π️Lonny's War Update- October 646, 2023 - July 13, 2025 π️
- The Successful Derailing of Negotiations
π️Day 646 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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There is also a link to the full Dinah Project Report- A Quest for Justice October 7 and Beyond Recognition and justice for victims of sexual violence in conflict Remembering the atrocities of October 7th, 2023. Holding perpetrators accountable.
Hostage Updates
Before Saturday night’s demonstrations for the hostages, here is my take on the breakdown of talks between Israel and Hamas.
1. Netanyahu succeeded in convincing Trump that the complete deal cannot be done now because Hamas has not surrendered and if Israel leaves Gaza, the space will be filled by Hamas who will steal the humanitarian aid, sell it and use the money to rebuild its forces. Therefore, Israel must stay in Gaza until Hamas surrenders. (Total victory). Trump apparently fell for Netanyahu’s false narrative. But Trump needs to understand that Hamas will never surrender to Israel. Hamas will continue to fight and will continue to kill Israeli soldiers as long as there are Israeli soldiers in Gaza. And Israel will continue to kill many Palestinians, combatants and many non-combatants, including many children.
2. Israel ensured that the talks in Doha would derail by presenting redeployment maps that Israel knew Hamas would reject. The so-called “Morag Corridor” is now the Israeli definitive line that without holding it, Hamas would be defeated. This is a made up claim and in fact is the same as what Netanyahu said about Philidephi, Rafah, Khan Yunis and other places.
3. The Israelis have told the Americans that the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation is now working efficiently and that the initial problems have been solved and the US should continue to support it. This is a lie and this system cannot and does not provide the humanitarian aid in a safe way to the 2.2 million Gazans, 2 million of who are homeless.
4. Israel is working on convincing the American of the viability of the so-called Gaza humanitarian (concentration) Camp on the ruins of Khan Yunis. It is not clear if Israel will succeed in convincing the Americans. In the meantime it is clear that the rest of the international community rejects it as inhumane and illegal under international law.
5. Witkoff did not leave for Doha because the talks are derailed and there is no present chance of reaching agreement.
My assessment is that while the American want a full and complete deal including the end of the war and a return of all of the hostages, they have been convinced by Netanyahu that he needs a partial deal for political reason of keeping his coalition together and he needs to delay any deal until July 28 when the Knesset goes to recess for 3 months and the danger of the government collapsing is put off at least until October. Trump agreed to Netanyahu’s request to delay and that is where we stand right now.
(Gershon Baskin, July 12, 2025). link
- Anti-government protesters rally nationwide for hostage deal, end of war
Anti-government protesters begin gathering in Tel Aviv’s Habima Square and cities and junctions across the country for weekly demonstrations.
The protests are calling on the government to reach a deal with Hamas to end the ongoing war in Gaza and return all the hostages.
Hostage families say missing momentum for hostage deal would be ‘serious failure’The Hostages and Missing Families Forum release a statement expressing concern over reports that negotiations for a deal to free those held in Gaza are not moving forward.
“Missing the current momentum would be a serious failure; every day the war continues is an achievement for Hamas and a serious risk for our hostages and soldiers,” the statement reads.
The families refer to a Channel 12 poll showing that 74 percent of Israelis, including 60% of people who voted for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition, back an agreement with Hamas that would release all the hostages at once in exchange for an end to the Gaza war.
“All the polls and data show that an absolute majority of the nation of Israel wants an end to the war in Gaza and the return of hostages, and agrees that it is in Israel’s interest, including a decisive majority among coalition voters,” the statement reads.
Yesterday I received a message from the head of Hamas’s negotiation team. The following two sentences are his most important message to the Israeli public:
*"Israel has repeatedly rejected our proposal to release all Israeli hostages at once in exchange for ending the war. They preferred a partial solution – which clearly indicates their intention to continue the war, as well as the fact that the issue of the hostages is not considered a central concern by the Israeli public."*
*"As for governance in Gaza after the war: from our perspective, this issue is completely settled, and we have made our position clear: we want an independent professional committee to govern Gaza with full authority – and Hamas will not be part of it."*
(Gershon Baskin, July 13, 2025)Doha talks stuck on IDF withdrawal; Palestinian officials say discussions nearing collapse
Hamas rejects proposal showing continued Israeli control over parts of Gaza, including Rafah buffer zone, sources tell ToI; Palestinian official: Netanyahu ‘bought time’ with US trip
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 told The Times of Israel on Friday, as Palestinian officials said the talks were on the verge of collapse.
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 said.
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 to create a highly 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 reported that Hamas agreed to expand the buffer zone Israel wants to create along much of the Gaza perimeter from 700 meters to one kilometer. However, 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.
“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,” a Palestinian official told AFP on Saturday.
“Hamas’s delegation will not accept the Israeli maps… as they essentially legitimize the reoccupation of approximately half of the Gaza Strip and turn Gaza into isolated zones with no crossings or freedom of movement,” the source said.
Palestinian officials told the BBC and AFP that negotiations in Doha between Israel and Hamas are on the verge of collapse and are being held up by Israel’s proposals to keep troops in the Strip.
One Palestinian official told the BBC that 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.
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.
A Palestinian official told AFP that Israel was “stalling and obstructing the agreement to continue the war of extermination.”
Another said mediators had asked both sides to postpone the talks until the arrival of Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, in Doha. It is unclear if or when that will happen.
The second Palestinian source told AFP that “some progress” had been made in the latest talks on plans for releasing Palestinian prisoners held by Israel and getting more aid to Gaza.
GHF: Israel should meet its commitment to let new aid sites open
Meanwhile, the controversial Israel- and US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation issued a statement Friday asking Israel to abide by its commitment to allow the opening of additional distribution sites.
“GHF also continues to press the Government of Israel to live up to its commitment to allow us to open additional sites, including in the north of Gaza,” GHF said.
The statement also welcomed reports of an agreement between Israel and the European Union to scale up humanitarian aid in Gaza, along with ongoing negotiations for a ceasefire in the Strip.
