The most senior Roman Catholic in the Holy Land, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, has called for an end to the war between Israel and Hamas and for renewed respect for the rules of war.
His statement came after a visit to the Holy Family Catholic Church in Gaza, which was shelled last week by an Israel Defense Force (IDF) tank. Three people were killed in the incident and 10 wounded, including the parish priest, Father Gabriel Romanelli.
Holy Family is one of just three churches in Gaza, and is the only Catholic church in the territory. Throughout the current conflict it has acted as a haven for the small number of Christians living in Gaza.
The late Pope Francis was reportedly in daily contact with the church in the months leading up to his death.
Cardinal Pizzaballa visited the church after what he called a “heinous attack” by the IDF. He was accompanied by the Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem
In a statement, the cardinal said, “Let us not turn peace into a slogan, while war remains the daily bread of the poor.”
The cardinal also called upon the international community to ensure that international law regarding the treatment of civilians and the distribution of aid be respected. He also called for an end to “collective punishment, the indiscriminate use of force and the forced displacement of the population”.
The current conflict began on 7 October 2023 when Hamas launched a terrorist attack from Gaza which killed over a thousand Israeli civilians. Israel’s counteroffensive has devastated Gaza, with tens of thousands killed, mostly civilians, as whole settlements have been levelled.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is currently wanted for war crimes by the International Criminal Court, a fact he decries as an antisemitic “blood libel”.
Whatever the rights and wrongs of the conflict, there is no doubt as to its effects on ordinary people.
Cardinal Pizzaballa spoke of what he saw on his visit to Gaza.
“It is time to end this nonsense, end the war and put the common good of people as the top priority," he said.
“We walked through the dust of ruins, past collapsed buildings and tents everywhere: in courtyards, alleyways, on the streets and on the beach, tents that have become homes for those who have lost everything.
“We stood among families who have lost count of the days of exile because they see no horizon for a return. Children talked and played without batting an eyelid, they were already used to the noise of the bombing.”
Despite the horrors unfolding in the region, the cardinal said that the full “dignity of the human spirit” was still visible among those that remain.
“We met mothers preparing food for others, nurses treating wounds with gentleness, and people of all faiths still praying to the God who sees and never forgets," he continued.
“We have not come as politicians or diplomats, but as pastors. The Church, the entire Christian community, will never abandon them.”
