🎗️Lonny's War Update- October 606, 2023

🎗️Day 606 that 58 of our hostages are still 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

READ THE OP-ED 'Israel no longer has international legitimacy to conduct the war' IN THE WAR AND POLITICS SECTION BELOW.

Red Alerts - Missile, Rocket, Drone (UAV - unmanned aerial vehicles), and Terror Attacks and Death Announcements

*8:55pm yesterday- Jerusalem, Gush Dan and central Israel area- ballistic missile from Yemen - successfully intercepted

The army announced the deaths of 3 soldiers killed in battle in Gaza

- Sergeant Lior Steinberg, aged 20, from Petah Tikva;

- Sergeant Ofek Barhana, aged 20, from Yavne;

- Sergeant Omer Van Gelder, aged 22, from Ma'ale Adumim."

MAY THEIR MEMORIES BE A REVOLUTION!

The troops all served in the Givati Brigade’s Rotem Battalion. During the incident in Jabalia, they were operating in a platoon under the 9th Armored Battalion.

According to an initial IDF probe, the five troops were in a Humvee in Jabalia when they were hit by an explosive device planted there by terror operatives.

The other two wounded troops are listed in moderate condition.

The soldiers in the Humvee had been escorting an army fire engine that had entered Gaza to extinguish an armored personnel carrier that caught fire due to unclear circumstances, according to the probe. On the way out of Jabalia, the convoy was hit by several explosive devices, one of which directly hit the Humvee, killing and wounding the soldiers. Further details are under investigation by the IDF.

Their deaths bring Israel’s toll in the ground offensive against Hamas in Gaza and in military operations along the border with the Strip to 423. The toll includes two police officers and three Defense Ministry civilian contractors.

Hostage Updates

Until the last hostage

Hamas says ready for indirect talks to resolve ‘points of contention’ on Gaza deal

Announcement comes amid pressure from Arab mediators for terror group to soften its response to Witkoff proposal, but statement doesn’t specify whether its stance has been revised
Hamas announced Sunday that it was prepared to immediately begin a new round of indirect negotiations on remaining “points of contention” amid pressure from mediators to soften its stance, after the terror group submitted a response to a US ceasefire and hostage deal proposal that Washington called “totally unacceptable.”

Hamas said in a statement that its goal for the new talks would be to reach a deal that “ensures relief for our people and an end to the humanitarian catastrophe, ultimately leading to a permanent ceasefire and the complete withdrawal of the occupation forces.”

The terror group didn’t say that it had rescinded or revised the proposal that it submitted on Saturday to US special envoy Steve Witkoff.

Witkoff said Saturday that the Hamas response “takes us backward,” adding that he had wanted Hamas to accept his “framework proposal” as the basis for a round of “proximity talks” to be held in the coming days.

US President Donald Trump had indicated on Friday that a deal could be announced later that day or on Saturday. Witkoff’s statement was the first time he had publicly revealed that his proposal had only been a starting point for another round of talks.

Hamas in its Sunday statement appeared to confirm its willingness to hold those talks.

Demonstrators set fire to placards during an anti-government protest calling for action to secure the release of Israeli hostages in front of the Defense Ministry in Tel Aviv on May 31, 2025. Jack GUEZ / AFP)

Hamas’s Saturday response to Witkoff made a series of amendments to the US envoy’s proposal, including one that that would make it more difficult for Israel to resume fighting if talks on a permanent ceasefire are not completed by the end of 60-day truce outlined by the US, a source directly involved in the negotiations said.

The updated proposal submitted by Hamas also envisions the release of the 10 hostages being spread out more throughout the two-month truce, rather than in two batches on the first and seventh day, as Witkoff stipulates, according to the source.

This change was aimed at preventing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from abandoning talks on a permanent ceasefire after the 10 hostages are released or refusing to engage in the talks altogether, as he did during the previous ceasefire, which ended in March when Israel resumed intensive fighting in Gaza.

The Sunday Hamas statement also made a point of thanking Arab mediators Qatar and Egypt for their efforts to bring about a ceasefire. Hours earlier, the two countries issued a joint statement “emphasizing the importance of intensifying efforts to overcome the obstacles facing the negotiations.

Netanyahu’s office said Sunday that Israel had accepted the Witkoff proposal. However, his cabinet has yet to hold a vote on it and several far-right ministers have expressed their opposition.

The US proposal was formulated in close coordination with Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, who reviewed it with Witkoff during a visit to Washington last week.

