🎗️Lonny's War Update- October 587, 2023 - May 15, 2025 🎗️
Hostages’ parents, UN envoy to urge return of captive bodies in special Security Council session
The United Nations Security Council will convene today for a special briefing on the “Protection of civilians in armed conflict,” and discuss Resolution 2474, which addresses the obligation of returning hostage bodies in armed conflicts, says Israel’s UN ambassador, Danny Danon.
Danon’s office says it is the first-ever discussion by the council on the issue since the October 7, 2023, attack by the Hamas terror group, which currently holds 58 hostages out of the 251 they kidnapped during the onslaught, at least 35 of whom Israel believes are dead. There are grave concerns for the well-being of three others, Israeli officials have said.
In his address to the council, Danon will emphasize that “Hamas has industrialized the kidnapping of bodies — and the world’s silence must end. One cannot demand human rights while accepting the holding of bodies by a terrorist organization. Israel is demanding something basic, moral, and human — to bring everyone home. It is time for the Security Council to move from words to action,” according to his office.
At the opening of the session, Ruby Chen, father of slain American-Israeli hostage Itay Chen, will brief the council’s ambassadors before Danon addresses his counterparts, says the envoy’s office.
Danon will also deliver a media statement ahead of the session alongside Leah Goldin, mother of Hadar Goldin, an Israeli soldier killed and abducted by Hamas in 2014, during a ceasefire with Israel.
Edan Alexander’s father says son was held with bag over his head, was beaten and interrogatedThe father of US-Israeli Edan Alexander details the harsh conditions his son was held in while hostage in Gaza, saying the soldier was beaten and given meager rations.
Adi Alexander tells The New York Times that at the start of his son’s captivity, he was held with a bag over his head and was handcuffed, beaten and interrogated about his military service, which he had begun some 10 months earlier.
“There was nothing to interrogate him about,” Alexander says. “They knew about the arrangement of the IDF much better than he did.”
He tells the newspaper that at one point a tunnel collapsed around his son, injuring his shoulder, and that he had lost weight due to the meager rations of pita bread, rice, brown beans and black coffee he was given.
“His whole body has bedbug bites,” Alexander says. “His skin is in terrible condition.”
Alexander says his son was moved to a tunnel with better conditions after the election of US President Donald Trump, and received better food around the time of the January ceasefire.
The freed hostage’s father says that while the tunnels were crowded at first, there was more space as hostages died or were freed.
“We never lost hope,” Alexander tells the newspaper. “I could not allow myself to think any other way.”
Witkoff said to present new plan to free all the hostages, end the war, remove Hamas from power
US President Donald Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, has laid out a new plan during hostage negotiations in Doha for a deal to release all or almost all of the hostages in Gaza, end the war, and remove Hamas from power in the Gaza Strip, according to a Channel 12 news report.
While mediators have expressed support for the plan, and Hamas has “sent positive signals,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is insisting on a limited deal that does not require Israel to end its military campaign in Gaza, says the report.
It notes that Witkoff and Netanyahu spoke by phone earlier today.
“The Americans have an attitude of ‘take it or leave it,’ or we’re gone. They are determined that whoever doesn’t go with them will lose a lot,” a senior Israeli official aware of the discussions told Channel 12.
In recordings aired this evening by the network, Witkoff is heard telling the hostages’ families yesterday in Tel Aviv that, “Statistically, many more hostages than not have come out through diplomatic means, that’s what’s really worked. The Israeli military has had success, they have, but more often than not, dialogue and diplomacy have really worked here.”
Meanwhile, unnamed ministers in the Israeli security cabinet told Channel 12 today that “this cabinet approved [Israel’s planned expanded Gaza ground invasion] in the case that Hamas does not agree to release additional hostages in the [original] Witkoff framework. The prime minister will be judged by us based on how firmly he stands up to the pressure from Trump.”
The original Witkoff framework would see a temporary ceasefire of some 40 days, in exchange for about half of the remaining living hostages.
Al Jazeera says Witkoff met Qatari officials alongside families of hostages
The Qatari news channel Al Jazeera reports that the US special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, met a short while ago in Doha with senior Qatari officials in the presence of families of hostages being held in Gaza. According to the report, the meeting lasted two and a half hours.
In line with yesterday’s announcement in Israel, Al Jazeera also reports that Edan Alexander, who was released from Hamas captivity yesterday, did not attend the meeting.
