After over 100 hours of negotiations the cease fire ended short today after three rockets were fired from Gaza into Israel.
The talks that were being held in Egypt were abruptly ended as a result.  The Israeli military launched an airstrike against militant targets in Gaza and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recalled the Israeli delegation from Cairo.
A spokesman for the prime minister reiterated Israel’s position that it will not negotiate under rocket fire, but declined to comment on whether Israel was willing to resume talks if calm returned.
“The talks are based on a premise that there is a cease-fire,” said Mark Regev, a spokesman for the prime minister. “If there is no cease-fire, there is no foundation to the discussions.”

The threat of renewed war in Gaza loomed on Wednesday as the clock ticked towards the end of a three-day ceasefire with no sign of a breakthrough in indirect talks in Cairo between Israel and the Palestinians.

Officials in Egypt indicated that the talks were struggling, but said efforts were still being made to reach some sort of a deal before the truce expired at 2100 GMT, including possibly extending the suspension of hostilities by a further 72 hours.

Two hours before the temporary ceasefire was due to end a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip landing inside southern Israel. Hamas Islamists denied launching the missile.

A Palestinian official with knowledge of negotiations in Cairo said Egypt had presented a new proposal for a permanent truce agreement that included a major Palestinian demand for a lifting of the Israeli and Egyptian blockades of the Gaza Strip.

Israel and Egypt harbor deep security concerns about Hamas, the dominant Islamist group in the small, Mediterranean coastal enclave, complicating any deal on easing border restrictions.

It was unclear from the official’s remarks how those worries, along with Israel’s demand for Gaza’s demilitarization, would be dealt with. Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said disarming was not an option.

The following text message was received by Sean Malone of Crisis Relief International (CRI):

August 8: “We lost the city of Queragosh (Qaraqosh). It fell to ISIS, and they are beheading children systematically. This is the city we have been smuggling food to. ISIS has pushed back Peshmerga (Kurdish forces) and is within 10 minutes of where our team is working. Thousands more fled into the city of Erbil last night. The UN evacuated its staff in Erbil. Our team is unmoved and will stay. Prayer cover needed!”

August 10: “Hundreds of thousands of people have fled their homes as ISIS has been advancing across Iraq. Many of these people have arrived in the Kurdistan region of northern Iraq. Last fall, refugees from Syria were granted access into many of these same areas of Kurdistan. We are working with longtime partners to provide essential items for internally displaced people. To date, our response has included distributions of tents, mattresses, and baby cribs, as well as food distributions that have served more than 14,000 people. Over the weekend, we coordinated an outreach event and saw dozens of people respond in faith to the Gospel. Our plan is to continue supporting these church partners as they accommodate more and more internally displaced people. We are carefully monitoring the situation, and we stand ready to increase our involvement if the need should arise.”

Please pray urgently for the deliverance of the people of Northern Iraq from the terrible advancement of ISIS and its extreme Islamic goals for mass conversion or death for Jews and Christians.

“But do not fear, O My servant Jacob, and do not be dismayed, O Israel! For behold, I will save you from afar, and your offspring from the land of their captivity; Jacob shall return, have rest and be at ease; no one shall make him afraid.” Jeremiah 46

Claims of divine intervention are being reported in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, with an operator of Israel’s Iron Dome missile-defense system saying he personally witnessed “the hand of God” diverting an incoming rocket out of harm’s way.

Israel Today translated a report from a Hebrew-language news site, which noted the Iron Dome battery failed three times to intercept an incoming rocket headed toward Tel Aviv last week.

The commander recalled: “A missile was fired from Gaza. Iron Dome precisely calculated [its trajectory]. We know where these missiles are going to land down to a radius of 200 meters. This particular missile was going to hit either the Azrieli Towers, the Kirya (Israel’s equivalent of the Pentagon) or [a central Tel Aviv railway station]. Hundreds could have died.

