Friday, April 4, 2025

IDF Chief in Gaza: ‘We Won’t Stop Until Every Hostage Returns’

by Joshua Marks ~ JNS

Thursday, 3 April 2025 | IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir visited Gaza this week alongside Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) Director Ronen Bar to assess the progress of ongoing operations against Hamas in the southern Gaza Strip.

During the visit, Zamir addressed troops near Rafah, stating that the Israel Defense Forces are intensifying their offensive at a deliberate and determined pace. He emphasized that the military effort would continue until all Israeli hostages are returned and declared the mission far from over.

The visit comes amid a renewed push by the IDF in the Rafah region, with a focus on dismantling remaining Hamas infrastructure and disrupting command activity in what is believed to be one of the terrorist group’s last strongholds.

According to the IDF, the 14th Combined Combat Team, operating under the 143rd Gaza Division, has completed the encirclement of the Tel al-Sultan neighborhood in western Rafah. The area, known for its dense civilian population, has been the site of recent clashes and intelligence-led raids.

Troops uncovered and neutralized dozens of weapons caches, underground facilities, and rocket launchers during the operation. Two rockets and a launcher aimed at Israeli territory were located inside a residential building. Several suspects were arrested and transferred for further interrogation.

Military officials stated that the IDF remains committed to dismantling the terrorist infrastructure in Gaza while working to secure the return of the remaining hostages taken during the October 7, 2023 attack. That attack, carried out by Hamas operatives who infiltrated Israeli border communities, resulted in the deaths of more than 1,200 people and the abduction of over 240 individuals.

The Rafah area remains a critical objective for Israeli forces due to the suspected presence of senior Hamas figures and significant weapons stockpiles. Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz, have reiterated that continued military pressure is essential to force Hamas to negotiate further hostage releases.

Zamir’s presence in Gaza, alongside the head of Israel’s internal security service, signals a continued focus on high-intensity operations in the south as the IDF prepares for additional phases of the campaign. The military has indicated it will sustain its operations until its strategic goals, including the neutralization of Hamas’s military capability and the safe return of hostages, are achieved.

Source: (This article was originally published by the Jewish News Syndicate on April 3, 2025. See original article at this link.)

Photo Credit: IDF/jns.org

Prayer Focus
Pray for the new IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, Gen. Yaniv Asor, head of the IDF’s Southern Command and all troops currently stationed in Gaza. Pray that they will be completely successful in dismantling of Hamas’s infrastructure in the Gaza Strip and bringing the terror group to a point of absolute surrender. Pray for accurate intelligence on the location of Israel hostages in order that the IDF can accomplish its goal to bring every hostage home.

Scripture

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.

- Joshua 1:9

Iran Rejects Trump Letter Calling for Direct Negotiations with US

by JNS

Tuesday, 1 April 2025 | Iran has officially rejected the idea of direct negotiations with the United States in response to a letter US President Donald Trump sent earlier this month about Iran’s advancing nuclear program, CBS reported.

This is the first official Iranian response to Trump’s letter.

While the Iranian regime has rejected direct diplomacy, they have not “closed all doors” on diplomatic discussions between the two countries.

Kamal Kharrazi, a senior adviser to Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, said on March 27 that Iran is “ready for indirect talks with the United States to evaluate the other side, present its conditions and make the appropriate decision.”

During his first term, Trump pulled the United States out of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, which offered sanctions relief in exchange for Iran dialing back its nuclear activity for 10 years. Since then, the Islamic Republic has significantly increased its stockpile of near-weapons-grade uranium, enough to build six nuclear bombs.

Trump, who has emphasized a “maximum pressure” campaign against Iran, has recently called for a new deal, stating that it will be “a lot better” than potential military action against the regime.

“The other alternative is you have to do something because Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said in an interview with the Fox Business Network channel.

Source: (This article was originally published by the Jewish News Syndicate on March 31, 2025. Time-related language has been modified to reflect our republication today. See original article at this link.)

Photo Credit: Daniel Torok/White House/jns.org

Prayer Focus
Continue to pray for wisdom on the part of Israel’s leaders and her military commanders as well as for the Trump administration. Pray that Iran’s plans for nuclear weapons that will be used as a threat to Israel and the West will never come to fruition. Pray for confusion in the enemy’s “camp.”

Scripture

To know wisdom and instruction, to perceive the words of understanding, to receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, judgment, and equity…a wise man will hear and increase learning, and a man of understanding will attain wise counsel.

