π️Lonny's War Update- October 517, 2023 - March 6, 2025 π️
π️Day 517 that 59 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
In first act upon completing tenure as IDF chief, Halevi visits Hostages Square
Immediately after today’s handover ceremony, former IDF chief of staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, along with his wife Sharon, went to Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square.
“I think it is very clear in the IDF that we are committed to bringing everyone home,” Halevi says to families of hostages and activists. link This seemingly innocent statement is very strong. He specifically states that the IDF is committed to bringing home all the hostages but the implication is that the government is not so committed, which we all know is the truth. Since the beginning of the war, all of the security heads, including Halevy have said that they can handle the price of any deal, as long as we get the hostages home. Netanyahu and his government have fought this ever step of the way.
- New IDF chief calls return of the hostages ‘our moral duty’
New IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir sends his first army-wide missive, saying the military’s chief mission will be “victory and defeating the enemy.”
“We will not be silent until the return of our brothers from the tunnels of captivity, this is our moral duty,” he adds.
He also touts the army’s “great accomplishments” while warning of “many challenges ahead of us.”
“We will have difficult days, but we will also have better days ahead.”
- UN report recognizes hostage families as victims of Hamas
Family members of hostages held in Gaza attend an event at the United Nations in Geneva marking the presentation of a UN report that recognizes hostage families as victims of Hamas psychological terror.
The event — “Prohibition of Torture: The Need to Recognize Hostages and Their Families as Direct Victims” — is attended by Rebecca Bohbot, wife of current hostage Elkana Bohbot, and Lishay Miran-Lavi, whose husband Omri is still held in Gaza.
The International Association of Jewish Lawyers and Jurists organized the event and played a key role in the legal aspects of the report.
UN Special Rapporteur on Torture Alice Edwards, who presented her report to the UN Human Rights Council yesterday, visited Gaza and met with families of the hostages in December, before detailing the torture that captives faced in a report published in February.
“Armed and terrorist groups continue to violently abduct civilians, in mass hostage-takings,” Edwards warned the UN on Tuesday, citing “the 7 October 2023 abductions by Hamas and other armed groups in Israel” as evidence.
At the event, Edwards calls for the UN to appoint a special representative who deals solely with hostages.
The recognition gives the families greater ability to pursue legal action against Hamas and other groups that took hostages. According to Daniel Meron, Ambassador of Israel to the UN in Geneva, one of the goals of the event is to create legal tools with which to hold hostage-takers accountable.
- In 1st, US holding secret direct talks with Hamas aimed at freeing American hostages, deal to end war
The Trump administration is reportedly holding direct talks with Hamas aimed at securing the release of American hostages held in Gaza as well as a broader deal to end the war, Axios reports citing two sources with direct knowledge of those negotiations.
The talks being held by Trump’s hostage envoy Adam Boehler are unprecedented, as the US has never before engaged directly with Hamas, which Washington designated as a terror group in 1997.
The talks have been taking place in Doha in recent weeks, Axios says, adding that no deal has been reached.
In January, senior Hamas official Mousa Abu Marzouq said publicly that the terror group is prepared to open a dialogue with the Trump administration.
While the US consulted with Israel about the possibility of engaging in talks with Hamas, Israel only learned about specific aspects through other channels, Axios says.
There is one remaining American hostage in Gaza who is believed to still be alive, Edan Alexander. Hamas is also holding the bodies of American-Israeli hostages Itay Chen, Gad Haggai, Judi Weinstein and Omer Neutra.
The Trump administration’s Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff was planning to meet with Qatar’s prime minister in Doha later this week, but has held off on doing due to the lack of progress in the hostage talks more broadly, Axios reports.
The Prime Minister’s Office and the White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Hamas source confirms group has met with Boehler and Witkoff in recent weeks
Hostage Updates
In first act upon completing tenure as IDF chief, Halevi visits Hostages Square
Immediately after today’s handover ceremony, former IDF chief of staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, along with his wife Sharon, went to Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square.
“I think it is very clear in the IDF that we are committed to bringing everyone home,” Halevi says to families of hostages and activists. link This seemingly innocent statement is very strong. He specifically states that the IDF is committed to bringing home all the hostages but the implication is that the government is not so committed, which we all know is the truth. Since the beginning of the war, all of the security heads, including Halevy have said that they can handle the price of any deal, as long as we get the hostages home. Netanyahu and his government have fought this ever step of the way.- New IDF chief calls return of the hostages ‘our moral duty’
New IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir sends his first army-wide missive, saying the military’s chief mission will be “victory and defeating the enemy.”
“We will not be silent until the return of our brothers from the tunnels of captivity, this is our moral duty,” he adds.
He also touts the army’s “great accomplishments” while warning of “many challenges ahead of us.”
“We will have difficult days, but we will also have better days ahead.”
- UN report recognizes hostage families as victims of Hamas
Family members of hostages held in Gaza attend an event at the United Nations in Geneva marking the presentation of a UN report that recognizes hostage families as victims of Hamas psychological terror.
The event — “Prohibition of Torture: The Need to Recognize Hostages and Their Families as Direct Victims” — is attended by Rebecca Bohbot, wife of current hostage Elkana Bohbot, and Lishay Miran-Lavi, whose husband Omri is still held in Gaza.
The International Association of Jewish Lawyers and Jurists organized the event and played a key role in the legal aspects of the report.
UN Special Rapporteur on Torture Alice Edwards, who presented her report to the UN Human Rights Council yesterday, visited Gaza and met with families of the hostages in December, before detailing the torture that captives faced in a report published in February.
“Armed and terrorist groups continue to violently abduct civilians, in mass hostage-takings,” Edwards warned the UN on Tuesday, citing “the 7 October 2023 abductions by Hamas and other armed groups in Israel” as evidence.
At the event, Edwards calls for the UN to appoint a special representative who deals solely with hostages.
The recognition gives the families greater ability to pursue legal action against Hamas and other groups that took hostages. According to Daniel Meron, Ambassador of Israel to the UN in Geneva, one of the goals of the event is to create legal tools with which to hold hostage-takers accountable.
- In 1st, US holding secret direct talks with Hamas aimed at freeing American hostages, deal to end war
The Trump administration is reportedly holding direct talks with Hamas aimed at securing the release of American hostages held in Gaza as well as a broader deal to end the war, Axios reports citing two sources with direct knowledge of those negotiations.
The talks being held by Trump’s hostage envoy Adam Boehler are unprecedented, as the US has never before engaged directly with Hamas, which Washington designated as a terror group in 1997.
The talks have been taking place in Doha in recent weeks, Axios says, adding that no deal has been reached.
In January, senior Hamas official Mousa Abu Marzouq said publicly that the terror group is prepared to open a dialogue with the Trump administration.
While the US consulted with Israel about the possibility of engaging in talks with Hamas, Israel only learned about specific aspects through other channels, Axios says.
There is one remaining American hostage in Gaza who is believed to still be alive, Edan Alexander. Hamas is also holding the bodies of American-Israeli hostages Itay Chen, Gad Haggai, Judi Weinstein and Omer Neutra.
The Trump administration’s Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff was planning to meet with Qatar’s prime minister in Doha later this week, but has held off on doing due to the lack of progress in the hostage talks more broadly, Axios reports.
