Red Alerts - Missile, Rocket, Drone (UAV - unmanned aerial vehicles), and Terror Attacks and Death Announcements
*11:20am - south - IDF says one rocket fired from Gaza at Kerem Shalom border area intercepted; no injuries reported
One rocket launched from the southern Gaza Strip at the Kerem Shalom area was intercepted by air defenses, the military says.
Sirens had sounded in the border community of Kerem Shalom amid the attack.
There are no reports of injuries or damage.
Hostage Updates
CIA chief: Hostage talks are quite serious, giving us a chance for a deal in next 2 weeks
CIA Director William Burns says the Israeli hostages and Palestinian civilians are all living in “hellish conditions” in Gaza right now, adding urgency to the ongoing ceasefire negotiations in which he is involved on behalf of the United States.
Burns is asked in an interview on NPR’s ‘All Things Considered,’ who is to blame for the lack of a ceasefire deal to date.
While Biden on Thursday blamed Hamas, Burns avoids doing so and sidesteps the question entirely.
“At this point, I still think there’s a chance [for a deal, but] I’ve learned the hard way not to get my hopes up,” he begins.
“We’ll certainly — in this administration — work very hard at that right up until January 20, and I think the coordination with the new administration on this issue has been good.”
“The thing that I always remember is that this is not just an abstraction… It’s about human beings. It’s about hostages held in hellish conditions. It’s about their families with whom I meet regularly,” he continues. “And it’s about Gazan civilians who are also in hellish conditions right now and suffering terribly, especially through this winter.”
“There’s every reason for political leaders to recognize that enough is enough, that perfect is rarely on the menu in the Middle East. and that it’s time to make a deal,” Burns adds.
“Negotiations going on right now are quite serious and do offer the possibility, at least, of getting this done in the next couple of weeks,” he says.
Hamas’ Al-Qassam Brigades: Most Zionist Prisoners in Gaza’s North Now Missing
A senior official from Hamas’ military wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, stated in an interview with Al-Jazeera that most Israeli prisoners in the northern Gaza area are now considered missing due to ongoing Israeli enemy aggression. The official emphasized that the brigades had repeatedly warned about the consequences of Israeli occupation actions in Gaza.
The Al-Qassam official criticized Zionist Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Israeli occupation military, accusing them of avoiding accountability for the fate of their soldiers. He reaffirmed that the brigades hold the Israeli enemy government and military fully responsible for the lives of the prisoners.
For the 98th consecutive day, northern Gaza remains under a severe Israeli siege, with continuous air and artillery bombardment isolating the region from the rest of Gaza.
Zionist Families Urge Swift Negotiations
The warnings from a senior Al-Qassam leader come at a time when the families of Zionist prisoners in Gaza issued a statement saying, “It would have been possible to return Youssef and Hamza Al-Zayadna alive if an agreement had been reached earlier.” link
Hamas agreed unresolved issues can be pushed off until later phase of ceasefire
A Hamas source tells the Qatari newspaper al-Araby al-Jadeed that the terror group has agreed to put off several unresolved points of contention with Israel until a later phase of the proposed ceasefire-for-hostage deal, if the next stages are implemented without delay and as required.
The source says Egyptian, Qatari and American mediators backed Hamas’s latest message to Israel in the negotiations, and that Cairo showed flexibility about agreeing to have the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Philadelphi Route along the Gaza-Egypt border take place at a later stage.
Additionally, the source says that since talks began, they are now “at the closest point [yet] to completing the agreement,” adding that Hamas and mediators are expecting a response from Israel to the Palestinian terrorist organization’s proposal in the coming hours. Israel has maintained it won’t agree to any ceasefire that prevents it from resuming fighting, as the three-phase deal would ultimately require.
High-level delegation to Doha, if okayed, to include Mossad, Shin Bet chiefs, IDF point man on hostage deal
A senior Israeli official is quoted as saying that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to decide this evening whether the progress made in hostage talks in Qatar today justifies sending a high-level delegation to Doha to try to close a deal with the Hamas terror group.
Israeli journalist Barak Ravid reports that the delegation would include Mossad chief David Barnea, Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar and Maj. Gen. Nitzan Alon, the IDF’s point man in the negotiations for a hostage-ceasefire deal in Doha.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is leaning toward giving Mossad chief David Barnea the green light to travel to Doha tonight to join talks to secure a deal to free hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, according to Hebrew media reports.
