🎗️Lonny's War Update- October 636, 2023

🎗️Day 636 that 50 of our hostages are still in Hamas captivity🎗️

There is nothing more important than getting them home! NOTHING!

“I’ve never met them,
But I miss them.
I’ve never met them,
but I think of them every second.
I’ve never met them,
but they are my family.
BRING THEM HOME NOW!!!”
We’re waiting for you, all of you.
A deal is the only way to bring
all the hostages home- the murdered for burial and the living for rehabilitation.

#BringThemHomeNow #TurnTheHorrorIntoHope

There is no victory until all of the hostages are home!
‎אין נצחון עד שכל החטופים בבית

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

*6:50pm yesterday-Gaza envelope-rockets from Gaza- Sderot, Ibim- 2 rockets intercepted

IDF soldier killed in northern Gaza fighting, three others seriously injured

An IDF soldier was killed during fighting in the northern Gaza Strip, the military announces.

The slain soldier is named as Sgt. Yaniv Michalovitch, 19, a tank crew member in the 82nd Battalion of the 7th Armored Brigade, from Rehovot.

MAY HIS MEMORY BE A REVOLUTION

According to the IDF, Michalovitch was killed in combat in the northern part of the Strip. A tank commander and another soldier from the same battalion were seriously wounded in the same incident.

In a separate battle in northern Gaza, a soldier from the Egoz unit of the Commando Brigade was also seriously wounded.

All of the wounded soldiers were evacuated to a hospital for medical treatment, and their families have been notified.

Hostage Updates

Until the last hostage

The ceasefire framework as published last night is a bad framework. There is no reason for the ceasefire to be limited to sixty days. There is no reason for five phases to release 10 living hostages and another 18 bodies. Why not one phase for everyone?

Regarding guarantees—my proposal is that Trump should provide guarantees to both Israel and Hamas:

If Hamas tries to rearm and rebuild its strength, Israel will be permitted to resume fighting in Gaza and eliminate Hamas. If Hamas maintains the ceasefire and do not attempt to rearm, the U.S. will guarantee its continuation.

We all understand that Hamas cannot continue to rule Gaza, but dealing with this issue should be done by the Palestinians and Arab states.

(Gershon Baskin, July 3, 2025)

'We are no longer human beings,' hostages say on newly released video
Sign of life from Maxim Herkin and Bar Kuperstein is made public by the families to urge the government to make a deal to return all of the captives from Gaza without choosing who is released and who stays behind
Maxim Herkin and Bar Kuperstein

A video posted by the Hostage and Missing Families Forum on Thursday showed a sign of life from Maxim Herkin and Bar Kuperstein, who were abducted from the Nova music festival during the massacre on Oct. Hamas posted a video of the two in May but their families asked for parts of the videos to be kept from public view, until Thursday.
"We are dead with a pulse, we do not feel human," the hostages said. "We are again 30 meters underground."
Other captives pleading to be freed are also in the forum's clip.
The families of hostages called for the government to return all of the captives held in Gaza for nearly two years, in one deal and prevent the cruel need to select who among them would come home and who would be left behind.
"This clip hopes to make the cry of the families of hostages heard, as a possible deal is being negotiated that would involve a cruel selection and separation based on blood," the forum said in a statement. "All 50 hostages are humanitarian cases, those who are in danger of death and those who may disappear forever."
The forum demanded that all hostages be included in the deal. "That is the proper and moral thing to do and would not demand separating brothers and choosing one hostage at the expense of another."
"Even animals cannot survive in such conditions," said Barak Oz, Kuperstein's cousin, after the clip was released. "They must all be returned." link

Netanyahu insists Israel can free hostages without giving up on goal of defeating Hamas

People walking next to pictures of Israelis held hostage by Hamas terrorists in Gaza, in Jerusalem, July 2, 2025. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

