🎗️Lonny's War Update- October 637, 2023 - July 4, 2025 🎗️

 🎗️Day 637 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

Read the opinion piece "Extremist settlers threaten state from within" in the West Bank section to get a better idea of the extremist settler terrorists who are a real threat, not just to the Palestinians they are attacking with impunity but a danger to the State of Israel.



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

*

IDF says soldier killed in operational accident in northern Gaza Strip overnight

MAY HIS MEMORY BE A REVOLUTION


The IDF announces that Sgt. Yair Eliyahou, 19, from the community of Ezer, a Combat Engineering soldier in the Northern Brigade, was killed overnight during a combat-related operational accident in the northern Gaza Strip.
The circumstances of the incident are under investigation.


Another soldier killed in Gaza, another family decimated.
Another needless death fighting Netanyahu's War of Political Survival. More blood directly on Netanyahu's hands but his heart is an empty abyss and he willingly lets more families pay the price for his hubris, his insatiable need to remain prime minister no matter the costs. This war must end, elections must come early, a State Commission of Inquiry must be created and begin its work and justice must be meted out to the guilty, Netanyahu being the most guilty. - Lonny Baskin - July 4, 2025




Hostage Updates

Until the last hostage


The Americans are pushing for a phased partial deal without a full commitment to end the war because they have been told that the Netanyahu government will collapse. I ask - who is wagging who's tail???  Why should Trump care if the Netanyahu government falls and Israel goes to new elections.  If Netanyahu is so convinced that the Israeli people support him, let's go to elections and see.  In the meantime, Israeli soldiers are getting killed, many Palestinians are getting killed, hostages will get killed or will die and this horrible war continues with no end in sight and with humanitarian aid trickling into Gaza by a corrupt system supported by armed gangs.  Mr. Trump, Netanyahu cannot say no to you - so ending the war is in your hands! (Gershon Baskin, July 3 2025)

• Interview with Gershon Baskin on Al Arabiya English TV about the hostage deal and ending the war video interview with Gershon Baskin (start on minute 2:00)
  
  
  
• From The Headquarters of the Families for the Return of the Hostages and Missing Persons 

Leveraging the achievements - bringing the hostages home. Now!  
The State of Israel stands at a historic crossroads. The operation in Iran, alongside successes in other sectors, has positioned Israel in a unique stance of strength and power, with the upper hand in all combat arenas.  
After nearly two years of a complex and difficult war, there is an obligation to wisely and decisively seize this window of opportunity.  
A comprehensive deal must be reached, with a clear timeline and a guarantee for the release of all hostages—down to the last one—and an end to the fighting.  
This is the right, proper, moral, and necessary course of action.  
Anything less than a full agreement constitutes a grave failure and a lament for generations.  
Bring the hostages home – stop the fighting.

636 days after the massacre: Netanyahu made his first visit to Nir Oz
Prime Minister Netanyahu visited Kibbutz Nir Oz for the first time, where 50 residents were killed and 76 were abducted in the October 7 massacre • During the visit he met with hostage survivors Gadi Moses and Sagi Dekel Chen – and also with Einav Zangocker, mother of the hostage Matan • Netanyahu: “I feel a deep commitment to ensure the return of all our hostages – we will bring them all back” • Outside the kibbutz a demonstration took place, and protesters shouted at his convoy: “You abandon us, murderer”

636 days have passed since the murderous terror of October 7 – and only today (Thursday), Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived for the first time at Kibbutz Nir Oz, one of the settlements that suffered the heaviest blow. Upon his arrival, a fierce protest awaited him at the gates of the kibbutz: dozens of protesters shouted toward him, “You abandon us, murderer,” demanding that he take responsibility. During the visit, the PM and his wife met with Einav Zangocker, mother of the hostage Matan, and with survivors of captivity Gadi Moses and Sagi Dekel Chen.

In footage from the visit, Zangocker is seen greeting the PM and his wife at the Mundar family home, hugging them and saying to Netanyahu: “Thank you very much.” Also present was Ilana Gritzvsky, a former female captive and partner of Matan, at the meeting. During the visit, Yizhar Lifshitz told the Prime Minister about Zangocker: “The greatest lioness there is.”

Netanyahu said during the visit: “I feel a deep commitment – first of all to ensure the return of all our hostages, all of them. There are still twenty lives and more fallen, and we will bring them all back.” He added: “I also feel a deep commitment to work here to rehabilitate this kibbutz and bring life back to people. We will cut bureaucracy – and rehabilitate.”

Prime Minister’s wife, Sara Netanyahu, spoke of her meeting with Sagi Dekel Chen, who returned from captivity, and about his family who survived the attack hiding in the safe room: “Sagi Dekel Chen, who was a captive and returned in the previous deal, showed me his three‑year‑old child’s pacifier. His wife and two daughters – three and seven years old – held the safe‑room door with the changing table. That’s how they were saved, with courage and resourcefulness.” She added: “There were amazing stories of heroism by women, children and residents. Just resourcefulness and bravery, you cannot imagine where the strength came from.”



Hostages from Nirim Oz still in Hamas captivity

Families still have loved ones as hostages in Gaza – Hore, Zangocker, Adar, Margalit, Engel, Zalmanovitch and Cooper – were invited to the visit. Some family members plan to boycott the visit. On the other hand, other residents supported the visit because nine of the fifty hostages still in Gaza are kibbutz residents.

Amid reports of a partial hostage‑release deal, the Hostages Families HQ made an urgent appeal to the Prime Minister and head of the negotiation team demanding a comprehensive agreement that guarantees release of all hostages – without cruel selection or stages. In a letter sent before the PM’s trip to Washington, the families stressed that Israel holds a unique position of power and momentum: “The dazzling operation in Iran, alongside results in other sectors, brought Israel to a unique position of strength and domination in all theaters of combat. The era of partial deals and cruel selections is over.”

According to them, any arrangement that does not include all hostages will be “a grave failure and a lamentation for generations,” and that only a full deal will allow Israel “to breathe again, to recover, to rebuild and to be rebuilt.”



The burned‑out home of Johnny and Tamar Kedem Siman Tov 

Reuma Kedem whose daughter, son‑in‑law and three young grandchildren were murdered in their home in Nir Oz, voiced anger at Netanyahu’s intention to visit the kibbutz. “The blood of my daughter, son‑in‑law and my grandchildren is on your hands. You funded it with your hands, you betrayed, abandoned and brought ruin to this house. You’re the one who opened the yellow gate to the Nukhba terrorists. Don’t you dare, two years later, to enter the gates of this kibbutz,” she wrote to the Prime Minister on X.

