New report from Jerusalem

Dear Gerry!

A month and a half have passed since the beginning of the Gaza conflict, but the end is not seen yet. We are happy that our daughter finally decided to go to  school after the Gaza war ordeal. She was really struggling. We are also thankful that many people responded to our son’s letter and this week he and Gil will start to distribute the bags for the reservists.

Hamas broke another ceasefire last Tuesday. Since that time 570 rockets have been fired to Israel (by the time you receive this e-mail, it’s more). According to Israeli Foreign Ministry’s report, more than 260 rockets  were launched from schools, more than 50 rockets from medical facilities and more than 130 rockets from cemeteries. People from the towns and villages adjacent to Gaza are really exhausted and desperate as they have been daily under heavy rocket and mortar barrages. Many families are leaving their homes again. Last Friday a 5-year-old Daniel was killed by mortar. His family had just decided to leave the kibbutz once again and go to north. During the siren they managed to take his smaller siblings to shelter but for Daniel it was too late.Yesterday three Israeli Arab taxi drivers at Erez crossing waiting for a group Palestinians from Gaza who came for  medical care at Israeli hospitals, were severely wounded by mortar.

Last night rockets were intercepted over the Judean mountains, but here sirens went off only a few times during the whole conflict. Still it is scary. Since the beginning of this whole conflict, sirens have sounded in Israel over 4000 times. if you are close to Gaza, you have only seconds to find the shelter and often there is no warning of incoming mortars. We cannot imagine the stress our citizens have to live under in those areas.

Meanwhile the IDF has successfully eliminated some of the top Hamas military leaders with pinpoint airstrikes. On Tuesday night the house of the leader of Hamas military wing, the infamous Mohammed Deif, was attacked by Israeli Air Force. Hamas denies that their legendary leader was killed, at the same time not giving any proof that he is alive. Next day IAF hit three Hamas  senior field operatives. One of them had been involved in the kidnapping of IDF soldier Gilad Shalit in 2006.

As a response to these events, Hamas started a furious witch hunt for the “collaborators”. Within two days twenty five people (including two women) have been shot.  Some of them were grabbed when they came out from the mosque after the service and where shot by a firing squad in public at the crowded city square.

Reportedly Qatar, the main donor of Hamas, threatened to expel Khaled Mashal from Qatar if he would accept the ceasefire proposed by Egypt.

The situation on the northern border has been somewhat heated up as well. On Saturday night at least five rockets were fired from Lebanon and Syria to Israeli territory. One empty house close to Acco received a straight hit. Until now the rocket launchers from Lebanon have been from smaller terror groups; Hezbollah has not been involved.

On Tuesday we’ll have a city-wide prayer for the situation and in addition our regular Monday night prayer. We will pray and fast also on Thursday. Last week we prayed with Arab pastors and they were very worried for the security situation in Judea and Samaria. Hamas had planned a takeover of Ramallah and the end of Abu Mazen’s rule.

Please pray for the peace of Jerusalem and for the whole Middle East.

With love,

George and Sarah

P.S. Testimony from a soldier who fought in Gaza: