🎗️Lonny's War Update- October 552, 2023 - April 10, 2025 🎗️

  

🎗️Day 552 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

* Missile launched at Israel by Yemen’s Houthis lands in Saudi Arabia

A ballistic missile launched by the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen, apparently aimed at Israel, fell short in Saudi Arabia a short while ago.

The military identified the launch, but no sirens sounded in Israel because the missile did not pose a threat.

Since March 18, when the IDF resumed its offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, the Houthis in Yemen have launched more than 18 ballistic missiles and two drones at Israel. Only 10 of the missiles set off sirens in Israel, while the others fell short.

The Houthis in Yemen, meanwhile, claim to have launched a drone at Israel today, though no sirens sounded.

Hostage Updates

• Ex-hostage hits back at online critics: ‘Wish death upon Hamas and our enemies, not me’
  
  

  Freed captive Liri Albag speaks during a rally calling for the release of Israelis held hostage by Hamas terrorists in Gaza, at Hostage Square in Tel Aviv, April 5, 2025. (Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)

  Freed hostage Liri Albag describes the online invective she was subject to after she criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the October 7 terror attack during an interview.

  “Am reading the threats and curses I received, and I’m afraid. I’m not afraid of the responses themselves… I am afraid of what we’ve turned into,” Albag writes on Instagram.

  “Wishing someone would be in captivity??? I wouldn’t wish that upon my haters. Make fun of my weight? Reminds me of the same terrorists who shouted at me and made sure to remind me daily that I’m fat. To promise death and revenge??? Wish this upon Hamas and our enemies, not me.”

  Albag continues: “And why all this? Because I said the prime minister is responsible for the failure [of October 7]…. And yes, all the security leadership is to blame, don’t worry. I told them this in my meetings with them!!! And of course foremost to blame for the country’s nightmare is Hamas. I don’t forget this terror group for a moment, and I personally want revenge against it. Hamas is the enemy!!!!!!”

  “You know what is the most difficult? That this [societal] rift is worse than our enemies. We can’t win like this!!” she adds. “As the Jewish nation that has been attacked time after time, since Egypt until today, let’s fight our enemies and not one another. You will never understand what we went through there and I don’t wish for you to understand!”
• American message to families of hostages: Trump working on deal to release everyone and end the war  
  Is the president losing patience? Families of hostages were told the U.S. administration is working behind the scenes on a comprehensive hostage deal, which would be part of Trump's broader Middle East plan. Israeli officials who spoke with their American counterparts heard that Trump has given Netanyahu more leeway to continue fighting, but not for more than two to three weeks.  
  
  
  A day after his White House meeting with Donald Trump, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu chose to highlight the American president's remarks about how he is handling the issue of the 59 hostages still held by Hamas in Gaza. "The president looked at me and told the reporters there, 'This man is working all the time to free the hostages,'" Netanyahu said before returning to Israel. However, behind the scenes, Trump appears to be losing patience and is working on a comprehensive deal that will soon lead to the release of all hostages and an end to the war in Gaza.  
  
  
  American sources told hostage families last night (Wednesday) that the issue was a top priority during Monday's meeting between the two leaders at the White House. The sources noted that the Americans are pushing for a hostage deal as part of a broader Middle East initiative aimed at ending the war in Gaza and eventually normalizing relations with Saudi Arabia. According to them, the nuclear talks with Iran are part of this comprehensive plan and not a standalone effort.  
  
  
  The Americans are not satisfied with temporary pauses and are advancing a broader initiative. Israeli officials who spoke with their American counterparts heard that Trump is giving Netanyahu more rope to continue fighting, but not for long—perhaps two to three weeks—and that he will soon want the war to end.  
  
  
  According to those sources, there is no end to the war without a comprehensive resolution to the hostage issue. In a statement released by the Prime Minister's Office last night under the name of a "senior official," it was stated: "President Trump fully supports the policy led by the Prime Minister to defeat Hamas and apply military pressure to secure the release of our hostages. The diplomatic pressure applied by the U.S. on mediators, alongside Israel's military pressure, brings the possibility of a deal closer."  
  
  
  However, in their statements on Monday, which mainly focused on Washington's plan to hold direct talks with Iran on the nuclear issue, the American president said: "We are trying to secure the release of all the hostages. I want to see the war end and hope it happens soon."  
  
