Lefter Cosmin

Absurd and inhuman violence is spreading ferociously through the sacred places of the Christian East, profaned by the blasphemy of war and the brutality of business, with no regard for people’s lives, which are considered at most collateral damage of self-interest. But no gain can be worth the life of the weakest, children, or families. No cause can justify the shedding of innocent blood.

A STATEMENT ON LEBANON: A CRY FOR THE INNOCENT   My dear brothers and sisters in Christ,   My heart is heavy as I look toward Lebanon – a land long marked by faith, suffering, and perseverance.   Lebanon is not merely another nation in conflict. It is home to one of the oldest and largest Christian populations in the Middle East, where the name of Jesus Christ has been professed continuously since the earliest centuries of the Church. In that sacred land stands the shrine of St. Charbel Makhlouf, a humble monk whose life of prayer, penance, and Eucharistic devotion has borne extraordinary fruit. Known as the “miracle monk of Lebanon,” countless souls have testified to God’s healing through his intercession – a sign that even in suffering, God has not abandoned His people.   And yet today, Lebanon bleeds.   Reports continue to emerge of relentless bombardment in densely populated civilian areas – families, children, the elderly – lives shattered without warning. What we are witnessing is not simply warfare, but a grave assault on human dignity. The deliberate targeting or reckless endangerment of innocent life is never justified. NEVER.   The Church has always been clear: War itself is a tragedy – but the intentional harming of civilians is a moral evil that cries out to Heaven.   We must not grow numb to images of destruction. We must not allow political narratives to dull our conscience. Every child killed, every home destroyed, every mother weeping over her son – this is not abstract. This is human suffering. This is Christ crucified again in His people.   Lebanon has already endured decades of instability, economic collapse, and the exodus of Christians from the region. To strike this nation again – especially in ways that devastate civilian life – is to deepen wounds that may take generations to heal.   I call upon all leaders involved to remember this: power does not grant moral permission. Military strength does not justify the loss of innocent life. There can be no lasting peace built upon the graves of the defenseless.   And to the faithful, I say this: do not remain silent in your hearts. Pray. Fast. Offer sacrifice.   Pray for the people of Lebanon. Pray for the conversion of those who wield power without mercy. Pray for true peace – not the fragile silence of ceasefires, but the peace that comes from justice rooted in truth.   Through the intercession of St. Charbel Makhlouf, may God bring healing to the wounded, comfort to the grieving, and repentance to those who act without regard for the sanctity of life.   And may we never forget: Every human life is sacred, from conception to natural death, in every nation, without exception.   In Christ Our Hope,   Bishop Joseph E. Strickland Bishop Emeritus

It’s not just Iran. It’s Lebanon. In less than 2 weeks, Israel has killed 570 people and displaced 750,000 — over 10% of the entire country. Residential buildings are being bombed with no warning. The U.S. cannot continue to be complicit in Netanyahu’s wars.

Iran: From the young girls in an elementary school to the millions of people in Tehran breathing toxic smoke, Trump and Netanyahu don't bring democracy. They bring chaos and death. Europe needs to stop supporting their criminal war.

We went out yesterday to protest in Tel Aviv against the war on Iran. ​ Dozens of cops were waiting for us. They snatched our signs immediately, violently broke up the protest, and arrested me. I was subjected to an illegal strip search and put under 5 days of house arrest. This isn't an outlier, it’s a perfect reflection of the Israeli apartheid regime. Israel never was a democracy, isn't one now, and never will be. ​ But I’m not the point. The point is the 150 schoolgirls murdered by the State of Israel in a school in Minab, Southern Iran, this Saturday. This is about all of our lives, no matter where. ​ End the imperialist attacks. Stop the bombings. Resist. Always stand with the people✊ Photo by: @flom_jess

My statement today on the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

If I must die, let it be a tale. #FreePalestine #Gaza

This is my little girl, my sister, and my daughter at the same time, Manar Al-Madhoun, only 6 years old, was murdered by Israel.. Manar loved to dress up and play; everything about her was pure childhood and innocence. I watched her grow up before my eyes, but she left us before reaching her seventh birthday. Manar was the heartbeat of childhood in our home laughing innocently and spreading joy with her spontaneous movements. She used to hold my hand as if to say, “Don’t leave me,” but fate was faster, and life took her away too soon. Manar… my little martyr, my sweet bird, my bird who flew to heaven. You left behind an unfillable void, an unforgettable memory, and a laugh that still echoes in my ears. May Allah have mercy on you, my little angel. You now sleep in the warmth of His mercy, dwelling in a paradise where there is no pain and no separation.

