The trial of the terrorists on October 7 in Israel risks facing a new delay—not due to the lack of law or budget, but because the state has not yet completed forming the prosecution team. The military prosecutor’s office warned the Ministry of Justice: if they do not receive 20 prosecutors who have been working with the massacre materials for almost three years, the preparation of indictments may be delayed by at least another two years.
Previously, state structures and the Knesset named January 2027 as a target for the first indictments.
As of August 12, 2026, it is important to separate fact from forecast here.
There is no official decision to postpone the processes for two years: it is a warning from the military prosecutor’s office about what will happen without the transfer of an experienced team. But even such a scenario drastically changes the picture because Israel has already passed a special law, allocated more than a billion shekels, and started creating separate infrastructure for the trial of hundreds of suspects in the crimes of October 7.
I am not a prosecutor and do not have access to closed materials of specific criminal cases, so I do not assess the sufficiency of evidence against individual suspects. As an author for NANews, regularly writing about security, war, and the work of state institutions, I compared the current warning with the Knesset’s decisions, the June report of the State Comptroller, and the already approved budget of the process. And here an important boundary appears: the first years of delay had a separate political-security reason related to hostages in Gaza, whereas the current problem relates to the organization of the prosecution system itself.
NANews — Israel News | Nikk.Agency June 3, 2026 detailed the allocation of more than 1 billion shekels for the trial of the terrorists of October 7. At that time, it was about the budget for 2026–2029, the judicial complex, security, logistics, computer systems, and personnel. Two months later, it became clear what could not be seen from a single budget decision: having money does not yet mean having a team capable of turning a huge array of evidence into hundreds of legally sustainable indictments.
Why the trial of the terrorists of October 7 did not start earlier
After the massacre on October 7, 2023, Israel faced a criminal process of a scale that the country’s modern judicial system had not known before. It is not about one defendant and not about one crime scene. Investigators need to link specific people to murders, kidnappings, sexual violence, attacks on settlements and military facilities, as well as other episodes of the attack. The State Comptroller in June 2026 indicated that indictments are expected to be formed against several hundred suspects.
At the same time, the absence of charges in the first years after October 7 cannot automatically be recorded in the same column as the current staffing delay. The State Comptroller’s report states that the Prime Minister and the Minister of Justice did not advance judicial processes while Israeli hostages remained in Gaza. The state feared that changing the legal status of captured terrorists, starting processes, or the prospect of maximum harsh sentences could complicate negotiations for the release of hostages and create additional risk for them.
As of February 2026, according to the same report, indictments for the crimes of the massacre itself had not yet been filed. However, this does not mean that no one was working on the cases all this time: the police, SHABAK, and prosecutors were collecting and systematizing materials, studying testimonies, videos, digital traces, and other evidence.
And here the number ’20 prosecutors’ stops looking like ordinary staffing statistics. This is a team that has been working with the materials practically from the first weeks after the massacre and already knows the internal structure of the huge data array. A new lawyer, even a very experienced one, does not receive such knowledge on the day of appointment.
Replacing this team with twenty new employees only by number is impossible. A new prosecutor will have to study not a folder with an ordinary criminal case, but a multi-year array of materials where one video, phone, interrogation, or testimony can be related to several defendants and several attack locations. If the state has to essentially re-immerse another team into the already collected evidence base, the loss of time becomes not an abstract threat, but a quite understandable procedural risk.
That is why the current situation differs from the first years after October 7. Then the pause was related to a specific state calculation around the fate of the hostages. Now the political decision on the trial has been made, a special law exists, funding is approved—and the bottleneck becomes the ability of several state structures to transfer people and powers to each other.
There is a law, a billion is allocated—why did the problem with prosecutors arise
On May 11, 2026, the Knesset approved a special legal mechanism for prosecuting participants in the October 7 attack with 93 votes and no votes against. The law provides for a special military court in Jerusalem, a separate procedure for forming judicial panels and charges, the publicity of key sessions, and the preservation of process materials. It also allows for the death penalty for the most serious crimes, and such a sentence must undergo mandatory appellate review.
The initiators of the law were Simcha Rothman, a deputy of ‘Religious Zionism,’ and Yulia Malinovskaya, a deputy of Yisrael Beiteinu. For them, it was initially not only about punishing specific terrorists. The process being created should simultaneously become a legal fixation of the crimes of October 7, so the sessions are expected to be documented, and a significant part of the materials preserved for the future.
Already on June 2, the government approved a budget framework of more than 1 billion shekels for 2026–2029. The money is intended not only for the sessions themselves but also for security, prisoner transportation, premises, technological infrastructure, the work of the prosecutor’s office, and personnel. Therefore, describing the current situation with the words ‘Israel has no money for the trial’ would be incorrect: the budget exists, the problem arose at the stage of turning it into a working organization.
The chronology at this point becomes especially important. First, the Knesset creates a special legal structure. Then the government allocates significant funding, the preparation of physical and technical infrastructure begins—and a few months later, the military prosecutor’s office warns that the previously designated schedule of charges cannot be maintained without the transfer of a team of 20 experienced prosecutors to it.
The IDF reported that six officers have already been approved and should enter the system. Simultaneously, the conditions for attracting other employees, including civilian prosecutors, are still being agreed upon, and the funding for the project, according to the army’s position, only arrived in recent weeks. So saying that the state is doing nothing at all would also be incorrect.
But this explanation raises another question. If the legislative and budgetary frameworks were ready in the spring and early summer, why did the money, staff positions, and accumulated prosecutorial expertise not end up in one working system earlier?
Publicly available data does not yet allow for honestly appointing a single culprit. It is unclear where exactly the main delay occurred—within the Ministry of Justice, between the civilian and military prosecutor’s offices, in budgetary procedures, in agreeing on hiring conditions, or at several stages at once. Therefore, the formula ‘the trial was disrupted’ today would be as inaccurate as the formula ‘there is no problem at all.’
There is another reason why the issue cannot be reduced to a bureaucratic dispute over staff. According to Israeli media reports, the prosecution is preparing to seek the death penalty in some of the most serious cases. This means that the cost of a weak indictment, a procedural error, or insufficiently reliable individualization of guilt becomes especially high: such decisions will inevitably undergo extremely rigorous judicial scrutiny.
What a two-year delay means for victims, witnesses, and Israel
For the court, it is not enough to establish the general fact of the Hamas attack and the scale of the crimes of October 7. This is already documented by thousands of testimonies, videos, and other materials. But a criminal charge must do a more complex thing: legally link a specific defendant to specific actions or prove such a form of participation that allows for personal criminal responsibility to be imposed on them.
Here, time really matters. A digital record does not forget what it saw, but a person can. Years later, it is harder for witnesses to recall secondary details, the sequence of events, and the features of a specific person, and the defense has more opportunities to argue about the accuracy of memories, identification conditions, and the connection of the accused to a specific episode. This does not mean the automatic destruction of the evidence base, but it well explains why the prosecution perceives another two years as a serious threat.
For the families of the deceased, released hostages, and survivors, there is another layer. The special court was conceived not only as a mechanism for imposing punishments but also as a state legal consolidation of what happened: with testimonies, examined evidence, court decisions, and an archive. The public and historical documentation of the massacre is already enormous, but a judicially established picture for specific defendants has not yet been created.
Finally, the story with the twenty prosecutors becomes a test for the state institutions of Israel themselves. The country has already spent political resources on a special law and committed to directing more than a billion shekels to the process infrastructure. If after this, the deadlines are extended for years precisely because the departments failed to timely coordinate personnel, funding, and powers, the issue will be not only in the unprecedented complexity of the investigation.
As of August 12, 2026, the correct status of the case looks like this: the trial of the terrorists of October 7 has not been officially postponed for two years. The military prosecutor’s office warns that at least such a delay will occur if they are not given an experienced team of 20 prosecutors, and the initial target for the first indictments—January 2027—will then become unattainable. If the warning is implemented literally, it may already be about 2029, but the state has not yet announced a new official calendar.
After the Knesset returns to work, Simcha Rothman and Yulia Malinovskaya intend to demand explanations and a practical solution to the staffing issue from the responsible structures. Therefore, the nearest real indicator of the state’s readiness for this process will not be another statement about its historical significance or a new budget figure, but a formed prosecution team and the first indictments for the crimes of October 7.
Ukraine has changed the usual format of reports on Russian air attacks. The daily summaries no longer systematically include exact figures on the missiles launched by Russia and the results of their interception. However, data on drones are still often published in sufficient detail.
At first glance, the decision seems almost pointless. The Russian command knows perfectly well how many of its own missiles it launched. It does not need the Ukrainian morning summary for this. So the main question sounds different: what information did Ukraine really stop giving to the enemy for free after the Russian strike?
The reason for this analysis was the publication (Ukr.) by TSN on August 12, 2026, in which the head of military security programs at the Center for Global Studies “Strategy XXI” Pavel Lakiychuk explained the military logic of data restriction. He believes that detailed Ukrainian statistics help Russian military analyze the results of an already conducted attack and take them into account when preparing the next one. At the same time, the expert warned: military secrecy should not become a way to hide unpleasant reality from Ukrainian society.
Alexander Khmelnitsky regularly writes for NANovosti about war, politics, and Israel’s ties with Ukraine; his personal Ukrainian-Israeli perspective is directly indicated on the author’s page. This topic is not new for the editorial team: back in July, we analyzed how wars in Ukraine and the Middle East simultaneously created a global missile defense shortage and why the production of PAC-3 is becoming part of a common security problem for Kyiv, Israel, and the USA.
For this material, the editorial team compared the TSN publication with open statistics of recent Russian attacks and previous materials from NANovosti. It is important to outline the boundaries of this analysis: Alexander Khmelnitsky is not an air defense officer, a Patriot developer, or a specialist with access to classified operational information of the Ukrainian Air Force. NANovosti also does not have access to classified combat logs of Ukrainian air defense. Therefore, where there is a confirmed fact, we call it a fact; where it is an expert explanation or editorial conclusion, it is indicated separately.
What exactly did Ukraine stop reporting after Russian attacks
This is not about a complete cessation of information about the missile threat. The Air Force continues to warn the population about launches, report on the movement of targets, threat directions, and the need to stay in shelters.
The final arithmetic after the attack has changed above all.
Previously, in the morning, one could get an almost ready balance: Russia used a certain number of Iskanders, Kh-101s, Kalibrs, Kinzhals, other missiles, and drones; so many targets were destroyed or suppressed; so many missiles reached the impact areas.
Now, exact data on missiles may be absent.
This is especially evident against the background of how detailed such statistics were just a few weeks ago. After the massive attack on July 30, NANovosti reported that Russia launched 74 missiles and 284 drones at Ukraine. Of the nine ballistic missiles, only one was shot down at that time. Ukraine also reported confirmed hits and types of weapons used.
Such a summary is very useful for Ukrainian society. But it is also useful for those people in Russia whose task is to understand the result of their own attack.
Russia knows how many missiles it launched. So what is being hidden from it?
Here lies the key to this story.
Suppose the Russian military launched ten ballistic missiles. They know the number ten for sure. It is impossible to hide it from the Russian command.
But after the launch, significantly more questions arise.
Which missiles were detected by Ukrainian radars? Where did the counteraction begin? How many targets were actually intercepted? Which missiles were lost due to technical problems? What could have been suppressed by electronic warfare? At what section of the route did a specific target disappear? Which missiles managed to break through? What combination of ballistic, cruise missiles, drones, and decoys overloaded the Ukrainian system the most?
Lakiychuk draws attention to this. After the strike, the enemy conducts reconnaissance and tries to understand not only the number of its own launches but also the result of the targets passing through Ukrainian defense. For planning the next strike, this information may be significantly more valuable than the initial number of missiles.
The Russian side, of course, has its own intelligence. There are satellites, radar means, agent information, photos and videos of the consequences of strikes, social media monitoring. But the public Ukrainian summary provided another opportunity — to compare its own data with what the defending side recorded.
In other words, Ukraine is not hiding how many Russia launched. It is reducing the amount of free information about what happened to Russian missiles after launch.
This is a significant difference.
Why did the numbers disappear precisely when the interception of ballistics sharply worsened
But the military logic does not end the whole story.
There is an extremely inconvenient coincidence in time: detailed statistics disappear precisely during the period when the results of intercepting Russian ballistics became especially severe.
Behind these numbers were not only percentages. A Kyiv resident, Miroslav, said that the explosion occurred about 150 meters from his house: windows were blown out, a car was damaged. Another city resident, Andrey, was waiting out the attack with relatives in the apartment corridor. The blast wave blew out windows, damaged furniture, and repairs. These testimonies were already published by NANovosti in the same material.
On July 30, the picture was even more indicative: of the nine ballistic missiles, one was intercepted. At the same time, Ukrainian air defense destroyed cruise missiles much more successfully.
Therefore, it is impossible to reduce what is happening to the formula “Ukrainian air defense stopped working.” The problem is significantly narrower and simultaneously more dangerous: Ukraine critically lacks means specifically for intercepting complex ballistic targets.
And Pavel Lakiychuk, in a conversation with TSN, outlines a second possible reason for changing public policy. In his opinion, the command may take into account the desire not to irritate society with extremely poor results on ballistics. This is not an established fact and not an officially stated reason. This is an expert assessment, and it should be perceived as such.
Patriot turns the issue of secrecy into a question of the number of missiles in stock
The most important thing here is not in the information policy at all.
You can stop publishing numbers. You can publish them in a week. You can leave only general information. But no Telegram summary format can shoot down an “Iskander”.
For this, an anti-missile is needed.
The Ukrainian system remains quite effective against a large number of drones and many cruise missiles. A completely different situation arises with ballistic targets, against which specialized complexes and corresponding interceptors are needed.
