🎗️Lonny's War Update- October 553, 2023 - April 11, 2025 🎗️

 

🎗️Day 553 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

•  Witcoff to Hostage Families: "A Serious Deal in the Works – It’s a Matter of Days"  

As reported by Ynet, Trump is working on a comprehensive deal, and according to U.S. envoy Steve Whitcoff, it is expected to materialize soon. The understanding is that the U.S. president will demand a halt to fighting within weeks and a shift to negotiations. Meanwhile, in a cabinet meeting, ministers called for increased military pressure in Gaza. Hostage survivor Karina Ariev’s plea ahead of Passover: "The hostages are waiting for their holiday of freedom."  

"A Very Serious Deal on the Table"  

Ynet revealed that hostage families received a message indicating Trump is advancing a comprehensive agreement. Tonight (Thursday), it was reported that U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Whitcoff told families in a meeting: "A very serious deal is cooking—it’s a matter of days." The understanding is that Trump has given Prime Minister Netanyahu a few more weeks of military operations before demanding a ceasefire and a broader deal.  

Cabinet Debates: More Pressure or a Deal?  

At last night’s security cabinet meeting—held without top defense officials—ministers discussed Netanyahu’s Washington visit but also pushed for escalating military pressure on Hamas. Minister Miri Regev argued the current pressure is insufficient: "If Hamas is truly cracking, we must intensify [operations]." National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir urged seizing a "rare opportunity" to capture territory and encourage emigration under Trump’s plan.  

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich demanded Israel insist on the return of all hostages, warning that if Hamas refuses, a "large-scale maneuver" should replace incremental deals. Netanyahu agreed military pressure must increase.  

U.S. Pressure: Hostages Central to Trump-Netanyahu Talks  

American sources told hostage families that the issue was a top priority in Monday’s Trump-Netanyahu meeting at the White House. The U.S. is pushing for a hostage deal as part of a broader Middle East initiative to end the Gaza war and advance normalization with Saudi Arabia. Talks with Iran on its nuclear program are reportedly linked to this plan.  

Israeli officials were told Trump is giving Netanyahu limited time—perhaps two to three weeks—before insisting on an end to the war. "There will be no war conclusion without a comprehensive hostage resolution," sources emphasized.  

A statement from the Prime Minister’s Office echoed: "President Trump fully supports the PM’s policy to defeat Hamas and apply military pressure for our hostages’ release. U.S. diplomatic pressure, alongside Israel’s military pressure, brings a deal closer."  

Yet Trump’s own words on Monday hinted at urgency: "We’re working to free all hostages. I want to see this war end—hopefully soon."  

A Passover Plea: "Leave an Empty Chair"  

Meanwhile, former hostage Karina Ariev appealed to the public ahead of Passover, as many survivors and families fear the issue is fading from national consciousness:  

"My name is Karina Ariev. I returned home after 477 days in Hamas captivity. As Passover—the holiday of freedom—approaches, I think of our brothers and sisters still held there. Until they return, none of us can truly be free."  

"At the Seder, we read, ‘In every generation, one must see themselves as if they left Egypt.’ After captivity, these words take on new meaning. I am here, but my heart remains there. 59 hostages are still waiting for their freedom. This holiday, leave an empty chair for them—do not forget them."  link The idea that more military pressure will bring Hamas to their knees and beg us to take the hostages is the most ridiculous idea that Netanyahu and his failed cabinet expect the public to believe. The only thing that this military pressure is doing currently is giving Netanyahu a smokescreen and endangering the hostages. The hostages lives are at risk from the bombing as well as the very clear possibility of them being executed by their Hamas terrorist guards if they fear that the army is getting close to them. They have been given clear instructions to do just that and we have already seen too much of it to think that it won't happen. 

In this cabinet meeting, we have idiot and dangerous ministers demanding ridiculous things for their own self interests. Miri Regev arguing that the current military pressure is not enough is laughable. She is not exactly a military expert, in the least. Yes, she served as a military spokesperson but her military background was as a youth instructor and then the military spokesman's office. That's it. Not exactly battle experience. And Ben Gvir who wasn't even allowed to join the army because they deemed his racist background and ideology as dangerous to the well being of the army, demands the taking of territory and expulsion of Gazans to fit his messianic plan of getting rid of all Palestinians and taking over Gaza with massive Jewish settlements. And then we have Smotrich, another messianic who's military background consists of his avoiding going to the army till he got caught and then serving as a clerk for a reduced period of time. These are the 'experts' in this failed and corrupted cabinet, with 2 of them, Ben Gvir and Smotrich being proud that they have prevented hostage deals throughout the war. Disgraceful that they even hold public positions, worse that they are senior ministers and embarrassing to every Israeli that these are the people who represent our country. 

Despite this group of fools and the prime minister who cares only about himself, we must keep our hopes that the wildly unpredictable person in the White House will truly go back to his eagerness to end the war and bring back the hostages and will apply the necessary pressure on Netanyahu, and not allow him to twist Trump around his fingers as he has done until now.

see the article "Gaza Division Brigade Commander in Scathing Indictment: "I Wanted to Attack Hamas, But They Reached Agreements—Money and Workers" " in the war and politics section

 

•  Mother of Hostage Yosef Chaim Ohana: "I Just Heard His Voice, and It's Hard for Me to Speak"  
  

For 552 days, Yosef Chaim Ohana has been held captive by Hamas. Just before his family marks another Passover without him, his mother, Miri Ben Ami, shared her unrelenting longing, the emotions that surfaced when she heard his voice in the latest proof-of-life video, and the faith that sustains her. "It gives me the strength to keep going," she said in an interview.  

This Saturday evening, many will gather around the Seder table to celebrate Passover, the holiday of freedom. But 59 families will not be able to celebrate fully while their loved ones remain hostages in Gaza. Among them is the family of Yosef Chaim Ohana, who was abducted from the Nova festival, captured on camera for just seconds during the attack.  

Two weeks ago, a sign of life arrived—a video showing him alongside fellow hostage Elkanah Buhbot. In it, Yosef Chaim said: "When the crossings were closed during the war, the situation was very harsh—no food, no safe place, no living conditions. We didn’t know if we’d live or die. When the crossings opened, we began to breathe. We believed this would all be over."  

 "Hearing His Voice Feels Like He’s Close"  

This morning (Thursday), his mother shared the deep faith that keeps her going—and the emotions that overwhelmed her when she heard his voice again.  

"I just listened to his voice, and it’s hard for me to speak," she said. "His voice is something special. Hearing him makes me feel he’s very close. I sense him strongly—he’s fighting."  

"In the proof-of-life video, we heard them crying out for help. Yosef Chaim loves to help; he has a big, kind heart. He helped people at the Nova party, offering aid. Friends have told me how he supported them during tough times—always cheerful, always energetic."  

"I’m struggling as the holiday approaches. I didn’t even want to go shopping for Passover. But in the end, I did, remembering the words of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov: ‘Everything is by divine providence.’ That gives me the strength to get up, keep going, and function."  

 "I Believe God Will Send the Right People to Bring Them Home"  

When asked if she has been in touch with political leaders, she replied:  

"I believe God will send the right messengers to bring them home—He guides the entire world. Of course, I’ve spoken to those I needed to, given interviews where necessary. God gives me strength for this mission. We must never forget who directs everything. I speak with leaders here and abroad."  

A Second Passover Without Her Son  

"This is the second Passover I’ll sit without my son. Do you get answers that give you hope?"  

"I pray that God guides everyone to the right decisions. I also want to talk about the ‘Emuna Yosef Chaim ben Miriam’ project—we distribute Rabbi Nachman’s books at Hostages Square with a sticker bearing Yosef Chaim’s name and a personal prayer."  

 "The Hug of the Nation Gives Me Strength"  

"Does meeting with the Israeli public help?"  

"Absolutely. We see the enormous embrace of our people, how we care for one another. The compassion and support in this nation are incredible. I hope this unity and mutual concern only grow stronger. It’s vital that we live here in harmony and peace."  

A Message to Her Son  

Finally, she shared a message for Yosef Chaim:  

"My beloved and precious son, I want you to know there’s a project in your name. Your sticker is in these books, along with personal and general prayers. I love you so much, miss you deeply, and am fighting for you. I won’t stop until, God willing, you and all the hostages return home—healthy in body and soul."  link

 

•  Mother of Liri Albag After Threats: "No One Will Silence Her Anymore" 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke with the released observer Liri Albag after she faced severe backlash for her recent interview. "Liri reminded him that we must ensure the return of all 59 hostages—that is her fight," shared her mother, Shira Albag. "Netanyahu apologized and invited her to meet with him and her fellow observers," she revealed.  

