GNITN - Special Edition

Israel At War – Day 188

On High Alert

Hamas Needs A Ceasefire To Find Hostages

We read in a report from i24news.tv telling us Hamas doesn’t know where the hostages are:

Amid ongoing negotiations for a ceasefire in Cairo, a senior Hamas official emphasizes the critical need for a cessation of hostilities to facilitate the search for Israeli hostages held across the Gaza Strip.

Bassem Naim, a prominent Hamas figure, underscores the urgency of a ceasefire agreement, citing the necessity for "enough time and safety" to ascertain the fate of Israeli captives scattered throughout Gaza.

They even blame Israel for not being able to verify hostage locations:

In a statement, Naim acknowledges the complex nature of the hostage situation, with individuals held in disparate locations by various groups, some potentially buried beneath rubble alongside casualties from recent conflict.

The Hamas source goes on to explain that finding the hostages after a ceasefire is a component of the negotiations:

Part of the negotiation process, according to Naim, involves securing a ceasefire to enable comprehensive data collection and search operations. Hamas seeks access to heavy equipment to aid in these efforts, highlighting the humanitarian aspect of the ceasefire proposal.

The current negotiations, mediated by U.S., Qatari, and Egyptian officials, have been ongoing since Sunday, yet a breakthrough remains elusive.

The proposal put forth by mediators has not yielded tangible results thus far, prolonging the uncertainty surrounding the fate of the hostages.

This is typical for the terrorist organization to pivot from using the hostages to get a ceasefire to asking for a ceasefire before talking about releasing the hostages. And them blaming the IDF for losing the location of the hostages they took and hid because the IDF dared attack them for taking those hostages. And you wonder why there is no agreement for releasing the hostages? Hamas is always looking for a way to benefit themselves and making Israel look bad. The hostages are not people to them. They are bargaining chips alone.

Are The Hostages Still Alive?

Some are saying that the reason Hamas is avoiding releasing the hostages is because so few of them are even still alive as we see in an article from The Jerusalem Post:

US officials estimated that most of the Israeli hostages held by terror groups in the Gaza Strip are no longer alive, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday.

The number of living and dead among the Israeli hostages in Gaza varies from report to report. However, WSJ said that of the 134 hostages still in Hamas captivity, the Israeli government has publicly confirmed that 34 were murdered in Hamas captivity or earlier during the October 7 attacks.

US and Israeli officials believe that Hamas leadership, including Hamas terror chief Yahya Sinwar, have surrounded themselves with the Israeli hostages deep in the tunnels of Gaza, reportedly in the Rafah area.

This could explain why Hamas says it can’t find even 40 hostages for the current talks:

Meanwhile, CNN reported Wednesday that Hamas told the mediators in the framework of hostage negotiations that it was unable to identify and locate 40 live hostages in order to carry out the first phase of the deal, according to an Israeli source, as well as another source privy to the details.

WSJ reported that according to a Hamas official, the group could not commit to releasing 40 live hostages but could commit to the release of 40 hostages - dead or alive.

This followed the report that the terrorist organization rejected the US plan for a temporary ceasefire in Gaza.

If there are not even 40 live hostages, Hamas would lose significant leverage let alone public support, support they are relying on:

The rejection illustrates the broad disagreement between the two sides on the outlines of an agreement and reflects Hamas's growing confidence that the diplomatic and internal pressure on Israel to end the war gives the group, which we designate countless states as a terrorist organization, an advantage in the negotiations.

My feeling is Hamas knows exactly where these hostages are and need time to regroup and live another day. If it turns out that very few if any hostages are still alive including the young baby, this war will be over rather quickly. However, since Hamas is only a proxy of Iran, there are more terrorists to deal with if Israel is to see any peace from threats all around them.

On High Alert

Everyone is warning Iran to not retaliate on Israel, but the internal pressure to save face is what concerns Israel as we read in an article from The Jerusalem Post:

Israel was on a high state of alert for an Iranian attack late Thursday night as international leaders worked to avert an all-out war between the two arch-foes.

“We’re on a high state of alert and preparedness,” IDF spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari told reporters on Thursday night, adding that the Jewish state faced danger on all fronts.

Still, as of Thursday night, there had been no special instructions given out by the Home Front Command, but that Israelis would be immediately notified of any steps that would need to be taken.

Make no mistake that an attack on Israeli soil will be returned:

“A direct attack from Iranian soil would provide clear proof of its intention to inflame the Middle East and stop hiding behind its proxies,” he said.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Israel’s enemies, including Iran, that it would not hesitate to strike if provoked, as the international community sent out warning signals of a pending Iranian attack against the Jewish state.

“Whoever harms us, we will harm them,” Netanyahu said during a visit to the Tel Nof Air Base to speak with the 133rd Squadron, which operates F-15 fighter jets.

“We are prepared to meet all of the security needs of the State of Israel, both defensively and offensively,” he stated.

Netanyahu did say that Israel is in danger:

Netanyahu added that Israel faced “challenging times” including a war against Hamas in Gaza and efforts to negotiate a deal for the return of the remaining 133 hostages held there.

Still, Iran says it will respond regardless:

Iran has vowed revenge for the April 1 airstrike on its embassy compound in Damascus that killed a top Iranian general and six other Iranian military officers, escalating tensions in a region already shaken by the Gaza war.

Israel has not claimed responsibility for the April 1 attack, for which Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Wednesday Israel "must be punished and it shall be," adding that it was tantamount to an attack on Iranian soil.

Iran has signaled to Washington that it will respond to Israel's attack on its Syrian embassy in a way that aims to avoid major escalation and it will not act hastily, as Tehran presses demands including a Gaza truce, Iranian sources said.

How Much Will The US Help Israel?

Going back to the same Post article we see that the United States is offering help if Iran responds:

Head of US Central Command (CENTCOM) Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla visited Israel to discuss the Iranian threats.

US President Joe Biden publicly reminded Iran during remarks at the White House on Wednesday that America’s commitment to Israel’s security was “ironclad.”

What the article doesn’t say is how long the general is staying which is two days. He usually only stays in the area for hours when he visits. In a video from a former IDF soldier, Amir Tsarfati, we see that the US is definitely ready to help the IDF:

When it comes to Iran, if Iran attacks, America will be there not only to help Israel defend itself with sophisticated equipment already deployed across the Middle East, but there was also a hint that America might even assist Israel in retaliating.

Regarding military movements, US CENTCOM Commander General Michael Kulla is currently in Israel. Normally, a senior general like him would visit for a few hours or half a day, but he is here for two days, having arrived this morning. He is now in the command center of the Israeli Air Force, 20 stories underground in Tel Aviv, going over different scenarios and letting Israel know what America can do to help. The Sixth Fleet is on its way from the western part of the Middle East, and the Fifth Fleet is already in the area. The USS Eisenhower is crossing the Suez Canal right now, on its way to the coast of Israel, ready to assist with shooting down rockets, GPS disruption, and also providing offensive capabilities with rockets and missiles.

In the same video, Tsarfati adds a Biblical prophetic perspective as well:

Lastly, when it comes to the spiritual aspect, according to Biblical prophecy, Iran will be involved in future conflicts with Israel. However, this doesn't mean a conflict must happen now. We need prayers for unity, readiness, and strength for our military. We also need prayers for peace and safety for the people of Lebanon, Iran, and, of course, Israel.

I concur. Pray for all of these people in the Middle East not just Israel. They all have souls and need to have an encounter with the Jesus at some point in their lives.