🎗️Lonny's War Update- October 535, 2023 - March 24, 2025 🎗️
🎗️Day 535 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
*Elderly man killed as terrorist rams bus stop, opens fire on cars in north
Knife-wielding assailant crashes car into bus shelter, seriously injures soldier and steals his gun before being shot dead by Border Police officers passing by, authorities say
An elderly driver was shot dead and a soldier was seriously injured in a terror attack on a northern highway, authorities said Monday morning.
The alleged terrorist was killed by Border Police officers who happened to be passing by as the attack took place near the lower Galilee city of Yokne’am, police said in a statement.
According to police, the attacker initially rammed his vehicle into a bus stop at the Tishbi Junction on Route 66 where the soldier, 20, had been waiting.
The suspect, who was not immediately named, then exited his car and stabbed the soldier.
Grabbing the soldier’s rifle, the attacker then ran down the highway and opened fire at passing cars, shooting and killing a driver, described by medics as a 75-year-old man.
The Magen David Adom ambulance service said medics declared the driver dead at the scene.
The soldier, who serves as a heavy load truck driver in the Armored Corps, was hospitalized in serious condition at Rambam Medical Center in Haifa. The emergency service said his condition had not been stabilized.
Security forces at the scene of a terror attack near Yokne’am, March 24, 2025. (David Cohen/Flash90)The victims were not immediately named.
An elderly driver was shot dead and a soldier was seriously injured in a terror attack on a northern highway, authorities said Monday morning.
The alleged terrorist was killed by Border Police officers who happened to be passing by as the attack took place near the lower Galilee city of Yokne’am, police said in a statement.
According to police, the attacker initially rammed his vehicle into a bus stop at the Tishbi Junction on Route 66 where the soldier, 20, had been waiting.
The suspect, who was not immediately named, then exited his car and stabbed the soldier.
Grabbing the soldier’s rifle, the attacker then ran down the highway and opened fire at passing cars, shooting and killing a driver, described by medics as a 75-year-old man.
The Magen David Adom ambulance service said medics declared the driver dead at the scene.
The soldier, who serves as a heavy load truck driver in the Armored Corps, was hospitalized in serious condition at Rambam Medical Center in Haifa. The emergency service said his condition had not been stabilized.
The victims were not immediately named.
Soldier seriously hurt in terror attack in north; terrorist stabbed him, then grabbed his rifle
An Israeli soldier was seriously wounded in a terror attack near the northern town of Yokne’am earlier today, the military announces.
The terrorist initially rammed his vehicle into people waiting at a bus stop at Tishbi Junction on Route 66, then exited his car and stabbed the 20-year-old soldier.
He then grabbed the soldier’s rifle and opened fire, killing an elderly man who was driving on the road.
The soldier, who serves as a heavy-load truck driver in the Armored Corps, was taken to Rambam Hospital for treatment, where he is listed in serious condition.
Moshe Horn, 85, is named as the fatality of this morning’s terror attack on Route 66, near the northern town of Yokne’am.
Horn, a resident of Kibbutz HaZore’a, was killed while his 51-year-old son sat next to him in his car, the Walla news site reports.
Hostage Updates
Witkoff says Hamas may have tricked him into thinking it was game for deal
US special envoy to the Mideast Steve Witkoff says Hamas may have “duped” him earlier this month, as he initially thought the terror group had agreed to his bridge proposal to extend the ceasefire in Gaza, only for it to pull back.
“I thought we had an acceptable deal. I even thought we had an approval from Hamas. Maybe that’s just me getting duped. I thought we were there, and evidently we weren’t,” Witkoff tells Fox News on Sunday, reflecting on his March 12 visit to Doha where he presented his bridge proposal
The bridge proposal would have seen the ceasefire extended through April 19 and have Hamas release five living hostages in exchange for a larger number of Palestinian security prisoners. Israel says it accepted Witkoff’s proposal, but said it would have freed 11 living hostages.
Hamas has insisted on sticking to the original terms of the deal, which was supposed to begin its second phase at the beginning of March. For a month, though, Israel refused to enter talks on the specific terms of phase two, as the stage’s general framework requires it to fully withdraw from Gaza and agree to a permanent end of the war.
In submitting his bridge proposal earlier this month, Witkoff accepted Israel’s aversion to phase two.
Hamas on March 14 offered to release the last living American hostage and the bodies of four other US citizens, but Witkoff called the response a non-starter. Four days later, Israel resumed fighting in Gaza, collapsing the ceasefire after two months.
“This is on Hamas. The United States stands with the State of Israel. That’s a 100% commitment,” Witkoff tells Fox. “We’ve expressed that Hamas had every opportunity to demilitarize, to accept the bridging proposal that would have given us a 40- or 50-day ceasefire where we could have discussed demilitarization and a final truce. There were all kinds of opportunities to do that, and they elected not to.”
“This (war) becomes the alternative, and it is unfortunate,” he adds.
Witkoff clarifies that the US would still be “amenable” if Hamas reached out again. “I certainly hope we get everybody back to the table and get the hostages home,” he says.
On Friday, though, Witkoff told Tucker Carlson that the parties were already “talking,” after Israel resumed its bombardment of Gaza.
Asked about Iran, Witkoff reiterates what he told Carlson’s podcast on Friday about US President Donald Trump’s letter to Iran’s Supreme Leader Al Khamenei
“Our signal to Hamas and to Iran, is. ‘Let’s sit down and see if we can through diplomacy get to the right place.’ If we can, we’re prepared to do that. If we can’t, the alternative is not a great alternative,” Witkoff says.
He adds that Iran cannot be allowed to acquire a nuclear weapon. link. Witkoff is a very serious man, pretty much a no nonsense guy who knows how to close deals. With all due respect to him, I think that the big problem is that he, along with most Americans, especially those in positions to negotiate, don't understand the Middle East, the players, the cultures and who they are really sitting across from at the table. And there are very few Israelis who have any deep understanding or experience with Hamas. The only reason that we were able to reach Phase 1 of the hostage deal was that Witkoff was able to pressure Netanyahu into the deal. At that time, Netanyahu was truly fearful that he would be in the position of having to choose between Trump and Smotrich. Witkoff, with the backing of Trump and Miriam Adelson were able to force Netanyahu into Phase 1 which also contained the agreement to negotiate Phase 2 on day 16 of Phase 1. Because Phase 2 clearly stated that it would end with a long term ceasefire (euphemism for ending the war), Netanyahu breeched that agreement and Phase 2 negotiations never started. He already understood that he could twist Trump around his little finger and remove Trump's pressure on him to make a deal and end the war, which were Trump's campaign promises. He changed his tune to allowing Netanyahu do whatever he needed to do to get rid of Hamas, which released Netanyahu from being forced into a hostage deal which would have brought all 59 hostages home and end the war. With all of Witkoff's seriousness, Trump has loaded on him multiple critical missions including negotiating the end of the Russia-Ukraine War amongst other things. He therefore, cannot dedicate himself just to our hostages and the focus and pressure have been lost. His proposed deal as a bridging deal was a horrible deal that would have only brought 1-5 living hostages home and no goalpost for the rest of the hostages. Because it made absolutely no mention of ending the war, Hamas may have given him some signs that they would consider it, but they have made themselves very clear. There would be no deal for the hostages unless the deal spelled out very clearly the end of the war, with IDF complete pull out and guarantees from the International community, in particular the US. That is Hamas' bottom line and anyone who really thinks they can make a deal without these very strict parameters has no idea how Hamas operates. My brother, who has 18 years negotiating with Hamas, more than any Israeli whatsoever has said all along that they only way we will be getting all of our hostages home is by agreeing to end the war. Hamas is not a typical bargaining side to negotiations. In typical and normal bargaining, each side must compromise on the bottom line. Not so with Hamas. They could choose certain flexibility with interim issues, but with the bottom line, there is absolutely no movement. It hasn't happened in the past, and it is very doubtful that it will happen now. Witkoff doesn't understand that, Netanyahu doesn't care, so we are neither here nor there and the hostages are still in Gaza.
