Shalom all,

The testimonies of the returned hostages continue to reveal additional atrocities committed by Hamas and the other terrorists who were involved in the invasion of Israel and the massacres and kidnappings of October 7th.Or and Yigil Ya’akov are brothers who were held hostage by Hamas and were released as part of the recent deal that is now expired. According to an article appearing late last night in Hamal (= war room) News (in Hebrew), during their time in captivity, their legs were burned by the exhaust pipe of a motorcycle, so that they could be identified if they escaped. According to their uncle, they were also dragged from one place to another. The same is true for the other children. In addition, “Female hostages were kept in cages, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, a group set up in the wake of the attack, revealed on Monday.”

Award-winning journalist Almog Boker reported last night on Channel 13, one of Israel’s leading news stations, that one of the freed hostages was held by a teacher from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), based in Gaza. He was kept in an attic, was barely fed and his medical needs were ignored. In his blog post two nights ago appearing on “X” (formerly Twitter), Boker wrote about this situation and added: “But wait, there’s more! Another abductee was held captive by a Gazan doctor who, simultaneously, cared for children. These are not isolated incidents; these civilians are terrorists. Present at the Saturday massacre, they’re now revealed as integral to holding hundreds captive, including women and children.” 

As much as UNRWA has tried to convince the world that it was “uninvolved” in any aspect of the events of Black Saturday, that its staff had no knowledge of the whereabouts of any of the hostages and that its people didn’t know that Hamas was using hospitals for its militaristic and terroristic purposes, the facts reveal otherwise. According to survivors of the October 7th massacres, the border communities were attacked not only by terrorists, but by civilians from Gaza, as well, including women and youths, as well as elderly men. As reported by Boker: “these civilians are terrorists” and any attempt to separate the civilians of Gaza from Hamas is either an attempt at deception or the result of a lack of understanding of the dynamics and the mentality existing in the Gaza Strip.

For those interested in keeping up with some of the events relating to the “Palestinians” and those who work and/or align themselves with them, you can check the UN Watch, which also reports about the UNRWA’s activities in the Gaza Strip.

The “Deal” is over, the Fighting has resumed. As most everyone knows by now, the halt in the fighting, what some have mistakenly designed as a “truce”, ended early this morning. Even before the end of the deadline to extend the temporary ceasefire, Hamas launched missiles towards Israeli territory, in a severe breach of the Qatari-brokered agreement that resulted in the release of 81 Israelis and 24 foreign citizens. At least 13 women continue as hostages, along with dozens of men and male and female members of the IDF>
Hamas was given until 07:00 Israel time this morning to provide the names of an additional 10 hostages that were to be released today. If it failed to do so, the fighting would be resumed. Apparently, the terrorist organization did not believe that Israel would risk the lives of the remaining hostages by a resumption of the war. It even tested Israel’s resolve to do so by launching rocket barrages at border communities, extending as far north as Ashkelon.

The resumption of the war has upset relatives of the remaining hostages, who believe that by pursuing its original goal of eliminating Hamas and the ability of terror groups in the Gaza Strip to continue to threaten Israel, the country is abandoning the hostages. Some expressed concerns that the women who remain. “Yamit Ashkenazi, sister of captive Doron Steinbracher from the village of Aza, voiced her concerns at a press conference titled ‘The danger to women in captivity’. She said, ‘I was abandoned on October 7. Hostages were abandoned on October 7. I will not let them be abandoned again. More than 54 days that I don’t know what’s going on with my sister. What dirty hands are touching her? Maybe my sister is being raped? Maybe my sister was murdered? I demand and beg you, stop this demonic dance. Bring back our loved ones. It should have happened yesterday and it has to happen tomorrow’.” 

One of the senior leaders of Hamas said he doesn’t know how many of the hostages are still alive in Gaza, adding that was not even important. Speaking to a U.S. television network, Ghazi Hamad repeated the early demands of Hamas, that the terrorist group would agree to release all the hostages, IF Israel would release ALL “Palestinian” prisoners, estimated to number around 6,000.

So, if we are to understand this correctly: Hamas doesn’t know how many hostages are still alive, and from that, where they are, but is willing to return whoever is still alive for an estimated 6,000 people, many of whom have blood on their hands, as well as others who probably wish that their hands were filled with blood as well. Obviously, this proposal is a non-starter and Israel would never agree to it. But, having capitulated in the deal reached last week, which Hamas breached this morning, Israel demonstrated a willingness to sit at the same table with blood-thirsty murderers, who have no moral conscience whatsoever, and compromised on its principles and commitments to the nation. True, some hostages were released and for that we are thankful and we rejoice with those who rejoice. But, it was always known that the terrorists and those affiliated with them in Gaza and their puppeteer in Iran, officially and unofficially, would never agree to the release the members of the IDF, male and female, without Israel paying an exorbitant price and risking the safety and welfare of the nation by releasing multitudes of those who committed murder, or attempted murder, or who have planned and/or been involved in terrorist incidents. A week and a half ago, Israel faced a Hobson’s choice. It compromised and took what it could in terms of the release of some hostages, as opposed to continuing the fighting with no hostages being immediately released. By resuming the fighting, at least for now, it put as end to that choice and is pursuing the route to force Hamas, by military might, to capitulate to Israel’s terms. We thought that Hamas would act in a rational manner and adhere to the terms of the deal that was made. That was our big mistake. Hopefully,  that misunderstanding will not be repeated.

The Dry Bones Blog – November 16, 2023

Historical Input: In the aftermath of the October 7th slaughter and the fighting that followed in the Gaza Strip, Israel has been accused of “ethnic cleansing” and of causing hundreds of thousands of Gazans to become refugees. Faced with such claims, the Israeli government undertook to present an international awareness campaign yesterday, November 30th, the day when Arab countries, and Iran, carried out ethnic cleaning against the Jews, resulting in the departure and deportation of 900,000 Jews from Arab-speaking countries. As part of its campaign, the government launched a website containing horrific photos of pogroms against Jews, riots, hangings and executions, burning of synagogues and refugees who were deported with only the clothes on their backs, some carrying Torah scrolls. The Ministry of Social Equality and the Ministry of the Diaspora is working to upload a version of the site in English, and, eventually into Arabic. The present website has chilling photos of hanging Jews in Iraq, a mass grave for Jewish victims of riots in Tripoli, among a host of other photos. Even the New York Times has a photo from 1948, with the title, “The Jews are in great danger in all Muslim lands”. Other photos were taken after the Arab riots against the Jews in 1949 and still another photo that shows the desecration of the Great Synagogue in the city of Tunis in 1967. Israel wants to remind the world “that there is an absurdity in the fact that citizens in countries that abused, looted, murdered and finally expelled hundreds of thousands of Jews from their homes, turning them into refugees in the Middle East, are now criticizing Israel. According to the initiators, the world must know the story of almost a million Jewish refugees who found refuge and a home in the Land of Israel, and the world must know the numbers.” (Translated from an article in Ynetnews by Itamar Eichner in Hebrew entitled, “Don’t preach to us about the morality of deportation and emigration: The day of departure and deportation of Arab and Iranian Jews”). In June 2014, the Knesset enacted the “Day to mark the departure and deportation of the Jews from Arab countries and Iran” law. Its purpose, in part, is to raise awareness regarding the Jewish refugees from Arab countries and Iran. As Eichner stated at the conclusion of his article: “The Resolution of 29th November, 1947 [i.e., the “Partition Plan” – my clarification], was intended to grant to the Jewish people the opportunity to re-establish their sovereignty in their historical homeland. Not to invent a nation out of thin air – but to renew our days as of old.”

Bless, be blessed and be a blessing.

Shabbat Shalom,
Marvin

Shalom all,

Two days ago, I mentioned the Bibas family, who were being held hostage by the Hamas terrorist organization, and the demonstrations that took place on their behalf, requesting their release. Yesterday, the “military wing” of Hamas reported that three members of Bibas family – the mother, Shiri, 32, Ariel, 4, and 10-month-old Kfir, were killed in Gaza. Since that announcement, the IDF has been trying to confirm or negate the claim of Hamas. The statement did not refer to the father, Yarden Bibas, 34. The family was kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir Oz following the massacre on October 7th.

A representative of the Al-Qassam Bridgades said that their deaths were due to  “a previous Israeli shelling on the Gaza Strip”, although no evidence was presented to support that claim.

The IDF said that it was “assessing the accuracy of the information”, that IDF representatives met with the relatives of the family “and are with them at this difficult time.”

According to the IDF, the Bibas family was transferred by Hamas to another terrorist organization and are being held in the southern Gaza city of Khan Yunis.

Kfir’s aunt, Ofri Bibas-Levy, pleaded for their release on Tuesday: 

“At the moment they are the youngest hostages still remaining in Hamas captivity…We don’t know where they’ve been held. From what we know, they are kept underground…We’re really worried about the 10-month-old baby with formula [normally] as his main nourishment…We call upon the Israeli government and Qatar and Egypt, everybody who is involved in these negotiations and this deal, to do whatever they can to include our family in this deal and to release them as soon as possible.”

The IDF Spokesman reported today that Hamas published “cruel and difficult documentation of Jordan Bibas..This is an act of psychological terrorism that Hamas uses to exert pressure and damage our resilience. Hamas’s claims about the Bibas family are still unverified.” 

It should be pointed out that these members of the Bibas family were all alive when they were taken. The family has captured the attention of the world media and some have devoted “special” broadcasts regarding them.

This is a time for prayer. If, God forbid, that the statement from Hamas turns out to be true, it would have a severe emotional impact, not only upon the relatives of the Bibas family, but upon the nation as a whole. 

There are numerous side-effects to a war, particularly a lengthy war. Judy Lash Balint, writing for Jewish News Syndicate , mentioned some of the “unsung heroes in this war”; a national performer and a song, “Lo Tenatzchu Oti”—You Will Not Defeat Me”,that has become the theme song of “Operation Swords of Iron”; a technical writer, whose Tel Aviv company gives employees time off every week to volunteer to the war effort. But, she also pointed out, most importantly, in part:

“Parents of combat soldiers are particularly stressed, so it’s hardly surprising that some hospitals are reporting a significant increase in women in their 50s arriving at the ER with heart attack symptoms. Prof. Ariel Rogin, director of the Cardiac Unit of the Hillel Yaffe Medical Center in Hadera, notes: “This is the first time that most of the patients hospitalized in the cardiac intensive care unit are women.

“With so much emotional stress brought on by everything from the mixed feelings regarding the release of hostages whose relatives are still held by Hamas, to anxiety over loved ones serving on the front, to the ongoing reality of a “them” or “us” war, it should come as no surprise that many are turning to medications to deal with it. The Maccabi HMO, with 2.6 million members, reports an increase of 20% in the number of prescriptions for antidepressants and tranquilizers it wrote in October compared to previous months.“

With two sons serving in the IDF at this time in different locations (cannot indicate where or in what capacity), we certainly relate to the stress and anxiety that is an everyday facet of this war.

Numbers of IDF Wounded: Today is Israel’s National Day of Appreciation for Israel’s Wounded Soldiers and Victims of Terror. For the first time since the terrorist invasion of Israel and the massacre of October, 7th, the IDF reported that as of now, 2,005 soldiers have been wounded. of which 287 are still hospitalized. This includes those who were wounded while defending the communities in the south and those who were involved in the ground operation in Gaza. 

The fighting in Gaza was put “on hold” during the last few days, as part of the deal for the release of hostages held by Hamas and other terrorists. Even though there occasional claims of violation of the ceasefire, the parties managed to overcome the disputes to continue the halt in the fight and the release of hostages and “Palestinian” prisoners being held by Israel, even today, as two Israeli women (ages 40 and 21) were released earlier this evening. More hostages are scheduled to be released before the end of the day.

Nevertheless, today additional rockets were launched from Gaza into communities surrounding the Gaza envelope. Moreover, four Israelis were killed and another five people were wounded this morning in a terrorist shooting incident at the entrance to Jerusalem. This is in addition to the murder of a young, pregnant mother walking in the street with two small children. She was attacked and stabbed 16 times and then fled the scene in a car. The above incidents may be enough to bring about a end to the deal for a lull in the war and the release of hostages and result in a resumption of the fighting. But, whether they collectively represent the straw that broke the camel’s back, or not, in any event, both Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Minister of Defense, Yoav Gallant, said that when the hostage release deal is over, the fighting will resume. As Netanyahu said to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, he is committed to continuing the war until Hamas is eliminated.

But, there are other voices calling for the elimination of Hamas. One of them is Mosab Haasan Yousef, the son of Hamas Co-founder, Sheikh Hassan Yousef, who spoke at the U.N. on the 20th of November. He condemns Hamas, as he shares part of his personal testimony: “The corrupt leaders, they don’t care about children, they don’t care about “Palestinians”…I will not die before I see Hamas dead.” They don’t care about anybody but themselves.” It is worth watching and listening to.

A thought to keep in mind: Leaders in the “Palestinian” Authority, both presently serving, like Mahmoud Abbas, and who would like to serve, like Muhammed Dahlan, are both, essentially saying that “if we can’t beat them, we should join them” in a “single-state solution”, that will give the “Palestinians” equal and full political rights. This would be a disaster for many reasons, to be discussed at a future time.

“Behold, the Keeper of Israel neither slumbers, nor sleeps.” (Psalm 121:4) Keep in prayer.

Bless, be blessed and be a blessing.

Marvin

Shalom all,

Got in late, so this will be short.

At the end of World War 1, the League of Nations (= the forerunner of the United Nations) was entrusted with transferring control of territories formerly controlled by the Ottoman Empire and Germany, and gave administrative “mandates” to victorious countries who were members of the Allied forces. 

On July 24, 1922, the League of Nations entrusted Great Britain with the Mandate for Palestine. “Palestine” was the name given by the Romans about 2,000 years ago to the area encompassing the present State of Israel and it remained in various forms during the two millenia that followed. The people who lived here were called “Palestinian” Arabs and “Palestinian” Jews. (More on that in a later post.) According to the text of the Mandate, which recognized “the historical connection of the Jewish people with Palestine,” Great Britain was called upon to facilitate the establishment of a Jewish national home in “Palestine”. Later that same year, the League of Nations and Great Britain determined that the provisions of the Mandate requiring the establishment of a Jewish national home would not apply to the area east of the Jordan River, which eventually became the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.

The British Mandate authorities granted the Jewish and Arab communities the right to conduct their own internal affairs, but the Mandatory government did not succeed in maintaining either the letter or the spirit of the Mandate. Under Arab pressure, Great Britian withdrew from its commitment and restricted both immigration and land acquisition by Jews. 

On November 29, 1947 (76 years ago today), the General Assembly of the relatively new United Nations adopted Resolution 181 to partition “Palestine”, as shown on the attached map.

After the Partition Plan was adopted, the British announced the termination of their Mandate over “Palestine”, which was to take effect on May 15, 1948. One day before the British Mandate ended, the establishment of the State of Israel was proclaimed.

In short, the Partition Plan was accepted by the Jewish people, but it was rejected by the Arabs, who launched a war of annihilation against the Jewish State. Even though Israel was successful in that war, known as the “War of Independence”, the existential war is still being fought today, both with weapons, as well as with the fiery darts of lying narratives by terrorist organizations and nations that oppose the existence of the State of Israel. The United Nations later voted to acknowledge the Israel as an independent State. How would the UN vote today if the question of Israel’s statehood was brought before it?

Thursday, November 29, 2007, The Dry Bones Blog.

Bless, be blessed and be a blessing.

Marvin

Shalom all,

How should we describe the behavior of the Hamas terrorists to the hostages? In addition to the story told by the woman to her doctor yesterday, today we have stories about some young hostages who were released, as well as of a family of four that remains in Hamas captivity.

According to an article of Sivan Hilaie appearing in Ynetnews :

12-year-old Eitan, “experienced horrors” at the hands of the Hamas terrorists;

They beat him;

They forced him to watch the entire video of the massacre of Ocrtober 7th;

They threatened him and the other children with a gun whenever a child cried;

They put him in isolation in a closed room for 16 days, before transferring him about a month ago to a group of people from Kibbutz Nir Oz, which made it easier for him;

Eitan returned thinner and not smiling. His grandmother added: “Eitan is a “very reserved” child…I believe it will take him time, we have a lot of work to do with him to get him back to a state where he can speak.” 

Emily is 9-years-old and was also released from Hamas captivity this week. Her father reported:

Emily had lost a lot of weight; she was so hungry, but got used to even the most basic meals like a slice of bread with a little olive oil;

She was very pale;

She only whispers when she speaks, because the Hamas terrorists had forced her to do so;

The children were forbidden to make noise;

They passed the time drawing a little and playing with cards;

Emily returned with a head full of lice;

She had no idea what happened on October 7th and thought everyone was either killed or kidnapped;

When asked how long she thought she was held hostage, she answered, “a year”;

Her father, who was also released by Hamas this week, said that:

“The door opened and she ran to me, it was beautiful, just as I imagined it. I hugged her tightly, and only after she took a step back I looked at her face and noticed that it was chiseled, like mine. Before the captivity, Emily’s face was that of a young girl.”

She learned after he release that her mother was killed by the terrorists on October 7th; 

Her father added: “Last night she cried until her face was red, she couldn’t stop…She got under the covers, covered herself and cried quietly.”

She didn’t know what happened to her father when she was being held by Hamas and when they met, she whispered to him: “I thought you were kidnapped.”

Experts from the Ministry of Health reported that released hostages detailed hunger and inadequate nutrition. One doctor indicated that the released hostages said that they received half a slice of bread twice a day. On the whole, “they describe conditions of confinement and anxiety.”

A story was published in Hebrew today about Noam, 16, and his sister Alma, 13, who were released during the second hostage/prisoner exchange. But, their parents did not welcome them upon their return. Only after their return they learned that their mother was killed during the massacre of October 7th. That was a very traumatic moment for them. They didn’t know until their return that their father was also taken hostage and continues to be held by Hamas. Their uncle was interviewed by the Briitish “Guardian” and reported that his niece and nephew were kept in a separate room with another girl. He said that their time in captivity was “terrible” and that “other things happened that made the experience difficult, very difficult”, but asked not to expand on those difficulties in order not to hurt the harm the emotions of family members whose loved ones are still being held hostage.

We can only imagine what “difficulties” the uncle of Noam and Alma was referring to. If this is how Hamas related to children, what should we expect to hear regarding their treatment of adults?

The stories of the hostages while in captivity are only beginning to be told. Some are very difficult and will not be revealed publicly.

The Fifth Hostage/Prisoner Exchange: Israel and Hamas overcame allegations of breach of the hostage/prisoner exchange deal and concluded the fifth round of release of the hostages, in exchange for another day of ceasefire and release of “Palestinian” prisoners. Ten more Israeli hostages were released by Hamas this evening – 9 women, ranging in age from 36 to 84, along with 1 teenage girl. The husbands of three of the women are still being held hostage, while the husband of a fourth woman was murdered in the massacre. Those released this evening are being sent for examination to three different hospitals.

As of now, the terrorists still have 155 hostages in the Gaza Strip, including 9 teenagers and children.

There was widespread hope that the Bibas family of four who were taken hostage, father, mother, 4-year-old and 10-month-old, would be released today. Hundreds of people gathered in “Hostage Square” in Tel Aviv, in a demonstration in support of the family, after learning that they would not be released today.

The sister of the Yarden Bibas, the father, stated: “For 53 days they have been held captive by Hamas in Gaza, we do not know if 10-month-old Kfir and Ariel are with their parents. Who hugs them when they cry? We do not know if they have food, if they shower them. We know where they are – Hamas kidnapped them and must return them immediately. The responsibility for their health lies directly with Hamas. Hamas – who are your enemies? Kidnapping children, what are your values? Is this acceptable according to Islam?”

The IDF Spokesman stated this evening that the responsibility for the welfare of the Bibas family lies solely on Hamas.

There is no reasoning with evil.

Netanyahu does an about-face to accommodate Qatar: Last week, P.M. Netanyahu said that he gave instructions to the Israeli Mossad to pursue Hamas terrorists “wherever they are”. Defense Minister, Yoav Gallant, added: “They are living on borrowed time…The struggle is worldwide: From gunmen in the field to those who are enjoying luxury jets while their emissaries are acting against women and children — they are destined to die.”

Two days ago, an article in World Israel News referrred to a report by “Le Figaro” that Netanyahu assured Qatar that Israel would not carry out targated killings of Hamas leaders residing that country. This was included in the hostage release deal, as a precondition to Qatar acting as mediator in the hostage negotiations.

Qatar provided financial backing for many, if not most, of the activities of Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Was Qatar’s involvement so critical to the hostage/prisoner exchange/ceasefire that Netanyahu had to agree not to eliminate senior leaders of Hamas presently on Qatari soil? Qatar would be embarrassed if those leaders were killed while they enjoy the protection of the government. But, after making a bold, public statement that all of the leaders of Hamas are “dead men walking”, Netanyahu’s commitment not to go after them while they are in Qatar, embarrassed not only himself, and Defense Minister Gallant, but the Mossad, as well. Maybe if his assertion was followed through and the Hamas leadership was eliminated, there wouldn’t have been any need for Qatari-brokered negotiations.

If that wasn’t enough, according to a recent report, P.M. Netanyahu rejected, on six separate occasions, “detailed and actionable” plans, submitted by Israel’s Security Service, to assassinate Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar, the mastermind behind the October 7th massacres . Netanyahu denies the report.

Avigdor Liberman, the head of the Yisrael Beytenu Party and former defense minister said:

“Netanyahu can continue to deny it as much as he wants. He’s the one who granted immunity to Yahya and the leaders of Hamas, preventing any attempts to neutralize them…I’m stating this not as mere speculation but as someone with personal knowledge of the matter.”

This is no small matter and will most likely develop into a political explosion, adding to the legal woes that Netanyahu is still dealing with. This situation needs to be followed. The repercussions of such repeated rejections to eliminate the leader of Hamas, if proven to be true, will be the undoing of Netanyahu’s leadership.

The Bible Stopped A Bullet: One of the soldiers serving in Gaza was saved from a Hamas bullet, by the pocket Book of Psalms that he was carrying in his pocket. The bullet hit the Psalms and became imbedded in it, saving the life of the soldier. Truly, “The LORD’s word is flawless; he shields all who take refuge in him.” (Psalm 18:30)

Bless, be blessed and be a blessing.

Marvin

Day 52

Release of the 4th group

After seeing the list names of the hostages who were to be released today, in the last stage of the hostage / prisoner exchange “deal” worked out with the Hamas terrorist organization, Israel complained that no mothers were included and that Hamas was again trying to separate families. After lengthy attempts to resolve certain issues, the list was revised to include 2 mothers and 9 children. All the children are separated from their fathers, who remain as hostages. All 11 of the hostages being released this evening are from Kibbutz Nir Oz, one of the communities around the Gaza envelope.

As this update was being written, the hostages finally arrived within the borders of Israel (11:10 p.m. Israel time).

50 days 5 floors underground

During the last 52 days, the whole nation was held hostage, in a certain sense, by the terrorists organizations, Hamas and “Palestinian” Islamic Jihad (“PIJ”). Faces and names of the actual hostages, ranging in age from 10 months to mid-80’s, were everywhere to be seen. Massive demonstrations were held throughout the land. Family members were interviewed. The crises of individuals became the crises of the nation, as all joined in expressing concern over the well-being of the hostages and voicing hope that they would soon be released and return home.

There was widespread dissatisfaction with the terms of the deal that was worked out with Hamas and, indeed, with the fact that we even sat and negotiated with those groups. Neverthelss, as the release of some of the hostages went from hope to fact, the nation rejoiced together with their families. Scenes of hostages being reunited with their families flooded the media. Even seasoned reporters were stirred with emotion, as they reported, not only about the atrocities that were committed on Black Saturday, but also as the first photos were shown of hostages being released to Israeli authorities and then to the tearful, but joyful, meetings in the hospial where the hostages were taken for initial examination.

The joy remains tempered with sorrow, as close to 80% of the hostages remain under the control of the Hamas and PIJ. The concerns for their well-being, the frustration  and fears of their families and friends and the anguish of the nation continues.

Reports of life in captivity trickle in, as released hostages relate their ordeals in the hands of murderers of babies and senior citizens. One of the doctors who treated a returned hostage described the conversation with her:

“She was sad and began to comprehend her new reality. She realized her home no longer existed, having been completely burned. She told me, ‘Talking about it doesn’t do me any good. Day by day, I only hear bad news.’ She also expressed sorrow over the loss of her kitchen, her cherished old recipe book, and her inability to cook for her children and grandchildren, something she loved to do. She repeatedly asked if there would ever be a day when she could wake up without thinking about what they had endured there.

“She mentioned that they weren’t physically abused, but they lacked medication and proper nutrition. Their diet mainly consisted of rice, canned hummus and beans, sometimes with salty cheese and pita, but nothing more. No fruits, vegetables, or eggs. As an elderly woman, she lost 12 kilograms [26.4 pounds]. From our conversation, I understood that they all tried to eat as little as possible because the beans and hummus caused constipation. They weren’t used to such a diet on a daiily basis. They were afraid to get sick and couldn’t care for themselves; they didn’t want painkillers for stomach aches, so they made sure to drink plenty of water. They had access to water.

“They were a group, as far as I understand…They were beaten with sticks when they were captured. It’s not easy to spend 50 days five floors underground in a room accessed through a long corridor.

“She said they didn’t bathe for 50 days and took care to clean the latrine. That was all they could do, as they didn’t have enough water. It’s sad to hear. Initially, it was hard for them to sleep at night due to stress and fear. Then they got or were given sleeping pills by their captors, which they divided into four parts to help as many people as possible sleep….

“Sleeping conditions were poor. They slept in beds pushed together, and it was crowded. They washed their clothes in the room, and drying them was difficult. They weren’t given light, only for two hours a day. When they asked for a pencil or pen to write and pass the time, their captors refused, fearing they might pass information through writing. So, they had no television or reading material, and spent time talking to each other.

“Their strength came from being together and caring for each other, and their personalities…Their mutual care, being there as a group, as a family, kept them together, along with the hope of seeing their families. They felt the captors wanted to keep them in good condition. The hardest days were the day they arrived and the day they left to return home.” (emphasis mine) The entire interview can be seen here .

Another elderly woman, who was released, was interviewed by a journalist for a leading television news station. Apparently, she was being held with a different group of hostages. In describing some of the conditions in captivity, she said: “The children slept on the floor; at some point, they stopped giving us food and we were hungry.”

More facts will be revealed as the hostages begin to slowly recover from their ordeals.

The leader of Hamas spoke to hostages.

Another news station reported this evening that according to one of the released hostages, Yahya Sinwar, the leader of Hamas and the person responsible for the October 7th massacre, spoke to Israeli hostages in a tunnel where they were being held.

According to the news report, Sinwar spoke to them in fluent Hebrew and told them they would not be harmed.

Sinwar was interrogated by Israeli Police in 1989, during which “he expressed a deep antipathy for the Palestinian people”. In 1987, he wanted to use Shifa Hospital as a “dummy target” in his desire to experiment with dropping explosive charges. Israeli defense and military analysts are concerned that Sinwar will exploit the humanitarian crisis in Gaza to advance the terror goals of Hamas.

Two-Day Ceasefire Extension: According to a statement from the Qatari foreign ministry, Israel and Hamas have agreed to extend the ceasefire for two more days. No further details were released at this point.

There was an incredible rainbow over Israel today. A 7-year-old child whose father is presently serving in the IDF, asked his mother about the rainbow (translated from Hebrew):

Rotem (7 years old): It’s too bad, I’m sure that daddy doesn’t see the rainbow at his work.

Mom: Of course he sees it, the rainbow is appearing throughout all Israel now.

Rotem: Can the hostages in Gaza also see it?

Bless, be blessed and be a blessing.

Marvin

Round three of the hostage-for-ceasefire deal: Nine children and five adults, all Israelis, were freed this evening by the terrorist organization, Hamas, in the third of the four agreed-upon exchanges (civilian hostages for terrorist prisoners). Avigail Idan, age 4, who holds dual US-Israeli citizenships, was included in today’s exchange. Her parents were murdered by Hamas terrorists on October 7th. Three Thai citizens were released, together with the Israelis.

The released hostages were reunited with members of their families in emotional, tear-filled moments, the memories of which will last for a lifetime. But, in his report to the nation this evening, IDF Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said that one of the hostages, an 84-year-old-woman was returned in serious condition and was evacuated by IDF troops, while still inside Gaza, and taken by helicopter to a hospital in Beer Sheva. 

