🎗️Lonny's War Update- October 449, 2023

🎗️Day 449 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

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

*4:30pm yesterday- south- rockets Nirim
A rocket launched from the northern Gaza Strip struck an open area near Sderot a short while ago, the military says.
Sirens had sounded in the border community of Nir Am amid the attack.
There are no reports of injuries or major damage.

*2:10am - IDF: Missile fired from Yemen intercepted before reaching Israel territory

The IDF says that a missile fired from Yemen that triggered sirens in the Jerusalem and Dead Sea areas a short while ago was shot down before it crossed into Israeli territory.
The sirens were activated according to protocol for fear of falling debris, the military adds.
The IDF does not specify whether it was an Israeli or US system that intercepted the missile.
An American missile defense system battery participated in the interception of a Houthi ballistic missile launched at Israel from Yemen early yesterday morning, the first time the system was used since being deployed by the US in Israel in October.
The Houthis, a rebel group that is dedicated to the destruction of Israel and Jews, have launched more than 200 missiles and 170 drones at Israel in the past year, according to the IDF.
Rocket and drone alert sirens triggered by attacks from Yemen have sent millions of Israelis running for shelter in the middle of the night almost every night for the past 10 days.
Alert area

*4:15pm - all over south and Jerusalem Areas - 2 rockets launched from central Gaza to Jerusalem - both intercepted - no injuries

Hostage Updates
יום הולדת 24 לחטוף אביתר דוד
Today is Aviatar David's 24th Birthday - his second in Hamas captivity
Taken captive: Eviatar David, IDed in a Hamas photo on Telegram
The 23-year-old from Kfar Saba was at the Supernova rave with friends on October 7

Eviatar David, 23, was taken captive by Hamas terrorists on October 7 from the Supernova desert rave.
As his family woke up to sirens on that Shabbat morning, they texted with David, who wrote that the party was being closed down because “they are bombarding the party,” he wrote.
At the time, his family wasn’t sure what he meant.
After they were in contact with the parent of one of David’s friends who was with him at the party, they heard about Hamas terrorists attacking the party, shooting and killing partygoers.
They later found out that David’s friend had been killed.
As David stopped answering his phone, his family wondered what would be better, if he were killed or kidnapped, his sister Yeela told Ynet.
The family frantically searched on social media to find any sign of life of David, and then Yeela received a message from an unknown number with a photo.
The text said that David had been identified in a Hamas photo on Telegram.
“We looked and saw that it was him,” said Yeela in the Ynet interview. “And that’s how we figured out that Eviatar is a captive in Gaza. Through Telegram.”
In the photo, David’s face can be seen clearly with a flashlight being shone on him, said his sister. Another photo put up later by Hamas shows him with his hands tied onto the shoulders of a terrorist who has a gun.
“That was shocking,” said Yeela.
The army later confirmed that David had been taken hostage in Gaza.
Several days later, the family was visited by friends of David who survived the party and came to speak to them at their Kfar Saba home, said Yeela in a Kan video.
The friends said that during the party, they all stood in a circle and spoke about how good life is and how good their lives are, said Yeela.  link
'Never have I seen a person so terrified': Family releases video of Evyatar David being kidnapped
Family members of hostage Evyatar David released videos showing his terror after his abduction on October 7, highlighting his distress.
On Sept 6, 2024, Family members of the hostage Evyatar David released a video of David received from Hamas shortly after he was taken hostage on October 7, N12 reported on Friday.
"Never have I seen a person so terrified," N12 quoted David's family saying. The family noted they had expected an execution video rather than a video confirming he was taken hostage.
The video begins by showing David, wearing a torn shirt, being hit by a gun's stock while his arms are handcuffed and behind his back on a pick-up truck, presumably inside the Gaza Strip.  link

