Shalom all,

The number of IDF members killed in action since the beginning of the ground offensive is now up to 119!

Update about Urijah Bayer: His situation was reported this afternoon by the twin sister of our daughter-in-law, who is married to Urijah’s cousin: “After a conversation this morning with the doctor responsible for treating Urijah, we had a clearer understanding of his situation. Urijah is still sedated and on a respirator. He has injury on both sides of his brain and spreading edemas. A lot of pressure is applied and the fear is that the edemas will eventually lead to death. If the condition of the edemas improves, they fear irreversible brain damage. Praying for a miracle for Urijah’s condition. Praying for a miracle for Urijah’s condition. May God give strength to the family to be alight and a witness to those around them and wisdom for the treating physicians.…We are thankful that so many people are praying for Urijah and for us. We feel we are being covered by the hand of God.”

The IDF ended the Feast of Hanukkah with 8 night flares over Khan Younis. It served as a simple reminder that as dark as the night may appear to be, it can never overcome the light.

War Timetable – To be set by Israel, not the U.S.: Briefly stated, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant met with U.S. National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan, yesterday and informed him that the Gaza War will continue for several more months. He said that Hamas “is a terrorist organization that built itself over a decade to fight Israel and built infrastructure under the ground and above the ground, and it is not easy to destroy them. It will require a long period of time; it will last more than several months, but we will win, and we will destroy them [Hamas]. So thank you once again for coming to Israel, for helping us and for supporting us.” Other matters were discussed as well, including Iranian aggression through its other proxies in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Yemen and Gallant said that Israel would support efforts from the international community in countering naval threats, adding that Israel will act to defend itself against any threat. 

“Horror video of the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit”: The title of the film is: “Bearing Witness to the October 7th Massacre”, but it has come to be know as the “Horror Video of the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit”. It is not for public release, but to select groups. It is been screened about 200 times and watched by over 4,700 people in over 50 countries. “The common denominator for all screenings is that when the film ends, there is silence, a deafening silence that seems to last forever and persists until people manage to move and stand up,” Horowitz says. “Everyone is left exhausted, feeling hollow, unable to grasp that this is what happened here, and the number and types of murder. It is something that the soul cannot comprehend, the human mind cannot contain the evil and the cruelty.”  Hanukkah may be over, but the IDF continues to get rid of the darkness from Gaza.

Indiscriminate bombing: Earlier this week, U.S. President Biden said that Israel was losing international support because of “indiscriminate bombing” of Gaza. This morning, Hezbollah launched missiles into northern areas of Israel and later this afternoon, Hamas launched a barrage of rockets towards Jerusalem. One landed in near a hospital in Ramallah. Why is there no international condemnation of Hamas’s truly “indiscriminate bombing”? They claim that Jerusalem, indeed, all of Israel, is theirs. One of the easiest ways to disprove someone’s claim to ownership is to reveal the ease by which they are willing to destroy it!

Hamas leaders flee Qatar, close cell phones: Qatar, whose representatives helped “negotiate” a ceasefire/hostage exchange deal a few weeks ago, allowed the Hamas terrorist organization to open an office there in 2012. Qatar has also given shelter and official “protection” to senior leaders of Hamas, such as Ismail Haniyeh, Abu Marzook and Khaled Mashaal, to name just a few. On December 3rd, Ronen Bar, head of the Israel’s Shin Bet (Security Agency), said that Israel would eliminate Hamas leaders living in Qatar and Turkey. Apparently, with the considerable losses of senior Hamas personnel due to the Gaza War, a number of Hamas leaders took Ronan’s Bar’s threats seriously and left Qatar, taking their support staff with them, and cut off all communications, including their cellphones. They are undoubtedly relocating to other, more Hamas-sympathetic countries, whose doors are wide open to them, such as Iran, Lebanon, Turkey  and Algeria. These leaders have lived the life of luxury, while most of the citizens of Gaza lived in conditions of poverty. These Hamas “big shots” now show themselves to be cowards. They can run, but they can’t hide. They fear Israel and will try to hide in their holes. But, Israel will catch up with them in the end and carry out its threats. In the meantime, let them sweat.

I began this post with an update about Urijah Bayer. I want to report about another family, of triplets who were almost inseparable for 23 years, until the battles in the south of the Gaza Strip. When their mother found out that she was pregnant with triplets, the doctor told her: “It is my obligation to tell you that in the case of triplets, we recommend embryo dilution. It is in your best interest and theirs”. Embryo dilution? Her response was: “I knew how to do dilution with Tipex [white out], but in my womb who of the three would be chosen to die? And what if the medical procedure harms the other two embryos? Who are we to interfere with the works of the Creator of the world?” This moving story is actually in Hebrew and would take a while to relate. 

But, in short: Yehonatan (“Yoni”) was the first to be killed in a battle in Khan Younis, in the south of Gaza. His rank was First Sergeant and he believed and acted upon the belief that “You don’t leave friends during war.” On the door of his room was a huge poster with a verse from Psalm 18:37: “I pursued my enemies and overtook them and I did not turn back until they were consumed.”  For Yoni, this was more than just a slogan or a motto. It was his way of combining his love for the land and his love for the Bible. After suffering a leg injury, when he was able to rejoin his unit, he grabbed his gear, signed out for a weapon and rejoined his tank unit. Their mother said: “I sent three sons to war. one to Jenin, one to Sejaiyeh and one to Khan Younis. When the military came to notify the family, she asked, “Which one? Which one of the three?” Later, at the funeral, she said: “Yoni always said to me, ‘Why are you worried? Our tanks are powerful, we have a spiritual covering’…The missile that hit Yoni was close and targeted. He was killed on the spot.” His older brother, Michael, said regarding him, that Yoni dreamed of being a gardener. He added: “In whatever field you choose to touch, you must be the best.” He added, “It’s something deeply rooted in our home, in our education, and Yoni refused to give up on this dream.” Indeed, he gave his all for what he believed in, as so many continue to do even as this is being written. He was a true son of Israel. “Yehi Zichro Baruch!” May his memory be blessed!

Shabbat Shalom.
Marvin