🎗️Lonny's War Update- October 615, 2023

🎗️Day 615 that 53 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

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

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Hostage Updates

Until the last hostage

Yair Yaacov's body was rescued by the IDF in a special mission from Gaza and brought back to Israel. Another hostage's body was brought back as well but his name has not yet been released.
The IDF has returned the body of kidnapped fallen soldier Yair Yaakov from the Gaza Strip. Yigal, Yair's son, posted on Instagram: "Dad, I love you. I don't know how to react yet, I'm sad to say this but I'm already waiting for your funeral. I love you, I knew this day would come. Thank you to the IDF and Shin Bet forces for the rescue, I hope we bring the rest back in a deal that won't endanger soldiers." Yair Yaakov is the father of Or and Yigal Yaakov, who were also kidnapped on October 7 and released during the first hostage deal.

On October 7, Yair Yaakov was shot and kidnapped by Hamas from Kibbutz Nir Oz Yair Yaakov, murdered during Hamas attack on his home (Dec 18, 2023)
Partner and sons were released during the temporary ceasefire in late November

The death of Yair Yaakov, 59, was confirmed on February 15, 2024. According to the announcement from Kibbutz Nir Oz, Yaakov was murdered on October 7 and his body is held in Gaza. This is what we know of the events that befell Yaakov and his family on October 7:

Yair Yaakov, 59, and his partner, Meirav Tal, 54, were taken captive from Yair’s home in Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7, as Hamas terrorists assaulted the community, killing residents and abducting 70 people to Gaza.

Meirav Tal was released on November 28 as part of a temporary cease-fire deal brokered by Qatar and the United States between Hamas and Israel.

Yair Yaakov’s sons, Or and Yagil, 16 and 12, were also taken captive from their mother’s nearby Nir Oz home and were freed on November 27 as part of the temporary cease-fire deal.

The body of Yair Yaakov, known by all as “Yaya,” is still held in Gaza.

“We’re happy that Meirav and the kids were released,” said Yair’s brother, Yaniv Yaakov, before his murder on October 7 was announced. “But we’re worried because Yair is still there, our hearts are not complete, our family is not complete.”

Meirav Tal embraces her partner, Yair Yaakov’s boys, Or and Yagil Yaakov, also released from captivity, at Tel Aviv’s Ichilov Hospital after she was released as a hostage by the Gaza-ruling Hamas terror group, November 28, 2023. (Courtesy)

Yair’s family was told that he was injured in the Hamas attack in his house on October 7 and that the terrorists used brutal force against him.
“No one has any information from Yair,” said Yaniv Yaakov. “We hope that he’s still okay and that his injuries were taken care of.”
The two brothers were in touch during the early morning missile attacks on October 7, as Yaniv Yaakov checked in to see if his brother and girlfriend were okay.
Yair told Yaniv that he and Meirav were in their shelter. He couldn’t bring his sons to his house, as the kibbutz members were under strict instructions to stay in their home shelters.

Meirav Tal (left) and Yair Yaakov, abducted on October 7, 2023 from their Kibbutz Nir Oz home. Tal was freed on November 28, 2023. (Courtesy)

At 9:20 a.m., Meirav sent a voice message to Yaniv that terrorists had entered their home. Yair was trying to hold the safe room door shut to fend off the attackers. That was the last time they communicated.

By Sunday evening, the family found a video taken by Hamas, showing that the terrorists used grenades to open the door of Yair’s sealed room to abduct him and Meirav and take them to Gaza.

Gaza and the South

Hamas claims more than 55,000 Palestinians killed in Gaza since start of war
The Palestinian death toll from the 20-month Israel-Hamas war has climbed past 55,000, the Hamas-controlled Gaza health ministry says.
The ministry doesn’t distinguish between civilians and combatants, but has claimed that women and children make up more than half the dead.
The ministry says 55,104 people have been killed since the start of the war and 127,394 wounded.
Israel says it has killed some 20,000 combatants in battle as of January and another 1,600 terrorists inside Israel during the October 7 onslaught.
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.
Israel’s toll in the ground offensive against Hamas in Gaza and in military operations along the border with the Strip stands at 429. The toll includes two police officers and three Defense Ministry civilian contractors.

