Netanyahu Calls the Pope and the Patriarch of Jerusalem Visits the Latin Monastery Church in Gaza

SadaNews - The Vatican stated that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu contacted Pope Leo today (Friday), a day after an Israeli raid on the only Catholic church in Gaza, which resulted in the deaths of three people and injuries to others.

The Vatican mentioned in a statement that during the call, the Pope reiterated his plea for a ceasefire and an end to the war in Gaza, expressing his concern over the "tragic" humanitarian situation in the Palestinian sector.

The statement noted that Pope Leo also emphasized the necessity of protecting places of worship and their visitors, as well as all residents in the Palestinian territories and Israel, according to the "Reuters" news agency.

Meanwhile, the Patriarch of the Holy City and all of Palestine and Jordan, Theophilus III, and the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, arrived today, Friday, in the Gaza Strip accompanied by a church delegation for a pastoral and humanitarian visit.

This visit aims to follow up on the situation of Christians who have been living in a humanitarian disaster for more than twenty-one months, just like the other residents of the area, and to directly oversee the efforts of the churches in providing relief to those who have lost shelter, safety, and medicine in Gaza, embodying a practical demonstration of the church's unity in facing the increasing human suffering.

This visit comes in the wake of multiple attacks targeting Christian sacred sites in Gaza, starting with the bombing that targeted the Baptist hospital on October 17, 2023, followed by the bombing of the Church of St. Porphyrius on the 19th of the same month, and the shooting at worshippers in the Church of the Holy Family on December 16, 2023, culminating in the bombing of the church itself yesterday, which led to the martyrdom of three people and injuries to nine others, including one critical and two seriously injured, in addition to minor injuries to the parish priest, Father Gabriel Romanelli, and the destruction of parts of the parish complex, leaving many people with disabilities deprived of the vital medical devices they rely on to survive.

Patriarch Theophilus III called for an immediate, comprehensive, and permanent ceasefire, urging the international community to bear its moral and humanitarian responsibilities towards innocent civilians, who are paying a heavy price in a ruthless attack.

He affirmed that the Orthodox Church continues its mission driven by its steadfast belief that spiritual and humanitarian presence in times of war constitutes a religious and moral responsibility that cannot be compromised, and that the church's relief work amidst the victims, wounded, and afflicted is a direct extension of the teachings of Jesus Christ, which call for compassion, accompaniment, and service to humanity without discrimination or distinction.

The patriarch said: "Where suffering increases, our responsibility increases. We do not come from afar; we are part of this land, of its pains, of its people, and of its resilience. The church is here to accompany, to heal, and to revive hope in the hearts that groan under the weight of destructive war".

It is noted that the bombing of the Latin Monastery Church came just a few hours after Patriarch Theophilus III, Patriarch Pierbattista Pizzaballa, and Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Adolfo Tito Yllana, visited the town of Taybeh east of Ramallah, with a high-level church delegation, following attacks carried out by settlers under the protection of the Israeli occupying army on the Christian cemetery and historic church of the town, where they were accompanied on this tour by diplomatic representatives from more than 20 countries, including Jordan, Russia, China, EU countries, Japan, and Canada.