"Don’t you dare set your filthy foot on the soot-covered paths of this abandoned kibbutz, you hear me? Where my grandchildren once ran, played, and laughed. My dead family is not some PR backdrop for your imaginary election campaign. This isn’t the Mahane Yehuda market. Your armored cars and bulletproof vests won’t get you in here. Not your wife, not your makeup artist, not your photographers. You’re going to hell."

Danny Elgarat, whose brother Yitzhak was abducted alive and returned in a coffin in the last deal, attacked the PM. “This is a political visit and not a visit of solidarity. I am not willing for him to pass by my brother’s house, after he abandoned him in Nirim Oz and abandoned him in Gaza,” he said. “He ignored him for two years, and now that the smell of elections is in the air he decided to come.”

Prime Minister Netanyahu spoke in February with captive survivor Sagi Dekel Chen. Netanyahu congratulated him on his return and pledged not to leave any hostage behind; Sagi repeated to him the need to return all hostages – and even personally invited him to visit Nirim Oz.

Sagi addressed the PM and implored: “I understood that you haven’t visited Nir Oz. I invite you personally – we’ll put politics aside. It'll be just you and me walking the kibbutz paths. Now everything is blooming, but I’ll show you bloody spots and burned homes.” Netanyahu replied: “Thank you very much, Sagi, I appreciate it.”

Sagi continued: “We came from different positions, but I always believed, even while I was in captivity – that the considerations in the country are professional and I ask that it remain so. The true victory is bringing love back to the streets – and that will happen only with the hostages’ return.”

What happened in the kibbutz that became a symbol of the failure?
An IDF investigation into the Nir Oz massacre first reported on “Weekend News,” revealed a severe systemic failure. According to the inquiry’s findings, the Southern Command and Gaza Division failed to understand in real time the severity of the situation in the kibbutz. While Hamas terrorists and looters, including women and children, roamed the kibbutz unchallenged for long hours, IDF forces were dispersed on other missions or stalled en route. The complete abandonment led to the tragic result of 76 hostages and dozens killed.

In that morning’s massacre, which until then included 420 residents, terrorists spared only six houses out of 100 structures in the kibbutz. A quarter of the kibbutz’s residents were abducted or murdered, and a third of the total hostages from October 7 came from there. The attack was meticulously planned: terrorists were equipped with maps and divided the area. The IDF admits that there was virtually no combat there, except by the readiness platoon who bravely fought the attackers alone for two hours before being overwhelmed. The kibbutz members did all they could, but had no chance without the arrival of a rescue force.  link The fact that Netanyahu didn't have the guts to come to Nir Oz for 21 months is reprehensible. What happened to Nir Oz and every other community and location that was brutally attacked on October 7 all come under his responsibility but here, too hasn't had the guts to take any responsibility. He has shirked everything and continues to apply all blame on the security organizations and chiefs, the same organizations that brought successes in Lebanon, Syria and Iran. In my view, there are 2 reasons that Netanyahu chose now to visit Nir Oz, as he always has a reason for every PR action that he takes, and this was definitely a PR action. The first reason, that I hope will be real, is that he is setting the ground for finally agreeing to the end of the war and bringing home all the hostages, albeit in with a horrible agreement that will take months until the last hostage is home. The second reason is in preparation for his next election campaign which he and his people are certainly working on in full speed, even if they will first be held in the beginning of 2026. This is one of his PR stunts that will be used in his campaign and it will follow with pictures and videos of the hostages coming home. He will shirk all responsibility and blame in the campaign and only claim that he alone could have brought home the hostages, which is the biggest lie in the world. Only he, who makes decisions on what will be good for him first, could have been the person who wouldn't bring the hostages home so much sooner.





Israeli political leaders to decide which captives will be freed after reviewing medical reports — TV


Israeli political leaders will decide which of the hostages will be freed as part of the brewing ceasefire deal with Hamas after being presented with information about the medical conditions of the captives, Channel 12 news reports.  link Both the Ministries of Defense and Health have notified Netanyahu that they will have no hand in preparing the list of which hostages will be included in the horrible deal that will have 5 phases of hostage releases. They have stated clearly that every single living hostage is a humanitarian case, all at risk of dying or being killed any day in their captivity, yet Netanyahu continues with his ridiculous and sadistic phases of releases. This is a Netanyahu invention, not Hamas. Hamas was and is ready to agree to release all the hostages at once in one day with an end of the war and pull back of all troops. Netanyahu has repeatedly refused to this situation. The blood of every hostage who has died or been killed is directly on his hands.

Netanyahu enters Kibbutz Nir Oz through side entrance, avoiding demonstrators at front


A woman looks at photos of slain hostages in the dining hall at Kibbutz Nir Oz, in southern Israel, on February 25, 2025. (AP/Ohad Zwigenberg)
1 in 4 residents of Nir Oz were either killed or kidnapped




With demonstrators gathered at the entrance to the kibbutz, Netanyahu’s convoy enters through another gate, where signs calling him “mister abandonment” are seen in the background.

Voices in the background can be heard shouting “disgrace” and denouncing Netanyahu as “corrupt,” an “abandoner” and a “murderer” as the vehicles drive by.   link Once again, Netanyahu shows what a coward he is and how everything he does is for PR. Entering the side entrance to avoid hearing and seeing the protestors is cowardly. It took him 21 months to arrive to Nir Oz (an hour and half away for him) and he doesn't have the guts to face responsibity for the massacre that took place there!




IDF spokesman calls return of hostages ‘the ultimate goal’ of Gaza war

The IDF will persist in its military campaign in Gaza until all hostages are returned and Hamas is dismantled, IDF Spokesperson Maj. Gen. Effie Defrin says in a press conference, reaffirming the war’s central objectives.

“That is the ultimate goal that every fighter and every commander in the Gaza Strip and beyond has in their sight,” Defrin says about returning the hostages.

He adds that Israeli forces are operating with “high intensity” across most of the Gaza Strip, targeting Hamas strongholds in ground maneuvers and with a coordinated combination of air, naval and artillery fire.

Defrin highlights the killing of senior Hamas commander Hakem al-Issa, described as a key planner of the October 7 massacre, as well as two terrorists involved in the deaths of seven IDF soldiers in Khan Younis last week, declaring them operational successes in recent days.

According to Defrin, the IDF is simultaneously working to enable humanitarian aid deliveries via the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which Defrin says delivered over a million food packages to Gazan civilians to date, while countering ongoing attempts by Hamas to sabotage the effort.  link. The IDF spokesman stated that the 'return of hostages ‘the ultimate goal’ of Gaza war' which is a good thing. Unfortunately, the government and Prime Minister have never stated the same thing.