- Proverbs 1:2–3, 5

A Love Story Born from the Tragic Day of October 7

by Atara Beck ~ JNS

Wednesday, 2 April 2025 | Rebecca Starr and Benjamin (Benji) Katz are among countless Diaspora Jews [living outside of Israel] who immediately volunteered to join the war effort in Israel after the shocking massacre perpetrated by Hamas on October 7, 2023.

Starr, 29, is an English and mathematics teacher at a Jewish school in Montreal. The daughter of a Moroccan mother and an Ashkenazi father, she was raised in a Zionist home and was always proud of her Jewish heritage.

Katz, 31, born and raised in Boston, works for a sports merchandise marketing company for baseball players in Miami. He, too, grew up in a staunchly Zionist family and spent a year in Israel after high school. He has always been active in the Jewish community and has a sister who lives in northern Israel.

Starr described how, like many others, she was astounded by the news on October 7 and felt the need to do something.

“A friend of mine from Israel texted me about what happened, and I was shocked,” she said. “I immediately opened X and saw horrific videos. I went to the synagogue for Simchat Torah [rejoicing in Torah] and met two friends who didn’t know about it at all. Slowly, everyone found out.”

Suddenly, she explained, what was supposed to be a joyous festival turned into a day of grief. “For me, it was like sitting in a shiva (mourning period). Everyone was sitting there and didn’t know whether to celebrate the holiday or not. It was a shock, and we didn’t know how to deal with it.”

For days, she said, “I felt helpless, like others in our community in Montreal. It wasn’t enough for us to donate money from afar. We wanted to do more, to really help with our hands.”

In December 2023, already in Israel, she met Katz, among other volunteers, and they immediately became friends. Coincidentally, both were assigned to work for two weeks at Pitchon-Lev, an apolitical NGO established in 1998 as a national humanitarian organization focused on breaking the intergenerational cycle of poverty in Israel.

Since the start of the current war, Swords of Iron, Pitchon-Lev has been providing emergency aid to Israel’s security forces and survivors of the massacre.

Starr and Katz, working side by side, packed hundreds of food and aid boxes daily, and naturally, they spent much of that time chatting. Their topics of conversation included hockey, a sport they both love watching. “I despise the team that he’s a fan of and vice versa,” she said with a laugh. “But it was a good subject that broke the ice between us, and we connected from the start.”

After only three days, their friendship developed into romance. During their free time, “we would go for walks on the beach at sunset, listen to music, and spend more time together,” Starr said.

“A funny thing happened when I ran into an acquaintance, an IDF reservist, who had returned from Gaza to refresh himself, and I told him what I was doing at Pitchon-Lev,” she said. “He responded: ‘Pitchon-Lev? I know about them. I get their [donation] boxes at my unit in Gaza.”

Those words reassured Starr. “It meant that I was really helping and that what I was doing mattered to others.”

The situation became challenging, however, when it was time for the couple to return home – to different cities. “We didn’t plan on being pen pals,” she joked. “It’s a three-and-a-half-hour flight between us, but it just felt so strong. We wanted to give it a chance.”

They immediately made plans to meet as soon as possible and spoke often on video calls.

Last August, at the end of the school year, Starr moved to Miami and landed a job at a Jewish school there. They will be married this coming July.

On a recent visit to Israel, they volunteered for a day at Pitchon-Lev. “We hope to do this on every visit,” Katz said.

Both sets of parents are thrilled about the match and especially about how they met volunteering in Israel.

The couple plans on having children who will also “get to know Israel and experience the land and life there,” Starr enthused. They decided that the middle names of each of their children would be after hostages who died in captivity.

“This is the least we can do,” Starr said. After all, she noted, “This war is what brought Benji and me together, and they will always be a part of our home.”

Source: (This article was originally published by the Jewish News Syndicate on March 31, 2025. Time-related language has been modified to reflect our republication today. See original article at this link.)

Photo Credit: Pitchon-Lev/jns.org

Prayer Focus
Give thanks for this young couple who have a deep love for the Land of Israel and discovered their love for each other while they were volunteering in that very Land. Pray that, as their love grows and they are married, they will be drawn to make aliyah (immigrate to Israel) and will raise their family here in the place God gave to Abraham for an eternal possession.

Scripture

And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with singing, with everlasting joy on their heads. They shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

- Isaiah 35:10

Hungary Defies ICC, Welcomes Netanyahu with Full Military Honors

by David Isaac ~ JNS

Thursday, 3 April 2025 | Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu landed in Hungary in the early hours of Thursday morning for a four-day visit at the invitation of Hungarian premier Viktor Orban.

“Welcome to Budapest, #BenjaminNetanyahu!” Hungarian Defense Minister Kristof Szalay-Bobrovniczky posted to social media, greeting Netanyahu at the airport with full military honors.

