GAZA CEASEFIRE
PILGRIMAGE
A Via Dolorosa of Solidarity
Across every continent, we walked in prayerful solidarity — but the injustice continues, so we will too.
Come, walk with us
In Phase 1, we mobilised across every continent, to walk in prayerful solidarity with the people of Gaza.
Phase 2 has launched!
Pilgrimage to Places of Power
Launched with a pilgrimage in Occupied East Jerusalem with Palestinian Christians and international Christians in solidarity, we have the same message. Come, walk with us.
In Phase 2, we are inviting people to pilgrimage to the office of their elected officials; to pilgrimage to places of power. Our Core Convictions and demands remain the same:
1. Enduring and Sustained Ceasefire.
2. Immediate flow of life saving food, water, aid, fuel and humanitarian assistance.
3. Release of all hostages – both the Israeli hostages held by Hamas – and the Palestinian hostages held in the Israeli prison system.
4. End of occupation so a just-peace can begin.
“I want you to look in the mirror and ask,
‘Where was I when Gaza was going through a genocide?”
-Rev. Dr. Munther Isaac,
Pastor of Christmas Evangelical Lutheran Church in his Christmas Day sermon, 2023
How it started
The Gaza Ceasefire Pilgrimage was started by a Kiwi named James Harris who, heartbroken and feeling helpless, was moved to walk the distance of Gaza in prayerful solidarity. His impromptu actions raised over $5,000 for relief organised by Palestinian Christians in Australia. His mustard seed action grew as friends in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and then the USA came on board. In short, we felt the Holy Spirit moving.
With the leadership of Suzan Wahhab, Jarrod McKenna, Lisa Sharon Harper and Mae Elise Cannon, as well as organisations like Palestinian Christians in Australia, Aotearoa Christians for Peace in Palestine, Freedom Road, Palestine Israel Ecumenical Network and Churches for Middle East Peace, we birthed this global movement of solidarity.
On January 14th on the Mount of Olives where our Lord wept over Jerusalem saying, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace”, the Gaza Ceasefire Pilgrimage was launched by Palestinian Christians and international Christians standing in solidarity.
Gaza Ceasefire Pilgrimage
is a network of autonomous Christians groups with shared convictions who are engaging in a prayerful show of solidarity in cities around the world, where people during Lent walked the length of the Gaza strip.
With our bodies we will prayerfully map Gaza onto our own cities.
“The power of the pilgrimage is to allow the geography of the horror happening in Gaza to become real in our home cities. To flee Gaza city to hope to find refuge in Rafah in the south, that’s only the distance of Hillary’s Boat Harbour to Freemantle in my home town. You’d still hear the blast of bombs destroying your home. You could see the clouds of dust and debris.
“On pilgrimage, in solidarity, we can start to transfigure our vicarious trauma into action as we realise in our bodies that 2 million displaced people can’t find shelter from bombardment no matter where they are in that small area.”
— Jarrod McKenna
What is your intention?
Our prayer during Lent was that as we meditate on the life and passion of Jesus, we might deepen our solidarity with what our Palestinian sisters and brothers are experiencing daily. We are committed to taking seriously the body of Christ in Palestine’s costly testimony to the truth of what is happening. Like Israeli human rights organisations and Jewish peace groups, we too want to accurately name what Palestinians are undergoing as fitting the legal definition of apartheid and military occupation. We heed the wisdom of experts who overwhelmingly identify genocidal intent in the ongoing war against Gaza and we are committed to its prevention. As Jesus teaches, we are seeking to “simply let our yes mean yes” and speak plainly the truth. We do so following the lead of so many Palestinians, including Palestinian Christians who have been on the forefront of the nonviolent movement, in calling for an enduring ceasefire and an end to occupation so a healing peace can finally begin.
What do you want?
1. Enduring and Sustained Ceasefire.
2. Immediate flow of life saving food, water, aid, fuel and humanitarian assistance.
3. Release of all hostages – both the Israeli hostages held by Hamas – and the Palestinian hostages held in the Israeli prison system.
4. End of occupation so a just-peace can begin.
Our Core Convictions That Make It A
Gaza Ceasefire Pilgrimage
As well as our prayerful intention and the clear demands outlined in the two previous sections, we have eight core convictions that make a walk a “Gaza Ceasefire Pilgrimage”. These core convictions flow from the life and teachings of Our Lord Jesus of Nazareth.
