π️Lonny's War Update- October 645, 2023 - July 12, 2025 π️
With hostage talks stuck on dispute over IDF withdrawal, US urges moving on to other issues
Relatives of hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip and their supporters call for an immediate hostage release deal during a protest in Tel Aviv, Israel, Thursday, July 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)No significant progress has been made in the ongoing hostage negotiations in Doha since Wednesday, an Arab diplomat and a second source familiar with the negotiations tells The Times of Israel.
While Israel agreed to ease some of its demands regarding the redeployment of its troops during the 60-day truce under discussion following US pressure, the new series of maps depicting the partial withdrawal of IDF troops was not sufficient to satisfy Hamas, the two sources say.
The new maps still envision Israel maintaining control of roughly one-third of Gaza’s territory, including a three-kilometer (1.86-mile) buffer zone in Rafah where it aims to create a controversial “humanitarian city” to which Gaza’s entire population will be herded, checked for weapons and be barred from leaving as Israel will seek to encourage their emigration outside of the Strip.
Channel 12 reports that Hamas has agreed to expand the buffer zone Israel wants to create along much of the Gaza perimeter from 700 meters to one kilometer, but Israel is still demanding that it be expanded to as much as two kilometers.
Amid the apparent stalemate on the issue, the US is urging Hamas to move on to discuss other remaining issues — something the terror group has refused to do until disagreements regarding Israel’s partial withdrawal from Gaza are solved.
- Palestinian official: Israel’s map of Gaza troop withdrawal is actually IDF redeployment
Indirect talks between Hamas and Israel for a ceasefire and hostage deal in Gaza are being held up by Israel’s proposals to keep troops in the Strip, two Palestinian sources with knowledge of the discussions tell AFP.
“The negotiations in Doha are facing a setback and complex difficulties due to Israel’s insistence, as of Friday, on presenting a map of withdrawal, which is actually a map of redeployment and repositioning of the Israeli army rather than a genuine withdrawal,” one source says.
A second accuses Israel of “stalling and obstructing the agreement in order to continue the war of extermination.”
Palestinian officials: Doha talks on verge of collapse, Israel ‘bought time’ with Netanyahu’s US trip
Pro-hostage deal protesters rally outside the US Embassy Branch Office in Tel Aviv, July 7, 2025. (Erik Marmor/Flash90)Negotiations in Doha between Israel and Hamas are on the verge of collapse, unnamed Palestinian officials tells the BBC.
One official says Israel “bought time” with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to Washington to meet US President Donald Trump, and that the decision to send a team to Qatar without a strong mandate was an act to deliberately stall the discussions.
A Palestinian official says the talks are still mainly focused on the issues of the Israeli military withdrawal from Gaza, and delivery of aid to the Strip.
Israel’s delegation to Doha does not include the senior-most officials who have been involved in talks — Mossad chief David Barnea, acting Shin Bet head “Shin” and Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, Army Radio reported earlier this week. link So much of what Netanyahu does is to buy time. In this case, while discussions were going on in Doha, all eyes were on Washington because everyone knew that the most important thing that could happen to bring about a deal was in the Oval Office. Unfortunately, we (the hostages, hostage families and the country) lost out to Netanyahu's altar of saving himself. All of the negotiators were waiting to hear Trump tell Netanyahu in no uncertain terms "end the war, bring home the hostages now". Netanyahu's win was getting Trump to remove the word 'NOW' from everything. He convince Trump to give him his time to work within his parameters and time frame in order to end the war and keep Netanyahu as prime minister.
With every negotiation, Netanyahu succeeds at throwing a wrench into the works. He puts forth a new issue that he claims is the most important demand without informing or getting buy in from the US or even from our own security heads. They are just as surprised by every new Netanyahu demand and recognize why he is doing it. Netanyahu's sole purpose in the past has been to kill the negotiations knowing that his new demand(s) will not be acceptable to Hamas.
With his new demands of the Morag Corridor, the question is why? He as already agreed to Trump's demands to end the war, but to do it according to his timetable. Therefore, I can assume that he will make a deal but it has to fit in with his exact timetable. He is currently facing the Haredi parties who are, once again threatening to bring down the government over the Haredi military exemption bill that they are demanding. That, together with Ben Gvir and Smotrich's threats of bringing down the government if he makes a deal to end the war, are his biggest concerns, way more important to him than the hostages.
So my assumption is that he will make sure that no agreement is reached until he succeeds in putting down the Haredi rebellion. It is either to smooth their feathers by showing them that he will accede to their demands or to buy more time for the Knesset to go out on summer recess for 3 months during which time, his coalition is secure. I would bet on the latter. Only after the Knesset leaves for summer recess will he allow the negotiators to close on the first part of the deal which will release 10 living and 18 dead hostages through 5 separate phases over a 60 days ceasefire.
