Embrace has been at the forefront of a new letter, signed by over 200 global Christian bishops and executive leaders, urging world powers to use all their leverage to stop the violence and to work for a just and lasting peace.

The letter, reproduced below, calls for an immediate permanent ceasefire, work for the release of hostages and prisoners held without due process of law alike, the unimpeded flow of humanitarian aid to civilians, and halting all weapons and ammunition transfers to Israel to ensure they are being used according to international law.

July 23, 2024

As global Christian leaders committed to peace and justice and the recognition of the image of God in all humanity, we abhor the ongoing violence that has now continued for more than nine months between Hamas and the Israeli military. More than 1,100 people were killed by the Hamas attacks on October 7th, and mass killings by the Israeli military in Gaza have taken more than 39,000 lives. More than two-thirds of Gaza – including tens of thousands of homes, hospitals, schools, and universities – have been destroyed or rendered uninhabitable. Not only the livelihoods but even the wherewithal to maintain the most basic subsistence of two million people has been erased. Children are dying of malnutrition, credible reports indicate prisoners are being tortured, and efforts to release the hostages are not being prioritized. These atrocities stain the conscience of all humanity, and in this, we include ourselves as Christian leaders and the global church.

Against this catastrophic backdrop, we have called before and call again now, with heartfelt insistence, for a comprehensive and permanent ceasefire, for the return of hostages, and the release of Palestinian prisoners held without due process. Immediate and untrammeled access for the huge humanitarian response is now required to restore to the people of Gaza their God-given dignity and the same right to food, shelter, education, healthcare and the means to support themselves that we enjoy.

Challenging as this will be to achieve, it will not be enough. Regrettably, we now face the threat of even greater and more widespread violence. This is a moment of extreme peril not only for Israelis and Palestinians but for the entire region. A full-scale war between Israel and Hezbollah is an imminent possibility. A largely unreported and bloody confrontation has been developing in the West Bank between Israeli security forces, often working together with or alongside armed settler groups, against Palestinians – especially, but not only, those living in refugee camps. More than 520 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank so far this year. The incidence of land seizures and house demolitions in Area C has dramatically increased. As of early July, the Government of Israel recently approved the largest single appropriation of occupied land – 12.7 square kilometers (nearly 5 square miles) in the Jordan Valley – since the 1993 Oslo Accords.

Nonviolent resistance to prolonged occupation has been met with unjustified violence by Israel and has been delegitimized by ill-considered condemnation from parts of the international community. This has contributed to a growing belief among many Palestinians in the West Bank that armed resistance is both legitimate and effective, even inevitable. This growing conviction is contrasted with a perceived failure and impotence of the commitment to non-violent reisistence, peacebuilding, and reconciliation that, as Christians, we share and support. On all sides of this conflict, belief in the possibility of peace and the commitment to non-violent approaches is waning. The window for constructive dialogue between combatant parties is rapidly closing. It will be replaced by more violence and a further erosion of hope and trust. As Christian leaders, we feel compelled to speak out before it is too late and broader Middle East war becomes inevitable.

Without decisive action now, the consequences of this drift to deeper, broader, and more entrenched conflict will be more destruction and loss of innocent lives. It is time for the international community, as well as Israeli, Palestinian, and regional decision makers, to act. Our common humanity demands it. Millions around the globe demand it. We therefore reiterate our appeal to the belligerents for an end to hostilities and for hostages to be returned to their families.

We fear the existential threat to the Christian presence in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories – the very place where our faith tradition began. More than three percent of the Christian community in Gaza has been killed since October 7th, including 18 Christians at St. Porphyrius Orthodox Church. Dozens of Christian families throughout the West Bank have left due to the occupation, increased violence, and economic pressures. Christians and their significant contributions to civil society could soon disappear from the Holy Land.

