Crisis in Israel-Palestine

LWF has been present in the Holy Land since 1948, when it began as a refugee response. Over 75 years later, LWF continues to serve the Palestinian people through its member church, the the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land, and its humanitarian the LWF Jerusalem Program. 

The Augusta Victoria Hospital (AVH) is part of the LWF Jerusalem program. Located on the Mount of Olives, it provides life-saving cancer treatment and dialysis services to patients from East Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza. AVH partners with Al Ahli Hospital in Gaza City and is committed to rebuilding Al Ahli’s cancer diagnostic center damaged during the recent conflict. 

Call for Peace
LWF has consistently condemned violence on both sides of the conflict. In public statements, LWF together with partners has called for the release of hostages, an immediate ceasefire, and unrestricted humanitarian access to support Gaza’s civilian population.  

LWF continues to advocate for: 

• Unhindered humanitarian access to civilians affected by the conflict.
• Medical evacuation of patients from Gaza to AVH in East Jerusalem.
• The safe return of all Israeli hostages.
• A lasting ceasefire and a peaceful, permanent resolution to the conflict in Israel-Palestine.
• Upholding international humanitarian law in the region. 

All public statements on these issues are available under “Resources.” 

The LWF keenly follows related political and diplomatic discussions at the UN in New York and in Geneva. 

Humanitarian aid

LWF has delivered critical medical supplies into the Gaza strip in August 2024. Following the ceasefire in Gaza on January 19, 2025, LWF has resumed aid deliveries on a larger scale.  A shipment of medical supplies, including essential cancer medications, reached Al Ahli Hospital in Gaza City during the first week after the ceasefire. Additional deliveries of medical supplies and winter clothing are under way. These transports are coordinated by LWF Country Programs in Jerusalem and Jordan. 

After 15 months of war, Gaza’s civilian infrastructure is in ruins, and the humanitarian needs are overwhelming. The conflict has caused mass displacement within a confined area, leaving the population with acute shortages of water, electricity, fuel, and food. Over 80 percent of homes in Gaza have been destroyed. People, including infants, are starving and dying from exposure. 

Gaza’s health infrastructure is destroyed. Only a handful of hospitals remain operational, and they lack even the most basic supplies. LWF’s Augusta Victoria Hospital (AVH) in East Jerusalem has been assembling medical aid shipments, prepares to receive patients from Gaza, and plans to deploy medical teams to provide much-needed care. 

LWF Jerusalem has issued a Flash Appeal for emergency aid to Gaza (right). Please support our work. 

West Bank

While the fighting in Gaza has subsided, Israel has launched a military operation in the Northern part of the West Bank, accompanied by increasing reports of settler violence. Thousands have been displaced or lost their homes. This situation is severely impacting the LWF Vocational Training Centers in Ramallah and Beit Hanina, as students can no longer safely pass through checkpoints or travel within the West Bank. 

Similarly, Augusta Victoria Hospital staff, many of whom live in the West Bank, face hours-long delays at checkpoints to reach the hospital. Community outreach programs operated by AVH must frequently adjust their schedules with little notice to respond to the volatile conditions.