Netanyahu needs to keep his coalition together up til November when he will call for early elections 3 months later. That is what this is all about.- ‘His name in my handwriting’: IDF recovers belongings of hostage Matan Angrest, returns them to his mother
Anat Angrest clings to hope and her son Matan’s childhood belongings recovered from Gaza as negotiations for a ceasefire and hostage deal still appear to be deadlocked
Anat Angrest recounted the chilling moment she received a bag belonging to her son, hostage Matan Angrest, found abandoned in southern Gaza. “They told me they found Matan’s bag and it would take two days to reach me,” she said.“It was his personal bag from when he played for Hapoel Haifa F.C. at 14, with his belongings, a piece of his life there.” A devoted Maccabi Haifa fan, Matan’s bag, marked with her handwriting, was one of the last items he touched.Anat Angrest with Matan's bag recovered in Gaza(Photo: Oz Mualem)Matan, an IDF soldier, was severely injured in a tank on October 7, 2023, abducted to Gaza unconscious after abuse and revived with electric shocks from batteries. “He’s enduring interrogations, asthma attacks, shortness of breath, severe burns and infected wounds in the humid tunnels,” Anat said. “He’s been seen struggling between life and death and he’s still there.” Some 21 months after his abduction, Anat refuses to accept that Matan won’t be included in the humanitarian phase of releases should a ceasefire agreement be signed. “He fought just as the state sent him to do. How can we leave him behind because he’s a soldier? Edan Alexander’s release showed soldiers can be negotiated for. We need tough talks to secure Matan’s release given his condition.” In Matan’s room, time stands still. “The sheets are from October 7, his scent lingers, his last shoes, skateboard, PlayStation,” Anat said. “I cleaned recently but won’t touch his bed until he returns. Then I’ll get him the softest sheets he deserves. Since his abduction, I haven’t cooked.Footage of Matan Angrest in captivity (Photo: Hostages and Missing Families Forum) “How can I when I know he’s hungry? Matan would come home from the military, grill steaks with his father, Hagai, listening to Omer Adam, the smell reaching the neighbors. Now the grill is covered. Fridays were celebrations; now they're silent.” Despite the time passed and Matan’s dire condition in captivity, Anat holds onto hope. “If he’s survived this long, we must bring him back,” she said, envisioning cooking his favorite steaks and other meals, sitting together on a Saturday morning to hear his ordeal and finally touch him. Matan was determined to enlist as a combat soldier, hiding his asthma to raise his medical profile. “No one could convince him otherwise,” Anat said. “His values depend on us now. Matan wouldn’t leave anyone behind and we can’t leave him. “If a friend couldn’t afford a game ticket, Matan stayed home as well. A neighbor said he always helped with her groceries. He was a mama’s boy. We had a language of looks. He wanted to study what I studied, follow my path.”Matan Angrest's bag recovered from Gaza (Photo: Oz Mualem) Anat’s greatest fear is that negotiators will return without a deal or delay IDF soldiers’ release still in Hamas’s hands. “Matan’s alive, fighting for us all. He needs to come back now,” she said. Matan’s father, Hagai Angrest, traveled to Washington during Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to the U.S. At a hostage families’ rally on Monday, he told Ynet, “Matan’s alive in Gaza’s tunnels, in real danger, nearly losing his life multiple times. We’re here to push President [Donald] Trump and the prime minister for a comprehensive deal. “We’re waiting for news that all our loved ones return home.” He added, “The feeling is positive. Something’s happening. Trump and Netanyahu are on it. We came to support them.” link Breaking with government, 74% of Israelis back war-ending deal to free all hostages — poll
Seventy-four percent of Israelis back an agreement with Hamas that would release the remaining hostages in exchange for ending the war in Gaza, according to a new poll aired on Channel 12.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and much of his governing coalition oppose this exchange, arguing that it would leave Hamas in power.
But as the war drags on for its 21st month, a growing number of Israelis appear unconvinced that the government is capable of defeating Hamas. Moreover, critics argue that Israel long ago sufficiently depleted Hamas’s military capabilities and that trying to fight until the last gunman will leave the IDF bogged down in Gaza indefinitely.
Just eight percent of respondents back the phased hostage release framework that is being advanced by the government, according to the poll.
Even among coalition voters, 60% back a war-ending deal that secures the release of all of the hostages at once, the survey found.
- Partial hostage deal: A reckless gamble
Opinion: As Trump and Netanyahu meet, a partial hostage deal nears—raising hopes and hard questions; With Israeli leadership divided and time running out, US pressure may be key to securing a breakthrough and averting deeper risks in Gaza’s uncertain aftermath
The third Trump-Netanyahu summit since the President's return to the white house marks what U.S. envoy Witkoff described as “a possible breakthrough moment” — potentially paving the way for a partial hostage release deal, and laying the groundwork for an end to Israel’s longest war. The upcoming weeks might become a pivotal moment in Israel’s shift from a wartime reality toward a fragile path of negotiation and resolution.For Israelis, emotions are naturally mixed. On one hand, the return of any hostage after nearly two years in captivity brings immense relief and hope to a wounded nation. On the other, there is deep anxiety, frustration, and anger over the many (at least 10 alive) that are expected do be left behind, sparking fears that their fate may now hang in the balance — vulnerable to the worsening conditions on the ground and the political compromises being drawn.The downsides of a partial deal are serious and deeply troubling—and they risk shaping the post-war reality in Gaza in dangerous ways. A 60-day ceasefire would give Hamas the time and space not only to rehabilitate its military and civilian standing while the IDF holds its fire, but also to reestablish its control over the main lifeline to Gaza’s population: humanitarian aid. It’s no coincidence that Hamas is pushing to return to the old aid mechanisms via UN agencies, rather than the newly introduced American GHF framework, which temporarily challenges its grip on governance. This, too, serves as a strategic card for Hamas as it faces mounting pressure from Sunni states demanding a fundamental change in Gaza’s leadership after the war.Here it is: the Israeli government's chronic (and politically motivated) refusal to address the "day after" scenario in Gaza is now colliding with reality—along with the steep price tag that comes with this failure. Hamas remains a relevant political and governmental entity in the Strip, as future dialogue with the terrorist murderous group will now likely extend beyond the hostage issue, to include administrative and civil matters as well.The fact that Hamas will retain a role in Gaza once the war ends is a major strategic gain for the terror group—one that could have been avoided through sober, forward-looking diplomacy. This outcome allows Hamas to preserve its narrative of resistance and maintain influence within Palestinian society, including in the West Bank.On the ground, the emerging partial deal once again underscores that the military value of the current IDF operation has yielded limited results in advancing the goal of bringing the hostages home, especially given the heavy and painful losses sustained on the battlefield. The “Witkoff Minus” framework, agreed upon along the Washington–Doha channel, is less favorable to Israel than its predecessor, at least in terms of the number of hostages to be released during the ceasefire period. One way or another, the fact that a partial deal leaves behind an estimated ten living hostages—and many more presumed dead—underscores the urgency of advancing a follow-up framework to secure their return. Beyond the unimaginable suffering and severe medical toll of such prolonged captivity, the danger to those left behind is rapidly increasing. There’s a growing concern that Hamas may gain renewed strength in Gaza during the ceasefire, emboldening its military wing—now regrouping under the leadership of Az al-Din al-Haddad—and potentially disrupting further progress. This could leave Hamas with a kind of “insurance policy” for its survival, especially in the absence of a viable alternative governing structure in the territory.In this time of crisis—and given the deep dysfunction in Israel’s current decision-making—it's imperative for the U.S to reclaim the reins and step in where the Israeli government is faltering. America must help lead the way toward a safe harbor: the full return of the hostages, an end to the Gaza war, and the launch of a broader regional settlement with the moderate Sunni bloc in the Middle East. This is President Trump’s moment to reassert leadership and help the Israeli hawkish government to save it from itself. By working to end the war, the American president would give the Israeli people the space to heal, mourn, and look ahead—for the first time since of October 7, 2023. Avi Kalo is a Legal Counter-terrorism expert and negotiation and Crisis Management specialist with over 15 years of experience. link WSJ: Trump didn’t object when told by PM that Israel will strike Iran if work on nukes resumes. - read yesterday's update for the reasons that Netanyahu is again threatening to attack Iran
Hamas Faces Growing Popular and Political Isolation
As the war on Gaza enters its 22nd month, Hamas is no longer the movement it once claimed to be. Its true defeat lies not only in the devastation and blockade but in the collapse of its internal political project, the erosion of its Arab standing, and the fading of its role within the so-called "Axis of Resistance" — a role it joined late, following longstanding disputes with its main allies in Damascus and Hezbollah, and its earlier alignment with the Muslim
Brotherhood's agenda in Syria.