The Prime Minister’s Office and the White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Hamas source confirms group has met with Boehler and Witkoff in recent weeks
US said to hold positive talks with Hamas and mediators on phase 2 of ceasefire deal; Israel unaware of development
Senior US officials engaged in discussions last night with Hamas leaders, and mediators from Egypt and Qatar, Reuters reports, citing two Egyptian sources.
The conversation between the Americans and Egyptians included talks on who would govern Gaza after the war, says Reuters, and touched on specific names of figures who could be involved in its management.
The sources say that the talks “ended positively” and that they point to a transition to the second phase of the ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel in the near future.
The Prime Minister’s Office indicates to The Times of Israel that is unaware of the development.
“We do not know of progress in talks on phase two,” says a PMO official.
- Survivors of captivity arrived in Washington and wrote on posters calling for their release: "You gave us the strength to survive" The survivors arrived in Washington and will meet with U.S. President Trump. The delegation includes: Doron Steinbrecher, Eli Sharabi, Naama Levy, Yair Horn, Omer Shem Tov, and Keith and Aviva Siegel. Keith Siegel wrote on his poster: “I was fortunate. You gave me the strength to survive.” Families of hostages at the UN: “They are enduring severe torture in captivity; this is a screaming truth.”
The hostage delegation in Washington | Photo: Hostage Families Headquarters
Seven survivors of captivity arrived today (Wednesday) at the Hostage Families Headquarters in Washington as part of a special delegation that will meet with U.S. President Trump. The returnees heard at the headquarters about the efforts being made since October 7 until today to bring back the hostages, both living and deceased.
The delegation, which landed yesterday in Washington, includes hostages released in the current deal: Doron Steinbrecher, Eli Sharabi, Naama Levy, Yair Horn, Omer Shem Tov, and Keith Siegel. Additionally, Aviva Siegel, who was released in the first deal, is also part of the delegation. During their visit to the U.S., the survivors will thank the Trump administration for its commitment to returning all hostages and will share firsthand accounts of the horrors of Hamas tunnels with the president.
At the headquarters where the returnees visited, posters of all the hostages are displayed, and each survivor wrote a personal message on their poster. Omer Shem Tov wrote: “How good it is just to be. Thank you for your prayers and hard work.” On the poster of Uri Danino, of blessed memory, he wrote: “My guardian angel. Thank you!” 
Survivors of captivity in the Washington delegation | Photo: Hostage Families Headquarters
Keith Siegel wrote: “I was fortunate. You gave me the strength to survive.” Doron Steinbrecher wrote: “Back home,” and Naama Levy wrote: “What joy to be here. Thank you all for your efforts!”
The delegation, initiated by the Hostage Families Headquarters and the Hostage Aid organization, will also meet with senior officials in the U.S. administration.
**Special report: Families of hostages should be recognized as victims of torture** Alongside the visit to the U.S., families of hostages participated in a discussion at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. “Unfortunately, even after 515 days, neither I nor my daughters have been able to process or cope with what happened that day,” said Lishay Levavi Miran, the wife of Omri Miran. “We are still in that day, we are still hostages because Omri has not yet been returned to us.”
“We know that the hostages are enduring severe torture—this is not speculation; it is a screaming truth,” described Rebecca Buchbut, the wife of Elkanah Buchbut. “Israeli men suffer daily abuse: they are shackled for months, completely isolated, and suffering from hunger. They are imprisoned in cruel conditions, deprived of their most basic rights, becoming shadows of themselves—living bodies struggling to survive. Anyone with a conscience, anyone who believes in justice and humanity, must ask themselves: How is it possible that we, as a global society, allow this to happen?”
Protesters in favor of a hostage deal | Photo: Avshalom Sassoni, Flash 90
The discussion at the Human Rights Council took place after a report was published last night stating that abductions constitute torture for both the hostages and their families. According to the report, the families of hostages should be recognized as victims of torture due to the psychological abuse they endure following the abduction and the lack of information about their loved ones. link
- ‘Know they’ll get the job done’: Ex-hostages praise efforts by Trump, Witkoff to free captives
The eight former hostages who met with US President Donald Trump release a statement thanking the American leader and his Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff “for their efforts in securing their release from Hamas hell,” and says they stressed to him the urgency of returning the remaining captives from Gaza.
“[Trump and Witkoff] made a deal possible, they got us all home,” Keith Siegel is quoted saying in the statement released by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum. “We urged them to continue their enormous efforts. They have done so much. We trust them and we know they will get the job done to get all the rest of the 59 remaining hostages held in Gaza back to their families, back to Israel.”
Fellow freed captive Eli Sharabi says the group met with Trump “to ensure that the 59 hostages still being held will be released through an agreement for their return as soon as possible,” and thanks the US president and Witkoff for being “committed to this goal.” link While it may be that Trump is getting the credit and the 'glory', the fact is that the 2 people pushing Trump to get the hostages released are Steve Witcoff and Miriam Adelson. It is Wycoff's pressure backed by Trump that forced Netanyahu into phase 1 of the hostage deal that saw 25 living hostages and 8 bodies returned to Israel. But it is also Trump who 'allowed' Netanyahu to back out of completing the deal by going into Phase 2 to get back the rest of the 59 hostages (35 of whom were killed on October 7 or in captivity). Trump has put Witcoff in charge of many negotiations and that is the main problem we have now. He has scheduled and delayed arriving in the region to continue the negotiations for the rest of the hostages which will also mean an end to the war. This could be because he wants a deal worked out first so he can then put the necessary pressure on Netanyahu to agree to it. If it will include ending the war, which is already a known fact in order to get this deal with Hamas, Netanyahu will then, again be in the position of having to choose between Trump and Smotrich, although the chances that Smotrich will follow through on his threat to leave the government and therefore force early elections, is very low. Smotrich knows that his situation is very tenuous and he may lose entirely in new elections and not get into the Knesset as well as his party and his priorities of settlements will lose all the funding that they rely on. At this point in time, our only real hope is Wycoff because Netanyahu certainly will never put the hostages as his priority because it doesn't serve his primary interests, himself!
- ‘He’ll do it’: Rubio tells Hamas to take Trump threats seriously
Trump earlier issued an ultimatum to Hamas leaders to release the hostages and to flee.
“Release all of the Hostages now, not later, and immediately return all of the dead bodies of the people you murdered, or it is OVER for you,” he wrote on his Truth Social platform after meeting freed hostages.
“This is your last warning! For the leadership, now is the time to leave Gaza, while you still have a chance.” link What does Trump's warning actually mean? He won't do anything, he won't send troops or bombers to Gaza and he won't do anything directly to Hamas, so what does it mean? It means that he will give Netanyahu a free hand to do in Gaza whatever he wants. We are already seeing it with the freezing of humanitarian aid and the next steps are to cut off their electric grid. Before the war, this was less than tragic because of all the local solar power and generators that were built in Gaza but with all the destruction of the war, this has major impacts especially to hospitals and saving lives. Netanyahu's free hand also call mean to destroy the remaining 20%+ of buildings and infrastructure that we left standing but this will also have the worst possible effect, the risk of killing the remaining living hostages. It is not known, nor will we ever have a real number of how many of the hostages were, in fact killed as a result of our bombing but the risk of additional aerial bombing is a very high risk to the hostages as well as ever finding all of the bodies of the dead hostages. Netanyahu and a number of his coalition partners have no issue with sacrificing the rest of the hostages or the cost to the country's well being.
