August 1st 2024
The devastation in Gaza continues to escalate, with thousands of Palestinians fleeing Khan Yunis with no safe place to go. According to UNRWA, 9 out of 10 people in Gaza are displaced. Recent findings by the World Health Organization have confirmed the spread of polio in Gaza’s sewage, exacerbating the already unimaginable suffering. The spread of polio in Gaza could affect other countries unless a ceasefire allows vaccinations to resume.
• Divine Creator, as time goes by, the suffering in Gaza reaches unimaginable levels. Lord, how deep must the corruption of the powerful be to partake in this devastation? Have their hearts hardened so much that they no longer see Palestinians as worthy of life? Lord, protect your children in Gaza and heal the wicked who are plagued with hate.
Lord in your mercy… hear our prayer
Last week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the United States Congress regarding the current realities in the Gaza Strip and Israel’s conduct of war in which more than 39,000 Palestinians have been killed. Fact checkers have proven that many of Netanyahu’s claims were false. Moreover, families of some Israeli captives held in Gaza were evicted from the Congress building for demanding answers from the Israeli Prime Minister. Nevertheless, Netanyahu received 52 standing ovations throughout his speech.
• God of the oppressed, we know that you were mocked, abused, and shamed publicly, whilst the corrupt rulers in their times were praised and handing each other awards of nobility. Lord not much has changed. We hold on to our belief that your kingdom and power is contrary to the powers of the empire. As we pray for Gaza help us live out our faith that “…many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first” (Matthew 19:30).
Lord in your mercy… hear our prayer
Since the 7th of October, Israel has taken advantage of the world’s attention in Gaza in demolishing many houses on a weekly and sometimes daily basis in Palestine. Furthermore, new settlement outposts are being built and several communities have been displaced with no place to go, rendering them homeless. The refugee camps in Jenin, Nablus, and other places have become unrecognizable since the 7th of October.
• God of love, how has this violence been normalised? How has the beautiful landscape of Jenin turned into a place of death? Lord, we dream of a day where Masafer Yatta is not known for house demolitions and settler violence, but for a place of harmony and bursting Palestinian beauty. Lord, we thirst for your justice.
Lord in your mercy… hear our prayer
In the next few weeks, Sabeel will be hosting multiple delegations of influencers and will be taking them around Palestine. Since the 7th of October, there has been a significant decrease of internationals, tourists, and pilgrims in Palestine, making these delegations a rare occurrence in these times of war.
• Holy God, we are thankful for the opportunities of hosting delegations so that they bear witness to our colonization, creative resistance, and Sumud. We ask you to protect each delegation and give us discernment to recognise the Holy Spirit at work. Lord, make us an instrument of your love, bearing witness to Christ the liberator.
Lord in your mercy… hear our prayer
Last week, Tel Aviv’s district court has extended Israel’s ban on Al Jazeera Media Network for another 45 days, according to Al Jazeera. The ban initially came in early May when Israel’s cabinet unanimously voted to shut down Al Jazeera in the country, immediately ordering the closure of its offices and a ban on the company’s broadcasts.
• God of truth, we come before you recognizing that there are those who actively oppose the truth, preferring darkness over light. Lord, we lament how wickedness thrives when the truth is suppressed, and righteousness is overshadowed by deceit. We thank you by using the journalists in Gaza who are voices to the voiceless, making them agents of truth.
Lord in your mercy… hear our prayer
As the number of Palestinian prisoners being released from Israeli prisons increases, more accounts of torture are emerging. Last week, eight Palestinians released from Israel’s Ofer Prison reported being tortured and interrogated before being sent back to Gaza. All Israeli prisons and detention centres are overcrowded and have poor humanitarian conditions.
• God of the imprisoned, assure all those suffering and unjustly imprisoned that you see them and care for their freedom. Lord, help us not forgot those who are imprisoned and held hostage. Lord, strengthen the families of Palestinian prisoners and comfort them with your liberating love.
Lord in your mercy… hear our prayer
□ We join with the World Council of Churches in their prayer for the countries of Republic of Congo, Gabon, Sao Tome and Principe.