The two sections at the end, personal stories and Dark Legacy - The Abandonment of October 7th Hostages are very important to read, as important or more than the news of the day.
Red Alerts - Missile, Rocket, Drone (UAV - unmanned aerial vehicles), and Terror Attacks and Death Announcements
*6:45pm yesterday - north - rockets/missiles *6:50pm yesterday - north - rockets/missiles
*11:05pm yesterday - north -rockets/missiles
*12:05am - south - Eilat - hostile aircraft *12:30am - north - rockets/missiles *8:30am - north - rockets/missiles *9:50am - north - rockets/missiles *10:25am - north -rockets/missiles *11:05am - north - rockets/missiles *11:50am - north -rockets/missiles *12:05pm - north - rockets/missiles *1:20pm - north - rockets/missiles *1:30pm - north -rockets/missiles *2:55pm - north - rockets/missiles *3:10pm - north - rockets/missiles *3:45pm - north - rockets/missiles *4:10pm - north -rockets/missiles -A barrage of some 40 rockets was fired from Lebanon at the Western Galilee a short while ago.
The military says interceptor missiles were launched to counter the attack, but there were several impacts. There are no immediate reports of injuries. Hezbollah has launched some 100 rockets at northern Israel today, according to an IDF tally.
*4:55pm - north - hostile aircraft - Saar, Milu'ot, Nahariya *5:-00pm - north - hostile aircraft - Milu'ot, Batzet, Shlomi
IDF names two fallen troops in northern Gaza battle
Captain Yogev Pazy, 22, and Staff Sergeant Noam Eitan, 21 fell during a clash in Jabaliya, and in the incident another soldier sustained serious injuries. Pazy is the nephew of former Chief of Staff Gadi Eizenkot who's son, Gal was also killed in the war.
Staff Sergeant Noam Eitan and Captain Yogev Pazy
(Photo: IDF)
MAY THEIR MEMORIES BE A REVOLUTION
**Tragedy Upon Tragedy: Gadi Eisenkot’s Family Faces Another Loss in Gaza, Following the Deaths of His Son and Nephew**
Captain Yogev Fazzi, who fell in combat in northern Gaza, was the nephew of the former IDF Chief of Staff and minister, Gadi Eisenkot. Less than a year ago, Eisenkot also lost another nephew, Maor Cohen Eisenkot, just one day after his son, Gal, was killed.
On Gal’s birthday, Captain Yogev wrote: "You will always be my big brother. Love you, cousin."
The Eisenkot family has suffered a devastating third loss within a year. This evening, the IDF spokesperson announced that Captain Yogev Fazzi, 22, from Giv'ot Bar, a platoon commander in the Nachshon Battalion (90) of the Kfir Brigade, was killed in combat in northern Gaza.
On December 7, 2023, Gal Eisenkot, Gadi’s son, 25, from Herzliya, fell during a confrontation with terrorists in Jabalia, similarly to Yogev. Gal was a reserve combat medic in the Maglan unit. He was critically injured and evacuated by helicopter to Assuta Hospital in Ashdod, where he was pronounced dead.
Gadi Eisenkot and his son Gal z"l
The next day, tragedy struck again when Gadi’s nephew, Maor Cohen Eisenkot, was killed in battle in Khan Yunis. Maor, the son of Sharon, Gadi’s half-sister from their father’s second marriage, was a soldier in the Golani Brigade’s 12th Battalion. Days after Maor's fall, the IDF released footage of the battle in which he was killed, showing soldiers exchanging fire with terrorists hiding in a mosque deep within Gaza.
In August, Captain Yogev posted on Facebook for Gal’s birthday, sharing memories and gratitude:
“Eight months and three days. But today isn’t about sad speeches. Today is your birthday. So instead, I’ll share some thanks and memories,” he wrote.
He reminisced about a photo Gal had sent six years earlier, showing him on duty in Gaza on his birthday. “You sent me a ‘bummer birthday’ photo, which I’ve sent back every year since so you wouldn’t forget to enjoy the current one.”
Yogev expressed his gratitude for Gal’s guidance before and during his military service and for the shared moments, even their childhood fights. “You were the youngest for your siblings and parents, but you’ll always be my big brother. Love you, cousin. Happy birthday, kid.”
ppost that Yogev Pazi z"l wrote on Gal's birthday
After Gal’s death, Yogev tattooed a childhood photo of the two of them on his arm to honor his memory.
Hostage Updates
Hostages' fate sealed if no deal made, senior security officials warn
Senior security officials say deal talks cannot restart without Israeli concessions; Netanyahu summons ministers for consultations, including far-right hawks opposing any deal ending war
The banner at the demonstration calling for a hostage deal says "You abandoned them and you also forgot?"
