🎗️Lonny's War Update- October 569, 2023

🎗️Day 569 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

*4:50am - South - ballistic missile launched from Yemen - intercepted before it entered Israeli airspace

IDF announces soldier and police officer were killed during fighting in Gaza City

IDF Cpt. Ido Voloch (left) and police Sgt. Neta Yitzhak Kahane, who were killed during fighting in Gaza City's Shejaiya neighborhood on April 25, 2025. (Courtesy)

An IDF soldier and a police officer were killed during fighting in Gaza City’s Shejaiya neighborhood on Friday afternoon, the military and police announce.

The slain soldier is named as Cpt. Ido Voloch, 21, a platoon commander in the 401st Armored Brigade’s 46th Battalion, from Jerusalem, and the police officer is named as Sgt. Neta Yitzhak Kahane, of the Border Police’s Yamas covert unit.

MAY THEIR MEMORIES BE A REVOLUTION!

According to an initial IDF probe, during operations in Shejaiya, troops of the Jerusalem Reserve Infantry Brigade and members of the police’s Yamas unit set up an ambush in a building.

Terror operatives arrived at the ambush site, and the Israeli forces opened fire on them at around 4:40 p.m. During the exchange of fire, the Yamas officer was killed.

Rescue forces were then dispatched to the scene to extract the troops at the ambush site. Fifteen minutes later, an army Humvee that tried to reach the area was hit by RPG fire, and one soldier was moderately wounded.

Nearly an hour later, several IDF tanks, part of the rescue forces, came under RPG fire from the operatives in Shejaiya. One of the RPGs killed Voloch and lightly wounded another soldier.

An hour after that, two reservists of the Jerusalem Brigade’s 7007th Battalion were moderately wounded by RPG fire and light arms in the same area.

They Dreamed of Traveling Israel in a Truck and Cheered for Hapoel Jerusalem: Stories of the Fallen

Amid preparations for Memorial Day for Israel's Fallen Soldiers, two more names were added this weekend to the long list of those lost in the current war. Captain Ido Voloch, an armored corps officer, and Staff Sergeant Neta Yitzhak Kahana, a young fighter in the undercover unit of the Southern Border Police, were killed Friday in heavy combat in Gaza's Shejaiya neighborhood—just three days before the Memorial Day siren would sound.

Staff Sergeant Neta Yitzhak Kahana, 19, from Moshav Eitan

fell during a special operation by Southern Border Police undercover forces working alongside IDF troops in Gaza. During the mission, the unit engaged terrorists in close-quarters combat. Kahana was hit by enemy fire and killed. He is survived by his parents and five siblings.

Netta Yitzhak Kahane, z"l | Photo: Police spokesmen, courtesy of the family

Kahana enlisted in the Givati Brigade one month after the war began. He later transferred to a submarine course but was reassigned to the Border Police, where he completed undercover training. In December 2024, he graduated from the undercover operators' course and joined the Southern Border Police undercover unit as a "Negevist" (special forces role).

His comrades describe a devoted, professional fighter who loved his country: "He was ready for every challenge, executing every mission flawlessly—a highly motivated fighter driven by values and Zionism."

Netta Yitzhak Kahane, z"l

D, his fellow undercover operator, shared memories:

"Kahana and I met during Border Police training. He was incredibly present—wildly dominant, brilliant, always thinking ahead. He dreamed of building a home inside a truck and traveling Israel with it."

"He was passionate about weapons and marksmanship, with so many life goals," D continued. "He was like a brother—the kind of friend who does everything hand-in-hand with you, never leaves you alone, always thinks of others. Just last week, we sat by a spring in the Jordan Valley with coffee, laughing in the water. Two weeks ago, in freezing weather, he completed an ice-cold training challenge without hesitation. The toughest guy in Israel—a fighter who charged into contact, never afraid."

The Border Police noted that Southern undercover units fought Hamas terrorists across multiple battle zones on October 7th, eliminating many attackers and saving civilians. "Since the war began, these units have executed numerous covert operations critical to achieving war objectives—though most details remain classified."

Captain Ido Voloch, 21, from a Jerusalem "Red" Family

The armored corps officer fell in Gaza combat. Hapoel Jerusalem’s basketball club published a moving tribute:

"An unbearable tragedy. We’ve just learned of Ido Voloch’s death in Gaza. A wonderful young man from a ‘red’ [team-color] family, who sat on his father’s lap at Hapoel games from age 4. He later played on our youth team and became a die-hard fan."

The club added: "Ido served alongside his friend Yuval Shem, another Jerusalem ‘red’ who fell this year in battle. Even during prolonged military service, he never missed a chance to be in the stands. We’re devastated and embrace his family and friends. May this be our last eulogy. May Ido’s memory be a blessing." link

Hostage Updates

Saudi report: Egypt demands ‘full file’ from Hamas on hostages’ condition by early May

A rally calling for the release of Israelis held hostage by Hamas terrorists in Gaza, at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv, April 26, 2025. (Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)
The Saudi Al-Arabiya channel reports that as part of negotiations for a hostage release deal and a ceasefire, Egypt is demanding a “full file” from Hamas regarding the condition of the hostages in Gaza by early May.
The report doesn’t specify what such a file will include.
The channel also reports that the mediators are considering the possibility of a short-term ceasefire, but Israel is refusing and insisting on the disarmament of Hamas.
The Hamas delegation in Cairo, which arrived in Egypt on Saturday morning and included all five senior officials who currently make up the organization’s leadership council, left Cairo last night after less than 24 hours in the country.

Against the backdrop of the deadlock in negotiations: Statement from hostage families at the Kirya's Begin Gate

The statement comes after the terrorist organization Hamas rejected Israel's proposal, which included a six-week ceasefire in exchange for the release of hostages, according to a Palestinian report. In an interview with Shabbat at Five , Inav Tzangaoker said: "Matan suffers from muscular dystrophy. The Prime Minister must bring them all back." Later, a rally organized by the Hostage Families Headquarters is expected to take place.
Families of the hostages and protesters gathered this evening (Saturday) at the Begin Gate, demanding the return of the 59 hostages still held in Gaza. The families spoke against the backdrop of the stalled negotiations and reports from the AFP news agency that Hamas expressed willingness to agree to release all hostages—in exchange for a five-year ceasefire.
This follows the terrorist organization Hamas rejecting Israel's proposal conveyed two weeks ago. According to the report, citing a Palestinian source, the rejected proposal included a six-week ceasefire, the release of hostages—and the disarmament of the terrorist organization.
Statement from the Hostage Families
Prior to the statement, Einav, the mother of hostage Matan Tzangaoker, was interviewed on Shabbat at Five and accused: "Based on conversations with sources involved in the negotiations, I understand that the Prime Minister is about to abandon my Matan in captivity. Especially given that Matan is being held together with Idan Alexander—may he be released in the next phase."
"I demand from Netanyahu—insist on Matan's release. He is a civilian with muscular dystrophy who was kidnapped in his pajamas from his home. The Prime Minister is responsible for bringing them all back. He is aware of the consequences if Matan is left alone," Inav added.
In response to Inav Tzangaoker's interview on Shabbat at Five , the Coordinator for Hostages and Missing Persons, Gal Hirsch, stated: "Her claim has no basis whatsoever."
Later, a rally organized by the Hostage Families Headquarters is expected to take place. "Tonight, during the week when the State of Israel commemorates the memory of fallen soldiers and victims of hostilities, 59 of our brothers and sisters remain held captive by Hamas, and many families still have no grave to visit," they stated.
Among tonight's speakers: former captive Merav Tal, the partner of Yair Yaakov, the brother of the late Itzik Elgart, the daughter of the late Shlomo Mansour, and the aunt of Inbar Haiman.