Orban invited Netanyahu in November of last year, a day after the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant against the Israeli premier and his former defense minister, Yoav Gallant.

Although Hungary is a signatory to the ICC and obliged to act on its warrants, Orban wrote in a November 22 letter to Netanyahu that he was “shocked” by the court’s “shameful decision.”

He vowed it would have “no impact whatsoever on the Hungarian-Israeli alliance and friendship” and extended an invitation to Netanyahu, promising his country “will ensure your safety and freedom.”

The ICC has no enforcement arm of its own and relies on member states to carry out its warrants.

Orban told Hungarian public broadcaster Kossuth Radio that the ICC decision was “fundamentally wrong” and an “outrageously brazen” political decision that would lead to “the discrediting of international law,” The New York Times reported at the time.

The ICC issued arrest warrants against Netanyahu and Gallant for crimes against humanity and war crimes committed from at least October 8, 2023, until at least May 20, 2024, the day the prosecution filed the applications for warrants of arrest.

In a separate statement, the court ordered the arrest of Mohammed Deif, the supreme commander of Hamas’s military wing, who according to the Israel Defense Forces was killed in an airstrike on July 13.

Netanyahu wants to undermine the ICC’s decision by “flying to places where there’s no risk of arrest, and in doing so, he’s also paving the way to normalize his future travels,” Moshe Klughaft, an international strategic consultant and former advisor to Netanyahu, told AFP.

“His ultimate goal is to regain the ability to travel wherever he wants,” he said.

This is only the second international visit for Netanyahu since the ICC issued its warrants. In February, he visited the United States to meet with US President Donald Trump.

On February 6, Trump sanctioned the ICC via executive order for its arrest warrants against Netanyahu and Gallant. The sanctions hit ICC officials, employees and their immediate family members with financial penalties and visa restrictions.

The ICC has initiated “illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America and our close ally Israel,” the executive order stated.

The court’s “malign conduct” threatens “to infringe upon the sovereignty of the United States and undermines the critical national security and foreign policy work of the United States government and our allies, including Israel.”

Netanyahu will depart Hungary on Sunday.

Source: (This article was originally published by the Jewish News Syndicate on April 3, 2025. See original article at this link.)

Photo Credit: Janos Kummer/Getty Images/jns.org

Prayer Focus
Praise God for the Hungarian government’s very public and open stand supporting Israel in defiance of the International Criminal Court. Pray that other nations would come to the same conclusion reached by Prime Minister Viktor Orban, that the ICC decision to issue arrest warrants for Prime Minister Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant was shocking and shameful.

Scripture

How lovely are your tents, O Jacob! Your dwellings, O Israel! Blessed is he who blesses you, and cursed is he who curses you.

- Numbers 24:5, 9b

Freed Hostage Reveals Horror of Capture, Captivity

by Ynetnews

Wednesday, 2 April 2025 | Eliya Cohen a survivor of captivity in Gaza, spoke out Tuesday night in a televised interview with Keshet News about his harrowing 505-day ordeal.

Freed in the second hostage deal, Cohen recounted being abducted on October 7 from what has come to be known as the “shelter of death,” the grim conditions of his lengthy imprisonment, the humiliating treatment by his captors and the emotional return to life alongside his partner, Ziv Aboud—who he only discovered had survived after his release.

Cohen said he chose to speak publicly in hopes of advancing the release of remaining hostages. “I promised Alon [Ohel] that I’d make it out,” he said. “And until I meet you back home, it’s not over.”

‘We believed the army would come’

He and Ziv were among the first to flee the Nova music festival site when the assault from Gaza began. “I looked at Ziv and said, ‘I don’t want to stay here,'” he recalled.

When they reached a nearby shelter, it was still sparsely occupied. “That’s where I met Alon for the first time,” he said. “We were getting alerts on our phones about terrorist infiltrations. We realized this was much more than rockets—but we believed the army would come.”

As the terrorists reached the shelter and began throwing grenades inside, another festivalgoer, Aner Shapira, turned to those hiding with him. “Out of nowhere, he said: ‘We can’t let them kill us like this,'” Cohen recounted. “Another grenade was thrown in—he picked it up and threw it out. I saw it with my own eyes. Everyone understood exactly what he was doing.”

Alon Ohel was also abducted from that same shelter and was later held in Gaza’s tunnel network alongside Cohen, who emphasized that his interview was meant to push for Ohel’s release.

That morning, Ohel managed to call the police from the shelter. Cohen remembered him saying: “We’re in a shelter, they’re throwing grenades and shooting at us.” The police response, he said, was shockingly dismissive: “Hide. Bye.”

