DAY 655 OF THE WAR: Another Soldier Dies in Gaza, Four are Seriously Wounded; Israeli Passengers Barred From Disembarking in Greek Port; Mounting Stories of Hunger in Gaza

Tel Aviv Diary, July 22, 2025

Today was another difficult day in Israel. The morning began with word that another soldier, Sergeant major (res.) Vladimir Lozabee (36), from Ashkelon, had been killed in Gaza, reportedly by an improvised explosive device detonated inside a building. The night before, a separate fatality occurred when a soldier died in an operational accident involving an unexpected explosion. So far in July, 15 soldiers have fallen in Gaza—five of them in accidents—an unprecedented proportion

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Commanders are beginning to speak out, saying the trend is no surprise. The IDF forces now operating in Gaza are overwhelmingly from the standing army—soldiers just 18, 19, or 20 years old. The most recent fatal accident claimed the life of a 19-year-old drafted after the war began. For nearly two years, Israel’s regular forces have been deployed continuously in Gaza and other combat zones. No army is designed for such sustained operations—least of all the IDF. Over time, discipline erodes. Mistakes become inevitable.

This morning, the IDF reported that a soldier from the Golani Brigade was seriously wounded by an anti-tank missile in southern Gaza. In IDF parlance, “seriously wounded” often—though not always—signals the loss of one or more limbs. Across Israel today, there are many young soldiers learning to walk with prosthetics—the visible, enduring scars of a war that shows no sign of ending. Tonight it was announced that three additional soldiers were seriously wounded by an IED explosion in Southern Gaza.

It’s difficult to keep taking this in—absorbing it, day after day. As I write this section of today’s Tel Aviv Diary update, an interview is airing with the grandfather of the 19-year-old soldier who died yesterday in Gaza. They’re showing a clip from a diaper commercial in which the young man had starred as a toddler. It’s heartbreaking. I’ve said this before, but it bears repeating: Since this war began, I often tear up when a character dies in a fictional drama. But this isn’t fiction. These are real all people, and the grief is unbearable.

Something in the national mood is shifting. In the gut-wrenching interview I reference above, the grandfather’s voice trembles as he speaks. His words are stark and cutting: his grandson, he said, did not die defending the country—he died a political death, sacrificed to shield politicians.

Shortly afterward, an interview aired with Eyal Eshel, father of Roni Eshel, one of the female observation soldiers murdered on October 7. Eyal has been among the steadfast voices calling for a national commission of inquiry into the failures of that day—an investigation Prime Minister Netanyahu has consistently blocked.

Roni Eshel

One of today’s headlines centered on a new interview Netanyahu gave to a right-wing American podcaster. In a segment shown to Eshel, Netanyahu is asked, “What is your greatest regret?” Netanyahu replies: “That my wife and two sons must suffer the slings and arrows of public life. I chose this life, but they didn’t.”

Eshel’s response was bitter and direct: “I regret that I can no longer raise my daughter—because you can’t raise the dead.” The disconnect between Netanyahu and the Israeli public feels wider than ever.

All of this comes on the heels of yesterday’s very controversial move: Netanyahu’s move to oust the respected head of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Security Committee, and replace him with a considerably less experienced loyalist. The goal? The move is seen as a calculated step to push through legislation that would exempt as many ultra-Orthodox youths as possible from military service. It is aimed at placating ultra-Orthodox parties and preserving Netanyahu’s fragile coalition—allowing him to cling to power a little longer.

MOUNTING REPORTS OF HUNGER IN GAZA AND MEDIA FAILURES

Reports of hunger—and even starvation—are growing in Gaza. Until recently, many dismissed these accounts as exaggerated. But it’s becoming increasingly difficult to ignore the possibility that some may be true. Given how long this conflict has dragged on—it’s a logical outcome—despite Israel’s efforts to establish a food distribution system in southern Gaza.

