🎗️Lonny's War Update- October 436, 2023 - December 15, 2024 🎗️
🎗️Day 436 that 100 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!אין נצחון עד שכל החטופים בבית
Red Alerts - Missile, Rocket, Drone (UAV - unmanned aerial vehicles), and Terror Attacks and Death Announcements
*6:05pm yesterday- 1 rocket launched from central Gaza - fell in open area , no injuries
Hostage Updates
Hostage Updates
Negotiations Under Heavy Secrecy: Cautious Optimism Among Parties and Disputed Issues
Amid achievements on the northern front, Israeli officials believe a new hostage deal could indeed materialize “within the next month,” as suggested by the Americans. Sources close to Prime Minister Netanyahu claim he is “more determined than ever to reach an agreement since the previous deal.” Nevertheless, Israel approaches the talks with caution, as three key issues remain unresolved between the sides.
Negotiations Under Heavy Secrecy: Cautious Optimism Among Parties and Disputed Issues
Amid achievements on the northern front, Israeli officials believe a new hostage deal could indeed materialize “within the next month,” as suggested by the Americans. Sources close to Prime Minister Netanyahu claim he is “more determined than ever to reach an agreement since the previous deal.” Nevertheless, Israel approaches the talks with caution, as three key issues remain unresolved between the sides.
Days of Decision
The negotiations for a new hostage deal are being conducted under tight secrecy, driven by the understanding that any leaked detail could jeopardize the process. After the Americans stated on Thursday that a new deal is possible “within a month,” Israeli sources echoed the sentiment, calling the timeline “realistic.”
Today, at 4:00 PM, the Israeli Cabinet is expected to convene. The frequency of such meetings may offer hints about the behind-the-scenes developments. Still, Israeli officials remain cautious, recognizing that Hamas is a terrorist organization and negotiations could collapse at any moment.
From Netanyahu's perspective, securing the hostages’ return is a key component of what he sees as the ultimate “absolute victory” following the decisive blows dealt to Hamas in Gaza. The Prime Minister’s resolve is reportedly bolstered by recent achievements in weakening Hezbollah and the fall of Assad’s regime, which has significantly influenced Hamas in Gaza.
Challenges in the Negotiations
- Despite the “cautious optimism” expressed by both American and Israeli officials, significant challenges remain, as permitted for publication by censorship authorities.
1-Number of Hostages:
The primary dispute revolves around the number of hostages to be released in the deal. Israel insists on the release of a greater number of hostages.
2-Identity of Hostages:
Another contested issue is the identity of the hostages included in the deal. According to foreign reports, women are among those being discussed for release in the first phase of negotiations.
3-The Philadelphi Route:
Reports suggest that Israel has agreed to a temporary withdrawal from the Philadelphi Route, which separates Gaza from Egypt. However, Israeli officials have declined to confirm or address these claims.
Nature of the Deal:
Opinions are divided on whether the agreement should be comprehensive—leading to the return of all hostages and the end of the war—or partial, involving only a temporary ceasefire. This issue remains a point of contention within Israel.
The Families’ Plea
As negotiations continue, the families of the hostages, who have been held by Hamas for over a year and two months, wait anxiously for their loved ones’ return.
Ronen Neutra, father of Captain Omer Neutra, who was killed on October 7 and whose body was taken to Gaza, spoke last night at a rally for the hostages’ families. “For 423 days, we have waited for our leaders to rise to the occasion, just as Omer demonstrated through his actions,” he said. “Now, time has run out, and words alone can no longer console. Leadership will be proven only through actions and results—by bringing all 100 hostages home.”
“On behalf of the values upheld by Team Vulcan 3,” he continued, “we stand here tonight, despite the pain and profound grief, to call on our leaders, especially the Prime Minister: show courage, show ingenuity, do whatever it takes to bring all the hostages back to us in a single deal. The living for rehabilitation, and the murdered—including our Omer—deserve a proper burial.” link
Gaza and the South
Following reports that the Mayor of Deir al-Balah, Imad Jaro, was killed in an airstrike on the municipal building, the IDF confirmed that an Air Force aircraft eliminated him.
“The terrorist, a member of Hamas’s military wing, operated in a building used by Hamas operatives to plan and execute terror activities against IDF forces and the State of Israel in the humanitarian zone of the area,” stated a joint announcement by the IDF and the Shin Bet. “Jaro played an active role in managing Hamas's governance in the Deir al-Balah area, maintained regular contact with military wing officials, and provided them with assistance in their combat efforts against IDF forces.”
Additionally, he was responsible for Hamas’s political functions in the central refugee camps, including the various governmental offices. The terrorist held dual roles as the chairman of the governmental emergency committee in the central camps and as the Mayor of Deir al-Balah.
The statement further noted: “Prior to the strike, extensive measures were taken to minimize the risk to civilians, including the use of precise munitions, aerial surveillance, and additional intelligence information. The Hamas terrorist organization systematically violates international law, exploiting civilians and humanitarian facilities as human shields to carry out terror activities.”
Following reports that the Mayor of Deir al-Balah, Imad Jaro, was killed in an airstrike on the municipal building, the IDF confirmed that an Air Force aircraft eliminated him.
“The terrorist, a member of Hamas’s military wing, operated in a building used by Hamas operatives to plan and execute terror activities against IDF forces and the State of Israel in the humanitarian zone of the area,” stated a joint announcement by the IDF and the Shin Bet. “Jaro played an active role in managing Hamas's governance in the Deir al-Balah area, maintained regular contact with military wing officials, and provided them with assistance in their combat efforts against IDF forces.”
Additionally, he was responsible for Hamas’s political functions in the central refugee camps, including the various governmental offices. The terrorist held dual roles as the chairman of the governmental emergency committee in the central camps and as the Mayor of Deir al-Balah.
The statement further noted: “Prior to the strike, extensive measures were taken to minimize the risk to civilians, including the use of precise munitions, aerial surveillance, and additional intelligence information. The Hamas terrorist organization systematically violates international law, exploiting civilians and humanitarian facilities as human shields to carry out terror activities.”
Northern Israel - Lebanon/Hizbollah/Syria
- Rebel leader: Israel has ‘no more excuses’ to strike, Syria won’t be dragged into war
Ahmad al-Sharaa, leader of the Syrian Islamist rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) that spearheaded the overthrow of the Bashar al-Assad regime, declares that Israel has “no more excuses” to carry out airstrikes in Syria.
In an interview with the Syrian TV news channel, Al-Sharaa talks about Israel for the first time since the fall of Assad, saying that the recent IDF attacks on Syrian soil have crossed red lines and threatened an unjustified escalation in the region. During a major air bombing campaign this past week, the IDF struck over 350 targets in Syria to take out strategic weapons stockpiles in Syria, to prevent the former regime’s advanced weaponry from falling into hostile hands.