“We fired the first [interceptor]. It missed. Second [interceptor]. It missed. This is very rare. I was in shock. At this point we had just four seconds until the missile lands. We had already notified emergency services to converge on the target location and had warned of a mass-casualty incident.

“Suddenly, Iron Dome (which calculates wind speeds, among other things) shows a major wind coming from the east, a strong wind that … sends the missile into the sea. We were all stunned. I stood up and shouted, ‘There is a God!’

“I witnessed this miracle with my own eyes. It was not told or reported to me. I saw the hand of God send that missile into the sea.”

Modern-day Israel is truly a divine wonder of the current age. Get the DVD series that shows how it survives “Against All Odds.”

The commander’s account is reminiscent of a recent newspaper headline which trumpeted the possibility of supernatural protection.

“Their God changes the path of our rockets in mid-air, said a terrorst,” was the headline in the July 18 edition of the Jewish Telegraph.

It was a partial quote from Barbara Ordman, who lives in Ma’ale Adumim on the West Bank.

Her exact quotation was: “As one of the terrorists from Gaza was reported to say when asked why they couldn’t aim their rockets more effectively: “We do aim them, but their God changes their path in mid-air.”

She opened her piece by noting: “In October 1956, [Israeli Prime Minister] David Ben Gurion was interviewed by CBS. He stated: ‘In Israel, in order to be a realist, you must believe in miracles.’”

Meanwhile, the Times of Israel reported a senior officer in Israel’s army said divine miracles protected his soldiers during fighting in the Gaza Strip.

Givati Brigade commander Col. Ofer Winter told the weekly publication Mishpacha that he “witnessed a miraculous occurrence, the likes of which he had never seen before during his military career.”

Winter indicated a predawn raid intended to use darkness as cover was delayed, forcing the soldiers to move toward their objective as sunrise was approaching.

With the troops in danger of being exposed at daybreak, Winter explained how heavy fog quickly descended to shroud their movements until their mission was accomplished.

“Suddenly a cloud protected us,” he said, referring to clouds the Bible says guided the ancient Israelites as they wandered in the desert. “Clouds of glory.”

Winter said only when the soldiers were in a secure position, the fog finally lifted.

“It really was a fulfillment of the verse ‘For the Lord your God is the one who goes with you to give you victory,’” he said, quoting Deuteronomy 20:4.

The Times of Israel notes Winter made headlines over an official letter he sent to battalion and company commanders July 9, telling his subordinates that “history has chosen us to spearhead the fighting (against) the terrorist ‘Gazan’ enemy which abuses, blasphemes and curses the God of Israel’s (defense) forces.”

The dispatch came under fire from some, since it portrayed the Operation Protective Edge as a religious war against non-Jews. The Israeli government’s stated aim is to stop rocket attacks at Israel and destroy a network of tunnels dug under the border from Gaza used to launch terror attacks inside Israeli territory.

In his interview with Mishpacha, Winter defended his message, saying everyone finds God when in combat.

“Anyone who attacked me for the letter apparently has only seen weapons in pictures, was never in combat, and doesn’t know what fighting spirit is,” he said, revealing that before going into action his custom was to recite the blessing with which the ancient Israelite priests would bless the army before it went to war.

“When a person is in a life-threatening situation he connects with his deepest internal truths, and when that happens, even the biggest atheist meets God,” he said, claiming soldiers see so many miracles, “it is hard not to believe [in God].”

Portions of this article were taken from WND

We have added a new oval support Israel bumper sticker!  Show your support of Israel and order yours today for free >

U.S. Department of State -

Just 12 hours after the travel ban to Israel on US flights to and from Israel’s Ben-Gurion Airport, the Federal Aviation Authority on Thursday withdrew the ban, setting the stage for US and international carriers to resume flights. Europe’s Aviation Safety Agency, which had issued a “strong recommendation” against flights to Tel Aviv, retracted its warning later in the day.

