 Made For Me, a unique concept in Israel. Custom made men's fashion to your measurements. Made For Me, designer of all your events. Schedule your appointment at www.madeforme.co.il. Made For Me, official dresser of I-24 News. Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for watching I-24 News, coming to you live from Tel Aviv on this day 24 of Israel's war with Hamas. We start with some good news this hour. The IDF has managed to rescue a young female soldier, Orhi Megidish, who had been kidnapped by Hamas terrorists on October 7th. She has been freed as the result of a rescue mission by IDF troops into Gaza. She is in a good medical condition and has been seeing her family. So some good news this hour. She is the first hostage to be freed in an IDF raid into Gaza, Orhi Megidish. She was kidnapped on October 7th and is now back in Israel, back with her family and in good health as well. So 238 hostages remain in Gaza. An earlier today, Hamas released a propaganda video which showed three of those hostages and their family members are expected to give a press conference later. The three women have been identified. They gave a message that they were clearly coerced into earlier today. We have chosen not to play the video because it is Hamas propaganda. Well, after several hours of quiet, rocket fire resumed from Gaza this afternoon. There was a barrage fired at Jerusalem and several more at Central Tel Aviv as well. We can go down to the border with Gaza. Hamda Salhout is there. Hamda, what's the latest? Right, Larissa, the Israeli military confirming that they rescued a female soldier when they entered Gaza. But the Israeli military also releasing the names of three other soldiers who were killed as a result of the fighting on October 7th. It comes as the country's defense minister and war cabinet have been meeting, saying that they will use every single effort they can to bring the rest of the hostages home. The Israeli prime minister saying he is full confidence in what the army is doing in this next phase of the war, full confidence in the IDF chief of staff as they enter this next phase of the ground operations. Now, the military has also been saying that these types of incursions inside of the Gaza Strip via tanks and other types of military vehicles will continue as they continue these next steps. You could hear that outgoing artillery just behind us in the distance as these really military continues to pound targets inside of the Gaza Strip at this hour. The Israeli prime minister saying that they're making systematic progress in this campaign against Hamas, but there's still a lot of work left to be done. Yeah, and Hamdan, we're getting a sense, aren't we, of the purpose or some of the purpose behind those limited incursions into Gaza at night. The idea of clearly collecting intelligence, trying to locate the hostages so that they can bring them home. That's right. We're now entering the fourth week of this war and when it started, the Israeli military had a list of the initiatives that it set out to do. The first one was to secure these southern areas. That has since been done, but the second one was to eliminate Hamas targets. And along with that was to continuously bring hostages home. So this ground incursion inside of Gaza, the continuous ground operations are to do precisely that, not just to rescue them, but also to gather intelligence on where Hamas is, where their positions are, where certain cells are. The military has been saying that they did encounter Hamas, a number of them, and were able to kill and eliminate a lot of them, a lot of combats on the other side. So the military is continuing to gather information and intelligence at this time, as to the whereabouts of those hostages. You can still hear some of that outgoing artillery as the war continues in its fourth week now, Laura. Hamza, thank you very much. Hamza Sahoud there, with the booms going off behind you, we can hear them Hamza. Thank you very much. Hamza Sahoud there, she's down at the southern border. Well, with me in the studio, Danny Ayalon is the former Israeli ambassador to the United States. I'm also joined by Brigadier General Israel Raleek Shafir, former commando and former combat pilot in the Israeli Air Force. Welcome to both. So, Danny, some rare good news, the first hostage to be rescued by the IDF. Well, I think this vindicates also the, let's say the policy of the government, not to capitulate to Hamas and not to play to their manipulative, cynical, psychological warfare. And they all said from the start that actually what the operation in Gaza can do is only help as much as possible to secure the release of the hostages and not sitting idly and certainly not playing into Hamas who just wanted to buy time, to regroup and all that. So I believe that this will continue and we have the full backing of the United States understanding that Hamas has to be demolished, not just for Israel's sake, for all the Arab countries, all the moderate regimes in the region for the leadership of the United States and the West vis-a-vis Iran and vis-a-vis the backers of Iran, which are Russia and China. Do you agree with that, Raleek Shafir? We've got some great good news. Does this vindicate the government's policy, the government's strategy in Gaza? I think it's an important mission, but I wouldn't put it as something that exemplifies anything. We're in a war with Hamas. We're targeting Hamas and trying to demolish their capabilities and leadership. And the fact that we were able to rescue that soldier leaves more to be discovered on the actual happening. How did it happen? How did we know? But I think we should be happy with every such occurrence. But let's not deter and let's not be happy because one sparrow does not foretell of the spring. 238 people, of course, are still being held in Gaza. In the last few moments, Benny Gantz, who is part of the unity government, says that Israel will use every means to return hostages from Gaza. Presumably, a young private megadish will have a lot of intelligence herself to give. I'm sure. And as the military progresses, although very carefully, very slowly, I mean, this is part of a grand operational logic to do it very, very slowly, very meticulously, not only, first of all, I guess, to save Israeli lives, the soldiers, but also, secondly, to degrade capabilities of Hamas and, of course, to collect up-to-date intelligence, which is also very, very important. So I guess, right now, the time, time works now for us, for Israel. Usually, in such operations, the time would not work on our side because of the political clock that would be ticking, whether it's... You're talking about the international pressure. The international community, the United Nations Security Council and all that. But today, when we have the backing of the United States, that really gives us, I would say, the opportunity to do what the military wants to do without this, I would say, exogenic considerations and constraints. So nobody's now going after the military and telling them, you have to rush it, you have to rush it. When you rush it, it's a give and take. When you rush it, you lose more lives. You risk more of the military life. So I think right now, Israel, as much as we can say, we are in a place where we want to be from a military point of view. Politically, of course, we'll have to see how the war ends. I'm talking politically on the international arena. And then, of course, there will be some, a lot of reckoning to do here in Israel after the war. Absolutely, a lot of questions to be asked. And just to point out, the IDF has also named three more soldiers who have been killed during the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip and the total number of soldiers, officers and reservists who have been killed is now 315. That's including, of course, the day of the attacks. We're joined now in the line by Rami Igra. He's the former head of the Mossad MIA unit. Thank you very much indeed for being with us. I was planning to ask you about the hostage video that we saw earlier in the day, but now we have some much more positive news. This young female soldier being rescued in an IDF raid. What, your reaction to that? Well, it really shows us the two sides of the problems. On the one hand, the families have been until about an hour and a half ago, about an hour ago, families have been rooting for all for all, thinking that there is a way to come to an agreement with Hamas. We have to understand that the Hamas is not only asking for its prisoners, it's also asking for a complete ceasefire. In other words, Hamas is telling us, please let us off, forgive us for the 7th of October in the massacre, let us continue our bad deeds. And in the meantime, also release 7,000 prisoners that strengthen us and all of this for the release of your hostages. Our Hamas understands the public sentiment in Israel. They know, they know us very well. They know how we ache over the dead, the slaughtered and the kidnapped. They know that and they're using this against us. On the other hand, I've been advocating that it's been and the army has said the same that the only way that we're going to release in the end these hostages is not through an exchange. Exchange is not possible. What is possible in its tactical opportunities as we maneuver into the Gaza Strip. And this has been, we're all very happy that this has been proven correct. And tactically, a tactical operation yesterday has been able to release a kidnapped soldier. A kidnapped soldier, remember, is the prize kidnapped for the Hamas. Right, quiet. Thank you, Rami. Stay with us if you would, because I just want to read out a statement we've just received. This is Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Last night, our forces freed private Ory Magidish from captivity by Hamas. Ory was kidnapped on the black morning of October 7th. Welcome home, Ory. I congratulate the Shin Bet and the IDF for this important and exciting achievement and achievement that expresses our commitment to the release of all the hostages, the entire nation of Israel salutes the Shin Bet and salutes the IDF and to the terrorists of Hamas and ISIS. I say, you are monsters. We will continue to pursue you. We will continue to hunt you down. We will cripple you until you fall from our feet. So that is the message from the Prime Minister. We're seeing a live images now of her family celebrating, quite extraordinary. They must be absolutely thrilled, their daughter, their sister, back home with them against all the odds. Young, private Ory Magidish has been freed in a daring raid by IDF soldiers in Chigaza. So Rami, you say negotiations are not the way forward. This is how it must be done. This is how Israel will bring back its people. If Israel wants to continue and exist in this region, it has to eradicate all these Islamic fundamentalists, extreme movements, the Hamas, the Hezbollah. None of us can imagine continuing our lives here and having our children being addressed to be attacked on a Saturday morning, slaughter, kidnapped and raped as happened to us on the 7th of October. This has taught us that there is no other option. And as there is no option, and as there is, and as we need to eradicate the Hamas, there is no way we can release 7,000 prisoners to their hands in order to strengthen them and continue living here and giving them a victory, a victory over us in this event. Everybody in the region is looking at us. They're all wanting to see what we're going to do. Are we going to yield or are we going to fight? And the only option we have is to fight. So if you ask me, negotiation is not in the cards and the seemingly sounds that we're hearing from Qatar are only psychological warfare against us. And the only way at the end of the day that we're going to see our soldiers and our civilians home is by force. And by the way, Netanyahu congratulates the Shabbat, but this was the same Shabbat he said is responsible two days ago. So we all hope for the best. We're all very happy. This is the beginning of the end. All right, Aram Iqra. Great to talk to you. Thank you very much indeed, Aram Iqra there, former head of the Mossad MIA unit. Okay, the defense minister you have gone into speaking. We're going to take a listen to him now. Best by the professional determined activity so responsible on the part of the commanders and the soldiers, the enemy is opposing, but the IDF is acting accurately, determining while collaboration with their forces in land and the Air Force artillery and of course high quality intelligence. This machine cannot be stopped. These are strong forces with determined soldiers and I am convinced that they will be able to fulfill their missions. As far as I'm concerned, the Hamas terrorists only have two possibilities. Either to die, fighting the IDF or to surrender with no terms. There's no third possibility both the terrorist in the field to the leader of Hamas. We are going to get there. We're going to perform our missions and we'll do it in order to cause that this murderous organization will not exist anymore. Its infrastructure will be dismantled and also of course to bring back home the hostages including small children and elderly women and of course a very large group of hostages of all ages. I would like to refer your attention to the fact that we are in a multi-arena war. It's in Gaza in an air, land and sea attack but at the same time we're also in defense, vis-a-vis Lebanon. There are many forces over there and we are holding major forces of the Air Force ready in order to respond to any threat that might develop from the North. The Hezbollah is paying heavy prices and we are saying once and again we don't have an interest in a war but just in case somebody will try to drag us to this reality it's going to pay a very heavy price. Also in Syria as well as Judea and Samaria it's not quiet. Terrorists are trying to get out and they are thwarted by land and by air and also activities that took place in the last few days from Syria that got the right response. We'll do anything possible in order to defend the citizens and the sovereignty of the state until we obtain full victory in the South. I'd like to say to you that yesterday I met the families of the hostages, scores of them. I listened very carefully with great pain and sorrow. The stories that are so heart-wrenching of the families, parents, sons, siblings, the worry about them, the attempt to reach every one of them in any way possible is what I see at any moment any decision, any approval of any operation, any activity, every time that I discuss what is happening in the war itself and in Gaza Strip especially. This is not going to be a short war. It is not going to be an easy war but we are determined to prevail. We are determined to do it for those people who've spade with their life in such a murderous attack and we are determined to do it for our hostages. We are determined to win over the terrorist organization Hamas. It's either us or them. This is a war on the home and we shall prevail. Thank you very much. Questions? One question each please. Do you think this activity will bring us closer to releasing the hostages? What do you say to that? I am convinced that Hamas acts only under pressure. Therefore when I approved and advanced the idea together with the IDF, the Shabbat, the Mossad, everything that has to do with the campaign and the issue of the hostages and we came to the cabinet decisions. I always acted in this way and that's what I'm going to do in the future because I think that unless we do nothing, we might sit for many years with the hostages and not with us. I just remind you who we're talking about here. We're talking about murderers of children. I don't want to remind you how these things are done, how brutally they do it. That's the first thing. Also, as far as I'm concerned, things are very simple. I have full trust in the chief of staff, the head of Shabbat, the head of Mossad, anybody who acts under them in the field, in the headquarters, I believe in them and I see myself as part of them and I'm convinced that together we shall prevail. Channel 12. Again, regarding the release of the soldier, can you tell us a little bit more in detail how, what are the circumstances in which he was found? And do you think there'll be other soldiers released in the same way? With your permission, I am linked to the announcement I made because together with the need to announce, we also have other needs. And my consideration is one, how to win the war and how to bring about the fact that all the hostages are back. This action advance because of the ground operation, which was leveraged in a proof that when we work with force, we have chances. Thank you. The soldier said anything about the conditions in which he was held. And will that help maybe bringing the others back? What she said remains between her and the person who was listening to her. In my mind, you also have to keep to that in this way because it's a simple reason that unfortunately we have many hostages in the hands of Hamas. Minister, in the last few days, there's a rise in edicts by extreme people against Palestinians. Do you think that people are not so concerned about what's happening here? There might be a flare-up in Judea and Samaria, in the West Bank. The sovereignty of a state is the state to decide what to do. There is no private body who is allowed to enforce any power. And those who do violent things is only the IDF, the police, the Shabbat. But anything that deviates from that, of course, is not accepted. And it has to bother us and concern us. But together with that, I want to say here, loud and clear, with full responsibility, the vast majority, 99.9%, of the settlers in the West Bank, are normative people, volunteers, combatants. They do their missions. And some of the people who do these missions, who are not illegal, they're not even from the West Bank. Therefore, I suggest we maintain unity, partnership. We condemn the phenomenon. The IDF radio station, minister, you present the various arenas. And you'll talk about potential arenas. Do you think Israel and the United States can join forces in the air force and do things together? First of all, I'm happy for the very good relationship, important relationship we have with the Americans. It is reflected also by reflecting the American power and the collaboration in the cabinets, in the headquarters between us and the Americans for many years. Also in diplomatic and military aid, we are very happy that America stands by us. And I want to take this opportunity to thank the President of the United States and General Austin, the head of the Secretary of Defense. I think Austin, the Secretary, is doing a very good job for the state of Israel. It helps us in every way possible. I want to say even more, we don't have to go into details or specifics. It's not going to help anybody. It's quite obvious that America is here, standing by our side. Minister, in the last few days, we've seen some attacks by Hezbollah in the north. The Defense Minister, you have gallant there. Well, let's go to Jerusalem. Our senior correspondent, Owen Altiman, is with us now. Owen. Yes, Laura, we're here in Safar Square in Jerusalem. You can see behind me the beds that are there to help raise awareness about the hostages. There may be now 238, we can say, hostages being held in the Gaza Strip by Hamas and other groups. Of course, after that, the exhilarating news of the rescue of Israeli soldier Ori Maghideesh. But of course, there are still more than 200 hostages still in Gaza, of course, a trauma for the families. And as you can see behind me in the central square in Israel's capital, Jerusalem, the beds put there as a monument, as a testament to their suffering and to the suffering of the families as they wait for news of their loved ones. Yeah, a reminder that many people are still being held in Gaza. Owen, thank you very much. Owen Altiman there in Jerusalem. And with me in the studio, Israel Shafir, you were listening into the Defense Minister there. What stood out for you? I think that that was an opportunity for him to bring the good news and maybe raise the morale a little bit and take some credit for planning the actions and authorizing it. He hasn't really told us anything new. We didn't expect him to say anything new. The fog of war is the most important part here. Not to let the other side know what we're doing, where we are at, and what we are targeting. This is why there's actually a blockage of videos and news from Israeli forces in Gaza. Much as I sympathize with what he said, there was really nothing for the public to learn. We're unlikely to get any details on the rescue, are we? No, we're not. We wouldn't want to. One could discern. Oh, sorry to interrupt you again. Now we've got the Prime Minister speaking. Sorry. Many believed that the promise of progress in the 21st century would enable us to move beyond the barbaric horrors of the past towards a better and brilliant future. Many believed that we could go about our comfortable lives and that evil will simply pass us by. It will not. The horrors that Hamas perpetrated on October 7th remind us that we will not realize the promise of a better future unless we, the civilized world, are willing to fight the barbarians. Because the barbarians are willing to fight us. And their goal is clear. Shatter that promise in future. Destroy all that we cherish. And usher in a world of fear and darkness. Ladies and gentlemen, this is a turning point, a turning point for leaders and nations. It is time for all of us to decide if we are willing to fight for a future of hope and promise or surrender to tyranny and terror. Now rest assured, Israel will fight. Since October 7th, Israel has been at war. Israel did not start this war. Israel did not want this war. But Israel will win this war. Hamas launched this war by perpetrating the worst savagery our people have seen since the Holocaust. Hamas murdered children in front of their parents, murdered parents in front of their children. They burned people alive. They raped women. They beheaded men. They tortured Holocaust