12 December 2025
The Israel Defense Forces recently recovered video footage showing six hostages, who were later murdered in Hamas captivity in the Gaza Strip, lighting candles for Chanukah during the winter of 2023, Ynet reported on Thursday.
The harrowing video, found by IDF troops during military operations in Gaza, shows Alex Lobanov, Almog Sarusi, Carmel Gat, Eden Yerushalmi, Hersh Goldberg-Polin and Ori Danino marking the Jewish festival of light some eight months before their execution by Palestinian terrorists.
The footage was seized about three months ago during an IDF raid on the European Hospital in Khan Yunis, where Hamas terrorist leader Mohammed Sinwar had also been staying before he was eliminated in mid-May.
The material was shared with the bereaved families some six weeks ago after processing and production by the Military Intelligence Directorate.
According to intelligence assessments, the six hostages were held for most of their captivity in the same tunnel complex in Rafah—in the southernmost part of the Strip—where they were murdered in August 2024 as IDF soldiers closed in on their location.
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Palestinian statehood would be “certifiably insane”
In a debate held recently in Toronto, four former Israeli leaders argued the case for and against the “two states solution”. Historian and former Israeli ambassador to the US, Michael Oren, argued that “establishing a Palestinian state today, in the aftermath of October 7, is not only not in Israel’s interest but is, far beyond that, certifiably insane. The Palestinians hold the world record, going back to 1937, for rejecting offers of a two-state solution, they’ve shown zero ability to sustain a nation state and, even if they could, would use it for launching the next October 7.”
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Progress on international force in Gaza stalled
Progress on implementation of Phase 2 of the Trump-brokered “peace plan” for Gaza has stalled. A major stumbling block is how to build the so-called “International Stabilisation Force” (ISF), whose job will be to demilitarize Hamas and establish security in the Strip. Jerusalem Post reports that US President Donald Trump wants the force and its participating countries to be announced by Christmas, or at the latest by the beginning of next year, according to a source familiar with the details.
Amidst concerns that Turkey and Qatar are seeking to use participation in the ISF to keep Hamas in power, Italy is debating sending troops to the International Stabilization Force (ISF). This makes Italy the first European country to seriously consider contributing troops to the ISF. In recent days, talks have been taking place - mainly at the Civil-Military Coordination Center (CMCC) - to define the mandate and authorities of the force, including the chain of command and rules of engagement. Only after these are finalized will it become clear which countries will send troops.
According to Jerusalem Post “the current assessment is that the peacekeeping force’s mandate will ultimately state that it will not engage in direct disarmament operations against Hamas. Instead, it will function more as a “peace force” that may destroy terrorist infrastructure but will not directly confront the organization.”
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Israel's Ambassador to the US Yechiel Leiter the President residence in Jerusalem | Photo: Yonatan Sindel/Flash90
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Regional negotiations
Times of Israel reports that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is planning to travel to Cairo to sign a multibillion-dollar agreement to supply natural gas to Egypt. Israeli officials have been working on the planned trip in recent days with senior US diplomats, according to a senior US diplomatic source familiar with the preparations. Netanyahu is expected to meet Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi and aims to frame the visit as historic. Israel’s Ambassador to the US Yechiel Leiter is leading the efforts to organize the hoped-for Cairo summit. Leiter has assumed the role of Netanyahu’s key liaison with Washington and with Arab states, including Syria and Lebanon, after former strategic affairs minister Ron Dermer resigned from his post last month. Netanyahu has visited Egypt twice in the past, during the rule of late Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak. His last official state visit was 15 years ago, in January 2011. Other trips were held secretly.
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Pray this week for the families of the hostages, especially those who were killed in Gaza. Pray for healing, reconciliation and refreshment. Pray also for those hostages who returned alive and have been deeply traumatized; may they and their families be comforted, healed and strengthened by the Holy Spirit.
Pray especially for the speedy coming of Jesus Christ, the saviour and Messiah of Israel, who will judge the nations with righteousness, but will also comfort and redeem His people, heal the wounded and take away the tears from all eyes.
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Video shows hostages lighting candles for Chanukah in Gaza tunnel months before murders
JNS: The footage shows six men and women reciting the blessings over the candles in Hebrew and singing the traditional holiday song “Ma'oz Tzur” (“Rock of Ages”).
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Members of Congress mark 50 years of ‘Zionism is racism’ resolution
JNS: Members of Congress gathered at the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday to mark the 50th anniversary of the United Nations resolution determining that Zionism is a form of racism and Daniel Patrick Moynihan’s denunciation of that “infamous act.”
