French 'Aliyah' Leads the World

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Monday, September 08, 2014

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JERUSALEM, Israel -- Rising anti-Semitism in France is spurring many of the country's Jewish residents to immigrate to Israel.
 
Today, French Jews are leading the rest of the world in aliyah -- immigration to Israel under the Law of Return -- the Jewish Agency in France reports.
 
"France is today the leading country for Jewish emigration to Israel," Ariel Kandel, head of the Jewish Agency's French office, said. "We will get close to 6,000 departures from France in 2014."
 
By August 31, Israel's Ministry of Immigration Absorption showed 4,566 French Jews have immigrated to Israel since the beginning of the year.
 
France is home to the largest Muslim population in Europe, estimated at around 5 million. The IDF's 50-day operation against Hamas rocket fire sparked widespread anti-Israel rioting in July. The phenomenon, which is not new in France, has many French Jews deciding it's no longer a safe place to live and raise children.
 
On August 22, two teenage Muslim girls were indicted for conspiracy to commit terrorism, Arutz Sheva quoted a Newsweek report. 
 
According to the report, the teens, aged 15 and 17, from two different cities, communicated via social media. The girls were arrested after the Central Directorate of Homeland Intelligence, France's equivalent of Israel's Shin Bet, revealed a plot to carry out a suicide bombing at the Great Synagogue of Lyon. 
 
In 2012, a rabbi and three children were gunned down by Mohammed Merah at a Jewish day school in Toulouse. 
 
The French Jewish community, down from 600,000 to 500,000, is one of the largest in the world, next to the U.S.

No One Is Born Gay - Michael Brown

No One Is Born Gay

9/8/2014 MICHAEL BROWN

There is no reputable scientific evidence that anyone is born gay. (Angie Draiville/freeimages.com)

If there were reputable scientific evidence that some people were born homosexual, I would have no problem accepting this. After all, my theology tells me that as human beings, we are all created in God's image and yet we are a fallen race, and so all of us carry aspects of that fallen nature to the core of our being, and that could theoretically include homosexuality.

But the fact is that there is simply no reputable scientific evidence that anyone is born gay.

As stated by gay activist and history professor John D'Emilio, "'Born gay' is an idea with a large constituency, LGBT and otherwise. It's an idea designed to allay the ingrained fears of a homophobic society and the internalized fears of gays, lesbians and bisexuals. What's most amazing to me about the 'born gay' phenomenon is that the scientific evidence for it is thin as a reed, yet it doesn't matter. It's an idea with such social utility that one doesn't need much evidence in order to make it attractive and credible."

In other words, because the "born gay" idea has proved so useful, the fact that there's virtually no scientific support for the theory hardly matters. It's an idea that has worked wonders for gay activists and their allies.

As noted years ago by gay scientist Simon LeVay, "There [was] a survey in The New York Times that broke down people on the basis of whether they thought gays and lesbians were born that way or whether it was a lifestyle choice. Across the board, those who thought gays and lesbians were born that way were more liberal and gay friendly."

And so, the argument goes, "If I'm born this way, how can my attractions be wrong? And if I'm born this way, how can you expect me to change?"

Of course, even if no one is born gay, that doesn't mean that homosexual attractions are not deeply rooted. In most cases, those feelings are very deeply rooted to the point that many gay men and women truly believe they were born gay.

And even if no one is born gay, that doesn't mean that homosexual attractions are easily changed. In most cases, they are not.

But why base a so-called civil-rights movement on lies? Why not tell the truth?

One of the most gay-friendly professional organizations in our country is the American Psychological Association, and yet even the APA states that, "There is no consensus among scientists about the exact reasons that an individual develops a heterosexual, bisexual, gay, or lesbian orientation."

Similarly, in England, the pro-gay Royal College of Psychiatrists recently back tracked on an earlier statement that homosexuality was biologically determined, now saying that "sexual orientation is determined by a combination of biological and postnatal environmental factors." And while they stated clearly their belief that homosexuality was not a mental disorder and that it should be accepted, they added, "It is not the case that sexual orientation is immutable or might not vary to some extent in a person's life."

