🎗️Lonny's War Update- October 565, 2023 - April 23, 2025 🎗️
- Abu Mazen to Hamas: "Release the hostages, you sons of dogs, and step down from power"
🎗️Day 565 that 59 of our hostages in Hamas captivity
**There is nothing more important than getting them home! NOTHING!**
“I’ve never met them,But I miss them. I’ve never met them,but I think of them every second. I’ve never met them,but they are my family. BRING THEM HOME NOW!!!”
We’re waiting for you, all of you.
A deal is the only way to bring
all the hostages home- the murdered for burial and the living for rehabilitation.
#BringThemHomeNow #TurnTheHorrorIntoHope
A deal is the only way to bring
all the hostages home- the murdered for burial and the living for rehabilitation.
#BringThemHomeNow #TurnTheHorrorIntoHope
There is no victory until all of the hostages are home!אין נצחון עד שכל החטופים בבית
Red Alerts - Missile, Rocket, Drone (UAV - unmanned aerial vehicles), and Terror Attacks and Death Announcements
*11:45pm yesterday-Sderot- rockets from Gaza
*4:00am - Haifa and areas around - ballistic missile from Yemen - intercepted-
In first, Houthi ballistic missile triggers sirens in Haifa; IDF says intercepted
No reports of damage or direct injuries after projectile fired from Yemen; some hurt in early-morning dash to safety
The Palestinian Authority chairman accused Hamas of giving Israel "a reason to destroy the Gaza Strip" and called on the terror organization to hand over the hostages to "deny it excuses." He said Hamas must surrender its weapons to the PA and remain an unarmed "political movement."
Palestinian Authority Chairman Abu Mazen today (Wednesday) strongly demanded that Hamas "hand over the hostages to remove Israeli excuses," calling the terror group's members "sons of dogs."
According to Abu Mazen, who spoke before the PA’s Central Council, "The coup carried out by Hamas in 2007 gave Israel a pretext to destroy the Gaza Strip. 2,165 families were completely wiped out, and 6,664 were partially wiped out. More than two-thirds of homes were destroyed in the war." He also warned: "We face serious dangers that could lead to a 'new Nakba.'"
Regarding the war and the hostages held by Hamas, Abu Mazen said, "The war must end. Hundreds are killed every day—why? They don’t want to release the American hostages. Sons of dogs—hand over the hostages and end this."
He further stated that he rejects "Israeli and American attempts" to displace Gaza’s residents and emphasized that "a thousand Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank since October 7." Additionally, Abu Mazen attacked Israel for deducting payments to terrorists from the PA’s tax revenues, claiming: "Israel seeks to eliminate the Palestinian cause through its actions in Gaza, the West Bank, and Jerusalem. Expulsion from Gaza is a new catastrophe."
The PA chairman outlined the goals and tasks ahead: "Handing over the hostages; lifting the Israeli blockade on Gaza; stopping the displacement of our people in coordination with Arab states; protecting the 'Palestinian cause.' Our vision for achieving peace in the Middle East is based on ending Israeli occupation and establishing a state."
He also stressed that "Hamas must end its control over Gaza and surrender its weapons to the Palestinian Authority." Abu Mazen addressed the terror group, urging it to "talk to us instead of negotiating with the Americans and others."
- The family of Rom Brelsavsky published another segment from the captivity video, this time uncensored: "I have no life."
The family of the hostage published a new segment from the psychological terror video by the Jihad, which was censored last week: "There is no water, no food, no medicine. I will die and they will put me in a pit of sand," said Brelsavsky. The family: "He is not screaming for no reason, do not let him stay there." The IDF Chief of Staff met with families of abductees: "Their return—a supreme objective."
"I have no life, no water, no medicine": The family of abductee Rom Brelsavsky approved the publication last night (Tuesday) of new segments from his captivity video, which was published last week by the Islamic Jihad. "I have been held in the Gaza Strip for over a year and a half, a year and a half of suffering and hell—every single day," said the abductee, whose words were likely dictated by his captors—as part of their psychological terror. "What will happen is very simple—I will die and they will put me in a pit of sand."
The new segment published by the Brelsavsky family:Rom, from the video:
Rom's family shared his words on Instagram, writing: "We decided to release a segment from Rom's captivity video—so his cry will be heard! This is Rom. From captivity. He is not screaming for no reason. He is begging for us to save him. Share. Sound the alarm. Do not let him stay there."
Brelsavsky also said in the published video: "Greetings to everyone watching this video, my name is Rom Brelsavsky and I am a soldier in the Israel Defense Forces, 21 years old from Jerusalem, and I am a prisoner of the Islamic Jihad. I have been held in the Gaza Strip for over a year and a half, a year and a half of suffering and hell every single day, a year and a half without food, a year and a half without drink. There is no food and no water, serious illnesses, I am sick half the time. Look what is happening to my body—all day I just scratch and all day I am in pain. I do not know what this illness is.
"My whole body is covered in red wounds that I do not even understand, all day I suffer, I do not know what to do with my life," he continued. "My mental state is beyond criticism, my physical state is beyond criticism. I have no life, I have no water, I have no food, I am sick, there is no medicine, certainly no hospital for me, no one will put me in a hospital. The next illness I get—no one will put me in a hospital. What will happen is very simple, I will die and they will put me in a pit of sand. That is what will happen in the end.
"I have no family, my mother sits at home broken, crying all day, twenty-four hours. My October 7th has not ended, and it will not end in this lifetime. It will not end. My October 7th continues day by day. There is no light and no sun, no moon, no air to breathe, nothing. I have nothing left in this life. Sometimes I eat, sometimes I don't. My whole life has become one big darkness," he said.Worked as a security guard at Nova—and was abducted. Rom Brelsavsky.
Last Wednesday, the first sign of life from Brelsavsky was published, 558 days after his abduction from the Nova party on October 7. His family approved the publication of a short segment from the full video, in which he is heard screaming: "All day I just scratch. All day I am in pain. I do not know what this illness is. Enough, enough. Please, Mr. Prime Minister. Please get me out of here. Trump—where are you? Where are your promises? Did you not say you would release everyone in a deal?"
Rom, 21, a resident of Jerusalem, was abducted from the Nova festival, where he worked in security. After his abduction, his family received many testimonies about the bravery he showed on October 7, helping people escape the terrorists. His brother Amit published on Instagram several photos of Rom from that first documentation from captivity, and his mother Tami told Ynet in cries of anguish after the video segment was published: "Shocking! A disgrace to the State of Israel. Shocking that I have to see this from Telegram like everyone else. Not Nitzan Alon, not Gal Hirsch, not Bibi, no one is picking up the phone."
Meanwhile, the IDF Spokesperson reported that the Chief of Staff, Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, met yesterday with families of hostages. "During the meeting, the Chief of Staff reiterated that the mission to return all hostages is a supreme objective and that all IDF missions are carried out with this mission in mind," it was stated.
Kish met with families of hostages: "Almost only soldiers remain in captivity, no?"
In recordings revealed last night on Keshet News, Education Minister Yoav Kish was heard displaying a notable lack of familiarity with the status of the abductees held captive in the Gaza Strip. During a meeting Kish held at his home with family members, the minister was surprised when told that most of the remaining hostages in Gaza are not soldiers.
"Almost only soldiers remain, no? How many?" asked the Education Minister, and received an answer from a relative of an hostage: "No. 24." Kish added: "Out of 24, how many are soldiers?" To this, the family member replied that four soldiers remain in captivity—Matan Angrest, Idan Alexander, Nimrod Cohen, and Tamir Nimrodi—from whom no sign of life has been received since his abduction. "Oh, the majority are not soldiers?" asked Kish. "These are young guys, I thought most of them were soldiers."