The Witkoff proposal stipulates that the parties would have to reach an agreement on the parameters of Israel’s partial withdrawal from Gaza during the 60-day truce. It also provides for further negotiations during the truce on a potential settlement to end the war.

According to a copy of Witkoff’s latest proposal, the authenticity of which was confirmed to The Times of Israel by two sources familiar with the negotiations, Hamas would release 10 living Israeli hostages held in Gaza and return the bodies of 18 deceased hostages during the 60-day ceasefire.

In return, Israel would release 125 Palestinian terror convicts serving life sentences, 1,111 Gazans detained since the start of the war on October 7, 2023, and 180 bodies of Palestinians currently held by Israel.

Palestinians inspect the site of an Israeli army airstrike on the European hospital in Khan Younis, Gaza Strip, May 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Mariam Dagga)

The IDF would also pull back from some areas where troops are currently deployed; the parameters of the pullback would be finalized “during proximity negotiations.”

There are currently 58 hostages held in Gaza, including the bodies of at least 35 confirmed dead by the IDF, and 20 hostages who are believed to be alive. There are grave concerns for the well-being of three others, Israeli officials have said.

Defense Minister Israel Katz said Sunday that “regardless of any negotiations,” he instructed the IDF “to continue forward in Gaza” and achieve all objectives.

Following Katz’s statement, the IDF announced that Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir instructed the military to expand the ground offensive against Hamas to additional areas in the Gaza Strip. Additionally, the IDF said Zamir was instructed to establish additional aid distribution sites for the Palestinian civilian population.

Only four aid sites have been established in Gaza, and not all of them are operational. Three are in southern Gaza’s Rafah and one is adjacent to the Netzarim Corridor in the Central Strip, forcing many Gazans to embark on long and dangerous treks across a war zone in order to pick up boxes of aid to feed them for several days. The scheme managed by the Israeli- and US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation has come under criticism from aid groups who say it fails to adhere to humanitarian principles.

The initiative came under further scrutiny on Sunday when dozens of Palestinians were reportedly injured near one of the sites. Hamas authorities claimed the IDF opened fire on the Gazans, while the military vehemently denied having done so.

"Part of the time he is unconscious, his body is infected": The mother of Matan Angrest reveals new testimonies from captivity

The family of hostage Matan Angrest has begun investigating Matan's condition in captivity on their own - and is revealing new details that reached them from returned captives. "Regarding some of the details, decision-makers admitted to us that there was a failure in debriefings or that the information was not passed to us due to privacy concerns," said Anat, the mother of the hostage soldier.
Anat Angrest, the mother of hostage Matan Angrest who has been held captive by Hamas in the Gaza Strip for 605 days, revealed new details yesterday (Monday) in an interview with Channel 12 News about Matan's condition in captivity - following debriefings conducted by family members with surviving captives who were with Matan. "We set out to investigate his condition and debrief returned captives," Angrest said. "Just this week we received more videos and testimonies that Matan is in immediate life-threatening danger and has already nearly lost his life in various situations."
Footage of abducted soldier Matan Angrest

"There is no holiday and no Matan," said Anat Angrest about the Shavuot holiday in her family. "The hours and days are difficult. Yesterday we spent the evening in the square with other families who don't know where to put themselves. My Matan is there in life-threatening danger. Surviving perhaps with his last remaining strength, and I, a mother in the State of Israel, a mother who sent a soldier with a whole heart - and the mutual contract with the State of Israel has been violated."
According to her, they know nothing about the negotiations and only receive "hollow" messages claiming that Israel tried and Hamas refused, but she continuously receives more and more new information about Matan: "Unfortunately, since we set out to investigate his condition and debrief returned captives, we are discovering a lot of information. Just this week we received more videos and testimonies that Matan is in immediate life-threatening danger there across the Strip and has already nearly lost his life in various situations."
Anat Angrest, mother of Matan Angrest

All the new details that Anat and her family are discovering these days about Matan's condition come from the family's independent investigation. "When we took the details to intelligence, to decision-makers, regarding some of the details they admitted to us there was a failure in debriefings - and all from our independent investigation. Regarding some details they told us the information was not passed to our knowledge due to privacy concerns, and some of the information is very new and reached us just this week," she said.
"They took him out of the tunnels due to asthma attacks after harsh interrogations"
According to testimonies in the family's possession, which may be revealed during the week, Matan is in immediate life-threatening danger. "In some of the videos he appears unconscious, being led in such a state. Some of the new testimonies reveal that Matan was taken out of the tunnels several times due to breathing and asthma attacks after harsh interrogations. He is subjected to severe violence there inside the tunnels. Matan's serious injuries have failed to heal for many months and his body became infected and he was moved between hospitals."
"There are more testimonies, some of which we may decide to publish this week - because I already have no way to cry out except to call through the media for the Prime Minister to fight for him," clarified the mother of the hostage.
Abducted soldier Matan Angrest | Photo: Keshet 12; Design: Keshet Digital Studio

