“When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and rescues them from all their troubles. The Lord is near to the broken-hearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” – Psalm 34:17-18 (NRSV)

The headlines may be fading, but the suffering in Gaza is far from over. Months of devastation have left entire communities struggling. The impact of conflict lingers long after the fighting stops. Disease spreads rapidly, food and clean water remain scarce. At the time of writing, 68,280 people have been killed in Gaza, the vast majority of whom are civilian women and children, and the toll of wounded stands at 170,375.

Despite overwhelming challenges, the medical team at Al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza is doing everything in their power to care for the injured and sick. They face impossible odds: shortages of medicine and essential supplies, dwindling fuel reserves for life-saving equipment, and an ever-growing number of patients in desperate need.

At Al-Ahli Hospital, doctors and nurses have treated over 190,000 outpatients and performed more than 6,000 surgeries in the past year alone. The demand is relentless. The injuries they see of burns, broken bones and shrapnel wounds are devastating.

Beyond emergency treatment, Al-Ahli hospital offers long-term rehabilitation, mental health support, and essential community care. Many of those injured will face lifelong disabilities, requiring physiotherapy, pain management, and counselling. Without urgent funding, these critical services could be lost.

This Advent, I am asking you to support the work of one of our partners in the Gospel, USPG, whose partnership with the Diocese of Jerusalem gives us the opportunity to sustain this vital hospital, ensuring that it remains open and equipped to serve those who need it most, not only in moments of immediate crisis but in the long, difficult years of recovery that follow.

It looks – for now – that there is a fragile semi-peace. It is to be hoped that this not only lasts but spreads and deepens, and that rebuilding can begin. Your gift today will help keep the hospital open and equipped to provide urgent medical aid, long-term rehabilitation, and dignity to those in crisis.

"Every donation and every prayer are an act of love. It is a message to families in Gaza that they are not forgotten," says Sawson Aranki-Batato, Programme Development Officer, Diocese of Jerusalem.

I commend to you these resources for prayer as I ask you to give generously to this Appeal (details below).

Prayers for peace in the Middle East — Embrace the Middle East
How to pray for Gaza and Israel - Tearfund
Pray for Peace in Israel and Gaza - 24-7 Prayer International

O God, whose heart breaks for the world,
May your justice dwell in the land
May your righteousness abide in fruitful fields
May the effect of righteousness be quietness and trust forever
May the effect of justice be peace—enduring peace.
Amen.

Yours sincerely in Christ,
+Robert Gibraltar in Europe

How you can donate to the Bishop in Europe’s Advent Appeal 2025:

Via your Chaplaincy Treasurer to Nick Wraight in the Diocesan Office:

By bank transfer
Account number: 40317039
Sort code: 20-06-13
IBAN: GB16 BUKB 2006 1340 3170 39
Swift / BIC: BUKBGB22

By cheque 

Please make it out to: Diocese in Europe
Diocese in Europe Board of Finance
14, Tufton St
London SW1P 3QZ

(please add the words “Advent Appeal 2025” to any note you send with the cheque)

Just Giving

On the Diocese in Europe Just Giving page: www.justgiving.com/diocese-ineurope
(please add “2025 Advent Appeal” in the Message from Donor column)