survivors. They kidnapped babies. They committed the most horrific crimes imaginable. And they're part of the axis of evil that Iran has formed, an axis of terror that works by arming training and financing Hamas and Gaza, Hezbollah and Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, and other terror proxies throughout the Middle East and beyond the Middle East. In fighting Hamas and the Iranian axis of terror, Israel is fighting the enemies of civilization itself. Victory over these enemies begins with moral clarity. It begins with knowing the difference between good and evil, between right and wrong. It means making a moral distinction between the deliberate murder of the innocent and the unintentional casualties that accompany every legitimate war. Even the most just war. It means holding Hamas responsible for the double war crime it commits every day by deliberately targeting Israeli civilians while deliberately using Palestinian civilians as human shields. It means making clear that the use of human shields is not only an immoral tactic of terror, but also an ineffective one. Because as long as Hamas' use of Palestinian human shields result in the international community blaming Israel, Hamas will continue to use it as a tool of terror and so will others. Hamas will continue to use the basements in Gaza's hospitals as the command post of its vast terror tunnel network. It will continue to use mosques as fortified military positions and weapon depots. It will continue to steal fuel and humanitarian assistance from UN facilities. While Israel is doing everything to get Palestinians civilians out of harm's way, Hamas is doing everything to keep Palestinian civilians in harm's way. Israel urges Palestinian civilians to leave the areas of armed conflict while Hamas prevents those civilians from leaving those areas at gunpoint. Hamas is also preventing foreign nationals from leaving Gaza altogether. And most despicably, Hamas is holding over 200 Israeli hostages, including 33 children, holding them, terrorizing them, keeping them as hostages. Every civilized nation should stand with Israel in demanding that these hostages be freed immediately and freed unconditionally. I want to make clear Israel's position regarding a ceasefire. Just as the United States would not agree to a ceasefire after the bombing of Pearl Harbor or after the terrorist attack of 9-11, Israel will not agree to a cessation of hostilities with Hamas after the horrific attacks of October 7. Calls for a ceasefire are calls for Israel to surrender to Hamas, to surrender to terrorism, to surrender to barbarism. That will not happen. Ladies and gentlemen, the Bible says that there is a time for peace and a time for war. This is a time for war, a war for a common future. Today, we draw a line between the forces of civilization and the forces of barbarism. It is a time for everyone to decide where they stand. Israel will stand against the forces of barbarism until victory. I hope and pray that civilized nations everywhere will back this fight. Because Israel's fight is your fight. Because if Hamas and Iran's axis of evil win, you will be their next target. That's why Israel's victory will be your victory. But make no mistake, regardless of who stands with Israel, Israel will fight until this battle is won. And Israel will prevail. May God bless Israel. And may God bless all those who stand with Israel. So the first question will go to the Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivering a speech to the world press. I believe he's taking questions. No. Yes, we can go back. There are questions. Good evening, sir. Good evening. Nearest from India, I represent the network 18 group in India. My question to you is that, how do you see the India's stand on UN resolution? India stand because in resolution, there was no condemnation of terrorism. I think that resolution was deeply flawed. And I was sorry to see that even many of our friends did not insist that there would be a full and powerful condemnation of the horrors that were committed here, that are horrors that no civilized country, including your country and so many others, would tolerate. So I hope that we don't see a repeat of these kinds of resolutions. We'll go now to ABC America, Matt River. Thank you, sir. It seems that the level of support that you have amongst the Israeli public has dropped considerably. So the question is, how can you continue to lead this country effectively during a very difficult time and have you at all considered stepping down? The only thing that I intend to have resigned is Hamas. We're going to resign them to the dustbin of history. That's my goal. That's my responsibility. That's what I'm leading the country to do. This is my responsibility now. And it's something that I think unites the entire country. We're all supporting the soldiers. We're soldiers supporting our commanders. We're supporting the IDF. We're supporting, I think, the unbelievable efforts of our reservists and our security forces. We'll continue to do that until victory. ZDF, Germany, Michael. Good evening, sir. Michael Bivogna, Channel 2 German Television. I would like to ask you, there's a widespread discussion, especially among the relatives or the hostages, about the course of military action you have taken so far. And the question of this, the only way to free the hostages, of course, you are very successful in freeing one hostage on Sunday. But there's a widespread criticism that this doesn't allow place for other negotiations. What do you explain to the relatives of the hostages for this course relying mostly on military pressure? I met twice with the families of the hostages. You felt their anguish. I felt their anguish. I know this sense of it's not only the sense of loss that bereaved parents have. It's a sense of not knowing of continuous anguish. So I fully understand their concern. But our common assessment of not only the cabinet members, but also all the security forces in the military, is that the ground action actually creates the possibility, not the certainty, but the possibility of getting our hostages out. Because Hamas will not do it unless they're under pressure. They simply will not do it. They only do it under pressure. This creates pressure. And again, we obviously greeted one hostage with open arms after yesterday's successful action by Shabak and the IDF. But we're committed to getting all the hostages back home. We think that this method stands a chance. It's a goal that we're committed to. Channel 7 Australia, Chris. Mr Prime Minister, Chris Reason from Channel 7 Australia. Just a second, Chris. OK. Mr Prime Minister, Chris Reason from Channel 7 Australia. I want to ask a question from my country. And the people in my country are looking at this and wondering, they agree with you. They want you to chase down Hamas and terrorism, destroy terrorism in this region, et cetera. But people can't understand why so many have people, civilians, have to die in this process. You argue that Hamas is putting them up as human shields. Is that a good enough excuse? Are you inflicting here collective punishment on the people of Palestine? Not a single civilian has to die. Hamas merely has to let them go to the safe zone that we created in Southeastern Gaza Strip. There's a safe zone there. Not a single civilian has to die. But Hamas is preventing them from leaving, keeping them in the areas of conflict. So I think that you should direct your questions to Hamas. But I can tell you one thing. We're going out of our way to prevent civilian casualties, not only by asking civilians to move, calling them to move, arranging a place for them to be, which is safe. Also putting in humanitarian support, providing them with the means, with food, with water, with medicine, and so on. I think that this question should be placed on Hamas. And the more it's placed on Israel, the more you're going to see this repeated again and again and again. So other groups, other criminal states, other criminal organizations will use civilians as human shields. We cannot give immunity to these terrorists. We cannot give immunity to these savages. We have to do everything we can to minimize civilian casualties. But we cannot give up the fight because then I think this will have disastrous consequences, not only for the future of my country, but for the future of your country, your countries. This is a battle of civilization against barbarians. The barbarians will do something that civilized countries will never do. And civilized countries will make every effort to prevent this. And I'll give you one example, and I'll end with that because I have to go to manage this war and lead it. In 1944, the Royal Air Force bombed the Gestapo headquarters in Copenhagen. It's a perfectly legitimate target. But the British pilots missed. And instead of the Gestapo headquarters, they hit a children's hospital nearby. And I think 84 children were hardly burned to death. That is not a war crime. That is not something you blame Britain for doing. That was a legitimate act of war with tragic consequences that accompanied such legitimate actions. And you didn't tell the Allies, don't stamp out Nazism because of such tragic consequences. They went to the end because they knew that the future of our civilization was at stake. Well, I'm telling you right now that the future of our civilization is at stake. We have to win this war. We'll do it by minimizing civilian casualties. And may we succeed. Thank you. Ron Dürmer, the minister. The Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are taking questions from journalists from around the world following the successful rescue of the first hostage by the IDF young female soldier, Orhi Megidish, who's now back in Israel. Well, a reminder of who is with us in the studio. Danny Ayalon, former Israeli ambassador to the United States and Brigadier General Israel Raleigh Shafir, former combat pilot in the Israeli Air Force. Danny, Prime Minister Netanyahu taking on the criticism from much of the international community that Israel isn't doing enough to protect Palestinian civilians. And he pointed out that no other country is put under pressure to do that. It is a very difficult situation for Israel, isn't it? Yes, and he's the perfect, I would say, official to do it on Israel's side. I think there is no better speaker in Israel than he is. And I think what we have seen beyond the, you know, he made all the right points. But what we have seen really is a new division of labor. His speech in English to the international media coming in the wake of Ministry of Defense Gallant speaking to the Israeli media is the right, I would say, way to continue. And unfortunately, Mr. Netanyahu does not speak well to the Israeli people. He really gives interviews. Yes, and whatever speeches he does, he misspeaks. He is still, unfortunately, a divisive force and a politician. So I think maybe now we found the right formula for Netanyahu to speak in English to the international community and to have the Defense Minister speak here to the Israelis. Relig to fear, do you think that this kind of double act Prime Minister Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yav Gallant, do you think that this is helping to restore the faith in the leadership at this time of war? In a way it is, because Netanyahu is able to formulate a strategy that was put forward at the time by Samuel Huntington in his clash of civilizations and post this as evil, the good versus the evil, light versus dark. Civilization. Yes, so he's preaching certainly to those who follow this kind of thought will sympathize with the way he put things and help with some of the leaders. In the Israeli public, we have grown to look for the flaws in Netanyahu, which is what he doesn't say rather than what he says. Does he show a future, political future, except for the bells and tolls that he puts forward? Is there a future? What are we going to do with 3 million Palestinians in the West Bank, 2 million people in Gaza? What are we going to do with Hezbollah? What are we going to do with the coalition? He's good at those big themes and kind of knotting them all together for an international audience. But how is he able to create hope for those who are aspiring to fight us? Or is he just going to blame them and do the thing? It helps that he has some good news to deliver tonight, doesn't it? I think we can go now to Tel Aviv. These are the families of the three hostages who were shown in a Hamas propaganda video earlier. You can take a listen. Five and a half years old, the daughter of Daniel and our son-in-law, David. From our family, our nuclear family, with 10, we are now left four. I, my wife, my son Moran, and his daughter. Is this the families of the three women I am asking, demanding from the Red Cross not to wait as a player on the bench. The Red Cross has to take initiative and must demand to see all our hostages. The Red Cross has to demand that a doctor sees them. My two daughters take medications on a regular basis, and the lack of these medications can take them. I don't know where, but definitely deteriorate their physical and mental health. I know that the prince of Katar is very involved. And I want to ask him on behalf of all of us to make every effort possible to bring about their release. I want to reiterate that to hold children and women and elderly people all together, to hold people who are abducted, is a crime against humanity. It's a crime against humanity, and I really sincerely hope that both Katar and Egypt and other countries that are involved in this process will be able to put an end to it and bring our people back home. We are enveloped by friends, and many people we don't even know. It's just amazing, amazing, so moving. I want to thank all of them. And I ask them not to leave us alone. It's so important for us the support of each and every one of you. And I want to say to Danielle and Sharon, girls, we can see you. We love you. We hear you. We think about you every minute, every second, whatever we do, we keep thinking about you. And we're going to bring you back home. Amen. Avital Burshtov, the mother of Rimon, who is in a clip together with the mother of Yokev. Hello, I'm Avital Kirst. I'm the mother of Rimon. And I'm Esther Burshtov, the mother of Yokev. We want to say to our Rimon, who is now in captivity with Yokev, her husband, soon enough you're going to be here with us at home. We're going to do everything possible in order to bring you home as soon as possible. I don't wish any mother to go through what we are going through in the last 24 days. I saw the clip today, and I'm worried. Rimon did not have her glasses on. 24 days, she cannot see. She needs glasses to see her own glasses. We have to send the medical support to transfer to them all their need. I don't believe there's one person in Qatar or in the world who believes that citizens have to be in the captivity of Hamas under the ground. We are asking from the prime minister and the minister of defense to shake the earth so that the whole world will know what they're doing to our families, our children, all the hostages. These are crimes against humanity. These crimes are against children, women, men, elderly, sick people, unforgivable. And in addition, we want all of us, all the families, to thank all the citizens of the state for the power they're giving us. Don't leave us alone for one moment. Continue to support us, to strengthen us until all of them come back home safe and sound. We really are asking to clarify the message that what's important is that all of them come back safe and sound. Thank you. I call upon Neta, Noi, and Shachar Cohen, the representatives of the Trufnov family. I'm Neta. This is Shachar. We are friends of Sasha, the son of Elena who's in the clip. We're very happy that Elena is healthy. And we hope that Elena, her mother, is with her and her son, Sasha, and his partner, Sapir. On October 7, the entire family disappeared. The father of Italy was murdered, and four others are in captivity. 24 days, and we're still waiting for them. I'm going to do this in English. I wish to address the international community. Hello, my name is Shachar. I'm here representing the Trufnov family. Sasha and I met in a college and have been friends ever since. Sasha finished at the top of our class. He is such a brilliant guy. Now he works as an engineer at Amazon. I'm standing here today because the entire family, three generations, were either kidnapped or murdered. There is no one else to speak for them. Vitaly, Zichono Lirvacha, Sasha, Sapir, Lena, Irena. Today, we saw a video on a telegram where Elena, Sasha's mom, is seen alive. This is our first proof of life that we are so happy that Lena is alive. We urge the Red Cross to conduct a medical check to Lena immediately. At the same time, there are still 239 people that are being helped hostage by Hamas in the Gaza right now. They have been hostage since Saturday, October 7th. 24 days have already passed. How is it possible? How are they not free? No other country, no other country in the world would settle for this. What if these were your citizen? What if they were your friends? What if the entire family in the house next door to you had been taken hostage into Gaza? What would you do? As both an Israeli and an American citizen, I am personally asking you, President Biden, please do any and everything in your power to bring everyone home now. Taking civilian hostage is a crime against humanity. And to you, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad, know that you can be the key to preventing greater loss of life and regional distress. And to you, citizen of the world, you can help to stand up, speak out, demand action, appeal to our shared humanity. Remind leaders that are not just hostages. They are beloved, grandmother, fathers, sisters, and childrens. Real people with beating hearts waiting to be free. Time is running. Time is running out. But it's not too late to save life. Have courage. Together, our voice can bring them all home now. Thank you. Thank you all at the moment. No questions. All right, the friends and the family of the three hostages who appeared in that Hamas propaganda video earlier. And we've been speaking about civilization, fighting against the uncivilized world when we saw some very uncivilized scenes last night in Dagestan in Russia, where an anti-Semitic mob stormed an airport. Hundreds of people waving Palestinian flags stormed onto the tarmac, saying that they were looking for Jews and Israelis. 60 people have since been arrested. While joining us now, Anna Boshko-Sky was a senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Anna, first of all, explain to us why are there apparently such high levels of anti-Semitism in Dagestan in this corner of Russia. Anna, can you hear me? Yes, I hear you. Anna, sorry about that. I was just asking you why are there apparently such high levels of anti-Semitism in Dagestan in this corner of Russia? First of all, I think this is not an isolated incident. Earlier, there have been other anti-Semitic incidents in other parts of the North Caucasus, in Malchik, for example, capital of Kabardino-Balkaria. But this incident in Dagestan was, by far, the biggest one compared to the other ones. The fact of the matter is, look, anti-Semitism in Russia had always been there underneath the surface. We simply have not seen as many pronounced iterations of it as this incident appears to have sparked. What's also important is that the Kremlin is using this incident to point fingers at the West and at Ukraine. Right, and I mean, there are some reports that these people were whipped up by the anti-Semitic articles that we've seen in the Russian media, Russian state-owned media of late. Do you agree with that? Well, it's certainly possible. Not enough details have emerged, but it's certainly possible. What we do know is that after the Hamas attack, the flurry of the commentary in state-controlled Russian media had such a serious anti-Israels land. And there were anti-Semitic comments that, again, bubbled up to the surface as well. Whenever there are major incidents, this anti-Semitism tends to bubble up to the surface in Russia. But especially the almost glee with which Russian state-controlled media had responded, again, tells you that anti-Semitism was always there lurking underneath the surface. It was never gone. Anna Boshkovskaya, I'm sorry, we're out of time. But thank you very much indeed. Great to talk to you. Thank you. Well, we'll leave it there. So the sheer joy of the family of Oli Megidish, the soldier who was freed by the IDF in Gaza last night, has to be balanced, of course, with the agony of the families of the people who are still being held in Gaza, nearly 230 of them. We'll continue our coverage of what's going on. Stay with us on I-2020, as Caleb Bendavid is with you next. Is officially in a state of war. This is a very active scene, and we need to get in the car as we're talking. More than 100 soldiers and civilians have been kidnapped. Help us, we don't want to do it. We just don't know anything. Entire families, including babies and children and elderly, were butchered in their beds. Awaken the giant, and we are ready, and we are strong. Everyone is showing up. This is the unity. My best friend and only friend. For news, I'm Caleb Bendavid. It is day 24 of Israel's war against Hamas. A day focused on the hostages that revealed very different fates for two of the hundreds of people kidnapped into Gaza on October 7th. For one, Israeli soldier, private Ori Megadish, a day of life and freedom after she was rescued from Hamas captivity yesterday by the IDF and Shin Bet Security Service. Megadish is said to be in good condition and was shown reunited with her family at her home in Kiryat, God. Here's what Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had to say on her rescue. I know this sense of, it's not only the sense of loss that bereaved parents have. It's a sense of not knowing of continuous anguish. So I fully understand their concern. But our common assessment of all of the, not only the cabinet members, but also all the security