According to a broadcast from a major television news station this evening, after today’s release, an estimated 177 hostages still remain in the hands of Hamas, the “Palestinian” Islamic Jihad and other, non-affiliated Gazan citizens. They include 18 children (10 boys and 8 girls), as well as 43 women (of whom 9 are over the age over 60). The other 116 are men (16 of whom are over the age of 60).

And in accordance with the exchange between Hamas and Israel, the Israel Prison Service is releasing 39 “Palestinian” terror convicts. <https://www.timesofisrael.com/14-israelis-9-of-them-children-freed-by-hamas-on-3rd-day-of-hostages-for-truce-deal/?utm>

Since the beginning of the ceasefire, efforts were, and continue to be, under way to extend the present ceasefire and some heads of state want the ceasefire to become permanent. That is not part of Israel’s program – at least not for now.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the IDF troops in the Gaza Strip, being the first Israeli head of state to travel Gaza in more than 20 years. After being shown Hamas tunnels, Netanyahu stated: “We continue until the end – until victory…We will make every effort to return our captives, and eventually we will return them all…We have three goals for this war: eliminate Hamas, return all our captives, and ensure that Gaza does not become a threat to the State of Israel again.” He added, “Nothing will stop us. We are convinced that we have the power, the strength, the will, and the determination to achieve all the war’s goals, and we will.” <https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-775242?utm> 

“We, we, we!” Netanyahu held Bible studies in his home. He claims to know the Scriptures and the history of the Jewish people. He should know that Israel’s victories were brought about by the intervention of the God of Israel: “‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord of armies.” (Zechariah 4:6). “The LORD your God who goes before you will Himself fight on your behalf, just as He did for you in Egypt before your eyes.” (Deuteronomy 1:30)

Should we prepare for war? Yes! Should we fight? Yes! But, we also need to remember: “The horse is prepared for the day of battle, But the victory belongs to the LORD.” (Proverbs 21:31) It is the LORD, Who trains our hands for war and our fingers for battle. It is He Who subdues people under us (Psalm 144:1-2)

After the Six-Day War, the nation openly proclaimed that the God of Israel fought for us. One retired Colonel in the IDF told me, back in 1974, that God worked over time for the nation of Israel, performing miracles. When we took control of Jerusalem, we gave God the credit and acknowledged that it was His hand that gave us the victory. The Colonel then added that with time, the people began to take credit for the successes of that war, claiming, among other things, that Israel achieved that incredible victory because we had a trained, skillful and powerful army and because we had excellent military intelligence. And before too much longer, we experienced the early defeats and losses of the Yom Kippur War. He lamented: “We forgot that the Six-Day War wasn’t a victory that we achieved. It was a victory that God achieved for us.” 

So, when I hear our leaders, even our well-intentioned leaders, make statements like: “we have the power, the strength, the will, and the determination to achieve all the war’s goals, and we will“, I cringe and pray that their pride will not be to our loss.

Our leaders need to rephrase the promises that they make to the nation. They shouldn’t promise what they can’t accomplish. Today’s news revealed an important factor that was part of yesterday’s delay in completing the “hostage/prisoner exchange”. Hamas admitted that two of the hostages who were supposed to be released yesterday could not be located by Hamas. There are several possibilities to explain the statement of Hamas: (1) that it is lying; (2) that those particular hostages – one adult and one 18-year-old, both males, were killed while in the hands of Hamas; (3) they were captured by the “Palestinian” Islamic Jihad, who refused to participate in the exchange and also refused to turn over hostages under its control; (4) that they were taken hostage by Gazan citizens not affiliated with either terrorist group (which is least likely) <https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-775173#>. If that murderous, lying terrorist organization that organized the kidnapping of the hostages could not locate two of them, how can our government officials state with certainty that we will return All of the hostages and that nothing will stop us? 

Through you we will push back our adversaries. Through your name we will trample down those who rise up against us. (Psalm 44:5)

Please continue to pray. While we may have a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, at least for one more day, we continue to fight against terrorists in Lebanon, in the West Bank (Judea and Samaria) and even the Houthis from Yemen.

Bless, be blessed and be a blessing.

Marvin

Another delay today in the release of the hostages.

After a Hamas official reported that the release of the second group of hostages was underway, the military wing of Hamas announced shortly after 6 p.m. Israel time that it decided to delay the release “until the occupation adheres to the terms of the agreement related to the entry of aid trucks into the northern Gaza Strip and due to failure to adhere to the agreed-upon standards for releasing prisoners.”  In other words, Hamas is accusing Israel of breaching the agreement. 

The deal requires that Israel allow 200 trucks of food in the Gaza Strip, which already entered the enclave. Yet, earlier today, a Hamas official reported that Israel is not releasing the “Palestinian” prisoners in the order that Hamas had demanded, namely, those jailed the longest were supposed to be released first. And, to complete their allegations for today, Hamas accused Israel of firing upon Gazans who sought to return to the northern Gaza Strip, resulting in two deaths. But, according to the deal that was worked out, Gazans were barred from returning to the northern area where the IDF is operating.

From Israel’s point of view, Hamas is the one that actually violated the terms of the agreement. From the list of hostages that are supposed to be released today, it was discovered that one of the hostages was going to be freed without her mother. They were both taken by Hamas on October 7th. The hostage-release deal contains a provision that families were not to be separated in the releases. In a highly unusual move, a Qatari delegation arrived in Israel this morning, purportedly for discussions with Israeli officials regarding the possibility of extending the 4-day ceasefire. In order not to set a precedent of a direct flight from Qatar (not on good relations with Israel) to Israel, the plane stopped first in Larnaca, Cyprus, and then preceded to Israel. The delegation remained in Israel for about an hour, before returning to Qatar. But, there is widespread speculation that the Qatari delegation arrived here particularly to assist in breaking the deadlock over the release of the mother during today’s scheduled second round of hostages. Negotiations were ongoing for hours in an effort to find a solution before midnight. Israel confirmed that humanitarian aid was delivered to the Rafiah Crossing according to the agreement. But, also according to the agreement, Israel is not responsible for how or when the trucks arrive to the northern Gaza Strip. Similarly, Israel denies that it committed to releasing prisoners according to the date of their incarceration. According to the release agreement, Israel would decide which of the terrorists would be released, just as Hamas would decide which of the hostages would be released. 

The tension continued to build, as the question on everyone’s mind was focused on whether the Qatari-brokered agreement would hold. According a two major news stations here, Qatar exerted efforts to prevent the collapse of the agreement and that the results of those efforts would be evident before midnight.

Yoseph Haddad, a well-known Arab-Israeli spokesperson on behalf of Israel, reported that he “very much hopes that if Hamas does not release the hostages by midnight, then by 00:01 the gates of hell will be opened on Gaza and the IDF will bomb [it] so that there will not be a single moment of quiet during the night! [We] cannot let them play with us … Now they need to be under pressure. Agreements in the Middle East contain matters of honor and if there is a unilateral breach, then [the other side] needs to pay dearly! Against these terrorists, Israel needs to speak Arabic until the end!!”

In the meantime, Egypt intervened in the negotiations in an effort to break the stalement. According to various news reports, it apparently succeeded. Latest reports: At 11:00 p.m. Israel time, the hostages are expected to be handed over to the Red Cross, but with no change in the hostage list!

The situation in the north is beginning to drift south:

Last night, around 03:00 a.m., two very loud explosions were heard in the greater Haifa area that were the result of the IDF intercepting a surface-to-air missile launched from Lebanon by the Hezbollah terrorist group. No injuries were reported. This photo shows the fallout from the missile being shot down by the IDF..

Is Hamas losing control over decisions in Gaza? 

There are some “hopeful” reports that Hamas is beginning to lose its support, at least according to foreign Arab diplomats. In an article appearing in the Haaretz news journal, Jack Khoury wrote: “The center of gravity in the Hamas leadership’s decision-making process has drifted toward the Gaza Strip…Two Arab diplomats who were present at the meetings [with Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and other senior officials indicated] that every decision regarding the future of Hamas or steps with significant political or diplomatic repercussions for the Palestinians  is made in Gaza…Meanwhile, the future of Hamas is also of interest to Fatah and other Palestinian factions. Sources in Ramallah told Haaretz that some officials have sent proposals to Hamas to lay down their weapons, leave Gaza and join PLO institutions. However, the sources added that Hamas isn’t taking such proposals seriously, especially not the leadership in Gaza.” It doesn’t appear that Hamas will be losing popularity very soon. Many of the prisoners released in last night’s hostage-prisoner exchange immediately upon their release sworn allegiance to Hamas.

Can you believe it?

The secretary-general of the “Palestinian” Islamic Jihad (PIJ) claimed that Israel was forced in the present ceasefire deal because of its military defeats in Gaza. Apparently, Ziyad Nakhalah doesn’t bother to watch the news or read any media reports about the ongoing war and the capture of northern Gaza by the IDF. Nevertheless, he warned that “Palestinian” terrorist groups will “force the Zionist enemy to exchange all the prisoners on a wider scale…The rest of the enemy’s prisoners including officers and soldiers will not be released without the release of the rest of our prisoners, and this issue is related to the end of the war and aggression…The enemy’s goals of ending the resistance and crushing it are still in place, so we must continue the battle to neutralize the enemy’s goals. The Zionist enemy will continue its aggression more brutally.” Immediately following the bloodbath of October 7th, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi called to congratulate him for the “brilliant and impressive victories of the Palestinian resistance…You really made the Islamic community happy with this innovative and victorious operation..The Zionist regime is declining while the resistance front is conquering the peaks of victory.” I wonder who Nakhalah is trying to convince. It certainly is not Israel.

The Dry Bones Blog – August 7, 2014.

Have a simply fantastic week.

Bless, be blessed and be a blessing.

Marvin

Shalom all,

First Hostages Returned:

There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every matter under heaven—[including] a time to weep and a time to rejoice (Ecclesiastes 3:1, 4). 

All of the news media were occupied today and this evening with the return of the some of the hostages held by the terrorist organization, Hamas. The day began with a ceasefire at 07:00 Israel time, followed 15 minutes later by sirens blasting in one of the border communities surrounding the Gaza Strip. For the moment, it appeared that Hamas was back to its old tricks, violating ceasefire agreements before the ink was even dry. But, Israel wisely did not over-react and, with the exception of that incident, the remainder of the day was without further military confrontation. 

And then the late afternoon arrived. The nation seemed to hold its breath, the second time in two days, in  anticipation of the release of some of the hostages. And then the moment arrived that it was confirmed that 13 hostages were turned over to the International Red Cross and were beginning their journey back to Israel. For some, here were tears of joy over the release of the hostages, while for others, tears of sorrow revealed the painful reality that their loved ones are not among those released and that the likelihood is that close to 80% of the hostages will remain under the control of Hamas, “Palestinian” Islamic Jihad and a rag-tag group of unidentified residents of Gaza, who joined the terrorists in their assault on the communities surrounding the Gaza enclave.

The released hostages included 4 children, ranging in age from 2 to 9 years. The rest were women of varying ages, ranging from 34 to 85. After they arrived back in Israel and their identities were verified, they were taken to the Hatzerim air base before being transported by helicopter to hospitals for evaluation of their physical condition, where their families were waiting for them. Then, the Israeli authorities will inquire regarding events relating to their capture and retention by Hamas, before they will be released and be able to return home. An additional 11 Thai and Philippine nationals were also released through a separate deal worked out by the Egyptian government.

The sun had already set when the hostages exited from ambulances. Most were able to walk without assistance, but some did not to be held while entering the building where their identities would be verified.
It is difficult not to rejoice with those 13 released hostages and their families. For them, the fear and anguish that they experienced during almost 50 days was coming to an end. A period of readjustment will await the hostages, as some will undoubtedly need help to overcome what they went through, what they saw and heard, and what they, themselves, experienced. But, at least they’re back.

At the same time, we continue to weep with those who weep – with those who remain as hostages, for a day, two days or three, when the 4-day ceasefire and hostage exchange is over. And, with those whose nightmare will continue beyond those four days. As noted by IDF Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari: “We must not forget that each and every one of those returning home still has a family member or relative who was murdered or is in captivity in Gaza. It is a great sadness mixed with joy and excitement.” 

As mentioned at the outset, all of the major media reported on the release and exchange of the Israeli hostages for the “Palestinian” prisoners. Thirty-nine “Palestinian” women and minors held in Israeli prisons were released as part of the hostage release deal – 24 women and 15 teenage boys. While none of them was convicted of murder, most were convicted of carrying out attacks against Israeli security forces and civilians. Six of them were residents of East Jerusalem, while the rest were residents of Judea and Samaria (= “the West Bank”). As the Israeli hostages were being transported to the Hazerim air base, one of the reporters for a major news station here expressed the obvious concern: Those returning to East Jerusalem can carry on their lives any way they choose. He added that, nothing will prevent one of released prisoners returning to East Jerusalem from getting up tomorrow morning and attempt to commit another terrorist act against Israelis or Israeli forces. The entire ceasefire/hostage release deal reveals the stark contrast between the release of terrorists, who attempted to kill and injure individuals and multitudes, and the release of women and children, none of whom were involved in criminal activity against civilians living in Gaza. Other news media reporting on the ceasefire and hostage release were: The Jerusalem Post , I24 News , Haaretz , CNN , and even the BBC , just to name a few.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi is callinig for the establishment of a demilitarized “Palestinian” state. Spain has already said that a temporary ceasefire is not enough, there must be a permanent ceasefire. Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Union, said that rising violence by extremists in the “Israeli-occupied West Bank” needs to end. She said that “a peaceful co-existence is only possible with the two-state solution”. The pressure on Israel will increase as the ceasefire draws to an end. More countries will urge Israel NOT to resume its military activities in Gaza, while others will pursue diplomatic pressure on Israel to allow for a two-state solution to the ongoing Israel-“Palestinian” war. Neither of those options are realistic.It should be pointed out that not everyone was in agreement with the ceasefire and hostage/prisoner exchange. Jonathan Pollard, who spent about 30 years in a Federal prison in the U.S. for spying for Israel in the 1980s, called the present ceasefire/hostage release deal with Hamas, called the deal a “monstrous blunder”. He referred to the pressure on Israel to reach a deal with the terrorist organization, which included, among other things, public protests organized by relatives of the hostages. In his opinion, when Israel declared war against Hamas, the government should have also declared a national emergency and suspended the right to protest during the continuation of the war. He added that the families should have been told:

“You will not interfere in our management of this war. You will not be used by the international community or by our own leftists who managed the Shalit deal as a weapon against us. If that means imprisoning to silence certain members of the hostage families then so be it.”  Difficult times, difficult decisions. In Pollard’s opinion, this deal will be the beginning of the end of this war against Hamas, as Israel will face tremendous pressure, notably from the Biden administration, not to resume fighting after the ceasefire period ends.

It has been said that “War is hell.” No government is perfect and Israel has certainly made mistakes. In my opinion, this deal is one of them. It was entered into because of “internal pressure”. Israel’s gains on the battle field caused Hamas to change its terms for the release of the hostages many times, each time its terms were less demanding. We could have pressed on militarily and significantly increased the pressure on the Hamas leadership. The world community is more concerned about the civilians in the Gaza Strip than Hamas, who would be willing to sacrifice all of Gaza’s civilians for the sake of gaining victory over Israel, at least from a public relations point of view. External pressure was also placed on Israel to fight Hamas, but at the same time ensure that civilians in Gaza were not harmed in the process. Israel should have simply responded that if the world was so concerned about the lives of civilians in Gaza, then the best way to protect them would be for the nations of the world to pressure Hamas to surrender.

The hostages are Israel’s soft underbelly. Hamas and Islamic Jihad are fleeing from Israel on the battlefield, yet they dictated terms for the release of the hostages. The taking of women and children as hostages is just one of the many war crimes committed by those two terrorist organizations. Yet, when the world did not clamor to bring their leadership to the International Criminal Court in The Hague, they brazenly dictated terms to Israel. The leaders of these terrorist organizations hide in tunnels or live in luxury hotels in other countries. Still, they dictated terms to Israel for the release of the hostages. The moment we agreed to sit down at the bargaining table with terrorist organizations, whose agenda includes the destruction of the State of Israel, the killing of Jews or the subjection of Jews to Islam, the handwriting was on the wall. We would allow, and did allow, those organizations to dictate the terms for the release of the hostages. The IDF successfully flexed its muscles and the government made bold promises at the outset of the war not to agree to a ceasefire without the return of all of the hostages. Notwithstanding the substantial successes of the IDF since the ground offensive began, the terrorist organizations nevertheless called the government’s bluff and dangled the terrorists in front of us like a carrot in front of a horse. We compromised on our goals of the war, giving blood-thirty terrorists a much-desired lull in the fighting. And in the process, we even allowed the terrorists to decide which hostages would be released.

We do rejoice over the release of some of the hostages, because that is the right thing to do. But, we weep over the decision that will leave most of the hostages in the hands of terrorists, who will make greater demands for their release, eventually returning to their original demand for the release of all “Palestinians” held in Israeli prisons, many of whom have “blood on their hands”. There will be more home-grown demonstrations that will pressure the government to give the enemy whatever it wants to get the rest of the hostages released, if, in fact, a release of ALL of the hostages is even possible. Outside pressures will now seek to bring about a permanent ceasefire. If we continue to yield to both internal and external pressures, we will end up not accomplishing either of the two main goals that we set at the outset of the war – elimination of the threat of Hamas and the “Palestinian” Islamic Jihad and the return of all of the hostages. The decision for the benefit of a few was made at the expense of the benefit of the nation. It’s not too late to get back on track. A smooth stone in a sling in the hand of faith can defeat the Goliath of Jihad.

“You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.” (1 Samuel 17:45)

Bless, be blessed and be a blessing.
Marvin

Shalom all,

Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but desire fulfilled is a tree of life (Proverbs 13:12)

In a press conference convened last night by the war cabinet, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Galant and Minister Benny Gantz, explained the considerations leadaing to the agreement for the release of the hostages held by Hamas. They were joined by the IDF spokesman, Brigadier General Daniel Hagari, who indicated that the deal was not yet finalized and that things could still go wrong. As a result, it was decided not to notify the families, so that their expections would not be crushed if things don’t work out. And, sure enough, only two short hours later, Tzachi Hanegbi, the head of the National Assembly, announced that there would be a delay in implementing the deal for the release of the hostages. As a result, the ceasefire scheduled to take place this morning at 10:00 a.m. would also be delayed. The excuse is that the agreement needed to be formally signed and ratified and that neither side had done so when the earlier announcements had been made.

Following the announcement of the delay, it was reported that the IDF would continue its operations in the Gaza Strip, as long as the agreement is not finalized. Progress was made towards finalizing the agreement and the ceasefire is now scheduled to go into effect tomorrow, Friday at 07:00 Israel time. The return of the hostages is scheduled to take place tomorrow at 4:00 p.m. Israel time.

The Jerusalem Post reported this morning that a spokesman for the Qatari Foreign Ministry stated that talks concerning a ceasefire and hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas were “progressing positively”. The spokesman added that “work is continuing with the two parties and our partners in the sisterly Arab Republic of Egypt and the United States of America, to ensure the rapid start of the truce and to provide what is necessary to ensure the parties’ commitment to the agreement.” Again, we see that the Qatari emphasis is the commencement of the “truce”, while Israeli media interprets the broader package to include the “ceasefire and hostage release.” Once again, we see that from the point of view of announcements, the Qatari spokesman makes clear the importance of the deal – a cessation of fighting. The fact that hostages will be released as well is almost a secondary consideration.

Without question, the last-minute delay in the implementation of the deal was a crushing blow to the families, who are anxiously waiting for the return of their loves ones who have remained in Hamas control for close to 50 days.

It should also be noted that the deal that is to be completed within 4 days. But, if Hamas succeeds in locating additional minors or female non-combatants who were taken hostage, the deal can be extended to up to 10 days. In that case, for every 10 hostages released, Israel will agree to one extra day’s pause in the fighting. Hamas needs to find and gather women and children from other locations in the Gaza enclave. This is claimed to be the reason that it insisted on a 6-hour UAV blackout during each day of the ceasefire. It is more probable that they want to use this time to move their people around and try to booby trap more locations.

Also, according to Israeli estimates, of 98 women and children being held hostage by Hamas, 40 are under the age of 19 and five are female soldiers in active service, who are not included in the deal. The total number of hostages has not been finalized, because there are still 8 people missing (6 Israelis and 2 foreign nationals) and it is not known whether they were killed and as yet unidentified, or if they were actually taken hostage.

With the ceasefire set to begin tomorrow morning and the release of the hostages set to begin tomorrow afternoon, Israel continues to hold its breath in anticipation of what tomorrow will reveal. 

When the period of ceasefire is over, the war is expected to resume. But, the goal of removing the threat of Hamas from Israel will extend beyond the borders of the Gaza Strip. According to a report in the Jewish News Syndicate, P.M. Netanyahu gave orders to the Israeli Mossad to eliminate leaders of Hamas “wherever they are”. Israeli Defense Minister, Yoav Gallant, added that those leaders “are living on borrowed time.” Minister-without-portfolio Benny Gantz, the former Defense Minister and IDF chief, who is part of the War Cabinet, added that Israel will kill the leaders of Hamas who were responsible for the massacre of October 7th. “There will be no sanctuary cities, no sanctuary houses. We will go wherever we need to in order to eradicate child murderers—above and below ground, in Gaza and around the world… [adding] We will reach the heads of [the Hamas] government just as we reached the centers of [that] government.”

And then there’s an interview conducted by Sky News with of Eylon Levy, of the National Public Diplomacy Directorate of the Prime Minister’s Office. The question posed by the anchor was a veiled accusation that because of the 3 for 1 numbers swap in the hostage deal, Israel does not value “Palestinian” lives. The response was that the question was astonishing and was an outrageous and disgusting accusation.The video is only one minute in length. Worth the watch.

“Hummus diplomacy”?

It appears that as a result of the Israel Gaza War, there are calls to boycott Israeli restaurants in New York City. Despite anti-Israel graffiti and listing the locations of “Zionist Restaurants” online, Israeli restaurant owners are not intimidated. Those who heed the call to boycott Israeli restaurants will end up missing the joy of scooping up some hummus (pronounced “hoomoos”, not “humm us”) with warm and soft pita bread. Definitely their loss!

But, can you believe it? 900 chefs in the US signed a petition calling for the boycott, not only of Israeli restaurants, but also of Israeli food. The petition, entitled “Hospitality for Humanity”, calls for boycotting everything culinary from Israel in an effort to leverage for a ceasefire. While we should not longer be amazed at the outrageous claims being made by pro-Hamas supporters and anti-Israel demonstrators, there always seems to be one more absurd claim. This time, according to the petition, there is the assertiion that Israel is appropriating “Palestinian” cuisine and attempting to eliminate it from the culinary world, just as Israel is trying to erase the “Palestinian” people. Sadly, some Jewish people added their names to the petition. Honestly, I was not aware that there was food that would qualify as “Palestinian” cuisine, whatever that it.  Now that a ceasefire is supposed to take effect tomorrow, can people go back to eating Israeli food?

Israel’s first lady says silence over Hamas mass rapes is ‘betrayal of all women’.

Michal Herzog, the wife of Israeli President, Isaac Herzog, is a champion of victims of sexual violence and those who defend them. In an article that appeared in Newsweek, she wrote that “It is not that condemnations of gender-based violence by Hamas have been weak or insufficient – there have been none at all. Statement after statement by organizations like UN Women, the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) have failed to condemn these crimes. They failed us, and all women, at this critical moment…The silence of international human rights organizations, and the unwillingness to believe Israeli women in the face of overwhelming evidence has been devastating.” She will focus her attention on the world’s silence and the victims of Hamas during the International Day for the Prevention of Violence against Women, which will take place on Saturday, November 25th.

Nitsana Darshan-Leitner is the president of Shurat HaDin, an Israeli organization that files claims on behalf of victims of terrorism and seeks to bankrupt terrorist organizations, one case at a time. She is the co-author of the National bestselling Harpoon: Inside the Covert War Against Terrorism’s Money Masters. In her article appearing in Ynetnews last week, she wrote concerning the massacre that took place on Black Saturday: 

“Underage girls were savaged as were their mothers before the eyes of other family members. Grandmothers, even those in wheelchairs, were molested and sodomized. The terrorists filmed their heinous acts in gory snuff films to be shared on social media and streamed on their GoPro cameras. They took their human trophies back to Gaza to be violated, abused, and held for ransom. Images released in real-time documented the atrocities…Where are the self-righteous sisters of The Squad? Where is AOC, Rashida, and Ilhan? I guess their duplicitous feminist stance takes a pause when the victims are Jewish. Where is the Me-Too movement? They shamed and helped prosecute sexual predators in show business and the workplace. Why are they giving Hamas a pass? Where are the female journalists on the BBC and MSNBC? CNN’s Christiane Amanpour has been aggressively critical of Israel’s defensive actions, but silent on the sexual crimes perpetrated by Hamas.” And she asked: “Where is the outrage at the rape of children? Israeli children were raped on October 7. Where is the outrage from Save the Children or UNICEF? In 2014, after Boko Haram terrorists kidnapped 276 schoolgirls in Nigeria, movie stars and politicians spearheaded the global outcry. Michelle Obama launched a social media campaign to “Bring Back Our Girls.” But the former first lady has been nowhere to be seen since October 7. Her silence has been deafening.”

Darshan-Leitner concludes that when the war is over and Hamas is eradicated, “Those who spent their lives fighting for women and children but held their tongue when the victims were Jewish will have to answer for their hypocritical and tell-tale prejudicial silence.“

Israeli women – Jews, Muslims, Christians, and Druze – will gather in two days at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem for this year’s International Day for the Prevention of Violence against Women. As Michal Herzog cogently points out: “They will meet in the lingering shock of the violation of our rights, and with the profound sense that all of us who believe in those rights have been betrayed.” 

Much to pray about: The hostage deal and cease fire set to go into effect tomorrow; the hostages who will not be included in the deal and their families, including members of the IDF; the IDF still on the front lines in Gaza AND in the north, where Hezbollah has significantly increased its activity by launching dozens of missile barrages; the multitudes of wounded being treated in hospitals throughout Israel; the bereaved families who lost loved ones from October 7th until today.

Bless, be blessed and be a blessing.

Marvin

Shalom all,

As of this update, the number the IDF death toll since the beginning of the ground operation in the Gaza Strip is 70. From the 7th of October until now, 392 members of the IDF have been killed.

The talk of the day is, as expected – the agreement for the release of the hostages. 

Hostage Deal – Main Points:

Israel gets:

50 civilian women (20) and children (30) hostages currently held in the Gaza Strip to be released in small groups over a 4-day period;

10 additional hostages released for every one day extension of the ceasefire;

Visitation by the Red Cross and provision of medication for the hostages not being released.

Israel gives:

150 “Palestinian” women and children detained in Israeli prisons;

4-day lull in the fighting in Gaza;

Cessation of aerial surveillance over the southern Gaza Strip to stop immediately; cessation of aerial surveillance for six hours a day over the area of the northern Gaza Strip during the lull in the fighting;

a larger number of humanitarian convoys and relief aid;

fuel designated for humanitarian needs.

The pause in the fighting is said to begin tomorrow, Thursday, at 10:00 Israel time and will continue for four days, subject to being extended, in exchange for the release of additional hostages. If Hamas attacks Israel during the ceasefire, Israel will be free to strike back and resume the fighting.

Just as there was a difference of perspective yesterday regarding “being optimistic”, so today’s announcement from Qatar downplayed the 3-for-1 release, as Qatar’s mediator said: “The agreement includes the release of 50 civilian women and children hostages currently held in the Gaza Strip for the release of a number of Palestinian women and children detained in Israeli prisons, the number of those released will be increased in later stages of implementing the agreement.” What the Qatari announcement failed to mention was that the 150 “Palestinians” who will be released are terrorists affiliated with Hamas, “Palestinian” Islamic Jihad, Fatah and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, among others. Most of the “Palestinian” prisoners are residents of East Jerusalem. The others are from Gaza.

