Friday, July 26, 2024

Netanyahu to US Congress: ‘Our Victory Will Be Your Victory’

by Akiva van Koningsveld ~ JNS

Thursday, 25 July 2024 | Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu received bursts of applause and frequent standing ovations—often from both sides of the aisle—as he delivered an address to a joint session of the US Congress on Wednesday afternoon.

In his remarks, which ran about an hour, Netanyahu praised the longevity and closeness of the US–Israeli relationship; called for a decisive victory over the Hamas terror group; and urged the United States to help defeat the Iranian regime that, he said, continues to threaten both the Jewish state and the rest of the world.

He also said it was a “profound honor to address this citadel of democracy for the fourth time.”

“In the Middle East, Iran’s axis of terror confronts Israel, America and our Arab friends,” Netanyahu said. “This is not a clash between civilizations. It’s a clash between barbarism and civilizations. It’s a clash between those who glorify death and those who sanctify life.”

Israel and the United States must stand together “for the forces of civilization to triumph,” the Israeli prime minister said. “We will win.”

Oct. 7

When 3,000 Palestinian terrorists invaded the Jewish state on Oct. 7, “heaven turned into hell,” Netanyahu said.

“These monsters—they raped women, they beheaded men, they burned babies alive, killed parents in front of their children and children in front of their parents,” he added.

Netanyahu noted several guests in the Capitol who served heroically with distinction on and after Oct. 7, including Israeli soldiers of various backgrounds who were wounded.

“They and their colleagues deserve respect and admiration, not condemnation for war crimes,” he said.

The prime minister also spoke to family members of hostages taken on Oct. 7 who joined him on the trip to Washington. He vowed not to rest until their loved ones were freed from the Gaza “dungeons.”

Negotiations to secure their release are “taking place right now,” Netanyahu said.

“Israel has already brought home 135 of these hostages, including seven who were freed during rescue operations,” he added.

Netanyahu also praised US President Joe Biden for coming to Israel’s aid after Oct. 7. He called Biden’s visit to the Jewish state on Oct. 18, during the war, a “visit that will never be forgotten.”

Protesters serve as ‘useful idiots’

The Israeli prime minister noted protesters outside the Capitol that day, as well as the anti-Israel agitation on college and university campuses that marked the spring semester throughout the United States.

Those demonstrators and the administrators who enable them are “useful idiots” for the Iranian regime who betray liberal values, he said.

“Just as malicious lies were leveled for centuries at the Jewish people, malicious lies are now being leveled at the Jewish state,” he said. “The outrageous slanders that Israel is racist and genocidal are meant to delegitimize Israel, demonize the Jewish state and demonize Jews everywhere.”

“Despite all the lies you’ve heard, the war in Gaza has one of the lowest ratios of combatants to non-combatants casualties in the history of urban warfare,” he said. “You want to know where it’s lowest in Gaza? It’s lowest in Rafah.”

“When Israel fights Hamas, we’re fighting Iran. When we fight Hezbollah, we’re fighting Iran. When we fight the Houthis, we’re fighting Iran,” Netanyahu added.

“When we fight Iran, we’re fighting the most radical and murderous enemy of the United States of America,” Netanyahu said. “Our enemies are your enemies. Our fight is your fight. And our victory will be your victory.”

Military aid: ‘Give us the tools’

Netanyahu called on lawmakers to fast-track military aid as a means to “dramatically expedite” an end to the war in Gaza and prevent all-out war on the Jewish state’s northern border and other fronts.

“In World War II, as Britain fought on the frontlines of civilization, Winston Churchill appealed to Americans with these famous words: ‘Give us the tools, and we’ll finish the job,’” said Netanyahu to applause on the right side of the aisle.

“Today, as Israel fights on the frontlines of civilization, I, too, appeal to America,” he said. “Give us the tools faster, and we’ll finish the job faster.”

With this talk, the Israeli prime minister has surpassed British wartime leader Winston Churchill as the foreign leader who has addressed a joint session of Congress the most number of times. Netanyahu spoke to that body in 2015 and 2011, and more than a decade earlier, in 1996.

Source: (This article was originally published by the Jewish News Syndicate on July 24, 2024. Time-related language has been modified to reflect our republication today. See original article at this link.)