Greater flexibility in Israel's stance on a potential withdrawal of troops from Gaza and an end to the war is needed to secure a deal for the release of hostages, senior security officials said on Sunday
The renewed push comes after stalled negotiations prompted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to convene his Cabinet for consultations.
The meeting, set to include Defense Minister Israel Katz, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar, Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, highlights internal divisions within the government. Smotrich and Ben-Gvir, vocal opponents of any agreement to end the war, have threatened to dissolve the coalition if a deal is made.
Security officials estimate that of the 101 hostages held in Gaza for more than 400 days, only 51 remain alive. They warned Netanyahu that without Israeli concessions, no deal is likely, leaving the hostages to their fate. Concerns are mounting as winter approaches, with fears that more captives could die in Gaza’s underground tunnels.
Regional developments and the election of Donald Trump for a second term as U.S. president also influence the renewed efforts. A meeting led by Shin Bet head Ronen Bar, IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi and Mossad Director David Bar reviewed strategies with Defense Minister Katz to restart negotiations.
Officials agree that Israel must confront the likelihood that Hamas will not agree to any deal without a complete withdrawal of Israeli forces and an end to the war.
Although Qatar has publicly distanced itself from mediating, it remains involved behind the scenes. Egypt is actively participating in talks, and Israel is weighing whether to allow Turkey to join the efforts as well.
**Security Chiefs on Hostage Situation: Hamas Unyielding on Demands**
In a high-level discussion on the hostage issue, senior defense officials, including the head of Shin Bet, the head of Mossad, and Major General Nitzan Alon, stressed that even in a post-Sinwar era, "Hamas is not relinquishing its demands."
### Key Points from the Discussion:
- **Hamas’ Stance:**
The officials stated that Hamas remains firm on its conditions for ending the war and a full withdrawal of the IDF from Gaza. They noted, "Without a framework to conclude the war and withdraw the IDF, there is no viable path to bring the hostages home. Avoiding this approach means a deadlock and giving up on the hostages."
- **Forum Composition:**
The discussion was not held with the full cabinet but in a ministerial forum, including Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar, Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.
- **Defense Minister’s Exposure to Sensitive Information:**
During recent visits to the hostage command center, Defense Minister Israel Katz was presented with classified materials depicting a grim picture of the hostages' condition. These details, which have not been publicly disclosed, may underpin his concluding statement that "returning the hostages is the most important moral goal of this war."
The renewed focus on the hostages highlights the significant challenges ahead in resolving their plight, as the leadership grapples with Hamas’ intransigence and the broader context of the ongoing conflict. link
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tells the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee that “the only thing that Hamas wants is a deal that ends the war and for the IDF to leave the Strip in order to return to power,” according to Israel National News. “I am not ready to allow that under any circumstance.”
He continues to insist that Hamas “sees the pressure on Israel” and therefore believes that it can hold out for a better deal, according to the report.
The security establishment has warned that such a positions is a likely death sentence for the hostages.
Netanyahu says he gave instructions that by Thursday he is to have on his desk a plan for replacing Hamas in the distribution of humanitarian aid, says the outlet.
“We’ve struck Hamas militarily, but we haven’t harmed their ruling capabilities enough,” says Netanyahu according to Channel 12.
Members of the committee tell the outlet that Netanyahu that does not believe that an agreement in Lebanon will be effective, and therefore Israel is insisting on freedom of action against Hezbollah, according to Channel 12. Netanyahu tells the lawmakers that those demands are not being supported by the mediating countries, according to the report. linkNetanyahu is such a damn hypocrite and pathetic liar. The reason that there is not a different governing body in Gaza other than Hamas is because Netanyahu refused to allow any other body in to rule. He tried to get criminal war lords to take their place and they refused. The only body that could take over is a Palestinian body that will be part of a reformed Palestinian Authority. He knows that but he refuses to allow that even when it means more soldiers will be killed and the hostages will die. But this is just another one of his excuses. He simply doesn't want the war in Gaza to end because it doesn't serve his personal self interests. Disgraceful!
MK Simcha Rothman refuses to allow two relatives of captured hostages to play videos of the hostages in captivity during a meeting of the Knesset Law, Justice and Constitution Committee.
Ofir Angrest (c) brother of hostage Matan Angrest, speaks at a meeting of the Constitution, Law and Justice Committee in the Knesset in Jerusalem, on November 18, 2024. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
Relatives of Hostages Sasha Trufanov and Matan Angrest asked to play videos of their loved ones to the committee, but were refused with Rothman saying that playing any recordings had to be coordinated ahead of time.
