In a move that should sicken any sensible person, it has been recently reported by several news agencies that the radical Islamic organization known as Hamas has been training children to carry out terrorist actions in Gaza and Israel. Hamas has been the de facto governing authority of the Gaza Strip since its takeover of that area in 2007 and has instigated numerous conflicts with Israel. A video clip released by the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) showed a televised graduation ceremony at a Hamas youth camp in Gaza. At the ceremony, suicide terror attacks against Israel who hey refer to as the “Zionist enemy,” were encouraged and glorified by Hamas officials. The ceremony, for some 1,000 students who took part in camps in the southern city of Khan Yunis, was framed as part of the group’s plan to continue its armed conflict with Israel.
Teaching Children Military Tactics
According to the international news agency AFP, Hamas official Ashraf Abu Zayed said the training is necessary within the framework of “preparing for the liberation of Palestine.” Abu Zayed told AFP “We are trying to invest the younger generation and guide them towards the liberation project.” To carry out this training boys between 15 and 18 years of age were put through military drills at the week-long camp, including shooting drills using live ammunition and training in scouting skills to gather information about Israeli troop positions and help determine other targets for terrorist attacks. This is far from an isolated incident. Hamas has been running these summer camps for a few years and Hamas’s overtly “military wing,” the Izz Al-Din Al-Qassam Brigades, has also regularly trained children at its camps teaching them military skills, such as the use of automatic weapons, and also uses the children in the simulated kidnapping of Israeli soldiers.
Relevant Scripture Passages
Sadly, the Bible indicates that humanity – without a saving relationship with Jesus – is readily debased enough to carry out such actions as training children to become murderous terrorists. The war on terrorism is an ongoing conflict for our world. The bad news is it is not going to end - at least not anytime soon. The Bible teaches that this is a struggle that stems from the deep-seated tensions that can be traced back to Isaac and Ishmael (Genesis 16:3 – 25:17) – almost 4,000 years ago! The situation will never end with peace until the peace of Christ reigns. To do that we must proclaim the Gospel to all the nations of the world, we must speak out against the evils and irresponsibility we see all around us, and we must encourage other believers to do the same. We have been commissioned by Christ Himself to make a difference in this world until He calls us home.