π️Lonny's War Update- October 632, 2023 - June 29, 2025 π️
π️Day 632 that 50 of our hostages are still in Hamas captivityπ️
- Thousands attend first in-person rally for Gaza hostage deal since Iran ceasefire
**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.
A deal is the only way to bring
all the hostages home- the murdered for burial and the living for rehabilitation.
#BringThemHomeNow #TurnTheHorrorIntoHope
#BringThemHomeNow #TurnTheHorrorIntoHope
There is no victory until all of the hostages are home!ΧΧΧ Χ Χ¦ΧΧΧ Χ’Χ Χ©ΧΧ ΧΧΧΧΧ€ΧΧ ΧΧΧΧͺ
In the Gaza and the South section, read the very disturbing article about what our soldiers are doing to unarmed Palestinians in Gaza while waiting for Humanitarian Aid - "'It's a Killing Field': IDF Soldiers Ordered to Shoot Deliberately at Unarmed Gazans Waiting for Humanitarian Aid "
Red Alerts - Missile, Rocket, Drone (UAV - unmanned aerial vehicles), and Terror Attacks and Death Announcements
*
Demonstration urging end to war highlights plight of mothers of soldiers fighting in Gaza; hostages’ families reportedly pushing for meeting with Trump next week
Thousands of protesters gathered at Tel Aviv’s Rabin Square on Thursday to demand a ceasefire and hostage deal in Gaza, the first such demonstration since a truce ended 12 days of war between Israel and Iran.
All the speakers at the protest were women, most of them mothers of soldiers in Gaza who highlighted their plight amid the ongoing war. It came a day after the IDF announced that seven soldiers had been killed in Khan Younis.
Opening the protest, a choir of soldiers’ mothers sang “Hatikva,” Israel’s national anthem.
Labor MK Efrat Rayten, herself the mother of a combat soldier who has served in Gaza, called for Israel to “end the war now and strive toward a diplomatic settlement.”
She recalled the history of Rabin Square, the site of some of Israel’s largest anti-war demonstrations, when mothers of soldiers demanded an end to Israel’s 1982-2000 military presence in southern Lebanon.
“This square has seen mothers get their sons out of the morass of Lebanon. Now it’s our turn to get them out of the morass of Gaza,” she said.
Labor MK Efrat Rayten, herself the mother of a combat soldier who has served in Gaza, called for Israel to “end the war now and strive toward a diplomatic settlement.”
She recalled the history of Rabin Square, the site of some of Israel’s largest anti-war demonstrations, when mothers of soldiers demanded an end to Israel’s 1982-2000 military presence in southern Lebanon.
“This square has seen mothers get their sons out of the morass of Lebanon. Now it’s our turn to get them out of the morass of Gaza,” she said.
“It’s not our children who should pay the price of the failed leadership,” she said. “It’s the government. And they’ll pay the price.”One of the organizing groups of the protest was Ima Era (Wide-awake mother), which brings together mothers of soldiers. The group’s name alludes to mothers’ difficulty sleeping knowing their children could be killed at war — a fear that speakers say is foreign to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and many of his ministers.
Ima Era activist Michal Hadas Rubin, whose son is a combat soldier in Gaza, said the government was “buying day after day of political survival and paying with the lives of our children.”
She said she had taught her children to enlist in the IDF out of a feeling of national responsibility, but that was “not a blank check to sacrifice our kids.”
“The military mission ended long ago, but it can be completed only through diplomatic action,” she said. “Wars end with agreements.”
After the speeches, protesters marched to the Begin Road entrance to IDF Headquarters to continue the demonstration there. Many of the protesters held small battery-powered toy candles. Backing up the march was a mock funeral procession with eight faux coffins.
Police arrested at least four anti-government protesters on Begin Road, according to a lawyer group offering pro bono services to people detained at anti-government demonstrations.
The Haaretz daily reported that protesters were detained for blocking traffic on Namir Road, a major route that feeds into Begin.
The families of hostages held in Gaza are working with senior US government officials to organize a meeting with US President Donald Trump next week, Channel 12 reported Thursday.
“Trump is the one who can put pressure on the mediators, on Hamas, and also the Israeli government to choose a comprehensive deal, despite opposition from [hard-right Finance Minister] Bezalel Smotrich and [National Security Minister] Itamar Ben Gvir,” families told Channel 12.
The apparent push to meet Trump came amid several media reports that said the US President was pushing Netanyahu to conclude the war against Hamas following the success of the 12-day war against Iran.
A banner showing photos of hostages held in Gaza, in Tel Aviv. June 26, 2025. (Miriam Alster/FLASH90)
Kan news reported that Trump’s call on Thursday to cancel Netanyahu’s criminal trial was also linked to this effort.
According to Israel Hayom, as part of the American president’s plan to end the war, new countries would join the Abraham Accords, and Israel would be required to commit to supporting a future Palestinian state.
Citing an unnamed source familiar with a phone call between Netanyahu and Trump, the newspaper reported that during the call, the two leaders agreed to wrap up the war in Gaza within two weeks, requiring Israel to halt its military offensive and Hamas to release the remaining 50 hostages.
The Palestinian terror group’s leadership would then be exiled, and four Arab states, including the UAE and Egypt, would be tasked with jointly governing the war-torn enclave in its place, the report said. It did not identify the other two Arab states that would supposedly help govern the territory.
As part of the rehabilitation of the Strip, any Gazans wishing to emigrate would be absorbed by several unnamed countries, Israel Hayom said.
Arab states have repeatedly asserted that they will not take part in the postwar rehabilitation of Gaza absent Israeli acquiescence to the Palestinian Authority gaining a foothold in the Strip as part of a pathway to a future two-state solution, a demand that, until now, Netanyahu has flatly rejected.
Moreover, Hamas’s leaders have also long rejected demands to go into exile.
A group of released hostages meets US President Donald Trump in the Oval Office on March 5, 2025. (White House/X)
As part of the plan, Trump and Netanyahu were said to have agreed that Israel would be required to express support for a future two-state solution, conditioned on reforms made by the Palestinian Authority. In exchange, Washington would recognize Israeli sovereignty in some parts of the West Bank.
With the end of the war in Gaza and a renewed Israeli commitment to a future two-state solution, both Saudi Arabia and Syria would establish ties with Israel under the Abraham Accords, the report stated, and other Arab and Muslim countries would follow suit.
Saudi Arabia has long conditioned the establishment of diplomatic ties on Israel’s commitment to Palestinian statehood, while the possibility of peace with Syria has been raised repeatedly in recent months as the two countries are reportedly in direct contact following the fall of the Assad regime last year.
But even amid the renewed push to bring an end to the war, Kan reported that no progress had been made in Cairo, where Palestinian American political activist Bishara Bahbah has been in talks with senior Hamas official Ghazi Hamad about a US ceasefire proposal.
A security official with knowledge of the details of talks told Channel 12 on Thursday that associates of Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya were pushing him to reach a deal.
“They are telling him, ‘You have no support and no sponsors. You have to begin to move, you have no one to lean on,'” the official said.
