We, the undersigned Christian leaders, strongly condemn the recent unwarranted attack by Hamas which is responsible for placing countless innocent lives in danger in both Israel and Gaza. At the same time, we affirm not only the right, but the obligation of Israel’s government to defend its population from the war crimes being committed by Hamas and to neutralize that threat.
Furthermore, we make an urgent call for those in the media and in positions of political power to stop claiming a moral equivalency between the actions of Hamas and the defensive response of Israel. While Hamas fires rockets from civilian population centers in Gaza and aims at civilian population centers in Israel, Israel warns those same civilians in Gaza prior to an attack on military targets to spare their lives. As a designated terrorist organization, Hamas’ primary objective is the destruction of the Jewish state, and it is willing to sacrifice innocent lives to achieve that end.
On Monday, May 10th, Hamas started an unprovoked attack on the population centers of Israel, using the pretext of the Israeli police response to riots on the Temple Mount as an excuse. Hamas fired a barrage of missiles at Israel from its territory in Gaza, with rockets reaching as far as Jerusalem, threatening the holy sites for Jews, Christians and Muslims, and where a home on the western outskirts suffered a direct hit.
Since that time, Hamas has continued to fire thousands of missiles at Israel, targeting the majority of its attack on Israel’s most populous metropolitan center, Tel Aviv. To date, in excess of 4,000 missiles have been launched by Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist group with almost 1,000 of those falling short, causing damage to infrastructure and even loss of life in Gaza itself.
Israel should be applauded, not vilified, for its measured response. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has not only restricted itself to targeted, precision strikes on military targets, it has gone so far as to warn Gaza civilians beforehand via calls to their mobile phones. No military in the world goes to this extent when fighting an enemy.
Conversely, Hamas is committing a double war crime by intentionally targeting Israeli civilians, while at the same time using its own population as human shields. Hamas fires its rockets from population centers with documented proof that it has even used hospitals, schools, and press offices as cover for its terrorist operations. Civilian loss of life is tragic no matter on which side it occurs, and Hamas bares full responsibility for all of it.
We stand in solidarity with the people of Israel as they strive to restore peace and a sense of security, not only for themselves but for all those affected.
May God bless Israel and may He bring His shalom to the entire region.
Please visit our resource page for more background info on the Gaza Conflict