Kish also asked: "They were all abducted from Nova, all were abducted from the kibbutzim and from Nova. Guy and David (Guy Gelbo-Dalal and Avitar David—Y.Z.) are from Nova, right?" After receiving an affirmative answer, the minister mispronounced the name of hostage Alon Ohel, calling him once "Ohad Eyal" and the second time "Alon Eyal." The families of the hostages corrected him.
One of the family members of the hostages leveled sharp criticism at the government during the meeting, saying that "99 percent of those brought for burial in Israel did not receive a phone call or acknowledgment from the government." To this, Kish responded: "I met with Bibas who returned, I was at the shiva. The attempt to create a campaign as if the government does not care about the abductees is the most disgusting and ugly thing possible."
In response to the publication of the recordings, Kish's office stated: "The minister shares the deep pain of the families of the abductees, makes sure to listen to them, and has met dozens of times with various families of hostages. If the minister misspoke during the conversation, it was done in good faith, and the minister apologizes for it. He is working tirelessly to achieve the goals of the war and is doing everything in his power to bring the abductees home and assist their families. The door of the Education Minister's home will always be open to the families of the abductees." link
Covered in chains, blood: Protesters re-enact kidnapping of Matan Angrest
Hostage families re-enact the horrors of October 7.. (photo credit:Hostages and Missing Families Forum)Participants wore makeup and costumes to visually represent the violence endured by Angrest, who was wounded while defending civilians at the Nahal Oz outpost.The family of Matan Angrest, joined by former IDF observers and families of hostages, staged a powerful demonstration this week symbolizing the brutal lynch mob attack that Matan survived during the Hamas-led assault on October 7.Participants wore makeup and costumes to visually represent the injuries and violence endured by Angrest, who was wounded while defending Israeli civilians at the Nahal Oz outpost.The event was organized by a group of former IDF observers who have spent months campaigning for the release of their fellow soldiers held captive in Gaza.''The observers don't leave the soldiers of their base behind''. A display by IDF observers and families of the hostages at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv, focused on hostages Daniel Peretz, Itay Chen and Matan Angrest who are still in captivity in in Gaza. (credit: ORNA NAOR)
Taking responsibility
They now say they feel a deep responsibility to advocate not only for their colleagues, but for all hostages and fallen soldiers from the Gaza envelope.
“We owe it to them to keep fighting for their return,” one participant said.- Father of American-Israeli hostage urges Boehler’s return to negotiating table
Adi Alexander says closest Edan got to release from captivity was during talks Trump’s hostage envoy held with Hamas, which were abandoned following Israeli and GOP uproarThe father of Israeli-American hostage Edan Alexander on Tuesday urged the Trump administration to return its hostage envoy Adam Boehler to the negotiation effort, arguing that the latter’s direct talks with Hamas last month were the closest his son came to being released from captivity in Gaza.
“Why not put Adam Boehler back in the game? The closest Edan got to being released was through Adam’s efforts. That I know for sure,” Adi Alexander said in an interview with The Times of Israel.
Boehler held three unprecedented meetings with Hamas officials in Qatar at the beginning of March, aimed primarily at brokering a smaller deal to return Alexander along with the bodies of four other American-Israeli hostages.
Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, who heads Israel’s negotiating team, only learned about those talks after the fact and leaked them to the press in order to sabotage the effort, a US and an Israeli official told The Times of Israel.
“The talks were sabotaged. Adam took a lot of political heat just for doing his job,” Adi Alexander said.
Dermer had fumed at Boehler for offering Hamas the release of 100 of the remaining 300 Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences in Israeli prisoners without Jerusalem’s consent. In addition to anger from Jerusalem, Boehler also faced criticism from some senior Republicans in Congress, while other Trump officials avoided standing by him. full article
- Hamas to propose new ceasefire framework including release of hostages in one phase, five-year truce
The Saudi-owned newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat reports that Hamas is expected to propose a new ceasefire framework for Gaza as its representatives arrive in Cairo.
According to the report, the proposal includes the release of all remaining hostages held in the Strip in one phase in exchange for an agreed-upon number of Palestinian prisoners, the withdrawal of IDF forces from the Gaza Strip to the positions held under the recent ceasefire deal, a halt to military operations, and the entry of humanitarian aid.
According to the report, Hamas will also demand a five-year ceasefire with international guarantees.
The report adds that the proposed agreement includes the establishment of a technocratic committee for civilian governance in the Gaza Strip, based on an Egyptian proposal published in recent months, and openness for a reconciliation agreement with rival Fatah.
The report is consistent with other items in recent days. Earlier this week, officials familiar with the matter told the Times of Israel that Hamas had informed Arab mediators it was willing to enter into a long-term truce with Israel, during which it would halt all military operations, including the development of weapons and the digging of tunnels.
Gaza and the South
- IDF says strikes in Gaza targeted dozens of construction vehicles used by Hamas in Oct. 7 assault.
Palestinians examine the remains of bulldozers hit by an Israeli army airstrike in Jabaliya, northern Gaza Strip, on Tuesday, April 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)
Islamic Jihad terrorist who took part in October 7 assault killed in strike, IDF says
Army reports airstrikes hit over 200 targets in Gaza over weekend, including terrorist cells and weapons depots
An Israeli strike in Gaza killed a terrorist who took part in the October 7, 2023, invasion, the military said Monday, announcing hundreds of strikes on targets in the Palestinian enclave over the past three days.
The Israel Defense Forces did not detail when or where the strike that killed Ahmad Mansour took place, announcing the killing after Gazans said 43 people were killed in attacks on Friday.
According to the IDF, Mansour was a member of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror group’s rocket unit. The army said he was among the thousands of terrorists who infiltrated southern Israel from Gaza on October 7.
During the Hamas-led attack, which included members of other terror groups, 1,200 people were killed and 251 were taken hostage, of whom 59 remain in captivity. Twenty-four are believed to be alive.
There was no immediate confirmation from PIJ, which has fired a number of rockets at Israel over the course of the war, though the Iran-backed group was considered to have a smaller arsenal than Hamas.
In March, PIJ claimed responsibility for two rockets that were launched at the city of Sderot in southern Israel.
The IDF also said Monday morning that the Israeli Air Force had struck over 200 targets over the last 72 hours, including terrorist cells, weapons depots, rocket launchpads, sniper outposts, and other structures used for terrorist activity.
The army said troops killed an unspecified number of terrorists during ground operations near the southern city of Rafah.
Additionally, the IDF said recent ground operations saw the dismantling of an “underground infrastructure site” in the northern Gaza Strip from which it identified terrorist activity, as well as several sniper posts that posed a threat to Israeli troops in the area.
Fighting in the Strip resumed in mid-March following the collapse of a two-month ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, which saw the release of 33 hostages.
The army had faced relatively light resistance in the renewed offensive until Saturday, when the IDF announced that an Israeli soldier was killed and five others were wounded, three of them seriously, in a Hamas attack in northern Gaza. Link
Police find unexploded bomb near Netivot, believe it was left there by Hamas during Oct. 7 attack
The Southern District police say they found an unexploded bomb in southern Israel this morning that they believe was left there by Hamas terrorists during the October 7, 2023, attack.
Officers found the explosive device in a small, suspicious-looking bag in an open area near Netivot.
A spokesman says the bomb was likely left by Hamas terrorists who tried to invade the city on October 7, 2023, but were thwarted by police and local security forces who worked to encircle the city and guard its entry points.
A police bomb squad is working to neutralize and further examine the explosive.
- Germany, France, UK call for immediate resumption of Gaza aid deliveries
Some 40 construction vehicles in the Gaza Strip, which the IDF says were used by Hamas for terror activities, were destroyed in airstrikes overnight and this morning.
