Awake at nights

Hello readers,

Yesterday I didnt post but it was a crazy day here in Sderot and the surroundings.

Terrorists dressed as IDF soldiers infiltrated Israel through tunnels HEAVILY ARMED FROM HEAD TO TOES.

Fortunatley their attack was thwarted 10 of them were killed. Unfortunatley some IDF soldiers were killed and injured. 

Right now we know 27 IDF soldiers were killed in action (may them rest in peace) and one is missing in action for 3 days. Hamas claims they kidnapped him.

Yesterday was the funeral of Sean Carmeli. He immigrated to Israel from texas 3 years ago.

He was a lone soldier. his friends from Macabi Haifa FC fans called people to come to his funeral so there will be atleast 10 men over 13 to complete a "Minyian". Over 20,000 from all over Israel answered that call.

Awake at nights 

A piece about what happened yesterday that went viral in Hebrew on facebook:

I am awake at nights.

Every night for about a month, especially for the last few days.

No, its not because its summer, or because I am such a party animal.

Its not because I work nightshifts to make a living.

Me and tens of thousands of people, from day old babies, to grey haired 3 digits aged people, Jews, Christians and Muslims, Israelis and Foreigners are in a WARZONE. Not on the sidelines, but IN THE BATTLEFIELD.

Not only that rockets are fired on us at nights, the sounds of explosions, the battle between the IDF and Hamas, the shockwaves.

How can I describe the shockwaves? Your house is shaking (like an earthquake).

All your windows are about to be shattered to pieces, and so is all glasses in the house. Doors of the rooms and closets are about to be ripped from their hinges.

And literally there is nothing you can do about it. 

Yeah, take all your family to a small crowded shelter. It will not make the shockwaves and explosions sounds go away.

So instead I sit, and think, and read, and write, and watch trash tvshows in online streaming.

Just to make myself tired, make my body to surrenders to the SandMan that will send me to sleep.

And suddenly this night (note: night before last night) I fell to sleep. 4 precious and priceless hours of sleep, Interrupted by the sound of machineguns. It sounds close. Very close. Very. Close.

In the next couple of hours the details were revealed. 2 Squads of Hamas' terrorists infiltrated Israel through tunnels. They were the amount of a small company. Only couple of miles from my home! 

They were heavily armed, from head to toe. Murder was their motivations. The smell of innocent children blood filled their noses as they came closer. 

The battlefield is not only in Gaza. Sderot, and the towns, kibbutzs, villages surrounding Sderot are part of this battleground.

I am proud that in my side of this conflict, I am not used as a human shield, I am the human being shielded. And although this nights are horrifying, horrible and full of stress, fear and anxiety, I am willing to endure. Because this sounds of struggle and fight are the sounds of a battle for my life. 

I want the IDF will beat the Hamas' terrorists. I don't want that in the future the soldiers will have to deal with bigger danger by Hamas. 

I am awake at nights, I could've been dead.

Dov Trachtman - The Man in Fort

I lost 15 relatives today

Hello readers,

Im sad because when I woke up today I found out 15 relatives of mine died.

No, not really my relatives, you have to be Israeli to understand this kind of grief, but I will do my best to explain.

Israel and the Israelis are different kind of people, different values order, different mentality.

See, despite our differences and disagreements we are grown to see each other as brothers in spite of everyyhing, the most used word in Hebrew is "Achi" literally "my brother".

In our mandatory service we feel this bond stronger than ever. It is said that the IDF is the fusion point of Israeli society. You meet different people you never thought you will, you make strong bonds with them. What you share with them us the symbols and experiences you go together.

Moreover, soldiers in Israeli culture are viewd as either your brothers and sisters your sons and daughters. Even if you never met them. They are respected for their hardwork and sacrifices. 

Today I woke up to the deaths of 2LT. Bar Rahav and SGT. Benaya Roval.

Later or on rummors spread about 13 soldiers from the Golani brigade that died. Around 06:30 pm Israel time it was officially published. Their names were not published but my friends knew 2 of them.

Golani brigade commander Colonel Rasan Aliyan (he is Druze btw) was injured in action and hospitalized but demands to return to his soldiers, his children ASAP.

Golani itself is the oldest infantry brigade in the IDF. Their symbol is the olive tree. The loss of 13 soldiers from same brigade especially this brigade felt like a bullet to the heart to many citizens.

So far 18 soldiers died in Gaza.

I know you cant understand why and how this is so painful, like losing your family but I hope I gave you a glimpse.

Dov Trachtman - The Man in Fort

Hamas manipulating media with photographs

Hello readers,

Its night here, but I can't sleep. There are loud explosion sounds and shockwaves that make my home including windows and doors shake. Honestly its frightening. I am afraid that while I will sleep I will be hurt by my window glass if it breaks. So I keep writing my papers to college or catching up on social media.

I don't know if I have told you, but I study culture, creation and production.

One of the courses I took this semester was about Stories and Narratives. 

