π️Lonny's War Update- October 467, 2023 - January 15, 2025 π️
π️Day 467 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
*
Hostage Updates
- Before the negotiations are over, I can say that I am very optimistic. The deal is essentially the same deal that has been on the table since May. It was a bad deal then and it is still a bad deal because it will be carried out over too long a period of time, between two and three months. The deal will only return 33 hostages in the first forty-two days and the rest only after that, without certainty. In September, Hamas agreed to a three-week deal in which the war would come to an end, Israel would withdraw, all the hostages would return home in exchange for a large release of Palestinian prisoners, and Hamas said it would transfer power in Gaza to a technocratic civilian body that it is not a part of. I blame the prime minister Netanyau for rejecting the deal then and the Biden administration for refusing to break away from the bad deal they promoted. Now we will gladly accept the Biden deal with Netanyahu's concessions that he has refused to accept since May. Netanyahu is giving in to Trump to please him, not to return the hostages. And yet we must rejoice in the deal that will begin to return the hostages and bring an end to this terrible war. (Gershon Baskin, 1-14-2025)To the best of my knowledge of Hamas, I want to clarify that there is no such thing (in the language of Israel and the pro-Israeli international media): The leader of Hamas in Gaza is Muhammad Sinwar. The Palestinians in general and Hamas in particular are not a monarchy. There was no king. Yahya Sinwar was not a king and he did not crown his brother as the leader of Hamas in Gaza. Muhammad Sinwar was never part of Hamas' political leadership. There is no single decision-maker in Hamas and there never was. Decision-making in Hamas is much more complex than that. In Israel there is a single decision-maker, not in Hamas. (Gershon Baskin, January 15, 2025)
A senior Arab diplomat tells The Times of Israel that the three-phased hostage deal currently being finalized between Israel and Hamas is largely the same as the proposal that was proposed by Israel last May.
“A deal could have been reached much earlier, but both sides led to talks falling apart at various times,” the diplomat familiar with the negotiations says.
- Gallant: I hope that this time, gov’t will put national interest before political interest
Former defense minister Yoav Gallant visits Hostages Square in Tel Aviv and gives remarks to the press expressing his support for the proposal currently on the table.
“I hope that this time… the national interest will override the political interest,” Gallant says, hinting at his previous claims that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu scuttled previous opportunities to secure a deal in order to maintain his coalition.
Asked about the opposition of Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir to the brewing hostage deal, Gallant says that, as someone who shares the views of the majority of Israelis who back the agreement, he is “embarrassed” by the two far-right ministers.
He says their conduct is “not Jewish, not Zionist, and not humane.”
Former hostage recounts ‘darkness’ of her captivity, says no one should be forced to live like that
Moran Stella Yanai, who was taken hostage from the Nova rave on October 7, speaks about the 49th day of her captivity, when she was prepared to be released home to Israel.
She speaks of the hope she felt in those moments, but recalls being pulled back, kept in the darkness, as she imagined freedom and being able to once again do whatever she wanted, about the hugs she would receive.
“I’m not a politician and I have no answers. I don’t know the right way to do this, but I know one thing: I was there 54 days and I experienced the fear, and no one should return to the darkness,” she says. “It’s forbidden for anyone to remain there. It’s not an issue of strategy or ideology. It’s about humanity and that every single one must return, until the last hostage.”
She speaks in English as well, appealing to the international community with a plea to help bring the hostages home.
“These are our children, parents, brothers, and sisters, individuals with dreams, hopes, and loved ones longing for their return,” says Moran. “Prove that compassion can prevail over despair.”
Thousands gather for unity rally at Hostages Square, as deal appears near
On Tuesday evening, as on many previous Tuesday nights, thousands gather for a unity rally of prayer and song held in Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square, with some of the country’s best-known performers, as well as several hostage family members, including the father of hostage Yarden Bibas, and former hostage Moran Stella Yanai, who was freed during the November 2024 pause in fighting.
The aunt of murdered hostage Omer Neutra calls to the audience to recite the prayer “Shema Yisrael” together, with a resounding “Amen” at the end. She sends strength to the hostage negotiators, with the hope that they will bring home all the remaining hostages.
As Aviv Geffen and Omer Adam perform, Geffen says, “Omer and I are here tonight to say there are no differences between us, no religious and no secular Israelis, no Ashkenazi and Mizrachi, there is just the nation of Israel, the Jewish nation, praying that the hostages come home,” says Geffen. “That is our prayer.”
- PM’s associates offering to deepen settler hold of West Bank if Smotrich doesn’t thwart hostage deal
Channel 12 reports that associates of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are holding meetings with Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, in order to try to convince him to back the hostage deal on the table, or at least to not work to collapse the government if it advances.
The Netanyahu associates are offering Smotrich a package of compensation measures, which focus largely on further entrenching Israel’s presence in the West Bank, Channel 12 reports.
