π️Lonny's War Update- October 458, 2023 - January 6, 2025 π️
π️Day 458 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!ΧΧΧ Χ Χ¦ΧΧΧ Χ’Χ Χ©ΧΧ ΧΧΧΧΧ€ΧΧ ΧΧΧΧͺ
Red Alerts - Missile, Rocket, Drone (UAV - unmanned aerial vehicles), and Terror Attacks and Death Announcements
*9:20am - West Bank -
At least 2 Palestinian terrorists carried out deadly West Bank shooting attack
At least two Palestinian terrorists carried out the deadly shooting attack in the West Bank village of al-Funduq, a military source says.
The terrorists opened fire on a bus and two cars that were traveling along Route 55 — which passes through the village — before fleeing the scene in a car.
The IDF says three Palestinian gunmen from the Jenin area in the northern West Bank carried out this morning’s deadly terror shooting attack in the village of al-Funduq.
According to an initial IDF probe the terrorists, armed with assault rifles, first opened fire at a civilian car from a close range, killing two women in their 60s. Then, the gunmen fired at a bus further away, injuring eight people.
As the terrorists were shooting at the bus, an armed civilian opened fire with a handgun at the gunmen, causing them to get back in their car and flee.
While the terrorists were fleeing, they opened fire on another car, killing a police officer in his 40s, according to the IDF’s investigation.
The military says two of the gunmen are known to the defense establishment and have been wanted for involvement in terror activity, while the third is still unidentified. A manhunt is underway.
The IDF has dispatched a large number of forces to search for the gunmen.
Three civilians were killed and seven others were wounded, including the 63-year-old bus driver who is in serious condition, medics say.
One of the victims of this morning’s terror shooting attack in the West Bank village of al-Funduq is named by police as Master Sgt. Elad Yaakov Winkelstein. Winkelstein, 35, a father of two, was an investigator at the Ariel police station.
Two women killed in West Bank terror shooting named as sisters-in-law Rachel Cohen and Aliza Rice
The two women killed in this morning’s terror shooting attack in the West Bank village of al-Funduq are identified as sisters-in-law Rachel Cohen and Aliza Rice.
Cohen, 73, and Rice, 70, from the settlement of Kedumim, were driving together on Route 55 when Palestinian terrorists opened fire on their vehicle, killing them.
MAY THEIR MEMORIES BE A REVOLUTION
*1:25pm - South- Gaza Envelope - Rockets - Sderot, Ibim
Sderot home damaged in rocket attack was hit on two previous occasions
The home hit in this morning’s rocket attack from Gaza had already been damaged by projectiles on two previous occasions, the Ynet news site reports.
The owners tell the site that they had not yet finished repairing the damage from the most recent impact.
Today’s attack caused light damage to the property in the town close to the Gaza border. Another rocket was intercepted while a third hit open ground.
At least 2 Palestinian terrorists carried out deadly West Bank shooting attack
At least two Palestinian terrorists carried out the deadly shooting attack in the West Bank village of al-Funduq, a military source says.
The terrorists opened fire on a bus and two cars that were traveling along Route 55 — which passes through the village — before fleeing the scene in a car.
The IDF says three Palestinian gunmen from the Jenin area in the northern West Bank carried out this morning’s deadly terror shooting attack in the village of al-Funduq.
According to an initial IDF probe the terrorists, armed with assault rifles, first opened fire at a civilian car from a close range, killing two women in their 60s. Then, the gunmen fired at a bus further away, injuring eight people.
As the terrorists were shooting at the bus, an armed civilian opened fire with a handgun at the gunmen, causing them to get back in their car and flee.
While the terrorists were fleeing, they opened fire on another car, killing a police officer in his 40s, according to the IDF’s investigation.
The military says two of the gunmen are known to the defense establishment and have been wanted for involvement in terror activity, while the third is still unidentified. A manhunt is underway.
The IDF has dispatched a large number of forces to search for the gunmen.
Three civilians were killed and seven others were wounded, including the 63-year-old bus driver who is in serious condition, medics say.
One of the victims of this morning’s terror shooting attack in the West Bank village of al-Funduq is named by police as Master Sgt. Elad Yaakov Winkelstein. Winkelstein, 35, a father of two, was an investigator at the Ariel police station.
Two women killed in West Bank terror shooting named as sisters-in-law Rachel Cohen and Aliza Rice
The two women killed in this morning’s terror shooting attack in the West Bank village of al-Funduq are identified as sisters-in-law Rachel Cohen and Aliza Rice.
Cohen, 73, and Rice, 70, from the settlement of Kedumim, were driving together on Route 55 when Palestinian terrorists opened fire on their vehicle, killing them.
MAY THEIR MEMORIES BE A REVOLUTION
Sderot home damaged in rocket attack was hit on two previous occasions
The home hit in this morning’s rocket attack from Gaza had already been damaged by projectiles on two previous occasions, the Ynet news site reports.
The owners tell the site that they had not yet finished repairing the damage from the most recent impact.
Today’s attack caused light damage to the property in the town close to the Gaza border. Another rocket was intercepted while a third hit open ground.
Hostage Updates
- Hostage forum calls for a comprehensive deal that will see all captives freed
Hostage Updates
- Hostage forum calls for a comprehensive deal that will see all captives freed
After a Saudi outlet publishes a list of the 34 hostages to be freed in the first phase of a potential deal, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum calls for an agreement that will see all of the captives released.
“The families of the hostages are shaken and upset by the list published this morning,” the forum says. “We call on the media and the public to show sensitivity and responsibility regarding the publication of this and other such things until a deal is signed, and also during it.”