That's why psychiatrist Nathaniel S. Lehrman, former chairperson of the Task Force on Religion and Mental Health said in 2005, "Researchers now openly admit that after searching for more than 20 years, they are still unable to find the 'gay gene'" (in the Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons).

Why then do we constantly hear about people being born gay? First, it has worked wonders for gay activism; second, many gays and lesbians believe it to be true, since as far back as they can remember, they felt that they were different.

But political expediency and personal feelings do not change the facts, and those facts remain the same: There is no clear scientific evidence that anyone is born gay

According to lesbian researcher Lisa Diamond, "The queer community has been obsessed with cultivating the idea that we all have fixed sexual identities. We've crafted terrific narratives and political platforms based on the notions that all gays are 'born that way.' But what if sexuality is more complex? What if biology actually intersects with environment, time, culture and context? Could we possibly be more fluid than we've supposed?"

Camille Paglia, a social critic, academic, feminist and lesbian, was even more blunt, famously stating in her book Vamps and Tramps, "Our sexual bodies were designed for reproduction. ... No one is born gay. The idea is ridiculous ... homosexuality is an adaptation, not an inborn trait."

Paglia also asked, "Is the gay identity so fragile that it cannot bear the thought that some people may not wish to be gay? Sexuality is highly fluid, and reversals are theoretically possible."

Remarkably, when a school chaplain in Tasmania, Australia, posted Paglia's opinion on social media, there was an outcry against him, causing him to issue a public apology: "I've made a mistake and learnt from it. I'm deeply sorry for any offence I've caused. I was very careless in posting that image for discussion. I will work with my employers to ensure there is no repeat."

Despite this apology, he was still fired—and the organization he worked for was Christian! That is how toxic today's climate has become, and yet this chaplain simply posted the accurate reflections of a lesbian academic. How could this be considered hateful or bigoted?

Again, this does not mean that same-sex attractions and desires are not deeply rooted in some people's lives, nor does it mean that they chose to be gay. (You can choose to act on your attractions but that doesn't mean you chose to have the attractions.)

It simply means that one of the major gay-activist talking points, one that has even infiltrated parts of the church, is based on lies, not truth.

It's time we speak the truth in love. Lies never help anyone in the long run.

Michael Brown is author of Can You Be Gay and Christian? Responding With Love and Truth to Questions About Homosexuality and host of the nationally syndicated talk radio show The Line of Fire on the Salem Radio Network. He is also president of FIRE School of Ministry and director of the Coalition of Conscience. Follow him at AskDrBrown on Facebook or at @drmichaellbrown on Twitter.

Unless otherwise specified, the opinions expressed are solely the author's and do not necessarily reflect the views of Charisma Media.

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Is Christianity Getting Better or Worse? by Stephen Mattson

Is Christianity Getting Better or Worse? 

by Stephen Mattson

Identity Network

 

Christians often follow a narrative that assumes everything is getting worse. Sermons, books, and movies preach that the End Times are just around the corner, and apocalyptic doom is an immanent unavoidable fact.

 

Signs of the Armageddon are everywhere - and we love to point them out within a secular culture saturated with sex, drugs, and immorality.

 

It's an easy temptation to evaluate, gauge, and measure the current - and upcoming - state of  Christianity within this fearful context. It happens all the time, and when we take the time to reflect on humanity and Christianity in general, the results are usually gloomy.

 

Each Governmental action, world event, and church culture war is perceived as a sign of the impending annihilation of Christianity. Morality is failing, secularism is rising, and everything seemingly points to a mass rejection of God.

 

We make the following complaints, warnings, and observations: "Christianity has become watered down. People no longer read the Bible. Most of the population doesn't go to church as often. Crime rates are increasing. Porn is everywhere. Clothing is become increasingly racy. Television is more violent. Commercials are more sexual than they used to be. Kids no longer respect their elders. Education is getting worse. The church is superficial. The Gospel is being sacrificed for the sake of accommodating cultural trends."

 

A Vicious Cycle

 

It's a vicious cycle of complaining endlessly about the sad reality of Christianity and the world around us.