- This is the deal being finalized. It is a terrible deal and at the end of 42 days, 65 hostages will still remain in Gaza. Months ago, my brother proposed a 3 week deal to end the war and bring home all of the hostages. Hamas, in principal was ready to accept that deal which also stipulated that Hamas stops governing Gaza. Hamas, however was not willing to bring this deal to the table, the demanded that Israel or one of the negotiating partners do that. Netanyahu would even let it be discussed because it meant ending the war which he was not and still is not willing to do because of his own personal political situation. The Americans did have some internal discussions about it but they were so invested in Biden's 3 phase deal, of which this deal is based on, that they were not willing to throw in the towel on their own deal which was and is lousy and then embrace a new deal. I don't know why the Egyptians and Qataris wouldn't push it. They had it in their hands and looked at it favorably.
This deal is for 33 hostages, living and dead and we have no indication so far how many of them will be living. These 33 fit the ridiculous 'humanitarian' definition (women, children, sick, elderly, injured) but all remaining living hostages are humanitarian and this deal will mean that the last of the 33 (14 in number) will be waiting 42 more days to be free, if they can survive that long. The 65 remaining hostages, who will not be released in phase 1, what will be with them. There is no plan for their release. There is only a plan to start talking about phase 2 after 16 days and if it cannot be resolved by day 42, they are supposed to continue talking. How many of those remaining alive will be able to live so much more time?
PHASE 1 (42 DAYS):1. Temporary Suspension of Hostilities: – A temporary cessation of military operations by both sides. 2. Air Activity Restrictions:– A temporary suspension of military and reconnaissance air operations in Gaza for 10 hours daily. – Extended to 12 hours on days when hostages and prisoners are released.3. Return of Displaced Persons and Military Withdrawals:Day 7: Following the release of seven Palestinian prisoners, Israeli forces will withdraw entirely from Al-Rashid Street eastward to Salah Al-Din Street, dismantling all military positions. Displaced persons will return to their homes without weapons, and humanitarian aid will flow freely through Al-Rashid Street from the first day.Day 22: Israeli forces will withdraw from central Gaza (Netzarim Axis and Kuwait Square) to areas closer to the border, dismantling military positions. Displaced persons will continue returning to their homes across Gaza, and freedom of movement for residents will persist.4. Humanitarian Aid: – From the first day, significant amounts of humanitarian aid, relief supplies, and fuel will enter Gaza (600 trucks daily, including 50 fuel trucks). This includes fuel for electricity generation, trade, rubble removal, and operating hospitals, clinics, and bakeries.5. Hostage and Prisoner Exchange: – Hamas will release 33 Israeli hostages (alive or deceased), including women, children under 19, elderly individuals over 50, and injured or sick civilians.– For each Israeli released, Israel will release 30 Palestinian minors or women.– For each Israeli female soldier released, Israel will release 50 Palestinian prisoners.6. Release Schedule:Day 1: Hamas releases three Israeli civilian hostages.Day 7: Hamas releases four additional Israeli civilians.– Every seven days, three more Israeli hostages will be released, prioritizing women.– By the sixth week, Hamas will release all hostages included in this phase, and Israel will release a corresponding number of Palestinian prisoners.– Hamas will provide information on the number of hostages to be released by Day 7.7. Re-Arrested Prisoners and Exiled Individuals:– By Week 6, Israel will release 47 Palestinians re-arrested after the 2011 exchange deal. If the number of live hostages does not reach 33, deceased hostages will be included in the count.– Israel will release all Palestinian women and children under 19 detained since October 7, 2023.8. Conditions:– Compliance with the agreement, including halting military operations, Israeli troop withdrawals, and humanitarian aid, will determine the continuation of exchanges.– Released Palestinian prisoners cannot be re-arrested for the same charges or forced to sign release conditions.
PHASE 2 (42 DAYS):9. Negotiations for Phase 2:- Indirect negotiations will begin by Day 16 to define the terms of Phase 2, including the release of soldiers and other prisoners. – Agreement must be finalized by Week 5.10. Transition to Sustainable Calm:– A permanent ceasefire will take effect before further prisoner exchanges, including the release of all Israeli soldiers and civilians in return for an agreed number of Palestinian prisoners.– Israeli forces will fully withdraw from Gaza. PHASE 3 (42 DAYS):11. Final Exchanges and Infrastructure Rebuilding:– Both sides will exchange bodies of deceased individuals once identified.– A comprehensive Gaza reconstruction plan will be implemented over 3-5 years, including rebuilding homes, infrastructure, and compensating affected individuals. Egypt, Qatar, and the UN will oversee this process.12. Freedom of Movement and Trade:– Border crossings will open to allow free movement of goods and people.
- Israeli officials expect deal to be signed tonight or tomorrow; Hamas’s Mohammed Sinwar said to give OK
Officials in Jerusalem tell Israeli media that the deal is expected to be signed tonight or tomorrow, and that a joint declaration is anticipated soon afterwards.
This means that if the deal is approved by the security cabinet and then the full cabinet this evening or more likely tomorrow, with a 24-48 hour period to allow for appeals against the deal to the Supreme Court, implementation could begin with the first hostages going free on Sunday.
“There is a breakthrough in the hostage deal negotiations in Doha. Hamas military leader in Gaza Mohammed Sinwar gave his OK,” Walla news cites an Israeli official as saying.
