Our Christian partners in the Middle East reflect on where they see Emmanuel this Christmas, revealing how God is at work in their communities and how the light of Christ continues to overcome the darkest of situations.

Joseph Hazboun, the Regional Director of the PMP, sent us this update from Jerusalem, warning of the catastrophic situations now facing many there, including the rapidly-shrinking Christian communities, but also reinforcing the PMP’s faith and commitment to keep serving.

“As winter sets in, the hardship grows even more severe, more than half of Gaza’s population is living in tents or beneath the remains of destroyed homes, many of which have already flooded from the rain…” Our partner the DSPR give an update on the situation in Gaza and their continuing work on the ground there.

“Until I crossed the Israeli checkpoint to enter the West Bank, my mind of a European who’s grown up with the privilege of free movement in my own native country could not compute what it means for a Palestinian to live under strict movement restrictions…”

Jamie Eyre, CEO of Embrace, speaks with Peter Nasir, General Secretary of East Jerusalem YMCA about the Christian community in the West Bank, the reality of life under occupation and the work of the YMCA.

During the autumn of 2024, the Israel-Hezbollah war turned life upside down for many of Lebanon’s citizens, but what has life been like since the ceasefire? Has life been able to return to normal or are there lasting scars? We’ve the latest updates from our partners in Lebanon.

The consequences of not reaching out across the chasms that divide us have been starkly visible since the horrors of 7 October 2023 and their devastating aftermath. Here in the UK, we are many miles away from this awful war, and we may feel helpless in its shadow. But we cannot ignore that God calls each of us to be peacemakers and reconcilers.

The Olive Tree Project is a powerful and practical way for UK Christians to stand in solidarity with Palestinians who are facing ever-increasing restrictions, land seizures and oppression due to the Israeli occupation. We spoke to Muhanad Al-Qaisy, director of the project…

As malnutrition and starvation conditions spread across Gaza, we’ve responded by supporting an emergency project run by our partners in Gaza, providing vital supplies of flour to over 500 families in Gaza City.