Church responds to Gaza crisis with calls for peace and practical support for amputees

Amid ongoing violence in Gaza and escalating humanitarian needs, the Australian Catholic Church and its agencies have voiced concern and called for urgent action through an appeal for peace and solidarity with the vulnerable, and through practical support for the wounded and displaced.

In a statement released on 3 June 2025, the Bishops Commission for Social Justice, Mission and Service called for peace in the region, echoing Pope Leo XIV’s recent appeals. The commission said it is joining the Holy Father in expressing concern over the ‘worrying and painful’ situation in Gaza.

‘We support his appeal to “allow the entry of dignified humanitarian aid and to put an end to the hostilities, whose heartbreaking price is paid by the children, elderly, and the sick”, as well as the safe return of hostages,’ the statement read.

The message was issued during the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity in Australia, a time that the bishops said reminded all Christians that ‘we belong to one human family which is best nurtured by a world free of war and focused on peace building.’

It is all the more urgent that all who believe in Jesus Christ work together with everyone of good will, all who love the truth, to show the world that there is a realistic way to peace, a genuine peace built upon speaking truth and building trust.

The statement, signed by Bishop Timothy J Harris, Chair of the Bishops Commission, also pointed the faithful to the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference’s 2024–25 Social Justice Statement, Truth and Peace: A Gospel Word in a Violent World, which urges all people of good will to engage in truth-telling, genuine dialogue and education as building blocks for peace.

‘It is all the more urgent that all who believe in Jesus Christ work together with everyone of good will, all who love the truth, to show the world that there is a realistic way to peace, a genuine peace built upon speaking truth and building trust,’ the bishops wrote.

Quoting the late Pope Francis, the statement from the commission concluded with a direct and solemn appeal: ‘Stop! Stop because violence will never bring peace.’

Caritas Australia’s campaign for amputees

While the Bishops Commission issued its call for peace, Caritas Australia has launched a focused humanitarian response through its Gaza Emergency Appeal, working alongside Caritas Jerusalem to provide prosthetic limbs to those who have lost limbs in the conflict—many of them children.

Citing United Nations data, Caritas Australia reported that Gaza is now ‘home to the largest cohort of child amputees in modern history’. As of April 2025, 4,500 people have become amputees due to the current conflict, adding to the 2,000 who were already living with amputations prior to the escalation of violence.

Caritas reported that the healthcare system in Gaza has nearly collapsed, with two-thirds of all healthcare facilities destroyed or rendered non-functional. Access to essential medical supplies, including prosthetic limbs, remains severely restricted.

In response, Caritas Jerusalem has partnered with the Artificial Limbs and Polio Centre to deliver artificial limbs to 140 individuals, most of them children, as part of the program funded through Caritas Australia’s appeal.

‘These artificial limbs are not just a physical support but also a symbol of resilience. For many children, receiving a prosthetic limb offers hope for a better future, helping them to regain mobility and independence in the face of overwhelming adversity,’ Caritas Jerusalem said.

Riham and Khamees: stories of resilience

Two beneficiaries of the program, Riham and Khamees, shared their experiences, highlighting both the physical and psychological toll of their injuries and the transformative impact of receiving prosthetics.

When I wore the prosthetic limb, I felt like I could finally stand without holding onto anything. I felt relieved and my mental state improved.

Riham, who suffered for a year without proper mobility, described her emotional recovery, saying, ‘I endured a whole year of suffering. I couldn’t go anywhere, couldn’t walk. Even going to the bathroom was a struggle, I would stumble and fall,’ she said.

‘Little by little, they improved my mental state. I was like a mad woman, spending most of my days crying over my condition, and my inability to even get myself a drink of water. When I wore the prosthetic limb, I felt like I could finally stand without holding onto anything. I felt relieved and my mental state improved, thank God. As long as there is a limb and the ability to walk, a person can do anything.’

Khamees, a young man who lost his left leg, said that when he was accepted to the Cartias program, he was ‘surprised and happy’, recalling that ‘I went home overjoyed and slept feeling truly happy.’

His advice for others facing similar hardship is to ‘be strong, have high spirits. Be strong and never give up.

‘Thank you, Caritas Jerusalem,’ he said. ‘I hope you continue to help those in need of prosthetic limbs, just as you helped me walk again.’

Continuing support and advocacy

The Bishops Commission and Caritas Australia are both urging Australians to respond—through prayer, advocacy and practical support—to the worsening crisis.

‘We suggest three positive steps in building an “architecture of peace”: genuine dialogue, truth-telling and education,’ the Bishops Commission said, emphasising the need to accompany humanitarian efforts with spiritual reflection. The starting point for any response, the commission said, is to ‘invite God to nurture peace in our hearts and discern how we can share that peace with our troubled world’.