"There is negligence and a great injustice being done to Matan as a blue-and-white Israeli soldier. And I truly want to call from here to mothers, to soldiers, to combatants' wives, to pay attention to what is happening with Matan, to pay attention because tomorrow they could be in this war situation, a scenario that is completely possible," said Angrest and continued: "A soldier is taken captive and the State of Israel in any situation, no matter if he is in danger, the title 'soldier' leaves him there, wounded behind, and perhaps he can even be sacrificed."
Anat Angrest further emphasized that Matan did everything to survive on October 7 - but the country is not doing everything for him: "Matan did everything he could that day to survive and it seems the State of Israel is doing everything not to reach a partial deal and bring everyone back. And because of this there is all the back-and-forth, delegations and drafts, and who will be left behind this time. How can they still leave among the living abductees and also the fallen, to choose who to separate this time and who to leave alone?"
"How can this separation still exist, this selection, on the soil of the State of Israel, under decisions by the Prime Minister of Israel? I call to bring everyone back quickly, to stop the war, to stop sending soldiers before bringing back the soldiers still there waiting for rescue, wounded like my Matan."
Rally in Hostage Square | Photo: Alon Gilboa

Yesterday the Chief of Staff toured the Gaza Strip and instructed to expand the maneuver in the Strip, a statement not easy for the families of the abductees. "It seems that after 605 days of hearing 'just a little more and Hamas will surrender' and they already hear the tanks above their heads and show signs of breaking - too much time has passed for us to understand that this campaign cannot be decided when the abductees are underground, but they do continue to endanger and give up more, we've already given up on 41."
"Israeli society today is not willing to pay these prices - bring everyone back"
"And we can continue fighting forever, and in the end it's clear we will win and Hamas will surrender, but how many more soldiers will be killed and how many more abductees will pay with their lives and how many abductees will disappear," she emphasizes. "And there is a price to continuing this war, and I think Israeli society today is no longer willing to pay these prices. Today already 75% say, stop this nightmare, bring everyone back and make a plan for war." link

Gaza and the South

Gazans report several killed in shooting near aid center for third straight morning.
Media outlets in Gaza report that hospitals in Gaza have received several people killed or injured after being hit by gunfire while waiting for humanitarian aid at a newly opened distribution center in Rafah. Some websites affiliated with the Hamas terror group report that 15 people were killed.
There is no confirmation of the reports.

The claims come after two days of similar reports out of Rafah, with 31 people reported killed early Sunday and three more on Monday, according to Hamas, eyewitnesses and aid groups.
The IDF and the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which runs the assistance distribution site, have denied that shootings occurred in the area during those hours, though a military official said warning shots were fired at individuals about a kilometer away early Sunday and again on Monday. According to the Red Cross, 179 people wounded by gunfire and shrapnel were brought to a field hospital it operates in Rafah Sunday morning, and 50 more on Monday morning.

Hamas's Gaza City commander, Izz al-Din al-Haddad, to replace Sinwar.

Izz al-Din al-Haddad, the commander of the northern Gaza brigade, and alleged replacement for Hamas military leader Mohammed Sinwar.. (photo credit:SCREENSHOT/X/VIA SECTION 27A OF THE COPYRIGHT

Al-Haddadd reportedly survived six assassination attempts and was reportedly charged with rebuilding civilian and military infrastructure during ceasefires with Israel
Izz al-Din al-Haddad, the commander of the northern Gaza brigade, is expected to replace Mohammed Sinwar as leader of Hamas's military wing, The Times reported on Sunday.
According to the European Council on Foreign Relations, al-Haddad is a member of Hamas's Military Council, and was head of the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades (Hamas's military wing) in Gaza City since 2021, and commander of the northern Gaza brigade since November 2023.

Al-Haddadd reportedly survived six assassination attempts and was reportedly charged with rebuilding civilian and military infrastructure during ceasefires with Israel, The Times noted.

He was also responsible for ensuring that hostage handovers went smoothly, according to the report.

