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A new barrage of rockets have been fired at Israel in the last few minutes, shattering the relative calm of the last few hours.
As of 12:30pm local time here in Israel, here are the latest developments:
- ROCKETS: More than 450 rockets have been fired at Israel’s southern communities since 10am local time on Saturday — more than 100 have been shot down by Israel’s “Iron Dome” rocket defense system.
- RESPONSE: The IDF has struck more than 220 Hamas and Islamic Jihad targets in Gaza over the past 24 hours, including the homes of Islamic Jihad commanders.
- SCHOOLS: All the schools in southern Israel are closed — more than 200,000 Israeli children are home today to be with their parents and close to their family bomb shelters.
- CASUALTIES: “An Israeli man was killed when a rocket slammed into his home in southern Israel early Sunday morning, as Gazan terrorists pummeled Israeli towns with projectiles and Israel responded with hundreds of airstrikes,” reports the Times of Israel. “The man, identified as Moshe Agadi, 58, a father of four, was declared dead after being rushed to Ashkelon’s Barzilai hospital with shrapnel wounds he sustained when the rocket hit his home in the city at around 2:30 a.m. Sunday. Agadi appeared to be the first Israeli fatality from Gazan rocket attacks since 2014’s war with terrorists based in the Strip.” Please pray for the Lord to comfort this man’s family and friends.
- THE PRIME MINISTER: “Israel will continue its ‘massive attacks’ against terrorist elements in the Gaza Strip, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday morning in his first public comments,” reports the Jerusalem Post. “In addition, Netanyahu said at the weekly cabinet meeting, he gave the directive to reinforce the IDF troops around Gaza with additional tank, artillery and infantry units.”
- “Hamas bears responsibility not only for its attacks and actions, but also for the activities of the Islamic Jihad, and it is paying a very heavy price,” Netanyahu said.
- CEASEFIRE EFFORTS: So far, there have been no reports of formal efforts underway to re-establish a ceasefire. That said, I’m sure that at least informal efforts are underway. I’m deeply grateful for the role Egyptian President el-Sisi and his intelligence chief have been playing over the past several years. The Egyptians are actively working to persuade Hamas and other terror groups operating in the Gaza Strip to de-escalate tensions with Israel and to re-unify with the government of the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank. This is no easy task, but the Egyptians have been steadfast in it. It represents how serious President Sisi is in maintaining — and improving — peace and close security and intelligence ties with Israel, and trying to help broker a real and lasting peace between Israel and the Palestinians.
PRAYER REQUESTS:
- Please pray for the immediate restoration of calm.
- Pray for mercy for all those living on both sides of the border.
- Pray for wisdom for Israeli leaders to know how best to deal with the situation.
- Pray for wisdom for Egyptian leaders to know how best to help.
- Pray that the suffering Palestinians of Gaza are soon liberated from the Hellish Hamas tyranny that is ruining their lives.
- Pray for Palestinian leaders in Ramallah to truly and clearly denounce these terror attacks, and play a serious and decisive role in liberating the people of Gaza.
- Pray for Palestinians Evangelicals to be boldly proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ to their suffering brothers and sisters in Gaza, that they may know the love and hope and forgiveness and “peace that passes all understanding” that is available to all who receive Christ as Savior and Lord.
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