Terror groups in the Gaza Strip are holding 50 hostages, including 49 of the 251 abducted by Hamas-led terrorists on October 7, 2023. They include the bodies of at least 28 confirmed dead by the IDF. Twenty are believed to be alive, and there are grave concerns for the well-being of two others, Israeli officials have said. Hamas is also holding the body of an IDF soldier killed in Gaza in 2014. link
- Israel surprised, skeptical of Trump's Gaza ceasefire optimism
Officials dismiss Trump’s Gaza ceasefire optimism as backchannel talks with Hamas show no progress, while hostage families demand urgent action to free remaining captives still held in the Strip. Senior Israeli officials involved in hostage deal and Gaza ceasefire talks said Saturday they see no basis for U.S. President Donald Trump's optimism on the issue.Trump declared Friday at the White House that a Gaza ceasefire might be achieved as soon as next week. His statement surprised Jerusalem policymakers, who received no prior update suggesting that such a development justifies this forecast."Unfortunately, there's no sign of flexibility or change in Hamas's position, nor a change in the prime minister's stance on ending the war," senior Israeli officials said. One assessment is that Trump's optimism reflects a "personal wish" to leverage momentum after the Israel-Iran conflict and secure another political achievement.However, those same officials say little has changed on the ground. Backchannel talks and intensive mediation led by Qatar and Egypt continue, but without results or a breakthrough. Reports of U.S. envoy Steve Wittkoff visiting soon are also incorrect; he is not scheduled to arrive in the coming days.For the first time in three weeks, hostage families held a rally at Tel Aviv following the ceasefire with Iran. Einav Zangauker, mother of Hamas hostage Matan, declared: "Our children have survived against all odds until now – but they won't hold on much longer. If they don't return now, they will die in captivity. The hostages are living on borrowed time."She addressed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu directly: "There's a deal on the table and what prevents it is Netanyahu's refusal to end the war. You are the prime minister – not [Itamar] Ben-Gvir or [Bezalel] Smotrich. Just as you decided on the Iran campaign, decide now to bring my Matan back."Meanwhile, Hamas sources told Al-Sharq Al-Awsat that parallel meetings in Cairo and Doha are the "most serious yet," partly due to increased U.S. involvement showing "genuine willingness to advance a deal." However, they stressed it is "too early to speak of a significant breakthrough next week," estimating even a partial agreement could take two or three weeks.The likeliest option, according to Hamas assessments, is a temporary 60-day ceasefire based on Wittkoff's proposal – involving a quiet commitment and implementing a humanitarian protocol agreed with mediators. Hamas emphasized its core demands – ending the fighting, lifting the blockade, full Israeli withdrawal from the Strip and Gaza’s reconstruction – remain unchanged and central to talks.Regarding Trump's declaration of a possible deal next week, the terror group said: "If there's a real U.S. intent to pressure Israel, progress is possible – but if blind support for Israel's narrative continues, no deal will be reached."Hamas also warned against attempts to impose a comprehensive deal within a broader regional move, clarifying that without its leadership's consent, "no hostage release deal will take place."Einav ZangaukerSources involved say talk of a U.S.-backed "package deal" – including a Gaza ceasefire, hostage deal, the end of the war and expanding the Abraham Accords – is not part of top-level Israel-U.S. discussions. These ideas, if presented at all, were preliminary.The topics have barely surfaced in talks and no concrete proposal exists. Senior officials said this might be developing at the White House but hasn't been presented to Israel. No U.S. pressure has been applied on Israel regarding these initiatives.Israel now keenly anticipates Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer's visit to the U.S. on Monday. Officials hope the visit will reveal, for the first time, practical U.S. administration plans for Gaza's future, should any exist.Netanyahu's Washington visit, planned for this week, was postponed. One reason is that the necessary political and diplomatic conditions for presenting a significant move haven't matured within the U.S. administration. Current estimates in Washington suggest Netanyahu's visit will be delayed until late July – though this isn't final. Sources added dates are still being examined.Concurrently, sources familiar with the talks claimed one idea seriously considered at the White House is a normalization agreement between Israel and Syria. This partly aims to strengthen the rule of leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, facing internal threats.Israel maintains an unofficial communication channel with al-Sharaa. "There's progress there too,” a senior Jerusalem official said. The U.S. rationale is that normalization would bolster the Syrian regime's stability, distance Iran from the border and provide Israel another diplomatic achievement.Senior officials reiterated no proposal to end the fighting has been presented to them. "As long as Hamas shows no real flexibility, it's hard to see how we can advance," one official said. Israel hopes to gain clarity after Dermer's visit on Monday. Link
- ‘Make a brave decision’: Thousands in Tel Aviv demand PM seal Gaza hostage release deal
In first demonstration in three weeks, ex-captive Liri Albag says ‘every second there is an eternity’; father of hostage likens phased releases to Nazi ‘selection’
Demonstrators protest for the release of Israelis held hostage in the Gaza Strip outside Hakirya Base in Tel Aviv, June 28, 2025. (Erik Marmor/Flash90)Thousands of Israelis returned to Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square and Begin Road on Saturday night for the first time in three weeks, reigniting weekly demonstrations in support of a hostage deal and protest of the government’s handling of the war.
There has been talk in recent days of Jerusalem and Washington making a push to end the war in Gaza in the coming weeks with a deal that will see the return of all 50 remaining hostages, though there is no official confirmation.
US President Donald Trump on Friday said he thought a ceasefire would be reached “within the next week.”
Liri Albag, one of five IDF soldiers released from Hamas captivity during a brief truce in January-March, delivered an emotional speech before a crowd of some 2,000 people in Hostages Square, calling on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to follow his “brave decision” on Iran with an equally decisive move to secure a ceasefire and bring back the remaining 50 hostages held in Gaza.
“Over the past two weeks, all the headlines were about Iran. My brothers and sisters were pushed aside,” Albag said, referring to Israel’s recent 12-day war with Tehran, which ended Tuesday in a US-brokered ceasefire. “Fifty souls, 50 worlds — and it’s time to bring them back.”
Albag shared harrowing details of her time in captivity, including being disguised in Palestinian garb and marched through Gaza’s streets before being locked with five other women and girls in an underground cage, two by two meters (yards) in size, and barely high enough to stand.
“We were fed a quarter of a pita, a date, and half a bowl of rice a day,” she said. “Every second there is an eternity. This is the reality of the hostages.”
Albag addressed Netanyahu and Trump directly: “You made a brave decision on Iran. Now make a brave decision that ends the fighting in Gaza and brings back everyone… because that’s our moral duty as a nation.”
Liri Albag, one of five IDF soldiers released from Hamas captivity during a brief truce in January-March, delivered an emotional speech before a crowd of some 2,000 people in Hostages Square, calling on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to follow his “brave decision” on Iran with an equally decisive move to secure a ceasefire and bring back the remaining 50 hostages held in Gaza.
“Over the past two weeks, all the headlines were about Iran. My brothers and sisters were pushed aside,” Albag said, referring to Israel’s recent 12-day war with Tehran, which ended Tuesday in a US-brokered ceasefire. “Fifty souls, 50 worlds — and it’s time to bring them back.”
Albag shared harrowing details of her time in captivity, including being disguised in Palestinian garb and marched through Gaza’s streets before being locked with five other women and girls in an underground cage, two by two meters (yards) in size, and barely high enough to stand.
“We were fed a quarter of a pita, a date, and half a bowl of rice a day,” she said. “Every second there is an eternity. This is the reality of the hostages.”
Albag addressed Netanyahu and Trump directly: “You made a brave decision on Iran. Now make a brave decision that ends the fighting in Gaza and brings back everyone… because that’s our moral duty as a nation.”
“The girls still remember David, but like any memory, it’s fading,” she continued. “And I’m not willing to let David become a memory. Because David is alive. And I need you with me, with us. I need my voice to become your voice. Fight with me. Don’t let this go on another day, another week, another month. Because he can come back. All of them can. Now. Not in a partial deal, not in phases, not in rounds — all of them. Now.”
Earlier in the evening, families of the hostages held a joint statement calling for an immediate end to the war and a comprehensive deal to bring their loved ones home.
“They are living on borrowed time — they can be saved,” said Einav Zangauker, the mother of hostage Matan Zangauker.
Yehuda Cohen, father of kidnapped soldier Nimrod Cohen, echoed the call: “There is a deal on the table. We cannot miss this opportunity. The time has come for a comprehensive agreement — that is the will of the people and in Israel’s interest,” he said, turning to his son. “Nimrod — we are in the final stretch. Hang in there, my boy.”
A rally calling for the release of Israelis held hostage by Hamas terrorists in Gaza, at “Hostage Square” in Tel Aviv, June 28, 2025. (Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)Elsewhere in Tel Aviv, around 1,500 demonstrators gathered at the Begin Road entrance to IDF Headquarters. An Iranian missile struck there earlier this month, and local businesses that once thrived during the protests, including a nearby bakery and cafe, remained shuttered due to damage from debris.
