Friday, November 15, 2024

Hamas Must be Defeated, Not Legitimized

by Khaled Abu Toameh ~ JNS via Gatestone Institute

Monday, 11 November 2024 | More than a year after the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on Israel, the Palestinian Authority [PA] continues to view the Iran-backed Islamist movement as a legitimate partner.

Last week, representatives of the PA’s ruling Fatah faction (headed by PA President Mahmoud Abbas) and Hamas held talks in the Egyptian capital of Cairo to discuss establishing a joint administration to rule the Gaza Strip. An Egyptian source confirmed that the Fatah–Hamas discussions aim to create a committee to manage the affairs of the Gaza Strip, in addition to pursuing efforts to reach a ceasefire there.

Another Egyptian security source was quoted as saying that the talks “aim to unify the Palestinian ranks and alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people.” According to the source, the Fatah and Hamas negotiators “showed more flexibility and positivity toward establishing a committee to manage the affairs of the Gaza Strip.”

Tayseer Nasrallah, a senior Fatah official who participated in the talks with Hamas, expressed “optimism” that they would lead to the formation of a committee for the reconstruction of Gaza. The talks, he said, “aim to unify visions regarding the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip” in the aftermath of the war, which erupted after the October 7 attack that resulted in the murder of 1,200 Israelis and the injury of thousands. During the attack, many Israelis were beheaded, raped, tortured and burned alive. In addition, more than 240 others were kidnapped to the Gaza Strip, where 101—alive and dead—remain in captivity.

Hamas, for its part, said: “We held a meeting with our brothers in the Fatah faction, and the atmosphere of the meeting was positive and frank.” The terrorist group added that the two sides had discussed “the formation of a body to follow up on the affairs and needs of the Gaza Strip,” and noted that the meetings with Fatah will continue.

Last month, Fatah and Hamas representatives held similar talks in Cairo to discuss ways of ending the rivalry between the two parties and establishing a Palestinian unity government. Senior Hamas official Taher a-Nunu said that the purpose of the talks was to “achieve Palestinian national unity and strengthen security and political coordination between the two sides.” Unnamed Fatah officials were quoted as saying that their faction had agreed to the formation of a joint committee to manage the affairs of the Gaza Strip.

By negotiating with Hamas about the future of the Gaza Strip, Abbas is legitimizing the Iran-backed terror group and sending a message to the Palestinians and the rest of the world that he sees no problem in dealing with murderers and terrorists who committed the most horrific crimes against Jews since the Holocaust. As we have seen most recently in the Chinese Communist Party, Iran and Afghanistan, negotiating with terrorists and their equivalents simply does not work.

Abbas should, instead, be condemning Hamas and distancing himself from the terror group rather than sending his officials to hug and kiss its representatives in Cairo. He should be holding Hamas fully responsible for the destruction of the Gaza Strip as a result of the war the terror group started.

Moreover, Abbas should be urging Hamas to relinquish control over the Gaza Strip instead of begging it to agree to the formation of a joint Fatah–Hamas committee to manage the affairs of the coastal enclave.

Hamas should not be permitted to play any role in the Gaza Strip after the war. This would allow the terror group to rearm and regroup and prepare for another October 7-style attack on Israel.

Ever since Hamas seized control of the Gaza Strip in 2007, thousands of Palestinians have been killed in wars they initiated with Israel. With the help of Europe, Qatar and Iran, Hamas transformed the Gaza Strip, home to two million Palestinians, into one of the largest bases for Islamist terrorism in the Middle East. All three invested hundreds of millions of dollars into building a vast network of tunnels, and into manufacturing and smuggling weapons, including rockets and missiles. The assumption that Hamas would voluntarily give up its control of the Gaza Strip because of any unity agreement with Abbas is just laughable.

Abbas’s efforts to reach a deal with Hamas will only embolden and reconstitute the terror group and incentivize it to pursue its jihad [“struggle,” war with unbelievers (in Islam)] against Israel. These efforts send a message to Hamas that, despite the crimes it committed against Israelis on October 7 and the nakba [catastrophe] it brought on the Palestinians of the Gaza Strip, it can still play a key role in Gaza after the war. Since 2007, Hamas has demonstrated that it does not care about the well-being of the Palestinians living under its rule. The only thing Hamas cares about is remaining in power and continuing the fight against Israel to satisfy its patrons in Iran.

