Embrace Partner Updates
Latest news from Gaza, Lebanon, Israel and the West Bank
Staff of our partner Tahaddi volunteering in the kitchens of their partner organisation Bedayati to provide meals for displaced families in Beirut.
Our partners are directly affected by, and responding to, the unfolding Israel-Hamas and Israel-Hezbollah conflicts. We are in regular contact with our partners in the region and, on this page, we will continue to share updates and prayer requests as they come in.
You can find additional Prayer Resources here and news of Embrace’s response to the crisis on our Israel-Palestine News page.
An immediate ceasefire is imperative to avert the loss of thousands more lives. We urge you to continue lobby for peace and to hold Israel, Gaza, the West Bank (including East Jerusalem) and Lebanon in your prayers. Please also give to our Appeal to support the response of our partners.
LATEST UPDATES 20 NOVEMBER
Our partner the DSPR-MECC sent us these images of some of their work in Gaza. At their medical points in Gaza City and the central Gaza strip, and through their mobile medical clinic, they continue to provide primary health care services, psychosocial support, basic medical laboratory services, medicine, food and other emergency supplies and cash support.
Their team now numbers more than 100 and they tell us: “Every day the teams revise their intervention plans, and get to their work locations. Many of them are living in tents, almost all of them are forcedly displaced, but miraculously they are recharged with a renewable energy, faith and dedication to serve.”
18 NOVEMBER
Young midwife and family killed in Gaza
We’re shocked and saddened to report the death of another of our partners’ staff in Gaza. Last week, 27-year-old Doha, who worked as a midwife for our partner the DSPR-MECC was killed when an IDF airstrike hit the building she was sheltering in in Gaza City. For the last few months, she had been working at the DSPR’s medical point in Gaza City. Her team members told us:
“Doha was very kind dedicated and hardworking young women with high dreams and big heart. May her soul rest in peace.”
Doha was killed along with her husband, two young children, mother, father and brother.
15 NOVEMBER
Lessons amid the sound of airstrikes: Keeping education services running in Lebanon
13 NOVEMBER
Supporting Children with Disabilities in Gaza
Our partner, The Princess Basma Centre, sent us this video update about their work in Gaza. Embrace funding helped them set up their disability unit at Al Alhi Hospital.
12 NOVEMBER
Stories from the war in Lebanon: Living with epilepsy amid the trauma of war
8 NOVEMBER
Stories from the war in Lebanon: The tiny baby in a warzone
6 NOVEMBER
Already crowded refugee camps in Lebanon host displaced families from the south
The Community Centre in Dbayeh refugee camp, run by the Joint Christian Committee (JCC), is supported by Embrace. In recent weeks the already over-crowded camp has seen many more people arriving as families from the south of Lebanon seek shelter with relatives. With poverty levels so high in the camp, few can afford to support displaced families – but have opened up their homes nonetheless. The JCC told us of ‘the hospitality and generosity of the residents of the camp who welcomed the displaced families amongst them and in their homes in spite of their own poverty’.
The JCC, in partnership with another Embrace partner, the Pontifical Mission for Lebanon, has been distributing hot meals, blankets, mattresses, pillows and clothing from their Community Centre. Embrace funding is specifically helping with the distribution of nappies, milk and potable water as well as supporting JCC’s education programme at the Centre, which they have expanded to provide classes for newly displaced children.
Yesterday they sent us this video update:
Education continues despite airstrikes in southern Beirut
Recent airstrikes in Beirut’s southern suburbs have struck very close to the centres of our partner Tahaddi – some within 500 meters. Amid the dangers, children remaining in the neighbourhood are keen to continue their education and so the staff at Tahaddi’s Education Centre are running lessons for an hour each day in maths, English and Arabic. Around 40 children attend these sessions, where they are also supported with games and activities to address stress and anxiety.
Children at Tahaddi Education Centre practice a technique to reduce anxiety - focussing on their breathing using their fingers as guides.
Around 40 children are still attending lessons at Tahaddi education centre.
The teams at Tahaddi’s sewing atelier and workshop continue to make vital supplies for the shelters. Last week they created 400 blankets, pillows and pillowcases, along with 13 new beds. Conditions in many of the emergency shelters are very bad. Tahaddi staff delivered two beds to one shelter housing 40 people. They told us that building was originally offices and not designed to house people. The kitchen is on the balcony, and the only water point is in a small bathroom on the ground floor.
“As the situation drags on and hopes for peace fade, it sometimes becomes difficult to meet the growing social and medical needs of the families around us … and to support our team members who have been displaced. Thank you for your generosity and support, your friendship, and us being in your thoughts during these challenging times."
4 NOVEMBER
We have received distressing news from our partner, Caritas Jerusalem, in the wake of intense shelling on the Al-Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza. They sent us the following update:
Injuries and loss of lives in central Gaza
“On the night of Friday, November 1, 2024, a bombardment struck North of Al-Nuseirat refugee camp, injuring two Caritas doctors and devastating their families.
A female doctor sustained a leg injury, while a male doctor was pulled from the rubble with a broken collarbone.
Tragically, he lost his brother, wife, and two young children, including a six-week-old infant. Other family members were also injured.
The father of a second female Caritas doctor was injured in the same incident.
The doctors were at home with their families when the attack occurred. They work at Caritas Medical Point in the South of Al-Nuseirat camp.
All we can do is pray and hope for a swift recovery for the injured. We reiterate our plea for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and the region to prevent further loss of innocent lives.”
30 OCTOBER
Embrace statement on Israel’s decision to ban UNRWA
"The decision to ban UNRWA is a catastrophe for Palestinians”
Read our full statement in response to Israel’s decision to ban the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) from operating in areas under its control.
Meals and healthcare for displaced families
Our partner Tahaddi has told us that 80% of the local community they serve in southern Beirut is now displaced throughout the country. Five of their staff members and families are homeless, as their apartments have been damaged or destroyed.
Despite this, Tahaddi continues to support those in great need. Here are some extracts from their latest update…
“On Friday 25 October, Tahaddi volunteers distributed hot meals to 120 displaced individuals from the Hay El Gharbeh neighbourhood, who are now staying temporarily at the Beirut Hippodrome, where the men work as stable hands. A stable for a horse, a stable for a family.”
“During a recent visit to a school in Beirut, Tahaddi nurses conducted screenings and triage to assess needs. After completing their duties, they took the initiative to visit bedridden patients unable to reach the appointment area. They found a critically ill patient with special needs and coordinated his immediate referral to an emergency department.”
“The Tahaddi Medical Director and two doctors consulted around 70 displaced patients, providing medications when available. Many were suffering from respiratory infections, gastrointestinal issues, and worsening chronic conditions due to lack of medication and psychological distress.”
28 OCTOBER
Caring for marginalised families in Lebanon
Our partner, Tahaddi, is working hard to support the remaining one-fifth of families who have not fled from the Beirut neighbourhood where they are located. They told us these families have “serious needs and deep fears”:
For the children who are able to come to Tahaddi’s centre, it's about finding a safe space to meet, play, and reconnect with a sense of ‘life as it was’. For those who cannot, a week of online work has offered everyone—educators and children alike—a chance to return to a semblance of routine.
Here are 400 blankets and 400 pillows, sewn in Tahaddi’s Sewing Atelier, ready to be sent to displaced families in the Bekaa region of Lebanon.
A young baby weighs only 1.7 kg and lives in a room without a door, exposed to rats that can pose a serious threat. Her parents cannot read or write, but her mother comes to Tahaddi’s center every day to wash, change and feed the baby, administer vitamins and sterilise the bottle.
Serving displaced Deaf individuals in Beirut
Our partner, the Learning Centre for the Deaf, sent us the following update:
“Unfortunately, the situation in Lebanon has worsened. Daily, we hear about casualties and destruction, especially in the south of Lebanon, the southern suburbs of Beirut, and the towns in the Bekaa Valley. We have witnessed destruction near the Learning Center for the Deaf (LCD) and have heard heavy explosions, primarily at night, from midnight to early morning, which has disrupted our sleep. In the mornings, we see huge plumes of smoke rising about 300 meters into the sky, especially in the suburbs. Many buildings have been severely damaged, leaving thousands of families homeless.
At the LCD, we have welcomed 22 displaced individuals … They have received support from the Lebanese Red Cross and another organisation, providing basic food, hygiene items, clothing, etc. We are able to offer them full accommodation at the top floors of the LCD, electricity, a generator, and a kitchen, so they are managing well.
Since September 24th, we have been working to provide mattresses, household materials, food, and other essentials for displaced Deaf individuals. Some have been living on the streets of Beirut, while others have taken refuge in public schools. Recently, our board members helped those living on the streets to transition into public schools, where they can remain until a more permanent solution is found.”
24 OCTOBER
Providing medical care at emergency shelters in Beirut
The teams from our partner the Karagheusian Health Centre continue to provide primary medical care to displaced families sheltering in their neighbourhood of Beirut. Yesterday they send us this video of one of their medical teams visiting one of the emergency shelters.
NEW PROJECT - SUSTAINING LIVELIHOODS IN BETHLEHEM
Lack of tourists, strict movement restrictions and rising insecurity have crippled the West Bank economy. Bethlehem is particularly hard hit and so Embrace is funding a new project to create much-needed employment opportunities and support local businesses and services.
23 OCTOBER
Shortage of food and medical supplies at Al Ahli Hospital, Gaza
The rise in fighting in Northern Gaza in recent weeks has meant that Al Ahli Hospital in Gaza City has once again been at the forefront of the emergency medical response. Yesterday we spoke to Suhaila Tarazi, the hospital’s Director, who told us that over 1,000 people are coming through the hospital’s doors each day - the injured and sick, along with their families. On average they are treating around 150 inpatients.
These are similar numbers to what the hospital experienced at the height of the fighting at the start of the war. This is much more than the capacity of the hospital so, unfortunately, they are having to use the corridors for patients. The number of emergency cases meant that last week they had to postpone treatment for some of the more stable war injuries.
They are also facing a shortage of food and medical supplies because of the restrictions on getting aid into northern Gaza. Suhaila told us famine was a real risk.
Alongside trauma injuries, and conditions resulting from the conflict, the hospital continues to offer what it can to offer more 'normal' care. During the month of October, they have been doing what they can to raise awareness of breast cancer and offering scans and some surgeries. They also have a clinic at Al Mawasi, the designated safe zone in Gaza. There they do not have equipment to conduct mammograms, instead they are running an awareness programme and teaching women how to do self-examinations to spot signs of cancer so that they can seek early care from doctors.
Switching to online education to keep classes running in Lebanon
The education centre run by our partner Tahaddi is in an informal settlement on the edge of Beirut. The airstrikes have meant that 70% of the staff have either been displaced from their homes or are hosting displaced family members. Despite this, they are busy preparing an online programme, to give their pupils (80% of whom are also displaced) a chance to continue some of their education. But the situation is very difficult, as the team told us:
“Due to the situation, only one activity per week per subject will be sent to each class, which will still result in 5 to 9 activities per class per week. However, access to this program is complicated for the children, as they often have only one phone per family, face major power outages, and have difficulties accessing WiFi.
“The uncertainty about the future is extremely hard for all of us. Thank you for continuing to keep Lebanon in your hearts.”
22 OCTOBER
Providing primary healthcare for displaced in Lebanon
Here are some pictures from yesterday - a medical team from our partner the Karagheusian Health Centre have been visiting emergency shelters in their neighbourhood to provide primary healthcare and medication.
21 OCTOBER
Beds delivered to emergency shelter in Lebanon
At the weekend, our partner Tahaddi delivered 6 beds to help some of the most vulnerable residents in emergency shelters, who have been having to sleep on the floor. The beds had been made in Tahaddi’s carpentry workshop by members of their youth group. Tahaddi’s staff told us:
“It’s heart-breaking to see these people living in such trying conditions, far from their village, their home, uprooted in overcrowded, noisy, and inhospitable places. Yet the dedication of the young people, who help tirelessly, is touching. One of the people we gave a bed to had tears in her eyes, moved by their kindness, after they lifted her from her mattress on the floor, placed her in a chair, assembled the bed in front of her, and gently laid her on a real bed.”
18 OCTOBER
Psychological support for traumatised children in Lebanon
Staff at our partner the Joint Christian Committee (JCC) report that missiles have fallen close to their farm in the Tyre-region of Lebanon and near their community centre at Ein El Hilweh, which usually runs art, literacy and music programmes. The programmes at the centre have halted, but instead the staff have run art sessions at two schools that have been turned into emergency shelters – to help provide psychological support for traumatised children there.
The Dbayeh Refugee Camp near Beirut has seen an influx of people as displaced families from the south look for shelter among friends and relatives there. Embrace supports JCC’s library at the camp. Staff have been responding to the need by providing hot meals at the library and distributing food boxes to households hosting displaced families. JCC told us:
“As families struggle to cope with the catastrophe that has befallen them, JCC is committed to offering whatever assistance and support it can. This support is critical to these families who are trying to hold on as the whole country is ignorant of what the future holds.”
Hot meals provided at JCC’s library at Dbayeh Refugee Camp near Beirut.
Art sessions run by JCC staff at a school shelter.
Art sessions run by JCC staff at a school shelter.
17 OCTOBER
STORIES FROM THE WAR IN GAZA: WORKING AT AL AHLI HOSPITAL
Dr Maher, Medical Director of Al Ahli Hospital in Gaza City, tells us what the last year has been like for him, his family and the hospital’s staff.
16 OCTOBER
Impact of the crisis on Lebanon’s children
The autumn term should have begun in Lebanon, but because of the crisis the government has delayed the start of the academic year until 4th November. However, with over 60% of state schools currently being used as emergency shelters, it’s unclear if children will be able to restart their education then.
The education team at our partner Tahaddi have kept in contact with the families of the children who attend their education centre. Many have fled the neigbourhood because of the airstrikes, but about 20% remain. Yesterday the team organised fun games and educational activities for some of the children. It was also a chance to check on how they are coping. One of the staff members told us:
”It felt almost surreal teaching children how to protect themselves in case of a strike, or discussing what to pack in a survival bag…and, yes, you need to prepare it now, please… while elsewhere, other children are learning history, irregular past tenses, or playing basketball during recess.”
