DAY 389 OF THE WAR: Four Soldier Killed in Gaza, One Dies of Wounds From Lebanon, Potential Lebanon Agreement, Hostage Deal?

Tel Aviv Diary, September 29, 2024

Today has been yet another difficult day, beginning with two drones advancing much further than they should have into the country. One drone, originating from Yemen, made it all the way to Ashkelon. Then, a drone from Lebanon exploded on a pedestrian bridge in Nahariya above a busy intersection. Thankfully, the only damage was to a train carriage below, where a window was shattered.

Shortly afterward, Hezbollah fired 50 rockets at the Northern Galilee. While most were intercepted, a few rockets did land, including one that struck the town of Ma’alot-Tarshiha. This rocket directly hit an apartment, tragically killing Muhammad Naim (24), just as he was about to enter a bomb shelter. The explosion also damaged the nearby mosque.

Not long after that, the grim announcement came: “Hutar l’pirsum”. I had already heard that one soldier had been killed, but it was then confirmed that four soldiers had fallen in Gaza. This month, the total number of soldiers lost in Gaza alone has reached 19. The fallen are: Cpt. Yehonatan “Joni” Keren (22), from Moledet; Staff Sgt. Nisim Meytal (20), from Hadera; Staff Sgt. Aviv Gilboa (21), from Neve Tzuf; and Staff Sgt. Naor Haimov (22), from Rosh Ha’ayin.

The four soldiers were killed during overnight operations in Jabalya, in northern Gaza, an area where a division has been active for nearly a month—despite that region supposedly being cleared by the IDF twice before. The soldiers entered a building and secured the first floor. When the soldiers ascended to the second floor, an IED detonated, resulting in their deaths and seriously injuring another soldier.

Tonight, it was announced that Master Sergeant (res.) Yedidia Bloch (31) of Mevo Choron died of wounds he sustained on the 24th in South Lebanon.

POTENTIAL AGREEMENT WITH LEBANON

There are indications that a ceasefire may be nearing on the Lebanese front. It appears that all involved parties are close to agreeing on the framework of a new deal, which would essentially be a more robust version of U.N. Resolution 1701. The proposed agreement calls for a gradual, phased Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon, while the Lebanese Army, along with reinforced UNIFIL troops, including German and possibly British forces, would assume control in southern Lebanon.

Under this agreement, Hezbollah would be restricted to areas north of the Litani River. One critical element of the agreement grants Israel the right to take action against Hezbollah forces if they are discovered south of the Litani. Sources indicate that both the Lebanese government and Hezbollah may have accepted the terms, and the Israeli government has hinted that an agreement might be imminent. While it’s premature to celebrate, there is a hint of optimism.

Today, Defense Minister Gallant announced that 80% of Hezbollah's rocket capabilities have been destroyed.

HOSTAGES

The Foreign Minister of Qatar stated that significant progress has been made toward achieving a deal for a ceasefire and the release of hostages. That being said, the feasibility of reaching a conclusive agreement remains uncertain. In a recent meeting with Likud Knesset members, Prime Minister Netanyahu expressed willingness to consider a limited deal but reiterated his refusal to end the war. Meanwhile, Hamas continues to contend that it will only accept a deal that concludes the war. Reports tonight from Israeli media suggest that a new proposal is on the table, offering a one-month ceasefire in exchange for the release of 9 – 11 hostages.

INJURIES & CASUALTIES OF THIS WAR

The Ministry of Defense has announced that since October 7th, 12,000 soldiers have been wounded—two-thirds of whom sustained physical injuries, while the remaining third suffer from post-traumatic stress. Additionally, since the commencement of operations in Lebanon, there have been 900 additional injuries reported.

Overall, the number of wounded veterans receiving assistance from the Ministry of Defense has increased by 20% this past year.

Today, Bituach Leumi (the National Insurance Institute), announced that since October 7th, 896 civilians have been killed.

AID INTO GAZA

A friend and reader shared an article with me, indicating that October was the month that saw the least amount of aid entering into Gaza. Upon reading the piece, I was perplexed, especially given the demands from the US. Initially, I thought the information could not be accurate. However, here is a chart from the IDF that confirms these details. I cannot explain this situation.

