🎗️Lonny's War Update- October 544, 2023

🎗️Day 544 that 59 of our hostages in Hamas captivity
There is nothing more important than getting them home! NOTHING!

“I’ve never met them,
But I miss them.
I’ve never met them,
but I think of them every second.
I’ve never met them,
but they are my family.
BRING THEM HOME NOW!!!”
We’re waiting for you, all of you.
A deal is the only way to bring
all the hostages home- the murdered for burial and the living for rehabilitation.

#BringThemHomeNow #TurnTheHorrorIntoHope

There is no victory until all of the hostages are home!
‎אין נצחון עד שכל החטופים בבית

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

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Hostage Updates

Hostages families ‘horrified’ by expanded Gaza op, suggest captives being ‘sacrificed’
In response to the announcement of the expanding military operation in Rafah, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum issues a statement saying, “Has it been decided to sacrifice the hostages for the sake of ‘territorial gains?'”
It adds. “Instead of securing the release of the hostages through a deal and ending the war, the Israeli government is sending more soldiers into Gaza to fight in the same areas where battles have already taken place repeatedly.”
The Forum says families “were horrified to wake up this morning to the defense minister’s announcement that the military operation in Gaza would be expanded for the purpose of ‘capturing extensive territory.’
“The responsibility for the release of the 59 hostages held by Hamas lies with the Israeli government. Our grave concern is that this mission has been pushed to the bottom of its priorities and has become merely a secondary objective.” link Netanyahu and Katz make it all too obvious that their goals have nothing to do with the hostages. Their main goal is to keep the war going and that means that a hostage deal can never be made. That doesn't bother Netanyahu in the least because he achieves his personal goals by keeping the war going and Katz, as his lapdog goes along with it. Disgraceful!

Former hostage Romi Gonen: Every explosion in Gaza further shatters hostages’ hopes
Former hostage Romi Gonen laments “a difficult morning with the expansion of the fighting in Gaza.”
Gonen, who was freed from captivity on January 19 at the start of the now-defunct ceasefire, writes on Instagram: “Every explosion shatters the hostages’ hopes a little more. I was there. I know.”
Gonen adds: “I beg of the decision-makers. Don’t wait another moment. Bring back all 59 hostages before the Festival of Freedom.”
She is referring to Passover, which begins on April 12.

"They stripped us—there is nothing more Nazi than this": The torture, starvation, and abuse in Hamas tunnels | Eliya Cohen's first interview

After 505 days in Hamas captivity and a month and a half after his return, the survivor sits before Channel 12’s camera and bravely shares his story. From the moment of his abduction at the shelter, torn from his partner’s arms ("In no scenario in the world could I have imagined she survived this"), through the horrific abuse underground ("You see the smiles on their faces")—to his return home and the painful separation from his friend Alon Ohel ("He’s magical, pure").

For 505 days, Eliya Cohen was held captive by Hamas. A month and a half after his return, he is still trying to rebuild a routine, strengthen his recovering body, and regain the many kilograms he lost. Alongside treatment for his injured leg and coping with his damaged hearing, Eliya’s psychological recovery is far from over. Despite this, he courageously sat down for an exclusive interview with Channel 12, delivering a chilling testimony on Tuesday night—one that may be almost too harrowing to bear.
Eliya Cohen

Eliya’s new life

Eliya describes ringing in his ears, pressing his phone’s speaker to his ear just to hear. "Right after leaving the shelter, I realized my hearing wasn’t good," he admitted. For his family, of course, none of that matters. The only thing that counts is that he’s here.

"On Sunday, after he returned, we slept in the hospital," his mother Siggy recalls. "I woke up in the morning wondering if I had dreamed it or if it was real. I got up in my pajamas, without a head covering, and ran to the next room. I pulled the blanket off him just to see he was there." He was startled, but she reassured him: "I just wanted to see that you were here."

Eliya Cohen

Love surrounds him from all directions. Strangers greet him, asking for photos. Amid all the chaos, he hasn’t forgotten the friends he lost or the brothers still there—543 days and nights. "I promised Alon (Ohel), ‘I’m getting out of here, and until I see you back in Israel, this isn’t over.’ That’s why I’m here."

Before recounting his ordeal, Eliya wanted to send a clear message to decision-makers: "It’s insane that I have to tell the government this. That we describe what we endured—starvation, chains, violence—and they hear it all, yet choose to return to fighting." He emphasized: "There are human beings underground. A solution must be found. Sit at the negotiating table and break your heads figuring out how to get those people out. To me, leaving them there is a death sentence."

Eliya Cohen with Ziv Avud

4:00 AM, back at Nova

"We arrived at four in the morning, and the entire area was packed with friends. We were drunk, having the time of our lives—laughing, hugging everyone. Around 6:00 AM, we heard the first interception in the sky." He called it a "crazy fireworks show."

I looked at Ziv and said, "I don’t want to stay here." She replied, "No problem, I’ll get us out." They were among the first to leave and reach the shelter: "There weren’t many people there yet—that’s when I first met Alon." Slowly, more arrived, and they grasped the severity of the situation. "We got phone alerts about terrorist infiltrations. Suddenly, a guy came in saying he’d been shot at in his car. We realized this was way beyond rockets, but we still believed the army would come."

He looked at Ziv as gunfire echoed outside, with no sign of Israeli resistance. "They’re going to get here, I’m telling you. Let’s grab our legs and run," he said. She insisted they stay and hide.

The terror in the shelter: "I threw myself on her, screaming, ‘Ziv, I love you!’"

