🎗️Lonny's War Update- October 550, 2023 - April 8, 2025 🎗️

  

🎗️Day 550 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

*

Hostage Updates

• There were many hopes pinned on Trump's summoning of Netanyahu to the White House. We all knew that the 17% tariff placed on Israeli goods was one of the subjects to be discussed but the fact that Netanyahu met earlier with Steve Witkoff, hopes were that Trump was going to pressure Netanyahu to end the war and bring the hostages home. Trump's attention span is very short and it appears that ending the war and bringing the hostages home is no longer very important to him. The 2 people who are the main pressure points for the hostages are Witkoff and Adelson. Trump has given Witkoff so many high pressure and immediate tasks, now the nuclear talks with Iran, that Witkoff's attention and priorities are very different than they were in January when Trump entered the White House. At that time, Witkoff's first and highest priority was to get the hostages home and was able to put on the necessary pressure to Netanyahu to get the first phase of the agreement done and 33 hostages were brought home. Witkoff is a very pragmatic person and understands the positions of both sides (Netanyahu and Hamas). He tried a bridging proposal to kickstart the renewal of negotiations but there was no way that Hamas would go for anything that didn't guarantee the end of the war. That is something that few westerners understand and something that Netanyahu understands but tries to present a different story to the Israeli population. His story is that military pressure is weakening Hamas and will bring them to the table without guarantees to end the war. That is pure BS. Hamas will be on its last breath and will still not agree to any hostage release that doesn't end the war. Witkoff understands that without Trump forcibly telling Netanyahu to end the war, he doesn't have the power to convince Netanyahu to make the only deal that can be made. As far as Miriam Adelson's support and pressure to bring home the hostages, we don't hear anything recently from her. I assume that Trump has told her to sit tight and wait for him to deal with it. Right now, Trump doesn't need her money for his election so her immediate power over him is limited.
  Back to the Trump/Netanyahu rushed meeting in the White House. We now know that the main purpose for Trump was to tell Netanyahu of the direct negotiations between the US and Iran regarding the nuclear talks. It appears that the war and the hostages were not discussed at all and if they were, they were a tiny footnote. This is horrible news for us, for the hostages. Netanyahu retains his power over the lives of the living hostages and what happens to all 59 and that is very bad news for all of us.
  
  
  
  
• Thousands protest in Tel Aviv for hostage deal, against government
  
  

  People take part in a rally calling for a deal to release the hostages and against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government, at Habima Square, April 7, 2025. (Tomer Neuberg/Flash90)

  Thousands of people are protesting in Hostages Square in Tel Aviv as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meets with US President Donald Trump in Washington.

  The demonstrators are calling on the government to reach a deal to bring home all the hostages held by Hamas in Gaza.

  “How can you sleep at night when you are abandoning them?” asks former hostage Ilana Gritzewsky.

  “The State of Israel has to put forward an initiative on the table to return all the hostages in one go, not in stages, not in groups,” she says. “We want everybody now.”

  Protesters are also demonstrating against Netanyahu and his government.

  
  
  
  
• Israel Confirms Receipt of Egyptian Proposal but Refuses to Discuss It Due to Ceasefire Guarantee Demand  

The proposal includes the return of 8 living hostages and 8 deceased individuals in exchange for a 50-day ceasefire. Israel refuses to discuss the Egyptian proposal because it includes a clause demanding negotiations to end the war—a condition Israel strongly opposes. Israel currently has American backing for its stance. A source in the Prime Minister's entourage stated that the timing of Netanyahu's meeting with Trump is critical for advancing a deal. Meanwhile, former hostages and the Hostage Families Forum insist that no political achievement will be greater than bringing everyone home.  

Israel confirmed this evening (Monday) that it had received a compromise proposal from Egypt regarding a hostage deal. However, an Israeli official said Israel would not accept the proposal due to its demand for permanent ceasefire guarantees and a full withdrawal of IDF forces from the Gaza Strip.  

Details of the Egyptian Compromise Proposal  

The Egyptian proposal includes:  

- The release of 8 living hostages, including the Israeli-American soldier Idan Alexander, and 8 deceased individuals.  

- A 50-day ceasefire.  

