At approximately 06:30 am Israeli time, on a quiet Shabbat morning, we were awakened by the repeating wailing of air raid sirens. For the past four hours the Islamist terror group Hamas has been firing rockets across southern Israel (Beersheva, Arad, Dimona, Sderot, Ashkelon, Ashdod, etc.) and also at the Greater Tel Aviv area and at the outlying suburbs of Jerusalem.
Though the Iron Dome anti-rocket defenses have managed to stop most of the rockets, some of landed. A 60 year old woman was murdered by a direct hit; some are moderately wounded.
Simultaneously, at least ten white pickup trucks driven by Hamas suicide squad jihadis crossed into Israel (as well as some on ultra-light single-place powered parachutists) and attacked approximately 21 sites, including kibbutzim and moshavim (farms), small towns (including police stations). They have been slaughtering civilians, including mothers and children, breaking into houses and indiscriminately killing the inhabitants. We have friends who have terrorists in their house as I write.
At least five IDF soldiers have been kidnapped and spirited away to Gaza. A Hummer armored vehicle most likely belonging to them has been paraded in the streets of Gaza – shades of 2 Samuel 1:20: “Tell it not in Gath, Proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon, Or the daughters of the Philistines will rejoice, The daughters of the uncircumcised will celebrate.” There are sketchy details of at least 35 others kidnapped. Scores of IDF soldiers have been murdered. Over 80 casualties have been brought to Beersheva’s Soroka hospital, and other figures quote 150 wounded. The situation of the ground is quite fluid.
At the moment of this writing, there are still many active sites of military confrontation between terrorist gangs and Israeli citizens/the IDF – 21 sites was the figure Israel’s Chief of Police mentioned thirty minutes ago. Islamic Jihad has joined in the hostilities against Israel in the last hour.
Hamas military commander Mohammed Deif issued a false-flag declaration that these attacks are being done by Muslims outraged at Israel’s defiling of the Temple Mount. This false charge has been repeated many times since 1929, and has always led to Islamist attacks on Jewish civilians. See previous newsletters which give a historical overview here, here and here. A vudeo was posted of terrorist chiefs rejoicing and then giving thanks to Islam’s spiritual leader in prayer.
The probable spark for this conflict has little to do with the Temple Mount, and everything to do with Iran. Hamas and Islamic Jihad are Iranian client proxies. Iran is catalyzing terror attacks against Israeli civilians to threaten Israel, Saudi Arabia and the USA about the warming of military ties between the Saudis and Israel. This is a warning shot across the bows.
Israel has issued a broad call-up of reserves and has called this campaign Operations Iron Swords.
The broad nature of this surprise attack, the civilian and military casualties and kidnappings from Israeli cities and kibbutzim – these will of necessity require a very strong Israeli response. There have been deaths so far today, and there will undoubtedly be many more.
- Please pray as the Psalmist did: “Arise, YHVH, confront him, make him bow down! Save my soul from the wicked with Your sword” (Psalm 17:13).
How should we then pray?
- Pray for the defeat and destruction of Islamist terrorist invaders
- Pray for the physical rescue of Israelis under siege, those who are kidnapped, those who are wounded
- Pray for divine wisdom and decisive strategy to be given to Israel’s leaders in every area
- Pray for the raising up of Ezekiel’s prophetic Jewish army throughout the earth
Your prayers and support hold up our arms and are the very practical enablement of God to us in the work He has called us to do.
In Messiah Yeshua,
Avner Boskey
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