Amid reports that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has shifted toward prioritizing freeing the hostages and ending the war in Gaza through a deal over fighting until Hamas gives in or is defeated, he stresses that both war aims are still possible. Full article Never believe a word coming out of Netanyahu’s mouth. He hasn’t changed his spots and his statement of the hostages being his first priority is a lie. He hasn’t cared much about them for 635 days and his caring didn’t start this week. He is preparing the ground for his meeting with Trump and the possibility that Trump will force him into a deal and potentially end the war. He is also preparing for the possibility that when/if a deal is made, Ben Gvir will leave the government and he is trying to pull Smotrich with him to bring down the government. Netanyahu’s people are already talking to Benny Gantz about joining the coalition.

Visiting troops in Gaza, Katz says Israel won’t ‘give up or compromise’ on defeating Hamas, recovering hostages Defense minister and Netanyahu’s yesman just reiterated the same dribble that Netanyahu said yesterday

Hamas confirms it is examining ceasefire proposal received from mediators

Hamas confirms in a statement that it is discussing a proposal received from mediators to “end the aggression in Gaza, ensure [the IDF’s] withdrawal, and provide urgent aid” to Palestinians in the war-torn Gaza Strip.

The terror group says that it received a proposal from the mediators and is holding talks with them to “bridge gaps” on returning to the negotiating table to try to reach a ceasefire agreement.

A Hamas delegation is expected to meet with Egyptian and Qatari mediators in Cairo today to discuss the proposal, according to an Egyptian official.

Earlier today, a Hamas official indicated that the group was open to a ceasefire agreement with Israel, but stopped short of accepting the US-backed proposal announced by President Donald Trump hours earlier, insisting on its longstanding position that any deal bring an end to the war in Gaza.

Mother of hostage soldier Nimrod Cohen calls to end war at vigil outside IDF headquarters

Viki Cohen, mother of hostage Nimrod Cohen, speaks at the Shift 101 silent protest near the IDF military headquarters in Tel Aviv, July 2, 2025. (Lizzy Shaanan/Pro-Democracy Protest Movement)

Viki Cohen, mother of hostage soldier Nimrod Cohen, calls for Israel to end the war in Gaza and return the hostages, at a Shift 101 sit-in vigil outside the IDF military headquarters in Tel Aviv.
“We have received the painful news that another soldier has fallen in this cursed war — Sergeant Yaniv Michalovich, 19 years old from Rehovot, an Armored Corps soldier like Nimrod,” says Cohen, whose son Nimrod is also a Rehovot native, and was 19 when he was captured by Hamas from a tank on the Gaza border with three other soldiers, who were all killed and their bodies taken hostage.
The Cohen family has received indications that their son is still alive in captivity.
“We are here to say enough,” says Cohen. “We are asking to end this nightmare.”
Cohen touches on the reports that National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich could thwart a potential ceasefire and hostage release deal with Hamas.
“A Jew who was raised on the values of mutual responsibility doesn’t speak that way,” says Cohen. “I sincerely hope that President Trump will use all his power and all his influence — on both Hamas and our prime minister — to push for a deal that will bring everyone back in one go, not in stages, and not in parts.”

Fresh truce plan tries to bridge gaps with Hamas, but key questions remain

Qatar submits new ceasefire proposal as Trump announces Israel’s approval of 60-day truce; US officials say Hamas has yet to agree; CNN reports plan addresses Hamas’ concerns, but unclear if guarantees to end war included
U.S. President Donald Trump announced late Tuesday that Israel has agreed to the "necessary conditions" for a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza, a move tied to a new proposal introduced by Qatar during a visit to Washington by Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer.

According to U.S. officials who spoke with CNN, the latest offer still requires approval from Hamas. The proposal, finalized in recent days after months of behind-the-scenes negotiations, was spearheaded by Trump’s special envoy to the region, Steve Witkoff.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said that over the proposed 60-day pause, “we will work with all parties to end the War.” A U.S. official told CNN the new Qatari draft was designed to address Hamas’ concerns over earlier proposals.