“How can I coordinate, this is the only way I have seen my brother,” Ofir Angrest, Matan’s brother, retorts, accusing the government of abandoning the hostages.
“He doesn’t have time, he needs you, why aren’t you fighting for him?” he asks.
“He went to battle knowing he might die. Hamas kidnapped my brother from a tank. Where is the IDF? You have abandoned my brother,” he says.
Matan Angrest was on duty at the Nahal Oz base on the morning of October 7, when some 3,000 terrorists burst across the border into Israel by land, air and sea, killing some 1,200 people and seizing 251 hostages amid acts of brutality and sexual assault.
His mother revealed that he was seen bruised in a video found inside Gaza by IDF soldiers.
Rothman also refused to allow a video of Trufanov, who is being held by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, to be played. The terror group has released several propaganda videos of him in recent weeks. linkSimcha Rothman is a disgusting excuse of a human being and a disgrace to our entire country that he is a Knesset member and the head of a very important Knesset committee. He, like the others of his party doesn't give a damn about the fate of the hostages. He doesn't care that Matan Angrest is a hostage soldier. He doesn't care about the suffering of the families and he has proved this time and again. All he cares about is overthrowing the judiciary to give this extreme messianic government ultimate power as well as eliminate the 3 criminal charges and court cases against Netanyahu.
Dozens of family members of hostages and their supporters protest outside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s residence in Jerusalem, calling on him to reach a deal to free the captives held by Hamas in Gaza.
They warn that a deal is even more urgent with winter approaching.
Families and supporters of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, hold photos of their loved ones during a protest calling for their release outside the prime minister's house in Jerusalem, Monday, Nov. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)
“The hostages won’t survive the freezing cold in the tunnels of Gaza,” the organizers say in a statement.
“While Netanyahu and his team are busy trying to skew public opinion, 101 hostages are dying in impossible conditions.”
Gaza and the South
The army says it is investigating after an interceptor missile hit the southern resort city of Eilat area during an attempt to shoot down a drone fired from Iraq.
“A number of interceptors were fired at the target, one of the interceptors fell in the area,” the Israel Defense Forces says.
It adds that there have been no reports of injuries.
Video appeared to show the interceptor missile streaking into the sky over the city before falling back down and appearing to land near a hotel strip near the coast, as terrified onlookers watched.
The Israel Defense Forces says it shot down a UAV fired “from the east,” after sirens were activated in the Red Sea resort city of Eilat.
The IDF generally uses “from the east” to denote projectiles launched from Iraq.
The military says the air force downed the drone before it entered Israeli territory.
It does not comment on videos appearing to show a failed interceptor rocket falling in the city.
The United Hatzalah rescue service says it is treating a number of people seeking help for acute anxiety following a drone alert that sounded in Eilat.
The Magen David Adom rescue service says it is also responding to a call related to the attack, but that it does not yet have any details on possible casualties.
The launch is claimed by the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an Iran-backed militia, which claims it targeted a “vital asset” in the Eilat area.
Moein Abu Odeh clambers up a pile of rubble in southern Gaza, searching for clothes, shoes, anything he can sell to raise cash more than a year into the Israel-Hamas war, which began with the terror group’s brutal October 2, 2023, attack.
The father of four delves under blocks and brushed away piles of concrete dust at the site of one airstrike in the southern city of Khan Younis. His plan was to sell what he found to buy flour.
“If food and drink were available, believe me, I would give (these clothes) to charity,” he says. “But the struggles we are going through (mean we) have to sell our clothes to eat and drink.”
Widespread shortages have generated a trade in old clothing, much of it salvaged from the homes of people who have died in the conflict.
At one makeshift market, shoes, shirts, sweaters and sneakers are laid out on dusty blankets.
A girl tries on a single worn-out boot, which could come in handy this winter if she can afford it in Gaza’s ruined economy.
A trader gets an edge on his competitors by shouting out that his wares were European.
One man laughs as he got a young boy to try on a green jacket.
“We get clothing from a man whose house was destroyed. He was digging in the concrete to get some (clothing) and we buy them like this and sell them at a good price,” displaced Palestinian Louay Abdel-Rahman says.
He and his family have arrived in the city from another part of Gaza with only the clothes they were wearing. So he also keeps some back for them. “The seasons have changed from summer to winter and we need clothing,” he says.
“All our children only have short-sleeve clothing and nobody is helping them,” Saeed Doula, a father of seven, says. “The war is all-encompassing.”