- Hamas says terror group has ‘responded positively’ to Egyptian ceasefire proposal
A Hamas official tells The Associated Press that the terror group has “responded positively” to an Egyptian proposal to try to get the Gaza ceasefire-hostage deal back on track, without elaborating.
Hamas would release five living hostages, including an American-Israeli, in return for Israel allowing humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip and a weeks-long pause in the fighting, an Egyptian official says. Israel would also release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.
Both officials speak on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media on the closed-door talks.Israel has not received new hostage deal proposal, official saysIsrael has not received any new proposal for a hostage release, an Israeli official tells The Times of Israel.
An Egyptian official told the AP earlier today that Hamas “responded positively” to an outline that would see five living hostages released for an extended pause in the fighting.
“We haven’t heard of any new proposal,” says the official.
Israel is still trying to get Hamas to agree to the US-backed “Witkoff proposal,” says the official. The proposal, rejected by Hamas thus far, would have seen the ceasefire extended through April 19 and have Hamas release five living hostages in exchange for a large number of Palestinian security prisoners. Israel says it accepted Witkoff’s proposal, but the proposal would only have freed 11 living hostages.
If Hamas doesn’t agree to Israel’s terms, “we will keep increasing the pressure until Hamas breaks,” says the official.
If that doesn’t happen, Israel “will embark on a widespread ground campaign” in Gaza, according to the official.
Israel has not yet decided on what it will do “on the civilian side” in Gaza, including whether it will implement a military government over the Strip.
Grandfather of fallen soldier confronts Netanyahu in court, tells him to remove hostage pin
The grandfather of Israel Defense Forces Sgt. Gur Kehati, 20, who was killed during a gun battle with Hezbollah operatives on November 20, 2024, tells Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to remove his yellow hostage pin while in the courtroom during his criminal trial.
“The prime minister with a hostage pin is abandoning the hostages,” Asaf Agmon says. “Remove the symbol of the hostages from your lapel!”
Kehati was killed while in southern Lebanon, alongside Zeev Erlich, 71, who was in IDF uniform and with a senior officer, but had no official authorization from the army to be in Lebanon, where he was reportedly attempting to study antiquities.
Hostage Updates
Witkoff says Hamas may have tricked him into thinking it was game for deal
US special envoy to the Mideast Steve Witkoff says Hamas may have “duped” him earlier this month, as he initially thought the terror group had agreed to his bridge proposal to extend the ceasefire in Gaza, only for it to pull back.
“I thought we had an acceptable deal. I even thought we had an approval from Hamas. Maybe that’s just me getting duped. I thought we were there, and evidently we weren’t,” Witkoff tells Fox News on Sunday, reflecting on his March 12 visit to Doha where he presented his bridge proposal
The bridge proposal would have seen the ceasefire extended through April 19 and have Hamas release five living hostages in exchange for a larger number of Palestinian security prisoners. Israel says it accepted Witkoff’s proposal, but said it would have freed 11 living hostages.
Hamas has insisted on sticking to the original terms of the deal, which was supposed to begin its second phase at the beginning of March. For a month, though, Israel refused to enter talks on the specific terms of phase two, as the stage’s general framework requires it to fully withdraw from Gaza and agree to a permanent end of the war.
In submitting his bridge proposal earlier this month, Witkoff accepted Israel’s aversion to phase two.
Hamas on March 14 offered to release the last living American hostage and the bodies of four other US citizens, but Witkoff called the response a non-starter. Four days later, Israel resumed fighting in Gaza, collapsing the ceasefire after two months.
“This is on Hamas. The United States stands with the State of Israel. That’s a 100% commitment,” Witkoff tells Fox. “We’ve expressed that Hamas had every opportunity to demilitarize, to accept the bridging proposal that would have given us a 40- or 50-day ceasefire where we could have discussed demilitarization and a final truce. There were all kinds of opportunities to do that, and they elected not to.”
“This (war) becomes the alternative, and it is unfortunate,” he adds.
Witkoff clarifies that the US would still be “amenable” if Hamas reached out again. “I certainly hope we get everybody back to the table and get the hostages home,” he says.
On Friday, though, Witkoff told Tucker Carlson that the parties were already “talking,” after Israel resumed its bombardment of Gaza.
Asked about Iran, Witkoff reiterates what he told Carlson’s podcast on Friday about US President Donald Trump’s letter to Iran’s Supreme Leader Al Khamenei
“Our signal to Hamas and to Iran, is. ‘Let’s sit down and see if we can through diplomacy get to the right place.’ If we can, we’re prepared to do that. If we can’t, the alternative is not a great alternative,” Witkoff says.
He adds that Iran cannot be allowed to acquire a nuclear weapon. link. Witkoff is a very serious man, pretty much a no nonsense guy who knows how to close deals. With all due respect to him, I think that the big problem is that he, along with most Americans, especially those in positions to negotiate, don't understand the Middle East, the players, the cultures and who they are really sitting across from at the table. And there are very few Israelis who have any deep understanding or experience with Hamas. The only reason that we were able to reach Phase 1 of the hostage deal was that Witkoff was able to pressure Netanyahu into the deal. At that time, Netanyahu was truly fearful that he would be in the position of having to choose between Trump and Smotrich. Witkoff, with the backing of Trump and Miriam Adelson were able to force Netanyahu into Phase 1 which also contained the agreement to negotiate Phase 2 on day 16 of Phase 1. Because Phase 2 clearly stated that it would end with a long term ceasefire (euphemism for ending the war), Netanyahu breeched that agreement and Phase 2 negotiations never started. He already understood that he could twist Trump around his little finger and remove Trump's pressure on him to make a deal and end the war, which were Trump's campaign promises. He changed his tune to allowing Netanyahu do whatever he needed to do to get rid of Hamas, which released Netanyahu from being forced into a hostage deal which would have brought all 59 hostages home and end the war. With all of Witkoff's seriousness, Trump has loaded on him multiple critical missions including negotiating the end of the Russia-Ukraine War amongst other things. He therefore, cannot dedicate himself just to our hostages and the focus and pressure have been lost. His proposed deal as a bridging deal was a horrible deal that would have only brought 1-5 living hostages home and no goalpost for the rest of the hostages. Because it made absolutely no mention of ending the war, Hamas may have given him some signs that they would consider it, but they have made themselves very clear. There would be no deal for the hostages unless the deal spelled out very clearly the end of the war, with IDF complete pull out and guarantees from the International community, in particular the US. That is Hamas' bottom line and anyone who really thinks they can make a deal without these very strict parameters has no idea how Hamas operates. My brother, who has 18 years negotiating with Hamas, more than any Israeli whatsoever has said all along that they only way we will be getting all of our hostages home is by agreeing to end the war. Hamas is not a typical bargaining side to negotiations. In typical and normal bargaining, each side must compromise on the bottom line. Not so with Hamas. They could choose certain flexibility with interim issues, but with the bottom line, there is absolutely no movement. It hasn't happened in the past, and it is very doubtful that it will happen now. Witkoff doesn't understand that, Netanyahu doesn't care, so we are neither here nor there and the hostages are still in Gaza.
