Displaying items by tag: Middle East

This year’s Easter celebrations in the Middle East were subdued. In Gaza City, Christians who have found refuge in the Holy Family Church brought palm branches to the Palm Sunday service. One of their priests said the congregation has been ‘enduring relentless Calvary for months’. SAT-7 broadcast Easter services live from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bethlehem. The church’s pastor said, ‘In Palestine our Good Friday has lasted way too long, but Easter reminds us that the final word belongs to God… Our belief in the God of the Resurrection means that ultimately goodness, righteousness, and justice will prevail’. There were few foreign pilgrims in Jerusalem and most West Bank Christians were denied access under tightened security rules. SAT-7’s Turkish channel broadcast a service from a church in Istanbul which had been attacked by two gunmen during a Sunday service on 28 January; one man was killed in the incident. SAT-7 wanted to show solidarity with the congregation after such a traumatic event. SAT-7’s Easter programming is especially important for those in countries where people cannot celebrate openly because of persecution and restrictions on religious freedom.

The ongoing war in Gaza has now lasted six months, with escalating violence and a rising death toll. Israel's allies are growing impatient with the lack of a viable plan to end the conflict. International organisations have warned of possible genocide, and even Israel's closest allies are criticising Benjamin Netanyahu, who is steadfastly refusing calls for a humanitarian ceasefire. The goal of eliminating Hamas seems unattainable, leaving Israel in a difficult situation. The numbers of those killed in Gaza are huge - over 33,000 killed and 75,000 injured, with far more facing starvation. One commentator has said, ‘17,000 orphans … what is their view of Israel and the United States going to be when they grow up?’ Although Israel's political divisions persist, most Israelis still support the war. There are fears of further escalation, if Iran or Hezbollah take action: see

A letter signed by over 600 legal experts, including three ex-Supreme Court justices, says that the UK is potentially violating international law by supplying arms to Israel, The pressure on Rishi Sunak to halt arms exports is growing, The government has been facing growing calls to suspend arms exports to Israel after the killing of three British aid workers and four others in an Israeli airstrike. The letter calls for immediate action towards a ceasefire and sanctions against those inciting violence against Palestinians. It also advocates restoring funding to UNRWA, which had been cut amid allegations of staff involvement in the Hamas attack on Israel. The letter’s signatories emphasised the UK's legal responsibilities under international law, including the Genocide Convention. Labour’s shadow foreign secretary, David Lammy, has demanded that the Government disclose legal advice about Israel’s adherence to international law. See also

Humanitarian groups have accused Israeli forces of intentionally targeting them in Gaza, after the airstrike on 1 April on a World Central Kitchen (WCK) convoy. Seven aid workers, including three Britons, were killed in the airstrike. WCK had coordinated with the IDF through deconfliction, a process where agencies inform military parties of their locations and movements to avoid being targeted. Benjamin Netanyahu called the incident unintentional, and the IDF claimed it was due to misidentification. However, 203 aid workers have been killed since the conflict began, which creates a lot of mistrust in the deconfliction system. WCK founder José Andrés has claimed that the IDF is targeting them ‘systematically, car by car’, and said that workers from other groups such as UNRWA and the Red Cross had also been affected. The recurring strikes raise doubts about the effectiveness and integrity of coordination efforts, exacerbating tensions in the conflict zone. See also the UK article entitled ‘Legal experts call for halt in British arms exports to Israel’. Breaking news: Israel has announced that it will open two new aid routes.

A UN-backed report has revealed that Gaza is facing a man-made famine, prompting pressure on Israel to uphold its legal obligations by allowing sufficient humanitarian aid into the region. The UN's human rights chief suggested Israel may be using starvation as a weapon of war - potentially a war crime. Israeli officials deny this accusation, claiming that they are letting in all the aid offered by the US and the rest of the world. However, the huge backlog of aid lorries at the Egypt-Gaza border has forced some nations to use less efficient air drops. Palestinians have struggled to access aid; some have even drowned or been crushed in pursuit of supplies. The US navy plans to construct a temporary pier for sea delivery, highlighting the necessity of better access routes. In another development, on 25 March the UN Security Council voted for an immediate ceasefire; for the first time, the USA abstained rather than vetoing the resolution. See