Photo Credit: Drew Angerer/AFP via Getty Images/jns.org

Prayer Focus
Give thanks for the opportunity Prime Minister Netanyahu was given to present Israel’s case before the US Congress. Pray that those who heard the address will understand that anyone who lifts a hand against Israel is fighting against God Himself.

Scripture

Like birds flying about, so will the LORD of hosts defend Jerusalem. Defending, He will also deliver it; passing over, He will preserve it.”

- Isaiah 31:5

The ICJ Rejects International Law

by Fiamma Nirenstein ~ JNS

Tuesday, 23 July 2024 | What a pleasant thrill to see the most commonplace prejudices confirmed by the august body of the International Court of Justice [ICJ]. The United Nations’ [UN’s] top court—so noted for its love for Israel—just reached the single most unsurprising ruling in history: That Israel is the illegal occupier of the territory of a non-existent Palestinian entity.

The ICJ, which appears indifferent to the encouragement and collaboration it offers to global anti-Semitism, had already decided a few months before that Israel might be guilty of a genocide that the ICJ invented. It must have taken enormous pleasure in offering Hamas a new and generous gift. The Palestinian Authority [PA], of course, declared the ICJ’s decision a historic turning point. If it was referring to the total self-abasement of the “international community,” it is quite correct.

“Occupation” is a remarkable word. In the context of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, it means absolutely nothing. It is a buzzword that signals a self-granted if baseless moral superiority. By saying the magic world, one is suddenly a defender of the oppressed and dispossessed. You are in favor of self-determination, of course, though this elides the fact that, in this context, self-determination means Hamas’s “right” to determine itself on massacring civilians, taking hostages and digging tunnels beneath civilian areas—all with total impunity.

Indeed, the UN’s own Secretary-General António Guterres stood tall the day after Hamas’s genocidal attack on October 7 to blame everything on “Palestinian suffering”—that is, the creation of the State of Israel.

That Israel’s existence is firmly based on international law means nothing to Guterres or anyone else in the “international community” because, despite their pious moaning, they do not believe in international law. For them, it is only a weapon they can use on behalf of Hamas—nothing more.

They justify this nihilism in a remarkable way: By saying things. Things like “colonialism,” “white supremacism,” “imperialism,” “apartheid” and so on. Of these defamations, “occupation” is the greatest of all.

It is a stunningly racist term, denying the ancient Jewish presence in the Land of Israel and that the Jews were never absent from it for a moment—even after multiple attempts at ethnic cleansing by Roman, Christian and Muslim empires. Yet even when Israel won its great victory in 1967, Israel offered to withdraw from the “occupied” territories in exchange for peace. The Arab world refused, responding with its famous “three no’s” that unequivocally rejected anything resembling peace with the Jewish state. Even those “no’s,” however, said nothing about the Palestinians.

Back then, when the UN had a vague semblance of sanity, the Security Council never demanded a complete Israeli withdrawal from the disputed territories. The Oslo Accords, so strongly hailed and so utterly disastrous, did not do so either. When Israel completely withdrew from Gaza in 2005, again so hailed and so disastrous, October 7 became inevitable, even if few knew it at the time.

In short, all withdrawals by Israel only led to more violence and more death. Yet the ICJ now appears to want more violence and death. One wonders why…Perhaps the question answers itself: It’s what they do.

Source: (This article was originally published by the Jewish News Syndicate on July 22, 2024. Time-related language has been modified to reflect our republication today. See original article at this link.)

Photo Credit: Nick Gammon / AFP via Getty Images/jns.org

Prayer Focus
Intercede for the nation of Israel which is becoming increasingly isolated as they are delegitimized by global institutions like the ICJ. Pray that Israel’s government and her citizens will draw strength from the eternal covenant which God made with Abraham.

Scripture

And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you. Also I give to you and your descendants after you the land in which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.

- Genesis 17:7–8

The Stones Cry Out: Fortifications from Biblical Jerusalem Unearthed

by JNS

Monday, 22 July 2024 | A massive fortification dating back 3,800 years that likely protected the kings of Judah has been uncovered just outside the walled Old City of Jerusalem, the Israel Antiquities Authority [IAA] announced on Sunday.

The moat, which measures at least nine meters [29.5 feet] deep and 30 meters [98.4 feet] wide, was discovered in the area of the present-day parking lot just outside the Dung Gate to the Old City of Jerusalem.

