Israel/Gaza (MNN) — Israel has launched its ground incursion into Gaza City, calling up 60,000 reservists to join the fight against Hamas.
Already, Palestinians are anticipating a new civil administration after the dust settles. The Center for Peace Communications and the We Want to Live movement report that Gazans — including teachers, lawyers, and activists — are leading a grassroots resistance to Hamas influence.
But for now, Pastor Israel Pochtar with Beit Hallel Congregation in Ashdod says there are significant challenges.
“It’s Israel getting into guerrilla war. When we study history, the guerrilla war is the most challenging one. Even big countries struggle with the guerrilla war and the fighters — in our case, terrorists — hiding among civilians. You never know who is the soldier and who is just a peaceful person. It’s very complicated.”
(Photo courtesy of Pastor Konstantin Tsivin/Beit Hallel Congregation)
Beit Hallel Congregation sees the toll this war has taken, particularly on soldiers and their families.
“There is a lot of PTSD for soldiers,” says Pochtar. “When they go out of Gaza, they come to just normal life. The coffee places are open, the restaurants are open. Israel learned how to live peacefully even in the midst of the war, when war is just around the corner. But for soldiers who come out and see that, see kids and family — and then go back to fire, to danger and friends dying and waiting for hostages to be released, it is very difficult.”
In moments like this, Scripture brings encouragement. “So the words of the Bible, when it says, ‘Comfort, comfort, my people says the Lord,’ it really makes sense now even more, because the nation really needs comfort.”
Pochtar urges believers worldwide to pray for both sides of the conflict. “I want to ask all the friends to pray for Gaza — not only for peace, but also for freedom for the Gospel…. And praise the Lord, we have many friends who are waiting for this day and ready to go, ready to bless, help, but also preach the Gospel.”
Ultimately, the conflict is pushing people in Israel and Gaza to search for hope beyond politics.
“Now it’s the time to comfort and to preach Jesus because He’s the only solution for Israel. He’s the only solution for Gaza. It’s the only hope. There are no political solutions. At least, I believe there’s no political solutions during this situation. Only God can change and do miracles.”
Header photo: The fighters of the Multi-Dimensional Unit maneuver on the ground in the Gaza Strip in the Iron Swords War.
(IDF Spokesperson’s Unit/Wikimedia Commons)
