Israel just solemnly marked 800 soldiers who fought bravely and died in service to protect the nation since Hamas staged its surprise murderous attack on October 7, 2023. For a small country, this is a huge number not seen since the Yom Kippur War in 1973. Of the 800, 757 were male soldiers and 43 were female soldiers. On a massive scale, Israel called up thousands of reserve soldiers, leaving behind their families, children, jobs, and businesses. They have paid the price emotionally and physically. Over 270 reserve soldiers have sacrificed their lives in battle. There are 181 widows, 27 of whom were pregnant when their spouse died. On October 7, many reserve soldiers mobilized quickly, some without call-up orders, to take a stand and protect the nation.
Please pray for those who are grieving the loss of their loved ones who stood to protect the nation of Israel.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Hague issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. This court believes there is reasonable evidence to show that Netanyahu and Gallant committed war crimes—specifically starvation in warfare, crimes against humanity, and other inhumane acts. Both the United States and Israel have condemned the decision as being biased or beyond the ICC’s jurisdiction. It is the first time arrest warrants have been issued against a democratic state. Countries like France, Ireland, the Netherlands, Canada, and the United Kingdom said they would honor the arrest warrants. This means that the 120 members of the ICC would be able to arrest Netanyahu and Gallant if they came to their country. The United States is not a member.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has repeatedly said it did not intentionally starve the population. Rather, it delivered tons of food daily via land crossings that even Hamas had initially destroyed soon after October 7, 2023. The IDF had made every effort to provide aid in a complex urban warzone. Videos and other evidence show how Hamas stole the aid away from civilians to hoard for themselves or sell at very high prices.
The IDF uses high-tech, innovative technologies to help move civilian populations out of harm’s way. Israeli forces are up against an unfair enemy who uses its own population and their buildings, like hospitals, mosques, schools, etc. as human shields. In addition, Hamas has launched nearly 10,000 rockets into Israeli civilian territory.
It was Hamas and its leaders, dead and alive, who perpetrated the horrendous massacre on October 7, 2023, against a civilian population and inundated the State of Israel with thousands of rockets. The enemy is not Israel, but Hamas, as well as Hezbollah, for their sheer evil intention to strike first and kill Jewish people.
Please pray God will open eyes to Hamas’ and Hezbollah’s genocidal crimes.
The city of Sderot, less than a mile from the Gaza border, sustained horrific attacks on October 7, 2023. Since then, the city has tried to rebuild and reinvent itself. The city’s main police station was destroyed and has now become a moving memorial. There are pillars that reach high up, memorial signs that tell the story, flags waving, painted murals, as well as audio recordings of people’s calls to the police station asking for help on that fateful day.
Over the years, the city of Sderot has become used to constant rockets from Gaza, but on October 7, 2023, the rocket fire turned to gunfire as sixty Hamas terrorists entered Sderot in pickup trucks. They quickly took over the main road of the city as well as any roads in and out of the city. They circled the police station and shot the Israeli officers on the ground floor with rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs), grenades, and gunfire. The terrorists killed twenty police officers and barricaded themselves inside the station.
Once Israel’s elite Yaman unit, a helicopter, and snipers were able to enter Sderot, it took them hours to secure the building and kill the twenty-six terrorists who were hiding inside. The building was bulldozed and quickly became a memorial site. Now the murals tell the story: one featuring two lions—perhaps alluding to the biblical saying in Numbers 23:24: “Behold, a people rises like a lioness . . . ” The other mural shows letters from the Torah (scroll of Scriptures) floating up to heaven. Some think it symbolizes the last messages, phone calls, and words people said to their loved ones as the station burned.
Please pray for people in Sderot who are still healing emotionally and physically from the harrowing events of October 7.
Twenty-eight-year-old Chabad emissary, Zvi Kogan, was reported missing on Thursday in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) where he ran a kosher grocery store. His body was found ninety-three miles away on Sunday. Kogan is a part of the ultra-Orthodox group, Chabad, who sends out emissaries throughout the world to promote religious Jewish observance. Often their centers are open on Friday night for Sabbath dinners for Jewish travelers and on Saturday morning for a synagogue service. His car was found abandoned with signs of struggle inside. Authorities suspect that three Uzbek citizens were recruited by Iran to carry out this horrendous antisemitic murder. They have been swiftly arrested and face judgement.
Kogan’s body will be repatriated to Israel where he will be buried. He holds Israeli-Moldovan citizenship and served in the IDF’s Givati Brigade. Kogan moved to the UAE in 2020 after the Abraham Accords were established and worked closely with UAE Chief Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Duchman. He was married in 2022 to Rivky, who has already lost family to terrorism before. Her uncle, Rabbi Gavriel Holtzberg, and his wife were murdered in 2008 when terrorists stormed the Chabad House in Mumbai, India.
Israelis have flocked to Dubai since 2020 with a growing Jewish community, restaurants, and synagogues. Following this murder, Israel has discouraged all non-essential Israeli travel to the UAE. They are asking current visitors to limit activity, not to visit Jewish places, and remain in secure areas.
Please pray for the family of Zvi Kogan, as well as the nation of Israel, who are mourning his death. Pray for the safety of Israelis in the UAE and elsewhere who are under threat of attack.
For all those who are celebrating, our staff in Israel want to wish you a Happy Thanksgiving. It is a special time of the year to give thanks for all the Lord has given us—we hope you can cherish the time with family and friends . . . and some delicious food! We pray you can be an encouragement to all around your table and even have moments to present the gospel with not-yet-believers! While we pray for you, would you also pray for us? We have a number of very exciting events in December in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, the north, and even outside the country! Through these, there will be many unique opportunities to talk about Jesus, encourage others in their walk with the Lord (despite a tremendously difficult year), and feel special and seen.
Please pray we can be a light and show His love to each individual person we encounter during these special events.
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N Cooke2022-02-17 14:55:552022-02-17 15:08:25Reaching the Hard-to-Reach
Inside Israel December 4th 2024