- The reopening of the Netzarim corridor.  

- The return of Gazan residents to their homes.  

- Increased humanitarian aid.  

- Discussions on "Phase Two," with guarantees from mediators.  

As previously reported by Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, the proposal is a middle ground between Hamas’s willingness to release 5 hostages and Israel’s demand for 11.  

Israel refuses to engage with the Egyptian proposal because of the clause requiring talks on ending the war—a condition Israel vehemently rejects. For now, Israel enjoys American support in its opposition. The parties hope that the upcoming meeting between Trump and Netanyahu at the White House will help pressure Israel.  

Earlier this evening, Netanyahu met with Steve Witkoff, after which an Israeli official in the Prime Minister's entourage said: "There are shifts in Hamas’s position, and tonight’s meeting is critical. There is full coordination between Israel and the U.S. Efforts are being made to secure the release of as many hostages as possible in the near future, and the message coordinated with Trump is always decisive—especially at this moment."  

Calls for a Comprehensive Deal  

Former hostages Yair Horn, Keith Siegel, and Aviva Siegel, currently in the U.S., released a video urging Netanyahu and Trump to push for a single-phase deal, emphasizing that "no political achievement will be greater than bringing everyone home." The Hostage Families Forum issued a similar statement: "The time has come to rise above all extraneous considerations and make the right decision—to end the war and bring back all the hostages in one agreement, without delays or phased releases."  

Before Netanyahu's arrival at the White House, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Jordan’s King Abdullah held a phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump, discussing the need for a Gaza ceasefire and the release of hostages.  link. “I want to understand – what kind of  Israeli leader is willing to negotiate for the return of 8 living hostages and 8 bodies, when there are 59 hostages in Gaza????? Is that a leader????? This is once again abandonment on the alter of his continued rule !!!!!” Gershon Baskin April 7, 2023

 

• "When a deal falls apart – the hostages suffer more": Interview with former hostage Or Levi  

After returning from Hamas captivity to his family, Or Levi shares the pain of the difficult emotions, the suffering of the hostages, and his fears for their future: "I don’t know how much longer they can survive there, and it terrifies me to think about it." Regarding the conditions in captivity when a deal collapses, he emphasized: "In the end, it’s the hostages who are punished—they get less food, their chains are tightened more—it’s a constant life-threatening situation there."  

"I’m recovering slowly, but this period is hard because the fighting has resumed, and the people I was with are still there," said former hostage Or Levi painfully in an interview on the early evening news (Monday). "I know how tough it is when a deal falls apart, I know how much they suffer."  

According to him, as difficult as the food situation in Gaza already is, when a deal collapses—conditions worsen: "The situation becomes more and more extreme. They tighten your chains more, bring you less food—which was already unreasonable to begin with. When things escalate, they treat you horribly. In the end, they suffer, and when they suffer—you suffer."  

Regarding discussions about humanitarian lists, Levi said, "After so many days, everyone is humanitarian."* He explained that there isn’t a single person there who isn’t wounded in some way, mentally or physically. "I don’t know how much longer they can survive there, and it scares me to think about it," he added.  

"As long as there are hostages in Gaza—everyone is responsible for it," said Levi, sharing his feelings of abandonment in captivity: "The emotions there are harsh. The feeling that you’ve been forgotten, that you’ve been left there. The fact that I’ve been here for two months while others are still there is something I can’t grasp. I can’t process that I’m here, already in recovery, already reunited with my family—my family knows I’m alive, that weight has been lifted from them. And then I meet parents whose children are still hostages in Gaza, and it’s not over for them. I think about the hostages all the time, praying they’re okay."  

Responding to Minister Smotrich’s statement that "First the hostages, then defeating Hamas—there’s no feasibility in that," Levi said: "I have to say that every moment there is a constant life-threatening situation, and that’s something people don’t understand. The moment Hamas loses optimism that this is about to end, it’s the hostages who are punished. And they’re already in danger, so this only makes it worse."  

"Every person should imagine what would happen if it were their son," he stressed. "If it were their brother, a family member, or a close friend. Could they really respond with such indifference?" According to Levi, PM Netanyahu has not contacted him or spoken with him. When asked about Netanyahu’s remarks that his aides suspected in the "Qatargate" affair were "hostages," he replied: "Allow me not to comment on that."  

