Rocket being fired from Gaza Strip at southern Israel.
Even as Secretary of State John Kerry continues shuttling in and out the epicenter in search of a final, comprehensive peace treaty between the Israelis and Palestinians — and continues pressuring Netanyahu to make deeper and deeper concessions — terrorist rocket fire emanating from Gaza and targeting Jewish civilians in southern Israel is steadily increasing.
“January has seen an upsurge in Palestinian rocket attacks from Gaza on southern Israel, with 18 projectiles fired since the start of the month,” reports the Jerusalem Post.
“The Israel Air Force struck an Islamic Jihad member in the northern Gaza Strip on Sunday morning who had been involved in a spate of rocket attacks against Israel,” noted the Post. “Security sources said following the strike that Islamic Jihad, as the non-sovereign party in Gaza, was exploiting its position to attack Israel, and that the coming hours would determine whether Hamas would be able to exercise its authority as Gaza’s ruler to reinstate the truce with Israel. The target of the strike, named as Ahmed Sa’ad, took part in the firing of rockets at southern Israeli communities, the IDF said, and planned further attacks in the near future. Sunday’s air strike can be seen as a message from the IDF that Israel is prepared to target terrorists personally involved in the attacks.”
“It’s a signal that we won’t tolerate a drizzle of rockets,” a senior security source said.
“Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon said Sunday that Israel will not allow anyone to return it to a ‘routine’ of rocket fire, warning that ‘those who try to do so will pay a very high price,'” noted the Post. “We see Hamas as being responsible for what occurs in the Gaza Strip, and if it does not know how to enforce its sovereignty on what takes place on the ground, we’ll keep hitting its interests. I would not recommend that anyone in the Gaza Strip test our patience and determination to protect the security of Israeli civilians.”
Please pray that the rocket fire is effectively stopped. Please pray for the innocent civilians on both sides of the border find safety and security. Please also pray for the Lord to give wisdom to the diplomats and government officials in the region to make peace.
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