forces in the military is that the ground action actually creates the possibility, not the certainty, but the possibility of getting our hostages out because Hamas will not do it unless they're under pressure. They simply will not do it. They only do it under pressure. This creates pressure. And again, we obviously greeted one hostage with their open arms after yesterday's successful action by Shabak and the IDF. But we're committed to getting all the hostages back home. We think that this method stands a chance. It's a goal that we're committed to. Well, I'm welcome for Private Megadish. But unfortunately, for Shani Lok, a German-Israeli citizen whose body was shown being taken into Gaza after the attack on the Supernova Music Festival, today confirmation of her death after part of her skull was found and identified by Israeli forces in North Gaza. And there was proof of life of more hostages today. In a move clearly designed to undermine Israel's morale and put pressure on the government, the terror group released a video showing three of the 229 confirmed hostages being held in Gaza. The women were identified as Ramon Kirsch, Danielle Aloni and Lena Chupanov. And in it, one of them harshly criticizes Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for their captivity and demands that he make a deal for their release. Now, I-24 News, along with most other Israeli media outlets, has chosen not to show this clip, both because that is against the wishes of the families and also because we do not know the circumstances of its filming. Meanwhile, Israeli forces are pressing deeper into the northern Gaza Strip as its ground operation widens amid a continuous bombardment of Hamas targets by air. Now, the IDF said dozens of Hamas targets were eliminated over the last 24 hours. This along with three Palestinians killed in clashes with Israeli troops in the West Bank today. Hamas also continuing its rocket barrage into Israel, including shooting at Jerusalem today, which was also the scene of a terror attack with one Palestinian killed after stabbing and seriously wounding a police officer. Rocket fire also continued to be exchanged over Israel's northern border with Lebanon. Well, joining us in studio is Dr. Michael Lauren, the former Israeli ambassador to the UN and former deputy Israeli minister and member of Knesset and Michael, at least for one family, but also for much of Israel, a sigh of relief and good news about a hostage being rescued. I have to stress, we're not giving more details about her rescue because none have been made public for understandable intelligence reasons, but certainly for the IDF or the Shin Bet, a notable achievement. And it's certainly a great event. It's interesting that the IDF spokesperson initially said that she had been released and the government now has come back and corrected that and said she's been rescued. And a huge difference between the two. Yes, but it also has great strategic value. And what Netanyahu said during his press conference, some of us have been saying for several days, which is there was a sort of a conventional wisdom, certainly among the foreign media, that by going into Gaza with a ground force, we would be potentially eliminating the chances of releasing the hostages. And they were basically leaving their hostages to the fate. And our position was exactly the opposite, that the demands of Hamas, as long as we weren't physically in Gaza, would be sky high. They were demanding release of every security prisoner in Israel plus a ceasefire, which means Hamas basically wins the war against the way with mass murder. These were not acceptable. That provided there was actually a real bargain like that. We haven't been able to get the bodies of their two soldiers killed in 2014 back from them. And they have two of our hostages that have been there for years. They were years. So who knows? But what is clear now that as we begin to close in on Hamas, A, I don't think they're gonna hurt these hostages because a hurt hostages is worth a lot less to them than a live host. They'll keep them in good shape here. Apparently this soldier was in good shape and there's a reason for that. Everyone that's released so far has been in good shape. So there's a reason to believe they'll keep on doing that. Right, for some Hamas may think it's their get out of Gaza card. It's get out of the Gaza card. And they're gonna pull, they could likely pull PLO 1982 Beirut routine. And which some of us are old enough to remember because it was there. Though the circumstances were quite different. We'll have to say. But the idea was Hamas would say, okay, you let us get on a ship for Algiers. Okay, let us get into a ship to Qatar and we'll be gone. And we'll deal with them later. But here are the hostages and you get out of it. I think that's a, I can't say it's a likely scenario, but it is definitely a scenario. Not an impossible one. Not a one. So I think it's good. I think the way the Army is handling this is excellent. It's going slowly, methodically, reducing our exposure, the exposure to our troops. We've suffered enough, I think during this war and increasing every day the pressure on Hamas. The one thing that is, I think there are a number of the clocks is the number of reserves that have been called up, which is very, very damaging to our economy. You know, 360,000 people in their 20s and 30s. There are many, many, many businesses in Israel shut completely. And the chances of perhaps this ground operation because it is a gradual may, may reduce the chances of Hisballah intervening, which is very good. Keep that up. So far, and I say this very cautiously, so far so good. Right. Well, we do have to point out another thing. And maybe the timing for many reasons, of course, anytime that this young lady, this young soldier was released would be good timing. But certainly coming in on the heels of the release of this hostage video of three women, three Israeli women, one of them speaking, speaking quite critically of Prime Minister Netanyahu and also calling for a blaming him. And frankly, as I explained, that we're not showing that video like much Israeli media because of the fit. A lot of foreign media, too, is showing it. The flat of foreign media, it is on social media, if anyone, those that are curious can see it there. We've chosen not to. But clearly, Hamas given a lot of thought in using this, as I said, as a tactic in their psychological war with the Israel and with the Israeli public, in a way. The other clock going, of course, is what's happening with the Palestinian civilian population. On that clock, I see on the foreign media, because I'm dealing with the foreign media at night. And now it's all about, you know, it's about Palestinian suffering. It's about the children, the front page of the New York Times today about the suffering of Palestinian children. And that's gonna have a certain impact on public opinion. The calls for ceasefire goes up every day. That may translate into diplomatic pressure on us in the UN and other international bodies. And to say nothing of what's happening in the streets and what's happening to Jews around the world. Yeah, we'll get to that in a minute. I wanna go to our senior correspondent, Owen Altman, who's in Jerusalem, Owen. And we're talking the hostages, of course, the release of this young woman, young soldier. And there in Jerusalem a special, I won't say memorial, exhibit, maybe reminder of the situation of the hostages there in Jerusalem. Hello, but you see all around me, you're here in Safra Square, just by the Jerusalem City Hall in the center of the city. People may be familiar with it. 200 some beds you can see behind me, including cribs for children, for babies, to again remember the 239, maybe not thankfully, 238 hostages taken by Hamas. And of course, there was the incredible news of the one rescue today. Of course, the video of those three still in captivity. But of course, there are more than 200 others, including Holocaust survivors, including children, and of course, all of their families. And what we've seen over the course of the past few weeks is just sprout up so organically and so quickly, this incredible movement right on behalf of the hostages, doing everything it can and every way it can to raise awareness in Israel and around the world of their plight. We've seen the posters posted in cities around the world. And of course, here in Israel, it was at the tent in Tel Aviv across from the Israeli military headquarters yesterday. And now this incredible moving display here in Safar Square in Jerusalem, Kalev in the center of the country's capital. Now, while Jerusalem has been unlike certainly in some of the situations we've seen, maybe even over the past months, past year, Jerusalem has been a more quieter front in this conflict, really. But except for today, where really it seemed to the conflict in a couple of ways seemed to hit home in the capital. Yeah, that's right. Again, a terror attack this morning, a stabbing of a police officer who was wounded from the attack at one of the light rail stops in the eastern, mostly Palestinian or historically Palestinian part of the city. And yes, Kalev in the afternoon, rocket fire from Gaza toward Jerusalem and broadly speaking, the Jerusalem area with one rocket actually falling inside the West Bank itself in what Israeli sees the Gush Etzion area, the Gush Etzion block of settlements just south of Jerusalem and near Bethlehem. So you're right. Sirens had not sounded in Jerusalem for a number of days. This was the first time after a number of days of pause. And you're right, one silver lining, if you will, of the last three weeks is that the city has been relatively calm. As the mayor said in a ceremony earlier today, Kalev, this is the most complex city in Israel. And I think Israelis are thankful that security here has by and large been not a major part of the trajectory and of the story after these three horrible weeks. By the way, in the building we're standing in the Jerusalem City Hall of Kalev earlier today, a ceremony to inaugurate new emergency neighborhood patrol groups, response groups. The Kitotkonenutas they're known in Hebrew that have been sprouting up around the country in the wake of the massacres on Sinchathorah on October 7th, where those groups and so many of those Kibbutzim played such a heroic role in fighting and in saving lives. As you know, Kalev, maybe an under-reported element of this war, both in Israeli media and in international media has been the sprouting and spread of these groups around the country at any rate, Jerusalem is looking to start 33 of these such groups, a ceremony today in this building with Jerusalem's Mayor Moshe Leon and of course, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir himself who has made this a flagship program of his. Kalev, these groups saved lives on October 7th. Of course, the hope is that God forbid they could do so in the future. Although it has to be said, there is at least seems to be some risk in putting so many guns in the hands of so many civilians that it leaves open the risk of a mistake or something that could God forbid lead to an escalation. So it's an element that in the crushing events hasn't really been discussed so much by the Israeli public, but is certainly very, very much a part of the environment and of the atmosphere and even of the public policymaking in Israeli society over the course of the last few weeks. Right, when there is a feeling maybe in the wake of the October 7th incident, the Israeli public feels it can't rely solely on the army, the IDF or the security services. They have to also take some protective measures themselves. Owen Altman, thank you for that. Wait, hold on, do we have, yes, let's go down to Khamdeh Salchow, down correspondent who's down south near the Gaza border in sterile. First of all, Khamdeh, I understand there was not maybe where you are, Sirens in the southern area in the Ashkelon area, just in the last 15 minutes. That's right, Kalev, Rocketfire renewing at this hour a fresh barrage launched toward the southern city of Ashkelon, an indication that the fighting is still continuing. The Israeli military continues to pound targets inside of the Gaza Strip with artillery and airstrikes. Now the military has been saying for some time that their objectives are clear and they are to get rid of Hamas. And earlier, the defense minister speaking, saying that Hamas will either, quote, die or surrender. And in that address, he was very firm about what the Israeli military has been trying to do. Now the prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, echoing that sentiment amid some international calls for a ceasefire, he is saying that if Israel agrees to a ceasefire, the international community is asking Israel to surrender. Now additionally, the war cabinet went on to say that the hostage rescue effort is proof of what the Israeli military is capable of in this second phase of their war, meaning these ground operations, the military is trying to go inside, gather intelligence and the military has been known to have quite extensive hostage rescue efforts in their arsenal as well. So this time it's going to be a little bit more challenging because the hostages are spread out all over the Gaza Strip and it's not really known who is where, but among those hostages are civilians, men, women, children and soldiers. So the military has a tough task at hand but the security apparatus is saying that they will continue this fight until all of their objectives are achieved. Right, and the IDF sort of certainly not making public what its tactical plans, its strategic plans there in Gaza are, but there is some indication of them moving now deeper into Gaza, perhaps even of, perhaps trying to split Gaza into between the North and South. That's correct, we've seen several images emerging about the Israeli military now dividing Gaza from North to South, declaring some areas in the South the safe zone, even though some people inside of Gaza tell me that it's simply not the case because there is still continued bombardment in the South. The military has been continuously echoing the call for civilians to leave the North as they continue moving in closer and closer in this operation, Kolev. All right, Hamz al-Sahut there in the state road, another Gaza border, thank you for that. I just want to go now to the jump to the US, of course. Senior US correspondent to New York and our senior US correspondent, Mike Wagenheim and Mike Israel at the very much at the center of the US political discourse right now. No doubt whatsoever, Kolev, we got a new speaker of the house here in Mike Johnson, his first order of business was to pass a pro-Israel resolution but resolutions are on paper when it comes to actually financing Israel's defense here. That's where it gets a little bit sticky now, Republicans are going, it looks like on Thursday to try to pass Israel aid and Israel aid alone, detwining it from Ukrainian aid and other packaged items that President Joe Biden wanted to involve Johnson. In the meantime, it's also calling for that aid to Israel to be offset by spending cuts elsewhere, which is really rare when you're talking about emergency aid for Israelis hoping to divide Democrats on that particular issue, political gamesmanship essentially at this point in time. The package, the bill is not yet formulated, it's still in the works, but Republicans do say that they expect to bring it up to a vote as early as Thursday. We'll see how this plays out over the next few days, Kolev. And Mike, I know you were there at the Republican Jewish Coalition Convention there in Las Vegas where Israel also, obviously a focus there support all across the board among those Republicans for Israel. But of course, as you say, there are some divisions within the party about how that support should be expressed. That's absolutely right. And every presidential candidate on the Republican ticket made an appearance in the plenary session on Saturday. We sat down afterward with Vivek Ramaswamy, one of the upstart candidates who has made a lot of noise during this campaign. He is the outside the box thinker on Israeli foreign policy saying that eventually sooner rather than later he believes America needs to take away its aid from Israel and essentially prop up Israel diplomatically 100% but allow Israel to defend itself financially. I sat down with Ramaswamy after he spoke. I asked him specifically about this particular topic and not only that, what he said up on stage which should be the end for Republicans and Democrats of pushing the two-state solution. Here's Vivek Ramaswamy in Las Vegas. The two-state solution is an artificial myth. And, you know, you're not supposed to talk about, I mean, many of the things from multiple different angles of things I'm saying you're not supposed to say, I believe in speaking truth. Okay, I was just talking to one of these young men about that the 450, 350 million descendants of Ishmael have how many countries? The Jewish people are entitled to one. And so on one hand you have an Arab world that has consistently and continually been attacking and slaughtering Jews in Israel in that territory but turning their backs on the Palestinians can't have it both ways. That's done. Oh, Ramaswamy quoted David Ben-Gurion and George Washington many times in his speech to try to make his point. It didn't seem that it was that well received when it comes to Israeli or American funding for Israel. Certainly a pro-Israel senator that wouldn't even have that discussion is Lindsey Graham. I also sat down with him. He's been making the rounds through the Middle East over the last month or so, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Egypt, almost a shadow secretary of state. I talked with him about his statement that a ceasefire with Hamas is non-negotiable here, Senator Lindsey Graham. 21 years after 9-11, the Taliban were back in charge. 21 years after World War I, we had World War II. I'm talking months, not years. I believe if we give Israel the time and space to go into Gaza, they can destroy Hamas as a threat to the Israeli people. Then you have an opportunity to create a new and better life for the Palestinians. You're going to have to deprogram young people who have been radicalized for a generation. But Saudi Arabia and Israel reconciling and creating a new governing structure for the Palestinians is my hope of how this ends. So give Israel the time and space to wage war but also pursue peace. Kyle, in addition to the Israeli funding bill being brought to the House this Thursday, Republicans also say they're going to bring up several bills related to Iran trying to strengthen and enforce sanctions. I spoke with Representative Mike Waltz as well in Las Vegas. He sits on the Foreign Affairs, Intelligence and Armed Services committees. He said, listen, the Americans had intelligence as well, indicating something was up with Hamas. He believes on the American side, at least, that the Biden administration is simply too focused right now on appeasing Iran and it blinded them, essentially, to the intelligence they were being fed. He said an investigation needs to take place into what America may have known or not known leading up to October the 7th. Well, those are very interesting comments and I'm sure a lot of people want to follow up on those, both here and in Washington. Mike Wagonheim in New York, thank you for that. And Michael, you know Washington well. Aid for Israel, especially in the circumstance bipartisan issue, but there are some strains certainly on the democratic side between the so-called progressive wing and the mainstream of the party. So when the Republicans are on those who certainly support Israel, but have different ideas, for example, about how that support should be expressed when it comes to funding. And I have different ideas too. So full disclosure, I'm a longtime opponent of American aid to Israel. I think we should be a partner in various endeavors, cyber, laser, AI. But perhaps it's not an emergency situation. Not an emergency, it's completely different. I'm talking about the annual aid, which is basically a subsidy. It's American subsidy for the American arms industry, which is fine. But it exposes us to all sorts of pressures from people who are against the aid. And I think that's not at the point where we are now very strong still and sovereign country and affluent by international standards. I think we should move to a different model. But that's, it's interesting. And I think that you're gonna hear more voices like Rambaswabi, questioning this arrangement. This is probably, I would think, the last MOU, Memorand of Understanding. We had one with Bush, one tenure MOU, a bigger one with Obama. This is probably the last when we start moving toward a more cooperative partnership in defense spending and defense research. Interesting, all interesting. Just could I go back a little bit to the political aspect that I'm usually not asked to get in politics, but I was in politics for a long time. As long as I was in Washington, I was in Connecticut. And it's very interesting what's happened here. Up until the release of the rescue of this soldier, the big issue was Netanyahu's remark saying, I didn't know anything about October 7th. It was all the fault of the military intelligence and the music. Refusing to simply say the words, I bear responsibility. And he wouldn't do it. And he wouldn't do it. All of a sudden, that has been taken off the headlines by this. This shows the vicissitudes of politics. Mittemar Bengever's idea of creating local militias, if you remember this, like a citizen's guard was viewed as a move, proto-fascist move that was gonna give him a private army. Now it's being celebrated. And it just shows you how things can change so quick in the political arena, nobody knows what's gonna happen here politically. We could have a very different political landscape as this war proceeds. Certainly it does. I just want to make another comment while we're still focused on the US there. Disturbing signs, we've seen anti-Semitism, surging in certain quarters, these pro-Palestinian rallies in American cities, and some very disturbing incidents on the campuses. We reported on one in Cooper Union where Jewish students were locked in a library during a pro-Palestinian rally in downtown New York. Now Cornell University in upstate New York, another story of police being sent to guard the kosher kitchen there. And a lot of questions now being asked, especially when it comes to the atmosphere in the universities. So last night I had an extraordinary experience. I went to an old power troupe base to visit my old unit. I was a power trooper about 100 years ago and talked to these power troopers who had participated in the fighting on October 7th at Barry and Nachalos. And there's extraordinary young people, beautiful young people committed, but I saw the fear in their faces. They knew they were going back into Gaza. I came home and had a Zoom call with the pro-Israel students of Cornell. And the truly impactful and terrifying things, I saw the same fear on their face. They are dealing with threats, death threats. They've had the Center for Jewish Living basically locked down. And this is happening on multiple campuses across the United States. Columbia, Stanford, Berkeley, Harvard. And it's spreading and it's spreading very fast. And they've, American Jews, I've talked to American Jews, said they feel safer living here in Israel than they do living in New York or say living living in London. And that is a sea change. I don't know how this changed. And the truly dreadful thing is the silence, the anti-Semitism of silence on the part of some of these university presidents and faculty who have the same remarks were made about people of color or people of different sexual orientation would be out there condemning it categorically when it comes to hatred of Jews, silence. All right, Michael Lauren, Dr. Michael Lauren, Ambassador Lauren, stay with us. We're going out for a brief break. We'll probably come back to some of these issues. Stay with us with more on our continuing coverage, our special broadcast, Israel's War Against Hamas, day 24, we'll be right back. Israel is at war. Make an investment in Israel bonds. It is the most powerful and direct way to stand with Israel. Visit israelbonds.com and invest now. Made for me, a unique concept in Israel. Custom made men's fashion to your measurements. Made for me, designer of all your events. Schedule your appointment at www.madeforme.co.il. Made for me, official dresser of I-24 News. Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. 1,500 people murdered and more than 3,000 injured and the war with Hamas continues. We bring you first-hand testimonies from the front lines, from those who survived and all the records of the atrocities by Hamas. Follow us as Israel fights terror from the south and north. Get the inside scoop on what's going on. Only on I-24 News. Special edition on I-24 News. Israel's war against Hamas Day 24. Now, three weeks after Hamas launched a massive attack on southern Israeli communities, those who once lived there are still reeling. Our correspondent, Mary McCall, have spoke today with evacuated residents of Kibbutz near Oz, who visited their homes for the first time since October 7th. Let's see this report. Okay, I'm sorry, we'll have that report shortly. Let me go back to Ambassador Michael Oren. Michael, I want to talk about where this military operation goes from here. We've seen reports that suggest pictures. Of course, the idea of not releasing public information, but suggest that the army is following a kind of playbook that we saw at least in one previous operation trying to divide the Gaza Strip here into maybe north and south. And then maybe have an extended operation, a slow incursion into Gaza City. We didn't succeed in 2014. The army went in about one or two kilometers and then stopped. So we never fully divided the Gaza Strip. That's always been the sort of derigger part of any Israeli military planning for a war with Gaza. First, you divide it north and south and you cut off communications from Hamas moving north and south and the moving of man and material and fuel from north and south. And the south now has a million Palestinians in it, now where I've been displaced. And the north still has a good number of Palestinians, but that really puts you in a good strategic position. Now, Israel can also move from the sea, Caleb. So moving from all different directions. The major thrust is coming from the northern part of Gaza, not so much, much less so from the eastern border of Gaza, where our crossroads, where our crossings are. That should start too. It's converging on all sides. And the big sticking points, again, are going to be the tunnels, the tunnels, the tunnels. Reportedly 330 miles of tunnels under them. Can you imagine this? Some of them going down hundreds of feet with, you know, one of the hostages talked about being moving to an auditorium, an underground auditorium. That's how large this is. And then the hospitals and the schools, including Shifa hospitals, where I've heard different estimates between 30,000 and 60,000 Palestinians are converged inside, crowded into this hospital, around the hospital. And some of them reportedly are being stopped from fleeing that area at gunpoint, Hamas gunpoint. Right, still using them as human shields. Right, they do want to go back to that report by Mali McAuliffe, who was down south today at Kibbutz near Oz and was together, a tour organized by the Israeli government press office with residents returning back to their homes for the first time since October 7th. Let's take a look. An idyllic community burned to ashes. This woman is visiting her family's house for the first time since the massacre of October 7th that turned southern Israeli communities along the Gaza border into enclaves of horror, where terrorists systematically broke into homes, searching for civilians to kill or kidnap, burning down houses with families inside when they failed, where survivors hid for eight and a half hours locked inside safe rooms waiting for rescue. By the time help arrived, all the terrorists had already made their way back over the border. We are 400 people in this community. 100 people, they took a murder. So once or four, every four people is not with us today. The devastation is apparent, as are the relics of the life that once was, traces of the families, of the children, of the grandparents who once tended their gardens. Everything was so set, now it's gone, nothing. They burn our souls. They really burn our souls. The Kibbutz of near Oze was one of the hardest hit by the Hamas incursion into Israeli territory. Located under two miles from the border, residents have a clear view into the Gaza Strip. From this house, Hadas' children fled from those who infiltrated their community. Last message I got from them, 8.30 in the morning, they told me they jumped from the window and hid in the bush behind the house. But with Hamas gunmen inside the Kibbutz, there's nowhere to hide. The last message I got from my son was, Mom, be careful, be quiet. I love you. That's what he told me. He said, Mom, Mom, Mom, this is the last message. They've been terrified. She hasn't heard from them since. It's been three weeks of agony, she says. In this small community of just 400 people, there's not a person who lived here who was spared from the violence, who doesn't know someone who was taken or whose family was murdered. The remaining residents of near Oze left to wait to hear from their loved ones or to grieve them. Mary McAuliffe, I-24 News. Kibbutz near Oze. Joining us now in studio is Ohad Tal, member of the Knesset Israeli Parliament for the Religious Zionism Party. The public enterprises committee there. Ohad, let's just start with some good news, which we finally have. And that, of course, is the rescue of Private Orr Megadish, the announcement today of her rescue, apparently yesterday, in northern Gaza. Maybe I would say for some Israel, many Israelis, the sort of at least first concrete, positive sign about the operation underway. Yes, I don't think it's the only good news we're having. I think the fact that Israel woke up realizing who are we facing, acting upon it, I think it's also part of the good news Israel is experiencing these days. Of course, these days are very challenging, but they think we're moving in the right direction. By the way, Israel is not only dealing with Gaza right now. We're dealing also in the north and also in the front of Judea and Samaria. So I think we are starting to wake up realizing the threat and giving good answers to our enemies, giving them a clear message that we will not tolerate anymore. The fact that on our borders, there's entities who are trying to destroy us. The other side of that, or flip side, is the release of this video today, this hostage video by Hamas. We chose on network shows like most Israeli networks not to show it. Having seen out there on social media, it is creating a sort of pressure on this government. There's going to be pressure on the government to, for example, pressure to make some kind of deal with Hamas for the release of hostages. Of course, and I can assume that this is only the first step of Hamas in this psychological terror that they're applying on Israel citizens. This organization was trying, this ISIS Nazi organization tried to destroy Israel and it will not succeed. They will release another more videos, I'm sure of it, but we have to stay strong. We have to realize it as much as we will pressure them. That will help us rescue more hostages and not the opposite. This is what they're trying to do. They're trying to terrorize us. And by that, making us stop pressuring them, but we will not do that. All right, so as I said, this is a good sign. And maybe boosting Israeli confidence a bit into the military and the services, which suffered a blow on October 7th. Then there is the issue of the government, which you're a part of. There is still a feeling among many Israelis that it's been slow to react to this. I specifically mentioned the economic front because you're part of that. You're a party leader. Betzela Smolchers is the finance minister. We saw Kibbutz, this is reporters, you're coming on the Kibbutz near us. Voices in that community, that guy's a border community, saying they're not seeing the relief coming fast enough, the commitments, and we're hearing this elsewhere. Well, first of all, I accept this criticism, I think we should always improve, do more than what we did, but just to put all the facts on the table. Never before Israel, during a war, put on the table such a program to support the economy, to support all the needs of the economy, never before, during a war. It was always after, and now we did it. So maybe it's not the best program, we're always improving it. We're hearing the voices, we're hearing the different opinions about it. We can change that, we are changing that every single day, but I think the fact that the finance ministry put on the table a whole program, eight billion shekels of a program to support the economy, I think it's a good news, and it's a great step forward. Now, you mentioned that Israel is dealing with a situation on multiple fronts, including the North, and including Judea and Samaria, the West Bank, we've seen increasing clashes there. Even today there were clashes in which I believe three Palestinians were killed. There have also been increasing clashes between the Israeli residents, some called the settlers, in the communities in Judea and Samaria. There's been pressure, public pressure from the United States on the government. There was a one member of the Israeli resident in the West Bank in Judea and Samaria was put under administrative detention. I'm raising this because your party in particular has been supportive, and I would say in some degree is representative of that community to a large degree in the government. So I want you to relate to that. Again, I'm not making general advocacy. I think you have the concern just on the security level, is that that front should be kept as calm as possible. Actions should be taken that could agitate that front and make it another even more active front while Israel is dealing with Gaza and the North. First of all, of course, I think everyone, everyone should apply to the law and let the army do what it has to do. We focus on the great mission and that is to defeat our enemies. That's for sure. But I also have another advice to us all. Part of us being wake up is knowing the difference between our enemies and our people. And of course, everything which is not according to the law should be dealt with. But of course, we should be focused on facing our true enemy and this is not the settlers in Judea and Samaria. One less point. You were before going in the Knesset or maybe still you were involved with the B'nai Akiva movement, the International, so you've been a very active and world jury. I was talking with Ambassador Oran earlier about the rise in anti-Semitism that we've seen globally. Jewish communities all over the world. We saw some shocking scenes out of Dagestan and Russia yesterday. So as someone who's dealt outwardly from Israel with those communities, what should Israel be doing now for some Jewish communities themselves that feel in their own way certainly very much under attack? Yes, it's not just in Russia. We saw that also in London. We saw that in Paris. Of course, we're seeing that every single day in America, especially in the campuses but not only in the campuses. And we know that there's one place which is the most secure place for Jews. Well, some have been calling that a little in question now, you know, in the stand. But even in today's situation, and of course there's a lot of tension in Israel, but still. And I think people are feeling that and they're coming to us and saying that Israel is the best place for Jews in the world. And of course we need to stand with our brothers and sisters in the Aspera communities to support them in any way we can in these hard days that they're facing. All right, Ohad Daal, a member of the Religious Zionism Party in the Knesset. Thank you. Thank you very much. Hold on, no. I'm sorry. So let's, we're going to continue in the studio. Michael, I'm sorry. No problem. No problem. I do want to go back to raise some of the points that you raised and the political points about this government. This government is under pressure, the government that Ohad is certainly part of. There are some questions raised about its composition. Now I'm just talking about in terms of a government that would be a wartime government, whether it has the confidence of the people during the war. As I said, there's been a boosting. Today's events do boost the IDF and certainly in its performance there. But questions raised about the performance of the civilian government? Indeed, indeed. I think there's a consensus among Israelis that these really society performed magnificently, but the state was for many, many days a no-show. And I experienced that because I was involved in an NGO that was visiting the families of the hostages and well a week, even a week and a half afterward no one had visited from the state these hostage families. It took a long time to get it moving. And the army too didn't react. I've heard stories of people who were trapped in these various communities and military bases along the Gaza border and the army didn't show up for six, seven, eight, even 12 hours. And they're not that far away. I mean, right here we're about a 45-minute drive away. So what took them so long? So that's a very important issue. A good trivia question you can ask people is everyone knows who the commander in chief of the U.S. Armed Forces is, is the president. But not many people know who the commander in chief of the IDF is. So a hint, it's not the chief of staff. It's not the defense minister. It's not even the prime minister. The commander in chief of the Israeli army is the cabinet and particularly the security cabinet. So we operate much more than the United States does on a consensual basis. It has to have a sense of the, of the consensus and that cabinet has to have legitimacy. Now if this war goes on very long and it could go on for many months and that's the prognosis right now, the question is does this government have the legitimacy, the power of the people already I'm seeing signs hanging off of bridges saying basically renewing the protests. Well, let me ask, let me go to a member of the government. Oh, your response. No doubt Israel is facing a very challenging days also for the government. It's true that many NGOs did came to aid if it's the families or many issues before the government. We have to admit the fact Israel was not prepared for such an occasion and it's very hard for the state to move as fast as NGOs. It's always like that. It's not something new. But I think in the last week even more than just a week I think also the army and the state are moving forward, giving good programs and supporting all the needs of the society. Well, that's certainly what the Israeli public at this time, at this trying time wants to see. Again, Ohad Tal of the Religious Designers of Party. Thank you for joining us on I-24 News. Well, we mentioned earlier the Ketot Kanarot, the rapid response forces that some of those communities have certainly in the Kibbutz scene on the Gaza border. Now Kibbutz Reyim sits near the Gaza border and was right besides the Supernova Music Festival when thousands of terrorists burst into southern Israel on that tragic morning of October 7th. Like other communities in the area it did suffer serious casualties but it could have been worse, much worse there save for the actions of a handful of residents who formed Reyim's rapid response group. For hours they fought the terrorists with little backup, neutralizing many of them and holding off many of them until backup finally arrived. And one of that group is Imri Boonam from Kibbutz Reyim. He joins us now from a lot where he's been located. First of all, Imri, tell us about how it unfolded at least the beginning of October 7th for you. Hello, good evening. In the beginning of the day of October 7th about 6.30 on the morning we heard a lot of rockets, a lot of missiles. Well, it's something common but this time it was much, much, much harder. A lot of them, very strong and we understood that this is a big attack. And after about 20 minutes we started to hear some shooting from arms much closer to us and in that point we understood that we have to go outside and to fight our house, our home. We find out around 7 o'clock when we went out that there are only six people with arms, with weapons and we need to defend all our Kibbutz. Four of these six went to the northern part of the Kibbutz and me and my friend Nif Duvia removed to the southern part of the Kibbutz and we had two minutes before to understand the whole situation. We saw that the terrorists having fights with the base in Raim and we understood that no army will come to save us. We saw them go by many, many, many of them and pick up trucks full of RPG with a lot of shotguns and grenades. They were well armed. They came to stay in Raim. They wanted to conquer all the school regional council and we understood that it's only us six people against something like 100 and they came to our Kibbutz and I had a couple with me his name is Nif Duvia, he was the commander and the main idea of our way of fighting was to surprise them like to shoot one or two bullets each time and then to run to somewhere else. We understood we don't want them to come because we knew in which houses there are people and we cannot suffer if the terrorists will come to these houses so we make the terrorists to go to houses that we knew that they are empty and we delay them. Most of the time we just shot them from different angles and make them to be surprised. This went on for quite a period even hours, was there ever a point in which you felt all right I'm doing what I have to do to save the lives of my fellow members here on the Kibbutz but at the end of the day we're going to be overwhelmed and this will be a sacrifice of my own life. Until 10 o'clock this is what I felt like but around 9.30 the first police came on a vehicle and they started to shoot from the outside of the Kibbutz on the terrorists that were inside and me and my friend we ran was pretty much in the west side of the Kibbutz we ran to there and we shot a few bullets on the terrorists there and then opened the way to bring another friend of our Kitatkonenut that he was working on a school park and he barely made it to come to the Kibbutz and he came inside the Kibbutz with another four police officers they came by walking they ran inside the Kibbutz and from that point that was at 10 o'clock I understood that even if something will happen to me still there will be a force that will keep the Kibbutz that was the point that I I felt like we are going to make it let me let me ask you are you planning to go back to Kibbutz, Reim what lesson have you learned as someone there dealing with the security what has to happen for you to go back there and for you and the survivors of Reim to feel secure safe and secure once again there first that there will be no Hamas at all we cannot live next to that monster I don't know how they educated their children how they make thousands thousands of people what they made in their mind to get inside Israel to get inside the Kibbutz and to burn people alive in their houses and just to shoot many people unarmed older people, children we cannot the world cannot have the Hamas the Hamas cannot be in this world and all the world need to understand that okay it's not a fight between two armies it was a horrible terror attack it was a holocaust to all our area to all our community and our community it's all combined together there called the community not only Reim we see people in the schools in every activity we are always together and for you you see pictures and once we see these pictures we know the people we met them and what happened to us it's not only in Reim it's to all of our regional council it's very difficult and