Negotiations over the Israel-Hamas war are zeroing in on a ceasefire deal of one to two months in exchange for all remaining Israeli hostages being held captive in Gaza. The continued barrier to progress in the discussions is a disagreement over how to end the Gaza war permanently. Hamas officials have so far refused to come to an agreement that does not include a permanent ceasefire, a complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip, and the release of more Palestinian prisoners.

Pray against all the selfish intentions that prolong the Israel-Hamas war (The Holy Bible, Psalm 34:14).

Pray that Hamas will engage in the negotiations and agree to the two-state solution. May peaceful resolutions be reached soon, in Jesus’s Mighty Name (The Holy Bible, Matthew 5:9).

On October 7, 2023, more than 3,000 rockets fired by Hamas (a militant group in the Palestinian territory) rained on southern Israeli towns. In a subsequent assault by land and sea, Hamas killed over 1000 Israelis, 22 American citizens, and several other foreign tourists. In addition, several hundred Israeli citizens and tourists are held hostage by Hamas to try and soften an Israeli response. As in the past, the terrorist organization badly underestimated the resolve of their Jewish opponent. After a fierce missile and aerial attack that killed nearly a thousand Palestinians in Gaza and more than 50 casualties in the West Bank, the Israel Defense Force (IDF) mobilized thousands of reserves for a ground war. With a Unified Government for the War on Hamas leading the charge, Israel aims to erase the terrorist organization from existence. The attack caught Israeli intelligence agencies by surprise. Ironically, the attacks happened because Israeli troops relocated from the south to protect settlements in the West Bank in recent months.

One in two Tajik women are believed to have been victims of domestic violence. For the sake of family honor, Tajik women are expected to endure domestic violence. They have grown up seeing their mothers, grandmothers, neighbors, and friends take beatings. This normalization of violence makes it hard for them to see it as a crime. Many women commit suicide with their children due to the harsh treatment by their husbands and families. A report by Human Rights Watch said that Tajikistan’s Family Violence Law does not recognize domestic violence as a crime. This lack of recognition means many women suffer without legal protection.

Father GOD, keep the women in Tajikistan as the apple of Your eye. Let them be protected under the shadow of Your wings (The Holy Bible, Psalm 17:8-9).

Pray for the Tajik government to implement stringent laws to end domestic violence and to protect the women in the country (The Holy Bible, Leviticus 25:17).

Tajikistan is the poorest country in Central Asia. A slew of internal and external armed conflicts prevented any economic growth since the formation of the republic in 1991. While half of the 9 million people are under 25, Tajikistan hosts the largest Muslim population in Central Asia. A prominent saying in Tajikistan states that Only a Muslim is a True Tajik. Consequentially, Christian converts from Islam face the severest of persecution. Only state-authorized Russian Orthodox churches operate without persecution. Classified as “Extremist” in nature, all protestant churches face different levels of extreme persecution against them.