- Hamas says Trump threats encourage Israel to avoid implementing Gaza ceasefire
Hamas says US President Donald Trump’s threats against the terror group are encouraging Israel to avoid negotiating the second phase of a ceasefire between the two groups.
Trump’s comments would “complicate matters regarding the ceasefire agreement,” Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem tells CNN, urging the president to pressure Jerusalem into agreeing to a second phase “as stipulated in the agreement.”
Hamas spokesperson Abdel-Latif al-Qanua tells Reuters that the US president’s threats equal support for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s attempts to avoid entering another ceasefire agreement.
“The best track to release the remaining Israeli prisoners is by the occupation going into the second phase and compelling it to adhere to the agreement signed under the sponsorship of mediators,” he says.
After meeting with a group of released Israeli hostages yesterday, Trump threatened Hamas on social media.
“‘Shalom Hamas’ means Hello and Goodbye – You can choose,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “Release all of the hostages now — not later — and immediately return all of the dead bodies of the people you murdered, or it is OVER for you.” link Hamas is not incorrect in their statement. Trump's threats and backing of Netanyahu definitely gives Netanyahu the backing to do as he wants, prioritizing going back to fighting as opposed to securing the hostages' release and ending the war. It's all about being the last one in the room (virtual or real) with Trump and Netanyahu works very hard to be that last voice in Trump's ear to sway him to back Netanyahu's actions.
- Released hostage Sasha Troufanov gives first public sign of life from Rom Braslavski
Released hostage Sasha Troufanov publishes a video in which he provides the first public sign of life from captive Rom Braslavski.
In the video, Troufanov, who was freed last month, says that while he is relieved and happy to be home, he “can’t disconnect from the captives still held in Gaza, those left behind.” video of Sasha in Hebrew
“I think a lot about my friends, especially one person that I briefly met in captivity, named Rom Braslavski,” he says.
Troufanov was held by Islamic Jihad and was alone for most of the time in captivity. News that he had met Braslavski amounts to the first evidence made public that Braslavski was alive after being captured.
“Rom, I hope my voice will give you light and hope in the dark place where you are. I want you to know that myself, and your friends and family and all of Israel are praying for you and doing everything we can to secure your release.”
Braslavski, now 20, was working as a security guard when he was taken captive by Hamas terrorists from the Nova desert rave on October 7.
The Jerusalem resident was one of several security guards at the party who tried to save others as the wave of terrorists launched an assault on the event during the early morning.
He was in touch with his mother around 10:30 a.m., telling her that he was okay, located in a situation room, and would be home in a few hours.
Rom got two young women to safety that morning and then was wounded in both hands, according to other survivors who saw him.
He continued to try and save others. He was last seen at 1:30 p.m. while helping a young woman get out of a garbage container where she was hiding and to a safer location.
- Liri Albag recalls entering ‘survival mode’ on Oct. 7: ‘Feels like one long nightmare’In interview to be aired Friday, freed hostage soldier describes ‘evil and hatred in eyes’ of Hamas captors, who she remembers thinking ‘would slaughter us, shoot us one by one’
Former hostage Liri Albag is interviewed on Channel 12 on March 5, 2025. (Screen capture/Channel 12)
Former hostage Liri Albag gave her first interview since being released from Gaza in January, recounting her capture at the hands of Hamas terrorists alongside other female surveillance soldiers.
“The truth is that October 7 feels like one long nightmare, and I’ve been waiting for someone to wake me up, for someone to tell me I was dreaming. But it didn’t happen. Unfortunately, this has all been real,” she told Channel 12 in an interview, scheduled to air in full on Friday.
“You see evil and hatred in their eyes,” she said of her Hamas captors.
Albag, along with Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy and Agam Berger, was kidnapped from the IDF’s Nahal Oz military base on October 7, 2023, and released by the terror group last month in the first phase of an ongoing hostage-ceasefire deal.
Hamas terrorists killed another 15 surveillance soldiers during their attack on the base and also took two additional hostages, one who was rescued and another of whom was recovered dead after being murdered in captivity.
“I was sure that the moment we stood there tied up that they were going to slaughter us — shoot us one by one,” Albag said. “I went into survival mode, I said: ‘OK, what can I do to make it out alive?'”
“They told us, ‘If you listen to us, we won’t kill you. You’re coming with us to Gaza.’ And we told them, ‘Yes, take us to Gaza,'” she said.
(L-R) Captivity survivors Naama Levy, Karina Ariev, Agam Berger, Liri Albag and Daniella Gilboa watch a concert in their honor at Beilinson Hospital in Petah Tikva, February 4, 2025. (Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)
Although Friday will mark her first broadcast interview since returning to Israel, Albag has previously revealed details of her captivity to the public.She divulged last month that she and her fellow abducted surveillance soldier Agam Berger tried to mark as many Jewish holidays as possible while in Gaza, despite their captors’ attempts to prevent them from doing so.
Albag said to Shai Graucher, head of the Standing Together group that aids former hostages, that she and other hostages made sukkah ornaments for the festival of Sukkot, asked for honey and a carrot for Rosh Hashanah and even fasted on Tisha B’Av.
On Hanukkah, they asked for candles and received hot glue sticks instead. When they said that wasn’t candles, captors gave them an electric candle with a battery, which they used. “At least we lit something,” she said.
Netanyahu meets released hostage Tal Shoham, discusses Hamas ‘psychological warfare’
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meets with released hostage Tal Shoham, who describes the hardships he faced while in Hamas captivity, the Prime Minister’s Office says in a statement.
Shoham describes the “the cruel psychological warfare inflicted upon them by Hamas terrorists,” according to the PMO. The two discuss the plight of hostages Guy Gilboa-Dalal and Evyatar David, who were brought by Hamas terrorists to a staged ceremony last month and forced to watch the release of Shoham and other hostages while they remained in captivity.
“The prime minister and his wife listened to Tal as he recounted the difficulty he and his fellow captives endured, the suffering the hostages continue to experience daily,” the PMO says.
Shoham was joined by his wife, Adi, and their two young children, who were also taken captive by Hamas and released separately in November 2023. link It is very important that returning hostages talk to Netanyahu and every other member of his failed coalition. The problem is that the message doesn't make its way through. I have of multiple hostage family members and some returned hostages having said that they tried to talk to Netanyahu's heart but, unfortunately found that he doesn't have one. They have said that he listens but there have been multiple occasions, in particular with families that he barely listens and then goes into his own tirade about everything but the hostages, talking about having to beat Hamas, his 'total victory' and so on. He is the sole decision maker (because his coalition partners have abandoned democracy and being part of the process, except when Netanyahu looks to get them to deny approval of a hostage plan) and as the sole decision maker, everyone must talk and plead and beg him to do the right thing and get the hostages home. Unfortunately, the right thing for him is only what benefits him directly.
