As more brutal details of the Hamas attack emerge, the heartbreak and helplessness for those of us who stand with Israel grows deeper and more painful.

We now know a bit more about how terrorists infiltrated IDF bases to disable them. They found a tiny chink in the armor (a breakdown in night watch assignments, allowing terrorists to quietly kill first-line defenders as they slept), they had help from somewhere in delivery of drone-delivered bombs that took out communication systems, and they had the financial and armament backing of Iran.

We also know a bit more about America’s response to the attacks. In the end, the current administration sent the USS Gerald Ford (America’s most advanced aircraft carrier) and its strike force to the Mediterranean, as well as other strike groups, aircraft and weaponry. The appearance looks good, but personally, I have doubts as to the motives and commitment from Biden.

We know that Secretary of State Antony Blinken put out a tweet as news broke, telling all parties to remain calm and implement a ceasefire. He seems to be devoid of any sense, considering by ratio, Israel just lost the equivalent of 10X as many people as America lost on 911. (Israel: ~1,200 deaths [so far] of ~10 million people [2 million of those are in Gaza]; US: 2,996 of ~300 million people.) Indeed, this was Israel’s 911.

Meanwhile, the US administration just unfroze $6 billion for Iran which hasn’t yet been implemented. Because that money is designated for humanitarian purposes, they see no reason to slap sanctions back in place, despite the fact Hamas leadership has confirmed Iran’s backing.

So, is aiding and abetting Iran really such a big deal? For two decades it has been proven and is fairly well agreed by nations around the world that Iran is funding terror proxies such as Hamas, Hezbollah, Islamic Jihad, Houthis, and dozens more. These are not just cold-blooded killers, they are barbarians. Click the button below to see just how savage these blood-thirsty animals are. (Take note of the elderly woman in the wheelchair, holding the terrorist’s automatic weapon while smiling in the photo with her kidnapper. She is a Holocaust survivor with dementia. Disgusting.)

Particularly for those of us who love Israel, these gut-wrenching scenes leave us feeling helpless. I hope you are praying for the people of Israel, particularly families who have lost loved ones to death or kidnapping. If you are looking for ways to support Israeli citizens, I have two recommendations. One for Israel is well-equipped to provide assistance to those in need. (I provided an informational video from OFI in yesterday’s post.)

I have also been in contact with a good friend and brother in Christ, Pastor Saleem Shalash, in Nazareth. Pastor Saleem (an Arab) and Pastor Israel Pochtar (a Messianic Jew) often partner on projects, assisting those in need, with no regard for nationality or religious background. They are bringing Jews and Arabs together as “one new man” in Jesus Christ!

Pastor Israel lives and ministers in a city near the Gaza Strip. Together with Pastor Saleem, they are gathering food, water and hygiene products for displaced Israelis whose homes were destroyed, and many of whom lost loved ones during the attack. Pastor Saleem explains:

If you have been on tour with me, you know Pastor Saleem. If you were on the February 2023 tour, you also met Pastor Israel. I know Pastor Saleem and his family personally, and both he and Pastor Israel are men of highest integrity. I have also seen their ministry at work. Not all ministries in Israel warrant your trust with financial resources. With these two ministries, you can be sure your funds are going 100% to projects that are God-honoring.