In a statement, the military says that the heavy equipment was used by Hamas during the October 7, 2023, onslaught to breach the Israeli border barrier in dozens of locations, allowing thousands of terrorists to stream into Israel.
The earthmovers have also been used by Hamas during the war to plant bombs, dig tunnels, and clear rubble to locate weaponry buried under it, the IDF says.
“The engineering vehicles that were struck are a major component of Hamas’s ability to carry out terror attacks on IDF troops and the State of Israel,” the statement says.
The IDF says the strike was carried out to “disrupt” Hamas’s heavy equipment capability.
Hamas denounces the strikes, saying in a statement that “the occupation’s destruction of civilian equipment intended to aid and rescue civilians and alleviate their suffering… is a confirmation of the criminal nature of this entity, which is devoid of all moral standards.”
Palestinian man dies after home set alight during settler attack yesterday, eyewitness says
A Palestinian resident of the village of Sinjil, close to Ramallah, has died after his home was set on fire during a violent settler attack yesterday.
An eyewitness to the attack tells The Times of Israel that Wael Rarabi, 47, died after suffering a heart attack, following beatings by soldiers, tear gas, and smoke inhalation.
Wael’s cousin A’id Rarabi, who was with him throughout the day, says that in the morning, dozens of settlers arrived and set fire to vehicles and homes on the outskirts of the village, including Wael’s house.
Ai’d and three others, including Wael, tried to flee the area when, according to A’id, four jeeps approached. Four IDF soldiers then emerged from one of the jeeps and began to beat Wael and two other Palestinians, Ai’d recounts. He says they also arrested one of the Palestinians and launched tear gas and stun grenades.
“When we saw that the settlers had left the village, we returned to Wael’s house to extinguish the fire,” Ai’d says.”Since the soldiers’ attack, Wael said he had chest pain, and when he entered his house, he said that he couldn’t breathe. He repeated this several times and then collapsed. The ambulance took him to a nearby clinic, where it was determined he had suffered a heart attack.”
He was then transferred to intensive care at Ramallah Hospital, where he was pronounced dead after resuscitation efforts, Ai’d says.
As reported yesterday, during the same incident settlers also set fire to the property and home of a Bedouin family living on the outskirts of Sinjil. According to the Palestinians, one of the family members was injured in settler beatings.
No response has yet been received from the IDF. Link This is not the first time that settlers or rogue soldiers have killed innocent Palestinian farmers. Beating and maiming them, and destruction of their property has become the norm under this extremist and racist government especially when we have a convicted criminal as the Minister of Internal 'Insecurity' Ben Gvir who encourages violence against Palestinians at every opportunity and has given explicit instructions to the police not to intervene in settler attacks and not even to show up when called.
- Politics and the War and General News
Weekend Hamas ambush lays bare vulnerability of Israeli-held Gaza buffer zone
Well-armed terror cell likely knew of IDF logistics road near border, where unarmored vehicles drive to one of over a dozen static army posts inside Strip
On Saturday, a Hamas cell of at least six operatives emerged from a tunnel on the side of a road in the northern Gaza Strip. The well-armed terror operatives hid in the shrubbery, waiting as Israeli military vehicles passed by, then opened fire with rocket-propelled grenades and gunfire at one they misidentified as belonging to a senior commander.
The unarmored army car was flipped over on the side of the road. Three servicewomen, including an officer, were seriously wounded inside it, with no other forces in the area to return fire.
After the attack on the vehicle, the terror operatives laid a bomb on the side of the road and detonated it when rescue forces arrived around 25 minutes later, killing a soldier, Warrant Officer G’haleb Sliman Alnasasra, and seriously wounding another.
The Hamas gunmen were able to flee back through the tunnel they emerged from, as other operatives stationed further away shelled the area with mortars.
The tunnel used in the attack had already been discovered by the Israel Defense Forces, and the army was in the process of mapping it out and demolishing it. Hamas apparently realized it would soon lose the tunnel and decided to use it in the deadly attack.
This incident did not occur on the frontlines deep inside Gaza.
Warrant Officer G’haleb Sliman Alnasasra, who was killed in the northern Gaza Strip on April 19, 2025. (Israel Defense Forces)Rather, it took place in an Israeli-held buffer zone along the border, close to the town of Beit Hanoun in the Strip’s northeast, an area that the IDF has operated in repeatedly since the beginning of the war.
The Hamas operatives did not randomly stumble on the IDF logistics road where the attack was carried out.
The road leads to one of the military’s forward posts inside the Strip, which are aimed at providing better defenses for Israeli border communities and being the first line of contact for potential Hamas attacks on Israel.
Hamas more than likely knew of the semi-permanent IDF position near Beit Hanoun — one of more than a dozen in the Israeli-held buffer zone — and of the logistics road where unarmored vehicles drive on, like the one the operatives targeted.
Unlike the frontlines, the military’s positions inside the buffer zone are static and exposed to Hamas rocket and mortar fire. The roads leading to them are known to Hamas, whose operatives spend days tracking the movement of Israeli vehicles inside Gaza.
When the IDF held the Netzarim Corridor in central Gaza and was stationed in several semi-permanent forward operating bases, Hamas would shell the sites relatively frequently with mortars. The terror group also tried to launch assaults on small posts inside the corridor several times.
A view of the Netzarim Corridor in the central Gaza Strip, December 26, 2024. (Emanuel Fabian/Times of Israel)Amid the latest offensive in Gaza, the IDF’s buffer zone in Gaza has been expanding, reaching up to around two kilometers (1.2 miles) in most areas. In addition, the military is in the process of conquering the entire city of Rafah, which will also be included within the buffer zone.
Currently, the IDF holds more than 30 percent of the Strip’s territory, a figure expected to rise as the fighting continues. Additional army posts are also likely to be constructed in the buffer zone, as Israel seeks to better its defenses on the Gaza border.
With semi-permanent posts inside Gaza, and Hamas determined to launch attacks on troops, an incident like Saturday’s is likely to recur, unless the IDF makes changes to its deployment and operations in the buffer zone.
- "We Failed Already by 06:29": IDF Presents Ein HaShlosha Residents with the October 7 Massacre Investigation
A year and a half after the horrific Sabbath, the IDF presented residents of the kibbutz where four people were murdered on October 7 with the massacre investigation—which will be published in full tomorrow. According to the investigation, dozens of terrorists who arrived in "three waves" roamed the kibbutz throughout the day, murdering, looting, and burning homes. Residents accused officers of abandonment: "Civilians were the ones who defended—not the army."
Today (Tuesday), the IDF presented Ein HaShlosha residents with the investigation into Hamas’s attack on the kibbutz on October 7. Residents told Ynet that the investigation revealed new details about the fighting outside the kibbutz fences, and it is expected to be published in full by the IDF Spokesperson tomorrow morning.
In the kibbutz, located about 2 km from the Gaza Strip, between Kissufim and Nirim, four people were murdered: security coordinator Ram Nagbi, Noa Glazberg, Sylvia Miranski, and Marcel Talia, who was staying with her daughter, Liora, after giving birth. The investigation was conducted by Col. Ziv Namani and overseen by Maj. Gen. David Zini.The breached fence on the Gaza border, October 7.
Demand for tech professionals remains high, and salaries continue to rise.
The IDF told residents that Hamas planned three waves of attacks throughout the day. The second and "heaviest" wave, which included terrorists in pickup trucks and was also intended for abductions, was largely prevented or significantly reduced due to IDF forces operating near the kibbutz. The third wave was defined as "unaffiliated terrorists"—and its purpose included burning homes and looting. The IDF estimated that dozens of terrorists were in the kibbutz throughout the day.
One kibbutz member recounted that during the presentation of the investigation, some residents accused the officers of abandoning them. The officers, similar to previous investigations presented so far, admitted failure. "We failed already by 06:29," one officer said.
