We must pray for peace in the Middle East

Amid ongoing loss of life and human suffering in Gaza, we pray for peace and goodwill.

At the end of last month, the UK prime minister Keir Starmer issued a statement calling for peace in the Middle East and emphasising the need to bring to an end the ‘humanitarian crisis’ unfolding in Gaza. The statement followed a special cabinet meeting to discuss the situation, after the United Nations declared that at least 500 aid trucks a day would be needed to provide Gaza’s population of 2.1 million Palestinians with critical food supplies.

‘On 7 October 2023 Hamas perpetrated the worst massacre in Israel’s history,’ the prime minister said in a statement. ‘Every day since then, the horror has continued. The hostages are still being held today. The Palestinian people have endured terrible suffering. Now, in Gaza because of a catastrophic failure of aid, we see starving babies, children too weak to stand: images that will stay with us for a lifetime. The suffering must end.’

A UN-backed review from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) also highlighted ‘mounting evidence’ showing that ‘the worst-case scenario of famine is currently playing out in the Gaza Strip’. The IPC said in May that the population of Gaza was at ‘critical risk’ of famine and facing ‘extreme levels of food insecurity’.

In the face of the indescribable loss, suffering, fears, worries and complexities of the conflict, it can be hard to know how to react or respond. Salvationists have been called by General Lyndon Buckingham once more to pray for peace.

‘The Salvation Army grieves deeply the ongoing loss of life and human suffering in Gaza,’ said International Headquarters in a statement. ‘We recognise the desolation of its people and the profound sorrow of families who have lost loved ones. The displacement of millions, the plight of hostages and the anguish of their families weigh heavily on the hearts of the people of The Salvation Army.’

Every life is sacred, and every act of violence leaves a scar on our shared humanity. As a people of faith and conscience, The Salvation Army has called for an immediate release of the remaining hostages and a sustained ceasefire that ensures protection, security, support and a viable future for all people in the region.

‘We also recognise the human toll in conflicts in Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Sahel region of Africa (including Burkina Faso and Mali), Syria, Myanmar, and in the Russo-Ukrainian war and elsewhere,’ added IHQ. ‘We urge all parties in all conflicts to rethink their positions and, for the sake of their own people, to pursue pathways of peace, justice, reconciliation and healing. The protection of the innocent – especially children, the elderly and the vulnerable – must be paramount.

‘We ask that world leaders exert strong moral courage to continue working alongside the regions’ leaders to bring a swift end to the conflicts and open pathways towards lasting peace.’

‘The promise of Jesus is that peace is possible,’ said General Lyndon Buckingham. ‘My heartfelt prayer is that peace will be immediate and comprehensive in Gaza and throughout the world; that the desolation will cease and a profound goodwill towards one another will shape the future of humankind. Amid the complexity, I urge the citizens of the world to pray for peace and a new desire to “love your neighbour as yourself”.’

Reflect and respond

• Pray for peace in the Middle East.
• Pray for all those affected by this conflict and other conflicts around the world.
• Pray for those who have lost loved ones.
• Pray for peacemakers.