Making beds for the most vulnerable in the shelters
Two members of Tahaddi’s youth group came to the centre and used their carpentry skills to make 6 additional beds for sick or older people displaced in schools.
15 OCTOBER
Embrace signs joint statement on ending Israel’s atrocities in northern Gaza
‘This is not a time for silence - this is a time for action. The people of Gaza cannot wait. The world must intervene now before more innocent lives are lost.’ Embrace has joined 37 other organisations in calling on global leaders to do everything in their power to stop the escalation of violence and forced evacuation in northern Gaza. READ STATEMENT IN FULL
Al Ahli Hospital in Gaza running out of blood supplies
The IDF have been intensifying their military operations in northern Gaza in recent weeks. Until today, no food aid had been allowed in since 1 October and three hospitals have been told to evacuate. Our partner Al Ahli Hospital in Gaza City has been receiving some of these patients, as well as casualties from the air strike on Al Shati refugee camp. Al Ahli Hospital has put out an urgent call for blood donations, food and medicine as they do not have enough supplies.
14 OCTOBER
Partner staff homes destroyed in airstrikes in Lebanon
The staff of our partners in Lebanon continue to be hugely impacted by the IDF strikes in Beirut – both in terms of their work and terrible personal loss. We received this update from our partner Tahaddi:
“We're constantly in emergency mode, having to adapt quickly to a reality that has turned our lives upside down… no one is doing the work they are normally employed to do. There are displaced staff members from Tahaddi, displaced children from Tahaddi programs, and our neighbourhood that is practically deserted, eerily silent but filled with the continual noise of drones.
“Two days ago, I called a colleague whose home was completely flattened…another lost his childhood home where his uncle had been living before taking refuge with relatives some days ago… Yesterday evening, a terrible strike was launched in a very populated area where 3 of our staff live. They were in tears: they had been so frightened by the deafening sound of the missiles. They targeted 3 buildings, killed 22 innocent people, and injured many more. Will we see an end to this war?
Amidst all this, the dedication, resilience and bravery of the Tahaddi’s staff is incredible. Although airstrikes have come near to their neighbourhood, they have been able to keep their sewing atelier open. It is providing vital income for 7 mothers and 3 young people (who continue to turn up to work, despite the dangers) and producing much-needed blankets and pillows for displaced families.
This image shows blankets and pillows sent by Tahaddi arriving at a church centre that usually hosts summer camps:
Tahaddi staff told us: “The centre has opened its doors to displaced families from several villages in the south and from Beirut. It is a beautiful place in the mountains, but it’s already cool in the evenings and at night, and it's not heated.
They also sent us this video, which shows the arrivals of materials at the Sewing Atelier, noting: “You will hear the silence haunted by the continual noise of drones.”
12 OCTOBER
A YEAR OF GRIEF AND LOSS “BUT WE RE-AFFIRM OUR CHRISTIAN WITNESS”
New statements from our Christian partners in Gaza and the West Bank reveal the crushing grief they feel after a year of violence, fear, loss and death. But they continue to live out their faith.
11 OCTOBER
The Karagheusian Centre is offering a place for displaced people to charge their phones and lights thanks to the Centre’s solar panels.
Karagheusian Medical Centre provides food, electricity and healthcare for displaced
The staff at the Karagheusian Medical Centre not only continue to provide vital medical care to residents and displaced families in the neighbourhood – they are also now providing hot meals and a place for people to charge mobile phones and LED lights.
Their community kitchen is currently preparing and distributing hot meals to 300 families.
The medical teams are also visiting the emergency shelters to provide medical care. Today (11th October), they visited a shelter which is currently home to over 1,000 displaced people.
The Karagheusian Community Kitchen staff are providing meals for displaced families.
300 displaced families are being supported with hot meals.
Medical teams from the Karagheusian Centre are visiting the emergency shelters.
The Karagheusian staff are also treating 700 patients a day at their Medical Centre.
Today the medical teams visited a shelter housing 1,000 displaced people.
10 OCTOBER
Faithful service and resilience in the face of danger
Our partner Tahaddi’s centre in southern Lebanon is very close to where airstrikes have been happening. Despite the danger, the staff and volunteers continue to serve faithfully, preparing nutritious meals and sewing blankets and pillowcases for displaced families.
In an update on 8 October, Tahaddi told us:
“While we were working at the centre with a few colleagues, an airstrike was carried out very close by, on the airport road near our centre. We expected the sewing team to come in panic, but no one did. In fact, the noise of the machines drowned out the explosions, and everyone continued working without realising what had just happened!”
Women in Tahaddi’s Sewing Atelier
An airstrike struck very close to Tahaddi’s Centre
Cooking nutritious meals for displaced families
Providing families with vital health services
Meeting of staff at the Karagheuisan Medical Centre, 8 October.
Amid the upheaval and destruction in Lebanon, the dedicated staff at our partner the Karaghuesian Medical Centre in the Bourj Hammoud neighbourhood of Beirut continue to provide vital health services. Bourj Hammoud is one of the northern suburbs of the city and has so far not been the focus of the airstrikes, so there has been an influx of people into the area. The staff at Karagheusian tell us that they are treating over 700 patients a day. They are also reaching out to support the schools in the neighbourhood, which are now being used as emergency shelters and where over 1,000 displaced are now living.
9 OCTOBER
Airstrikes fall close to our partner’s centre in Lebanon
Last night the IDF airstrikes in southern Beirut were in very close proximity to the Al-Kafaàt Foundation’s disability rehabilitation centre known as The Village. Today, we had this update from Myriam, one of the Trustees of Al-Kafaàt:
"We have no access to the Village… The night was bad. Our management teams are now on the Ain Saadeh university campus [outside of Beirut] as we restructure our services. We have set up a crisis cell to allow for all services to be on campus.”
Many of Al-Kafaàt’s staff are currently also having to shelter at the university camps as their homes are in one of the areas of Beirut that has been a focal point of IDF strikes.
The challenge of keeping educational projects running in Lebanon
The education centre and programmes run by our partner Tahaddi support over 600 children in the informal settlement of Hay El Gharbeh in southern Beirut. Since the airstrikes started, many of the residents have fled the area in search of safety. Tahaddi’s education team are committed to continuing to support the children in whatever way they can, including potentially offering education through WhatsApp groups or online. This week they reached out to the families to ascertain their location and situation so they can plan a response. So far, of the families who responded, only three remain in the area. The rest have been forced into either seeking temporary accommodation with relatives or in emergency shelters, have fled to Syria, or in some cases, are now living on the streets of Beirut.
8 OCTOBER
Distributing meals to displaced families in Lebanon
Yesterday our partner Tahaddi send us this update:
Tahaddi staff have been volunteering in the kitchens of their partner organisation Bedayati to provide meals for displaced families.
‘Beirut has become a vast open-air dormitory, with families often finding themselves in extremely precarious conditions —especially those who haven't secured space in schools. Access to water is one of the greatest challenges for displaced families, even for those in organized shelters. On Sunday, we distributed sandwiches directly to families camping outside in makeshift shelters.’
Working with their partner organisation Bedayati, they have so far been able to distribute 420 meals and 420 sandwiches to displaced families. They have also supplied 600 blankets, 600 pillows and 50 mattresses to 19 schools that are now being used as emergency shelters.
7 OCTBER
PLEASE JOIN US IN PRAYER
On the one-year anniversary of the of appalling attacks in Israel and the start of the devastating war in Gaza, we cry out to God. Please join us in prayer.
6 OCTOBER
We have received this video from our partner Thimar-LSESD. For many years Embrace has been supporting Thimar’s programme which provided displaced families in Lebanon with essentials such as food, hygiene kits, blankets and mattresses. Now Thimar are rapidly expanding this project.
4 OCTOBER
The centres owned by our partner Tahaddi are located on the edge of the southern suburb of Beirut. The airstrikes on parts of Beirut in recent days means the neighbourhood is now half-deserted. But Tahaddi’s sewing atelier has, so far, been able to remain open – providing vital employment for those who are still in the neighbourhood and producing much-needed supplies for displaced families. Yesterday, eight members of the sewing team were able to sew over 200 pillowcases in just three and a half hours. Many of the team are themselves displaced, either living in temporary accommodation or, in some cases, on the streets.
Tahaddi sewing atelier, 2 October.
Members of the sewing team.
Pillows and pillowcases ready to be delivered.
The pillowcases were distributed to the schools that are now being used as emergency accommodation. Tahaddi is also working with the schools to help provide much-needed medication and medical equipment. Yesterday this included buying and delivering a nebuliser for a sick child.
The streets of Beirut are filled with displaced families
These images were taken by our friend Hussein from the Learning Centre for the Deaf. He was out for a morning run with his friend Hisham, but instead stopped to speak with many of the families. He said:
“The views of hundreds of families living in these streets were heartbreaking…How could one comfort them when they are in these situations? Hisham and I felt compelled to take action beyond our run. We spoke about returning to support these families within our capacity…
One mother feared about their situation when the rain comes - where would they go? Another mother said: ‘we thank God; He will not abandon us!’ Yes, we acknowledged God’s goodness and the strength of the human spirit, and with that acknowledgment comes a responsibility to act with compassion and solidarity.”
3 OCTOBER
Sewing supplies for displaced families
Our partner Tahaddi tell us that there have been airstrikes close to their centre on the edge of Beirut in recent nights. Nevertheless, on Tuesday workers at their sewing atelier came in to help sewing pillow cases for displaced families. Many of the women who work at the atelier are themselves from refugee families and know what it is like to have to flee your home.
2 OCTOBER
Iranian missile attack strikes fear among Israelis and Palestinians in the West Bank
The deployment of Iranian ballistic missiles last night marked Tehran’s largest-ever attack on Israel. We have been in touch with our partners in Israel and Palestine and are grateful to report that they are all safe. Unsurprisingly, though, the latest escalation has left them deeply shaken and fearful for the future.
Our partners and friends in the West Bank do not have access to bomb shelters, making them particularly vulnerable to attacks from above. Please do continue to pray for peace.
Supporting displaced children in Lebanon
There are large numbers of displaced people in the north of Lebanon and many school buildings have been turned into shelters for families with nowhere else to go. Our partner, Beit El Nour, is running recreational activities for children sheltering at one of the schools in Tripoli. As the pictures below illustrate, the activities are helping to give the children a sense of structure and joy amid the chaos and uncertainty:
1 OCTOBER
“They are coming without anything”: Supporting Displaced Families in Lebanon
Our partner MERATH has already been supporting families displaced by the Israel-Hezbollah conflict for many months. Claudette, one of their volunteers, told us what they’d been doing and how the escalation in the violence has made what was an already extremely difficult situation, a critical one.
“Our days are exhausting, emotionally and physically”
Yesterday we received this voice note from one of the staff at Tahaddi. Tahaddi provides primary healthcare, education and social services to communities in an informal settlement on the edge of Beirut. Many of their staff have been displaced because of the shelling.
30 SEPTEMBER
Partner centres turned into emergency shelters in Lebanon
Several of our partners have converted their schools, community centres and buildings to host newly displaced families. Below are some photos of families sheltering at the Learning Centre for the Deaf. The centre does have some bedrooms, enough to sleep up to 8 people, but over the weekend 18 people were sheltering there and some had to sleep on the classroom floors.
Our partner Beit El Nour have also opened up one of their education centres to shelter displaced families. This morning their staff and volunteers met to plan how to best support the families staying there and what activities they can run at the centre:
Beit el Nour staff and volunteers.
Prayer requests and messages from our Lebanese partners
As the IDF shelling of parts of Beirut and Hezbollah sites across Lebanon intensified over the weekend, we were in close contact with our Lebanese partners. Here are some of the messages they sent us:
- “We are physically ok, but our hearts bleed for Beirut ... We have lost innocent lives and thousands of lives are impacted. Huge number of sudden homeless families need urgent help. We ask for your prayers and support.”
- “It's a real nightmare. Lebanon needs your prayers. Our staff has visited the schools in Bourj Hammoud and Tripoli and starting on Monday they will start offering help and support for children. We can provide psychological support sessions and recreational activities but still they need the basics like mattresses, covers, food…”
- “It was very violent. We live day to day. We don’t know what God has in store for us tomorrow. We are in his hands.”
-“We barely slept. We are safe but extremely worried. We continue welcoming [displaced] families onto our campus.”
- “We are in need of every prayer.”
29 SEPTEMBER
Residents evacuated from disability centre in Lebanon
Yesterday our partners Al-Kafaat had to evacuate the residents of one of their disability centres for their safety. One of their trustees, who took part in the evacuation, told us:
“Last night, Israel was violently pounding our capital, and one of our centres was under great danger. Children and adults with special needs who couldn’t go home were stuck with our employees… I waited until the sun rose. I kissed my husband and drove fast towards the place from where heavy smoke with a dark acidic smell covered the skies. The roads were nearly empty, except for the displaced who were carrying their belongings in trash bags, trying to escape the neighborhood.
”There, I met our two most trusted directors. Quickly, the team packed clothes, diapers, food, medicine…in trash bags. The residents were not fully understanding what was going on. They looked traumatized. I cheered them up, cracked some jokes, while rushing the team to get going. We waited for the bus, the teams with their trash bags, and our special children and adults to be lifted, carried or rolled on their chairs. One bus, two buses, and I am still cracking my jokes and laughing with the kids. We could hear some pounding in the background, but we kept the momentum going. Quickly, quickly… Under one hour, we were ready to go. “All the kids are with you?” I shout to the director as she waves goodbye to me from the bus. “Yes, yes”, she replied, “They are all with me. All 14 of them!”. I wave goodbye. I turn my back, and I start to cry.”
Photos below: Evacuating on of the Al-Kafaat Centres, 28 September
28 SEPTEMBER
“Amid this darkness, we are called to serve”
“Most Lebanese did not sleep last night, their rest shattered by the relentless roar of jets and the deafening..." Staff from our partner Thimar/LSESD sent us this update following the IDF's strikes on Beirut.
