The Times of Israel | News from Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish World

ISRAEL AT WAR - DAY 59

From left: Sgt. First Class (res.) Ben Zussman, 22, Sgt. Maj. (res.) Neriya Shaer, 36, and Sgt. Binyamin Yehoshua Needham, 19, who were killed in fighting in the Gaza Strip on December 3, 2023. (Israel Defense Forces)

3 soldiers killed fighting Hamas in Gaza; man missing since Oct. 7 declared dead

By ToI Staff and Emanuel Fabian

Sgt. Major (res.) Neriya Shaer, Sgt. First Class (res.) Ben Zussman, Sgt. Binyamin Yehoshua Needham die in battles; Yonatan Samarno shot fleeing Re’im festival, body held by Hamas

Israeli military vehicles drive near the border with the Gaza Strip on December 3, 2023. (Menahem KAHANA / AFP)

Confirming ground push into southern Gaza, IDF chief vows ‘no less powerful’ campaign

By Emanuel Fabian

Israel Defense Forces troops operating in the Gaza Strip in a photo released for publication on December 3, 2023 (Israel Defense Forces)

Live updates (closed)Dec. 3: Shin Bet chief says Israel to take out Hamas leaders ‘in Lebanon, Turkey, Qatar’

Israel Defense Forces troops operating in the Gaza Strip in a photo released for publication on December 3, 2023 (Israel Defense Forces)

IDF says 800 tunnels discovered in Gaza op, 500 destroyed or sealed

By Emanuel Fabian and Agencies

Israeli troops stand on the top of tanks and military vehicles at sunset near the border with the Gaza Strip on December 2, 2023, after battles resumed between Israel and Hamas (Jack Guez / AFP)

Israel kills Hamas commander behind deadly attacks; rocket barrage targets Tel Aviv

By Emanuel Fabian, ToI Staff and Agencies

LiveUpdated 8min ago

Dozens of tanks seen approaching Khan Younis; rocket barrage fired at central Israel

By ToI Staff and Ricky Ben-David

‘Humiliated’ hostage families demand to meet cabinet, free captives at ‘any price’ * IDF hits 200 Hamas sites in strikes * 3 IDF soldiers killed, bringing ground op toll to 75

From left: Sgt. First Class (res.) Ben Zussman, 22, Sgt. Maj. (res.) Neriya Shaer, 36, and Sgt. Binyamin Yehoshua Needham, 19, who were killed in fighting in the Gaza Strip on December 3, 2023. (Israel Defense Forces)

3 soldiers killed fighting Hamas in Gaza; man missing since Oct. 7 declared dead

By ToI Staff and Emanuel Fabian

Sgt. Major (res.) Neriya Shaer, Sgt. First Class (res.) Ben Zussman, Sgt. Binyamin Yehoshua Needham die in battles; Yonatan Samarno shot fleeing Re’im festival, body held by Hamas

Confirming ground push into southern Gaza, IDF chief vows ‘no less powerful’ campaign

By Emanuel Fabian

Live updates (closed)Dec. 3: Shin Bet chief says Israel to take out Hamas leaders ‘in Lebanon, Turkey, Qatar’

IDF says 800 tunnels discovered in Gaza op, 500 destroyed or sealed

By Emanuel Fabian and Agencies

Israel kills Hamas commander behind deadly attacks; rocket barrage targets Tel Aviv

By Emanuel Fabian, ToI Staff and Agencies

Yael Adar (right) and other relatives of Israelis held hostage by Hamas terrorists in Gaza since the October 7 massacre, at a press conference in Tel Aviv on December 4, 2023. (Tomer Neuberg/Flash90)

Op-ed: Day 59 of the war

Hamas aims to make us not want to live in Israel. ‘Victory’ is when that threat is defeated

Battling in Gaza, the IDF is beginning the long process of restoring public faith in its ability to protect us from savage, amoral enemies; not so our political leaders

FILE - An antisemitic sign at a pro-Palestinian protest of NYU students and others in Manhattan's Washington Square Park on October 25, 2023. (Screen capture/X)

Israel issues severe travel warnings to dozens of countries amid rising antisemitism

National Security Council urges citizens to reconsider nonessential travel, upgrading threat warnings in UK, Germany, France, Australia, among other countries

Danish soldiers patrol the area of the port of Aarhus, Denmark where military vehicles of the US army are parked, on January 16, 2023. (Sergei Gapon/AFP)

Denmark deploying troops to protect Jewish sites, as antisemitism rises

A police officer stands guard at the scene of a stabbing in Paris on December 2, 2023. (Dimitar Dilkoff/AFP)

Man who killed tourist near Eiffel Tower in Paris had sworn allegiance to ISIS

By Stuart Williams

Protesters hold placards and flags and chant slogans at a rally in support of Palestinians and against Israel, outside of the Houses of Parliament in central London on November 15, 2023. (Henry Nicholls/ AFP)

Holocaust survivors in UK worried about rising antisemitism in country since Oct. 7

