I am not an antisemite.
I want that to be clear. In today’s climate, it seems that anyone who suggests that Israel should do something or stop doing something is called an antisemite. I am calling on Israel to do something, but I’m speaking in the same spirit as I would to a beloved brother. The nation of Israel is a valuable ally, and they hold a special place in my heart.
I am not pro-Hamas. What they did in attacking Israel and taking hostages was evil and Israel has every right to defend themselves and to demand the immediate release of all hostages.
I am not against President Trump, for he is our president. I am calling him to take what I believe is the right action, but I’m speaking in the same spirit that a man might use in speaking to his father, with full respect.
Still, though, I feel strongly that I need to speak to President Trump, the American people, and to the nation of Israel: DO SOMETHING ON A VERY DEEP LEVEL TO HELP THE HURTING PEOPLE OF GAZA.
Hunger there is widespread and it’s getting worse. There is not enough food to keep people alive. People, especially children, are dying of malnutrition. Homelessness is rampant, and the people have few—if any—places of safety where they can feel safe. Aid stations and hospitals have been turned into war zones. Churches, hospitals, apartment buildings, and schools have been destroyed. People are being shifted from one region to another trying to find peace, safety, food, and fresh water.
It is often said that “war is hell;” the people of Gaza can now testify to that.
Israel, I ask you to allow food, water, medicines, and medical care to cross the border freely and in complete safety and in quantities large enough to meet the needs. Some announcements have already been made; it’s not enough. If helping the people get back on their feet and find food in safety requires a ceasefire, then do it. And do it now.
America, our compassion for hurting people should override any political differences about military aid to Israel and about foreign aid in general. People are dying. Children are hungry. Medical help is insufficient. We need to demand that Israel allow us to provide help. We need to work with our allies so that we—or the United Nations, or non-profits, or a neutral country, or SOMEONE—provide sufficient help for the 2 million people of Gaza. And it must be more than a token amount.
It will require immediate action from both Congress and our President. It will require our leaders to work across the aisle and make this a humanitarian—and not a political—action. It will require great cooperation. It will cost money.
It doesn’t matter who gets the credit. It needs to be done.
I implore our nation and the nation of Isreal to do something. And to do something Immediately.
We can’t pretend to be a great nation, a good nation, or even a compassionate nation if we just stand back and watch.
Comments(9)
Brenda Ramey says:
July 28, 2025 at 12:29 pmThank you Pastor Jack for saying out loud what so many of us are thinking. It’s heartbreaking and inhumane.
Don Brees says:
July 28, 2025 at 8:05 pmPastor, here are a couple different perspectives on the Gaza crisis, differing from what the regular media is telling us. Gayle and I both have been following this war ever since the Oct 7 massacre.
—Comparing Gaza Aid vs. Other Conflicts—
Since the war began, Gaza has received roughly 850 kg of aid per resident—or about 485 kg per person per year. Of that, food alone accounts for ~666 kg per person over 21 months—381 kg per person annually.
To put that in perspective:
🔸️During the Berlin Airlift (1948–49), the Allies—supplying their own civilians—delivered about 920 kg per person over 15 months (736 kg/year). That’s comparable in volume—but again, that was ally-to-ally, not an enemy supporting its wartime adversary.
🔸️In the Biafran Civil War (1967–70), church-led NGOs managed just 30 kg of aid per person over two years. The Nigerian government actively obstructed those efforts.
🔸️And during the Siege of Sarajevo (1992–1996), the UN delivered around 457 kg per person over 3.5 years—just 130 kg per person per year—while Serb forces routinely impeded aid access.
The bottom line is this:
No modern conflict has seen anything like this—a belligerent facilitating this scale of aid, per capita, to its enemy’s territory.
( Eitan Fischberger on X) 7/27/25
https://t.me/beholdisraelchannel/60380
And…
Some facts and data about the hunger in Gaza:
1. Before the war, an average of 73 food and aid trucks were brought into the Strip daily; today about 80 are brought in.
2. Since the beginning of the war, Israel has allowed more than 70,000 trucks and about 1.5 million tons of humanitarian aid into Gaza – a figure that is probably unprecedented in the history of wars.
3. The vast majority of the aid is looted by Hamas.
4. Almost all the pictures of “hunger” from Gaza (if not all) show children who are sickly thin alongside healthy parents. There is no such thing as “selective hunger.”
5. The UN refuses to distribute to Gazans more than 900 food trucks that have been inspected and approved by Israel, and their contents are rotting in the sun on the Gaza side of the border crossings.
6. Israel allows any Gazan who wants to leave the Strip to do so – Egypt closes the exit to them.
7. There is no hunger in Gaza – there are hostages. Once Hamas releases them and disarms, the war will end.
(Tamir Morag) 7/26/25
https://t.me/beholdisraelchannel/60323
Jack Marslender says:
July 29, 2025 at 10:07 amDon, thanks for your perspective and good to hear from you. I agree 100% that Hamas should release the hostages and I agree that Hamas can be blamed for much of the crisis and for many of the reasons why the food and aid haven’t helped the hungry people. They started the war and they are to blame My blog, though, was not about the war or how to end it. I do disagree with you about the hunger crisis itself. Multiple organizations as diverse as the Red Cross, the United Nations, the Associated Press, Baptist Press (quoting pastors and churches inside Gaza), many other news and aid organizations which are too numerous to mention, and even President Trump have acknowledged a severe hunger crisis. I believe that compassion requires that good nations (Israel and the United States) respond.