The Biden administration chose to turn a blind eye to Abbas’s efforts to legitimize Hamas. The US offered it a lifeline. A terror group committed to the elimination of Israel should have no role in any Palestinian government—not in the West Bank [Judea and Samaria] and certainly not in the Gaza Strip. Such a group should be completely destroyed militarily and politically, and not invited to join any Palestinian government.

Since the beginning of the war, Israel has destroyed most of Hamas’s military capabilities and killed many of its top leaders, including arch-terrorist Yahya Sinwar, the mastermind of the October 7 atrocities. The US and the rest of the world should encourage Israel to continue its efforts to eradicate Hamas. They should also urge Abbas and the PA leadership to immediately sever all contact with the terror group. There is no alternative to a total victory over Hamas and Iran’s other terror proxies as well, and ultimately of the toxic Islamist regime in Iran.

As long as Iran’s regime remains in place, torturing both its own people and others—as far away as Argentina—there regrettably will be no peace. That is the only way to secure a truly peaceful future, not only for Israelis but for Palestinians and the free world.

Source: (This article was originally published by the Jewish News Syndicate via Gatestone Institute on November 10, 2024. Time-related language has been modified to reflect our republication today. See original article at this link.)

Photo Credit: Alexander Zemlianichenko/POOL/AFP via Getty Images/jns.org

Prayer Focus
Pray that Hamas, and ultimately Iran, will be held accountable for their actions and fully stripped of all power to carry out their plans to annihilate the Jewish people. Pray for voices of clarity to arise among the world’s leaders, courageously calling for the complete defeat of all terrorist groups.

Scripture

Consider and hear me, O LORD my God; enlighten my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death; lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed against him”; lest those who trouble me rejoice when I am moved. But I have trusted in Your mercy; my heart shall rejoice in Your salvation.

- Psalm 13:3–5

Russian Plane Lands in Israel for Possible Mediation Effort with Iran

by Itamar Eichner ~ Ynetnews

Thursday, 14 November 2024 | A Russian aircraft landed in Israel on October 24 and later headed back to Moscow for reasons that are currently not clear. Officials denied reports a Russian delegation arrived in the country to negotiate the release of two Israeli–Russian captives held by Hamas: Alexander (Sahsa) Trufanov and Maxim Herkin.

Hamas’s deputy politburo [the main governing body, backed by the Shura Council] head Mousa Abu Marzouk visited Moscow on the same day and spoke with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov about their release. Abu Marzouk said that the two Russian citizens would be a high priority for release in any future deal with the terror group.

The Russian arrival in Israel raised several questions: Why did a Russian plane connected to Russian President Vladimir Putin arrive? Was its arrival related to the delivery of messages from Israel to Iran via Russia or was it an attempt by Putin to mediate between Israel and Iran?

Did Russia convey Israel’s messages to Iran, clarifying that nuclear facilities would not be targeted but military sites would be and that Israel would retaliate harshly should Iran attack again? Israeli officials declined to comment on the plane’s landing, leaving answers unclear.

The Tu-214SR aircraft that landed in Israel is part of the special “Russia” flight unit, which is under Putin’s administration. Russian media reported the plane had previously landed at Ben Gurion Airport on October 17. The reports added that Hezbollah temporarily halted its rocket fire into Israeli territory for several hours during the Russian plane’s stay.

During a weekend press conference, Putin said that Israel faced a terrorist attack last year, but that its response was disproportionate and cannot be forgiven. “No person on Earth can help but feel their heart bleed when they see what is happening in the Gaza Strip,” Putin said.

He suggested that the war could be resolved via the establishment of a Palestinian state, adding that Russia “is in close contact with Iran.” He also stressed Russia’s intention to resolve Tehran’s conflict with Israel based on compromises.

“Russia has been attempting to mediate between Iran and Israel for several weeks now,” social activist Alex Tenzer, who monitors Russian media, said. “This is evident from Putin’s words and meetings between Russia’s Bogdanov and Israel’s ambassador to Russia. Russia is trying to preserve its interests in the Middle East which are steadily deteriorating as Iran loses power.”

Source: (This article was originally published by Ynetnews on October 27, 2024. Time-related language has been modified to reflect our republication today. See original article at this link.)