Gaza aid group says Hamas killed at least 5 local staffers, possibly abducted others
GHF says members of terror group attacked bus ferrying workers to distribution site, doesn’t immediately provide corroborating evidence as it works to determine what unfolded

Local Palestinian staffers of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation in blue vests form a human chain to protect female aid recipients at one of GHF's distribution sites on June 9, 2025. (GHF)

The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation said Wednesday that Hamas operatives attacked a bus transporting its local Gazan staffers, killing at least five, injuring others and potentially taking some hostage.

The bus was ferrying the staffers to one of GHF’s aid distribution sites near the southern Gaza Strip’s Khan Younis at around 10 p.m. on Wednesday when it came under attack, a GHF statement said.

The statement noted that GHF was still working to gather the facts on what unfolded and a spokesperson didn’t immediately provide any corroborating evidence.

This attack did not happen in a vacuum. For days, Hamas has openly threatened our team, our aid workers, and the civilians who receive aid from us. These threats were met with silence,” GHF said, adding that the attack will not deter the organization’s efforts to provide aid to Palestinians in Gaza.

Hamas has pushed for the resumption of aid distribution through UN-backed mechanisms, which Israel and the US say allowed the terror group to divert much of the aid. The UN has denied this, while arguing that the GHF model for aid distribution endangers Palestinians, by forcing them to walk long distances across IDF lines in order to pick up boxes of food.

Red Cross and Hamas-linked health officials have reported near-daily mass-casualty incidents involving Palestinians trekking to aid sites since GHF’s launch on May 26. The IDF has acknowledged on at least eight different occasions that it fired “warning shots” that struck those who strayed off the pre-approved access routes.

GHF said Wednesday it has distributed roughly 271,200 boxes of aid to date, but they are largely filled with dry food products that need to be prepared elsewhere.

An average of 65 aid trucks have entered Gaza each day since Israel partially lifted its blockade on May 19, but the World Food Program says roughly 300 trucks a day are needed to properly serve Gaza’s population, which IDF officials acknowledged was on the brink of starvation before it resumed allowing aid in last month after a 78-day blockade.

The UN and other humanitarian organizations have argued that neutralizing the threat of looting requires flooding Gaza with as much aid as possible so demand and costs go down, rather than rationing assistance as Israel has done over the past month.

Just before 3 a.m. Thursday local time, GHF issued an additional statement updating Gazans that it had just finished distributing boxes of food at its central Gaza site, even though the IDF has repeatedly warned Palestinians not to approach aid sites before 6 a.m.

The GHF announcement was made on its Arabic Facebook page, which it uses to communicate with Palestinians about operating hours at the distribution sites.

A GHF spokesperson did not explain why the Israeli- and US-backed organization appeared to be distributing aid overnight, when the IDF has cautioned Palestinians against walking to the sites. It has done so on several other occasions over the past two and a half weeks of operation.

Hours earlier, footage of a GHF aid site being completely overrun by Gazans upon opening on Tuesday had gone viral on social media. The scene highlighted the chaos that has plagued GHF aid distribution sites since their launch. video

Gaza aid group says Hamas killed at least 8 local staffers, possibly abducted others
GHF says terror group attacked bus ferrying workers to distribution site, while Hamas-linked accounts say its gunmen targeted members of Israel-backed Abu Shabab clan, which the clan denies

The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation said Wednesday that Hamas gunmen attacked a bus transporting its local Gazan staffers, killing at least five, injuring others and potentially taking some hostage. On Thursday, it updated the death toll of its “local team members and volunteers” to eight and reiterated its “fear that some of our team members have been taken hostage.”

The bus was ferrying 20 staffers to one of GHF’s aid distribution sites west of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip at around 10 p.m. on Wednesday when it came under attack, the GHF said on Thursday.

The statement noted that GHF was still working to gather the facts on what unfolded, and a spokesperson did not immediately provide corroborating evidence.

