(Vatican News) — In the hours following the annoucement of a ceasefire in Gaza, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, expresses his cautious optimism, touching on the fragile hope for the future and the urgent humanitarian priorities needed in the Gaza strip.
After 15 months of Israeli bombings, 46,000 deaths, and 1.9 million displaced Palestinians, Israel and Hamas have finally reached a deal to end the fighting in the Gaza Strip. For the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the ceasefire is “the necessary turning point we needed.”
Whilst recognising that what lies ahead is full of challenges, it is impossible not to feel joy at the announcement of a deal. “We are all very happy,” Cardinal Pizzaballa tells Vatican Media’s Roberto Paglialonga. “In every context, people are happy because this war has worn us down, exhausted us, and wounded everyone’s lives.”