Since October 7, 2023, Gaza's civilian population has borne the brunt of the ongoing war: thousands of martyrs, millions displaced, near-total destruction, and the collapse of basic living conditions. After nearly two years of
suffering, many Palestinians no longer view this war as a national cause but rather as a burden they can no longer afford-with no political horizon in sight.
In the absence of internal accountability or any meaningful review of the movement's conduct, a clear shift in public sentiment has begun to surface-even among those once close to Hamas. Former leaders have openly voiced their
frustration, affirming that the continuation of the war now serves only the occupation, which — according to Israeli media-seeks to keep Hamas present on the ground as a pretext for ongoing aggression. Ironically, Israel claims to have eliminated most of Hamas's military and political leadership, leaving only its exiled leadership abroad.
In 2017, Hamas attempted to rebrand itself through the release of the "Document of General Principles and Policies," which declared it a "Palestinian Islamic national liberation movement" and distanced it from formal ties to the
Muslim Brotherhood. The document also expressed conditional acceptance of a Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders, without recognizing Israel, and adopted more moderate language compared to its 1988 founding charter.
However, this rhetorical shift failed to alter Hamas's standing regionally or internationally. The movement remained categorized within the political Islam camp, and major Arab states continued to view it as an extension of the Brotherhood. Its isolation peaked in November 2024 when Qatar asked Hamas leaders to leave its territory— a move
widely seen as the end of Arab political support. If not for Doha's role in ceasefire mediation, the expulsion would have been total. Osama Hamdan's relocation to Mauritania, which has become a haven for several Hamas leaders
evacuated from Gaza as part of prisoner exchange deals under the "wounded and family" classification, underscores this retreat.
The 2017 document was a tactical move to break the isolation, but it did not lead to a real repositioning or international recognition of Hamas as an independent political actor.
Today, Hamas faces severe internal estrangement and mounting Arab isolation, as part of a broader regional effort to dismantle political Islam —particularly the Muslim Brotherhood. This trend is evident in Jordan, Tunisia, Egypt, and in
the policies of Saudi Arabia and the UAE, which have openly rejected the Brotherhood's influence.
Internationally, Hamas remains on the terrorist organization lists of the United States, Canada, and the European Union-blocking any meaningful engagement or recognition. These designations have been reaffirmed repeatedly by Western governments.
Given this reality, Hamas cannot continue in its current form. Without a comprehensive internal reckoning and a reintegration into a unified Palestinian national project, its political demise is inevitable. The movement has lost its popular legitimacy, its political program has failed, and its discourse no longer resonates.
Eighteen years of Palestinian division and unilateral rule over Gaza have proven the failure of Hamas's model, which has brought nothing to the Palestinian people but destruction, death, and a loss of direction. link
Doctors Without Borders warns that acute malnutrition soaring in Gaza
Ahmed El-Sheikh Eid, 7, who shows signs of malnutrition, poses for a photo at his family tent at a camp for displaced Palestinians in Mawasi Khan Younis, Gaza Strip, Friday, May 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)Doctors Without Borders warns that its teams on the ground in Gaza are witnessing surging levels of acute malnutrition in the besieged and war-ravaged territory.
The medical charity, known by its French acronym MSF, says levels of acute malnutrition have reached an “all-time high” at two of its facilities in the Gaza Strip.
MSF says it now has more than 700 pregnant and breastfeeding women and nearly 500 children with severe and moderate malnutrition currently enrolled in ambulatory therapeutic feeding centers in both clinics.
The numbers at the Gaza City clinic have almost quadrupled in under two months, from 293 cases in May to 983 cases at the start of this month, it says.
MSF maintains Friday that “the existence of malnutrition in Gaza is the result of deliberate, calculated choices by the Israeli authorities” — a charge Israel has denied, pointing to the tons of aid that it has allowed into Gaza throughout the war. Aid groups say the assistance has been insufficient.
Far more babies were also being born prematurely, while six-month pregnant women often weighed no more than 40 kilos (88 pounds), MSF says.
Israel said hampering delivery of baby formula into Gaza, as child malnutrition climbs; COGAT refutes allegation
Israel has been hampering the delivery of much-needed baby formula into Gaza where child malnutrition is climbing to alarming levels, international aid organizations say.
Officials from several organizations tell Haaretz that Israel has started to impose custom duties on aid purchased outside Israel since partially lifting its blockade in May after 78 days. This practice is not done by other countries that neighbor conflict zones, including those near Russia.
The officials said that Israeli authorities are pushing aid organizations to buy their products in Israel, even though they are much more expensive than they would be in the West Bank, Jordan or elsewhere.
The policy has left some aid organizations unable to afford to cost of baby formula and other essential products, humanitarian officials tell Haaretz.
One hundred and thirty-six countries have signed onto an international agreement that urges nations not to collect custom duties on humanitarian aid, but Israel is not a signatory.
UNRWA says it has been gathering data based on the arm diameter of tens of thousands of children in Gaza to examine the state of their diet.
The data found that the percentage of children suffering from malnourishment rose from 5.2% during the ceasefire at the beginning of the year to 10.7% in recent days.
The World Health Organization says that 90% of pregnant and nursing mothers suffer from severe malnutrition, which harms their ability to breastfeed, thereby requiring their children to use baby formula that is in limited supply.
Even the formula that does make it into Gaza requires clean water for preparation, but the lack of access to clean water has exposed children to infections.
Responding to the report, Israel’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, which facilitates the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza asserts that it does not prevent or restrict the entry of “baby food, including milk substitutes and baby formula, into the Gaza Strip.
“As evidence, in recent weeks more than 1,400 tons of baby food have been brought in through the crossings, as per the requests of international aid organizations, following stringent security checks.”
The Israeli unit also denies collecting customs on aid brought into Gaza.
10 more Gaza aid seekers reportedly killed by Israeli fire
Gaza’s Hamas-linked civil defense agency says 10 Palestinians were killed by Israeli fire while waiting near a distribution point around the southern city of Rafah.