Qatari PM notes progress in hostage talks; Turkish FM says terror group open to lasting peace deal
Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani says that he noticed some progress in Thursday’s Gaza ceasefire-hostage release talks.
Leaders of the Hamas terror group recently met mediators in Cairo for ceasefire talks.
Speaking alongside him, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan says that talks with Hamas in recent days had shown the terror group would be more open to an agreement that goes beyond a ceasefire in Gaza and aims for a lasting solution to the crisis with Israel.
On April 19, Fidan and Turkey’s intelligence chief, Ibrahim Kalin, held talks with Hamas officials in Ankara to discuss the latest efforts for a ceasefire and the situation in Gaza.
Fidan says those talks showed Hamas would be more willing to sign a deal that also addresses the issue of Palestinian territories and other issues, adding that the crisis could be turned into an opportunity to implement the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. link I believe this is false optimism, unfortunately. On the Hamas side, there are certain things that they will never ever agree to: one is an hostage agreement that does not come with ending the war and two is any agreement that will implement a 2 state solution. A 2 state solution is the antithesis of all they believe in, educate towards and breath. As a matter of fact, arriving at a 2 state solution would be the best way to show Hamas that they failed miserably in everything they were trying to achieve. Their goal is, has always been and will always be the destruction of the Jewish State of Israel and the expulsion or execution of all Jews in the land.
Now to the Israeli side and specifically to Netanyahu, as he is the only person who decides what will happen to the hostages. He is our autocrat and his government has allowed this to occur. Netanyahu will not agree to any deal that includes ending the war because it is against his self interests and his self interests are his primary concerns for all decisions that affect the hostages and the country.

In propaganda video, Hamas claims it rescued hostage from tunnel targeted in airstrike
Hamas claims to have rescued an Israeli hostage from a tunnel allegedly targeted in an Israeli airstrike several days ago.
In a highly-produced propaganda video, Hamas operatives are seen digging in sand inside a tunnel, and calling on someone trapped inside. The terror operatives are heard speaking in Hebrew as they recover the person, an apparent Israeli hostage.
The hostage is heard saying in Hebrew that he has difficulty breathing, as the Hamas operatives place an oxygen mask on him.
The terror group does not name the hostage, and says further details will be provided later.
The IDF has said that it does not carry out strikes in areas where it suspects hostages may be held by Hamas.
Military officials have repeatedly said that every strike and ground operation in Gaza is carefully planned out in order not to endanger Israeli hostages.
The IDF says it is looking into the veracity of a Hamas propaganda video published this afternoon, purporting to show terror operatives rescuing a hostage from a tunnel that was allegedly targeted in a strike.
Military representatives are also updating the relevant families on the clip.

Group of hostage families: Military pressure kills hostages, Netanyahu ‘criminal against his own people’
Demonstrators protest for the release of hostages held in the Gaza Strip, on Route 92, Golan Heights, on April 25, 2025. (Michael Giladi/Flash90)
In their weekly press conference, a group of hostage families pushes for an agreement to end the war and bring back all the captives, denouncing the ongoing fighting and partial deals proposed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Einav Zangauker, whose son Matan is held hostage, says, “Soldiers are being sent to war without end, without purpose, and without concern for the day after.”
“It is possible to sign a deal tomorrow morning. An entire nation is being deceived. We are told that military pressure will return the hostages, it only kills them.”
She asserts that the “entire nation” wants an end to the war and return of the hostages, and accuses Netanyahu of “doing himself a favor, by agreeing, perhaps, to another selection deal.”
Yehuda Cohen, whose son Nimrod is held hostage, slams Netanyahu for characterizing the return of all hostages in exchange for an end to the war as “surrender.”
“A prime minister who sees the return of hostages captured under his watch as surrender is a criminal against his own people,” Cohen says. “His goal is to waste time and stay in his seat. He turned Nimrod and the hostages into pawns on his chessboard long ago.”
Against the backdrop of the deadlock in negotiations: Statement from hostage families at the Kirya's Begin Gate

Statement from the Hostage Families

Prior to the statement, Inav, the mother of hostage Matan Tzangaoker, was interviewed on Shabbat at Five and accused: "Based on conversations with sources involved in the negotiations, I understand that the Prime Minister is about to abandon my Matan in captivity. Especially given that Matan is being held together with Idan Alexander—may he be released in the next phase."
"I demand from Netanyahu—insist on Matan's release. He is a civilian with muscular dystrophy who was kidnapped in his pajamas from his home. The Prime Minister is responsible for bringing them all back. He is aware of the consequences if Matan is left alone," Inav added.
In response to Inav Tzangaoker's interview on Shabbat at Five , the Coordinator for Hostages and Missing Persons, Gal Hirsch, stated: "Her claim has no basis whatsoever."
Later, a rally organized by the Hostage Families Headquarters is expected to take place. "Tonight, during the week when the State of Israel commemorates the memory of fallen soldiers and victims of hostilities, 59 of our brothers and sisters remain held captive by Hamas, and many families still have no grave to visit," they stated.
Among tonight's speakers: former captive Merav Tal, the partner of Yair Yaakov, the brother of the late Itzik Elgart, the daughter of the late Shlomo Mansour, and the aunt of Inbar Haiman.

Freed hostage: I felt ‘terrible desperation’ when Ben Gvir said he wouldn’t back deal

Released hostage Meirav Tal speaks at a rally at Hostages Square, Tel Aviv, April 26, 2025. (Paulina Patimer/Hostages and Missing Families Forum)

Meirav Tal, a hostage released as part of a November 2023 truce, says the government’s sole duty is to return all the captives kidnapped by Hamas on October 7, 2023.

“Not some of them, not when it’s comfortable, everyone,” she tells demonstrators at Tel Aviv’s Hostage Square.

Tal recounts how she felt “terrible desperation” while held hostage, when she heard the far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir say he would not approve the deal that ended up freeing her.

“I didn’t understand how a Jew, a brother of my nation, was able to say he didn’t want us to return,” she says. “That place — dark, cold, scary — leaves you with a little hope. Then someone from home, from my people, comes and takes that away too.”

