π️Lonny's War Update- October 688, 2023 - August 24, 2025 π️
π️Day 688 that 50 of our hostages are still in Hamas captivityπ️
Mother of hostage urges Netanyahu to sign phased ceasefire deal that Hamas accepted
The mother of hostage Matan Zangauker calls on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to back the phased ceasefire and hostage release deal that Hamas agreed to early this week.
“If Netanyahu signs the deal, on Sunday he can already begin negotiating for the return of the rest of the hostages in exchange for ending the war,” Einav Zangauker says in remarks to the press outside the Kirya military headquarters in Tel Aviv.
“If the conquest of Gaza [City] begins, there will not be a deal,” she adds, while accusing Netanyahu of “placing obstacles [before a deal] and blaming Hamas” while moving forward with plans to capture the Strip’s largest urban center.
Yehuda Cohen, father of hostage soldier Nimrod Cohen, appeals to US President Donald Trump to press Netanyahu to sign a deal to end the war and free all the captives.
“The time is now,” Cohen says, “warning additional lives will be lost, our loved ones will die” if the Gaza City offensive goes ahead.
- Carmel and her friends were abandoned to their deaths; we cannot abandon the others - by Eshel Gat
Opinion: The fight to save 50 hostages is a fight for the soul of our society, to place human life above all; a year after Carmel and five others were murdered in a Gaza tunnel, I, who also lost my wife Kineret, urge us not to forget or give up
A year has passed since that terrible evening, the night of the rally in the square. Slowly, rumors began to spread, names started to take shape and you refuse to believe them, clinging to every “logical” explanation for why it couldn’t be true. Hours tick by and the bitter truth hits with full force. Overnight, the rumor turns into a painful, searing reality: Carmel Gat, Edan Yerushalmi, Ori Danino, Almog Sarussi, Hirsch Goldberg-Polin and Alex Lubanov were murdered in a Hamas tunnel in Rafah. Carmel and her friends survived 328 days of captivity only to be abandoned to their deaths. A full year has gone by and the sense of missed opportunity remains unrelenting.What we said back then—that military pressure endangers and kills hostages, that we cannot abandon our loved ones, that a war cannot be waged while ignoring the fate of the kidnapped—rings even truer today. The sense of loss cries out to the heavens and the frustration rises again. It all began that morning on October 7. Security neglect left the residents of Kibbutz Be’eri and innocent civilians across southern towns exposed to terrorists. Terrorists broke into our home, abducting nearly the entire family in stages: my wife Kineret, who was murdered that day near our home; my daughter Carmel; my son Alon and his wife Yarden; and their young daughter Gefen. Near the Gaza border, Alon managed to escape with Gefen, but Yarden and Carmel were taken into Hamas captivity. I, by luck, survived the attack and was rescued from the house that evening. In total, 102 residents of Be’eri were killed in Hamas’ terror attack and 30 were abducted. The loss is immense, beyond comprehension. Amid the unimaginable grief and worry, there was a glimmer of hope: the return of my daughter-in-law Yarden from captivity offered a moment of relief—a feeling that rescue was possible. We believed it marked the start of a retrieval journey. But it soon became clear that neglect persisted. Opportunities for negotiations were repeatedly torpedoed; foreign considerations outweighed the basic value of saving lives. Carmel Gat and her friends—Edan Yerushalmi, Ori Danino, Almog Sarussi, Hirsch Goldberg-Polin and Alex Lubanov—paid the price. Held captive for months, just when there seemed a chance to save them, the state and its leaders chose not to act—or rather, acted in the wrong direction. The prolonged wait ended in their murder. Not only them: 42 other hostages lost their lives in captivity. As we said then, at Carmel’s grave, we say again today: this should not have happened. It was not inevitable. Carmel must be remembered. Beyond being a beloved family member, she was a healer in every fiber of her being. She chose her profession not by chance but out of a deep sense of mission. She worked with people struggling with mental health—always patient, always smiling, always understanding that every person is a world unto themselves. She earned a master’s degree at the Hebrew University, devoted herself to her studies, dreaming of combining research with clinical practice to expand knowledge for the benefit of others. But Carmel was not only a professional caregiver. She loved music and travel, nature and people and above all possessed the rare ability to truly listen, to see others, accept differences and illuminate uniqueness rather than change it. Even in captivity, Alma Or and Noam Or, released in the first exchange, described her as their “guardian angel.” She encouraged, supported and strengthened others even while living in inhumane conditions. Her personal and professional lives merged, becoming a source of inspiration deep inside the tunnels. A year has passed and we continue to warn: military pressure endangers and kills the hostages still alive. Every leaked photo, every account from those who returned from captivity, reminds us that hostages do not have time. Each additional day is a risk to life. We know—there was an opportunity in November 2023 and others afterward—that was missed. Every missed chance costs lives and the responsibility is clear. This cannot continue. The weekly demonstrations are not a whim; they are the cry of an entire public. Citizens understand that the government has failed in its most basic duty—to protect the lives of its people. Instead of courageous decisions, we get narrow political calculations. Instead of a deal, sabotage. Instead of saving lives, loss. Against this inaction stands a nation unwilling to remain silent. Carmel has, unwillingly, become a public figure. Thousands joined us at protests, chanting together: a deal now! The people demand life, not death. Responsibility, not neglect. This connection between personal story and national grief shows that the fracture is not only in our family but in all of us.Carmel Gat, Edan Yerushalmi, Ori Danino, Almog Sarussi, Hirsch Goldberg-Polin and Alex Lubanov Alongside the struggle is a commitment to legacy. Family and friends chose to continue Carmel’s and Kineret’s paths. We have founded social initiatives to pass on their values: a yoga card set for children inspired by Carmel is already being used in schools and by the public, teaching listening, calm and mutual support. We are now planning the “Carmel-Kineret Trail,” a segment of the Israel National Trail connecting Mount Carmel to the Sea of Galilee, meant to embody the values of humanity, care, volunteering, democracy and decency. This path reminds us that behind every name and number were real women, living meaningful, giving lives. The goal is to instill in ourselves and the next generation the values Carmel and Kineret lived by—perhaps to turn pain into strength, despair into hope. There is no consolation in this, but there is a duty: not to forget, not to give up, not to accept what happened. This fight is not just about remembering Kineret and Carmel, Edan Yerushalmi, Hirsch Goldberg-Polin, Ori Danino, Alex Lubanov and Almog Sarussi. It is a fight over the character of our society. Are we a people who abandon the vulnerable, or a people who place the value of human life above all? Will we continue to favor political interests over moral responsibility? Will we remain silent again, or will we raise our voice to save those who can still be saved? Carmel is gone, but her presence and memory are with us every day. Every small memory, every smile, every sentence she spoke accompanies us. We say goodbye to her over and over, each time realizing again: this should not have happened. And yet, perhaps from this pain, a different society can grow—more attentive, more humane, more determined to protect the lives of its sons and daughters. Perhaps in her light, we can save those who still can be saved. A year has passed. Too little has changed. The simple truth remains: the hostages must be returned and the war must end immediately, before it is too late. link Hostages families protest outside ministers’ homes: ‘Why are you hiding? Where’s your sense of responsibility?’