And in this course we learned about stories, narratives what makes them, about the reader taking part in the process by processing details, filling in blanks, arousing his emotions and empathy, activating prior knowledge or experience. Story or narrative doesnt only have to be a text as in written text. It can be picture, photograph or movie.

You know who really is good at story telling? Hamas. 

So let me tell you how Hamas manipulating media with photographs

Hamas and their supporters work very hard over the internet, social/new media and news to tell a story, delievering a specific message to the world. Their agenda is to protray Israel as bad and themselves as defenders of palestinians. Although the facts speak for themselves, they had luck in the past and present, they had success manipulating the media and peoples mind.

So how they do it?

#1 Well first of all they use photographs that activate empathy and emotions.

Some of the photographs are staged, some of the photographs are from other places (syria/iraq/lebanon), some are very old, and some are "authentic".

#2 Triggering emotions is the most powerful motivator for someone to interpret a picture as a narrative, story or if you will as a fact. They add some details. Such as people injured in Gaza.

Now let me remind you many of those pictures are actually either taken from movies like final destination, staged, or from another country. But still saying this is from Gaza, they trigger your emotion and associate it with what happens in Gaza.

#3 Not sharing the whole details. They don't share the fact that they started escalation against Israel and target Israeli civilians. They don't mention they didn't agree to ceasefire twice and broke the third they "agreed" to. They don't mention that the IDF asked multiple times from citizens to evacuate and they avoid hitting civilians as much as possible. They don't mention they threatend civilians that if they evacuate after the IDF asked them, that Hamas will later on kill them. They don't mention how they ask civilians to ask as human shields. No, They don't share the details because they want you to "fill in blanks". Yes, They Trigger your emotions, Associated it to prior knowledge about Gaza, and the fact that Israel is running operation, but "forgot" to mention their responsibility for wanting to fight Israel, and that they refused cease fire before and during Israel operation, or using human shields, some of them children, in many cases against their will.

#4 They flood the internet and social media with those pictures hundred of thousands of time. They want people to forget or not to look up to most of this pictures and accepting them as "true" and delievering their "story" to as many people as possible. 

If you want to know more: Hamas reporting guidelines: The dead are always "innocent civilians"

So now you understand a little bit how Hamas use photographs for manipulating media and masses.

Share the truth!

Dov Trachtman - The Man in Fort 

2 Soldiers murdered by Hamas this morning may the rest in peace

Hello readers,

As I said Im keeping you posted as much as I can.

I am very sad to say that 2 soldiers were murdered this morning by Hamas terrorists in the morning

when Hamas infilitrated Israel to massacare civilians. Their attempt was thwarted. But 2 soldiers died.

photo from Ynet website

The first is Major (reservist) Amotz Greenberg 46 years old from Hod HaSharon, father of 3. May he rest in peace. 

The Second is Sergeant Adar Barsano 20 years old from Naharia. May he rest in peace.

Earlier today as I mentioned a 32 year old civilian was murdered by a rocket. May he rest in peace.

I hope no more innocent will die. HAMAS MUST BE STOPPED!

Dov Trachtman - The Man in Fort

Hamas murders a man, his children injured. Hamas tried to commit another massacare in Israel.

Hello dear readers,

Today a rocket launched by Hamas hit a Bedouin (Muslim) family near Dimona.

The Father 32 year old, died (may he rest in peace). Baby couple of months old injured severly. 4 year old injured as well, and 2 other women injured in the same hit.

Also, soldiers were injured again. Some of them injured while thwarting an infiltration through terror tunnel by Hamas. Again, Hamas used tunnel to infilitrate to Israel, heavly armed to commit a massacare in an Israeli town.

Let's pray for the speed recovery of the civilians and soldiers hurt by Hamas.

Hamas fires indiscriminatley. They target civilians and children. They don't care if you are a Jew, Muslim, Christian or something else. They don't fight for muslims, They don't fight for palestinians.

They fight because they are bloodthirsty. Because they are violent. Because they love war and death.

They always mention the fact that they love death, they teach children in Gaza to love death, they teach them violence, they educate them to become suicide bombers. 

How can a sane, normal person side with this kind of people?

STOP TERROR! STOP HAMAS! SAVE CHILDREN OF BOTH SIDES!
UNRWA strongly condemns placement of rockets in school

Also, Hamas seems to again exploit animals for terrorists attacks.

IDF reported the use of an explosive donkey by Hamas.

Not only that Hamas rockets hit civilians, they have killed many animals in the Israeli side, caused them trauma and damage, now they exploit animals in Gaza for their terrorist attacks.

Really I don't know how to explain it to you people. Hamas must be stopped. They don't care for any living thing. They are literally out of their minds. Targeting civilians, using human sheilds, educating for suicide, death and violence, exploiting animals and killing them. They are psycopaths.

I will do my best to keep you in the loop of what's happening in here.
Again, my thoughts and prayers are with the civilians and the soldiers, hopes your's too.

