π️Lonny's War Update- October 484, 2023 - Feb 1, 2025 π️
π️Day 484 that 79 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
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Hostage Updates
Ofer Calderon, Yarden Bibas and Keith Siegal are back in Israel after 484 days in Hamas Captivity after the worst disaster in the history of the State of Israel and the total abandonment by the Corrupt and Failed Government of Netanyahu
Yarden Bibas embraces his father Eli and his sister Ofri at an IDF facility near Re'im after 484 days in Hamas captivity.(Screencapture/Israel Defense Forces)Keith Seigal during his transfer from Hamas terrorists to the Red CrossOfer Calderon’s brother said “we will continue to fight until the last hostage is brought home” which, normally is the natural thing to say. What is not normal is that the fight is with our own Government
Yaron Bibas during his transfer from Hamas terrorists to the Red CrossOfer Calderon during his transfer from Hamas terrorists to the Red Cross
Today, 3 more hostages were released from the terrorists in Gaza and 79 more hostages are still in Gaza, living and dead.
The release of Yarden Bibas is so mixed: joy that he is out of the hell and great sorrow that he is coming back without his family, Shiri his wife and his young red headed boys, Ariel and Kfir. Although, there is still no absolute truth, Shiri and the boys are most likely dead and Yarden's return is a very painful one.
Since early this morning, all eyes in Israel were again glued to the television to see the release of our 3 hostages. This is the only victory, not the deliberately undescribed 'total victory' that Netanyahu has made his motto as part of his efforts not to agree to any hostage deal that calls for the end of the war. These hostages should have been home a long time ago, but for the personal interests of Netanyahu, Smotrich and Ben Gvir. They are nothing less than criminals and directly responsbile for the deaths of so many of the hostages who were killed in captivity.
We cannot stop our fight until the last hostage is home and we must also fight for an Official State Commission of Inquiry.Tears of joy as Ofer Calderon reunited with his children- Some thoughts on this Saturday (February 1, 2025 – Gershon Baskin)1. Hamas got the message from Israel through Qatar to avoid the chaos we witnessed last Thursday. Today the three Israeli hostages were released quickly in an orderly fashion. Hamas demonstrated clear control of the scene and ensured that the release and transfer to the ICRC happened safely and without delays.2. Those of us watching the release of the Israeli hostages should make sure to notice the extensive damage all around the site and all over Gaza. Hamas may be able to make a strong show of their control, but the people of Gaza have witnessed the destruction all around them and hold Hamas responsible, along with Israel of course. One Gazan friend I spoke with when I asked will the people who returned to the north of Gaza and have seen that they no longer have a home, a neighborhood or anything still standing, now rise up against Hamas. The response was that as long as there is no viable alternative in front of them, rising up against Hamas is suicide. We saw Hamas execute and beat Gazans who opposed Hamas in the streets for all to see and be aware that it could be their fate as well if they try to rise up against Hamas. If we expect Gazans to rise up against Hamas, there must be a viable, preferable alternative clear and present for them to support.3. On Monday the negotiations on Phase 2 of the deal are supposed to begin and to end by day 30 of the first 42 day ceasefire. This deal happened only as a result of President Trump telling Netanyahu that he wanted this off of his desk when he enters the Oval Office. That happened, with the firm determination of Steve Witkoff who with a clear demonstration of Presidential power made sure that Israel, Hamas and the mediators get the deal done – and it was. Netanyahu will be in the White House on Tuesday. Stage 2 is much more complicated because it potentially puts Netanyahu on a collision course with Trump, if Trump remains firms on this determination until now to see that the war in Gaza comes to an end. Netanyahu still refuses to end the war and to withdraw from Gaza and Smotrich is still vowing to bolt the coalition if stage 2 is agreed to. In this case we could see Netanyahu planning a provocation, either in Gaza or in the West Bank or East Jerusalem, that could lead to Hamas breaching the ceasefire in which case Netanyahu would tell Trump that Israel must respond. But if that happens, the fate of the remaining 67 Israeli hostages will be in jeopardy. The ceasefire is already very fragile.4. Given the fragility of the ceasefire and the current deal, we must continue to pressure all the parties to speed up the implementation and not draw it out for the remaining 24 days of phase 1 and the 42 days of phase 2. It can be done a lot faster and it must be done faster.5. The question of who rules Gaza is key to ending the war and the full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. If Hamas remains in control of Gaza there will be no reconstruction. Hamas knows this as well as all of the parties that are expected to pay billions for the reconstruction. The question of who rules Gaza is first and foremost a Palestinian issue. The Palestinian Authority says that it will take over control of Gaza. While the PA will apparently be taking over control of the Rafah crossing with the EU support from EUBAM, very few actually believe that the PA is capable of taking control of Gaza or that Hamas would agree to the current PA taking control. The one person I know who is willing to lead a new temporary government in Gaza is Dr. Nasser Alkidwa, the former PLO Ambassador to the UN, former Minister of Foreign Affairs in the PA, former President of the Yasser Arafat Foundation, nephew of Yasser Arafat, formerly headed a list for the election in. May 2021 that Abbas canceled which was supported by Marwan Barghouthi and Fadwa Barghouthi, Marwan’s wife, was number two on that list. But Alkidwa cannot establish a civil, professional, technocratic governing council in Gaza without being appointed by Abbas, and he will only accept the job if he is independent from Abbas. Alkidwa believes that within 24-36 months of a new governing council in Gaza, organically linked to the PA but independent from it, the Palestinian people must go to elections for a new government for the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza as one united territory.6. There is no military victory over Hamas, that should be clear to all. The are no winners in this war. We have all lost. Victory will only be achieved politically when we have new leaders (in Israel and in Palestine) and we are on a clear path towards the implementation of the two states solution, because until Palestinians are free and the occupation ends, Israel will never have real security. Those who think that Trump will deliver Saudi normalization to an Israeli government that refuses to end the occupation and allow Palestinians to be free, do not understand Saudi Arabia or the commitment of Mohammed Bin Salman to bring the Israeli Palestinian conflict to an end. The Saudis initiated and are running the Global Alliance for the Implementation of the Two States Solution. The formed the Alliance in September 2024 and 90 countries have participated in 4 meetings so far of the Alliance with the next meeting schedule for February in Egypt. They are serious about Palestinian statehood as are all of the Abraham Accord partner states as well. They all agree that the Gaza war must be the last Israeli-Palestinian war. For that to happen, we need to get rid of our current leaders and make sure that our new leaders are capable of not only looking back to “what they did to us” but are also capable of looking forward to ensuring peace and security for the 7 million Israeli Jews and the 7 million Palestinian Arabs living on the land between the River and the Sea.
- Hostage forum says release of three captives ‘brings ray of light’
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum hails the release of three hostages by Hamas, saying it “brings a ray of light” after more than 15 months of captivity in the Gaza Strip.
“Their release today brings a ray of light in the darkness, offering hope and demonstrating the triumph of the human spirit,” the forum says in a statement after captives Yarden Bibas, Keith Siegel and Ofer Calderon were freed.
Bibas family asks public to help ‘protect Yarden’s soul’ as he returns to ‘unbearable reality’ without wife, son
The Bibas family issues an emotional statement after the return of hostage Yarden Bibas from Hamas captivity without his wife Shiri and two sons Ariel And Kfir.
“Yarden is home. A quarter of our heart has returned to us after 15 long months.
There are no words to describe the relief of holding Yarden in our hands, embracing him, and hearing his voice. Yarden has returned home, but the home remains incomplete,” the statement says.“Yarden is a father who left his safe room to protect his family, bravely survived captivity, and returned to an unbearable reality,” it says.
At this time, we ask: Protect Yarden, Protect his soul. Please respect his privacy and give him the space he needs so that his body and soul can begin to recover,” the statement says.
