π️Lonny's War Update- October 633, 2023 - June 30, 2025 π️
π️Day 633 that 50 of our hostages are still in Hamas captivityπ️
Senior Israeli official says Israel working actively on Gaza hostage deal
Demonstrators protest for the release of hostages held by Palestinian terrorists in the Gaza Strip, outside the Kirya military headquarters in Tel Aviv, June 28, 2025. (Erik Marmor/Flash90)Israel continues to work actively on a hostage release/ceasefire deal in Gaza, a senior Israeli official tells The Times of Israel.
“There are ongoing contacts through the mediating countries, and we are in continuous contact with the Americans,” says the official.
Overnight, US President Donald Trump called for Israel to “make the deal in Gaza” amid renewed efforts to broker a ceasefire and end the war.
Aunt of hostage Rom Braslavski seeks greater support for her heroic nephew
Anat Braslavski Ben-Menahem speaks about her nephew’s courageous acts on Oct 7, contact with released hostage Sasha Troufanov and the relief of seeing Rom in an Islamic Jihad video
When hostage Rom Braslavski is finally released from Islamic Jihad captivity in Gaza, his aunt Anat Braslavski plans on taking him to Los Angeles to repeat a trip he took there a decade ago.“I envision that all the time,” said Braslavski, who lives in California’s San Fernando Valley. “He loves America, and I would love to bring a hero back to our country. That’s my message to the current administration. We need to yell that through a megaphone.”
After months of avoiding media, given concerns about Rom’s status as an active soldier who was off-duty when he was taken captive on October 7, his family in the US is speaking out, looking to bring attention to the young man who is about to mark 21 months of captivity in Gaza.
Braslavski Ben-Menahem, her son Roye Ben-Menahem, and her mother Yael Braslavski spoke to The Times of Israel on a video conference on Friday.
“He’s 21 now; he’s had two birthdays in captivity,” Anat said of her nephew. She is the only sibling of Rom’s father, Offir Braslavski, who lives in Jerusalem.
Roye, Rom’s first cousin and a medical student at Western University in Pomona Valley, said that when he gave a talk about his cousin and the hostage situation at the University of California, Riverside last December, it was just as Rom was turning 21 in captivity.
“I asked the students what they did for their 21st birthday,” said Roye. “It made them think about the reality of his situation.”
Left to right: Anat Braslavski Ben-Menahem, Roye Ben-Menahem and Yael Braslavski, relatives of hostage Rom Braslavski, on June 27, 2025 (Video screenshot)Braslavski was taken hostage on October 7, 2023, from the Nova desert rave, where he was working as a security guard during a long weekend off from his army service.
Now, 21 months later, his family has heard from survivors how Braslavski rescued partygoers and encouraged others to keep running to escape the massacre that unfolded that day, when more than 5,000 Hamas-led terrorists invaded southern Israel, killing some 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages, during acts of brutality and sexual assault.
Rom was not taken hostage until hours after the initial 6:30 a.m. attack, sometime between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.
During those first days after October 7, the Braslavski family in Los Angeles, including Rom’s grandmother, his aunt, and the rest of the family, assumed the worst must have happened and that Rom had been killed by Hamas terrorists during the onslaught.
“They were waiting for the knock on the door,” said Braslavski Ben-Menahem.
When the family was notified nearly two weeks later that Rom had been taken hostage, it offered them some hope.
“We’re still holding onto that hope,” said Braslavski Ben-Menahem.
Varda Ben Baruch, grandmother of Idan Alexander, and Ofir Braslavski, father of Rom Braslavski, call for their release from Hamas captivity, outside the Prime Minister’s Office, in Jerusalem, January 23, 2025. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)Now, as the families of the 50 hostages who remain in Gaza (many of them no longer alive) are about to mark 21 months of captivity for their loved ones, the extended Braslavski family in the US is working on obtaining dual citizenship for Rom.
They tried to obtain American citizenship for Rom after he was first taken captive, but were unable to do so since he was already 19 and no longer a minor.
“You see how America has helped with the hostage situation,” said Braslavski Ben-Menahem. “We are American citizens. I’ve been here for 30 years, my mother has been here for 27 years.”
Now, Rom’s father is seeking German citizenship due to the family’s German roots, something they believe may be more achievable with the new conservative government in place in Berlin.
Braslavski Ben-Menahem is also trying to meet with US Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff.
“I’m glad that the hostages are back in the news after the conflict with Iran,” she said.
“Now is the right time to really push for the release of all the hostages,” said Roye Ben-Menahem. “The Iranian gravy train for Hamas and all the other terror organizations is gone now that Iran is focused on rebuilding itself.”
Still, said Yael Braslavski, Rom’s paternal grandmother, “It looks like nothing helps.”
There have been some moments of hope in the last 21 months.
Hostage Rom Braslavski speaks in a propaganda video newly cleared for publication by his family on April 22, 2025. (Screenshot/X)When Rom appeared in an Islamic Jihad propaganda video released in April of this year, he spoke of his suffering, the lack of food and water, and his sicknesses, raising his shirt to show red sores on his stomach. It was the first time Rom’s family and friends had seen him since he was taken captive.
“Oh my God, it was hard to see,” recalled Anat.
“It was also a relief,” said Roye. “He was skinny, his eyes were sunken, and he was clearly acting the whole time, not speaking his own words, but it was him; it was Rom.”
In the propaganda video, Rom called out the Israeli government and army for bombing Gaza.
“The tone of his voice didn’t sound like him,” said Anat. “It was clear that it was PIJ telling him what to say.”
A few weeks later, the Los Angeles portion of the family met with released hostage Sasha Troufanov, who had been held briefly with Rom in captivity and who was freed as part of the January 2025 ceasefire.
“He’s such a nice guy,” said Anat. “He told us about Rom, about the time they were held together. He shared some details.”
Most significantly, Troufanov confirmed that hostages taken captive by Islamic Jihad are generally held alone, as Troufanov was for much of his captivity, sometimes left chained by himself in a dark tunnel.
“I told [Rom’s father] Offir, ‘See how Trump is involved and how [Russian President Vladimir] Putin did get Sasha [Troufanov] out,” said Anat.
