🎗️Lonny's War Update- October 528, 2023 - March 17, 2025 🎗️
🎗️Day 528 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!אין נצחון עד שכל החטופים בבית
Red Alerts - Missile, Rocket, Drone (UAV - unmanned aerial vehicles), and Terror Attacks and Death Announcements
*
Hostage Updates
A man prays in front of posters of the Gaza hostages, in Tel Aviv's Hostages Square, March 17, 2025. (Miriam Alster/Flash90)
- PMO: Negotiation Team Representatives Discuss Hostages in Cairo The Prime Minister's Office announced tonight (Sunday) that, under the direction of PM Benjamin Netanyahu, representatives of the negotiation team are meeting with senior Egyptian officials in Cairo and discussing the issue of the hostages. The PMO's announcement comes against the backdrop of the proposal presented by U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and Hamas's response: "Hamas's proposal was unacceptable, their window of opportunity for a deal is closing quickly." In an interview with CNN, Witkoff warned that U.S. actions against the Houthis "show where we stand against terrorist organizations," adding: "Hamas needs to take this into account and treat these matters with more seriousness vis-à-vis the U.S." Alongside Witkoff's remarks, the Israeli delegation to the negotiations presented Israel's demand for the release of 11 living hostages. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu instructed the team to continue the talks, despite the entrenched position of the terrorist organization Hamas. Israel's demand comes after U.S. envoy Witkoff presented a proposal to the parties in recent days, the main points of which include the release of 5 living hostages and 10 deceased, an extension of the ceasefire for 42-50 days, the reintroduction of humanitarian aid, and discussions during the ceasefire on ending the war. U.S. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz also addressed the negotiations. In an interview with Fox News today, Waltz was asked how much time Hamas has to release the hostages before Israel resumes fighting, and he replied: "They don't have much time." Waltz said Hamas's proposal was fraudulent and reiterated that the Trump administration succeeded in securing the release of 31 hostages, while the Biden administration has failed to do so in 15 months. link This proposed deal sucks. There is no other word for it. It is leaving living hostages in the hell of Hamas captivity without any indication of when the last hostage will come home. Whatever deal is made, which should be a one time deal to release all hostages and end the war, no deal should be made without specifying when the last hostage comes home. This patchwork of bringing home tiny numbers of hostages over long periods of time is Netanyahu's architecture and another of his myriad of failures. He has all the time in the world, the hostages don't.
- Israeli negotiators returned from Cairo last night, Hamas to go there tomorrow
Israeli negotiators returned from Cairo last night, an Israeli official tells The Times of Israel.
They met earlier in the day with senior Egyptian officials.
“The team is prepared to head out to additional talks,” says the Israeli official, “in accordance with the updates that will be received by the mediating countries.”
A Hamas delegation is expected in Egypt tomorrow.
**"We need to build a life from scratch": The Bibas family launches a crowdfunding campaign for Yarden**
The campaign for the survivor who was released after 484 days in captivity and lost his family raised one million shekels within hours. The Sharabi, Yahud, Ben-Ami, and Yahalomi families have also launched similar campaigns. In the Knesset, the chairman of the Labor and Welfare Committee ignores demands for a discussion on aid for survivors of captivity. MK Lazimi: "The reality in which hostages return from brutal captivity without adequate support from the state is a moral disgrace."
At the funeral of Shiri, Ariel and Kfir z"lThe family of Yarden Bibas, who was released after 484 days in Hamas captivity and then discovered that his wife Shiri and their children Ariel and Kfir had been murdered in Gaza, launched a crowdfunding campaign last night (Saturday) to help him recover and rebuild his life. Within hours, more than one million shekels were raised.
"Yarden was released and only then discovered that his entire world had been murdered in captivity. He lost his family, his home, all his possessions—he lost everything," wrote Yarden's father, Eli Bibas, on the campaign page opened on the *Lahoshit Yad* (Extend a Hand) organization's website. "Yarden's recovery is a long, complex, and painful journey. Beyond the unimaginable grief, he needs to build a life from scratch—physically, emotionally, and financially."
Yarden Bibas and his family | Photo: Hostage Families Headquarters He continued: "Despite everything he has been through, Yarden is full of faith. He believes he will have a new life, that he will succeed in rising from the ruins and starting over. And I, his father, look at him every day and never stop being amazed by him—by his strength, his determination, his ability to hold on despite everything he has experienced."
Bibas, who was kidnapped from his home in Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7, 2023, was released on February 1, 2025, as part of the second hostage release deal. Only then was he informed that his family had been murdered. The bodies of his children Ariel and Kfir were returned to Israel on February 20 of this year, and Shiri's body was returned two days later. According to forensic and intelligence findings, the children were murdered in late November or early December 2023.
**To donate to Yarden Bibas' campaign – click here**
Yarden Bibas with his father and sister on a helicopter (Photo: IDF Spokesperson)
Yarden Bibas with his sister on a helicopter on the day he was released from captivity | Photo: IDF Spokesperson
The Bibas Family before October 7
**A wave of campaigns for survivors of captivity**
The Bibas family is not the first to turn to the public out of desperation. More and more families of released hostages—whether alive or returned for burial—are finding themselves forced to launch crowdfunding campaigns, despite the grants provided by the state.
The crowdfunding campaign for Eli Sharabi, who was released after 491 days in captivity and lost his wife and daughters on October 7, raised over three million shekels—more than three times the original goal. For Arbel Yahud, who was released from captivity after more than a year, approximately 700,000 shekels were raised. The Ben-Ami family managed to raise over one million shekels for building a new home.
Survivor of captivity Eli Sharabi | Photo: *Uvda* Ten days ago, friends of the late Ohad Yahalomi, who was kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir Oz and whose body was returned to Israel as part of the final phase of the hostage deal, launched a crowdfunding campaign for his children and widow. The campaign raised over three million shekels for the family. Ohad's son, Eitan, was also kidnapped on October 7 and was released in the first hostage deal.
**The discussion that wasn't held in the Knesset**
The proliferation of campaigns raises tough questions about the state's responsibility and care for survivors of captivity. N12 learned this morning that the chairman of the Labor and Welfare Committee, MK Yisrael Eichler, is ignoring a request to hold an urgent discussion on expanding support and grants for survivors of captivity who have returned home.
About a month ago, MK Naama Lazimi (The Democrats) submitted a request, signed by a third of the committee members, to hold an urgent discussion on the issue. According to Knesset regulations, if at least a third of the committee members demand a meeting, the chairman is obligated to convene it, although the regulations do not specify a timeframe for holding the meeting.
Naama Lazimi (Photo: Noam Moshkovitz, Knesset Spokesperson) "It is unacceptable that hostages return from captivity and are forced to pick up the pieces on their own, without the State of Israel providing them with comprehensive and generous support during their period of adjustment and rebuilding their lives," MK Lazimi told N12. "The reality in which hostages return from brutal captivity to a life of uncertainty, without adequate support from the state, is unimaginable and constitutes a moral disgrace."
Lazimi added: "While families are forced to run crowdfunding campaigns, the state behaves as if it's not its concern—and the Knesset remains silent. I demand that the discussion be held immediately, as required by Knesset regulations."
Hostage Square during the release of Ofer Calderon, Keith Siegel, and Yarden Bibas | Photo: Reuters **What do survivors of captivity receive today?**
Currently, hostages who return home are entitled by law to a support package that includes a basic monthly stipend of approximately 8,300 to 9,150 shekels. Upon their release, they receive a 50,000-shekel resettlement grant and a 10,000-shekel prepaid card.
They are recognized as victims of hostile acts and released captives, with 50% disability without the need for a medical committee. Over the age of 55, an additional disability stipend is provided, and over the age of 67, an annual grant of up to 49,500 shekels is paid.
The state funds the medical and psychological treatments of the returnees and provides them with an automatic medical treatment stipend for one year. In the housing sector, a grant of up to 250,000 shekels is provided for the purchase of a first apartment. Annual grants are paid for the purchase of household equipment, heating, and cooling.
Family members of the returnees receive travel reimbursements of 2,000 shekels and compensation for lost income for two months for the family caregiver. A team including social workers, educators, and therapists accompanies the returnees and their families through the rehabilitation and reintegration process.
Despite this support package, the reality shows that in many cases it is insufficient, especially for those who have lost their entire world—family, home, and possessions—and are forced to rebuild their lives from scratch.