"We commend the IDF for taking responsibility, admitting failures, and even choosing to apologize to us," said community manager Shiri Aviv about the investigation. "We appreciate the presentation of the investigation to the community and the professional, thorough work done. This is an important step in rebuilding trust between us and the army, understanding what happened, and acknowledging the facts, the pain, and the difficult questions that have haunted us since that terrible day.
"However, we emphasize that for us—an investigation is never the final word. Its importance lies in the ability to draw sharp and clear conclusions, and most importantly, in the immediate implementation of lessons and corrective actions to ensure such an event never happens again, in any way or place in the country."Marcel Talia, z"l, and her daughter Liora Ben Tzur. "The combination of joy over the birth and the murder of my mother was very difficult" (private).
Aviv added: "We demand that concrete, swift, and meaningful steps be taken—in the IDF, the security establishment, and the civilian system—to correct the failures exposed. We call for the immediate and complete release and return of the hostages. For us, responsibility does not end with the IDF. We join the call for the establishment of an independent, impartial state commission of inquiry to examine all failures at all levels and in all systems that led to the October 7 disaster. Only such an investigation can ensure public trust, historical justice, and true accountability toward the fallen, the hostages, the survivors, and the entire Gaza border communities.
"Every day that passes without a commission of inquiry distances us from uncovering the truth and taking real responsibility. Avoiding the establishment of a commission is an attempt to whitewash, and we, the border communities, will not be complicit. We will not remain silent until there is a thorough and courageous investigation. Not just for the past, but to ensure a safer and more just future for the next generations, for the future of our children."
Liora Ben Tzur, daughter of Marcel Talia, whose mother was murdered two days after giving birth, said: "The combination of the immense joy over Asif’s birth and the murder of my mother a day later—was very difficult." The investigation highlighted the bravery of Liora’s two brothers, Betzalel and Yedidya, who rushed to fight. Other civilians, including Asheriel Dery and his brother Sharvit from Avigayil, also fought alongside them. "Civilians defending civilians—that’s not a given. The expectation was that the army would do it. We were close to being neighboring kibbutzim," Liora said. link
- Netanyahu and Katz Want More Time, Smotrich to PM: "A Country Cannot Be Kept in Endless War"
Pressure to move to the "decisive stage": Hamas refuses a deal under Israeli terms, but Netanyahu and Katz are determined—according to sources familiar with the discussions—to present an appearance that they are still exhausting all options. Senior cabinet members: "There's no point in dragging this out." The cabinet will also discuss transferring and distributing aid in Gaza through civilian companies.
The political-security cabinet is convening this evening (Tuesday) for a discussion where ministers are expected to deliberate on the continuation of IDF operations in the Gaza Strip, while negotiations for a deal with Hamas remain at a standstill and no pressure is being applied on the terror organization. Against this backdrop, ministers are pushing to set a deadline for returning to fighting and transitioning to what they call the "decisive stage"—but according to sources familiar with the discussions, Prime Minister Netanyahu and Defense Minister Katz are aligned and determined to maintain the appearance that they are still exhausting all current deal possibilities.
Families' statement: "How can we celebrate independence while they are in Gaza?"
Ahead of the cabinet meeting, discussions took place among its members, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke with U.S. President Donald Trump. In a post following the call, Trump did not mention the hostages or the war in Gaza, instead noting that the two discussed "many topics, including trade, Iran, etc. The conversation was very good—we are on the same side on all issues."
The push to move to the "decisive stage" is being led by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. Over the past week, he held three meetings with Netanyahu on this issue—the most recent of which took place on Sunday, where the key message was: "A country cannot be kept in endless war." Smotrich spoke about the slow erosion of reservists, the damage to the economy, and the drifting away from the war's stated goals: toppling Hamas's rule and bringing back the hostages.
IDF sources, who spoke anonymously, have repeatedly warned over the past year that it is impossible to achieve these two conflicting goals. The hostages' families have also warned against the conflicting objectives, calling for prioritizing the return of the hostages first.
Senior cabinet members told Ynet that, in their assessment, the idea that the hostages will return under the current circumstances is unrealistic. "If Hamas rejects the proposals presented to it, there is no point in dragging this out," they said. Cabinet members are therefore pushing to move to the "decisive stage," which includes a massive call-up of reserves, deploying multiple divisions into Gaza, and using heavier firepower than the IDF has employed in recent days.An airstrike in Khan Younis on Saturday. Netanyahu has not yet reached the "decisive stage" (Photo: AFP)
Some cabinet members believe Netanyahu is not yet ready for this move—but due to mounting pressure, he may agree to discuss transitioning to this stage and setting a deadline.
Although the chances of a deal currently appear slim, another part of the cabinet discussion will focus on aid to be announced for Gaza if and when a deal is implemented. The discussion will address civilian companies that will oversee the transfer of aid to Gaza under strict IDF supervision, to keep it out of Hamas's hands and prevent the group from seizing what enters the Strip. Ynet revealed this month that the IDF is indeed preparing for the return of humanitarian aid to Gaza, a report confirmed last week by Defense Minister Israel Katz. Katz later clarified that he was referring to the future resumption of aid.
Tonight's discussion also takes place amid significant behind-the-scenes tensions between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his inner circle and Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar. This follows, among other things, the dramatic affidavit submitted yesterday by Bar, which includes serious allegations against Netanyahu. Minister Smotrich said this morning in an interview with "Kol Barama" radio that when Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar speaks during the cabinet meeting, he will step out for "coffee or the restroom." link None of these nothings, the ministers are willing to challenge Netanyahu and state that they will leave the government if he doesn't make a deal. They all know but refuse to say that the only way to make a deal to bring home the hostages is to end the war. These idiot good for nothing ministers all publicly buy into Netanyahu, Smotrich and Ben Gvir's position that more military strength is needed and that will force Hamas to the table and beg us to take the hostages back. They prefer to live in this Netanyahu created dreamland than face the reality of the situation. Hamas will never beg Israel for anything, let alone to take back the hostages. The hostages are their strength in all negotiations and they don't budge! It has been estimated lately that we only destroyed about 25% of Hamas' tunnels and infrastructure with all of the bombings and destruction that we have brought down on Gaza in the last 18 plus months. Most of the Hamas terrorists are still hiding in the tunnels or mixed in with the civilian population and they have sufficient supplies for a long time to come, thanks to Netanyahu's failure to handle the humanitarian aid distribution properly. They have no problem hanging on to the hostages until they get what they want. We have seen that every time we have had to negotiate with them and despite that, Netanyahu still tries to pull the wool over the eyes of his failed government and the people. Fortunately, most of the population knows it and doesn't buy this lie but we have no power to do anything as long as this corrupt government and its weak kneed ministers stay silent and refuse to act. We are worthy of better leadership and this current leadership/government is definitely not worthy of the people.
Netanyahu’s government ‘incapable of winning war,’ Lapid declares after Smotrich clashes with IDF chief
Opposition Leader Yair Lapid declares that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government “is incapable of winning the war” in the wake of Tuesday evening’s confrontation between Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and the recently appointed IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir over the distribution of humanitarian aid in Gaza.
“So now the government ministers are also attacking the new ‘offensive chief of staff’ they chose, creating conflicts in the cabinet and running to tell [everyone],” he says. “It’s time to recognize the facts: this government is incapable of winning the war.”
Netanyahu’s government “had a year and a half, received full support from the Americans, full support from the opposition, and the excuses are over. Not Biden, not Herzi, not Gallant — it’s them,” Lapid says, referring to former US president Joe Biden, ex-IDF chief of staff Herzi Halevi, and defense minister Yoav Gallant, all of whom drew significant criticism from members of Netanyahu’s cabinet.