Cohen also recalled the moment Shapira was hit. “At one point, Aner was holding a grenade. I saw them shoot him. He fell to the ground, and the grenade exploded with him. I said to myself, ‘I can’t believe this.’ The guy protecting us was gone.”

Despite the chaos, others continued to throw grenades out of the shelter. “I remember a woman picking up a grenade and tossing it,” he said. “Then came the last grenade—the one that severed Hersh Goldberg-Polin’s hand. After that, no one else got up to throw grenades.”

Cohen described the desperate decision to hide beneath bodies to survive. “I saw a body, grabbed it and used it as cover. I told myself: ‘At least if more grenades go off, this will protect me and Ziv.’”

Lying under the dead, he clung to a line Ziv had whispered—words that, he said, sustained him throughout captivity: “Well, at least we’ll be together up there. No one can disturb us there.”

Cohen also shared the lingering physical effects of that morning. “Ever since I left the shelter, I’ve had ringing in my ears,” he said. “Even then, I realized my hearing wasn’t okay.”

Hostage Nonchalantly Executed

Cohen says he will never forget the moment of his abduction. “I saw three terrorists with phones filming us, with insane, crazed smiles on their faces. I won’t forget that smile—it’s the smile of my kidnapping. I go to sleep with it, I live it,” he recalled.

One of the terrorists pointed his gun at him and dragged him away, separating him from Ziv. “I saw pickup trucks and dozens of terrorists,” he said. As they drove toward Gaza, he heard the terrorists shouting with joy, “celebrating like they had won.” He described being beaten with rifle butts, stomped on and spat at.

During the ride, one of the hostages tried to escape by jumping from the vehicle. “He decided to take matters into his own hands and said, ‘I’m jumping.’ We told him not to, but he jumped mid-ride. They stopped the truck, shot him dead and continued driving to Gaza like nothing happened.”

Upon arriving in Gaza, Cohen was allowed to shower. “It was the first time I saw myself in a mirror—I was covered in blood, pieces of burnt skin on my face and body. I looked at myself and thought, ‘I can’t believe I have body parts on me.’” He said he resolved at that moment to survive: “I told myself, ‘There’s no way I’m not making it home. I’ll give them what they want, I’ll play along.’”

Soon after, someone who identified himself as a doctor examined Cohen’s gunshot wound and said he would remove the bullet—without anesthesia. He gave Cohen a piece of cloth to bite on and warned, “You can’t scream. If civilians outside hear you, they’ll come in—and I can’t protect you.”

Starvation, Abuse and Humiliation 

Cohen described the moment they arrived in the tunnels: “That’s when we met the chains. They tied them tight. They cut into your legs. Even going to the bathroom took ten minutes. I told myself, ‘I’m actually chained up, like a monkey.’” The chains were almost never removed, only during the rare showers—once every two months.

He agreed with fellow former hostage Eli Sharabi that hunger was the hardest part. “You can survive humiliation, insults, the chains—but hunger is a daily battle. It’s not just about being hungry; it’s about survival.” He said he would fall asleep each night thinking: “What do I have to do tomorrow to get that piece of pita bread?” They were fed a single dry pita and two spoonfuls of fava beans or peas a day. “They played games with that too. I used to beg God that I’d at least get the pita and beans.”

The captors frequently changed food routines to inflict psychological torment. “You find yourself begging, and they enjoy it. They know they’re starving you.” Occasionally, Cohen said, they managed to appeal to a guard’s humanity when he was alone. “Sometimes it worked. There’s no way to describe the feeling when he walks in with a pita, a chocolate bar or peanut butter. In that moment, it’s the best thing that’s ever happened to you—because you’ve survived another day.”

He also spoke of the psychological abuse. “Once or twice a week they’d enter the room and say, ‘Everyone strip down—underwear too,’” Cohen recalled. The captors would inspect how thin the hostages were and decide whether to reduce their food portions. “You see the smile on their faces and know it’s all a sham, but you ask yourself, ‘How low can this go?’ There’s nothing more Nazi than that. I hate Holocaust comparisons, but this… this is as close as it gets.”

‘Alon was terrified and began to cry’

Cohen recalled the emotional moment he was informed of his upcoming release—and the anguish of leaving Alon Ohel behind. “Alon panicked. He was terrified and began to cry. I looked at him and said, ‘Brother, I’m getting out on March 1 and you on March 8—it’s all good.’ I truly believed the second phase would come quickly.”