Relatives of the hostages held in Gaza protest outside the homes of ministers, calling for a ceasefire deal.
The family of Nimrod Cohen demonstrates outside the home of Defense Minister Israel Katz.
“I came to remind you on day 688 that an IDF soldier who was sent to defend the country with a faulty tank is still sitting in the tunnels of Gaza,” shouts the hostage’s father, Yehuda, through a megaphone.
“If you really think you’re a defense minister, behave like a defense minister, not a war minister,” he says.
The family of Omri Miran demonstrates outside the home of Minister Avi Dichter.
“Why are you hiding? Where is your sense of responsibility for the citizens of Israel who have been languishing in Hamas captivity for 688 days,” says Miran’s sister-in-law Michal Lavie. “What about the values of leaving no one behind in life or death, and saving lives? Two basic values on which the State of Israel is founded.”
Terror groups in the Gaza Strip are 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.
Israel assesses that “at least one or two” hostages held in Gaza are in life-threatening condition, according to a Channel 12 news report yesterday.
- Did Yemen’s Houthis use Iranian cluster munitions? IDF launches investigation
Israeli Air Force probing why defenses failed to stop Houthi missile that struck near Tel Aviv, and whether it carried cluster munitions like those Iran used in June war; Houthi official shares unverified footage claiming missile split midair
The Israeli Air Force said Saturday it is investigating why its defenses failed to intercept a missile launched by Yemen’s Houthi rebels that struck near Tel Aviv on Friday night, leaving debris in the yard of a home in the central town of Ginaton.Military officials are examining whether the projectile contained cluster munitions, similar to those used by Iran during June’s 12-day war, which disperse smaller explosives over a wide area. At the time, Israeli defense analysts concluded that several Iranian missiles carried secondary warheads that detonated upon impact, based on evidence collected from multiple strike sites.Shortly after Friday’s launch, senior Houthi official Nasruddin Amer released a video — the authenticity of which could not be confirmed — purporting to show the missile breaking apart in midair. He claimed the footage demonstrated the weapon “splitting into several missiles over Israeli skies.” In a follow-up post, Amer said the clips “clearly show the missile reaching its target, disproving enemy claims of interception,” and called the incident a failure of Israel’s layered missile defense system.During June’s conflagration with Iran, the IDF Home Front Command warned civilians that some submunitions might remain unexploded on the ground. “Do not touch suspicious objects or unexploded ordnance. Call 100 immediately,” the alert said at the time.The Houthis later claimed responsibility for Friday’s strike, with their military spokesman, Yahya Saree, saying the Iran-backed group had fired a Palestine 2 hypersonic ballistic missile at Ben Gurion Airport. The projectile triggered sirens across central Israel at 8:59 p.m. and ultimately struck the garden of an 85-year-old elderly woman's home in Ginaton, near Lod.“I was sitting in the shelter, I heard a boom, everything exploded — and that was it,” homeowner Ilana Hatoumi told Ynet. She remained calm, adding: “The windows shattered. We’re fine, I’m healthy. Nothing happened that can’t be fixed. It’s just property damage.” link
Houthis fired ballistic missile with cluster bomb warhead at Israel for 1st time on Friday, air force probe findsAn Israeli Air Force investigation into Friday night’s ballistic missile attack from Yemen has found that for the first time, the Houthis used a projectile with a cluster bomb warhead.
One of the munitions struck the yard of a home in the central town of Ginaton, causing slight damage.
The military says that the failure to intercept the projectile is under investigation and is unrelated to the type of warhead the missile was carrying.
“The air defense systems, with an emphasis on the upper layer, are capable of dealing with and intercepting such missiles, as they have intercepted in the past,” the IDF says.
Iran launched ballistic missiles with cluster bomb warheads at Israel at least twice during the 12-day war in June. The Houthis in Yemen are supplied by Iran. link. This is an escalation by the Houthis and a very likely excuse for Israel to retaliate with a very strong response. I would assume that the initial response will be only aimed at the Houthis of Yemen, but I could definitely envisage Netanyahu wanting to use this as a excuse to retaliate against Iran as his way of diverting attention away from Gaza and the Hostages. He saw how successful the 12 day war with Iran was as a complete diversion with no one talking about the endless war in Gaza and the inexcusable situation that the hostages are still in captivity. Netanyahu's mode of operation is always diversion when he needs to take political pressure off both internally and from abroad, so we shouldn't be complacent about his potential use of the Houthi escalation as his raison d'etre at this time.
