Church leaders from Jerusalem have returned from a rare visit to Gaza, where they were met with scenes of extreme poverty and destruction. The Latin Patriarch, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, described the experience as “humiliation that is hard to bear” as he witnessed men holding out in the sun for hours without food.
Pizzaballa and Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III expressed their solidarity with the people of Gaza during a press conference. They condemned Israeli fire on a Catholic church in Gaza City, which killed two women and a man. The US President Donald Trump reportedly made an angry call to Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about the incident.
The church leaders visited Gaza after an alleged attack by extremist Israeli settlers near the ancient church of Taybeh in the West Bank. Despite their presence, the church was unable to deliver aid due to logistical issues. Pizzaballa and Theophilos III called for a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of remaining hostages held by Hamas.
The two leaders reiterated that Christians must be supported to remain in Gaza near their holy places. They also emphasized that Israel’s policy towards Gaza is morally unacceptable.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cm2ljemmnyko