. The horrific video has been haunting us for three days. What killed them was not the lack of air and light, not the lack of food and water, nor the diseases in the terror tunnels — but the Prime Minister of Israel who said 'no' to a deal that would bring them back, and the military pressure that led the guard to pull the trigger. The horror expressed by the cabinet ministers and their leader after watching the video serves as a substitute for self-reflection on the wrong decisions they made and an understanding that they need to make opposite decisions that would bring the hostages home alive and not in coffins."
According to the family, "Carmel didn't believe in revenge. No one has the right to take revenge in her name. The only thing that must be done now is to bring back all the hostages in a deal before the military pressure leads to their deaths. May her memory be a blessing. Finally, we thank Brigadier General Daniel Hagari for documenting the tunnel and updating us in a personal, sensitive, and detailed manner."
**"Carmel Did Her Part in the Deal to Survive."**
Shai Dickman, Carmel Gat's cousin, told Ynet about the difficulty of watching the video. "Seeing the space where Carmel was made me realize that Carmel was there; it suddenly confirmed that she was alive, knowing she was together with five other people. Six in one space. Seeing that she had a chess set, even in the previous place she was held. The pieces were arranged; I could imagine her playing chess; it made me feel her presence, and then everything else sank in. That she's no longer there, that this is the small space where six people were. A depth of twenty meters. Little air, suffocation, the smell that was probably there from doing all their needs in front of a terrorist. With all the horrific, humiliating, and unbearable conditions, understanding that she held on, that the tunnel didn't kill her. The vehicle didn't kill her; she shared her pita, her protein bar; she did her part in the deal and did everything to survive and take care of others to survive.
"What ultimately killed her was a bullet to the head; the one who pulled the trigger was a Hamas terrorist. I don't forget that Hamas murdered her mother, kidnapped, and murdered her too. But with the IDF's statement, it's clear the trigger was military pressure, and it's very hard. With the sadness I feel that Carmel will no longer be, we won't see the picture of her curls coming down from the ambulance, wrapped in her brothers. I won't accept that, and she won't get her life back; I will always have a hole in my heart shaped like Carmel, but I will have to live alongside it and accept it like every bereaved family. The horrific video haunts us in nightmares. Carmel and the hostages were strong together and survived together. Now even the IDF understands — military pressure kills hostages."
Shai added, "What I'm not willing to accept is the knowledge that they gave up on her. She could have been brought back up until ten days ago; her name was on the missing list in November, and she survived months afterward. Even in July, her name appeared; Carmel and Eden, Hirsh and Almog, could have been here alive if the government had chosen their lives. I understand that the government prefers to kill a terrorist rather than bring Carmel back. With sadness, I can live; with that, I cannot. When people leave the world, we have no way of knowing. But in this case, we do know. We know where and how it happened, and we could have saved her and the other five, and I can't live with it."
Finally, he mentioned the broadcast of the horror video, stating, "I saw Carmel sitting; I saw blood on the wall. I can think of Carmel not understanding where she was in the dark, in the noise, and suddenly hearing the guard start shooting, knowing she's next. I can't live with that." link
Urine bottles and bullet casings: Captives killed two days after Alkadi rescue
The IDF released video footage of the tunnel in Rafah where six hostages were killed in late August.
The tunnel shaft was discovered inside a child’s bedroom in Gaza, and it extends 20 meters into the ground and connects to a 120-meter-long tunnel. The tunnel is narrow with low ceilings, no rooms, and has a metal door at its end.
“This is a ‘passage’ tunnel, not a ‘room’ tunnel. Standing up straight is impossible, and the humidity is extreme,” IDF Spokesman R.-Adm. Daniel Hagari said.
“Here, we can see their blood on the floor. This is where their final moments occurred: Hersh [Goldberg-Polin], Eden [Yerushalmi], Carmel [Gat], Ori [Danino], Almog [Sarusi], and Alex [Lobanov]. They were brutally murdered here.
“It is extremely difficult to survive in such conditions. They were heroes, coldly murdered by terrorists who build tunnels beneath children’s bedrooms and hide with captives,” he added.
Hagari noted that the evidence is still being analyzed and he displayed some of the objects found within the tunnel, indicating the prolonged stay of the hostages.
