Latest news with #TheophilosIII
UPI
3 days ago
- Politics
- UPI
Catholic clergy: 'It is time to end this nonsense' in Gaza
1 of 6 | Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, called for an end to "this nonsense" during a joint press conference about the severe suffering they witnessed during a rare visit to Gaza on Tuesday. Photo by Debbie Hill/UPI | License Photo July 22 (UPI) -- The Catholic Church's Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem called on regional and world leaders to end the violence in Gaza after Thursday's deadly church shelling. Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, and Patriarch Theophilos III, Patriarch of Jerusalem, and other clergy toured the remains of the Catholic Church of the Holy Family in northern Gaza on Tuesday. They called for an end to the war during a press conference held afterward at the Notre Dame of Jerusalem Center in Israel. "We entered a place of devastation, but also of wonderful humanity," Pizzaballa told media. "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," Pizzaballa said. "And yet, in the midst of all this, we encountered something deeper than the destruction: the dignity of the human spirit that refuses to be extinguished," he continued. "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." Pizzaballa called on regional and world leaders to find a way to restore "life, dignity and all lost humanity" in Gaza. "It is time to end this nonsense, to end the war and put the common good of people as the top priority," he said. Patriarch Theophilos III called Gaza a "land bruised by prolonged affliction and pierced by the cries of its people" after touring the church's grounds. "We entered as servants of the suffering Body of Christ, walking among the wounded, the bereaved, the displaced and the faithful whose dignity remains unbroken despite their agony," Theophilos III said. "We encountered a people crushed by the weight of war, yet carrying within them the image of God," he said. "Among the broken walls of the Church of the Holy Family and the wounded hearts of its faithful, we witnessed both profound grief and unyielding hope." Theophilos III said, "Silence in the face of suffering is a betrayal of conscience," and called on the international community to make peace in Gaza. Two were killed and several injured, including a priest who suffered non-life-threatening injuries, when the IDF shelled the church. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday apologized for Israel Defense Forces shelling the Catholic church, which is the only one in Gaza. He said a "stray ammunition" struck the church, and Israeli officials are investigating the matter. Local residents and displaced Gazans were using the church for shelter when it was struck.
Al Jazeera
3 days ago
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Holy Land clerics ‘stand in solidarity' with people of Gaza after visit
Holy Land clerics 'stand in solidarity' with people of Gaza after visit NewsFeed Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Pierbattista Pizzaballa and Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III condemned Israel's bombardment and blockade of Gaza as 'morally unacceptable' after a rare visit to the besieged territory on July 18. Their trip followed an Israeli strike on Gaza's only Catholic church, which killed three people. Video Duration 02 minutes 49 seconds 02:49 Video Duration 01 minutes 58 seconds 01:58 Video Duration 01 minutes 24 seconds 01:24 Video Duration 00 minutes 38 seconds 00:38 Video Duration 00 minutes 44 seconds 00:44 Video Duration 00 minutes 37 seconds 00:37 Video Duration 01 minutes 46 seconds 01:46
The Guardian
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Cardinal calls Israel's policy in Gaza ‘morally unjustifiable' after visit
Israel's government is pursuing an 'unacceptable and morally unjustifiable' policy in Gaza, the Catholic Latin patriarch of Jerusalem said after visiting a church in the territory that was attacked by Israeli forces last week and meeting survivors. Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa said he witnessed extreme hunger on the brief trip, his first into Gaza this year, and described Israeli blocks on food and medical shipments as a 'sentence' for starving Palestinians. 'Humanitarian aid is not only necessary, it is a matter of life and death,' he told journalists in Jerusalem after the visit. 'Every hour without food, water, medicine and shelter causes deep harm.' Pizzaballa travelled to Gaza with the Greek Orthodox patriarch Theophilos III, in a show of cross-denominational solidarity after the attack on the Holy Family church that killed three people and injured nine others including the priest, Gabriel Romanelli, who used to receive daily calls from the late Pope Francis. The cardinal accused Israel's government of pursuing a war without justification, and warned against plans to force Palestinians to leave the territory, which are backed by much of the Israeli cabinet. 'We need to say with frankness and clarity that this policy of the Israeli government in Gaza is unacceptable and morally we cannot justify it,' he said. 'There can be no future based on captivity, displacement of Palestinians or revenge.' After international pressure over the attack on the church, including from Donald Trump, Israel's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, called the pope to express 'regret' for the attack, which he said was caused by 'stray ammunition'. Some Catholic leaders have questioned that explanation, which the Vatican's top diplomat, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, said 'can legitimately be doubted' in an interview with Italy's state broadcaster. Asked whether he thought Israeli forces had targeted the church, Pizzaballa said he did not have the military expertise to assess the damage, but regardless of intention, Christians had repeatedly been attacked and killed by Israeli forces. 'Gaza is almost totally destroyed, and nobody is exempted,' he said. 'This is not the first time it happened. There was also [attacks on] the Holy Family and St Porphyrius in the first weeks of the war. And every time it was a mistake.' Israel has issued evacuation orders for the areas surrounding the two compounds where Gaza's Christians have taken shelter during the war, but the community of about 560 people does not intend to leave. 'They know very well that we are determined to remain,' Pizzaballa said when asked whether the Christians would follow the evacuation orders. In the months since his last visit, at the end of last year, destruction of whole neighbourhoods had left parts of Gaza City unrecognizable, Pizzaballa said. Neighbourhoods around the Christian-run al-Ahli hospital, which the clerics visited, were 'totally erased' he said, reduced to rubble. Inside the hospital wards the delegation met doctors and nurses who described patients too malnourished to heal, and met victims of other attacks. Pizzaballa sounded emotional as he described speaking to a father keeping watch at the bedside of his blind, badly injured son, the only survivor of his six children. 'It was difficult to bear,' he said of the meeting. Hunger is everywhere, Pizzaballa said, describing long queues of people waiting hours in the sun, in hope of something to eat as 'a humiliation that is hard to bear when you see it with your own eyes'. Israel authorised church authorities to take 500 tonnes of aid into Gaza after the attack on the Holy Family. The complex logistics meant the food could not cross the border with the delegation, but people are so hungry that news of the planned delivery brought crowds to the church and even members of the congregation had to be shown proof their leaders had come empty-handed. The community is surviving on small rations of mostly bread and rice, and told Pizzaballa that they had not eaten meat, fruit or vegetables since February. He called for an end to the war and said the Christian community saw it as 'our moral duty to be part of reconciliation' when peace comes. 'After almost two years of war I think everyone starts thinking and arrives at the conclusion that it is about time to stop it.'