Hamas-linked social media accounts published a statement on what they said was the terror group’s attack on members of the Israel-backed Abu Shabab clan in which five people were killed and 12 more were injured.

It was not immediately possible to verify the identities of those killed. However, a Facebook page run by the Abu Shabab clan issued a statement denying that its members were targeted by Hamas.

“This attack did not happen in a vacuum. For days, Hamas has openly threatened our team, our aid workers, and the civilians who receive aid from us. These threats were met with silence,” GHF said, adding that the attack will not deter the organization’s efforts to provide aid to Palestinians in Gaza.

Despite the violence, GHF decided to open three distribution sites on Thursday morning.

According to its own figures, the GHF delivered the most meals it has in a single day today. link

2 IDF soldiers wounded in Khan Younis after tank hit by RPG, says military
Two more IDF soldiers were moderately wounded during fighting in southern Gaza’s Khan Younis today, the military says.
The soldiers were in a tank that was hit by an RPG.
Both were taken to a hospital for treatment.

IDF says Hamas operatives who wounded troops in Khan Younis killed after the incident
A cell of Hamas operatives that wounded two troops in an RPG attack in southern Gaza’s Khan Younis yesterday was eliminated a short while after the incident, the military says.
The two soldiers who were in a tank were moderately wounded when they were hit by the RPG.
The IDF says that a short while after the attack, the troops spotted the cell and killed three of its members with tank shelling. A short while after that, a drone strike hit a building, killing four other members of the cell, according to the IDF.
In a separate incident in northern Gaza yesterday, the IDF says troops of the 401st Armored Brigade spotted several operatives moving weapons and directed a drone strike that killed them.
Additionally, the IDF says the Israeli Air Force hit dozens of targets across Gaza in the past day, including cells of terror operatives, buildings used by terror groups, and other infrastructure.

Convoy arrives in Libya en route to Gaza to challenge Israel’s aid blockade

Members of the convoy, including activists and supporters from Algeria and Tunisia, wave Palestinian flags from a bus as the group travels toward Gaza via Egypt's Rafah Crossing, in Zawiya, Libya, June 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Yousef Murad)

A convoy carrying hundreds of activists has arrived in Libya after driving from Algeria and crossing through Tunisia on its way to the Gaza Strip to challenge Israel’s blockade on humanitarian aid on the territory.
The convoy is made up of at least 1,500 people, including activists and supporters from Algeria and Tunisia, with more expected to join from Libya.
The group has arrived in Zawiya city in Libya and plans to reach Gaza via Egypt’s Rafah Crossing, traveling by cars and buses. It drove through the Libyan cities of Tripoli, Misrata, Sirte and Benghazi to reach the Saloum Crossing which borders Egypt. It is expected to soon reach Cairo before heading to the Rafah Crossing.
Jamila Sharitah, an Algerian participant, says that authorities in Tunisia and Libya have been cooperative with the convoy, helping facilitate their smooth journey. Zayed al-Hamami, another participant, says the convoy aims to push for reopening crossings and allowing aid into the Gaza Strip.
“There are land, sea and air convoys that will arrive in Gaza despite the restrictions,” says convoy organizer Terkiya Shayibi. She adds that violent responses against the convoy will not frighten them.
After a two-and-a-half-month total blockade — aimed at pressuring the Hamas terror group, which is holding hostages it seized from Israel during its massacre on October 7, 2023 — Israel started allowing some basic aid into Gaza last month, but humanitarian workers have warned of famine unless the blockade is lifted altogether and Israel ends its military offensive.

Egypt says any convoys headed toward Gaza crossing need approval from Cairo
Egypt says that it backs efforts to put “pressure on Israel” to lift its blockade on Gaza, but added that any foreign delegations seeking to visit the border area must receive prior approval through official channels.
Egypt “asserts the importance of putting pressure on Israel to end the blockade on the Strip,” the foreign ministry says as hundreds of activists in a Gaza-bound convoy originating in Tunisia head to the Egyptian border on their way to Gaza.
It adds, however, that “we will not consider any requests or respond to any invitations submitted outside the framework defined by the regulatory guidelines and the mechanisms followed in this regard.”