Among the objects found were bottles of urine, a makeshift bucket cesspool, women’s hygiene products, as well as various weapons, including Kalashnikov magazines and bullet shells.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum called the “Tunnel of Horrors” footage “shocking.”
“It reveals the horrific conditions endured by Carmel Gat, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Alex Lobanov, Almog Sarusi, Ori Danino, and Eden Yerushalmi – for 11 months. They were confined in narrow 1.5-meter tunnels, deep underground, deprived of air and sanitary conditions, and subjected to constant mental and physical abuse before their brutal execution.
“There are 101 hostages still held in Gaza, enduring unimaginable suffering. Hungry, exhausted, and tortured, they cling to a single hope: that we will continue fighting for their freedom. They trust us to bring them home.”
The killing of the hostages has been highly controversial as many political and defense officials believe they could have been saved in a hostage exchange deal as part of a ceasefire with Hamas if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had not, in their mind, held off a deal in order to hold onto the Philadelphi Corridor in Rafah.
Controversy on the DealIn addition, the IDF confirmed on Tuesday that the six hostages were killed by their Hamas captors on August 29, two days after the IDF rescued Israeli-Bedouin Qaid Farhan Alkadi on August 27 from a nearby tunnel.
The IDF said it does not know the exact time the six hostages were killed.
The timing essentially confirms that the six hostages were killed in response to the rescue of Alkadi. However, it also likely disqualifies drawing any direct connection to the Israeli cabinet vote on keeping the Philadelphi Corridor in any hostage deal early Friday.
Further, the IDF said it had found the bodies of terrorists nearby who might have been the killers of the hostages.
These terrorists were trying to escape the tunnel area above ground.
The IDF is analyzing the DNA of the terrorists as well as the DNA within the tunnel and relating to the hostages to see if there is a connection.
It believes that two terrorists were involved in killing the hostages.
Based on the amount of food, bathroom facilities, mattresses, and the stock of weapons nearby, the IDF estimated that the hostages and their captors had been in the area for more than a week and possibly significantly longer.
Captives kept in cagesIt recalled that when it penetrated one of the largest tunnels where hostages had been kept in cages in Khan Yunis in January and later, those hostages were moved to other locations either in Khan Yunis or in Rafah.
Moreover, the IDF revealed that to find the six hostages’ bodies it had to use a D-9 armored bulldozer to break through a structure and then a mix of powerful hammers and drills to break through materials that Hamas had placed over the bodies to make it harder to discover them.
Also, the IDF said it has tried to learn lessons from this and other incidents in which its operational activities may have endangered hostages so as to minimize such risks in the future while maintaining ongoing military pressure on Hamas. link. Video of tunnel where hostages were killed
**Liam Was Abused in the Tunnel: "Hands Tied, They Pushed Cake to Me Once a Day, So I Would Die Slowly"**
Liam Or, who returned in the hostage deal, published a long message on Instagram in which he criticized: "Philadelphi Route, total victory—what is that compared to human lives? The hostages have been going through a Holocaust for almost a year." He went on to describe "days when I slept with my hands tied behind my back on sand and rocks in the tunnels," and emphasized, "You can't stop them from abusing you."
Liam Or, 19, who was released from Hamas captivity in the hostage deal, shared this evening (Tuesday) on Instagram about what he went through in the tunnels in the Gaza Strip. According to him, "I'm not a big fan of sharing or of media in general, but sometimes things come up, and if there's a chance to get exposure, then why not. Human lives, our lives, are something we sometimes take for granted, and we do stupid things, and that's okay. We are allowed to 'play' with our lives; it's natural, and it's fun. But other people are not allowed to play with our lives. And it's happening. For too many days already.
"'Philadelphi Route,' 'this will prevent the next October 7,' 'total victory'—compared to human lives? There was a Holocaust on the soil of our land, which I'm sure the military has learned from, and it won't happen again. My heart is already torn from the fact that every day soldiers are falling, and that right here, just a few kilometers from where I live, citizens of our country are sleeping, held in captivity. In captivity. Suddenly, after talking about it every day for almost a year, it sounds more acceptable to the ear, doesn't it? It's easy to sit on the couch and talk about the hostages as a headline and not as people who have been going through a Holocaust for almost a year."