**Response from MK Eichler:**
"The committee has been dealing with the hostages and their families since the beginning of the war, including private legislation by the chairman for monthly funding for the families of the hostages, in lieu of salaries for the hostages, bereaved families, victims of the war physically and mentally, reserve soldiers, collapsing businesses, assistance for evacuees, and more.
Naturally, the committee must discuss matters requiring urgent voting and also dedicate time to the Arrangements Law ahead of the budget approval. Due to time constraints, the chairman is currently prioritizing discussions on issues for which solutions already exist on the table, and the committee must convene to discuss, streamline, and bring them to swift and immediate approval.
To accuse the chairman of 'blatantly ignoring' the hostages or their families is very low politics, and it is unfortunate that the MK chose to cynically use the painful plight of the families." link
Hostage Updates
- PMO: Negotiation Team Representatives Discuss Hostages in CairoThe Prime Minister's Office announced tonight (Sunday) that, under the direction of PM Benjamin Netanyahu, representatives of the negotiation team are meeting with senior Egyptian officials in Cairo and discussing the issue of the hostages. The PMO's announcement comes against the backdrop of the proposal presented by U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and Hamas's response: "Hamas's proposal was unacceptable, their window of opportunity for a deal is closing quickly."In an interview with CNN, Witkoff warned that U.S. actions against the Houthis "show where we stand against terrorist organizations," adding: "Hamas needs to take this into account and treat these matters with more seriousness vis-à-vis the U.S." Alongside Witkoff's remarks, the Israeli delegation to the negotiations presented Israel's demand for the release of 11 living hostages.Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu instructed the team to continue the talks, despite the entrenched position of the terrorist organization Hamas. Israel's demand comes after U.S. envoy Witkoff presented a proposal to the parties in recent days, the main points of which include the release of 5 living hostages and 10 deceased, an extension of the ceasefire for 42-50 days, the reintroduction of humanitarian aid, and discussions during the ceasefire on ending the war.U.S. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz also addressed the negotiations. In an interview with Fox News today, Waltz was asked how much time Hamas has to release the hostages before Israel resumes fighting, and he replied: "They don't have much time." Waltz said Hamas's proposal was fraudulent and reiterated that the Trump administration succeeded in securing the release of 31 hostages, while the Biden administration has failed to do so in 15 months. link This proposed deal sucks. There is no other word for it. It is leaving living hostages in the hell of Hamas captivity without any indication of when the last hostage will come home. Whatever deal is made, which should be a one time deal to release all hostages and end the war, no deal should be made without specifying when the last hostage comes home. This patchwork of bringing home tiny numbers of hostages over long periods of time is Netanyahu's architecture and another of his myriad of failures. He has all the time in the world, the hostages don't.
- Israeli negotiators returned from Cairo last night, Hamas to go there tomorrow
Israeli negotiators returned from Cairo last night, an Israeli official tells The Times of Israel.
They met earlier in the day with senior Egyptian officials.
“The team is prepared to head out to additional talks,” says the Israeli official, “in accordance with the updates that will be received by the mediating countries.”
A Hamas delegation is expected in Egypt tomorrow.
**"We need to build a life from scratch": The Bibas family launches a crowdfunding campaign for Yarden**
The campaign for the survivor who was released after 484 days in captivity and lost his family raised one million shekels within hours. The Sharabi, Yahud, Ben-Ami, and Yahalomi families have also launched similar campaigns. In the Knesset, the chairman of the Labor and Welfare Committee ignores demands for a discussion on aid for survivors of captivity. MK Lazimi: "The reality in which hostages return from brutal captivity without adequate support from the state is a moral disgrace."
At the funeral of Shiri, Ariel and Kfir z"lThe family of Yarden Bibas, who was released after 484 days in Hamas captivity and then discovered that his wife Shiri and their children Ariel and Kfir had been murdered in Gaza, launched a crowdfunding campaign last night (Saturday) to help him recover and rebuild his life. Within hours, more than one million shekels were raised.
"Yarden was released and only then discovered that his entire world had been murdered in captivity. He lost his family, his home, all his possessions—he lost everything," wrote Yarden's father, Eli Bibas, on the campaign page opened on the *Lahoshit Yad* (Extend a Hand) organization's website. "Yarden's recovery is a long, complex, and painful journey. Beyond the unimaginable grief, he needs to build a life from scratch—physically, emotionally, and financially."
Yarden Bibas and his family | Photo: Hostage Families HeadquartersHe continued: "Despite everything he has been through, Yarden is full of faith. He believes he will have a new life, that he will succeed in rising from the ruins and starting over. And I, his father, look at him every day and never stop being amazed by him—by his strength, his determination, his ability to hold on despite everything he has experienced."
Bibas, who was kidnapped from his home in Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7, 2023, was released on February 1, 2025, as part of the second hostage release deal. Only then was he informed that his family had been murdered. The bodies of his children Ariel and Kfir were returned to Israel on February 20 of this year, and Shiri's body was returned two days later. According to forensic and intelligence findings, the children were murdered in late November or early December 2023.
**To donate to Yarden Bibas' campaign – click here**
Yarden Bibas with his father and sister on a helicopter (Photo: IDF Spokesperson)
Yarden Bibas with his sister on a helicopter on the day he was released from captivity | Photo: IDF SpokespersonThe Bibas Family before October 7**A wave of campaigns for survivors of captivity**
The Bibas family is not the first to turn to the public out of desperation. More and more families of released hostages—whether alive or returned for burial—are finding themselves forced to launch crowdfunding campaigns, despite the grants provided by the state.
The crowdfunding campaign for Eli Sharabi, who was released after 491 days in captivity and lost his wife and daughters on October 7, raised over three million shekels—more than three times the original goal. For Arbel Yahud, who was released from captivity after more than a year, approximately 700,000 shekels were raised. The Ben-Ami family managed to raise over one million shekels for building a new home.
Survivor of captivity Eli Sharabi | Photo: *Uvda*Ten days ago, friends of the late Ohad Yahalomi, who was kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir Oz and whose body was returned to Israel as part of the final phase of the hostage deal, launched a crowdfunding campaign for his children and widow. The campaign raised over three million shekels for the family. Ohad's son, Eitan, was also kidnapped on October 7 and was released in the first hostage deal.
**The discussion that wasn't held in the Knesset**
The proliferation of campaigns raises tough questions about the state's responsibility and care for survivors of captivity. N12 learned this morning that the chairman of the Labor and Welfare Committee, MK Yisrael Eichler, is ignoring a request to hold an urgent discussion on expanding support and grants for survivors of captivity who have returned home.
About a month ago, MK Naama Lazimi (The Democrats) submitted a request, signed by a third of the committee members, to hold an urgent discussion on the issue. According to Knesset regulations, if at least a third of the committee members demand a meeting, the chairman is obligated to convene it, although the regulations do not specify a timeframe for holding the meeting.
Naama Lazimi (Photo: Noam Moshkovitz, Knesset Spokesperson)"It is unacceptable that hostages return from captivity and are forced to pick up the pieces on their own, without the State of Israel providing them with comprehensive and generous support during their period of adjustment and rebuilding their lives," MK Lazimi told N12. "The reality in which hostages return from brutal captivity to a life of uncertainty, without adequate support from the state, is unimaginable and constitutes a moral disgrace."
Lazimi added: "While families are forced to run crowdfunding campaigns, the state behaves as if it's not its concern—and the Knesset remains silent. I demand that the discussion be held immediately, as required by Knesset regulations."
Hostage Square during the release of Ofer Calderon, Keith Siegel, and Yarden Bibas | Photo: Reuters**What do survivors of captivity receive today?**
Currently, hostages who return home are entitled by law to a support package that includes a basic monthly stipend of approximately 8,300 to 9,150 shekels. Upon their release, they receive a 50,000-shekel resettlement grant and a 10,000-shekel prepaid card.
They are recognized as victims of hostile acts and released captives, with 50% disability without the need for a medical committee. Over the age of 55, an additional disability stipend is provided, and over the age of 67, an annual grant of up to 49,500 shekels is paid.
The state funds the medical and psychological treatments of the returnees and provides them with an automatic medical treatment stipend for one year. In the housing sector, a grant of up to 250,000 shekels is provided for the purchase of a first apartment. Annual grants are paid for the purchase of household equipment, heating, and cooling.