Shira Albag, whose daughter Liri was freed from Gaza after 477 days in captivity, spoke today (Thursday) with Mishdar HaYom about the threats and curses Liri received—and about last night's conversation with Netanyahu. Liri faced harsh criticism after her interview with Kan public broadcaster, where she stated that the prime minister also bears responsibility for the October 7 failure.  

"Liri is okay," Shira said. "I can say it’s not easy and it hurts, but everyone must remember that Liri lost everything for 477 days—and no one will silence her anymore. Unlike our enemies, we can express our opinions, even if they differ. We must learn to accept and embrace those who think differently from us."  

The Call with Netanyahu  

Liri and her parents spoke with the prime minister yesterday after she addressed the online threats directed at her. "The prime minister called," Shira recounted. "Liri wasn’t home, so we did a conference call. She was very emotional—after all, this was her first time speaking with him. He apologized and invited her to meet with him and her fellow observers."  

Shira continued: "Liri reminded him that we must care for and bring back all 59 hostages—that is her fight. She cannot recover, she cannot truly live her life until they return. She knows what they’re experiencing there, she knows what they’re going through—she feels it every single day. Netanyahu promised that everything is being done to bring them all back."  

The verbal attacks against Liri did not come up in the conversation with Netanyahu. "It was a short call," Shira explained. "As I said, Liri wasn’t home and couldn’t extend the discussion. I would have loved for us to meet with Netanyahu so we could say everything we need to say."  

"Netanyahu apologized and invited her to meet with him with her observant friends"  

 

"When Liri returned from captivity, she said they want to see us divided," Shira recalled. "They want to see us disunited. We must truly strive to stay united, even if we think differently."  

Liri with her parents on the day of her return from captivity 

 

She added: "I believe it is the duty of all leaders, all government officials, and all of us as individuals to care and not speak this way. We have enough enemies outside—we don’t need to fight among ourselves. Woe to us if we keep tearing each other apart. These curses and insults should only be wished upon our enemies."  

 "We Would Have Welcomed This Call Sooner"  

When asked if they expected Netanyahu to reach out earlier, Shira responded:  

"I should note that we—not Liri herself—spoke with the prime minister in the week of her release. A meeting didn’t materialize then, but we would be happy to meet now, if only to remind him that 59 hostages still need to come home."  link

 

• Yearning for modern Exodus: Israel marks another Passover awaiting hostages’ return
  Families of captives struggle to celebrate the festival of freedom after 18 months without their loved ones; Netanyahu notes many families will mark holiday with ’empty chairs’
  
  A t-shirt depicting Omri Miran, who is held captive by Hamas in the Gaza Strip, hangs at the family's home in Kibbutz Nahal Oz, southern Israel, Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (AP/Maya Alleruzzo)
  Relatives of hostages held by terrorists in Gaza say they feel the absence of their loved ones acutely during Passover, which commemorates the Exodus of the ancient Israelites from Egypt and their liberation from slavery.

Jews around the world will mark the beginning of the weeklong holiday Saturday night, gathering for a ceremony and meal called a Seder that features symbolic foods and rituals to help recount a biblical story about bitter times, a flight from tyranny and, eventually, freedom.

The second Passover since Hamas’s October 7, 2023, onslaught, in which some 1,200 people were murdered and 251 were taken hostage to Gaza, stirs up a mix of complicated emotions for Israelis and Jews, especially for those whose family members are among the 59 still in captivity in Gaza.

Last year, many families left an empty seat at their Seder tables to remember those killed or taken hostage on October 7.

A Seder without ‘Daddy Omri’

Lishay Miran Lavi recalls Passover two years ago as if it were a different life. In 2023, Passover fell four days after she gave birth to her second daughter, Alma. “We were a full family then, two parents, two daughters,” she said.

Her husband Omri Miran, who turned 48 on Friday, is one of the 24 hostages in Gaza still believed to be alive.

Alma was six months old when Hamas terrorists burst into their home in Kibbutz Nahal Oz, forcing Lishay, Omri, Alma and their then 2-year-old daughter, Roni, into their neighbors’ home. Terrorists, who had just killed their neighbors’ 18-year-old daughter, broadcast a Facebook livestream of everyone being held hostage in the kitchen, before kidnapping the fathers, Omri and Tsachi Idan, to Gaza. Idan’s body was returned to Israel in February, during the last hostage exchange.

Omri Miran (center) from Kibbutz Nir Oz, with his wife Lishay (left) and daughter Roni; Omri was taken captive by Hamas terrorists to Gaza on October 7, 2023 (Noa Sharvit/Courtesy)

 

April brings a host of difficult days for the Miran family: Alma’s second birthday, Omri’s birthday, and the Passover holiday. They mark all the milestones because Miran Lavi wants her daughters to experience some joy. But each time the family gathers to blow out the candles on a birthday cake or sing songs during their Passover meal, it only sharpens Omri’s absence.

Each night before bed, Roni leads Alma in wishing their father goodnight, telling him what they did that day, what they learned at kindergarten and the things they want to do with Omri when he comes home. Alma, who knows Omri only through photos and videos, doesn’t really understand what a father is, Miran Lavi said.

“She knows that she had a father who is named Omri, and she calls him Daddy Omri,” she said.

Hostage Omri Miran’s children record a message to US President Donald Trump on March 10, 2025. (Screen capture/X)

 The recent ceasefire and hostage release deal lasted from mid-January to March, and saw Hamas release 30 hostages — 20 Israeli civilians, five soldiers, and five Thai nationals — as well as the bodies of eight slain Israeli captives.

Fighting resumed on March 18, after Israel and Hamas reached an impasse as to how to proceed with the deal. The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza says that more than 50,000 Palestinians have been killed in the 18-month-old war sparked by the October 7 onslaught, although the figure cannot be verified and does not differentiate between civilians and combatants.

Lishay Miran Lavi, whose husband of Omri Miran is held captive by Hamas in the Gaza Strip, poses for a portrait at the family’s home in Kibbutz Nahal Oz, southern Israel, Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo)

 

Miran Lavi says she was shocked, then furious, when the ceasefire broke down last month. She can’t help but think about how if the ceasefire and the hostage releases had continued, Omri would have been home by now.

Watching the return of other male hostages, emaciated and pale, Miran Lavi is terrified about her husband’s condition. Recently released hostages said they had seen Omri in captivity, but Miran Lavi has no details about his current condition. “I know this is the time Omri needs to come out,” she said.

Too painful to celebrate

Viki Cohen says her family has not marked any Jewish holidays since her 20-year-old son, Nimrod, a soldier, was taken by terrorists from his tank in southern Israel.

“We don’t gather as a family, because it reminds us how much he is missing, and that he’s not with us, and it’s very hard for us,” she said. The only time the extended family gathers is at protests.

Viki and Romi Cohen, mother and twin sister of hostage Nimrod Cohen, speak at Hostages Square on February 1, 2025 (Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)

 But Cohen found a way this year to help keep the hostages’ memories alive during Passover. She illustrated a children’s Haggadah, the text laying out the rituals and story recited during the Seder.

She sprinkled colorful references to the hostages throughout the Haggadah to help spark discussions about them — a scorpion for Ohad Yahalomi, who loved the desert; a bushy mustache for Shlomo Mansour; cactuses lovingly tended by Oded Lifshitz; Batman symbols for Ariel Bibas; and a Rubik’s cube for her son, who was obsessed with the puzzle and left one behind in his tank on the day he was abducted.

Cohen says her heart clenches when she sees other families gathering for Passover or taking trips abroad. She worries that as time passes, Israelis are beginning to normalize the unresolved hostage crisis.

The cover of a children’s haggadah for Passover illustrated by Viki Cohen, mother of hostage Nimrod Cohen, for Passover 2025 (Courtesy)

 

“People are returning to their lives, but what about us?” said Cohen, who is opposed to Israel’s decision to halt humanitarian aid to Gaza because it hurts both hostages and Palestinians.

She encouraged everyone attending a Passover meal around the world to “adopt” one hostage to talk about during their gathering, and to ask themselves what they can do to pressure the Israeli government to reach a deal to free the remaining hostages.

After captivity, some are back in Israel for this year’s Seder

Last year, many families of hostages couldn’t imagine marking the holiday, explained Meirav Leshem Gonen, whose daughter, Romi, had been in captivity and was released in January after 15 months in Gaza.

“Her absence was so strong, even just sitting around the table, not to hear her voice, her laughter, it was unimaginable and impossible,” she said.

Romi Gonen (right) and her mother, Meirav Leshem Gonen, embrace after Romi’s return from Hamas captivity, January 19, 2025. (IDF)

 

This year, the family is reunited but painfully aware of the thousands of homes across Israel where families are grappling with the absence of someone killed in the war, or others who were wounded or are still serving in the reserves, Leshem Gonen said.

She hopes the holiday can encourage more unity within Israel.

