Church leaders in Jerusalem call for Gaza ceasefire at Easter

An image from times gone by: Christian pilgrims on the Via Dolorosa in March 2018
On Good Friday, Christians in Jerusalem traditionally carry wooden crosses in a procession along the Via Dolorosa (the Way of Sorrows) as they walk to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre (image: Getty Images/AFP/A. Gharabli)

In their Easter message, the church leaders in Jerusalem have called for an "immediate and lasting ceasefire" in the Gaza war. The message published on Wednesday spoke of the "intense suffering that surrounds us here in the Holy Land". They condemned "all violent acts in the current devastating war, especially those directed against innocent civilians".

The church leaders called for the rapid distribution of humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip, the "release of all prisoners" and unrestricted access for medical teams to the sick and injured. They also called for the start of negotiations with international aid to "end and overcome the current cycle of violence". Only in this way could "a comprehensive solution for a just and lasting peace be advanced here in the land where our Lord sacrificed his life".

On Good Friday, Christians in Jerusalem traditionally carry wooden crosses in a procession along the Via Dolorosa (the Way of Sorrows) as they walk to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, where many Christians believe Jesus was crucified and buried and rose from the dead. Easter Sunday is celebrated with a mass. This year, Easter coincides with the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.  (dpa)