Israel Blog

The Hostages are Returning Home

Over the last days, the excitement in Israel increased from hour to hour. Finally, an agreement between Israel and the terrorist organization Hamas, which promises the return of all hostages – whether alive or dead. Today the day has come. Hamas released all hostages whose life they spared and brought them to Israel with the help of the International Red Cross. However, only 4 of the 28 hostages killed by Hamas are being delivered today, contrary to the agreement. During the negotiations, Hamas spoke of 15 bodies that they could initially hand over to Israel. The remaining bodies would have to be searched for and excavated.

Israel awaits the return of all the kidnapped, the living and the dead
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author Hamas, Israel No Comments

Two Years since October 7

To the day, two years passed since October 7, when Hamas attacked Israel. The calendar says that we are supposed to celebrate the Jewish holiday of Sukkot. On this years Feast of Tabernacles commemorating the exodus from Egypt, the mood is not for celebration. There are still about 20 surviving hostages held by the Palestinian Hamas in Gaza. And as to the dead hostages kept by Hamas, their families deserve to bury them in Israel.

Sticker with “Never forget Nova” at a bomb shelter on the Nova festival site where Hamas massacred hundreds of partygoers
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author Hamas, History, Palestinian Authority No Comments

Important: Travel Authorization

Starting January 1, 2025, tourists from visa-exempt countries are required to apply for an Electronic Travel Authorization to Israel (ETA-IL). You can apply for it via the official government website and you should do so once you have booked your flight(s).

For more information and eligibility: Population and Immigration Authority

The application form can be found here: Apply for an ETA-IL

Advice: Beware of fraudulent websites/companies who take exorbitant fees. As of this writing, the fee at the Israeli government website is 25 NIS, or around $8.

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Hostages

Yesterday was another weekly rally at Hostages Square, the plaza in front of the Tel Aviv Museum of Art. Moderator Lior Ashkenazi read from the protocol of the security cabinet that was held on Thursday evening. In the ceasefire deal with Hamas, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu decided to keep control of the Philadelphi corridor. The Philadelphi corridor is a narrow strip running along the border between Gaza and Egypt. The Gaza-Egypt border has been a major smuggling route of weapons for Hamas. Tunnels so large that cars can drive through have been discovered during Israel Defense Force (IDF) operations along the Egyptian border.

Rally for the release of the hostages that are held by the Hamas terror regime
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author News No Comments

Hostage Rescue

On Saturday around noon, my wife runs into the room and shouts “they rescued four hostages!” Months after months we got only bad news: young soldiers killed on a daily basis; bodies of dead hostages recovered by the IDF (Israel Defense Forces); bombardment at the Northern border to Lebanon (courtesy of the Iran-proxy Hezbollah); growing antisemitism around the world; to name but a few. A couple of weeks ago Hamas even showed us that they can still indiscriminately attack the Tel Aviv region with their rockets, a population center with 4 million people.

Screen showing the four Israeli hostages that were rescued earlier that day from Gaza – another 120 Israeli hostages are still kept by Hamas, among them women and children, including a baby
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Faces of Israel

I’ve already posted about the weekly rallies for the release of the hostages. Somehow I’m drawn to this gathering of people who are united by the wish of saving the lives of the Israeli hostages in Gaza. I’m captivated and deeply moved by the faces I see at these rallies – the faces of Israel.

No, they don’t represent all of Israel. But certainly a substantial part if not the majority. These faces show the worrying, the grieving, the agony, and the hope of the people of Israel to get the loved ones back home alive, to find an end to the war.

Rally for the release of the hostages held by the Palestinian terror regime Hamas for 238 days
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author Hamas, United Nations No Comments

Beautiful People

We are going through a difficult time here. The October 7 massacre is still fresh in our mind, and it is relived every single day by the relatives and friends of the hostages held in captivity by the Hamas terror regime.

Avivit Yablonka, sister of Hanan Yablonka, whose dead body was recovered the day before, speaks at the rally for the release of the Hamas hostages
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This is Israel – Day 225

Update May 23, 2024: Note some updated, more descriptive photo captions!

I don’t believe I’m writing this. Over 130 hostages are still in Hamas captivity – more than 225 days now. Only 18 countries signed a petition to release the Israeli hostages held by the terror regime Hamas. For the record, these countries are: Argentina, Austria, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Colombia, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Spain, Thailand, United Kingdom, and the USA. The other 175 member states of the UN probably don’t care!

Montana Tucker sings the Israeli anthem “HaTikva” (hope) at a rally for the release of the hostages in Hamas captivity
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author Hamas No Comments

The UN and Hamas

A couple of days ago Iran was appointed to chair the UN human rights meeting in Geneva. Yet another blunder on the side of the UN who seems to have misplaced their own textbook on human rights. Let me help you find it – it’s here: https://www.un.org/en/about-us/universal-declaration-of-human-rights. If I recall correctly, the United Nations was created to prevent war and stand up for human rights. Iran openly and actively supports the Hamas terror regime in Gaza. It provides weapons to Hamas, to the Hezbollah in Lebanon and to Syria for the purpose of destroying Israel. Iran arms the Hoothi rebels in Yemen and is involved in armed conflicts against Middle Eastern states and their Western allies. It also supplies weapons to Russia for its war against Ukraine. Add to that the human rights abuses inside Iran and its nuclear program and you get the picture.

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author Hamas, United Nations No Comments