🎗️Lonny's War Update- October 443, 2023 - December 22, 2024 🎗️

  

🎗️Day 443 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

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

‎אין נצחון עד שכל החטופים בבית

Starting today, I will be posting links to many of the less critical articles that I recommend reading, instead of posting the entire article. Critical issues such as the hostages will continue to be the focus of the daily updates as well as the personal stories that are so important to read. And I will continue to translate and post important articles that are not seen in the foreign press.

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

*7:00pm yesterday - south-Gaza border envelope - rockeets - Holit

Hostage Updates 

• Israel says Hamas has yet to give list of living hostages to be released — report
  Arab diplomat tells ToI that main hang-up is wording about end of war vs. end of ‘operation’; Israel reportedly to provide a list of 70-100 security prisoners it refuses to release

  

  People protest against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government and call for the release of hostages, held in the Gaza Strip by the Hamas terror group, in Tel Aviv, Israel, December 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)

  
  

  Hamas has still not provided Israel with a list of living hostages held by terror groups in the Gaza Strip that would be exchanged during a hostage-ceasefire deal, according to a Saturday television news report citing Israeli officials.

  Channel 12 news first reported that the terror group had yet to hand over the list of names, but said that nevertheless, Israeli officials believe that progress is being made in the ongoing negotiations.

  Earlier on Saturday, Hebrew media reported that the head of the IDF intelligence corps, Maj. Gen. Shlomi Binder, visited Cairo over the weekend for meetings with his Egyptian counterparts. The report clarified that the visit was not focused on the hostage talks, but rather security cooperation.
  

  Channel 12 reported later that Israel denied that Binder had visited Cairo.

  However, delegations of leaders from Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine did convene in Cairo on Friday to discuss the ongoing negotiations for a ceasefire and hostage release deal.

  In a readout of the meeting, Hamas said the possibility of reaching a deal “is closer than ever if the enemy stops setting new conditions.”

  

  Delegations of leaders from Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine meet in Cairo on December 20, 2024. (Courtesy)

  All three terror groups are believed to be holding hostages throughout Gaza, kidnapped during Hamas’s October 7, 2023 massacre in southern Israel.

  The factions “stressed everyone’s keenness to stop the aggression against our people,” the Hamas statement said, apparently referring to its demand for a permanent ceasefire.
  

  The nature of the ceasefire deal is the main issue of contention in the talks, with Hamas demanding a permanent end to the fighting, while Israel is seeking a temporary pause during which some of the hostages would be released followed by a resumption of its fighting to finish dismantling the terror group’s military and governing capabilities, an Arab diplomat told The Times of Israel earlier this week.

  Israel has sought to have the agreement refer to the ceasefire as one that “end[s] the military operation,” while Hamas is insisting that the text states that the ceasefire will “end the war.”
  

  In an interview with The Wall Street Journal published Friday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated his stance against a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, saying he would only agree to a temporary pause as part of a hostage release deal, and reiterating his plan to see Hamas completely dismantled.

  “I’m not going to agree to end the war before we remove Hamas,” he said. “We’re not going to leave them in power in Gaza, 30 miles from Tel Aviv. It’s not going to happen.”

  Also on Saturday, responding to a media report that Palestinian security prisoner Marwan Barghouti’s family recently visited Qatar to discuss his release to Turkey as part of a hostage deal, Netanyahu’s office issued a statement declaring, “the terrorist Marwan Barghouti will not be released if and when a deal is made to release the hostages.”

  Hamas has reportedly demanded the release of the top Fatah figure and jailed intifada leader as part of the hostage deal with Israel.

  Barghouti, 64, is serving five life sentences in an Israeli prison for his part in planning three terror attacks that killed five Israelis during the Second Intifada.

  He is often touted as one of the top candidates to succeed octogenarian Mahmoud Abbas as leader of the Palestinian Authority. He is especially favored by the younger generation, who perceive him as untainted by the PA’s corruption and collaboration with Israel.

  

  Men walk past a section of Israel’s security barrier painted with a portrait of convicted Palestinian terrorist Marwan Barghouti, held in an Israel jail, on November 6, 2023 in Bethlehem in the West Bank. (HAZEM BADER / AFP)

  Following the PMO’s vow not to release Barghouti, Channel 12 reported that Israel was insisting on presenting a list to the mediators with the names of 70 to 100 security prisoners who it would refuse to release as part of an agreement.

  Numerous attempts to reach a new hostage deal since a week-long truce in November, 2023, saw the release of 105 hostages have repeatedly failed, with Israel and Hamas accusing each other of sabotaging efforts and refusing to budge on key issues.

  However, the current round of negotiations has seemingly come close to securing a deal that would guarantee the release of at least some of the 96 hostages abducted during Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel last year and still being held captive in Gaza.

  

  A rally calling for the release of the Israeli hostages held captive by Hamas in Gaza, marking 442 days since the start of the war between Israel and Hamas, at Hostage Square in Tel Aviv, December 21 2024. (Photo by Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)

  During the attack, some 3,000 terrorists rampaged through Israel’s southern communities, murdering some 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages, mostly civilians, many amid acts of brutality and sexual assault.

  Four hostages were released before the temporary truce in November. 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.

  
  
• Palestinian official to BBC: Disagreements remain over Philadelphi corridor, buffer zone
  

  
  

  View of the Philadelphi Corridor between the southern Gaza Strip and Egypt, on July 15, 2024. (Oren Cohen/Flash90)

  Talks for a three-stage hostage-ceasefire deal are 90 percent completed but key issues remain, a senior Palestinian official involved in the discussions tells the BBC.