Created by extensive quarrying, the moat formed a channel separating the City of David from the Temple Mount, dividing the city in two.

The fortifications likely served to separate the upper city, where the Temple and the palace were located, from the lower city, and protect it, the state-run archaeological body said.

“It is not known when the moat was originally cut, but evidence suggests it was used during the centuries when Jerusalem was the capital of the Kingdom of Judah, almost 3,000 years ago, beginning with King Josiah,” said the excavation’s co-directors Tel Aviv University Professor Yuval Gadot and Dr. Yiftah Shalev from the IAA.

“During those years, the moat separated the southern residential part of the city from the ruling acropolis in the north.”

Shalev added, “If the moat was cut during this period, then it was intended to protect the city from the north—the only weak point of the City of David slope. Either way, we are confident that it was used at the time of the First Temple and the Kingdom of Judah (ninth century BC), so it created a clear buffer between the residential city in the south, and the upper city in the north.”

The creation of the moat was a monumental operation, designed to change the natural topography to demonstrate the power of Jerusalem’s rulers to those who entered its gates, the IAA said.

The find reveals that throughout the Iron Age (the time of the First Temple)—the period in which the books of the Bible were compiled—and for centuries afterward, the city was divided into at least two distinct parts, the archaeologists said.

“The excavations in the City of David never cease to amaze; once again, discoveries are being revealed that shed new and vivid light on the biblical literature,” said Eli Escusido, director of the IAA.

“When you stand at the bottom of this giant excavation, surrounded by enormous hewn walls, it is impossible not to be filled with wonder and appreciation for those ancient people who, about 3,800 years ago, literally moved mountains and hills.”

The discovery will be presented to the public at the “Innovations in the Archeology of Jerusalem” conference of the Antiquities Authority, Tel Aviv University and the Hebrew University on August 1.

Source: (This article was originally published by the Jewish News Syndicate on July 21, 2024. Time-related language has been modified to reflect our republication today. See original article at this link.)

Photo Credit: Eliyahu Yanai/City of David/jns.org

Prayer Focus
When many in the world are questioning the authenticity of Jewish claims to Jerusalem, let’s rejoice and give thanks for yet another piece of archaeological evidence that links those stones to the Jewish people.

Scripture

Now Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he became king; and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which the LORD had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, to put His name there.

- 2 Chronicles 12:13b

Hezbollah Ups the Ante, Targeting Communities Previously Untouched

by Yair Krauss ~ Ynetnews

Thursday, 25 July 2024 | Hezbollah has ramped up its rocket fire in recent days, extending its range and broadening its targets in retaliation to IDF [Israel Defense Forces] actions.

Residents of eight kibbutzim near the border, which had not been evacuated by the Northern Command, were instructed on Tuesday night for the first time to stay close to protected areas due to ongoing IDF operations in Lebanon.

The Upper Galilee Regional Council issued this directive to already evacuated communities, but it also included eight communities in the Hula Valley: Kfar Szold, Shamir, Amir, Sde Nehemia, Kfar Blum, Neot Mordechai, Lehavot Habashan and Gonen. These areas were ostensibly under a “normal routine,” but residents have recently found themselves in Hezbollah’s “legitimate target pool.”

The council’s security department advised residents to “avoid gatherings and move planned outdoor activities indoors.” Children who chose to swim in the pool during their summer break were asked to do so under adult supervision.

Also on Tuesday, Hezbollah launched rockets and drones at additional targets that had not been evacuated in the western Galilee, including Moshav Tzuriel, which sustained direct hits.

The Alma Research and Education Center, which studies Israel’s northern security challenges, reported a trend of Hezbollah expanding its rocket fire to a range of over 3 miles [4.8 km] in the past week, targeting non-evacuated communities.

Until now, Hezbollah has openly refrained from taking responsibility for firing at these communities. However, following a threat made by Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah last week, the Iran-backed terrorist group has started firing at these communities and even noted in its statements that this is “the first time” it was doing so.

“Hezbollah is taking a calculated risk that increasing the range will not lead to a harsher Israeli response, believing Israel will not enter into a war over this,” said Tal Be’eri, head of the research department at Alma.

He warned that the risk lies in a rocket causing “particularly painful damage” in Israel, such as striking a kindergarten in a non-evacuated community or a densely populated public area. In such an event, Israel could launch a more intense retaliatory campaign.

