Day 154 — Friday, March 8

Palestinian gunmen set off an improvised explosive device near Israel Defense Forces troops in the West Bank town of Silat ad-Dhahr on Friday afternoon, wounding seven soldiers, the military and medics said.

The IDF said soldiers were carrying out “proactive activity” in the town when they came under attack.

The soldiers were searching for gunmen who had opened fire at an army post near the adjacent Israeli settlement outpost of Homesh a short while earlier, according to Hebrew-language media reports.

The IDF said three soldiers were listed in moderate condition, and four others were lightly hurt. They were all taken to the hospital for treatment and their families were notified.

Troops launched a manhunt for the Palestinian suspects behind the attack, the IDF said.

Earlier Friday, the IDF said troops killed a Palestinian Islamic Jihad operative allegedly involved in planning major attacks, in the northern West Bank village of Silat al-Harithiya overnight.

Troops of the Duvdevan commando unit and Border Police officers raided Silat al-Harithiya following intelligence provided by the Shin Bet on the suspect’s whereabouts.

According to defense authorities, Muhammad Shalabi, 39, was involved in advancing “significant terror activity” on behalf of Islamic Jihad, including shooting attacks, preparing explosive devices, and delivering funds for terrorism.

The IDF said an assault rifle and other military equipment was captured at Shalabi’s home.

Troops also detained nine more wanted Palestinians during overnight raids across the West Bank, the IDF said. Since October 7, the IDF has said troops have arrested some 3,500 wanted Palestinians across the West Bank, including more than 1,500 affiliated with Hamas.

Tensions between Israelis and Palestinians have risen in the West Bank since the breakout of the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza following the October 7 massacre, which saw Hamas terrorists kill about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and kidnap 253.

Times Of ISrael

Day 154 — Friday, March 8

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres once again caused an uproar on Friday, after he mentioned the sexual crimes committed by Hamas in its October 7 attack in Israel in the same breath as “reports of sexual violence against Palestinian detainees”.

The UN chief made the remarks in a speech he gave during an event on the occasion of International Women’s Day.

The crimes committed by Hamas were confirmed in a report released by UN Special Rapporteur Pramila Patten on Monday.

UN experts have accused IDF soldiers of raping Palestinian Arab women and girls in detention but have not provided evidence to back those claims.

Israel’s Ambassador to the UN, Gilad Erdan, said in response to Guterres’ comparison, “Today at the event to mark International Women’s Day at the United Nations, the Secretary-General once again openly demonstrated his bias and hatred against Israel.”

Ambassador Erdan added, “What kind of twisted conscience does the Secretary-General have to dare to compare evidence of sexual abuse, rape and war crimes that Israeli women went through on October 7 and that our hostages are still going through, and between false and unsubstantiated claims of physical searches of Palestinian women suspected of terrorism?”

Guterres has been repeatedly critical of Israel’s fight against Hamas in Gaza in response to the October 7 massacre.

In one incident, he said that Hamas’ attack on Israel “did not happen in a vacuum” and appeared to blame Israel for the attack.

After his remarks were widely condemned, Guterres claimed his comments were misinterpreted and that he had indeed condemned Hamas.

More recently, the UN chief was pressed by Channel 12 News correspondent Yuna Leibzon about his ongoing claims that Israel is carrying out “collective punishment” in Gaza.

Asked by Leibzon what he would have done if a terrorist organization had launched a murderous attack against his people, the UN chief replied, “I think there is something wrong in the way the military operations are being conducted.”

When Leibzon pointed out that Hamas hides within civilian populations, Guterres retorted, “I have condemned the use of human shields. I even said that it is a violation of international humanitarian law, but the same international humanitarian law is clear that even when there are human shields, there is an obligation to protect civilians, so in that regard, I think we are abiding by principles without double standards.”

Arutz Sheva

Day 154 — Friday, March 8

On October 7, 2023, Hamas literally broke a ceasefire that had been in effect since 2005, when they sent terrorists across to Israel and murdered 1,200 innocent civilians and took over 240 hostages (several of them also murdered since that initial date.) On October 7, Hamas had declared war on Israel. Within a few hours, Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu declared: “We didn’t start this war, but we will finish it!”

The war is ongoing, and many Bible students are wondering if it has any prophetic significance. Is it connected to any Bible events that are predicted for the future? Is it the war of Psalm 83? Is it the war of Gog and Magog? Is it the beginning of the Time of Jacob’s Trouble, also known as the Tribulation? Maybe it is also connected to the events described in Zechariah 12. Let’s look at all four possibilities.

Is It the War of Psalm 83?

Psalm 83 was written by Asaph and is a clear example of the hatred that the enemies of Israel have for the Jewish land. Verse 4 literally reads like a news headline: “They have said, ‘Come, and let us wipe them out as a nation, That the name of Israel be remembered no more.’”

Further down into the Psalm, we are given a list of the ten nations that are “conspiring” against Israel. Incidentally, they also conspire against the God of Israel according to verse 5: “For they have conspired together with one heart; Against You they cut a covenant.” So, keep in mind that you cannot hate the Jews and love God.

The ten nations are found in verses 6-8, “The tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites, Moab and the Hagrites; Gebal and Ammon and Amalek, Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre; Assyria also has joined with them.“

In modern times, these ten nations are divided as follows: Jordan (Edom, Moab, Ammon), Saudi Arabia (Ishmaelites), Egypt (Hagarenes, Amalek), Lebanon (Gebal, Tyre), The Gaza Strip (Philistia), Iraq and Syria (Assyria.)

Two of these countries, Egypt and Jordan, have official peace treaties with Israel and are currently not a threat to the safety of the Jewish people. Additionally, there has never been a conspiracy of all ten countries in the history of mankind.