He shared details of Ohel’s condition. “He’s blind in one eye and probably not doing well. We spent a lot of time talking—deep, emotional conversations. We hugged, we cried. I told him to stay strong. I promised him that even when I get out, I won’t forget him.”

Cohen also remembered a moment from just a week before his release. “We were sitting together. The following Monday was Alon’s birthday. He said, ‘My birthday’s next week—let me go.’ That level of innocence—he’s just magical. And the terrorist looked at him and didn’t know how to respond.”

Source: (Excerpt of an article originally published by Ynetnews on April 2, 2025. See original article at this link.)

Photo Credit: Yossipik/wikimedia.org

Photo License: Wikimedia

Prayer Focus
Continue to cry out for the hostages who remain in captivity, asking the Lord to be very present with them in the darkness and despair of the tunnels. Pray that they will continue to hang on to life and the hope that they will once again see their loved ones. Pray for the families of the hostages as well, that they will be strengthened and encouraged by the prayers and support of those around the world who are standing with them.

Scripture

Have mercy on me, O LORD! Consider my trouble from those who hate me, You who lift me up from the gates of death, that I may tell of all Your praise in the gates of the daughter of Zion. I will rejoice in Your salvation.

- Psalm 9:13–14

Hamas’s Brutal Crackdown on Gaza Protests with Torture, Executions

by Einav Halabi ~ Ynetnews

Monday, 31 March 2025 | Hamas has begun cracking down on Gazans who participated in recent protests against the group’s rule, executing six people and publicly beating others, according to Palestinian activists and residents.

Among those killed was Odai al-Rubai, 22, a resident of Gaza City’s Tel al-Hawa neighborhood. Al-Rubai had called for public demonstrations and spoken out against Hamas on social media. He was abducted by Hamas operatives, tortured for four hours, and then returned to his family as he lay dying, witnesses said.

“He was dragged by a rope around his neck, beaten with clubs and metal rods in front of passersby,” said one resident who asked not to be identified for fear of retribution.

Another resident, Hussam al-Majdalawi, was reportedly kidnapped and beaten in Gaza’s Nuseirat refugee camp. Al-Majdalawi, who had also spoken against Hamas, was shot in the legs and left wounded in a public square, according to eyewitnesses.

Hamza al-Masri, a Gaza-based social activist who lost an eye after being tortured by Hamas in the past, said the crackdown was part of a broader effort to silence dissent.

“Just for asking to live, a Hamas military unit kidnapped several young men, including helpless Odai,” al-Masri wrote on social media. “Hours after he was taken, he was returned to his family without life.”

He accused Hamas of maintaining tight control over local media, preventing journalists from reporting on abuses. “There isn’t a single journalist in Gaza who can speak about the crimes being committed here,” he said. “The world has no idea what’s happening.”

Despite the threats, mourners at al-Rubai’s funeral shouted anti-Hamas slogans, including “Hamas out,” and several relatives fired weapons into the air. Members of his family reportedly identified one of the men responsible for the torture and vowed revenge.

“Don’t come to offer condolences before we take revenge,” one family member was quoted as saying.

Gazan influencer Mustafa Asfour wrote on X, formerly Twitter, that al-Rubai was “killed because he said aloud: We want to live. These are very sad moments, fueling hatred that could ignite a civil war.”

Large protests erupted earlier this month across Gaza, with thousands of Palestinians demanding an end to the ongoing war with Israel and criticizing Hamas’s governance. However, demonstrations subsided Friday, and no new calls for protest have emerged.

Palestinian sources said other demonstrators have gone missing in recent days, as Hamas seeks to reassert control and deter further dissent.

Source: (This article was originally published by Ynetnews on March 30, 2025. Time-related language has been modified to reflect our republication today. See original article at this link.)

Photo Credit: geralt/pixabay.com

Prayer Focus
Pray for those in Gaza who simply want to live and are currently paying a high price—even with their lives—as Hamas brutally silences all voices that oppose them. Ask the Lord to comfort the families of the six courageous demonstrators who have been killed and to shield any others who may be targeted by Hamas at this moment.

Scripture

Deliver the poor and needy; free them from the hand of the wicked.

- Psalm 82:4

Turkey’s Expansionism in Syria Creates New Challenges for Israel

by Yaakov Lappin ~ JNS

Friday, 28 March 2025 | Turkey is deepening its military and political foothold in northern and central Syria, raising significant concerns over the long-term consequences of Ankara’s [Turkey’s capital city] ambitions for regional influence and control.

From the construction of a military base to growing engagement with the Syrian Islamist-leaning regime and a steady flow of Turkish armored vehicles into the area, Israel must now be on the lookout for threats that emanate from Sunni Turkey in a country dominated by Shi’ite [Shia branch of Islam] Iran for many years under the previous Assad regime.