  One area of contention is the Philadelphi Corridor along the border with Egypt, the official says, additionally sharing that talks in Doha are considering the potential creation of a buffer zone along Gaza’s border with Israel that would be several kilometers wide, which would have an Israeli “military presence.”

  Once these issues are resolved a potential ceasefire could begin within days, the official tells the outlet.

  The report says the deal will see 20 Palestinian prisoners released for every female soldier freed in the first stage of the ceasefire, with the names of those prisoners not yet decided on.

  The report does not say if any male hostages will be released in the first stage and does not mention either children or the women held in Gaza who are not serving in the military.

  The BBC says that Gazan civilians will be permitted to return to the north of the Strip “under a system with Egyptian/Qatari oversight.” No details are given on the form of that oversight. Additionally, around 500 trucks will bring humanitarian aid into Gaza every day.

  The BBC says the third stage (no details are given on the second) will see the end of the war, with Gaza to be “overseen by a committee of technocrats from the enclave, who would not have previous political affiliations but would have the backing of all Palestinian factions.”

  The report says it is assumed that the released prisoners will not include Marwan Barghouti, who is serving five life sentences in an Israeli prison for his part in planning three terror attacks that killed five Israelis during the Second Intifada.

  Barghouti, 65, is often touted as one of the top candidates to succeed octogenarian Mahmoud Abbas as leader of the Palestinian Authority. He is especially favored by the younger generation, who perceive him as untainted by the PA’s corruption and collaboration with Israel.  LINK Netanyahu's refusal to release Barghouti is a political decision and not a security one. He recognizes that Barghouti is likely to replace Abbas and will be a strengthening factor to the PA. My brother knows Barghouti very well and has been in contact with him throughout his incarceration through his lawyers and family members, as no one else is allowed contact with him directly. Barghouti, if released and allowed to remain within the territory of the PA would become Israel's best partner for an end to the Israel/Palestinian conflict through a real peace agreement, as opposed to Oslo which was only a framework to be built upon. Netanyahu has spent his entire career weakening the PA and strengthening Hamas to 'show' that there is no partner on the other side. With the destruction of Hamas, the last thing that Netanyahu wants to do is to strengthen the PA, even though all of the security services are saying that this is imperative for Israel's security. Ever since Oslo, there has been very strong uninterrupted security cooperation between the PA's security services and ours. This cooperation has prevented and uncovered thousands of terror attacks before they could occur. If Barghouti is released and then elected in fair elections in the Palestinian territories, Netanyahu would be hard pressed to say there is no partner for peace.

  
  

• Against the backdrop of reports of progress in the deal, families of hostages protest: "There is no time; they won't survive the winter"

  The event is taking place while Prime Minister Netanyahu is in the second week of his testimony in court, and the security situation continues to deteriorate, with 100 hostages still held captive by Hamas. Over the past week, police attempted to prevent the protest from taking place, but opposition leader Yair Lapid appealed to the police commissioner, demanding the protection of democratic protest rights. Itzik Elgarat addressed Netanyahu: "You humiliated us, turning us into enemies."

  
  Demonstration in Tel Aviv for the return of the hostages. 
  
  

  Protests are being held this evening (Saturday) at "Hostage Square" and "Democracy Square" in Tel Aviv to show support for the families of the hostages and fight for "the return of the mandate to the people and for the very existence of the State of Israel as we know it," according to the "Free in Our Land" headquarters. The protest, organized by the struggle headquarters, is taking place tonight while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is in his second week of court testimony, despite the ongoing war and the 100 hostages still held captive by Hamas in Gaza.

  A political source stated this evening that "contrary to false reports, terrorist Marwan Barghouti will not be released if and when a deal for the release of the hostages is finalized." The daughter of the late spy Eli Cohen said: "Netanyahu ignores requests and refuses meetings."

  
  Eli Shtevi, father of Ida Shtevi whose body is being held by Hamas in captivity
  

  The protest for the release of the hostages is occurring alongside reports of significant progress in negotiations for a deal. The Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar reported today that there is cautious optimism about the possibility of reaching a hostage deal after mediators achieved substantial progress in the negotiations.

  The Qatari newspaper Al-Arabi Al-Jadeed reported that an Israeli security delegation would travel to Cairo to meet with senior Egyptian officials to discuss issues related to the Gaza ceasefire negotiations. In an official statement released by Hamas, it was claimed that "the possibility of reaching an agreement is closer than ever if the enemy stops setting new demands." These reports have not been confirmed by Israeli sources.

  In an interview published yesterday (Friday) in The Wall Street Journal, Prime Minister Netanyahu said he would not agree to a ceasefire "before the removal of Hamas." He stated, "We will not leave them in power in Gaza. It will not happen." Families of hostages, including Einav Tsengauker, accused Netanyahu of trying to sabotage a deal: "This is an attempt to thwart it. The same prime minister who deliberately did not act to replace Hamas' rule is now using this as an excuse to prolong the war and abandon the hostages."

  She emphasized that ending the war in Gaza and returning all the hostages is an Israeli interest, adding, "There is no justification for continuing the fighting since Hamas has been defeated and its leadership eliminated. The hostages may not survive another month. We need a comprehensive deal now!" she said, demanding that Netanyahu end the war without further delays.

  
  Einav Tzengauker in an announcement by the Families of the Hostages.
  
  

  "The people want to bring back the hostages, end the war, and return to normalcy,"she added, clarifying that "ending the war is not an obstacle or a price; it is the goal."  