Although most of the government approved the deal, not everyone was happy with it. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said that the deal was immoral and that by agreeing to it, Israel played into the hands of Hamas. Even though it is good that some of the women and children hostages would be released, nevertheless, Ben-Gvir expressed that Israel has a moral obligation to ensure that ALL of the hostages would be returned. “We don’t have the right to agree to separating them and have only some of them return…And we definitely cannot accept an outline that sees the release of female and underage terrorists when we don’t get every back…Hamas also wants to ‘be rid of’ the women and children in the first stage because they caused international pressure, and the organization wants fuel, released terrorists and a break in IDF activity in return.” He added that Israel was making the same mistakes it made in the past and that this was the time to continue the military pressure on Hamas. P.M. Netanyahu said that when the ceasefire is over, the fighting will resume and that “We won’t let up until victory is ours and until all the hostages are home too.” It is difficult to believe Netanyahu’s pledges at this point, after the government repeatedly stated that there would be no ceasefire UNTIL ALL the hostages were returned and backtracked when it agreed to the present deal.

From the 7th of October, Israel has experienced and continues to experience national trauma. To say that we have been “stressed out” would be a gross understatement. Our nerves have been frazzled and we will continue to go through additional torment each time that we try to negotiate with a monstrous terrorist organization, which our national leadership has referred to as being “worse than ISIS”, actually even worse than “Nazis”. And by sitting with them at the “negotiating table” and compromising on the stated goals of this war, Israel is actually enabling terrorists to exalt themselves in the eyes of their comrades and before the world. The terrorists will be seen as “the good guys”, freeing up women and children, while Israel continues to wage war to eliminate the evil that is called “Hamas”.

We will all rejoice, most likely with tears streaming down our faces and with an outpouring of emotion, when the first hostages are returned from Gaza – an infant, a toddler or young child, and a mother or grandmother – all of whom will be embraced by family whose hearts have been pounding with anticipation since the announcement yesterday that the deal was approved by the government. But, the list of hostages to be released is only partial and even the families won’t know if their loved ones are included until the IDF and our security forces are certain of which hostages are, in fact, being released. 

What about those who will NOT be returning home in the next four days? For their families and friends the anguish will continue. And while the families and the hostages continue to agonize, Yehya Sinwar and his murderous companions will celebrate yet another victory, together with the “Palestinians” who will be released from Israeli prisons. 

At the outset of this war and up to the present, Israel has set forth two goals: the return of the hostages and the elimination of Hamas. Sinwar and Hamas want to extend the ceasefire time, so they are dragging out the return of the hostages to keep Israel focused on them and not on the second goal, namely: eliminating Hamas. They will play the hostage card for as long as possible, during which time they will remain in power. Israel has already revealed its soft underbelly – the hostages – and we will not want to jeopardize their safety and their possible return by turning the Gaza Strip into a parking lot. So, we can anticipate that our nerves will continue to be frazzled.

Hamas essentially got everything it wanted: a separation from the women and children, fuel, release of terrorists being held by Israel, increased “humanitarian aid”, a cessation of surveillance and, most of all, a time out from the fighting. The next “round of negotiations”, whenever that will be, will be dangled like a carrot in front of a horse and will contain considerably more difficult terms. And then after that, maybe yet another round of negotiations. A few years back, we released a thousand terrorists, one of whom was Yehya Sinwar, in a deal to bring about the release of one of our soldiers. At the outset of the war, Sinwar wanted the release of all of the “Palestinian” prisoners being held by Israel, some six thousand. If we don’t internalize the mistakes that we made in the past, we will end up repeating them to our considerable sorrow and regret.

Hamas has never lived up to any ceasefire agreements that it made with Israel in the past. The present agreed upon ceasefire is supposed to go into effect tomorrow morning. There has always been a massive missile barrage before the time set for a ceasefire. Let’s see what happens between now and 10:00 tomorrow.

Bless, be blessed and be a blessing,

Marvin

Shalom all,

Israel Update – Day 46 of the War.

As of this update, the number the IDF death toll since the beginning of the ground operation in the Gaza Strip is 68. From the 7th of October until now, 390 members of the IDF have been killed.

Words have meaning: An article appearing in The Times of Israel (TTOI) news feed at 4:04 p.m. today, two perspectives are represented by the words “very optimistic”. The news feed states:

Qatar says it is “very optimistic” on finalizing a deal to release dozens of hostages from Israel held by terrorists in Gaza since October 7.

Dr. Majed Al Ansari, the spokesperson for the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs, says in a post on X: “We are working towards an agreement taking place and we are now at the closest point we ever have been in reaching and an agreement. We are very optimistic, we are very hopeful, but we are also very keen for this mediation to succeed in reaching a humanitarian truce.” (Emphasis in both paragraphs mine)

Same words, but different focus. The understanding and emphasis of TTOI is the release of the hostages. The understanding and emphasis of Qatar is reaching a truce. Yes, words have meaning and should be understood in the context in which those words appear and, who is speaking.

The IDF trained for the scenario that took place in the Gaza envelope…only in the wrong place. A month before the invasion of Hamas, the IDF trained for a possible terrorist incursion and attack of border communities, as well as the blocking of main roads that would hinder the arrival of reinforcements. But, the training was for a scenario in the north, by the Hezbollah, not in the south, by Hamas and Islamic Jihad.

Believing that the Gaza border was secure, the IDF sent elite units to the north and prepared for invading terrorists from Israel’s northern border. There was a seeming justification for that action. A significant buildup of Hezbollah forces took place near the Lebanon-Israel border, in a blatant violation of UN Resolution 1701 that was passed following the Second Lebanon War in 2006. About 30 military posts and observation towers were set up by Hezbollah prior to the war in Gaza, many of which have since been destroyed by the IDF. It was believed that after getting “hands on” experience in the Syrian civil war, the al-Hajj Radwan commando force was looking for action against Israel. This is a significant part of the Hezbollah human arsenal, with some 2,500 members. 

Only five weeks before the massacre by Hamas, the Radwan force was doing simulated attacks upon Israeli communities, taking hostages, shooting up everything “Israeli” in sight, using motorcycles, weaponry and unmanned aircraft. According to Orna Mizrachi, a senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies: “[The Radwan] unit’s aim is to infiltrate Israel and conquer swaths of the Galilee…Their exercise last week showed that that’s exactly what they’re striving for. They wish to penetrate Israeli territory with captured vehicles, take over a community, hoist up their flag and declare their success.” With an almost prescient understanding of events soon to take place, she added: “I believe that the convergence of fronts is a new development that has become more prominent in recent years…Iran’s support for forces in Syria, Gaza, and Lebanon is increasing, and it may lead to a war with multiple fronts. Iran is leading a comprehensive resistance front, involving not only the Shia axis but also the Palestinian factions in Gaza backed by Iran. The objective is to challenge the IDF and open simultaneous fronts, although Hezbollah has never directly engaged in conflict with Israel alongside the Palestinians…Hezbollah is a state within a state….” (emphasis mine)

Denials and lies:The IDF has consistently maintained that the  al-Shifa hospital served as a base for Hamas activities. Hamas has repeatedly denied it and various nations have claimed that there is no proof of the IDF’s claims. The scenes displayed by the videos cameras inside the hospital, that went viral, was photographic evidence of Hamas’s lies. Now, one of Hamas’s own, home-bread terrorists, revealed that Hamas terrorists disguised themselves as medical staff in the hospital, buttressing Israel’s allegations of war crimes by Hamas, by using medical institutions for terrorist purposes.

A short while ago, the government approved the hostage deal, according to which Hamas will release 50 live hostages (8 out of 13 mothers and another 12 female senior citizens, as well as 30 of the 40 children hostages), in exchange for Israel’s releases 140 female prisoners and minors, including terrorists, but not those convicted of murder. That is a technical statement, to get around releasing terrorists responsible for incidents where Israelis have been killed, but for one reason or another, they were not actually convicted of murder. They will be released after the Israeli hostages are returned. 

According to the various reports, the hostages will be released in 4 stages over a period of 4 days (12-13 per day) during a daily ceasefire of 6 hours. The ceasefire will go into effect when the first Israeli returns. Israel will agree to further pauses in the fighting one additional day for every additional 10 hostages that are released. 

Considering the nature of the beast that Israel was negotiating with, it would be reasonable to expect that Hamas will take full advantage of the ceasefires to booby-trap installations, facilities and other locations in Gaza, to move its personnel and try to cause Israel to violate the ceasefire. Hamas really doesn’t care whether its people are released or not. Its goal is to embarrass Israel and to defeat it, psychologically and militarily.

The agreement also includes a condition demanded by Yehya Sinwar, the leader of Hamas, that during the 6-hour ceasefires, Israel will halt its UAVs in the Gaza airspace. An Israeli official addressed this particular condition and said that according to the IDF and Shin Bet (Israel’s security service), even during the ceasefires, Israel will still have intelligence gathering capabilities. “We will not be blind and we’ll know what’s happening on the ground.”

During the times of the ceasefire only, Israel will also allow more fuel to be brought into the Gaza Strip. And, to wrap up the main points, Hamas will notify Israel one day in advance which hostages will be released the following day.

This deal is a public relations victory for Yehya Sinwar, the head of Hamas. Israel is beginning to pay the price for the return of the hostages. The price will only increase during the next set of negotiations.

P.M. Netanyahu, Minister of Defense Yoav Galant and former head of the IDF, Benny Gantz, all indicated that the return of the hostages is our primary, moral obligation, and that after the ceasefires, the war will continue until Israel achieves all of its goals.

What about the families whose loved ones WILL NOT be released as part of this deal? Some women will be released while their husbands will remain in the hands of Hamas. A child might be released, but his older brother or sister will still be held hostage. A mother will be released, but her son or daughter in the IDF will not. 

Some members of the IDF were interviewed by war correspondents during the last few days. Their motivation was high and most of those interviewed said that they did not intend to leave Gaza until the job was done. They were fighting for the release of ALL of the hostages. How will they react to the orders to “fight, then take a 6-hour break, then get back to fighting?”

The anger and anguish of the families that existed before this deal is expected to increase. After the release of the hostages that are part of this deal, will their families and friends continue to join the others in the demonstrations for the release of ALL of the remaining, close to 200, hostages?

This deal is difficult and painful. Not all of the families are happy that Israel agreed to the release of terrorists and that only a partial release of hostages was agreed to. We made that mistake a number of times, one of which resulted in freeing Yehya Sinwar. I’m happy for the families who will receive their loved ones back as part of this deal, but continue to agonize with the families whose hope is deferred.

The Dry Bones Blog – 15 November, 2023

We need to continue to pray. Yehya Sinwar continues to gloat over the massacre that was committed at his direction. He will also claim victory over the embarrassment that he is causing to Israel by setting the terms for the release of the hostages and the pace of the release. Most of those taken by Hamas, as well as by Islamic Jihad and others will remain hostages for an unknown period of time. The nation will continue to agonize. And the war…is far from over. We got over Pharaoh, we’ll get over this!

O Israel, trust in the LORD; He is their help and their shield. (Psalm 115:9)

Wisdom is better than weapons of war (Ecclesiastes 9:18)

“When Your people go out to battle against their enemy, by whatever way You shall send them, and they pray to the LORD toward the city which You have chosen and the house which I have built for Your name, then hear in heaven their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause.” (1 Kings 8:44-45)

Help us, LORD, to keep our eyes on Him who is invisible, the Holy One of Israel, who longs to be gracious to us.

Bless, be blessed and be a blessing.

Marvin

Shalom all,

As of this update, the number the IDF death toll since the beginning of the ground operation in the Gaza Strip is 66.

Hostage dilemma: deal or denial. Ynetnews reported that according to what a Hamas official supposedly said to the Jordanian newspaper Al Ghad, there was going to be a pause/ceasefire/halt in the fighting that would go into effect as of 11:00 a.m. this morning. Well, obviously that hasn’t happened. So, let’s chalk up one more untruth emanating from the hellish halls of Hamas. From the Israeli side, it was denied that such an agreement was reached.

The fighting is ongoing, reports of IDF casualties continue to come in, loud and aggressive protests call for the government to “bring the hostages home now”, while Yehya Sinwar, the head of Hamas, sets the terms that he wants Israel to agree to in order to effectuate a release of hostages. It should be pointed out that Hamas is not willing to capitulate, but it is willing to “negotiate” – on its terms. The families, friends and protest organizers, who are clamoring for the government to act, should ask themselves a simple question: What can Israel do to expedite the return of the hostages? If they consider all of the circumstances, they may readily come to the conclusion that what they are requesting is not going to be decided by Israel, but by those holding the hostages – Hamas, “Palestinian” Islamic Jihad and others. More specifically, the fate of the hostages will be decided, from a human point of view, by Sinwar. His erratic “on again – off again” behavior at the negotiating table (through his intermediary, of course) reveals that he is, essentially, a one-man show, who does not take into account the perspectives of other senior Hamas members.

According to an article today in Haaretz, an acknowledged leftist journal: “Israeli defense officials say Sinwar is still euphoric over the success of the October 7 massacre. Consequently, he is sticking to hardline bargaining positions and ignoring the enormous suffering he brought down on Gaza’s residents. But based on that same analysis, some people are arguing that Israel should leap at the opportunity for a deal, even though it won’t free all the hostages. Sinwar is less rational than, for instance, Hezbollah, they say, and might therefore cut off contact with the mediators or even with the hostages if the war intensifies. If so, there’s an urgent need to quickly extricate anyone we can from captivity.” (my emphasis) The use of the term “captivity” in the article evokes considerations of prisoners of war. The hostages are prisoners of terrorists, not of soldiers.

Again, we come back to the dilemma of whether Israel should do everything it can (in other words, compromise) to get out as many hostages as possible from the clutches of an irrational ego-maniac (as is argued by former IDF chiefs, or do everything it can to put more pressure on Sinwar to agree to Israeli terms, as suggested by the present Minister of Defense, among others. No matter how we look at it, entering into a deal with Hamas will buy time for Hamas to try to get its act together. There will be trickles of releases, but no comprehensive deal will be worked out until Sinwar, or whoever will take his place, is convinced that Israel’s ground offensive will not be able to destroy Hamas’s rule in the Gaza Strip, notwithstanding present victories on the ground by the IDF.

So, where does that leave us? Go for a deal and get as many hostages back as possible, or press on militarily to achieve the original goal of eliminating Hamas, its tunnels and its threat to Israel? The former will, at some point, necessitate ending the ground offensive, as more promises are made for the release of additional small groups of hostages. But, there still is no guarantee that ALL of the hostages will eventually be returned, or that whoever is returned will still be alive. Maybe at some later point, Israel could initiate military action to eliminate Hamas once and for all and finally accomplish what this war was intended to achieve

.The second alternative is to press on for military victory now, which would undoubtedly succeed in one of its goals, namely, removal of the threat of Hamas. But, that would be accompanied by the reality that we may never see most of the hostages alive again. The real, practical question is whether Israel will be able to locate and return all of the hostages through its military endeavor. That is doubtful, because, as I have written on earlier occasions:

“***Hamas clarified that it does not know the whereabouts of all the kidnapped children and mothers and would need to gather them during the initial days of the truce, provided Israel refrains from airstrikes.

“Additionally, Hamas expressed willingness to increase the number of released hostages, contingent on being able to locate them in Gaza during the truce.” In other words, Hamas has been “negotiating” to commit to doing something that, at this time, it does not even know that it can accomplish. So, we are back to square one and the question that I asked very early on: If it was up to you, what would you decide to do?

Hostages brought to Al-Shifa Hospital:Contrary to denials by Hamas and denials by doctors and medical staff that hostages were brought to the Al-Shifa hospital, video footage reveals that at least some hostages were brought there. This adds to the physical findings in other parts of this and other hospitals that reveal that the hostages were taken there. Whether they were treated or killed inside or outside of the hospital will eventually be revealed. For now, the footage speaks for itself. Hamas forgot to shut off the video cameras inside the hospital, which cameras provide evidence against their claims that the hospital was not used for their purposes.

In many instances, where the IDF goes and what it does in the Gaza Strip is based on intelligence information received from captured terrorists, as well as from civilian residents in Gaza – including the use of hospitals for Hamas bases. “The IDF’s Military Intelligence Directorate’s Unit 504 — which specializes in HUMINT (human intelligence) — has dozens of Arabic-speaking soldiers that are on the ground in the Gaza Strip, alongside the combat units, carrying out field interrogations and providing intelligence to forces….We received thousands of phone calls from [Palestinians willing to provide information] at a magnitude never before seen in the unit. It is evident that the residents of the Gaza Strip are not satisfied with the barbaric behavior of Hamas, the ordinary citizen understands that Hamas is bringing a disaster on the residents of Gaza that will be difficult for them to recover from.” If somebody wants to yell “war crimes”, they should direct their accusations at Hamas, not at Israel.

Today is World Children’s Day and some 40 children, including babies, are being held hostage by Hamas and other terror groups. Most of the articles dealing with World Children’s Day relate to the children in the Gaza Strip, while humanitarian crisis of Israeli children being held captive by Hamas is largely ignored.

And while President Joe Biden continues to say that a hostage deal is close to being worked out, two rockets were fired this evening from Gaza towards central part of Israel, setting off sirens in Tel Aviv.

The northern arena continues to see action, as the IDF struck a Hezbollah command center, along with other sites in southern Lebanon, following rocket and missile fire launched into northern Israel. Since the beginning of the war, about 1,000 projectiles have been launched by the Hezbollah into Israel.

The incredibly idiotic lie of the day: In an official statement of the “Palestinian” Authority, it denies that Hamas murdered participants at the music festival near Re’im and claims that the casualties there were caused by bombing from an Israeli jet fighter. Uncontrovertible facts prove that Hamas slaughtered and committed other atrocities on October 7th, which included those attending the festival. There will probably be many around the world who will believe what the P.A. claims. They won’t want to know the real facts, so they won’t be confused by those facts. After all, they’ve already made up their minds that Israel is guilty – it doesn’t matter what the issue is. For them, Israel is to blame. 

To round out the day:In addition to the hijacking of an “Israeli-linked ship” by the Yemenite Houthis, which had no Israelis on board, another sea adventure is soon to be undertaken from Turkey. An estimated 1,000 boats are reportedly getting ready to leave Turkey for Gaza and Ashdod this Thursday (23rd November). The goal is to break the Israeli sea blockade of Gaza and disrupt maritime trade with Israel. This is an enlarged, but repeat, performance of the Mavi Marmara “Gaza Freedom Flotilla” of May, 2010, which resulted in the deaths of ten Turkish activists and the wounding of ten members of the IDF, and caused an extended diplomatic strain in the relationship between Israel and Turkey. This time, it is estimated that some 4,500 people, including women and children, from 40 countries, will participate. The largest contingent will be with Russian activists (313 boats) and Spanish activists (104 boats). Although the organizers of the venture claim that none of the boats will carry weapons, still, if they attempt to violate the territorial waters of Israel, they will be stopped. Just another matter to pray about!

Update regarding Amitay, the IDF soldier who was severely wounded almost two weeks ago and had to have both of his legs amputated: He is still hospitalized in intensive care, sedated and ventilated.  He had another surgery on his legs today, which reportedly went well. Many more surgeries on his legs are expected. A prolonged hospitalization in the intensive care unit is expected.

 The family asks for prayer for him:

 * That no further infections develop and that the fever remains stable and low

 * Wisdom for the medical team regarding decisions regarding the continuation of treatment

 * That the wounds on the legs will respond well to the treatment

 * Full recovery for the left eye

And finally, if the war, the missiles, the vessel hijacking and the planned flotilla were not enough to deal with, the Israeli Ministry of Health announced this afternoon (Monday) that in light of unusual microbiologic results obtained as part of a routine sampling of the drinking water, it is mandatory for Haifa residents to boil water before drinking, cooking, preparing food, preparing medicines and brushing teeth. Water can be used for bathing and sanitation. These instructions are valid only for Haifa (where we live).

Bless, be blessed and be a blessing.

Marvin

Shalom all,

As of this update, the number the IDF death toll since the beginning of the ground operation in the Gaza Strip is 64.

Release of Hostages: According to an article appearing in World Israel News and in the Jerusalem Post , citing a report by the Washington Post this morning, a tentative agreement was reached by Israel, the U.S. and Hamas, for the release of 87 hostages being held by Hamas, in exchange for the release of teenage terrorists and female terrorists presently held in Israeli jails. According to the article, among the 87 hostages to be released are “40 Israeli women, 13 Israeli children and 35 foreign nationals”. Part of the “deal” includes a 5-day halt in the fighting, during which time the hostages will be freed in “small groups every 24 hours”.

A few points about the above article: (1)  The article is in World Israel News and The Jerusalem Post, but the report referred to is in the Washington Post; (2)  The report does not become “fact” until the Israeli government acknowledges that an agreement was reached with Hamas – with the intervention of the U.S.;(3)  Despite the massive pounding by the IDF of Hamas strongholds, and the obvious loss of control by Hamas over northern areas of the Gaza Strip, the terms of this “agreement” are, essentially, being set by Hamas, not by Israel; (4) The release of 87 hostages will be carried out in stages during a 5-day period, when there is a temporary halt in the fighting; (5)  The 87 hostages that will be released represent just over 35% of all of the hostages being held by Hamas, by the “Palestinian” Islamic Jihad and by unaffiliated, and unknown, mob families; (6) The agreement by Israel for the release of 35% of the hostages, in exchange for a 5-day halt in the fighting is a serious breach of the promise by the Israeli government to the nation that Israel will not agree to a temporary halt in the fighting WITHOUT THE RETURN OF ALL OF THE HOSTAGES; (7) The 87 hostages to be released include 35 foreign nationals; (8) The U.S. is an active participant in the negotiations and has a vested interest in helping to bring about a cessation of the fighting, in order to help release some of the hostages, which includes American citizens; (9)  It would not be surprising if the foreign nationals to be released include all of the American citizens; (10) Israel’s agreeing to the release of 40 Israeli women and 13 Israeli children leaves an unknown number of additional women and children in the hands of the terrorists, whose identities, ages and health conditions remain unknown, and also leaves all of the men and, specifically, all of the soldiers – who are not necessarily all men; (11)  Israel’s agreement to the partial release of hostages will require the release of terrorists in Israeli jails, most of whom will probably have blood on their hands; (12)  Israel will be required to deliver fuel to the Gaza enclave, which it has already agreed to do, and which in all likelihood, will not be used for the humanitarian relief of Gaza citizens, but for military use by Hamas and the “Palestinian” Islamic Jihad; (13)  By returning the hostages a little bit at a time, Hamas can control, to a degree, Israel’s compliance with the terms of the “agreement” and can stop the return of the hostages at any time that it feels that Israel is not behaving itself properly; (14)  By returning the hostages a little bit at a time, Hamas can regroup, reorganize, rearm and repair some of the damage caused to their terrorist infrastructure, as well as remove themselves and the remaining hostages to a different location; (15)  By agreeing to the return of only about a third of the hostages, in exchange for the release of terrorists, fuel and a ceasefire, Israel shows that it is willing to bow to internal (as well as external) pressure and yield to the demands of terrorists, WHOSE DEMANDS WILL INCREASE DURING THE NEXT ROUNDS OF NEGOTIATIONS; (16) Leaving the IDF deep inside of Gaza for an extended ceasefire (5 days) will leave them as sitting ducks – it should be remembered that most of the IDF casualties during the Second Lebanon War took place when they were inside Lebanon, but were under orders from the government not to press forward in their fight against the Hezbollah, but to maintain their positions; (17)  When these particular hostages are returned, the pressure on the government will increase from the families and related groups to agree to whatever is necessary to bring about the release of the remaining hostages – a situation that could well bring us back to Hamas’s original “demands” for the release of all of the “Palestinians” (of whatever affiliation they may have) presently in Israeli jails; (18)  The release of women, children and foreign nationals, while leaving members of the IDF as hostages could have a serious affect upon the psyche of the nation, as well as the morale of the soldiers on the front lines, who were highly motivated to bring about the elimination of Hamas and the return of ALL of the hostages, including their comrades in arms; (19)  Once there is a prolonged cessation of fighting, it may be difficult to get motivated again and even to justify, at least from the point of view of international pressure, a resumption of the fighting; (20)  Israel’s failure to obtain the release and return of ALL of the hostages as a condition for agreeing to a halt in the fighting will be seen as a public-relations victory for Hamas and concomitant public-relations failure for Israel – Remember: in this part of the world, “saving face” or “losing face” is everything; it you are not decisively shown to having “lost”, then you are seen as having “won”. 

Admittedly, the Israeli government is in a difficult situation. Clearly, our “humanitarian assistance” should be first and foremost to our own people. But, our hostages have been and remain our weak point during these six weeks of warfare. 

Unlike prior military confrontations with Hamas, which resulted in third-party brokered ceasefires, this time, Israel committed itself to Hamas’s elimination. Representatives of Hamas have already publicly stated that there will be repetitions of the events of October 7th. As noted by Ritz Katz, Executive Director of SITE Intelligence Group, that examines the ideology and online communications of extremist groups: “Even if its current leadership is effectively destroyed…Hamas and its followers will continue to regard Oct. 7 as a victory. That’s partly because the group unquestionably succeeded in focusing the world’s attention on the Palestinian conflict…It’s the first time I can remember that Hamas has become so prominent on a global scale…So many people have already forgotten Oct. 7 because Hamas immediately changed the discussion. It put the focus on Israel, not themselves. And that’s exactly what they wanted.” By its willingness to negotiate with the terrorists, Israel is compromising on its specifically declared goals, bringing us back to a seemingly endless cycle that this war was designed to break.

There were warnings that most of the world ignored, including Israel. Hamas had previously stated its genocidal plans:

“We will cut off your heads”

“We must attack every Jew on the planet – slaughter and kill”

“We will die as I blow up and cut the throats of the Jews and their legs”

“We will tear them to shreds”  The “Palestinian” Authority, whom Uncle Sam is trying to convince Uncle Izzy to take over control of the Gaza Strip after Hamas is defeated, has the same goals as Hamas – the destruction of Israel. We weren’t listening then. Is anyone listening now?

Let’s also try to keep things in perspective. Representatives of Qatar are brokering the negotiations for a ceasefire and the return of hostages. The Prime Minister of Qatar accused Israel of committing a massacre “before the eyes of the whole world” and added: “The world community must take stand against the violation of international law…Israel claims that hospitals are the headquarters of Hamas. What happened in Al Shifa is a crime and, unfortunately, we have not heard condemnation from the international community. We appreciate the European Union’s calls for a humanitarian truce and a cease-fire in Gaza.” In light of these comments, are we supposed to understand and readily accept that Qatar is acting as an “impartial intermediary”?

Maybe, just maybe, the leadership of Israel will pause and consider its ways. Maybe, just maybe, it will fulfill its promises to the nation and keep its collective heart and mind focused and its eyes on the goal. Then it can say that it has faithfully performed what it has promised, echoing the words of Joshua 1:9, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Bless, be blessed and be a blessing.

Marvin

Shalom all,

As of this update, the reported IDF death toll since the beginning of the ground operation in the Gaza Strip is 56.

As Shabbat came to an end, along with six weeks of warfare, the IDF reported fierce clashes between its troops and terrorists in the northern areas of Hamas. This can only mean that the names of more casualties will be released tomorrow. In addition, rockets are still being launched from Gaza to Israel, with one such rocket hitting a home in Sderot. Along with that are reports that the Hezbollah has fired at least 25 missiles from Lebanon into the northern part of Israel, continuing its slow, but steady, expansion of its cross-border activities, resulting in pin-point responses from the IDF.

Israelis march to Jerusalem. Some 30,000 people joined the families of the hostages in their march to Jerusalem and the rally outside of P.M. Netanyahu’s office. Following the demonstration, the families returned to Tel Aviv, for a rally demanding the release of the hostages.  The families are also planning to meet with war-cabinet Minister Benny Gantz, and cabinet observer, Minister Gadi Eisenkot. A meeting with P.M. Netanyahu, with war-cabinet Minister Yoav Gallant and Strategic Affairs Minister, Ron Dermer, although desired, did not take place.

Israel’s war cabinet met last night and completely rejected Hamas’s proposal for the release of 50 hostages. Israel is looking for the release of at least 70-80 hostages. The war cabinet insisted that families who were taken into captivity should not be separated. Nevertheless, there was a willingness to conduct negotiations for the release only of all mothers and children being held hostage. The war cabinet further agreed to be flexible about the length of time that Israel would be willing to allow a pause in the fighting. In the meantime, U.S. President Joe Biden spoke with the Emir of Qatar and discussed the “urgent need to release all hostages held by Hamas without any delay.” (my emphasis) 

On Thursday, 16th October, CNN broadcast a 6-minute investigative report on the atrocities committed by Hamas, including rape. An IDF elite unit paramedic found the bodies of teenage girls in Be’eri who were raped before being killed by the terrorists that broke into their homes on 7th October. An additional report contained a description by a survivor of the horrors of the atrocities. Preceding the screening of that report, there was a cautionary warning that appeared, that the report contained “disturbing material”.