“It’s a holiday about liberation and working together, and a nation’s strength when they work together,” she said.

Netanyahu’s Passover message

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also noted, in a Passover video message issued on Friday, that the families of the hostages and fallen, as well as seriously injured soldiers, would be marking the festival with “empty chairs.”

“But from this void, the clear voice of our fallen heroes rises like the last message of the late Elkana Vizel, who wrote to his family: ‘Do not be sad when you say goodbye to me. Sing and strengthen each other, because we are the generation of redemption,” Netanyahu said.

“We are the generation of revival, the generation of victory,” the premier added. “Together we will return our hostages, together we will defeat our enemies, together we will embrace the injured, and together we will bow our heads to remember the fallen.”

“On October 7, there were those who believed we would drown in the sea by the enemy armies. But not only did we not drown, we stood as one, and with a strong and outstretched hand we broke the axis of evil,” he asserted.

“The entire world looks on in amazement at our ancient people, who time and again prevail over those who seek to kill us,” Netanyahu continued, adding that both God and a fighting spirit saved the Jewish people throughout the generations.

It is traditional for families retelling the Passover story to find ways to make it relevant to today — a task that has extra meaning for Michael Levy, whose 34-year-old brother, Or Levy, was released from captivity in February.

“This is the Exodus from Egypt for the modern days,” he said.

• Ex-hostage recalls Passover in Gaza, says remaining captives ‘in chains’ during holiday
  

Agam Berger recounts how she clung to faith during her 482 days in captivity, says she marked festival of freedom last year with corn flour pita, decorations from ‘scraps of paper’

Former hostage Agam Berger (center) and family members visit the Old City of Jerusalem, on February 28, 2025. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)

Freed hostage Agam Berger recounted her experiences observing the Passover holiday last year while being held hostage by Hamas terrorists in Gaza and how keeping her faith helped her endure the hardships of captivity in an op-ed published Friday in the Wall Street Journal.

Berger, 20, was taken captive by Hamas terrorists on October 7, 2023, from the IDF surveillance unit at the Nahal Oz military base. She was released from captivity on January 30, 2025, as part of a ceasefire and hostage release deal.

“Having survived the massacre — when babies, children, women and elderly men were killed simply because they were Jews — I knew I had been chosen by God for something, and that he would protect me,” Berger wrote in the op-ed, naming several Jewish sages and leaders throughout history who had been imprisoned for various reasons.

“Each had been in my position,” she wrote. “I learned, as my forebears did, that imprisonment can’t overwhelm the inner spiritual life.”

She said that even as Hamas had tried to “coerce me into converting to Islam — at times, forcing a Hijab on my head — they couldn’t take away my soul.”

The 20-year-old violinist said that throughout her 482 days in captivity, she chose to observe every Jewish fast that she could, refusing certain foods that were not kosher, and “chose not to light a fire on Shabbat to cook for my captors.”

“They stopped letting me cook altogether once they realized it was something I enjoyed,” she added.

Freed hostage Agam Berger (right) reunites with her parents Shlomi and Merav at an IDF facility next to the Gaza border on January 30, 2025. (IDF)

Berger, whose religious observance during captivity was first reported by hostages released during the November 2023 ceasefire, recalled marking Passover in captivity last year with fellow hostage Liri Albag, who has also been freed. 

“Held in a small room with no natural light, we did what we could to set the holiday mood,” Agam wrote, describing how the pair made decorations from “scraps of paper,” and how Albag had surprised her with a makeshift Hagaddah, the story of the ancient Israelites’ Exodus from Egypt and their journey to freedom.

“On Passover, we heard that people had set us a table in Hostage Square in Tel Aviv. Liri listened to her mother’s voice on the airwaves. We cried, then sat down to eat our own ‘bread of affliction,’ the Haggadah’s description of the matzah our fathers ate in Egypt.”

“Our corn flour pitas united us with them,” she said.

(L-R) Captivity survivors Naama Levy, Karina Ariev, Agam Berger, Liri Albag and Daniella Gilboa watch a concert in their honor at Beilinson Hospital in Petah Tikva, February 4, 2025. (Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)

Turning to the present, Berger noted that although she will once again be able to celebrate the upcoming Passover holiday with her family, she “won’t yet be full,” as 59 hostages, 24 of whom are believed to be alive, remain in the clutches of Gaza’s terror groups.

“This is their second Passover in chains of iron. We can’t allow a third.”

In total, Hamas released 30 hostages, including 20 Israeli civilians, five soldiers, and five Thai nationals, and the bodies of eight slain Israeli captives during the recent ceasefire, which lasted from January to March.

Hamas had previously freed 105 civilians during a weeklong truce in late November 2023, and four hostages were released before that in the early weeks of the war, sparked by Hamas’s murderous assault on southern Israel on October 7, in which some 1,200 people were killed, and 251 were taken hostage.

Upon her release from captivity on January 30, days after Albag and three other captive surveillance soldiers were released, Berger said she wrote down the phrase she had carried with her throughout her 482-day ordeal.

“‘I chose the path of faith, and with the path of faith I have returned,'” she said. “Even as a hostage, I believed I would return home the same person I was when I was taken against my will.”

“We are commanded to remember the Exodus every day,” Berger concluded. “That demands that we continue our efforts to bring home our captive brothers and to fight to ensure the atrocities of that autumn Sabbath never occur again.”

• Families to hold Passover Seder at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv, ask public to join
  
  

  Members of Kibbutz Be'eri set the table for a Passover Seder at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv. April 22, 2024. (GIL COHEN-MAGEN / AFP)

  The Hostages and Missing Families Forum invites the public to join them for a Passover Seder in solidarity with captives’ relatives at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv.
  

  How can we sit at the Seder table and tell the story of our journey from slavery to freedom while 59 of our brothers and sisters are still held captive by Hamas?” a statement by the group reads.

  The event will begin at 7 p.m. Saturday evening, on Passover Eve.

  Karina Ariev, who was released in January as part of a ceasefire deal, urges the public to “leave an empty chair for the hostages and do not forget them” at their Passover Seder.

  “I am addressing you now, just days before Passover – the Festival of Freedom – and thinking about all our brothers and sisters who have not yet returned. I think about them, and I think about us because until they return, none of us can truly be free,” she says in a video message.

  “During the Seder, we read the verse ‘In every generation, a person must see themselves as if they personally left Egypt,’ and this meaning changes after experiencing captivity,” she adds. “Although I am here, my heart is still there. There are still 59 hostages waiting for their freedom holiday, waiting to be brought home.”

• 250 reservists from IDF’s 8200 intel unit back pilots who called for hostages’ release
  

  Some 250 reservists from the IDF’s 8200 intelligence unit are voicing public support for the Israeli Air Force pilots who recently called for an immediate shift in the government’s war policy, according to a letter released to media outlets.

  In their statement, the intelligence unit reservists say they “join the call of the aircrews in demanding the immediate return of the hostages, even at the cost of an immediate change in the conduct of the war.”

  Their declaration adds to a growing wave of criticism from within Israel’s reserve forces. In recent days, reservist doctors and navy veterans have also released letters warning that the current course of the war endangers both hostages and soldiers and calling on the government to act immediately to bring the hostages home.
  
  

• Israel, Egypt exchange draft proposals aimed at reaching hostage deal — report
  Israel and Egypt have exchanged draft documents on a ceasefire-hostage release deal, Kan radio reports.
  The proposals are aimed at bridging an Egyptian compromise proposal and US special envoy Steve Witkoff’s proposal on a deal, the report says.
  Senior Israeli officials tell Kan that it is possible to reach a deal soon.
  The Egyptian proposal reported earlier this week provides for the release of eight living hostages and eight bodies of hostages in exchange for a truce lasting between 40 and 70 days and a large number of Palestinian terrorist and prisoner releases.
  Witkoff proposed a deal last month that would see the release of five hostages in exchange for a large number of Palestinian security prisoners, in exchange for a two-month ceasefire.

  
  

Gaza and the South

• Has the Rafah Brigade Been Defeated? The IDF's Conflicting Statements and the Return of Ground Operations  

More than six months ago, the IDF announced that Hamas' Rafah Brigade had been "dismantled." At the time, the military stated, "Forces from the 162nd Division have dismantled the terror organization’s brigade—80% of the tunnels identified have been destroyed." Yet now, the IDF is resuming operations in the area, targeting dozens of terror infrastructures. Here are the versions the military has provided about Rafah—and the current state of the fighting.  

IDF activities in Rafah

In September, the IDF Spokesperson declared that Hamas’ Rafah Brigade had been neutralized. However, the military now presents a different picture, sending forces back into the area. The IDF had not operated in all parts of Rafah, such as the Philadelphi Corridor and the Shaboura neighborhood, necessitating renewed operations. This raises the question: Why was the brigade declared defeated in the first place?  