Another way to look at Asaph’s lament is to see it as a literary device he used to express to his God that everywhere he looks, the Jews have enemies. It is akin to someone saying, “The whole world is against me” when many negative things simultaneously happen to that person. It is very likely that the war of Psalm 83 isn’t really a war to start with.

Is It the War of God and Magog?

The war of Gog and Magog is also a very debated topic among Bible students. Ezekiel chapters 36-39 provide much information on end times. Chapters 36 and 37 speak of the regathering of the Jewish people into the land, first in unbelief (36) and then, as they are being regenerated (37), with that beautiful passage about the Valley of Dry Bones.

Ezekiel 38:1-7 lists ten proper names for the reader. Gog (a person), Magog (former Soviet Union), Rosh (Russia), Meshech and Tubal (Turkey), Persia (Iran), Ethiopia (Sudan), Put (Libya), Gomer (Central Turkey), Beth-Togarmah (Turkey).

This is a real war and can probably be described as one of the greatest existential threats that modern Israel will know in the future. Furthermore, in Ezekiel 38:8, 11 and 14, we are told that the battle will take place while Israel is at rest and at peace, something that is clearly not the case currently, especially since October 7, 2023.

Ezekiel 38:11 KJV – “And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates,”

A preferred view for Gog and Magog would be after Israel has signed a peace treaty with the Antichrist, something that will indicate the starting point of the seven-year Great Tribulation. At that point, Israel will be at peace–albeit false–for the first three and a half years of the seven-year Tribulation. This is also in line with the prophecies of Daniel 9. Things are moving very fast in the Middle East right now and many events take place unexpectedly, but we are not in the midst of Gog and Magog.

Day 154 — Friday, March 8

Biden used his State of the Union address Thursday, as Breitbart News reported, to propose that the U.S. military build a new port in Gaza to facilitate the transfer of aid into the area. The Israeli government has repeatedly pointed out that unlimited amounts of aid already enters Gaza; the problem is distribution, especially as Hamas steals much of the aid. And the White House itself admitted in a briefing that trucking aid in is a more efficient and effective approach.

Moreover, Gaza had a port before the war. The Hamas terror group controlled it, and used it to launch maritime assaults in the October 7 attack against Israel. Israel destroyed the port in November in a clash with Hamas terrorists.

Still, the idea of a port is a visual concept that, like aid dropped from airplanes, presents a striking image of assistance.

Breitbart

Day 154 — Friday, March 8

It used to be that the United States stood with Israel in saying that a plan for the hostages to be released needed to be solidified prior a ceasefire being considered. That all changed with a tweet from Secretary of State Antony Blinken Tuesday, in which he wrote, “While meeting with Israeli War Cabinet Member @gantzbe, I underscored the urgency of reaching a temporary ceasefire to facilitate the release of hostages and surge humanitarian aid and reiterated the need for Israel to take steps to improve delivery of humanitarian assistance to Gaza.”

Later, he doubled down on this strategy in another post in which he is pictured with Qatar’s prime minister, writing, “We will continue to urgently pursue an agreement for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire to enable the release of all hostages, the protection of civilians, and the increased provision of critical aid to Gaza.”

Notice what changed? Now the U.S. is saying that Israel must agree to a ceasefire first. Only then can we can facilitate the release of hostages, in addition to surging humanitarian aid and improving Israel’s delivery of humanitarian assistance to Gaza. Essentially, he is saying that Israel must stop fighting and give Hamas all it is asking for. Washington is trying to force the Netanyahu government to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. This is asinine!

But as crazy as it is, it is not surprising given who is standing next to Blinken in the picture accompanying the first tweet. The @gantzbe is Benny Gantz, the primary figure in the opposition to Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition. Without permission, he traveled to Washington, D.C., to meet with Blinken and the Biden government. Biden’s administration is desperate to find someone to run with their two-state solution, and Gantz is their useful idiot. Biden knows that he desperately needs a success in the Middle East, particularly after seeing the enthusiastic sweep Republican voters gave to former president Donald Trump on Super Tuesday.

As far as Gantz goes, his excursion is a direct attempt to undermine Netanyahu and can easily be seen as an act of treason against the State of Israel.

Day 153 — Thursday, March 7

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has invited Mia Schem, a young Israeli woman who was held hostage by Hamas, to President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address on Thursday.

During the October 7 Hamas massacre of more than 1,200 Israelis, Schem was shot in the arm as she was seized from the Supernova music festival. Her family said she developed epilepsy as a result of being held until November 30, 54 days after she was seized.

After her release, she told Israel’s Channel 13, “It’s important to me to reveal the real situation about the people who live in Gaza, who they really are, and what I went through there. I experienced hell. Everyone there are terrorists… there are no innocent civilians, not one. [Innocent civilians] don’t exist.” Her friend Elia Toledano was also seized; his body was recovered by the IDF in December.

“At the State of the Union, I will be honored to host Mia Schem, who experienced the terrors of Hamas firsthand,” Johnson told Jewish Insider. “Mia spent more than 50 days in captivity after being kidnapped on October 7. I’m proud to stand with Mia and join her in demanding the release [of] all the hostages still held captive by Hamas. We must continue to fight to get them home.”

“While my thoughts and prayers are constantly with my friends who are still being held hostage by Hamas terrorists in Gaza, I am grateful to the Speaker for allowing me to show my gratitude for all the United States Government has done to assist the people of Israel in their time of need,” Schem said. “The bond between our countries is more important than ever and cannot be broken. As believers in God, we continue to pray together for peace.”

Schem recalled part of her time as a hostage in which a family in Gaza, including children, would taunt her and watch her like “an animal at the zoo,” Jewish Insider reported.

Johnson and Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) have also invited the mother and brother of Omer Neutra, who is still held hostage. “As Hamas’ propagandists and unwitting accomplices seek to turn the world against Israel, it’s crucial that we remain steadfast, remember who started this war, and not forget the hostages and their loved ones,” Lawler stated to Jewish Insider. “When President Biden delivers his State of the Union on Thursday, I hope he will look at the faces of the Neutras and other family members of hostages and reaffirm America’s commitment to bring their sons, daughters, fathers, mothers, husbands, wives, grandparents, and grandchildren home safely.”