However, it remains unclear whether the current proposal includes guarantees for a permanent end to the war — a key demand repeatedly made by Hamas and a central sticking point in previous talks.

Trump noted that “My Representatives had a long and productive meeting with the Israelis today on Gaza,” likely referring to Dermer’s meetings with senior U.S. officials, including Witkoff. He also praised the roles of Qatar and Egypt, saying they had “worked very hard to help bring Peace.”

The president concluded his remarks with a pointed warning to Hamas: “I hope, for the good of the Middle East, that Hamas takes this Deal, because it will not get better — IT WILL ONLY GET WORSE.”

The new proposal comes just days after Qatar helped broker a ceasefire between Iran, Israel and the United States, and months after the original Gaza truce plan — presented by Witkoff — collapsed. While Israel and the U.S. backed the earlier drafts, Hamas rejected them over concerns they lacked assurances that the war would be permanently ended. link

Officials in Israel to the United States: ready to discuss seriously the end of the war

In Israel optimistic regarding the possibility of reaching a comprehensive agreement for the release of hostages, which will eventually lead to the end of the war in Gaza • Officials in the negotiations clarify: the process begins partially, but the goal is a comprehensive deal • From the moment that Hamas gives the green light – the working levels will depart within a day to talks in Doha or Cairo • Parallel to the talks a negotiation will be conducted on ending the fighting after the hostage deal and the ceasefire

After the President of the United States Donald Trump announced that Israel agrees to a ceasefire in Gaza, officials in Jerusalem say that if Hamas gives the green light to a deal that will include the return of all the hostages, this will lead to the end of the campaign in Gaza. The reason for the optimism in Israel – for the first time, Jerusalem is willing to conduct comprehensive negotiations.

The announcement of the President of the United States tonight was a critical step in jump-starting the negotiations. Trump in effect signaled to Hamas that in Israel they are willing to discuss a comprehensive deal that will lead to the end of the fighting. In addition, in Israel they agreed to be flexible regarding the guarantees that Hamas demands for the end of the campaign. Officials in Israel say that the negotiations will begin in stages – first of all the release of hostages and a ceasefire, and then the talks will begin on ending the war.

The negotiation is taking place on 3 levels
Even if in the terror organization they give the green light to progress, the maturing of the contacts will still take time. In practice, the negotiation is being conducted on three levels. The first requires first the principled agreement of Hamas, and the assessments in Israel are that such a response could arrive already in the next 24 hours. If a positive response is received from Hamas, the working levels will depart within a day to talks in the capital of Egypt or Qatar.

In the talks that will be held in Doha or Cairo the sides will discuss the practical aspects of the deal – the mechanism for the release of the hostages, the list of the terrorists that Hamas will demand, the IDF's withdrawal lines, and the scope of the humanitarian aid. Officials in Jerusalem estimate that the second stage will last at least a week. If understandings are reached with the terror organization, the first stage in the deal will include partial release of hostages and a framework of a 60-day ceasefire.

In parallel, the third dimension of the negotiation is taking place – between Jerusalem and Washington, in which administration officials are trying to understand what Israel is willing to give to Hamas, and whether this can lead to the end of the war.

The announcement of Trump
President of the United States Donald Trump announced last night that his representatives held a long meeting with Israeli officials regarding the ceasefire agreement in Gaza – there Israel agreed to the conditions required to complete the 60-day agreement. "My representatives held today a long and fruitful meeting with the Israelis regarding Gaza," Trump wrote. "Israel agreed to the conditions required to complete a 60-day ceasefire agreement, and during this period we will work with all the sides in order to end the war."

According to him, the proposal will be delivered to the sides via Qatar and Egypt. "The Qataris and the Egyptians, who worked very hard to advance peace, will deliver this final proposal," he added.