27 SEPTEMBER
Update from Lebanon - how our partners are helping displaced families
Thousands of people in Lebanon have been displaced by the escalating Israel-Hezbollah conflict. Many have had to leave without time to pack essentials and are seeking shelter wherever they can. In our latest blog, staff at our partner Thimar tells us what they are doing to respond to this crisis and of some of the harrowing personal stories they are hearing… READ THE BLOG
26 SEPTEMBER
Providing shelter for displaced families in Lebanon
Our partner Al Kafaat are opening up their Ail Saadeh university campus dormitory to provide shelter for staff families who have had to evacuate the homes to escape the shelling. The building has been closed since 2020 so they are using Embrace funding to upgrade the bathroom facilities and also to provide food and essential supplies to those sheltering there.
We have launched an Urgent Appeal to support our partners’ response to the crisis unfolding in Lebanon and northern Israel - you can donate here.
25 SEPTEMBER
Update from Israel
Our partners in northern Israel told us of the disruption, restrictions and fear many are experiencing: “It's a very complicated period and nobody knows what will happen next. Thank you for your prayers, deeply appreciated and needed.”
For our partners in Acre this has had a direct impact on the projects that they run: "As the escalation in the north became greater all the schools are teaching virtually this week. Activities in the center in Acre are postponed, and the team are in constant communications with the girls we support."
23 SEPTEMBER
Update from Lebanon
As the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah escalates, we continue to be in close contact with our partners in Lebanon. Thankfully, so far all are safe, but many of the schools and community centres that we support have not been able to open today. As always, our partners thoughts are how they can best serve, and many are drawing up contingency plans for the unfolding situation. We have launched an Urgent Appeal to support our partners’ response to the crisis unfolding in Lebanon and northern Israel - you can donate here.
Our partner Thimar (formerly The Lebanese Society for Educational and Social Development) told us:
“In Beirut, attacks have not occurred as of this afternoon, but fear and uncertainty still spread like wildfire this morning as residents received messages from Israel, warning them to evacuate before its military strikes residential locations where it claims Hezbollah is storing weapons and munitions. As the messages arrived, parents rushed to pick up their children from school just as classes for the new academic year got underway.
Our school, BBS [Beirut Baptist School], which is in a largely non-Christian part of Beirut, issued semi-evacuation orders. It also began preparing its campus to host people displaced by fighting, just as it did during the last full-scale war between Hezbollah and Israel in 2006. Families we hosted then have reached out, asking if we can host them again 18 years later. Already, Lebanon’s ministry of education has instructed public schools in parts of the country currently under fire – or expected to come under fire – to open their doors for people who have fled, while classes in those areas have also been cancelled for today and tomorrow.
In this deep, frightening uncertainty, we continue to ask for your prayers and support. Yet all the while, we stand ready to respond. At our offices on the outskirts of Beirut, we have food boxes ready to distribute to people displaced by fighting and our aid and development ministry, Middle East Revive and Thrive, has been providing humanitarian support to people affected by the conflict for nearly a year.”
In the midst of this escalation of war and violence in the Middle East, we turn our eyes to God - please join us in prayer.
New clinic opens in Gaza
Last week our partners NECC-DSPR were able to open a new primary healthcare clinic in Nusirat, in the central Gaza strip. They told us:
“This clinic is an important addition to our mission of providing life-saving healthcare services to communities. On our very first day of operation, we proudly served over 400 men, women and children.
The clinic occupies a large hall that was once used for weddings and events. Though the building required significant repairs - including broken glass and a damaged ceiling - our dedicated team quickly jumped into action, transforming the space into a functional health center. In the coming days, we will continue structural works in the clinic, including adding partitions to improve patient care spaces.”
19 SEPTEMBER
Update from Lebanon
Following the explosions of thousands of electronic devices across Lebanon on 17 and 18 September, we have been in touch with partners and are greatly relieved that everyone is safe and unharmed. However, they are shaken and deeply concerned about what may follow and have asked for our prayers.
Our friends at The Al Kafaat Foundation told us:
“The last 48 hours have been tremendously challenging on all fronts, and we thank the Lord that all our children and staff are safe. Our programs and projects had already been delayed in August with the threat of escalation during that month. Today, the threat is back. We thank the Lord that we are all safe today. But now, we fear what next?”
This was also reflected in what our friends at Thimar, The Lebanese Society for Educational and Social Development, said:
“In the early days and weeks of this conflict, experts described the fight between Israel and Hezbollah as one being fought within the confines of unspoken rules of engagement between the two parties. Those contours have long been destroyed. Tit-for-tat strikes have spiralled out of control and given rise to an ever-escalating conflict with no end in sight.
Yesterday’s attack would have been unthinkable nearly a year ago. Indeed, who could have imagined such a strike? If such an attack had appeared in a movie or book, people would dismiss it as science fiction. But for us in Lebanon, it was very much real…
But it’s what is still yet to come that looms most heavily – the intangible dread, uncertainty, and anticipation of the next attack. Hezbollah, blaming Israel, has promised to retaliate... Psychological warfare has become as real as the tangible components of bombs and bullets.
We ask for your prayers and support… As we near the sombre one-year anniversary of October 7, we stand ever more convinced that the only lasting hope for this situation is found in the life-transforming message of the Gospel.”
You can read the full update from Thimar here.
18 SEPTEMBER
Polio vaccinations in Gaza
We’re proud to share that our long-term partner DSPR-NECC is a key player in the implementation of World Health Organization’s polio vaccination programme in Gaza. This week they sent us this update:
“DSPR-NECC Gaza has been selected by the World Health Organization (WHO), UNRWA, UNICEF, and the Ministry of Health as one of the 18 medical points that will conduct the polio vaccination campaign in the city of Gaza. This recognition reflects our dedication and capability in delivering vital healthcare services to the community. As part of this national campaign, DSPR-NECC has deployed five dedicated teams across Gaza, working tirelessly to reach thousands of children daily, ensuring they receive the protection they need against polio.
On Wednesday, 11 September 2024, DSPR-NECC Gaza, in partnership with the Church of the Holy Family, the Church of St. Porphyrius, and the Sisters of the Missionaries of Charity Shelter, collaborated with the Ministry of Health to administer the polio vaccine to children aged one to ten years.”
Below pictures: Polio vaccination programme in Gaza City. Credit Mousa Ayyad
17 SEPTEMBER
Statement calling for the protection of people deprived of their liberty in the occupied Palestinian territory and Israel
Embrace is one of 31 NGOs to sign a statement calling on all UN Member States to take urgent steps to protect people deprived of their liberty across the occupied Palestinian territory and Israel:
“We are calling on UN member states to ensure that the International Committee of the Red Cross is granted immediate and unfettered access to all detainees and hostages, to the full extent required by international humanitarian law.”
12 SEPTEMBER
Archbishop of Canterbury meets with Palestinian Christians
Photo credit: Neil Turner
It was an honour for Embrace the Middle East to be invited to take part in a meeting at Lambeth Palace on Tuesday with the Archbishop of Canterbury and our Palestinian brothers and sisters in Christ, Pastor Munther Isaac, Dalia Qumsieh and Mays Nassar. Afterwards Archbishop Justin said:
“It was a privilege to meet and pray today with some of our Palestinian Christian sisters and brothers. I praise God for their steadfastness in the face of occupation, systemic discrimination and devastating violence. I thank God for their faithfulness in the land where Christ lived, died and was raised from the dead. I am profoundly grieved by what I heard today, and I cry out to God for the war in Gaza to stop. How many more stories of families, homes and communities destroyed must we hear before this senseless killing ceases?…”
A report on the meeting and Archbishop Justin’s full statement can be found here.
10 SEPTEMBER
Update from DSPR-MECC: Mourning the loss of a dedicated colleague in Gaza
We are saddened and deeply distressed to learn of the death of one of our partner’s members of staff in Gaza. Wala’ Fathi Al-Masri, and her daughter Mira, were killed by Israeli strikes in a residential area of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip. Her three sons were also injured.
Above: Wala’ working in the mobile clinic on 9 June 2024.
Born in 1984, Wala’ was a mother of four and a nurse, who had worked for our partner DSPR-MECC for over 15 years. Before the war, she served in clinics in Al-Shejaiya and Al-Daraj, which were supported by Embrace. After the war broke out, Wala’ and her family were forcibly displaced to Rafah, where she served faithfully in DSPR-MECC’s Rafah clinic. On 6 May, Wala’ and her family were forced to move again as a result of the Israeli invasion of Rafah. Wala’ continued to work in mobile clinics in Khan Younis and Dair El-Balah until she was killed on Sunday 8 September.
In the words of our partner, the DSPR-MECC:
“Wala’ was a role model of resilience and kindness, always maintaining her smile and sense of humour despite the dire circumstances. Her dedication as a mother to her three sons and daughter, as well as her professionalism as a nurse, was extraordinary. As we mourn her loss, we pray for her and her daughter’s souls to rest in peace and hope that her three sons receive the medical treatment they desperately need amidst the collapse of the healthcare system.”
We ask you to join us in praying for Wala’s remaining family and her colleagues as they grieve, and for the recovery of her sons. Please also continue to pray and call for a full and immediate ceasefire, so that this cycle of violence and death may come to an end. Please continue to write to your MP and church leaders. Our latest letter templates can be downloaded here.
3 SEPTEMBER
Statement in response to the UK Government’s decision to suspend some arms licences to Israel
Following the Government’s decision to suspend some arms licences to Israel, 18 UK charities and organisations, including Embrace, have issued a statement welcoming the move but calling on the government to do more:
“The Government’s recognition of the clear risk that Israel is using UK arms in serious violations of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) is a welcome step forward. Given that recognition, and the clear and compelling evidence that the Israeli military is violating IHL, it is insufficient that the Government has failed to end ALL arms transfers to Israel…”
2 SEPTEMBER
Strikes hit near Al-Ahil Hospital and St Porphyrius Church
We are sad to report that over the weekend there were airstrikes near Al-Ahli Hospital. Our partners tell us that one missile strike hit and damaged the maintenance workshop and neighbouring structures at the hospital. Among the injured during the airstrikes was a mother and her new-born baby.
An air strike also hit buildings very close to St Porphyrius church. There were no casualties among the Christian community, but tragically it did lead to deaths, including children, among their neighbours.
30 AUGUST
We are distressed by the escalation of violence in the West Bank. Settler attacks and Israeli military raids continue to increase in frequency and intensity causing loss of life, damage to property and displacement from the land. We pray for protection for our partners as they continue to serve in the midst of it and we echo the finding of the ICJ Advisory Opinion that the occupation is illegal and must end.
Today we received this update from our partner Caritas Jerusalem, who have been forced to temporarily halt their projects in the West Bank:
“Escalating violence in the northern West Bank has forced Caritas Jerusalem to temporarily suspend field operations. The situation deteriorated after Israeli forces launched intense overnight raids in the occupied West Bank, targeting the militant strongholds of Jenin and Tulkarm. At least 10 Palestinians were killed in the raids, marking a grim escalation in a conflict that has already claimed 628 Palestinian lives since October 7, according to the UN. Despite the chaos, Caritas Jerusalem managed to complete a two-day strategic workshop in Bethlehem. Despite the tensions, two participants from Jenin returned home safely. However, the safety of our staff remains in jeopardy. In Zababdeh, near Caritas' northern office, a car explosion and ongoing clashes have forced us to halt all field visits until the violence subsides.”
23 AUGUST
On 21 August new evacuation orders were ordered for Deir Al Balah in the central region of Gaza. Our partner NECC have offices located in adjacent blocs to the evacuation areas (with just a street between them). Three staff are sheltering in the evacuation zone and were trying to move. NECC preparing to evacuate their offices if needed. In addition to civilians having nowhere to go to, this area of Deir Al Balah hosts many offices and warehouses for humanitarian agencies which further impacts the provision of aid.
13 AUGUST
We have received a video update from our partner, Caritas Jerusalem. The Secretary General, Anton Asfar, speaks about Caritas’ efforts to assist the people of Gaza and the enormous challenges they face in doing so. He says: “May we never tire of defending the dignity of every man, woman and child, without distinction of religion, ethnicity or nationality.”
Watch the video update now:
12 AUGUST
Attack on Al-Taba’een School in Gaza City
We are horrified by the attack on Al-Taba’een School in Gaza City on Saturday and the tragic loss of so many lives. We pray especially today for our partner Al Ahli Hospital as their staff provide critical medical care to hundreds of people who were injured in the attack.
We continue to call on the UK Government to urgently work for an immediate ceasefire, ensure humanitarian access for those who need it, and stop exporting arms to Israel.
31 JULY
AS WAR LOOMS IN LEBANON, WE NEED TO LEAN DEEPER INTO FAITH IN GOD
29 JULY
Miraculous Escape at St Porphyrius Church
This morning we received the following update from our partner Caritas Jerusalem:
“A potentially devastating incident was narrowly averted at St. Porphyrius Church in Gaza on July 29, 2024, when a missile fired from an Israeli battle tank failed to detonate upon impact. The missile penetrated the roof and struck a room before reaching a hall filled with internally displaced persons (IDPs) seeking refuge.
Despite the significant damage caused, the missile's failure to explode prevented a major catastrophe. Witnesses reported a shell falling from the ceiling, inciting panic and screams. Nathalie Sayegh, a Caritas Jerusalem employee present during the incident, expressed profound relief: “Thank the Lord it did not detonate, otherwise we would have been left with nothing but remnants.”
Three women were injured by the impact and debris, but no severe injuries were reported. The incident underscores the vulnerability of the displaced and the critical need for safety in conflict zones.
Caritas Jerusalem thanks the Lord for protecting the IDPs who were seeking refuge in the church compound and reiterates that nowhere is safe in Gaza. Please pray with us for an immediate ceasefire and an end to this tyranny.“
26 JULY
Embrace helps broker new global Christian call for a ceasefire
Embrace has been at the forefront of a new letter, signed by over 200 global Christian bishops and executive leaders urging world powers to end complicity in the ongoing violence and atrocities committed in Gaza as a part of the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas.