The eight former hostages who met with US President Donald Trump release a statement thanking the American leader and his Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff “for their efforts in securing their release from Hamas hell,” and says they stressed to him the urgency of returning the remaining captives from Gaza.
“[Trump and Witkoff] made a deal possible, they got us all home,” Keith Siegel is quoted saying in the statement released by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum. “We urged them to continue their enormous efforts. They have done so much. We trust them and we know they will get the job done to get all the rest of the 59 remaining hostages held in Gaza back to their families, back to Israel.”
Fellow freed captive Eli Sharabi says the group met with Trump “to ensure that the 59 hostages still being held will be released through an agreement for their return as soon as possible,” and thanks the US president and Witkoff for being “committed to this goal.” link While it may be that Trump is getting the credit and the 'glory', the fact is that the 2 people pushing Trump to get the hostages released are Steve Witcoff and Miriam Adelson. It is Wycoff's pressure backed by Trump that forced Netanyahu into phase 1 of the hostage deal that saw 25 living hostages and 8 bodies returned to Israel. But it is also Trump who 'allowed' Netanyahu to back out of completing the deal by going into Phase 2 to get back the rest of the 59 hostages (35 of whom were killed on October 7 or in captivity). Trump has put Witcoff in charge of many negotiations and that is the main problem we have now. He has scheduled and delayed arriving in the region to continue the negotiations for the rest of the hostages which will also mean an end to the war. This could be because he wants a deal worked out first so he can then put the necessary pressure on Netanyahu to agree to it. If it will include ending the war, which is already a known fact in order to get this deal with Hamas, Netanyahu will then, again be in the position of having to choose between Trump and Smotrich, although the chances that Smotrich will follow through on his threat to leave the government and therefore force early elections, is very low. Smotrich knows that his situation is very tenuous and he may lose entirely in new elections and not get into the Knesset as well as his party and his priorities of settlements will lose all the funding that they rely on. At this point in time, our only real hope is Wycoff because Netanyahu certainly will never put the hostages as his priority because it doesn't serve his primary interests, himself!
Trump earlier issued an ultimatum to Hamas leaders to release the hostages and to flee.
“Release all of the Hostages now, not later, and immediately return all of the dead bodies of the people you murdered, or it is OVER for you,” he wrote on his Truth Social platform after meeting freed hostages.
“This is your last warning! For the leadership, now is the time to leave Gaza, while you still have a chance.” link What does Trump's warning actually mean? He won't do anything, he won't send troops or bombers to Gaza and he won't do anything directly to Hamas, so what does it mean? It means that he will give Netanyahu a free hand to do in Gaza whatever he wants. We are already seeing it with the freezing of humanitarian aid and the next steps are to cut off their electric grid. Before the war, this was less than tragic because of all the local solar power and generators that were built in Gaza but with all the destruction of the war, this has major impacts especially to hospitals and saving lives. Netanyahu's free hand also call mean to destroy the remaining 20%+ of buildings and infrastructure that we left standing but this will also have the worst possible effect, the risk of killing the remaining living hostages. It is not known, nor will we ever have a real number of how many of the hostages were, in fact killed as a result of our bombing but the risk of additional aerial bombing is a very high risk to the hostages as well as ever finding all of the bodies of the dead hostages. Netanyahu and a number of his coalition partners have no issue with sacrificing the rest of the hostages or the cost to the country's well being.
Hamas says US President Donald Trump’s threats against the terror group are encouraging Israel to avoid negotiating the second phase of a ceasefire between the two groups.
Trump’s comments would “complicate matters regarding the ceasefire agreement,” Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem tells CNN, urging the president to pressure Jerusalem into agreeing to a second phase “as stipulated in the agreement.”
Hamas spokesperson Abdel-Latif al-Qanua tells Reuters that the US president’s threats equal support for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s attempts to avoid entering another ceasefire agreement.
“The best track to release the remaining Israeli prisoners is by the occupation going into the second phase and compelling it to adhere to the agreement signed under the sponsorship of mediators,” he says.
After meeting with a group of released Israeli hostages yesterday, Trump threatened Hamas on social media.
“‘Shalom Hamas’ means Hello and Goodbye – You can choose,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “Release all of the hostages now — not later — and immediately return all of the dead bodies of the people you murdered, or it is OVER for you.” link Hamas is not incorrect in their statement. Trump's threats and backing of Netanyahu definitely gives Netanyahu the backing to do as he wants, prioritizing going back to fighting as opposed to securing the hostages' release and ending the war. It's all about being the last one in the room (virtual or real) with Trump and Netanyahu works very hard to be that last voice in Trump's ear to sway him to back Netanyahu's actions.
Released hostage Sasha Troufanov publishes a video in which he provides the first public sign of life from captive Rom Braslavski.
In the video, Troufanov, who was freed last month, says that while he is relieved and happy to be home, he “can’t disconnect from the captives still held in Gaza, those left behind.” video of Sasha in Hebrew
“I think a lot about my friends, especially one person that I briefly met in captivity, named Rom Braslavski,” he says.
Troufanov was held by Islamic Jihad and was alone for most of the time in captivity. News that he had met Braslavski amounts to the first evidence made public that Braslavski was alive after being captured.
“Rom, I hope my voice will give you light and hope in the dark place where you are. I want you to know that myself, and your friends and family and all of Israel are praying for you and doing everything we can to secure your release.”
Braslavski, now 20, was working as a security guard when he was taken captive by Hamas terrorists from the Nova desert rave on October 7.
The Jerusalem resident was one of several security guards at the party who tried to save others as the wave of terrorists launched an assault on the event during the early morning.
He was in touch with his mother around 10:30 a.m., telling her that he was okay, located in a situation room, and would be home in a few hours.
Rom got two young women to safety that morning and then was wounded in both hands, according to other survivors who saw him.
He continued to try and save others. He was last seen at 1:30 p.m. while helping a young woman get out of a garbage container where she was hiding and to a safer location.
She divulged last month that she and her fellow abducted surveillance soldier Agam Berger tried to mark as many Jewish holidays as possible while in Gaza, despite their captors’ attempts to prevent them from doing so.
Albag said to Shai Graucher, head of the Standing Together group that aids former hostages, that she and other hostages made sukkah ornaments for the festival of Sukkot, asked for honey and a carrot for Rosh Hashanah and even fasted on Tisha B’Av.
On Hanukkah, they asked for candles and received hot glue sticks instead. When they said that wasn’t candles, captors gave them an electric candle with a battery, which they used. “At least we lit something,” she said.
Netanyahu meets released hostage Tal Shoham, discusses Hamas ‘psychological warfare’
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meets with released hostage Tal Shoham, who describes the hardships he faced while in Hamas captivity, the Prime Minister’s Office says in a statement.
Shoham describes the “the cruel psychological warfare inflicted upon them by Hamas terrorists,” according to the PMO. The two discuss the plight of hostages Guy Gilboa-Dalal and Evyatar David, who were brought by Hamas terrorists to a staged ceremony last month and forced to watch the release of Shoham and other hostages while they remained in captivity.
“The prime minister and his wife listened to Tal as he recounted the difficulty he and his fellow captives endured, the suffering the hostages continue to experience daily,” the PMO says.