Trump warns Hamas: the agreement will not improve – only worsen
Trump concluded his remarks with a message to the Gaza terror organization: "I hope, for the sake of the Middle East, that Hamas accepts this agreement, because they will not get something better but only worse."

The American president referred this week to the planned meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington next week. "We will talk about Gaza and Iran," he said. He was asked about the possibility of a ceasefire in Gaza, and answered: "We hope it will happen. Expecting that it will be sometime next week. We want to bring the hostages back." link

Report says Hamas satisfied with assurances to end Gaza war included in truce proposal
Citing a knowledgeable source, the Saudi news outlet Asharq reports that Hamas is satisfied with the guarantees to end the Gaza war included in the ceasefire proposal it received.
According to the report, the proposal contains assurances from the mediators that both sides will not resume fighting as long as negotiations are ongoing. Additionally, it says US President Donald Trump is expected to announce the agreement once both parties have approved it and will serve as the clear sponsor for its implementation.
However, another source close to Hamas tells the outlet that the new proposal presented to the group does not contain any substantial changes from the one submitted by US mediator Steve Witkoff, only includes minor modifications.
According to Asharq, Hamas is expected to deliver its response to the proposed framework on Friday.

Hamas reportedly won’t hold hostage handover ceremonies during Gaza ceasefire
As part of the hostage release and Gaza ceasefire deal being negotiated, Hamas will not hold public ceremonies while freeing captives, an Israeli defense official and Palestinian source close to the terror group tell the New York Times.
The report notes the proposal being discussed would see the return of 10 living hostages and the remains of 18 captives to Israel, with Hamas releasing them on five separate occasions over the 60-day truce.

New ceasefire proposal said to include IDF withdrawal to March positions, reimplementing UN aid

Lebanon’s Al-Akhbar newspaper reports that the latest ceasefire proposal for Gaza is focused on three central issues.

Firstly, it says that the agreement requires Israeli forces to withdraw to the positions they held before the collapse of the last ceasefire on March 2. At that time, the IDF had not fully withdrawn from Gaza, and remained stationed along the so-called Philadelphi Corridor.

The second item is the matter of humanitarian aid. According to the report, the United Nations mechanism for delivering aid would be reinstated, “to ensure uninterrupted supply.” While the US- and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation is not explicitly mentioned, the report suggests that the UN mechanism would be used exclusively.

Finally, the proposal includes a commitment to continue negotiations over the broader future of the ceasefire, even if an agreement on ending the war is not reached before the initial truce begins.

Doha instructs Hamas officials to hand over weapons amid US pressure for a deal, report
Sources claim Qatari demand increases Khallil al-Hayya concern that he could be next IDF target for assassination after warning from Israel's defense minister, prompting him to agree to the latest proposal
Senior Hamas officials in Qatar have been ordered to lay down their personal weapons, UK's The Times reported late on Wednesday and said it was a result of American pressure to reach a ceasefire agreement in Gaza.

Among them were Khalil al-Hayya, who heads the Hamas delegation to negotiations, Zaher Jabarin, the terror group's chief money man and Muhammad Ismail Darwish, head of the Hamas religious council and the representative in visits to Sources told Ynet that since Defense Minister Israel Katz said al-Hayya was next on Israel's list of targets for assassination, the senior Hamas official who has been negotiating a possible release of hostages was afraid for his life. His concerns have led to a different approach to the negotiations, sources close to al-Hayya said. He agreed to the latest draft proposal and no longer opposed a temporary ceasefire after the terror group insisted that the hostages would be released in exchange for an end to the war. Qatar's demand that he hand over his weapon and the weapons of his security guards increases his sense of danger and improves the chances that the current proposal would be accepted. Officials in Jerusalem said there was cause for optimism and many in the international community hope that this time, a deal would be reached. A diplomat briefed on the talks told the Associated Press that there was now a “big opportunity” to reach an agreement. “The indications we’re getting are people are ready,” he said, adding that Trump’s harsh talk toward Israel has “given a bit of confidence to Hamas” that the U.S. will guarantee any future deal and prevent a return to fighting. Sources close to Hamas told the Saudi Al Akhbar newspaper that the terror group was "satisfied" with the wording of the guarantees added to the original proposal after Hamas refused any deal that did not include a guaranteed end to the war. But an official Hamas response is expected by Friday and the details about the American assurances to the terror group are unknown. "Israel is not obligated to the commitments made by the United States and the mediators," an official said. like Turkey and Iran.

