Fighting stops and starts: What is ahead for Gaza?

Iron Dome system intercepts Gaza rockets per the Israel Defense Forces

After a pause, Israel resumed its offensive in Gaza today, despite a temporary cease-fire deal Hamas seemed to agree to:

July 27, 2014

Hostilities resumed Sunday in the Gaza Strip after Palestinian militants unleashed volleys of rockets at Israel and the Israelis declared an end to a temporary humanitarian truce. Once again, huge explosions reverberated across the coastal enclave and plumes of black smoke stained the horizon…

In a statement, the Israeli government blamed “incessant rocket fire” for scuttling Israel’s unilateral 24-hour extension of Saturday’s daylong cease-fire. During that lull, Palestinians dug about 150 bodies from the rubble of ruined districts and carried away what they could salvage. Many sobbed when they got their first glimpse of destroyed homes.

On Sunday afternoon, Hamas called for another 24-hour pause in fighting, beginning at 2 p.m. local time — which would span the final iftar, or the meal breaking a fast, of the holy month of Ramadan, and the start of the festive Eid al-Fitr. But it was not immediately clear whether Israel would agree to another temporary cease-fire.

Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system has intercepted many of the rockets fired by Palestinian militants in Gaza, with most others falling in open areas. http://www.latimes.com/world/middleeast/la-fg-gaza-truce-ends-20140727-story.html

July 27, 2014

Hamas belatedly agreed Sunday to a new 24-hour humanitarian cease-fire in Gaza, but Israel said it would continue to bomb tunnels militants use to smuggle weapons and fighters into the Jewish state.

Israel did not immediately respond to the Hamas statement it would agree to a new cease-fire before the Eid al-Fitr holiday marking the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan. Hamas originally rejected an Israeli offer to extend a Saturday cease-fire and fighting quickly resumed.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the CNN television network Hamas was violating its own cease-fire by continuing to fire rockets from Gaza into Israel.

With the growing toll of Palestinian civilians in Gaza, Netanyahu said he realized that world opinion may be turning against Israel in the 20-day conflict. But he vowed Israel would “take whatever action is necessary to protect our people.”

The warfare has been among the most deadly in clashes between Israel and its Arab neighbors in the past several years. Palestinians said their death toll has topped 1,050, most of them civilians, while Israel said it has lost 43 soldiers and three civilians. http://www.voanews.com/content/spokesman-hamas-agrees-to-new-twenty-four-hour-truce-in-gaza/1965970.html

July 27, 2014

Palestinian militant group Hamas has announced a 24-hour ceasefire after Israel ended its own truce amid continuing rocket fire from Gaza.

All Palestinian militant factions would stop firing from 11:00 GMT, Hamas said.

But Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu said Hamas had already violated its own ceasefire and “Israel will do what it must do to defend its people”.

More than 1,060 Palestinians, mostly civilians, and 43 Israeli soldiers and two Israeli civilians have been killed.

A Thai national in Israel has also died.

In a more explicit response to the Hamas ceasefire, an Israeli official told the BBC Israel did not accept it. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-28511075

Hamas and Israel do not get along.

One aspect of potential prophetic interest here is that temporary cease-fires have been proposed and partially agreed to three-four times in the past two days. The reason this is of prophetic interest is partially because the positions of both the Palestinians and the Israelis are incompatible. Since their positions are incompatible, neither side is inclined to make a deal that they perceive is expected to be permanent. The Bible tells of a temporary deal, one with a portion that will eventually be confirmed for seven-years by the one who will become the Beast of the sea power of Revelation 13, that will happen in the region in Daniel 9:27 (for more details, please see The ‘Peace Deal’ of Daniel 9:27).

So, the idea of temporary ‘cease-fires’ is consistent with what the Bible teaches will happen.

As far as the Bible, the Palestinians, and Gaza goes, there are several prophecies that discuss what will happen.

According to a prophecy in the Book of Isaiah, the Palestinians (biblically referred to as Philistines), apparently along with some Syrians, are prophesied to be involved in war:

8 The Lord sent a word against Jacob, And it has fallen on Israel. 9 All the people will know — Ephraim and the inhabitant of Samaria — Who say in pride and arrogance of heart: 10 ‘The bricks have fallen down, But we will rebuild with hewn stones; The sycamores are cut down, But we will replace them with cedars.” 11 Therefore the Lord shall set up The adversaries of Rezin against him, And spur his enemies on, 12 The Syrians before and the Philistines behind; And they shall devour Israel with an open mouth. (Isaiah 9:8-12)

Since the above prophecy involves Ephraim and Samaria, this is indicative that the UK and USA will themselves be attacked (see Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel), apparently including terroristic tactics (hitting them before and behind). Hamas has used terrorism in the past and is expected to do so in the future.