Gaza and the South

Hamas-run civil defense agency says eight killed in Israeli strikes on Gaza
Palestinian children walk amid the rubble of a building destroyed in an Israeli strike at the Bureij refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip on April 27, 2025. (Eyad BABA / AFP)
The Hamas-controlled Gaza civil defense agency says Israeli strikes killed at least eight people, including a 17-year-old who died in an attack on a southern town.
The figures cannot be independently verified and do not differentiate between civilians and combatants.
Civil defense spokesman Mahmud Bassal tells AFP that “at least eight people have been killed and dozens injured in Israeli airstrikes since dawn.”
Bassal says three people were killed when a group of civilians was struck in Gaza City’s Zeitun neighborhood, and three more in a strike that hit a residential building in the central Bureij refugee camp.
Two people died in the southern Khan Younis area, Bassal says, including a 17-year-old boy in a strike on the town of Khuzaa, and another person killed when Israeli forces hit fishing boats off the coast.
In a separate incident near Khan Younis, a strike wounded at least 12 people, most of them children, in Al-Mawasi, the civil defense spokesman adds.
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.

Tel Aviv activists commemorate Gaza children killed since Israel renewed hostilities
Anti-government protesters march with a sign reading, "There is no independence without the gatekeepers," in Tel Aviv, April 26, 2025. (Gilad Furst/Pro-Democracy Protest Movement)

About 200 left-wing activists stand in silence on Tel Aviv’s Kaplan Street, holding up pictures of children killed in the Gaza Strip since Israel renewed hostilities there on March 18.
On the ground are Neshama candles, long-burning candles traditionally lit by Jews to commemorate the dead.
The signs show each slain child’s name, date, place, and circumstances of death.
The children “were and are no longer,” and were caught up in the fighting against their will, the signs read.
The somber scene is upended as anti-government protesters march through, shouting slogans and beating drums, from a demonstration on Habima Square to another one with hostages’ families on Begin Road. The left-wing activists stay put

IDF weighing establishment of new humanitarian zone in south Gaza — report
Smoke after an explosion, as seen from a tent encampment in a humanitarian zone, southern Gaza Strip. December 17, 2024 (Abed Rahim Khatib/FLASH90)
Israel is considering setting up a new humanitarian zone in the southern Gaza Strip, where Palestinians would be able to enter following a security screening, Hebrew-language media reports.
The new zone would be set up in the Rafah area, south of the IDF’s new Morag Corridor, which bisects Rafah from Khan Younis and the rest of the Strip. The area is currently depopulated.
According to the Kan public broadcaster and i24news, the plan includes setting up a tent city in the area and allowing the delivery of humanitarian aid there to Palestinians. Israel has halted the entry of aid to Gaza for over a month.
The delivery of the aid would likely be carried out by a private American security firm or other international bodies, as the IDF is against tasking troops with handing out aid to Palestinians.

Northern Israel, Lebanon and Syria

Lebanon says one killed in drone strike on border with Israel

West Bank, Jerusalem, Israel and Terror Attacks

Palestinian report says settlers open fire in West Bank village, ‘kidnap’ two residents
Palestinian media reports that settlers entered the West Bank village of Kaubar, opened fire, attacked homes, and “kidnapped” two young residents.
A security official tells the Ynet news site that the settlers conducted an arrest without authorization after Palestinians threw rocks at them when they entered the village.
The official confirms the settlers opened fire in the village.
An image shows the two young residents blindfolded, with at least one of them with their hands tied up. Video More violent criminal acts by the extreme Jewish settler terrorists and it will go uninvestigated, with no arrests of the terrorists, no court cases, no punishment so they can continue in these illegal terrorist activities on a daily basis. And because the government does nothing about it, they are 100% complicit in the terror and therefore make the entire country complicit in these internationally illegal acts of terror. They are also illegal in Israel but we have a convicted criminal terror supporting minister of internal 'insecurity' and a prime minister who is only interested in keeping his coalition together, so these acts of terror not only continue without repercussions, they are encouraged by the criminal minister.

Politics and the War and General News

Netanyahu runs away from an agreement that any leader would sign with both hands. - Boaz Atsili
The agreement that Hamas proposed, under which it gives up control in Gaza and returns all the hostages, is the strongest, most logical, and most strategic policy. The war advances no national interest, but Netanyahu, who has tied his fate to extremist and racist elements, holds Israel and the entire Middle East hostage.
Hamas this week submitted an old/new draft agreement to the mediators, an agreement that any real Israeli leader would rush to sign with both hands. An agreement in which Hamas gives up control in Gaza, returns all the hostages home, and leaves Israel in an excellent strategic position to advance its security within a regional framework. Any leader not entangled up to his neck (allegedly) in corruption cases, forgery and leaking classified documents, and harming state security. In short - any leader except Benjamin Netanyahu.
Around the Prime Minister, they are trying to create an image as if the release of the hostages is a "childish whim" or a romantic sentiment, while the continuation of the war is a cold and rational Israeli interest. There is nothing further from reality. The war has been raging for more than a year and a half. Although few in Israel are aware of this, dozens of Gazans are killed every day, many of them women and children. Every day more homes are destroyed from the few still standing in the Strip. And every day Israeli hostages are under bombardment by the Israeli Air Force.

But the war advances no Israeli national interest. The collapse of Hamas, which has not happened in a year and a half of massive fire, will not happen even after another year of war. The way to defeat Hamas, like any other terror organization, is to create a more attractive alternative for the population of Gaza. Even before October seventh, support for the organization stood at less than twenty-five percent of the population of the Strip. The demonstrations throughout Gaza, despite the great risk in them, show that the residents of the Strip do not really appreciate the killing of their relatives, the starving of their children, and the destruction of their homes. But is there an alternative? Yes.
This week the British BBC network reported that the mediators in the negotiations are working on a new proposal for an agreement that would include not only a ceasefire for seven years and the return of all the hostages, but also a relinquishment by Hamas of control in Gaza to a body led by the Palestinian Authority or a technocratic government with the assistance of an Arab force. This is not a completely new proposal - already in September a senior Hamas figure told the experienced hostage agreement mediator Gershon Baskin that Hamas is willing to give up control in exchange for ending the war. When Baskin passed the information to the Israeli negotiation team, he was told that "the political echelon" (namely Netanyahu) is not interested in an agreement that would bring back all the hostages if it includes the end of the war.
"It is impossible to talk about "complete victory" when our brothers and sisters are still in Gaza." Atsili was killed on October 7 and his body was kidnappped to Gaza where he is still in captivity by Hamas

