Saturday 7th October, there was a surprise early morning cross-border attack by Hamas militants on Southern Israel. Palestinian militant group Hamas breached the border fence and sent in fighters by land and some by motorised hang-gliders under the cover of an unprecedented barrage of 2,500+ rockets. Some rockets reached as far as Tel Aviv. A hospital, a synagogue and homes have been hit.

This is reported to have caught the Israeli military 'off guard'. 350 Israeli civilian lives have been lost, 1,500 wounded and dozens have been taken hostage by Hamas. The Israeli army are actively restoring order in 20+ settlements that the terror group had infiltrated.

Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu declared "We are in a war". He ordered strikes on Gaza and called for an "extensive reserve mobilization" as the nation responds to the unprecedented incursion."

The Israeli military retaliation started with pin-point targeted bombings on Hamas infrastructure and is gearing up to invade Gaza. Medical sources say there have been 232 Palestinians killed and more than 1,000 wounded.

I am sure that we are all praying for peace at this time (Psalm 122). Here are a few prayer pointers that I trust will help guide your intercessions:

Watch this Video

Firstly, by way of scene setting, I would invite you to watch this short video message that I recorded near Christ Church, Jerusalem, at Pentecost 2023.

Psalm 126 says that those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy. I have a strong sense that this situation will require desperate prayer for a breakthrough. I believe that we need to weep with God's heart in order to reap a harvest.

From Rick Ridings

Focusing on the situation on the ground... we hear from Rick Ridings, who leads Succat Hallel - a 24/7 house of prayer that overlooks Temple Mount, Jerusalem:

• The Lord had given me a strong word for this season, that we are to pray to ‘contain and restrain' regional conflicts so that they do not escalate into a premature World War 3 that would greatly hinder the Great Harvest. So pray that this situation will be 'contained and restrained', especially that Hezbollah will not join in on the conflict and start firing rockets upon the North of Israel; that Israeli Arabs will not continue to join in with isolated attacks on individuals, etc. Pray for great wisdom for the military and governmental leaders
• Pray protection in a special way over the most vulnerable areas close to Gaza. We have a good friend who pastors a messianic Jewish community in Sderot, where some of the hostages were taken. Pray protection for them. Pray for miraculous rescues of hostages that were taken by Hamas.
• Pray also for Succat Hallel for protection over the watches, and for the watchmen coming and going. The voices of opposition are literally in our streets. Pray that the Lord will give us both courage and wisdom. Heidi Baker had been scheduled to minister to our Jewish and Arab youth, but had to cancel so she could stay close to the students she has here at this time.

Prayer Pointers

Pray for Peace and Protection (Psalm 91:1-2)

Pray for the people of Israel and Gaza, that God will grant them His divine protection and bring peace to this troubled region. Shield them with your wings, O Lord, and keep them safe in your refuge. Comfort those who have lost loved ones.

Prayer for the Hostages (Psalm 34:17)

Lord, we lift up the hostages, including women and children, being held in Gaza. We ask for their safe release and that you comfort them in their distress.

Prayer for Leaders' Wisdom (James 1:5)

Heavenly Father, grant wisdom and discernment to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and all leaders involved in making decisions during this challenging time. May they seek your guidance in every step.

Prayer for Civilians in Gaza (Psalm 46:1)

We pray for the innocent civilians in Gaza who are suffering. Have mercy on them and provide for their needs.

Prayer for an End to Violence (Matthew 5:9)

Prince of Peace, we cry out for an end to the violence and bloodshed. Bring about reconciliation and understanding among conflicting peoples. May your peace prevail.

International Leaders (1 Timothy 2:1-2)

We pray for world leaders, including President Joe Biden and leaders in the Middle East. May they work towards a peaceful resolution and support efforts to bring an end to this conflict.

Prayer for Healing and Unity (2 Chronicles 7:14)

Heavenly Father, we humble ourselves and seek your face. Heal the land, bring unity among people, and let your love shine through even in the darkest of times. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

What we now know

What every Israeli was asking yesterday (and maybe everyone worldwide) was: How did Hamas pull this off? But first, the somber and shocking news. It still doesn’t feel real.

