Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories 

 
Across churches and communities, there is a growing recognition that the suffering in Gaza, Israel, and the wider region cannot be ignored. The scale and depth of human loss — the devastation in Gaza, alongside the trauma, fear and grief experienced by both Palestinians and Israelis — compel a response. Yet finding the right words is profoundly difficult. Any attempt to speak into this moment risks inadequacy: it is so hard to find words that honour the scale of suffering without unintentionally diminishing the pain of others.
 
For Baptists, this challenge is made more complex by the way we understand and practise our faith. At the heart of Baptist life is the principle that each gathered community has liberty, before God, in matters of discernment and witness. This conviction means Baptists across the country often hold a range of theological perspectives and responses to global events - often shaped by different lived experiences, readings of scripture and levels of direct engagement with specific issues/regions. It also means that national statements, while offered with care and deep reflection, can rarely, if ever, claim to speak for every Baptist or every church. This diversity of conviction can make shared responses more cautious, and at times, more absent than they ought to be.
 
Nevertheless, the scale of injustice and the near-apocalyptic levels of suffering unfolding in Gaza and the wider region demand that the Church not remain silent. It is this profound crisis that has compelled the Core Leadership Team to offer this statement — not only to our Baptist churches, but also to the UK Government and wider society. They do so with humility, but also with urgency, believing that the gospel calls us to stand alongside those who suffer, to name injustice where we see it, and to seek just peace grounded in truth and compassion. The hope is that our statement, made jointly with BMS World Mission and the Baptist Union of Wales, alongside the accompanying resources, will enable deeper engagement, faithful witness, and a renewed commitment to the costly, hopeful work of peace-making.

Public Issues Enabler, The Revd Steve Tinning