The letter calls for an immediate permanent ceasefire, work for the release of hostages and prisoners held without due process of law alike, the unimpeded flow of humanitarian aid to civilians, and halting all weapons and ammunition transfers to Israel to ensure they are being used according to international law.
>> Read the letter <<
19 JULY
Embrace welcomes the resumption of UK funding to UNWRA
In response to the announcement by the UK government today, Embrace issued this statement:
“Embrace the Middle East welcomes the resumption of UK funding to UNWRA…However, funding alone and even the reforms within UNWRA will not meet the needs of our partners and the civilians trapped in what the Foreign Secretary has described as “hell on earth”. We continue to call on our Government to pursue a path of sustainable peace…”
Disability Unit at Al Ahli Hospital Reopen
Dr Said treating a patient, 18 July 24.
We are delighted to have received the following update from our partner the Jerusalem Princess Basma Centre:
“Following the evacuation of an area in Gaza City last week, all three of our Princess Basma staff have now returned and services have resumed at our satellite unit, based in Al Ahli Hospital. We are so very glad to tell you that at our satellite unit treatment programs have resumed for children with both acute injuries and chronic conditions. Our team are treating 18 children. Many of these are families who have returned and four of these children are new patients.”
17 JULY
Update from the West Bank
Elias Najjar of the Palestinian Bible Society tells Embrace staff visiting the West Bank how life there has been affected by the war in Gaza, of the mounting challenges facing everyone there and how Palestinian Christians are responding.
15 JULY
Bombing near medical centres forces staff to evacuate
At the weekend the 14 staff of our partner Caritas Jerusalem had to evacuate their medical points at Elshafie’ Camp and Elhayat Camp in the Mawasi Khan Younis area due to bombing nearby. They told us:
“Despite the area's classification as safe and designated for humanitarian aid, occupation jets targeted it with successive missile fire around the medical units, resulting in many casualties, including deaths and injuries to children, women, pregnant women, and the elderly…
“Civilians and ambulances rushed to evacuate victims and the injured, but the response was minimal compared to the overwhelming number of casualties. The bombing left fragments and rubble strewn across the medical units and their surroundings. With the main hospital in Khan Younis out of service, the injured were left without proper medical care.
“This attack led to widespread fear and panic, forcing the evacuation of our medical units and the urgent departure of patients and medical staff to ensure their safety. This incident highlights the severe challenges and risks faced by the staff working in these medical units. They are constantly surrounded by danger, whether while moving or performing their duties, striving to help the community during these critical moments in the lives of the Palestinian people.
“We pray that this situation will end soon and that everyone will be safe and healthy.”
11 JULY
Al Ahli Hospital Partially Reopens
After having to evacuate the hospital on 7 July and stop all services, staff have been able to partially reopen the hospital today today. Very Revd Canon Richard Sewell, Dean of St George’s College Jerusalem, reported:
“I am very pleased to say that despite all the odds being stacked against it, Al Ahli hospital has managed to reopen today. Our amazing and courageous staff deserve enormous credit for this. The sacred ministry of care and healing can continue.”
10 JULY
We have received confirmation from our partner the Jerusalem Princess Basma Centre that they had to suspend all their services at their satellite unit at Al Ahli Hospital since Sunday due heavy shelling nearby and the IDF order to evacuate the area. They told us:
‘Our staff have safely evacuated Al Ahli Hospital … along with patients and other staff. We await news of further developments. We are desperate to resume services at our satellite unit and will do so when regulations and safety concerns allow. We ask friends around the world, to pray with us for the ongoing safety of all our staff and for the return of all services at Al Ahli Hospital.’
The work their two therapists, Ismail (in Khan Younis) and Al Zahraa' (in Deir Al Balah), are able to continue treating children out of emergency medical posts near to where they shelter. Their social worker Musa is also able to continue his work, supporting the staff, volunteers and 18 children with disabilities at his shelter in Gaza City.
Al Zahraa' and children at Deir Al Balah, 8 July 2024.
Musa and the children he supports, 9 July 2024.
An update from St Porphyrius Church
The Christian Media Centre have released this video of the work of our partner Pontifical Mission in Jerusalem and their response to the Gaza War.
9 JULY
Holy Family School in Gaza bombed
Yesterday, we received the following update from our partner Caritas Jerusalem:
“Yesterday morning [7 July], the Holy Family School in Gaza was bombarded, causing serious destruction in the compound and resulting in civilian casualties. The school, a property of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, was a place of refuge for hundreds of civilians whose homes were destroyed. They hoped against all odds that their families and children would be safe, but there is no safe place in Gaza.
There is no safe haven for these poor displaced families amid the indiscriminate bombing, shooting, and shelling, which continue without regard for places of worship, hospitals, or schools.
Caritas Jerusalem is asking its partners to advocate for an immediate ceasefire and to stop this mayhem and cruelty against the civilian population, who have no place to turn to and no one to seek help from.”
The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem also released this statement:
“The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem is monitoring, with grave concern, the news of the raids, apparently launched by the Israeli army against the Holy Family School at Al-Remal in Gaza this morning. Footage and media reports from the place include scenes of civilian casualties and of destruction in the compound.
While property of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, the Holy Family School has, since the beginning of the war, been a place of refuge for hundreds of civilians. No religious personnel reside in the school.
The Latin Patriarchate condemns in the strongest terms the targeting of civilians or any belligerent actions that fall short of ensuring that civilians remain outside the combat scene.
We continue to pray for the Lord’s mercy and hope that the Parties will reach an agreement that would put an immediate end to the horrifying bloodbath and humanitarian catastrophe in the region.”
8 July
NEW STATEMENT: Embrace calls for UK policy reset towards Gaza
Embrace is one of 20 UK NGOs to sign a statement outlining key steps the UK Government must take in its first 100 days of office to urgently reset UK Government policy towards Gaza and the West Bank. It urges the Government to live up to its moral, ethical and legal obligations under international law, and provide UK leadership that has previously been lacking. You can read the full statement here.
Join the call by writing to your MP today
Take action and ask your MP to urge the incoming government to work for peace and justice in Gaza and across the region and to take this opportunity to step up and lead on the global stage. We’ve created a letter template you can use:
An update from Al Ahli Hospital in Gaza
With escalating military activity in the Old City of Gaza City, the Al Ahli Hospital has been compelled to close by the Israeli army. On the evening of Sunday 7 July, a large amount of firing from drones occurred in the immediate vicinity of the hospital. This was immediately followed by an IDF announcement that the area had been declared a Red Zone and everyone should immediately evacuate all buildings, including the hospital. As a result, all staff and patients, as well as people sheltering in the hospital grounds, had to leave the hospital premises.
Sadly, the hospital is now unable to operate. This is at a time when there is a significant demand for its services and sick people have few other options for places to receive medical care.
In a statement from the Diocese of Jerusalem, Archbishop Hosam Naoum said: “We protest the closure of our hospital in the strongest possible terms. In a time of warfare and great suffering it is essential that emergency healthcare services are maintained to treat the injured and the dying. We appeal to the Israeli forces to permit us to continue our sacred ministry of medical care and healing. We plead for an end to the tagreting of civilians and all vulnerable people and demand all parties agree to an immediate ceasefire.”
LIKE A HORROR MOVIE: WHAT IS THE FUTURE FOR GAZA’S CHRISTIANS?
Before 7 October 2023, there were around 1,000 Christians in Gaza. After nine months of fighting, around one-third of that number have left or been killed. Rhiannon de Laune, Embrace’s Programmes and Partnerships Manager, reflects on the personal story of one Palestinian Christian in Gaza and asks what the future might look like for this tiny but deeply rooted community.
28 JUNE
RAMY’S STORY: ONE OF THE LAST CHRISTIANS OF GAZA?
An update from the Holy Family Church, Gaza
The BBC have recently released a radio documentary telling the story of our friend George Antone. George works for our partner Caritas Jerusalem and he and his family have been sheltering in the Holy Family Catholic Church in Gaza City since the war began. You can listen to the documentary here.
14 JUNE
An update from the churches in Gaza
The two churches of Gaza City are still providing shelter for hundreds of Christians. The Holy Family Church now hosts 170 families and St Porphyrius’ Church 91 families. Both churches are facing difficulties obtaining enough food to feed the community. Vegetables and canned goods are particularly scarce. A bakery near St Pophyrius has managed to resume operations, so some bread can be bought from there, but the amount of humanitarian aid reaching northern Gaza is still limited.
Despite these challenges both churches are continuing to extend support to their neighbours. The Holy Family Church provides food and bottled water to those in need in their immediate area and St Porphyruis Church is channelling electricity from its diesel generator to the adjacent mosque, which has a water well, to pump out enough water to serve the Church and the surrounding neighbourhood.
13 JUNE
EXHAUSTED BUT STILL SERVING IN GAZA
It’s been over 8 months since the war in Gaza began. Nader Abu Amsha, Executive Director of Embrace partner DSPR, tells us in this searing and personal blog what the war has meant for his staff (and their families) in Gaza, caught up in the catastrophe themselves but continuing, with extraordinary courage, to meet the needs of a traumatised and suffering population.
7 JUNE
New Disability Unit opens at Al Ahli Hospital
The Gaza Princess Basma team at Al Ahli Hospital, 1 June.
We are delighted to report that our partner the Jerusalem Princess Basma Centre have once again be able to expand their work in Gaza supporting children with disabilities. They have recruited a new general doctor, Dr Said, and a second physiotherapist, Fadi. They have also managed to clear part of their damaged unit at Al Ahli Hospital, meaning it can be safely opened and used. Dr Said and Fadi will work alongside social worker Musa from here. They will work in partnership with the Orthopaedic surgeon now operating on the children at Al Ahli Hospital. The Medical Director of the Jerusalem Princess Basma Centre told us:
“Timely rehabilitation prevents complications and gives children the best chance of thriving following life changing operations, especially amputations. With so many children undergoing serious orthopaedic surgery every day, we need to provide this rehabilitation in our new unit now. The need is huge."
Physiotherapist, Ismail in Khan Younis and Occupational Therapist, Al Zahraa’, now displaced in Deir Al Balah, are also increasingly providing emergency rehabilitation to children. They are both operating out of local clinics, with the support of The Red Crescent.
4 JUNE
“The scale of the destruction I witnessed is unbelievable”
29 MAY
Our partner, the DSPR-NECC, was forced to close its Rafah clinic when the Israeli invasion began on 6 May. Most of the staff have now moved to the central area of Gaza, where they have started a mobile clinic. They have rented a car to transport the medical team to different locations in order to serve the medical needs of the displaced people. They have also rented a minibus, which serves as a pharmacy; after being checked by the medical team, people come to the minibus to collect their prescriptions.
The first working day for the mobile clinic was 13 May; the team served 261 patients in one day. They report that the people it is serving are living in tents in ‘a very deprived environment’. Illnesses and medical needs are many and varied, from lung infections and diarrhoea to skin diseases, minor injuries and chronic diseases.
As the Israeli invasion of Rafah widens, increasing numbers of people are being forced to flee. With many people moving towards the central region of the Gaza strip, the DSPR-NECC is planning to open another mobile clinic.
Above: The mobile medical team in action
24 MAY
Al Ahli Hospital Clinic in Rafah Closed
Al Ahli Hospital has confirmed that they have had to close their clinic in Rafah due to the fighting there. Instead, they have managed to move their clinic to Khan Younis. Al Ahli Hospital in Gaza City is currently able to function and is receiving about 300 patients and performing 24 surgeries per day.
West Bank Church Damaged in IDF Raid
We were shocked and sad to hear that at 4am on Sunday 19 May, the Good Shepherd Episcopal Church in Nablus suffered damaged in an IDF raid. The soldiers appeared to be targeting the lower part of the building, which is rented from the church by Samsung. After forcing entry to the Samsung store from the street, the soldiers made their way up to the church (situated on the upper floor), damaging doors and security cameras and vandalising the parish hall. There was no advanced warning of the raid, and the IDF has given no explanation for it.
23 MAY
Al Zahraa working in the shelters in Rafah earlier this year.
The small team from our partner the Jerusalem Princess Basma Centre continue to serve children with both chronic and acute disabilities in Gaza. The fighting in Rafah means that one of the team, Al Zahraa, who was sheltering in a school in Rafah, has had to relocate to shelters in Deir Al Balah. The Jerusalem Princess Basma Centre tells us:
“This is the fourth move for Al Zahraa and her family since the beginning of the war. In spite of this, she is keen and ready to continue working and so the JPBC in Jerusalem have organized for her to work out of the Red Crescent clinic which is still operating and is located near where Al Zahraa is now displaced. Since January, Al Zahraa has worked intensively with 23 children and their caregivers in Rafah, each child and family receiving an intensive programme lasting one month. In her new location in Deir Al Balah she has already screened 6 children with disabilities. Our team are reporting that approximately 50% of the cases they are seeing are children with new disabilities as a result of the war, mainly burns, amputations, spinal and head injuries and fracture.”
20 MAY
George Antone, Cardinal Pizzaballa and Fr Romanelli at the Holy Family Church, Gaza City, May 2024.
Fr Gabrielle Romanelli, the parish priest of the Holy Family Church in Gaza City, has finally been able to return to Gaza after being stuck in Jerusalem for many months. Our partner Caritas Jerusalem were able to help with his return with Caritas vehicles being used for his journey! Caritas Jerusalem told us. ‘His return to Gaza has been eagerly awaited by the community, and they are overjoyed to have him back with them.’
His Beatitude Cardinal Pierre Battista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem and President of Caritas Jerusalem, was able to accompany Fr Romanelli and visited both the Holy Family Church and also the community at St Porphyrius Orthodox Church, reinforcing solidarity and support among the small remaining Christian population in Gaza.
17 MAY
An update from our partner Caritas Jerusalem:
13 MAY
Healthcare Clinic Reopens in Gaza City
Our partner the NECC have been able to partially reopen their primary healthcare clinic in the Shajaia area of Gaza City. The clinic was damaged in the fighting, but the NECC have managed to clear a couple of rooms and are also utilising a shipping container for extra capacity. They have 23 staff in northern Gaza who are now helping with the clinic. On the first day they had 80 patients, but news of the re-opening travelled fast and on the second day they had over 240 patients!