Five demonstrators protesting for the release of the hostages are arrested outside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s home in Jerusalem.
20 people gathered outside the home early in the morning calling out with loudspeakers to the premier that the hostages are suffering in Hamas tunnels in winter “cold, tortured and sick” while he’s hunkered down in his protected home, Channel 12 reported.
They also chanted that his wife was being investigated by police and his son was avoiding reserve duty at a time of war by living in Miami.
“Everything is closing in on you. We the people will not forget and will not forgive,” they shouted.
They also banged on drums and blew horns.
The report says that they dispersed after some 20 minutes and as they left several were stopped by police and detained for questioning at a nearby police station.
Police say they were held for violating noise restrictions.  video of the demonstration

Gaza and the South

Overnight, the IDF’s Gaza Division with the Nahal Brigade launched a new operation against Hamas in Beit Hanoun in the Strip’s north, the military says.
The IDF says the operation is being carried out “following intelligence information about the presence of terrorists and terror infrastructure in the area, and as part of the effort to ensure the security of the residents of the border communities.”
Before troops entered the area, Israeli fighter jets and artillery forces carried out numerous strikes in the area, targeting groups of Hamas operatives and sites used by the terror group, according to the military.
The IDF says it is enabling civilians who have not yet evacuated the area to do so.
The Nahal Brigade was withdrawn this week from southern Gaza’s Rafah after seven months, and has handed over the area to the Kiryati Brigade.
IDF denies Hamas claims troops stormed, set fire to Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza

After rocket attack, IDF issues urgent evacuation warning for Gaza’s Beit Hanoun
Following the long-range rocket fire from Gaza, the military issues an urgent evacuation warning to civilians in the Strip’s far north, where the projectiles were launched from.
Col. Avichay Adraee, the IDF’s Arabic-language spokesman, publishes a map showing areas the military has previously called to evacuate.
“Urgent warning to all those who have not yet evacuated the area marked on the map, specifically the Beit Hanoun area. This area has been warned many times in the past. You must evacuate the area immediately and move south towards Salah a-Din road. Moving via another road exposes you to danger,” Adraee says.
The two long-range rockets were fired from Beit Hanoun, less than a day after the military launched a new offensive against Hamas there. The terror group has previously fired rockets from areas where the IDF advances in order to prevent the military from capturing them.
The IDF has operated in Beit Hanoun several times since the beginning of the war, though it has not managed to reach every last rocket in Hamas’s possession.

Northern Israel - Lebanon/Hizbollah/Syria

IDF releases footage from demolished Hezbollah tunnel in southern Lebanon
The IDF releases footage from a tunnel belonging to Hezbollah’s elite Radwan force which was recently discovered and demolished in southern Lebanon.
The military says the 100-meter-long underground passage was used by Hezbollah to store numerous weapons, surveillance equipment, and other military gear.
The tunnel also led to a Hezbollah command center, where the IDF says it found rocket launchers used in previous attacks on Israel, alongside numerous explosive devices.
After the tunnel was cleared of threats and investigated, combat engineers demolished it.
The IDF is still deployed to southern Lebanon, and it has until late January to withdraw under the ceasefire deal. video
The Strikes on the Syria-Lebanon Border and the Air Force Commander's Warning: "We Will Not Tolerate This"

The IDF continues its operations in southern and deep Lebanon, with fighter jets targeting infrastructure used for smuggling weapons this morning. Major General Tomer Bar warned: "They are trying to test our enforcement of the agreements." On the ground, the IDF is working to neutralize threats in southern Lebanon, discovering terror infrastructure inside a pharmacy.

The Air Force Commander, Major General Tomer Bar, stated today (Friday) that Israel is determined to respond to violations of the ceasefire agreement with Lebanon. "They are trying to test our enforcement of the agreements," Bar said following the Air Force's strikes on the Syria-Lebanon border. Meanwhile, IDF forces continue to neutralize threats and destroy terrorist targets in southern Lebanon.

This morning, the IDF struck infrastructure used for smuggling weapons on the Syria-Lebanon border. "In response to the ongoing arms buildup, this morning we struck seven crossing points along the Syria-Lebanon border," explained the Air Force Commander. "We understand they are testing us, trying to reintroduce weapons. They are attempting to see how far we enforce the agreements."

