🎗️Lonny's War Update- October 439, 2023 - December 18, 2024 🎗️
🎗️Day 439 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
*
Hostage Updates
"A partial agreement will be a stain on the heart of society": Declaration by survivors of captivity whose loved ones are held by Hamas in Gaza.
"What protects the state is not leaving the terrorists in prison, because new ones will come, but rather the sense of solidarity and mutual responsibility," said Lena Trofunov, mother of Sasha Trofunov.
"How can I explain to my daughters why their father is still there?" wondered Sharon Aloni Conio, wife of David Conio.
The girlfriend of Matan Tzangauker spoke with trembling voice, delivering a message in English to Trump: "Help bring them back."
Survivors of captivity who were released from Hamas captivity in a previous deal and whose loved ones remain in Gaza gave a special statement to the media today (Tuesday) in the Hostages Square. The speakers, offering firsthand testimonies, emphasized the urgency of bringing back the 100 hostages and demanded a deal that does not leave their loved ones behind. Sharon Aloni Conio, wife of David Conio, called for a comprehensive deal: "A partial agreement will be a stain on the heart of society."
"I was abducted and held in captivity, living in an unimaginable reality. We tried to be parents to our daughters without food and without true hope," said Sharon, who was returned in the first hostage exchange deal. "Hugs were all we could offer. We were separated from David on the day of the deal; the girls held his hands without understanding the meaning of the separation. He stayed there alone in the dark tunnels. Since we returned, I have been trying to stay strong for Emma and Julia, but how can I explain to them why their father is still there when I don’t have an answer?"
"I don't want my daughters to remember their father from pictures and stories." Sharon Aloni Konyo, David Konyo's wife Photo: headquarters of the kidnapped families
"Julia told her therapist, 'I think my dad doesn’t love me,'" Sharon Aloni Conio added. "We returned with pneumonia, infections, malnutrition, and persistent illnesses. What is David going through there alone for a year without us? And now, when they talk about a partial deal leaving the men behind, I don’t understand how this is possible." Aloni Conio continued: "Why does Israel insist on half-solutions? A partial deal will be a stain on our country for generations. No one can be left behind."
"Take them all out, don't leave anyone behind." Lena Trupanov, mother of Sasha Trupanov Photo: headquarters of the kidnapped families
"Don't give up hope." Merav Tal, the spouse of the late Yair Ya'akov | Photo: headquarters of the families of the abductees
Lena Trofunov, mother of Sasha Trofunov, shared that when she was held captive by Hamas in Gaza, she had no doubt that the State of Israel would do everything to secure her release. "When I came out, I realized just how naive I had been," she clarified. "For this feeling—that our country stands behind us and will do everything, no matter the cost, to save each of us—to remain for our children, everyone must be brought back to freedom."
She added a message to those afraid of the deal: "To all those who fear the release of terrorists: there is no shortage of terrorists there. What protects the state is not leaving them in prison because new ones will come. What protects us is the sense of solidarity, mutual responsibility, and the belief that every individual matters and the state stands behind them."
Merav Tal, the partner of the late Yair Yaakov, reflected on her memories from captivity:
"The thought that I am free and no longer moving between dark hideouts in tunnels takes me back to that place, to the place where I was abducted along with the children of my beloved," she said. "Ya-Ya was murdered, and his body is being held in Gaza. The pain of his murder, the fact that we have not yet brought him to burial, and the fear that we may never bury him in our home, is endless," she added.
"I was there for 53 days, during which the terrorists took everything from me—the control over my will, over what I do or don’t do, when I speak, eat, drink, or stand. Only my thoughts remained free," continued Merav Tal. "Imagine what it was like for me to sit on the floor in the dark, being thrown food once a day, my body trembling constantly, looking at the ceiling and showering with a bottle of water." She asked: "How am I supposed to feel when they keep torturing us?"
"It is forbidden to leave even one hostage in the hands of Hamas," Merav Tal made clear. "This is not why we established a state and why we all sacrificed—for this terrorist organization. A partial deal is a defeat that will leave our society with a bleeding wound, burying us from within."
"The time has come to choose between politics and life itself." Ilana Grichovski, Matan Tsengauker's partner Photo: headquarters of the kidnapped families
Ilana Gritchovsky, the partner of Matan Tzangauker, also shared her experiences during her captivity by Hamas:
"I was in hell for 55 days, moving between apartments and tunnels, with no air to breathe and no moment of hope," she said. "Every minute was a fight for survival, but the nightmare didn’t end when I returned. Instead of finally breathing again, I find myself once more in a battle—not just for myself but for us, for Matan, for my friends, for everyone who was left behind."
She addressed the Prime Minister and members of the government, saying: "You’ve grown accustomed to your seats, but they haven’t gotten used to hell. Every day you search for solutions, you are choosing to abandon them." She added, "I am here, a woman who returned from captivity—I know what that hell feels like, and yet you remain silent. You cannot abandon them for even one more day. Their lives are not a political spin."
Speaking with a trembling voice, Matan Tzangauker’s girlfriend sent a message in English to Trump: "Now is the time to prove you are a leader. It’s your time to end the war and bring the hostages home—all of them, now."
"The last year feels longer than any other year." Raz Ben Ami, the wife of Ohad Ben Ami Photo: headquarters of the kidnapped families
Raz Ben-Ami, the wife of Ohad Ben-Ami, also shared her memories from captivity:
"I was held by Hamas for 54 days, while my husband, Ohad, is rotting in Hamas captivity," she said. "We’ve known each other for 34 years, more than half of my life. This past year feels longer than any other. We thought Ohad would already be here, back to the simple life we built together. Last year, we lit Hanukkah candles in the square, and I believed that he would light his own birthday candles. A year of nightmares has since passed."
She noted that his next birthday, his 56th, will be next week. "The wish he makes next week must be made by him. Ohad must come home now," said Raz. "It is likely that he is enduring the same as I did—shouts and threats in Arabic. My health deteriorated there and continued to decline even after I returned."
She added: "Winter is cold, and there it’s even colder. When the conditions in Gaza were unbearable, it took us a while to get blankets. The cold, combined with the tunnels, was brutal. We must remind everyone involved in the negotiations that there is no time to wait." link
After Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s spokesperson and an Arab diplomat denied a Reuters report that the premier was on his way to Cairo for talks on a ceasefire and hostage deal in Gaza, the news agency quotes two Egyptian security sources as saying that while Netanyahu isn’t in Cairo “at this moment,” a meeting is underway to work through the remaining points in the negotiations with Hamas.
The main remaining point is Hamas’s demand for guarantees that any immediate deal would lead to a comprehensive agreement later.
The Egyptian sources say they are making progress, and feel that tonight could be decisive in setting the next steps.
Hamas fears Trump will allow Israel to resume Gaza war after 1st phase of hostage deal
Sources familiar with talks say Hamas compromising on terms of IDF withdrawal but still insisting on permanent ceasefire, fearing deal made under Biden could collapse under Trump
Hamas is concerned that US President-elect Donald Trump will allow Israel to resume fighting in Gaza at the completion of the first phase of the three-stage ceasefire that is currently in advanced negotiations, four sources familiar with the matter told The Times of Israel.
US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said last week that the Biden administration is working to secure a deal by the end of December, but this would mean Trump would be responsible for seeing through the first six-week phase and beyond.
Trump said again this week that he wants the war in Gaza to end, but an Israeli official told The Times of Israel that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu believes he’ll have more flexibility under Trump to resume fighting after the first phase than he would under Biden.
Hamas has made the same assessment and is accordingly seeking assurances that Israel will not restart the war after the first phase has been completed, according to two Arab diplomats, an Israeli official and a US official familiar with the talks.
The nature of the ceasefire deal is the main issue of contention in the talks, with Hamas demanding a permanent end to the fighting along with the withdrawal of the IDF from Gaza, while Israel is seeking a temporary pause during which some of the hostages would be released followed by a resumption of its fighting in order to finish dismantling Hamas’s military and governing capabilities.
“If we finish the war now, Hamas will return, recover and rebuild itself and attack us again… we don’t want to return to this [situation],” Netanyahu said last week.
In May, Netanyahu authorized a three-phased framework that sought to bridge the gaps between Israel and Hamas, while also providing some ambiguity on the transition from one phase to another in order to satisfy both sides.
US, Qatari and Egyptian mediators have since worked to get the first phase of the deal in motion with an initial ceasefire that would see the release of the remaining living female, elderly and wounded hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.
During this first phase, the sides would be mandated to hold negotiations regarding the terms of the second and third phases of the ceasefire, when the remaining living hostages and the bodies of slain captives would be released, respectively.
Negotiations have progressed significantly in recent weeks, with Hamas agreeing to reengage with mediators after a months-long impasse, according to the two Arab diplomats, an Israeli official and a US official familiar with the talks.
Critically, the terror group has shown flexibility regarding the terms of the IDF withdrawal from Gaza, indicating it is prepared to allow Israeli troops to remain in the key Philadelphi and Netzarim corridors during the first phase of the deal after long demanding their immediate pullout from those routes — along the Gaza-Egypt border and bisecting the enclave, respectively — the Arab and Israeli officials said.
Hamas is at its weakest position yet and “we told them that the longer they wait, the worse the terms will be,” one of the Arab diplomats said, explaining the shift in the terror group’s stance.
Hamas has survived an unrelenting Israeli military campaign, but its military infrastructure has been effectively dismantled, and the support it had been receiving from the Iranian-led “Axis of Resistance” has all but dissipated over the past two months amid dizzying developments in Lebanon and Syria.
But that doesn’t mean Hamas will be prepared to accept a deal on any terms, the Arab diplomat clarified, adding that the group now has a lot less to lose and is still holding 100 hostages who won’t be released in full unless Israel agrees to a permanent ceasefire.
Contrary to reporting in American and Arabic press, though, progress in the talks has not extended to Hamas’s transfer of a long-sought list to the mediators consisting of the names of hostages it is prepared to release in the ceasefire’s first stage, the two Arab diplomats said.
Israel has sought the release of at least 33 hostages during this phase, while Hamas has maintained that it doesn’t have that number of living captives who fall into the “humanitarian” categories of women, elderly and sick captives, an Israeli official said.
With these hurdles still standing in the way, the second Arab diplomat said Biden officials’ privately shared desires to secure an agreement this week were unlikely to be actualized.
And even with a list from Hamas, it is unclear whether either side is prepared to move or compromise on the nature of the ceasefire, the four sources said.
The hostages were among 251 people taken captive during Hamas’s brutal October, 7, 2023, assault on southern Israel that also killed some 1,200 people.