Photo Credit: Anna Zverva/Flickr.com

Photo License: Flickr

Prayer Focus
Pray for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and newly-appointed Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar as they lead the nation during these strategic times. Pray that they will seek God’s wisdom in any response to initiatives put forth by any other nation, including Russia.

Scripture

Yes, if you cry out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding, if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; then you will understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God. For the LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.

- Proverbs 2:3–6

‘My Biggest Triumph’: Israeli Critically Injured at Nova Festival Leaves Hospital After a Year

by Yael Ciechanover ~ Ynetnews

Friday, 8 November 2024 | Nati Ganon, a father of three who was seriously injured on October 7 at the Nova Music Festival, was discharged from Sourasky Medical Center on Tuesday. Shiran, Nati’s wife, was murdered at the massacre executed by Hamas terrorists.

“I’m the longest hospitalized patient in the department. There were maybe two others who came a few days after me and then mainly combat soldiers arrived. They’re strong; I don’t need to give them advice,” said the 40-year-old Ganon, a hairdresser living in Bat Yam.

He arrived at the Nova festival with his wife, Shiran. “When the attack began, we fled in a car and were shot at. They shot me, and I lay on the ground bleeding for five hours, realizing that the situation wasn’t good. Only after I arrived at the hospital did I understand that I was injured in the back—the bullet pierced my back and missed my spine by millimeters.”

“I knew my leg was in catastrophic shape, but I decided that rehabilitation was better than amputation no matter how long it would take, even though amputation was an option. The doctors fought to save my leg. Now I can already walk for almost 10 minutes without a cane,” he recalled.

Ganon considers his small successes to be part of the miracles that happened to him during the rehabilitation process. “The staff has a big heart. What I’ve been through isn’t something ordinary, nor is it something out of a movie. It’s something that the brain can’t process; over time, you piece together the puzzle and understand the details.”

“I had two mental breakdowns during rehabilitation, meaning I didn’t get up for treatments, stayed under the blanket up to my neck and didn’t want to talk to anyone,” he shared.

Ganon’s discharge was also emotional for the staff. “Despite the tragedy Nati went through and his mental and physical pain, here he is now being discharged back on his feet—looking ahead,” said Dr. Anna Sajina, head of the hospital’s rehabilitation department.

“My journey doesn’t end here,” Nati added. “My biggest triumph will first and foremost be to go home and raise my children and my dream is to return to the profession I love—cutting hair.”

Source: (This article was originally published by Ynetnews on November 5, 2024. Time-related language has been modified to reflect our republication today. See original article at this link.)

Photo Credit: McCoy Brown/bridgesforpeace.com

Prayer Focus
Give thanks for the miracles and the dedication of the medical staff who nursed Nati back to life. Pray for all the soldiers who are currently recovering from their wounds in rehabilitation wings of Israel’s hospitals. Give thanks for innovative treatments that are allowing doctors to save limbs; but also pray that soldiers who have had limbs amputated will not lose hope. Pray for families as heavy burdens now fall on wives whose husbands have been wounded.

Scripture

Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all you who hope in the LORD.

- Psalm 31:24

‘Iran Could Give Hamas, Hezbollah Tactical Chemical Weapons’

by JNS

Tuesday, 12 November 2024 | The Iranian regime has developed chemical weapons based on opioids, including fentanyl, and could supply them to its regional terrorist proxies including Hamas and Hezbollah, a US expert warns.

Pharmaceutical-based agents, or PBAs, are weaponized drugs with the ability to incapacitate or kill their victims, Hamas expert Matthew Levitt explained in October’s CTC Sentinel, a journal published by the US Military Academy at West Point’s Combating Terrorism Center.

Levitt serves as the director of the Reinhard Program on Counterterrorism and Intelligence at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and has testified for the US government in numerous terrorism trials since the early 2000s.

The article, which was picked up by US media on Sunday, warned that “groups such as Hezbollah already have the delivery systems necessary to deploy such chemicals, including grenade launchers and mortars.”

PBAs affect the central nervous system, and once inhaled, they “cause victims to lose full consciousness and enable the forces deploying them to advance quickly and quietly and/or take captive the unconscious victims,” Levitt wrote in his article titled “Tehran’s Tactical Knockout.”

An Israel Defense Forces [IDF] official told the author that Hezbollah already possesses tear-gas dispersal systems such as grenades and mortars and could use these as delivery systems for weapons laced with PBAs.