Itzik Horn, father of hostage Eitan Horn and released hostage Iair Horn, used the rally to condemn what he called the government’s ongoing failure since October 7.
“Despite what we did in Iran, which was a great thing… we won’t forget and won’t forgive,” he said. “Since October 7, no minister or member of Knesset from the coalition has spoken to me.”
People take part in a protest demanding the end of the war and immediate release of hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip, and against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, in Tel Aviv on June 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)Horn also rejected the latest US-proposed deal by White House special envoy Steve Witkoff, which would involve a 60-day ceasefire during which Hamas would release roughly half of the living and dead hostages in stages. link
632 days in captivity: "The government has an interest in settling Gaza – the hostages currently serve as a tool for that goal"
Aryeh Zalmanovich, one of the founders of Kibbutz Nir Oz, was kidnapped from his home and murdered in captivity when he was 85 years old • One of the hostages who was rescued alive described how Aryeh was dying to death after he did not receive proper treatment and medications • Boaz, Aryeh's son, fears that additional hostages will die in captivity and accuses: "They are sacrificing the lives of the hostages for the goals of conquering Gaza"
Boaz and his father, Aryeh Zalmonovich z"l632 days in captivity, 50 hostages are still held by the terror organization Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Boaz Zalmanovich, son of the hostage Aryeh Zalmanovich who was murdered in captivity, said to N12: "There are currently contradictory reports regarding negotiations for a hostage deal. Our father died in captivity, there are hostages in Gaza who are still alive. My father's status will not change but I am afraid that the hostages who are still there will not survive and that their status will become like my father's."
"We are fed up with the ongoing situation of almost a hostage deal," described Boaz. "We no longer develop expectations from all kinds of idle talk and lies that are spread. If a delegation is sent or negotiations are underway, the families already do not know more about it than what the general public knows."
Aryeh Zalmanovich, one of the founders of Kibbutz Nir Oz, was kidnapped from his home on October 7 and contact with him was cut off at 09:30 in the morning. In a video that documented the kidnapping, Aryeh, 85 years old, is seen being kidnapped from his home with a head injury and bleeding. The hostage Farhan Qadi, who was rescued from Hamas tunnels in a military operation, told the family that he saw Aryeh in captivity dying to death – after he did not receive medications and medical treatment.
The kidnapping of Aryeh Zalmanovich of blessed memory, archive | Photo: N12"There is a strategic decision here by the government of Israel that currently there are priorities that outweigh the hostages," said Boaz. "The government of Israel must make a simple decision: to stop the war and bring back the hostages. The government has an interest in expelling the Palestinians from Gaza and settling it – the hostages currently serve as a tool for that goal. There is another solution: to stop the war and bring everyone back."
After the 12-day war with Iran, the Zalmanovich family feels that the hostages were neglected: "We proved that when we want, we are capable of flying over the skies of Iran. There is a decision here to use the hostages as hostages – both of Hamas and of the government of Israel. That is a decision that is no longer connected to the enemy but to the territorial goals of the government. A fact – just as we knew how to stop the strikes on Iran, it is possible to make a decision to stop the war and bring back the hostages. In the Gaza Strip there are hostages who might die at any moment."
As time passes, the Zalmanovich family fears that their father's burial place will be unknown: "My father was murdered in the Hamas tunnels at the end of November. We are afraid that he will disappear, but I am more worried about the fate of the living hostages. They do not have time. I fear that there will be more hostages who will join the list of the fallen. My father must return to Israel – both for himself and for us. The State of Israel must fulfill its commitment to bring everyone back."
Against the background of the discourse about snap elections, Boaz said: "I saw that the Prime Minister started eating falafel and launched the election campaign. I call on him to stop the war and bring back the hostages – this is not a matter of a miracle, it is a matter of a decision. I call on the government of Israel: stop the war and bring everyone back. The moral and ethical fracture of not bringing back the hostages is more dangerous than Hamas." link
- ‘Make the deal in Gaza,’ Trump demands in late-night post
In a late-night post online, US President Donald Trump urges Israel and Hamas to make a deal in Gaza aimed at returning hostages kidnapped on October 7.
“MAKE THE DEAL IN GAZA. GET THE HOSTAGES BACK!!! DJT,” he writes on his Truth Social network, appearing to press Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to clinch the ceasefire agreement, which Trump earlier predicted would be inked within a week.
The post, which is bereft of context, comes hours after Trump called for a second time for Israeli prosecutors to close their case against Netanyahu, saying “he is right now in the process of negotiating a Deal with Hamas, which will include getting the Hostages back.” link A deal can be made and can be concluded in a day. The barrier to making a deal is Netanyahu. The only deal that can be made with Hamas is one that ends the war and brings home all the hostages. Netanyahu still doesn't want to end the war and is only willing to make an interim deal to bring home some of the hostages and let the others continue to rot and die in captivity. With this situation as it is, the only other person who can end the war and get all the hostages home is Trump. He can force Netanyahu to make the deal, just as he did with the last hostage deal and with the last attack on Iran. Trump does have that power over Netanyahu. Netanyahu and his yesman Defense minister sent 52 fighter jets on a major attack plan to Iran after they breached the ceasefire deal as soon as it was supposed to start. In relatiation, Netanyahu was going to hit Iran very hard. Trump didn't like this and told Netanyahu to cancel the operation. Instead of a major attack, there was a minor attack on a single air defense system that had very little importance. It was just a symbolic attack. The fact remains that Trump told Netanyahu to call off the attack and he did. He forced Netanyahu into the last hostage deal and Netanyahu agreed although he unilaterally breached the deal and we never reached phase 2 which was supposed to bring the rest of the hostages home and end the war. Netanyahu refused to end the war so he breached the deal and again sacrificed the hostages for his own self interests. Will Trump push Netanyahu far enough to actually end the war and bring home the hostages, or is it just lip service and nothing to stand behind it?
Netanyahu ‘worried Trump will force a ceasefire’ in Gaza – hostage negotiator - UK Channel 4 news interview with Gershon Baskin. video interview with Gershon Baskin
- Reports okayed on missile damage to apartment tower, mall near IDF headquarters in Tel Aviv
A luxury residential building close to the Kirya military headquarters in Tel Aviv was damaged by an Iranian ballistic missile strike early on in the recent 12-day war with the Islamic Republic, the Haaretz daily reports.
This information had not previously been made public inside of Israel, as authorities gagged reports that included information on impact locations, arguing that they could be used by Iran to better calibrate its missiles.
According to Haaretz, the 32-story residential tower, located close to the Kaplan Street entrance to the IDF headquarters, caught on fire as a result of the missile impact, and its residents had to be evacuated.
Separately, Channel 12 reports that the Azrieli Mall, also located in the vicinity of the Kirya, was also damaged by a ballistic missile strike.
The main building is unharmed, but several storefronts that open out directly onto the street suffered extensive damage, estimated at over a million shekels. Some damage to the mall’s facade can also be seen from the street.
Days after the strike, looters stole large amounts of merchandise and cash from the damaged stores, the report says.
Over the course of the 12-day direct conflict, Iran launched over 500 ballistic missiles at Israel, killing 28 people and wounding thousands.