Channel 13 news quotes two sources involved in the negotiations as saying that Netanyahu’s likely decision comes amid “general cautious progress” in the talks with mediators in Qatar.
A senior Israeli official says the high-level delegation will depart in the next 24 hours if Netanyahu decides to give the go-ahead, the network adds.
The report notes that Hamas has still not provided a list of living hostages to Israel.
Israeli analyst Ben Caspit cites sources close to the mediators as saying that Barnea has already been given the green light to travel to Qatar.
“He will leave in the coming hours or Saturday night. Unless there is a last-minute change, of course,” Caspit writes in a post on X.
The reports come after officials in Washington expressed cautious optimism yesterday about the prospects of closing a hostage-ceasefire deal in Gaza before the end of US President Joe Biden’s term. CIA Director William Burns assessed the ongoing negotiations in Doha as “quite serious,” while White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said he believes a hostage deal is possible before January 20.
Hebrew media has reported that the Mossad chief joining the talks is a key sign of real progress towards closing a deal to free 94 of the 251 hostages abducted by Hamas on October 7 still held in Gaza.
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.
Gaza and the South
IDF to remain along Philadelphi Route until end of ceasefire’s last phase — report
Israeli soldiers patrol along the Philadelphi corridor in the Gaza Strip on September 13, 2024. (Sharon ARONOWICZ / AFP)
A senior source in Hamas tells the Qatari outlet al-Araby al-Jadeed that the framework of a ceasefire-hostage deal between Israel and the Palestinian terror group has been completed, with mediators now waiting for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s approval before announcing the agreement.
The outlet also reports that under the deal, Israel would not fully withdraw from the Philadelphi Route along the Gaza-Egypt border until the last day of the agreement’s final phase, after gradually pulling out forces during the earlier two stages.
IDF carries out drone strike on Hamas cell operating out of former school in northern Gaza’s Jabalia The IDF says it carried out a drone strike a short while ago against a group of Hamas operatives operating out of a former school in northern Gaza’s Jabalia.
According to the military, the Hamas operatives were using the Halawa School building to plan and carry out attacks against troops in Gaza and against Israel.
Palestinian media say the complex was serving as a shelter for displaced Gazans, and the strike killed at least eight people, including two children, and wounded over 30 others.
The IDF says it took “numerous steps” to mitigate civilian harm in the strike, including by using a precision munition, aerial surveillance, and other intelligence.
Combination of factors make tracking exact death toll in Gaza ‘very difficult’
Tracking the exact death toll in Gaza is getting very difficult as time passes, due to a combination of factors, including the destruction of vital institutions such as hospitals, morgues and government offices. This makes the process of data collection complicated.
The destruction of neighbourhoods has led to the burial of dozens of families under the debris of houses with civil defence workers unable to rescue them.
The repeated attacks on civil defence teams have also hampered the majority of efforts being made to recover bodies that remain undiscovered under the remnants of those buildings.
Municipal services, which were responsible for burial issues and providing civilians with death or birth certificates, have been hit.
People pull out bodies of casualties from the rubble of a building destroyed in an Israeli attack on the Bureij camp for Palestinian refugees in the central Gaza Strip on January 8, 2025 [File: Eyad Baba/AFP]. link
Northern Israel - Lebanon/Hizbollah/Syria
IDF says it carried out drone strike on Hezbollah operatives loading vehicle with weapons
The IDF says it carried out a drone strike in southern Lebanon earlier today, after identifying Hezbollah operatives loading a vehicle up with weapons.
The strike targeted “the weapons that were on the vehicles, to remove the threat,” the military says.
According to the Lebanese health ministry, two people were killed in the strike, in the town of Tayr Debba, close to Tyre.
The IDF says it “continues to be committed to ceasefire understandings between Israel and Lebanon” and will “remove any threat to Israel and its citizens,” as it remains deployed to some areas of southern Lebanon.
Lebanon says Israeli strike kills two in south; no immediate IDF comment Lebanon’s health ministry says Israel struck the country’s south earlier today, killing two people in the area of Tayr Dibba, near the coastal city of Tyre. The reported strike came with a little over a fortnight to go before a 60-day deadline to implement the terms of a ceasefire that ended a war between Israel and the Lebanese terror group Hezbollah. The IDF did not immediately comment on the strike, but it has been regularly targeting what it says have been Hezbollah violations of the ceasefire that went into place at the end of November.
