DAY 54 OF GAZA WAR:More Hostages Released, Uncertainty Going Forward, Budget Shenanigans
Tel Aviv Diary, November 29, 2023
Today, once again, instead of releasing the hostages beginning at 4 PM (as initially scheduled), Hamas claimed there were “logistic problems”. Hamas first released 2 Russian women, stating their release was as a gesture toward their “supporter” Putin. Finally, close to midnight the remaining hostages planned to be freed today were turned over to the Red Cross — Five children and five women. In addition, four Thai workers were released
.Two main stories dominated the news in Israel today. First was discussions on extension of the ceasefire with Hamas and the second about the Bivas family — Shiri (mom), Ariel (age 4), and Kfir (10 month), the youngest hostage and the only infant kidnapped by Hamas. (More on the Bivas family below).
Throughout the day, there have been reports about the possibility of a larger deal to release of all the hostages Hamas kidnapped on October 7th. Israel continues to insist that no discussion will take place until all of the women and children are returned by Hamas. Various options are on the table, but actual negotiations have not yet begun. Approximately 20 women and children are still being held by Hamas in Gaza, and should be included in the next upcoming round of releases, which would require just an additional two days
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Beyond the women and children, there is talk of including older men in the same exchange. However, reaching an agreement regarding additional hostage releases becomes more complex after that. The Qatari representative proposed a plan to return all hostages to Israel in exchange for all of the Palestinian security prisoners held by Israel, including those convicted of severe, mass terror attacks. Furthermore, the Qatari plan also calls for ending the war and lifting the blockade on Gaza, which Israelis have unequivocally rejected as a non-starter.
The general feeling here is that fighting will likely resume in another three or four days, after the last straightforward hostage release deals are completed.
The story of the Bivas family, with their two cherub-faced, red-haired children, has touched the hearts of most Israelis. With each group of hostages released, the question was continually raised: What about the Bivas family? Yesterday, Hamas claimed they did not know the family's whereabouts. Today, Hamas announced that the family was killed during an Israeli air raid over Gaza. It's unclear if the Hamas report of the Bivas family’s demise is true, or just part of their customary psychological warfare. Israeli intelligence cannot confirm or deny the claim. It is curious how quickly Hamas went from failing to locate the Bivas family to suddenly announcing they had all died.
Additional details are beginning to emerge regarding how Hamas treated the hostages in captivity. Schneider Children's Hospital announced that the children each lost an average of 15% of their body weight. It also has come to light that one hostage was held in the apartment of a teacher in a UN school, while another was held by a doctor. An earlier report this week mentioned a captive who escaped his jailers, only to be found by civilians in Gaza who promptly returned the young man to Hamas. It seems there are very few uninvolved civilian actors in Gaza.
Yesterday, an announcement revealed that three soldiers, missing since October 7th, were killed in combat on that day, and their bodies had been taken to Gaza.
The good news today is that Elma Avraham (age 85), who returned home to Israel two days ago in critical condition, is much improved. She is conscious and able to converse with her family.
Israeli intelligence estimates that 5,300 Hamas terrorists were killed so far in the Gaza war, including 3 division commanders and 14 battalion commanders. Additional terrorists are likely buried under the rubble.
JENIN
Last night, a major clash occurred in the Jenin refugee camp. The commander of Islamic Jihad in Jenin was killed, along with four other terrorists. Israel has arrested over 1,000 Hamas members in the West Bank.
SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET
Last night, the government approved a supplemental budget for the last two months of 2023 to cover war expenses. One major issue was the request by many public figures (including the governor-general of the Bank of Israel) to cut funds for coalition partners — which are considerably more substantial in this coalition than any previous government.
One item under debate is the demand for teachers in the ultra-Orthodox sector to receive the same salary increase as those in government schools. The program, Ofek Chadash (new horizon), is given to teachers with academic degrees who meet benchmarks related to number of teaching hours, and other designated requirements — none of which are common in ultra-Orthodox schools.
Other contentious aspects of the special coalition funds include a 40% increase in financing for ultra-Orthodox Yeshivas, as well as, an increase in the budget for the small organization that assists ultra-Orthodox men to obtain their military exemptions. Both Prime Minister Netanyahu and Finance Minister Smotritch promised to cut these funds and use them for war needs. Regrettably, they both lied, and the funds were not substantially decreased.
MORE ON ANTISEMITISM
Regarding the ongoing debate about antisemitism on both the right and left, I came across an interesting academic paper by Eitan Hersh of Tufts and Laura Royden of Harvard, titled: “Antisemitic Attitudes Across the Ideological Spectrum.” The research, conducted last year and published in September 2022 concluded that
overt antisemitic attitudes are rare on the left, but common on the right, particularly among young adults on the right. Even when primed with information that most U.S. Jews have favorable views toward Israel—a country disfavored by the ideological left—respondents on the left rarely support statements that Jews have too much power or should be boycotted.
However, the results of the Hersh/Royden research might differ substantially in light of the events that took place over the last month. I think that now antisemitic attitudes are common on both sides of the ideological spectrum.
BUSINESS
Elbit Systems Ltd. announced today that according to the announcement of the U.S. Department of Defense, Elbit Systems' U.S. subsidiary, Elbit Systems of America – Night Vision LLC, was awarded an indefinite delivery/ indefinite quantity (ID/IQ) contract with a maximum ceiling of $500 million, for the supply of Squad Binocular Night Vision Goggle systems; spare and repair parts; contractor logistics supports and test article refurbishment. Work under the ID/IQ will be performed in Roanoke, Virginia, and is expected to be completed in 2028. Elbit Systems of America received an initial delivery order award under the ID/IQ worth an approximately $127 million immediately following contract award
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CapitalOS, an Israeli-founded fintech startup, raised $9 million in a Seed funding round, adding to a previous $30 million in debt financing from Upper90. Founded in 2022 by Nir Drimer (CEO) and Matan Goldschmidt (CTO), the company develops infrastructure for platforms that serve small businesses. Currently, it has a 10-person team across San Francisco, New York, Israel, Canada, and New Zealand. The funds will be used for hiring, development, marketing, and expanding its platform partner network. CapitalOS's technology addresses the need for businesses to manage employee expenses, such as vehicle fueling or food purchases, ensuring that funds are used appropriately and within work hours
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Neteera, a remote monitoring specialist, successfully closed an expanded $7.6 million (approximately 25 million NIS) Series-B funding round. The round was led by Aescuvest, a healthcare-focused investment fund, and included participation from Foxconn Technology Co., Ltd (FTC). Founded in Jerusalem in 2015 by CEO Yitzhak Litman, Neteera developed a contactless vital signs sensing system using advanced algorithms and micro-radar technology. This system, particularly effective in measuring heart activity, caters to the automotive, medical, and IoT markets. The new funding will accelerate production to meet rising demands in the medical sector and facilitate the expansion of their installation and deployment team, reinforcing Neteera's position in the contactless patient monitoring market.