Shalom all,

The number of IDF members killed in action since the beginning of the ground offensive is up to 89.

One of five soldiers killed in action in the Gaza Strip today was Master Sergeant Gal Eizenkot, the 25-year-old son of Gadi Eizenkot, the former Chief of Staff and a current member of the War Cabinet. Gal was serving as a Medic in the reserves, after having completed his compulsory service in an elite special operations unit. His unit spotted a tunnel shaft on the outskirts of the city of Shijaiyah and when they approached, there was an explosion from the shaft, which caused him to be critically wounded. He was taken to a hospital, where he died.

Gadi Eizenkot was visiting IDF commanders in the south when he was notified of the explosing and that his son, one of five children, was critically injured.

Projectiles were launched from areas next to tents that housed civilians. Incredibly, rockets were fired from humanitarian “safe zones” set up in Gaza for civilians. These areas are supposed to be free from hostilities. Yet, two separate rocket barrages were fired from the these “non-combatant areas”, targeting the southern major city of Beersheva. Three hours earlier, a rocket misfied, causing many within the area of the “safe zone” to scramble for shelter.

With the IDF continuing to press southward in the Gaza Strip, tens of thousands of Gazans are fleeing towards the Rafiah Junction with Egypt. For its part, Egypt stationed thousands of troops and erected barriers to prevent a massive influx of Gazan refugees.

It was also reported that civilians in Gaza are claiming that Hamas appropriated for itself all of the food brought into the Gaza enclave by the humanitarian trucks, leaving the citizens without food and hungry. This was Israel’s concern from the outset, namely: that humanitarian aid would enter the Gaza Strip, but the people would not benefit from it, because it would be seized by Hamas. Notwithstanding that knowledge, Israel continues to allow humanitarian relief to enter into the Strip. What is done with that aid is the responsibility of others.

Today is the 7th of December. Two months ago today, Hamas and other terrorists groups broke through the fence separating the Gaza Strip and violenting attacked multiple communities in what is referred to as the “Gaza Envelope”. The terrorists were determined to cause as much death, destruction and chaos as possible, committing unfathomable atrocities, raping, mutilating, dismembering and burning residents in those communities, as well as those participating in an outdoor festival, not far from the border fence.

The following article gives a description of some the atrocities committed by Hamas. Additionally, a doctor who treated some of the released hostages reported that a number of them were “sexually assaulted or abused.” Families of hostages remaining in Hamas captivity are said to be in danger of abuse and/or death and continue to put pressure on the government to agree to the release of all of the so-called “Palestinian” prisoners in Israeli jails, in exchange for the release of all of the remaining hostages, now said to number around 140.

Pressure is also mounting from “our friends”, like the United States, who reportedly has its own demands on Israel, such as: not to destroy a lot of buildings in the south, as it did in the north; not to cause the removal of residents in the south, like the IDF did in the north; not to start a war with the Hezbollah in Lebanon; not to consider Jewish re-settlement in Gaza when the war is over; not to leave too much territorial open space between Israel and Gaza. But, Uncle Sam continues to squeeze Uncle Izzy to bring about an end to the Gaza War. Biden is facing an election year and his support of Israel is, apparently, beginning to take its toll on him politically, and he wants the war to end.

The leftist-leaning news outlet, Haaretz, stated the matter this way:

“Netanyahu believes Biden is weeks away from calling for the war to end. Israel will soon conquer all the neighborhoods of Gaza City, and the military is already operating in the southern part of the coastal enclave, breaking through Hamas resistance in Khan Yunis. The only areas of Gaza that Israel hasn’t entered yet are in the southwest, where numerous civilians are living in crowded refugee camps after fleeing their homes.

“We’re getting close to the point where Biden will be able to tell Netanyahu: I gave you full backing for weeks, despite strong opposition from within my own party and constant complaints from close allies. You’ve reached almost every corner of the Gaza Strip. Now it’s time to pull out most of the soldiers, rebuild the Israeli communities on the Gaza border, and start planning the future so that something like October 7 can never happen again.“

Wars cannot be fought according to someone’s political time-table. Israel will probably yield to some of America’s demands, but there will be a point at which it will have to say, “No”. The war should end when Israel’s goals are met, not when the United States gets back on the campaign trail for the elections that will take place in 2024.