Israel’s recent series of steps in southern Syria, including ground and air operations, the setting up of multiple military posts on the Syrian side of the demilitarized zone, and the setting up of an alliance with the southern Syrian Druze population, appear designed to prevent Turkish-backed Sunni fundamentalists—or Turkish forces themselves—from moving south beyond Damascus.

Hay Eytan Cohen Yanarocak, a prominent expert on Turkey at the Moshe Dayan Center for Middle Eastern and African Studies at Tel Aviv University, told JNS on Wednesday that there are multiple warning signs.

“After the fall of Assad, we know that Turkey replaced Russia as the dominant player in Syria,” said Yanarocak. “When we speak about today’s Syrian regime, it is thanks to Turkey, due to Turkish changes and Turkish strategy.”

Citing a recent uptick in Turkish involvement, Yanarocak emphasized that “the Turkish intelligence organization, then the Turkish Foreign Ministry, and finally the president of Turkey met with al-Joulani [the new ‘interim’ Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa, who headed Ha’at Tahrir al-Sham rebel coalition that overthrew the Assad regime]. And we actually saw the Turkish infiltration—both on the ministerial and military levels.”

Amid unconfirmed reports that Turkey was planning to build a new military base in Palmyra in central Syria, the IDF announced on March 25 that it had struck Syrian military bases in the area, including the T4 Airbase. The message to Turkey appears to have been, “Please don’t come,” said Yanarocak.

Yanarocak noted that last week, media reports stated that Turkey had begun supplying various armored vehicles to Turkish-backed elements in northern Syria. “We will see the Turkish influence, more and more,” he assessed.

“Let us not forget that Turkey has a land corridor to Syria and has not yet withdrawn from Syria—it is inside Syria. So we are only going to see more and more penetration, not the opposite.”

On March 10, the Syrian presidency announced an agreement with the head of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, based in northern Syria, to integrate the institutions of the autonomous Kurdish administration in the northeast into the national government, France 24 reported.

Yanarocak interpreted this as a signal of American withdrawal. “This will make Turkey the only solution, with Russia—if Russia remains. But if the current trend continues and the Russians leave, then Turkey will be left alone in Syria,” he said.

Turkey appears to be positioning itself through an ideological lens that frames its intervention as a form of Sunni Muslim brotherhood that transcends ethnicity, Yanarocak stated. “The Turks convey the message that we have here a shared Sunni Muslim brotherhood bond,” he stated.

As a result, Yanarocak warned, Turkish air force and ground force presence will likely begin to appear all over Syria. He stressed that such an expansion would not include meaningful Syrian input, adding, “No one really asked the Syrian people in the past what they think, and they won’t be asked now either.

Yanarocak added, “Turkey has already penetrated Syria. The head of Turkish intelligence, Ibrahim Kalin, was the first foreign official to visit Syria and he prayed at the Umayyad Mosque. This signals a shared Sunni ideological camp. This isn’t about Turkish dominance over Arabs. It’s about a shared ideological brotherhood.”

He continued, “I don’t think anyone else is willing to arm the Syrian army besides Turkey,” adding that Turkey’s military-industrial complex makes it the only realistic candidate to shape a new Syrian army. “It has many products that could fit a new Syrian army—from APCs to rifles, even combat ships.”

Former US Ambassador to Turkey Eric Edelman, a Distinguished Scholar at the Washington DC-based Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA), told JNS on Tuesday that the new Syrian leader will have to consider a range of factors that go beyond Turkey’s interests.

“Turkey is extremely influential, but its views are not dispositive with Sharaa, at least at this point. Sharaa has many different concerns to balance and Turkey will be an important but not the sole factor for his decision calculus,” Edelman assessed.

The former ambassador added, “There will be some inherent resistance among Arabs to an overbearing effort at establishing a neo-Ottoman overlordship—something Turkish officials frequently underestimate. That said, the key will be the degree to which Turkey can establish military, and especially air bases, in Syria. That, of course, would be a significant move in the direction of Turkish overweening influence.”

Despite growing Turkish infiltration, Yanarocak argued that Israel must make efforts to deconflict with Turkey as much as possible. “Israel, to prevent any undesirable friction or incident with Turkey, must act very responsibly. The two states need to sit face to face, especially the military professionals, and clarify red lines with seriousness and mutual respect. Not to provoke or poke each other in the eye.”

He said the overarching goal should be “to prevent the escalation from spiraling into declared hostility. That is the main objective.” According to Yanarocak, “The Turkish side must also internalize that they cannot be on the Israeli–Syrian border. That is an Israeli red line. Israel will not accept this.”