Israel’s military was said to have already been acting on the assumption that Hezbollah has such systems and has deployed them to the field for use in operations to kidnap IDF soldiers deployed along the border or as part of a plan to infiltrate the Jewish state in an “October 7-style attack.”

Israeli President Isaac Herzog revealed last year that IDF troops found instructions for producing cyanide poison gas on the corpse of one of the Hamas terrorists who participated in the October 7, 2023, massacre.

Speaking with Britain’s Sky News, the Israeli head of state said that the IDF found a USB flash drive with instructions for preparing a device to disperse the gas, once used for mass murder in Nazi gas chambers.

Meanwhile, the Israeli Foreign Ministry’s weapons of mass destruction non-proliferation department informed the Jewish state’s embassies of “Hamas’s intention to use chemical weapons” in a classified cable, reports said.

In July, an Iranian source told Kuwait’s Al-Jarida newspaper that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps [IRGC] delivered a shipment of “qualitative weapons” to Tehran’s Lebanon-based Hezbollah terrorist army.

The arms shipment reportedly included bombs and missiles carrying electromagnetic pulse (EMP) warheads. The weapons could be used against US and British troops coming to Israel’s aid, the source said.

Source: (This article was originally published by the Jewish News Syndicate on November 11, 2024. Time-related language has been modified to reflect our republication today. See original article at this link.)

Photo Credit: Mahmoud Zayyat/AFP via Getty Images/jns.org

Prayer Focus
Cry out to the Lord on behalf of Israel’s soldiers who are bravely defending their country, asking that these chemical weapons would be neutralized and become ineffective. Pray for the civilian population as well, that any attempt by Hamas or Hezbollah to use chemical weapons against Israel’s communities would come to nothing.

Scripture

He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler.

- Psalm 91:4

Six Israeli Soldiers Killed in Lebanon Firefight, Bringing IDF Death Toll to 793

by JNS

Thursday, 14 November 2024 | Six members of the Israel Defense Forces [IDF] were killed on Wednesday morning in a firefight with Hezbollah terrorists in southern Lebanon, while a seventh was moderately wounded, the military announced on Wednesday night.

Five of the slain soldiers were identified as IDF Capt. Itay Marcovich, 21, from Kokhav Ya’ir; Staff Sgt. Sraya Elboim, 21, from Mehola; Staff Sgt. Dror Hen, 20, from Gan Haim; Staff. Sgt. Nir Gofer, 20, from Dimona; and Sgt. Shalev Itzhak Sagron, 21, from Sderot.

All of them served in the Golani Brigade’s 51st Battalion, the army said.

The name of the last soldier killed was not yet approved for publication, local media reported, adding that his family had been informed.

According to Israel’s Ynetnews outlet, the Golani soldiers were ambushed at short range by Hezbollah terrorists after entering a structure where the army had not yet operated. An hours-long firefight ensued, which ended with at least one terrorist dead and the area falling under IDF control.

The military was said to have launched an investigation into suspicions that the terrorists emerged from an underground terror tunnel and were not harmed in the airstrikes that preceded the ground maneuver.

On Tuesday morning, the IDF released the names of four troops killed in action fighting Hamas terrorists in Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip.

The IDF soldiers, members of the Kfir Brigade’s Shimshon Battalion 92, were identified as Staff Sgt. Orr Katz, 20, from Ma’ale Adumim; Staff Sgt. Nave Yair Asulin, 21, from Carmit; Staff Sgt. Gary Lalhruaikima Zolat, 21, from Afula; and Staff Sgt. Ofir Eliyahu, 20, from Holon.

The death toll among Israeli troops since Hamas’s October 7, 2023, cross-border terrorist massacre now stands at 793, according to IDF figures.

Additionally, Chief Inspector Arnon Zamora, a member of the Israel Border Police’s Yamam National Counter-Terrorism Unit, was fatally wounded during a hostage rescue mission in Gaza in June, and civilian defense contractor Liron Yitzhak was mortally wounded there in May.

Source: (This article was originally published by the Jewish News Syndicate on November 13, 2024. Time-related language has been modified to reflect our republication today. See original article at this link.)

Photo Credit: IDF/jns.org

Prayer Focus
Continue to pray for the families and loved ones of soldiers who have died in defense of the State of Israel. Ask the God of all comfort to surround them—as well as the nation which mourns alongside them—with His presence.