Shoham was joined by his wife, Adi, and their two young children, who were also taken captive by Hamas and released separately in November 2023. link It is very important that returning hostages talk to Netanyahu and every other member of his failed coalition. The problem is that the message doesn't make its way through. I have of multiple hostage family members and some returned hostages having said that they tried to talk to Netanyahu's heart but, unfortunately found that he doesn't have one. They have said that he listens but there have been multiple occasions, in particular with families that he barely listens and then goes into his own tirade about everything but the hostages, talking about having to beat Hamas, his 'total victory' and so on. He is the sole decision maker (because his coalition partners have abandoned democracy and being part of the process, except when Netanyahu looks to get them to deny approval of a hostage plan) and as the sole decision maker, everyone must talk and plead and beg him to do the right thing and get the hostages home. Unfortunately, the right thing for him is only what benefits him directly.
Gaza and the South
- Palestinians report one dead in Gaza drone strike
Palestinian media reports one dead and several wounded in an Israeli drone strike in Gaza City’s Shejaiya neighborhood a short while ago.
There is no immediate comment from the IDF.
Israeli forces are still deployed to a buffer zone along the Gaza border amid the ceasefire, and the IDF has repeatedly warned Palestinians against approaching the area.
Palestinian media reports one dead and several wounded in an Israeli drone strike in Gaza City’s Shejaiya neighborhood a short while ago.
There is no immediate comment from the IDF.
Israeli forces are still deployed to a buffer zone along the Gaza border amid the ceasefire, and the IDF has repeatedly warned Palestinians against approaching the area.
Northern Israel - Lebanon/Hizbollah/Syria
West Bank and Jerusalem and Terror attacks within Israel
- IDF troops kill top Hamas terrorist in Jenin raid, as West Bank operation expands
Governor of terror hotbed reports ‘massive destruction’ in wake of IDF gunfight with terror commander Issar Saadi; soldiers shoot knife-wielding Palestinian near Homesh outpost
The head of a Hamas terror network in the West Bank city of Jenin was killed by undercover Border Police officers on Tuesday, authorities said.
The incident came as the Israel Defense Forces expanded its ongoing counterterrorism raid, dubbed “Operation Iron Wall,” in the northern West Bank to additional neighborhoods of Jenin.
In a first, troops were using “Eitan” armored personnel carriers in Jenin amid the operation, which are more heavy duty than the APCs normally deployed in the West Bank.
On Tuesday morning, as part of the expanded operation, Border Police officers along with IDF troops attempted to arrest the commander of Hamas’s terror network in Jenin, Issar Saadi, following information on his whereabouts provided by the Shin Bet.
Following an exchange of fire, Saadi and another gunman were killed, and three wanted Palestinians were detained, according to the IDF, police, and Shin Bet.
The troops found an assault rifle, handgun, and several other weapons during scans of the building where Saadi was holed up.
Another gunman was killed in a separate exchange of fire in the same area, the IDF added.
Also Tuesday, a Palestinian man who approached Israeli forces at a checkpoint near the West Bank settlement outpost of Homesh while brandishing a knife was shot dead by troops, according to a military source.
No soldiers were wounded in the incident.
Jenin governor reports ‘massive destruction’
Jenin governor Kamal Abu al-Rub said that two Palestinians were killed, “and many young men were arrested,” while the Palestinian health ministry identified one of the dead as Issar Saadi, saying the 21-year-old’s body was taken away by troops after he was shot.
The head of the Jenin government hospital, Wisam Baker, told AFP that a man identified as Jihad Alawneh was declared dead on arrival at the facility early on Tuesday.
Baker said that Alawneh, 25, had bled out after being shot in the thigh.
Governor Abu al-Rub said the raid had caused “devastation and massive destruction” in Jenin’s eastern neighborhood, “which has not experienced an Israeli assault like this before.”
He said that the main electricity line was cut off, dozens of families were forced to leave, and army bulldozers had left behind a trail of damage.
- West Bank mayor indicted by military prosecutors on charges of incitement
Military prosecutors indicted a West Bank mayor earlier today, accusing him of incitement on social media, police say in a statement.
West Bank cops arrested Biddya Mayor Zahir Abdelhadi last month for posts he made on Facebook in apparent praise of Hamas’s October 7 attack. They accuse the politician of attempting to influence popular opinion in the municipality through posts that “harm the public order.”
Police say the defendant posted a video on October 7 depicting armed men in masks, accompanied by a song with lyrics in Arabic vowing a “people’s war” against a generalized enemy.
They also cite a photo he posted of Hamas founder Ahmed Yassin alongside PLO chairman Yasser Arafat, with a caption hailing unity between the rival Fatah and Hamas movements.
Police intend to detain the mayor until the end of court proceedings, says a police spokesman.
Military prosecutors indicted a West Bank mayor earlier today, accusing him of incitement on social media, police say in a statement.
West Bank cops arrested Biddya Mayor Zahir Abdelhadi last month for posts he made on Facebook in apparent praise of Hamas’s October 7 attack. They accuse the politician of attempting to influence popular opinion in the municipality through posts that “harm the public order.”
Police say the defendant posted a video on October 7 depicting armed men in masks, accompanied by a song with lyrics in Arabic vowing a “people’s war” against a generalized enemy.
They also cite a photo he posted of Hamas founder Ahmed Yassin alongside PLO chairman Yasser Arafat, with a caption hailing unity between the rival Fatah and Hamas movements.
Police intend to detain the mayor until the end of court proceedings, says a police spokesman.
Politics and the War (general news)
- Halevi slams incessant criticism of the military, says it erodes trust
Outgoing IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi in his speech also slams incessant criticism of the military from some politicians and members of the public, which he terms the “tongue-lashing” against the military, both before the war and during it.
“This does not help us to be better. It may harm the soldiers’ trust, and their commanders’,” he says.
“Some of those preaching about a lack of courage and determination have never felt a cold trigger at night in front of an enemy, never heard the breath of a wounded friend on a stretcher in enemy territory,” Halevi says. It is precisely the same politicians who have been deflecting responsibility for October 7 and blaming the security forces starting with Netanyahu whole the senior military staff for the past number of years so bear much responsibility, the lion’s share falls in the political leadership echelon, again starting with Netanyahu’s’buying deterrent’ by strengthening Hamas and doing all he could to weaken the PA to back his politically motivated claim that there is no partner in the Palestinian side
Outgoing IDF chief Halevi calls for state commision of inquiry into Oct. 7
Outgoing IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi calls for establishing a national commission of inquiry into the October 7 onslaught.
“The establishment of a state commission of inquiry is necessary and vital. Not to find someone to blame, but first and foremost to reach the source of the problems and allow for repair,” Halevi says at a handover ceremony.
“On October 7, the IDF failed. It was a deep failure. But such a failure on this scale cannot only be investigated in the IDF and the Shin Bet,” he says.
He makes his comments in front of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has strongly resisted such a probe.
Outgoing IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi in his speech also slams incessant criticism of the military from some politicians and members of the public, which he terms the “tongue-lashing” against the military, both before the war and during it.
“This does not help us to be better. It may harm the soldiers’ trust, and their commanders’,” he says.