  Yifat Kalderon, the cousin of hostage Ofer Kalderon, said: "This is the 442nd day that our loved ones have been held captive in hell in Gaza because of Netanyahu." She described the anguish caused by "contradictory statements from the political leadership," with "one moment talking about an imminent deal, and the next moment denying it." She emphasized, "There is no time; the hostages will not survive the winter."

  Danny Elgarat, the brother of hostage Itzik Elgarat, referred to the investigative report aired on Thursday's *Uvda* program, stating: "This week revealed the vile and malicious manner in which Netanyahu's inner circle, along with his family, operates." He accused them of conducting a deception campaign to thwart a deal and mislead the public. "Netanyahu, look the families in the eye—you humiliated us, trampled us, turned us into enemies. Enough with the military pressure that kills hostages instead of bringing them back, enough with the lies, enough with the psychological manipulation and poison,"he shouted, adding: "The blood is on your hands."

  
  Danny Elgarat in an announcement by the Families of the Hostages. 
  
  

  Sophie Ben-Dor, the daughter of the late Eli Cohen, spoke at the protest against the government and said, "At the beginning of December this year, we marked my father's 100th birthday. A few days later, as if it were a belated birthday gift, Bashar al-Assad's dark regime fell, and now there is a small, cautious, disappointment-ridden hope of returning my father's remains for proper burial in his homeland."

  "I imagine that if my father's remains were brought back for burial in Israel, the Prime Minister would be the first to come, to boast of the achievement, to take pictures and speak. But the truth is that between this anticipated spectacle and reality, as in so many other areas under this man's responsibility, there is nothing in common."  

  She further added, "Behind the scenes, Netanyahu ignores requests, refuses meetings, simply because he has nothing to gain yet. When the leadership is disconnected and disheartening, all that remains are the people—us and those who will join us in rebuilding the state."

  
  Sophie Ben Dor, daugher of Eli Cohen z"l  

  Protests Also Against the Government: "Focused on Reviving the Judicial Coup"  

  Over the past week, there were attempts by the police to thwart the protest, including an announcement that they would not allow the setup of a stage at Kaplan. Opposition leader MK Yair Lapid appealed to the police commissioner, requesting a resolution. "The police's conduct regarding the stage setup and organization of the protest in Tel Aviv is unclear to me, and I wonder whether it stems from directives from above or the minister's office's influence. I feel these are attempts to thwart the protest and create obstacles," Lapid wrote.  

  He further called on the commissioner: "I urge you to instruct your people to respect the citizens and the democratic protest, and to find a solution to hold the protest and set up the stage as customary." 

  Protest and Speeches  

  This evening's protest began with the "Power to Democracy" march, which started at Habima Square at 6:30 PM and reached Kaplan Junction at 7:00 PM, where a mobile stage was set up. Several key figures are expected to speak during the evening, including opposition leader MK Yair Lapid, Attorney Amit Becher (head of the Bar Association), Sophie Ben-Dor (daughter of Eli Cohen), and Kalnit Sharon, a co-founder of "The Pink Front" and a leader in the "Elections Now" protest movement.  

  Concerns Over Judicial Reform  

  Against the backdrop of progress in the judicial overhaul, Bar Association head Amit Becher expressed deep concern during his speech about the threat to democracy, warning that Israel is in a national emergency. Becher criticized the government's moves to undermine judicial independence, harm free media, and push legislation allowing the Justice Minister to appoint the Supreme Court President. He vowed to continue the fight to protect democracy, calling for unity in this critical struggle.  

  Opposition leader Yair Lapid also addressed the protest: "In this country, there are more good people than bad. They are in Gaza, in Lebanon, and right here in front of me. Hope is not something we wait for; it is something within us that drives us to act. There are people to work with, to heal with. We will win. Bibi isn't really gaining strength; it's psychological manipulation. The coalition barely holds fifty mandates. The people are not with them. There are no elections because they are terrified of elections. They are afraid because they know the truth: For two years, the government of destruction has been an illegitimate minority government. The blame for the judicial overhaul, the victims of October 7, and the hostages in tunnels lies with them. A vast majority of Israeli citizens no longer want them. Since October 7 at 6:29 AM—they have no mandate."

  
  MK Yair Lapid, Head of the Opposition

  Kalnit Sharon, a co-founder of "The Pink Front" and a leader in the "Elections Now" protest, stated during her speech that Israel is currently on a "dark path paved by a corrupt government," but emphasized that the past two years have demonstrated the strength of the liberal-democratic community. She highlighted the commitment to Jewish and Zionist values, including homeland defense, support for hostage families, and criticism of the government. "The road is not always smooth, but we will continue to march because this is our home," she said.  

  A Call to Action  

  In a statement released by Eran Schwartz, CEO of the "Free in Our Land" campaign, he wrote: "While the Prime Minister spends his second week in court as a criminal defendant, the country is crying out for functional leadership. One hundred hostages remain in captivity, thousands of evacuees are waiting for solutions, and the government is busy reviving the judicial coup and legislating draft exemption laws. We call on the Israeli public to join the fight to return the mandate to the people and to show the power of democracy. This is a battle for the very existence of the State of Israel as we have known it." link

  
  

• List of Living Hostages Not Provided; Progress Made on Certain Negotiation Issues
  
  
  Senior Israeli officials claim that progress has been made on certain issues in the negotiations, but Hamas has yet to provide a list of the living hostages held in captivity. Israel remains firm on its demands for the exile of high-profile terrorists to a third country and a veto on the release of 70–100 high-risk prisoners.  
  