Bible prophecy tells of calamity coming to Gaza and other lands:

17 Then I took the cup from the Lord’s hand, and made all the nations drink, to whom the Lord had sent me: 18 Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, its kings and its princes, to make them a desolation, an astonishment, a hissing, and a curse, as it is this day; 19 Pharaoh king of Egypt, his servants, his princes, and all his people; 20 all the mixed multitude, all the kings of the land of Uz, all the kings of the land of the Philistines (namely, Ashkelon, Gaza, Ekron, and the remnant of Ashdod); 21 Edom, Moab, and the people of Ammon; 22 all the kings of Tyre, all the kings of Sidon, and the kings of the coastlands which are across the sea; 23 Dedan, Tema, Buz, and all who are in the farthest corners; 24 all the kings of Arabia and all the kings of the mixed multitude who dwell in the desert; 25 all the kings of Zimri, all the kings of Elam, and all the kings of the Medes; 26 all the kings of the north, far and near, one with another; and all the kingdoms of the world which are on the face of the earth. Also the king of Sheshach shall drink after them.

27 “Therefore you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: “Drink, be drunk, and vomit! Fall and rise no more, because of the sword which I will send among you.”‘ 28 And it shall be, if they refuse to take the cup from your hand to drink, then you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts: “You shall certainly drink! 29 For behold, I begin to bring calamity on the city which is called by My name, and should you be utterly unpunished? You shall not be unpunished, for I will call for a sword on all the inhabitants of the earth,” says the Lord of hosts.’ (Jeremiah 25:17-29)

Many of the lands above are listed as supporters of the final King of the South (Daniel 11:40-43) and/or part of a confederation that will be destroyed that will involve Egypt (Ezekiel 30:3-8).

The entire 47th chapter of Jeremiah is a prophecy against the Philistines, including Gaza:

1 The word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah the prophet against the Philistines, before Pharaoh attacked Gaza.

2 Thus says the Lord: “Behold, waters rise out of the north, And shall be an overflowing flood; They shall overflow the land and all that is in it, The city and those who dwell within; Then the men shall cry, And all the inhabitants of the land shall wail. 3 At the noise of the stamping hooves of his strong horses, At the rushing of his chariots, At the rumbling of his wheels, The fathers will not look back for their children,Lacking courage, 4 Because of the day that comes to plunder all the Philistines,To cut off from Tyre and Sidon every helper who remains; For the Lord shall plunder the Philistines, The remnant of the country of Caphtor. 5 Baldness has come upon Gaza, Ashkelon is cut off With the remnant of their valley. How long will you cut yourself? 6 “O you sword of the Lord, How long until you are quiet? Put yourself up into your scabbard, Rest and be still! 7 How can it be quiet, Seeing the Lord has given it a charge Against Ashkelon and against the seashore? There He has appointed it.” (Jeremiah 47:2-7)

Problems are thus prophesied for Gaza and the Palestinians.

Notice also the following:

Vast Confederacy…

Notice especially prophetic Psalm 83. Here we find described a coming coalition of nations of the Middle East whose purpose will be to eradicate the name of Israel! They will say, “Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance” (verse 4).

This prophecy could never have been fulfilled until this 20th century. Why?

Since ancient times (the 8th century B.C.) there has not been — until this century — a nation in the Middle East recognized officially by the name Israel. But there is an Israel today. This is clearly a prophecy for these latter days!

Among the participants in this wide-ranging confederacy revealed in Psalm 83 will be Gebal (ancient Byblos, modern Jubayl) and “the Philistines [Palestinians centered in the Gaza Strip] with the inhabitants of Tyre” (verse 7).

Here we see that it was anciently — and accurately — prophesied that Palestinian Arabs would in these tumultuous last days become associated in some way with the cities of Lebanon. The prophet Jeremiah (47:4) also speaks of the Philistines and their allies from Tyre and Sidon.

But this prophesied alliance in Psalm 83 will not endure long. The Bible reveals that meanwhile, in our time, a great European military dictator — known in the book of Revelation as the “beast” and in the prophecy of Daniel as the “king of the north” — will arise and ultimately descend upon the Middle East. (Request our free booklet Who Is the Beast? for details.)

The beast’s intervention will have dire consequences for Israeli and Arab alike. Both Israel (“the glorious land”) and Egypt will be occupied by the beast’s troops (Dan. 11:40-42). (Stump K. LEBANON’S FUTURE Foretold in the Bible! Plain Truth, September-October 1982)

As the Gazites/Palestinians seem to be related to the other Arabic peoples, prophecies related to the Arabic peoples will also apply, such as Ezekiel 30:2-8). Many of those can be found in the articles The Arab and Islamic World In the Bible, History, and Prophecy, Is the Future King of the South Rising Up?, and The Prophesied ‘Islamic’ Confederation.

Essentially, biblical prophecy teaches that the Palestinians of Gaza and the West Bank will support confederations which will not end well in this age. They will, for a time, believe that they will be protected by a temporary ‘peace deal’ (Daniel 9:27) that will not end well (Daniel 11:11:31, 40-43) according to biblical, and even Islamic prophecy (see also The Arab and Islamic World In the Bible, History, and Prophecy).

That being said, Jesus will come and straighten this world out (see also The Gospel of the Kingdom of God was the Emphasis of Jesus and the Early Church).