NANovosti — News of Israel drew attention to this problem back on July 9: modern warfare consumes air defense missiles faster than Western industry can replenish their stock. Ukraine requires PAC-3 for protection against Russian ballistics, while the Middle East simultaneously consumes anti-missiles against the backdrop of the Iranian threat.
For a reader in Israel, this connection is not theoretical.
When Israel, American forces, or US allies in the Middle East repel massive missile attacks, the same limited production capacities, component stocks, and defense budgets are consumed, from which Ukraine must also be supported. This does not mean that “an Israeli missile is taken from Ukraine” in the literal sense. It is about a broader problem: the demand for modern anti-missiles in several theaters of war is growing faster than production.
That is why the Ukrainian story with classified numbers is also an Israeli story about the industrial capacity of the West to withstand a prolonged missile war.
No matter how many Patriot batteries are in position, an empty launcher intercepts nothing.
What is a fact here, and what is still just an explanation
For this story, it is fundamentally important not to mix several different levels of information.
Fact: Ukraine changed the format of daily reports and stopped regularly publishing the exact number of Russian missiles.
Fact: previously, such numbers were published in detail, including types of missiles, number of interceptions, and confirmed hits.
Fact: the latest public data showed serious problems specifically with intercepting ballistic targets. This is evident from the attacks that NANovosti analyzed on July 19 and 30.
Expert explanation: refusing operational numbers can reduce the amount of information that Russian military uses to analyze the effectiveness of their own attack. This is the logic outlined by Lakiychuk.
Expert assumption: the decision could have been influenced by the desire not to increase public irritation against the backdrop of poor statistics on ballistics. This is Lakiychuk’s version, not a proven motive of the Ukrainian command.
This separation is also important because poor statistics themselves do not prove an attempt to hide them. But military secrecy does not cancel the need to explain to society how serious the problem is.
NANovosti — News of Israel considers this boundary to be fundamental. War inevitably requires secrecy, but trust in government messages is built on the understanding that information is temporarily restricted for security reasons, not disappearing every time it becomes politically inconvenient.
It is necessary to hide the operational picture, not the problem itself
The most logical model in such conditions seems to be the separation of operational and delayed information.
Immediately after the attack, the Air Force may not disclose data that allows the enemy to quickly assess the effectiveness of a specific salvo. This is a quite understandable military measure.
But after a certain time, Ukraine can publish aggregated statistics: how many ballistic, cruise, and other missiles Russia used over a week or month, how many were intercepted, how effectiveness changed, and which threat categories remain the most dangerous.
Thus, Russia does not receive a ready report a few hours after each attack, and Ukrainians and allies retain the ability to see the real state of air defense.
For allies, these numbers are especially important. The wording “Ukraine needs additional Patriots” sounds like another political request. The wording “of nine ballistic missiles, one was intercepted” shows the problem much more clearly.
And here arises the paradox of the whole story.
The same numbers that can help Russian analysts after a specific strike are simultaneously one of Ukraine’s strongest arguments in conversations with partners about additional anti-missiles.
Therefore, the dispute is not about whether secrecy is needed at all. It is needed.
The question is in the duration of its action.
If detailed information disappears for a few days to deprive the Russian headquarters of operational feedback, there is understandable military logic in this. But if inconvenient statistics disappear completely and without subsequent reporting, another problem will arise — the trust of Ukrainian society.
That is why the question “why does Ukraine hide the number of Russian missiles if Russia itself knows how many it launched?” is posed a bit incorrectly.
Russia knows the number of launches.
Ukraine is trying not to give it a ready answer to the more important question: how well did each specific strike work and what needs to be changed next time so that even more missiles pass through Ukrainian air defense.
But there is also a second question that cannot be classified.
If there is indeed a shortage of Patriot anti-missiles and other means to combat ballistics, no change in the format of summaries will eliminate this problem. Then the main number becomes not the number of published Russian missiles, but the number of interceptors available to Ukraine.
And this arithmetic ultimately still has to be solved not by the Air Force press service, but by defense factories, allied governments, and those who distribute the limited stock of anti-missiles between several wars simultaneously.
The same question asked to ChatGPT multiple times can lead to different sources, different sites, and even different recommendations. New research has shown: it’s not just about the wording of the query. ChatGPT is capable of changing its internal search channel, classifying the question differently, and sometimes not even consulting the internet at all. For small and medium businesses in Israel, this means that one good website is no longer enough.
Not long ago, promoting a business on the internet seemed relatively straightforward.
A company would create a website, set up Google Maps, publish service pages, work on Google rankings, and launch ads.
Today, a potential client increasingly does not browse through ten websites.
They ask:
“Which lawyer to choose in Haifa?”
“Where to get a cosmetic procedure in Kiryat?”
“Who repairs air conditioners in Netanya?”
“Which company handles transportation across Israel?”
“Which specialist speaks Hebrew and Russian?”
And they receive a ready answer with several names from ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot, Perplexity, or another AI assistant.
The main problem is that this list is not constant.
Today, artificial intelligence might name your company, tomorrow a competitor, and the day after might respond without searching the internet, using information the model received earlier.
NANews — Israel News explored what exactly researchers discovered, why ChatGPT results change, and how small and medium businesses in Israel can prepare for the new reality.
This is exactly what Nikk.Agency https://nikk.co.il/ helps small and medium businesses in Israel understand: from websites, Google Maps, and classic search to a new environment where the decision to choose a company is increasingly made not by a list of ten links, but by an AI assistant.
Why the same query in ChatGPT shows different companies today and tomorrow — and what businesses in Israel can do about it
ChatGPT searches for information in more than one way
On July 8, 2026, Search Engine Land editor Danny Goodwin published an article based on research by search engine specialists Chris Green and Sugantan Mohanadasan.
Researchers discovered an internal field result_source in ChatGPT’s technical data.
It shows through which channel a specific web result was obtained.
In June 2026, four values were observed in this field:
Labrador;
Bright;
Oxylabs;
SERP.
Users do not see these names.
They do not appear next to quotes, in the source panel, or in the ready answer from ChatGPT. A person only sees the page the assistant referred to but does not know how it was found.
It’s important to understand: Labrador, Bright, Oxylabs, and SERP are not four ordinary search engines like Google or Bing.
These are technical labels for result acquisition channels.
Researchers linked Bright to the company Bright Data, and Oxylabs to the eponymous provider of web data collection infrastructure.
The exact role of Labrador and SERP has not been officially disclosed.
The initial assumption that Labrador represents an exclusively closed list of major licensed publishers was later corrected by Mohanadasan himself. During a recheck, small regional sites were also discovered through Labrador.
Meanwhile, OpenAI’s official documentation directly confirms that ChatGPT uses third-party search providers. Among the partners named by the company are Bing and Shopify. However, Bright Data, Oxylabs, Labrador, and SERP are not explained in OpenAI’s public documentation.
Four channels quickly turned into at least five
The research revealed another important thing: the system itself changes very quickly.
Sugantan Mohanadasan initially recorded four labels on June 23–24, 2026.
Already during a recheck on July 4, he discovered a different picture:
a bing channel appeared;
Oxylabs disappeared from his account’s set;
SERP started appearing again;
the set of channels differed among users of different tariffs and experimental groups.
The researcher made a cautious conclusion: by early July 2026, at least five channels were observed, but they are not necessarily available to every user simultaneously.
For businesses, this means that it is impossible to check your company in ChatGPT once and consider the result final.
Even if today the assistant found a page and referred to it, tomorrow the query might go through a different information acquisition mechanism.
1000 queries showed how much sources can change
Chris Green conducted a more extensive check.
He prepared 1000 queries, each of which was run up to ten times.
A total of 9946 completed search sessions were obtained.
In his sample, the main channel most often became Labrador — 88.1% of launches. Next were Bright — 9.9%, Oxylabs — 1.7%, and SERP — 0.3%.
However, in 11.6% of queries, the main channel changed between repeated launches of the same question.
When this happened, the set of found pages changed especially strongly:
the overlap of specific URLs decreased by about 45%;
the overlap of domains decreased by about 42%.
In other words, after switching the search channel, ChatGPT saw a largely different internet.
This does not mean that every tenth user will necessarily see a completely opposite answer.
The study was conducted under certain technical conditions, and the data was collected through sessions associated with Bright Data. Chris Green himself warns that the results cannot be automatically transferred to all users, countries, tariffs, and ChatGPT models.
But the main conclusion remains important: ChatGPT does not have a single static output, analogous to the classic first page of Google.
There are different information acquisition environments here, and each of them can see a slightly different set of sites.
This is exactly what Nikk.Agency https://nikk.co.il/ helps small and medium businesses in Israel understand: from websites, Google Maps, and classic search to a new environment where the decision to choose a company is increasingly made not by a list of ten links, but by an AI assistant.
Sometimes ChatGPT does not search the internet at all
Switching channels is only one part of the problem.
Sugantan Mohanadasan discovered an internal field turn_use_case.
It is used for preliminary classification of the query.
Before starting the search, ChatGPT determines what type the question belongs to. Among the categories discovered by the researcher were search, local query, shopping, complex reasoning, image generation, and text.
The most important category for website owners is text.
When a query belonged to it, ChatGPT responded based on the model’s internal knowledge and did not conduct a web search.
In such a case, the company’s site does not lose to a competitor.
It does not participate in the selection at all.
OpenAI officially confirms the general principle: ChatGPT can independently decide that a question will benefit from internet information and automatically initiate a search. Additionally, the user can enable the search manually.
The problem is that the decision depends not only on the topic but also on the wording.
Two similar questions can be processed differently.
For example:
“What is laser hair removal?” might receive an answer from the model’s internal knowledge;
“Where to get laser hair removal in Haifa in July 2026?” is more likely to require a local and current search;
“Which laser hair removal clinics in Haifa have current reviews and prices?” might trigger several separate checks.
Therefore, creating a page for a popular phrase does not guarantee that the AI assistant will even consult the internet for such a question.
One question can turn into dozens of hidden searches
During complex queries, ChatGPT does not always limit itself to one search phrase.
The model can reformulate the user’s question and break it down into a series of additional queries.
OpenAI’s official documentation provides a similar example: the initial question can be rewritten into a more specific search formulation, after which ChatGPT sends additional queries to other search providers.
Mohanadasan’s research showed that in deep reasoning mode, one comparative question can generate 15 to 40 additional queries.
The model separately searches for:
the company’s official page;
prices;
service area;
service characteristics;
reviews;
alternative providers;
competitors the user did not even mention;
confirmation of found figures;
pages with terms, working hours, and contacts.
It can use queries like:
site:domain.co.il/pricing
company name reviews Israel
service Haifa price 2026
specialist Hebrew Russian Kiryat
official site working hours
Thus, the business competes not only on the client’s original question.
It simultaneously participates in dozens of small hidden checks.
Additional research by Semrush and Kevin Indig showed that the reasoning mode can indeed create a fundamentally different search environment. When comparing regular and deep responses, only 25.6% of cited domains matched. In complex mode, ChatGPT conducted almost five times more searches and more often referred to official documentation, government, and academic sources.
This is exactly what Nikk.Agency https://nikk.co.il/ helps small and medium businesses in Israel understand: from the website, Google Maps, and classic search to a new environment where the decision to choose a company is increasingly made not by a list of ten links, but by an AI assistant.
A found page does not yet mean it will be shown to a person.
Researchers have identified three different outcomes of a business’s presence in ChatGPT:
Page found.
ChatGPT received it and used it in the analysis, but the user did not know about it.
Page cited.
The link appeared next to a specific statement in the final answer.
Company mentioned.
The business name was included in the recommendation, but the source of information could have been a completely different page.
These are three different levels of visibility.
A company can be found but not cited.
It can be mentioned thanks to an article on an external site.
Or its own page can confirm the price, address, and hours of operation, while the final recommendation by ChatGPT is supported by reviews, a catalog, or an independent review.
That is why a simple check of “whether ChatGPT mentioned my company” provides too little information.
It is necessary to understand:
by what formulations the business appears;
in which city or area;
in what language;
which pages are used;
which sites confirm the information;
whether the company is the source or just a mention;
whether the result is retained after repeated launches.
Why a clear page can beat a beautiful site
Research has shown that ChatGPT often tries to get facts from the official site.
This is especially true for:
prices;
list of services;
product characteristics;
geography of work;
schedule;
conditions;
professional specialization;
contact information.
But if the data is loaded with complex JavaScript, hidden in an image, published only in PDF, or located inside an inconvenient interactive block, the system may not read them.
In such cases, ChatGPT sometimes abandons the official site and uses an external catalog, review, or competitor’s page.
Mohanadasan recorded situations where the model tried to find the price on the official page, could not extract it, and switched to an external service.
It turns out to be a paradox.
The company itself determines prices and conditions, but artificial intelligence talks about it based on another site’s words — just because the other page is technically clearer.
OpenAI recommends not blocking the OAI-SearchBot search robot. The company reports that any public site can appear in ChatGPT Search, but guaranteeing the first place is impossible. To be included in the search, the site must be accessible to the search robot, and the server and protection system must not block the published IP addresses of OpenAI.
This is a basic condition, but not a guarantee of citation.
What all this means for small businesses in Israel
A large network can afford hundreds of mentions, a well-known brand, and large advertising budgets.
The situation is different for local Israeli businesses.
A lawyer, cosmetologist, repair company, private practice doctor, carrier, realtor, teacher, builder, air conditioning specialist, or small store often depend on a few key queries in a specific city.
If ChatGPT recommends only two or three companies, absence in the response can mean losing a ready client.