In northern Syria, meanwhile, Turkey has spent years backing the SNA (Syrian National Army) and other rebel groups, which it activated to fight the Kurds of northern Syria. Israel will no doubt be watching closely to see if these entities attempt to move south.

Source: (This article was originally published by the Jewish News Syndicate on March 27, 2025. Time-related language has been modified to reflect our republication today. See original article at this link.)

Photo Credit: Ozan Kose/AFP via Getty Images/jns.org

Prayer Focus
As Turkey increases its influence in northern and central Syria, pray for clear strategy on the part of the IDF as well as Israel’s political leaders, a strategy that will retain the buffer zone along the Israel–Syrian border without Turkish military presence. Pray that Israel’s leaders will be able to maintain security for her northern communities without Turkey’s military escalation spiraling into outright hostility between the two countries.

Scripture

The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked came against me to eat up my flesh, my enemies and foes, they stumbled and fell.

- Psalm 27:1b–3a

Beirut Strike Foiled Joint Hezbollah–Hamas Plot to Attack Israelis Overseas

by Avi Issacharoff ~ Ynetnews

Wednesday, 2 April 2025 | Israeli authorities said Tuesday they thwarted a major terrorist attack being planned against Israeli targets abroad, in what they described as one of the most serious plots in recent years.

The IDF and Shin Bet [Israeli internal security organization] security agency confirmed that the overnight airstrike in Beirut’s Dahieh district, a Hezbollah stronghold, targeted and killed Hassan Ali Mahmoud Bdeir, a senior operative in Hezbollah’s Unit 3900 and the Iranian Quds Force.

According to Israeli intelligence, Bdeir played a central role in a joint terror network involving both Hezbollah and Hamas operatives—a rare instance of cooperation between the Shiite and Sunni terrorist groups. The network was reportedly planning an imminent large-scale attack abroad, which officials said could have killed hundreds of Israelis had it been carried out.

According to French news agency AFP, Bdeir served as deputy to Hezbollah’s chief coordinator for Palestinian affairs. Lebanese newspaper An-Nahar published a photograph of Bdeir aboard a plane with former Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the senior Iraqi militia leader who was killed alongside Soleimani in a US airstrike in 2020.

The strike was the result of an extended intelligence operation led by a specialized Shin Bet unit tasked with dismantling overseas Hamas networks. The unit has been especially active since the terrorist group was previously headed by senior Hamas figure Saleh al-Arouri, who was eliminated in an Israeli strike in Beirut early last year.

The intelligence for the operation was gathered by both Shin Bet and Military Intelligence, while the precision strike was executed by the Israeli Air Force. Lebanon’s Health Ministry reported four people were killed and seven injured in the strike.

Shin Bet and IDF officials said the operation prevented a potentially catastrophic attack and marked a significant blow to the collaboration between Hezbollah and Hamas beyond Israel’s borders. Israeli authorities noted that Hamas’ overseas network operates from countries including Turkey and is attempting to expand into parts of Europe.

Source: (This article was originally published by Ynetnews on April 1, 2025. Time-related language has been modified to reflect our republication today. See original article at this link.)

Photo Credit: IDF Spokesperson’s Unit/wikimedia.org

Photo License: Wikimedia

Prayer Focus
Pray for Israel’s intelligence-gathering agencies—both internal (Shin Bet) and external (Mossad)—that they will continue to obtain the information needed to prevent terror attacks within the nation itself and those planned against Israelis who are abroad. Give thanks to God as He alone is able to reveal all the hidden plans that are being formed against His people.

Scripture

The king answered Daniel, and said, “Truly your God is the God of gods, the Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, since you could reveal this secret.”

- Daniel 2:47

Israel Outperforms Germany, Spain in Global Ranking of ‘Safe Countries’

by Asaf Rozen ~ Ynetnews

Monday, 31 March 2025 | Andorra, the small principality nestled between Spain and France in southwestern Europe, has been declared the safest country in the world, according to the Numbeo Safety Index. Joining Andorra in the top five are the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Taiwan and Oman.

Crime in Israel—Snapshot

To create the “Safety Index by Country for 2025,” Numbeo researchers ranked countries based on overall crime levels. These rankings were derived from surveys conducted among website visitors. Survey participants shared their feelings of safety while walking during daylight and nighttime hours. They also expressed concerns about robbery, theft, car break-ins, physical assaults by strangers, harassment in public spaces, and discrimination based on skin color, ethnicity, gender or religion.

