Shooting From Civilian Sites

Reports about rockets fired at Israeli cities that originated from a United Nations humanitarian zone where such weapons are not allowed and should be what are deemed “safe zones” as we read in this account from The Times Of Israel (see https://www.timesofisrael.com/idf-says-hamas-firing-rockets-from-gaza-safe-zones-as-civilian-scramble-for-shelter/):

According to the Israel Defense Forces, two separate rocket attacks Wednesday afternoon, including a large barrage aimed at Negev metropolis Beersheba, were fired from the vicinity of areas that are supposed to be free of hostilities, putting civilians at risk.

“At 3:59 p.m., Hamas terrorists launched 12 rockets toward Israeli civilians in the city of Beersheba in southern Israel. The rockets were launched from near tents of evacuated Gazan civilians in Rafah in southern Gaza and from next to United Nations facilities,” the IDF said in a statement.

Later in the report the Israel Defense Force (IDF) noted that this kind of deception is common with Hamas:

It said a rocket was also fired three hours earlier “from inside a humanitarian zone. The rocket misfired, putting many Gazan civilians at risk.”

The evacuation zones are areas designated by the IDF as safe for civilians within the Gaza Strip.

Israel has long accused Gaza-based terror groups of using Palestinians in the Strip as human shields, operating from sites including schools and hospitals which are supposed to be protected.

Hostage Freeing Attempt Fails

As we ‘ve been told, the IDF believes the hostages are being held where the fighting is the most intense. We read more about this attempt from i24news.tv (see https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/israel-at-war/1702061067-two-idf-soldiers-wounded-in-attempted-gaza-hostage-rescue-operation):

In an overnight mission to liberate hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip, two IDF soldiers were severely wounded.

The operation targeted and eliminated numerous terrorists involved in the abduction, but did not result in the rescue of any hostages, according to the IDF Spokesperson.

Families of the wounded soldiers have been promptly notified of the situation.

The IDF says it remains resolute, employing a range of strategic and intelligence-driven tactics in conjunction with security agencies, with the primary goal of securing the hostages' release and obtaining critical intelligence.

In a statement, IDF officials emphasized the distressing use of psychological tactics by Hamas and urged the public against spreading unverified information that could fuel such strategies.

The IDF did say that two terrorists were killed and that they will continue to work to find and release the remaining hostages:

The rescue attempt comes as the military increased its push into Hamas strongholds across the Strip amid what it said were signs the terror group’s defenses were cracking.

“The troops raided a Hamas site, killed terrorists who took part in the abduction and holding of the hostages,” said IDF Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, speaking to the press.

“We will continue to act in a number of ways, operationally and with intelligence, with the Shin Bet, to return all the hostages home, and to obtain information on them,” Hagari said.

Hamas Shows Signs Of Breaking

While the United States is telling Israel to wrap up their mission to eliminate Hamas, the IDF continues to state that there is no set timetable. We hear about this article from i24news.tv (see https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/israel-at-war/1702058996-gallant-cites-signs-hamas-is-beginning-to-fall-apart-in-gaza):

Israel's Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said on Friday he was seeing definite "signs indicating the terrorist regime of Hamas was beginning to break under the pressure of Israel's military offensive.

Gallant delivered the statement during Hanukkah candle lighting with troops of the Border Defense Corps’ Caracal Battalion and Armored Corps on the Gaza Border.

“The results are very impressive,” he said. “I see signs showing Hamas is beginning to fall apart in Gaza. You all play a key role in this,” he said.

We turn back to The Times Of Israel for further statements about this breaking (see https://www.timesofisrael.com/2-troops-seriously-hurt-in-failed-gaza-hostage-rescue-idf-signs-hamas-is-breaking/):

Hagari also said the military is seeing more Hamas operatives surrendering to forces during the fighting in the Gaza Strip.

“Our troops are operating in the heart of Hamas’s strongholds in south and northern Gaza simultaneously, in Jabaliya, Shejaiya, and in the Khan Younis area,” he said

“We are engaged in fierce battles with Hamas terrorists, who hide underground. We are killing many terrorists, and seeing more and more terrorists surrendering in battle, and turning themselves into our forces,” Hagari said, adding that in the last 48 hours, the IDF had arrested more than 200 suspects in the Gaza Strip.

Gallants’ remarks we given during a Hanukkah candle lighting with troops of the Border Defense Corps’ Caracal Battalion - a mixed-gender light infantry unit - and Armored Corps on the Gaza Border.