Mohammed Sinwar is the bother of slain Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar and believed to be commanding Hamas in Gaza. link Getting Mohammed Sinwar's OK is critical for both sides. Without him agreeing to the deal would man. Since Yihya SInwar's killing, is has been a very big question mark if Hamas Gaza would listen to Hamas ourtside of Gaza and if a deal was made, would Hamas Gaza honor it.
Hostage Updates
- Before the negotiations are over, I can say that I am very optimistic. The deal is essentially the same deal that has been on the table since May. It was a bad deal then and it is still a bad deal because it will be carried out over too long a period of time, between two and three months. The deal will only return 33 hostages in the first forty-two days and the rest only after that, without certainty. In September, Hamas agreed to a three-week deal in which the war would come to an end, Israel would withdraw, all the hostages would return home in exchange for a large release of Palestinian prisoners, and Hamas said it would transfer power in Gaza to a technocratic civilian body that it is not a part of. I blame the prime minister Netanyau for rejecting the deal then and the Biden administration for refusing to break away from the bad deal they promoted. Now we will gladly accept the Biden deal with Netanyahu's concessions that he has refused to accept since May. Netanyahu is giving in to Trump to please him, not to return the hostages. And yet we must rejoice in the deal that will begin to return the hostages and bring an end to this terrible war. (Gershon Baskin, 1-14-2025)To the best of my knowledge of Hamas, I want to clarify that there is no such thing (in the language of Israel and the pro-Israeli international media): The leader of Hamas in Gaza is Muhammad Sinwar. The Palestinians in general and Hamas in particular are not a monarchy. There was no king. Yahya Sinwar was not a king and he did not crown his brother as the leader of Hamas in Gaza. Muhammad Sinwar was never part of Hamas' political leadership. There is no single decision-maker in Hamas and there never was. Decision-making in Hamas is much more complex than that. In Israel there is a single decision-maker, not in Hamas. (Gershon Baskin, January 15, 2025)
A senior Arab diplomat tells The Times of Israel that the three-phased hostage deal currently being finalized between Israel and Hamas is largely the same as the proposal that was proposed by Israel last May.
“A deal could have been reached much earlier, but both sides led to talks falling apart at various times,” the diplomat familiar with the negotiations says.
- Gallant: I hope that this time, gov’t will put national interest before political interest
Former defense minister Yoav Gallant visits Hostages Square in Tel Aviv and gives remarks to the press expressing his support for the proposal currently on the table.
“I hope that this time… the national interest will override the political interest,” Gallant says, hinting at his previous claims that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu scuttled previous opportunities to secure a deal in order to maintain his coalition.
Asked about the opposition of Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir to the brewing hostage deal, Gallant says that, as someone who shares the views of the majority of Israelis who back the agreement, he is “embarrassed” by the two far-right ministers.
He says their conduct is “not Jewish, not Zionist, and not humane.”
Former hostage recounts ‘darkness’ of her captivity, says no one should be forced to live like that
Moran Stella Yanai, who was taken hostage from the Nova rave on October 7, speaks about the 49th day of her captivity, when she was prepared to be released home to Israel.
She speaks of the hope she felt in those moments, but recalls being pulled back, kept in the darkness, as she imagined freedom and being able to once again do whatever she wanted, about the hugs she would receive.
“I’m not a politician and I have no answers. I don’t know the right way to do this, but I know one thing: I was there 54 days and I experienced the fear, and no one should return to the darkness,” she says. “It’s forbidden for anyone to remain there. It’s not an issue of strategy or ideology. It’s about humanity and that every single one must return, until the last hostage.”
She speaks in English as well, appealing to the international community with a plea to help bring the hostages home.
“These are our children, parents, brothers, and sisters, individuals with dreams, hopes, and loved ones longing for their return,” says Moran. “Prove that compassion can prevail over despair.”
Thousands gather for unity rally at Hostages Square, as deal appears near
On Tuesday evening, as on many previous Tuesday nights, thousands gather for a unity rally of prayer and song held in Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square, with some of the country’s best-known performers, as well as several hostage family members, including the father of hostage Yarden Bibas, and former hostage Moran Stella Yanai, who was freed during the November 2024 pause in fighting.
The aunt of murdered hostage Omer Neutra calls to the audience to recite the prayer “Shema Yisrael” together, with a resounding “Amen” at the end. She sends strength to the hostage negotiators, with the hope that they will bring home all the remaining hostages.
As Aviv Geffen and Omer Adam perform, Geffen says, “Omer and I are here tonight to say there are no differences between us, no religious and no secular Israelis, no Ashkenazi and Mizrachi, there is just the nation of Israel, the Jewish nation, praying that the hostages come home,” says Geffen. “That is our prayer.”
- PM’s associates offering to deepen settler hold of West Bank if Smotrich doesn’t thwart hostage deal
Channel 12 reports that associates of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are holding meetings with Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, in order to try to convince him to back the hostage deal on the table, or at least to not work to collapse the government if it advances.
The Netanyahu associates are offering Smotrich a package of compensation measures, which focus largely on further entrenching Israel’s presence in the West Bank, Channel 12 reports.