Thus, as Christians and people of peace, we call on the international community and global institutions to end all arms flows into the conflict zone and to end various states’ attempts to frustrate legal remedies being sought in the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in response to war crimes alleged against both sides and the ‘plausible’ accusation that Israeli action in Gaza ‘could amount to genocide.’ We also call for unrestricted access to all necessary humanitarian assistance for those in need and the opening of an internationally facilitated long-term and permanent peace process.

Violence, impunity, denigration, frustration, and flouting of the rules-based international order must stop. Now is the time for courageous and creative leadership that works for peace. We speak out as Christian leaders with a deep concern for the common good for all affected by war and conflict without exception. We speak with urgency. We speak in a spirit of peace. We speak because we are deeply inspired by the courageous and selfless commitment of our Palestinian Christian brothers and sisters in the Holy Land, who suffer alongside their Muslim and Jewish neighbors and remain resolutely determined to help bring about a just and dignified future for all inhabitants of these lands. 

UK & Ireland

Christine Allen, Director, Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD), England/Wales

Dr. Tanas Alqassis, Chair of the Board, Bethlehem Development Trust, United Kingdom 

Adwoa Burnley, Clerk of Britain Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), United Kingdom

Revd. Helen Cameron, President, Methodist Church in Britain, United Kingdom

The Rt. Revd. Christopher Chessun, Lord Bishop of Southwark, Church of England, United Kingdom

Bishop William Crean, Chairman, Trocaire, Ireland

Rt. Revd. Michael Doe, Assistant Bishop, & Trustee of the Balfour Project, Anglica Diocese of Southwark, United Kingdom 

Revd. Dr. Duncan Dormor, General Secretary (CEO), United Society Partners in the Gospel, United Kingdom

Jamie Eyre, Chief Executive, Embrace the Middle East, United Kingdom

Andrew Fox, President, Community of Christ (British Isles), United Kingdom

The Rt. Revd. Dr. Martin Gainsborough, Bishop of Kingston, Church of England, United Kingdom

Mrs. Carolyn Godfrey, Vice-President of Methodist Conference, Methodist Church in Britain, United Kingdom
Rev. Wesley Granberg-Michaelson, General Secretary Emeritus, Reformed Church in America (RCA), United Kingdom 

The Rt. Revd. Dr. Guli Francis-Dehqani, The Bishop of Chelmsford, Church of England, United Kingdom

Denise Hatton, National Secretary & Chief Executive, YMCA England & Wales, England and Wales

Rt. Revd. Dr. John Inge, Lord Bishop of Worcester, Church of England, United Kingdom
Very Rev. Andrew McLellan, C.B.E., Former Moderator of the General Assembly, Church of Scotland , United Kingdom

Archbishop William Nolan, President, Justice and Peace Scotland, Scotland

Anne Peacey, Chair, National Justice and Peace Network, United Kingdom

The Rt Revd Dr John Perumbalath, Bishop of Liverpool, Church of England, United Kingdom 

Rev Chris Rose, Director, Amos Trust, United Kingdom

Rt Revd Humphrey Southern, Principal, Ripon College Cuddesdon, United Kingdom

The Right Reverend Rachel Treweek, Lord Bishop of Gloucester and Anglican Bishop for HM Prisons, Church of England

The Rt. Rev. Dr. Jo Bailey Wells, Deputy Secretary General, Anglican Communion Office, United Kingdom

The Rt. Revd. Dr. Dagmar Winter, Bishop, Diocese of Ely, United Kingdom

Global

Joyce Ajlouny, General Secretary, American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), United States 

Rev. Eddy Alemán, General Secretary, Reformed Church in America, United States 

Mgr. Coffi Roger Anoumou, Bishop, Saint Pierre-Claver, Cathedral, Lokossa, Diocese of Lokossa, Benin

Mena Antonio, Chief Executive, Caritas Aotearoa, New Zealand

Archbishop Vicken Aykazian, Ecumenical Director and Diocesan Legate Diocese, Armenian Church of America, Eastern, United States