When the United States was attacked on the 7th of December, 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt declared before the U.S. Congress that it was a “day that will live in infamy forever.” The 7th of October, 2023, is Israel’s “day of infamy”. America took action against Japan and entered into the Second World War, eventually fighting in the European arena as well. They needed to make sure that Japan and its allies were defeated and that there would be no re-occurrence of Pearl Harbor or an attempt by any country to control the world. Israel took action against Hamas and needs to make sure that Hamas, along with its allies, are defeated, so that there will never be a re-occurence of Black Saturday, the 7th of October. It took over 3.5 for America’s involvement in WWII to end successfully. We have been fighting for 2 months and are pressing forward to our goal of eliminating Hamas, “Palestinian” Islamic Jihad and other terrorist groups, and we should be allowed to finish the job without foreign political concerns from the U.S., the U.N., the E.U. and whoever else has a problem with an Israel that can defend herself, instead of again agreeing to be lambs led to the literal slaughter. 

A friend should be a friend in all types of weather, not just in fair weather.

Hanukkah started tonight:

Tonight is the beginning of the Festival of Hanukkah (also spelled Chanukah). It is an 8-day celebration, marking the miraculous victory of the Maccabees – Jewish freedom fighters – over the Seleucid Greeks that controlled this area back in the year 139 B.C. Every night during the eight nights of Hanukkah, special candelabras (called Hanukkiahs) are lit, adding an additional flame each night, until on the eighth night nine flames are burning brightly – the servant candle and the eight other candles lit from the servant candle’s flame. The candle lighting can take place anywhere, but it is usually at home and the Hanukkiahs are placed on a table or near a window. Some communities have a large, electric Hanukkiah and every night, one additional candle is turned on and added to the others, until all nine lights are lit. 

Hanukkah falls on the exact same exact each year, according to the Hebrew calendar, which is a lunar calendar. It always begins on the 25th day of ninth month of the Jewish calendar, Kislev and ends on the second day of the tenth month, Tevet. 

The message of Hanukkah is one of the triumph of light over forces of darkness and the freedom to worship God.

The candle-lighting ceremony is usually accompanied by certain blessings and songs. Part of the blessings that are recited when lighting the candles includes: 

“Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who performed miracles for our forefathers in those days, at this time.

“Blessed are You, Lord our G‑d, King of the universe, who has granted us life, sustained us, and enabled us to reach this occasion.”

One of the songs that is sung contains these words:

“We have come to banish the darkness,

In our hands light and fire.

Every one is a small light,

And together we are a strong light. 

Be gone darkness, move on blackness!

Be gone away before the light!”

What was true during the time of the Maccabees remains true today. “Light dispels the darkness.” Each of us individually is but a small light, but together the light that we emit can banish the darkness. 

Wherever we go in Israel there are signs, posters, stickers and miscellaneous items that say that “together we will be victorious”, “our unity will bring about our victory”. From every corner, leftist and rightist, the realization is the same: “Hamas is evil; it represents the devil incarnate; it is the blackest of the black.” It needs to go! 

Whatever light we have, as a people, we received from the Lord, Who dwells in unapproachable light. We need to keep our eyes on Him, even as the Maccabees kept their eyes on the Holy One of Israel and sought to cleanse the Temple to restore proper worship to Him. When we do that, the light that we will reflect together will be able to overcome the darkness of every evil. And then we can say, with those of old, “Be gone darkness, move on blackness! Be gone away before the light!” But, we should always remember, we do not generate the light, we only reflect His light in our lives.

Isaiah 10:17 – “And the light of Israel will become a fire and his Holy One a flame, And it will burn and devour his thorns and his briars in a single day.“

Happy Hanukkah!

Bless, be blesed and be a blessing.

Marvin