Church leaders welcome Israel-Gaza ceasefire

A ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas resulting from come into effect on Sunday has been welcomed by Church leaders each inside and beyond the Holy Land. 

The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem said the ceasefire could be a source of “relief” for many individuals within the region and that it hoped it will end to the “immeasurable suffering” attributable to the war.

However, it added that a long-term commitment to peace was needed whether it is to be “sustainable”, and that political leaders and the international community must work together “to develop a transparent and just political vision for the post-war period”.

“[The ceasefire] is a mandatory step to halt the destruction and meet the urgent humanitarian needs of countless families affected by the conflict,” it said. 

“However, we’re aware that the top of the war doesn’t mean the top of the conflict. It is subsequently mandatory to noticeably and credibly address the deep-rooted issues which have been at the foundation of this conflict for much too long.

“Genuine and lasting peace can only be achieved through a just solution that addresses the origin of this long-standing struggle.

“This requires an extended process, a willingness to acknowledge one another’s suffering and a focused education in trust that results in overcoming fear of the opposite and the justification of violence as a political tool.” 

The Gaza ceasefire will begin on Sunday at 6.30am GMT after the Israeli cabinet approved a deal on Friday night that may also see the discharge of 33 Israeli hostages in exchange for over 1,000 Palestinian prisoners.

News of the ceasefire was welcomed by Baptist, Methodist and United Reformed Church leaders within the UK. In a joint statement, they said that the ceasefire “will come as an unlimited relief for all living in Gaza and for those waiting for the discharge of hostages held by Hamas”.

However, in addition they called on Israel to lift its ban on the UN agency UNRWA, saying that it “jeopardises vital life-saving assistance”.

“The ceasefire announced today is simply a primary phase lasting six weeks. As church leaders we call for the ceasefire to be everlasting and unconditional in order that humanitarian aid might be rolled out unimpeded in Gaza,” they said. 

They added, “We pray for a just, equitable, and lasting peace within the region that goes beyond simply the absence of violence.

“Our churches will proceed to work closely with Israeli and Palestinian partners, agonising with them of their current sufferings yet confident that God’s grace and deliverance offers hope for the long run for all.” 

The statement was signed by Rev Lynn Green, General Secretary, the Baptist Union of Great Britain, Rev Helen Cameron, President of the Conference of the Methodist Church in Britain, Carolyn Godfrey, Vice-President of the Conference of the Methodist Church in Britain, and Rev Philip Brooks, Deputy General Secretary (Mission) with the United Reformed Church.