Israeli official says ceasefire could start next week if Hamas gives ‘positive answer’

Israel believes that Hamas will give an answer to the latest hostage deal offer within the next 24 hours, a senior Israeli official tells Channel 13. “If it comes back with a positive answer, it could take place by next week,” says the senior official.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is holding a meeting on the terms of a potential deal.

The 60-day deal is expected to see five separate releases of dead and living hostages, with Channel 13 saying that on day one, eight living hostages will be released; on day seven, five bodies, on day 30, another five hostages, on day 50, two living hostages and on the last day eight more bodies.

The security cabinet will meet on Saturday night to vote on the proposal before Netanyahu takes off for Washington. The ceasefire could start while Netanyahu is in the United States, according to the report.




Bogi Ya'alon: 'This is a political war of deception, Netanyahu sacrifices hostages since beginning of campaign'
Former Defense Minister Moshe (Bogi) Ya'alon spoke at a rally in Rabin Square in favor of ending the war in Gaza and attacked Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: "This is a political war of deception, whose supreme goal is the integrity of the coalition and the continued rule of the person ultimately responsible for the October 7 failure. He is the head, he is guilty." Ya'alon added: "He assembled a coalition of messianics, draft dodgers and corrupt individuals to crush the judicial authority. He sacrifices soldiers in a futile and purposeless war of deception, the longest war in our history. He sacrifices hostages from the beginning of the campaign." link Bogi Yaalon served as Defense Minister and Deputy Prime Minister under Netanyahu. Isn't it amazing that almost everyone who has served closely in Israel's security organizations and ministries under Netanyahu always turns against him and tells what we all know, that he is a compulsive liar and cannot be trusted, as well as his actions are always determined first by what is good for him?







Hamas reportedly 'responds positively' to new hostage deal proposal; security cabinet is meeting 

According to Hamas-affiliated channels, the terrorist organization gave Qatar a positive response to the new outline - but the full details have not been provided, and there is no official announcement 




Channels affiliated with Hamas reported Thursday evening that Hamas has responded positively to the new proposal for a hostage deal. At the same time, in Israel, the political-security cabinet is meeting with significant decisionson the agenda including the question of continuing the fighting in Gaza, ending it with a "comprehensive regional agreement" - or, again, a temporary and partial deal.

Earlier, sources close to the terrorist organization said that it would give a "positive response" to the proposal, which initially includes a 60-day ceasefire with the release of 10 live hostages and 18 dead. It is important to note that, so far, there are no details about what Hamas' response included - and what the conditions were, and an official statement has not yet been published.




In Israel, it was estimated that the terrorist organization would create difficulties, since "like everything - Hamas will fight over the names of the terrorists or the keys because that is the way of the world with them."

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to ministers, is striving to end the war , while in the background U.S. President Donald Trump continues to press for an agreement - and even told released hostage Edan Alexander and his family during a meeting Thursday at the White House that "we will close the deal."




Trump reportedly hopes to announce a finalized deal during his meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington on Monday.

Last week, IDF Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Eyal Zamir said that the IDF is close to reaching the goals it has defined for itself , and from there "options for action will be developed and presented to the political echelon." In Israel, too, voices have been growing that talk about ending the campaign in the Gaza Strip. IDF spokesman Effie Defrin addressed this Thursday in a statement to the media, saying that "in the near future we will achieve the goals of Operation Gideon's Chariots, the current phase of the Gaza war, and we will present the political echelon with a number of alternatives to move forward. The political echelon will define for us what to do and we will act accordingly."




Earlier Thursday, senior cabinet officials who spoke with Netanyahu said that he "very much wants and is determined to reach a deal at almost any cost," and that he believes that the political window of opportunity in which Israel now finds itself "happens once in a generation." In closed talks, they say, the prime minister says that "we have rare, unimaginable political opportunities before us." As they understand it, Netanyahu is now striving for an agreement that will see Israel not return to fighting in the Gaza Strip - with the release of all the hostages on the agenda, alongside completing the amorphous goal of "defeating Hamas," and agreements with Saudi Arabia, Syria and possibly other countries.

In the background, the person who is pressuring Israel and Hamas time and again to reach agreements regarding a ceasefire is Trump, who has made a series of statements on the subject in recent days - and is also putting pressure on Qatar. According to senior Israeli officials, the U.S. president is even aiming to announce that the agreement has been concluded during his meeting with Netanyahu in Washington on Monday.

Israel is preparing for the possibility of “proximity talks” with Hamas—indirect negotiations facilitated by mediators. They believe that under intense pressure from Trump on Qatar, and from Qatar onto Hamas, such talks could yield results, even if not immediately.

As negotiations advance, families of 35 hostages sent an urgent letter to Netanyahu demanding a comprehensive agreement. “Anything short of that would be a grave failure and a historic tragedy,” they wrote. “The era of partial and selective deals is over.”




The letter, published by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum following Netanyahu’s first visit to Kibbutz Nir Oz since the October 7 Hamas massacre, was also sent to Minister Ron Dermer, head of Israel’s negotiating team, ahead of the prime minister’s trip to Washington.




At the same time, six coalition Knesset members, including some from Netanyahu's Likud party, sent their letter to Netanyahu and cabinet ministers demanding the complete defeat of Hamas and full Israeli control over Gaza. They warned that any other outcome would pose an “existential threat to the State of Israel” and insisted they would not support any path that falls short of total victory. “This is our red line,” they wrote. They added that they "expect support from the United States."

Against this backdrop, Israel is at a significant crossroads. The military presented the cabinet with three options for moving forward in Gaza: a hostage deal; a full occupation of the Strip, risking their lives and the lives of soldiers; and a siege until surrender and opening additional distribution points for humanitarian aid - something that has very large budgetary costs and requires months of preparation.

Netanyahu said in the debate that a deal must be reached by force. The ministers are under the impression that this time he is also free from political pressure, given that he is planning for upcoming elections, which he wants to reach after completing an unprecedented diplomatic move, one that will also qualify for the Abraham Accords.




Behind the scenes, it seems that the political threats are less frightening to Netanyahu. The coalition understands that Ben-Gvir - who has already opposed hostage deals twice - will oppose this time as well. Smotrich was convinced to vote in favor the first time, and opposed the last time - but even without him, the deal has a majority in the cabinet and the government. Most Likud ministers, if not all, will vote in favor, and it is not impossible that Benny Gantz will re-enter the government and even receive an important portfolio within the "safety net." And even if the government falls apart, Israel is soon entering an election year anyway.




