Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Avi Scharf

@avischarf.bsky.social

When Predatory Sparrow strikes Charming Kitten, a trove is exposed. We dug into the data, and found how Iran's elite Cyber unit targets Israel's most sensitive sites
www.haaretz.com/israel-news/...

Charming Kitten exposed: Elite Iranian cyber unit targeting Israel's most sensitive sites

Haaretz Has Analyzed a Massive Leak That Exposed the Global Hacking Operations of One of the Revolutionary Guards' Top Hacker Units. Advanced Tools Were Used, Including in an Attempt to Break Into the...

www.haaretz.com

November 20, 2025 at 11:02 AM

Reposted by Avi Scharf

Avi Scharf

@avischarf.bsky.social

🚨 Shadowy "consulting firm" from Estonia owned by an Israeli, flew 350 Gazans to Indonesia, Malaysia,S. Africa. 3 groups departed on chartered flights from Eilat Airport. Firm was in contact with Israel’s “Voluntary Emigration Bureau”
www.haaretz.com/israel-news/...

Shadowy firm run by an Israeli-Estonian has gotten hundreds of Palestinians out of Gaza

Haaretz Exposé | The Organization Offers Palestinians the Option to Pay About $2,000 for a Spot on Charter Flights to Destinations Such as Indonesia and South Africa. Its Website Claims It Was Founded...

www.haaretz.com

November 16, 2025 at 5:58 PM

Avi Scharf

@avischarf.bsky.social

🚨 Shadowy "consulting firm" from Estonia owned by an Israeli, flew 350 Gazans to Indonesia, Malaysia,S. Africa. 3 groups departed on chartered flights from Eilat Airport. Firm was in contact with Israel’s “Voluntary Emigration Bureau”
www.haaretz.com/israel-news/...

Shadowy firm run by an Israeli-Estonian has gotten hundreds of Palestinians out of Gaza

Haaretz Exposé | The Organization Offers Palestinians the Option to Pay About $2,000 for a Spot on Charter Flights to Destinations Such as Indonesia and South Africa. Its Website Claims It Was Founded...

www.haaretz.com

November 16, 2025 at 5:58 PM

Reposted by Avi Scharf

Eran Toch

@eranto.bsky.social

Working in Israel on disinformation? (mitigating it, not spreading it). The Israeli Internet Association has a new grant (50K NIS) open to activists, initiatives, and orgs to develop new solutions. I'm on the board of the committee (w @avischarf.bsky.social etc)
www.isoc.org.il/disinformati...

קול קורא: מענקים למענים טכנולוגיים וציבוריים לפיתוח חסינות והתמודדות עם איומי דיסאינפורמציה והפצת תוכן כוזב ברשתות בישראל

קול קורא למענקי פיתוח עבור ארגונים, יוזמות ופעילים המקדמים פתרונות ומענים טכנולוגיים וציבוריים לפיתוח חסינות והתמודדות עם איומי דיסאינפורמציה והפצת תוכן כוזב ברשתות בישראל…

www.isoc.org.il

November 10, 2025 at 8:40 AM

Reposted by Avi Scharf

Avi Scharf

@avischarf.bsky.social

4/ Two additional campaigns revealed in the FARA docs involve hiring MAGA influencers to promote Israeli talking points, and developing a bot-network to "flood the zone" with those pro-Israeli messages
www.haaretz.com/israel-news/...

AI hasbara: Israel pours millions into influencing U.S. evangelicals in churches, ChatGPT

Contracts Between Israel and Trump-linked Firms Reveal Campaigns and Plans to Target Millions of U.S. Churchgoers, Deploy Bots, Hire Influencers and Try to Make ChatGPT More pro-Israel

www.haaretz.com

November 6, 2025 at 7:35 AM

Reposted by Avi Scharf

Avi Scharf

@avischarf.bsky.social

3/ One part revealed in the FARA docs concerns tagging Christian worshippers while at church, in order to continue targeting them online with Israeli messaging.
Israeli Foreign Ministry claimed this aspect of the campaign would not be implemented
www.haaretz.com/israel-news/...

November 6, 2025 at 7:35 AM

Reposted by Avi Scharf

Avi Scharf

@avischarf.bsky.social

2/ The focus on Christian audiences follows an unprecedented decline in support for Israel amid the war in Gaza - even among conservatives. Half of young Republicans (under age 50) now hold a negative view of Israel, up 15 percent since the war began.
www.haaretz.com/israel-news/...

November 6, 2025 at 7:34 AM

Avi Scharf

@avischarf.bsky.social

1/ Losing Republicans' support, Israel signed contracts to target millions of U.S. churchgoers, deploy bots, hire influencers and try to make ChatGPT more pro-Israel

Omer Benjakob dug in FARA docs and here's what he found
www.haaretz.com/israel-news/...

