Humanitarian church, aid and refugee groups have called on President Bush, US leaders, the UN, and Israeli and Egyptian ambassadors to uphold the rights of protection for the 1.5 million Palestinians in Gaza.

The murder and senseless killing of innocent civilians has to stop, says Shay Cullen. The International Criminal Court has to be strengthened to bring those accused of war crimes to justice

Churches around the globe have mobilised to assist those affected by the conflict in Gaza and to lobby their governments for a cease-fire in the packed territory where 1.5 million Palestinians live.

The World Evangelical Alliance has urged the international community to make all possible efforts to end the "complex" conflict in Gaza and southern Israel and expressed sympathy for all its victims.