Church leaders in Jerusalem have called for an end to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and have said that "both sides" need to return hostages.

The Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem issued a statement in which they said the conflict in Gaza had resulted in a "profound moral and humanitarian tragedy".

Thousands have been killed and many more displaced while whole communities have been reduced to rubble. The Patriarchs added that the most vulnerable members of society, children, the sick and the elderly are facing the greatest hardships.

They stated, "Amid this anguish, we are compelled to speak against the grave threat of mass displacement, an injustice that strikes at the very heart of human dignity.

"The people of Gaza, families who have lived for generations in the land of their ancestors, must not be forced into exile, stripped of whatever is left of their homes, their heritage, and their right to remain in the land that forms the essence of their identity."

US President Donald Trump recently announced plans to take over and re-develop Gaza and remove the current population to another location.

The statement explicitly throws its support behind King Abdullah II of Jordan and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi "whose firm and principled stance have remained clear and unwavering in rejecting any attempt to uproot the people of Gaza from their land".

The Patriarchs called upon people of faith and the international community to do whatever they could to bring an end to the current crisis as quickly as possible. Additionally, the Patriarchs called for "immediate unfettered humanitarian access" to alleviate the suffering of those in desperate need as a result of the conflict.