🎗️Lonny's War Update- October 588, 2023 - May 16, 2025 🎗️
Hostage Families Forum: Israel hours away from ‘lost opportunity of the century’ as Trump visit draws to close
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum says Israel is hours away from the “lost opportunity of the century” as it intensifies operations in the Gaza Strip instead of reaching a deal to return hostages and joining diplomatic initiatives led by US President Donald Trump.
“Hostage families awoke this morning with a heavy heart and great fear over the reports of intensified attacks in the Strip and the approaching end of President Trump’s visit to the region,” the forum says in a statement.
“The missed historic opportunity — a resounding Israeli failure. The effort to stall the proposals that are on the table will be remembered for a lifetime,” the statement says.
“These are critical hours, hours that will determine the future of our loved ones, the future of Israeli society, and the future of the Middle East. We urge the prime minister and the president of the United States to reach a breakthrough,” the forum says, warning that time was running out.
Trump is not visiting Israel on his trip to the Middle East.
Government critics say that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s unwillingness to make compromises on ending the war in Gaza and releasing hostages has left Israel on the sidelines while the US president has signed multi-billion-dollar agreements with his Gulf allies. link We are at a total impasse as we have been since the end of Phase 1 of the last agreement. Hamas' bottom line has not changed and will not change. Their demands are: 1. end of the war; 2. full pull out of all Israeli troops; 3. release of large number of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons.
Netanyahu's position: no end of the war, even if the hostages are released ('Israeli officials' have stated this and that means it came from Netanyahu); Hamas rule ended.
Netanyahu does not want the war to end because it jeopardizes his personal political position, so the war must go on to satisfy his extremist messianic partners and keep his coalition together, with a full willingness to sacrifice the hostages. This isn't an assumption. They have actually stated this many times.
There is only one way to break this impasse and it doesn't appear that it will happen. We need Trump to pressure Netanyahu into ending the war and bringing home the hostages. No one else can make this happen. I am not a fan of Trump's (quite the contrary) but he seems to be the only one who can apply the necessary pressure we need to force Netanyahu to agree to this deal. It was this pressure that forced Netanyahu to agree to the last deal that brought 33 hostages (living and dead) home.
Unfortunately, Witkoff stated yesterday that the US will not be applying that pressure to Israel (meaning Netanyahu). It has been reported that, due to the total impasse, Witkoff is just about to throw up his hands in frustration and recognition that a deal cannot be made. Netanyahu is trying to get Hamas to agree to an interim agreement based on Witkoff's proposal of 2 months ago that Hamas totally rejected and is continuing to reject. Any deal that does not include the end of the war is not acceptable to them and they will not go for any more interim agreements. As such, Netanyahu, as usual is putting all blame on Hamas for failing to come to a deal. I am in no way excusing Hamas but I am very pragmatic. My knowledge of Hamas, through my brother's 18 years of negotiating with them makes me more knowledgeable than most of the population about what is possible and what is not in regard to negotiating a deal with Hamas. Anything less than a final agreement with Hamas is not possible. We need Trump's pressure on Netanyahu. Otherwise, the hostages will remain in Gaza, the living ones will be sacrificed and sentenced to suffering and death and the dead hostages may never be found. This will all be part of Netanyahu's legacy. As everyone knows, his political survival is the most important thing to him, his cronies and his self serving coalition. If any of them ever did care about anything beyond their self interests, i.e. the well being of the country and the population, that care is long gone. As a result, the entire country suffers in so many ways that I am not going to list now, but the ones to suffer immediately and the most are the hostages and their families. And we must all feel that we are all families of the hostages and not just those who are related to them, so we are all suffering and cannot hope to begin to heal until they are home.Emily Damari: "We do not tell about the bad things that we experienced"
In a video published by the Jewish internet star to her millions of followers, survivors of captivity Emily Damari and Romi Gonen speak about the coping after the release • "When I sit here and order food or when I shower at home I feel guilt, I do not truly succeed in enjoying anything," told RomiReturned hostages Emily Damari and Romi GonenThe Jewish internet star Montana Tucker published the day before yesterday (Monday) a video from an emotional meeting that she held with survivors of captivity Emily Damari and Romi Gonen, who were released after 471 days of Hamas captivity. Emily and Romi shared the difficulties and the coping after the release: "We do not tell about the bad things that we experienced in captivity, when everyone is released – we will speak about what happened there."[View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Montana Tucker (@montanatucker)]They repeated the urgency in the return of the hostages and pointed out the fact that now all who remain in captivity are young men. Emily mentioned Gali and Ziv Berman, two of her good friends who were kidnapped from Kibbutz Kfar Aza, and at the end of the meeting gave the internet star a shirt with the call for their return.
"When I order food or when I shower at home I feel guilt, I do not truly succeed in enjoying anything," shared Romi. "There may be people who already think that it is not important to bring the hostages back now, but precisely because only young men remain there it is so important."
Emily Damari and Romi Gonen with influencer Montana TuckerIn the video that was published to the millions of followers of Tucker, Emily told about a small moment of coping in captivity: "I asked Romi to dance, I knew it would make her feel a little less bad, she was embarrassed at first, but then I told her that today is my father's birthday, that this is my request from her and she danced."
Tucker, 30 years old, a singer, actress and content creator who became famous following viral dances on TikTok with various guests and maintains accounts on social networks in front of an audience of more than 12 million followers. Since the war began she has made a point to share explanatory pro-Israeli content in front of many who deny, ignore or are not sufficiently aware of the fact that Israeli hostages are still held in Hamas captivity in Gaza. At the Grammy Awards ceremony last year she walked with a dress, a yellow ribbon and the inscription
Bring Them Home. linkThe worrying picture of Idan: "He is smiling, but that does not say anything about the deep injuries"
The photo of captivity survivor Idan Alexander hugging his mother – with bruised and scarred hands – became viral and raised concern • A professor from Hadassah explained how the conditions in captivity may affect the hostages • "The physical condition is rehabilitable," he said, "the mental rehabilitation requires long-term treatment"The photo of captivity survivor Idan Alexander moments after his release, hugging his mother and on his hands signs of bruises, cuts, and scars, raised great concern on social networks. Many users expressed deep shock at the silent testimony to what he went through in captivity for over 500 days.