“The time is ripe for a comprehensive agreement that will return all the hostages – the living for healing, and the murdered and fallen for a proper burial. We are leaving no one behind!” the group says.
The list published by a Saudi outlet this morning does not detail who is alive.
- Hamas says it has approved Israeli list of 34 hostages for possible deal
A chair is left in front of posters with pictures of hostages, who were kidnapped during the deadly October 7 attack on Israel by Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza between Israel and Hamas, in Tel Aviv, Israel, April 26, 2024. . (photo credit:Shannon Stapleton/Reuters)
Last week, Hamas claimed that it cannot reach all of the hostages and will need several days after the ceasefire has already begun to compile the list.
Hamas has approved a list of 34 hostages presented by Israel to be exchanged in a possible ceasefire deal, a group official told Reuters on Sunday.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter, also reiterated that any deal is contingent upon reaching an agreement on an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and a permanent ceasefire. Hamas reportedly stressed the group’s seriousness in seeking to reach a deal as soon as possible as a new round of indirect talks on a Gaza ceasefire resumed in Qatar’s Doha on Friday, according to Hamas senior official Basem Naim.
National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby stated on Friday that the White House would not send representatives to participate in this round of negotiations but that President Biden “has made clear his national security team will be a participant all the way to the very end.” “We’re going to be doing everything we can to see if we can broker a new ceasefire deal again that will get the hostages home,” Kirby said. “So I don’t have any breakthroughs to speak to today or announcements to make about participation physically, but I can tell you that we’re definitely going to stay focused on this.”
'The dynamic has changed'
Last week, Hamas claimed that it cannot reach all of the hostages and will need several days after the ceasefire has already begun to compile the list.
A source with knowledge of the matter told The Jerusalem Post, “Mediators are engaged in a serious and continuous effort to bridge gaps. The dynamic has changed. There is some movement and even some flexibility. But it’s not a done deal.” Link as I said, no deal without ending the war
denies a Reuters report that Hamas approved a list of the 34 hostages it would release in the first stage of a hostage deal.
“As of now, Hamas has not given a list of hostages,” says the Prime Minister’s Office in a statement.
According to Channel 12, Hamas submitted a list, but did not indicate who was alive and who was not.
denies a Reuters report that Hamas approved a list of the 34 hostages it would release in the first stage of a hostage deal.
“As of now, Hamas has not given a list of hostages,” says the Prime Minister’s Office in a statement.
According to Channel 12, Hamas submitted a list, but did not indicate who was alive and who was not.
The list of hostages circulating this morning is an Israeli list sent to Hamas in the past, an Israeli official tells The Times of Israel.
“Hamas hasn’t sent any list,” says the official, adding that Israel hasn’t received formal approval of the list.
Earlier this morning a Saudi outlet published a list of 34 hostages to be freed in the first phase of a potential hostage-ceasefire deal. An unnamed Hamas official said that it would take time for the terror group to determine who was alive.
Saudi report: Israel could grant Hamas leaders immunity if they leave Gaza for good
Israel could grant Hamas leaders immunity and refrain from targeting them abroad if they agree to leave the Gaza Strip and hand over control to independent forces, the Saudi Al-Hadath news outlet reports.
The report comes amid negotiations in Doha for a ceasefire in the 15-month-old war together with the release of the 96 hostages still held captive by Gaza terror groups since the October 7, 2023, assault.
Citing sources from the Israeli delegation to Qatar, Al-Hadath reports that if Hamas were to agree to relinquish its governance of the Gaza Strip and move abroad, Jerusalem would refrain from targeting them once they do.
In place of the terror group, Gaza would be controlled by “an independent Palestinian body” the report states, in coordination with the international community.
An international peacekeeping force, similar to UNIFIL in Lebanon, would be established in this scenario, Al-Hadath asserts, citing the Israeli source, and the US would be responsible for overseeing the implementation of such an agreement.
Smotrich to a Family Member of a Hostage: "We Will Pay Nothing for Bodies; There Was No Abandonment by the State on October 7"
In a meeting with the families of hostages, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich made a shocking statement, asserting, "There was no abandonment" during the tragic events of October 7. He also declared, "I will not pay for bodies," emphasizing that deceased hostages would only be returned through military operations. His surprising remarks left the families stunned, but he insisted, "There was no abandonment here."
During the meeting held last week, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich addressed families of hostages and victims with one of the most extraordinary statements made by a public official since the October 7 disaster: "There was no abandonment. The State of Israel did not abandon anyone."
This statement, which left the families in the room shocked and created a tense silence, was made during discussions about the return of bodies in exchange for terrorists. Smotrich stood firm in his position, stating that he would not agree to any prisoner exchange involving terrorists for the return of hostage remains.
"I ask that you remember everyone, including the fallen," a family member pleaded. Smotrich responded, "I am not willing to pay a price for bodies. Not a single terrorist will be released in exchange for a body. They will be returned through military operations."
One family member reacted, saying, "What do you mean? My daughter was abandoned by the State of Israel. She was kidnapped from within the country’s territory." However, the minister insisted and replied, "There was no abandonment here. The State of Israel did not abandon anyone."
During the television program Uvda, it was revealed that on the morning of the "Black Sabbath" (October 7), Smotrich stated in a meeting at the Ministry of Defense, "In 48 hours, they will call for us to resign because of the failure, and they will be right." This statement exposed the genuine sense of crisis that permeated the political system that morning.