To Alon Ohel, who was with Or in captivity and remains a Hamas hostage, he sent a message: "We love you very much, and it hurts us every second you’re there. Stay strong, we hope you’ll return soon."  link

 

• Fear of Blindness, Psychological Torture, and Mortal Danger: New Report on the Dire Medical Condition of 22 Living Hostages in Gaza  

A report by the Hostage Families Headquarters details the severe physical and psychological abuse inflicted by terrorists since their kidnapping. Experts warn that the inhumane conditions they are held in could lead to rapid and severe physical and mental deterioration. Who has shown signs of life—and when? All testimonies received, a year and a half after October 7.  

Exactly a year and a half has passed since the Black Saturday when Hamas terrorists infiltrated Israel, brutally murdered entire families, burned their homes—and abducted residents, men, women, and infants to the Gaza Strip. Over the 549 days since, the hostages have been held in impossible conditions, without basic humanitarian or sanitary provisions. A new report by the Hostage Families Headquarters, published today (Sunday), compiles all known harrowing details about their health conditions.  

Names of the Hostages and Their Conditions  

Alon Ohel 

Age 24, severely wounded by shrapnel in the eye—can only see shadows. Risk of total blindness.  

Suffers additional injuries to his hands, shoulder, and neck. Panicked when separated from fellow captives who were released.  

Bound in chains, held in inhuman conditions. Possibly tortured. Held in tunnels without daylight, with severe food shortages—sometimes receiving only one pita a day. High risk of blindness, malnutrition, exhaustion, untreated injuries, and severe psychological distress.  

Sign of life: Received—testimonies from released hostages. 

Last confirmed: February 2025.  

Yosef Haim Ohana 

Age 24. Seen alive in a Hamas video. Had a pre-existing medical condition requiring surgery before abduction. Suffers significant, ongoing pain in captivity.  

Appeared in a video with another hostage, describing severe food shortages, harsh conditions, and mortal danger. Suffers from acute digestive sensitivity, exposure to airstrikes, and brutal captivity. Physical and mental distress evident in the video; exact medical condition unknown.  

Sign of life: Received—video. 

Last confirmed: February–March 2025.  

Avivatan Or

Age 32. Lost significant weight, in severe psychological distress according to testimonies.  

Held in camps in central Gaza under harsh conditions. Severe shortages of food and water. Malnourished, with noticeable mental deterioration.  

Sign of life: Received—testimonies from released hostages. 

Last confirmed: 2025 (month unspecified).  

Idan Alexander

Age 21. Kidnapped from the Kisufim outpost. Seen in a video on December 2, 2024.  

Held captive for over 420 days. Expressed fear, despair, and extreme distress. Conditions unknown, but video suggests prolonged harsh treatment. Appears physically intact but with signs of severe mental anguish.  

Sign of life: Received—four signs, including a video. 

Last confirmed: December 2024.  

Matan Angrest  

Age 21. Abducted from a burning tank while severely wounded and unconscious. Suffers fractures, nerve damage, and risk of permanent disability.  

Endured severe abuse—beaten, tortured. Held under especially harsh conditions as a soldier: confined in a tunnel cell without daylight, water, food, or sanitation. Rapid physical and mental decline; immediate threat to life.  

Sign of life: Received—videos, testimonies from released hostages. 

Last confirmed: February–April 2025.  

Elkana Bohbot

Age 35. Suffers from asthma and chronic respiratory issues. Lost significant weight, appears exhausted.  

Seen bruised in a video. Frequently moved between sites, held in harsh conditions without medical care. Visible distress in footage. Extreme isolation, lack of daylight, severe malnutrition, and psychological trauma. Risk of death due to untreated chronic illness.  

Sign of life: Received—videos, testimonies from released hostages. 

Last confirmed: February–March 2025.  

Ziv Berman  

Age 26. Sign of life via released hostages. Held separately from his twin brother. Suffered a head injury from debris after an IDF airstrike.  

