Day 20 — Israel in Crisis
The only place we have found hope in these times is with soldiers. They are eager to protect the homeland. Being around them lifts our spirits. I have never seen such unity. My daughter Danielle told me that in 2014, during Tzuk Eitan, she experienced this kind of brotherhood. After the first soldiers died—seven in one tank—the whole country came together. Thousands of Israelis poured into the south to look after our soldiers—our children. She told me she had never experienced anything like it.
Yesterday, we spoke to two young reservists who build field hospitals. The one with the beard ordered coffee, and we offered to pay for it. In fact, it was our privilege to pay for coffee and snacks for all the soldiers in the mini-mart. That led to a conversation outside.
This is truly a bizarre time. We are now back home in Ashkelon, and we can hear the bombs hitting Gaza all day long. I am sure it is a nightmare in northern Gaza for the people who simply want to live their lives. But the blame rests with their leaders. Hamas is not a regular government. They exist for Jihad—to extend their version of Islam by force.
Just think, the greatest achievement for Hamas in nearly 20 years of governing is sending 2,000 drugged-up terrorists into Israel to kill and kidnap. They could have been building farms and businesses. They could have focused on the economy. They do NOTHING for the people of Gaza but bring trouble on them. And they know it!
Israel has a recording of a radio conversation between an informant in Gaza and an IDF officer. He told them that Hamas is shooting at Gazans who seek shelter in the south or in Egypt. They are forcing their people to be human shields. And when their people die—they could not care less. They are monsters.
And yet you have far-left activists on college campuses fighting for “Palestine.” I wish the same activists would go live in Gaza for a year and see exactly what type of life they are fighting for. They would discover what it's like to live without freedom of speech or religion. All of those activists are pro-LGBTQ. They would be shot in Gaza! What strange bedfellows.
New York: Amid the ongoing Israeli offensive against Hamas in Gaza following the October 7 terror attacks, a group of Jewish students took shelter in a library at Cooper Union in New York as a group of demonstrators chanted "Free Palestine" outside, The Times of Israel reported.
The demonstrators kept pounding on the door as the students were inside the library, The Times of Israel stated in its report.
In a viral video shared on the social media platform X, the Jewish students are purportedly seen inside the library as those outside pound on the doors and chant "Free Palestine."
I could spend pages telling more stories—like how someone wrote on my Facebook page today, "Happy October 7th”…
But these days, we must keep our eyes on Yeshua. He is our hope. We cannot give into the hate, but Israel must defend herself. It is a fine line to walk. But we will walk it.
Prayer Requests:
Our daughter Sharon arrived back today. She was in the US but wanted to be here.
Please pray for her and Danielle. Danielle oversees a food outreach that is feeding thousands of Israelis. And please pray for our middle daughter, Yael, and her husband, Tony, in Virginia.
Netanyahu and the new War Cabinet are getting pressure from the IDF to enter Gaza and from the Western leaders to give more time for the hostages to be released. Pray that the War Cabinet will have wisdom from heaven.
Elana and I just spoke to a neighbor who expressed concern about after we enter Gaza—will the army be able to protect the rest of the country? I have never owned a gun, but I plan to get my license. Ashkelon is now considered part of the Gaza area, meaning Israel’s strict gun law will be relaxed here. Please pray for me, as I have a meeting about this tomorrow at city hall.
Pray that God will be a canopy of protection set over Israel and that Hamas will be destroyed.
Pray for revival in Israel and Gaza. May the hopelessness make way for a true awakening.