Smotrich's Response:
"At every platform, I make it clear that the state did not abandon anyone, as abandonment implies a deliberate act. What happened on October 7 was a colossal failure that developed over years. It is precisely I, Minister Smotrich, who warned for years about this growing failure." link Smotrich is trying to erase history with his disgusting claim that there was no abandonment. He and Ben Gvir, more than many of the other ministers bear direct responsibility for there being a bare bones positioning of soldiers in Gaza during the Sukkot 2023 holiday. They, together with their fanatical messianic followers set up a Sukkah in the middle of a Palestinian town to show that we, Jews are the bosses and control the entire West Bank. They demanded from Netanayahu and the military establishment a huge amount of security forces in the area to protect the fanatical settlers who were coming to the Sukkah in Hwarwa and many were pulled off the front lines of Gaza to protect this ridiculous, superfluous, instigation and provocation. And Gaza was left without those forces. I need to note that this was not the only reason there were fewer soldiers on the Gaza border but this stupid sukkah in the heart of Palestinian territory was definitely one of the causes. After October 7, the army at first denied that they had sent so many soldiers to the area, but finally admitted that it was done.
And let us never forget that it is both Smotrich and Ben Gvir who are directly responsible for the fact that no deal has been made since November 2023 because of their direct and loud threats to Netanyahu that they would bring down the government if he made a deal. So much blood is on the hands of this evil trio and they have no remorse whatsoever. Quite the opposite, they are proud.
Einav Zangauker, the mother of hostage Matan Zangauker and a prominent voice in the fight to secure a deal for the release of those held captive in the Gaza Strip, is prevented from entering the Knesset for a second week.
She arrives at the Knesset in Jerusalem accompanied by opposition lawmakers but is not permitted to enter.
In a statement, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum demands Zanguaker be permitted to enter the parliament.
“Every family member must be allowed to cry out for themselves and their family members in front of the decision-makers and elected officials who are responsible for the fate of the 100 hostages,” the forum says.
Last week, the Knesset Spokesperson’s Office said Zangauker has, “despite her repeated promises, continued to seriously violate order.” video I have stopped asking how low this government can go because it has no limits. In a normal society with a government that deserves and receives respect from the public, a situation like this could never happen. Einav Zanguaker, the mother of hostage Matan is coming to the Knesset to speak to the lawmakers who are responsible for October 7 and for her son's 15 month captivity with 99 other hostages. They should have all resigned on October 8 but they don't have the moral backbone to have done that, so they remain and they are also responsible for getting our hostages home. But they behave in the most despicable manner and their disgrace knows no limits.
- ‘Don’t leave any hostage behind’: Families beg Trump, government to close deal to bring all 100 captives home
Meirav Leshem Gonen, mother of hostage Romi Gonen, speaking at a hostage family press conference in Tel Aviv on January 6, 2025. (Screenshot: Hostages Forum)
Meirav Leshem Gonen, whose daughter Romi Gonen was taken captive by Hamas terrorists on October 7, 2023, from the Nova rave, begs Israel’s government and US President-elect Donald Trump to make sure that any hostage deal includes all 100 hostages still held in Gaza.
Speaking in English at a press conference at the Hostages Forum headquarters in Tel Aviv, Leshem Gonen directs her comments to Trump:
“You are the most powerful leader in the world… Make sure that the first hostage will come out and also the last one. Please don’t leave any hostage behind, please make sure all hostages are coming back home.”
The press conference comes after a list of 34 names of Israeli hostages held in Gaza who could be released in the first stage of an elusive ceasefire agreement with Hamas was published by a Saudi news outlet earlier today.
Israel swiftly downplayed the roster, saying that it had in fact provided the same list to the mediating countries in July. Hamas has refused to provide information on the state of the hostages, which Israel insists on getting before any agreement moves forward.
Yotam Cohen, twin brother of Nimrod Cohen, an IDF soldier taken captive to Gaza on October 7, compares the idea of a hostage list to the actions of the Nazis during the Holocaust.
“My brother Nimrod and the other men are fighting to stay alive. No one has any right to make them stay and suffer; there should be no selection here of who gets to live or die,” says Cohen.
“We are all living beings. There’s no question of who’s worth more,” he says. “Everyone who was taken hostage has to be given back.”
- ‘This is a crossroads’: Four hostage families call for deal with Hamas to free all hostages, dead and alive
As Hamas purports to name 34 hostages to be freed in a potential ceasefire deal, four hostage family members hold a press conference at the Hostages Forum headquarters in Tel Aviv, calling on the government to bring home all hostages, both alive and dead.
Ayelet Goldin, whose brother Hadar Goldin was killed in Gaza during 2014’s Operation Protective Edge and whose body has never been returned, weeps as she begs the government not to continue its abandonment of the hostage families, and to refrain from picking and choosing which of the remaining 100 hostages would be released in a deal.
“It’s been 3,811 days,” said Goldin, counting since August 1, 2014, when her brother, an IDF soldier, was shot and kidnapped by Hamas terrorists in Gaza.
“This is a crossroads. Understand that there is one goal here, a Jewish, Israeli, international goal to bring them all back and take advantage of this opportunity. Otherwise, all the remaining hostages will become Ron Arad and Hadar Goldin,” referring to her brother and Arad, a still-missing IDF pilot who was taken captive in Syria in 1986.
Goldin and three other hostage family members who speak are standing in front of a list of the hostages bearing their names and ages.
Yaron Or, whose son Avinatan Or, 30, was kidnapped by Hamas terrorists from the Nova rave on October 7, 2023, speaks directly to his son, telling him that the government is leaving him behind, because the fathers, young men and soldiers are not priorities in the hostage lists under discussion.
“There won’t be another deal,” yells Or. “It’s either they all get out now, or Hamas will play with us for years, like they played with Hadar Goldin and other hostages.”
Saudi report: Israel could grant Hamas leaders immunity if they leave Gaza for good
Israel could grant Hamas leaders immunity and refrain from targeting them abroad if they agree to leave the Gaza Strip and hand over control to independent forces, the Saudi Al-Hadath news outlet reports.
