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In this heartfelt update, Barry Segal shares the latest on emergency medical and disaster relief efforts in Israel.

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Israel allegedly has no proof of life for the hostages seized by Hamas in the October 7 attacks, the country's foreign minister has declared. Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen also claimed that the Red Cross has been unable to meet any of the terror group's captives after meeting the organization's head in Geneva.

“Until today, none of our hostages met the Red Cross,” Cohen said. “We don’t have any proof of life.” Cohen and Israel’s Health Minister Uriel Menachem Buso met with Mirjana Spoljaric, the president of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to discuss the war that erupted after the October 7 Hamas attacks.

Family members of some of the hostages held by Hamas in Gaza also attended that meeting, as well as the press conference afterward at the United Nations.

“We are here to shout for them and we need to bring them justice,” said Ofri Bibas Levy, holding up a picture of her nephew Kfir Bibas - the youngest of the hostages, who was nine months old when he was seized with his parents and four-year-old brother. “We need to bring them home as soon as possible,” she said.

“Hostage-taking is prohibited under international humanitarian law. We continue to insist on the hostages’ release and are doing everything in our power to gain access to them,” Spoljaric said.

She insisted though that “we cannot do this alone; agreements must be reached that allow the ICRC to safely carry out this work. ICRC cannot force its way into where hostages are held. We can only visit them when agreements, including safe access, are in place.” But Cohen replied that this was not enough, insisting that the ICRC “should be more loud and clear with their statements and with the pressure.” (DM / VFI News)

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.

Hamas murderers who are behind the Israel terror attacks hid a huge weapons cache within the MRI center of Gaza’s largest hospital. Israeli special forces wearing night vision goggles found their al-Shifa HQ in a dramatic 2 am raid.

They blew off the doors to the hospital and searched the sprawling complex to stop the terror group’s “beating heart.” They also revealed the devastating arsenal they found hidden among bandages and dressings, which included grab bags containing Kalashnikovs, AK-47s, grenades, body armor with Hamas insignia, and ammo.

IDF spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said troops have been in contact with hospital staff to facilitate the evacuation of patients, who have been used as human shields by Hamas. “We warned the hospital management in advance, before our operation. Today, we also delivered to the hospital medical equipment and baby food.”

Fellow IDF spokesman Lt-Col Jonathan Conricus said that “what we have found is only the tip of the iceberg. These weapons have absolutely no business being inside a hospital.”

It was also reported that in another department in the hospital, the soldiers located an operational command center and technological assets belonging to Hamas, indicating that the terrorist organization uses the hospital for terrorist purposes.

On Wednesday, November 15, US President Joe Biden said that Hamas committed war crimes by storing weapons under the Gaza hospital: “You have a circumstance where the first war crime is being committed by Hamas by having their headquarters, their military, under a hospital. And that’s a fact. That’s what happened.”

In addition, he made it clear to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that a two-state solution was the only answer to resolve the Israel-Palestinian conflict, and he added that there is also a deal being negotiated with Qatar that will aid in the release of hostages. (SUN / VFI News)

IDF forces continue to act on the ground in Gaza, while IAF forces provide protection and backup from above. IAF aircraft and ground forces have conducted 4,300 strikes, struck hundreds of anti-tank missile launch posts, approximately 300 tunnel shafts, and 3,000 terrorist infrastructure, including over 100 structures rigged with explosives, and hundreds of Hamas command and control centers.

Earlier on Monday, November 13, IDF troops continued the raids on the outskirts of the Al-Shati Camp in Gaza, targeting terrorist infrastructure located in central governmental institutions in the heart of the civilian population, including in schools, universities, mosques, and terrorists’ residences.

The troops uncovered a section of the mosque that housed a large number of explosive devices and flammable materials and located a large number of weapons inside the children’s room of the residence of a senior Islamic Jihad terrorist.

In addition, the Israeli military has blown up a Gaza government building just days after vowing there was “no hiding” place for the terror group. Dramatic footage posted to social media shows an explosion at the building before it becomes engulfed in a raging blaze, sending thick plumes of smoke into the sky.

Further, the Hamas terrorist who paraded festival goer Shani Louk’s body through Gaza has been killed by Israel, a rabbi has claimed. Rabbi Shmuley Boteach said the mother of Shani, 23, told him the IDF had killed the “monster” who had his legs over Shani’s motionless body in a truck while screaming “Allahu akbar”. (INN / VFI News)

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has estimated that Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium has reached 22 times the limit set out in the since-collapsed 2015 nuclear accord, according to a new report by the UN nuclear watchdog.

In a confidential quarterly report distributed to member states, the IAEA estimated that, as of October 28, Iran’s total enriched uranium stockpile was at 4,486.8 kilograms, an increase of 691.3 kilograms since the last quarterly report in September 2023. The limit in the 2015 deal was set at 202.8 kilograms.

The IAEA report also said that according to the agency’s assessment, as of October 28, Iran has an estimated 128.3 kilograms (282.9 pounds) of uranium enriched up to 60% purity, which represents an increase of 6.7 kilograms since its September report. Uranium enriched at 60% purity is just a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90%.

In a second confidential report distributed to member states, the watchdog said that no progress has been made on its request that Iran explains the origin and current location of manmade uranium particles found at two locations that Tehran has failed to declare as potential nuclear sites, which the IAEA named as Varamin and Turquzabad.

Meanwhile, the US is extending a sanctions waiver that will allow Iran continued access to $10 billion in previously frozen assets, American media reported Tuesday, November 14.