Bar added: "It starts with weaponry reaching Beirut and the Beqaa Valley, followed by civilians approaching Shiite villages—we must not tolerate this."

The crossings targeted in the strikes were being used to transfer weapons from Syria to Hezbollah. The IDF spokesperson described: "The Hezbollah terror organization uses civilian infrastructure to carry out terrorist activities and transfer weapons intended for attacks against Israeli civilians."

The spokesperson further stated: "The IDF will continue to act to eliminate any threat to the State of Israel, in accordance with the ceasefire agreement's terms."

Meanwhile, the IDF's Brigade Combat Team 226 continues its operations to neutralize threats in southern Lebanon. The IDF spokesperson clarified that "the ongoing operations are conducted while maintaining the understandings between Israel and Lebanon."

During the operation, forces discovered numerous weapons, including explosives, explosive devices, RPG rockets, and rifles, hidden in civilian structures such as a pharmacy. Additionally, the forces located rocket launchers aimed at Israeli territory and a truck equipped with 40 rocket launch tubes. All the weaponry was confiscated and destroyed. link

West Bank and Jerusalem and Terror attacks within Israel

Three Palestinian farmers said wounded in attack by settlers

A wounded Palestinian man is seen after allegedly being attacked by settlers in the West Bank village of Silwad. (Silwad municipality)
Three Palestinian farmers were attacked and wounded by settlers in the village of Silwad in the West Bank, the human rights group Yesh Din says.
The group says the men were attacked while working on private land. Several vehicles were also damaged.
Yesh Din says the attackers came from a new settler outpost recently established nearby.
Pictures from the scene showed armed masked men confronting the farmers.

Politics and the War (general news)

Exposure: The Air Force's Failures in the October 7 Debacle

The widespread criticism directed at the Israeli Air Force (IAF) following the events of Black Saturday has culminated in an official investigation, whose findings will be presented to the IDF Chief of Staff in the coming days. A key failure highlighted by the investigation involves a helicopter that hovered over the Nova music festival for 30 minutes, identified a convoy of Toyota vehicles carrying Nukhba operatives, but did not open fire. The aircrew defended themselves, claiming a lack of sufficient initiative.

The official IAF investigation into the October 7 debacle revealed alarming shortcomings in the force's performance on that grim Saturday. Last night (Thursday), several of the investigation's findings were revealed in the central broadcast, with the central failure being a helicopter that hovered over the Nova festival near Re’im for half an hour without firing at a convoy of Toyota trucks carrying Nukhba operatives, despite identifying them.

According to the investigation, the intelligence officer of the Gaza Division’s northern brigade directed a combat helicopter to the festival area. The helicopter’s mission was to locate the tank behind which about 50 festivalgoers were hiding and eliminate the terrorists in the area to rescue the civilians.

The helicopter crew failed to locate the tank but identified the terrorists. Although they assessed that it was a Nukhba unit, they refrained from firing because they were not entirely certain. The helicopter then moved on to other missions. Those same terrorists proceeded to massacre the festivalgoers and later joined the attack on Kibbutz Be’eri.

Another failure revealed in the investigation concerns some of the IAF fighter jets, which were sent to the north to protect gas rigs. Two of these jets were equipped with hybrid armaments (air-to-air and air-to-ground). After completing their mission, instead of immediately heading to the Gaza envelope with full armament to participate in strikes, they landed at a base to rearm and only then returned for additional sorties.

Additional Failure Not Attributed Directly to the Air Force
The Combined Operations Directorate, responsible for airlifting special forces and later infantry units to combat zones, failed to operate efficiently. Most forces did not receive the necessary assistance and resorted to makeshift solutions. The investigation found that the directorate operated slowly and directed most forces to areas without significant combat. The responsibility for this failure, according to the investigation, lies with the Operations Directorate and Southern Command.

