2 More Makes 4 Hostages Released!

Praise God, hostages Nurit Cooper, 79, and Yocheved Lifshitz, 85, were released yesterday. Together with Judith Tai Raanan and her teen daughter, Natalie Raanan, who were released on Friday, that makes four!

A helicopter brought the two women to Ichilov hospital in Tel Aviv early yesterday morning, and soldiers carried them into the facility on stretchers. Reports from the hospital say they are doing well and have joyfully been reunited with many of their family members.

Nurit and Yocheved’s husbands, Amiram Cooper, 85, and Oded Lifshitz, 83, however, remain in Hamas custody. The two elderly couples, along with other about 80 other hostages, were kidnapped from their homes in Kibbutz Nir Oz near the Gaza border by Muslim terrorists October 7.

Nir Oz was just one of more than 20 horrific scenes of mass slaughter that day, as around 2,500 Muslim militants launched a surprise assault against Israel, killing more than 1,400. An estimated 5,000 have now died in Israel’s retaliatory airstrikes on Gaza.

Praise God for this direct answer to prayer that Nurit, Yocheved, Judith and Natalie are now safe. At least 220 more hostages still need our prayers for salvation and freedom. Among them are babies, autistic children, elderly people, mothers, fathers and soldiers. Please lift them up by name at this continually updated post here at the Prayer Wall:

Pray for Israel Hostages in Gaza by Name

Lord, we thank You for this answer to prayer. Please provide for Nurit, Yocheved, Judith and Natalie the counseling and medical care they need. We especially ask You, Jesus, to meet them in powerful ways and draw them to Yourself. Bring Christian counselors and others to share with them the good news that brings peace and help them to freedom from trauma. For only You can bring them true healing from the memories of what they have witnessed and endured.

Father, please have mercy on the other hostages still in need of rescue. We ask You for angel armies to surround and protect every hostage. Meet them in this time of terror in powerful ways. Wrap Your arms around them and let them feel You near. When they cry out to You, answer them with Jesus. Speak to them clearly and show them Your salvation. Meet them in their dreams. Comfort those who are afraid. Heal those who are wounded. Provide for them water, food, blankets and other needed provisions. And keep them safe from gunfire and air strikes. Arrange for the hostages to communicate with their families. Make a way for them to be quickly and safely released and reunited. Use Christians among the hostages to encourage others and share Your love. Shine so brightly there in the darkness that the tunnels light up when You speak. Send Your angel armies marching through the tunnels, scaring terrorists and bringing them to their knees in fear of the Lord. Show every Hamas militant Your glory. Show up in their dreams, Jesus, night after night to tell them that all the murders, rapes, kidnappings and abuses are an abomination to God. Strike them with such revulsion over their sin that they repent, drop their weapons of hatred and murder, and surrender to the God of Love. Then show them the one and only Way to salvation. Block their plans and make them wish they had never attacked, harmed, raped, killed or taken hostages. Give them a hunger so desperate they look for You with all their hearts and find You. Break their connection to the demons that control them. Open their ears to hear You and their eyes to see You.

For Israelis grieving the deaths of their loved ones and worrying about those they know who are among the hostages, we ask you, Lord, to please surround them with Christians who will love them in ways they can clearly feel. Open up conversations to show them the way to salvation, and then reach into those grieving hearts and draw them up into Your arms to save them. O Father, in the midst of such terrible circumstances of war and death and horrors, please be Israel’s Rock. When each Israeli cries out to You, answer them. Rescue them from their enemies in such a way they will know it is You and praise Your name forever. Guard Israel’s borders and block militants bent on evil from entering. Hide those who are in danger so the enemy cannot find them. Give those in leadership wisdom at every turn to follow Your guidance, free their people, and bring home those who were taken captive.

Lord God Almighty, You knew this was going to start long before it ever did. Man may have been taken by surprise, but You were not. Please bring forth Your purposes in our midst. Awaken Israel, awaken Gaza, awaken the nations, and awaken out own hearts to You, O God. Roar, Lion of Judah, and show us Your glory.

Join us for the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church on Sunday, November 5, 2023, as we pray for our brothers and sisters who are in danger, and for their persecutors to be saved.

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Mikaela Vincent and her husband are missionaries who live by faith, trusting in God to provide for their needs as they pray for and share Christ with the nations. If you would like to help their ministry through a donation, or by shopping at Mikaela’s online bookstore, click the buttons below:

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