Additionally, al-Haddad controls the group, holds the Israeli hostages, and has veto power on the proposal put forward by US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff. The Times said that al-Haddad coordinated the initial invasion on October 7, including rallying Hamas commanders the night before with written documents of how to carry out the attack.

Al-Hadadd has a previous bounty of $750,000 for information on his whereabouts, and is reportedly cautious of appearing in public or the media, and ensuring limited communication, The Times stated.

Northern Israel, Lebanon and Syria

US envoy says Washington will close all but one of its military bases in Syria
The United States has begun reducing its military presence in Syria with a view to eventually closing all but one of its bases in the country, the US envoy for Syria says in an interview.
“We’ve gone from eight bases to five to three. We’ll eventually go to one,” Tom Barrack says in an interview with Turkey’s NTV.

IDF says troops fired on suspects who approached them 500 meters from Gaza aid site
For the third day in a row, the IDF says troops opened fire on Palestinian suspects who approached forces around 500 meters from a humanitarian aid distribution site in the Rafah area of southern Gaza.
The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza reports 24 dead and dozens wounded in the incident. The tolls cannot be verified.
According to the IDF, while crowds of Palestinians were making their way to the aid distribution site in Rafah via organized routes, troops spotted several suspects approaching the forces while deviating from the pre-approved path, around half a kilometer from the aid complex.
“The forces fired warning shots, and after they did not disperse, additional fire was carried out next to several suspects who approached the forces,” the military says.
The IDF says it is aware of the reports of casualties, and is investigating the incident further.
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, the US- and Israel-backed body in charge of the aid distribution, says aid was handed out this morning without incident.
The IDF says that it is allowing GHF to operate “independently to distribute aid to Gaza residents and prevent it from reaching the Hamas terror organization.”
“IDF troops do not prevent the arrival of Gaza residents to the distribution sites. The shooting was carried out about half a kilometer from the distribution site, toward individual suspects approaching the forces in a way that threatened them,” the military says.
GHF has denied previous accounts of chaos and gunfire around its sites, which are in Israeli military zones.
The IDF has acknowledged firing warning shots on previous occasions outside the distribution centers.

GHF says no incidents today at Gaza aid distribution site; IDF probing injuries outside facility

Makeshift tents are seen in a camp for Palestinians displaced by the Israeli air and ground offensive, in Gaza City, June 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)

Aid distribution this morning in southern Gaza’s Rafah passed without incident, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, the US- and Israel-backed body in charge of the aid distribution, says in a statement.
In an update a short while ago, nearly three hours after a distribution site in Rafah opened, GHF says it handed out “21 truckloads of food this morning, totaling 20,160 boxes.”
“While the aid distribution was conducted safely and without incident at our site today, we understand that IDF is investigating whether a number of civilians were injured after moving beyond the designated safe corridor and into a closed military zone,” GHF says, referring to Palestinian media reports of casualties this morning.
“This was an area well beyond our secure distribution site and operations area. We recognize the difficult nature of the situation and advise all civilians to remain in the safe corridor when traveling to our distribution sites,” GHF adds.
In the eight days, GHF says it had distributed 7 million meals at three distribution sites in southern and central Gaza. But its classification of meals is based on boxes of dry food products that still require cooking equipment or community kitchens, which are very limited throughout the Strip after nearly 20 months of devastating conflict.

West Bank, Jerusalem, Israel and Terror Attacks

Politics and the War and General News

Israel no longer has international legitimacy to conduct the war
Commentary: Netanyahu managed to transform military successes into diplomatic failures after refusing to discuss post-war plans and enlist international cooperation to rebuild Gaza; PM opts to protect his coalition at the expense of Israel's future security

There is no denying that Israel has lost international legitimacy to continue its war on Hamas in Gaza. Without the support of nations around the world, Israel could become isolated and could not exist in a vacuum.

This has an impact on Israel's ability to defend itself, on its standing in international forums such as the United Nations, on its economy and on its reputation.

After the October 7 massacre, Israel enjoyed a couple of weeks of grace, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu failed to leverage that small window and ensure the world's support for conducting a just war.

The diplomatic failure was most evident last month when U.S. President Donald Trump visited Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar. Netanyahu could have been a partner in the discussions there, but instead, Israel was sidelined. The prime minister turned military successes into diplomatic failure.

He is no diplomat, and neither are the ministers he appointed to diplomatic positions. Diplomacy is the ability to listen, to engage with others and to be creative. Netanyahu and his ministers are unable to establish dialogue with nations. Even Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, who served as a diplomat, has not demonstrated any capacity in the field and does only what he is told.

