Israeli intelligence is uncovering interesting characteristics of Hamas.  As the ruling authority in the Gaza Strip, Hamas has cracked down on ISIS-affiliated terrorists who have launched rockets into Israel.  Following the ceasefire after Operation Protective Edge, Hamas has steadily worked to rebuild its forces and its smuggling tunnels.  Thus, they seem to be highly motivated to avoid engagement with the IDF in another skirmish in and around the Gaza Strip.

However, that hasn’t stopped ISIS from gaining a foothold via affiliate terrorist groups in the Gaza Strip.  To maintain the calm necessary to rebuild forces, and to avoid retaliation from Israel, Hamas has conducted investigations and made several arrests of ISIS-backed rocket launching terrorists.

Meanwhile, ISIS has ramped up activity in the Sinai Peninsula and intelligence reveals that Hamas, though curtailing ISIS activity in Gaza, is backing the action in Sinai.  ISIS and associated terrorists groups are targeting Egyptian forces, as well as Eilat and other southern territories of Israel.

By partnering with terrorist groups such as Wilayat al-Sinai, ISIS has gained access to Gaza via smuggling tunnels.  Hamas, on the other hand, has gained access to the Egyptian side of Rafah.  Therefore, security blockades are subverted and both ISIS and Hamas gain positions from which to launch rocket attacks.  (ISIS, from Gaza; Hamas from Sinai)

Though Hamas and ISIS do not agree ideologically (Hamas yearning for a Palestinian state, ISIS yearning for a worldwide caliphate), they share common objectives when it comes to the Jewish state, and coordination between the two occurs when facing off against the common enemy, Israel.  Thankfully, Egypt continues to view Hamas as an enemy closely related to the Muslim Brotherhood.  For that reason, Egypt and Israel continue to strengthen ties.

Friends, we are seeing things happen in our world that have never happened in the history of mankind…and those things are lining up with Bible prophecy!  We’re living in a season that is ripe for the return of Jesus!  Here is how the apostle Paul describes that day:

For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves. Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. So encourage each other with these words.
~1 Thessalonians 4:16-18

Be encouraged…and encourage someone else today!