VFI News Nearly 13,500 Soldiers Wounded During Hamas War; At Least 100,000 Syrians Dead in Reported Mass Grave

In this video, we explore the chilling parallels between the prophecy in Genesis 16:12 and the current turmoil unfolding in the Middle East. As we approach the end of 2024, the wars, conflicts, and warring factions among Muslim Arab groups seem to be fulfilling this ancient warning.

We dive into the ongoing chaos in countries like Syria, Libya, and Lebanon, examining how the prophecy of a "wild man" and conflict between the descendants of Abraham is playing out today. From the IDF’s operations in southern Syria to Hezbollah’s weakened position, and the rising tensions with Iran—the signs are unmistakable. Is the Bible’s warning coming to life in front of our eyes?

We also look at the humanitarian efforts on the ground and how groups like Vision for Israel (VFI) are helping communities in need during these times of crisis. With the situation continuing to escalate, could this be just the beginning of a larger conflict? Watch to find out how the prophecy in Genesis 16:12 may provide answers to today’s volatile Middle East.

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More than 75,000 soldiers have been wounded in Israel’s wars, including nearly 13,500 in the current war, the Defense Ministry said Tuesday, December 17.

Israel’s national day for recognizing wounded soldiers was this Wednesday. An estimated 20,000 soldiers would be wounded this year, the ministry said in April. There was a significant drop in fighting between February and May, and in July, the Defense Ministry said about 14,000 soldiers would be wounded in 2024.

About 9,250 soldiers had been wounded in nine months of fighting, the ministry said in July. The slight drop in wounded soldiers compared with the pace of wounded soldiers earlier in the war can be attributed to very little in terms of major ground forces’ battles since Hamas was defeated in Rafah in June and August.

It is important to note that the vast majority of those killed and wounded by Hamas during the October 7 massacre were civilians. The number of killed and injured civilians dwarfed any comparative number for decades.

In general, the number of former soldiers who have sought recognition as wounded soldiers, including some of the social, economic, and therapy rights that come along with that recognition, has tripled to 19,500. (JPost / VFI News)

“Our Heavenly Father, we pray for all the soldiers and civilians who have been wounded during the war. We pray in Yeshua’s name for their full physical and emotional recovery. May You take them into Your protective and loving embrace and remind them that they are loved by the Mighty God of this universe. We also pray for the families of all the people who have been killed during the war, that You comfort them, help them persevere amid the trials, and cause them to turn to Yeshua for salvation.”

The articles included in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of Vision for Israel. We try to provide accurate reporting on news pertinent to Israel, the Middle East, the diaspora, and Jewish issues around the world—and we hope that you find it both informative and useful for intercessory prayer.

A mass grave containing the bodies of at least 100,000 people tortured and killed under the brutal dictatorship of ousted President Bashar al-Assad was discovered outside Damascus, according to the head of a US-based Syrian advocacy group — who said the corpses were squished by bulldozers to “fit them in.”  

Mouaz Moustafa, the executive director of the Syrian Emergency Task Force (SETF), said the regime’s victims were found in al-Qutayfah, about 25 miles north of the capital. 

“One hundred thousand is the most conservative estimate,” Moustafa told British media of the amount of bodies he believed were dumped at the chilling site. “It’s a very, very extremely, almost unfairly conservative estimate.”  Moustafa also warned that it was just one of eight mass graves created by Assad’s fallen government. 

Moustafa, who arrived in Syria after Assad fled to Moscow, said the grave was likely the outcome of the work entrusted to the former regime’s military. 

“[The Syrian Air Force was] in charge of bodies going from military hospitals — where bodies were collected after they’d been tortured to death — to different intelligence branches, and then they would be sent to a mass grave location,” he said.  

Moustafa added that the grave matches the description from funeral officer personnel who helped unload the bodies and later escaped Syria to spread the word of the atrocities committed under Assad. (NYP/VFI News)

“Dear God, we pray for all the people of Syria who have suffered immensely under the previous regime. We pray for all the ones who have lost their loved ones, have been afflicted themselves, or were forced to leave their country and become refugees. We pray in Yeshua’s name that You hear their cries, heal them and give them leaders who truly care about them and will operate with justice, humanity, and reverence of You.”

