Canada’s Anglican, Lutheran leaders call for humanitarian aid to Gaza

[Anglican Church of Canada] The Anglican Church of Canada’s acting primate, the Most Rev. Anne Germond, and the national bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada, the Rev. Susan Johnson, have asked Prime Minster Mark Carney to use the country’s diplomatic tools to push for an immediate flow of life-saving food, water, aid, fuel and humanitarian assistance to Gaza.

“Beyond the devastating effects of ongoing missile attacks, Israel has now prevented humanitarian aid from entering Gaza for more than two months,” their May 12 letter said. It also called for an end to arms transfers to Israel and for Carney “to communicate Canada’s desire to see an enduring and sustained ceasefire and the release of all captives.”

The two leaders noted that their call for peace “is rooted in our relationship with partner churches, the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land.”

The full text of the letter is printed below.

Dear Prime Minister:

We are writing to express our outrage regarding Israel’s ongoing attacks on the Palestinian people and to call on the government of Canada to use all diplomatic tools to push for an immediate flow of life-saving food, water, aid, fuel and humanitarian assistance.

Beyond the devastating effects of ongoing missile attacks, Israel has now prevented humanitarian aid from entering Gaza for more than two months. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has warned of acute malnutrition worsening among children in Gaza. The Gaza government’s media office recently said that famine is no longer a looming threat but is becoming a reality, adding that 52 people, including 50 children, have died due to hunger and malnutrition since the blockade was imposed. In a report in late April, the OCHA said it has identified about 10,000 cases of acute malnutrition among children across Gaza, including 1,600 cases of severe acute malnutrition, since the start of 2025. It is hard to put into words how cruel and deadly it is to be blocking humanitarian assistance.

On May 5, Israel approved plans to seize the Gaza Strip and to stay in the Palestinian territory for an unspecified length of time, according to two Israeli officials. As we have communicated before, there is a fundamental need for an end of occupation so a just peace can begin. All plans to relocate Palestinian people out of Gaza violate international law and are the opposite of what is needed for peace. In the context of ongoing attacks, blocking of humanitarian aid, and threats to relocate the residents of Gaza, we call on Canada to end all arms transfers to Israel. We also ask you to communicate Canada’s desire to see an enduring and sustained ceasefire and the release of all captives.

Our call for peace is rooted in our relationship with partner churches, the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land. We continue to join with Primate Hosam Naoum and Bishop Sani Ibrahim Azar in calling upon all governments and people of good will to intervene to stop all attacks on medical and humanitarian institutions so that hope and life may be sustained and strengthened.

Yours in Christ,

The Rev. Susan Johnson, National Bishop, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada

The Most Rev. Anne Germond, Acting Primate, Anglican Church of Canada