first that there will be no Hamas no attack no anything that will make us fear all right Dey we wish you well we wish the safe return of all of your friends and comrades there and we wish for the revival of Kibbutz Reim in a safer, more secure future so your kind of heroism as admirable as it is is never called on again and we thank you for joining us so thank you for your service to your community and culturally thank you very much Jackie Mike is realizing that this could have been much worse even on October 7th would not for just a lot of individuals that rose up to the challenge of defending their communities in the face of this onslaught of Hamas and it's interesting he says the bottom line is there can be no more Hamas and that is the one issue we always have to keep right in front of us the pressure for a ceasefire mounts all the time and we have to come back to the world again and it says ceasefire means Israel's not just Hamas victory means our death we can't survive these people will not be able to go home without a ceasefire we won't be able to be safe in this studio without a ceasefire we can't begin to rebuild our deterrence power in the region and we can't begin the process of healing the relationship between the people of Israel and the state of Israel so let me ask you as someone who's represented Israel in international forums and you're still doing that international meeting international forums how is it going to withstand that pressure how it's going to make the case because we know that civilian casualties in Gaza we can't rely on the numbers from Hamas they're saying Hamas Ministry of Health now close to if not over 10,000 pressure is going to be put on how should Israel be answering that so one simple answer is we're going to resist it because we actually have to we have no choice we cannot give into a ceasefire we can't force the end of this country but I'm asking you how Israel is going to respond to those should effectively respond to those calls so for example this afternoon I gave a briefing to members of Congress a bipartisan committee and made that case explained to me exactly why a ceasefire because the problem is a ceasefire sounds great why should people kill each other let's have a ceasefire let's stop the war and you have to make a case you know to paraphrase John Lennon we have to give war chance here it's very hard selling campuses hard selling in Congress trying to explain that to the Democratic Party but we have to and we explain why and you explained that you know after on December 8th 1941 America didn't say well you know the Japanese killed 3,000 of our sailors they got a lot of American prisoners maybe we should have a ceasefire and they didn't say that on September 12th, 2001 either after the Twin Towers were taken down by al-Qaeda maybe we should have a ceasefire and you put it in American terms and as we all know that out of Israeli's loss we lost our lives on October 7th proportionally it would be about 45,000 Americans and make that case it's the best you can do I just know the Prime Minister this evening he mentioned the Japanese he mentioned Pearl Harbor I did not write that speech but he also quoted the Bible co-held at the book of Ecclesiastes there was a time for peace and a time for war but again he didn't paraphrase John Lennon though did he he actually no he did not paraphrase John Lennon no the Bible he did but that's your job Michael Ambassador Michael Lauren thank you for joining us on I-24 News and stay with us we're going out for a brief break just a few minutes but we will come back at the top of the hour for more on our continuing coverage on I-24 News Israel's war against Hamas I-24 will be right back in the heart of Jerusalem researchers are hunting for the answers to aging and brain decay Alzheimer's is a neurodegenerative disease meaning that there are nerve cells, neurons in our brain that are the key functional unit of the brain that are dying you look at the textbook on Alzheimer's it seems like a lot of the mechanism is already figured out but when you try to translate that to the clinic something is missing but at the Edmund and Lilly Software Center for Brain Sciences Professor Naomi Habib is finding out exactly what is missing our goal is to find these early triggers of the disease so we can find effective therapeutics against that the cells that we see in this map they come from hundreds of different individuals using this diversity we can now try and put all of these donors along some disease timeline to try and learn some disease timeline and we are finding that we have different of these trajectories leading to different disease outcomes and that is uncovering the answers to many long-standing questions what our maps show is that there are different paths the cells in the brain can take one of these paths where all the cells together are changing their functions leads to Alzheimer's and the other path leads to the slower decline that we associate with more healthy form and from the answers in Habib's lab a path to a cure so we are measuring the brains of specifically these individuals comparing them to people who have Alzheimer's and trying to find what are the natural mechanism of resilience and from there a possible treatment for millions ten hundred people murdered and more than three thousand injured and the war with Hamas continues we bring you first-hand testimonies from the front lines from those who survived and all the records of the atrocities by Hamas follow us as Israel fights terror from the south and north get the inside scoop on what's going on only on I-24 news back to this special broadcast on I-24 news I'm Khaled Bendavid it's day 24 of Israel's war against Hamas a day that was focused on the hostages and a day that saw some very good news Israeli soldier, Private Ory Megadish earned her freedom after she was rescued from Hamas captivity yesterday by the IDF and Shin Bet Security Service Megadish had said to be in good condition and she was shown reunited with her family at her home in Kiryat Ghat and she wasn't said had to say on her return home we'll certainly have more on this in a bit but we're going to jump now to the northern border Israel's border with Lebanon and our correspondent Robert Swift because Robert they still see all these exchanges of fire between forces in south Lebanon area of course controlled by his baller and of course Israel retaliating well that's right it's been quiet here for the last 3-4 hours but there's an understanding that this could change at any moment with the hours immediately before that anything but quiet there was a series of security incidents that took place firstly there was mortars fired on to communities around the Israeli town of Shlomi with the Israeli military responding to these attacks with artillery fire and with mortars of their own this attack here was repeated a couple of hours later with additional mortar fire into the same area and again the Israeli military responding that took place on the far western end of the Israel's northern border close to the coastline but further east about the center of Israel's northern border there was an additional attack with as many as 5 anti-tank missiles being fired from across the border without causing any casualties again in this incident the Israeli military responded with artillery fire all right Robert Swift there by the northern border thank you for that and I'm joined now in studio by Reserves IDF Major General Eitan Dango from the military secretary of three defense ministers for a coordinator of government activities in the Palestinian territories and our Middle East correspondent Ariel Ostra any response from Hamas yet or any of the terror groups about the rescue of private or a Megadish indeed so Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qasem choosing the ideal platform for Hamas speakers which is an interview to Al-Jazeera Qatar who I'll remind you is a mediator perhaps the key mediator in releasing the Israeli hostages so on their airwaves the Hamas spokesperson shows a little sign of concern on behalf of the terror group that Israel managed to release through military operation from within the Gaza Strip one of its hostages a soldier so the spokesperson saying that Israel will not get its prisoners except through an exchange deal that includes all of our prisoners that's obviously reiterating the claim by Hamas are prisoners for all of the Israeli hostages we're talking about thousands at least 6,000 add to that at least 3,000 Ghazan workers who were detained inside Israel moments after October 7th and so on the one hand we see Hamas reiterating their claim but the fact that they're specifying that don't try any more military operations it won't work for you only through mediation through a prisoner swap deal will you get your hostages back this is a sign that Hamas are perhaps even embarrassed at the successful release of one of the hostages successful rescue successful rescue obviously first they located her then they rescued her and I think the fact that this happened through an operation and not through a negotiated mediation has the terror group concerned well let's a time wait of course the army is keeping secret the details we know nothing other than IDF and Shin Bet were involved apparently she was in some area of North Gaza being kept it was not with other hostages as far as we know but give us a sense of you have that military experience there in Gaza what could have happened how could this have played out I think you have to be aware that there are some efforts during this military operation that is running first of all it's intelligence effort on the intelligence effort you have the all ideas what's going but you have inside that is coming on a real time some information that is coming due your activities and also don't forget there are some people in Israel that we call during the 7 and the 8 and the 9 during the way the when we succeed to move out the terrorists and also to put our hands and to put on some of them life so I mean when you integrate all the resources all the opportunity you have a picture of something to do and meanwhile your activity I think it's a great success that meanwhile you are maneuvering you succeed to make an area to close it and to bring who is needed to be in such operation to make it in Gaza and it was published that also special unit from the police first time was active in this especially you know we know that deals with hostage rescue situations I would like to put also I'm very happy for the release it's all the world each one you succeed to survive and to bring him back home but if you ask me as a military guy I would be my colleagues now in the field it's give you warm feeling you put the helmet and you are going to continue your mission and we are on the start of this day the idea spokesperson is speaking let's go to that Private Ori Megidish during a ground operation after she was abducted of the 7th of October the head of Shabak met with Orit and her family in a very moving encounter we managed to get her back the commanders of the IDF the people of the Shabak all of them we are all committed we have a moral duty to do everything in order to bring back the hostages all of them home I'd like to relate to the documents disseminated by Hamas the heart is torn by the cry of Daniel and the faces of Yelena and Rimon who are sitting next to her our heart is with you and with your families Hamas is exerting psychological terror against that it wants us to disseminate it and it wants to hurt it and because of that we have to show resilience of iron cool headedness we shouldn't collaborate with the brain game of Hamas this is the only way we can win over it the issue of the hostages is not just a national one and the psychological terror against us it's a world issue that touches the heart of each and every one of us this is a war crime and a crime against humanity in incredible dimensions until now the message was giving to 315 casualties families and 208 hostages with infants, children women, elderly who are kept by a murderous organization we are embracing the bereaved families and the families of the hostages the IDF continues to expand the ground operation in the Gaza Strip more forces are going into Gaza together with the combined attacks by air, by sea in these attacks our forces eradicated scores of terrorists the plan is going ahead according to our goals today this earlier today we eliminated a unit of terrorists in the north the forces of IDF attacked in Lebanon a whole line of terror infrastructure we continue to be deployed around the border in the north we attack anybody who shoots and tries to penetrate into Israel and now I will answer questions can you tonight say is there no movement near the hospital we are talking about the fuel the fuel, we follow it with all the means that we have we exposed this information and we spoke about the Shifa hospital and we transfer all these data to all our parties at the moment there is no fuel in Gaza as far as the hospital we are following it at the moment we do not bring fuel into Gaza this is a decision by the government and what was your second question what about the Shifa hospital the Shifa hospital we you mean what Daniel Hagar the idea spokesperson and he did relate briefly to the rescue of private or a megadation also to the hostage tape that was released by Hamas today let's keep the focus on the hostages for a moment October 7th of course it was a day of tragedy for all of Israel and also for many individuals Israelis among them Gilad Korngold now as Hamas terrorists attacked three members of his family were killed and seven went missing presumed kidnapped into Gaza among that group are his son Tal and daughter-in-law Adi their 8 year old son Navey and 3 year old daughter Yahal along with Adi's mother Antonis to raise awareness of their plight Gilad has worked with the tech firm Generative AI for Good to create a clip using a computer generated image of young Navey seemingly to speak to speaking to us from his captivity here's a bit of that my friends I miss playing soccer mom I even want to go back to school already do my friends even think about me I keep telling myself it's just a story well joining us in studio now is Gilad Korngold Gilad thank you for joining us first of all let me ask you about October 7th at least that day unfolded in the beginning for you and for your family okay it was 6.10 in the morning it was Saturday and holiday in Israel and we start to hear Siren you live in a community I live in Kibbutz Gvulot it's around 12 km from the border but we can hear everything we have Siren go to I work with Siren Red color and we have a regular protocol we run to the shelter close the door and we stay until we get permission to get out it's not unusual in our area it's every 2-3 months it starts again and then after a few days the stop and we continue regular time but immediately we realize it's something unusual because the first hour they shoot more than 1000 missiles all over Israel okay my family was living in the north of the country they came to Bari at this mother and father house and they slept there overnight and this morning Saturday they are supposed to come to Maikibus we plan to go to the swimming pool we plan at this as a birthday my wife bake a cake and we start to hear that there is terrorists okay I live there around 28 years it's not something unusual 2-3 terrorists that go inside Kibbutz it's not unusual and each Kibbutz depends on the big population there is a group of men with arms well training their job is to jump immediately something happened and go to watch the events of Kibbutz until the army came nobody go inside and we start to read the what's up listen where is the army they kill us they burn the houses there was 22 Kibbutz on the border Bari is one of them it's 1.5 km from the border okay and what was the message from your family in particular that you start to realize they are in deadly danger when did you get your last message from them okay my son told me that he didn't have his phone we chat with his mother he told me that everything is okay he didn't realize there is a lot of terrorists and a group of my friends want to come volunteer to rescue from them and I ask him to send me a google map and say father don't need the army it's here don't involve anybody it's not what's happened and the last message is from 10.30 in the morning and everything shut down no more messages two days we think they are staying in the shelter in the security room without any knowledge and then I ask for one of the forces if he can go to the house and see what's happened he send me a video that the house is born born everything and he told me that check inside there is not dead bodies and this time I say yes it means that either they are in Gaza and we know that they start to take people to see videos or they kill them outside three days after a member of the kibbutz called us he was captured by the Hamas his wife and his daughter and they put him in a car they stole the car from the kibbutz and start to drive to the kibbutz fence and then they stop and say there is a soldier there is a soldier three days after we didn't have any notice yes and then they come back and he saw my son he know my son he took him on the feet with clothes, with shoes, with everything his hand is and they are back yes with the white zip and they throw him to the car trunk and they start to drive to the border okay so that's just this guy escaped from the car with his wife and the daughter they killed the wife but the daughter and this guy is back in the kibbutz safe so we know for sure that Tal was taken alive right we didn't have any other information regarding the other family but now we know by Israeli authorities they contacted and said they've confirmed that they confirmed not 100% my son and he is also Austrian citizen Austrian citizen and my grandson and my daughter-in-law they are German citizens German citizens and I ask you your activity since then we saw that clip that you made tell us a little about that and your other activities to create better awareness, international awareness of their plight yes we work all the day during the day with a lot of interviews special to German and Austrian audience but yesterday we have Indian television, CNN I can show the show the poster you can hold that up in front of the camera she's three years old Navey is eight years old Adi is 38 and Tal is 38 I can imagine what's happened there now with them we do everything that we can and I know that also the Austrian embassy and the German embassy Israel help us a lot and they work now the Israeli authorities also a Galhiers team and the army we contact daily with me and we hope that they are safe there we don't have any knowledge about the condition with their life or dead but we strong family and we do hope and the problem is the nights right I understand the sadness come I want to tell you something today I visit Berry the first time it was very difficult I'm sure it's terrible I want you to use this platform whatever message you may have either for the authorities here in Israel this has been a very dramatic day in some ways both good and bad on the houses front but also we're an international channel as you know what message you may have for the international community we're also watching a channel in some of the countries that you mentioned first they must release today not tomorrow, not after the children and the women it's impossible to believe that innocent children babies that are there also the women and make everything to release first the children and the women second I have worrying I live in my neighborhood a lot of years what's happened here it's not only in my neighborhood Hamas is born in Daesh want ISIS they are like cancer all over the world in different names Hezbollah, Iran in Syria and Iraq and they are all over and all the demonstrations in Europe and United States must be wake up alarm to all the population there because what they say it's first Jerusalem then Berlin, then London Seattle Seattle is closed for these photos they throw all the photos from the hostages and don't allow anybody how do you feel when you see those pictures this also I would like to say because we have audiences in America when you see these things on social media people going around ripping down hostage posters like this in New York City where I'm from you said Seattle universities it's not from today universities we have another problem with them but if they think that it's only in our area they will find soon that it can be everywhere so what you're going through what this country is going through could be happening to those people in those communities where people are ripping down posters I spoke with Austrian Chancellor I was going to ask you have you had communication he came here I think 5 days ago and invited me to his office in the embassy and we have 35 minutes and I mentioned this that they don't even let's get an example in Germany Germany gave him everything and they don't happy there okay friends give him everything there's ex-territors there it's not only here it can happen everywhere you mean aid going into the Takaz when you say radical muslim radical muslim I don't talk about muslim muslim don't allow them to do what they did they killed parents and burned 45 children and babies it was 100 journalists from all over the world witnesses they go first to the room and they saw the children and babies born and they cut their worse than die this evil more than die in ISIS so beware this is my message okay I now want my family back I want everybody back and I will do everything to to let it be first of all we mourn with you those family members that you did lose that day and most of all we wish a safe return of all of your family your son, daughter and those young children that they may become safe and healthy and happy return and they should be home we had one maybe little bit of light this morning for one young Israeli woman and maybe that will hopefully be the first of many that will meet me we will pray thank you for joining us on