Professor Dror Mevorach, director of the rheumatology departments at Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital, explained the nature of the injuries from which the hostages and returnees suffer.Yesterday we published on N12 an initial testimony of what Idan went through in captivity. He said that his head was covered by a sack, he was beaten, and ticks bit him.
Professor Mevorach explained which health problems can arise as a result of the conditions in which Idan was held in captivity. According to him, in medicine they divide the injuries of the hostages into two types: "Mental-psychological and physical. And that changes between one and another."
"The physical rehabilitation is the easy rehabilitation." Idan in a meeting with family members at the hospital. (Photo: Kobi Gideon, GPO)He explained that the hostages were held in "very harsh conditions – without sunlight, and shackled. There are components in this that cause a feeling of demonization. They were tied like dogs, like animals, and from this perspective there are many psychological effects. They move between hope and despair and mental suffering. They wake up in the morning and have nothing to do, they need to learn to occupy themselves, and when they are shackled they can do that less. There is long-term mental trauma here – especially when it is a prolonged period, almost two years. It is very hard."
In addition to the mental injury, the physical aspect is also complex. "It was reported that he was beaten and was shackled and with a sack on the head, therefore bruises on the wrists and legs are definitely injuries that we can see on them (the hostages) when they return. There is the nutrition that was likely, until two or three months ago, very poor. In this way the hostage breaks down the fats he has and then the muscles. Lack of movement and all these things lead to a deteriorated medical condition," described Professor Mevorach.
However, he noted that "this is a rehabilitable condition, especially in young people. If he eats in a balanced way on the one hand, and on the other hand begins to walk and move and do physical exercises, it will lead him to rehabilitation. I estimate in the physical-bodily aspect that within a month or two he will be in a completely different state."
This positive forecast does not necessarily apply to the mental side. "It is very hard to assess without hearing him and seeing him several times. There are many things here that are currently covered. We see him smiling and happy to see the family – but that does not say anything about the deep injuries that will need their rehabilitation. Long rehabilitation," emphasized Mevorach.
According to him, mental rehabilitation requires a support system, patience, and gradual integration into daily life. "The physical rehabilitation is the easy rehabilitation. The mental rehabilitation is for a longer term and also requires from him and from his therapist sensitivity and long-term accompaniment, and that is also connected to his surrounding environment," he said.
"It is very important what the hostages will do a few months after they finish hospital rehabilitation. It is worthwhile to enter a committed framework and not just remain around the kidnapping. It will be better for him if after two months he does something like study, it will help him with the mental rehabilitation."In conclusion of his remarks, Professor Mevorach reiterated that the road is still long: "The physical rehabilitation, perhaps he has remaining damage, but in the end it is rehabilitation with good prognosis. The mental, I do not know. He is young, a Golani soldier, basically there is a good chance that he will recover well within weeks. The psychological problems – need treatment, to rehabilitate himself. The main thing is in a few weeks, when he enters daily life that he not be flooded with things from the captivity. I really hope that he will not develop severe post-trauma, but rather recover. The chance also depends on the basic structure of the person. The family is the most important." link
UAE foreign minister appears to prioritize hostages for end to war in Gaza
UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed appears to prioritize the release of hostages held by Hamas as the first step to a solution to the war in Gaza, in an interview with Fox News.
“First, getting the hostages out, we need calm in Gaza, and we need an authority that’s not Hamas that controls Gaza,” he says.
He says that 42 percent of the aid that has gone into Gaza since the war began has been funded by the UAE, adding that without the Abraham Accords, he believes Abu Dhabi would not have been able to fund as much aid into Gaza.
Mother of Hadar Goldin calls for UN Security Council to uphold 2019 resolution on return of missing persons
Leah Goldin, the mother of Lt. Hadar Goldin, who was killed and captured by Hamas terrorists in Gaza on August 1, 2014, delivers a press briefing at the UN Security Council and urges it to uphold its commitment to returning missing persons to their loved ones.
She is introduced by Israel’s Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon, and is accompanied by her son, Menachem Goldin.
Goldin begins by noting that her son was killed during a UN and US-brokered 72-hour truce.
“For nearly 11 years, my son’s body has been held in Gaza by a terrorist organization that exploits humanitarian frameworks for political gain, and for nearly 11 years, the international community has looked away,” she says.
She recalls that in 2019, the UNSC adopted Resolution 2474, which calls on parties to armed conflict and UN member states to “take all appropriate measures” to search for missing persons and return their remains to their loved ones.”
“The words of the resolution were powerful,” Goldin says, “but words alone do not bring our children home.”
“In the years since its adoption, Resolution 2474 has been forgotten, its principles ignored, its enforcement non-existent,” she says. The very organization that brokered the ceasefire under which Hadar was taken has yet to uphold its own responsibility.
“That is not just a diplomatic failure, it is a moral one,” continues Goldin. “This is not about politics, this is not about negotiations, this is about the right of a mother to bury her son.”
“When the UN passes a resolution, it must mean something. It must be backed by will, by consistency, by action. Instead, we have silence, and in that silence justice has been denied.”
She urges the UN to “enforce Resolution 2474, not selectively, not symbolically, but seriously.
“Demand the return of the missing. Demand accountability. Demand the dignity that every human being deserves in life and in death.”
