Jerusalem:Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa has issued a warning regarding the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip. He also raised concerns about the impact of attacks by Israeli colonists on Christian villages in the occupied West Bank, highlighting fears of a continued decline in the Christian presence in the Holy Land.
According to Palestine news & Information Agency – WAFA – English, Cardinal Pizzaballa, in an interview with the National Catholic Register, emphasized that the humanitarian conditions in Gaza remain dire. Despite a ceasefire, violence and casualties persist, and the reconstruction process has not yet begun, leaving residents in precarious conditions reliant on aid.
Cardinal Pizzaballa, who regularly visits the Gaza Strip, noted the interconnected nature of regional developments, making it challenging to predict an end to the crisis. In the West Bank, he expressed particular concern about the assault on the town of Taybeh, east of Ramallah, by Israeli colonists on October 17, which he believes undermines confidence in the future for Christian communities in the region.