Israel (MNN) -- Two years ago, Hamas fighters broke into Israel, slaughtered 1,200 people, and kidnapped 251. Yet two years later, international pressure has risen on Israel to end its fight against Hamas. Many seem to have forgotten the atrocities Hamas committed on October 7, 2023.
Why is this so? A man we'll call Brother Y points to media coverage as one reason. He is an ex-IDF soldier and a Jew who gave his life to Yeshua the Messiah, serving with Global Catalytic Ministries. He says the press has been almost unanimous in the push against Israel in its struggle.
For example, you will see images of Israeli soldiers with weapons, without understanding what they're doing. Instead of seeing Hamas fighters or masterminds on the other side, "almost 100% of the time you see the populace, who are suffering," says Brother Y.
"So it's very easy to lose your critical thinking when you see that, and just go for your heart. Praise God, people have a heart, and they go by their God-given emotions. But that can really skew the view of reality and what's happening."
At the same time, there have been thousands of casualties in Gaza.
"That breaks our heart, especially as people of the faith," says Brother Y. "And I can tell you that it breaks the hearts of my people Israel who are not yet followers of Messiah. There's a big heartbreak, lots of discussions, lots of protests. 'Let's try to find a better way of doing this.'"
In September 2025, a United Nations inquiry announced its conclusion that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza. Brother Y says this is a debunked myth.
"[In] all of Palestinian Authority-controlled cities, there are zero Jews," he points out. "Inside Israel, there are close to 2 million Arabs living with full rights, unlike any other country in the Middle East. They have full voting, full protest rights. So there's no apartheid. There's no genocide. For two years now, a genocide could have taken place in one week if we wanted, with the weaponries that Israel has."
He speaks bluntly on these things because he interacts with many people who used to stand with Israel. "[They] used to stand -- generally, not with everything," he clarifies. "Neither [do] I stand with everything my government does. But [many would] generally stand with Israel who have now turned their backs, mainly because of media brainwashing."
Israel's enemy is Hamas, not Palestinians. The terrorist group's original 1988 charter, though revised since then, called for the annihilation of Israel. A study published online by Cambridge University Press analyzed the October 7, 2023, attack. It concluded that yes, Hamas's actions meet the criteria for genocide under international law.
In all the evil and suffering of this two-year conflict, Brother Y says there is one Messiah to look to.
"The suffering servant of the Lord, who came into our human suffering, and who says, 'It's neither who's right, you guys are right, or your enemies, or the people on the other side. It's "we're all wrong."' We've all sinned against the mighty God. God reached down and forgave us, His previous enemies, and made us friends and household of God."
One Israeli Jew heard Brother Y sharing the gospel and asked, "As amazing as this message sounds, you really think hearts can change? People who've suffered so much on both sides can suddenly lay down their weapon[s] and say, 'Yes, I see this bleeding Messiah. I see the suffering servant of the Lord'?"
Brother Y replied, "I've seen this again and again, that even when we don't have answers, then we look at Yeshua, who suffered, and He calls us himself, He calls us to receive His heart, and supernaturally, He allows us to forgive on both sides."
This was Brother Y's own story of change. It's also the story of Corrie ten Boom, whom Brother Y told his friend about.
Whatever stance you have on the Israel-Hamas war, please pray for the people caught in the controversies and crossfire.
"Pray for justice and righteousness. Pray for more freedom of information, because that's really important. Information and education, even as [it] is, can bring dialogue," says Brother Y.
"Pray for the workers who are sowing the seeds of the gospel. Pray for the fire, the power of the gospel, to really breathe upon these people who are going out, because I believe eventually, this is the only hope."