Church leaders return with ‘damaged hearts’ after uncommon Gaza go to

[ad_1] Yolande Knell Center East correspondent, Jerusalem

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/d6f7/live/cbf97240-67a6-11f0-8979-21e9e3d3b0da.jpg.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/d6f7/live/cbf97240-67a6-11f0-8979-21e9e3d3b0da.jpg.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/d6f7/live/cbf97240-67a6-11f0-8979-21e9e3d3b0da.jpg.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/d6f7/live/cbf97240-67a6-11f0-8979-21e9e3d3b0da.jpg.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/d6f7/live/cbf97240-67a6-11f0-8979-21e9e3d3b0da.jpg.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/d6f7/live/cbf97240-67a6-11f0-8979-21e9e3d3b0da.jpg.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/d6f7/live/cbf97240-67a6-11f0-8979-21e9e3d3b0da.jpg.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/d6f7/live/cbf97240-67a6-11f0-8979-21e9e3d3b0da.jpg.webp" loading="eager" alt="Getty Images Jerusalem Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III and Jerusalem Latin Patriarch Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa visit the Holy Family Church, in Gaza City" class="sc-d1200759-0 dvfjxj"/> Getty Photographs Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III (left) and Latin Patriarch Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa (centre) visited Gaza for 4 days

Church leaders in Jerusalem say they've returned from a visit to Gaza with "damaged hearts", describing ravenous folks and youngsters not "batting an eyelid" on the sound of bombing.

"We've seen males holding out within the solar for hours within the hope of easy meal," the Latin Patriarch, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, informed journalists.

"That is humiliation that's exhausting to bear once you see it with you personal eyes. It's morally unacceptable and unjustifiable."

The Greek Orthodox Patriarch, Theophilos III, mentioned his Church would "stand in solidarity" with "the entire folks of Gaza".

The 2 males made a uncommon go to to the war-torn strip after Israeli fireplace hit the Catholic Holy Household Church in Gaza Metropolis final week, killing two girls and a person.

US President Donald Trump is claimed to have made an offended name to Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu concerning the lethal strike, which got here days after an alleged assault by extremist Israeli settlers subsequent to the ruins of an historic church within the Christian village of Taybeh within the occupied West Financial institution.

Netanyahu's workplace expressed deep remorse for what was described as "a stray ammunition" hitting the Gaza church.

Nevertheless, native Christians have questioned whether or not the place of worship was intentionally focused. About 400 folks have been sheltering within the compound, which is in a part of Gaza Metropolis now beneath Israeli evacuation orders.

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/4cc4/live/ae0df2d0-6736-11f0-8690-fb465861df68.jpg.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/4cc4/live/ae0df2d0-6736-11f0-8690-fb465861df68.jpg.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/4cc4/live/ae0df2d0-6736-11f0-8690-fb465861df68.jpg.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/4cc4/live/ae0df2d0-6736-11f0-8690-fb465861df68.jpg.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/4cc4/live/ae0df2d0-6736-11f0-8690-fb465861df68.jpg.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/4cc4/live/ae0df2d0-6736-11f0-8690-fb465861df68.jpg.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/4cc4/live/ae0df2d0-6736-11f0-8690-fb465861df68.jpg.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/4cc4/live/ae0df2d0-6736-11f0-8690-fb465861df68.jpg.webp" loading="lazy" alt="Getty Images The façade of the Holy Family Church is damaged after it was hit in an Israeli strike" class="sc-d1200759-0 dvfjxj"/> Getty Photographs The roof of the Holy Household Church was hit by an Israeli shell final week

On the information convention, Pizzaballa famous that Christians have been struggling in the identical methods as different Palestinians.

"Three folks died in our group, however hundreds already died in Gaza," he mentioned.

He added that current settler violence in Taybeh, was a part of "broader phenomenon" within the West Financial institution which was "changing into a no-law land".

Though Italy's overseas ministry introduced that the patriarchs had entered Gaza with 500 tonnes of assist, Pizzaballa mentioned "not a gram" had but been in a position to enter as a consequence of logistical points.

He described the frustration of those that got here to the church hoping for handouts.

Amid a number of the most extreme meals shortages in 21 months of warfare, Pizzaballa and Theophilos III mentioned they met folks "completely starved" and gave an account of the widespread destruction.

"We walked by way of the mud of ruins, previous collapsed buildings and tents all over the place: in courtyards, alleyways, on the streets and on the seaside," Pizzaballa mentioned on the finish of his four-day go to. "Tents which have grow to be houses for individuals who have misplaced every little thing."