The leftist news paper “Haaretz” also published a verbal and written report, asking “Why is the Cruel Sexual Violence of the October 7 Hamas Attack Being Ignored?” In the report, Prof. Ruth Halperin-Kaddar, who served for 12 years on the U.N. Committee on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women and is now a member of the newly formed Civil Commission on Hamas’s October 7 Crimes Against Women, said that she felt “completely betrayed” by the various international women’s rights organizations that she worked with for many years, because of their “failure to condemn – or even recognize – the rape, kidnapping and other atrocities committed by Hamas terrorists against Israeli citizens on October 7.” She added that now, “when we Israeli women are faced with the most horrible occurrence of ‘conflict-related sexual violence’, there is complete silence”  (my emphasis) by the UN-affiliated groups that she worked with, whose mission was to protect women from violence. Halpein-Kaddar’s further stated: “By being silent here, they’re not only failing us Israeli women, they’re undermining the whole system. They lose credibility. By not referring to the ongoing crime of holding hostages, they are in fact legitimizing [it] – and you might even say that they’re complicit in this situation of hostages being kept without a word about their whereabouts, without a word about their condition. They are also providing ammunition to all those who are already engaged in a denial campaign.” Indeed, one could and should legitimately ask why such a silence exists, particularly when the sexual attacks were filmed by the body cameras of Hamas and they broadcasted the footage of their barbaric assaults in real time. Maybe it’s because most of the victims were eventually killed following the rapes. Or, maybe it is just another form of antisemitic / anti-Israel sentiment.

Most of the nations in the world tend to have short memories. The Hamas atrocities were front-page news for a short period of time. When Israel got back on its feet and started to pursue Hamas, the front-page news began to clamor over the cost to civilian lives in Gaza and  Israel’s “disproportionate response” to the massacre of 7th October. Those who call for “proportionality” in our response really don’t understand what they are calling for. In its essence, the idea is based upon the Biblical concept of “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth,,,” (Exodus 21:23-25; Leviticus 24:20; Deuteronomy 19:21).

In their article appearing in Israel Hayom, Alan G. Futerman and Walter e. Block cogently point out, among other things: “If those who speak of proportionality would follow the implications of their request to its logical conclusion, they would soon find out that it would have been better to stay silent. True proportionality in this context amounts to revenge on a horrendous scale….But in reality, Israel should not and in fact does not seek revenge, nor should look for “proportionality” in the above sense. Only Justice. In other words, the only sense in which the term “proportionality” makes sense in this context is that a country should be entitled to respond in proportion to the threat it faces, to end it. The only proportional response is to end the threat which Hamas represents for Israel’s citizens. Not to engage in the sort of mass murder that only monsters such as Hamas assassins could and did in fact commit.” (my emphasis)

David M. Weinberg is a columnist and lobbyist, who is a sharp critic of Israel detractors. In his article: Don’t You Dare!, he argues that the Israeli government should resist all pressures from Washington and other Western nations to cut back on its goal to destroy Hamas, because of their concerns over the toll on Gaza citizens. He argues that our leaders “must persist in pounding Hamas-ISIS to smithereens until every last Hamas commander is dead, every last Hamas terror attack tunnel is destroyed, and every last Hamas missile bunker is obliterated…The war cannot and must not end until Israel has achieved its legitimate military objectives in full, with no fudging, no obfuscations, and no hesitations. Israel cannot tolerate ceasefires along the way – no truces, no armistices, no fallbacks, no restrictions on its use of (overwhelming and simultaneously precise) force – until total victory is achieved. Complete capitulation or annihilation of Hamas is the goal, nothing less. No more Hamas in Gaza, or in Judea and Samaria (the West Bank). No more Hamas terrorists alive elsewhere in the world either. They all must be hunted down and eliminated.

“In the history of modern warfare, there is no more justified military campaign than this one. And only such a campaign to absolutely end the Hamas threat to Israel justifies the heavy losses that Israel already has suffered and the pain of what almost certainly will be further losses.

“Israeli leaders have no mandate from the Israeli public to call off or scale-back the assault on Hamas. Would they do so, under pressure from well-meaning and fickle allies alike, Israelis would explode in anger, assuredly filling the streets of every city in this country with millions of protestors demanding that the war against Hamas be fully prosecuted. Compromise with Hamas would be defeat. Bending to US President Biden (who, it must be acknowledged, thus far has been rock solid in his backing of Israel) would be considered collapse.” In the absence of a surrender by Hamas (the likelihood of which is nil), Israel has no choice but to pursue this war until Hamas is utterly defeated. The only way that basic security can be restored to our “battered and traumatized public” is for the government to follow through with its promise to Israeli society to pursue this goal of total elimination of Hamas. Only then will displaced Israelis return to their homes in the north and the south. Unfortunately, the government has decided not only to backtrack on its oft-repeated commitment not to allow a ceasefire without the return of ALL the hostages, but it is also willing to allow truckloads of fuel to enter the Gaza enclave, as part of the present humanitarian aid being provided to Gaza through the crossing from Egypt. This will eventually turn out to be counter-productive and extend, rather than shorten, the war.

Then again, this IS Israel, where miracles still occur on a regular basis. The government might actually follow through on its promises (although obviously, not immediately) to do what is necessary to destroy this existential enemy. 

I’ll close on a happier note: First Sergeant Noam Hacohen, a commander in an elite Givati unit, has spent 43 consecutive days with his soldiers in Gaza. He was supposed to be released, but chose to stay with his men. Colonel (in the Reserves) Yair Hacohen, Noam’s father, suprised him this morning in Gaza. No one’s eyes were left dry.

As we begin a new week, please remember to pray for: all the members of the IDF; all the hostages who are still alive; all the families whose loved ones were killed or taken hostage and for all the wounded. The government needs divine wisdom and courage. I’ll leave it at that.

Bless, be blessed and be a blessing.

Marvin

Shalom all,

“A voice is heard in Ramah,

Lamenting and bitter weeping.

Rachel is weeping for her children;

She refuses to be comforted for her children,

Because they are no more.” (Jeremiah 31:15)

Today, I attended the funeral of Corporal Avraham Fetena, who was killed yesterday (Thursday) in an attack at a tunnel road security checkpoint in Jerusalem. This checkpoint, like others, was set up in an effort to prevent, as much as possible, terrorists from entering Jerusalem. People can sit in their vehicles at these locations for an extended period of time, as traffic can easily be backed up for a mile. Anyone who wants to commit an act of terrorism just needs to become part of the traffic jam, while everyone who is stuck in the traffic jam becomes a target with no place to turn and nowhere to run. Corporal Fetena was attached to the unit inspecting the vehicles at the checkpoint. A squad of three terrorists, residents of Hebron, were in a vehicle that was stopped at the checkpoint for inspection when they opened fire, injuring six. Fetena was one of them and he later died from his wounds. The three terrorists were killed. Security sources in Israel reported that this was a failed attempt by Hamas to commit a broader attack inside Jerusalem. When their car was later examined, it was found to contain what looked like IDF uniforms, axes, weapons and ammunition capable of carrying out a wide-scale attack.

The funeral for Corporal Fetena took place at the military cemetery in Haifa. It was attended by multitudes -military personnel, as well as civilians, family, friends and members of the Messianic community. The coffin draped with the Israeli flag was brought in and carried by a special unit of the IDF, who were followed by members of the grieving family. The officer who was in charge of the funeral recounted Fetena’s faithful service and that his heroic action saved the lives of many others. As different Officers spoke or otherwise participated in the service, it was impossible to hold back tears, mine as well as those of others. Some of the soldiers were visibly shaken, while others tried to comfort them. Members of Fetena’s unit were also present, one of them being the daughter of the secretary in my office. When the shots were fired from the 3-volley salute, the sound seemed to reverberate, as it brought home the reality of the present war that has gripped both the hearts and minds of the nation. When Fetena’s father stood to recite the Mourner’s Kadish (an Aramaic term meaning “sanctification” – from the Hebrew word “Kadosh” = holy) , his prayer was mixed with tears and sorrow, his voice cracked and at the end, it was clear that he was broken, as we all were. Throughout the service, tears flowed freely, but the pain of loss was clearly felt by all. Rachel is still weeping for her children.

While at the military cemetery, I had a chance to look at the inscriptions on many graves. Each life represented was a silent world. One gravestone in particular caught my attention. I covered identifying information. But, look at the date on the bottom left: 7 October, 1973. He was killed in action 50 years earlier in the Yom Kippur War on the same day of the Gregorian Calendar that Hamas broke through the barrier fence and massacred in Israel over 1,400 people. On the bottom left corner are five Hebrew letters, which mean “may his life be bound up in the bundle of the living” based upon 1 Samuel 25:29, which is a prayer of faith in the eternal life of the soul.

Despite the pain, anguish and abiding sense of loss, we do not grieve as those who have no hope (1 Thess. 4:13). For those who are absent from the Body are present with the Lord (1 Cor. 5:8), in Whose presence is fullness of joy (Psalm 16:11).

We say that “a picture is worth a thousand words”. So, in order to save a thousand words, I am attaching a photo of Yehya Sinwar holding a child. While the child, dressed like a Hamas terrorist, appears to be holding a rifle, it you look closely at the photo, you can see that Sinwar is actually holding the weapon with his finger on the trigger. This is how Hamas wants to train up the next generation. The title of the article, in Hebrew, is: “IN A WAR WITH SATAN ONE SHOULD NOT (literally – it is forbidden to) BLINK: THE FINAL AND JUSTIFIED GOAL OF THE WAR – THE ELIMINATION OF HAMAS”.

The article then discusses the reasonable likelihood that the dead body of a female hostage,  that was found by forces of the IDF operating in the Gaza Strip, will not be the last one. The IDF is meticulously searching for indications that the hostages were taken to hospitals in Gaza and that some were treated there. Rumors are circulating that a multitude of corpses were found in the area of one of the hospitals and that those bodies were removed to the forensic lab in Israel in an effort to identify them. According to unpublished reports, the number of bodies could be close to 200. If these bodies are, in fact, of those taken hostage by Hamas, then our entire understanding of the number of people kidnapped needs to change.

Present estimates are consistently that some 240 (give or take) people were taken hostage. Hamas is “offering” to exchange 50 hostages, while the “Palestinian” Islamic Jihad holds about 40 more. That gives us 90. Unaffiliated, civilian mobs are said to be holding another 20. That gives us 110. If another 200 dead bodies were found and will be identified as Israeli and/or those non-Israelis who were taken captive with the others on 7th October, then the number reaches 310, not 240. The extent of the atrocities only gets worse.

Then there are the crimes that took place on 7th October that tend to be ignored during a time of war, such as rape. Some do try to speak out against them. Others sometimes attempt to justify them. Evil takes many forms, some active, some passive.

The Genesis War:Israeli Journalist and former Israeli Ambassador to Italy, Dior Eydar, wrote an excellent article today in Israel Hayom and suggested that this war should be called “the Genesis War”, “not only because it broke out when we finished the Torah cycle and started over from the beginning, but because the terrible events forced us to abandon many of our old conceptions and views and pick up from scratch”  and that everything that took place before 7th October should be considered “BO7” . We are now living in “a completely different era from the one we knew previously.” This is actually a reasonable designation. He relates to the events and the stories of bravery that took place during the War of Independence and adds:

“And then there is the heroism of mothers and fathers who bury their sons and daughters. At the most difficult moment in their lives, they ask us all to unite, to love each other, to show restraint, and not give in to the inclination that pushes us to blame the other, whoever that other may be, and leads us to disunity. This is the most important thing now. There will be plenty of time to investigate, argue and fight after the war. Now we must focus on our goal: the destruction of Hamas and the return of the hostages. Harsh talk among ourselves will not help, it will hurt the spirit of our soldiers. This is therefore an issue of paramount security importance. ‘And the soldier emerges and leaps / And in his voice the cry of his mother’ ([Nathan] Alterman, “In Praise of Darkness”). May we be worthy of their sacrifice.” Amen! Thank you, Dror Eydar, for these necessary words of encouragement!

The Gaza Strip is now almost divided into north and south. As a suggestion to those who want to see a two-state solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict, let each side set up a state – the north, which is now under the control of the IDF, could become part of Israel (it was actually all given to Israel during the days of Joshua) and the south can, well, as least temporarily, become the place to set up a separate “Palestinian” state. In fact, all of their cousins in Judea and Samaria can join them there. I must admit, the thought of a two-state Gaza Strip is not original. See the cartoon in the November 12th Hebrew edition of Israel Hayom. Scroll to the right to page 26 or look for number 26 on the bottom of the page when you click on the link.

This just in from All Israel News: Israeli leaders are being asked to share with others an urgent request to pray, in an effort to help evacuate Arab Christians out of Gaza, about 1,000 of them, into the West Bank immediately – as they would face genocide by Hamas if they are forced to move south.

Please remember to pray: for the IDF wherever they serve; for the hostages who are still alive; for the families of the soldiers killed in action and of those taken hostage; for the wounded (whose numbers are not yet published); for the government and for all of the decisions that need to be made that will affect not only our lives, but yours, as well.

Shabbat Shalom! 

Bless, be blessed and be a blessing.

Shalom all,

As of this writing, the number of Israeli soldiers killed in action since the beginning of the ground offensive stands at 51. 

As the war draws to a close on its 41st day, news reached us that a brother in the Lord who was a member of a local congregation in Haifa fell victim this morning to a terrorist’s bullet. Many of the members of the congregation are personally known to us and this loss hits close to home. Please pray for the family of  “A.F.” during this difficult time of loss. He was 20 years old. The funeral will be held tomorrow at the Military Cemetery in Haifa.

The fighting continues in the northern part of the Gaza Strip, including both in and around Al-Shifa Hospital, which is the largest hospital in the enclave that consists of several buildings. Units of the IDF were going building by building and checking floor by floor, while medical staff and hundreds of patients were still present. According to the IDF Spokesman, so far, not a single member of the medical staff was injured in this activity.

The IDF found laptop computers left behind by Hamas that contained significant information, as well as photos of hostages taken after they were kidnapped and taken to Gaza. In addition, stockpiles of weaponry were found, along with a map showing points of entry to, and exits from, the hospital. The IDF spokesman for foreign media said, “At the end of the day, this is just the tip of the iceberg…Hamas aren’t here because they saw we were coming. This [the items found] is probably what they were forced to leave behind. Our assessment is that there’s much more.”

A team from the BBC accompanied the IDF forces going through areas of Al-Shifa Hospital. Ynet News stated that “The report [of the BBC team] said that the soldiers operate with the understanding that there are many more terrorist infrastructures in the compound that are well buried. Already now, after scanning some of the buildings, weapons, intelligence materials, including information related to the events of October 7, military technologies and military equipment, command posts and means of communication all belonging to Hamas have been located….From the moment the hospitals were exposed a few weeks ago, Hamas worked to hide terrorist infrastructure and hide evidence. It is a complex, ongoing and developing activity led by a special unit and new information is constantly being discovered.” The use by Hamas of hospitals as a terror base is a clear violation of international law! But, nobody is doing anything about it.

Among the many things “discovered” was the body of 65-year old Yehudit Weiss, who was one of the hostages taken by Hamas and murdered in Gaza. At the time she was abducted, she was in the middle of treatment for breast cancer. Yehudit’s husband, Shmulik, was murdered in the terrorist massacre at Kibbutz Be’eri. They had five children and five grandchildren. Yehudit completed her studies as a nurse and worked with young children at Kibbutz. Her body was found in a building adjacent to the Al-Shifa Hospital. Following the discovery of Yehudit’s body, the IDF issued a statement, which included, in part: “The national task before our eyes is to locate the missing and return the abducted persons home.”

One of the women who was taken hostage was pregnant and gave birth while in captivity in Gaza. A million thoughts must be going through her mind, as well as the minds of other hostages who may be near her and aware of the birth. Questions arise concerning the well-being of the mother and of the child, of the trauma that must be experienced by members of the family who were looking forward to the arrival of the newborn. What can be done? Sara Netanyahu, the wife of Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, wrote a letter to Jill Biden, the wife of the U.S. President, stating: “You can only imagine, as I do, what must be going through the young mother’s mind as she is being held with her newborn by these murderers…Hamas also abducted a 10-month-old. A baby. He became kidnapped even before he learned how to walk or talk…We must speak out on behalf of these children [her letter referred also to the 32 children being held hostage by Hamas]…We must call for the immediate release of them and all those being held…This nightmare that began over a month ago must end. These children need our help.” Mrs. Netanyahu sent letters also to the wives of the French President and the British Prime Minister. Maybe you know someone who could, and would be willing to, help.

As the war continues, there are occasional events that will bring a smile to our faces. One of them is that the Israeli Air Force destroyed the home of Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the Hamas politburo. Haniyeh spends most of his time in a luxury hotel in Qatar, where he maintains an office, protected by the Qataris. We all remember Qatar … the country that is acting as the “impartial mediator” in the “negotiations” for the release of the hostages, in exchange for no small price that Israel will be requested to pay. But, former Israeli Chief of Staff and member of the present War Cabinet, Benny Gantz, said that Israel will eliminate ALL of the Hamas leaders who were responsible for the massacre of Black Saturday, whether they are in Gaza or found elsewhere in the world. Haniyeh’s people destroyed the homes, and lives, of many Israelis. It is only fitting and proper that Israel will destroy Haniyeh’s home, as well as those of other Hamas leaders, and, eventually, the Hamasnikim as well. So, Ismail Haniyeh, your days are numbered … and may that number be small!

Reports from various sources say that Hamas has agreed, in principle, to the release of 50 women and children. The “demand” on Israel is for a 3 to 5 day pause in the fighting and the release of an unspecified number of “Palestinians” held in Israeli prisons. Israel has yet to agree to this. It needs to be remembered that Israel has repeatedly said that there will be no pause in the fighting without the return of ALL of the hostages. The relatives of the hostages are divided in their demands. Some want their loved ones back, no matter what and whatever the cost, even if means that a partial deal is worked out. Others want ALL of them back. As one mother said: “How can I look my neighbor in the eyes if my daughter is returned, but her son continues to be held hostage?” The big question is whether the government will yield to internal, as well as external, pressure and agree to a ceasefire in exchange for the return of only some of the hostages, or whether it will follow through with its oft-repeated commitment to the nation not to stop fighting unless ALL the hostages are returned. As long as the “Palestinian” Islamic Jihad still refuses to return the hostages who are held by it, and we don’t even know the non-affiliated Gazans who are holding about 20 of the hostages, the government cannot follow through on its “commitment”.

The war is far from over, but governments, ours and others, are busying themselves with “the day after” – what will be the fate of the Gaza Strip when the war is over? Politicians so often try to put the cart before the horse. But, at some point, we will need an answer. So, here is a suggestion:

The Dry Bones Blog <blog@mrdrybones.com>, 1 November, 2023

Bless, be blessed and be a blessing.

Marvin

Shalom all,

The Gaza “Under” Gaza: From the time that Hamas came into power in the Gaza Strip, it has devoted countless financial resources to building a maze of underground tunnels. The tunnel system covers literally hundreds of miles, most of which connect under Gaza City, where Hamas established its legislative building and command centers. The tunnels can be found under almost every type of structure, with entrances through hospitals, mosques, schools, hotels, private homes, stores, gardens and other places. The tunnels serve every aspect of terrorism, with headquarters, living facilities, weapons caches and weapon-manufacturing facilities, along with plumbing, electricity, and staircases, among other things. The interlocking tunnel passageways allow Hamas operatives to moving freely, without notice, to locations from which they can attack IDF units and then crawl back into their holes. The tunnel system is estimated to have cost over a billion dollars.

Now, the IDF is preparing to engage Hamas terrorists inside the tunnels. They have prepared for this, having constructed its own system of underground tunnels based on what it discovered in Gaza. Brigadier General Amir Aviva walked through one of the corridors, accompanied by Adva Dadon, an investigative journalist with one of the major news stations here. She wrote that as the IDF continues its offensive and controls more territory in the Gaza enclave, “it becomes clearer that all that intelligence knew about the [Hamas] tunnel system does not come close to what has been discovered in the field.”

It needs to be remembered that Hamas booby-trapped many of the tunnels and extreme caution will need to be exercised in the IDF’s efforts to pursue Hamas operatives in the latter’s playing field.

One more note about the tunnel system and the hostages: It is clear that the hostages were moved through the tunnels to some locations. It should also be clear that some of the tunnels have “exit points” far removed from Gaza City, where much of the fighting is now concentrated. It is quite possible that Yehya Sinwar, the leader of Hamas, has already used the tunnel system to distance himself from the IDF. And, if this turns out to be the case, then it could well be that many of the hostages have also been removed to some location far removed from Shifa Hospital where fighting is taking place. Much prayer is needed for wisdom for the IDF in all matters related to “tunnel warfare” in the “tunnel city under the city”. 

Communities attacked by Hamas:Contrary to what Hamas and its ilk try to convey, the more than 1,400 people who were killed by Hamas, Islamic Jihad and various “unaffiliated, and unknown, mob families”, were not actors in a movie, but were real people. When their lives were cut short, the lives of their families, friends, neighbors and co-workers, among others, were brought to a standstill. However, when approximately 240 people were take hostage by Hamas, the lives of multitudes were stirred into action, in order to bring about their release. Numbers alone are not enough. A photo of a hostage may not be enough. Numbers and photos together have a greater impact. But, even then, it may not be enough. So, many try to come up with another fact, another relationship, another location, another name that adds to the formation of an unfolding picture of the magnitude and impact created by the hostage situation.

One such development is a website that “maps” the locations of the communities that were attacked, that allows an aerial “entry” of sorts into the community, that shows who were killed, who were taken hostage and who are missing. Click on Oct7map.com to start to put places together with names, together with status (killed, taken hostage, or killed while on duty in the IDF). It will open to “Mapping the Massacres” and show the names of many of the different communities that were attacked. The “red” dots refer to those who were killed; the “black spots” refer to those who were taken captive. On the left side of each location is a description of that particular community and a list of the names of those taken hostage, those murdered and those of the IDF who were killed there. Even a brief look at the community “maps” shows that Hamas did not take a leisurely stroll down Main Street, but went house by house, murdering inhabitants, raping, burning, dismembering and brutalizing their victims, as well as taking hundreds captive to Gaza.

The BBC bloops more bias, again. Did you hear of the BBC “editorial error” in saying that the I.D.F. targeted medical staffs and Arabic speakers in Shifa Hospital? They corrected it saying they should have commented that the I.D.F. included medical staffs and Arabic speakers, as they went to Shifa Hospital. It appears that the BBC tried to “translate” English to English. It’s not a translation mistake into English from Hebrew or Arabic. They received the report in English. How could this possibly be “an editorial ‘error’”? This is clearly biased reporting to an audience that relies on what comes out from the tube, without checking the “facts” by themselves. Whatever happened to honest, factual reporting? Lucy Aharish, an Israeli Arab, who was the anchor on Channel 13 News when the wrongful BBC report about the hospital was discussed, said it was inconceivable that they would even think that Israel is capable of targeting medical staff and Arabic speakers.

Let’s add some more “biased reporting” to the above. Yesterday, the largest pro-Israel rally took place in Washington, D.C., with close to 300,000 people attending. World Israel News reported that “The media insisted on claiming that only tens of thousands showed up and provided less coverage than they did to hundreds of anti-Israel protesters” and “This bias is as obvious as it is inevitable. The AP has put out its wire stories falsely claiming that only tens of thousands attended. In sharp contrast to the pro-Hamas ‘ceasefire’ rallies, there were no arrests and no fights with police officers. And no monuments were defaced.”

The Puppeteer lets the Puppet pull its own strings:It took more than four decades for the Iranian built terrorist Axis of Resistance with Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon and Houthis in Yemen, to oppose both Israeli and American power in the Middle East. Terror groups backed by Iran in Iraq and Syria have targeted U.S. forces have been attacked by Iran-backed terrorist groups in Iraq and Syria, while missiles and drones have been launched against Israel by the Houthis. 

During a meeting in Tehran earlier this month, Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Kahmenei, told Ismail Haniyeh, one of the senior leaders of Hamas, that because Hamas failed to inform Iran of the October 7th attack on Israel, Tehran was going to sit this one out and not get directly involvedin the war on Hamas’s behalf, unlessit is attacked, in which event everything will change.

Hamas also failed to inform its cousins, the Hezbollah, who were also taken by surprise by the devastating assault on Israel and had to quickly mobilize some of its fighters upon waking up to the news of war. The Lebanese terrorist organization is, without doubt, the most powerful of the axis alliances (after Iran), with an estimated 100,000 fighters. Cross-border incidents have occurred almost daily since the beginning of the war and it has lost dozens of fighters. Even though the Hezbollah has escalated its attacks in recent days, including today with a rocket barrage with over 20 launches today, it has more or less confined its attacks to areas close to the border between Lebanon and Israel. Despite the urgings of Hamas for Hezbollah to take a more active role, taking into account its missile arsenal that is estimated to be over 110,000 – all of which are pointed in the direction of Israel, it has not consented to expand its present involvement. It seems that even Hassan Nasrallah, the Secretary-General of the Hezbollah, who is constantly threatening Israel, realizes that an active war against Israel at this time would be disastrous for Lebanon as a country.

It’s been a busy day, with more reports about Qatar seeking the release of some 50 hostages in exchange for a 3-day truce. According to some media sources, the release of ALL the hostages is not presently under discussion. 

We need to continue in prayer. The battle is far from over.

Bless, be blessed and be a blessing.

Marvin

As of this writing, the number of Israeli soldiers killed in action since the beginning of the ground offensive stands at 48. 

The war: In addition to capturing the building housing the parliament of Hamas, members of the elite Golani Brigade also captured the Hamas military headquarters and displayed the Israel flag. The IDF is moving slowly and cautiously, but steadily, striking some 200 Hamas targets since yesterday. These targets included naval assets, command posts, anti-tank missile launch pads and weapons product facilities. This same unit. the Golan Brigade, lost 41 of its members in the Hamas massacre of Black Saturday. 

As a result of the advances made by the IDF in the northern Gaza Strip, the frequency and number of rockets launched from the enclave have diminished considerably, although not entirely, as Hamas still managed to fire off a number of missiles towards Ashkelon today, as well as towards Tel Aviv, south and central Israel. It’s cousin, the Hezbollah, continues to be an increasing annoyance in the north, causing the IDF to become occupied in retaliatory strikes.

The IDF is highly motivated in pursuing the twin goals of eliminating Hamas and returning all of the hostages who were taken captive on 7th October. After Rantisi Children’s Hospital came under the control of Israeli forces, a tunnel was discovered under the hospital, which is believed to be one of the locations where the hostages, or at least some of the younger hostages, were held. On the floor of the basement, the IDF found diapers, a baby bottle, women’s clothing and a rope tied to a chair. In the same location, among other things, a cache of weapons was discovered, including rockets, grenades and explosive belts. The tunnel led to the home of a senior Hamas naval commander. A 6-minute video of a walk-through of the tunnel by the IDF Spokesman, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, is included in this report .

Hostages: The on again – off again “negotiations” regarding the release of the hostages still leaves the Israeli public without answers regarding the whereabouts of the hostages and their physical condition. While the International Red Cross is supposed to finally get into the picture, it is doubtful that it will accomplish much. The negotiations are complicated by the number and identity of the “players”. It is believed that of the 238 individuals being held hostage (one less than yesterday, following the disclosure that one was killed – apparently after being abducted), Hamas is holding about 180, some 40 are being held by “Palestinian” Islamic Jihad (“PIJ”) and about 20 are being held by unaffiliated, and unknown, mob families. While some reports indicate that a deal can be reached within the next few days, that report, like many before it, appears to be unfounded, at least for the moment. Approximately two hours before the posting of this update, Ziad Nakhaleh, the PIJ chief, said that “the conduct of negotiations with regard to the hostages that we detain and Israel’s reactions will probably push the Islamic Jihad out of the deal…Islamic Jihad can keep its hostages [while waiting] for better conditions.” The “conditions” mentioned by Nakhaleh remain undisclosed. And, after 5 and a half weeks of war, the identities and fate of most of the hostages held by Hamas, the PIJ and the “unaffiliated, and unknown, mob families” remain unknown.