Hamas has claimed that Shiri and the boys were killed in Gaza, but Israel has had no definite proof and has demanded information from Hamas through the mediators.
Yifat Zailer shows photos of her cousin, Shiri Bibas, center, her husband Yarden, left, and their sons Ariel, top right, and Kfir, who were taken hostage by Hamas terrorists, at her home in Herzliya, January 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo)The Bibas’s also thank the people of Israel and the soldiers of the IDF.
“We will take a few days to reunite with Yarden, but we continue with hope and the call for the return of Shiri, the children and all the hostages. Please continue to make their voices heard and emphasize the urgency of their return.”
Arbel 'survived as a hero' in captivity: 'She went through hell, in fine condition'
Yechiel Yehud says 'Along with Arbel's rehabilitation, we will mourn the loss of our son, Dolev. We will not rest until the remains of all hostages killed by Hamas are buried, and until every child, father, and son comes homeA little over a day after Arbel Yehud was released following 482 days in Hamas captivity, her father, Yechiel issued a statement at the Sheba Medical Center on Friday saying, "We are grateful for the return of our Arbel. Considering the hell she endured, she survived as a hero until the very last moment, with immeasurable bravery." Link
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Luis Har: "Until today, Netanyahu has not called. I assume that for him, I'm just a leftist kibbutznik."
A year after being rescued from his captors, Luis Har is still not free from Gaza. "Maybe I never will be," he admits. Since then, he has built a new, different life, in which, for the first time, he moved in with Clara Marman, his partner of 23 years, who is also a survivor of captivity. In a special interview about the wonders and difficulties of adaptation and healing, the two experienced individuals provide insight into what awaits the newly returned hostages and offer advice to them and those around them: "Precisely when you return to routine, something brings you back there, and it's very unpleasant. It's good to be prepared for that."
On February 25, Luis Har will celebrate his 72nd birthday. A little earlier, on February 12, he will turn one year old. And regarding the first birthday of his new life, he insists on speaking in a deep, professional, neutral radio voice, one that does not reveal a spark of excitement or joy. "A year ago, in the daring rescue operation, I got my life back, and I'm starting over," he struggles to summarize and diminish what he has been through. Minimizing, it seems, is his way of coping with what, even now, a year later, still feels surreal to him. "I try not to make a big deal out of it. Why? Because I don't want to let it control my life. It happened, and it's over."
129 days in captivity in Gaza is 'over and done'?"
"No, not yet, maybe never. But I try not to think about it too much. I also don’t think about what will be tomorrow. I live today, the moment, what I am breathing right now. That is the best advice I can give to the hostages who have just returned home. Look ahead, but not too far, so you won't be disappointed. Focus on the present."The couple in an apartment in Tel Aviv. Marman: "The real healing will begin when we return home", Har: "There's no telling. I'm quite afraid of the moment of truth" (Photo: Abigail Uzi)"I was and remain an atheist too. If there is a God, where was he on October 7, during the terrible massacre?" wonders the woman beside him, Clara Marman (65), whose time in captivity was shorter than his. She, her sister Gabriela Leimberg, her daughter Mia, and her dog Bella—who were taken from the safe room of their home in Kibbutz Nir Yitzhak—were released after 53 days. The two men kidnapped with them, Luis Har, her partner of 23 years, and her brother Fernando Marman, were left behind.
The union after the rescue. "Thanks to what I went through, I found my exact identity" (Photo: IDF spokesperson)
We met to talk about life after captivity, about the difficulties of adaptation and healing, to hear what the experienced ones have to say to the recently freed hostages. "I may have experience returning from captivity, but I don't think there are real pieces of advice," says Har, while Marman reflects on how to phrase her response. "After all, it is so individual, and each person is unique. Actually, maybe that itself is advice—don't think that what worked for others will work for you. That leads to disappointment. Find what suits you."
What is harder—falling into captivity or returning home?
"Everything is hard," he says. "Even the rescue was hard because I experienced it like another kidnapping, something sudden in the middle of the night. It was a kidnapping for a good cause, but my brain shrank just like during the abduction from the safe room, and my body locked up. It never crossed my mind that the IDF had come to save me—I heard an explosion and was sure they were blowing up our building. So I rolled onto the floor where we had been sleeping and moved toward the door. During the 129 days in captivity, I had told myself that the concrete stairs were the safest place to be when the building collapsed."But then I heard Fernando calling me, 'Luis, over here.' I crawled back to him on all fours, completely hunched over, with gunfire in every direction, a war inside the house. And then someone grabbed my head and my leg and told me, 'Come here, this is the IDF.' It was a Yamam fighter who said, 'We came to take you home.' At that moment, I understood—it was over.
Agam Berger in the helicopter
Arbel Yehud returnsIt's Over?
"It will never be over, but on the day I returned from there, I stopped counting the days of my new life. What for? When we were in captivity, we counted every day, every hour, every minute. From the moment I returned, what do I care how much time has passed? I live my life, day by day, and I also recommend that the newly freed hostages avoid counting. It only keeps you stuck in the past. I suggest they take their time. Nothing is urgent, they don’t have to immediately catch up on everything that happened and is happening. Give yourself all the time you need to understand what happened there. You have to process it in small portions, slowly, to cope and move forward. Big, fast bites can increase the confusion between reality and hallucination."Do you sometimes get confused and ask yourself if you’re still in Gaza?
"Much less now, but sometimes I feel like I'm still living in a movie. The newly released should be prepared for this phenomenon. Just when you return to routine, something small crosses your mind and takes you back there. It's beyond your control. And it's very unpleasant. And there's not much you can do except take a deep breath, remind yourself where you are, and move on."Plans for the anniversary of the rescue have not been made yet. "If we celebrate, it will be small, within the family. I don’t think there will be anything official because so far, no one has spoken to me. Who thinks of me on behalf of the state and the government? The president was the only one who reached out, after a long time, weeks later. He apologized for not doing it sooner, said it was his mistake, and invited us all to his office."
"I remember the attack on us when we returned. I was scared." Gedi Moses, yesterdayAnd the Prime Minister?
"Since the day I was rescued, he hasn’t called me. I know he signed off on the operation—without his signature, it wouldn’t have happened—but beyond that, he hasn’t shown any interest. I have no idea how he knows my opinions or beliefs, but I assume that to him, I’m nothing, just another leftist kibbutznik."Meraman also marked the anniversary of her release from captivity. "But I don’t count the weeks and months that have passed since, because part of survival is entering a new phase of living in the moment and enjoying each day. I don’t make future plans yet. I try to make the most of each day, go with the flow of life, and get as much good out of it as possible."
A Hole in My Heart in Your Shape
Both wear black T-shirts with a single word printed in bold yellow: NOW. Both wear yellow bracelets and necklaces with pendants. "I used to not be able to wear anything on my wrist except a watch," he points to the bracelet with a Star of David that he received at the hostage headquarters. "Since I put it on, I can’t be without it."Around his neck, a gold pendant is engraved on one side with the words, 'I have a hole in my heart in your shape', and on the other, 'Together we will win', with a drawing of a lion and lioness. Meraman wears a standard silver pendant that says, 'Our heart remains in Gaza', and says that only her body left Gaza. Her soul is still there. Until everyone comes back. Maybe even after.
Does the fact that you both survived captivity help you support each other?
