GNITN - Special Edition

Israel At War – Day 424

It’s Not Getting Calmer

Hezbollah Broke The Deal

We read in a report from CBN.com that the Israel Defense Force (IDF) believes that they are hitting Hezbollah because they violated the agreement:

Nearly a week after the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, the terror group violated the agreement, prompting the IDF to launch decisive strikes. And incoming President Trump delivered a strong message to Hamas, demanding the release of hostages in Gaza before he takes office.

Hezbollah actually claimed credit for breaking it:

Hezbollah claimed responsibility for firing mortars into a disputed area on the Israel-Lebanon border. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar said according to the ceasefire, Hezbollah cannot be there.

Sa’ar then reminded the terrorists they are supposed to leave the area:

"They must move north immediately. I want to emphasize, Israel is committed to the successful implementation of the ceasefire, but we will not accept a return to the situation as it stood on October 6, 2023. If violations occur, Israel will enforce."

As we’ve noted recently, some citizens of northern Israel are returning slowly:

Despite the ongoing tensions, some residents of northern Israel have begun returning home, hoping for lasting peace.

The sentiment of one Israeli is exactly what you we should expect from people are caught in the middle of a conflict:

One resident shared, "We all wish that it will stop and that we can go back again to a normal life to raise our children, grandchildren, and to live here in peace with our neighbor Lebanon."

Reactions Still Coming

We’re told from the same CBN.com article that more than President Trump is upset with the news that an American-Israeli was murdered on October 7th rather than still alive:

Meanwhile, U.S. leaders reacted to the announcement of the death of Israeli-American Omer Neutra, who Hamas kidnapped on October 7 when Hamas terrorists overran his tank.

The outgoing resident of the White House weighed in:

President Biden released a statement, “Less than a month ago, Omer’s mother and father joined me at the White House to share the pain they’ve endured as they prayed for the safe return of their son – pain no parent should ever know."

The Speaker of The House also made a statement on his X account:

Our hearts are broken for the Neutra family. Omer was an American-Israeli platoon commander in the IDF who was killed on October 7, 2023 while defending Israel from Hamas’ barbaric attack.

For over 420 days, Ronen and Orna Neutra have been tireless advocates for their son and the many others who have been held hostage in the wake of October 7.

Please join us in praying for the Neutra family, as we continue to seek justice against Hamas and the return of Omer’s body.

The current Senate Majority Leader Chuck Shumer also said this about Omer:

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer added, "He was 21. From Long Island. I’ve met with his family. They're incredible people who fought with determination for Omer."

The report went on to mention what we discussed yesterday about President Trump issuing an ultimatum to Hamas, one we hope they will take to heart:

Following an emotional appeal by Israeli-American Edan Alexander in a Hamas propaganda video, President Trump issued a stark warning, "If the hostages are not released prior to January 20, 2025, the date that I proudly assume office as President of the United States, there will be ALL HELL TO PAY in the Middle East, and for those in charge who perpetrated these atrocities against humanity."

And an Israeli politician let Trump know his words were needed:

Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel praised Trump on X, saying, "Trump knows that those who have supported Hamas and their evil are not just the enemies of Israel but of the civilized world. Thank you for your moral clarity, Mr. Trump."

Netanyahu Thanks Trump

In statements that hardly come as a surprise, Prime Minister Netanyahu praised President Trump for is strong ultimatum to those holding the hostages in Gaza. We see what the PM said in an article from The Jerusalem Post:

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanked US President-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday for issuing a toughly worded statement demanding that hostages held in the Gaza Strip be released ahead of his January 20 inauguration.

"Hamas is required to release the hostages. President Trump put the emphasis in the right place, on Hamas, and not on the Israeli government, as is customary (elsewhere)," Netanyahu said at the start of a cabinet meeting.

Netanyahu also said this on his X account:

I want to thank President Trump for his strong statement yesterday about the need for Hamas to release the hostages, the responsibility of Hamas, and this adds another force to our continued effort to release all the hostages.

Thank you, President Trump.

Going back to the Post article we hear Israeli leaders are happy as well:

Israeli ministers lined up to thank Trump for his hard-hitting words.

"How refreshing it is to hear clear and morally sound statements that do not create a false equivalence or call for addressing 'both sides,' but rather clarify who are good and who are bad," said Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.

"This is the way to bring back the hostages: by increasing the pressure and the costs for Hamas and its supporters, and defeating them, rather than giving in to their absurd demands."

Not everyone is pleased at Trump’s terse comments:

The reaction in Gaza was less enthusiastic.

Responding to Trump's post, senior Hamas official Basem Naim said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had sabotaged all efforts to secure a deal that involved exchanging the hostages for Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli prisons.

It seems that not letting any dangerous terrorists out in a deal in exchange for the people they violently took on October 7th and even killed is wrong to Hamas:

"Therefore, we understand (Trump's) message is directed first at Netanyahu and his government to end this evil game," he told Reuters.

Some even think that the warning was directed at Israel as well:

Gaza political analyst Ramiz Moghani said Trump's threat was directed at both Hamas and its backer Iran and warned that it would embolden Israel to not only expel Palestinians from swathes of Gaza but also annex the nearby, "Israeli-occupied" West Bank.

"These statements have serious implications for the Israeli war in Gaza and the West Bank," he told Reuters.

One resident of Gaza was hoping that Trump would just end the war, but lost that hope when he heard the comments from Trump:

Mohammed Dahlan, like hundreds of thousands of Gazans, has had to flee his house because of the fighting and is desperate for the war to end. But he said he was shocked by Trump.

"We were hoping that the new administration would bring with it a breakthrough... but it seems (Trump) is in complete agreement with the Israeli administration and that there are apparently more punitive measures ahead," he said.

To be fair saying you’ll rain down destruction on Gaza isn’t the best way to get the Gazans to like you. However, that isn’t what Trump said. His ire is directed at those holding the hostages. The takeaway is that the whole conflict isn’t calming down as expected. As we pray for the peace of Jerusalem we need to factor in what we’ve learned today.