"I was there," Or added. "To some of you, I'm a partner, son, brother, relative, friend from home, from the stands, or maybe just strangers or maybe public figures who are just waiting for a Hapoel fan kid to post something that can serve your army of followers (a reference to the backlash he received on social media after posting a story from the game against Beitar Jerusalem). But when you all look at me, you'll notice that I'm okay. I truly believe that now, after almost 10 months since my release, I feel better. But here I am, currently in Thailand, and I put on the party bracelet a little too tight, and all I can think about is the few days when I slept with my hands tied behind my back on the sand and rocks there in the tunnels, and the way they pushed a small piece of cake to me once a day so I wouldn't die quickly but slowly."
Or added: "When your hands are tied, you can't prevent the monsters there from abusing you, and how easy it is when you have a gunshot wound in your stomach. If by mistake I made you uncomfortable, and maybe even a little shaken, it will pass for you in 5 minutes. But for me, it won't. The hostages who are there need to start taking care of their souls and their bodies. The families must see their loved ones already. Please consider before you respond to the families of hostages because their loved ones are not with them, and it's hard for them—it could have been your family. Bring them back home already—and if you don't know how, then please don't make it harder for the families of the hostages." link
Israel offers Sinwar safe passage from Gaza for hostages
Israel’s chief negotiator for hostages and missing persons, Gal Hirsch, proposed offering Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar safe passage out of Gaza in exchange for the 101 hostages still in captivity in an interview with Bloomberg on Tuesday.
“I’m ready to provide safe passage to Sinwar, his family, whoever wants to join him. We want the hostages back. We want demilitarization, de-radicalization of course — a new system that will manage Gaza," he stated.
According to the report, the proposal has been on the table for two days, yet it is unclear what the response has been.
“In parallel, I must work on plans B, C, and D because I must bring the hostages back home,” Hirsch said. “The clock is ticking; the hostages do not have time,” Hirsch added. link This proposal only shows how little people like Gal Hirsch understand Hamas and specifically Yihya Sinwar. I, too am no expert, but I have learned from my brother who has spent more time talking and negotiating directly with Hamas than any other Israeli. Though he has never talked to Sinwar directly, he has spoken to his representatives and has a better understanding than most. However, he always says that the only person who truly knows what's going on in Sinwar's head is Sinwar. That being said, I have learned that SInwar has no intention whatsoever of leaving Gaza. Now, perhaps more than ever in the last 11 months, he feels victorious and he believes that he and Hamas will continue to rule in Gaza, will rebuild the fighting forces of Hamas and continue to be a threat to Israel until they can bring about our destruction. This is not a person who will leave Gaza just to save his own skin. Even if push came to shove, he has always been prepared to die in this fight and he believes that the heaven waiting for him when he dies a martyr fighting the Zionist enemy, will be the best heaven imaginable. There is a story that my brother was told by a reliable source and we have heard it confirmed by others in the know. After he was released from Israeli prison, he got married and within 10 years, he had a slew of children. A colleague asked him why he doesn't give his wife a break and refrain from having more children. He reportedly said that 3 of his children will be arrested and be in Israeli prisons, 3 will be killed in the battle with the Zionists and that leaves only 3. He said he needs many more children to fight the battles. This is a man (more like a monster) who doesn't give a damn about the lives of his children and has no issue if they go to prison or get killed in the fight. This is not a man who will leave Gaza just to save his won life.
Hundreds of demonstrators protested in Tel Aviv on Tuesday, demanding the government reach a deal to free the hostages as the Israel Defense Forces revealed footage taken from a cramped, bloody tunnel where the bodies of six executed captives were found last week.
The forum representing the families of hostages warned that the tunnel evidence underlined that the lives of the remaining hostages were “hanging by a thread.”
Israelis protest for the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza outside the Defense Ministry Headquarters in Tel Aviv, September 10, 2024. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)Demonstrators intermittently blocked traffic outside the Defense Ministry headquarters in Tel Aviv and called on drivers to join the “struggle for the soul of this country.” Some drivers exited their cars to join the protesters, while others appeared somewhat irked by the disruptions.
