Statement from Embrace on Rafah and Ceasefire, May 2024

On Monday 6 May 2024 the Israeli military issued evacuation orders to tens of thousands of people sheltering in parts of Rafah. This included the clinic run by our partner NECC which has been treating around 500 people per day, forcing the team to take the difficult decision to pause its activities. Other partners in Rafah are continuing to function for now.

Added to this, and despite reports of a possible ceasefire, the seizing and closure of the Rafah crossing has significantly reduced the amount of aid getting into Gaza. 1.1million people were already facing catastrophic levels of food insecurity and Gaza’s system has completely collapsed. The area where people are being told by the Israeli military to move cannot accommodate more displaced people.

The imminent risk of death from military action is real. So are the serious risks to health involved in forcibly displacing a malnourished population in extreme heat, as highlighted by Lara’s tragic story linked here.

All sections of society in Gaza are affected, including the small Christian community which is now one third smaller with over 300 people (close to a third) having left since 7 October.

A joint statement from the United Nations starkly states that the conflict: “has led to the systematic deconstruction of the fabric of life in Gaza and stretched any sense of community and individual resilience to its absolute breaking point.”

We are deeply concerned about the welfare of our partners and the communities that they serve.  

We urge the UK government to do everything that they can to stop any further assault on Rafah, including suspending arms sales to Israel for as long as there is a risk they might be used to violate international law.

We urge Church leaders and Christians in the UK to listen to the cries of our brothers and sisters in Gaza and advocate for an immediate ceasefire and release of all hostages. A sustained ceasefire is the only way to prevent further death, destruction, and trauma for all civilians in the Holy Land.

We call on you to:

·       Pray for an immediate ceasefire and release of all hostages. Pray for wisdom and courage for those involved in the negotiations.

·       Pray for strength and protection for our Christian brothers and sisters in Gaza and the Christian institutions who continue to serve those who are in need at this critical time.

·       Write to your local MP to demand that the UK government does everything they can to stop the attack on Rafah and continues to push for an immediate increase of humanitarian aid.