- Hamas says terror group has ‘responded positively’ to Egyptian ceasefire proposalA Hamas official tells The Associated Press that the terror group has “responded positively” to an Egyptian proposal to try to get the Gaza ceasefire-hostage deal back on track, without elaborating.Hamas would release five living hostages, including an American-Israeli, in return for Israel allowing humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip and a weeks-long pause in the fighting, an Egyptian official says. Israel would also release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.Both officials speak on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media on the closed-door talks.Israel has not received new hostage deal proposal, official says
Israel has not received any new proposal for a hostage release, an Israeli official tells The Times of Israel.
An Egyptian official told the AP earlier today that Hamas “responded positively” to an outline that would see five living hostages released for an extended pause in the fighting.
“We haven’t heard of any new proposal,” says the official.
Israel is still trying to get Hamas to agree to the US-backed “Witkoff proposal,” says the official. The proposal, rejected by Hamas thus far, would have seen the ceasefire extended through April 19 and have Hamas release five living hostages in exchange for a large number of Palestinian security prisoners. Israel says it accepted Witkoff’s proposal, but the proposal would only have freed 11 living hostages.
If Hamas doesn’t agree to Israel’s terms, “we will keep increasing the pressure until Hamas breaks,” says the official.
If that doesn’t happen, Israel “will embark on a widespread ground campaign” in Gaza, according to the official.
Israel has not yet decided on what it will do “on the civilian side” in Gaza, including whether it will implement a military government over the Strip.
Grandfather of fallen soldier confronts Netanyahu in court, tells him to remove hostage pin
The grandfather of Israel Defense Forces Sgt. Gur Kehati, 20, who was killed during a gun battle with Hezbollah operatives on November 20, 2024, tells Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to remove his yellow hostage pin while in the courtroom during his criminal trial.
“The prime minister with a hostage pin is abandoning the hostages,” Asaf Agmon says. “Remove the symbol of the hostages from your lapel!”
Kehati was killed while in southern Lebanon, alongside Zeev Erlich, 71, who was in IDF uniform and with a senior officer, but had no official authorization from the army to be in Lebanon, where he was reportedly attempting to study antiquities.
Gaza and the South
- Hamas battalion chief, deputy commander killed in Gaza airstrikes, IDF says
Two senior Hamas commanders were killed in recent airstrikes in the Gaza Strip, the IDF and Shin Bet say. According to the army, Ahmad Salman ‘Awj Shimali, the deputy commander of the Gaza City Brigade, and Jamil Omar Jamil Wadiya, the commander of the Shejaiya Battalion, were killed in airstrikes in recent days. The military does not detail where or when they were killed.
According to the IDF, Shimali was “responsible for operations, planning the offensive strategy and building the brigade’s force in preparation for Hamas’s brutal massacre on October 7,” and during the war, he was responsible for the deployment of the brigade’s force.
Wadiya took over the Shejaiya Battalion after his predecessors were killed in December 2023, according to the army. On December 2, 2023, the IDF killed Shejaiya Battalion commander Wissam Farhat and, a week later, killed his replacement Emad Qariqa.
“Wadiya was responsible for deploying the battalion’s forces against IDF troops and operated to restore and reorganize the battalion,” the military says.
The statement adds that Wadiya was also involved in a 2011 anti-tank missile attack on an Israeli school bus driving near the Gaza border. The attack killed 16-year-old Daniel Viflic.
- IDF says third division readying to join Gaza offensive
The IDF says thousands of troops are preparing to join military operations in Gaza, ramping up the military’s renewed ground offensive against the Hamas terror group, which is currently being carried out with limited forces.
The army’s 36th Division, which spent months in the north and took part in a ground offensive against Hezbollah in Lebanon, is being redeployed to the Southern Command and has begun preparations for military operations in the Gaza Strip, the IDF says.
Currently, only the IDF’s Gaza Division and 252nd Reserve Division are carrying out operations inside the Gaza Strip. The move will add thousands of more troops to the offensive.
Israel has threatened to expand operations in the Strip as it seeks to pile pressure on Hamas to free hostages still being held in the Strip. link We have reached the most unbelievable situation this country has ever been at. Netanyahu went back to war for strictly political reasons, the pass the budget. If the coalition is not able to pass the budget by the date stated by law, the government falls and new elections are set. To prevent that, Netanyahu didn't make a hostage deal and went back to war in order to bring Ben Gvir and his racist party back into his failed and corrupt coalition to assure that he will have the votes to pass the budget. We are fighting, killing people, leaving the hostages to rot and possibly be killed, either by our bombing or by the Hamas terrorists who will execute them if our forces get close, and soon to be risking the lives of every soldier who goes back into Gaza to fight. All of this in the name of Netanyahu passing the budget and being able to remain prime minister. How utterly disgusting that he is willing to sacrifice so much for his own personal political interests.
- Senior Hamas official killed in targeted strike on Gaza hospital as IDF offensive widensTerror group confirms death of Ismail Barhoum, whom Defense Minister Katz says was new ‘Hamas PM in Gaza’; army deploys third division to southern Israel to join ground operation
Ismail Barhoum, a senior member of Hamas’s political bureau, was killed on Sunday evening in a targeted Israeli airstrike on a hospital in the southern Gaza Strip.
Israel said it had targeted and killed Barhoum at Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza’s Khan Younis, referring to him as a “key Hamas terrorist,” as the Palestinian terror group confirmed his death and said he had been undergoing treatment after being injured in a previous strike.
Defense Minister Israel Katz in a statement hailed the killing of Barhoum, saying he was “the new Hamas prime minister in Gaza, who replaced Issam Da’alis, the previous prime minister who was eliminated a few days ago.”
The Israel Defense Forces said the strike was carried out following “an extensive intelligence-gathering process,” and that a “precision munition” was used to mitigate harm to civilians.
Footage from the scene showed that the hospital building was largely undamaged in the strike, except for fire blazing in one section off a stairwell.
The attack killed at least five people, according to Palestinian medics, and footage on social media appeared to show people extricating bodies and injured people from the rubble.
“The Hamas terrorist organization exploits civilian infrastructure while brutally endangering the Gazan population. The cynical use of an active hospital as a shelter for the planning and executing of murderous terrorist attacks is in direct violation of international law,” the IDF statement read.
The Hamas-run Gaza health ministry said the strike hit the surgery department at the hospital, and a Hamas source told AFP that “Barhoum was receiving treatment after sustaining critical injuries in an airstrike targeting his home in Khan Younis at dawn last Tuesday.”
The strike on the hospital that killed Barhoum was caught on camera by both Al Jazeera and BBC Arabic.
He was at least the fourth member of Hamas’s political bureau killed since last Tuesday, when Israel resumed airstrikes in the territory after an impasse over continuing a ceasefire. Earlier Sunday, an Israeli airstrike near Khan Younis killed Salah al-Bardawil, another senior member of its political bureau.
Barhoum was a member of Hamas’s political wing and had been involved in financial activities for the terror group, according to the European Union, which placed sanctions on him last year. He was also reported to have dealt with Hamas’s finances.
Out of the 20 members of Hamas’s political bureau elected in 2021, 11 have been assassinated during the war in Gaza. Seven are either certain or highly likely to be outside the Gaza Strip.
