79 hostages still remain in Hamas captivity; three captives will be returned in the next three releases, after which 11 more will be freed in the final day of the ceasefire's Phase One

These last few days in Israel have been a whirlwind of joy, hope, and despair. 18 hostages have been released since the ceasefire went into effect (including 5 Thai citizens, held by Hamas for no other crime than working the fields of the kibbutzim where they were captured), including nearly all of the women and two of the oldest hostages. As we celebrate their releases, each hostages helps to bring us closer to the endpoint. But then, their horrifical stories emerge, the constant threat of death and violence they faced daily, and the fear that they would never return.

Add to that the disgusting show of “strength” by Hamas and the Islamic Jihad during the releases, and you can understand what it’s very hard to remain positive despite the release of these true heroes.

And, of course, there is no clear information as to the fate of Shiri, Ariel and Kfir Bibas, the little red-headed boys taken on October 7, and the release of Yarden Bibas, the father, only highlights this terrible unknown. Who is still alive and who is not? The names of those that will be released by the end of this first phase is known, but not whether they are alive or dead. And so we wait, and pray together with the families of the hostages.

The hostages are coming home. Three-at-time. Four-at-time… Every day brings news of those who are finally being released from Hamas hell and captivity, but every day, another family sees their hope die, as their loved one remains in captivity. Last week saw the release of Romi, Emily, and Doron. This week we saw four brave female soldiers, paraded by Hamas like trophies, finally released back to Israel. But with that release Hamas reneged on the agreement to release all civilian women first (Arbel Yehud, Shiri Bibas) and a full list of those being released.

And so, Israel refused to allow the Palestinians back into northern Gaza until Hamas agreed to meet the terms. Then, finally, the announcement that Arbel, Agam Berger (another female soldier) and third, unnamed hostage (possibly American-Israeli Keith Siegel), would be released as early as this Thursday.

This lack of clarity and uncertainty has created a tension so intense in Israel you can feel it in the air.

Romi, Doron and Emily coming home and physically able to first meet with their families is great news! Getting Oron Shaul’s body back after over 10 years is also a relief. But we also know that the price of this “deal” is exorbitantly high.

The comparisons made in the press worldwide of a “prisoner exchange,” whereby innocent civilians kidnapped from their homes are equated with hardened criminals, mass murders and rapists, sets a precedent that will probably justify and encourage future kidnappings elsewhere. And yet — we hope that the deal will continue until the last remaining hostage is released.

According to Eve Young of the Jerusalem Post, the facility will include 10,000 square meters of AI data center infrastructure, and will be among the largest and most powerful data center labs in Israel.

According to Meytal Vaizberg of Israel’s financial newspaper, Globes, nVidia recently proposed a unique arrangement - raising the tax rate in Israel to 9% on activity.

This week we’ve decided to highlight the difference between how both President Biden and President-elect Donald Trump have put aside ego and narrow political interests to prioritize and save lives, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin “Bibi” Netanyahu prioritizes personal ego and political gain at the expense of his own citizens. Regardless of whether you prefer Biden or Trump, both deserve credit. We are all aware of Donald Trump’s ego and Biden’s current desire to leave a positive legacy, but both have chosen to work together, putting aside personal egos and political differences, and agreeing to share credit to push a hostage deal over the finish line before Trump takes office.

The fact that Trump's representative, Steve Witkoff, is present alongside US Secretary of State Antony Blinken during the negotiations is both unusual and important. Witkoff’s presence ensures that promises (and threats) made by the current administration represent promises of both administrations. Prioritizing substance over ego also sends a strong signal to Bibi, his political allies, Hamas, Iran, Turkey, Qatar and all other countries in the region where Hamas leaders are welcome or may seek safe haven.  

On the Israeli side, soldiers are risking their lives every day to try and find save their fellow citizens held in captivity; and all, but a small minority made up primarily of political hacks and messianic nut-jobs, are doing whatever they can to keep the hostage issue front and center. But Bibi and the members of his democratically elected coalition are doing all they can to shift the blame for their failure and to stay in power until they succeed.

In the meantime, the coalition is raiding the Israeli treasury to provide jobs to friends and supporters; increasing the national debt over and above the needs of war and reconstruction; systematically dismantling every competing source of power regardless of the consequences; and doing everything in their power to fragment the population into competing groups.

These are serious accusations that we are making, but we are not the only the only ones who see this. We hear it daily in the streets from people on all sides of the political divide - Jewish-Israelis, Arab-Israelis and Druze-Israelis. We hear it from people who are totally secular, religious Jews (the so-called knitted-kippot/yarmulkes), and even ultra-orthodox Haredi.