It is believed that 96 of the 251 hostages abducted by Hamas on October 7 remain in Gaza, including the bodies of at least 34 confirmed dead by the IDF.
Hamas released 105 civilians during a weeklong truce in late November, 2023, and four hostages were released before that. Eight hostages have been rescued by troops alive, and the bodies of 38 hostages have also been recovered, including three mistakenly killed by the military as they tried to escape their captors.
Hamas is also holding two Israeli civilians who entered the Strip in 2014 and 2015, as well as the bodies of two IDF soldiers who were killed in 2014. link. Hamas is very right about Trump's leniency toward Netanyahu. He has been saying that he wants the war to end but after talking to Netanyahu last week, he also said that Israel needs its victory. That's Netanyahu's 'total victory' which means absolutely nothing. It has never been defined, intentionally so Netanyahu alone can say when/if we reach 'total victory', which will only be when he believes that his coalition is safe from breaking up and he will remain Prime Minister, having nothing to do with the war.
As far as Hamas remaining in Gaza "return, recover and rebuild itself", that is all on Netanyahu. If he would have put an emphasis on having an alternative governing body in Gaza, which can only be a reformed Palestinian Authority, we would not still be dealing with the recovery of Hamas. Gazans don't want Hamas but Netanyahu has refused to even speak of the PA coming into govern Gaza. It is his stupid stubbornness that we are still at this point and our soldiers are still being killed.
- "There is a positive change, but gaps still remain": A wave of rumors about negotiations for a deal Netanyahu did not go to Cairo, but negotiations for a hostage deal continue to advance • Senior Israeli officials estimate that a deal is within a two-to-three-week timeframe: "There are still significant gaps. It will take more time" • Disagreements remain on the ground between the sides, with the focus on: the terms of releasing the hostages in exchange for prisoners • Report in *Haaretz*: Israel and Saudi Arabia have reached a breakthrough in normalization talks, which may also facilitate reaching a deal
A wave of rumors swept the country yesterday (Tuesday) — about an alleged meeting between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in Egypt, and an alleged deal being finalized in these days. Fueling these rumors was a report from Reuters that Netanyahu had arrived in Cairo. This report was denied by the Prime Minister's spokesperson, Omar Dostri.
From all the checks we conducted, it emerges that Netanyahu did not go to Cairo. However, senior Israeli officials stated that "there is progress; intensive work is underway to reach an agreement. Hamas has a desire to reach a deal; there is a positive change, but there are no final agreements yet. Significant gaps remain. It will take more time."
As things stand now, negotiations for the deal are advancing, but we are not talking about days, rather two to three weeks until a possible agreement is reached. It is clear that things could suddenly move quickly, but the gaps are not only about the number of hostages to be released and their identities, but also about additional issues, such as the Israeli veto on releasing terrorists — specifically how many high-profile prisoners with "blood on their hands" Israel can block from being released.
The core dispute seems to revolve around the terms for releasing hostages in exchange for prisoners, with the number of hostages to be released yet to be agreed upon. Israel insists on the identities of those released in the first phase. Mossad chief David Barnea, Shin Bet head Ronen Bar, and the Prime Minister are the ones managing the negotiations. Everyone else is excluded.
### What is hindering progress? **Core disputes:** - The terms for releasing hostages in exchange for prisoners - The number of hostages to be released remains undecided - No agreement on an Israeli veto on releasing terrorists with "blood on their hands" - Israel insists on the identities of those released in the first phase
Sources familiar with the details of the negotiations say there are gaps, but they are bridgeable.
Meanwhile, the IDF is preparing to increase pressure on Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The 98th Division is returning to maneuver in the Strip after three months of fighting in southern Lebanon. The IDF spokesperson announced yesterday that the division's forces completed their mission on the northern front last week after three months of prolonged fighting in Hezbollah's terrorist strongholds and defensive operations following the ceasefire agreement. "Now, the division's forces are preparing for their next mission in the Gaza Strip," the statement read.
Saudi news channel Al-Sharq reported, citing Palestinian sources, that the talks to achieve a ceasefire agreement and the release of hostages have reached an advanced and "almost final" stage. According to the cited sources, the agreement will be implemented in three stages. The first stage will be a "humanitarian phase," including the immediate introduction of additional aid to the Strip and the release of all Israeli female hostages, including soldiers and civilian captives, in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.
It was further reported that the agreement will conclude in the final stage with a comprehensive and permanent ceasefire, along with the complete withdrawal of the IDF from the Gaza Strip, including from the Philadelphi Route and Netzarim Corridor. Alongside this, it was claimed that in the first two stages, the IDF will maintain six positions in the Strip. According to the report, the first stage will last six weeks and will involve an Israeli military withdrawal from much of the Philadelphi Route to the eastern side of the Rafah crossing. This will include a partial withdrawal from the Netzarim Corridor, refugee camps, and cities in the Strip.
According to the report, in the second stage of the agreement, all remaining military hostages will be released in exchange for the Israeli release of Palestinian prisoners, the number of which has not been finalized, including 100–150 prisoners sentenced to long-term imprisonment. At this stage, Israel will complete its withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, with forces remaining in the eastern and northern border areas.
In the third stage, Israel is expected to declare the end of the war, begin procedures for opening crossings, and start the reconstruction and rebuilding process in the Strip, including arranging donations from the international community. Meanwhile, Qatari sources reported that a Hamas delegation, led by Khalil al-Hayya, is expected to arrive in Cairo in the coming days. link
Hostage Updates
"A partial agreement will be a stain on the heart of society": Declaration by survivors of captivity whose loved ones are held by Hamas in Gaza.
"What protects the state is not leaving the terrorists in prison, because new ones will come, but rather the sense of solidarity and mutual responsibility," said Lena Trofunov, mother of Sasha Trofunov.
"How can I explain to my daughters why their father is still there?" wondered Sharon Aloni Conio, wife of David Conio.
The girlfriend of Matan Tzangauker spoke with trembling voice, delivering a message in English to Trump: "Help bring them back."Survivors of captivity who were released from Hamas captivity in a previous deal and whose loved ones remain in Gaza gave a special statement to the media today (Tuesday) in the Hostages Square. The speakers, offering firsthand testimonies, emphasized the urgency of bringing back the 100 hostages and demanded a deal that does not leave their loved ones behind. Sharon Aloni Conio, wife of David Conio, called for a comprehensive deal: "A partial agreement will be a stain on the heart of society."
"I was abducted and held in captivity, living in an unimaginable reality. We tried to be parents to our daughters without food and without true hope," said Sharon, who was returned in the first hostage exchange deal. "Hugs were all we could offer. We were separated from David on the day of the deal; the girls held his hands without understanding the meaning of the separation. He stayed there alone in the dark tunnels. Since we returned, I have been trying to stay strong for Emma and Julia, but how can I explain to them why their father is still there when I don’t have an answer?"
"I don't want my daughters to remember their father from pictures and stories." Sharon Aloni Konyo, David Konyo's wife Photo: headquarters of the kidnapped families"Julia told her therapist, 'I think my dad doesn’t love me,'" Sharon Aloni Conio added. "We returned with pneumonia, infections, malnutrition, and persistent illnesses. What is David going through there alone for a year without us? And now, when they talk about a partial deal leaving the men behind, I don’t understand how this is possible." Aloni Conio continued: "Why does Israel insist on half-solutions? A partial deal will be a stain on our country for generations. No one can be left behind."
"Take them all out, don't leave anyone behind." Lena Trupanov, mother of Sasha Trupanov Photo: headquarters of the kidnapped families"Don't give up hope." Merav Tal, the spouse of the late Yair Ya'akov | Photo: headquarters of the families of the abducteesLena Trofunov, mother of Sasha Trofunov, shared that when she was held captive by Hamas in Gaza, she had no doubt that the State of Israel would do everything to secure her release. "When I came out, I realized just how naive I had been," she clarified. "For this feeling—that our country stands behind us and will do everything, no matter the cost, to save each of us—to remain for our children, everyone must be brought back to freedom."
She added a message to those afraid of the deal: "To all those who fear the release of terrorists: there is no shortage of terrorists there. What protects the state is not leaving them in prison because new ones will come. What protects us is the sense of solidarity, mutual responsibility, and the belief that every individual matters and the state stands behind them."
Merav Tal, the partner of the late Yair Yaakov, reflected on her memories from captivity:
"The thought that I am free and no longer moving between dark hideouts in tunnels takes me back to that place, to the place where I was abducted along with the children of my beloved," she said. "Ya-Ya was murdered, and his body is being held in Gaza. The pain of his murder, the fact that we have not yet brought him to burial, and the fear that we may never bury him in our home, is endless," she added."I was there for 53 days, during which the terrorists took everything from me—the control over my will, over what I do or don’t do, when I speak, eat, drink, or stand. Only my thoughts remained free," continued Merav Tal. "Imagine what it was like for me to sit on the floor in the dark, being thrown food once a day, my body trembling constantly, looking at the ceiling and showering with a bottle of water." She asked: "How am I supposed to feel when they keep torturing us?"
"It is forbidden to leave even one hostage in the hands of Hamas," Merav Tal made clear. "This is not why we established a state and why we all sacrificed—for this terrorist organization. A partial deal is a defeat that will leave our society with a bleeding wound, burying us from within."
"The time has come to choose between politics and life itself." Ilana Grichovski, Matan Tsengauker's partner Photo: headquarters of the kidnapped familiesIlana Gritchovsky, the partner of Matan Tzangauker, also shared her experiences during her captivity by Hamas:
"I was in hell for 55 days, moving between apartments and tunnels, with no air to breathe and no moment of hope," she said. "Every minute was a fight for survival, but the nightmare didn’t end when I returned. Instead of finally breathing again, I find myself once more in a battle—not just for myself but for us, for Matan, for my friends, for everyone who was left behind."She addressed the Prime Minister and members of the government, saying: "You’ve grown accustomed to your seats, but they haven’t gotten used to hell. Every day you search for solutions, you are choosing to abandon them." She added, "I am here, a woman who returned from captivity—I know what that hell feels like, and yet you remain silent. You cannot abandon them for even one more day. Their lives are not a political spin."
Speaking with a trembling voice, Matan Tzangauker’s girlfriend sent a message in English to Trump: "Now is the time to prove you are a leader. It’s your time to end the war and bring the hostages home—all of them, now."