Along with these reasons, the change in Netanyahu's position is rooted in other factors, including the latest achievements in the war and the push by the Trump administration. He is conveying to his interlocutors that he will not miss an opportunity for peace with Sunni countries, primarily Saudi Arabia. The Shiite axis has broken, Syria sees Iran as a threatening factor, and even Lebanon is slowly trying to disavow the Islamic Republic.

But it is clear to everyone that in order to move forward, the incident in Gaza must be closed - and Israel must do this while returning all the hostages. As part of the agreement, Israel would also like to ensure that Hamas will not be the sovereign in the Strip. Link

Hamas showing willingness to compromise on disarmament and relocate some operatives from Gaza Hamas sources told Saudi channel "Al-Sharq" that the new development leading the terror organization to lean toward approving a ceasefire agreement is the acceptance of humanitarian aid arrangements and establishing a clear mechanism for IDF forces to withdraw from the Gaza Strip. Additionally, it was reported that Hamas understands it will need to address Israel's three demands: removing Hamas from power, disarming Gaza, and relocating those responsible for the October 7 attack outside the Strip. The sources indicated that Hamas has shown willingness to address the weapons issue and will agree to symbolic and temporary reduction of several senior officials in Gaza.

Daughter of killed hostage fallen Meni Godard: “A Blocking Bloc Against the Deal? They're Twisting a Knife in Our Hearts”



Meni Godard from Kibbutz Be'eri was murdered on the morning of October 7 and his body was taken into Gaza. A military rescue attempt failed, and now his family pins their hopes on the deal being negotiated: “We’re afraid of being disappointed again.” Bar, Meni’s daughter, attacked Ben Gvir: “They’re responsible for the fact that my father is in Gaza—and now they’re compounding crime with sin.”

637 Days of War, 50 Still Held Hostage

One of them is Meni Godard, z”l, a resident of Kibbutz Be’eri who was murdered on October 7 alongside his wife Ayelet, z”l. His rescue from Gaza failed, and now the family longs for his return as part of the deal on the table.

Bar responded to reports that Itamar Ben Gvir suggested to Bezalel Smotrich forming a “blocking bloc” against the deal: “They're twisting a knife in our hearts. Any statement about blocking a hostage deal—I think these politicians don’t understand the weight of their own words, the depth of the fracture and the magnitude of our pain. The October 7 disaster occurred under their watch.”



Meni Goddard z"l

She accused the government: “They are responsible for this situation. They are responsible for the fact that my dad is now in Gaza. Blocking the deal is adding crime to sin—on top of their failure to take responsibility, and dividing the nation, portraying hostage families as if they are harming security. Even if they oppose the deal, there are ways to express that without issuing statements that leave hostage families helpless.”

Reported Deal Terms: The mediators propose that Israel receive 10 living hostages and 18 deceased.

Bar said: “As always, they're continuing with selections among hostages. They keep pumping us the message that Israel 'isn’t willing to stop the war,' even though we keep paying heavy prices in human lives. Just this week we heard about soldiers killed in Gaza. What are we still doing there?”

Rehabilitation vs. Politics



Kibbutz Be’eri after the massacre | Photo: Nimrod Marom

Last week, the government decided that Gaza Envelope residents may return home. Bar, who lives in Kibbutz Be’eri, described her conflicted feelings after the decision: “I was in Kibbutz Be’eri on October 7. The state announced this week that we can return home. If there's no security threat and we can return to Be’eri—why can't we make a deal? We didn’t erase any of our enemies’ existence; Hamas is still in Gaza.”

She added: “How can they expect me to return home? For me to come back, I have to trust that if something like this happens again and I get kidnapped—the state will bring me back. The first step to rebuilding that trust is returning everyone home.”

Meni and Ayelet Godard left behind four children—Mor, Gal, Bar, and Goni—and six grandchildren. About her father, Bar said: “My dad was a citizen who contributed his whole life to the country—made countless meals for soldiers, hosted lone soldiers. My parents adopted a child from welfare. Who are they leaving behind? People who built the country and gave everything they had. They’re leaving them behind because of politics? How can this happen? It’s simply incomprehensible.

“I want to hope and believe that the State of Israel won't give up on my father. I'm at a place where I’m no longer sure of that, and I'm not sure they'll find my father's body. My parents were murdered in their home, on the same day I lost both parents. We buried my mother in Be’eri and she still has no gravestone because we’re still waiting for my father. I go to her grave and there’s just concrete. I can't stop thinking that we deserve more. We deserve a grave, we deserve a feeling of security, we deserve to live here with dignity.” link

Israel and Iran





Gaza and the South


IDF source says Gaza Humanitarian Foundation building new distribution site in Rafah
The US- and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation says it distributed almost 29,000 boxes of food today.
Almost all of the aid was distributed at the two GHF sites in southern Gaza, with only 1,300 boxes given out at the Wadi Gaza site in central Gaza.
The organization says it has delivered over 1 million boxes of food since it started operations in late May.
The GHF is building a new site in Rafah, an IDF source tells The Times of Israel.
GHF says its boxes contain enough food for 5.5 people for 3.5 days, but the contents are dry food products that require preparation elsewhere in war-ravaged Gaza, where community kitchens and cooking supplies are limited.


IDF releases video of Hamas abusing Palestinians in Gaza’s alleyways
Disturbing footage shows Hamas terrorists beating and shooting at Gaza residents accused of disrupting public order
The IDF's Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), Maj. Gen. Ghassan Alian, released videos Thursday showing Hamas terrorists violently assaulting residents in the Gaza Strip.
The footage, circulated on social media, depicts Hamas members beating civilians in alleyways and dark streets, and even opening fire on them. video and article
According to Alian, the brutal violence is directed at Palestinians suspected of “violating the public order” imposed by the terror group in Gaza.
“To the people of Gaza: the savage and blatant abuse inflicted by the Hamas terror organization is destroying your lives,” Alian said in a message to Gazans. “These horrifying displays of Hamas’ cruelty and evil are tools to instill fear and suppress the population, all in the name of preserving the organization’s grip on power.”

Footage of Hamas abusing Gazans


“Hamas will stop at nothing, no matter how ruthless or cynical, to maintain its control, taking Gaza’s civilians hostage in its quest to safeguard its rule,” he added.
Influx of Gazans injured at aid sites has turned Nasser Hospital into ‘one massive trauma ward,’ WHO says
Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza’s Khan Younis is operating as “one massive trauma ward” due to an influx of patients injured at humanitarian aid distribution sites, the World Health Organization says.
“Already for weeks they’ve seen daily injuries… with (the) majority coming from the so-called safe non-UN food distribution sites,” WHO representative Rik Peeperkorn tells reporters in Geneva, apparently referring to sites operated by the controversial US- and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.
“The hospital is now operating as one massive trauma ward,” he says.
GHF operations have since been marred by chaotic scenes and near-daily reports of Israeli forces firing on those waiting to collect aid.
The IDF acknowledged earlier this week that Palestinian civilians have been harmed at the aid distribution sites, but that troops only used live fire when a threat was posed to them, including when dozens of suspects approached forces outside of the designated routes to the aid sites operated by the GHF, or outside operating hours.