By AFP and ToI Staff

Yael Adar, mother of hostage Tamir Adar held in the Gaza Strip, at a press conference in Tel Aviv on December 4, 2023. (Tomer Neuberg/Flash90)

‘Humiliated’ hostage families demand to meet Netanyahu, say ‘any price’ for release

Relatives claim they are being ignored, threaten to stage sit-in outside Defense Ministry until allowed to see war cabinet; PM’s office says meeting already arranged, may be advanced

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant meets with family members of hostages held in Gaza, December 3, 2023 (Ariel Harmoni/Defense Ministry)

Gaza war puts pressure on Hamas to free more hostages, Gallant tells families

A military drone flies over the Gaza Strip, as seen from southern Israel, Dec. 3, 2023. (AP/Leo Correa)

UK to start Gaza surveillance flights to help find hostages from Israel held by Hamas

By AFP and ToI Staff

Dr. Yael Mozer-Glassberg, Director of the Pediatric Liver Transplantation Service at Schneider Children's Medical Center. (Courtesy)

Interview

Pediatrician treating freed hostages: Reports of their good condition are misleading

By Renee Ghert-Zand

Dr. Yael Mozer-Glassberg provides new details about physical and psychological states of 19 children and seven women brought to Schneider Children’s Medical Center

Fiona Wax, left, twin sister to Aviva Siegel (second from right), with Wax's daughter Tal (second from left) and Siegel's youngest daughter Shir (far right) on December 2, 2023 at a Tel Aviv rally to free the hostages (Courtesy)

Freed from ‘hell,’ Kfar Aza’s Aviva Siegel shifts focus to still-captive husband

By Jessica Steinberg

96-year-old Aviva Sela talks about her escape from Kibbutz Be'eri on October 7 (Screenshot: Channel 12, used in accordance with Clause 27a of the Copyright Law)

96-year-old woman escaped October 7 massacre at Be’eri; grandson held in Gaza

Ofir Engel (middle), pictured a few days after his release from Hamas captivity on November 29, 2023; his girlfriend, Yuval Sharabi, is at left. (Courtesy)

Released hostage Ofir Engel, 18, ‘physically okay,’ says dad; emotionally, ‘we’ll see’

By Jessica Steinberg

A Palestinian security prisoner gestures among supporters and relatives after being released from Israeli jail in exchange for Israeli hostages released by Hamas from the Gaza Strip, in Ramallah in the West Bank on November 26, 2023. (Photo by Fadel SENNA / AFP)

Analysis

Gianluca Pacchiani

Are prisoner releases pushing West Bank Palestinians into Hamas’s arms?

A Palestinian and an Israeli expert address the impact of the war on the status of the terror group outside Gaza, the future of the PA, and the risks for Israel

Op-edWith all eyes on Gaza, Hamas might send the West Bank up in flames

By Ksenia Svetlova

Illustrative: Israeli Border Police officers in the town of Qarawat Bani Hassan, northern West Bank, July 26, 2022. (Nasser Ishtayeh/Flash90)

Settlers kill West Bank Palestinian during clash — PA media

Supporters of the Hamas terror group rally in Hebron, West Bank, December 1, 2023. (Wisam Haslmaoun/Flash90)

ToI podcastDaily Briefing Dec. 3: Day 58 – The rise of Hamas in the West Bank

Those we are missing

The hostages and victims whose fate is still unknown

Those we are missing
Presumed captive: Lior Rudaeff, went to fight for Nir Yitzhak

By ToI Staff
Those we are missing
Taken captive: Eden Yerushalmi, hid in car with two dead friends

By ToI Staff
Those we are missing
Taken captive: Tamir Nimrodi, walked by gunmen to base gate

By ToI Staff
Those we are missing
Taken captive: Carmel Gat, seen doing yoga with hostage children

By ToI Staff
Sapir Cohen, released from Gaza; boyfriend Sasha Trufanov still a hostage

By ToI Staff
RELEASED: Mia Schem, 21, underwent arm surgery in Gaza

By ToI Staff
Liam Or, 18, released from Gaza; uncle Dror Or still captive

By ToI Staff
Sharon Aloni Cunio, twins Yuli and Emma, 3, freed; father David still in Gaza

By ToI Staff
Those we are missing
Taken captive: Nimrod Cohen, twin working to bring him home

By ToI Staff
Those we are missing
Presumed captive: Dror Kaplun, last heard from in his safe room

By ToI Staff
Those we are missing
Taken captive: Uriel Baruch, last seen in video, laying next to car

By ToI Staff
Those we are missing
Taken captive: Nir Oz founder Amiram Cooper; wife Nurit released

By ToI Staff
RELEASED: Margalit Moses, 78: Cancer survivor freed from Gaza

By ToI Staff
RELEASED: Gali Tarshansky, 13, abducted after her brother was murdered at Be’eri

By ToI Staff
RELEASED: Nili Margalit, 41, nursed other hostages in Gaza

By ToI Staff
Rimon Kirsht Buchshtav released from Gaza; husband Yagev still captive

By ToI Staff
Those we are missing
Taken captive: Naama Levy, spending first Shabbat on army base