Palestinians carry sacks and boxes of food and humanitarian aid, unloaded from a World Food Program convoy heading to Gaza City in the northern Gaza Strip, June 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)
Since late May, Israel has handed authority over aid distribution in Gaza to the GHF, in a stated effort to prevent aid supplies from reaching Hamas.
The GHF’s operations have been strongly criticized by the international community for failing to address the humanitarian needs in Gaza.
The UN said Friday that nearly 800 people have died trying to access aid in Gaza since late May, with most killed near the GHF distribution sites.
GHF, which denies that deadly incidents have occurred at its sites, said the UN figures were “false and misleading.” The IDF repeated Friday that it had issued instructions to troops in the field “following lessons learned.”
Israel and the United States have publicly urged the UN to work through the GHF, but the UN has refused, questioning the group’s neutrality and accusing the distribution model of militarizing aid and forcing displacement. There have been multiple deadly incidents reported around the GHF sites in Gaza.
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)According to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry, more than 57,000 people have been killed in the Strip since the war there began on October 7, 2023. The Hamas-provided death toll cannot be independently verified and does not distinguish between civilians and combatants.
Hamas-led terrorists massacred some 1,200 people and took 251 hostage after invading Israel on October 7, 2023.
Terror groups in the Gaza Strip are still holding 50 hostages, including 49 of the 251 abducted by Hamas-led terrorists on October 7, 2023. They include the bodies of at least 28 confirmed dead by the IDF. Twenty are believed to be alive, and there are grave concerns for the well-being of two others, Israeli officials have said. Hamas is also holding the body of an IDF soldier killed in Gaza in 2014.
Israel’s toll in the ground offensive against Hamas in Gaza and in military operations along the border with the Strip stands at 451.
"The 4,000th Day of Hadar Goldin’s Captivity Is a Stain on the Israeli Story" | The Rally for the Release of the Hostages
645 days into the war, 50 hostages remain in the Gaza Strip • Eli Sharabi: “The family members ask themselves every moment whether he is now in danger of death? Is he being starved and humiliated?” • Simcha Goldin at the rally for the release of the hostages: “Since October 7, we are a society that abandons” • A political source: “Hamas is making negotiations difficult and not allowing progress toward a deal” • Live from the rally in Hostages SquareEli SharabiExactly 92 weeks since October 7, the rally for the release of the hostages was held this evening (Saturday) in Hostages Square, marking 4,000 days since the abduction of Lt. Hadar Goldin, who was kidnapped by Hamas terrorists during Operation Protective Edge in 2014. His family will mark the 4,000th day this week.The hostage Eli Sharabi, who returned from Hamas captivity after 491 days and lost his wife and daughters, spoke on the stage at Hostages Square: “I stand here tonight—not on behalf of a movement, not on behalf of an organization, and not to give a speech. I am here as a widower. A bereaved father. A bereaved brother. A friend. A citizen.”
“Lianne, of blessed memory, my dear wife. A British citizen who fell in love with me. Fell in love with this land. All she wanted was to raise our daughters in peace, in tranquility. Noya and Yahel, of blessed memory, my beloved daughters. Children whose smile, sensitivity, and helping others were their way of life. An entire family that was murdered. That was wiped out. Entire lives that were cut short. A home that collapsed all at once,” said Sharabi.Eli Sharabi on the stage at Hostages Square | Photo: Marcelo Schneiderman“I stand here not only for those who are no longer with us. I am here also for those who are still waiting. For those who can and must be saved! Yossi, of blessed memory, my dear brother, who walked with me on a shared path within the Be’eri community. A brother whose whole being was pure heart. His wife Nira, his daughters Yuval, Ofir, and Oren, his mother, his brothers and sisters—they are all waiting to bring him back for a proper burial.”
Hadar Goldin whose body has been in Hamas captivity for 4000 daysSharabi also spoke of Alon Ohel, with whom he was held during his days in captivity: “With each passing day since his abduction—the pain, mourning, and sense of loss deepen. Alon, my close, beloved friend, handsome, an artist with a noble and gentle soul—waits there in the darkness of the tunnel. I promised you I would not rest until your release and return to your family. Since October 7—our lives ceased to be lives. Hundreds of families lost what was most dear to them. And others—continue to live in terrible and agonizing waiting.”
“To those who claim that 'fifty hostages' remain who have not yet been returned, I would suggest rephrasing, to be precise: fifty hostage families remain in Gaza. The family members ask themselves every single moment—Is our loved one surviving this hell? Is he, at this moment, in danger of death? Is he being starved? Humiliated? Beaten? Is he at risk of disappearing forever into the soil of Gaza? Do you understand what a shattering thing this is?”
“We cannot afford more silence. More delays. More ‘after we win.’ This fighting must end—for the sake of our brothers, the hostages and the soldiers, for the sake of this people. Our true victory will be when they all come home. When children can laugh and play with their father again. When parents can hug their beloved son. When brothers and sisters can sleep without nightmares. When the light returns to the eyes of those who almost lost it. I live with bereavement. I carry it with me everywhere—alongside life—not in place of it,” said Sharabi.
Simcha Goldin: “Since October 7, we are a society that abandons”
Simcha Goldin, father of Lt. Hadar Goldin, who is held captive in Gaza, also spoke on the square’s stage. “4,000 days ago, Lt. Hadar Goldin from the Givati Reconnaissance Unit sent us on a journey to bring a fallen soldier back to burial in Israel—a journey to bring Israeli society back to itself. He said: ‘You have two options in life: to deal with yourself or to do great things.’ Since then, we Goldins have been on that journey.”“We are not just returning our son Hadar Goldin from the enemy's hands; we are restoring Israeli society to itself. And this is a long road. We said: whoever does not bring back the fallen, will abandon the wounded and forsake the living. The Israeli political leadership, the security leadership, the religious leadership—they did not listen,” said the father of Hadar Goldin.
“They preferred interests over values. They did not forget the values—they decided not to remember. We paid the price on October 7, on Simchat Torah. And still, 20 months later, 4,000 days from the beginning of the journey, we are a society that abandons.”