15 people said killed in Israeli strikes on southern Gaza overnight
Gaza’s Hamas-linked civil defense agency says overnight Israeli strikes killed at least 15 people in the southern Gaza Strip.
Civil defense official Mohammad al-Mughayyir tells AFP that seven people, including a child, were killed in an Israeli air strike on displaced people’s tents near the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis.
Mughayyir says eight more people were killed in two other strikes on tent encampments on the coast of Khan Younis, including one that killed two children in the early hours of the morning.
The IDF tells AFP that it cannot comment on specific attacks without precise coordinates, but notes it is “operating to dismantle Hamas military capabilities.”
The death toll could not be independently verified, and Hamas does not differentiate between combatants and civilians.
Israel has said it seeks to minimize civilian fatalities and stresses that Hamas uses Gaza’s civilians as human shields, fighting from civilian areas including homes, hospitals, schools, and mosques.


UN rights office says more than 600 people killed near Gaza aid sites since late May

Palestinians gather at an aid distribution point set up by the privately-run Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), near the Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip on June 25, 2025. (Eyad BABA / AFP)


The UN human rights office says it has recorded at least 613 killings both at aid points run by the US- and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation and near humanitarian convoys run by other relief groups since GHF began operating in the Strip in late May.
“We have recorded 613 killings, both at GHF points and near humanitarian convoys. This is a figure as of June 27. Since then…there have been further incidents,” Ravina Shamdasani, the spokesperson for the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), tells reporters in Geneva.
She says the rights office was not able to attribute responsibility for the killings, but adds that “it is clear that the Israeli military has shelled and shot at Palestinians trying to reach the distribution points” operated by GHF.
Of the 613 people killed, 509 were killed near the GHF distribution points, the OHCHR says, and the others were near other aid distribution sites or trucks.
The OHCHR says its figure is based on a range of sources such as information from hospitals, cemeteries, families, Gaza health authorities, NGOs and its partners on the ground. It says it is verifying further reports and cannot yet give a breakdown of where they were killed.
Death tolls provided by Hamas-run Gaza health authorities cannot be independently verified and do not differentiate between combatants and civilians.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) also tells Reuters that there have been some instances of violent looting and attacks on truck drivers, which it describes as unacceptable.
GHF operations have since been marred by chaotic scenes and near-daily reports of Israeli forces firing on those waiting to collect aid.
The IDF acknowledged earlier this week that Palestinian civilians have been harmed at the aid distribution sites, but that troops only used live fire when a threat was posed to them, including when dozens of suspects approached forces outside of the designated routes to the aid sites operated by the GHF, or outside operating hours.


Northern Israel, Lebanon and Syria


IDF says southern Lebanon strikes targeted weapons depots and other Hezbollah targets

The Israeli Air Force carried out strikes on Hezbollah military sites in southern Lebanon a short while ago, which the IDF says targeted weapons depots, military buildings and terror infrastructure.
The operation was conducted with intelligence support from the Military Intelligence Directorate and the IDF’s Northern Command.
According to the IDF, Hezbollah operational activity in the area and the presence of weapons constitute a “blatant violation” of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon.


IDF says airstrike near Beirut targeted operative working for Iran’s Quds Force
The IDF says it carried out an airstrike earlier today targeting a terrorist operative in the village of Sil, near Beirut, in Lebanon.
According to the military, the individual was involved in smuggling weapons and advancing terror plots against Israeli civilians and IDF troops, acting on behalf of the Quds Force in Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.  video and pictures
 Israeli force airlifted by helicopters to Damascus area
The Lebanese network "Al-Mayadeen," affiliated with Hezbollah, reported overnight from local sources in Syria that an Israeli force was airlifted by helicopter to the vicinity of Yaafour village, about 10 km from the capital Damascus. According to the report, three helicopters landed the forces at a site that formerly belonged to the Republican Guard Division during the rule of Bashar Assad. After five hours of searches, according to reports, the force departed by helicopters.


West Bank, Jerusalem, Israel and Terror Attacks


IDF says troops arrested 10 Palestinians, seized firearms in overnight West Bank raids

IDF soldiers operate in the West Bank, in a handout cleared for publication on July 3, 2025. (Israel Defense Forces)