Reports of physical and psychological abuse. Isolated, malnourished, and denied medical care. Extreme captivity conditions: no hygiene, solitary confinement. Health status unclear but life at risk. Psychological toll from separation from his brother.  

Sign of life: Received—testimonies from released hostages. 

Last confirmed: February 2025.  

Gali Berman  

Age 26. Held separately from his twin brother. Physically stable but without medical care.  

Reports of isolation and lack of treatment. No direct abuse reported. Suffers from food shortages, isolation, and no medical attention. Risk of long-term psychological damage and malnutrition.  

Sign of life: Received—testimonies from released hostages. 

Last confirmed: February 2025.  

Rom Brelsovsky

Suffers from asthma and severe allergies. Chronic sneezing and rashes. Severe scoliosis and chronic back pain; needs glasses—unavailable in captivity. Seen with bandages on both arms.  

No medical treatment provided. Complex health conditions ignored. Harsh conditions, lack of proper care. Risk of life-threatening allergic reactions and mental breakdown.  

Sign of life: Received—testimony from a fellow captive. 

Last confirmed: February 2025.  

Bipin Joshi

Age 24, Nepalese agriculture student. Had allergies before abduction.  

No direct information. Conditions unsuitable for allergy management. No updates, but serious concern for health deterioration without treatment.  

Sign of life: None received.  

Guy Gelbo-Dalal 

Age 23. Endured extreme physical and psychological abuse. Suffered severe dehydration, temporary speech loss, and hearing loss in one ear.  

Bound hand and foot, sometimes with a bag over his head. Psychological terror, constant darkness, extreme hunger, one shower a month. Severe physical decline, sensory deprivation, prolonged mental torture, risk of death.  

Sign of life: Received—video, testimonies. 

Last confirmed: February 2025.  

Aviv David

Age 23. Held without glasses, bound, and in darkness.  

Physically and psychologically abused. Extreme conditions—isolation, no medical care, starvation, poor hygiene. Risk of severe physical and mental decline. Malnourished, fed minimally in darkness. Immediate threat to life.  

Sign of life: Received—video, testimonies. 

Last confirmed: February 2025.  

Eitan Horn

Age 37. Suffers from a chronic skin condition worsening in captivity. Severely emaciated: thin, sluggish movements, hand infections. Separated from his brother Yair shortly before Yair’s release.  

No medical treatment. Harsh conditions: severe food shortages, poor hygiene, untreated chronic illness. Dangerous combination of untreated disease, severe infections, and malnutrition. Immediate risk of death.  

Sign of life: Received—farewell video with his brother. 

Last confirmed: February 2025.  

Sagiv Kalphon

Age 27. Had anxiety disorder and leg surgery before abduction.  

Captors deny medical care. Prolonged isolation, held in chains, starvation conditions. Psychological abuse. Extreme deprivation: no treatment, food, or hygiene. Risk of worsening physical and mental health. Potential leg damage, malnutrition, psychiatric decline.  

Sign of life: Received—testimonies from released hostages. 

Last confirmed: February 2025.  

Nimrod Cohen

Age 20, IDF soldier. Sole survivor from his tank. Suffered ear infections and rashes—untreated.  

As a soldier, endured interrogations, torture, and humiliation—sometimes shackled. Cut off from the world, subjected to psychological warfare. Testimonies indicate Hamas increases violence against hostages during military pressure and lack of humanitarian aid.  

Appalling conditions: isolation, no light, lack of medicine, poor sanitation. Severe physical and mental decline. Prolonged torture, longing for family, life at risk.  

Sign of life: Received—propaganda video, testimonies. 

Last confirmed: March 2025.  

Bar Abraham Kupershtein 

Age 22. Confirmed sign of life from released hostages. Medical condition unknown. Seen shackled hands and feet, with a rope around his neck.  

Held in brutal conditions: poor nutrition, skin diseases, no medical care, unsanitary conditions. High risk of long-term health damage.  

Sign of life: Received—testimonies from released hostages. 

Last confirmed: February 2025.  

Ariel Cunio

Age 26. No signs of life since abduction.  

Presumed to be held under the same extreme conditions as others. Complete uncertainty. Grave concerns for physical and mental health.  

Sign of life: None received.  