  
  Trump referenced October 7th and spoke about an American hostage who was murdered and whose parents requested the return of his body.  
  
  
  "We have a problem with the hostages—we are trying to get them out. It's a long process that shouldn’t be this long," President Trump noted in his joint statement with Netanyahu at the White House. "I hope the Israelis like me. We are trying hard to get the hostages out; the Israeli people want them out. We are looking at another ceasefire. He (Netanyahu) is a great leader and working hard on the hostages. It's a tough situation." Netanyahu responded: "I have a good partner."  
  
  
  Trump again shared details of his meeting with former hostages who visited the White House, saying: "The hatred is astounding. They lived in a pipe—pipes worse than tunnels. I asked if there was any affection or love. They said no. It stunned me. They lived in hell. They looked amazing—normal, but scarred. These are people who were treated horribly—I’ve never seen anything like it."  
  
  
  In his remarks after the meeting with the American president, Netanyahu referenced Trump's statement that he is "working all the time to free the hostages." The Prime Minister said: "I hope this shatters the lie that is spread every day—that I am not working for them, that I don’t care. I care, and I am doing this, and we will succeed. We also discussed President Trump’s vision, because we are currently in contact with countries talking about the possibility of taking in many Gazans. This is important, because ultimately, this is what needs to happen."  
  
  
  Trump hosted former hostages Yair Horn and Aviva and Keith Siegel last night at a gala for the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) in Washington. They took the stage, and Yair said: "We humbly ask for one final push to bring back the 59 hostages. My brother Eitan. Ziv and Gali. Avitar. All our brothers."  
  
  
  Yair, who was released in the last deal after being separated from his brother Eitan, shared in English: "I was in hell for 498 days. I was in hell with Hamas terrorists. We saw no light. When we heard President Trump was elected, we knew there was now someone who makes things happen. We knew we needed someone who gets things done—and that’s President Trump. We are here because of him. Thank you. Thank you for your efforts."  
  
  
  The former hostage broke down mid-speech and continued in a choked voice: "It’s surreal to be here. I’m a simple man who runs a bar in Kibbutz Nir Oz, and now I’m with President Trump, who runs the world. We are grateful and ask for our brothers. In a few days, we will celebrate Passover. It’s a family time. I want my mother to make kneidlach for my little brother, Eitan, at the Seder. I call him 'little.' He’s 38, but he’s my little brother. I hope he can sit with us at the Seder table."  
  
  
  Keith Siegel also thanked President Trump, saying: "I am here, and I am alive. President Trump, you saved my life. You saved the lives of 33 hostages. Because of your efforts, and because you made the hostage crisis a top priority among everything you’ve faced since becoming president—you brought 33 of us home alive. We all owe you our lives. Please, keep up the efforts. With your help, we will bring home the 59 hostages still in Gaza."  
  
  
  Aviva Siegel said: "Thank you, President Trump, for bringing my Keith home. Keith’s grandchildren, Keith’s children, Keith’s family—they are the happiest. But I am even happier. Thank you so much. We need you to bring all the hostages home. There are 24 lives, and 59 who need to come home to their families like I got Keith back. We have Yair standing with us, and his brother Eitan is underground, begging to get out. I beg you, President Trump, be strong for us. Help us." link Unfortunately, I don't buy it. If it had been a major part of the discussions between Trump and Netanyahu, it would have been a subject for the press conference. Trump is busy with other matters that have taken his attention and he has put his chief Hostage negotiator, Witkoff on other critical matters leaving him little bandwidth to try to overcome the major differences between Netanyahu and Hamas. Trump talked a lot about ending the war and freeing all the hostages but in practicality, he has encountered to much negativity from Netanyahu and without real pressure from Trump, there is no way to get Netanyahu to agree to end the war and bring home all the hostages. He is too busy and concerned with his own self interests which don't mesh with bringing home the hostages.
  
  

• Behind the Scenes of Direct U.S.-Hamas Negotiations – and Israeli Accusations of Sabotage

  

  Adam Boehler, Trump’s special envoy for hostages, met three times with senior Hamas officials to discuss the release of Idan Alexander while sharing kanafeh desserts. Minister Dermer was furious Boehler didn’t update him—and a day later, Israel allegedly worked to derail the talks. Trump wanted an achievement for his Congress speech—negotiations continued until the last moment before he reached the Capitol.

