"[Today's Prayer] Emaciated Hostage with Ribs Visible... Hamas Uses Psychological Tactics to Pressure Ceasefire"

The Palestinian armed group Hamas has released videos of two surviving hostages held in the Gaza Strip. This move appears to be a psychological tactic aimed at pressuring Israel to make progress in the stalled ceasefire negotiations following Hamas’s counterproposal.

On the 2nd (local time), according to Israeli media such as Ynet and the Jerusalem Post, the person appearing in the video released by Hamas the previous day has been identified as Eviatar David (24), who has been held captive in the Gaza Strip for over 660 days.

The video shows David sitting inside a dark, narrow tunnel.

Hamas alternates between showing the emaciated David, whose ribcage is visibly outlined, and malnourished children in Gaza, with subtitles stating, "The occupying (Israeli) government has decided to starve them." It also emphasizes, "They eat what we eat and drink what we drink."

(Omitted)

Ceasefire negotiations for the Gaza Strip stalled after Hamas submitted a counterproposal on the 24th of last month, which included demands such as an expanded Israeli withdrawal and changes in the distribution of humanitarian aid. On the 30th, Israel responded by rejecting the core terms of the counterproposal.

Source: Yonhap News

“The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying: ‘I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.’” (Jeremiah 31:3)

Heavenly Father, we hear the heartbreaking news that the Palestinian militant group Hamas has released videos of two Israeli hostages held in Gaza, including our brother David, who has been in captivity for over 660 days and has grown so weak that his ribcage is visible.

While Hamas uses the hostage videos to blame Israel’s blockade policies, and places the full responsibility for the starvation on Israel, we ask that You, the God of justice, would reveal the full truth clearly.

Lord, have mercy on the hostages held by Hamas and the malnourished children in Gaza. May the Israeli hostages in pain and suffering be set free quickly and reunited with their families. And for the people of Gaza, who are dying of hunger one by one, may You be their refuge—filling them both physically and spiritually.

Open pathways for humanitarian aid to come in with the Gospel. May they come to know the unfailing love of Jesus Christ, who loves to the very end, and be led through this wilderness journey into Your Kingdom.

Lord, be at the center of the ceasefire negotiations between Hamas and Israel, so that the path of peace may be opened swiftly. Let the churches in Israel and Palestine proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ and serve one another with forgiveness and love that overcomes hatred and resentment.

Awaken the global Church to pray earnestly, that the Gospel would be proclaimed throughout the lands of Israel and Palestine. May both peoples come to know the kindness of Jesus Christ and approach Your eternal throne.

Let this result in the rise of holy, end-times disciples from Israel and Palestine—those who will prepare the way for the return of our Lord among all nations, enduring through every hardship of the last days.

Amen.