There is significant disagreement about the Air Force’s actions during the critical morning hours of that fateful day. The Gaza Division requested strikes near the barrier, while Southern Command requested attacks deep within Gaza. It wasn’t until 11:00 a.m. that Southern Command Commander Maj. Gen. Yaron Finkelman called the Air Force commander and instructed him to focus strikes near the barrier rather than deeper into the Gaza Strip.

The Air Force investigation noted that in most cases, there were no ground forces to guide airstrikes, and for much of the time, there was no clear operational picture. Nine minutes after the attack began, the Air Force issued the "Perech Pleshet" order—a directive to automatically destroy dozens of predetermined targets without requiring prior guidance. However, during the critical hours of that day, most of these targets were not attacked.

Aircrew Voices: Lack of Initiative
Last Wednesday, a conference of hundreds of aircrew members was held, during which pilots raised serious issues and criticized the perceived stifling of initiative and operational proactivity within the Air Force. While the IAF acknowledged that they neutralized numerous targets despite lacking a comprehensive operational picture, they admitted that the level of initiative fell short of expectations.

IDF Spokesperson's Response:
"The goal of the Air Force investigation is to learn and draw lessons for future operations. Once finalized, the findings will be transparently presented to the public." link

The battalion commander who has been fighting in Gaza for over a year: "Sometimes the fighting clashes with the mission to rescue the hostages."

Lieutenant Colonel Oz Meshulam, commander of Battalion 931, is finishing his role as the Nahal Brigade withdraws from Gaza for the first time since the start of the ground maneuver. While managing a sniper incident in Sha'abura, he explains to ynet why he keeps his soldiers on a tight leash, doesn't allow them to shower or live in container shelters, and why Hamas cannot be defeated in a year—especially "not with drones and binoculars." He also provides rare footage: commanding a sniper incident under ynet cameras.

Less than five minutes after arriving at the headquarters of Battalion 931 of the Nahal Brigade, a Hamas sniper emerges from an underground hideout 800 meters away and fires at soldiers operating in the ruins of Sha'abura neighborhood in Rafah. According to the initial radio report, there are no injuries, but Lt. Col. Meshulam gives the green light to pursue the sniper, who took advantage of an opportunity to target a stuck D9 bulldozer that required rescue. This operational vulnerability often attracts militants to emerge from undiscovered tunnels, quickly carve a hole in an upper floor wall to gain double cover, and snipe. Alongside explosive devices, this has been the primary threat to Meshulam's soldiers in recent months as they hold the Philadelphi Route sector.

"The shooting is from the east," the company commander reports on the radio. Meshulam immediately gives orders to all forces: "Direct the Zik drone [attack UAV] quickly to the eastern route, ensure proper spacing in your deployment. Goliath, conduct an aggressive patrol with the tanks immediately toward the Martyrs’ Square. Watch your heads; the sniper is active. Conduct a rapid angle analysis to determine where he fired from. Prepare a fire target on the Iron sector and 10. We’re in the middle of an event—everyone stay sharp."

Tanks begin shelling suspected targets. "Angles," referring to potential sniper firing positions, are swiftly analyzed by experienced commanders—pinpointing the exact building, floor, and window from which an attacker could fire, even if forces have already operated on that street. Meshulam demands an aerial fighter jet scan the area: "Conduct scans and locate the firing slit." He operates with composure, as though this routine action is second nature after hundreds of similar incidents in the past year. The "Meshua" system projects real-time aerial imaging of the event's neighborhood and streets, with troop positions marked. Taking the radio, he orders: "The shooting is from the dense area of the Roma route. Your mission is to confirm enemy presence there, locate escapees, report visual confirmation, and proceed as required. Ma'il—fire mortars on the Tokyo sector, suppressive fire, heads down. Up to three shells. On the aggressive patrol, stay sharp for potential engagements. I want a flash bomb on 3030; we've identified an accurate angle of fire."