Scripture

And all his sons and all his daughters arose to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted, and he said, “For I shall go down into the grave to my son in mourning.” Thus his father wept for him.

- Genesis 37:35

The Echo of Broken Glass from Amsterdam

by Rabbi Steven Burg ~ JNS

Wednesday, 13 November 2024 | I am horrified and outraged by the antisemitic attacks against Israeli soccer fans in Amsterdam.

The events in Amsterdam last week mark a dark moment for European Jewry and demand our immediate attention. Jews were beaten, chased, hit by cars, stabbed and assaulted.

What makes this incident particularly haunting is its timing—mere days before the anniversary of Kristallnacht, the “Night of Broken Glass.” In November 1938, Europe watched as synagogues burned and Jewish businesses were destroyed. Last week, we saw Jewish soccer fans hunted through the streets of Amsterdam, forced to shelter in place and requiring planes from Israel to be sent to rescue them.

This is not merely a security incident. It is a warning sign that demands immediate action. When Jews require emergency flights to escape European cities in 2024, we must acknowledge that antisemitism has reached a crisis point that requires decisive action.

As CEO of Aish, I call on European leaders to move beyond condemnations to concrete action. The arrest of 62 perpetrators was a start, but we need comprehensive strategies to combat this rising tide of hatred. The safety of Jewish communities must be non-negotiable in any democratic society.

These attacks continue to happen throughout the Western world, and they are only growing in intensity. Among the recent incidents, a Jewish man was slashed in the face in Brooklyn, NY; a large protest threatened Jews in Bergenfield, NJ; and masked men attacked Jewish students at DePaul University in Chicago. The list goes on, but the attacks in Amsterdam showed a new level of attack in their widespread nature. The images of individuals being purposely run into by cars, stabbed and repeatedly assaulted, as well as their Israeli flags, soccer scarves and uniforms being ripped away while they were subjected to antisemitic slurs, showed that we are quickly approaching darker times reminiscent of some of the horrors of European history.

As a rabbi and a Jewish leader, I grapple with a sense of déjà vu. We must all heed the warning of history. Never again means taking action now, before it’s too late.

These events emphasize the growing need for Jews to consider aliyah, not only in response to this surge in antisemitism but also because there is an urgent need to build a better society in Israel, as we are seeing more and more that it is the only safe haven for the Jews.

What happened in Amsterdam serves as a stark validation of these concerns. We need a strong and vibrant Israel, and we need Jews from around the world to not only support Israel by sending donations but by sending themselves. Israel is the place where all Jews can freely express their Jewish identity without fear of persecution and where we can build together a better future for our people.

The existence of Israel should not mean that Jews must fear to live in the Diaspora. We have the right to live safely and proudly in any country we choose. The responsibility lies with governments and societies to combat antisemitism vigorously and protect their Jewish citizens.

I commend the Dutch authorities’s swift response in condemning the attacks and launching investigations. Yet, more needs to be done. We need comprehensive educational programs to combat antisemitism, increased security measures for Jewish institutions and a zero-tolerance policy for hate crimes. Some politicians have even demanded that perpetrators of hate crimes be deported, as some of these crimes in Europe are being committed by migrant asylum seekers, refugees who came from other wartorn countries and often brought their prejudices and hate with them. The violence that was perpetrated against them in their home countries they are now perpetrating against Jews—that is unacceptable.

To our Jewish family in Amsterdam and across Europe: Know that you are not alone. The global Jewish community stands with you, and we will continue to advocate for your safety and right to live openly as Jews without fear. We must stand firm in Israel and in our current homes, proud of our heritage and unafraid to display our identity.

To our non-Jewish allies, we call upon you to stand with us against this tide of hatred. Antisemitism is not just a Jewish problem; it’s a societal one. When Jews are attacked for their identity, the very fabric of a free and open society is threatened.

Let us draw strength from our history of resilience. We have faced darker times and emerged stronger. Let the lights of our soon-to-be-kindled Chanukah (Festival of Lights) menorahs serve as a beacon of hope and a reminder that light will always triumph over darkness.

The path forward is clear: education, solidarity and an unwavering commitment to combating hate in all its forms. From Amsterdam to Jerusalem, let us work together to build a world where such attacks become nothing more than a distant memory.