A convoy of 109 trucks was violently looted on Nov. 16 after crossing into Gaza, resulting in the loss of 98 trucks, an UNRWA aid official tells Reuters.
The convoy carrying food provided by UN agencies UNRWA and the World Food Program was instructed by Israel to depart at short notice via an unfamiliar route from Kerem Shalom crossing, Louise Wateridge, UNRWA senior emergency officer tells Reuters.
“This incident highlights the severity of access challenges of bringing aid into southern and central Gaza,” she said.
She does not specify who looted the convoy.
Reports that Palestinian terror group Hamas’s office has moved to Turkey do not reflect the truth, a Turkish diplomatic source says, adding members of the group visited the country from time to time.
Doha said last week it had told Hamas and Israel it will halt its efforts to mediate a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal until they show willingness and seriousness.
Turkey has fiercely criticized Israel over its offensives in Gaza and in Lebanon and does not deem Hamas a terrorist organization. Some Hamas political officials regularly visit Turkey.
The denials come after an Arab diplomat told The Times of Israel yesterday that senior members of Hamas’s abroad leadership left Qatar last week for Turkey.
The Arab diplomat, who spoke on condition of anonymity, downplayed the significance of the move for the terror group, stressing that Hamas’s leadership abroad already spends much of its time in Turkey when they are not holding meetings in Qatar.
Northern Israel - Lebanon/Hizbollah/Syria
Lebanon’s health ministry says 11 people were killed and dozens were wounded in Israeli strikes on the Tyre region in the south of the country.
“The raids of the Israeli enemy on villages in the Tyre district have left 11 dead and 48 wounded,” says a ministry statement.
The region is a stronghold of the Iran-backed Hezbollah.
Beirut attack sparks chaos as Israeli missiles hit key targets
Israeli missile attack in Beirut targets vehicle and building, reportedly killing Jamaa Islamiya's Secretary-General and Hezbollah commander; Casualties rise to two dead and 13 injured, prompting school closures Saudi television channel "Al-Hadath" reported that Israel conducted an attack in Beirut using two missiles, which targeted a vehicle and a building, according to the Lebanese network "Al-Mayadeen," affiliated with Hezbollah.
In the aftermath, Radio "Voice of Lebanon" suggested the intended target was likely Mohammad Takoush, the Secretary-General of the terrorist group Jamaa Islamiya. However, this claim was not corroborated by other media outlets.
The terrorist organization, according to the Saudi network "Al-Arabiya," denied any attack on its center. Meanwhile, the Lebanese channel "Al-Jadid" said the explosions were due to batteries and electronic devices detonating in a local shop.
Firefighters try to contain the blaze in downtown Beirut
(Photo: Ibrahim Amro/AFP)
Initially, the Lebanese Ministry of Health reported one fatality and nine wounded. Separately, "Al-Hadath" cited sources indicating the attack targeted a "military commander in Hezbollah." Subsequent updates from the Ministry revised the toll to two dead and 13 wounded. In response to the attack and amid reports of a high-ranking Hezbollah official's assassination, Lebanon's Minister of Education, Abbas Al-Halabi, announced the closure of educational institutions in several areas throughout the country.
**Report from Lebanon: Hezbollah's Response to U.S. Proposal Includes Positive Signals**
Hezbollah has submitted its response to the American proposal regarding the ceasefire, reportedly with positive indications, though it firmly opposes granting Israel freedom of operation in Lebanon and rejects the involvement of Britain and Germany in a committee overseeing the implementation of UN Resolution 1701. Lebanon is now awaiting the arrival of U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein on Tuesday for further discussions.
### Highlights of the Report:
- **Hezbollah's Opposition:**
Hezbollah insists on preventing the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) from gaining operational freedom in Lebanese territory once a ceasefire is in effect. Meanwhile, Israel maintains that the IDF must be responsible for enforcing the ceasefire and will act against Hezbollah operatives near the border.
- **Negotiation Progress:**
Lebanese Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri, representing Hezbollah in the talks, is scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Najib Mikati to review Lebanon's position. Reports indicate a positive atmosphere regarding the response.
- **Key "Red Lines" for Hezbollah:**
- No operational freedom for the IDF in Lebanon post-ceasefire.
- Limiting the oversight committee for implementing Resolution 1701 to the U.S., France, Lebanon, and Israel. Hezbollah opposes adding Britain and Germany to this mechanism.
- **Lebanese Strategy:**
According to the pro-Hezbollah *Al-Akhbar* newspaper, Lebanon has adopted a "positive ambiguity" strategy toward the U.S. proposal, providing an initial verbal response while reserving detailed discussions for Hochstein’s arrival.