In a separate announcement on Sunday, the IDF and Shin Bet security agency said two senior Hamas military wing commanders had been killed in recent airstrikes in the Gaza Strip. full article
- IDF said to launch probe of unauthorized demolition of central Gaza hospital
The IDF blows up the Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital in the central Gaza Strip, in a video circulated on social media on March 21, 2025. (Screenshot: X, used in accordance with Clause 27a of the Copyright Law)
The military has reportedly launched an investigation into the apparent unapproved demolition of a hospital in the central Gaza Strip last week.
Footage posted to social media on Friday showed that the IDF blew up the Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital, located in the Netzarim Corridor area.
In response to a query, the IDF claimed that it carried out an airstrike on a group of Hamas operatives who were residing at the hospital, which the terror group had turned into “terror infrastructure.”
But the clip posted online showed a controlled demolition of the hospital, rather than an airstrike.
The Haaretz daily now reports that the army has launched an investigation into the incident and it is suspected that the commander of the 252nd Division, Brig. Gen. Yehuda Vach, ordered the demolition without receiving approval from his superiors.
The demolition of sensitive sites in Gaza, such as hospitals and universities, requires the approval of senior officers, including the chief of the Southern Command and the IDF chief of staff.
Haaretz reports that the Military Advocate General instructed Southern Command chief Maj. Gen. Yaniv Asor to investigate the matter.
Vach’s name was brought up in a separate Haaretz investigation in January, claiming that the division commander had endangered the lives of troops with an aggressive attitude to operations and sent forces into combat areas without adequate preparation.
One after another: IDF destroys dozens of Hamas Nukhba vehicles in Gaza
As part of efforts to degrade Hamas' Nukhba forces' ability to carry out future raids, the Israeli Air Force located and struck dozens of the militants' pickup trucks. Meanwhile, *The Washington Post* reported that Israel is considering more aggressive tactics than those employed so far, as part of escalating operations in Gaza. Israeli officials responded to the reports by stating that no decision has yet been made and that Israel is awaiting the outcome of hostage deal negotiations before deciding whether to intensify fighting.
The Air Force is currently attacking (Monday) dozens of Nukhba militants' pickup trucks to undermine their ability to conduct future raids. The IDF successfully mapped the locations of these vehicles, including where they were hidden, and has been conducting a targeted operation to destroy them over the past two hours. This strike follows a report in *The Washington Post* yesterday suggesting that "Israel may be considering, as part of its escalated operations in Gaza, occupying the Strip for months or longer."
Israeli officials speaking to the newspaper stated that, as part of ongoing fighting in Gaza, the IDF plans to take direct responsibility for distributing humanitarian aid—as first reported in *The Washington Post*—eliminate additional members of Hamas' civilian leadership, and relocate populations to "humanitarian bubbles."
Attack on Pickup Trucks in Gaza*The Washington Post* reported that with the end of the ceasefire and the resumption of fighting, the IDF is evaluating new, more aggressive tactics than those used thus far. Israeli sources added that no decision has been made yet, and Israel is still waiting to see the outcome of hostage deal negotiations before deciding whether to escalate military operations in the Strip.
The return to fighting came after Hamas rejected mediators' proposals to extend the hostage release deal, as well as a "bridge" proposal to extend the ceasefire by 40 days in exchange for 11 living hostages. Israeli officials stated that this offer "remains on the table" but clarified that negotiations will now take place under fire.
Estimates suggest that a full-scale occupation, as currently planned, would require five divisions and pose a significant challenge to the military. However, Israeli officials argue that only such an operation would achieve Netanyahu's stated war goal of defeating Hamas. Nevertheless, official sources said they remain willing to negotiate with Hamas through mediators before launching any large-scale invasion.
Destruction in the Gaza Strip** (Photo: Abed Rahim Khatib, Flash 90) The Wall Street Journal also reported that Netanyahu and his circle believe Hamas must be dealt a decisive blow on the battlefield before any post-war solution for Gaza can be advanced. This contrasts with the alternative approach, which holds that defeating Hamas requires first establishing an alternative governing authority to weaken its influence in the Strip. The American newspaper noted that Netanyahu feels more confident moving forward due to backing from the Trump administration, bolstered by the IDF's recent successes against Hezbollah in the north.
*The Wall Street Journal* also highlighted Israel's new military leadership—Defense Minister Israel Katz and Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir—and reported that Netanyahu's inner circle now believes Hamas' tunnel network must be completely destroyed. This effort could take months or even years, impacting both Gazan civilians and Israel's deterrence in the region. link
Two senior Hamas commanders were killed in recent airstrikes in the Gaza Strip, the IDF and Shin Bet say.
According to the army, Ahmad Salman ‘Awj Shimali, the deputy commander of the Gaza City Brigade, and Jamil Omar Jamil Wadiya, the commander of the Shejaiya Battalion, were killed in airstrikes in recent days. The military does not detail where or when they were killed.
According to the IDF, Shimali was “responsible for operations, planning the offensive strategy and building the brigade’s force in preparation for Hamas’s brutal massacre on October 7,” and during the war, he was responsible for the deployment of the brigade’s force.
Wadiya took over the Shejaiya Battalion after his predecessors were killed in December 2023, according to the army. On December 2, 2023, the IDF killed Shejaiya Battalion commander Wissam Farhat and, a week later, killed his replacement Emad Qariqa.
“Wadiya was responsible for deploying the battalion’s forces against IDF troops and operated to restore and reorganize the battalion,” the military says.
The statement adds that Wadiya was also involved in a 2011 anti-tank missile attack on an Israeli school bus driving near the Gaza border. The attack killed 16-year-old Daniel Viflic.
Ismail Barhoum, a senior member of Hamas’s political bureau, was killed on Sunday evening in a targeted Israeli airstrike on a hospital in the southern Gaza Strip.
Israel said it had targeted and killed Barhoum at Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza’s Khan Younis, referring to him as a “key Hamas terrorist,” as the Palestinian terror group confirmed his death and said he had been undergoing treatment after being injured in a previous strike.
Defense Minister Israel Katz in a statement hailed the killing of Barhoum, saying he was “the new Hamas prime minister in Gaza, who replaced Issam Da’alis, the previous prime minister who was eliminated a few days ago.”
The Israel Defense Forces said the strike was carried out following “an extensive intelligence-gathering process,” and that a “precision munition” was used to mitigate harm to civilians.
Footage from the scene showed that the hospital building was largely undamaged in the strike, except for fire blazing in one section off a stairwell.
The attack killed at least five people, according to Palestinian medics, and footage on social media appeared to show people extricating bodies and injured people from the rubble.
“The Hamas terrorist organization exploits civilian infrastructure while brutally endangering the Gazan population. The cynical use of an active hospital as a shelter for the planning and executing of murderous terrorist attacks is in direct violation of international law,” the IDF statement read.
The Hamas-run Gaza health ministry said the strike hit the surgery department at the hospital, and a Hamas source told AFP that “Barhoum was receiving treatment after sustaining critical injuries in an airstrike targeting his home in Khan Younis at dawn last Tuesday.”
The strike on the hospital that killed Barhoum was caught on camera by both Al Jazeera and BBC Arabic.
He was at least the fourth member of Hamas’s political bureau killed since last Tuesday, when Israel resumed airstrikes in the territory after an impasse over continuing a ceasefire. Earlier Sunday, an Israeli airstrike near Khan Younis killed Salah al-Bardawil, another senior member of its political bureau.
