 |  | October 31st News Bulletin Here’s what’s upcoming and what you may have missed at CMEP and in the news. | | | | 1. Israel’s strikes in Gaza killed 46 children, health officials say The Hill "Overnight Israeli strikes in Gaza killed dozens of children, local health officials said, according to The Associated Press. The Israeli military’s air strikes left 46 children dead among 104 in total, the AP reported, citing figures from the Palestinian Health Ministry. The Israeli military said in a post Wednesday on social platform X, “following a series of strikes, in which dozens of terror targets and terrorists were struck, the IDF [Israel Defense Forces] has begun the renewed enforcement of the ceasefire in response to Hamas’ violations.” | | | | | | 2. Hamas hands over bodies of two Israeli hostages Reuters "Palestinian militant group Hamas handed over two bodies of deceased Israeli hostages on Thursday, a day after the tenuous Gaza ceasefire was shaken by a series of deadly Israeli strikes across the enclave.
The bodies of hostages Amiram Cooper and Sahar Baruch were returned to Israel for burial after an identification process was completed, the Israeli military said in a statement late on Thursday." | | | | | | 3. Israeli Forces Kill 3 Palestinians Near Jenin, Call in Airstrikes Democracy Now "In the occupied West Bank, Israeli forces killed three Palestinian fighters during an early-morning raid on a village near the city of Jenin. The raid sparked heavy exchanges of gunfire, prompting Israel’s military to call in airstrikes. This comes as Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz is pledging his forces will remain in Palestinian refugee camps in the northern West Bank until at least the end of the year." | | | | | | 4. 200,000 ultra-Orthodox men block entry to Jerusalem in protest against serving in IDF Times of Israel "Some 200,000 ultra-Orthodox men blocked the entrance to Jerusalem on Thursday afternoon for a “million man” protest against military conscription. The gathering saw protesters attack journalists, and hundreds clashed with police as the event came to an end. A 20-year-old man fell to his death from an unfinished high-rise building in the city center, where several ultra-Orthodox youths had gathered on several floors. Police later said they were investigating the death as a possible suicide." | | | | | | | | Still Active: ACTION ALERT "Block the Bombs Act" On May 21st, 2025, House Resolution 3565 was introduced to the U.S. House of Representatives, also known as the "Block the Bombs Act." The resolution calls for a limit on the sale of bombs, ammunition (including white phosphorus), and ammunition manufacturing capability. The act comes as Israel has strengthened its assault on Gaza and the West Bank, with an estimated death toll since October 7th, 2023 standing at 54,000 Palestinian men, women, and children. Congress needs to pressure the Trump Administration to protect Palestinian civilians through the passage of HRes. 3565. Your voice can push your representative to support this vital resolution and limit offensive weapon capabilities of Israel, protecting Gazan civilians from relentless bombs. Contact your representative and urge them to support the initiative. | | | | | | | | October 27, 2025: Prayers4Peace: Church at the Crossroads: A Reflection In this powerful personal reflection, Andrew DeCort shares how attending the Church at the Crossroads conference in Illinois profoundly shaped his faith and challenged his understanding of what it means to follow Jesus in a time of war. Confronted with the horror of Gaza’s suffering, he found a community steadfast in nonviolence, human dignity, and the radical love of Christ. Honest about grief, doubt, and hope, Andrew’s letter invites readers to rediscover the heart of Jesus’ message, a call to resist injustice without hatred and to love, even when it costs us something. | | | | | | Call to Prayer for Shadi Khoury On Sept, 8th 2025, after two years and eleven months of procrastination in the corridors of the occupation's courts, after an arrest accompanied by torture, Shadi's steadfastness during interrogation, a full year of house arrest, and thirty-seven consecutive court sessions, the judge issued his decision convicting Shadi. Please join us on Wednesdays 12:30pm EST as we pray for Shadi and all other affected by unjust violence. | | | | | | Call to Prayer Layan Nasir The cautious relief brought by news of a ceasefire deal for Gaza was shattered today with the devastating report that Palestinian activist Layan Nasir has been taken directly to prison following a court appearance. Layan and her family now face the pain of an additional eight-month sentence within Israel’s harsh prison system. The timing of this decision underscores the ongoing suffering and injustice faced by Palestinians, an unrelenting reality that persists even as hopes rise for peace in Gaza. | | | | | | | | November 6, 2025: Wounds That Don't Bleed: Trauma and Resilience Many of our Palestinian sisters have experienced significant trauma and grief, given the system of oppression under which they live. However, most people do not understand trauma and the effects it has on daily functioning, or how to begin healing. In addition, most people do not know how to walk with someone through trauma. Join CMEP on November 6 at 12pm ET as Dana Baker, Colleen Sharka, and Eilda Zaghmout discuss trauma and its effects. Afterward, Eilda will lead us in embodiment practices. This will be the second of a three part series. This webinar series seeks to begin educating women on trauma and its effects, while also equipping them with the tools to build resilience and walk in solidarity with those healing. 12:00 PM EDT - 1:00 PM EDT | | | | | | November 12, 2025: The Rev. Drew Christiansen, S.J. Lecture Series 2025: Equality, Justice, & Peace — A Catholic Vision for Reconciliation in Israel/Palestine Today Join us November 12th at 12pm EST for a lecture that will focus on four elements in the Catholic Church’s position regarding Israel/Palestine: the welfare of the Christian community and the protection of the Holy Places; the