Other senators and representatives who have invited relatives of those still held hostage or those whose family members were killed on October 7 include North Carolina GOP senators Ted Budd and Thom Tillis,  Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA); Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ), Rep. Greg Steube (R-FL), and Democrats such as Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-NY), Rep. Brad Schneider (D-IL), Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI), and Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA).

Daily Wire

Day 152 — Wednesday, March 6

Reem Alsalem, the UN’s Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, explained on Tuesday why she hadn’t condemned the constant rocket fire targeting millions of Israelis in northern and southern Israel.

The reason for her silence, Alsalem claimed, is that she has not seen any reports of rockets being fired at Israel.

The UN official made the comments during an interview Channel 13 News’ reporter Bar Shem-Ur.

When Shem-Ur pointed out to Alsalem that Israeli cities and Israeli schools are being targeted with rockets every single day, she replied, “If that is the case, I would recommend that you send that information to the special procedures so that we can look into it.”

Shem-Ur then asked her if she had not seen the reports about missiles being fired by Hezbollah towards northern Israel and by Hamas towards the south.

“At this point, I have not seen that. No,” replied Alsalem.

The interview with Alsalem took place on the same day in which she signed a joint letter with six other UN officials condemning Israel for the trampling incident that occurred when a humanitarian aid convoy was swarmed in northern Gaza last week.

The IDF investigation into the incident found that while troops did fire at some Gazans who approached and threatened them, only ten people were struck by IDF fire. The majority of the casualties were the result of people being trampled during the crush or by being struck by the aid trucks as they attempted to escape from the mob.

The officials further claimed that “Israel has also opened fire on humanitarian aid convoys on several occasions, despite the fact that the convoys shared their coordinates with Israel.”

The officials called for a “permanent ceasefire” and “for an arms embargo and sanctions on Israel, as part of all States’ duty to ensure respect for human rights and stop violations of international humanitarian law by Israel.”

The document did not mention the hostages held by Hamas in Gaza or call for their release. The only mention of Hamas was during a mention of negotiations between Israel and the terrorist organization.

The document also did not mention the UN report published just on Monday about the mass rape committed by Hamas terrorists on October 7.

Arutz Sheva

Day 151 — Tuesday, March 5

The United Nation’s envoy on sex crimes during conflict presented a report Monday at the UN indicating that rape and gang rape likely occurred during the October 7 Hamas onslaught against southern Israel, that “clear and convincing” evidence shows that hostages were raped while being held in Gaza, and that those currently held captive are still facing such abuse.

The 24-page report, based on more than two weeks of meetings on the ground, states that there are “reasonable grounds” to believe that Hamas committed rape and sexual abuse during its murderous rampage on October 7, and that there is an even higher standard of evidence to indicate that hostages kidnapped by Hamas that day were subject to rape in captivity.

Israel in response accused the UN of playing down the report and dragging its feet on looking into the allegations, while trying to silence the accusations — something the UN secretary general swiftly denied.

Presenting the report at a press conference at UN Headquarters in New York, Pramila Patten, the UN special representative on sexual violence in conflict, said that there was “clear and convincing information that sexual violence including rape, sexualized torture, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment” was committed against hostages being held in captivity in the Strip by Hamas.

In addition, she said, there are “reasonable grounds” to believe that such violence is still ongoing against those hostages still in captivity in Gaza.

“The mission was a difficult one in terms of what we heard and the details,” said Patten at the press conference. “We saw a catalog of the most extreme and inhumane forms of torture and other horrors,” she said, noting that her mission “was neither intended nor mandated to be investigative in nature.”

The team said a “fully-fledged investigation” would be required to establish the overall magnitude, scope and specific attribution for the sexual violence.

Patten said that she visited Israel and the West Bank for 2.5 weeks, meeting with representatives of 33 Israeli institutions as well as 34 individuals, including survivors and witnesses, released hostages, first responders and others. She noted that she did not meet with any survivor of sexual violence, saying that she was told the small number of living survivors are undergoing “specialized trauma treatment” and are unable to discuss their experiences.

Her team also viewed 5,000 photographic images and “some 50 hours of footage” of the attacks. Due to the ongoing conflict, she said, she did not request to also visit Gaza.

Patten said that based on her evidence-gathering, there are reasonable grounds to believe that “rape and gang rape” occurred during the October 7 attacks in at least three locations: the Supernova music festival site, Kibbutz Re’im, and along the nearby Route 232.

In most such instances, she said, evidence shows that victims were “first subjected to rape and then killed,” noting as well “two incidents” pointing to the rape of women’s corpses.

The music festival grounds, Patten said, was the site of “brutal mass murders,” noting that many bodies were found extensively burned or disfigured, and that there was also a “recurring pattern of victims found fully or partially undressed, bound and shot.”

In response to the report, Israeli Ambassador to the UN Gilad Erdan lambasted the international body for taking so long to recognize what happened on the Gaza periphery.

“It took the UN five months to finally recognize the horrifying sex crimes that occurred during the Hamas on onslaught of October 7,” Erdan said in a statement. “Now that the report of the sexual atrocities and abuse that our hostages are going through in Gaza is being released, the shame of the silence of the UN — which is not even holding one hearing on the issue — is crying out to the heavens.”

Foreign Minister Israel Katz said he was calling Erdan back to Israel for discussions on how to move forward, due to the UN’s “silencing” of the issue.

Katz slammed UN chief Antonio Guterres for not calling for a meeting of the UN Security Council “to declare Hamas a terror group and place sanctions on its supporters.” He said Israel had yet to hear “one word” from the UN chief over the report, adding: “Guterres, wake up.”