Anna Villas Balasch, Presidenta, Caritas Andorrana, Principat d’Andorra

Rev. Dr. Bonnie Bates, Conference Minister, Penn Northeast Conference, United Church of Christ (UCC), United States  

Bishop Giorgio Bertin, President of Caritas MONA, Vice President ICMC, Italy

Bishop Steven Biegler, Diocese of Cheyenne (Catholic), United States 

Rev. Bronwen Boswell, Acting Stated Clerk, Presbyterian Church (USA), United States  

Sister Barbara Brigham, Medical Mission Sisters, Justice Office, United States

Bishop George Bugeja, OFM, President, Catholic Church and Caritas, Libya 

Jean Beil, Regional Coordinator, Caritas North America, United States

Rev. Harry J. Bury, PhD, President, Twin Cities Nonviolent, United States

Rev. Tyler Burns, The Witness, A Black Christian Collective, United States 

Rev. Dr. LaMarco Cable, President, Disciples Overseas Ministries, Co-Executive, Global Ministries of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and United Church of Christ, United States

Bishop Laurie Larson Caesar, Bishop, Oregon Synod , Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) , United States  

Bishop Charles A. M. Campbell, President, Caritas, Sierra Leone

Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon, Executive Director, Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP), United States 

Bishop Christian Carlassare, Catholic Diocese of Rumbek, South Sudan 

Sister Janice Cebula, President, Sisters of St. Francis, Clinton, Iowa, United States  

Pastor Raymond Chang, President, Asian American Christian Collaborative, United States 

Apostle Bunda Chibwe, Apostle, West Central Africa Field, Community of Christ, United States

Shane Claiborne, Co-founder, Red Letter Christians (RLC), United States

The Rev. Tyler Connoley, Conference Minister, Central Pacific Conference of the United Church of Christ, United States

Stassi D. Cramm, Counselor to the President, Community of Christ, United States 

Dr. Cristina Calvo, Board , Caritas Internationalis, Argentina

Bishop Jamal Daibes, Bishop of Djibouti, Catholic Church, Djibouti

Rev. Dr. Rob Dalrymple, Executive Director, Determinetruth, United States

Right Revd. Dr. Eddie Daniels, Diocesan Bishop, Anglican Church of Southern Africa, Diocese of Port Elizabeth, South Africa  

Bishop Duleep de Chickera, Former Bishop of Colombo, Anglican Church of Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka

Marie Dennis, Co-President (Emeritus), Pax Christi International, United States

Bishop Jan De Groef, Bishop, Bishop of Bethlehem, South Africa

Bishop Dalcy Diamini, Anglican Church, Eswatini 

Bishop S.J. Dithipe, African Methodist Episcopal Church SA, South Africa

Bishop Michael Dooley, Catholic Diocese of Dunedin, New Zealand 

The Rev. Emmett L. Dunn, Executive Secretary-Treasurer/CEO, Lott Carey Foreign Baptist Mission Convention, United States

Alistair Dutton, Secretary General, Caritas Internationalis, Vatican City

Bishop Sally Dyck, Ecumenical Officer, The United Methodist Church, United States

The Rev. Elizabeth A. Eaton, Presiding Bishop, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), United States

Bishop Paul Erickson, Greater Milwaukee Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), United States

Rt. Rev’d Dr. Keerthisiri Fernando, Bishop Emeritus of Kurunagala: Church of Ceylon, Diocese of Kurunagala: Church of Ceylon & Diocese of Melbourne, Sri Lanka and Australia

Diacre Robert Ferrua, Président, Caritas Monaco, Monaco

Bishop Mluleki Fikizolo, Bishop, Diocese of Mbhashe, South Africa

Bishop Gilbert Filter, Cape Church, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa, South Africa

Dr. Oscar Velasco Flores, Secretario General, YMCA México, México 

Dr. Matthew J. Frizzell, Director of International Human Resources, Community of Christ, United States  