I-24 News stay with us and you said we wish to stay with us we will be back shortly on this special broadcast that was the director of I-24 news showing his fashion to your measurements made for me, designer of all your events schedule your appointment at www.madeforme.co.il made for me official dresser of I-24 News Good evening, ladies and gentlemen officially civilians have been kidnapped. Help us, we don't want to do it. We just don't know anything. Entire families, including babies and children and elderly were butchered in their beds. Awaken the giant and we are ready and we are strong. Everyone is showing up. This is the unity. Back to this special broadcast on I-24 News, Israel's war against Hamas. I just want to update you just in the last couple of minutes. First there were some sirens down south near the Gaza border in the community of Nativa Surah. We also had air raid sirens in a number of communities in the Tel Aviv area, not in Tel Aviv itself, but right in the neighboring towns of Rishon Lezion, Chalon, Ramat Gan. And in fact, here in our studio, we did hear the booms, quite loud booms of presumably rocket interceptions by the Ayan Dome system. So we'll follow this and update you if we have any reports of any rockets hitting in any communities landing over the past few minutes. Still with us, we have a Tandango, of course, the Reserves Major General and our Ariel Osaran gentleman, a moving story of the hostages here. It's something that breaks your heart. I have to say, I've said this a couple of times through this evening, we did not show the I-24 news along with most of the Israeli media has chosen not to show that hostage video that was released of the three hostages, female hostages by Hamas today, both because the families requested that that be the case and we don't know the circumstance. But Eitan there, we see the psychological games, tactics being used by Hamas against Israel, against the public and the government. And you have some signs what Hamas is doing tonight. I guess that I estimate that Hamas was aware about what happened yesterday evening by the release of the soldier. Right, because the only thing we really know is apparently that she was rescued yesterday and made public today. So you don't have to be surprised with the picture of the three women that were published today afternoon. Secondly, came the message from Moscow about... Hold on just one second. I just want to point out live. This is not live. This is a couple of minutes ago. These are images of Ralph. You see the flashes in the sky. This is the Iron Dome, intercepting rockets above the Tel Aviv metropolitan area. We didn't have sirens here in Tel Aviv, but certain of the neighboring towns and there you see several rockets. At least six interceptions, at least six rocket interceptors fired by the Iron Dome system. The rockets themselves you don't see in the air. If you see something moving in the air, that is the interceptor, which is the missile. And the explosion in the air. But let's get back to your point. And the second issue was what was published tonight about the option of releasing of eight civilians that have Russia's passports. Russian passports, yes. Russian passports. And the third is that the Israeli head of the Mossad has been in Qatar. All of this is to bring a picture that there is some kind of activities. And in my opinion, Sinwa is waiting also to see what will be in the north reaction of Hezbollah. And by the way, and this is the main message, Israel continues with its military activities around Gaza. Slowly, safely, surely with integration of almost infantry, air force, integration fire from the ground and from the air. And that is something that he starts to feel what is surrounding the city of Gaza. And this is for him a sign that he will try to stop the movement of the Israeli IDF forces. I don't see Hamas going now to a big procedure of agreement of releasing all the group. And in my opinion, Israel should say, we are making a deal for all the group, female soldiers, soldiers, and civilians, babies, and all the others. And Israelis who do not hold foreign citizenship because Hamas has tried to make that distinction. Exactly controlling together. And this is humanitarian, not the trucks that are coming from Egypt. This is the opposite of humanitarian. What we allowed now, it's something that we have to allow because there is there thousands of people who are waiting. There is a demand from the United States, but the real humanitarian is like the grandfather who said here about his grandchildren is waiting for them. This is the reality. Each day you hear the stories and you cannot believe how these people can be called human people in this world. So Hamas, in my opinion, is not in a situation to go to release the hostages, but they are trying to make some game to stop the IDF movement. So Israel will continue. On the other hand, we will try the international activities. And I believe if there is a meeting point, it will be discussed deeply in Israel. All right. I just want to go with, can we go to that sound? Do we have our correspondent? No, not yet. We'll go there in a minute. Ariel, you were at that press conference this evening where Prime Minister Netanyahu and then the defense minister of Gala just discussed it. I'll just come back to you in a minute, Ariel. I do want to go back to Ahamda Salchut. In the south, you had an alert there in that area over the past. It looks like something, there's some fire behind you. What's going on out there, Ahamda? Right. We have multiple red alerts throughout communities in Israel, central and southern behind me here. This fire is actually a direct hit. The situation is still developing. The rocket fire continues to come from the Gaza Strip. The Israeli military pounding targets inside of the Strip. Once they see where those rockets are coming from, we were actually able to see quite a large explosion, perhaps an indication that it was a rocket launching site that the Israeli military had hit. So while Hamas continues to fire these rockets, the Israeli military has been firm and clear that there will be no ceasefire. Hamas will either have to surrender without any conditions or face defeat and ultimately death. So you can hear that outgoing artillery, the military continuing to pound those targets inside of the Gaza Strip. At this time, several other types of weapons we've been seeing used, several sorts of cluster munitions falling from the sky, mortars, and anything else you can really think of is being seen on this front line. Alright, Hamda Salchut there in the south for I-24 News. Thank you, Hamda. Ariel, so you were at that press conference where the Prime Minister, Defense Minister both talked about the hostage situation and the widening ground operation in Gaza as really sort of one issue. One issue, but they're both dealt separately. I think the best way to describe Israel's policy as it was outlined by Prime Minister Netanyahu is that they're expanding the ground operation as if there are no hostages held by Hamas and Gaza. And on the other hand, or simultaneously, they're working to release the hostages through mediation, through negotiations, as if there is no fighting in Gaza. It does sound like an impossible task, but I think that is the strategy that Israel is taking upon itself right now. I will just note that regarding the sirens to central Israel, so Mada, Israel's emergency health services are saying that there are no indications of impact or injuries. So that's regarding the latest barrage of rockets to central Israel. Perhaps what happened behind Hamda could shed more light as to the results of this latest barrage, but it could also be an interception that fell and lit the fire. Look, regarding the issue of the hostages, there is an understanding that this could limit the possibility of future operations like this from happening, because now Hamas is aware, they could perhaps be altering their different... I presume they are. I presume they were. ...capacities. And in general, if we're looking, I agree with the assessment that they released the video of the three hostages knowing that already one of the hostages was released. And the fact that I24 News, as well as other outlets, chose not to air it is because there is only one positive thing that comes out of these videos and that's for the family's proof of life. Other than that, there is no value to watch these videos besides succumbing to the psychological warfare of Hamas. I will also just note that as this operation was being approved the night before last by the head of Shabbat, Prime Minister Netanyahu was tweeting against the head of Shabbat, him for the responsibility of October 7th. We'll leave that aside for the more gentlemen. Just to stay with us, I want to just turn away from Israel for a moment because the repercussions of the Israel's war against Hamas extend far beyond the borders of this country, even beyond the borders of this region. For example, Russia, in the wake of yesterday's near pogrom, and I use that word deliberately in the Mahachkala, Mahachkala, capital of the Russian province of Dagestan where a mob of residents in that largely Muslim city and region stormed the local airport as a flight was landing from Tel Aviv. With rioters yelling, kill the Jews in Al-Aqbah as they crashed through the terminal, you see it there, actually went out onto the tarmac and surrounded the plane trying to get in it until police arrived to scatter the group. This was just actually the latest and certainly most severe anti-Semitic in Dagestan since October 7th. Now the Israeli government released a statement saying it quote, expects the Russian legal authorities to safeguard the well-being of all Israeli citizens and Jews wherever they are and to take strong action against the rioters and against the wild incitement being directed against Jews and Israelis. But the Kremlin spokesman Dimitri Peskov today tried to deflect blame for this incident outside of Russia. It is well known and obvious that yesterday's events around the Mahachkala Airport are largely the result of external interference. In particular, information influence from outside. It is clear that a mid-television footage showing the horror of what is happening in the Gaza Strip, the death of children, the older people, doctors and others, it is very easy for ill-wishers to abuse the situation and to provoke it. And joining us for more, it is Senior Non-Resident Fellow at the Atlantic Council, an expert in Russian affairs, joining us from Modin and Senya, we are just also hearing that Vladimir Putin himself spoke about it, taking a similar line saying, no, this is all agitation from Ukraine and the West, which is what was behind in Dagestan. What really is going on in Dagestan? Well, I have to tell you that the Russians are building this line of defense since late hours of last night through the web of telegram channels for informal and formal speakers. They try to divest this pressure. They obviously are embarrassed by what happened. But this is what happens when you with one hand you embrace a terrorist organization and you have somebody who is a part of the Russian regime, Kadyrov, the head of the Chechen Republic, who openly called to revenge the Israelis and he equated between what is happening in Israel. He said they called it the Israeli-Jewish Nazism, that it's even worse than the German one. So in this atmosphere, when you have incitement that is spread through the federal channels, through the leaders of Muslim republics such as Kadyrov, when Putin himself is equating making this equation between what is happening in Gaza and the siege on Leningrad lasted for 879 days and brought to one million and a half Soviet citizens who were just starving and starved to death, then this is something that you should definitely expect. During the last few days, there were a number of anti-Semitic occasions and incidents also in Dagestan, but also in neighboring Muslim republics. It's not only Dagestan. A Jewish center was put on fire in the city of Nalchik, Kabartino-Balkaria and there were videos of young men looking for Jews in one of the hotels in yet another Muslim republic next to Dagestan. So there is an atmosphere of anti-Semitism. There is atmosphere that the blood of Jews basically it's the authorities led this to happen because this is the most scary thing of everybody. Because of course when there are demonstrations against the Ukraine war the authorities quickly to suppress it the question is how far this could go and how concerned should we be about the Jews from Russia? The rabbi in the responsible for Dagestan has actually urged that all Jews leave or be evacuated out of that area. How concerned that Israel should be it could be looking to evacuate I would even use the word rescue some of the Jews in some of these areas you're talking about. Well, first of all Israel already warned its own citizens from traveling to these zones and you know indeed it should issue this kind of warning yesterday before this plane landed in Shkola. Today it's issued the warning and it's clear that people who originate from these areas will not be going there anytime soon. I think that there is a reason to worry because the gene was already let out of the bottle. This is the problem you can never play with fire and just hope that it will not consume the whole of you. And while Putin is saying that this is unacceptable and even Kadirov just spoke, the church leader just spoke and he said that we cannot accept something like going to the airport and searching for Jews and for violence. Of course, he couldn't mention the word anti-semitism. He couldn't utter this but despite all that, there is still turmoil in the telegram channels in Dagestan. Russia today tried to suppress the use of telegram and it was not available to many users. We don't know for what reason exactly, but this happened. And I can tell you that yesterday during this almost pogrom, I agree with the word that you used, many of these rioters that were by the way called by Washington Post protesters, not more than that. So they said that they will also try to harm the authorities that serve the Jews and the Zionists and they will definitely continue with the search of the Jews and revanching, you know, the blood of the Palestinian children and etc. Disturbing where it's seeing scenes that don't hawk back almost to the Zionist era events. Ksenia Zvedlova, thank you for joining us on I-24 News. That is truly disturbing. Development is part of the globalized nature of this conflict. You can identify it from the United States, use some places in Europe in others. It's something that should be worried the leaders of the Western world. And as it was said here before by the grandfather of the family that was kidnapped. And what he said is true. You see how the deep of the involvement of this radical Muslim in these countries are taking apart a noise active and it will bring them to their places not far from now. But be with you honest. It's not my problem now. Our problem as Israeli nation is to make it clear that in such event what happened to us on the 7th of October will not return because what's going in Russia in other places shows us much more than anything else that the only place for the Jewish nation to live to be to be safe is only in this country in Israel. And we have to complete these goals on one end destroy Hamas capacities on the other end to make sure that after this war the mother that opened a window in the north border not only around Gaza will not see people standing 300 meters from a home and threatening her in what I was in the north few days before the 7th of October. What's going there is something that we cannot allow ourselves to live. We have the north, we have the south, we have the east, Israel should be safe everywhere. The question that people are asking is Israel is the clock running on Israel. Is it going to have the time to complete that mission in the face of what's going to be international pressure from the United States, from Europe demands concerns over civilians. I think and humanitarian humanitarian issue. I think that there is a humanitarian effort in Rafa from Egypt that will continue and be open from now till the end of this area without one thing fuel. And I think that there are areas without one thing fuel. They have fuel underground for two months at least. I was the cog at the past and they prepared, as they prepared this kind of murderer, they prepared their living for weeks after it. This is the way Hamas is making. There is two Hamas countries. One is above the ground what you see in Gaza and you have the underground. Hamas has what it needs under the hospitals and other parties of this area they are using the civilian as a human defense for themselves. Secondly, in my opinion, we have the time to complete the mission on Gaza. But one remark, the key point will be, in my opinion from Wednesday till Sunday, the reaction in the north because that part will bring Israel in a military effort to show already what they are going to do and what they achieved until then and that will be the respond of Hezbollah. Don't forget Friday you have the speech of Nasrallah and you have the Cabinet of Terror that was meeting few days ago by the head of the Iranian Foreign Minister, you have the heads of Hamas, Jihad Islamic, Hezbollah sitting in the middle of the decision in my opinion. The question if you ask me what Israel should be prepared, it should be prepared to escalation in this war from the north because Hezbollah will not go to a completely to a war but it will increase its activities against Israel and that can be a game changer to the way our Israel is active now. We need to look in terms of international support or pressure differentiate because there is such a differentiation to make one now between the population mainly liberal pro-Palestinian populations and the governments. We see in the United States perhaps the most vocal populations, communities in schools and universities but also the most vocal support and active support for Israel is the U.S. Government is the most vocal population where people are tearing down signs of hostages in the name of human rights but they don't say anything about the international Red Cross not getting access to them. That just shows that it's not human rights that are pushing them. Unfortunately for lack of a better word they're being used as useful idiots for Hamas propaganda and that is unfortunate. Luckily we're talking about the rescue of Israeli soldier Private Ory Megadish from Gaza. Let's go back to the issue of hostages with the days of the October 7 attack a team of over 1,000 professionals and volunteers built a giant headquarters in Tel Aviv to help the families of the hostages and much more. It's called the Hostages and Missing Family Forum where those families are giving a warm hug and mental health to their families. I'm going to show you the best way to help them walk. With every minute of every day the battle to bring home the 239 hostages intensifies. I feel it every day when I wake up in the morning I can sometimes wake up okay and filled with energy and sometimes I'm like I'm not getting out of bed. I can't even walk with her because I keep remembering how Romy used to come sleepovers and she was supposed to guard my dog when I was supposed to be at Australia right now. Yarden Gonen the older sister of 23 year old Romy Gonen refuses to give up hope and like so many other families of the kidnapped they have a place to call home. Okay so try to imagine that only black in your eyes if you're like you're going to collapse every minute you don't know what to do or who to speak with who to go to and there are a bunch of people that say it's okay I'm holding you we have the facilities we have the strengths we have the connections and we will make it through together. You have a family here is it taking care of you whether you're here or not and we will bring them home. The hostages and missing family forum has been a lifeline a giant center that sprung into action immediately after the tragedy of October 7th. We had to hit the ground running because it was an emergency nobody planned for it we didn't have months to prepare for it the strategy was to put maximum pressure on whoever can make sure that we bring them home as soon as possible only ongoing civil emergency in Israel every day that passes poses a danger to the people out there. A team of over 1,500 volunteers from many different industries are working around the clock and the Tel Aviv space is growing so fast that they relocated today to a larger facility. Neva Ben Sion is one of about 25 mental health professionals volunteering full time to help families cope. We're hoping other people is my business so that's what I do and when everything started I knew that I had to do something you need to understand that the people that you meet here are the most strong people they're put together they're fighting they're in fight mode and for that they need to be strong and resilient and this is what they do and we are here to to support that because it's a roller coaster. The hostages and missing family forum also has the top brains in the medical, diplomatic, legal and forensic industries on the case. The most experienced negotiators in these kind of situations be it the previous head of Mosa the head of that previous head of Shin Bet. What we're trying to do is to make sure that every ambassador in Israel has family stories and make sure that their government is doing their outmost we're sending delegations all over the world and the media, communications and social media volunteers also have a huge task when it comes to battling the international wave of anti-Semitism and anti-Israel rhetoric and it's immediate and it's the most costly part of it all over the world. Social media we have billboards, we have those trucks in every country in the world and for Yarden Gonen and other families like her they will never lose hope This right here shows what Amir Swahil is Right here, could you put this in your words? Yeah, wow, exactly we always say in Hebrew that