The couple, both long-divorced, exchange glances. In a long relationship like theirs, words are often unnecessary. He is a father of four and grandfather of ten; she is a mother of two and grandmother of three. When they started their second chapter over two decades ago, they chose to live in separate homes—she in Nir Yitzhak ("I was the kibbutz kindergarten teacher") and he in Kibbutz Orim, where he worked as an accountant. Since Herr was rescued from Gaza, they have been living together in a spacious, well-furnished apartment in Ramat Aviv, provided to them as a private donation. If and when the arrangement ends and they have to start paying rent, they do not expect support from the government agency that originally wanted to house them in a nursing home—an offer they declined with a "No, thank you.""We came back to life, but we're not the same people anymore; everything has changed," he declares. "At the kibbutz, I always cooked, and the kids came with the grandchildren—19 mouths to feed, and I cooked for everyone happily. Today, in this apartment, I don’t feel like cooking. It’s not my oven, not my place. And that’s a small change in habit, right?"
What is the more significant change you’ve experienced?
"I used to have less self-appreciation. Today, I know exactly who I am. I gained confidence, I can speak, go out, be in front of cameras—old Luis might not have done that. Today, everyone tells me that because of what I went through, I found my true identity—a man of theater, a performer. It’s true that I was already on stage before, I danced, but I didn’t think I had room to grow. Now, when I have something to say, even if it’s live on television, I say it. And the funniest thing is that people accept me just as I am."In captivity, every day I told Mia and everyone stories. She asked about our experiences, our weddings, Hashomer Hatzair in Argentina, why we came to Israel, and in the end, it became Luis’s story. And suddenly, I told myself, 'Wow, I actually did something with my life.' And that very thought helped me come to terms with reality. If God or whoever decides it’s my time to die, then I’ll die. I wasn’t afraid of that. And if I keep living, I have so much more to do. That gave me peace."
Meraman looks at him with affectionate eyes. "Humans have incredible survival and coping skills," she says. "So we showered only once every ten days. So the water wasn’t hot. So we had less food—we dealt with it, we survived. The hardest thing about captivity is the lack of freedom and the inability to choose—that’s the worst thing. Yes, our captivity was better compared to the hostages held in tunnels or in isolation, but the worst part was losing control over everything you wanted to do—except breathing. That and the boredom. There was nothing to do. You just lay or sat there. What do you do all day? Everyone tried to retreat into their own minds, to imagine, to disconnect from the harsh reality. What also helped us was movement—walking in place, moving."
Doron Steinbrecher returnsThroughout all the days of captivity, Herr never saw himself staying there forever. "We never lost hope for a second. We always saw the light. We kept saying that the Jewish people don’t leave anyone behind. We didn’t know how or when it would happen, but we knew we’d get out. Today, I ask myself, where did I get that confidence when I knew that in a second, someone could put a bullet in my head? To prevent that, we did everything not to provoke the four guards, especially the one we called ‘the boss.’ That was our survival instinct—knowing how to behave."
"Since then, we’ve returned to life, but we haven’t returned home," she emphasizes. "My house in Orim is still under renovation," he explains. "Two rockets landed inside our yard. What was destroyed has been rebuilt, but our kibbutz has no bomb shelters, and I said I would only return if I had one. I hope to be back within a month."
"And I want to return to my home in Nir Yitzhak, but I need to feel safer," she admits. "The social services in Eshkol asked me what would make me feel safer, and I said the terrorists entered through the windows, so I want bars. There are no bars in the kibbutz, but every time I add another condition for myself. I’ve already been back to the kibbutz, but I haven’t slept in my house yet."
"We went through a big change—from the kibbutz to the city, from being alone to being together," he concludes. "We both plan to return to our kibbutzim and our old lives, but who knows? Maybe we’ve gotten used to being together and will prefer that over living apart."
Emily Damari and her mother Mandy"The soldiers from the Yamam who rescued me gave me my life back, and along with that, I received a mission: to do my part in public diplomacy because the government's public diplomacy is terrible," he claims. "So I got into it logically, and since then, I enjoy feeling the warmth and embrace of the people. Until today, I haven't encountered extreme behavior, and maybe it's just a matter of luck.
"On the other hand, it's hard for me in a crowded place, with a lot of people and noise. My body locks up. Since I already know how my body will react, I don't put it to the test. I don't feel good at Kaplan, so I avoid the situation—I simply don't go to places with heavy energy. I feel better at the Hostages Square. Even when it's full, I find a quiet corner in it."
Have you already met anyone from the recent returns? Luis, you have a daughter in Barekha, the moshav where Liri Elbag lives.
"Liri, her parents, and the whole family need time," Marman says. "I remember the onslaught we experienced when we returned. I was frightened.""I see that now they are protecting the returnees more," Har says. "Maybe it's a lesson from the previous celebrations. Everything is more planned and controlled. If they had asked for my opinion, I would have suggested going through the moments of reunion without media at all. They need quiet; you mustn't swarm them; you mustn't even address them directly until they feel they are ready. And even then, not all at once. Each of them will go through a slow process until they can open up. First, they need to get used to the fact that they are back in the country, that they are in Israel. The fact that they landed here doesn’t mean they returned to the lives they had. It's a process. But when the time comes, in my opinion, it’s very important to tell what happened there, to give interviews abroad to the local press."
Now he gets up from the couch and takes a short walk between the walls of the living room, which carries a family atmosphere. Alongside smiling pictures of the family, there is a black-and-white photograph: the building where he was held, before and after the bombing. Two floors—and a hole. Every now and then, he must stretch his bones, to feel that he is in motion. "Of course, it's a side effect of captivity. Time doesn’t pass; every minute is an eternity, and you don’t have too many options. Lie down or sit. Not always was there strength to stand."
From right to left: Karina Arayev, Daniela Gilboa, Liri Elbag, and Naama Levy—on Hamas' stage (Photo: AP, Abed Hajjar)Is this another recommendation for hostages returning home?
"They don’t need this recommendation; very quickly, they will feel the need to move, to activate their limbs, to feel life. And this is what parents, family members, and everyone in the close circle must understand. Look at us, at Clara and me, right? We look fine? How can I explain that sometimes everything seems unreal to me? The abduction, the rescue, everything. Many times, Clara and I recount what we went through with emotional detachment, as if it were a story that happened to someone else."This is the result of continuous psychological support. Only conversations, they emphasize, no medication. Each of them felt strong enough to cope and survive without chemicals. "And despite everything," he says, "at certain moments, it still seems and feels like a story or a movie that hasn't ended yet. I can't pinpoint the hardest moment in captivity. Overall, we were lucky; we were in an apartment, and our captor protected us from his friends. And we were always together. Five people and a dog. There were days when our morale dropped a bit or when we missed home more. The day the girls left home was tough, but I remember the hardest night. Clara, do you remember?" "How could I not?" she smiles.
"A night of horror. They told us that the next day there would be a ceasefire, and I told everyone, 'Prepare yourselves, it's going to be a tough night; each side will try to blow up the other as much as possible.' It was a night of rain with thunder; we no longer knew if it was our bombings or theirs, and the thunder, and the rain, the window glass shattered, so we stayed away from the window, we were in the middle of the room, with blankets over us, it was terribly cold, and everything was exposed, and we didn't know what would happen. Even now, I get startled by a motorcyclist revving up in the middle of the night. A terrible noise, in the dark, it really penetrates, and it always sounds like the beginning of a siren, and my body tenses up. It happens to me all the time. It takes a few seconds until I refocus and remind myself that it's just a motorcycle."
Today, he has enough courage to admit that if he had imagined that even after 14 months we would still have hostages in Gaza, he might not have been able to bear it. "I thought it would end much faster, but our government is indifferent. We don’t deserve to live under such a government. We are a wonderful people, a great people, who don’t know how to choose their leaders. But no matter how much they try to divide us, it won’t work. I am ashamed to see ministers yelling at the families of the hostages. This isn't about politics; it's inhumane. It's better to turn off the TV and not watch the news."
Is that what you do?
"I watch very little."