The Israeli market is especially complex, where the same person can search for a service:
in Hebrew;
in Russian;
in English;
in Ukrainian;
with the city name;
with the district name;
with the phrase “near me”;
via voice request;
via ChatGPT, Google, Gemini, or maps.
Mechanical translation of one page into four languages does not solve this task.
People ask questions differently in each language.
This is exactly what Nikk.Agency https://nikk.co.il/ helps small and medium businesses in Israel understand: from the website, Google Maps, and classic search to a new environment where the decision to choose a company is increasingly made not by a list of ten links, but by an AI assistant.
Even city names can be written in several variations: Haifa, חיפה, Хайфа; Rishon LeZion, ראשון לציון, Ришон-ле-Цион.
The AI assistant needs to clearly understand:
what the business is called;
where it is located;
which areas it serves;
in which languages it operates;
what specific problem it solves;
how to contact it;
how it differs from similar companies;
which independent sources confirm its existence and reputation.
What Nikk.Agency can do
Amid such changes, it is impossible to honestly promise a business “eternal first existence and reputation.”
What Nikk.Agency can do
Amid such changes, it is impossible to honestly promise a business “eternal first place in ChatGPT.”
Even OpenAI directly states that guaranteeing the top position is impossible.
Therefore, Nikk.Agency’s task is not to sell a magic button, but to build the digital presence of a business so that search engines and AI assistants have more grounds to correctly find, understand, verify, and recommend the company.
Nikk.Agency is physically located in northern Israel and primarily works with small and medium businesses across the country.
The agency is engaged in SEO promotion, lead generation, Google Ads, Google Maps, website repair and development, as well as separate projects for business presence in responses from ChatGPT, Gemini, Googleaude, and other systems. Work is conducted in Hebrew, Russian, Ukrainian, English, and other languages.
Practical work can include several stages.
Checking what artificial intelligence sees now
It is not enough to ask ChatGPT the company name once.
Requests need to be checked:
in different formulations;
in different languages;
with and without city indication;
in normal and deep mode;
on different days;
with repeated launches;
on informational and commercial issues;
separately in ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot, and other systems.
This way, you can see not a single beautiful answer, but a real picture of visibility.
Analysis of the site and access of search robots
Checked:
robots.txt;
access of OAI-SearchBot and other necessary robots;
page indexing;
operation of protection and CDN;
mobile version;
speed;
HTML structure;
presence of important data in readable text;
correctness of titles, contacts, addresses, and language versions.
If the price, work area, or specialization exists only inside a picture, AI may not see them.
Creating clear service pages
Each important service should be described not with advertising slogans, but with specific facts.
For example:
what exactly the company does;
in which cities;
for whom;
how much it costs or what the price depends on;
how the work is carried out;
how long it takes;
in which languages service is available;
where to call or write;
what documents, restrictions, or conditions exist.
Such a structure helps both people, Google, and AI assistants.
Preparation for hidden additional requests
If a user asks “which lawyer to choose in Haifa”, ChatGPT can separately check specialization, language, area, reviews, working hours, and the official website.
Therefore, a business needs not just one general “About Us” page, but a connected system of materials, each answering a specific question.
Working with Google Maps and a unified digital contour
For a local business, the site should not exist separately from Google Maps, directories, social networks, and independent publications.
The name, address, phone number, working hours, and specialization must match.
When one site lists one company name, Google Maps another, and Facebook a third phone number, the system finds it harder to understand if it’s the same business.
Independent mentions
A personal site well confirms official facts.
But recommendations are often also based on external sources.
Therefore, important are:
publications in the media;
professional directories;
thematic reviews;
genuine reviews;
partner mentions;
expert comments;
local Israeli platforms;
materials in the target audience’s languages.
It’s not about buying hundreds of meaningless links.
One informative page with a clear business description can be more valuable than dozens of automatic directories.
Measurable requests and understandable KPIs
On the Nikk.Agency service page for promotion in AI assistants, it is stated that the work is built around an agreed list of requests, geography, and verification protocol, not around the subjective impression “it seems we are being shown more often”.
The digital contour and public digital contour, repeated checks, and iterative work until the evaluation of agreed indicators.
For one business, an important result will be appearing for a request in Hebrew in Haifa.
For another, a correct service description in Russian in Ashdod.
For a third, mention in a comparative ChatGPT response throughout Israel.
There is no universal list of requests for everyone.
New search requires not one-time optimization, but constant monitoring
The main conclusion of the July studies is not that promoting in ChatGPT is impossible.
It is different: AI visibility cannot be measured by one request, one screenshot, and one successful response.
The system is capable of:
not launching a search;
changing the wording;
choosing another channel for obtaining results;
finding another set of pages;
switching to deep reasoning mode;
using an external publication instead of the official site;
finding a company but not quoting it;
mentioning a brand without using its site as a source;
changing behavior after another update.
Therefore, a business needs not an attempt to “trick ChatGPT”, but a solid digital foundation.
A clear site.
Accessible pages.
Unambiguous facts.
Current contacts.
Local attachment.
Several languages adapted for the Israeli audience.
Independent confirmations.
Regular checks.
Connecting visibility with real inquiries, calls, and WhatsApp messages.
This is exactly what Nikk.Agency https://nikk.co.il/ helps small and medium businesses in Israel understand: from the site, Google Maps, and classic search to the new environment where the decision to choose a company is increasingly made not by a list of ten links, but by an AI assistant.
Boombox starts “Dronotour ’26” from Israel: Tel Aviv and Haifa are the first in the big 2026 route. The Ukrainian band Boombox announced a big concert route “Dronotour ’26” for November–December 2026.
For the Israeli audience, there is a particularly important detail in this poster: the tour starts from Israel.
The first concert is scheduled for November 10, 2026 in Tel Aviv, at the Reading 3 club.
The next day, November 11, 2026, the band will perform in Haifa, at the Theatron Hatzafon hall.
Boombox is one of the most recognizable Ukrainian musical phenomena of the last two decades.
The band was founded in 2004 and became known for its combination of rock, hip-hop, soul, and live stage energy.
But after February 2022, Boombox’s story gained another dimension.
The band’s leader, Andriy Khlyvnyuk, became one of the voices of Ukrainian resistance.
His a cappella performance of “Oh, the Red Viburnum in the Meadow” on Sophia Square in Kyiv became a symbol of Ukraine’s struggle and gained viral popularity far beyond the country’s borders.
This song was picked up by musicians, volunteers, artists, and ordinary people in different countries.
Thus, the Ukrainian melody turned into an international flash mob supporting Ukraine.
Therefore, “Dronotour ’26” is not just a concert route.
It’s a meeting with a band for whom music, stage, donations, merch, and public voice have become part of one big story — a story of help, memory, resistance, and connection with Ukraine.
Boombox concerts in Israel
Boombox in Israel -“Dronotour ’26” in November 2026: Tel Aviv and Haifa are the first in the big tour – Israel news
Tel Aviv — November 10, 2026
The first concert of “Dronotour ’26” will take place in Tel Aviv.
Venue — Reading 3.
The UNOW page for this date lists the starting ticket price — from 249 ILS.
For Israel, this is the main start of the tour: it is from Tel Aviv that the entire Boombox route through European countries begins.
Haifa — November 11, 2026
The second Israeli concert will take place in Haifa.
Venue — Theatron Hatzafon.
The tour page lists the starting ticket price — from 219 ILS.
For northern Israel, this is a separate important date because Haifa traditionally gathers a large audience connected with Ukraine, Ukrainian culture, and the Russian-speaking scene without political slogans, but through music, memory, and personal experience.
After the Israeli concerts, the tour will continue in Bratislava.
Venue — MMC.
This date opens the European part of the route after the start in Israel.
Frankfurt — November 21, 2026
The next stop is Frankfurt.
The concert will take place at Haus Sindlingen.
Germany occupies a prominent place in the tour route: several German cities are included in the Boombox poster.
Stuttgart — November 22, 2026
In Stuttgart, the band will perform at LKA Longhorn.
This date follows immediately after Frankfurt and continues the German block of the tour.
Düsseldorf — November 24, 2026
The concert in Düsseldorf is scheduled at Stahlwerk.
In the tour poster, this city is listed as one of the key stops in Germany.
Bremen — November 26, 2026
In Bremen, Boombox will perform at Aladin Music-Hall.
The route in Germany continues almost throughout the second half of November, showing the scale of the band’s audience outside Ukraine.
Dresden — November 27, 2026
The next date is Dresden.
Venue — Club Tante JU.
For Ukrainian listeners in Germany, such concerts often become not only a musical evening but also a meeting of the community, friends, and people with a shared memory of home.
Hanover — November 29, 2026
In Hanover, the concert will take place at Kulturzentrum FaUST.
This date closes another stage of the German part of the route before Hamburg.
Hamburg — November 30, 2026
The last November concert of the tour is announced in Hamburg.
Venue — Grosse Freiheit 36.
After Hamburg, “Dronotour ’26” will move to the December part of the route.
Dublin — December 2, 2026
Boombox will start December in Dublin.
Venue — Opium.
The band’s message separately emphasized that the route goes “from Israel to Germany, from England to Poland, from Ireland to Slovakia and the Czech Republic.”
Dublin just becomes the Irish point of this big tour.
London — December 3, 2026
In London, Boombox will perform at Electric Brixton.
The British date follows immediately after Dublin and is part of the December block of the tour.
Prague — December 5, 2026
In Prague, the concert will take place at SaSaZu.
The Czech Republic became one of the countries on the route where the Ukrainian audience has been particularly noticeable since 2022.
Krakow — December 7, 2026
The Polish part of the tour will start in Krakow.
Venue — Klub Studio.
The UNOW page for this date lists the starting ticket price — from 179 PLN.
Warsaw — December 9, 2026
The final date of the poster is Warsaw.
The concert will take place at Progresja.
The tour page lists the starting price — from 199 PLN.
It is Warsaw that concludes the announced route of “Dronotour ’26”.
What Boombox is bringing to this tour
The tour description states that Boombox will present the maxi-single “Zhiviy“.
The program will also include songs from various albums of the band.
Boombox formulated this very precisely: they will bring a new maxi-single on tour, enhanced by compositions under which listeners grew up, and under which their children are now growing.
This is an important detail.
Boombox has long ceased to be a band of one generation.
For some listeners, this is the music of student years and first concerts.
For others, it is the voice of wartime, a symbol of support for Ukraine, and a reminder that culture can also be a form of resistance.
The band separately addressed listeners with a request to buy tickets in advance, as well as to prepare money for donations and merch.
Therefore, the name “Dronotour” in this poster sounds not like an ordinary marketing move, but as a continuation of the line in which concerts help gather support for Ukraine.
Where to see details and buy tickets
Tickets, prices, cities, and venues are published on the UNOW tour page.
Before purchasing, it is worth carefully checking the city, date, venue, and ticket category.
For Israel, two dates are currently listed in the poster:
Israeli grandmaster Boris Gelfand and Ukrainian chess legend Vassily Ivanchuk have been inducted into the World Chess Hall of Fame. The class of 2026 was officially announced on July 30: along with them, Swede Ulf Andersson, Georgian Nana Ioseliani, and Swiss representative Alexandra Kosteniuk were selected.
This is a finalized decision, not a list of candidates.
Representatives of the International Chess Federation FIDE nominate and select new members of the World Hall of Fame based on their overall contribution to chess. The celebration of the new laureates will take place in St. Louis in October 2026 during the city’s chess events; the exact separate day of the ceremony for the world five was not specified in the initial announcement.
After the current addition, the World Chess Hall of Fame will have 61 people. But for Israel and Ukraine, this news is more interesting than just a number: Gelfand and Ivanchuk are almost contemporaries who reached the top of the world chess scene at the turn of the 1980s and 1990s and then became iconic figures for two different countries.
For NANews — Israel News | Nikk.Agency, Victoria Katzman compared the official decision of the World Chess Hall of Fame, FIDE data, the history of the two grandmasters’ performances, and Israeli materials on Gelfand’s career. Katzman is originally from Ukraine and regularly works with stories at the intersection of Ukrainian and Israeli life in her publications; here, the author’s task is not to technically analyze chess games but to show why two names in one list have a separate significance specifically for Israel and Ukraine.
How Gelfand and Ivanchuk made it into the World Chess Hall of Fame
Israeli and Ukrainian chess players entered the World Chess Hall of Fame: Gelfand and Ivanchuk among legends
World Chess Hall of Fame is not just another tournament or an award only for world champions. The World Hall of Fame can include players, coaches, authors, organizers, and other people whose influence on chess has been significantly broader than a single result.
It is the representatives of FIDE who are responsible for nominating and selecting members of the world part of the Hall of Fame. Therefore, in the case of Gelfand and Ivanchuk, it is not a single tournament in 2026 that is evaluated, but several decades of their presence in the world chess elite.
This is an important boundary. Both grandmasters have received numerous titles, yet neither Gelfand nor Ivanchuk became absolute world champions in classical chess. Nevertheless, their place in the history of the game turned out to be so significant that the absence of the main individual title no longer changes anything fundamentally.
What is more important for chess history then — one crown or several decades during which a player remains a figure of global scale? The class of the World Chess Hall of Fame 2026 effectively gives its answer to this question.
Boris Gelfand: why this is a special story for Israel
Boris Gelfand was born in Minsk in 1968 and developed as a chess player in the Soviet school. In September 1998, he repatriated to Israel, settled in Rishon LeZion, and began to consistently represent the country in major international competitions.
The Israeli Chess Federation later called his aliyah one of the key events for national chess of that period. With Gelfand’s arrival, the Israeli team gained a player from the world’s top ten, and then results came that the team had not achieved before.
The most famous page of his career is the 2012 championship match against Viswanathan Anand. Gelfand earned the right to it after winning the 2009 FIDE World Cup and the 2011 Candidates Tournament.