  The Trump administration and the terror group Hamas were in advanced talks for a hostage deal, focused on freeing IDF soldier Idan Alexander, according to a New York Times report. Trump badly wanted to announce Alexander’s release during his March speech to Congress, and talks went on until the final moments—but collapsed. Days later, Israel resumed fighting in Gaza.

  Secret Meetings in Doha

  In March, high-ranking Trump officials, led by envoy Adam Boehler, held three secret meetings with Hamas leaders in Qatar to secure Alexander’s release—the last living American-Israeli captive in Gaza. This marked a sharp reversal from longstanding U.S. policy against direct talks with the U.S.-designated terror group.

  According to four sources familiar with the talks, Boehler pushed Hamas to agree to Alexander’s release so Trump could announce it in his Congress address. Negotiations continued even as Trump arrived at the Capitol—but no deal was reached.

  The Three Meetings

  1. First Meeting: After Ramadan iftar, Boehler and his adviser met three Hamas officials—Taher al-Nounou, Basem Naim, and Osama Hamdan. They discussed the Gaza war and October 7, while sharing kanafeh and orange juice. Hamas reportedly appealed to American values, claiming they "fight for freedom."

  2. Second Meeting: Boehler met Hamas negotiator Khalil al-Hayya, who normally demanded 500 Palestinian prisoners for a hostage like Alexander—but "as goodwill," offered to accept 250, including 100 serving life sentences. Boehler countered with 100 lifers + 150 lower-level prisoners later.

  Israeli Opposition & Leaks

  After the second meeting, Minister Ron Dermer called Boehler, furious Israel wasn’t consulted in advance. The next day, Axios leaked the talks—U.S. officials blamed Israel for sabotaging negotiations.

  Third Meeting & Collapse

  On March 5, the U.S. revised its offer:

  • Only 100 prisoners (no lifers) for Alexander.
    Release of Palestinian women/children for bodies of 4 hostages.
    Restarting Gaza aid.
    Sending envoy Steve Witkoff to finalize details.

  Al-Hayya also floated Hamas’s "vision": a 5–10-year ceasefire where they’d "lay down arms."

  Boehler gave an ultimatum: Take the deal before my flight leaves. Al-Hayya hinted refusal.

  Too Late

  A week later, Hamas offered a similar deal—but Boehler was no longer negotiating. When Witkoff arrived in mid-March, he demanded Hamas free living hostages without war-end guarantees. Days later, Israel restarted strikes in Gaza.  link If our prime minister really cared about the hostages, he would have kept silent and let the Americans continue trying to reach an agreement through direct talks, but it is clear to everyone concerned that Netanyahu and his lapdog Dermer care nothing about the hostages and only about the self interests of the corrupt Prime Minister. To be against direct negotiations is the height of hypocrisy for Netanyahu. He personally authorized direct negotiations with Hamas for the release of the soldier Gilad Schalit who was held in Hamas captivity for 5 years and 4 months. Netanyahu authorized David Meidan, a former deputy chief of the Mossad and acting as the head of the Department for hostages and missing under the Prime Minister to have my brother as the secret back channel between the Israeli government and Hamas which secured Gilad's release. It is therefore very obvious that the issue wasn't direct negotiations but the possibility of reaching an agreement to release all the hostages but the price would be to end the war, something Netanyahu vehemently doesn't want to do. Hypocrisy and disgrace!

Gaza and the South

•  IDF vastly expanding Gaza buffer zone, which is set to include all of Rafah city
  
  
  

  FILE - Israeli military vehicles move inside the Gaza Strip, as seen from southern Israel, January 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit, File)

  During operations in Gaza in recent weeks, the IDF has been vastly expanding its buffer zone along the borders with the Strip, which is set to include the entire city of Rafah — around 20% of the Palestinian enclave.

  Troops are in the midst of establishing the so-called Morag Corridor between Rafah and Khan Younis. The IDF also issued evacuation warnings for the entire Rafah area several weeks ago.

