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- Evangelical Christians tour October 7 destruction in southern Israel
Evangelical Christians tour October 7 destruction in southern Israel
“Of the probably close to 100 trips I’ve made to Israel, I’ve never made one I thought was more important than this one,” Huckabee told i24NEWS
As a group of Evangelical Christians from the United States stood amid the remnants of Kibbutz Kfar Aza, the sounds of war ripped through the air as Israeli artillery fired towards the Gaza Strip just a few kilometers away.
“We are currently in an active warzone,” explained Captain in reserves Maya, an IDF spokesperson. “In case of a rocket alert, you will either hear a siren or the voice of a woman saying ‘Tzeva Adom’. In that case, we have approximately 10 seconds to enter a bomb shelter.”
Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, a member of the delegation visiting Israel, donned a bullet proof vest as he entered the scene of a massacre.
“Of the probably close to 100 trips I’ve made to Israel, I’ve never made one I thought was more important than this one,” Huckabee told i24NEWS.
He and a group of six others from the U.S. made the trip to Israel 75 days after the October 7th assault by Hamas. More than two months after the attack, the smell of decay still lingered in the air.
“Believers, Christians, have historically stood with Israel,” said Pastor Skip Heitzig from Calvary Church in Albuquerque, New Mexico. “Anybody with a heart who sees these images sees that Israel has been victimized.”
Israeli Knesset Member Danny Danon of the Likud party organized the visit to Kfar Aza, as he wants to continue showing the world why Israel is vigorously fighting against Hamas.
“We appreciate the fact that Evangelical leaders came on Christmas Eve to Israel to stand with us, to pray with us. We don’t take it for granted. We need more time. We need more time to finish the job, to eradicate Hamas and to face evil. And I'm sure when these leaders, when they go back to the U.S., they will speak about their experience here,” said Danon.
Walking through the shattered glass and burnt remains of homes, members of the delegation said it’s their obligation to share the atrocities that happened here on October 7th.
“We can’t sit on the sidelines. We can’t turn a blind eye. We can’t go silent on this,” said Ken Blackwell, former U.S. ambassador to the UN Commission on Human Rights.
“If we stand back and don’t stand with Israel to defeat this monster, we’ll see it on our own shores. And what we’ve seen happen to the families of these Israeli villages will happen in our own communities in America. We shouldn’t be complacent and naive in thinking that it won’t one day come to us,” said Huckabee.
Huckabee’s strong message is one Danon hopes will spread throughout the United States, especially as U.S. leaders pressure Israel to wrap up its military operations.
“You cannot on one hand support Israel and at the same time say you have a stop watch, finish it. We will finish it when Hamas is either surrendering or we bury them in the tunnels. Even if it means we have to politely tell our friends in the U.S. we do not agree, we are committed to doing that. Now it’s about our future, about our lives. We saw what they are capable of doing, we are not going to back off,” Danon emphasized.
Along with the ongoing ground campaign, the delegation of Evangelicals also learned about the efforts to bring home the remaining hostages. After walking through Hostages Square in Tel Aviv, they met with family members of captives who are still held in Gaza.
“I just want to add perhaps a request if I may, from you as leaders of communities. Continue sharing these stories, continue advocating for the hostages every day,” said Moshe Levy, whose brother-in-law, Omri Miran, is still in Hamas hands.
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The delegation received dog tags that read "BRING THEM HOME," a sign of solidarity that has become a common sight around Israel. All of them proudly wore the memorabilia around their necks. After speaking to the family members and hearing their pain, members of the delegation vowed to spread their stories.
“It gives you more credibility when you go back and say, 'I was there, I talked with people, I saw firsthand what took place,'” Blackwell told us.
They witnessed the horrors firsthand, standing on top of charred ground that was once a beautiful community in southern Israel. Their message was clear: Now, more than ever, the Evangelical Christians stand with Israel.
“I leave here first grieving for the pain, the hurt, the unimaginable horror. But I also leave here with an extraordinary resolve to more than ever stand with Israel,” said Huckabee.