The report comes amid negotiations in Doha for a ceasefire in the 15-month-old war together with the release of the 96 hostages still held captive by Gaza terror groups since the October 7, 2023, assault.
Citing sources from the Israeli delegation to Qatar, Al-Hadath reports that if Hamas were to agree to relinquish its governance of the Gaza Strip and move abroad, Jerusalem would refrain from targeting them once they do.
In place of the terror group, Gaza would be controlled by “an independent Palestinian body” the report states, in coordination with the international community.
An international peacekeeping force, similar to UNIFIL in Lebanon, would be established in this scenario, Al-Hadath asserts, citing the Israeli source, and the US would be responsible for overseeing the implementation of such an agreement.
Smotrich to a Family Member of a Hostage: "We Will Pay Nothing for Bodies; There Was No Abandonment by the State on October 7"
In a meeting with the families of hostages, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich made a shocking statement, asserting, "There was no abandonment" during the tragic events of October 7. He also declared, "I will not pay for bodies," emphasizing that deceased hostages would only be returned through military operations. His surprising remarks left the families stunned, but he insisted, "There was no abandonment here."
During the meeting held last week, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich addressed families of hostages and victims with one of the most extraordinary statements made by a public official since the October 7 disaster: "There was no abandonment. The State of Israel did not abandon anyone."
This statement, which left the families in the room shocked and created a tense silence, was made during discussions about the return of bodies in exchange for terrorists. Smotrich stood firm in his position, stating that he would not agree to any prisoner exchange involving terrorists for the return of hostage remains.
"I ask that you remember everyone, including the fallen," a family member pleaded. Smotrich responded, "I am not willing to pay a price for bodies. Not a single terrorist will be released in exchange for a body. They will be returned through military operations."
One family member reacted, saying, "What do you mean? My daughter was abandoned by the State of Israel. She was kidnapped from within the country’s territory." However, the minister insisted and replied, "There was no abandonment here. The State of Israel did not abandon anyone."
During the television program Uvda, it was revealed that on the morning of the "Black Sabbath" (October 7), Smotrich stated in a meeting at the Ministry of Defense, "In 48 hours, they will call for us to resign because of the failure, and they will be right." This statement exposed the genuine sense of crisis that permeated the political system that morning.
Smotrich's Response:
"At every platform, I make it clear that the state did not abandon anyone, as abandonment implies a deliberate act. What happened on October 7 was a colossal failure that developed over years. It is precisely I, Minister Smotrich, who warned for years about this growing failure." link Smotrich is trying to erase history with his disgusting claim that there was no abandonment. He and Ben Gvir, more than many of the other ministers bear direct responsibility for there being a bare bones positioning of soldiers in Gaza during the Sukkot 2023 holiday. They, together with their fanatical messianic followers set up a Sukkah in the middle of a Palestinian town to show that we, Jews are the bosses and control the entire West Bank. They demanded from Netanayahu and the military establishment a huge amount of security forces in the area to protect the fanatical settlers who were coming to the Sukkah in Hwarwa and many were pulled off the front lines of Gaza to protect this ridiculous, superfluous, instigation and provocation. And Gaza was left without those forces. I need to note that this was not the only reason there were fewer soldiers on the Gaza border but this stupid sukkah in the heart of Palestinian territory was definitely one of the causes. After October 7, the army at first denied that they had sent so many soldiers to the area, but finally admitted that it was done.
And let us never forget that it is both Smotrich and Ben Gvir who are directly responsible for the fact that no deal has been made since November 2023 because of their direct and loud threats to Netanyahu that they would bring down the government if he made a deal. So much blood is on the hands of this evil trio and they have no remorse whatsoever. Quite the opposite, they are proud.
Einav Zangauker, the mother of hostage Matan Zangauker and a prominent voice in the fight to secure a deal for the release of those held captive in the Gaza Strip, is prevented from entering the Knesset for a second week.
She arrives at the Knesset in Jerusalem accompanied by opposition lawmakers but is not permitted to enter.
In a statement, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum demands Zanguaker be permitted to enter the parliament.
“Every family member must be allowed to cry out for themselves and their family members in front of the decision-makers and elected officials who are responsible for the fate of the 100 hostages,” the forum says.
Last week, the Knesset Spokesperson’s Office said Zangauker has, “despite her repeated promises, continued to seriously violate order.” video I have stopped asking how low this government can go because it has no limits. In a normal society with a government that deserves and receives respect from the public, a situation like this could never happen. Einav Zanguaker, the mother of hostage Matan is coming to the Knesset to speak to the lawmakers who are responsible for October 7 and for her son's 15 month captivity with 99 other hostages. They should have all resigned on October 8 but they don't have the moral backbone to have done that, so they remain and they are also responsible for getting our hostages home. But they behave in the most despicable manner and their disgrace knows no limits.
Meirav Leshem Gonen, mother of hostage Romi Gonen, speaking at a hostage family press conference in Tel Aviv on January 6, 2025. (Screenshot: Hostages Forum)
Meirav Leshem Gonen, whose daughter Romi Gonen was taken captive by Hamas terrorists on October 7, 2023, from the Nova rave, begs Israel’s government and US President-elect Donald Trump to make sure that any hostage deal includes all 100 hostages still held in Gaza.
Speaking in English at a press conference at the Hostages Forum headquarters in Tel Aviv, Leshem Gonen directs her comments to Trump:
“You are the most powerful leader in the world… Make sure that the first hostage will come out and also the last one. Please don’t leave any hostage behind, please make sure all hostages are coming back home.”