“Some of those preaching about a lack of courage and determination have never felt a cold trigger at night in front of an enemy, never heard the breath of a wounded friend on a stretcher in enemy territory,” Halevi says. It is precisely the same politicians who have been deflecting responsibility for October 7 and blaming the security forces starting with Netanyahu whole the senior military staff for the past number of years so bear much responsibility, the lion’s share falls in the political leadership echelon, again starting with Netanyahu’s’buying deterrent’ by strengthening Hamas and doing all he could to weaken the PA to back his politically motivated claim that there is no partner in the Palestinian side
Outgoing IDF chief Halevi calls for state commision of inquiry into Oct. 7
Outgoing IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi calls for establishing a national commission of inquiry into the October 7 onslaught.
“The establishment of a state commission of inquiry is necessary and vital. Not to find someone to blame, but first and foremost to reach the source of the problems and allow for repair,” Halevi says at a handover ceremony.
“On October 7, the IDF failed. It was a deep failure. But such a failure on this scale cannot only be investigated in the IDF and the Shin Bet,” he says.
He makes his comments in front of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has strongly resisted such a probe.
- Shin Bet chief reportedly warned in mid-2023 that Gaza war was inevitable; PM responded that Hamas was deterred
Shin Bet Chief Ronen Bar warned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu five months before October 7, 2023, that a war in Gaza is inevitable, according to Haaretz.
The two met in late May, after Operation Shield and Arrow against Palestinian Islamic Jihad in Gaza.
According to the report, Bar told Netanyahu that the days-long campaign was only “the first round against the Shiite axis.”
“We must prepare for an opening strike, for a round of assassinations,” Bar continued. “Hamas is the next challenge before us, there will be no escaping from a campaign in Gaza.”
Netanyahu, says Haaretz, argued that Hamas was deterred, citing “a strong balance of terror against Hamas.”
Bar insisted that Israel would face a decision around launching a campaign against Hamas, possibly in reaction to a major operation in the West Bank.
“There is strong balance of terror against Hamas,” Netanyahu reportedly replied, noting that Hamas had stayed out of fights between Israel and PIJ since the 2021 Operation Guardian of the Walls.
In response, Netanyahu’s office calls the report “more fake news. The truth is completely the opposite.”
The Prime Minister’s Office acknowledges the meeting, but says that Bar argued that “Hamas is deterred and strives to maintain stability in the Gaza Strip, and focuses on pressuring Israel in Judea and Samaria.”
The PMO says that Bar recommended “doing nothing,” or reducing the number of Palestinian workers entering Israel.
Netanyahu, says his office, “ordered preparations to exact a heavy price from Hamas, and emphasized that the component of precise assassinations of terror leaders — as demonstrated in Operation Shield and Arrow- lies at the heart of Israeli deterrence, and that preparations must continue to be made to assassinate senior Hamas figures – from [Mohammed] Deif to [Yahya] Sinwar.” link
Once again, when choosing between believing the Prime Minister's office or anyone else and history shows us that the lies coming out of the PMO are constant and consistant.
The accusatory finger of the IDF and Shin Bet towards the political echelon, and the responsibility they place on each other
Investigations by the IDF and Shin Bet critique, each in their own way, the government's policy towards Gaza in the years leading up to the massacre • The intelligence agency blamed "the flow of Qatari money that allowed Hamas to massively strengthen," while the military offered cautious criticism • The Shin Bet hinted at the responsibility of Military Intelligence (Aman) for gaps in information transfer on the night of the attack • The IDF also included the Shin Bet in a perception that viewed Hamas as a "limited threat."
The core findings of the IDF's foundational investigation, which were released for publication last week, and the summary of the Shin Bet's investigation published yesterday (Tuesday), shed light on some of the significant failures that led to the October 7 disaster. Alongside admissions of internal failures by both organizations, there is notable criticism—both direct and implied—towards the political echelon's policies. The Shin Bet also points to gaps in the transfer of intelligence information from Aman during the critical hours of the attack, while the IDF refrained from explicitly mentioning the intelligence agency in its published findings.
### The IDF's Cautious Criticism
The investigations by both security organizations criticize Israel's long-standing policy towards Hamas. The Shin Bet uses more direct and sharp language when listing the main reasons that enabled Hamas's military buildup: "A policy of quiet that allowed Hamas to massively strengthen; the flow of Qatari funds and their transfer to the military wing for strengthening; and the ongoing erosion of Israel's deterrence," states the investigation summary.
The IDF's investigation, formulated more cautiously, notes that "the Israeli system—political and military—entered October 7 with an established perception that shaped the political and military strategy towards the Gaza Strip."
The IDF's investigation indirectly criticizes the "conflict management" policy, stating in its lessons learned: "It is not correct to 'manage a conflict' with an enemy whose goal is your destruction—Hamas exploited Israel's 'conflict management' policy to advance a systematic plan for a large-scale attack." The investigation also mentions a document in which the political echelon instructed the IDF to focus on Iran, Hezbollah, and the West Bank, while prioritizing Gaza as a lower concern.
### The Shin Bet's Explicit Accusations
The Shin Bet's investigation notes that from July 2018 until "Guardian of the Walls" in 2021, Israel pursued a policy of arrangements with Hamas, including various economic concessions in exchange for quiet and the transfer of Qatari funds to Gaza. Contrary to statements by the IDF and the political echelon after "Guardian of the Walls," the Shin Bet viewed the operation as a "clear Hamas victory."
The Shin Bet explicitly claims that there was no conception that "Hamas was deterred," in contrast to Aman and the political echelon, which assessed otherwise. "The Shin Bet recommended a proactive policy and non-escalation in rounds of fighting and built plans for this. The Shin Bet did not assess Hamas as deterred," the investigation states.
Moreover, the investigation emphasizes that upon the appointment of Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar in October 2021, as part of a strategic work prepared by the organization towards the end of 2021, it was written to the political echelon: "Do not agree to the existence of a Muslim Brotherhood entity with military capabilities and a connection to the Shiite axis—adjacent to the Gaza border. This should be achieved through a combination of military strikes, reducing smuggling, and an Egyptian rehabilitation mechanism that prevents military strengthening."
### The Implied Criticism Between the Shin Bet and IDF
Alongside the criticism of the political echelon, the Shin Bet's investigation implicitly raises claims against the IDF, particularly regarding information sharing during the critical hours before the surprise attack. Regarding the night of October 7, the Shin Bet hints at failures by Aman, stating that there was a lack of cooperation and fusion between the organization and Aman's products, and that two indicators of unusual activity identified by Aman during the night "were not part of the organization's intelligence picture at that time." This statement implies Aman's responsibility for gaps in information transfer on the night of the attack.
The IDF, in its core investigation, does not directly mention the Shin Bet but refers to "security agencies" to include the organization in the flawed perception prevalent before the attack. Among other things, the investigation states that "the IDF and security agencies perceived Hamas as a limited and reactive threat at its core and that there would be a warning."