10 MAY
An update from Rafah
On Monday the primary healthcare clinic in Rafah run by our partners the DSPR-NECC had to halt activity following the IDF calls to evacuate the area around it. The clinic remains closed and many of the staff have now moved out of Rafah. However, finding shelter is extremely difficult and many are without tents for themselves and their families.
The NECC have managed to secure a mobile clinic which they hope will begin activities tomorrow to provide some medical care for the displaced population of Rafah.
Easter at St Porphyrius Church
Our sisters and brothers in Christ at St Porphyrius Orthodox Church in Gaza City celebrated Easter on Sunday. But for the first time the Holy Fire was not able to reach them from Jerusalem, making the small community feel powerless and isolated. The Ceremony of Holy Fire, celebrated at the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, is one of the most sacred rituals in Orthodox Christianity. Find out more about it here.
9 MAY
Disability care in Gaza – new member of staff joins the team
Earlier this year, our partner The Jerusalem Princess Basma Centre launched a new project in Gaza to support children with disabilities. They tell us that they have been able to expand their work, with a new member of staff joining the team:
“Ismail (a physiotherapist), joined Musa (social worker), and Al Zahraa (occupational therapist) on 1st May. All three are working from where they find themselves displaced in different locations, to minimize travel and better protect their safety. They ‘meet’ online as regularly as possible with our medical team in Jerusalem, who assess the children they screen, help prioritize the needs and supervise their work. In his first week with us, Ismail has already screened 16 children with disabilities in Khan Younis. "I wanted to start working straightaway because the need here is immense, especially for treating children," said Ismail.
We hope and pray that one day, in the near future, our small team can work together as was planned, out of the new Princess Basma satellite unit at Al Ahli Hospital, that was renovated last Autumn. The unit remains damaged and our staff displaced and so until then, our small mobile team are united in faith, literally serving their neighbours sheltering alongside them.”
8 MAY
EMBRACE RELEASES STATEMENT FOLLOWING EVACUATION ORDERS IN RAFAH
“On 6 May 2024 the Israeli military issued evacuation orders to tens of thousands of people sheltering in parts of Rafah. This included the clinic run by our partner NECC which has been treating around 500 people per day. We are deeply concerned about the welfare of our partners and the communities that they serve…”
7 MAY
Rafah Evacuation Causes Healthcare Clinic to Close
The primary healthcare clinic in Rafah run by our partners the DSPR-NECC has had to halt activity following the IDF calls yesterday to evacuate the area around it. The clinic had been serving around 500 people a day.
The NECC have told us they are very concerned about the safety of their staff and their families. They have suspended all their work in Rafah and instructed their staff to ensure their own safety. We pray for their protection.
They are making plans to resume services further north if circumstances do not allow for the staff to return to the Rafah clinic. But this will take time and will face significant challenges.
Stories from Christians in Gaza
LARA’S STORY: A YOUNG LIFE CUT SHORT
Lara and her mother left the shelter of the Holy Family Catholic Church in Gaza, desperate to try to reach Lara’s ill brother in Egypt. It was a perilous journey - and one that would end in tragedy.
2 MAY
Our partner Caritas Jerusalem have released this video update on their medical work in Gaza. This is part of their emergency appeal which also provides cash assistance for families, which Embrace is supporting:
Al Ahli Hospital opens new clinic in Rafah
Al Ahli Hospital not only continues to serve patients in Gaza City but has now opened a clinic in Rafah. The new clinic is staffed by four doctors and three nurses and is offering OB-GYN clinic, ophthalmology clinic, ENT clinic and treating communicable diseases.
23 APRIL
STORIES FROM THE WAR IN GAZA: “MY HOME AND MY WORKPLACE HAVE BEEN DESTROYED”
16 APRIL
Fuel supplies reach Al Ahli hospital
This week, a team from WHO managed to reach Al Ahli hospital with a delivery of fuel and evacuated 3 critically ill patients for treatment in southern Gaza. The WHO team reported that Al Ahli is still treating many patients, including children, with severe trauma injuries and amputations. There is not enough space for patients on the wards and so the hospital is having to use the library and the chapel as well. There is an urgent need for more emergency medical staff, particularly to support reconstructive surgery, and there is still a shortage of medicines, including anaesthetics. They also stated that:
“Overall, our efforts to deliver aid and restore hospitals are hindered by limited access, mission denials and delays, self-distribution of supplies among desperate crowds, and ongoing security challenges.” WHOoPt
15 APRIL
PERSONAL STORIES FROM GAZA: “EVERY DAY THAT PASSES IS HARDER THAN THE ONE BEFORE”
Rami, his wife and baby daughter have been sheltering in St Porphyrius Orthodox Church since October.
12 APRIL
Embrace staff visit the West Bank
David (middle) visits an accessible play area at a centre we help fund near Bethlehem, through our partner BASR.
Staff from Embrace recently spent a week in the West Bank, visiting our partners and seeing first-hand the challenges they face and the reality of everyday life there. David McColl, Embrace’s Programmes & Partnerships Manager for Israel-Palestine, has written a blog about his visit. Below is a short extract. You can read the blog in full here.
‘While the attention of the world media has been on the catastrophic situation in Gaza, life in the West Bank has also become intolerable during the past six months.
A de-facto lockdown has made movement between cities and towns both restricted and dangerous. An increase in settler attacks and IDF raids have killed hundreds and injured thousands. And an economic crisis - caused by no tourism and over 160,000 Palestinian work permits being revoked - has left millions of people without an income.
As we met with partners, we heard first-hand about how the situation is affecting them both personally and professionally. They told us about the fear they feel for themselves and their families as they live under increasing insecurity. They told us about the fear they have for the future of the West Bank and whether the situation will ever improve. One partner told us about three people they support through their projects who have been killed during the past few months, while others vividly told us about the violence they have witnessed as they have travelled between project sites...’
4 APRIL
PERSONAL STORIES FROM GAZA MY DREAMS FOR THE FUTURE ARE SHATTERED
Sami was due to graduate in December and dreamed of building a successful career. Instead, he and the rest of the Christians sheltering in St Porphyrios Church have endured huge loss and are facing a daily struggle just to survive.
28 MARCH
PERSONAL STORIES FROM GAZA: “WILL I EVER BE ABLE TO WALK AGAIN?”
DSPR-NECC Clinic in Rafah reopens
The DSPR-NECC clinic in Rafah had to close yesterday following damage caused by nearby airstrikes. After assessing and repairing the damage, the staff were able to reopen the clinic today. The clinic is one of only a handful still functioning in Gaza. It is currently serving around 500 patients a day, providing medical services and mental health and psychosocial support.
27 MARCH
DSPR-NECC Clinic in Rafah temporarily closed as a result of damage
We received the following update from our partners the DSPR-NECC:
“In the first hours of this day Wednesday 27th March the attacks on Rafah intensified, a huge bombardment took place very close to our clinic in Rafah, the place where the Middle East Council of Churches Department of Service to Palestinian Refugees is offering medical services and mental health and psychosocial support to an average of 500 patients a day.
“This clinic has been impacted - some doors blown up, the same with windows, some equipment in the medical lab impacted and other impacts affected the building. Today the clinic’s building will be under evaluation, we declared the closure of the clinic for today to be able to evaluate and repair the damage and to resume our mission with the people who are exposed to the unprecedented pain humans can witness.
“Our staff, our heroes, are safe but a few hours ago the family of one of our leading members in the emergency response team lost his aunt and 18 members of her family in another airstrike in Rafah.
“We Ask all our partners, friends and supporters to pray for the end of this war and the safety of the people of Gaza especially our staff, while they are jeopardizing their safety and security to be with help to the needy people there.”
Embrace helps broker global Christian call for Permanent Gaza Ceasefire
In a new letter released during Holy Week ahead of Easter, more than 140 bishops and executive leaders from churches, denominations, and church-based organizations in the UK, US and around the world call for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, urge the UK, US and other world powers to halt additional arms sales to Israel, and make clear that Israel, the UK, the US and all countries must abide by Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.
You can read the letter in full here.
22 MARCH
NEW PROJECT - Supporting Children with Disabilities in Gaza
Before the outbreak of the war, our partner the Jerusalem Princess Basma Centre was in the process of setting up a specialist unit at Al Ahli Hospital to provide clinical assessment, treatment and psycho-social services for children with disabilities. Sadly, the unit has been damaged in the fighting, but two specialist staff remain in Gaza – Musa in Gaza city and Al Zahraa in Rafah. They continue to do incredible work, supporting children with disabilities in the places where they are sheltering. With the help of Embrace funding, the Basma Centre has been providing them with additional trauma-support training and occupational therapist coaching sessions as well as supporting them to do online screening assessments, prioritize cases and plan suitable interventions for the children of Gaza. Musa and Al Zahraa are working under extremely difficult and stressful conditions, but their dedication and professionalism is unwavering.
Since January, Musa and Al Zahraa have screened 68 children with disabilities and prioritized their needs. Al Zahraa has delivered over 100 sessions of occupational therapy to 12 children with disabilities (50% of these children are recovering from new injuries). Musa has delivered workshops on working in situations of extreme distress to 16 caregivers and volunteers and started a program of psychosocial support for 18 children with disabilities.
21 MARCH
PERSONAL STORIES FROM GAZA: LIFE SHELTERING IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH
For the past six months, George Antone, along with his wife Nisreen and their three children, has called the compound of the Catholic church in Gaza home.
15 MARCH
Aid drop damages solar panels at Al Ahli Hospital
A recent delivery of fuel has meant surgeons at Al Ahli are now able to do 20-22 operations per day. However, on Wednesday evening an aid drop landed on the hospital’s remaining solar panels. The damage is still being assessed but it could mean that their solar capacity is limited still further. If the fuel runs out again and they have no solar power, the hospital would have to close until more fuel was delivered.
13 MARCH
Rev Dr Munther Isaac – Palestinian pastor and activist – speaks about Gaza, living under occupation, and Christian Zionism in an extended interview for the UNAPOLOGETC podcast on Middle East Eye. Watch the interview in full here.
11 MARCH
Fuel delivery for Al Ahli Hospital
On Saturday a WHO-led mission delivered 13,000 litres of fuel to Al Ahli Hospital, along with orthopaedic and trauma supplies. The hospital had been having to rely on the limited power the damaged solar panels could provide, having run out of fuel last month.
4 MARCH
Gaza City Churches still providing what aid they can
Reports from our partners tell us that in the four months since the war began, almost all of the Church institutions in Gaza have sustained at least moderate damage or have been destroyed. Tragically, 30 Palestinian Christians have now lost their lives; 19 killed in military incidents and 11 have died because they could not access medical care.
There is a severe shortage of food in northern Gaza, as it has been almost completely cut off from humanitarian aid since the war began. Over 400 Christian families are currently sheltering in or seeking emergency food aid from the Greek Orthodox Church of St Porphyrius and the Holy Family Church in Gaza City. The churches continue to provide water and washing facilities and distribute what food and fuel they have available.
27 FEBRUARY
Al Ahli Hospital without food for 48 hours
The Director of Al Ahli Hospital has told us that the hospital has been without food for the last 48 hours. They also continue to have no fuel. Their only electricity is from damaged and only partially working solar panels. At night the doctors have to treat patients by the light of their mobile phone torches.
23 FEBRUARY
An update from Al Ahli Hospital
Al Ahli is currently treating 200 in-patients and is receiving up to 300 out-patients per day. The hospital has recently been able to restock with some medical supplies - but there is no fuel, meaning they are having to rely on solar panels for any electricity. The panels have sustained damage so are only running at 30% capacity. This is significantly hampering the hospital’s ability to function and means surgeons are only able to do 13 surgeries a day, down from 20 previously.
Lack of food supplies is a big concern (as very few aid trucks are able to make it to the north), as is the number of patients arriving with infectious diseases, which is rising significantly.
21 FEBRUARY
An Update from Rafah
More than 1.5 million people, the majority of whom have been displaced from other areas of Gaza, are sheltering in Rafah. As fears grow about an impending Israeli ground offensive, our partner the DSPR-NECC is continuing to serve faithfully. Their humanitarian response is being severely hampered by the difficulties of supplies getting into Gaza, a lack of electricity, and restrictions on movement. But they are doing all they can to help those in desperate need:
“The destruction of our premises, the limitations of our resources, the poor connection and fragmentation never prevented DSPR-NECC from keeping a light in the middle of darkness and trying to help people live with dignity.”
The DSPR-NECC clinic in Rafah, which Embrace has supported for many years, is now the only one of the centres they can work out of.
At the Rafah clinic, they continue to provide primary healthcare, dental care and distribute dignity and hygiene kits.
DSPR-NECC are also providing psychological support for children by running group activity sessions. Sessions include sports and games, music and song, crafts, theatrical performances and entertainments and relaxation exercises.
Support sessions for parents are also offered. Activities particularly focus on ways to relieve psychological stress, relaxation breathing exercises and learning stress-management skills.
13 FEBRUARY
Personal stories from Gaza
Our partners in Gaza are facing the same dangers and hardships as the rest of Gaza’s population. Read A.D.’s story and Maria’s story to find out what’s been happening to two of the staff of our partner Caritas Jerusalem and their struggle to remain safe.
NOWHERE SAFE TO SHELTER
INJURED BUT UNABLE TO GET TREATMENT
9 FEBRUARY
A message of hope and challenge from our partner in Israel
Key to the work of our partner Musalaha is bring Israelis and Palestinians together to work towards change, a just reconciliation, and sustainable peace in Israel/Palestine. Since 7th October attacks they have remained steadfast in this aim. They recently sent us this update:
“Following the October 7th attacks, Musalaha has been one civil society organisation unusually capable to continue working cross-border. Our Civil Society Leaders project has retained the majority of participants, in spite of the loss of loved ones on both sides. We are currently brainstorming different ideas on ways to co-advocate for a ceasefire and provide local residents with necessary information that the government is not providing.
Our Muslim/Christian women’s project is also thinking of concrete action. Participants are planning to create First Aid workshops for mothers, as cases of settler and military attacks are increasing daily in the West Bank.