Rev. César Garcíae, General Secretary, Mennonite World Conference, Canada

Bishop Musie Ghebreghiorghis, O.F.M. Cap., Eparch of Emdeber – Ethiopia, Catholic Church, Ethiopia  

Juan Antonio González Núñez, Apostolic Administrator, Catholic Church, Hawassa Vicariate, Ethiopia, Ethiopia   

Janné C. Grover, Apostle, Community of Christ, United States

Susan Gunn, Director, Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns, United States

Rapacioli Maria Graziella, Econome, Ass.Diocésaine D’Algérie – Diocèse Alger, Algeria

Rev. Dr. Andrew S. Hamilton, District Executive, Southeastern District Church of the Brethren, United States

Rev. Michel W. Hansrod, General Secretary, The Methodist Church of Southern Africa, South Africa

Bishop Ron Harmon, Presiding Bishop, Community of Christ , United States

Rev. Dr. Katie Harmon-McLaughlin, Director of Formation Ministries, World Church Leadership Council  , United States 

Lisa Sharon Harper, President and Founder, Freedom Road, United States

Lieve Herijgers, Broederlijk Delen, Executive Director, Belgium  

Sr. Teresa Hougnon, MM, President, Maryknoll Sisters, United States

Lisa Jernigan, President, Amplify Peace, United States 

The Reverend Susan C. Johnson, National Bishop, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada, Canada 

Ingrid Rosendorf Joys, General Secretary, Caritas Norge, Norway 

Maryellen Kane, CSJ, Executive Director, U.S. Federation Sisters of St. Joseph, United States 

Bishop Emeritus Peter Kang, Co-President, Pax Christi Korea (PCK), Korea (South)

Rev. Nicolas Kazarian, Ecumenical Officer, Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, United States

Bishop Steven C. Kellogg, CMEP Board Representative, Community of Christ, United States 

Kelly Kellum, General Secretary , Friends United Meeting (FUM), United States

Bishop Joseph Mary Kizito, Bishop, Diocese of Aliwal (SACBC), South Africa

Rev. Hansjörg Kopp, General Secretary of YMCA Germany, YMCA Germany, Germany

Bishop Donald P. Kreiss, Southeast Michigan Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), United States

Jonathan Kuttab, Executive Director, Friends of Sabeel, North America (FOSNA), United States

Anselmo Lee, Co-President, Pax Christi Korea, Republic of Korea 

Bishop Dr. Sox Leleki, Methodist Church of Southern Africa, South Africa

Robin K. Linkhart, Council of Twelve, Apostle, Community of Christ, United States

Bishop Carla K Long, Counselor to the Presiding Bishop, Community of Christ, United States 

Rev. Dr. David Long-Higgins, Conference Minister, Heartland Conference, United Church of Christ, United States

Van Haute Luc, General Manager, Caritas International Belgium, Belgium 

Bishop Stephen Lowe, Catholic Diocese of Auckland, New Zealand

Bishop Joshua Louw, Bishop of Table Bay, Diocese of Cape Town, Anglican Church of Southern Africa, South Africa

Rev. Jan Lubbe, Moderator, Dutch Reformed Church in Southern Africa, South Africa 

Eglantina Lula, Executive Director, YMCA Albania, Albania 

Lachlan Mackay, Apostle, Community of Christ, United States 

Rev. Oscar Madlala, Moderator, Maranatha Reformed Church of Christ (MRCC), South Africa 

Dr. Peter Makari, CMEP Board Representative, Global Relations Minister for the Middle East and Europe

Global Ministries of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and United Church of Christ (UCC) United States

Archbishop Thabo Makgoba, SACC President and Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town, South Africa

Bishop Tracy S. Malone, President, Council of Bishops-United Methodist Church, United States 

Catherine Mambwe, Field Apostle, Community of Christ, Zambia

Sr. Rosemary Mangan, RJM, Provincial Secretary & Councilor, Religious of Jesus and Mary, USA-Haiti Province, United States