Days before Troufanov’s release from PIJ captivity in February, a deputy Russian foreign minister met with a senior Hamas official in Moscow and urged the terror group to keep “promises” to release Troufanov, a dual Russian-Israeli citizen, and Maxim Herkin, an Israeli hostage from the Donbas area of Ukraine who has Russian relatives. Herkin is still held in Gaza.
Rom’s family spoke of the support they feel from the Israeli and Jewish communities in Los Angeles and also noted the sense that more could be done to help Rom and the other hostages.
Roye, who is president of the Jewish club at his medical school, said fellow Jewish students are supportive, and everyone knows about his cousin, but the family often feels that they do not have anyone to turn to for support or help in their ongoing plight.
“No one has contacted me from the Israeli embassy,” said Anat. “Sometimes I don’t know who to talk to.” Link
Brother of slain hostage Itzik Elgarat reveals he died during Hamas interrogation
Danny Elgarat, the brother of slain hostage Itzik Elgarat, speaks during a National Security Committee meeting at the Knesset on March 10, 2025. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)Danny Elgarat, the brother of slain hostage Itzik Elgarat, reveals that he was informed on Sunday that his brother had died of a heart attack while being interrogated by Hamas, which believed he was a pilot.
Elgarat was speaking to the Knesset House Committee. He was later forcibly ejected by Knesset guards after shouting about Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu funding Hamas.
Prior to October 7, Israel had allowed suitcases with millions in Qatari cash to enter Gaza through its crossings since 2018, to maintain its fragile ceasefire with the Hamas rulers of the Strip.
Lawmakers yell that Elgarat is engaged in a provocation as he is removed from the chamber. His removal comes immediately after the committee reconvenes following the removal of Hadash-Ta’al MK Ofer Cassif. video It is truly unbelievable that we have Knesset members, who are supposed to be representatives of the people, can be so crass, so unfeeling, so utterly without sympathy to speak like that to the brother of a hostage who was killed in captivity and to dare to have him physically removed from a Knesset committee meeting. This government, these Knesset members have no restraints on how low they can bring themselves and the symbol of the state. DISGUSTING and DISGRACEFUL!
**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
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Red Alerts - Missile, Rocket, Drone (UAV - unmanned aerial vehicles), and Terror Attacks and Death Announcements
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IDF says soldier killed today by explosive device in north Gaza fighting
Sgt. Yisrael Natan Rosenfeld, 20, of the 601st Combat Engineering Battalion. (Israel Defense Forces)
Sgt. Yisrael Natan Rosenfeld, 20, of the 601st Combat Engineering Battalion. (Israel Defense Forces)
An IDF soldier was killed during fighting in the northern Gaza Strip today, the military announces.
The slain soldier is named as Sgt. Yisrael Natan Rosenfeld, 20, of the 601st Combat Engineering Battalion, from Ra’anana.
MAY HIS MEMORY BE A REVOLUTION
According to an initial IDF probe, Rosenfeld was killed by an explosive device during operations in the Kafr Jabalia area.
20 soldiers have been killed in Gaza in June.
These are the 28 victims killed in Iranian missile attacks during the 12-day conflict
From a 95-year-old Holocaust survivor to a 7-year-old Ukrainian cancer patient, the following are those slain in some of the 36 Iranian ballistic missile impactsThe 28 victims of Iranian missiles in June 2025, from top left: Yevgenia Blinder, Eti Cohen Angel, Yisrael Aloni, Manar Khatib, Shada Khatib, Hala Khatib, Manar Khatib, Miki Nahum, Belina Ashkenazi, Efrat Saranga, Meir Vaknin, Mariia Pieshkurova, Daisy Yitzkahi, Hadassah Belo, Kostiantyn Tutevich, Illia Pieshkurov, Anastasia Buryk; Cpl. Eitan Zacks, Noa Boguslavsky, Uri Levy, Igor Fradkin, Daniel Avraham, Avraham Cohen, Naomi Shaanan, Ivette Shmilovitz, Yaakov Belo and Michal Zacks. No image of Olena Sokolova is available. (Composite: TOI/Courtesy)
Twenty-eight people were killed in Israel by Iranian missile attacks during the 12-day conflict between Jerusalem and Tehran — the oldest of whom was a 95-year-old Holocaust survivor, and the youngest of whom was a 7-year-old Ukrainian cancer patient.
Israel launched a preemptive attack in the early morning hours of June 13 on Iranian nuclear and ballistic missile facilities and key targets, to counter Iran’s avowed threat to destroy the Jewish state. Iran responded by firing approximately 550 ballistic missiles and around 1,000 drones at Israel. Most of the missiles were intercepted, but 36 ballistic missile impacts were reported in populated areas, including multiple apartment buildings, as well as on critical infrastructure sites, including a power station in southern Israel and an oil refinery in Haifa.
