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No rockets or missiles were fired at Jerusalem today, but the war here continues unabated. Please keep praying for the millions on both sides who are fearful and traumatized. Pray the Lord would comfort and encourage them, and draw them close to His heart. Pray that as they huddle in their bomb shelters they read the Scriptures, including passages like Psalm 91. “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, ‘My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust!’ For it is He who delivers you from the snare of the trapper and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with His pinions, and under His wings you may seek refuge; His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark….You will not be afraid of the terror by night, or of the arrow that flies by day….Because he has loved Me, therefore I will deliver him [says the Lord God of Israel]; I will set him securely on high, because he has known My name.”
Here are the latest developments:
- On Sunday, 114 rockets were fired at Israel from Gaza, including 50 rockets that were intercepted by the Iron Dome system.
- The Iranian-backed terrorists in Gaza fired three missiles at Tel Aviv, all of which were shot down by Iron Dome.
- Nine Israelis were injured during rocket attacks today.
- Enormous numbers of Israeli combat soldiers and their tanks and equipment continue to amass on the Gaza border, awaiting orders for a ground invasion.
- Hamas is now threatening to unleash a wave of suicide bomber into the interior of Israel.
- Schools remain closed throughout southern Israel, as are most businesses.
- Meanwhile, let us not forget the terrible bloodshed underway in Syria. Today, at least 78 people were killed there. All told, more than 37,000 people have been slaughtered in Syria amidst that nation’s gruesome civil war. (CNN)
Under pressure from Egypt, Hamas is calling for a truce. Israel confirmed that it sent a diplomatic team to Cairo to discuss a possible cease fire. Yet no terms have been agreed to. However, cease fire demands from both sides are beginning to emerge in the local media.
What Hamas wants:
- Israel must completely lift the blockade on Gaza.
- Israel must stop its incursions into the Gaza Strip.
- Israel must stop targeted killings of faction leaders in Gaza.
- Israel must stop attacking Gaza fishermen and firing at them.
What Israel wants:
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The ceasefire must last for over 15 years.
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Weapons must no longer be let into Gaza.
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Hamas and the factions must stop shooting missiles and targeting Israeli forces on the border.
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Israel may conduct a “hot” pursuit into the Gaza Strip if it has information on an imminent attack.
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The removal of the blockade will be done from the Egyptian side, not the Israeli.
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President Morsi is the personal guarantor for the agreement, and not Egyptian security forces.—————————* Please prayerfully consider helping The Joshua Fund care for the poor and needy in Israel, teach the Word of God in the epicenter, educate and mobilize Christians around the world to bless poor and needy Israelis, train pastors and ministry leaders in Egypt, strengthen the believers in Syria, and assist with those being affected by this new war in southern Israel — would you make a generous, tax deductible financial contribution to The Joshua Fund