Israel and Iran

US bill: Trump could authorize Israel to use American B-2 bombers
Bipartisan members of Congress have introduced a bill to the US House of Representatives that would grant President Donald Trump the authority to provide Israel with access to B-2 stealth bombers and bunker-buster bombs if Iran continues developing nuclear weapons. According to the proposal, which is still pending approval, this unprecedented operational cooperation would include deployment, equipment and training, but without transferring permanent ownership or direct control of the stealth aircraft to Israel, which the US has never provided to foreign hands.

Gaza and the South

Israel arms Fatah-linked militias in Gaza combating Hamas
Khalas and Khanidak clan fighters coordinate with IDF in Gaza as Israel exploits factional rifts to counter Hamas amid ongoing ceasefire deal talks
Two additional armed groups affiliated with Fatah are now operating in Gaza with Israeli coordination and support, Ynet learned on Thursday. One group is active in Gaza City, and the other in Khan Younis—both areas where IDF forces are currently present as part of Operation Gideon’s Chariots.
Last month, Palestinian Authority sources told Ynet they anticipated new Fatah-aligned militias would soon begin operations in the Strip. On Wednesday, those sources confirmed that these are the very groups now coordinating directly with the IDF. Both receive salaries from the Palestinian Authority.
One of the groups is currently active in Shejaiya, a neighborhood in eastern Gaza where IDF troops are preparing for possible operations against Hamas strongholds. This armed faction is associated with Rami Khalas, a Fatah activist from Gaza.
The Khalas clan, one of the largest in the Strip, has long been hostile toward Hamas—stemming from violent confrontations between the two factions after Hamas seized control of Gaza in 2007.Most of the family lives in Shejaiya, near the Israeli community of Nahal Oz, while Rami Khalas himself resides in the Tel al-Hawa area in southwestern Gaza City. According to sources, Khalas and his men are heavily armed and are now receiving Israeli protection and operational cover. The broader Khalas family is closely linked to Fatah; among its most prominent members is Ahmad Khalas, known as Abu Maher, a member of Fatah’s Central Committee and Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas’s representative in Gaza. Alongside the Khalas faction, a second Fatah-aligned militia is operating in Khan Younis, one of Hamas’s traditional strongholds. This group is led by Yasser Khanidak, a local Fatah operative who, along with his fighters, opposes Hamas’s rule. Like Yasser Abu Shabab, Khanidak is receiving Israeli aid—both in weapons and humanitarian supplies—as well as a salary from the Palestinian Authority. Their activity is framed as retaliation for the 2007 killing of Salameh Barbakh, a senior officer in the Palestinian Authority’s Preventive Security Force who was murdered by Hamas terrorists while trying to flee toward the Egyptian border. Barbakh himself had been involved in the killing of Hamas operatives and was a staunchly anti-Hamas figure within Fatah. The emergence of Khalas and Khanidak as military actors illustrates the deepening rift between Fatah and Hamas, which has re-emerged in Gaza as Hamas’s control begins to erode. Analysts suggest that as Israel identifies more opportunities to work with local anti-Hamas elements, such cooperation could expand—despite Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s public insistence that Gaza will become neither “Hamastan” nor “Fatahstan.” Abu Shabab’s stalled efforts For now, however, the forces led by Abu Shabab have struggled to scale up or establish any form of governance. Roughly 400 Gazans have joined his ranks so far but the militia remains largely confined to the buffer zone near Rafah, with little operational reach beyond it. On Wednesday morning, Hamas’s Interior Ministry issued a 10-day ultimatum for Abu Shabab to surrender to the military court. He faces charges of treason, espionage on behalf of foreign powers, forming an armed cell and armed rebellion. The statement warned that if he fails to appear, he’ll be declared a fugitive and tried in absentia. The threat was described as a public warning and “a message to anyone considering undermining the resistance from within.” In response, Abu Shabab’s group told Ynet: “We believe every member of Hamas should face the same charges—for collaborating with Iran and the Muslim Brotherhood, which are hostile to our people and to our national interests.” link. From the beginning of the war, Netanyahu has refused to entertain any potential plan for an alternative governing body in Gaza and that has brought us to the situation we are in today, with 2 million desperate refugees needing extraordinary amounts of humanitarian aid to survive, the aid entering Gaza being stolen by Hamas on a regular basis, chaos in the streets, a guerilla war being fought against our soldiers, Hamas still in charge in many areas of governing, and 50 hostages still in captivity. The only body that can and should be given the reigns of governing in Gaza is a reformed Palestinian Authority or a body that has close ties to the PA. Netanyahu's latest plan to have clans providing security for the humanitarian aid is very patchwork, even though we are providing them with weapons. Now there are 2 additional clans involved and are very anti Hamas with close ties to Fatah. While this is a minor step in the right direction by having Fatah aligned clans involved, without an official alternative governing body, we will see chaos upon chaos. While these clans may all be anti Hamas, their allegiance is mostly to their clans, just as the warlord scenarios always are. There is no shortage of clan fighting clan even when they may be politically aligned, and all of these clans have backgrounds in criminal activity and probably terror activity as well, or at least arms dealing with terror organizations. We have already seen what political chaos in Gaza brought us. When Arik Sharon unilaterally left Gaza, he purposely didn't work with the PA for a structured, planned and smooth disengagement with handing over Gaza to the PA. His goal was for chaos to ensue so he would never have to deal with the question of a Palestinian state. He got what he wished for and that brought us 20 years of Hamas rule in Gaza and everything that has happened since then. Netanyahu is leading us down a similar road of chaos bringing more chaos and everyone will pay a heavy price.