Vicky Cohen: “Today is the 645th day that I miss Nimrod’s smile”
Vicky Cohen, mother of IDF soldier Nimrod Cohen, who has been held captive by Hamas since October 7, spoke about the painful feelings following the reports of a partial deal. “My son is an IDF soldier who went out to defend civilians on October 7, and was kidnapped to Gaza. Today is the 645th day that I miss his smile.”“This week, while everyone is talking about selective deals, I found myself at the IDF recruitment base—where my son Nimrod’s journey began. There I remembered the moment when my child transformed from a civilian into a soldier, put on the olive-green uniform that for me represents the value of mutual responsibility, thanks to which we live here in the State of Israel. I remembered that moment and looked at the new recruits, especially at their mothers. I saw the worry and fear in their eyes, and I could not help but ask myself: Are they sure that the State of Israel will do everything to bring their children back to them?”
Vicky Cohen, mother of Nimrod Cohen, kidnapped in Gaza | Photo: Paulina Patimer“And then I began to ask myself: When will the State of Israel return my child to me? Am I supposed to accept as a given that my Nimrod will remain at the bottom of the list? So I will say here in a clear voice: I do not accept that in any way. A soldier in the IDF, sent by the State of Israel to battle, who defended civilians with his own body—and was cruelly kidnapped—is not worth less than a civilian! I want my Nimrod now and not to wait another 4,000 days,” cried Cohen.
Nimrod’s mother said that in three days, Nimrod will mark his 21st birthday. “I want to remind the decision-makers of the sentence upon which every soldier and commander—and also every citizen—was raised. A sentence said by David Ben-Gurion: ‘Let every Jewish mother know that she entrusted her sons to commanders worthy of it.’ In three days, Nimrod will mark his 21st birthday in captivity—a birthday that symbolizes carefree freedom, the post-army trip. But Nimrod is not free, he is full of worry, and he is certainly not planning the big trip.” link
Heavy IDF bombing in northern Gaza as Israel, Hamas blame each other for stalled talks
Officials say terror group clinging to demands that prevent mediators from moving the process forward; 'Had Hamas accepted Qatari proposal, we could have reached an agreement'
An Israeli official said Saturday that Hamas has rejected a Qatari ceasefire and hostage release proposal and continues to hold firm to demands that are stalling negotiations, despite Israeli flexibility in the talks.“Hamas rejected the Qatari proposal, refuses to compromise and remains obstinate, while Israel has shown willingness to be flexible in the negotiations,” the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the ongoing diplomatic efforts.Palestinian sources familiar with the negotiations said the talks between Israel and Hamas have not collapsed, but remain stalled. The sources, who are close to Hamas, said Israel is insisting on maintaining control over 40% of the Gaza Strip during a proposed ceasefire period — a key sticking point in the discussions. According to the Israeli official, Hamas is clinging to demands that prevent mediators from moving the process forward. “Had Hamas accepted the Qatari proposal, we could have reached an agreement and entered 60 days of negotiations to end the war in line with Israel’s objectives,” the official said. Amid war, more and more Israelis decide to emigrate to Morocco Meanwhile, Israeli forces carried out heavy airstrikes in the northern Gaza town of Beit Hanoun on Friday evening, in what Palestinian sources described as a “fire belt” bombardment. According to Al Jazeera, more than 40 strikes hit the area, which lies just across the border from the Israeli community of Nir Am. The explosions were visible from the nearby Israeli city of Sderot. The Israel Defense Forces informed residents in the surrounding area that “explosions are being heard and will continue to be heard in the northern Gaza envelope,” referring to ongoing military operations in the Gaza Strip. Despite the deadlock, Israeli and Hamas delegations remain in Qatar. A source close to Hamas said progress hinges on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision to move forward with a deal based on prior understandings. Netanyahu is expected to convene a meeting Sunday evening to decide whether to present Hamas with a new proposal regarding the positioning of Israeli forces inside Gaza. Negotiators say Hamas is refusing to abandon its demand for a full Israeli withdrawal from the Morag Corridor and strongly opposes any plans to expand Israel’s buffer zone in Gaza or to isolate Rafah from the rest of the coastal territory. Israel has proposed creating a “humanitarian city” in Rafah where displaced Palestinians would receive services. link With every negotiation, Netanyahu has done a number of things to make sure that a deal would not be made. The first thing he does is set parameters for the negotiating team and instructs them that they cannot go beyond those parameters. To make sure that they obey him completely, he sends at least one of his closest Yes Men who make sure that anything that Netanyahu doesn't want brought up to discussion will not even be whispered. And the second thing that he does is create a new demand that becomes 'the most important thing for Israel's continued security'. It is Netanyahu's deliberate wrench in the works to derail negotiations. In the past, it was Khan Younis, Rafah and the Philadephi Corridor. Each time, something different and new and not agreed upon by anyone in the security organizations (IDF, Mossad, Shin Bet, Intelligence). This time it is the IDF created Morag Corridor. Due to the fact that he has to complete a deal to satisfy Trump and his promises to Trump, they will eventually find a way to either eliminate this new demand or put it off to the second part of the negotiations which will determine the timeline for ending the war and returning all of the rest of the hostages. This is not Netanyahu's 'brilliant' negotiating tactics, it is his weapon to delay making a deal in order to prolong the time he has determined that he needs to save his political career and legacy.
646 Days in Captivity: “Avinatan Refused to Abandon Noa Argamani in the Hands of the Monsters – Now She Is Fighting for Him”
Avinatan Or was kidnapped along with his partner Noa Argamani from the Nova party. Noa returned home in a heroic rescue operation, Avinatan is still in captivity, and the last sign of life from him was received four months ago. Ditza Or, Avinatan’s mother, tells N12 in an interview about the bond that has formed since then with his partner: “Noa is strong and amazing and is fighting for Avinatan and all the other hostages,” and she calls on the Prime Minister not to agree to a partial deal: “We have paid heavy prices – do not stop at the last moment.”646 days in captivity, 50 hostages still held by the terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip. One of them is Avinatan Or, a 32-year-old who was abducted from the Nova party at Re’im. “I know that in these very moments, the fate of my child is being decided—whether he will return home to a good and peaceful life, or God forbid—I do not even want to bring the other possibility to my lips,” says Ditza Or, mother of Avinatan Or.