Without explicitly mentioning Israel, Al-Sharaa — who his better known by his nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Julani — implies that under his leadership, Syria will not attack the Jewish state. He says that at this stage Syria will not be dragged into conflicts that may lead to further destruction, with reconstruction and stability the main priorities.
He adds that Iran’s presence in Syria posed a great danger to Syria itself, to neighboring countries and the Gulf. “We were able to end the Iranian presence in Syria, but we are not enemies of the Iranian people.”
Israel has launched more than 60 strikes on Syrian territory in few hours, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights claims.
Israel fired 61 missiles at Syrian military sites in less than five hours Saturday evening, it reports, maintaining a campaign which started after rebel forces toppled president Bashar al-Assad nearly a week ago.
Jerusalem says the campaign is needed to prevent the Assad regime’s extensive military arsenal from falling to jihadist rulers who could use them against Israel or to arm Hezbollah in Lebanon.
SOHR, run by a single person, has regularly been accused by Syrian war analysts of false reporting and inflating casualty numbers as well as inventing them wholesale.
Leading Syrian rebel group said to demand disarmament of country’s Palestinian factions
Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the Islamist rebel group that spearheaded the insurgency that toppled Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, has reportedly ordered Palestinian terror factions in Syria to lay down their weapons, close their training camps and dissolve their military formations.
According to a report published in the pro-Hezbollah Lebanese daily Al-Akhbar on Friday, HTS has informed the Palestinian factions, chiefly among them Hamas, the Islamic Jihad and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, headquartered in Damascus, that they will be able to retain their charities and conduct political activities under the aegis of the Syrian state, but will not be allowed to use Syria as a base or a point of passage for military actions against Israel.
HTS leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, better known as Abu Mohammed al-Julani, a former al-Qaeda member, has sought to rebrand himself and his group as a moderate force that will stabilize Syria and respect religious minorities, and has indicated that he will not seek military confrontation with Israel. link This is very interesting and potentially very good news for Israel. But it's still way too early to know. We will have to see how this plays out.
Ahmad al-Sharaa, leader of the Syrian Islamist rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) that spearheaded the overthrow of the Bashar al-Assad regime, declares that Israel has “no more excuses” to carry out airstrikes in Syria.
In an interview with the Syrian TV news channel, Al-Sharaa talks about Israel for the first time since the fall of Assad, saying that the recent IDF attacks on Syrian soil have crossed red lines and threatened an unjustified escalation in the region. During a major air bombing campaign this past week, the IDF struck over 350 targets in Syria to take out strategic weapons stockpiles in Syria, to prevent the former regime’s advanced weaponry from falling into hostile hands.
Without explicitly mentioning Israel, Al-Sharaa — who his better known by his nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Julani — implies that under his leadership, Syria will not attack the Jewish state. He says that at this stage Syria will not be dragged into conflicts that may lead to further destruction, with reconstruction and stability the main priorities.
He adds that Iran’s presence in Syria posed a great danger to Syria itself, to neighboring countries and the Gulf. “We were able to end the Iranian presence in Syria, but we are not enemies of the Iranian people.”
Israel has launched more than 60 strikes on Syrian territory in few hours, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights claims.
Israel fired 61 missiles at Syrian military sites in less than five hours Saturday evening, it reports, maintaining a campaign which started after rebel forces toppled president Bashar al-Assad nearly a week ago.
Jerusalem says the campaign is needed to prevent the Assad regime’s extensive military arsenal from falling to jihadist rulers who could use them against Israel or to arm Hezbollah in Lebanon.
SOHR, run by a single person, has regularly been accused by Syrian war analysts of false reporting and inflating casualty numbers as well as inventing them wholesale.
Leading Syrian rebel group said to demand disarmament of country’s Palestinian factions
Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the Islamist rebel group that spearheaded the insurgency that toppled Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, has reportedly ordered Palestinian terror factions in Syria to lay down their weapons, close their training camps and dissolve their military formations.
According to a report published in the pro-Hezbollah Lebanese daily Al-Akhbar on Friday, HTS has informed the Palestinian factions, chiefly among them Hamas, the Islamic Jihad and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, headquartered in Damascus, that they will be able to retain their charities and conduct political activities under the aegis of the Syrian state, but will not be allowed to use Syria as a base or a point of passage for military actions against Israel.
HTS leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, better known as Abu Mohammed al-Julani, a former al-Qaeda member, has sought to rebrand himself and his group as a moderate force that will stabilize Syria and respect religious minorities, and has indicated that he will not seek military confrontation with Israel. link This is very interesting and potentially very good news for Israel. But it's still way too early to know. We will have to see how this plays out.
West Bank and Jerusalem and Terror attacks within Israel
- Settlement leaders call for clearing Palestinian refugee camps in West Bank ‘as we have done in Gaza’
Senior settlement leaders call on the security cabinet to evacuate residents of Palestinian refugee camps in the West Bank and what they describe as other centers of Palestinian terrorism, in order to tackle Palestinian armed groups “exactly as we have done in the Gaza Strip,” including through widespread demolition of structures in such places.
In a letter to the security cabinet, Yisrael Ganz, head of the Yesha Council umbrella settlement organization, together with 14 mayors of settlement authorities and regional councils, also calls for restricting Palestinian freedom of movement on main roads in the West Bank for security purposes.
In their letter, the settlement leaders allege that as a result of Iranian efforts, lethal terror attacks in the West Bank have spiked, and recommend that tough action be taken.
“The population living in zones identified with terrorism, with a focus on ‘refugee’ camps and known terror complexes, should be moved,” they write. “After moving the population the terrorism infrastructure should be dismantled exactly as we have done in the Gaza Strip, meaning: any criminal house to be destroyed, every terrorist to be taken out.”
Israel has been accused of the forced displacement of Palestinians in Gaza due to the massive destruction of civilian infrastructure and Israel’s refusal thus far to allow the overwhelming majority of the Gaza population who have been evacuated from their homes to return to the cities they came from.
Far-right Israeli politicians including Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, who are strongly aligned with the West Bank settlement movement, have also called for implementing policies designed to “encourage” Palestinian emigration from Gaza.