Barhoum was a member of Hamas’s political wing and had been involved in financial activities for the terror group, according to the European Union, which placed sanctions on him last year. He was also reported to have dealt with Hamas’s finances.
Out of the 20 members of Hamas’s political bureau elected in 2021, 11 have been assassinated during the war in Gaza. Seven are either certain or highly likely to be outside the Gaza Strip.
In a separate announcement on Sunday, the IDF and Shin Bet security agency said two senior Hamas military wing commanders had been killed in recent airstrikes in the Gaza Strip. full article
The IDF blows up the Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital in the central Gaza Strip, in a video circulated on social media on March 21, 2025. (Screenshot: X, used in accordance with Clause 27a of the Copyright Law)
The military has reportedly launched an investigation into the apparent unapproved demolition of a hospital in the central Gaza Strip last week.
Footage posted to social media on Friday showed that the IDF blew up the Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital, located in the Netzarim Corridor area.
In response to a query, the IDF claimed that it carried out an airstrike on a group of Hamas operatives who were residing at the hospital, which the terror group had turned into “terror infrastructure.”
But the clip posted online showed a controlled demolition of the hospital, rather than an airstrike.
The Haaretz daily now reports that the army has launched an investigation into the incident and it is suspected that the commander of the 252nd Division, Brig. Gen. Yehuda Vach, ordered the demolition without receiving approval from his superiors.
The demolition of sensitive sites in Gaza, such as hospitals and universities, requires the approval of senior officers, including the chief of the Southern Command and the IDF chief of staff.
Haaretz reports that the Military Advocate General instructed Southern Command chief Maj. Gen. Yaniv Asor to investigate the matter.
Vach’s name was brought up in a separate Haaretz investigation in January, claiming that the division commander had endangered the lives of troops with an aggressive attitude to operations and sent forces into combat areas without adequate preparation.
One after another: IDF destroys dozens of Hamas Nukhba vehicles in Gaza
As part of efforts to degrade Hamas' Nukhba forces' ability to carry out future raids, the Israeli Air Force located and struck dozens of the militants' pickup trucks. Meanwhile, *The Washington Post* reported that Israel is considering more aggressive tactics than those employed so far, as part of escalating operations in Gaza. Israeli officials responded to the reports by stating that no decision has yet been made and that Israel is awaiting the outcome of hostage deal negotiations before deciding whether to intensify fighting.
The Air Force is currently attacking (Monday) dozens of Nukhba militants' pickup trucks to undermine their ability to conduct future raids. The IDF successfully mapped the locations of these vehicles, including where they were hidden, and has been conducting a targeted operation to destroy them over the past two hours. This strike follows a report in *The Washington Post* yesterday suggesting that "Israel may be considering, as part of its escalated operations in Gaza, occupying the Strip for months or longer."
Israeli officials speaking to the newspaper stated that, as part of ongoing fighting in Gaza, the IDF plans to take direct responsibility for distributing humanitarian aid—as first reported in *The Washington Post*—eliminate additional members of Hamas' civilian leadership, and relocate populations to "humanitarian bubbles."
*The Washington Post* reported that with the end of the ceasefire and the resumption of fighting, the IDF is evaluating new, more aggressive tactics than those used thus far. Israeli sources added that no decision has been made yet, and Israel is still waiting to see the outcome of hostage deal negotiations before deciding whether to escalate military operations in the Strip.
The return to fighting came after Hamas rejected mediators' proposals to extend the hostage release deal, as well as a "bridge" proposal to extend the ceasefire by 40 days in exchange for 11 living hostages. Israeli officials stated that this offer "remains on the table" but clarified that negotiations will now take place under fire.
Estimates suggest that a full-scale occupation, as currently planned, would require five divisions and pose a significant challenge to the military. However, Israeli officials argue that only such an operation would achieve Netanyahu's stated war goal of defeating Hamas. Nevertheless, official sources said they remain willing to negotiate with Hamas through mediators before launching any large-scale invasion.
The Wall Street Journal also reported that Netanyahu and his circle believe Hamas must be dealt a decisive blow on the battlefield before any post-war solution for Gaza can be advanced. This contrasts with the alternative approach, which holds that defeating Hamas requires first establishing an alternative governing authority to weaken its influence in the Strip. The American newspaper noted that Netanyahu feels more confident moving forward due to backing from the Trump administration, bolstered by the IDF's recent successes against Hezbollah in the north.
*The Wall Street Journal* also highlighted Israel's new military leadership—Defense Minister Israel Katz and Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir—and reported that Netanyahu's inner circle now believes Hamas' tunnel network must be completely destroyed. This effort could take months or even years, impacting both Gazan civilians and Israel's deterrence in the region. link
Northern Israel - Lebanon/Hizbollah/Syria
- A Day After the Rocket Fire: Lebanon Collects Samples and Engages in Contacts - "To Ensure Israel Does Not Escalate"*
According to a Lebanese security source, the Lebanese army will submit a report analyzing who is behind the launch toward Metula. A Lebanese political source stated: "Hezbollah adheres to the ceasefire agreement; Hezbollah had no connection to the firing." A report indicated: "Orders were given to prevent any action that could drag the country into a new round of war."
A day after rockets were fired from Lebanon toward Metula and Hezbollah denied involvement, a Lebanese security source told the Saudi newspaper *Asharq Al-Awsat* today (Sunday) that Lebanese army units collected samples from the rocket launch area and began analyzing them. It was noted that they would submit their report to the political echelon in Lebanon as soon as it is ready.
The Lebanese official refused to determine who was behind the firing and told the newspaper that the area from which the rockets were launched had been used during the war by Palestinian organizations that fired rockets toward Israel. However, he claimed that "there is more than one non-Lebanese actor that could be blamed for this."
Meanwhile, the Lebanese newspaper *Al-Diyar* reported that intensive contacts took place at the highest levels between Lebanese officials and the international monitoring committee responsible for enforcing the ceasefire, "to address the situation and ensure that Israel does not exploit the situation to expand its aggression and escalate."
A Lebanese political source emphasized: "Hezbollah has adhered to the ceasefire agreement since its announcement and has not responded to the near-daily Israeli attacks, leaving the matter to the Lebanese state. The Lebanese army exposed the improvised launchers, which contradict Hezbollah's approach and capabilities. All facts and evidence confirm that Hezbollah had no connection to the rocket launch."
"Hezbollah has the audacity to declare its actions without hesitation, and its capabilities are not consistent with the methods used yesterday and before, which have been proven to be carried out by groups unrelated to Hezbollah," he added.
According to him, Hezbollah does not usually address events and actions of this kind, but yesterday it was keen to issue a clear and decisive denial to rule out any excuse for continued Israeli attacks.
Following the escalation on the border with Israel, the Lebanese newspaper *Nidaa Al-Watan* reported this morning that Lebanese President Michel Aoun conducted a series of contacts with the U.S., which resulted in Beirut and other areas in Lebanon being excluded from the targets attacked by the IDF. However, it was noted that Israel informed the U.S. that it "will continue to attack any Hezbollah movement in any area, while avoiding harm to civilians and institutions."
According to the report, orders were given to the Lebanese army and security agencies to "take a firmer stance in southern Lebanon and prevent any action that could drag the country into a new round of war."
According to preliminary investigations conducted by Lebanese security officials, the rockets were launched in an improvised manner by a non-professional actor. It was claimed that "this could have been a Lebanese or Palestinian faction, or even a subversive element seeking to destabilize the situation," according to the report.