"The last year feels longer than any other year." Raz Ben Ami, the wife of Ohad Ben Ami Photo: headquarters of the kidnapped familiesRaz Ben-Ami, the wife of Ohad Ben-Ami, also shared her memories from captivity:
"I was held by Hamas for 54 days, while my husband, Ohad, is rotting in Hamas captivity," she said. "We’ve known each other for 34 years, more than half of my life. This past year feels longer than any other. We thought Ohad would already be here, back to the simple life we built together. Last year, we lit Hanukkah candles in the square, and I believed that he would light his own birthday candles. A year of nightmares has since passed."She noted that his next birthday, his 56th, will be next week. "The wish he makes next week must be made by him. Ohad must come home now," said Raz. "It is likely that he is enduring the same as I did—shouts and threats in Arabic. My health deteriorated there and continued to decline even after I returned."
She added: "Winter is cold, and there it’s even colder. When the conditions in Gaza were unbearable, it took us a while to get blankets. The cold, combined with the tunnels, was brutal. We must remind everyone involved in the negotiations that there is no time to wait." link
After Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s spokesperson and an Arab diplomat denied a Reuters report that the premier was on his way to Cairo for talks on a ceasefire and hostage deal in Gaza, the news agency quotes two Egyptian security sources as saying that while Netanyahu isn’t in Cairo “at this moment,” a meeting is underway to work through the remaining points in the negotiations with Hamas.
The main remaining point is Hamas’s demand for guarantees that any immediate deal would lead to a comprehensive agreement later.
The Egyptian sources say they are making progress, and feel that tonight could be decisive in setting the next steps.
Hamas fears Trump will allow Israel to resume Gaza war after 1st phase of hostage deal
Sources familiar with talks say Hamas compromising on terms of IDF withdrawal but still insisting on permanent ceasefire, fearing deal made under Biden could collapse under Trump
Hamas is concerned that US President-elect Donald Trump will allow Israel to resume fighting in Gaza at the completion of the first phase of the three-stage ceasefire that is currently in advanced negotiations, four sources familiar with the matter told The Times of Israel.
US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said last week that the Biden administration is working to secure a deal by the end of December, but this would mean Trump would be responsible for seeing through the first six-week phase and beyond.
Trump said again this week that he wants the war in Gaza to end, but an Israeli official told The Times of Israel that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu believes he’ll have more flexibility under Trump to resume fighting after the first phase than he would under Biden.
Hamas has made the same assessment and is accordingly seeking assurances that Israel will not restart the war after the first phase has been completed, according to two Arab diplomats, an Israeli official and a US official familiar with the talks.
The nature of the ceasefire deal is the main issue of contention in the talks, with Hamas demanding a permanent end to the fighting along with the withdrawal of the IDF from Gaza, while Israel is seeking a temporary pause during which some of the hostages would be released followed by a resumption of its fighting in order to finish dismantling Hamas’s military and governing capabilities.
“If we finish the war now, Hamas will return, recover and rebuild itself and attack us again… we don’t want to return to this [situation],” Netanyahu said last week.
In May, Netanyahu authorized a three-phased framework that sought to bridge the gaps between Israel and Hamas, while also providing some ambiguity on the transition from one phase to another in order to satisfy both sides.
US, Qatari and Egyptian mediators have since worked to get the first phase of the deal in motion with an initial ceasefire that would see the release of the remaining living female, elderly and wounded hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.
During this first phase, the sides would be mandated to hold negotiations regarding the terms of the second and third phases of the ceasefire, when the remaining living hostages and the bodies of slain captives would be released, respectively.
Negotiations have progressed significantly in recent weeks, with Hamas agreeing to reengage with mediators after a months-long impasse, according to the two Arab diplomats, an Israeli official and a US official familiar with the talks.
Critically, the terror group has shown flexibility regarding the terms of the IDF withdrawal from Gaza, indicating it is prepared to allow Israeli troops to remain in the key Philadelphi and Netzarim corridors during the first phase of the deal after long demanding their immediate pullout from those routes — along the Gaza-Egypt border and bisecting the enclave, respectively — the Arab and Israeli officials said.
Hamas is at its weakest position yet and “we told them that the longer they wait, the worse the terms will be,” one of the Arab diplomats said, explaining the shift in the terror group’s stance.
Hamas has survived an unrelenting Israeli military campaign, but its military infrastructure has been effectively dismantled, and the support it had been receiving from the Iranian-led “Axis of Resistance” has all but dissipated over the past two months amid dizzying developments in Lebanon and Syria.
But that doesn’t mean Hamas will be prepared to accept a deal on any terms, the Arab diplomat clarified, adding that the group now has a lot less to lose and is still holding 100 hostages who won’t be released in full unless Israel agrees to a permanent ceasefire.
Contrary to reporting in American and Arabic press, though, progress in the talks has not extended to Hamas’s transfer of a long-sought list to the mediators consisting of the names of hostages it is prepared to release in the ceasefire’s first stage, the two Arab diplomats said.
Israel has sought the release of at least 33 hostages during this phase, while Hamas has maintained that it doesn’t have that number of living captives who fall into the “humanitarian” categories of women, elderly and sick captives, an Israeli official said.
With these hurdles still standing in the way, the second Arab diplomat said Biden officials’ privately shared desires to secure an agreement this week were unlikely to be actualized.
And even with a list from Hamas, it is unclear whether either side is prepared to move or compromise on the nature of the ceasefire, the four sources said.
The hostages were among 251 people taken captive during Hamas’s brutal October, 7, 2023, assault on southern Israel that also killed some 1,200 people.
It is believed that 96 of the 251 hostages abducted by Hamas on October 7 remain in Gaza, including the bodies of at least 34 confirmed dead by the IDF.
Hamas released 105 civilians during a weeklong truce in late November, 2023, and four hostages were released before that. Eight hostages have been rescued by troops alive, and the bodies of 38 hostages have also been recovered, including three mistakenly killed by the military as they tried to escape their captors.
Hamas is also holding two Israeli civilians who entered the Strip in 2014 and 2015, as well as the bodies of two IDF soldiers who were killed in 2014. link. Hamas is very right about Trump's leniency toward Netanyahu. He has been saying that he wants the war to end but after talking to Netanyahu last week, he also said that Israel needs its victory. That's Netanyahu's 'total victory' which means absolutely nothing. It has never been defined, intentionally so Netanyahu alone can say when/if we reach 'total victory', which will only be when he believes that his coalition is safe from breaking up and he will remain Prime Minister, having nothing to do with the war.
As far as Hamas remaining in Gaza "return, recover and rebuild itself", that is all on Netanyahu. If he would have put an emphasis on having an alternative governing body in Gaza, which can only be a reformed Palestinian Authority, we would not still be dealing with the recovery of Hamas. Gazans don't want Hamas but Netanyahu has refused to even speak of the PA coming into govern Gaza. It is his stupid stubbornness that we are still at this point and our soldiers are still being killed.- "There is a positive change, but gaps still remain": A wave of rumors about negotiations for a dealNetanyahu did not go to Cairo, but negotiations for a hostage deal continue to advance • Senior Israeli officials estimate that a deal is within a two-to-three-week timeframe: "There are still significant gaps. It will take more time" • Disagreements remain on the ground between the sides, with the focus on: the terms of releasing the hostages in exchange for prisoners • Report in *Haaretz*: Israel and Saudi Arabia have reached a breakthrough in normalization talks, which may also facilitate reaching a dealA wave of rumors swept the country yesterday (Tuesday) — about an alleged meeting between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in Egypt, and an alleged deal being finalized in these days. Fueling these rumors was a report from Reuters that Netanyahu had arrived in Cairo. This report was denied by the Prime Minister's spokesperson, Omar Dostri.From all the checks we conducted, it emerges that Netanyahu did not go to Cairo. However, senior Israeli officials stated that "there is progress; intensive work is underway to reach an agreement. Hamas has a desire to reach a deal; there is a positive change, but there are no final agreements yet. Significant gaps remain. It will take more time."As things stand now, negotiations for the deal are advancing, but we are not talking about days, rather two to three weeks until a possible agreement is reached. It is clear that things could suddenly move quickly, but the gaps are not only about the number of hostages to be released and their identities, but also about additional issues, such as the Israeli veto on releasing terrorists — specifically how many high-profile prisoners with "blood on their hands" Israel can block from being released.The core dispute seems to revolve around the terms for releasing hostages in exchange for prisoners, with the number of hostages to be released yet to be agreed upon. Israel insists on the identities of those released in the first phase. Mossad chief David Barnea, Shin Bet head Ronen Bar, and the Prime Minister are the ones managing the negotiations. Everyone else is excluded.### What is hindering progress?**Core disputes:**- The terms for releasing hostages in exchange for prisoners- The number of hostages to be released remains undecided- No agreement on an Israeli veto on releasing terrorists with "blood on their hands"- Israel insists on the identities of those released in the first phaseSources familiar with the details of the negotiations say there are gaps, but they are bridgeable.Meanwhile, the IDF is preparing to increase pressure on Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The 98th Division is returning to maneuver in the Strip after three months of fighting in southern Lebanon. The IDF spokesperson announced yesterday that the division's forces completed their mission on the northern front last week after three months of prolonged fighting in Hezbollah's terrorist strongholds and defensive operations following the ceasefire agreement. "Now, the division's forces are preparing for their next mission in the Gaza Strip," the statement read.Saudi news channel Al-Sharq reported, citing Palestinian sources, that the talks to achieve a ceasefire agreement and the release of hostages have reached an advanced and "almost final" stage. According to the cited sources, the agreement will be implemented in three stages. The first stage will be a "humanitarian phase," including the immediate introduction of additional aid to the Strip and the release of all Israeli female hostages, including soldiers and civilian captives, in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.It was further reported that the agreement will conclude in the final stage with a comprehensive and permanent ceasefire, along with the complete withdrawal of the IDF from the Gaza Strip, including from the Philadelphi Route and Netzarim Corridor. Alongside this, it was claimed that in the first two stages, the IDF will maintain six positions in the Strip. According to the report, the first stage will last six weeks and will involve an Israeli military withdrawal from much of the Philadelphi Route to the eastern side of the Rafah crossing. This will include a partial withdrawal from the Netzarim Corridor, refugee camps, and cities in the Strip.According to the report, in the second stage of the agreement, all remaining military hostages will be released in exchange for the Israeli release of Palestinian prisoners, the number of which has not been finalized, including 100–150 prisoners sentenced to long-term imprisonment. At this stage, Israel will complete its withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, with forces remaining in the eastern and northern border areas.In the third stage, Israel is expected to declare the end of the war, begin procedures for opening crossings, and start the reconstruction and rebuilding process in the Strip, including arranging donations from the international community. Meanwhile, Qatari sources reported that a Hamas delegation, led by Khalil al-Hayya, is expected to arrive in Cairo in the coming days. link
CIA head to visit Qatar as Israeli reports downplay claims that hostage deal imminent
Bill Burns’s to meet with Qatari PM after delegations from Hamas, Israel held talks in Doha the previous two days; Trump envoy also expected there following his trip to Cairo
CIA Director Bill Burns is set to meet Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani in Doha on Wednesday, in an effort to bridge the remaining gaps between Israel and Hamas, sources with knowledge of the talks told Reuters on Tuesday.