- This is the deal being finalized. It is a terrible deal and at the end of 42 days, 65 hostages will still remain in Gaza. Months ago, my brother proposed a 3 week deal to end the war and bring home all of the hostages. Hamas, in principal was ready to accept that deal which also stipulated that Hamas stops governing Gaza. Hamas, however was not willing to bring this deal to the table, the demanded that Israel or one of the negotiating partners do that. Netanyahu would even let it be discussed because it meant ending the war which he was not and still is not willing to do because of his own personal political situation. The Americans did have some internal discussions about it but they were so invested in Biden's 3 phase deal, of which this deal is based on, that they were not willing to throw in the towel on their own deal which was and is lousy and then embrace a new deal. I don't know why the Egyptians and Qataris wouldn't push it. They had it in their hands and looked at it favorably. This deal is for 33 hostages, living and dead and we have no indication so far how many of them will be living. These 33 fit the ridiculous 'humanitarian' definition (women, children, sick, elderly, injured) but all remaining living hostages are humanitarian and this deal will mean that the last of the 33 (14 in number) will be waiting 42 more days to be free, if they can survive that long. The 65 remaining hostages, who will not be released in phase 1, what will be with them. There is no plan for their release. There is only a plan to start talking about phase 2 after 16 days and if it cannot be resolved by day 42, they are supposed to continue talking. How many of those remaining alive will be able to live so much more time? PHASE 1 (42 DAYS):1. Temporary Suspension of Hostilities:– A temporary cessation of military operations by both sides.2. Air Activity Restrictions:– A temporary suspension of military and reconnaissance air operations in Gaza for 10 hours daily.– Extended to 12 hours on days when hostages and prisoners are released.3. Return of Displaced Persons and Military Withdrawals:Day 7: Following the release of seven Palestinian prisoners, Israeli forces will withdraw entirely from Al-Rashid Street eastward to Salah Al-Din Street, dismantling all military positions. Displaced persons will return to their homes without weapons, and humanitarian aid will flow freely through Al-Rashid Street from the first day.Day 22: Israeli forces will withdraw from central Gaza (Netzarim Axis and Kuwait Square) to areas closer to the border, dismantling military positions. Displaced persons will continue returning to their homes across Gaza, and freedom of movement for residents will persist.4. Humanitarian Aid:– From the first day, significant amounts of humanitarian aid, relief supplies, and fuel will enter Gaza (600 trucks daily, including 50 fuel trucks). This includes fuel for electricity generation, trade, rubble removal, and operating hospitals, clinics, and bakeries.5. Hostage and Prisoner Exchange:– Hamas will release 33 Israeli hostages (alive or deceased), including women, children under 19, elderly individuals over 50, and injured or sick civilians.– For each Israeli released, Israel will release 30 Palestinian minors or women.– For each Israeli female soldier released, Israel will release 50 Palestinian prisoners.6. Release Schedule:Day 1: Hamas releases three Israeli civilian hostages.Day 7: Hamas releases four additional Israeli civilians.– Every seven days, three more Israeli hostages will be released, prioritizing women.– By the sixth week, Hamas will release all hostages included in this phase, and Israel will release a corresponding number of Palestinian prisoners.– Hamas will provide information on the number of hostages to be released by Day 7.7. Re-Arrested Prisoners and Exiled Individuals:– By Week 6, Israel will release 47 Palestinians re-arrested after the 2011 exchange deal. If the number of live hostages does not reach 33, deceased hostages will be included in the count.– Israel will release all Palestinian women and children under 19 detained since October 7, 2023.8. Conditions:– Compliance with the agreement, including halting military operations, Israeli troop withdrawals, and humanitarian aid, will determine the continuation of exchanges.– Released Palestinian prisoners cannot be re-arrested for the same charges or forced to sign release conditions. PHASE 2 (42 DAYS):9. Negotiations for Phase 2:- Indirect negotiations will begin by Day 16 to define the terms of Phase 2, including the release of soldiers and other prisoners.– Agreement must be finalized by Week 5.10. Transition to Sustainable Calm:– A permanent ceasefire will take effect before further prisoner exchanges, including the release of all Israeli soldiers and civilians in return for an agreed number of Palestinian prisoners.– Israeli forces will fully withdraw from Gaza. PHASE 3 (42 DAYS):11. Final Exchanges and Infrastructure Rebuilding:– Both sides will exchange bodies of deceased individuals once identified.– A comprehensive Gaza reconstruction plan will be implemented over 3-5 years, including rebuilding homes, infrastructure, and compensating affected individuals. Egypt, Qatar, and the UN will oversee this process.12. Freedom of Movement and Trade:– Border crossings will open to allow free movement of goods and people.
- Israeli officials expect deal to be signed tonight or tomorrow; Hamas’s Mohammed Sinwar said to give OK
Officials in Jerusalem tell Israeli media that the deal is expected to be signed tonight or tomorrow, and that a joint declaration is anticipated soon afterwards.
This means that if the deal is approved by the security cabinet and then the full cabinet this evening or more likely tomorrow, with a 24-48 hour period to allow for appeals against the deal to the Supreme Court, implementation could begin with the first hostages going free on Sunday.
