Last week, it was revealed by both the head of UNWRA and the Israeli National Security Council that the Israeli government has stopped issuing visas to members of international non-governmental organizations (NGOs). This comes on top of an ongoing entry ban of international media to report freely from inside Gaza, funding cuts to UNWRA, and at a time when several senior UN officials are not given permission to visit Gaza and/or are prevented to travel to the West Bank including East Jerusalem. 

God of Compassion, we lift up the aid workers in Palestine who serve with courage and dedication. Strengthen them in their mission, guiding their hands and hearts as they bring healing, hope, and relief to those in need. Fill them with a steadfast commitment to peace, and inspire them to promote the dignity and flourishing of all people in the land.

We also ask that You be with the local civil society organizations and communities. Empower them to continue their vital work of care, advocacy, and support, even in the face of great challenges. Grant them resilience, wisdom, and the resources they need to sustain their efforts.

Lord, in Your mercy… hear our prayer.

Last week, in two mass terrorizing attacks, over 4,000 people were injured and 20 people killed in Lebanon by hacking and exploding pagers and electronic devices manufactured by Motorola. While Israel claimed the killings were a targeted campaign to assassinate Hezbollah members, casualties included three children as young as 6 and many civilians.    

Caregiving God, no place feels safe as long as the oppressor acts with impunity. Holy Spirit, be with the doctors, nurses, and medical staff who are responding with bravery and conviction. Give them peace as they grieve the loss of many of their co-workers and console the injured. As we pray for the people of Lebanon, we ask you to bring peace, justice, accountability, and reconciliation to the world.

Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer

Last week, British trade unions voted on a motion at the Trades Union Congress (TUC) conference to demand all arms trading with Israel be ended immediately, sending a clear message to UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to stop British arms from supporting genocide. This vote is significant because the TUC conference, which represents 5.5 million workers and 48 unions, is an important voting base for the Labour Party. 

• Loving God, in the face of such injustice, we do not forget the reminders of your mercy and love. We lift up the people of conscience who are agents of your love through their actions and voices. As we ask the Holy Spirit to continue guiding them in courage and conviction, we pray that leaders around the world, especially Prime Minister Keir Starmer, may hear this call for peace. Open their hearts so that they may be moved by the cries of those affected by genocide and occupation, and may the strength of the 5.5 million workers in the UK be a force for the transformation of this world.
  Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer

Last week, a leaked Israeli Foreign Ministry cable revealed that Israel was lobbying U.S. members of Congress to pressure South Africa to drop its genocide case against Israel at the UN’s top court. South Africa has until 28 October 2024 to present to the ICJ its reasons for continuing legal action against Israel over violations of the Genocide Convention.  

• God of Truth, we lift up this moment to You, where nations stand at a crossroads of accountability.  We pray for wisdom, courage, and protection for the leaders of South Africa as they seek justice through the International Court of Justice. May a world where international law and human dignity be upheld and your justice and love shines.
  Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer

Last week, in the third week of invasions into the occupied West Bank, Israeli forces killed at least five Palestinians.  Three people were killed in a drone attack on a vehicle in the city of Tulkarem while another was killed by an Israeli sniper in the Far’a refugee camp, near the city of Tubas. The killings took the overall death toll from Israel’s large-scale militarised operation, launched in the West Bank on August 28, to at least 50. The figure included several people who were killed in an air attack on Tubas. In Tulkarem, the IOF also abducted 5 PRCS paramedics. 

• God of Mercy, we come before you with heavy hearts, grieving the loss of life and the unrelenting violence that has engulfed the West Bank. We pray for the people of Tulkarem, Tubas, the Far’a refugee camp, and elsewhere in the West Bank who endure the constant threat of violence and death. Shield them, O Lord, from the devastation that surrounds them. In the face of military power and occupation, we ask for your divine intervention to break the cycles of violence.
  Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer

Last week, the Tent of Nations had their long-awaited court hearing regarding the re-registration of their land. The Tent of Nations was hoping that the hearing would bring about a just outcome after a 33-year long legal battle to protect the farm from confiscation. Unfortunately, the land registration committee did not hold a substantive session and delayed the proceedings because of what it claimed was a technical mistake by the committee secretary. However, the committee decided to set up another close date for the next session and delaying the proceedings to 17th September 2024. 