- Renewed Hamas attacks, Iran threats expose Israel's strategic blind spotsAnalysis: As Israel debates plans for Gaza, two warning signs demand attention: Hamas terrorists infiltrating IDF post in Khan Younis and Iran threatening global shipping lanes amid fears of Israeli or Western action
While the Israeli public is focused—justifiably—on whether a deal for the hostages will be partial or comprehensive, and as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meets with IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir and the General Staff to approve plans for seizing Gaza City, events on the margins of the conflict demand urgent attention.One was the firefight on Wednesday in Khan Younis, where Hamas terrorists breached an IDF stronghold. Another is unfolding nearly 2,000 kilometers away in the Persian Gulf, where Iran has launched a large-scale naval drill expected to last several days.
The Hamas assault began when 15 terrorists emerged from a tunnel shaft just 40 meters from an IDF fortified position manned by Kfir Brigade troops and armored forces. The outpost is part of the “Magen Oz” security corridor, intended as an additional buffer against incursions toward Israel from Khan Younis. From an IDF perspective, it was a classic defensive battle. The terrorists' planning was meticulous: gathering intelligence, planting roadside bombs to block reinforcements, and preparing suicide charges to attach to tanks and APCs. They split into three groups—long-range suppressive fire, close-range cover fire from atop the dirt berm, and an assault team that stormed the position.But the real failure was not tactical bravery—it was vigilance. A simple human lookout would have spotted 15 black-clad men advancing in broad daylight from just meters away. Instead, commanders relied solely on cameras, which the militants had scouted in advance and quickly disabled with a single shot. Without the swift and determined response of Kfir fighters and the 74th Armored Battalion, the outcome could have been far worse.
The Iranian drill, Hamas terrorists in Gaza(Photo: Iranian Army/WANA (West Asia News Agency)/ Reuters)The episode underscores that the lessons from October 7 were not applied. Outposts in hostile territory require overlapping human observation, barbed wire perimeters, and guard posts covering every access point. Instead, reliance on cameras and drones proved dangerously insufficient. Technology, with its limited field of vision, cannot replace human eyes and judgment.Meanwhile, in the Persian Gulf, Iran’s military exercise sends another warning. Conducted amid severe water shortages and economic crisis, and while Tehran is still reeling from Israel’s Operation Rising Lion, the drill reflects deep anxiety.Iranian propaganda videos show cruise missile strikes on naval targets and even a crudely staged clip of an Iranian jet downing an enemy aircraft. The message is clear: Iran wants the world to believe it can still threaten shipping and project power despite recent setbacks.Most striking is footage of a massive container ship at the end of one such video—an unsubtle warning that Iran could disrupt global maritime trade in the Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean, complementing the Houthi threat at Bab al-Mandeb.
The timing suggests Tehran fears Israeli or U.S. strikes exploiting gaps in its degraded air defenses and ballistic missile shortages. With European powers preparing to reimpose “snapback” sanctions at the end of the month, Iran is signaling it can retaliate by endangering civilian shipping. This signal should not be dismissed. Iranian fears could lead to miscalculation—and a real attempt to act on these threats. Israel, for its part, has no reason to ease Tehran’s anxieties, as long as Iran refuses to negotiate over its nuclear program. But the IDF must prepare for escalation in the maritime arena as well as from Houthi forces in Yemen. Both the Hamas raid in Khan Younis and Iran’s naval posturing are reminders that while the spotlight is on Gaza, Israel’s military and political leadership must not overlook dangerous blind spots—whether at the edge of a fortified position or across the seas. link Israeli tanks reportedly advanced into a new neighborhood of Gaza City in the Strip’s north on Saturday.
Al Jazeera aired footage purportedly showing IDF tanks in the Sabra neighborhood, which is located in the central part of Gaza City, close to the Zeitoun neighborhood, where the military has been operating for over a week.
The IDF has said it is operating on the outskirts of Gaza City ahead of a major offensive that would see the military capture the entire city. Tens of thousands of reservists are due to show up for duty on September 2 for the offensive, which is likely to begin in the following weeks.
Israeli attacks in the Strip killed at least 34 people on Saturday, according to Palestinian media. The death toll in Gaza was not independently verified and does not differentiate between combatants and civilians.
According to the reports, six of the people killed died while waiting for aid in the Zikim area of the northern Gaza Strip; two were killed in a drone strike on a tent in Khan Younis, and one was killed in a drone strike on a house in al-Sabra, south of Gaza City.
According to health officials at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, Israeli strikes killed at least 14 people in southern Gaza, more than half of them women and children. The officials said the strikes targeted tents sheltering displaced people in Khan Younis.
Israel has said it seeks to minimize civilian fatalities and stresses that Hamas uses Gaza’s civilians as human shields, fighting from civilian areas including homes, hospitals, schools, and mosques.
IDF increases troop presence in Jabalia as operations continue on Gaza City outskirts
The IDF says troops of the 401st Armored Brigade have returned to northern Gaza’s Jabalia in recent days, as part of an offensive aimed at strengthening the army’s control in the area.
The forces join the Givati Infantry Brigade, which has been operating in Jabalia — just north of Gaza City — for the past week.
The military says the forces, led by the 162nd Division, are working to dismantle Hamas capabilities in the area, including by destroying tunnels, “eliminating terrorists, and strengthening operational control over the area.”
“The troops’ activity enables the expansion of the fighting to additional areas and prevents Hamas terrorists from returning and operating in these areas,” the IDF says.
The IDF has said it is operating on the outskirts of Gaza City ahead of a major offensive that would see the military capture the entire city.
Tens of thousands of reservists are due to show up for duty on September 2 for the offensive, which is likely to begin in the following weeks.
Ex-defense minister Ya’alon says Katz admitting to war crimes by threatening to destroy Gaza City
Former defense minister and chief of staff Moshe Ya’alon charges that Defense Minister Israel Katz admitted to “committing a war crime” in the Gaza Strip when he threatened on Friday to turn Gaza City into “Rafah and Beit Hanoun” — two cities that have been largely turned to rubble by Israeli military activity — during the IDF’s planned takeover of the city.