Official sources in Lebanon confirmed to the newspaper that President Michel Aoun and the government continue to act through diplomatic channels, relying on the U.S., alongside contacts with the French to "contain the repercussions of the rocket fire from southern Lebanon."
Lebanese commentator Khalil Nasrallah, who is close to Hezbollah, claimed last night: "Despite Hezbollah's denial of any involvement in the rocket fire, Israel is carrying out a second wave of airstrikes in Lebanon. Israel is pressuring Lebanon in an attempt to stir internal disputes. On the other hand, it is trying to strengthen its deterrence through an excessive response to any event originating from Lebanon. The Lebanese government has a great responsibility to curb Israeli aggression and is keen to find ways to deal with it."
This evening, Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri addressed the situation in an interview with the Saudi newspaper *Asharq Al-Awsat*:
"Israel intends to lure us into political negotiations to normalize relations between the two countries, but we are not in that position. We have an agreement that enjoys international and Arab support, as well as UN backing. We are implementing it and adhering to it. Israel is the one disrupting its implementation and seeking to bypass it."
"The Lebanese army is now ready to complete its deployment south of the Litani River, but the problem lies in Israel's refusal to withdraw from several points, which has prevented it from deploying up to the international border with UNIFIL support."
He claimed that "Hezbollah is committed to the agreement, has not undermined its implementation, has withdrawn south of the Litani River, and has not fired for six months, despite Israel's ongoing violations and continued attacks in southern Lebanon, up to the Bekaa and the international border between Lebanon and Syria. Hezbollah has refrained from responding to Israel's violations of the ceasefire, adopted a policy of restraint, and stands behind the Lebanese state in implementing the agreement to establish the ceasefire."
"The agreement that the U.S. committed to implementing stipulates the withdrawal of the IDF, the deployment of the Lebanese army, and the release of Lebanese prisoners. But Israel refuses to withdraw and continues its attacks."
Regarding the proposal that a Lebanese delegation, including military and diplomatic officials, would negotiate the release of Lebanese prisoners, the withdrawal of the IDF from the points it occupies, and the delineation of a land border with Israel based on what was determined in the agreement signed between the two countries... he said that "such a proposal is not open for discussion because accepting it would mean overturning the ceasefire agreement, which must be implemented under UNIFIL auspices and under the supervision of the committee." link
- A Day After the Rocket Fire: Lebanon Collects Samples and Engages in Contacts - "To Ensure Israel Does Not Escalate"*According to a Lebanese security source, the Lebanese army will submit a report analyzing who is behind the launch toward Metula. A Lebanese political source stated: "Hezbollah adheres to the ceasefire agreement; Hezbollah had no connection to the firing." A report indicated: "Orders were given to prevent any action that could drag the country into a new round of war."A day after rockets were fired from Lebanon toward Metula and Hezbollah denied involvement, a Lebanese security source told the Saudi newspaper *Asharq Al-Awsat* today (Sunday) that Lebanese army units collected samples from the rocket launch area and began analyzing them. It was noted that they would submit their report to the political echelon in Lebanon as soon as it is ready.The Lebanese official refused to determine who was behind the firing and told the newspaper that the area from which the rockets were launched had been used during the war by Palestinian organizations that fired rockets toward Israel. However, he claimed that "there is more than one non-Lebanese actor that could be blamed for this."Meanwhile, the Lebanese newspaper *Al-Diyar* reported that intensive contacts took place at the highest levels between Lebanese officials and the international monitoring committee responsible for enforcing the ceasefire, "to address the situation and ensure that Israel does not exploit the situation to expand its aggression and escalate."A Lebanese political source emphasized: "Hezbollah has adhered to the ceasefire agreement since its announcement and has not responded to the near-daily Israeli attacks, leaving the matter to the Lebanese state. The Lebanese army exposed the improvised launchers, which contradict Hezbollah's approach and capabilities. All facts and evidence confirm that Hezbollah had no connection to the rocket launch.""Hezbollah has the audacity to declare its actions without hesitation, and its capabilities are not consistent with the methods used yesterday and before, which have been proven to be carried out by groups unrelated to Hezbollah," he added.According to him, Hezbollah does not usually address events and actions of this kind, but yesterday it was keen to issue a clear and decisive denial to rule out any excuse for continued Israeli attacks.Following the escalation on the border with Israel, the Lebanese newspaper *Nidaa Al-Watan* reported this morning that Lebanese President Michel Aoun conducted a series of contacts with the U.S., which resulted in Beirut and other areas in Lebanon being excluded from the targets attacked by the IDF. However, it was noted that Israel informed the U.S. that it "will continue to attack any Hezbollah movement in any area, while avoiding harm to civilians and institutions."According to the report, orders were given to the Lebanese army and security agencies to "take a firmer stance in southern Lebanon and prevent any action that could drag the country into a new round of war."According to preliminary investigations conducted by Lebanese security officials, the rockets were launched in an improvised manner by a non-professional actor. It was claimed that "this could have been a Lebanese or Palestinian faction, or even a subversive element seeking to destabilize the situation," according to the report.Official sources in Lebanon confirmed to the newspaper that President Michel Aoun and the government continue to act through diplomatic channels, relying on the U.S., alongside contacts with the French to "contain the repercussions of the rocket fire from southern Lebanon."Lebanese commentator Khalil Nasrallah, who is close to Hezbollah, claimed last night: "Despite Hezbollah's denial of any involvement in the rocket fire, Israel is carrying out a second wave of airstrikes in Lebanon. Israel is pressuring Lebanon in an attempt to stir internal disputes. On the other hand, it is trying to strengthen its deterrence through an excessive response to any event originating from Lebanon. The Lebanese government has a great responsibility to curb Israeli aggression and is keen to find ways to deal with it."This evening, Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri addressed the situation in an interview with the Saudi newspaper *Asharq Al-Awsat*:"Israel intends to lure us into political negotiations to normalize relations between the two countries, but we are not in that position. We have an agreement that enjoys international and Arab support, as well as UN backing. We are implementing it and adhering to it. Israel is the one disrupting its implementation and seeking to bypass it.""The Lebanese army is now ready to complete its deployment south of the Litani River, but the problem lies in Israel's refusal to withdraw from several points, which has prevented it from deploying up to the international border with UNIFIL support."He claimed that "Hezbollah is committed to the agreement, has not undermined its implementation, has withdrawn south of the Litani River, and has not fired for six months, despite Israel's ongoing violations and continued attacks in southern Lebanon, up to the Bekaa and the international border between Lebanon and Syria. Hezbollah has refrained from responding to Israel's violations of the ceasefire, adopted a policy of restraint, and stands behind the Lebanese state in implementing the agreement to establish the ceasefire.""The agreement that the U.S. committed to implementing stipulates the withdrawal of the IDF, the deployment of the Lebanese army, and the release of Lebanese prisoners. But Israel refuses to withdraw and continues its attacks."Regarding the proposal that a Lebanese delegation, including military and diplomatic officials, would negotiate the release of Lebanese prisoners, the withdrawal of the IDF from the points it occupies, and the delineation of a land border with Israel based on what was determined in the agreement signed between the two countries... he said that "such a proposal is not open for discussion because accepting it would mean overturning the ceasefire agreement, which must be implemented under UNIFIL auspices and under the supervision of the committee." link
West Bank and Jerusalem and Terror attacks within Israel
- Doctors Without Borders: Palestinians displaced in West Bank op in ‘extremely precarious’ situation
Doctors Without Borders (MSF) denounces the “extremely precarious” situation of Palestinians displaced by the ongoing Israeli military operation in the West Bank.
