Israel Renames Operation Iron Swords to “War of Revival” as Gaza Fighting Resumes

by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Washington D.C. Bureau Chief

(Worthy News) – Israel’s Cabinet on Sunday officially approved Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s proposal to rename Operation Iron Swords as the War of Revival, even as clashes with Hamas resumed in southern Gaza following a week-long ceasefire.

The new name, which Netanyahu first suggested more than a year ago, is intended to symbolize what he called Israel’s “national renewal” following the Hamas-led massacre of October 7, 2023.

“At the end of two consecutive years of fighting, we remember how it all began,” Netanyahu said during the Cabinet meeting. “We rose from the terrible disaster of October 7. We stood on our feet with renewed strength and fought back fiercely against our enemies. This is the War of Revival of our people–a direct continuation of the War of Independence.”

The decision, approved with little debate, replaces the original military designation assigned by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) at the onset of the war. Ministers cited both historical and symbolic reasons for the change. Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi noted that wars are often named for their ultimate outcomes. “Here too, we began with a terrible disaster and have moved toward the revival of the people of Israel in their land,” he said, adding that Tkumah (“revival” in Hebrew) has the same numerical value as Bibi Netanyahu–545.

Security tensions overshadowed the Cabinet announcement, as renewed fighting erupted in Gaza on the same day.

Fighting Resumes in Rafah

According to the IDF, Hamas militants fired an anti-tank missile and gunfire toward Israeli troops operating near Rafah in southern Gaza–marking the first successful attack against Israeli forces since the ceasefire began.

The Israeli Air Force launched immediate retaliatory strikes, targeting what it described as “terror infrastructure,” including tunnel shafts and Hamas military structures. “This was a blatant violation of the ceasefire agreement, and the IDF will respond firmly,” the military said in a statement.

A senior Israeli official told Israel Hayom, “We’re not bombing sand dunes–we’re responding with overwhelming force to what happened in Rafah. We knew they would violate the deal and had prepared in advance with a target bank.”

Arabic-language outlets reported casualties in Rafah and Jabaliya following Israeli airstrikes, while Hamas’s military wing denied launching the initial attack, claiming contact with its fighters in southern Gaza had been lost since March.

Netanyahu Orders “Firm Action”

Following the escalation, Netanyahu convened an emergency security meeting with Defense Minister Israel Katz and the heads of the Shin Bet and Mossad. The Prime Minister’s Office said Netanyahu instructed the IDF “to take firm action against terror targets in the Gaza Strip.”

The renewed violence has raised doubts over the durability of the fragile ceasefire, which was already strained by previous accusations from both sides. Israel said Hamas militants had emerged from tunnels in Israeli-controlled areas, while Hamas accused Israel of killing civilians trying to return to their homes.

Background on the Name Change

Netanyahu first floated the idea of renaming the war during an October 2024 Cabinet session marking one year since the October 7 attacks. Alternative names such as The War of October 7, The Simchat Torah War, and The War of Genesis were considered before the prime minister settled on The War of Revival.

The decision means future state documents, official commendations, and historical records will refer to the conflict under its new name.

The war began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas terrorists stormed southern Israel, killing about 1,200 people–mostly civilians–and abducting 251 others to Gaza. Israel launched Operation Iron Swords in response, vowing to dismantle Hamas and rescue the hostages.

“Hamas Shall No Longer Be Heard in Your Land” — The Prophetic Promise of Isaiah 61 (Prophecy Commentary – Worthy News)

When Isaiah looked forward to Israel’s restoration, he saw more than just a nation rebuilt — he saw a land utterly transformed. In Isaiah 60:18, the prophet declared, “Violence shall no longer be heard in your land, devastation nor destruction within your borders; but you shall call your walls Salvation and your gates Praise.” In Hebrew, the word translated “violence” is חָמָס (ḥamas) — the same word that today identifies the terror organization sworn to Israel’s destruction.

This is no coincidence. The Spirit of God used that ancient word to describe the very thing Israel faces in our day — a spirit of violence and lawlessness that opposes God’s covenant people. Yet through Isaiah, the Lord promised that a time is coming when ḥamas — violence itself — will be silenced in the land of Israel.

Prophetically, this points to the day when the Messiah, the Anointed One of Isaiah 61, will complete His redemptive work for Zion. It is the day when “the Spirit of the Lord GOD” brings true comfort to Jerusalem, when mourning is turned into joy, and when “they shall rebuild the old ruins” (Isaiah 61:4). The eradication of ḥamas from Israel is not only a military victory — it is a divine act of renewal, a War of Revival in the truest sense, leading toward the Messianic age of peace.

The same God who once judged the earth in Noah’s day because it was filled with ḥamas (Genesis 6:11) will again remove it from His covenant land. When that day comes, the word Hamas — and everything it represents — will vanish from Israel’s borders. The people will dwell securely, the walls will be called Salvation (Yeshua), and the gates Praise (Tehillah).

The promise remains sure: there is coming a day when Hamas — both the word and the violence — will no longer be heard in the land.

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