In today’s update: * Hamas hands over more body parts of a previously returned hostage — not one of the 13 still in Gaza. * Hezbollah’s reorganization in southern Lebanon and shocking footage of 74,000 youth pledging allegiance to assasinated terror chieftain, Hassan Nasrallah with raised-arm Nazi salutes. * A thwarted attempt by a Gazan terror aquad to recreate an October 7th–style attack on two border kibbutzim, on the very day the surviving 20 hostages were released back into Israel - October 13th. * 🎙️ Subscribe for daily on-the-ground reporting and analysis from Israel.3 pm Update: added in the IDF surveillance footage in comments for those who (still) somehow doubt the deranged abusive event. Noon Update: the remains are those of Ofir Sarfaty RIP, whose remains were recovered two years ago, in December of 2023, officials said. The family of Ofir Sarfaty: "Ofir attended the Nova Festival to celebrate his birthday with his partner Shoval and close friends. The birthday celebration was brutally cut short when Ofir was abducted into captivity, where he was murdered. Ofir's body was recovered at the end of November 2023 and brought to burial in Israel. "In March 2024, additional remains of Ofir were returned for burial in Israel. Furthermore, in August of that year, Hamas published a photograph of Ofir's body. "We went to sleep last night with anticipation and hope that another family would close an agonizing two-year circle and bring their loved one home for burial. But once again, deception has been inflicted upon our family as we try to heal. This morning we were shown video footage of our beloved son's remains being removed, buried, and handed over to the Red Cross - an abhorrent manipulation designed to sabotage the deal and abandon the effort to bring all the hostages home. "This is the third time we have been forced to open Ofir's grave and rebury our son. The circle supposedly 'closed' back in December 2023, but it never truly closes. Since then, we have lived with a wound that constantly reopens, between memory and longing, between bereavement and mission. "Our Ofir went to Nova to celebrate his birthday and never returned. We ask all the people of Israel not to forget the fallen, not to forget the hostages, and to continue supporting the families until their return and beyond -only then will we have a future. Only then can we continue to live in our country." From the Prime Minister's Office: "This is a clear violation of the agreement by the Hamas terror organization. Prime Minister Netanyahu will hold a security discussion with the heads of the defense establishment, in which they will discuss Israel's steps in the face of the violations." In plain (yes, and bitter) words - Hamas is literally doling out bits and pieces in order to drag out the process and buy time. ➡️ What reportedly happened (based on eyewitness soldiers in the field): 1️⃣ Yesterday afternoon, an IDF drone spotted Hamas operatives using a tractor to dig a pit in the Shuja’iyya area. 2️⃣ The operatives then retrieved a body from a nearby building, placed it in the pit, and reburied it under fresh soil. 3️⃣ Afterward, Hamas called in representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and staged the “discovery” — filming themselves digging up the same body they had just buried minutes earlier. Yes, that horrendous. [Why, why yes - yes, this indeed IS my surprised face - how could you tell? And, yes, I trust the veracity of his report. And, yes, the Trump time limit for handing over the bodies of the fallen hostages has long passed, and yes, IMHO, Hamas and Qatar are playing all of us as chumps] 🔵 *Hamas Caught Staging Hostage Body “Discovery” for the Red Cross — IDF Drone Footage Reportedly Documents the Scene* According to IDF reservists stationed near the “Yellow Line” in Gaza City’s Shuja’iyya neighborhood, Hamas operatives were filmed faking the discovery of an Israeli hostage’s body before handing it over to the Red Cross last night. “On the day our hostages arrived home - Oct. 13th, the IDF captured a terror squad prepared to invade Israel. The squad was near Kibbutz Sa’ad - no more than 0.8 mile from the border. The IDF forces found in a mosque huge amounts of weapons and a small model of the kibbutz. The terrorists also had a map of neighboring Kibbutz Alumim, where 22 foreign workers were murdered and two taken hostage, and four Israeli security personnel were killed in fighting on Oct. 7th, 2023.” Can you imagine the Oct 7th-like catastrophe that would've occured on the same day we were rejoicing over the return of the remaining 20 living hostages exactly two years later - if not for the IDF successfully nabbing the would-be Gazan terrorists en route to their horrific mission? I recall this report, but it was covered as a minor news update during the hoopla over the event - possibly so as not to disclose intel details or derail the release, or even possibly not to