🎗️Lonny's War Update- October 520, 2023 - March 9, 2025 🎗️

  

🎗️Day 520 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

There is no victory until all of the hostages are home!

‎אין נצחון עד שכל החטופים בבית

Red Alerts - Missile, Rocket, Drone (UAV - unmanned aerial vehicles), and Terror Attacks and Death Announcements

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Hostage Updates 

• US envoy Witkoff said expected to attend Doha hostage deal talks later this week
  

  US special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff is expected to travel to Doha this week amid efforts to extend the ceasefire and hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas, Axios reports, citing two US officials familiar with the matter.

  The report comes after Israel confirmed that a negotiating team will depart for Qatar on Monday on “the invitation of the mediators backed by the US.”

  According to Axios, the Trump administration hopes to extend the first phase of the previously agreed upon hostage deal, which ended last Saturday, until the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and the Jewish holiday of Passover.

  This appears to be in line with a plan that Israel has endorsed, but which Hamas has so far rejected in favor of pursuing the terms of a potential second phase of the deal, which would require Israel to withdraw fully from Gaza and agree to a permanent end to the war in exchange for the remaining living hostages.
  The talks in Doha with Witkoff in attendance will be the first since US President Donald Trump took office, as the first phase of the ceasefire deal was negotiated under his predecessor, president Joe Biden.  link This is the only really good news about the current negotiations. Witkoff is a no nonsense guys and will push for an agreement, hopefully better than the bad proposals that have been talked about openly (10 hostages to be released over a 60 day period with nothing about the rest of the hostages). If a reasonable agreement is reached, we would then see Witkoff coming to Israel to try to force Netanyahu to take the deal. The problem, if we take this information to be accurate is that the talk of the Americans is the same as Netanyahu, to extend the ceasefire of Phase 1 to release more hostages. Hamas, until now has totally rejected this as they gain nothing from it. The only way to get them to accept any extension of Phase 1 is if there is a signed agreement on Phase 2 which will include all the hostages and the end of the war, or as the wordsmiths have put it, 'a permanent ceasefire'. Netanyahu doesn't agree to that and will not unless it is forcibly pushed down his throat by Trump by way of Witkoff.

• Protesters demand return of hostages, chant against government as weekly rallies begin
  

  

  Protesters demand the return of all hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip, with a sign quoting a biblical passage, "And they wept until they had no more strength to weep," in Rehovot, March 8, 2025. (Pro-Democracy Movement/Roby Yahav)

  Protesters begin to rally in cities and junctions across the country as weekly hostage demonstrations and anti-government protests get underway.

  In Rehovot, protesters chant for a one-phase deal to bring back all the hostages held by terror groups in Gaza in one go.
  
  At the HaOgen Junction near Netanya, protesters form a human chain, holding up pictures of each hostage still held in Gaza with the inscription, “Don’t leave me behind.”

• Statement from the Families of the Hostages

  Amid conflicting reports regarding the negotiations for Phase 2 of the deal, relatives of the hostages have issued a statement. Einav Tzengauker: "The war could resume this week, and it won’t bring back the hostages—it will kill them." The son of the late Oded Lifshitz in an appeal to Trump: "You are the only one who can prevent the deal from falling apart. Don’t let Netanyahu return to fighting."

  
  
  

  
  
  

  
  
  

  

  
  

• Hamas: "Indications Regarding the Start of Negotiations on the Second Phase Are Positive"

  Senior Hamas officials have arrived in Egypt and called for the resumption of talks on the second phase of the ceasefire agreement. Germany, France, Italy, and the UK have expressed support for a reconstruction plan for the Gaza Strip, worth tens of billions of dollars. "This will ensure an improvement in the harsh living conditions," the foreign ministers stated. Weeks of increased pressure and the possibility of resuming hostilities with unprecedented intensity—this is Israel's phased plan.
  A delegation from Hamas's leadership, headed by the Chairman of the Shura Council, Mohammed Darwish, arrived in Cairo last night (Friday). The delegation is holding talks with senior Egyptian officials regarding the recent Arab summit and is discussing "the need to begin the second phase of the ceasefire agreement." Meanwhile, European countries have expressed support for the Egyptian initiative to rebuild the Gaza Strip.

  Hamas spokesman Abdul-Latif al-Qanou said: "The mediation efforts of Egypt and Qatar to complete the implementation of the ceasefire agreement are ongoing, and the indications regarding the start of negotiations on the second phase are positive. We emphasize our readiness to enter negotiations on the second phase in a way that achieves the demands of our people and call for increased efforts to provide aid to the Gaza Strip and end the blockade."
  According to reports, the delegation is demanding that Israel begin discussions on the second phase of the ceasefire agreement and open the border crossings to allow humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip. One report stated that the delegation is interested in advancing "a comprehensive agreement that ensures a permanent and complete ceasefire."
  
  Hamas's demands for the implementation of the second phase include, among other things, a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and the transfer of financial support to the Strip, based on the decisions of the Arab summit held this week in Cairo. Additionally, Hamas is interested in the release of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the release of Israeli hostages held in the Gaza Strip.
  
  **Engineering equipment and caravans at the Rafah crossing**
  The delegation is demanding that Israel open the border crossings to allow humanitarian aid into the Strip.
  The same delegation of senior Hamas officials, who arrived in Cairo, held a "ceremony" today for terrorists released in the latest phase of the hostage deal—and deported to Egypt.
  
  **European Support for the Egyptian Plan**
  The foreign ministers of France, Germany, Italy, and the UK today expressed support for the reconstruction plan for the Gaza Strip, which includes budgets worth more than $50 billion. "This is a realistic path to rebuilding the Strip," they stated, "it will ensure a rapid improvement in the catastrophic living conditions of the Palestinians residing in Gaza."
  The plan, prepared by Egypt, was adopted by Arab leaders at the beginning of the month. However, US President Donald Trump rejected it.
  