🎗️Day 587 that 58 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
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Local official on terror killing of pregnant woman en route to delivery room: ‘They were driving to the happiest moment’
Meital Ben Yosef, head of the Bruchin settlement’s local council, tells Army Radio that Tzeela Gez, 30, a resident of the community who was killed in a shooting attack yesterday, was “all mother. A mother in her essence.”
MAY HER MEMORY BE A REVOLUTION
A Palestinian terrorist opened fire on Israeli vehicles last night in the northern West Bank, shooting Gez, who was en route to a hospital to deliver her baby, along with her husband.
During efforts to save Gez’s life, doctors performed an emergency C-section to deliver her baby. The newborn boy — the couple’s fourth child — is in serious but stable condition.
“A couple of parents were driving to the happiest moment that a parent can experience and the wife is killed on the way. It’s a horrific incident,” Ben Yosef says.
Police officer who killed over a dozen Hamas terrorists on Oct. 7 dies by suicide
First Sgt. Igor Pibenev, who killed over a dozen Hamas terrorists during the October 7, 2023, invasion of southern Israel, took his own life last night.
MAY HIS MEMORY BE A REVOLUTION
His funeral will be held this evening at 6 p.m. at the Ashkelon Cemetery. He leaves behind a wife and three daughters.
Upon hearing about the October 7 Hamas attack, Pibenev left the police station in Hebron and drove to his home in Yated, a moshav near the Gaza border. On the way there, he killed at least 13 Hamas terrorists.
Pibenev encountered the first two gunmen near Urim Junction. He stopped his car after hearing the sound of bullets, then identified and shot the pair dead. Minutes later, two others began to shoot at him, embroiling him in a quick gunfight.
“After I saw them fall and not move, I returned to my car and continued to travel,” he said in an interview to the police spokesperson’s office. He went on to kill nine others, several who were heading toward Nir Yitzhak.
After reuniting with his family in Yated, he went out again to join up with the moshav’s volunteer security team.
“We had trained for scenarios like this, but I never imagined we’d face such a large number of terrorists,” he said.
Pibenev’s death was announced on social media. Three months ago, his wife, Hani Liderman-Pibenev, posted about the “silent victims of October 7,” referring to those struggling with survivor’s guilt and PTSD following the massacre.
“If there are people around you who have been deteriorating since that Shabbat, turn the world upside down to make sure they get professional help and proper treatment. Don’t try to save them by yourselves,” she wrote
- Suddenly, Israeli leaders are talking about supporting the Wittekoff framework for the return of some of the hostages. But here’s the thing- There is no Wittekoff framework. That framework no longer exists. Wittekoff and Trump are talking exclusively about the return of all hostages in one phase, ending the war, an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, the release of Palestinian prisoners, and the disarmament of Hamas. This is the Trump framework, and Israeli leaders must agree to it now because there is no alternative! (Gershon Baskin. May 14, 2025)
Qatari foreign ministry spokesperson: Edan Alexander’s release gave push to Gaza ceasefire negotiations
Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari says that the release of the hostage soldier from Hamas captivity in Gaza, Edan Alexander, has brought a new push to the negotiation efforts regarding the war in Gaza.
In an interview with the Qatari Al-Araby channel, Al-Ansari adds that all the meetings held in Qatar today took place within the framework of this momentum and the new proposal, as he put it, in the negotiations between Israel and Hamas.
He also says that Qatar is working with mediators Egypt and the United States to bridge the gap between the sides
Over 65 ex-hostages urge Israel to seize ‘historic momentum’ for deal that frees all captives
A group of over 65 freed hostages signs onto a letter to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other government ministers urging Israel to resume negotiations for a deal to free all the hostages, citing the “historic momentum” created by the release of Edan Alexander.
“We believe the Israeli government now faces a genuine opportunity to return to the negotiating table. We urge all those involved in this process: Please do not walk away until a comprehensive deal is signed,” the ex-captives write. “The majority of Israeli society wants the hostages home — even at the cost of halting military operations. They believe in the sanctity of human life and the paramount importance of bringing the fallen back for proper burial in Israel.”
“Having endured Hamas’s tunnels ourselves, we call upon US President Donald Trump, the prime minister, government ministers and all those engaged in these negotiations: Do not let this historic momentum stop,” they add.
They also call to “free all our brothers and sisters from their nightmare, regardless of which citizenship they hold.”