The Health Ministry said 3,238 people were treated in hospitals around the country for injuries sustained due to the Iranian attacks. Around 240 buildings sustained serious damage, leaving over 13,000 Israelis displaced. Twenty-seven of those killed were civilians, and one was an off-duty soldier at home with his family. Learn about the 28 innocent lives taken by Iranian missiles
Mourners gather at the site of a missile strike in Bat Yam that killed five Ukrainian citizens, following an Iranian attack last week, June 30, 2025. (Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)- Over 1,000 seniors displaced by war, and the government has failed to provide a solution
After her home was destroyed, 77-year-old Alice, who suffers from advanced Parkinson's Disease, found shelter in a retirement home, but she may not be allowed to stay due to the Finance Ministry's reluctance to allot funds
The Iranian missile that hit the home of Alice Kalev in Holon rocked her apartment but also her world. The 77-year-old, who is suffering from advanced Parkinson's Disease in addition to other health concerns, did not want to be evacuated to a hotel out of town, which would not be able to provide the help she needed.She is one of more than 1,000 elderly Israelis who had to evacuate from their home during the fighting against Iran. They are all facing particular challenges, including mobility issues, the need for medical care and the dependence upon proximity to family. Thus far, no adequate solutions have been offered or provided to them.Holon appartment blocks destroyed in an Iranian missile strike(Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg / AP)Kalev was thankfully able to find a room in a retirement facility near her destroyed home. Its management said they assumed they would be reimbursed by the government, but it now appears that the Finance Ministry has been refusing to pay for those among the elderly who were taken in by the retirement home and similar facilities.The distraught Kalev has been allowed to stay for now, but the uncertainty is difficult and adding unnecessary stress. "I don't have strength left in my soul," she told Ynet. "I've been through so many health problems, I don't know what I would do if I were not able to stay here," she said.The government's position is surprising considering the precedent that was put in place after the Oct. 7 massacre. Then, elderly people who were evacuated from the south or the north, and who could not receive the care that they needed in hotels or in other accommodations, could move into retirement facilities at the government's expense, and when that arrangement expired their stay was subsidized according to income.Nahi Katz, who heads a non-profit organization comprising of 200 retirement homes that participated with the government in providing solutions for elderly displaced, said that if the government decides to pay, there are plenty of rooms to house those in need.The Ministry of Welfare and Social Security responded: "Nursing homes and assisted living in Israel are protected according to Home Front Command guidelines. In cases where senior citizens were evacuated from their homes due to missile strikes, the Ministry of Welfare ensured their housing in nursing homes and hotels, where a trained professional team was waiting for them in order to continue the treatment sequence and prevent withdrawal. The ministry is also preparing to examine additional solutions as the emergency continues and as needed." link
After war's end Be'er Sheva reels from Iranian strikes: 4 dead, hospital in ruins, and a city struggling to recover
Three direct hits, including at Soroka hospital: dozens of buildings in Be’er Sheva now deemed unsafe, residents in limbo; Ben-Gurion University badly damaged, hundreds evacuated: 'I thought I was going to die in the shelter
The direct hit by an Iranian missile on Be'er Sheva’s Soroka Medical Center last week marked the start of a devastating wave of rocket attacks across the southern city, leaving residents emotionally shaken and entire neighborhoods in ruins. For many, the moment the hospital — a symbol of life-saving care — was struck, the psychological toll was immediate. “When the place that’s meant to heal you is hit, something deep breaks inside,” said one resident who was evacuated from his home.The attack culminated in tragedy on Tuesday, when a missile slammed into a reinforced shelter in the city, killing four people: Corporal Eitan Zachs, his mother, Michal, 50, his girlfriend Noa Boguslavsky, 18, from Arad, and their neighbor Naomi Shaanan, 73.
Over nearly two weeks, southern Israel endured repeated barrages. On June 20 alone, more than 70 sites across the Negev — many in Be'er Sheva — were struck by shrapnel and interceptor debris. Older residential neighborhoods lacking reinforced rooms suffered serious damage. Soroka, the region’s main hospital serving some 700,000 people, sustained catastrophic damage. The old surgical wing, which took a direct hit, resembled “a scene from an end-of-the-world movie,” said Dr. Yarden Nevo, the hospital’s deputy director. “This is a serious structural issue. A hospital of this scale, completely unfortified,” he explained. Damage estimates range from 500 million shekels to over a billion shekels. Roughly 500 beds were lost, along with entire departments, including urology, ENT and ophthalmology. “I arrived to see fires still burning. It was an apocalyptic scene. We’re now racing to restore the hospital’s functionality,” said Nevo. One senior staff member said the missile damaged several employees’ homes and deeply shook the workforce. “One veteran doctor whose department was hit just broke down crying. This has human and emotional consequences you don’t recover from easily.” Yet, Soroka treated 26 wounded patients — two in moderate condition — and continued operating under extreme pressure. “If a medevac from Gaza arrives, we’re ready. We’ll treat whoever needs it.” Dr. Tzachi Slutsky, Soroka’s deputy director, was abroad when the missile hit. “I told my wife, ‘I’m going home no matter what.’ I flew from Montenegro to Athens, then found a way back with Arkia. It took 15 hours. I went straight from the airport to the hospital — and saw that my second home had been destroyed.” Slutsky oversees surgical operations and operating rooms, many of which were heavily damaged. “I’ve been with these departments for years — it’s painful, surreal. But we’re here 24/7. The hospital is functioning and expanding every day.” Eight hospital staff members lost their homes. Nearby Ben-Gurion University was also hit hard: 50 faculty members were left homeless, 48 students were affected, six research labs were destroyed, and another nine were severely damaged. The damage to the campus is estimated in the tens — if not hundreds — of millions of shekels.Be'er Sheva after an Iranian missile hit (Photo: Erik Marmor/Getty Images
Soroka Medical CenterTamar Setter, a postdoctoral student and daughter of one of the victims, described the reality in the university’s student village in the Ramat neighborhood: “My husband works at the university. From day one, they supported us. But this is a new reality. There’s so much bureaucracy, and we still don’t have a permanent housing solution. I was so worried about my family in central Israel, but the worst hit was right here.”
Simone, who lived in one of the damaged buildings, recounted: “The window flew into the bathtub. The door frame blew into the stairwell. The city gave a good initial response, but we have no idea how long we’ll be displaced. The uncertainty is unbearable.” Three buildings have been deemed uninhabitable after direct hits, and dozens more — though intact from the outside — have sustained structural damage, leaving residents unsure of their future. Roughly 700 residents have been registered at Be'er Sheva’s evacuation center and relocated to hotels in the city, the Dead Sea, and the Ashlim Center. Even the Leonardo Hotel and student dorms have been converted into temporary shelters. “These strikes are on a completely different scale than what we’ve seen before,” said Mayor Rubik Danilovich. “We’re dealing with a much wider front. Housing isn’t the issue — it’s the uncertainty, the sense of the future.” Amid the devastation, there have been sparks of hope. Over 100 babies were born at Soroka during the attacks. “In darkness, we light a flame,” said Dr. Eyal Sheiner, head of the maternity ward. “Each birth is a victory. A message: We’re here. We’re not going anywhere.” “Initial response was excellent, then confusion set in” Hundreds of Be'er Sheva residents remain scattered across temporary shelters. At the Ashlim Center in Neve Noy, evacuees from the Ze’ev neighborhood were met by social workers and psychologists. “I feel completely lost,” said Anya Obsyanko, whose home was hit. “You can’t live like this. When the missile landed, I told myself: We need to leave this country. I get it now — this will never end. The next war will be worse. My daughter’s on the autism spectrum, and she cries constantly. My two sons are stressed. This is just how it will always be.” Others, like Yevgenia Khaimovich, insist they’re staying. She was waiting for a room at the Ashlim Center. “We have a shelter in the building. I went down once, then the sirens started. The stairwell door blew open from the blast. The windows shattered, the door’s destroyed. I don’t know when we’ll be able to return — we have so many questions. I just want peace. People here are scared, but this is our city. I’m not leaving Be'er Sheva.” Nitza Dadia shared her trauma: “We’re calmer now, but the fear and hysteria were overwhelming. I thought I was going to die in that shelter. I said the Shema prayer. The building shook. When I opened the door, everything was destroyed.” At the Leonardo Hotel, time is running out for evacuees. Several nearby buildings were badly damaged, but the city has begun urging families to return. “They asked us to go back,” said Sharon and Nadine, who live in one of the affected buildings. Nadine recalled, “I contacted the municipality. A social worker told me, ‘Be strong, you’ll get through this. It’s on you now.’ What kind of response is that? They told me, ‘Not everything is our responsibility.’ Maybe the budget is running out. The social worker asked, ‘What will you do?’ I said, ‘I guess we’ll rent.’ But who’s going to pay? No one’s telling me anything. The initial help was great — but now I’m more confused than ever.”Tamar Setter and her family (Photo: Ilana Curiel)
Nadine, a speech therapist who works from home, and her partner feel they’ve fallen between the cracks. “Even if we rent, we’ll lose money. We’re not eligible for property tax relief, and we’re not sure we’ll qualify for rent assistance.”- Haifa oil refinery resumes operations after shutdown due to Iranian missile strike
Damage at the Bazan Group's oil refinery in the Haifa Bay after it was hit by an Iranian missile overnight June 15-16. (Used in accordance with clause 27a of the copyright law)Israel’s Oil Refineries says it has partly resumed activities at its Haifa facility, which was shut down following an Iranian missile strike two weeks ago.