- **Questions Raised by Lebanon:**
Lebanon seeks clarification on the proposed oversight committee’s tasks, insisting on maintaining the current UN-led tripartite mechanism while rejecting broader powers that might undermine the essence of Resolution 1701. It emphasizes the Lebanese army’s primary role on the ground, with international forces only supporting its operations, not replacing them.
- **Hochstein's Visit and the Path Forward:**
Hochstein is expected in Beirut on Tuesday to finalize Lebanon’s response to the draft ceasefire agreement. Lebanese officials have expressed cautious optimism about the U.S. proposal, examining its details closely to address ambiguities before proceeding.
As negotiations continue, the Lebanese leadership, including Nabih Berri and Najib Mikati, appears committed to presenting a united front while navigating Hezbollah’s reservations.
**Sources: Lebanon Rejects Measures Threatening Its Sovereignty or Internal Stability**
Sources told *Al-Akhbar* that Lebanon’s refusal to compromise its sovereignty extends beyond rejecting Israel’s involvement in implementing UN Resolution 1701. Lebanon also seeks to avoid scenarios that could lead to clashes between international forces, the Lebanese Army, and residents of southern Lebanon.
The sources emphasized that Lebanon does not wish to replace a ceasefire with Israel with measures that might destabilize its internal peace. "Practical procedures for oversight, monitoring, and freedom of action must be clearly defined, especially as Israel seeks unilateral provisions. This includes granting a new committee authority to act based on Israeli data and maps, a demand Lebanon firmly rejects."
### Lebanese Concerns:
- **Data Sharing:**
Lebanon opposes sharing its territorial data with Israel or involving Israel in the operational outcomes of international forces or the Lebanese Army.
- **Surveillance Towers:**
The U.S. has expressed support for a British proposal to establish surveillance towers along the Lebanese border, with cameras directed into Lebanese territory, a move Lebanon opposes.
### Key Points of the Proposed Ceasefire Framework (Reported by *Al-Modon*):
1. **Ceasefire Agreement:**
Establishing a timeline for adherence.
2. **Deployment of Lebanese Army to Southern Lebanon:**
In the first phase, 5,000 troops will be deployed.
3. **Exclusive Military Authority:**
The Lebanese Army will be the sole legitimate military force in the region, with exclusive control over all weaponry.
4. **Support for Border Control:**
Assistance will be provided to the Lebanese Army to secure border crossings and prevent weapon smuggling.
5. **Enhanced Role for UNIFIL Forces:**
UNIFIL’s presence and responsibilities will be reinforced.
6. **Full Israeli Withdrawal:**
The IDF will fully retreat from areas it entered during recent operations.
7. **Weapons Inspections:**
The Lebanese Army will conduct inspections to ensure no unauthorized weapons remain in southern Lebanon.
8. **Monitoring Committee:**
A committee will oversee the implementation of UN Resolution 1701, including Germany and Britain. However, Lebanon opposes their inclusion, favoring France and the U.S. instead.
9. **Israeli Non-Aggression Guarantees:**
Assurances that Israel will not attack Lebanon by land, sea, or air.
10. **Border Discussions:**
Sixty days after the ceasefire, the tripartite committee (Lebanon, Israel, and UNIFIL) will resume operations to address border demarcation and resolve 13 disputed points.
Lebanon remains firm in protecting its sovereignty and ensuring that the ceasefire framework supports its internal stability without compromising territorial integrity. link
Hezbollah in a rare acknowledgement says four members were killed in yesterday’s Israeli airstrike on Beirut targeting Mohammad Afif, the head of the terror group’s media relations.
The four, named as Musa Haidar, Mahmoud al-Sharqawi, Hilal Termos, and Hussein Ramadan, were killed alongside Afif in the strike on the offices of the Syrian Ba’ath Party in central Beirut, according to Hezbollah.
They were all members of Hezbollah’s media relations department, which Afif headed.
Hezbollah on its official channels largely stopped updating on members slain in Israeli strikes since Israel began a new offensive against the terror group in September.
Officially, the terror group has named 521 members killed by Israel amid the fighting. The IDF estimates this number to be around 3,000.
West Bank and Jerusalem and Terror attacks within Israel
The IDF says troops foiled an attempted car-ramming attack in the southern West Bank this morning.
According to the military, a Palestinian woman accelerated her car toward soldiers near the village of at-Tuwani.
The troops opened fire, “neutralizing” the alleged assailant, the IDF says, adding that she is being taken for further questioning.