Notwithstanding the position taken by the PIJ, according to a report by the Reuters News Agency and Israel Hayom , the spokesman for the armed wing of Hamas (headed up by Yehya Sinwar, who is Number 1 on Israel’s “Most Wanted List”), said that the terrorist group discussed the freeing of 70 hostages in exchange for a 5-day truce, which “should include a complete ceasefire and allow aid and humanitarian relief everywhere in the Gaza Strip.” The Jerusalem Post put it slightly differently, reporting that Hamas said that it was “ready to release up to 70 women and children held in Gaza”in exchange for a five-day truce with Israel . 

The number of hostages agreed to be released by Hamas increases with the IDF’s military gains, which is an excellent reason for Israel to keep the pressure on and not make any concessions. However, the demand by relatives and non-relatives for the return of the hostages is becoming more vocal daily and they are lashing out at the government, believing that Israel is not pursuing serious negotiations to free the hostages. Efforts to gain international support are also increasing, as photos of the hostages are being posted on web sites, social media, lamp posts, bulletin boards, trucks and on a vast number of other locations. Yet, the Israeli government has repeatedly indicated that there will be no break in the fighting without the return of ALL the hostages. With some hostages being held by two terrorist organizations and some by a number of “unaffiliated, and unknown, mob families”, the question naturally arises whether the release of ALL of the hostages is even possible. 

Who we are missing!! Photos of the hostages, from the youngest to the oldest, male, female, civilian and military, Jew and non-Jew are being printed, distributed and posted in countries around the world. The efforts of the families affected and those who are working alongside with them want these pictures to be part of everyone’s thoughts. A photo array can be seen here. But, not everyone wants the posters to be displayed and there are widespread, ongoing efforts to remove the posters, or tear them down. As noted by Emily Benedek, in her article The Art of the Teardown, appearing in Tablet Magazine, where she quotes another writer: “There is no possible justification for such heartlessness,” wrote Jeff Jacoby in The Boston Globe. “The whole purpose of the fliers is to heighten awareness of the Israeli (and other) civilians kidnapped by the Hamas terror squads—to put names and faces to the hostages, all with one goal: to bring them back home. How can a project so heartfelt and humane trigger such a poisonous response?

“The barbarity of the Hamas attack on innocents was thus impossible for those who hate Jews to process, so they didn’t. Rather, they attempted to deny the evidence by throwing away photos of the real-life Jewish victims, in a vain yet chilling attempt to resolve their own logical impasses. “Precisely because the massacre and abductions had been so unspeakably horrific, Jeff Jacoby wrote, “it was necessary to reinforce the narrative of Jewish villainy.”

Her article is worth reading, as it gives an insight into the mindset of the anti-Israel and pro-“Palestinian” throng, and reveals various reasons concocted by people in an attempt to justify their efforts to remove from sight, and therefore from mind, the reality that war crimes were committed by Hamas, by “Palestinian” Islamic Jihad, and by presently nameless “Palestinians”, who aligned themselves fully and completely with the atrocities committed on Black Saturday.

Keeping the focus on the real inhumanity: In a further effort to keep the atrocities of the 7th of October in the forefront of the eyes and minds of people who can influence other people, Israel screened a video of the slaughter and barbarity to members of the U.S. House of Representatives. The screening of the approximately 45-minute graphic video was organized by the House Foreign Affairs Committee. It left lawmakers stunned and in shock. Some were visibly shaken, others were openly crying and trying to comfort one another. Some left the screening in tears shortly after it began. Present at the screening were some members of the House who are pushing for a ceasefire in the present Gaza war. 

At least for some of those who were in attendance, the screening accomplished its purpose. According to Jewish Insider, one representative commented: “How anyone could call for a cease-fire after watching that — they’re not understanding what is actually happening.” Another representative said, in part: “Seeing the video footage of people celebrating the killing of Jews shows what we’re up against. And the fact that anybody would encourage or condone what Hamas did that day. It’s outrageous…It’s unbelievable seeing footage like that in the year 2023, in places we’ve all been.” Many compared the content of the video to the Holocaust, while some responded with “Never Again” and “Israel must do everything it needs to do to obliterate Hamas. Period”, as well as “I think it’s important to see and to make sure that our colleagues see because there should be no mistake about what Hamas is.” The U.S. Senate will be given the opportunity to see the video and experience its own abhorrence and revulsion this coming Thursday.

Maybe after both houses of Congress have viewed the barbarity of Hamas in real time, and the atrocities will be imprinted in their memory banks, that they will act to decrease the pressure from the U.S. for Israel to be kind to our local terrorists.

The Dry Bones Blog, 24 October, 2023 <blog@mrdrybones.com>

And lastly, a timely word of wisdom about … bacon!

Bless, be blessed and be a blessing!

Marvin

When Hamas took over control of the Gaza Strip in 2007, it established its Legislative Council in a building that came under the exclusive use and control of Hamas since then.

The IDF’s Golani Brigade today captured and took over the Hamas parliament building. Attached is a photo of the unit in the hall of the Legislative Council, holding an Israeli flag. THIS IS A MAJOR VICTORY FOR THE IDF AND AN EMBARRASSMENT AND SERIOUS “LOSS OF FACE” FOR HAMAS.

Also, the IDF took over the Rantisi Children’s Hospital, where some of the hostages were held. In the basement of the hospital, they found significant weaponry in one of the rooms, which seriously endangered the well-being of those being treated in the hospital. They also found a hatch leading to a tunnel built under the hospital. Funding for the hospital came, in part, from The World Health Organization. The IDF reasonably believes that the very young children who were taken hostage were held in the basement of the hospital.

It is clear that if, in fact, some of the youngest hostages were being held in Rantisi Hospital, they have been moved, possibly to one of the other two hospitals in Gaza, or worse, to other locations within the vast tunnel system. It is worth repeating that the taking of civilian hostages, including children, is a war crime! If there was any doubt before, it should be clear now that any halt in the fighting will undoubtedly enable Hamas to move the hostages as far away from the iDF as possible. 

We STILL don’t know where the hostages are, or how they are. In short, despite the military successes in the Gaza War, we STILL have NO INFORMATION about the hostages. This is OUR HUMANITARIAN CRISIS.

We need to continue to pray for victory against the forces of evil from our southwestern border.

Marvin

Shalom all,

As of this writing, the number of IDF members reported to be killed since the beginning of the ground offensive is 48! The heart is broken … the soul weeps.

A hospital is the last place one would normally expect to conduct warfare, unless, of course, the fighting takes place in Gaza City and the hospitals are used as military staging areas by Hamas. Major hospitals in that city had become places for storing weapons, including anti-tank missiles. A squad of over 20 terrorists operating in the area of the Al-Quds hospital (Gaza City’s second largest hospital after the Al Shifa Hospital) was eliminated today by the IDF. A terrorist leaving the hospital building with an RPG can be seen in the video that is part of the attached article . Israel has maintained that Hamas established command centers under and around hospitals, fully aware that Israel would exercise restraint and not fire upon hospitals. Believe it or not, the European Union actually “condemns the use of hospitals and civilians as human shields by Hamas” . Hamas, of course, denies using hospitals and civilians as human shields. But, as everyone should have learned by now, nothing coming out from Hamas is the be believed. In the same breath that the EU condemns Hamas, its foreign policy chief, Josep Morrell, reminded Israel of its obligation under to protect hospitals, among other things. Somewhere along the line, all of those countries urging Israel to be “kind to your enemy” forget that in an ongoing military conflict, every place used by combatants from which to wage war becomes a legitimate target. If civilians are used by Hamas as human shields, Hamas, and not Israel, is to blame if they are killed.

Fighting continues in the streets surrounding Al Shifa Hospital. Israel asserts after Hamas took control of the Gaza enclave, it built several floors under the hospital over the last 16 years and attached it to a vast underground tunnel network, able to accommodate for an extended period of time hundreds of terrorists, store weaponry, food and medical supplies. According to Israel, the facilities under Shifa Hospital are used as a major command center for Hamas, from which it also directs rocket fire on Israel. While expressing concerns of the Biden administration over potential civilian casualties in the IDF’s operation at Shifa Hospital, US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan also stated, “The United States does not want to see firefights in hospitals where innocent people, patients receiving medical care, are caught in the crossfire”, but also appeared to back Israel’s claims regarding the use of the hospital by Hamas: “Without getting into intelligence information, we can just look at the open source reporting that Hamas is using hospitals as it uses many facilities for command-and-control, for weapons storage, to house its fighters, and this is a violation of the laws of war.” In case someone has not been paying attention, Hamas terrorists do not play by the “rules of war”.

And it appears that Israel is ready to pursue Hamas in the massive tunnel system built by the terrorist organization, that is also lined with explosives that can be detonated by remote control. We definitely need abundant prayer for the protection of every member of the IDF. You CAN do your part by petitioning before the One Who longs to be gracious to us (Isaiah 30:18)

Israel continues to be pressed to “do more” in providing humanitarian aid to the residents of Gaza. Corridors protected by the IDF that allow residents from the north to move south, out of harm’s way, along with allowing dozens of truckloads of supplies through the crossing for Egypt, among other things, doesn’t seem to be enough to satisfy those accusing Israel of creating a humanitarian crisis.  Even when we offer to supply fuel to hospital in Gaza, Hamas rejects our offer.

The reknowned British journalist, Douglas Murray, has become one of the most energetic and effective spokesmen for Israeli advocacy. On an interview on Ynet Live, he spoke, among other things, about the anti-Israel hostility and demonstrations around the world and the tearing up of the posters of the abductees, which he said is “an unbelievable abomination”. He added: “I don’t remember when when the West was battling ISIS demands that we fuel ISIS’s war machine or give them electricity or any of those. There’s an obscenity about this whole discussion that goes on with the International Red Cross where they seem to think this is a conflict between two equal sides, rather than a terrorist group and a state and they demand that the state protects the terrorist group.” Although the article is in Hebrew, the interview is only about 9 minutes and is in English and it is worth viewing.

As I mentioned in recent updates, the northern front is definitely heating up, with more and more activity on the part of the Hezbollah terrorist organization. Rocket fire into northern areas of Israel, aimed at Acco (Acre) and the suburbs of Haifa, has increased, resulting in civilian casualties, as well as injury to members of the IDF. The Hezbollah is playing a very dangerous game, one which could easily ignite the region and spill over into a full-scale war – and second front – with that organization, as well as potentially with Syria.

It needs to be understood that if the cross-border incidents and rocket launchings from the Hezbollah had occurred before the 7th of October, there is a tremendous likelihood that Israel would have been involved in a out-and-out war with Hezbollah. Now, however, with Israel immersed in the war against Hamas in Gaza, it needs to exercise great wisdom and discernment concerning its potential involvement in its northern front. The rocket launchings are extending further and further south, with Israel responding in an effective, although more-or-less restrained manner. Nevertheless, with the Hezbollah’s encroachment into Israeli territory, Israel is responding in kind, reaching deeper into Lebanon and taking advantage of the military escalation to eliminate potential problem areas controlled by the Hezbollah. Israel has said that it does not want to enter into a war with the Hezbollah, and its Secretary-General, Hassan Nasrallah, appears to have a similar attitude – at least for the moment. Nevertheless, it would seem that by its daily escalation, the Hezbollah wants to drag Israel into a full-scale military confrontation at some point. The question of the day is “when?”

Throughout the course of the day, Israel has had to deal with reports of soldiers being killed and wounded, as well as civilians. It continues to hear reports of negotiations to free “some of the hostages” being held by Hamas, although Hamas said that it was cutting off negotiations because of the IDF’s movements in and around Shifa Hospital. Relatives of hostages are clamoring for the release of their loved ones, almost at “all costs” – they want them back! And the war is affecting the work-force and the economy, as well as generating more and more antisemitism around the world. To paraphrase a fast-food commercial: “We deserve a break today!”

So, here are a few thoughts: Efraim Kishon was one of Israel’s most famous humorists. He was born in Budapest, Hungary, and a Holocaust survivor, who immigrated to Israel in 1949 and died in 2005. Some of his stories and remarks continue to be circulated over the internet, some of which include the following:

Israel is a country so tiny that there is no room to write its name on the world map. (Some Arab countries have already removed Israel from the map and redesignated the entire area of Israel as “Palestine” – whatever that is supposed to be. – my note)

Israel is a country where every human being is a soldier and every soldier is a human being.

Israel is the only country in the world where reservists are bossed around and commanded by officers, male and female, younger than their own children.

Israel is the only country in the world where inviting someone “out for a drink” means drinking cola, coffee or tea.

Israel is a country where everybody has the right to speak his mind, but there is no law forcing anybody to listen.

Israel is a country surrounded on all sides by enemies, but the people’s headaches are caused by the neighbors upstairs.

Israel is one of the few places in the world where the sun sets into the Mediterranean Sea .

Israel is the only country in the world whose soldiers eat three sets of salads a day, none of which contain any lettuce (which is not really a food), and where olives ARE a food and even a main course in a meal, rather than something one tosses into a martini.

Israel is the only country in the world where one is unlikely to dig a cellar without hitting ancient archeological artifacts.

Israel is the only country in the world where the graffiti are in Hebrew.

Israel is the only country in the world that has a National Book Week, during which almost everyone attends a book fair and buys books.

Israel is the only country in the world with bus drivers and taxi drivers who read Spinoza and Maimonides.

Israel is the only country in the world where no one cares what rules say when an important goal can be achieved by bending them.

Israel is the only country in the world where “small talk” consists of loud, angry debate over politics and religion.

Israel is the only country in the world where bank robbers kiss the Mezuzah (a small object placed on the doorposts of Jewish homes and rooms, containing a passage from Deuteronomy – my note) as they leave with their loot.

Israel is one of the few countries in the world that truly likes and admires the United States.

Israel is the only country in the world where everyone on a flight gets to know one another before the plane lands. In many cases, they also get to know the pilot and all about his health or marital problems.

Israel is the only country in the world where no one has a foreign accent because everyone has a foreign accent.

Israel is the only country in the world where people cuss using dirty words in Russian or Arabic because Hebrew has never developed them.

Israel is the only country in the world where patients visiting physicians end up giving the doctor advice.

Israel is the only country in the world where everyone strikes up conversations while waiting in lines.

Israel is the only country in the world where people call an attache case a “James Bond” and the “@” sign is called a “shtrudel”.

Israel is the only country in the world where there is the most mysterious and mystical calm ambience in the streets on Yom Kippur, which cannot be explained unless you have experienced it.

Sunsets in Jerusalem are gorgeous every evening.

Israel is the only country in the world where people read English, write Hebrew, and joke in Yiddish.

Israel is the only country where rockets have already exploded from Iraq, Katyushas from Lebanon, suicide bombers from Gaza and shells from Syria, and still a three-room apartment costs more than in Paris.

Israel is the only country where the man in the open shirt with the stain is the Honorable Minister, and the one next to him with the suit and tie is his driver.

Israel is the only country where it’s no problem to get computer software to fly spaceships, but you have to wait a week to get your washing machine fixed. And only here is the unit of time called “I will arrive between nine and six”.

Israel is the only country where 60-year-olds still hate the Sergeant from the army Squad.

Israel is the only country where the corporal’s mother has the platoon commander’s phone, and let him be careful.

Israel is the only country where you can tell what the security situation is by the songs on the radio.

Israel is the only country where the rich are on the socialist left, the poor are on the capitalist right, and the middle class pays everything.

Israel is the only country where on the first date you ask the girl where she served in the army and it turns out that she was more combative than you. 

Israel is the only country where there are exactly sixty seconds between the happiest day and the saddest day (Independence Day following the Memorial Day for our fallen in war and by terrorism – my note). 

Israel is the only country where if you hate politicians, hate bureaucrats, hate the situation, hate the taxes, hate the quality of service and hate the weather, it means that you love it.

Israel is the only country where most people are unable to explain why they live there, but they have many reasons why it is impossible to live somewhere else.

Food for thought! Yes, there’s more.

Bless, be blessed and be a blessing.

Marvin

Shalom all,

Reports abounded throughout the day yesterday on the major television news stations about negotiations for the release of hostages held by Hamas. Reports varied from station to station regarding the terms of the negotiations, one even saying that an agreement was reached for the release of 100 civilian hostages, in exchange for allowing fuel into the Gaza Strip, the release of “Palestinian” women and children being held by Israel, and a temporary halt in the fighting. The reports were interspersed with scenes of demonstrations in Israel calling for the release of the hostages, even to the point of “All for All”, namely all Israeli hostages for all Hamas, Islamic Jihad and “Palestinian” hostages held in Israeli jails, numbering approximately 6,000 prisoners. It was clear to all that such an exchange, namely: 240 hostages, civilians and military personnel for 6,000 prisoners, many with blood on their hands, was not going to happen. Nevertheless, the reports of a near agreement continued to be reported.

Later in the evening, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Galant and former IDF head and now Member of the War Cabinet, Benny Gantz, held a televised press conference and answered questions from the journalists who were present. Several points were brought out: P.M. Netanyahu said that no agreement has been reached for the release of the hostages and urged everyone not to listen to unauthorized reports regarding the same. He also repeated that there will be no halt in the war unless all of the hostages are returned. It was also noted that the IDF completely surrounded Gaza City, adding that “Hamas has lost control of the northern Gaza Strip. They have nowhere to hide; all Hamas are mortals. We will continue with all our might until victory.” He also said that government leaders accusing Israel of creating a humanitarian crisis have their facts wrong and don’t understand the situation here. But, at the end of the Press Conference, one of the photographers captured Gantz and Galant warmly shaking each other’s hands, while P.M. Netanyahu stood near the podium alone. The thought conveyed: A picture is worth a thousand words. The point is that politicians can make the speeches, but the army generals know how to conduct a war. We should let them do it. We should also stop explaining why we are fighting and just release to the world the gruesome videos, from the body cameras of Hamas, of the atrocities committed by them on the 7th of October. Let these videos cause sleepless nights to the government leaders and all those who want to tell us how to fight a war, or that we should stop fighting,

As noted, reports of the terms of the negotiations vary, not only by the television stations, but by representatives of foreign governments that are either “involved” in the negotiations, or have an ability to influence those actually doing the negotiating. As a result, they become privy to what no one else will know until the public is notified that an agreement has been reached. Points of the negotiations are then “leaked” in some manner to the media, who then make sweeping statements about what is being agreed to, only to later find out that the actual terms are different. There is a well-established saying is the legal community relating to contract negotiations: “If any point remains open, everything remains open.” Considering that the media has “revealed” at least a half dozen different versions of the terms for the release of the hostages, we see the truth of that legal adage once again.

I previously discussed the military and tactical reasons why a temporary cessation of fighting should not be agreed to. But, there are also serious social reasons why Israel should not agree to a partial return of the hostages. In all of the reports of the negotiations for release of the hostages, Hamas made it clear that only civilians would be released, while members of the IDF would still be held hostage. This could have disastrous consequences and a backlash from the general Israeli public. While family members hold up posters of their relatives who were abducted by Hamas, the general tenor of the demonstrations and demands is that ALL of the hostages need to be returned. If only civilians are released, Hamas would have a public relations victory in the eyes of the broader Arab community, who would believe that Hamas is still in control of the situation and able to dictate terms to Israel. It knows that the hostage situation is Israel’s weak point and it will play that card to the hilt. Moreover, if only civilians are released, the families of the IDF members being held hostage would be outraged. The present demonstrations would take on a different form, with potentially violent consequences. It could also seriously affect the morale and motivation of the soldiers who are fighting in Gaza for the return of ALL of those taken hostage, INCLUDING their comrades in arms. The IDF cannot be treated as “second-class citizens”. The reasons should be obvious.

In the meantime, Syria appears to have awakened to the fact that there is a war going on between its neighbor to the west (Lebanon) and its neighbor to the south (Israel) and its cousin in the more distant southwest (Gaza). So, in order to be an obedient puppet to its Iranian puppeteer, Syria launched a few missiles into Israel yesterday. Suffice it to say that Israel responded appropriately. 

But, this morning, the Hezbollah stepped up its involvement and fired anti-tank missiles near the Israel-Lebanon border, causing injuries to civilians and soldiers alike, saying that its strike was in support of “our brothers in the Gaza Strip”. Throughout the day, at least 15 rockets were also fired from Lebanon to large areas of northern Israel, including the suburbs of Haifa, causing sirens to blast in certain communities. Here, in Haifa, we felt the “booms” of the explosions of the rockets. As was mentioned in the press conference last night, if Israel will attack Beirut, it is because Hezbollah General Secretary, Hassan Nasrallah, has crossed a red line. The north is beginning a not-so-slow boil.

Anti-Israel demonstrations are taking place in cities all over the world. Signs and placards contain all kinds of expressions and photos against Israel and the Jewish people. One of the most popular is: Free Palestine.” A photo was posted on Instagram with a depiction of what a “free Palestine” looks like with the facts of the events of Black Saturday still fresh in our minds. Wake up, America! Wake up, world! This is not only our fight. It’s come to your doorstep, as well.

One of the recipients of these updates said that there is too much information to digest and suggested that these reports be kept shorter. So, at least for today, this is an abbreviated report.

The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom should I fear?
The Lord is the defense of my life; whom should I dread?
2 When evildoers came upon me to devour my flesh, my adversaries and my enemies, they stumbled and fell.
3 If an army encamps against me, my heart will not fear;
If war arises against me, in spite of this I am confident. (Psalm 27:1-3)

Bless, be blessed and be a blessing,
Marvin

Shalom all,
Israel Update – Day 36 of the War.
My thanks to all who wrote and expressed concern when they did not receive the Update for Day 35. Despite my intention to send it out, for various reasons it was not possible to do so.

Urgent Prayer is requested for Amitai Argaman. “He and his team have been fighting inside the Gaza Strip for the past two weeks. Today the vehicle they were traveling in hit an explosive device and he was seriously injured. Both his legs were amputated. He is currently sedated and ventilated and the family was called to come to the hospital to be with him. He is in critical condition [and] the doctors are working to get him stabilized. The family has asked to share and to pray!” Amitai comes from a Believing family, whom we have known for many years. Please keep the rest of his family in your prayers as well.

The IDF reached the western shore of Gaza, planted an Israeli flag on the beach and sang “Hatikva” (“The Hope”), Israel’s national anthem <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8AAgizFZoTk>.

According to The Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting (“CAMERA”), one of the “freelance” reporters present with the invading Hamas terrorists on 7th October “openly identifies with Hamas’s political platform and is a rabid antisemite, who praises terrorists and expresses joy over the murder of innocent and unarmed Israelis.” CAMERA further noted that since the murderous onslaught on Black Saturday by Hamas, Hassan Eslaiah, who also is/was a supposed “freelancer” for CNN and AP, among others, has referred to “the beautiful thing about storming the settlements” and “Settlers hide inside a garbage container in fear of the warriors of al-Qassam battalions”, as well as “a rocket of the resistance directly hits a building in Ashkelon”. <https://www.jns.org/hassan-eslaiah-freelancer-for-cnn-ap-referred-to-beautiful-thing-about-storming-the-settlements/?_se=bWpwb2xvQGJib3guZnI%3D&utm> AP reported that since 7th November, it is no longer working with Eslaiah. I wonder whether the other media outlets that worked with Eslaiah and/or the other photo-“journalists”, who were present at the time of the Hamas incursion into Israeli territory, will follow suit and stop working with them. Those who live abroad would undoubtedly have a louder voice to oppose such “employment” than those who live in Israel. A short notice to media outlets such as CNN, The New York Times and Reuters, might cause them to rethink their policies regarding the “hiring” of people who refer to themselves as “freelance photo-journalists” (emphasis mine).

With the IDF deep inside Gaza, how is it possible after five weeks of fighting that Hamas is still able to fire rockets into Israel? This is a valid question, but the answer requires an understanding of the type of warfare conducted by Hamas for over 20 years and how Israel has responded to it. In short, Hamas continues to be able to launch rockets for five main reasons <see: https://www.ynetnews.com/article/b12jpkrm6?utm_source=taboola&utm_medium=referral&utm>: location of the rockets; its rocket arsenal that is not dependent upon the functionality of Hamas’s command centers; the policy of Hamas in the use of its fire power, which is designed to maximize the period of its use, while inflicting as much damage as possible to Israel; saving “face” in front of Arab countries by showing “strength” of resistance – as long as Hamas can fire rockets, it gives the appearance of being able to resist the military gains of the IDF; and the priorities of the IDF. In this last regard, the rocket attacks can be met by Israel’s Iron Dome and other anti-missile defenses. So, Israel wants to accomplish its military goals in the shortest time possible, while utilizing the least amount of resources. One of those goals is to find and “eliminate” Yahya Sinwar, the head of Hamas, which once accomplished, would undoubtedly bring about a speedy conclusion to this war with the return of all of the hostages. 

“Bearing Witness to the October 7th Massacre”  The Israeli government screened video footage of the Oct. 7 Hamas atrocities for approximately 200 people at the Simon Wiesenthal Center’s Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles, while demonstrations – for and against Israel – took place outside, necessitating the massive police presence and the deployment of a police helicopter overhead. Among the speakers at the event was Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Gilad Erdan, who, because of the film’s importance, flew in from New York. According to the Hollywood Reporter, Erdan said, among other things: “It will change the way you view the Middle East and the way you view the war in Gaza…Hamas, just like the Nazis and ISIS, view Jews as insects to be exterminated”, adding that the present war in Gaza is “only about ensuring that such atrocities never happen again…Hamas must be eradicated. This is the only way to prevent another massacre… If Israel doesn’t eradicate this evil, mark my words: The West is next.” <https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/hollywood-screening-bearing-witness-hamas-israel-attack-1235642773/> This is the essence of the message that Israel is trying to communicate to a world that lives in a fantasy land, that thinks that “evil” is far from them on some distant shore. If they don’t wake up soon, when they finally do wake up, it may be too late.The IDF Spokesperson’s Unit denied on Thursday that a leaked version of the film was circulating online, noting: “The film is screened in a limited manner to decision-makers, media and influencers in Israel and the world, subject to strict conditions and accompanied by an IDF representative or an authorized person on its behalf…The participants in the screening undertake to comply with the viewing conditions and sign a document in which they undertake not to photograph or distribute any part of the film. We ask the public to refrain from spreading false rumors and from forwarding and opening links that claim to contain the film.” <https://www.jns.org/hamas-horrors-of-oct-7-screened-in-hollywood/?> Efforts to release the film for viewing by the general public is facing opposition opposition here, primarily because of the mental and emotional consequences of being exposed to unfathamable violence and brutality.

An extraordinary, joint Islamic-Arab Summit is scheduled to take place today (Saturday, 11/11/2023), in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, discuss the present Israel-Gaza war. It is expected that the goal of the summit will be to press the United States and Israel for an end to hostilities in Gaza. The list of attendees should be of interest to any following events in the Middle East, as well as the threats to destroy Israel, the false reporting about the war and the shift from the devastating atrocities committed by Hamas to the misunderstood efforts of Israel to protect itself by pursuing the elimination of Hamas. Attendees are expected to include, among other: Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani (remember: Qatar is leading the negotiations for the exchange of hostages being held by Hamas) and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad (who was welcomed back into the Arab League this year, notwithstanding his governments killing of tens of thousands of Syrians, including the use of chemical weapons, during the Syrian uprising that began in 2011). Iran’s Raisi wants action, not words, regarding the Gaza war, while Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is accusing the IDF of targeting civilians. Just a reminder: The present war put a “hold” on the negotiations to “normalize” relations with Saudi Arabia – another potential “fair-weather” friend.

The Saudi Foreign ministry said that the joint summit “will be held in response to the exceptional circumstances taking place in the Palestinian Gaza Strip as countries feel the need to unify efforts and come out with a unified collective position.”

Interestingly, there is a lack of unity regarding whether all diplomatic ties with Israel should be cut off, or whether open channels of communication should continue with the present Israeli government. 

<https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/saudi-arabia-host-extraordinary-joint-islamic-arab-summit-riyadh-saturday-2023-11-10/>

“God, do not remain quiet; Do not be silent and, God, do not be still. For behold, Your enemies make an uproar and those who hate You have exalted themselves. They make shrewd plans against Your people and conspire together against Your treasured ones. They have said, ‘Come, and let’s wipe them out as a nation, so that the name of Israel will no longer be remembered.’ For they have conspired together with one mind; They make a covenant against You.” (Psalm 83:1-5 – emphasis mine) There is no overall agreement regarding who the modern-day nations are that are referred to in Asaph’s Psalm. Nevertheless, the reality is that there are some Arab countries that would rejoice in seeing Israel destroyed. But, when they’re plans will be frustrated, they will be “ashamed and dismayed forever…humiliated and perish, so that they will know that You alone, whose name is the LORD, are the Most High over all the earth” (Psalm 83:17-18).