- Netanyahu discusses hostage deal, decision pending on Qatar delegation recall
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is holding a security discussion on the hostage issue, which will conclude with a decision whether to recall the Israeli delegation from negotiations in Doha. The discussion takes place against the backdrop of deadlocked talks with Hamas, as Israeli sources claimed the terror organization is 'entrenching in its positions.' A source familiar with the details said the talks are stalled due to inflexibility regarding war termination issues, and that Israel is 'approaching final decisive moments before the maneuver.' link The fact that Hamas is entrenched in its position is the same situation since the beginning of the war. I have stated innumerable times that Hamas is not a normal negotiating side. There is no give and take and the only flexibility is during interim agreements. They have stated repeatedly that they will not agree to any more interim agreements, only a final agreements, which the Phase 2 of the last deal was supposed to be. Their final agreement deal terms are very well known: end the war (or the euphemism of long term cease fire), full pullback of our troops out of Gaza, release of large numbers of Palestinian prisoners from our prisons including mass murder terrorists, and they will release all hostages at one time. And these are the terms that Netanyahu refuses to agree to, refuses to allow anyone in the negotiating team to even discuss these terms and refuses to give the team a mandate to reach agreement on the deal that will bring all the hostages home. And the single real reason that Netanyahu continues in his refusals is his personal and political interests which are far more important to him than the lives of the hostages. 41 hostages have been killed in captivity since October 7 and their blood is directly on Netanyahu's hands. - Trump: ‘I don’t know’ if Netanyahu can get hostages out, ‘some are in better shape than others’
US President Donald Trump says he doesn’t know if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is capable of inking a hostage deal, while speaking to the press on Air Force One.
“Do you think the Israelis and Bibi Netanyahu can get his hostages out?” a reporter asks Trump, using the prime minister’s nickname.
“I don’t know. We’re going to find out pretty soon. We’re going to know pretty soon. They’re not in good shape,” Trump says.
“Some of them are in better shape than others. A little bit depends on the place where they are, but we’ll be working with them to get them,” he adds. link As I wrote above and in the past, Trump is our only hope to force Netanyahu to make a deal. His saying that he doesn't know if Netanyahu can get the hostage out is a very worrying situation. Witkoff was present in Doha for the negotiations and believed a deal could be worked out, only to be left in a position of total frustration. Unfortunately for us, Trump has assigned Witkoff to other very high profile and time demanding issues: The Ukraine/Russia war and the Iran Nuclear deal. When he only had the Hostages and the war in Gaza on his plate, he was able to be totally focused on that and was able to push Trump to enable the pressure needed to push Netanyahu's hand. Now, Witkoff is so busy despite his personal commitment to get the hostages home. This is my own assumption but I think that he is too busy with the other very important high profile issues that he doesn't have the bandwidth to deal with all of them and push Trump to enable him to apply the neccessary pressure on Netanyahu. And all that leaves us at the mercy of Netanyahu who doesn't give a damn about the hostages or the will of the population which is at over 80% in favor of a deal to bring the hostages home and ending the war.
Freed hostage Edan Alexander released from hospital
Freed US-Israeli hostage Edan Alexander is released from hospital after completing required tests, Tel Aviv’s Ichilov Medical Center says in a statement.
Alexander arrived at the hospital on Monday after he was freed after 584 days in Hamas captivity in Gaza.
Channel 12 reported earlier in the week that Alexander had returned with injuries sustained from torture at the hands of his captors, as well as flea bites.
His father said yesterday he was beaten and given meager rations during his captivity.
Einav Zangauker says freed hostage Edan Alexander gave proof her captive son is still alive
Einav Zangauker, whose son Matan is held hostage in Gaza, says that she received proof that her son is still alive in Gaza from Edan Alexander, who was freed from captivity this week.
Speaking at a “Shishi Tarbut” event, Zangauker says, “Matan is still alive. We received this information due to the return of Edan Alexander.”
Zangauker says that the good news may be for nothing if her son is eventually killed by the “military pressure implemented since Edan returned.”
🎗️Day 588 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
*9:10pm yesterday - Jerusalem, Gush Dan, Central Israel areas - ballistic missile from Yemen - intercepted - no injuries or damages reported
Houthi missile debris lands in West Bank settlement of Alon Shvut; No injuries caused
A large chunk of debris from the intercepted Houthi ballistic missile landed in the West Bank settlement of Alon Shvut.
No injuries were caused
- No agreements in Doha, plumes of smoke rise in northern Gaza Strip as operation expands
The pace of attacks is increasing in anticipation of a possible expansion of the ground operation and the pressure on Israel is growing: Human Rights Watch: 'Using the siege as tool for destruction'; Israeli officials: 'Hamas remains entrenched in its positions and is unwilling to accept the original Witkoff proposal'; Hamas reveals new details about the tunnels that were attacked in an attempt to eliminate Mohammad Sinwar
Ahead of a possible expansion of the ground operation in Gaza, Palestinians reported Thursday afternoon on IDF strikes in the northern part of the Strip, including in Gaza City, Jabalia and Beit Lahia. In addition, Palestinians claimed that, since morning, 115 people have been killed across the Strip.Meanwhile, the deadlock in the hostage deal negotiations in Qatar appears to be continuing. According to Israeli sources, there has been no significant progress in the talks, though they are ongoing. The Israeli delegation remains in Doha, and no decision has yet been made on whether to bring them back to Israel. Hamas remains entrenched in its positions and is unwilling to accept the original Witkoff proposal. The terror group insists that any deal must include an end to the war, while Israel continues to adhere to the original framework. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is in contact with American officials and met overnight with U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee. Hamas, for its part, said Thursday that the release of hostage Edan Alexander was a “positive initiative” aimed at “easing the suffering of our people” and demonstrating a commitment to ending the fighting and opening the border crossings. The statement said the move was carried out “ahead of the U.S. president’s visit to the region,” and that “based on understandings with the American side and with the knowledge of the mediators, we expect the aggression to end and the entry of humanitarian aid to begin immediately.”Air strike on Beit Lahia