David Cunio

Age 34. Abducted with his wife and two daughters—who were released.  

No direct information on captors’ treatment.  

Held under standard harsh conditions for male hostages—isolation, food shortages, no medical care.  

Severe concerns for health due to prolonged lack of updates and known brutal conditions.  

Sign of life: Received—testimonies from released hostages. 

Last confirmed: February 2025.  

Omri Miran

Age 47. Forcibly separated from his wife and daughters.  

Held in isolation, endured extreme hunger, thirst, and darkness.  

Kept in underground tunnels—no light or clean air. Suffers from water and food deprivation.  

Risk to physical and mental health, especially due to isolation and prolonged lack of updates.  

Sign of life: Received—testimony from a released hostage (refers to captivity up to July 2024). 

Last confirmed: February 2025.  

Eitan Abraham Mor

Age 24. First sign of life in March 2025. Medical condition unknown.  

Presumably held in harsh conditions without medical care.  

Lack of precise information raises health concerns.  

Sign of life: Received—details unspecified. 

Last confirmed: March 2025.  

Tamir Nimrodi 

Age 19. Kidnapped from the Mivtachim base. Seen dragged alive without glasses and barefoot. No signs of life since abduction.  

Likely subjected to extreme conditions and torture as a soldier.  

Total lack of information, grave concerns given known brutal captivity standards.  

Severe risk to survival due to prolonged silence and extreme treatment.  

Sign of life: None received to date.  

Matan Tzagauker 

Age 24. Seen in a December 2024 video—described isolation, starvation, pests. Appeared pale, thin, exhausted.  

Lives in perpetual darkness, deplorable conditions, poor physical state, signs of exhaustion.  

Severe shortages of food, water, and medicine. Suffering lasting psychological damage.  

Extreme mental distress and risk of death.  

Sign of life: Received—Hamas video. 

Last confirmed: December 2024.     link

• Former Hostages Interviewed – and Attacked Online: "Worthless Girl," "Should Have Stayed in Gaza"  

Liri Albag told Keren Neubach that Netanyahu is responsible for the October 7 massacre. Supporters of the prime minister responded with a wave of curses and slurs until her family requested the interview be removed from social media. Another freed hostage faced similar treatment last week after telling American media he was "here thanks to Trump."  

Liri Albag, the freed observer held by Hamas for 477 days, recorded an interview yesterday (Monday) with Keren Neubach on Network Bet—only to be met with a torrent of hate and vitriol online. "Attention-seeker," "ungrateful," and "too bad you came back" were just some of the responses she received. Her family asked for the interview to be taken down from social media to protect her, and it was ultimately not broadcast.  

Liri Albag in the first meeting with her parents after her release from captivity Photo: IDF spokesman

Among other things, Albag told Neubach that if she were to sit with Netanyahu, she would tell him, "Because of you, I went through the worst thing a person can experience. You are to blame, and you must fix what you’ve done." She also said she expects the prime minister to "apologize and promise that soon, the rest of the hostages will return home."  

"Fake Reporter," a public research initiative combating malicious online activity, monitored social media reactions, which included: "Worthless girl, too bad she didn’t stay there," "May God take her another way," "Send her back to Gaza," alongside numerous comments about her body and appearance.  

Many of the degrading responses were traced to pro-Netanyahu Facebook groups, including "Friends Who Love Benjamin Netanyahu"—a group with 90,000 members. Users also accused the 20-year-old Albag of being paid to attack Netanyahu, called her an "attention-seeker," "rude," and "following in the footsteps of Einav Zangauker."  

Yarden Bibas at the funeral of Shiri, Ariel and the late Kafir Bibas | Photo: Eitan Oner 

The same happened to Yarden Bibas, who was freed from the hell of Gaza after 484 days only to learn that his wife and two young children had been murdered in captivity. In an interview with 60 Minutes, he dared to say, among other things, that he was "here thanks to Trump." Responses in the "Friends Who Love Benjamin Netanyahu" group included: "Too bad they rescued you," "Better if they’d left you in Gaza," and "Probably got a free apartment and Jeep like Zangauker, who sold out her son."  link It seems that there is no depths to the lows Netanyahu and his supporters can reach. All restraint is gone and what is left is hatred and pure evil. Just as the prime minister is incapable of sympathy and empathy and is heartless and soulless, so go his virulent supporters. They are incapable of accepting that their 'king' could do wrong and that he is the person most responsible and to blame for everything that has happened on October 7 and the failures of managing the war and not bringing the hostages home. Netanyahu had his 'poison machine' work overtime to turn the issue of hostages from a national consensus to a political issue and anyone supporting the bringing home of the hostages and faulting Netanyahu and his failed government for not doing so, became the enemy. This is not leadership.