- Iran could resume uranium enrichment in ‘matter of months,’ IAEA chief says
- With stunning campaign in Iran over for now, Israel turns back to Gaza slog
The IDF ran circles around Hezbollah, and inflicted serious damage on a powerful Iran 1,000 miles away, so why is it struggling to wrap up the fight against a far weaker Hamas foe?IDF soldiers in GazaIsrael’s long-anticipated operation against Iran’s nuclear and ballistic program is over.Another round of fighting is a distinct possibility, but this chapter has reached its end. Israel displayed stunning, almost incomprehensible, capabilities and competence, and the world took notice.Its intelligence agencies penetrated the heart of what should have been Iran’s most secure organizations. Israel knew exactly where Iran’s generals and nuclear scientists were, and directed drones and missiles right into their apartments as it decapitated Tehran’s command structures.Israeli commandos operated with surprising freedom on Iranian soil, building a drone facility and smuggling in missile systems. IAF jets demolished Iran’s air defenses, establishing air superiority over Iran’s capital at the far edge of the Middle East.The extent of Israel’s victory is not yet known, and won’t be until intelligence agencies sift through the evidence, and international inspectors the rubble. But a victory it is. Iran’s nuclear program is set back, and if it decides to reconstitute it, it will have to resort to a secretive, compartmentalized option that will be slower and more challenging than the path it was on. Its ballistic missile force has only gone backward, losing commanders and over half of its stock. Iran can certainly get back to work on rebuilding, but Israel is likely to pick up on it and strike if needed.The barrier of fear around striking Iran’s core facilities directly has been broken, perhaps permanently. After losing its military leadership, nuclear and missile facilities, and hundreds of soldiers, Iran’s vengeance amounted to 28 dead Israelis, 1,400 injured, and 15,000 displaced. It inflicted pain and loss on Israel, no question, but far less than what Israel anticipated.Protesters chant slogans following the US attacks on Iranian nuclear sites, as an anti-Israeli banner depicting Iranian soldiers heading to attack Israeli territory is seen in background, in Tehran, Iran, June 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)Iran’s attacks had no effect on Israel’s offensive, and the entire region saw its weakness in plain sight. Tehran couldn’t protect its proxies over the past 20 months, and for those 12 days, its proxies couldn’t protect it.Iran’s response to the US attacks was even less intimidating — a scripted, telegraphed missile strike on a base that caused no meaningful damage.Israel’s success in Operation Rising Lion mirrored its campaign against Hezbollah late last year. At the start of that operation, Israel used daring covert operations and years of painstaking intelligence collection to injure thousands of enemy fighters, assassinate Hezbollah leaders, and throw the world’s most powerful terrorist off balance. After a two-month ground operation, Hezbollah accepted a humiliating ceasefire.Notably, Hezbollah did not raise a finger or fire a bullet or a rocket during Israel’s offensive against its patron Iran.Now that the dust has settled from the 12-day campaign, attention shifts once again, wearily, to the 630-day (and counting) operation in Gaza. And one can’t help but ask the question — how is it that the IDF is crisp, in control, and ruthlessly efficient against its most powerful foes, but against the terrorists of Hamas, it seems mired in a slog that has not achieved any of Israel’s stated war aims?Circumstances and choicesThe IDF and Israel’s leadership can’t be blamed entirely for the disparate pace and effectiveness of Israel’s Gaza campaign compared to those it fought in Lebanon and Iran.For one, the goals of the operations are quite different. Israel isn’t trying to destroy Hezbollah and drive it out of Lebanon. If that was the goal, the campaign in Lebanon would have taken years, and there is no guarantee it would have succeeded. Instead, Israel looked to force Hezbollah to stop firing at Israeli towns, to degrade its capabilities, and to remove the invasion threat from Israel’s border. In so doing, it weakened Hezbollah’s hold on the Lebanese state and gave anti-Hezbollah elements the opening to start chipping away at the Shi’ite group’s power.Nor is Israel actively trying to topple the Iranian regime, though it did seek to weaken its grip on power by targeting internal security forces and state TV outlets.With limited goals, Israel was able to carry out limited campaigns.In Gaza, Israel’s aim is “total victory,” as Netanyahu likes to remind the public. The war will not end, he promises, until Hamas is disarmed, no longer rules Gaza, and releases all the hostages.As Hamas believes it can rebuild and retake Gaza as long as a core group outlasts Israel, it is unlikely to agree to those terms. And the war goes on.The presence of hostages has also changed how Israel is fighting. IDF forces are taking great care to avoid areas where intelligence indicates there may be hostages. Sections of the central Gaza Strip have yet to be conquered by the IDF at all for fear of harming hostages, and there is no easy solution to that quandary.Even under the new IDF chief of staff and defense minister, Israel’s ostensibly more aggressive Operation Gideon’s Chariots is designed to pressure Hamas to accept a hostage release deal, not to militarily bring Hamas to its knees on the battlefield. That means the fighting is slow and influenced by the success of negotiations with Hamas. So far, talks have led to two ceasefires, including a two-month truce as US President Donald Trump came into office earlier this year.In order to dislodge Hamas from Gaza, an air campaign would not suffice, though IAF strikes have taken out much of the Hamas leadership. The IDF needs to capture territory, find tunnels, extract intelligence, search houses, take territory, and engage in battles with Hamas units.Yet, circumstances aren’t all to blame.Since Hamas invaded Israel on October 7, Israel’s decision-makers have operated as if they have all the time in the world in Gaza.The initial ground campaign was, by design, slow and deliberate. The IDF moved cautiously in its major offensive in late 2023 and early 2024. It used massive firepower to protect its forces, which advanced only as fast as its bulldozers could clear routes.And it didn’t attack in multiple sectors simultaneously, as military doctrine would anticipate. Israel’s military started with Gaza City, then shifted to Khan Younis in December, and — faced with threats from the US Biden administration — only began its Rafah operation in May 2024.Nor can Israel’s coalition politics be ignored. There was a largely political consensus within the coalition and even in the Zionist opposition parties over the necessity and goals of the campaigns in Lebanon and Iran.Moreover, Lebanon is the only territory Israel has conquered and has not established settlements, and there is no real political push to do so from the right flank of Netanyahu’s coalition.Gaza is another story. The far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, and many elected officials in Netanyahu’s own Likud party have publicly called for Israel to restore Jewish communities that were uprooted in 2005.Netanyahu isn’t about to approve such a move, but as is his wont, he hasn’t definitively poured water on the idea either. If he loses Smotrich and Ben Gvir, his government falls. Though they are unlikely to bring down the coalition, Netanyahu seems extremely cautious when it comes to their vision for Gaza.This reality has kept Netanyahu from formulating a clear plan for a post-Hamas Gaza. Without an endpoint, there has been no effort to actively craft a government for Gaza that could replace Hamas.It may be that Trump is the one who solves this issue for Israel. According to reports this week, he and Netanyahu agreed on a grand vision that would see the war in Gaza end, Arab states take over until the Palestinian Authority is ready, and Saudi Arabia and Syria normalize ties with Israel.Netanyahu, not surprisingly, released a statement calling the reports a fiction, but that is generally understood as a nod to his coalition partners.If Trump’s vision doesn’t come to pass, Israel will continue to enjoy its newfound status as the undisputed military power in the region. It will batter Hezbollah when it needs to, and could well carry out more strikes on a cowed and confused Islamic Republic.Meanwhile, in Gaza, the much-touted spring offensive will bleed into summer, with costs piling up for Israeli soldiers and Gazan civilians, hostages in daily peril, and no clear end in sight. link Army tells civilians to leave northern Gaza again as offensive ratchets up
The IDF re-issues a wide evacuation warning for Palestinians in the Gaza City and Jabalia areas in the northern Gaza Strip.
The area was already ordered to evacuate on May 29, and has been part of a no-go zone since.
Civilians are instructed to head for the Mawasi area on the coast in Gaza’s south.
“The IDF is operating with extreme force in these areas, and these military operations will escalate, intensify, and extend westward to the city center to destroy the capabilities of the terrorist organizations,” says the IDF’s Arabic-language spokesperson Col. Avichay Adraee in a post on X.
“Hamas is bringing a disaster upon you. Returning to dangerous combat zones poses a danger to your lives,” he adds.
- 'It's a Killing Field': IDF Soldiers Ordered to Shoot Deliberately at Unarmed Gazans Waiting for Humanitarian Aid
UN nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi says Iran likely will be able to begin to produce enriched uranium “in a matter of months,” despite damage to several nuclear facilities from US and Israeli attacks, CBS News says.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says the extent of the damage to the nuclear sites is “serious,” but that the details are unknown, while US President Donald Trump insists Iran’s nuclear program has been set back “decades.”
But Grossi, the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, says “some is still standing.”
“They can have, you know, in a matter of months, I would say, a few cascades of centrifuges spinning and producing enriched uranium, or less than that,” Grossi said Friday, according to a transcript of the interview released Saturday.