Security Assessments and Remaining Threats  

According to security officials, tunnels still exist in Rafah, including some crossing into Egypt. While the IDF has significantly degraded the brigade, Defense Minister Israel Katz’s recent remarks cast doubt on the earlier declaration.  

"This operation—the opening strike and entry into the Philadelphi Corridor, which had not been entered in a year and a half—is a powerful and controlled action," Katz told N12 during a visit to the corridor yesterday, accompanied by Southern Command chief Maj. Gen. Yaron Finkelman, 36th Division commander Brig. Gen. Moran Omer, and other officers.  

"Very soon, the forces will link up, creating a corridor similar to the Netzarim Corridor, further dividing the Strip, separating Rafah from Khan Younis, and turning all of Rafah into one large security zone," Katz added. "These developments will also increase pressure for the release of hostages and serve as a bridge toward Hamas’ defeat in Gaza."  

The September Announcement vs. Current Reality  

Despite Katz’s statements, the IDF claimed in September 2023 that the Rafah Brigade had been dismantled. "Division forces have neutralized Hamas’ Rafah Brigade," the military stated at the time. "They have destroyed 80% of the underground passages identified near and beneath the Philadelphi Corridor. Engineering units and Yahalom continue locating and demolishing subterranean terror infrastructures in the area."  

Yet in today’s update, the IDF clarified that the 36th Division is now operating in Rafah and the nearby Philadelphi Corridor, while the Gaza Division continues operations in Tel Sultan and Shaboura. Dozens of terror infrastructures and tunnel shafts leading to underground networks have been destroyed—more than half a year after the brigade was declared defeated.  

Current Operations Across Gaza  

The IDF is now active throughout the Strip:  

- Northern Gaza: Operations in Beit Hanoun, Beit Lahia, Jabaliya, and Gaza City’s Shejaiya.  

- Central Gaza: Forces maintain operational control over the Netzarim Corridor.  

- Southern Gaza: The military is engaged in Rafah, a city now nearly empty of residents, devastated and desolate.  

In an attempt to preserve its forces, many Hamas operatives have fled to the humanitarian zone in Muwasi or are hiding in tunnels.  

Key Points:  

- The IDF’s September declaration that Hamas’ Rafah Brigade was "dismantled" is now contradicted by renewed operations.  

- Tunnels remain, including some crossing into Egypt, requiring continued military action.  

- Defense Minister Katz envisions a new security corridor dividing Rafah from Khan Younis.  

- Despite heavy damage, Hamas still maintains some operational capabilities in the area.  

The discrepancy highlights the challenges in defining "victory" in a conflict where Hamas relies on underground networks and guerrilla tactics.  link 

 

• Gaza Division Brigade Commander in Scathing Indictment: "I Wanted to Attack Hamas, But They Reached Agreements—Money and Workers" 
  
  The October 7 Disaster

Col. Haim Cohen, who served as the Northern Brigade Commander in the Gaza Division until today despite his role in the October 7 failures, issued a sharp condemnation of the IDF’s top brass in his farewell speech.  

"I recommended a preemptive strike—the message I got was: 'Hamas is deterred.'"  

Col. Cohen, who commanded the Northern Brigade before and after the war, stunned many in the IDF by retaining his position despite the catastrophic failures of October 7, as documented in multiple military investigations.  

"The Message I Received: 'We Don’t Want Another Holiday Round'"  

In his farewell address today, Cohen revealed an incident that occurred about a month and a half before October 7, when the Gaza border was "boiling," as he put it. He had urged a preemptive strike against Hamas—but was denied.  

"There was gunfire, explosives, and violent riots at the border fence. The entire chain of command, including the defense minister, came for assessments. I recommended an aggressive, proactive strike—my forces were risking their lives daily on the fence. The message I received from everyone was: 'Hamas is deterred!' 'This is their way of gaining civilian achievements!' 'Be precise—we don’t want another holiday escalation!'"  

"We Actively Protected Hamas"  

The outgoing brigade commander, who admitted his own failures, criticized Israel’s longstanding policy toward Hamas:  

"To fire a tank shell at an empty Hamas position 300 meters away, we needed approval from the chief of staff. Later, we were told they had reached 'understandings' with Hamas—money and workers. The same old formula!"  

On Simchat Torah night, at 3:30 AM, he took independent action:  

"I asked if we should mobilize the 13th Battalion’s commander, Lt. Col. Tomer Greenberg (later killed in battle). I was told, 'Only at your level for now.' En route to the brigade, Division Commander Brig. Gen. Avi Rosenfeld assured me there were 'situational assessments at all levels—nothing imminent.' I naively assumed others—Operations Directorate, Air Force, and Military Intelligence—were also mobilizing as a precaution. I was proven wrong in the first hour of the battle."  

Palestinians riot on the fence. September 2023

"I Realized I Was Being Kept in the Dark Again"  

As the attack unfolded, Cohen said:  

"It crossed my mind that I was being sidelined—maybe there was an anti-tank squad I wasn’t briefed on. I ordered forces to prepare for a 'suspicious' enemy movement. At 6:29, the gates of hell opened. Under heavy fire, I rushed to the command center and saw hundreds of terrorists breaching at dozens of points simultaneously. I declared a surprise war—stunned by the enemy’s capability. I only learned about Hamas’ 'Jericho Wall' invasion plan from Ilana Dayan’s documentary a month later."  

Like Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi, who admitted learning of Hamas’ invasion plan two weeks into the war, Cohen was unaware of intelligence dating back to 2018 and 2021.  

Why He Stayed in the Command Center  

Responding to criticism that he should have deployed forward, Cohen defended his decision:  

"Commanding dozens of simultaneous events could only be done from the control room. I assigned roles, opened communication networks, and was told 90% of Nova survivors had been evacuated. My staff managed events in real-time using the IDF’s 'Torch' system—yet, shockingly, no one in the General Staff’s command center even bothered to monitor the live feeds."  

He also accused the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit of failing to relay real-time updates from civilians, despite accurate media reports.  

"Where Was the Air Force?"  

Cohen became the first senior officer to directly criticize the Air Force:  

"How did intelligence miss a surprise war? Why were reserves so unprepared? And where was the Air Force???"  

He praised tracker Ibrahim Khaluba, who died defending the brigade’s observers, and compared October 7 to the Yom Kippur War’s brutal battles.  

"The Truth Will Rise from the Land"  

Cohen revealed that therapy dogs were brought to command centers post-war and lashed out at Southern Command colleagues:  

"For a year and a half, I’ve spoken the truth in closed forums, despite shadowy figures briefing against me and the few forces on the border. While I led battles in Gaza, they worked to obscure the narrative. The truth will rise from this land!"  

He thanked his family, which had received a WhatsApp message that Saturday falsely announcing his death, and apologized to the hostages—including his own subordinates. His final warning to his successor:  

"When a brigade commander wants to attack, he attacks. If someone comes to kill you, rise early and kill them first."  

Key Points:  

- Col. Cohen claims he was denied preemptive strikes due to political concerns over "escalation."  

- He accuses the IDF of actively protecting Hamas through restrictive rules of engagement.  

- The General Staff allegedly ignored real-time data during the attack.  

- First senior officer to openly criticize the Air Force’s absence on October 7.  

- Warns against repeating mistakes: sidelining commanders and tolerating enemy forces on the border.   link

 

• IDF, Shin Bet says 11 terrorists who took part in Oct. 7 massacre killed in recent Gaza strikes
  
  Eleven Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorists who participated in the October 7, 2023 onslaught who were eliminated by the military. (Israel Defense Forces)

  The IDF and Shin Bet reveal that 11 terrorists who invaded Israel during the October 7, 2023, onslaught were killed in recent airstrikes in the Gaza Strip.

  Nine of them were killed in the military’s opening airstrikes on the Gaza Strip on March 18, when it resumed its offensive against Hamas, the IDF says.

  The terrorists were involved in the murders and abductions of Israeli civilians and soldiers during the October 7 massacre, according to the military.
  

  The military identifies the nine killed on March 18 as:

  Hassan Naam, responsible for the abduction of Sgt. Shaked Dahan.

  Ismail Shakhshah, responsible for the murder of Israeli civilians, hurling of grenades at the Re’im junction roadside bomb shelter, and firing of a surface-to-air missile.

  

  Ismail Shakhshah, a Hamas terrorist responsible for hurling of grenades at the Re’im junction roadside bomb shelter during the October 7, 2023, onslaught. (Israel Defense Forces)

  Jalal Qaraan, who participated in the murder of hostage Inbar Haiman. Qaraan also attacked the Nova music festival and several IDF bases and filmed himself murdering two Israeli civilians.