According to Alma researchers, between July 16 (the day before Nasrallah’s public threat) and July 22, Hezbollah attacked areas more than 3 miles [4.8 km] from the border 16 times. Eleven of these attacks targeted non-evacuated civilian communities, and five additional attacks targeted military bases.

Following an attack in which Hezbollah claimed five Syrian refugees in Lebanon were killed, including three children and two Lebanese civilians who were with their brother, a Hezbollah fighter, the terrorist organization responded with massive rocket fire at Kiryat Shmona and communities more than 3 miles from the border that were not evacuated: Kabri, Kfar Hoshen, Meron, Bar Yohai, Sa’ar and Gesher HaZiv.

Dana Polak, a researcher at Alma, said “Nasrallah threatened Israel with a new equation from his perspective: if the harm to civilians in Lebanon continues, Hezbollah will attack new communities it has not attacked so far.”

According to the institute’s monitoring, in the days that followed, Hezbollah claimed Lebanese civilians were injured and responded by firing at civilian communities. On July 19, in response to the injury of several civilians, according to Hezbollah, during an attack on Radwan forces buildings in southern Lebanon, they launched dozens of rockets from Lebanon at the communities of Abirim, Neve Ziv and Manot.

On July 22, a girl was reportedly injured in an IDF attack in southern Lebanon. Hezbollah responded by firing dozens of rockets at Tzuriel, a non-evacuated area located about 4 miles from the Lebanese border. The rocket fire caused minor injuries to two civilians and significant property damage.

Polak noted that Hezbollah’s military infrastructure is entirely integrated into the civilian infrastructure throughout southern Lebanon, using civilians as human shields. “The aim of this equation is mainly toward Hezbollah’s internal support base in Lebanon, to show that it is not deterred. This also strengthens Hezbollah’s image as ‘Lebanon’s Guardian’ by responding to incidents in which Lebanese civilians are harmed,” she said.

Source: (This article was originally published by Ynetnews on July 24, 2024. Time-related language has been modified to reflect our republication today. See original article at this link.)

Photo Credit: Chaver83/wikimedia.org

Photo License: Wikimedia

Prayer Focus
Continue to bring the volatile situation on Israel’s northern border before the Lord. Remind Him of His promise to watch His people without slumbering or sleeping (Ps. 121:1). Pray also that Israel will look to the Lord as the one true source of their safety and security.

Scripture

We will rejoice in your salvation, and in the name of our God we will set up our banners! May the LORD fulfill all your petitions. Now I know that the LORD saves His anointed; He will answer him from His holy heaven with the saving strength of His right hand. Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.

- Psalm 20:5–7

Hamas Agrees to Unity Deal with Abbas’s Fatah Faction

by JNS

Tuesday, 23 July 2024 | Senior Hamas terrorist Musa Abu Marzouk announced on Tuesday the signing of a Palestinian unity agreement that includes Mahmoud Abbas’s Fatah [leading secular Palestinian political party] faction, which rules areas of Judea and Samaria.

“Today, we sign an agreement, and we say that the path to completing this journey is national unity. We are committed to national unity, and we call for it,” said Abu Marzouk.

The “Beijing declaration” was signed by 14 Palestinian factions that took part in negotiations hosted by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

Fatah, based in Ramallah, and Hamas have been split since 2007 following the latter’s violent takeover of Gaza. There have been many failed attempts to bring the two factions together.

In February, Abbas traveled to Doha to discuss ways to incorporate Hamas into a PA-led government for Judea, Samaria and Gaza.

The same month, sources in Ramallah told Sky News Arabia that Hamas had approved a three-phase plan leading to “complete reconciliation [with Fatah]” and the Gaza-based terror group joining the Palestine Liberation Organization [PLO], which controls the Palestinian Authority [PA], under a “unified Palestinian-Arab vision.”

Also in February, Fatah and Hamas officials converged on Moscow for a two-day “national dialogue” on forming a unity government under the auspices of the Russian Foreign Ministry. Other rounds of talks were held in the past in Egypt, Turkey and Algeria.

The Islamist group reportedly also gave its blessing to PA chief Abbas’s proposal to establish a “government of technocrats” whose primary purpose would be the reconstruction of Gaza after the war prompted by Hamas’s murder of some 1,200 people in Israel on October 7.