Another key question is whether Iran was able to relocate some or all of its estimated 408.6-kilo (900-pound) stockpile of highly enriched uranium before the attacks.
The uranium in question is enriched to 60 percent — above levels for civilian usage but below weapons grade. That material, if further refined, would theoretically be sufficient to produce more than nine nuclear bombs.
Grossi admitted to CBS: “We don’t know where this material could be.”
“So some could have been destroyed as part of the attack, but some could have been moved. So there has to be, at some point, a clarification,” he says in the interview.
For now, Iranian lawmakers voted to suspend cooperation with the IAEA and Tehran rejected Grossi’s request for a visit to the damaged sites, especially Fordo, the main uranium enrichment facility, which was struck by the US last Sunday.
“We need to be in a position to ascertain, to confirm what is there, and where is it and what happened,” Grossi said. link Everything that has happened with Iran and nuclear development are the fruits of the stupidity of Netanyahu and Trump when Netanyahu convinced Trump to leave the nuclear agreement signed in the previous Obama Administration. That agreement would have given us 10-15 years on full inspections and verifications of the Iran Nuclear Program of which they would not have been allowed to enrich uranium. Trump's leaving the agreement eliminated all the rules and gave Iran the green light to do whatever they wanted. And that is what brought us to the disastrous situation we have been at.
Gaza and the South
IDF officers and soldiers told Haaretz they were
ordered to fire at unarmed crowds near food
distribution sites in Gaza, even when no threat was
present. Hundreds of Palestinians have been killed,
prompting the military prosecution to call for a review
into possible war crimes ■ Netanyahu, Katz reject
claims, call them 'blood libels'
Israeli soldiers in Gaza told Haaretz that the army has
deliberately fired at Palestinians near aid distribution sites over
the past month.
Conversations with officers and soldiers reveal that commanders
ordered troops to shoot at crowds to drive them away or disperse
them, even though it was clear they posed no threat.
One soldier described the situation as a total breakdown of the
Israel Defense Forces' ethical codes in Gaza.
According to the Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza, 549
people have been killed near aid centers and in areas where
residents were waiting for UN food trucks since May 27. Over
4,000 have been wounded, but the exact number of those killed
or injured by IDF fire remains unclear.
Haaretz has learned that the Military Advocate General has
instructed the IDF General Staff's Fact-Finding Assessment
Mechanism – a body tasked with reviewing incidents involving
potential violations of the laws of war – to investigate suspected
war crimes at these sites.
In a statement released following publication of this exposΓ©,
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel
Katz rejected the claims, which they called "blood libels."
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) aid centers began
operating in the Strip at the end of May. The circumstances of
the foundation's establishment and its funding are murky: it is
known to have been set up by Israel in coordination with U.S.
evangelicals and private security contractors. Its current CEO is
an evangelical leader close to U.S. President Donald Trump and
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The GHF operates four food distribution sites – three in
southern Gaza and one in the center – known in the IDF as
"rapid distribution centers" (Mahpazim). They are staffed by
American and Palestinian workers and secured by the IDF from a
distance of several hundred meters.
Thousands, and at times tens of thousands, of Gazans arrive
daily to collect food from these sites.
Contrary to the foundation's initial promises, distribution is
chaotic, with crowds rushing the piles of boxes. Since the rapid
distribution centers opened, Haaretz has counted 19 shooting
incidents near them. While the shooters' identities are not
always clear, the IDF does not permit armed individuals in these
humanitarian zones without its knowledge.
The distribution centers typically open for just one hour each
morning. According to officers and soldiers who served in their
areas, the IDF fires at people who arrive before opening hours to
prevent them from approaching, or again after the centers close,
to disperse them. Since some of the shooting incidents occurred
at night – ahead of the opening – it's possible that some
civilians couldn't see the boundaries of the designated area.
"It's a killing field," one soldier said.
"Where I was stationed, between one and five people were killed every day. They're treated like a hostile force – no crowd-control measures, no tear gas – just live fire with everything imaginable: heavy machine guns, grenade launchers, mortars. Then, once the center opens, the shooting stops, and they know they can approach. Our form of communication is gunfire."
The soldier added, "We open fire early in the morning if
someone tries to get in line from a few hundred meters away,
and sometimes we just charge at them from close range. But
there's no danger to the forces.
" According to him, "I'm not aware of a single instance of return fire. There's no enemy, no weapons." He also said the activity in his area of service is referred to as Operation Salted Fish – the name of the Israeli version of the children's game "Red light, green light"
.
IDF officers told Haaretz that the army does not allow the public
in Israel or abroad to see footage of what takes place around the
food distribution sites. According to them, the army is satisfied
that the GHF's operations have prevented a total collapse of
international legitimacy for continuing the war. They believe the
IDF has managed to turn Gaza into a "backyard, " especially
since the war with Iran began.
"Gaza doesn't interest anyone anymore, " said a reservist who
completed another round of duty in the northern Strip this week.
"It's become a place with its own set of rules. The loss of human
life means nothing. It's not even an 'unfortunate incident, ' like
they used to say."
An officer serving in the security detail of a distribution center
described the IDF's approach as deeply flawed: "Working with a
civilian population when your only means of interaction is
opening fire – that's highly problematic, to say the least, " he
told Haaretz.
"It's neither ethically nor morally acceptable for people to have to reach, or fail to reach, a [humanitarian zone] under tank fire, snipers and mortar shells."
The officer explained that the security on the sites is organized
into several tiers. Inside the distribution centers and the
"corridor" leading to them are American workers, and the IDF is
not permitted to operate in that space. A more external layer is
made up of Palestinian supervisors, some of them armed and
affiliated with the Abu Shabab militia.
The IDF's security perimeter includes tanks, snipers, and
mortars whose purpose, according to the officer, is to protect
those present and ensure the aid distribution can take place.
"At night, we open fire to signal to the population that this is a
combat zone and they mustn't come near, " the officer said.
"Once, " he recounted, "the mortars stopped firing, and we saw
people starting to approach. So we resumed fire to make it clear
they weren't allowed to. In the end, one of the shells landed on a
group of people."
In other cases, he said, "We fired machine guns from tanks and
threw grenades. There was one incident where a group of
civilians was hit while advancing under the cover of fog. It
wasn't intentional, but these things happen."
He noted that there were also casualties and injuries among IDF
soldiers in these incidents.
"A combat brigade doesn't have the tools to handle a civilian population in a war zone. Firing mortars to keep hungry people away is neither professional nor humane. I know there are Hamas operatives among them, but there are also people who simply want to receive aid. As a country, we have a responsibility to ensure that happens safely," the officer said.
The officer pointed to another issue with the distribution centers
– their lack of consistency. Residents don't know when each
center will open, which adds to the pressure on the sites and
contributes to harm to civilians.
I don't know who's making the decisions, but we give
instructions to the population and then either don't follow
through with them or change them, " he said.
"Earlier this month, there were cases where we were notified a
message had gone out saying the center would open in the
afternoon, and people showed up early in the morning to be first
in line for food. Because they arrived too early, the distribution
was canceled that day."
Contractors as sheriffs
According to accounts from commanders and fighters, the IDF
was supposed to maintain a safe distance from Palestinian
population areas and food distribution points. However, the
actions of the forces on the ground do not align with the
operational plans.
"Today, any private contractor working in Gaza with
engineering equipment receives 5,000 [roughly $1,500] shekels
for every house they demolish," said a veteran fighter.
"They're making a fortune. From their perspective, any moment where they don't demolish houses is a loss of money, and the forces have to secure their work. The contractors, who act like a kind of sheriff, demolish wherever they want along the entire front."
As a result, the fighter added, the contractors' demolition
campaign brings them, along with their relatively small security
details, close to distribution points or along the routes used by
aid trucks.
In order [for the contractors] to protect themselves, a shooting
incident breaks out, and people are killed, " he said.
"These are areas where Palestinians are allowed to be – we're the ones who moved closer and decided [they] endangered us. So, for a contractor to make another 5,000 shekels and take down a
house, it's deemed acceptable to kill people who are only looking
for food."