Twelve classical games against the reigning champion ended with a score of 6:6. In the seventh game, Gelfand even took the lead, but Anand equalized, and the fate of the world crown had to be decided in rapid chess. Anand was stronger in the tiebreak.
For Israel, this remains a unique sports story. Gelfand not only participated in the candidates’ cycle: a chess player representing Israel reached a full-fledged match for the absolute world crown and after twelve classical games was still not inferior to the champion.
The Israeli team with Gelfand also achieved world-class results. In 2008, the team won silver at the Chess Olympiad, and in 2010 — bronze. Before repatriation, Gelfand managed to win the 1990 Olympiad as part of the USSR team, so his biography literally spans two different chess eras.
There is also a detail that makes the inclusion in the Hall of Fame in 2026 even more interesting. At the time of preparing this article, the 58-year-old Gelfand still holds the first place among Israeli chess players in the national ranking of the Israeli Chess Federation; in the August FIDE ranking, he is also the highest-ranked representative of Israel.
So, the World Chess Hall of Fame now includes not a person who has long disappeared from professional chess. Gelfand remains an active grandmaster and the first number of his country almost three decades after repatriation.
Gelfand is not the first Israeli representative in the World Chess Hall of Fame
Here, an important historical clarification is necessary. Calling Boris Gelfand the first Israeli representative in the World Chess Hall of Fame would be incorrect.
In 2017, Alla Kushnir was included in the World Chess Hall of Fame. She was born in the USSR, moved to Israel in 1973, and in 1976 led the Israeli women’s team to victory at the Chess Olympiad. In the official Hall of Fame, Israel and the Soviet Union are listed next to her name.
Therefore, Gelfand’s significance is different. He became the main face of Israeli men’s chess for several decades, led the country to the Olympic podium, and was one tiebreak away from the absolute world crown.
For a small country with a strong chess tradition, this is already a separate chapter of sports history.
Vassily Ivanchuk: a man remembered by the chess world not only for titles
Vassily Ivanchuk was born in 1969 and is only a year younger than Gelfand. Like the Israeli grandmaster, he entered the world elite at the end of the Soviet period, but after Ukraine’s independence, he became one of the main figures of the Ukrainian chess school.
Ivanchuk rose to the second place in the world ranking three times. Above him at different times were chess players of the level of Garry Kasparov and other champions of the era, but the Ukrainian himself was for decades part of the narrow circle of players capable of defeating almost any opponent in the world.
Ivanchuk came closest to the classical world crown in 2002. He reached the final of the FIDE World Championship, where he faced another Ukrainian — Ruslan Ponomariov. Ponomariov won, becoming the youngest FIDE world champion at the time.
But from Ukraine’s perspective, the personal title is only part of Ivanchuk’s story. In 2004 and 2010, he helped the Ukrainian team win the Chess Olympiads. Before that, Ivanchuk twice became an Olympic champion as part of the USSR team — in 1988 and 1990.
In 2016, the Ukrainian added the title of world rapid chess champion to his collection. He was 47 years old at the time — an age when most professional athletes in other sports have long been discussing their careers in the past tense.
But the special attitude of the chess world towards Ivanchuk is explained not only by medals. For decades, he was perceived as one of the most creative and unpredictable grandmasters of his generation — a player capable of choosing unexpected openings, finding unconventional solutions, and defeating the strongest opponent in the world on any given day.
That is why the word “legend” in Ivanchuk’s case does not need artificial newspaper enhancement. It describes the reputation that the chess player earned within the game itself.
Why Gelfand and Ivanchuk are so interesting together
In 1990, both were already among the strongest chess players on the planet. Gelfand was 22 years old, Ivanchuk — 21. The world around them soon changed completely, and each’s chess career continued in new political and national circumstances.
Gelfand made Israel his home in 1998 and played on the first board of the national team for many years. Ivanchuk, after the collapse of the USSR, became one of the symbols of independent Ukraine and twice helped it win the main team chess award.
One almost reached the absolute world title in 2012. The other was the second chess player in the world three times, won the world rapid championship, and for decades maintained a reputation as one of the most unusual players of his generation.
Their stories do not require artificially inventing a “connection between Israel and Ukraine.” It already exists on its own: two people of one chess era went from a common Soviet system to the status of national legends of two different states.
Along with Gelfand and Ivanchuk, three more people representing different generations and schools of world chess were selected.
Ulf Andersson is a Swedish grandmaster known for his positional mastery and endgame play. In 1983, he reached fourth place in the world ranking and remained among the strongest chess players on the planet for many years.
Nana Ioseliani is one of the strongest female chess players of her generation. She twice reached the matches for the women’s world championship and won numerous team and individual Olympic medals, first representing the USSR and then Georgia.
Alexandra Kosteniuk, now representing Switzerland, was the women’s world champion from 2008 to 2010, won the world rapid championship, and other major international competitions.
The diversity of this five well illustrates the principle of the World Chess Hall of Fame. Here, not only holders of absolute world titles are placed side by side, but also people who have shaped the very culture of chess for decades and left a mark much greater than a single entry in a tournament table.
What this means for Israel and Ukraine — and what will happen next
For Israel, the inclusion of Boris Gelfand marks an entire era of national chess on an international level. A repatriate from Belarus became the country’s first number, led the team to Olympic medals, played a match for the world crown for Israel, and remains the leader of the national ranking at 58.
For Ukraine, Ivanchuk’s story is different but no less strong. He became part of a generation that entered big chess before independence, and then brought its most important team victories to Ukraine. The gold of the 2004 and 2010 Olympiads cannot be told separately from the name Vassily Ivanchuk.
Why, after more than three decades, do their names appear together again? Because the Hall of Fame measures a career not by one season. It records what remains after the rating tables have long changed, tournaments have ended, and a new generation of chess players has taken the top spots.
At the time of preparing the material, the following is confirmed: Gelfand and Ivanchuk have already been announced as members of the World Chess Hall of Fame class of 2026, and the new laureates will be honored in St. Louis in October. A separate exact day of the ceremony for the five world laureates has not yet been specified in the initial official announcement.
Therefore, the current news is not awaiting a FIDE decision, but an already established recognition. Israel and Ukraine have received in one class of the World Chess Hall of Fame two players whose careers began almost simultaneously, diverged between two countries, and after decades met again in one historical list.
What is the World Chess Hall of Fame
World Chess Hall of Fame — the World Chess Hall of Fame — is not a ranking of the best active chess players and not another FIDE tournament. It is an international Hall of Fame where people who have left a significant mark in the history of chess are recorded: players, coaches, authors, journalists, researchers, organizers, and other figures of the game. Candidates for the world part of the Hall of Fame are nominated and selected by FIDE representatives, and the overall contribution of a person to chess over their career is evaluated.
The history of the institution itself began in the USA. In 1986, the U.S. Chess Federation created the U.S. Chess Hall of Fame, initially a small museum that opened in 1988 in New Windsor, New York. The collection then moved to Washington, and in 2001 — to Miami, where the institution was named World Chess Hall of Fame and Sidney Samole Museum and the world part of the Hall of Fame appeared.
Since 2011, the World Chess Hall of Fame has been operating in St. Louis, Missouri, opposite the Saint Louis Chess Club. It is both a Hall of Fame and a full-fledged chess museum: it houses historical chess sets, books, photographs, medals, trophies, and other artifacts, and hosts temporary exhibitions about great players, famous games, and the influence of chess on art and culture.
Therefore, inclusion in the World Chess Hall of Fame is different from receiving a sports title. A person may never become an absolute world champion but still end up in the Hall of Fame if their long-term influence on the game is recognized as historically significant. It is on this principle that Boris Gelfand and Vassily Ivanchuk are included in the class of 2026: the decision evaluates not one result, but their entire chess career and contribution to the game.
After the inclusion of five new laureates in 2026, the world part of the Hall of Fame will have 61 people. Among those already there are Garry Kasparov, Anatoly Karpov, Mikhail Tal, Jose Raul Capablanca, Bobby Fischer, Judit Polgar, Nona Gaprindashvili, and other figures without whom the history of chess cannot be imagined.
That is why for Gelfand and Ivanchuk, the current decision is not just another award. Their names are now officially placed in the historical line of people whose influence on chess is meant to be preserved beyond a specific era, rating, or individual championship.
In early August, Israelis were informed of news that many cosmetics enthusiasts had been waiting for years: Sephora was allegedly finally entering the Israeli market. The publications included specific figures — six stores, five corners, the first locations in Azrieli shopping centers, and even the prospect of a full-fledged network within two years.
But after verifying the information directly with Sephora, the picture changed. There is no confirmation that the international network has transferred the franchise to Israeli GLAM42 or decided to officially enter the Israeli market. It is about the sale of Sephora Collection products — Sephora’s own brand — and subsequent information indicates a limited supply, not the launch of a full-fledged network.
For the buyer, the difference is fundamental. Sephora Collection in an Israeli store and an official Sephora store are not the same thing.
NANews — Israel News restored the chronology of messages and compared them with what Sephora itself reports about its international markets. As a result, it becomes clear not only what happened in August but also why the initial version of the sudden ‘arrival of Sephora’ should have raised questions even before the refutation appeared.
What happened on August 9
The first wave of publications looked quite convincing.
On August 9, Ynet reported that Sephora was ‘finally coming to Israel.’ The publication mentioned six stores and five additional retail corners, and GLAM42 was named as the franchisee through which the brand begins operations in the country.
The first sites were supposed to be Azrieli Tel Aviv, Ayalon Mall in Ramat Gan, and Malha Mall in Jerusalem. The publications mentioned August 19 as the date for some of the first openings.
But the story did not end there.
There was also talk of a pilot period, after which the range was allegedly supposed to expand. The initial version of events even included a much more serious promise: if the project proves successful, within about two years, Israel could receive a full-fledged Sephora network.
For the reader, this looked not like a regular import of cosmetics. It was practically an announcement of the entry of one of the world’s largest beauty retailers into a new market.
On the same day, there was another version
Almost simultaneously, Calcalist described the events much more cautiously.
The publication reported on the appearance of Sephora Collection in Israel but specifically separated this from the opening of the Sephora network itself. It was about the retailer’s own brand products that GLAM42 was going to sell in its stores and temporary pop-up spaces.
This distinction is easy to lose in the headline, but it is crucial to the essence of the story.
Sephora is an international multi-brand network. Its stores sell not only cosmetics under the Sephora Collection brand but also a large number of independent international brands.
Sephora Collection is just one private label within this system.
Therefore, the appearance of Sephora Collection in Israel does not yet mean the appearance of Sephora here as a retail network.
What was revealed after a direct request to Sephora
The next stage of the story turned out to be the most important.
When the initial information began to be verified directly with Sephora, the version of a full-fledged franchise was not confirmed. TheMarker and Haaretz reported that the company had not entered into an agreement with GLAM42 that would mean the opening of an official Sephora network in Israel.
According to information received by journalists, it was a one-time supply of Sephora Collection.
On August 11, i24NEWS reported additional details. A Sephora representative described the deal as a one-time sale of surplus products. Industry sources in the Israeli cosmetics market claimed that the company representative offered the goods to various local players at about a 40 percent discount.
This figure refers specifically to information from industry sources, not to publicly announced Sephora official terms of the deal. Therefore, it cannot be mixed with the confirmed corporate position.
But the overall picture after Sephora’s response became significantly clearer: there is indeed a sale of a batch of goods, but there is no confirmed entry of the international network into the Israeli market.
How to distinguish Sephora Collection from the real arrival of Sephora
In this story, several concepts emerged that were practically mixed in the first reports.
The sale of Sephora Collection products means that a local seller has the opportunity to sell Sephora’s own brand products.
A branded space or pop-up means that a separate decorated retail area can be created for these products. It can indeed externally resemble a familiar Sephora store.
A franchise already means a completely different level of relationship: a local operator receives the right to develop stores of the international network in accordance with agreements with the brand owner.
And finally, a full-fledged entry of Sephora into the Israeli market should manifest not in one batch of goods, but systematically.
For NANews, there are four clear signs of the real arrival of the network:
Sephora or LVMH officially announces entry into the Israeli market;
a confirmed operator or franchisee of a full-fledged network appears;
Israel appears among Sephora’s official markets;
permanent stores with the format and assortment of the international network are launched, not just temporary sales of Sephora Collection.
As of August 11, 2026, such a combination of signs is absent.
NANews checked Sephora’s official market list
The NANews editorial team separately checked the international section of Sephora’s own website.
At the time of verification, Israel is not among the markets listed by the company.
The page features dozens of countries in Europe, North and South America, Asia, and other regions. For the Middle East, there is also a separate Sephora direction, but Israel is not listed as an independent market for the company.
The absence of Israel on the page itself cannot yet be used as proof that the company never negotiates or cannot enter the market later. International companies constantly change the geography of their presence.
But in the current situation, this fact becomes important along with the others.
There is no separate statement from Sephora about entering Israel. There is no confirmation of a full-fledged GLAM42 franchise. There are reports of Sephora Collection supply. And Sephora’s official international list also does not show Israel as a network market.
All these facts point in one direction.
Why the initial version should have raised questions
There is another part of the story that makes what is happening particularly indicative.
Attempts to bring Sephora to Israel have been ongoing for more than a year.
As early as September 2021, Calcalist reported on preliminary negotiations between Fox Group’s Harel Wizel and Brill Group’s Shahar Turgeman with Sephora. At that time, it was indeed about the possibility of obtaining a franchise.
It was already emphasized in that publication that the negotiations were at an early stage and there was no certainty in concluding an agreement.
The deal ultimately did not lead to the appearance of Sephora in Israel.