"I watch!" Marman protests. "Why? Because I want to know everything! He gives interviews nonstop, sometimes several times a day, so before he enters the studio, I update him. There have been times when they asked him something, and he didn’t know what it was about."Living to enjoy life
Even in the helicopter that brought him to Tel Hashomer, Har didn't know what had happened on October 7 and afterward. "We didn’t know anything," he recounts. "The first thing my daughters told me was, 'Dad, you mustn't watch TV or the news; a lot of difficult things happened, and you'll discover them slowly, not all at once—it’s hard to digest.' They didn’t even tell me how many of my friends were murdered. When I started asking, they said, 'You don’t need to know everything today.' In the first days, when friends came over, I felt that behind my back they were signaling to them, 'He doesn’t know, don’t tell him.'"What was the first thing you found out?
"Two weeks after I arrived, I wanted to go to my dance group, to dance, and my daughter tried to prevent it with all sorts of excuses. I didn’t understand why. For years, I have been dancing in the Aya Eshkol troupe, named after a soldier who was murdered in an attack in Be'er Sheva. I arrived at rehearsal and discovered that Avi Fleischer, my friend from Kibbutz Magen, was murdered. A real friend, a connection of many years. And another woman who danced with us was murdered at Nova. That’s how I started putting two and two together and understanding the scale of things.""Many times I said, 'Enough, don't pity me, I can handle this,' but I'm only lying to myself. To this day, I cannot enter Nir Oz and Be'eri. We drive by in the car and see the number of cars and the memorials, but nothing beyond that. We don’t enter. We don’t even stop. It took me an entire year to enter the safe room in Clara’s house, from which we were kidnapped. Do you remember what happened?"
She nods, resting her head on his shoulder. It’s a frame of love and closeness. "On Shavuot," he recounts, "we were invited to Talmei Yosef, and to get there, you have to pass through Nir Yitzhak. Clara said to me, 'What, we’ll pass by the kibbutz and not go in?' And I answered her, putting on a macho act, 'We’ll go in, of course we’ll go in.' So we entered by car, I stopped in front of Clara’s house, we got out, and the moment I stepped inside, I stepped right back out. I couldn’t be there. Clara’s house had already been renovated, it’s not like we saw all the broken things—everything was tidy and clean—but something prevented me from going in. My body remembered, and my body was not willing to enter. I told Clara I’d wait in the car and left.
"The first time I entered was on October 7th, the anniversary. When we entered the safe room, we saw a bit of scuffing on the couches. Today, it’s easier for me to enter the place from which I was kidnapped because we got rid of the couches. Clara said she feels that every place they touched became contaminated, so everything needed to be replaced. We even changed our clothes. A new life."
The family reunion after the rescueWhat is your advice to the Israeli public?
"To keep fighting for the rescue and return of all the hostages. And to accept the reactions of those who have returned, even when they are not to your liking. It could be that someone will be less friendly, that someone will say, 'No, I don’t want to talk'—don’t take offense, don’t be pushy, don’t attack. Allow the possibility of silence. Let those who returned from captivity walk the streets without being disturbed or pointed at.""There were five of us in one room, and each of us reacts to captivity in their own way," she adds. "I suggest that the public continue supporting the struggle to bring all the hostages back, donate, and volunteer—but according to the wishes of those who have returned. Everyone is different, and each person needs their own time to adjust."
And they conclude with a tip for the close circles of those who have returned: get used to the fact that they will be impatient.
"I can’t stand in line," he illustrates. "It drives me crazy. I manage when I’m driving, even in traffic jams, but if I enter a place and there’s a queue, I’ll leave. On the other hand, I have no problem waiting in line at the pharmacy. I have a fast-pass card, but I prefer to take a number, sit, and wait. I can’t go into a car repair shop. The noise, the shouting. I also won’t go into a car wash. It’s a shame—I used to love it.""I used to be a very patient person," she shares, "but when I returned from captivity, I couldn’t stand going shopping and waiting. Until I was released, every minute felt like an eternity because of the boredom and fear, and now I’ll just stand and wait? On the other hand, my approach is to look for the good. We got an opportunity for couples therapy. If not for October 7th, I don’t think it’s something we would have done."
Do you have patience for each other?
"When Luis is irritable, I send him to rest. It’s usually from exhaustion."
"We’re not talking about shouting or wild behavior," he defends himself, "it’s just impatience. But Clara feels me, and I feel her. That’s how we were before too. We complete each other."Is he a better partner today?
"He’s different. It’s a different experience. The biggest change is that we’re together—before, we were only together on weekends. We weren’t together day and night, and that’s an adjustment."
"I’m still getting used to it," he admits. "One night, Clara wasn’t here—she went to her daughter’s—and I acted as if she was in bed next to me. I left her space so I wouldn’t hit her or something in my sleep. Will we be able to be apart from each other? I don’t know. I have no answers. I live in the moment. That’s what guides us. We live to enjoy life. Clara starts her day at the country club, doing water aerobics. I don’t have time for that, but every morning I go for a walk with someone who is also a psychologist, and we talk.""I aspire to regain my sense of security," she shares. "I lived three kilometers from Gaza and knew there was an army. I want to return to Nir Yitzhak—that’s my home—but I fear normalizing reality the way I did before. I lived for over 20 years with the Red Alert sirens, and I felt it was okay to go in and out of the safe room. The only thing that will restore my sense of security is resolving the conflict with the Palestinians. This conflict is not just our problem—it’s a global problem. They are our neighbors and our cousins, and the whole world needs to mobilize to give Palestinians a better life."
I don’t understand—do you feel sorry for the Gazans?
"My thinking is very humanitarian. Even though I was held captive in their hands."
"I completely changed my views," he remarks. "I once believed in coexistence. Today, I say there’s no one to talk to—we have no partner." link
- UNRWA says Emily Damari’s allegations she was held in its facilities ‘grave,’ demand probe
The UN agency for Palestinian refugees tells Ynet that freed hostage Emily Damari’s allegation that she was held in UNRWA facilities are “very grave allegations” that must be investigated.
In comments published by Ynet in Hebrew, a spokeswoman says it is relieved that Damari has been reunited with her family, and says UNRWA “has called repeatedly for independent investigations into allegations of misuse and disregard for UN facilities by Palestinian armed groups, including Hamas.”
Gadi Mozes tells family he paced 7km every day in his 2×2 meter cell
Gadi Mozes, 80, surrounded by gunmen during his release from captivity in Khan Younis, Gaza, January 30, 2025 (Via social media)Freed hostage Gadi Mozes has told family members that he was held alone for his entire time in captivity, Chanel 12 reports. He and hostage Arbel Yehoud, who were freed together on Thursday, met each other only a few days before release.
Mozes knew his longtime partner Efrat Katz had been murdered during the attack, and mourned her. But he did not know what had happened to his daughter Moran until being freed (Moran survived and met him yesterday upon his return).
For 70 days of his time in captivity, he was locked alone in a dark room. He was moved between apartments and was not held in tunnels. In one location, he was able to watch some TV.
For much of the time, Mozes was held in a two-square-meter (2.4-square-yard) room. He paced in it, and assessed that he walked some 7 kilometers (~4 miles) every day, counting tiles and solving math problems to pass the time and keep his mind sharp.
Once every five days or so was given a bowl of tepid water to shower with, using a cup to pour the water over his head. He insisted on shaving himself, despite it being a messy and painful affair in those conditions, in order to feel tidy.
At some points he feared he would be executed. In one instance, he was held in a hot pickup truck for 12 hours under Red Cross offices in Gaza. Though he thought he was being released, he was only being moved.
Mozes lost some 15 kilograms in captivity, the network says.
His glasses were broken during the kidnapping, but after two months he managed to get new ones from his captors and was able to read two books.