Lebanese army says completing deployment in western sector of south Lebanon after IDF withdraws
The Lebanese army says it is completing its deployment of troops to the western sector of southern Lebanon, following the withdrawal of Israeli forces.
In a post on X, the Lebanese Armed Forces says it is deploying to the border towns and villages of Naqoura, Aalma ash-Shaab, Dhayra, Aitaroun, Bint Jbeil, Tayr Harfa, Majdal Zoun, Salhani, and Qouzah.
The LAF says it is working to strengthen its positions in the area, in coordination with UNIFIL and a five-member committee supervising the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon.
The LAF also warns locals to not approach the area until engineering units have scanned the towns and cleared them of unexploded ordnance and other debris.
The IDF is still deployed to some areas of southern Lebanon, and has until the end of the month to withdraw under the ceasefire agreement.
Syrian authorities foil Islamic State plot on shrine in Damascus — state media
Syria’s Intelligence Directorate has foiled an attempt by the Islamic State to target the Sayeda Zinab shrine in the capital Damascus, state news agency Sana reports.
It says members of the cell were arrested before they were able to carry out an attack.
West Bank and Jerusalem and Terror attacks within Israel
Settlers said to raid Palestinian village in West Bank in fourth such incident this week
Israeli settlers reportedly raid a Palestinian village in the West Bank, in at least the fourth such violent incident this week.
The Palestinian news agency Wafa says a young man was shot in the foot during clashes with both the settlers and Israeli security forces in the village of Yatma, south of Nablus.
Unverified footage posted to social media appears to show settlers and Palestinian youths throwing rocks at each other.
There is no immediate comment from Israeli security forces.
The string of reported attacks apparently come in revenge for a terror shooting early this week in which Palestinian gunmen killed two elderly women and an off-duty cop and wounded at least eight others in the area. video
Politics and the War (general news)
"There Are Nights With Tears We Will Never Forget" | Exclusive: A Visit to the Secret Interception Center of the Arrow System
In 24-hour shifts, inside vault-like rooms in front of flickering screens and at various locations across the country, the men and women of Battalion 136 confront the threat of ballistic missiles, primarily from Iran and Yemen but not exclusively. The ynet team heard from them about their feelings after the missile strikes in Ramat Ef’al and Jaffa and the need to respond within seconds to launches requiring millions of Israelis to head to bomb shelters. “People don’t understand what happens behind the scenes,” say the soldiers serving in the Arrow missile system’s interception center, located at an Air Force base in central Israel.
These soldiers compare themselves to a goalkeeper excelling throughout most of the game, yet the attention of fans and media focuses only on the goals they failed to save. The metaphor reflects over a year of multi-front warfare and generally successful interception of missiles fired from across the Middle East. However, many Israelis remember the failure to intercept Houthi missiles that struck a school in Ramat Ef’al and a playground in Jaffa last month, as well as those that hit the Nevatim base during Iranian strikes in April and October.
"The Arrow system is the best in the world for intercepting ballistic missiles of this type, especially given the unprecedented salvos it has faced and intercepted," says Lt. Col. Eyal Frankel, commander of Battalion 136. "But no defensive system is perfect. We must always assume there could be a leak. We strive to intercept threats with multiple defense systems to increase the chances, but sometimes it doesn’t work."
Dealing With Failures and Challenges
When asked about morale after such incidents, Frankel says: "Whether it’s due to human or machine error, failing to achieve the mission is always hard. But our fighters are trained to cope with failure and understand it’s part of the job. Sometimes missiles fall because we decide not to defend certain areas. It’s not natural for us to witness a missile fall, but we prepare our teams to face these challenges and move forward."
The interception center is one of Israel’s most secretive sites, where critical decisions are made. While civilians rush to bomb shelters in the middle of the night, rows of uniformed personnel sit before dozens of screens, surrounded by communication devices, flashing lights, and sounds. One of them has to decide when, where, and how to press the button to intercept a ballistic missile launched thousands of kilometers away, often from Yemen or Iran.