GHF says it distributed 34,000 boxes of food today in Gaza, its highest one-day total

The US- and Israeli-backed aid organization in Gaza says it delivered 45 truckloads of food today, totaling around 2.5 million meals in 34,000 boxes. This represents the most meals the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation distributed in a day, according to its own reports.

GHF opened three sites today, two in Rafah’s Tel Sultan neighborhood and one in central Gaza.

The organization says distribution at all sites “proceeded without incident,” but health officials in Gaza reported that some 25 people were killed by Israeli fire as they approached an aid site.

IDF troops fired warning shots at Palestinians who approached forces and posed a threat in the Netzarim Corridor area of central Gaza overnight, the military said.

“It is also critical that news agencies take care not to confuse the public by reporting on GHF operations in the same breath as Israeli military operations far removed from distribution sites,” says the organization.

Photos from at least one distribution site showed mass crowds and chaos as Palestinians clamored for supplies.

The US- and Israeli-backed foundation says each box contains meals for 5.5 people for 3.5 days.

However, its contents are largely dry food products that require community kitchens or cooking equipment to prepare, which are very scarce in war-ravaged Gaza.

Footage shows GHF site overrun upon opening, as dangerous chaos plagues Gaza aid initiative

Palestinians overrun a Gaza Humanitarian Foundation distribution site on June 10, 2025. (Screen capture/X)

Footage taken yesterday from one of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation’s aid distribution sites shows the compound being completely overrun immediately upon its opening by Palestinians rushing to secure food.
The video was filmed by one of the American security contractors working at the site, according to Israeli peace activist Alon-Lee Green, who declined to offer further details in order to protect the identity of the individual.
The large crowds of Gazans seen inside the designated fenced-in waiting area ahead of the site’s opening are overtaken by a rush of others hopping over the outer fences of the compound.
The scene highlights the chaos that has plagued GHF aid distribution sites since their launch on May 26. With between zero and three sites open each day, the Israeli- and US-backed organization has struggled to serve Gaza’s population of some two million people after a 78-day Israeli aid blockade was lifted.
A GHF spokesperson doesn’t respond to requests for comment on the footage, but the organization has said it is working to adapt its procedures to better serve Gaza’s population, including by opening designated lines for women.
Red Cross and Hamas-linked health officials have reported near-daily fatal shooting incidents involving Palestinians trekking to aid sites. The IDF has acknowledged on six occasions that it fired warning shots at people who strayed off the approved access routes and approached troops, posing a threat.
The UN and other aid groups in Gaza warned for weeks that such incidents would take place under the GHF model, arguing that such a small number of distribution sites for Gaza’s entire population of two million people would force many to make long treks through IDF lines in order to secure food.
Israel says the goal of the initiative is to box Hamas out of the aid distribution process, so that it cannot divert assistance from those in need.
GHF says it has distributed roughly 271,200 boxes of aid to date. They are largely filled with dry food products that need to be prepared before they can be consumed.
An average of 65 aid trucks have entered Gaza each day since Israel partially lifted its blockade on May 19, but the World Food Program says roughly 300 trucks a day are needed to serve Gaza’s population, which IDF officials acknowledged was on the brink of starvation before it resumed allowing aid in last month. Link

IDF says dozens of targets hit in Gaza over past day; Palestinian media reports dozens of casualties
The Israeli Air Force hit dozens of targets across Gaza in the past day, including cells of terror operatives, buildings used by terror groups, tunnels, and other infrastructure, the military says in a daily update.
Some of the strikes were part of support for ground troops, the IDF says.
Palestinian media reported dozens of casualties in Israeli strikes across Gaza in the past day.
In northern Gaza, the IDF says the 252nd Division struck several operatives moving weapons to a building in use by Hamas. The troops also demolished a Hamas weapons manufacturing site, according to the military.
Additionally, the IDF says the 179th Reserve Armored Brigade destroyed buildings used by Hamas to store weapons.