At a certain point Mozes said he decided to live one day at a time, and not think of release.
Mozes described the chaotic handover to the Red Cross on Thursday as moments of “mortal fear,” and said he worried that he and Arbel Yehoud would be lynched by the mob around them.
Amazingly, Chanel 12 says Mozes told his captors that when the war ends and there is peace, he will come to Gaza and teach them to farm.
The UN agency for Palestinian refugees tells Ynet that freed hostage Emily Damari’s allegation that she was held in UNRWA facilities are “very grave allegations” that must be investigated.
In comments published by Ynet in Hebrew, a spokeswoman says it is relieved that Damari has been reunited with her family, and says UNRWA “has called repeatedly for independent investigations into allegations of misuse and disregard for UN facilities by Palestinian armed groups, including Hamas.”
Gadi Mozes tells family he paced 7km every day in his 2×2 meter cell
Freed hostage Gadi Mozes has told family members that he was held alone for his entire time in captivity, Chanel 12 reports. He and hostage Arbel Yehoud, who were freed together on Thursday, met each other only a few days before release.
Mozes knew his longtime partner Efrat Katz had been murdered during the attack, and mourned her. But he did not know what had happened to his daughter Moran until being freed (Moran survived and met him yesterday upon his return).
For 70 days of his time in captivity, he was locked alone in a dark room. He was moved between apartments and was not held in tunnels. In one location, he was able to watch some TV.
For much of the time, Mozes was held in a two-square-meter (2.4-square-yard) room. He paced in it, and assessed that he walked some 7 kilometers (~4 miles) every day, counting tiles and solving math problems to pass the time and keep his mind sharp.
Once every five days or so was given a bowl of tepid water to shower with, using a cup to pour the water over his head. He insisted on shaving himself, despite it being a messy and painful affair in those conditions, in order to feel tidy.At some points he feared he would be executed. In one instance, he was held in a hot pickup truck for 12 hours under Red Cross offices in Gaza. Though he thought he was being released, he was only being moved.
Mozes lost some 15 kilograms in captivity, the network says.
His glasses were broken during the kidnapping, but after two months he managed to get new ones from his captors and was able to read two books.
At a certain point Mozes said he decided to live one day at a time, and not think of release.
Mozes described the chaotic handover to the Red Cross on Thursday as moments of “mortal fear,” and said he worried that he and Arbel Yehoud would be lynched by the mob around them.
Amazingly, Chanel 12 says Mozes told his captors that when the war ends and there is peace, he will come to Gaza and teach them to farm.
Gaza and the South
- Israel faces new security concerns as Palestinians return to northern Gaza
As thousands return to their homes in northern Gaza, Israeli security officials debate the potential risks of Hamas regrouping and the challenges of maintaining long-term security
Hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians returned to northern Gaza on Tuesday after the IDF withdrew from a key crossing that had previously blocked their movement during the war. The withdrawal was part of a cease-fire agreement between Hamas and Israel earlier this month.
Despite agreeing to the cease-fire, the Israeli government has vowed to resume military operations once the first stage of the deal is completed. At the start of the war, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged to dismantle Hamas’s military infrastructure and remove it from power in Gaza. As this objective remains unfulfilled, Israel has committed to continuing the war.
Although negotiations to extend the cease-fire are set to begin next week, deep distrust between the two sides leaves little hope that it will last beyond its initial phase, which is scheduled to end in early March.The sight of refugees carrying their belongings on foot was both emotional for Palestinians and concerning for Israelis, who fear the security implications of a repopulated northern Gaza. With Israeli forces no longer present in the area, there are growing concerns that Hamas could regain control and pose a renewed threat to Israel.Before the war, northern Gaza was home to approximately one million people and borders Israeli communities known as the “Gaza Envelope.” These areas have been targeted by Hamas for over two decades, particularly since Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza in 2005. The Palestinian cities of Jabaliya, Beit Hanoun, and Beit Lahiya previously served as Hamas’s strongholds and were the launch sites for its October 7, 2023, terrorist attack—one of the deadliest conflicts in the region in recent years.
Critics of the cease-fire argue that allowing Palestinians to return to these areas endangers Israel. They advocate for maintaining an unpopulated buffer zone along the border.“Everything is reversible,” Dr. Harel Chorev of the Moshe Dayan Center for Middle Eastern Studies at Tel Aviv University said. “If there will be an operational need, the population can be moved again.” link
The freed prisoner who is embarrassing Hamas: "I advise my grandchildren not to follow the path of attacks"
Mohammed al-Tous, the oldest Palestinian prisoner released in the deal, was set free after 40 years in Israeli prison and voiced critical views on the October 7 massacre: "A leader who considers carrying out a major attack must know the price. We will not accept that the price of our release from prison is a single drop of blood from a Palestinian child."
A veteran Palestinian prisoner who was freed in the second phase of the prisoner exchange deal, Mohammed al-Tous, surprised Hamas leadership when he expressed his opinions on the October 7 massacre in interviews with Arab media. Al-Tous, 69, from Bethlehem, had been imprisoned since 1985 and served 40 years in an Israeli prison, making him the oldest Palestinian prisoner released in the deal. He was deported to Egypt.
Right: Palestinian prisoner Muhammad al-Tus after his release from prisonIn an interview with the Emirati Al-Mashhad network, he said: "If I had known the price of my freedom, I would have stayed in prison. We will not accept that the price of our release from prison is a single drop of blood from a Palestinian child. Any leader, whether Palestinian or not, when considering carrying out a major attack, must know the price he is willing to pay in exchange for achieving his goal."
Al-Tous's statements indicate that he is among the opponents of the October 7 attack led by Hamas. "I advise my grandchildren today not to follow the path of attacks and resistance," he said yesterday in an interview with the Saudi Al-Arabiya network. "We do not want our freedom to come at the expense of our children's lives." Among other things, he shared: "I met Marwan Barghouti more than once, the last time being two years ago. He was in good condition."
In another interview, Al-Tous stated that Palestinians should unite around Abu Mazen (Mahmoud Abbas), which angered Hamas leadership. On social media, there was an outraged discourse about the prisoner who did not thank Hamas for securing his release, with some calling on him to apologize for his remarks. "Go back to the Israeli prison if you don't respect the resistance," one user lashed out at him.
Al-Tous has been imprisoned since 1985 and belongs to the Fatah movement. He was sentenced to life in prison and served 40 consecutive years in an Israeli prison after founding the first group in the organization that carried out multiple shooting attacks in the Jerusalem and Bethlehem areas.
Palestinians begin arriving at Rafah crossing ahead of reopening
Images show Palestinians arriving at the Rafah Crossing between Gaza and Egypt, which has reopened as part of the hostage-ceasefire deal.
Video shows children and their caregivers waiting to cross into Egypt.
It will be opened initially for 50 injured terror operatives and 50 wounded civilians, along with the people escorting them, with a further 100 people, most likely students, probably allowed through on humanitarian grounds.
The Hamas-run Gaza health ministry says 50 sick and wounded children are scheduled to be evacuated through the Rafah crossing along with 61 companions.
It had been the only exit point for Palestinians during the war before it was closed in May. A European Union civilian mission was deployed Friday to prepare for the reopening of the crossing.
Palestinians celebrate as three bus loads of prisoners arrive in Gaza
Three buses carrying Palestinian prisoners released by Israel as part of a ceasefire deal arrive in the southern Gaza city of Khan Yunis.
The prisoners, many wearing grey prison uniforms, are greeted by hundreds of Gazans who gathered around the buses as they approached the city’s European Hospital.
The prisoners were to undergo medical checks at the hospital before heading to their homes.
“In blood and spirit, we shall redeem you, prisoner!” chant some in the crowd as the men left the buses one by one.