Israel has railed at international women’s groups that ignored evidence of Hamas’s weaponization of sexual violence during the attacks.

It took about eight weeks for UN Women, a women’s rights group under the tutelage of the UN, to post, and shortly thereafter delete, a condemnation of the October 7 onslaught itself.

Another week would go by before the agency registered the existence of “disturbing reports of gender-based and sexual violence on October 7.”

The delayed response sparked outrage among Jewish and Israeli feminist groups, rallying to the hashtag “#MeToo_UNless_UR_A_Jew” and charging the UN body’s silence was motivated by antisemitism.

Times Of Israel

Day 151 — Tuesday, March 5

A Hamas leader claimed on Monday that the organization doesn’t know how many of the hostages it kidnapped to the Gaza Strip in its October 7 attack on Israel are still alive.

“Of the prisoners, we don’t know exactly who among them are alive or dead, killed because of strikes or hunger,” Bassem Naim, a senior Hamas leader, told AFP from Cairo.

“There are prisoners held by numerous groups in multiple places” across the Strip, he claimed.

His comments come amid the ongoing negotiations in Cairo for a truce in Gaza which would see Hamas releasing the hostages it is holding.

Last week, senior Israeli officials said that Israel made it clear to mediators Egypt and Qatar that it will not hold another round of talks on a hostage release deal until Hamas presents a list of the hostages who are alive.

Hamas on Sunday sent a response to the proposal for a hostage release deal, but did not include the names of those hostages who are still alive, in contradiction to Israel’s demand.

All members of the War Cabinet have agreed that there is no reason to send an Israeli delegation to Cairo or Qatar if there is no basis for negotiations. So long as Hamas refuses to provide details and move forward, Israel will not cooperate and will not even send a delegation to the talks.

Arutz Sheva

Day 151 — Tuesday, March 5

In the past several weeks, President Biden has also been at the forefront of demanding that Israel accept a two-state solution as a way of appeasing the Palestinians. In other words, he would reward Hamas’ barbarism by giving them land that rightfully belongs to Israel. Not only that, but his proposal would also give Israel’s enemies a strategic position to accomplish their true intent, which is the destruction of the Jewish state and the murder of the Israelites who dwell there.

A couple of weeks ago, the U.S. vetoed a resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. Please don’t be fooled by this empty show of support for Israel. The current U.S. leadership is no friend of Israel or the Jewish people. Biden’s recommendations, if followed, would seriously degrade the security of Israel as well as the safety of its people.

The actions of the Biden Administration toward Israel place America on dangerous ground for the following reasons:

They Will bring God’s Curse Upon Our Nation

The U.S. President and Secretary of State Blinken appear determined to stop Israel from achieving an all-out victory in its war with Hamas. Though they would never admit such a thing, their proposals would provide Hamas with a tactical victory as well as a position of strength in negotiating the release of hostages that it has not already murdered.

Because Israel still represents God’s chosen people (see Romans 11:1-2), the warning of Genesis 12:3 remains in effect: “And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.”

The Hebrew word for “dishonors you,” or “curseth you” in the KJV, is translated in a variety of ways in the Old Testament. In this context, it signifies those who would treat Israel with contempt and dishonor. It’s the act of treating something “lightly” in the sense of placing little importance upon it.

The word for “I will curse,” speaking in regard to God’s response to those who treat His people with disdain, is different and signifies what we understand as a curse, or in this case, a judgment on those who would treat Israel with derision such as the Biden Administration.

If the words of Genesis 12:3 still apply to God’s covenant with Abraham, which He reiterated to the descendants of Jacob (Psalm 105:7-11), and they do, the actions of the Biden administration will surely bring a curse upon himself as well as upon the nation.

Day 150 — Monday, March 4

The grandson of Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli strike, Arabic media outlets reported on Sunday.

The reports said he was among the three Hezbollah members wiped out by an Israeli strike in southern Lebanon on Saturday morning, naming Nasrallah’s grandson as Abbas Ahmed Khalil.

Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said on Saturday it had “struck a vehicle in southern Lebanon, in which a number of terrorists who launched rockets into Israeli territory were driving.”

The statement added the jihadists were with the Iran-linked Imam Hossein Division, which operates under Hezbollah.

i24 News

Day 149 — Sunday, March 3

Three IDF soldiers were killed, and 14 others were wounded in southern Gaza, the IDF said. Six of the 14 wounded were left in serious condition.

The Israeli troops were operating in a two-story building wherein they expected to confront terrorists when they encountered a number of booby traps.

According to the IDF, an Israel combat helicopter thereafter arrived at the scene and identified terrorists in the area before laying down fire.

The IDF noted that it believed the terrorists were killed in the encounter.

The terrorists engaged by the IDF helicopter were believed to be those who had booby-trapped the building.

On Saturday evening, the IDF named the three fallen soldiers as 19-year-old Sergeant Dolev Malka from Shlomi, 19-year-old Sergeant Afik Tery from Rehovot, and 20-year-old Sergeant Inon Yitzhak from Mitzpe Ramon.

All three were soldiers drafted into the Kfir Brigade and served in the 450th battalion of the Bislamach Brigade as part of the infantry commanders’ training course.

Jerusalem Post 

Day 148 — Saturday, March 2

A car was hit in an airstrike in southern Lebanon, Lebanese media reports.

The Ynet news site, citing a Saudi report, says a “senior Hezbollah member” was among the three killed in the strike.

Lebanese reports cited by Walla say that the car was hit by a drone near Naqoura.

Hezbollah-led forces began launching daily attacks on Israeli communities and military posts along the border on October 8.

The Iran-backed terror group says it is doing so to support Gaza amid Israel’s war with Hamas, triggered by the terror group’s October 7 massacre.

Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi warned this week that Hezbollah would “pay a very high price” for its continued attacks on northern Israel.

