Thousands of Palestinians are fleeing northern Gaza, the United Nations reports, as Israeli ground and air campaigns intensify.

Uncharted Ministries’ Tom Doyle says, “Our hearts go out to the Palestinians; they have no place to go. Their own people (Muslims) would not accept them in Egypt and other countries. They’ve refused; they’ve all said, ‘No Palestinian refugees.’”

Meanwhile, Hezbollah warns of regional war, and world leaders push for a “pause” in fighting.

Uncharted partners with and supports both Jewish and Palestinian Christian leaders. More about that here.

On both sides of this war, “there’s a lot of ministry happening [to alleviate] human needs and suffering,” Doyle says.

“People on both sides of the fence want no harm to each other. They both want to see the terrorist groups pulled out of Gaza so that people can have a normal life.”

Muslim-background believers in Gaza say, “Palestinians [have] hunkered down. They are trying to help feed people [and] minister to them. Everybody’s afraid,” Doyle says.

“On the Israel side, there’s a lot of things happening with food and relocation. Six of the Holocaust survivors we’re privileged to work with and serve in southern Israel were killed.”

Pray that people in the region will turn to Jesus for lasting hope instead of a political solution.

“Many people in the world think if we just get more money, a better location, or better schooling for the kids … the hatred they have for the people around them will evaporate. But we’re seeing that isn’t true,” Doyle says.

“What we’re seeing has been shocking to the world. But I think we have a different worldview as the Church. [We believe] there’s a deeper problem: the sin problem. Until people are pulled out of that and transformed by Christ, there’s not going to be the change we’re hoping for.”

Header image depicts an IDF tank in the Gaza Strip. (Wikimedia Commons)

The U.S. and others are reportedly looking at options for Gaza’s future, with Secretary of State Antony Blinken heading to the region today. Meanwhile, Hamas decries outside interference.

(Wikimedia Commons/Kobi Gideon)

Israel’s war with Hamas began nearly a month ago when the terrorist group slaughtered over 1,400 people in a horrific October 7 attack. Uncharted Ministries’ Tom Doyle says today Christians in the region may be at risk as a result of anti-Jewish sentiment.

Groups and individuals that carry animosity toward Jews often hate believers, too, he explains. “With terrorist groups like Hamas, there are two targets. It’s Jews and then Christians,” Doyle says.

“Even in [the] mantra that they shout out, they’re talking about eradicating the Jews, and they’re angry at Christians, too.”

Antisemitism rose globally as the Israel-Hamas war raged in October.

Antisemitic incidents in the United Kingdom surged 300 percent during the first four days of the conflict. Dozens of anti-Jewish rioters stormed a Russian airport. The U.S. Anti-Defamation League reported 312 antisemitic incidents in two weeks.

“Once that evil is stirred up, it just seems to spread,” Doyle says.

“Over time, we see that antisemitism [and] Christian persecution seem to grow together; that same antisemitic spirit [calling] people to rejoice over the death of Jews has been present in Christian persecution.”

Religious, political, and ethnic differences may drive a wedge between Jewish and Palestinian populations, but Christ unites.

Amir*, a Palestinian believer from a Muslim background, used to wear a permanent scowl, and his words were full of poison. Then, he heard the Gospel and accepted Jesus. Today, Amir radiates the joy and peace of Christ.

“One of the things that happened was he didn’t hate Jews or Israel anymore. As he read the New Testament, where [Christians are] called to love our enemies, [Amir] realized he had always hated them (Jews.) He laid that down [and prayed,] ‘God, forgive me, I don’t want to hate anyone!’” Doyle says.

Now, “He’s been sending [text] messages to Israelis saying, ‘We’re praying for you in the Gaza Strip, pray for us, too.’”

As you watch current events unfold, remember to pray. Ask the Lord to protect and encourage the minority Christian communities in Israel and Gaza.

“It’s not just a conflict over land. It’s a spiritual war raging in the heavens that’s much bigger than the nation of Israel and the Muslim countries,” Doyle says.

*Pseudonym

Header image depicts an Israeli tank circa 2007. (Wikimedia Commons)

Israel began a big push into the Gaza Strip on Friday and renewed calls for people to move out of the war zone, but many Palestinians have reportedly stayed in Gaza City.

“Hamas blocked the Palestinians from getting out; this is what we’re [hearing] from Palestinians in Gaza,” Uncharted Ministries’ Tom Doyle says.

Missile explosion in the Gaza Strip in conflict between Israel and Hamas.
(Wikimedia Commons)

Israel’s military claims that it struck more than 600 militant targets after expanding ground operations in the Gaza Strip.

