[Office of the Archbishop of York] Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell, along with Cardinal Vincent Nichols, president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, and leaders of other church bodies, have called for an end to the war in Gaza and the release of all hostages and prisoners after Israel launched its major ground offensive in Gaza City.
In a Sept. 18 joint statement, the church leaders insist that “this deadly escalation is futile and must stop,” urging the international community to ensure that Israel upholds its legal responsibility to protect civilians.
They applaud the work of the Churches of the Holy Land and pray for the clergy and nuns who have remained in Gaza City to care for civilians seeking refuge in their church buildings.
The joint statement was released ahead of the United Nations’ International Day of Peace — Sept. 21 — which Christian organizations and churches have designated as a day of prayer and public witness to ask Christians in the United Kingdom to come together to pray for an end to war, violence and suffering in the Holy Land.
In addition to Anglican and Roman catholic leaders, others signers represent Greek Orthodox, Methodists, Quakers, Baptists, Lutherans, Moravians and Presbyterians, among others.
The text of the statement, along with the full list of signatories, is on the website of the archbishop of York.