Source: (This article was originally published by the Jewish News Syndicate on November 12, 2024. Time-related language has been modified to reflect our republication today. See original article at this link.)

Photo Credit: The US Holocaust Memorial Museum/jns.org

Prayer Focus
Pray that the recent attacks against Israelis in Amsterdam will be a wake-up call for Europe as well as North America. Give thanks that there is a State of Israel, the one Jewish nation in the world, with the resources to rescue its citizens from danger. Pray that the world’s leaders will no longer tolerate any form of hate speech against Jews or antisemitic behavior of any kind.

Scripture

Redeem Israel, O God, out of all their troubles!

- Psalm 25:22

Meet the Next US Ambassador to Israel

by Daniel Edelson, New York, Itamar Eichner ~ Ynetnews

Wednesday, 13 November 2024 | The next US ambassador to Israel will be Mike Huckabee, the former governor of Arkansas who ran twice in the Republican presidential primaries for the presidency, President-elect Donald Trump announced Tuesday. Huckabee will replace Jack Lew, who was appointed by President Joe Biden.

Huckabee ran in the 2008 Republican primaries and lost to John McCain, and eight years later lost to Trump. Huckabee is identified with the evangelical Christian right in the US and defines himself as a great supporter of Israel. He is an evangelical minister by training and served as a political commentator on the right-wing Fox News.

In 2015, while running for the Republican Party’s presidential nomination, Huckabee visited the ancient West Bank [Judea and Samaria] site of Shiloh, the site of the biblical tabernacle. “Judea and Samaria are an inseparable part of the State of Israel and everyone needs to understand that. Anyone running for the presidency of the US should visit here,” he said while at Shiloh, using the biblical designations for the West Bank.

In an interview with Ynet at the time he said that “Israel needs to control Judea and Samaria”. He said, among other things, that Jewish settlement is “a factor leading to regional peace.”

Huckabee, who is considered an ardent supporter of the annexation of the West Bank, has also said in the past that he is considering buying a house in the settlement of Efrat. Apart from his visit to Shiloh, he also prayed at Joseph’s Tomb in Nablus and has rejected the two-state solution. “What has been built here is a bridge to peace,” he said when he visited Efrat in the Etzion bloc in 2018, while emphasizing the economic partnership with Palestinian workers who, according to him, receive improved wages and conditions compared to in the Palestinian Authority. Huckabee called for continued construction in the area, as opposed to freezes that were customary during the Obama administration.

The choice of Huckabee is also interesting because it was thought that if Trump did not appoint David Friedman as Secretary of State, he might ask him to return to serve as ambassador to Israel. In the end, Marco Rubio has been appointed Secretary of State; Rubio also was defeated by Trump in the Republican primaries in 2016.

Source: (Excerpt of an article originally published by Ynetnews on November 12, 2024. Time-related language has been modified to reflect our republication today. See original article at this link.)

Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore/Wikimedia.org

Photo License: Wikimedia

Prayer Focus
Give thanks for the solid understanding of biblical truth that Mike Huckabee has demonstrated in the past. Pray that his appointment will lead to a relationship between Israel and the US that will bring God glory. Pray that Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria, the biblical heartland of Israel, will grow and flourish.

Scripture

Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!

- Psalm 46:10

Jabaliya Snapshot

by Yoav Zitun ~ Ynetnews

Wednesday, 13 November 2024 | Fighting in Jabaliya has entered its second month and is continuing to take a heavy toll. Five soldiers were killed there within a single day in two separate incidents, bringing the death toll among Israeli troops fighting there to 24 since the operation in Jabaliya began just six weeks ago.

Despite two previous Israel Defense Force [IDF] raids on the city in the past year—one in December and another in May and June—Jabaliya remains a focus of intensive combat.

During operations by the Kfir Brigade in the area, troops located and destroyed rocket launchers aimed at Israeli communities along the Gaza border. Additionally, IDF forces uncovered Hamas uniforms, military equipment, AK-47 rifles, and weapons components. The Kfir Brigade has neutralized around 50 terrorists in close-quarters combat and airstrikes and dismantled dozens of terrorist infrastructures.

Lt. Col. Yoel, commander of the Shimshon Battalion, commented near a discovered rocket launcher: “Right here beside me is a launch site. This is where Hamas launches rockets at Israel’s Gaza border communities. We will reach any location the enemy uses to set up launch facilities or anything targeting Israeli civilians. We will find it, destroy it and eliminate the threat.”