Meanwhile, on the Israel-Lebanon border, nearly 50 members of Hezbollah – a Hamas ally – have been killed since the Israel-Hamas war began four weeks ago. The border clashes are the deadliest since Hezbollah and Israel fought a full-scale war in 2006.

“A lot of (Jewish) families had to leave the north because of the rocket attacks; Holocaust survivors and refugees have been taken to hotels by the Dead Sea to get away from all the attacks,” Doyle says.

Uncharted Ministries supports believers on both sides of the conflict. Contact Uncharted here to request a detailed prayer guide.

“We’re seeing text messages going back and forth; Palestinian and Jewish believers are coming together and supporting each other, which is a beautiful thing – to see the body of Christ operating that way,” Doyle says.

“The news, politics, everything would divide, but the love of Christ unites.”

Ask Uncharted how you can help support church leaders. “We’re helping on both sides, Palestinians and Israelis. They each have different needs,” Doyle says.

“God’s heart is big enough to love Jews and Arabs. As the church, we want to bring the love of Christ into this situation and help them both.”

Header image depicts Israeli President Yitzhak Herzog Berhat meeting with heads of Bedouin authorities from the south and families of those kidnapped and murdered during the brutal terrorist attack of October 7.  (Photo credit: Amos Ben Gershom/L.A.M./Wikimedia Commons)

The U.N. secretary-general is reportedly traveling to Egypt while U.S. President Joe Biden heads to Tel Aviv for talks with Israeli leaders. Biden will also meet with Arab leaders to discuss humanitarian aid access to Gaza.

“Our president is over there, and it’s a good thing; hopefully, America is going to be a partner to Israel and a friend of the Palestinians,” says Tom Doyle, co-founder of U.S.-based Uncharted Ministries.

“We were just talking with some new believers in Gaza, and it’s a horrific situation.”

(Photo courtesy of Uncharted Ministries)

Over a half-million people fled to southern Gaza this weekend after Israel issued evacuation warnings. Thousands remain stuck at the closed Egyptian border as supplies run desperately low.

Tensions are high at the Rafah border crossing amid continuing airstrikes. Israel does not want humanitarian aid to enter Gaza, while Egypt says it will not accept refugees. Learn why and how the Rafah crossing became a flashpoint in this war.

Hundreds of foreign nationals are said to be among the crowds at Rafah.

“The war in Israel is very close to becoming a regional war. If it does go regional, then it becomes something much bigger. We have to pray that it [does] not spread because this has global implications,” Doyle says.

“This is not the ‘same old, same old’ [situation]. This could develop into a war that affects every man, woman, and child on the planet.”

Pray for the Israel-Hamas war to end. Ask the Lord to open doors so Uncharted church partners can miraculously reach needy people with food and water.

Contact Uncharted Ministries directly for more information and ways to help.

Header image depicts Israeli President Yitzhak Herzog meeting with majority leader of the United States Senate Chuck Schumer and members of his delegation in Tel Aviv. (Photo credit: Haim Tzach/L.A.M./Wikimedia Commons)

The top U.S. official will also “talk about what additional resources we can give them,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said yesterday.

Speaking to reporters traveling with him in Brussels, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin confirmed that a “small group” of U.S. special operations forces are helping their Israeli counterparts with planning and intelligence in operations against Hamas.

On Sunday, a retired four-star U.S. Army general told MSNBC’s “Weekends With Alex Witt” that the U.S. would likely come to Israel’s defense if the conflict escalated beyond proxy fighting to involve countries like Iran or Syria.

According to The Institute for the Study of War, Israeli forces currently face a triple threat from Islamic militants supported by Iran. Military analysts describe the dangers posed by Hamas in the south, Hezbollah in the north, and Hamas allies in the West Bank.

Uncharted Ministries’ Tom Doyle adds militants in neighboring Syria as another possible threat.

“The terrorism there’s [on] all sides [from militants] that are possibly going to attack Israel. If that happens, it goes from a war to a regional war,” Doyle explains.

“That’s a big step because when a regional war happens, the big nations start lining up, and we already know who will line up with whom.”

Uncharted Ministries partners with believers inside Israel and the Gaza Strip. More about that here.

No matter what happens next in the Israel-Hamas war, “Jesus is still on the throne, and we’re hearing miracle stories already about divine interventions,” Doyle says.

“When the dust settles, we’ll be able to bring forth all the stories about what Jesus did.”

Missile explosion in the Gaza Strip in conflict between Israel and Hamas.
(Wikimedia Commons)

For example, Doyle describes how one young woman trapped in a Palestinian area found freedom. “She was by herself, hiding under a bed for two days,” he says.

