The leader of the Anglican church in the Holy Land urged Christians to ‘speak out in the face of injustices’ – including the ‘horrifying’ current arrangements for food aid in Gaza – as he called for a permanent ceasefire to end the war.

The Most Rev Hosam Naoum, the Archbishop in Jerusalem, addressing the General Synod, said hospitals continue to be bombed in Gaza, with medical supplies in short supply and a ‘horrifying’ system of food distribution, comparable to the dystopian series The Hunger Games, with three sites open one hour a day for two million people.

Calling for a restoration of humanitarian supplies including food and medicine, under UN supervision, Archbishop Hosam said there should be no targeting of civilians, especially emergency workers and medical staff.

He called for the release of all hostages and captives and a permanent ceasefire for the end of the war and rebuilding of Gaza – ‘not ethnic cleansing that is presently being discussed by the Israeli and US Government.”

The church is committed to peace building and reconciliation – a message that he has repeated ‘time and time again’ – but these are ‘alien terms’ that people across both sides of the divide refuse to talk about or even listen to, he said.

“I realise that as a church we live and embody the gospel and we are not politicians.

“However, we need to speak out in the face of injustices and be prophetic for the sake of our people and our calling as Christians.

“But where a church is wounded and constrained,, we need the wider body of Christ to help us to be the church in brutal and damaging times.”

The Most Reverend Hosam Naoum is the 15th Anglican Bishop in Jerusalem, a role he has held since 2021. He was born in Haifa and grew up in Shefa’amr in Galilee.

The Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem is home to about 7,000 Anglicans worshipping within twenty-eight different congregations. It is also responsible for more than thirty institutions, including hospitals, schools, clinics and rehabilitation centres. The Diocese is scattered across five separate countries or territories: Jordan, Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, and Israel.

The Archbishop of York led the General Synod in prayer for peace and for Archbishop Hosam following the conclusion of the address.

See below for Archbishop Hosam’s full address.