Amidst this chaos, a high-ranking visitor is expected: Deputy Chief of Staff Major General Amir Baram is scheduled to visit Meshulam's sector. Meshulam considers postponing the visit slightly until the situation is under control, but Baram likely wouldn't want to miss such an experience.

The circle closes on the sniper who emerged in the early afternoon, ending with his elimination by an airstrike later. The soldiers work like clockwork, an assembly line that never stops: weekly mission plans, attacks, raids, and ambushes daily, advancing and clearing another street, another section of Rafah. This occurs about six months after the Philadelphi Route was seized and four months after the IDF declared the defeat of Hamas’ local brigade.
In the southernmost corner of the Gaza Strip, overshadowed by the numerous arenas that have upended the Middle East and sent the IDF as far as Syria, Nahal Brigade fighters remain tasked with holding the 14 kilometers stretching from Kerem Shalom to the new coastal outpost on the ruins of the Rafiah Yam settlement. Soon, they will complete their mission here, likely to be replaced by the Kfir Brigade, which is shedding its reputation as a West Bank security brigade as it descends from operations in Jabalia.
The Nahal fighters will return to something they haven’t done since October 6, 2023: routine security duties in Judea and Samaria. That’s the theater they departed from on that horrific morning, heading to the Gaza envelope, where they have been fighting ever since. If you will, this marks a stabilization of the conflict in Gaza—a war that, in practice, has been over for some time on the ground, despite the rhetoric of politicians and the media. The transfer of a regular infantry brigade from Gaza to routine security in the West Bank is yet another indicator.

A Battalion Commander Who Dismissed 30 Soldiers

Lieutenant Colonel Oz Meshulam, 35, from the Jezreel Valley, will also conclude his role. He is one of the few battalion commanders who has fought exclusively in the Gaza theater since the war began. He barely saw his four-year-old son, Ilai, during this time, and in February, at the height of the fighting, his second son, Harel, was born.

The Philadelphi Route he will leave behind is unrecognizable compared to when he arrived mid-year. The IDF has paved a meticulously marked new road along it, complete with signs and reporting line markers. Hundreds of buildings from Rafah's adjacent neighborhoods have been flattened to widen the route by 3-4 kilometers, similar to the expansion of the northern Netzarim corridor. A Cellcom antenna has even been installed, and comfortable outposts for soldiers have been established. Some troops can now move without helmets and vests.

Lt. Col. Meshulam has gained a reputation as a tough commander, having dismissed around 30 soldiers for disciplinary issues out of the 1,500 who have served in the battalion since the October 7 massacre. He is notably reluctant to let his troops sleep in the comfortable container housing set up in the area. Only a company stationed in the rear sector enjoys this privilege. The rest sleep in “rotating positions,” meaning Gazan buildings the IDF has captured. “I’ve swapped about 17 battalion headquarters here,” he notes.

While he permits soldiers to use cell phones, it’s limited to one hour per day, and carrying phones during operations is strictly forbidden. Over the past 14 months, he has lost 18 soldiers and officers, including two company commanders, and has personally investigated every incident. More than 100 soldiers from his battalion have been injured, but 75% managed to return to duty. There are few commanders in IDF history who have fought as continuously as he has, 14 months without a break, deep in enemy territory.

"No Showers for 40-50 Days"

“Most of my soldiers here haven’t showered for 40-50 days,” he explains his strictness. “Maybe it’s a scar from October 7. I prefer a soldier who comes home filthy after 50 days without a shower over one who showers daily but becomes confused and loses operational discipline—putting their life at risk. We try to balance it. We have refreshment days (with massages, pedicures, and gourmet meals for the soldiers), home leave every 35 days for three days, three extended leaves since the war began, and better food than at the start. But operational discipline comes first because it keeps us sharp. I’m not willing to risk soldiers' lives just to make them like me.”

What about the trash piles, the cats, the filth? What would a soldier’s parents think seeing how their child lives?