AI hasbara: Israel pours millions into influencing U.S. evangelicals in churches, ChatGPT

Contracts Between Israel and Trump-linked Firms Reveal Campaigns and Plans to Target Millions of U.S. Churchgoers, Deploy Bots, Hire Influencers and Try to Make ChatGPT More pro-Israel

www.haaretz.com

November 6, 2025 at 7:34 AM

Avi Scharf

@avischarf.bsky.social

What the Vatican, Israeli Arms Dealers and Jared Leto Have in Common?
An international investigation reveals a firm selling advanced surveillance tech. Unlike spyware, it leaves no forensic evidence

by Omer Benjakob @cr0ft0n.bsky.social @gabrielgeiger.bsky.social
www.haaretz.com/israel-news/...

Everyone's a target: What the Vatican, Israeli arm dealers and Jared Leto have in common?

An International Investigation Reveals an Indonesian Company Selling Advanced Surveillance Tools Used to Track Journalists, Critics and Even a Prosecutor of Netanyahu – and How Israelis With Ties to A...

www.haaretz.com

October 21, 2025 at 5:33 PM

Avi Scharf

@avischarf.bsky.social

NOW in English
Germany buys Israeli Spike missiles in 2 Billion Euro Deal
www.haaretz.com/israel-news/...

Germany is buying Israeli-made Spike anti-tank missiles in 2 billion euro deal

The Major Deal Was Signed Through NATO With EuroSpike, Rafael's European Joint Venture, in Which It Holds a Stake. In 2025 Alone, Germany Purchased 315 Million Euros' Worth of Israeli Weaponry – More ...

www.haaretz.com

October 21, 2025 at 5:30 PM

Reposted by Avi Scharf

Avi Scharf

@avischarf.bsky.social

And Rashid Street further south
Planet Labs 15sep v 1sep

September 17, 2025 at 8:33 AM

Reposted by Avi Scharf

Avi Scharf

@avischarf.bsky.social

The Wharf
Planet Labs 15SEPv1SEP

September 17, 2025 at 8:33 AM

Reposted by Avi Scharf

Avi Scharf

@avischarf.bsky.social

Central Gaza - here Daraj and Rimal - also evacuates, but at lesser pace (as of Sep15 imagery)

September 17, 2025 at 8:33 AM

Reposted by Avi Scharf

Avi Scharf

@avischarf.bsky.social

Central Gaza - here Daraj and Rimal - also evacuates, but at lesser pace (as of Sep15 imagery)

September 17, 2025 at 8:33 AM

Reposted by Avi Scharf

Avi Scharf

@avischarf.bsky.social

Here's Tel Al Hawa

September 17, 2025 at 8:33 AM

Reposted by Avi Scharf

Avi Scharf

@avischarf.bsky.social

Fresh Planet Labs imagery (15Sep v 1Sep) shows already displaced Gazans leaving for the south. Most tents gone - as expected - first from north (Naser) and south (Tel El Hawa) n'hoods.

September 17, 2025 at 8:33 AM

Avi Scharf

@avischarf.bsky.social

Fresh Planet Labs imagery (15Sep v 1Sep) shows already displaced Gazans leaving for the south. Most tents gone - as expected - first from north (Naser) and south (Tel El Hawa) n'hoods.

September 17, 2025 at 8:31 AM

Reposted by Avi Scharf

Avi Scharf

@avischarf.bsky.social

Gazans displaced from the city set up tents in Deir al Balah
Planet Labs 14Sep/05Sep

September 16, 2025 at 12:29 PM

Reposted by Avi Scharf

Avi Scharf

@avischarf.bsky.social

2/north of Khan Yunis' Hamad Town.
Planet Labs 14Sep/05Sep

September 16, 2025 at 12:28 PM

Avi Scharf

@avischarf.bsky.social

Gazans displaced from the city due Israeli op have set up tents in Deir al Balah, and near Khan Yunis' Hamad Town.
Almost none have yet made it to the south near Rafah, where Israel is setting up two new GHF centers
Planet Labs 14Sep/05Sep

September 16, 2025 at 12:25 PM

Avi Scharf

@avischarf.bsky.social

A foreign influence op has set up on Israeli social media to sow chaos and disrupt the scheduled 2026 elections.

The campaign seems identical to another op that wreaked havoc last year in Romania - with the elections eventually being annulled
www.haaretz.com/israel-news/...

First Romania, now Israel: Pro-Russian AI disinfo campaign preps for Israeli election

Conservative AI Slop Aimed at Religious Audiences Is Just the First Phase of Foreign Influence Operations Which Gained Thousands of Followers by Piggybacking on the Gaza War - Laying the Groundwork fo...

www.haaretz.com

September 15, 2025 at 1:13 PM

Avi Scharf

@avischarf.bsky.social

Spain cancels major arms deal with Israel's Elbit Systems - Haaretz has learnt.
It's the 2nd tender Madrid cancels in just a week with an Israeli arms maker - over the Gaza War

www.haaretz.co.il/news/securit...