Judith Sudilovsky

With the approaching one-year mark of the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip, spurred by the Hamas attack on southern Israeli agricultural communities Oct. 7, the Patriarchs and Heads of the Churches in Jerusalem urged the warring sides to “reach a rapid agreement” for a cease-fire.

Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, described the small resilient community of the Holy Family Parish compound in Gaza City as one with “steadfast faith,” amid horrific destruction and constant bombardment following his return from a four-day pastoral visit during Pentecost.

In a previously unpublicized visit, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, entered the Gaza Strip May 16, reaching Holy Family Parish for his first pastoral visit since the outbreak of Israel-Hamas war following the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel.

Since the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on southern Israeli communities that left 1,200 dead and over 250 kidnapped, Lo’ay Ayyad, 48, a father of two and a successful veteran tour guide in the region, has been largely unemployed as the tourism industry has come to a halt and he has used up almost all his savings.

Since her 23-year-old son Hersh had his left arm blown off at the elbow and was taken hostage into Gaza by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023, Rachel Goldberg-Polin has gone from the self-described “Jane Doe” anonymity of Jewish woman, to becoming the international voice for hostage families.