Gaza on our Hearts
As we write to you these lines, a 72 hour ceasefire has been accepted by Israel and resistance movements in Gaza. However, the situation in the Gaza strip is becoming extremely intolerable and if the fighting factions continue to fight, the misery of the civilians will be horrendous. At Bethlehem Bible College we believe that all life is sacred and we call on our mighty God to end this cycle of violence and spare the lives of both Israelis and Palestinians. Our message is shaped by the teachings of our Savior a message of repentance, forgiveness, non-violence and reconciliation.
Before the ceasefire most Gazans were not able to leave their houses, with the exception of those who were fleeing their bombed homes. Those who dared to leave their homes became targets of bombs, shrapnel, and missiles that had already killed 1,400 people – most of whom are civilians and nearly 250 of them are children. The banks are still closed and there is much chaos. This is hindering humanitarian agencies from doing relief work. But there is mounting international pressure on both the Israeli government and Hamas to accept an extended ceasefire that could lead to a longer truce. Meanwhile the civilian population in Gaza suffers most, especially the children. We grieve with them as well as with Israeli families that have lost loved ones. According to Israeli sources 64 soldiers have been killed and hundreds have been injured.
The first Christian victim of this round of violence is Mrs. Jalele Ayyad. Fatin Ayyad, a relative of Jalele, and member of the Baptist Church in Gaza, told me that the woman (over 60 years old) was killed when an Israeli missile hit her house. Fatin said, “the family first were sent a missile with a message, ‘Leave the house immediately!” But before the family was able to run, a deadly missile hit the house, killed Jalele, injured her husband, and crippled their son Jeries. Rev. Alex Awad and David Azar visited Jeries in hospital. The doctors amputated both legs and one arm. He is in a critical condition. Pray with us that he will survive. Mrs. Jalele Ayyad was buried at the Greek Orthodox Cemetery in Gaza City. Fatin sadly commented; “All the Israeli talk about giving Gazans ample time to leave their homes before shooting is absolute propaganda”. Some, she said, “got killed under the rubble of their homes without ever receiving a warning some got slain on the way out and others got killed on the streets after they left their homes. The tragedy is that many ran to what they thought were safe shelters; however the indiscriminate bombings followed them and ended their lives or injured them inside the shelters.
We call on our loving Lord to end this crisis and give the leaders on both sides the wisdom to reach lasting agreement so we will not see this kind of savagery again. Pray for the Shepherd Society as it is fund raising and organizing to engage in relief ministry in Gaza.