“We put a lot of effort into the soldiers’ sanitary conditions. Inside the buildings, it’s different. Cleanliness and hygiene are strictly maintained; otherwise, there’d be illnesses, especially in winter. We have generators for heating and lighting, morning inspections, beds, and mattresses. You saw my room—it’s tidy and livable because I clean it daily. Soldiers know that if they don’t maintain cleanliness, they’ll live in filth, and no one wants that. Three times a week, we bring in hot meals to keep morale high. But I don’t want my soldiers too comfortable; that’s when bad things happen in bursts.”

Addressing Mental Struggles

Some soldiers have expressed psychological struggles and complained about excessive rigidity. Your unit rarely releases soldiers.

“I work closely with our mental health officer. True, he’s overwhelmed, but he decides who is fit to keep fighting and who needs to step back. Soldiers see mental health officers. We also need personnel for headquarters, the brigade, and there are fighters who transitioned to rear positions. 2024 was a strange year; in 2025, I believe things will stabilize.”

Breaking Myths About Rafah

During a tour of the 300 pulverized buildings in Sha’abura, I ask him if Rafah is a bottomless pit and whether his replacements in a year will also find militants, tunnels, and RPGs here. Like other field commanders, Meshulam seeks to dispel public myths, spins, and fantasies

“You can’t eliminate a terror army built over 20 years, virtually unchecked, in just one year,” he states. “We’re working systematically. Beneath where you’re standing, we recently found a subterranean base the size of a shopping mall. Rafah has a metro network of over 10 kilometers of tunnels, none crossing into Sinai. We’re demolishing the structures above and the tunnels below so militants have nowhere to return to. We can then identify and eliminate them from the air. In 90% of the buildings we’ve destroyed, we found weapons or traps. Just last month, we neutralized over 40 militants attempting to emerge from breaches. They hit us where we make mistakes, which is why soldiering discipline is critical—maintaining spacing and avoiding exposure, especially against small guerrilla cells trying to harass us here.”

Progress and Challenges

Some Nahal forces are already reaching Khan Yunis, the largest city in Gaza, where the IDF hasn’t conducted ground operations in over six months. On a clear day, one can see the sprawling displaced persons’ tent city stretching from Mawasi to Deir al-Balah and Nuseirat. Meshulam’s troops improve weekly, developing new tactics and combat innovations—simple cameras yielding significant results, traps luring militants out of breaches. While Hamas’s Rafah commander, Muhammad Sha’abaneh, is still alive, the organization’s command-and-control capabilities in the area are nonexistent. Thousands of its fighters and leaders have retreated, likely to Khan Yunis. link

Poll: Plurality of Israelis think reason for no hostage deal is PM’s fear coalition will collapse
Channel 12 airs a survey showing that 47 percent of Israelis believe the reason there has yet to be another hostage deal is due to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s fear that such an agreement will lead to the collapse of his government.
Forty-three percent of respondents say that Hamas’s intransigence is the main reason. Ten percent of respondents say they’re unsure about the reason for the lack of a deal.
Netanyahu’s far-right coalition partners have threatened to bring down the government if he agrees to the kind of hostage deal currently under discussion.
Repeated polls have indicated that a majority of Israelis back ending the war in exchange for the release of the remaining 100 hostages in Gaza — a tradeoff Netanyahu has rejected, arguing that it would allow for Hamas to reconstitute.

The Region and the World

In first, US THAAD system deployed in Israel participated in last night’s Houthi missile interception
An American missile defense system battery that was deployed by the US in Israel in October participated in the interception of a Houthi ballistic missile launched at Israel from Yemen overnight.
The THAAD, or Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system, was used to try to intercept a projectile from Yemen sometime during the last 24 hours, and an analysis would determine its success, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters.
It is the first time that the THAAD system deployed in Israel has been used.
Footage posted to social media shows the THAAD system launching an interceptor amid the Houthi attack. “18 years I’ve been waiting for this,” an American soldier can be heard saying in the clip. Video
The IDF said the Houthi missile was intercepted by air defenses, without specifying if it was an Israeli or American system.
The THAAD battery was deployed in Israel following Iran’s October 1 ballistic missile attack on Israel.