Israel’s military does not immediately respond to a request for comment on Friday’s deaths, but it has previously accused terror operatives of firing at civilians in the vicinity of aid centers. It has also acknowledged firing warning shots at Gazans who used unauthorized routes to reach aid centers, while opening investigations into alleged war crimes after the shootings reportedly led to the deaths of hundreds of Palestinians.
In Gaza’s south, a witness says Israeli tanks were seen near Khan Yunis, reporting “intense gunfire, intermittent air strikes, artillery shelling, and ongoing bulldozing and destruction of displacement camps and agricultural land.”
Israel’s military confirms troops are operating in the area against “terrorist infrastructure sites, both above and below ground.”
Israeli officials signal they want UN to remain key Gaza aid channel — WFP deputy head
Israeli officials have signaled they want the United Nations to remain the key avenue for humanitarian deliveries in Gaza, the deputy head of the World Food Program says, noting the work of a controversial US aid group was not discussed.
“They wanted the UN to continue to be the main track for delivery, especially should there be a ceasefire, and they asked us to be ready to scale up,” Carl Skau, deputy executive director of the UN food agency, tells reporters after visiting Gaza and Israel last week.
Israel and the United States have publicly urged the UN to work through the new Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, but the UN has refused, questioning the group’s neutrality and accusing the distribution model of militarizing aid and forcing displacement.
Skau says he met with Israeli authorities at different levels last week and that the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation “did not come up in those conversations.”
“I think there were rumors of the UN being pushed out, but it was very clear in my engagement that they want the UN to continue to be the main track in delivery,” Skau said.
Palestinians report deadly gunfire at GHF aid site; IDF says it’s probing matter
Palestinian media outlets report that aid seekers have been shot dead and injured at the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation facility in northwest Rafah.
The IDF says it is investigating the reports.
Yesterday, the UN said nearly 800 people have died trying to access aid in Gaza since late May, with most killed near the US- and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation’s distribution sites. GHF denied that deadly incidents have occurred at its sites.
IDF: Over 250 terror targets hit in strikes over past 48 hours; Hamas-run ministry says 143 killed
Palestinians inspect the destruction at a makeshift displacement camp following a reported incursion a day earlier by Israeli tanks in the area in Khan Younis in the northern Gaza strip on July 11, 2025. (AFP)Over 250 terror targets were struck by the Israeli Air Force in the Gaza Strip in the past 48 hours, the military says.
The IDF says the targets included operatives, booby-trapped buildings, weapon depots, anti-tank launch posts, sniper posts, tunnels, and other terror infrastructure.
At least 143 Palestinians were killed in Gaza over the past two days, according to statistics published by the Hamas-run health ministry last night.
The strikes come as five IDF divisions, made up of tens of thousands of troops, continue to operate across Gaza.
The military says in Gaza City’s Shejaiya and Zeitoun neighborhoods, troops of the 98th Division located Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad observation posts and caches of explosive devices.
Numerous operatives were killed elsewhere by the troops, including by calling in airstrikes, the IDF adds.
Family of Palestinian with US citizenship killed in settler attack demands State Dept. probe
The family of one of two Palestinians killed by Israeli settlers last night, calls for an immediate US State Department investigation into the incident.
US citizen Sayafollah Musallet, 20, also known as Saif, was severely beaten in Sinjil, north of Ramallah, the Palestinian Authority said.
Musallet’s family, from Tampa Florida, says in a statement that medics tried to reach him for three hours before his brother managed to carry him to an ambulance, but that he died before reaching the hospital.
“This is an unimaginable nightmare and injustice that no family should ever have to face. We demand the US State Department lead an immediate investigation and hold the Israeli settlers who killed Saif accountable for their crimes,” the family statement says.
IDF says it killed prominent terror operative in south Lebanon strike
An Israeli airstrike earlier today in southern Lebanon killed a prominent terror operative involved in advancing attacks on Israel, the IDF and Shin Bet announce.
Muhammad Shoaib was targeted in the town of al-Numairiya, in the Nabatiyeh district.
The military says Shoaib was a “significant figure in advancing terror attacks within Israeli territory.”
“As part of his activities, he operated to smuggle weapons into Israeli territory, in order to carry out terror attacks in Israel and establish terrorist infrastructure in Lebanon,” the IDF says.
Shoaib was also a “significant figure in the weapons smuggling route from Iran” to Lebanon, Syria, and the West Bank, according to the statement.
The IDF says his killing “undermines the weaponization capabilities of the various terror organizations” operating in Lebanon, Syria, and the West Bank
UN report sees no active ties between Syrian state and Al Qaeda
United Nations sanctions monitors have seen no “active ties” this year between Al Qaeda and the Islamist group leading Syria’s interim government, an unpublished UN report says, a finding that could strengthen an expected US push for removing UN sanctions on Syria.
The report, seen by Reuters, is likely to be published this month.
Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham is Al Qaeda’s former branch in Syria but broke ties in 2016. The group, previously known as al-Nusra Front, led the rebellion that toppled President Bashar al-Assad in a lightning offensive in December, and HTS leader Ahmed al-Sharaa became Syria’s interim president.
The report comes as diplomats expect the United States to seek the removal of UN sanctions on HTS and Sharaa, who has said he wants to build an inclusive Syria with equal rights for all.
Israeli authorities open probe into alleged settler killing of Palestinian; no arrests made
Police and the Shin Bet security agency have opened an investigation into the death of a Palestinian man during an attack by Israeli settlers in the Ramallah area of the West Bank earlier today.
The military says the incident began after Palestinians hurled stones at Israelis near Sinjil, lightly injuring two civilians. According to Palestinian accounts, settlers were the ones who instigated the clash when Palestinians tried to protest the establishment of a new illegal outpost.
Shortly after, a “violent clash” erupted between Israelis and Palestinians in the area, which included “vandalism of Palestinian property, arson, physical clashes, and rock hurling.”
The IDF says it is aware of reports that a Palestinian man was killed and others were wounded during the incident, adding that it is being investigated by police and the Shin Bet.
Upon receiving reports of the violence, the IDF says troops and police officers were dispatched to the scene to “disperse the clash,” during which forces used riot dispersal means.