Israeli forces arrested 10 wanted Palestinians and seized firearms during overnight operations across the West Bank, the military says.
In Tubas, undercover troops from the IDF’s Duvdevan commando unit arrested three suspects affiliated with a local terror cell. In Balata, near Nablus, troops destroyed a lathe used to manufacture weapons and explosives.
In Tulkarem and nearby Shuweika, soldiers detained three more suspects and confiscated a M-16 rifle, Carlo submachine gun and other military gear. No injuries were reported among the Israeli forces.
Extremist settlers threaten state from within by Ben-Dror Yemini
Opinion: The rise of anti-Zionist extremists within Israel’s right wing poses a growing threat to the state, IDF and national unity—echoing dangerous patterns seen abroad
We need to call things by their name — no euphemisms, no political correctness. Denial won't help and self-deception is the worst kind of deceit. We have enemies within. They're fighting Israel. They're fighting Zionism. They're fighting IDF soldiers.
They're trying to force their political agenda on us through violence — the establishment of a Khomeini-style state. We already have one Iran outside our borders. We don’t need another one inside.
The state has become their playground. They set up illegal outposts and too often, the state caves to their whims. They carry out pogroms against Palestinians and in far too many cases, there isn’t even a single arrest.
They harass IDF soldiers — and as we’ve come to expect, the state fails to catch the offenders. But when one of them gets hurt, as happened last weekend, we suddenly hear wailing and outrage. Because they’re allowed to harm others, but harming them is off-limits.
In the past, there was at least some effort to maintain appearances — some condemnation, even if half-hearted. Not anymore. “Live fire by the IDF against Jews is a dangerous and unacceptable red line that must be thoroughly investigated and lead to personal consequences,” wrote Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. He merely sounded the alarm.
The hooligans are already threatening the battalion commander, calling for his head and at this rate, they might even try him in a kangaroo court. Only later did Smotrich bother to add that attacking IDF soldiers is forbidden. Lip service. Nothing more. It’s clear where he stands: not with the soldiers, but with the thugs. He's the right-wing equivalent of Ofer Cassif — always siding against the IDF.
Naveh Dromi, part of the pro-settler media department, wrote in these very pages Sunday that these are “pioneers,” and that if something similar happened to a teen at a Tel Aviv anti-government protest, the media wouldn’t let go of the story. Come on. If a group of protesters had attacked IDF soldiers — throwing stones at them, damaging their equipment, later surrounding and damaging an IDF base — they’d all be in jail. She’s right about one thing: we should compare. Anti-government protesters are arrested more frequently and for much less. The hilltop hooligans she defends? They're rarely arrested — if at all — despite doing much worse. But paper suffers everything. Right-wing activist Erez Tadmor chimed in: “In the absence of footage or evidence supporting the IDF Spokesperson’s version, the incident in Binyamin — the beginning of which is documented here — looks like a serious case of a battalion commander losing control.” That’s exactly how anti-Zionist left-wing propaganda sounds. They too distrust the IDF spokesperson. They too take the rioters’ side over the soldiers'. A long-standing phenomenon This didn’t start last weekend. It didn’t start last month. An anti-Zionist right has been growing in Israel for quite some time. This movement has a spiritual leader: Yitzchak Ginsburgh of Yitzhar, affiliated with the messianic wing of Chabad. Just like his anti-Zionist counterparts on the left, he declares: “The Zionist spirit must be uprooted... governments, left or right, must be overthrown. And when a new one rises, overthrow it too — and so on, until a Torah government is established.” Anti-Zionism, Sharia-state-style — or rather, a state run by Jewish religious law. To be clear, Ginsburgh even lashes out at those mistakenly assumed to be his supporters: “That public is more enslaved to the establishment than the secular public. The national-religious public is still in Egypt.” Most of the national-religious public in Israel rejects Ginsburgh’s Kahanist-Khomeinist vision. But we can see what’s happening: voices of support and justification from the right are emerging. People think we're just dealing with “a few reckless teens.” That’s a mistake. These are ideologically driven— committed to hate, revenge, bloodshed and open contempt for the IDF and the state. Smotrich may support them — but it’s not even clear they support him. At best, he’s their useful idiot. Instead of calling them what they are — dangerous militias — we romanticize them as “hilltop youth.” And they always receive two responses. First, condemnation: “We strongly condemn any act of aggression against IDF soldiers,” the West Bank municipal organization Yesha Council said Sunday. Very nice of them. Then comes the second part: demands to fulfill their every settler whim. It’s bad for the country. It drains the IDF. It’s anti-Zionist. But we can count on Smotrich and Ben-Gvir to arrange them some kind of settlement authorization — at a cost of tens of millions to the state. They may despise the Zionist state but they squeeze every last drop from it. We would do well to remember what happened in Lebanon in recent decades. Hezbollah’s militias started small. But they grew stronger, empowered by their murderous ideology. Eventually, they hijacked the state. We're not there yet. But to make sure we never get there — we need to recognize the danger for what it is. link

Politics and the War and General News



• As Netanyahu visits Nir Oz, Gants says ‘now the time’ for state inquiry into Oct. 7

  Blue and White party leader Benny Gantz says Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s first visit to Kibbutz Nir Oz, 636 days after the community was devastated in Hamas’s October 7, 2023, terror atrocities, “is better late than never.”

  “The decision to go is important and now the time has come to form a state commission of inquiry,” says Gantz, referring to the high-level investigative committee that Netanyahu has refused to commit to being formed to probe the failures surrounding October 7.  link Netanyahu's cronies and followers will claim that his visit to Nir Oz was a brave thing to do. There was nothing brave about it. For him, everything he does is for PR and this visit will be used for his election campaign. So why would anyone think that he will now go for a State Commission of Inquiry? Because he has agreed to begin negotiations towards the end of the war or claimed at Nir Oz that he is dedicated to bringing home all the hostages? If he was really dedicated to that, they would have been home a very long time ago. Regarding the commission of Inquiry, he has done everything possible to prevent a commission from becoming a reality and will continue to do the same. He knows that the results will be devastating for his, for his political future and his legacy as well as the distinct possibilty that criminal charges will come out of the state commission and that could mean indictments for his criminally negligent activities that brought us October 7, such as the many years that he insisted the funding from Qatar of Gaza knowing that most of the money was going to Hamas. If Gantz really believes that Netanyahu will be prepared to have a state commission begin in the near future, he is more naive than we have thought till now, but I will give him the benefit of the doubt and say that his statement is to start the Knesset calls for the commission to come to fruition.

  
  
• IDF failed to derfend Mivtachim while security team prevented amssacre, probe finds
  The military released findings of its investigation into the events at the agricultural community on Oct. 7 when troops deployed to the area were outnumbered and reinforcements delayed by hours, leaving a badly equipped local security team on its own 
  The IDF failed in defending Mivtachim, the military probe looking into the events of the October 7 Hamas massacre in the agricultural community found.
  Troops arrived late to defend the community after the force deployed to that area of the border was outnumbered by the terrorists who arrived on gliders, vehicles and on foot through 10 points.

  From the IDF probe into its failings at Mivtachim - Central events during the battle at Mivtachim- Red area=central area of fight/ green circles = locations of fallen soldiers in the battle

  
  

  

  Hamas terrorists during the massacre of October 7 taken by their bodycams

  Defense was left to the local security team that was also outnumbered and did not have the appropriate means for defense. Still the team, having suffered the loss of four of its members in the fighting, engaged with the terrorists and prevented abductions and mass murder.

  According to the prove, some 25 Hamas terrorists attempted to enter the community as part of the massive invasion of thousands across the border early on Oct. 7. The local security team chief was alerted to the border breach and instructed members to assemble and residents to shelter in their safe rooms. A force of infantry troops from the Golani Brigade was occupied attempting to prevent the terrorists who entered the area in dozens of locations at once, preventing security forces from receiving an up-to-date and accurate picture of the events. The security team first engaged with the invading terrorists at 07:02 at the intersection outside Mivtachim. At 08:00, a terrorist force entered the community and the fighting spread inside. The security team was joined by one member of the military who was on vacation. They encountered heavy gunfire and grenades that were thrown toward homes nearby. Four members of the team, including their commander and the soldier, were killed. At least four of the terrorists were also killed, three were captured and others were wounded. At 09:40, terrorists retreated in stolen cars and three more were captured hours later. The IDF force arrived only at 10:30 and killed four other terrorists who were still inside the community. More forces arrived only later, while the defense of the community was left to the remaining members of the security team. More IDF troops only arrived on the next day. link
  
  

• Netanyahu is already campaigning, while his rivals still haven’t woken up   by Ronen Tsur

  Netanyahu launches an aggressive election campaign from a temporary position of strength, exploiting the achievements in the war and the opposition’s passivity to set the narrative. His visit to Nir Oz is another gap that endangered him—but he made sure to close it. The alternative bloc remains silent and divided, failing to present a united alternative or attack his failures. Netanyahu couldn’t ask for a better situation. (Opinion)

  It’s happening again. Noise fills the alleyways of politics; the bustle sweeps through city squares; campaign trumpets are roaring in Jerusalem, in the White House, and even in Nir Oz. Benjamin Netanyahu is launching his election campaign, accompanied by a train of admirers following his visits—and a trail of headstones marking his tenure.