Family members of the returnees receive travel reimbursements of 2,000 shekels and compensation for lost income for two months for the family caregiver. A team including social workers, educators, and therapists accompanies the returnees and their families through the rehabilitation and reintegration process.
Despite this support package, the reality shows that in many cases it is insufficient, especially for those who have lost their entire world—family, home, and possessions—and are forced to rebuild their lives from scratch.
**Response from MK Eichler:**
"The committee has been dealing with the hostages and their families since the beginning of the war, including private legislation by the chairman for monthly funding for the families of the hostages, in lieu of salaries for the hostages, bereaved families, victims of the war physically and mentally, reserve soldiers, collapsing businesses, assistance for evacuees, and more.
Naturally, the committee must discuss matters requiring urgent voting and also dedicate time to the Arrangements Law ahead of the budget approval. Due to time constraints, the chairman is currently prioritizing discussions on issues for which solutions already exist on the table, and the committee must convene to discuss, streamline, and bring them to swift and immediate approval.
To accuse the chairman of 'blatantly ignoring' the hostages or their families is very low politics, and it is unfortunate that the MK chose to cynically use the painful plight of the families." link
Gaza and the South
- The timeline framework given for progress in the negotiations—and the threat to return to intense activity In Netanyahu's office, it was announced that representatives of the negotiation team are meeting with senior Egyptian officials and discussing the issue of the hostages. The U.S. is backing Israel: If Hamas does not shift its positions within a short time, the IDF will begin carrying out a series of limited military strikes within Gaza. Trump's envoy: Hamas was presented with a bridging proposal, but their response is unacceptable and does not allow for progress. This is what a return to fighting would look like if the negotiations fail—and the implications.
The Prime Minister's Office announced last night (Sunday) that, under the guidance of PM Benjamin Netanyahu, representatives of the negotiation team are meeting in Cairo with senior Egyptian officials and discussing the issue of the hostages. The PMO's statement comes against the backdrop of the security discussion held the day before yesterday with the PM, during which a timeline was defined for progress in the negotiations and the threat to return to intense activity.
It is still unclear whether the arrival of the Israeli delegation to Cairo is a gesture of seriousness to the Americans or if the negotiation teams are truly engaging on core issues. The window of opportunity is a matter of weeks, and this is also what the U.S. is explaining to Israel.
The U.S. will back several moves that Israel will make, while attempts will be made to exhaust the chances of releasing hostages. If Hamas does not shift its positions within a short time, the IDF will begin carrying out a series of limited military strikes within Gaza. In fact, Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir has modified some of the operational plans in case the actions prove ineffective, and it is possible that at the end of these few weeks, Israel will be engaged in a comprehensive campaign in the Strip, including a full return to fighting.
**What would a return to fighting look like?** - The Palestinian population will be evacuated to protected areas. - The IDF will take control of territory and hold it. - Israel will conduct extensive ground and air fire. - Pressure will be increased by preventing humanitarian aid.
In practice, there will be a significant military operation, as there are many more forces already being deployed to the area and prepared for this. However, there is a risk in returning to fighting—the risk to the lives of hostages. Additionally, from any move that is not pursued, the implications are that hundreds of thousands of reserve soldiers will need to be mobilized. This also has a cost and weight, and all of this must be taken into account.
Alongside the PMO's announcement and the continuation of negotiation talks, the American envoy Steve Witkoff addressed the negotiations for a deal last night and updated that Hamas was presented with a bridging proposal in which five living hostages would be released in exchange for a significant number of Palestinian prisoners and the continuation of the ceasefire. According to Witkoff, Hamas's response to the proposal is unacceptable and does not allow for progress. "Hamas presented their own proposal, and in fact, they disavowed what we talked about," Witkoff said in an interview with CBS. "In my opinion, it was a rather poor conclusion. I hope they reconsider, because the alternative is not so good for them." Additionally, in an interview with CNN, Witkoff warned that U.S. activity against the Houthis "shows where we stand against terrorist organizations," and added: "Hamas needs to take this into account and treat these matters with the U.S. more seriously." Alongside Witkoff's remarks, the Israeli negotiation delegation presented Israel's demand for the release of 11 living hostages.
Prime Minister Netanyahu instructed the team to continue the talks, despite the entrenched position of the murderous terrorist organization Hamas. The Israeli demand came after the American envoy Witkoff presented a proposal to the parties in recent days, the main points of which, as mentioned, include the release of 5 living hostages and 10 bodies, an extension of the ceasefire for 42-50 days, the reintroduction of humanitarian aid, and discussions during the ceasefire on ending the war.
U.S. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz also addressed the negotiations. In an interview with Fox News, Waltz was asked how much time Hamas has to release the hostages before Israel returns to fighting, and he replied: "They don't have much time." Waltz said that Hamas's proposal was fraudulent and reiterated that the Trump administration managed to secure the release of 31 hostages, while the Biden administration has not succeeded in 15 months. link
- **The Waiting Game in Israel—and Hamas's Preparations: How the Terror Organization is Gearing Up for an IDF Maneuver** Negotiations are on the verge of collapse, and airstrikes in the Gaza Strip are expanding—while Hamas recruits new terrorists and redeploys its battalions on the ground. Reports indicate that the terror organization is wiring Gaza with cameras to track IDF forces and target them. Here are all the details.
Hamas is preparing for a ground maneuver by the IDF in the Gaza Strip, against the backdrop of Israel's preparations to resume fighting due to the crisis in negotiations and the expanding military strikes in the Strip in recent days.
**How is Hamas preparing?** The murderous terror organization is recruiting operatives in the Strip and training them to fight against IDF soldiers, while reorganizing its battalions within Gaza. According to *The Telegraph*, Hamas is wiring the Gaza Strip with cameras to track IDF forces and remotely detonate explosives and fire at them. Additionally, Hamas is repurposing unexploded ordnance left behind by the Israeli Air Force into explosives and planting bombs in numerous locations across the Strip.
**The Future of Military Operations in the Gaza Strip** Meanwhile, the IDF is urging the political echelon to reach a deal as soon as possible, understanding that the condition of the hostages is dire. In the defense establishment, there is a belief that delaying a ground maneuver in favor of securing the release of hostages is both possible and morally justified. However, the military is prepared, and the plans have already been approved—these are limited military operations that will be activated if necessary and will serve as leverage to bring Hamas back to the negotiating table.
If the negotiations collapse, the IDF will launch a large-scale campaign aimed at decisively defeating Hamas. There is not much time left for decisions—it is a matter of days or weeks, after which a decision will be made.
If Israel chooses to resume ground fighting, there is a likelihood that hostages will be harmed, and their lives will be at risk. Additionally, the IDF will need to mobilize hundreds of thousands of reservists at a time when the military is already strained after a year and a half of intense fighting. Reservists want to know that such a campaign will only be launched as a last resort.
**9 Killed in "Deadliest IDF Strike" Since the Ceasefire in Gaza** Yesterday, the IDF struck in Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip, reportedly killing nine people. The army explained that the target was a cell operating a drone. Earlier, two terrorists were targeted in Nitzanim while attempting to plant explosives near IDF forces.
In Beit Lahia, two terrorists were initially identified, according to an IDF spokesperson's statement about the strike, while they were operating a drone "that posed a threat to IDF forces in the area." The IDF attacked the terrorists and later identified "additional terrorists collecting the drone equipment in the strike area and then entering a vehicle," after which they were also targeted. In Gaza, it was claimed that this was "the deadliest strike in the Gaza Strip since the ceasefire began in January."
**Air Force Strikes Over the Weekend:** A total of 5 strikes were carried out in the Gaza sector: - **Friday:** 2 strikes—one for disruption and one to eliminate terrorists. - **Saturday:** - A strike on a terrorist planting explosives. - A strike on a vehicle with 2 terrorists and a drone. - Two strikes on another vehicle with terrorists who arrived to collect the equipment. - A strike on 2 terrorists. - An additional strike on a terrorist in the Strip.link The implications of us going back to fighting in Gaza are so numerous but here are a few:
1-Hostages will be tortured worse than before. This is not a question. It is a fact that has been shared by multiple returned hostages. They told that each time negotiations broke down, fighting renewed, reduced humanitarian aid, extreme statements by our extremist and unrepentant government ministers, the Hamas terrorist guards took it out on the hostages by further deliberate starving, increased torture and abuse and worsening conditions overall.