A senior officer whose name repeatedly comes up in testimonies
about the shootings near aid sites is Brigadier General Yehuda
Vach, commander of the IDF's Division 252. Haaretz previously
reported how Vach turned the Netzarim corridor into a deadly
route, endangered soldiers on the ground, and was suspected of
ordering the destruction of a hospital in Gaza without
authorization.
Now, an officer in the division says Vach decided to disperse
gatherings of Palestinians waiting for UN aid trucks by opening
fire.
"This is Vach's policy, " the officer said, "but many of the
commanders and soldiers accepted it without question. [The
Palestinians] are not supposed to be there, so the idea is to make
sure they clear out, even if they're just there for food."
Vach's division is not the only one operating in the area, and it's
possible that other officers also gave orders to fire at people
seeking aid.
A reserve tank soldier who recently served with Division 252 in
northern Gaza confirmed the reports and explained the IDF's
"deterrence procedure" for dispersing civilians who gather in
violation of military orders.
"The teenagers waiting for the trucks hide behind dirt mounds
and rush them as they pass or stop at distribution points, " he
said.
"We usually see them from hundreds of meters away; it's
not a situation where they pose a threat to us."
In one incident, the soldier was instructed to fire a shell toward a
crowd gathered near the coastline.
"Technically, it's supposed to be warning fire – either to push people back or stop them from advancing, " he said.
"But lately, firing shells has just become
standard practice. Every time we fire, there are casualties and
deaths, and when someone asks why a shell is necessary, there's
never a good answer. Sometimes, merely asking the question
annoys the commanders."
In that case, some people began to flee after the shell was fired,
and according to the soldier, other forces subsequently opened
fire on them.
"If it's meant to be a warning shot, and we see them running back to Gaza, why shoot at them?" he asked.
"Sometimes we're told they're still hiding, and we need to fire in
their direction because they haven't left. But it's obvious they
can't leave if the moment they get up and run, we open fire."
The soldier said this has become routine.
"You know it's not right. You feel it's not right – that the commanders here are taking the law into their own hands. But Gaza is a parallel universe. You move on quickly. The truth is, most people don't even stop to think about it. "
Earlier this week, soldiers from Division 252 opened fire at an
intersection where civilians were waiting for aid trucks. A
commander on the ground gave the order to fire directly at the
center of the junction, resulting in the deaths of eight civilians,
including teenagers. The incident was brought to the attention
of Southern Command chief Maj. Gen. Yaniv Asor, but so far,
aside from a preliminary review, he has taken no action and has
not demanded an explanation from Vach regarding the high
number of fatalities in his sector.
"I was at a similar event. From what we heard, more than ten
people were killed there, " said another senior reserve officer
commanding forces in the area.
"When we asked why they opened fire, we were told it was an order from above and that the civilians had posed a threat to the troops. I can say with certainty that the people were not close to the forces and did not endanger them. It was pointless – they were just killed, for nothing. This thing called killing innocent people – it's been normalized. We were constantly told there are no noncombatants in Gaza, and apparently that message sank in among the troops. "
A senior officer familiar with the fighting in Gaza believes this
marks a further deterioration in the IDF's moral standards.
"The power that senior field commanders wield in relation to General Staff leadership threatens the chain of command,
" he said.
According to him, "My greatest fear is that the shooting and
harm to civilians in Gaza aren't the result of operational
necessity or poor judgment, but rather the product of an
ideology held by field commanders, which they pass down to the
troops as an operational plan. "
Shelling civilians
In recent weeks, the number of fatalities near food distribution
areas has risen sharply – 57 on June 11, 59 on June 17, and
around 50 on June 24, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. In
response, a discussion was held at Southern Command, where it
emerged that troops had begun dispersing crowds using artillery
shells.
"They talk about using artillery on a junction full of civilians as if
it's normal, " said a military source who attended the meeting.
"An entire conversation about whether it's right or wrong to use
artillery, without even asking why that weapon was needed in
the first place. What concerns everyone is whether it'll hurt our
legitimacy to keep operating in Gaza. The moral aspect is
practically nonexistent. No one stops to ask why dozens of
civilians looking for food are being killed every day."
Another senior officer familiar with the fighting in Gaza said the
normalization of killing civilians has often encouraged firing at
them near the aid distribution centers.
"The fact that live fire is directed at a civilian population –
whether with artillery, tanks, snipers, or drones – goes against
everything the army is supposed to stand for, " he said, criticizing the decisions made on the ground.
"Why are people collecting food being killed just because they stepped out of line, or because some commander doesn't like that they're cutting in?
Why have we reached a point where a teenager is willing to risk
his life just to pull a sack of rice off a truck? And that's who we're
firing artillery at?"
In addition to IDF fire, military sources say some of the fatalities
near the aid distribution centers were caused by gunfire from
militias that the army supports and arms. According to one
officer, the IDF continues to back the Abu Shabab group and
other factions.
"There are many groups that oppose Hamas – Abu Shabab went
several steps further, " he said.
"They control territory that Hamas doesn't enter, and the IDF encourages that. "
Another officer remarked, "I'm stationed there, and even I no
longer know who's shooting at whom. "
In a closed-door meeting this week with senior officials from the
Military Advocate General's Office, held in light of the daily
deaths of dozens of civilians near aid zones, the legal officials
instructed that the incidents be investigated by the IDF General
Staff's Fact-Finding Assessment Mechanism. This body,
established after the Mavi Marmara flotilla incident, is tasked
with examining cases where there is suspected violation of the
laws of war, to fend off international demands to investigate IDF
soldiers for alleged war crimes.
During the meeting, senior legal officials said global criticism
over the killing of civilians is mounting. Senior officers in the
IDF and Southern Command, however, claimed the cases are
isolated and that the gunfire was directed at suspects who posed
a threat to the troops.
A source who attended the meeting told Haaretz that
representatives of the Military Advocate General's Office
rejected the IDF's claims. According to them, the arguments do
not hold up against the facts on the ground.
"The claim that these are isolated cases doesn't align with incidents in which grenades were dropped from the air and mortars and artillery were fired at civilians, " said one legal official.
"This isn't about a few people being killed – we're talking about dozens of casualties every day."
Although the Military Advocate General instructed the Fact-
Finding Assessment Mechanism to examine recent shooting
incidents, these represent only a small portion of the cases in
which hundreds of uninvolved civilians were killed.
Senior IDF officials expressed frustration that the Southern
Command has failed to investigate these incidents thoroughly
and is disregarding civilian deaths in Gaza. According to military
sources, Southern Command chief Maj. Gen. Yaniv Asor typically
conducts only preliminary inquiries, relying mostly on the
accounts of field commanders. He has not taken disciplinary
action against officers whose soldiers harmed civilians, despite
clear violations of IDF orders and the laws of war.
An IDF spokesperson responded: "Hamas is a brutal terrorist
organization that starves the Gazan population and endangers
them to maintain its rule in the Gaza Strip. Hamas does
everything in its power to prevent the successful distribution of
food in Gaza and to disrupt humanitarian aid. The IDF allows the
American civil society organization (GHF) to operate
independently and distribute aid to Gaza residents. The IDF
operates near the new distribution areas to enable distribution
while continuing operational activities in the Strip."
"As part of their operational conduct in the vicinity of the main
access roads to the distribution centers, IDF forces are
conducting systematic learning processes to improve their
operational response in the area and minimize, as much as
possible, potential friction between the population and IDF
forces. Recently, forces worked to reorganize the area by placing
new fences, signage, opening additional routes, and more.
Following incidents where there were reports of harm to
civilians arriving at distribution centers, in-depth investigations
were conducted, and instructions were given to forces on the
ground based on lessons learned. These incidents were referred
for examination by the General Staff's debriefing mechanism."
The Israeli army issued an additional response following
publication of this exposΓ©, saying it "strongly rejects the
accusation raised in the article - the IDF did not instruct the
forces to deliberately shoot at civilians, including those
approaching the distribution centers. To be clear, IDF directives
prohibit deliberate attacks on civilians."