Since the FAA ban on Tuesday – following the first successful Hamas rocket landing within the vicinity of the airport – hundreds of flights were canceled, and thousands of travelers stranded.

Following the American and European flight approvals, US Airways and United Airlines decided to resume their flights and informed the Israel Airports Authority that they would be landing planes on Friday at Ben-Gurion to take off on Saturday morning. Delta Airlines also decided to renew flights, as did Air Berlin, Al Italia, Meridian, Air Mediterranee, Nios, Air Iberia, Niki, EasyJet, Veiling, Mistrel, Air Canada and FedEx, the IAA said.

Transportation Minister Israel Katz welcomed the FAA’s decision, and organized a meeting among relevant parties at Ben-Gurion Airport Thursday morning to assess the overall situation and discuss the site’s preparedness.

“Once again it was proven that Israeli skies are safe,” Katz said Thursday morning.

“He who tried to blockade Israel failed. I hope that European companies will also announce the return of activities soon.”

Israel lobbied heavily for the US to lift the restriction, which politicians called a victory for Hamas and terrorism.

The FAA said it took into account “significant new information and measures the government of Israel is taking to mitigate potential risks to civil aviation,” before making its decision, but stressed that its primary goal was to protect passengers on US airlines.

The EASA, meanwhile, said it had also coordinated with Israel and the FAA, and advised national aviation authorities to conduct their own risk assessment.

Though El Al and Arkia added capacity and new flights during the flight ban, Israeli customers were incensed by the high prices they were charging for tickets at a time of crisis, when so many people were stranded abroad. State Comptroller Joseph Shapira said on Thursday he would look into allegations of price gouging.

The Tourism Ministry convened a meeting with the Finance Ministry to discuss damage to Israel’s tourist industry, which it feared could take a long-term hit as the operation drags on.

Meanwhile, in light of the fact that most planes would no longer be making use of the alternative Ovda Airport, located some 60 km. north of Eilat, the IAA said it had ordered buses from Eilat to return passengers to Ben-Gurion Airport. IAA CEO Yaakov Ganot appointed an investigative team under the leadership of Shlomo Oren, vice president for aviation cooperation, to ensure the operational capabilities and services of the airport.

Two Air Europa planes waiting at Ovda elected to take off without passengers, the IAA announced around noon.

Stressing that the authority was doing its utmost to allow as many travelers as possible to reach their European destinations, the IAA said that a portion of the passengers were transferred to other flights at Ovda while others returned to Ben-Gurion Airport for assistance from the airline itself.

On Thursday afternoon, El Al announced the addition of two additional flights from Ben-Gurion Airport to Athens and Zurich. In addition, the airline said it was sending a special flight to Athens in the evening to return hundreds of Israelis to Israel who were stranded in Greece due to foreign airline cancellations.

In addition, the company said it was increasing the amount of seats on flights to Rome, Amsterdam and Zurich by replacing the originally planned planes with wide-body aircraft.

Israel on Wednesday accepted a UN proposal for a five-hour unilateral humanitarian pause in the fighting to allow for relief aid into Gaza, less than two days after it accepted a more comprehensive cease-fire proposal that was answered by continuous rocket attacks from Gaza.

It started at 10 a.m. and ended at 3 p.m. During the 5 hour cease fire Hamas terrorists fired 3 mortars into Israel of which the IDF did not respond.

At 2:59 p.m. Hamas terrorists fired the first rocket to end the cease fire, directed at Ashkelon. Within three hours more than fifty rockets had been fired from Gaza, 3 of them directed at Sderot.

For the past thirteen years the rest of the country and for that matter the rest of the world have watched and listened to the stories of the terrorist attacks on Isreal and in some cases have been detached until nine days ago.

No one in Israel is immune to running to a bomb shelter at the sound of the alarm as the Iron Dome takes out one incoming rocket after another.