2- Hostages will be killed. They will be killed either directly by the terrorist guards who have clear instructions to execute the hostages if the IDF comes close. The areas the hostages are held have been rigged with bombs as well as the terrorists telling the hostages that they will be executed by guns held at close range to their heads. Of they will be killed by our bombing which we know have already killed an unknown number of hostages.
3- soldiers will be killed. This is inevitable especially considering the new dynamics as discussed in this article. Cameras have been set up throughout Gaza to track the soldiers movements; IEDs have been placed throughout; new Hamas recruits who are untrained are used as either suicide bombers or to place bombs in locations that the soldiers are in or will be going to as well as popping up to shoot at soldiers at close range (Hamas has not invested much in these new recruits and they are extremely expendable to them. With the poverty situation in Gaza, it is very easy to get new recruits by offering them a few dollars and some food for their families, desperate young people will do anything). Hamas is now fighting a guerilla war and they succeed in surprising our forces and killing soldiers while many of them escape after taking a few shots or using an RPG or anti tank rockets. They also use the common guerilla tactic of one attack following another when soldiers come to the aid of those killed or wounded.
4-no hostage deal and 59 hostages are still in the hell of Hamas captivity with no end in site. We have seen throughout the war that military pressure does not help in getting the hostages home, it only kills them.
1-Hostages will be tortured worse than before. This is not a question. It is a fact that has been shared by multiple returned hostages. They told that each time negotiations broke down, fighting renewed, reduced humanitarian aid, extreme statements by our extremist and unrepentant government ministers, the Hamas terrorist guards took it out on the hostages by further deliberate starving, increased torture and abuse and worsening conditions overall.
2- Hostages will be killed. They will be killed either directly by the terrorist guards who have clear instructions to execute the hostages if the IDF comes close. The areas the hostages are held have been rigged with bombs as well as the terrorists telling the hostages that they will be executed by guns held at close range to their heads. Of they will be killed by our bombing which we know have already killed an unknown number of hostages.
3- soldiers will be killed. This is inevitable especially considering the new dynamics as discussed in this article. Cameras have been set up throughout Gaza to track the soldiers movements; IEDs have been placed throughout; new Hamas recruits who are untrained are used as either suicide bombers or to place bombs in locations that the soldiers are in or will be going to as well as popping up to shoot at soldiers at close range (Hamas has not invested much in these new recruits and they are extremely expendable to them. With the poverty situation in Gaza, it is very easy to get new recruits by offering them a few dollars and some food for their families, desperate young people will do anything). Hamas is now fighting a guerilla war and they succeed in surprising our forces and killing soldiers while many of them escape after taking a few shots or using an RPG or anti tank rockets. They also use the common guerilla tactic of one attack following another when soldiers come to the aid of those killed or wounded.
4-no hostage deal and 59 hostages are still in the hell of Hamas captivity with no end in site. We have seen throughout the war that military pressure does not help in getting the hostages home, it only kills them.
Northern Israel - Lebanon/Hizbollah/Syria
- A Day After the Kurds, the Syrian Regime Reaches an Agreement with the Druze in Southern Syria
Al Jazeera reported on reaching understandings and an agreement with the Druze in Jabal al-Suwayda, just one day after signing a deal with the Kurdish military force. The report stated that the Kurds would be fully integrated into state institutions, and Syria would appoint a governor for the Druze Mountain region, as well as a police commander who does not necessarily have to be from the community. This move marks another milestone in al-Jolani's path toward establishing relations with the Americans.
A day after the Syrian president reached understandings and a signed agreement with the Kurds in the country, Tuesday, Al Jazeera reported that al-Jolani took another step toward unifying Syria as he envisions—reaching an agreement with the Druze in southern Syria on their integration into state institutions.
The report stated that "the Syrian government has reached an agreement with the residents and dignitaries of Jabal al-Suwayda—for the full integration of the region into state institutions." According to the report, the agreement stipulates that the security mechanisms in al-Suwayda will be integrated into the Syrian Interior Ministry, and local police officers will be residents of the area. As per the reported agreement, the government will appoint the governor of the region and the police commander, but they do not necessarily have to be from Jabal al-Suwayda or the Druze community.
The Syrian regime's significant achievement yesterday with the SDF forces is another milestone al-Jolani has passed on his way to establishing relations with the Americans, as the Kurdish forces are the central allies of the U.S. military in Syria and prominent partners in the fight against ISIS.
In Syria, it was reported that a delegation from the Syrian Defense Ministry traveled to the city of Hasakah in the northeast of the country, an area under Kurdish control, to coordinate the transfer of control over headquarters and oil fields to state institutions.
- US said weighing in on Lebanon’s next central bank chief in bid to curtail Hezbollah access to cash
The US is weighing in with Lebanon’s government on the selection of the country’s next central bank governor in a bid to curtail corruption and illicit financing for Hezbollah through Lebanon’s banking system, five sources familiar with the issue say.
Washington’s feedback on the candidates for the top role in shaping Lebanon’s monetary policy is the latest example of the US’s unusually hands-on approach to the Middle Eastern country, where a more than five-year financial crisis has collapsed the economy.
It also demonstrates the US’s continued focus on weakening Hezbollah, the Iran-backed group whose sway over the Lebanese government has been reduced after the group was pummeled by Israel in last year’s war.
Since then, Lebanon has elected US-backed Joseph Aoun as president, and a new cabinet without a direct role for Hezbollah has taken power. That government must now fill vacant posts — including at the central bank, run by an interim governor since July 2023.
The US is reviewing the profiles of a handful of candidates for the role, according to three Lebanese sources briefed on the issue, one Western diplomat and an official from US President Donald Trump’s administration.
The sources spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity to discuss Washington’s role in the selection process, the details of which have not been previously reported.
Defense minister instructs IDF to respond to gunfire from Lebanon that hit car
Defense Minister Israel Katz says he has instructed the IDF to respond to today’s gunfire from Lebanon that damaged a car in the border community of Avivim.
“The claim that it was an errant bullet from the funeral of a Hezbollah operative held in a nearby village is completely unacceptable,” Katz says.
He adds that Israel will “not allow a reality of shooting on the residents of the north for any reason, and we will respond to any violation of the ceasefire.”
US, Israel looking at Syria as new home for Gazans
Israel and the US are interested in resettling Gazans in Syria, CBS News reports, citing “three sources familiar with the effort.”
One source says the White House reached out to Syria’s new government through a third party. Another source “from the region” tells CBS that Damascus has been approached with the idea, but a senior Syrian official says the country is not aware of any such outreach.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office and the Trump administration have also spoken to the Sudanese and Somali governments about accepting resettled Gazans, says CBS.
The Prime Minister’s Office declines to comment on the report.
An Israeli official tells The Times of Israel that most of the outreach is coming from the US, but does not lay out which countries have been approached.
Somalia’s US ambassador denies to CBS that the US or Israel approached the country’s government.
According to a recent AP report, US and Israeli officials also reached out to the breakaway region of Somaliland.
Under Trump’s plan, Gaza’s more than 2 million people would be permanently sent elsewhere. He has proposed the US take ownership of the territory, oversee a lengthy cleanup process, and develop it as a real estate project. Israel has embraced Trump’s plan, which he presented during Netanyahu’s visit to the White House in February. link It looks like Trump's delusions don't go away, they just get redirected and our corrupt prime minister feeds into the delusion because it's good for him politically. Unbelievable.
The US is weighing in with Lebanon’s government on the selection of the country’s next central bank governor in a bid to curtail corruption and illicit financing for Hezbollah through Lebanon’s banking system, five sources familiar with the issue say.
Washington’s feedback on the candidates for the top role in shaping Lebanon’s monetary policy is the latest example of the US’s unusually hands-on approach to the Middle Eastern country, where a more than five-year financial crisis has collapsed the economy.
It also demonstrates the US’s continued focus on weakening Hezbollah, the Iran-backed group whose sway over the Lebanese government has been reduced after the group was pummeled by Israel in last year’s war.
Since then, Lebanon has elected US-backed Joseph Aoun as president, and a new cabinet without a direct role for Hezbollah has taken power. That government must now fill vacant posts — including at the central bank, run by an interim governor since July 2023.
The US is reviewing the profiles of a handful of candidates for the role, according to three Lebanese sources briefed on the issue, one Western diplomat and an official from US President Donald Trump’s administration.
The sources spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity to discuss Washington’s role in the selection process, the details of which have not been previously reported.