"We heard trucks stopping. So many trucks, shouting in Arabic," he recalls. "They threw the first grenade. Someone yelled, ‘Grenade! Grenade!’ I jumped on Ziv, covering her completely, and the first thing that came out of my mouth was, ‘Ziv, I love you.’ The grenade exploded, killing everyone at the entrance. Ziv whispered back, ‘Eliya, I love you.’"

The heartbreaking exhibit of Ziv Abud, the hostage Eliya Cohen’s partner | Photo: N12

Suddenly, Aner Shapiro stood up. "Out of nowhere, he said, ‘We can’t let them kill us like this.’ Another grenade was thrown. He grabbed it and threw it back," Eliya remembers. "I saw it with my own eyes. Everyone knew what he was doing." Ziv added, "Everyone cheered him—‘Wow, what a hero.’ I thought, How are they even functioning? I’m about to lose my mind."

The first call to police: "Hide, okay bye."

Amid the struggle against the terrorists, Alon Ohel—also abducted and still held by Hamas—called the police. "He told them, ‘Listen, we’re in the shelter. They’re throwing grenades at us, shooting at us.’ The response was, ‘Hide, okay bye,’" Eliya recounts.

Eliya Cohen with his mother

"At some point, Aner was holding a grenade, and I saw they’d managed to shoot him. He fell to the ground, and the grenade exploded with him. That’s when I thought, ‘I can’t believe this.’ The guy guarding us was gone." Others kept throwing grenades back: "I remember a girl picking one up and throwing it—until the last grenade blew off her hand. After that, no one got up to throw anymore."

"She told me something that kept me alive for 505 days: ‘At least up there, we’ll be together, and no one can disturb us.’"

They entered an unimaginable survival mode: "I saw a body and used it to shield myself. I thought, ‘At least if grenades explode, this will protect me and Ziv.’ Through it all, she kept reassuring me she was alive. We held hands, and she kept tapping my back, saying, ‘Eliya, you okay? I’m alive.’"

The shelter they fled to from the Nova party | Photo: Flash 90

"We were buried under bodies, but in our own world," she added. Then he remembered her words, which he carried for 505 days: "Well, at least up there, we’ll be together. No one can disturb us there." Then Ziv heard a scream—Eliya’s. She asked if he was okay, and he said he’d been shot in the leg. "I think that’s when I passed out. From then until 11 AM, I remember nothing."

"3 terrorists with a crazy smile"

He recited "Shema Yisrael," opened his eyes, and saw three terrorists: "They had phones and flashlights, filming us. With this insane grin on their faces. A crazy smile. I’ll never forget that smile. I go to sleep with it, I live with it. That’s the smile of my abduction."

They pointed a gun at him and took him. "That’s when I felt our hands being tied. I couldn’t understand what was happening," Ziv recalled. "I saw trucks and dozens of terrorists," he said. "You ask yourself, What’s going on? Am I in Israel? Where am I?"
Siggy Cohen, mother of Eliya Cohen, abducted to Gaza from the Nova party | Photo: Knesset Channel

Eliya realized they were heading to Gaza: "I heard them celebrating, going wild like they’d won. They beat us mercilessly—rifle butts to the head, spitting on us." Another captive tried to escape, jumping from the vehicle. "He took matters into his own hands, saying, ‘I’m jumping.’ We begged him not to, but mid-drive, he did. They stopped the truck and shot him dead. We kept driving to Gaza like nothing happened. Like a guy hadn’t just jumped and been shot."

Surgery without anesthesia: "Arrival" in Gaza

They reached Gaza and were allowed to shower. "That was the first time I saw myself in a mirror since the attack. I was covered in blood, pieces of burned skin on my body and face. I looked at myself and thought, I can’t believe I have body parts of other people on me."

Footage of a Hamas senior officials' tunnel where hostages were held | Photo: IDF Spokesperson

Everything happened in seconds. "I pulled myself together and thought, There’s no way I’m not getting home. I’ll give them what they want, play along." Then a man claiming to be a doctor examined his gunshot wound and said he’d remove the bullet—without anesthesia. Just a cloth stuffed in his mouth. "Don’t scream," he ordered. "If civilians outside hear you, they’ll storm this house, and I can’t protect you."

Or and Alon were brought to the same apartment. "We weren’t allowed to speak to each other," he said. "At some point, they realized we desperately wanted to talk. They didn’t want us to lose it—they wanted us returned alive." They were allowed to whisper in English: "It wasn’t even a whisper, just lip-reading. When I first saw Or in the tunnel after 52 days, it was the first time I heard his voice. I said, ‘Dude, what an ugly voice—I can’t believe after 52 days, this is how you sound.’"

Hamas tunnel | Photo: IDF Spokesperson

They were moved to a tunnel—the first time they saw other hostages. "There was a ceasefire. Everyone thought we were going home. They kept telling us how good everything would be. Then, on the third day, one of them walked in and said, ‘Get up, everyone. Everyone’s going home to mom.’ We asked, ‘Wait, what about us?’ He said, ‘Don’t worry, a day or two.’"

"They really thought they were going home," he said painfully. "Now I realize it was psychological warfare—they were mocking us. They kept saying how happy Ory and Yishai were, that they’d seen their mom, that our families knew we were okay."

Survival in the tunnel: "Like a monkey"

"The day we landed in the tunnel, we were 'introduced to' the chains. Tied so tight they cut into your legs. Going to the bathroom took ten minutes. You think, Wow, I’m actually chained up like a monkey."

Did they take the chains off at night?
"Never. For months, we wore them. The only time they came off was for showers—once every two months." They tightened them on purpose. "You have six links of slack, then suddenly it’s three or four. They’d tie them tighter, making it impossible to sleep—your legs would bleed from friction." So many nights, he says, they couldn’t sleep: "You wake up every morning with your body locked in pain."