Katz said on Friday that “the gates of hell will soon open over Hamas murderers and rapists in Gaza — unless they agree to Israel’s conditions for ending the war, primarily the release of all hostages and their disarmament.”
Now, Ya’alon asserts that these comments are “an admission to committing a war crime — the evacuation of the residents and the destruction of their homes.”
“The intention to carry this out in Gaza City is clearly an illegal order,” says the ex-defense official, calling for Israel’s legal authorities to intervene and prevent the Gaza City operation from going ahead, saying that only they will be able to prevent soldiers from having to obey “a clearly illegal order.”
“It is in your power to stop the moral and ethical deterioration of our country, which pledged ‘never again!'” implores Ya’alon.
“It is already clear to anyone with eyes in their heads that the messianic, evasive and corrupt government does not serve the country, but rather its grip on power, while neglecting the hostages, sacrificing soldiers, and destroying the country and its future,” he adds.
Ya’alon, a former member of the ruling Likud party, has been a fierce critic of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu since he was ousted as defense minister in 2016.
In November last year, he warned that Israel was heading down a path of ethnic cleansing in the Gaza Strip. link I have never been a fan of Moshe Ya'alon, especially when he went into politics. However, he has shown himself to be a man of integrity and backbone and is not afraid to call out what so many of us know that we are committing war crimes in Gaza. He is a former IDF Chief of Staff and Defense Minister and has born the responsibility for Israel's security for many years. I have no doubt that the words he uses about our actions in Gaza are among the most painful words he has ever said, but they need to be said. We are perpetrating war crimes in Gaza and soldiers and reserves need to find the courage to stand up and say they will no longer carry out illegal orders, no matter who is giving them. Our country's legal authorities and experts need to say the same and this damn war needs to end.
Currently, there are arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Galant issued by the ICC. In addition, there have been many cases on foreign countries or attempts or plans to arrest soldiers who fought in Gaza, South Africa declared that any of their citizens who fought in Gaza would be arrested upon returning to South Africa. I fully expect more ICC arrest warrants for War Crimes to be issued against more politicians who are very deserving of these charges (Katz, Smotrich and Ben Gvir) and we should anticipate many other countries putting out arrest warrants for soldiers who fought in Gaza and are touring in their countries. The cases in South America were not for senior officers, but for foot soldiers. This can happen anywhere thanks to the politicians who directed these war crimes. Thank you again Netanyahu for this gift that will keep on giving.US envoy meets Netanyahu on Lebanon and Syria
Top US envoy Thomas Barrack arrived in Israel today and met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss Syria and Lebanon, three Israeli officials say.
The meeting was first reported by Axios, citing three Israeli and US sources, and followed discussions between Barrack and Israel’s Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer and Defense Minister Israel Katz.
Dermer held talks with Syria’s foreign minister Asaad al-Shibani in Paris on Tuesday on security arrangements in southern Syria, two Syrian sources familiar with the meeting said.
Syrian and Israeli officials have been conducting US-mediated talks on de-escalating conflict in southern Syria. A previous round of talks was held in Paris in late July but ended without a final accord.
On Monday, Barrack said in Lebanon that Israel should comply with a plan under which Hezbollah would be disarmed by the end of the year in exchange for a halt to Israel’s military operations in Lebanon.
Israel proposes economic buffer zone along Lebanon border amid security talks
Jerusalem reportedly proposes demilitarized industrial buffer zone on Lebanon border, as Beirut weighs US-brokered security terms, Hezbollah pushes back and Washington prepares new diplomatic mission
Israel has proposed the creation of an uninhabited economic buffer zone along its northern border with Lebanon, Lebanese channel Al-Jadeed reported Saturday, as part of ongoing diplomatic efforts to reduce tensions and prevent renewed clashes with Hezbollah.The proposal, yet to be independently verified, was allegedly conveyed during a meeting in Paris this week between Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer and U.S. envoy Thomas Barrack. According to the report, Dermer presented Israel’s response to a draft document initiated in Washington aimed at resolving internal Lebanese issues and establishing new security arrangements between Jerusalem and Beirut.While Israel reportedly accepted only parts of the document—described in Al-Jadeed as a “rejection of the Barrack paper”—it expressed willingness to gradually reduce military strikes and operations, withdraw from some contested areas and address the issue of Lebanese detainees. However, a central Israeli demand stood out: that the devastated border zone not be repopulated, and instead be designated as a Lebanese-run industrial corridor.Under the plan, the area would be used for state-operated factories and separated from Israeli communities on the opposite side of the border. The report characterized it as a “civilian-free industrial buffer zone,” and suggested that recent IDF incursions along the border may be part of an effort to shape such a corridor.The Lebanese government, currently grappling with multiple challenges—including whether to extend the UNIFIL peacekeeping mandate, disarm Hezbollah and approve aspects of the U.S. plan—has not officially responded to the Israeli proposal. Hezbollah, for its part, continues to oppose the American initiative, demanding that Israel first honor prior agreements, cease strikes in Lebanon, withdraw from five specific border sites and release prisoners.Al-Jadeed also reported that Barrack is expected to return to Beirut in the coming days, accompanied by U.S. envoy Morgan Ortagus and a delegation led by South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham. Meanwhile, Hezbollah-affiliated newspaper Al-Akhbar labeled the visit as part of a U.S. effort led by what it described as an “extreme Zionist.”3 View gallery
Hezbollah supporters protesting in Beirut (Photo: Ibrahim AMRO / AFP)Internal Lebanese tensions are also intensifying, with friction between President Joseph Aoun and Hezbollah over weapons policy. Efforts to mediate the dispute included a meeting between Hezbollah parliamentary leader Mohammad Raad and a presidential envoy. According to Al-Akhbar, Raad reaffirmed Hezbollah’s firm opposition to disarming and urged the government to reverse its position.In contrast, the anti-Hezbollah daily Nidaa al-Watan published an editorial titled “Iran Commands, Hezbollah Executes: Lebanon is a Hostage of Regional Influence.” The piece argued that rising criticism of Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and hostility toward Saudi Arabia are part of a broader strategy to entrench Iranian control. An unnamed U.S. diplomat quoted in the article warned Lebanon is at risk of deep crisis if efforts to transfer weapons to state control fail—adding that renewed military confrontation with Israel could not be ruled out.The same report claimed that Hezbollah, following a visit to Lebanon by senior Iranian security official Ali Larijani, held intensive meetings with representatives from Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, discussing various escalation scenarios, including organized protests and media campaigns portraying the government as ineffective.Despite these developments, Lebanon’s official government has reiterated in recent months that it opposes foreign interference in its domestic affairs—a message President Aoun reportedly conveyed directly to Larijani during his recent visit to Beirut. Link
**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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Infantry officer killed in Gaza in apparent accidental detonation of IDF explosive
IDF says Lt. Ori Gerlic, 20, a platoon commander in the Kfir Brigade, was killed after Israeli explosive detonated for an unknown reason; incident under investigation
An Israeli officer was killed in an apparent accident in the southern Gaza Strip on Saturday, the military announced.
