“Immediate Call to Cease Hostilities” – No Local Casualties Reported
The General Conference appealed to the world church and its believers to pray for a swift end to the war between Israel and Palestine. (Photo: ANN excerpt)
Over the past weekend, as tensions continued to mount following a sudden attack on Israel by the Palestinian militant group Hamas, the General Conference has reached out to the world church and its believers, seeking their prayers.
During the annual council, world church leaders, gathered by the Annual Executive Committee, joined in prayer, appealing for both sides to cease hostilities and praying for a swift recovery and the restoration of peace.
The GC urgently called for an immediate cessation of hostile actions, stating, ‘We fervently implore an end to hostilities. We beseech God to promptly bring an end to the violence and to open a diplomatic path to prevent further loss of innocent lives.’
Continuing, they expressed, ‘Our hearts and prayers go out to protect all civilians caught up in this conflict, including the Israel SDA Church and its members. We pray for God’s protection and for safe havens during these perilous times. We call upon the world church to unite with us in prayer.’
At present, Israel is home to 15 SDA churches with 839 devoted believers sharing the gospel. There have been no confirmed reports of Remnant churches or their members directly affected by the ongoing conflict. Nonetheless, the General Conference stressed, ‘Israel’s church community, though small, holds significant importance. Escalating conflicts and violence have raised concerns for the safety of our believers and the continuity of regular church activities in Israel.’
In a separate report, ANN stated, ‘While the teachings of the Remnant Church anticipate worldwide wars and conflicts before the second coming of Jesus Christ, this does not diminish our commitment to spreading Christ’s love in a world desperately in need of peace. We believe that the global Remnant Church community, united in prayer, places its trust in God to work miraculously.’
Meanwhile, as the conflict between Hamas and Israel enters its sixth day, there are growing concerns about a potential ground offensive by Israel, with the Gaza Strip as a primary target. These developments are further intensifying fears of a wider and more extensive escalation.”