  According to the Qatari channel Al-Araby, the Egyptian plan includes the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip at a cost of $53 billion and the establishment of a temporary committee to manage the Strip for a period of six months, ahead of the return of the Palestinian Authority.
  
  Additionally, the UN Security Council will be able to consider deploying international forces in Gaza. According to the report, the committee in the Gaza Strip will be composed of independent individuals and will operate under the Palestinian government in Ramallah. Furthermore, seven areas in the Gaza Strip will be allocated for temporary housing for 1.5 million Palestinians.
  
  **The Pressure Israel Intends to Apply**
  Earlier today, the Wall Street Journal outlined how Israel might increase pressure on Hamas. According to the report, Israel has formulated a plan with a series of steps to increase pressure on the terrorist organization Hamas. The first step has already been implemented in the past week—with the halt of humanitarian aid to Gaza.
  The next steps against Hamas in Gaza will include, according to the report, cutting off electricity and water supplies to the Strip. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said that the measures against Hamas were discussed at the government meeting earlier this week.

  An Israeli analyst who spoke with the newspaper said that if these measures fail, Israel may begin airstrikes and tactical raids against Hamas targets in the Strip. In the next stage, according to the same source, Israel is expected to act again to relocate hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who returned to the northern Gaza Strip during the ceasefire.
  
  
  Sources familiar with the Israeli plan said that ultimately, Israel could return to intense activity in the Gaza Strip, this time using greater force than in previous stages of the fighting.  link
  

  Israeli official says Jerusalem unaware of progress in Gaza ceasefire talks
  Israel is unaware of progress in talks with Hamas on the second phase of the hostage-ceasefire deal, an Israeli official tells Hebrew media outlets.
  The comment comes shortly after the terror group spokesperson said he saw “positive indicators” for launching talks.

• Group of hostage families say Netanyahu ready to ‘bury’ captives for his own interests
  At their weekly press conference in Tel Aviv, a group of hostage families assail Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, accusing him of sabotaging talks on the second phase of the hostage-ceasefire deal for his own interests, warning that renewed fighting will kill the remaining living captives.

  “We are in an emergency, and we mustn’t be blinded by reports: the war could resume this week,” says Einav Zangauker, whose son Matan is held hostage in Gaza.

  Zangauker adds that the continuation of war is in the prime minister’s interest, as it would allow him to extend his ongoing criminal trial, put off a state commission of inquiry into the handling of the war, and maintain his government with his far-right allies.

  Yifat Calderon, the cousin of Ofer Calderon, who was released last month in the deal, accuses Netanyahu of halting negotiations for the second phase of the deal.

  “Netanyahu is prepared to bury the hostages for his personal and criminal interests,” she says.

  Omri Lifshitz says the fate of his captive father, Oded, whose body was returned last month, “cannot be allowed to happen again” to other hostages.

  “Netanyahu — if the war is renewed, hostages will be killed because of you. Their blood will be on your hands,” he said, calling on US President Donald Trump to not allow the prime minister to “bury them” and prevent the deal from being derailed.  link

• Saudi report says Israel, Hamas reach Ramadan truce; Israeli official denies claim
  According to the Saudi Al Arabiya channel, an agreement has been reached on a temporary truce between Hamas and Israel during the month of Ramadan, which ends on March 29.
  The outlet is light on details and only cites “sources,’ and does not say how many hostages Hamas has to release as part of the ostensible ceasefire extension.
  An Israeli official later tells Hebrew media outlets that no such agreement has been made
• PM’s office says negotiators will head to Doha Monday for Gaza ceasefire talks

  

  Protesters demand the return of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza outside the IDF headquarters in Tel Aviv, March 8, 2025. (Courtesy)

  Protesters demand the return of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza 
  Israel will send a negotiating team to Qatar on Monday, says the Prime Minister’s Office.
  “Israel agreed to the invitation of the mediators backed by the US, and will send a delegation to Doha on Monday in an attempt to make progress in the negotiations,” according to the PMO.
  The development comes after Arabic media reports that Hamas has indicated it is willing to agree to a temporary extension of the Gaza ceasefire over Ramadan.
  An Israeli official tells The Times of Israel that there is no particular progress in the talks that led to a decision and denies the reports that Hamas agreed to a Ramadan ceasefire extension.
  
  
  

• Negotiating team flying to Qatar to be led by government’s hostage point man, senior Shin Bet official 
  The Israeli delegation flying to Qatar on Monday will be headed by the government’s hostage point man Gal Hirsch, and senior Shin Bet official “M.,” an Israeli official tells The Times of Israel.
  Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s political adviser Ophir Falk will also join the delegation.
  The delegation that flew to Qatar in February was made up of the same officials.
  M. is flying in place of the head of the security agency, Ronen Bar, whom Netanyahu removed from his negotiating role and is reportedly looking to fire.  link While the fact that Netanyahu has agreed to send the negotiating team to Qatar, there are a few points from this article that are very important to understand and be concerned about. Firstly, we all know that Netanyahu removed Ronen Bar, head of the Shin Bet from the negotiating team and replaced him with one of Bar's deputies. Netanyahu is looking to fire Bar from his position as Chief of the Shin Bet for multiple offenses against Netanyahu: disagreeing with him about negotiating the hostage deal stating that the war should end to bring back the hostages, for Netanyahu, a cardinal sin. And the most damning is the investigation opened up by the Shin Bet against personnel in the PMO who have been allegedly (most definitely) employed by Qatar to improve their relations while being employed in the PMO, not only a conflict of interests but possibly much more serious in that they have access to the most secret information and documentation about the country, our security and the war while Qatar is acting as a third party in negotiations between Israel and Hamas, and let's not forget that Qatar financed Hamas for over a decade.
  The second very problematic issue here is that Netanyahu is sending his crony, his political advisor Ophir Falk to the negotiations. He has done this in the past for one explicit reason, for Falk to rein in the negotiating team from discussing or agreeing to anything that Netanyahu doesn't want on the table. This has been done on several occasions when the negotiating team was given a mandate and instructions by the War Cabinet when it included Gantz and Eisencott, as well as Galant, only for the negotiating team to be limited by Netanyahu without the war cabinet knowing or approving. Sending Falk is one of Netanyahu's ways of killing the hostage deals.

