Vatican Expresses Concern and Solidarity as Fighting Continues
Pope Francis has reached out to the priest leading Gaza’s small Catholic community on two occasions to offer his prayers and express his concern amid the ongoing conflict sparked by a recent attack by Hamas on Israel, the Vatican confirmed on Tuesday.
Father Gabriel Romanelli, who heads the Catholic community in Gaza, shared details of the Pope’s calls with Vatican News, the Vatican’s official media outlet. In these calls, Pope Francis expressed his closeness to the people of Gaza and offered his prayers for peace in the region.
Father Romanelli expressed his gratitude for the Pope’s comments made on Sunday, where he called for peace in both Israel and Palestine, and urged an end to the violence, stating that “terrorism and war do not lead to a solution.”
Furthermore, Father Romanelli revealed that the Pope had made another call on Monday to inquire about the well-being of the people in his parish. The priest is currently stuck in Bethlehem, located in the occupied West Bank, after leaving Gaza to obtain essential medicines and is unable to return.
He stated, “The Christian community is doing fine, as well as they can in this situation,” adding that his parish is currently providing shelter to approximately 150 refugees.
As the death toll from the conflict surpassed 3,000 on Tuesday, marking the fourth day of intense fighting following the surprise attack by Gaza-based Islamists on Israel, the Vatican continues to express its deep concern and solidarity with the people affected by the violence. Pope Francis’ calls serve as a testament to the Vatican’s commitment to promoting peace and alleviating the suffering of those impacted by conflicts around the world.