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Gaza Ceasefire Pilgrimage

October 7 – lament, pray, act for peace in Palestine and Israel

For a year, we have pleaded for peace in Palestine and Israel and urged our government to unequivocally withdraw support for the armed conflict, which has led to devastating humanitarian consequences. We have mobilized churches throughout Canada and brought church leaders to Ottawa in the Gaza Ceasefire pilgrimage to call on Canadian officials to push for:

An enduring and sustained ceasefire.
Immediate flow of life saving food, water, aid, fuel and humanitarian assistance.
Release of all captives.
End all arms transfers to Israel.
Ending occupation so a just peace can begin.

And yet, the violence and human suffering continue to escalate and have reached unimaginable proportions with irreparable consequences. Millions of people have become refugees in their own land – displaced, terrified, vulnerable and harmed. From that ground, peace cannot flourish. Peace must be tended with tender hearts, sown on fertile soil of hope and justice.

In the lead up to October 7 KAIROS shared short videos from the Gaza Ceasefire Pilgrimage in Ottawa, May 22, 2024. Listen to the voices of partners and churches and lament, pray and act for just peace in the region. KAIROS YouTube Channel.

You can also follow and share on Facebook, Instagram and X (Twitter)

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We echo our partners’ calls for peace. We believe that peace can only exist along with justice, human dignity and freedom. We believe that war, violence, and the irreparable loss of lives will never be the solution to past violence, as more pain will never balance the scales of suffering.

KAIROS member churches and agencies and our local and global partners have consistently condemned the violence against Israeli and Palestinian civilians in Israel, Gaza, the occupied West Bank, and East Jerusalem. We have amplified the calls of partners for just peace, grounded in a commitment to non-violence, respect for human rights and dignity for all.

Since this new escalation of horrific violence began on October 7, 2023, these calls are more urgent than ever. The moral imperative to act has never been stronger.

Our hearts beat together because, in the words of Wi’am, our partner in the West Bank, we “yearn for a shared future where children, youth, women, and the community at large can grow up free from fear, violence, and oppression.” And we amplify Wi’am’s call to Canadians and our government “to stand with us, not just in words, but also through decisive actions which forward peace, justice, and unequivocally denounces injustice, and promotes human rights, human dignity, and life.”

Actions

There are many ways you can take action to help advance the call for a just peace in Palestine and Israel.

Every act of love and solidarity has an impact on the fabric of life. Your prayers can touch the hearts of those who work tirelessly for peace and justice. Your letters and messages can reach the eyes and ears of politicians who have the power to halt the push for war and influence the pursuit of justice. Organizing and showing up at an event and sharing with others what you have learned are concrete expressions of solidarity and advocacy.

Write a letter

Write a letter to the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs using online letter campaigns from:

Mennonite Central Committee: Canada’s toolkit for peace in Gaza

The United Church of Canada – Support Justice and Peace in Palestine and Israel

Join an event

Development and Peace ― Caritas Canada (DPCC) is organizing a webinar on Palestine on Saturday, October 19, at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time (7:00 p.m. CET) to mark the grim milestone of the completion of a year of war in Gaza on October 7, 2024. Register.

Canadian Friends of Sabeel (CFOS) is hosting the James Graff Memorial Lecture for 2024 on November 4 at 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time at Trinity-St. Paul’s United Church (Toronto) and online. “One Year Later: Our Response to Genocide and Occupation in Palestine” features Shadia Qubti, a Palestinian peace activist and Daniel Bannoura, a Palestinian theologian. Register.

Pray