“A government that encourages evasion [of military service by the ultra-Orthodox] has lost the trust of our heroic fighters, a government that is unable to define its strategy for the day after in Gaza will not bring victory. We will have to defeat Hamas under the next government. Now, bring back the hostages instead of blaming others all day for your failures,” Lapid says.
Smotrich says PM ‘ultimately responsible’ for handling Gaza war, must occupy Strip or lose right to govern - Of course, this is the statement of the most unqualified finance minister we have ever had. He is also a minister in the Ministry of Defense in order to carry out his messianic objectives of building settlements unstopped in the West Bank and has his eyes on settlements throughout Gaza, as well as making the lives of Palestinians worse and worse so they will 'voluntarily emigrate'. He, who thinks he knows more than any of our security heads attempted to get out of military service altogether but was finally caught and served a short time as a clerk in IDF headquarters in Tel Aviv. He is the last one to give advice on what happens militarily or security-wise in the State. And let's not forget that it was due to his and Ben Gvir's pressure that large numbers of forces were pulled off of the Gaza border in order to provide security for the extremist settlers who set up a Sukkah in the heart of an Palestinian village to show who is the boss, and all that happened days before October 7 leaving the border with few forces.
- Israel’s new unmanned bulldozers ‘changing the paradigm’ of war in Gaza
The Robdozer, the robotic version of the D9 bulldozer, has begun limited deployment in the IDF’s operations against Hamas; ‘This is the future,’ says one military expertAt first glance, there is nothing unusual about the bulky bulldozer turning up soil at a testing site in central Israel, but as it pulled closer it became clear: the driver’s cabin is eerily empty.
This is the Robdozer, a fortified engineering vehicle manned remotely, and in this case operated from a military expo halfway across the globe in Alabama.
Army engineers and military experts say that the Robdozer — the robotic version of Caterpillar’s D9 bulldozer — is the future of automated combat.
The Israeli military has used D9 for years to carry out frontline tasks like troweling roads for advancing troops, removing rubble and flattening terrain, but since war in Gaza broke out in October 2023, and later in Lebanon, the Israeli military has increasingly deployed this robotic version in a bid to enhance its field operations and reduce the risks to its troops.
“The idea is to eliminate the person from the cockpit of the dozer,” said Rani, whose team at the state-owned Israel Aerospace Industries developed the Robdozer.
During the Gaza war, the military has increasingly opted for the unmanned version, which can carry out a full range of tasks “even better than a human,” said Rani, using his first name only for security reasons.
At first glance, there is nothing unusual about the bulky bulldozer turning up soil at a testing site in central Israel, but as it pulled closer it became clear: the driver’s cabin is eerily empty.
This is the Robdozer, a fortified engineering vehicle manned remotely, and in this case operated from a military expo halfway across the globe in Alabama.
Army engineers and military experts say that the Robdozer — the robotic version of Caterpillar’s D9 bulldozer — is the future of automated combat.
The Israeli military has used D9 for years to carry out frontline tasks like troweling roads for advancing troops, removing rubble and flattening terrain, but since war in Gaza broke out in October 2023, and later in Lebanon, the Israeli military has increasingly deployed this robotic version in a bid to enhance its field operations and reduce the risks to its troops.
“The idea is to eliminate the person from the cockpit of the dozer,” said Rani, whose team at the state-owned Israel Aerospace Industries developed the Robdozer.
During the Gaza war, the military has increasingly opted for the unmanned version, which can carry out a full range of tasks “even better than a human,” said Rani, using his first name only for security reasons.
Analysts say the growing Israeli deployment of the Robdozer reflects broader global trends toward automation in heavy combat vehicles, like remote-controlled personnel carriers that operate much like drones.
An Israeli unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV or drone) flies over Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on January 3, 2024, during the ongoing conflict between Israel and the terror group Hamas. (AFP)An Israeli military official, who requested anonymity to discuss sensitive matters, told AFP that the army has been using “robotic tools for over a decade, but in very small numbers. Now it is being used in large-scale warfare.”
Troops can now operate machinery without having to enter enemy territory, said the official.
Andrew Fox, a retired British army major and a research fellow at the London-based Henry Jackson Society, said the Israeli military was likely the first force to use remote-controlled combat machinery in an active war zone.
“It’s a really big development” that is “changing the paradigm” of warfare, carrying out tasks as effectively but at a far reduced risk to personnel, he said.
A new era of war
“This is the future,” said John Spencer, chair of urban warfare studies at the US military’s Modern War Institute at West Point.
Many “have been experimenting with it, but nobody has seen direct deployment into active modern combat,” he added. “It is very unique.”
But beyond ethical and legal drawbacks to such advanced technology, there is also the need for an overriding human presence to make decisions particularly in unusual situations.
The October 7, 2023, attack — when some Hamas terrorists breached the high-security border to invade southern Israel, where it killed some 1,200 people and took 251 hostages, starting the Gaza war — was a disastrous example for that, said Tal Mimran of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
“I think that October 7 showed us that you can build a wall that may cost $1 billion, but if you do not patrol the border, then someone will infiltrate your country,” said Mimran, a lecturer and researcher of international law who has been closely following the Israeli military’s technological developments.
“We must take note of the opportunities and of the risks of technology,” he said. “This is the era in which artificial intelligence is exploding into our lives, and it is only natural that it will also have a manifestation in the security field.” link
Six arrested at small anti-war protest in Haifa
Police arrest six demonstrators at a small Haifa anti-war protest tonight.
In a statement, police allege protesters disturbed the peace by waving signs and chanting slogans “condemning Israel and its actions in the war in Gaza.”
But protesters insist the demonstration remained peaceful and was forcibly dispersed by cops within a few minutes after it started.
Itay Gavish, who attended the protest this evening, tells The Times of Israel that police explicitly told him not to hold signs with the phrases “genocide,” “massacre,” or “ethnic cleansing.”
Earlier this week, law enforcement sought to forbid protesters from waving hostage posters, pictures of Gazan children and certain slogans referring to “genocide” and “ethnic cleansing” as a condition for their approval of a Tel Aviv anti-war demonstration this Thursday.
They soon backtracked on their demands, but cops on the ground regularly confiscate what they deem “incendiary” signs at anti-war demonstrations.
Candidates for Shin Bet chief say question of loyalty to PM arose in interview – report
Candidates for the job of Shin Bet chief whom Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu interviewed in recent weeks have said that the question of their loyalty to the prime minister arose during the interview, Channel 13 reports.
The claims come following the dramatic affidavit filed by current Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar to the High Court of Justice on Monday, in which he alleged that he had been fired for being insufficiently loyal to Netanyahu and for taking a series of decisions which the prime minister saw as hostile, including opening criminal investigations into Netanyahu’s close aides.
Bar also said that it had been made clear to him that in the event of a constitutional crisis, he was expected to obey Netanyahu and not legal orders by the High Court.
According to the Channel 13 report, in some of the recent interviews for candidates for head of the Shin Bet, Netanyahu discussed the ongoing struggle between the government and the judiciary.
“The expression ‘constitutional crisis’ did not arise explicitly, but issues connected to the relationship between the government and the Shin Bet did come up,” the report quotes one interviewee as saying.
The Prime Minister’s Office describes the report as “total fake news, and cheap gossip.”
Report: PM asked Ronen Bar to act against former Shin Bet agent and activist Gonen Ben Yitzhak
One of the anti-government activists whom Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar to act against is attorney and former Shin Bet agent Gonen Ben Yitzhak, Channel 12 reports.
Gonen Ben Yitzhak is taken by police during demonstrations against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem on July 18, 2020 (Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90)In an affidavit Bar filed yesterday to the High Court of Justice, Ronen alleged that Netanyahu had asked him on more than one occasion to use the resources and authority of the Shin Bet domestic security agency against activists in the movement protesting the government’s judicial overhaul agenda, which was advanced in 2023.
