Brisbane-based Maronite priest Fr Fadi Salame’s community thanks God for bringing peace to the Middle East. Source: The Catholic Leader.
He said his community had been praying for a ceasefire for months.
“We hope Lebanon will be left in peace,” he said. “No more weapons, no more fighting.”
The ceasefire agreement brokered by the United States, Qatar and Egypt put a pause to 15 months of fighting between Israel and Hamas and the release of hostages on both sides.
To date, an estimated 56,000 people have been killed in the fighting with countless more wounded and millions displaced.
The ceasefire went into effect on January 19 in the hopes of ending a 15-month war triggered by a deadly attack by Hamas on Israel on October 7, 2023.
The terms of the deal would see progress over the course of six weeks starting with the release of some of the hostages by Hamas and the release of Palestinian prisoners detained by Israel.
The agreement also included Israel withdrawing from some areas and allowing a massive increase in humanitarian aid into Gaza, followed by the freeing of all remaining hostages and a full Israeli withdrawal.
In the course of the fighting, south Lebanon had been used as a staging ground for groups like Hezbollah to launch attacks on Israel.
Fr Salame’s own family lived only a few minutes from the border and had to be evacuated.
It had caused a lot of disruption in people’s lives, he said, with schools and business closed and people fleeing their villages.
Fr Salame said many buildings were also destroyed in the fighting.
They would be rebuilt, he said, but the Government would also have to focus on rebuilding the spirit of the people.
Fr Salame said he hoped it would be the last ceasefire and that it marked a new age of peace for the region.
He said he and his community would continue to pray for peace.
“Peace is not just out there, it is inner peace too,” he said.
“It’s about stopping the voice of the Devil in our life – and our Lord is always there.”
FULL STORY
Brisbane’s Maronite community gives thanks to God for ceasefire in Middle East (By Joe Higgins, The Catholic Leader)