• God of All Creation, we lift up the struggle of the Daoud family, who for over three decades have been peacefully resisting efforts to destroy and confiscate their land. Soften the hearts of those in power, so that justice and truth may prevail and the land may continue to serve as a place of reconciliation, community, and peace.
  Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer

Last week, UNWRA reported that about 530,000 children in Gaza received polio vaccines. However, the UN was unable to confirm the 3rd phase of the polio vaccine campaign after Israeli forces held up the UN convoy at gunpoint.  

• Divine Protector, we hold in prayer the children of Gaza, their families, and all those working to bring healing of all forms in the midst of unimaginable violence. We give thanks for protection and health, and we ask your continued divine protection over them. Holy Spirit, continue to accompany the UN workers and all humanitarian teams who strive to be agents of your will. Open the eyes of leaders and decision-makers, so they may be moved towards cooperation, justice, and the preservation of life.
• Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer

Last week, in the early hours of dawn, Israel dropped at least 4 U.S. made 2000-lb bombs on 20 tents in Al-Mawasi Khan Younis, which was a “designated safe zone.” The sheer force of the bombs created 10-meter-deep craters and caused an entire camp of tents to disintegrate. Rescue teams have been working tirelessly to dig through mounds of sand and rubble to locate any remaining signs of life buried under the crater. After almost a year of death and violence, eyewitnesses say this was one of the most horrific massacres since the genocide started.  

• God of the Oppressed, we come to You burdened and grieved by the evil and destruction. We lift the people of Al-Mawasi Khan Younis, whose suffering echoes the countless cries of the displaced, the oppressed, and the forgotten. In our grief, we can only think of the words of Amos 5:24: “But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.” We pray that the weight of injustice be lifted and that those orchestrating the destruction of a people be judged before You and the world.

Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer

Last week, Spain announced the organization of the first Spain-Palestine summit, in addition to announcing that the government will continue supporting UNWRA and putting pressure on Netanyahu at the International Criminal Court. Spain formally recognized the State of Palestine last spring.  

God of Justice, we give thanks for the voices among the nations that rise in support of the oppressed, even if it is slow moving. We pray that their efforts to seek accountability will bear fruit, as they call for justice at the International Criminal Court. Let these actions not be mere political gestures, but a true movement towards lasting justice, peace, and righteousness. Stir the hearts of all leaders and nations, that they may pursue what is right and carry Your will throughout the earth.  

Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer  

  

Last week, Israeli forces killed a U.S.  activist in the occupied West Bank. Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, a 26-year-old American citizen, was killed by a shot to the head. Active as a student in advocating for the Palestinian struggle in the U.S., she came to Palestine three days prior to her death to protect Palestinian farmers with the same peace activist movement that Rachel Corrie, a U.S. citizen killed by an Israeli bulldozer in 2003, was also a part of. In a statement following her death, her family wrote: “Like the olive tree she lay beneath where she took her last breaths, Aysenur was strong, beautiful, and nourishing […] an Israeli investigation is not adequate. We call on Biden, Harris, and Blinken to order an independent investigation.”  

Dear God, we come before You in grief and sorrow for the loss of Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, a victim of empire violence and hate. We lift up her family, praying for solace and strength as they navigate this unimaginable pain. As we mourn beside them, fill us with the same courage that moved Aysenur Ezygi Eygi, Rachel Corrie, Aaron Bushnell, Shireen Abu Akleh, and many others who, in witnessing injustice, remained as strong and unmoving as the olive trees. Holy Spirit, fill our hearts with the fire of Your wrath, just as You were filled with it when You confronted Cain, saying: “Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground” (Genesis 4:10). May we, too, hear the cries of the oppressed and respond with unwavering conviction, guided by Your justice and love.  

Lord in your mercy…hear our prayer