  It’s happening again. Silence fills the corridors of the opposition; stillness envelops the squares of the alternative bloc; the feeble note of a flute drifts in the wind between Schuster Center and Raanana. Netanyahu’s alternative bloc is quiet and inert—they haven’t mustered a united front, nor put forth an agenda emphasizing the heavy price of lives lost, the terrible rift within the nation, or the collapse of democracy for the sake of a corrupt elite regime.

  Like a deafening alarm clock, Netanyahu fills the political airspace with a series of public and political events, announcements, global initiatives, and sealing narrative gaps that threaten his forming campaign. Chief among them was the rushed, sterile visit to Nir Oz, which became a symbol of his indifference, apathy, and cowardice—someone willing to risk soldiers’ lives in Tehran and Gaza, yet afraid to show his face in a bloodied Nir Oz.

  Like an hourglass, alternative leaders stand silent and motionless before him. Instead of greeting him in Nir Oz, attending the funerals of IDF soldiers buried in the name of political war, standing at the Supreme Court against violent Bibist thugs, or supporting protest activists being dragged, naked, before Ben Gvir’s party police, they choose to quarrel among themselves—Gnatz vs. Eisenkot, Lapid vs. Ouda, or the unclear ideological gap between Liberman and Bennett.

  We’ve received a Netanyahu of election-year tone.
  Netanyahu is at ease. The scent of upcoming elections fills his lungs with fresh oxygen. His impressive victory in the war against Iran, the sweeping regime-reform legislation, and the demand of the world’s most powerful man to cancel his trial as if it were the wrong perfume on Temu—all of these, along with improving poll numbers, let him project a sense of victory to the undecided electorate who always idolize strength and power.

  From the embittered, frustrated Netanyahu emerges suddenly the Netanyahu of election year. His shirt stretches across his chest, his baritone voice roars louder than ever. Suddenly he praises those previously labeled traitors, replaces a pointless court visit with a gathering of Qassam supporters, and even a small piece of history was made when a free slot at Nir Oz was finally found—where its cemetery stands as a still picture of his and his government’s cruelty and arrogance, which ended in the horrific October massacre.

  Deep down, Netanyahu knows that if he decides to run, his chances of winning now depend solely on his opponents. If they continue to wait to avoid wearing out, he’ll remain alone on the field. If they continue not to speak, he’ll dictate the national agenda. If they mount a “naïvely statesman-like” campaign while he unleashes savage ferocity, we’ll discover we live in the Middle East—and Israelis worship strong, harsh leaders who don’t blink when facing compassion, yet disdain someone offering the other cheek to another slap, another punch, more blows.

  The roaring silence of the opposition
  The defeat of Iran’s murderous regime, Hezbollah’s collapse, the destruction of Hamas, alongside voices of peace from Syria, Saudi Arabia, and other countries, instills doubt in many about the ability to appoint fresh, younger, more unifying leadership than the one that guided Netanyahu’s years. And those election strategists sense this weak spot in many Israelis—who in the final analysis will prefer a powerful, albeit flawed leader, over a “soft,” hopeful one.

  Launching his election campaign alongside Trump at the White House next week, the hostages’ return, and announcements of potential historic peace initiatives—whether realized or not—suggest election timing will be set when he’s at the peak of his renewed strength. He may unleash a surprise campaign before his opponents have organized financially, slotted their candidate lists, or finished crafting policy agendas. It’s prudent to suspect Netanyahu will try to open an 'operational gap' just as air force pilots and intelligence units did a month ago.

  Netanyahu, son of the historian Ben-Zion Netanyahu, surely remembers it was Churchill—celebrated commander who led the Allies to victory over Nazi Germany—who lost the election immediately after World War II. He also surely recalls Shimon Peres, the presumed victor after Rabin’s assassination, who lost by a single vote to Benjamin Netanyahu—who, with relentless will, sparked a perfect storm, an astounding turnaround, achieved the unimaginable, and won.

  Now, in the noise of Netanyahu’s trumpet, it’s time for the alternative bloc’s orchestra to drown him out—to pound drums, keyboards, and amplifiers thunderously with his failures; the heavy cost of war achievements, the heartbreak of thousands of families; and above all, the bitter fact that the victories over Iran, Hezbollah, and Hamas could have been won without the heavy price of the October massacre. They’ll defeat Netanyahu only if they beat the orchestra—and set aside the side flute.  link

The Region and the World
• 
  
  
Personal Stories

'Fighter jets can’t fly without our parts – and it all starts in a small Kiryat Gat factory'
TAT Israel GM Liron Topaz shares how his team kept global fighter jets flying nonstop—despite a missile hitting his sister’s home and a sudden ownership shake-up