The group added that “comprehensive negotiations on all issues must be held to achieve security and stability,” but warned that “failure to take these steps, particularly the delivery of aid, will cast a negative shadow over all efforts to complete the prisoner exchange negotiations.”At the same time, the Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar, affiliated with Hezbollah, reported on an air strike between the villages of Yohmor al-Shaqif and Arnoun al-Shaqif in southern Lebanon. According to the report, the strike targeted a bulldozer and one person was injured. Later reports said one person was killed in the same incident. The Al-Mayadeen network, also linked to the Shiite terror group, reported that the strike was carried out using a drone.Human Rights Watch on Thursday accused Israel of using the blockade on Gaza as a “tool of extermination,” amid its refusal to allow humanitarian aid into the Strip since March 2. “The siege imposed by Israel has gone beyond military tactics and become a tool of extermination,” said Federico Borello, the organization’s acting director, in a statement that also criticized “plans to cram Gaza’s two million residents into an even smaller area, rendering the rest of the territory uninhabitable.”The strikes in the Strip come as the fate of Hamas military wing commander Mohammed Sinwar remains unclear following an assassination attempt Tuesday in Khan Younis. The Air Force continues to strike the area, and overnight, Gaza sources reported 54 deaths in strikes in the southern city. Among other targets, the strikes hit near the European Hospital, where Sinwar was believed to be staying in an underground compound that was bombed by the IDF.Damage in Jabalia(Photo: Bashar Taleb/ AFP)Since the assassination attempt, the Air Force has been conducting a wave of intensive strikes across Gaza, primarily in the central region. At the same time, the IDF announced that in the south of the Strip, most of the city of Rafah is already under operational control. The focus of the airstrikes has now shifted to Gaza City and its surroundings, where Hamas forces and terror infrastructure are concentrated. “These are significant strikes, targeting and destroying Hamas terror assets,” security officials said.The attempt to eliminate senior Hamas figures was carried out through a strike on an underground compound where, according to the IDF, the leaders were conducting military operations. The IDF emphasized that the compound was located beneath civilian buildings such as hospitals, which had previously prevented an attack. However, that barrier now appears to have been lifted—the strikes have resumed and even intensified. Aerial footage released by the IDF showed Hamas activity beneath civilian infrastructure.In addition to strikes in Gaza City and Khan Younis, Palestinians reported more attacks in Jabalia and Beit Lahia. The Air Force continued targeting the underground command compound and blocking access to it. Defense Minister Yoav Gallant last week referred to Operation Gideon’s Chariots, clarifying that the plan includes “a protective envelope for maneuvering forces against all types of threats.”Assassination attempt on Mohammed Sinwar in Khan Younis(Photos: IDF Spokesperson's Unit )According to a report in the Saudi-owned Al-Sharq Al-Awsat newspaper, Hamas and other Gaza-based factions have neither confirmed nor denied whether the release of Edan Alexander is connected to revealing the possible location of Mohammed Sinwar. The sources said the area of the strike “includes a tunnel network that was destroyed in Operation Protective Edge and later rebuilt by the Al-Qassam Brigades,” but that the recent strikes caused “only minor damage.”The sources also said Sinwar is seen as “extremely intelligent and militarily skilled,” and due to his security paranoia, refrains from using communication devices—including cellphones and secure internal networks—both in routine times and during conflict. He prefers to transmit messages through human intermediaries only, making it very difficult to track him over the years.The Associated Press reported 10 airstrikes overnight in the Khan Younis area, and that many bodies were taken to the morgue at Nasser Hospital. This marked the second consecutive night of heavy aerial bombardment, after Gaza sources reported 70 deaths in strikes across the north and south between Tuesday and Wednesday nights.Separately, the IDF reported Thursday that troops from the Jerusalem Brigade (16th) had completed operations in Shijaiyah and Daraj Tuffah in northern Gaza, destroying more than 600 Hamas terror infrastructure targets over the past two months. According to the IDF spokesperson, the brigade’s troops, together with Yahalom combat engineers, located and destroyed hundreds of meters of significant underground routes, where weapons and military equipment were found. Reserve troops have replaced the brigade forces to continue operations in the Strip.On Wednesday night, Palestinians reported IDF strikes and “belts of fire” in the area of the European Hospital, where the IDF and Shin Bet had conducted a targeted strike two days earlier on a command and control center established in underground infrastructure. Sinwar and other senior figures were believed to be there. The repeated bombings were intended to prevent people from approaching the site, potentially aiding anyone who may have escaped, and to expand the destruction of the compound in a way that would support ground maneuvers if they proceed.Hamas sources told Al-Sharq Al-Awsat Thursday morning that the area around the European Hospital in Khan Younis “indeed includes a tunnel network that was destroyed during Operation Protective Edge in 2014 and later repaired by the Al-Qassam Brigades.” According to them, “the surrounding areas were attacked during the current war, but the damage appears to be only minor.”The IDF believes that Rafah Brigade commander Mohammed Shabana and other Hamas officials were with Sinwar in the tunnel that was bombed by the Air Force in an assassination attempt on the terror group’s leader. The tunnel was intended for use by senior Hamas members, and investigations are ongoing to determine who was in the compound at the time. Among those possibly present were mid-level but still significant Hamas figures, including military spokesperson Abu Obaida.The IDF did not know for certain that Sinwar was in the compound, and the likelihood was assessed as medium. However, the importance of the Hamas infrastructure at the site, the elimination of the risk to hostages, and the relatively limited harm to non-combatants led to the decision to carry out the strike. As time passes without indications of Sinwar’s survival, the assessment grows that he was present and killed. Due to his extreme positions, defense officials hope his death could improve chances for a hostage deal.The strike on the tunnel route—located beneath a hospital—was also part of preparations for a potential ground operation. Destroying the route would deal a blow to the Hamas battalion’s command and control capabilities in the area and enable more flexible ground operations should negotiations fail. Defense officials described cautious optimism about the success of the attempt to eliminate Mohammed Sinwar, who replaced his brother Yahya as Hamas leader in Gaza after his assassination last year. In the attempt, Israeli fighter jets dropped about 40 bunker-busting bombs, totaling roughly a ton—the same method used in the killing of Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah while he was in a bunker. link
Senior Hamas official claims terror group holding direct talks with US on ending Gaza war
Senior Hamas official Basem Naim claims to Sky News that the terror group is holding direct talks with the US to reach an agreement to end the war in Gaza.