Hamas is an “essential part of the Palestinian political mosaic,” then-PA Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh told world leaders gathered in Qatar in December.

“We want a situation in which Palestinians are united…I think it is time that Hamas call the Palestinian president and tell him we’re all united behind you, and you are the legitimate authority of the Palestinian people and we are ready to engage,” Shtayyeh stated at the Doha Forum.

Amid the unity talks, Shtayyeh submitted the collective resignation of his government last month. Abbas then appointed Fatah loyalist Mohammad Mustafa to fill the prime minister’s role.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has insisted that an “effective and revitalized Palestinian Authority” should ultimately govern Gaza.

During a January 10 meeting in Ramallah, Blinken pressed Abbas on “administrative reforms, which, if implemented, would benefit the Palestinian people.” Sky News Arabia described the tête-à-tête as “tense” and marked by “arguments.”

The Biden administration wants the PA to assume control of the Strip after Israel’s war against Hamas ends, a move that Jerusalem rejects because of Ramallah’s overt support for terrorism.

On January 27, Abbas’s spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh told Al Arabiya that the PA is prepared to hand over the reins to Hamas if it won a general election. Ramallah is “prepared to hold general elections, and if Hamas wins, the president will hand over the Authority,” he said.

The US State Department has refused to rule out Hamas retaining power in Gaza or even joining a PA-led governing body that would also have jurisdiction in Judea and Samaria.

According to recent polls, 89% of Palestinians support establishing a government that includes or is led by Hamas. Only around 8.5% said they favor one controlled exclusively by Fatah.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly emphasized his opposition to the PA taking over Gaza in a post-Hamas world.

“There will not be any element that educates for terrorism, finances terrorism and dispatches terrorism” in the Strip, said Netanyahu.

“I will not allow us to replace Hamastan with Fatahstan, that we replace Khan Yunis with Jenin,” he continued. “I will not allow the State of Israel to repeat the fateful mistake of Oslo, which brought to the heart of our country and to Gaza the most extreme elements in the Arab world, which are committed to the destruction of the State of Israel and who educate their children to this end.”

Source: (This article was originally published by the Jewish News Syndicate on July 23, 2024. See original article at this link.)

Photo Credit: Ahmad Khateib/Flash90/jns.org

Prayer Focus
Pray for clarity of vision on the part of the world’s leaders when it comes to the true intentions of both Hamas and Fatah: the annihilation of Israel. Ask that the unity agreement will crumble and true fear of the God of Israel will fall upon His enemies.

Scripture

And the fear of the LORD fell on all the kingdoms of the lands that were around Judah, so that they did not make war against Jehoshaphat.

- 2 Chronicles 17:10

Israeli Athletes Receive Death Threats Ahead of Paris Olympics

by Nadav Zenziper ~ Ynetnews

Monday, 22 July 2024 | The opening ceremony of the Olympics will take place in five days. Amid Paris’s heightened alertness, Israeli athletes who are planning to take part in the Olympic Games continue to receive death threats. The Shin Bet [Israeli internal security organization] sent a considerable number of bodyguards to secure the Israeli team.

On Saturday, the Israeli team’s flag bearer at the opening ceremony, judoka Peter Paltchik, and swimmer Meiron Cheruti received an email with an “invitation” to their own funerals, accompanied by threatening messages, just before they landed in Paris. “You are welcome to attend the funeral of Meiron Amir Cheruti, born on 19/10/1997, died on 27/07/2024,” read the daunting message, sent along with a location of the “funeral.”

The trend of death threats to Israeli athletes has been going on for some time, with additional athletes receiving threatening messages before they arrive in Paris to participate in the Olympics. After security checks, it was confirmed that these messages were sent by bots [software application programmed to do certain tasks] and not from an organized group or team threatening the members of the Israeli delegation.

Another message read: “The fate of the Zionists will be like that of the Palestinians in Gaza if the Zionists continue to terrorize everyone.”

Additional messages threatened to “recreate” the horrors of the 1972 Munich Olympics if the Israeli delegation arrived in Paris. “Be prepared for impact at any moment, at the airport, in the hotel, and on the street. Even the wave of arrests against members of our organization will not prevent us from carrying out our plans, nor will it save you. Prepare for an intifada [uprising].”