While Liron Topaz was working another sleepless night at TAT Israel’s factory in Kiryat Gat—maintaining and producing cooling systems and heat exchangers for Israeli Air Force jets—a missile from Iran struck the building where his sister lives in Ramat Gan. Her apartment was destroyed, and she and her children were left without a roof over their heads.
“My sister ran to the shelter in her pajamas the moment the siren went off,” Topaz recalls, “Minutes later, there was nothing left of her home. She’s a mother to a reservist son and a teenage daughter. For them, it’s starting from scratch. It feels like becoming homeless overnight. It’s a personal tragedy that reflects the impossible reality we live in here.” Topaz, the general manager of TAT Israel, offers a perspective that combines the personal and national struggle in Israel since October 7. “F-15 and F-16 jets around the world can’t fly without our parts,” he says. “It’s a tremendous source of pride. Real Zionism. Every time I look up and see jets overhead, I’m filled with pride knowing it all starts in a small factory in Kiryat Gat.” A war with no breaks TAT Israel—short for Aviation Accessories Industries—has become one of the hottest stocks on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange since the war in Gaza began. The company’s share price has risen 90% over the past year and surged 670% over five years, reaching a market cap of about 1.3 billion shekels. Specializing in cooling systems, thermal management, and engine blades for aircraft, the company supplies both civilian and military clients, including major airlines, the Israeli Air Force, and defense partners in the U.S. and Europe. Its headquarters and main plants are in Kiryat Gat and Gedera. “Since October 7, we’ve been operating at the highest level of readiness,” says Topaz. “It’s been one long campaign. We hadn’t finished one war when, two weeks ago, we entered a new one. The closure of Israel’s airspace forced us to reorganize and reprioritize our work.” What does that mean in practice? “It means finding supply chain solutions and helping the Air Force operate under closed skies. We’ve been working non-stop on refurbishing pumps and engines, specialized defense components, cooling systems, and supporting all air defense systems—like Iron Dome and David’s Sling—that have been operating continuously during Operation Rising Lion.” How has this affected the workforce? “In peacetime, about 65% of our sales are civilian, 35% military. But in times like these, Israeli industry cannot pause. It must be war-focused. During heightened military activity, like in the recent conflict with Iran, we worked around the clock to meet demand for parts. I can’t go into details, but our service teams were out in the field more than ever, motivated and committed to maintaining operational readiness of air defense systems.” When the Iranian attack began, many reservists within the company were called back, despite already serving extended duty in the war in Gaza. “Over the past 18 months, we’ve worked tirelessly. We boosted production capacity, expanded inventory, and prepared backups. On October 8, I was asked if we could re-enable some of our past capabilities. Of course, we did. We brought back former employees, many of them older, to work alongside young staff. Our workforce also includes students through agreements with ORT schools, and women, too, are an increasingly vital part of the company: machinists, grinders. They’re rising fast.” TAT’s client list includes major civilian and military customers in Israel and abroad. “During times like these, the direct line with our global clients, especially those in the U.S., is crucial,” he adds, referring to the company’s U.S.-based facilities. “We support maintenance for F-15 and F-16 jets—refurbishing blades, supplying parts for UAVs. Our components are on the planes, on the drones, and in the command systems. The average Israeli doesn’t realize it, but every F-15 and F-16 in the world includes parts made exclusively by TAT Israel. Without our made-in-Israel components from this little factory in Kiryat Gat—those jets don’t fly,” he added. Topaz has emphasized the strong sense of patriotism among its workers since October 7. One of his main tasks, he says, was managing the merger between TAT Israel and Chromalloy’s plant in Kiryat Gat, recently acquired by TAT. “Yes, profitability matters,” he says, “but so does the emotional well-being of our people. Every morning, I walk the floor, check in with every employee—how they’re doing at home—then we begin the day. A management team that puts people first gets that energy back. Motivation is high. Our team understands how vital Israel’s industrial resilience is. In the end, we’re all in the same place: at war. And we must win.” Most of the workforce comes from the south: Be’er Sheva, Netivot, Sderot, Kiryat Gat and Gaza border towns. “Some employees have suffered greatly. Some have lost loved ones or have family members who were kidnapped or murdered,” he says. Ownership change shakes the company Topaz, 43, lives in Mazkeret Batya with his wife, Einat, and their three children (ages 17, 14, and 11). He holds an MBA from Peres Academic Center and a bachelor’s degree from the Open University. Before joining TAT, he spent 14 years at A.L. Group, a family-owned manufacturer of air, fuel and oil filters for the auto industry. He worked his way up to VP of marketing and business development. “That’s where I discovered the public sector and became passionate about it," he said. "The Aloni family taught me the importance of empowering employees and creating a family-like atmosphere—values I’ve carried with me as a manager.” TAT Israel is part of TAT Technologies, which trades on both the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange and the Nasdaq. The parent company’s chairman is retired Maj. Gen. Amos Malka, former head of Military Intelligence. CEO Yigal Zamir oversees a company that recently posted over $40 million in quarterly revenue—a 25% increase year-over-year. Net income jumped more than 80% to $4 million, and its order backlog stands at several hundred million dollars. Despite the impressive growth, the company was recently rocked by a major change: FIMI, the investment fund led by Ishay Davidi, sold its entire 51% stake in TAT. The exit, which yielded massive profits, left the company without a controlling stakeholder. Most of the shares were picked up by Israeli institutional investors, including Meitav, which now holds about 18%. Was FIMI’s move a surprise? Could it hurt the company? “I won’t comment on that,” Topaz says. “TAT Israel is strong. We’re a successful Israeli industry, and I’m proud of that.” What’s next for the company? “Since TAT Israel was established, we’ve doubled in size. I believe we’ll double again in the next three years, in both revenue and profit. Our growth strategy is to adapt our systems for next-generation aircraft across different global markets.” Emotional pressure and soccer relief Topaz remains tight-lipped about specific projects developed since the war began. “Over the past two years, we’ve stayed closely aligned with defense companies and worked with them on new projects,” he says, noting direct ties to the Defense Ministry and the Air Force. With soaring demand since October 7, is there concern that TAT won’t be able to keep up? “That thought doesn’t exist. Our workers go out to the field with helmets, return, and go back out again. They know their work matters here in Israel—and abroad. This is national, economic and industrial resilience. There’s no time for fatigue. Every time I hear a jet flying overhead, I get emotional. I know our engine parts are inside that plane. I understand how critical it is to protect Israeli industry, and I remind my workers of that every day.” And how does he cope with the pressure? “I have a strong support system—Yigal, Amos, our U.S. colleagues and, most of all, our employees. I also have a coach I work with. It helps to share the emotional load with someone outside the company—especially during times like these, I need to constantly project confidence. I also have a very supportive wife and home. I run at least three times a week, and I play on our company soccer team in the workplace league. We were supposed to play in the Veterans League Final Four, but then the war with Iran broke out. Hopefully, we’ll get back to that soon.” Is he worried about political events like the banning of the Israeli booth at the Paris Air Show? “The Paris incident was unnecessary and unfair—but it’s just one event. As global demand grows for munitions and longer flights, cooling systems become essential—that’s our expertise. Spare parts too, all made in Israel. There are defense projects that simply can’t happen without our components. The Israeli government must support its industry, especially the defense sector. Many of the needs now met locally were once sourced from abroad. Israel must aim for industrial independence.” “TAT Israel is proud to be part of a return to the ‘Made in Israel’ mindset. We’re here to support Israeli industry—and to step up when the country truly needs us.” link



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

Join my Whatsapp update group https://chat.whatsapp.com/IQ3OtwE6ydxBeBAxWNziB0 
Twitter - @LonnyB58 

Bluesky - @lonny-b.bsky.social
My blogs in The Times of Israel my blogs