While conflict in the Holy Land and the fresh involvement of Iran dominates headlines, a war between generals continues to ravage Sudan, and Türkiye expresses an appetite for change in political leadership. Pilgrims carry the cross to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem, 29 March 2024 (Alamy) The Middle East found itself on a knife-edge last weekend after Iran launched 300 missiles and drones at Israel – the Islamic Republic’s first direct assault on Israel from its own soil rather than its proxies. The attack was a retaliation for a suspected Israeli attack (1 April) on Iran’s Syrian ..read more

As the conflict in Sudan reaches its first anniversary, a Christian family have shared their heartrending story of having to flee two wars in the region, displaying remarkable faith and courage in the face of repeated danger and loss.   George Bitar, originally from Sudan, is married to Alice, from Syria, and they have two sons, Naim (22) and Jan (15). “Everyone around us is surprised by our strength,” George says candidly as he speaks to camera, telling the family’s story to SAT-7 ARABIC’s social media program War Phobia. George first left Sudan in 1994 and moved to Syria, where he marri ..read more

This Easter, six months after the outbreak of war in the Holy Land, SAT-7 has been broadcasting the voices of its hard-pressed Christians. In the midst of this devastating conflict, they are finding hope and peace in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Life in the war zone A recent episode of SAT-7’s current affairs programme You Are Not Alone featured an interview with a Christian who lives in the heart of the conflict zone. He vividly described the traumatic experience of the local Christian community, who number around 900 people. “I live in a building that was occupied by Christians mostly ..read more

There is a story that has matchless power to touch hearts and change lives. When Leyla, a woman from Iran, first encountered the cross of Christ at the age of 15, it was a deeply emotional experience that altered the trajectory of her whole life. She shared her powerful testimony on popular SAT-7 PARS programme Signal. Surprisingly, Leyla first heard the story of Jesus’ crucifixion at her school in Iran when her Quran teacher showed the class the Jesus film. “One day at school we were being noisy, so they took us to the school’s prayer hall and the Quran teacher put on a film for us,” said Ley ..read more

Live services from a church in Bethlehem and the Istanbul church where a shooting took place earlier this year will highlight the power and hope of Easter to viewers in challenging circumstances across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Good Friday and Easter Sunday services will be broadcast live on SAT-7 ARABIC from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bethlehem. This church featured in SAT-7’s Christmas coverage and attracted worldwide attention with its Nativity scene of the baby Jesus placed among rubble, representing the devastation of the war in the Holy Land. SAT-7 ARABIC will also ..read more

The civil war in Syria rarely makes the headlines now, but the people there are still suffering immensely as a result of the conflict that started 13 years ago this week (15 March). Through its programming and Viewer Support team, SAT-7 continues to connect with Syrian viewers and remind them they are not forgotten. The outlook in Syria is extremely bleak: 16.7 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance – up 1.4 million last year – and active conflict, including artillery shelling and airstrikes, continues to wreak destruction. Throughout the country, hundreds of civilians are still ..read more

While the Holy Land and Sudan continued to suffer ruinous wars this month, Iran had elections with record low turnouts as it prepared to celebrate Nowruz, the Persian new year.  A girl from Sudan shelters in a refugee camp in Juba, South Sudan, January 2024 (IMAGO/Florian Gaertner) Unrelenting conflicts in Gaza and Sudan have brought both countries to a new level of suffering. Many of the 300,000 Palestinians still living in the north of Gaza have been reduced to eating animal food, and increasing numbers of infants are dying from malnutrition and dehydration. In Sudan the World Food Prog ..read more

Over 625,000 children and teenagers from Gaza have been out of school for months, and at least 346 schools have been damaged or destroyed. A remarkable teenage girl, displaced in Rafah, has told SAT-7 about her hopes to finish her education and be part of future efforts to rebuild her devastated homeland. “Children need safety; they need to return to their schools and see their friends,” Dalia, 17, told SAT-7 ARABIC’s You Are Not Alone programme. “I ask that they stop the war. The children and women are fed up. We need provisions and safe places to live. Consider the children who are homeless ..read more

Egypt was one of the first places to hear the Gospel, but centuries of persecution and upheaval have taken their toll on its Christian population and its Christian heritage has been largely forgotten. SAT-7’s Communications and Resources Officer, Annabel Moule, recently caught up with Archbishop Angaelos, the Coptic Archbishop of London and Chair of SAT-7’s International Council, to talk about Egypt’s Christian history and the Church’s presence today.  Could you tell us about the history of Christianity in Egypt? Christianity came to Egypt in the middle of the first century with Saint Mark ..read more

“I hate God and will do until the day I see Him.” By the end of last year, Fahad* from Nazareth had seen enough. His mind was made up: God was an evil being who “turns a blind eye to injustices and does nothing in response to people being crushed”. He was certain he could not be convinced otherwise. Content warning: this article contains details of sexual and physical violence that readers may find distressing. When Fahad first contacted SAT-7’s Viewer Support team, the current war in the Holy Land had recently erupted. The attacks on 7 October shocked the world, and the subsequent conflict ha ..read more