DAY 514 IN CAPTIVITY Itzik Elgarat Laid to Rest, Netanyahu Claims Media Spreads “Fake News” and Serves as a Tool of the Deep State, Report on the October 7th Attack at Nachal Oz

Tel Aviv Diary, March 3, 2025

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Today, Itzik Elgarat, who was abducted from his home on October 7th, was laid to rest. Elgarat’s remains were returned last week, following his murder in captivity by Hamas at some point over the past year. The funeral procession left Rishon Letzion and proceeded to Kibbutz Nir Oz, where friends, family, as well as former Deputy IDF Chief of Staff and head of the Democrats Party Yair Golan delivered eulogies. Itzik’s brother, Danny, who played a significant role in efforts to secure the release of the hostages, spoke, saying:

We failed. We did not do enough. Netanyahu defeated us and you did not return from captivity. The enemy who caused your death is not who kidnapped you, but rather who abandoned you. You successfully survived the abduction, the captors and the injury for many months. In the end, your prime minister overpowered you by sabotaging [hostage deals] and through neglect.

Itzik, you, who were responsible for digging the graves at the Nir Oz cemetery, were spared from digging tens of graves in the holocaust of Nir Oz. You are laid to rest in a grave dug by the Prime Minister.

A state that neglected you and torpedoed the possibility of bringing you back alive by redeeming captives is not a Jewish state anymore.

I have failed and I take full responsibility for it. Netanyahu defeated me in the battle for your life and the life of the rest of the deceased. He wants his regime alive more than he wanted you alive. I promise you that we shall win in the fight for the country.

Today’s Radio Show

40-SIGNATURES

Today, a special “40-signatures” debate was convened in the Knesset, a session initiated when 40 members call for discussion on a specific subject. Today’s agenda for this session was the demand for a National Commission of Inquiry to investigate the events that led to the October 7th massacre.

The meeting got off to a terrible start when Knesset Chairman Amir Ohana, widely regarded as a Netanyahu puppet, instructed the Knesset police to prevent parents of fallen soldiers and hostages from accessing the gallery to listen to the debate. As a result, Knesset police tackled attendees—some of whom were not so young—the scene was both distressing and embarrassing. Realizing the error, Ohana subsequently reversed his decision and allowed the public entry.

During the session, MK Chili Tropper of the National Unity Party delivered a speech on behalf of Yarden Bibas from the Knesset podium.

Mr. Prime Minister,

My name is Yarden Bibas, and as my speech is being read to you, I am sitting shiva for my wife, Shiri, and my children, Kfir and Ariel. Innocent, pure children who were kidnapped from their home and murdered in captivity. They could have and should have been saved. The terrorists invaded Nir Oz in sandals. My family and I were brutally kidnapped from our home to Gaza. That cursed morning, the state was not in Nir Oz. Only local heroes—emergency squad members and brave soldiers—fought with all their might and paid with their lives.

And now, 514 days later, I have returned from Gaza to an unimaginable reality—one where I had to bury my entire family in a single day. I would not wish this nightmare on anyone. Yet, despite the unbearable pain, I ask you, Mr. Prime Minister, to pause for a moment.

This is not yet the stage for revenge. Right now, our duty is to bring back our brothers—including my best friend, David Cunio, and his brother Ariel. David, my friend since first grade, my neighbor from the kibbutz, is rotting in Hamas tunnels.

I know I will never hold my children and wife again. But Emma and Yuli, David’s daughters, who were kidnapped to Gaza at just three years old, are waiting for their father’s return. His wife Sharon deserves to hold him again. Once we bring David and all the hostages home, I will be the first to support any action you take to destroy Hamas.

As a resident of Nir Oz, I know we must defeat Hamas—because without that, we will have no security. But we must always uphold the sanctity of life, the dignity of the dead, and never leave anyone behind—or else we will lose who we are.

Taking Responsibility Mr. Prime Minister, 514 days have passed, and you and your government still have not taken responsibility. The demand for a state commission of inquiry is a demand that unites the entire Israeli people. 83% of Israeli citizens demand it, along with 1,500 families from the October Council, myself included. The goal is not personal revenge, but to learn lessons and prevent the next catastrophe.

I call on you, Mr. Prime Minister—unite the people of Israel. Give us some peace of mind. Honor the will of the nation and the families. Announce today the establishment of a state commission of inquiry that will strengthen Israel’s security, prevent another disaster, and give me and the entire nation the answers we deserve.