  

  Jalal Qaraan, a Hamas terrorist who participated in the murder of hostage Inbar Haiman. Qaraan also attacked the Nova music festival and several IDF bases, and filmed himself murdering two Israeli civilians, during the October 7, 2023, onslaught, according to the military. (Israel Defense Forces)

  Mohammed Isa, who invaded Kibbutz Mefalsim and participated in the massacre there.

  Mohammed Sakar, who invaded Kibbutz Nir Oz and participated in the massacre there.

  Mohammed Shabki, Fares Qarshin, Yahya Astal and Mohammed Astal, all of whom invaded unspecified areas of Israel on October 7 and participated in the onslaught.

  Additionally, the military says two more terrorists who invaded Israel on October 7 were killed in strikes prior to March 18.

  They include:

  Mohammed Asfor, involved in “harming” the bodies of Col. Asaf Hamami, the commander of the Gaza Division’s Southern Brigade, and members of his team, Staff Sgt. Tomer Ahimas, and Sgt. Kiril Brodski, as they were abducted.

  

  Mohammed Asfor, a Hamas terrorist involved in the abduction of three soldiers during the October 7, 2023, onslaught, according to the military. (Israel Defense Forces)

  Khaled al-Din, responsible for the murders of Israeli civilians on October 7 and “use of property” belonging to Erick Peretz, 58, and his 16-year-old daughter, Ruth, who were murdered at the Nova party.

• UN says Israeli strikes in Gaza have largely killed women and children
  

  The United Nations decries the impact of ongoing Israeli strikes across Gaza on civilians, finding that “a large percentage of fatalities are children and women.”

  “Between 18 March and 9 April 2025, there were some 224 incidents of Israeli strikes on residential buildings and tents for internally displaced people,” the UN human rights office says, adding that “in some 36 strikes about which the UN Human Rights Office corroborated information, the fatalities recorded so far were only women and children.”

  Israel has said it seeks to minimize civilian fatalities and stresses that Hamas uses Gaza’s civilians as human shields, fighting from civilian areas including homes, hospitals, schools, and mosques.

• IDF says troops found Hamas tunnel built under Rafah kindergarten
  

  

  Troops of the Golani Brigade operate in southern Gaza's Rafah, in a handout photo issued on April 11, 2025. (Israel Defense Forces)

  In southern Gaza’s Rafah, the IDF says troops of the Golani Brigade located a Hamas tunnel built under a kindergarten.

  One of the tunnel’s entrances was located in the yard of the daycare, footage released by the military shows. According to the IDF, a school is located 100 meters away.

  Troops of the elite Yahalom combat engineering unit scanned the tunnel, which was found to be several dozen meters long and booby-trapped with explosives. The tunnel led to a “key” Hamas underground passageway, the IDF says.

  The tunnel was later demolished.

• IDF says recent strike killed Hamas sniper forces commander in Rafah
  

  The commander of Hamas’s sniper forces in the terror group’s Tel Sultan Battalion, in southern Gaza’s Rafah, was killed in a recent strike, the military says.

  According to the IDF, the sniper commander, Ahmad Iyad Muhammad Farhat, was responsible for advancing and carrying out numerous attacks on Israeli troops in Gaza and against Israel.

  The IDF’s Gaza Division has been operating in Rafah’s Tel Sultan and Shaboura neighborhoods since last month. In the past day, the military says troops killed several operatives and destroyed booby-trapped buildings.

  Nearby, between Rafah and Khan Younis, the IDF says the 36th Division advanced in the so-called Morag Corridor, during which troops killed operatives and destroyed above-ground and underground infrastructure used by Hamas.

  In northern Gaza, the 252nd Division located and destroyed additional Hamas infrastructure, and a tank shelled a group of armed operatives, killing them, the IDF says.

  Also over the past day, Israeli Air Force fighter jets, drones, and helicopters struck some 40 targets in Gaza.

  The IDF says the targets include cells of operatives, buildings used by terror groups, weapons, and other infrastructure.

Northern Israel, Lebanon and Syria

• 
  

West Bank, Jerusalem, Israel and Terror Attacks

• IDF says six companies added to West Bank division for Passover; 85 wanted Palestinians detained this week
  

  The IDF says it has bolstered the West Bank division with six additional companies, whose troops will operate in the area over the Passover holiday.

  Over the past week, the IDF says 85 wanted Palestinians were detained in the West Bank.

Politics and the War and General News

• How to Achieve Israeli-Palestinian Peace - Gershon Baskin
  In 2007, I conducted in-depth research on the public opinion of Israelis regarding the two-states solution and peace with the Palestinians. The results were quite dramatic and pointed to very clear steps that need to be taken to change the opinion of the majority of Israelis to support peace with the Palestinians based on two states.  Today the overwhelming majority of Israelis are even more against the idea of a Palestinian state than they were in 2007. Obviously, October 7 heightened the fear of Israelis from any form of Palestinian independence. Yet, none of those who oppose the two-states solution has any other formula that has the potential to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the possibility of more attacks by Palestinians against Israel.  Even when this horrible war in Gaza will come to an end, there will remain more than seven million Israeli Jews and more than seven million Palestinian Arabs on the small piece of land between the River and the Sea.  Eventually, we always come back to the idea of partition and two states for two peoples. There is no other logical possibility. 

 
Whether Israelis like it or not, whether they agree or not, the Palestinian people have legitimate claims for self-determination on part of the land where they have been living for generations. Just as Israeli Jews relate to the Land of Israel as their homeland, the Palestinians relate to the Land of Palestine as their homeland. That is not going to change. In fact, the more the Palestinians are oppressed and abused by Israeli control, land grabs, settlement building, imprisonment, military and settler violence, checkpoints, control on movement, and the strangling of their economy, the more resolved they become in their demand for national recognition and legitimacy. The Palestinian strategy to achieve independence over the past 76 plus years has been to pressure Israel, either through violence or through the international community and international courts. This strategy has not led to their liberation, independence, dignity nor security. The Palestinian strategy has led to a hardening of positions in Israel against the Palestinians and a strengthening of the right-wing and the general public in Israel against a Palestinian state. This has been a failed strategy.  Even as the Palestinians claim that international law gives them the right to resist occupation by all mean, being “right” as they say, is not always the same thing as being smart. The Palestinian strategy has failed and they are trapped in their failure. Israel has had no peace strategy since the time that Ehud Olmert was Prime Minister and Israel is trapped in its failed “no-strategy” vis-à-vis the most existential issue facing it – the Palestinian issue. 
 
Even if the Palestinians are successful in getting 191 member states of the United Nations to recognize the State of Palestine (leaving only the USA and Israel out), the Israeli occupation over the territories that the Palestinians claim as their state will not change. Essentially, the Palestinians really only need the recognition of the State of Israel in order to achieve their freedom, liberation, security and dignity. It should be in the national interests of the State of Israel to see the creation of the State of Palestine in the lands occupied by Israel in 1967 (with agreed territorial swaps to deal with realities created since 1967). This is not only the best solution for Israel in terms of real security and Israel’s international relations, it is also the most Zionist solution there is. Israel describes itself as the democratic nation-state of the Jewish people, but in reality, between the River and the Sea, Israel is neither democratic nor Jewish. With 50% of the population under its control being Palestinian, Israel does not have a clear Jewish majority nor does democracy exist for all those living on this small piece of land. Even within the city of Jerusalem, the eternal, undivided capital of the State of Israel and the Jewish people, 40% of the residents of Jerusalem are Palestinians who are not citizens of Israel, not Jewish and do not enjoy full equal rights. 
 
The research that we conducted in 2007 showed that up to 70% of Israelis were ready to make significant concessions to enable the establishment of a Palestinian state next to Israel (in the territories occupied by Israel in 1967) if they believed that the Palestinians were truly partners for genuine peace. I believe that if the same research was conducted today, we would find similar results.  We asked the Israelis then what would convince them that the Palestinians were truly willing to live in peace with Israel, the answers were the same across all population groups: if the Palestinians taught peace in the classrooms, and if Imams in the Mosques in Palestine preached peace and did not incite against Jews and Israel. Education is the truest reflection of the values of any society and religion in this land has a key role to play in our identities and in our understanding of our connection to this land and our connection with “the others” living in the land. Palestinians and Israelis do not teach even about the possibility of one day living in peace. We don’t learn each other’s language and we don’t learn anything positive about the other people living in this land. From an objective look at both Israeli and Palestinian educational systems, we – both Israelis and Palestinians do not value peace between the two peoples. 
 
We Israelis who understand the urgency of returning to the genuine possibility of Israeli-Palestinian peace have the responsibility and the obligation to speak directly to our Palestinian neighbors with clear messages about our desire to see Palestine liberated from Israeli occupation, but for that to happen, we must be convinced that they are truly willing to live in peace with us. We need to tell our Palestinian neighbors that we too want to live in peace but we don’t believe that the Palestinians are prepared to live in peace. From my personal experience over decades, and especially during the worst times, such as during the second intifada and from October 7 onwards, what I hear from Israelis is similar to what I hear from Palestinians. Both sides claim that they want to live in peace but that they don’t have partners for peace on the other side.  The daily reality of both peoples provides both sides with concrete evidence of the lack of partners for peace in both communities. 
 