Our Palestinian/Israeli group is also imagining a way to combine the left Israeli protest slogan “Bring Them Home” with the Palestinian call for “Ceasefire”.
Imagining an end to this violence, and indeed an end to the Occupation, may seem like a far-fetched dream for some – but for others, this vision is the only possibility for life.
We encourage our supporters to endorse civil society actions pressuring decision-makers to take moral responsibility and act transparently. As Musalaha’s groups are mobilized, it is also time for civil society groups in your neighbourhoods to speak truth to power using whatever expertise you possess.”
You can find out more about what UK Christian groups are doing to respond, and and how you can get involved, on our Israel-Palestine News page.
6 FEBRUARY
Damage to Gaza YMCA
We have received the below photos showing the extensive damage sustained by the YMCA building, which was hit before Christmas.
The Art Hall at Gaza YMCA.
Front of the Gaza YMCA.
View looking out onto the basket ball court at the Gaza YMCA.
Damaged gym equipment at Gaza YMCA.
The rear of the kindergarten building at Gaza YMCA.
Damage to one of the halls at Gaza YMCA.
The Board Room at Gaza YMCA.
29 JANUARY
Schools affected by violence across the West Bank
Fears for the safety of pupils as they commute to school means many schools across the West Bank have faced closures since October. Since 15th January, the Ministry of Education reinstated face-to-face education in schools (although they continue to monitor the security situation closely).
Our partner BASR (the Bethlehem Arab Society for Rehabilitation), tell us that while their Centre for Special Education in the village of Tuqqu, near Bethlehem, was closed, the staff worked hard to ensure the pupils still had access to support and education:
“BASR and the staff of the centre prepared an alternative work plan through which children and their families were provided with home-based activities, assignments and exercises to ensure that children continued to receive their education while employing alternative solutions. The centre’s staff shared videos with the families and children, and children also shared their small achievements at home through videos and photos with their classmates and teachers through a dedicated group via Whatsapp. The centre’s teachers ensured close daily communication with the children and their families throughout this period, responding to any needs, providing advice and support.”
The centre has now reopened, and we pray that it will be able to continue to safely stay open so their pupils can have access to the specialist face-to-face support they need.
24 JANUARY
IDF restrictions mean community around Gaza Church facing severe food shortages
Many of Gaza’s Christians are still sheltering in the Catholic and Orthodox churches in Gaza city. They continue to try to help those around them, but severe food shortages are causing the imminent threat of starvation for many. George Antone, who works for our partner Caritas and is one of those sheltering in the Catholic church, recently told the BBC Radio 4’s Sunday programme:
“We are trying to bring some medication, food, water, supplies, to the people here because the market is almost empty of everything, especially the fruits and vegetables. There is no rice or pasta. There is no wheat flour. There are no cans, like beans, hummus… or corned beef.”
Despite their requests, neither the UNRWA nor the Red Cross (the main distributors of aid in Gaza) have been able to get to them. George said:
“We are still depending on the church and the organisations related to the church, like Caritas, Pontifical Mission and some other friends from here and there.”
Juliette Touma, Director of Medications for the UN relief agency UNRWA in the Palestinian Territories, was also speaking on the programme. She said that IDF restrictions and check points are stopping them from bringing vital aid to several communities in areas of northern Gaza and Gaza City and called for these restrictions were lifted. The UN reported that in January less than a quarter of aid convoys had reached their destinations in the north because Israeli authorities denied most access.
You can listen to their interview on the BBC here.
17 JANUARY
Trying to stop the spread of disease in overcrowded Rafah
Hygiene kits ready for distribution.
The extremely poor living conditions and continued lack of adequate food, water, medicines and sanitation, means the risk of disease is extremely high and any outbreaks would spread quickly. Our partner the DSPR-NECC are working hard to try to minimise this threat by providing Health Awareness Workshops in different neighbourhoods in and around Rafah. As well as providing advice on how to minimise the risk of disease, they are also distributing hygiene kits at the workshops, including soap, shampoo, lice shampoo and sanitary pads. However, sourcing the items for these kits is extremely difficult because the supplies getting into Gaza remain limited.
16 JANUARY
An update from the NECC health clinic in Rafah
DSPR-NECC Clinic in Rafah.
There has been a communications blackout in Gaza since 12th January, so it is difficult for news to reach us. However, we have heard from our partner the NECC (Near East Council of Churches). They tell us that they are still providing primary medical care through their clinic in Rafah and in the refugee camps around Rafah. They are one of only 4 clinics still functioning in the central and southern areas of Gaza, meaning the 30 staff are treating over 400 people every day. However, in the last few days airstrikes in Rafah have intensified and we remain concerned about the ability for partners to operate in safety.
9 JANUARY
Al Ahli Hospital Situation Update
An IDF raid before Christmas left Al Ahli Hospital unable to function as a hospital. The extraordinary dedication and resilience of the staff at Al Ahli mean that it is once more able to admit some patients and perform a limited number of operations. However, the conditions they are working in remain dire and, as is the case with hospitals across Gaza, their ability to keep treating patients remains precarious. Lack of medical supplies, water, or electricity; IDF detainment of staff; or military activity could all prevent Al Ahli from receiving and treating patients once again.
What has been happening to Al Ahli, and hospitals across Gaza, is extremely concerning. Under the Geneva Convention and international humanitarian law, medical facilities and medical personnel should be protected.
3 JANUARY
An update from the Jerusalem Princess Basma Centre
Our partner, the Jerusalem Princess Basma Centre (JPBC), which provides specialist disability treatment to children in the West Bank, had been due to open its new Gaza satellite facility this month in Al Ahli Hospital. The war has tragically put this plan on hold and last month we heard that the facility itself had been damaged in the fighting.
However, the JPBC remains committed to serving the children of Gaza. Despite the communication difficulties, they have been able to provide some online medical advice and therapeutic support for three families in Gaza.
One family is that of 5-year-old Ibrahim, who had travelled to JPBC for treatment in July. His mother recently told JPBC that they had had to flee their home because of the bombing, before having to relocate again to Rafah. Ibrahim needs regular medication for his condition. Without access to it, and because of the conditions his family is now forced to live in, his condition has deteriorated both physically and psychologically. The latest news JPBC heard from the family was that he had been admitted to hospital. Since then, they have not been able to reach the family again. We pray that Ibrahim has been able to get the medication and treatment he needs.
2 JANUARY
The Christmas and New Year period have seen continued bombing and fighting inside Gaza, more mass movement of people from their homes, more civilian deaths, and no signs of an early end to this conflict. Communication with our partners is hampered by very limited internet and phone access but we praise God for the Jordanian airdrop on Christmas eve, which provided much needed food and supplies to the two churches in North Gaza.
22 DECEMBER
Devastation in Gaza
This Christmas, our gifts might not be wrapped in glittering paper and adorned with ribbons, but they are wrapped in compassion, resilience, and the unwavering commitment to provide solace and support in the face of unfathomable hardship. We extend our deepest gratitude for your great support and solidarity during these challenging times.
May the light of hope pierce through the clouds of despair, guiding us towards a future where peace reigns, voices are heard, and the joy of this season is restored. Wishing you strength, solace, and the warmth of love this Christmas, despite the adversities that encircle us.
“And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain, for the former things are passed away.” Revelation 21:4
On Behalf of DSPR-MECC’s Central Committee, Central Office, the five Area Committees, the volunteers, staff, and rights holders
20 DECEMBER
Embrace had recently helped fund the refurbishment of the football pitch at Gaza YMCA.
Further tragic losses as Gaza YMCA building hit
Today we had confirmation that the building of our partner, the Gaza YMCA, was hit at the weekend, resulting in loss of life and injury among the scores of people sheltering there. We will bring you further details as soon as we can. The World YMCA have issued a statement in which it said:
“The YMCA has always been a place of welcome, service – and opportunity – for everyone in its community. The World YMCA strongly condemns this horrific attack on civilians and calls on the Israeli government to stop its acts of indiscriminate violence which can only deepen division and which are causing such trauma. Violence begets violence. End it now. At Christmas time, as we prepare to celebrate the birth of the Prince of Peace, we continue to pray – to plead – for peace in people’s hearts.”
19 DECEMBER
Al-Ahli Hospital forcibly shut down
We are extremely distressed to hear that Al-Ahli Hospital has been left unable to function as a hospital, following IDF action yesterday.
We have been told that the wall of Ahli’s front entrance has been destroyed and an IDF tank parked in the rubble to stop people going in and out.
The IDF have detained most of the hospital staff. Only two junior doctors, four nurses and two janitors remain, to tend over 100 seriously wounded patients and there is now no running water and no electricity.
17 DECEMBER
Holy Family Catholic Church in Gaza Comes Under Fire
We are deeply shocked and distressed at the completely unjustified attack at the weekend on Christians in Gaza sheltering in the Holy Family church.
We join Patriarch Pizzaballa in extending condolences to the bereaved. We stand in heartfelt solidarity with all who are being subjected to this terrifying ordeal and indiscriminate killing. Please continue to pray and join us in calling for an immediate ceasefire.
The Patriarch of Jerusalem issued a statement, reproduced below. Tim Livesey, CEO of Embrace, spoke to Premier Christian Radio in response to this incident. You can listen to his interview here.
15 DECEMBER
An Update from Bethlehem
All the Christmas festivities across the West Bank have been cancelled. Instead, the birth of Christ will be marked with solemn prayer and mourning for the ongoing war in Gaza as well as the crisis in the West Bank. Our partners in Bethlehem, usually the centre of Christmas festivities, tells us what it’s like there today - take a look at our latest blog.
14 DECEMBER
Despite the grave risk involved, the World Health Organisation managed to visit Al Ahli Hospital on 9 December to deliver desperately needed medicines. However, serious incidents that happened during this mission prompted the WHO to reiterate its call for the protection of humanitarian space in Gaza.
The WHO report is now available and can be viewed here. Please be aware that it makes for very disturbing reading.
11 DECEMBER
An update from Israel
“Giving up on reconciliation abandons my dignity and humanity at a time when political and religious leaders are pushing us down the path of hatred and destruction” - Hear from Daniel Munayer, Executive Director, and Wasim Nasser, Programs Manager at Musalaha, in our latest blog: ‘Is Reconciliation still possible in Israel-Palestine’.
An update from the West Bank
Our partner the East Jerusalem YMCA tell us that the increased violence in the West Bank means the situation there continues to be incredibly tough. They are continuing help those directly affected by the violence, but the conditions and level of need are making their work very difficult:
“Our team is in the field every day, responding diligently to the emergencies that arise from the daily raids, offering Psychosocial First Aid and interventions. Unfortunately, as the need grows daily, our current staff can only do so much. We often find ourselves stretched thin and require for additional hands to meet this escalating need for interventions. It's a tough reality, but we remain fully committed.
Moving around between cities has become a real challenge as well, due to roadblocks, checkpoints, and heightened danger on the road. To adapt, we've turned to technology to deliver some of our interventions, especially for those beneficiaries living farther away from our field offices or staff.”
They also tell us that the movement restrictions and lack of international visitors are having a significant impact on the economic situation. Tourism makes up a key part of the West Bank economy, particularly around Christmas, but the Christmas celebrations have been cancelled this year. Many workers have been made either permanently or temporarily redundant.
7 DECEMBER
Significant damage to two medical clinics in Gaza
We have received the following update from our partner the DSPR:
“Unfortunately, our medical centre in the Al-Daraj area has been levelled to the ground. The primary health care clinics, the pharmacy, the physiotherapy, the optical and the dental clinics and the psychosocial unit, do not exist anymore. Nobody from our staff was there but unfortunately tens of neighbours who used to be our clients were killed and injured in that bombardment.
Nevertheless, our staff are proceeding in response to the huge needs and to reduce the pain and suffering of the people in Gaza; we are proud of them, we believe that they are real heroes, they are standing for care and support, working days and nights while trying to take care of their family members and themselves.”
Now they are mainly working with displaced families in the south of the Gaza Strip:
· Running psychological interventions for children and mothers, as well as fun activities for children, to help alleviate the psychological pressure they have as a result of their traumatic experiences
· Distributing hygiene kits and organising health awareness sessions
· Providing primary health care services, including distributing some medicines at their DSPR-NECC Rafah Clinic
The below video shows one of the sessions the DSPR have been running for displaced children in Khan Younis.
Caritas Jerusalem have told us that during the truce they had been able to provide primary healthcare services in three different locations in south Gaza and also secure and distribute canned food, water and some medicines. However, the renewed fighting means they have once again had to cease all their activities as it is too dangerous.
They also report that their medical centre in Gaza City has sustained significant damage and is partially destroyed due to shelling that took place in the surrounding area.
Damage to Caritas Jerusalem’s health clinic in Gaza City.
1 DECEMBER
Embrace joins Christian leaders in continuing to call for a ceasefire
This week, whilst the temporary truce was still holding, Embrace the Middle East joined church and Christian civil society leaders in the UK, the US, Ireland, the global south and elsewhere in reiterating calls for a permanent ceasefire with the release of all hostages and criticising inaction and prevarication by parts of the international community.
The letter was sent to the UK Prime Minister and to the Foreign Secretary. You can read the text in full here.
30 NOVEMBER
Al Ahli Hospital Update
We received the following update about the situation at Al Ahli Hospital:
“Thanks to the ceasefire, the World Health Organization (WHO) was able to oversee a delivery to the hospital, which remains the only functional medical centre in the northern part of Gaza. Among the items delivered were fuel for the generators, anaesthesia, ICU supplies, emergency drugs, and IV fluids. The WHO also reported that the hospital is filled with hundreds of injured patients, with St. Philip's Chapel being used to accommodate the massive overflow. The majority of cases are severe and need more advanced care and surgical intervention. Although volunteer doctors and nurses have responded to appeals for help, Ahli is still in need of additional vascular, neuro, and orthopaedic surgeons, as well as more drugs and medical supplies to meet the demand. Please continue to pray for this situation, as well as for continued calm so that the flow of supplies and emergency assistance can reach those wounded who remain in such desperate need.”