Such an agreement that would leave Hamas out of the centers of power can offer the weary Gazans an alternative that would allow them to live. If it is later accompanied by regional cooperation and positioning of a horizon of hope, it will bring more and more Palestinians to move away from Hamas and support less extreme alternatives. Contrary to the current policy which is not only anti-strategic but also failing and foolish, such an agreement, backed by strong defensive policy of the IDF, will bring security and prevent the return of the October disaster. This is the strong, logical, and strategic policy. This, and not the delusional whims of the war trumpets.
Netanyahu, who has tied his fate with messianic, extremist, and racist elements, holds the State of Israel and the entire Middle East hostage to his political and legal survival. And these interests do not allow him to do what is right for Israel’s security and its physical and moral resilience - to sign an agreement, end the war, and bring back all the hostages.
This is not a slogan, it must not remain just a slogan! In Gaza there are still fifty-nine hostages, among them my nephew Aviv who fell in Kibbutz Nir Oz and was kidnapped. It is impossible to talk about liberty, independence, and revival, and certainly not about "complete victory", when our sisters and brothers, living and dead - are still in the jaws of Hamas.
Boaz Atsili is a professor of International Relations and Security Studies at American University in Washington DC, and the cousin of Aviv Atsili who fell at Kibbutz Nir Oz on October seventh and whose body was kidnapped to Gaza. link
During protest rally for hostages, former Shin Bet chief calls for 'non-violent revolt' against coalition government
Several thousand people gathered for a demonstration against the coalition government and for the release of the hostages in Tel Aviv's Habima Square Saturday evening.
Meanwhile, at another demonstration near the Kirya military headquarters in Tel Aviv, thousands gathered to also call for the release of the hostages.
Among the speakers at the “Free our Land” demonstration against the government in Habima Square were former Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Chief of Staff Dan Halutz and former Shin Bet chief Ami Ayalon. In his remarks, Ayalon cited the affidavit submitted by current Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar, and called for “nonviolent revolt against the government.”
The former Shin Bet head referred to several recent developments in the story of the conflict between current Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“The affidavit submitted this [past] week by Shin Bet Director Ronen Bar to the High Court of Justice is a defining event in our struggle for Israel's Jewish democratic identity!” Ayalon said.
“Anyone who has read the brief sees and understands that the black flag that obliges us not to obey has already been raised when the Prime Minister makes it clear to the Shin Bet chief that in the moment of truth he must obey the government and not the court's ruling,” Ayalon continued, referring to Bar’s claim that Netanyahu demanded loyalty to him and not the High Court of Justice.
The term 'black flag' entered the Israeli lexicon after a 1957 Supreme Court ruling on the Kafr Qasem massacre, in which Israeli Border Police killed 47 Arab civilians who unknowingly violated a curfew. The court stated that soldiers must refuse to obey orders that are "manifestly unlawful" – orders so clearly illegal or immoral that they raise a "black flag" of illegality, signaling a moral and legal duty to disobey.
Demonstrators protest against the Israeli government and for the release of Israelis held hostage in the Gaza Strip outside Defense Headquarters in Tel Aviv, April 26, 2025. (Photo: Tomer Neuberg/Flash90)
Former IDF Chief of Staff Halutz also attacked the prime minister at a demonstration in Tel Aviv, saying, "The defendant Benjamin Netanyahu is a clear, tangible and immediate threat to the existence of the State of Israel. He is fighting his own citizens and ostensibly cooperating, through his office, with a terrorist state – Qatar,” referring to the Qatargate scandal being investigated by the Shin Bet.
“Every citizen must demand an answer to the question – is there treason from within the holy of holies of the State of Israel?” Halutz asked.
Ayalon also mentioned the Qatargate investigation, saying that Netanyahu, “instead of demanding that the investigation be continued, sides with those being investigated and dismisses the Shin Bet chief.”
“Take to the streets, stop the country,” Ayalon encouraged the crowds. “Non-violent civilian revolt is the civic duty of every citizen.”
Later in the evening, the two protest groups joined together, calling for the release of the remaining hostages.
Ruhama Albag, whose niece Liri was one of the female observers released in the January hostage-ceasefire deal, criticized the attitude of many government ministers towards the hostages, accusing them of neglect.
She also stated that if the war continues, the upcoming Memorial Day on Wednesday “will be your disgrace and infamy.”
“End this blood-soaked war,” said Albag. “If not, this Memorial Day will be your disgrace and infamy.”
After pictures of a protester dressed as a hostage, wearing “bloody” bandages and surrounded by rubber masks of Netanyahu were shared online, the Tikvah Forum condemned the “clear and dangerous representations of murder.”

A display of masks bearing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's face surrounding a protester wearing faux-bloody bandages at an anti-government demonstration in Tel Aviv, April 26, 2025. (Tomer Neuberg/Flash90)

The group accused the protesters of using the hostage issue as an attempt to overthrow the government.
“This needs to be said in a clear voice,” the Forum wrote. “The severed heads, as well as the protests today, have nothing to do with the hostages. On the contrary, these are people who decided to sacrifice the hostages in an attempt to overthrow the government.”
Sigalit Hillel, the mother of Uri Tchernichovsky, who was murdered at the Nova party, also spoke at the protests, calling on the crowds to “do everything” to bring the hostages home.
"Twenty-four hostages are still alive and breathing, let's do everything together so that the joyous sights of their abducted loved ones returning home will be theirs," Hillel said.
While continuing to speak, Hillel burst into tears, and the audience cried out in support, "You are not alone, we are with you." link I make it a point not to criticize hostage families, in particular from the Tikvah Forum, but I do criticize their statements that people are using the hostages to overthrow the government. No one is trying to 'overthrow' the government. What we want is for the people to decide in a legal election who the government should be because the current government has lost all legitimization to be the government. They failed the entire country on October 7 and have continue to fail the country since then with not bringing the hostages home and mismanaging the war. They should have resigned on October 8 but they shirk all responsibility and the head, Netanyahu has spent the last 18 plus months trying to pin all responsibility on the security organizations and their heads. Let's never forget that Netanyahu has been prime minister for the greater part of the last 15 years and bears the greatest responsibility for bringing us to October 7. New and early elections should have happened a while ago but Netanyahu is doing everything he can to prolong his failed and corrupt coalition and keeping the war going is one of his major tactics to do so. He has betrayed his country and its citizens for so long and the time is now for the people to choose new leadership in legal and free elections, not by an 'overthrow' which they call any legal attempt to have someone other than Netanyahu as prime minister.
New York Times Report: How Israel Used AI Tools to Eliminate a Senior Hamas Official in Gaza

Officials familiar with the details revealed that Israel employed AI tools to monitor Arabic-language publications on social media, identify partially obscured or injured faces—and strike at Hamas leadership. It was also claimed: The IDF listened to Biari's communications and analyzed his estimated location using audio-based AI tools. The brilliant operation by Unit 8200—weeks after the October 7th massacre.
A report in the New York Times: This is how Israel used an artificial intelligence tool to eliminate a senior official in Gaza Photo: OMAR AL-QATTAA/AFP via Getty Images | IDF spokesman

According to a report published yesterday (Friday) in The New York Times*, Israel used the war in Gaza to rapidly test and deploy military AI technologies on an unprecedented scale. The report states that after Black Saturday, Israel sought a way to eliminate Ibrahim Biari—a senior Hamas commander in northern Gaza who was involved in planning the October 7th massacre. Israeli intelligence had failed to locate Biari, who was believed to be hiding in tunnels. So how was he eventually killed in Jabaliya on October 31st?
The commander of the central Jabalia battalion in the Hamas terrorist organization, Ebrahim Biari, was eliminated Photo: IDF spokesman

The New York Times cited three Israeli and American sources who said "Israeli officers" turned to a new military technology integrating artificial intelligence. According to them, the technology had been developed a decade earlier but had not yet been tested in combat. The masterminds behind the operation—engineers from Unit 8200.

