Another incredibly difficult day here, and it’s only just after one in the afternoon. John and I just came from the house of mourning of another IDF soldier, Aviel Wiseman, just 20 years old, who fell in Gaza when a building he was in exploded. His parents, Mordy and Mira are the nicest people and very active in the Poriyya community. They are American Israelis. We have been friends with several American families in that beautiful little village overlooking the Sea of Galilee. They are hurting really badly, but have tremendous faith that the L-rd will see them through this. The father spoke at Aviel’s funeral. It was heartbreaking. Please, dear readers, I invite you to write the Wiseman family by sending me directly your letters of sympathy and support or by posting them in the comments section. I will see that they get them by next week.

In other news, the saga with the hostage deal continues. Over Shabbat, the Houthis fired two ICBMs towards the Jerusalem area. Thank goodness they were both shot down. It caused hundreds of thousands of people to run for shelter on an otherwise edgy Shabbat.

Hamas, as usual by playing psychological games, would not release the names of the three hostages that would be released back to Israel today. They were supposed to give the names of the captives 24 hours before the trade-off (4:00pm Israel time).

Israel on the other hand released the names of the 150 terrorists behind bars serving life sentences for murder. They will be released shortly by Israel. The ceasefire was supposed to begin at 08:30, but was delayed for over two hours until the hostage list was surrendered. In the meantime, in a last-minute daring operation by an elite IDF unit, the body of fallen soldier, Sha’ul Oren was recovered. He fell in combat during Operation Protective Edge in July, 2014, and his body has been held in Gaza all this time. His parents will hold his funeral this afternoon, giving them some sense of closure, at least.

Also this morning at 06:30, the Israeli Supreme Court denied all requests to halt the release of several convicted terrorists (including Ari Fuld’s murderer). So the “deal with the devil” as many are calling it is still on. The Nahal Brigade has already withdrawn from Gaza after 15 months of fighting Hamas. Most of the people we’ve seen and conversed with today are incredibly sad and afraid of what is to come.

Member of Knesset, the coalition, and head of the Othman Yehudit Party, Itamar Ben Gvir, turned in his resignation from the government just this morning. In a statement, he said, “In light of the approval of the reckless agreement with the terrorist organization Hamas, which includes the release of hundreds of murderers – responsible for the blood of men, women and children – who are being freed to Jerusalem and Judaea and Samaria, along with concessions on the IDF achievements in the war, the withdrawal of IDF forces from Gaza, and a cessation of fighting in Gaza, we consider this agreement a capitulation to Hamas.” Two other Othman Yehudit members, Yitzhak Wasserlauf and Amichai Eliyahu also left the coalition.Three other Knesset members also tendered their resignations. Whether new elections will be called or whether this creates greater instability in the government awaits to be seen.

In other major breaking news as of just an hour ago, Hamas finally gave up the names of the three young ladies set to be handed over this afternoon. They are Doron Steinbrecher, 30; Romi Gonen, 23; and Emily Damari, 28.

Doron Steinbrecher was taken from her Kfar Aza apartment on 7 October, 2023. She was a veterinary nurse whose last voice message to her friends said, “They’ve arrived, they have me.” In a released video, footage of her was seen where she appeared alive. That was in January of 2024.

Romi Gonen was at the Nova Music Festival. She had been shot in the hand. Released hostages recall seeing her and reported that she was alive, but badly needed urgent medical care for her injury.

Emily Damari is a dual Israel/British citizen. She, too, had been abducted from her apartment in Kfar Aza when the Hamas terrorists entered. She was also shot in the hand and arm and had receive massive shrapnel wounds to her leg. Emily was blindfolded, and at gunpoint, led to her own car and driven into Gaza. She had been seen alive by hostage who returned in 2024. She is the last British citizen to have remained in captivity.

We prayerfully and hopefully await their imminent return. Families have just been notified and the IDF has set up a team of doctors and therapists to help with the transition period. The general public has been advised to be patient, and give the returned captives time to process and be with their loved ones for as long as their private time takes.

Israel is in a state of complete mixed emotions and feeling right now ranging from relief that some of our sisters will be home to helplessness and anger over the release of terrorists. From a jihadi perspective, this is not an agreement. They are celebrating and calling it a hudna, a temporary truce until their Islamist umma can regain its strength in numbers, militarily, financially and can rearm. They are currently claiming victory over Israel. Most Israelis we have spoken to, realize that it is an appeasement, and a reward for terrorism. Releasing these murderers will only lead to further attacks and kidnappings for ransom both in Israel and the Western world. The country is (heart)broken.

However, our troops do need a reprieve from all their fighting. They have been battling terrorists on the land, under the land, in the air and at sea for nearly a year and a half. There are multiple fronts: Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, internally here in Israel, the Houthis in Yemen, and Iran. There is a growing Hamas presence in Judaea and Samaria that must be dealt with. Terrorist attacks in the “West Bank” are on the rise. Jewish owned and tended agricultural fields are being set ablaze. Vines and olive trees are being ripped out of the ground. Historical and Biblical archaeological sites are being destroyed and built over. There is a real land grab happening with Arab settlements expanding and cutting off Israeli villages and roads. Car rammings and shootings by terrorists against innocent motorists and pedestrians are on the rise there.

In Gaza, our boys have been fighting urban house-to-house guerilla warfare. We have heard actual stories from soldiers serving there that makes one’s blood cold. Hamas terrorists are controlling the humanitarian aid sent in. They withhold the food from the civilians until they are complicit in fighting. A small child of about ten years old will be given food for his family if he plants an IED in the street and then lures IDF soldiers to drive towards him. The fighting going on there is very dangerous and a large number of soldiers have been killed and injured just in the past week.

There is a possibility that after Trump takes office, we will enter a new phase of this war. Perhaps even some more moderate Arabic nations will sway towards helping Israel in some way. More armaments that the Israeli government has contracted (ordered, bought and paid for) from the US will be delivered. The Houthis must be stopped. Besides firing at Israel almost daily, they have completely disrupted vital shipping routes in the Red Sea.

In Syria, the Assad regime is no more. In its stead is a Sunni ISIS leader, Al Sharaa. His military, “the rebels” has promised peaceful coexistence with the Christians, although we have seen otherwise. They speak of a peaceful border with Israel, yet their fighters have been recorded as chanting for the takeover of all of Israel on their march to recapture Jerusalem and the Temple Mount. They are being supported by y Turkey. Erdogan, the President of Turkey, wants to reestblish the Ottoman Empire, conquering all of Israel and the Levant. The IDF now controls Mt. Hermon and a very small, but very strategic high point and buffer zone along the Syrian border.

Israel (with the aid of the U.S.???) might be planning on attacking Iran’s nuclear facilities now that their regime has been weakened. Iranian opposition by the people to the Ayatollahs is growing stronger daily. We have o watch and pray over that whole situation.

In the meantime, as of the last time I checked Israel news (10 minutes ago), videos have emerged over Hamas driving openly around the streets of Gaza. They are waving their Palestinian flags and firing off guns as they hang off of pickup trucks and dance in the streets. No one has any idea of how this will end. Those of us in the North are relishing our “freedom” and trying to get as much done as possible before the ceasefire with Hizbulla ends on Thursday. I sincerely hope the IDF has destroyed most of their capabilities to launch missiles and drones I our direction.

Until,y next post, I ask you please, please to send me any notes of encouragement to the Wiseman family. They are precious people. I know it will mean a lot to them.