Last note for now: Negotiations are ongoing for the release of some – NOT ALL – of the hostages (certainly not members of the IDF), in exchange for an extended cease fire, possibly up to 3 days. That would be disastrous!! To keep it simple, an extended “pause” in the fighting will allow Hamas to regroup, reorganize, restock items necessary for an extended stay in the vast network of tunnels, repair tunnels, reload rocket launchers and repair destroyed communication systems. But, more than anything else, it will allow Hamas operatives to move the hostages to other locations via its vast tunnel network. It would also demonstrate to the broader Arab community that Hamas is still “in charge” and is calling the shots. Despite all of the pressure in Israel to release the hostages, we must not allow for a piece-meal release. The effect of members of the IDF remaining as hostages of Hamas could have a devastating effect upon the morale and motivation of those presently following in Gaza. As this was about to be sent, there was a “breaking news” on Israeli television about a deal that was made for the release of 100 hostages. It is not yet clear exactly what we agreed to do for that release. More to follow after clarification.

“Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Write this in a book as a memorial and recite it to Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven.” Moses built an altar and named it The LORD is My Banner; and he said, ‘The LORD has sworn; the LORD will have war against Amalek from generation to generation’.” (Exodus 17: 14-16). No matter how you want to look at it, THIS is a spiritual war being fought out in the flesh.

Bless, be blessed and be a blessing.
Marvin

Shalom all,
Israel Update – Day 34 of the War.

As of this writing, the number of Israeli soldiers killed in action since the beginning of the ground offensive stands at 39. 

Outrage! I don’t know any other way to describe my feelings after seeing news reports that photographers affiliated with well-known foreign media sources were present, together with Hamas terrorists, at the massacre that took place on 7th October, 2023. Did the foreign media get advance notice of the planned slaughter? Questions asked by the “Honest Reporting” watchdog – which locates and reports on anti-Israel bias in foreign media – include the following: “What were they doing there so early on what would ordinarily have been a quiet Saturday morning? Was it coordinated with Hamas? Did the respectable wire services, which published their photos, approve of their presence inside enemy territory, together with the terrorist infiltrators? Did the photojournalists who freelance for other media, like CNN and The New York Times, notify these outlets?” <https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/israel-at-war/1699514898-ap-cnn-nyt-reuters-photographers-embedded-with-hamas-terrorists-on-oct-7> In addition to CNN and NYT, other media outlets that published photos of the invasion and the atrocities include AP and Reuters. According to “Honest Reporting”, the names of the photographers appeared in the photo credits. We can also ask whether these reporters received financial remuneration (i.e., monetary payment) from Hamas to be present and to publish the photos of the worst attack upon Jews since the Holocaust.

This poses a number of related issues: Their physical presence IN Israel, with Hamas terrorists, means that they crossed the border fence separating Israel from the Gaza enclave without receiving an entry visa – a crime in any country (crime number 1); their knowledge of a planned massacre and their encouragement of the terrorists by their presence and photo op, might implicate them as aiding and abetting in the commission of a crime, and they should be charged accordingly (crime number 2); to the extent that a murder is committed in the course of a felony (and here there were multiple felonies), those who participate in the felony can be found guilty of felony-murder, even if they themselves did not commit the murder (crime number 3). 

No matter how we look at it, at the very least, the photographers have to be viewed as accomplices to the massacre. This is more than just “doing their job” and “being at the right place at the right time” to get first-hand “scoops” of the atrocities. State Party Chairman and Minister Without Portfolio Benny Gantz, who joined an emergency government following the Oct. 7 massacre, put the matter in perspective and stated clearly: “Journalists found to have known about the massacre, and still chose to stand as idle bystanders while children were slaughtered – are no different than terrorists and should be treated as such.” <https://www.israelhayom.com/2023/11/09/did-hamas-alert-foreign-outlets-before-oct-7-horrors-israelis-outraged-after-media-watchdogs-report/>

The problem, of course, is one of jurisdiction. The crimes were committed in Israel by foreign photographers. It is doubtful that these same photographers would attempt to gain legitimate entry to Israel at this point, for fear of facing criminal prosecution. It is also reasonable to conclude that Israel will not seek the extradition of these photographers from their different countries of citizenship, so that they can stand trial in Israel.

This leaves us with the various news agencies themselves, who deny having had prior knowledge of the intended massacre and atrocities. Undoubtedly, they also paid the photographers for the photos and videos. How should Israel deal with them? Are they all to be given a “free pass” to report on, and photograph, events in Israel, FROM ISRAEL, when their excuse is: “We only report the news and information that we receive”? Or, “All the news that fits, we print!” After all, these “news agencies” exist to make a profit. Sensational news “sells”. When the audience is large, advertisers try to take advantage of the numbers and they pay the agencies to allow their goods and/or services to be part of the information that is broadcasted. Some news media ignored the findings of  “Honest Reporting” and chose not to report on them. This is due, possibly, to the fact that they don’t see any ethical problem with what the photographers and other news outlets did, or, even worse, because such a failure to comment speaks for itself about the anti-Israel bias inherent in most of the world’s media outlets.

On a different matter, today is the 85th anniversary of Kristallnacht (Night of Broken Glass) – an event that revealed “a raw evil unmasked and unashamed with no excuses presented and no justification advanced” <https://aish.com/48966511/?src=ac>. In its essence, it was a pogrom against the Jewish people by the paramilitary organization of  the Nazi Party, along with Hitler Youth and a multitude of German civilians throughout Nazi Germany on the night of 9th November (into the 10th of November), 1938. It is estimated that over 90 Jews were killed that night and Jewish homes, schools, synagogues and hospitals were smashed and that over 7,000 Jewish businesses were either destroyed or severely damaged. What should have been an eye-opener, revealing the “watershed event in the destruction of European Jewry” was reported by foreign journalists working in Germany, as it was happening. But, the event was passed over by the Western world which continued in its reverie until the evil appeared on their own doorsteps. Now, 85 years later, again we have to answer the question of whether we learned anything from history. Recent events, including anti-Israel demonstrations in many countries throughout the world, accompanied by rampant anti-Semitism, show that we are exhibiting the same hatred and rhetoric that were prevalent in Nazi Germany in the 1930’s. And the world turns a blind eye and a deaf ear to events unfolding in their own nations, just as the German authorities looked on as the events of Kristallnacht were unfolding … and did nothing. 

But, there are some who DO speak up. In receiving an Award of Courage from Los Angeles’ Holocaust Museum for his ongoing efforts confronting antisemitism, Arnold Schwarzenegger said, in part: “Education to fight antisemitism has been something I’ve cared about since I was a young man…There’s all this chatter out there and all this stuff and all this negativity and hatred that we have to speak up and confront them. The more we speak out about that issue, the better it is. So every day you have to talk about that, you have to talk about it over and over again.” He recalled that from his youth, he needed to fight against antisemitism and sees his opportunity as a Hollywood celebrity, to be “a public voice against antisemitism.” <https://aish.com/arnold-schwarzenegger-its-time-to-step-up/?src=ac>

The organization, Stop Antisemitism, reports on antisemites throughout the United States. It warns that if you tear notices about hostages, if you praise killers and terrorists on social media sites, or if you attack Jews, verbally or physically, there are consequences. The organization will publish their names to their employers and will inform them of the opinions and actions of the antisemites. The internet has a long memory and the names of the antisemites will pop up when they seek employment or go out on a date. And, as the organization points out, once these people are discovered, they look for excuses to justify their beliefs and actions. We see, sadly, that the same is not only true today, but it is increasing. Truly, the more things change … the more they remain the same.

Yesterday, I tried unsuccessfully to upload a short video of an IDF Paratroop Unit praying for the success of the war and blowing the shofar, before going out to fight. One of the recipients of these daily updates found the link for the video and forwarded it to me. I am now forwarding it to you: <https://youtu.be/Gb4tSvSMtX0?si=ME0yUKU3B2P3ua5W> You might want to continue with the video that follows, that shows how the murderous attach of Hamas began <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qN6GUrPKvi4>. The one saying that all of the soldiers in the tank were taken captive is one of the photographers mentioned at the outset. The scenes of the attack are mostly from body cams of the terrorists.

Today’s update will close with this: 

Translation: Only in Israel can an 18 year old drive an 80 ton tank in a war, and still be defined as a young driver for the car insurance of mom’s Kia Piquanto.

A heartfelt “thanks” to all those who have written and encouraged and prayed: for the IDF, for the hostages, for the government, for the nation and for us. “When a man’s ways are pleasing to the Lord, He makes even His enemies to be at peace with him.” (Proverbs 16:7). May this be true of the nation of Israel as well. The results will be mind-blowing.

Bless, be blessed and be a blessing.
Marvin

Shalom all,
Israel Update – Day 33 of the War.
The IDF has completely surrounded Gaza City and has destroyed a multitude of tunnel networks. In addition, rocket launchers were found in many civilian locations and were destroyed. This may account for the reduced rocket launches from Gaza during the last two days. May this trend continue until Hamas’s capability to launch even a single missile is eliminated. Israel’s goal in the war remains the same: the elimination of Hamas and the return of all of the hostages.

In the north, about 20 rockets were launched from Lebanon toward the Golan Heights and the Upper Galilee yesterday afternoon, as part of its increasing daily attacks upon locations in Israel. The IDF responded appropriately, striking targets belonging to the Hezbollah terrorist organization, including rocket launchers, a weapons warehouse and sites containing technological devices. The situation in the north is still volatile and it could flare up and explode, creating a situation not only of an active second front, but of a potential for active involvement of other players in the region. The IDF is keeping a very watchful eye on the actions of  the Hezbollah and is prepared to respond and follow through with its warnings that if Hezbollah joins the fray, it would be the biggest mistake of their lives. <https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-772112?utm_source=ActiveCampaign&utm_medium=email&utm>

In the midst of our fighting, there are concerns by different countries about Israel “reoccupying” Gaza. Some people are really “losing it” over our efforts to remove the evil from our doorstep. It doesn’t bother to stop and ask why we would ever want to occupy Gaza?  

Demonstrations are taking place in various places throughout the country, with signs to the effect of “All for All”, meaning a trade for all of the hostages, in exchange for releasing all of the “Palestinian” prisoners in Israel jails. We are talking about 6,000 prisoners being released in exchange for some 240 hostages. That proposal was a non-starter, as the government did not even give it a serious discussion. BUT, it was revealed that there are now ongoing negotiations to bring about the release of between 10 to 15 hostages, in exchange for a 1 or 2 day “humanitarian pause” in Gaza. Qatar, which has provided millions, if not billions, of dollars to the Gaza enclave, which ended up in the hands of Hamas, is leading the mediation efforts. According to an article in today’s Jerusalem Post and elsewhere, “The Hostages and Missing Families Forum said that they welcome the return of every person held hostage in Gaza, but they insisted that any move for a ceasefire must include the release of all of the hostages from Gaza.” <https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-772295?utm_source=ActiveCampaign&utm> A partial release of hostages, in exchange for even a 1-day “humanitarian pause” in the fighting will be contrary to repeated statements made by the war cabinet that no such pause will take place without all of the hostages being released. Agreeing to such a partial release would be disastrous from the point of public opinion and the morale of the soldiers fighting deep inside Gaza. They want to get the job done, not sit around for a day or two. During the Second Lebanon War, the IDF was pressing forward into Lebanon and the government told it to stop while political negotiations were taking place. During this “pause” in the fighting, the IDF became sitting targets and most of the soldiers who died during that war died during that break time. This should not be allowed to happen again. Israel needs to take a hard line and not give in to partial releases of the hostages. 

There are non-combatants who are casualties of war, every war. A speedy end to this war could save many lives. The number of reported deaths of civilians in Gaza is based on information received from Hamas. There is no independent verification. As in almost all of the conflicts between Israel and “Palestinian” terrorist organizations, countries and human rights groups complain about the number of Gaza casualties, claiming that it is a “disproportionate” response on the part of Israel. It’s time that this ridiculous claim is debunked. Attached is a link to an interview that is just over 2 minutes in length. It is worth the watch, as it puts to rest the absurd argument that fighting a war should be “proportionate”. <https://www.israelunwired.com/douglas-murray-should-israel-have-a-proportionate-response-to-hamas/?utm> It’s good to be able to make a clear defense of Israel’s position when challenged.

Demonstrations about civilian losses in war, on the other hand, can be disproportionate.

Rashida Tlaib, a Democratic member of the U.S. Congress who is very anti-Israel was finally censured by the House of Representatives over her anti-Israel comments. <https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2023/11/07/house-votes-censure-rashida-tlaib-anti-israel-comments/?utm_source=breaking_news_email> Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) stated that he would support the censure of Rep. Rashida Tlaib, in part because of her use of the slogan “From the river to the sea.” As Moskowitz stated it: “ ‘From the river to the sea’ means the destruction of Israel and everyone who’s in it, okay? Just like ‘Mein Kampf’ is not a coloring book and the final solution means exactly what Hitler meant it to mean. ‘From the river to the sea’ is calling for the destruction of an entire country, period, full stop. And so, look, the Congresswoman has a First Amendment right. She can say whatever she wants. But, at the same time, Congress has the ability to express their displeasure with a fellow colleague of ours calling for the destruction of a country.  What if we had someone going around saying, France should be wiped off the map? We would think that’s outrageous. But, somehow, ‘From the river to the sea’ is debatable. It is another ridiculous double standard when it comes to Israel.” <https://www.breitbart.com/clips/2023/11/07/moskowitz-id-support-censuring-tlaib-redefining-from-the-river-to-the-sea-like-saying-mein-kampf-a-coloring-book/&gt;

Enough about someone who hates Israel. I wanted to upload a video showing an IDF unit about to move into action. They are praying to God before entering into the battle. They are not religious, but they are calling upon the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob to watch over them and protect them, with the leader of the group praying the Aaronic prayer (Numbers 6:24-26) and ending with the blowing of the shofar and then, “Hear O Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is One!” Due to a technical glitch, I could not upload it. I’ll try tomorrow.

For now, remember: Bless, be blessed and be a blessing.

Marvin

Shalom all,
Israel Update – Day 32 of the War.
It’s been a full month since the Hamas massacre that was perpetrated on Black Saturday, a day that will be etched in the memories of Israelis and, perhaps, others  around the world. 

Writing for The Times of Israel, Amir Ben-David stated, in part <https://www.timesofisrael.com/the-israel-we-knew-died-on-october-7-the-new-nation-will-be-scarred-for-generations/>: 

“A month ago, our world turned upside down. A month ago, the Israel that we had lived in until October 7 died. A month ago today, a new Israel was born.

“What it will come to look like is something we cannot imagine yet. But of one thing there is no doubt: the trauma of the Black Shabbat will leave the deepest of scars in the soul of this new nation. For decades, it will shape Israel’s character, its politics, the relations between its people, between its people and its enemies, between its people and the antisemites and Israel-hating Nazis around the world.”

The atrocities committed by Hamas have been documented and videos have been screened before particular audiences. Israel is still reeling from the shock, as family, friends, co-workers and even tourists have been killed, most of them brutally. One month has passed, a traditional time for mourning after a death, when the gravestone of the deceased is revealed. But, there are still dozens of corpses that have not been identified. In addition to those killed, thousands were wounded, many of whom later died as a result of their wounds. And, there are still 240 men, women and children, of all ages ranging from 10 months to those in their 80’s, as well as members of the IDF, who are being held hostage by Hamas. 

Cities and settlements throughout Israel dedicated this day, 7th November, 2023, as a day to pause and to stand in silence, or join in prayer, for the hostages. Posters of the photos, names and ages of the hostages are everywhere, not only in Israel, but in other places around the world. One community in Haifa (where we live) tied 240 chairs in a row on a long block with a photo and identification on each chair. On one of the sidewalks in Haifa, in Carmel Center, photos of the hostages were placed in front of a cultural center, with a pair of shoes next to each photo. This is reminiscent of the 60 pairs of shoes that mark the site in Budapest, Hungary, where fascist Arrow Cross militiamen shot Jews and threw their bodies into the river in 1944 and 1945l <https://www.facinghistory.org/resource-library/shoes-danube-bank-memorial-0#>. Attached are just a small group of photos of some of the hostages that were taken by Hamas:

But, there are antisemites and Israel haters who are offended that photos of the young children taken hostage are being posted in various locations throughout the world. In an excellent article appearing in Front Page Magazine, Daniel Greenfield points out, among other things: “The Students for Justice in Palestine chapter [in Drew University] finds it “triggering” to actually see posters of its victims and complains that they “delegitimize” Hamas. It’s traumatic for Hamas supporters to see their terrorist organization cast in a bad light for kidnapping kids.” <https://www.frontpagemag.com/posters-of-kidnapped-israeli-kids-are-traumatizing-hamas-supporters/> It is amazing how Israel haters turn everything upside down and make Israel the aggressor and Hamas terrorists as victims. I don’t want to take up space here to quote some of the arguments made to justify Islamic terrorism. I would strongly urge you to read Greenfield’s article. He cogently states: “What the story of the posters reveals is that any resistance to Islamic terrorism is unacceptable. A poster of kidnapped Israeli hostages is as bad as an Israeli air strike taking out a Hamas terrorist. To justify Hamas atrocities, their supporters, like Students for Justice in Palestine, must dehumanize Israelis as monsters, occupiers, soldiers and settlers, and any depiction of them as human, let alone images of kidnapped elderly women and children, must be suppressed.”

In televised messages to the nation this evening, the Minister of Defense, Yoav Galant, and Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, made the following key points: First, there will not be any “humanitarian pause” in the fighting without the return of the hostages. Second, Gaza will cease being a threat to Israel. Third, residents of Gaza City are listening to the instructions of the IDF and are heading south, to get out of harm’s way, some waving white flags. They are actually being protected by the IDF, which has provided a humanitarian corridor for the residents both yesterday, as well as today. You can read more here: <https://www.ynetnews.com/article/hjanhj007t#autoplay>.

A full month has passed since the slaughter that took place on 7th October, 2023. Our nation continues in agony over the dead, the wounded and the captives. Personal stories fill the public news channels and the social media that break the heart and numb the mind. Tears continue to flow throughout a nation that is trying to grasp the unfathomable. Shock turns to anguish over the fate of the hostages, now being held by Hamas for a month, and anguish turns to anger over the failure of the international community to push for the return of our hostages. Anger turns to disgust of, and disillusionment with, so-called “democratic governments” and “humanitarian organizations” throughout the world, who are more concerned with the plight of the people in Gaza – most of whom are aligned ideologically with Hamas – than they are about the release of the hostages. A month of military action and penetration deep into the heart of the Gaza Strip has so far failed to end the rocket attacks in the south and middle of Israel. The Hezbollah terrorist organization in Lebanon continues to flex its muscles and slowly, but steadily, increases its cross-border attacks upon locations in the north. A quarter of a million Israelis have been displaced from their homes, making them refugees within our own country – a fact that severely affects the economies of local communities and the ability to make ends meet. Still, in the midst of all of that, Aliyah (immigration to Israel) is expected to grow considerably in the coming year. “Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” (Genesis 28:15 – emphasis mine) 

Dr. Seth D. Postell, is a Messianic Jew. He is a former Assistant Professor of Old Testament at the Charles L. Feinberg Center for Messianic Jewish Studies (in partnership with Talbot School of Theology), and is currently a Lecturer in Biblical Studies at the Israel College of the Bible in Netanya, Israel. He gave me permission to quote from his Daily Devotion for today, in which he states, in part:

“You shall not bear a false report; do not join your hand with a wicked man to be a malicious witness. You shall not follow the masses in doing evil, nor shall you testify in a dispute so as to turn aside after a multitude in order to pervert justice; nor shall you be partial to a poor man in his dispute” (Exod 23:1-3). 
“I find these ancient few verses uncannily relevant to recent events in our modern world. The word for “malicious” in Hebrew is “hamas” (v. 1). God urges his people not to buy into unsubstantiated accusations against the innocent, lest we unwittingly become “witnesses of hamas.” God urges us not to be swept into a mass frenzy of a morally confused mob, lest we “pervert justice” (v. 2). Finally, God urges us to not to automatically assume that a poor person is always the victim of oppression and injustice in every dispute (v. 3).
“This divided world of mutually exclusive ideologies has finally found one ideology they can all agree on: “Death to Israel!” But lest we too quickly point an accusing finger at the mass delusion of Ivy League “intellectuals” and the Islamists from Istanbul, let us consider how easily we are also persuaded by the twisted morals of this world when we spend most of our time in front of the television or surfing the internet. Media does not INFORM our understanding of the world; it FORMS our understanding of the world, ultimately impairing our ability to distinguish right from wrong. As believers, we must refuse to be conformed to the mob morality of this fallen world by actively meditating on the truth of his word (see Rom 12:2). ‘Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path’ (Ps 119:105).” Thank you, Seth. 

Please remember the IDF, the hostages and the families, who grieve over the loss of their loved ones and anguish over the lack of information regarding their relatives and friends who are still held as hostages by Hamas.

Bless, be blessed and be a blessing.
Marvin

Shalom all,

Israel Update – Day 31 of the War.

As of this writing, the number of Israeli soldiers killed in action since the beginning of the ground offensive stands at 34. The number of Israeli soldiers who have died since 7th October – Black Saturday – has reached 348. Most of them were killed on the first day of the war, fighting to free the Kibbutzim around the Gaza Strip.

For the first time since the start of the war, sirens were heard in the Western Galilee and as far south as the northern suburbs of Haifa.The heavy barrage of 30 rockets were launched from Lebanon. The Hamas terror group has some of its members in Lebanon and they immediately  claimed responsibility for the rocket barrage.<https://www.ynetnews.com/article/bkip0lu7t> It is more likely, however, that the Hezbollah fired the rockets, as they have been irritating the IDF with on-again off-again missile attacks, primarily in the far north of Israel. 

Speaking of missiles, Israel eliminated a terrorist cell in Tulkarm, a city in the region of Judea and Samaria. The cell was planning to launch missiles into Israeli cities.

Israel’s war in the media needs a boost. Apparently, we don’t yell as loudly as the pro-Hamas demonstrators. The IDF and Israeli Embassies in different places have screened the 47-minute footage that documents some of the Hamas atrocities in private screenings to politicians and diplomats, both domestically and internationally. P.M. Netanyahu supports the release of the raw footage of Black Saturday to a wider audience under controlled conditions similar to those undertaken last week when the footage was shown to Members of the Knesset. The IDF is requesting the consent of families of the victims. The Prime Minister believes that distribution to a larger audience will help Israel’s public diplomacy campaign. Understandably, there is some opposition to the broader dissemination of the raw footage, as some of their loved ones appear in the videos. <https://www.ynetnews.com/article/skgtje8qt> 

When I first wrote about the IDF screening the raw footage to Members of Knesset, one of the recipients of these updates made the following comment: “Maybe I’m wrong but a part of me feels that we are such a society so calloused and hardened that only seeing the actual video would awaken us from whatever allows us to allow such milktoast, nay disguised double-speaking backstabbing, political pablum to issue from amongst us.  …But even then there would be those who would take it as an “AI” fake production…” He may well be right. I’ve seen some of the footage and the display of brutality is difficult to absorb. It leaves images in our minds that remain long after the screening is over. Maybe the world needs to be shocked into believing the atrocities. The footage is not “photo-shop”. It’s real, taken in real time. it’s hard to see. It’s impossible to ignore.

The IDF has successfully completed the siege of Gaza City and it is closing in on the area where Shifa Hospital is located. You will recall that Hamas has a massive Command Center complex UNDERNEATH the hospital, with an extensive tunnel system. The underground facility is staffed by a multitude of terrorists, equipped with  abundant weaponry, food and medical supplies. Missile launches are also directed from that facility. The IDF is slowly squeezing Hamas to crawl out of its tunnels.

A U.S. guided-missile, nuclear submarine arrived in our area. It’s presence is intended to serve as a deterrent and as a warning to Hassan Nasrallah and the Hezbollah in Lebanon, among other adversaries – including Iran, Syria and Yemen, not to become actively involved in the war. <https://edition.cnn.com/2023/11/05/politics/us-missile-submarine-middle-east/index.html> and <https://www.ynetnews.com/article/mfx2mc1zz#autoplay>

The pressure is mounting from countries and humanitarian aid groups or different kinds, to get Israel to agree to a “humanitarian pause” or to a complete cease fire, because of the alleged number of civilian casualties from the IDF ground assault in the Gaza Strip. Again, we face the question of whether to pursue our goals militarily, or to agree to a pause in the fighting. The world is so concerned about the people in Gaza, but no “humanitarian relief” is forthcoming from Hamas. We still have no information from Hamas regarding the fate of some 240 hostages. There is no “humanity” exhibited on the part of this terrorist organization. Indeed, the massacre of 7th October revealed Hamas’s inhumanity. Multitudes of citizens in the Gaza enclave celebrated when the massacre took place and when the hostages were taken and brought to Gaza. And multitudes condemn us for our efforts to eliminate the evil that is Hamas … and Islamic Jihad … and other organizations like them in Gaza. We were humanitarian in dropping notices in Arabic warning the citizens of Gaza to get out of harm’s way. Hamas prevented many from leaving and the blood of the civilian casualties in Gaza is on the hands of Hamas, not Israel. 

Prime Minister Netanyahu, speaking at the Ramon Air Force Base in the Negev Desert, said that Israel would not agree to any ceasefire with Hamas unless the terrorist group releases the hostages. “There will be no ceasefire without the return of the hostages. This should be completely removed from the lexicon. We say this to our friends and to our enemies: We will continue until we defeat them. We have no alternative.” <https://unitedwithisrael.org/netanyahu-no-ceasefire-without-return-of-the-hostages/?utmo let it be written, so let it be done!!  If Israel will agree to a “humanitarian pause”, then it has to be, it MUST be, conditioned on the prior return of ALL of the hostages, who should be identified in advance. The pause should be for a very limited period of 24 hours, during which time ALL of the hostages should be returned. After that period of time, Israel should resume the goal of pursuing the elimination of Hamas. Period! We need to get the job done and over with. We must not cuddle the enemy. It only enables him to renew his strength and regroup, so that he can continue his goal of totally eliminating the State of Israel from the face of the map (some countries have already officially deleted Israel from their maps).

Reminder: Please remember the IDF in your prayers, for wisdom upon wisdom, grace upon grace, power, boldness and courage. May each one go out in peace and return in peace.

“As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the LORD surrounds His people, from this time forth and forever.” (Psalm 125:2) “I will say to the LORD, ‘My refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I trust’.” (Psalm 91:2)
Bless, be blessed and be a blessing.
Marvin

Shalom all,
Israel Update – Day 30 of the War.

As of this writing, the number of Israeli soldiers killed in action since the beginning of the ground offensive stands at 33.

Hamas supporters try to downplay the use of civilian facilities to hide rocket launchers and olisther weapons. But, the IDF is constantly finding new locations of weapons in civilian areas. Today, they found a Hamas rocket launcher complex near an amusement park and swimming pool in the Gaza Strip. See the videos <https://www.timesofisrael.com/> and <https://www.ynetnews.com/article/byhz3xr76#autoplay>. Some things just speak for themselves and need no further comment.

While Israel does everything possible to minimize civilian casualties, Hamas does just the opposite. Israel notified civilians to vacate areas in the northern Gaza Strip and to move south, where there is sufficient food and medical supplies and to get out of harm’s way. Hamas threatened the civilians who wanted to leave the northern area and even killed some, apparently as a demonstration of what would happen to other civilians, if they listened to the IDF. <https://www.ynetnews.com/article/ryjyna7qa>.

Following the interrogation of Hamas terrorists who were involved in the massacre of Black Shabbat and who were captured by the IDF, it was learned that the attack was actually planned to take place earlier this year during the Passover celebration, particularly during the Seder meal. It was delayed by Iran for reasons probably related to the negotiations with the U.S. that freed up some $6 billion. The October date was most likely chosen because of its proximity to the 50th anniversary of the Yom Kippur War and because it was on the most joyful holiday of the year. <https://m.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-771830#771830> Apparently, the original intention was to do a repeat of the Passover Eve Massacre that took place at the Park Hotel in Netanya, in 2002.