“We won’t agree to a government of abandoners,” the protesters chanted.
The roadblocks lasted a few minutes, after which protesters let traffic through.
Gaza
- The commander of Hamas’s Tel Sultan Battalion in the terror group’s Rafah Brigade was killed in an Israeli drone strike several weeks ago.
Mahmoud Hamdan was killed alongside three company commanders in the Tel Sultan Battalion, according to the IDF.
The military says that additional strikes killed several more top commanders in the battalion, along with dozens of operatives.
The IDF says Hamdan took a “significant part” in planning the October 7 onslaught, and was involved in other attacks amid the ongoing war.
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees says that nearly 530,000 children had now received the polio vaccine across the Gaza Strip.
UNRWA says its vaccination campaign is ongoing in north Gaza.
Mahmoud Hamdan was killed alongside three company commanders in the Tel Sultan Battalion, according to the IDF.
The military says that additional strikes killed several more top commanders in the battalion, along with dozens of operatives.
The IDF says Hamdan took a “significant part” in planning the October 7 onslaught, and was involved in other attacks amid the ongoing war.
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees says that nearly 530,000 children had now received the polio vaccine across the Gaza Strip.
UNRWA says its vaccination campaign is ongoing in north Gaza.
Northern Israel - Lebanon/Hizbollah/Syria
Footage shows a Hezbollah drone flying over northern Israel a short while ago, as sirens sounded in several communities.
Sirens warning of a drone infiltration had sounded in Rosh Pina and several other towns in the Galilee.
The Home Front Command says the incident is over, without elaborating. Video
Hezbollah rocket launchers used to fire some 45 rockets at northern Israel earlier today were targeted in drone strikes, the IDF says.
The launchers were hit in southern Lebanon’s at-Tiri and Mansouri, according to the military.
Meanwhile, Israeli fighter jets struck a building used by Hezbollah in Rachaf, the IDF adds. Video
An Israeli man was wounded in an anti-tank guided missile attack from Lebanon earlier today.
The 39-year-old was taken to Rambam Hospital in Haifa after being hit by a missile in the Kibbutz Dan area. The medical center says he is conscious and suffering shrapnel injuries.
Meanwhile, a barrage of some 30 rockets was fired from Lebanon at the Western Galilee, impacting open areas near the community of Abirim, the IDF says.
A shell fired from Israel explodes over the southern Lebanese border village of Khiam on September 11, 2024. (Photo by Rabih DAHER / AFP)The IDF confirms carrying out a drone strike in southern Lebanon’s Mays al-Jabal this morning, targeting two Hezbollah operatives.
One was killed and the second was wounded in the strike.
Separately, fighter jets struck a Hezbollah rocket launcher in Marimin, which had been used in previous attacks on Israel, the military says.
Another primed rocket launcher was struck in Rashaya al-Foukhar, the IDF adds.
**Report in Lebanon: "IDF Preparing for Ground Operation in Lebanon, Plans to Cut Off the Beqaa Valley from the South of the Country"**
The newspaper Al-Akhbar, affiliated with Hezbollah, claims that Israel wants to sever all ground supply routes that the terrorist organization would need from Syria or Iraq. The report claims that the IDF is also preparing to enter parts of Syria. "The threats escalate as the difficulty in reaching an agreement in Gaza increases," the report stated, against the backdrop of Defense Minister Gallant's remarks that "the center of gravity is shifting northward." The Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar, affiliated with Hezbollah, reported this morning (Wednesday) that the IDF is allegedly preparing for a ground operation. According to the report, at the start of the operation, it may sever all land supply routes that the terrorist organization needs from Syria and Iraq, and also isolate the Beqaa Valley from the southern part of Lebanon.
