Gaza is in flames following weeks of bombardment from Israeli tanks, troops and air-strikes.
The International Committee of the Red Cross is calling the situation in Gaza – an area from which it is difficult for ordinary people to escape due to an Israeli security wall surrounding it – a “humanitarian crisis”, as fighting continues between the Israeli military and Hamas combatants.
BMS World Mission has already given $10,000 (about £6,800) to local partners, Bethlehem Bible College (BBC), to assist in relief work and more grants are likely to be made as the crisis deepens. BBC are, at time of writing, still waiting for Israeli permission to take containers of relief aid that they have prepared into Gaza. At the same time, rockets continue to be fired into Israel by Hamas.
In 2008, BMS formalised relationships with Israeli and Palestinian Christians. Bader Mansour, Secretary of BMS partners, the Association of Baptist Churches in Israel, has requested that any aid raised for the situation be directed to Gaza.
“Reports say the situation is terrible in Gaza,” he says, “with more than 3,000 injured and only one hospital that cannot handle them all.”
According to Mr Mansour the southern part of Israel is being bombed by hand-made missiles fired from Gaza. “There are almost no casualties,” he says, “but life is not going on as usual in some cities, where people are hiding in shelters.”
In the north of Israel, in the mainly Arab towns, Mr Mansour says, “you can see the tension everywhere.There are police and army in the main junctions, and Palestinian Arab citizens of Israel are wanting to show grief and solidarity with what is happening in Gaza while still keeping the laws of Israel.
” With most Israeli public opinion in favour of the attack and the polarisation of views, “It is very hard being an Arab in Israel these days,” he says.
John Angle, Chairman of the Hope Christian trust, the UK charity which also supports BMS partners, Bethlehem Bible College, says that most of the Christian community in Gaza have been sheltering indoors as houses near them have been destroyed. He called the situation “extremely frightening” for those in Gaza.
“Giving financial support for humanitarian aid through the church community is something people in Gaza obviously need and want,” Mr Angle says. “The fact that they know that there are people abroad who are supporting them, praying for them and speaking out on their behalf is something which they value highly.” Mr Angle spoke recently to a Christian contact within Gaza: “She said: ‘What is the Church in England doing about our situation here? Is the Church speaking out against this and supporting us?’”
Gordon McBain, BMS Regional Secretary for the Middle East and North Africa, has called the situation “dreadful” and called on Christians to pray for an end to the violence. “I believe that as Christians there is much that we can do to help alleviate the suffering that has become an everyday event,” he said.
You can read Gordon’s full statement by clicking here and you can make a practical contribution to BMS relief work by clicking here. Click here to read prayer requests from BMS partners in the region.