Prayers4Peace: Acknowledging Two Years of War, Violence, and Ethnic Cleansing, CMEP Grieves All Devastating Loss of Life from the Atrocities of October 7, 2023, and the Violence Perpetuated Against Gaza
By: Churches for Middle East Peace
Matthew 5:4: “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.”
In Mourning with Those Who Mourn
October 7, 2023, was a day of tragedy. The attacks by Hamas and other Palestinian militant groups killed 1,195 Israeli citizens, foreign nationals, and members of the security forces; at least 250 others were taken hostage. Two years later, 48 hostages remain in captivity, less than half of whom are believed to be alive. On this day, we mourn with the families of those killed and held hostage, and with all communities who have been disrupted by violence.
October 7, 2023, was a day that changed history. Every day since, new atrocities, of a previously unimaginable scale, have been unleashed upon Palestinian civilians in Gaza. Israel’s ensuing war on Gaza has killed more than 67,000 people and injured over 169,000, with estimates of total casualties significantly higher as thousands are believed to be buried under the rubble. Entire neighborhoods have been leveled, with hospitals, schools, and refugee camps repeatedly struck. The recent ground invasion of Gaza City has displaced hundreds of thousands, while evacuation orders leave civilians with no truly safe refuge. Humanitarian organizations warn that Gaza is on the brink of collapse, as deaths from widespread starvation and malnutrition now accompany the relentless bombardment. Each day that this war continues, we mourn anew– for the lives that continue to be lost, the families torn apart, the children growing up amid destruction, and the civilians whose safety and dignity are repeatedly shattered.
October 7, 2023, changed history, but it was not the day that the history of conflict began. For decades, Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem have lived under occupation, restricted movement, systemic inequality, and ongoing dispossession. They have endured checkpoints that limit access to work, education, and healthcare; home demolitions and forced evictions that displace families; the expansion of settlements onto land they have long inhabited; and repeated cycles of violence that destroy infrastructure, schools, and places of worship. CMEP condemns the attacks that occurred on October 7 and advocates for the safety and security of both Jewish and Palestinian people in the Middle East and around the world. Thus, we mourn. We mourn alongside Jewish and Palestinian people who have lost and suffered so much, including those whose lives have been shaped by decades of oppression and whose communities remain under constant threat.
What CMEP Has Done and Continues to Do
As we lament, we also keep faith with action. We believe peace is possible and justice must prevail. Since October 7, 2023, CMEP has committed ourselves to witness, prayer, advocacy, and accompaniment. Not as a one-time response, but as ongoing, daily work.
Daily Video Updates: Beginning on October 7, 2023, and continuing every day since, Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon, CMEP’s Executive Director, has shared a daily video update on news from the Middle East, particularly as it relates to the Holy Land and Church communities. They can be viewed on CMEP’s website, social media, and our YouTube channel.
Prayer and Vigils: Every Wednesday since October 7, 2023, we have gathered online for prayer. We have also hosted periodic vigils and services of lament. Through these, we invite partners, churches, and individuals to grieve, repent, and pray together.
Public Statements and Letters: Over the past two years, CMEP has issued dozens of public statements and letters to U.S. and international policymakers, urging a comprehensive and permanent ceasefire, humanitarian relief, and an end to indiscriminate violence.
Global Coalition Building & Elevating the Palestinian Church: CMEP has prioritized collaboration with international churches and faith-based organizations. We have drafted a number of “global letters” signed by Bishops and esteemed church-based leaders from around the world (including 45 countries), who have used these letters as tools for advocacy with their respective government officials. Most recently, CMEP has elevated the voice of the Palestinian Church by signing and promoting the September 2025 Church at the Crossroads Declaration, a response by U.S. Christians to public calls from Palestinian church leaders.
Action Alerts: In response to the ongoing crisis, CMEP has regularly issued action alerts to mobilize our community. These alerts encourage individuals to contact policymakers, sign petitions, and participate in advocacy efforts aimed at promoting a ceasefire, ensuring humanitarian aid access, and holding all parties to the conflict accountable under international law. CMEP continues to call for the withholding of weapons from the Israeli government because of its use in Gaza in violation of both international and U.S. law.
Matthew 5:9: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”
Looking Forward to Peace
Though the tragedy of the last two years and the preceding decades is vast, our commitment to peace and justice is unwavering. We will continue to pursue:
- A just and lasting comprehensive ceasefire: CMEP will continue to lobby Congress and the Administration until a permanent bilateral ceasefire is established, ending the bombardment and creating space for negotiations toward peace.
- Full humanitarian access: We will advocate for all Gaza border crossings to remain open, with guarantees for immediate and adequate humanitarian assistance and the needed supply of fuel, food, water, medicine, and medical evacuations, as well as protections for hospitals and schools.
- Release and fair process for detainees: We will advocate for the release of Israeli hostages and for Palestinians held without charge or trial.
- Protection of Christian communities: CMEP will defend the rights of the churches in Jerusalem, Gaza, and the West Bank to maintain their ministries, institutions, and historic presence.
- Accountability and structural change: We will persist in challenging the root causes of violence: occupation, settlement expansion, forced displacement, and discriminatory policies.
- Theological repentance and reorientation: CMEP will continue to foster honest conversations in U.S. churches about how Christian theology has often overlooked or justified Palestinian suffering, urging repentance and a re-centering on justice and peace.
- Sustained Christian engagement: We will encourage churches and individuals to pray, lobby, give, and speak out. Our call is not for momentary outrage but for long-term faithfulness.
As we reflect on this second anniversary of October 7, we do so with both grief and resolve. Our commitment and faith in Jesus, the Prince of Peace, has not wavered. Mourning with those who continue to suffer, we recommit ourselves to sustained action. We shall not cease until justice, peace, and human dignity prevail across the Holy Land.
Written by Niamaya King, CMEP Administrative Assistant to the Executive Director.