Some prisoners stuck their heads out of the windows of the vehicles as they tried to spot relatives or talk to people they knew in the crowd.
According to the Palestinian Prisoners’ Club in Ramallah, 150 of the 183 detainees released on Saturday as part of the truce between Israel and Hamas were to be transferred to Gaza.
“This is a new day of victory for our people. Today, a new group of our heroes is being released, seeing freedom despite the occupation’s will,” a Hamas official who did not wish to be identified tells AFP.
The freed prisoner who is embarrassing Hamas: "I advise my grandchildren not to follow the path of attacks"
Mohammed al-Tous, the oldest Palestinian prisoner released in the deal, was set free after 40 years in Israeli prison and voiced critical views on the October 7 massacre: "A leader who considers carrying out a major attack must know the price. We will not accept that the price of our release from prison is a single drop of blood from a Palestinian child."
A veteran Palestinian prisoner who was freed in the second phase of the prisoner exchange deal, Mohammed al-Tous, surprised Hamas leadership when he expressed his opinions on the October 7 massacre in interviews with Arab media. Al-Tous, 69, from Bethlehem, had been imprisoned since 1985 and served 40 years in an Israeli prison, making him the oldest Palestinian prisoner released in the deal. He was deported to Egypt.
Right: Palestinian prisoner Muhammad al-Tus after his release from prison
In an interview with the Emirati Al-Mashhad network, he said: "If I had known the price of my freedom, I would have stayed in prison. We will not accept that the price of our release from prison is a single drop of blood from a Palestinian child. Any leader, whether Palestinian or not, when considering carrying out a major attack, must know the price he is willing to pay in exchange for achieving his goal."
Al-Tous's statements indicate that he is among the opponents of the October 7 attack led by Hamas. "I advise my grandchildren today not to follow the path of attacks and resistance," he said yesterday in an interview with the Saudi Al-Arabiya network. "We do not want our freedom to come at the expense of our children's lives." Among other things, he shared: "I met Marwan Barghouti more than once, the last time being two years ago. He was in good condition."
In another interview, Al-Tous stated that Palestinians should unite around Abu Mazen (Mahmoud Abbas), which angered Hamas leadership. On social media, there was an outraged discourse about the prisoner who did not thank Hamas for securing his release, with some calling on him to apologize for his remarks. "Go back to the Israeli prison if you don't respect the resistance," one user lashed out at him.
Al-Tous has been imprisoned since 1985 and belongs to the Fatah movement. He was sentenced to life in prison and served 40 consecutive years in an Israeli prison after founding the first group in the organization that carried out multiple shooting attacks in the Jerusalem and Bethlehem areas.
Palestinians begin arriving at Rafah crossing ahead of reopening
Images show Palestinians arriving at the Rafah Crossing between Gaza and Egypt, which has reopened as part of the hostage-ceasefire deal.
Video shows children and their caregivers waiting to cross into Egypt.
It will be opened initially for 50 injured terror operatives and 50 wounded civilians, along with the people escorting them, with a further 100 people, most likely students, probably allowed through on humanitarian grounds.
The Hamas-run Gaza health ministry says 50 sick and wounded children are scheduled to be evacuated through the Rafah crossing along with 61 companions.
It had been the only exit point for Palestinians during the war before it was closed in May. A European Union civilian mission was deployed Friday to prepare for the reopening of the crossing.
Palestinians celebrate as three bus loads of prisoners arrive in Gaza
Three buses carrying Palestinian prisoners released by Israel as part of a ceasefire deal arrive in the southern Gaza city of Khan Yunis.
The prisoners, many wearing grey prison uniforms, are greeted by hundreds of Gazans who gathered around the buses as they approached the city’s European Hospital.
The prisoners were to undergo medical checks at the hospital before heading to their homes.
“In blood and spirit, we shall redeem you, prisoner!” chant some in the crowd as the men left the buses one by one.
Some prisoners stuck their heads out of the windows of the vehicles as they tried to spot relatives or talk to people they knew in the crowd.
According to the Palestinian Prisoners’ Club in Ramallah, 150 of the 183 detainees released on Saturday as part of the truce between Israel and Hamas were to be transferred to Gaza.
“This is a new day of victory for our people. Today, a new group of our heroes is being released, seeing freedom despite the occupation’s will,” a Hamas official who did not wish to be identified tells AFP.
Northern Israel - Lebanon/Hizbollah/Syria
- ‘Syrian Resistance’ group claims responsibility for firing at IDF troops in buffer zone
The “Syrian Resistance,” an organization affiliated with the former regime in Syria, claims responsibility for firing at Israel Defense Forces troops in the buffer zone last night, a Hezbollah-affiliated Lebanese outlet reports.
The group announces it “has begun its operations against the Israeli enemy alongside operations against al-Julani’s terrorist gangs,” using the nom de guerre of new Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa.
According to the Al-Akhbar outlet, the group also says “the Syrian Resistance will not allow Israel to occupy our land. We will ambush it and al-Julani’s gangs with precise ambushes and surprise attacks.”
The IDF said last night that soldiers had returned fire at the source of the shooting, and that there were no Israeli injuries.
It marked the first such incident since Israeli forces deployed to the buffer zone on the border between Israel and Syria, following the fall of the Assad regime last month.
- ‘Syrian Resistance’ group claims responsibility for firing at IDF troops in buffer zone
The “Syrian Resistance,” an organization affiliated with the former regime in Syria, claims responsibility for firing at Israel Defense Forces troops in the buffer zone last night, a Hezbollah-affiliated Lebanese outlet reports.
The group announces it “has begun its operations against the Israeli enemy alongside operations against al-Julani’s terrorist gangs,” using the nom de guerre of new Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa.
According to the Al-Akhbar outlet, the group also says “the Syrian Resistance will not allow Israel to occupy our land. We will ambush it and al-Julani’s gangs with precise ambushes and surprise attacks.”
The IDF said last night that soldiers had returned fire at the source of the shooting, and that there were no Israeli injuries.
It marked the first such incident since Israeli forces deployed to the buffer zone on the border between Israel and Syria, following the fall of the Assad regime last month.
West Bank and Jerusalem and Terror attacks within Israel
Settlers said to start fires by Palestinian’s West Bank home
Fires have been lit outside the home of a Palestinian olive grower in the West Bank village of Burin.
The olive grower, Bashar Eid, says he saw settlers come from the illegal outpost of Givat Ronen, which lies on a hilltop just above Burin, and start the fires, and that “we fled for fear of being killed” when the settlers came from the outpost.
Eid says he has suffered repeatedly from attacks by settlers from nearby outposts and settlements, and has suffered physical injury at their hands, while his olive groves have also been repeatedly vandalized. “I am in danger of being expelled or killed. What should I do?” he says.
Prison services says 183 Palestinian security prisoners released
The Israel Prison Service says it has completed the release of 183 Palestinian prisoners. It says some of the prisoners were transferred from the Ofer prison to the West Bank, while the rest were sent from the Ketziot prison to the Gaza Strip.
Settlers said to start fires by Palestinian’s West Bank home
Fires have been lit outside the home of a Palestinian olive grower in the West Bank village of Burin.
The olive grower, Bashar Eid, says he saw settlers come from the illegal outpost of Givat Ronen, which lies on a hilltop just above Burin, and start the fires, and that “we fled for fear of being killed” when the settlers came from the outpost.
Eid says he has suffered repeatedly from attacks by settlers from nearby outposts and settlements, and has suffered physical injury at their hands, while his olive groves have also been repeatedly vandalized. “I am in danger of being expelled or killed. What should I do?” he says.
Prison services says 183 Palestinian security prisoners released
The Israel Prison Service says it has completed the release of 183 Palestinian prisoners. It says some of the prisoners were transferred from the Ofer prison to the West Bank, while the rest were sent from the Ketziot prison to the Gaza Strip.