Noa Argamani, Avinatan’s partner, was released from captivity in a heroic rescue operation on June 8, 2024. “When Noa Argamani was in hell for eight months, the intelligence file was packed with information. On the opposite end from Noa, there is Avinatan about whom there is really no information.”
Last March, a filmed sign of life was received from Avinatan Or, for the first time since he was kidnapped: “Since then we have been waiting in the dark,” says Ditza. “But I have an internal sign of life. I am in constant contact with Avinatan, I speak to him, I see him and strengthen him. When I am in moments of breaking, he strengthens me. We are going through this together. I tell Avinatan everything that is happening in the family.
Ditza Or, mother of Avinatan kidnapped in GazaAvinatan’s sister got engaged, and I tell him about Noa Argamani, how strong and amazing she is and how she is fighting for him. Avinatan followed her into captivity. He had the opportunity to escape and return home but he absolutely refused to abandon her alone in the hands of those monsters. I tell him how Noa is acting on his behalf and on behalf of all the hostages who are still there. I remind him so he knows as strongly as possible that we are with him at every moment and are fighting for him in every way and that we have absolutely not given up and not despaired, and that will never happen.”
“We all know that the group that will return in the deal will be granted life, God willing. We see no way to extract the next group. If we surrender now for part of the hostages, we are sealing the fate of the remaining hostages. I ask Netanyahu—how will you bring back the last group? Have you given up on them? I know that right now somewhere in Washington or wherever, the fate of my child is being decided, and I am powerless to do anything.”
Avinatan’s mother is a member of the 'Tikva Forum' and opposes a partial deal with Hamas: “As a mother, of course I want my son home and to close my eyes to the rest of the world. But if Avinatan is home and another child remains there—that must not happen. The State of Israel and the army have demonstrated tremendous capabilities in the Middle East. How can it be that now, a hair’s breadth from the collapse of Hamas and the return of all the hostages—we are collapsing ourselves. We are giving up on half of our beloved brothers. We have come a long way with heavy prices, and now, at the last moment, to stop?”
According to her, faith helps her survive the impossible reality of her life in the past 646 days: “I think that everything Avinatan is going through is not accidental, it is not for nothing, it is all part of a divine story, everything has meaning and purpose. The terrible and extreme suffering he is coping with—this is a mission. He is fulfilling such an important role in the process of the people of Israel.” link
Father of kidnapped soldier Matan Angerst: 'PM said they are discussing ending the war immediately after hostages are released'
Chagai Angerst, the father of kidnapped soldier Matan Angerst, shared about his visit to the U.S. and said: "We returned from Washington after massive meetings with senior administration officials and the Prime Minister, but the talks are still ongoing." Angerst added in an interview with the Ynet studio: "We met with Bohler's deputy, and he told us unequivocally that the first phase is a process and immediately after that they will discuss ending the war. We understood this from all the senior officials, including the Prime Minister who told us that for the first time they are discussing ending the war immediately after the hostages are released." link This has been the understanding of anyone and everyone who has been following the news of the negotiations and the Trump/Netanyahu meetings. Trump wants the war to end so he can get his Nobel Peace Prize. Netanyahu doesn't have any choice but to accept the directive from Trump. However, he has succeeded in convincing Trump to let him do it according to his plans and time frame which are all politically constructed for his personal benefit. Trump wants Netanyahu to continue as Prime Minister, even after the next elections which will probably be in the first quarter of 2026 and not in October as scheduled. For this to happen, Netanyahu needs to 60 day ceasefire for the first part of the hostage deal, which will only see the release of 10 living hostages and approximately 18 dead hostages. The remaining 22 hostages (10-12 living) will continue to rot in the hell of Hamas captivity for the sake of Netanyahu's political survival. I expect the second part of the hostage deal to last another 60 days which will bring home the rest of the hostages in another horrific and inhumane Netanyahu created phased releases to be followed with the end of the war. This gives Netanyahu the time he wants to distance himself from October 7 (he thinks that Israeli populace will forget his responsibility for October 7, everything that led up to it and his mishandling of the war and the hostage issue), and run his full election campaign focusing on Lebanon, Syria and Iran, and possibly expansion of the Abraham Accords. Netanyahu's only focus and concern is his political survival, rehabilitation and legacy. If all the hostages were to die, he would see it as the necessary cost for his political survival. In a normal situation, with respectable and responsible leadership, one would ask a very simple question. If the end of the war has already been decided, why does it have to take another 4+ months of talks and negotiations? Why can't it all be wrapped up and occur within a couple of weeks and get all the hostages home in one phase? The answer is both disturbing and very clear. It doesn't answer Netanyahu's political survival needs. It's that simple and that disturbing.
Palestinian media reports intense airstrikes in north Gaza
Palestinian media reports an intense series of airstrikes in northern Gaza’s Beit Hanoun a short while last night. There is no immediate comment from the IDF.Military says airstrikes targeted 35 Hamas sites in Beit Hanoun in past hour
Dozens of Israeli Air Force fighter jets struck some 35 Hamas targets in northern Gaza’s Beit Hanoun in the past hour, the military confirms, publishing footage of the strikes.
The targets included Hamas tunnels in the area, the IDF says.
The IDF says the strikes come as part of intensified operations against Hamas in Beit Hanoun.
Reports: At least 8 killed, including 6 children, in IDF strike on water distribution point in Gaza
Media outlets in Gaza report that the IDF struck a water distribution point north of the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza.
Al-Awda Hospital reports receiving eight bodies, including six children, as well as 16 wounded individuals.
Graphic footage circulated online, which cannot be immediately verified, appears to show dead and wounded at the scene.
There is no comment from the IDF.