A ship carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza has left Cyprus, marking the first maritime shipment of aid to the war-torn region. It aims to deliver 200 tons of food aid, equivalent to around 500,000 meals, directly to Gaza. The initiative comes amidst growing concerns over famine and malnutrition in the enclave, exacerbated by Israel's restrictions on aid distribution. However, concerns persist regarding the effectiveness of maritime and air-dropped aid compared to traditional deliveries by truck. The ongoing efforts are critical as Gaza faces acute shortages of essential supplies, with rising numbers of children dying from malnutrition and dehydration. Israel has been accused by humanitarian officials of arbitrary and contradictory criteria regarding access. In another development, the US senate majority leader has called for Benjamin Netanyahu to step down: see

A bell has chimed for the first time at Ibrahim Al-Khalil Church in Ur, heralding its upcoming inauguration and marking a significant step in the region's religious and cultural landscape. The church, part of a larger complex honouring Abraham, aims to revive pilgrimage to the historic site and encourage the return of Christians to Iraq. It symbolises interfaith dialogue and offers a space for worship, social gatherings, and cultural activities. Designed with elements reflecting spirituality and history, the church hopes to attract tourists and strengthen ties between Muslims, Christians, and other minorities. Amidst challenges of war and sectarian violence, its completion signifies a new chapter, emphasising dialogue and reconciliation. With optimism for Iraq's reconstruction, the project's completion signals hope for a peaceful future, echoing the Pope’s message of peace and outreach amidst regional tensions.

UN officials have accused Israel of systematically blocking aid from reaching desperate Palestinians in Gaza, warning that a quarter of the population is ‘one step away from famine’. On 29 February over a hundred died and 750 were wounded when Israeli soldiers opened fire on crowds waiting for food aid. The conflict has now resulted in over 30,000 Palestinian casualties. Much of Gaza has been devastated. The officials highlighted the urgent need for food aid, with one in six children under two in northern Gaza suffering from acute malnutrition. However, delivering aid is hampered by numerous obstacles, including crossing closures, restrictions on movement, and attacks on aid convoys. In the event of a ceasefire, the World Food Programme is ready to swiftly expand operations; however, US hopes of an imminent truce seem very slim.

The US military has conducted four ‘self-defence’ strikes against Houthi forces in Yemen, destroying seven cruise missiles, a mobile ballistic missile launcher, and a drone aimed towards the Red Sea. These were regarded as an imminent threat to merchant vessels and US Navy ships. Israel's Arrow missile defence system intercepted an air attack from the Red Sea direction near Eilat. The Houthis, controlling populous Yemen regions, have targeted vessels tied to the US, UK, and Israel since November. The USA condemns their actions as terrorism, citing attacks on civilians and shipping, but the Houthis claim that their actions are in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. Their attacks have disrupted global commerce, rerouting ships around Africa, exacerbating humanitarian crises in regions like Sudan, Ethiopia, and Yemen. Meanwhile, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has urged Hamas to drop their ‘absurd’ demands for releasing Israeli hostages: see

6 February was the anniversary of two earthquakes that brought mass destruction to south Türkiye and northwest Syria, with over 50,000 lives lost. There were 1.7 million people in Hatay province, home to Türkiye’s largest Christian community; now there are only 250,000, as residents have moved to stay with relatives or find shelter elsewhere. A SAT-7 team who revisited the area found many who stayed living in ‘cities’ of container units. Rebuilding is under way, but the pace is slow and the task colossal. Although destruction was less widespread in Syria, many factors are preventing recovery. After twelve years of conflict, over four million people in the area were in need of humanitarian aid even before the quakes struck. Government corruption, international sanctions, and a collapse in the value of the Syrian currency have compounded the problem. The Bishop of Aleppo, Magar Ashkarian, said that although the earthquake had increased Christian migration abroad, denominations have come closer: ‘We live together in a very close relationship and try to help entirely without discrimination’.