Patriarch Pizzaballa: Gaza ceasefire more urgent than ever

By Federico Piana and Joseph Tulloch

“A ceasefire in Gaza is more urgent than ever. »

This is the last appeal for peace launched by Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem.

Speaking to Federico Piana of Vatican News, Patriarch Pizzaballa stressed that a ceasefire is possible: “All that is missing is the will to achieve it. »

During the interview, the patriarch also spoke of the “fragile” situation of Christians in Gaza and the role that the Church could play in peace negotiations.

The following transcript has been lightly edited for clarity.

Patriarch Pizzaballa: This is not the first time we have called for a ceasefire and an end to all fighting in Gaza; we have been doing this continuously since October, alongside many other religious authorities, first and foremost the Holy Father. Our latest appeal comes precisely because we are in contact with our people in Gaza; We are aware that the situation is becoming more terrible every day.

Q: Why do you think a ceasefire in Gaza is possible?

The elements of a possible ceasefire have always been there; All that is missing is the will to achieve it. This requires both parties to be willing to compromise, as it is clear that compromises will have to be made on both sides. It seems to me that at this moment, because Ramadan is approaching, and also because after five months there is an obvious weariness with the situation, the time has come to take a different path.

Q: There was news recently from Gaza that shook the world: carnage occurring as people queued for humanitarian aid. How did you feel when you heard this news? What else can you tell us about what is happening in Gaza?

My reaction was, like everyone else's, great dismay. Dismay at the chaos into which the entire Gaza Strip has fallen, and dismay at the hunger which has spread, particularly in the north of the Strip. I know personally that getting food and fuel into the Gaza Strip is becoming increasingly difficult, as these images show. For example, Christians in the Gaza Strip only cook once or twice a week at most, and what they cook must last the entire week. This shows the situation we find ourselves in.

Water is scarce and what is available is not clean. So, even from a disease perspective, the situation is increasingly fragile. Medicines are also lacking; almost everything is missing. I think everyone understands that we cannot continue like this. I saw that they started dropping parachutes with food packages, but we need to find other, more coordinated and more systematic solutions, because if we continue like this it will only be chaos and chaos.

Q: How is the local Church, which you just mentioned, responding to the situation? What is the feeling from the point of view of faith: is there hope or not?

There is always hope; there is always the desire for this to end, the hope of being able to return to a life as normal as possible, even if I must say that these put it to the test. But there is faith.

I see that the Gaza community prays, has faith and above all tries to organize itself, to meet its needs but also to help neighboring groups. As long as there is a desire to do something, to organize, to help, all is not lost.

Q: What role does the Church have in diplomatic negotiations? Is it possible to intervene in this somewhat complex international situation and make an impact in one way or another?

I don't know if the Church can play this role, because these are very large and complex situations where power dynamics are key and the Church has no immediate power. However, I can say that the Church is very present in all channels of communication, with all parties, with the task of facilitating understanding between the different parties.

Q: Personally, given this complex, painful and difficult situation, do you think there is a possibility of a positive outcome, or are you more pessimistic?

In the short term, I don't think this situation will bring anything positive. But one thing I am sure of is that after this crisis, which is the most serious in the last 70 to 80 years, no one will be willing to accept temporary solutions, neither the Israelis nor the Palestinians.

Thus, this very serious crisis will clearly force – with dynamics to be defined, which will certainly not be immediate – everyone to find stable and long-term solutions to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which has already caused too many deaths during the decade. years.

Q: So, to conclude: is there hope for the two-state solution?

I don't know if we will see a two-state solution: maybe it will be two states or another solution, because the two-state solution will not be easy, even if, objectively, it seems the only possible one.

But it is clear that solutions must be found that guarantee stability, freedom and dignity for both Palestinians and Israelis.