They undergo two years of training, after which they face 24-hour shifts, sometimes even longer. "Nice to meet you, I’m R. from Ashdod," says a slightly shy officer with the rank of lieutenant, glasses perched on the tip of her nose, and only 21 years old. Explaining her role, she says: "I’m an interception officer. All of us have combat training. I was a combat soldier before coming here. Since then, I’ve gone through a process qualifying me for all the roles—from the field level to this rank. We sit here for hours upon hours and have to make many tough and critical decisions. We’re responsible for intercepting ballistic missiles that exit the atmosphere. The system includes Arrow 1 and Arrow 2, and we maintain direct communication with other defense systems, such as Iron Dome and David’s Sling."
Inside the Arrow Defense System
Lt. Col. Frankel explains the complexity of the system: "The Arrow system is part of Israel’s comprehensive air defense network, tasked with protecting against drones, missiles, and rockets. The network comprises several layers: Iron Dome for short-range threats, David’s Sling for longer-range rockets and cruise missiles, and the various Arrow systems for long-range ballistic missiles."
Each decision about interception involves life-or-death stakes. “The training is intense,” says 21-year-old Lieutenant R., an interception officer. “We undergo two years of training, including combat training, before assuming our roles. We’re responsible for intercepting ballistic missiles that exit the atmosphere. It requires a fighter’s mentality — being prepared to respond within seconds.”
Despite the stress, there are moments of pride. R., who hails from Ashdod, shares: "Intercepting a missile over my hometown and then calling my parents to check on them is incredibly moving."
Another officer, Captain L., recounts a recent experience: "Missiles were launched toward my home in Rishon Lezion, where my wife and baby were. Knowing the exact target adds to the stress. After my shift, I called my wife, and she joked, 'Now you remember me?' Civilians don’t realize the human effort behind each decision."
Historical Moments and Future Readiness
The Arrow system's interception center played a pivotal role during the recent conflict. In early October, the Arrow successfully intercepted missiles from Yemen for the first time. Frankel describes it as a historic night: "Seeing years of training and technological advancements come together in a moment of operational success was unforgettable. It’s a source of immense pride and satisfaction."
However, challenges remain. Ballistic missiles travel outside the atmosphere, and even after successful interception, debris can still fall over Israel. This is why civilians are instructed to stay in shelters even after a missile is intercepted.
Frankel concludes: "We’re constantly adapting and preparing for threats we haven’t yet imagined. Our mission is to ensure the safety of Israel’s skies, and that requires unwavering dedication from every individual involved, from the field to the control room."
A Historic Night
The Arrow system is part of Israel's comprehensive aerial defense array, tasked with protecting the skies from drones, missiles, and rockets. This system is divided into several layers: Iron Dome handles short-range threats and "air-breathing" threats, David's Sling intercepts longer-range rockets and cruise missiles, and the various Arrow systems are designed to combat long-range ballistic missiles. During the "Iron Swords War," the Arrow system was employed to intercept launches from Iran, Yemen, Syria, and other locations.
Entering the interception center requires the removal of all devices that could be exploited by the enemy—mobile phones, smartwatches, headphones, and even the camera of the ynet photographer. Walking through the fortified rooms, which resemble safes, leads to a dimly lit room packed with screens, most of which remain darkened. At first glance, it looks like an ordinary room, but Lt. Col. Frenkel, the unit commander, explains its high-level classification, necessitating special preparation before admitting journalists. "Don't be disappointed," he says.
Soldiers Between Interceptors and Computers
During a shift, the interception center hosts a commander and four interception officers seated at a row of computers. Behind them sits a reservist, about whom Lt. Col. Frenkel proudly says, "She's been with us for a long time. A mother of children who enlisted to help the unit and barely spends nights at home. Do you realize the sacrifice here and how crucial the manpower is?"
The control room is responsible for implementing decisions made by the country's military and political leadership. Tactical doctrine involves questions like which missile to launch, where to intercept, which targets require the most protection, and where coverage can be reduced. "These are decisions made far above us following high-level discussions and can change hourly, not just daily," he adds.
In an adjacent room, a group of technicians in blue coveralls manages the technological systems. Whether it’s a faulty computer button or a technical issue with a field-deployed battery, someone must address it immediately, as delays could affect an entire launch. "There are many other rooms here," the commander continues without elaborating. "On the night of the first Iranian strike, this place was packed to capacity. It was a historic moment. Dozens of people, including senior commanders, were summoned to operate all these computers. It might sound like this system is purely technological, but people don't realize how much it relies on human input."
