Israel-Gaza Update

Pray for Israel and Hamas as they discuss a possible ceasefire and hostage release this week. Of the 132 hostages still held by Hamas, Israel has confirmed at least 31 are dead and possibly another 20. The count includes the bodies of two soldiers killed and abducted in 2014, Oron Shaul and Hadar Goldin. InContinue reading “Israel-Gaza Update”

Christian Village Targeted by Hezbollah Missiles

The day after Christmas, Hezbollah targeted an ancient Christian village in northern Israel. Muslim terrorist missiles from Lebanon hit Saint Mary’s Greek Orthodox Church in Iqrit, wounding an 80-year-old man and nine Israeli soldiers who rushed to help. Already more than 80,000 people have been displaced in that region. (CBN, Jan 2) Israeli air strikesContinue reading “Christian Village Targeted by Hezbollah Missiles”

Prayers for Suffering Christians This Christmas

As we gather with loved ones this Christmas and worship God freely in our churches, let’s take a moment to pray together as a family for persecuted Christians throughout the world who don’t have that freedom or who are in the midst of a war they have no part in. To understand better what ourContinue reading “Prayers for Suffering Christians This Christmas”

Three and Three Hostages Returned to Israel

Yesterday, during combat in Shejaiya, Gaza, Israeli Defense Forces mistakenly killed three hostages who had managed to escape from Hamas: Yotam Haim (m, 28, abducted from Kfar Azza); Samer Talalka (m, 22, abducted from Nir Am kibbutz); and Alon Shamriz (m, 26, abducted from Kfar Azza). Just before that tragic event, the bodies of threeContinue reading “Three and Three Hostages Returned to Israel”

2 Hostages Found, 2 Soldiers Die Retrieving Them

Two Israeli soldiers, Master Sergeants Eyal Meir Berkowitz and Gal Meir Eisenkot, lost their lives Tuesday and several others sustained injuries retrieving the bodies of deceased hostages Eden Zacharia (f, 27) and IDF Warrant Officer Ziv Dado, (m, 36). Eden was shot and then abducted while fleeing the October 7 massacre at an outdoor musicContinue reading “2 Hostages Found, 2 Soldiers Die Retrieving Them”

A Hostage Dead, A Rescue Foiled

Hostage Sahar Baruch, 25, whose brother was killed in the October 7 massacre in Be’eri, has been murdered. His and possibly another 18 bodies of hostages are still held by Hamas in Gaza. Numerous terrorists died and two Israeli soldiers were seriously wounded in a failed attempt this past week to free some of theContinue reading “A Hostage Dead, A Rescue Foiled”

Christians Killed in Gaza

Since the war with Israel began, most of the 800 or so Palestinian Christians in Gaza have sheltered in two churches in the north — about 300 in the Saint Porphyrius Greek Orthodox Church and about 500 in the Holy Family Catholic Church. Both are in Gaza City, where much of the fighting has occurred.Continue reading “Christians Killed in Gaza”

Eight Hostages Released, Including Two Muslims

Hamas released two hostages on Thursday, and then another six several hours later. Among the eight were two Bedouin siblings, Aisha and Bilal Ziyadne, abducted from Kibbutz Holit near the Gaza border. They are the first Arab Israelis freed since October 7. Five more Muslims, including Aisha and Bilal’s older brother Hamza and father Youssef,Continue reading “Eight Hostages Released, Including Two Muslims”

16 Hostages Released, and a Jerusalem Attack

Despite a ceasefire with Israel in Gaza, two Hamas gunmen opened fire at a bus stop at the entrance of Jerusalem on Wednesday, critically wounding several people and murdering three (rabbinical judge Elimelech Wasserman, 73; Liviya Dickman, 24; and Hannah Ifergan, 60+). The same day, Hamas released two Israeli hostages with Russian citizenship; and thenContinue reading “16 Hostages Released, and a Jerusalem Attack”

Daughter of Holocaust Survivors and a Dog Among 12 Hostages Released

Hours after gunfire and explosives briefly violated the ceasefire with Israel, Hamas released 12 more hostages Tuesday. Among them was Ada Sagi, born in Tel Aviv in 1948 as the daughter of Holocaust survivors from Poland. Ada learned Arabic and taught it to others as a way to make friends with Palestinian neighbors. She wasContinue reading “Daughter of Holocaust Survivors and a Dog Among 12 Hostages Released”