“Terrorists beat on the door several times looking for people, and miraculously, God orchestrated [a way] for her to get out of that area into Jerusalem.”

Some Muslim-background believers in Gaza tell the Uncharted team, “Even though the fighting was in their apartment buildings, they’ve survived!”

To protect the individuals involved, we cannot describe every detail. However, there’s enough information to reflect the faithfulness of our Lord.

Consider sharing these hope stories the next time you discuss current events with a neighbor.

“We, as believers, need to be the salt and light of Jesus because we have a chance to set the tone right now,” Doyle says.

“Talk about the miracles that are happening today, and bring the light of Christ to the conversation. Don’t get political on all this; be the body of Christ and reach out to people.”

Header image depicts the territory involved in the current Israel-Hamas war. (Wikimedia Commons)

Israel is expected to launch a ground incursion, and it cut off electricity, food, and fuel to Gaza yesterday. A formal declaration of war on Sunday followed the deadliest raid on Israel’s territory in 50 years.

On Saturday morning, “2,000 terrorists walked out of the Gaza Strip into Israel, then started kidnapping and killing people. Nobody knew what was happening. That was at the end of a Jewish holiday, and it was Shabbat,” Uncharted Ministries’ Tom Doyle says.

“We haven’t seen anything this massive since the Yom Kippur War in 1973.”

Christians suffer on both sides as the death toll continues to soar. Learn how Uncharted Ministries partners with believers in Israel and the Gaza Strip here.

“[Many of our] friends in Israel are saying, ‘I have a cousin, I have a nephew that is missing or got called up into the military, and we don’t know where they are,’” Doyle says.

“In Gaza, there’s an underground church of Muslim background believers we’re praying for [because] we haven’t heard from them.”

A rocket hit a vehicle in Rishon Lezion.
(Wikimedia Commons)

Analysts fear the war will spill across borders. Iran and its proxies praised the incursion on Sunday. “We’re praying that the northern border holds as Hezbollah is trying to attack Israel,” Doyle says.

“Hezbollah is armed to the teeth in Lebanon, and they’re also financed by Iran. Iran is the major player behind this [present conflict.]”

We cannot alter the current events in Israel. But we know the God who holds the nations in His hands. Pray for the war to end.

“It’s easy to choose sides and say things against the other side, but God loves Jews and Palestinians. There’s room in His heart to love them both,” Doyle says.

“Pray for [no further] loss of life on either side. Pray that the Lord would intervene, bring calm into this region, and keep it from spiraling into something worse than it already is.”

Find more prayer suggestions here from International Prayer Connections.

Header image depicts the remains of the Sderot city police station. (Photo by Yoav Keren/Wikimedia Commons)

Mohammed*, a Syrian refugee, thought he would meet the same fate one stormy day this spring.

“He’s out on the Mediterranean [Sea] in one of these little boats that could fall apart with the right wave,” Uncharted Ministries’ Tom Doyle says.

“He was scared; he thought everybody would die in the boat.”

Then, Mohammed remembered the miracle he had read about before he left. “Some Christian friends gave him a Bible, he read some stories about Jesus, and he remembered the story about Jesus calming the sea,” Doyle says.

“He stood up and said, ‘Jesus, I know You did this before, would You calm the sea, please? We don’t want to drown.’”

The waves quieted, and eventually, the little boat made it to shore.

“They all survived. [Mohammed] got to Germany, met some former Muslims doing outreach, and told them the story,” Doyle says.

“He was ready to receive Jesus; they led him to faith in Christ. He’s been discipled now.”

Connect with Uncharted Ministries here for more accounts like this one.

“Great things are happening, and God is moving in powerful ways,” Doyle says.

“We need to keep our chin up and find out how God is moving among Muslims and other people groups that need to be reached as well.”

*Pseudonym

Header image depicts refugees crossing the Mediterranean Sea in 2016. (Wikimedia Commons)

One analyst tells Euronews that Syria’s illicit Captagon dealings in the Arabian Peninsula are three times larger than the trade produced by Mexican cartels.

“The Syrian government, through Bashar Assad, is producing Captagon, ‘the poor man’s cocaine.’ It’s the drug of choice in the Middle East and North Africa,” Tom Doyle of Uncharted Ministries says.

“Right now, [Syria is] the leading producer of it, and that’s how the government is making money.”

Although most church buildings in Aleppo are damaged, the congregations are uniting to help anyone in need. (Photo, caption courtesy of TWR)

Meanwhile, “people working normal jobs are not making enough money to sustain themselves. Someone we know who is an engineer in Syria is being paid $7 a month,” Doyle says.