By ToI Staff
Noam and Alma Or released after 50 days, as father and cousin still captive in Gaza

By ToI Staff
Those we are missing
Taken captive: Shlomo Mansour, as his wife of 60 years escaped

By ToI Staff
Those we are missing
Presumed captive: Daniella Gilboa, identified by the shirt she wore

By ToI Staff

Those we have lost

Civilians and soldiers killed in Hamas's onslaught on Israel

Those we have lost
Eliad Ohayon, 23: Volunteered with kids fighting cancer

By ToI Staff
Those we have lost
Tehila Katabi, 31: Nature lover who moved to Israel’s south

By ToI Staff
Those We Have Lost
Alon Werber, 26: Partygoer who just ‘wanted to dance’

By ToI Staff
Those We Have Lost
Col. Asaf Hamami, 41: Witty commander ‘did not hesitate for a moment’

By ToI Staff
Those We Have Lost
Ofir Tzarfati, 27: A ‘pure soul’ who helped girlfriend escape rave

By ToI Staff
Those we have lost
Staff Sgt. Yehonatan Semo, 21: Legacy and organs live on

By ToI Staff
Those We Have Lost
Maayan Kalihman, 22: Art student who ‘radiated light and joy’

By ToI Staff
Those We Have Lost
Ofek Arazi, 28: ‘Always the strongest, the most caring’

By ToI Staff
Those We Have Lost
Oren Goldin, 33: Mechanic, kibbutznik, dad of 2-year-old twins

By ToI Staff
Those We Have Lost
Gideon Babani, 66: Yehud grandfather visiting friends on kibbutz

By ToI Staff
Those We Have Lost
Tamar Torpiashvili, 9: An ‘angel’ who dreamed of being famous

By ToI Staff
Those We Have Lost
Ashish Chaudhary, 25: Nepali student dreamed of supporting his family

By ToI Staff
Those we have lost
Sgt. Shaked Dahan, 19: Dreamed of defending the State of Israel

By ToI Staff
Those We Have Lost
Noy Shosh, 36: Fought terrorists outside his front door

By ToI Staff
Those We Have Lost
Sgt. Maj. Yossi Hershkovitz, 44: Beloved Jerusalem high school principal

By ToI Staff
Those We Have Lost
Ayelet and Shlomi Molcho, 54 & 63: Animal lovers with ‘shy smiles’

By ToI Staff
Those We Have Lost
Shira Eylon, 23: Vegan, animal lover, who ‘just started life’

By ToI Staff
Those We Have Lost
Maj. (res.) Moshe Leiter, 39: Father of 6 training to be a doctor

By ToI Staff
Those We Have Lost
Alina Vaisberg, 17: High school student who loved TikTok

By ToI Staff
Those We Have Lost
Iván Illarramendi, 46, & Dafna Pamela Garcovich, 47: ID’d after a month

By Gabriel Toueg

Those We Call Heroes

People saving others and making lives better

Tales of the Times

The quirky, improbable, infuriating and uplifting

In first event for new National Library, southern artists talk life after Oct. 7

By Jessica Steinberg
Show must go on
Jerusalem’s Jewish Film Week going ahead, adjusted for war

By Jessica Steinberg
Learning on the front lines
Book publisher sends thousands of sacred texts to IDF soldiers

By Gavriel Fiske
In the cards
Signed Albert Einstein quote on sale for $65,000

By Gavriel Fiske
Military vets
IDF troops find injured hyena in West Bank, take it for treatment

By ToI Staff
About it all again
New miniseries to showcase Leonard Cohen’s romance with Marianne

By Andrew Lapin
Divine victory
Argentina’s president-elect visits Lubavitcher rebbe’s grave

By Juan Melamed
Legacy breaker
‘Your debacle has eclipsed mine’: Golda’s ghost haunts PM in satire skit

By Jessica Steinberg
New life
Baby names appear to see influence from October 7 attacks

By Stuart Winer
Political stage
US Sen. Chuck Schumer thrills audience with Broadway debut

By julia GERGELY
Freedom daubers
Street artists paint Tel Aviv wall murals about child hostages

By Jessica Steinberg
Warning: Explicit lyrics
Hip-hop war anthem reaches number one in Israel

By Gavriel Fiske
Basic services
He parks a traveling lavatory wherever hostages’ families gather to rally

By Jessica Steinberg
Displaced art
Jerusalem Biennale postponed, exhibits shown abroad to support Israel

By Jessica Steinberg
'So much to be proud of'
MLB star, others to be inducted into Jewish Sports Hall of Fame

By jacob gurvis
Un-common application
In prank, Harvard called by mother of enrolling Hamas terrorist

By ToI Staff
News you can cruise
Marine patrol group brings displaced families aboard for R&R

By Sue Surkes
Pitching for Israel
Team Israel baseball captain Ryan Lavarnway talks solidarity

By jacob gurvis
The way back home
Israel Museum hangs painting by Kibbutz Be’eri artist Ziva Jelin

By Jessica Steinberg
Cry for help
Hand in hand, women demand global stand against Hamas crimes

By Jessica Steinberg

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