An Israeli air strike on Gaza has hit the home of a doctor and killed nine of her ten children. This is just the latest harrowing incident in the suffering of the people of Gaza in the war which is now into its 20th month.
On October 7th 2023 the world was shocked and largely united in an outpouring of support for Israel, in the wake of the barbaric attacks by Hamas and its associates. But since then the world has world watched as the Israel Defence Force has pounded Gaza into a wasteland. Nearly 50,000 Palestinians have been killed, and over 100,000 injured. Those who are left are facing famine, because Israel is limiting the aid entering the territory. There are increasingly urgent calls for it to show restraint in its offensive, to allow in more aid, and to resume serious efforts toward a negotiated peace. Even Israel’s allies are openly accusing it of disproportionate brutality and war crimes.
Israel’s supporters argue that the measures it’s taking are proportionate and necessary. Never before has any war been waged like this one. Hamas is a heavily armed and well trained enemy which is sworn to the eradication of Israel and its people; it has no regard for the rules of war as set out in international humanitarian law; it uses its own people as human shields by embedding itself among civilians and inside civilian infrastructure; it possesses a network of bomb-proof tunnels to which civilians aren’t allowed access but which enable fighters to avoid attacks and move around; it steals large proportions of the aid that does enter the territory; and it routinely misrepresents casualty figures for the benefit of the worldwide media.
Despite the unprecedented difficulty of conducting the war, supporters claim, the scale of ‘civilian collateral’ is actually significantly smaller in the IDF’s Gaza operation than in similar operations undertaken by the USA and multinational forces in recent years.
Where do we find the truth about what’s happening in Gaza? Undoubtedly there’s exaggeration and misrepresentation from both sides.
What is obvious and certain is that Israel is losing friends. Politicians and media outlets are increasingly critical. Globally, anti-semitic incidents have risen by over 100% this year.
As part of the events leading up to the return of Christ and the establishment of God’s Kingdom, the Bible describes a full-scale multinational attack on Israel:
For behold, in those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat (Joel 3:1-2).
Behold, a day is coming for the LORD, when the spoil taken from you will be divided in your midst. For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle (Zechariah 14:1-2).
Could it be that we’re witnessing the start of the slide towards this attack?
Chris Parkin