That system, however, has never functioned as intended. From the outset, it faced major logistical hurdles: tracking recipients, maintaining crowd control, and ensuring reliable distribution. With two million people,—many of them desperate for food—it was unrealistic to expect a flawed system to work under these conditions.

The failure raises urgent questions: Why wasn’t a more effective alternative put in place, especially when the scale of the humanitarian challenge was clear?

Skepticism remains warranted. Hamas has every incentive to exaggerate reports of civilian suffering, weaponizing them in the global information war. That profound suffering, of course, could end tomorrow, if Hamas surrendered and brought the war to an end. But no one expects that to happen.

In a related case of misinformation, I was asked yesterday during a radio interview about reports that settlers had burned down a church in the West Bank—a story that gained wide traction in the media. In reality, it was a brush fire near the ruins of an ancient church, which remains completely undamaged. Evidence even suggests that local Jewish settlers attempted to put out the flames.

Nonetheless, the false narrative spread quickly. While I have been outspoken in my criticism of many Israeli actions in recent months, this was not one of those cases. This was a failure of journalism. Unlike in Gaza— where access for reporters is severely limited—the West Bank is accessible. Yet many in the media failed to take even basic steps to verify the facts.

MORE HOUTHI MISSILES

Early this morning, many of us in central Israel were jolted awake just before 6:00 a.m. by an alert about an imminent missile threat. We got up, readied the dog, and waited. Three minutes later, the sirens began to wail. We immediately headed to the shelter—first to arrive, soon joined by neighbors. Thankfully, after approximately 15 minutes, we were notified that the missile had been intercepted.

Later in the day, just as I was preparing to take the dog for an afternoon walk, another alert came: another missile had been launched from Yemen. I remained near the house, waiting for an update. This time, we were spared—the missile fell short of Israeli airspace, and no alarms were triggered. Still, the Houthis show no sign of backing down.

ISRAELI TRAVELERS FACE RISING HOSTILITY

In the Mediterranean, rising tensions are beginning to impact Israeli tourists. The cruise ship Crown Iris, carrying 1,600 Israeli passengers, was blocked from disembarking at a Greek port after 300 pro-Palestinian protesters surrounded the area. The ship was forced to change course and continue on to Cyprus.

This incident raises a pressing question: Should Israelis steer clear of destinations where they may not be welcome, or stand their ground in the face of small but vocal protest groups?

The episode followed another unsettling incident in Belgium, where two former Israeli soldiers were briefly detained at a music festival. Both have since returned to Israel.

SA’AR VISITS UKRAINE

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar visited Ukraine today—the second visit by an Israeli foreign minister since the outbreak of war.

ISRAELTECH INTERVIEW

As part of our ongoing partnership with Israel Tech, here’s the latest interview:

“He built it to FIX WHAT AI KEEPS BREAKING,” featuring Meni Shmueli from DataFlint.

AI Can Write Code. But It Can’t Optimize It. That blindspot? Meni Shmueli built DataFlint to fix it. After years in Unit 81 and deep in the trenches of AI and big data, Meni saw the problem firsthand: tools like GitHub Copilot can generate code, but when that code is pushed to real-world production—handling massive clusters, terabytes of data, and performance bottlenecks—it often fails. DataFlint gives AI the missing context. It integrates directly with code editors, pulls in real performance metrics, and enables AI to generate code that actually works at scale.

In this episode:

• Why AI Coding Tools Break Down When Real-World Data Comes In;

• How DataFlint Transforms Production Bottlenecks into Performance-Optimized Code;

• What Meni Shmueli Learned About Scale, Speed, and Systems from Unit 81;

• Why big data is still a community game — and how DataFlint’s leading it;

• The future of engineers who know how to code with AI, not just use it.

If you're interested in AI infrastructure, data engineering, or curious about where the next major coding bottleneck will emerge—this interview is for you.

You can watch an excerpt of this clip below, or view the entire interview here.