- The 'humanitarian city' in Gaza would cost Israel $4 billion
A proposed multibillion-dollar 'humanitarian city' for displaced Gazans has exposed deep divisions in Israel’s leadership, as critics warn of forced displacement, military overstretch and financial overreach—all while the war against Hamas drags on with no clear end in sight
Senior Israeli officials estimate that constructing a proposed "humanitarian city" in the Rafah area would cost between $2.7 billion and $4 billion. They added that, if the plan proceeds, Israel would initially bear nearly the entire cost.IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir has voiced strong opposition in cabinet meetings, clashing with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. Zamir argued that resources allocated to preparing the area are detracting from the army’s operational capabilities in the ongoing fight against Hamas and efforts to rescue hostages. Netanyahu has instructed the IDF to deliver an operational plan within days.Late last week, Smotrich participated in a key meeting on the initiative, approving initial budget allocations to begin preparations. “The final cost will be between $2.7 billion and $4 billion—most likely closer to the upper end. The high price reflects the intention to create a location that Palestinians would willingly move to, with plentiful food, decent living conditions, long-term shelter, medical support including hospitals and, potentially, even educational services,” an Israeli source said.Government officials have claimed that Israel hopes to be reimbursed by Gulf states—such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates—once they assume responsibility for Gaza’s post-war reconstruction. Still, even among those involved in planning, there is skepticism. “There’s almost no chance this actually materializes. Very few believe the city will ever be built,” according to a source.In response to mounting criticism, Smotrich’s office accused detractors of inflating cost projections to derail what it called “the prime minister’s humanitarian separation plan—designed to decouple Hamas from the civilian population.” A spokesperson added that hundreds of millions of dollars had already been approved to prepare a secure area for displaced residents.“This war has already cost hundreds of billions without producing a decisive victory—mainly due to the mishandling of humanitarian aid, which continues to empower Hamas,” the spokesperson said. “Civilian solutions and severing Hamas from the population are the most efficient paths to victory. Anyone treating this as a budget grab should step aside immediately.” Link Smotrich is the most unqualified finance minister in our history and the only finance minister who has enabled and ignored the downgrading of our credit position 3 times (It was never downgraded before in our history). He has no understanding of economics and the only things that drive him and direct him are his messianic and racist ideologies and policies. For those, he always finds money and doesn't care the actual costs to the economy or the impact to our world standing. He desperately wants this 'humanitarian city' to be created because, for him, it is the stepping stone for major 'voluntary emigration' and his dream of ridding all of Israel and the occupied territories of all Palestinians, including Israeli citizens. This is not a secret but a well known racist position that he has taken throughout his warped political and personal life. Netanyahu supports this ethnic cleansing as well because it meshes with his BFF Trump's 'Trump's Gaza Riviera'. DESPICABLE - IDF says 150 terror targets struck over past day; Hamas-run health ministry says 139 Gazans killed
Palestinians at the site of an Israeli airstrike at the Al-Shati refugee camp, in the central Gaza Strip, on July 13, 2025 (Ali Hassan/Flash90)
More than 150 terror targets were struck by the Israeli Air Force in the Gaza Strip in the past day, the military says.
The IDF says the targets included operatives, booby-trapped buildings, weapon depots, anti-tank launch posts, and other terror infrastructure.
At least 139 Palestinians were killed in Gaza over the past 24 hours, according to statistics published by the Hamas-run health ministry.
The strikes come as five IDF divisions, made up of tens of thousands of troops, continue to operate across Gaza.
The military says in northern Gaza’s Beit Hanoun, troops of the 162nd and 99th divisions killed several operatives and destroyed terror infrastructure, including tunnels.
Other operatives were killed elsewhere in Gaza by the troops, including by calling in airstrikes, the IDF adds.
Jordan sends 50 trucks of supplies to Gaza via Israel after EU announcement on aid expansion
Jordan announces that a Jordanian charity organization dispatched 50 aid trucks to the Gaza Strip this morning.
According to the official Jordanian news agency, the trucks are carrying food supplies, primarily flour.
Footage shared on social media shows the trucks traveling overland from Jordan, through Israel, en route to Gaza.
It remains unclear whether they have entered the Strip.
Late last week, the European Union announced that a deal had been reached enabling the reopening of several aid corridors, including humanitarian routes through Egypt and Jordan, and several other crossing points in northern and southern Gaza.
Gaza and the South
- Gaza 'humanitarian city' presents Hamas with gift and punishes Israel
Opinion: The humanitarian city is a megalomaniac folly that must be stopped ;Before it is even underway, Israel is already accused of building a 'concentration camp' to house up to a million Palestinians; the government is tasking the IDF with an impossible mission without a thought about costs and implications
We are at a crossroads. The entire nation is waiting to receive news. Perhaps, despite the difficulties, we will hear that there has been a breakthrough in the negotiations for a ceasefire and hostage release deal.But, if as it now seems, no deal will be reached, Israel threatens to insert itself into a self-made trap. The idea that is now being promoted by Defense Minister Israel Katz and by Bezalel Smotrich, who is also a minister in the Defense Ministry, is to build a "humanitarian city."They believe they will be punishing or threatening Hamas and its hold on the residents of the Strip but will, in fact, be presenting Hamas with a gift and punishing Israel. What happened to the notorious Jewish smarts? We saw the Jewish brain in action in the pager attack on Hezbollah. We saw it in strikes on Iran. But now, there it is missing in the war against Hamas.A displaced Gazan womanWe are nearly two years since the October 7 massacre and the IDF has to repeatedly take over the same territory in Gaza. For two years, the strongest military in the Middle East is unable to defeat a guerilla group that is exacting the high price of nearly one casualty per day. Two years during which Israel's standing on the international stage has deteriorated. And if the suffering thus far has not been enough, Smotrich is dragging Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Katz into a terrible situation. People I've spoken to describe the idea of a "humanitarian city," with shock and horror. "This will never happen," one person told me in an effort to ease my mind. I hope he is right. But everything about this war has gone wrong. Who could have foreseen the situation Israel is now in, with troops fighting Hamas terrorists in Beit Hanoun, again, just one kilometer away from Sderot? And now two ministers charged with our security are trying to drop us further into the mud. How do you push up to one million people into an area that has been demolished? Will they be housed in tents? Mobile homes? Who will see to the humanitarian infrastructure required in the "humanitarian city?" Who will provide health care? Has anyone given this any serious thought?IDF strikes on Beit Hanoun (Photo: IDF)The government throws orders at the military, to do things that cannot be done. What do they expect? Do they want IDF soldiers to hand out food to a million Palestinians? To deal with the sewage? Where do they expect the manpower for such an undertaking, come from? Do they expect more reserve troops to be called? Will they even show up for such a task? This will make the battles against Hamas terrorists at Beit Hanoun seem like a walk in the park. This coalition would not skip any self-inflicted act of madness including this one.What more will Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir demand? Will they oust all the gatekeepers? Perhaps all of the Supreme Court Justices? But that will not stop every international tribunal that will regard every one of the soldiers serving in the IDF as war criminals. I ask, no, I demand of the government: Do not force this on the military. Do not punish Israel and present Hamas with this gift. Find a smarter way to defeat the terrorists. The Jewish brain can surely come up with a better solution. linkAnd what of the reaction in the world? Israel can no longer afford to pay for its mistakes when it does nothing but promote international boycotts. Thousands of defenders online will not help against the flood of condemnations that will surely come if this folly is allowed to proceed. Even before it is underway, we are already accused of building a concentration camp.And how is the IDF to act amid growing concerns that it is committing war crimes? There will be thousands of cameras documenting every old woman who refuses to move to the humanitarian zone. What is the military to do with those who insist on staying where they are? What will be the cost? Israel's situation on the international stage is grave and stands to be worse.
