Australian Bishops: Aid access means life or death for innocent in Gaza

By Deborah Castellano Lubov

Australia's Bishops are joining together to pray for a lasting peace in Gaza, while appealing for immediate access for humanitarian agencies.

The Bishops say that "properly administrated aid may mean the difference between life and death for innocent civilians."

A statement from Australia’s Catholic Bishops, who gathered in Sydney this week, said the Bishops unite with the Australian Catholic community to express their grief and anguish over the suffering of people in the Holy Land.

To date, at least 10,812 people, including 4,412 children, have been killed in Israel strikes on Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.

"These are not simply news stories or television dramas: they are the stories of real people. All are children of God."

The Bishops reassured their "brothers and sisters in the Holy Land" of their prayers, stressing that they "hold them and their suffering" in their hearts.

Pursuing first steps toward peace

"Remembering the long history that has led to the current violence in the Middle East," they recalled, "is the first step to finding a way beyond the violence to a just end of the conflict."

Peace, they wrote, can come only from justice.

"We call people of faith to pray with us for a lasting peace and the triumph of human dignity."

Urgent needs

As the Australian Bishops turned to God in prayer, they also encouraged acts of charity and generosity to provide for the material needs of people who are isolated and facing the greatest hardship.

"The need is urgent," they stressed.

In conclusion, the Australian Bishops recalled that "the sacred texts of Judaism, Christianity and Islam share a longing for peace and harmony," which, they reaffirm, "we seek together, as one human family."