BUSINESS

Upwind

Israeli cybersecurity startup Upwind is reportedly in advanced acquisition talks with NASDAQ-traded monitoring platform Datadog, in a deal valued at approximately $1 billion. The potential acquisition represents a significant premium over Upwind's recent $900 million valuation from its $100 million Series-B round in late 2024, underscoring the strong market demand for cloud security solutions.

Founded in 2022 by former Spot.io executives Amiram Shachar, Lavi Freedman, Tal Tzur, and Liran Polak, Upwind has quickly established itself as a key player in cloud vulnerability management, building on the team's previous success with Spot.io's $450 million exit to NetApp in 2020.

The strategic acquisition would complement Datadog's comprehensive SaaS-based monitoring platform, which provides real-time analytics and visibility across servers, databases, applications, and IT infrastructure for developers and IT teams worldwide. With Datadog's $50 billion market capitalization and established customer base, integrating Upwind's cloud security capabilities could create a more complete observability and security stack for enterprise clients. Upwind has attracted significant investor confidence throughout its growth trajectory, raising $180 million from prominent venture firms including Craft Ventures, TCV, Alta Park Capital, Cyberstarts, and celebrity-backed funds from NBA stars Omri Casspi and Stephen Curry, positioning the company as an attractive acquisition target in the competitive cybersecurity landscape.

Novella and Metaphor Foods Partner to Transform Natural Food Preservation

Israeli biotech startup Novella Innovative Technology has entered a strategic partnership with Metaphor Foods, an Australian-based leader in functional food ingredients, to commercialize a new generation of cell-based, plant-derived preservatives. Novella’s proprietary AuraCell™ technology cultivates bioactive antioxidant and antimicrobial compounds directly from plant cells, eliminating the need for whole plants and reducing resource use by 99%. These high-purity ingredients will be integrated into Metaphor’s Hela Natvance® range of clean-label food protection solutions, initially targeting meat and poultry

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The partnership addresses a rapidly growing demand across the Asia-Pacific region for natural, sustainable alternatives to synthetic preservatives. Trials conducted in advanced application labs showed that Novella’s ingredients extended shelf life by 30%, lowered costs, and outperformed existing natural options, without the drawbacks of inconsistent efficacy or off-flavors. As part of the agreement, Metaphor will support Novella in finalizing regulatory approvals and scaling manufacturing, aiming for commercial launch in early 2026. The collaboration is valued at $10 million over seven years, with expansion potential into seafood, dairy, plant-based proteins, and pet food.

The global food preservatives market is projected to exceed $4.5 billion by 2033, as manufacturers pivot toward clean-label, non-synthetic ingredients. Novella’s cell-based platform offers a reliable alternative to fluctuating agricultural supply chains, addressing major industry pain points such as cost volatility and supply instability. This partnership marks a significant move toward scalable, climate-resilient food innovation, combining Novella’s breakthrough biotech with Metaphor’s deep industry reach.

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TRAVEL ACROSS ISRAEL

Israeli Communities in the Gaza Envelope

From Sderot, we’ll continue our journey through the Gaza border communities—towns and kibbutzim that were among the hardest hit during the Hamas attacks on October 7. These areas bore the brunt of the violence and devastation, and the scars of that day remain visible.

Gaza Border Communities: Roots, Resilience, and the Toll of October 7

The Northern Approaches

Kibbutz Mefalsim

Mefalsim was founded in 1949 by members of the Habonim Dror youth movement, composed primarily of Jewish immigrants from Argentina and Uruguay. Its name, which translates to "road pavers," was a tribute to these pioneers from Latin America who were seen as paving the way (Le’fa’les) for future waves of immigration, or Aliyah. The kibbutz developed a distinct cultural identity, even producing a popular band, Conjunto Mefalsim, that performed Latin American folk music on national radio and television in the 1960s.

True to its name, Mefalsim continued to innovate, becoming one of the first kibbutzim to build an extension neighborhood to accept new members, again paving the way for a model that would be adopted across the kibbutz movement. Its location near the Gaza border made it a frequent target of rocket fire over the years; a projectile destroyed its kindergarten in 2012.