A Nationwide Unit
A tour outside the interception center reveals a pristine, orderly air force base where senior officers live with their families just minutes away from the most operational rooms in the Middle East. The tension is palpable, and the silence is unsettling. Everyone is always on edge and busy. Every uniformed individual appears en route to a mission.
"I’m Eyal Frenkel, 41 years old, a father of four, and battalion commander since August 2023, two months before the war," he introduces himself. "I’ve been serving in the Arrow system since 2004, rising through all the ranks along the way."
Next to him sits his deputy, Major A., a 31-year-old father of two. He also lives on the base but rarely sees home. About himself, he shares: "I assumed this role last August. I didn’t grow up in the Arrow system but rather in Iron Dome. As part of developing officers for battalion and deputy commander roles, we wanted to allow exposure to other weapons systems. The aim is to provide knowledge and learn from another system to become better commanders. It required me to learn Arrow from scratch, undergo training and certifications, and do so quickly, unlike a soldier who grew up in the system."
Interception and Warning Responsibilities
Beyond interception, Arrow fighters are also tasked with issuing warnings to civilians. "To succeed, we must deal with a wide range of professional fields," says Lt. Col. Frenkel. "A ballistic missile carrying hundreds of kilograms of explosives involves straightforward physics: to reach Israel, it must undergo specific processes while airborne. The result is that the missile arrives with fragments and parts, making it a significant challenge to intercept the relevant section mid-air."
The unit isn't confined to this base alone. The launchers, detection tools, fighters, technicians, and administrative staff are deployed across the country, from north to south. Divided into platoons, they are equipped with advanced vehicles to ensure optimal defense coverage.
Logistics and Challenges in War
Capt. S., 25, the battalion's logistics officer, shares her perspective: "I grew up on military bases and in residential compounds. My father is an Air Force officer and a retired lieutenant colonel. We just ate together in the dining hall. In the headquarters, we provide support to all the unit’s sites nationwide. No day is predictable, not even the next hour. During the war, the unit doubled in size, and we must meet the needs of both regular and reserve soldiers—from accommodations and equipment like vests and helmets to transport and operational vehicle logistics. Without the drivers, we wouldn’t be able to sustain round-the-clock defense. I might be in the north at 8:00 AM and arrive in Eilat by dawn the next day. That’s what this war period looks like for us."
Endless Hours of Debriefing
A missile launched from Yemen or Iran can reach Israel in about ten minutes, during which detection systems must locate it and map its threats. In that short timeframe, numerous decisions must be made. The Arrow 3 intercepts distant, high-altitude targets, requiring launches within seconds.
"You might stare at an empty screen for an hour, two hours, 24 hours, a week, or even a month—sometimes years before a war—without any action. Then, when the moment comes, you need to be at your peak within seconds," says Lt. Col. Frenkel. "This stays with you always. You might go to sleep at 3:00 AM knowing you could be called to action and must be at your best immediately. If the situation is stressful for civilians, imagine what it’s like for those handling the interception process."
Missiles launched from distant countries exit the atmosphere, and even after interception, debris can continue toward Israel. This is why civilians must remain shielded even after successful interceptions of the missile's critical components.
Successes, Failures, and Preparation
When asked about breaches, like the ones in Jaffa and Ramat Ef’al, Major A. responds: "Such events actually increase our motivation because they highlight the importance of what we do daily. After every success or failure, we conduct extensive debriefings, spending hours analyzing what happened and how we can improve."
Reflecting on the war's significant events, Lt. Col. Frenkel says: "On October 3, we executed the first operational Arrow interception against a target from Yemen. Like the Iranian strikes on April 14 and October 1, it’s a night we’ll never forget. Everyone involved in the defense industries and those responsible for developing these weapons over decades was moved to tears. This 'dragon' turned out to be less threatening because we proved our readiness. Seeing all the training and expertise culminate in operational success is a unique feeling. If we weren’t dealing with dangerous missiles, we might even enjoy it. We don’t wish for missiles to be launched at Israel, but when it happens and succeeds, it’s a source of immense pride and satisfaction.