According to the United Nations, some 40,000 residents have been displaced since January 21, when the Israeli army launched an operation targeting Palestinian terror groups in the north of the territory.
The situation of the displaced Palestinians is “extremely precarious,” MSF says, which is operating in the area.
Palestinians “are without proper shelter, essential services, and access to healthcare,” the NGO says.
“The mental health situation is alarming.”
In a statement to AFP, the Israeli military (IDF) says it had been operating “against all terrorist organizations, including Hamas, in a complex security reality.”
“The IDF follows international law and takes feasible precautions to mitigate harm to uninvolved individuals,” the statement says.
MSF says the scale of forced displacement and destruction of camps “has not been seen in decades” in the West Bank.
“People are unable to return to their homes as Israeli forces have blocked access to the camps, destroying homes and infrastructure,” MSF Director of Operations Brice de la Vingne says
“Israel must stop this, and the humanitarian response needs to be scaled up.”
Doctors Without Borders (MSF) denounces the “extremely precarious” situation of Palestinians displaced by the ongoing Israeli military operation in the West Bank.
According to the United Nations, some 40,000 residents have been displaced since January 21, when the Israeli army launched an operation targeting Palestinian terror groups in the north of the territory.
The situation of the displaced Palestinians is “extremely precarious,” MSF says, which is operating in the area.
Palestinians “are without proper shelter, essential services, and access to healthcare,” the NGO says.
“The mental health situation is alarming.”
In a statement to AFP, the Israeli military (IDF) says it had been operating “against all terrorist organizations, including Hamas, in a complex security reality.”
“The IDF follows international law and takes feasible precautions to mitigate harm to uninvolved individuals,” the statement says.
MSF says the scale of forced displacement and destruction of camps “has not been seen in decades” in the West Bank.
“People are unable to return to their homes as Israeli forces have blocked access to the camps, destroying homes and infrastructure,” MSF Director of Operations Brice de la Vingne says
“Israel must stop this, and the humanitarian response needs to be scaled up.”
Politics and the War (general news)
- Shin Bet chief Bar said to tell ministers: You’ve accused me of treason and threatened to jail me; tomorrow you will execute me
Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar told ministers last night that their ongoing accusations against him will lead them to execute him, according to quotes reported in Hebrew media.
“Yesterday you accused me of treason, today you are threatening to send me to jail, tomorrow you will execute me,” he says, according to quotes reported by Channel 12.
Earlier in the meeting, far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir reportedly said: “The Shin Bet chief is a liar, a criminal who should sit in prison. He spies on the political echelon. Collects information and evidence to stage a coup.”
Ben Gvir’s anger follows a report that the Shin Bet has conducted a covert probe into the possible infiltration of extreme-right elements into the Israel Police following suspected political meddling in the force by the office of Ben Gvir, who is in charge of the police.
Bar was ordered fired by the cabinet in a unanimous vote on Thursday night, but the High Court of Justice has issued a temporary injunction on the move until petitions can be heard on the matter.
Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar told ministers last night that their ongoing accusations against him will lead them to execute him, according to quotes reported in Hebrew media.
“Yesterday you accused me of treason, today you are threatening to send me to jail, tomorrow you will execute me,” he says, according to quotes reported by Channel 12.
Earlier in the meeting, far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir reportedly said: “The Shin Bet chief is a liar, a criminal who should sit in prison. He spies on the political echelon. Collects information and evidence to stage a coup.”
Ben Gvir’s anger follows a report that the Shin Bet has conducted a covert probe into the possible infiltration of extreme-right elements into the Israel Police following suspected political meddling in the force by the office of Ben Gvir, who is in charge of the police.
Bar was ordered fired by the cabinet in a unanimous vote on Thursday night, but the High Court of Justice has issued a temporary injunction on the move until petitions can be heard on the matter.
- Protesters, cops clash at barricades outside Netanyahu home
A protester on Jerusalem’s Azza Street holds a sign reading, ‘The Office of the Prime Minister of Qatar,' during a protest in Jerusalem on March 23, 2025. (Sagiv Shifman/ Pro-Democracy Protest Movement)
Police are clashing with anti-government protesters attempting to break through crowd control barricades near Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s private residence in Jerusalem.
Police and border police officers shove demonstrators away from the two layers of barricades separating them from Netanyahu’s home.
No arrests have been witnessed so far.
Protesters set up tents on the street near the barricades earlier, and an organizer with a megaphone vows to remain sitting on the asphalt.
Police are clashing with anti-government protesters attempting to break through crowd control barricades near Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s private residence in Jerusalem.
Police and border police officers shove demonstrators away from the two layers of barricades separating them from Netanyahu’s home.
No arrests have been witnessed so far.
Protesters set up tents on the street near the barricades earlier, and an organizer with a megaphone vows to remain sitting on the asphalt.
Hostage sit-in grows outside Prime Minister’s Residence in Jerusalem
Hundreds of silent protesters are joining a Shift 101 sit-in rally, outside the Hostages Families tent on Jerusalem’s Azza Road, near the prime minister’s official, though unused, residence.
Many walked to the area from the Knesset compound, where anti-government protests are being held, and are joined by others, wearing white and sitting silently in the street, except when someone gets up to speak.
Adina Bar Shalom, a political activist and daughter of the late Shas party founder and figurehead Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef, tells the group that there is nothing more holy than saving lives, and that anyone who saves a life is as if they have saved an entire world.
“Our world without the hostages is not complete,” says Bar Shalom, who says they all must be brought home in one release.
Niva Wenkert, mother of released hostage Omer Wenkert, who sat at many Shift 101 rallies when her son was still held hostage, tells the gathering that she still has 59 family members held hostage in Gaza.
Other protesters keep joining the demonstration, some arriving with kids from school, others coming from work.
The entire area of Azza Road, from the prime minister’s private residence and all roads leading to the area , is closed off by police blockades.
- The Shin Bet's Secret Investigation Against the Police and Ben Gvir
For months, the Shin Bet has been conducting an investigation against the police and the Minister of National Security. The secret investigation was opened due to suspicions of "undermining the state's governance." Shin Bet Chief Ronen Bar wrote in a letter: "We have identified the spread of Kahanism into law enforcement institutions as a dangerous phenomenon, and its prevention is part of the Shin Bet's mission." Bar instructed his agents: "Gather evidence and come forward with findings." The Shin Bet's response: "The service acted to expose and thwart the activities of terrorist organizations."
The Shin Bet has been conducting a secret investigation in recent months against the police and the minister overseeing it, Itamar Ben Gvir, as we first reported this evening (Sunday) in the "Main Edition." The suspicion that prompted the Shin Bet to open the investigation is the undermining of the state's governance.
In a letter written in September, Shin Bet Chief Ronen Bar instructed his agents: "We have identified the spread of Kahanism into law enforcement institutions as a dangerous phenomenon, and its prevention is part of the Shin Bet's mission. Given the involvement of political echelons, this must be done with utmost caution and discretion."
Bar's agents were instructed to gather information in secret and come forward with several "findings": "Continue to collect evidence and testimonies regarding the involvement of the political echelon in influencing the security echelon, in the direction of using force in a manner contrary to the law, and come forward with findings."