In subsequent years, the interest of major Israeli retailers in the brand remained. In February 2026, Harel Wizel still publicly named Sephora among the international brands he would like to bring to Israel.
That is, even about six months before the current story, one of the largest players in Israeli retail continued to talk about Sephora as a goal that had not yet been achieved.
And against this background, the sudden message that the small GLAM42 immediately received several Sephora stores and the prospect of large-scale network development indeed required additional verification.
The size of the company itself does not exclude anything. A global brand can choose a small partner if it considers it suitable.
But the more unexpected the commercial deal, the more important it is to get confirmation from both sides.
In this case, this is exactly what the initial information wave lacked.
Why it is so difficult to bring Sephora to Israel
The problem has existed much longer than the current story.
Israeli participants in the cosmetics market pointed out several obstacles a few years ago: the relatively small size of the country, the strong positions of existing local networks, the peculiarities of cosmetics import regulation, and the need to economically justify a large assortment.
For Sephora, this is especially important.
A full-fledged network store is not just the supply of several dozen or hundreds of Sephora Collection items. The international format involves working with a large number of brands, regular supplies, assortment management, marketing, personnel, premises, and a complex system of relationships with owners of third-party cosmetic brands.
Some of the brands represented in Sephora abroad already have their own importers or commercial partners in Israel. This further complicates the attempt to simply transfer the American or European store model to the Israeli market.
Therefore, the long-term absence of Sephora in Israel cannot be explained by the lack of buyers. Israelis are well aware of the network and actively shop there during trips abroad.
The problem is more in the economy and the structure of the market itself.
What then can really open in Azrieli shopping centers
Here it is important not to go to the other extreme.
The fact that the full-fledged arrival of the Sephora network was not confirmed does not mean that nothing will open in August and that there will be no Sephora Collection in Israel.
The plan to sell products exists.
The publications mentioned special spaces in Azrieli Tel Aviv, Ayalon Mall in Ramat Gan, and Malha Mall in Jerusalem. In addition, Sephora Collection was planned to be sold through existing GLAM42 stores.
Therefore, an Israeli can indeed see the Sephora Collection sign and buy the corresponding cosmetics.
However, from this, one cannot automatically take the next step and declare such a point a full-fledged store of the international Sephora network.
For the buyer, the practical difference will be noticeable primarily by the assortment.
In a regular Sephora abroad, a visitor expects to see many international brands. In the Israeli project, initially, it was primarily about Sephora Collection’s own products.
This is a different format.
Where did such a big confusion come from
NANews considers this story not only as consumer news.
It shows a rather typical problem of the modern information environment: a small change in wording can completely change the meaning of a message.
The original construction looks relatively modest: Sephora Collection will be sold in Israel.
Then a branded retail point appears.
After that, the words ‘Sephora Collection’ are shortened to the more recognizable ‘Sephora.’
In the next retelling, the retail point becomes a ‘Sephora store.’
The local seller turns into a ‘franchisee.’
And then, to the real supply of goods, a story about the future is added — a full-fledged network in two years.
Each individual transition looks small. But at the end of the chain, a news story of a completely different scale appears.
That is why in such stories, the source of information is as important as the information itself.
If it is reported about the entry of a global corporation into a new market, confirmation from the corporation itself is not a formality but one of the central parts of the news.
What remains unknown
As of August 11, there are questions that still have no definitive answers.
The first is what exactly the volume of Sephora Collection will actually reach Israel and how long this product will be sold.
The second is whether the initial plans for all the declared pop-up spaces will remain after the public version of the relationship between GLAM42 and Sephora changed.
The third is whether the current supply can ever become the beginning of deeper cooperation.
The latter cannot be ruled out. Companies can start relationships with limited trade and later expand them.
But this is already a speculation about the future, not an established fact of today.
Sephora in Israel: what is known as of August 11, 2026
The outcome of the story can now be formulated quite accurately.
Sephora Collection is indeed entering Israeli retail.
There is no confirmation of the opening of a full-fledged international Sephora network in Israel.
There is also no confirmation that GLAM42 has become the franchisee of the entire Sephora network in Israel.
At the same time, temporary retail spaces and sales of Sephora Collection products may take place. Therefore, the statement ‘there will be no Sephora in Israel at all’ would also be inaccurate.
It is more correct to separate the product and the network.
The customer will be able to see products with the name Sephora in Israel. But as of today, this does not yet mean that Israel has become a new country of presence for the international Sephora network.
If the situation really changes, the signs will be quite obvious: an official announcement from Sephora or LVMH, a permanent network of stores, a confirmed operator, and the appearance of Israel among the company’s markets.
Until that moment, it is more accurate to call the August story the entry of Sephora Collection into Israeli retail, rather than the arrival of Sephora in Israel.
On November 4, 1995, an event occurred that shocked all of Israel. The assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin became one of the most tragic moments in the modern history of the country and influenced its internal and external political processes.
Yitzhak Rabin had connections with Ukrainewhich go back to his family. Rabin was born in Jerusalem, but his ancestors came from Ukraine. His grandfather, Menachim Rabichov, was born in the village Sidorovichi, located in the Kyiv region. Rabin often referred to his Ukrainian roots in the context of Jewish diaspora and cultural identity.
In Odessa the street is named after Yitzhak Rabin.
In September 1995, Yitzhak Rabin paid an official visit to Ukraine and met with President of Ukraine Leonid Kuchma.
IN joint statement was, “The Israeli side recognized that the existence of an independent and sovereign Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders is an important factor for strengthening stability in Europe and meets the interests of the entire international society”.
Yitzhak Rabin then addressed the public and the Jewish diaspora of Ukraine in the Kiev district of Nivki, on the territory belonging to the Jewish organization Sokhnut.
This was the last foreign trip of the Israeli politician and head of government.. Upon returning from Kyiv, on November 9, 1995, Yitzhak Rabin was shot dead in Tel Aviv Yigal Amirwho took revenge for the “peace agreements with Palestine.”
Communication between Israel and the Sidorovichs has resumed in 2011when, on the initiative of the head of the Limmud educational project, Chaim Chesler, in the village a memorial plaque was installed in honor of Nehemia Rabichev and his children.
The opening ceremony was attended by Nehemiah’s grandson and Yitzhak’s son Yuval Rabin.
“My father, like me, are natives of Israel. But in our family there were echoes of the place where my grandfather was born. For example, my father was very fond of Ukrainian borscht and dumplings. It’s very touching for me to visit my grandfather’s homeland – I’ve returned to my roots,” Yuval Rabin told the press in those days.
An Israeli flag was placed next to the memorial sign, and books about Israel and works of Jewish literature were donated to the village library at the local House of Culture.
The House of Culture planned to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the birth of Yitzhak Rabin on March 1, 2022. But this was not destined to happen. Five days before this date, on February 24, 2022, Russian troops invaded Ukraine.
The village was on the way of the invaders on the way to Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine. Having passed through the Chernobyl zone, Russian soldiers already entered Sidorovichi on February 25. 35 days of brutal occupation began.
Characteristic moment: Russian soldiers stole more than just washing machines before retreating from the village from the homes of civilians.
Let’s think about the symbolism of this action: Russian soldiers take away the Israeli flag as a trophy from a Ukrainian village.
When the history of the village of Sidorovichi became known Ambassador of Israel to Ukraine Michael Brodskyhis reaction was immediate. On behalf of the ambassador, an Israeli flag was delivered to the village – instead of the flag that was stolen by the Russian occupiers; medicine was also delivered.
The liberated Ukrainian village that gave Israel such prominent figures now has an Israeli flag again.
Political career and peace efforts
Rabin began his career at the Palmach, which became the basis for the Israel Defense Forces. In 1948, during the War of Independence, he showed outstanding leadership qualities, which helped him take the post of Chief of the General Staff in 1967, during the Six Day War.
Rabin was first elected prime minister in 1974, but his first reign was hampered by an economic crisis and internal conflicts. In 1992, Rabin again headed the government and began the process of peacefully resolving the conflict with the Palestinians. He became a symbol of hope for peace by signing the Oslo Accords in 1993, which recognized the existence of Israel and the PLO.
Rabin, Arafat and Shimon Peres were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1994 for their efforts to peacefully resolve the conflict. These agreements were the first step towards more stable relations between Israelis and Palestinians, but caused bitter disputes and divisions in Israeli society. Rabin was criticized for negotiating with “enemies” and became a target of far-right groups.
Murder and its consequences
Rabin’s assassination occurred after he spoke at a rally in support of the peace process. Yigal Amir, a far-right extremist, shot and killed Rabin, claiming that he was defending Israel from its peace accords. The killing came as a shock to the country and the world, sparking widespread protests and expressions of grief among Israelis.
Immediately after his death, the square where the murder took place became a place of mourning. People lit candles, left flowers and wrote graffiti on the walls. Tel Aviv Mayor Roni Milo announced the renaming of Kings of Israel Square to Yitzhak Rabin Square. This event marked a turning point in Israel’s history and changed the way the world viewed itself.
Memory of Rabin
Rabin left a legacy that lives on in Israeli memory. Many institutions bear his name, including schools, avenues and monuments. The Rabin Heritage Center was built in Tel Aviv to house documents and artifacts related to his life and work.
Knesset cancels Rabin memorial ceremonies at family request: ‘Now is not the time’
For the first time in 2024, the Knesset will not hold a special meeting dedicated to the anniversary of the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin. Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana said Rabin’s family had asked the Knesset not to hold any ceremonies this year because of the war. This year, ceremonies in memory of Rabin were supposed to take place on November 13. This is the day of the assassination of the Prime Minister according to the Jewish calendar.
Rabin’s daughter Dalia sent a letter to the Speaker, President Herzog and Prime Minister Netanyahu calling for the cancellation of events marking the anniversary of her father’s assassination.
“Israel is now dealing with serious challenges and threats that have befallen it since October 7. Since the war has dragged on and there is a risk of its expansion, I believe that now is not the time to hold large ceremonies. It will be enough to honor the memory of Yitzhak Rabin with restraint,” wrote Dalia Rabin-Philozof.
Conclusion
The assassination of Yitzhak Rabin was not only a tragedy for Israel, but also a symbol of hope for a peaceful resolution to the conflict. His legacy continues to inspire new generations of Israelis to seek paths to peace and reconciliation. It is necessary to remember this tragedy and its consequences in order to avoid history repeating itself.
A virtual phone number allows you to receive calls over the internet without purchasing a physical SIM card for the desired country. Let’s figure out how this communication works, what numbers can be connected in Zadarma, who they are suitable for, and what restrictions should be known in advance.
A person can live in Israel but work with clients in the USA, UK, Germany, France, Poland, Canada, or another country. An international number on the website is not always convenient for local clients, and purchasing and maintaining several physical SIM cards becomes a separate problem.
In such a situation, you can connect a virtual number of the desired country. Clients will call a regular local number, and the owner will be able to receive calls over the internet on a smartphone, computer, IP phone, or using call forwarding.
Physically being in the country whose number is connected is usually not required. However, the rules depend on the specific state: sometimes, to register a number, it is necessary to confirm identity, address, or provide company documents.
The editorial team of NANews uses the Zadarma service, so we decided to explain in detail and without complex technical terms how virtual telephony works, who it can really be useful for, and what restrictions need to be checked before paying for a number.
Virtual phone number in Israel without a SIM card: calls across Israel and worldwide for individuals and businesses – Zadarma
What is a virtual phone number
A virtual number is a full-fledged phone number not tied to a physical SIM card or a specific device.
It can have the code of the selected country and city. For example:
+972 — Israel;
+1 — USA or Canada;
+44 — UK;
+49 — Germany;
+33 — France;
+34 — Spain;
+39 — Italy;
+48 — Poland;
+380 — Ukraine;
+995 — Georgia.
The client dials a familiar number, and the call is transmitted over the internet to the number owner. To receive calls, you can use an app, a program on a computer, an IP phone, a cloud PBX, or forwarding to a regular mobile.
Zadarma offers more than 30,000 virtual numbers in 110 countries. Depending on the country, local, national, mobile, and toll-free numbers for the caller are available.
A virtual number should not be confused with temporary free numbers published on open sites for receiving a single message. This is a permanent number that a person or company can use as long as its service is paid for and the operator’s conditions are met.
How a number works without a SIM card
The principle of operation is quite simple.
The user registers with the service, selects a country and an available number, undergoes the necessary verification, and sets up the method of receiving calls. After that, calls are received over the internet.
Usually, the process looks like this:
A person selects a country.
Determines the appropriate type of number.
Checks the cost and document requirements.
Connects the number.
Installs an app on a smartphone or computer.
Sets up incoming and outgoing calls.
If necessary, connects forwarding or a cloud PBX.
For the app to work, a stable Wi-Fi or mobile internet is required. If the internet is unavailable or unstable, calls can be directed to a regular phone number. Zadarma officially supports receiving calls through apps and IP phones, forwarding, its own cloud PBX, and third-party server PBXs.
It turns out that one smartphone can be used simultaneously for a personal SIM card and one or several virtual work numbers.
Which countries’ numbers can be connected
Zadarma provides numbers in 110 countries. This does not mean that the same conditions are available in all states: somewhere you can choose a local number of a specific region, somewhere a national or mobile number is offered, and in some countries, 800 format numbers are available.
Among popular destinations:
Israel;
USA;
Canada;
UK;
Germany;
France;
Spain;
Italy;
Poland;
Czech Republic;
Austria;
Belgium;
Netherlands;
Switzerland;
Sweden;
Norway;
Finland;
Romania;
Bulgaria;
Greece;
Cyprus;
Georgia;
Moldova;
Ukraine;
Kazakhstan;
Turkey;
United Arab Emirates;
India;
Japan;
South Korea;
Singapore;
Australia;
New Zealand;
Mexico;
Brazil;
Argentina;
Chile;
South Africa.