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/8b14/live/3441d570-6736-11f0-af20-030418be2ca5.jpg.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/8b14/live/3441d570-6736-11f0-af20-030418be2ca5.jpg.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/8b14/live/3441d570-6736-11f0-af20-030418be2ca5.jpg.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/8b14/live/3441d570-6736-11f0-af20-030418be2ca5.jpg.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/8b14/live/3441d570-6736-11f0-af20-030418be2ca5.jpg.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/8b14/live/3441d570-6736-11f0-af20-030418be2ca5.jpg.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/8b14/live/3441d570-6736-11f0-af20-030418be2ca5.jpg.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/8b14/live/3441d570-6736-11f0-af20-030418be2ca5.jpg.webp" loading="lazy" alt="Jimmy Michael / BBC Speaking in front of microphones on top of a white table the Latin Patriarch Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa and Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III address reporters in Jerusalem on 22 July 2025" class="sc-d1200759-0 dvfjxj"/> Jimmy Michael / BBC Pizzaballa and Theophilos III addressed reporters in Jerusalem after visiting Gaza

Final week, the 2 Church leaders led a delegation of overseas diplomats to Taybeh, north of Ramallah, the place residents and native monks described a number of assaults by settlers.

Essentially the most critical was the fireplace stared subsequent to the ruins of the Byzantine Church of St George.

An Israeli police assertion mentioned on Tuesday {that a} particular investigative unit had discovered that "opposite to deceptive studies, no harm was brought on" to the church. It mentioned the fireplace was restricted to an adjoining open space and that arson was not but confirmed.

Nevertheless, one witness informed the BBC that he noticed settlers beginning the blaze and others accused Israeli safety forces of failing to answer their complaints.

Villagers say extremists have seized their plots on the sting of Taybeh and usually harass them, bringing cattle to eat their olive bushes.

"What is going on on is de facto ridiculous and it is driving folks out as Israelis put their fingers on our land," a former mayor and co-founder of the Taybeh brewery, Daoud Khoury, informed the BBC.

He mentioned he frightened that extremist settlers and an financial downturn because the begin of the Gaza warfare would power extra Christians to to migrate.

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/47e0/live/7cd97620-67a0-11f0-89ea-4d6f9851f623.jpg.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/47e0/live/7cd97620-67a0-11f0-89ea-4d6f9851f623.jpg.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/47e0/live/7cd97620-67a0-11f0-89ea-4d6f9851f623.jpg.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/47e0/live/7cd97620-67a0-11f0-89ea-4d6f9851f623.jpg.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/47e0/live/7cd97620-67a0-11f0-89ea-4d6f9851f623.jpg.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/47e0/live/7cd97620-67a0-11f0-89ea-4d6f9851f623.jpg.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/47e0/live/7cd97620-67a0-11f0-89ea-4d6f9851f623.jpg.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/47e0/live/7cd97620-67a0-11f0-89ea-4d6f9851f623.jpg.webp" loading="lazy" alt="Reuters Latin Patriarch Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa stands next to burnt land following an alleged Israeli settler arson attack in the Christian village of Taybeh, in the occupied West Bank (14 July 2025)" class="sc-d1200759-0 dvfjxj"/> Reuters Pizzaballa and Theophilos III additionally visited Taybeh after the fireplace subsequent to the ruins of an historic church

In an uncommon transfer, the US ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, additionally visited Taybeh on Saturday.

In a press release, he then denounced the assault close to the church as "an act of terror" and demanded "harsh penalties" for these accountable.

Huckabee, who can be an evangelical pastor identified for his previous robust statements supporting Jewish settlements, that are seen as unlawful beneath worldwide regulation, wrote on X. "Desecrating a church, mosque or synagogue is against the law in opposition to humanity and God."

In response to the Israeli police assertion, he wrote that he had not attributed the fireplace to any group, that "regardless, it was crime and deserves penalties".

On the Jerusalem press convention, Theophilos III mentioned that the tiny Christian group should be supported to stay in Gaza, near their holy locations "stuffed with historical past".

Throughout his journey, Pizzaballa informed an Italian newspaper {that a} Catholic presence would keep within the territory "no matter occurs".

The 2 leaders reiterated calls by Pope Leo and a rising variety of worldwide leaders for a Gaza ceasefire and the discharge of remaining hostages held by Hamas.

"We're not in opposition to Israel," mentioned Pizzaballa, who is named a supporter of interfaith dialogue. "However we have to say with frankness and readability, that this coverage of the Israeli authorities in Gaza is unacceptable and morally we can not justify it."