January 30, 2025 – The fourth and final day of the National Jewish Assembly (NJA) Solidarity Mission to Israel provided an in-depth understanding of Israel’s military strategy, media warfare, and groundbreaking defence technologies. The delegation met with top military and defence experts, gaining firsthand insight into the challenges Israel faces and the remarkable resilience that enables it to prevail.
The day began at the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit headquarters in Ramat Aviv, where the delegation was briefed by a British-Israeli officer on the IDF’s war against Hamas and its media operations. The officer stressed that credibility and accountability are paramount in every piece of information the IDF publishes, whether in Hebrew, English, or Arabic.
In response to a question about why the IDF sometimes takes longer to issue statements than its adversaries, the officer explained that unlike Hamas, which immediately fabricates casualty figures, the IDF rigorously verifies information before releasing it. This commitment to accuracy, while essential, often places Israel at a media disadvantage.
The speaker highlighted how the Hebrew-language media unit is the IDF’s primary focus, serving the Israeli public first and foremost. The international media and Arabic-language outreach are also critical, with IDF Arabic-speaking spokespersons playing a crucial role in battlefield communication. In Gaza, this sometimes involves using psychological tactics to encourage civilians to evacuate danger zones, reducing casualties in an enemy-controlled environment.
The officer detailed the IDF’s objectives in this war, emphasizing four core goals:
1. Rescuing the hostages
2. Dismantling Hamas’ military and governing capabilities
3. Restoring security along all borders
4. Returning Israeli evacuees from the north to their homes safely
The delegation was given a detailed case study on Hamas’ military use of hospitals, particularly the Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza, which was widely reported as a civilian site. The IDF had clear intelligence that a Hamas command centre was located beneath the hospital, yet when Israeli forces moved in, much of the incriminating evidence had been removed or destroyed. The IDF’s policy of warning civilians before military operations had inadvertently allowed Hamas operatives to escape and erase traces of their presence.
The officer explained how Hamas exploits Western media narratives, knowing that Israel is held to impossibly high moral standards, while its enemies face no scrutiny. The IDF takes extensive measures to mitigate harm to civilians, including evacuation warnings, roof-knocking tactics, leaflet drops, and direct SMS messages to Gazans, yet these efforts are frequently ignored in Western reporting.
Despite the challenges, the IDF has achieved significant military successes, including:
1. Eliminating 20,000 Hamas terrorists, including senior leaders such as Yahya Sinwar.
2. Dismantling a significant portion of Hamas’ military infrastructure.
3. Uncovering and destroying hundreds of miles of terror tunnels.
4. Successfully rescuing hostages and securing the release of others through military pressure.
The briefing also addressed Israel’s war in the north, where Hezbollah has been launching daily attacks on Israeli communities from Lebanon. Unlike in Gaza, Hezbollah does not have total control over Lebanon’s civilian population, making local Lebanese more willing to expose its activities. However, the challenge remains formidable, as Hezbollah possesses an extensive arsenal of rockets and precision-guided missiles supplied by Iran.
The officer noted that fighting Hezbollah is militarily easier than fighting Hamas, as there are no hostages in play. However, the sheer scale of Hezbollah’s arsenal means that a full-scale war would be significantly more devastating than the conflict in Gaza.
After departing from the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit headquarters, the NJA delegation visited Hostages Square, the plaza in front of the Tel Aviv Museum of Art. The atmosphere was charged with emotion, as the visit coincided with the release of Adam Berger, Gadi Moshe, Arbel Yahoud, and five Thai hostages – Pongsak Thaenna, Sathian Suwannakham, Watchara Sriaoun, Bannawat Saethao, and Surasak Lamnao – who had been held captive by Hamas. The weight of their long-awaited freedom was felt deeply throughout the square, reminding the delegates of the ongoing anguish of those still in captivity.
The delegation then travelled to the Kirya, Israel’s military headquarters in Tel Aviv, to meet with Brig. Gen. (res.) Danny Gold, the mastermind behind Iron Dome, David’s Sling, and the Arrow defence systems.
Gold recounted how Iron Dome was developed in response to rocket fire from both Gaza and Lebanon, designed to intercept and neutralize short-range threats before they reach civilian areas. Since its deployment, Iron Dome has saved thousands of Israeli lives and remains one of the most effective missile defence systems in the world.
Gold also discussed Israel’s long-range missile defence, including the Arrow 2 and Arrow 3 systems, which intercept ballistic missiles at high altitudes, even in space. In 2019, Israel successfully tested the Arrow 3 system in Alaska, where it intercepted a missile fired from 1,500 miles away.
When asked by NJA’s Events and Projects Manager Dalia Hajioff whether he personally watches Iron Dome in action during missile attacks, Gold smiled and replied, “We try not to gloat about our achievements.” His humility underscored the quiet confidence of a man whose innovations have revolutionised Israel’s defence capabilities.
As the NJA delegation concluded its Solidarity Mission, there was a shared sense of awe and determination. The group had witnessed Israel’s resilience firsthand – from the soldiers risking their lives in the tunnels of Gaza to the engineers designing the next generation of missile defence systems.
NJA Chairman Gary Mond summed up the mission’s impact, stating: “This mission was about standing shoulder to shoulder with Israel, not just in words, but in action. We have seen how Israel fights, not just militarily, but in the war of ideas and in the battle for truth. The UK Jewish community must do its part – combating misinformation, defending Israel’s right to exist, and ensuring that our voices are never drowned out by those who seek to demonise the Jewish state.”
The NJA’s commitment to advocacy, education, and solidarity with Israel remains stronger than ever. As the delegation returned home, they carried with them the responsibility to amplify Israel’s truth and stand firm against those who seek to distort it.
For more information on NJA’s advocacy efforts and future missions, contact office@nja.org.uk.
