For immediate release, 9 October 2025
The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) welcomes the announcement of the Gaza peace agreement between Israel and Hamas as a vital and long-awaited step toward ending the devastating cycle of violence that has brought immense suffering to civilians on both sides.
According to the plan, all hostages will be released by Hamas, Israeli troops will be withdrawn from large parts of Gaza, humanitarian aid will be allowed into Gaza, and Palestinian prisoners will be released.
The LWF reaffirms its longstanding position that dialogue, rather than violence and destruction, is the only path towards true peace.
The LWF acknowledges and appreciates the efforts of all parties and the international community that made this agreement possible.
The LWF calls on:
- Israel and Hamas to faithfully implement the terms of the agreement and ensure that international humanitarian law and human rights are upheld in both spirit and practice.
- Israel to ensure that the protection of civilians and unimpeded humanitarian access are at the center of all actions taken in this first phase of the agreement.
- The international community to sustain and deepen its commitment to this peace process, noting that lasting peace will require ongoing accompaniment—through reconstruction assistance, diplomatic engagement, and persistent advocacy for justice, accountability, and human rights for all people in the region.
LWF stands ready to support peace through concrete action. Its Augusta Victoria Hospital in East Jerusalem is prepared to receive again patients from Gaza requiring specialized medical treatment, as soon as permissions are granted.
The LWF will continue to pray for peace rooted in justice, for the comfort of all those who grieve, and for renewed hope among the millions who have suffered the horrors of the 7 October 2023 attacks and the war that followed in Gaza.
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.” — Matthew 5:9