No soldiers were hurt in the incident.
Dozens of Hezbollah launchers and rockets were located and destroyed by reservists of the 226th Paratroopers Brigade during recent operations in southern Lebanon, the IDF says.
A rocket launching site found by troops of the 226th Reserve Paratroopers Brigade in southern Lebanon, in a handout image released on November 18, 2024. (Israel Defense Forces)
The military says the reserve brigade has been operating in an area from which Hezbollah fired hundreds of rockets at Israel in the past year.
The troops located several multiple-rocket launchers and mortar positions, along with caches of rockets and other equipment.
A rocket launching site found by troops of the 226th Reserve Paratroopers Brigade in southern Lebanon, in a handout image released on November 18, 2024. (Israel Defense Forces)
They also located a tunnel system dug into a mountain in the area. Inside the tunnel, the troops found weapons, equipment, and food used by Hezbollah operatives, according to the IDF.
Politics and the War (general news)
The High Representative of the European Union, Joseph Borrell, hosted yesterday the former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, the former Palestinian Foreign Minister Nasser Alkidwa, Gershon Baskin and Samer Sinijlawi for a meeting with the Foreign Ministers of the European Union (27 EU countries) ahead of the FAC meeting today November 18th. At the center of the discussion was the peace plan proposed by Olmert and Alkidwa on July 17 and what the European Union must do to support an immediate ceasefire, end the war in Gaza, release the hostages and restart the political process towards a two-state solution. "Despite the humanitarian disaster in Gaza, the rapid deterioration of the situation in the West Bank and the unwillingness of the Israeli government to engage in a political process, we cannot stop our efforts. On the contrary, we must mobilize all the tools at our disposal and join forces for concrete proposals. This is why I invited former Prime Minister Olmert today and former Foreign Minister Alkidwa," said Burrell. "In order for this to succeed, we need the support of the public on both sides and of the relevant governments. We especially need the involvement of the European countries," Alkidwa said. "The war in Gaza must stop today, the abductees must be returned, Gaza must be rebuilt, and Israel and Palestine must begin negotiations on the two states solution” emphasized Mr. Olmert.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government is encouraging “draft evasion and civil uprising” by supporting legislation to maintain the widespread exemption of Haredi yeshiva students from military service, Opposition Leader Yair Lapid tells reporters ahead of his Yesh Atid party’s weekly faction meeting in the Knesset.
“When demonstrators in Bnei Brak and Jerusalem shout ‘We will die rather than enlist’ while IDF soldiers die every day, it is a civil uprising,” Lapid asserts.
Anyone praising the avoidance of military service on religious grounds is desecrating God’s name, says Yisrael Beytenu chair Avigdor Liberman ahead of his faction meeting.
Liberman slams Rabbi Moshe Hillel Hirsch, the head of the Slabodka Yeshiva in Bnei Brak and a leading ultra-Orthodox rabbi, for claiming that draft evasion is a “mitzvah.”
The Region and the World
Families of American victims of the October 7 attacks led by Hamas have filed suit in a US federal court against Iran and an array of linked terror groups, presenting what they say is new proof of Tehran’s involvement in the attack, according to a lawyer representing several plaintiffs.
The suit, which has been seen by The Times of Israel, relies on what attorneys for the plaintiffs say are secret documents uncovered by lawyer Gary Osen showing Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps funneling millions of dollars to Hamas.
The complaint also includes a document from a 2022 meeting of senior Hamas members Yahya Sinwar, Khalil al-Hayya and others plotting out the contours of mutual defense agreement between Hamas and other Iran-backed groups should war break out. The paper includes a decision to request Iran send Hamas $7 million monthly “to mobilize and prepare for … confrontations.”
According to the New York Times, the $7 million monthly was sought to ready for the October 7 attack.
Aside from Iran and the IRGC, the suit also names Hamas, Hezbollah, Islamic Jihad and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.
While the documents include references to funding for Hamas from Qatar and Turkey, neither US ally is named in the suit. Also left out are Yemen’s Houthi rebels, who were taken off the US’s terror blacklist by the Biden administration.
Many of the victims in the suit were killed or kidnapped on October 7, though other plaintiffs include families from southern Israel who suffered emotionally during or after the attacks. Families of several soldiers killed in combat are also named.
Among the 37 families of victims in the suit is Yechiel Leiter, who is set to become Israel’s ambassador to the US. Leiter’s son Moshe Leiter was killed in battle in Gaza in late November 2023.
The suit seeks unspecified financial awards for the families under the US Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act and Anti-Terrorism Act.