“Only the immediate return of ALL hostages through a negotiated deal will create the foundation for hope, unity, and the renewal of our nation,” the former hostages add.
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Hamas-run Gaza rescue agency says 80 killed since dawn in Israeli strikes
Gaza’s Hamas-run civil defense agency says the number of people killed in Israeli strikes across the Palestinian territory since dawn has risen to 80, of whom 59 were in the north.
“The number of martyrs killed in the ongoing Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip since dawn today has risen to 80, including 59 in the northern Gaza Strip,” civil defense official Mohammed al-Mughayyir tells AFP.
In Gaza they fear: Was Rafah Brigade Commander in the tunnel that was struck in Khan Younis?
Muhammad Shabana is one of the three most senior in Hamas who remain in the Strip • Shabana was previously marked as a possible replacement for Muhammad Sinwar • In the past it was reported that the IDF tried to assassinate him many times, without success • It is still not known whether Muhammad Sinwar was in that tunnel in Khan Younis when it was struck and whether indeed two of the senior members of the terror organization were eliminatedMohammad ShabanaIn Gaza they fear that the Rafah Brigade Commander Muhammad Shabana was in the underground compound beneath the European Hospital that was struck yesterday (Tuesday) – as part of the attempted assassination of Muhammad Sinwar (brother of the eliminated Yahya Sinwar). Shabana is one of the three most senior figures in the terror organization who remain in the Strip, alongside Sinwar and Azz al-Din Haddad, Gaza Brigade Commander. His name even came up as a possible replacement for Sinwar the brother.
Strike at the European Hospital in Khan YounisCrater created after the strike at the European Hospital in Khan YounisIn the past it was reported more than once that the IDF tried to assassinate Shabana, but without success. In leaflets that the IDF dropped in Gaza in November 2023, a financial reward of 500 thousand dollars was offered for his head. In recent months, IDF forces succeeded in almost completely destroying the Rafah Brigade, but Shabana escaped and hid in the Khan Younis area.
At this stage it is not known if Sinwar was indeed eliminated yesterday, and it is possible that more days or even weeks will be required until there is an answer to that. The indications are expected to begin accumulating in the coming days. As the hours pass – the assessment that he was eliminated continues to grow.
In Gaza it was reported yesterday that as in the assassination of Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut – in Israel they do not allow approach to the site. It was also reported that every terrorist who arrives at the area in an attempt to rescue trapped individuals was attacked. link
Gaza Humanitarian Foundation says it will begin aid distribution in Gaza by end of May
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation announces that it would launch operations in the Gaza Strip before the end of the month, adding that Israel has agreed to expand the number of “Secure Distribution Sites” in order to serve the enclave’s entire population, according to a statement.
In a letter to the Israeli government, the foundation’s executive director, Jake Wood, requested that Israel facilitate the flow of enough aid using existing modalities to Gaza until it is fully operational
Hamas-run Gaza rescue agency says 80 killed since dawn in Israeli strikes
Gaza’s Hamas-run civil defense agency says the number of people killed in Israeli strikes across the Palestinian territory since dawn has risen to 80, of whom 59 were in the north.
“The number of martyrs killed in the ongoing Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip since dawn today has risen to 80, including 59 in the northern Gaza Strip,” civil defense official Mohammed al-Mughayyir tells AFP.
Palestinians report heavy Israeli strikes across Gaza, 115 said killed since the morning
Palestinian media reports heavy Israeli airstrikes across the Gaza Strip since this morning.
The strikes killed at least 115 Palestinians, the reports say, citing medical sources. The figures cannot be independently verified and do not differentiate between civilians and combatants.
In recent days, the IDF has been gearing up for a planned major offensive in the Gaza Strip, which officials said would be launched if no hostage deal is reached with Hamas by the end of US President Donald Trump’s visit to the region tomorrow.
Jordan evacuates 4 child cancer patients from Gaza, as it slowly works to meet commitment to Trump
Jordan carried out a medical evacuation of four child cancer patients and 12 of their family members from Gaza to the Hashemite kingdom earlier today, a Jordanian official tells The Times of Israel.
This follows King Abdullah’s announcement during a February meeting with US President Donald Trump that Jordan would take in 2,000 child cancer patients from Gaza, as Washington sought to push countries in the region to facilitate the emigration of Palestinians from the war-torn Strip.
The total number of cancer patients taken in by Jordan now stands at 33, after 29 were medically evacuated in March along with 44 family members.