Israeli forces are continuing to fortify a new cross-beam axis around the northern third of Gaza. This route cuts between Gaza City and Jabaliya to its north, enhancing control over the area.

The combat patterns have remained largely unchanged in the sixth week of the raid: Forces sweep Hamas strongholds, primarily within Jabaliya’s refugee camp and apply pressure on two nearby towns, Beit Hanoun and Beit Lahia, encouraging any remaining civilians to move southward toward Gaza City—and ideally beyond the Nitzarim area to the southern part of Gaza.

IDF forces are discovering weapons caches daily and engaging with terrorists regularly. The primary threat remains IEDs [improvised explosive devices]: Hamas has rigged more than 200 buildings in Jabaliya, primarily with “dumb” explosives using improvised tripwires but without surveillance cameras.

The IDF estimates this operation will be more prolonged than previous ones, potentially lasting several more weeks. Three IDF brigades under the 162nd Division are participating in the raid. The IDF has identified Jabaliya as a core Hamas stronghold in northern Gaza, where hundreds of terrorists—including senior commanders—have converged.

Despite the IDF managing to evacuate tens of thousands of residents from the city over the past month, breaking what the IDF describes as a “fear barrier” imposed by Hamas, a few thousand civilians remain.

Source: (This article was originally published by Ynetnews on November 12, 2024. Time-related language has been modified to reflect our republication today. See original article at this link.)

Photo Credit: IDF Telegram/ Israeli Defence Forces Spokesperson's Unit/Wikimedia.org

Photo License: Wikimedia

Prayer Focus
Pray for the protection of the soldiers in Gaza, asking that all IED tripwires would be exposed and disarmed before they can detonate the explosives that kill and maim. Pray that the Israel’s strategy to locate and remove all terrorist weapons caches from Jabaliya will be executed quickly and efficiently, without any more IDF soldiers being killed or wounded.

Scripture

For You have armed me with strength for the battle; You have subdued under me those who rose up against me.

- Psalm 18:39

Shackled and Whipped: IDF Releases Harrowing Hamas Torture Videos in Gaza

by Yoav Zitun ~ Ynetnews

Monday, 11 November 2024 | More than a year into the Israel–Gaza war, the Israel Defense Forces [IDF] released on Sunday harrowing footage alleged to show Hamas operatives interrogating and torturing Palestinian detainees.

The footage, captured by CCTV cameras inside a Hamas base known as Outpost 17 in the Jabaliya refugee camp and found on computers seized during an Israeli raid in March, reportedly includes thousands of hours of interrogation sessions.

The military has released a 46-minute clip, showing some of the alleged abuse.

The footage, dated from 2018 to 2020, depicts detainees in distressing conditions, including being chained to floors and ceilings with bags over their heads. In one video, a man is shown crying out in pain. Another segment reportedly shows a Hamas operative leisurely reclining in a chair with his hands behind his head as a prisoner is seen handcuffed and hanging from the ceiling beside him. A third clip shows a man brutally tied up with a red sack over his head. One of the guards is later seen strangling the man.

“The materials uncovered expose Hamas’s brutal methods for interrogating civilians, violating human rights and systematically oppressing residents suspected of opposing the organization’s rule,” the military said in a statement.

“These materials reveal the Hamas terrorist organization’s methods of governing the Gaza Strip, enforcing terror, harming Gaza’s vulnerable civilians and infringing on their freedom of expression.”

The IDF’s discovery comes amid ongoing concerns for 101 hostages still held in Gaza, more than 400 days after the October 7 massacre. Human rights groups have previously highlighted instances of Palestinian citizens—allegedly including political dissidents, LGBTQ individuals, suspected adulterers and those accused of collaborating with Israel—who were reportedly detained and subjected to abuse by Hamas.

The Daily Mail first reported on the trove of disturbing footage on Saturday. A senior IDF official told the paper that the military “found these CCTV images in March. It took months to go through them all.”

Hamas torture victim, Hamza Howidy, 27, told the Mail how he was detained for protesting against the regime in Gaza. “They would torture you until you broke and say whatever it is they wanted,” he said. “I could hear my fellow protesters scream in the next room.”

Howidy, an accountant who later fled Gaza, estimated that he was held somewhere in West Jabaliya in 2019, but it is not clear if he appears in the videos obtained by the IDF.