The Olympic Committee stated in response on Saturday that “the Israeli delegation to the Olympic Games is well-prepared. We are aware of the sensitivity these days and in general, and therefore operate professionally and according to the guideline along with all necessary security arrangements.”

“Indeed, some delegation representatives received emails in recent days. The matter has been transferred to the appropriate authorities. The more they operate in unsportsmanlike and unacceptable ways, the more motivated and stronger the Israeli delegation will arrive,” according to the committee.

‘Operation Paris’: Shin Bet Is also Ready

For the first time in the country’s history, Israel will take part in the Olympic Games while actively fighting on multiple fronts, hence the heightened sensitivity. The Israeli athletes will be the most secure delegation in France, with a record number of Shin Bet security personnel. This operation required the highest budget ever allocated for the security needs of Israeli sporting events abroad, including technological means never used before in such events.

The Sports and Culture Ministry is responsible for the security budget of the Israeli delegations. Compared to the security budget in the Rio and Tokyo Olympics, which totaled NIS 4.3 million [US $1.18 million], Minister Miki Zohar allocated more than NIS 7 million [US $ 1.9 million] for the Paris Olympics’ security detail.

As part of the decision to make the Olympic Games accessible to as many spectators as possible, some of the games will be held in public places such as under the Eiffel Tower. This will challenge the Shin Bet and require the security detail to think creatively. The opening ceremony on the Seine River with the presentation of delegations on boats passing under various bridges in the city will also prove to be a security challenge. The Israeli Olympic Committee is in daily contact with its Israeli and French partners to ensure the team’s safety.

The Israeli delegation received strict security guidelines throughout their participation in the Paris Olympics. They were instructed not to stay more than 48 hours in the Olympic Village after their competition, and to return immediately to Israel due to the high security risks. Israeli flags will not be removed from the uniforms, and the delegation received explicit instructions not to instigate or be affected by any provocation from athletes or the audience.

Source: (This article was originally published by Ynetnews on July 21, 2024. Time-related language has been modified to reflect our republication today. See original article at this link.)

Photo Credit: Disco A340/wikimedia.org

Photo License: wikimedia.org

Prayer Focus
Pray for the Lord’s perfect protection over the Israeli athletes and the Shin Bet security details while they compete at the Olympic Games in Paris. Ask Him to preserve them from trouble and deliver them. Also ask the Lord to reveal the specific plans of the enemy to the Shin Bet so that those plans can be stopped.

Scripture

You are my hiding place; You shall preserve me from trouble; You shall surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah

- Psalm 32:7

IDF Strikes Terror Cell in Samaria

by Yoav Zitun, Elisha Ben Kimon, Einav Halabi ~ Ynetnews

Wednesday, 24 July 2024 | The IDF [Israel Defense Forces] killed Ashraf Nafah and Mohammed Abu Abdu, commanders of the Hamas and Fatah military wings in Tulkarm, respectively, in a targeted strike in the West Bank [Judea and Samaria]  refugee camp on Tuesday. At least five others were killed in the operation, including a woman disguised as a paramedic who was armed with an M16 rifle.

In a video clip, the two commanders are seen cheering and waving their weapons shortly before they were killed in a drone strike.

Since October 7, the IDF has intensified operations in West Bank refugee camps, which have become hubs for terrorist activity. During Tuesday’s raid on Tulkarm, IDF forces used deception to lure their targets into the open before attacking them from the air.

The IDF has conducted approximately 50 airstrikes on West Bank camps in recent months, targeting explosive production sites and IEDs [improvised explosive devices]. Tuesday’s strike also targeted such sites and devices placed on local roads.

“We have observed increased cooperation between Hamas and Islamic Jihad in Gaza and their counterparts in the West Bank,” the IDF said in a statement. “Hamas has been trying to stir up violence in the West Bank, exporting its methods and pressuring local terror groups to carry out attacks.”

Since the war in Gaza began, the IDF reports that 450 terrorists have been killed in the West Bank, 270 in its northern sector alone.

Source: (This article was originally published by Ynetnews on July 23, 2024. Time-related language has been modified to reflect our republication today. See original article at this link.)

Photo Credit: Screenshot

Prayer Focus
Pray for the Shin Bet (Israeli internal security organization), especially those who work undercover, that they will continue to unearth accurate intelligence about the terrorist organizations that seek to annihilate the Jewish people and destroy the State of Israel. Pray for wisdom to know how best to use that intelligence.