The press conference comes after a list of 34 names of Israeli hostages held in Gaza who could be released in the first stage of an elusive ceasefire agreement with Hamas was published by a Saudi news outlet earlier today.
Israel swiftly downplayed the roster, saying that it had in fact provided the same list to the mediating countries in July. Hamas has refused to provide information on the state of the hostages, which Israel insists on getting before any agreement moves forward.
Yotam Cohen, twin brother of Nimrod Cohen, an IDF soldier taken captive to Gaza on October 7, compares the idea of a hostage list to the actions of the Nazis during the Holocaust.
“My brother Nimrod and the other men are fighting to stay alive. No one has any right to make them stay and suffer; there should be no selection here of who gets to live or die,” says Cohen.
“We are all living beings. There’s no question of who’s worth more,” he says. “Everyone who was taken hostage has to be given back.”
As Hamas purports to name 34 hostages to be freed in a potential ceasefire deal, four hostage family members hold a press conference at the Hostages Forum headquarters in Tel Aviv, calling on the government to bring home all hostages, both alive and dead.
Ayelet Goldin, whose brother Hadar Goldin was killed in Gaza during 2014’s Operation Protective Edge and whose body has never been returned, weeps as she begs the government not to continue its abandonment of the hostage families, and to refrain from picking and choosing which of the remaining 100 hostages would be released in a deal.
“It’s been 3,811 days,” said Goldin, counting since August 1, 2014, when her brother, an IDF soldier, was shot and kidnapped by Hamas terrorists in Gaza.
“This is a crossroads. Understand that there is one goal here, a Jewish, Israeli, international goal to bring them all back and take advantage of this opportunity. Otherwise, all the remaining hostages will become Ron Arad and Hadar Goldin,” referring to her brother and Arad, a still-missing IDF pilot who was taken captive in Syria in 1986.
Goldin and three other hostage family members who speak are standing in front of a list of the hostages bearing their names and ages.
Yaron Or, whose son Avinatan Or, 30, was kidnapped by Hamas terrorists from the Nova rave on October 7, 2023, speaks directly to his son, telling him that the government is leaving him behind, because the fathers, young men and soldiers are not priorities in the hostage lists under discussion.
“There won’t be another deal,” yells Or. “It’s either they all get out now, or Hamas will play with us for years, like they played with Hadar Goldin and other hostages.”
Gaza and the South
- IDF: Islamic Jihad company commander who took part in Oct. 7 killed in northern Gaza
A Palestinian Islamic Jihad company commander who participated in the October 7, 2023, onslaught, was killed by troops during recent operations in northern Gaza’s Jabalia, the IDF says.
According to the military, Saad Said Zaki Dahnon, an Islamic Jihad company commander and the deputy head of the terror group’s rocket division in northern Gaza, was killed in a close-quarters battle with troops of the Givati Brigade.
Dahnon had infiltrated Israel and participated in the October 7 attack, and was also involved in several attacks against troops in the Beit Lahiya area, the IDF says.
A video released by the IDF shows Dahnon and another operative covering themselves in blankets and attempting to approach troops under the cover of darkness and rainy weather.
The IDF says Dahnon was killed, while the second operative surrendered to troops, which can be seen in the video released by the military.
The second operative was carrying an explosive device, and he was taken to Israel for further interrogation, the IDF adds.
A Palestinian Islamic Jihad company commander who participated in the October 7, 2023, onslaught, was killed by troops during recent operations in northern Gaza’s Jabalia, the IDF says.
According to the military, Saad Said Zaki Dahnon, an Islamic Jihad company commander and the deputy head of the terror group’s rocket division in northern Gaza, was killed in a close-quarters battle with troops of the Givati Brigade.
Dahnon had infiltrated Israel and participated in the October 7 attack, and was also involved in several attacks against troops in the Beit Lahiya area, the IDF says.
A video released by the IDF shows Dahnon and another operative covering themselves in blankets and attempting to approach troops under the cover of darkness and rainy weather.
The IDF says Dahnon was killed, while the second operative surrendered to troops, which can be seen in the video released by the military.
The second operative was carrying an explosive device, and he was taken to Israel for further interrogation, the IDF adds.
today, the IDF says it carried out a drone strike against a group of Hamas operatives at a command center in the Israeli-designated humanitarian zone in southern Gaza.
The compound, in the Khan Younis area of the humanitarian zone, was used by the Hamas operatives to plan and carry out attacks against troops in Gaza and against Israel, the military says.
The IDF says a separate strike in the Deir al-Balah area of the humanitarian zone targeted a Palestinian Islamic Jihad operative who had carried out previous attacks from the area.
In both strikes, the IDF says it took steps to mitigate civilian harm.
today, the IDF says it carried out a drone strike against a group of Hamas operatives at a command center in the Israeli-designated humanitarian zone in southern Gaza.
The compound, in the Khan Younis area of the humanitarian zone, was used by the Hamas operatives to plan and carry out attacks against troops in Gaza and against Israel, the military says.
The IDF says a separate strike in the Deir al-Balah area of the humanitarian zone targeted a Palestinian Islamic Jihad operative who had carried out previous attacks from the area.
In both strikes, the IDF says it took steps to mitigate civilian harm.
Northern Israel - Lebanon/Hizbollah/Syria
- Troops find weapons caches in Syria border buffer zone
The IDF says troops of the 810th “Mountains” Regional Brigade operating on the Syrian side of Mount Hermon located several caches of weapons.
During “targeted raids,” the IDF says, the troops searched military buildings and strategic positions in the Hermon area, where they found and destroyed mines, explosive devices, anti-tank missiles, rockets, and launchers.