“There is a breakthrough in the hostage deal negotiations in Doha. Hamas military leader in Gaza Mohammed Sinwar gave his OK,” Walla news cites an Israeli official as saying.
Mohammed Sinwar is the bother of slain Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar and believed to be commanding Hamas in Gaza. link Getting Mohammed Sinwar's OK is critical for both sides. Without him agreeing to the deal would man. Since Yihya SInwar's killing, is has been a very big question mark if Hamas Gaza would listen to Hamas ourtside of Gaza and if a deal was made, would Hamas Gaza honor it.
Gaza and the South
- Laying out Gaza ‘day after’ plan, Blinken says it will require Israel granting PA foothold in Strip
Laying out his plan for the postwar management of Gaza, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken says he envisions the Palestinian Authority inviting international partners to help establish and run an interim administration responsible for running key civil sectors in Gaza such as banking, water, energy, health and civil coordination with Israel.
He says the international community would provide funding, technical support and oversight to this interim administration in Gaza, without elaborating on who exactly would be funding the enterprise.
He says the interim panel would be assembled through consultation with communities in Gaza and should include representatives from the Strip along with representatives from the PA.
The committee would work closely with a senior UN official appointed to oversee the international Gaza reconstruction effort.
An interim security mission made up of troops from US-allied countries along with vetted Palestinian personnel. It would be in charge of securing humanitarian aid along with border security and smuggling prevention, Blinken says.
He reveals that some US allies have already expressed willingness to contribute security forces to the interim mission but that they have conditioned this support on Israel agreeing to allow the West Bank and Gaza to be reunited under a reformed PA as part of a pathway to a two-state solution — something Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly rejected.
Blinken says that his plan also envisions the US establishing a new initiative to train, equip and vet a PA-led security force for Gaza, which would gradually take over the interim security mission.
These various frameworks for Gaza’s governance, reconstruction and security would be enshrined in a UN Security Council resolution.
Blinken’s speech was a subject of controversy within the Biden administration, with some arguing that it would be exploited by Netanyahu for political gain. Others maintained that it could even harm the hostage negotiations. Another US official told The Times of Israel that the decision to unveil the plan in this manner decreases the likelihood that it will be adopted by the incoming Trump administration, which largely wants to avoid continuing initiatives from the outgoing team.
Blinken: We assess that Hamas has recruited almost as many new fighters as it has lost
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken criticizes Israel’s war strategy, saying Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s refusal to advance a viable alternative to Hamas rule in Gaza, such as the PA, led the IDF to repeatedly return to places in the Strip it had previously cleared of Hamas fighters who managed to return.
“We’ve long made the point to the Israeli government that Hamas cannot be defeated by a military campaign alone, that without a clear alternative, a post-conflict plan and a credible political horizon for the Palestinians, Hamas, or something just as abhorrent and dangerous, will grow back,” Blinken says in an address on the Biden administration’s Mideast policy at the Atlantic Council.
“That’s exactly what’s happened in northern Gaza since October 7. Each time Israel completes its military operations and pulls back Hamas, militants regroup and reemerge because there’s nothing else to fill the void,” he says.
“Indeed, we assess that Hamas has recruited almost as many new militants as it has lost,” Blinken reveals. “That is a recipe for an enduring insurgency and perpetual war.”
“Israel has pursued its military campaign past the point of destroying Hamas’s military capacity and killing the leaders responsible for October 7, convinced that unrelenting military pressure was required to get Hamas to accept a ceasefire and hostage deal on Israel’s terms,” he says.
He adds that Hamas has “cynically weaponized the suffering of Palestinians” and points to a Wall Street Journal report that purported to reveal a message that the late Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar sent to mediators in which he called the death of Palestinian civilians “necessary sacrifices” and argued that the more innocent Palestinians were killed, the more Hamas would benefit.
An Israeli airstrike on Gaza’s Deir al-Balah killed at least 10 Palestinians and wounded others, medics tell Reuters.
The IDF does not immediately comment, but has long insisted that it does not target civilians, while Hamas hides among them.
Palestinian Authority prime minister insists PA should run Gaza after war
Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa says it “will not be acceptable” for any entity other than the PA to run the Gaza Strip in the future.
Mustafa makes the comments as he visits Norway, one of three European countries that formally recognized a Palestinian state in May.
Hamas seized power in Gaza in 2007 from the PA. The US has called for a revitalized Palestinian Authority to govern both the West Bank and Gaza ahead of eventual statehood, which the Israeli government opposes.
“While we’re waiting for the ceasefire, it’s important to stress that it will not be acceptable for any entity to govern Gaza Strip but the legitimate Palestinian leadership and the government of the State of Palestine,” Mustafa says.
He adds that “any attempt to consolidate the separation between the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, or creating transitional entities, will be rejected.”
Mustafa says that “we should not leave Gaza to vacuum … We are the government of Palestine, ready to hold our responsibilities in the Gaza Strip as we did before.”
Laying out his plan for the postwar management of Gaza, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken says he envisions the Palestinian Authority inviting international partners to help establish and run an interim administration responsible for running key civil sectors in Gaza such as banking, water, energy, health and civil coordination with Israel.