PROTESTS AT HA’ARETZ CONFERENCE IN LONDON

Haaretz hosted a conference in London, which faced protests. Once again, Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, a Palestinian American journalist and current fellow at the Atlantic Council, commented on the situation in the post below. It is worth noting that while Alkhatib often criticizes some of our enemies, he is also a vocal critic of our actions in Gaza.

Here’s what Alkhatib wrote:

Imagine yelling hateful, pro-terrorism slogans outside the conference of the Israeli newspaper Haaretz. This publication has done so much to humanize Palestinians, challenge the Israeli government’s narratives, undermine right-wing extremism, promote pro-peace and contrarian Jewish and Israeli voices, and detail the horrors and unimaginable suffering of Gazans during the war. This is an instance where these supposed “pro-Palestine” imbeciles are motivated by one thing and one thing only: their deeply held antisemitic hate for anything Jewish. By screaming repulsive slogans in support of the slave-owning Houthis, Hamas, and other terrorists or “resistance,” they are extraordinarily harmful because they push away current and prospective allies and make the pro-Palestine discourse toxic and radioactive. They delegitimize their supposed “movement” by creating a cartoonish caricature of an archetypal villain who supports violence, terrorism, and antisemitic hate in the name of solidarity with Gaza and Palestinians – truly poisonous and embarrassing.

These actions amount to nothing more than ignorant bullying, similar to when other “activists” protest Jewish pre-schools, Jewish community centers, Jewish houses of worship, Jewish medical institutions, and Jewish events and speakers. These destructive agents of chaos will readily rationalize their hateful actions by proclaiming, “We’re not antisemitic; we’re just anti-Zionists.” Unfortunately, we’ve seen a reductionist interpretation of what Zionism and Zionists to essentially mean Jews. It’s time to call it like it is and confront those “do-gooder” fools who undermine their message and interests, not to mention the Palestinian cause they proclaim to care about. At the very least, I would almost appreciate them transparently coming out openly as antisemites who are using the Palestinian issue to channel their hatred.

I call upon all who consider themselves to be true “pro-Palestine” to not only denounce these vile and despicable acts but also to make continued efforts to educate activists and delineate what constitutes helpful activism VS. destructive acts of antisemitism which is absolutely and undeniably on the rise. Holding all Jewish or Israeli people responsible for the actions of the current Israeli government in Gaza is akin to holding all Muslims responsible for 9/11, ISIS suicide bombings, or beheadings in the name of Islam.

We all can and must do better!

A WORTHWHILE READ…

One of our readers authored an excellent article that delves into the history of the ultra-Orthodox draft issue. What Happened to our Dreams—Part III, by Ian Joseph.

ECONOMY

Today, Minister of Finance Smotritch announced that this year’s deficit will exceed the projections made two months ago. Despite earlier assurances, Smotritch also stated that the budget, he initially promised by the end of the year, will not be ready until January. There is a fear that this delay may adversely impact the country's standing with credit rating agencies.

BUSINESS

Granulate

Two and a half years after purchasing it for $650 million, Intel is shutting down the operations of the Israeli startup Granulate. This decision comes amid a wave of cuts at Intel Israel and layoffs that took effect this week, and follows several months of efforts to find a buyer for Granulate’s operations. The group employs over 100 workers who are now expected to be laid off, and they may also lose part of the retention bonuses they were supposed to receive as part of the acquisition terms.

Granulate was founded in 2018 by two graduates of the Israeli Talpiot program, Asaf Ezra and Tal Sayag. The company raised about $45 million before its sale in 2022 and was considered a highly successful exit for its shareholders and investors, which include Red Dot Capital Partners, Hetz Ventures, TLV Partners, and Insight Partners.

Granulate’s product is aimed at companies performing heavy cloud tasks, improving resource management and performance to save on cloud usage costs and reduce computing loads. Intel offered Granulate’s product to its data center and cloud customers under the brand Intel Tiber.

Innoventric

The medical device company Innoventric, which is developing a catheter-based solution for replacing the tricuspid heart valve, announced today (Tuesday) the completion of a $28.5 million funding round. The round, completed in August, was led by the American venture capital firm RA Capital. The current funding is intended to support the continuation of Innoventric’s clinical trials in the U.S. and Europe, in preparation for regulatory approval.