A multistory school building in Ramat Gan, collapsed when it was hit by the rocket warhead from a partially intercepted ballistic missile fired at Israel by Houthi rebels in Yemen. On Thursday, December 19, the city’s mayor said the school building will be torn down and rebuilt, as he visited the site and locals assessed the heavy damage.  

Ramat Gan Mayor Carmel Shama-Hacohen estimated the damage at ILS 40 million ($11 million) and said the Ramat Ef’al Elementary School would get a replacement building.  

The IDF initially said that overnight it intercepted a missile fired at central Israel by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis. It said sections from the missile or from an interceptor fell to the ground, with one chunk landing on the main building of the school, demolishing it.  

Later on Thursday, however, the military said that according to an initial probe, the school was likely hit by the missile warhead after a partial interception.  

There were no injuries in the incident, though parked cars in the area were damaged by falling debris. Students will be transferred to another school in the meantime, Shama-Hacohen said, and the city’s psychological services will provide support. (TOI/VFI News)

“Lord, we thank You immensely for protecting Your children and caring for the ones who love You. We are grateful for the security forces who don’t sleep at night to ensure our protection and we pray that You strengthen them and always alert them of imminent attacks. We pray in Yeshua’s name for Israel to become a peaceful country, amicable with its neighbors, where all citizens rejoice, help each other from the heart, and glorify Your name.” 

A significant breakthrough toward normalization of ties with Saudi Arabia, which will also ease conditions for a hostage deal, was recently achieved, according to a report by Chaim Levinson in Israeli media on Tuesday evening, December 17.  

Instead of the Saudi demand, which it has stated so far, for an Israeli promise to establish a Palestinian state, Riyadh will suffice with a declaration by Israel that it is committed to enable “a path toward a Palestinian state.”  

The talks between the parties were concluded mainly after the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu conducting the negotiations through Minister of Strategic Affairs, Ron Dermer.  

According to the report, normalization between the two countries will also accelerate the advancement of a hostage deal, as Riyadh has shown interest in being involved in the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip, something that could also benefit Israel, which has an interest in involving moderate Arab countries in the region. (INN /VFI News) 

“You have heard my voice: ‘Do not hide Your ear from my sighing, from my cry for help.’” - Lamentations 3:56

Since October 7th, 2023, the people of Israel have faced unimaginable challenges. But amidst the heartbreak, a powerful message of resilience, love, and hope is emerging—and you are at the heart of this story. We invite you to watch this video and see how God is moving in Israel through Vision for Israel, touching countless lives during these critical times. Discover how your support has provided safety shelters, vital equipment for communities, and emotional healing to Holocaust survivors and children affected by the tragedy. Psalm 91 reminds us of God’s promise: “He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings, you will find refuge; His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.” Through your partnership, this promise comes to life for those in need. Your year-end donation ensures that we can continue providing shelter, resources, and joy to the people of Israel during this season of restoration. Please take a moment to watch, pray, and give generously today. Click on the link to make your year-end gift. https://www.visionforisrael.com/en/give. Together, we can stand as a banner of love and hope for Israel.

Israeli ambassador to the UN Danny Danon spoke to Israeli media and said that multiple countries, including Russia, France, and Syria, have already complained about Israel’s actions in Syria: “They claim that we are invading, taking over and occupying. These are allegations that we reject.”  

“Our position is clear, we have taken defensive measures to ensure that extremist Islamist forces do not take over positions on our border and we are waiting to see whether the government in Syria stabilizes and whether the borders are going to be quiet or not,” he said. 

He also spoke of the effort to replace UNRWA given its ties to the Hamas terrorist organization. Moving in that direction, the Dutch Parliament recently passed a bill to gradually cut off funding to UNRWA, joining 12 other former donor nations that already have.  

Meanwhile, Turkey has been recently building up troops on its border with Syria, causing US officials to fear that Ankara is planning a major invasion into territories controlled by the US-backed Kurds.  