Additionally, researchers examined the prevalence of property crimes like burglary, theft and vandalism, as well as violent crimes such as assault, murder and sexual offenses. Each country was assigned a score on a scale from 1 (most dangerous) to 100 (safest).

“It’s important to note that Numbeo’s crime index is based on user-reported data and perceptions, which may differ from official government statistics,” researchers explained. “The index serves as a comparative tool to evaluate safety levels between different cities or countries, enabling individuals to make informed decisions and understand the crime landscape in specific areas.”

Israel’s Ranking

Israel ranked 34th, outperforming several notable countries like Portugal, Norway, Cyprus, Spain and Germany. The United States received a relatively low score, landing at 89th, just two spots behind the United Kingdom in 87th.

Iran, Israel’s primary adversary, ranked 93rd. Greece, a favorite travel destination for Israelis, ranked 77th. Egypt, Israel’s southern neighbor, ranked 81st, while Jordan, its eastern neighbor, ranked 53rd. Syria and Lebanon, Israel’s northern neighbors, were ranked 140th and 78th, respectively.

Earlier this month, the United Nations released its World Happiness Report. In this ranking, Israel placed 8th, ahead of Luxembourg and Mexico, which rounded out the top ten. The first seven countries in the happiness index were Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, the Netherlands, Costa Rica and Norway.

Source: (This article was originally published by Ynetnews on March 30, 2025. Time-related language has been modified to reflect our republication today. See original article at this link.

Photo Credit: Maddie Hunt/bridgesforpeace.com

Prayer Focus
Give thanks for this “Safe Country” award that shows Israel is a nation where each life is valuable and people watch out for each other. Give thanks also for the vigilance of Israel’s security forces, the IDF, Border Police, and Shin Bet as they have prevented thousands of terror attacks over the last year.

Scripture

A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

- Proverbs 17:17

BBC Chief Refused Antisemitism Training

by JNS

Tuesday, 1 April 2025 | BBC Director-General Tim Davie repeatedly rejected offers of training on antisemitism, the British government’s official adviser on anti-Jewish discrimination revealed in an interview with the Telegraph this week.

Lord John Mann, Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s independent adviser on antisemitism, told the newspaper he visited the BBC‘s senior leadership to offer training on three occasions since taking up the role in 2019.

“Heads should roll,” Mann said of recent antisemitism scandals at the broadcaster. “And the heads that roll shouldn’t just be the little heads.

“Someone at the top should carry the can. It’s not acceptable and I’ve been in there several times, I’ve offered them training, they’ve never accepted it. I think there’s often an arrogance there,” he continued.

“Tim Davie and others who I’ve met, they’ve had those offers,” said Mann. “I challenge and question why they have not accepted it.”

Mann’s call for Davie to resign from his position came weeks after the UK broadcaster issued an apology for “serious flaws” in a documentary about the Gaza Strip it broadcasted featuring the son of a Hamas official.

The controversy over the movie, which has been taken off the air, prompted a rare government intervention, with “consequences” expected for the network, a BBC insider told the Sunday Times.

The apology centered on the fact that the film’s narrator was the son of a minister in the Hamas government. The producers knew this but didn’t inform the BBC, which then failed because it “did not uncover that fact and the documentary was aired,” according to the February 27 statement.

In 2024, a team of some 20 attorneys and 20 data scientists led by Trevor Asserson discovered about 1,500 breaches of the BBC‘s own editorial guidelines in its coverage of the war with Hamas since October 7, 2023.

The BBC has repeatedly downplayed Hamas terrorism while presenting Israel as a militaristic and aggressive nation, the team reported.

Responding to Lord Mann’s allegations on Saturday, a BBC spokesman told the Telegraph: “As an organisation, the BBC stands united against any form of abuse, prejudice, or intolerance.”

He continued, “The welfare of our staff is paramount, and as such we have strengthened the range of training and support available to all of the organisation’s employees and communities in the past 18 months.

“We have well-established and robust processes in place to handle any issues, concerns or complaints raised with us,” the statement added.

Source: (This article was originally published by the Jewish News Syndicate on March 31, 2025. Time-related language has been modified to reflect our republication today. See original article at this link.)

Photo Credit: Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images/jns.org

Prayer Focus
Pray that the executives at the BBC, one of the world’s premier news outlets, will encounter the fear of God over their unwillingness to provide balanced reporting with regard to Israel. Pray that eyes will be opened to see the hypocrisy of their statement that their organization “stands united against any form of abuse, prejudice, or intolerance.”

Scripture

And the fear of God was on all the kingdoms of those countries when they heard that the LORD had fought against the enemies of Israel.

- 2 Chronicles 20:29