Ecumenical Statement on Violence between Hamas and Israel

A Cry to End the Violence and to uphold the rights of all civilians to life and freedom from violence and discrimination.

KAIROS Canada and its member churches and agencies—including Anglican Church of Canada, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada, Mennonite Central Committee of Canada, The Presbyterian Church in Canada, and The United Church of Canada—are following reports of the escalation of violence between Hamas and Israel and the mounting civilian death tolls in Israel, Gaza, the occupied West Bank, and East Jerusalem with deepening alarm and profound grief.

We condemn the violence, particularly against Israeli and Palestinian civilians, which constitutes a war crime. The level of human loss and suffering is unconscionable and must stop. We lament the loss of Palestinian voices for peace in international media that fails to distinguish between Hamas and Palestinian civilians.

We call on our members and all people of goodwill to:

• pray and work for a just and lasting peace for Palestinians and Israelis;
• write to their Member of Parliament to urge Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Minister Melanie Joly to call for:
  • an immediate ceasefire;
  • a safe corridor to provide humanitarian relief to Gaza;
  • an end to the misery of the current blockade;
  • the immediate and safe release of all hostages;
  • the rights to life and freedom of both Palestinians and Israelis;
• support and amplify the voices of faith based and grassroots civil society peace and development organizations in Palestine and Israel who are calling for an end to the violence and a just and lasting peace.

In addition to condemning the spiraling violence and doing everything in its power for an immediate ceasefire, Canada must work with renewed effort toward peace with justice that upholds the rights of both Palestinians and Israelis to life and to freedom from violence and discrimination, and an end to the occupation.

Please read the full statement below.

KAIROS: Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives
Anglican Church of Canada
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada
Mennonite Central Committee of Canada
The Presbyterian Church in Canada
The United Church of Canada