If Netanyahu had presented a plan for the day after the war and enlisted world leaders' support, we would be in a different place today. Israel would not only have been able to claim victory in the war, but would have seen nations work alongside it to rebuild Gaza.

But Netanyahu was interested only in his political survival and in the continued survival of his coalition. Those considerations came before all others, including the lives of the hostages taken captive during the massacre that occurred on his watch. Now all Israelis are paying the price.

Israel today can rely only on Hungary under the populist regime of Viktor Orbán and on Argentina under Javier Milei. This isolation means Israel's fate is in the hands of others, primarily U.S. President Donald Trump, who will dictate our future. Trump now sees Netanyahu as a bother to push out of the way. He excluded Israel from discussions with Saudi Arabia, Iran and the Houthis in Yemen. He is even talking to the new Syrian regime, without Israel's input and would be the one to decide the future of Gaza.

Some blame a lack of public diplomacy since the start of the war, advocating for Israel. There are few people able to communicate Israel's message in relevant languages and counter anti-Israel campaigns. Every now and again, an Israeli ambassador attempts to explain what the objectives of the war are and how Israel is going about achieving them, but is slapped down. At this time, silence is preferable because there are no explanations.

International law, as it is articulated in the Geneva Convention, does not protect those who participated in the massacre of Israelis. It does not protect civilians who ignore the IDF's warnings to leave for safety before attacks. But the world sees the images coming out of Gaza, and cares little for interpretations of the convention. Israel is not committing genocide in Gaza and the IDF is operating within the confines of international law but that is irrelevant when the message being delivered and heard abroad from Netanyahu's coalition partners is that all Gazans are complicit in terror and should be starved and that Israel should hold on to the Strip and build Jewish settlements there.

IDF Chief of Staff failed when he succumbed to pressure and replaced the military's spokesperson with a pale unknown, leaving television studios without anyone who could speak in favor of the troops.

What Israel must now do is devise a plan for post-war Gaza, in full cooperation with the Trump administration. One that would rehabilitate the Strip. The fantasy devised by the American president and echoed by Netanyahu and his allies, that Gazans will leave and find better lives elsewhere, has faded away. Trump never believed it himself. He only wanted to relay a clear message to the Arab nations that Washington will not be writing a check and that they would have to deliver the funds.

By turning his back on Israel, Trump signaled to the world and to Israel's enemies that there is more than just daylight between Netanyahu and the president, allowing our once reliable allies to feel free to turn their backs on us as well.

Israel holds on to the hope that there will be a U.S. veto on the next UN resolution calling for Israel to end the war. Netanyahu understands that a veto would come if he does as he is told. Trump appears just about at the end of his rope. He may say in no uncertain terms. Enough. Stop.

Israel is now bracing for the outcome of the U.S.-Iran nuclear talks that could allow Tehran to hold on to its nuclear program and for the upcoming international conference, where a Palestinian State would be recognized by France and others.

An unfavorable result on these major issues would be final proof of Netanyahu's total failure as a statesman and leader who, despite knowing better, opted to ensure his own political future at the cost of Israel's future security. link. I agree with most of what the author wrote here but there are a few exceptions. He is wrong in stating that Israel is not committing genocide. As defined by the Geneva Convention of 1949, forcible movement/transfer of war refugees is determined to be ethnic cleansing which is part of the crimes of genocide. Netanyahu is his extremist messianic partners are trying to frame it differently under the euphemism of 'voluntary emigration', but that is a non-existent term when it is being applied to war refugees. They set up a department in the Ministry of Defense to 'aid' Gazans in this 'voluntary emigration' and have been trying to find countries around the world that would accept these volutary emigres. No countries are biting and the fact that Trump pushed this plan surely doesn't matter. The other point that I am not in total agreement with the author is the post war plan. The post war plan is long overdue, but it is not up to Israel and the US alone. In order for it to work and for Gaza to begin a new self governance without Hamas and for there to be a real plan for rebuilding Gaza, it is a plan that must be worked out with Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the Emirates and other Arab countries and it must be headed by a Palestinian leadership. This has been the craw in Netanyahu's neck. He doesn't want there to be any connection to the Palestinian Authority as he has made it his life's mission to weaken them and strengthen Hamas, thereby 'proving' (in his eyes) that there is no partner for peace. He therefore vetoes any mention of the PA and anyone who may be connected to the PA in one way or another.