Northern Israel, Lebanon and Syria

Netanyahu said to ask Trump administration to mediate Israel-Syria peace talks
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked the Trump administration to mediate in talks with Syria’s new government, Axios reports.
When Tom Barrack, US President Donald Trump’s Syria envoy and ambassador to Turkey, was in Israel last week, according to the report, Netanyahu indicated he wants to negotiate a new security deal as a step toward a peace agreement.
The deal would update the 1974 disengagement agreement between the countries, and would start the process of full peace.
“We want to try and move towards normalization with Syria as soon as possible,” says a senior Israeli official.
Israeli officials initially branded the government led by Syria’s interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa as “terrorists” due to their jihadist past, and waged an aerial bombing campaign there. The attacks have subsided since mid-May, when Trump turned decades of US policy on its head by lifting sanctions on Syria and meeting Sharaa in Riyadh.
Syria’s new rulers have from the outset indicated that they seek calm and even eventual peace with Israel.
Israel engaged Syria’s new government indirectly at first, according to the report, then moved to direct covert meetings in third countries, two Israeli officials tell Axios.
“It is better for us that the Syrian government is close to the US and Saudi Arabia” than Turkey, a senior Israeli official tells Axios.
Israeli officials told Barrack that their red lines in Syria are no Turkish bases, no Iranian or Hezbollah presence and demilitarization of southern Syria. Israel also wants US forces in the UN force overseeing the truce between the sides.
Israeli officials believe the Sharaa government might be open to an agreement that does not include a full Israeli withdrawal from the Golan Heights, says Axios.

West Bank, Jerusalem, Israel and Terror Attacks

Smotrich move to end cooperation with Palestinian banks could halt food and fuel supply, warn Palestinians
An Israeli move to cut off cooperation with Palestinian banks could halt the supply of essential goods such as food and fuel to the Palestinian territories, the Palestinian Monetary Authority (PMA) says.
This follows Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s order yesterday to cancel a waiver on cooperation between Israeli and Palestinian banks, a move that puts the Palestinian banking system, trade and overall economy at risk. Israeli banks Hapoalim and Israel Discount Bank work with Palestinian banks.
Canceling the waiver would require approval by Israel’s security cabinet. No date for a vote has been set and it is not clear whether it would pass.
The PMA says it is following developments and warns that such disruption poses a serious threat to Palestinian access to basic goods and services. It notes it has ongoing coordination with the political leadership and international community to safeguard correspondent banking relationships.
“These efforts are vital to ensuring the continuity of commercial transactions and the payment of essential imports and services, including food, electricity, water and fuel,” the PMA says.

Troops kill two ‘terrorists’ during extended raid in central Nablus — IDF

IDF troops operating in Nablus, in a photo published by the army on June 12, 2025. (IDF Spokesperson)

The Israel Defense Forces says two Palestinians were killed during an approximately 30-hour military raid in central Nablus in the West Bank.
The army describes the two as terrorists, but does not provide other details about their killings.
During the raid, 10 other wanted Palestinians were arrested and dozens more were questioned, the army says.
Troops searched over 400-buildings during the extended operation, and found a number of weapons, including makeshift guns, and ammunition, as well as “much inciting material,” according to the IDF.
Pictures and videos published by the military show troops going building to building in the Palestinian city’s central casbah.