Director of Gaza’s Indonesian Hospital said killed in Israeli strike on his home

Media outlets in Gaza report that Marwan Sultan, the director of the Indonesian Hospital in northern Gaza, has been killed in an Israeli strike.
According to the reports, he was killed along with his wife and other relatives when his home in Gaza City was hit.
In the past, the IDF has said that Hamas used the Indonesian Hospital as a base for its terror activities and had fired at Israeli forces from the site. The hospital was cleared by the IDF several weeks ago and is no longer operational.
The IDF has not yet responded to the reports

Protest convoy makes way south calling for end to Gaza war

An anti-war convoy heading south toward the Nova site next to Kibbutz Re'im on July 2, 2025 ( Tzvika Golan/Israeli Pro-Democracy Protest Movement)

Protesters have joined a Stop the War convoy to mark 635 days of war, with dozens of cars heading south from Israel’s center calling for a a deal to end the war in Gaza and the release of hostages.

Drivers string banners across their cars and vans, reading “Rescuing Israel,” “Hostage Deal Now,” and “The continuing war endangers the hostages.”

In Caesarea, cars are set up in the formation of the number 50 to signify the number of remaining hostages, before setting off toward the site of the Nova desert rave next to Kibbutz Re’im, with music blaring and yellow ribbons and Israeli flags affixed to the vehicles

IDF eliminates two Hamas militants involved in killing of 7 soldiers in Khan Younis APC disaster
An Air Force aircraft, guided by Shin Bet and the 188th Brigade, attacked and eliminated Hamas militants Musab Yasser Abdullah Galban and Abd al-Latif Musa Hajjaj Barbakh in the Khan Younis area last week, who took part in the killing of seven soldiers in the APC explosion disaster last week. This was reported by the IDF spokesperson. Lieutenant Matan Shai Ishinovsky, Staff Sergeant Alon Davidov, Staff Sergeant Ronal Ben-Moshe, Staff Sergeant Niv Radia, Sergeant Ronen Shapiro, Sergeant Shahar Manuav and Sergeant Mayan Baruch Perlstein fell in the incident.