Ex-Shin Bet head tells protesters at Habima that Bar’s affidavit shows ‘black flag’ flying over PM’s directives

Anti-government protesters gather at Habima Square in Tel Aviv, April 26, 2025. (sha_b_p@/Pro-Democracy Protest Movement)

Speaking to hundreds of anti-government protesters at Tel Aviv’s Habima Square, former Shin Bet chief Ami Ayalon calls the affidavit in which incumbent head Ronen Bar submitted to the High Court against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu this week a “pivotal event in our fight for the Jewish-democratic identity of Israel.”
If the premier uses the agency to “carry out surveillance of citizens who wish to protest — the black flag is flown before our eyes,” says Ayalon, referring to one of Bar’s accusations against the premier in the document.
In Israeli jurisprudence, a “black flag” is said to fly over orders whose sheer immorality makes them illegal to follow. The phrase was coined by the judge who, in 1957, handed down the prison sentences of the soldiers who killed 49 civilians in the Arab town of Kafr Qasim for missing a curfew.
“Take to the streets, stop the country,” says Ayalon. “Non-violent civilian revolt is the civic duty of every citizen.”
“We are fighting for Israel’s Jewish-democratic identity as formulated by the founding fathers in the Declaration of Independence,” he says.
Prominent activist Shikma Bressler, speaking later, tells the crowd that “a black flag flies over” all of Netanyahu’s decisions.
Former IDF chief Dan Halutz says Netanyahu is continuing the fighting in Gaza simply to keep the government intact.
The war is “unnecessary” and driven by Netanyahu’s coalition partners’ “religious, mystic, messianic delusions that have nothing to do with national security,” says Halutz.
He adds that “the defendant Benjamin Netanyahu,” who is on trial for corruption charges, poses a “clear, present and immediate danger to the state of Israel.”
The crowd at Habima is awash in Israeli flags. Ahead of the speeches, organizers play on a large screen a brief history of National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, who began his political life as a disciple of extremist Rabbi Meir Kahane, and an avowed fan of Kahane’s disciple Baruch Goldstein, who killed 29 Muslim worshippers at the Cave of the Patroarchs in Hebron in 1994.
The short film accused Netanyahu of normalizing the Kahanist movement four decades after the High Court blocked it from running for parliament.
After the speeches, the crowd is set to march to the anti-government hostage families’ protest outside the IDF headquarters on Begin Road
The Wiretaps, Planning—and Assassination
1. Israel listened to Biari’s communications and analyzed his estimated location using AI-powered audio tools—according to the report.
2. Based on this intelligence, Israel ordered airstrikes in the area on October 31, 2023.
3. Biari was killed on 10/31 in Jabaliya refugee camp. The terrorist organization claimed there were "400 wounded and dead."
4. The IDF announced: The assassination led to the collapse of a terror tunnel beneath civilian structures.
  Air attack by combat helicopters in Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip Photo: BASHAR TALEB/AFP via Getty Images.
Map of the IDF takeover of a Hamas military stronghold in western Jabaliya | Photo: IDF spokesman

Since the start of the war, Israel has integrated AI tools with facial recognition software to match partially obscured or injured faces to the identities of eliminated targets—per The New York Times. "Israel used AI to compile potential targets for airstrikes and developed an Arabic-language AI model to deploy a chatbot capable of scanning and analyzing text messages, social media posts, and other Arabic-language data," they claimed.
It was also noted that many of these efforts were spearheaded by Unit 8200 and reservists working at private tech companies like Google, Microsoft, and Meta. However, the report highlights that even as Israel rushed to expand its AI toolset, the use of these technologies has at times led to misidentifications and wrongful arrests. link
- Nir Yitzhak Investigation: IDF Exposes Failures in Kibbutz Defense on October 7th
The operational investigation into the terrorist attack on Kibbutz Nir Yitzhak reveals serious failures in IDF defense, alongside impressive displays of bravery by the emergency response team and residents. Approximately 85 terrorists infiltrated the kibbutz, carrying out killings, kidnappings, and looting—six fighters were killed, and five civilians were abducted. The military's response was delayed due to multiple active combat zones, breakdowns in the chain of command, and difficulties in establishing situational awareness. Airstrikes by the Israeli Air Force helped reduce the scale of damage to the kibbutz.
Key Findings:
1. **Security Failures:** The kibbutz's defensive measures proved inadequate against the coordinated attack.
2. **Civilian Heroism:** The local emergency squad and residents mounted extraordinary resistance despite being outnumbered.
3. **Military Delays:**
- Overwhelmed by simultaneous attacks across multiple locations
- Command and control disruptions
- Challenges in assessing the evolving battlefield situation
4. **Aerial Intervention:** IAF strikes eventually disrupted terrorist operations on-site.
**Casualties:**
- 6 security personnel killed
- 5 civilians taken hostage
- Dozens of homes burned or looted
The investigation underscores both systemic vulnerabilities in border defense and the critical role of rapid military response in mitigating civilian harm during Hamas' multipronged assault.
IDF Operational Investigation Regarding the Terror Attack on Kibbutz Nir Yitzhak on October 7th Completed and Presented This Morning (Friday) to Kibbutz Residents, Families of the Hostages, and Bereaved Families
The investigation, summarized by former Southern Command chief Maj. Gen. Yaron Finkelman, reveals a severe failure in the defense of the community—from which five civilians were abducted and six members of the emergency response team were killed.
Main Findings of the Investigation: Defense Failures and Civilian Heroism
The investigative team determined that the IDF failed in its mission to protect Kibbutz Nir Yitzhak and its residents. However, the investigation highlighted the bravery of the kibbutz residents, emergency squad commanders, and local emergency teams who fought courageously and selflessly, engaging the enemy and reducing the scope of the attack. The report notes that while the emergency squad's training did not match the scale of the assault, their determined resistance disrupted the terrorists' plans.
Sequence of Events Under Large-Scale Attack
The operational investigation focuses on the events at Kibbutz Nir Yitzhak, one of dozens of combat zones during the infiltration of thousands of terrorists on Black Saturday. According to findings, approximately 85 terrorists participated in the attack on the kibbutz, most entering through the main gate in three waves, carrying out killings, abductions, and looting.
Timeline of the Battle
Phase 1 (until 06:50):
- IDF forces engaged in the area following "Red Alert" sirens at 06:29.
- Emergency squad members were on standby in their homes from 06:31.
- At 06:41, the commander of the "Storm" Company ordered his forces to deploy for defense and link up with the kibbutz.
Phase 2 (06:52–10:00):
- The emergency squad positioned themselves in defensive perimeter posts inside the kibbutz.
- Around 07:33, armed terrorists infiltrated with shoulder-fired missiles and motorcycles; one emergency squad member was killed while repelling them.
- Around 09:06, ~25 additional terrorists arrived at the main gate; two emergency squad members fell in fierce combat. The remaining squad members retreated to defend the residential area.
Phase 3 (10:05–13:28):
- Dozens more terrorists breached homes through the main gate, executing killings, abductions, and looting.
- At 11:04, terrorists stormed one home and abducted five family members.
- All terrorists left the kibbutz by 13:28.
Phase 4 (13:30–20:00):
- IDF forces arrived at the kibbutz. Though reinforcements were dispatched, they did not arrive until 13:30.
- LOTAR and Duvdevan units began arriving after 13:30, assisting in sweeps.
- All residents were evacuated from their homes by 20:00.
Casualties and Rescues
- Five civilians were abducted during the brutal attack. Three were released in the first hostage deal on November 23; two were later rescued alive in a military operation.
- Six emergency squad members fell in battle. Two remain held as fallen hostages in Gaza.
- Additional emergency squad members and civilians were wounded.
Failures in IDF Response and Chain of Command
The investigation identifies several failures:
- Delayed arrival of security forces , partly due to multiple simultaneous combat zones.
- Lack of preparation for a mass infiltration of thousands of terrorists across dozens of locations.
- Breakdown in command and control from the company to brigade level at the attack’s onset.
- Most reinforcements arrived from the north , while Nir Yitzhak was the northernmost point in Division 80’s southward advance, contributing to delays.
Critical Decision and Air Force Impact
The investigative team found that the "Storm" Company commander’s decision to deploy a tank early in the attack significantly reduced the number of terrorists reaching the kibbutz and weakened the assault. Additionally, IAF strikes on dozens of terrorists around the kibbutz and along access routes mitigated the damage .
Challenges in Situational Awareness and Coordination
The IDF struggled to establish a clear picture due to a lack of real-time reports from the kibbutz’s defense forces. Local emergency teams attempted unsuccessfully to contact military units, receiving no response. The kibbutz’s status remained unclear despite reports of the attack.
Investigation Process
Conducted by Brig. Gen. (res.) Itamar Ben Haim and Col. (res.) Eyalon Peretz, the 10-month investigation included interviews with fighting residents, IDF commanders, emergency squad leaders, and analysis of field data. The team acknowledged potential inaccuracies due to the chaotic circumstances and noted that further details may emerge.
Response from Families of the Hostages
Families of Nir Yitzhak’s hostages stated:
"The investigation should lead to correction, but there will be no correction until Nir Yitzhak’s abductees return. There is no correction for the state or the IDF without bringing back the hostages."
They added: "Investigations are a bandage on a gaping, bleeding wound. Anyone who wants to start healing the wound must fulfill the basic duty of returning our loved ones, who fought alone on October 7th." link