Gaza and the South

•   Israel wants to double population living next to Gaza border in next decade
  

  Ze’ev Elkin, the minister in charge of rehabilitating the northern and southern borders, says the Tekuma Directorate wants to double the population of the Gaza border area to 120,000 people by October 7, 2033.

  The date will mark a decade since Hamas’s deadly invasion of the region, during which 1,200 mainly civilians were slaughtered and 251 abducted to the Gaza Strip.

  But such an increase should still reflect the character of the area today, with a similar balance between urban and rural, and the choice of the character of each community left to the community itself to decide, he adds.

  Aviad Friedman, the new head of the Tekuma Directorate and the first person to hold the job full-time, said there could only be one top priority, and that was growth. “Victory will only be meaningful if the people on the other side of the border look at us and say ‘I fought in order to destroy them and look, they’ve doubled [in size].'”

  The two men speak to the media following a day of consultations in the southern city of Sderot with around 450 representatives of government, local government, kibbutzim, moshavim and civil society organizations on a new draft work plan for the directorate, which they say they hope will be finalized by Independence Day on May 1.

  The directorate will lose NIS 1 billion ($267 million) out of NIS 5 billion ($1.3 billion) originally pledged by the government to develop the region.

  The final work plan will have to reflect the cut, which Friedman says will be decided in full consultation with the local stakeholders.   link. This is all a pipe dream and political talk. I highly doubt that this goal will go anywhere and it will be put in a back drawer down the line. The government has failed the Gaza envelope for almost 2 decades and has continued to abandon the residents even since October 7. We have seen the original budgets for rehabilitating the area cut and we will continue to see further cuts with this corrupt and failed government.

• French, Egyptian, Jordanian leaders urge Trump to urgently secure Gaza ceasefire
  

  In their joint phone call with US President Donald Trump, the leaders of Egypt France, and Jordan discuss “ways to urgently secure a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip,” and stress the need to resume full delivery of humanitarian aid and “the release of all the hostages and detainees,” according to the French readout.

  From their summit in Cairo, French President Emmanuel Macron, Egypt’s Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, and Jordan’s King Abdullah “emphasize the need to create conducive conditions for a genuine political horizon and mobilize international efforts to end the suffering of the Palestinian people, restore security and peace for all, and implement the two-state solution.”

  The three also express their “willingness to accelerate peace for Ukraine, consistent with international law, and the common need for international security and stability,” says France.

• Gazans say 26 killed in overnight strikes
  

  Israeli strikes on the Gaza Strip overnight and into Tuesday killed at least 26 people, according to health officials in the Hamas-ruled enclave.

  The Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital says 15 people were killed in separate strikes in Deir al-Balah in central Gaza, including five children as young as 2 years old.

  Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry says seven people were killed in a strike in the northern town of Beit Lahiya, and four others were killed in a separate attack northwest of Gaza City.

  There is no comment from Israel on the strikes. The tolls cannot be verified and Gazan health authorities do not differentiate between fighters and civilians.

  Meanwhile, Palestine Today, a media outlet affiliated with the Islamic Jihad terror group, says a second journalist was killed in a strike in Khan Younis Monday that killed another reporter and injured six others.

  Israel said the strike targeted Hassan Eslaiah, who took pictures for the Associated Press after entering Israel alongside invading Hamas-led terrorists on October 7, 2023. Israel accused Eslaiah, who was injured in the strike, of being a Hamas operative.

  Israel says it only targets terrorists and takes measures to avoid harming civilians, blaming Hamas for operating in densely populated areas.

