“Prayer is Vital for Gaza”: Safe Zones and Humanitarian Access are Needed
Embrace’s Director of Programmes and Partnerships, Jamie Eyre, spoke to Premier Christian Radio about the impact the Israel-Hamas war is having on Embrace’s partners in Gaza and what UK churches can do to respond.
Here is a summary of what has said.
The conversation has been edited for clarity and took place before the tragedy at Al Ahli Hospital.
We’ve been hearing snippets of information about the challenges in Gaza. What are the key needs right now for the people in that region?
The thing that we need to do most is pray because there is no humanitarian access so it is not possible to get anything in or for anybody to get out. Because there is a complete lack of water we’re hearing that some people are even resorting to drinking seawater.
There’s a need for humanitarian access and there’s a need for us to pray big prayers that God will intervene and change the situation.
Are churches in Gaza able to function? Is it just a matter of individuals trying to respond and support people in the best way they can?
We know that people are sheltering in churches – there are two churches in Gaza City. There are around 800 Christians sheltering there. There are 4,000 people sheltering in other Christian institutions. And there are many Muslims who are being served by their neighbours.
Is there anything that we as churches in the UK can do?
I would encourage people to read and look at the news and listen. Embrace has a rolling site of updates from Christians in Gaza. It’s really important to hear the difference that Christians on the ground in Gaza can make and pray for them because that’s absolutely essential.
A prayer vigil in Central London will be held on Sunday – at St James’, Piccadilly – jointly organised by Christian Aid and Embrace, where people can come and pray together.
There is also an appeal on our website, so people have the opportunity to give.
I would encourage people not to get jaded by all the news coming out but to listen to the difference that our Christian brothers and sisters are making and to respond as best as they can.
Presumably for humanitarian aid workers already there on the ground, there must be concern about their welfare as well.
Absolutely, with the partners we work with, everybody has fled their homes. I know of at least eight people whose homes have been destroyed. People are living in fear. It is really, really difficult. And there is nowhere to go. There are no safe corridors. Our partners are asking us to pray and ask for humanitarian corridors so they can move safely. But also, where are they going to move to? There are currently no safe zones. There is a real need for that as well.
We have heard things about electricity going out. Does that make contact with charity workers on the ground difficult?
Yes, access is complicated. The internet went out a week ago. We’re told there is one telephone mast still up, so there is at least one partner I know who will speak to his team on the ground every day. They are getting some information but it really depends on the availability of comms.
You were saying earlier that one of the key things we can do in response is pray. Do you have any guidance on what we might pray for?
We shouldn’t forget that there are hostages. There are somewhere in the region of 250 people who need to be released, so we need to pray for negotiation for that as soon as possible. Our partners are asking us to pray for the end to the fighting; we need to pray that there are negotiations to bring this to a conclusion.
And we need to pray for access for humanitarian supplies. It sounds like there will be a Presidential announcement from Joe Biden. We pray and hope that that will bring some humanitarian access to allow supplies and resources in. At the moment our partners are stockpiling but they can’t get them there so we need to see that change.
A PS. Jamie writes: The news emerging last night was numbing. Al Ahli is one of our best-known partners and somewhere many current and former Embrace staff know well. A place of healing and safety, with a reputation for excellent care, and a mission to reach out into communities who otherwise may not receive the treatment they need. The hospital was sheltering many people at the time of last night's cruel and tragic explosion. We pray for an end to the killing and the immediate opening of humanitarian corridors to allow aid to reach people inside Gaza.