“The bus that takes him to work costs more than $7.”

This summer, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) announced that 90 percent of Syrians lived below the poverty line and desperately needed help to survive. Last month, deteriorating living conditions pushed many people to the streets demanding change.

“People are desperate; they’re stealing, there’s kidnapping, the worst social problems you can imagine,” Doyle says.

“That’s the bad news. But the good news is when people are amid desperation, there is a heightened response to the Gospel.”

Desperation drives Capagon use as well as production. However, while Captagon results in a temporary high, Gospel truth leads to everlasting hope.

“Our national leaders in Syria are saying that this is an incredibly fruitful time for the Gospel,” Doyle says.

“Everything else in the country is broken, but Jesus is rescuing [people]; good things are happening in Syria.”

Use the prompts listed alongside this article to pray for believers in Syria. “They’re asking for prayer and saying, ‘Believers in the West, would you pray for us once a week? Put that on your calendar, we need your prayers,’” Doyle says.

“A good day to pray would be on Friday because it’s the day of prayer for Muslims, and of course, that’s the majority of the people in Syria.”

Header image depicts 127 bags of Captagon seized in Syria before being destroyed on May 31, 2018. The Syrian government sponsors the largest Captagon drug production and smuggling network in the world, contributing to more than 80 percent of global supply. (Wikimedia Commons)

Uncharted Ministries’ Tom Doyle says it’s part of a broader trend. “There’s just not that general excitement, that fervency to spread Islam that we saw when we started going to the Middle East 25 years ago,” he explains.

“We see tolerance for it. In places like the Gaza Strip, people are forced to make that the issue. For at least ten years, we’ve seen attendance [declining] in mosques, and many Muslims, especially young ones, becoming agnostic.”

Additionally, “we’ve been privileged to go into Iran a couple of times, and [in] the mosques that we visited, we didn’t see any young people; just a bunch of old people, and there weren’t that many of them. We saw the same thing in Syria, in Iraq,” Doyle says.

“I think we’re seeing the collapse of Islam.”

You could say the same about Christianity in America. Church attendance is down across denominations. However, Muslims in the Middle East are not only turning away from Islam. Many are turning to Jesus.

You won’t see them listed on a church roster. “Former Muslim communities meet together in secret,” Doyle says.

“They can’t go into a regular above-ground church; they go to an underground church. An online community of believers meets in several formats because of fear and the need for security.”

Uncharted Ministries partners with secret Christians throughout the Middle East, and you can, too. Contact Uncharted here to learn more.

“You can give and help support the underground churches in difficult places like Iran, Syria, Afghanistan, Pakistan,” Doyle says.

Or, get training from Uncharted so you can reach a Muslim neighbor for Christ. “We do a seminar [called] ‘How to love Muslims to Christ,’” Doyle says.

“Start learning how to build relationships with Muslims, getting some practical help; [there is] inspiration, and then some on-the-job training.”

Header image is a stock photo depicting an empty mosque. (Photo courtesy of mohammad ramezani/Pexels)

That claim does not hold true today, especially for Christians from a Jewish background known as Messianic Jews. “They’re not being killed like Muslim-background believers are in Muslim countries, but they are being pressured,” Uncharted Ministries’ Tom Doyle says.

“Jewish[-background] believers were showing us videos of ultra-Orthodox [Jews] breaking up meetings, blowing whistles in their faces, screaming at them.”

Only two percent of Israel’s eight million people identify as Christian, and Messianic Jews comprise an even smaller community.

Israeli law protects religious minorities, but “it is that spirit from the first century that Jesus and the apostles faced – you cannot be Jewish and believe in Jesus,” Doyle says.

“You can be an atheist Jew or a secular Jew. But if you are a Jew that embraces Jesus as Messiah, you’re no longer a Jew.”

Ask the Lord to strengthen and encourage believers from Jewish backgrounds in Israel. Attacks targeting Christians have increased since the new right-wing government came to power earlier this year. Victims say police do little to catch or punish the attackers.

“In some political circles or educational circles, when it’s found out they (believers) are a Messianic Jew, they become a ‘persona non grata’ and lose everything,” Doyle says.

“We (Christians) know Jesus as Yeshua. If you talk to a Jewish Orthodox and say, ‘Have you heard of Yeshua?’ they probably will say no. They hear the term ‘Yeshu,’ which is an acrostic for, ‘may his name be blotted out forever.’”

Uncharted Ministries raises awareness of the Gospel needs among today’s Jewish communities in Israel and beyond. Learn more here and find your place in the story!

Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of Jonny Gios/Unsplash.