IDF says drone strike killed Hezbollah anti-tank missile operative in south Lebanon
An Israeli drone strike in southern Lebanon’s Khiam earlier today killed a member of Hezbollah’s anti-tank missile unit, the military says.
Lebanon’s Health Ministry earlier reported that one person was killed in a strike on the town.
- Syrian and Israeli officials to meet in Baku today amid Sharaa’s visit
A Syrian official and an Israeli official are expected to meet in Baku later today on the sidelines of President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s visit to Azerbaijan, a diplomatic source in Damascus with knowledge of the issue says.
“There will be a meeting between a Syrian official and an Israeli official on the sidelines of the visit being conducted by Sharaa in Baku,” says the source, who requests anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue.
The source stresses that Sharaa himself would not attend the meeting, which would focus on “the recent Israeli military presence in Syria” since the overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad in December.
- 2 Israelis arrested for disorderly conduct amid deadly settler attack on Palestinian West Bank town released to house arrest
Settlers hurl stones, reportedly during clashes with Palestinians, in the West Bank town of Sinjil on July 11, 2025. (Screen capture: Al-Jarmaq News)Two Israeli settlers who were arrested Friday afternoon during a deadly settler attack on a West Bank Palestinian town have been released to three days of house arrest, police say.
The two were part of a group of settlers that reportedly beat a Palestinian-American man to death and fatally shot another Palestinian resident last week in Sinjil, north of Ramallah.
The detained pair were arrested on suspicion of disorderly conduct, a police spokesman tells The Times of Israel.
They were brought to the Rishon Lezion Magistrate’s Court yesterday evening for an extension on their remand, upon which they were released to house arrest.
A family member of the slain Palestinian-American, 23-year-old Saif al-Din Musalat, told Haaretz that the assailants attacked residents with clubs. A pickup truck later arrived at the scene carrying more settlers, reportedly including two in army trousers who were armed with M16 assault rifles.
The Israel Defense Forces said violence flared after Palestinians threw rocks at a group of Israelis, lightly injuring two civilians. The ensuing “violent confrontation… included vandalism of Palestinian property, arson, physical clashes and rock hurling,” the IDF said.
A total of six suspects were arrested in connection to the incident — five Israelis and one Palestinian.
Only the Palestinian remains in detention.
The army detained two left-wing activists who have since been released.
An IDF reservist was also detained by police yesterday morning, but was released the same day after being interrogated by the Military Police.
According to a police spokesman, the reservist claimed to have fired into the air during the incident. link Of all those arrested, only the Palestinian remains behind bars. And 2 of the settlers arrested are believed to be part of the group of Settler Terrorists who beat a Palestinian American to death and fatally shot another Palestinian. They are believed to have killed 2 people but they have been released to house arrest without any charges other than 'disorderly conduct' and I have no doubt that those charges will be dropped as will their house arrest. I'm also sure that the Palestinian will be charged with something more substantive and be brought to trial. That is how our double standard judicial system works and our government protects Jewish terrorists and will make sure that the book is thrown at the Palestinians to punish them for staying on their own lands.
- Politics and the War and General News
Father of Oct. 7 victim blames government for her death in ‘religious war
Eran Littman, whose daughter Oriya was murdered in the Re’im area Nova music festival during the Hamas onslaught of October 7, 2023, blames the death of his daughter on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition.
“As far as I’m concerned, he, 68 members of Knesset… and his partners are guilty of her murder,” he tells hundreds of anti-government protesters at Habima Square in Tel Aviv.
He says his daughter died in a “religious war,” having been murdered by “radical Islamists,” and goes on to accuse national religious members of the government of seeking to widen that war in Gaza and the West Bank, and ultra-Orthodox members of joining forces with Netanyahu “for budgets and draft evasion.”
The government “isolates Israel and makes it into a leper… and doesn’t bring back the languishing hostages,” he says. “They are agents of chaos, and ignite chaos in the West Bank, banishing people from their homes and causing the desperate to become terrorists, turn into monsters and murder Israelis.”
“The king of darkness, the devil’s right hand, has taken over the State of Israel with the help of his despicable servants, and cast a dark cloud over it,” says Littman, referring to Netanyahu and his coalition partners.
The remains of Oriya Littman Ricardo, 26, were located by her partner, Yair, three days after her murder. Eran Littman thanks Yair: “I owe you.”
Littman says that because he was an anti-Netanyahu protester before the Hamas onslaught, he received messages already on October 7, 2023, accusing and taunting him for his daughter’s death.
We are a divided nation,” he says. “The nation of Israel doesn’t exist any longer, and I don’t want to belong or be associated with these degraded people in any manner.”
“We must go back to being a peace-seeking nation,” he says. “I have a dream that you’ll all wake up from your nightmare and your life will get back on track. And I — I’ll keep dreaming of Oriya.”
