As news spread about a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, Catholic leaders in the region expressed cautious optimism, while also stressing the importance of peace and addressing humanitarian concerns.
The Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy Land issued a statement 16 January, hoping the ceasefire would end the violence that has caused immense suffering and allow for the delivery of much-needed humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.
“It is a necessary step to halt the destruction and meet the urgent humanitarian needs of countless families affected by the conflict,” the statement read.
However, the ceasefire still faces obstacles, including a vote in the Israeli parliament. Reports from Gaza indicated continued bombardment following the agreement, with at least 77 Palestinians, including children and women, killed by Israeli strikes.
Just before that, Father Gabriel Romanelli, a pastor in Gaza, expressed hope that people could return to their homes and live without the constant fear of violence, SIR, the Italian bishops’ conference agency, reported 15 January.
“For everyone, it also means returning to live without the constant nightmare of planes, bombs, fighting, and violence,” he told SIR.
“Everyone hopes the truce holds.”
The deal, brokered by Egypt, Qatar and the US, also involves releasing hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.
Church leaders acknowledged that ending the war is not the same as resolving the deeper conflict, and they called for a long-term, just solution.
“Genuine and lasting peace can only be achieved through a just solution that addresses the origin of this long-standing struggle. This requires a long process, a willingness to acknowledge each other’s suffering and a focused education in trust that leads to overcoming fear of the other and the justification of violence as a political tool,” the Catholic bishops of the region said.
Praying that the ceasefire will “bring a sense of serenity and relief to all” the Holy Land bishops expressed their hope that the ceasefire would be the starting point of a path toward “reconciliation, justice and sustainable peace” that promotes “healing and unity among all the people of the Holy Land.”
Father Francesco Patton, custos of the Holy Land, criticised the international community for its inaction during the war but expressed hope that the ceasefire would lead to lasting peace.
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