Israel continues to endure a shower of rockets from Gaza.  Over 100 rockets have hit Israel just in the past 24 hours. Tseva Adom, Code Red, sirens go off constantly in Sderot and all the way into Jerusalem.

The Times of Israel said, “Hamas has goaded Israel into action—whether because of unpaid salaries, or hopes of fanning the flames of the unrest in Israel and the West Bank, or a need to stave off its rivals—Palestinian Islamic Jihad and the assorted Salafi organizations—or in-house disagreements between its political and military wings, or as an expression of its alienation from Egypt and Iran (and those are just a few of the current theories).”

Israel has been forced into air strikes.  Reservists are being called to duty.  People are running frequently to bomb shelters.

A forced, defensive, Operation Protective Edge has been initiated.

IDN Weekly reported:

Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman called for the kind of operation that would enable reassertion of Israeli control over the Gaza Strip. Economy Minister Naftali Bennett on Monday (July 7) refused to state his position over the air waves, but likely advocates a similar move (Times, July  8). The generals say such a large move would require massive reserves call-up, a lengthy operation in the Gaza Strip, including ground troops, and a prolonged toll on the Israeli civilian population. Researchers put the economic toll of such an action at $4.4 billion. It would also leave Israel in charge of 1.5 million Palestinians.

Retired Maj. General Amos Yadlin is advocating an offensive that targets the military wing of Hamas, the organization’s leaders, its firepower, and its weapons-production capabilities. Even that, he says, “might include damage to the fabric of life in Israel, the Israeli economy, and even fatalities. But it is necessary,” he concludes.

What Israel has done so far is being referred to as Operation Protective Edge.

Hamas has been trying to do as much dirty work as possible. In fact, they say they have tried to hit the Dimona nuclear reactor, but so far have been unsuccessful. Three rockets were fired at the town of Dimona. Two of them fell in open areas, while one was intercepted. Rockets have also been fired at Tel Aviv, and Iron Dome has taken out at least one of them. Rockets have also landed in open areas south of Haifa. Hamas now has weapons considerably more sophisticated than the homemade projectiles that were fired in previous clashes—presumably smuggled in from Iran. With many tunnels destroyed or closed from the Egyptian side, it is hoped that the remaining stockpile of weapons will be destroyed before they can do more damage. It is estimated that Hamas has around 10,000 rockets of varying strike-distance capability.

If forced into a limited war, the army will begin with a coordinated strike, probably against Hamas’ long-range rockets, which are less mobile than its leaders, who have probably gone underground at this point. From there the IDF will attempt to score maximum points in minimum time.

“But as former Mossad head Efraim Halevy said during a recent interview, one knows where a war starts, but never where it ends. ‘The fortunes of war are not predestined’” (The Times of Israel).

ISIS Poised to Invade Jordan

As of this writing, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria has its sights set on Jordan, preparing to invade. It is clear that Israel does not want an ISIS state on its right flank across the Jordan, but whether it will be able to protect Jordan is not clear. Tied down by her war with Hamas, Israel might be limited in what she can do to help Jordan.

Israel’s intentions, however, are clear. Israeli diplomats have told their American counterparts that Israel would be prepared to take military action to save the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan if it came under attack by jihadist militants.

The chief concern is that an attack on Jordan would inevitably drag Israel and possibly the United States into the fighting. “Jordan could not repel a full assault from ISIS on its own at this point,” one senator was quoted as saying. Jordan “will ask Israel and the United States for as much help as they can get.”

Thomas Sanderson, co-director for transnational threats at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, was quoted as saying that both Israel and the U.S. view the survival of the Jordanian monarchy as a paramount national security objective.

“I think Israel and the United States would identify a substantial threat to Jordan as a threat to themselves and would offer all appropriate assets to the Jordanians,” he said (Haaretz June 28).

We all need to pray that Israel will be able to handle the multiple threats she is facing right now—with God’s help.

“Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name. He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him, and show him My salvation”  Psalm 91:14-167