The IDF also notes that "Aman and the intelligence community did not translate the 'Jericho Wall' plan into a warning model for a large-scale surprise attack by Hamas or into a dedicated collection plan" and that "the various agencies did not connect this information with the information received about previous plans starting from 2018." The "intelligence community" and "various agencies" also include the Shin Bet, which is responsible for counterterrorism and warnings. link
The Region and the World
Shin Bet Chief Ronen Bar warned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu five months before October 7, 2023, that a war in Gaza is inevitable, according to Haaretz.
The two met in late May, after Operation Shield and Arrow against Palestinian Islamic Jihad in Gaza.
According to the report, Bar told Netanyahu that the days-long campaign was only “the first round against the Shiite axis.”
“We must prepare for an opening strike, for a round of assassinations,” Bar continued. “Hamas is the next challenge before us, there will be no escaping from a campaign in Gaza.”
Netanyahu, says Haaretz, argued that Hamas was deterred, citing “a strong balance of terror against Hamas.”
Bar insisted that Israel would face a decision around launching a campaign against Hamas, possibly in reaction to a major operation in the West Bank.
“There is strong balance of terror against Hamas,” Netanyahu reportedly replied, noting that Hamas had stayed out of fights between Israel and PIJ since the 2021 Operation Guardian of the Walls.
In response, Netanyahu’s office calls the report “more fake news. The truth is completely the opposite.”
The Prime Minister’s Office acknowledges the meeting, but says that Bar argued that “Hamas is deterred and strives to maintain stability in the Gaza Strip, and focuses on pressuring Israel in Judea and Samaria.”
The PMO says that Bar recommended “doing nothing,” or reducing the number of Palestinian workers entering Israel.
Netanyahu, says his office, “ordered preparations to exact a heavy price from Hamas, and emphasized that the component of precise assassinations of terror leaders — as demonstrated in Operation Shield and Arrow- lies at the heart of Israeli deterrence, and that preparations must continue to be made to assassinate senior Hamas figures – from [Mohammed] Deif to [Yahya] Sinwar.” link
Once again, when choosing between believing the Prime Minister's office or anyone else and history shows us that the lies coming out of the PMO are constant and consistant.
The accusatory finger of the IDF and Shin Bet towards the political echelon, and the responsibility they place on each other
Investigations by the IDF and Shin Bet critique, each in their own way, the government's policy towards Gaza in the years leading up to the massacre • The intelligence agency blamed "the flow of Qatari money that allowed Hamas to massively strengthen," while the military offered cautious criticism • The Shin Bet hinted at the responsibility of Military Intelligence (Aman) for gaps in information transfer on the night of the attack • The IDF also included the Shin Bet in a perception that viewed Hamas as a "limited threat."
The core findings of the IDF's foundational investigation, which were released for publication last week, and the summary of the Shin Bet's investigation published yesterday (Tuesday), shed light on some of the significant failures that led to the October 7 disaster. Alongside admissions of internal failures by both organizations, there is notable criticism—both direct and implied—towards the political echelon's policies. The Shin Bet also points to gaps in the transfer of intelligence information from Aman during the critical hours of the attack, while the IDF refrained from explicitly mentioning the intelligence agency in its published findings.
### The IDF's Cautious Criticism
The investigations by both security organizations criticize Israel's long-standing policy towards Hamas. The Shin Bet uses more direct and sharp language when listing the main reasons that enabled Hamas's military buildup: "A policy of quiet that allowed Hamas to massively strengthen; the flow of Qatari funds and their transfer to the military wing for strengthening; and the ongoing erosion of Israel's deterrence," states the investigation summary.
The IDF's investigation, formulated more cautiously, notes that "the Israeli system—political and military—entered October 7 with an established perception that shaped the political and military strategy towards the Gaza Strip."
The IDF's investigation indirectly criticizes the "conflict management" policy, stating in its lessons learned: "It is not correct to 'manage a conflict' with an enemy whose goal is your destruction—Hamas exploited Israel's 'conflict management' policy to advance a systematic plan for a large-scale attack." The investigation also mentions a document in which the political echelon instructed the IDF to focus on Iran, Hezbollah, and the West Bank, while prioritizing Gaza as a lower concern.
### The Shin Bet's Explicit Accusations
The Shin Bet's investigation notes that from July 2018 until "Guardian of the Walls" in 2021, Israel pursued a policy of arrangements with Hamas, including various economic concessions in exchange for quiet and the transfer of Qatari funds to Gaza. Contrary to statements by the IDF and the political echelon after "Guardian of the Walls," the Shin Bet viewed the operation as a "clear Hamas victory."
The Shin Bet explicitly claims that there was no conception that "Hamas was deterred," in contrast to Aman and the political echelon, which assessed otherwise. "The Shin Bet recommended a proactive policy and non-escalation in rounds of fighting and built plans for this. The Shin Bet did not assess Hamas as deterred," the investigation states.
Moreover, the investigation emphasizes that upon the appointment of Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar in October 2021, as part of a strategic work prepared by the organization towards the end of 2021, it was written to the political echelon: "Do not agree to the existence of a Muslim Brotherhood entity with military capabilities and a connection to the Shiite axis—adjacent to the Gaza border. This should be achieved through a combination of military strikes, reducing smuggling, and an Egyptian rehabilitation mechanism that prevents military strengthening."
### The Implied Criticism Between the Shin Bet and IDF
Alongside the criticism of the political echelon, the Shin Bet's investigation implicitly raises claims against the IDF, particularly regarding information sharing during the critical hours before the surprise attack. Regarding the night of October 7, the Shin Bet hints at failures by Aman, stating that there was a lack of cooperation and fusion between the organization and Aman's products, and that two indicators of unusual activity identified by Aman during the night "were not part of the organization's intelligence picture at that time." This statement implies Aman's responsibility for gaps in information transfer on the night of the attack.
The IDF, in its core investigation, does not directly mention the Shin Bet but refers to "security agencies" to include the organization in the flawed perception prevalent before the attack. Among other things, the investigation states that "the IDF and security agencies perceived Hamas as a limited and reactive threat at its core and that there would be a warning."
The IDF also notes that "Aman and the intelligence community did not translate the 'Jericho Wall' plan into a warning model for a large-scale surprise attack by Hamas or into a dedicated collection plan" and that "the various agencies did not connect this information with the information received about previous plans starting from 2018." The "intelligence community" and "various agencies" also include the Shin Bet, which is responsible for counterterrorism and warnings. link
The Region and the World
- Syria FM to join meeting of chemical weapons watchdog
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani says he would take part in a meeting today of the international chemical weapons watchdog in the Netherlands, nearly three months after Bashar al-Assad’s ouster.
“Today, for the first time in Syria’s history, I am attending the executive council of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons in The Hague,” Shaibani says in a statement on X, adding that “this participation reaffirms Syria’s commitment to international security and honors those who lost their lives suffocating at the hands of the Assad regime.” link This is yet another action that is very positive about the new Syrian regime but our foolish government and loud mouthed foreign minister only make malicious statements against this government and do everything they can to antagonize instead of opening up channels of communication to try to create a real change between neighbors that this historic period of time.
In likely message to Iran, Israeli and US air forces carry out joint drill with heavy bomber
Israeli Air Force F-15I and F-35I fighter jets fly alongside a US B-52 bomber during a drill on March 5, 2025. (Israel Defense Forces)The Israeli Air Force held a joint exercise with the US Air Force this week, during which pilots “practiced operational coordination between the two militaries to enhance their ability to address various regional threats.”