He says the international community would provide funding, technical support and oversight to this interim administration in Gaza, without elaborating on who exactly would be funding the enterprise.
He says the interim panel would be assembled through consultation with communities in Gaza and should include representatives from the Strip along with representatives from the PA.
The committee would work closely with a senior UN official appointed to oversee the international Gaza reconstruction effort.
An interim security mission made up of troops from US-allied countries along with vetted Palestinian personnel. It would be in charge of securing humanitarian aid along with border security and smuggling prevention, Blinken says.
He reveals that some US allies have already expressed willingness to contribute security forces to the interim mission but that they have conditioned this support on Israel agreeing to allow the West Bank and Gaza to be reunited under a reformed PA as part of a pathway to a two-state solution — something Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly rejected.
Blinken says that his plan also envisions the US establishing a new initiative to train, equip and vet a PA-led security force for Gaza, which would gradually take over the interim security mission.
These various frameworks for Gaza’s governance, reconstruction and security would be enshrined in a UN Security Council resolution.
Blinken’s speech was a subject of controversy within the Biden administration, with some arguing that it would be exploited by Netanyahu for political gain. Others maintained that it could even harm the hostage negotiations. Another US official told The Times of Israel that the decision to unveil the plan in this manner decreases the likelihood that it will be adopted by the incoming Trump administration, which largely wants to avoid continuing initiatives from the outgoing team.
Blinken: We assess that Hamas has recruited almost as many new fighters as it has lost
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken criticizes Israel’s war strategy, saying Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s refusal to advance a viable alternative to Hamas rule in Gaza, such as the PA, led the IDF to repeatedly return to places in the Strip it had previously cleared of Hamas fighters who managed to return.
“We’ve long made the point to the Israeli government that Hamas cannot be defeated by a military campaign alone, that without a clear alternative, a post-conflict plan and a credible political horizon for the Palestinians, Hamas, or something just as abhorrent and dangerous, will grow back,” Blinken says in an address on the Biden administration’s Mideast policy at the Atlantic Council.
“That’s exactly what’s happened in northern Gaza since October 7. Each time Israel completes its military operations and pulls back Hamas, militants regroup and reemerge because there’s nothing else to fill the void,” he says.
“Indeed, we assess that Hamas has recruited almost as many new militants as it has lost,” Blinken reveals. “That is a recipe for an enduring insurgency and perpetual war.”
“Israel has pursued its military campaign past the point of destroying Hamas’s military capacity and killing the leaders responsible for October 7, convinced that unrelenting military pressure was required to get Hamas to accept a ceasefire and hostage deal on Israel’s terms,” he says.
He adds that Hamas has “cynically weaponized the suffering of Palestinians” and points to a Wall Street Journal report that purported to reveal a message that the late Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar sent to mediators in which he called the death of Palestinian civilians “necessary sacrifices” and argued that the more innocent Palestinians were killed, the more Hamas would benefit.
An Israeli airstrike on Gaza’s Deir al-Balah killed at least 10 Palestinians and wounded others, medics tell Reuters.
The IDF does not immediately comment, but has long insisted that it does not target civilians, while Hamas hides among them.
Palestinian Authority prime minister insists PA should run Gaza after war
Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa says it “will not be acceptable” for any entity other than the PA to run the Gaza Strip in the future.
Mustafa makes the comments as he visits Norway, one of three European countries that formally recognized a Palestinian state in May.
Hamas seized power in Gaza in 2007 from the PA. The US has called for a revitalized Palestinian Authority to govern both the West Bank and Gaza ahead of eventual statehood, which the Israeli government opposes.
“While we’re waiting for the ceasefire, it’s important to stress that it will not be acceptable for any entity to govern Gaza Strip but the legitimate Palestinian leadership and the government of the State of Palestine,” Mustafa says.
He adds that “any attempt to consolidate the separation between the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, or creating transitional entities, will be rejected.”
Mustafa says that “we should not leave Gaza to vacuum … We are the government of Palestine, ready to hold our responsibilities in the Gaza Strip as we did before.”
Northern Israel - Lebanon/Hizbollah/Syria
- Syrian media reports several casualties in Israeli strike outside of buffer zone
Syrian media report several casualties in an Israeli airstrike in the village of Ghadir al-Bustan, close to the border with Israel.
The reports say the strike targeted a military convoy.
There is no immediate comment from the IDF.
Ghadir al-Bustan is located around three kilometers from the Israeli border, and is beyond a buffer zone in Syria currently occupied by Israeli forces.
- IDF says troops operating in Syria have captured over 3,300 weapons, including 2 tanks
The IDF says troops operating in southern Syria since the fall of the Assad regime have captured over 3,300 weapons and other spoils.
Among the weapons captured include two tanks, 70 grenades, 165 shells and rockets, 20 anti-aircraft missiles, and some 1,500 RPGs, the military says.
The troops also seized 60 pieces of surveillance equipment and 570 electronic items, including computers and communication devices.
The IDF has said that its deployment to a buffer zone on the Syrian side of the border and strategic positions beyond the zone is a defensive and temporary measure amid the situation in Syria.