The US has previously denied similar reports that it is engaging in direct talks with Hamas.
Naim also claims that Hamas is prepared to step back from governing the Gaza Strip should a permanent ceasefire be reached.
“We have also told the Americans, we are ready, again, to hand over the government immediately if we reach the end of this war,” he says.IDF, Shin Bet say Hamas operative responsible for raising funds for terror group killed in recent strike
A Hamas operative responsible for raising funds for the terror group’s military wing was killed in an Israeli airstrike last week, the IDF and Shin Bet announce.
According to the military, Jasser Hussein Ali Shamieh “was responsible for the transfer of tens of millions of dollars to Hamas’s military wing.”
“These funds were used for the force build-up of the military wing, the payment of Hamas terrorist salaries, and the funding of the terror organization,” the IDF says, adding that the money also “enabled the continuation of fighting and the sustainability of Hamas’s brigades in northern Gaza.”
Shamieh himself previously served as a battalion commander in Hamas’s Gaza City Brigade, the military says.
Meanwhile, the IDF says it struck over 130 “terror targets” in the Gaza Strip over the past 48 hours.
The targets included rocket launchers, cells of operatives, and buildings used by terror groups to plan attacks on forces, the military says.
Ground troops also killed several operatives and destroyed Hamas infrastructure in both northern and southern Gaza, the IDF adds.
Hamas-run civil defense agency says 50 killed in Israeli strikes on Gaza since midnight
Gaza’s Hamas-run civil defence agency says that 50 people have been killed in Israeli strikes on the Palestinian territory since midnight.
“The number of martyrs killed in Israeli shelling targeting civilian homes in the northern Gaza Strip between midnight and early this morning has risen to 50… Our teams are still working in those areas,” civil defence official Mohammed al-Mughayyir tells AFP.
The figures, which are not independently verified, do not distinguish between combatants and civilians.
The military has yet to comment on the strikes.
Israel has said it seeks to minimize civilian fatalities and stresses that Hamas uses Gaza’s civilians as human shields, fighting from civilian areas, including homes, hospitals, schools, and mosques.
IDF says 150 ‘terror targets’ hit in Gaza over past day
The IDF says it carried out airstrikes on over 150 “terror targets” in the Gaza Strip over the past day.
The targets included anti-tank missile launch posts, cells of operatives and buildings used by terror groups to carry out attacks on forces, the army says.
Amid ground operations, the IDF says the 252nd Division killed several operatives who were at an observation post in northern Gaza; the Gaza Division destroyed several tunnel shafts and other infrastructure and killed several operatives in Rafah; and the 36th Division destroyed additional Hamas infrastructure and killed operatives trying to plant a bomb in the Morag Corridor area.
Palestinian media reports that over 75 people have been killed by Israeli strikes in the Gaza Strip since this morning. The figures cannot be independently verified and do not differentiate between civilians and combatants.
Gaza and the South
IDF says it killed Hezbollah operative in southern Lebanon drone strike
The IDF says it killed a Hezbollah operative in a drone strike in southern Lebanon’s Arnoun earlier today.
According to the military, the operative was involved in restoring a Hezbollah site in the area. video
- U.S. Imposes Sanctions on Hezbollah Officials Who Collected Donations
The U.S. Treasury Department imposed new sanctions on two senior Hezbollah officials and two additional individuals who provided financial support to the organization. According to the Treasury Department's statement, the four operated in Lebanon and Iran to raise funds for the organization from overseas donors, and these funds constituted a significant portion of Hezbollah's budget. It was further stated that the U.S. will continue to increase economic pressure on elements within the Iranian regime and its proxies in order to combat terrorism emanating from them. Israel said holding talks with Syria on al-Sharaa’s regime joining Abraham Accords
Israel has been holding secret talks with Syrian officials in recent days, including on the possibility of the new regime joining the Abraham Accords, Channel 12 reports tonight, a day after US President Trump invited new Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa to join the accords and normalize ties with Israel.
The talks are being mediated by the United Arab Emirates, Channel 12 says, also referring to unspecified wider regional moves being advanced by the UAE.
One meeting was held in recent days in Azerbaijan, it says, where Israel was represented by the chief of the IDF Operations Directorate, Maj. Gen. Oded Basyuk. He met with representatives from the new Syrian government, with Turkish representatives also present, the report says.
Trump on Wednesday urged al-Sharaa to join the Abraham Accords, as the two leaders met in Riyadh in the first direct talks between leaders of the countries in 25 years.
Trump later told reporters that Sharaa backs such a move. “I told [Sharaa], I hope you’re going to join [the Abraham Accords] once you’re straightened out, and he said yes,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One. “But they have a lot of work to do.”
Israel views Trump’s lifting of sanctions on Syria favorably, albeit while maintaining a high level of caution, and isn’t ruling out the possibility of influencing the shaping of the northern border and future relations between the two countries, Channel 12 adds.
This contrasts with Israel’s previous position, it notes, which was to dismiss the prospect of constructive interaction, with Al-Sharaa being branded a terrorist by Jerusalem.
Today, claims Channel 12, Israel does see the possibility of Syria exiting the so-called “axis of evil” overseen by Iran, and even of it coming under the US aegis. And it even views such potential progress as possibly enabling a positive shift in Israel-Turkey ties, the report claims
Meeting Syrian FM, Rubio welcomes Damascus calls for peace with Israel
During his first-ever meeting with Syrian Foreign Minister Hassan al-Shaibani in Turkey earlier today, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio welcomed what he characterized as “the Syrian government’s calls for peace with Israel,” the State Department says.
Rubio appeared to be referring to comments a senior Syrian official made during an interview with the Kan public broadcaster yesterday where he said that Damascus is open to peace with everyone in the region, without exceptions.