Roya News
3 days ago
- Politics
- Roya News
Top Catholic cleric says Gaza humanitarian situation 'morally unacceptable'
The Roman Catholic church's most senior cleric in the Holy Land said Tuesday the humanitarian situation in Gaza was "morally unacceptable", after visiting the war-battered Palestinian territory. "We have seen men holding out in the sun for hours in the hope of a simple meal," Latin Patriarch Pierbattista Pizzaballa told a news conference in Jerusalem. "It's morally unacceptable and unjustified," he added. Pizzaballa said the Church and "the entire Christian community, will never abandon" Gazans, repeating what he had told Christians in Gaza during his visit. He specified that his mission applied not only to a specific group but to all. Pizzaballa and his Greek Orthodox counterpart, Theophilos III, made a rare visit to Gaza on Friday after 'Israeli' fire hit the Holy Family Church, Gaza's only Catholic church, killing three people. "Three people died of our community, but thousands of people already died in Gaza," Pizzaballa said, adding that the entire Palestinian people was affected in Gaza by the ongoing war, as well as in the West Bank which he recently visited to denounce Israeli settler violence. Though the Italian foreign ministry announced Pizzaballa had entered Gaza with 500 tonnes of aid, Pizzaballa said the aid had not yet entered Gaza due to logistical issues. Pizzaballa and Theophilos III reported meeting people in Gaza whose faces were emaciated from hunger, at a time when finding food in the Palestinian territory has become nearly impossible. Pizzaballa, who has previously advocated for an end to the war in Gaza, said that he had witnessed unprecedented levels of destruction in comparison to his last visit in December.
Straits Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
Top Catholic cleric says Gaza humanitarian situation ‘morally unacceptable'
Find out what's new on ST website and app. Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Pierbattista Pizzaballa (left) and Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos III hold a joint press conference in Jerusalem on July 22. JERUSALEM - The Roman Catholic church's most senior cleric in the Holy Land said on July 22 the humanitarian situation in Gaza was 'morally unacceptable', after visiting the war-battered Palestinian territory. 'We have seen men holding out in the sun for hours in the hope of a simple meal,' Latin Patriarch Pierbattista Pizzaballa told a news conference in Jerusalem. 'It's morally unacceptable and unjustified,' he added. Patriarch Pizzaballa said the Church and 'the entire Christian community, will never abandon' Gazans, repeating what he had told Christians in Gaza during his visit. He specified that his mission applied not only to a specific group but to all. Patriarch Pizzaballa and his Greek Orthodox counterpart Theophilos III, made a rare visit to Gaza on July 18 after Israeli fire hit the Holy Family Church , Gaza's only Catholic church, killing three people. 'Three people died of our community, but thousands of people already died in Gaza,' Patriarch Pizzaballa said, adding that the entire Palestinian people was affected in Gaza by the ongoing war, as well as in the West Bank which he recently visited to denounce Israeli settler violence. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Singaporeans aged 21 to 59 can claim $600 SG60 vouchers from July 22 Singapore Singaporeans continue to hold world's most powerful passport in latest ranking Singapore Miscalculation of MOH subsidies and grants led to $7m in overpayments, $2m in shortfalls Asia Malaysian aide's unresolved 2009 death tests govt's reform pledge despite DAP chief's apology Singapore Woman evacuated from lift in Supreme Court building after falling glass triggers emergency halt Singapore 2 charged over alleged role in posting bail for man who later absconded Business Chat with experts on brand media coverage at the latest Conversations with ST Singapore Ports and planes: The 2 Singapore firms helping to keep the world moving Though the Italian foreign ministry announced Patriarch Pizzaballa had entered Gaza with 500 tonnes of aid, Patriarch Pizzaballa said the aid had not yet entered Gaza due to logistical issues. Patriarch Pizzaballa and Theophilos III reported meeting people in Gaza whose faces were emaciated from hunger, at a time when finding food in the Palestinian territory has become nearly impossible. Patriarch Pizzaballa, who has previously advocated for an end to the war in Gaza, said that he had witnessed unprecedented levels of destruction in comparison to his last visit in December. Patriarch Pizzaballa said he acknowledged the efforts of 'many parts of the Israeli society' that helped with deliveries, but said that 'this (war) policy of the Israeli government in Gaza is unacceptable'. Known as a supporter of interfaith dialogue, Patriarch Pizzaballa said he was praying for the liberation of people taken hostage during Hamas' unprecedented attack on Israel in October 2023. He also said he hoped for a free press access to Gaza, with foreign journalists barred from entry since the start of the war save for a few visits embedded with Israel's military. AFP
