January 17th News Bulletin

Almost all Gaza's population has been displaced by the war.

What we know about the Gaza ceasefire deal

BBC 

"Israel and Hamas have agreed a deal which would halt the war in Gaza and see the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, the US and mediators Qatar have said. It is the most significant breakthrough in 15 months of war, which began when the armed Palestinian group Hamas attacked Israel in October 2023."

A view of damage at a residential building following an Israeli airstrike on Jabalia after Israel and Gaza reached a ceasefire deal, in the north of Gaza City, on Thursday. Hasan N. H. Alzaanin/Anadolu via Getty Images.

Israel's security cabinet approves Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal

NPR

"Israel's security cabinet has voted to approve a ceasefire deal to end the fighting in Gaza. The decision came two days after mediators Qatar and the United States announced an agreement had been reached with Israel and Hamas on Wednesday. "After examining all political, security, and humanitarian aspects, and understanding that the proposed deal supports achieving the war objectives," the security cabinet recommends the government approve the ceasefire deal, a statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said."

Buildings lie in ruin in the Gaza Strip, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, as seen from southern Israel, January 2. Kai Pfaffenbach/Reuters.

UAE says it has discussed a potential role in postwar Gaza, but conditions remain unmet

CNN

“The United Arab Emirates has been in discussions about the possibility of playing a role in postwar efforts to rebuild Gaza, but its conditions for doing so have yet to be met, a UAE official told CNN. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has touted the UAE, Saudi Arabia and other countries as potential partners to help govern the territory after the war, but the UAE had previously said that it would refuse “to be drawn into any plan aimed at providing cover for the Israeli presence in the Gaza Strip.”

BBC Statistic.

Gaza 'humanitarian zone' struck almost 100 times since May, BBC Verify finds

BBC

“The area in Gaza which Israel's military has told people to go to "for their safety" has been hit by 97 strikes since May, BBC Verify analysis has revealed.The findings come as negotiations for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas appear to be nearing a breakthrough. Mediators in Qatar say talks are in their final stages, raising hopes that an agreement could be reached soon.”

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) Welcomes Positive Steps Toward a Negotiated Settlement, Permanent Ceasefire in Gaza, and Calls for Accountability

After more than 15 months of devastating violence in Gaza and throughout the region, Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) welcomes with cautious optimism the recent announcement of a hostage and ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel. This long-overdue agreement brings a glimmer of hope that might end the suffering that has plagued Gaza for far too long, including the deaths of over 46,000 people and the devastation of famine and lack of humanitarian access. The Palestinian people of Gaza and all impacted by this ongoing violence deserve relief and the chance to rebuild their lives.

Ben Norquist in Jerusalem.

From CMEP's Own: Higher Education Resisting Settler Colonial Transfer in Palestinian Bethlehem

Written by Dr. Ben Norquist, CMEP's Director of Academic and Grants, the article analyzes the perceptions and actions of Palestinian faculty and administrators at colleges and universities in Palestinian Bethlehem. We explore the meaning of higher educational practices and structures under settler colonial conditions of gradual dispossession of ancestral land. The physical conditions and policies of occupation and settler colonialism create a hostile epistemological environment for Palestinian people and bodies of knowledge. Within the knowledge production/distribution environment of higher education, there are ways in which institutions recreate or resist oppression. Participants in this study described their aspirations for students, the challenges they perceive that their students face, and their efforts to help students resist forces to weaken connection to land and knowledge. Finding that Palestinian educators seek to nurture student commitments to remain rooted to the land, this article surfaces the notion of adaptive pedagogies and epistemological resistance.

This year, during the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, join Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) and author and ethicist Andrew DeCort, PhD, for a series of prayerful reflections on the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:1-12). From January 18-25th, Andrew will be joined each day at 12:00 EST by a different renowned guest to reflect on one of the beatitudes and pray for a just peace for the Middle East.