 

Meanwhile, research and data seemingly reinforce these assumptions: overall church attendance proves that Christianity is weakening, nationwide divorce rates reflect moral decline, and the profane content throughout the media unmistakably shows the depravity of today's young generation.

 

In short, things have never been worse!

 

The problem with this type of thinking is that it's extremely short sighted and ethnocentric. While we negatively interpret American culture and Christianity, in other parts of the world there's revival, rapid growth, and inspiring spiritual renewal. For many foreign Christian communities , things have never looked so good and hopeful!

 

The second problem with this type of fear-mongering is that it's backed up with revisionist historical vignettes based on false premises and deceptions: where everyone went to church, everyone remained faithfully married, and everyone was more upright, hardworking, honest, and righteous than people today.

 

Untrue Accounts

 

Despite the absurdity of these claims, and the drastically skewed perceptions, we widely accept these accounts as being true - they're not. Most of this propaganda does more harm than good, and instead of inspiring a sense of hope, peace, and joy, they only manage to portray Christians as cynical pessimists.

 

It's a favorite Christian pastime for churches, pastors, theologians, and parishioners to lament the moral downfall of modern Christianity and the rest of humanity. Not only does it get our attention, but it creates a convenient scenario where we're the persecuted victims, and everyone else is an agent of Satan. Self-righteousness, judgment, and legalism ensues.

 

But if we're honest with ourselves, the past wasn't as great as we think it was, and the present isn't as bad as we assume it is.

 

Historically, when church attendance rates were near its highest point within the United States, things like slavery, segregation, racism, sexism, and child labor were rampant. Women couldn't vote, corruption was everywhere, violence ruled the land, and people were abused and harshly discriminated against based on race, religion, and cultural differences.

 

The State of Christianity Today

 

Is today's modern Church that much worse than when "Christians" actively participated in slavery, segregation, racism, and sexism?

 

Measuring church attendance, Bible literacy, and the percentage of people believing in Atheism isn't a good way of evaluating the state of Christianity. Faith isn't something that can be quantified using business models and polls.

 

Variables like righteousness and the Holy Spirit can't be decisively measured using hard data, but we can look for the fruits of the Spirit - love, joy, peace, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control.

 

A case can be made that these wonderful things are far more prevalent now than they ever were in the past.

 

Yes, modern churches are far from perfect, and many horrific things have been done in the name of God. We still have many major sins and issues to address, and many wrongs that need to be righted.

 

Where Our Hope Is

 

But the truth is that for all of Christianity's current faults - and there are many - things aren't necessarily getting worse. As believers, we need to have hope that God is making things new, better, and restoring the Creation around us - redeeming it.

 

Do we really want to promote a storyline based on fear, guilt, and negativity,  where the Gospel revolves around destruction instead of restoration, fear instead of hope, and damnation instead of salvation?

 

In the end, our hope rests in the promises and faithfulness of God - not the failures of Christianity.

 

Stephen Mattson

www.stephenjmattson.com

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Israelis Speak Out on Jesus

Tuesday, September 09, 2014 |  Israel Today Staff

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Canadian-Israeli journalist Corey Gil-Shuster has for the past couple years been conducting a very interesting campaign titled “Ask an Israeli / Ask a Palestinian” that recently focused on local Jewish views on Jesus.

As part of the effort, Gil-Shuster accepts questions from abroad regarding some of the more burning issues in the region, from the peace process to Islamic extremism to faith in Jesus.

Earlier this summer, Gil-Shuster took to the streets and pointedly asked a random sampling of average Israelis (both religious and secular) who Jesus is to them, and why Jews typically don’t accept him as their messiah.

A common theme appeared throughout many of the responses in that most Israelis acknowledge Jesus’ Jewish heritage, but believe (as a result of Christian history) that he broke away from Judaism to start a new religion.

A number of respondents expounded on this theme, noting that because, in their view, the religion of Jesus (Christianity) teaches that the Torah commandments are no longer valid, it is not an acceptable faith for Jews.

Watch the video (hat tip: Rosh Pina Project):

This wasn’t the first time Gil-Shuster took these questions to the Israeli street. Last year, he more broadly asked Israelis what they thought of Jesus, Mary and Christianity:

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Present Word Ministries/Robbie Phillips - "I hate . . . !" - English & Spanish

Robbie Phillips & family

Present Word Ministries

‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches’

September 8 & 9, 2014

 "I hate . . . !"

