ISRAEL INSTRUCTS PALESTINIANS TO EVACUATE NORTH GAZA NOW

Philip C. Johnson, Ph.D.

October 13, 2023

Israel is calling for the evacuation of all civilians from north Gaza – about 1.1 million people – to south of Wadi Gaza. Israelis officials are telling them that they need to head south for their own safety. Given Gaza’s high population density, this is not going to be easy. Regardless, a military ground invasion is imminent.  Israel’s goal is to eliminate every member of Hamas after the unprecedented attack of October 7th – the worst atrocity against the Jewish people since the Holocaust. 

Some are saying that Israel is simply enacting revenge on an enemy. But as Gilad Cohen, Israeli Ambassador to Japan stated, “We are not seeing the residents of the Gaza Strip as our enemies. Hamas is our enemy.” He went on to address the accusation that Israel is “revenging.” He says it is not revenge, “How can you revenge a one-year old baby that they shot him in the head? What is the revenge for it? There is no revenge for it.” He described the current situations as a war, a focused strategy to eliminate Hamas of its power. 

In a completely bizarre, alternative universe, Hamas leaders are saying that they did not target civilians, in fact, their militias were given clear instructions to avoid harming or killing civilians. Israel’s death toll is now over 1300 people – the overwhelming majority of them civilians: men, women, boys, girls and babies. The record is clear that civilians were particularly targeted. 

Meanwhile, authorities are on high alert after Hamas leader, Khaled Meshaal, called for a day of “anger” across the Muslim world on Friday to support the Palestinians against the Israeli retaliation in Gaza. Large protests have been seen in the capital cities of Iraq, Iran and Yemen. Palestinians flags are waving while Israeli flags are being burned. 

As usual, the Iranian backed militia group Hezbollah, in Lebanon are rallying together to support Palestinians shouting “Death to Israel,” and “Death to America.” 

In Jordan, the police had to use tear gas to break up a band of hundreds of pro-Palestinian protesters who were approaching the restricted border zone between Jordan and Israel. 

Protests have not been limited to just the Middle East. There are reports of pro-Palestinian protests having been held in Japan, Gaza Malaysia, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. French, German and Hungarian authorities have outright banned pro-Palestinian protests – a wise move given the failure of Europe to assimilate the multitude of Muslims who now make Europe their home, albeit with a parallel society. 

As we wait for this conflict to inevitably bring more death and destruction, as a Christian, I recognize that nothing happens without God’s knowledge. And nothing happens that He will not use to bring glory to Himself. My hope, my prayer, is that through this, people will realize that Islam as a religion and as a way of life has utterly failed them. And that Jews will recognized that the much prophesied, much promised Messiah has already come in the person of Jesus Christ. And that those who say they follow Jesus will live lives that reflect Him and that we will all reach out to a hurting and broken world with the light of the truth of Jesus, the redeemer.