I write these words from inside a hospital in northern Gaza. I have been trapped here for days, ever since the Al-Rashid checkpoint was closed, cutting me off from my wife and family, who were forced to flee south under the thunder of airstrikes, fire, and collapse. I cannot reach them. I can only hear their voices echoing inside my chest, and see them in fleeting moments between my shifts and the silent tears of night. I am a nurse — but no one ever taught me how to dress the wounds of the heart. In school, they never showed us how to treat a mother cradling the remains of her child, or how to extract shrapnel from the face of an infant without anesthesia — because there is no medicine, no power, not even enough light to see the wound clearly. I have seen headless bodies. Children with no limbs. Men dragging themselves with a single arm, searching through rubble for their sons. Their cries live in my head, even in moments of silence. Sometimes I feel I am not a nurse, but a living gravestone, recording the names of those who never found a place in a cemetery. At night, when the screams fade just a little, I reach for my shattered phone and try to send one simple message: “Are you safe?” No answer. Silence is more brutal than the bombs. My wife is out there, alone, frightened, crying, sleeping on cold unfamiliar ground among strangers displaced just like her. And I am here — holding gauze and bandages, wrapping the wounded with my own hands, stitching what cannot be stitched. How many times have I cried while pressing down on a bleeding wound? How many times have I wished I could collapse myself? But I don’t have that luxury. In this war, all we have is duty. And I chose not to flee — not because I am brave, but because someone must stay. Someone must tell the child, “I’m here. You’re not alone.” Someone must hold the line between life and death with trembling fingers and fading strength. It feels like I’m living inside a Shakespearean tragedy, but without applause, without an audience, without an end. No one is waiting for the final act. We are trapped inside the sorrow... with no curtain to fall. I am a nurse from Gaza. Not a hero — but I am still standing. Saving what I can of broken bodies… and of my soul. chuffed.org/project/146990…

Israeli soldiers filmed a Palestinian child they kidnapped during their invasion of Nablus, accusing him of throwing rocks at their armored vehicles. The boy will be detained as a "disciplinary lesson," the soldier says, interrogating and harassing him for not speaking Hebrew.

⚡️⭕️ Lebanon: Tears and terror in Tibnine.. moments of panic experienced by children at Al-Batoul nursery following an Israeli airstrike yesterday in front of the nursery building!

This camera should be exhibited one day in the Genocide Memorial built in memory of the innumerable victims of Israel's genocide in Gaza. Shame on all journalists not raising their voice against the massacre of their brave Palestinian colleagues while documenting the genocide.

The Weapon Israel Fears the Most

❗️BREAKING❗️Rescuers killed in line of duty. Scenes like this unfold every moment in Gaza, often unseen, largely undocumented. I beg STATES: how much more must be witnessed before you act to stop this carnage? 🔴Break the blockade 🔴Impose an Arms Embargo 🔴Impose Sanctions.

Famine has now been confirmed in Gaza. Over half a million people are facing the most devastating form of hunger, warns @theIPCinfo. An immediate ceasefire and unhindered humanitarian access is imperative to save lives. wfp.org/news/famine-co… — via @WFP