Eli Sharabi said the hardest part was the hunger.
"I agree. In the end, you can endure anything—humiliation, curses, the chains. But hunger is a daily battle for survival. Every night, you go to bed thinking, What will I do tomorrow to get that piece of pita?"

Destruction in Gaza, Khan Younis, July 2024 (Photo: Anas-Mohammed, Shutterstock)

"Listen, in the end, we were people eating one dry pita a day with two spoons of beans or peas. Often, they toyed with us. There were times I begged God for that to be the case—just a dry pita with two spoons of beans."

They thought food would come daily at 3 PM, but it didn’t. The terrorists deceived them. "Suddenly, they’d bring less. Instead of one pita per person, it was three for the group: ‘Divide it. Maybe I’ll bring another later.’"

"You find yourself begging—and they enjoy it," he continued. "They know they’re starving you." Sometimes, they’d wait for a guard to be alone to appeal to his humanity: "Often, it worked. I can’t describe the feeling when you suddenly touch his heart, and he quietly slips you an extra pita or a chocolate bar. In that moment, it’s the best thing that’s ever happened to you—because you’ve survived another day."

"Nothing is more Nazi than this"

Beyond the squalor, chains, and extreme hunger, there was relentless psychological abuse. "They’d come in once or twice a week: ‘Everyone, strip naked.’" They’d check if they were thin enough to justify cutting their rations. "They’d debate it," he recalled.

Eliya Cohen’s release from Hamas captivity | Photo: Reuters

"You look at them, see their smiles, and realize it’s pure sadism. How low can you go?" Then he concludes: "Nothing is more Nazi than this. I hate Holocaust comparisons, but this is as close as it gets."

Humiliated, but never gave up. He believed he’d have a life and family—but never imagined Ziv would survive: "In my mind, in no scenario could she have made it. At first, it was very hard—the realization that I’d lost my partner. From the day we met, we lived together, slept together, worked together."

During his darkest days in captivity, Eliya didn’t know Ziv was not only alive but fighting for him—in studios, on social media, in the Knesset. With a heartbreaking exhibit on the beach. Alongside her, Eliya’s mother demanded answers. "I banged on Bibi’s table," Siggy said. "Enough. Bring our children home. We need them here."

While families fought, the government told the public only military pressure would help the hostages. In the tunnels, they felt differently. "Every day they bombed Gaza, the guard would come in and tighten our shackles." He added: "Often, they’d say, ‘You’re abusing our security prisoners, so I’ll abuse you here.’"

Did tightening conditions for security prisoners affect you?
"Of course. They’d tighten our chains, cut our food, and torment us more with forced stripping and food games." He heard missiles destroying the mosque they’d entered through, felt the whole tunnel shake, and understood the danger: "If there’s one thing they never stopped reminding us, it’s that if the army tried to rescue us, the first thing they’d do is kill us. Then they’d fight the soldiers. They made it clear the IDF wouldn’t be the hero in this scenario."

Eliya and his partner Ziv at their first reunion | Photo: IDF Spokesperson

Mortal fear: "We said, ‘This is the end. Two minutes, and it’s over.’"

As Israeli forces advanced, they thought execution was imminent. "We looked at each other and said, ‘Okay, this is it.’ I hugged Alon and told him, ‘Close your eyes. Two minutes, and it’ll be over. It won’t hurt.’"

"Suddenly, an officer walked in and said, ‘We’re not killing them. Take off the chains. We’re fleeing.’ That’s when we finally left that tunnel." They emerged from an electrical closet in a school teachers’ room: "The first thing we saw was apocalyptic. Not a single building standing in Gaza, eerie silence. Just IDF flyers everywhere telling people to leave, and bodies in every corner. The stench of death was overwhelming."

The move to an abandoned tunnel

"There was no life there—no electricity, water, or food. The only food we had was what we’d brought from the previous tunnel. We sat in a room lit by a single flashlight. Hygiene was long gone—you stop caring. No beds, so we slept on the floor." They realized their previous conditions had been far better.

"At some point, we understood a deal was happening because they became very happy, and more food started coming. A month before our release, a ‘senior commander’ arrived. He saw our terrible state and ordered the chains removed because ‘the fighting is over.’"

Alon Ohel | Photo: Uvda

Then Eli and Or were freed. The entire country was shocked by their appearance—and apparently, so were the terrorists. "They started stuffing us with food, especially after Eli and Or left. It made noise."
Left to right: Eli Sharabi, Or Levy and Ohad Ben Ami seen on a stage set up by Hamas in Deir el-Balah, central Gaza, before the terror group handed them over to the Red Cross, February 8, 2025 (Eyad Baba / AFP)

Could you even eat that much by then?
"You’re so insecure from food uncertainty that you want to shove everything into your mouth."

Then comes the moment they take you and say, "You’re being released—he’s staying."
"Alon panicked. He was terrified, crying. I looked at him and said, ‘Bro, I’m out on the 1st, you’re out on the 8th? It’s all good.’ I truly believed the second phase would happen that fast."

Not giving up on Alon: "He’s magical"

How bad is his eyesight?
"He can’t see from one eye. It’s not good. We had deep talks. I told him, ‘Alon, build a routine. Lift bottles, exercise. Dedicate an hour or two a day to personal growth. Don’t forget where you came from or your family.’"