Hashem Safi al-Din, Chairman of Hezbollah's Executive Council, said yesterday in his speech at a ceremony marking forty days since the elimination of the terrorist organization's Chief of Staff Fuad Shukr, that "his elimination has brought Tel Aviv into part of Hezbollah's operational plan." Safi al-Din reiterated the false claim that Hezbollah's drones reached the 8200 Unit base. "The Zionists are reverting to empty strategies. Their destruction, threats, and assassinations will not restore security and tranquility to the residents of northern Israel," Safi al-Din continued. "The only solution is to stop the aggression in Gaza." In an article written by Al-Akhbar's editor Ibrahim al-Amin, who is considered a mouthpiece for Hezbollah, it was written: "The Israeli leadership continued to voice threats against Lebanon about the army's readiness to launch a major military operation against Hezbollah, aiming to change the rules of the game and ensure the return of more than 100,000 residents to the Western and Upper Galilee."
Al-Amin continued and wrote: "The enemy and the Americans counted on the war with Lebanon stopping, especially after the failure of American and European efforts to separate the two fronts, as Western and Arab envoys continued to convey messages of threat." "A ground military operation in southern Lebanon and parts of Syria."
According to al-Amin, the IDF is sending signals that it will be forced at the start of any military operation to sever all ground supply routes that Hezbollah would need from Syria or Iraq and disconnect the connection between the Beqaa and the south. To achieve this, the newspaper's editor claims, it is planning a ground military operation through which it will enter southern Lebanon and areas in southwestern Syria and advance eastward into the depths of Lebanon to achieve these goals.
The newspaper claims that Israel also wants "to exploit any move it makes within Syrian territory to launch a major military attack against the Syrian army, thereby disrupting any of its capabilities to assist Hezbollah." Al-Akhbar noted that a source familiar with the contacts described the situation as follows: "Israel does not want war, and the United States is urging it not to go to war. But the long-term displacement of more than 100,000 residents from northern Israel requires a full agreement, not just a ceasefire."
The newspaper further claimed that the parties are failing to convince Hezbollah to reach an agreement detached from what is happening in Gaza, and that the organization is not showing flexibility regarding the stage after the ceasefire. "Israel will find itself forced to carry out a major military operation, and no one can prevent Israel from waging this war," it was written.
The IDF Spokesperson reported today that the Air Force attacked "about 30 launchers and military infrastructures of the Hezbollah terrorist organization" overnight in southern Lebanon. Lebanon reported a series of powerful strikes described as a "belt of fire." link
Footage shows a Hezbollah drone flying over northern Israel a short while ago, as sirens sounded in several communities.
Sirens warning of a drone infiltration had sounded in Rosh Pina and several other towns in the Galilee.
The Home Front Command says the incident is over, without elaborating. Video
Hezbollah rocket launchers used to fire some 45 rockets at northern Israel earlier today were targeted in drone strikes, the IDF says.
The launchers were hit in southern Lebanon’s at-Tiri and Mansouri, according to the military.
Meanwhile, Israeli fighter jets struck a building used by Hezbollah in Rachaf, the IDF adds. Video
An Israeli man was wounded in an anti-tank guided missile attack from Lebanon earlier today.
The 39-year-old was taken to Rambam Hospital in Haifa after being hit by a missile in the Kibbutz Dan area. The medical center says he is conscious and suffering shrapnel injuries.
Meanwhile, a barrage of some 30 rockets was fired from Lebanon at the Western Galilee, impacting open areas near the community of Abirim, the IDF says.
A shell fired from Israel explodes over the southern Lebanese border village of Khiam on September 11, 2024. (Photo by Rabih DAHER / AFP)The IDF confirms carrying out a drone strike in southern Lebanon’s Mays al-Jabal this morning, targeting two Hezbollah operatives.
One was killed and the second was wounded in the strike.
Separately, fighter jets struck a Hezbollah rocket launcher in Marimin, which had been used in previous attacks on Israel, the military says.
Another primed rocket launcher was struck in Rashaya al-Foukhar, the IDF adds.
**Report in Lebanon: "IDF Preparing for Ground Operation in Lebanon, Plans to Cut Off the Beqaa Valley from the South of the Country"**
The newspaper Al-Akhbar, affiliated with Hezbollah, claims that Israel wants to sever all ground supply routes that the terrorist organization would need from Syria or Iraq. The report claims that the IDF is also preparing to enter parts of Syria. "The threats escalate as the difficulty in reaching an agreement in Gaza increases," the report stated, against the backdrop of Defense Minister Gallant's remarks that "the center of gravity is shifting northward." The Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar, affiliated with Hezbollah, reported this morning (Wednesday) that the IDF is allegedly preparing for a ground operation. According to the report, at the start of the operation, it may sever all land supply routes that the terrorist organization needs from Syria and Iraq, and also isolate the Beqaa Valley from the southern part of Lebanon.