This week we focus on the video with signs of life from Liri Albag, 19, one of the 100 hostages being held in Gaza that Hamas released over the weekend. We then summarize the additional events of the past week like the possible end of UNRWA operations, the latest corruption scandal in Israel, the continued spread of antisemitism worldwide, and an organized attempt to terrorize young Israelis who served in the IDF traveling overseas that could easily spread to young Americans who served in the U.S. Armed Forces.

The video shows Liri, 19, in what appears to be some kind of military uniform, her eyes gaunt and haunted, and her mental state apparent.

“This is not the Liri we know” her parents said about the video of their daughter, and said her “difficult mental state is evident” as it appears in the three-and-a-half-minute video, where she appeals to government to work on hostage deal “as if your children were there”.

The timing of the three-and-a-half-minute-long video is not accidental; the video was not dated, although Liri stated in it that she has been held for over 450 days, which indicates that the video that it was filmed recently.

Albag, a surveillance soldier, was stationed at the Nahal Oz military base close to the Gaza border when thousands of Hamas-led terrorists poured into Israel from the Palestinian enclave. Fifteen surveillance soldiers were killed in the onslaught, and Albag was abducted to Gaza along with six others.

There doesn’t appear to be any movement in the negotiations to free hostages being held by Hamas - now 450 days! So this week we focus on a new report presented to the United Nations documenting the conditions of those that were being held, released, and subsequently treated in Israel. We have a call to action that is simple - but might take you out of your comfort zone.

Anyone tuning into the Israeli investigative and current affairs television program, Uvda (meaning "Fact") last week could be forgiven for thinking they'd inadvertently tuned into a Francis Ford Coppola movie: a mob family led by a man and his wife with enormous power and influence turning a small country into their own little kingdom/mafia territory.

But it wasn't a movie. The expose of the Netanyahus — plural, that's correct — revealed a secret network that operated out of Balfour Street in Jerusalem (the official residence of the prime minister), where a multi-armed octopus was activated in an almost limitless manner and targeted political opponents. The network also included a a close connection to a senior police officer, who would later also become the Police Commissioner.

And now, dozens are said to have filed complaints against Sara Netanyahu after the report alleging dirty deeds; in addition, an opposition MK and a good governance group are urging an official probe after the TV report said PM’s wife sought to intimidate witness in Netanyahu's trial, and organize protests against rivals.

This week reminds us of Howard Cosell’s most famous quote in reverse. Rather than “snatching a strategic victory from the jaws of the Oct. 7 defeat”, our political leaders are busy “snatching strategic defeat from the jaws of military victories”.

To be absolutely clear, on Oct. 7 Israel suffered its greatest defeat and the wars in Gaza and Lebanon can never truly be considered a victory. We would gladly have avoided it all; and if we could turn back the clock we would prevent it from happening.  But it did happen and the IDF has since had amazing victories on the battlefield that have effectively removed many of the most dangerous threats against Israel (and the world as a whole). While we credit our brave soldiers who paid, and continue to pay, a heavy price; we believe that it could have ended sooner if our political leaders were more focused on the needs of the country rather than their own narrow political interests.

This week, rather than build on the unity of the soldiers in the field and strengthen Israel, the coalition government has focused its energy on bringing back divisive legislation that threatens to cause Israel to implode. Is this an exaggeration? Maybe, but based on the internal turmoil of the 10 months that preceded Oct. 7 - this apocalyptic scenario is quite real.

Many (possibly most) Israelis are truly scared that Israel is on the path to something closer to a dictatorship or monarchy that rules over its subjects than a democracy that serves its citizens. To be fair, some of those who support the “judicial reforms” fear that our Supreme Court has overstepped its authority to the point of preventing an elected government from governing. The fear of judicial overreach is not totally without basis; for years the Court itself has tried to return issues to the Knesset rather than make rulings.

Unlike the United States, Israel does not have a written constitution, a true separation of powers, or term limits on the Prime Minister. In Israel, the Executive Branch effectively controls the Legislative Branch and the only independent sources of power are the Judicial Branch and the Civil Service. After nearly 15 years in office (with a short 1 1/2 year interlude), Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has managed to destroy much of the independence of the top Civil Servants by appointing mediocre people who are afraid or unable to stand up to him. Leaders of both the military and other security services who did not subscribe to his “conception” that Hamas could be bought off were not promoted - and all signs to the contrary were ignored until Oct. 7, 2023.