A suspected attack by Yemen’s Houthi rebels targeted a commercial ship late Sunday night traveling through the southern reaches of the Red Sea, though it caused no damage nor injuries, authorities say.
A ship’s captain saw that “a missile splashed in close proximity to the vessel” as it traveled near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden, the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center says in an alert.
The attack happened some 30 miles (48 kilometers) west of Yemen’s port city of Mocha.
“The vessel and crew are safe and proceeding to its next port of call,” the UKMTO adds.
The Houthis do not immediately claim the attack. However, it can take the rebels hours or even days to acknowledge their assaults.
Survivors
Personal Stories
Taken captive: Tal Shoham, held captive separately from family
Wife Adi Shoham, children Naveh, 8, and Yahel, 3, released November 25, along with extended family
Tal Shoham, 38, was taken hostage by Hamas terrorists on October 7 from Kibbutz Be’eri when some 3,000 Hamas terrorists invaded Israel and murdered 1,200 — mostly civilians — and took about 240 hostages to Gaza.
Shoham was kidnapped along with his wife, Adi Shoham, his daughter, Yahel, 3, and son, Naveh, 8, as well as his mother-in-law Shoshan Haran, his wife’s aunt Sharon Avigdori and her daughter Noam, 12.
Aside from Shoham, his six extended family members were released on November 25 as part of a temporary ceasefire deal brokered by Qatar, Egypt and the United States between Hamas and Israel.
The Shoham family had traveled from their home in the north to visit Adi’s family for the Simchat Torah holiday weekend. Adi was raised on the kibbutz where her parents Shoshan and Avshalom Haran still lived.
Avshalom’s sister, Sharon Avigdori, and her 12-year-old daughter, Noam, were also visiting that weekend.
Shoshan Haran’s sister and brother-in-law, Eviatar and Lilach Kipnis, lived next door in Be’eri.
On October 7, the extended family was hiding in the Haran safe room when Hamas gunmen attacked during the terror group’s bloody onslaught launched from the Gaza Strip.
Initially, all family members were thought missing, potentially all kidnapped.
The body of Eviatar Kipnis’s caregiver, Paul Castelvi, was found several days later in the nearby Be’eri forest. When Castelvi’s body was identified, the family feared that all 10 family members had been killed as well.
By October 17, the family learned that Eviatar Kipnis and Avshalom Haran‘s remains had been identified. On October 23, the family learned that Lilach Kipnis was also declared dead.
The family then found out that the remaining seven were hostages in Gaza.
The Hamas terrorists had burned the family home, forcing them all outside, said Gilad Korngold, Tal Shoham’s father.
Korngold eventually heard that his son (who Hebraicized his last name years ago), was seen alive and outside at some point that day.
Korngold, who, like his son, is an Austrian citizen, told Israeli TV after the return home of his daughter-in-law and grandchildren, that eight-year-old Naveh does not really discuss what he went through.
He “doesn’t ask about Dad, doesn’t ask about Grandpa,” said Korngold.
Korngold said the children were held together with their female relatives, but not with their father.
I want to tell him his family is ok: Friend of hostage Tal Shoham hopes for his return
Ofer Shemesh shares memories of his friend Tal Shoham, a Gaza captive since October 7, highlighting his intelligence and kindness.
Ofer Shemesh met Tal Shoham, who has been held captive in Gaza since October 7, when Tal moved to Kibbutz Holit in 5th grade and joined Shemesh’s elementary school.
“Tal and I share a love for going on and on,” he laughed. “We love to talk about things – to get in-depth on topics.”Shemesh and Tal connected over this love of speaking at length and over the way they both connected to many different topics.
He “did like 10 different and varied professions,” said Shemesh. “For example, he trained dogs, he invested in the stock market, in bitcoin, he was a farmer, he had a packing company, he had all kinds of things.”
“Tal is the kind of person that will study a topic all the way if he gets hooked on it,” he said. Tal is an autodidact, he’ll read books and academic articles.”
“By the end of 12th grade he almost had a degree in computer science” through studying alone at Israel’s open university, he added.
“He is really a polymath,” Shemesh summed up.
Shemesh also said that Tal knew how to bridge gaps between people and bring them together. “If you wanted to settle a debate or to see the other side, he always knew how to.”
Hopes for safe return from Gaza captivity
Tal not only “understands a lot of topics,” said Shemesh, but he also knows how to look at things creatively.“He’s very attentive to people, and he really likes to give them advice,” he added.
Shemesh said that in a sense, Tal saved him. “He kind of saved my life, cause I had someone to talk to and share experiences with. I had a really hard time in elementary school and he got me out of that.”
