The Church of Scotland, United Reformed Church, Methodist Church and Baptist Union have each called for change in light of the worsening treatment of people in Gaza. Each of the statements note our duty to speak out, witnesses to the blocking of food and vital supplies entering Gaza, and calls on the U.K. Government to act.
Following its General Assembly, the Church of Scotland wrote to the foreign secretary after the Church ‘condemned the resumption of the war on Gaza, the blockade of food and humanitarian aid, the ongoing forcible displacement of Gazans and the continued holding of hostages.’ The letter witnessed to ‘clear evidence of mass killings of civilians, of mass forced hunger, of mass forced displacement’ and called for the restart of effective aid and a permanent ceasefire.
At its General Assembly, the United Reformed Church adopted a resolution which
‘(a) commends the June 2025 statement from the World Council of Churches with its call to ‘End Apartheid, Occupation, and Impunity in Palestine and Israel’ including the assertion that the Government of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza has entailed grave breaches of the Fourth Geneva Convention which may constitute genocide and/or other crimes under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC)
(b) calls for a peaceful resolution to the continuing conflict in the Middle East through dialogue and diplomacy.’
In a statement this July, the Baptist Union calls for
- An immediate and permanent bilateral ceasefire in Gaza.
- The release of all hostages.
- Unconditional access for humanitarian aid to enter the whole of Gaza, including immediate access to water, food, medicine and electricity.
- Widespread affirmation of the rights of both Palestinians and Israelis to exist and to live in peace and security, recognizing this as a foundational principle of international law and a prerequisite for any lasting peace.
- An end to the development of illegal settlements in the Palestinian territories.
- The acknowledgment of the reality of apartheid and unimpeded access and support for international accountability mechanisms, such as the International Criminal Court (ICC) and other appropriate humanitarian and legal institutions, to conduct truly independent investigations into all war crimes and crimes against humanity, to ensure accountability.
- Support for the resilience and witness of Christian churches and communities, upholding their right to remain on their land and to freely practice their faith.
- The UK government to end all arms sales to Israel, until it can be independently verified that they are not being used to violate international humanitarian law. We urge the UK government to use all diplomatic channels to establish a just peace and a hopeful and secure future for all in Israel and the Palestinian Territories.’
Just hours before Keir Starmer’s announcement that the British Government will recognise a Palestinian state in September, failing a ceasefire, the Methodist Church called ‘on the UK Government to recognise Palestine as an Independent State’ following a memorial (motion) to the Methodist Conference.
The President and Vice-President of the Methodist Conference stated that,
‘We have been appalled and horrified by the pictures and first-hand witness accounts of the dire situation in Gaza, particularly around access to food for those existing there.
No-one could fail to be moved by the images of emaciated children and we have a moral duty to heed and act on the warnings from countless aid agencies of mass starvation and malnutrition.’
The Methodist statement concluded with a prayer:
‘Creator God, you breathed life into this world and us all. We long for an end to suffering in Gaza and pray for freedom for all your creation. Give to those in authority wisdom to act decisively for the good of all, so that we may see a just and peaceful resolution in Gaza, the West Bank and Israel. In the name of the Prince of Peace, Amen.’
