Christ is not absent from Gaza, but crucified in the wounded, patriarchs say after visit

JERUSALEM (OSV News) -- Amid the destruction witnessed during their July 18–20 pastoral visit to Gaza, following the Israeli shelling of the Holy Family Parish church compound that killed three people and injured 10, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa and Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III said they found something more enduring -- "the dignity of the human spirit."

"We encountered something deeper than the destruction: the dignity of the human spirit that refuses to be extinguished. 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," Cardinal Pizzaballa said, reading from a prepared statement.

"Christ is not absent from Gaza. He is there -- crucified in the wounded, buried under rubble and yet present in every act of mercy, every candle in the darkness, every hand extended to the suffering."

The patriarchs described the massive numbers of "starving and hungry-looking people," they saw stranded along the roads and the long lines of people waiting for food as they traveled to the church compound.

Prices on the black market -- like $100 for 2 pounds of tomatoes -- have made basic nutrition unaffordable, worsening health conditions, especially for the elderly and children. "This is really very harsh to the heart," said Cardinal Pizzaballa.

From his statement he read: "We have seen it: Men holding out in the sun for hours in the hope of a simple meal. This is a humiliation that is hard to bear when you see it with your own eyes. It is morally unacceptable and unjustifiable."

Patriarch Theophilos called the sight "very sad."

"We encountered a people crushed by the weight of war, yet carrying within them the image of God. 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," Patriarch Theophilos said, reading from his statement.

He issued a moral appeal to global leaders and communities, warning that remaining silent amid human suffering amounted to a "betrayal of conscience." He offered words of solidarity to the "children of Gaza," assuring them that the church stands with them in their pain.

Addressing those in positions of authority, he invoked a call for peace, reminding them of the biblical teaching: "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God."

He said that after returning from Gaza, they held a "very interesting meeting" with U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee to discuss the situation there and rising settler attacks in the West Bank, including in the West Bank village of Taybeh, which the patriarchs visited in a solidarity gesture July 14.

During the press conference, Cardinal Pizzaballa called on U.S. President Donald Trump and other world leaders to be "proactive and to take an important role in order to stop this devastation" to put an end to the 22-month long war.

The war in Gaza broke out after the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Southern Israeli communities in which 1,200 people were killed and 250 people taken hostage. Fifty people remain in captivity, with 20 people believed to still be alive -- some reportedly chained in underground tunnels, according to other hostages who have been released in previous ceasefire agreements.

Cardinal Pizzaballa described a Gaza of almost complete destruction, even more so than when he was last visiting Holy Family Parish just before Christmas. He said that when he visited the neighborhood of the Rosary sisters' school, he practically could not recognize the area because of the devastation.

He confirmed that although evacuation warnings were issued, Israel knew those in the Holy Family compound would not leave. About 400 people remain there, and around 160 are sheltering in the Greek Orthodox St. Porphyrios Church compound, he clarified.

Cardinal Pizzaballa also clarified that, contrary to reports from Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani's X account, the patriarchs did not enter Gaza with 500 tons of aid. They have received Israeli clearance, but are still coordinating logistics with local partners due to complex conditions. He added that they need time to organize in order to avoid repeating the situation that is happening with distribution of humanitarian aid -- without mentioning any specific name.

The Israeli-American Gaza Humanitarian Foundation has faced strong criticism after over 1,000 Palestinians were reportedly killed at aid distribution points. While Israel is blamed for the deaths, it claims Hamas gunmen fired into crowds to regain control of aid distribution.

"Humanitarian aid is not only necessary -- it is a matter of life and death. Refusing it is not a delay, but a sentence. Every hour without food, water, medicine and shelter causes deep harm," Cardinal Pizzaballa said in his statement.

He stressed that their mission serves all Gazans, not just one group, noting that church sites such as St. Porphyrios, the Holy Family compound, Al-Ahli Arab Baptist Hospital and Caritas are open to everyone -- "Christians, Muslims, believers, doubters, refugees, children."

The patriarch was audibly moved as he described a scene he witnessed of a father of six sitting beside the hospital bed of his one remaining child.

"Today we raise our voices in an appeal to the leaders of this region and the world: there can be no future based on captivity, displacement of Palestinians or revenge. There must be a way that restores life, dignity and all lost humanity," he said.

"It is time to end this nonsense, end the war and put the common good of people as the top priority. We pray -- and call -- for the release of all those deprived of freedom, for the return of the missing, the hostages and for the healing of long-suffering families on all sides."

One sight which lifted his spirits was the sight of children still playing despite the devastation and bombing around them, he said.

"Children were able to enjoy the small things, ignoring the bombing around them," he said.

"The building was shaking but they were still playing. You could see how innocent they are. They are our humanity, something of our humanity which remains alive because of them."

Cardinal Pizzaballa thanked the world Christians for standing beside them and the people of Gaza, emphasizing that they were not against Israel or the Israeli people.

"I think it's important to say that we are denouncing what is going on in Gaza, but we have also to acknowledge the solidarity of many in ... Israeli society. Also thanks to them we could do what we are doing to deliver everything," he said. "So we are not against Israel, we are not against the Israeli people, but 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 …. And the future here is together. So we need to find a language … and use words that do not deny the existence of the other."

Standing up to address the patriarchs at the end of the conference, octogenarian Abu-El-Walid Dajani, who belongs to one of the oldest Muslim families of Jerusalem and is the owner of the landmark Imperial Hotel, expressed his "deepest gratitude" on behalf of "many people of the world" for their "courage and thought."

"We're looking for a better choice, for a better life in Gaza, and we hope that one day peace will prevail in the Holy Land," he said.