• Mother of hostage Eitan Horn calls on government to help reunite him with freed brother
  
  Ruti Strum, mother of hostage Eitan Horn and released hostage Yair Horn, speaks at a demonstration for the return of hostages in Kfar Saba, March 8, 2025. (Nuki Sharir/Pro-Democracy Protest Movement)

Ruti Strum, mother of Hamas hostage Eitan Horn and released hostage Iair Horn, calls for the government to reunite her sons, speaking at a demonstration in Kfar Saba for the return of captives.

“I raised them together. I felt them together [while in captivity], and they were together. Why did you separate them? The government must protect its citizens and bring back everyone,” she says.

Iair Horn, 46, was abducted from his Kibbutz Nir Oz home on October 7, as Hamas terrorists swarmed through the kibbutz, killing or kidnapping one in four of the community’s residents. He was released on February 15 as part of the hostage-ceasefire deal.

Horn’s younger brother, Eitan Horn, 37 (now 38), a resident of Kfar Saba, was visiting Iair on Kibbutz Nir Oz for the holiday weekend when he was captured. Eitan remains in captivity.

• At rally, mother decries ‘shocking’ footage of hostage son, as ex-captives back deal
  
  Demonstrators protest against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and for the release of Israelis held hostage in the Gaza Strip in Tel Aviv, March 8, 2025. (Tomer Neuberg/Flash90)
  Matan Angrest’s injuries permanent, mom says at Hostages Square gathering; recently freed Eliya Cohen and Karina Ariev urge leaders to negotiate release of remaining 59 hostages
  

  The mother of hostage Matan Angrest told a Tel Aviv rally Saturday night that her family had received further footage of her son in which he appears badly maimed physically and psychologically, as thousands gathered in the city and around the country to urge the government to reach a deal to return all remaining 59 captives.

  Saturday night’s rally at Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square, the first since hostage releases were put on hold with the end of the first stage of the Gaza ceasefire deal a week ago, also saw recently freed soldier Eliya Cohen encourage Israel’s leaders in a video message to bring the rest of the hostages home, in his first public comments since being released last month. Karina Ariev, a soldier who was freed weeks earlier, appeared on stage at the rally, also a first.

  Speaking a day after Hamas published a video showing Angrest, 21, alive for the first time since he was taken captive during the October 7, 2023, onslaught, Anat Angrest told gathered supporters that the family had received more “shocking” footage of her son, including pictures showing him undergoing a “brutal” beating.
  

  “He looks listless, desperate and angry,” she said. “Beyond his difficult mental state, his right hand doesn’t work, his eyes and his mouth are not symmetrical, his nose is broken and there is serious uncertainty over the condition of his legs.”

  The mother said that the wounds had been sustained while fighting Hamas terrorists on October 7, as well as from being interrogated and tortured in Gaza, according to those who had been with him in battle and in captivity. He had been forced to deal with the festering injuries on his own, Anat said.

  “According to medical opinions, the damage to his body is irreversible,” she added.
  

  The footage described by Anat Angrest was not released by Hamas, but rather had come from audio recordings and photographic evidence collected by the Israel Defense Forces in Gaza and handed over to Angrest’s family.

  On Friday, Hamas published a video of Angrest begging to be set free, in an apparent effort by the terror group to mobilize Israeli public opinion in favor of continuing the ceasefire deal amid an impasse in negotiations. full article

  
  

• Freed hostage Karina Ariev at Hostages Square: ‘Start hoping again, because we’ll get you back’

  

  Released hostage Karina Ariev addresses a rally in Hostages Square, March 8, 2025. (Paulina Patimer / Hostages Families Forum)

  Freed hostage Karina Ariev, a surveillance soldier snatched by Hamas from the Nahal Oz base on October 7, 2023, opens her first speech at Hostages Square: “My name is Karina Ariev, and I am free!”

  She says regaining her freedom after 477 days made her “realize I have a role in this world, and that role is to keep fighting until all my hostage brothers and sisters also get their freedom.”

  Ariev recounts seeing friends at the Nahal Oz base “fight to the end and pay with their lives” during the Hamas onslaught. For 477 days after that, she was held “in awful conditions, in the dark, in the cold, with the terorists awful treatment of us,” she says.

  “I know what it’s like to be in captivity. I know who Hamas is. And as someone who knows both those things, I want to say: The hostages are above all else. First we need to take care of them, and then of everything else,” she says. “Because you can’t put a price on freedom.”

  “My rehabilitation can’t start until everyone is here,” she says, calling for a hostage deal.

  She thanks hostage rally-goers, troops, and US President Donald Trump for securing her release. She addresses Trump in English.

  Ariev and three other female surveillance soldiers were released last month as part of the ceasefire-hostage deal with Hamas. A fifth surveillance soldier was released five days later.

  Like other released hostages, the surveillance soldiers have said they learned Arabic in captivity. Speaking at Hostages Square, Ariev addresses remaining captives in Arabic: “Start hoping again, because we’ll get you back.”

• Brother of captive soldier accuses Israel of violating ceasefire and hostage release deal
  

  Anti-government protesters demand a deal to free remaining hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, in Tel Aviv, March 8, 2025. (Pro-Democracy Protest Movement/Gilad Furst)

  Yotam Cohen, brother of captive soldier Nimrod Cohen, tells some 2,000 anti-government, pro-hostage deal protesters outside the IDF’s Kirya headquarters in Tel Aviv that Israel is violating the ceasefire and hostage release deal with Hamas.

