U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday. Their meeting follows a heart-wrenching Saturday when the Hamas terror group released three more hostages to their families. Monday also marks 500 days since the October 7th, 2023, attacks.
While Israelis have suffered in many ways for more than 16 months, so have the country's forests and animals. CBN News traveled north to visit an important park that reopened after more than a year.
Three Israeli hostages held for 498 days by Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists in Gaza were released Saturday in exchange for more than 360 Palestinian prisoners in Israel, many with blood on their hands.
Israeli authorities confirmed they received three Israeli men held hostage in the Gaza Strip on Saturday after Hamas handed them over to the Red Cross in exchange for more than 300 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails. The three are Iair Horn, 46, Sagui Dekel Chen, 36, and Alexander (Sasha) Troufanov, 29. All are dual nationals.
!["The 21:" A powerful new animated film marks 10 years since Christians were martyred at the hands of ISIS.](https://cmsedit.cbn.com/sites/default/files/styles/image_xl_640x480/public/the21movie_si.jpg?itok=RRhLaWyh ""The 21:" A powerful new animated film marks 10 years since Christians were martyred at the hands of ISIS.")
Ten years ago, ISIS terrorists marched 21 Christian men to their deaths on a Libyan beach. Their story of faith, sacrifice, and eternal hope is now being memorialized in a new animated film.
Israelis marked the holiday of Tu B'Shivat on Thursday, the New Year of the Trees, which is celebrated by planting new trees. Tu B'Shivat comes from the command in Leviticus 19:23, which says, "When you enter the Land and plant any tree for food, you shall regard its fruit as forbidden. Three years it shall be forbidden for you, not to be eaten."
Palestinian Authority officials claim they are dropping the "pay to slay" policy whereby convicted terrorists who were recently released in the ceasefire-hostage deal with Hamas received millions of dollars for killing Israelis.
Saturday noon (Israel Time) is the deadline for Hamas to release more Israeli hostages. Hamas, Israel, and President Donald Trump are all focused on that time frame. Hamas is indicating it's ready to release three more hostages on Saturday. Israel warns that it must, or it's war.
Bishop Robert Stearns, founder of Eagles' Wings Ministries, has been bringing U.S. pastors for years to cement the alliance between Christian evangelicals and Israel. On this visit, he was here with Pastor Samuel Rodriguez, one of the foremost leaders in the Latino evangelical movement.
It’s been said that “Letter writing is an art. But it is more than that. Letter writing is heart.”