US President Donald Trump said after meeting Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa yesterday that the latter indicated willingness to join the Abraham Accords once they are “straightened out,” adding “they have a lot of work to do” before that happens.
Rubio, during his meeting with Shaibani, “affirmed the United States’ support for sanctions relief to stabilize Syria.”
“He welcomed… efforts to end Iran’s influence in Syria, commitment to ascertaining the fate of US citizens missing or killed in Syria, and elimination of all chemical weapons.”
Rubio also “underscored the critical importance of protecting the human rights of all Syrians regardless of ethnicity or religion,” the US readout says.
IDF surveillance cameras capture moment of yesterday’s deadly West Bank shooting
IDF surveillance camera footage shows the moment of yesterday’s deadly terror shooting attack near the West Bank settlement of Bruchin.
The Palestinian gunman opened fire from the side of a road on Israeli motorists, killing Tzeela Gez, 30, and wounding her husband. They had been heading to a hospital for her to give birth.
According to the military, soldiers monitoring surveillance cameras spotted the terrorist only as he opened fire, and dispatched troops to the area.
The terrorist is seen fleeing the scene immediately after the gunfire, and the IDF is still searching for him. video of the shooting
IDF believes deadly West Bank shooting was carried out by lone terrorist who fired from side of the roadPalestinian media: Settlers set fire to 15 Palestinian vehicles overnight in West Bank
Palestinian media outlets report that around 15 Palestinian vehicles were set on fire near the settlement of Ariel in the western West Bank.
The cars belonged to Palestinian workers employed in the area. No injuries were reported.
According to the reports, settlers were responsible for the arson.
Israel Police have yet to issue a response. VIDEO We all know that none of these Jewish Settler Terrorists will be arrested, let alone stand trial for these terrorists acts. The police under the criminally convicted Minister has orders not to investigate these acts of terror. His professional career as a lawyer was representing all of the Jewish Terrorists. His own conviction was for support of a terror organization, Kach, the party of the racist Meir Kahana of which Ben Gvir was his follower and his party of Jewish Power is the resurrection of the illegal Kach party. At a different time in our history when are politicians were more like leaders, they deemed the Kach party and illegal racist party. Instead of doing the same, Netanyahu chose to normalize these racists and bring them into his government. Therefore the actions of the Jewish terrorists and the lack of investigation of their terrorists acts is on Netanyahu as well.
- Inside Israel's massive anti-terror operation transforming TulkarmTop terrorists in the Nur Shams camp targeted, dozens have been killed or fled; with schools reopening and shops buzzing, a new reality is taking shape on the ground—even as the broader campaign continuesIn the early morning hours, as the Nur Shams refugee camp near Tulkarm lay silent, senior terrorist Iyhab Abu Atiyeh left his home. His routine was familiar: every morning between 9 and 11, he traveled a road near the camp to meet a terror operative from Nablus and receive funds for attacks. For Israeli intelligence agents who had been monitoring his movements, there was a narrow six-minute window to act—identify him, launch a drone, and eliminate the threat.Lt. Col. Netanel Shamkeh, commander of the Ephraim Brigade, was stationed that day at the battalion’s command center. He remained in direct contact with forces deployed around the camp, ready to seal the entrances and block any escape. Abu Atiyeh, along with another armed man, was positively identified. Moments after they entered their vehicle and began driving, a drone was in the air. Once the car reached a safe zone away from civilian homes, Shamkeh gave the order. A precision missile struck the vehicle and destroyed it. “There was no doubt we hit our target,” said a senior military official.The IDF immediately launched a broader operation. Forces entered the camp, closed off eight access points, and engaged in armed clashes. Several terrorists attempting to flee were shot. What began as a preemptive strike evolved into an extended confrontation that continues to this day.A shift on the groundThree and a half months after the launch of Operation Iron Wall—initially focused on Jenin and later expanded to Tulkarm and Nur Shams—the landscape in the northern West Bank has been transformed. A tour of the camps with Shamkeh reveals a stark new reality: dozens of homes destroyed, alleyways widened into roads, and buildings reduced to rubble. "About 1,500 residents have left Nur Shams," Shamkeh told Ynet. "Of roughly 100 terrorists who once controlled the camp, only 20 to 30 remain, either in hiding or on the run. The entrances, once booby-trapped and patrolled by armed men under Hamas and Islamic Jihad flags, are now quiet. Today I can walk through the area unarmed. That kind of freedom didn’t exist even during Operation Defensive Shield."
