RAMALLAH, Palestine / ISTANBUL

Palestine appealed to churches and Christian institutions worldwide on Wednesday to intervene to stop Israel’s ongoing war, forced displacement, and starvation campaign in the Gaza Strip.

In a statement, the Higher Committee of the Palestinian Authority said it sent identical letters to church leaders around the world demanding that they “exert swift pressure to stop these atrocities and to ensure essential international protection for the people of Gaza, who continue to endure killing, displacement, and severe deprivation.”

It noted that the Greek Orthodox Church of Saint Porphyrios and the Latin Church of the Holy Family “have become sanctuaries for women, children, the elderly, and people with disabilities.”

“Priests and nuns have courageously refused to leave the churches, choosing to remain in Gaza despite the imminent dangers,” it added.

“Let the voice of the churches of the world be more than a faint echo of sympathy. Let it resound as a cry of truth in the face of injustice, a prophetic call for justice, mercy, and peace. By our shared faith and our common moral duty, silence is not an option.”

The committee warned that “there can be no future based on captivity, displacement of Palestinians or revenge,” saying that forced displacement constitutes a crime under international law and is in direct violation of fundamental humanitarian principles.

Israel has killed nearly 63,000 Palestinians in Gaza since October 2023. The military campaign has devastated the enclave, which is facing famine.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.