In their letter, the settlement leaders also call on the security cabinet to restrict Palestinian freedom of movement on roads in the West Bank “in a way that will make it harder for terrorists and weapons to move about Judea and Samaria,” and said that such measures should include shutting down security checkpoints. link As I have said so many times in the past, this is now not just talk but demands for action. The extreme settler movement has now officially started its call for actions that are internationally criminal, the wholesale transfer of populations that are under military government as an occupied people on occupied land, exactly what Israel has been accused of time and time again, especially after what has been done to the civilian population in Gaza. These messianic extremists want to wipe away the entire Arab population from the West Bank and Gaza, millions of people as though they don't exist and don't have any claim to these lands. They are purposely blind to the ramifications to the State of Israel and its future. These are dangerous people, dangerous to Israel and to every Israeli. Netanyahu, through his actions and those of his corrupted and failed government have already made Israel a pariah nation among so many countries in the world. But that's not enough. They want us to be pariahs throughout the world which means embargoes of weapons, cultural and educational exchange and sharing, freedom of movement (the Israeli passport will be a 'do not enter' document instead of a document of passage), criminal court indictments and trials against every Israeli who has ever worn a uniform, and increase attacks on Israelis and Jews around the world. For those who support these extremist, they should think twice and understand what it truly means.
- Dozens of terror operatives were killed in an overnight raid carried out by troops of the Givati Brigade in northern Gaza’s Beit Hanoun, the IDF says.
According to the military, the Givati troops raided an area of Beit Hanoun where there was a “concentration of terrorists,” following intelligence information on “the presence of terrorists in the area.”
During the operation, which also involved airstrikes, dozens of gunmen were killed, and several other terror operatives were detained, the IDF says.
In a separate operation in the adjacent town of Beit Lahiya, the IDF says, troops of the Kfir Brigade killed several terror operatives in ground combat and by directing airstrikes. The soldiers also located and destroyed weapons in the area.
Meanwhile, earlier this morning, the IDF says it carried out an airstrike against Hamas operatives at a command center embedded within a building that formerly housed the Abu Shabak medical clinic in Jabalia.
“The compound was used by the Hamas terrorists to plan and carry out terror activity against IDF troops and the State of Israel, and many weapons used by the Hamas terrorists were stored there,” the military says.
The IDF also says that last night fighter jets struck three terror cells in Gaza City, whose members were planning to carry out attacks against troops in the “immediate time frame.”
In all of the strikes, the IDF says it took steps to mitigate civilian harm, including by using precision munitions, aerial surveillance, and other intelligence.
Senior settlement leaders call on the security cabinet to evacuate residents of Palestinian refugee camps in the West Bank and what they describe as other centers of Palestinian terrorism, in order to tackle Palestinian armed groups “exactly as we have done in the Gaza Strip,” including through widespread demolition of structures in such places.
In a letter to the security cabinet, Yisrael Ganz, head of the Yesha Council umbrella settlement organization, together with 14 mayors of settlement authorities and regional councils, also calls for restricting Palestinian freedom of movement on main roads in the West Bank for security purposes.
In their letter, the settlement leaders allege that as a result of Iranian efforts, lethal terror attacks in the West Bank have spiked, and recommend that tough action be taken.
“The population living in zones identified with terrorism, with a focus on ‘refugee’ camps and known terror complexes, should be moved,” they write. “After moving the population the terrorism infrastructure should be dismantled exactly as we have done in the Gaza Strip, meaning: any criminal house to be destroyed, every terrorist to be taken out.”
Israel has been accused of the forced displacement of Palestinians in Gaza due to the massive destruction of civilian infrastructure and Israel’s refusal thus far to allow the overwhelming majority of the Gaza population who have been evacuated from their homes to return to the cities they came from.
Far-right Israeli politicians including Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, who are strongly aligned with the West Bank settlement movement, have also called for implementing policies designed to “encourage” Palestinian emigration from Gaza.
In their letter, the settlement leaders also call on the security cabinet to restrict Palestinian freedom of movement on roads in the West Bank “in a way that will make it harder for terrorists and weapons to move about Judea and Samaria,” and said that such measures should include shutting down security checkpoints. link As I have said so many times in the past, this is now not just talk but demands for action. The extreme settler movement has now officially started its call for actions that are internationally criminal, the wholesale transfer of populations that are under military government as an occupied people on occupied land, exactly what Israel has been accused of time and time again, especially after what has been done to the civilian population in Gaza. These messianic extremists want to wipe away the entire Arab population from the West Bank and Gaza, millions of people as though they don't exist and don't have any claim to these lands. They are purposely blind to the ramifications to the State of Israel and its future. These are dangerous people, dangerous to Israel and to every Israeli. Netanyahu, through his actions and those of his corrupted and failed government have already made Israel a pariah nation among so many countries in the world. But that's not enough. They want us to be pariahs throughout the world which means embargoes of weapons, cultural and educational exchange and sharing, freedom of movement (the Israeli passport will be a 'do not enter' document instead of a document of passage), criminal court indictments and trials against every Israeli who has ever worn a uniform, and increase attacks on Israelis and Jews around the world. For those who support these extremist, they should think twice and understand what it truly means.
According to the military, the Givati troops raided an area of Beit Hanoun where there was a “concentration of terrorists,” following intelligence information on “the presence of terrorists in the area.”
During the operation, which also involved airstrikes, dozens of gunmen were killed, and several other terror operatives were detained, the IDF says.
In a separate operation in the adjacent town of Beit Lahiya, the IDF says, troops of the Kfir Brigade killed several terror operatives in ground combat and by directing airstrikes. The soldiers also located and destroyed weapons in the area.
Meanwhile, earlier this morning, the IDF says it carried out an airstrike against Hamas operatives at a command center embedded within a building that formerly housed the Abu Shabak medical clinic in Jabalia.
“The compound was used by the Hamas terrorists to plan and carry out terror activity against IDF troops and the State of Israel, and many weapons used by the Hamas terrorists were stored there,” the military says.
The IDF also says that last night fighter jets struck three terror cells in Gaza City, whose members were planning to carry out attacks against troops in the “immediate time frame.”
In all of the strikes, the IDF says it took steps to mitigate civilian harm, including by using precision munitions, aerial surveillance, and other intelligence.Politics and the War (general news)
The Officers Who Warned of a Hamas Raid and the Noncommissioned Officer Who Predicted It All
The Officers Who Warned About Hamas's Raid and the Additional Non-Commissioned Officer Who Saw Everything
A series of exposed material presents factors in the army who warned about the danger of Hamas's raid into Israeli territory - and the wall of indifference they encountered • Intelligence Officer J' and Head of Raid Section N' approached the Southern Command Commander, Head of Military Intelligence, and even the Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi - but none were impressed that the plan was practical • Non-Commissioned Officer S' wrote in a special report: "The raid training content resembles significant historical events in the state of Israel's past" • The full investigation rang all the bells: A year and two months after the October 7th disaster, we exposed last night (Saturday) a series of events in which IDF officers and an additional non-commissioned officer warned about the tangible danger of Hamas's raid into Israeli territory. The sequence of exposures shows how deep the blindness of senior army officers was.