There have been no arrests yet. link It's all very good and fine that a probe will be opened to investigate the 'alleged settler killing of a Palestinian'. No one in their right mind should think that this is the first killing of a Palestinian by these extreme settler terrorists. And let's make sure to call them what they are - TERRORISTS! No whitewashing, no euphemisms, just the cold, dark truth. They are terrorists and should be treated as terrorists. Unfortunately, we have a Defense minister, who in his first days in the position he was put in as Netanyahu's yes man, cancelled and eliminated all administrative detentions to be used against Jewish suspects of terror. No change to how they are used for Arabs. Administrative detention is arrest and holding in prison/jail for a period of up to 6 months which can be extended with 6 month intervals if approved by the court. The Jewish sector of the Shin Bet would use these administrative detentions against the extreme Jewish settlers who were highly suspected of carrying out terror acts against Palestinians or Israeli security forces. So, no more administrative detentions for Jewish Terrorists.
We also have a criminally convicted Minister of Internal 'Insecurity' Ben Gvir who's law practice was almost entirely to represent Jewish Terrorists, with this criminal minister who was convicted of belonging to a Jewish Terrorist Organization (Meir Kahana's Kach) as well as his hero worship for a Jewish Terrorist, Baruch Goldstein, who in 1994 murdered 29 Palestinian worshippers and wounding another 125. He was killed during his terror act. Ben Gvir kept a large picture of him in his living room for years until before one of the last elections. Ben Gvir, in his capacity of being in charge of the Israeli police which he turned into his personal militia, gave explicit orders not to investigate, arrest or charge Jewish Settler Terrorists and not even to show up when called to a Jewish terror incident. He constantly encourages actions against Palestinians, including making their lives miserable so they will 'want' to leave their homes.
And then we have the incompetent finance minister, the extremist messianic Smotrich who is also a minister in the defense ministry in charge of civilian affairs and settlements. In both of these capacities, he has secured huge budgets for the expansion and growth of Jewish Settlements in the West Bank including the tiny, illegal settlements built on stolen Palestinian lands and working for the government to legalize all of then. He, together with Smotrich and the rest of the Knesset members and ministers from their parties as well as a number of Likud members and ministers are the biggest proponents and provocateurs of violence against Palestinians in order to drive them from their lands and fulfill their messianic dreams of ridding all of the West Bank from Arabs, to be followed by clearing them from Gaza and finally, getting rid of all the Arab citizens of Israel. This is their dream and their game plan is directed towards this sick racist dream.
So, what does all this mean in regard to the Palestinian American who was killed by settlers? Solely because the Americans are involved, they will have to give some answers to the Americans and those answers will be completely vague and disingenuous. Only because the Americans are involved peripherally, they will question a number of settlers, they may even go through video that they find, but won't make a big effort, or any at all to get the video from the Palestinians, and there is a very slight chance that they will arrest one or two people, only to let them go, first to house arrest and the to drop all charges, after they satisfy the Americans that something was done. My calculation is that no one will be changed with murder and no one will ever go to court. That is what happens in a racist, fascist government.State Department says it’s ‘aware of reports of the death of US citizen in West Bank’
The US State Department says it’s “aware of reports of the death of a US citizen in the West Bank” after the Palestinian Authority reported that a Palestinian-American dual national was killed by settlers.
“We won’t comment further out of respect for the privacy of the family and loved ones,” says a State Department spokesperson in response to a request for comment.
IDF filmed blocking Palestinians from fixing water pipe vandalized by settlers
Footage from earlier today shows Israeli troops blocking Palestinian Authority municipal workers from reaching a water pipeline that was allegedly dismantled by settlers in the central West Bank in order to prevent seven Palestinian villages in the area from receiving water.
While the Israeli troops tell the Palestinian municipal workers that they cannot proceed, bulldozers are seen operating freely, clearing ground for Israeli settlement expansion at a nearby hilltop.
The IDF did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Video
π️Day 645 that 50 of our hostages are still in Hamas captivityπ️
**There is nothing more important than getting them home! NOTHING!**
“I’ve never met them,But I miss them. I’ve never met them,but I think of them every second. I’ve never met them,but they are my family. BRING THEM HOME NOW!!!”
We’re waiting for you, all of you.
A deal is the only way to bring
all the hostages home- the murdered for burial and the living for rehabilitation.
A deal is the only way to bring
all the hostages home- the murdered for burial and the living for rehabilitation.
#BringThemHomeNow #TurnTheHorrorIntoHope
#BringThemHomeNow #TurnTheHorrorIntoHope
There is no victory until all of the hostages are home!ΧΧΧ Χ Χ¦ΧΧΧ Χ’Χ Χ©ΧΧ ΧΧΧΧΧ€ΧΧ ΧΧΧΧͺ
Red Alerts - Missile, Rocket, Drone (UAV - unmanned aerial vehicles), and Terror Attacks and Death Announcements
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The terrorists Iran sent were stunned: “IDF pulled them out of bed, blindfolded them—poof, they’re in Israel”
Until recently, reservists from Battalion 7012 couldn’t believe the day might come when they’d be tasked with arresting Iranian Quds Force operatives a full 10 km into Syria. But this week it happened—and they weren’t even first on the scene. “We crossed the Rokad Stream with a smile,” they recount. The disguise, the simultaneous “go” command over link during raids on multiple buildings, and the terrorists’ shock: here’s how it happened—special documentation.
“In the past, if you’d asked me whether I’d ever carry out an operation like this, I’d say you’re completely off-base,” admits Lt. Col. (res.) “Y,” commander of Battalion 7012 in the Alexandroni Reserve Brigade. Just days ago, he led his soldiers deep into Syria—about ten kilometers beyond the Israeli borderline. The mission: to arrest members of an Iranian Quds Force terror cell simultaneously, moments before they could carry out an attack on IDF forces in the buffer zone—without the operation being exposed until the unit returned to Israeli territory.
Previously, such missions were reserved for elite commando units—but this time it was a unit of reservists who left homes and jobs to stationed on the northern border for an extended period. The risk was enormous, but in the new Syria—post-Assad’s fall—operations that once seemed fictional occur almost daily under 210th Division command. Examples include repeated IDF entries into buffer-zone villages now under Israeli control and engagement with local populations.
The arrests took place between Sunday night and early Monday: at around 02:50 AM, deep in Syrian territory, hundreds of Lt. Col. Y’s soldiers waited in silence for the “go” command over their communicators. Simultaneous actions occurred in multiple compounds where cell members were staying, with awareness that any unexpected noise could foil the surgical operation and prevent the arrest of terrorists operating under direct Iranian orders.
Lt. Col. Y, age 39 and from Tel Aviv, even got married during his long reserve duty period. He became commander of 7012 just about six weeks ago. He led his troops on the latest operation into Syria—some mounted, others on foot—and was proud of the success. According to him, a lengthy intelligence-gathering and preparation phase preceded the operation to foil the cell, which was only one piece of a broader Iranian strategy to create chaos along the northern border. That strategy, he explains, failed during the “12-day war” with Iran due to Israel’s reinforcement of defenses across the Syrian border, despite Tehran’s efforts.