  
  Hamas has not handed over the list of living hostages in its custody, as of last night (Saturday). Behind the scenes, senior Israeli officials indicate that progress has been achieved on other aspects of the negotiations, with a team from the Mossad working on tactical issues.  
  
  
  Reports in the Arabic press yesterday suggested that a security delegation is en route to Cairo to discuss the details of the deal. However, this report is incorrect. If a security delegation were to be sent—and such an initiative is indeed being considered—it would not deal with the hostage issue but rather with other matters.  
  
  
  Israel's Two Key Demands Regarding Prisoners  
  
  
  As part of the negotiations, Israel has two key demands concerning the release of security prisoners:  
  
  
  1. Exile of High-Profile Terrorists: Individuals with "blood on their hands" must be sent to a third country.  
  2. Veto on High-Risk Releases: Israel demands the right to veto the release of 70–100 high-risk prisoners with "blood on their hands" who it refuses to free.  
  
  
  Netanyahu Amid Negotiation Reports: No End to the War Without Removing Hamas  
  
  
  Against the backdrop of the negotiations, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the situation in Gaza in an interview with The Wall Street Journal: "President Trump supported Israel during the war. His threat to Hamas can only help. He held Hamas accountable and warned them there would be consequences."
  
  
  Netanyahu further stated, "I will not agree to end the war until Hamas’s rule is dismantled. We will not allow them to remain in power in Gaza, just 30 miles from Tel Aviv—that will not happen."
  
  
  The timing of Netanyahu's statement raises questions given the ongoing negotiations and the effort to maintain ambiguity regarding the terms of the potential agreement. link. As Ruby Chen, father of killed soldier Itai Chen who's body is being held captive by Hamas said that for 14 months, he has heard from Netanyahu all of his 'no's (no to Hamas governing, no to Hamas terror, no to leaving Philadelphi route and more), but we have yet to hear any yes'es. And that is deliberate. Just as Netanyahu has never defined what 'total victory' means, he won't give any yes'es so if they are fulfilled, he can't have a reason to say no, so he purposely leaves everything as ambiguous and he can always blame Hamas. This is not a leader worthy of his people. This is a sniveling coward who doesn't want to give up his 'throne'.
  
  
• Israel requests 34 hostages in first phase of deal, including 11 off-limits by Hamas
  

  Al-Ghad's sources said that some of the names on Israel's list include hostages that Hamas considers to be soldiers, whereas Hamas says it will only release the sick, the elderly, and children.
  

  Israel reportedly presented Hamas with a list of 34 hostages that it insists must be released as part of the first phase of a hostage/ceasefire deal, including 11 names that do not meet Hamas's criteria for a deal, Egyptian news channel Al-Ghad reported on Saturday night, citing official sources.

  Al-Ghad's sources said that some of the names on Israel's list include hostages that Hamas considers to be soldiers, whereas Hamas says it will only release the sick, the elderly, and children.

  The sources added that the first phase of the deal would include the release of 250 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for Israeli hostages.  link

  
  
• Gantz accuses Netanyahu of ‘sabotaging’ hostage deal negotiations with Hamas
  

  National Unity chairman Benny Gantz accuses Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of “sabotaging” hostage deal negotiations with Hamas.

  Israel is currently in the middle of a “sensitive” period but “Netanyahu is once again running to the foreign media and talking,” Gantz says, predicting that “once again a ‘political figure’ will be briefing [reporters] at the end of the week.”

  “Netanyahu, you do not have a mandate to thwart the return of our hostages again for political reasons,” Gantz continues, calling a deal the right thing to do on humanitarian and national security grounds.

  “And one more thing,” Gantz concludes, “you said in the Wall Street Journal that Hamas should not rule Gaza because it is 30 miles from Tel Aviv. So let me remind you: Hamas should not rule Gaza because it is two kilometers from Nir Oz and Be’eri, and four kilometers from Sderot. Their security must be restored, and the hostages who were taken from their beds there must be returned.”

  Gantz’s comments come after Netanyahu told the Wall Street Journal in an interview published yesterday that he was “not going to agree to end the war before we remove Hamas.”

  Hamas had long asserted that it would not agree to a ceasefire and hostage release without an Israeli commitment to end the war. Recent reports have indicated it may have softened its position to allow the release of a limited release of hostages in an initial phase without such a commitment, though it would likely hold on to the majority of the hostages until the final phase of a deal, when a permanent cessation of hostilities is agreed upon.

  Continuing his war of words with Benjamin Netanyahu, National Unity chairman Benny Gantz’s office issues a statement accusing the prime minister of standing in the way of a hostage deal so as not to endanger the stability of his right-wing coalition.

  
  

  “Netanyahu, don’t be a serial coward. You were afraid to break up the coalition, and Gantz’s insistence alone has already brought back over 100 hostages,” the statement says, accusing Netanyahu of being “afraid” to order military maneuvers in Gaza until pushed to do so by the former war cabinet minister.

  
  

  “You trembled at the possibility of launching a campaign in the north to return the residents to their homes by September 1 when Gantz pushed you to do so. You know very well that if the situation had not been forced upon you, you would never have done so,” it continues.

  
  

  “Netanyahu, you have already sabotaged the possibility of reaching a hostage deal in the past for fear of breaking up the coalition. We will not allow you to do this again when there is a real deal on the table. Netanyahu, stop being afraid.”
  