After the speeches, the crowd marches on to the anti-government hostage families’ protest in front of the IDF headquarters.
"This Was Not a whim of a Terrorist, Hamas Planned to Use Sexual Violence as a Weapon"
This week, the comprehensive report by “Project DINA” on the rapes committed by Hamas on October 7 was revealed. Attorney Sharon Zagagi-Pinhasi, one of the report’s authors, tells Moshe Nussbaum in a WhatsApp interview about the identical patterns found in the various scenes—and about the struggle to shatter the wall of denial and bring the criminals to justice. “The overwhelming majority of the victims were murdered, and thus the terrorists apparently gained immunity from the most atrocious crimes.”
Moshe Nussbaum in conversation with Attorney Sharon Zagagi-PinhasiMoshe Nussbaum
Hello to Attorney and (Reserve) Col. Sharon Zagagi-Pinhasi, one of the authors of the DINA report ("For the Sake of Truth: October 7 and Beyond"), which deals with the sexual violence by Hamas terrorists. Wednesday, 10:00 AM. Where am I catching you?Sharon Zagagi-Pinhasi
Five hours into this day, honestly... It has not been easy to sleep these past few nights. Right now I am mainly trying to regulate my breathing...Moshe Nussbaum
I am not sure this conversation will help you regulate your breathing, because I want to take you back to all the testimonies and documents that you gathered—you and two other well-known jurists, Prof. Ruth Halperin-Kaddari and retired District Court Judge Nava Ben-Or—for an especially difficult report published yesterday. How was this project born?Sharon Zagagi-Pinhasi
The project was born after October 7, when everyone who works in the field of sexual violence realized that under the cover of the attack, severe sexual violence crimes were carried out, and that the sexual violence continues also in captivity.Sharon Zagagi-Pinhasi
The trigger for our action was the phenomena of silencing and denial in the world. The project was created to achieve recognition and justice for the victims of sexual violence on October 7 and in captivity.Moshe Nussbaum
You were the IDF’s chief military prosecutor. What are the difficulties in putting on trial the terrorists involved in these horrific crimes?Sharon Zagagi-Pinhasi
When it comes to the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war, the major challenge is that one of its characteristics is the near-total silencing of the victims. On October 7, the vast majority of the victims were murdered, and those who survived must deal with severe trauma and are unable to report what they endured. One of our insights was that if we look at things through the lens of a “daily” criminal case, in which the central axis is only the testimony of the victim, it will not be possible to prosecute. Therefore, we call to use other legitimate, accepted forms of evidence—like eyewitnesses and statements of victims in real time.Sharon Zagagi-Pinhasi
One of the goals of the October 7 attack was to instill fear in the community, and therefore many of the acts were done openly, and there are not a few witnesses to such things. Another challenge is that under the cover of the mob attack it is not possible to link a specific terrorist to a specific assault, and thus the terrorists are given “immunity” from prosecution. Our model, which is based on well-known legal principles, calls to attribute joint responsibility to every Hamas terrorist who knowingly joined the attack whose goal was genocidal—dehumanization and annihilation.Moshe Nussbaum
You are saying that one of the goals of the terrorists in the sexual violence was to instill fear in the community. How do you establish that claim?Sharon Zagagi-Pinhasi
We see in various scenes, in a short time frame, patterns of similar sexual violence, with very distinctive similar characteristics (which I will not describe here, because they are extremely disturbing). Evidentially this teaches us that it could not have been a random act, the result of a “whim” of this or that terrorist, but rather a thought-out and pre-planned use of sexual violence as a weapon of war.Sharon Zagagi-Pinhasi
The instilling of fear in the community is inherent in crimes of this kind. Survivors often report that they preferred to die rather than be raped. This is a primal fear, sometimes deeper than other anxieties.Moshe Nussbaum
The report determines unequivocally that Hamas used sexual violence as a combat tool, as part of a broader plan of terror, collective humiliation, and dehumanization toward Israeli society. Can you describe the method, the pattern of action that you identified?Sharon Zagagi-Pinhasi
I will give one example. Because this is truly hard to read. In several different scenes, bodies of women were found, completely or partially naked, with signs of sexual violence, tied—sometimes to structures or trees. The report details examples and various aspects.Moshe Nussbaum
In total, in how many scenes did you find an identical pattern of action?Sharon Zagagi-Pinhasi
Between three and six scenes (depending on the characteristics. Due to the harsh descriptions I prefer not to go into detail).Moshe Nussbaum
Were there cases where the terrorists themselves documented rape and sexual assault?Sharon Zagagi-Pinhasi
We heard of such cases, but to the best of my knowledge most of the material was removed from the networks and no longer exists.Moshe Nussbaum
Why until now has not a single terrorist been prosecuted, despite there being clear and conclusive evidence of involvement in sexual violence on October 7?Sharon Zagagi-Pinhasi
I have no answer to that, since we are not a state body, but rather an independent research initiative. One of our calls in the report is indeed to the authorities in Israel, to prosecute for these crimes, while presenting a legal roadmap for how to do it.Sharon Zagagi-Pinhasi
By the way, we are also calling on the UN to place Hamas on the blacklist of organizations that use sexual violence as a weapon of war. Hamas is not there yet, unlike other terrorist organizations that have used sexual violence as a weapon in other conflict zones around the world.Moshe Nussbaum
What were the sources you based your report on?Sharon Zagagi-Pinhasi
The analysis included information, most of it from open sources (OSINT), which we collected, catalogued, and analyzed; reports that came to the project; and additional information.Moshe Nussbaum
How many witnesses did you meet who told you firsthand about sexual violence they experienced personally?Sharon Zagagi-Pinhasi
The vast majority, as I said, is open-source information. The uniqueness of the book is that we collected and compiled open-source information from many different sources—and there were very many of them.Sharon Zagagi-Pinhasi
Certain reports that are not from open sources also came to the project, but we pledged not to disclose them. We carefully preserve the privacy of what was shared with us.Moshe Nussbaum
For the avoidance of doubt: this is sexual violence by Hamas terrorists—not only toward women, but also toward men?Sharon Zagagi-Pinhasi
The violence was directed at both sexes.Moshe Nussbaum
This sexual violence is being used by the terrorists even after October 7, against hostages they are holding?Sharon Zagagi-Pinhasi