Hashem Safi al-Din, Chairman of Hezbollah's Executive Council, said yesterday in his speech at a ceremony marking forty days since the elimination of the terrorist organization's Chief of Staff Fuad Shukr, that "his elimination has brought Tel Aviv into part of Hezbollah's operational plan." Safi al-Din reiterated the false claim that Hezbollah's drones reached the 8200 Unit base. "The Zionists are reverting to empty strategies. Their destruction, threats, and assassinations will not restore security and tranquility to the residents of northern Israel," Safi al-Din continued. "The only solution is to stop the aggression in Gaza." In an article written by Al-Akhbar's editor Ibrahim al-Amin, who is considered a mouthpiece for Hezbollah, it was written: "The Israeli leadership continued to voice threats against Lebanon about the army's readiness to launch a major military operation against Hezbollah, aiming to change the rules of the game and ensure the return of more than 100,000 residents to the Western and Upper Galilee."
Al-Amin continued and wrote: "The enemy and the Americans counted on the war with Lebanon stopping, especially after the failure of American and European efforts to separate the two fronts, as Western and Arab envoys continued to convey messages of threat." "A ground military operation in southern Lebanon and parts of Syria."
According to al-Amin, the IDF is sending signals that it will be forced at the start of any military operation to sever all ground supply routes that Hezbollah would need from Syria or Iraq and disconnect the connection between the Beqaa and the south. To achieve this, the newspaper's editor claims, it is planning a ground military operation through which it will enter southern Lebanon and areas in southwestern Syria and advance eastward into the depths of Lebanon to achieve these goals.
The newspaper claims that Israel also wants "to exploit any move it makes within Syrian territory to launch a major military attack against the Syrian army, thereby disrupting any of its capabilities to assist Hezbollah." Al-Akhbar noted that a source familiar with the contacts described the situation as follows: "Israel does not want war, and the United States is urging it not to go to war. But the long-term displacement of more than 100,000 residents from northern Israel requires a full agreement, not just a ceasefire."
The newspaper further claimed that the parties are failing to convince Hezbollah to reach an agreement detached from what is happening in Gaza, and that the organization is not showing flexibility regarding the stage after the ceasefire. "Israel will find itself forced to carry out a major military operation, and no one can prevent Israel from waging this war," it was written.
The IDF Spokesperson reported today that the Air Force attacked "about 30 launchers and military infrastructures of the Hezbollah terrorist organization" overnight in southern Lebanon. Lebanon reported a series of powerful strikes described as a "belt of fire." link
West Bank and Jerusalem and Terror attacks within Israel
- Numerous fires are burning in olive groves east of the village of Burin belonging to a Palestinian farmer, after allegedly being set by settlers from surrounding settlements and illegal outposts.
According to the farmer, Bashar Eid, the fires were set by settlers from the Givat Ronen outpost east of Burin in the northern West Bank, and are not currently being tackled by the fire service.
A spokesperson for the Judea and Samaria District Fire Service says the details and location of the fires provided by Eid have been passed to the district control center.
Fires were also set west of Burin earlier in the day between the Palestinian town and the settlement of Yitzhar, well known for its radicalism.
The fire service spokesperson says that four teams are currently tackling those fires.
A spokesperson for the Israel Police Samaria District says the police are “unaware” of the alleged arson incidents. The IDF did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
At around 6 am this morning, five masked settlers equipped with saws arrived from the direction of the Yitzhar Yeshiva (the buildings under renovation) to an olive grove owned by a Palestinian farmer from Burin, where they cut down and burned dozens of trees. video of these Jewish terrorists US President Joe Biden says he is “outraged and deeply saddened” by the death of activist Aysenur Eygi, and says Israel “must do more” to ensure similar incidents do not occur again.
Eygi, an American peace activist, was shot dead in the West Bank last week. Yesterday, the army said she had “with high probability” been hit by IDF troops’ mistaken gunfire. The IDF expressed regret for the killing.