  

• Israeli official confirms: Hamas has provided ‘signs of life’ for several hostages held in Gaza

  
  A rally calling for the release of the hostages held captive by Hamas in Gaza, at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv, December 21 2024 (Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)
  
  

  As working groups continue their efforts in Doha to hammer out a hostage deal in Gaza, an Israeli official tells The Times of Israel that Hamas has provided “signs of life” for several hostages.

  Israel knows the whereabouts of most of the hostages, says the official, but would not say whether Hamas had provided a list of living hostages.

  Israel will not accept an end to the war as part of a deal, says the official, but instead would agree to something along the lines of a “prolonged ceasefire.”

  Ninety-six 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.

• 
  

Gaza and the South

•  The IDF says its Kfir Brigade has wrapped up an operation against Hamas in northern Gaza’s Beit Lahiya, and the infantry troops have advanced and are now operating in areas west of Beit Hanoun.

  During the Beit Lahiya operation, the military says the Kfir soldiers killed numerous gunmen and destroyed terror infrastructure above and below ground.

  The raid near Beit Hanoun was launched “following intelligence information about the presence of terrorists and terror infrastructure in the area,” the IDF says.

  Before the troops entered the area, the military says Israeli Air Force fighter jets and the 215th Artillery Regiment bombed Hamas targets in the area, including operatives and infrastructure.

Northern Israel - Lebanon/Hizbollah/Syria

• Top Lebanese Druze figure visits Syria, meets with HTS’s al-Julani to reset troubled Lebanon-Syria ties link
  
  

• Syria’s de facto leader says new structure of defense ministry, military will be announced soon link

West Bank and Jerusalem and Terror attacks within Israel

• 7 illegal settlement outposts established in West Bank area under Palestinian civil control, watchdog says
  
  A Palestinian home in Area B whose residents were said to have been expelled and replaced by settlers, east of the settlement of Tekoa, in an undated image (Courtesy Peace Now)
  
  
  

  In an unprecedented development, seven illegal Israeli settlement outposts in Area B of the West Bank where the Palestinian Authority is supposed to have civilian control have been established in recent months, the Peace Now organization reports.

  In some of the outposts, Palestinians who had been living in the area fled in fear of the settlers and their homes were promptly taken over by the settlers, Peace Now alleged.

  Of the seven outposts, five are located in a large tract of land known as the “Agreed-upon-reserve” east and southeast of Bethlehem, which is in Area B but where the Palestinian Authority is prohibited from construction.

  Of the other two outposts, one is located east of the Ofra settlement in the central West Bank on what Peace Now says is land belonging to the Palestinian village of Ein Yabrud, and the other is located further north, close to the Shiloh settlement, south of the illegal outpost of Adei Ad, on land belonging to the Palestinian village of Turmus Ayya.

  According to Peace Now, the seven outposts were all established within the last two to six months. One of them, dubbed Or Nachman and located close to Turmus Ayya, was evacuated by the Civil Administration department of the Defense Ministry, but was then rebuilt.

  At least one of the outposts is inhabited by only one person; another is inhabited by one family; and another is home to a group of young settler activists.

  “After seizing control of Area C and systematically displacing Palestinians through house demolitions and settler violence, settlers have now set their sights on Area B,” Peace Now said upon publishing its new report.

  “The Israeli government’s annexation plans are not limited to Area C. By enabling settlers to establish outposts deep in Area B, the government blatantly violates another critical element of the Oslo Accords. If we do not act today, we will find ourselves returning to full military rule across the entire West Bank.”

  Under the Oslo Accords, 18% of the West Bank was defined as Area A, under Palestinian civil and security authority; approximately 22% was defined as Area B, under Palestinian civil authority, and the remaining approximately 60% of the West Bank territories were defined as Area C, under full Israeli security and civilian authority.
  
  

Politics and the War (general news)

• MK threatens that judges 'playing hardball' will lead to resumption of judicial overhaul. Link Read about one of the 2 main players who are working overtime to destroy the remnants of democracy in Israel.

• For thousands of Jews, Israel doesn’t feel safe after Oct. 7 — so they’re leaving
  Leading demographer says 2024 may be rare year where more people leave Israel than move there; some still grapple with stigma: ‘My God, are we really doing this?’
  

  Leaving Israel is easier, Shira Z. Carmel thinks, by saying it’s just for now. But she knows better.

  For the Israeli-born singer and an increasing number of relatively well-off Israelis, the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack shattered any sense of safety and along with it, Israel’s founding promise: to be the world’s safe haven for Jews.

  That day, thousands of Hamas terrorists blew past the country’s border defenses, killed some 1,200 people and dragged 251 more into Gaza in an assault that caught the Israeli political and security leadership by surprise and stunned a nation that prides itself on military prowess.
  

  Ten days later, a pregnant Carmel, her husband and their toddler boarded a flight to Australia, which was looking for people in her husband’s profession. And they spun the explanation to friends and family as something other than permanent — “relocation” is the easier-to-swallow term — acutely aware of the familial strain and the shame that have shadowed Israelis who leave for good.

  “We told them we’re going to get out of the line of fire for a while,” Carmel said more than a year later from her family’s new home in Melbourne. “It wasn’t a hard decision. But it was very hard to talk to them about it. It was even hard to admit it to ourselves.”

  Thousands of Israelis have left the country since October 7, 2023, according to government statistics and immigration tallies released by destination countries such as Canada and Germany. There’s concern about whether it will drive a “brain drain” in sectors like medicine and tech.
  

  Migration experts say it’s possible people leaving Israel will surpass the number of immigrants to Israel in 2024, according to Sergio DellaPergola, a statistician and professor emeritus of Hebrew University in Jerusalem.