28 NOVEMBER
Gaza Update - Glimmers of hope in the darkness
A truce was agreed between Israel and Hamas on 24 November. Both sides initially agreed to a four-day break in fighting, which has since been extended by a further two days. Anything short of a full ceasefire is inadequate to mount a full response to the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. However, the pause in fighting has brought a sense of relief to Embrace’s partners and is allowing them to take action and serve their communities:
Al Ahli Hospital has been able to procure much-needed medical supplies, as some suppliers have managed to make the trip to the north. Also, 17 of their patients were safely transported to the European hospital in Khan Younis on 27 November.
DSPR have managed to get 300 food parcels to the Latin church in Gaza City and are currently procuring more to send to the Orthodox Church. Sadly, they have sustained huge damages to their building and a lot of their stock, including fuel, has been taken. Despite this, they are planning mental health and psychosocial support responses, and have already run some art therapy sessions in local schools with children aged 5-9. They are also planning to run health awareness sessions and distribute hygiene kits in some of the camps and neighbourhoods in Rafah, in coordination with the UNWRA, and have started basic health checks and clinics in one of the hospitals in the south. They hope this will continue, but it depends on the security situation.
Caritas Jerusalem and the Palestinian Bible Society have also been working on getting supplies to those sheltering in the churches in Gaza City, including blankets and clothing. Like DSPR, Caritas has sustained huge damages to its building - but it has managed to gather some medical and fuel supplies, and take them to the Latin church. Caritas has also been running mobile clinics in the south and staff are providing primary healthcare support where they can. The stories of people turning up to work are incredible and humbling - one nurse lost 13 members of her family, yet still came to treat people at the clinics over the weekend.
Prayer points:
Please pray that the temporary truce will develop into a longer-term ceasefire.
Please pray for the staff at our partner organisations in Gaza. Many of their homes have been completely destroyed, and entire families have been displaced. There is a huge amount of uncertainty about what the future holds.
22 NOVEMBER
An update from Lebanon
The skirmishes on the Israel/Lebanon border have forced people on both sides to flee their homes. One of our partners in Lebanon sent us this video:
To find out more about what’s been happening in Lebanon and the response of our Christian partners there, read our latest blog - Will there be a war in Lebanon?
A Tragic Loss
We mourn the loss of 35-year-old Issam Abedrabbo, a dedicated pharmacist working for our partner Caritas Jerusalem since 2019, who was killed yesterday alongside his two sons in a devastating bombardment. Issam had sought refuge in what was deemed a safe location in Wadi Gaza.
Miraculously, his 3-year-old daughter survived, but Issam’s mother, sisters, and brother all perished as did other families, as the building housed numerous civilians. Other family members and residents remain trapped under the rubble. Our thoughts and prayers are with the affected families during this heart-breaking time.
21 NOVEMBER
News from Gaza City
There is an estimated 700,000 people still in the north of Gaza. As the weather gets colder, clothing is of real concern for many families. There are reports of people removing clothes from corpses because they are desperate.
Below are some updates from our partners:
Updates from the churches
The churches do have some food and are managing it well, but water is a concern as fuel to the pump is limited and the water they do have isn't entirely clean.
A house was bombed across the street from the Latin church, killing four people. Shrapnel from the bombing injured three people sheltering in the church compound.
Al Ahli Hospital
The hospital remains open with very limited capacity (in the region of 45 beds). Staff are mainly triaging patients and transferring them to other hospitals in the south of Gaza.
Gaza YMCA
People are still taking shelter in the Gaza YMCA building. There have been reports that it is now under siege, possibly damaged, and that some people there have been injured.
17 NOVEMBER
Al Ahli Hospital Update
It has been reported that Al Ahli Hospital is no longer is no longer able to receive patients and has stopped all operations, meaning there is now no a functioning hospital in Gaza City. Embrace has issued a statement in response.
16 NOVEMBER
Prayers Urgently Needed
We have heard that there is fighting close to the Catholic church in Gaza. Please pray for physical protection and also for hope for everyone sheltering.
15 NOVEMBER
An Update from the Catholic Church in Gaza
Many Christian families are still sheltering in the Catholic Church in Gaza City. We heard the tragic news that one member of the community, 84-year-old Elham Farah, a retired music teacher, was shot and killed near the church on Sunday. She had left the church to go and see if her home had survived the airstrikes. Intense bombing meant those in the church could not come to her aid, and she died in the street.
Her death is yet another tragic loss in a community struggling to survive. Her niece posted a tribute to her on X (formally Twitter) saying, “She was so cute and nice, and continued to send me Bible verses and worship songs this week with what little electricity she had.”
A video of a recent service at the Catholic Church shows how close the airstrikes have been and how terrifying it must be to be there:
14 NOVEMBER
An Update from Al-Ahli Hospital
The health service system across Gaza is in a state of total collapse. Al-Ahli Arab Hospital is now the only functioning hospital in Gaza City and is receiving wounded patients from all over the city. The staff are working around the clock as they battle to save those they can, but they are lacking basic medical supplies and are facing overwhelming numbers in need of treatment. They told us:
Wounded arriving at Al Ahli hospital.
“Other hospitals are no longer functioning due to the damage caused by the airstrikes as well as the lack of fuel. The staff continues to implement a 24-hour emergency response plan to meet the increasing number of wounded and traumatized. Currently, the hospital treats around 200 to 250 wounded per day and is performing up to 10 surgical operations per day, mostly in orthopaedics and plastic surgery.”
Embrace is providing funds for medicines for the hospital and so far they have been able to procure three deliveries of medicines and medical supplies from the Red Cross/Red Crescent and UNRWA, which are the only agencies allowed by the IDF to get humanitarian aid into Gaza City. However, supplies are still critically low – particularly anaesthesia, antibiotics, surgical supplies, food and fuel.
The need for additional staff to cope with the increase in patients is critical and we are proud that your donations are also being used to pay for some of these staff, ensuring the continuation of life-saving services to civilians in Gaza City.
10 NOVEMBER
We heard today that those sheltering in the churches in Gaza City were able to replenish some of their supplies yesterday, although they are still very low and potable water is a problem. They told us: “Things are deteriorating and supplies are diminishing or getting non-existent.” The displaced in both churches have rationed food to only one meal per day.
9 NOVEMBER
An Update from Gaza City
Communication blackouts mean it is now hard to speak with our partners in Gaza City. The last communication was on Tuesday evening (7 November) – a short message from those sheltering in the churches to say they were still alive, but that food and water would only last another three days. If they have not managed to source more supplies, their stores could run out today. Meanwhile all around them a major military offensive is under way. It is hard to imagine how terrifying this must be.
Al-Ahli Arab Hospital is still operational but with limited medical supplies, water and fuel. The hospital still has patients, medical staff, and internally displaced people sheltering there. Five Christians, injured when part of the Greek Orthodox Church collapsed due to a nearby airstrike, continue to receive care there.
An Update from Jerusalem and the West Bank
Our partner The Jerusalem Princess Basma Centre (JPBC) provides specialist support for children with disabilities in Palestine. Since 7 October, the movement restrictions have meant the majority of their patients have not been able to travel to the centre. To ensure they still get the support and treatment they need, the centre has provided consultations and therapy sessions online. They tell us:
One month on, even as we mourn with you all the lives lost and communities broken in these lands, our centre in Jerusalem is open and reaching those children and families that we can, in East Jerusalem and the West Bank.
· We delivered Telemedicine services to 100 families in the West Bank currently unable to travel to Jerusalem
· We delivered residential services to 7 children with disabilities and their mothers who were able to cross the checkpoints to reach our centre
The centre had recently opened a new unit in Gaza, in Al Ahli Hospital. The unit was damaged in the explosion of 17 October, but not destroyed, and the four staff and their families who are in Gaza remain safe so far. The JPBC remain committed to providing services in Gaza and plan to repair and reopen the unit when the fighting stops.
3 NOVEMBER
An update from the Orthodox Church in Gaza City
As the IDF close in around Gaza City, around 500 people remain sheltering inside the Orthodox Church in the city. In the latest update from them we heard that they continue, in extremely difficult circumstances, to help one another to meet the basic needs for survival and try to hold onto hope:
The clergy are organising daily prayers and special spiritual gatherings
Those who come from education and social work backgrounds have been taking care of the children's needs and organizing, when possible, some activities.
In the small community are 4 doctors, 2 nurses and a pharmacist who now form the medical committee and have been actively helping with daily checkups and prescriptions and tending to minor injuries and dressing wounds.
The youth have been very helpful; their role has been to find available food and water in the surrounding markets or shops. They succeeded in restoring some food and water supplies - enought for around 10 days. They also managed to transfer basic tools and machines from a local bakery to help prepare bread. The youth even brought gas cylinders from their homes to be used as a resource of power for cooking.
Lack of water is still a significant problem. On 31 October, one out of the three water supply lines from Israel, servicing the Middle area, was restored for the first time since it was cut off on 8 October. However, neither the water desalination plant nor the Israeli pipeline supplying Gaza City and northern Gaza are operational. While UNRWA and UNICEF have provided limited amounts of fuel to several water wells, water is provided by trucks only. In recent days, water trucking activities inside Gaza stopped due to ongoing military operations.
An update from Israel and Jerusalem
Our partner Musalaha works across Israel, Jerusalem and the West Bank to bring Israelis and Palestinians together to work towards a just peace. They tell us:
“Each Monday since October 7, the Musalaha staff team has been meeting online, gathering from far corners of the land – Haifa, the Golan, Nazareth, Jerusalem, and Beit Sahur. As tragedy upon tragedy unfolds before us, most of our projects have been paused, but the responsibility of caring for participants and standing for reconciliation has been more important than ever.”
Their staff report that the sense of fear and tension across the region is huge:
“The atmosphere changes in Jerusalem. There’s the weight of “being watched”. The streets are emptier than normal. Police and military patrol back and forth… For young Palestinians living inside Israel, remaining indoors reduces the likelihood of being stopped and searched in the streets. Any social media engagement showing solidarity with Gaza is cause for arrest. This surveillance is causing us all to reassess what we post and where we show our face.”
In response, the staff are gathering together weekly to lament the injustice and suffering, telling us:
“When we gather on Zoom each Monday, there has been a spirit of solidarity that makes room for the heaviness of our different realities. In our silent listening, we hold each other’s fear and sorrow, grieving all that is unjust and threatens the goodness of humanity. As we hold the uncertainty of the future, for now, this is a time for lament. And we hope you join us.”
1 NOVEMBER
An update from those sheltering in the Catholic church in Gaza City
We’ve received the below video from our partners Caritas Jerusalem. George, one of Caritas’ staff, is sheltering in the Catholic church in Gaza City with his family. He tells us that nights have become unbearable and they have had little sleep for over 21 days.
“Life has become incredibly challenging and harsh…we feel incredibly vulnerable. We’ve come to believe there is no safe place in Gaza… We live under constant fire, filled with terror and fear.”
They are looking after a significant number of injured – and have managed to acquire hospital beds and some medical supplies for them and have set up Caritas medical clinics in the two churches. But diseases are spreading rapidly due to the cramped conditions and limited resources, particularly water. He asks us:
“Please keep us in your prayers. Stand by our side, even if communication is lost again…We feel like we’ve died while still alive. Please pray for us, stand with us and support us.”
Arab Orthodox Cultural Centre destroyed in air strike
Today we heard the distressing and profoundly shocking news that the Orthodox Church’s Arab Orthodox Cultural Centre in Gaza has been deliberately destroyed in an air strike. There were no casualties, as the 3,000 people sheltering there were told to leave in advance. Joseph Hazboun, regional director of the Pontifical Mission which works in partnership with the Centre, as does Embrace and a sister NGO in the UK Friends of the Holy Land (FHL), told us:
“Two days ago, the Director of the Arab Orthodox Cultural Center (AOCC) in Gaza received a phone call from the Israelis inquiring about the center's occupants. They were told that there over 3,000 displaced families sheltering at the center. Another phone call later gave clear orders to evacuate the building; all those sheltering at the center immediately left. Several attempts by various parties were made in order to stop the bombing. Unfortunately, last evening the building was bombed.”
The AOCC was a particularly impressive and important building opened only four years ago with a specific mission to facilitate social change and development, creativity and leadership in Palestinian society. Embrace and Friends of the Holy Land, in partnership with the Pontifical Mission, have invested significantly in this new venture, which was successfully employing 23 young people, who were trained and supported through this partnership. The AOCC was on course to become a self-sustaining success story - generating income, providing employment, delivering a wide range of services, and providing a place for the local community to meet. It is hard to understand why a Christian institution serving the common good in Gaza would be targeted and destroyed.
The remains of the Arab Orthodox Cultural Centre today.
27 OCTOBER
Al Ahli Hospital Update
Suhaila Tarazi, Hospital Director, stands in the damaged administration room (24 October, 2023).
Despite the two explosions that hit Al Ahli Hospital last week, causing significant damage to its infrastructure and medical equipment (as well as killing and injuring hundreds of civilians), the hospital staff are continuing to provide urgent medical care to those in need.
The hospital’s burns care unit is receiving hundreds of people, mainly children, with severe burns resulting from the war. Similarly, the physical rehabilitation department is receiving hundreds of people, mainly children, and expects to receive thousands more in the coming weeks – resulting from broken bones and severe wounds.
Disturbingly, a secondary crisis is emerging – again mainly affecting children – as a result of the proliferation of waterborne diseases due to poor sanitary conditions, a lack of clean water and food shortages. Admissions for these diseases, including diarrhoea, chest infections and scabies, have reached 150 per day.
The hospital has also opened its doors to the family members of the wounded who are desperate because they have nowhere else to go. Care is being provided to these family members, including food, shelter and psychosocial support.
PARTNER UPDATES 24 OCTOBER
Gaza Update
The situation in Gaza is desperate. The UNRWA has warned that it could be forced to end operations in Gaza ‘as of tomorrow night’ if more fuel doesn’t arrive.
We continue to stay in contact with our partners in Gaza, despite frequent power outages and increasingly difficult circumstances. Most of our partners are sheltering in the two churches in Gaza City: the Latin church and the Greek Orthodox church.