Exposed | Hamas documents reveal: This is how Sinwar succeeded in lulling Israel

Captured documents reveal for the first time the Hamas deception, a year and a half after the massacre • While Sinwar openly promoted a ceasefire, he secretly planned the massacre: "This will bring division within Israel" • The documents refute the Israeli illusion regarding the success of the destruction operation of the "Metro" during Guardian of the Walls – while in Israel they celebrated damage to the tunnels, senior Hamas officials reported to Nasrallah and Qa'ani: "Lightly damaged"

A year and a half after the October 7 massacre, captured documents seized in Gaza are revealed for the first time, proving in black and white how the Hamas deception method operated. The classified documents, exposed last night (Saturday) in the Weekend News, present a worrying picture of a sophisticated deception system used by Yahya Sinwar to lull Israel – among other things through promoting a long-term hudna (ceasefire), while planning the deadly attack.

Internal correspondences between the heads of the organization reveal a calculated strategy designed to exploit the internal weaknesses of Israeli society and bring about its collapse from within. The documents reveal how Sinwar viewed the hudna proposal as a winning strategic move that would harm Israel in any scenario – whether it accepted the proposal or rejected it.

"It is likely that this move, which will be acceptable to most countries of the world, will not be accepted by the occupation and therefore will increase their isolation and the severance from them. And if the occupation decides to go in this direction, it will tear it apart from within and bring about internal division and civil war," wrote Sinwar to the head of the Hamas political bureau, Ismail Haniyeh.

Turning point: "Guardian of the Walls" – the victory that turned into a deadly conception
The documents reveal that Operation "Guardian of the Walls" was a critical turning point on the way to the massacre. While in Israel, Prime Minister Netanyahu, then Defense Minister Gantz, and former Chief of Staff Kochavi presented the operation as a strategic success and a crushing victory, within Hamas a deep sense of confidence developed that Israel could be defeated. This feeling, as emerges from the documents, served as fertile ground for planning the unprecedented attack of October 7.

Haniyeh, who was in Qatar, wrote to Sinwar with open enthusiasm: "We welcome the clear decision. The flag of our Al-Qassam movement was raised across the world, and millions cheered for the dear Chief of Staff of the resistance, Mohammad Deif, who achieved a heavenly and glorious victory." Sinwar replied with complete confidence: "Praise be to Allah who granted us victory, humiliated the enemy leadership, we are close to the destruction of its state."

Terror tunnels revealed under roads during IDF strikes in the Strip
Metro strike during Operation Guardian of the Walls. In Israel it was marketed to the public as a success, in Hamas they said in conversations: "Was not harmed at all"

The attack on the metro in Operation Guard of the Walls. In Israel it was marketed to the public as a success, in Hamas they said in the talks: "We were not harmed at all"

The "Metro" – the great illusion that turned into an intelligence failure
The documents also reveal the Israeli illusion surrounding the "Metro" operation to eliminate the tunnel network. While in Israel the operation was presented as a tremendous success that delivered a severe blow to Hamas’s underground infrastructure, the reality as described in the documents was completely different.

Senior Hamas officials in meeting with Nasrallah and Quds Force commander
Senior Hamas officials in meeting with Nasrallah and Quds Force commander

Senior Hamas officials, in a meeting with Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah and Iranian Quds Force commander Esmail Qa'ani, described a completely opposite situation: "'The Metro' was not harmed at all and only the offensive tunnel network was lightly damaged and will be repaired quickly."

This vast perceptual gap between the Israeli assessment and the reality on the ground allowed Hamas to continue building its offensive capabilities while exploiting Israel's false sense of security. These documents provide another tangible piece of evidence for the depth of the mistaken conception that gripped the Israeli leadership and the top ranks of the IDF, who told themselves and the public one story, while a completely different reality was taking shape beyond the border. link

The Region and the World

Personal Stories

"He Fired the First Shot of the Rescue": Yiftach's Heroic Battle – and the Friends Left Behind

They were five. Friends in heart and soul, through fire and water. Until the morning of October 7. Captain Yiftach Yaavetz, an officer in Maglan, fell in battle at Nahal Oz, leaving behind two mothers, two fathers, four friends—and an immense longing. Ahead of Memorial Day, author Etgar Keret meets Yiftach’s friends and his mother, hearing about an officer and a friend who held a rifle in one hand and a book in the other.

