Archbishop Tapio Luoma, Bishop of Espoo Kaisamari Hintikka
and Finn Church Aid appeal:
The Middle East needs lasting peace
On Monday, October 7th, we mark the anniversary of another war. Exactly one year ago Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, carried out terrorist attacks on the Israeli side as part of a long-running conflict. Around 1,200 people were killed in the attacks, and Hamas took 251 hostages. The Israeli state responded to the attacks with direct military action against the Gaza Strip.
The Israeli state has killed more than 40,000 civilians and injured nearly 100,000 in its retaliation. More than 11,000 of those killed are children. More than 90% of Gaza’s schools have been damaged, and 650,000 children under the age of 10 in the region have lost a full school year. Israeli bombing has destroyed hospitals, schools and churches where people have sought refuge in their distress. Israel is not allowing enough humanitarian aid into Gaza, resulting in a constant shortage of medicines, food, electricity and water.
At the same time, Israel has tightened its occupation of the West Bank. Forced displacement of civilians, house demolitions, settlement expansion and movement restrictions have increased. Insecurity and fear are also caused by increased violence against Palestinians by Israeli settlers living illegally in the area. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) recently declared Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories illegal.
The hardening of Israel’s response has not increased security. War continues to spill over into neighbouring countries, most recently deep into Lebanon, where up to a million civilians have fled bombardments inside the country and across the borders into Syria. The prolongation of the crisis is also further aggravating the tense global political situation.
The security and human rights of Palestinians and Israelis are not mutually exclusive. On the contrary, they can only be achieved together. The only lasting way to end the suffering and stabilise the situation is a permanent ceasefire, the launch of a peace process and, ultimately, an end to Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories. Hamas must release its hostages and Israel must abide by the decisions of the international courts.
The international community, the political leaders and each of us must contribute to an end to the violence, adequate humanitarian access to Gaza and a lasting solution. We must do everything possible to ensure that both Israelis and Palestinians can live a safe life in a region of peace and equal enjoyment of human rights for all.
Tapio Luoma, Archbishop of Turku and Finland
Kaisamari Hintikka, Bishop of the Diocese of Espoo and Vice-Chairman of the Board of Finn Church Aid
Tomi Järvinen, Executive Director, Finn Church Aid
Further information:
Meri-Anna Paloniemi, Special Assistant to the Archbishop, p. 040 141 6348
Mervi Ritokoski, Liaison Officer, Diocese of Espoo, p. 050 472 7407.
Ikali Karvinen, Deputy Executive Director, Finn Church Aid, p. 040 660 2530
Photo: A girl looks on while walking through the rubble of a collapsed building in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on October 2, 2024 amid the ongoing war in the Palestinian territory between Israel and Hamas. File photo courtesy of: AFP/Bashar Taleb
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