The drill included Israeli F-15I and F-35I fighter jets flying alongside a US B-52 bomber.
“The exercise aimed to strengthen and maintain the long-standing cooperation between the forces while expanding connectivity and building integrated capabilities for a range of scenarios,” the IDF says.
The drill is potentially aimed at readying the Israeli military for a potential joint strike with the US on Iran. The IAF has already carried out two strikes on Iran without US support, but would likely need the heavy capabilities of the B-52s to effectively hit Iran’s heavily fortified underground nuclear sites.
Personal Stories
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani says he would take part in a meeting today of the international chemical weapons watchdog in the Netherlands, nearly three months after Bashar al-Assad’s ouster.
“Today, for the first time in Syria’s history, I am attending the executive council of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons in The Hague,” Shaibani says in a statement on X, adding that “this participation reaffirms Syria’s commitment to international security and honors those who lost their lives suffocating at the hands of the Assad regime.” link This is yet another action that is very positive about the new Syrian regime but our foolish government and loud mouthed foreign minister only make malicious statements against this government and do everything they can to antagonize instead of opening up channels of communication to try to create a real change between neighbors that this historic period of time.
In likely message to Iran, Israeli and US air forces carry out joint drill with heavy bomber
The Israeli Air Force held a joint exercise with the US Air Force this week, during which pilots “practiced operational coordination between the two militaries to enhance their ability to address various regional threats.”
The drill included Israeli F-15I and F-35I fighter jets flying alongside a US B-52 bomber.
“The exercise aimed to strengthen and maintain the long-standing cooperation between the forces while expanding connectivity and building integrated capabilities for a range of scenarios,” the IDF says.
The drill is potentially aimed at readying the Israeli military for a potential joint strike with the US on Iran. The IAF has already carried out two strikes on Iran without US support, but would likely need the heavy capabilities of the B-52s to effectively hit Iran’s heavily fortified underground nuclear sites.
59 Hostages Remain in Gaza - Their Stories (5 a day)
Tal Chaimi, z"l Age 41, Nir Yitzhak 
Tal, z"l, was killed in combat in Nir Yitzhak, and his body was taken captive to Gaza. Tal was a third-generation member of the kibbutz and worked as an engineer at the Revivim factory. He was considered one of the pillars of the kibbutz community. He was married to Ella and the father of three: 9-year-old twins and a 6-year-old son. Ella, who was pregnant with their fourth child, documented her pregnancy and the emotional journey she was going through. On the morning of October 7, Tal left home to fight, informing Ella that there were terrorists in the kibbutz and instructing her to lock the door. Ella locked the door, barricaded it with furniture, and armed herself with a knife. Contact with Tal was lost at 10 a.m. Ella and their three children—Nir, Inbar, and Udi—were only rescued from the safe room in the evening. On December 13, 2023, the family was informed that Tal had been killed on October 7 and that his body was being held by Hamas. On May 2, 2024, Ella gave birth to their fourth child, who will never get to know his father.
Idan Shtivi, z"l Age 28, Ein HaYam 
Idan Shtivi (28), an amateur photographer and sustainability student at Reichman University, had just arrived at the party area in Re'im when the terrorist attack began. When Shtivi and his friends noticed rocket fire in the area, they began driving toward central Israel. However, on Route 242, they were ambushed by Hamas terrorists. Shtivi, who was driving, tried to escape the deadly gunfire. His friends were murdered, but Shtivi was initially considered missing. It was only in early January that his family was officially informed he had been taken hostage. "My brother, Idan, always knew how to handle situations, even scary ones," said his sister Hila. "This is very hard for us; it feels like a part of our body has been taken." On October 7, 2024, a year after the massacre, it was announced that Idan had been killed on the day of the attack. His body is still being held by Hamas.
Yossi Sharabi, z"l Age 53, Kibbutz Be'eri 
Yossi, z"l, was kidnapped from his home in Be'eri along with his daughter's partner, Ofir Engel. His brother Eli was also kidnapped from Be'eri. On January 15, 2024, Hamas released a cruel propaganda video showing Yossi and Itai Svirsky, z"l. The following day, Kibbutz Be'eri announced Yossi's death. His wife, Nira, shared: "We were in the safe room when three terrorists entered the apartment. They spoke in Arabic. The girls hid under a blanket, and Yossi guarded the safe room door. After ten seconds, the door opened, and they burst in with their weapons drawn. My youngest daughter was on top. A terrorist took a shirt from a clothesline and demanded she put it on. When we reached the road, the terrorists seated us together—ten people, several families. They shouted at Yossi and Ofir to get into a car that was there. They got into the car and drove away." Yossi is survived by his wife, Nira, and three daughters—Yuval, Ofir, and Oren. Ofir Engel was released in a hostage deal on November 29, 2023. Yossi's sister-in-law, Lian, and his nieces, Yahal (13) and Noya (16), were murdered.
Lt. Hadar Goldin, z"l Age 23, Kfar Saba 
Hadar, z"l, was an officer in the Givati Brigade's reconnaissance unit who fell in battle in Rafah during Operation Protective Edge. On August 1, 2014, a 72-hour ceasefire between the IDF and Hamas began. The ceasefire was quickly violated by Hamas. A force commanded by Maj. Benaya Sarel, z"l, which included Lt. Goldin and a small number of soldiers, continued operations to locate tunnels in the Rafah area. At 9:05 a.m., terrorists emerged from a tunnel and attacked the force. They killed Benaya Sarel, Sgt. Liel Gidoni, and Hadar Goldin. Hadar was taken captive into the terror tunnel. Shortly afterward, the "Hannibal Protocol" (Hannnibal protocol is for our soldiers to kill any soldiers being kidnapped so they cannot be used as living bargaining chips) was activated, involving heavy artillery fire in the area to disrupt the kidnappers' escape. Lt. Itai Fund and 2nd Lt. Matan Horesh led a pursuit of the terrorist cell inside the tunnel. During the pursuit, items were discovered that later confirmed Hadar's death. Hadar grew up in Kfar Saba. He was 23 and engaged to his beloved, Edna Saroussi. He is survived by his parents, a twin brother, and another brother and sister. His family has been fighting for his return since that day. Hadar has been held by Hamas for over nine years. During the Iron Swords War, Prime Minister Netanyahu stated that the government is working to return all hostages, including Hadar, soldier Oron Shaul, z"l, and two other civilians who were in Gaza before the war began.
Sgt. Itai Chen Age 19, Netanya 
Itai, a 19-year-old IDF soldier, fell in battle on October 7, and his body is being held captive by Hamas. He was kidnapped from the Nahal Oz base, where he fought alongside his comrades in the armored corps. His family last heard from him on the morning of October 7 before contact was lost. His brother had a bar mitzvah just days after the kidnapping, which was celebrated without him. Itai is the middle child of three siblings, born to Hagit and her husband. He was an athlete who loved playing basketball, rock climbing, and hiking across Israel. On March 12, 2024, the IDF permitted the publication that Itai had fallen in battle and that his body is being held by Hamas.
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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