Israel in distress

Update Nine Israeli children have been held hostage in Gaza for 54 days. Thirty-one children held by Gaza terrorists have been released as part of a temporary ceasefire with Hamas, but after 54 days nine are still in the Gaza Strip.

These are the children who have been held hostage by the terrorist group since October 7:
Kfir Bibas, 10 months, and Ariel Bibas, 4 years. Kfir, the youngest hostage in Gaza, was kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir Oz along with his brother Ariel and parents, Yarden and Shiri. Due to Kfir’s extremely young age, the red-haired children have become some of the most recognizable among the hostages. The family was kidnapped by Hamas but at some point transferred to another Palestinian terror group in Gaza, the army said on Monday.

On the day of their arrest, a video circulated showing Shiri holding her children in her arms, a look of fear on her face, as she was surrounded by terrorists, with her boys facing her, with a blanket over them. There was also a video of Yarden, wounded with blood on his head, surrounded by terrorists.

Gali Tarshansky, 13 years old. Gali was kidnapped from Kibbutz Be’eri after her brother Lior, 15, was murdered. The two were hiding in their hideout room with their father Ilya, when terrorists entered their house. Gali and Ilya jumped out of the window and survived. The father was not captured and Lior’s body was later identified. The two siblings were an inseparable couple, relatives said in a video.

Amit Shani, 16 years old. Amit was the only member of his family taken by Hamas terrorists during the October 7 massacre in Kibbutz Be’eri. He was kidnapped in the presence of his mother Tal, 47. Amit and his neighbor, Yossi Sharabi, and Sharabi’s daughter’s visiting boyfriend, Ofir Engel, were all put into a black car.

Ofir Engel, 18 years old. Ofir, kidnapped from Kibbutz Be’eri on October 7, celebrated his birthday in Gaza. Engel, a dual Dutch-Israeli citizen from Kibbutz Ramat Rachel, bordering Jerusalem, was visiting his girlfriend. Ofir last had contact around 12:30 p.m. He then informed his family that he was hiding with the Sharabi family in their locked room. Hamas gunmen broke into the family’s locked room and took everyone out. They then told the women to sit on the grass and shoot the family dog.

Bilal Ziyadne, 18 years old and Aisha Ziyadne, 17 years old. Bilal and Aisha were abducted while working in the cowshed of Kibbutz Holit, along with their father Youssef, 53, and older brother Hamza, 23. The family lives in the Bedouin town of Rahat, Ziyadne district, named after their extended family clan. Wahid Ahoziil, a volunteer for the Center for Missing and Prisoners in the Arab Community, described the family as “simple people” who had worked for years in the local kibbutzim.

Liam Or, 18 years old. Liam was captured from Kibbutz Be’eri along with his uncle Dror, 48, and his cousins, Noam, 17, and Alma, 13. Noam and Alma were released on November 25 as part of the temporary truce.

Itay Regev, 18 years old. Itay and his sister Maya, 21, were kidnapped from the Supernova music festival a day after returning to Israel from abroad where they had celebrated their mother’s birthday. Maya was released on November 25 as part of the ceasefire. She was shot on October 7 and remains in hospital after surgery.

Please pray for Israel:
♥ Comfort for the people who are now mourning the loss of loved ones, the hostages in Gaza including the elderly and young people with medical needs.
♥ Return of all hostages, approximately 240 in number.
♥ Healing of the injured and sufficient medical assistance in hospitals that are already suffering from a shortage of doctors and nursing staff.
♥ Help from the Eternal on all these fronts. Strength for Israel to face this tough battle.
♥ Prayer for the IDF to stand firm and have wisdom in this difficult warfare.
♥ Wisdom for the government of Israel.