  Once the Morag Corridor is fully established, the IDF’s buffer zone in southern Gaza will stretch from the Egypt border — the Philadelphi Corridor area — to the outskirts of Khan Younis, around 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) away, and include the entire city of Rafah within it.

  The IDF’s buffer zone elsewhere on the border with Gaza is also being expanded, from several hundred meters to around 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) in most areas.

  The expanded buffer zone can be seen on the IDF’s evacuation warning maps issued to Palestinians in recent weeks.

  
  

• IDF Confirms: Commander of Hamas' New Shejaiya Battalion Eliminated

  Haytham Siqil, the newly appointed commander of Hamas' Shejaiya battalion, was killed in an IDF strike in the northern Gaza neighborhood, the military and Shin Bet confirmed on Thursday. Dozens of Palestinians, including women and children, were reportedly killed in the attack, which Hamas described as a "massacre." The IDF stated that "measures were taken to minimize civilian harm."

  Siqil was involved in Hamas' assault on the Nahal Oz outpost on October 7 and had recently assumed his role after his predecessor was eliminated last month. The IDF said he had been planning and executing terror attacks against Israeli civilians and soldiers, including planting explosives and booby-trapping combat zones.

  Background and Role

  

  
  

  In recent years, Siqil served as a company commander in the battalion and oversaw Hamas' tunnel operations. His most recent role was leading the Nukhba company, where he directed multiple terror attacks against IDF forces. He was promoted after his predecessor, Jamil Amer Wadiya, was killed two and a half weeks ago. The battalion's previous commander, Fam Farhat, was also eliminated earlier in the war.

  Precautions and Accusations

  The IDF stated that before the strike, "precautions were taken to reduce civilian casualties, including the use of precision munitions, aerial surveillance, and additional intelligence." The military emphasized that Hamas "systematically violates international law by exploiting civilian structures and populations as human shields for terror activities."

  Palestinian sources reported that another strike in Shejaiya yesterday afternoon killed five people. Witnesses described a chaotic scene, with shrapnel flying in all directions and terrified screams filling the air. One resident said, "Several missiles targeted a four-story building near tents set up for displaced people. It was a horrifying scene."

  
  
  

  Hamas and International Reactions

  Hamas issued a statement condemning the attack as a "massacre," claiming over 50 people were wounded. The Palestinian Civil Defense in Gaza reported that among the dead were eight children and eight women.

  Ibrahim Abu al-Rish, a Gaza rescue worker, said, "There are still people buried under the rubble. The building housed civilians who thought they were safe, including children playing nearby. The attack caused massive destruction in the area."

  The Saudi network Al-Arabiya had initially reported Siqil's elimination yesterday, while the IDF later confirmed the strike targeted a senior Hamas operative responsible for planning attacks.

  
  

  
  (Photos: IDF Spokesperson, Omar Al-Qattaa/AFP)
  
  
  

• IDF strikes over 35 targets in Gaza over past day, says military

Northern Israel, Lebanon and Syria

• Israeli military drone crashes in Lebanon; IDF says ‘no fear of information leaking’
  

  An Israeli military drone crashed in Lebanon earlier today due to a technical fault, the IDF says.

  The military says there is “no fear of information leaking,” and the incident is under further investigation.

• Israel’s UN envoy defends strikes in Syria ahead of Security Council meeting
  

  Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, asserts the importance of IDF military actions in Syria ahead of a UN Security Council meeting to be held on the matter tomorrow.

  “The Security Council must understand: Failing to recognize Israel’s right and obligation to defend itself not only undermines the legitimacy of a sovereign nation, it endangers the stability of the entire region,” says Danon in a statement from his spokesperson.

  Tomorrow’s meeting, which comes at the request of Algeria and Somalia, will address Israel’s recent strikes in Syria, according to the statement.

  Israel has carried out a campaign to destroy Syrian military capabilities so that they cannot threaten the Jewish state, fearing that if Turkey establishes a military presence in Syria, it could hamper the Israeli Air Force’s freedom of action in the region.

  “Israel will act by all necessary means to ensure the safety of its citizens. Those who question the importance of Israel’s operations in Syria ignore the serious threats along our border. Israel’s presence in the region is not a source of escalation, but a defensive barrier that prevents it in the face of terror, chaos and collapse. Israel is the responsible actor working to stabilize the region,” continues Danon.