  “In my view, this year people entering will be smaller than the total of the exit,” he said. “And this is quite unique in the existence of the State of Israel.”
  

  Early information points to a surge of Israelis leaving

  The October 7 effect on Israeli emigration is enough for prominent Israelis to acknowledge the phenomenon publicly — and warn of rising antisemitism elsewhere.

  “There is one thing that worries me in particular: talks about leaving the country. This must not happen,” former premier Naftali Bennett, a staunch critic of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, tweeted in June after a conversation with friends who were leaving.

  Israel, he wrote, needs to retain the talent. “Who wants to return to the days of the wandering Jew, without real freedom, without a state, subject to every antisemitic whim?”

  Thousands of Israelis have opted to pay the financial, emotional and social costs of moving out since the October 7 attack, according to government statistics and families who spoke to The Associated Press in recent months after emigrating to Canada, Spain and Australia. Israel’s overall population continues to grow toward 10 million people.
  

  But it’s possible that 2024 will end with more Israelis leaving the country than coming in. That’s even as Israel and Hezbollah reached a fragile ceasefire along the border with Lebanon and Israel and Hamas inch toward a pause in Gaza.

  Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics estimated in September that 40,600 Israelis departed long-term over the first seven months of 2024, a 59% increase over the same period a year earlier, when 25,500 people left. Monthly, 2,200 more people departed this year than in 2023, the CBS reported.
  

  The Ministry of Immigration and Absorption, which does not deal with people leaving, said more than 33,000 people have moved to Israel since the start of the war, about on par with previous years. Interior Minister Moshe Arbel refused to comment for this story.
  

  The numbers are equally dramatic in destination countries. More than 18,000 Israelis applied for German citizenship in 2024, more than double the same period in 2023 and three times that of the year before, the Interior Ministry reported in September.

  Canada, which has a three-year work visa program for Israelis and Palestinians fleeing the war, received 5,759 applications for work permits from Israeli citizens between January and October this year, the government told The Associated Press. In 2023, that number was 1,616 applications, and a year earlier the tally was 1,176 applications, according to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.
  

  ‘They want to wake up in the morning and enjoy life’

  Other clues, too, point to a notable departure of Israelis since the October 7 attacks. Gil Fire, deputy director of Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, said that some of its star specialists with fellowship postings of a few years in other countries began to waver about returning.

  “Before the war, they always came back and it was not really considered an option to stay. And during the war we started to see a change,” he said. “They said to us, ‘We will stay another year, maybe two years, maybe more.’”

  Fire says it’s “an issue of concern” enough for him to plan in-person visits with these doctors in the coming months to try to draw them back to Israel.

  Michal Harel, who moved with her husband to Toronto in 2019, said that almost immediately after the attacks the phone began ringing — with other Israelis seeking advice about moving to Canada. On November 23, 2023, the couple set up a website to help Israelis navigate moving, which can cost at least NIS 100,000, or about $28,000, Harel and other Israeli relocation experts said.

  Not everyone in Israel can just pack up and move overseas. Many of those who have made the move have foreign passports, jobs at multinational corporations or can work remotely.
  

  Speaking by phone last month, Harel reported that the site has received views from 100,000 unique visitors and 5,000 direct contacts in 2024 alone.

  “It’s people who want to move quickly with families, to wake up in the morning and enjoy life,” she said. “Right now [in Israel], it’s trauma, trauma, trauma.”

  “Some of them,” Harel added, “they want to keep everything a secret.”
  

  Leaving Zion, a threat to Israel and a shame?

  Aliyah — the Hebrew term for immigration, literally the “ascent” of Jews into Israel — has always been part of the country’s plan. But yeridah, the term used for leaving the country, literally the “descent” of Jews from Israel to the diaspora, emphatically has not.

  For Israel’s first decades of independence, the government strongly discouraged departing Israelis, who were seen in some cases as cowardly and even treasonous. A sacred trust and a social contract took root in Israeli society. The terms go — or went — like this: Israeli citizens would serve in the military and pay high taxes. In exchange, the army would keep them safe. Meanwhile, it’s every Jew’s obligation to stay, work and fight for Israel’s survival.

  “Emigration was a threat, especially in the early years [when] there were problems of nation-building. In later decades, Israel became more established and more self-confident,” said Ori Yehudai, a professor of Israeli studies at Ohio State University and the author of “Leaving Zion,” a history of Israeli emigration. The sense of shame is more of a social dynamic now, he said, but “people still feel they have to justify their decision to move.”

   Shira Carmel says she has no doubt about her decision. She’d long objected to Netanyahu’s government’s efforts to overhaul the legal system, and was one of the first women to don the blood-red “Handmaid’s Tale” robes that became a fixture of the anti-government protests of 2023. She was terrified as a new mom, and a pregnant one, during the Hamas attack, and appalled at having to tell her toddler that they were gathering in the bomb shelter for “hugging parties” with the neighbors. This was not the life she wanted.

  
  Women dress in handmaids costumes from ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ TV show to protest the coalition’s judicial overhaul plans in Tel Aviv, on May 27, 2023. (Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)

  Meanwhile, Australia beckoned. Carmel’s brother had lived there for two decades. The couple had the equivalent of a green card due to Carmel’s husband’s profession. In the days after the attack, Carmel’s brother alerted her to the possibility of a flight out of Israel for free, if on very short notice, which she confirmed with the Australian embassy in Israel. Basic logic, she says, pointed toward moving.

  And yet.
  

  Carmel recalls the frenzied hours before the flight out in which she said to her husband in the privacy of their bedroom: “My God, are we really doing this?”