"We hugged and cried. I told him to stay strong. I promised him that me leaving didn’t mean I’d forget him." Eliya says Alon had an innocent, captivating purity: "A week before my release, we sat together. It was Monday—Alon’s birthday was the next week. He cried and said, ‘My birthday’s next week, let me go.’ His childlike innocence was magical. The terrorist just stared, not knowing how to react."

Ziv Abud and Eliya Cohen in a helicopter on the way to the hospital | Photo: N12

Returning home—and realizing his friends were murdered

"It’s a shock," he says of the moment he learned his friends hadn’t returned but were brutally murdered. "You realize everything you imagined might not be real." Then he stepped out of the vehicle—and knew it was happening. He was going home: "The happiest moment of my life. I looked everyone in the eyes and gave a victory ‘V.’ People were spitting, throwing bottles. And if you notice, when I stood on the stage, everyone was released, but they held onto me. I tried to raise my hand, and he wouldn’t let me."

Did you know Avitar David and Guy Dalal were in that truck, right near you at the release?
"Listen, I didn’t know them—I didn’t know most hostages. But I could tell they were hostages—bald, emaciated, not looking good. I saw their stress. They were terrified."

"We screamed and cried in the car": Eliya returns

"As we got off the ambulance, a woman said, ‘Welcome back to Israel.’ I looked at her and thought, Oh no, she’s about to break the news. Then she said, ‘At Kibbutz Re’im, your mom and dad are waiting.’ Then she added, ‘And Ziv.’ Eliya couldn’t believe it: "I said, ‘What do you mean, ‘and Ziv’? You’re lying.’ She said, ‘No.’ We both started crying hysterically, screaming in the car. I told her, ‘You can send me back for another 500 days—just tell me again Ziv is alive.’"
Eliya Cohen, returned from captivity, and his partner at a hostage square rally | Photo: Orly Wasserman, TPS

One of the first places Eliya visited after release was the cemetery—to pay respects to Amit Ben Avida, of blessed memory, his partner’s nephew, and his friend Karin Schwartzman, of blessed memory. Close friends who were with them at the party and murdered in the shelter alongside 14 other young people.

Physical recovery is progressing; psychological healing will take much longer. Only in our chaotic reality would two freed hostages meet like this—between treatments. Even a year and a half later, it’s hard to believe this is what a young couple, just 27 and out to party, would endure in a strong, independent country. Perhaps the world needs this outcry to grasp the obvious: Every second in such a reality is a matter of life and death.

Eliya’s family and friends are fundraising for his future and grueling rehabilitation. To donate, search "Everyone for Eliya" or click here.   link to article

Ex-hostage Amit Soussana receives US State Department’s International Woman of Courage Award

Accepting the US State Department’s 2025 International Woman of Courage Award, former Hamas hostage and sexual assault survivor Amit Soussana calls for global action to secure the immediate release of the remaining captives in Gaza.

“It is an incredible honor to stand before you today, but it is also a deeply painful moment,” says Soussana, who is one of eight women from around the world presented with the award at a State Department ceremony in Washington, but the only one given a personal shout-out by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and the only one asked to give keynote remarks to those in attendance.
Soussana is presented with the award by Rubio and First Lady Melania Trump.

“While I am here, my friends remain in the darkness. Five hundred and forty-three long days and nights. They are still suffering, still waiting, still hoping. Their voices remain unheard. So I will speak for them. We cannot move forward until they are free,” Soussana says in her remarks.
Soussana was taken captive during Hamas’s October 7 onslaught and released as part of the first hostage release and ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas in November 2023.
Since her release, she has advocated around the world on behalf of those still held in Gaza and became the first former hostage to speak about the sexual violence she endured while in captivity.
“In captivity, I had no control over my body, no control over my life. I resisted as best as I could, but it was not enough to stop what happened to me,” she says.
“The darkness was suffocating. Yet even in the darkness, there was one thing they could not have taken from me, the strength my mother instilled in me. The belief that we must always stand for what is right, no matter the cost.”
“I vowed that if I would survive, I would never be silent. I would speak — not just for myself, but for every woman who had been silenced,” Soussana says. “When I first told my story, I only wanted to raise awareness about the horrors of captivity and the terror of October 7, but my story became part of a much bigger conversation — one about sexual violence, about war and about the unimaginable strength of women in the face of brutality.”
“In Israel, we’re about to celebrate Passover — the story of liberation, of breaking free from bondage. But this will be the second Passover that the hostages remain in captivity,” she laments.
“I accept this award, not for myself, but in the name of all the brave women of Israel, the women who endure, who led, who refused to break. Women are stronger. We are the stronger gender, not because we do not feel pain, but because we rise from it, because we fight — not just for ourselves, but for those who cannot fight for themselves.”
“This award comes at a critical moment. The hostages cannot wait. Every single day that passes is another day of unimaginable suffering. With every passing moment, their pain deepens, their hope fades and their chances of survival diminish,” she says.
“I call on the world to act to bring them home now, not tomorrow, not next week. Now.”