The two will discuss progress toward a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and hostage release deal, one the sources said.
The CIA declined to comment on the reported meeting, which followed talks in Qatar on Tuesday that Hamas said were “serious and positive.” On Monday, an Israeli delegation flew to Doha to meet with mediators.
“Hamas affirms that, in light of the serious and positive discussions taking place today in Doha under the auspices of our Qatari and Egyptian brothers, reaching an agreement for a ceasefire and a prisoner exchange is possible if the occupation ceases to impose new conditions,” the Palestinian terror group said in a statement.
Along with the talks in Doha, negotiations are being held in Cairo, where sourced briefed on the meeting told Reuters that an agreement could be signed in the coming days.
Mohamed al-Hind, the deputy head of Hamas ally Palestinian Islamic Jihad, said his Iran-backed organization, which is believed to hold some of the hostages taken during the October 2023 terror onslaught in southern Israel that started the war, had met with Egyptian officials to discuss the proposed deal.
US President-elect Trump’s recently-appointed hostage envoy, Adam Boehler, was also in Cairo Tuesday to meet with Egyptian officials on the efforts to secure an agreement, a source familiar with the matter said, confirming reporting in the Kan public broadcaster.
‘Been in this position before’
CIA head to visit Qatar as Israeli reports downplay claims that hostage deal imminent
Bill Burns’s to meet with Qatari PM after delegations from Hamas, Israel held talks in Doha the previous two days; Trump envoy also expected there following his trip to Cairo
CIA Director Bill Burns is set to meet Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani in Doha on Wednesday, in an effort to bridge the remaining gaps between Israel and Hamas, sources with knowledge of the talks told Reuters on Tuesday.
The two will discuss progress toward a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and hostage release deal, one the sources said.
The CIA declined to comment on the reported meeting, which followed talks in Qatar on Tuesday that Hamas said were “serious and positive.” On Monday, an Israeli delegation flew to Doha to meet with mediators.
“Hamas affirms that, in light of the serious and positive discussions taking place today in Doha under the auspices of our Qatari and Egyptian brothers, reaching an agreement for a ceasefire and a prisoner exchange is possible if the occupation ceases to impose new conditions,” the Palestinian terror group said in a statement.
Along with the talks in Doha, negotiations are being held in Cairo, where sourced briefed on the meeting told Reuters that an agreement could be signed in the coming days.
Mohamed al-Hind, the deputy head of Hamas ally Palestinian Islamic Jihad, said his Iran-backed organization, which is believed to hold some of the hostages taken during the October 2023 terror onslaught in southern Israel that started the war, had met with Egyptian officials to discuss the proposed deal.
US President-elect Trump’s recently-appointed hostage envoy, Adam Boehler, was also in Cairo Tuesday to meet with Egyptian officials on the efforts to secure an agreement, a source familiar with the matter said, confirming reporting in the Kan public broadcaster.
The US administration, joined by mediators from Egypt and Qatar, has made intensive efforts in recent days to advance the talks, with The Times of Israel reporting Monday that President Joe Biden has been working with Trump’s team to try to seal the deal before the inauguration on January 20.
The initiative has made progress, though major obstacles remain, three US, Israeli, and Arab officials have told The Times of Israel, despite various reports — mainly in Arabic media outlets and citing Palestinian sources — touting breakthroughs in the negotiations.
“We believe – and the Israelis have said this – that we’re getting closer, and no doubt about it, we believe that, but we also are cautious in our optimism,” White House spokesperson John Kirby said in an interview with Fox News.
“We’ve been in this position before where we weren’t able to get it over the finish line.”
Israeli sources cited by Hebrew media on Tuesday also sounded more skeptical, saying a deal is weeks away and still faces major hurdles.
The Walla news site, citing three unnamed senior Israeli sources familiar with the talks, said that while progress has been made in recent weeks, there were still big gaps between the sides, chiefly regarding Hamas’s insistence that any hostage deal lead to the end of the war.
Another source criticized optimistic remarks made by senior officials such as Defense Minister Israel Katz, who reportedly told Knesset members on Monday that a deal was “closer than ever.”
“It doesn’t help the negotiations and also misleads the public and gives false hope,” the source said.
Similarly, Channel 12 news quoted unnamed senior Israeli sources as saying that, while Hamas has shown willingness to reach a deal, there are still considerable disagreements on core issues that will take time to overcome.
Additionally, a Palestinian source cited by the Kan public broadcaster said the reports of an imminent deal were “exaggerated and overly optimistic.”
Several waves of negotiations have stalled and failed to reach a sequel to an agreement reached in late November 2023, in which 105 hostages were released in a weeklong truce. Four hostages were released before that. Eight hostages have been rescued by troops alive, and the bodies of 38 hostages have been recovered, including three mistakenly killed by the Israeli military as they tried to escape their captors.
Israel believes that 96 of the 251 hostages kidnapped by Hamas terrorists on October 7, 2023, remain in the Strip, a figure that includes the bodies of at least 34 captives confirmed dead by the IDF.
Hamas is also holding two Israeli civilians who entered the Strip in 2014 and 2015, as well as the bodies of two IDF soldiers who were killed in 2014
Far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich comes out against the potential ceasefire-hostage deal, calling it a “serious error.”
“It’s a serious error that neither serves the goals and interests of the State of Israel in the war, nor [brings] the return of the hostages, because in the end it is a partial deal,” he tells the Haredi radio station Kol Barama, according to the Ynet news site.
“Hamas is at its lowest point since the beginning of the war, and this is not the time to give it a lifeline,” he says, adding that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “knows what our red lines are; we [his Religious Zionism party] have a great influence over the government’s moves.”
According to reports, Hamas is demanding a permanent end to the war along with the withdrawal of the IDF from Gaza, while Israel is seeking a temporary pause, during which some of the hostages would be released, followed by a resumption of its fighting in order to finish dismantling Hamas’s military and governing capabilities.
Relatives of hostages and others have spoken out against the prospect of a phased deal, which could fall apart before all hostages are let go. link As expected, this heartless, soulless, messianic extremist has once again declared his total lack of caring for the lives of the hostages and the complete and total misery of their families. If it was a question of ending the war and setting up settlements, his agreement would come in a milisecond but the saving of the lives of the hostages, who are in captivity because of him and the entire government, he has no problem letting them die in captivity. And this is after he visited Kibbutz Nir Oz which lost a quarter of its population to murder and captivity on October 7 and much of the kibbutz was destroyed. He 'shed' a tear when there and listening to survivors and hostages who came home in the November 2023 hostage deal and vowed to bring his colleagues and assured them that he would seriously consider any hostage deal. Total bullshit on his part. A lowlife excuse for a human being.
Hamas signals major concessions as Israel negotiates prisoner release and deportation
Terror group may show flexibility on terrorist release terms, with reports naming Tehran as potential exile destination; senior Hamas officials exploring Marwan Barghouti's acceptance of exile to Turkey and demanding mediator guarantees for Israeli compliance with deal
Negotiations between Israel and Hamas, mediated by the U.S., Egypt and Qatar, are now in their final stages, the Palestinian newspaper Al-Quds reported Wednesday.
According to sources quoted in the newspaper, at this stage, discussions are underway regarding the identity of the Palestinian prisoners who will be released as part of the deal. The report claims that "heavyweight" terrorists serving life sentences will probably be deported to Turkey, and also to Iran—a country whose name has not been mentioned so far as a possible destination for exile. The rest, according to the report, will be released to the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
Saudi channel Al Hadath claimed that these are "crucial hours" following a significant breakthrough achieved on some issues, particularly after Hamas gave up its demand for a complete end to the war in the first phase of the cease-fire, and agreed to the deportation of senior prisoners to Turkey or Qatar. Iran was not mentioned in this report.Ynet learned on Tuesday that Hamas might show some flexibility on the issue of releasing terrorists who have been convicted of murdering Israelis and is considering them being exiled to a third country such as Turkey, Qatar or another Muslim country. Inmates are reportedly reluctant to return to the Gaza Strip, which largely lies in ruins, and exile may buy them a new life.
Meanwhile, sources close to a senior Hamas official claimed that Marwan Barghouti, who is considered the most senior of the Palestinian prisoners, and Ahmed Saadat—secretary-general of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, who plotted the 2001 assassination of Israeli minister Rehavam Ze'evi—would agree to deportation abroad as part of a deal. According to the sources, senior figures in the terrorist organization contacted the wives of Barghouti and Saadat and consulted with them about whether to agree to their deportation to Turkey. The women reportedly did not object to the offer and suggested that the prisoners be asked whether this was an acceptable option."We are nearing the conclusion of talks and reaching an agreement," according to the sources.
Despite optimism, a Hamas source told Saudi channel Asharq News that "Israel has so far refused to the release of senior Palestinian prisoners and leaders. Israel insists on deporting all prisoners with lengthy sentences out of the Palestinian territories."
The source added that Hamas is demanding various guarantees for the deal. "Israel wants an agreement without a signature, similar to previous wars, and is content with a Qatari and Egyptian declaration. We want a written agreement and are asking the mediators for guarantees that Israel will be committed to implementing all of its stages," he said.Al Hadath claims Hamas is demanding "international guarantees for Israel's commitment to the three stages of the agreement" and opposes checkpoints for displaced Gazans returning to northern Gaza during the cease-fire.
Talks are currently being conducted with heightened intensity following the collapse of the previous round in August. Hamas has reportedly made key concessions, including agreeing not to end the war during the first phase and expressing willingness to accept a limited Israeli military presence on the Philadelphia and Netzarim corridors at the conclusion of this phase.
An Israeli negotiating delegation arrived in Qatar on Monday, where Hamas representatives are also present. CIA Director Bill Burns was expected to arrive in Doha on Wednesday to join the discussions.On Tuesday night, a senior American official told Ynet that a deal is forthcoming. "It's just a matter of time," the official claimed. However, an Israeli official countered, stating that "things are not yet ripe" and that "significant gaps" remain.The proposed framework reportedly follows the outline revealed by U.S. President Joe Biden in May. If fully implemented, it is expected to bring about an end to the war in three stages.The first phase is expected to last six weeks and will reportedly include the partial release of "humanitarian" hostages, such as women, the elderly and the sick—along with the return of the bodies of deceased hostages—in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners, a partial withdrawal of IDF forces and the introduction of increased humanitarian aid into Gaza. This phase may also allow refugees to return to northern Gaza.