"The first time this happened, there was great excitement among those on the interception computer. Since then, we've experienced much more. Everyone here participates in these interceptions, whether it’s the technician or the soldier pressing the button. It’s a joint effort involving many people to ensure success. By October 7, we were already preparing for potential strikes from Iran and Yemen, deploying defenses even before we believed it would happen. Now, we’re preparing for threats we never even imagined." link
The Region and the World
20 aircraft take part in IDF strikes against Houthis, army says
IAF F-16I fighter jets prepare to take off from the Ramon Airbase in southern Israel for strikes against the Houthis in Yemen, January 10, 2025. (Israel Defense Forces)
The Israeli Air Force strike on the Houthis in Yemen involved over 20 aircraft, including fighter jets, refuelers and spy planes, according to the military.
The IDF says the fighter jets dropped some 50 munitions on three main targets: the Hezyaz power plant near the capital Sanaa and infrastructure at the Hodeidah and Ras Isa ports on the western coast of Yemen.
Alongside the new details, the military releases footage of IAF F-16I fighter jets taking off from the Ramon Airbase in southern Israel for the strikes.
IAF pilots prepare to take off from the Ramon Airbase in southern Israel for strikes against the Houthis in Yemen, January 10, 2025. (Israel Defense Forces)
IAF F-16I fighter jets prepare to take off from the Ramon Airbase in southern Israel for strikes against the Houthis in Yemen, January 10, 2025. (Israel Defense Forces)
IAF F-16I fighter jets prepare to take off from the Ramon Airbase in southern Israel for strikes against the Houthis in Yemen, January 10, 2025. (Israel Defense Forces)
IAF F-16I fighter jets prepare to take off from the Ramon Airbase in southern Israel for strikes against the Houthis in Yemen, January 10, 2025. (Israel Defense Forces)
IAF pilots prepare to take off from the Ramon Airbase in southern Israel for strikes against the Houthis in Yemen, January 10, 2025. (Israel Defense Forces)
IAF F-16I fighter jets prepare to take off from the Ramon Airbase in southern Israel for strikes against the Houthis in Yemen, January 10, 2025. (Israel Defense Forces)
IAF F-16I fighter jets prepare to take off from the Ramon Airbase in southern Israel for strikes against the Houthis in Yemen, January 10, 2025. (Israel Defense Forces)
Slain in a rocket attack on the Bedouin village of Kukhleh in the south on October 7
Cousins (from left) Amin, Jawad, Malek and Mahmoud al-Qoraan, all killed in a rocket strike on October 7, 2023. (Courtesy)
Amin Akal al-Qoraan, 10, Jawad Ibrahim al-Qoraan, 11, Malek Ibrahim al-Qoraan, 16, and Mahmoud Diab al-Qoraan, 16, all cousins, were slain on October 7 when they were hit by a rocket while sitting together in their Bedouin village of Kukhleh.
Malek and Jawad were brothers, and Amin and Mahmoud were their cousins. Malek and Jawad are survived by their parents, Ibrahim and Yusra, and their other siblings, while Amin is survived by his parents, Rana and Akal and his siblings, and Mahmoud is survived by his parents, Diab and Fariha and two sisters. Other family members were seriously wounded in the strike.
Those living in unrecognized Bedouin villages in the south have long complained that they lack bomb shelters as well as the infrastructure for air raid sirens, leaving them uniquely vulnerable to rocket attacks. They say that the location is also considered an “open area” by the IDF, and many of the rockets are therefore not intercepted.
Residents of many such villages have been engaged in a decades-long battle with the state, which says their neighborhoods are illegal and has been trying to convince them to move into planned, recognized townships with state infrastructure and shelters.
Nearby the al-Qoraan family in Kuhkleh, Mai Zuhair and her grandmother, Faizah Abu Sabeeh, were also killed in a rocket attack on October 7.
Said al-Qoraan, an uncle to the four boys, told the Kan public broadcaster, “I wish I could give my life to give them more time to live. I wish I could give up what I had left for you. My souls.”
“It’s an unimaginable disaster, the ordinary human mind can’t comprehend such a thing,” added Said, a career IDF officer. “I had to rescue them from the rubble, from the inferno… they died in my arms.”
He said that after the tragedy, the IDF set up temporary shelters and sandbanks in the town, “but we already lost the most precious thing to us… I can’t look their mothers in the eye.”
When they were buried, he said, “Every time they lowered one of them into the ground I wanted to go in, too. People stopped me. I wanted to join them.”
Speaking to Ynet in November 2023, Malek and Jawad’s father, Ibrahim, told Ynet that the word “tragedy” is too small to describe what happened.