On October 7th, the kibbutz's legacy of resilience was put to its ultimate test. During the fighting, a group of 12 Thai agricultural workers was briefly taken hostage near the dairy farm, but they were quickly rescued when the standby squad opened fire on their captors.

The defense of Mefalsim was a remarkable tactical success under impossible circumstances. While several members of the security team were injured in the fighting, there were no fatalities inside the community. However, the kibbutz did not escape unscathed. At least three civilians were killed just outside the main gate when a grenade was thrown into their shelter; they included a married couple and a friend who had been at the nearby camping event.

Kibbutz Kfar Aza

Kfar Aza, whose name translates to "Gaza Village," was established in August 1951 by Jewish immigrants from Egypt and Morocco. After being temporarily abandoned, it was re-established in 1957 by a group of IDF veterans. Situated just three kilometers from the Gaza border, Kfar Aza became a prosperous and vibrant community of over 700 people, known for its idyllic landscape of palm trees and flowers. Many of its residents were peace activists who maintained personal and professional relationships with Gazans and held a deep-seated belief in the possibility of coexistence.

The attack on October 7th was a methodical and premeditated slaughter that turned this oasis into a killing field. Kfar Aza became a symbol of the massacre. The most detailed investigation by the IDF concluded that 62 residents were killed in the attack and 19 were taken hostage into Gaza.

Kibbutz Nahal Oz

Founded in 1951, Nahal Oz became a fully civilian community in 1953, but never shed its identity as a "security settlement". Located a mere 800 meters from Gaza City's Shejaiya neighborhood, its history is steeped in sacrifice. In April 1956, its security officer, Ro'i Rothberg, was ambushed and killed by infiltrators from Gaza. The eulogy delivered at his funeral by then-IDF Chief of Staff Moshe Dayan became one of the most famous speeches in Israeli history, a stark meditation on the violent reality of life on the border.

On October 7th, this history came full circle with devastating violence. The assault on Nahal Oz was a coordinated, two-pronged attack that targeted both the civilian kibbutz and the adjacent IDF military base. An estimated 180 militants stormed the kibbutz, while a separate force of over 200 simultaneously overran the military outpost. The kibbutz's small security team and a handful of police officers were quickly engaged and overwhelmed.

The final death toll reflected this dual catastrophe. Within the kibbutz, 13 residents were murdered, including two members of the security team, along with two foreign workers. An additional eight civilians were abducted and taken to Gaza. The carnage at the military base was even worse, with 53 soldiers killed and 10 taken hostage, among them many of the young female observers. In total, at least 68 people were killed in the Nahal Oz area.

The Central Communities

Kibbutz Alumim

Kibbutz Alumim is a religious community founded in 1966 by members of the Bnei Akiva youth movement, established as a strategic border settlement. It was built on lands that had been farmed by the original Kibbutz Be'erot Yitzhak, which was destroyed during the 1948 War of Independence and subsequently relocated. Alumim adhered to the classic collective kibbutz model, with an economy centered on highly developed agriculture, including organic produce, poultry, and a large dairy farm.

On October 7th, the kibbutz became the site of a complex battle with a dual outcome. Approximately 100 militants assaulted the community. One of the first groups of attackers breached a rear gate and immediately targeted the living quarters of the kibbutz's foreign agricultural workers, throwing grenades into a shelter where Nepalese students were hiding.

For the next six hours, the kibbutz's security squad, bolstered by armed residents and eventually by IDF and police forces, waged a desperate battle to defend the main residential area. They successfully repelled the attackers, preventing them from carrying out a massacre among the kibbutz families. However, 22 agricultural workers and students from Thailand and Nepal were murdered, and two were kidnapped and taken to Gaza: Bipin Joshi of Nepal and Phonsawan Pinakalo of Thailand.

