The ACT Palestine Forum has issued this statement on the ceasefire in Gaza.  ACT Alliance has also signed on to this civil society statement on the situation.

ACT Palestine Forum (APF) Statement
“The war has paused, but the wounds remain.” 

“The war will end.
Leaders will shake hands.
The old woman will keep waiting for her martyred son…
And those children will keep waiting for their fathers.”
Mahmoud Darwish 

As the world welcomes the announcement of a ceasefire in Gaza, we the members of the ACT Palestine Forum affirm that this is not the end of war, but it is the beginning of facing the truth and remembrance. 

After two years of devastation, displacement, and unimaginable loss, life in Gaza stands on the edge of collapse. A fragile ceasefire provides only ‘fragile hope’. More than 66,000 lives have been taken, over 150,000 wounded. Homes, schools, and hospitals turned into dust. Families now return to where their homes once were, finding only ruins and memories. 

The ceasefire offers a small window of relief, but it must mark the beginning of real accountability and moral responsibility. It must open the way for a safe, principled, and unrestricted humanitarian response that restores dignity, hope, and life. 

We call on the international community to: 

• Uphold the ceasefire, fully and without delay.
• End the siege of Gaza and open all crossings with Gaza to allow the free movement of people and goods in both directions. 
• Allow and support immediate and unimpeded humanitarian access to all organizations operating in Gaza and remove new registration restrictions that politicize aid delivery. 
• End forced displacement across Gaza and the occupied Palestinian territory, and ensure the safe, voluntary return of displaced families. 
• Stop the assaults and crimes committed by settlers in the West Bank and Jerusalem against Palestinians. 
• Work to end the Israeli occupation and to ensure enforcement of the relevant international legitimacy resolutions concerning Palestine. 
• Ensure a permanent ceasefire and a lasting peace. 
• Support Gaza’s reconstruction with dignity, agency, and justice. 

As churches, humanitarian partners, and people of faith, we proclaim: The occupied Palestinian territory cannot be an exception to the law that binds us all.  

The cry for justice and peace cannot remain unanswered. The ceasefire is not the realization of peace and must not be the silence of indifference; it is the beginning of restoration, accountability and hope.  

The war has paused, yet the full extent of the wounds of Gaza, and of all humanity, are only beginning to be revealed. From beneath the rubble rise stories of pain, resilience, and unbroken faith. Now begins the long and critical work of healing hearts, restoring dignity, and rebuilding life. 

As the ACT Palestine Forum, we reaffirm our commitment to Gaza. Our hospitals and clinics will remain open to all; our psychosocial teams will continue to accompany families, children, and survivors; and our humanitarian mission will grow stronger. 

For us, this is not the end of a war; it is the beginning of human restoration.