How did it happen that Kfir, a nine-month-old baby, and Ariel, a four-year-old boy, were kidnapped and murdered along with their mother, Shiri, in unimaginable cruelty? How did we reach a situation where, after hours trapped in our safe room, no one came to save us?

I constantly think about and regret not protecting my wife and children better.

It consumes me from the inside. I only had a pistol—I was just a regular citizen in a quiet kibbutz. Do you think about that? Do you also struggle to get through the day and night without feeling the weight of responsibility for what happened? Are you capable of saying it out loud and in clear words?

So many citizens have asked for forgiveness.

So few politicians have done the same. So many civilians and soldiers have taken responsibility. So few government officials have done so.

Final Words … At my family’s funeral, my sister Ofri said something that deeply resonates with me:

Saying sorry means taking responsibility and committing to act differently, to learn from mistakes. There is no meaning to an apology unless the failures are investigated, and those responsible are held accountable. Our national and personal disaster should never have happened, and we must make sure it never happens again.

I have no interest in settling old scores. I am trying to gather my strength and look ahead. I ask that we all do everything we can to make this country better, more united, and stronger.

During the funeral procession, as I looked out of the car window, I saw the people of Israel. I saw a broken nation—religious, secular, and ultra-Orthodox—standing together, waving flags and shedding tears. I felt that they were truly with me.

When Netanyahu addressed the session, he recited his customary litany of accomplishments.

This time, however, his typical “what-about-ism” was intensified by the presence of parents of fallen soldiers in the audience. He stated:

I demand an investigation into the leak by MK Gilad Kariv from the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, as well as the leak of the video from Sde Teiman [prison].” Ehud Barak is frequently invited to news studio discussions, yet no one asks him about the Epstein affair.

I demand an investigation into Yair Golan’s incitement of refusal [to serve in reserve duty] service.

Netanyahu proceeded to accuse the news media of consistently lying, dismissing their reports as fake news, and alleging their involvement in the deep state—an assertion that is patently absurd. He further stated, “We demand the formation of an impartial commission of inquiry into the events of October 7, not one marred by political bias.”

Regarding a possible hostage deal, Netanyahu asserted:

It is impossible to bridge the gaps [to reach an agreement for Phase II, Netanyahu claimed], and therefore, Witkoff proposed a framework—a ceasefire for Passover and Ramadan in exchange for the return of all hostages (up to 24 soldiers and 35 deceased individuals).

Netanyahu continued: We did not violate the agreement because, according to a side-letter endorsed by the Trump administration, we have the right to withdraw from the negotiations starting on the 42nd day, if we determine that the talks are futile.

Here's a bit of context … Since the onset of the war, Netanyahu has obstructed the establishment of a National Commission of Inquiry. He is aware of the military's significant role in the catastrophe, yet he justifies his actions by claiming a national desire for impartiality. According to the law, the President of the Supreme Court is responsible for appointing the inquiry committee. Over the past two years, however, the government has sought to undermine the court's legitimacy, even though polls indicate that the public largely trusts the judiciary. Surveys show that 70-80% of the public supports the traditional National Commission. Nevertheless, Netanyahu appears intent on delaying its formation by any means possible.

ATTACK IN HAIFA

Today, a knife attack occurred at the Haifa bus station, resulting in one fatality and four injuries. The attacker, a 20-year-old Druze man diagnosed with schizophrenia and reportedly radicalized, was shot and killed by a security guard.

IDF REPORTS REGARDING THE ASSAULT ON NACHAL OZ & KFAR AZA ARMY BASES

Reports released tonight describe the IDF's findings regarding the attacks on the Nachal Oz Base, and Kfar Aza. Here is a summary of the report on the battle at Nachal Oz:

On October 7, 2023, the IDF's Nahal Oz base, located 850 meters from the Gaza Strip, was attacked by Hamas terrorists. The base was overrun, resulting in the deaths of 53 soldiers—31 combat troops and 22 noncombat, including 16 female surveillance observation soldiers. Another 10 were abducted (seven female surveillance observation soldiers and three tank soldiers). An IDF probe highlighted “colossal failures” in defending the base, alongside instances of heroism

The soldiers killed at Nachal Oz

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Systemic Failures and Lack of Preparedness

• Intelligence and Planning by Hamas: Hamas gathered extensive intelligence on the Nahal Oz base using drones, social media posts by soldiers, and IDF publications. A Hamas document detailed the base layout, including shelters, barracks, communication antennas, surveillance cameras, and the war room. Hamas knew the number of troops, weapon locations, and the best times to attack. Their plan aimed to capture the base within 15 minutes, anticipating the IDF's defense strategy.