Defense minister instructs IDF to respond to gunfire from Lebanon that hit car
Defense Minister Israel Katz says he has instructed the IDF to respond to today’s gunfire from Lebanon that damaged a car in the border community of Avivim.
“The claim that it was an errant bullet from the funeral of a Hezbollah operative held in a nearby village is completely unacceptable,” Katz says.
He adds that Israel will “not allow a reality of shooting on the residents of the north for any reason, and we will respond to any violation of the ceasefire.”
US, Israel looking at Syria as new home for Gazans
Israel and the US are interested in resettling Gazans in Syria, CBS News reports, citing “three sources familiar with the effort.”
One source says the White House reached out to Syria’s new government through a third party. Another source “from the region” tells CBS that Damascus has been approached with the idea, but a senior Syrian official says the country is not aware of any such outreach.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office and the Trump administration have also spoken to the Sudanese and Somali governments about accepting resettled Gazans, says CBS.
The Prime Minister’s Office declines to comment on the report.
An Israeli official tells The Times of Israel that most of the outreach is coming from the US, but does not lay out which countries have been approached.
Somalia’s US ambassador denies to CBS that the US or Israel approached the country’s government.
According to a recent AP report, US and Israeli officials also reached out to the breakaway region of Somaliland.
Under Trump’s plan, Gaza’s more than 2 million people would be permanently sent elsewhere. He has proposed the US take ownership of the territory, oversee a lengthy cleanup process, and develop it as a real estate project. Israel has embraced Trump’s plan, which he presented during Netanyahu’s visit to the White House in February. link It looks like Trump's delusions don't go away, they just get redirected and our corrupt prime minister feeds into the delusion because it's good for him politically. Unbelievable.
West Bank and Jerusalem and Terror attacks within Israel
Politics and the War (general news)
- Netanyahu announces his intention to fire Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announces his intention to dismiss Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar.
A statement from Netanyahu’s office says he met with Bar and “informed him that he will bring a proposal to the government this week to end his tenure.”
In a second statement, Netanyahu says: “At all times, but especially during an existential war such as we face, there must be full trust between the prime minister and the head of the Shin Bet.
“But unfortunately, the situation is the opposite — I do not have such trust. I have ongoing distrust in the head of the Shin Bet, a distrust that has only grown over time.”
The attorney general had previously told the prime minister he would have to consult with her office before dismissing Bar, to ensure there were no improper considerations. He does not appear to have done so. link There are a number of reasons that Netanyahu wants to fire Ronen Bar: he didn't appoint and knows he is not his yes man. As Ronen Bar wrote in his response to Netanyahu that Netanyahu is demanding loyalty to him and that his position as head of the Shin Bet, his loyalty is to the State; The Shin Bet under Bar is investigating the ties of Qatar to the Prime Minister's office (Qatargate); Bar disagreed with Netanyahu's preventing hostage deals throughout the war. Netanyahu is once again turning everything political and mostly concerned with his own interest; and a further reason that we see throughout Netanyahu's political career but more and more often since October 7, deflection. He does and says outrageous things to deflect from the issues that are most in the headlines that he doesn't want there: Qatar-gate and new investigations into personnel in the PMO, his refusals to make a deal to get all the hostages home and his refusals to end the war. He does outrageous things like announcing he is firing the head of the Shin Bet, gets his extremist and do nothing coalition to back him and turns it from a pure security issue into a political issue, just like his cronies did with the hostage issue. And finally, one of Netanyahu's most important reasons for firing Bar is to strengthen his warped narrative to remove all blame for October 7 and place it on the security services: The IDF, the Shin Bet, The Mossad and all the Intelligence services throughout. The fact that he is the Prime Minister and is effectively above all of them doesn't matter to him and he believes the public will buy this unbelievable narrative. He is a firm believer in the adage that if you tell a lie big enough and often enough, it becomes the truth that people believe. He has based so much of his career on this adage and it is one of the most important things for him now for both his legacy and his future political career.
Bar does need to go home after October 7 failures but only after there is a change of Prime Minister. Netanyahu, the one most to blame for the failures that brought October 7 and from then should not be able to appoint the next head of the Shin Bet or the Mossad.
- Yair Golan says Netanyahu ‘has declared war on the State of Israel’
Democrats party chief Yair Golan says Netanyahu “has declared war on the State of Israel.”
In a post on X, Golan says: “The dismissal of the head of the Shin Bet is a desperate attempt by a criminal defendant to get rid of someone loyal to Israel, who is investigating Netanyahu and his close circle for serious and dark offenses and refuses to cover things up.
“The more the investigations around him expand and reveal problematic connections, the more Netanyahu descends into hysteria, inciting, and dismissing.”
Lapid: Netanyahu firing Ronen Bar for only one reason – the ‘Qatar-gate’ probe
Opposition Leader Yair Lapid accuses Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of seeking to fire Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar in order to stymie an investigation into his staffers’ ties with Qatar.
“Netanyahu is firing Ronen Bar for only one reason — the ‘Qatar-gate’ investigation,” Lapid declares. “For a year and a half, he saw no reason to fire him, but only when the investigation into Qatar’s infiltration of Netanyahu’s office and the funds transferred to his closest aides began did he suddenly feel an urgency to fire him immediately.”
Lapid notes that Bar has said he will take responsibility for the failure of October 7 and resign after the hostages return home, adding that his dismissal at this time is “irresponsible” and shows a lack of commitment to those held in Gaza.The premier recently removed Bar and Mossad chief David Barnea from heading the team negotiating the Gaza truce-hostage deal, over which Netanyahu’s right-wing flank has threatened to topple the government.
The “clear purpose” of Bar’s dismissal “is to sabotage a serious criial investigation into the Prime Minister’s Office,” Lapid adds. “Netanyahu has once again put his private interests above the good of the country and its security. All the slander and all the attempts to shift responsibility for the failure onto the security system will not help Netanyahu. He is primarily responsible for the failure and disaster of October 7, and that is all that will be remembered of him.”
Ronen Bar: Netanyahu’s expectation of loyalty to him first is ‘fundamentally illegitimate’
Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar responds to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s announcement that he will be removed from office, saying that the premier’s decision is not related to the failures tied to October 7.
“The duty of loyalty placed on the Shin Bet is first and foremost to Israeli citizens. This underlies all my actions and decisions,” Bar says. “The prime minister’s expectation of a duty of personal loyalty, the purpose of which contradicts the public interest, is a fundamentally illegitimate expectation. It is contrary to the Shin Bet law and contrary to the statesmanlike values that lead the Shin Bet and its members,” he adds.
Bar notes that Shin Bet’s internal review of the failures that led to October 7 “pointed to a policy led by the government, and the person who has headed it, for years, with emphasis on the year preceding the massacre. The investigation showed a longstanding and deliberate disregard by the political echelon for the agency’s warnings,” he continues.
Bar says he intended to continue in his role until the hostages are returned and until he completes several “sensitive” investigations — likely those related to the Prime Minister’s Office — and when his two potential successors were ready.
After some outlets took that part of the statement to mean Bar was refusing to be fired, sources in the Shin Bet are cited by Channel 12 news as saying that Bar will accept his dismissal if the decision is passed.
“As someone who headed the Shin Bet on October 7, I took responsibility for the agency’s part and clearly stated that I intend to act on it before the end of my tenure. That is what is expected of everyone.” Bar says in a statement. “Therefore, it is clear that the intention behind my firing is not related to October 7. The prime minister made it clear that the decision was due to his claim there is ongoing distrust between us.
“The Shin Bet, under my leadership, carried out a thorough investigation that pointed to intelligence and internal process failures on October 7, the repair of which has already begun,” Bar says.
He says that “the need to investigate all parties, including government policy and the prime minister, and not just the IDF and the Shin Bet, who have been thoroughly investigated, is needed for public security. If I do not insist upon this, with all the personal prices I will pay, I will fail in my role of providing state security,” he says.
“Investigating to uncover the truth is of utmost importance in the Shin Bet. The public has a right to know what led to the massacre and the collapse of Israel’s security,” Bar continues.
He says that his “public responsibility was at the base of my decision to continue in my position in the near future, in light of the [military] escalation potential, the high security tensions and a real possibility of returning to fighting in the Gaza Strip, in which the Shin Bet has a key role.”
Bar also says that he wanted to “follow through on my personal commitment and the commitment of the agency to the hostages; the completion of a number of sensitive investigations; and the optimal readiness of the two candidates to replace me, at the prime minister’s choice.