Intelligence and Suicide Drones: The Unit Operating Deep in the Battlefield - That Has Eliminated Over a Thousand Terrorists

The "Sky Rider" unit has become one of the deadliest in the IDF since the beginning of the war. The small drone it used since its establishment is now just one of the many tools at its disposal. In Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, or Judea and Samaria - the male and female fighters operate alongside...
Since the beginning of the war, the special "Sky Rider" unit of the Artillery Corps has become one of the busiest and deadliest in the IDF. With advanced technology and high operational capabilities, the fighters operate to gather real-time intelligence by operating small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) of the "Sky Rider" model. These can fly at low altitude and with relative quiet, providing forces on the ground with up-to-date and accurate intelligence imagery, including observation of enemy movements, target locations, and terrain conditions.
The unit, which belongs to the IDF's Fire Formation, is a critical component in the Artillery Corps' ability to deliver precise and calculated fire. The information collected by the unit's tools enables rapid fire cycles - target identification, analysis, and attack within a short time.
However, the unit no longer relies solely on the small drone but on additional deadly tools - including tactical attack drones. These are highly upgraded commercial-style drones that carry a small attack payload and can precisely drop it on a ground target. This is in addition to suicide drones and cargo drones capable of delivering heavy payloads to the battlefield and even evacuating wounded.
Since the beginning of the war, and as of the time these lines were written, over 1,200 terrorists have been eliminated after being identified by "Sky Rider" teams. During the months of fighting, there have been over 10,000 Sky Rider sorties, amounting to about 20,000 flight hours, and another 12,000 drone sorties (6,000 flight hours).

"Intelligence gathering or attack - the team adapts itself"
Lt. Col. A, the unit commander, enlisted in 2008 and has since filled a series of roles. On the morning of October 7, he was rushed to the unit - until he assumed his position during the first ceasefire in November. He commanded operations in the large maneuver in Gaza, Operation "Northern Arrows," operations in Judea and Samaria, Lebanon, and Syria.
"Our goal is to assist in intelligence gathering and attack for the tactical level in the field," shares A. "We try to stay close to the battalion commanders and brigade commanders - and that's the biggest advantage in our eyes, to be near the decision-maker. Close to him, we operate the tools, and when we identify something, we decide whether to attack or close the cycle in another way through the battalion commander beside whom the fighters are located, both on foot and via drone. At the beginning of the war and during withdrawals, we try to stay behind in Israeli territory - and accompany them from afar."

A emphasizes the importance of the unit's fighters operating alongside senior commanders in the field. "The goal is really to be highly available to the battalion commander. If he wants a drone in the air, to blow up a certain target, or even to protect the force - then we do it with very significant availability and speed. This doubles the force's strength in the field."
According to him, each team has four soldiers. "If the mission is intelligence gathering deep in enemy territory or an attack - the team adapts itself. The beauty is that we know how to do this anywhere - from thwarting smuggling in Egypt, through thwarting attacks in Judea and Samaria - to fighting in Gaza."
"There are both male and female fighters in the unit," continues A. "A decade ago, as commander of the unit's training school, I recruited female fighters. We try to maintain gender-mixed teams." The fighters undergo a year-long training course and can be selected through the Artillery Corps itself - or those who dropped out of combat or pilot training.
"There are also many complexities," adds Lt. Col. A. "We would like to be in every battalion and every brigade, but there are technological and equipment limitations, and sometimes there are bad incidents we learn from. But these are the main challenges. In terms of manpower, we are in a good state, there is a lot of motivation for recruitment, both in regular service and reserves."
On the morning of October 7, the unit operated with 12 teams and later participated in the extensive military maneuver in the Gaza Strip alongside IDF divisions, as well as in Lebanon. "We provided a certain protective envelope there," emphasizes A. "Afterward, Operation 'Iron Walls' began in Judea and Samaria, and there too, in all brigade operations, there were Sky Rider fighters. This was parallel to the maneuver of the 162nd Division in Jabalia."
Sky Rider unit fighters in action (Photo: IDF Spokesperson)
The unit is a critical component in the ability to deliver precise fire | Photo: IDF Spokesperson

