Israel Again at War in Gaza Against Hamas – 18 July 2014

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Israel sent in ground troops into Gaza last night at 10:30, following a long day which included a ‘game changer’, or which showed the situation for what it is regarding the perpetual murderous grudge of Hamas towards Israel and the Jewish people (in particular, but also against their own population, which they hatefully use as human ‘shields’ in order to deter Israel’s military efforts, and also to turn public opinion against Israel when civilians are killed in the war).

In Operation Protective Edge, we see the effectiveness of the vast sums of money spent by Israel to protect her citizens and borders, at the same time as seeing the extent of the vast sums of money spent by Hamas in its efforts to politically gain from seeking to terrorize and kill as many Israelis as possible with its vast arsenal of missiles able to reach anywhere in Israel, and its tunnels to enable terrorists to come underground under the Gaza-Israel border in order to carry out attacks on innocent civilians.

It was just such a tunnel that turned the tide yesterday whereby the Israeli government decided that a ground offensive is necessary if they are going to locate and destroy the many well-constructed tunnels which Hamas has somehow managed to build over the years. Yesterday, pre-dawn, Israeli intelligence picked up information of an imminent attack of terrorists seen running towards a tunnel entrance, which would have led them to a kibbutz on the Israeli side of the border.  The airforce pinpointed the target of several men running into the tunnel entrance and blew up the entrance.  It is not certain if all of the terrorists were killed or injured.  This planned attack was done at the beginning of the day in which Israel agreed to a 5-hour cease-fire for humanitarian reasons to allow for Gazans to get medical aid and groceries.

Just before the cease-fire, which began at 10:00 yesterday morning, Hamas launced multiple rockets into Israel; during the cease-fire, some rockets were fired; immediately after the cease-fire at 3:00, again a barrage of missiles were fired into all areas of Israel. Hamas has twice refused to accept a truce brokered by Egypt, while Israel had expressed a willingness.  Hamas is insisting on its own terms, which is like a bad boy causing trouble all the time, and then demanding to get concessions in his favor because he ‘agrees’ to ‘act good’ for a while. Now Hamas wants Turkey to act as broker, but Turkey’s PM has turned his government into an enemy of Israel, as he seeks to restore the Islamic empire.

While Hamas hopes and prays that every rocket and missile it launches will be successful, not only to frighten and disrupt the lives of Israel, but also to injure, kill, or damage as many civilians — and sometimes military — as possible, they insist on holding Israel to ‘playing by civilized rules’ when she at length chooses to retaliate in defending her people.  And the world listens to Hamas:  while saying that Israel has the right to defend herself, she must do whatever is possible to not kill those not involved in the fighting, even though they know that Hamas has embedded their arsenal among the population, and the Hamas leaders are safely hiding in well-protected underground facilities.  This double standard does not seem to apply to other nations which even now are wreaking havoc and destruction on each other.  Israel does have a conscience, and does care (sometimes too much) what others think, and does value life over death (with incongruous exceptions like abortion).

The Israeli military goes to great pains not to cause excessive civilian casualties, but war against an avowed enemy that does not care for even its own people is not going to be a movie or a video game, when at the end all the gore is only acting or virtual.  In most of Israel’s wars, the ‘powers-that-be’ usually have stopped Israel from attaining its objectives just at the (A SIREN IS GOING OFF JUST NOW IN BEER SHEVA.  BE BACK IN A MINUTE.) (BACK NOW, AFTER TWO CONSECUTIVE SIRENS, DURING WHICH WE WENT DOWN TO OUR BOMB SHELTER.) moment that she has gained the upper hand, and then concessions are required of Israel which perpetuates the necessity for so much money and energy to go into a seemingly never-ending war economy, even as Israel prospers at the same time.

God is with Israel in a unique way — in both goodness and severity — because of His covenantal relationship, and He is acting to bring His Chosen People to return back to Him, who alone gives true peace with eternal security, and will make wars to cease.  Meanwhile, the gospel of Jesus Christ goes out to all that more Gentiles and Jews will be saved now and not have to endure the wrath of God to come.

God is working in many ways and in different levels — both natural and spiritual — as He brings to pass the fulfillment of every jot and tittle of the Law and the Prophets.

Thank-you for for standing with Israel for the sake of the name of the Lord.

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