“They say that all kids need is one other friend, he was my one other friend,” he explained.
“In the last few years, we weren’t in touch every day, more like every month or two; but after he was taken, I learned that there are more people like me, who he was in that kind of contact with.”
Shemesh’s parents were shot and lightly injured on October 7, and he spent the first days of the war caring for them and then trying to figure out what happened to his many classmates and friends who were caught in the Hamas attack.When looking for names of classmates, he suddenly saw Tal’s and found out he had been taken hostage. He realized that he did not have Tal’s family’s contact information and went to Hostage Square in Tel Aviv to look for people he knew.
He saw a picture of Tal and got in touch with his parents by speaking to the person holding the sign.
“Since then I meet his family in Hostage Square every Saturday night,” said Shemesh.
When asked if he thinks about what meeting Tal will be like, Shemesh said that all he wants is to give him a hug.“I just want him to come out alive,” he said. “Tal is a very mentally strong person. Maybe the strongest person I know, but even that has a limit.”
Asked what message he would send Tal if he could, Shemesh said he would want to update him on his wife Adi, and two children who were also taken hostage on the 7th, but released in the November deal.
“I would want him to know that his children and wife are ok and in Israel and that they are waiting for him. That is what I would want to tell him.” link
Dark Legacy - The Abandonment of October 7th Hostages
On Two Legends
Zeruya Shalev
Writer.
An ancient legend, found in a book of the 12th century, tells us how the entire world of the Torah was saved thanks to the observance of the “Redemption of Captives” mitzvah. Rabbi Abraham Ibn Daud Halevy writes in the Book of Tradition (Sefer HaQabbalah) about four Torah scholars who had left Babylon on a ship in order to collect money for bridal dowries, and were then kidnapped and sold to slavery, each in a different land.
Thanks to the mutual responsibility of Jews across the continents, the four were redeemed by different communities, and each of them founded a thriving Halacha center in his new country for the advancement of Torah studies.
Although the story’s historic credibility has never been verified, the legend bears better than a million witnesses to the immense importance of this mitzvah in Jewish tradition, as well as to the immense blessing it embeds. In contrast, the nightmarish legend which is being written now will tell the next generations a tale of a heartless and unscrupulous tyrant, who has put the stability of his regime above the redemption of hostages, for whose abandonment he is responsible. It will tell of a coward, who tried to avoid a moral and sacred obligation, and polluted it with political considerations. It will tell of a parsimonious tyrant who was not ready to pay the price, although he asked his subjects to make the greatest sacrifice of all. It will tell of a lying tyrant, who deceived his people and tricked his allies. It will tell of a vindictive and hedonistic tyrant who was engaged in his own private interests, and those of his family. It will tell of a deceiving tyrant who betrayed not only the one and sole Jewish state but also the Jewish tradition that he and his government pretended to represent.
In contrast to Abraham, the father of our nation, who went to war in order to liberate Lot and his people from captivity, the tyrant—the destroyer of the nation—disregards his most vital and urgent duty. There is no bigger mitzvah than the redemption of captives, says Maimonides, and the Code of Jewish Law (Shulchan Aruch) adds that any delay of their redemption is like shedding blood. Indeed, so much blood has already been shed. Woe to the people who suffer such leaders, woe to the leader with such a legacy. Hopefully, the story will have a good ending, and will not be one of complete destruction.
Only with the redemption of our sisters and brothers in Gaza will we be able to begin to recover. I look at their pictures again and again: one could have been my daughter, the other my son. They are so close, yet so far. They are so close to our hearts, and are yet so abandoned. They are so loved, and yet so abandoned. Only with them, will we be able to call this place home.
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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We are continuously learning of more and more of the information that the powers that be had prior to October 7 and did little to nothing. So much is still not known. Most will come out in the Official Committee of Inquiry after the war, but some of that information will not be made public due to security concerns. Following is the information that is public knowledge as of today and is documented. It is presented relatively chronologically but some aspects ran in parallel throughout same and different periods of time. 1. Six years ago, Hamas launched its own television station: Al-Aqsa TV. The station quickly became a highly-effective propaganda tool, which Hamas continues to use to preach its message of hatred of the West, Jews, and Israel. “A fictional series on Palestinian TV last year seemingly predicted key elements of Hamas’ Oct. 7 sneak assault on Israel — from the terrorists’ white vans to targeted kibbutzim and the abduction of Israeli soldiers.” 1 ...
The banner at the demonstration calling for a hostage deal says "You abandoned them and you also forgot?"
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