The IDF says its operations inside Syria, in a UN buffer zone, are aimed at strengthening defenses on the border to protect the residents of the Israeli Golan Heights.
US to ease aid restrictions for Syria in limited gesture to new government — WSJ
As European and Arab leaders rush to meet Syria’s new leader, Israel calls for caution
Ahmed al-Sharaa is hoping to convince the world that he’s left his jihadist past behind, but FM Gideon Sa’ar and other senior officials are not convinced
As Syria’s new government strives to gain international legitimacy after overthrowing the Bashar al-Assad regime, Western countries seem open to giving a chance to the government led by Ahmed al-Sharaa, head of the Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group.
At the same time, Israel is focused on making sure its allies don’t give a free pass to a man who led a brutal jihadist organization.
“It’s too early to believe this rebrand,” an Israeli official told The Times of Israel.
On Friday, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot and his German counterpart Annalena Baerbock became the most senior Western diplomats to visit the Syrian capital since Islamist-led forces toppled longtime ruler Assad last month.
The two diplomats warned Sharaa that the transfer of power must be peaceful and inclusive. “This requires a political dialogue involving all ethnic and religious groups, involving men and equally women,” said Baerbock.
She also told Sharaa that the European Union stood ready to support the transition in Syria but cautioned that “Europe will not finance new Islamist structures.”
Barrot met with Christian leaders in the country to discuss the transition toward a democratic Syria.
In Israel, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar is leading an effort to press the world to treat Sharaa’s government with extreme suspicion, while warning that European countries are too eager to overlook any potential problematic aspects of the new government in order to send back the millions of refugees who have fled the fighting since 2011.
“The world is talking about ‘an orderly change of government in Syria,'” he told a conference last month. “But it’s not like a new government that today controls all of Syria was democratically elected.
“This is a terrorist gang that was previously in Idlib and took over the capital Damascus and other areas. The world would very much like to see them as a new and stable government because the countries want to return the refugees on their territory to Syria. But that’s not the case.”
Sa’ar argued that minorities like Alawites, Kurds, and Christians are threatened by Sharaa’s new government.
“This is an Islamist government that will try to achieve unified control over all of Syria,” he said.
Also last month, Sa’ar’s deputy Sharren Haskel accused Sharaa of being “a wolf in [sheep’s] clothes.” Full article let’s remember that Begin was a terrorist, as was Shamir. In so many countries, the leaders of rebellions who were classified as terrorists become the new political and government leaders following a rebellion and/or independence.
The IDF says troops of the 810th “Mountains” Regional Brigade operating on the Syrian side of Mount Hermon located several caches of weapons.
During “targeted raids,” the IDF says, the troops searched military buildings and strategic positions in the Hermon area, where they found and destroyed mines, explosive devices, anti-tank missiles, rockets, and launchers.
The IDF says its operations inside Syria, in a UN buffer zone, are aimed at strengthening defenses on the border to protect the residents of the Israeli Golan Heights.
US to ease aid restrictions for Syria in limited gesture to new government — WSJ
As European and Arab leaders rush to meet Syria’s new leader, Israel calls for caution
Ahmed al-Sharaa is hoping to convince the world that he’s left his jihadist past behind, but FM Gideon Sa’ar and other senior officials are not convinced
As Syria’s new government strives to gain international legitimacy after overthrowing the Bashar al-Assad regime, Western countries seem open to giving a chance to the government led by Ahmed al-Sharaa, head of the Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group.
At the same time, Israel is focused on making sure its allies don’t give a free pass to a man who led a brutal jihadist organization.
“It’s too early to believe this rebrand,” an Israeli official told The Times of Israel.
On Friday, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot and his German counterpart Annalena Baerbock became the most senior Western diplomats to visit the Syrian capital since Islamist-led forces toppled longtime ruler Assad last month.
The two diplomats warned Sharaa that the transfer of power must be peaceful and inclusive. “This requires a political dialogue involving all ethnic and religious groups, involving men and equally women,” said Baerbock.
She also told Sharaa that the European Union stood ready to support the transition in Syria but cautioned that “Europe will not finance new Islamist structures.”
Barrot met with Christian leaders in the country to discuss the transition toward a democratic Syria.
In Israel, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar is leading an effort to press the world to treat Sharaa’s government with extreme suspicion, while warning that European countries are too eager to overlook any potential problematic aspects of the new government in order to send back the millions of refugees who have fled the fighting since 2011.
“The world is talking about ‘an orderly change of government in Syria,'” he told a conference last month. “But it’s not like a new government that today controls all of Syria was democratically elected.
“This is a terrorist gang that was previously in Idlib and took over the capital Damascus and other areas. The world would very much like to see them as a new and stable government because the countries want to return the refugees on their territory to Syria. But that’s not the case.”
Sa’ar argued that minorities like Alawites, Kurds, and Christians are threatened by Sharaa’s new government.
“This is an Islamist government that will try to achieve unified control over all of Syria,” he said.
Also last month, Sa’ar’s deputy Sharren Haskel accused Sharaa of being “a wolf in [sheep’s] clothes.” Full article let’s remember that Begin was a terrorist, as was Shamir. In so many countries, the leaders of rebellions who were classified as terrorists become the new political and government leaders following a rebellion and/or independence.
- Police forbid anti-war protest, citing expected speeches ‘weakening security forces’
Police have blocked a planned rally in the north demanding an end to the war, for reasons that include expected speeches featuring “incitement” and “weakening the security forces.”
According to Haaretz, the far-left Communist Party of Israel (Maki) filed a request to hold a three-kilometer march in the Arab city of Sakhnin, urging an end to the war and a stronger fight against violent crime in the Arab community.