Personal Stories

More than a year has passed since October 7, and still, 100 hostages remain in Hamas captivity in Gaza. With each person who was kidnapped, a dream was also taken—small dreams, big dreams, dreams of life. The families, friends, and loved ones of the hostages have shared with us the future plans of their dear ones—some of which can no longer be fulfilled.

**Alon Ahel**

Alon dreams of starting his adult life—moving to the big city, working, and studying. He plans to rent an apartment with friends and work at a luxury car dealership, inspired by his love for vehicles. As a pianist, he also wants to take a few music courses at the Rimon School of Music. He is torn between studying economics and pursuing music.

**Inbar Hyman**

Inbar’s dream was to return to India, travel the continent, meet people, paint and create, spread light and love—and enjoy the freedom. In December 2023, her family was informed that she had been murdered.

Keith Segal

Keith’s biggest dream is to stand under the Chupa at the wedding of his daughter Shir and her fiancé Yuval. A few weeks before October 7, the couple told their families that they decided to get married and since that moment, the family has been eagerly awaiting the happy day.

**Itay Chen**

Itay loved driving fast. He dreamed of seeing the Formula 1 race with his own eyes—and one day driving a race car himself. Itay fell in battle at Nahal Oz on October 7.

Broken Dreams

Dark Legacy - The Abandonment of October 7th Hostages

That Man
Eyal Megged
Author.

That man, whom I once considered a friend, has become - to my horror - our nemesis. That man, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, is now our greatest enemy.
I asked him at the beginning of the war - a war which started under circumstances he is chiefly responsible for - to beat his chest, to apologize to the people of Israel, to beg our collective forgiveness and to vacate his seat. I had not realized that his plans were far more grandiose, that he was determined to destroy the state itself. I could not fathom the fact that his mind was made up to go down in history as the one who turned off the lights, leaving the shadow of death in his wake.
Make no mistakes. Every step he takes, every decision he makes, is based on lies and falsehood. But his deceptions are not meant to keep him in charge of our common homeland. That, too, is a feint. His true purpose is to demolish our home.
His fiendish plan is quickly coming to fruition. What we are witnessing during these horrible days is a campaign of revenge. He is exacting his revenge upon a people which he despises and which he does not deserve. And upon a country which he loves only conditionally, just as long as it is an asset to his name, handing him the only things he truly cherishes - power and control. When suddenly the ground begins to shake under his feet, there is nothing and no one he would not abandon. Shameless, lacking a conscience, he will sacrifice in cold blood the lives of young soldiers merely to postpone facing his comeuppance. And if we cannot stop him, what we have seen so far is merely a promo to his sacrificing the entire country to protect himself.
When I watched him gleefully laughing in parliament on the very same day that four families lost their sons - and their entire world - in Gaza, I was stunned. It was a gloating laugh, a chortle of his total victory over us. It was the laughter of Nero watching Rome go up in flames.
I know now that the lunatic is running the asylum. That he is determined. That he is acting on a plan, a plan to leave nothing behind except his legacy as the greatest nemesis we have ever known. One who stands in line with each one of our oppressors, no exceptions.
His laughter echoes through the homes of the grieving and the bereaved; the homes of the families of the hostages he has forsaken, their blood on his hands. It echoes between the charred walls of the burning towns and villages in the north, and in the ruins of the south. We can all hear the echoes of his laughter, we who grieve those already dead and the impending demise of our homeland, condemned to death under this man.
If we want to avert the nightmare hurtling towards us, it is our sacred duty to replace That Man.

Acronyms and Glossary

COGAT - Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories

ICC - International Criminal Court in the Hague

IJC - International Court of Justice in the Hague

MDA - Magen David Adom - Israel Ambulance Corp

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

PMO- Prime Minister's Office

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

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