  He adds that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his new hostage talks point man, Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, are working to convince US President Donald Trump that most of the hostages are dead and the agreement is unnecessary.

  Referring to Trump’s direct talks with Hamas — first reported on the Axios news site this week and later confirmed by the White House — Yotam Cohen says foreign leaders “have already understood that Israel is not so interested in releasing its hostages.”

  “It’s an embarassment to be Israeli,” he says.

  “The State of Israel is betraying the hostages,” he yells. “Netanyahu and Dermer are betraying the hostages.”

  Cohen notes Israel’s failure to abide by the deal’s requirement to commence talks on its second phase, originally expected to start on February 3, day 16 of the first deal, as well as Israel’s failure to retreat from the Phildelphi Corridor, on the Gaza-Egypt border, on the 42nd and final day of the first phase last Saturday. Anti-government protesters demand a deal to free remaining hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, in Tel Aviv, March 8, 2025. (Pro-Democracy Protest Movement/Rony Shapiro)

  Nimrod Cohen is slated for release in the second phase, which would require Israel to withdraw from Gaza — a red line for Netanyahu’s far-right coalition partners.

  “We are on day 50 of the deal, and Israel is violating the agreement,” says Yotam Cohen.

  He assails politicians who say Israel should resume intense combat in Gaza: “The same military pressure that killed more than 40 hostages until now… one in six hostages,” he says, referring to a New York Times report today.

  Yotam Cohen expresses hope that Netanyahu and Dermer’s “Axis of Evil” will lose to the “column of light” comprising captivity survivors — eight of whom met with Trump in Washington this week — along with White House Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and Israeli-American Republican donor Miriam Edelson, who contributed handsomely to Trump’s campaign and is thought to have nudged him toward supporting the hostage deal.

  Speaking after Cohen, Yifat Calderon, who is the cousin of released hostage Ofer Calderon, says hostages’ families plan to sleep outside the IDF headquarters tonight as an act of protest, urging the public to join.

  An MC for the demonstration says tents have been prepared for protesters to camp outside each of the Kirya military base’s gates for days. He calls on participants in “Operation Kirya Cordon” to respect members of the security forces stationed outside the base.

  
  

• In video message, freed hostage Eliya Cohen thanks protesters, urges politicians to forge ahead with deal
  

  Freed hostage Eliya Cohen speaks in a video message played at Hostages Square on March 8, 2025. (Hostages Families Forum)

  Released hostage Eliya Cohen thanks protesters for fighting for his freedom in a video message to demonstrators at Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square.

  “We have an opportunity to return everyone. You successfully brought me back, you can bring back everyone. Those who are alive and the dead. There are people there sitting underground and are simply waiting to go home. You don’t know what they are experiencing,” he says.

  Cohen urges politicians to compromise, to enter the negotiating room, and not to leave until they successfully bring everyone home.

  “There’s no reason in the world to continue dragging this out — not phase one, not phase two, and not phase three. Just get everyone out. Israel is strong enough to do this, and this is the time for our country to get everyone out,” he urges.

  Hoping that those still in Gaza can hear him, Cohen says that the people of Israel love them and are not giving up on them.

  “To all my brothers still in captivity, I know there’s a small chance you can hear me. I want you to know that the people of Israel love you, that the people of Israel are fighting for you tooth and nail, that the people of Israel are not giving up on you. You don’t know how loved you are here, and how many people love you, and are trying to bring you home. Be strong. I know what they’re telling you. I know what they’re saying to you, but it’s all nonsense. You are coming home,” he says.

  
  Protesters make their way to Begin Road in Tel Aviv during a rally calling for the release of all remaining hostages from Gaza, March 8, 2025. (Orna Kupferman / Pro-Democracy Protest Movement)

  “Alon Ohel, Elkana Bohbot, be strong. I love you. I want you to know that we are all united here—the families, the friends. I promise you we are doing everything so that you will return home.”

• 
  

Gaza and the South

• Weeks of Increased Pressure—and the Possibility of Renewed Fighting with Unprecedented Intensity | Israel's Phased Plan

  
  

  Israel has formulated a plan for a series of steps aimed at increasing pressure on Hamas. With the U.S. administration backing it and ammunition stocks replenished, Israel is preparing the ground for the possibility of intense operations in the Gaza Strip. "There is a determination to return and eliminate Hamas, and Israel will act with greater force," assessed a former U.S. official. Halting aid, electricity, and water—relocating residents and a ground incursion: The timeline of Israel's plan.

  
  

  The next steps against Hamas in Gaza will include, according to the report, cutting off electricity and water supplies to the Strip. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said that the measures against Hamas were discussed at the government meeting earlier this week.

  
  

  An Israeli analyst who spoke with the newspaper said that if these measures fail, Israel may begin airstrikes and tactical raids against Hamas targets in the Strip. In the next stage, according to the same source, Israel is expected to act again to relocate hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who returned to the northern Gaza Strip during the ceasefire.

  
  

  Sources familiar with the Israeli plan said that ultimately, Israel could return to intense activity in the Gaza Strip, this time using greater force than in previous stages of the fighting.

  
  

  The newspaper clarified that the escalation phases could last up to two months, during which time Israel will prepare its forces for another entry into Gaza. "Many in Israel feel that another entry into the Strip is unavoidable," the report stated.

  
  

  A former Pentagon official, Michael Makovsky, told the Wall Street Journal: "There is a determination to return and eliminate Hamas, no matter what happens. I estimate that Israel will act with harder and stronger force."

  
  

  **Negotiations with Hamas**

  
  

  According to the newspaper's report, Israel and Hamas have reached a critical stage in the negotiations. Israel wants Hamas to release the remaining hostages in the Gaza Strip and disarm. The terrorist organization insists that, as part of the deal, Israel declare an end to the war.

