Witness to Tragedy and Resilience: A Journey Through Tel Aviv and Kfar Aza
I had the opportunity to visit downtown Tel Aviv. I was staying by the shore at the same hotel where we stayed with the FaithWalk 14 group on October 7th. Downtown Tel Aviv has become a focal point for the families and friends of Israeli hostages. As I visited the Tel Aviv Art Museum plaza—located across from the Kirya, Israel’s equivalent of the Pentagon—I saw numerous reminders of the hostages still being held in Gaza. A long table was set with a place for each missing person, symbolizing their absence from home, family, and meals, while longing for their return to Israel.
In addition to vigils and personal tributes, the plaza features stories and artwork expressing the anguish of the families, the Israeli people, and those worldwide who stand with them. However, many remain blind to the reality of the situation, led by emotions rather than facts. These memorials serve as a testament to the enduring hope and belief in the hostages' return.
The rest of my day was spent meeting with business leaders in Tel Aviv and preparing for the following day’s visit to Kfar Aza.
Originally, my visit to Kfar Aza was scheduled for Thursday morning, but it was postponed to the afternoon due to the arrival of unscheduled dignitaries. I left my hotel in Tel Aviv early in the afternoon for the 40-mile drive south. Because of the zigzagging route required for security reasons, the trip took over an hour. About 20 minutes into my drive, I began receiving alerts from my First Alert Israel and Home Command apps warning of incoming missile launches. Soon after, I heard sirens. Drivers on the highway veered to the roadside for cover. I quickly maneuvered my rental car under an overpass and waited for the attack to end. Later, I learned that over 30 rockets had been launched toward Tel Aviv and its surrounding areas. Thanks to the Iron Dome, none of them landed in the city or struck civilians.
Since our group's arrival on October 7th, there have been 76 consecutive days of rocket attacks targeting civilians without military justification. This is an unprecedented onslaught against innocent populations.
Once the all-clear was given, I continued south to my meeting point in Shuva, where I awaited approval from the IDF liaison team to enter Kfar Aza.
All visitors to the kibbutz required prior IDF approval, with submitted biographies, backgrounds, and reasons for their visit. Before my trip, I knew that Kfar Aza was a place I needed to see and experience firsthand.
At 3:00 PM, I received clearance to drive the one mile to Kfar Aza, located in the northeastern corner of Gaza. The kibbutz was one of the first places attacked on October 7th. Terrorists entered through the back gate, closest to the Gaza border.
Kfar Aza was known as one of the friendliest places in Israel and the region. Its residents were a warm, engaging community that regularly helped Gazans by offering jobs, community services, and even healthcare. A large plastic factory in the kibbutz employed hundreds of workers from Gaza. Tragically, some of those very workers helped the terrorists by providing intelligence on the mayor’s house, security personnel, and key locations. This attack was not spontaneous—it was premeditated and well-orchestrated, involving terrorists on the ground as well as paragliders who stormed in, firing weapons as they landed.
The section of Kfar Aza closest to the back gate housed young adults and couples in their early 20s. They had recently received funding for a friendly competition to create the best garden, fostering community spirit. Among them was the mayor’s son, Nizren. On October 7th, he stepped outside to see how he could help and was gunned down within minutes at his doorstep.
The terrorists not only murdered and terrorized but also allowed masses of so-called "innocent civilians" to loot and steal from the village. These civilians knew the attack was coming and participated in the horror.
As someone who has experienced war—having served in the First Gulf War and witnessed the Highway of Death—I can say that those military targets were nothing like what happened here. This was not war against soldiers. It was pure butchery against civilians—women, children, and the elderly. What happened in Kfar Aza, Kfar Be’eri, Nir Oz, and other kibbutzim is beyond words. The acts committed were barbaric and sadistic, atrocities of an inhumane level that defy written description.
What’s Next
Release the hostages—NOW. No negotiations. No concessions. Hamas does not get options.
Sadly, world leaders, institutions, and so-called intellectuals—especially in the U.S.—continue to be blind, confused, and foolish in their support for Hamas and Hezbollah.
Immediate action is needed to free the 10-month-old baby, her young sister, the women, and the elderly. Hamas must be destroyed, and a safe future for Gaza and Israel must be established.
For those who have ears to hear, seek the Lord. Pray for Shalom, healing, and recovery.
Not to engage in a theological debate, but what I witnessed aligns with the events described in Ezekiel 37 and 38. Are we witnessing the beginning of the birth pains of Christ’s return? Time will tell. But one thing is certain—the Light will shine strongest in the darkness.