Dozens of Church leaders and aid agencies have written a joint letter to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak urging an end to fighting in Gaza. 

The letter says that generations of Palestinian families are being "wiped out" and expresses heartache at the destruction of schools, hospitals and religious sites.

Nearly 70 church leaders and aid agency representatives have signed the letter which calls on world leaders to take action to end the "relentless and unrestrained bombing campaign" in Gaza. 

The church leaders say: "We write as religious leaders to say enough is enough. We cannot remain silent as generations of families in Gaza are wiped out in an instant.

"World leaders cannot sit by while Palestinian civilians in Gaza experience such catastrophic destruction and trauma.

"The relentless and unrestrained bombing campaign with horrific indiscriminate effects and the ground invasion by Israel must end.

"We weep with broken hearts as we hear of hospitals, mosques, churches, and schools damaged and destroyed by this war. In Gaza, there is no safe place. There is no refuge. There is no escape."

Over 15,000 Palestinians have been killed by retaliatory military action taken by Israel in Gaza after Hamas' October 7 terrorist attack that killed 1,200 Israelis and saw another 240, including children, taken hostage. 

During a pause in fighting last week, over a hundred of the hostages were released and some aid was delivered, but the letter calls for efforts to secure an immediate and permanent ceasefire.

The letter goes on to state that "crimes of hate" are being perpetrated against both Jews and Muslims around the world because of their personal convictions about the conflict and that this is "straining community cohesion and interreligious efforts". 

It ends, "Without an agreed upon end to violence from all parties – there is no path forward.

"We call on all governments to show support for the protection of all human life, advocating for a just and durable resolution to this crisis in which all Israelis and Palestinians might realize a vision of a just peace, illuminating human dignity, advancing security and self-determination for all."

Signatories of the letter include Christian Aid, CAFOD, the Archbishop of Dublin, Michael Jackson, the Moderator of the Church of Scotland General Assembly, Sally Foster-Fulton, the Bishop of Southwark, Christopher Chessun, and Embrace the Middle East.