Gaza and the South

IDF said to carry out airstrikes in southern Gaza’s Rafah and Khan Younis
Israeli aircraft are carrying out airstrikes in the Gaza Strip, including in the southern cities of Khan Younis and Rafah, according to Palestinian media reports.
There is no immediate statement from the Israel Defense Forces.
Gazan clan executes alleged Hamas operative who killed one of their relatives
Members of the Abu Samra clan in the Gaza city of Deir al-Balah have executed an individual who they say is a Hamas operative responsible for the deadly shooting of one of their relatives earlier today.
The Hamas operative allegedly shot Abdulrahman Sha’aban Abu Samra while he was waiting in line for flour in Deir al-Balah.
Members of the Abu Samra family say they managed to track down the Hamas operative responsible and brought him in front of the entrance of Deir al-Balah where several relatives opened fire.
Footage of the execution is being shared widely on Palestinian social media and appears to highlight growing fury with Hamas among Gaza civilians.
Protests against Hamas have been held across the Strip for the past week, with thousands participating cumulatively. Participants have come under threat from Hamas and other Gaza terror groups, who have warned that they will be treated as collaborators with Israel.
IDF says it struck Hamas terror operatives in Jabalia command center
The IDF and Shin Bet say they carried out a strike on Hamas terror operatives in the Jabalia area a short time ago.
“The operatives were in a command and control compound that served as terror infrastructure and as a central meeting point for the terrorist organization,” according to their joint statement.
“Additionally, the building was used by the Jabalia Battalion to advance [attacks] plans against Israeli civilians and IDF forces,” they add.
The military says various measures were taken ahead of the strikes to minimize the risk to civilians, including intelligence gathering and aerial surveillance.
IDF says troops shot and killed armed gunman who approached Gaza border fence
Israeli soldiers shot and killed an armed gunman who approached the security fence in southern Gaza a short time ago.
“IDF forces operating in the area fired at the gunman and eliminated him before he reached the fence,” the army says.
No soldiers were hurt.
IDF deploys another division in southern Gaza as offensive expands
A summary of overnight events in Rafah:
After extensive overnight strikes in the southern Gaza Strip, the IDF has deployed another division to the area as Defense Minister Israel Katz says the military is expanding its offensive against Hamas.
Palestinian media reported a large wave of strikes in Rafah and Khan Younis overnight, and this morning said troops were advancing in Rafah.
On Monday, the IDF issued an evacuation warning for the entire Rafah area and a large area of land between Rafah and Khan Younis, where the IDF has previously not operated with ground troops.
Last month, the IDF announced that its 36th Division had been sent to the Southern Command to prepare for operations in Gaza. The division’s forces entered southern Gaza early this morning, as part of the expansion of the offensive against Hamas.
Katz says troops will move to clear areas “of terrorists and infrastructure, and capture extensive territory that will be added to Israel’s security areas.” link. Katz, as his yes man is following Netanyahu's orders to keep the war going for his own personal and political reasons that have nothing to do with the hostages of the good of the state. They are letting the hostages linger in hell and are sacrificing their lives and now bringing in more soldiers to die in battle all for the sake of Netanyahu's personal needs.

Northern Israel, Lebanon and Syria

Israel cancels entry of Syrian Druze workers into Israel at last moment
The entry of Syrian Druze workers into Israel has been canceled in a last-minute decision by Israel’s political echelon, Kan news reports.
No reason has been reported as to why the decision was made.
Last month, Defense Minister Israel Katz announced that Israel would allow Syrian Druze to enter the country for work, months after the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria.
Preparations were made to carry out the initiative, with plans drawn up by Maj. Gen. Ghassan Alian, who heads the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, and who is Druze himself.

West Bank, Jerusalem, Israel and Terror Attacks

Masked Israelis attack, set fire to homes in Palestinian village of Duma
Masked Israeli men, likely settlers, have carried out attacks in the Palestinian village of Duma in the northern West Bank. An IDF force has been dispatched to the town to deal with the violence.
The official Palestinian news agency Wafa says “dozens” of settlers descended on the village, attacking civilian homes and setting fire to some of them.
The Kan public broadcaster reports that five settlers have been detained by the Israel Defense Forces.
In 2015, Duma was the site of an attack by extremist settler Amiram Ben-Uliel, who firebombed the home of the Dawabsha family. Ali Dawabsha, an 18-month-old baby, was burned alive in the attack, while his parents died of their injuries later in the hospital. video

Democrats chair Golan: Settler violence in Duma not a ‘glitch,’ but government policy
The Democrats chair Yair Golan blasts the government for “unleashing violence in the West Bank,” after dozens of masked settlers descended on the Palestinian village of Duma earlier today and set fire to several homes.
“The pogrom in Duma is not a glitch — it is the result of a deliberate policy,” Golan writes on X. “The government is empowering rioters and unleashing violence in the West Bank, creating a permanent security emergency in order to survive politically.”
“The head of the government is a man who is being closed in on by a ring of investigations, a man who has lost his judgment and the public’s trust,” the left-wing politician fumes. “To stay in office, he is pushing for escalation in Judea and Samaria (the Biblical name for the West Bank) — even at the price of the lives of soldiers and civilians.”
Israel “must not abandon security to a dangerous government that is fueled by fear,” Golan adds. “Israel needs leadership that understands security, in order to rehabilitate, and bring back security and hope.”
UN food agency closes all bakeries in Gaza, citing lack of supplies after month-long blockade

Palestinians queue to purchase bread outside a bakery in Gaza City, February 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)
The UN World Food Programme says it is immediately closing all of its bakeries in Gaza as Israel’s ban on the entry of all food, fuel, medicine, and other supplies into the Gaza Strip reaches the one-month mark.
In an internal memo circulated among aid groups yesterday, the UN agency said that due to the lack of humanitarian aid, supplies are running out, and there isn’t enough wheat flour to make bread.
The agency says it has distributed all available food rations, and there are unfortunately, no more stocks.
Israel rejects the reports that aid organizations are running out of food, however, saying earlier today that enough food entered Gaza during a recent six-week ceasefire to sustain the Strip’s 2.3 million residents for “a long period of time.”
According to COGAT, the Defense Ministry body in charge of civilian affairs in Gaza and the West Bank, more than 25,000 trucks entered Gaza during the ceasefire, carrying nearly 450,000 tons of aid.
“There is enough food for a long period of time, if Hamas lets the civilians have it,” it says.

