March 1 marked the end of the first phase of the ceasefire in the Israel/Hamas war. Phase two has yet to begin due to disagreements between the parties. Israel has cut off all humanitarian aid from entering the Gaza strip, undoing a month of progress in getting the people of Gaza food, clean water, shelter, and health care they desperately need. This is a clear violation of international humanitarian law.
In 2024, Executive Council passed a resolution joining the patriarchs and heads of churches in Jerusalem in calling for “the speedy distribution of humanitarian aid… the unimpeded access of fully equipped doctors and medical staff to tend to the sick and injured.”
We must do everything in our power to push for a permanent ceasefire and ensure that humanitarian aid can move freely into Gaza and to those who need it most.
Please reach out to your members of Congress and ask them to do all in their power to push for the second phase of the ceasefire and ensure Palestinians are able to receive urgently needed humanitarian assistance.
Additional Resources:
Episcopal Church Resources for the Conflict in the Holy Land
Human Rights Watch – Israel/Palestine
United Nations Relief Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNWRA)
General Convention Resolutions:
- 2024 MB013: Resolution on Gaza
- 2024-D009: Swords Into Plowshares: U.S. Accountability and Responsibility in Rebuilding Gaza
- 2022-C039: Urge Congress to Oppose Inequality in Israeli Laws
- 2018-B021: Call on the US to Restore UN and USAID Funding for Palestinians
- 2012-B017: Support for Al Ahli Hospital in Gaza