Three Years of Genocide
“From the heart of pain, genocide and displacement, we raise this cry—a prophetic cry of steadfastness.”
— Kairos Palestine II
Three Years of Genocide
October 7, 2026 will mark three years since Israel commenced its most recent escalation of its genocide against Palestinians. A report released on September 28 by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs notes that since October 7, 73,922 Palestinians have been killed in the Gaza strip, including 21,283 children, 596 aid workers, 262 journalists and media workers, and over 1,700 health workers. This number does not account for those buried and trapped under the rubble, and recent reports note that the Israeli military is carting away millions of tonnes of rubble–including from cemeteries and from areas known to contain human remains–in an effort to erase evidence of genocide.
At CFOS, we renew our commitment to answering the call of our siblings in Palestine, who ask Christians worldwide to “challenge the siege imposed on the Christians of the Holy Land, to come and visit the living stones, to witness and respond to what you see, and to help strengthen the steadfastness of the Palestinians and the Christian Palestinians among them.” We renew our commitment in acknowledgment of the steadfastness of the Palestinian people and their allies, and it is with endless humility before them that we work towards liberty, justice, and an enduring peace in the Holy Land.
SAVE THE DATE: “From Conscience to Action: How Citizens Become Agents of Change” — October 7, 2026
Canadian Friends of Sabeel invites you to our annual James Graff Memorial Lecture “From Conscience to Action: How Citizens Become Agents of Change.” Join us on October 7 in person or online for an evening of conversation, music and engagement exploring how individuals and communities can turn conviction into meaningful, practical action for justice in Palestine.
This year’s lecture features Yara Shoufani, President of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME), in conversation with Rev. Jeff Nowers and Rev. Gerlyn Henry. The event will feature music by Samia Odeh.
Getting this year's JGML lecture off the ground this year has taken bit more persistence than usual.
Potential speakers faced difficulties securing visas.
Our original venue cancelled on short notice.
On-the-ground crises affected Palestinian participants’ ability to travel.
Lots of scrambling behind the scenes.
And this isn’t the first time organizing conversations around Palestine have presented unique difficulties for us.
This is why we need your support. If you believe these conversations need to continue, come, share, and help us keep creating space for this work. Register here.
Join us Tuesday, October 7, 2026 — 7:00 PM EST
St. Philip's Anglican Church
25 St. Phillips Rd., Etobicoke, Ontario
Attend in person or join the livestream.
TODAY: “Voices of our Christian Brothers and Sisters in Palestine” with CFOS Board Member Rev. Dr. Dorcas Gordon
Join CFOS Board Member Rev. Dr. Dorcas Gordon for an evening discussing her recent experience accompanying a “Come and See, Go and Tell” delegation with Canadian Friends of Sabeel. Rev. Dorcas Gordon is the Principal Emeritus of Knox College, Presbyterian Church in Canada and has a long history of accompanying Palestinian Christian siblings in their witness. Since October 7, 2023, Dorcas has travelled to Palestine three times, including with a delegation from the Presbyterian Church in Canada in 2025/2026.
Join Dorcas on Saturday, October 3, 2026 at 3:00PM to hear her firsthand experience standing in costly solidarity with Palestinian Christians. The event is free and will be held at St. Andrew’s Church (82 Kent Street) in Ottawa.
Contact voicesinottawa@gmail.com for any questions regarding the event.
SHAME: Netanyahu Crosses Canadian Air Space Despite Arrest Warrant
Despite an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu travelled through Canadian airspace on his way to address the United Nations General Assembly in New York at the end of September. Myah Tonasi, spokesperson for Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand, notes that "any authorization to pass through Canadian airspace should not be interpreted as an endorsement of the policies or actions of any particular government.” She goes on to clarify that the overflight request was granted to facilitate Netanyahu’s arrival at the United Nations General Assembly. The Canadian government’s approval of Netanyahu’s flight highlights the failure of the Carney government to take meaningful action against Israel, especially as Carney had previously promised to arrest Netanyahu were he to enter the country.
Read more here.
SIGN: Petition E-7580 for Palestinian Children’s Rights closes October 11, 2026
A report recently published by the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights has found that Israel deliberately targets Palestinian children. Srinivasan Muralidhar, Chair of the Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem writes that “Palestinian children have been deliberately targeted and killed by the Israeli security forces... Even after the October 2025 ceasefire, children continue to be killed and seriously injured, with continued disregard by Israel for the ceasefire and for the protection owed to Palestinian children under international law."
Canada Stand up for Palestinian Children's Rights (CSUFCHR), a nationwide ecumenical coalition of concerned Canadians, has launched Petition e-7580, which calls on the Government of Canada to protect the lives, dignity, and rights of Palestinian children by:
banning all direct and indirect arms trade with Israel;
suspending the Canada-Israel Free Trade Agreement;
sanctioning Israeli officials who promote violence against Palestinians or the seizure of Palestinian land; and
prohibiting Canadian residents and corporations from bidding on contracts for work within illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.
Petition e-7580 closes on October 11, 2026. Sign here today.
We mourn the loss of these two leaders and extend our prayers to their families and communities at this time. We give thanks for the lives, advocacy, and service of Sliman Mansour and Father Kamal Farah, and are privileged to continue to share their work and stories.
READ: Cardinal Pizzaballa Presides Over Mass in Taybeh
On September 13, Roman Catholic Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, travelled to Taybeh to preside over mass on the eve of the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. Taybeh, the only Christian majority community in the West Bank, continues to suffer Israel’s genocidal attacks alongside displacement, land confiscation, restricted access to Holy Sites, and escalating settler violence. During the ceremony, Cardinal Pizzaballa addressed the people of Taybeh as the "people of the Cross" as they follow the path of suffering, love, and renewal.
Read more about Cardinal Pizzaballa’s mass here.
Information from Sabeel
Sabeel’s weekly topical Wave of Prayer email draws on specific experiences from the preceding week; you can find each week’s prayer posted on Sabeel’s fresh new website.
And don’t forget Sabeel’s weekly English online worship service on Thursdays at 11:00 AM ET. These services gather folks from around the world to read scripture, and to reflect, discuss and pray how these readings apply to life today, especially in Palestine/ Israel. Register here to participate.