Earlier, UK-based Arabic newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat reported that negotiations between Israel and Hamas had entered a "crucial phase." Sources in Cairo told the newspaper that the agreement could be signed once final details, particularly concerning the names of living hostages and Palestinian prisoners, are finalized.
According to the report, the deal could soon be completed. The emerging agreement reportedly includes a cease-fire during the first phase, an IDF withdrawal from city centers while maintaining a partial presence in the Netzarim and Philadelphi corridors, and conditions permitting the return of women and children to northern Gaza.In subsequent phases, the report states, "the return of the men will be carried out according to an agreed mechanism." During the first phase, which will last 45 to 60 days, Hamas is expected to release some 30 hostages, both living and deceased, in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, including dozens serving life sentences. The agreement also includes transferring control of the Rafah crossing to the Palestinian Authority within an Egyptian-supervised framework, though not immediately.Al Arabiya cited sources saying that Hamas had agreed to release "sick, elderly and female soldiers" held captive during the first phase. Simultaneously, a Hamas source told The New Arab that the organization's leadership had held several meetings with Qatari and Turkish officials in recent hours."A leading delegation from the movement is scheduled to visit Cairo on Sunday," the source said. "We prefer not to discuss the details of the proposals currently on the table." link. I will repeat what I have stated many times, there is no deal until there is a deal. And most of the above is based on speculation, spins, and assumptions from very little information that is being released or leaked by those with some knowledge but most likely not with deep knowledge of the negotiations.High school students hold nationwide walkout for hostages: ‘We’ll never learn to live with this’
Teens at the Mor Metro West high school in Ra'anana, where hostages Naama Levy and Guy Illouz attended, join nationwide student walkout for hostages on December 18, 2024 (Danor Aharon via the pro-democracy protest groups)Thousands of students at middle schools and high schools across the country hold walkouts in a call for the hostages to be freed.
The protests are the initiative of student councils and mark the second birthday in captivity of hostage Matan Zangauker.
His mother, Einav, speaks at a protest held by the students at Kfar Hayarok, north of Tel Aviv.
“We should all make a wish that [Matan] will be the last hostage to celebrate a birthday in captivity,” she says.
At the Blich High School in Ramat Gan, students hold banners reading “we won’t learn to live with this” and “we are sorry you aren’t home.”
According to Channel 12 news, students at some 200 schools are participating in the action.
The brother of the abducted Or Levi: "The last image of my brother is of him covered in the blood of his murdered wife"
The brother of the abducted Or Levi, Michael, spoke before members of the United Nations Security Council and shared about his brother.
"The last image we have of my brother is heartbreaking. It is of him shot, covered in the blood of his murdered wife, terrified for his life. Or's son does not understand why he cannot see his parents. He does not understand what it means that his mother will not return. This boy has a father, a father who cannot return to him—do not let this boy become an orphan. Hamas's actions are not only blatant violations of international law; they are attacks on humanity itself.""I am here to remind all of you, not as diplomats but as human beings, of this issue," Levi continued. "What would you do if it were your child, your mother? Hamas's actions are an attack on humanity. Your silence is defeating. Your inaction is suffocating. For every day this council fails to act, the message is clear: some lives are worth saving, and others are not. I refuse to believe that this council, created to uphold the highest ideals of humanity, would turn its back on those who need it most."
He addressed the council members: "I am asking you to prove that international law has meaning. Demand the release of all 100 lives. They are sons, mothers, fathers, brothers, and sisters. To the United States, we believe in your strength, in your leadership."
Noa Argamani to her partner in captivity: "The fear of a phased deal is tearing me apart from within"
Noa Argamani, who was rescued from Hamas captivity during Operation Arnon on June 8, shared a story on social media in which she expressed her longing for the return of her partner, Avinatan Or.
"Now, more than ever, the fear of a phased deal, the fear that we might not reach you, and the fear that you’ll be left behind is simply tearing me apart from within," she wrote. "It’s been over an hour of relentless longing for the person that you are, and I can’t even begin to describe how hard it is for me to be home while you’re still not."
Argamani added: "Your clothes are waiting for you in my closet, and there’s a long list of dreams we wished for ourselves that are just waiting for you to come back so we can fulfill them together."
She concluded her message with: "Just come back, safe and sound. As soon as possible."
Far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich comes out against the potential ceasefire-hostage deal, calling it a “serious error.”
“It’s a serious error that neither serves the goals and interests of the State of Israel in the war, nor [brings] the return of the hostages, because in the end it is a partial deal,” he tells the Haredi radio station Kol Barama, according to the Ynet news site.
“Hamas is at its lowest point since the beginning of the war, and this is not the time to give it a lifeline,” he says, adding that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “knows what our red lines are; we [his Religious Zionism party] have a great influence over the government’s moves.”
According to reports, Hamas is demanding a permanent end to the war along with the withdrawal of the IDF from Gaza, while Israel is seeking a temporary pause, during which some of the hostages would be released, followed by a resumption of its fighting in order to finish dismantling Hamas’s military and governing capabilities.
Relatives of hostages and others have spoken out against the prospect of a phased deal, which could fall apart before all hostages are let go. link As expected, this heartless, soulless, messianic extremist has once again declared his total lack of caring for the lives of the hostages and the complete and total misery of their families. If it was a question of ending the war and setting up settlements, his agreement would come in a milisecond but the saving of the lives of the hostages, who are in captivity because of him and the entire government, he has no problem letting them die in captivity. And this is after he visited Kibbutz Nir Oz which lost a quarter of its population to murder and captivity on October 7 and much of the kibbutz was destroyed. He 'shed' a tear when there and listening to survivors and hostages who came home in the November 2023 hostage deal and vowed to bring his colleagues and assured them that he would seriously consider any hostage deal. Total bullshit on his part. A lowlife excuse for a human being.
Hamas signals major concessions as Israel negotiates prisoner release and deportation
Terror group may show flexibility on terrorist release terms, with reports naming Tehran as potential exile destination; senior Hamas officials exploring Marwan Barghouti's acceptance of exile to Turkey and demanding mediator guarantees for Israeli compliance with deal
Negotiations between Israel and Hamas, mediated by the U.S., Egypt and Qatar, are now in their final stages, the Palestinian newspaper Al-Quds reported Wednesday.
According to sources quoted in the newspaper, at this stage, discussions are underway regarding the identity of the Palestinian prisoners who will be released as part of the deal. The report claims that "heavyweight" terrorists serving life sentences will probably be deported to Turkey, and also to Iran—a country whose name has not been mentioned so far as a possible destination for exile. The rest, according to the report, will be released to the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
High school students hold nationwide walkout for hostages: ‘We’ll never learn to live with this’
Teens at the Mor Metro West high school in Ra'anana, where hostages Naama Levy and Guy Illouz attended, join nationwide student walkout for hostages on December 18, 2024 (Danor Aharon via the pro-democracy protest groups)
Thousands of students at middle schools and high schools across the country hold walkouts in a call for the hostages to be freed.
The protests are the initiative of student councils and mark the second birthday in captivity of hostage Matan Zangauker.
His mother, Einav, speaks at a protest held by the students at Kfar Hayarok, north of Tel Aviv.
“We should all make a wish that [Matan] will be the last hostage to celebrate a birthday in captivity,” she says.
At the Blich High School in Ramat Gan, students hold banners reading “we won’t learn to live with this” and “we are sorry you aren’t home.”
According to Channel 12 news, students at some 200 schools are participating in the action.
The brother of the abducted Or Levi: "The last image of my brother is of him covered in the blood of his murdered wife"
The brother of the abducted Or Levi, Michael, spoke before members of the United Nations Security Council and shared about his brother.
"The last image we have of my brother is heartbreaking. It is of him shot, covered in the blood of his murdered wife, terrified for his life. Or's son does not understand why he cannot see his parents. He does not understand what it means that his mother will not return. This boy has a father, a father who cannot return to him—do not let this boy become an orphan. Hamas's actions are not only blatant violations of international law; they are attacks on humanity itself."
"I am here to remind all of you, not as diplomats but as human beings, of this issue," Levi continued. "What would you do if it were your child, your mother? Hamas's actions are an attack on humanity. Your silence is defeating. Your inaction is suffocating. For every day this council fails to act, the message is clear: some lives are worth saving, and others are not. I refuse to believe that this council, created to uphold the highest ideals of humanity, would turn its back on those who need it most."
He addressed the council members: "I am asking you to prove that international law has meaning. Demand the release of all 100 lives. They are sons, mothers, fathers, brothers, and sisters. To the United States, we believe in your strength, in your leadership."
Noa Argamani to her partner in captivity: "The fear of a phased deal is tearing me apart from within"
Noa Argamani, who was rescued from Hamas captivity during Operation Arnon on June 8, shared a story on social media in which she expressed her longing for the return of her partner, Avinatan Or.
"Now, more than ever, the fear of a phased deal, the fear that we might not reach you, and the fear that you’ll be left behind is simply tearing me apart from within," she wrote. "It’s been over an hour of relentless longing for the person that you are, and I can’t even begin to describe how hard it is for me to be home while you’re still not."
Argamani added: "Your clothes are waiting for you in my closet, and there’s a long list of dreams we wished for ourselves that are just waiting for you to come back so we can fulfill them together."
She concluded her message with: "Just come back, safe and sound. As soon as possible."
Gaza and the South
- The IDF has issued an evacuation warning to several neighborhoods in central Gaza’s Bureij, following rocket fire from the area at Israeli troops operating in the Strip.
“Terror organizations are once again firing rockets from this area that has been warned several times in the past,” Col. Avichay Adraee, the IDF’s Arabic-language spokesman says, publishing a map of the zones that are to be evacuated.
Civilians in the area are called to move to the Israeli-designated humanitarian zone, which is located nearby.
“Terror organizations are once again firing rockets from this area that has been warned several times in the past,” Col. Avichay Adraee, the IDF’s Arabic-language spokesman says, publishing a map of the zones that are to be evacuated.
Civilians in the area are called to move to the Israeli-designated humanitarian zone, which is located nearby.
Northern Israel - Lebanon/Hizbollah/Syria
- Amid truce, IDF destroys underground Hezbollah command center used to direct attacksA tunnel in southern Lebanon that served as a Hezbollah command center was recently demolished by combat engineers, the IDF says.
According to the military, the underground facility was used by Hezbollah to direct numerous rocket attacks on Israeli towns in the Galilee in the past year.
Troops located weapons, surveillance equipment, and other military gear inside the tunnel, the IDF says.