Already two and a half years ago, the intelligence of Gaza Division was first exposed to Hamas's large plan. Raid Section Head, Major N', coined the name "Jericho Wall". Together with Intelligence Officer J' and Division Commander Nimrod Aloni, they urgently called Southern Command Commander, Major General Eliezer Toldano, and presented him with Hamas's complex plan, but Toldano was not excited. According to him, it seemed interesting - but not a practical plan. "I don't see this in Hamas's capabilities and don't see how Hamas would cross the obstacle at all," he said. Apart from a study day he organized, the Southern Command Commander did not deal with the planned raid in the next year and a half.
Intelligence Officer J' met with several officers and even reached Military Intelligence Head Major General Aaron Haliva, but the latter was not impressed and did not even update the Research Division Head, the person responsible for threat analysis and supposed to provide war warning. Intelligence Officer J' and Raid Section Head N' did not give up and in May sent a special email to the then Chief of Staff, Aviv Kochavi. In their letter, they wrote that information was received about a disturbing Hamas plan to raid Israel, that it must be studied and updated with findings. Months later, they sent another email with a thick document, which was printed, highlighted, and submitted to the Chief of Staff, describing Hamas's raid concept, within it - the full "Jericho Wall" plan.
That same year, then-Prime Minister Naftali Bennett arrived for a farewell visit to Gaza Division Commander Nimrod Aloni. During the briefing prepared for him about threats from Gaza, one of the slides' titles was "Jericho Wall". The officers did not present him with the plan document, nor did they emphasize its importance - but they did mention its existence. Bennett denies this.
The defense plan against Hamas's invasion that was abandoned
Division Commander Aloni established positions near the fence, as part of preparations for the possibility of a Hamas raid. In these positions, which are now being exposed, millions of shekels were invested. The division mapped possible ground penetration points and issued reference points intended for the Air Force. Additionally, Intelligence Officer J' created a warning model for Hamas's plan, including that if there was an increase in the frequency and nature of Hamas's training - a warning would be raised.
In August 2022, Division Commander Aloni was replaced - and with him, the defense plan was abandoned. The positions remained empty and the targets for the Air Force were no longer updated. A little less than a year later, dramatic signs of a possible invasion appeared, but the intelligence officers of the Command and Division were not excited.
The warning of Non-Commissioned Officer S'
Non-Commissioned Officer S' distributed a report in which she warned about a wide raid by the terrorist organization Hamas into Israeli territory. "A large-scale training was conducted in the presence of senior officials on an observation platform in Khan Yunis, the trained scenario is largely based on the plan to break the defense array of Gaza Division". She detailed Hamas's plan, which would involve a mounted, jeep-based, violent assault on the target and taking hostages.
Non-Commissioned Officer S' also analyzed the proceedings: "During the training, extensive and consistent use of offensive-context Islamic content was identified. Identifying these contents allows understanding the red side (the enemy) in terms of motivation and behavior. Conducting raid training into the country's territory indicates that the 'Jericho Wall' plan is not just a paper plan. This is Hamas organization's way of advancing its readiness for the day of action. They are practicing realistic scenarios that include casualties, even in their own ranks, and not just showcase scenarios".
Non-Commissioned Officer S' concluded the document with a clear statement that was supposed to shock the security system: "The training content can indicate a significant conceptual change on the red side that somewhat resembles significant historical events in the state of Israel's past".
During that time, Hamas was not only training for the raid into Israel, but also examining the feasibility of a surprise attack, meaning whether a massive deployment of Hamas operatives to their assembly points would go undetected by Israeli intelligence.
In May 2023, they deployed 2,000 Nakhba operatives to mosques, and in Military Intelligence they didn't detect anything. The next day, in a closed meeting of Hamas's top military council, Mohammed Deif and Yahya Sinwar concluded: "The tool test was successful, a surprise attack can be executed". The IDF captured the protocol during an operation in Gaza.
The Dramatic Night Before Operation "Guardian of the Walls" (2021)
On the eve of "Guardian of the Walls," Israel detected signs from the northern Gaza Strip indicating an impending attack. Initially, these were SIM cards that activated in the phones of Hamas operatives. Subsequently, there was a change in communication patterns, and finally, an unusual report of ground activity was received. Division Commander Nimrod Aloni approached Southern Command Chief Toledano and presented him with these warning signs.
Toledano replied that he would monitor the developments and suggested they talk again in the morning. Aloni, however, remained uneasy and ordered a state of high alert in the division, deploying hundreds of soldiers in the field. Two hours later, a conversation between two members of Hamas's military wing in the northern Gaza Strip was intercepted and immediately flagged as another warning sign of a possible raid. Aloni woke Toledano again and warned him: "A raid is imminent." This time, Toledano accepted his assessment and mobilized the General Staff. A preparation order for a raid was issued, which included deploying aircraft and significantly reinforcing forces.
A few hours later, Hamas fired rockets toward Jerusalem, and "Guardian of the Walls" officially began. The following night, operatives preparing for an attack through an offensive tunnel in Khan Yunis were discovered and eliminated from the air. It was later revealed that Hamas had been ready for a raid, but Sinwar had not authorized it to proceed.
Burial of the Metro Operation Report
Four days after the start of "Guardian of the Walls", Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi decided to implement the "Metro", a deception plan in which the IDF would stage a maneuver where hundreds of Hamas operatives would enter the enormous tunnel network in the Strip, and then the Air Force would destroy them along with the tunnels. Hamas discovered the plan, yet Kochavi and Southern Command Commander Toldano decided to proceed anyway. Later it would become clear that only ten operatives were eliminated. Although many tunnels were destroyed, many others were not harmed at all.
Kochavi and Toldano claimed operational success, but many in the IDF top brass saw it as a resounding failure. When "Guardian of the Walls" ended, operational investigations began. Brigadier General Dr. Meir Pinkel was tasked with investigating the Metro operation, which determined there were many failures. A week later, Chief of Staff Kochavi organized a massive conference. Various investigations were presented, but the one on the Metro was absent from the event, effectively buried and not presented to this day.
The Paratroopers Brigade Raid Exercise
The security establishment saw "Guardian of the Walls" as a great success - Hamas was deterred. With this feeling, many resources previously invested in preventing a Nakhba operatives' raid were redirected to the "Tax Authority" - the flagship plan of Kochavi and Toldano to destroy rocket launchers.
In October 2021, a large defensive exercise of Paratroopers Battalion 101 was conducted in the Gaza Division. The Division Commander concluded: the exercise failed, the enemy succeeded in penetrating Israel. In summarizing the exercise, Toldano noted the importance of preventing invasion, but according to two sources, he told the officers leading the exercise: "I don't expect you to focus on infiltration, a raid is not a leading reference scenario, you are exaggerating your conclusions about the enemy's capabilities, we will block them at the fences".
