[Today's Prayer] Two Years Since the Gaza War...Memorial Events Held Across Israel

On the 7th (local time), marking the second anniversary of the Gaza War, events were held across Israel to commemorate the victims of the Hamas ambush that sparked the war.

Hundreds of mourners gathered at Kfar Aza Kibbutz (collective farm) near the Gaza Strip border, observing a minute of silence at 6:29 a.m., the start of the attack, to mark the two-year anniversary of the Hamas attack. At the weapons storage facility where the event was held, community representatives addressed twins Ziv and Gali Berman, who are still detained in Gaza.

At 11 a.m. that day, dozens of bereaved family members held a memorial service at the Nova Music Festival near Kibbutz Re’im in southern Israel. A memorial service will be held at 6:00 PM at Kibbutz Nir Oz, which suffered the most damage, and a family memorial service will follow at 9:30 PM at HaYarkon Park in Tel Aviv.

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Exactly two years ago on this day, the Sabbath day following the end of Sukkot, the Palestinian militant group Hamas launched surprise attacks across southern Israel, killing approximately 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. It is reported that 48 hostages (20 survivors) are still being held by Hamas.

The Ministry of Health in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip reported yesterday that 67,074 Palestinians have died in Israeli retaliatory attacks on Gaza over the past two years. While the Gaza Ministry of Health does not distinguish between civilians and combatants when calculating casualties, it has stated that approximately half of the dead were women and children. The United Nations and others consider this figure a reliable estimate.

Israel and Hamas began indirect negotiations the previous day in the Egyptian resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh to release hostages and establish a ceasefire, in accordance with US President Donald Trump's Gaza peace plan. Local sources reported that the first day of negotiations, mediated by Qatar, Egypt, and the US, concluded on a positive note, and the two sides plan to continue further talks later that day.

Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip and Hamas counterattacks continued throughout the day.

According to the EPA, black smoke rose from Israeli airstrikes on the outskirts of Ghazi City in the northern Gaza Strip that morning.

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Source: Yonhap News

Complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. And every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:2, 11)

We heard that today marks the second anniversary of the Hamas surprise attack that sparked the Gaza War on October 7, 2023, and that ceremonies were held throughout Israel to commemorate the victims of the attack.

Israel and Hamas have reportedly begun indirect negotiations for the release of hostages and a ceasefire, in accordance with the US-proposed Gaza peace plan. The first day of negotiations was concluded through the mediation of several countries, and further negotiations are expected to continue. However, we also hear that Israeli attacks on Gaza and Hamas counterattacks continue today.

Lord, we pray for a swift end to the conflict and war that binds Israel and Palestine. Please comfort the families of all the victims who are suffering from the pain of losing their loved ones. May the ongoing negotiations bring an end to the war, and may all hostages be released and returned to their families.

There are inerasable wounds from the war between the two peoples of Israel and Palestine. Lord, only You can heal these wounds. Through the love of Jesus, may the churches of Israel and Palestine be of one heart and mind, united in support of each other suffering from the war. May they pray for one another, and may the Israeli-Palestinian people yearn solely for the eternal kingdom of God, so that their suffering on earth will cease.

May every tongue in both Israel and Palestine confess Jesus as Savior and become a people who glorify God! May their lips be established as God's army, preparing the way for the Lord's coming to all nations!