The tricuspid valve is located in the heart between the right atrium and ventricle, ensuring one-way blood flow. When leakage develops in the valve, some blood flows backward, leading to severe symptoms such as chronic fatigue, shortness of breath, and limb swelling. If left untreated, this leakage can impair heart function and lead to deteriorating health and even mortality.

Innoventric’s valve is designed to augment rather than replace the natural valve. It is anchored in the vena cava – the major veins leading to the heart – which, according to the company, provides greater stability for the patient, reducing the risk of re-leakage or displacement of the prosthetic valve. Innoventric’s CEO, Amir Danino, explained,

We solve the problem 3 centimeters behind the heart, thereby expanding the range of patients we can treat – including those with anatomical limitations that prevent them from being eligible for existing treatments, as well as those who have previously undergone unsuccessful treatment.

DoorLoop

DoorLoop, an Israeli startup developing a rental property management platform, has raised $100 million from the American investment firm JMI Equity. According to company sources, the valuation for this round was approximately half a billion dollars, a significant increase compared to the previous round, reflecting a doubling of revenue over the past year.

This is the company’s Series-B round, with its headquarters in Miami and its development center in Tel Aviv. Prior to this current round, DoorLoop raised around $30 million across two previous rounds, with the most recent one in 2022.

The primary goal of this funding is a substantial expansion of the workforce, particularly in Israel. Currently, DoorLoop employs 160 people, 60 of whom are in Israel. The plan is to expand to a total of 400 employees within three years, with 200 of them based in Israel. Some of DoorLoop’s management, including the CFO, are already based in the company’s offices in the Montefiore neighborhood.

DoorLoop’s platform for managing rental properties brings technological innovation to a market dominated by established companies. The software allows full automation of various processes, such as tenant acquisition, lease management, rent collection, accounting, tax reporting, maintenance requests, and tenant communication. DoorLoop operates in the U.S. market, which has tens of millions of rental units, as well as in Canada and the UAE. The company has significant revenue and is close to operational break-even.

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A PIECE OF HISTORY

Israel Destroys Syrian Reactor

On March 1, 2007, Prime Minister Olmert held his regularly scheduled meeting with the head of the Mossad. During the meeting, some raw, preliminary intelligence was presented regarding ambiguous activities in Syria. Two weeks later, the Mossad chief urgently requested another meeting with the Prime Minister. Accompanied by two of his deputies, he provided Olmert with conclusive, irrefutable intelligence that Syria was building a nuclear reactor in the Deir al-Zour region, designed to produce plutonium. Such a reactor could only be used for producing fuel for nuclear weapons.

Further intelligence suggested that North Koreans were involved in constructing the reactor. Olmert sought advice from former Prime Ministers Barak and Netanyahu, both of whom recommended that Israel should destroy the reactor. Israel continued to collect intelligence, and in the second week of April, Mossad Chief Meir Dagan traveled to the United States to inform the American administration about the reactor.

After extensive discussions with the Americans regarding who should carry out the strike, President Bush spoke with Prime Minister Olmert on July 13, 2007. During this conversation, Bush conveyed that neither he nor Olmert believed diplomacy would resolve the situation. Bush mentioned his plan to send Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to Israel to hold a press conference, which would ramp up diplomatic pressure. However, Olmert requested that Bush not send Rice, making it clear that if the United States did not take action, Israel would.

To obtain final confirmation that a nuclear reactor was under construction, soldiers from the elite Sayeret Matkal combat unit were dispatched to the area for reconnaissance.

The Israeli Air Force assured Prime Minister Olmert that it was capable of destroying the reactor. However, the primary concern was the potential retaliation from Syria, which possessed a significant missile arsenal and was believed to have chemical weapons. Despite these risks, the Air Force received clearance to proceed with the operation.

On September 6, 2007, a strike force comprised of seven mixed F-15 and F-16 jets targeted and successfully demolished the Syrian nuclear site. Initially, Israel did not publicly acknowledge the attack, and it took several weeks before the specifics of the target became clear. Seven years later, Israel officially confirmed its involvement in the strike. Syria, however, chose to ignore the incident.

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