GNITN - Special Edition

Israel At War – Day 324

Still On High Alert

Gone For Two Days

I was out of the loop for the Israel at war and nothing seems to change. Hamas is still stalling on a hostage deal but acting like they want one. Before I read from a report from The Jerusalem Post just let me say that Hamas may will not agree to any deal that includes Israel still fighting the war once it is over. Israel will not agree to any deal that stops the war with Hamas still around. Now, let’s see how things are from the report:

A Hamas delegation arrived in Cairo ahead of an anticipated high-level summit in that city Sunday on a Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal led by CIA Director William Burns.

An Israeli delegation headed by Mossad chief David Barnea is expected to return to Cairo on Sunday for those talks, which have been described as a latch ditch effort to reach a deal based on a framework proposal US President Joe Biden unveiled on May 31.

And now suddenly Hamas is coming so the gangs are all going to be there but Hamas won’t be active:

Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani was expected to attend. This summit follows a high-level summit held in Doha two weeks ago, also led by Burns, in which Hamas did not participate.

The Hamas delegation headed by Khalil al-Hayya is not expected to actively engage in Sunday’s round of talks but wants to be close by to review any proposals that might emerge in those main talks.

Hamas is just showing up to see how things are going? Couldn’t they have done that from their cell phones? It is all show for them, a way for them to make it look like they care or are willing to change their stances. All that is happening is talking about things that won’t make a difference overall like the border between Egypt and Gaza:

The Israeli delegation on Thursday brought maps and proposals to show how to secure that buffer zone. Egypt was expected to pass Israel's proposals to Hamas.

Egypt, alongside Hamas, would also have to agree to any proposal with regard to Philadelphi since the corridor borders its territory.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has insisted that the IDF must maintain a presence on that border so it can prevent Hamas from rearming.

Hamas only wants to survive and to do that is to demand that the IDF completely leave Gaza:

Hamas has stood firm on the need for an IDF withdrawal from Gaza.

The Prime Minister’s Office on Saturday reiterated that Israel must retain control of the Philadelphi Corridor.

I’ve always said that the best that we’ll see is one phase starting and that’s it:

The initial May 31 three-phase hostage and ceasefire proposal is constructed in such a way as to allow the deal to get underway without resolving all the issues, including the question of a permanent ceasefire and a full IDF withdrawal from Gaza.

Right now the major issues aren’t even on the table:

Secretary of State Antony Blinken explained when he was in the region last week that it did not include all the issues in dispute.

The Real Problems

As we’ve been told over and over again, if no deal is reached then the attacks will begin:

Israel is bracing for a “significant week,” Israel Defense Forces Spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said Saturday, amid reports that Jerusalem believes Hezbollah will respond in the next few days to last month’s assassination of the Lebanese terror group’s senior commander.

According to Ynet, the attack will come “in the coming days” and is coordinated with Hezbollah’s patron, Iran. The Iranians, however, are not expected to strike alongside Hezbollah, Ynet reported, despite having vowed to seek retribution for the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran last month, which Iran attributes to Israel.

Israel, however, doesn’t think an attack from Hezbollah is tied to the hostage talks:

Senior Israeli officials speaking to Ynet said the Hezbollah response is expected regardless of the outcome of intensive hostage-ceasefire talks being held this week. “[Hezbollah] don’t really care about the Palestinians,” the officials said. “In retrospect, they could use [the negotiations] as an excuse [to attack].”

And it’s not only Israel that is saying this:

Channel 12 and the Haaretz daily also reported that the Hezbollah response will come within days.

Channel 12 said Israel has sent a clear warning to Hezbollah that if it attacks Tel Aviv, it will prompt a harsh Israeli response in Beirut and against “major assets” of Lebanon and Hezbollah.

IDF Military leaders are already talking about a coming attack:

Hagari said Saturday the country is “ahead of a significant week amid the ongoing negotiations in Cairo, the fighting in Gaza and [on] the northern border. Our readiness is very high in attack and defense.”

Speaking at an evening press conference, Hagari called on the public to continue to be alert. He added that the military will update on “any development immediately.”

Even the US is preparing for an attack:

The warnings come as US Air Force General Charles Q. Brown, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, began an unannounced visit to the Middle East Saturday to discuss ways to avoid all-out regional war.

Brown began his trip in Jordan and said he will also travel to Egypt and Israel in the coming days to hear the perspectives of military leaders. Brown said the US is closely monitoring Iran’s movements and sending reinforcements with the aim of deterring the ayatollahs.

Still, the IDF remains on high alert. Trust me, Iran will have to do something, we just don’t what and when they will. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem just as we are told to do in Psalm 122:6.