The IDF says several weapons depots were located near the tunnel, including one inside a mosque, where hundreds of explosive devices, guns, grenades, and other equipment were stored.
After the tunnel was fully investigated by the elite Yahalom combat engineering unit, it was blown up. video
- Amid truce, IDF destroys underground Hezbollah command center used to direct attacksA tunnel in southern Lebanon that served as a Hezbollah command center was recently demolished by combat engineers, the IDF says.According to the military, the underground facility was used by Hezbollah to direct numerous rocket attacks on Israeli towns in the Galilee in the past year.Troops located weapons, surveillance equipment, and other military gear inside the tunnel, the IDF says.The IDF says several weapons depots were located near the tunnel, including one inside a mosque, where hundreds of explosive devices, guns, grenades, and other equipment were stored.After the tunnel was fully investigated by the elite Yahalom combat engineering unit, it was blown up. video
West Bank and Jerusalem and Terror attacks within Israel
Politics and the War (general news)
Against UAVs and Rockets: How the IDF's New Laser System Will Operate
Within a year, the "Iron Beam" system will become operational, beginning its gradual deployment within Israel's aerial defense array. The system will initially focus on intercepting short-range rockets, drones, and UAVs. The cost of each interception will be just a few dollars, compared to $50,000 with the Iron Dome. How does a laser beam manage to take down a UAV? How long until it protects the borders? And is this the end of the era of expensive interceptors?
The "Iron Beam" system, the world's first laser-based interception system of its kind, is in advanced stages of readiness for operation. After a series of successful tests demonstrating its ability to intercept rockets, UAVs, and other aerial threats, the Ministry of Defense has decided to accelerate its development. The system, which offers significantly cheaper interception costs compared to existing systems, is expected to integrate into Israel's aerial defense alongside the Iron Dome as early as the end of next year. N12 breaks down the groundbreaking technology—and when it will start intercepting.
What Is the Iron Beam System, and What Threats Is It Designed to Counter?
The Iron Beam is a high-powered ground-based laser system designed for air defense against a wide range of aerial threats such as rockets, mortar shells, cruise missiles, and UAVs. The system was developed by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems in collaboration with Elbit Systems, which is responsible for developing the laser and is also working on an airborne laser system. It was created after decades of hard work and thanks to a scientific breakthrough achieved about five years ago at the development facilities. The system represents a technological leap on a global scale, with its interception capabilities already proven in a series of successful tests. It is expected to integrate into Israel's multi-layered defense system as a complementary capability to the Iron Dome, significantly enhancing defense against existing and future threats.
How Does the System Work?
According to Rafael, the Iron Beam intercepts threats at a range of up to 10 kilometers using a powerful laser beam with an output of about 100 kilowatts. The beam cuts through the missile's steel casing, penetrates its warhead, and triggers the explosive material with great force, causing it to detonate.
What Is the Cost of Each Interception?
The cost of each interception is extremely low, estimated at just a few dollars. The cost is calculated solely based on the electricity required. The Iron Beam has an unlimited "magazine" with nearly negligible interception costs, compared to tens or even millions of dollars with other systems. This marks a shift in the economic balance against adversaries, as until now, Israel had to intercept cheap missiles using expensive interceptors. For comparison, a single Iron Dome interceptor missile costs about $50,000 and is often used against imprecise, primitive rockets with relatively small warheads.
When Will the System Become Operational?
The first operational system will be delivered to the state by the end of next year. "Assuming there are no significant delays, the program is on the right track," says Brig. Gen. (Res.) Zvika Haimovich, former commander of the Air Defense Array. He explains that this is a reasonable timeline, as the development of a weapons system typically takes at least a decade. "We are in the eighth year of development, at a pace similar to other systems like the Iron Dome and David's Sling—especially considering this is groundbreaking technology that didn't exist before."
Will This Be the Solution to the UAV Threat?
The system is expected to add a significant layer to addressing the UAV threat, but only if the threat is detected in advance. According to Haimovich, the laser will provide an important tool in the existing toolkit against UAVs, especially for drones and small UAVs launched over short ranges. The main challenge, however, remains detection capabilities—once the UAV is identified, the system will be able to deal with it effectively.
Will the System Replace the Iron Dome?
The Iron Beam system will not replace existing systems but will integrate as an additional layer in Israel's multi-layered aerial defense array. Initially, it will operate below the Iron Dome and will primarily address short-range threats, such as drones and small UAVs within a range of a few kilometers near the border, as well as rockets and mortar shells at short distances. The integration with the Iron Dome will enable operational flexibility, where the type of threat will dictate which system is activated—an Iron Dome missile or an Iron Beam laser.
The decision on which system to use will be made by the Air Force, which defines the policies, coordination, and priorities between the various systems. The Air Force will always deploy the most appropriate, available, and efficient system depending on the type of threat and the circumstances. This combination of different systems, explains Haimovich, will allow better resource utilization—each system will focus on threats it is particularly suited for, thereby achieving more comprehensive protection.
How Is the Procurement Process Progressing?
About two months ago, the Ministry of Defense signed a major deal worth approximately 2 billion shekels for a significant expansion of Iron Beam system procurement. According to Haimovich, this is the IDF's official decision to acquire the system, a step that will "inject more oxygen" into its development and improvement processes.
However, transitioning from the experimental and operational testing phase, which involves a limited number of systems, to a wide operational deployment of dozens of systems will require additional billions in investment from the Ministry of Defense, the U.S. government, and defense industries. These funds will be allocated to establishing production lines for this advanced and complex interception system, which is currently unique in the world.
Will the System’s Deployment Be Immediate?
The declaration of the system’s operational status will not lead to immediate deployment across all sectors. According to Haimovich, this is a gradual process that will take years. "When they say the laser will be operational—it doesn’t necessarily mean that at that moment there will be a solution for all our borders," he explains. "The accumulation of capabilities that will allow significant border protection is a process that takes time. It doesn’t happen in weeks."
Alongside the gradual deployment, work will continue on improving the system and expanding its capabilities. The goal is to increase interception ranges and enhance its ability to address larger unmanned aerial vehicles. Haimovich estimates that over time, laser systems will take on a more significant role in Israel's aerial defense array.
So When Will We See the Iron Beam Changing the Game in the Field?
It is difficult to estimate. It is important to remember that many months will pass before industries can transition to serial production of Iron Beam systems and before they are deployed in the field. Furthermore, according to Haimovich, the system’s development and improvement process will continue even after it becomes operational. The system will continue evolving based on lessons learned, insights, and technological advancements stemming from field experiences.
"You are in a constant race," Haimovich emphasizes. "Operational friction continuously provides you with more and more insights, and these require you to keep maintaining this development process so you are always one step ahead of reality and the enemy. If you don’t constantly continue the development process, a gap will open between the systems and reality." link
- Bill aimed at stopping terror supporters running in local elections passes preliminary Knesset vote
Against UAVs and Rockets: How the IDF's New Laser System Will Operate
Within a year, the "Iron Beam" system will become operational, beginning its gradual deployment within Israel's aerial defense array. The system will initially focus on intercepting short-range rockets, drones, and UAVs. The cost of each interception will be just a few dollars, compared to $50,000 with the Iron Dome. How does a laser beam manage to take down a UAV? How long until it protects the borders? And is this the end of the era of expensive interceptors?
The "Iron Beam" system, the world's first laser-based interception system of its kind, is in advanced stages of readiness for operation. After a series of successful tests demonstrating its ability to intercept rockets, UAVs, and other aerial threats, the Ministry of Defense has decided to accelerate its development. The system, which offers significantly cheaper interception costs compared to existing systems, is expected to integrate into Israel's aerial defense alongside the Iron Dome as early as the end of next year. N12 breaks down the groundbreaking technology—and when it will start intercepting.
What Is the Iron Beam System, and What Threats Is It Designed to Counter?
The Iron Beam is a high-powered ground-based laser system designed for air defense against a wide range of aerial threats such as rockets, mortar shells, cruise missiles, and UAVs. The system was developed by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems in collaboration with Elbit Systems, which is responsible for developing the laser and is also working on an airborne laser system. It was created after decades of hard work and thanks to a scientific breakthrough achieved about five years ago at the development facilities. The system represents a technological leap on a global scale, with its interception capabilities already proven in a series of successful tests. It is expected to integrate into Israel's multi-layered defense system as a complementary capability to the Iron Dome, significantly enhancing defense against existing and future threats.
How Does the System Work?
According to Rafael, the Iron Beam intercepts threats at a range of up to 10 kilometers using a powerful laser beam with an output of about 100 kilowatts. The beam cuts through the missile's steel casing, penetrates its warhead, and triggers the explosive material with great force, causing it to detonate.
What Is the Cost of Each Interception?
The cost of each interception is extremely low, estimated at just a few dollars. The cost is calculated solely based on the electricity required. The Iron Beam has an unlimited "magazine" with nearly negligible interception costs, compared to tens or even millions of dollars with other systems. This marks a shift in the economic balance against adversaries, as until now, Israel had to intercept cheap missiles using expensive interceptors. For comparison, a single Iron Dome interceptor missile costs about $50,000 and is often used against imprecise, primitive rockets with relatively small warheads.
When Will the System Become Operational?
The first operational system will be delivered to the state by the end of next year. "Assuming there are no significant delays, the program is on the right track," says Brig. Gen. (Res.) Zvika Haimovich, former commander of the Air Defense Array. He explains that this is a reasonable timeline, as the development of a weapons system typically takes at least a decade. "We are in the eighth year of development, at a pace similar to other systems like the Iron Dome and David's Sling—especially considering this is groundbreaking technology that didn't exist before."
Will This Be the Solution to the UAV Threat?
The system is expected to add a significant layer to addressing the UAV threat, but only if the threat is detected in advance. According to Haimovich, the laser will provide an important tool in the existing toolkit against UAVs, especially for drones and small UAVs launched over short ranges. The main challenge, however, remains detection capabilities—once the UAV is identified, the system will be able to deal with it effectively.
Will the System Replace the Iron Dome?
The Iron Beam system will not replace existing systems but will integrate as an additional layer in Israel's multi-layered aerial defense array. Initially, it will operate below the Iron Dome and will primarily address short-range threats, such as drones and small UAVs within a range of a few kilometers near the border, as well as rockets and mortar shells at short distances. The integration with the Iron Dome will enable operational flexibility, where the type of threat will dictate which system is activated—an Iron Dome missile or an Iron Beam laser.
The decision on which system to use will be made by the Air Force, which defines the policies, coordination, and priorities between the various systems. The Air Force will always deploy the most appropriate, available, and efficient system depending on the type of threat and the circumstances. This combination of different systems, explains Haimovich, will allow better resource utilization—each system will focus on threats it is particularly suited for, thereby achieving more comprehensive protection.