Before connecting, you need to open the page of a specific country and check what type of number is offered, whether it can be registered by a non-resident, what documents are required, and whether the number supports SMS.
What types of virtual numbers exist
The choice depends on what the phone is needed for.
Local number
Such a number contains the code of a specific city or region. For example, a company can connect a number in Tel Aviv, London, New York, or another city, even if employees work remotely.
A local number is suitable for websites, consulting services, repair companies, real estate agencies, clinics, online stores, and small offices.
National number
A national number is not always tied to a specific city. It can be used by a company that works with clients throughout the country.
In Israel, for example, there are virtual national numbers with the code +972 77. Connection conditions and costs need to be checked directly before ordering.
For example, the Israeli virtual mobile number +972 55 allows receiving calls and SMS through an app, forwarding, PBX, or CRM while being outside Israel. At the same time, a specific number may be issued automatically, without the possibility of choosing a beautiful combination of digits.
Number 800
This is a number where the call is usually paid for by the owner, not the client. Such numbers are used by support services, sales departments, and large companies.
Rates for incoming calls and the availability of 800 numbers vary depending on the country.
Why a number from another country is needed
A virtual number solves not one, but several tasks at once.
Working with foreign clients
An Israeli company can connect a number in the USA, UK, Germany, France, or another country. The client will call a familiar local number, and the employee will receive the call in Israel.
For a foreign client, such a call is usually more understandable than a call to an unfamiliar international number.
However, a foreign phone number itself does not mean that the company is registered or has a physical office in the corresponding country. The website must honestly indicate the actual location and legal details of the business.
Moving to another country
After moving, a person can continue working with their former clients. For example, a specialist lives in Israel but receives calls from Germany, Poland, the UK, Ukraine, Canada, or the USA.
Clients do not need to be informed of a new foreign mobile number: they continue to call the familiar number of their country.
Separate room for work
Many entrepreneurs publish their personal mobile number on the website, on social networks, and in advertisements. As a result, work calls mix with personal ones, and the number ends up in numerous databases.
A virtual number allows you to separate communication:
personal calls go to a regular SIM card;
work calls go to a separate application;
a voicemail message is activated during non-working hours;
missed calls are saved in statistics;
calls can be recorded if necessary.
Work during trips
A virtual number is not tied to one SIM card and one country. If a person temporarily leaves Israel, they can continue to receive work calls via the internet.
The main condition is a stable network connection.
Work of several employees
One number can be connected not only to one person. With the help of a cloud PBX, calls are distributed among employees, departments, or branches.
For example, the call first goes to a manager, then to a second employee, and if no one answers, it is directed to voicemail.
Virtual number of Israel
For readers of NANews, several scenarios are particularly relevant:
an Israeli number for a company whose employees are abroad;
a second number for business without a second SIM card;
To connect an Israeli number, a passport or ID, current address, or company registration documents may be required. The exact list depends on the type of number chosen.
Therefore, it cannot be promised in advance that any +972 number is connected instantly and without verification.
Numbers of the USA, Canada, and European countries
American, Canadian, and European numbers are especially in demand for business.
USA number
An American number can be useful for a company working with clients in the USA, an internet project, a consultant, or a remote specialist.
Depending on the offer, you can connect a city, mobile, or toll-free number. Zadarma’s American mobile numbers allow you to receive calls and SMS through the application, forwarding, PBX, and CRM. Activation is carried out after verifying the provided data.
UK number
A British number +44 can be connected to a computer, smartphone, IP phone, office PBX, or another device with SIP support. Calls can also be forwarded to a regular number.
Numbers of Germany, France, Poland, Spain, and Italy
European numbers are suitable for companies that:
sell services in several countries;
consult foreign clients;
accept orders through the website;
have organized a remote support service;
want to use separate numbers for different markets;
analyze advertising effectiveness by region.
It is necessary to consider that European countries may set different rules for registering numbers. For some city numbers, it is required to confirm the address or connection with the corresponding region.
One phone — several work numbers
To use a virtual number, it is not necessary to buy a second smartphone.
On one device, you can simultaneously have:
a personal SIM card;
a virtual Israeli number;
a USA number;
a European number;
a common company number.
This is convenient for lawyers, realtors, consultants, marketers, online store owners, repair companies, travel agencies, and other specialists.
When an incoming call is received, the application shows which virtual number the client called. The employee understands which market or project the call relates to.
Number separation also allows for different greetings, work schedules, and forwarding rules.
How NANews editorial uses Zadarma
The NANews editorial uses the Zadarma service for virtual telephony. That is why we consider it not as an abstract advertising platform, but as a practical tool for people and companies working between several countries.
The service can be useful when it is necessary to:
receive calls via the internet;
separate the work number from the personal one;
maintain availability during trips;
connect a number from another country;
direct calls to several employees;
record and analyze work conversations;
integrate calls with CRM.
At the same time, virtual telephony requires initial setup, and call quality depends on the internet connection. Before connecting, it is also important to check the cost of calls, documents, and SMS support for the selected number.
How to connect a Zadarma number
First, you need to register an account and choose a country. Then you should open the page of the desired type of number and carefully study the conditions.
You can register and view available directions via the NANews partner link:
After registration, the usual order of actions is as follows:
Choose a country.
Choose a city, national, mobile, or toll-free number.
Check the connection fee and monthly service charge.
Clarify the cost of incoming and outgoing calls.
Check the possibility of receiving SMS.
Upload documents if necessary.
Connect the number.
Install the application.
Set up call reception.
If necessary, connect a cloud PBX and forwarding.
Do not choose a number solely based on a low price. Sometimes a cheaper option does not support SMS, requires confirmation of a local address, or has usage restrictions.
How to receive calls on a smartphone and computer
Zadarma allows you to receive calls in several ways.
Smartphone application
The application can be installed on Android or iPhone. After authorization, the virtual number works via Wi-Fi or mobile internet.
This is the simplest option for one user.
Computer program
Calls can be received on a computer with a headset. This option is suitable for consultants, support operators, and employees who spend most of their workday at the computer.
IP phone
In the office, you can install a familiar desktop device that connects not to a regular phone line, but to the internet.
Forwarding
If a person does not want to use the application or is temporarily without internet, calls can be forwarded to a regular mobile or landline number.
It is necessary to remember that forwarding itself may be charged as an outgoing call from the virtual number to the destination number.
Cloud PBX
For a team, it is better to use a cloud PBX. It allows you to distribute calls among employees and add business functions that are not available on a regular SIM card.
What is a cloud PBX
A cloud PBX is a virtual telephone system for a company. You do not need to buy and install a physical office station for it.
With a PBX, you can:
connect several employees;
assign internal numbers;
set up a voice greeting;
create a menu “press 1 to contact the sales department”;
This is especially useful for companies whose employees work from home, are in different cities, or even in different countries.
Call recording and statistics
Call recording helps restore agreements, control the quality of consultations, and resolve disputes.
In Zadarma, recordings can be listened to through the cloud PBX statistics section. They are stored in the cloud, and important conversations can be saved separately.
Before enabling recording, it is necessary to check the legislation of the country where the participants of the conversation are located. In some jurisdictions, the interlocutor must be notified in advance about the recording.
For this, you can add an automatic voice message before connecting to an employee.
Statistics allow you to see:
the number of incoming and outgoing calls;
missed calls;
duration of conversations;
waiting time;
the employee who answered the call;
the source of the inquiry when using call tracking.
Telephony integration with CRM
When integrated with CRM, an employee can see the client’s card during an incoming call, make calls with one click, and save the communication history.
Depending on the system used, the following are available:
automatic opening of the client’s card;
saving the date and duration of the call;
attaching the call recording;
creating a new contact;
distributing clients among managers;
employee performance statistics.
Zadarma offers integrations with various CRMs and services. For example, integration with Bitrix24 supports one-click calls, client card opening, call recordings, and full call statistics.
Is it possible to receive SMS
The ability to receive SMS depends on the country and the specific type of number.
Not all landline, national, and mobile numbers support SMS. In some cases, the function needs to be activated separately, identity confirmed, and the number paid for immediately for the established minimum period.
Zadarma’s official conditions provide for receiving messages through:
Android app;
iOS app;
Windows program;
email;
personal account;
some messengers;
CRM and integrated services.
The tariff page separately states that SMS reception is available only for mobile numbers of certain countries. Activation may require connecting the number for at least three months and uploading identity documents. At the same time, the service does not guarantee receiving messages from foreign senders.
Therefore, before payment, it is necessary to open the conditions of the specific number and ensure that it indeed supports the required type of messages.
Is a virtual number suitable for WhatsApp and Telegram
This is one of the most common questions, but it is impossible to give a universal guarantee.
Some virtual numbers accept registration codes for WhatsApp, WhatsApp Business, Telegram, and other platforms. However, the platforms themselves may restrict the use of VoIP numbers, change verification rules, or refuse to send codes to certain ranges.
Even having the SMS function does not mean that a message from a bank, government service, or messenger will necessarily arrive at the number.
Therefore, a virtual number is best chosen primarily for calls and business communication. The possibility of registration in a specific application should be considered as a separate function that needs to be checked before purchase.
Zadarma publishes instructions on using virtual numbers for WhatsApp Business but also indicates the need to choose a suitable number and provide the requested documents.
It cannot be promised to the reader that any Zadarma number will be guaranteed suitable for WhatsApp, Telegram, bank account, or two-factor authentication.
What documents may be required
A virtual number cannot be considered a completely anonymous tool.
Requirements are set by operators and the legislation of the country. Depending on the direction, they may request:
passport;
identity card;
photo of the owner;
proof of home address;
company registration documents;
office address;
proof of connection with the chosen city or region;
description of the intended use of the number.
For some numbers, it is enough to undergo a standard identity check. Others are available only to residents, companies, or people with an address in the corresponding country.
Before payment, it is important to carefully read the connection conditions. If the required document is missing, the number may not be activated.
How much does a virtual number cost
There is no single price. The cost depends on:
country;
city;
type of number;
mobile or landline range;
SMS reception capability;
payment term;
chosen tariff plan;
number of employees;
additional functions.
Expenses may include:
one-time connection fee;
monthly or annual subscription fee;
outgoing calls;
call forwarding;
incoming calls to 800 numbers;
record storage;
additional workstations;
additional numbers.
On Zadarma’s official pages, prices are displayed separately for each country and type of number. Some numbers are connected without a one-time fee, but this does not mean that their further use will be completely free.
Before ordering, it is necessary to calculate not only the cost of the number itself but also the estimated number of calls.
Advantages of a virtual number
The main advantages include:
no physical SIM card required;
can connect a number from another country;
calls are received from anywhere with the internet;
one smartphone can service multiple numbers;
personal and work communication are separated;
the number does not depend on one device;
multiple employees can be connected;
call forwarding and voice menu are available;
calls can be recorded and analyzed;
integration with CRM is possible;
the number is convenient to use during trips;
the company can create a local communication channel for foreign clients.
Disadvantages and limitations
Virtual telephony is not suitable for everyone. The following should be considered:
call quality depends on the internet;
initial setup may seem unfamiliar;
not all numbers support SMS;
receiving bank and messenger codes is not guaranteed;
additional documents are required for some countries;
call forwarding may be charged separately;
rates vary by destination;
800 numbers may have paid incoming calls;
a virtual number does not replace regular mobile communication in emergency situations;
a foreign number does not create a legal presence for the company;
violation of service rules or legislation may lead to number disconnection.
Who is Zadarma suitable for
The service can be useful for:
entrepreneurs;
freelancers;
lawyers;
realtors;
consultants;
online store owners;
repair and service companies;
travel agencies;
international projects;
remote teams;
support services;
people living between several countries;
companies that need separate numbers for different markets.
Zadarma may be excessive for a person who only needs one verification code or a temporary number for a few minutes. Permanent virtual telephony is usually not intended for such tasks.
What to check before connecting
Before paying for a number, you should answer a few questions:
Is a number needed for calls or also for SMS?
What country and city code is required?
Can a non-resident register the number?
What documents are required?
How much does the connection cost?
What is the monthly fee?
Are incoming calls charged?
How much do outgoing calls cost?
Is call forwarding charged?
Can multiple employees be connected?
Is call recording needed?
Is the used CRM supported?
Are there any restrictions for WhatsApp or Telegram?
What happens to the number if payment is late?
This approach will help avoid a situation where an inexpensive number turns out to be unsuitable for a specific task.
A virtual number is a tool, not a magic solution
A virtual number allows you to live in one country, work with clients in other countries, and receive calls over the internet without multiple physical SIM cards.
It can become a separate work number, a phone line for an international project, or the basis of a full-fledged cloud PBX with multiple employees, call recording, and CRM.
However, before connecting, it is necessary to carefully check the conditions of the chosen country, SMS support, document requirements, call forwarding costs, and the rules of third-party services.
The editorial team of NANovosti uses Zadarma and considers virtual telephony a convenient practical tool for international communication. However, the choice of a specific number should depend not on advertising, but on the user’s tasks.
You can view available countries, numbers, and connection conditions via the NANovosti partner link:
This is a partner link. If the reader registers and starts using the service, the NANovosti editorial team may receive a reward. Clicking the link does not change the rates published on the Zadarma website for the user.
A virtual phone number allows you to receive calls over the internet without purchasing a physical SIM card for the desired country. Let’s figure out how this communication works, what numbers can be connected in Zadarma, who they are suitable for, and what restrictions should be known in advance.
A person can live in Israel but work with clients in the USA, UK, Germany, France, Poland, Canada, or another country. An international number on the website is not always convenient for local clients, and purchasing and maintaining several physical SIM cards becomes a separate problem.