However, police refused to authorize the demonstration since Israel is in a state of war, since the road where it was set to take place is used by emergency army vehicles and is close to “sensitive security sites,” since intelligence indicated more than the requested 1,000 people were set to attend, and since no municipal approval was presented.
In addition, the police letter stated that “police have material indicating expected speeches of an inciting nature that weakens the security forces.”
It warned the organizers that they would be criminally liable if the protest ended up going ahead. link With the criminal minister Ben Gvir in charge of the police and busy turning it into his personal militia, our expectations of freedom of speech are becoming lower and lower, as we also see the police become more and more violent towards demonstrators against the government as well as those in favor of a deal to release the hostages as the deal will necessitate an end of the war. Neither Netanyahu or his criminal minister want that. That is the more likely reason for not allowing this demonstration, the squash all public opposition to the war.
- Police forbid anti-war protest, citing expected speeches ‘weakening security forces’
Police have blocked a planned rally in the north demanding an end to the war, for reasons that include expected speeches featuring “incitement” and “weakening the security forces.”
According to Haaretz, the far-left Communist Party of Israel (Maki) filed a request to hold a three-kilometer march in the Arab city of Sakhnin, urging an end to the war and a stronger fight against violent crime in the Arab community.
However, police refused to authorize the demonstration since Israel is in a state of war, since the road where it was set to take place is used by emergency army vehicles and is close to “sensitive security sites,” since intelligence indicated more than the requested 1,000 people were set to attend, and since no municipal approval was presented.
In addition, the police letter stated that “police have material indicating expected speeches of an inciting nature that weakens the security forces.”
It warned the organizers that they would be criminally liable if the protest ended up going ahead. link With the criminal minister Ben Gvir in charge of the police and busy turning it into his personal militia, our expectations of freedom of speech are becoming lower and lower, as we also see the police become more and more violent towards demonstrators against the government as well as those in favor of a deal to release the hostages as the deal will necessitate an end of the war. Neither Netanyahu or his criminal minister want that. That is the more likely reason for not allowing this demonstration, the squash all public opposition to the war.
West Bank and Jerusalem and Terror attacks within Israel
Politics and the War (general news)
- Lapid meets barred hostage mom Einav Zangauker outside Knesset, says Ohana won’t take his call on matter
Standing outside the Knesset with Einav Zangauker, the mother of hostage Matan Zangauker, Opposition Leader Yair Lapid accuses Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana of refusing to take his call to discuss her Knesset ban.
Lapid says he does not know of another incident of the Knesset speaker refusing to take the opposition leader’s call, describing it as a “disgrace.”
Last week, Zangauker was prevented from entering the Knesset, with the Knesset Spokesperson’s Office saying that she had “despite her repeated promises, continued to seriously violate order.”
When Zangauker showed up at the Knesset accompanied by opposition lawmakers this morning, she was prevented from entering the Knesset for a second time.
- Lapid meets barred hostage mom Einav Zangauker outside Knesset, says Ohana won’t take his call on matter
Standing outside the Knesset with Einav Zangauker, the mother of hostage Matan Zangauker, Opposition Leader Yair Lapid accuses Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana of refusing to take his call to discuss her Knesset ban.
Lapid says he does not know of another incident of the Knesset speaker refusing to take the opposition leader’s call, describing it as a “disgrace.”
Last week, Zangauker was prevented from entering the Knesset, with the Knesset Spokesperson’s Office saying that she had “despite her repeated promises, continued to seriously violate order.”
When Zangauker showed up at the Knesset accompanied by opposition lawmakers this morning, she was prevented from entering the Knesset for a second time.
12 war crime probes said opened abroad against IDF soldiers since October 7, 2023
Since October 7, 2023, 12 probes have been opened against IDF soldiers abroad over alleged war crimes committed in the Gaza Strip, Channel 12 reports.
The report cites data presented earlier today to a security cabinet subcommittee headed by Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar.
The 12 probes were opened by Brazil, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Belgium, the Netherlands, Serbia, Ireland and Cyprus, the report states. No soldiers were arrested as a result of the probes, but they were told by Israeli authorities to leave the country that had opened the investigation as quickly as possible.
Earlier today, Brazilian media reported that an IDF soldier who survived the October 7 Hamas massacre at the Supernova music festival and who fought in the Gaza Strip had been forced to flee Brazil, after the country’s Federal Court ordered police to open a war crimes investigation on him.
Channel 12 adds that Sa’ar’s subcommittee was also informed of a 104 percent rise in incidents of antisemitism worldwide in the second half of 2024, as well as a 63% rise in online incidents of antisemitism.
12 war crime probes said opened abroad against IDF soldiers since October 7, 2023
Since October 7, 2023, 12 probes have been opened against IDF soldiers abroad over alleged war crimes committed in the Gaza Strip, Channel 12 reports.
The report cites data presented earlier today to a security cabinet subcommittee headed by Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar.
The 12 probes were opened by Brazil, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Belgium, the Netherlands, Serbia, Ireland and Cyprus, the report states. No soldiers were arrested as a result of the probes, but they were told by Israeli authorities to leave the country that had opened the investigation as quickly as possible.
Earlier today, Brazilian media reported that an IDF soldier who survived the October 7 Hamas massacre at the Supernova music festival and who fought in the Gaza Strip had been forced to flee Brazil, after the country’s Federal Court ordered police to open a war crimes investigation on him.
Channel 12 adds that Sa’ar’s subcommittee was also informed of a 104 percent rise in incidents of antisemitism worldwide in the second half of 2024, as well as a 63% rise in online incidents of antisemitism.
The Region and the World
-
Personal Stories
BROKEN DREAMS
Omer Neutra, May His Memory Be a Blessing
Omer dreamed of traveling the world after completing his military service and then studying at a university. He fell in battle on Simchat Torah, 5784.