Toldano claims in response that he attributed great importance to the raid scenario, even in this exercise. This perception grew stronger as the invasion date approached.
Observation Battalion in Golani's Place
According to the operational investigation findings of Southern Command, Toldano wanted to allow infantry battalions to go out for training. His solution was to replace an infantry battalion with a combat collection battalion that includes ground surveillance fighters and observers in command centers. His decision was made even though only three infantry battalions were deployed over 59 kilometers. Division Commander Avi Rosenfeld refused and the move was canceled. Toldano denies this.
Had the plan been implemented and the Gaza Division was missing another infantry battalion, October 7th could have looked even worse. And if one and two months after, more and more such failures are revealed, it seems that the absence of a state investigative committee has become a failure in itself.
IDF Spokesperson responded: "IDF is in the midst of an operational investigation of the October 7th events and what preceded them. The investigations are being conducted these days, and when summarized, will be presented transparently to the public. Major General Toldano did not dismiss the 'Jericho Wall' plan at any stage when it was presented to him and immediately instructed on a wide range of operational actions and situational assessments on the matter".
Former Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi's response: "This is an absolute invention that has no trace of reality. No information regarding the Hamas plan ever reached Chief of Staff Kochavi, and any other statement is an absolute lie that can be easily refuted." link
The Officers Who Warned of a Hamas Raid and the Noncommissioned Officer Who Predicted It All
The Officers Who Warned About Hamas's Raid and the Additional Non-Commissioned Officer Who Saw Everything
A series of exposed material presents factors in the army who warned about the danger of Hamas's raid into Israeli territory - and the wall of indifference they encountered • Intelligence Officer J' and Head of Raid Section N' approached the Southern Command Commander, Head of Military Intelligence, and even the Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi - but none were impressed that the plan was practical • Non-Commissioned Officer S' wrote in a special report: "The raid training content resembles significant historical events in the state of Israel's past" • The full investigation rang all the bells: A year and two months after the October 7th disaster, we exposed last night (Saturday) a series of events in which IDF officers and an additional non-commissioned officer warned about the tangible danger of Hamas's raid into Israeli territory. The sequence of exposures shows how deep the blindness of senior army officers was.
Already two and a half years ago, the intelligence of Gaza Division was first exposed to Hamas's large plan. Raid Section Head, Major N', coined the name "Jericho Wall". Together with Intelligence Officer J' and Division Commander Nimrod Aloni, they urgently called Southern Command Commander, Major General Eliezer Toldano, and presented him with Hamas's complex plan, but Toldano was not excited. According to him, it seemed interesting - but not a practical plan. "I don't see this in Hamas's capabilities and don't see how Hamas would cross the obstacle at all," he said. Apart from a study day he organized, the Southern Command Commander did not deal with the planned raid in the next year and a half.
Intelligence Officer J' met with several officers and even reached Military Intelligence Head Major General Aaron Haliva, but the latter was not impressed and did not even update the Research Division Head, the person responsible for threat analysis and supposed to provide war warning. Intelligence Officer J' and Raid Section Head N' did not give up and in May sent a special email to the then Chief of Staff, Aviv Kochavi. In their letter, they wrote that information was received about a disturbing Hamas plan to raid Israel, that it must be studied and updated with findings. Months later, they sent another email with a thick document, which was printed, highlighted, and submitted to the Chief of Staff, describing Hamas's raid concept, within it - the full "Jericho Wall" plan.
That same year, then-Prime Minister Naftali Bennett arrived for a farewell visit to Gaza Division Commander Nimrod Aloni. During the briefing prepared for him about threats from Gaza, one of the slides' titles was "Jericho Wall". The officers did not present him with the plan document, nor did they emphasize its importance - but they did mention its existence. Bennett denies this.
The defense plan against Hamas's invasion that was abandoned
Division Commander Aloni established positions near the fence, as part of preparations for the possibility of a Hamas raid. In these positions, which are now being exposed, millions of shekels were invested. The division mapped possible ground penetration points and issued reference points intended for the Air Force. Additionally, Intelligence Officer J' created a warning model for Hamas's plan, including that if there was an increase in the frequency and nature of Hamas's training - a warning would be raised.
In August 2022, Division Commander Aloni was replaced - and with him, the defense plan was abandoned. The positions remained empty and the targets for the Air Force were no longer updated. A little less than a year later, dramatic signs of a possible invasion appeared, but the intelligence officers of the Command and Division were not excited.
The warning of Non-Commissioned Officer S'
Non-Commissioned Officer S' distributed a report in which she warned about a wide raid by the terrorist organization Hamas into Israeli territory. "A large-scale training was conducted in the presence of senior officials on an observation platform in Khan Yunis, the trained scenario is largely based on the plan to break the defense array of Gaza Division". She detailed Hamas's plan, which would involve a mounted, jeep-based, violent assault on the target and taking hostages.
Non-Commissioned Officer S' also analyzed the proceedings: "During the training, extensive and consistent use of offensive-context Islamic content was identified. Identifying these contents allows understanding the red side (the enemy) in terms of motivation and behavior. Conducting raid training into the country's territory indicates that the 'Jericho Wall' plan is not just a paper plan. This is Hamas organization's way of advancing its readiness for the day of action. They are practicing realistic scenarios that include casualties, even in their own ranks, and not just showcase scenarios".
Non-Commissioned Officer S' concluded the document with a clear statement that was supposed to shock the security system: "The training content can indicate a significant conceptual change on the red side that somewhat resembles significant historical events in the state of Israel's past".
During that time, Hamas was not only training for the raid into Israel, but also examining the feasibility of a surprise attack, meaning whether a massive deployment of Hamas operatives to their assembly points would go undetected by Israeli intelligence.
In May 2023, they deployed 2,000 Nakhba operatives to mosques, and in Military Intelligence they didn't detect anything. The next day, in a closed meeting of Hamas's top military council, Mohammed Deif and Yahya Sinwar concluded: "The tool test was successful, a surprise attack can be executed". The IDF captured the protocol during an operation in Gaza.
The Dramatic Night Before Operation "Guardian of the Walls" (2021)
On the eve of "Guardian of the Walls," Israel detected signs from the northern Gaza Strip indicating an impending attack. Initially, these were SIM cards that activated in the phones of Hamas operatives. Subsequently, there was a change in communication patterns, and finally, an unusual report of ground activity was received. Division Commander Nimrod Aloni approached Southern Command Chief Toledano and presented him with these warning signs.