The U.S. Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, met with “Palestinian” Authority President, Mahmud Abbas, today and discussed, among other things, the P.A.’s possible assumption of responsibility of the Gaza Strip after Hamas is eliminated. Abbas again declared, “We will fully assume our responsibilities within the framework of a comprehensive political solution that includes all of the West Bank, including east Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip.” <https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/middle-east/palestinian-territories/1699189071-abbas-pa-s-return-to-gaza-depends-on-comprehensive-solution-to-conflict> In other words, they want to establish an independent “Palestinian” state in the heartland of Israel that is connected to the Gaza enclave. Such a move will effectively create a corridor across Israel from the southwest to east by northeast, that will divide Israel into north and south of the “Palestinian” state. From a worldly, political point of view, that would be setting the stage for a repeat of the 7th of October, only this time with armed militants already in the middle of the country. Additionally, Abbas constantly makes commitments that are never fulfilled. This one, to “fully assume [their] responsibilities” is just another empty commitment that will be filed away alongside the multitude of empty commitments made by officials of the P.A. over the years. The reality is that the P.A. does not even fulfill its responsibilities now to its own people in the area of Judea and Samaria and the likelihood that it would able to do so in Gaza is nil.

The war is ongoing in Gaza and it is expected that the IDF will totally encircle Gaza City within the next 48 hours. The fighting will then take on a new dimension in order to force Hamas out of its holes. Urban warfare will, of necessity, be slow and carefully planned out before executed. 

Hamas supporters tend to grab hold of certain “statistics”, which they play like a broken record. But, when push comes to shove, they usually fail in their arguments because of lack of knowledge and outright falsehoods. When pushed hard enough, they will admit that the “Palestinians” claim that “all” of Israel is their land. Attached is a link to a short debate worth watching and listening to. <https://vm.tiktok.com/ZSNDxHPaW/> Listen to the incredible lack of historical knowledge at 2:44-2:46 minutes into the debate, and then to the admission made at the end by the person debating against Ben Shapiro. His arguments were to the point and factual and his questions back to the female debater were cogent and elicited the sought-after admissions.

One more interview, conducted a little over a week ago, is very much worth listening to. This time, it is conducted by Piers Morgan, who interviewed Mosab Hassan Yousef, more widely known as “Son of Hamas.” Yousef is totally pro-Israel and anti-Hamas. Pay attention to the questions asked by the interviewer. Yousef’s responses included, among other things, that Hamas “opened up the gates of hell on the Palestinian people [and] “Hamas’s cause is a sick one …only God knows what will happen text, if Hamas is not finished.” <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8YYmrgAeqw>. If you know someone who is blaming Israel for every evil in the Middle East, forward these two interviews to them.

Bless, be blessed and be a blessing,
Marvin

Shalom all,
Israel Update – Day 29 of the War.

As of this writing, the number of Israeli soldiers killed in action since the beginning of the ground offensive stands at 29.

A missile between 8-10 meters in length (26.5. to 32.8 feet) was discovered 50 meters (164 feet) off the coast of Haifa yesterday by a lifeguard during his morning swim. He notified the Civil Command and the Israeli Navy, and underwater commandos exploded the missile under controlled circumstances. The shock wave of the explosion was felt several kilometers inland, including where we live in Haifa, just over 3 kilometers from the shore. We thought it was an earthquake. Only a short time later, we learned that it was missile that was exploded. Attached is a video of the explosion  (it’s in an article in Hebrew – I couldn’t find the English version; after a 20-second commercial, the video should appear <https://www.ynet.co.il/news/article/byhmp5fm6?utm>).

In a short, but important televised speech this evening, Israeli Minister of Defense, Yoav Galant, related the high motivation of the soldiers in Gaza to be victorious in the war. He added that “there is no place for Hamas, there is no place for the ISIS of Gaza”. He also repeated: “We will get to Yehya Sinwar [the leader of Hamas] – and we will eliminate him.”

Hassan Nasrallah, the Secretary General of the Hezbollah, at a ceremony honoring the Hamas terrorist who have died since 7th October, said last night that the Israel-Hamas war is “100% Palestinian, not regional”, but added that the Hezbollah has nevertheless been involved since the 8th of October, keeping the IDF occupied in the north. He also made a point of saying that the cross-border incidents have increased daily and threatened the possibility of an escalation on the Lebanese front <https://www.ynetnews.com/article/byfyvyzq6>.

There were a number of other developments today, but discussion concerning them will have to wait for another time. Shabbat ended here a short while ago and we are visiting with our daughter in Jerusalem. So, I will end this here and wish you all a God-honoring week.

Bless, be blessed and be a blessing.
Marvin

Shalom all,
Israel Update – Day 28 of the War.

As of this writing, the number of Israeli soldiers killed in action since the beginning of the ground offensive stands at 24.<https://www.ynetnews.com/article/rk9005izqt> The Hamas terror organization is suffering the loss of major command posts and weapons systems, as Israeli ground forces pressed on towards Gaza City. The IDF is able to reach, militarily, everywhere in that city, and can soon create a situation from which the leadership of Hamas would be unable to escape. However, to accomplish its goals, the IDF will undoubtedly have to engage is urban warfare, which could well increase the number of Israeli casualties. As a result, Ismail Haniyeh, a senior Hamas political leader flew to Tehran (from his comfortable living quarters in a hotel in Qatar, via a private jet) in an effort to convince Iran’s leadership to pull the Hezbollah’s puppet strings and get it to take a formal stance to enter the present war, opening a major second front in the north, that would cause Israel to re-direct its weapons and manpower away from the ground offensive in the Gaza Strip. There is no question that the Ayatollahs recognize the seriousness of the situation in Gaza and they activated their Lebanese terrorist proxy to increase the cross-border engagements with the IDF. Various Lebanese media, basing reports on sources affiliated with the Hezbollah, state that Hassan Nasrallah, the Secretary-General of the Hezbollah, is not looking an all-out war with Israel, as he knows that it would result in disastrous consequences for Lebanon, as well as Shi’ite locations in the Beqaa Valley. The position of the IDF, as revealed yesterday, was that if the Hezbollah formally open a second front, Israel would act and Lebanon, as a nation state, could cease to exist. “Intelligence” sources tend to believe that Nasrallah will keep the fires in the north on a low flame. We’ll soon see, after Nasrallah’s public speech today, his first in ages. Well, he threatened, but did not make a commitment to a broader war.

Governments and media around the globe are expressing concern over what they claim is a growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza. They are all clamoring for a cease fire, or a temporary halt in the fighting, so that increased humanitarian aid can be sent into Gaza via the Rafiah crossing from Egypt. Dozens upon dozens of trucks have been entering Gaza since the ground operation began, all bring humanitarian aid, most of which ends up in the hands of Hamas, who couldn’t care less about the citizens of the Strip. One of the major concerns is an alleged lack of fuel needed to avoid a severe humanitarian crisis. BUT, the IDF released today a recording of a phone call with a healthcare system official in Gaza, who said that Hamas has fuel reserves of more than a half million liters under Shifa Hospital and further admitted that all energy and fuel resources in the Strip are controlled by Hamas that directs them for terrorism. A recording of the conversation can be heard here: <https://www.ynetnews.com/article/hywp1vfqp#autoplay>.The IDF has consistently maintained the position that “if fuel is allowed to enter the Gaza Strip, Hamas plans to seize those resources. The IDF will continue to expose information that proves that the Hamas terrorist organization uses the resources of the civilian population of the Gaza Strip for terrorism.” The recording of the IDF shows that its concerns are correct.

The “West’s” misunderstanding of the mentality of the civilian population in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip results in the continued claim that Hamas does not represent the civilian population. However, recent polls in the Strip reveal that a majority of the “civilians” there support not only Hamas, but Islamic Jihad and other terrorist organizations, not only in Gaza, but in Judea and Samaria (i.e., “the West Bank” [of the Jordan River]) as well. The polls further indicate that almost two-thirds of Gazans support “armed Intifada and confrontations” against Israel and further, that they were in favor of armed attacks on Israeli civilians. <https://unitedwithisrael.org/gazans-alarming-support-for-attacks-on-israeli-civilians/?utm>

Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has been interviewed by a number of international media, who almost always focus the content of the interview on Israel’s military action in Gaza, which results in civilian casualties. He regularly tries to re-direct the interviewer to the questions that should be asked at the outset, namely: Why isn’t Hamas releasing the babies, girls, boys, that are being held hostage that breaks all the rules of war. But, there is an “agenda” that is focused on the casualties among the Gaza civilians who, on the whole, identify with Hamas and other terrorist organizations, rather than on the civilians in Israel, who were the victims of the brutal, barbaric and murderous act of terrorism <https://unitedwithisrael.org/bennett-calls-out-cnn-silence-on-hamas-and-baby-hostages/?utm>.

“Your pain is mine.”We all know that Ilhan Oman, a Democratic congresswoman from Minnesota, is a member of “The Squad”, that is deeply anti-Israel and anti-semitic. Somehow, he managed to be re-elected during the last round of voting for congressional representatives, with 74% of the votes from her district. Now, Dalia Al-Aqidi, an Iraqi-born Muslim immigrant to the United States, is seeking the Republican nomination to challenge Omar as the representative of Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District. Al Aqidi is a former journalist and media adviser to the U.S. Department of Defense in Iraq, who openly and boldly refers to Hamas as a terrorist organization. During an interview with The Media Line, she said that “[Whoever] supports these terrorists doesn’t belong to the United States of America, the land of the free.”

Al-Aqidi came to Israel “to show solidarity with the Israelis, with the Jewish people, to tell the Jewish people that you’re not alone.” During interviews with her while in Israel, she expressed her support of Israel and her commitment to fight against terrorism, as well as to replace Ilhan Omar, whom she referred to as the “No. 1 antisemitic lawmaker in the United States.” According to Al-Aqidi, Omar was appointed as representative of a district that she described as a hotbed for anti-semitism, fomented largely by the rhetoric of Omar, who claims that the state and country are anti-Jewish and they are pro-Hamas.“Somebody has to say no. Somebody has to correct the records.” I fully agree, Dalia Al-Aqidi. May you be successful in your quest to replace Omar. <https://unitedwithisrael.org/a-visit-of-solidarity-muslim-journalist-on-a-mission-to-replace-ilhan-omar-travels-to-israel/?utm>

Well, darkness has descended upon Israel and we have entered into Shabbat. Many will bless the provision of “challah” (traditional bread for the entry of Shabbat) as they sit around the table for dinner. Amid war, many Israelis turn to baking challahs to raise their spirits and bring the comforting aroma of baking into homes <https://www.ynetnews.com/culture/article/bjtbkifq6> The imagination is fruitful and often results in a sweet-smelling savor and a mouth-watering taste. 

Bless, be blessed and be a blessing.

Shabbat Shalom.

Marvin

Shalom all,
Israel Update – Day 27 of the War.
The number of Israeli soldiers killed in action since the beginning of the ground offensive stands at 16, as of earlier this afternoon. This brings the total number of IDF troops killed since the 7th of October, to 331.

Continued heavy fighting took place today deep inside the Gaza Strip. One particular unit of the IDF spear-headed a certain operation and eliminated a terrorist unit that sought to ambush them. This specialized unit suffered the loss of over 40 of its comrades-in-arms on Black Saturday. 

Increased cross-border incidents took place throughout the day in the northern front, as well, with missiles being launched at IDF positions. It could be that the Hezbollah was acting at the request of its Secretary-General, Hassan Nasrallah, who is schedule to make a speech tomorrow (Friday) in a ceremony celebrating “Martyrs who died on route to Jerusalem” (which can be interpreted to represent Hamas terrorists or other “Palestinian” factions). This will be his first public speech since the invasion and slaughter perpetrated by Hamas almost 4 weeks ago. The increase in military confrontation by Hamas naturally leads to a question that is on the minds of many, namely: if he will announce expansion of the conflict, more with missiles than with actual physical confrontation. Opinions are divided as to whether Nasrallah would risk joining the conflict, while a U.S. aircraft carrier is still anchored not far from the shores of Lebanon. In any event, the IDF Spokesman, Brigadier General Daniel Hagari, warned the “we will respond forcefully to anyone who tries to destabilize the northern front”. <https://www.ynetnews.com/article/b1q4sv11xp#autoplay> An all-out conflict with Hezbollah could result in the near elimination of Lebanon as a country.

Prior to the 7th of October, 2023, weekly demonstrations took place in various locations throughout Israel, sometimes with participants numbering over 100,000, against the government’s proposed “judicial reform”. Some in the media were cautioning against a potential “civil war”, particularly as the demonstrations took on a more violent character. But, since Black Saturday, there has been a nationwide stance that “We will be victorious – together”. This war has actually brought about a cessation of the politically-motivated demonstrations and has created a sense of “we are all in this, together”. It is a spirit of unity that cuts across the political divide and has energized right wing and left wing, secular and religious, Jew and Gentile. There was a widespread attitude that “Never Again!” Means “Never Again!” – not the Holocaust in Europe and not the second Holocaust that took place in Israel as a result of the terrorist invasion and slaughter of over 1,400 people and the abduction of over 240 people taken hostage by the terrorists. Some of those actually taken into the Gaza Strip by Hamas and its ilk were killed along the way and their bodies were found inside the Strip by IDF ground forces. So much for the Hamas psychological propaganda and proposal to exchange “All of the hostages for All of the “Palestinians” being held in Israeli jails”. Hamas can’t follow through on its offer to return “all” of the hostages held by it, because some are already dead and some are being held by others. It needs to be remembered that Hamas provided NO INFORMATION regarding the hostages, not their names, not their ages, not their gender, not their status of civilian or military, not their citizenship and not the status of their health and not even whether they are alive or dead. 

Yet, despite the barbarity of the terrorists’ actions, with a growing list of atrocities that have been documented and screened to select audiences, the burning, sensitive issue for hundreds of families and for the nation as a whole is: the hostages. The families want their loved ones back. Signs are posted everywhere in Israel, some stating: “Bring the hostages back – NOW!” “Release the hostages”. In other places, individual photos of some take hostage are pasted everywhere it is lawful to do so. The signs and posters and photos often appear side-by-side with “We will be victorious – together”. We cheer on the IDF, which is doing an excellent job (despite a multitude of condemnations from around the globe – based upon information released by Hamas and Hamas-controlled institutions in Gaza). The pressure is also mounting in Israel to agree to the “All for All” swap, but this would be, perhaps, the worst decision that this present government, or any Israeli government, can make.

A swap for the return of 240 hostages (less those whose bodies were later discovered in the Gaza Strip) for some 6,000 prisoners in Israeli jails, would be opening the door to perpetual abductions by terrorists, not only in Israel, but throughout the world.

Additionally, despite the military gains of the IDF deep inside the Gaza Strip, Hamas officials have declared that the ‘Palestinian’ terrorist group intends to repeat its Oct. 7 massacre of Israelis. Ghazi Hamad, a member of Hamas’ political bureau and a spokesman for the Iran-backed terror organization, stated in a television interview in Lebanon: “We must teach Israel a lesson, and we will do this again and again…[The Oct. 7 massacre] is just the first time and there will be a second, a third, a fourth … the occupation must come to an end.” Asked if by ending “the occupation” he meant the “annihilation” of Israel, Hamad replied, “Yes, of course…The existence of Israel is what causes all that pain, blood, and tears…It is Israel, not us. We are the victims of the occupation. Period. (Emphasis mine – see below**) Therefore, nobody should blame us for the things we do. On Oct. 7 … everything we do is justified.” Then, to emphasize the point, Hamad added, in English: “It is justified.” <https://www.algemeiner.com/2023/11/01/hamas-official-promises-carry-out-oct-7-massacre-again-and-again-until-israels-annihilation/> Those comments prompted James Cleverly, the British Foreign Secretary, to state that Hamad’s comments were proof that there can be no peace with Hamas. “How can there be peace when Hamas are committed to the eradication of Israel?…This is an official from Hamas committing to repeat the atrocities from 07/10 again and again.”

** It needs to be remembered that, on the one hand, while a number of countries stand with Israel’s determination to eliminate the existence of Hamas, they are many anticipating “the day after”. The unstated goal behind the stated goal is the ending of what has wrongly been called “the occupation” and the eventual establishment of a “Palestinian” state. This was the plan of former President Obama and it lies behind the think of his then Vice-President, now President, Joe Biden. In simple terms, that would be a disaster and the greatest undertaking of evil designed to undue the promise of God to Abraham that he and his descendants, namely, Isaac and Jacob and from there, the children of Israel (formerly Jacob) would be given this land, and even more than this land. The repeated song of Hamas, the Islamic Jihad, the “Palestine” Liberation Organization, as well as other terrorist organizations and even Arab countries, is nothing more than the perpetuation of an intentionally created “myth” that Israel stole “Palestinian” land. This will be discussed in a future update. But, for now, it should be clear that the establishment of a so-called “Palestinian” State in the region of Judea and Samaria (commonly referred to as “the West Bank” [of the Jordan River]) would be setting the stage for repetitions of the massacre of the 7th of October. See today’s cogent article by Bassam Tawil: The ‘Two-State’ Solution to Murder Jews<https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/20120/two-state-solution>, where he writes, in part: “The idea of establishing a Palestinian state in the West Bank means turning this area into another launching pad for attacking Israel and slaughtering Jewish men, women and children. US President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Anthony Blinken can continue to argue as much as they want that Hamas does not represent the Palestinians, but everyone who lives in the West Bank and Gaza Strip knows that this is a lethal lie. Every Palestinian is aware of, and often admires, the pro-Hamas demonstrations that have been taking place in the West Bank since October 7….it is high time for Biden and other Western leaders to stop pushing delusional ideas that will quickly lead to a repeat of the October 7 massacre. How many Jewish babies must be beheaded or baked alive in an oven, one wonders, for them to see that Palestinian leaders have radicalized their people against Israel to a point where they brag about slaughtering Jews with their own hands.”

Since we are discussing God’s promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, I am closing with a quote from Dror Eydar’s incisive article, The Genesis War, which appeared today in Israel Hayom <https://www.israelhayom.com/opinions/the-genesis-war/>:

“We are only at the beginning of this big event; it should have us go back to the drawing board on how we approach war, messianism, political perceptions, and especially, and the attempt to understand evil.

“This is not only Israel’s war, but also a war for the whole free world. Israel is the forward outpost in the defense of the free world. We are not asking for anyone’s permission to exist, nor are we asking for legitimacy to defend ourselves. The statements by foreign leaders who identify with us that they support ‘Israel’s right to exist’ and ‘its right to defend itself’ should be greeted with a forgiving nod rather than an expression of gratitude. What these statements mean is that they have not internalized that this war is not only ours but also theirs! We will be thankful when those leaders who wish to show their support speak out against absolute evil, support our war against the new Nazis, and take it upon themselves to act in a similar manner.” In his last paragraph, Eydar closes with: “We will always return [home to this land], even if European or Middle Eastern Nazis fight the historical process of the return of the Jews to Zion. At the end of Abraham’s vision of the future of the nation he founded, we are assured: ‘On that day, the Lord made a covenant with Abram: “To your offspring, I assign this land…”.’  (ibid:18). Let the world hear.” (Emphasis mine)

I am thankful for those who have taken the time to write, however briefly, and encourage me in a number of different ways regarding these updates. 

Please remember our two sons in your prayers, along with all of the members of the IDF, wherever they are and whatever service they be rendering. May they all go out in peace and return in peace.

Bless, be blessed and be a blessing.
Marvin

Shalom all,
Israel Update – Day 26 of the War.
Yesterday, I mentioned that when the news media says that the fighting is heavy and difficult, it usually means that there are Israeli casualties. As much as I wanted that comment to be wrong, it wasn’t. The news this morning reported the deaths of 2 soldiers and later in the day, another 13 were reported killed in action (KIA), bringing the total to 15 known, as of this writing. The heart is broken, the pain of loss is great, the tears don’t seem to stop.

On the day following the barbaric assault by 3,000 terrorists, the majority of whom were Hamas, we grieved with a long-time friend of our over the loss of her son-in-law, who was killed while saving the lives of families in a settlement not far from where he lived. Now, the same friend told us that the cousin of her son-in-law was also killed today in the Gaza fighting. We mourn with the family.

For some, a picture is truly worth a thousand words. So it was today, when 56 Members of Knesset (Israel’s Parliament) watched 47 minutes of a film prepared by the IDF from the ghastly events of Black Saturday. They were asked to leave their cell phones outside the hall. The Knesset physician was at the entrance of the hall and offered MKs a tranquilizer before the screening. Almost everyone took him up on the offer and took one or two pills. But, according to some of the MKs, the tranquilizers didn’t help. Many of the MKs were not able to continue watching until the end and left the Knesset hall, weeping and emotionally distraught. Most of them continued to break down in tears, even hours after the screening. The Speaker of the Knesset said that the decision was made to screen the film, so that we would know just what we were facing, to see the evil with their own eyes and hear, as well as to see and know how just and justified the war on evil is and to be accurate when they speak about it. One of the MKs, Almog Cohen, was resting in the hall. During the first days of the war, he fought together with his comrades in the reserves. He said, “The eyes cannot comprehend and neither can the head.” Most of the Knesset Members who sat through the film until the end left the hall weeping and trembling. Another MK, who left the screening after 17 minutes said that she couldn’t bear the sights or see the evil – “the children’s voices, their pleas in the face of pure evil, never leave me. Seeing evil in this way is something that the human mind cannot absorb. I trembled, cried, left the hall. Can’t relax until now.” Still another MK said: “You just can’t digest it. We’ve seen horrors over the past few days, but the scenes of what happened inside the houses is unimaginable. For the first time in my life, I took a sedative.”

The media reported about the rapes, beheadings, dismemberments and kidnappings, among other things. But, they rarely reported about the gruesome sights that were found by medics and first responders inside the homes. One of them appears in the short video interview,  in English, that can be seen as part of an article in Hebrew. The link is attached and the report given by the medic is emotionally difficult. <https://www.ynet.co.il/news/article/bjgt00p17t?utm> Similar atrocities were reported by a paramedic first responder, who reported that he saw “a dead baby that had been burned inside an oven by Hamas. He also described seeing a woman who was four months pregnant when Hamas ripped open her stomach to tear her baby out of her womb and then stabbed the child before killing the woman in front of her family.” He added that he saw little children who were beheaded and that he and the other first responders didn’t know which head belonged to which child. <https://www.christianpost.com/news/hamas-burned-jewish-baby-in-an-oven-says-israeli-first-responder.html>

A Hamas official says that they will repeat the events of 7th October until Israel is annihilated. <https://www.jns.org/hamas-official-we-will-repeat-oct-7-until-israel-is-annihilated/?_se=bWpwb2xvQGJib3guZnI%3D&utm_campaign=Morning+Syndicate+1112023&utm_medium=email&utm_source=brevo>  God said to Abraham: “I will bless those who bless you and the one who curses you, I will curse.” (Gen. 12:3) When He curses, it is in kind. Hamas wants to annihilate Israel, it will be Hamas who will be annihilated.

While we fight a war on the ground, in the air and from the sea, there is another war that we are fighting – the public relations war – and we are not doing well in that, primarily because the goals of this war are not expressed clearly. One University Professor suggests that we express them in 8 words: Release the hostages; Punish Hamas and its enablers. Attached is the article. It’s worth reading. <https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/why-israel-is-fast-losing-the-public-relations-war/>

This is a short update, because it’s been a long day.

Bless, be blessed and be a blessing.
Marvin

Shalom all,
Israel Update – Day 25 of the War.
The War on the Ground: Reports throughout the day indicate the battles against Hamas terrorists is fierce and difficult. That is usually a preparation for receiving news tomorrow morning of the IDF soldiers who were killed or wounded. My fervent hope and prayer is that this is not the case and that their arms will be strengthened for war and that they will all return to their homes in peace. 

Still, Israeli ground forces have moved deep into the Gaza Strip in heavy fighting and eliminated dozens of terrorists, including the Hamas commander who directed the massacre of Black Saturday, on 7th October. This same commander had his hand in developing drone and paragliding capabilities.

Speaking of paragliding: Amid the numerous videos of the deadly Hamas assault, which resulted in the deaths of over 1,400 Israelis and visitors and at least 243 people taken as hostages, the ones of paragliders captured the attention of anti-semites around the world. Within two days following the massacre, neo-Nazis from Florida began selling a t-shirt depicting two paragliders, AK-47 rifles and another figure, probably intended to be interpreted as a Hamas terrorist. Other, pro-“Palestinian” groups developed various symbols of paragliders to show their support of Hamas and the “Palestinians”. I choose not to publish these symbols of anti-semitism.

The “Houthi” Front: Try saying “Houthi” five times fast. It sounds almost like the name of a kid’s movie, only their actions are anything except funny. The Houthis are a branch of Shiite moslems, that has been fighting the Sunni moslem majority government in Yemen for the past almost 20 years. They succeeded to take control of Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, in 2014 and since 2016 they control much of north Yemen. So, why are the Houthis launching cruise missiles and drones against Israel, particularly towards the City of Eilat in southern Israel? The simple answer is that this terrorist organization, like Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, is backed by Iran, who trained and financed their actions against the ruling Sunni government. “Yahya Sria, a spokesman for the group, said that the aerial assault…was carried out ‘out of a sense of religious, moral, humanitarian and national responsibility’ for the people of Gaza, in the face of the weakness of the Arab world, and of the collusion of some Arab countries with Israel.” He added, incredibly, that the Houthi action against Israel was prompted by “the demands of the Yemeni people.” <https://www.timesofisrael.com/in-first-arrow-system-used-to-down-missile-from-red-sea-houthis-claim-uav-attack/> Really? Until now, I didn’t know that the Yemeni people were Iranian Ayatollahs.

Priorities of this war: In a speech given this afternoon by Tzachi Hanegbi, the National Security Council Chairman, he said the primary aim of the war is the return of the hostages and he is of the firm opinion that the present ground offensive of the IDF will help to accomplish that goal. He said: “This is our sacred responsibility as a nation, to our soldiers and our civilians.” But, he added that the massacre on Black Saturday “did away with the illusion that we are facing an enemy who wouldn’t risk his total destruction”, and that Hamas hides behind the residents of Gaza, whom it treats as “human dust that offers it protection.” The mission of the IDF is to see to it that Hamas will cease to exist and that “Monstrous terrorist organizations will never again be allowed to rule the Gaza Strip.” It is interesting to note that at the outset of the war, the priority was the elimination of Hamas, without taking into account the situation of the hostages. Pressure from within and from without reversed the priorities – now, first hostages, then military action for the elimination of the threat, which action that is supposed to help achieve the primary goal of returning the hostages. And so, the real priority is…?

Hanegbi also acknowledged the strong backing of the U.S. that assists Israel “to wage an unprecedentedly powerful campaign” against Hamas. But, he added, in order to maintain that support, “it is our responsibility to distinguish between murderers and civilian bystanders, to encourage the civilian population in the northern Gaza Strip to position themselves in safe areas in the south, to allow foreign aid forces to provide food, water, and medicine to everyone who heeds our call and is in the south today, and to call for lifesaving medical care to everyone who needs, but not in the hospitals which today serve as terror headquarters, for Hamas and PIJ command and control, but in Egyptian hospitals, in the protected area, or in hospital ships.” Foreign medical ships are already on their way to the coast of Gaza. But, providing medical care to Gazans in Egyptian hospitals is not a suggestion that will immediately be acted upon. Egypt is reluctant to take in refugees from Gaza, for the simple reason that Egypt may be stuck with them. The official claim is that Israel has not publicly agreed to allow the return to Gaza of those who leave to receive medical attention. <https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/hanegbi-says-israel-recognizes-egypts-reluctance-to-take-refugees/#:~:text=Asked%20whether%20Israel%20wants%20Egypt,border%20if%20it%20is%20opened.> Sounds familiar. Following Israel’s War of Independence, the Arabs who left Israel before the war were not allowed to return. And, none of the Arab nations around was willing to take them in, including Egypt. So, while Egypt is willing to help in a humanitarian effort, it is not willing to take a chance of the “Palestinians” becoming its unwelcome guests.