"We directed fire and managed to kill many terrorists"
There is one incident Lt. Col. A will never forget - in Gaza alongside fighters of the Givati Brigade's "Shaked" battalion. "The team was there with advanced attack and intelligence-gathering capabilities. We identified 60% of the terrorists the battalion identified during the two months it operated there and not a few were eliminated by the unit itself. There was significant fog, and we were on high alert. The terrorists exploited the fog, and we, in combination with other forces, directed fire and managed to kill many terrorists. Unfortunately, the incident ended in a mass-casualty event."
A recounted another battle in which his fighters participated, alongside a reserve armored battalion in the north, under Operation 'Northern Arrows.' "A team from the unit heard there was an engagement on the comms and rushed there even though it was a neighboring sector. The team heard there was a UAV and saved the company commander's command post there. It was a very significant event."
Soon, Lt. Col. A will conclude his command of the unit - which has achieved impressive accomplishments in the war. "The significant manpower in the unit is what brings the achievements," clarifies Lt. Col. A. "No matter what information reaches them - they will know how to succeed, and that's what brings the unit's achievements. I am proud to conclude my role, though it was a short tenure, it was a very significant year and a half."
Lt. Col. A, outgoing commander of the Sky Rider unit (Photo: IDF Spokesperson)
"Our goal is to assist in intelligence gathering and attack for the tactical level in the field." Lt. Col. A, outgoing unit commander | Photo: IDF Spokesperson

A Deadly Arsenal
"Sky Rider" Aircraft
The unit, as mentioned, holds several tools, some for intelligence gathering and some offensive. The unit's symbol is the "Sky Rider" aircraft, sometimes also called "Wing": an unmanned aerial vehicle with fixed wings - meaning it resembles an airplane more than a drone. It is a light, quiet, and precise aircraft whose main role is to provide visual intelligence to combat forces in the field.
This is one of the most important tactical tools in the modern battlefield. The aircraft transmits live footage and is usually operated by a relatively small team of skilled soldiers. It can fly for many kilometers without being heard at all - so the enemy often does not notice it at all. It is launched using a small launcher and lands by parachute or soft glide to the ground. Its purpose is not attack but information gathering - thus it is defined as an intelligence reconnaissance tool and not a weapon.
Footage from Sky Rider unit fighters' activity (Photo: IDF Spokesperson)
"When we identify, we decide whether to attack or close the cycle another way." Attack in Lebanon following the unit's activity | Photo: IDF Spokesperson

Tactical Attack Drones
These are small, upgraded drones that carry a small attack payload - and can drop it on a ground target very precisely. They are intended for use by combat forces in the field and to carry out fast, pinpoint, and deadly attacks - without endangering soldiers by entering the area. Unlike artillery or aircraft, the tactical drone hovers quietly above the target - then attacks precisely. It is operated directly from the ground in real-time, and the fighters control it remotely and decide when to attack. It is a very effective tool, enabling the elimination of terrorists, destruction of enemy positions, and even attacks on light vehicles - in an almost surgical manner.

Suicide Drones
Another deadly tool in the hands of the "Sky Rider" unit is an unmanned drone designed in advance to "suicide" on the target - and explode. It carries explosives, and the moment it identifies the target - the drone flies toward it at speed and hits it with a self-detonation. This drone essentially combines the traits of a surveillance tool and a guided missile, can detect movement or a suspicious target, and only then carry out the attack. The advantage: it is a tool that can hunt a specific target, wait for the right moment, and then strike exactly where desired.

The operator can control the drone until the last moment and cancel the attack if civilians suddenly arrive or the situation changes. This tool is intended for precise eliminations, hitting enemy vehicles, destroying hostile structures, or also as a deterrent threat to enemy forces approaching IDF troops. These drones are considered relatively expensive, but the results they provide are very precise, and they can be operated remotely without exposing any soldier to danger.

Cargo Drones
These sophisticated drones are especially large and designed to carry significant weight like ammunition, water, food, medical equipment, engineering gear, communication equipment, or any other logistical supplies - and deliver them to forces operating in difficult, remote, or dangerous terrain. These drones operate autonomously or semi-autonomously, can fly for dozens of kilometers, and land the payload precisely - or drop it from the air using a release system. Sometimes these are tools capable of medical evacuation missions (for example, a drone operating to evacuate a lightly wounded person), if it can carry a person or advanced treatment equipment.
The primary use of these drones is logistical: to supply forces operating deep in the field without endangering supply vehicles, drivers, and logistics soldiers. Additionally, in cases of covert operations or at night, a drone can be sent instead of a cumbersome convoy, thus preserving the element of surprise. The use of heavy drones makes warfare much more flexible - the force does not need to "wait for a convoy" but receives what it needs from the air within minutes.