Politics and the War and General News

IDF says structural changes to military include bolstering border and air defense units
The Israeli military is advancing several changes to its structure and expanding some units, as part of lessons learned from Hamas’s October 7 attack, the IDF announces.
The decisions include bolstering border and air defense units, reviving a defunct armored brigade, establishing a new infantry brigade, and increasing the “strategic capabilities” of the Navy.
The effort, led by Deputy IDF Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Tamir Yadai, is not meant to replace the army’s multi-year plan, which is a significantly longer process. Some of the moves Yadai is leading are supposed to be implemented within months.
As part of the changes to border defenses, the military says it seeks to bolster local security teams and regional defense squads, including by providing additional training and equipment.
Additionally, the IDF says it will be expanding its units on the borders with Lebanon and Syria. The 474th “Golan” Regional Brigade — responsible for the Golan Heights — and 810th “Mountains” Regional Brigade — responsible for Mount Hermon and Mount Dov — will both have additional forces and better equipment, to bring them up to the level of other light infantry brigades, so they can fight on their own if need be.
On the Jordan border, the IDF is in the midst of establishing a new eastern regional division, dubbed the Gilad Division, which is set to operate from the Israel-Jordan-Syria tri-border area in the north down to the Ramon Airport in southern Israel, encompassing the territory currently handled by the Jordan Valley and Yoav regional brigades.
The Gilad Division, part of the Central Command, will begin initial operations on August 1 and later expand its area of responsibility. Israel also plans to upgrade its fence on the border with Jordan in the coming years.
The division is set to be staffed by standing army troops as well as members of a new light infantry division, known as the 96th Division or the David Division, which itself is based on volunteer reservists.
So far, the 96th Division has recruited over 10,000 soldiers and commanders. It is set to have five brigades based on where the soldiers reside. In addition to operations on the Jordan and West Bank borders, the division’s members would also be ready to respond to sudden events in their respective regions, as they are slated to keep their weapons and equipment at their homes.
Following the departure of Maj. Gen. David Zini, who was appointed to head the Shin Bet security agency, from the military, the IDF is restructuring the Training Command, which he had headed.
The Training Command is being downgraded to a division, headed by Brig. Gen. Sharon Altit, and will encompass the School for Infantry Corps Professions and Squad Commanders, the Armored Corps training school, and the Bahad 1 officers’ school. It will be subordinate to the Ground Forces.
Until now, in wartime those training schools would turn into fighting brigades and be deployed under various other divisions. The new change will see the chief of the Training Division, currently Altit, command those units himself during ground operations.
Bahad 1 is also reorganizing, and will have 10 battalions instead of six, split up among the different professions that cadets are training for — combat officers and noncombat roles.
The officers’ school until now turned into the 261st Brigade during wartime. The IDF says it will be splitting the 261st Brigade from Bahad 1, and it will become a new reserve infantry brigade under the 252nd Division.
Meanwhile, the IDF says it is reviving the 500th Armored Brigade, which had been closed in 2003. Starting in 2026, the IDF will establish the unit’s tank battalions.
The military also plans to reestablish three Armored Corps’ patrol companies, a type of unit that was shuttered several years ago.
Also, the IDF says it plans to establish a fifth standing army combat engineering battalion, in addition to the 607th, which was established during the war.
Another Home Front Command Search and Rescue Battalion is also being established, and the IDF is looking at forming a new reserve battalion for ultra-Orthodox soldiers.
Additionally, the IDF says the Israeli Air Force would be further expanding its aerial defense array, and potentially add a new attack drone unit.
Meanwhile, the military says it seeks to expand the Navy to become a “long-range strategic arm,” similar to the IAF, and operate at distant locations with new capabilities.

The Region and the World

Forget Greta, the Gaza flotilla story is much bigger
Commentary: While anti-Israeli European Parliament member uses every moment of her detention for propaganda and spreading fake news on social media, Israel is once again choosing not to respond; It's time to understand that the real battle is being fought on Instagram and TikTok. Whoever is not there loses
"We've been kidnapped, we call on our governments to help rescue us"; "an act of piracy by Israel"; "they sailed to Gaza in Palestine, not Israel"; "their arrest is illegal"—these are just some of the headlines appearing in hundreds of thousands of social media posts and even in some newspapers and news sites worldwide, following the saga involving Greta Thunberg and her flotilla delegation, who were detained by Israeli forces before reaching the shores of Gaza. Even though the IDF acted in accordance with international law when it detained the 12 activists; although even the International Criminal Court in The Hague does not dispute the legality of Israel’s longstanding naval blockade on Gaza; and despite the clear right of a sovereign state to intercept individuals attempting to unlawfully enter an active war zone under its jurisdiction—propaganda, misinformation and outright lies continue to gain traction among millions around the world, regardless of how many memes mocking the incident go viral.

Israel’s official response pulled out all the stops. A photo of Greta smiling as a soldier handed her a sandwich and a bottle of water achieved its intended effect. Other images and videos showing IDF soldiers distributing food and water to the activists also spread widely on social media, drawing thousands of shares and comments.