“The Prime minister expressed to me, on more than one occasion, his desire to see the Shin Bet act against citizens involved in protest activity and demonstrations against the government,” Bar told the court, adding that he was asked to provide information “about the identities of Israeli citizens and protest activists” who had followed government officials with security details.
In a separate confidential affidavit, Bar reportedly went into further details about the people Netanyahu asked him to act against, including Ben Yitzhak.
Ben Yitzhak was one of the founders of the “Crime Minister” political action group, which was founded to protest against Netanyahu’s tenure as prime minister due to the corruption allegations, and later the indictment, against him.
Ben Yitzhak was a central figure in protests outside the Prime Minister’s Residence in Jerusalem and was arrested in 2018 when he stepped in front of Netanyahu’s cavalcade during a visit to the city of Beit She’an.
The Prime Minister’s Office issues a statement denying the allegations in the Channel 12 report, describing it as “another lie by Ronen Bar.”
Says the PMO, “The prime minister never requested to harass any protest activists, but rather requested the obvious from the head of the Shin Bet — to fulfill his duty against lawbreakers who threaten his life and the life of his family, and who breach the security circle.”
- PM held security meeting days after Oct. 7 attack without a stenographer present
Four days after the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, terror onslaught in southern Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a meeting with top security officials to discuss striking Hezbollah’s leadership without including a stenographer or otherwise recording it, according to Channel 13 news.
The TV report says the meeting included then defense minister Yoav Gallant, then IDF chief of staff Herzi Halevi, other security officials and MKs Benny Gantz and Gadi Eisenkot of the National Unity party, who joined the government following the Hamas attack before resigning in 2024 due to differences over the direction of the war.
The network reports that Eisenkot, a former IDF chief of staff, objected to the lack of stenographer or use of recording equipment, saying that in over two decades of attending cabinet deliberations “I have never sat in a meeting of this type.”
“That is what bothers you?” Netanyahu was said to reply.
Eisenkot then reportedly said “a serious security meeting cannot be conducted like this,” at which point Netanyahu’s chief of staff Tzachi Braverman invited the stenographer into the room to start recording the proceedings.
Netanyahu’s office pushes back on the report.
“No planned meeting was called for the date cited in the report. A spontaneous security consultation was held after Gantz, Eisenkot and others came to the prime minister. When the consultation developed, the stenographer was invited to document. The claim as if there was a cabinet meeting is a lie,” the Prime Minister’s Office says,
‘Out of deep concern for the State of Israel’: Full text of Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar’s affidavit
Head of domestic security agency says he was fired for refusing Netanyahu’s demand for personal loyalty above respect for the law, and for defying pressure to abuse the Shin Bet’s powers to serve PM’s needs
The following is an unofficial full translation of Shin Bet head Ronen Bar’s eight-page affidavit, submitted to the High Court of Justice on April, 22 2025, regarding the petitions against his dismissal. This Times of Israel translation retains the original document’s format and wording.
Bar also submitted a 31-page classified affidavit, with appendices, that has not been made public.
I, the undersigned, Ronen Bar, having been warned that I must speak the truth and that I am liable to the penalties prescribed by law should I fail to do so, hereby make the following written declaration:
1. Following the government counsel’s claim during the hearing that the statement I submitted to the court on April 4, 2025, ought to have been supported by an affidavit, and pursuant to the Honorable Court’s decision of April 8, 2025, I hereby respectfully submit an affidavit relating to the factual background relevant to the matters under review in the petitions.
2. Before I proceed to the substance of the matter, I wish to emphasize two points:
First, this affidavit is being submitted in accordance with the Court’s decision and out of my duty to the citizens of Israel, as well as deep concern regarding the ability of future heads of the service to uphold the organization’s statesmanlike character, its professionalism, and its operations strictly in line with its legal mandates, despite external pressures and without fear that the threat of dismissal – carried out hastily and improperly – would loom over them.
I am submitting this affidavit despite the heavy price that both the organization and I are paying
I am submitting this affidavit despite the heavy price that both the organization and I are paying, in order to safeguard the professional independence of the service and of my successor, as well as to preserve the ability to refuse improper directives and to enable the Honorable Court to rule on the case on the basis of the fullest possible factual foundation.
Second, the core details and their elaboration – including references to documents and real-time records – will appear in a classified affidavit to be submitted to the Court and to the Prime Minister only, in accordance with the permission granted to me by the Court. In this public affidavit, I will add to the statement previously submitted on my behalf several details in response to claims raised during the hearing before Your Honors. This division was created due to a desire to preserve the statesmanship nature of the organization and the protected space for discourse between the Prime Minister and the head of the service.
[The] origin [of my dismissal] does not lie in the professional realm but in a demand for personal loyalty to the Prime Minister
3. At the outset, I clarify that although I am not aware of all the reasons underlying the desire to end my term, the course of events compels the conclusion that these reasons began to take shape in late 2024 and early 2025, and that their origin does not lie in the professional realm but in a demand for personal loyalty to the Prime Minister.
These motives, as I understand it, led to a series of exceptional actions by the Prime Minister, which were accompanied by a media campaign against me and the service on social media platforms.
Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar (left) and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. (Kobi Gideon/ GPO)4. In this context, I note that from the beginning of the war until November 2024, the service received considerable praise from the Prime Minister – both in public forums and in work meetings and discussions. In this regard, I would especially point to the leading of operations to rescue live and fallen hostages, the thwarting of senior figures in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, and more. The role of the service – and my personal involvement – in initiating, planning, leading, and executing these operations is well known to the Prime Minister, without detracting from the contributions of our partners in the other security agencies.
Between November 2024 and February 2025, I made several decisions as part of my duties that related to the Prime Minister. For example:
– I authorized, following a request from the IDF Chief of Staff, the opening of an investigation into the theft of classified military documents and their transfer to media outlets.
– I refused to draft a legal opinion whose aim was effectively to prevent the possibility of the Prime Minister continuing to testify in his trial.
– The draft of the internal Shin Bet review was submitted to the Prime Minister. It refers to the service’s failure to prevent the massacre, while also presenting the long-standing policy of the political leadership regarding the Gaza Strip and the exceptional and repeated warnings delivered by the Shin Bet to the political echelon throughout 2023 – which were ignored.
– A letter was attached to the review, addressed to the Prime Minister, explaining how Hamas’s military buildup occurred before the eyes of the State of Israel, funded by Qatar and enabled by a defensive policy, and highlighting the need for a state commission of inquiry to investigate all aspects of the road that led to October 7.
– The Shin Bet’s formal position on the national security necessity of establishing such a commission of inquiry was conveyed to the Cabinet Secretariat.
– An additional investigation was opened against employees in the Prime Minister’s Office, on suspicion of their ties to Qatar – a country that the Prime Minister himself defined as a state that supports terrorism.
5. I confirm everything stated in the letter submitted on my behalf to the Court on April 4, 2025, and declare that all the facts detailed therein are true.
6. Regarding Section 13 of that letter (the manner in which the Service handles issues concerning Israeli citizens), I wish to expand as follows:
a. The Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet), in accordance with its responsibilities and powers, acted vigorously to secure the institutions of government, including the Prime Minister himself, and to thwart terrorist and subversive threats. However, I refused to employ the Shin Bet’s authorities in a way that deviated from its mandate and role – and certainly not in any way that could infringe on the right to legitimate protest.
b. In this context, I note that under my leadership, the Shin Bet established a number of criteria for the exercise of its powers. These criteria were based on the definition of subversion presented about a decade ago before the Supreme Court and accepted by it. At the core of this definition: illegal activity that involves clandestine elements and has the potential for violence. Anything beyond this criterion is not within the purview of the Shin Bet’s powers but, if anything, falls under the jurisdiction of the police for maintaining public order. In borderline cases, my staff and I consulted with the Attorney General’s legal advisory system to ensure that the broad authorities granted to the Shin Bet would be exercised solely within the framework of its designated roles. This is consistent with its explicitly codified legal obligation to act in a statesmanlike manner and not in service of any other interest.
