October 7, one year on: a Quaker statement
This is a grim anniversary, a dark milestone for many. When those we love are dead, every day can be hard, but some days are especially hard.
We grieve the lives lost on 7 October 2023. We grieve the lives lost since 7 October. For Quakers, all lives are precious, all people are children of God. No death can ever justify the killing of another.
We grieve the lives forever changed. The lost homes, livelihoods, families. For all those living with a relentless feeling of fear. Words may give some small comfort, but they cannot repair those harms. Justice would see the people who have harmed others working to heal the damage they have done.
The voices that matter, that we should listen hardest to hear, are those living most profoundly with the consequences of that day. We know that some of those voices we cannot hear: the hostages still being held captive, the tens of thousands of people killed over the last year. We pray that those with the power to change the situation listen to and are moved by the experiences of those most affected.
For Quakers, there are times for words and times for silence. At this time of pain, let our mouths be silent and let our hearts fill with love for all those suffering and for all those with the power to bring about true and lasting peace.
Read more on Quaker engagement with Israel and Palestine here