In such a situation, you can connect a virtual number of the desired country. Clients will call a regular local number, and the owner will be able to receive calls over the internet on a smartphone, computer, IP phone, or using call forwarding.
Physically being in the country whose number is connected is usually not required. However, the rules depend on the specific state: sometimes, to register a number, it is necessary to confirm identity, address, or provide company documents.
The editorial team of NANews uses the Zadarma service, so we decided to explain in detail and without complex technical terms how virtual telephony works, who it can really be useful for, and what restrictions need to be checked before paying for a number.
Virtual phone number in Israel without a SIM card: calls across Israel and worldwide for individuals and businesses – Zadarma
What is a virtual phone number
A virtual number is a full-fledged phone number not tied to a physical SIM card or a specific device.
It can have the code of the selected country and city. For example:
+972 — Israel;
+1 — USA or Canada;
+44 — UK;
+49 — Germany;
+33 — France;
+34 — Spain;
+39 — Italy;
+48 — Poland;
+380 — Ukraine;
+995 — Georgia.
The client dials a familiar number, and the call is transmitted over the internet to the number owner. To receive calls, you can use an app, a program on a computer, an IP phone, a cloud PBX, or forwarding to a regular mobile.
Zadarma offers more than 30,000 virtual numbers in 110 countries. Depending on the country, local, national, mobile, and toll-free numbers for the caller are available.
A virtual number should not be confused with temporary free numbers published on open sites for receiving a single message. This is a permanent number that a person or company can use as long as its service is paid for and the operator’s conditions are met.
How a number works without a SIM card
The principle of operation is quite simple.
The user registers with the service, selects a country and an available number, undergoes the necessary verification, and sets up the method of receiving calls. After that, calls are received over the internet.
Usually, the process looks like this:
A person selects a country.
Determines the appropriate type of number.
Checks the cost and document requirements.
Connects the number.
Installs an app on a smartphone or computer.
Sets up incoming and outgoing calls.
If necessary, connects forwarding or a cloud PBX.
For the app to work, a stable Wi-Fi or mobile internet is required. If the internet is unavailable or unstable, calls can be directed to a regular phone number. Zadarma officially supports receiving calls through apps and IP phones, forwarding, its own cloud PBX, and third-party server PBXs.
It turns out that one smartphone can be used simultaneously for a personal SIM card and one or several virtual work numbers.
Which countries’ numbers can be connected
Zadarma provides numbers in 110 countries. This does not mean that the same conditions are available in all states: somewhere you can choose a local number of a specific region, somewhere a national or mobile number is offered, and in some countries, 800 format numbers are available.
Among popular destinations:
Israel;
USA;
Canada;
UK;
Germany;
France;
Spain;
Italy;
Poland;
Czech Republic;
Austria;
Belgium;
Netherlands;
Switzerland;
Sweden;
Norway;
Finland;
Romania;
Bulgaria;
Greece;
Cyprus;
Georgia;
Moldova;
Ukraine;
Kazakhstan;
Turkey;
United Arab Emirates;
India;
Japan;
South Korea;
Singapore;
Australia;
New Zealand;
Mexico;
Brazil;
Argentina;
Chile;
South Africa.
Before connecting, you need to open the page of a specific country and check what type of number is offered, whether it can be registered by a non-resident, what documents are required, and whether the number supports SMS.
What types of virtual numbers exist
The choice depends on what the phone is needed for.
Local number
Such a number contains the code of a specific city or region. For example, a company can connect a number in Tel Aviv, London, New York, or another city, even if employees work remotely.
A local number is suitable for websites, consulting services, repair companies, real estate agencies, clinics, online stores, and small offices.
National number
A national number is not always tied to a specific city. It can be used by a company that works with clients throughout the country.
In Israel, for example, there are virtual national numbers with the code +972 77. Connection conditions and costs need to be checked directly before ordering.
For example, the Israeli virtual mobile number +972 55 allows receiving calls and SMS through an app, forwarding, PBX, or CRM while being outside Israel. At the same time, a specific number may be issued automatically, without the possibility of choosing a beautiful combination of digits.
Number 800
This is a number where the call is usually paid for by the owner, not the client. Such numbers are used by support services, sales departments, and large companies.
Rates for incoming calls and the availability of 800 numbers vary depending on the country.
Why a number from another country is needed
A virtual number solves not one, but several tasks at once.
Working with foreign clients
An Israeli company can connect a number in the USA, UK, Germany, France, or another country. The client will call a familiar local number, and the employee will receive the call in Israel.
For a foreign client, such a call is usually more understandable than a call to an unfamiliar international number.
However, a foreign phone number itself does not mean that the company is registered or has a physical office in the corresponding country. The website must honestly indicate the actual location and legal details of the business.
Moving to another country
After moving, a person can continue working with their former clients. For example, a specialist lives in Israel but receives calls from Germany, Poland, the UK, Ukraine, Canada, or the USA.
Clients do not need to be informed of a new foreign mobile number: they continue to call the familiar number of their country.
Separate room for work
Many entrepreneurs publish their personal mobile number on the website, on social networks, and in advertisements. As a result, work calls mix with personal ones, and the number ends up in numerous databases.
A virtual number allows you to separate communication:
personal calls go to a regular SIM card;
work calls go to a separate application;
a voicemail message is activated during non-working hours;
missed calls are saved in statistics;
calls can be recorded if necessary.
Work during trips
A virtual number is not tied to one SIM card and one country. If a person temporarily leaves Israel, they can continue to receive work calls via the internet.
The main condition is a stable network connection.
Work of several employees
One number can be connected not only to one person. With the help of a cloud PBX, calls are distributed among employees, departments, or branches.
For example, the call first goes to a manager, then to a second employee, and if no one answers, it is directed to voicemail.
Virtual number of Israel
For readers of NANews, several scenarios are particularly relevant:
an Israeli number for a company whose employees are abroad;
a second number for business without a second SIM card;
To connect an Israeli number, a passport or ID, current address, or company registration documents may be required. The exact list depends on the type of number chosen.
Therefore, it cannot be promised in advance that any +972 number is connected instantly and without verification.
Numbers of the USA, Canada, and European countries
American, Canadian, and European numbers are especially in demand for business.
USA number
An American number can be useful for a company working with clients in the USA, an internet project, a consultant, or a remote specialist.
Depending on the offer, you can connect a city, mobile, or toll-free number. Zadarma’s American mobile numbers allow you to receive calls and SMS through the application, forwarding, PBX, and CRM. Activation is carried out after verifying the provided data.
UK number
A British number +44 can be connected to a computer, smartphone, IP phone, office PBX, or another device with SIP support. Calls can also be forwarded to a regular number.
Numbers of Germany, France, Poland, Spain, and Italy
European numbers are suitable for companies that:
sell services in several countries;
consult foreign clients;
accept orders through the website;
have organized a remote support service;
want to use separate numbers for different markets;
analyze advertising effectiveness by region.
It is necessary to consider that European countries may set different rules for registering numbers. For some city numbers, it is required to confirm the address or connection with the corresponding region.
One phone — several work numbers
To use a virtual number, it is not necessary to buy a second smartphone.
On one device, you can simultaneously have:
a personal SIM card;
a virtual Israeli number;
a USA number;
a European number;
a common company number.
This is convenient for lawyers, realtors, consultants, marketers, online store owners, repair companies, travel agencies, and other specialists.
When an incoming call is received, the application shows which virtual number the client called. The employee understands which market or project the call relates to.
Number separation also allows for different greetings, work schedules, and forwarding rules.
How NANews editorial uses Zadarma
The NANews editorial uses the Zadarma service for virtual telephony. That is why we consider it not as an abstract advertising platform, but as a practical tool for people and companies working between several countries.
The service can be useful when it is necessary to:
receive calls via the internet;
separate the work number from the personal one;
maintain availability during trips;
connect a number from another country;
direct calls to several employees;
record and analyze work conversations;
integrate calls with CRM.
At the same time, virtual telephony requires initial setup, and call quality depends on the internet connection. Before connecting, it is also important to check the cost of calls, documents, and SMS support for the selected number.
How to connect a Zadarma number
First, you need to register an account and choose a country. Then you should open the page of the desired type of number and carefully study the conditions.
You can register and view available directions via the NANews partner link:
After registration, the usual order of actions is as follows:
Choose a country.
Choose a city, national, mobile, or toll-free number.
Check the connection fee and monthly service charge.
Clarify the cost of incoming and outgoing calls.
Check the possibility of receiving SMS.
Upload documents if necessary.
Connect the number.
Install the application.
Set up call reception.
If necessary, connect a cloud PBX and forwarding.
Do not choose a number solely based on a low price. Sometimes a cheaper option does not support SMS, requires confirmation of a local address, or has usage restrictions.
How to receive calls on a smartphone and computer
Zadarma allows you to receive calls in several ways.
Smartphone application
The application can be installed on Android or iPhone. After authorization, the virtual number works via Wi-Fi or mobile internet.
This is the simplest option for one user.
Computer program
Calls can be received on a computer with a headset. This option is suitable for consultants, support operators, and employees who spend most of their workday at the computer.
IP phone
In the office, you can install a familiar desktop device that connects not to a regular phone line, but to the internet.
Forwarding
If a person does not want to use the application or is temporarily without internet, calls can be forwarded to a regular mobile or landline number.
It is necessary to remember that forwarding itself may be charged as an outgoing call from the virtual number to the destination number.
Cloud PBX
For a team, it is better to use a cloud PBX. It allows you to distribute calls among employees and add business functions that are not available on a regular SIM card.
What is a cloud PBX
A cloud PBX is a virtual telephone system for a company. You do not need to buy and install a physical office station for it.
With a PBX, you can:
connect several employees;
assign internal numbers;
set up a voice greeting;
create a menu “press 1 to contact the sales department”;
This is especially useful for companies whose employees work from home, are in different cities, or even in different countries.
Call recording and statistics
Call recording helps restore agreements, control the quality of consultations, and resolve disputes.
In Zadarma, recordings can be listened to through the cloud PBX statistics section. They are stored in the cloud, and important conversations can be saved separately.
Before enabling recording, it is necessary to check the legislation of the country where the participants of the conversation are located. In some jurisdictions, the interlocutor must be notified in advance about the recording.
For this, you can add an automatic voice message before connecting to an employee.
Statistics allow you to see:
the number of incoming and outgoing calls;
missed calls;
duration of conversations;
waiting time;
the employee who answered the call;
the source of the inquiry when using call tracking.
Telephony integration with CRM
When integrated with CRM, an employee can see the client’s card during an incoming call, make calls with one click, and save the communication history.
Depending on the system used, the following are available:
automatic opening of the client’s card;
saving the date and duration of the call;
attaching the call recording;
creating a new contact;
distributing clients among managers;
employee performance statistics.
Zadarma offers integrations with various CRMs and services. For example, integration with Bitrix24 supports one-click calls, client card opening, call recordings, and full call statistics.
Is it possible to receive SMS
The ability to receive SMS depends on the country and the specific type of number.
Not all landline, national, and mobile numbers support SMS. In some cases, the function needs to be activated separately, identity confirmed, and the number paid for immediately for the established minimum period.
Zadarma’s official conditions provide for receiving messages through:
Android app;
iOS app;
Windows program;
email;
personal account;
some messengers;
CRM and integrated services.
The tariff page separately states that SMS reception is available only for mobile numbers of certain countries. Activation may require connecting the number for at least three months and uploading identity documents. At the same time, the service does not guarantee receiving messages from foreign senders.
Therefore, before payment, it is necessary to open the conditions of the specific number and ensure that it indeed supports the required type of messages.
Is a virtual number suitable for WhatsApp and Telegram
This is one of the most common questions, but it is impossible to give a universal guarantee.
Some virtual numbers accept registration codes for WhatsApp, WhatsApp Business, Telegram, and other platforms. However, the platforms themselves may restrict the use of VoIP numbers, change verification rules, or refuse to send codes to certain ranges.
Even having the SMS function does not mean that a message from a bank, government service, or messenger will necessarily arrive at the number.
Therefore, a virtual number is best chosen primarily for calls and business communication. The possibility of registration in a specific application should be considered as a separate function that needs to be checked before purchase.
Zadarma publishes instructions on using virtual numbers for WhatsApp Business but also indicates the need to choose a suitable number and provide the requested documents.
It cannot be promised to the reader that any Zadarma number will be guaranteed suitable for WhatsApp, Telegram, bank account, or two-factor authentication.
What documents may be required
A virtual number cannot be considered a completely anonymous tool.
Requirements are set by operators and the legislation of the country. Depending on the direction, they may request:
passport;
identity card;
photo of the owner;
proof of home address;
company registration documents;
office address;
proof of connection with the chosen city or region;
description of the intended use of the number.
For some numbers, it is enough to undergo a standard identity check. Others are available only to residents, companies, or people with an address in the corresponding country.
Before payment, it is important to carefully read the connection conditions. If the required document is missing, the number may not be activated.
How much does a virtual number cost
There is no single price. The cost depends on:
country;
city;
type of number;
mobile or landline range;
SMS reception capability;
payment term;
chosen tariff plan;
number of employees;
additional functions.
Expenses may include:
one-time connection fee;
monthly or annual subscription fee;
outgoing calls;
call forwarding;
incoming calls to 800 numbers;
record storage;
additional workstations;
additional numbers.
On Zadarma’s official pages, prices are displayed separately for each country and type of number. Some numbers are connected without a one-time fee, but this does not mean that their further use will be completely free.
Before ordering, it is necessary to calculate not only the cost of the number itself but also the estimated number of calls.