Toledano replied that he would monitor the developments and suggested they talk again in the morning. Aloni, however, remained uneasy and ordered a state of high alert in the division, deploying hundreds of soldiers in the field. Two hours later, a conversation between two members of Hamas's military wing in the northern Gaza Strip was intercepted and immediately flagged as another warning sign of a possible raid. Aloni woke Toledano again and warned him: "A raid is imminent." This time, Toledano accepted his assessment and mobilized the General Staff. A preparation order for a raid was issued, which included deploying aircraft and significantly reinforcing forces.
A few hours later, Hamas fired rockets toward Jerusalem, and "Guardian of the Walls" officially began. The following night, operatives preparing for an attack through an offensive tunnel in Khan Yunis were discovered and eliminated from the air. It was later revealed that Hamas had been ready for a raid, but Sinwar had not authorized it to proceed.
Burial of the Metro Operation Report
Four days after the start of "Guardian of the Walls", Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi decided to implement the "Metro", a deception plan in which the IDF would stage a maneuver where hundreds of Hamas operatives would enter the enormous tunnel network in the Strip, and then the Air Force would destroy them along with the tunnels. Hamas discovered the plan, yet Kochavi and Southern Command Commander Toldano decided to proceed anyway. Later it would become clear that only ten operatives were eliminated. Although many tunnels were destroyed, many others were not harmed at all.
Kochavi and Toldano claimed operational success, but many in the IDF top brass saw it as a resounding failure. When "Guardian of the Walls" ended, operational investigations began. Brigadier General Dr. Meir Pinkel was tasked with investigating the Metro operation, which determined there were many failures. A week later, Chief of Staff Kochavi organized a massive conference. Various investigations were presented, but the one on the Metro was absent from the event, effectively buried and not presented to this day.
The Paratroopers Brigade Raid Exercise
The security establishment saw "Guardian of the Walls" as a great success - Hamas was deterred. With this feeling, many resources previously invested in preventing a Nakhba operatives' raid were redirected to the "Tax Authority" - the flagship plan of Kochavi and Toldano to destroy rocket launchers.
In October 2021, a large defensive exercise of Paratroopers Battalion 101 was conducted in the Gaza Division. The Division Commander concluded: the exercise failed, the enemy succeeded in penetrating Israel. In summarizing the exercise, Toldano noted the importance of preventing invasion, but according to two sources, he told the officers leading the exercise: "I don't expect you to focus on infiltration, a raid is not a leading reference scenario, you are exaggerating your conclusions about the enemy's capabilities, we will block them at the fences".
Toldano claims in response that he attributed great importance to the raid scenario, even in this exercise. This perception grew stronger as the invasion date approached.
Observation Battalion in Golani's Place
According to the operational investigation findings of Southern Command, Toldano wanted to allow infantry battalions to go out for training. His solution was to replace an infantry battalion with a combat collection battalion that includes ground surveillance fighters and observers in command centers. His decision was made even though only three infantry battalions were deployed over 59 kilometers. Division Commander Avi Rosenfeld refused and the move was canceled. Toldano denies this.
Had the plan been implemented and the Gaza Division was missing another infantry battalion, October 7th could have looked even worse. And if one and two months after, more and more such failures are revealed, it seems that the absence of a state investigative committee has become a failure in itself.
IDF Spokesperson responded: "IDF is in the midst of an operational investigation of the October 7th events and what preceded them. The investigations are being conducted these days, and when summarized, will be presented transparently to the public. Major General Toldano did not dismiss the 'Jericho Wall' plan at any stage when it was presented to him and immediately instructed on a wide range of operational actions and situational assessments on the matter".
Former Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi's response: "This is an absolute invention that has no trace of reality. No information regarding the Hamas plan ever reached Chief of Staff Kochavi, and any other statement is an absolute lie that can be easily refuted." link
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s associates are reportedly weighing the option of engineering the emergence of a new security-oriented party that will court the votes of right-wingers disappointed with the premier over the failure to prevent Hamas’s October 7, 2023, massacre — but that will join forces with the Netanyahu-led bloc after the next elections.
According to an unsourced Channel 12 report, one of the candidates to helm the potential party is IDF former general Ofer Winter, who says his right-wing views halted his advancement in the top echelons of the army and who days ago launched an attack on IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi for allegedly refusing to tap him as Netanyahu’s military secretary.
Opinion polls have largely shown Netanyahu’s bloc wouldn’t win a majority in the Knesset if elections were held now (no elections are currently scheduled until late 2026). Furthermore, former prime minister Naftali Bennett is expected to launch a political comeback ahead of the next election, a scenario in which Bennett is predicted to secure the votes of many on the right who don’t support Netanyahu.
The report says the main goal of the possible future party is to compete with Bennett for votes, boosting Netanyahu’s bloc. However, the plan — especially now that it has apparently been leaked to the press — is not sure to go ahead, reportedly because the new party could possibly attract voters of current coalition parties, not just Bennett voters.
Netanyahu’s office denies the report, while Winter doesn’t respond to a Channel 12 request for comment. link Like most everything else, neither Netanyahu or his office should be believed in their denial. Netanyahu never stops planning his political moves in order to remain prime minister. We can never forget that he met with his PR people on October 8, the day after the worst attack and massacre in the history of Israel. He was busy planning his personal narrative and not the attack, the hostages, the massive fear and chaos that covered the entire country. So, of course, we can fully believe that this is his plan and he is working on it probably much harder than ending the war and getting the hostages home because it deals with is personal and political agenda and not with that of the country. DISGRACEFUL!!!
Roughly 20 people who participated in far-right protests at the Sde Teiman detention facility and the IDF’s Beit Lid base in July have been identified by police but have not yet been questioned, the Haaretz newspaper reports, with the delay apparently caused by senior police officers opposed to the investigation.
The suspects are nevertheless expected to be called in for questioning soon, the report states, but due to the opposition of several senior law enforcement officials, it is unlikely that any indictments will be filed against them.
On July 29, an ultranationalist mob broke into the two military bases to interrupt legal proceedings against reservist soldiers suspected of abusing Palestinian terrorist detainees.
Among those who entered the base without authorization were MK Nissim Vaturi of the ruling Likud party, MK Zvi Sukkot of the Religious Zionism party, and National Heritage Minister Amichay Eliyahu of Otzma Yehudit.
The three have also yet to be questioned, Haaretz reports, although police have been granted permission to do so.
It adds that the IDF has expressed dissatisfaction with the way in which the probe is being handled by the Israel Police.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s associates are reportedly weighing the option of engineering the emergence of a new security-oriented party that will court the votes of right-wingers disappointed with the premier over the failure to prevent Hamas’s October 7, 2023, massacre — but that will join forces with the Netanyahu-led bloc after the next elections.
According to an unsourced Channel 12 report, one of the candidates to helm the potential party is IDF former general Ofer Winter, who says his right-wing views halted his advancement in the top echelons of the army and who days ago launched an attack on IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi for allegedly refusing to tap him as Netanyahu’s military secretary.