Politics and the War (general news)
- Arab foreign ministers reject transferring Palestinians out of Gaza ‘under any circumstances’
Arab foreign ministers reject the transfer of Palestinians from their land “under any circumstances or justifications,” presenting a unified stance against US President Donald Trump’s call for Egypt and Jordan to take in residents of the Gaza Strip.
In a joint statement following a meeting in Cairo, the foreign ministers and officials from Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia Qatar, the Palestinian Authority and the Arab League says they were looking forward to working with Trump’s administration to achieve a just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East, based on a two-state solution. link Trump is not letting up on this stupid and dangerous idea. It will definitely be one of the main subjects in his meeting with Netanyahu next week as it will be in his discussions through phone calls with Al Sisi of Egypt and King Abdullah of Jordan. He seems to think that the Gazans will willingly participate and go easily according to this plan and believes that he has the power to get Egypt and Jordan to go along with it. If Canada, the US or many countries in Europe was an option for the Gazans to move to (and remain), there would be many takers but not to Egypt, Jordan, Albania, Indonesia, etc. Egypt and Jordan or huge recipients of US foreign Aid with Egypt being the second largest beneficiary after Israel. As a matter of fact, with Trump freezing all foreign aid, Israel and Egypt are the only countries he exempted from this freeze. Both Egypt and Jordan need this yearly and regular foreign aid to maintain their positions and economic stability of their governments and countries but they both fear for the stability of their countries if so many Palestinians would be allowed into their countries. Jordan, which has approximately 65% of its population of Palestinians has always been under threat of overthrow by extremist and anti monarchy Palestinian groups which would be very happy to take over Jordan as their first step towards taking over Israel as well. Egypt has had its government taken over by the Muslim Brotherhood in the past and Al Sisi, as an army general led a coup to remove the Muslim brotherhood. Al Sisi is certainly not willing to risk his leadership and country with taking in extremist Hamas Gazans who would be a direct threat to the country. So, the question will be if they are willing to risk the US foreign aid and not go along with Trump's forced emigration plan or continue receiving the money and risk the stability of their regimes. They are truly between a rock and a hard place.
Arab States in a Joint Statement Against Trump's Plan: "Rejecting the Idea of Displacing Gazans from Their Land"
The Arab League issued a statement on behalf of several countries, including Egypt and Jordan, in light of the U.S. President's desire to push for the migration of Palestinians to neighboring countries in order to "rebuild Gaza." "We reject the idea, regardless of the reason," the statement said. Representatives of the countries to Trump: "Implement all stages of the deal – and work towards peace based on a two-state solution."
Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, the Palestinian Authority, and the Arab League issued a joint statement today (Saturday) against U.S. President Donald Trump's aspiration to push for the migration of Palestinians out of the Gaza Strip to neighboring countries, a goal he has repeatedly expressed over the past week.
"We emphasize that we reject the idea of uprooting Palestinians from their land for any reason," the statement said, which was published alongside a meeting in Cairo between the foreign ministers of several of the countries and the Secretary-General of the Palestinian Liberation Organization, Hussein al-Sheikh.
In the joint statement, the representatives of the countries said they expect to work with President Trump's administration "to achieve a just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East, based on a two-state solution." The representatives, it was written, "discussed efforts to support the Palestinian cause and to maintain the ceasefire in Gaza." Among other things, the issue of the "mechanism" that would allow the Palestinian Authority to perform its duties in the Gaza Strip was raised in the meeting.
"There is a need to support efforts to ensure the implementation of the Gaza agreement in all its stages and provisions," they added. The ministers who participated in the conference emphasized the "irreplaceable role of UNRWA" and said they rejected any attempt "to divide the Gaza Strip": "Israel must withdraw from all the territory."
It was also reported that the foreign ministers who met in Cairo emphasized the need for the reconstruction of Gaza to ensure that Palestinians remain on their land and stressed that the international community must begin to implement the two-state solution in practice. This morning, the Jordanian Al-Mamlaka channel reported that in their meeting, "the ministers will discuss developments in the region, especially efforts to strengthen the ceasefire in Gaza and the delivery of humanitarian aid to all parts of the Gaza Strip."
Forced Reception of Gazans? Trump's Persistence
Even the day before yesterday, U.S. President Donald Trump continued to insist that Israel’s neighboring countries, Egypt and Jordan, who are also signatories of the joint statement, should absorb the residents of Gaza as he proposed in his "relocation" plan for hundreds of thousands of Palestinians from the devastated strip. "They will do it, we are doing a lot for them – and they will do it," the president insisted.
When asked if there was anything he could do to force them to take this step, he replied: "They will do it, they will do it, okay? We are doing a lot for them, and they will do it." He did not add anything beyond that or elaborate on what he would do if they continued to oppose the move, as they did in their statement today.
Trump, we recall, first raised the proposal late Saturday night to Sunday morning, following the second phase of the hostage deal, and told reporters aboard Air Force One that Gaza is now a "huge destruction site" and that in order to rebuild it, its residents must be evacuated to Jordan or Egypt – while emphasizing that this might be a long-term solution, not just a short-term one. "We are talking about relocating one and a half million people, and we will simply clean up the whole place," he said.
For now, although the Israeli right quickly embraced the idea, it seems that the strong opposition from the Palestinians themselves – as well as from Jordan and Egypt – has made the plan unfeasible. It is also unclear how much Trump actually intends to push this forward, and even his close ally, the pro-Israel Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, expressed serious doubt about its chances of being implemented. link
- Arab foreign ministers reject transferring Palestinians out of Gaza ‘under any circumstances’
Arab foreign ministers reject the transfer of Palestinians from their land “under any circumstances or justifications,” presenting a unified stance against US President Donald Trump’s call for Egypt and Jordan to take in residents of the Gaza Strip.
In a joint statement following a meeting in Cairo, the foreign ministers and officials from Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia Qatar, the Palestinian Authority and the Arab League says they were looking forward to working with Trump’s administration to achieve a just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East, based on a two-state solution. link Trump is not letting up on this stupid and dangerous idea. It will definitely be one of the main subjects in his meeting with Netanyahu next week as it will be in his discussions through phone calls with Al Sisi of Egypt and King Abdullah of Jordan. He seems to think that the Gazans will willingly participate and go easily according to this plan and believes that he has the power to get Egypt and Jordan to go along with it. If Canada, the US or many countries in Europe was an option for the Gazans to move to (and remain), there would be many takers but not to Egypt, Jordan, Albania, Indonesia, etc. Egypt and Jordan or huge recipients of US foreign Aid with Egypt being the second largest beneficiary after Israel. As a matter of fact, with Trump freezing all foreign aid, Israel and Egypt are the only countries he exempted from this freeze. Both Egypt and Jordan need this yearly and regular foreign aid to maintain their positions and economic stability of their governments and countries but they both fear for the stability of their countries if so many Palestinians would be allowed into their countries. Jordan, which has approximately 65% of its population of Palestinians has always been under threat of overthrow by extremist and anti monarchy Palestinian groups which would be very happy to take over Jordan as their first step towards taking over Israel as well. Egypt has had its government taken over by the Muslim Brotherhood in the past and Al Sisi, as an army general led a coup to remove the Muslim brotherhood. Al Sisi is certainly not willing to risk his leadership and country with taking in extremist Hamas Gazans who would be a direct threat to the country. So, the question will be if they are willing to risk the US foreign aid and not go along with Trump's forced emigration plan or continue receiving the money and risk the stability of their regimes. They are truly between a rock and a hard place.