Biden says in a statement that the shooting that led to the US citizen’s death was “totally unacceptable,” and that her “idealism led her to travel to the West Bank to peacefully protest the expansion of settlements.”
“Israel has acknowledged its responsibility for Aysenur’s death, and a preliminary investigation has indicated that it was the result of a tragic error resulting from an unnecessary escalation,” Biden says.
“The US government has had full access to Israel’s preliminary investigation, and expects continued access as the investigation continues, so that we can have confidence in the result. We will continue to stay in close contact with Israeli and Palestinian authorities regarding the circumstances that led to Aysenur’s death,” he says.
“There must be full accountability. And Israel must do more to ensure that incidents like this never happen again,” Biden says.
The US president concluded by saying that the violence in the West Bank has continued for “too long.”
“Violent extremist Israeli settlers are uprooting Palestinians from their homes. Palestinian terrorists are sending car bombs to kill civilians. I will continue to support policies that hold all extremists – Israelis and Palestinians alike – accountable for stoking violence and serving as obstacles to peace,” Biden says.
According to the farmer, Bashar Eid, the fires were set by settlers from the Givat Ronen outpost east of Burin in the northern West Bank, and are not currently being tackled by the fire service.
A spokesperson for the Judea and Samaria District Fire Service says the details and location of the fires provided by Eid have been passed to the district control center.
Fires were also set west of Burin earlier in the day between the Palestinian town and the settlement of Yitzhar, well known for its radicalism.
The fire service spokesperson says that four teams are currently tackling those fires.
A spokesperson for the Israel Police Samaria District says the police are “unaware” of the alleged arson incidents. The IDF did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
At around 6 am this morning, five masked settlers equipped with saws arrived from the direction of the Yitzhar Yeshiva (the buildings under renovation) to an olive grove owned by a Palestinian farmer from Burin, where they cut down and burned dozens of trees. video of these Jewish terroristsUS President Joe Biden says he is “outraged and deeply saddened” by the death of activist Aysenur Eygi, and says Israel “must do more” to ensure similar incidents do not occur again.
Eygi, an American peace activist, was shot dead in the West Bank last week. Yesterday, the army said she had “with high probability” been hit by IDF troops’ mistaken gunfire. The IDF expressed regret for the killing.
Biden says in a statement that the shooting that led to the US citizen’s death was “totally unacceptable,” and that her “idealism led her to travel to the West Bank to peacefully protest the expansion of settlements.”
“Israel has acknowledged its responsibility for Aysenur’s death, and a preliminary investigation has indicated that it was the result of a tragic error resulting from an unnecessary escalation,” Biden says.
“The US government has had full access to Israel’s preliminary investigation, and expects continued access as the investigation continues, so that we can have confidence in the result. We will continue to stay in close contact with Israeli and Palestinian authorities regarding the circumstances that led to Aysenur’s death,” he says.
“There must be full accountability. And Israel must do more to ensure that incidents like this never happen again,” Biden says.
The US president concluded by saying that the violence in the West Bank has continued for “too long.”
“Violent extremist Israeli settlers are uprooting Palestinians from their homes. Palestinian terrorists are sending car bombs to kill civilians. I will continue to support policies that hold all extremists – Israelis and Palestinians alike – accountable for stoking violence and serving as obstacles to peace,” Biden says.
Politics and the War (general news)
- After National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir claimed that the inclusion of Opposition Leader Yair Lapid in a unity government would amount to “raising the white flag” in the war against Hamas, Lapid hits back, charging that nobody has “weakened the State of Israel more than Ben Gvir and the government of extremists.”
“It’s no coincidence that Hamas attacked when he was the National Security Minister,” Lapid says of the ultranationalist lawmaker. “Our enemies look at him and understand that he has weakened the police, weakened the border police, weakened our ability to attack Hamas and Hezbollah.”
“Ben Gvir = weak,” adds the Yesh Atid leader.
United Torah Judaism MK Moshe Gafni accuses Labor MK Naama Lazimi — a prominent advocate for a hostage deal — of abandoning the captives held in Gaza, after the two engage in a heated shouting match in the Knesset Finance Committee.