The Officer from the Unit Who Saved 17 Female Soldiers on 7.10
The story of the late officer Eden Nimri from October 7 has become a symbol. Eden, who served in "Sky Rider," proudly spoke in an interview with N12 about her role: "I wanted something that would challenge me both physically and mentally, and I am happy in hindsight that I reached this role, and specifically this unit. I served four months as a fighter, during which I was privileged to participate in an operation as a soldier executing in the field."
"After every cycle closure, I felt and understood the magnitude of responsibility and power I have in my hands, I am literally saving lives," she said then. "We operated under fire, with rockets whistling above us and sirens sounding, we assisted forces in directing fire while being very close to the border."

The late fighter Eden Nimri and the "Sky Rider" aircraft (Photo: Courtesy of the family)
The late fighter Eden Nimri and "Sky Rider," in a photo discovered on her phone after her fall on 7.10 | Photo: Courtesy of the family

In the period before the war, as her family later learned, the "Sky Rider" team under Nimri's command was not sent to surveil the Gazan enemy: "She did not receive missions to launch into the air from the Golani force that was at the outpost. Instead of sitting and resting, the female soldiers said she sat in the command center every day demanding missions. Eden also called home and said, 'They are not launching me into the air,'" her father Michael recounted. Later it became clear that the "Sky Rider" aircraft were not launched at all on the 4th, 5th, or 6th of October, and the operations log - which survived the fire in the command center - was empty starting from October 4.
On the morning of October 7, when the terrorists breached the fence, the late Eden positioned herself alone at the left entrance of the shelter at the Nahal Oz outpost, where she had arrived a few days earlier. From there, she managed a real battle - and operated her female fighters.
When the first terrorist entered the shelter, Eden and the female fighters returned fire and hit him. Another group of terrorists opened fire and threw grenades: Eden's shooting pinned down the terrorists' movement and managed to delay their advance for precious time. During the battles, 11 female soldiers, including Eden's team, managed to escape through the distant right entrance. They barricaded themselves in nearby rooms for about seven hours and were extracted alive. The rest of the female soldiers in the shelter were kidnapped or murdered.

"She stayed behind to delay the terrorists"
From that outpost, 7 female observers were kidnapped, six of whom were released from captivity: Naama Levy, Liri Albag, Daniela Gilboa, Karina Ariev, Agam Berger, and Ori Megidish. The observer Noa Marciano was murdered in captivity. Her father, Michael Nimri, spoke in an interview with N12's Memorial Day magazine about the information he received from the observers - after their release.
The burned operations log of Nimri's team

"When Liri and Naama returned, we thought maybe in a year we would ask them to come talk to us, but it turns out that as soon as they returned, they demanded to talk to us," he says. "They said this was the first family they wanted to see, and it was a shock. They came to our home with their parents and told us that after Eden ran out of bullets, she stayed in the shelter to delay the terrorists and thus enabled all 11 to escape."
Eden's father spoke about the connection between her and Liri. "Liri was really attached to her for the entire hour and a half they were together in the shelter, and she said they functioned as a pair: Eden with her eyes on the sights and Liri with the Telegram, reporting and showing what was happening - that there were terrorists in Sderot and sirens and terrorist infiltrations. Until Liri said this, we didn’t know Eden knew what was happening in the country that morning. Liri was essentially like a command center, when the real command center was not functioning and also did not inform the Golani force about the 29 female soldiers in the shelter."
The details and records appearing in this article were approved for publication by military censorship.  link

The Region and the World

Canadian authorities investigating alleged war crimes in Gaza, report says
Canadian police confirm reports they are investigating alleged war crimes in the Gaza Strip, without detailing the scope of the investigation, the Toronto Star reports.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police began a probe into the Israel-Hamas war in early 2024, according to the report.
The report does not explicitly say if a specific Israeli is being investigated.
The RCMP probe is a “structural investigation” — a fact-finding mission that aims to hold war criminals accountable and prevent them from finding safe haven by handing information collected to other authorities or trying suspects in court.
According to The Star, cases rarely end up in Canadian courts. link This investigation is happening in one of Israel's traditional allies and it is the tip of the iceberg. We will see investigations like this start in many of our allies' countries and also in countries that are not our allies. This will spread like wildfire and we will see that for many Israelis to travel almost anywhere will bring them into risk of being arrested, brought in for questioning, or victims of Anti-Israel/antisemitic attacks. This will be especially concerning for dual citizens of the countries carrying out these investigations. Towards the beginning of the war, South Africa announced that they would be arresting any South African citizen who fought in Gaza when/if they arrive back in South Africa. Now the risk is to Canadian- Israelis who fought in Gaza and ti will be seen in many countries fairly soon.

Personal Stories

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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