Iran will be allowed to access upwards of $10 billion in electricity revenue once held in escrow in Iraq; the waiver allows Baghdad to continue purchasing electricity from Iran and, in a change from past policy, for Iran to convert its revenue into euros and draw on the money for budget imports out of Iraq and Oman. (TOI / VFI News)

Join us in this heartfelt appeal for the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas. Together, let's raise awareness, share their stories, and call for their safe return.

A haredi man who frequently visits China for business reasons told Israeli media that he received strange calls from the authorities after taking a stance regarding the war against Hamas online. “I always knew the Chinese keep close tabs on foreign visitors, but I had not imagined that it was to this extent,” he said.

The incident occurred approximately three weeks ago after what was determined to be a failed rocket attack by Islamic Jihad struck the Shifa Hospital in the Gaza Strip. At the time, the Palestinian narrative began to be accepted throughout the world, according to which Israel had launched the rocket. This was later disproved.

The man explained the background of his ordeal: “As I traveled between cities in China, I was chatting with one of my local workers about the war. I denounced Hamas thoroughly and expressed my opinion on how I think the local government should act.”

Chinese authorities seem to have been aware of the conversation. “Approximately half a day later I received a call from the authorities, 'taking interest' in when I was planning to leave the city and the country.”

“This was not the last call I got from them before returning to Israel. I felt pressured, to put it mildly, which shows how much the 'Big Brother' in China can control the populace.” (INN / VFI News)

The BBC, which has presented an editorial slant against Israel for years, was forced to apologize Wednesday, November 15, for falsely accusing Israel Defense Forces of committing war crimes in its attack on a Hamas command node at the Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza.

A BBC presenter falsely claimed twice on air that British media had reported that the IDF had targeted medical teams as well as Arabic speakers, instead of what the news outlet actually reported, which was that the IDF had included medical teams and Arabic speakers on its team. “They are targeting Arabic speakers as well as some of the medical staff there and they are asking all Hamas operatives in the hospital to surrender.”

Later, another presenter offered a muted apology on behalf of the network, stating, “And now, an apology from the BBC. BBC News, as it covered initial reports that Israeli forces had entered Gaza’s main hospital. We said that medical teams and Arabic speakers were being targeted; this was incorrect and misquoted. We should have said IDF forces included medical teams and Arabic speakers for this operation. We apologize for this error, which fell below our usual editorial standards.”

The BBC’s “usual editorial standards” regarding Israel have included, among numerous others, BBC international editor Jeremy Bowen describing leaflets dropped by Israel warning the civilian residents of northern Gaza to move south to safety as “a non-lethal airdrop but full of menace”; BBC News presenter Anjana Gadgil declaring, “the Israeli forces are happy to kill children,”; BBC World Affairs editor John Simpson justifying the BBC’s refusal to describe what he called the “Hamas gunmen who carried out appalling atrocities in southern Israel” as terrorists, and several journalists working for the BBC who posted anti-Israel tweets such as calling Israel the “terrorist apartheid state of Israel” and another that labeled all Israelis “terrorists.” (DW / VFI News)

Nearly 300,000 people rallied in Washington on Tuesday, November 14, at the March for Israel, calling for the release of the hostages held by terrorists in Gaza and invoking the Holocaust while condemning Hamas’s October 7 onslaught with a cry of “Never Again.”

Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations CEO William Daroff said over 290,000 people attended the event, making it the largest pro-Israel gathering in US history. Buses and flights to the US capital were organized by local Jewish federations, schools, synagogues, Israeli expatriate groups, and Jewish community centers, while many more made their own way to the March for Israel.

Marchers held up signs that read “Our love is bigger than their hate,” “Either you stand with Israel or you stand with terrorism,” and “Free hostages, Support Israel, Combat Antisemitism.” The main rally was preceded by a student-led rally.

President Isaac Herzog addressed the rally by video link from the Western Wall in Jerusalem, demanding the return of the hostages held in Gaza, and declaring that “Never Again is Now.”

“Today we come together, as a family, one big mishpacha, to march for Israel. To march for the babies, the boys and girls, women and men viciously held hostage by Hamas. To march for the right of every Jew to live proudly and safely in America, in Israel, and around the world. Above all, we come together to march for good over evil, for human morality over blood thirst. We march for light over darkness,” he said. (TOI / VFI News)

Yeshua’s birthplace has announced that the usual decorations for the city will be taken down and the usual celebrations won’t go ahead “in honor of the martyrs and in solidarity with our people in Gaza.”

The shock move means there will be no huge Christmas tree put up or any decorative lights in Manger Square - the exact spot where Yeshua was said to be born. This is the first time they have been canceled since the modern celebrations began and even during the Covid-19 pandemic the square was still decorated.

A spokesman for the Bethlehem municipality said: “The reason is the general situation in Palestine; people are not really into any celebration, they are sad, angry, and upset; our people in Gaza are being massacred and killed in cold blood.”

“Bethlehem should send out its own message of condolence and mourning.” A Christmas “mass and prayers” is still set to take place but no lights or decorations will be up anywhere in the area.

Bethlehem is a historical town with 25,000 people living there, but it sits just six miles south of Jerusalem in the Palestinian-patrolled Judea and Samaria. Due to the rich religious history, Christians from all around the world go on a pilgrimage to Manger Square and the Church of the Nativity to celebrate the birth of Yeshua. (SUN / VFI News)

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

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