“This was the second operation in one week to capture an Iranian-led Syrian force,” he says. “We’d heard about this cell for a very long time,” Lt. Col. Y reports, knowing the planning was to attack IDF forces in the buffer zone. The larger picture, he explains, is much more complex and dangerous: “Iran has tried over the years to establish terrorist infrastructure here—to create a ‘noose of terror’ around Israel, from Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan. Iranian remnants remain in the area, and our task is to foil every such threat.”
“They gathered a lot of intelligence on this cell,” emphasizes Lt. Col. Y, “both by Unit 8200 and other units.” The intelligence pointed to a network of operatives spread across villages—trained and equipped—waiting only for the command. The locations are classified but were near the Tel Khudna area we visited a few months ago.
Battalion 7012’s operation to arrest Iranian Quds Force operatives in Syria
Troops crossing the Rokad Stream
“There was a moment at the start of the walk, when we crossed the flowing Rokad Stream. Our feet got wet, the challenge increased, but we all smiled with satisfaction. Hundreds of soldiers marched in a stealthy, silent line that barely roused even dogs.”Lt. Col. Y explains the operational complexity was significant because the targets were spread across multiple locations. “It was a surgical operation: go in, apprehend, perform initial questioning in the field, and exit with the target to assembly areas and the Israeli border—but the cell members were stationed across multiple buildings in different areas. So, the challenge was twofold: the required secrecy, and the simultaneous timing due to the link between cell members.”
The planning included a “full orchestra” of special units, each with unique capabilities. Alongside the two Reserve Alexandroni battalions—7012 and the reconnaissance battalion—were 504’s field investigators, Unit 551 maneuver troops, the “Oketz” canine unit, Unit 669 rescue teams, and overhead, the all-seeing eye of the Air Force.
Training before the mission, Lt. Col. Y describes, was extremely intense. “It required very long and thorough preparation, and a combat protocol that’s, let’s say, unusual. The night before, in the darkness of the Golan, we even ran a mock-up with a ‘terrain overlay’ simulating the exact area of the operation.” Thus, the troops trained fully dressed and equipped in terrain identical to the target ground. Among other drills, they practiced infiltration, silent breaching—and takeover.
“‘Go’ command issued in the basalt-stone compounds”
“On the night of the operation, every bit of planning became reality: each battalion infiltrated in its own way. We marched several kilometers on foot inside Syria in secrecy, and the entire operation was timed ‘to the minute,’ synchronized across all forces and companies that participated—from 7012 and the reconnaissance company.”One soldier recounts: “There was a moment near the start, when we crossed the Rokad Stream. Our feet got wet, the challenge grew, but we all smiled in satisfaction.” Another added: “The march was impressive. Hundreds of soldiers walked silently and covertly—dogs barely barked.”
Soldiers in maneuver vehicle, en route to unloading point
Battalion 7012’s operation to arrest Iranian Quds Force operatives in Syria“We needed long, thorough preparation—and an unusual combat protocol” (Photo: IDF Spokesperson)Upon entering one of the villages, the soldiers noticed the houses differed from those found in poorer southern Syria. The buildings, made of exposed concrete and blocks, had lights powered by solar panels. Each family compound was surrounded by terraces about a meter high, built from basalt stone and filled with fruit trees. There was no running water in the kitchen; residents cooked and used water from jerrycans. Religious paintings with Quranic verses adorned the walls; furnishings were heavy wooden items.
“Everything was quiet until the ‘go’ command—then at once, the cell members encountered the might of the IDF,” one soldier describes. Once the command was heard, the breach team entered, protected by perimeter security forces, in perfect, “elegant” coordination timed to when a 504 team member announced target recognition.
At each point, a 504 operative conducted a short field interrogation of the captured terrorist. The troops also spent a few minutes searching for weapons and collecting intelligence. Their goal: withdraw before residents realized what was happening and could respond—perhaps violently. “We managed to keep bystanders calm, with no force or ability to resist,” the Alexandroni soldiers report regarding the quick exit.
“A drone that crashed in Syria. Photo: Sam HARIRI / AFP”“One of the guys called me and said he saw a light in the distance. Suddenly the Air Force ordered all our drones to land. We didn’t know what was happening. I got a call from headquarters: the U.S. ambassador tweeted ‘Pray for Jerusalem.’”
The terrorists’ shock was total. In 210th Division’s operations room, under Brig. Gen. Yair Flay’s command, relief was recorded. The terrorists were captured in Syrian territory without a single shot fired, and according to soldiers:
“Even once they were inside Israel, they struggled to believe that the IDF pulled them out of bed, blindfolded them—and poof, they’re in Israel.”Back in Israel, they’ll undergo extensive interrogations—a sort of “psychological game” by 504 operatives who will try to extract information about “ticking targets” along the border.
Lt. Col. Y adds: “The return route to Israel was a long mounted movement, about half an hour inside Syrian territory, also in unlit vehicles and silent walking. Good thing no shots were fired, because we operated like a well-oiled machine with extensive combat experience, alert and prepared for any scenario.”
Iranian drones overhead
In Lt. Col. Y’s view, this success isn’t just a tactical win but symbolizes changes in the reserves since the war began. “Our reservist soldiers’ readiness—maneuvering in Gaza and Lebanon—has greatly improved and been strengthened. Previously, reservists could only dream of missions like this—maybe only elite units of the IDF could do it.”
“As we advanced, alarms went off in our post. The IDF struck Iran” (Photo: IDF Spokesperson)The capability improvements are intentional, built month by month in the most challenging theaters and through nearly 365 cumulative reserve days since October 7. I’ve personally witnessed this journey. Over a year ago, in January 2024, I met Battalion 7012 soldiers on another tense and frosty front: the Lebanon border near Metula. Their role then was entirely defensive—to be the “human wall” of the North, the last line of defense against a possible Hezbollah Redwan Force incursion—long before the IDF was ordered to maneuver into Lebanese territory.
Even then, tension was in the air; one commander said: “Everyone here knows we could be called in at any moment.” They remained alert and ready, but their mission was holding the line, responding—not initiating. The journey from Metula to the depths of Syria via Gaza reflects this battalion’s evolution. Long months of guarding, patrolling, and warfare turned them into the “well-oiled machine” Lt. Col. Y describes today. A sense of responsibility and meaning accompanies them at every moment. “When you enter the dark Syrian territory at midnight, you see with your eyes and feel with your feet the defense of Golan settlements. That feeling was real among all soldiers.”
