Standing in Prayer for Israel and the Palestinian Territories

Together we respond. We grieve. We pray.

Together We Respond

In the Palestinian Territories, the BWA has collaborated with our local Member Partner (Council of Local Evangelical Churches in the Holy Land) to provide livelihood support and food for more than 100 families living in the West Bank as well as food and hygiene items for hundreds of families who had been sheltering in the Baptist Church in Gaza. The church has suffered damage from the bombings and will require resources to repair and rebuild.

The Association of Baptist Churches in Israel shares, “Our churches have been holding continuous prayer meetings and in the midst of sorrow and anxiety, we are spreading the message of God’s love to those who are hurting. We earnestly pray for a miracle to stop the ongoing conflict, coupled with a cry of hope for a brighter future for all residents of Israel and the Palestinian Territories.” 

Together We Grieve

As a global family, we mourn together the horrific bombing of the al-Ahli Hospital, often known as the Baptist Hospital. There is a vibrant and historic legacy of Baptist leadership in this hospital that has offered the compassion of Christ to all who entered its doors, a ministry continued today by the Anglican Church. The Baptist World Alliance mourns the tragic loss of life and the untold cost that will continue to unfold in the lives of those who depended on this hospital for care and shelter. We stand in prayer with the leadership and staff of the hospital, the Anglican Church, and all who are grieving. We continue to plead for the protection of all citizens and the establishment of genuine peace. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayers.

Together We Pray

Baptists across Israel and the Palestinian Territories request fervent prayer for just peace. This includes the Association of Baptist Churches in Israel with 17 Baptist churches and the Council of Local Evangelical Churches in the Holy Land representing 13 Baptist churches in the Palestinian Territories, including a Baptist church in Gaza. 

Together as a Baptist family that is one in Christ Jesus, let us mourn with all whose loved ones have been killed or are held captive. Let us follow paths of peacemaking that unequivocally reject terrorism or any acts that target civilians, include dehumanizing language, or limit human rights on the basis of ethnicity or faith. Let us generously provide help and support with the compassion of Christ. Let us stand together with our Baptist family and all who are suffering, and in the midst of complexity and violence, hear again the words of the prophet Micah “to act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly” in pursuit of restorative justice and peace for all people. Our Baptist leaders in the region have shared the following calls to prayer.

Uniting in prayer is a vital way to join our global response.

Please join with Baptists around the world in prayer using the prayer points listed below.

• Pray for a quick end to the conflict and the prevention of escalation into a larger war in the region.
• Pray for the God of all comfort to be with those who are grieving the loss of their loved ones.
• Pray for those who have been wounded during the conflict and for those providing medical assistance to them.
• Pray for the safety and liberation of hostages, and pray for mediators to facilitate their release.
• Pray for wisdom and discernment for the leaders, that they may make decisions that lead to lasting peace and alleviate suffering.
• Pray that Christians from around the world will unite in prayer for peace, demonstrating the love of Christ to all peoples.
• Pray for safety of local followers of Jesus and that they will be shielded from extremism and hatred, especially young people.
• Pray for God to utilize our churches as effective witnesses during this challenging time, through the power of the Holy Spirit, including the Baptist church in Gaza and its ongoing ministry.
• Pray that Christians around the world will give generously as our Baptist family across this area seeks to holistically minister in this critical time of suffering.
• Pray for peace, hope, and security for the entire region, and that the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its rays so that Israelis and Palestinians will experience life lived in peace and freedom with one another.