Israel-Hamas war continues amidst growing Islamist antisemitism in the West

The war between Israel and Hamas is entering its second month, following the 7^th October massacre in which over 3000 terrorists raped, slaughtered and mutilated 1400 innocent persons on Israeli soil and took over 240 hostages.

The past weeks have also witnessed massive pro-Hamas demonstrations in major capital cities around the world, in which many call for killing of Jews in the name of Islam. Jewish communities in many places have been placed under special security alert.

Israel continues to pursue its goals of eliminating Hamas in self-defence, and freeing the hostages. Israeli Defence Force (IDF) ground troops have penetrated deep into Gaza, with the help of the Israeli Air Force, Navy and accurate intelligence provided by Military Intelligence and the Shin Bet. The troops of the Combat Engineering Forces have been working to clear routes for ground forces to maneuver, locate and destroy Hamas assets, including tunnels and rocket launchers.

The IDF has sealed off the northern part of Gaza, including Gaza City, where it is understood the main Hamas command-and-control installations are located deep underground, including under Shifa Hospital. IDF troops have located and destroyed a Hamas tunnel adjacent to an UNRWA school in the Beit Hanoun area in northern Gaza.

Israel opened a humanitarian corridor from northern Gaza for civilians to flee from Hamas. So far it is reported about 50,000 have fled. Neverthless, because Hamas has buried its munitions deep under civilian locations likes schools and hospitals, many civilians continue to be killed as Israeli targeting of Hamas inevitably involves civilian casualties. So far 38 Israeli soldiers have been killed since the ground incursion began, with Hamas affiliated deaths estimated to be 100 times larger, at over 3,000.

Hamas and other Islamist groups in Gaza still hold 240 hostages. It is reported that Qatar is mediating negotiations between Israel and Hamas for the potential release of 10-15 hostages held in Gaza in exchange for a humanitarian pause in fighting.

Israel, so far, refuses to contemplate any ceasefire or humanitarian pause longer than an hour or two unless and until the hostages are released.

There is increasing discussion about what happens after the war is over. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has indicated that Israel intends to keep some security control in Gaza after Hamas has been defeated. This has been immediately criticized by the US Administration and others as they consider Gaza to be “Palestinian” territory. Netanyahu said: “We don’t seek to conquer Gaza. We don’t seek to occupy Gaza. And we don’t seek to govern Gaza. What we have to see is Gaza demilitarised, deradicalised and rebuilt. All of that can be achieved.”

Israel is fighting on several fronts. In the north, the IDF conducted strikes in Syria in response to a drone attack on a school in the southern Israeli city of Eilat. The IDF did not publicly identify which Syria-based group was responsible for the drone attack, but said that “the Syrian regime is fully responsible for all terror activity that is carried out from Syrian territory. The IDF will respond severely to any attempt to harm the territory of the State of Israel.”

Clashes between the IDF and Hezbollah on the northern border continue. Last night Hezbollah fired an anti-tank missile at the western Galilee, to which the IDF responded with artillery fire at the source of the attack. Earlier, the IAF hit terrorist infrastructure and Hezbollah targets in response to rocket fire.
In the West Bank, 14 Palestinians were killed and more than 20 injured in clashes with the IDF in the Jenin refugee camp yesterday.

Let us pray into these challenging and complex issues: 

• That the spirit of death and destruction that drives Islamist antisemitism will be destroyed
• That the hostages will be released without harm
• That the leaders of the IDF will have great wisdom in making strategic and operational decisions, and that the civilians in Gaza will be protected
• That all world leaders will act with great courage to confront antisemitism and hatred

Israeli forces capture key Hamas stronghold in northern Gaza
Joshua Marks at JNS: “’Significant’ operational plans were found at the site in Jabaliya, which was captured after 10 hours of combat.”
> Read more..

Qatar works for release of 10-15 hostages in exchange for pause in fighting
Times of Israel reports: “6 US citizens could be among those freed in potential deal; Hostages and Missing Families Forum reiterates plea for Israel to refuse ceasefire without return of all hostages.”
> Read more..

Hamas: We want permanent war with Israel
Joshua Marks reports at JNS: ““Hamas’s goal is not to run Gaza and to bring it water and electricity and such” but to “completely overthrow the situation,” said a member of the terror group’s political bureau.”
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The scale of the Islamist demonstrations in Berlin is unacceptable
German Vice-Chancellor Robert Habeck has spoken out strongly against the rise of Islamist antisemitism in Germany: “After the holocaust, the founding of Israel was the promise of protection to the Jews, and Germany is compelled to help ensure that this promise can be fulfilled.”

Wake Up World Before Jewish Blood is Shed In Your Country
Dr. Michael Brown at Stream.org: “I am urging you. I am pleading with you. I am imploring you. Wake up! The irrational hatred of the Jewish people and the demonizing of Israel is reaching proportions so dangerous that if people of conscience do not stand up, speak out, and push back, Jewish blood will start flowing in America, England, and many other countries around the world. Wake up!”
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Opinion: I’m an expert in urban warfare. Israel is upholding the laws of war
John Spencer at CNN: “Hamas forces indisputably violated multiple laws of war on October 7 in taking Israelis hostage and raping, torturing and directly targeting civilians, as well continuing to attack Israeli population centers with rockets. Years of intelligence assessments and media reports have shown that Hamas also commits war crimes by using human shields for its weapons and command centers and by purposely putting military capabilities in protected sites like hospitals, mosques and schools. On the other hand, nothing I have seen shows that the Israel Defense Forces are not following the laws of wars in Gaza, particularly when the charges that the IDF is committing war crimes so often come too quickly for there to have been an examination of the factors that determine whether an attack, and the resulting civilian casualties, are lawful.”
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The truth is Israel’s narrative
Caroline Glick at JNS: “It took 30 years, billions in petrodollars and billions more from cultural Marxists to develop a language of lies and manipulation that placed Jews in Israel and the Diaspora in the oppressor column.”
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85 years after Kristallnacht, Holocaust survivors say antisemitism now similar to then
Times of Israel reports: “Eighty-five years after Kristallnacht, the anti-Jewish riots that marked a brutal turning point in the Nazi campaign of persecution in Germany, Holocaust survivors say what happened in southern Israel on October 7 — and how they have seen the world respond since — reminds them of what they experienced in their childhood.”
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