The operation also exposed a variety of threats: an anti-tank missile believed to have come from Gaza, improvised explosive devices made from gas canisters, and weapons buried beneath the surface. “One of those could have taken out an entire platoon,” Shamkeh noted, holding a discarded canister found on the roadside. While the camp has been largely cleared, life continues in the city of Tulkarm itself. Markets are open, shops selling spices and jewelry operate as usual, and schools have resumed. “The army’s presence is part of the fabric here now,” Shamkeh said. “People used to throw stones at us and open fire. Now they understand we’re not going anywhere. The city is alive again.” Targeting terror leaders Operation Iron Wall is not only about retaking ground. It is also focused on eliminating top terror operatives—those who fueled the rise of local armed groups inside refugee camps. One prominent example is Nur Bitawi, the Islamic Jihad commander in Jenin, who was killed in Nablus. “He recruited fighters from multiple factions,” a senior intelligence source said. “He controlled the area around Jenin—funding, operations, weapons displays. He was charismatic and people followed him.” Bitawi had long been sought by Israeli forces. He was among the targets of a rare October 2023 strike on the Al-Ansari Mosque in Jenin, where at least two terrorists were killed. A tunnel beneath the mosque led to other parts of the camp. Bitawi and his associates, hiding there, were planning a large-scale attack modeled after the massacre of October 7. He survived that attempt and continued his activities.He is also believed to have taken part in the deadly shooting attack in the village of Funduq in January that killed police officer Elad Yaakov Winkelstein, Aliza Rais, and Rachel Cohen. “These figures are not just wanted men,” the intelligence source said. “They are central figures in the terror infrastructure. When we take them out, it destabilizes the whole system. There’s been a significant drop in terror activity across the West Bank since the operation began, and that’s no coincidence.” ‘If we don’t act here, terrorists will reach Tel Aviv’ The scale of the infrastructure discovered raises tough questions. How were Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists able to operate so close to Israel’s heartland, building bomb-making labs and turning apartments into operational command centers? Shamkeh, who took over the Ephraim Brigade two years ago, emphasized the importance of maintaining a permanent ground presence. “If we don’t continue what we call ‘mowing the grass,’ they will recover,” he said. “This doesn’t have to be permanent, but we can’t leave now.” “You have to understand what Judea and Samaria represent,” he continued. “Iran fired 500 missiles at us and no one was killed. That same day, two terrorists came out of Hebron, attacked in Jaffa and murdered seven people. That’s the reality here. If we don’t want terrorists flooding Highway 6 or reaching Tel Aviv and Hadera, we have to clear this out. There’s no alternative to a physical presence.”Shamkeh is ending his term in the West Bank this week and will assume command of the Givati Brigade, currently deployed in Gaza. The IDF is preparing for Operation Gideon’s Chariots, a campaign modeled after Iron Wall, combining aggressive raids, territorial control, and permanent deployment. “For me, going back to Givati is like going home,” Shamkeh said. “That’s where I began my military service over 20 years ago. I’ve done everything I could here to stop attacks and eliminate as many terrorists as possible. We’ve made progress, but the job isn’t done. From here to the south, we’ll continue. We know how—because we’ve done it here.” link Shamkeh's statement “If we don’t continue what we call ‘mowing the grass,’ they will recover,” may be the proper sentiment for a military person doing their job of routing out terror, but unfortunately is has been the strategy of continuing governments for nearly 60 years of occupation, with few exceptions. This is managing the problem, not solving it. It cannot be solved by military actions, tactics or strategy. It can only be solved at the political level and this government certainly has no intentions or even ideas of solving the problem, only managing and trying to regularly convince the population that we must live by the sword forever. That is the strategy of failed government and petty politicians.
- Politics and the War and General News
Israel under Netanyahu has lost its military edge, become passive, Bennett chargesUnder Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel has become passive and lost its qualitative military edge, former premier Naftali Bennett alleges.
“The Middle East is undergoing tectonic changes before our eyes. Our enemies are getting stronger, and Netanyahu, Smotrich and their gang are paralyzed, passive, as if they don’t exist,” Bennett writes in a lengthy post on X.
“Qatar, the capital of Hamas terror, signs a trillion-dollar agreement with the US, upgrades its strategic military position… Erdogan’s Turkey receives a shot of legitimacy and F-35 jets from the US… Syria… is released from all sanctions without giving up anything… [and] Saudi Arabia receives approval for a nuclear program, and Israel loses the qualitative military advantage we had for 50 years, which is one of the essential assets for our existence,” he asserts.
This week, US President Donald Trump signed an agreement with Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani that will “generate an economic exchange worth at least $1.2 trillion,” as well as a mammoth arms deal worth nearly $142 billion with Saudi Arabia.
At the same time, Saudi Arabia and the United States are discussing a deal to cooperate on the kingdom’s ambitions to develop a civil nuclear industry.
Trump has also lifted sanctions on Syria and is reportedly considering selling advanced fighter aircraft to Turkey.
“As a former defense minister and prime minister, I cannot overstate the severity of the long-term damage to Israel,” Bennett continues.
While “Iran is at the weakest moment in its history, devoid of air defenses, with an old leadership, disconnected and hated by its people,” Israel has failed to harness the US “for political and economic action to overthrow the regime,” he declares.
Last month, The New York Times reported that Trump quashed Israeli proposals for a series of joint strikes next month on Iranian nuclear facilities, opting instead to try for a diplomatic solution to the problem of Tehran’s nuclear program.
Turning to the Israeli army’s current manpower shortage, Bennett accuses the government of failing to mobilize the Haredim, charging that it is “only hindering the necessary change, and throwing all the burden on reservists who have already given their all.”
“The only place where you see ‘initiatives’ from the government is in posts, TikToks, and unnecessary trolling laws that only fuel internal hatred,” he writes.
IDF releases dramatic footage of combat medics treating soldiers in Gaza, says injured troops reach hospitals in an hour
The IDF releases dramatic footage of combat medics treating and evacuating wounded soldiers during an exchange of fire in the Gaza Strip, at some point during the war.
The video is released as the Medical Corps provides new data on its activities amid the fighting.
The Medical Corps reports that some 7,400 wounded soldiers have been treated during the ground offensive in Gaza.
On average, according to the Medical Corps, senior medics reach wounded soldiers within four minutes during the fighting.
In terms of how long it takes to bring wounded soldiers from Gaza to hospitals in Israel, the Medical Corps says that via helicopter, it stands at 51 minutes on average, and with ground vehicles, at 61 minutes.
