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Jerusalem Patriarchs Decry Gaza Crisis as ‘Morally Unacceptable’ After Rare Visit

 Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, described the humanitarian situation in Gaza as "morally unacceptable" following a rare visit to the besieged territory. Speaking at a press conference in Jerusalem on Tuesday, the Cardinal said he and other church leaders returned with "broken hearts" after witnessing the devastation firsthand.


Pizzaballa, the most senior Catholic authority in the region, visited the Holy Family Church compound in Gaza City on Friday, accompanied by Theophilos III, the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem. The compound was the site of an Israeli strike last week that killed three people and injured several others, including the parish priest.

“It is time to end this nonsense and the war,” Cardinal Pizzaballa declared. Emphasizing the urgent need for humanitarian assistance, he added, “This is a matter of life or death. Every hour without food, water, medicine, and shelter causes deep harm. It is morally unacceptable and unjustifiable.”

Access to Gaza by foreign dignitaries is extremely limited, as Israel has maintained a near-total blockade since launching its military campaign against Hamas following the group’s cross-border assault on October 7, 2023.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, addressing the church compound strike, attributed the incident to "stray ammunition" and said that Israel was investigating. He reiterated Israel’s commitment to the protection of civilians and religious sites.

However, Cardinal Pizzaballa and Vatican representatives have expressed doubts about the official explanation. When questioned about the cause of the damage to the church, Pizzaballa said, “It is not clear what happened. We cannot prove anything.”

In a related development, Netanyahu held a phone conversation with Pope Francis on Friday. According to a statement from the Vatican, the Pope renewed his appeals for an immediate end to the conflict, the protection of civilians and places of worship, and expressed deep concern over the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

The remarks from the highest levels of the Catholic and Orthodox Churches underscore growing international alarm over the toll of the conflict on Gaza's civilian population and religious sanctuaries.

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