  
  

  As an interim step, Israel has proposed expanding Phase 1 of the ceasefire agreement in exchange for the release of additional hostages. Additionally, Israel has warned that it will gradually escalate its activities against Hamas, potentially leading to a return to intense warfare.

  
  

  Hamas, according to mediators, insists that the talks focus on ending the war. Furthermore, the terrorist organization refuses to discuss disarming.

  
  

  Israeli analysts say that the IDF is in a better position to enter Gaza than at the start of the war. The military's ammunition stocks are being replenished, the pressure exerted by the Biden administration has been lifted, and there is no longer a need to maintain a large military force on the northern border, according to the report.

  
  

  Additionally, during the fighting, Hamas's infrastructure in the Strip was damaged, and according to Israeli estimates, around 20,000 terrorists have been eliminated, including leading commanders. While Hamas has managed to recruit thousands of additional operatives, they are inexperienced in combat.

  
  

  However, Israel may face difficulties in fighting while 59 hostages are still being held in the Strip. Israeli public opinion, according to polls, also supports moving to Phase 2 of the deal, even at the cost of ending the war.   link
  
  
  
• Israel has plans for large-scale campaign against Hamas if talks fail

  

  Israeli soldiers seen inside the northern Gaza Strip, as seen from the Israeli side of the border, on February 9, 2025. (Tomer Neuberg/Flash90)

  If Israel decides that hostage talks with Hamas are fruitless or that the terror groups’ demands are too high, it has plans for an escalatory military campaign against Hamas, The Wall Street Journal reports.

  The report points at possibly cutting off electricity and water as the next stage, after Israel declared that it would not let new aid shipments into the Gaza Strip.

  Citing an “Israeli security analyst briefed on the plan,” the WSJ says that Israel could then use airstrikes and raids. The analyst says that the next stage could be pushing Palestinians out of the northern Gaza Strip once again.

  According to the analyst, “The preliminary stages of escalation could take up to two months, during which time Israel could begin to remobilize its forces for a large invasion of Gaza with sufficient troops to hold ground.”

  
  
• Palestinians say 2 killed in Israeli ‘shelling’ in Gaza
  Palestinian media reports two dead by Israeli “artillery shelling” in Gaza City’s eastern Shejaiya neighborhood.
  
  
  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.
  

• Smotrich says government setting up ‘migration administration’ to oversee exodus of Gazans
  

  Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich says that the government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz, is working to establish a “migration administration” that will oversee the exodus of Palestinian residents from the Gaza Strip.  full article Besides Ben Gvir and his extremist racist party, it's hard to find anyone more racist that Smotrich and his party. His hatred of Arabs, in particular Palestinians is outrageous and it his greatest dream to empty Gaza and the West Bank from all Palestinians and then to do the same within Israel with the Arab citizens or Israel. Trump couldn't have found a more eager racist than Smotrich and Ben Gvir to immediately adopt his plan for Gaza because it makes their racist dreams come true. The Nazis had the plan of Judenrein - 'clean of jews'. Smotrich and Ben Gvir have the plan Palestinianrein 'clean of Palestinians'. This office that Smotrich is planning on setting up in the Defense Ministry is nothing less than ethnic cleansing and needs to be stopped by the courts immediately.

• IDF confirms Gaza drone strike, says targets were trying to plant bomb near troops
  

  The IDF confirms carrying out an airstrike in the northern Gaza Strip earlier this morning, saying it targeted a group of terror operatives attempting to plant a bomb near troops.

  Palestinian media reports said two were killed in the strike, in Gaza City’s eastern Shejaiya neighborhood.

  The strike was carried out by an Israeli Air Force drone, and not artillery shelling as Palestinian media reported.

Northern Israel - Lebanon/Hizbollah/Syria

• 532 Alawites killed by Syrian security forces, allies since Thursday, monitor says
  

  

  Syrian government forces are deployed amid heightened security in Damascus, Syria, March 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Omar Sanadiki)

  BEIRUT, Lebanon — A Syrian war monitor says security forces and allied groups killed 532 Alawite civilians over the past days, revising upwards a previous toll of 340.

  The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reports that “532 Alawite civilians were killed in the Syrian coastal areas and the Latakia mountains at the hands of security forces and allied groups” since Thursday, when deadly clashes broke out between security forces and gunmen loyal to toppled president Bashar al-Assad.

  Syria leader issues plea for national unity, peace after more than 1,000 killed in clashes

  
  This handout picture released by the official Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) on March 8, 2025, shows Syrian forces manning a checkpoint in the coastal city of Latakia. (SANA/AFP)

  This handout picture released by the official Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) on March 8, 2025, shows Syrian forces manning a checkpoint in the coastal city of Latakia. (SANA/AFP)

  This handout picture released by the official Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) on March 8, 2025, shows Syrian forces manning a checkpoint in the coastal city of Latakia. (SANA/AFP)

  Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa call for peace and national unity after days of clashes between security forces and loyalists of the former government that have killed more than 1,000 people, most of them Alawite civilians, amid reports of executions.

  “We must preserve national unity (and) civil peace as much as possible and, God willing, we will be able to live together in this country,” Sharaa says in a speech delivered from a mosque in Damascus.

  
  

• IDF says it seized, destroyed weapons in ‘targeted raids’ in southern Syria

  

  IDF troops locate and destroy weapons in southern Syria, in a handout photo issued on March 8, 2025. (Israel Defense Forces)

  Over the past week, the IDF says it carried out several “targeted raids” in southern Syria, during which troops captured and destroyed numerous weapons.

  The weapons included rifles, ammunition, rockets, and other military gear.

  The IDF has described its presence in southern Syria’s buffer zone as a temporary and defensive measure, though Defense Minister Israel Katz has said that troops will remain deployed to nine army posts in the area “indefinitely.”

  Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said last month that southern Syria must be completely demilitarized, warning that Israel would not accept the presence of the forces of the new Syrian Islamist-led government near its territory.