How Is the Procurement Process Progressing?
About two months ago, the Ministry of Defense signed a major deal worth approximately 2 billion shekels for a significant expansion of Iron Beam system procurement. According to Haimovich, this is the IDF's official decision to acquire the system, a step that will "inject more oxygen" into its development and improvement processes.
However, transitioning from the experimental and operational testing phase, which involves a limited number of systems, to a wide operational deployment of dozens of systems will require additional billions in investment from the Ministry of Defense, the U.S. government, and defense industries. These funds will be allocated to establishing production lines for this advanced and complex interception system, which is currently unique in the world.
Will the System’s Deployment Be Immediate?
The declaration of the system’s operational status will not lead to immediate deployment across all sectors. According to Haimovich, this is a gradual process that will take years. "When they say the laser will be operational—it doesn’t necessarily mean that at that moment there will be a solution for all our borders," he explains. "The accumulation of capabilities that will allow significant border protection is a process that takes time. It doesn’t happen in weeks."
Alongside the gradual deployment, work will continue on improving the system and expanding its capabilities. The goal is to increase interception ranges and enhance its ability to address larger unmanned aerial vehicles. Haimovich estimates that over time, laser systems will take on a more significant role in Israel's aerial defense array.
So When Will We See the Iron Beam Changing the Game in the Field?
It is difficult to estimate. It is important to remember that many months will pass before industries can transition to serial production of Iron Beam systems and before they are deployed in the field. Furthermore, according to Haimovich, the system’s development and improvement process will continue even after it becomes operational. The system will continue evolving based on lessons learned, insights, and technological advancements stemming from field experiences.
"You are in a constant race," Haimovich emphasizes. "Operational friction continuously provides you with more and more insights, and these require you to keep maintaining this development process so you are always one step ahead of reality and the enemy. If you don’t constantly continue the development process, a gap will open between the systems and reality." link
A bill apparently aimed at prohibiting individuals who support terrorism or armed struggle against the State of Israel, or electoral slates that include such individuals, from running in local council elections passes a preliminary vote in the Knesset plenum 37-14
The bill, sponsored by Likud MK Dan Illouz, will be sent to the Knesset Internal Affairs and Environment Committee to be prepared for further readings.
It is extremely similar to a pair of nearly identical bills on the same subject which passed their own preliminary readings in the plenum last month, which seek to bring the Local Authorities Bill in line with an existing law barring individuals who support terror and racism from running for the Knesset.
It is likely that the three bills will be combined as they progress through the legislative process.
The plenum’s approval of Illouz’s bill also follows the passage, in a preliminary reading, of another bill changing the criteria for banning candidates from running for the Knesset, which could make it easier to push out Arab-led parties and lawmakers.
That bill, an amendment to Basic Law: The Knesset, would expand the current rule whereby candidates can only be banned from running if there is a significant body of evidence that they have supported terror, to include isolated support of acts carried out by a lone attacker and not just those by a group or enemy state.
Among the acts that would be construed as support for terror would be visiting the family of an attack suspect. link The real purpose of this bill is totally racist. It is to eliminate Israeli Arab citizen politicians from being able to run for any positions of power starting in local council elections. They already passed an almost identical bill preventing them from running for Knesset. Arabs make up over 21% or the Israeli population and there are many of the right wing politicians who would like to reduce their representation in all political arenas in Israel. This is one of the first steps to do so. If either of these bills were applied to the Jewish lawmakers, both Ben Gvir and Smotrich would have been barred from running for Knesset and for local councils as they have both supported, encouraged and enabled Jewish terrorism against Palestinians. In fact, Ben Gvir is a convicted criminal for exactly those reasons, yet both are senior ministers in this corrupted and failed government because Netanyahu has normalized their abhorent behavior.
- Former High Court justice: Coalition’s plans to overhaul media ‘a danger to Israeli democracy’
Former Supreme Court justice Hanan Melcer, who now serves as president of the Israeli Press Council, warns that the government’s plans to overhaul the media market poses “a danger to Israeli democracy” and pledges to “use all means at our disposal to thwart this plot.”
Addressing the Knesset Economic Affairs Committee, Melcer criticizes what he describes as a strategy of pushing multiple private member bills at once in an effort to obscure the full scope of what is happening.
“If we look at the picture as a whole, it is to negate the democratic nature of the state, because its democratic nature depends on free media,” he tells lawmakers.
Critics, including the Foreign Press Association and the Union of Journalists in Israel, have accused the government of undermining democracy through the advancement of legislative initiatives that would grant it oversight over television ratings data and privatize the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation and Army Radio.
“The private market is suffocating from excessive regulation and public broadcasting is not public and sometimes harmful,” counters Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi, calling for a “substantive, responsible discussion that is the basis for democratic decision-making.”
“Public broadcasting was required in the last century; today there is no justification for funding such a product at public expense, certainly not in news and current affairs. I intend to privatize or close the Israel Public Broadcasting Corporation; not only is it worthless — it harms the market and perpetuates injustices,” he asserts, railing against “propaganda” and “biased, offensive broadcasts.”
“My vision for public broadcasting is no news and current affairs funded by the public. When they say I want Russia, it is exactly the opposite. Channel 11 will be dedicated to original productions and Israeli creations only,” with the government allocating NIS 500 million ($139 million) for such content, Karhi says.
“This shows that the private bills are the government’s proxy, and then they should have gone through the attorney general,” Melcer shoots back.
Earlier today, the European Broadcasting Union warned that the planned changes could jeopardize Israel’s participation in the Eurovision Song Contest, restrict access to World Cup broadcasts, and “lead to a vacuum in reliable news dissemination” about Israel. link This government has dedicated itself to overhauling/overthrowing democracy and is following the 'handbook' of autocracy to do it: overthrow of the judicial system, overhaul/takeover of the media, takeover of the police, changing the educational system by passing laws of who can and cannot be teachers and that will be followed by major changes to curriculums (but that is done at a later stage after they succeed in the prior takeovers)
- Nearly 2 million people below poverty line in Israel in 2023, including 870,000 children
Nearly two million people were living below the poverty line in Israel in 2023, including 872,400 children and 158,500 senior citizens, according to an annual report released by the National Insurance Institute.
A total of 1.98 million people were living below the line in Israel, placing the country second to last in the OECD rating of poverty according to disposable income.
The figures mean that 20.7 percent of people in the country lived in poverty, with 27.9% of children and 12.8% of senior citizens below the line.
The report also highlights that rates of deprivation are at their highest in the Arab and Haredi communities. The poorest locality is the Haredi settlement Modiin Ilit, followed by Jerusalem, Beit Shemesh, Bnei Brak and Lod.
Among its recommendations, the National Insurance Institute says care must be taken with the Arrangements Law — a companion to the state budget that determines how funds will be disbursed — to ensure that the most vulnerable sectors of the population are not further harmed.
Former Supreme Court justice Hanan Melcer, who now serves as president of the Israeli Press Council, warns that the government’s plans to overhaul the media market poses “a danger to Israeli democracy” and pledges to “use all means at our disposal to thwart this plot.”
Addressing the Knesset Economic Affairs Committee, Melcer criticizes what he describes as a strategy of pushing multiple private member bills at once in an effort to obscure the full scope of what is happening.
“If we look at the picture as a whole, it is to negate the democratic nature of the state, because its democratic nature depends on free media,” he tells lawmakers.
Critics, including the Foreign Press Association and the Union of Journalists in Israel, have accused the government of undermining democracy through the advancement of legislative initiatives that would grant it oversight over television ratings data and privatize the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation and Army Radio.
“The private market is suffocating from excessive regulation and public broadcasting is not public and sometimes harmful,” counters Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi, calling for a “substantive, responsible discussion that is the basis for democratic decision-making.”
“Public broadcasting was required in the last century; today there is no justification for funding such a product at public expense, certainly not in news and current affairs. I intend to privatize or close the Israel Public Broadcasting Corporation; not only is it worthless — it harms the market and perpetuates injustices,” he asserts, railing against “propaganda” and “biased, offensive broadcasts.”
“My vision for public broadcasting is no news and current affairs funded by the public. When they say I want Russia, it is exactly the opposite. Channel 11 will be dedicated to original productions and Israeli creations only,” with the government allocating NIS 500 million ($139 million) for such content, Karhi says.
“This shows that the private bills are the government’s proxy, and then they should have gone through the attorney general,” Melcer shoots back.
Earlier today, the European Broadcasting Union warned that the planned changes could jeopardize Israel’s participation in the Eurovision Song Contest, restrict access to World Cup broadcasts, and “lead to a vacuum in reliable news dissemination” about Israel. link This government has dedicated itself to overhauling/overthrowing democracy and is following the 'handbook' of autocracy to do it: overthrow of the judicial system, overhaul/takeover of the media, takeover of the police, changing the educational system by passing laws of who can and cannot be teachers and that will be followed by major changes to curriculums (but that is done at a later stage after they succeed in the prior takeovers)
Nearly two million people were living below the poverty line in Israel in 2023, including 872,400 children and 158,500 senior citizens, according to an annual report released by the National Insurance Institute.
A total of 1.98 million people were living below the line in Israel, placing the country second to last in the OECD rating of poverty according to disposable income.
The figures mean that 20.7 percent of people in the country lived in poverty, with 27.9% of children and 12.8% of senior citizens below the line.
The report also highlights that rates of deprivation are at their highest in the Arab and Haredi communities. The poorest locality is the Haredi settlement Modiin Ilit, followed by Jerusalem, Beit Shemesh, Bnei Brak and Lod.
Among its recommendations, the National Insurance Institute says care must be taken with the Arrangements Law — a companion to the state budget that determines how funds will be disbursed — to ensure that the most vulnerable sectors of the population are not further harmed.
The Region and the World
- Breakthrough in Normalization with Saudi Arabia Haaretz journalist Chaim Levinson reported that Israel and Saudi Arabia recently achieved a breakthrough in their talks on normalization, which could also facilitate a deal for the release of hostages and the end of the war in the Gaza Strip. According to the report, sources familiar with the negotiations stated that instead of explicit Israeli recognition of a Palestinian state, as Saudi Arabia had previously demanded, the sides agreed that Israel would provide the kingdom with a vague commitment to a "pathway toward a Palestinian state." This would allow Saudi Arabia to fulfill its commitment to "not abandon the Palestinians to their fate."
The Prime Minister's Office stated: "The report of an Israeli commitment to allow a 'pathway toward a Palestinian state' is a complete lie. Prime Minister Netanyahu has acted and continues to act against the establishment of a Palestinian state that would endanger Israel's security." Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office and Saudi Arabia have both denied a report that claimed there has been a “breakthrough” in US-brokered normalization talks between Jerusalem and Riyadh.
