GNITN - Special Edition

Israel At War – Day 166

A Year Of War, A Year Of Victory

Shifa Hospital Was Filled With Terrorists

As we see in an article from i24news.tv the Shifa hospital was the site for hundreds of terrorists and weapons:

The IDF released footage on Wednesday showing the ongoing operations on the Gaza Strip's Shifa Hospital, where 350 terrorist suspects have been arrested so far.

The raid – conducted by the 401st Brigade, the elite Duvdevan and Shayetet 13 units, and Shin Bet forces – also uncovered AK-47 assault rifles, machine guns, magazines, mortars, grenades, RPGs, and combat gear.

As expected, the IDF is careful to only target and arrest only terrorist:

The operational effort is carried out while avoiding harm to civilians, patients, and medical staff, the IDF said.

IDF Spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said that several terrorist organizations had returned to the hospital after military operations in the hospital concluded earlier in the war.

"Only the terrorists" had been killed, he said, not the medical staff, while outlining ways the Israeli military is ensuring the continued function of the hospital.

A lot of money was found as well:

More than 11 million shekels ($3 million) was found in the hospital that was used for terrorist purposes.

This only shows us that Hamas has more in the tank and will fight again and again even in places previously cleared. Finding all the remaining terrorists could take a long time, but the hope is that once all Hamas leaders are either captured or eliminated, loyalty will wane and they will surrender. Unfortunately, that may not be the case and it is another reason Israel must stay in charge of Gaza and even the West Bank for years to come.

Rafah Offensive Will Not Launch Soon

In a video statement from Prime Minister Netanyahu we get updates on the Rafah operation as seen in a report from The Times Of Israel:

Two days after his phone call with US President Joe Biden, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu releases a video statement saying that he will “soon approve the plan to evacuate the civilian population from the war zone.”

He says he appreciates Biden’s support, and that the president asked to present US proposals on humanitarian assistance and other aspects of the war.

Netanyahu is sending top aides to Washington on Sunday.

Netanyahu added that the plans are authorized:

The operational plan, says Netanyahu, has already been approved.

“While we are preparing to enter Rafah, which will take some time, we continue to operate with all our might,” says Netanyahu. “We continue to operate in Khan Younis, in the central camps, for the elimination and capture of senior Hamas officials as we just did in Shifa Hospital, while eliminating hundreds of terrorists.”

The Prime Minister said that winning is assured:

“As I promised you time and time again — we are determined to achieve absolute victory, and we will achieve it.”

We read in a separate article, this one from CBN.com that any operation in Rafah will keep civilians safe:

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin repeated Tuesday what the Biden administration has often asserted, saying, "We acknowledged from the very beginning that Israel has a fundamental right to defend itself."

He then added a caveat: "But we also recognize the importance of ensuring that people remain safe in Gaza."

Netanyahu claims the Biden administration is ignoring the Israeli pledge that it has every intention of watching out for Gaza's civilians.

"We, of course, share in this desire to allow an orderly exit of the population and provide aid to the civilian population. We have been doing this since the beginning of the war," Netanyahu stated.

A Year Of War, A Year Of Victory

In an article found on i24news.tv we read what the Israel Defense Minister thinks about the rest of this year:

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said that "the year 2024 will be a year of war and also a year of victory," at a ministerial planning conference for this year.

Gallant said Israel must face its challenges "for everyone" at the conference, attended by the ministry's Director-General Major General (Ret.) Eyal Zamir and the heads of the ministry's divisions.

Gallant called for all of Israel to contribute to the war effort:

"We will need all our soldiers - regular and reserve, each in turn," he said.

"We will need a mobilization of all parts of the nation and all parts of society to go 'under the stretcher,'" he added, amid the government's calls for broader enlistment.

The Defense Minister was most likely calling on those exempt due to religious reasons to help as well:

The ultra-Orthodox sector, currently exempt from military service due to Torah study, has come under sharper scrutiny amid the Israel-Hamas war. Tens of thousands of potential soldiers are skipped over if they study in Yeshivot, or schools of Jewish learning.

Even though enlistment in the IDF saw a significant boost from the sector after the October 7 attack against Israel, ultra-Orthodox Jews are still greatly underrepresented in the military.

"This is true militarily, security-wise, socially and politically, for all reasons," Gallant explained. "We will have to ensure our qualitative advantage as well as our quantitative advantage."

More Prayer Keys Needed

As I try to do from time to time, here are more ways to intercede for Israel:

Abba Father, manifest Your jealous care and concern over Your nation now (Zech. 1:14; 8:2).

As Israel's current government must be Your will for Israel today, or they would not be there (Psa. 99:1), please use them for Your glory (Psa. 115:1-3; Dan. 2:21).

Support and reassure Bibi and his coalition as they stand firm and reject any plans of the nations that are not in line with Your will for Israel (Prov. 21:1; Isa. 8:9-10).

Convict them to start possessing all of Your land and then let it be done suddenly (Psa. 105:5-11).

Raise up sons of Zion and sons of Issachar as his trusted advisors (1 Chr. 12:32; Prov. 21:1).

Abba, release Your comfort on all Israelis dealing with murdered or sexually abused loved ones, or loved ones still being held hostage and whose fate is unknown (Psa. 23:4; Isa. 61:1-3; Luke 6:21).

Release Israel from being held hostage by Hamas because of the hostages they hold (Psa. 116:16).

Shield Israel from the emotional blackmail that Hamas uses because of the hostages (Isa. 54:17).

Like Your cloud in the Torah portion which daily guided Israel in the wilderness, be our daily guide as we pray into today's events surrounding Your nation (Ex. 40:36-37; Amos 3:7)

Yeshua Lord, open the eyes of believers to perceive their spiritual calling to stand in the gap (Ezek. 22:30) over their nation's relationship with Israel today (Num. 24:9b; Isa. 60:12; Zech. 2:8; 12:9).

Fulfill Psalm 33:10-11 and bring down every anti-biblical plot the world is plotting against Israel.

Deliver Israel from the snares of the nations (Num. 23:23; 1 Kin. 4:29-30; Psa. 144:11).

God, help Israel gain an overwhelming victory in "Operations Swords of Iron" – today's phase of its War of Independence – and use that to restore its deterrence before its enemies (Ezek. 25:15-17).

Lord of hosts, as Hamas called their initial attack "the Al-Aksa flood," we ask You to clothe the IDF with Your Spirit to fulfill Isaiah 59:19b: "When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of YHWH shall lift up a banner against him." Amen!

Fortify Your angelic hosts guarding Israel, especially over Ramadan (2 Kin. 6:15-17; 2 Chr. 32:7-8).

God, reinforce Israel's goal to eliminate Hamas and its rule in Gaza (Deut. 33:29; Luke 1:70-74).

Prohibit the war from ending until Israel accomplishes a total victory (Psa. 44:4-6; 46:9-11).

Protect all IDF soldiers, sailors, pilots, etc., physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually – and show them the reality of Your presence with them in war (Num. 23:21; Deut. 20:1; Josh. 1:5).

Protect every IDF soldier from friendly fire and any other type of accidents (Psa. 20:1-2; 91:3-8).

Guide the IDF to uncover and destroy all remaining tunnels in Gaza (Job 12:22; Jer. 23:24).

Lord of hosts, be in total charge of Israel's upcoming invasion of Rafah, Hamas' final stronghold on the Gaza-Egyptian border, including its timing (Prov. 21:30-31; Eccl. 3:8b).

Lord Almighty, empower the IDF to conquer Rafah and to stay there after the war (Isa. 41:10-16).

Thank You Lord that we can see You watching over Psalm 121:4 each and every day.