Reservists from Alexandroni took over positions in the buffer zone on the Golan last May, and they say routine in Syrian areas is filled with surreal events—like the night Israel began Operation “With the Lion” in Iran. Lt. Col. Y and his battalion were operational: “We were active in a village, and around three in the morning, while we were walking back to the post, one of the guys called me and said he saw a light far away. Suddenly the Air Force ordered all our drones down. We didn’t know what was happening. I got a call from headquarters—they told me the U.S. ambassador tweeted ‘Pray for Jerusalem.’”
“All our rounds were surprising” (Photo: IDF Spokesperson)“As we advanced—alarms started within our outpost,” Y describes. “We entered and realized the Iranian attack had begun. As a battalion commander, I descended quickly with the command post back toward the Golan, and while on the radio—it was a deeply powerful and moving moment—they told us: fifteen minutes ago, the Israeli strike on Iran commenced. Here was a wall of soldiers, ready for any threat.” During the 12 days of war with Iran, over 1,000 drones, hundreds of Iranian missiles, and Israeli interceptors were launched into Israel, and beneath the loud air combat, fighters on the ground stood ready to counter infiltration and terror attempts from Syria.
Even after the success of this operation, Lt. Col. Y and his soldiers remain deployed in buffer positions beyond the Golan border, understanding the mission is far from over: “We’re already in our fourth and longest round. What’s special about us is that every round was surprising. None was planned—it was always on short one-day notice. We met you in the North at Metula, then fought in Gaza, maneuvered in Lebanon, and now we’re operating in Syrian territory.”
This complex mission, crowned with success, was summarized in a brief official statement by the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit, providing factual context for events:
“In a special operation in southern Syria: an IDF force arrested a cell operated by the Iranian Quds Force. Based on intelligence from Unit 504, forces from the Alexandroni Brigade (3), under 210th Division command and in cooperation with 504 field investigators, completed last night a targeted nocturnal operation, arresting several active cell members operated by the Iranian force in the Tel Khudna area of southern Syria. For the second time in the past week, division forces completed a focused nighttime operation and detained several operatives posing a threat in the area.” link
As mistrust in security establishment peaked, PM had IDF chief patted down for wire before meeting
The New York Times reveals that in order to prevent the leaking of conversations that could harm him politically, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s aides ordered military officials to stop using a recording device traditionally operated during meetings held by generals.
Weeks after the October 7 onslaught, Netanyahu’s meetings with generals were also moved to another room with no permanent recording device, allowing the premier’s aides to be the ones to record, even while the military officials could not.
Generals, including then-IDF chief of staff Herzi Halevi, were patted down by Netanyahu’s security guards to make sure he didn’t have a hidden microphone on him.
Netanyahu’s suspicions were an extension of his belief that the security establishment was to blame for Hamas’s October 7 onslaught, and not the political echelon.
Also in the NYT story about how Netanyahu prolonged the Gaza war in order to remain in power, the paper reveals that Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich during a March cabinet meeting to fire then-Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar called for the security agency to be stripped of its mandated requirement to protect Israel’s democratic institutions.
“It is time to remove the protection of democracy from the Shin Bet law. The people protect the democracy,” he said, according to minutes from the meeting obtained by the NYT.
A spokesperson for Smotrich claimed that the minister was misquoted and was only arguing that the Shin Bet shouldn’t meddle in court cases.
The paper also reveals how Justice Minister Yariv Levin — one of the chief architects of the government judicial overhaul that Hamas felt had exposed Israel to attack due to the bitter internal divisions that the initiative had sparked — was found on a staircase crying as the October 7 onslaught unfolded.
A Levin spokesperson denied that the minister had cried that day, but two witnesses testified to the contrary, including Moti Babchick, a senior ministerial aide.
Army says it has learned lessons after repeatedly opening fire on Gazans en route to aid centers
Israel’s military says it learned lessons following a probe into reports of “harm to civilians,” after the UN said nearly 800 people had died trying to access handouts in Gaza since late May.
“Following incidents in which harm to civilians who arrived at distribution facilities was reported, thorough examinations were conducted… and instructions were issued to forces in the field following lessons learned,” an Israel army statement says, adding the incidents were under review.
UN rights office spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani said 798 killings had been recorded from May 27 to July 7, including 615 near sites run by a US- and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.
IDF says it killed 6 top members of Hamas naval commando forces in recent Gaza strikes
Six top members of Hamas’s naval commando forces were killed in a series of recent operations in the Gaza Strip, the military and Shin Bet announce.
The Hamas naval commanders were targeted during the ongoing offensive in Gaza, which began in mid-May. The military says the operations were led by the Israeli Navy, the Intelligence Directorate, the Southern Command and the Shin Bet.
The IDF says the Hamas operatives had advanced sea-borne attacks against troops and Israeli civilians, and some had participated in the planning of the October 7 onslaught.
They are named by the IDF and Shin Bet as: Ramzi Salah, the naval forces commander in northern Gaza; Jamal al-Baba, the naval forces commander in central Gaza; Ratab Abu Sahiban, the naval forces commander in Gaza City; Omar Abu Jalala, the naval forces commander in Khan Younis; Mohammed Qashta, the naval forces commander in Rafah; and Ahmad Ali, the successor to Abu Sahiban as commander of the naval forces in Gaza City.
The IDF already announced Salah’s death earlier this month, in a strike on a cafe that reportedly killed 24 people.
- PM’s office slams NYT report accusing him of extending Gaza war to remain in power
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office issues a lengthy statement hitting out at the New York Times over its report accusing him of extending the Gaza war to rehabilitate his political standing after the October 7, 2023, atrocities and remain in power.
“[The report] rehashes long discredited and false political activists’ talking points. It defames Israel, its brave people, and its prime minister,” the statement says. “The strategic decisions made by Prime Minister Netanyahu and his cabinet led Israel to one of the greatest military comebacks in history. On October 7, Israel was believed to have been massively weakened. Today, its strength is paramount in the region, while Israel’s enemies are hobbled as never before.”
The statement continues: “Against much internal and international opposition, Prime Minister Netanyahu carried out the battle of Rafah, which shut down the Philadelphia corridor through which Hamas smuggled weapons and rockets to fire at Israeli civilians. His leadership brought about the covert detonation of Hezbollah pagers, the destruction of its missile stockpiles, the destruction of Assad’s armaments, the targeted killing of terrorist chiefs Deif, Haniyeh, Sinwar and Nasrallah, and above all the decisive action against the Iranian nuclear and ballistic missile existential threats in the Rising Lion operation.”