Times Of Israel

Day 154 — Friday, March 8

Palestinian gunmen set off an improvised explosive device near Israel Defense Forces troops in the West Bank town of Silat ad-Dhahr on Friday afternoon, wounding seven soldiers, the military and medics said.

The IDF said soldiers were carrying out “proactive activity” in the town when they came under attack.

The soldiers were searching for gunmen who had opened fire at an army post near the adjacent Israeli settlement outpost of Homesh a short while earlier, according to Hebrew-language media reports.

The IDF said three soldiers were listed in moderate condition, and four others were lightly hurt. They were all taken to the hospital for treatment and their families were notified.

Troops launched a manhunt for the Palestinian suspects behind the attack, the IDF said.

Earlier Friday, the IDF said troops killed a Palestinian Islamic Jihad operative allegedly involved in planning major attacks, in the northern West Bank village of Silat al-Harithiya overnight.

Troops of the Duvdevan commando unit and Border Police officers raided Silat al-Harithiya following intelligence provided by the Shin Bet on the suspect’s whereabouts.

According to defense authorities, Muhammad Shalabi, 39, was involved in advancing “significant terror activity” on behalf of Islamic Jihad, including shooting attacks, preparing explosive devices, and delivering funds for terrorism.

The IDF said an assault rifle and other military equipment was captured at Shalabi’s home.

Troops also detained nine more wanted Palestinians during overnight raids across the West Bank, the IDF said. Since October 7, the IDF has said troops have arrested some 3,500 wanted Palestinians across the West Bank, including more than 1,500 affiliated with Hamas.

Tensions between Israelis and Palestinians have risen in the West Bank since the breakout of the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza following the October 7 massacre, which saw Hamas terrorists kill about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and kidnap 253.

Times Of ISrael

Day 154 — Friday, March 8

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres once again caused an uproar on Friday, after he mentioned the sexual crimes committed by Hamas in its October 7 attack in Israel in the same breath as “reports of sexual violence against Palestinian detainees”.

The UN chief made the remarks in a speech he gave during an event on the occasion of International Women’s Day.

The crimes committed by Hamas were confirmed in a report released by UN Special Rapporteur Pramila Patten on Monday.

UN experts have accused IDF soldiers of raping Palestinian Arab women and girls in detention but have not provided evidence to back those claims.

Israel’s Ambassador to the UN, Gilad Erdan, said in response to Guterres’ comparison, “Today at the event to mark International Women’s Day at the United Nations, the Secretary-General once again openly demonstrated his bias and hatred against Israel.”

Ambassador Erdan added, “What kind of twisted conscience does the Secretary-General have to dare to compare evidence of sexual abuse, rape and war crimes that Israeli women went through on October 7 and that our hostages are still going through, and between false and unsubstantiated claims of physical searches of Palestinian women suspected of terrorism?”

Guterres has been repeatedly critical of Israel’s fight against Hamas in Gaza in response to the October 7 massacre.

In one incident, he said that Hamas’ attack on Israel “did not happen in a vacuum” and appeared to blame Israel for the attack.

After his remarks were widely condemned, Guterres claimed his comments were misinterpreted and that he had indeed condemned Hamas.

More recently, the UN chief was pressed by Channel 12 News correspondent Yuna Leibzon about his ongoing claims that Israel is carrying out “collective punishment” in Gaza.

Asked by Leibzon what he would have done if a terrorist organization had launched a murderous attack against his people, the UN chief replied, “I think there is something wrong in the way the military operations are being conducted.”

When Leibzon pointed out that Hamas hides within civilian populations, Guterres retorted, “I have condemned the use of human shields. I even said that it is a violation of international humanitarian law, but the same international humanitarian law is clear that even when there are human shields, there is an obligation to protect civilians, so in that regard, I think we are abiding by principles without double standards.”

Arutz Sheva

Day 154 — Friday, March 8

On October 7, 2023, Hamas literally broke a ceasefire that had been in effect since 2005, when they sent terrorists across to Israel and murdered 1,200 innocent civilians and took over 240 hostages (several of them also murdered since that initial date.) On October 7, Hamas had declared war on Israel. Within a few hours, Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu declared: “We didn’t start this war, but we will finish it!”

The war is ongoing, and many Bible students are wondering if it has any prophetic significance. Is it connected to any Bible events that are predicted for the future? Is it the war of Psalm 83? Is it the war of Gog and Magog? Is it the beginning of the Time of Jacob’s Trouble, also known as the Tribulation? Maybe it is also connected to the events described in Zechariah 12. Let’s look at all four possibilities.

Is It the War of Psalm 83?

Psalm 83 was written by Asaph and is a clear example of the hatred that the enemies of Israel have for the Jewish land. Verse 4 literally reads like a news headline: “They have said, ‘Come, and let us wipe them out as a nation, That the name of Israel be remembered no more.’”

Further down into the Psalm, we are given a list of the ten nations that are “conspiring” against Israel. Incidentally, they also conspire against the God of Israel according to verse 5: “For they have conspired together with one heart; Against You they cut a covenant.” So, keep in mind that you cannot hate the Jews and love God.

The ten nations are found in verses 6-8, “The tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites, Moab and the Hagrites; Gebal and Ammon and Amalek, Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre; Assyria also has joined with them.“

In modern times, these ten nations are divided as follows: Jordan (Edom, Moab, Ammon), Saudi Arabia (Ishmaelites), Egypt (Hagarenes, Amalek), Lebanon (Gebal, Tyre), The Gaza Strip (Philistia), Iraq and Syria (Assyria.)

Two of these countries, Egypt and Jordan, have official peace treaties with Israel and are currently not a threat to the safety of the Jewish people. Additionally, there has never been a conspiracy of all ten countries in the history of mankind.

