Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, met with Pope Francis on Monday at the Vatican to address the pressing humanitarian situation faced by Gaza’s Christian community and the broader challenges in the Holy Land.
Following the meeting, Patriarch Pizzaballa shared insights into the dire conditions experienced by Christians in Gaza, according to Vatican News.
During a press briefing, the Patriarch emphasized that Gaza’s Christians are not isolated from the general population’s struggles.
He said, “They are not a people apart. It is not easy, even for the Christians, to be in a situation of great division where everyone is expected to take sides.”
Patriarch Pizzaballa, who maintains regular contact with Gaza’s Catholic parish, provided a grim overview of the current situation.
He noted that although military operations have shifted southwards, the northern region remains in a state of extreme poverty, lacking basic necessities such as housing, water, and electricity.
The absence of institutions further exacerbates the challenges faced by the local population. He added, “It is a situation of extreme poverty, and there are no institutions present.”
The Cardinal Patriarch, who recently arrived in Italy from Jordan, underscored the complexity of the situation in Jordan but identified it as a stable political and humanitarian reference point.
He highlighted Jordan’s pivotal role in facilitating humanitarian aid to Gaza, citing collaboration with the Jordanian Royal House, government, and other institutions.
He explained, “When we need to get humanitarian aid to Gaza, our address is the Jordanian Royal House.”
Patriarch Pizzaballa expressed the importance of maintaining communication channels with Gaza and acknowledged Jordan as the current “most stable reference point” for the Church.
He mentioned ongoing collaboration with humanitarian organizations and Egypt to address the critical needs of the affected population.
He reported, “There is collaboration, a minimum of collaboration, with humanitarian organizations, too, and with Egypt.”
Regarding the broader Middle East situation, the Patriarch acknowledged the complexity of finding an immediate solution to the Gaza conflict.
He emphasized the necessity of establishing communication channels between Israel and Hamas, outlining the Catholic Church’s commitment to working toward this goal.
He said, “We have to think in stages. There will be no immediate solution. What is important now is to find channels of communication between the two sides. Between Israel and Hamas.”
Patriarch Pizzaballa stressed the incremental nature of the peace process, noting that immediate solutions are unlikely.