Dov Trachtman - The Man in Fort

Ground phase of "protective edge" have started, RIP Staff Sergeant Eitan Barak

Hello dear readers,

Last night the IDF ground forces entered Gaza to destroy the terror tunnels used to infiltrate to Israel

for killing spree's and kidnapping of civilians.

Sgt. Eitan Barak a 20 year old from Herzeliya was killed in action. After his death in combat he was promoted and be put to his final rest as a staff sergeant. May he rest in peace.

photo of Eitan from the website pzm/mako

Needless to say, I am very sad and worried. I am sad for the death and all the soldiers injured protecting us, I am worried about all of them. Those soldiers are our fathers, brothers, uncles, cousins, nephews, friends.

The sound of explosions by both Hamas strikes, rocket launching and IDF's strikes and Iron dome interceptions are being heard in Sderot non stop since last night. The sound of war is hard to describe.

Please I ask from all my readers, when you read or study a chapter from the Jewish bible ("old testament") or read a psalm please do it with the intention in your heart and dedicating that reading or study for the safety of the IDF soldiers, for their health and for peace. Ofcourse keep them in your prayers! Do the intention also if you are donating or making any mitzvah or commandment.

I will try my best to keep you posted on the situation here.

I will end with this song:

Dov Trachtman - The Man in Fort

Hamas targets CHILDREN

Hello readers,

Before today's topic here is some information.

Yesterday Israel agreed to cease its fire today between 10:00-15:00 (10am to 3pm).

Hamas apparently also agreed to ceasefire. But in the early morning they sent a team of atleast 13 terrorists

through a tunnel heavily armed to Israel to murder and kidnap Israeli civilians. 

Fortunatley, the IDF thwarted that attempt.now

in 12:00 (2 hours into the ceasefire) Hamas launched rockets at Israel.

few minutes before 15:00/3pm Hamas resumed fighting.

this is the face of Hamas, targeting innocent civilians and not giving a crap about international laws, morals, or anything similar to this.

Now lets go into todays topic: Hamas Targets CHILDREN!
UPDATE: After I posted this entry I found out this: 
unrwa strongly condemns placement rockets school

As we know, this escalation began in June 12 2014, Hamas kidnapped the 3 teenagers Eyal, Gilad and Naftaly, murdering them minutes later and buring them in a hole, for later using their bodies for "negotiations".

Meanwhile, Hamas kept shooting rockets, rockets they shoot indiscriminatley, many of them fall in Gaza, some in palestinian villages, some hit the power lines between Israel and Gaza. 

Also, in many places in Israel that Hamas targets like Sderot, Haifa, Jerusalem, Tel-Aviv there are many Arabs, Muslims, Christians and other ethnicities and faiths. Synagouges, Mosques and Churches are in their range, including the Al-Aqsa mosque in the temple mount in Jerusalem, which they claim is holy for them.

But as I said Hamas don't care, they only want death, violence and bloodshed.

More than that, Hamas bring children to launching sites, or send them and other civilians to stand between IDF and weapon storage rooms, launching pads, Hamas commanders and more, they put them in danger, using children as human sheilds. 

While in Israel, summer camps have been canceled in southen Israel, the boyscouts canceled their main summer event, teenagers been underfire during high school finals, rockets hit schools.

in July 10, rocket hit play-ground, a 9 year old was saved from shrapnels because a tree was standing between him and the shrapnels.

In July 9-10 teenagers 12 and 14 had broken limbs after falling when running to shelter.

July 10, a 3 months old baby was hurt falling when his mother fell down the stairs taking him for shelter.

In July 12, a husband and wife driving to hospital to give birth to her baby were caught in alarm in the middle of the road. He Had to deliver his daughter under fire.

In July 12, a 16 year old and 19 year old girl were injured while running for shelter.

In July 13 a 16 year old was injured severly from a rocket hit.

In July 14, 10 and 13 year old girls who are bedouin muslims were hit and injured severly by rocket.

This are not the only children harmed by Hamas, there are more.

Beyond this physical injuries, do you know what is like for a child to live with trauma?

Whats its like for him to suffer from PTSD? Always thinking about his death, or his loved ones dying, feeling depression, crying alot, being constantly afraid, having nightmares, not sleeping, losing control of their body like bladder, feeling physical symptoms. Would you let your child grow up in this reality?

Let him be at risk everyday? Not knowing if he will ever return from school? Not being able to enjoy summer vacation? Can't hangout with his friends? Or maybe let him live in constant fear of death, like the sword of Damocles is hanging above is head, all the time?

Or maybe would you like your child to hangout with murderers, hangout in a launching pad that might explode, or a rocket will hit him? maybe send him to be a human sheild for a weapon storage room? 

Maybe you him to be educated to believe that there is nothing as noble, awesome and great as comitting suicide and that death is beautiful? Or maybe you want him to be a good old terrorist planning to kill thousands? 

Children of both Israel and Gaza suffer from the terrorism, and the sick, twisted, hateful, violent minds of Hamas.

SAVE THE CHILDREN! STOP TERROR! STOP HAMAS! 

Dov Trachtman - The Man in Fort