Bishop Brian M. Marajh, Diocese of Kimberley and Kuruman, The Anglican Church of Southern Africa, South Africa 

Sister Eileen Marnien, SSJ, President, Sisters of Saint Joseph Philadelphia, United States

Archbishop Joseph Matebane, President, Leadership Institute of Bishops and Apostles, South Africa  

The Right Revd. Bishop Mthetheleli Charles May, Diocese of the Highveld, South Africa

Bishop Thulani Victor Mbuyisa, Diocese of Kokstad, South Africa 

Ian McInnes, Tearfund New Zealand, Chief Executive Officer, New Zealand

Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie, National Council of Churches USA, President and General Secretary, United States

Dr. Eli McCarthy, Co-founder of Christians for Ceasefire, United States

Pastor Jarrod McKenna, Pastor and Founding CEO of CommonGrace.org.au, Steeple Church, Australia 

Sr. Carlos E Mejía, Apóstol, Comunidad de Cristo, Honduras

Danilo Mejía, General Secretary, YMCA Honduras, Hondorus

Mandisi Albert Mexico, President of the Presiding Elder’s Council, African Methodist Episcopal Church, South Africa

Venerable Bubele Mfenyana, Vicar-General, Diocese of Grahamstown, South Africa

Bishop Richard Michael, Secretary, CAIC and NRIC, South Africa

Sr. Pat Millen OSF, Justice and Peace Coordinator, Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia, United States

Catherine A. Minhoto, RSHM, Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary, Western American Area Leader

United States

Archbishop Mpho Joseph Mofokeng, Republican Free Church, South Africa 

Bridget Moix, General Secretary, Friends Committee on National Legislation  (FCNL), United States

Rev. Shadrack Moloi, Bishop/Moderator, African Presbyterian Bafolisi Church (APBC), South Africa

Jennifer Morin-Williamson, Sisters of the Precious Blood, Peace, Justice and Ecology Coordinator, United States

Father Claude Mostowik msc, President, Pax Christi Australia, Australia

Rev Dr Lungile Mpetsheni, General Secretary, Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa, South Africa

Bishop Malusi Mpumlwana, General Secretary, South African Council of Churches (SACC), South Africa

Sister Maryann Agnes Mueller, JPIC Coordinator, Felician Sisters of North America, United States

K. Scott Murphy, Counselor to the President, Community of Christ, United States

Presiding Bishop Nkosinathi Myaka, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa, South Africa 

Michael Nasello, Director, Passionist Solidarity Network, United States

Linus Ng, Executive Director, Charis, Singapore

Archbishop Thami Ngcana, General Secretary, Council of African Independent Churches, South Africa

Rev. B.M. Ngcayisa, Presbyterian Church of Africa, South Africa

Archbishop Linda Nicholls, Primate, Anglican Church of Canada, Canada

Dave Nii, Apostle, Community of Christ, United States

Sr. Rose Therese Nolta, SSpS, Holy Spirit Missionary Sisters, JPIC-USA, United States

Rev. Moss Ntlha, General Secretary, The Evangelical Alliance of South Africa, South Africa

Archbishop Frank Nubuasah, Catholic Diocese of Gaborone, Botswana

Rev. Pumla Nzimande, Presiding Bishop, The Methodist Church of Southern Africa, South Africa 

Labib Nasir, General Secretary, YMCA Palestine, Palestine

Rev. Teresa Hord Owens, General Minister and President, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada, United States

Sister Carolina Pardo, Coordinator Socio-eco justice and Peacemaking office, Sisters of Saint Francis, Rochester Minnesota, United State

Dr David Peoples, President, Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc., United States

Bishop Nat Phomane, President, God’s Vineyard Church, South Africa 

Rev. Dr. Tyrone S. Pitts, General Secretary (Emeritus), Ecumenical Officer, Progressive National Baptist Convention Inc., United States