Some have moved to the Latin church from the Orthodox church after the deadly strike on 19 October, which caused part of the building to collapse, along with many deaths and injuries. There are now upwards of 700 people in the Latin church, but these numbers are changing every day.
Our partners are still serving and distributing supplies to those in need. This is becoming more difficult, as the depleted stocks in Gaza continue to diminish.
Al Ahli Hospital is still functioning, but currently for emergency cases only.
“The number of casualties is accelerating, the basic needs for life is almost exhausted, and the news about water and food arriving to Gaza are not even a drop in a sea of needs, as it’s not reaching people and according to UN-OCHA it’s less than 3% of the daily consumption of the commodities in Gaza.”
– Update from Nader Abu Amsha, Executive Secretary of Embrace partner, DSPR-MECC
“Drinkable water is running out. For the thirteenth consecutive day (since 11 October), Gaza has been under a full electricity black-out, following Israel’s halt of its electricity and fuel supply to Gaza, which in turn triggered the shutdown of Gaza’s sole power plant. This has forced essential service infrastructure to rely on backup generators, which are limited by the scarcity of fuel in the Strip. Aid deliveries entering Gaza have not included fuel.”
– Update from Caritas Jerusalem
West Bank Update
Life is incredibly difficult for people in the West Bank.
The West Bank has been in a de facto lockdown since 7 October, with severe restrictions on movement; people cannot travel between major cities or in and out of the West Bank.
There has been an increase in violence over the past few weeks – at least 90 Palestinians have been killed, including many children and teenagers, and hundreds have been injured and detained.
“Every number represents a person – it’s someone’s child, it’s someone’s parents, someone’s sibling – and the reality of what they are living through is harrowing.”
– David, Programmes and Partnerships Manager for the West Bank
Against this backdrop, things are extremely challenging for our partners – the majority have had their activities paused or moved their activities online. Their current focus is on keeping staff and beneficiaries safe, but also on being creative and finding ways to continue doing their work.
Israel Update
Our partner, Aviv Ministry, is based in Tel Aviv but also has a shelter in Ashkelon, just 10km from the Israel-Gaza border. Approximately 100 rockets have come into Ashkelon since 7 October, and there is a lot of fear among the local population. Many people are sheltering in bomb shelters or at home, and many are unable to go out to purchase their basic needs. Aviv has pivoted its focus; it has been cooking and distributing hot meals to bomb shelters and to the homes of vulnerable people, including the elderly and people with disabilities.
PARTNER UPDATES 20 OCTOBER
An update from the Greek Orthodox Church
As you will have seen on the news, sadly last night Saint Porphyrius Church in Gaza City was damaged as a result of nearby shelling. 400-500 people have been sheltering in the precincts of the church for the last two weeks. Tragically a number of people have been killed and injured and there is significant damage to the building. It’s believed that there are still people trapped under the rubble.
One of those killed was one of our partners’ staff. She was only 26 and was killed along with her husband and toddler. Another lost both his parents and his sister is injured. We mourn deeply their loss and the loss of all of the innocent civilians killed since this conflict began.
This video was sent to us by our partner Caritas Jerusalem. (Warning: the scenes depicted are distressing.)
PARTNER UPDATES 19 OCTOBER
An update from those sheltering in the churches
“We feel terrified”
Almost 800 people are sheltering in Gaza City’s two main churches. George is one of them, sheltering in the Latin church. He tells us he and his family have been there for two weeks. His neighbourhood has been destroyed in the bombing and he, his three daughters and everyone in the church are very scared of what will happen next. You can listen to what George told us below:
“We need to provide them with food and water”
With others in the church, George is helping to organise vital supplies - providing food, water, hygiene materials and medicine for those sheltering there. He tells us that they have a small medical clinic in the church and contingency plans for if they need to evacuate.
The Latin church in Gaza, where today 500 people are sheltering from the airstrikes.
Al Ahli Hospital Latest
We have been in contact with staff at the hospital who have told us:
“For the time being we have moved our patients to neigbouring hospitals. The hospital will not close but a lot of repairs need to be done. The emergency room is still open and will continue to provide emergency services that can be provided.”
PARTNER UPDATES 18 OCTOBER
Al Ahli Hospital Tragedy
The Diocese of Jerusalem, which runs Al Ahli Hospital, have issued this statement in response to yesterday’s events. They say:
‘In the strongest terms, the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem condemns this atrocious attack that has transpired in the heart of Gaza. Initial reports suggest the loss of countless lives, a manifestation of what can only be described as a crime against humanity. Hospitals, by the tenets of international humanitarian law, are sanctuaries, yet this assault has transgressed those sacred boundaries…
Regrettably, Gaza remains bereft of safe havens. The devastation witnessed, coupled with the sacrilegious targeting of the church, strikes at the very core of human decency. We assert unequivocally that this is deserving international condemnation and retribution. An urgent appeal resonates for the international community to fulfill its duty in protecting civilians and ensuring that such inhumane horrific acts are not replicated…’
You can also read Embrace’s Statement in Response to the Al Ahli Tragedy.
The Archbishop of Canterbury also issued a statement, saying the attack “violates the sanctity and dignity of human life” and that “The bloodshed, slaughter and suffering of innocent people on all sides must stop.” You can find reports of the tragedy in the Church Times and Anglican News.
PARTNER UPDATES 17 OCTOBER
Tragedy at Al Ahli Hospital - HOSPITAL SUFFERS DIRECT HIT
We’re devastated to pass on the news that Al Ahli Hospital has this evening taken a direct hit. Early reports estimate hundreds dead - many women and children - and thousands injured. We’ll pass on more details as soon as we have them.
Update from Gaza
We have received an update on the number of people sheltering in the various Christian buildings around Gaza City. At the moment, there are around 800 in the two main churches, 5,000 at Al Ahli Hospital and at least a further 3,250 at the other Christian-run institutions.
The Christian community is continuing to work hard, under life-threatening conditions, to source food, potable water, emergency medical kits and fire extinguishers from within Gaza (external aid still cannot get into Gaza). They are organising the distribution of meals and also prioritising caring for the sick and elderly.
Update from Bethlehem
Our partners in Bethlehem say that the town remains very isolated. Only a couple of the ways in and out of the town have been reopened and not everyone is being allowed through. Three rockets landed round Bethlehem yesterday.
PARTNER UPDATES 16 OCTOBER
Al Ahli Hospital update
There are still many people in northern Gaza who are unable to evacuate to the south. There are currently 5,000 people, patients and those who have nowhere else to go, sheltering at Al Ahli Hospital. Parts of the building were hit and damaged by an airstrike on Saturday evening.
The hospital does have an underground water supply and electricity from solar panels, but that does not supply enough electricity to cover their needs. They tell us that the fuel reserves they have will run out within 24 hours.
An update from those sheltering in the churches
There are now around 800 people sheltering in the Latin and Orthodox Churches in Gaza City. Our partners at the DSPR tell us that:
“The situation on the ground has deteriorated to an unimaginable extent. The number of casualties is rapidly growing to unprecedented levels, the huge destruction is hard to believe… Today, the situation took a terrifying turn as phosphorus bombs landed close to the church. These devastating bombs struck the church cemetery, a few meters away from the Orthodox Church.”
Those sheltering in the churches do currently have food and water, but they tell us that their need for basic supplies and medical supplies is reaching a critical level and there is no longer internet connection. Groups of women in both churches are cooking for all and a men’s group is organising logistics and trying to source more supplies. Some additional supplies have been located but so far they have been unable to fetch them because of the airstrikes.
They ask us:
“We earnestly request your support in calling for opening a real Humanitarian Corridor, rather than a forced displacement plan to Egypt under fire, and to advocate for an immediate ceasefire. The need for these cannot be emphasized enough. The lives of our colleagues and all other innocent individuals in Gaza are under serious threat, and the urgency of this situation cannot be overstated. Our collective efforts can make a significant difference in the lives of those trapped in this nightmarish situation. Please leverage your influence and pressure for immediate cease fire.”
We urge you to write to your MP and call for the British Government to do more to protect Gaza’s civilians. You can find a template letter on the Balfour Project website.
Update from Jerusalem and the West Bank
Our partners tell us that the situation in the West Bank and Jerusalem remains extremely tense. Travel around the West Bank is uncertain and checkpoints are closed. The Jerusalem Princess Basma Centre reports that their patients from the West Bank cannot get to them as they are not being allowed to enter Jerusalem. Where possible, they are conducting online sessions to continue treatment.
PARTNER UPDATES 15 OCTOBER
Update from Gaza
This morning on BBC Radio 4, presenter Ed Stourton spoke with two Christians in Palestine: Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, and Embrace partner Nader Abu Amsha, Head of the Dept for Services to Palestinian Refugees arm of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC).
Approximately 800 of Gaza’s small Christian population (~80% of the total number) are taking refuge in the two main church compounds in Gaza City (the Catholic church and the Greek Orthodox church). Many of their homes have been destroyed and, along with the other residents, they have received an evacuation order from the Israeli army - but there is nowhere to go.
Cardinal Pizzaballa said: “To remain would be a danger … but the borders are closed and there is no other place to go … We have called for a day of fasting and prayer for peace and justice – it is the only thing we can do right now.”
Nader said: “We are hearing horrible news and sad stories of pain and death, and the attacks of the residential areas where they are living.”
Listen back to the full interviews on BBC Sounds and play from 6.25-10.10.
PARTNER UPDATES 14 OCTOBER
Al Ahli Hospital update
Al Ahli Hospital’s Diagnostic Cancer Treatment Centre was hit by Israeli rocket fire at 7.30pm local time. The strike severely damaged the two upper floors, including the Ultrasound and Mammography wards. Four of the hospital staff working there were injured in the blast and received treatment.
PARTNER UPDATES 13 OCTOBER
“Where can we go?”
Gazans have been warned by Israel to leave Gaza City and move south, but our partners tell us this is impossible. Some families are moving, but most have nowhere to go. The majority of Christian families are still sheltering in the churches. They are running out of supplies and are rationing their consumption. They don’t have enough mattresses so are prioritising the most vulnerable.
We spoke directly to one of our partners on the ground there. This is what he told us:
Al Ahli Hospital update
Al Ahli Hospital is also located in Gaza City. They have not told us of any plans to evacuate but say that the staff are still working around the clock providing treatment and emergency interventions for the wounded and burnt people.
Al Ahli Hospital is run by the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem, who told us:
”The situation is getting much worse than ever, we need campaigns to allow for the humanitarian aid to get to Gaza and stop the incursion. There is no water, no food, no electricity, no fuel, no shelters, chronic people need medicines. The needs are massive at Ahli hospital to meet the crushing flow of injured and traumatized. We will send items to our hospital through the Humanitarian agencies as soon as they are allowed to get into Gaza.”
PARTNER UPDATES 10 OCTOBER
Updates from Israel
In Israel, our partners are still trying to come to terms with the shock of the attacks and with the ongoing kidnap situation. They ask us:
“Please do keep praying for Israel! Our nation is bleeding. We are very grateful that you are thinking and praying about us. Israel will never be the same after this war.”
Updates from Gaza
The humanitarian situation in Gaza is dire. Gaza's sole power plant has run out of fuel, which only leaves generators for power, but fuel is in short supply. Airstrikes have caused a huge amount of damage and killed over 1,200 people.
Our partner the Pontifical Mission reports that:
“Telecommunication installations and mobile communication lines have been targeted and basic needs like food and water are becoming inaccessible by the day. Sewage lines and infrastructure have been damaged.”
Al Ahli Hospital
Al Ahli Hospital is still open, providing emergency healthcare as solar panels mean it still has electricity. Like every other medical facility in Gaza, it is packed with injured people and all healthcare institutions across Gaza are now experiencing shortages of drugs and medical supplies.
Suhaila Tarazi, Director of Al Ahli Hospital, told our friends, the American Friends of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem:
“At this stage, our only hope is in God for a miracle in the midst of this scenery of death.”
Churches and Christian Centres are Providing Shelter
Nowhere is really safe in Gaza, but over 3,000 people are sheltering in churches and Christian centres. The Latin and Orthodox Churches are hosting close to 400 people. To date, the compounds of the churches and the area surrounding them has not been subject to airstrikes. However, most of the buildings in the neighbourhood has been damaged.
Damage to the DSPR NECC Vocational Training Centre in Gaza.
Schools are also being used as shelter, but our partner Caritas Jerusalem tells us that so far three UNRWA schools have been destroyed.
Facilities Damaged and Homes Destroyed
The physical damage to Gaza is immense. Some of our partner centres have been damaged and several of their staff have lost their homes in the bombing.
PRAYER REQUESTS FROM OUR PARTNERS IN GAZA
“Amidst this horrible situation and the unprecedented damage, we turn our faces to you to hold the people of Gaza in your prayers.” DSPR
“We are in our house, as you may know there is no shelters in Gaza. Please pray for peace to prevail.” Director of the NECC
“I just spoke with a colleague who lost their home in the recent bombardment… it's difficult to put into words the horrors they are facing…We deeply appreciate your prayers for the safety and security of everyone involved.” DSPR
Updates from Jerusalem and the West Bank
Our partners in the West Bank tell us that the situation there is deteriorating. There have been violent clashes and the Israeli army has imposed severe movement restrictions.
Our friends at Anar tell us:
“Since October 7th, 26 people have lost their lives, and 427 individuals have sustained injuries. Several towns, including Bethlehem, are completely under lockdown by the Israeli military, preventing the movement of both people and goods between cities. If this blockade continues, there is a looming threat of shortages in basic supplies, including fuel, in the West Bank.”
Our partner Caritas Jerusalem reports:
“The old city in Jerusalem is like a ghost town. It is very tense and dangerous. All schools are closed, restaurants and recreation is closed. The tourists are gone. The Nativity church in Bethlehem is empty, last week it was full, now there is no one.”
CRISIS APPEAL
Please support our partners as they respond to the crisis in Gaza, Lebanon and the West Bank.
SIGN UP TO RECEIVE EMAILS FROM EMBRACE
Get the latest news from our Christian partners across the Middle East and the work of Embrace straight to your inbox.