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Above all our prayer is Jesus’ way of healing-justice through nonviolent-enemy-love be how the Gaza Ceasefire Pilgrimages are to be experienced by all.
Because of this, We make a stand against any form of hatred including antisemitism and Islamophobia. We hurt the movement (and are not faithful to Jesus) when hatred of anyone or any People clouds the clarity of naming the war crimes being committed by the modern nation state of Israel. Hatred (be it racism or some other dehumanising practice) also hurts the much needed collaboration essential to end this horror. We are clear that “our battle is not against flesh and blood” but against the Powers responsible. If hatred animates your analysis or activism, we are not the movement for you.
We are about nonviolent solidarity not neutrality. We value every human life as made in the image of God and because of this we must tell the truth about this asymmetrical conflict in the context of apartheid policies, military occupation and what experts overwhelmingly identify as genocidal intent in Israel’s war on Gaza.
We seek to work with and be led by Palestinian Christians who are in agreement with these core convictions in each of the contexts of where the Gaza Ceasefire Pilgrimages are happening.
We are aware of the settler colonial histories, not just in Palestine, but in many of the places we live. We seek the blessing and collaboration of the First Nations Peoples of the land on which we walk and recommit ourselves to the work of healing-justice with First Nations Peoples.
We hope that Muslim and Jewish friends, or people from any faith or no faith who are committed to the above would feel welcome to join us, if not bothered by us Christians being ourselves. We may carry crosses, or sing hymns, or read Scriptures, walk in periods of silence or stop for prayer along the way. If you are ok with this, you are more than welcome. If you are coming and would like us to plan stops so you can pray, please let local organisers know.
We make the commitment to you that there will be no proselytisation. No bait and switch. Christians wanting to orgainse an event, if you cannot be hospitable to people of other faiths or no faith who are being gracious enough to be alongside us in solidarity for Palestine during Lent, you are not welcome to use the name. Please don’t use the name Gaza Ceasefire Pilgrimage or the hashtag if you are going to engage in religious coercion.
We engage in the Gaza Ceasefire Pilgrimage as an act of repentance. On behalf of ourselves, our churches, and our nations. Both the sins of omission in not standing with the Palestinian people, or in the sins of commission where there has been active support for what experts overwhelmingly identify genocidal intent in the ongoing war on Gaza.
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Yes. We just ask if you are going to use the name you embody the practices outlined in our Core Convictions, and commit to what we are praying and calling for:
1. Enduring and Sustained Ceasefire.2. Immediate flow of life saving food, water, aid, fuel and humanitarian assistance.
3. Release of all hostages – both the Israeli hostages held by Hamas – and the Palestinian hostages held in the Israeli prison system.
4. End of occupation so a just-peace can begin.
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Many! We are from Anglican, Baptist, Catholic (including Melkite), Churches of Christ, Pentecostal, Orthodox, Uniting, Quaker, non-denominational and everything in between. What we share in common is wanting to take up our cross and stand in solidarity with the vulnerable, for God is love.
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No. The Gaza Ceasefire Pilgrimages are an easy entry action with no nonviolent arrestable actions planned as part of it. That said, local organisers are welcome to plan nonviolent arrestable action after the completion of the pilgrimage. But please do not confuse Jewish places of worship, or schools, or businesses with Israeli embassies, military bases or arms manufactures. Confusing Jewish People and institutions with Israeli institutions hurts the movement, re-traumatises Jewish people and alienates our Jewish neighbours working to end the occupation.
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No. We believe in the power of mustard seeds. We encourage you to share in the invite widely, however, a group of any size is worth walking with.
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Visit the Join a Walk page to find a pilgrimage near you. Otherwise, you can express interest in hosting one here.
God who at Calvary
reveals the meek have begun to
inherit the earth,
anoint us again with your Holy Spirit
that those of us who claim to abide in you
may walk as Jesus walked.
Fit our feet with the gospel of peace
as we labour for healing justice.
Bring your reign
And deliver us from cowardice,
complicity and immobilising despair.
For the sake of your Son,
Our Saviour and Lord
Amen