It should be recalled that Otzma Yehudit chairman Itamar Ben Gvir was reappointed as Minister of National Security last week, and during the government meeting concerning the Shin Bet chief, the ministers decided to dismiss Bar from his position. The Supreme Court froze the dismissal, and the hearing against the dismissal will take place in two weeks before a panel of three judges headed by President Isaac Amit.
As we reported, the day before yesterday, the Supreme Court issued a temporary order freezing the government's decision to dismiss the Shin Bet chief until a further decision is made. Justice Gila Kanfi-Steinitz explained that the order was issued "to prevent a claim of irreversible harm" and ruled that the petitions would be heard by a panel of judges as soon as possible, no later than April 8.
The Shin Bet's Response: "The Kach and Kahane Chai movements were declared 'illegal associations' in 1994, and since 2016, they have been defined as 'terrorist organizations.' The activities of these organizations continued thereafter, and the service acted to expose and thwart them, in accordance with its legal mandate. In light of this, and as information on the matter is received, the service also addresses concerns about the infiltration of these elements into government institutions, particularly law enforcement agencies." link Ben Gvir is a disciple of Meir Kahana and his party, Otzma Yehudit is nothing more than a renaming of Kach party that was outlawed as a racist and illegal association and defined as a terrorist organization. Let's never forget that Ben Gvir spent his entire legal practice before entering the Knesset, defending Jewish Terrorists. Now as Minister of Internal "Insecurity", he promotes his racist ideology within the police and makes sure that Jewish terror is not caught, punished or prosecuted. Just as Kach was determined to be illegal, Oztma Yehudit should follow suit.
For months, the Shin Bet has been conducting an investigation against the police and the Minister of National Security. The secret investigation was opened due to suspicions of "undermining the state's governance." Shin Bet Chief Ronen Bar wrote in a letter: "We have identified the spread of Kahanism into law enforcement institutions as a dangerous phenomenon, and its prevention is part of the Shin Bet's mission." Bar instructed his agents: "Gather evidence and come forward with findings." The Shin Bet's response: "The service acted to expose and thwart the activities of terrorist organizations."
The Shin Bet has been conducting a secret investigation in recent months against the police and the minister overseeing it, Itamar Ben Gvir, as we first reported this evening (Sunday) in the "Main Edition." The suspicion that prompted the Shin Bet to open the investigation is the undermining of the state's governance.
In a letter written in September, Shin Bet Chief Ronen Bar instructed his agents: "We have identified the spread of Kahanism into law enforcement institutions as a dangerous phenomenon, and its prevention is part of the Shin Bet's mission. Given the involvement of political echelons, this must be done with utmost caution and discretion."
Bar's agents were instructed to gather information in secret and come forward with several "findings": "Continue to collect evidence and testimonies regarding the involvement of the political echelon in influencing the security echelon, in the direction of using force in a manner contrary to the law, and come forward with findings."
It should be recalled that Otzma Yehudit chairman Itamar Ben Gvir was reappointed as Minister of National Security last week, and during the government meeting concerning the Shin Bet chief, the ministers decided to dismiss Bar from his position. The Supreme Court froze the dismissal, and the hearing against the dismissal will take place in two weeks before a panel of three judges headed by President Isaac Amit.
As we reported, the day before yesterday, the Supreme Court issued a temporary order freezing the government's decision to dismiss the Shin Bet chief until a further decision is made. Justice Gila Kanfi-Steinitz explained that the order was issued "to prevent a claim of irreversible harm" and ruled that the petitions would be heard by a panel of judges as soon as possible, no later than April 8.
The Shin Bet's Response: "The Kach and Kahane Chai movements were declared 'illegal associations' in 1994, and since 2016, they have been defined as 'terrorist organizations.' The activities of these organizations continued thereafter, and the service acted to expose and thwart them, in accordance with its legal mandate. In light of this, and as information on the matter is received, the service also addresses concerns about the infiltration of these elements into government institutions, particularly law enforcement agencies." link Ben Gvir is a disciple of Meir Kahana and his party, Otzma Yehudit is nothing more than a renaming of Kach party that was outlawed as a racist and illegal association and defined as a terrorist organization. Let's never forget that Ben Gvir spent his entire legal practice before entering the Knesset, defending Jewish Terrorists. Now as Minister of Internal "Insecurity", he promotes his racist ideology within the police and makes sure that Jewish terror is not caught, punished or prosecuted. Just as Kach was determined to be illegal, Oztma Yehudit should follow suit.
The Region and the World
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Personal StoriesThe Struggle of Nir Oz: The Kibbutz's Battle for Rehabilitation Funds
While the coalition allocates billions to unnecessary ministries, Nir Oz is left behind. The kibbutz, which suffered the most severe damage in the October 7th massacre, has yet to receive a budget framework for rehabilitation, with the current gap standing at 200 million shekels. The state expects kibbutz members to collect donations and make up the shortfall through philanthropy, but the residents, who are fighting for the hostages still in captivity, say: "We need an out-of-the-box solution."
Kibbutz Nir Oz before and after the October 7 massacre
A year and a half after the October 7th massacre, the homes in Kibbutz Nir Oz remain destroyed and charred, and its pathways are desolate. Today, the kibbutz members are fighting for what should be obvious—demanding the funds they need from the state that abandoned them on that fateful day—to try and begin rebuilding what was destroyed.
Nir Oz is the only kibbutz that has yet to finalize a budget framework with the Tkuma Administration, the body responsible for rehabilitation efforts. The gap between the estimated cost of rehabilitation, according to the kibbutz, and what the state is willing to provide currently stands at 200 million shekels. The state assumes that the kibbutz members will collect donations and make up the shortfall through philanthropy and fundraising.
The destruction of Kibbutz Nir Oz
**The Destruction in Nir Oz** About a quarter of Nir Oz's residents were either kidnapped or murdered in the October 7th massacre and Hamas captivity. Out of all the homes in the kibbutz, only six were not breached by the terrorists. All the others were broken into, looted, burned, and destroyed to the ground. Despite this, and despite it being clear that Nir Oz suffered the most severe damage, the state insists on budgeting it the same way as the other kibbutzim in the surrounding area. Beyond the severe damage, the homes in Nir Oz are smaller and more outdated compared to other kibbutzim in the region. The residents say today: "Nir Oz needs an out-of-the-box solution—this is an extreme case that requires a unique approach."
These days, the kibbutz members are focused on trying to rebuild their community and fighting for those still in captivity—who need to return. According to the plan, by the summer of 2026, those who choose to do so are expected to return to the kibbutz. Today, they are demanding from the state something they never thought they would have to ask for: help in bringing Nir Oz back to life.
**Response from the Tkuma Administration:** "The Tkuma Administration embraces the community of Nir Oz, which was severely affected. The head of the Tkuma Administration, Aviad Friedman, will hold a meeting this evening with the leaders of the Nir Oz community to try and formulate agreed-upon solutions as much as possible, within the authority of the Tkuma Administration. The Tkuma Administration maintains ongoing dialogue with the Nir Oz community and is doing everything in its power to meet all its needs." link Why should this government care a bit about Kibbutz Nir Oz, the kibbutz that Netanyahu refuses to visit? What, are they supposed to take the billions they gave to settlements and Ultra-religious institutions that go against the state and refuse to serve in the army? No, the most important thing is for Netanyahu to stay prime minister and keep his failed and corrupt coalition together. That is surely more important to Netanyahu and his cronies, to hell with Nir Oz and the hell with the hostages! This is pure Netanyahu, with his continued abandonment of the country, especially the kibbutzim that have suffered the worst on October 7 and since.
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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