interpretation of the Scriptures as a resource for promoting equality, justice and peace; the dialogue with Jews and Muslims; and the commitment to a social teaching that insists on equality, justice and peace. | | | | | | NOVEMBER 15, 2025: Journeying Toward Justice in the Holy Land: Learning from Palestinian Christians and Peacemakers in the Holy Land Too many trips to the Holy Land miss the unjust realities of life under Israeli occupation and ignore the “living stones” – Palestinian Christians who are deeply rooted in the places we know well from ancient Bible stories including Bethlehem, Jerusalem and Nazareth. What would it be like to travel to Israel-Palestine today? What would we find? Whose stories would we hear? In this session, Julie Schumacher Cohen and Jordan Denari Duffner will take us on a journey into Israel-Palestine to help us understand the struggles and resilience of Palestinians and to walk with Israeli and Palestinian peacemakers who together seek a future ofequality and dignity for all. Sharing stories and photos from their own pilgrimages to the region, Julie and Jordan will also elevate the voices of Christians, Muslims, and Jews they’ve met. Both women are members of the Catholic Advisory Council of Churches for Middle East Peace, and were the co-authors of the 2024 “U.S. Catholic Sign-on Letter on Israel-Palestine.” | | | | | | Churches for Middle East Peace
Nov. 2025 Encountering the Holy Land Trip Join Churches for Middle East Peace as we journey to Israel/Palestine in November 2025 for Encountering the Holy Land. This trip will highlight the spiritual significance of the land, the role of local Christians in shaping the region’s past and present, and opportunities to meet with religious, academic, and non-profit leaders working toward peace and justice in the land. Alongside visits to sacred sites in Jerusalem, Bethlehem, and beyond, participants will engage in thoughtful conversations that bring deeper understanding of the complex realities on the ground today. Trip Dates: November 8th - 17th, 2025
* $500 deposit due by September 28th to reserve your spot *
Full payment due by October 15th, 2025 | | | | | | "Peace by Piece" 2025 Speaking Tour Fall "Peace by Piece" Tour Cities Announced!Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) is excited to announce our Fall 2025 “Peace by Piece” Tour coming to your area in Fall 2025 in collaboration with the Bethlehem Fair Trade Artisans (BFTA)! We invite you to host a meaningful event in your community centered around peacebuilding, economic justice, and advocacy related to Israel-Palestine. In collaboration with Bethlehem Fair Trade Artisans, this program offers a unique opportunity to support Christian-led Palestinian craftspeople while fostering dialogue about paths toward peace and justice in the Holy Land. Our tour will visit select U.S. communities, featuring both a CMEP representative and a BFTA leader from Bethlehem who will share firsthand experiences about daily life, creative resilience, and hopes for peace. This initiative is particularly timely as communities in the region continue to recover from recent violence and conflict. Our presentations will incorporate the most current insights from our team's recent visits to the region, including perspectives from diverse communities affected by ongoing tensions.
Reach out to destiny@cmep.org for more information
Planned Tour Stops: New York-- New Jersey-- Delaware-- Washington DC-- Illinois-- Minnesota-- Michigan | | | | | | | | Receive the Name of a Palestinian Child Alive Today and Lift them up
in Prayer and Advocacy "Let Children Live" More than two million children in Gaza and the West Bank live under brutal oppression, their lives too often reduced to statistics. Yet each child is beloved by God. The Let Children Live campaign invites you to receive the name of a Palestinian child alive today and lift them up in prayer and advocacy. Together, we can remind the world of their dignity, hope, and right to a future. Join Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) and our global partners in this urgent call to stand with children who deserve to live and thrive. | | | | | | | | 5. Brother of journalist killed in occupied West Bank says new report reveals cover-up BBC "The brother of the journalist Shireen Abu Akleh shot dead by the Israeli army three years ago alleges that new revelations from an American military officer who investigated her killing reveals a US cover-up. Tony Abu Akleh's comments come after the New York Times reported that a US colonel said he concluded in 2022 that Ms Abu Akleh, a Palestinian-American Al Jazeera correspondent, was intentionally killed. Colonel Steve Gabavics alleges that his superiors and the Biden administration softened findings to appease Israel." | | | | | | 6. Lebanese president orders army to confront Israeli incursions after deadly raid The Guardian "Israeli troops have killed a Lebanese municipal worker while carrying out a raid in the south of the country, prompting Lebanon’s president to order the army to confront future incursions. Lebanese state media identified the slain man as Ibrahim Salameh, an employee of the Blida municipality, a village near the border with Israel. The Israeli military confirmed the raid and said it was attacking Hezbollah infrastructure when it fired at a “suspect”. It said the incident was under review." | | | | | | 7. Conflicting accounts emerge after UN peacekeepers shoot down Israeli drone AP News "The Israeli army and the United Nations’ peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon said peacekeepers shot down an Israeli drone over the weekend but gave conflicting statements about the circumstances. The incident took place as Israeli strikes over Lebanon intensify amid scrambles to hold a tense ceasefire that ended Israel’s war with Hezbollah last November, and mounting pressure on the Lebanese government to disarm the powerful group." | | | | | | 8. Inside Syria's jail for IS suspects as officials say attacks by group are rising BBC "In the complex mosaic of the new Syria, the old battle against the group calling itself Islamic State (IS) continues in the Kurdish-controlled north-east. It's a conflict that has slipped from the headlines - with bigger wars elsewhere. But Kurdish counter-terrorism officials have told the BBC that IS cells in Syria are regrouping and increasing their attacks." | | | | | | | | October 22, 2025: Virtual Vigil Lamenting Two Years of War in the Holy Land As we continue to bear witness to the suffering in Gaza and across the Middle East, Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) held a Virtual Vigil of Lament. Together, we paused to reflect on the pain of the past two years in the Holy Land through prayer, reflection, and witness. Watch the Vigil Below. | | | | | | Contact Us Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP)
110 Maryland Ave NE, Suite 505
Washington, District of Columbia 20002
(202) 543-1222 info@cmep.org | | | | | | | |
