Three Families Find Closure in Israel

Shabbat Shalom.

Today, three Israeli families can finally find some closure to their October 7th nightmare. The very IDF forces that so many want to go home uncovered the bodies of Itzhak Gelerenter (58), Shani Louk (22), and Amit Buskila (28). All three were at the Nova Music Festival. Israeli forces received intelligence through the confessions of captured Palestinian terrorists and have been working on the rescue of the bodies for some time. 

Many of us remember seeing the lifeless body of Shani Louk thrown into the back of a Hamas pickup truck more than a half year ago. Her body is surrounded by Palestinian terrorists, one with a loaded RPG launcher. Shockingly, the Reynolds Journalism Institute awarded AP (Hamas!) with their prestigious "Picture of the Year" award. Louk’s shirt is pulled up, and one of the terrorists has his leg over her back. We blurred the image; the Reynolds Journalism Institute did not.

The families of Buskila and Gelerenter believed their loved ones to be alive until recently. They were all killed on October 7 and their bodies were taken back into Gaza, so the terrorists could use them to barter. 

I’ve taken many visitors to the memorial site where 364 Israelis were killed at a concert. Louk’s boyfriend, Orion Hernandez Radoux was taken hostage and is thought to be alive in Gaza. A few weeks ago, a video was posted from Hamas of Hersh Goldberg-Polin alive. Goldberg-Polin spent some of his childhood here in Richmond, Virginia. Of the 132 hostages, it is unknown how many are still alive.

Please take some time this weekend and pray that the Israeli Defense Forces find the living hostages before it’s too late. Israelis have been living through double trauma since October 7. First, the attack itself, but then much of the world turning against us. The recovery of these bodies, and Hamas’ unwillingness to release hostages underscore Israel’s responsibility to continue the mission in Gaza.

I’m sure that one of the reasons Yeshua taught us to pray that God’s will would be done and that his kingdom would come is because sometimes those are the only words we can find amid much difficulty. Let’s keep praying!