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SALT LAKE CITY — Leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Thursday shared their sadness about the ongoing violence in the Middle East.
"We are devastated by the recent eruption of violence and loss of life in the Middle East. Violence of this nature is abhorrent to us and is not in harmony with the gospel of Jesus Christ, which is a gospel of peace. At such times, our hearts ache for all victims of this atrocity," the church's First Presidency — which includes President Russell M. Nelson and his counselors, President Dallin H. Oaks and President Henry B. Eyring — said in a statement.
"As servants of God, we affirm that he calls upon all of us to love our neighbors as ourselves, and we pray for a peaceful resolution of all conflicts," the statement continued.
Five days after Hamas' assault on Saturday killed more than 1,300 people in Israel, the Israeli military on Thursday pulverized the Gaza Strip with airstrikes, prepared for a possible ground invasion and said its complete siege of the territory — which has left Palestinians desperate for food, fuel and medicine — would remain in place until Hamas militants free some 150 hostages taken during a grisly weekend incursion.
Hamas' assault of Israel Saturday killed more than 1,300 people, including 247 soldiers — a toll unseen in Israel for decades — and the ensuing Israeli bombardment has killed more than 1,530 people in Gaza, according to authorities on both sides. Israel says roughly 1,500 Hamas militants were killed inside Israel, and hundreds of the dead in Gaza are Hamas members. Thousands have been wounded on both sides.
Contributing: Associated Press