when the gals it means that when the waves get stronger you can see the strong people through them and this is exactly what's happening here, they're doing everything they just rise up from the ashes and do everything for us and Amir Israel at its best Emily Francis I-24 News And may all those families see their loved ones return safe and sound such as we did with Uri Megadish today That ends this broadcast on I-24 News but please stay with us for more on our continuing coverage of Israel's war against Hamas as day 24 comes to a close Is officially in a state of war This is a very active scene and we need to get in the car as we're talking Within a hundred soldiers and civilians have been kidnapped because we don't know what to do we just don't know anything Entire families including babies and children and elderly were butchered in their beds Awaken the giant and we are ready and we are strong Everyone is showing up This is the unity News 24 News Special broadcast here on I-24 News We continue our rolling coverage day 24 of the war here in Israel low profile high performance Megadish was kidnapped from Nachal Oz on October 7th and today she was rescued by IDF and Shin Bet Internal Security Agency FUSIS in a heroic ground operation the culmination of several days of planning Tonight she's going to sleep in her own bed So what we're seeing now it's not just ground maneuver but maneuvering the ground if you will the IDF keeping the fog so not only the leadership of Hamas and the Gaza Strip will not fully understand what is happening exactly and they will be the ones will have to make some decisions all clouded with this vagueness when while Israel ups the pressure on the ground speaking of other pressure rather what started in Dagestan in the airport there last night bloodthirsty Muslim mob looking to kill Jews will reach Heathrow at some point 500% surge in anti-Semitic incidents globally and counting Israel has traveled to many regions in Russia and on that note maybe Israel should perhaps stop trying to convince the manipulated masses and just make sure that policymakers are intact Let's take a listen to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu suggesting Uri Megadish is the first but definitely not the last I know this sense of it's not only the sense of loss that bereaved parents have it's a sense of not knowing of continuous continuous anguish so I fully understand their concern but our common assessment of all of the not only the cabinet members but also all the security forces and the military is that the ground action actually creates the possibility of getting our hostages out because Hamas will not do it unless they're under pressure they simply will not do it they only do it under pressure this creates pressure and again we obviously greeted one hostage with the open arms after yesterday's successful action by Shabak and the IDF but we're committed to getting all the hostages back home we think that this method stands a chance it's a goal that we're committed to and we want to welcome now in studio Mr. Yakov Lapin military and strategic affairs analyst at the Jewish news syndicate and also at the Miriam Institute in our very own I-24 News Senior Middle East Correspondent thank you gentlemen very much for joining us on this broadcast so we don't know much Mr. Lapin but what do we know of this privately mogadish well I think you know when defense chiefs and the war cabinet was saying that there is not a necessarily a contradiction between progressing with the ground offensive and securing the release of hostages I think this is one of the things that they had in mind they obviously couldn't go into detail before this particular operation was complete but the fact that there are more forces growing numbers of forces going into Gaza gathering intelligence and setting up these kinds of operations not only can that help free hostages but it also turns the pressure up on Hamas and kind of you know turns the table flips the table around and makes Hamas understand that time is not on its side and that it cannot play for time so I think this is also a strategic message to Hamas that if it thinks that it can play for time then it's very very wrong so perhaps first and foremost is indeed this notion that it's either or either eliminating Hamas or releasing hostages is definitely not that but rather both and even both through ground in and outs not the ground operation but a ground operation a real obviously we cannot get into much detail but we're talking about an operation that has been in the making for several days meaning specific intelligence and waiting for the right conditions to act look I disagree I think the ground invasion has begun it's happening slowly gradually and quietly but it has begun it began on Friday since Friday there is a continuous presence of Israeli troops in the northern part of the Gaza Strip and every minute and hour that goes by they're advancing more and more I mean just this afternoon we saw images of an Israeli tank south of Gaza City but most of the activity is still in rural areas not inside the cities inside the neighborhoods it is preparation this isn't the ground the stage of the ground operation that we're all waiting for the columns of the thousands of Israeli soldiers marching with the gear on their backs we may not even see those images but if we do what is happening now is in preparation for that to set the field in a way that is optimal for the forces but also to gather intel that helps with the hostages Prime Minister Netanyahu said in the press conference today that as the ground operation continues there are also finding new opportunities to use it to release the hostages so I totally agree with the Yachov's assessment I think the way at least the government, Prime Minister Netanyahu was outlining Israel's strategy regarding fighting in hostages that they're they're moving forward with the ground operation as if there are no hostages and on the other hand they're working to release the hostages as if there is no ground operation it does sound imaginary how this can play out well welcome to post October 7th everything sounds and that explains why we're working with the US on both issues but they're cooperating also militarily on the other hand Qatar which is through their TV network Al Jazeera pumping Hamas propaganda since October 7th they're the key mediator the question I was at the press conference I didn't get a chance to ask the Prime Minister a question but the question I did want to ask him is how can we say or how can he say to the Israeli public that Qatar here is mediating in good faith I don't know that he can the National Security Advisor even commending them for their positive role and as we speak it seems that the Iranian Foreign Minister of Dalyan will visit Qatar tomorrow to discuss what's happening here and this comes on the heels of the Chief of Mossad and Qatar trying to negotiate the hostage a hostage deal Mr. Lampin they're reporting no breakthrough but yes progress so of course we're under a veil and it's deliberately vague and just to touch on what we were talking about earlier for a second about the location of the ground forces that's also being kept deliberately vague but there was a very interesting statement released by the IDF this morning and it said that during the offensive you know they were spotting the location of the enemy anti-tank positions and terrorist and staging area and one of the places where soldiers spotted the enemy was the area of Al Hazar University if you look on the map of Gaza that's in Gaza City so that is a clue about how deep some of these forces may have already gone into and it's being kept vague we really don't know what the location is but that is a piece of information that the IDF published so this could be a lot deeper than we realize and Qatar's role is a lot deeper and also risks because the issue of the Hamas metro this underground city means that terrorists are coming from above ground it poses different risks to the Israeli soldiers underground there well absolutely the tunnel metro as they call it you know hundreds of kilometers of underground combat tunnels were built exactly for this purpose to enable them to move around out of the sites of the Israeli air force but the IDF has also been preparing for tunnel warfare we've seen many of these tunnels and shafts being hit by the air force you know hundreds of these targets struck in recent days and you know there are engineering corps and YAHALOM special units that have been training for years on how to destroy these tunnels using explosives and robots and various other techniques this is what they do so there is going to be a tunnel warfare as part of this war it's unavoidable and knowing where the hostages are is going to be critical because of them if not all are being kept in the tunnels so this is a very very delicate aspect of the operational planning and before we dive further into the hostage situation and the diplomatic efforts to reach about a breakthrough I-24 senior diplomatic correspondent Doin Alterman Andrew Ruslam today reporting from one of many tributes making sure that the hostage issue remain on the top of the global agenda as well let's take a look one hostage may thankfully have been rescued but more than 230 others are still in captivity in the Gaza Strip and after three weeks of this war the families of the hostages are still doing all they can to raise awareness here in Israel and around the world and the latest way that they are raising awareness here in Safra Square in central Jerusalem abutting the city's city hall is this take a look beds empty beds and empty cribs to signify those still in captivity in the Gaza Strip as for those cribs around 30 children of different ages in captivity a striking feature here in Safra Square people coming by here over the course of the day pausing walking around remembering the plight of these hostages whose cause has become a cause celeb here in Israel and around the world with a consensus of the need for their release of course thankfully the Israeli military was able to rescue one of those hostages earlier today but again still decisions may still await in terms of what to do with those remaining in captivity of course the families again doing all they can to raise awareness creatively with strong organization and obviously with sympathy from Israelis across the political spectrum and people of goodwill around the world Owen Alterman, I-24 News, Jerusalem and Mr. Alaphim before we we headed to Owen in Jerusalem we began talking the Qatari role in the mediation and the visit of the chief of Mossad there this weekend as mentioned tomorrow the Iranian Foreign Minister there what's your read of the situation the reported visit of David Balnear to Qatar and now we're hearing reports of Iran, Iranian officials visiting I think this actually symbolizes very well Qatar's role Qatar strategically has become a so-called partner to everybody it is the one to create the problem and then it emerges as the problem solver it emerges because it's a small kingdom it's decided that it's going to get into bed with everybody in the Middle East and it's going to finance Hamas and it's going to act as a mediator for Israel and it's going to host the U.S. military bases and it's going to have good relations with the Iranians and the Muslim Brotherhood at some point I think this is going to collapse because we are now in a new phase in this war and it's not only about Israel and Hamas there are two blocks here that are fighting and we just had a report a couple of hours ago about the Houthis in Yemen attacking and killing four Saudi soldiers so this is a lot broader and I think the Qatari's are going to discover later that this attempt to play everybody off against one another is not going to work very well for them in the end and speaking of those who are playing or trying to play on all different fronts let's head up north 24 news correspondent Robert Swift standing by there with the 24 news team so Robert not a single day of war without his bala activity of some sort so to an extent they can say you know we paid our dues today and yet not suggesting by any means that it cannot change any second really it seems that for the time being at least his balas comfortable with doing the minimum to an extent yeah it does seem that way the question everybody's wondered is will they enter the war or not but you know for the last three weeks now they've been making these tit for tat skirmish attacks on the northern border and it's not escalated beyond that point the Israeli military said that it had struck positions in the south of Lebanon today in response to his balas attacks his bala making mortar attacks in the far western end of Israel's northern border around the Israeli town of Shlomi and a few communities around there with the IDF responding to that mortar fire with mortars of its own and with its own larger artillery units and there was also a second attack in the center area of Israel's northern border with several anti-tank missiles being fired across the border at those the communities there and again with the Israeli military responding with artillery fire but yeah as you say at the minute it does seem to be just yet another day of these tit for tat skirmishes and Robert interestingly enough not because his bala is all of a sudden falling in love with Israel but a Lebanese journalist and pundit and politicians associated with his bala are speaking up against Hamas's Khalid Marshall saying he is saying that he expected more and they are in turn somewhat shushing him yeah there has been sort of signs of frustration beginning to emerge between between these two groups it's worth noting that you know each one is a separate organization Hamas or Sunni, Hezbollah, Shi'i they are not one and the same both of them may at times share agendas but at other times in the past they have been very much on opposite ends of the side so yeah a question is to see how far they will work in tandem in this and as Israel continues to apply more pressure to Hamas and possibly also to Hezbollah we may see that alliance it doesn't go the whole way well remains to be seen of course hopefully that stays the case at 24 news correspondent Robert Swift on the northern border with Lebanon thank you very much from this and from north we are adding south 24 news correspondent Hamas Elhout with the I-24 news team there underground Hamda thank you very much for joining us so what's the latest what's happening underground now Hey LED Israeli military continuing to strike targets inside of the Gaza Strip both with airstrikes and artillery fire two rockets actually landing in the city of Qatar our camera just show you over there this is a rocket that fell in what's considered an open area and the fire is still burning there the problem is is that rescue teams like firefighters can't really get this close to the border at these hours under the blanket of darkness out of fears of them being targeted we saw this happen similarly in previous escalations along the border the Israeli military now from the side of the Gaza Strip we've been seeing a lot of cluster type of munitions falling from the sky after rockets had been fired from Gaza now the Israeli military also apparently targeting a rocket launching site inside of the Gaza Strip we were able to see a huge explosion from exactly where the rockets landed so the situation continuously developing constantly evolving the Israeli prime minister has said tonight that he's calling for a ceasefire is asking Israel to surrender an indication that the war will go on for some time thank you very much for this back here in studio with Mr. Yakov Lapin in our very owner Riala Siron thank you our gentlemen for staying with us I do want us to circle back if you will to what's happening up north because I find it quite interesting and again we don't have that but that we do hear voices of again politicians and pundits and generals that are affiliated with Hezbollah stressing it's not that Israel is to their liking all of a sudden but they do get more critical on Hamas leadership abroad in particular yes well look I think you know the way it was presented in the report is very accurate that Hamas is the goal of fighting and ultimately destroying the state of Israel they're both Islamist organizations and they're united by this anti Israelism as a concept but it's also true that a lot separates them during the Syrian civil war they found themselves on completely opposite sides of the fence with Hamas supporting the Sunnis and Hezbollah of course fighting on behalf of the Assad United Hamas also has positions set up in southern Lebanon under the watch of Hezbollah and this has been set up by Iran with Iranian assistance so there is an attempt to create this access and it is in play and I think you know ultimately it will be Hezbollah and Iran alone that will decide how far they're going to enter this war I don't think they even made the decision just to put things in perspective we have six Israelis who have been killed in the past and any one of these you know days things could escalate even if they don't plan on doing it so the idea that it's a low intensity conflict now low intensity high risk very very high risk and the fact that they're willing to take this risk I think that's the most important thing they are willing to go to war that doesn't mean that they're jumping into it but they're willing to do it and I think that says a lot about how they're going to take this issue and perhaps the term the fog of war is not just theoretical at this stage but rather a very practical tool this ambiguity and in disrespect when Israel is perhaps trying to to call the shots to dictate the agenda maybe it should play Hamas's game as in a table proposal it knows the other side will never agree to but it should be the one to you know to trigger to rule the discourse to rule the news cycle if you will Ariel. Well at the end of the day it's who do you want to control your own fate and I think as far as Israel is concerned it wants to be in control of its own fate as much as possible it's trying to through through operations to bring the release of hostages and while I do think that the successful location and release of the soldier the other night I think that is putting Hamas on more alert higher alert don't know how successful future operations and this kind will be and if we're listening to how what Hamas is saying this evening we are there are little concerned from what happened because if we're talking about Kata where is Hamas choosing to respond on an interview to Al Jazeera Hazem Qasem one of the terror groups spokespeople saying that Israel will not get back its hostages except through an exchange deal that includes all our prisoners so there's basically two points in the statement one the fact that they managed to get it through an operation that they're saying that this is a one off it won't happen again if Israel wants its hostages they must go through the negotiation avenue which brings it to the to the threshold of Qatar and the other side of that the other part is the all for all all of Palestinian security prisoners we're talking about over 6000 in Israeli jails for 239 or 38 hostages held by Hamas they've been pushing this from day one and they're reiterating it now with the concern that Israel has had operational success in releasing its hostages albeit only one but we're just in the beginning but it seems that the more pressure on Hamas the more the their incentive Mr. Lapin to keep the hostages safe while being you know as good as possible under these conditions because this is their only leverage to an extent it is it's their only leverage and look I think you know the concern here is that Hamas may not only be interested in a swap because they understand that the paradigm has changed and Israel has openly declared that the purpose of this war is to destroy Hamas now if that's the case how much Hamas to get these prisoners back it will help them in the long run perhaps that could show off that they managed to do this but what if they don't even survive as a regime and a terror army and therefore the suspicion is that what they're trying to do is take the momentum out of Israel's war slow it down keep the negotiations going until something else happens American pressure or the north ignites and that could be what they're really trying to do that could be more complicated and even if Israel you know would be open to an all for all exchange which you know has to be considered for the sake of these poor people who are being held in Gaza's tunnels including infants and the elderly but that Hamas may not even be serious about that offer and its real goal might be I'm just saying it as one possibility is to slow Israel's momentum down so that is something that the war cabinet is going to have to weigh up and process as it continues we do need to be cautious especially after what the lesson in modesty that we all got on October 7th I think we need to be careful in how we read into these kinds of reports because it was just about two to three weeks prior to October 7th when there was this amplification of riots on the border, Lebanese media and also some Israeli outlets were pushing the fact that driving these riots is discontent with Qatari money not enough Qatari money is going in and that's why they're doing these testing explosive devices on the fence and all that I think we need to remember to look first and foremost not at what people are saying but what the sides are doing and despite what may seem as cracks in the other side Hamas leadership and Hezbollah leadership Ahmed and Beirut last week and so I don't know how many gaps there really are between the sides at the end of the day they've been coordinating this together they've been meeting together for weeks and months leading up to this and so we do need to be careful that not only they're trying to take the momentum out of Israel's operation but maybe trying to in Hebrew you say to make us all drowsy to put us to sleep basically and that could just be another example of what we're seeing right now it worked prior to October 7 and all of us need to be more vigilant and aware moving forward 100% agree with that I listen to you and I feel and I refrain from using the term feel or feeling because it is truly how people feel at this point in time when we're talking about strategic maneuvers and tactics etc but it seems as if we're all becoming emotional chameleons to an extent because I can see my physical reaction it is all appending the last person I've listened to sometimes I get to such lows and then those peaks of confidence and it's really the objectives on the ground do not change so drastically but the analysis does so maybe the best advice is to listen to us to the fund it's in studios just to get a clear sense of what's happening this is going to be a long war and we all have to steal ourselves for that I think we're dealing with a very brutal enemy it does not think like us it does not act like us it has no value for human life not for our side of course and not for their own and I think we have to internalize that as we process the shock of October 7th and the trauma which is going to accompany us for probably generations and this is psychological cognitive terrorism it's an accompanying part of their strategy and being aware of that I think is very important thinking everybody who's listening to us aware of that I think is no no for sure I did not it was obviously it's just this issue of again to stop trying to rationalize the enemy with your own rationale because it's simply not the same it seems alright gentlemen a quick break and we're back with our rolling coverage with Israel visit israelbonds.com and invest now 1300 people murdered and more than 3000 injured and the war with Hamas continues we bring you first hand testimonies from the front lines from those who survived and all the records of the atrocities by Hamas follow us as Israel fights terror from the south and north on what's going on only on I-24 news we continue our rolling coverage day 24 of the war here in Israel once their safest paradise now the torched scene of horror and trauma I-24 news correspondent Mary McCullough spoke with evacuated residents of Kibbutz Niroz who visited their homes for the first time since the October 7th massacre and from the ashes of their burned past lives they are now calling on the world let us have a future let's take a look an idyllic community burned to ashes this woman is visiting her family's house for the first time since the massacre of October 7th that turned southern Israeli communities along the Gaza border into enclaves of horror where terrorists systematically broke into homes searching for civilians to kill or kidnap burning down houses with families inside when they failed where survivors hid for 8.5 hours locked inside safe rooms waiting for rescue by the time help arrived all the terrorists had already made their way back over the border we are 400 people in this community 100 people they took a murder so once or four every four people is not with us today the devastation is apparent as are the relics of the life that once was traces of the families of the children of the grandparents who once tended their gardens everything was so set now it's gone nothing they burn our souls they really burn our souls the Kibbutz of Niroz was one of the hardest hit by the Hamas incursion into Israeli territory located under two miles from the border residents have a clear view into the Gaza Strip from this house Hadas' children fled from those who infiltrated their community last message I got from them 8.30 in the morning he told me they jumped from the window and hid in the bush behind the house but with Hamas gunmen inside the Kibbutz there's nowhere to hide the last message I got from my son was mom they've been quiet they've been terrified she hasn't heard from them since three weeks of agony she says in the small community of just 400 people there's not a person who lived here who was spared from the violence who doesn't know someone who was taken or whose family was murdered the remaining residents of Niroz left to wait to hear from their loved ones or to grieve them Mary McAuliffe, I-24 News as we speak the body count continues and today the family of 23-year-old Shani Luke was officially announced she is not being held hostage in the Gaza Strip but rather murdered Luke was kidnapped from the Nova Music Festival taken by Hamas terrorists to the Strip where she was seen lying motionless on the back of a truck disfigured after the brutal massacre in southern Israel a video was released the same day October 7th showing a mob in Gaza spitting and beating a woman with torn clothing Luke was later identified by her leg tattoo Israeli President Isaac Herzog today revealing that the young German-Israeli was beheaded German Chancellor Olaf Schulz reacting to this horrific piece of news let's take a listen for me this is terrible news a human being has been brutally murdered and it shows all the barbarity behind the Hamas attack and Hamas must be held accountable for this and be brought to justice and that is why it is absolutely clear to us that Israel has a right to defend itself against Hamas and their continuing intention to carry out terrorist attacks of this kind but it is terrible and it shows the mindsets of the perpetrators there is no justification and it is something that we as human beings can only deplore yes and you know 24 days we've been saying those words and yet the mind the soul cannot even comprehend what it means the levels of brutality the cruelty cannot probably should not ever be comprehended by the human mind and yet cannot alongside the so many too many evidence of severely mutilated bodies there are clear guidelines also Hamas there is carried with them where you can find permission and even encouragement to commit the most heinous sexual abuse acts such that the mouth really cannot even say out loud and we want to turn now to Ori Soliziano Executive Director of the Association of Rape Crisis Centers in Israel Ori, thank you very much for speaking to us tonight as said so many too many indications the worst of the worst happened might still be happening what can you tell us first of all everybody must be very very careful because people who live in Israel and us in the Association of Rape Crisis Centers we have got information about horrible atrocities taking place including also sexual crimes this kind of information is very very delicate and there's a big big will not to talk about it because the people who survived will always feel always you can feel horrible but this kind of thing is something that even the mind cannot comprehend you know this war this horrific war brutal sadist and horrific war also many things were also photographed or filmed and people who like I guess are in social media saw like I did also some evidence of I don't want to get into graphic kind of explanation but information that could make you believe that horrible sex war crimes took place also you know there were also photographs of the hostages that indeed can make you think that they have passed horrible things so this is a very very horrible thing it have never never happened in the Israeli society before we have never had to deal with such a thing and I'm thinking while I'm talking now about the parents whose daughters and maybe sons also just now might be or did pass these kind of atrocities and on one hand we should be very very careful but on the other hand we're hearing about the anti-semitism in the world and the disbelief and so to that point you as the leader of this organization you've reached out to international women's organizations but like many other global bodies or self-proclaimed humanitarian, liberal entities etc when it comes to Israelis and Jews different story here yeah you know I cannot really as an Israeli as a scientist and as a daughter myself I'm a daughter of a Auschwitz survivor which was as a young child in Auschwitz I don't know if she would never talk to my mother never talked about what happened to her but she has passed horrible things and you know I'm her descendant and when I see this disbelief in the whole wide world I really become very very angry because what happened in Israel was a brutal planned attack planned atrocities planned this rape as we have heard from the Hamas the terrorists that were interrogated I don't know if somebody there in the wide world can imagine how suddenly in the morning somebody enters your house when you're asleep or just woke up and from zero to 100 from a relaxed regular life you find yourself but only until October 6 you were working on a daily basis with your parallels in Britain and in France and in Germany and in the US you're all part of the same cause and yet when you reach out to them on October 8 they're not there this is horrible maybe this is very deep anti-Semitism you know very deep rooted anti-Semitism and not understand I mean I don't want to go now to all this political discourse but you know everybody who promotes human rights and I of course I'm working in this job human rights and women's rights and men's rights are very important to me I don't know if these people in Europe and in the States liberal progressive people really saw what we saw here in Israel the photographs, the films really can understand you can talk this kind of liberal speak from today until the end of the world until forever but I want to see one person that one day his home or her home were opened and the terrorists came inside and raped, brutalized beheaded and other horrible things that happened there I want to see some of these people really what would they think how would they speak if it would have happened to them and I think they can live the far away in the liberal world in the democratic world in Europe and the United States and just talk these liberal things not understanding what's going on here yeah liberal nonsense or it's what it said we will be very happy to hear from you once you hear back from the UN and the other women's organizations that they need to protect you and rights until it has anything to do with the Israelis and Jews Ori Toletano thank you very much for this gentlemen before we continue to other issues Mr. Lapin what is your love to say about the lack of any soul digging of the liberal left still refusing I don't even know what's happening there not just not siding with Israel siding against Israel clear cut it's shocking and yet when you look at how the Islamists on campuses across the west have hooked up with modernists and neo-Marxists but it might work until October 7th no it cannot work it's the result I think of a long deep rooted process in which the Jewish people have been delegitimized the entire Zionist project has been delegitimized but it's even bigger than that it's actually ironically an anti-western alliance between these radical forces the people on the ultra-progressive left are actually the useful idiots of the Islamists they would be the first people who would be executed in an Islamic state and they are running into fear for essentially a group of genocidal jihadists and I don't think that this is something that the west can get away with because eventually it's going to turn in one way or another and affect domestic security we've already seen it happen in many western countries in France and in Britain and the United States and if it's not treated properly then it's going to continue to happen so it's not just about us but of course this hypocrisy is absolutely shocking Yaakov took the words out of my mouth unfortunately if we're looking at the forces that are pushing these movements abroad there's the Islamist groups that are the driving force as Yaakov explained but there are the useful idiots who are dragged by them who are very vocal in atrocity denial which I think there's a very clear parallel between the lengths that people are going through to deny the atrocities that were committed by Hamas on October 7th in Holocaust denial I think you'll find that there's a correlation between the two that people who deny Holocaust will also deny the atrocities but at the end of the day when you see these liberals pulling, tearing down the missing signs of hostages these same hostages are not even seen by the international red cross in the name or in the sake of liberal values it's just it is mind blowing and but it's not even what aboutism it's isolating incidents that are referring to Jews to Israelis and just applying a different standard regarding them and what's most alarming perhaps is that we're talking about the younger generation these are the leaders of tomorrow so to speak and they're all addicted to this ridiculous nonsense radical chic or whatever I don't even know how to put it but staying very much on topic let's jump to New York I'm 24 news correspondent Mike Wagenheim is joining us from there Mike before I ask you what's happening in the Democratic Party most republicans are aiming at to move forward with this bill to provide aid to Israel the glass is full if you will GOP leadership announcing a Thursday vote a price tag of 14.5 billion what can you tell us I don't know if it's actually going to get to a vote on Thursday the way it's structured right now the House filed their bill about two hours ago it's for 14.3 billion dollars in emergency funding for Israel here for defense however republicans have put in an offset of 14.3 billion dollars that would come out of the IRS as part of the inflation reduction act passed by the Biden administration that has triggered a lot of blowback from democrats who say it's a non-starter for them that emergency aid to a US ally should be kept as just that emergency aid that there should be no other political ploys at play it'll be interesting for other Republicans in the Senate react as well so this is not as straightforward a bill as we anticipated and could get very complicated politically for a lot of people in Congress in the days ahead Ali so still hurdles on Capitol Hill and yet what's happening in Biden's party are progressive of letting him be in terms of this particular bill generally his support in Israel the American administration support in Israel now Biden has gotten a lot of blowback from progressives within not only within his administration we understand within the State Department within the political operations of the Biden administration saying he hasn't done enough for the Palestinians he hasn't done enough to leverage his relationship with the Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hasn't done enough to leverage American power in terms of expediting humanitarian aid although that's come out now in the last few hours that he was able to push the Prime Minister to expedite some of that humanitarian aid in the Gaza here some say on the progressive side they're not going to vote for Biden in 2024 the alternatives though generally speak otherwise all right then okay go ahead don't vote for him that will get you very far ahead that's for certain and before we get to another phone conversation between Biden and Netanyahu last night and then those last a few minutes the White House spokesperson for national security John Kirby indeed confirming that Netanyahu committed to to expand the humanitarian aid to Gaza the Americans and the American involvement rather in what's happening as hands-on as it gets and it is likely that way I certainly so the Americans want a role in this they have said publicly that they don't intend to dictate military operations to the Israelis though they're certainly going to suggest and sometimes strongly suggest certain things but in the end we'll leave it to the Israelis to take care of their business on the humanitarian front though the Americans have been quite vocal out of the White House and the State Department about what they say they need to see out of the Netanyahu government here it's number one it shows that the White House is able to get something done that you have some leverage and on Netanyahu's side it shows he's willing to work with the Biden White House to accomplish certain things that they want to win and of course the civilians in Gaza so win-win-win going all around the block here on this last agreement win-win-win Mike Wagenheim I 24 News senior U.S. correspondent thank you very much for this gentlemen here in studio the humanitarian aid issue hasn't happened and yet no one's demanding the Red Cross for example to get any humanitarian sign from 239 hostages yeah and the Red Cross doesn't seem to be jumping ahead and volunteering for that task or releasing any statements calling on Hamas for that access which is the most basic requirement you would expect during the time of war civilians already abducted as a war crime no access whatsoever just passes you know under the radar that ties back I think to other things saying in the studio but we are seeing you know Israel opening up more and more channels for this mechanism that the U.S. and the Egyptians have put together inserting humanitarian zones in southern Gaza opening up those corridors from Gaza City and northern Gaza for Palestinian civilians to move south into those zones they're getting food water medicine trucks are coming in they're being inspected on the Israeli side because there are fears of what could be happening in Hamas and also once they're in Gaza they're being monitored to make sure that any fuel doesn't end up serving Hamas's war machine we shouldn't worry about Hamas because according to reports they managed to stock up for roughly four months of fighting so they're good to go well I mean do you want to complete your thought go ahead I think you know there's the question before but as we saw more than once since this began once they're in Gaza under the hands of UN organizations in their warehouses it doesn't mean they're safe just over the weekend more additional warehouses that are storing this exact aid that is arriving via Egypt these were stormed and looted by thousands of Gazans and you connect and who knows where these things are going to end up Israel said that if this ends up in the hands of Hamas it will be targeted it will be thwarted and just nine days into the war UNRA the UN special relief agency for Palestinians issued a statement on twitter saying that 24,000 liters of fuel were stolen from their warehouses as well as medical equipment they had since deleted those tweets but if we're looking at that event in addition to this event there's videos of people running storming out of these warehouses just carrying whatever they can there's really no monitoring so the monitor inside Gaza the monitoring of it is questionable at least I do just want to comment on the cooperation between Israel and the United States in the press conference earlier today with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu once he left to go back running the war as he called it Israel's Minister for Strategic Affairs Ron Dürmer took the stage and he said that over the past 24 days Netanyahu and Biden have spoken over the phone between 10 and 12 times saying that the level of cooperation he said I was ambassador for Israel and the US for seven and a half years the level of cooperation that we've seen between the two countries is unprecedented I think that is on the one hand a show of support by the Biden administration but also an attempt to try and keep a watchful eye on the steps of Israel as they move forward 10-12 phone conversations in 24 days that indeed shows between the two leaders not to talk about the lower ranks did the top officials in ongoing communication as well moving now to to the world because we're talking about 500% 500% surge in anti-Semitic incidents globally so the war in Israel is nothing it's not just a feeling you know what the threat is real it's not confined in any geographical borders and it's not just contemporary form of anti-Semitism that is concerning a surgeon calls for the annihilation of Israel and direct threats to Jewish communities worldwide all over the world in France it seems so much so there are bomb threats to Jewish schools some of them reportedly evacuated across Paris in its suburbs this morning so we're heading now to Paris journalist Eduardo Quay joining us Eduardo thank you very much for your time this evening what can you tell us what security reassurances are there in the Jewish community in France well as you mentioned there have been about 20 bomb threats to Jewish schools over the last couple of days some children have been sent home the police have been looking to see if they do find bombs in these schools curiously enough the I'm sorry the the school system in France is on vacation because of all saints they but of course Jewish schools are not on vacation but these bomb threats are only part of what has been happening here since October 7th where regional airports have been closed multiple times because of bomb threats they've been bomb threats of course to regular non-Jewish schools to synagogues as well the government says that it has 10,000 policemen across the country protecting around 500 sensitive sites they have arrested more than 20 people since Saturday just since last Saturday and there have been more than 800 anti-semitic acts since October 7th that's more than in all of 2022 over 800 anti-semitic sites about 414 people have been arrested according to the Interior Ministry so it is a very difficult time for the French Jewish community there are more Jews in France than anywhere else except for of course Israel and the United States but there are also more Muslims in France than anywhere else in Europe about 6 million of them anti-semitic acts have been rising sharply in France over the last several years long before the October 7th invasion and in order to briefly if you may please it seems that it all connects to the very vivid French trauma from Islamic terrorism suggesting that 72% fear a similar terror attack could happen in France too so it seems that despite those anti-israel Hamas protests in the street there is an understanding that at the end of the day it's the same war yes that's right and it's as I said the French find themselves