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Israeli dies from hypothermia amid wet winter storm
JNS: Two kids were also hurt by a fallen tree in Rishon Letzion, a city near Tel Aviv.
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Why Turkey and Qatar Should Be Kept Away From Gaza
Khaled Abu Toameh at Gatestone: Allowing Turkey or Qatar to play any role in the Gaza Strip means empowering Hamas to reassert its control of the coastal area and rearm and regroup. Turkey and Qatar are not going to participate in any effort to disarm Hamas or destroy terror infrastructure in the Gaza Strip. On the contrary, as they openly state, they will ensure that Hamas continues to rule the Gaza Strip and pursue its Jihad to destroy Israel.
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Iran’s new race to the bomb
Majid Rafizadeh at JNS: A nuclear weapon offers the possibility of wiping out Israel, fulfilling what the Islamist regime sees as a historic, strategic and religious prophecy.
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The canonization of Marwan Barghouti
Melanie Philips at JNS: Some 200 high-profile actors and musicians, including Benedict Cumberbatch, Mark Ruffalo, Cynthia Nixon, Sir Ian McKellen, Paul Simon, Sting and Brian Eno, have called for pressure on Israel to release the former Fatah terrorist leader, Marwan Barghouti, from prison. For “progressives,” including celebrities across the board, the Palestinian cause is their badge of conscience.
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Face-Off on a Two-State Resolution
Michael Oren on Substack: Establishing a Palestinian state today, in the aftermath of October 7, is not only not in Israel’s interest but is, far beyond that, certifiably insane. The Palestinians hold the world record, going back to 1937, for rejecting offers of a two-state solution, they’ve shown zero ability to sustain a nation state and, even if they could, would use it for launching the next October 7.
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SCRIPTURE FOR THE WEEK:
Isaiah 60
“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you. 2 See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the LORD rises upon you and his glory appears over you. 3 Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.
4 “Lift up your eyes and look about you: All assemble and come to you; your sons come from afar, and your daughters are carried on the hip.
5 Then you will look and be radiant, your heart will throb and swell with joy; the wealth on the seas will be brought to you, to you the riches of the nations will come.
6 Herds of camels will cover your land, young camels of Midian and Ephah. And all from Sheba will come, bearing gold and incense and proclaiming the praise of the LORD. 7 All Kedar’s flocks will be gathered to you, the rams of Nebaioth will serve you; they will be accepted as offerings on my altar, and I will adorn my glorious temple.
8 “Who are these that fly along like clouds, like doves to their nests? 9 Surely the islands look to me; in the lead are the ships of Tarshish, bringing your children from afar, with their silver and gold, to the honor of the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has endowed you with splendor.
10 “Foreigners will rebuild your walls, and their kings will serve you. Though in anger I struck you, in favor I will show you compassion. 11 Your gates will always stand open, they will never be shut, day or night, so that people may bring you the wealth of the nations— their kings led in triumphal procession.
12 For the nation or kingdom that will not serve you will perish; it will be utterly ruined.
13 “The glory of Lebanon will come to you, the juniper, the fir and the cypress together, to adorn my sanctuary; and I will glorify the place for my feet. 14 The children of your oppressors will come bowing before you; all who despise you will bow down at your feet and will call you the City of the LORD, Zion of the Holy One of Israel.
15 “Although you have been forsaken and hated, with no one traveling through, I will make you the everlasting pride and the joy of all generations. 16 You will drink the milk of nations and be nursed at royal breasts. Then you will know that I, the LORD, am your Savior, your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob. 17 Instead of bronze I will bring you gold, and silver in place of iron. Instead of wood I will bring you bronze and iron in place of stones. I will make peace your governor and well-being your ruler. 18 No longer will violence be heard in your land, nor ruin or destruction within your borders, but you will call your walls Salvation and your gates Praise. 19 The sun will no more be your light by day, nor will the brightness of the moon shine on you, for the LORD will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory. 20 Your sun will never set again, and your moon will wane no more; the LORD will be your everlasting light, and your days of sorrow will end. 21 Then all your people will be righteous and they will possess the land forever. They are the shoot I have planted, the work of my hands, for the display of my splendor. 22 The least of you will become a thousand, the smallest a mighty nation. I am the LORD; in its time I will do this swiftly.”
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Israel & Christians Today
The goal of Israel & Christians Today is to help Christians to take God’s Word seriously, and study current events in the world in the context of the Bible.
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