The army added that "any allegation of a deviation from the law
or IDF directives will be thoroughly examined, and further
action will be taken as necessary. The allegations of deliberate
fire toward civilians presented in the article are not recognized
in the field." link
IDF eliminates Hamas founder linked to October 7 attack in Gaza
Palestinian reports say Hamas military trainer Hakham Al-Issa was killed in Gaza strike, marking another blow to the terror group’s leadership and operational infrastructure
The IDF launched an airstrike in Gaza on Friday targeting Hakham Muhammad Issa Al-Issa, a senior Hamas terrorist believed to have played a key role in planning the October 7 massacre and developing the group’s training infrastructure.According to Palestinian reports, Al-Issa was killed in the strike along with his wife and grandson, with the IDF Spokesperson later confirming he was eliminated in the strike."In the past, Issa led Hamas’ force-buildup efforts in the Gaza Strip, was one of the founders of its military wing, served as Head of the Training Headquarters, and was a member of Hamas’ General Security Council. Additionally, Issa played a significant role in the planning and execution of the brutal October 7 massacre," the military said in a statement.Al-Issa, who entered Gaza from Syria in 2005, is considered a central figure in shaping Hamas’ military capabilities. He brought with him combat experience from Iraq and Syria, combined with advanced scientific and technical knowledge and helped establish the military academy of Hamas’s military wing.According to Hamas sources, Al-Issa trained thousands of terrorists and had significant influence over the group's operational and technological structure. Palestinian sources said he was one of the masterminds behind Hamas’ training and development infrastructure—making him a high-value intelligence target for years.His reported killing comes a week after the IDF and Shin Bet announced the elimination of Ali Saadi Wasfi al-Agha, a senior terrorist in the Palestinian Mujahideen Movement terror group, who was poised to take over as its leader.The group was involved in the murder and abduction of Shiri, Ariel and Kfir Bibas, as well as Judy Weinstein and Gadi Haggai.Over the past week, the IDF Southern Command, guided by Shin Bet intelligence, has struck more than 300 terror targets across Gaza, including operatives, military compounds, weapons storage sites, anti-tank positions and sniper nests.One of those strikes, on June 16, killed Alaa at a hideout in central Gaza. According to the IDF and Shin Bet, Alaa served as the military commander of the group’s southern brigade and was set to replace Asaad Abu Sharia, who was eliminated earlier this month. linkGazans report 5 killed by Israeli fire near aid site
Palestinians inspect damaged tents after an Israeli strike hit a displacement camp in Gaza City, Saturday, June 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)Palestinian and Arab media outlets report that five people were killed and dozens more injured by Israeli army fire near an aid distribution site operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation in the Rafah area of the southern Gaza Strip.
No footage from the scene has been published so far. There is no comment from the Israel Defense Forces.
According to health authorities in the Hamas-run Strip, nearly 500 people have been killed by suspected Israeli forces near GHF aid distribution sites, which are set up in areas controlled by the IDF and far from population centers. GHF has denied responsibility for the deaths, noting that it is operating in a war zone.
- Syria demands halt to Israeli strikes as part of indirect negotiations
The London-based Arabic newspaper "Asharq Al-Awsat" reported from sources in Damascus close to the Syrian government that as part of indirect negotiations with Israel, Syria is demanding a halt to Israeli strikes and incursions into Syrian territory, and is calling for a return to the agreement signed in 1974, while Israel is interested in establishing a buffer zone. The sources did not rule out the possibility of reaching an agreement through negotiations that would pave the way for a permanent agreementHeading for a deal? Syrian sources confirm 'we're in talks with Israel' as conditions form
Damascus and Jerusalem explore indirect talks, with al-Sharaa pushing for Israeli withdrawal while country seeks security guarantees and a revised buffer zone agreement
Discussions about a potential Israel-Syria agreement continued in Arab media Saturday. London-based Saudi newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat published an article titled: "Is Syria Ready for Peace with Israel?" Sources close to Damascus’ government told the paper that indirect negotiations are underway with regional and international backing—previously acknowledged by Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa."Syria demands an end to Israeli attacks and incursions into its territory and seeks a return to the 1974 Disengagement Agreement. Israel aims to establish a new buffer zone and a security deal, paving the way for future comprehensive peace is likely."The sources ruled out an immediate permanent agreement but left room for a framework leading to permanent or Abraham Accords-style deals. They described a rapidly evolving process, with Damascus relying on Arab mediation to preserve sovereignty and hoping Western pressure will compel Israel to "stop the attacks."Al-Sharaa strongly desires a deal but conditions it on swift Israeli withdrawal from positions inside Syria—a demand Jerusalem opposes. Talks reportedly explore delaying or softening withdrawals. Informed sources suggest Syria is pushing more urgently for a settlement than Israel.The deal referenced by Syria established ceasefire lines and a UN-monitored buffer zone (UNDOF) after the 1973 Yom Kippur War. Israel withdrew from the Syrian salient, Mount Hermon peaks and areas near Quneitra. The agreement held until December 2023, when IDF forces entered the buffer zone after Bashar Assad’s regime fell.Under al-Sharaa, the border dynamic shifted: Israel now operates in previously demilitarized zones and demanded full demilitarization south of Damascus. This month, Emirati site Aram News reported Syria’s General Security Directorate preparing to deploy troops in southern Syria for the first time since Assad’s ouster—allegedly with Israeli approval and U.S. pressure. Recent incidents between IDF forces and buffer-zone residents were also reported. Lebanon’s Al-Mayadeen network claimed residents in Syria’s Sayyida (Golan) area "refuse Israeli aid." Al-Sharaa confirmed indirect talks during a May press conference in Paris with French President Emmanuel Macron, calling them "negotiations to calm tensions and prevent loss of control." He stressed Syria threatens no regional state, including Israel. Syrian political researcher Wael al-Ajji told Asharq Al-Awsat: "Comprehensive peace with Israel is premature. The new Syrian government has more urgent priorities." He cited public exhaustion from wars and previous regimes’ "cynical exploitation" of the Palestinian issue, noting Damascus seeks "improved living conditions, civil peace and national unity—not conflicts." Al-Ajji added that "international law and UN resolutions clearly define Syrian rights and territorial sovereignty," calling legal avenues "the best, safest and cheapest option." U.S. Envoy Steve Witkoff hinted last week at imminent announcements of additional Abraham Accords signatories. Lebanese MTV reported that Thomas Burke, U.S. Special Envoy for Syria, urged Beirut during meetings to "join the international trend," noting the Abraham Accords "train is moving fast, especially in Syria, which has opened rapidly to solutions." link - Troops carried out multiple raids in Syria in recent days, IDF says
Over the past week, Israeli troops conducted several raids in southern Syria, the IDF says.
Reservists of the Alexandroni Brigade nabbed several terror suspects and brought them to Israel for questioning, and raided weapon depots, according to the military.
The IDF has been deployed to nine posts inside southern Syria since the fall of the Assad regime in December, mostly within a UN-patrolled buffer zone on the border between the countries.
Troops have been operating in areas up to around 15 kilometers (9 miles) deep into Syria, aiming to capture weapons that Israel says could pose a threat to the country if they fall into the hands of “hostile forces.”
- Lapid lambastes Smotrich for comments against soldiers
Opposition Leader Yair Lapid lashes out at Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich for criticizing Israeli soldiers who used live fire while trying to contain a group of violent settlers during a Friday night riot, joining others in his Yesh Atid Party who have spoken out against the hard-right politician.
“Jewish terrorists beat IDF soldiers, punched a battalion commander defending them and Smotrich says that the ones who ‘crossed the line’ are not the extremist criminals but actually the IDF soldiers there to protect them,” Lapid writes on X. “Our lives are in the hands of criminals.”
Friday night saw throngs of rioting settlers attack soldiers at the Palestinian village of Kafr Malik near Ramallah, after the forces arrived there to prevent them from rampaging in the village. Six Israelis were arrested following the violence. Smotrich expressed anger at reports that troops fired in the air during the incident.
