Sunday, October 07, 2007

PALESTINIAN CHRISTIAN WORKER ASSASSINATED IN GAZA


Press release from the Palestinian Bible Society (Gaza City, Gaza, October 7, 2007): "The Palestinian Bible Society announced today that Rami Ayyad was found dead near the Bible Society Bookshop in Gaza early this morning. Rami was kidnapped last night by an unknown group directly after he closed the doors of the bookshop at around 16:30. A day before, Rami noted that a car with no plate numbers had been following him. News of his kidnap was reported to the main office after his family received a telephone call from him at around 18:00 saying that he had been taken by a group of people and will return home late that evening. Another phone call was made carrying a similar message. The director of the Bible Society had informed the Police in Gaza of the incident. At 6:25 this morning, news was received that Rami's body had been found at a location near the Teachers Bookshop in Gaza were he had spent most of his time running the bookshop. Signs of bullets and knife stabs could be clearly seen on his body. Rami 26, leaves behind two young children, and a pregnant wife. The funeral is expected to take place at 16:00 today. No group or party has claimed responsibility. The Bible Society in Gaza has received previous threats and vandalism. However, the support from the community has been very well noticed because of the humanitarian role that the Bible Society has been taking the last four years in the strip."
Please pray for:
* Rami's widow and children -- for God's supernatural peace and comfort
* the leaders of the Palestinian Bible Society -- for courage in the face of jihadist attacks and for wisdom and boldness to know how to communicate the good news of Christ's love and forgiveness to all the Palestinian Muslims in Gaza and the West Bank
* all the believers in Gaza -- for courage to love their neighbors and their enemies, just as Christ commanded
The Joshua Fund is in contact with local evangelical leaders in Gaza. We will post more information and prayer requests as we get new information. We are looking at additional ways to assist the Palestinian Bible Society financially to help them use this tragedy to proclaim the gospel far and wide. If you would like to make a tax-deductible donation to "OPERATION EPICENTER" to help Palestinian Christians bless the people of the West Bank and Gaza in the name of Jesus, please click here.
[Photo: Rami Ayyad and his nephew]
COVERAGE:

posted by Joel C. Rosenberg at 7:58 PM