Requests by the Prime Minister to act in violation of these criteria were refused. In many instances, the Prime Minister sought to raise such matters at the end of work meetings – after instructing the military secretary and the stenographer operating the recording device to leave the room, with the clear intent of ensuring that these exchanges would not be documented
c. Requests by the Prime Minister to act in violation of these criteria were refused. In many instances, the Prime Minister sought to raise such matters at the end of work meetings – after instructing the military secretary and the stenographer operating the recording device to leave the room, with the clear intent of ensuring that these exchanges would not be documented.
d. I find it appropriate to quote from Section 62 of the government’s submission to the Supreme Court on April 5, 2025, which states, among other things, with regard to me: “He refrained from taking action against an organized and premeditated campaign to generate mass insubordination within the IDF, with the aim of paralyzing entire units and strategic branches of the defense forces of a state under threat.”
e. These statements – from the Prime Minister and from the government – illustrate the way in which the Prime Minister conceived the role of the head of the Shin Bet, and his expectation that the agency’s capabilities would be used even in relation to visible and public protest actions against the government and its policies – even when those actions involved no clandestine activity or threat of violence.
The Prime Minister expressed to me, on more than one occasion, his desire to see the Shin Bet act against citizens involved in protest activity and demonstrations against the government
f. In this context, I note that the Prime Minister expressed to me, on more than one occasion, his desire to see the Shin Bet act against citizens involved in protest activity and demonstrations against the government. For instance, I was asked to provide information about the identities of Israeli citizens and protest activists who had followed security protectees. I was also made aware of an expectation to monitor “protest funders.”
Furthermore, during a conversation regarding the protest movement, it was made clear to me that in the event of a constitutional crisis, I would be expected to obey the Prime Minister and not the High Court of Justice. Full details of this matter are included in the classified affidavit.
g. I saw it as my duty – as did all my predecessors as heads of the Shin Bet – to carefully and diligently scrutinize any requests that might affect freedom of thought and the right to protest in Israel. This was done alongside my directive to significantly enhance the protective measures and security protocols for institutions of government in a manner that was unprecedented and commensurate with the threat assessment in this context.
h. I do not view any of these actions as a legitimate basis for dismissal on the grounds of “lack of trust” by the government and its head. It should be noted that the first time such claims were cited as the grounds for dismissal due to lack of trust was in the context of the legal proceedings.
People take part in a rally against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government and in support of Shin Bet head Ronen Bar at Habima Square, in Tel Aviv, April 21, 2025. (Zohar Bar-Yehuda/Pro-Democracy Protest Movement)7. Additional context and expanded details regarding the Prime Minister’s requests in matters relating to the management of his criminal trial:
a. During the hearing, the Prime Minister’s legal representative claimed that the Prime Minister merely requested a “change in the location of his criminal trial’s testimony.” The truth is otherwise.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the courtroom in the Tel Aviv District Court before the start of a hearing in his trial, April 22, 2025 (Miriam Alster/Flash90)b. The Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) provided unprecedented and wide-ranging security arrangements for the Prime Minister, out of an understanding of the threats and a commitment to ensure the continuation of democratic proceedings – including the Prime Minister’s full ability to carry out the public functions required of him during wartime, and his regular daily routine. His testimony in the criminal trial is only one component of that.
The Prime Minister exerted unusual and repeated pressure on me to issue a directive… in effect, rendering the trial impossible to carry out
c. Regarding the trial, the Prime Minister exerted unusual and repeated pressure on me to issue a directive that would require the trial to be conducted in a way that precludes repetition, publicity, and exposure to missile attacks – in effect, rendering the trial impossible to carry out.
d. In this context, there was an attempt to compel me to adopt a draft of a so-called professional opinion, which had been formulated by the Prime Minister or someone on his behalf, and was passed on to me with the expectation that I present it as a position paper authored by the head of the Shin Bet.
e. Full details on this matter will also be included in the classified affidavit.
8. Regarding the criminal investigations:
a. The Shin Bet’s responsibility for safeguarding classified information requires special sensitivity when it comes to state secrets held by the Prime Minister and those close to him. Against this backdrop, it is clear to me that the two relevant investigations are essential and must be conducted quietly and thoroughly – without any attempt to influence public opinion, the court, or the professional and law enforcement bodies involved.
Even the slightest suspicion that individuals employed by a state that supports Hamas may be present in the innermost circles of Israel’s decision-making process – and may be engaged in influence operations – demands full investigation
I wish to clarify: even the slightest suspicion that individuals employed by a state that supports Hamas may be present in the innermost circles of Israel’s decision-making process – and may be engaged in influence operations – demands full investigation, particularly at a time when that same state is mediating negotiations between Israel and Hamas.
b. The role of the Shin Bet chief in sensitive investigations of this nature, for the purpose of uncovering the truth, is critical. The dismissal of the Shin Bet chief while such investigations are underway sends a chilling and damaging message – to the organization and to the other investigative and enforcement bodies. This is particularly troubling given the extremely serious suspicions of harm to national security. In the second investigation, these concerns center on damage to the negotiations for the release of hostages, the strengthening of Hamas, and the deterioration of Israel’s relations with Egypt.
PM aides Yisrael Einhorn (l) and Jonatan Urich (c) with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in 2019. (Courtesy)c. The incitement campaign surrounding these two sensitive investigations – directed against me and against those responsible for protecting state secrets – illustrates the connection between the timing of the investigations and my dismissal.
d. Beyond this, for obvious reasons, I will provide further details in the classified portion of the affidavit.
9. Regarding my removal from the (hostage release) negotiations team:
a. Given the Shin Bet’s unique role – and my personal role – in reaching the hostage release agreement, I was surprised to be summoned to a meeting in which I was informed of my dismissal from the team, concurrently with a sudden demand to submit the internal review.
b. The timing of this removal – just as hostages were returning from Phase A, and shortly before the expected start of talks on the framework for Phase B – was all the more surprising.
Left to right: Israeli civilian hostages Eliya Cohen, Omer Shem Tov and Omer Wenkert wearing approximations of IDF uniforms, seen flanked by Hamas terrorists before being handed over to the Red Cross in a propaganda ceremony in Nuseirat, central Gaza Strip, February 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)c. Since everyone involved in the matter, including the Prime Minister and his staff, was fully aware of the Shin Bet’s central role in reaching the agreement – and the corresponding risk that my removal could jeopardize efforts to reach a further agreement – I concluded that there was another motive behind my dismissal from the team.
10. Regarding the timeline of my dismissal process:
a. I wish to present before the Honorable Court the sequence of events relevant to the claim of “professional and ongoing lack of trust” made against me by the Prime Minister and the government, and to demonstrate that this alleged “lack of trust” was neither professional nor ongoing.
b. A review of the timeline indicates that the claim of “lack of trust” – which, according to the Prime Minister’s attorney during the hearing before Your Honors, supposedly began even before October 7 and was based primarily on the events of October 7 itself – in fact only emerged starting in November 2024, more than a year later.
c. In this context, I note that from the beginning of the war until November 2024, the service received considerable praise from the Prime Minister – both in public events and in work meetings and discussions. I specifically refer here to the leadership of operations to rescue live and fallen hostages, the targeted eliminations of senior operatives in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, and more. The role of the service – and my personal role – in initiating, planning, leading, and executing these operations is well known to the Prime Minister, without detracting from the contributions of our partners in the other security agencies.
IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi (right) and Shin Bet director Ronen Bar (center) visit southern Gaza’s Khan Younis, February 10, 2024. (Israel Defense Forces)d. The claim of a supposed “lack of trust” is closely tied to a very different series of events than those cited by the Prime Minister. Chief among them is my refusal to yield to pressure from the Prime Minister regarding the use of the Shin Bet’s legal opinion to influence matters concerning the continuation of his testimony in his criminal trial; subsequently, the investigations that began and concerned individuals close to the Prime Minister – investigations which have been and continue to be a source of discomfort for him; the Shin Bet’s internal review, which pointed to the need for a reassessment of the security-political policy that enabled the rise of Hamas’s military force and the events of October 7; and finally, the formal position I submitted to cabinet ministers in support of establishing a state commission of inquiry to investigate and correct, at every level, the failures that led to this immense disaster – and to prevent its recurrence. This series of events is what led to the Prime Minister’s shift in attitude toward me – and is the sole reason behind the demand to end my term.
e. It is no coincidence that multiple, inconsistent versions have been put forth by the government and its representatives regarding when this alleged “lack of trust” began. Some versions pointed to recent months, some claimed it started on October 7 itself, and one even alleged it began long before that. Yet this claim was never once raised in my presence until the moment the Prime Minister informed me of the decision to terminate my tenure – and even then, no explanation was provided.
11. Regarding the allegation of supposed prior knowledge by the Shin Bet about the October 7 massacre – and the related claim that the Prime Minister was not adequately briefed:
a. These allegations are false and amount to nothing less than an organized campaign of incitement against me and against the organization.
A Palestinian stands on an Israeli tank at the border fence near the city of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip after some 3,000 Hamas terrorists burst through the border and entered Israel, slaughtering some 1,200 people, October 7, 2023. (Yousef Mohammed/Flash90)b. In 2023, the Shin Bet issued forceful warnings to the political echelon about the deteriorating security situation – in particular, that “our enemies perceive a window of opportunity” in light of the internal rift within Israeli society, and that we could find ourselves in a “perfect storm.” Accordingly, in April 2023, a firm, targeted action was recommended to halt the erosion of deterrence. Later, in July 2023 – on the eve of the Knesset vote to cancel the reasonableness clause – I told the Prime Minister that I was obligated to present to him the severity of the security situation. I did so using language akin to a “war warning” – a highly exceptional and unprecedented expression coming from a Shin Bet chief.
In the early hours of October 7, it was the Shin Bet that alerted the entire system
c. In the early hours of October 7, it was the Shin Bet that alerted the entire system – first through working-level channels early in the night, and later that night to senior leadership.
d. After receiving anomalous (though not unequivocal) indicators, the Shin Bet began analyzing the signs and immediately updated relevant partners at the working level.
e. The commander of the Gaza Division, the division’s intelligence unit, and the head of Southern Command Intelligence were updated by phone about anomalies detected on October 6, 2023, at 11:00 PM.
f. At 03:03 AM, the Shin Bet issued a warning to all relevant bodies, indicating an unusual level of alertness and the possibility of offensive intentions by Hamas. I note that the alert level itself was flawed – and this constitutes a failure on the part of the Shin Bet.
g. The intelligence picture that began to emerge indicated anomalies that were mistakenly assessed as Hamas’s heightened alertness in anticipation of an Israeli operation – and, conservatively, as preparation for a localized raid. The Shin Bet prepared to respond to all of these scenarios. Accordingly, and in parallel to coordination with the IDF, a dedicated joint force of Shin Bet operational personnel and Yamam (special police) fighters was deployed. A phone update on the decision was relayed to the head of Southern Command at 1:33 AM on October 7. Members of the dedicated team fought bravely, saved many civilians – and some of them paid with their lives.
h. Following this, a meeting was held at 3:12 AM under the command of the Southern Command general, during which operational orders were issued to IDF forces.
i. In light of the developments and the series of steps taken, I decided to report to Shin Bet headquarters and conduct a multi-front situational assessment at 4:30 AM, in case of escalation into a broader conflict. At the conclusion of this assessment, at 5:15 AM, alongside various directives, I instructed that the Prime Minister’s military secretary be updated.
I say this with pain – no one anticipated an attack of this scale, certainly not on that morning
j. I say this with pain – no one anticipated an attack of this scale, certainly not on that morning. The update to the Prime Minister was part of a series of directives I gave at the conclusion of that meeting, and it was delivered immediately, as part of the continuous chain of command from the moment I was alerted during the night until the end of that discussion.
The attack was not “coordinated by us,” our teams were not “sent to rescue Shin Bet personnel,” and nothing that night was “hidden – not from the security establishment and not from the Prime Minister.” The opposite is true
k. The actions taken by the Shin Bet that night did not succeed in preventing the murderous assault that had been meticulously planned for years. A thorough and comprehensive internal investigation was conducted within the Shin Bet to ensure that such a disaster never happens again. However, the attack was not “coordinated by us,” our teams were not “sent to rescue Shin Bet personnel,” and nothing that night was “hidden – not from the security establishment and not from the Prime Minister.” The opposite is true.
From this, I can only conclude that what we are seeing is an attempt to divert the discussion – a discussion that must take place – away from an inquiry into the political and security decisions that led to the massacre.
12. Conclusion
a. It is not lightly that I present all of the above to the Honorable Court. For nearly 35 years I have served the State of Israel – beginning with my military service, through many years in the Shin Bet, and to this day. I am unaccustomed to legal proceedings. Dealing with this is not easy for me, and it comes at a significant cost – to both the Shin Bet and me.
Out of deep concern for the State of Israel in general and the functioning of the Shin Bet in particular, I saw it as my duty to present to the Honorable Court – and to the public – a full and truthful account of the sequence of events
b. Nevertheless, given the current situation, and out of deep concern for the State of Israel in general and the functioning of the Shin Bet in particular, I saw it as my duty to present to the Honorable Court – and to the public – a full and truthful account of the sequence of events. This is my duty to those who will come after me, so that their ability to fulfill their role with professionalism and statesmanship is preserved – ensuring that the agency’s powers and tools are used solely for their intended purposes, and drawing a clear line between the trust required in a democratic system and the kind of loyalty that characterizes other regimes.
In my view, the concise documentation in this affidavit – and especially the details presented in the classified affidavit – make this point clear. My aim is to clarify what is demanded of a Shin Bet chief who operates solely in accordance with the law, and how dangerous it is for a dismissal order, issued without proper procedure, to loom over him.
c. The chain of events detailed in the classified affidavit indicates that the decision to end my term was motivated by non-professional considerations.
Everything stated above… does not detract from my decision to assume responsibility. I will soon announce the date on which I will conclude my tenure
d. Everything stated above, and the great importance I attach to a judicial determination regarding the essence of the role of the head of the Israel Security Agency, does not detract from my decision to assume responsibility. I will soon announce the date on which I will conclude my tenure. However, as stated, the significance of the ruling before Your Honors goes far beyond my personal circumstances and will affect the agency’s ability to fulfill its mission and responsibilities over the long term.
Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar’s signature on his affidavit submitted to the High Court of Justice on April 21, 2025
Acronyms and Glossary
ICC - International Criminal Court in the Hague
IJC - International Court of Justice in the Hague
MDA - Magen David Adom - Israel Ambulance Corp
PA - Palestinian Authority - President Mahmud Abbas, aka Abu Mazen
PMO- Prime Minister's Office
UAV - Unmanned Aerial vehicle, Drone. Could be used for surveillance and reconnaissance, or be weaponized with missiles or contain explosives for 'suicide' explosion mission
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