"A year and a half later, there are still shards of glass here, shell casings," Yiftach’s friends remark at the memorial near Nahal Oz, where he was killed. "It’s so tangible, like it was yesterday. Bro, I still can’t fully grasp it—it doesn’t compute for me." They were a quintet. A tight-knit group. The best of friends, in heart and soul, through fire and water: Itai (Itamar Yehoshua), Rakutzi (Itai Rakutzi), Slavin (Omri Slavin), and Goni (Gon Neumann)—and Yiftach, Yiftach Yaavetz.

Two weeks before October 7, Yiftach, a captain in Maglan, was on base and couldn’t make it to the group’s gathering. One of the friends had just broken up with his girlfriend, and the others came to support him—because that’s what real friends do. They called Yiftach on video chat and sang together, and one of them recorded it as a keepsake. "He experienced the moment with us for a few minutes," recalls Itai. Rakutzi adds: "Out of all the songs that played that night, Ahuvat Ne'urai (Love of My Youth)—it took on a completely different meaning compared to what was happening there. It’s insane."

They met as kids in Ramat Hasharon. Slavin and Goni knew each other from kindergarten. Later, Rakutzi joined. And then, in middle school, Itai and Yiftach. At what exact point on the timeline did their friendship tighten and deepen? It’s not always possible to pinpoint the moment true brotherhoods are born. And no one guarantees they’ll last forever. "We’ve been together for so, so many years. I think it was during the army that we really became ironclad," says Slavin.

"Sadly, I Have No One to Call"

"Yiftach was like glue for me—always pushing for us to meet up, never letting us give up, even at ungodly hours," Slavin recalls. Itai explains: "In the end, he was the busiest of all of us. In the army, he’d come back once in… and we’d all meet. No way we wouldn’t see each other—no matter what, we had to make time for the group. He really pushed for that."

According to Rakutzi, Yiftach always wanted "to preserve that cohesion, that authenticity that was just ours—hiking trips." "For me, he was the first call whenever something happened in life—usually with girlfriends or romantic troubles, because I was always most interested in what he had to say," shares Itai. "He always had the smartest thing to say. And sadly, I have no one to call now."

"Bounced himself". The late Capt. Yeftah Yabetz | Photo: Courtesy of the family

I knew Yiftach Yaavetz since he was a little boy. His mother Shira and I worked together at the same advertising agency. Sometimes, when she would go into meetings, I would watch him for her. "I was a newly divorced mother, bringing him to the office—play with him, I have an important meeting now."

Shira separated from Gilad Yaavetz, Yiftach's father, when Yiftach was six months old, and later each of them started new families. Gilad, CEO and owner of the energy company Enlight, married Naomi, a high school Bible teacher, and they had two daughters. Shira, head of foreign relations at the Tel Aviv Museum, married Amos, owner of "Raviva & Silia," and together they had two daughters and a son. The two families live as neighbors in Ramat Hasharon, and Yiftach essentially grew up in two homes, with two fathers and two mothers.

Yeftah and the extended family on both sides Photo: Olan Shishi

"His photo watches, like the Mona Lisa"

"I didn’t want a memorial corner in the house, with a candle where you walk in and immediately start crying," she explains near Yiftach’s photo's above the piano he loved to play. "We tried to create something a bit joyful, something that evokes longing but isn’t heavy. The central photo is Yiftach at the end of his training course—a picture with his smile, his famous smile. This photo is a bit like the Mona Lisa. No matter where you look at it from, he’s looking at you. I feel like when I come home, he greets me, he doesn’t weigh on me, he says hello. And there’s a photo here of the whole group."

Above the photo with his friends is a quote from the book A Righteous Wish . I knew Yiftach loved my book, but only after his death did I realize just how meaningful it was to him and the close-knit group that formed around him. "From a very young age, I encouraged him to read. And I remember once he asked for a book, and I suggested A Righteous Wish ," Shira recalls. "I told him he’d find it interesting because it’s about male friendship. He read it again and again and again. He even forced his friends to read it—literally forced them."

Yeftah and his mother Shira in his childhood Photo: Olan Shishi

I went to meet Yiftach’s friends—I wanted to hear more about him from them. And also to gently try to understand how a group continues to exist when one of its pillars is gone. I wrote A Righteous Wish because I feared the golden age of friendship was ending and I wanted to hold onto it a little longer. I didn’t know my own group would endure long after the book, and I certainly never imagined the book itself would endure and be read by Yiftach’s generation.

"In every birthday message for each of us, Yiftach was known as the one who gave the blessing. He would write—just like Ofir in A Righteous Wish says—‘You don’t understand how lucky we are to have each other,’" Rakutzi remembers. That was his standard closing line, which also became a handwritten dedication inside the book. "Yes, even in WhatsApp messages, or if he suddenly remembered he missed us and we hadn’t seen each other in a while, he would quote that line."

"It's so tangible, like it was yesterday." The friends of Yiftah Yavetz at the monument near the point of his fall Photo: News

The deal inspired by the book signed between the friends

"There are many parts in the book that really remind me of our group," shares Goni. "In the middle of the book, when Ofir flies abroad, the friends consider posting a 'friend wanted' ad—and that’s exactly how I felt, that I needed a friend. Then comes another part that also reminded me of us, where it says no matter how much they want to add a friend to the group, it’s impossible because it would take the new friend years to learn the mannerisms, associations, and codes of the group. Like Yiftach, we wouldn’t be able to bring someone in."

"Last night I scrolled through our chats, I wanted to find things related to your book. There’s literally a part where one of the group makes everyone sign a contract, the exact same concept as Yiftach, he totally took it," adds Goni. "Before enlistment, Yiftach came to my house and brought me a small letter, basically a contract, that we’d do the big trip together. He wrote a commitment statement with the date at the top and made me sign it—'I acknowledge that this commitment will remain valid even if the timing of the trip forces one party to wait for several months, and I acknowledge that any violation will result in significant social sanctions for blatantly breaching the value of friendship.'"

"I knew Yiftach was a serious person and that if I signed it like this and somehow life happened and I couldn’t travel with him, he’d kill me if I broke my word. So I added an asterisk—I wrote, 'When the time comes, unforeseen situations must be considered (a girlfriend who’s worth it).' He wrote back, 'You’re adding conditions, what a sausage you are.' I wrote to him, 'On the contrary, I’m taking this agreement seriously.'"