“Our children, a piece of our heart. We have no tears left,” he said. “We lost our children. At home. In their home. Which should be the safest place.”
Ibrahim, speaking to Ynet again in August 2024, said that things are “very hard. We’re still in October 7. Nothing has changed. We still have no protection. It doesn’t leave us, and when I start to talk about it it takes me back… brings up all the emotions again. It’s not something you can recover from.”
He added that “you can live with the loss and the bereavement but you can’t heal it. Our loss is very big.”
Dark Legacy - The Abandonment of October 7th Hostages
Call of Duty (“Tzav 8”)
Yuval Diskin
Former Head of Shin Bet (Israeli Security Services).
For many weeks, something deep inside me kept telling me that it was not yet the time to publicly speak against the current Israeli government, that it might not be appropriate to replace a government in the middle of a war, and that unity was of utmost importance during these times. But I find myself astonished, day after day, by this government's incompetence, its failed management of the war, the lie of “the Total Victory,” the complete avoidance of taking responsibility, the destruction of our strategic relations with the United States, and perhaps most of all, by missing every opportunity to bring back our sisters and brothers, hostages who are languishing in Hamas captivity.
It turns out that under the lowest of the low, there is yet another set of descending stairs. It turns out that Israel’s failed prime minister, the worst in the history of the country, led us in the last decade into a multidimensional strategic crisis, affecting the internal security arena, the regional security arena, and the international arena. The merging of these dimensions of threats may bring Israel to an existential threshold, and soon.
Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, is convinced that if he does not get to be the king, we, his subjects, do not deserve to have a kingdom.
Well, Bibi - we have news for you: We are not your subjects. We are fed up with your lies, your narcissism, your endless arrogance, and your total disconnection from reality. We are the people who, on October 7th and since, dropped everything to stand and fight shoulder to shoulder: people from the right, the left, and the center; secular and religious; Jews, Druze, and Bedouins. Together. We are the people who knew how to save the country from the results of the deadly Hamas attack, and how to act continuously, with tremendous dedication when the systems of your Government of Destruction failed, for so many months.
Therefore, we demand - now, loud and clear - a different leadership: A leadership that leads, unites, and takes responsibility. A leadership that contains and empathizes with bereavement and with the unimaginable pain of the hostages’ families. A humane leadership that is in love with its people, not with itself.
We urgently need a new, legitimate, and sane government. A government that will immediately begin repairing. A government that will, first and foremost, act to bring home the hostages, within the framework of an arrangement that will be based on the parameters of demilitarization of the Gaza Strip, cessation of smuggling along the border with Egypt, management of the Gaza Strip and its civilian rehabilitation, and the establishment of a security strip around the Gaza Strip. This is our civic Call of Duty, our civic “Tzav-8,” and it’s calling us all. We don’t have another country, but the time has come for us to have a different country. All of us, together, will make sure that this happens.
”Tzav 8” or “Order 8” is the term used to refer to the emergency call-up of Israelis outside the framework of regular reserve duty during times of war.
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
IAF pilots prepare to take off from the Ramon Airbase in southern Israel for strikes against the Houthis in Yemen, January 10, 2025. (Israel Defense Forces)
IAF F-16I fighter jets prepare to take off from the Ramon Airbase in southern Israel for strikes against the Houthis in Yemen, January 10, 2025. (Israel Defense Forces)
IAF F-16I fighter jets prepare to take off from the Ramon Airbase in southern Israel for strikes against the Houthis in Yemen, January 10, 2025. (Israel Defense Forces)
IAF F-16I fighter jets prepare to take off from the Ramon Airbase in southern Israel for strikes against the Houthis in Yemen, January 10, 2025. (Israel Defense Forces)
IAF pilots prepare to take off from the Ramon Airbase in southern Israel for strikes against the Houthis in Yemen, January 10, 2025. (Israel Defense Forces)
IAF F-16I fighter jets prepare to take off from the Ramon Airbase in southern Israel for strikes against the Houthis in Yemen, January 10, 2025. (Israel Defense Forces)
IAF F-16I fighter jets prepare to take off from the Ramon Airbase in southern Israel for strikes against the Houthis in Yemen, January 10, 2025. (Israel Defense Forces) 
Cousins (from left) Amin, Jawad, Malek and Mahmoud al-Qoraan, all killed in a rocket strike on October 7, 2023. (Courtesy)
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