Justice & Peace Scotland welcomes the announcement of a ceasefire in Gaza. This development brings much-needed hope and respite to the Palestinian people after unimaginable suffering, grief and loss.

We recognise the anxious longing of Israeli families who have continued to wait for the safe return of loved ones taken hostage and the hope that this announcement brings to them.

When Fr Gabriel Romanelli, parish priest of the Holy Family Church in Gaza, visited Scotland last year he spoke clearly about what all people of the Holy Land need: a sustainable, authentic, and just peace, grounded in equal rights, dignity, and security for all.

This ceasefire must mark not an end point, but the beginning of a genuine peace process rooted in justice, accountability, and respect for human life. Only such a peace can bring lasting security for both peoples and a future where all can live in freedom and safety.