The Christian Post's top 10 news stories of 2023 (part 2)
1. Hamas massacre leaves thousands dead in Gaza Strip
On Oct. 7, thousands of Hamas terrorists attacked Israeli communities near the Gaza border during a Jewish holiday, an onslaught that caught many off-guard, as the terror group was previously known for firing rockets into Israel or carrying out targeted suicide bombings.
The Christian Post reported on the aftermath of the attack, which resulted in the deaths of at least 1,200 people, a majority of them civilians, and the abduction of around 240 people. In response to the terror group’s invasion, Israel launched a ground offensive to eliminate Hamas and secure the release of the hostages.
Hamas released 110 hostages during a temporary ceasefire last month, which ended after the terror group violated the terms of the agreement, and there are currently 129 people still being held captive.
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Since Hamas launched its terrorist attack in October, CP has reported on the stories of survivors and people whose loved ones were taken hostage by the terror group.
In October, CP attended a webinar hosted by the Combat Anti-Semitism Movement, an organization dedicated to addressing and exposing Jewish hatred. The webinar featured stories from survivors of Hamas’ attack on kibbutz communities near the border and the Nova Music Festival.
The festival, which the survivors noted was supposed to be an all-night dance party, ended with the deaths of over 360 people after Hamas militants crossed the border and killed attendees.
One of the speakers, Michal Rahav, recalled hurrying her children into a safe room in their home on kibbutz Nirim after she heard the sound of sirens. Rahav and her husband could hear the sound of gunshots, and at first, Rahav thought it was the Israel Defense Forces, but she was confused about why they would be shooting inside of the kibbutz.
"A few seconds afterward, we hear a lot of shouting in Arabic, and the reality hits us," she said. "[Hamas] penetrated the kibbutz, and our biggest fright just came to life."
The family could hear Hamas firing at the safe room and the iron window, and Rahav’s husband handed her a gun, telling her that they would fight "till the last bullet." When Rahav at last opened the safe room door, she saw that the house was "broken" and "shattered."
Rahav's family and the other survivors collected their belongings from the kibbutz before they were divided into groups and evacuated. The mother said that she would not consider returning unless Israel eradicated Hamas.
The following month, CP interviewed Doris Liber, the mother of 26-year-old Guy Iluz, an attendee of the Supernova Music Festival taken hostage by Hamas. Illuz called his parents during the attack to say goodbye, as he did not believe that he would survive.
"He said, 'Nobody is coming out alive. Everybody is dead; nobody is getting out of this alive, so I need to say my last words,'" Liber remembered.
Liber told her son that she loved him before hanging up so he could hide from the terrorists. The mother said that she regrets ending the call, as that was the last time she spoke to her son. Illuz was later confirmed to be among several hostages killed by Hamas while trying to escape the terror group.
That same month, CP reporters witnessed the atrocities committed by Hamas during a private screening at the Israeli Embassy. The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews partnered with the embassy to host the screening of a 45-minute video compiled by the Israeli government using raw footage of the attack.
The footage shown during the event was collected from various sources, including Hamas body cameras, security cameras, social media posts, cell phone cameras and first responders.
In the first set of videos, Hamas terrorists breach the border and infiltrate Israel through a hole in the fence. The terrorists proceeded to shoot at cars driving down the highway, killing the passengers inside and dragging their dead bodies out of their vehicles.
One of the audio recordings played alongside the video clips, a Hamas terrorist purportedly uses a dead Jewish woman's phone to call his parents and brag about murdering ten people. He instructed them to pull up WhatsApp to see his murder victims.
"I killed 10 people," one of the terrorists said. "Ten people with my bare hands."
Another clip showed a Hamas member trying to behead a lifeless body with a farming tool, and in one audio recording, the terrorists could be heard discussing how they beheaded some of their victims. The 45-minute video also showed photos of the victims' bodies, including the bodies of babies killed by Hamas.
Bishop Paul Lanier, The Fellowship's chairman of the board of directors, said at the end of the screening that he hoped seeing the footage would inspire a change in those who watched it.
In an interview with CP, Lanier clarified his remarks, saying Christians are typically "peace-loving people" who want to focus on joy and good things instead of focusing on tragedy.
"And our Christianity will not allow us to do that," the bishop said. "We have to throw light upon the inhumanity, the brutality that took place, and equally be as fervent and bold and determined to stand for life and the people of Israel."
Samantha Kamman contributed to this report.
