June 14th, 2024 | Messianic World Update | Middle East Conflict, Hostage Rescue, and Anti-Semitic Attacks

Shalom everyone, I’m Monte Judah with Lion and Lamb Ministries, bringing you another edition of the Messianic World Update. Today’s date is Friday, June 14th of the year 2024, and here are the headlines from this week.

The Biden administration has been working to bring about a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. They've sought the support of the U.N. Security Council and even managed to secure a resolution backing the ceasefire. Despite these efforts, Hamas has consistently rejected the ceasefire agreement, leading to more complications in the peace process.

While the U.S. administration is doing its best to push through a deal to end the war in Gaza—a deal it knows Israel will find hard to swallow and that Hamas will not agree to—it seems that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was right about the complexities of dealing with Hamas.

Earlier this week, four hostages—Noa Argamani, Almog Meir Jan, Andrey Kozlov, and Shlomi Ziv—were rescued from Gaza. This news coincided with War Cabinet member and opposition leader Benny Gantz's announcement of his departure from the government and war cabinet. However, this doesn't threaten Netanyahu's government, as he still holds the majority in the Knesset.

The rescue operation was planned meticulously for several weeks. The IDF and special forces launched a daylight raid, a deviation from their usual nighttime operations. The mission was successful, though the commando leader, Arnon Zamora, was killed in the firefight. In the aftermath, it was found that approximately 246 Palestinians were killed.

Hamas' actions have been devastating not only to Israel but also to their own people. In another message to Hamas leaders in Qatar, Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas leader in Gaza, stated publicly this week that thousands of civilian casualties are “necessary sacrifices.” Hamas’ deliberate decision to involve Palestinian civilians in the conflict has led to many unnecessary casualties.

On the northern front, Hezbollah has launched a series of attacks, sending explosive drones to start fires. In response, Israel has taken defensive measures to protect its borders, including using a medieval war machine, the trebuchet, to lob fireballs over the southern Lebanese border.

Meanwhile, in the south, U.S. forces are dealing with the Houthi rebels, who are disrupting maritime activities in the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea. It has become clear that Iran is supporting these rebels, supplying them with intel and ordinances.

Back home, anti-Jewish protests and anti-Semitic attacks have been on the rise. In New York City this week, a massive pro-Palestinian protest was held in front of the Museum of Natural History, which featured an exhibit on the Nova Music Festival Massacre of October 7th, 2023. Yet, the current administration has been silent on this issue. We need to pray for our country, folks.

As we navigate these challenging times, I thank you for your continued support and interest in our program. It’s very encouraging for us to have your support. Please continue to pray for our country, for Israel and the IDF, and for all the remaining hostages. Pray for believers all around the world.

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Shabbat Shalom to all of you.