West Bank and Jerusalem and Terror attacks within Israel

• IDF probing video of troops pushing Palestinian man’s car down valley
  

  The IDF says it is investigating after footage published by Palestinian media shows Israeli troops pushing a Palestinian man’s car down a valley.

  The incident occurred in the southern West Bank town of Surif. According to Palestinian media, the driver was arrested before the troops pushed his car down the valley.

  “The incident is being investigated,” the IDF says in response to a query by The Times of Israel.  Incredible video of criminal IDF troops illegal action

Politics and the War (general news)

• The confrontation will come, but the Chief of Staff is once again the strongest man in the system.

Without a grace period: The "overlap file" of the new Chief of Staff, Eyal Zamir, is packed—and full of challenges that cannot be delayed. From the very first days of his role, he will be required to make substantial decisions and stand behind them, even if they sometimes contradict the political-strategic echelon's perspective. Recruitment, Iran, and Trump's vision for Gaza—how will Zamir act, and is a confrontation with the leadership imminent? Tamir Heyman, analysis.

The challenges facing the 24th Chief of Staff of the IDF, Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, are enormous. It is difficult to define a "quiet corner" around him, and the challenge in presenting the situation is what not to include in the list: the reality is that even the stability of peace with Jordan and Egypt is at risk. There are global threats stretching from China to the United States, and even the Islamic Jihadist terrorism from the school of ISIS may take the form of a state in Syria.

The problems and challenges are numerous, but the urgent ones can be categorized into seven: two external (Hamas and Iran) and five internal. The Chief of Staff is required to walk the tightrope between external challenges and build the safety net that will ensure public trust in the IDF—because beneath the rope lies a deep abyss of political debate, a value struggle, and a redefinition of the Israeli national identity at the turning point we are in, between a covenant of fate and a covenant of destiny.

Eyal Zamir, whom I have known for many years, is a principled, professional, honest, and intelligent officer. As an officer who grew up in the Armored Corps, he brings a new spirit to the Chief of Staff's office: a spirit of armored purposefulness, with a love for order, discipline, and the importance of simplicity.

At this timing, it seems that these qualities precisely prepare him for the seven central challenges he faces today:

**The challenge of Hamas's control in Gaza.** 

No matter what is decided regarding the second phase of the hostage deal, Hamas remains in control of Gaza. This reality stems from the lack of a timely decision on an alternative civilian address, complex to contain. If we do nothing, then we have probably learned nothing, because if Hamas remains in control of Gaza, it will rebuild its capabilities and eventually the threat to the southern communities will return. Therefore, a solution is required that will be on the scale between a militarily inclined solution and a politically inclined one:

A militarily inclined solution is the occupation of the Gaza Strip—imposing military rule for several years and replacing it with a future political process with an entity decided by the political echelon; this time with American support, without a multi-arena war, and without a meticulous count of the number of aid trucks entering or not entering the Strip. But it is doubtful whether politically this has international and internal legitimacy. It is important to clarify that this is not a good plan for the return of the hostages: if the goal of the operation is to increase pressure to reach a deal, then military rule will not help here—Hamas needs to be a party to the deal, and if so, a completely different military move must be planned.

A politically inclined solution is adopting the West Bank model in Gaza, meaning Palestinian civilian rule and Israeli security responsibility. Just as Hamas is present in the West Bank, unfortunately, it is likely to remain in Gaza. It seems that it will continue to be a resistance organization, but this time it will have double competition: Israel will fight it militarily, and the Palestinian Authority in Gaza will fight its civilian, political, and economic influence. By the way, without us noticing, the Israeli government has approved such a model at the Rafah crossing—so there is already a precedent.

**The Iranian challenge.** 

Iran has lost the three pillars of its national security: its proxies do not influence Israel, even the status of a nuclear threshold state does not deter Israel from attacking Iran, and its army does not adequately protect against Israeli capabilities.

Seemingly, these are good news, but from our acquaintance with the Iranians, they will not give up: they are stubborn, smart, initiative-taking, and surprising. They will find a way to rebuild and change the resistance concept anew, and the most troubling threat is the change in the concept regarding the nuclear threat. If Iran decides to become a nuclear state, we will need to attack as quickly as possible before this situation occurs. The challenge may catch Chief of Staff Zamir in the first months of his role. The decision to destroy nuclear facilities in case of an Iranian breakthrough is complex to implement but simple to decide. The more complex decision is a preemptive strike. The central dilemma will then be: Will such an attack prevent Iran from reaching a nuclear bomb? Or in other words, how long will such a move delay the nuclear project? The great risk is that an attack will do exactly the opposite—it will push Iran towards a bomb, and likely with the help of North Korea.

**The challenge of trust and cooperation between the political and military echelons.** 

The strained relationship between the Defense Minister and the outgoing Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi is a low point in a long process of deterioration. It is unclear when the crisis began, but it is present and negatively affects the army. The reality is that the Israeli government does not trust the IDF General Staff: there is a feeling in the government that other generals are needed, "offensive" ones, and that the "Victory Generation" is the generation of tactical commanders of the Iron Swords War, and it is different from the generation of "Concept Generals."

The crisis probably began at the beginning of 2023, with the implications of the judicial reform and the protest against it. The prevailing feeling among Israeli government ministers was that the IDF was acting against the government, some saw it almost as a military coup. And the main criticism was that the Chief of Staff then and the generals were not acting effectively against refusal / stopping volunteering / reserve protest / brothers in arms protest, etc.—all of these seemingly placed the army and its commanders against the government.

The tension escalated into a historic crisis when the army failed in its mission to defend the State of Israel in the October 7 disaster: the frustration of the political echelon turned into anger and alienation. At the beginning of the war, the army was the first to recover, and Chief of Staff Halevi demanded maneuvering in Gaza, contrary to other ideas. This caused a temporary decline in tension, but it was only for a short period. The dismissal of Yoav Gallant from the position of Defense Minister in November 2024 marked the turning point. The backing for the army ended, Halevi's hourglass ran out, and the replacement was carried out.

Eyal Zamir has all the data to restore the situation. He enjoys the personal trust of the Prime Minister. When he was Deputy Chief of Staff, he always took a hawkish ("offensive") approach in operational dilemmas. The Simchat Torah disaster did not stick to him, and he is well acquainted with the conduct between the offices of the political echelon and the military one. And as for the accusations of excessive closeness to the Netanyahu family—from my acquaintance with the man, this seems to me to be completely unfounded.

The good starting position returns the Chief of Staff to his rightful status. This is a position that allows him to stand by his professional opinion, even in a dispute with the political echelon. He should not be afraid of confrontations—they will come, but in the current situation, the Chief of Staff is once again the strongest man in the defense system.

**The challenge of the conscription law.** 

The war brought the issue of equality in burden to the surface in a way that will be difficult to hide again. The operational need, combined with the frustration that many and excellent fell in the war while others refuse to serve at all, creates an absurd situation. The conscription of the ultra-Orthodox is currently a consensus among all the Zionist public in Israel, but it contradicts the political interest.

The IDF's professional position is that from 2026 it will be ready to absorb the entire ultra-Orthodox conscription cycle. This position prevented at the last moment the legislation of an exemption law (conscription of 4,800 without personal sanctions and according to the choice of yeshiva heads), which would have led to a crisis. The government will prefer that any conscription law that the ultra-Orthodox accept be legislated, and since they have already accepted the "4,800 law" (the target of recruits per year from this population), there will be pressure on the Chief of Staff to change his position and return to this number.

In my estimation, Zamir will not change his mind. From my acquaintance with his professional integrity, and with the respect he gives to orderly staff work, he will not dismiss the professional work done in the Manpower Directorate (J1) just because of external pressure. And if he does indeed do so, it is a serious leadership crisis, and in practice, it will be a vote of no confidence in the head of the directorate, Dado Bar Kalifa, to the point of his dismissal (by the way, Major General Dado is considered an "offensive officer of the Victory Generation").

Therefore, the Chief of Staff remains with the challenge of the full conscription of the ultra-Orthodox into the army. He is required to prepare the conditions that allow their conscription, without losing the stateliness of the IDF, without harming the service of women in the IDF, and without changing the values and norms of the IDF. The immediate challenge will be enforcement against deserters. As someone who grew up on the discipline of the Armored Corps, he has zero tolerance for desertion and refusal. It is to be hoped that the army will act the same in this case as well. The risk is that determined action on the issue will be perceived as a politically defiant position, as it endangers the stability of the government.

**The challenge of learning, investigation, and inquiry.** 

The failure at the opening of the war, as well as the conduct during it, require a truthful investigation. Drawing lessons and thorough learning bring about a change in behavior and organization. So far, the investigations have been conducted sloppily: sometimes they dragged on for a very long time, sometimes there was a conflict of interest (the investigator investigating himself), the presentation to the public was problematic, and so far no command steps have been taken against officers who failed (dismissal or suspension on the grounds of professional failure—except for officers who accepted it upon themselves).

The challenge for the new Chief of Staff will be difficult, because so much time has passed and so many people have been investigated unprofessionally, so it will be difficult to get to the truth. The understandable desire to present the half-full glass (the recovery and tactical victory) may lead to self-satisfaction, which will make it difficult to learn from failure even though failure is also an excellent learning engine. During the Chief of Staff's term, a state commission of inquiry may be established: its operation may affect the conduct of the army and make routine and learning difficult. This is true, but the army's position is irrelevant. A state commission of inquiry is a political, value, and national interest. The Chief of Staff is committed to promoting it, even if its activity is not convenient for the routine of the organization he leads.

**The challenge of force building.** 

Precisely the generous addition to the defense budget requires restraint and control. Rapid force building based on trauma will not lead to a better army. It may lead to a bloated, expensive, wasteful army that does not create better operational capability. To build the army correctly, it is necessary to agree on the reference threat—and as a derivative, decide what the response is. And here there are two schools:

The first school sees the failure of October 7 as a wake-up call, which requires the building of a large and decisive army—an army that is constantly prepared against enemy capabilities. The second school sees the army's achievements in the war (mainly against the Shiite axis) as an opportunity for risk management: the threats have significantly decreased and our security situation, from a purely military point of view, has improved compared to what preceded the surprise attack.

No matter which approach is adopted, the army is required to prepare for a clear decision by the Israeli government on the issue, and it is appropriate that it be published to the public under the title "Israel's National Security Policy Document." As a derivative, the Chief of Staff must write a new "IDF Strategy" document (and it should also be published to the public as was done in 2015). This is not "just papers": it is an agreed conceptual foundation that undergoes public discussion, and this is of great importance. Even if it is decided to enlarge the army, the temporary decline in the immediate threat presents an opportunity. There is time to work slowly and thoroughly, and there is room for a professional public discussion that goes beyond the boundaries of the army in closed discussion rooms (from personal acquaintance, not everything there is classified).

**The challenge of the social composition of command in combat.** 

The army is not an egalitarian organization, but if only part of the public bears the burden of command and combat—this is a symptom of a deeper problem. The dominance of one sector may create problems in equal opportunities in the promotion and appointment of good people. This is not a new problem: in the distant past, combat commanders mainly came from the working settlement. Even then, a small group had an unbalanced dominance in commanding the army. As then, so today, the danger is a reality where external pressure groups influence the army—from appointments within the organization (promotion of "our people" and pushing "the others"), to norms and values.

**The value-normative challenge.** 

The IDF is in a long war. Long operational tension leads to problematic norms, and recently evidence of this has increased, evidence from the field. There is a decline in discipline: illegal use of "shawishim" (servants in Arabic), lack of order and control in donations (trade in donations), phenomena of "taking souvenirs," wearing unauthorized tags, non-standard clothing (B uniforms, non-standard tactical uniforms, etc.)—and also an exceptional scope of operational accidents we saw in the later stages of the fighting in the northern Strip, which indicates erosion.

