Let’s just say the true part out loud: the Middle East is messy, and those of us in the west probably have no true understanding of the mindset of those in the Middle East (including Israel).

For example, in that region of the world, “nice” doesn’t work. Even in Israel, the Jewish people are very straight-forward. It is rare that you have to guess at what they mean when they say something. Israelis are warm and hospitable people, but don’t expect them to sugarcoat words! They say what they mean and mean what they say!

So it is in the rest of the Middle East as well. So, when you hear radical Islamists say, “Death to Israel,” or “Death to America,” believe them! They are not kidding! Killing those they disagree with is part of life, and they will pursue it with fervor.

Less so in Israel than in Muslim countries, the culture is also very tribal. Just because you live in the same country or you are part of the same religion means nothing. Sunnis and Shias are both Muslim, yet they murder one another with a vengeance just less than what they have for Jews!

That makes the Middle East messy, and it makes the Gaza Strip very complicated. If you are born into a Hamas family, you can have it all. Yet, if not, you may find yourself as cannon fodder or a human shield for Hamas. For years, Hamas has stolen from the people of Gaza and suppressed the very life out of them. They confine commoners to refugee camps, while Hamas families live in luxury. The way out of that is to back Hamas, so many do.

The reality is that some Gazans have never actually met a Jewish person, but have been so brainwashed to hate them, they know nothing else. On one hand they are brainwashed to hate, or the other hand they are born to be human shields of the very ones doing the brainwashing. Those are the categories for many of the people in Gaza.

Recently an Israeli reporter sat down with Gazans who had escaped, and in their own words, they described what life was like under Hamas rule. The video is in Arabic but is captioned in English. Consider turning your sound down and just read the words of their conversation. It is important to hear truth straight from the mouths of those impacted.

True, many in Gaza are terrorists or agents of Hamas who deserve the fury being unleashed by the IDF. Israel has a right to defend themselves and that means eliminating Hamas. However, pray for the innocent minority in Gaza who are being held captive and used by Hamas as human shields. May God grant them a way of escape and may He reveal Himself to them as Jesus the Messiah.

PS: Stick around tomorrow to find out why there will never be peace in the Middle East.