Israel’s Oil Refineries, or Bazan, says in a regulatory filing in Tel Aviv that it was gradually restoring operations and would likely be fully operational by October. It noted that it holds insurance covering damage and profit losses of up to $250 million caused by acts of terrorism and war.
The company said on June 15 that its pipelines and transmission lines in Haifa had been damaged by Iranian missile strikes, which killed three employees, and that it was examining the impact of the damage on its operations and implications on its financial results.
Energy Minister Eli Cohen says separately that Israel’s energy system “functioned flawlessly throughout the war, and the swift resolution of the issue at Bazan is further proof of the strength and resilience of Israel’s energy sector.”
- Safe room rush: Israelis seek private sheltering solutions after Iran warFollowing Israel's deadly conflict with Iran, Israeli homebuyers prioritize safe rooms over traditional amenities, reshaping real estate demands and construction priorities
The relentless sound of sirens has rewritten Israel’s real estate priorities. Where balconies, parking spaces and sunlight once topped homebuyers’ checklists, a single question now dominates: "Is there a proper safe room?" With tens of thousands of families racing to public shelters during missile alerts, demand for adding certified fortified shelters has surged, exposing urgent practical and financial challenges.Shelter installation in Israel(Photo: Elroi Shitrit)Two paths to protectionFor homeowners, the solution comes in two forms, each with trade-offs. Mobile shelters: Prefabricated units built off-site and craned into position. "Delivery and installation take 10–14 days—or just 48 hours if units are in stock," explained Elroi Strait, CEO of construction firm BPY Or Marine. Cost: 140,000 shekels ($37,500) including VAT.Adding a mobile safe room to a private home(Photo: Elroi Shitrit)Built-in shelters: Constructed on-site inside the home. "This takes about a month," said Strait, with costs reaching 180,000 shekels ($48,000).Both options require approval from the IDF’s Home Front Command, but permits for low-rise homes (≤2 stories) are fast-tracked within two weeks. Taller buildings face months-long municipal bureaucracy. For residents of multi-story buildings, the path is more arduous. Adding safe rooms requires unanimous consent from all owners and simultaneous construction across every unit—a near-impossible coordination feat. "Most buildings now defer to urban renewal projects," Strait explained.Refitted room into shelter(Photo: Ortec Defense Systems)Ran Naor, CEO of Ortec Defense Systems, offered a stopgap: retrofitting existing rooms with Home Front Command-approved blast-resistant doors, windows and reinforced walls. "This takes 7–14 days and costs 100,000 shekels –140,000 shekels ($27,000–37,500)," Naor said. However, experts caution these retrofits remain untested against direct hits from heavy munitions.Regulatory breakthroughsEmergency measures have slashed red tape. Since October 2023, ground-floor safe rooms in low-rise homes require only Home Front Command approval—bypassing municipal permits entirely. This waiver, recently extended to October 2026 due to ongoing war, even covers non-compliant constructions (e.g., exceeding property lines). "The main barrier isn’t permits—it’s cost," emphasized Hila Revach, a planning law expert and former legal counsel for Ashkelon municipality. With mobile units starting at 113,000 shekels ($30,200) before delivery and retrofits exceeding 100,000 shekels ($26,700), financial strain is palpable. The shift is cultural as much as practical. "Personal recommendations decide contractors now," Strait said, underscoring heightened scrutiny of safety credentials. For Naor, the calculus is stark: "In apartments, consensus is slow. But for a private home? Only one owner decides. That’s the difference between safety and vulnerability." As fighting persists, the safe room’s evolution from luxury to necessity marks a profound change in how Israelis define a "home." link
- Police arrest three more people suspected of spying for Iran
Police and Shin Bet agents have arrested three Israeli citizens in two separate cases on suspicion they carried out tasks for Iranian agents, the agencies say in a statement.
In one investigation, 33-year-old Mark Morgein, who lives in the Jordan Valley in the West Bank, was arrested on suspicion of moving a grenade from a hidden location to another at the request of his handler, who he maintained contact with over the course of June.
Police say he carried out this task with the knowledge that this explosive would be used to harm Israeli citizens.
He also was enlisted to film a video of a missile interception during open war between Israel and Iran and send it to his handler.
Security forces also arrested two Tiberias residents, Yoni Segal, 18, and Nehorai Omri Mizrahi, 20, whom an Iranian agent allegedly tried to recruit into murdering an unnamed Israeli citizen in exchange for hundreds of thousands of shekels.
The agent offered to fly the pair out to another country, train them, and then give them the identity of their target. The plan never came to fruition.
The two are also suspected of filming shopping malls and hospitals across the country and sending their handler information on each mall’s layout, number of security guards and number of stores. They allegedly sent information on malls in Haifa, Tiberias and Tel Aviv, as well as Tel Aviv’s Ichilov hospital.