“In a previous meeting, I informed the prime minister that I intended to complete the above before I resigned from my position in coordination with him, in light of my responsibility to the public, the security of the state, and the functioning of the Shin Bet for the benefit of the State of Israel,” he says. linkBennett: Netanyahu should have resigned long ago
Former prime minister Naftali Bennett accuses Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of seeking to avoid responsibility for October 7, following the premier’s announcement that he would force out Shin Bet head Ronen Bar.
“Mr. Netanyahu bears ultimate responsibility for the worst failure in Israeli history, and should have resigned long ago,” Bennett tweets, arguing that the prime minister’s “passive and defeatist policy allowed Hamas and Hezbollah to build themselves up as terrorist powers on our borders for 15 years.”
While the heads of the security services also failed, “they took responsibility,” he continues. “Netanyahu, on the other hand, is running away from his responsibility. The State of Israel will not be able to recover without his resignation.”
- Protest groups plan huge Wednesday rally in Jerusalem against firing of Shin Bet chief
Business chiefs warn PM against ‘destructive’ move to oust Ronen Bar; minister threatens to suspend funds to Tel Aviv school after principal tells students they should join protest
Dozens of leaders of protest groups on Monday began organizing a major demonstration in Jerusalem later this week to protest Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s declared intention to fire Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar.
Netanyahu announced on Sunday that he intends to dismiss Bar after months of reports that he was seeking to oust him, with analysts accusing him of seeking to pin the blame for the failures surrounding October 7 on the security services while exonerating his own government.
The collective of protest groups announced that they plan to hold a large-scale rally outside government offices as ministers — many of whom have declared support for the move and none of whom has publicly opposed it — meet on Wednesday to vote on Netanyahu’s proposal to fire the security chief.
Eran Schwartz, CEO of the Hofshi B’Artzenu (Free in Our Land) organization, vowed that the groups would not let the government “completely destroy” the country, noting that the Shin Bet is currently investigating several senior staffers in the Prime Minister’s Office for alleged ties with Qatar, thus creating a potential conflict of interest.
“We cannot allow the coalition to fulfill its vision and completely destroy Israel. The protest is the people’s way of expressing their opposition to the regime,” he said, adding that “the majority of the people understand that what is at stake is [either] the future of the coalition or the future of the state.”
Schwartz added that the “dismissal of the head of the Shin Bet while he is investigating the prime minister’s associates is not only illegitimate but also illegal, according to the attorney general’s directive.”
Additionally, the Israel Business Forum, which represents most private-sector workers from 200 of the country’s largest companies, called on Netanyahu to backtrack from his intention to dismiss Bar, labeling it a “destructive” move.
“Israel is in the midst of one of the most difficult periods in its history — from a security, economic and social perspective,” the business forum said in a statement. “The last thing Israel needs is an internal battle in which the prime minister, in a severe conflict of interest, fires gatekeepers, in violation of the law — especially at this difficult time.”
“Israel’s enemies are watching with pleasure as Israel returns to the same path that led the country to the October 7 attack,” the forum warned.
Instead, the forum urged Netanyahu to focus on “what is truly important now: the return of the 59 hostages who were kidnapped under his watch… establishing a state investigation committee, according to the president’s agreement, and rehabilitating deterrence, the economy and society.” full article
Jon Polin: Ronen Bar has shown highest level of accountability, integrity, decency
Jon Polin and Rachel Goldberg-Polin, whose son Hersh Goldberg-Polin was abducted from the Nova music festival in the October 7 attacks and later murdered in captivity, speak to Channel 12's Ilana Dayan, January 16, 2025. (Screenshot, used in accordance with Clause 27a of the Copyright Law)
Jon Polin and Rachel Goldberg-Polin, whose son Hersh Goldberg-Polin was abducted from the Nova music festival in the October 7 attacks and later murdered in captivity, speak to Channel 12's Ilana Dayan, January 16, 2025. (Screenshot, used in accordance with Clause 27a of the Copyright Law)
With Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu planning to force Shin Bet head Ronen Bar out of his post this week, bereaved father Jon Polin, whose hostage son Hersh Goldberg-Polin was murdered in late August by his Hamas captors, writes on social media that Bar has conducted himself with nobility over the last 17 months.
“We have met many people in positions of power in the past 528 terrible days,” writes Polin. “One of those people who has shown the highest level of personal accountability, integrity, decency and humanity is Ronen Bar.”
He goes on: “While admitting his responsibility for the failure of October 7 and saying he will step down, Ronen has been committed to bringing home all hostages, returning the security of the State of Israel, strengthening national unity, and most recently, to establishing a state commission of inquiry that will examine everything and everyone, including himself. There is a nobility in how Ronen Bar has conducted himself in these 528 black days.”
The cabinet is set to meet on Wednesday to vote on dismissing Bar.
Protest groups are planning major rallies in Jerusalem against the move.
**Shin Bet Investigating Classified Case Involving Senior PMO Official and Protest Activist**
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announces his intention to dismiss Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar.
A statement from Netanyahu’s office says he met with Bar and “informed him that he will bring a proposal to the government this week to end his tenure.”
In a second statement, Netanyahu says: “At all times, but especially during an existential war such as we face, there must be full trust between the prime minister and the head of the Shin Bet.
“But unfortunately, the situation is the opposite — I do not have such trust. I have ongoing distrust in the head of the Shin Bet, a distrust that has only grown over time.”
The attorney general had previously told the prime minister he would have to consult with her office before dismissing Bar, to ensure there were no improper considerations. He does not appear to have done so. link There are a number of reasons that Netanyahu wants to fire Ronen Bar: he didn't appoint and knows he is not his yes man. As Ronen Bar wrote in his response to Netanyahu that Netanyahu is demanding loyalty to him and that his position as head of the Shin Bet, his loyalty is to the State; The Shin Bet under Bar is investigating the ties of Qatar to the Prime Minister's office (Qatargate); Bar disagreed with Netanyahu's preventing hostage deals throughout the war. Netanyahu is once again turning everything political and mostly concerned with his own interest; and a further reason that we see throughout Netanyahu's political career but more and more often since October 7, deflection. He does and says outrageous things to deflect from the issues that are most in the headlines that he doesn't want there: Qatar-gate and new investigations into personnel in the PMO, his refusals to make a deal to get all the hostages home and his refusals to end the war. He does outrageous things like announcing he is firing the head of the Shin Bet, gets his extremist and do nothing coalition to back him and turns it from a pure security issue into a political issue, just like his cronies did with the hostage issue. And finally, one of Netanyahu's most important reasons for firing Bar is to strengthen his warped narrative to remove all blame for October 7 and place it on the security services: The IDF, the Shin Bet, The Mossad and all the Intelligence services throughout. The fact that he is the Prime Minister and is effectively above all of them doesn't matter to him and he believes the public will buy this unbelievable narrative. He is a firm believer in the adage that if you tell a lie big enough and often enough, it becomes the truth that people believe. He has based so much of his career on this adage and it is one of the most important things for him now for both his legacy and his future political career.
Bar does need to go home after October 7 failures but only after there is a change of Prime Minister. Netanyahu, the one most to blame for the failures that brought October 7 and from then should not be able to appoint the next head of the Shin Bet or the Mossad.
Democrats party chief Yair Golan says Netanyahu “has declared war on the State of Israel.”
In a post on X, Golan says: “The dismissal of the head of the Shin Bet is a desperate attempt by a criminal defendant to get rid of someone loyal to Israel, who is investigating Netanyahu and his close circle for serious and dark offenses and refuses to cover things up.
“The more the investigations around him expand and reveal problematic connections, the more Netanyahu descends into hysteria, inciting, and dismissing.”
Lapid: Netanyahu firing Ronen Bar for only one reason – the ‘Qatar-gate’ probeOpposition Leader Yair Lapid accuses Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of seeking to fire Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar in order to stymie an investigation into his staffers’ ties with Qatar.
“Netanyahu is firing Ronen Bar for only one reason — the ‘Qatar-gate’ investigation,” Lapid declares. “For a year and a half, he saw no reason to fire him, but only when the investigation into Qatar’s infiltration of Netanyahu’s office and the funds transferred to his closest aides began did he suddenly feel an urgency to fire him immediately.”