Speakers will include:

January 18th: Sister Susan Nchibiri, Maryknoll Office of Global Concern

January 19th: Shireen Awwad Hilal, Bethlehem Bible College

January 20th: Rev. Dr. Munther Isaac, Christmas Lutheran Church (Bethlehem, Palestine) & the ELCJHL

January 22nd: Rev. Dr. Nathaniel A. W. Adishian, Armenian-American priest, scholar, and speaker

January 23rd: Tony Amoury Alhoury, Syrian-born Christian theologian and educator

January 24th: Abouna Imad Haddad, Good Shepherd Church (Amman, Jordan) and ELCJHL

The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is observed each year as an opportunity to explore Christians' shared heritage and to enter more deeply into the faith that unites all us all. This year's overarching global theme, "Do You Believe?" (John 11:26) offers a way to see that faith is not just a static set of beliefs, but an active means of receiving grace.

As the World Council of Churches explains, 2025 also marks the 1700th anniversary of the first Christian Ecumenical Council, held in Nicaea, near Constantinople in 325 AD. This commemoration provides a unique opportunity to reflect on and celebrate the common faith of Christians, as expressed in the creed formulated during this council.

CMEP Wednesday Prayers for Peace

Churches for Middle East Peace invites you to pray for peace in light of recent events in Gaza, Israel, and the occupied Palestinian territories. Every Wednesday, 12:30 pm - 1:00 pm Eastern via Zoom.

 Live Thursday News Briefings

Please join us on Zoom for a weekly briefing on current news regarding the Hamas and Israel War. Hear from CMEP Staff and other experts. Every Thursday 10:00 am - 10:30 am Eastern. You can watch the most recent live briefing from January 16 concerning the ceasefire agreement HERE. If you want to see more of these be sure to attend live every Thursday!

2025 Advocacy Summit

SAVE THE DATE to join Churches for Middle East Peace in Washington, DC for our annual advocacy summit on March 19-20, 2025. 

More information and registration will be available in the coming weeks. 

A young boy looks through the remains of a tent after an Israeli strike on an encampment in Khan Younis on Friday.Abed Rahim Khatib / Anadolu via Getty Images.

Israel ramps up deadly airstrikes on Gaza after ceasefire deal is reached

NBC News

“In less than two days since the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas was announced Wednesday, fighting in Gaza and a series of deadly airstrikes have killed at least 115 people, Mahmoud Basal, spokesperson for Gaza's Civil Defense agency told NBC News on Friday. Among those killed, he said, were at least 28 children and 31 women, with at least 265 people injured. More deaths were reported across the enclave.”

Stock Photo of Golan Heights.

Syria’s new administration condemns Israeli incursions after strike in southern Syria killed three

ABC News

“Officials in Syria’s new de facto government hardened their tone Thursday against Israel's incursions into Syrian territory after an Israeli strike killed three people and wounded five others in the south of the country.”

Lebanese Prime Minister-designate Nawaf Salam gestures as he arrives to meet with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun at the presidential palace in Baabda, Lebanon January 14, 2025. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir.

Lebanon's Nawaf Salam to be designated PM, angering Hezbollah

Reuters

“Lebanese President Joseph Aoun summoned Nawaf Salam, head of the International Court of Justice, to designate him prime minister after most lawmakers nominated him on Monday, a big blow to Hezbollah, which accused opponents of seeking to exclude it. The choice of Salam underlined the major shift in the power balance among Lebanon's sectarian factions since the Iran-backed Shi'ite Muslim group Hezbollah was pummelled in a war with Israel last year, and its Syrian ally Bashar al-Assad was toppled.”

Anthony Blinken at the Atlantic Council.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on the Biden record in the Middle East—and what comes next

Atlantic Council

In his speech, Secretary Blinken made a significant departure from typical Biden administration policies by emphasizing that Israel’s actions will determine its acceptance in the Arab world. He firmly opposed West Bank annexation and called for steps that could facilitate greater accountability. The substance of his remarks signals a noteworthy shift, highlighting the critical role Israel must play in shaping the region’s future dynamics.

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