38 people said killed while waiting for humanitarian aid in Gaza overnight

Members of the Hamas-linked civil defense try to extinguish a fire at a building hit by an Israeli strike in Gaza City in the central Gaza Strip, on July 2, 2025. (Omar Al-Qattaa/AFP)

The Hamas-run Gaza health ministry says 82 people were killed in the Gaza Strip overnight, including 38 people who were trying to access humanitarian aid.
It says that five people were killed outside aid distribution sites operated by the US- and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, and 33 others were killed while waiting for aid trucks in other locations across the Strip.
Dozens of people were also said to have been killed in airstrikes overnight, including 15 people in the sprawling tent city in the al-Mawasi area of southern Gaza. The Hamas-linked civil defense says a separate strike at a school-turned-shelter in Gaza City killed at least 12.
The figures provided by the Gaza health ministry cannot be independently verified and do not differentiate between combatants and civilians.
There have been repeated instances of Palestinians being shot near aid distribution sites. The IDF says it is investigating but has denied that troops are ordered to open fire on civilians.

Armored vehicle hit by Hamas in deadly Gaza attack last week didn’t have working exit hatch or cameras, report finds
New details published by the Kan public broadcaster from the deadly armored vehicle attack in southern Gaza last week reveal that defects in an IDF armored personnel carrier allowed a Hamas operative to throw an explosive device into the vehicle, killing seven combat engineering soldiers in Khan Younis on June 24.
According to the report, the exit hatch of the Puma APC was broken and had been tied shut with a rope. The APC’s cameras were not functional and hadn’t been for an extended period.
Soldiers said commanders were aware of the issues.
The incident sparked criticism from families of soldiers in the 605th Combat Engineering Battalion, who accused the army of negligence and demanded updated equipment in a letter to the battalion commander.
The incident was “unnecessary and preventable,” they said.
Parents noted that other battalions have more advanced vehicles, such as the Namer, while the 605th continues to rely on outdated Pumas.
The IDF and Shin Bet announced yesterday that two Hamas operatives involved in the deadly attack had been killed in a drone strike. link Unfortuntely, this is a prime example of how the army doesn't learn from its own mistakes and continues to repeat actions knowingly that are dangerous to our soldiers. The lives of these 7 young soldiers were lost due to utter negligence and the incident should be investigated as negligent homicide or manslaughter with the officers who were warned and did nothing to be brought up on charges. And it should be up the ranks and not with the lowest command level in order for this unnecessary tragedy to have any meaning and for the army and its officers to prevent future negligence which costs the lives of our finest.

IDF says Gaza terrorists behind Wednesday rocket fire killed in drone strike
The IDF says the Gaza terror cell responsible for yesterday’s rocket fire at Sderot and Ibim was “eliminated” in a drone strike just minutes after the launch from northern Gaza.
Separately, it says troops across multiple divisions have continued to operate in the Strip.
Troops of the 162nd Division have targeted terrorists and underground infrastructure in the north, it says, while the 188th Armored Brigade in the south recently uncovered rifles, pistols, magazines, and mortars in the Khan Younis area.
Over the past 24 hours, the Israeli Air Force struck around 150 targets, including underground routes, military structures, sniper positions, and other terror infrastructure, the military says.
The IDF says its operations, carried out with intelligence from the Shin Bet and Military Intelligence Directorate, aim to eliminate threats against Israeli civilians.