He was named as Lt. Ori Gerlic, 20, a platoon commander in the Kfir Brigade’s Shimshon Battalion, from Meitar.
According to an initial Israel Defense Forces probe, the officer was killed by an Israeli explosive that detonated, for reasons as-yet unclear, during efforts to demolish structures in Khan Younis.
The military said it was investigating what caused the explosive to detonate prematurely.
Israel’s toll in the ground offensive against Hamas in Gaza and in military operations along the border with the Strip now stands at 460. The toll includes two police officers and three Defense Ministry civilian contractors.
Gerlic’s death came days after a military encampment in Khan Younis came under a rare large-scale Hamas attack.
Despite errors that enabled gunmen to enter the army post, the IDF said soldiers were able to fight back and successfully repel the attack, killing around 15 of the attackers. Three soldiers were wounded, one of them seriously, the IDF said.
Palestinian reports: IDF uprooted thousands of olive trees in West Bank village after shooting attack by resident
Palestinian media outlets report that the Israeli army uprooted thousands of olive trees in the West Bank village of al-Mughayyir over the past three days — an area of about 300 dunams (74 acres) — following a shooting attack in the area last week carried out by a resident.
In addition, a three-day curfew was imposed on the village, which was lifted this morning, according to the reports.
On Thursday night, the chief of the IDF Central Command, Maj. Gen. Avi Bluth, during a visit to the scene of the shooting, said that al-Mughayyir would “pay a heavy price” for the attack the previous day.
“Every village and every enemy needs to know that if they carry out an attack against the residents, they will pay a heavy price; they will experience a curfew, they will experience a closure, and they will experience ‘shaping operations,'” he said, apparently referring to the uprooting of the trees.
A “shaping operation” in military terms refers to efforts to create or preserve advantageous conditions for future operations by affecting enemy vulnerabilities.
video It's not enough that this extremist government encourages and protects Settler terrorists against Palestinians, it has now sent in the army to do officially sanctioned attacks on Palestinian property. This is for security considerations. It is punishment and revenge.
- Politics and the War and General News
'At home, they no longer recognize themselves': Study finds hidden distress among Israeli security forces
New research reveals nearly one-third of Israeli security personnel report suicidal ideation, with career soldiers, reservists and ZAKA volunteers among most vulnerable; researchers warn of hidden trauma, cultural silence and lack of systemic support
A new study has revealed widespread emotional distress among members of Israel’s security forces, including post-traumatic stress symptoms, suicidal ideation and a reluctance to seek help.The research, led by Dr. Gaby Kashy-Rosenbaum of Ashkelon Academic College, based on responses from 111 participants—including active-duty soldiers, career service members, reservists and volunteers from the ZAKA emergency response organization—found that nearly one-third reported having suicidal thoughts to varying degrees. Approximately 10% of respondents displayed symptoms consistent with severe clinical PTSD.The study highlighted a pattern researchers called “double avoidance,” in which individuals suppress their emotions while also avoiding professional therapy. Seventy-five percent of participants said they had not sought help on their own initiative, and more than half admitted to actively concealing their emotional state.Researchers found a clear correlation between emotional suppression and the severity of PTSD symptoms, particularly dissociation and avoidance. Suicidal thoughts were linked across all categories of post-traumatic distress. The more severe the trauma exposure, the higher the incidence of both PTSD and suicidal ideation. Conversely, seeking professional support emerged as a strong protective factor.The report also emphasized the vulnerabilities of career soldiers and reservists, who often return to civilian life with little or no structured support. Many reported feelings of guilt, a loss of identity and social detachment. “Some feel their worth only exists on the battlefield,” the study noted. “At home, they no longer recognize themselves.”While some protective factors were identified—such as religious belief and perceived social support—researchers stressed that these cannot replace formal mental health care.he findings come amid a rising number of suicides among security personnel in the wake of the October 7 attacks and the ongoing war. In recent weeks, eight individuals—including active-duty soldiers, reservists, career officers and ZAKA volunteers—have taken their own lives. One of them, Master Sgt. Ariel Meir Taman, had been serving continuously in body identification since the outbreak of war. “He never showed any difficulty,” his sister said. “He only encouraged us.”Experts caution that those who appear strongest may be at greatest risk. A culture of silence and self-reliance, the report warns, often leaves the most vulnerable isolated and overlooked.The study urges direct, compassionate communication as a life-saving tool. “A suicidal person is often ambivalent,” researchers wrote. “They may think of death, but they are also searching for hope—hoping someone will notice their pain.”Asking one direct, non-judgmental question, the study concluded, could make all the difference. Dr. Gaby Kashy-Rosenbaum is head of the education track and a senior lecturer in the multidisciplinary department at Ashkelon Academic College, specializing in trauma research. Link If we had a normal responsible government, this extremely worrying report should be seen by all as a bellwether for what is to come. The report is based on a tiny number of 111 participants and we are going to have tens of thousands of soldiers, reserves, medical personnel and other peripheral groups of people who have experienced terrible trauma throughout this war. And that has nothing to do with the overall population which is still dealing with the trauma of October 7 and the 2 years of war. We are a nation traumatized and because of the ongoing hostage crisis and the war, and the fact that both of those things should have ended long ago, we haven't been able to begin to heal, so the numbers of PTSD will most likely be much higher than all of the conservative estimates. Unfortunately, this government resides on a different planet, a different galaxy, a completely different reality than the rest of the country and therefore, this study and others will not move them at all into any action or budgeting that needs to be prepared not now but yesterday. This is a government that has no strategy and is not even reactionary to the realities of the population. If it doesn't have political impact to them, the problem doesn't exist. This is the result of years of Netanyahu who has completed caused a shift in government action and responsibility to the point that only political matters get any priority.Families of October 7 victims warn of 'red line' for protest against government
Relatives of Hamas massacre victims announce major protest in Tel Aviv on September 7, demanding state commission of inquiry into the government’s failures, warning further delays will prompt massive blowback
Families united under the “October Council,” representing victims of the October 7, 2023, massacre and pushing for a state inquiry into the failures, announced their next protest steps on Thursday.They urged fellow affected families and the Israeli public to join them in Tel Aviv on Sunday, September 7, to support a state commission of inquiry. “We will stand as one,” they declared. The move follows their ongoing demand for transparency amid government resistance.