Lapid notes that Bar has said he will take responsibility for the failure of October 7 and resign after the hostages return home, adding that his dismissal at this time is “irresponsible” and shows a lack of commitment to those held in Gaza.The premier recently removed Bar and Mossad chief David Barnea from heading the team negotiating the Gaza truce-hostage deal, over which Netanyahu’s right-wing flank has threatened to topple the government.
The “clear purpose” of Bar’s dismissal “is to sabotage a serious criial investigation into the Prime Minister’s Office,” Lapid adds. “Netanyahu has once again put his private interests above the good of the country and its security. All the slander and all the attempts to shift responsibility for the failure onto the security system will not help Netanyahu. He is primarily responsible for the failure and disaster of October 7, and that is all that will be remembered of him.”
Ronen Bar: Netanyahu’s expectation of loyalty to him first is ‘fundamentally illegitimate’
“The duty of loyalty placed on the Shin Bet is first and foremost to Israeli citizens. This underlies all my actions and decisions,” Bar says. “The prime minister’s expectation of a duty of personal loyalty, the purpose of which contradicts the public interest, is a fundamentally illegitimate expectation. It is contrary to the Shin Bet law and contrary to the statesmanlike values that lead the Shin Bet and its members,” he adds.
Bar notes that Shin Bet’s internal review of the failures that led to October 7 “pointed to a policy led by the government, and the person who has headed it, for years, with emphasis on the year preceding the massacre. The investigation showed a longstanding and deliberate disregard by the political echelon for the agency’s warnings,” he continues.
Bar says he intended to continue in his role until the hostages are returned and until he completes several “sensitive” investigations — likely those related to the Prime Minister’s Office — and when his two potential successors were ready.
After some outlets took that part of the statement to mean Bar was refusing to be fired, sources in the Shin Bet are cited by Channel 12 news as saying that Bar will accept his dismissal if the decision is passed.
“As someone who headed the Shin Bet on October 7, I took responsibility for the agency’s part and clearly stated that I intend to act on it before the end of my tenure. That is what is expected of everyone.” Bar says in a statement. “Therefore, it is clear that the intention behind my firing is not related to October 7. The prime minister made it clear that the decision was due to his claim there is ongoing distrust between us.
“The Shin Bet, under my leadership, carried out a thorough investigation that pointed to intelligence and internal process failures on October 7, the repair of which has already begun,” Bar says.
He says that “the need to investigate all parties, including government policy and the prime minister, and not just the IDF and the Shin Bet, who have been thoroughly investigated, is needed for public security. If I do not insist upon this, with all the personal prices I will pay, I will fail in my role of providing state security,” he says.
“Investigating to uncover the truth is of utmost importance in the Shin Bet. The public has a right to know what led to the massacre and the collapse of Israel’s security,” Bar continues.
He says that his “public responsibility was at the base of my decision to continue in my position in the near future, in light of the [military] escalation potential, the high security tensions and a real possibility of returning to fighting in the Gaza Strip, in which the Shin Bet has a key role.”
Bar also says that he wanted to “follow through on my personal commitment and the commitment of the agency to the hostages; the completion of a number of sensitive investigations; and the optimal readiness of the two candidates to replace me, at the prime minister’s choice.
“In a previous meeting, I informed the prime minister that I intended to complete the above before I resigned from my position in coordination with him, in light of my responsibility to the public, the security of the state, and the functioning of the Shin Bet for the benefit of the State of Israel,” he says. link
Bennett: Netanyahu should have resigned long ago
Former prime minister Naftali Bennett accuses Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of seeking to avoid responsibility for October 7, following the premier’s announcement that he would force out Shin Bet head Ronen Bar.
“Mr. Netanyahu bears ultimate responsibility for the worst failure in Israeli history, and should have resigned long ago,” Bennett tweets, arguing that the prime minister’s “passive and defeatist policy allowed Hamas and Hezbollah to build themselves up as terrorist powers on our borders for 15 years.”
While the heads of the security services also failed, “they took responsibility,” he continues. “Netanyahu, on the other hand, is running away from his responsibility. The State of Israel will not be able to recover without his resignation.”
Business chiefs warn PM against ‘destructive’ move to oust Ronen Bar; minister threatens to suspend funds to Tel Aviv school after principal tells students they should join protest
Dozens of leaders of protest groups on Monday began organizing a major demonstration in Jerusalem later this week to protest Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s declared intention to fire Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar.
Netanyahu announced on Sunday that he intends to dismiss Bar after months of reports that he was seeking to oust him, with analysts accusing him of seeking to pin the blame for the failures surrounding October 7 on the security services while exonerating his own government.
The collective of protest groups announced that they plan to hold a large-scale rally outside government offices as ministers — many of whom have declared support for the move and none of whom has publicly opposed it — meet on Wednesday to vote on Netanyahu’s proposal to fire the security chief.
Eran Schwartz, CEO of the Hofshi B’Artzenu (Free in Our Land) organization, vowed that the groups would not let the government “completely destroy” the country, noting that the Shin Bet is currently investigating several senior staffers in the Prime Minister’s Office for alleged ties with Qatar, thus creating a potential conflict of interest.
“We cannot allow the coalition to fulfill its vision and completely destroy Israel. The protest is the people’s way of expressing their opposition to the regime,” he said, adding that “the majority of the people understand that what is at stake is [either] the future of the coalition or the future of the state.”
Schwartz added that the “dismissal of the head of the Shin Bet while he is investigating the prime minister’s associates is not only illegitimate but also illegal, according to the attorney general’s directive.”
Additionally, the Israel Business Forum, which represents most private-sector workers from 200 of the country’s largest companies, called on Netanyahu to backtrack from his intention to dismiss Bar, labeling it a “destructive” move.
“Israel is in the midst of one of the most difficult periods in its history — from a security, economic and social perspective,” the business forum said in a statement. “The last thing Israel needs is an internal battle in which the prime minister, in a severe conflict of interest, fires gatekeepers, in violation of the law — especially at this difficult time.”
“Israel’s enemies are watching with pleasure as Israel returns to the same path that led the country to the October 7 attack,” the forum warned.
Instead, the forum urged Netanyahu to focus on “what is truly important now: the return of the 59 hostages who were kidnapped under his watch… establishing a state investigation committee, according to the president’s agreement, and rehabilitating deterrence, the economy and society.” full article
Jon Polin: Ronen Bar has shown highest level of accountability, integrity, decency
Jon Polin and Rachel Goldberg-Polin, whose son Hersh Goldberg-Polin was abducted from the Nova music festival in the October 7 attacks and later murdered in captivity, speak to Channel 12's Ilana Dayan, January 16, 2025. (Screenshot, used in accordance with Clause 27a of the Copyright Law)
Jon Polin and Rachel Goldberg-Polin, whose son Hersh Goldberg-Polin was abducted from the Nova music festival in the October 7 attacks and later murdered in captivity, speak to Channel 12's Ilana Dayan, January 16, 2025. (Screenshot, used in accordance with Clause 27a of the Copyright Law)
With Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu planning to force Shin Bet head Ronen Bar out of his post this week, bereaved father Jon Polin, whose hostage son Hersh Goldberg-Polin was murdered in late August by his Hamas captors, writes on social media that Bar has conducted himself with nobility over the last 17 months.
“We have met many people in positions of power in the past 528 terrible days,” writes Polin. “One of those people who has shown the highest level of personal accountability, integrity, decency and humanity is Ronen Bar.”
He goes on: “While admitting his responsibility for the failure of October 7 and saying he will step down, Ronen has been committed to bringing home all hostages, returning the security of the State of Israel, strengthening national unity, and most recently, to establishing a state commission of inquiry that will examine everything and everyone, including himself. There is a nobility in how Ronen Bar has conducted himself in these 528 black days.”
The cabinet is set to meet on Wednesday to vote on dismissing Bar.
Protest groups are planning major rallies in Jerusalem against the move.
**Shin Bet Investigating Classified Case Involving Senior PMO Official and Protest Activist**
A gag order has been issued regarding a new case revealed today by *Haaretz*, involving an investigation by the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) against a senior official in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) and a protest activist who is not employed by the office. According to reports, "exceptional measures" were taken against those involved—measures that were halted three days after their implementation, based on findings from the investigation.
Those close to the Prime Minister were stunned when they learned the identity of the PMO official involved in the case, who is also close to the Netanyahu couple, particularly Sara Netanyahu, and claimed that he is "the last person you would think capable of such a thing." The gag order was issued last week by the Rishon LeZion Magistrate's Court at the request of the Central Unit of the Central District Police and prohibits the publication of investigation details for 30 days. The Shin Bet and the police refuse to comment on the details of the case.
