Church leaders in Jerusalem called for a day of fasting and prayer for peace and against hatred.

In an emergency meeting of Church leaders on October 13th in Jerusalem, Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem called on Israel with the support of the international community to allow humanitarian supplies to enter Gaza so that thousands of innocent civilians may recent medical treatment and basic supplies. Church leaders called on all parties to de-escalate this war “in order to save innocent lives while still serving the case of justice.”

Church leaders also called on their own congregations and people of goodwill around the world to observe a day of fasting and prayer on Tuesday, October 17th The statement began with the verse from Genesis that God created mankind in his own image and ended with the line” there is time to stop the hatred.”

It is noteworthy that the statement like the previous statement on October 7th didn’t specify or blame any party for the violence an issue which had angered Isreali officials as they complained to the Holy See. The Latin Jerusalem Patriarch who is now Cardinal Pizzabella told a Vatican-centric website Silere non possum that “we will not allow Israel to dictate what we say.”