'October Council' press conference (Photo: October Council)Rafi Ben Shitrit, father of fallen Border Police soldier Staff Sgt. Shimon Alroy Ben Shitrit, who died in the battle for Nahal Oz, spoke out. “I stand here for all tired of lies, evasions and the government’s shameful irresponsibility, led by its head. I cry out from the bottom of my heart.“Our sons and daughters didn’t shy away from their duty—they fought bravely to their last drop. They are our example and moral beacon. Those refusing a state inquiry aren’t just cowards—they’re complicit in dodging the truth. Every minister, Knesset member, senior official, officer or commander stammering excuses is part of betraying public trust.“But I believe in this nation, which rises again and again. I believe justice will prevail, hope will lead us forward. We’ll fight for truth, transparency and a state where leaders take responsibility, not flee. We’ll establish this commission, uncover the truth and rebuild a nation worthy of its people.”Yoram Yehudai, whose son Ron was murdered at the Nova Music Festival, cried: “I’m a wounded soul searching for answers for two years—why my handsome, big-hearted, joyful son Ron went to dance and returned in a coffin? How can my wife Sigal and I still lack answers after two years? How did this happen? Who failed? For two years, we’ve been invisible to politicians—they promised a state inquiry, now they block every chance to investigate.”
'October Council' press conference (Photo: October Council)Sharon Eshel, mother of IDF lookout Roni Eshel, killed in the Nahal Oz base, joined the call. “We’re here to address you, the Israeli public, mothers, fathers. I look you in the eye and say clearly: they’re lying to you, hiding from you, deceiving you. I lost my Roni due to unexamined failures,” she said, displaying a bomb sketch dated October 7, 2025, reminiscent of a prop the prime minister used in the UN more than a decade ago.“[Benjamin] Netanyahu, you’ve crossed our red line. In two weeks, we—October Council families and Israelis—will gather to tell you we’ve reached our limit. The whole nation will shout: you’ve crossed our red line. You’re on the brink of an explosion. Don’t test us, bereaved parents. Don’t test us, Israeli citizens. This line won’t be crossed by this government.”Nirit Baram, mother of Staff Sergeant Neta Baram, also killed at Nahal Oz, added: “On the morning of October 7, hundreds of terrorists armed with vests, loaded weapons, grenades and missiles attacked Nahal Oz. My son and his four soldiers—Daniel, Amir, Shimon and Elroy—had a rifle and five magazines. That’s it. They wore flip-flops because no one prepared them for such an assault. Why? I don’t know—no one has investigated. Why? Because no state inquiry has been formed.”Retired Lt. Col. Avishay Edri, a Nahal Oz resident who survived the massacre with his wife and children and has served over 600 reserve duty days, urged the government to probe the lead-up to the massacre.
Nahal Oz base memorial (Photo: Tal Shahar)“As someone who felt this disaster firsthand, it’s my moral duty to stand here and warn: the next disaster looms! Until the failures are probed, lessons learned and justice served, we’re doomed to repeat mistakes. Our enemies never rest across all fronts, plotting to replicate that cursed day’s success, surprise us and strike again.”The press conference dovetailed with last Sunday’s “Shut down” protest organized by the October Council and the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, reinforcing their call for a national inquiry into October 7 and the war in Gaza.Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara has repeatedly endorsed the call, notably ahead of a Cabinet discussion, saying: “A state commission is the legal mechanism to investigate October 7 and the war in Gaza. Avoiding a decision harms future probes and the pursuit of truth.”The event also followed State Comptroller Matanyahu Englman’s announcement of meetings with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former defense minister Yoav Gallant, ex-chiefs of staff Herzi Halevi and Aviv Kochavi, former Shin Bet head Ronen Bar, his deputy Sh. and senior officers from lieutenant colonel upward involved in the October 7 massacre, as part of his review of core failures. Link As we all know, on October 7, 1200 people were killed and 251 hostages were taken. In addition, dozens of communities in the south were taken over and occupied by the barbaric Hamas terrorists for as long as 72 hours while the army was finding its footing and the government was in total chaos that lasted for over a year. October 7 didn't happen in a vacuum. It was the result of so many factors including but not limited to: the army being totally unprepared for at attack at that time and type of attack that breached the border in almost 150 different locations; thousands of soldiers that were taken off of the border on orders of the political echelon to protect settlers who had ongoing provocative events going on in the West Bank during Sukkot (this was denied by the army and government for months until it was proven and acknowledged); and mostly Netanyahu's laser focus on Iran and telling all security bodies that Iran was the major focus they should be concentrated on, while insisting that no soldiers' boots will ever need to walk in Gaza again; Netanyahu's weakening of the Palestinian Authority while strengthening Hamas to show the world there is no Palestinian partner for peace and going the extra steps to make sure that Hamas and Gaza continued to get huge cash influxes by Qatar for over a decade. Even when Qatar wanted to stop that funding, Netanyahu sent the Mossad chief on one occasion and the IDF Chief on another to beg them to continue the funding, while talking to the US administration to make sure they wouldn't designate Qatar as a state sponsoring terror. And we should never forget the much repeated statement of Smotrich, a senior minister in Netanyahu's corrupt government that "HAMAS IS AN ASSET TO ISRAEL!" This is an exact quote. The IDF and Mossad presented Netanyahu with multiple opportunities to assassinate Yihya Sinwar and other Hamas leaders in Gaza and Netanyahu stopped them everytime saying that money and more work permits for Gazans to work in Israel buys quiet. As I started this, October 7 didn't happen in a vacuum. It is a result