  On Saturday, Reuters reported that Turkey scoped out at least three airbases in Syria where it could deploy forces as part of a planned joint defense pact, before Israel hit the sites with airstrikes.

  On April 2, the IDF struck “remaining military capabilities” at the Hama military airport and T-4 airbase in western Syria, as well as “military infrastructure” in the Damascus area, according to the IDF.  link Unfortunately, Israel is missing an incredible opportunity with the new Syrian government. We should be cultivating lines of communication to try to find partnership and a new situation of potential peace on our northern border. The new Syrian government has repeatedly stated that they will not allow Syria to be a launching ground for other nations or organizations' wars and that they are not looking for war with their neighbors, on the contrary, they are looking for peace. These statements should have been seen as an invitation to look to the future. Instead, our failed government which is totally devoid of diplomats and future thinkers, has been on the attack since the overthrow of Assad. I am not faulting the destruction of Assad's military infrastructure, but we have to reach a point that we try to build a better region and not just continue to make new enemies.

• IDF says Hezbollah attempting to rebuild Beirut arms production site in violation of ceasefire
  

  The IDF says Hezbollah is attempting to rebuild a weapons manufacturing site in Beirut’s southern suburbs and trying to conceal its activity from a US-led mechanism monitoring the ceasefire.

  In a post on X, the IDF’s Arabic-language spokesman, Col. Avichay Adraee, says the weapons site, located under residential buildings and next to a school, was bombed by Israel in November 2024.

  Adraee says that after the IDF sent the truce mechanism information on Hezbollah’s attempts to rebuild the site in early January, a surprise inspection was carried out.

  “However, aerial photographs show that Hezbollah, which had been informed in advance of the date of the inspection, had evacuated the engineering equipment that had been operating at the site on the day the inspection was conducted, and then returned it after it had ended,” he says.

  He says the Hezbollah activity at the site is a “blatant violation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon under the ceasefire agreement.”

• Hezbollah MP says group is ready ‘for dialogue’ with government over its arsenal
  

  Hezbollah lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah says the Iran-aligned terror group is ready to enter talks with the Lebanese government on a national defense strategy, with the focus on ensuring the removal of Israeli troops from Lebanon’s territory.

  The comments come after a senior Hezbollah official told Reuters yesterday that “Hezbollah is ready to discuss the matter of its arms if Israel withdraws from the five points, and halts its aggression against Lebanese.”

  US-backed President Joseph Aoun, who pledged to establish a state monopoly on the control of arms when he took office in January, is set to start talks with Hezbollah about its weapons arsenal, three Lebanese political sources tell Reuters.

  In a televised speech, Fadlallah says: “We have expressed our readiness for dialogue to find a defense strategy for Lebanon.”

  He says any meaningful discussions should focus on confronting Israeli “aggressions” and removing Israeli forces from southern Lebanon.

  “We are in constant contact with President Aoun. When he calls for dialogue and sets national foundations for it, we are ready,” he adds.

  Fighting between Israel and Hezbollah ended with a November 2024 ceasefire that resulted in the withdrawal of Israeli troops, except for in five key positions near the border. Israel says it intends to hand the posts over to Lebanese troops once it is sure the security situation allowed.

• Israel confirms talks with Turkey in Azerbaijan, lays out its ‘red line’ in Syria
  

  A senior Israeli official confirms that delegations from Turkey and Israel met yesterday in Azerbaijan to discuss a deconfliction mechanism aimed at preventing unwanted incidents in Syria.

  During the meeting, Israel “made it unequivocally clear that any change in the deployment of foreign forces in Syria, in particular the establishment of Turkish bases in the Palmyra (Tadmor) area, is a red line,” the official says.

  The official adds that Israel has made it clear that preventing any such activity “is the responsibility of the government in Damascus. Any activity that endangers Israel will threaten the rule of [Syrian President Ahmed] al-Sharaa.”

  Turkish ministry sources also confirm the talks in Azerbaijan, saying that they mark the beginning of efforts to set up a channel to avoid potential clashes or misunderstandings between the two countries’ operations in the region.

  “Efforts will continue to establish this mechanism,” one of the sources says, without providing further details on the scope or timeline of the talks.