Politics and the War and General News

Key Qatargate suspect has same lawyer as PM, causing police concern about obstruction of justice
A senior police official in the Lahav 433 serious crimes unit told the Rishon Lezion Magistrate’s Court that the police are concerned over the possibility of obstruction of justice in the Qatargate investigation due to the fact that attorney Amit Hadad, who is representing Jonatan Urich, one of the central suspects in the scandal, is also Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s lawyer.
Netanyahu gave testimony as a person with knowledge of the affair on Monday, although it has yet to be decided if he will be questioned by the police under caution, as a suspect.
“There is a problem here in that attorney Amit Hadad represents the prime minister, and is also the attorney of one of the suspects here,” says Superintendent Gili Rachlin.
“Attorney Hadad was with the prime minister yesterday after we finished the questioning. He knows what he [Netanyahu] said in his testimony. What he was asked. There is, therefore, a significant concern for obstruction of justice,” he continues.
Rachlin made his comments following demands by Hadad for the investigators to demonstrate why they were investigating Urich on suspicion of bribery, among other alleged violations of the law. A more junior investigator had been reticent to divulge such evidence in court because Hadad represents both men.
Hadad vehemently objected to Rachlin’s concerns and threatened to file a complaint against him, asserting that the claims were baseless.

Qatargate actors suspected of portraying Egypt’s role in hostage talks negatively, boosting Qatar’s image, in exchange for money — judge
Judge Menahem Mizrahi of the Rishon Lezion Magistrate’s Court issues a brief summary of investigators’ suspicions in the so-called Qatargate scandal, saying there is a “reasonable suspicion” that the factual situation he describes is well-founded.
The judge details the suspicions against Jonatan Urich, a close aide to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Eli Feldstein, who served as a spokesman for the premier, whom the police and Shin Bet are investigating.
The suspicions deal with the allegedly unlawful ties between those aides and Qatar, as well as suspicions of financial crimes, including money laundering.
Mizrahi writes that in the period under investigation, an American lobbying company called The Third Circle, owned by lobbyist Jay Footlik, formed a direct connection with Jonatan Urich in order to put a positive spin on Doha’s role as a facilitator in the hostage deal negotiations between Israel and Hamas.
The judge adds that Qatar also wanted Urich to spread negative messaging about Egypt’s role in the negotiations as part of efforts to improve Qatar’s image on the issue.
“For this purpose, a business,[and] economic connection was created between this company through the mediation of suspect number one [Urich] in return for monetary payments which were passed to suspect two [Feldstein], through [Gulf-based Israeli businessman] Gil Birger,” Mizrahi writes.
The judge says that the suspicion is that these three actors worked to disseminate messaging to journalists to file stories sympathetic to Qatar while minimizing Egypt’s role as a fair broker in the negotiating process and while “dictating the media agenda.”
Mizrahi writes that he issued the summary because the gag order on the case, which he has now lifted, was repeatedly violated and thus was harming the “proper conduct of the investigation.”
"A Public Deception Conducted from the Inner Sanctum of Leadership"

Alongside the legal battle, a battle over the narrative will unfold—but there’s no need to wait for indictments or a verdict to understand that something monumental has happened in Israel. After the facts were confirmed by the suspects themselves, the Prime Minister’s Office shifted from "This is unfamiliar" to "What’s the crime?" and then to "No connection to Netanyahu." While Netanyahu is not currently a suspect in the case, he must clarify whether the money his adviser received is unacceptable to him and demand an investigation—or else he is effectively endorsing it.

The headlines in the Qatargate scandal have been coming at a pace rivaling the clock’s hands—hard to tell if it’s hours or minutes. But the investigation, launched following an exposé by Channel 12, still has a long road ahead, weaving through facts and deceptions, interrogations and witnesses, policies and continents, charges and interpretations. Alongside the legal battle, another fight will play out: the battle over the narrative. Spin doctors will feast from all sides, but there’s no need to wait for indictments or a final ruling to grasp that, even without them, something seismic has occurred in Israel.

A day before the story broke, we sent the Prime Minister’s Office a request for comment with the details we were about to publish. The first response came from Netanyahu’s spokesman, Omer Dostri: "We are not familiar with such a thing." Four days after publication, minutes before Shabbat, the office issued a sharp denial: "The entire campaign regarding Qatar is absolute fake news and a transparent attempt at perception management. Just as the ugly lie about the submarines sank at sea, so too will this vile lie about Qatar."

Every detail we reported was verified—not by investigators, the police, or the Shin Bet, but by those directly involved. The payer admitted to transferring funds at the Qatari lobbyist’s request, and the recipient admitted to receiving them. All this before a single suspect was questioned under caution.

**Qatargate: The Dramatic Developments**

It’s likely that Jonathan Urich, the powerful figure in the Prime Minister’s Office and Netanyahu’s closest confidant—a trusted ally of the Netanyahu family—had a hand in crafting that denial. Today, police allege that this same Urich is an active participant in the affair.

But observe the evolution of the response, the shifting narrative: from "This is unfamiliar" on the day of the exposé, to the familiar refrain of "fake news" and "perception management." Later, when the facts proved undeniable, the denial was abandoned and replaced with two new arguments: "What exactly is the crime?"—a classic "so what if it happened?"—followed by the additional claim that "there is no connection to Netanyahu."

Let’s be unequivocal: Netanyahu is not currently a suspect. But to say he is "unconnected" is a stretch when discussing the man closest to the prime minister for over a decade. Urich isn’t just an adviser or the strongman of the office—he is the office. He is the gatekeeper, the black box.

