There was one very important thing that we had to do before Tisha B’Av began. Something that added a small spark of hope into tonight’s mourning.
The IDF is expanding operations in Khan Younis. It’s a dangerous mission, in the home city of Hamas chief, Yahya Sinwar. Our troops are walking through enemy territory, between darkened alleys, in the line of sight of bloodthirsty snipers, and into buildings rigged with explosives. They’re searching for remaining rocket launchers, weapons, terrorists, and tunnels. At any moment, armed terrorists can jump out of camouflaged tunnel shafts, and open fire.
Our soldiers use drones to search inside buildings and around alley corners. But they needed a solution for their wider surroundings—something constant. Last month, the team at Chamal Gederot put together a new advanced surveillance system. With the system cameras set up on top of a crane or high building, troops can now get a clear view of every detail in the neighborhood, day and night, with a view so good that they can see and recognize faces from kilometers away, even in the pitch dark. It gives our soldiers a clear advantage; they can now be alerted to danger before the danger even sees them.
Today it was time to deliver the third system. This one is starting off in Khan Younis tonight, and will later head north to help with the war in Lebanon. We met up with Alice, and drove to a military outpost right near the border. The $14,400 system was sponsored by my readers, in a campaign to help our soldiers.
The troops immediately felt the love. They told us how the systems are literally saving their lives, and helping them win the war against Hamas. They asked us to pass on their gratitude to everyone who donated. Of course, they then told my kids to hop into an IDF “Davidi” armored personnel carrier for a joy ride.
It is said that the Second Beit HaMikdash was destroyed, and the Jewish nation scattered into exile, because we fought too much. We held onto hatred for no reason, and we lacked unity. Tonight, IDF soldiers are in Khan Younis, selflessly fighting for our safety—and they are being guided and protected by systems bought with pure love, by a united people spread around the world.
Perhaps this is the year that our pain will finally turn into joy, and our homes will all return to Jerusalem. And when it does—I hope you’ll know that you took part in making it happen.
