International relief charity Christian Aid has called on Christians to join a national day of fasting and prayer over Gaza.

The fast is led by Very Revd Dr Richard Sewell, Dean of St George’s College, Jerusalem.

“Fasting intensifies our prayers,” he said. “It shows in an act of solidarity that we mean this prayer, that it is from our heart.”

It comes as reports say 31 Palestinians were killed trying to collect aid at a US-backed distribution centre in Rafah.

The scenes were described as “worse than hell on earth” by the Red Cross.

A Palestinian Christian told Christianity Today that the shooting lasted for around 40 minutes, with people jumping over deceased bodies and cries of pain from the injured.

“I will not repeat this visit, not out of fear but because human dignity was trampled underfoot,” he said. 

The IDF insisted they were only shooting at people deemed a threat.

There has now been a pause in aid to Gaza.

Christian Aid urged that fasting is a “biblical way of protesting injustice” and empathising with the vulnerable.

They encourage a prayer, reading: “God, you have chosen the fast to loose the bonds of injustice, to let the oppressed go free.

“We choose to fast to speak out against injustice and speak up for a just peace. In our fasting we are hungry for your justice to be done.

“Bring peace to all in Israel and the occupied territory. Amen.”

The charity is holding collective fasts every Wednesday.