Families of 3 Murdered Teens:  The suffering of the families whose sons disappeared in a kidnapping-turned-murder intensified when the boys’ bodies were found in a shallow grave near Hebron.  The tension between the Israelis and the Palestinians has also intensified exponentially since the bodies were discovered, and violent riots erupted between groups of extreme right-wing Jewish settlers and Arab residents of East Jerusalem.  A young Arab teenager’s body was found in the Jerusalem forest the day after the 3 boys’ bodies were discovered, leaving people to wonder if it was a “revenge” attack. Please intercede for Israel as the tension on all fronts is increasing daily.  Please pray for God’s wisdom for Israel’s leaders each day as they face terribly difficult decisions about how to handle the increasingly dangerous threats facing Israel.  Lastly, please pray that the murderers of all slain youth – Jew and Arab alike – will be brought to justice.

40 Rockets Fired from Gaza:

  Hamas militants have fired over 40 rockets into southern Israel in the last two days.  They are attempting to draw Israel into an all-out military campaign, while trying to exhaust Israel’s military forces who have spent an intense 3 weeks looking for the kidnapped teenagers.  The situation near Gaza is growing worse, and it is possible that Israel will need to respond in a strong way.  Please pray for the citizens of southern Israel who have been living under this terrible threat for 9 years since Israel disengaged from Gaza.  Please pray for their safety and their emotional well-being, as this is an incredibly stressful reality.  Lastly, please pray for God’s wisdom for Israel’s military leaders as they plan their next steps.

Forest Fires in Jerusalem Area: The forest fires have continued over the last week, and are all thought to be set intentionally, possibly terrorist acts.  The resources of the fire fighters have been tested, but they have successfully contained and put out the fires. Please pray for protection from such fires, whether naturally occurring or purposefully set, especially during these hot, dry months of summer.  Please also pray that Israel will have the proper resources to continue to fight such fires and to keep them from growing out of control.

Thank you for praying!

The Hope for Israel Prayer Team