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23 November 2022, Beit Sahour, Bethlehem, Palestine: Five-year-old Salma Anfous holds a cross that she wears, in her family home in Beit Sahour, in the larger Bethlehem area.

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“These words have long held a special place in my heart, and now more than ever since I am a grandfather of four, and witnessing the children’s growth with great gratitude,” he says.

Bedford-Strohm goes on to reflect about the children who fell victim to the brutal attack by Hamas on 7 October 2023, and the more than 20,000 children who have been killed in the war since then. 

“None of them were involved in the terrorist attack,” he said. “There is no justification whatsoever of the brutal violence they are enduring.”

Everyone who perpetrates this violence—no matter which side they are on—must be stopped, emphasizes Bedford-Strohm. 

“We must not forget the children,” he says. “Please join us in prayer, for children are a heritage from the Lord.” 

World Week for Peace in Palestine and Israel | World Council of Churches

Bedford-Strohm on World Week for Peace in Palestine Israel 2026 (English)

Bedford-Strohm on World Week for Peace in Palestine Israel 2026 (Deutsch)