Those close to Netanyahu were shocked by the identity of the senior official.
Recently, it was reported that the Prime Minister's convoy was diverted from its usual route due to concerns about blockades by protest activists, and that activists were warned that in such a case, the Shin Bet might open fire due to uncertainty about the identity of the blockers. At the same time, arrests of protest activists in Hostage Square and Ben Shemen Forest were reported, though it is not yet known if there is a connection between these arrests and the current case. link
- Ministries once recommended for closure set to receive hefty funding boost in 2025 budget
Several government ministries previously classified as superfluous by financial experts are set to receive a substantial last-minute funding boost in the 2025 state budget. Channel 12 reports that members of the Knesset Finance Committee were informed today that an additional NIS 51 million would be allocated to the Settlements and National Missions Ministry, bringing its 2025 budget to NIS 391 million, a roughly 194% increase from its 2023 budget of NIS 133 million.
Settlements Minister Orit Strock is a member of Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s Religious Zionism party.
Meanwhile, the allocated budget for the Jerusalem and Jewish Tradition Ministry, headed by United Torah Judaism lawmaker Meir Porush, will see its budget increase from NIS 28 million to NIS 118 million.
The Heritage Ministry will reportedly receive a somewhat more modest budget increase of NIS six million, bringing its total to NIS 78 million.
In December 2023, the Finance Ministry recommended that all three of the ministries be shut down, along with seven others it deemed superfluous, in order to offset the strain put on the budget by the war in Gaza.
To date, of the 10 ministries included in the proposal, only the Advancement of the Status of Women Ministry has been closed. link There is no bottom to the corruption and failures of this government. Taxes have been raised and benefits taken away affecting the most troubled parts of the population. Massive cuts have been made to the social welfare, education, military budgets as well as the benefits of the hostages, their families and the survivors of October 7. And all this while returning hostages who have lost everything are now doing crowd funding to start rebuilding their lives. But the corrupt government keeps raising the budgets to the useless ministries that were created as political bribery to put together this failed government with hundreds of millions of shekels going to settlements in the West Bank and ultra religious education which has been shown not to go to education but to many other pockets in the ultra orthodox community, while still looking for ways to exempt most of them from the draft while the non Haredi public reserve soldiers keep doing more and more reserve duty. CORRUPTION and FAILURE are the marks of Netanyahu and his government.
Several government ministries previously classified as superfluous by financial experts are set to receive a substantial last-minute funding boost in the 2025 state budget.
Channel 12 reports that members of the Knesset Finance Committee were informed today that an additional NIS 51 million would be allocated to the Settlements and National Missions Ministry, bringing its 2025 budget to NIS 391 million, a roughly 194% increase from its 2023 budget of NIS 133 million.
Settlements Minister Orit Strock is a member of Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s Religious Zionism party.
Meanwhile, the allocated budget for the Jerusalem and Jewish Tradition Ministry, headed by United Torah Judaism lawmaker Meir Porush, will see its budget increase from NIS 28 million to NIS 118 million.
The Heritage Ministry will reportedly receive a somewhat more modest budget increase of NIS six million, bringing its total to NIS 78 million.
In December 2023, the Finance Ministry recommended that all three of the ministries be shut down, along with seven others it deemed superfluous, in order to offset the strain put on the budget by the war in Gaza.
To date, of the 10 ministries included in the proposal, only the Advancement of the Status of Women Ministry has been closed. link There is no bottom to the corruption and failures of this government. Taxes have been raised and benefits taken away affecting the most troubled parts of the population. Massive cuts have been made to the social welfare, education, military budgets as well as the benefits of the hostages, their families and the survivors of October 7. And all this while returning hostages who have lost everything are now doing crowd funding to start rebuilding their lives. But the corrupt government keeps raising the budgets to the useless ministries that were created as political bribery to put together this failed government with hundreds of millions of shekels going to settlements in the West Bank and ultra religious education which has been shown not to go to education but to many other pockets in the ultra orthodox community, while still looking for ways to exempt most of them from the draft while the non Haredi public reserve soldiers keep doing more and more reserve duty. CORRUPTION and FAILURE are the marks of Netanyahu and his government.
The Region and the World
- Yemen’s Houthis say they targeted US aircraft carrier in Red Sea
Yemen’s Houthis say they launched an attack on a United States aircraft carrier in the Red Sea today, hours after Washington hit the Iran-backed rebels with deadly strikes.
“In response to this aggression, the armed forces conducted a military operation… targeting the US aircraft carrier USS Harry Truman and its accompanying warships,” the group says in a statement, adding it launched 18 missiles and a drone.
Yemen’s Houthis say they launched an attack on a United States aircraft carrier in the Red Sea today, hours after Washington hit the Iran-backed rebels with deadly strikes.
“In response to this aggression, the armed forces conducted a military operation… targeting the US aircraft carrier USS Harry Truman and its accompanying warships,” the group says in a statement, adding it launched 18 missiles and a drone.
Iran-backed Houthis claim second attack on US ships in 24 hours
Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels claim responsibility for a second attack on an American aircraft carrier group in 24 hours, calling it retaliation for US strikes.
A spokesperson for the group says that “for the second time in 24 hours,” Houthi fighters launched missiles and drones at the USS Harry S. Truman and several of its warships in the northern Red Sea.
The statement also vows to keep targeting Israeli vessels until the “siege” on Gaza is lifted.
Personal Stories
'Got to give it to Hamas': Ex-IDF chief acknowledges military failures in October 7 massacreIn closed-door meeting, Herzi Halevi admits military failed to anticipate terror group's attack, revealing forces arrived only after terrorists had left; internal probe finds Hamas used humanitarian gestures to mislead Israel before attack
Former IDF chief Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi admitted in a newly revealed recording that Hamas had successfully deceived Israel ahead of its deadly October 7 attack on Kibbutz Nir Oz, one of the communities hardest hit in the assault.
"I have no choice but to acknowledge Hamas for the deception they pulled on us," Halevi said last week in a closed-door meeting with Nir Oz residents, according to recordings published by Army Radio on Sunday. "Got to give it to them—they tricked us completely."
Halevi, who served as IDF chief of staff at the time of the attack, described how Hamas misled Israeli intelligence in the days before the assault."They succeeded in deceiving us with the disturbances before [October 7], their efforts to calm things down and their focus on humanitarian issues," he said. "They used that to put us to sleep and prepare their attack—and their deception worked."
His remarks came during a presentation of the military’s internal investigation into the attack, which was also attended by former Southern Command Chief Maj. Gen. Yaron Finkelman. The findings detailed Israel’s failure to anticipate and respond to the Hamas-led onslaught, which left Nir Oz devastated. One in four residents of the kibbutz was either killed or taken hostage.
Delayed military response
Halevi acknowledged the scale of the military’s failure, revealing that security forces did not enter the kibbutz until long after the attack had ended.
"The first soldier arrived in Nir Oz only after the last terrorist left," he said. "This is a terrible, horrifying statement, and we repeat it so that everyone in the IDF will remember it."
According to the findings, it took 40 minutes after the last Hamas attackers withdrew from Nir Oz before any security personnel entered the small community. The first responders were Border Police undercover officers who arrived after an emergency call to the police. By then, the attackers had rampaged through the kibbutz for seven hours."There was no battle, no engagement in Nir Oz," Halevi said. "This was the failure within the failure of October 7."
Former IDF chief Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi admitted in a newly revealed recording that Hamas had successfully deceived Israel ahead of its deadly October 7 attack on Kibbutz Nir Oz, one of the communities hardest hit in the assault.
Apologies and accountability
The investigation, led by Maj. Gen. (res.) Eran Niv, compiled thousands of testimonies, recordings and photographs over eight months. The findings were presented to survivors—including former hostages—at a closed-door session, where phones were collected at the entrance to prevent leaks and trauma counselors were available for support.Niv opened the briefing with an apology. Residents later said the findings did not reveal much new information, but they described the military officials as "fully transparent" about their failures."They apologized over and over again," one resident said. "They told us outright: ‘We failed, we failed, we failed.’"
Halevi emphasized the need for Israel to prioritize the recovery of affected communities. "The state must invest significant resources to strengthen the people first, and then the places," he said. "And I tell you this: I am one of you." link
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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