Today, Lahav 433 police investigators submitted a prosecutor’s declaration ahead of anticipated indictments against the suspects. The Petah Tikva Magistrate’s Court has extended the remand of all three by four days, until Thursday.
A man rides a horse next to the remains of an Iranian missile that fell at an outpost near the Israeli settlement of Tekoa in the West Bank, on 29 June 2025, in the aftermath of the 12-day war between Israel and Iran. (Photo by Menahem Kahana / AFP)- Iran says 935 people killed in Israeli strikes during 12-day conflict
Some 935 people were killed in Iran during the 12-day air war with Israel, based on the latest forensics data, Iran’s judiciary spokesperson Asghar Jahangir says according to state media, adding that the number includes 38 children and 132 women.
Israel says it targeted military leaders, bases, nuclear scientists and nuclear sites during the strikes.
- Government greenlights immediate return of eight Gaza border communities Destruction caused by Hamas terrorists in Kibbutz Nirim on October 7, 2023, near the Israeli-Gaza border, southern Israel, seen on January 21, 2024. (Yossi Aloni/Flash90)
The government declares that there is henceforth no military ban stopping any Gaza border residents from returning home.
But some communities — Nahal Oz, Kissufim, Holit, Kfar Aza, and Be’eri — will have to continue living in temporary accommodation until their villages have been rehabilitated and rendered fit for habitation.
The lifting of the military ban, combined with the completion of essential building works, means that starting today, residents of Kerem Shalom, Re’im, Nirim, Ein Hashlosha, Sufa, Nir Yitzhak, and Netiv Ha’asara will be able to return home.
State rental subsidies for these communities will end on July 31, but will continue for residents still in temporary accommodation until their villages have been declared fit for habitation.
In August, essential works are expected to be completed in Nahal Oz, enabling members to return before the start of the next school year.
A green light for Kibbutz Kissufim to go home is expected in November, with Holit, Kfar Aza, and Be’eri following in 2026.
- Gazans 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.
Palestinians in north Gaza report heaviest night of Israeli strikes in recent weeks, at least 25 killed
A Palestinian man sits near the rubble of a building that was hit in overnight Israeli strikes in Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip, on June 30, 2025,(Photo by Bashar TALEB / AFP)Palestinians in northern Gaza report one of the worst nights of Israeli strikes in weeks after the military issued mass evacuation orders.
“Explosions never stopped; they bombed schools and homes. It felt like earthquakes,” says Salah, 60, a father of five children, from Gaza City. “In the news we hear a ceasefire is near, on the ground we see death and we hear explosions.”
Israeli tanks pushed into the eastern areas of Zeitoun suburb in Gaza City and shelled several areas in the north, while aircraft hit at least four schools after ordering hundreds of families sheltering inside to leave, residents say.
At least 25 people were killed in Israeli strikes on Monday, Hamas-run health authorities say, including 10 people killed in Zeitoun. The figures cannot be verified and do not differentiate between civilians and combatants.
The IDF says it struck terror targets in northern Gaza, including command and control centers, after taking steps to mitigate the risk of harming civilians.
- IDF ramps up Gaza strikes, signals new phase of warMilitary launches heavy strikes across northern Gaza as it prepares for possible reentry into Gaza City; Cabinet weighs deeper ground maneuver to pressure Hamas, while US pushes for hostage deal and ceasefire amid ongoing negotiations
The IDF appeared to be preparing for a new phase in its campaign against Hamas on Sunday, as heavy airstrikes pounded northern Gaza and military officials weighed a deeper ground maneuver, potentially including a renewed incursion into Gaza City. The intensified operations are seen as part of a broader strategy to exert military pressure on Hamas amid ongoing ceasefire negotiations.Palestinian reports described a “belt of fire” of Israeli strikes across the enclave’s northern regions, including in Jabaliya, where 11 people were reported killed and more than 30 wounded in what local media called one of the deadliest attacks in the past 24 hours.The Hamas-affiliated Shehab news agency claimed the strike hit a residential building, with civilians among the casualties, including women and children. The escalation comes as Israeli officials continue to discuss military and diplomatic options. Political sources speaking to Ynet on Sunday ahead of a Security Cabinet meeting in southern Israel said talks on a deal were “ongoing at all times” and expressed hope for progress soon, though they acknowledged there was “no breakthrough at this time.” Among the scenarios being considered is an intensified ground operation to increase pressure on Hamas.IDF forces operating in Jabaliya (Photo: IDF)The fighting has taken a toll on Israeli forces, with 20 soldiers killed in Gaza so far this month. The most recent casualty was Sgt. Yisrael Natan Rosenfeld, killed by an explosive device in Jabaliya. Israeli officials believe recent military success in Iran—where Israeli and U.S. strikes reportedly damaged key nuclear infrastructure—has affected Hamas’ posture. “This victory hasn’t gone unnoticed by Hamas,” one official said. “We hope all of these developments lead to a deal, just as previous blows to Hezbollah led to prisoner exchanges.” Meanwhile, the United States continues to press for a ceasefire. On Sunday, President Donald Trump posted a message on his Truth Social platform calling for a deal to return the remaining hostages held by Hamas: “MAKE THE DEAL IN GAZA, GET THE HOSTAGES BACK!!!” Last week, Trump said he believed a ceasefire could be reached within the coming “week.”Sources close to Hamas told Ynet that Egyptian mediators are currently working to draft a new ceasefire proposal, which could be implemented within two weeks. “There’s flexibility from all sides,” one source said. “It’s a one-time opportunity to reach a meaningful agreement, although nothing is finalized yet.” They added that the Israel-Iran war had influenced Hamas’ negotiating position, leading to greater openness to compromise.Meanwhile, residents of the Sha’ar HaNegev region in southern Israel were warned to expect louder and more frequent explosions in the coming days. The local council said the army’s expanded activity in northern Gaza would result in “loud booms, heavy explosions and artillery noise at levels higher than in recent weeks.”As discussions over a possible visit by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Washington continue, Israeli officials said no date has been set and that a visit could still take place soon—if an invitation is extended. link - IDF: Thanks to troops' identification, explosives site in Jabaliya destroyed from the air
In recent weeks, IDF forces have eliminated many terrorists, destroyed military infrastructure above and below ground, located and confiscated weapons, some of which were hidden in civilian buildings in the Jabaliya area in northern Gaza Strip, the IDF Spokesperson announced. The spokesperson added that in one of the operations, forces located an explosives site in the Jabaliya area. Following the identification by forces on the ground, an Israeli Air Force aircraft destroyed the explosives site. - Netanyahu dismissed IDF chief’s assessment military close to defeating Hamas
In a discussion four days before the Israeli operation against Iran, IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that “we are about to say that we defeated Hamas,” Channel 12 reports.