Opinion polls have largely shown Netanyahu’s bloc wouldn’t win a majority in the Knesset if elections were held now (no elections are currently scheduled until late 2026). Furthermore, former prime minister Naftali Bennett is expected to launch a political comeback ahead of the next election, a scenario in which Bennett is predicted to secure the votes of many on the right who don’t support Netanyahu.
The report says the main goal of the possible future party is to compete with Bennett for votes, boosting Netanyahu’s bloc. However, the plan — especially now that it has apparently been leaked to the press — is not sure to go ahead, reportedly because the new party could possibly attract voters of current coalition parties, not just Bennett voters.
Netanyahu’s office denies the report, while Winter doesn’t respond to a Channel 12 request for comment. link Like most everything else, neither Netanyahu or his office should be believed in their denial. Netanyahu never stops planning his political moves in order to remain prime minister. We can never forget that he met with his PR people on October 8, the day after the worst attack and massacre in the history of Israel. He was busy planning his personal narrative and not the attack, the hostages, the massive fear and chaos that covered the entire country. So, of course, we can fully believe that this is his plan and he is working on it probably much harder than ending the war and getting the hostages home because it deals with is personal and political agenda and not with that of the country. DISGRACEFUL!!!
Roughly 20 people who participated in far-right protests at the Sde Teiman detention facility and the IDF’s Beit Lid base in July have been identified by police but have not yet been questioned, the Haaretz newspaper reports, with the delay apparently caused by senior police officers opposed to the investigation.
The suspects are nevertheless expected to be called in for questioning soon, the report states, but due to the opposition of several senior law enforcement officials, it is unlikely that any indictments will be filed against them.
On July 29, an ultranationalist mob broke into the two military bases to interrupt legal proceedings against reservist soldiers suspected of abusing Palestinian terrorist detainees.
Among those who entered the base without authorization were MK Nissim Vaturi of the ruling Likud party, MK Zvi Sukkot of the Religious Zionism party, and National Heritage Minister Amichay Eliyahu of Otzma Yehudit.
The three have also yet to be questioned, Haaretz reports, although police have been granted permission to do so.
It adds that the IDF has expressed dissatisfaction with the way in which the probe is being handled by the Israel Police.
The Region and the World
- Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar and the head of the IDF’s Military Intelligence Directorate, Maj. Gen. Shlomi Binder, covertly visited Jordan and held talks Friday with Jordanian generals on the situation in Syria, according to several reports.
The Walla news site says the talks were held with Ahmad Husni, director of the General Intelligence Department, and with other senior Jordanian officers.
Citing three senior Israeli officers, the outlet reports that the sides also discussed the growing threat of weapons smuggling by Iran to via Jordan to Palestinian terror groups in the West Bank. Walla also reports that Jordan is a central mediator between Israel and the Syrian opposition groups currently working on forming a transitional government.
Meanwhile, the Kan public broadcaster reports that talks come against the backdrop of fears in Israel that extremist groups in Jordan will be inspired by the Syrian rebels’ swift overthrowing of the Assad regime, and will try in turn to oust the Hashemite Kingdom’s ruler, King Abdullah II.
Citing senior Israeli sources, Kan reports that top Israeli officials, including in the security cabinet, have discussed the possibility of what happened in Syria being replicated in Jordan, which would have major implications for Israel, whose longest land border is with Jordan. link. Jordan has always been in a very precarious political situation. The majority of the citizens are Palestinians. Jordan is the only country in the middle east that gave citizenship to the Palestinian refugees of 1948. There have been many assassination attempts on the king and his father (the present king's grandfather was assassinated) and attempts to overthrow the monarchy by various factions. Jordan is heavily aligned with the West and has had a peace treaty with Israel since 1994 (*a peace treaty is made between countries that have been at war with each other. The Abraham Accords are not peace treaties because we have never been at war with the countries involved in the accord). Israel shares its longest and most vulnerable border with Jordan. It is 482 kilometers/300 miles long and, where there are fences, they are minor at best. There is talk about investing in a fence along the length of the border at great expense, but we have seen the 'effectiveness' of the 'impenetrable' fence on the Gaza border on October 7. There are constant border infiltrations, mostly for smuggling both drugs and arms and much of the border is guarded by both armies with patrols and some bases along the border but it is pretty much an 'open' border. One of the reasons that a permanent fence has never been deployed in many areas is because of the moving of the ground during the rainy seasons along the Jordan River Basin which makes it nearly impossible to put something that will stay in place. After the peace agreement, efforts were made to locate and neutralize many of the land mines placed on the border but because of the land movement, there are still many in the area with warning signs all around.
Most of the countries in our neck of the woods are extremely worried about a domino effect after the fall of Assad in Syria, which could have devastating impact on the region and the world. Iran, of course, would be very interested in a domino effect as long as it didn't happen to them as well. They, together with terror groups such as ISIS and Al Qaeda see a domino effect as opportunities for them to move in and take over countries to mold in their extremist ideologies. The danger is real and must be held in check. We must never forget that both Bush presidencies were responsible for what we are dealing with today in Iran. Bringing down Saddam Hussein was the worst thing for the region and the world. For so many years, Iran and Iraq were laser focused on their own enmities and war and they left the rest of the world alone, for the most part. That all changed with the downfall of Saddam and release Iran to go after the entire western world. There is a lot to be said about 'the devil you know'.
Personal Stories Shani Amin, 18: Recent high school grad was family’s ‘joy and light’
The Walla news site says the talks were held with Ahmad Husni, director of the General Intelligence Department, and with other senior Jordanian officers.
Citing three senior Israeli officers, the outlet reports that the sides also discussed the growing threat of weapons smuggling by Iran to via Jordan to Palestinian terror groups in the West Bank. Walla also reports that Jordan is a central mediator between Israel and the Syrian opposition groups currently working on forming a transitional government.
Meanwhile, the Kan public broadcaster reports that talks come against the backdrop of fears in Israel that extremist groups in Jordan will be inspired by the Syrian rebels’ swift overthrowing of the Assad regime, and will try in turn to oust the Hashemite Kingdom’s ruler, King Abdullah II.