  They decided not to decide, opting instead for: “We’re just getting on a plane for now, being grateful.” They packed lightly.

  On the ground half a world away, weeks became months. And they decided: “I’m not going to go back to try to give birth in the war.” In December, they told their families back in Israel that they were staying “for now.”

  “We don’t define it as ‘forever,’” Carmel said Tuesday. “But we are for sure staying for the foreseeable future.”  link Leaving Israel no longer has the same negative connotation as it did up until the 90's. I think that a turning point was the first Gulf War. Leading up to the 1st Gulf War, there was true fear, even terror that we would be bombarded with missiles with chemical war heads containing the worst of the worst of airborne poisons. Our air defenses were next to nothing at that time, so we were all given gas masks and told to seal our rooms with plastic sheeting. The plastic sheeting, in fact was a fairy tale but I believe, it was for the psychological effect that we were doing something tangible to protect our lives and the lives of our fantasy. Even before the first Scud missile hit, thousands of Israelis left the country and all said they would be back after the war. After the first Scuds hit, many more left. And for the first time, it became acceptable to leave the country on the eve of war and during the war. This was to be a war unlike any other where the civilian population was the target. This was different than terrorist attacks where the civilian population was almost always the target, but until October 7, it was all small scale (relatively). So when the thousands left, it was very understandable by a large swath of society. And of those thousands who left, some left permanently, either on that trip or they came back and made their preparations to pack up and start lives elsewhere. I believe that this was the beginning of the idea of leaving Israel, even permanently was no longer looked down upon. 
  If the first Gulf War was scary for the civilian population, it was  infinitesimal compared to the aftermath of October 7. October 7 brought the idea of mass terrorist attack to every doorstep and every household in Israel, Jew, Muslim, Christian, Druze, foreigner, it didn't matter. Everyone was now entirely exposed and vulnerable and no one could depend on the army and absolutely no one could depend on the government. The army has done a very good job in the war on the multiple fronts to bring back a good part of the feeling of personal security but there is still a long way to go. The government, however hasn't done anything to repair the damage of total abandonment. Since the beginning of the war, they were totally in chaos due to the makeup of this coalition and the fact that most of the ministers and their key people were and still are totally unqualified for the tasks at hand, but the worst thing to happen was the understanding that this government and this prime minister have no issue abandoning its people in the hands of the enemy and 442 days have gone by and the government continues to allow 100 hostages to remain in captivity and die. Bringing home the hostages is, of course a moral issue but it goes much deeper. On October 7, the government broke its most basic and fundamental covenant with the people of Israel, that of safety and security in our homes and our homeland. They allowed the State of Israel to go from a safe haven in the world for Jews to become the most dangerous place for a Jew to live. And in 14 months, they haven't done anything to rectify the reality of that devastation and work to repair this hold covenant. Bringing home the hostages is the most important issue facing Israel today exactly for that reason. Sending our children to the army has always been filled with mixed emotions, proud that they are giving of themselves for the safety of the nation and that they feel a commitment to something much greater than themselves, but it is always accompanied by fears. That fear goes for every single soldier. When my daughters left for the army, on that day that we bid them farewell before they boarded the bus to start basic training, I told them that, as soldiers in uniform, they have a target on their back every time they step out of their base. It didn't matter what their role is in the army, they are automatically a target. We now know that they are also a target inside their bases and worse than that, if they are taken prisoner, we cannot depend on our government to bring them home. How can any parent send their child to the army with the recognition that they may never come home (living or dead) because our government has abandoned the hostages? How can anyone truly feel safe and secure when the government has no such commitment to its population?
  Bringing the hostages home is not a political issue and it is much more than a pure moral issue. It is an existential issue for the future of Israel!
  
  

The Region and the World

• US strikes Houthi targets in Yemen, takes down drones over Red Sea
  Strikes on Iran-backed rebel group comes hours after it launched a missile at Tel Aviv, wounding 16, in the second such attack in two days link

‘There are going to be more,’ Israeli official tells ToI after strikes on Houthis in Yemen

Days after the IDF carried out intense airstrikes against Houthi targets in Yemen, an Israeli official tells The Times of Israel, “There are going to be more attacks.”

“Houthis are now the focus,” says the official.

Yesterday, the US said it struck targets in Yemen’s rebel-held capital, hours after a missile fired by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels struck Tel Aviv, causing injuries. link This is very expected. After the successes against Hizbollah and the fall of Assad of Syria, both Israel and the US see an opportunity to further weaken the Iranian proxies, in particular the Houthis who have wreaked havoc in the Red Sea and cost very large sums of money for world shipping.

 

Personal Stories

  

Avi Hasday, 53: Solar energy exec who loved to go fishing

Murdered by Hamas terrorists on the Zikim Beach on October 7

Avi Hasday, 53, from Ramat Gan, was murdered by Hamas terrorists at the Zikim Beach on October 7.

Avi set out early that Saturday morning to meet up with friends and go fishing along the beach, one of his favorite hobbies. When the rocket fire began, he sought safety in a nearby bomb shelter, but when Hamas terrorists invaded the area they attacked those hiding in the shelter with grenades and gunfire, and Avi was killed. In total, 19 civilians who were on the beach that morning were slain in the attack.

After 10 days with no word, Avi’s family was informed that his body had been found. He was buried in Tel Aviv on October 17. He is survived by his wife, Efrat, their three children, Lia, Sagiv and Amit, his mother, Carmela and sister, Ronit. He was predeceased by his father, Aharon.