of Netanyahu's gross negligence and purposeful blindness and deafness, his refusal to listen to the security staffs' warnings, the army's lack of preparation and readiness and move to a more techicalogical reliance over boots on the ground, and mostly for Netanyahu's belief and hope that we can continue to occupy, abuse, oppression, deprival of human and civil rights of 5 million people for 6 decades and think they will be alright with it and there won't be any repercussions. It was similar thoughts and understandings that took us by surprise in the first and second Intifadas and from which our politicians failed to learn anything from. This Israel/Palestine conflict has been 'managed' by successive governments for all these years with very few choosing the path of solving the conflict. Netanyahu, for all his years of premiership has chosen to have us live by the sword as he has said so many times instead of looking for any different path that will bring us all a better and more secure future. That is the path of a hapless leader with no vision, no strategy, who instills fear and hatred as his main message. That is not the path of a leader who has strategy and a vision of a better tomorrow, which is what the first requirement of leader needs to be. Israel hasn't had a leader with vision for so long and it is only this kind of leader who can bring us out of the darkness that Netanyahu has brought us to and continues to plunge us deeper. Netanyahu knows very well that a State Commission of Inquiry will almost definitely find him to be the most responsible for bringing us to October 7 and the one most to blame for the failures of October 7 as well as the complete mismanagement of the hostage crisis for 2 years and the mismanagement of the war. He also recognizes that an independent commission will have the powers either to bring charges or recommend the bringing of charges to those who have acted illegally including negligence which caused the deaths of so many. Netanyahu is a man who believed that his legacy would be that of the 'savior of the Jewish people' as he liked to define himself and have streets, buildings, towns named after him. Instead, he will go down in the history books as the worst and most dangerous prime minister in Israel's history and the one responsible for bringing us the worst attack in Israel's history and the worst day for the Jewish people with the most deaths since the Holocaust, as well as being the person responsible for a terror organization's metamorphosis into an army. These are the reasons that Netanyahu has fought tooth and nail against this commission and only wants a Knesset commission that the government will control, choosing the members, setting the parameters and limits of who they can interview, what they can investigate and what happens at the end, which will definitely not be with the powers to charge or even recommend legal charges or actions. It will be a kangaroo court that won't mean anything and the people of Israel will not allow Netanyahu and his failed government to get aways with. There will be a State Commission of Inquiry and it will reach the necessary conclusions and changes to be made and it will find those who are guilty of so many crimes against the State and people of Israel. Justice will be done in the end. It will just take much longer because of Netanyahu's prevention of justice till then.
Israeli Air Force carrying out strikes in Houthi-held capital of YemenThe Israeli Air Force is carrying out strikes in the Houthi-held capital of Yemen, Sanaa, according to local media. video of the aftermath
There is no immediate comment from the IDF.
The strikes come after the Houthis on Friday launched a drone and a ballistic missile carrying a cluster bomb warhead at Israel. link within minutes of my writing my opinion above, this came out. We can expect that there will be a Houthi Ballistic missile launching tonight or within the next 24 hours. It is possible that this time, they may launch 2 or 3 missiles.
Netanyahu: Israel will conquer Gaza regardless of whether Hamas accepts hostage deal
In Australian TV interview, premier accuses Canberra and others in the West of appeasing anti-Western terror backers, assails ‘weak’ Albanese, laments ‘tsunami of antisemitism’
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pressed on with his attacks on Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in an interview broadcast Thursday, denouncing Canberra’s “appeasement” of terror groups and their supporters in the West. He also vowed to go through with plans to take over all of Gaza militarily even if Hamas agrees to a ceasefire and hostage release deal.
“I’m sure he has a reputable record as a public servant, but I think his record is forever tarnished by the weakness that he showed in the face of these Hamas terrorist monsters,” Netanyahu said of Albanese in an interviewwith Sky News Australia.
“When the worst terrorist organization on earth, these savages who murdered women, raped them, beheaded men… when these people congratulate the prime minister of Australia, you know something is wrong.”
For decades, Australia has considered itself a close friend of Israel, but the relationship has been unraveling since Canberra announced last week it would recognize a Palestinian state.
Netanyahu drastically escalated the war of words on Tuesday night, taking to his official account on X to unleash a personal attack on Albanese, whom he branded a “weak politician who betrayed Israel.”
Australia lashed back Wednesday, with Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke retorting that strength was more than “how many people you can blow up or how many children you can leave hungry.”
In the interview — the latest in dozens he has given to friendly foreign outfits since the war in Gaza began, while avoiding Israeli media outlets that aren’t staunchly supportive of him — Netanyahu also contended that Israel was “on the verge of completing this war.”
The premier has been making this claim for at least a year and a half, using it at least since February 2024 to argue that conquering the southern Gaza city of Rafah would end the intense fighting within weeks, and saying in April of that year that victory in the war was “a step away.” The Israel Defense Forces ended up invading Rafah in May 2024, yet Netanyahu’s prediction was not fulfilled.