If we (on both sides) had real leaders, they would know that the most important thing they could do is to decide that they must have a real partner on the other side and they would work day and night to create and build that partnership. Partnership is first and foremost a decision.  Once decided, even then it is hard work to develop the partnership and to sustain it. Much of international relations, at the end of the day, is about human relations. It’s about relationships.  It’s about building partnerships of shared visions. It’s about working together with respect. It’s about knowing how to listen, how to express empathy that does threaten but compels to demonstrate one’s own humanity. From partnership comes to commitment to work together, in national interests of each side, to create the kind of future that will benefit their own side but also the other side as well.   It is only through this kind of relationship that it will be possible to overcome the pains of traumas of yesteryears. Both sides are suffering from the pains of war. Both sides have no promise of a good future unless the other side has the same promise. Both sides must understand that mutual recriminations and arguments over narratives, over who is right and who is wrong will get us nowhere.  Eventually, some day in the future we will have the ability and the desire to engage in truth and reconciliation. For now, it is enough to develop the partnership of a joint vision for a peace future. For that to happen, we need new leaders in Israel and in Palestine.
 
I would like to conclude by quoting the wise words of the Palestinian scholar Rashid Khalidi (taken from several articles that he authored):
 Christian and Muslim Palestinians believe in the Jewish people’s connection to this land. Does that give them a real estate deed?...You need to ask yourself: Is there an Israeli people, and do they have rights? …Today there is an Israeli people. The terrible injustices that were inherent in the dispossession of the Palestinians and the denial of their national existence have to be remedied. There’s no way around it….There has to be a fundamental reorganization of the Palestinian national movement. And there has to be a unified consensus among Palestinians. This is a Palestinian problem. Israel, on the other hand, has to overcome its obsession with force when dealing with the Palestinians. It has to overcome the idea that there’s only one people with a right to self-determination in Israel…Hamas rose because the PLO [Palestine Liberation Organization] moved away from armed struggle when it formally renounced violence, recognized Israel, and accepted to negotiate with it on the basis of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 242 beginning in the late 1980s. Hamas took up, in other words, the torch of armed struggle. If the PLO had achieved what it was trying to achieve, which was a Palestinian state on a tiny fraction of about 20 percent of Palestine, Hamas would not be with us today. Hamas opposed this process, and it was successful in doing so, partly because under no circumstances could a fully independent, sovereign Palestinian state be realized under the Oslo process. This process led to a strengthening of Israeli occupation and colonization, an immiseration of the Palestinian people, a chopping of the West Bank into tiny little Bantustans. That’s what turned Hamas into a popular movement… Continued occupation and continued colonization will inevitably produce continued resistance. Whether it’s armed and violent, whether it produces these kinds of atrocities that we’ve seen on October 7 or not, occupation and colonization will inevitably produce resistance. If this conflict is to be resolved, it will have to be resolved between whoever is in power on each side. I don’t get to say that I will not sit down with this Israeli government because this general or that minister have blood on their hands. 
This is the elected government of the state of Israel. Whoever the Palestinians end up deciding is their representative, hopefully democratically, are the ones that Israel and the world are going to have to deal with.  link

• 6 Members of a Rapid Response Team Against 80 Terrorists: The Heroism of Fallen Officers | Findings of the Re'im Massacre Investigation 

Hamas terrorists originally planned to attack the Nahal Oz military base but took a wrong turn and ended up at Kibbutz Re’im—nearly half an hour after the initial assault began at 6:29 AM. The kibbutz’s rapid response team bravely confronted dozens of terrorists in a fierce battle. Security forces arrived hours later, by chance and without adequate weapons. These are the findings of the IDF’s investigation.  

Terrorists on site on Kibbutz Re'im on October 7

The IDF released its findings on Thursday regarding the intense battle that took place in Kibbutz Re’im on the morning of October 7. The investigation, led by Brig. Gen. Yigal Dadon, commander of the Palmachim Air Force base, revealed harsh conclusions consistent with failures across the Gaza border region: the military failed in its mission to protect the kibbutz. Seven civilians were murdered, five were abducted (four of them Thai nationals), and all hostages from the kibbutz have since been returned. Approximately 80 terrorists infiltrated the community, and nine soldiers and six police officers were killed defending it. The rapid response team’s actions were critical in preventing even greater devastation.  

Key Findings of the Investigation  

1. Defensive Failures: The kibbutz’s security measures were inadequate against the scale of the attack by 80 terrorists.  

2. The Rapid Response Team’s Heroism: The team was well-equipped, acted courageously, and prevented further harm. Their stand against the terrorists was extraordinary.  

3. Delayed and Chaotic Security Response: IDF forces arrived late, randomly, and without proper coordination or sufficient weapons.  

4. Terrorists’ Navigational Error: A Hamas unit intended to attack the Nahal Oz base using a map but was diverted due to blocked routes.  

5. Communication Breakdown: During the battle, there was a critical lack of coordination between police and IDF forces on the ground.  

The Massacre and Abductions Inside the Kibbutz 

The first terrorists entered between 6:56 AM and 7:51 AM. All killings and abductions occurred by 8:30 AM, after which the terrorists failed to murder anyone else. By that time, the victims included Amit Gabai, 18, a kibbutz resident, and Assaf Faver, who resisted abduction and was murdered on the lawn at the entrance. Six Thai workers were abducted, and two were killed because the terrorists had no room for them in their vehicle.  

Varda Harmati, an 81-year-old resident, was murdered in her bed, as were Dvir Karp and Stav Kimhi. Dvir’s daughter texted her mother about his death, and the message was later shared with the entire kibbutz.  

YAMAM officer Chief Inspector Stas Shenkman fell in battle at the kibbutz gate at 7:55 AM.  

The Battle Unfolds  

When the rocket barrage began, the rapid response team mobilized and waited for the terrorists. The team was equipped with privately donated radios and weapons they stored in their homes.  

Harel Oren, the kibbutz’s security coordinator, shut down the main gate motor and announced terrorists were inside at 7:41 AM. This decision saved lives.  

Until 10:00 AM, six members of the response team fought alone against 80 terrorists. Over the next four hours, five more residents joined the fight, successfully preventing the terrorists from reaching larger residential areas.  

Col. Roy Levy, commander of the multi-dimensional unit, led the first IDF force to enter the kibbutz at 11:41 AM and took command of the battle. By noon, only a few terrorists remained in the youth neighborhood. From 12:30 PM, forces focused on evacuating Nova party survivors and kibbutz residents to the clinic under fire.  

Three key forces fought in the kibbutz:  

- A training platoon from the multi-dimensional unit.  

- The command team of Col. Roy Levy (later killed in action).  

- A Mossad reconnaissance unit led by Capt. Ariel Ben Moshe (also killed).  

After Levy’s death, Ben Moshe took command but was critically wounded during an assault on the last terrorist-held house. Despite deploying heavy weaponry—even a tank—the terrorists could not be fully neutralized due to a civilian trapped nearby. Two terrorists escaped.  

By 4:00 PM, Col. Yaniv Barot, commander of the Kfir Brigade, took charge of the kibbutz. The last remaining terrorist was killed the next morning at 11:00 AM by soldiers from a Bahad 1 reserve battalion after he attempted to stab them from behind.  

Survivors from the Nova Party and Acts of Bravery  

Before 7:00 AM, 35 young people fleeing the Nova festival entered the kibbutz, taking shelter in several homes. At 8:08 AM, Guy Simchi, a 20-year-old paratrooper on leave, and Sgt. Hadar, a Maglan soldier living in the kibbutz, led 11 partygoers to a safe room.  

After spotting terrorists, they waited inside a house. When a stun grenade was thrown in, Simchi lunged at a terrorist, attempting to strangle him barehanded. Hadar killed two terrorists but ran out of ammunition. The two escaped the burning house, but Simchi was murdered outside. The safe room’s fireproof design saved the 11 survivors.  

The Battle on Route 234  

Terrorists roamed the highway, engaging police before retreating to the kibbutz. The Caracal Battalion, originally en route to the Nova site, ended up fighting along the road.  

Additional police forces arrived by 9:30 AM, seizing a terrorist vehicle and rescuing more civilians. Three Air Defense soldiers—Capt. Sahar, Sgt. Netiv, and Sgt. Binyamin—were killed in a terrorist ambush while attempting to reload a missile launcher.  

A platoon from Battalion 450, initially headed to Kissufim, engaged terrorists at the Re’im junction, securing the critical crossroads and rescuing a girl mid-abduction attempt.  