I hate your new moon celebrations and your annual festivals.    They are a burden to me. I cannot stand them!

–Isaiah 1:14, New Living Translation

            One of the things God cannot stand is mere ritual. He cannot stand His righteous ordinances and commands simply done as mere ritual and obligation. Here were Israel and Judah. They had the commands of God. They had the priesthood and the shedding of blood, the bringing of offerings and sacrifices. They kept all of these things blamelessly. They were completely innocent of keeping all of that as . . . ritual.

            For ritual it had become. Their hearts were no longer in the worship. Oh they made a wonderful outward show! They kept everything to perfection. But their hearts were not in the worship – they were . . . hypocrites!

            And the Lord was furious with it! He had multitudes of times sent His servants the prophets to cry out against them and their aberrant behavior. And they had listened politely. They bowed their heads and 'submitted' to the words of the prophets – and then they went right on with their detestable behavior.

            Let us hear the word of the Lord! Let us keep ourselves sharp before the Lord our God! Let us fast . . . again, let us fast. Let us pray. Let us seek Him with our whole heart. Let us not put any idols in our lives. Let us not put TV before the Lord. Let us not put football before the Lord. Let us keep our lives pure and innocent before Him. Let us seek Him in His Word. Let us fellowship with other believers. Let us be careful to follow Him. Let us never hear . . . "I hate . . . . "

Present Word Ministries (Ministerios de La Palabra Presente)

"El que tiene oído, oiga lo que el Espíritu dice a las iglesias"

8 de septiembre y 9 de septiembre, 2014

 ¡"Las aborrezco. . . . "!

Sus lunas nuevas y sus fiestas señaladas las aborrece Mi alma.

 (Isaías 1:14 Nueva Biblia Latinoamericana de Hoy)

          ¡Uno de las cosas que el Señor no puede aguantar es el rito insincero.  Él no puede aguantar que Sus ordenanzas justas y Sus mandamientos sean realizados meramente como ritos y obligaciones.  Así fueron las condiciones en Israel y Judá.  Ellos tenían los mandamientos de Dios.  Ellos tenían el sacerdocio y el derramar de sangre, el traer de los sacrificios y ofrendas.  Ellos guardaban estas cosas sin culpa.  Ellos fueron inocentes de no guardar estas cosas, pero estaban culpables de hacerlos como meros ritos.

            Porque estas cosas habían llegado a ser ritos.  No participaban en las prácticas de adoración de sus corazones.  ¡Claro, ellos mostraron el "show" afuera.  Ellos guardaban todo según las reglas perfectamente.  Pero sus corazones no fueron una parte de la adoración--¡ellos eran. . . . hipócritas!

            Y ¡el Señor estaba furioso con esta condición!  Muchas veces, Él se les había enviado a Sus siervos, los profetas para clamar en condenación contra ellos y su comportamiento aberrante.  Y ellos escuchaban con cortesía.  Ellos inclinaban sus rostros en "sumisión" a las palabras de los profetas--y, luego, continuaban con su comportamiento detestable.

            ¡Que escuchemos la palabra del Señor!  ¡Que atendámonos muy bien delante del Señor nuestro Dios!  ¡Que ayunemos. . . otra vez, ayunemos!.  ¡Que oremos!  ¡Que busquémosle a Él con todo nuestro corazón!  ¡Que no permitamos que los ídolos existan en nuestras vidas!  ¡Que no pongamos el mirar de televisión en lugar del Señor!  ¡Que no pongamos el futbol en lugar del Señor.  ¡Que mantengamos nuestras vidas puras y inocentes delante de Él.  ¡Que busquémosle a Él en Su Palabra¡  ¡Que mantengamos el compañerismo con otros cristianos!  ¡Que seamos atentos en seguirle a Él!  ¡Que nunca oigamos la frase. . . . "Lo aborrezco. . . "

Lebanese Christians Prepare for ISIS Invasion

CBNNews.com

Monday, September 08, 2014

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Lebanese Christians are taking up arms to protect themselves from a potential threat by the Islamic State.