Susan Wilder says:
July 30, 2025 at 9:01 amAs a Jew with many contacts in Israel, I’d like to gently offer some additional context to the heartbreaking photo circulating of the starving child in Gaza. I encourage you to read this article: All Israel News – “Reprehensible”. Link here: https://allisraelnews.com/reprehensible-every-evangelical-should-be-disgusted-by-the-new-york-times-accusing-israel-of-starving-a-child-in-gaza-none-of-it-was-true. The child in question reportedly suffers from a medical condition. His healthy brother, who was standing next to him, was cropped out of the photo—a detail that significantly changes the narrative.
It’s also important to know that Israel has been airdropping aid into Gaza, and that the United Nations has faced real challenges in distributing that aid effectively. This is a complex crisis with multiple layers, including logistical, political, and security obstacles. No side is without its share of responsibility or struggle.
At the same time, I often wonder why we, as Americans, aren’t just as outraged by the poverty and hunger that exist right here in our own communities. I absolutely agree: no human being should go hungry when aid is available. But war, tragic as it is, brings about devastation on all sides—and we must view it through that sober lens.
As people of faith, many of us read in Scripture about Israel’s battles, often celebrating victory over enemies, including men, women, and children. Yet in today’s world, we view such loss of life as horrifying—and rightly so. It’s a tension that’s hard to reconcile.
I also want to share something personal. My cousin was part of Nova, the group that hosted the music festival attacked on October 7. His sister, Ayelet, a journalist, was murdered in a bomb shelter that day. She recorded her final moments as terrorists stormed the shelter. Her story is told in the documentary The Last Recordings. This isn’t just political for me—it’s deeply personal.
I’m sharing all of this not to silence anyone, but to ask for care and perspective. Posts that oversimplify or vilify only add fuel to the fire of antisemitism and further polarize an already fragile conversation. Let’s commit to seeking the full picture, even when it’s painful or complicated.
Jack Marslender says:
July 30, 2025 at 2:13 pmThanks, Susan, for your perspective. I agree that some exxagerations have been made, that Hamas has been evil and ungodly, and that this is a multi-layered issue. I am not blaming the people of Israel. I can’t solve all hunger issues, but where there are hungry people–for any reason–I want to call on good governments and churches to respond. As you know, our own church works to solve hunger in our own community with four different ministries–our free Wednesday lunches with BBQ Mission, our free daily brown bag ministry, our once per month free food distribution in cooperation with St. Mary’s food bank, and our homeless ministry. I have at other times called upon governments and churches to help with hunger issues in Africa, and we partner with Compassion International to feed hungry children around the world. Some hunger gets more publicity than others, and hunger in Gaza has been much in the news lately, and some of it for less than compassionate reasons. Hunger in America is only occasionally acknowledged in the news media, and the mass hunger and homelessness in Africa is mostly ignored. I’m concerned about hunger everywhere, and believe that feeding the hungry is part of God’s call upon churches and should be taken up by good governments everywhere.
Susan Wilder says:
July 30, 2025 at 10:39 pmThank you for your response. I’m deeply grateful for how our church consistently steps up, not just to feed the hungry but to support the downtrodden. However, I must clarify that my response was broader than just that one point.
I take issue with the first few sentences of your post. We need to be mindful of how we phrase things when discussing Israel and the Jewish people. While I don’t agree with everything Israel does, it’s important to recognize that sometimes people may not realize how their words can come across. Even if it’s not their intention, the way things are said can be interpreted as antisemitic, or someone may take it the wrong way, which can lead to actions that contribute to the spread of antisemitism. It’s crucial to approach these conversations with care and awareness.
Antisemitism is at an all-time high. The protests and attacks on college campuses targeting Jewish students have created an environment where Jews now live in fear; in their own country. We say “Never Again” in remembrance of the Holocaust, yet we witness innocent lives being taken at a music festival. What happened on October 7 was not Israel’s fault. The brutality of that day—marked by torture, rape, and unspeakable death—was unimaginable.
Having been with Jews for Jesus for 22 years, I can honestly say this is the worst I’ve seen global antisemitism. We are a global ministry and have experienced it first hand. Much of it stems from the Gaza situation, and sadly, many have forgotten what happened on October 7.
The Israeli people are still reeling from the trauma of the hostages, the destruction of their lives in the kibbutzim, and constant war. It feels like it’s always something, and the challenges never seem to end. They still need aid, and our ministry is doing everything we can to help. Whether it’s providing clothing, food, assisting with housing, or bringing supplies to the IDF, we are committed to supporting them during this incredibly difficult time.
My prayer is that people take the time to educate themselves on the history of this conflict and seek to understand the suffering my people endure. I also pray that Israel will return to her Messiah. There will be no peace in the Middle East until the Prince of Peace, Yeshua Hamashiach, returns.
Jack Marslender says:
July 31, 2025 at 8:39 amThanks Susan. I’m not 100% sure I completely understand your issue with my first few sentences, but I’m trying. I want to be sensitive and I definitely do not want to do anything to contribute to antisemitism. I don’t want Jews to live in fear as they have for years. That was certainly not my intent. My overall goal was to encourage a response to the hunger. I do my best to be sensitive and understanding with my words . . . sometimes I miss that goal.
Janet Berryman says:
August 2, 2025 at 9:09 am7/31 Trump officials told Congress that Israel agreed to match $30 million for the Gaza Humanitarian Fund.
8/1 Pres. Trump’s briefing secretary announced food and aid to Gaza. Mike Huckabee & Special Envoy Witkoff will be traveling into Gaza to talk to Gazans and inspect distribution sights for delivery of needed food and aid.
Jack Marslender says:
August 2, 2025 at 10:30 amJanet, those are great steps, and I was very glad to hear it! –Pastor Jack