The Latin and Greek Orthodox Patriarchs of Jerusalem announced that they and their clergy will not abandon Gaza. Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa and Patriarch Theophilos III issued a joint statement on Aug. 26, saying that “leaving Gaza and trying to escape southward amounts to a death sentence” for hundreds of civilians who are hosted in the religious structures. Many of them are weakened, sick or wounded.
“This is not the right path,” they insist. “There is no reason to justify the deliberate and forced mass displacement of civilians. It is time to end this spiral of violence, to end the war, and to prioritize the common good of the people.”
The patriarchs conclude, “With equal urgency, we call on the international community to act to end this senseless and destructive war and to secure the return of missing persons and Israeli hostages.”