Right Revd. Edwin Pockpass, Bishop, Anglican church Diocese of George South Africa, South Africa

Rev. Dr. David K. Popham, Conference Minister, Hawai‘i Conference, United Church of Christ, United States

Rev. Christo Present, Actuary, Calvyn Protestant Church of South Africa, South Africa

Reverend Shari Prestemon, Acting Associate General Minister & Co Executive for Global Ministries, United Church of Christ (UCC), United States

Cardinal Alvaro Ramazzini, Bishop of Huehuetenango, Guatemala (Catholic), Guatemala

Angela Ramirez, Apostol, Comunidad de Cristo, Republica Dominicana

Juljana Reso, Nacional Director, Caritas Albania, Albania

Sr Senaida Rivera, OP, Advisor, Tacoma Dominican Sisters, United States

Sebastian Rozario, Executive Director, Caritas Bangladesh, Caritas Internationalis, Bangladesh 

Richard L. Santos, President & CEO, Church World Service, United States

Bishop Joseph M. Sephamola OMI, Bishop Chair of Caritas Lesotho, Lesotho

Viktor Serbulov, General Secretary, YMCA Ukraine, Ukraine

The Very Rev Canon Richard Sewell, Dean of St George’s College, Jerusalem, Israel/Palestine

Archbishop Selim Sfeir, President of Caritas Cyprus, Maronite Archbishop of Cyprus, Cyprus

Bishop Sithembele Sipuka, Bishop of Mthatha, Diocese of Mthatha, South Africa

Sr Maureen Shaughnessy, SC, General Superior, Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth, United States

Dr. Sr. Mary Shaw, Coordinator of Justice and Peace, Hospital Sisters of St.Francis, United States

Rev. Grace Shim, Executive Minister, Serve Globally – Evangelical Covenant Church (ECC), United States

Arthur E Smith, Apostle, Community of Christ, Republica Dominicana

Dr. Andrea Smith, Co-Founder and Board Member, Evangelicals for Justice (E4J), United States

Mkhuseli Sobantwana, Bishop, Anglican Church of Southern Africa – Diocese of Christ the King, South Africa

Rev. David A. Steele, General Secretary, Church of the Brethren, United States

Rev. Bertram G Swartz, Synod Secretary, United Congregational Church of Southern Africa (UCCSA) South Africa

Dr. Jer Swigart, Executive Director, Global Immersion, United States

Rev. Adam Russell Taylor, President, Sojourners, United States

Rev. Mareva Arnaud Tchong, President C12, Community of Christ, French Polynesia

Rev. Dr. Karen Georgia A. Thompson, General Minister and President, United Church of Christ

Obispo Carlos Jose Tissera, Presidente, Caritas Argentina, Argentina

Bishop Duncan Tsoke, Bishop, Diocese of Kokstad, South Africa

Mr. Alveiro Valencia, National General  Secretary, YMCA Colombia, Columbia 

Heleen van den Berg, CEO, Cordaid, The Netherlands

Bishop Willem F. van Klinken, Member of Presiding Bishopric, Community of Christ, United States

Rev. Sandra María Van Opstal, Executive Director, Chasing Justice, United States

Marcus Van Wyk, National General Secretary/CEO, YMCA South Africa, South Africa

Stephen M. Veazey, President, Community of Christ, United States

Rev. Dr. Nioma Venter, General Secretary, Dutch Reformed Church, South Africa

Dr. Colin P. Watson, Sr. Executive Director Emeritus, Christian Reformed Church North America (CRCNA), United States

Terry Wildman, Chief Director/President, Rain Ministries Inc., United States

Mgr Bernard de Clairvaux Toha Wontacien, Evêque du Diocèse, Diocèse de Djougou, République du Benin

Mary T. Yelenick, Main Representative to the United Nations, Pax Christi International, United States

Very Rev. Thomas Zain, Vicar General, Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America, United States