Final Notes from the Investigation  

Brig. Gen. Dadon noted that no forces from the Gaza Division reached the kibbutz that day, despite its proximity to the border (5 km). The decision not to deploy attack helicopters was influenced by the presence of a trapped civilian near the terrorists’ position.  

By the battle’s end, 14 kibbutz residents and 42 Nova survivors were rescued. The kibbutz was fully evacuated by 11:00 AM on October 8.  

In closing, Dadon reiterated the rapid response team’s extraordinary bravery, emphasizing that many acted with exceptional courage beyond expectations. When asked if commendations would be recommended, he affirmed the investigation’s role in recognizing such heroism.  

link 

(Photos: IDF Spokesperson, Flash90, Reuters)

 

• The IDF's Smoke Screen: The Reason for Gaza Ambiguity—and Why It Suits Politicians  

Just as public support wanes, the IDF has nearly stopped explaining or briefing on Gaza operations. The military claims this serves the political echelon's goal: pressuring Hamas to release hostages. In reality, a "division" is fighting with barely a brigade and a half, encountering almost no resistance—while Hamas has already relocated its forces to displacement camps.  

 What Is the IDF Hiding About Gaza Operations?  

A month after the collapse of the ceasefire, the IDF continues limited operations in Gaza, yet the new Chief of Staff, Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, and his spokesperson, Brig. Gen. Efi Defrin, insist on maintaining ambiguity. Most activities in Gaza are concealed from the public, despite dwindling support for the war effort since the Rafah offensive ended last August.  

The IDF justifies the secrecy: avoiding tipping off Hamas about operational intentions and adhering to Zamir’s preference for "action before words." This follows Zamir’s blunt inaugural speech a month ago, where he stated the painful truth in front of outgoing COS Herzi Halevi and PM Benjamin Netanyahu: "Hamas has not been defeated—we face years of multi-front attrition." This admission, without spin, confirms Israel’s failure to militarily or politically crush Hamas, partly due to the government’s refusal to establish an alternative governing body for Gaza.  

From Transparency to Blackout  

During last year’s ground maneuver, the IDF regularly briefed the public on battlefield gains and soldier casualties. Then-spokesperson Brig. Gen. Daniel Hagari appeared daily, sharing both successes and failures while safeguarding operational security. Military correspondents were even invited into Gaza to report firsthand.  

Today, the reality is starkly different. Soldiers and officers below brigadier-general rank are barred from media exposure, fearing international legal repercussions. Defrin has held just one press conference, with the IDF resorting to terse statements—averaging one every two days—about operations in the buffer zone or the Rafah-Khan Younis corridor.  

An exception occurred yesterday when Defense Minister Israel Katz orchestrated a rare briefing for military reporters at the so-called "Philadelphi Corridor" (romanticized as "Route Morag" by politicians, evoking memories of pre-disengagement Israeli settlements).  

Political Convenience  

This ambiguity benefits the political echelon, particularly the Netanyahu-Katz axis. Some media outlets mistakenly frame the current limited operations as a "resumption of full-scale combat," allowing the right wing to cling to illusions of Hamas’ imminent collapse. It also lets far-right ministers like Ben Gvir and Smotrich save face—though they likely know the truth: Hamas remains a key Gaza asset for Israel, deliberately preserved to undermine the Palestinian Authority.  

The dramatization is a far cry from reality. One of the divisions now operating in Gaza fields just 1.5 brigades—a quarter of its typical strength during last year’s maneuver. The IDF admits the current operation has modest aims: pressuring Hamas to release more hostages in the next deal phase, possibly with added Israeli demands like disarmament or Hamas leaders’ exile.  

"No Engagements Because Hamas Fled"  

A senior officer explained: "There are almost no firefights because operations are limited—and because most Hamas fighters evacuated abandoned Rafah for Khan Younis displacement camps. That’s why you see few ‘approved for publication’ updates. We’re mostly hunting operatives and commanders from the air, keeping pressure on Hamas—but this won’t defeat them."  link

 

• Initiators of Pilots' Letter: "We Don't Advocate Undermining Service—Netanyahu Chose to Abandon the Hostages"  

Following the decision by the Air Force commander that active reserve officers who signed the pilots' protest letter "will no longer be able to continue their service," the letter's organizers held a press conference. Among them was Col. (res.) Uri Arad, a former Yom Kippur War POW: "The abandonment on October 7 was horrific, but the abandonment since then is far worse." 

The initiators of the pilots' protest letter against the continuation of the war delivered a statement to the media this evening (Thursday) at Beit Zioni America in Tel Aviv, including Maj. Gen. (res.) Nimrod Sheffer.  

Guy Poran, one of the speakers, said the letter "has been subject to much distortion and spin, and we felt it necessary to set the record straight. The issue isn’t the Air Force—the issue is the 59 hostages who should have been released long ago. Like the vast majority of the public, we believe they must be brought home now. The turmoil this letter has caused the Air Force, which we deeply cherish, is a heavy price—but a worthy one if it elevates this cause."  

"Netanyahu grossly violated an outline in which he could return all the abductees." The initiators of the letter (photo: Shaul Golan)

 

Col. (res.) Uri Arad, a former POW from the Yom Kippur War, added: "In two days, we’ll all sit at the Seder table, while Alon Ohel, Tamir Nimrodi, Matan Angrest, Matan Tzengauker, and 20 more of our brothers continue to rot in tunnels—without air, tortured, drinking toilet water. To us, this is unbearable."  

"I was there, but what they’re enduring is a hundred times worse," he continued. "We’ve seen and heard the stories of those who returned—they’re just the tip of the iceberg. This is intolerable and cannot be accepted under any circumstances. What kept me alive in captivity was the certainty that I’d be brought home."  

Arad further stated: "The abandonment on October 7 was horrific, but the abandonment since is far worse—because now it’s deliberate, driven by political calculations. The turning point was two months ago, when Netanyahu blatantly violated a deal that could have brought all the hostages home. At that moment, he chose his personal survival over the hostages, condemning them to death. We’ve waited a year and a half—enough. Without massive public pressure, nothing will change."

A call to bring back all the hostages, even at a price of ending the war!

  

Amnon Barlev, a retired fighter pilot and former Check Point president, emphasized that the letter is a "grassroots initiative"* reflecting "our core values—the most basic principles driving us. This isn’t about being pilots; it’s about being citizens of this country."  

He clarified: "We’re not calling for protests that violate the law or military service. Many wish to join this signature campaign, but the call isn’t to stop serving. We’re uniting behind this moral demand to bring the hostages home—a supreme value. The gap between the people and the current leadership is extreme."  

In response to the letter, Einav Tzengauker, mother of hostage Matan, said: "Since the government decided to resume fighting, I’ve felt as a hostage’s mother that decision-makers don’t see us. The testimonies about the Holocaust-like conditions—beatings, violence, hunger, lack of clean water, oxygen deprivation—don’t move anyone in the political echelon."  

She added: "On October 7, you were the first to fight for this country. Your loyalty is to Israel and our people—stand firm. Don’t fear what government ministers say; they don’t represent the public and have no mandate to abandon hostages to Hamas. Your letter is a small light for my Matan and the 58 others who need you—and a nation that will fight for them, not forget them."  

The letter, signed by nearly 950 active and retired aircrew reservists, states: "We demand the immediate return of the hostages, even at the cost of an immediate ceasefire. This war now serves political and personal interests, not security. Its continuation advances none of its declared goals and will only lead to more deaths—hostages, soldiers, and civilians—and the erosion of reservists."  

Earlier today, Air Force Commander Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar ruled that any active reservist who signed the letter "will no longer be able to serve," despite their insistence that the protest targets the government, not the IDF. Meanwhile, PM Benjamin Netanyahu accused the signatories of being "a fringe extremist group trying once again to fracture Israeli society from within. Refusal is refusal."  link The tragic irony is that the one fracturing Israeli society is the one who's life mission should be doing everything to return the hostages. But this self serving Prime Minister cares for one thing and one thing only, his personal and political self interests above everything else.

Over 150 ex-navy officers call to halt war in Gaza, say fighting delays return of hostages

More than 150 former Israeli Navy officers sign a letter demanding an immediate halt to the war in Gaza, warning that the current path endangers both hostages and soldiers.

The letter, stating that “the resumption of fighting delays the release of the hostages, endangers the soldiers and harms innocent civilians,” is similar to one published earlier today signed by Israeli Air Force reservists.

The navy officers criticize the government’s conduct, claiming it “undermines the foundations of statesmanship, erodes public trust, and raises serious concerns that security decisions are being dictated by illegitimate considerations.”

The letter emphasizes: “59 hostages are still in Hamas’s tunnels, and the country is moving further and further away from its obligation to free them.” They accuse the government of prioritizing “political and personal interests, and not security interests,” adding that “the resumption of fighting distances the release of the hostages, endangers soldiers, and harms innocent civilians.”