Lebanese believers have watched nervously as Christians in Syria and Iraq were forced to flee their homes and villages as ISIS takes more territory.

Now, the jihadist army poses a threat to Lebanon.

"We all know that if they come, they will slit our throats for no reason," one resident said, an assault rifle by his side as he drove.

Last month, ISIS forces overran a border town, killing and kidnapping Lebanese soldiers and policemen. They have already publicly beheaded two captured soldiers.

Lebanese Christians believe they'll have to defend themselves sooner or later. It is the first time they've done so since the end of the Lebanese civil war in 1990.

Hamas Already Digging New Terror Tunnels

Monday, September 08, 2014 |  Ryan Jones  ISRAEL TODAY

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A senior government official in Jerusalem on Sunday told the Israeli press that Hamas is already digging new terror tunnels and smuggling a new stockpile of missiles into the Gaza Strip in preparation for its next war against the Jewish state.

“Hamas did not wait a single moment after the last round of fighting, and began its rearmament in anticipation of another round,” the official said.

Indeed, Gaza-based Hamas leader Mahmoud al-Zahar vowed over the weekend that the ceasefire reached just two weeks ago would soon be violated in the most blatant way as the terror groups “built new tunnels” with which to threaten Israelis.

The discovery of dozens of terror tunnels running from Gaza into southern Israel shocked most Israelis, particularly those living within “tunnel distance” from the volatile coastal enclave.

Many Israeli residents of what is known as the “Gaza envelope” still have not returned home, and many who have say they no longer feel safe.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has taken harsh criticism for agreeing to end the war before Hamas was fully defeated. Most Israelis do not believe that expected guarantees by America, Europe or Egypt can be relied upon to prevent future Hamas attacks.

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Perry Stone: A Revelation of Your God Gear

