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Courtney Menzies was on the ground today and has this story.

The four day ceasefire between Israel and Palestine has been extended for two more days, allowing Gazans to breathe a little easier without the constant threat of bombs dropping.

Still, they are bracing themselves for when the war resumes, but after 50 days, protests continue and intensify around the world.

Here in Belize, while there was a march for Peace in Palestine last week, today, members of various churches walked through the streets of Belmopan as they prayed for Israel.

The march began with speeches and songs of praise, with white and blue flags raised high. But despite the lack of Palestinian flags, Pastor Scott Stirm emphasized that it was a march for peace.

Scott Stirm, 2nd VP, NEAB/Pastor, Jubilee Ministries
"There's a number of reasons but I think chiefly and primarily that as Biblical Christians, the word of God commands us to pray for Israel but we all agreed that we're not just interested in praying for Israel to the neglect of anything else but we want to pray for the Palestinians, we want to pray for Belize, we want to pray for the whole situation because these are people that Jesus died for, he died for the Jews, he died for the gentiles and so we're not interested in the back and forth of us versus them, we're praying for the whole situation, and we want to see the world end, we want to see the dying stop."

Reporter:
"You're also asking the government to reconsider the suspension of diplomatic ties between Belize and Israel, but your numbers are only like, what, 200, do you think the message will be sent?"

Scott Stirm, 2nd VP, NEAB/Pastor, Jubilee Ministries
"I think so, I mean it's 200 for a Tuesday and we didn't pay anybody."

Reporter:
"Is it kind of disappointing that no government officials showed up? At the Palestine march, a lot government officials showed up in support." Richard Smith, Dir., My Refuge Christian Radio Station/Co-Organizer
"Well, I have extend an invitation to say at least stop by for 5 or 10 minutes, so we are welcoming, we are together, we've got to build Belize, the church and the government must come together. But if they stand out, no problem, we are not standing in battle like that, we are standing for unity, we are standing for purpose."

And the United Churches issued a press release prior to the march saying that they are not taking sides nor making a political statement. However, the focus was evidently placed on Israel, and they reference the Bible to explain why.

Scott Stirm, 2nd VP, NEAB/Pastor, Jubilee Ministries
"You have to understand the Judea-Christian foundation, the Old Testament is Jewish and then the New Testament is Christian and so there's a connection there and again the scripture commands us to pray for Israel, to pray for the peace of Jerusalem so I think that's part of the primary catalyst."

Courtney Menzies:
"How do you coincide these two things, what you know as the Biblical Israel and what the state of Israel is doing right now."

Scott Stirm, 2nd VP, NEAB/Pastor, Jubilee Ministries
"Part of it depends on who you're listening to and so this conflict has been going on for thousands of years and we believe that war is horrendous if you look at Ukraine and what's taking place where they bombed out residential areas and an amount of innocent civilians so that's why we're saying we want to see the war end, we want to see the dying stop, God isn't happy about that."

And while they want to see peace in the Middle East, we pointed out the glaring disparity between what is happening in Israel versus what the Gazans are enduring.

Courtney Menzies:
"Israel… the Israelis right now, they have water, they have electricity, they have all their hospitals up and running, all their schools up and running, Gaza is the one who, the entire north I think, is inhabitable, 1.7 million people are displaced, 20,000 have been killed, shouldn't the focus on peace be there?"

Richard Smith, Dir., My Refuge Christian Radio Station/Co-Organizer
"I agree, yes, but when you start war, you don't know how it's going to end, that's why before any of these other guys have started, the Bible says it is not his will that any, who is any? None should perish but that all should come to repentance, come to God. And so when we walk outside of the principle of God, you can expect all different kinds of things, and that's why it's important for us to march for not just the peace of Israel, but for the peace of Belize, that we will find peace."

"A little country like Belize who is very privileged, we cannot get into the politics of these world disorder."

Reporter:
"Do you believe that Israel's response is justified? I mean, the bombing of hospitals, stuff like that."

Richard Smith, Dir., My Refuge Christian Radio Station/Co-Organizer
"I'm not going to get into the politics of that."

Courtney Menzies:
"But that is very important, you're praying for Israel, but what about Israel's actions?"

Richard Smith, Dir., My Refuge Christian Radio Station/Co-Organizer
"We are praying for the peace of Israel, you and I could decide what we want but if the peace of God come into your heart."

Courtney Menzies:
"What about the Gazans?"

Richard Smith, Dir., My Refuge Christian Radio Station/Co-Organizer
"That's what I'm saying. When we pray, we expect everything, we would want this whole country change and become a nation for the people, by the people, but we don't have that. We gotta continue pray. Evil will try to prevail, that's why it says when righteous men stand up, then things will change. Jesus says I'm seeking for men who stand in the gap, we are not just praying for the peace of Israel, but for the nations, for Belize."

And the United Churches group plans to let Israel know that they support them with a letter, signed, sealed, and delivered from those who participated in the march.

Notably, we did not see the presence of the Council of Churches.