Another way to look at Asaph’s lament is to see it as a literary device he used to express to his God that everywhere he looks, the Jews have enemies. It is akin to someone saying, “The whole world is against me” when many negative things simultaneously happen to that person. It is very likely that the war of Psalm 83 isn’t really a war to start with.

Is It the War of God and Magog?

The war of Gog and Magog is also a very debated topic among Bible students. Ezekiel chapters 36-39 provide much information on end times. Chapters 36 and 37 speak of the regathering of the Jewish people into the land, first in unbelief (36) and then, as they are being regenerated (37), with that beautiful passage about the Valley of Dry Bones.

Ezekiel 38:1-7 lists ten proper names for the reader. Gog (a person), Magog (former Soviet Union), Rosh (Russia), Meshech and Tubal (Turkey), Persia (Iran), Ethiopia (Sudan), Put (Libya), Gomer (Central Turkey), Beth-Togarmah (Turkey).

This is a real war and can probably be described as one of the greatest existential threats that modern Israel will know in the future. Furthermore, in Ezekiel 38:8, 11 and 14, we are told that the battle will take place while Israel is at rest and at peace, something that is clearly not the case currently, especially since October 7, 2023.

Ezekiel 38:11 KJV – “And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates,”

A preferred view for Gog and Magog would be after Israel has signed a peace treaty with the Antichrist, something that will indicate the starting point of the seven-year Great Tribulation. At that point, Israel will be at peace–albeit false–for the first three and a half years of the seven-year Tribulation. This is also in line with the prophecies of Daniel 9. Things are moving very fast in the Middle East right now and many events take place unexpectedly, but we are not in the midst of Gog and Magog.

Day 154 — Friday, March 8

Biden used his State of the Union address Thursday, as Breitbart News reported, to propose that the U.S. military build a new port in Gaza to facilitate the transfer of aid into the area. The Israeli government has repeatedly pointed out that unlimited amounts of aid already enters Gaza; the problem is distribution, especially as Hamas steals much of the aid. And the White House itself admitted in a briefing that trucking aid in is a more efficient and effective approach.

Moreover, Gaza had a port before the war. The Hamas terror group controlled it, and used it to launch maritime assaults in the October 7 attack against Israel. Israel destroyed the port in November in a clash with Hamas terrorists.

Still, the idea of a port is a visual concept that, like aid dropped from airplanes, presents a striking image of assistance.

Breitbart

Day 154 — Friday, March 8

It used to be that the United States stood with Israel in saying that a plan for the hostages to be released needed to be solidified prior a ceasefire being considered. That all changed with a tweet from Secretary of State Antony Blinken Tuesday, in which he wrote, “While meeting with Israeli War Cabinet Member @gantzbe, I underscored the urgency of reaching a temporary ceasefire to facilitate the release of hostages and surge humanitarian aid and reiterated the need for Israel to take steps to improve delivery of humanitarian assistance to Gaza.”

Later, he doubled down on this strategy in another post in which he is pictured with Qatar’s prime minister, writing, “We will continue to urgently pursue an agreement for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire to enable the release of all hostages, the protection of civilians, and the increased provision of critical aid to Gaza.”

Notice what changed? Now the U.S. is saying that Israel must agree to a ceasefire first. Only then can we can facilitate the release of hostages, in addition to surging humanitarian aid and improving Israel’s delivery of humanitarian assistance to Gaza. Essentially, he is saying that Israel must stop fighting and give Hamas all it is asking for. Washington is trying to force the Netanyahu government to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. This is asinine!

But as crazy as it is, it is not surprising given who is standing next to Blinken in the picture accompanying the first tweet. The @gantzbe is Benny Gantz, the primary figure in the opposition to Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition. Without permission, he traveled to Washington, D.C., to meet with Blinken and the Biden government. Biden’s administration is desperate to find someone to run with their two-state solution, and Gantz is their useful idiot. Biden knows that he desperately needs a success in the Middle East, particularly after seeing the enthusiastic sweep Republican voters gave to former president Donald Trump on Super Tuesday.

As far as Gantz goes, his excursion is a direct attempt to undermine Netanyahu and can easily be seen as an act of treason against the State of Israel.

Day 153 — Thursday, March 7

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has invited Mia Schem, a young Israeli woman who was held hostage by Hamas, to President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address on Thursday.

During the October 7 Hamas massacre of more than 1,200 Israelis, Schem was shot in the arm as she was seized from the Supernova music festival. Her family said she developed epilepsy as a result of being held until November 30, 54 days after she was seized.

After her release, she told Israel’s Channel 13, “It’s important to me to reveal the real situation about the people who live in Gaza, who they really are, and what I went through there. I experienced hell. Everyone there are terrorists… there are no innocent civilians, not one. [Innocent civilians] don’t exist.” Her friend Elia Toledano was also seized; his body was recovered by the IDF in December.

“At the State of the Union, I will be honored to host Mia Schem, who experienced the terrors of Hamas firsthand,” Johnson told Jewish Insider. “Mia spent more than 50 days in captivity after being kidnapped on October 7. I’m proud to stand with Mia and join her in demanding the release [of] all the hostages still held captive by Hamas. We must continue to fight to get them home.”

“While my thoughts and prayers are constantly with my friends who are still being held hostage by Hamas terrorists in Gaza, I am grateful to the Speaker for allowing me to show my gratitude for all the United States Government has done to assist the people of Israel in their time of need,” Schem said. “The bond between our countries is more important than ever and cannot be broken. As believers in God, we continue to pray together for peace.”

Schem recalled part of her time as a hostage in which a family in Gaza, including children, would taunt her and watch her like “an animal at the zoo,” Jewish Insider reported.

Johnson and Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) have also invited the mother and brother of Omer Neutra, who is still held hostage. “As Hamas’ propagandists and unwitting accomplices seek to turn the world against Israel, it’s crucial that we remain steadfast, remember who started this war, and not forget the hostages and their loved ones,” Lawler stated to Jewish Insider. “When President Biden delivers his State of the Union on Thursday, I hope he will look at the faces of the Neutras and other family members of hostages and reaffirm America’s commitment to bring their sons, daughters, fathers, mothers, husbands, wives, grandparents, and grandchildren home safely.”

