GNITN - Special Edition

Israel At War – Day 99

Bring The Hostages Home

24 Hour Vigil Started

As the war against Hamas draws closer to the 100 day mark, remaining hostage families are meeting in what they call Hostages Square in Tel Aviv to pressure the Israel leadership to do more to get their loved ones back. We read more on this in an article from The Times Of Israel:

The organizers of the Tel Aviv rally for the hostages say 120,000 people have attended tonight’s demonstration.

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum also strenuously denies any link to a group of protesters who briefly blocked Tel Aviv’s Ayalon Highway earlier this evening, before being dispersed by police.

The blocking of the highway came as a separate demonstration calling for new elections was held at Habima Square.

In separate articles (see here and here) both France and the United States addressed the rallies encouraging the efforts to free the hostages and letting them know that both countries are steadfast in their efforts to help Israel free all hostages including those from their own countries. France’s president Macron addressed the crowd via video:

French President Emmanuel Macron sends a recorded message to the Tel Aviv rally for the hostages. He references Eitan Yahalomi, Mia Schem, and Erez and Sahar Calderon, freed captives who have French citizenship, while mourning Elia Toledano who was killed after being abducted on October 7.

He then refers to their parents who are still hostages. “The French nation is determined that Ohad [Yahalomi] and Ofer [Calderon] will return to their freed children, that Orion Hernandez Radoux will be released, all the hostages from the terrorist attacks from October 7 will be released.”

“France does not abandon its children. That is why the negotiations for their release must be repeated and renewed again and again,” says Macron

America also encouraged the crowd that they, too are working to bring the hostages home:

US Ambassador Jacob Lew pledges to the crowd at Hostages Square that the United States will not stop working to bring home the hostages held in Gaza by Hamas.

He recalls that his first meeting as ambassador when he arrived in Israel two months ago was with families of the hostages.

“Sadly and maddeningly, the ordeal of their captivity continues,” he says.

He uses the Hebrew word for “now” to emphasize the US commitment to bring home the hostages swiftly.

The Fight Against Hamas Helps All The World

In comments also delivered at the 24 hour rally, a former Israel Supreme Court chief made the case that all the world should be backing Israel in its fight against terror as we read in this article from The Times Of Israel:

Dorit Beinisch, a former chief justice of the Supreme Court, addresses the demonstration in Tel Aviv, telling the families of the hostages that “your scream is our scream, we hear your voices clear and strong, and we’re here to support you.”

Beinisch notes that Israel has previously experienced tough periods during war, “but October 7 shook up the nation.”

“We’re fighting a bitter enemy with no limit to its cruelty,” she adds.

Beinisch went on to bring up the genocide case going on in the Hague:

Beinisch also comments on the genocide case that South Africa has brought against Israel at the International Court of Justice, denouncing it as “an embarrassment.”

“The massacre on October 7 wasn’t a fight for freedom and isn’t according to the laws of war. The nations of the world have to support us because terrorism is a threat to the world,” says Beinisch.

With her voice breaking, Beinisch calls on jurists around the world and everyone for whom the law is dear to take part and help.

“Don’t let cruelty and lies win,” she says. “I’m hopeful that the sounds of this rally will resound around the world.”

These are good words for us in the physical realm but it also resonates in the Spiritual realm as the enemy of our souls, terrorizes God’s children daily as one of his names is the accuser of the brethren:

Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. (Rev 12:10, NKJV)

While Satan is accusing us of crimes that he commits, terrorists like Hamas are doing the same to Israel here on earth. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem specifically as they work to win this war and deliver the remaining hostages back to their loved ones. And pray the current wave of antisemitism will be met with the truth.