#BreakingNews Ecumenical Leaders of Churches Call on Israel to Allow Humanitarian Aid to the Over 1 Million People of Gaza "There is yet time to stop the hatred." - FULL TEXT


Heads of Churches in Jerusalem issue statement for Israel to allow humanitarian aid to go to Gaza. 
Jerusalem heads of churches.  The death toll after Hamas’ surprise attack on Israel on October 7th that took the lives of 1,300 Israelis; has also led to the killing of 1,900 Palestinians in retaliation by Israel. (CNN)  Gaza Strip, with a population of over 2 million people, has been closed off by Israel by land, at sea, and air blockade since 2007 in addition to a closed border with Egypt. 
The joint statement from Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant church leaders :
+ PATRIARCH AND HEADS OF THE CHURCHES IN JERUSALEM
STATEMENT ON THE ESCALATING HUMANITARIAN CRISIS IN GAZA
Jerusalem, October 13, 2023
“God created mankind in his own image" (Gen 1,27)
Today, an emergency committee of the Patriarchs and Heads of the Churches in Jerusalem
met for prayer and consultation over the grave humanitarian crisis that has befallen all of
us.
Our beloved Holy Land has changed dramatically over the past week. We are witnessing
anew cycle of violence with an unjustifiable attack against all civilians. Tensions continue
to rise and more innocent and vulnerable people are paying the ultimate price as the
dramatic level of death and destruction in Gaza clearly show.
The order to evacuate the north of Gaza and to ask 1.1 million people—including all the
members of our Christian communities there—to relocate to the south within 24 hours
will only deepen an already disastrous humanitarian catastrophe. Gaza’s entire population
is being deprived of electricity, water, fuel supplies, food, and medicine. According to UN
sources, 423,000 people have already been displaced because of the destruction of their
homes. Many civilians in Gaza have said to us that there are no realistic ways in which
they can evacuate to safety in any direction.

‘We call upon the State of Israel, with the support of the International Community, to allow
humanitarian supplies to enter Gaza so that the thousands of innocent civilians may
receive medical treatment and basic supplies. Moreover, we call upon all parties to de-
escalate this war in order to save innocent lives while still serving the cause of justice.
Finally, in support of all those who have suffered in this war and of the families reeling
from the violence, we call upon the people of our congregations and all those of goodwill
around the world to observe a Day of Prayer and Fasting on Tuesday, October 17.
There is yet time to stop the hatred.
—The Patriarchs and Heads of the Churches in Jerusalem
Source: https://www.lpj.org/posts/statement-on-the-escalating-humanitarian-crisis-in-gaza.html

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