Avi grew up in Lod, attending elementary school in the city and high school in nearby Ramle, according to a state eulogy. During his mandatory military service, he served as a helicopter technician in the Air Force, stationed at the Palmahim airbase.

After being released, Avi began working at the Hashmal Yashir company in the field of sales and marketing, staying there for 31 years as a devoted employee. In 2021, he left the company and began working at the Kahane group, managing sales and marketing for its solar energy division.

In 2004, Avi married Efrat, and they had three children, making their home in Ramat Gan. He was a devoted dad, spending weekends with his family when he wasn’t out fishing with his friends — one of his favorite pastimes, and for which he purchased professional equipment.

Avi’s brother-in-law, Ilan, recalled meeting him at age 14 or 15, “young, smiling, calm, but full of energy, charismatic, smart, sharp.” In later years, he wrote, “you met Efrat and together you built an incredible relationship, and established a warm nest and brought Lia, Amit and Sagiv into the world, and you were on cloud nine.”

Ilan recounted times they would go out fishing together, with Avi’s late father. “You and me with a thermos of coffee, some borekas or sandwiches from home, sitting for hours, with lightning in your eyes waiting for a fish… You brought your enjoyment [of fishing] to new heights every time… and ultimately it brought you to your end.”

His wife, Efrat, wrote online about how much he loved fishing, a hobby “that fulfilled you, gave you good energy, it was so fun to see your smile and your love for it, that you made sure to do the thing you loved.”

Through that hobby, she said, “Your life was ended and so was ours. They cut off your life, all the love and the excitement and the fun and the experiences we were supposed to keep having together.”

“Our Avi. You’re a wonderful person with so much action and generosity, made sure nothing was lacking, that everyone would find success in their work and in what they desired,” added Efrat. “You’re an incredible conversationalist, our support system. We always had someone to talk to, you were always attentive to everything and ready with advice. You always aspired to succeed in everything.”

Read more Those We Have Lost stories here.

Dark Legacy - The Abandonment of October 7th Hostages

A Chronology of Abandonment

Danny Elgarat

Brother of hostage Itzik Elgarat. Historian, Jurist, Teacher and Educator. Medal of Valor Recipient.

“Danny, it’s the end, it’s the end...”. These are the words my brother used to describe his abandonment by the State of Israel and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as he was being kidnapped - wounded and bleeding– from his home in Kibbutz Nir Oz.

Prof. Benzion Netanyahu, the father of Benjamin “Mr. Abandonment” Netanyahu, was the personal secretary of Ze’ev Jabotinsky, founder of the Revisionist Zionist movement in the 1920’s, and one of those closest to him. He was known as one of the leading historians in his field. Benzion Netanyahu had three children: Yonatan (Yoni), Benjamin (Bibi), and Ido. All were raised by their family according to strict Revisionist ideology.

The seeds of the calamity that so drastically engulfed the family–and later the entire country - was sown towards the end of the 1950’s, when Dr. Benzion Netanyahu applied for a position at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. His application was rejected. Dr. Netanyahu was deeply hurt and accused a left-leaning establishment of blackballing him on political grounds. Over the years, Benjamin Netanyahu has capitalized on his “victimhood” at the hands of the left in order to incite and unite the extremely large community of other “victims.” Netanyahu has turned victimhood into the mainstay of his rise to power, and later, of his rule. He has used his term of office to lead a divide-and-conquer policy of inciting “victims” against “lefties” and sowing division. Despite becoming a multi-millionaire who lives in Caesarea, he has managed to lure to his side the “victim” from Yeruham. On the Palestinian front, all his actions were aimed at torpedoing any advancement towards a peaceful settlement, in effect condemning Israel to an ongoing conflict.

These are the acts of neglect and abandonment that led to the catastrophic failure of Oct. 7th:

- The decision to strengthen Hamas over the Palestinian Authority.

- The deal releasing captured IDF soldier Gilad Shalit in exchange for 1,027 terrorists, among them Yahya Sinwar.

- A tacit “Dollars for Quiet” agreement with Sinwar and refraining from eliminating him.

- Ignoring the arming and military development of Hamas.

- Creating and promoting the misconception among the Israeli public that Hamas was deterred, thus preventing any discussion. Dissenting voices

were stifled, to the point that the defense minister was fired.

- Spreading the misconception of deterrence through the media.

- Ignoring the growing threat from an ever-stronger Hezbollah on the northern border.
- Surrendering to Itamar “No ceasefire or no government” Ben-Gvir.

- Allowing Iran to become a nuclear threshold state, which could attack Israel undeterred and with no retaliation.

- Neglecting the hostage negotiations, as more and more of them die in Hamas captivity.

- Ignoring the hostages who have returned, and forcing the families of the remaining hostages to take up the campaign for the return of

their loved ones.

- Insisting on maintaining power, even as he is charged in multiple criminal cases.

- Establishing an inciting, propaganda-spreading TV channel.

The abandonment since October 7th is of the worst kind, since it was and is being conducted in full awareness and with full intent. “Danny, it’s the end,” my brother Itzik predicted as he was taken hostage. He was right.

Acronyms and Glossary

COGAT - Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories

ICC - International Criminal Court in the Hague

IJC - International Court of Justice in the Hague

MDA - Magen David Adom - Israel Ambulance Corp

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

PMO- Prime Minister's Office

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

Join my Whatsapp update group https://chat.whatsapp.com/IQ3OtwE6ydxBeBAxWNziB0 
Twitter - @LonnyB58 

Bluesky - @lonny-b.bsky.social