Greta Thunberg accepts a sandwich and a bottle of water from an Israeli soldier
(Photo: Foreign Ministry)

For a moment, it seemed that might be enough. Whether due to widespread fatigue in Europe with the young climate activist, or the transparent PR nature of the voyage and its preordained outcome, or the IDF’s effective neutralization of the incident—it briefly appeared that Israel had the upper hand.

The refusal to be deported was expected

But then came the deportation process, and once again the narrative flipped. While Greta is already back in Europe after signing her deportation papers—along with four other members of the delegation—eight others, including outspoken anti-Israel French member of the European Parliament Rima Hassan, who was previously deported from Israel, refused to sign.

Those who declined deportation, including Hassan, were placed in custody for 96 hours at the Givon detention facility for illegal entrants. After that period, they can be deported with or without their consent. Yet these four days of detention are more than just a bureaucratic matter—they are being used as a political stage.

Over the course of these 96 hours, under the gaze of cameras and with the backing of anti-Israel propaganda networks, Hassan is transforming herself into a martyr, a victim of the "occupation" and a "colonial system of oppression." She knows exactly what she’s doing. Every hour at Givon is another opportunity to generate headlines, attract sympathy and spin a narrative that Israel has long struggled to counter.

Outspoken anti-Israel French member of the European Parliament Rima Hassan

Refusing to sign the deportation order isn’t a principled stand—it’s a calculated tactic designed to provoke another confrontation, to generate that “winning” image of forced deportation or allegedly inhumane treatment. For her, every additional day in custody is valuable currency on social media.

One example: Hassan posted on her X account, “We need your help in widely sharing this post by tagging the heads of state of team members, demanding their immediate release. Call on the relevant authorities to demand the immediate release of the entire team from Israel.” This, from a European lawmaker who fully understands she is not being forcibly held—and who has personally refused to leave.

Time for a more assertive Israeli media strategy

This is precisely where Israel’s public diplomacy efforts must ramp up. Not just by issuing delayed responses or publishing good images after the narrative has already been shaped—but by leading the conversation. Because this incident is far from over. Without a timely, strategic, visually driven response—especially one that leverages Instagram, TikTok, and X—Israel is poised to lose the battle for public opinion once again, despite having all the tools to win it this time.

It's essential to recognize: social media is not just another platform—it is today’s primary battlefield. What happens online right now carries more weight than any court ruling in The Hague or press briefing in Jerusalem. Virality trumps facts, and a single manipulative hashtag can erase days of carefully crafted messaging. It’s time to understand the new rules—and play by them.

Let’s say it plainly: part of the problem is that official Israel still acts as if it’s playing chess, while its adversaries are fighting in an MMA ring. No rules, no red lines and one clear goal—to take Israel down in the court of global public opinion.

A demonstrator at a protest that broke out in Athens after the Gaza flotilla was stopped
(Photo: Reuters)

This gap between a measured response and a chaotic reality continues to hurt Israel. When Hassan posts a photo from the detention center, it will reach millions instantly. When Israel publishes a clarification or a photo from the same facility, it might—at best—reach the IDF spokesperson’s Twitter feed. That’s not enough. It doesn’t work.

The solution: a content army and an aggressive media front

If Israel wants to change the game, it must create a dedicated digital diplomacy unit that operates in real time, around the clock—not just with multilingual spokespeople, but with a full “army” of content creators, video editors, and social media experts who understand each platform and know how to reach audiences in Europe and the U.S. in ways that actually resonate.

Protest in Paris against the arrest of members of the Gaza flotilla delegation
(Photo: Reuters)

Short videos, focused infographics, eyewitness accounts—everything needed to fight for public opinion where it’s actually being shaped. Yes, it’s that urgent and that important. Because public perception ultimately drives policy—and influences it. In an era where the battle for legitimacy is just as crucial as the one on the ground, public diplomacy must operate like a full-scale military campaign.

Right now, it appears Israel is simply asleep at the wheel. link

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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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