Yesterday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approved a full military occupation of Gaza in order to free the remaining hostages.

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From The New York Post:

The expansion of the war would see the military, which already controls about 75% of Gaza, take over the remaining areas and conduct operations where the hostages are believed to be held, the Jerusalem Post reported.

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Senior Israeli officials who discussed the occupation plan with Netanyahu believe that Hamas will not free the remaining 50 hostages without being forced to surrender, local Channel 12 reported.

That view has put pressure on Netanyahu and his cabinet following the recent release of Hamas propaganda videos showing emaciated hostages suffering and begging for food and water inside the terror group’s tunnels.

Previously, the IDF had assessed that full occupation was not the answer, as it could cause harm to the remaining hostages, 20 of whom, the post notes, are still believed to be alive. Israel has also faced worldwide backlash over the conditions in Gaza, and many have accused the Jewish state of starving the inhabitants of the Gaza Strip.

As he faces backlash, however, Netanyahu has decided that he and the IDF need to act fast. The living hostages in Gaza had been held by terrorists for nearly 2 years now. IDF soldiers will need to be swift to rescue them. They’ll also need to be cunning and stealthy, as Hamas has reportedly ordered its members to kill the hostages if Israeli soldiers are drawing near.

The question is whether America will support Israel in this new, more intense stage of the war. Luckily, those prayers may have been answered already over the weekend. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson prayed in front of the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem for “America [to] always stand with Israel.”

From The Daily Wire:

“We are grateful for the privilege of being here in Israel today, particularly on this day,” Johnson said, alluding to how it was Tisha B’Av, the annual day in the Jewish calendar of mourning that marks the destruction of the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem.

“It is a moving time for us to be here at the Wailing Wall. We’ve offered our prayers. We put our notes into the wall as is traditional. And we’re so moved by the hospitality of the people and the great love of Israel,” Johnson added. “Our prayer is that America will always stand with Israel and we pray for the preservation and peace of Jerusalem. That’s what scripture tells us to do, it’s a matter of faith for us, and a commitment that we have.”

At a time when many are turning on Israel, it would seem that our leaders are allied with God’s chosen nation. Let’s thank God for this, and let’s pray that the IDF would be successful in its mission to free the hostages and defeat Hamas!

Share your prayers for Israel below.

(Excerpts from The New York Post and The Daily Wire. Photo Credit: ABIR SULTAN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)