Scripture

For the LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding; He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk uprightly.

- Proverbs 2:6–7

Starvation and Neglect: Disturbing Report Reveals Gaza Hostage Conditions

by Hadar Gil-Ad, Yael Ciechanover ~ Ynetnews

Wednesday, 24 July 2024 | The National Food Security Council and the Hostage Health Network issued a statement on Tuesday, expressing severe concerns over the nutritional and health conditions of the 120 hostages held in Gaza for more than 290 days.

“Members and representatives of the council express deep concern for the 120 hostages who have been held in Gaza for 290 days,” the statement read. “Accumulating testimonies from returning hostages and comprehensive medical examinations reveal that their nutritional and health status is dire, leading to irreversible complications and immediate life-threatening conditions. The reports include accounts of hunger, neglect, lack of essential nutrients, limited access to water, insufficient food supply and even complete absence of food.”

Council representatives detailed the physiological impact of prolonged poor nutrition and starvation, noting it leads to the failure to meet the body’s basic needs, resulting in the depletion of body tissues, fat and muscle, impairment of various bodily systems, particularly the immune system, as well as cognitive and psychological damage.

“These effects cause severe and irreversible health damage and can sometimes lead to death,” the statement said.

The document also addressed the medical conditions and specific nutritional needs of the hostages in captivity, including inflammatory bowel diseases, osteoporosis and food allergies and sensitivities.

“Furthermore, during and after the abduction, the hostages required appropriate medical, pharmaceutical and nutritional treatment due to extreme forms of violence, torture and various injuries, most of which are documented and were not properly treated,” the statement continued.

The National Food Security Council stressed that “ensuring food security is a basic human right” and “adequate food security includes the ability for every individual to regularly and consistently consume food that contains all the necessary nutrients for proper development and health.

“Preventing supply, lack of oversight, denying Red Cross humanitarian visits, and obstructing food consumption as mentioned above, constitutes not only ongoing torture but also poses a significant life-threatening risk to the defenseless and innocent, which is unacceptable by any humanitarian standards.”

The council also called on “the international community, the government and human rights organizations to intervene and use all necessary means to ensure the immediate release of the hostages, or at the very least, to initiate immediate humanitarian action to guarantee food security according to their nutritional requirements and medical condition.”

National Food Security Council Chairman Prof. Roni Strier said, “This statement, written by the council in collaboration with the Hostage Health Network, is an urgent call for international organizations and the Israeli government to negotiate an immediate deal for the release of all hostages who are in life-threatening health conditions.”

Source: (This article was originally published by Ynetnews on July 24, 2024. See original article at this link.)

Photo Credit: Oleg Yunakov/wikimedia.org

Photo License: wikimedia

Prayer Focus
Cry out on behalf of the hostages who remain alive in Gaza, under severely inhumane conditions. Pray that their captivity will finally be brought to an end. Ask the Lord to comfort their families and loved ones, especially those who do not know whether their loved one being held hostage is alive or dead.

Scripture

My tears have been my food day and night, while they continually say to me, “Where is your God?” Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him for the help of His countenance.

- Psalm 42:3, 5

Palestine, Jaffa and Toufan-1: Houthis Unveil New Arsenal against Israel

by Lior Ben Ari ~ Ynetnews

Wednesday, 24 July 2024 | The Houthis introduced the new Jaffa attack drone during a deadly drone strike on Tel Aviv last weekend. This marks the latest addition in a series of escalating warfare tactics by the Houthis, who have deployed missiles and drone boats in recent months, threatening further attacks as long as Israeli operations in Gaza continue.

In early June, Houthi forces claimed responsibility for attacking a “military target” in Eilat using the “Palestine” missile, reportedly developed in Yemen.

Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree announced the missile’s debut and released details and a video of the launch, which featured a missile adorned with the Palestinian flag’s colors. The Houthis claimed it to be a long-range, solid-fuel missile made in Yemen.

Despite claims of local manufacturing, the Houthis receive significant military aid from Iran, including missiles and drones that are often modified and rebranded. These upgraded weapons, equipped with increased explosive capacity and extended ranges, are presented under new names in different countries.