- Syrian media reports several casualties in Israeli strike outside of buffer zone
Syrian media report several casualties in an Israeli airstrike in the village of Ghadir al-Bustan, close to the border with Israel.
The reports say the strike targeted a military convoy.
There is no immediate comment from the IDF.
Ghadir al-Bustan is located around three kilometers from the Israeli border, and is beyond a buffer zone in Syria currently occupied by Israeli forces.
- IDF says troops operating in Syria have captured over 3,300 weapons, including 2 tanks
The IDF says troops operating in southern Syria since the fall of the Assad regime have captured over 3,300 weapons and other spoils.
Among the weapons captured include two tanks, 70 grenades, 165 shells and rockets, 20 anti-aircraft missiles, and some 1,500 RPGs, the military says.
The troops also seized 60 pieces of surveillance equipment and 570 electronic items, including computers and communication devices.
The IDF has said that its deployment to a buffer zone on the Syrian side of the border and strategic positions beyond the zone is a defensive and temporary measure amid the situation in Syria.
West Bank and Jerusalem and Terror attacks within Israel
West Bank police arrest a 21-year-old resident of the Geva Binyamin settlement for hanging up posters expressing “hatred and incitement against IDF forces,” police spokespeople say.
The posters include messages labeling Israeli soldiers terrorists, urging people to “kill cops” and calling for a free Palestine.
Law enforcement say that the young man said during interrogation that he belongs to “pro-Palestinian groups.”
Police plan to file an indictment against the suspect and extend his detention until the end of court proceedings.
West Bank police arrest a 21-year-old resident of the Geva Binyamin settlement for hanging up posters expressing “hatred and incitement against IDF forces,” police spokespeople say.
The posters include messages labeling Israeli soldiers terrorists, urging people to “kill cops” and calling for a free Palestine.
Law enforcement say that the young man said during interrogation that he belongs to “pro-Palestinian groups.”
Police plan to file an indictment against the suspect and extend his detention until the end of court proceedings.
Politics and the War (general news)
The Region and the World
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Personal Stories Shoham Turgeman, 23: Travel lover whose joy for life ‘lit up the sun’Murdered by Hamas terrorists while trying to flee the Supernova music festival on Oct. 7Shoham Liya Turgeman, 23, from Beit She’an, was murdered by Hamas terrorists while trying to flee the Supernova music festival on October 7.
She attended the rave with her boyfriend, Nir Madmon, and two of their close friends, Shani Ben Ami and Eden Abdulayev. All four of them worked together at the 2c restaurant and bar in Tel Aviv, which is where Nir and Shoham first met.
The four of them fled the site of the festival via car when the rocket fire began, and chose to seek safety in a roadside bomb shelter. There, all four of them were killed when Hamas terrorists threw grenades and opened fire on those huddled inside.
Shoham was buried in Beit She’an on October 11. She is survived by her parents, Lidia and Shimon, and her younger brother Hoshen.
She loved to travel, with pinned Instagram highlights from all of her recent destinations — Mykonos, Egypt, Portugal, Berlin, Istanbul, Sinai and more. She had tickets for October 8, 2023, for a trip to Turkey with her mother. In her apartment, her family found her suitcase packed and ready to go.
According to a memorial book, Shoham explored many extracurriculars in high school, including dance, piano and drama. In the army she served as assistant to the commander of the Jordan Valley Brigade, and toward the end of her service she was posted as a security guard at the Allenby Bridge border crossing.
After being released, Shoham moved to Tel Aviv and started working as a waitress and later manager at the 2c restaurant, where she met Nir, and was also studying in a course to be a security guard and private investigator.
Writing on Instagram, Gaya Lek, a friend of Nir and Shoham, noted that “from the moment they met until they were taken from us too soon they did not part for a moment.” The couple, she wrote, “were a true match, from the depths of their souls, just like in fairy tales. A once-in-a-lifetime kind of love.”
The pair “loved to celebrate life, to laugh and dance and be happy… We’ll remember them always in our hearts and we’ll never forget.”
Shoham’s brother, Hoshen, wrote on Instagram that “anybody who didn’t know you missed out, missed out on your incredible personality and all your inner qualities, in addition to your beauty and all the external things that couldn’t be missed.”
“Anywhere you went, anybody sitting next to you couldn’t be sad, and you couldn’t help making people happy,” he continued. “You are the best person I know… I know that no matter what, wherever you are, you’re making everyone with you happy.”
Her mother, Lidia, wrote on Facebook ahead of Memorial Day that Shoham “lit up the sun. She would shine in the morning and join the stars in the evening.”
“She gathered friends and connected everyone. She was a source of joy and love, she only spread good and dreamed of peace between everyone,” added Lidia. “Her eyes shined like sparkly crystals… Your light will shine forever, your spirit will always be among us.”
Shoham Liya Turgeman, 23, from Beit She’an, was murdered by Hamas terrorists while trying to flee the Supernova music festival on October 7.
She attended the rave with her boyfriend, Nir Madmon, and two of their close friends, Shani Ben Ami and Eden Abdulayev. All four of them worked together at the 2c restaurant and bar in Tel Aviv, which is where Nir and Shoham first met.