“Hamas controls everything. They confiscated my laptop and had issues with my conversations with my girlfriend,” he said.

He said that one of the men had been detained for three years and tortured three times a week. “He had objects inserted into him,” Howidy added. “One man was given electric shocks for two years before his innocence was eventually discovered. The first thing he did was shoot dead the Hamas officer who reported him—his uncle.

“You would never get a lawyer and your family would have no idea what happened to you. I was lucky because my family paid a price for me. I managed to leave for Europe via the Egyptian border in September last year, which cost a fortune, but my family there were told that should I return, I’d be a dead man walking. Luckily I got them safe passage too.”

He added: “You just cannot tell who is a Hamas snitch or not.”

“One friend of mine was forced to divorce his wife when he got caught for something. There is a growing hatred toward Hamas now, especially after the war, but because Hamas controls the media and people are afraid, we hardly hear of it,” Howidy said.

“People outside of Gaza call Hamas freedom fighters when they are killing innocent Palestinians for nothing. Hamas is holding the people of Gaza hostage.”

A former Israeli intelligence officer, known as Guy C, told the newspaper that Hamas’s leader Yahya Sinwar, who was killed by the IDF last month, was “obsessed with finding collaborators and held thousands against their will.”

“Some are electrocuted on electricity pylons or dragged on a chain from a vehicle until they die,” he said. “Even worse, they won’t allow the families a proper burial, and the bodies have a sign on saying they were collaborating.”

Source: (This article was originally published by Ynetnews on November 10, 2024. Time-related language has been modified to reflect our republication today. See original article at this link.)

Photo Credit: screenshot/IDF

Photo License: Used under Section 27a of the Israeli Copyright Law (IDF video)

Prayer Focus
Intercede on behalf of the innocent Gazan citizens who were tortured, praying that the evidence uncovered by the IDF will be used to bring Hamas to justice and hold them accountable for their crimes.

Scripture

Behold, God is mighty, but despises no one; He is mighty in strength of understanding. He does not preserve the life of the wicked, but gives justice to the oppressed.

- Job 36:5–6

Kibbutz Nir Oz Votes to Rebuild 400 days after October 7 Massacre

by Matan Tzuri ~ Ynetnews

Wednesday, 13 November 2024 | After more than 400 days since the Hamas massacre on October 7 last year, residents of Kibbutz Nir Oz voted to rebuild their community.

“Out of the unimaginable pain of what we have gone through and are still going through, and while calling on the government to immediately return all the hostages as a necessary and basic condition for our revival,” they wrote in a document published on Monday.

Nir Oz members said that victory for them means the return of the hostages and the reconstruction of the kibbutz [collective community].

“It is clear to us that the only victory alongside the return of our loved ones is the re-establishment of Kibbutz Nir Oz. Stronger, better and bigger. The members of Nir Oz decided: Kibbutz Nir Oz will be rebuilt,” the announcement said.

They said that, in rebuilding, Israel’s resilience and ability to rise again will be tested. “Therefore, the government must ensure a complete and optimal construction of the kibbutz, while showing generosity and a sincere desire to bring about the revival of Nir Oz. Along with the re-establishment, it is our duty to preserve the memory and heritage, and to perpetuate the stories of heroism in Kibbutz Nir Oz to ensure the memory of the place and its people for generations.”

The members said that there may be those who would not be able to return because of their personal loss and trauma. “These people are our people and are an essential part of the community. We demand that the government find solutions for those who cannot return while rebuilding the community. Our door will remain open for them to return to Nir Oz in the future if they wish. We are committed to the struggle for the liberation of our friends, along with the duty to return home and start over.”

Source: (Exerpt of an article originally published by Ynetnews on November 12, 2024. Time-related language has been modified to reflect our republication today. See original article at this link.)

Photo Credit: Yael Yolovitch/Wikimedia.com

Photo License: Wikimedia

Prayer Focus
Pray that members of kibbutz Nir Oz will be strengthened and encouraged as they begin to rebuild their community more than one year after its destruction. Pray for healing of memories, especially those of the children, as families return to the site of such horrific violence. Pray for the return of the remaining hostages, still held in Gaza.

Scripture

“I will plant them in their land, and no longer shall they be pulled up from the land I have given them,” says the LORD your God.

- Amos 9:15