[Today's Prayer] Israel and Palestine - A Ceasefire Put on the Edge of War. . .

The Israeli military and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), a Palestinian militant group, agreed to a ceasefire through Egyptian mediation on May 13th (local time), ending an armed conflict that had lasted for five days.

Since May 9th, the Israeli army has struck 371 bases in the Gaza Strip, including PIJ's rocket and mortar launchers, weapons manufacturing and storage, through Operation “Shield and Arrow.”

In addition, the Israeli military cooperated with the intelligence agency Shin Bet to precisely strike and eliminate six high-ranking members of the PIJ, including the commander and deputy commander of the rocket unit.

The PIJ side also fired 1,200 rockets at Israel for four days from May 10th, but the difference in power was so great that only the Gaza Strip suffered severe damage this time.

During the five-day armed conflict, 33 Palestinians were killed, 160 were injured, and 940 buildings collapsed or were damaged.

On the Israeli side, there were two fatalities, one of which was a Gaza Strip worker working in Israel. There were 69 injured.

It was the largest armed conflict between Israel and Palestine since the '10 Day War' sparked by the conflict over the Holy Land in East Jerusalem in May 2021.

According to Egypt, which brokered the ceasefire, both sides agreed on terms of the ceasefire, including an end to attacks on civilians and demolition of Palestinian homes.

However, the conditions requested by the PIJ were not mentioned, such as ▲ stopping the assassination of high-ranking figures ▲ returning the body of Kader Adnan, a high-ranking PIJ figure who died in an Israeli prison ▲ canceling Israel’s “Jerusalem Day” flag march.

PIA claims that Israel has promised to stop assassinating high-ranking officials, but Israel has not confirmed this.

Also, there is no mention of the human rights issue of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons, which was the catalyst for this clash.

As the truce is concluded without resolving the fundamental causes of the conflict, there are concerns that the two sides could clash again at any time.

In particular, on the 'Jerusalem Day' coming back on May 18th, tens of thousands of right-wing supporters of Israel are scheduled to wave flags and march through the Old City of Jerusalem, a holy site, and this could lead to another explosion of conflict between the two sides.

Source: Yonhap News

https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20230514041100079

Blessed be God, because he has not rejected my prayer or removed his steadfast love from me!

(Psalm 66:20 ESV)

Armed conflict between Israel and Palestine has left many dead and injured. The five-day conflict has temporarily stopped with the ceasefire agreement, but the conflict between the two sides may explode again at any time.

God, Israel and Palestine need your help. Please let the light of life shine among Israel and Palestine, where hatred and death are covered by long-lasting conflict.

We believe that the Lord will not reject the long prayers of the souls of Israel and Palestine and will work among them for forgiveness and salvation.

May the current armistice agreement bring the eternal kingdom of God between Israel and Palestine, not temporary peace.

Please show Your loving kindness among Israel and Palestine so that suffering and fighting will cease on this land and Israel and Palestine will praise God together! Please renew the Israeli and Palestinian peoples who will proclaim the name of Yeshua together in all nations!