The four of them fled the site of the festival via car when the rocket fire began, and chose to seek safety in a roadside bomb shelter. There, all four of them were killed when Hamas terrorists threw grenades and opened fire on those huddled inside.
Shoham was buried in Beit She’an on October 11. She is survived by her parents, Lidia and Shimon, and her younger brother Hoshen.
She loved to travel, with pinned Instagram highlights from all of her recent destinations — Mykonos, Egypt, Portugal, Berlin, Istanbul, Sinai and more. She had tickets for October 8, 2023, for a trip to Turkey with her mother. In her apartment, her family found her suitcase packed and ready to go.
According to a memorial book, Shoham explored many extracurriculars in high school, including dance, piano and drama. In the army she served as assistant to the commander of the Jordan Valley Brigade, and toward the end of her service she was posted as a security guard at the Allenby Bridge border crossing.
After being released, Shoham moved to Tel Aviv and started working as a waitress and later manager at the 2c restaurant, where she met Nir, and was also studying in a course to be a security guard and private investigator.
Writing on Instagram, Gaya Lek, a friend of Nir and Shoham, noted that “from the moment they met until they were taken from us too soon they did not part for a moment.” The couple, she wrote, “were a true match, from the depths of their souls, just like in fairy tales. A once-in-a-lifetime kind of love.”
The pair “loved to celebrate life, to laugh and dance and be happy… We’ll remember them always in our hearts and we’ll never forget.”
Shoham’s brother, Hoshen, wrote on Instagram that “anybody who didn’t know you missed out, missed out on your incredible personality and all your inner qualities, in addition to your beauty and all the external things that couldn’t be missed.”
“Anywhere you went, anybody sitting next to you couldn’t be sad, and you couldn’t help making people happy,” he continued. “You are the best person I know… I know that no matter what, wherever you are, you’re making everyone with you happy.”
Her mother, Lidia, wrote on Facebook ahead of Memorial Day that Shoham “lit up the sun. She would shine in the morning and join the stars in the evening.”
“She gathered friends and connected everyone. She was a source of joy and love, she only spread good and dreamed of peace between everyone,” added Lidia. “Her eyes shined like sparkly crystals… Your light will shine forever, your spirit will always be among us.”
Dark Legacy - The Abandonment of October 7th Hostages
He will be remembered as the worst Israeli leader since Simon bar KokhbaProf. Arie KacowiczDepartment of International Relations, Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
Abandoning the hostages for nine months is the most extreme example - moral and practical - of the shameful manner in which Israel’s Prime Minister chooses to conduct himself. This behavior contributed substantially to the intolerable failure of October 7th, 2023, the first time the hostages were forsaken. Since then, a failure no less menacing occurs daily, by managing a war with no reasonable political goals, no exit strategy, and no concrete plan to replace Hamas with another governing authority in Gaza. In fact, soldiers and hostages are being killed in the Gaza Strip to ensure Benjamin Netanyahu’s political survival due to his refusal to end the war, demand the demilitarization of Gaza with the introduction of an international military force, institute an intermediate international governing force, and cooperate with the Palestinian National Authority.What is even worse is that the continuing war in Gaza increases the concrete danger of an all-encompassing war with Hezbollah and Iran, which will be a momentous, if not an existential, threat to the State of Israel. The fact that Hamas is holding 120 women and men as hostages is a war crime. Opposing a ceasefire and the end of the war in order to free all the hostages is a violation of international law, as expressed in United Nations Security Council Resolutions 2728 and 2735. Even if the Prime Minister supports the “Biden plan” and even if Hamas has yet to accept this plan, if Netanyahu refuses to commit to ending the war today, this de facto rejection of the deal makes him a war criminal as well since he is supporting the sacrifice of the hostages on the altar of his personal interests.Benjamin Netanyahu is not “Mr. Security” and not Machiavelli’s prince, who takes care of his citizens. To quote from the warning notice sent by the state committee investigating the submarine affair (June 2024), Netanyahu “endangered national security and harmed Israel’s foreign relations.” The widespread pattern of negligence in his political and diplomatic behavior is substantiated in the following topics:Since 2014 and until today, he preferred to strengthen Hamas in Gaza, as part of “antagonistic cooperation,” so as not to negotiate with Mahmoud Abbas and the Palestinian National Authority about peaceful solutions to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.Encouraging former president Donald Trump to quit the Iran nuclear deal in 2018, without an alternative plan to stop Iran’s nuclear advancement.Founding an extreme government with Jewish fundamentalists, devoted to the destruction of the Zionist ethos of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state.Promoting a “judicial reform” since January 2023 that created misconceptions in the eyes of Israel’s enemies, as if the state is seemingly nearing its end. Rejecting an American offer, together with Saudi Arabia and the Arab League, aimed at normalization, peace, and a regional coalition against Iran.For Netanyahu, a person with deep historical awareness, we can conclude that forsaking the hostages is part of a wider pattern that characterizes his actions. He will be remembered as the worst Israeli leader since Simon bar Kokhba.
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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