• More than 600 Israelis are dead. And probably much more by the time the dust settles. Many are missing.
• More than 2,000 wounded.
• Two more terrorists were just neutralized on Highway 4 near Ashkelon, minutes from our home.
• An Egyptian policeman fired on Israeli tourists in Alexandria, killing at least two Israelis and one Egyptian.
• Some of the terrorists fled north to Ashdod, where they were in a gun battle with Israeli forces. Again, this is near our home and many we know.
• IDF claims to have killed 400 terrorists.
• Anywhere from dozens to over 100 Israelis are being held hostage in Gaza.
• 43 officers in the IDF have been killed.

How did they do it?

Hamas used low-tech (no phones) to plan the attack communicating through couriers. They started with launching some 2,500-5,000 rockets as cover for a ground invasion. As the IDF was focused on the rocket diversion, Hamas jihadists entered Israeli territory through various means.

• They used a bulldozer to tear down our border fence. Trucks full of Jihadists poured into our southern towns.
• Some paraglidedinto Israel.
• Others came in via the Mediterranean Sea on speed boats. Gaza is a very short distance from Ashkelon’s beaches, “while a motorboat was filmedheading to Zikim, an Israeli coastal town and military base.”
• Some even pedaled into Israel on bicycles, according to reports, and rode on motorcycles.

Shocking Reports

Hundreds of Israelis were camped out in a desert field at a festival during Sukkot. Chaos ensued as terrorists killed many of them and kidnapped others. “Israeli festivalgoers could be seen dancing in the desert at dawn on Saturday, completely unaware that within minutes members of the Hamas militant group were about to descend from the skies and inflict terror.” One father, fighting through tears, told how his son and others fled in car, passing terrorists. He broke down in the interview, knowing his son was okay.

Reuters reports, “Bloodied bodies in the streets, gunmen raiding door-to-door and news of captives taken to Gaza left Israelis terrified and in shock after the Palestinian militant group Hamas launched a surprise attack that was unprecedented in audacity and scale. ‘I went out, I saw loads of bodies of terrorists, civilians, cars shot up. A sea of bodies, inside Sderot along the road, other places, loads of bodies,’ said Shlomi from Sderot.”

• Terrorists took over the Sderot police station, killing 20 police officers. After a nearly 24-hour battle, Israelis regained control, neutralizing the terrorists.
• There is a video being circulated of a woman, possibly in her 70s, being put on a motorcycle, and taken to Gaza, and a little boy being forced by a man to go with him.
• Another woman huddles with her child as Hamas takes them away.
• There is one of an Israeli child that has been taken to Gaza. He is roaming the streets of Gaza alone as other Arab children surround him and mock him, calling him a filthy Jew.
• I just watched a video from a doctor at our local hospital, Barzilai, in Ashkelon after they were hit by a missile. We have been raising money for this hospital. Now, I am sure they will need more.

There are videos of the people of Gaza celebrating with a dead Israeli body. I had a friend of mine who is a PhD archaeologist respond in a group chat. Some people in the chat expressed their support and love for Israel. His response was, “Praying for peace.” Any attempt to equate the democratic nation of Israel, despite all of her problems, with a bloodthirsty fanatical terror group who dances with dead bodies is sick! There actions are inhumane, Nazi-like.

If your sister was raped, would you pray for peace between her and the rapist? When America was attacked on 9/11, did we pray for peace between America and Al-Qaeda? So spare me your prayers for peace. This is a great injustice, and the world needs to wake up.

How you can pray!

• The most important need right now is the safety of the Israeli hostages in Gaza.
• Pray for the families of the hostages who are distraught right now and feeling severe symptoms of hopelessness.
• Pray for our government leaders and military commanders to be lead by the Spirit of God as they respond and as they seek to protect Israel.
• Pray for supernatural protection for the rest of the country.
• Pray specifically for Barzilai Hospital in Ashkelon, as they have become the MASH unit for this war. As I reported above, they themselves have been hit by rocket fire.
• Pray that any remaining terrorists inside of Israel would be captured or neutralized.
• And anything else you can think of, just pray. Pray with your churches. Pray with your friends. And speak out against antisemitism. Speak out against anti-Israel sentiment.