The psychological, financial and human price of war: A quarter of a million Israelis have been displaced from their homes because of the war, either because of physical damage already committed and/or because of concern that they were and/or might be and/or continue to be, in harm’s way, due to rockets launched from the Gaza Strip or from Lebanon. <https://www.jns.org/250000-israelis-displaced-bodies-identified-three-weeks-after-mass-murder/#:~:text=Some%20250%2C000%20Israelis%20have%20been,according%20to%20a%20senior%20Israeli> Some of the residents in the north were put up in a hotel, only to receive an evacuation notice from the hotel, which was closing due to lack of available financing. Other hotels are still full, while some cities have set aside special areas to set up “tent cities”. Indeed, refugees inn our own land. 

Additionally, according to the Walla news site in Hebrew, the Department of Welfare and Human Services reports that as a result of the slaughter that took place on Black Saturday, 20 children were orphaned and 96 were left with one parent. At a meeting of a special Committee of Labor and Welfare regarding the treatment of children orphaned by war, the Committee Chairman, Member of Knesset Yisrael Eichler, of the United Torah Judaism party, said: “The State of Israel never dealt with a situation like this since the day of its establishment, not in the numbers and not in its essence.” The main problem is that the figures of missing and orphaned children is not yet final and they continue to change. More than that, it is not clear which government department is responsible for dealing with those minor children and that there are a lot of relatives who took in orphans, all resulting in the need for someone to coordinate between the various factions. Too many issues, not enough concrete solutions.

I am leaving out facts regarding the targets of various missile launchings in the south, the middle of the country and cross-border gun fire and mortar fire in the north. All of these are on-going and they will be reported on in additional updates. 

Bon Appetite!

It’s been claimed, rightly or wrongly, that if Jewish people stop eating Chinese and Italian food, we will put two countries out of business. There is a very good Chinese Restaurant in Haifa, whose owners we have known for close to 40 years. The original owners were refugees from South Vietnam during the Vietnam War, who were received by Israel and were granted Israeli citizenship. They learned Hebrew and established a restaurant. Their children serve in the IDF and the next generation is now in charge of the restaurant. They are very thankful for Israel and loyal to it, demonstrating it in no small number of ways. There is a particular unit of the IDF not far from our area. We reached out to the owners of the restaurant and ordered food for the unit, which the restaurant delivered. Needless to say, it blessed the soldiers and we were blessed as a result. There is a short video of the unit expressing thanks in unison. But, we were not able to cover the faces, so we can’t show it. Still, you can see some of the pics. There was enough for all to be satisfied, as well as enough for a full meal tomorrow.

“His attendant said, ‘What, will I set this before a hundred men?’ But he said, ‘Give them to the people that they may eat, for thus says the LORD , “They shall eat and have some left over”.’ “ (2 Kings 4:43)

Bless, be blessed and be a blessing.

Marvin

Shalom all,

Israel Update – Day 24 of the War.
Jerusalem under fire! Two weeks ago, rockets were fired at Jerusalem. Most Jerusalemites and media pundits were of the opinion that Hamas did not intend to target Jerusalem and that some missiles went astray. The false sense of security expressed by many that Jerusalem was “off limits” was shattered this afternoon when a barrage of rockets were launched towards the city and surrounding areas. Israel’s Iron Dome anti-missile Defense System was able to intercept the incoming missiles and no injuries were reported. The rocket attack came during certain Knesset meetings, with Opposition Leader Yair Lapid stating, among other things, that he would give his full backing to any government attempts to return the 239 hostages being held in Gaza. Lapid, who is usually critical of actions taken, or failed to be taken, by the present coalition government, added: “The State of Israel must not stop and must not let go until we kill six people (whom he named specifically)…All six have to die. Until they die, Israel will not have avenged the murdered of Be’eri and Sderot, Kfar Aza and Ofakim. Until they die, the Middle East will not understand that we are not messing around.” Finally, something that Lapid and I can agree upon.

Avigdor Liberman, the head of the Yisrael Beytenu (“Israel is our Home”) Party, also urged stronger military action against the Hezbollah, the terrorist group in Lebanon that is backed by Iran. He said, “We can’t wake up one day to a heavy salvo of missiles flying towards Haifa and Tel Aviv…We can’t finish a war without tossing Hezbollah beyond the Litani [River in Southern Lebanon].” It should be noted that the tension in the north of Israel is due to the cross-border incidents and rocket fire from the Hezbollah, who is still playing “cat and mouse” with intermittent launches and provoking responses from the IDF in various forms. <https://www.jns.org/rockets-fired-at-jerusalem-as-knesset-factions-meet/>

Interestingly, notwithstanding the ongoing cross-border incidents, Najib Mikati, Lebanon’s caretaker Prime Minister, said that he fears an escalation and is trying to keep Lebanon from entering the war. He is cautious about the future, which “depends on regional developments.” He stated: “For now Hezbollah has managed the situation rationally and wisely, and the rules of the game have remained constrained to certain limits”. <https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/lebanon-pm-says-hezbollah-is-acting-wisely-says-he-is-trying-to-avoid-joining-war/> Mikati, who is on good terms withe the Hezbollah terrorist organization, did not comment on the repeated threats of Hassan Nasrallah, the Secretary-General of the Hezbollah, who has repeatedly threatened to blanket Israel with missiles. Present estimates are that the Hezbollah has about 100,000 missiles pointed in our direction. It is highly doubtful that Hezbollah will abide by “the rules of the game”, if push comes to shove and it receives instructions from its puppeteer, Iran, and enters the war, willingly or reluctantly.

Shani Lock was said to be one of the organizers of the Rei’m music festival that took place near the Gaza border. She was kidnapped by Hamas and her naked body was paraded in the back of a truck in the early hours of Black Saturday. Her family reported that she is no longer alive. Shani was born in Germany but raised in Israel and held dual citizenship. A video of her being taken to the Gaza Strip following the Hamas invasion and killing spree of Black Saturday was circulated over the internet. According to Shani’s cousin, Ruthie: “We received an official notification yesterday from the IDF and the ZAKA (emergency response organization), which included a letter stating that a bone from the base of a skull was found that matches Shani’s DNA. The doctors determined that a person could not live without this bone, leading them to conclude that she had passed away. They consulted with two additional experts and a rabbi on the matter.”

An announcement of her death was posted by her family, along with photos of Shani. <https://www.timesofisrael.com/german-israeli-shani-louk-seen-paraded-by-terrorists-in-gaza-confirmed-dead/?utm_campaign=daily-edition-2023-10 30&utm_medium=email&utm_source=The+Daily+Edition> German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, upon hearing of Shani’s death, wrote on a social media platform: “Like many others, she was brutally murdered. This shows the full barbarity behind the Hamas attack – who must be held accountable…This is terror, and Israel has the right to defend itself.”

Whose war is this? A telephone conversation took place last night between Israeli P.M. Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Joe Biden. According to a post on social media, Biden said that the two leaders spoke “about developments in Gaza — we discussed efforts to secure the release of hostages and help Americans in Gaza leave safely, and I underscored the need to immediately and significantly increase the flow of humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza. I reiterated that Israel has every right to defend its citizens from terrorism and a responsibility to do so in a manner consistent with international humanitarian law which prioritizes the protection of civilians.” (Emphasis mine)

While Biden was pressuring Netanyahu to provide MORE humanitarian aid, his Vice-President, Kamala Harris, was interviewed last night on “60 Minutes”. She, of course, parroted the expressed “demands” of her boss, but went further and revealed the intentions of the U.S. and what is expected to follow after this present war is over. Note carefully her words: “Israel, without any question, has a right to defend itself. That being said, it is very important that there be no conflation between Hamas and the Palestinians. The Palestinians deserve equal measures of safety and security, self-determination and dignity, and we have been very clear that the rules of war must be adhered to and that there be humanitarian aid that flows.” We need to point out to the Vice-President, and, apparently, to a host of other politicians wherever they may be, that the Jihadis do not play by the “rules of war”. These people kill indiscriminately – they rape, behead, burn, desecrate and kidnap civilians, as well as soldiers. Israel has sustained the worst attack and loss of life in a single day since the Yom Kippur War in 1973, and the Holocaust before that. We are in a war! and we are told, indeed, pressured, to “immediately and significantly increase the flow of humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza.” Are we to also include the “self-determination” of the “Palestinians” as part of our military efforts? By the way, the “conflation between Hamas and the “Palestinians” already exists.

I wonder how gracious the U.S. would be if an enemy, sworn to the destruction of America, would slaughter over 1,400 U.S. citizens today. Has it not learned the lessons from 9/11? An enemy needs to be defeated, not cuddled. The U.S. went after bin Laden with a passion, pursuing every option available to it, until he was found and eliminated. The IDF Spokesman said last night that we will pursue the leader of Hamas until we get him. The best thing that could be done for the civilians living in Gaza is to bring about the speedy elimination of Hamas and Islamic Jihad. We were pursuing that end and closed the borders of the Gaza enclave so that no one could go in and no one could go out. I’ve already indicated in previous updates that there would be a price to pay for receiving support of different kinds, including weapons and supplies, following Biden’s visit here for a few hours. The price was for us to listen to Uncle Sam, to open the borders that were closed, at least the Rafiah crossing with Egypt, and supply the “Palestinians” with abundant humanitarian aid that is gobbled up by Hamas.  U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, during an interview yesterday with CNN, said that one of the purposes of the humanitarian pauses that the U.S. is pushing for is to help bring about the safe release of the hostages. The exact opposite is true. It only provides assistance to Hamas and strengthens its resolve to continue to fight and to continue to attempt to dictate terms for the release of hostages. 

Let’s try to put things in perspective. Israel has a population of 9.4 million people. The U.S. has a population of 340 million people, 36 times more than Israel. On Black Saturday, 1,400 people were killed in Israel by Hamas and its ilk. If we multiply that by 36, the number would be 50,400. That is the number of people who would be killed in the U.S. by blood-thirty terrorists and another 8,604 people would be taken hostage (239 hostages here times 36). How do you think the American people would respond to that? How open would they be to listening to other countries telling them how to conduct their war against those who slaughtered their people and took multitudes prisoner? Just a thought.

And when this war is over, the push will be for the establishment of a unified, “Palestinian” State, that includes Gaza and the area presently under the control of the “Palestinian” Authority. https://www.timesofisrael.com/pas-premier-says-ramallah-wont-take-over-gaza-without-plan-that-includes-west-bank/ 

Yahya Sinwar, the Head of the viper called “Hamas”, repeated that Hamas is willing to release all of the hostages for all of the “Palestinian” prisoners being held in Israeli jails. This is another psychological ploy of Hamas, who knows that the families of those taken captive will pressure Israel, as much as possible, to make the deal of “all for all”. The goal of Hamas is to stop the IDF advancement into the Gaza Strip. Hamas released a video of three Israeli women being held hostage. One of them read a pre-scripted text condemning P.M. Netanyahu and the government for not getting them released from captivity. It was not exactly a good public relations video for Israel, but is great for Hamas. P.M. Netanyahu remarked that the release of the video was a “cruel psychological warfare campaign by Hamas-ISIS.” In his response, seemingly to the women in the video, he said, “I embrace you. Our hearts are with all the captives. We are doing everything to bring everyone back home.” <https://www.ynetnews.com/article/hkvjrx6za>

On a happier note, during the present offensive inside Gaza, the IDF was able to free one of the abducted soldiers, who served as a lookout on the Gaza border. In its statement, the IDF said: “Ori Megidish was released during ground operations. PVT Megidish was kidnapped by the Hamas terrorist organization on October 7th. The soldier was medically checked, is doing well, and has met with her family. The IDF and ISA will continue to do everything it takes in order to release the hostages.” Ori’s aunt had these words to say about Ori’s release: “We are excited and grateful to the All Mighty, to all the people of Israel, to our soldiers…It is thanks to our prayers that she is freed…There is no one like the people of Israel, and no one like our soldiers. we thank all of them. There is nothing like our Ori. Your are strong, you are our hero and we love you and are waiting for you right here”. I’ll leave it at that.

“There is no one like the God of Jeshurun, Who rides the heavens to your help.” (Deuteronomy 33:26)“The Lord is my strength and my shield; My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped.” (Psalm 28:7)

Bless, be blessed and be a blessing,

Marvin

Shalom all,
Israel Update – Day 23 of the War.
The IDF Spokesman reported tonight that the number of hostages now stands at 239, up 9 from last night, with some 30 of them children.

The IDF destroyed anti-tank positions of Hamas; but rockets continued It can reasonably be said that a second front has opened in the north, but it is on a low fire at this point. The Hezbollah launched six rockets towards the northern city of Kiryat Shmona, causing damage to two buildings. The IDF returned pin-point fire to the launch locations and Hezbollah terror cells.

Central Israel came under heavy rocket attack around Noon, while rockets were launched from Gaza at various Israeli towns and cities throughout the course of the day. Fragments of intercepted rockets fell in residential areas, with one landing in a schoolyard in a suburb of Tel Aviv. 

Israel denies claims made by aid agencies in the Gaza Strip that Israel warned humanitarian aid groups to immediately evacuate al-Quds Hospital, a major hospital in Gaza City. Take the announcements coming out of Gaza with a grain of salt.

The day has been filled with political problems and a seeming disunity among members of the War Cabinet over comments made by P.M. Netanyahu over social media, which he eventually deleted, even expressing an apology for his actions. Hopefully, the mini-crisis is over and everyone will start to work together to get the job done that needs to be done.

In the midst of Israel’s heavy press against Hamas and the Jihadis in Gaza, U.S. President Biden is pressuring Israel to significantly increase the humanitarian aid that is being given to the citizens of Gaza. Either he doesn’t understand, or is willfully ignoring, the fact that Israel has been providing humanitarian aid by dozens of truckloads every day, including today. But, most of the aid is being diverted by Hamas for Hamas. Citizens of northern Gaza were urged by the IDF to move south towards Khan Yunis, but Hamas is forcefully preventing them from complying, wanting to keep the citizens in harm’s way so that Hamas can gain public sympathy because of the number of casualties resulting from the present war. What should be clear to everyone by now, Hamas is willing to sacrifice the citizens of Gaza to win a public relations war against Israel.

And, as if we didn’t have enough to deal with from the Jihadis in Gaza and the Hezbollah in Lebanon, several missiles were fried into Israeli territory from Syria, who up to this point has remained relatively quiet. The IDF responded with artillery fire at the source of the launch. 

Pro-“Palestinian” – Anti-Israel incitement and demonstrations increased significantly in different countries, some being very violent. Local law enforcement is having a difficult time restraining certain mobs.

In this last regard, the big story of the evening is the pro-“Palestinian”, Muslim riot that took place and is still ongoing in the airport in Makhachkala, the capital of the Russian Republic of Dagestan, against the flight that was due to arrive there from Israel. The pilots were made aware if the riots and the plane was re-routed to another airport. The rioters arrived at the other airport as well and were seen rampaging through the airport, breaking through locked doors and even trying to climb into the plane from the outside. According to reports coming out of Russia, the rioters were chanting “Allah Akbar” and were seeking to harm the Israelis who were on the flight. Passengers were told to remain on board the plane for the time being. There are conflicting reports regarding the passengers, with some asserting that all of the passengers were found to possess Russian passports, which were checked by the protesters. Other reports indicate that the passengers were returned to the plane, where the flight crew locked all exits from the plane, while the area was closed off by security forces. The Israelis and Jews are being secured at the airport until they will be evacuated to Moscow. Both the office of the Israeli Prime Minister, as well as the Foreign Ministry, are calling upon the Russian government to protect Israeli citizens. Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian President, whose country is fighting its own war with Russia, said that the attack of the plane “is not an isolated incident in Makhachkala, but rather a part of Russian’s broader culture of hostility toward other countries, propagated by state television, critics and authorities. The Russian foreign minister has made a series of antisemitic remarks in the past year. The Russian president, too, has used antisemitic slurs.”<https://www.ynetnews.com/article/byvmumhza#autoplay>

In addition to the riot at the airport, another violent protest took place outside of the Flamingo Hotel in the city, where some 500 demonstrators demanded the removal of Israelis from the hotel and put up a sign at the entrance to the hotel, that said “Entry for Israeli citizens is strictly prohibited.” <https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-770738>

Last thought: Yahya Sinwar, the head of the Hamas terrorist organization, said yesterday that Hamas was ready for an “immediate” swap of all Israeli hostages for all “Palestinian” prisoners. <https://www.ynetnews.com/article/hjv5rrqz6> Again, no information was forthcoming about the hostages taken to Gaza. The IDF is pushing forward in its ground action into the Gaza enclave. The pressure against Hamas is increasing and even the citizens of Gaza are saying that they are being sacrificed by Hamas. The Spokesman for the IDF said two hours ago, “We’ll pursue Hamas’s Sinwar until we reach him.” It should be noted that Sinwar was one of the multitude of Israeli prisoners who was freed in the swap for the soldier, Gilad Shalit a few years ago. Releasing all of the prisoners in Israeli jails should be rejected out of hand. But, the families of the hostages are pressuring P.M. Netanyahu to make the “All for all” hostage trade-off. The decision is not in the hands of Netanyahu alone. There is a War Cabinet and it needs to decide what to do. May God grant them and us wisdom to learn from our mistakes and not make another “Shalit Deal”.

It would be interesting to know how much of “our news” makes it to “your news”.

“If an army encamps against me, my heart will not fear; If war arises against me, in spite of this I am confident.” (Psalm 27:3)

Bless, be blessed and be a blessing.
Marvin

Shalom all,
Israel Update – Day 22 of the War.
It’s been three long weeks since the unfathomable murderous attack was carried out by the jihadists, orchestrated by the Hamas terrorist organization. As of this writing, over 1,400 were killed by those who infiltrated from the Gaza Strip into the communities surrounding the Gaza enclave and more than 5,000 were wounded. The revised figures of those taken hostage by Hamas and the other terrorists now stands at 229. The families of the hostages are outraged that no one from the government explained to them whether the ground offensive now underway engages the well-being of the hostages.

Major General Herzl Halevi, Israel’s Chief of General Staff, said that “This is a war with multiple stages. Today we move to the next one.” He also noted that the objectives of the war require a ground operation and that “In order to expose and destroy the enemy, there is no other way than to enter its territory with force.” Israel points out that the present offensive is a limited one and that it will expand, as necessary. The IDF operation is by air, sea and land and has successfully eliminated numerous targets, including high-ranking members of Hamas. Terrorist cells that attempted to launch anti-tank missiles were identified and neutralized by the IDF, who also destroyed a booby-trapped structure and eliminated it. Nevertheless, and despite the heavy assault on locations inside Gaza, rocket barrages continued to be launched from there into communities in the south and from mid-day until now, additional targets in the center of the country, including Tel-Aviv, Shell (south-central area between the Judean Hills and the coastal plain – about 15 km in length), Holon, Raanana and the Gush Dan area. No deaths were reported, but several people were injured and there is property damage. Halevi also stated that the IDF was “prepared for every possible scenario”, referring to regional escalation, particularly against the Hezbollah terrorist organization in Lebanon.

Without question, a second front has opened up in the north. It is limited at this point, but it exists. There is significant military confrontation with the forces of the Hezbollah and the IDF has responded with pinpoint accuracy and destroyed a number of locations from which missiles were launched, including anti-tank missiles. Air raid sirens blared in the entire area of the Galilee.

Israeli military intelligence is aware that Hamas has anticipated the Israeli ground offensive and that its knowledge of the geography of the Gaza Strip is greater than that of the IDF. There will be all kinds of booby traps and explosive devices in the path of the IDF, with many of them in the maze of miles of tunnels that criss-cross Gaza. Along with that are the thousands of terrorists, who are willing to fight to the death and in the process hope to maximize the number of IDF casualties. May God grant wisdom upon wisdom and boldness with caution to our forces now inside enemy territory.

Less than an hour ago, I watched the televised press conference with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister, Yoav Galant, and former head of the IDF and now member of the War Cabinet, Benny Gantz. Their comments were brief and were intended to encourage the nation – and send a message to our enemies, as well as to our “friends”. Netanyahu made a number of points: The IDF entered the “gates of evil” last night, with the “supreme goal” of completely eliminating Hamas and guaranteeing our existence as a nation.“This is our second War of Independence.” 

Gantz added that the IDF is pursuing attacks from the air, above and below the ground, as well as from the sea. Hamas is taking difficult blow that it never knew before. We don’t want to expand the war, but we are prepared for it. Regarding the hostages, he stated that “We are dealing with a new reality”. The release of the hostages is of the highest importance and that we are doing everything we can to bring the hostages back to Israel, that it’s very complicated and that our enemies are not seeking a humanitarian resolution. He added that this will not be a short war. 

War Cabinet Minister Galant spoke forcefully and clearly: “This is a war for our home, a war of ‘no choice’.” He noted that the Hamas war criminals are willing to sacrifice their own people in Gaza and that it’s important for the world to know that “War does not have a political time clock.” And while they spoke, Hamas fired rockets toward central Israel.

Yesterday, it was mentioned that Hamas has a base of operations under Gaza City’s largest hospital. The IDF release footage of investigations of terrorists who were captured during confrontations with the IDF following the Hamas incursions on Black Saturday. The Hamas operatives confessed that hospitals in the Gaza Strip were used to shield Hamas from IDF strikes. Responding to a question about the connection between the Gaza hospitals and the vast tunnel system of Hamas, one of the terrorists interviewed, who is a member of Hamas’s elite Nukhba force, said: “[Most] of them are hidden in the hospitals. (At) Shifa for example (the hospital), there are underground levels…Shifa is not small, it is a big place that can be used to hide things.” When asked why medical institutions were being used by Hamas for protection, his answer was so that “you won’t strike them”, which enables Hamas to take advantage of that fact to smuggle “explosives, weapons, food, [and] medical equipment” for their operatives. Two other important facts came out of that particular interview. One has to do with the fuel situation in Gaza: “First, they [Hamas] take care of their own cares and jeeps and then distribute them to the people. They refuel from full containers for themselves.” The other is that there is no freedom of movement. “You can’t go to Egypt without their (Hamas) permission.” Regarding the use by Hamas of the hospital as a “safe place” for them, IDF Spokesman, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said that Hamas’s Central Command is located below Shifa Hospital, from which terrorist operations, as well as rocket fire, is coordinated. The command center has several areas, all well-equipped with storage for weapons, ammunition and medical equipment, adding that “The hospital has 1,500 beds and about 4,000 staff members who act as a human shield for Hamas leaders.” An underground tunnel allows entry to the Central Command without have to go through the hospital itself. <https://www.ynetnews.com/article/bkrxjhcf6#autoplay> Needless to say, this poses no small problem for the IDF. In order to get to the command center, the hospital itself may have to be removed. Hagari was then asked whether Shifa Hospital is a target for the Israeli Air Force, to which he responded: “In this war, all options are on the table.”  Earlier in the war, another hospital in Gaza was damaged. Israel was immediately blamed, but it was discovered that the damage was caused not be Israel, but by Hamas. Many news sites did not correct the initial reporting of false information. Israel will need abundant wisdom and a holy boldness destroy the underground command center. 

The IDF showed to news executives and reporters a 43-minute video of the atrocities carried out by Hamas operatives and others. This was the first time that the footage was shown outside of Israel. The scenes are from the body cameras worn by the terrorists, from security cameras and from social media accounts. Fox News anchor, Martha MacCallum reported this today on her Twitter (X) Account <https://twitter.com/marthamaccallum/status/1717961633597710676?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1717961633597710676%7Ctwgr%5E79edf76cbc56a6409f4fc731dca708d387362eb7%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ynetnews.com%2Farticle%2Fsyfz9bcz6>: “Today we were shown the Hamas bodycam and other videos of the attacks of October 7th. There are no words to explain. It is to witness the darkest evil that can exist. Hamas terrorists laugh and call home to boast how many Jews they killed “with their hands.” Asking if their parents are proud? Humans bloodied, charred, ripped apart. But it is the cries of the children that I will hear forever. I share this with you because the world needs to know what happened. And so that you can imagine it, because I hope you never have to see it.” (EmphasisMine)

“There are six things which the LORD hates, yes, seven which are an abomination to Him: Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that run rapidly to evil, a false witness who utters lies, and one who spreads strife among brothers.” (Proverbs 6:16-19) Does this sound like any terrorist organization that you heard of?

We need to recognize that our fight is not just against flesh and blood, but against spiritual forces of evil that seek to steal, to kill and to destroy. And so, we need divine wisdom and strength.

God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. The LORD of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah.Come, behold the works of the LORD, Who has wrought desolations in the earth.He makes wars to cease to the end of the earth; He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two; He burns the chariots with fire. “Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. The LORD of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our stronghold. (Psalm 46:1, 7-11)

As we begin a new week, may you be granted wisdom and grace and find favor in the sight of God and man.
Please remember in your prayers our sons in the IDF, as well as all those who wear the uniform, who serve day and night and stand in harm’s way to protect us.

Bless, be blessed and be a blessing.
Marvin

Shalom all,

Israel Update – Day 21 of the War.It’s Friday night and Shabbat has already begun. So, this will be short.
The IDF entered the Gaza Strip for the second day in a row began a heavy artillery barrage on Gaza. According to the IDF Spokesman, this was done in order to “meet the objectives of the war.” He also revealed that a Hamas command center is located under the Shifa Hospital, which is the largest hospital in Gaza City. The command center and control room, which are accessible through underground tunnels, are “heavily staffed by armed forces”. It was further revealed that another command center is actually located inside the hospital, which is used, among other things, to launch missiles at Israeli communities. Clearly, these are violations of international law and should be prosecuted as war crimes. But, the big question is “who is going to prosecute the leaders of Hamas for war crimes”, when there is a growing sympathy for “Palestinian” casualties?

Rockets landed in and around the Tel Aviv area, together with the coastal cities of Ashkelon and Ashdod. There were injuries reported, as well as property damage.

Push is coming to shove, as it is becoming increasingly clear that Israel needs to make a decision which way it is going to continue in the conduct of the war. On the one hand, there are those who want to delay the full ground offensive, to allow more time to negotiate for the release of some of the hostages. Other members of the War Cabinet want to pursue the ground operation, to place additional pressure on Hamas, which might help to improve Israel’s negotiating position.

I fully understand and appreciate the desire to have the hostages, all of the hostages, released. But, the likelihood that all of the hostages will be released is nil. Yesterday, the Hamas spokesman indicated that approximately 50 hostages have already died as a result of the IDF bombardment of the Gaza Strip. If they’re dead, it’s because they were killed by Hamas or put in harm’s way intentionally. No names, no ages, no identification of male or female, civilian or military, Israeli or foreign citizen. I don’t believe anything that Hamas has to say and it should be obvious that they are using the negotiations to extend time to gain media support for the civilian casualties in Gaza. The constant shift in Hamas’s position in the negotiations also indicates that even if hostages will be released (they should really by considered prisoners of war), they may be foreign citizens first and may include women and children. After them, other Israeli civilians and finally, if they are still alive, Israeli soldiers, male and female. We are bombing the daylights out of Gaza and Hamas is still calling the shots in the “negotiations”. There is something wrong here. Extended “negotiations”, without pursuing the ground offensive, will cause great damage from a number of perspectives – military, morale, public pressure, media pressure, international pressure, economics and politics (just to name a few). It’s time to decide, not to sit on the wall.

Much can be said about the atrocities that were committed by the terrorists on Black Saturday, 7th October. A viewing of some of the videos taken by Hamas operatives themselves, in real time, should convince anyone and everyone of what – not who – we are dealing with. The images seen on those videos will cause some to break down emotionally. Others will not be able to get those scenes out of their minds. I was asked by a long-time friend whether I saw some of the videos, because he was having a difficult time believing what he heard. I told him that I did and that he should be thankful that he didn’t see them.

A perspective of the difference between a Hamas terrorist and an IDF soldier appeared in a cartoon, in Hebrew, which has been reported on various social media here. It is attached. On the left is a Hamas terrorist calling his father and saying to him: “Daddy, I killed ten people.” The other photo shows a member of the IDF calling his mother and saying to her: “Mom, I saved ten people.” That’s it in a nutshell, the difference between those who have an ideology and philosophy of death and those who have an ideology and philosophy of life. “L’Chaim”!!! To life!!! We lift a glass and toast to it, we sing about it, we proclaim it and pursue it in all of its aspects, because it is a gift to be cherished.

There’s more that happened today. But, the best thing that I can report is that both of our sons were granted 24 hours leave from their units and came home for Shabbat. Our older son came home early in the afternoon, in uniform and with his weapon. His younger brother came home 3 hours later, also in uniform and with his weapon. This is how they greeted each other.

Shabbat Shalom,
Bless, be blessed and be a blessing.
Marvin