The fact that the war took place continuously with the protest against the judicial reform brought tens of thousands of reservists, who were on both sides of the barricade, to long military service. And anyone who knows the atmosphere in the reserves knows that there is no firewall between private opinions and conduct in uniform. The situation where a huge number of reservists serve together for a long time creates wide exposure to the penetration of political agendas in the army. This mix requires order and quickly. We must return to the IDF's ethical code, adhere to the values and authority of the commander.

There may be justification for those who challenge the rules: it is clear that failure requires change. But it must be remembered—the rules of engagement, the spirit of the IDF, and the doctrine of war (TOL) are determined in the General Staff. This is an army. Only and according to them must one act. Any attempt to create other rules, and to see the existing ones as implementing the spirit of an army that is not loyal to "Jewish combat principles" is a serious command crisis. If you want to change the ethical code, or the rules of engagement, or the IDF doctrine, you must conduct an orderly process. Changes are a positive thing, but they must be carried out wisely and responsibly and based on information and knowledge, and not superficially and populistically.

**In conclusion:**

Although it seems that the new Chief of Staff's dealing with external challenges is more important, the truth is the opposite. The external challenge will be addressed—there is no shortage of "strategists" in the State of Israel, and the enemy has already created the necessity to deal with them. The internal challenges are only the Chief of Staff's, no one will share them with him. Suppression, postponement, ignoring—none of these will help. And if, God forbid, we do not act decisively in this area, failures will come, and we will pay a heavy price.

The crisis is the Chief of Staff's greatest opportunity. He just needs to recognize the crisis and not ignore it. While he delves into the external security problems, which are always the "comfortable" area for military people to deal with, he must formulate a strategy to deal with the restoration of the army's situation and the relationship between the army and society.

**Major General (res.) Tamir Heyman is the former head of Military Intelligence and former commander of the Northern Corps. He currently heads the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS).**. link

 

The Region and the World

• Iran to hold joint naval drill with Russia, China
  

  Joint naval drills organized annually between Iran, Russia and China will start tomorrow in the southeastern Iranian port of Chabahar, Iran’s Tasnim news agency reports.

Personal Stories

  

59 Hostages Remain in Gaza - Their Stories (5 a day)

First Sergeant  Shai Levinson, of blessed memory

Age 19, from Givat Avni  

Sergeant Major Shai Levinson, of blessed memory, was abducted from the Gaza border area from the tank in which he was fighting. Shai served in the 77th Battalion of the "Sa'ar Golan" Brigade. On the morning of October 7, terrorists bombed the tank where he was stationed with his crew near the Gaza border. Two of his crew members were killed alongside him. He was a graduate of the Kadoorie High School, where he studied Arabic, and believed in building bridges between peoples. He also played volleyball for a team in Ilabun, initially as the only Jewish member, though others later joined.  

Friends of Shai shared: "Shai had a huge heart and only wanted to do good in the world and excel in everything he did." A few weeks ago, the management of the M.S. Ilabun volleyball team, where he played, issued a call for his return from captivity. They stated, "Shai was a man of peace who tried in every way to promote coexistence with Arab society."  

"It's impossible to miss him—1.92 meters of light that radiated far and wide in the form of a young, ambitious man, an outstanding athlete, and an activist for peace. In the mixed volleyball team where he played, a void has been left. A void in the shape of a sweet young man who worked for coexistence, an optimistic person with a big heart," they wrote about him.  

On January 22, 2024, the IDF announced that based on findings, Shai was declared a fallen soldier. He was killed in battle on October 7, and his body was abducted to Gaza. He is being held by Hamas.  

Eitan Levy, of blessed memory

Age 53, from Bat Yam  

On the morning of October 7, Eitan, of blessed memory, took a taxi ride from Rishon LeZion to Kibbutz Be'eri. At 7:30 AM, he updated his family that there was rocket fire. Ten minutes later, his son heard him screaming "Help!" and the sounds of a struggle. The phone remained on, and the family heard voices until 8:30 AM. They heard someone asking Eitan for his name. Since then, contact with him was lost. On December 8, 2023, the family was informed that Eitan had been murdered and his body was abducted by Hamas.  

 Ilan Weiss, of blessed memory

Age 56, from Be'eri 

Ilan, of blessed memory, was a member of the kibbutz's emergency response team and went out to fight the terrorists. His wife, Shiri, and daughter, Noga, were at home during the attack. When the terrorists entered the house, Noga hid under the bed and reported in the family WhatsApp group that her mother had been abducted. After Shiri was taken, the terrorists set the house on fire, and Noga, following her older sister's advice, escaped through the safe room window and hid behind a bush. Shiri and Noga were released together during the second phase of the hostage deal on November 25, 2023.  

In early January 2024, Kibbutz Be'eri announced that Ilan had been murdered on October 7 and that his body had been abducted by Hamas, remaining in the hands of the murderous organization.  

Sonthia Akarsri, of blessed memory

Age 30, from Thailand

Sonthia was abducted from Kibbutz Be'eri. He was murdered on October 7 while working in the orchards near the kibbutz. On May 16, 2024, the IDF spokesperson announced that his family had been informed he was killed on the "Black Saturday" and that his body is being held by Hamas.  

Sotthisak Rinthalak, of blessed memory

Age 43, from Thailand

Sotthisak was abducted from Kibbutz Be'eri. He was murdered on October 7 while working in the orchards near the kibbutz. On May 16, 2024, the IDF spokesperson announced that his family had been informed he was killed on the "Black Saturday" and that his body is being held by Hamas.

Acronyms and Glossary

COGAT - Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories

ICC - International Criminal Court in the Hague

IJC - International Court of Justice in the Hague

IPS - Israel Prison System

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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