Kibbutz Be’eri

Be'eri was established on October 6, 1946, as one of the foundational "11 points in the Negev”—[overnight settlements built in 1946 to establish a Jewish presence and secure territorial claims in the region.] Over the decades, Be’eri grew into the largest and wealthiest kibbutz in the region, with a population of around 1,200. The community was known for its secular, left-leaning ethos and its members' strong advocacy for peace with their Gazan neighbors. Its economic success was anchored by the Be'eri Printing press, one of the largest and most advanced in Israel.

On October 7th, Be'eri became the epicenter of the Hamas attack. An overwhelming force of approximately 340 militants, including from Hamas's elite Nukhba unit, breached the perimeter at 6:42 AM. The kibbutz's 13-member security team was immediately engaged; its commander was killed, and the deputy commander was also killed and his body taken to Gaza, preventing the team from accessing the main armory.

For the next seven hours, the residents of Be'eri were left almost entirely on their own. Militants conducted a systematic, house-to-house reign of terror, murdering residents, burning homes with families inside, and taking dozens hostage.

The devastation in Be'eri was almost incomprehensible, with the community losing roughly 10% of its population in a single day. A total of 101 civilians were murdered, and 32 people were abducted and taken into Gaza. In addition, 31 security personnel—a mix of kibbutz security members, IDF soldiers, and police officers—were killed fighting to defend and retake the community.

Kibbutz Re’im

Established in 1949 by demobilized soldiers from the elite Palmach unit, Kibbutz Re'im's name, meaning "Friends," was chosen to commemorate comrades who fell in Israel's 1948 War of Independence. It was a secular community of approximately 435 people, with an economy based on agriculture and a high-tech laser manufacturing company called Isralaser.

On October 7th, the fields belonging to Kibbutz Re'im became the site of the single deadliest event of the day: the massacre at the Nova Music Festival. While thousands of young people were being slaughtered just outside its perimeter, the kibbutz itself was also under a direct and sustained assault. Between 80 and 100 militants invaded the community, forcing residents into their safe rooms for more than 24 hours.

The kibbutz's small, six-member standby squad fought to repel the attackers. Inside Re'im, five kibbutz members and two Thai agricultural workers were killed. Five people were taken hostage: one Israeli teenager, Liam Or, and four Thai nationals. All five were later released in a hostage exchange deal. In the broader battle for the area, 12 IDF soldiers and police officers were also killed.

The Southern Flank

Kibbutz Kisufim

Kissufim was founded in 1951 by members of Zionist youth movements from the United States and South America. Its name, meaning "Longings," reflects the aspirations of its founders. Due to its strategic location opposite the central Gaza Strip, it served as a key security outpost in the years leading up to the 1956 Sinai Campaign and the 1967 Six-Day War.

The attack on October 7th began with deception. At least 70 militants infiltrated the kibbutz, with some dressed in IDF uniforms and shouting "IDF, IDF" to lure residents out of their homes. Those who emerged were shot. The attackers then went on a rampage, murdering a 90-year-old woman in her living room and burning another family alive in their home when they refused to exit their safe room.

The kibbutz's civilian security team mounted a fierce defense but was hard-pressed, losing four of its members in the fighting. The battle continued for hours, even after a platoon from the IDF's Golani Brigade arrived to reinforce the defenders.

In total, the attack on Kissufim claimed the lives of eight kibbutz residents, four of whom were members of the security team, and six Thai agricultural workers. Additionally, eight IDF soldiers were killed in the battle for the kibbutz. At least four people were abducted and taken to Gaza.

Kibbutz Ein Hashlosha

Established in the 1950s by a Nahal group of Zionist youth from South America, Kibbutz Ein Hashlosha sits on the land of a previously abandoned settlement, Neve Yair. Its name, "Spring of the Three," is a memorial to three of its founding members who were killed during the 1948 War of Independence. Located just two miles from the Gazan city of Khan Younis, the kibbutz has a long history of enduring rocket and sniper fire from across the border.