Advantages of a virtual number
The main advantages include:
no physical SIM card required;
can connect a number from another country;
calls are received from anywhere with the internet;
one smartphone can service multiple numbers;
personal and work communication are separated;
the number does not depend on one device;
multiple employees can be connected;
call forwarding and voice menu are available;
calls can be recorded and analyzed;
integration with CRM is possible;
the number is convenient to use during trips;
the company can create a local communication channel for foreign clients.
Disadvantages and limitations
Virtual telephony is not suitable for everyone. The following should be considered:
call quality depends on the internet;
initial setup may seem unfamiliar;
not all numbers support SMS;
receiving bank and messenger codes is not guaranteed;
additional documents are required for some countries;
call forwarding may be charged separately;
rates vary by destination;
800 numbers may have paid incoming calls;
a virtual number does not replace regular mobile communication in emergency situations;
a foreign number does not create a legal presence for the company;
violation of service rules or legislation may lead to number disconnection.
Who is Zadarma suitable for
The service can be useful for:
entrepreneurs;
freelancers;
lawyers;
realtors;
consultants;
online store owners;
repair and service companies;
travel agencies;
international projects;
remote teams;
support services;
people living between several countries;
companies that need separate numbers for different markets.
Zadarma may be excessive for a person who only needs one verification code or a temporary number for a few minutes. Permanent virtual telephony is usually not intended for such tasks.
What to check before connecting
Before paying for a number, you should answer a few questions:
Is a number needed for calls or also for SMS?
What country and city code is required?
Can a non-resident register the number?
What documents are required?
How much does the connection cost?
What is the monthly fee?
Are incoming calls charged?
How much do outgoing calls cost?
Is call forwarding charged?
Can multiple employees be connected?
Is call recording needed?
Is the used CRM supported?
Are there any restrictions for WhatsApp or Telegram?
What happens to the number if payment is late?
This approach will help avoid a situation where an inexpensive number turns out to be unsuitable for a specific task.
A virtual number is a tool, not a magic solution
A virtual number allows you to live in one country, work with clients in other countries, and receive calls over the internet without multiple physical SIM cards.
It can become a separate work number, a phone line for an international project, or the basis of a full-fledged cloud PBX with multiple employees, call recording, and CRM.
However, before connecting, it is necessary to carefully check the conditions of the chosen country, SMS support, document requirements, call forwarding costs, and the rules of third-party services.
The editorial team of NANovosti uses Zadarma and considers virtual telephony a convenient practical tool for international communication. However, the choice of a specific number should depend not on advertising, but on the user’s tasks.
You can view available countries, numbers, and connection conditions via the NANovosti partner link:
This is a partner link. If the reader registers and starts using the service, the NANovosti editorial team may receive a reward. Clicking the link does not change the rates published on the Zadarma website for the user.
After the attack on October 7, 2023, Israel began an operation clearly not intended for just a few months of war. The task is to identify by name those who broke through the border, participated in the killings and kidnappings of Israelis, assisted in the attack, and in some cases later held the kidnapped in the Gaza Strip.
For this, a special structure was created NILI — a joint unit of the IDF and Shin Bet.
As of August 9, 2026, Israeli media report about 2,800 people killed who were on the NILI list. About 1,200 of them were killed directly during the repulsion of the invasion on October 7, 2023.
And here it is immediately important to draw the line of proven facts: this does not mean that NILI personnel personally eliminated 2,800 people. The unit itself appeared after the attack. Its work is to identify a person, prove their involvement, find them, and create an intelligence basis for a subsequent operation. The direct strike is often carried out by the IDF and the Israeli Air Force.
So it is more accurate to say not “NILI killed 2,800 terrorists,” but: 2,800 people from the list compiled by Israel of participants and those involved in the crimes of October 7 are already dead.
“The Eternity of Israel will not lie”
The abbreviation NILI — ניל”י — stands for נצח ישראל לא ישקר — “Netzach Yisrael lo yeshaker”, an expression from the First Book of Samuel, which can be approximately translated as “The Eternity of Israel will not lie.”
The name simultaneously refers to the historical Jewish intelligence organization NILI from the time of World War I.
The creation of a new structure with this name was reported by the Israeli press as early as October 2023, literally a few weeks after the massacre.
The initial task was extremely specific: to find those who entered Israeli territory on October 7, killed people, participated in kidnappings, and then managed to return to Gaza.
Later, the list expanded.
It included not only the direct participants of the invasion but also people involved in planning the attack, holding hostages, and crimes against them.
This is important for another reason. NILI cannot be equated with the entire Israeli campaign against the Hamas leadership.
A Hamas commander can be eliminated because of his current military role regardless of what he did on October 7. NILI works with a different logic: the personal connection of a specific person with the attack on October 7 and subsequent crimes against the kidnapped.
The terrorists themselves left Israel with a huge evidence base
The investigation of October 7 has a feature that was practically absent in past wars.
A huge part of the evidence was left by the attackers themselves.
They filmed what was happening on phones and GoPros, photographed the dead, recorded kidnappings, posted videos on social networks, and sent materials to other people.
What was supposed to be propaganda and a demonstration of “victory” ultimately turned into a huge intelligence archive.
Israel gained the ability to compare:
faces of people in videos and photos;
recordings from phones and cameras;
mobile device data;
intercepted communications;
testimonies of detainees;
testimonies of freed hostages;
Shin Bet’s agent information;
military intelligence data;
documents and electronic materials captured in Gaza.
According to the published description of NILI’s work, facial recognition systems and artificial intelligence tools are also used, allowing the consolidation of a huge amount of disparate information.
But the key here is not the AI itself.
A person should not end up in such a system just because an algorithm found a similar face.
It is necessary to compare different sources and establish not just the identity, but also the role of a specific person on October 7.
What did he do?
Where was he?
In which group did he come?
Whom did he kidnap?
Did he participate in killings?
Where did he return after the attack?
With whom did he maintain contact?
And only after this does the next part of the work begin.
A kidnapping video can lead to a specific person two years later
NAnews has repeatedly returned to the video evidence of October 7.
Now Israel is doing another thing with part of this digital trace: translating the event from the collective concept of “Hamas attack” back to specific people.
Not just “who attacked Nir Oz.”
But who exactly entered this house.
Who was near the car.
Who led the person out.
Who was driving.
Who held the weapon.
After establishing identity, the waiting begins
Finding a name is not enough.
The next task is to establish the current whereabouts of the person.
NILI officers told Channel 12 how detailed the surveillance sometimes becomes.
Intelligence finds out where the person lives, whom they communicate with, where they go to pray, when they appear in certain places, and even at what time they go shopping.
And this can continue for months.
Why not strike immediately after detection?
Because intelligence confirmation of identity does not automatically mean permission to use force.
His current status, surrounding people, the possibility of an operation, and legal restrictions are taken into account.
Some participants in the attack were not destroyed at all — they were detained.
According to data published in July 2026, approximately 300 suspected participants in the October 7 attack and people associated with crimes against hostages were in Israeli custody.
Therefore, the real NILI scheme is more complex than the phrase “found and eliminated”:
identification — verification of involvement — search — surveillance — assessment of operation feasibility — detention or strike.
The Bibas family: names instead of faceless statistics
The most important part of the NILI story begins where the numbers disappear.
Because 2,800 is statistics.
But for the family of the deceased, there is no “attack participant number 1487.”
There is a person who entered their home.
Or took the child.
Or put the hostage in the car.
One of these people was Asad Abu Sharia, the leader of the “Mujahideen Brigades,” a group that operated jointly with Hamas.
According to Israeli security forces, he participated in the invasion of Kibbutz Nir Oz and was associated with the kidnapping of the Bibas family members.
Shiri Bibas and her young sons Ariel and Kfir became one of the main symbols of the tragedy of Israeli hostages.
Abu Sharia was eliminated by an Israeli strike in Gaza City on June 7, 2025.
Another figure is Mohammed Hassan Mohammed Awad. Israeli security forces claimed that he commanded the kidnapping of Shiri, Kfir, and Ariel Bibas and was apparently involved in their murder.
He was eliminated on April 4, 2025 in the northern Gaza Strip.
The wording “apparently” is crucial here. This is how the degree of established involvement was described by Israeli security forces, so it cannot be turned into a categorical statement.
The kidnapper of Yarden Bibas was also found
Separately, Israel identified the person involved in the kidnapping of Ariel and Kfir’s father — Yarden Bibas.
He turned out to be a militant of Hamas’s military wing Jihad Kamal Salem Najjar.
He was eliminated on August 10, 2025.
After confirming his death, Yarden Bibas spoke of a partial “closure of the circle.”
This reaction explains what is sometimes lost in military terminology.
For the state, it is about a destroyed target.
For an intelligence officer — about a closed line in the database.
And for the person whom this militant dragged to Gaza, this news has a completely different meaning.
Noa Argamani and Avinatan Or
Another identified participant of October 7 is Ahmad Ibrahim Rajab Shaar.
Israel directly linked him to the abduction of Noa Argamani and Avinatan Or from the Nova festival.
The footage of Noa’s abduction became one of the most famous images of October 7: the girl is taken away on a motorcycle, she reaches out to Avinatan, who is being led nearby by terrorists.
But behind the world-famous video, specific names later emerged.
Shaar was destroyed by an Israeli strike on August 22, 2025. His role was confirmed later after additional intelligence verification.
And this very well illustrates the principle of NILI.
It’s not just about finding a person who resembles a figure from the video.
First, gather enough information to link a specific name to a specific episode.
Nahal Oz: the search continued even after the abduction of the observers.
Another figure associated with the Nahal Oz base is Haitham Hazem Hijazi Rajab.
Israeli military established his involvement in the attack on the base, where soldiers, including female observers, were killed and abducted.
He was eliminated shortly before the ceasefire took effect in January 2025.
And here arises an especially important connection with those videos that Israel received after October 7.
For relatives, these frames were proof of what happened to their daughters.
For society, a testimony of the massacre.
For intelligence, also an opportunity to later identify people who were near the hostages at a certain moment.
Inbar Haiman and the person who filmed the murders himself.
Another example is Jalal Karaan.
According to the IDF and Shin Bet, he was involved in the murder of Inbar Haiman, who was abducted from the Nova festival.
In addition, Israeli military stated that Karaan killed two more Israeli citizens, filmed the events and distributed these recordings on the internet.
That is, the person essentially created part of the evidence base of his own involvement.
Karaan was eliminated in 2025.
And this is perhaps one of the most vivid examples of the entire logic of NILI: the image of the crime did not disappear in the flow of social networks. It was preserved, studied, linked to a specific person — and the search for this person continued even after the direct battles of October 7 had long ended.
Even the bodies of fallen soldiers — separate investigations.
NILI deals not only with episodes involving civilians.
Husam Shafai, a militant of the Hamas battalion ‘East Khan Yunis’, participated in the invasion of Israel and, according to the IDF, was involved in the abduction of the bodies of fallen soldiers — the commander of the Southern Brigade of the Gaza Division Colonel Asaf Hamami, Senior Sergeant Tomer Ahimas, and Sergeant Kiril Brodsky.
Shafai was eliminated by an Israeli strike on July 14, 2026.
And here is another important detail.
The IDF indicated that Shafai continued terrorist activities even after October 7 and posed a threat to Israeli soldiers.
That is, participation in the 2023 attack allowed him to be identified as a figure, but the decision to strike was also related to his subsequent activities.
For accuracy, this distinction is fundamental.
Initially, there were 2,561. A month later — already 2,800.
The number changes with the ongoing work.
As of July 10, 2026, Israeli media reported 2,561 dead participants in the attack.
A few days later, data appeared on more than 2,700 dead and about 300 detained.
And on August 9, 2026, the latest disclosure about NILI’s work mentioned 2,800 people from the list.
Therefore, the figure of 2,561, which was still relevant quite recently, is now a stage of this operation, not its current result.
The exact public number of people who remain alive in the database and are wanted cannot be named now.
Something else is known.
The list is not closed.
And the work continues.
“Healing of the soul”
This system has another side that cannot be described only in the language of intelligence.
In some cases, after the elimination of a person involved in an abduction or murder, this is reported to the relatives of the deceased or former hostage.
The Wall Street Journal described an expression used in this context, which can be translated as “healing of the soul”.
It should not be turned into an official term for every NILI operation — there is no public confirmation of the existence of such a mandatory procedure.
But the logic itself is clear.
A person cannot be returned a murdered child, wife, husband, or parents.
Months of captivity cannot be erased.
But it can be reported: the person identified as involved in this specific crime has been found.
He will no longer be able to repeat this with another family.
Why the story of NILI is more important than the number 2,800.
For NANews — News of Israel, the main thing in this story is not the number of airstrikes delivered and not even the number 2,800 itself.
The main thing is the change in the principle of responsibility.
October 7 could have remained in history under general words: “Hamas terrorists invaded Israel.”
But the general wording erases the individual person.
Who exactly abducted Yarden Bibas?
Who was near Shiri and the children?
Who grabbed Noa Argamani?
Who was at the Nahal Oz base?
Who filmed the murder of Israelis and then posted this video?
Israel is trying to provide a personal answer to these questions.
Technology has made possible what would have been almost impossible a few decades ago: years later, return to a few seconds of video footage, identify a face, link it to phone data, testimonies of other people, and intelligence information, and then find this person elsewhere.
This is the real story of NILI.
Not a mythical squad of avengers.
Not a person with a gun who goes through a list of names.
But a huge system of memory, identification, and search, where a phone frame, voice, number, face, or testimony of a released hostage can, in two years, connect into one name.
As of August 9, 2026, there are about 2,800 such names, after which a death mark can already be placed in the database.
But the database is not yet closed.
And judging by how Israel built this work after October 7, the change of the calendar year does not end it.
The events of that morning continue to be analyzed literally by people.