Last month, the Houthis unveiled the “Toufan-1” drone boat, associated with the October 7 Hamas-named massacre, “Toufan Al-Aqsa” (The Flood of Al-Aqsa). Reports indicate the boat can carry a 150-kilogram [331-lb.] payload, travel at high speeds and change course to strike maritime targets. The Houthis showcased its capabilities in an exercise, demonstrating a successful attack at sea.

In late June, Saree announced that the Houthi military had introduced a new class of ballistic missiles, successfully used against an Israeli ship in the Arabian Sea, causing damage. Although the missile’s name was not disclosed, it was said to have precise long-range capabilities.

Following this, the Houthis revealed the “Hatem-2” hypersonic missile, claiming it was locally made with advanced technology and multiple versions with varying ranges. A video and photos of the missile launch were released, purportedly targeting a ship in the Arabian Sea.

Further disclosures included the June 23 announcement of an attack on the Transworld Navigator ship by an explosive drone boat for violating the siege on Israel. The Houthis later revealed the boat, named “Flood of Destruction,” could carry a payload of up to 1.5 tons, featured advanced technology and operated in all sea conditions. An edited video demonstrated the boat’s performance and impact.

In an official statement about the Tel Aviv attack over the weekend, the Houthis claimed the Jaffa drone could “overcome the enemy’s defense systems” and evade detection by enemy radars. Arabic media quoted IDF [Israel Defense Forces] Spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, saying that the Simad-3 drone entered Israel through the sea.

Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi praised the Jaffa drone, describing it as an advanced locally made weapon with great destructive capabilities. He declared the beginning of a fifth phase in the escalation against Israel and threatened to introduce new weapons if Israeli military operations in Gaza continued.

Source: (This article was originally published by Ynetnews on July 23, 2024. Time-related language has been modified to reflect our republication today. See original article at this link.)

Photo Credit: Screenshot

Prayer Focus
As the Houthi drone strike in Tel Aviv followed by the first Israeli counterattack on Yemini territory seem to indicate an Iran-driven escalation on yet another front, pray that the Lord will draw a hedge of protection around Israel, bringing to naught Tehran’s plan of encircling the Jewish state in a noose of radical enemies.

Scripture

The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? 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. Though an army may encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war may rise against me, in this I will be confident.

- Psalm 27:1–3

Gazans Applaud Deif’s Alleged Death

by Yoav Zitun ~ Ynetnews

Friday, 19 July 2024 | IDF [Israel Defense Forces] spokesperson in Arabic, Col. Avichay Adraee, on Thursday revealed recordings of intercepted telephone calls between Gaza residents shortly after reports emerged about the attempted assassination of Hamas’s military wing commander Mohammed Deif in Gaza.

In the recording, one speaker is heard telling his friend: “They assassinated Deif! They will assassinate Sinwar as well, Inshallah. What else can I say to them? Congratulations.”

His friend replied: “Inshallah, Inshallah, hopefully.”

The friend concluded: “So that we can rest, enough is enough.”

In another conversation from last Saturday, a Gazan man is heard telling a woman: “They assassinated Mohammed Deif.”

She responded: “Oh, okay, is the report true?”

He confirmed: “Yes.”

She said: “Things will be good. Hopefully, the war will end.”

The conversations were intercepted by the IDF Military Intelligence Directorate shortly after reports of the assassination attempt near Al-Mawasi last week.

“The authentic voices from Gaza show the feeling residents of the Strip have toward Hamas leaders and their hope they will all be eliminated so that the war will end,” according to Adraee.

A day after the attack, the IDF and Shin Bet [Israel Security Agency] officially confirmed that Hamas’s Khan Younis Brigade Commander Rafa Salama was eliminated in the strike. Mohammed Deif’s fate is still unknown.

Source: (Excerpts from an article originally published by Ynetnews on July 18, 2024. Time-related language has been modified to reflect our republication today. See original article at this link.)

Photo Credit: חמאס/Wikimedia.org

Photo License: Wikimedia

Prayer Focus
Beseech the Lord to reveal to the international community—especially to those who oppose Israel so vehemently—that Hamas is responsible for the suffering of the Palestinian people in Gaza. Ask for His revelation that Israel is actually fighting at the forefront of a battle to eradicate a radical terror organization that enslaves, oppresses and threatens the values that the Western world cherishes.

Scripture

When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; but when a wicked man rules, the people groan.

- Proverbs 29:2