Post Gaza War Solutions

Apparently leaders in the Palestinian Authority (PA) are working with the United States to control Gaza once Hamas is rooted out and destroyed. We read about this in an article from The Times Of Israel (see https://www.timesofisrael.com/pa-says-its-working-with-us-on-post-war-plan-for-gaza-hopes-to-include-hamas) :

Ramallah is working with US President Joe Biden’s administration on a plan for running the Gaza Strip after the Israel-Hamas war ends, even as the Palestinian Authority’s prime minister expressed hope that Hamas will be a partner in the process, according to a Bloomberg report.

Citing a senior Palestinian official, the news outlet reported that US officials recently met with PA Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh on a plan for post-war Gaza.

“We’re not going to go there on an Israeli military plan,” Shtayyeh told Bloomberg. “Our people are there. We need to put together a mechanism, something we’re working on with the international community.”

Shtayyeh is on record of saying that Hamas cannot be destroyed by taking over Gaza and that Hamas needs to be a part of any post war plans.

Prime Minister Netanyahu responded this way:

Responding on Friday afternoon to Shtayyeh’s remarks, Netanyahu tweeted that firstly, “there will not be a Hamas — we will destroy them,” and then that “the fact that this is the suggestion of the Palestinian Authority only strengthens my policy that the PA is not the solution.”

For his part, Netanyahu all but shut the door to a PA return to Gaza on Wednesday. “Those who educate their children in terrorism, finance terrorism and support the families of terrorists will not be allowed to rule Gaza after Hamas is eliminated,” he tweeted, referring to the PA’s welfare payments, which include stipends to Palestinian terror inmates and their families.

More Blatant Antisemitism In America

There appears to be a new viral video going around when a Jewish woman was refused entrance to a restroom by antisemitic employees in the restaurant where she dined (see https://twitter.com/nycphotog/status/1732765825856131224?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1732765825856131224%7Ctwgr%5Ec0f035d0542b293c959f772896765bce7bbc3bd3%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.timesofisrael.com%2Fliveblog_entry%2Fcalifornia-cafe-staff-seen-barring-jewish-woman-from-bathroom-where-she-wanted-to-film-anti-israel-graffiti%2F) . The reason is readily seen when they allow her to film the graffiti inside. We get more details from an article in The Times Of Israel (see https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/california-cafe-staff-seen-barring-jewish-woman-from-bathroom-where-she-wanted-to-film-anti-israel-graffiti/):

Employees at a cafe in Oakland, California, were filmed in recent days denying a customer said to be Jewish from using the bathroom at their shop.

The female patron of Farley’s East was said to have complained to the staff about anti-Israel messages graffitied inside the bathroom and then wanted to go inside again to film the messages but was blocked from doing so by a staff member with blue hair.

“We’ve given you all of your food… I know Israel loves taking private property and saying it’s their own, but we got ahead,” a second employee is heard telling the female patron filming the interaction on her phone. “We have a right to refuse service.”

“Currently, this is a private property,” says a third staff member. “You’re also misgendering them, so I need you to leave.”

“You’re not going to let me go into the restroom?” the customer asks repeatedly.

A fourth employee then tells the customer that she is allowed to use another restroom in the cafe if she would like.

The woman filming obviously knew what was inside and the employees clearly knew what there as well. Finally the male employee decided he was proud of the graffiti and opened the door:

“All you’re going to get is a video of us saying that ‘Zionism is antisemitism’ because it is,” says the third employee.

“If you agree with [the graffiti], why are you afraid that I take a picture of it?” the customer responds.

The staff then acquiesce and allows the patron into the bathroom.

She films herself walking inside where the phrase “Zionism = fascism” is daubed on the mirror and “neutrality… is enabling genocide. Free Palestine” is graffitied on the baby changing station.

“History didn’t start in 1948, lady,” says the second employee, apparently referring to the year in which Israel was established.

“Free Palestine. Now please go,” the third staffer chimes in.

As the incident began going viral, Farley’s East issued a statement on social media in which it apologized for the incident, characterized the graffiti in the bathroom as “hate speech,” said that it had been removed, that the chain is not antisemitic and that “corrective measures would be taken.”

This is but one of a multitude of examples of the hatred being hurled at Jews. This sentiment has been brewing for some time, but the days of social media and cell phones is exposing it. While we pray for the peace of Jerusalem we need to pray for the hearts and minds of those who think this behavior is acceptable.