• IDF redeploys Golani Brigade to Gaza after months on northern front
  Military confirms unit redeployed to Rafah area, working to dismantle Hamas infrastructure and expand buffer zones in ongoing operation
  After months of deployment along Israel’s northern border, troops from the Golani Brigade have returned to the Gaza Strip, the IDF announced Sunday.
  Operating under the command of the 36th Division, Golani forces began a new mission in the Rafah area this past week, focusing on what the military described as the dismantling of remaining terrorist infrastructure. Full article

Northern Israel, Lebanon and Syria

• Lebanon state media says two killed in Israeli strike on south

• Hezbollah looking to start smuggling in weapons via sea
  

  An Arabic-language report citing a Western official claims that the Hezbollah terror group is using a naval route to smuggle weapons from Iran to Lebanon, after its overland and air conduits were largely shut down.

  According to the report in the Saudi al-Hadath news outlet, Hezbollah is reasserting control over Beirut’s seaport, which was largely destroyed in a gargantuan 2020 blast when ammonium nitrate stored at the site caught fire, creating an explosion that killed hundreds and caused damage across the Lebanese capital.

  Attempts to investigate Hezbollah’s role in storing the explosives at the civilian site have been repeatedly stymied by politicians and other figures connected to the terror group.

  The Western source quoted in the report expresses fears that Hezbollah’s resumed use of the port could put its operations in danger as the country attempts to recover from Israel’s military campaign against the Iranian proxy last year.

  Iran’s use of Syria as an overland route to smuggle weapons is thought to have ended with the fall of Bashar Assad late last year. Israel has also threatened to put Beirut’s international airport out of service if it is used to bring in Iranian arms, as Hezbollah looks to re-arm following the war.

  The report names a number of Hezbollah and Iranian officials it says are involved in the attempts to establish the maritime route, including figures from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps Quds Force.

West Bank, Jerusalem, Israel and Terror Attacks

• Settlers said to attack Palestinians in southern Hebron hills, 5 injured
  

  Palestinians say that settlers attacked Palestinians in the village of Umm al-Khair in the southern West Bank.

  A Palestinian source living in the area tells The Times of Israel that after settlers set up a caravan near the village and attempted to breach a fence attached to the village, a confrontation broke out between the settlers and Palestinians.

  Subsequently, dozens of masked individuals arrived and attacked Palestinians with clubs. According to the source, five Palestinians were injured, including a 14-year-old boy. They were all transferred to a hospital.

  Videos on social media showing police and military forces at the scene, though it is unclear whether they were present during or after the attack.

  Police said that there was friction between Palestinians and settlers regarding an illegal fence in the area.

  The IDF and Border Police arrived at the scene and separated the forces, police said, adding that one Palestinian was evacuated by the Red Crescent.

  There are no arrests in the incident.  video This cycle of violence increases daily due to this extreme government which not only condones the Jewish terror against Palestinians, it encourages and rewards it. There are virtually no arrests of the Jewish terrorists, only of the Palestinians who defend themselves, no indictments and no effort by the police to do anything to stop it due to the criminal minster of internal 'insecurity' Ben Gvir and his racist party which has always promoted violence and extreme violence including killings against Palestinians in the West Bank.

• IDF dissolves platoon, punishes commanders after reservists vandalize West Bank camp
  

  
  

  Inflammatory graffiti by IDF soldiers in the West Bank, depicting an Israeli flag over two rifles and an Arabic phrase, unknown date. (screen capture: Twitter, used in accordance with Clause 27a of the Copyright Law)

  The IDF has dismantled a platoon of reservists and dismissed several officers for vandalizing Palestinian property during a raid in the Deheisha refugee camp near Bethlehem last week.

  During a counter-terror raid in the camp on April 2, soldiers “graffitied slogans on buildings in the village, as well as vandalized equipment, in a way that exceeds the procedures and commands given prior to the operation,” the IDF says.

  The operation was halted, the graffiti was covered up, and the commander of the West Bank division. Brig. Gen. Yaki Dolf and commander of the Etzion Regional Brigade, Col. Gal Rich, launched an investigation.

  The findings are handed to IDF Central Command Maj. Gen. Avi Bluth, who says the “grave” incident “contradicts the level of professionalism and values expected of IDF soldiers.”

