Responding to the ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinians announced earlier this morning, William Bell, Christian Aid’s head of Middle East, said:
“We welcome the ceasefire and hope and pray that all parties abide by it. One life lost is too many. But now it is imperative that the international community afford all help necessary to support the immediate humanitarian needs of the Palestinians in Gaza and begin the long process of reconstruction. The best way to begin this process would be to lift the blockade on Gaza which for too long has stifled life for 2 million people. And there must be clear political will to address the underlying causes of why the cycle of violence repeats itself so often. There can be no going back to the status quo ante, in the effort to build a lasting peace based on justice, dignity and equality for all.”