They also reference the ultra-Orthodox draft exemption, writing: “The government is advancing a discriminatory policy: sectoral budgets and sweeping exemptions from military service. Those who serve feel betrayed.”

Their letter concludes with a message to the government: “We carry the burden. The responsibility is yours.” 

 

• Police arrest 23 protesters, shut down anti-war protest in Haifa
  

  Police arrested 23 anti-war protesters in Haifa this evening during a demonstration against Israel’s ongoing Gaza offensive.

  A spokesperson for law enforcement says demonstrators did not heed officers’ calls to disperse and “carried signs and [chanted] calls against Israel’s actions in the Gaza war.”

  Video posted to social media of the demonstration shows a small group of protesters holding banners in Hebrew, Arabic and English, among them with calls to “Stop bombing aid convoys” and “Stop the genocide.”

  Within a few moments of declaring the demonstration unlawful, cops tore protesters’ signs away and began to forcefully arrest several in the crowd.  link These are the signs of a democracy in trouble. We have a convicted criminal as the minister of internal 'insecurity' and a prime minister on trial for multiple crimes including bribery and corruption of public trust and a justice minister working day and night to overthrow the judicial system. These are only some of the members of the 'destroy democracy' movement in the government and they fully condone the illegal actions of the police in putting down the demonstrations against the government. It is not enough for the police to abuse their power with violence against the protesters but they also need to destroy all of the signage against the government that the protesters are holding. Sounds reminiscent of autocratic regimes such as Russia and Iran. video of the police abuse

• Report claims IDF ‘Devil’s Advocate’ intel unit, days before October 7, backed assessment that Hamas wanted continued calm
  

  
  

  Palestinians wave the national flag and celebrate by a destroyed Israeli tank at the southern Gaza Strip fence east of Khan Younis on October 7, 2023. (AP Photo/Yousef Masoud)

  Two weeks before Hamas’s October 7 invasion, the IDF’s Southern Command chief Maj. Gen. Yaron Finkelman reportedly asked the Military Intelligence Directorate’s research division to question the widespread assumption that the Gaza-ruling terror group was deterred from attacking Israel and that the ongoing disturbances Hamas was organizing at the border fence were merely designed to attain improved terms for ongoing calm.

  Channel 12 News reports tonight that a team was indeed set up in the division’s “Devil’s Advocate” (“Ifcha Mistabra”) unit, headed by a Col. S.

  “Several days” before October 7, 2023, the team reported back with the conclusion that Hamas was indeed fueling disturbances at the fence solely in order to gain better terms for ongoing calm, an apparent reference to provisions for work permits in Israel, eased import restrictions and so on.

  “There is no other scenario,” the check reportedly concluded. “Hamas is very interested in an arrangement,” rather than an escalation.

  In short, the report says, the Devil’s Advocate team “accepted the stance” of all the other military and security echelons.

  Channel 12 gives no source for the report. The IDF’s published probes surrounding the October 7 failures have made no mention of any such check of the catastrophically false assessment regarding Hamas’s intentions.

• Netanyahu: Small ‘anarchistic’ group behind reservist letters demanding hostage deal; they want to overthrow government link The typical response by an paranoid autocrat.
  
  
  

The Region and the World

• Kurds will demand federal rule in new Syrian constitution — report
  

   Syrian Kurds are set to demand a federal system in post-Assad Syria that would allow regional autonomy and security forces, a senior Kurdish official tells Reuters, doubling down on a decentralized vision opposed by the interim president.

  The demand for federal rule has gathered momentum as alarm spread through Syria’s minorities over last month’s mass killings of Alawites, while Kurdish groups have accused interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa and his Islamist group of setting the wrong course for the new Syria and monopolizing power.

  Rival Syrian Kurdish parties, including the dominant faction in the Kurdish-run northeast, agreed on a common political vision — including federalism — last month, Kurdish sources say. They have yet to officially unveil it.

  Kurdish-led groups took control of roughly a quarter of Syrian territory during the 14-year civil war. The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, backed by the US, last month signed a deal with Damascus on merging Kurdish-led governing bodies and security forces with the central government.

  While committed to that deal, Kurdish officials have objected to the way Syria’s governing Islamists are shaping the transition from Bashar al-Assad’s rule, saying they are failing to respect Syria’s diversity despite promises of inclusivity.

  Badran Jia Kurd, a senior official in the Kurdish-led administration, tells Reuters that all Kurdish factions had agreed on a “common political vision” which emphasises the need for “a federal, pluralistic, democratic parliamentary system.”

  His written statements in response to questions from Reuters mark the first time an official from the Kurdish-led administration has confirmed the federalism goal since the Kurdish parties agreed on it last month.

• IAF confirms it participated with Qatar in aerial exercises hosted by Greece
  

  The IDF finally comments on its participation in an annual aerial exercise hosted by Greece, which this year included the participation of Qatar.

  Eleven other countries joined Greece in its Iniochos exercise this year: the United States, France, India, Israel, Italy, Montenegro, Poland, Qatar, Slovenia, Spain, and the United Arab Emirates.

  Cyprus participated with supporting personnel, and Slovakia and Bahrain have sent observers.

  The Israeli Air Force only sent a Gulfstream G550 spy plane, from the 122nd Squadron, for the drill, the military confirms. In previous years, the IAF sent several fighter jet squadrons and refuelers, in addition to spy planes.

  The drill began on March 24 and ended today. The IDF refused to comment on the drill until it had concluded.

  In a statement, the IDF says that its participation in the exercise is “intended to strengthen strategic cooperation with foreign armies, improve the competence of the participating forces, and to give the crews a professional challenge in flight conditions in an unknown environment and with varying threats.”

  The IDF does not mention the countries that participated in the drill.

  The Hellenic Air Force said last month that the drill is meant to simulate a variety of scenarios, including evading attacks, strikes, and search and rescue.

Personal Stories

"After My Injury, Sports with 'The Challengists' Healed Me": Reuven's Journey from being Wounded in "Iron Swords" to Fulfilling His Marathon Dream  

After October 7, Reuven Barshashat, an immigrant from France, fulfilled a long-held dream and volunteered for the IDF. For 270 days, he served in the Ordnance Corps, hauling hundreds of tons by hand—until injury struck. "I worked in the cold, rain, and wind—I didn’t spare my body because the mission for my people and country came first," he declares. Reuven underwent two hand surgeries, and during his recovery, he heard about The Challengists—a project by the Etgarim Foundation in partnership with GO by Tnuva, which invites those wounded in Operation Iron Swords to rehabilitate through outdoor adventure sports. His love for sports was rekindled, he joined the running group, and soon set his next goal: running a marathon. We followed his journey from training to the emotional finish line.  

From France to the Frontlines  

When 44-year-old Reuven Barshashat made aliyah from France in 1998, he dreamed of enlisting in the IDF—but the army initially refused him. After October 7, he insisted, volunteering for nine months of service in the Ordnance Corps. "Israel is our land, our home," he declares proudly, even after being wounded. As a soldier, Reuven lifted 25 tons daily by hand, damaging his tendons and requiring multiple surgeries. Yet his determination led him to join The Challengists, where wounded veterans recover through sports like trail running. Never one to settle, he soon set his sights higher: completing a marathon.  

"October 7 Changed Everything"  

"October 7 caught me at my father-in-law’s holiday gathering with the whole family," recalls Reuven, a father of four. "Within two days, I was drafted. I served 270 straight days as a forklift operator, loading pallets by hand—through cold, rain, and wind. I didn’t think about my body; the mission came first. I don’t regret my injury for a second because I did it for my people and country."  

When he heard about The Challengists, he knew it was for him: "These groups are for soldiers with moderate-to-severe injuries, offering physical and emotional healing through sports." But Reuven didn’t stop at casual runs. "A marathon is war," he says. "Five kilometers is nice, but you keep pushing until you cross the finish line—only then do you feel you’ve truly done it."  

Race Day: "This Is Another Victory"  

At the Jerusalem Marathon, Reuven stood at the starting line, visibly moved. "This feels like conquering another milestone in my recovery," he said. On his runner’s bib, alongside his number, he affixed stickers honoring three fallen soldiers: "To me, they symbolize perseverance—they gave everything to complete their mission."  

Before the race, he shared a final dedication: "I’m running this for my wife—the real hero at home. She held everything together while I was gone."  

Crossing the Finish Line  

After 42 grueling kilometers, Reuven staggered across the finish line, breathless but grateful: "Thank you to GO by Tnuva and The Challengists—they made this possible. I’m so proud, and I hope to be back next year." Already, he’s eyeing his next goals: the Dead Sea Marathon and, one day, a triathlon.  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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