  

  IDF soldiers operate in the West Bank, in a photo cleared for publication on April 3, 2025. (Israel Defense Forces)

  The IDF says the commander of the battalion whose troops carried out the vandalism was reprimanded, and it will go on his permanent record; a company commander who was present during the incident was dismissed from his role; another company commander was reprimanded; two additional commanders and several soldiers involved in the incident were all dismissed.

  In addition, the IDF says the platoon involved in the vandalism was dismantled.

• Settlers accused of burning down wedding hall, painting ‘death to Arabs’ in West Bank village
  

  Palestinians say Israeli settlers set fire to a wedding hall in the central West Bank village of Bidya overnight.

  Footage from the scene shows a blaze raging through the building.

  Pictures also show graffiti sprayed on walls in the town, reading “Revenge,” “Death to Arabs,” and “Fight the enemy, not the friend.”

  No injuries are reported in the incident.

  An Israeli report says police have opened an investigation, but there is no immediate confirmation from Israeli authorities.

Politics and the War and General News

• After rushed Trump meeting, Netanyahu returns home empty-handed
  Analysis: U.S. president summons PM to stress a diplomatic path on Iran’s nuclear threat, keeps tariffs on Israeli goods, highlighting billions in American aid already given link

The Region and the World

• Dutch tighten controls on military and dual use exports to Israel
  

  The Dutch government says it had tightened export controls for all military and “dual use” goods destined for Israel.

  All direct exports and the transit of these goods to Israel will be checked to see if they comply with European regulations, and will no longer be covered by general export licenses, the government says in a letter to parliament.

  “This is desirable considering the security situation in Israel, the Palestinian territories and the wider region,” foreign minister Caspar Veldkamp and trade minister Reinette Klever write.

  “Exporters will still be able to request permits, that will then be checked against European regulations.”

  The government says no military goods for Israel had been exported from the Netherlands under a general permit since the start of the war in Gaza that began after Hamas’s October 7, 2023, onslaught.

  It said that the general license for the export of “low risk information security goods,” such as routers for network security, was frequently used for export to Israel.

  It estimated that between 50 and 100 permits for the export of those goods would now have to be requested on an individual basis.

  A Dutch court last year ordered the government to block all exports of F-35 fighter jet parts to Israel over concerns they were being used to violate international law during the war in Gaza. Israel denies violating international law.

• Pro-Iran militias in Iraq mulling disarming under threat of US attack, sources say
  

  Several powerful Iranian-backed militia groups in Iraq are prepared to disarm for the first time to avert the threat of an escalating conflict with the US Trump administration, 10 senior commanders and Iraqi officials tell Reuters.

  US officials told Baghdad that unless it acted to disband the militias operating on its soil, America could target the groups with airstrikes, the people add.

  Izzat al-Shahbndar, a senior Shi’ite Muslim politician close to Iraq’s governing alliance, tells Reuters that discussions between Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani and several militia leaders are “very advanced,” and the groups are inclined to comply with US calls for disarmament.

  The apparent shift comes after the US launched significant military strikes against Iran’s Houthi rebel group in Yemen, which has attacked Red Sea shipping lanes and fired ballistic missiles at Israel.

  “The factions are not acting stubbornly or insisting on continuing in their current form,” Shahbndar says, adding that the groups are “fully aware” they could be targeted by the US.

  The six militia commanders interviewed in Baghdad and a southern province, who request anonymity to discuss the sensitive situation, are from the Kataib Hezbollah, Nujabaa, Kataib Sayyed al-Shuhada and Ansarullah al-Awfiyaa groups.

  Some of the groups launched attacks against Israel following the October 7, 2023, attack, though they have seemingly pulled back from such action since a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon reached in November.

  The commanders say their main ally and patron, Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) military force, gave them its blessing to take whatever decisions they deemed necessary to avoid being drawn into a potentially ruinous conflict with the United States and Israel.

  The militias are part of the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella group of about 10 hardline Shi’ite armed factions that collectively command about 50,000 fighters and arsenals that include long-range missiles and anti-aircraft weapons, according to two security officials who monitor militias’ activities.

Personal Stories

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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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