Senior US officials told American media on Monday night, December 16, that the Turkish forces on the border include militia fighters, Turkish uniformed commandos, and a large force of artillery. The troop buildup is concentrated near Kobani, a Kurdish-majority city in Syria on the northern border with Turkey.  

The officials said that the invasion could be imminent and the current troop buildup appears similar to Turkish military moves ahead of its 2019 invasion of northeast Syria. (INN / VFI News)

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is expected to resign according to media reports. The move is expected to take place after the surprise resignation of his finance minister, Chrystia Freeland.

If the prime minister resigns, Canada will go to the polls ten months before the legal deadline and in light of the strengthening of the right-wing party, which has been in opposition in recent years.

The finance minister’s decision to resign follows a dispute with Trudeau over how to deal with the Trump administration, which wants to promote tariffs on imports to the US, which would severely harm the Canadian economy.

Polls in Canada predict a victory for the conservative party, which is considered a strong supporter of Israel. Opposition leader, Pierre Poilievre, expressed strong support for Israel and on the possibility of attacking Iran, said that if Israel crushes this regime, such an act would be “a gift by the Jewish state to humanity.”

At the same time, throughout the war, Poilievre often spoke about the rise of antisemitism in Canada. (INN/VFI News)

“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” - Proverbs 17:17

King Charles has accepted an invitation to visit the Auschwitz concentration camp in January 2025, joining representatives from 20 different countries to mark the 80th anniversary of the camp’s liberation.

The king, who visited Auschwitz in 2020 when still Prince of Wales, has had a long-standing connection with survivors, several of whom, though now frail, are expected to attend the commemoration ceremonies. During his 2020 visit, he warned that “hatred and intolerance still lurk in the human heart.”

Though not in the best of health himself — he is still continuing a weekly treatment for cancer — King Charles has vocally opposed antisemitism and was determined to attend the historic occasion on January 27. It will almost certainly be the last such event attended by Holocaust survivors.

Organizers say he will be the first British monarch to visit Auschwitz. His mother, the late Queen Elizabeth, made her final foreign trip in 2005 when she visited Bergen-Belsen. The king has had a long-standing commitment to the Jewish community, particularly in Poland where his close connection to World Jewish Relief led to the opening of a Jewish community centre in Krakow.

He remains a patron of the charity. The UK government has announced additional funding for the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust, of which the king is also a patron, to support the anniversary. (JN/ VFI News)

“Dear God, we pray for the health of King Charles and we ask that You heal his cancer and any other health issues he might be dealing with. We thank You for devoted allies like him and we are grateful to see his commitment to fight antisemitism and support Holocaust survivors. We continue to pray that the horrors of the Holocaust will never be repeated on the Jewish people or any world population. In Yeshua’s name we pray, amen.”

A satanic ‘nativity’ display involving an occult statue erected on Concord city property near the New Hampshire State Capitol was destroyed shortly after several vandalism incidents last week. 

Democratic state Rep. Ellen Read is saying that the temple “probably should” get to erect a new display in its place.  “I think they probably should because I think the vandalism and the hatefulness shouldn’t go without a response. But it’s up to them,” Read said, Catholic media reported.  

Read told the outlet she came up with the idea to suggest that the satanic temple (TST) put up the Christmas display, which was a statue of Baphomet – despite significant pushback from local officials – arguing that a Catholic group’s Nativity scene of Yeshua should not be the only decoration there. She also said she is a member of TST but has not participated in any of its meetings or events. 

Avoiding a legal dispute over the First Amendment, the Concord City Council approved the organization’s permit to show the display, despite the mayor saying earlier this week he wished the city had not approved it. 

Meanwhile, the city also put out a statement saying that due to the First Amendment and the potential for a lawsuit, the city was forced to choose between banning all holiday displays or allowing TST's statue. (FN / VFI News) 

Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.- 2 Timothy 2:25-26

The suggestions, opinions, and scripture references made by VFI News writers and editors are based on the best information received.

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