“All that would not be possible if Prime Minister Netanyahu had accepted the recommendations of senior defense and security officials who urged him to accept Hamas’s dictates to end the war early on and leave Hamas, Hezbollah, the Assad regime and the Iran threats intact. Those senior officials, whose anonymous supporters are widely quoted throughout the article, have since been replaced.”
The statement also defends Netanyahu’s approach to freeing hostages held in Gaza, saying “his forceful application of combined military and diplomatic pressure has so far achieved the release of 205 hostages out of a total of 255. He is committed to achieve the return of the remaining 50, of which 20 are alive.”
“Along with the release of the remaining hostages, Prime Minister Netanyahu is committed to the elimination of Hamas’s military and governing capabilities to ensure that the October 7 massacre will never be repeated again,” the statement adds.
The statement ends by saying “Prime Minister Netanyahu was never concerned with his political survival, but with carrying out his life’s mission — ensuring the survival and future of the one and only Jewish state.”
Shortly after releasing the English-language statement after midnight on Shabbat, the Prime Minister’s Office then deletes it without immediate explanation. link As usual, statements coming out of the Prime Minister's office defending him, his actions, his statements, are filled with lies, lies, lies. None of the claims against him for his failures, actions and non actions leading up to October 7 and his failures of managing the war and the hostage situation have been refuted. Quite the contrary. And the entire reason that Netanyahu has been fighting to prevent a State Commission of Inquiry is because he knows that he will be found responsible and culpable for the abandonment of the country and for bringing us October 7. A commission will likely bar him from any future public life and could very well bring criminal charges against him and his cronies for so many crimes relating to October 7, pre October 7 and so many things that have happened since.
His despicable claims of being the savior of the hostages is beneath all contempt. He constantly spouts that he has brought back 205 hostages, many of them dead and he and his forever fanged wife demand thanks for that. They take no responsibility for the fact that there were 251 hostages taken on his watch and because of his personal abandonment. That doesn't factor with them.
The most surprising thing about this statement from the PMO is that it was deleted without explanation. INTERESTING! The Region and the World - NYT report details how Biden admin sought to leverage potential Saudi deal to end Gaza war
The New York Times details how the Biden administration sought to advance a normalization agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia in the spring and summer of 2024, hoping that such a prized agreement would convince Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to end the war in Gaza.
While Netanyahu initially appeared on board with the idea and revived a truce proposal in May that he had shelved a month earlier due to pushback from his far-right coalition partners, by the end of July, he added new demands for a Gaza truce that torpedoed the negotiations, the NYT reports.
The renewed US effort to broker an Israel-Saudi deal began on May 18, 2024, when then-US national security adviser Jake Sullivan traveled to Dammam in eastern Saudi Arabia to meet Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Even though hostility toward Israel was peaking in the Arab world due to the brutal war in Gaza, bin Salman arrived at his meeting with Sullivan determined to advance a series of agreements with the US that would include an Israel normalization deal.
“Let’s finish this,” the NYT quotes him as having told Sullivan at the time.
The US and Saudi teams made significant progress on the bilateral security, economic and energy-related agreements with the US, with many of the outstanding issues resolved.
The main obstacle left was buy-in from Netanyahu, who Saudi Arabia wanted to end the war in Gaza and agree to establish a pathway to a future Palestinian state.
On May 19, Sullivan flew from Saudi Arabia to Israel in order to convey the message to Netanyahu. The premier initially responded positively to the US initiative, and on May 22, approved the truce plan that he had decided not to even present a month earlier due to a threat from Smotrich to collapse the government.
On May 27, the Israeli proposal was sent to Egyptian and Qatari mediators, who were enthusiastic about the chances for a deal.
Four days later, then-US president Joe Biden gave a speech publicizing the key details of the proposal and urging Hamas to accept it.
But the deal didn’t guarantee that the temporary truce offered by Israel would turn permanent and Hamas dragged its feet for over a month.
Still enticed by the prospect of a Saudi normalization deal, Netanyahu authorized Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer to hold secret talks with UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed about the post-war management of Gaza — something he had been refusing to do for over six months due to concerns that it risked collapsing his government.
In early July, Hamas agreed to soften its position, forgoing its demand for an up-front Israeli commitment for a permanent ceasefire, thereby opening a window for an agreement.
“We may have a deal,” Netanyahu told Dermer at the time, according to the NYT.
But far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir got wind of the development and rushed to try and thwart it. He tried to burst into Netanyahu’s Jerusalem office in order to speak his mind, but the premier wouldn’t allow him in. Ben Gvir was resigned to issuing a tweet condemning the “reckless deal,” adding that he was “working to ensure the prime minister has the strength not to fold.”
On July 28, a summit was held at the residence of Qatar’s ambassador to Italy in order to finalize the agreement, with Mossad chief David Barnea, CIA chief Bill Burns, Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani and Egyptian intel chief Abbas Kamel in attendance.
While the other participants arrived thinking that a deal was on the verge of being reached, a “sheepish and apologetic” Barnea instead handed the mediators a copy of a letter detailing six new demands from Netanyahu that derailed the process, NYT reports.
The demands included one for Israel to remain in the Philadelphi Corridor border stretch between Gaza and Egypt. While Israel’s security establishment had maintained that continued IDF presence there was not essential and could be quickly restored if need be, Netanyahu decided to turn the issue into a key sticking point in the talks.
US anger at Netanyahu peaked during an August 1 phone call that Biden held with the Israeli premier.
“Stop bullshitting me,” NYT quotes Biden as having told Netanyahu. link. Netanyahu, the coward gave up on a monumental change to the entire Middle East, a normalization agreement with Saudi Arabia, after which would follow agreements with most of the Arab and Muslim world. They have all been waiting on Saudi Arabia. His cowardice and fear of Ben Gvir and Smotrich bringing down his government and his losing the premiership was and is the most important thing to Netanyahu at the cost of anything and everything, including changing the face of the Middle East forever.
Acronyms and Glossary
ICC - International Criminal Court in the Hague
IJC - International Court of Justice in the Hague
MDA - Magen David Adom - Israel Ambulance Corp
PA - Palestinian Authority - President Mahmud Abbas, aka Abu Mazen
PMO- Prime Minister's Office
UAV - Unmanned Aerial vehicle, Drone. Could be used for surveillance and reconnaissance, or be weaponized with missiles or contain explosives for 'suicide' explosion mission
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