Additionally, the corps says over 1,000 mental health officers have been operating since the beginning of the war, and have entered Gaza and Lebanon 80 times to meet with troops. video
- The Region and the World
- Hostage deal, Abraham Accords and Saudi ties: US ramps up pressure on Israel
Israel faces growing tension over stalled hostage talks in Doha, as Trump’s ceasefire push clashes with Israeli war aims and Netanyahu weighs diplomatic gains against coalition demands
The release of Israeli soldier Edan Alexander and U.S. President Donald Trump’s landmark Gulf tour have injected new momentum into efforts to broker a hostage deal as part of a wider American-led diplomatic initiative that could reshape the region.The potential deal is being negotiated in Doha and would be part of a broader framework pushed by Washington. The initiative includes the expansion of the Abraham Accords, reconstruction of the Gaza Strip and normalizing ties between Israel and Saudi Arabia. In a surprising development, Trump has also suggested that Syria could eventually join the Abraham Accords once conditions in the country stabilize.Israeli officials say the new hostage proposal, under discussion for several days in Qatar, is based on a framework put forth by Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff. Under the plan, Hamas would release 10 of the remaining living hostages in exchange for a 40- to 50-day ceasefire, the release of Palestinian prisoners and negotiations toward a permanent end to the war — culminating in the return of all living and deceased hostages.Hamas, however, has rejected the outline, insisting on firm guarantees for a full cessation of hostilities before agreeing to any release.Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has come under growing pressure from Witkoff, who has spoken with him multiple times from Doha. Witkoff is closely coordinating with a senior Israeli delegation on the ground, led by the deputy head of the Shin Bet internal security service and hostage envoy Gal Hirsch.While Israel remains publicly committed to Witkoff’s original proposal, Israeli officials say the American envoy himself is increasingly open to a more flexible arrangement. Witkoff is said to be exploring alternative terms that could bring about a temporary ceasefire without requiring Israel to meet its original war objectives in full. Netanyahu has signaled some willingness to adjust, particularly regarding humanitarian aid and troop deployment inside Gaza. However, in conversations with Witkoff, he has reaffirmed Israel’s insistence that the war will not end until all hostages are returned and Hamas is dismantled. In a statement Wednesday, the Prime Minister’s Office said: “Israel remains committed to the Witkoff framework, which has American support and is the only proposal currently under consideration. As part of the framework, Israel will discuss conditions for ending the war only after all of the war’s objectives, as defined by the Cabinet, are met.” Meanwhile, Hamas has continued to demand that any deal include a complete and immediate end to the war and that it be allowed to retain its presence and arms in Gaza. Israeli officials believe the group is stalling while it tries to confirm the fate of senior Hamas commander Mohammed Sinwar, who is believed to have possibly been killed in a massive Israeli airstrike in Khan Younis on Tuesday. Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani criticized Israel’s military actions in Gaza during an interview with CNN, saying that the latest Israeli airstrikes indicate a lack of genuine interest in a ceasefire. He also dismissed the U.S. humanitarian aid initiative as unnecessary, arguing that the United Nations should take the lead. Back in Israel, pressure is mounting from within the Cabinet for Netanyahu to move forward with the next stage of the military campaign, dubbed Operation Gideon’s Chariots, immediately after Trump concludes his regional tour. Netanyahu is facing a crucial decision between aligning with Trump’s vision or yielding to pressure from far-right ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir, who oppose a negotiated end to the war. In Doha, families of hostages met Wednesday with Witkoff and Qatari mediators. They were told Alexander’s release had created momentum for a broader deal. The question now is whether Trump will push Netanyahu to end the war — or settle for the partial success of Alexander’s return. Israeli officials remain skeptical of a major breakthrough in the current talks and do not believe Trump will directly force Israel’s hand. Instead, they expect the president to continue advancing his regional diplomacy regardless of Israeli reservations. Separately, Saudi-owned broadcaster Al Arabiya reported Wednesday, citing Egyptian sources, that the U.S. has informed mediators of its opposition to expanded Israeli military operations in Gaza. The report said efforts were underway to secure the delivery of medicine and food to hostages and that Washington is pressing Israel for a short-term ceasefire. Hamas, for its part, is demanding assurances that Israel will not resume fighting once such a pause ends. link Joined by hostages’ parents, UN envoy urges Security Council to act on missing persons mandate
During a meeting of the United Nations Security Council in New York, Israel’s UN Ambassador Danny Danon urges the council to implement Resolution 2474, which calls on parties to armed conflict and UN member states to search for and return missing persons to their loved ones.
Danon opens by thanking Ruby Chen and Leah Goldin—the parents of slain hostages Itay Chen and Hadar Goldin, kidnapped by Hamas terrorists on October 7, 2023, and August 1, 2014, respectively—for joining him at the UNSC to urge members to uphold their commitment to returning missing persons.
Resolution 2474, adopted by the council in 2019, “called on all parties in armed conflict to account for a missing person, to return the remains of the dead, to provide information, to allow families to grieve, and to recognize that these acts are not gifts,” Danon says.
“Hamas has violated every letter of that resolution, repeatedly and openly. Where is the response? Where is the demand for compliance? Where the basic moral outrage?” he asks.
“We call on the Secretary General [Antonio Guterres] to fulfill his mandate under Resolution 2474 by including a dedicated section in his next report on the protection of civilians,” says Danon.
“That section must document the full extent of this ongoing atrocity. Every hostage still held by Hamas, every stolen body, every Israeli missing since October 7, and every fallen soldier whose remains have yet to be returned from past wars,” he explains.
“We will not forget our dead. We will not leave them behind. We will not allow Hamas to turn memory into a weapon. That is our duty, and it will be fulfilled,” the ambassador concludes.
16-year-old Israeli arrested for carrying out tasks on behalf of Iranian agents
The police and Shin Bet security service say they arrested a 16-year-old boy this month for allegedly carrying out activities harming Israel’s security for Iran in exchange for money.
Authorities say in a statement that the boy, a resident of the Judean foothills area, was asked by his Iranian handlers to purchase a new phone and download an application where they could communicate.
The suspect carried out tasks including hiding money, photographing certain locations, printing fliers and burning pages with writings condemning Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
According to the statement, the suspect continued his activities even after informing the authorities he was in contact with the Iranian agents.
Police say that when the suspect went on a trip abroad, the agents suggested holding a meeting, but they do not confirm if such a meeting took place.
Iran has managed to recruit several Israelis over the past year to conduct various activities, including printing flyers, arson, and even the attempted assassination of senior officials.
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
Join my Whatsapp update group https://chat.whatsapp.com/IQ3OtwE6ydxBeBAxWNziB0
Twitter - @LonnyB58 Bluesky - @lonny-b.bsky.social
Twitter - @LonnyB58
Comments
Post a Comment