“We didn’t defeat anything,” Netanyahu responded. “They are holding 25% [of Gaza] and 20 hostages.”
According to the report, Zamir asked for a directive on what to prepare for in the next stage of the war in Gaza.
In a separate discussion before the Iran campaign, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich complained that Zamir had committed to moving Gaza’s civilian population to humanitarian zones, but that had not happened.
Disagreements over the fight against Hamas took a backseat during the 12-day bombing campaign against Iran, but Netanyahu is holding a cabinet meeting tonight on the Gaza war, and pre-existing arguments are likely to re-emerge. link Netanyahu is so transparent in his disagreement with the IDF Chief. It is not because of the 25% of Gaza that Hamas is still holding or the '20' hostages, which is actually 50; he only referred to those we have had signs of life, which in itself is a horrible thing to say and rubs salt into the wounds of the families of the dead hostages. Netanyahu will not allow anyone buy himself say when/if Hamas is defeated, as he put himself in the position of being the only one who will determine when his illusive and undefined 'total victory' is attained. That will only happen when he sees it is politically to his advantage to say that. It is well known that Hamas is now fighting guerilla warfare and our soldiers are getting killed and injured daily. During the month of June alone, we have lost 20 young men in the quagmire of Gaza. A guerilla war is one that can go on forever as we have seen in other areas of the world and that puts our soldiers at risk, the actual costs in money is astronomical and we still have 50 hostages being held in Hamas captivity. Those 50 soldiers should be the number one priority of this prime minister and his failed government but they are the last priority. Netanyahu's political survival and legacy are the most important to him.
Another well known fact is that Hamas, as an ideology cannot be defeated on the battleground. It must be defeated by providing the Gazans with a better alternative for their future. Unfortunately, here, too Netanyahu has failed miserably and has refused to put or allow to have in place a viable alternative to Hamas. The only truly viable alternative is a reformed Palestinian Authority or a Palestinian body that is appointed by the PA with a guarantee that free and fair elections will be held in Gaza, the West Bank and Jerusalem at a specified point in time. This is how we will defeat Hamas, not with Netanyahu's War of Political Survival. IDF soldiers securing Gaza aid instead of fighting Hamas as fear of looting grows
Ministers admit Gaza aid can't stop as Netanyahu's demands for alternative aid distribution leave IDF soldiers handling logistics instead of fighting terror group's recovering battalions
Despite the chaos dominating Gaza aid distribution, Israeli ministers—including National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich—acknowledge one reality: Israel has no choice but to continue providing food to Palestinians.However, following widespread looting of aid trucks, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz last week demanded an alternative plan to deliver aid without it reaching Hamas. Security officials were outraged, saying such plans have been on decision-makers’ desks for weeks.Aid distribution in Gaza (Photo: Omar AL-QATTAA / AFP)Recent footage showing looting of aid trucks in northern Gaza caused alarm among political leaders fearing right-wing criticism over indirectly strengthening Hamas in Gaza City. Though Netanyahu gave the IDF 48 hours to present an “alternative plan,” Ynet found such plans exist, including establishing additional Palestinian food distribution centers in Gaza. Simultaneously, officials told decision-makers that resuming daily deliveries of dozens of food, fuel and gas trucks via the Zikim border crossing to northern Gaza—where 800,000 Palestinians have returned—remains unavoidable. In closed discussions, senior IDF officers added: “The army works to secure aid routes, including aerial surveillance, but soldiers can’t be at every Gaza intersection. During the Iran conflict, we withdrew a brigade operating near the northern border to reinforce other sectors. “Thousands of Palestinians, including Hamas terrorists, immediately exploited this vacuum as aid trucks cross these areas. Distribution centers feed half of Gaza’s population—the other half cannot be starved.” Food centers in southern Gaza are also far from ideal, with costs increasingly outweighing benefits. Initially, politicians boasted that IDF soldiers wouldn’t distribute aid—per Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir’s demand—relying instead on U.S. personnel funded by obscure sources at hundreds of millions of shekels monthly. In practice, routes to these centers require daily security by hundreds of IDF troops tasked with crowd control and access regulation. Soldiers in southern Gaza described this non-combat mission: “Sometimes 50,000 Palestinians arrive five hours before centers open. They stand behind a red line—crossing triggers warning shots, which aren’t always precise. “Some approach our tanks and APCs with empty pots seeking provocation footage, including children. We can’t know who hides explosives or is sent by Hamas to test us.” This reality also damages Israel politically. Warning-fire incidents kill unarmed Palestinians en route to food aid, with videos circulating globally. The IDF emphasized to policymakers how this serves Hamas strategically—not just in legitimacy battles. Entire IDF companies now guard distribution centers instead of attacking Hamas targets, which remain abundant 21 months into the war. Commanders report operational Hamas battalions from Khan Younis to Gaza City. For example, this weekend, the IDF eliminated Hakham Muhammad Issa Al-Issa, a Hamas founder and military trainer involved in planning the October 7 massacre and training programs. Meanwhile, the 98th Division—withdrawn from Gaza to prepare for Iran escalation scenarios—is preparing to return pending political approval. The government will decide within days between pursuing a hostage deal/long-term ceasefire or resuming ground operations against Hamas. Link- GHF discloses 12 American workers murdered by Hamas, others tortured in Gaza The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) disclosed that Hamas had placed bounties on American security workers in the Strip and that 12 of the organization's local staff members had been murdered in its latest update on the situation in Gaza on Sunday.
Palestinians collect aid supplies from the U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, June 9, 2025.GHF, an Israeli and US-backed NGO, began operating in Gaza in May to distribute humanitarian aid.
"Hamas has placed bounties on both our American security personnel and Palestinian aid workers—offering cash rewards to anyone who injures or kills them," the Sunday GHF statement said.
GHF acknowledged the reports that the Hamas terror group has been targeting its personnel, staff, and aid workers.