At one stage, Lazimi says that the blood of those abducted by Hamas “is on [Gafni’s] hands.”
“Shut up already,” Gafni, the committee chairman, screams back, prompting opposition MKs to remind him of his own history of incendiary rhetoric, specifically when he called then-prime minister Naftali Bennett a “murderer” from the Knesset rostrum in 2021.
“The redemption of captives, the sanctity of life and Jewish ethics should be Gafni’s task and not the incessant preoccupation with covering debts for his networks and huge budgets for associates,” Lazimi later tweets.
Gafni’s United Torah Judaism party recently threatened to boycott discussions about the state budget until the issue of funds for private Haredi education is resolved.
However, the party’s MKs did in the end to approve the first reading of a bill on Monday, and on Tuesday, Calcalist reported that the UTJ-affiliated Independent Education school network would receive NIS 50 million ($13.2 million) to cover its tax debts.
Responding to Lazimi, Gafni accuses her of treating the Finance Committee like Tel Aviv’s Kaplan Street, the site of numerous anti-government protests.
Gafni claims that Lazimi shouts during hearings, distributes footage to the press “and leaves without staying for the intense discussions themselves,” adding that “the issue of the hostages is not a political issue and if there is anyone who is abandoning the hostages it is her.”
Lazimi has been active in advocating for the hostages, participating in a march from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem to draw attention to the issue and attending numerous protests calling for a deal to secure their release — on at least one occasion blocking a road — as well as aiding those arrested at demonstrations.
Earlier this month, the liberal lawmaker was lightly injured by a police stun grenade at a Tel Aviv demonstration.
While Gafni has reportedly expressed support for a deal “at any price,” his party does not appear to have used its leverage in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s hardline coalition to advance an agreement in the same way that it has on other issues.
“It’s no coincidence that Hamas attacked when he was the National Security Minister,” Lapid says of the ultranationalist lawmaker. “Our enemies look at him and understand that he has weakened the police, weakened the border police, weakened our ability to attack Hamas and Hezbollah.”
“Ben Gvir = weak,” adds the Yesh Atid leader.
United Torah Judaism MK Moshe Gafni accuses Labor MK Naama Lazimi — a prominent advocate for a hostage deal — of abandoning the captives held in Gaza, after the two engage in a heated shouting match in the Knesset Finance Committee.
At one stage, Lazimi says that the blood of those abducted by Hamas “is on [Gafni’s] hands.”
“Shut up already,” Gafni, the committee chairman, screams back, prompting opposition MKs to remind him of his own history of incendiary rhetoric, specifically when he called then-prime minister Naftali Bennett a “murderer” from the Knesset rostrum in 2021.
“The redemption of captives, the sanctity of life and Jewish ethics should be Gafni’s task and not the incessant preoccupation with covering debts for his networks and huge budgets for associates,” Lazimi later tweets.
Gafni’s United Torah Judaism party recently threatened to boycott discussions about the state budget until the issue of funds for private Haredi education is resolved.
However, the party’s MKs did in the end to approve the first reading of a bill on Monday, and on Tuesday, Calcalist reported that the UTJ-affiliated Independent Education school network would receive NIS 50 million ($13.2 million) to cover its tax debts.
Responding to Lazimi, Gafni accuses her of treating the Finance Committee like Tel Aviv’s Kaplan Street, the site of numerous anti-government protests.
Gafni claims that Lazimi shouts during hearings, distributes footage to the press “and leaves without staying for the intense discussions themselves,” adding that “the issue of the hostages is not a political issue and if there is anyone who is abandoning the hostages it is her.”
Lazimi has been active in advocating for the hostages, participating in a march from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem to draw attention to the issue and attending numerous protests calling for a deal to secure their release — on at least one occasion blocking a road — as well as aiding those arrested at demonstrations.
Earlier this month, the liberal lawmaker was lightly injured by a police stun grenade at a Tel Aviv demonstration.
While Gafni has reportedly expressed support for a deal “at any price,” his party does not appear to have used its leverage in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s hardline coalition to advance an agreement in the same way that it has on other issues.
The Region and the World
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Personal Stories
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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