"He was always pushing for us to meet." Yiftah and the friends Photo: Olan Shishi

"He Jumped Himself Down South"

The night before October 7, Yiftach still managed to hang out with the group until midnight. Then, on Saturday morning, the sirens began. Itai recounts: "He woke up straight from the sirens—not from a phone call—and on his own, he called everyone, trying to figure out what was happening." Goni elaborates: "At 6:30 a.m., he woke up, called all the unit commanders, the deputy commander. Within 15 minutes, they decided to mobilize the unit. They didn’t summon Yiftach—he jumped himself and the entire unit to their base. They got to the unit, sent teams to two hotspots here in the Gaza envelope." Rakutzi adds: "He even messaged us in the group: ‘Chaos down south, I’m heading down.’"

Did he know what he was about to face here?

Goni: "From the moment they got close to the Gaza envelope area, they saw many terrorists, many bodies—they saw everything. They positioned themselves right at this spot where we’re standing now, a few hundred meters from the main entrance to Kibbutz Nahal Oz."

Yiftach’s squad managed to take a photo moments before encountering Hamas terrorists: Yiftach on the right, next to First Sergeant Afik Rosenthal (z"l). In the vehicle with them were also First Sergeant Alon Davidi and Major Chen Bucheris (z"l), deputy commander of the Maglan unit, along with First Sergeant Yonatan Davidson, the operations officer’s assistant.

"Yiftach spotted a terrorist behind the ridge and shot him, effectively neutralizing him," explains Goni. "The moment Yiftach fired at that terrorist and he fell, massive gunfire erupted—heavy machine-gun fire, RPGs, everything. And that’s when the battle began."

It was a heroic battle of the very few against hundreds of terrorists. The small force managed to kill some of the terrorists and call for reinforcements, but Bucheris, Rosenthal, and Yaavetz were killed.

"In this entire battle, he essentially fired the first shot of Nahal Oz’s rescue," describes Goni. "That’s how the close bond formed between Yiftach and the entire Nahal Oz community—because many people felt abandoned that day. Yiftach is the exact example, and this entire battle fought here, that not everyone abandoned them. There were people who did everything in their power from the moment they woke up just to get here as fast as possible and truly save them."

"Add Everyone to the Call—Yiftach Is Dead"

How did you even find out he’d fallen?

Rakutzi: "Yiftach didn’t answer us until late at night."

Itai: "Even Shira [his mom] says this—that nothing could happen to him. I personally wasn’t even that worried, because I thought, ‘He’s so all-in with the army, so busy, there’s such chaos right now—updating us that everything’s okay isn’t his top priority. It’ll end, and we’ll get a message that everything’s fine.’"

Rakutzi: "And then Goni called at 1:30 a.m."

Goni: "It was a group call—the same one we’d had with Yiftach."

Rakutzi: "No matter how many years pass, no matter what happens in this life, I’ll never forget him calling and crying on the phone."

How do you even say something like that?

Rakutzi: "He just said it. There’s no right way to say it. Just crying and saying, ‘Add everyone to the call—Yiftach is dead.’ I get chills just from this. The moments after…"

Goni: "It’s the same WhatsApp group with Yiftach—the same one we still talk in today. The group photo hasn’t changed. Every message has one ‘read’ tick. WhatsApp always reminds us that not all group members have read the message."

Itai: "The group is a tangible reminder before our eyes—we’re not five anymore, we’re four. He sees it. I believe he sees it in a different way."

"Like Yeftah, we will not be able to bring to us." The group in the lineup is missing Photo: Olan Shishi

"A Shared Fate—I Feel Like They’re My Brothers"

Something about the dynamic of Yiftach’s friends reminds me of my own group’s dynamic. The way they speak openly about their feelings stirs a longing in me for my own true friends—the ones who inspired the characters in A Righteous Wish . "They’re moving, interesting, open, and talk like brothers. Just like us," I told Amnon right before the joint meeting of the two groups.

"It saves us. I really feel like I have another family in this world—one that isn’t my own," declares Itai. "I truly feel like they’re my brothers. And I think everyone here would feel the same, but you feel lucky—especially after going through something as traumatic as what we went through with Yiftach—to have a shared fate with guys who know exactly what you’re going through, who know how to lift you up, and who are also genuinely happy for each other’s joy."

When asked if they’ve fulfilled something Yiftach didn’t get to, Rakutzi answers: "I think there are things he’d be happy with—how we’ve preserved the group’s essence, how we’ve become one family with his family. Every Friday night after dinner, we go to one of their homes, sit together in the evening, and drink. I think that’s what I’m proudest of."

"I see myself bringing my kids to meet Yiftach’s parents," declares Itai. "In a way, they’re like parents to all of us."

And his mother Shira admits: "It’s become a kind of ritual that does us good. I know many bereaved families struggle to meet their loved one’s friends—but when they’re here, I feel like I get a little bit of Yiftach. From each of them—a smile, a phrase, a laugh. I know he won’t be here, but at least I get a fragment of Yiftach through every friend."

Years of acquaintance, a mystical connection to the book - and longing. Shira, the mother of Yeftah, with Eshkol Nevo | Photo: Olan Shishi

And when you imagine years ahead, do you see these rituals continuing? Even into the adult lives of his friends?

Shira: "This is a difficult question, but I hope we will be able to rejoice in their happiness and also be a part of it."

With her: "I'm sure it's something that's hard and pinches them, but on the other hand they don't show it to us so much, and they love us so much and we love them so much, that I can really see that they're happy for us."

"In One Hand a Rifle, in the Other a Book"

What does time even do?

Shira: "Time—ugh, to hell with time."

It doesn’t ease the pain.

Shira: "In many ways, it makes it harder. Suddenly everything gets mixed up, the rules change. Even the perception of time shifts—how old is Yiftach, let’s say? We met some waitress who said she knew him from some event, and I asked how old she was. She said 25. I said, ‘Oh, so you’re older than him.’ Then I said, ‘No, actually, he’s 25.’"

The more I hear about Yiftach, the more my heart aches that we never got to meet more—and that we’ll never meet again.

"His sergeant said about him that in one hand, Yiftach held a rifle, and in the other, a book," shares Slavin. "There’s even a video of him at an officers’ course where he got locked in the library—I was in the same course and didn’t even know there was a library there."

He left behind good friends—true brothers. And no shortage of inspiring words, which I return to again and again.

"He left us a letter—one that changed my life," Shira shares, reading aloud:

"We know what we’re getting into, with the clear understanding—at least for me—that we’re heading into an operation from which not all of us will return. Despite that, I look back and to the sides, and I am utterly confident in us. Fighting for this country, leading this unit—it’s not supreme heroism. It’s the standard. And if I had to sculpt my life anew, I wouldn’t change a thing. Love you, Yiftach."

That line— "If I had to sculpt my life anew, I wouldn’t change a thing" —is engraved on his tombstone.

Why did this save you, this letter?

Shira: "Because he was where he wanted to be. He chose this. He didn’t just stumble into it randomly. He was at peace with himself. And also—what kid talks like this? ‘Sculpt my life anew’? If I could sum up my child in one sentence, this closes it for me—who my son was." 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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