Eli Sharabi
Eli always wished to dare. He aspires to innovate in every possible way in his business career and elevate it to new heights. He plans to find the right opportunities and achieve his goals with passion and confidence in himself and his colleagues.
Evyatar David
Evyatar dreams of studying music production, becoming a successful DJ at parties, and bringing joy to people.
Omer dreamed of traveling the world after completing his military service and then studying at a university. He fell in battle on Simchat Torah, 5784.
Dark Legacy - The Abandonment of October 7th Hostages
I accuse
Benjamin Netanyahu
Gershon Baskin
Peace activist, played a central role in negotiating
the Gilad Shalit prisoner exchange.
What is Benjamin Netanyahu guilty of? Netanyahu was prime minister
during the October 7th disaster, the worst calamity to have befallen the
State of Israel since its founding. He is responsible for it and should have
resigned that same night. But this shameless man clings to his seat and
will not budge. Therefore, we, the majority of the people of Israel, must
remove him.
My "I accuse" against Netanyahu began many years ago with his strategic
plan to dismantle the Oslo peace process after Yitzhak Rabin's assassination.
It is well known that the incitement that led to Rabin's murder came from
Netanyahu's circles.
But I want to talk about what happened years later - in 2012 and 2013.
Gilad Shalit had been released and I had developed a productive working
relationship with senior Mossad officer David Meidan. I proposed to
Meidan that we promote direct secret talks between Netanyahu and
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas with regard to a two-state
solution. Meidan agreed. I raised the idea with Abbas, who immediately agreed. In a meeting between Meidan and Abbas' advisor, Dr. Mahmoud
Al-Habbash, we reached numerous agreements on the framework for
Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.
Shortly after that meeting, I received a definitive and negative response
from Netanyahu: He was not interested in negotiations with Abbas.
Publicly, Netanyahu spoke about Abbas' refusal to recognize Israel as
a Jewish state, so I went back to Abbas, and together we reached an
agreement on a formula for Palestinian recognition of the State of Israel
as the nation-state of the Jewish people.
In a meeting with MK (Member of the Knesset) Tzachi Hanegbi in the
Knesset cafeteria, I watched as he ate and told him that Abbas had a
formula for recognizing Israel as a Jewish state. Hanegbi burst out
laughing and said, "Gershon, I’m surprised at you! The prime minister
does not want to hear that Abbas has agreed to recognize Israel as a
Jewish state. It’s very convenient for him that there is no such agreement."
That's the whole story. Netanyahu is guilty of torpedoing any chance
for peace with the Palestinian people, and for that, along with his many
other crimes, he must stand trial.
At this critical hour for our continued existence as a nation, with the
threat of a massive and dangerous war in the north, I call for an end to
the hubris on both sides. Dangerous threats lead to disastrous decisions.
The way to end fighting in northern Israel and southern Lebanon is to
end the war in Gaza. The only way to bring all the Israeli hostages home
from Gaza is to end the war in Gaza. Dealing with Hamas can wait; the
hostages cannot. The Netanyahu government is not ready for a deal that
ends the war, and, therefore, the first order of the day is to end the life
of this terrible government.
I accuse
Benjamin Netanyahu
Gershon Baskin
Peace activist, played a central role in negotiating the Gilad Shalit prisoner exchange.
What is Benjamin Netanyahu guilty of? Netanyahu was prime minister during the October 7th disaster, the worst calamity to have befallen the State of Israel since its founding. He is responsible for it and should have resigned that same night. But this shameless man clings to his seat and will not budge. Therefore, we, the majority of the people of Israel, must remove him.
My "I accuse" against Netanyahu began many years ago with his strategic plan to dismantle the Oslo peace process after Yitzhak Rabin's assassination. It is well known that the incitement that led to Rabin's murder came from Netanyahu's circles.
But I want to talk about what happened years later - in 2012 and 2013. Gilad Shalit had been released and I had developed a productive working relationship with senior Mossad officer David Meidan. I proposed to Meidan that we promote direct secret talks between Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas with regard to a two-state solution. Meidan agreed. I raised the idea with Abbas, who immediately agreed. In a meeting between Meidan and Abbas' advisor, Dr. Mahmoud Al-Habbash, we reached numerous agreements on the framework for Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.
Shortly after that meeting, I received a definitive and negative response from Netanyahu: He was not interested in negotiations with Abbas. Publicly, Netanyahu spoke about Abbas' refusal to recognize Israel as a Jewish state, so I went back to Abbas, and together we reached an agreement on a formula for Palestinian recognition of the State of Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people.
In a meeting with MK (Member of the Knesset) Tzachi Hanegbi in the Knesset cafeteria, I watched as he ate and told him that Abbas had a formula for recognizing Israel as a Jewish state. Hanegbi burst out laughing and said, "Gershon, I’m surprised at you! The prime minister does not want to hear that Abbas has agreed to recognize Israel as a Jewish state. It’s very convenient for him that there is no such agreement."
That's the whole story. Netanyahu is guilty of torpedoing any chance for peace with the Palestinian people, and for that, along with his many other crimes, he must stand trial.
At this critical hour for our continued existence as a nation, with the threat of a massive and dangerous war in the north, I call for an end to the hubris on both sides. Dangerous threats lead to disastrous decisions. The way to end fighting in northern Israel and southern Lebanon is to end the war in Gaza. The only way to bring all the Israeli hostages home from Gaza is to end the war in Gaza. Dealing with Hamas can wait; the hostages cannot. The Netanyahu government is not ready for a deal that ends the war, and, therefore, the first order of the day is to end the life of this terrible government.
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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