**Testimony of Netanyahu (Photo: Hadass Peer, Haaretz-Pool)**

Since the investigation began, police sources say evidence has mounted allegedly linking Urich to suspicions that, from within Netanyahu’s own office, messages praising Qatar were disseminated under the guise of Israeli diplomatic and security officials. These messages were reportedly relayed through open channels to journalists, leveraging the authority of Israel’s highest office. The message allegedly sent was not the one the prime minister intended—at least not the prime minister of Israel.

If this trail is backed by evidence, it amounts to a public earthquake. Call it what you will legally, the scandal’s test cannot and must not be limited to the criminal sphere. At the very least, this is a public deception conducted from the inner sanctum of Israel’s leadership.

Even if Netanyahu is not a suspect, he owes the public an explanation—at the very least, how he responds to the claim that a military spokesman in his office allegedly received money from a private businessman with direct Qatari ties, as payment for his work under Netanyahu himself, all orchestrated under the guidance of his close adviser Urich. If the prime minister cannot say, even about this single detail alone, that it is unacceptable to him and that he demands an investigation, he is effectively signing off on it.  link I have always said that when there is a choice of whether to believe Netanyahu/his office or anyone else, always choose anyone else. As stated in this article, "But observe the evolution of the response, the shifting narrative: from "This is unfamiliar" on the day of the exposé, to the familiar refrain of "fake news" and "perception management." Later, when the facts proved undeniable, the denial was abandoned and replaced with two new arguments: "What exactly is the crime?"—a classic "so what if it happened?"—followed by the additional claim that "there is no connection to Netanyahu." - this is always the course of narratives by Netanyahu and his office. First they deny knowing anything. Then it is proven that they did so they claim it as fake news, and when the facts come out, they say there is nothing wrong here, and finally when that proves to be the opposite, the biggest and strongest claim is that it has nothing to do with Netanyahu. Multiple experts who have direct knowledge of past operations of the Prime Mininster's office have repeatedly said that nothing happens in that office without Netanyahu knowing about it and approving it, nothing.

Eisenkot on the messages from the "political elements" from Urich: "I didn't think of it. I thought it was from the Shin Bet or the Mossad"

Gadi Eisenkot, a Knesset member who served as a minister in the emergency government formed after the October 7 massacre, addressed the serious suspicions against Netanyahu's advisors in the "Qatargate" affair, which was first revealed by Channel 12 News. Regarding the messages from "political officials," which are suspected to have been relayed to Orich by a Qatar-linked source, Eisenkot said he was very surprised and had assumed they came from security officials.

"I cannot fathom such an event," he said in an interview with Udi Segal and Anat Davidov on 103FM. "Assuming what has been reported is true, the transfer of money from Qatar to aides and advisors in the Prime Minister's Office is a grave failure. This constitutes influence operations during wartime, harming national security, building a positive image for Qatar, and damaging Egypt—it undermines negotiations. I witnessed this in real time. I never imagined such considerations could exist. I thought these were objective reports from the Shin Bet or Mossad. The entire issue of Qatari money transfers must be investigated."
"I know who currently makes up the so-called 'kitchen cabinet,'" Eisenkot continued. "These are the coalition leaders. Look at who they are—only one of them, Benjamin Netanyahu, served full military service in the IDF. That speaks volumes. Look at their desire to sabotage efforts regarding the hostages. Two party leaders boast about disrupting hostage rescue missions. I saw this up close—it's one of the reasons we left."

Arrests Extended, New Details Revealed
The detention of Feldstein and Orich was extended yesterday until Thursday (tomorrow). During the remand hearing, it was revealed that police suspect Jonathan Orich relayed messages on behalf of a Qatar-linked source under the guise of "political and security officials." The two are suspected of working to bolster Qatar’s role as a mediator in negotiations while undermining Egypt’s image as a fair broker.
It also emerged that Orich was questioned about whether he leaked information from the war cabinet. During the hearing, a dispute arose between Orich’s lawyer, Amit Hadad, and the judge. Hadad argued that Orich is not a public official, while the judge stated that, in principle, he could be considered one.  link

The Region and the World

Pentagon announces deployment of second US aircraft carrier to Mideast

In this handout image provided by the US Navy, the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) transits the Strait of Gibraltar, November 25, 2024. (Michael Gomez/US Navy/AFP)
WASHINGTON — The United States is increasing the number of aircraft carriers deployed in the Middle East to two, keeping one that is already there and sending another from the Indo-Pacific, the Pentagon says.
The Harry S. Truman will be joined by the Carl Vinson “to continue promoting regional stability, deter aggression, and protect the free flow of commerce in the region,” Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell says in a statement.

Personal Stories

Bereaved parents shouted at IDF representatives during the presentation of the Nova investigation: "What are you hiding?"

Chaos erupted after bereaved parents were not allowed to record the presentation of the investigation's findings. Some refused to hand over their phones at the entrance and remained outside. Parents yelled at military officials: "We want to know why our children were murdered." The investigation will be released to the public tomorrow.

Burnt cars in the Nova compound near Rae'im, 2023 | Photo: Haim Goldberg, AP

A day before its public release, IDF representatives presented the findings of the military's investigation into the Nova party to bereaved families today (Wednesday). Instead, chaos broke out as grieving parents shouted at the officials.

Among the military officials presenting the findings at Expo Tel Aviv was Maj. Gen. Dan Goldfus. According to bereaved family members present, Goldfus began the presentation by saying: "We made a mistake. We didn’t grasp the magnitude of what was happening."

