Shalom all,

Israel Update – Day 17 of the War. Some terrorists, who were involved in the Black Saturday massacre, were captured by the IDF. They revealed that their instructions included kidnapping women and children, raping the women, killing as many as they could and then desecrating the bodies. They terrorists were promised that whoever bring a captive back to Gaza will receive a free apartment and $10,000! We need to REMEMBER who we are dealing with.

The number of hostages continues to increase and the IDF Spokesman said today that the number now stands at 222 and is subject to change.

Qatar, who has transferred considerable sums of money to the “Palestinians”, is acting as an intermediary to broker the release of “some” of the hostages. According to reports, in the next few hours, Hamas is willing to release some 50 hostages who hold non-Israeli citizenship. We have eased the pressure on Hamas and the “Palestinians” generally, by opening the southernmost crossing from Egypt and allowing the daily entrance (3 days in a row now) of humanitarian aid. Instead of weakening Hamas, it strengthens this heartless terrorist organization. Notwithstanding the continuous bombing of locations in the Gaza Strip, Hamas is still calling the shots of negotiation and deciding who will be released and when. Israelis are not part of the present, anticipated “selection” for the release of hostages. Did you catch the term, “selection”? It is a term taken from the Holocaust and used by Hamas. What happened to our decision makers? Why are we agreeing to conduct war by the rules of Hamas? Our goals were clear: Eliminate Hamas and return the hostages, ALL of the hostages. We were applying pressure and it was working. Then we eased off, delayed the ground offensive, allowed and continue to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza. And while we are being so kind to our enemies, they continue to launch missiles and drones into Israel. Let’s not be deceived. A wolf is a wolf is a wolf. It wolf does not become a lamb simply because he releases two female hostages, U.S. citizens and is now notifying the media that Hamas is going to release more hostages, in an attempt to show how kind and humane it is. Only fools would believe the lies and deception that Hamas spews forth. Time after time, news reporters, who were assigned to this area of the world, have indicated that nothing that comes forth from Hamas should be believed. It’s time we took that advice seriously.

And while we fight a war, an internal crisis is rapidly developing. Families have been displaced and there’s a problem to temporarily re-settle them. Hotels, hostages, guest houses are full. The southern city of Eilat set aside a large area that will be used as a “tent city” for the some 60,000 residents from the south who vacated their residences because of the terrorists to whom we are providing humanitarian aid and who respond to our kindness by renewing their rocket assault to the areas surrounding the Gaza enclave. Our citizens have become “refugees” within our land. The northern area is also dealing with missile threats, particularly, but not exclusively, in the city of Kiryat Shmona. Some 35,000 residents have already been vacated from there. It is reminiscent of the “Disengagement”, which resulted in the removal of some 9,000 Israelis from Gaza and north Samaria in 2005.

Iran continues to threaten, this time to launch a missile strike, “without hesitation”, at Haifa, “if it is necessary and [the order is given].” <https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-769720?utm_source=ActiveCampaign&utm_medium=email&utm_content=Iran+will+not+hesitate+to+launch+missiles+at+Haifa&utm_campaign=October+23%2C+2023> The order, if given, will most likely be given to the Hezbollah, who has been threatening Israel for years. The IDF says it is ready and prepared to deal with any situation that will develop and, at least one Israeli Minister said that if the Hezbollah terror groups attacks us, Israel will wipe Iranian leaders off the face of the earth. <https://www.timesofisrael.com/barkat-well-wipe-irans-leaders-off-the-face-of-the-earth-if-they-expand-conflict/> and the U.S. may pursue military action directly against Iran <https://www.politico.com/news/2023/10/15/graham-iran-threat-hezbollah-israel-00121615>.

As if that weren’t enough, some 100,000 employees have been laid off from their jobs because of the war. Their status is “on leave without pay” – similar to what happened during the Corona pandemic. Some businesses never re-opened and some people never returned to their jobs.Some within the Arabic-speaking community have opened their eyes and ears and have come to their senses regarding who/what Israel is and who/what the “Palestinians” are not. A dear friend, an Israeli Arab, now living “down under” sent a video. I wanted to attach it here, but it is “too heavy” to attach. I’ll try to send it a different way, but not tonight.
Instead, I’m attaching a song message from some of the children of Israel. It is simple, but direct. No politics here. <

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wYspKp-F68>Enough for the moment. Too much news clutter being reported now. 

Final Note: The news reported two minutes ago that another two hostages were released by Hamas. That’s all we know at the moment. We know that at 222 were taken hostage and now, only 2 are being released through the Rafiah Junction. Please remember to pray for wisdom for the government; wisdom, boldness and strength of the IDF; for the bereaved families who lost loved ones as a result of the Hamas slaughter; for those who were wounded on Black Saturday; for the return of ALL of the hostages, alive and well. Pray for wisdom for yourselves to know how to stand for Israel, to speak the truth without fear.

Bless, be blessed and be a blessing.
Marvin