Arab States in a Joint Statement Against Trump's Plan: "Rejecting the Idea of Displacing Gazans from Their Land"
The Arab League issued a statement on behalf of several countries, including Egypt and Jordan, in light of the U.S. President's desire to push for the migration of Palestinians to neighboring countries in order to "rebuild Gaza." "We reject the idea, regardless of the reason," the statement said. Representatives of the countries to Trump: "Implement all stages of the deal – and work towards peace based on a two-state solution."
Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, the Palestinian Authority, and the Arab League issued a joint statement today (Saturday) against U.S. President Donald Trump's aspiration to push for the migration of Palestinians out of the Gaza Strip to neighboring countries, a goal he has repeatedly expressed over the past week.
"We emphasize that we reject the idea of uprooting Palestinians from their land for any reason," the statement said, which was published alongside a meeting in Cairo between the foreign ministers of several of the countries and the Secretary-General of the Palestinian Liberation Organization, Hussein al-Sheikh.
In the joint statement, the representatives of the countries said they expect to work with President Trump's administration "to achieve a just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East, based on a two-state solution." The representatives, it was written, "discussed efforts to support the Palestinian cause and to maintain the ceasefire in Gaza." Among other things, the issue of the "mechanism" that would allow the Palestinian Authority to perform its duties in the Gaza Strip was raised in the meeting.
"There is a need to support efforts to ensure the implementation of the Gaza agreement in all its stages and provisions," they added. The ministers who participated in the conference emphasized the "irreplaceable role of UNRWA" and said they rejected any attempt "to divide the Gaza Strip": "Israel must withdraw from all the territory."
It was also reported that the foreign ministers who met in Cairo emphasized the need for the reconstruction of Gaza to ensure that Palestinians remain on their land and stressed that the international community must begin to implement the two-state solution in practice. This morning, the Jordanian Al-Mamlaka channel reported that in their meeting, "the ministers will discuss developments in the region, especially efforts to strengthen the ceasefire in Gaza and the delivery of humanitarian aid to all parts of the Gaza Strip."
Forced Reception of Gazans? Trump's Persistence
Even the day before yesterday, U.S. President Donald Trump continued to insist that Israel’s neighboring countries, Egypt and Jordan, who are also signatories of the joint statement, should absorb the residents of Gaza as he proposed in his "relocation" plan for hundreds of thousands of Palestinians from the devastated strip. "They will do it, we are doing a lot for them – and they will do it," the president insisted.
When asked if there was anything he could do to force them to take this step, he replied: "They will do it, they will do it, okay? We are doing a lot for them, and they will do it." He did not add anything beyond that or elaborate on what he would do if they continued to oppose the move, as they did in their statement today.
Trump, we recall, first raised the proposal late Saturday night to Sunday morning, following the second phase of the hostage deal, and told reporters aboard Air Force One that Gaza is now a "huge destruction site" and that in order to rebuild it, its residents must be evacuated to Jordan or Egypt – while emphasizing that this might be a long-term solution, not just a short-term one. "We are talking about relocating one and a half million people, and we will simply clean up the whole place," he said.
For now, although the Israeli right quickly embraced the idea, it seems that the strong opposition from the Palestinians themselves – as well as from Jordan and Egypt – has made the plan unfeasible. It is also unclear how much Trump actually intends to push this forward, and even his close ally, the pro-Israel Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, expressed serious doubt about its chances of being implemented. link
The Region and the World
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Personal Stories Testimonies from captivity
Amit Sosana
40 years old, released after 55 days in Hamas captivity
"Suddenly, they brought two sticks and simply tied me up while I was handcuffed by my hands and feet—like a rotisserie chicken, hanging upside down with masking tape on my face... It turns out, in retrospect, that they thought I was an officer. And he sat me down and said to me: ‘You have 40 minutes to tell the truth. If not, I will kill you.’"
40 years old, released after 55 days in Hamas captivity
"Suddenly, they brought two sticks and simply tied me up while I was handcuffed by my hands and feet—like a rotisserie chicken, hanging upside down with masking tape on my face... It turns out, in retrospect, that they thought I was an officer. And he sat me down and said to me: ‘You have 40 minutes to tell the truth. If not, I will kill you.’"
"I'm sitting there in a tunnel in Gaza, being filmed, begging to go home, with tired, terrified eyes that had seen the worst the day before and were afraid of what they would see next. I'm angry because if they had released me a week earlier, so much would have been spared from me. Even just one day earlier."
Yocheved Lifshitz 
86 years old, released after 17 days in captivity. Her husband, Oded, is still in Gaza.
86 years old, released after 17 days in captivity. Her husband, Oded, is still in Gaza.
"Sinwar introduced himself in Hebrew. He said he speaks excellent Hebrew, that he had been in prison for many years, and he told us, 'Don't worry. Within a few days, there will be agreements between us and Israel, and you will be released.' Then I asked him, 'How can you do this to people who have spent their lives fighting for peace and driving you to hospitals? These are the people you murder, the people you take hostage?' He didn't answer me."
Dark Legacy - The Abandonment of October 7th Hostages
The Cruelty and the CompassionHaim Be’erNovelist.
All through this evening (June 29, 2024), the last issue of the Ha’aretz weekend supplement is in front of me, open to an article which I haven’t yet read, translated from the New York Times, about processes that take place in the brains of new fathers after the birth of their child, and another book that I’ve been reading with fervency and dismay for a few days now.The book is Professor Sagit Mor’s Captivity is the Hardest of All: Captives, Captivity and the Discourse of Captivity in the Literature of the Sages, published five years ago. Falling captive, Mor writes at the opening of her book, has been part of the human experience since the very beginning. She continues to list some well-known historical cases, and some that are less well-known, in relation to capturing and holding captive women and men, not only in wars, but also by criminals and creditors wishing to enforce repayment. She describes the experiences of captives who are constantly under danger, whose basic control of their bodies has been taken away from them, who are suffering from hunger and thirst, from sleep deprivation and the absence of the most basic conditions for sustaining their bodies, and who are subject to their captors’ schemes and whims, torture and abuse. I keep reading, knowing that what was true then is also true today, until I come to the words of Amora Raba on the order and degrees of human suffering, which conclude with the pronouncement that death by hunger is worse than death by sword and that captivity is worse of all, and with the elevation of the mitzvah of the redemption of captives above all other mitzvahs: “Great Mitzvah! Tremendous Mitzvah!”As I’m reading the book that analyzes the societal, communal, and Jewish legal stance toward captives and captivity during the period of the Mishnah and the Talmud, I occasionally glance at the Haaretz weekend supplement. It shows a photograph taken in 1980 by one of the government press office photographers. A young, black-haired father is holding a little girl about two years old in his arms, bringing her face close to his, so that her forehead sinks into his eye socket, and smiling at her with love. I cannot but feel empathy towards him, from whom so much warmth, devotion, and closeness are flowing towards the little girl. The man is Benjamin Netanyahu. The little girl is his daughter, Noa.As I read the book and glance at this photograph, the image of the Prime Minister appears time after time on the TV screen. A shadow of a satanic smirk, exuding contempt and disgust, passing at the corner of his mouth; his narrow, shrunken eyes glimpse at us, his subjects, with cold, blood- freezing cruelty. He is filled with resentment, callousness, and hatred.This man, I say to myself, has no pity, no compassion for the elderly languishing in damp, dark, and moldy tunnels, for the women whose treatment by their captors I dare not think about, for the young men. “Even jackals offer their breasts to nurse their young, but the daughter of my people has become cruel like the ostrich in the wilderness.” (Lamentations 4:3). Benjamin, son of Zila and Benzion, please, kindly, make the effort to return - if only for a short while - to that hour of grace in which you held your little daughter in your arms and were so compassionate and merciful, and to show now too a measure of compassion, of humanity, of mercy. I have no doubt you could do it, if only you wanted to.
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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