Perry Stone: A Revelation of Your God Gear

In the New Testament-era time of Christ and the apostles, the spiritual teachers used practical, everyday persons, places, objects and real-life examples to help their listeners and readers understand and visualize spiritual truths and concepts.  A few common examples used through the New Testament are: Farming—illustrations of farming such as planting, protecting and harvesting grains and fruits (Matt. 13:18-32). Fishing—catching men, mending nets, and dealing with storms (Matt. 4:18-20; 13:47-50). Running—a foot race, winning the prize, not giving up, and laying aside weights and sins (Heb. 12:1-2). Warring—a soldier who is equipped with armor to fight and defeat enemies (Eph. 6:10-20). Perhaps you enjoy those promises of reaping and sowing and prefer to remain in the farming scriptures. For those who like athletic activities, you can relate to the run-the-race admonition in Heb. 12:1-2 because you desire to win the prize. However, if you are an active Christian, you are to be continually prepared for a surprise spiritual conflict that attacks your health, wealth or family—similar to the assault the enemy leveled against Job (see Job 1-2). We must all understand that this conflict is the battle of the ages, and each soul that falls in battle, wounded and unable to stand, is a victory in the kingdom of darkness. Anyone who is a Christian is also a soldier. After ministering to hundreds of thousands of believers, I have observed four basic types of soldiers in the body of Christ: 1. First there are those who know nothing about the armor of God. They live from one battle to the next, survive from one beating to the next, and anticipate one defeat to the next. They are the ones who have a desire to serve God but their conflicts bring a defeatist mentality, as they are uncertain as to how to win in a conflict. 2. The second category is those who know something about the armor but refuse to wear it. To them Eph. 6:13-18 is a beautiful poetic passage penned by the apostle in prison. However, their belief is that we must all learn how to deal with our own problems in our own wisdom and strength and not overly concern ourselves with some form of invisible spiritual warfare. 3. The third category comprises the soldiers who pick and choose their protection, wearing some but not all of the armor. They enjoy a spiritual victory occasionally, answered prayer from time to time, a healing during certain seasons, but they often leave areas of their lives exposed to the darts of the enemy. They may attend church for many years, but suddenly they drop off the radar and no one sees them in the Sunday services because the enemy hit them in an unprotected moment. 4. The fourth category of Christian warrior is those believers who wear the entire armor of God and actually know what it represents and how to use it. These Christians have battles just as everyone else, but despite battles and wars, they continue to survive and even thrive during raging conflicts. It is interesting that Paul would write a detailed discourse on the spiritual battle of a believer against demonic rebels to the Ephesian believers. The city was known for its prostitutions (including temple prostitutes), public bathhouses and idol worship, which dominated the city. Crowds of more than 10,000 people often filled the stadium for gladiator fights. This was the setting Paul had observed when reminding the saints that their battle was not with flesh and blood but against satanic spirits ruling in high places (Eph. 6:12). This God gear is invisible to the natural eye, yet it is activated through our knowledge of the Word and our faith and trust in God's promises. You may not see the armor with your natural eyes, just as Job did not see a "hedge" around him with his natural eyes (Job 10:10), but the adversary knows if you are fully clothed or partially naked, and he knows if you truly believe or if you are going to "fake it till you make it." As a soldier, you would never go to war without proper training, weapons and protective gear. The Bible is our training guide; our life experiences and spiritual walk become our boot camp; and the temptations, trials and attacks we face are all a part of the warfare. As a Christian engaged in spiritual conflicts, you must never leave home without your mind and heart covered and fully clothed with the warfare gear. Paul said, "Put on the whole armor" (Eph. 6:11). The armor of God—never leave home without it! Adapted from There's a Crack in Your Armor by Perry Stone, copyright 2014, published by Charisma House. If you are engaged in a physical, mental, or spiritual battle, this book is for you. It will show you how to protect and effectively wield your spiritual armor. To order your copy click here. Prayer Power for the Week of 9/8/2014 This week determine to put on the whole armor of God on a daily basis. Then take your position to stand in faith against all the wiles of the devil. Your prelude to any battle is praise, so begin your prayer time with praise. Exalt God and declare Him worthy of praise and victorious in your life. As this school year begins around the country, lift up our children, youth and young adults. Pray for godly instructors to teach and direct them in the ways of integrity. Ask God to protect all those doing His work in educational institutions, as well as our local, state and national leaders. Continue to pray for revival to break out in our churches, communities and across the nation. Pray concerning Israel, the conflicts in the Middle East, Africa and the Ukraine (Eph. 6:11-18). 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UN Report: Limited Damage by IDF Strikes on Gaza

CBNNews.com

Sunday, September 07, 2014

JERUSALEM, Israel -- The U.N. Office of Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs confirmed that Israeli airstrikes targeted the terror infrastructure, with minimal collateral damage.

Former Israeli Ambassador to WashingtonYoram Ettinger summarized the extensive report on the U.N. findings in his weekend wrap-up Friday.

Israel did not retaliate by rote against Hamas' systematic attacks on civilian targets; Israel bombed areas that harbored Hamas missile-launching grounds and facilities, command posts, terrorists' homes and hideouts, operational bases, weapon inventory and tunnels.

Most of the damage was concentrated in very limited areas of 25 square meters of less, while most of Gaza was not damaged at all or in a very limited manner. Less than 5 percent of Gaza was hit by the Israel Defense Forces. The most populated areas of Gaza City, Jabaliya, Khan Yunes, Rafah and Deir el-Balah were disproportionally undamaged, either damaged in a very limited way or not damaged at all.

The areas highlighted by the UN damage assessment report are compatible with the Israel Defense Forces briefings on the location of Hamas facilities, especially in the Shuja'iya area, which was the arena of the most intense battles.

While Hamas concentrated its terror facilities -- systematically and deliberately targeting Israeli civilians in densely populated urban areas in Gaza -- the vast majority of these urban areas were undamaged.

Israel demonstrated exceptional efforts to minimize collateral damage by urging civilians to evacuate ahead of bombings, thus forfeiting the surprise effect, guided by security requirements and not by retaliatory or political expediency.

Israel followed surgical bombing tactic and not carpet bombing; the attacks were not random nor indiscriminate. Most of the areas targeted by Israeli airstrikes housed multiple tunnel entrances and shafts, as well as launching sites for mortars and missiles and other terror-related infrastructures.