Some bereaved parents were denied entry because they refused to surrender their phones. Those who entered shouted at IDF representatives, including Goldfus, demanding to know why they were not allowed to record the presentation. "We want to know why our children were murdered—what are you hiding?"

"They call the murder of our children a 'mistake'"

Ofir Dor, father of Idan Dor, who was murdered at Nova, was furious about the investigation presented. "They came with a very general report, without going into details," he said. "I didn’t expect more. When I arrived, I said the presentation would last five minutes. Because this is the first time parents could speak up and say what’s on their hearts. It lasted five minutes, and then the shouting started—screams of anguish and crying. Nothing new was revealed."

Dor criticized the heads of the security establishment for October 7. "They said, 'We made a mistake.' They call the murder of our children a 'mistake,'" he said. "Ronen Bar, Herzi Halevi, Gallant—all of them should have submitted resignation letters by 8:00 AM on October 8. Now you see Ronen Bar fighting to keep his position—what are you fighting for? Our children’s blood is on your hands."

The family of Oz Ezra Moshe: "They’re deceiving us, lying to us"

The family of Oz Ezra Moshe, who was murdered in the Nova massacre along with his partner, was outraged by the investigation findings presented to them. Daisy, Florin, and Rachel Moshe, relatives of Oz, expressed deep pain and accused authorities of covering up the events: "They came to whitewash this. They’re deceiving us, telling us stories, lying to us. My son and his partner were murdered on a video call—and there are no real answers in this investigation. I have the video where my son was murdered alongside his partner."

They claimed the investigation provides no real answers about what happened on October 7 and 8. "Tomorrow, the whole country will see the report. Who are they to say this wasn’t a war zone on October 8?" they said angrily.

The family insists that terrorists were still in the Re’im area the day after the massacre, October 8, and that they even encountered them. "Senior military officials must take responsibility—some of them should go to prison. Their timeline doesn’t match what happened on the ground. They claim a helicopter was scrambled—show us proof. It didn’t happen."

One sister raged at the security establishment’s conduct: "Where were they a month earlier when observers reported terrorists at the fence?" She claimed there was no full transparency: "There are no names on the party permits. We want names. My brother was murdered because of whoever signed off and said 'okay.'"

The mother, Rachel Moshe, broke down in tears, shouting: "They’re liars and frauds!" Another sister added in pain: "Everything was done to protect their seats—there are no answers, nothing."

The Moshe family also harshly criticized Arab Knesset members: "What is their role in the Knesset? To fill their pockets at our expense? They all need to leave the Knesset. They should be ashamed!" She said Oz and his partner, Naomi Beker, were murdered while documenting everything on a live video call: "My daughters recorded everything—they won’t whitewash this!"

The mother summed up her feelings with a cry of anguish: "Our lives are over—we’re already dead. I can’t process this."

Amos Baram, father of the late Ili: "They keep feeding us nonsense"

Amos Baram, father of Ili Baram, who was murdered at the Nova party, described the horrific moment he realized his son had been killed. "Only at 11:00 PM did we learn the worst—we identified his car and his body and those of his friends in Telegram photos," he said.

Regarding the IDF’s October 7 investigation, Baram expressed deep disappointment. "I didn’t come for answers, but to see that they’re still feeding us nonsense. They’re not really giving answers. This isn’t an investigation, it’s more like a story. They told us what happened and that the IDF failed—but we already know that. They said the country was asleep—we know that too. We don’t need this report to know what happened."

Vera Moshe, mother of Eden David Moshe: "This feels like anesthesia"

Vera Moshe, mother of Eden David Moshe, who was also murdered at the party, described the painful emotions after the investigation presentation. "We came for answers, but this feels like anesthesia. We want the truth, and I don’t feel like they’re telling me the truth. There was failure upon failure—and we have no answers."

She added: "They’re trying to say the IDF had nothing to do with it and shift blame onto others. My country abandoned my child. I don’t feel part of this country anymore. I want those responsible held accountable. Those who caused the October 7 failures should go to prison. I know they’re sweeping this under the rug."

Reut Edri, mother of the late Ido: "This isn’t an investigation"

Reut Edri, mother of Ido, who was killed at Nova, said in pain: "Not only did I not get answers—this isn’t even an investigation. It’s a collection of facts based largely on personal stories, some of which are biased. It was very hard to sit there. I know very well how Ido’s father (former Yamam commander) begged for attack helicopters to be sent—and they weren’t."

She said the answers given were, at best, inaccurate and, at worst, bordered on lies. "If anyone thought we’d get answers from these investigations—we knew we wouldn’t," she said. "Part of my fight for a state inquiry is exactly about this—families shouldn’t come here and get a slideshow of military jargon that means nothing to us. We’re discovering there was no coordination between the police, military, and Shin Bet, even though the police were responsible for this sector—they’re standing in front of me saying things that aren’t true."

Reut said parents asked for the name of the officer who approved the party despite no handwritten signature but received no answer. "Ido was murdered because he went back after taking a weapon from a dead officer and was killed in battle. I asked where he was killed, and suddenly I find out there are videos from that time," she said. link

Acronyms and Glossary

COGAT - Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories

ICC - International Criminal Court in the Hague

IJC - International Court of Justice in the Hague

IPS - Israel Prison System

MDA - Magen David Adom - Israel Ambulance Corp

PA - Palestinian Authority - President Mahmud Abbas, aka Abu Mazen

PMO- Prime Minister's Office

UAV - Unmanned Aerial vehicle, Drone. Could be used for surveillance and reconnaissance, or be weaponized with missiles or contain explosives for 'suicide' explosion mission

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