(Day 652) Swords of Iron – “Days Are Numbered”

Chaim starts by saying every Friday in Israel we say “Shabbat Shalom” but this Shabbat there was an incident in the Gaza Strip which saw two IDF soldiers severely wounded, including one of Chaim’s comrades from the combat engineering corps. Chaim says he’s in these same areas all the time, moving along roads that might have booby traps and other hazards, and he says this war must be brought to a swift and successful conclusion so we avoid more casualties and wrecked lives.

In this context, he also mentions the tribes that are trying to take over control of the Gaza Strip from Hamas, uniting under the banner of “Abu Shabab.” Although Chaim acknowledges that this organization is no friend of Israel, they are definitely anti-Hamas and they blame Hamas for starting this war which has brought so much suffering to the people of Gaza. There are rumors that Israel is assisting some of these tribes, providing light arms and ammunition as well as intelligence, which assists Abu Shabab in going after Hamas.

Meanwhile, there are negotiations with Hamas aimed at ending this war, but Hamas is making such ridiculous, maxamalist demands, that these talks are going nowhere.

Speaking of going nowhere, the Houthis in Yemen continue to pointlessly fire missiles at Israel, and Chaim says it’s still necessary to go to the bomb shelters when these missiles are coming in, even though they might not be the massive missiles that Iran was heaving at us last month during Operation Rising Lion. He also invites his viewers to continue giving to the Aliyah Return Center’s Emergency Aid Initiative, because there are still a lot of people in Israel who need a lot of help.

Speaking of people who need help, the Druze in Suweida, southern Syria, continue to suffer from the attacks of Sunni Bedouin tribes supported by the regime of Abu Muhammed Al-Jolani in Damascus. Israel was striking the regime in an effort to protect the Druze, but the US ordered Israel to stop doing that and so now there is a question about what will happen to the Druze.

They’re very vulnerable, and jihadist groups are threatening to massacre them just like they want to massacre the Jews.

Speaking of the Jews, Chaim says that since the war with Hamas in Gaza began with the Hamas attack of October 7th, 2023, nearly 900 IDF soldiers have fallen in battle. Hamas shows no signs of being ready to end the fighting, but there are signs that things are changing in other parts of the Holy Land, for better and for worse. In this context, Chiam concludes by quoting Isaiah 27:3; I, the Lord, keep it, I water it every moment; Lest any hurt it, I keep it night and day.