To celebrate Embrace’s 170-year anniversary, we’re sharing stories from our supporters here in the UK and our friends and partners in the Middle East. We begin with one from Helen Powell – find out how her battle with cancer led to treasured memories in Bethlehem.

As we look forward to the birth of the Christ Child, His Eminence Archbishop Angaelos, the Coptic Orthodox Archbishop of London, reflects on what the nativity story means for Christians today and how we should respond

With festivities cancelled in the West Bank, find out how Christmas feels for those living in Bethlehem this year and what hope they find in the Christmas story.

The level of violence unfolding in Israel and Palestine means that, for many, the thought of a peaceful solution is a distant, if not impossible, aim. But for our partner Musalaha, giving up on reconciliation is just not an option. 

For many years, Embrace’s partners have served to provide medical care for the mothers and children of Gaza, whose health was severely impacted by the blockade. Now Gaza’s children are being disproportionately affected by the current war, as Embrace’s Programmes & Partnerships Manager, Rhiannon, explains.

Since the outbreak of hostilities between Hamas and Israel, there have also been regular exchanges of fire across the Israel/Lebanon border, between Hezbollah and the IDF. Families on both sides have had to flee their homes. Will the fighting escalate and how are Lebanese Christians responding to the crisis?

A Christian in Gaza describes the unrelenting fear, loss, heartbreak, and trauma of the last few weeks.

Embrace’s CEO, Tim Livesey, was privileged to speak with Tim Farron on his weekly podcast, ‘A Mucky Business’. The two Tims discussed the similarities between 9/11 and what is happening in Gaza today, why the conflict in the Middle East is not ‘intractable’, and the pressures facing Christians in the Middle East.

The Hamas-Israel war is having devastating consequences for Palestinians in the West Bank - including threatening the vital olive harvest.