It announced that 12 of its local staff have been murdered, and others have been tortured.
Palestinians gather to collect aid supplies from the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, in Khan Yunis, in the southern Gaza Strip, May 29, 2025. (credit: REUTERS/Hatem Khaled)"The targets of Hamas’s brutality are heroes who are simply trying to feed the people of Gaza in the middle of a war," GHF stated.
"Our US security personnel—some of America’s most elite and decorated veterans—are on the ground to protect people. And our local staff, who keep these operations running, have already paid the ultimate price: twelve murdered, others tortured, and now more threats emerging by the day," GHF continued.
GHF added that in recent days, Hamas has also "pre-positioned armed operatives near humanitarian zones in an effort to disrupt the only functioning aid delivery system in Gaza."
GHF turns to UN to condemn targeting of workers in Gaza
Last week, GHF urged the United Nations (UN) to “publicly condemn the targeting of humanitarian workers in Gaza."
GHF also called on the UN to partner with the group on a new system for getting food “straight to Palestinian families,” according to a letter delivered to UN Secretary-General AntΓ³nio Guterres.
“The time has come to confront, without euphemism or delay, the structural failure of aid delivery in Gaza,” Rev. Johnnie Moore, GHF’s executive chairman, wrote in the two-page letter, seen by The Jerusalem Post. link
Gaza and the South
- Rabbi who met Syria’s Sharaa says meeting with Netanyahu possible with Trump’s help
Rabbi Abraham Cooper, an American rabbi who held talks this month with Syria’s Islamist leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, tells the Kan public broadcaster that a meeting is possible between Sharaa and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with US President Donald Trump’s help.
“I think the only way that would be a quick way is if someone named [US President] Donald Trump calls two people, the Israeli prime minister and the Syrian president, to come to Washington and sit for a few hours. That could change the picture,” he says.
“If Trump signals that he is going to stay involved and tell Sharaa, I am going to help rehabilitate your country, then anything is possible. Without that, it will go slowly, step by step,” Cooper says.
“It is correct that he is an Islamist,” Cooper says of Sharaa, “but Sharaa speaks about a future for his country that includes a united Syria with one army and equal rights. If he can do this, this will change the rules of the game.”
Recent reports have indicated that the Syria new government has not ruled out reaching a normalization deal with Israel.
- Golan’s status not discussed in talks with Israel, main concern is pullout from buffer zone, Syrian official says
Syria has not brought up the issue of the Golan Heights in negotiations with Israel, with its main concern being the withdrawal of IDF troops from the buffer zone created in the south of the country, after the fall of president Bashar al-Assad’s regime, a Syrian official tells the Kan public broadcaster.
The official says that “the contact between Israel and Syria could be very meaningful,” and that the current government in Damascus is opposed to Iran and its proxy terror groups, Hezbollah and Hamas.”
“The issue of the Golan hasn’t even come up yet in the discussions. It is still early. But the Americans are a key factor here,” the official says.
The Assad regime had demanded that Israel withdraw from the Golan Heights, which it conquered in 1967 and then annexed in 1981, in exchange for a potential peace with the Jewish state.
The buffer zone, however, refers to a UN-patrolled buffer zone that was intended to keep Israeli and Syrian forces apart, which Israel took control of after forces loyal to Assad’s government abandoned their positions before rebel groups reached Damascus in December.
The United Nations considers Israel’s takeover of the buffer zone a violation of the 1974 disengagement accord. Israel says the accord had fallen apart since one of the sides was no longer in a position to implement it.
Al-Sharaa’s circle resistant to peace agreement with Israel, wants more limited deal
Amid reports suggesting Syrian openness to normalizing relations with Israel, there is no firm consensus within the Syrian regime regarding recently intensified US-mediated peace talks between the two countries, unnamed Syrian sources tell the Lebanese outlet Al-Akhbar.
According to the sources, contrary to claims by international envoys that President Ahmed Al-Sharaa has “welcomed” the idea of ties with Israel, the ongoing discussions “indicate that such a step does not enjoy genuine consensus, even within the team loyal to Al-Sharaa.”
Rather than pursue formal diplomatic relations, figures close to Al-Sharaa are urging American mediators to consider a more limited agreement — one that would declare an end to hostilities with Israel without progressing toward full normalization.
The resistance to a peace deal stems primarily from two factors, the sources say. First, the regime would face difficulty justifying such an agreement while the war in Gaza continues and amid widespread Arab condemnation of Israeli military actions. Second, pro-Turkish elements within Al-Sharaa’s inner circle fear that normalization would place Syria under significant Israeli and Saudi influence, marginalizing Ankara’s role in the region.
In a separate report suggesting greater openness in the ongoing talks, the Lebanese news channel LBCI said that Syria was not demanding the return of the Golan Heights in any potential peace agreement. Damascus is instead seeking Israeli recognition of the new regime, a withdrawal from areas held in southern Syria since January, defined security arrangements in the south, and US support, the precise nature of which remains unclear.
Following last Sunday’s ceasefire between Israel and Iran, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that the campaign against Iran had opened “broad regional possibilities.” Local media widely interpreted the statement as a reference to intensified US-backed efforts to end the war in Gaza and pursue normalization agreements between Israel and its neighbors, particularly Syria and Saudi Arabia.
National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi confirmed last week that Israel and the Syrian regime are in daily direct contact and are discussing the possibility of normalization. link There are so many reports coming out from so many 'sources' about the talks and possible agreements between Israel and Syria, but none of them are official reports, making all of them speculation and the sputter of lots of talking heads. This is exactly what happens with any negotiations for the hostages. Until there is official word, this is all speculation and blather for talking about something that most people have very little real or actual information about it.
IDF confirms settlers torched West Bank security installation: Damage poses ‘a danger to the security of the residents’
A West Bank security installation that was torched overnight by settlers on June 30, 2025 (Israel Defense Forces)
Israeli settlers torched a multi-million-shekel security installation used to “thwart terror attacks and maintain security” in the Ramallah area of the West Bank overnight, according to the IDF.
The military says damage to the site “poses a danger to the security of the residents.”
The incident came after a riot by settlers outside a nearby military base in the West Bank.