Other senators and representatives who have invited relatives of those still held hostage or those whose family members were killed on October 7 include North Carolina GOP senators Ted Budd and Thom Tillis,  Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA); Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ), Rep. Greg Steube (R-FL), and Democrats such as Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-NY), Rep. Brad Schneider (D-IL), Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI), and Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA).

Daily Wire

Day 152 — Wednesday, March 6

Reem Alsalem, the UN’s Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, explained on Tuesday why she hadn’t condemned the constant rocket fire targeting millions of Israelis in northern and southern Israel.

The reason for her silence, Alsalem claimed, is that she has not seen any reports of rockets being fired at Israel.

The UN official made the comments during an interview Channel 13 News’ reporter Bar Shem-Ur.

When Shem-Ur pointed out to Alsalem that Israeli cities and Israeli schools are being targeted with rockets every single day, she replied, “If that is the case, I would recommend that you send that information to the special procedures so that we can look into it.”

Shem-Ur then asked her if she had not seen the reports about missiles being fired by Hezbollah towards northern Israel and by Hamas towards the south.

“At this point, I have not seen that. No,” replied Alsalem.

The interview with Alsalem took place on the same day in which she signed a joint letter with six other UN officials condemning Israel for the trampling incident that occurred when a humanitarian aid convoy was swarmed in northern Gaza last week.

The IDF investigation into the incident found that while troops did fire at some Gazans who approached and threatened them, only ten people were struck by IDF fire. The majority of the casualties were the result of people being trampled during the crush or by being struck by the aid trucks as they attempted to escape from the mob.

The officials further claimed that “Israel has also opened fire on humanitarian aid convoys on several occasions, despite the fact that the convoys shared their coordinates with Israel.”

The officials called for a “permanent ceasefire” and “for an arms embargo and sanctions on Israel, as part of all States’ duty to ensure respect for human rights and stop violations of international humanitarian law by Israel.”

The document did not mention the hostages held by Hamas in Gaza or call for their release. The only mention of Hamas was during a mention of negotiations between Israel and the terrorist organization.

The document also did not mention the UN report published just on Monday about the mass rape committed by Hamas terrorists on October 7.

Arutz Sheva

Day 151 — Tuesday, March 5

The United Nation’s envoy on sex crimes during conflict presented a report Monday at the UN indicating that rape and gang rape likely occurred during the October 7 Hamas onslaught against southern Israel, that “clear and convincing” evidence shows that hostages were raped while being held in Gaza, and that those currently held captive are still facing such abuse.

The 24-page report, based on more than two weeks of meetings on the ground, states that there are “reasonable grounds” to believe that Hamas committed rape and sexual abuse during its murderous rampage on October 7, and that there is an even higher standard of evidence to indicate that hostages kidnapped by Hamas that day were subject to rape in captivity.

Israel in response accused the UN of playing down the report and dragging its feet on looking into the allegations, while trying to silence the accusations — something the UN secretary general swiftly denied.

Presenting the report at a press conference at UN Headquarters in New York, Pramila Patten, the UN special representative on sexual violence in conflict, said that there was “clear and convincing information that sexual violence including rape, sexualized torture, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment” was committed against hostages being held in captivity in the Strip by Hamas.

In addition, she said, there are “reasonable grounds” to believe that such violence is still ongoing against those hostages still in captivity in Gaza.

“The mission was a difficult one in terms of what we heard and the details,” said Patten at the press conference. “We saw a catalog of the most extreme and inhumane forms of torture and other horrors,” she said, noting that her mission “was neither intended nor mandated to be investigative in nature.”

The team said a “fully-fledged investigation” would be required to establish the overall magnitude, scope and specific attribution for the sexual violence.

Patten said that she visited Israel and the West Bank for 2.5 weeks, meeting with representatives of 33 Israeli institutions as well as 34 individuals, including survivors and witnesses, released hostages, first responders and others. She noted that she did not meet with any survivor of sexual violence, saying that she was told the small number of living survivors are undergoing “specialized trauma treatment” and are unable to discuss their experiences.

Her team also viewed 5,000 photographic images and “some 50 hours of footage” of the attacks. Due to the ongoing conflict, she said, she did not request to also visit Gaza.

Patten said that based on her evidence-gathering, there are reasonable grounds to believe that “rape and gang rape” occurred during the October 7 attacks in at least three locations: the Supernova music festival site, Kibbutz Re’im, and along the nearby Route 232.

In most such instances, she said, evidence shows that victims were “first subjected to rape and then killed,” noting as well “two incidents” pointing to the rape of women’s corpses.

The music festival grounds, Patten said, was the site of “brutal mass murders,” noting that many bodies were found extensively burned or disfigured, and that there was also a “recurring pattern of victims found fully or partially undressed, bound and shot.”

In response to the report, Israeli Ambassador to the UN Gilad Erdan lambasted the international body for taking so long to recognize what happened on the Gaza periphery.

“It took the UN five months to finally recognize the horrifying sex crimes that occurred during the Hamas on onslaught of October 7,” Erdan said in a statement. “Now that the report of the sexual atrocities and abuse that our hostages are going through in Gaza is being released, the shame of the silence of the UN — which is not even holding one hearing on the issue — is crying out to the heavens.”

Foreign Minister Israel Katz said he was calling Erdan back to Israel for discussions on how to move forward, due to the UN’s “silencing” of the issue.

Katz slammed UN chief Antonio Guterres for not calling for a meeting of the UN Security Council “to declare Hamas a terror group and place sanctions on its supporters.” He said Israel had yet to hear “one word” from the UN chief over the report, adding: “Guterres, wake up.”