  Israel has accused Turkey of trying to turn Syria into a Turkish protectorate, and Ankara has slammed Israeli military activity in the country following the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime. Reuters reported last week that Turkish military teams had scoped out at least three air bases in Syria where they could deploy forces as part of a planned joint defense pact before Israel hit the sites with airstrikes.

  
  

West Bank, Jerusalem, Israel and Terror Attacks

• 
  

Politics and the War and General News

• First look at IDF chief’s October 7 schedule shows delayed top-level coordination
  Document’s release comes after year-long delay, revealing that Halevi’s first meeting with Netanyahu took place more than three hours after Hamas’s surprise attack began
  

  The Israel Defense Forces on Tuesday released former chief of staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi’s schedule for the first time, revealing that an initial assessment he held on October 7, 2023, began at 7 a.m. — half an hour after Hamas’s surprise attack began — and that he only met with Prime Minister Netanyahu at 9:45 a.m.

  Halevi resigned from his position last month after taking responsibility for the failures surrounding the October 7 onslaught. However, Netanyahu and most members of his government have repeatedly refused to do the same.

  According to the schedule, Halevi held a situational assessment on October 7 at 7 a.m. at the Kirya headquarters in Tel Aviv.z
  

  He subsequently held a total of eight meetings, including three with the then-chief of the IDF Southern Command, Maj. Gen. Yaron Finkelman, before meeting with Netanyahu at 9:45 a.m.

  Finkelman has since resigned from the military.

  Amid Hamas’s onslaught on October 7, during which terrorists abducted 251 people, the IDF established a Hostage and Missing Persons Headquarters, headed by Maj. Gen. (res.) Nitzan Alon.

  However, Halevi only held a first meeting with Alon on October 13, and the next meeting was on October 24, according to the schedule.
  

  On the evening of October 5, just 36 hours before the war began, Halevi led a security briefing to assess the IDF’s war readiness — though it did not signal heightened concern on the IDF’s part.
  

  In the final hours before Hamas’s October 7 assault, the IDF detected five irregular signs of activity, but top officials determined they did not indicate an imminent attack, according to a military investigation.

  The schedule’s release followed a Freedom of Information petition by the nonprofit Hatzlacha – For the Advancement of a Fair Society, after the army failed to respond to their request for over a year.

  The petition, filed in February 2024, requested Halevi’s administrative diary from October 2023 onward. Despite repeated inquiries, the IDF remained silent for months and only issued a partial response at the court’s final deadline, providing entries for the last three months of 2023.

  At a Tel Aviv District Court hearing prior to the document’s release, Judge Oded Maor sharply criticized the state for its repeated delays and mishandling of the case, noting that the IDF had already requested several extensions.

  

  IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi (left) meets with the head of the Southern Command, Maj. Gen. Yaron Finkelman (center) and hostage pointman Maj. Gen. (res.) Nitzan Alon, in southern Gaza’s Rafah, September 1, 2024. (Israel Defense Forces)

  In response to such criticisms, the IDF released a statement saying, “In light of the numerous security challenges and the complex operational reality, an extended period of time was required to formulate a response to the request, which demanded the attention of professional bodies, including information security officials.”

  The schedule omits any mention of meetings with journalists, despite the petition’s explicit request.
  

  The IDF claims that not everything was documented due to the initial shock of Hamas’s onslaught.

  The release of Halevi’s schedule marks the first known instance of an IDF chief of staff’s diary being disclosed under Israel’s Freedom of Information Law, according to Hatzlacha.  link

• 7 arrested during Jerusalem protest denouncing the war in Gaza
  
  

  Activists from the left-wing "Free Jerusalem" group protest the war in Gaza, in Jerusalem's Paris Square, April 9, 2025. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)

  Police arrest seven demonstrators at a small anti-war protest in Jerusalem earlier tonight, in Paris Square near the prime minister’s residence.

  The left-wing protesters amounted to several dozen and did not appear to have blocked roads to traffic, but police made arrests regardless, confiscating signs bearing controversial slogans.

  Participants held banners in Hebrew, English and Arabic demanding an end to Israel’s ongoing Gaza offensive and calling on Israelis to refuse IDF service.

  In a clip posted to social media, a protester in a Pikachu costume — a viral symbol of the anti-Erdogan protests in Turkey last month — is seen holding a banner that reads “stop the massacre,” before a plainclothes officer tears it away.
  