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Gaza and the Palestinians in Bible Prophecy What does the Bible teach about Gaza and the fate of the Palestinians?
Is the Future King of the South Rising Up? Some no longer believe there needs to be a future King of the South. Might Egypt, Islam, Iran, Arabs, or Ethiopia be involved? Might this King be called the Mahdi or Caliph? What does the Bible say? A YouTube video of related interest may be: The Future King of the South is Rising.
The Prophesied ‘Islamic’ Confederation Where is an Islamic caliphate prophesied? Will one happen? Should you be concerned about it?
The ‘Peace Deal’ of Daniel 9:27 This prophecy could give up to 3 1/2 years advance notice of the coming Great Tribulation. Will most ignore or misunderstand its fulfillment? Here is a link to a related sermon video Daniel 9:27 and the Start of the Great Tribulation.
The Arab and Islamic World In the Bible, History, and Prophecy The Bible discusses the origins of the Arab world and discusses the Middle East in prophecy. What is ahead for the Middle East and those who follow Islam? What about the Imam Mahdi? What lies ahead for Turkey, Iran, and the other non-Arabic Muslims? An item of possibly related interest in the Spanish language would be: Líderes iraníes condenan la hipocresía de Occidente y declaran que ahora es tiempo para prepararse para el Armagedón, la guerra, y el Imán Mahdi.
Who is the King of the North? Is there one? Do biblical and Roman Catholic prophecies for the Great Monarch point to the same leader? Should he be followed? Who will be the King of the North discussed in Daniel 11? Is a nuclear attack prophesied to happen to the English-speaking peoples of the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand? When do the 1335 days, 1290 days, and 1260 days (the time, times, and half a time) of Daniel 12 begin? When does the Bible show that economic collapse will affect the United States? In the Spanish language check out ¿Quién es el Rey del Norte? Here is a link to a video titled: The Future King of the North.
Damascus and Syria in Prophecy Will Bashar Assad hold power as he has it? Does the Bible show that Damascus, the capital of Syria, will be destroyed? What will happen to Syria? Will the Syrians support the final King of the South that the Bible tells will rise up? Which scriptures discuss the rise and fall of an Arabic confederation? Does Islamic prophecy predict the destruction of Syria. This is a YouTube video.
Egypt in Prophecy Does Egypt have a special role in end time prophecy? Will Egypt rise up and then be defeated. What does God teach will happen to those in Egypt? Here is a link to a YouTube video titled Egypt and End Time Prophecy.
Iraq, the King of the South, Armageddon, and Prophecy What will happen to Iraq? Is it the prophesied Mystery Babylon? What is Armageddon and how does that have to do with Iraq? Here is a related video Iraq, Armageddon, & Prophecy.
Iran in Prophecy Is Iran in Bible prophecy? If so, what does the Bible teach? What names, other than Persia, may be used to describe Iran? There is also a YouTube video titled Iran in Prophecy. Here is a related video Iran In Prophecy.
What Should You Know About Turkey in Prophecy Do you know the Turkish people descended from? Did the Ottoman Empire possibly fulfill a promise in Genesis? Will Turkey support the European King of the North or Arabic King of the South? Will it betray one of them? Will Turkey be involved in the encouraging the destruction of Israel? Is Turkey going to become Catholic? Is Turkey mentioned in Psalm 83, Daniel 11, and elsewhere in the Bible? This video provides answers.
Jerusalem: Past, Present, and Future What does the Bible say about Jerusalem and its future? Is Jerusalem going to be divided and eliminated? Is Jesus returning to the area of Jerusalem? There is also a related YouTube video you can watch titled Jerusalem To be divided and eliminated.
Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, English, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo (non-Dutch) Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? What will happen to Jerusalem and the Jews in Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first? Here is a link to the Spanish version of this article: Anglo-América & las Tribus Perdidas de Israel. A video of possible interest may be Will Will USA Spying Help the Beast Power?
Will the Anglo-Nations be Divided and Have People Taken as Slaves? Will the lands of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand be divided? What about Jerusalem? What does Bible prophecy teach? Are there non-biblical prophecies that support this idea? Who will divide those lands? Who will end up with the lands and the people? Here is a link to a video titled Will the USA and other Anglo-nations be Divided and Their People Made Slaves? Here is a related item in the Spanish language ¿Serán divididas las naciones anglosajonas?
Who is the King of the West? Why is there no End-Time King of the West in Bible Prophecy? Is the United States the King of the West?
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2014, 2015, or 2016? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before the Great Tribulation in the “beginning of sorrows”? What is the seven-year deal? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? Is this the time of the Gentiles? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord? Who are the 144,000?
Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Second Edition for Second Obama Term This is a 160 page book for people truly interested in prophecies related to Barack Obama and the United States, including learning about many that have already been fulfilled (which the book documents in detail) and those that will be fulfilled in the future. It also has a chapter about a Republican choice. This book is available to order at www.barackobamaprophecy.com. The physical book can also be purchased at Amazon from the following link: Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States: Is Barack Obama Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic Catholic, Kenyan, and other America-Related Prophecies? What About Republican Leaders? Second Edition for Second Obama Term.
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