According to the existing information—and female and male hostages spoke about it openly and bravely—there was sexual violence in captivity: sexual abuse, forced nudity, attempted forced marriages, attempts to erase gender identity. There is every reason to believe it continues even today.Moshe Nussbaum
What is the testimony that touched you personally, that shook you more than anything?Sharon Zagagi-Pinhasi
All of them are very hard and shocking. Etched in my heart is a story I heard from an amazing and brave young woman about an event that happened to her. As I said earlier, I will not detail it here. I will just say that it is an extraordinary survival story. Not only in the context of sexual violence. I think of her quite a bit, and about the powerful nature of the conversation with her.Moshe Nussbaum
Without detailing, of course, what is the story of that brave woman about?Sharon Zagagi-Pinhasi
I will only say that she is a true survivor who acted according to her instincts in an impossible situation, and that saved her more than once. And not just from sexual violence.Moshe Nussbaum
The report defines sex crimes during war as “the perfect crime.” What lies behind that definition?Sharon Zagagi-Pinhasi
It is a horrific definition for a horrific phenomenon. The criminals and terrorists simply silence the victims forever so that there will be no one to testify against them and they “hide” within an indistinguishable mob. Thus, they gain “immunity” from the most heinous crimes. It is absurd, immoral, and unjust. That is why we propose in the report legal solutions to this challenge.Moshe Nussbaum
You are determining or recommending to accuse all the terrorists who were involved in the October 7 surprise attack of some level of involvement in the sexual violence—whether by knowledge, failure to prevent, or actual participation. This could be a problematic generalization, since there were hundreds of Gazans who came in the second and third waves, and it is difficult to attribute these charges to them.Sharon Zagagi-Pinhasi
We refer only to Hamas terrorists who knowingly chose to join the genocidal attack and participate in it. Not to looters.Moshe Nussbaum
Do you believe your report is what will shatter the web of lies that was woven around the sexual violence of October 7?Sharon Zagagi-Pinhasi
One of the goals is to shatter the silencing and denial. I hope and believe so. We will not stop fighting for this.Moshe Nussbaum
And finally—as someone who has dealt so intensively with the horrific crimes of the Hamas terrorists, heard them and watched them, let us return for a moment to the start of our conversation—I understand you are not sleeping well at night.Sharon Zagagi-Pinhasi
It seems to me that none of us has slept at night since October 7. I wish for all of us that better days will come, and that we bring everyone home quickly.Moshe Nussbaum
Attorney Sharon Zagagi-Pinhasi, thank you for the conversation. I hope and believe your report will do what the state has not yet succeeded in doing.Sharon Zagagi-Pinhasi
Thank you, Moshe! link
The Full Dinah Report - A Quest for Justice October 7 and Beyond Recognition and justice for victims of sexual violence in conflict Remembering the atrocities of October 7th, 2023. Holding perpetrators accountable.Hundreds in Tel Aviv hold silent vigil for slain Gaza children
Some 400 left-wing activists hold a silent vigil for Gaza children killed by Israel, on the Kaplan Street sidewalk abutting the southern side of the IDF headquarters in Tel Aviv.
The protesters hold candles and pictures of children killed in IDF strikes since Israel resumed hostilities in the Strip on March 18. Each picture shows the child’s name, date, place of death, and age when killed.
Louder anti-government protesters pass through on their way from a demonstration on Habima Square to another on Begin Road. They are followed by police cars. Afterward, the left-wing activists march up to Begin in silence. Video
- NYT dismisses Netanyahu’s denial of report claiming he prolonged war to stay in power: ‘Does not refute the facts’
The New York Times dismisses Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s denial of its July 11 report claiming that he prolonged the war against Hamas in order to stay in power, declaring in a statement that Netanyahu’s response “does not refute the facts of that reporting.”
According to the report, Netanyahu deliberately extended the Gaza war to serve his own political goals of rehabilitating his domestic image and staying in power.
Among the actions listed in the report were Netanyahu’s shelving of a Gaza truce deal that would have secured the release of at least 30 hostages due to a threat by far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich to bring down the government. He also allegedly derailed a White House effort to secure Israeli-Saudi normalization conditional on ending the Gaza war due to opposition by far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir.
In a statement on Saturday, the Prime Minister’s Office argued that the Times coverage “defames Israel, its brave people and soldiers, and its prime minister.”
In response, The New York Times states that its investigation drew “on dozens of government records and military documents and interviews with more than 110 officials in Israel, the US, and across the Arab world.”
“Our role as independent journalists is to report and disclose information vital to the public interest, and to hold leaders to account regardless of party. The statement from the Prime Minister’s office does not refute the facts of that reporting. What the Times investigation shows in detail is how prolonging the Gaza war helped Mr. Netanyahu stay in power,” the Times asserts. link I will say what I have said dozens of times. When there is a choice to believe Netanyahu/the Prime Ministers Office (PMO) or anyone else, always believe anyone else. Netanyahu is a compulsive, pathological liar and the PMO backs him up on everything. It is very clear to everyone except the Netanyahu cult (Bibists) that the only reason the war is still going on and that the hostages are still in captivity is because it serves Netanyahu in his War of Political Survival. Every single one of the security chiefs (IDF, Mossad, Shin Bet, and all the Intelligence agencies) have all tried for over a year to get Netanyahu to make a deal to end the war and bring home all the hostages. They have stated unequivocally that they can and will handle anything that may come of that deal, and if the need arises to go back to fighting in Gaza, they will be able to do that as well. So many lives would have been saved (hostages who were killed in captivity, soldiers, and non combatant Gazans) if Netanyahu cared more about the country, the hostages, and their families than he cares about his own political future and legacy. There have been many occasions during the hostage negotiations that have failed that people from the negotiating team have told my brother that they can't make a deal because Netanyahu refuses to end the war. He is the sole person responsible for keeping the war going and for the lives of everyone lost. Their blood is on his hands but that doesn't impact him whatsoever. He is clearly the most dangerous person in Israel today.
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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