Holy Family Church Gaza: Solidarity messages from Pax Christi

Pax Christi England and Wales and Pax Christi International have issued the following statements in response to the deadly attack on the Holy Family Church in Gaza today.

Pax Christi England and Wales

This morning's horrific news that the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) struck the Holy Family Church in Gaza is both shocking and shameful. We know that at least six people are injured, including Fr Romanelli, and that two people have been killed. Lord have mercy.

If we are ever to overcome the myth of redemptive violence, then our response is never revenge.

Our response is never apathy. Our response is never neutrality. Instead, we dare to proclaim the revolutionary power of Jesus' way of nonviolence. The way of the cross, the way of redemptive suffering, that ultimately leads to joy, hope, peace and resurrection.

Today it might seem that we are in the darkness of the tomb. Yet even inside the tomb something is happening. Young people in Tel Aviv are burning their draft cards and refusing to fight for the IDF. Across the world people are non-violently resisting the sale of arms to Israel. Acts of solidarity, prayer and fasting are the tools by which we bring about a revolution of the heart - one person at a time.

Let us never forget the power we each have to make a difference. The works of war destroy lives, land, and futures. The works of mercy support life and bring hope. Let's commit ourselves afresh to pray and act in every way possible to make real our solidarity with the suffering people of Gaza and bring an end to this genocide in which the UK government is complicit.

Pax Christi International

Pax Christi International supports the Latin Patriarchate in Jerusalem and strongly condemns today's Israeli military strike on Holy Family Catholic Church in Gaza, a place of sanctuary for displaced civilians.

We stand in solidarity and prayer with all those Christians and Muslims sheltering in the parish compound.

We mourn those who have died, Mr Saad Salameh, Mrs Fumayya Ayaad and Najwa Abu Daoud. We pray that they will rest in peace and send our deepest condolences to their families and friends. We hope for a good recovery for Fr Gabriel and all those injured in the attack.

We echo Pope Leo XIV and the Latin Patriarchate in calling for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza.

As the Patriarch has said, 'The time has come for leaders to raise their voices and to do all that is necessary in order to stop this tragedy, which is humanly and morally unjustified.'

Pax Christi calls on the international community, political and religious, to raise their voices and take urgent action to protect all civilians and humanitarian spaces to enable:

- An immediate and permanent ceasefire and immediate access to humanitarian aid for everyone in Gaza, to be distributed through UNWRA and other experienced NGOs;
-The release of all hostages, Israeli and Palestinian;
-A complete arms embargo on Israel;
-An end to all trade with illegal Israeli settlements;
-An end to the Israeli siege on Gaza and the occupation of the West Bank.