Over 400 rockets, mortars and anti-tank missiles had been fired into Israel from the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip by late Tuesday morning, while the IDF reported striking 150 targets in the Strip belonging to Hamas or the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror militia. Additionally, IDF ground units had been moved into position outside the Strip in possible preparation for an incursion. “The IDF is determined to fulfill its mission of defending Israeli citizens, and is prepared and ready for a variety of scenarios, as necessary,” said an IDF statement. At press time, at least one Israeli citizen had been killed and several dozen more wounded, while sources in the Strip reported that several Hamas and PIJ terrorists have also been killed and wounded.

Over 5,000 specialists from 80 countries and represtenting dozens of large and small private companies, military and security services and other government agencies were in Tel Aviv on Monday to attend the fifth biennial International Homeland Security & Cyber Conference, learning from Israel’s hard-won expertise in these critical areas. Over 150 Israeli companies are also at the Conference showcasing training, equipment, software and best practices they have to offer in the fields of national security, intelligence, crowd protection, mass transit security, cybersecurity and financial tech.

Orchid Sports Cars opened the first-of-its-kind car dealership in Israel selling automobiles from the luxury Bentley brand, owned by the Volkswagen group and manufactured in the UK. The cars on offer range in price from NIS 1.575 million to NIS 3 million, with Bentley reporting that orders for several units have already been placed by Israeli customers.

Following the granting of waivers to several of Iran’s largest oil customers by the US State Department and a subsequent plunge in global petroleum prices, Saudi Arabia announced on Monday it is cutting production in order to reduce excess supply volumes and stabilize the market. “Sanctions didn’t cut so much out of the market as anticipated,” Saudi Arabian Oil Minister Khalid al-Falih said in explaining the move. However, the production cut was harshly criticized in several world capitals as being unnecessary and counterproductive.

The conflict with Hamas is not one where Israel has sought to win by dealing Hamas a decisive blow, or overthrowing the extremists. Instead it is a conflict that has largely been fought pragmatically, seeking a kind of balance of terror and reprisal. But a war may come precisely because it is the only thing that Hamas thinks it can provoke to get some international or even regional attention.

The major shifts that took place in Western churches’ relationship with Judaism—some in the wake of the Holocaust, others going all the way back to the Protestant Reformation—never occurred in the Eastern churches. Middle Eastern clergy do not speak of a “Judeo-Christian” tradition, or of a special relationship with the Jews, or even of a need to distance themselves and their flocks from historical anti-Semitism.  However, the rise of Islamism has led some to see Israel as the proverbial enemy of their enemy.

Through our Israel in Crisis Fund, the ICEJ has provided bomb shelters, firefighting equipment and other life-saving equipment to the crews who protect Israel’s border communities. In the last 24 hours, these shelters and equipment have been put to good use. Please help us provide even more bomb shelters to communities in need, as well as treatment for those who have been traumatized but this and previous rounds of violence.