Haaretz claimed earlier that Saudi Arabia has given up its longtime demand for the creation of a Palestinian state as a precondition for a normalization of ties with Israel, instead making do with a vague Israeli promise of a “pathway toward a Palestinian state.”
After right-wing reporters, and politicians including Avigdor Liberman, understood the report to mean Netanyahu has agreed to promise a Palestinian state, the Prime Minister’s Office calls the report “a complete lie,” adding: “Prime Minister Netanyahu has worked and is working against the establishment of a Palestinian state that will endanger Israel’s security.”
Meanwhile, the Saudis also strongly deny the report, saying there has been no breakthrough.
“The notion that the kingdom’s leadership has somehow modified its longstanding commitment to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state is equally baseless,” a statement issued to reporters by an unnamed Saudi official says.
“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will continue to work towards ending the war in Gaza and helping the Palestinian people achieve their right to an independent state,” the statement adds.
Personal Stories Nadejda Spravchikov, 75: Trained chemist devotedly cared for elderlyMurdered alongside her sister by Hamas terrorists in Sderot on October 7
Nadejda Spravchikov, 75, from Netivot, was murdered by Hamas terrorists in Sderot on October 7.
Nadejda and her sister, Natalia Tomayev, were part of a tour bus of mostly retired Israelis who were heading for a day trip to the Dead Sea early that morning. The bus got a flat tire near Sderot, and pulled into a bus stop in the city in order for the driver to fix it.
While they were waiting outside the bus stop, air raid sirens warning of a rocket attack rang out. The bus stop had a bomb shelter with an automated door, that was supposed to unlock when sirens sounded, but it malfunctioned and the door remained locked. Moments later, a pickup truck of Hamas terrorists drove by and opened fire on the group of senior citizens, murdering all 13 of them, including both Nadejda and Natalia; only the driver survived.
Images of the bus stop slaughter were among the first to circulate early that morning, shocking Israelis in their brutality and horrifying the family members of those who identified their loved ones in the photos. Nadejda’s daughter, Irit, told an independent news outlet that when she saw the photos, “I recognized immediately that it was Mom and her sister, from the clothes and their body shape.”
The family was nevertheless forced to wait nine days before they received official word that her body had been identified and she could be buried.
Born in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, in 1948, when it was part of the Soviet Union, Nadejda was the oldest among her siblings: Natalia, Vladimir and Leonid. She completed her schooling in the city and was active in a communist youth group, according to a state eulogy. After high school she attended university in the city, earning a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in chemistry.
During her university studies, she met and married Anatoly, and they eventually had three children, Igor, Alexander and Irit. Nadejda worked in her field and in her spare time loved to pursue artistic endeavors, particularly with fabric and clothing, including macrame, knitting, embroidery and sewing.
In 1993, the couple’s three kids moved to Israel as part of a student program, and the parents followed not long after. They settled first in Kibbutz Geva before moving to Holon and then Netivot. Nadejda and Anatoly later divorced but remained on friendly terms, and Nadejda and her sister cared for many years for their mother until she died less than a year before they were slain. She also enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren.
Her daughter, Irit, told At Magazine that the sisters “particularly loved visiting the Dead Sea, they loved to paddle around in the water. In November they planned to go on a trip to Eilat and after that to the Upper Galilee, they’d already paid for the trips.”
After moving to Israel, Irit said, her mother switched careers and worked caring for the elderly: “When she made aliya, she decided that her calling was to help the elderly, even though she was old herself, she insisted on giving of herself to others and supporting those who needed it,” she told the Mako news site.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office and Saudi Arabia have both denied a report that claimed there has been a “breakthrough” in US-brokered normalization talks between Jerusalem and Riyadh.
Haaretz claimed earlier that Saudi Arabia has given up its longtime demand for the creation of a Palestinian state as a precondition for a normalization of ties with Israel, instead making do with a vague Israeli promise of a “pathway toward a Palestinian state.”
After right-wing reporters, and politicians including Avigdor Liberman, understood the report to mean Netanyahu has agreed to promise a Palestinian state, the Prime Minister’s Office calls the report “a complete lie,” adding: “Prime Minister Netanyahu has worked and is working against the establishment of a Palestinian state that will endanger Israel’s security.”
Meanwhile, the Saudis also strongly deny the report, saying there has been no breakthrough.
“The notion that the kingdom’s leadership has somehow modified its longstanding commitment to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state is equally baseless,” a statement issued to reporters by an unnamed Saudi official says.
“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will continue to work towards ending the war in Gaza and helping the Palestinian people achieve their right to an independent state,” the statement adds.
Nadejda Spravchikov, 75, from Netivot, was murdered by Hamas terrorists in Sderot on October 7.
Nadejda and her sister, Natalia Tomayev, were part of a tour bus of mostly retired Israelis who were heading for a day trip to the Dead Sea early that morning. The bus got a flat tire near Sderot, and pulled into a bus stop in the city in order for the driver to fix it.
While they were waiting outside the bus stop, air raid sirens warning of a rocket attack rang out. The bus stop had a bomb shelter with an automated door, that was supposed to unlock when sirens sounded, but it malfunctioned and the door remained locked. Moments later, a pickup truck of Hamas terrorists drove by and opened fire on the group of senior citizens, murdering all 13 of them, including both Nadejda and Natalia; only the driver survived.
Images of the bus stop slaughter were among the first to circulate early that morning, shocking Israelis in their brutality and horrifying the family members of those who identified their loved ones in the photos. Nadejda’s daughter, Irit, told an independent news outlet that when she saw the photos, “I recognized immediately that it was Mom and her sister, from the clothes and their body shape.”
The family was nevertheless forced to wait nine days before they received official word that her body had been identified and she could be buried.
Born in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, in 1948, when it was part of the Soviet Union, Nadejda was the oldest among her siblings: Natalia, Vladimir and Leonid. She completed her schooling in the city and was active in a communist youth group, according to a state eulogy. After high school she attended university in the city, earning a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in chemistry.
During her university studies, she met and married Anatoly, and they eventually had three children, Igor, Alexander and Irit. Nadejda worked in her field and in her spare time loved to pursue artistic endeavors, particularly with fabric and clothing, including macrame, knitting, embroidery and sewing.
In 1993, the couple’s three kids moved to Israel as part of a student program, and the parents followed not long after. They settled first in Kibbutz Geva before moving to Holon and then Netivot. Nadejda and Anatoly later divorced but remained on friendly terms, and Nadejda and her sister cared for many years for their mother until she died less than a year before they were slain. She also enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren.
Her daughter, Irit, told At Magazine that the sisters “particularly loved visiting the Dead Sea, they loved to paddle around in the water. In November they planned to go on a trip to Eilat and after that to the Upper Galilee, they’d already paid for the trips.”
After moving to Israel, Irit said, her mother switched careers and worked caring for the elderly: “When she made aliya, she decided that her calling was to help the elderly, even though she was old herself, she insisted on giving of herself to others and supporting those who needed it,” she told the Mako news site.
Dark Legacy - The Abandonment of October 7th Hostages
Every Israeli Mother Should Know in Whose Hands She EntrustsHer Sons and Daughters: In the Hands of Those Who Would Abandon Them to Their FateProf. Aaron Ciechanover2004 Noble Prize Laureate in Chemistry.
"Every Israeli mother should know in whose hands she entrusts her sons and daughters" (David Ben Gurion).The thoughts about the hostages burn like fire into the flesh of the members of their families. Are they alive or dead? Are they being tortured and their bodies violated, or are they granted humane treatment, however precarious? And their soul? Has any of it survived, or has it been utterly crushed? The uncertainty is gripping and relentless. These questions also have a national aspect: the mere fact that they have been asked for such a long time - as the hope for an agreement for the hostages’ release ebbs and flows like a wheel of fortune, as the number of those who are still alive dwindles - that fact undermines the very foundation of our society, our country, Judaism itself, and a 2,000 year old dream of a free and independent state for the Jewish people. The cruel delay in returning them home undermines the very reason for which 25,000 men and women have sacrificed their lives to protect a state that at its inception was a source of light for the whole world, but at present cannot even be a source of light for itself. The light is gone.The failure to bring the hostages back home is a stark violation of the principle of mutual responsibility that is at the root of every society, and of Israeli society in particular, being the basis of the compulsory service in the Israel Defense Forces. The hostages' prolonged captivity is a betrayal of the core values that any society must abide by if it wishes to survive; it is a deep moral failing that tears our society apart, and that will forever remain as a mark of Cain on the forehead of its leadership. The day we bring to burial the hostages who were murdered will be the most terrible day in the history of this country - a new Holocaust Memorial Day. And from that day on, every Israeli mother will know in whose hands she entrusts her sons and daughters: in the hands of those who would abandon them to their fate.And who are the members of the government that sacrifices the hostages on the altar of its whims? A Prime Minister with an inhumane constitution who would trample completely, in order to preserve his rule, the only Jewish state—its values, its unity, its security, its economy, and indeed its very existence. He is going to leave behind him, for posterity, nothing but the mirror in which he only saw himself. And let us not even discuss the Messianic extremists and the orthodox members of this government, many of whom do not really care about the state, and it is entirely unclear what moral right they have to send others to their death. Most worrisome are those in the government who have served in the army and in the security forces in senior positions—among them Miri Regev, a former IDF spokesperson, Yoav Kisch, a former combat pilot, Nir Barkat, a former officer in a combat unit, Avi Dichter, the former Head of the Shin Bet, and others. And what about Yuli Edelstein, a former Refusenik (Prisoner of Zion)? They have all caught severe illnesses - those of defiling conformism and of defiling sycophancy. The possibility that these illnesses might be contagious is frightening.How did they manage to filter through the moral strainer of the IDF? Might it be that the corrupt character of these people, and of others like them, underlies the IDF’s repeated failures over the years to view and assess the battlefield correctly? In 1973? In 2023? And what about Kisch’s co-pilot? Could he trust Kisch to protect him, or did he need to worry that Kisch might abandon him to save himself? Should members of the Shin Bet who were sent by Dichter to life-risking missions have trusted his judgment? I doubt it. And if those are illnesses that were only contracted after these people took off their uniforms and entered the political swamp, were there no prior, worrisome indications, no DNA changes that might have been detected earlier? Modern medicine knows how to diagnose illnesses years before they manifest themselves. Not so when it comes to the institutions that are supposed to be responsible for our communal life, safety, and wellbeing. And the terrible price of that is one we’re all paying.
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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