embarrass the US Administration. First publication in the morning news on Galei Tzahal Army radio: An unusual incident that has not been revealed so far: On the Sabbath of the living abductees to Israel - the IDF captured a squad of Hamas terrorists who crossed the Yellow Line; during their interrogation - the terrorists led the forces to a mosque that served as Hamas headquarters with a large amount of weapons The incident occurred on the eve of Simchat Torah, the Sabbath of the living abductees to Israel about two weeks ago. A number of Hamas operatives crossed the Yellow Line in the area of the Shajaiya neighborhood, and arrived about a kilometer from the border fence opposite Nahal Oz. An IDF UAV identified They were followed, and he led forces from the 11th Reserve Brigade to arrest them - and they were captured unarmed. During their initial interrogation in the field, the terrorists led the force to a mosque that served as a Hamas headquarters and training compound - which they had planned to reach. Weapons that the terrorists had hidden there were seized in the mosque - powerful charges and RPG missiles. In addition, intelligence materials were found, indicating that the place served as the headquarters of a battalion of the Shajaiyah in the military wing of Hamas, from which terrorist acts were supposed to emanate. A model of a kibbutz in the Gaza enclave was also seized at the site. The captured terrorists were transferred for interrogation in Israeli territory. The IDF has so far refrained from making this incident public for reasons that are unclear." Source: Doron Kadosh a GL''Z Army radio reporter. And, meanwhile, to our north, a missed opportunity for close target grouping (...and that stiff-armed salute - where have I seen that before? I'm drawing a blank - anybody?): "🇱🇧 𝗛𝗲𝘇𝗯𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗵 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵: Al-Mahdi Scouts. "It is estimated that 74,000 Hezbollah youths have attended the event in stadium. It is one of the largest scout gatherings in the history. "Most adolescents join Hezbollah and its military activities after the age of 16. The youth movement takes its members to meet terrorist operatives, visit weapons repositories, and join combat workshops that train them to be Shahids (martyrs). "October 13, 2025, the AhlulBayt News Agency published an article about this event. This is the Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium in Beirut, Lebanon. The event, named “The Sayyed's Generations,” was a scouting festival that commemorated the 40th anniversary of the founding of the Imam Mahdi Scouts, Hezbollah's official scouting arm. It was also held in honor of Hezbollah's former Secretary-General, Hassan Nasrallah, following his death. "According to reports, more than 70,000 to 74,000 participants attended the rally, which has been described as one of the largest scouting gatherings in the world. The stadium's field featured a large banner with a portrait of Hassan Nasrallah. "The event included speeches, musical performances, and chants of allegiance to Nasrallah and the resistance. #scouts #jihad #wosm #badenpowell And, meanwhile, to our north, a missed opportunity for close target grouping (...and that stiff-armed salute - where have I seen that before? I’m drawing a blank - anybody?) “October 13, 2025, the AhlulBayt News Agency published an article about this event. This is the Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium in Beirut, Lebanon. The event, named “The Sayyed’s Generations,” was a scouting festival that commemorated the 40th anniversary of the founding of the Imam Mahdi Scouts, Hezbollah’s official scouting arm. It was also held in honor of Hezbollah’s former Secretary-General, Hassan Nasrallah, following his death. “According to reports, more than 70,000 to 74,000 participants attended the rally, which has been described as one of the largest scouting gatherings in the world. The stadium’s field featured a large banner with a portrait of Hassan Nasrallah. “The event included speeches, musical performances, and chants of allegiance to Nasrallah and the resistance.” If you’ve been following my Lens & Land reflections, you know that these images and essays grow out of the same soil and light we live in here in the Galilee — stories gathered between seasons, between news cycles, between one breath and the next. If this piece moved you, or if you’d like to help me keep documenting life, land, and light here in northern Israel, you can support the work directly through PayPal👉 paypal.me/davebender Your readership — and your support — help keep this project alive and independent. Thank you for walking this land with me, one breaking news update at a time. Thanks for reading Lens & Land: Dispatches from Israel ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. Thanks for reading Lens & Land: Dispatches from Israel ! This post i