“The IDF condemns any act of violence against security forces and expects security forces to bring to justice Israeli civilians who harm security personnel who are carrying out their duty to protect Israeli citizens,” the military says in a statement, adding that it “will continue to focus on protecting civilians, while also enforcing the law and preventing any illegal activity, wherever it may occur.” Link just like this government and Netanyahu’s previous governments turns a blind eye on the violence and killings in the Arab sector (their thought process was and still is, let them kill each other and leave us alone), they have not only turned a blind eye on extreme settler violence, AKA terrorism, they have enabled and encouraged it. Violence and terror, like wind, weather, pollution and more, don’t have borders. It always expands and takes innocent victims. It isn’t new that these Jewish terrorists attack israeli security personnel and destroy military vehicles. With the encouragement of this extremist messianic government, and the virtual elimination of punishment, these Jewish Terrorists are expanding their reign of terror to include anyone they determine who has tried to stop their terror activities. This now includes soldiers in the West Bank and the Commanders of these forces. What does the government do? Netanyahu made his standard lame statement condemning the violence while Smotrich, the totally unqualified failure of a Finance minister who is one of the 2 main ministerial provocateurs to the violence yesterday condemned the army for its actions against the rioters and terrorists who attacked the soldiers. There was backlash, so today he condemned the perpetrators of the violence but with a vanilla statement. And while these Jewish terrorists were attacking an army base and burning down a building housing critical equipment that us in place to protect West Bank settlers, Ben Gvir’s militia (The Israel Police) in the West Bank were purposely not present as they have orders from Ben Gvir not to do anything against the Jewish terrorists, the same people Ben h Gvir spent his legal career defending. He always spoke out against the treatment by the police and Shin Bet against the Jewish terrorists, so in his position if minister in charge of the police, makes sure that nothing is done to inhibit their acts of terror which includes murder of Palestinians
Netanyahu, Sa’ar condemn settler violence against IDF, urge crackdown on ‘fanatic few’. link Finally, these two nothings say something against the Jewish terror, but it falls short and comes too late. Neither of them address the terror from these same Jewish terrorists against the Palestinians that includes murder, arson, vandalism and other unmitigated violence that gets the encouragement of 2 of Netanyahu's senior ministers.
Yair Golan: 'Rioters in West Bank are armed militias, a threat to democracy'
Democratic Party chairman Yair Golan addressed the riots in Judea and Samaria at the beginning of his faction meeting, saying, "Violence in the territories has become routine. They attacked an IDF force, called a reserve battalion commander a traitor, and set fire to a sensitive security facility. These rioters are not just bad apples, they are armed and organized militias – they pose a threat to democracy and a threat to Israel's security. This could ignite the West Bank and the internal front." Regarding the campaign against Iran, he said: "Wars end with a political decision, a ceasefire with Iran is not an agreement and certainly not a decisive victory."
- Politics and the War and General News
- In recent days, we have been witnessing a dangerous and organized campaign aimed at downplaying, erasing, and minimizing the failure of October 7th. "Netanyahu, stop the denial of October 7.
#Forget about us forgetting"
Here are a few examples:
- Aryeh Deri (Head of Shas party, former minister, convicted criminal for bribery, close confidant of Netanyahu): "The October 7th massacre saved the people of Israel."
- Natan Eshel, one of the Prime Minister's closest associates: "By the elections, everyone will have forgotten the October 7th disaster."
- Minister Miki Zohar: "The Netanyahu trial is perhaps the worst thing to happen to Israel in recent years." [Worse than October 7th???]
We are seeing a deliberate effort to obscure and deny the scale of the disaster in order to silence public demands for a state inquiry commission.
We must not stay silent in the face of this campaign, and we need your voice to counter the erasure and denial.
What can you do?
1. Post the attached image on social media (Instagram/Facebook/Twitter).
2. Tag the October Council – @octobercouncil.
3. Include our slogan as a hashtag: #YouWontMakeUsForget
Sample text (optional):
Instead of taking responsibility, instead of learning from the failure—we are witnessing a campaign designed to deny October 7th!
Anyone trying to obscure this disaster is harming every one of us.
Today, I’m joining the October Council’s campaign and demanding: Netanyahu, stop your associates' campaign to deny October 7th!
Share, tag, join.
#YouWontMakeUsForget
@octobercouncil
To join the official October Council group – Truth and Security:
https://chat.whatsapp.com/EHWa2ul2CBj6bhrgt2JzY6
- The Region and the World
Kibbutz Nir Oz, the most devastated site of October 7 where one in four were killed or kidnapped and so many homes decimated.
Kibbutz Nir Oz was founded in 1955 in the Western Negev, right on the Gaza border.
Over the decades, the members developed a dynamic, prosperous and self-sustaining community. Members of the kibbutz became experts in bringing the desert to life, growing a botanical garden with more than 900 species of trees, plants and flowers surviving with very little water. The Kibbutz hosts a manufacturing and distribution site for the Nirlat paint company and its acres of agricultural fields produce potatoes, avocados, pomegranates and asparagus.
On October 7th, the paradise of Nir Oz turned into hell in a matter of only a few, short hours.
One quarter of the community was either murdered or abducted by Hamas - women, men, the elderly, and children. Entire houses were looted and then burned down to the ground. 80% of the kibbutz was physically destroyed.
For long hours, members languished in their “safe rooms” while desperately holding on to the door handles in an effort to prevent terrorists from entering. The only battle that took place was the heroic struggle of the members of the kibbutz's volunteer security team alongside residents with private weapons who fought valiantly against hundreds of Hamas terrorists. Most of these heroes sacrificed their lives to save their community.
Despite suffering hours of terror at the hands of Hamas, Nir Oz was the only community in Israel where the army never fired a bullet. The terrorists left right before members of Israel’s Shayetet 13 unit finally arrived and began evacuating terrified survivors from decimated and burning homes. By the end of the carnage on October 7th, almost 1 of every 4 residents of Nir Oz had either been murdered or taken hostage.
The survivors of the kibbutz were evacuated to hotels in Eilat, and remained there for three months. In early 2024, the community moved to apartments in Kiryat Gat where they expect to live for the next 2-3 years as Nir Oz is rebuilt. Members of the Kibbutz plan to rebuild a bigger, stronger kibbutz, which will provide hope and inspiration for the nation and for generations to come.
- Join The American Friends of Nir Oz and donate to help rebuild this amazing and vibrant community that has known terrible tragedies
- Facebook - American Friends of Nir Oz
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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