Israel has railed at international women’s groups that ignored evidence of Hamas’s weaponization of sexual violence during the attacks.

It took about eight weeks for UN Women, a women’s rights group under the tutelage of the UN, to post, and shortly thereafter delete, a condemnation of the October 7 onslaught itself.

Another week would go by before the agency registered the existence of “disturbing reports of gender-based and sexual violence on October 7.”

The delayed response sparked outrage among Jewish and Israeli feminist groups, rallying to the hashtag “#MeToo_UNless_UR_A_Jew” and charging the UN body’s silence was motivated by antisemitism.

Times Of Israel

Day 151 — Tuesday, March 5

A Hamas leader claimed on Monday that the organization doesn’t know how many of the hostages it kidnapped to the Gaza Strip in its October 7 attack on Israel are still alive.

“Of the prisoners, we don’t know exactly who among them are alive or dead, killed because of strikes or hunger,” Bassem Naim, a senior Hamas leader, told AFP from Cairo.

“There are prisoners held by numerous groups in multiple places” across the Strip, he claimed.

His comments come amid the ongoing negotiations in Cairo for a truce in Gaza which would see Hamas releasing the hostages it is holding.

Last week, senior Israeli officials said that Israel made it clear to mediators Egypt and Qatar that it will not hold another round of talks on a hostage release deal until Hamas presents a list of the hostages who are alive.

Hamas on Sunday sent a response to the proposal for a hostage release deal, but did not include the names of those hostages who are still alive, in contradiction to Israel’s demand.

All members of the War Cabinet have agreed that there is no reason to send an Israeli delegation to Cairo or Qatar if there is no basis for negotiations. So long as Hamas refuses to provide details and move forward, Israel will not cooperate and will not even send a delegation to the talks.

Arutz Sheva

Day 151 — Tuesday, March 5

In the past several weeks, President Biden has also been at the forefront of demanding that Israel accept a two-state solution as a way of appeasing the Palestinians. In other words, he would reward Hamas’ barbarism by giving them land that rightfully belongs to Israel. Not only that, but his proposal would also give Israel’s enemies a strategic position to accomplish their true intent, which is the destruction of the Jewish state and the murder of the Israelites who dwell there.

A couple of weeks ago, the U.S. vetoed a resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. Please don’t be fooled by this empty show of support for Israel. The current U.S. leadership is no friend of Israel or the Jewish people. Biden’s recommendations, if followed, would seriously degrade the security of Israel as well as the safety of its people.

The actions of the Biden Administration toward Israel place America on dangerous ground for the following reasons:

They Will bring God’s Curse Upon Our Nation

The U.S. President and Secretary of State Blinken appear determined to stop Israel from achieving an all-out victory in its war with Hamas. Though they would never admit such a thing, their proposals would provide Hamas with a tactical victory as well as a position of strength in negotiating the release of hostages that it has not already murdered.

Because Israel still represents God’s chosen people (see Romans 11:1-2), the warning of Genesis 12:3 remains in effect: “And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.”

The Hebrew word for “dishonors you,” or “curseth you” in the KJV, is translated in a variety of ways in the Old Testament. In this context, it signifies those who would treat Israel with contempt and dishonor. It’s the act of treating something “lightly” in the sense of placing little importance upon it.

The word for “I will curse,” speaking in regard to God’s response to those who treat His people with disdain, is different and signifies what we understand as a curse, or in this case, a judgment on those who would treat Israel with derision such as the Biden Administration.

If the words of Genesis 12:3 still apply to God’s covenant with Abraham, which He reiterated to the descendants of Jacob (Psalm 105:7-11), and they do, the actions of the Biden administration will surely bring a curse upon himself as well as upon the nation.

Day 150 — Monday, March 4

The grandson of Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli strike, Arabic media outlets reported on Sunday.

The reports said he was among the three Hezbollah members wiped out by an Israeli strike in southern Lebanon on Saturday morning, naming Nasrallah’s grandson as Abbas Ahmed Khalil.

Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said on Saturday it had “struck a vehicle in southern Lebanon, in which a number of terrorists who launched rockets into Israeli territory were driving.”

The statement added the jihadists were with the Iran-linked Imam Hossein Division, which operates under Hezbollah.

i24 News

Day 149 — Sunday, March 3

Three IDF soldiers were killed, and 14 others were wounded in southern Gaza, the IDF said. Six of the 14 wounded were left in serious condition.

The Israeli troops were operating in a two-story building wherein they expected to confront terrorists when they encountered a number of booby traps.

According to the IDF, an Israel combat helicopter thereafter arrived at the scene and identified terrorists in the area before laying down fire.

The IDF noted that it believed the terrorists were killed in the encounter.

The terrorists engaged by the IDF helicopter were believed to be those who had booby-trapped the building.

On Saturday evening, the IDF named the three fallen soldiers as 19-year-old Sergeant Dolev Malka from Shlomi, 19-year-old Sergeant Afik Tery from Rehovot, and 20-year-old Sergeant Inon Yitzhak from Mitzpe Ramon.

All three were soldiers drafted into the Kfir Brigade and served in the 450th battalion of the Bislamach Brigade as part of the infantry commanders’ training course.

Jerusalem Post 

Day 148 — Saturday, March 2

A car was hit in an airstrike in southern Lebanon, Lebanese media reports.

The Ynet news site, citing a Saudi report, says a “senior Hezbollah member” was among the three killed in the strike.

Lebanese reports cited by Walla say that the car was hit by a drone near Naqoura.

Hezbollah-led forces began launching daily attacks on Israeli communities and military posts along the border on October 8.

The Iran-backed terror group says it is doing so to support Gaza amid Israel’s war with Hamas, triggered by the terror group’s October 7 massacre.

Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi warned this week that Hezbollah would “pay a very high price” for its continued attacks on northern Israel.

Times Of Israel