[Today's Prayer] “I can’t sit and wait” Hostage families start marching to Jerusalem

(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Kim Gye-hwan = The British daily Guardian reported on the 14th (local time) that families of Israelis hostages held by the Palestinian militant group Hamas went on a march to urge the Israeli government to make efforts to free the hostages.

On this day, hostage families began marching from the Tel Aviv Museum Square to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office in Jerusalem.

They marched wearing T-shirts with photos of their kidnapped family members, holding posters, and chanting "Akshav," which means "now" in Hebrew.

They are scheduled to march a total of 64 kilometers and arrive in Jerusalem on the 18th.

Yuval Haran, a participant in the march who has seven of his relatives held as hostages, said that he would ask the Prime Minister, the cabinet, and the parliament why his loved ones have not been able to return.

Haran said that he had done everything he could for the past 39 days, since Hamas raided Israel to release his loved ones, and that he felt he could not just sit back and wait but that he had to do whatever he could.

Haran said he did not know if the hostages were alive or if they were being properly fed, and raised his voice saying that the authorities should make a decision to have the hostages home.

Shelley Shem-Tov also said her son, who suffers from asthma, was taken hostage without an inhaler. She said that she is hoping that the cabinet leaders would respond to the cries of the families for the hostage's safe return.

Adriana Adar, who took part in the march wearing a T-shirt with an image of her kidnapped nephew, said she wanted the government to bring the kidnapped people back. She didn't know how, but she said it was the government's job to find the way.

Source: Yonhap News

But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city. (Hebrews 11:16)

Dear Lord, we hear that the families of Israelis held hostage by Hamas have begun a march to Jerusalem to urge the Israeli government to make efforts to free the hostages.

Please have mercy on the souls who are groaning in the shadow of death and those who tremble in fear, not knowing the fate of their loved ones. May you shine the light of salvation upon Israel and Palestine, who seem hopeless due to the ongoing war, that they may know and long for the heavenly home prepared by God.

Jesus Christ is the only way, truth, and life. May the Israeli and Palestinian churches become one through the power of the blood of Jesus, so that they may share the gospel to all souls who are poor in heart amidst the ongoing war.

Now, people are marching through Jerusalem urging the Israeli governemnt to make efforts to free the hostages, but may the war quickly end and may the Israeli-Palestinian churches become one with the power of the gospel to advance to Jerusalem and to the ends of the earth, carrying the gospel as they await the return of Jesus.

In this way, may the people of Israel-Palestine run together for the eternal kingdom of God!