  Another woman, who is circling around the plaza with a sign saying “refuse,” is tackled to the ground by several cops. video of police violence against protestors (1)  video 2

• PA minister: French recognition of Palestinian statehood ‘would be step in the right direction’
  

  A Palestinian Authority minister says French President Emmanuel Macron’s announcement that Paris could recognize a Palestinian state by June would be “a step in the right direction.”

  France’s recognition of Palestinian statehood “would be a step in the right direction in line with safeguarding the rights of the Palestinian people and the two-state solution,” Palestinian Authority minister of state for foreign affairs Varsen Aghabekian Shahin tells AFP.  link Netanyahu and his messianic extremist government think that they have the veto over recognition of a Palestinian State. They don't and the more nations of the world that will recognize a Palestinian state the closer it will bring us to direct negotiations for an end to the 100 year Israel/Palestine conflict. It obviously cannot happen with the current leadership on either side and both sides need to bring in new leadership and new governments as soon as possible. We need to make this war the last war.

  France could recognize a Palestinian state in the coming months, says French President Emmanuel Macron.

  “We must take the path of a recognition [of the Palestinian state]. So that’s what we’re gonna do in the coming months,” he says to France 5.

  He indicates that the move could come at a June United Nations conference co-hosted by France and Saudi Arabia on creating a Palestinian state.

  “Our goal is something like June with Saudi Arabia to hold this conference to finalize the mutual recognition movement by several countries.”

  “I won’t do it for unity or in order to please someone,” Macron continues. “I’ll do it because I think that at some point it would be fair. And also because I want to take part in a collective dynamic, one that allows everyone who defends Palestine to also recognize Israel.”

  He argues the move will serve regional security.

• Turkish FM says Ankara and Jerusalem holding technical talks on Syria deconfliction
  

  Turkey has been holding technical talks with Israel for deconfliction in Syria when needed, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan says in a live broadcast on private broadcaster CNN Turk.

  
  

• IAF to dismiss reservists who signed letter demanding prioritization of hostages over war

  Dozens in active reserves likely to be booted, but most of the 1,000 signatories are veterans, no longer serving; letter calls to end war but not for refusal to serve; IDF says soldiers can’t ‘use Air Force brand’ for political protest
  

  A group of close to 1,000 veterans of the Israeli Air Force, the vast majority of them in retirement, published a letter Thursday demanding the return of the hostages in Gaza, even if it comes at the cost of ending the war against Hamas entirely.

  After the letter was published, the military moved to dismiss every active duty reservist who signed it, saying soldiers cannot use the “Israeli Air Force brand” to protest political matters.

  The letter did not call for a general refusal to serve, as had been previously reported, but instead urged the government to prioritize the release of hostages over the continuation of the war in Gaza, which the signatories argue now serves “political and personal interests” rather than national security.

  “The continuation of the war doesn’t advance any of the declared goals of the war, and will bring about the deaths of the hostages, of IDF soldiers and innocent civilians,” reads the letter, which was published as an ad in a number of Israeli newspapers.

  “As has been proven in the past, only an agreement [with the Hamas terror group] can return hostages safely, while military pressure mainly leads to the killing of hostages and the endangerment of our soldiers,” it added. “We call on all citizens of Israel to mobilize for action.”

  All but five of the signatories signed with their full name, indicating they are likely not active reservists but rather retired veterans. According to the military, the vast majority of those who signed the letter are no longer active reservists.

  The IDF was still investigating the list and working to identify those who are in active reserves, but it is thought that dozens of the signatories are active reservists and will likely be dismissed.

  Several reservists who were initially on the letter removed their signatures prior to its publication after the IAF held discussions with them.

  Among the signatories was former IDF chief of staff and IAF commander Dan Halutz, and Nimrod Sheffer, former head of the IDF’s Planning Directorate.

  IAF chief Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar had sought to prevent the publication of the letter, which was originally slated to be released on Tuesday.

  After its publication, Bar, along with IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, moved to dismiss the active reservists who signed the letter, with the IDF saying that it has no issue with reservists protesting any matter in their civilian lives, as long as they do it without using the name of the military or their role.
  Since the letter was signed by “air personnel in reserves and retirement,” the military said it could not accept a situation where reservists “use the Israeli Air Force brand” to protest political matters.

  IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, center, Shin Bet head Ronen Bar, right, and chief of the Israeli Air Force Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar at the IAF’s underground command center at the military headquarters in Tel Aviv, March 18, 2025. (IDF)

  “It is inconceivable for someone to do a shift at [the IAF] command center and head out afterward and express mistrust in the task,” the IDF added, saying it is operating solely out of “matter-of-fact interests” and working to achieve the goals of the war, especially the return of the hostages.

  Refusal to serve

  After the military said it would dismiss the active reservists who signed the letter, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed support for the decision in a statement on Thursday in which he claimed that they had refused to serve: “Refusal to serve is refusal to serve, even if it’s only hinted at in whitewashed language. Statements that weaken the IDF and strengthen our enemies in a time of war are unforgivable.”

  Netanyahu called the signatories “a group of fringe extremists who are trying once again to break Israeli society from within. They tried to do it before October 7 and Hamas interpreted the refusal calls as a weakness.”

  Defense Minister Israel Katz, center right, during an assessment with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, and other officials on March 18, 2025. (Ariel Hermoni/Defense Ministry)

  Amid the mass protests against the government’s judicial overhaul plan in 2023, several groups of reservists, including in the IAF, issued statements saying they would refuse to serve under a regime they no longer viewed as democratic. The IDF has said, however, that Hamas had planned the attack at least a year in advance.

  Netanyahu accused the signatories of “acting toward one goal — bringing down the government. They don’t represent the soldiers or the public.”

  Responding to the letter, Defense Minster Israel Katz slammed the reservists who signed it, saying: “I strongly reject the letter by the Air Force reservists and the attempt to undermine the legitimacy of the just war that the IDF is leading in Gaza for the return of the hostages and the defeat of the murderous Hamas terrorist organization.”

  “I trust the judgment of the chief of staff and the Air Force commander and am convinced that they will handle this unacceptable phenomenon in the most appropriate way,” his statement added.

  Israeli Air Force pilots prepare for airstrikes against the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen, December 26, 2024. (Israel Defense Forces)

  Far-right Religious Zionism MK Simcha Rothman also slammed the letter, calling for all signatories to “be fired from the army” and saying that the letter is “part of a media campaign” to undermine the government.

  Almog Cohen, a lawmaker from National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir’s far-right Otzma Yehudit party, called the letter “another open invitation to the next massacre.”

  “The signatories, including a former chief of staff, continue to trade in the blood of our children with criminal irresponsibility, cynically using their military rank,” he said. “My demand from the chief of staff is to immediately dismiss those who are serving and to revoke the ranks and military pensions of those who are no longer serving. Any lenient treatment will lead to the collapse of the IDF.”

  “The enemy is sharpening his knives and the blood of the victims on the foreheads of the refuseniks who are almost begging for another massacre,” Cohen concluded.

  The military recently dismissed at least two reservist officers for refusing to serve, including air force combat navigator Alon Gur, who said he told his superiors that “a line was crossed,” that the state was “again abandoning its citizens in broad daylight,” and that he cannot continue to serve.

  According to reports, those incidents were seen by the IDF as isolated cases, but a number of senior IDF officials were reportedly concerned that refusal to serve could become a larger phenomenon among reservists.

  At the height of the 2023 protests against the judicial overhaul, hundreds of IDF reservists signed declarations saying they would no longer show up for reserve duty in protest of the government advancing its plans to curtail the judiciary.

  However, when war erupted in Gaza with the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attacks and massacres, nearly 300,000 reservists showed up for duty, marking the largest-ever call-up of reservists in Israel’s history.  link This is the same type of deliberate blindness and deadness to the situation of the entire country. The statement speaks to the necessity of prioritizing the hostages and ending the war for the good of the nation. Contrary to what Netanyahu and his extremist cronies want the public to believe, this petition is not calling for refusal to serve, it is calling for our failed government to do the right thing.

The Region and the World

• Trump: Israel will ‘be the leader’ of strike on Iran if nuclear talks fail. Trump and Netanyahu are setting us up for a war with Iran. Let's thank these 2 wannabe dictators for doing this

Personal Stories

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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