Northern Israel, Lebanon and Syria

Saudi report estimates 4,000 Hezbollah fighters killed in war with Israel, another 2,000 deserted after Nasrallah’s death

Saudi news channel Al-Hadath reports, citing unnamed sources, that approximately 4,000 Hezbollah operatives, including fighters, commanders, and senior figures, were killed during the Lebanon-based terror group’s war with Israel, which ended in a ceasefire in November 2024.

On top of that, the report says around 2,000 others deserted following the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in September last year.

Despite these losses, the report claims Hezbollah still maintains a force of approximately 60,000 members.

The outlet also reports that 80% of the territory south of Lebanon’s Litani River — once under Hezbollah’s exclusive control — is now controlled by the Lebanese Armed Forces. The terms of the ceasefire require that Hezbollah maintain no control in that area.

It says Hezbollah has also shut down most of its training centers in the Beqaa Valley and southern Lebanon, and much of its medium and heavy-grade weaponry has either been destroyed by Israeli strikes or seized by the Lebanese army.

West Bank, Jerusalem, Israel and Terror Attacks

Settlers break into homes in Palestinian village of Mu’arajat al-Sharqiya overnight, forcing residents to flee

Two Israeli settlers sit outside the home of a Palestinian family in the West Bank village of Mu'arajat al-Sharqiya after breaking in and forcing the family to flee, on July 3, 2025. (Looking the Occupation in the Eye)

Israeli settlers were documented breaking into a home in the Palestinian village of Mu’arajat al-Sharqiya, in the southern Jordan Valley area of the West Bank, overnight and ousting the family living there, reportedly amid efforts to establish a new outpost inside the village.
Photos from the scene show settlers relaxing and smoking outside the home after the family fled. video
According to the left-wing activist group Looking the Occupation in the Eye, they also stole cash and an air conditioner unit from the home.
Elsewhere in the village, other settlers took over an uninhabited house and remained there throughout the night and into the morning.
An Israeli activist assisting residents of the village tells The Times of Israel that at the height of the incident, around 25 settlers were present at the scene. She says they threw stones at activists and villagers, and chased them with clubs. There were no injuries.
After the incident, it was discovered that about 60 sheep had been stolen from one of the residents, she says.
The activist says that dozens of calls were made to the police overnight but no officers were dispatched to the scene. One of the villagers later filed a complaint.
Footage from the night shows IDF soldiers were present at the scene, but according to the activist, they did not intervene.

IDF soldiers sit with an Israeli settler who broke into the Palestinian village of Mu’arajat al-Sharqiya, in the southern Jordan Valley, on July 3, 2025. (Looking the Occupation in the Eye)
A group of soldiers was later seen sitting with two of the settlers in what appeared to be a relaxed setting, with the soldiers drinking energy drinks and using their phones.
Mu’arajat is one of the few remaining Palestinian communities between Ramallah and Jericho. Most of the area’s roughly 1,000 residents have fled or were forcibly displaced by settler violence over the past two years.
The IDF and police have not yet issued a response. link These extremists are terrorists. There is no other word that should be used to describe them. They are acting exactly in accordance with the enablement and encouragement of the extremist messianic criminal ministers Ben Gvir and Smotrich, with Netanyahu not saying a word which gives full support for these terrorist activities. They are turning Israeli into a criminal state where the government supports these terrorist activities which fall under the international crimes of genocide which includes forcibly causing the local population to migrate.

Politics and the War and General News

The Region and the World

Personal Stories

Acronyms and Glossary

COGAT - Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories

ICC - International Criminal Court in the Hague

IJC - International Court of Justice in the Hague

IPS - Israel Prison System

MDA - Magen David Adom - Israel Ambulance Corp

PA - Palestinian Authority - President Mahmud Abbas, aka Abu Mazen

PMO- Prime Minister's Office

UAV - Unmanned Aerial vehicle, Drone. Could be used for surveillance and reconnaissance, or be weaponized with missiles or contain explosives for 'suicide' explosion mission

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