Worthy Christian News » Christian Dies As Israeli Offensive Continues

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By George Whitten, Jerusalem Bureau Chief

JERUSALEM, ISRAEL (Worthy News) – A young Christian girl has died in the Gaza Strip, amid growing signs minority Christians there are caught in the crossfire as the Israeli army continues its offensive against militants of the Hamas group, Worthy News learned Thursday, January 8.

The girl, aged 14, died of a heart attack caused by shock while watching an explosion from a missile fired by the Israeli Air Force, which destroyed a Hamas controlled building, Christians told Worthy News.

Christians did not want to identify her, saying they are increasingly forced to go underground following attacks against them by Islamic militants in the area. Militants have accused Christians of supporting Israel and observing a "Western religion."

The girl, whose name is known to Worthy News, was among the up to 3,000 Christians still living in the Gaza Strip. Many believers gather in secret for worship services after militants targeted churches and killed the director of a Christian bookstore, advocacy groups and local believers said.

MORE TENSIONS

News of the killing, the first confirmed Christian victim of the Israeli operation, came as Israel entered its 12th day of Operation Cast Lead, a major offensive the Israeli Defense Forces say is aimed at ending rocket attacks from Hamas against Israel, fired from Gaza.

While the IDF encountered fierce resistance, they also reported what the military described as miracles. A squad of soldiers was reportedly nearly killed when a suicide bomber leaped into their midst, however his bomb-vest failed to detonate.  He was captured and disarmed.

The IDF said it also uncovered a cache of weapons, explosives, additional booby traps and smuggling tunnels.

“The war is being taken out of the control of generals, and placed into the control of lieutenants and captains as the war moves into an urban warfare stage,” a former Israeli commander told Worthy News.

AIR STRIKES CONTINUE

Israeli aircraft has struck dozens of targets throughout the Gaza Strip including rocket launching sites, bunkers, and hidden weapons tunnels some of which were located under the homes of Hamas operatives.

The IDF said it also stepped up operations to destroy smuggling tunnels along the Philadelphi Corridor, the thin area separating Gaza and Egypt.

An unnamed United Nations officials quoted by the Jerusalem Post newspaper said flyers were dropped preceding the operation saying, “Because Hamas uses your houses to hide and smuggle military weapons, the IDF will attack the area, between the Egyptian border until the beach road.”

However UN officials have also criticized Israel for using "disproportionate" force as hundreds of Palestinians have reportedly been killed and thousands injured in the operation, including many women and children.  Israel said the high death toll is because Hamas uses people as "human shields" and its militants are hiding in civilian buildings such as schools and apartment blocks.

"MIRACLES" REPORTED

Despite the offensive, rocket attacks continue. Two Grad missiles reportedly struck the city of Be’er Sheva late Wednesday, January 7, causing no causalities. Residents there have compared the situation with the town of Sderot, which has been under rocket attacks for years.

"We don’t quite understand what Sderot is going through, because they’ve been under attack for years and they have only 15 seconds to run into a bomb shelter. In Be’er Sheva we have about a minute to get to a bomb shelter, but we’re beginning to understand what the residents of Sderot have been dealing with”, Howard Bass, Messianic Leader in Be’er Sheva told Worthy News.

On Thursday, January 8, there were also reports that three rockets were fired on Israel from suspected Hamas' supporters of the Hezbollah group, based in Lebanon.

However Jews in Sderot said that despite the attacks God is "protecting" them. "The miracles of God continue to be poured out,” said Yeshai Reinhardt, director of humanitarian aid group Hands of Mercy.  “Yesterday an alarm sounded and within 100 meters from our office a rocket fell. Just seconds before the rocket fell, a mini-bus carrying a dozen or so passengers heard the sirens and the driver pulled over and they all ran to the bomb shelters," he told Worthy News. "They were safe, however the van they were driving the rear windows were completely blown out. If they were still inside the van – I’m sure everyone would have died."

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