Citing senior Israeli sources, Kan reports that top Israeli officials, including in the security cabinet, have discussed the possibility of what happened in Syria being replicated in Jordan, which would have major implications for Israel, whose longest land border is with Jordan. link. Jordan has always been in a very precarious political situation. The majority of the citizens are Palestinians. Jordan is the only country in the middle east that gave citizenship to the Palestinian refugees of 1948. There have been many assassination attempts on the king and his father (the present king's grandfather was assassinated) and attempts to overthrow the monarchy by various factions. Jordan is heavily aligned with the West and has had a peace treaty with Israel since 1994 (*a peace treaty is made between countries that have been at war with each other. The Abraham Accords are not peace treaties because we have never been at war with the countries involved in the accord). Israel shares its longest and most vulnerable border with Jordan. It is 482 kilometers/300 miles long and, where there are fences, they are minor at best. There is talk about investing in a fence along the length of the border at great expense, but we have seen the 'effectiveness' of the 'impenetrable' fence on the Gaza border on October 7. There are constant border infiltrations, mostly for smuggling both drugs and arms and much of the border is guarded by both armies with patrols and some bases along the border but it is pretty much an 'open' border. One of the reasons that a permanent fence has never been deployed in many areas is because of the moving of the ground during the rainy seasons along the Jordan River Basin which makes it nearly impossible to put something that will stay in place. After the peace agreement, efforts were made to locate and neutralize many of the land mines placed on the border but because of the land movement, there are still many in the area with warning signs all around.
Most of the countries in our neck of the woods are extremely worried about a domino effect after the fall of Assad in Syria, which could have devastating impact on the region and the world. Iran, of course, would be very interested in a domino effect as long as it didn't happen to them as well. They, together with terror groups such as ISIS and Al Qaeda see a domino effect as opportunities for them to move in and take over countries to mold in their extremist ideologies. The danger is real and must be held in check. We must never forget that both Bush presidencies were responsible for what we are dealing with today in Iran. Bringing down Saddam Hussein was the worst thing for the region and the world. For so many years, Iran and Iraq were laser focused on their own enmities and war and they left the rest of the world alone, for the most part. That all changed with the downfall of Saddam and release Iran to go after the entire western world. There is a lot to be said about 'the devil you know'.
Murdered by Hamas terrorists after leaving the Supernova music festival on October 7
Shani Amin, 18, from Ashdod, was murdered by Hamas terrorists after fleeing the Supernova music festival on October 7.
She attended the rave with her boyfriend, Adam Ilayev, and when the rocket fire began, they were among the first to flee the festival and made it safely to Beersheba, where they were supposed to meet up with a friend. But when they weren’t able to reach that friend — who was himself hiding from the terror attack at the rave — they decided instead to head home to Ashdod.
Without understanding the intensity of the attack, they were traveling near Sderot along Route 232 when they saw what they thought were IDF soldiers. But they were actually Hamas terrorists, who opened fire on their car, killing Adam and seriously wounding Shani, who managed to call her grandfather before she ultimately died of her wounds. Her body was not identified for more than 10 days.
Shani was buried in Ashdod on October 17, alongside Adam, who had been buried several days earlier. She is survived by her parents, Nir and Merav, and her siblings Idan, Shira and Tahel.
The second oldest of her siblings, Shani was described by her family as being optimistic and full of joy and loving music and dancing, according to a municipal eulogy. She would choreograph dances for her friends and classmates, they said, and always loved to perform.
At age 17 she met Adam on the beach and they quickly became a couple, and they were planning a trip together to Amsterdam that they never got to take. Shani had recently finished high school and was slated to soon enlist in the army when she was killed. Shortly after her 18th birthday in April 2023, she got a tattoo with the lyrics, “Here comes the sun” on her back.
She was particularly close with her grandfather, Ami Kalfon, who said at a ceremony marking a year since she was murdered that “every day I want to write to you, to speak to you, to hear you and to embrace you… You were always so present, and I can’t go on without you. You are the air and the joy and the light everywhere you went — and suddenly you are no longer.”
A memorial Instagram page described Shani as “a strong, powerful, opinionated, beautiful and different woman.”
“When she loves you, she loves you all the way, there’s no way out of her heart — you’re stuck there,” the post reads. “She’s a warrior for justice, she was born to this world to make things right and to show what true joy is, what is a hug that leaves marks on your body and what is contagious laughter that rings in your ears for weeks.”
“She left this world to make us appreciate those things,” it added. “She shone everywhere she went and you couldn’t miss her. It’s like she did it on purpose, to tell us, ‘Look at me, this is me, I’m here, but not for very long.'”
Dark Legacy - The Abandonment of October 7th Hostages
Where You Spread Hate We Will Bring LoveYossi Levi-BelzClinical Psychologist, Head of The Lior TsfatyCenter for Suicide & Mental Pain Studies at the Rupin Academic Center.
Our beloved State of Israel is currently under grave threat, both from within and from without. The external military attack has been met by a strong and determined army. Against the attack from within, we have repeatedly recruited the strongest army in the world - the brave beating hearts of the democratic protest movement. And like our armed forces, this army of the people will not be defeated. And these brave hearts, these people who love their country so much that they will take to the streets time and time again to fight for the return of the hostages and the soul of their country, they will not accept the lies.We can see, Mr. Prime Minister. We can see your attempts to sow split and discord. We can see your failures on every aspect of public policy. We can see your lies, your efforts to ruin every last vestige of rationality and truth, logic, morality and values. The psychological term for what we are going through is moral injury brought about by betrayal. This is the experience of a people with leaders who fail to meet the most basic moral standards, or to obey even the pretense of a conscience. This is a crisis which has a profound effect upon our entire society. The journey to mend our country will not be an easy one. The journey to restore Israel to a sane, just, loving and compassionate place will not be simple. The journey to bring all the hostages back may not be a short- term process. But this is the task we have to take upon ourselves, to be the antibodies to all the ills you have brought upon us. Our mission now is to follow our values and change reality.But where you sow dissent, we will grow strong bonds. Where you spread hate, we will bring love. Where you want to see destruction, we will rebuild. Where you act in abandonment and reckless neglect, we will establish a world of solidarity, belonging and justice. Never underestimate the power of the beating hearts, our love for our country, or our willingness to do everything so that our brothers and sisters will return home from captivity in Gaza.But before my words run out, I will stop writing about that person, and - from the bottom of my heart - address you, the readers, to tell you—tell us - that we are up to this task. If we simply keep reminding ourselves that we are taking the only possible action, that we rise every morning to fight for the most important values, that with our bodies, souls, and hearts we are guiding the course of our nation and saving Israel from destruction, then we can gather more strength and hope for the journey we have embarked on.It is so painful to think about our kidnapped brothers in Gaza day in and day out, and it is so painful to witness their abandonment, all our values betrayed. But we will triumph over all of these ills, because we are united. No force in the world can resist the hearts of the righteous, those marching on the journey to rescue Israel and to rescue the hostages. We are here, and we will not go anywhere until healing begins, until the hostages return, until our leadership changes. Until they are gone from our lives. This is the antibody to the moral injury we are undergoing, and it is beginning to take effect.
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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