The slow pace and small number of evacuations have reportedly been a point of tension for US Health Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. and Democratic House Representative Nancy Pelosi, who have both raised their frustration with Jordanian counterparts.
Politico reported that Jordanian officials in response noted that Israel was refusing to commit to allowing those who leave to return upon completion of their treatment, leaving family members unable to reunite with their loved ones.
The Israeli stance has significantly hampered efforts to find countries to take Gazans, particularly given increasing comments from government officials in Jerusalem about plans to permanently occupy the Strip and build settlements in places where Palestinians once lived.
The Jordanian official tells The Times of Israel that Amman is still committed to meeting Abdullah’s pledge to Trump, despite the challenges.
“Jordan wanted to evacuate all the children from Gaza by air, but Israeli authorities didn’t agree,” the Jordanian official says, adding that the evacuations took place by land, with patients being driven into Israel and then through the West Bank before reaching Jordan.
The transport through Israel ostensibly required the cooperation of Israeli authorities, but a separate Jordanian statement only mentions cooperation with the World Health Organization
IDF says it killed Hezbollah commander in earlier south Lebanon drone strike
The IDF confirms carrying out a drone strike in southern Lebanon’s Qaaqaait al-Jisr earlier today, killing a Hezbollah commander.
According to the IDF, the operative served as the head of Hezbollah’s forces in the Qabrikha area, a town in southern Lebanon
Syrian finance chief pitches country as ‘a land of opportunities’ after US lifts sanctions
DAMASCUS, Syria — Syrian Finance Minister Yisr Barnieh makes a call to global investors to come do business with Syria after US President Donald Trump’s surprise announcement that he would lift all of Washington’s sanctions on the country.
“Syria today is a land of opportunities, with immense potential across every sector– from agriculture to oil, tourism, infrastructure and transportation,” Barnieh says in an interview with Reuters at the finance ministry in Damascus.
“We envision a central role for the private sector in the new Syrian economy. The finance ministry’s role is not to spend indiscriminately or act as a regulatory enforcer over businesses, but rather to enable and support growth.”
Gaza and the South
Medics report both victims seriously wounded in suspected West Bank terror shooting
This handout photo shows the scene of a suspected terror shooting attack on Route 446 between the Bruchin and Pedu'el settlements on May 14, 2025. (Magen David Adom)Both victims of the suspected terror attack near the West Bank settlement of Bruchin are listed in serious condition, Magen David Adom says.
The pair came under fire on Route 446 between Bruchin and Pedu’el.
The IDF says it is responding to the incidentFirst responders say woman critically hurt in shooting attack is in late stages of pregnancy
The woman wounded in the shooting attack near the West Bank settlement of Bruchin is in the late stages of pregnancy, according to first responders.
She was taken to a hospital in critical condition, along with a man in serious condition.
IDF says troops killed at least 5 Palestinian gunmen in operation in West Bank’s TamunIDF troops killed at least five Palestinian gunmen in the West Bank town of Tamun this morning, while Border Police officers detained two prominent terror operatives in the nearby town of Tubas, the military says.
In Tamun, commandos of the Duvdevan unit exchanged fire with a group of gunmen holed up in a building, according to military sources. Five gunmen were killed, and one suspect was detained. The troops also located several assault rifles and other military equipment, the military says.
Meanwhile, in Tubas, police say undercover Border Police officers raided an apartment where the head of a local terror network was hiding, following intelligence of his whereabouts provided by the Shin Bet.
The commander and another prominent operative were detained, police say, adding that the pair worked to arm other operatives and were planning terror attacks.
The officers seized six assault rifles, a handgun, four grenades, and other military equipment during the raid, police add.
- Netanyahu has completely lost it. How can the finder if Hamas accuse Macron of supporting Hamas? He's truly gone mad. Macron supports Israel. Macron, like everyone else, wants the war to end. Macron wants Hamas to return the hostages and disarm. Macron sent planes to Israel against the Iranian attacks. Macron held a national memorial for the 40 murdered Israelis with French citizenship who were killed on October 7th. He met with all the families of the French-citizen hostages many times. He met with the partners Ehud Olmert and Nasser al-Qudwa and supported their peace initiative. Macron is pro-Israel but also pro-Palestine and the right of the Palestinian people to independence from occupation. He supports Israel's right to defend itself. He is a true friend of Israel. (Gershon Baskin. May 14, 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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