This is my will and my final message. If these words reach you, know that Israel has succeeded in killing me and silencing my voice. First, peace be upon you and Allah’s mercy and blessings. Allah knows I gave every effort and all my strength to be a support and a voice for my people, ever since I opened my eyes to life in the alleys and streets of the Jabalia refugee camp. My hope was that Allah would extend my life so I could return with my family and loved ones to our original town of occupied Asqalan (Al-Majdal). But Allah’s will came first, and His decree is final. I have lived through pain in all its details, tasted suffering and loss many times, yet I never once hesitated to convey the truth as it is, without distortion or falsification—so that Allah may bear witness against those who stayed silent, those who accepted our killing, those who choked our breath, and whose hearts were unmoved by the scattered remains of our children and women, doing nothing to stop the massacre that our people have faced for more than a year and a half. I entrust you with Palestine—the jewel in the crown of the Muslim world, the heartbeat of every free person in this world. I entrust you with its people, with its wronged and innocent children who never had the time to dream or live in safety and peace. Their pure bodies were crushed under thousands of tons of Israeli bombs and missiles, torn apart and scattered across the walls. I urge you not to let chains silence you, nor borders restrain you. Be bridges toward the liberation of the land and its people, until the sun of dignity and freedom rises over our stolen homeland. I entrust you to take care of my family. I entrust you with my beloved daughter Sham, the light of my eyes, whom I never got the chance to watch grow up as I had dreamed. I entrust you with my dear son Salah, whom I had wished to support and accompany through life until he grew strong enough to carry my burden and continue the mission. I entrust you with my beloved mother, whose blessed prayers brought me to where I am, whose supplications were my fortress and whose light guided my path. I pray that Allah grants her strength and rewards her on my behalf with the best of rewards. I also entrust you with my lifelong companion, my beloved wife, Umm Salah (Bayan), from whom the war separated me for many long days and months. Yet she remained faithful to our bond, steadfast as the trunk of an olive tree that does not bend—patient, trusting in Allah, and carrying the responsibility in my absence with all her strength and faith. I urge you to stand by them, to be their support after Allah Almighty. If I die, I die steadfast upon my principles. I testify before Allah that I am content with His decree, certain of meeting Him, and assured that what is with Allah is better and everlasting. O Allah, accept me among the martyrs, forgive my past and future sins, and make my blood a light that illuminates the path of freedom for my people and my family. Forgive me if I have fallen short, and pray for me with mercy, for I kept my promise and never changed or betrayed it. Do not forget Gaza… And do not forget me in your sincere prayers for forgiveness and acceptance. Anas Jamal Al-Sharif 06.04.2025 This is what our beloved Anas requested to be published upon his martyrdom.

Israel's siege is starving the people of Gaza. We have joined more than 100 aid and rights groups to demand action - before there is no one left to save. Read the full statement here: bit.ly/3GPCpAE

WFP Statement | #Gaza On the morning of 20 July, a 25 truck WFP convoy carrying vital food assistance crossed the Zikim border point destined for starving communities in northern Gaza. Shortly after passing the final checkpoint beyond the Zikim crossing point into Gaza, the convoy encountered large crowds of civilians anxiously waiting to access desperately needed food supplies. As the convoy approached, the surrounding crowd came under fire from Israeli tanks, snipers and other gunfire. We are deeply concerned and saddened by this tragic incident resulting in the loss of countless lives. Many more suffered life-threatening injuries. These people were simply trying to access food to feed themselves and their families on the brink of starvation. This terrible incident underscores the increasingly dangerous conditions under which humanitarian operations are forced to be conducted in Gaza. Today’s violent incident comes despite assurances from Israeli authorities that humanitarian operational conditions would improve; including that armed forces will not be present nor engage at any stage along humanitarian convoy routes. There should never, ever, be armed groups near or on our aid convoys, as reiterated on many occasions to all parties to the conflict. Shootings near humanitarian missions, convoys and food distributions must stop immediately. Any violence involving civilians seeking humanitarian aid is completely unacceptable. We stand firmly by our principles of operating with independence, impartiality and neutrality. It is one of the many reasons why communities trust us. The World Food Programme continues to call for the protection of all civilians and aid workers delivering life-saving assistance. WFP teams accompanying convoys should not have to risk their own lives in the effort to save others. Without these fundamental conditions in place, we cannot continue providing life-saving support across the Gaza strip. Gaza’s hunger crisis has reached new levels of desperation. People are dying from lack of humanitarian assistance. Malnutrition is surging with 90,000 women and children in urgent need of treatment. Nearly one person in three is not eating for days. Food aid is the only way for most people to access any food – as the cost of a one-kilogram bag of flour has surged to over USD100 in local markets. Only a massive scale-up in food aid distributions can stabilize this spiraling situation, calm anxieties and rebuild the trust within communities that more food is coming. An agreed ceasefire is long overdue. All hostages should be released, and humanitarians should be able to reach the civilian population in Gaza with critical food supplies in a consistent, predictable, orderly and safe manner -- wherever they are across the Gaza Strip. WFP is ready. We have food supplies nearby, experienced teams on the ground, and proven systems in place to respond at scale. We did it before and we can do it again. We urgently call on the international community and all parties to advocate for, and facilitate, the delivery of life-saving food aid to starving populations inside Gaza – safely, securely, wherever families are, and without obstruction.