Dvir Kariv, a former top official with the Shin Bet’s division tasked with dealing with Jewish terror, tells the Ynet news site that violent settlers are being emboldened by Smotrich and fellow far-right politician Itamar Ben Gvir, Israel national security minister.
“The hilltop youth feel they have a tailwind from the leadership, from Smotrich and Ben Gvir, and so they are ramping up [violence,]” he says, claiming that the Shin Bet is actually making more use of administrative detention, which allows them to hold suspects without charge, in reaction to Ben Gvir. “Hilltop youth are humiliating IDF soldiers and need to be punished severely. The moment Smotrich and Ben Gvir don’t issue condemnations, [the violence] intensifies. They are backing it.” link Smotrich and Ben Gvir are the major instigators, enablers and provacatours of this extreme Jewish terrorism. Not only will they never condemn such actions but they then criticize the soldiers as though they were the attackers and not the attacked. We have seen that neither of them have any regard for life, only their extreme messianic ideologies and if people get hurt or killed in the name of their ideologies, so be it. These are senior ministers in a failed and corrupt government that has fought the rule of law for so long that lawlessness is applauded.
- Shin Bet says 60 Hamas members nabbed in largest West Bank anti-terror operation in decade
Weapons captured by Israeli forces from a Hamas network in the Hebron area of the West Bank, in a handout photo published June 29, 2025. (Shin Bet)The Shin Bet security agency says it arrested over 60 Hamas operatives in recent months as part of one of the largest crackdowns on a West Bank terror network in recent years.In a statement, the agency says that in the past three months during joint operations with the IDF and police, “a significant, complex, and large-scale Hamas infrastructure was exposed in Hebron,” accusing those involved of planning a variety of types of attacks “in the immediate time frame.”“This is the largest and most complex investigation by the Shin Bet in the Judea and Samaria area in the past decade,” a senior Shin Bet official says in a statement, referring to the West Bank.The Shin Bet says its interrogations found that senior Hamas operatives from the Hebron area, most of whom were formerly jailed by Israel, “worked to recruit, arm, and train additional Hamas operatives from the area to carry out shooting and bombing attacks against Israeli targets.”“It was also revealed that members of the infrastructure conducted firearms training, gathered intelligence on Israeli targets, manufactured explosive material, and assembled explosive devices, all with the aim of carrying out major attacks on behalf of Hamas” in the West Bank and in Israel, the agency says. No attacks were actually carried out, though some of those arrested were accused of having taken part in a deadly shooting nearly 15 years ago.
A Hamas hideout area in the Hebron area of the West Bank, in a handout photo published June 29, 2025. (Shin Bet)Over 60 members of Hamas involved in 10 linked terror cells were detained by Israeli forces, the Shin Bet says. During their interrogations, they provided information that led to even more suspects, though no details are provided about the other arrests.The Shin Bet says it also captured 22 firearms and 11 grenades, along with other weapons, and large amounts of ammunition. Additionally, an underground arsenal and hideout was uncovered, it says.Based on information provided under interrogation, some of those arrested are accused of involvement in an August 2010 shooting attack at Bani Naim Junction near Hebron, in which four Israelis — Yitzhak and Tali Ames, and two passengers in their car, Kochava Even Chaim and Avishai Schindler — were murdered.Soldiers guard as an army bulldozer blocks the road near the West Bank village of Bani Naim, January 11, 2017. (Wisam Hashlamoun/Flash90)Additionally, the interrogations led to the arrests of several suspects involved in supplying guns to a Hamas cell that shot and killed Cpl. Avraham Fetena, a Military Police soldier in a November 2023 attack on a West Bank checkpoint on Route 60, south of Jerusalem, the Shin Bet says.“The exposure of the infrastructure, which operated covertly while maintaining compartmentalization between the different cells, constitutes a significant thwarting of Hamas’s intentions to carry out a series of major attacks in Israel,” the Shin Bet official adds.Indictments are being filed against the suspects, accusing them of severe crimes, including heading a terror organization, and the equivalent of attempted murder and attempted conspiracy to murder.
- Politics and the War and General News
After Trump intervenes again, critics accuse Netanyahu of trading Gaza deal for end of trial
Opposition politicians accuse Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of selling out Israel’s national security for his own personal interests, after US President Donald Trump demanded for the second time the cancellation of the premier’s ongoing criminal trial.
Democrats MK Naama Lazimi argues that by “trading his indictment in exchange for a political settlement and an end to the war,” Netanyahu demonstrated his unfitness for office, alleging that he is “conditioning the future of Israel and our children on his trial.”
“Those behind President Trump’s tweet are Netanyahu and his corrupt gang,” agrees fellow Democrats lawmaker Gilad Kariv, condemning Netanyahu and his circle’s “willingness to ‘play’ with the national security of the State of Israel and the issue of the hostages in order to save Netanyahu from conviction in court.”
Netanyahu is “acting against the Israeli public interest” by linking his legal troubles with the issue of the hostages and regional normalization agreements, tweets Yesh Atid MK Karine Elharrar, charging that Trump’s post had conditioned US aid on the prime minister’s trial.
In a late night post on his Truth Social platform, Trump stated that the United States was “not going to stand” for the continued prosecution of Netanyahu, whom he described as a “war hero” targeted by “out-of-control prosecutors.”
Trump argued that “this travesty of ‘justice’ will interfere with both Iran and Hamas negotiations.”
“The United States of America spends billions of dollar(s) a year, far more than on any other nation, protecting and supporting Israel,” noted Trump in what some in Israel took as an implicit threat.
“MAKE THE DEAL IN GAZA. GET THE HOSTAGES BACK!!!” he added in a second post on Saturday night.
In a lengthy Truth Social post on Thursday evening, Trump professed to be shocked that Israel was “continuing its ridiculous Witch Hunt against their Great War Time Prime Minister,” declaring that his trial “should be CANCELLED, IMMEDIATELY, or a Pardon given to a Great Hero, who has done so much for the State.” link
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanks US President Donald Trump after he demands for a second time within days that Israeli prosecutors drop the graft cases against the premier, appearing to welcome foreign intervention in domestic judicial proceedings. link It is clear to everyone that Trump's posts and intended interfering in Israel's judicial system was a conspiracy hatched by the 2 buddies and the timing was well planned. Netanyahu is terribly afraid of his trials running their full course without the judicial overthrow fully in place. He doesn't stop requesting delays to his trial or to have the court days shortened by many hours. He tries to fool the court that it is all for important things that he has to do as Prime Minister but a great deal of it is more and more delay tactics. If the trial runs its full course and concludes, Netanyahu is so afraid that he will be found guilty and be sent to prison. This worries him almost as much, maybe more, than losing the next elections. With his renewed partnership with Trump, he has enlisted him in his efforts that have all of the charges thrown out and the court case to be considered over. He poison machine is now working overtime to get this to happen and we are hearing voices from among his dedicated cronies that he be allowed to run the country and not have to deal with the court cases. From the beginning when it was said he should step down as Prime Minister in order to be involved in his criminal hearings, he contended that he could be prime minister at the same time as running his cases. The court was skeptical but gave in to him. Now, it is very obvious that he is not capable of running the country and be serious about his trials at the same time. Now, with the enlistment of Trump to interfere with our legal system, it is clear that Netanyahu truly sees himself above all laws and is not at all equal to anyone else. Strictly for this reason alone, the trials have to continue and ideally, he should be made to leave the premiership, at least while the trials are running and they, it will depend on the verdicts.
- The Region and the World
Acronyms and Glossary
ICC - International Criminal Court in the Hague
IJC - International Court of Justice in the Hague
MDA - Magen David Adom - Israel Ambulance Corp
PA - Palestinian Authority - President Mahmud Abbas, aka Abu Mazen
PMO- Prime Minister's Office
UAV - Unmanned Aerial vehicle, Drone. Could be used for surveillance and reconnaissance, or be weaponized with missiles or contain explosives for 'suicide' explosion mission
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