After 22 months of resisting widespread calls in Israel to end the war in exchange for the release of the hostages held by Palestinian terrorists in Gaza, the government recently approved plans to take over Gaza City in the Strip’s north, where around a million Gazans have been sheltering. The plan has been criticized internationally amid the worsening humanitarian crisis in the territory, as well as by top security officials who warn it could endanger the remaining hostages.
Netanyahu has been framing Gaza City as Hamas’s last stronghold and likening it to the Allied forces needing to conquer Berlin to end World War II, a comparison he also drew in Thursday’s interview. Last year, the premier used the same arguments to drive home the need to take over Rafah.
The interview was apparently conducted earlier this week, as reports swirled that Hamas was on the verge of accepting an American ceasefire proposal accepted in the past by Jerusalem. Hamas has since said it approved the proposal, yet Israel hasn’t responded for at least three days.
Asked by interviewer Sharri Markson about the reports at the time and whether Israel planned to take over all of Gaza and eliminate Hamas even if the terror group agreed to a truce and hostage deal, Netanyahu answered affirmatively.
“We’re going to do that anyway. That there was never a question that we’re not going to leave Hamas there,” he said, adding that the war “could end today” if the terror group “lays down its arms and releases the remaining 50 hostages, at least 20 of which are alive.”
Netanyahu touted growing reports of anti-Hamas sentiment among Gazans, saying his goal, rather than the occupation of Gaza, was “to free Gaza, free them from Hamas tyranny, free Israel and others from Hamas terrorism, give Gaza and Israel a different future.”
Addressing Israel’s fraying ties with Australia, Netanyahu said there has been a “great underlying friendship there for over a century” that has “gone astray because I think leaders did not show the strength and conviction that they should have when we’re actually fighting the war of Western civilization against these barbarians.”
Netanyahu linked a string of anti-Jewish incidents in Australia in recent months to what he called anti-Western extremists using democracies around the world to consume them from within, urging Australians to stand up to this.
“I’ve seen this tsunami of antisemitism, this racism and this deliberate targeting of the innocents, the burning of a synagogue in Melbourne and so on. These are horrible things and if you don’t stop them when they’re small, they get bigger and bigger and bigger and ultimately they consume your society,” he cautioned.
Top left to right: Rabbi Dovid Gutnick walks past damage to the exterior of the East Melbourne Hebrew Congregation in Melbourne, July 5, 2025, after an arsonist set fire to the door the previous day. (James Ross/AAP Image via AP); the aftermath seen on an Australian Broadcasting Corporation news report. (Australian Broadcasting Corporation).
Bottom left to right: Destruction is seen at the scene following a pro-Palestinian protesters’ attack on the Israeli-owned Miznon restaurant in Melbourne on July 4, 2025. (SOPA Images via Reuters); Police escort anti-Israel protesters allegedly involved in the attack out of the establishment (AAP via Reuters)“The Western leaders, including unfortunately in Australia, are… trying to feed the crocodile of militant Islam that has claimed the lives not only of Jews, but Christians and Arabs, many Muslims and so on, and they think they’ll pacify, they’ll appease the crocodile,” he continued.
“The more you pour fuel into this antisemitic, anti-Israel and anti-Western fire, the greater the fire will grow, it will consume you in the end. You have no protection unless you stand up to it.”
Relations between Australia and Israel started fraying late last year amid a growing spate of antisemitic attacks in Sydney and Melbourne, including incidents in which synagogues were torched and firebombed.
Many in Australia’s 120,000-strong Jewish community accuse Albanese and his government of failing to take steps to prevent the antisemitic attacks and violent rhetoric throughout the country. Link a number of things about this article. The first being Netanyahu’s “personal attack on Albanese, whom he branded a “weak politician who betrayed Israel .” What a hypocrite. The person who has betrayed Israel more than anyone on earth, it’s Netanyahu. For years, everything he did was first for himself, his political position, survival and his legacy, and Israel and its people be damned. It has never been so blatant and damaging as what we have seen over the last two years.
Next is his constant lies about being on the verge of completing the war. Firvthe last year and a half. He has no intention or interest in completing the war. Just as he stated in the interview, regardless of whether Gamas accepts a deal, he is going to capture and occupy all of Gaza. All if his statements and actions show that he doesn’t give a damn about the hostages. He sees the whole issue of hostages as noise. He doesn’t believe that the 20 living hostages have any importance and sacrificing them on his altar if political survival is a small price to pay. As far as the other dead hostages, they mean even less. They’re already dead, so why should it mean anything to him. We should remember what he told someone close to him at the beginning of the war when there were 251 hostages. I paraphrase-he said that it was t worth his while to make deals for the hostages. After all, none of them are from his voting base.
As for the growing world antisemitism, he only looks at outside forces for the reason it has grown out if control. He never looks in the mirror to see what his actions have done to exacerbate the hatred of Israel and Jews. He blames antisemitism for countries that recognize Palestine, he blames it for sanctions imposed on the violets of our politicians, he blames it for the embargoes being placed on Israel. I’m not saying that antisemitism doesn’t exist or that it’s getting worse by the day. What I’m saying is that Netanyahu and his government of corruption, incompetence, draft dodgers, self interests above State interests, mismanagement, criminality, are certainly the lion’s share of the reasons that things have gotten so out of hand. So, what does this criminally indicted prime minister do? The same as he does with everything else. Instead of taking even an iota of responsibility, he shirks all of it and plays his famous blame games. Everyone, especially the leftists and the anti Netanyahu groups are all responsible for everything that is hurting Israel. They have conspired for years to bring him down in a coup. He seems to forget that he has been prime minister for the better part of 2 decades, but if he allies people to remember that fact, he wouldn’t be able to get away with his blame games.
It has worked for him in the past, but October 7 was a monumental pivotable change. No one will forget or be allowed to forget. The responsibility and the correct blame will all coming running after him and his legacy will be as the worst and most dangerous prime minister to ever darken the halls of the PM’s office.
- The Region and the World
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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