On October 7th, the kibbutz was infiltrated by an initial wave of 15 elite Hamas Nukhba terrorists, who were later followed by a group of some 25 unaffiliated Palestinian looters. The community's local security team, led by its chief, Rami Negbi, immediately confronted the attackers. Negbi was killed while exchanging fire with militants near the kibbutz's administrative building. The attackers proceeded to murder three other residents and set fire to several homes in an attempt to drive people from their shelters.

Kibbutz Nirim

Nirim shares its origins with Be'eri, having been founded on the night of October 6, 1946, as one of the "11 points in the Negev". Its identity was forged in the crucible of the 1948 War of Independence, when its 39 defenders famously repelled a massive assault by the invading Egyptian army, a feat that became legendary in Israeli history. A sign hung over their destroyed dining hall after the battle read, “It is not the tank that will win, but the human being in it". After the war, the kibbutz was relocated to its current site near the Gaza border.

The attack on October 7th was a tragic echo of this founding history. An estimated 150 militants targeted the Nirim area, with about 80 succeeding in infiltrating the kibbutz. The battle was notable for the early arrival and death of a senior IDF commander, Colonel Asaf Hamami, the head of the Gaza Division's Southern Brigade.

Responding to the initial reports of infiltration, he and his two-man team rushed to Nirim and engaged the first wave of terrorists. All three were killed in the firefight inside the kibbutz, and their bodies were abducted and taken to Gaza. Despite this early loss, the kibbutz's local security team and other armed residents fought on, eventually establishing a strategic position on a rooftop that helped force the attackers to withdraw.

In the attack, five civilians were murdered: Gideon Babani, Roi Popplewell, and the father-daughter pair of Doron and Mor Meyer, and Oran Alfasi. Another five residents were kidnapped and taken to Gaza: Yagev and Rimon Buchshtav, Nadav Popplewell and his mother Channah Peri, and Noralin Agojo. Including Colonel Hamami and his team, a total of 10 IDF soldiers were killed in the fighting in and around Nirim.

Kibbutz Nir Oz

Nir Oz was founded as a Nahal settlement on October 1, 1955, designed to help secure the southern border region. It evolved into a thriving community of approximately 400 residents, renowned for its stunning botanical garden that transformed the desert landscape into a lush oasis with over 900 species of plants.

On October 7th, this paradise was systematically destroyed. Nir Oz suffered one of the most devastating attacks of any community, in large part due to the sheer number of assailants. An overwhelming force of more than 500 militants and civilian looters from Gaza swarmed the kibbutz. The community's defenses were completely overrun; most members of the local security team were killed or taken hostage in the initial phase of the attack.

For hours, attackers had free rein, moving from house to house, murdering entire families—including the six members of the Kedem-Siman Tov family—in their safe rooms, setting homes ablaze, and abducting scores of people, from young children to the elderly. The IDF did not arrive in force until after the militants had already withdrawn, leaving the residents to face the onslaught alone.

The toll was catastrophic, with approximately one-quarter of the kibbutz's population either murdered or kidnapped. A total of 47 people were killed in the attack, a figure that includes 35 Israeli residents and 12 foreign workers. An astonishing 76 people were taken hostage into Gaza, the largest number from any single community, representing nearly a third of all hostages taken that day.

Kibbutz Kerem Shalom

Uniquely situated at the tri-border junction of Israel, the Gaza Strip, and Egypt, Kerem Shalom's history is one of persistence. Sources vary on its initial founding date (1956 or 1967), but it is agreed that the original kibbutz disbanded in 1995 before being re-established in 2001. Its name, meaning "Vineyard of Peace," reflects the founders' hope that their community would help foster regional stability.

On October 7th, the kibbutz lived up to the "strength" portion of its legacy. It was assaulted by an estimated 100 militants who attacked in multiple waves. The community's 10-person standby squad, fighting alongside a small contingent of soldiers from the Nahal Reconnaissance Unit, mounted a heroic and remarkably effective defense. For hours, they held off the attackers, preventing them from carrying out a planned massacre and saving the lives of all the kibbutz's residents.