Church leaders condemn ‘wanton attack’ at aid site; Israelis demand hostage release March 4, 2024By Judith Sudilovsky OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, World News Patriarchs and Heads of the Churches in Jerusalem condemned a “wanton attack” by Israeli soldiers against Palestinian civilians in Gaza City who were waiting for delivery of humanitarian aid Feb. 29. Gaza health authorities said the attack left more than 100 people dead.
Mother of Israeli hostage says pope gave her ‘permission to not lose faith in humanity’ February 7, 2024By Judith Sudilovsky OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, World News 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.
Despite difficult Christmas season in Bethlehem devoid of tourists, local Christians have hope December 21, 2023By Judith Sudilovsky OSV News Filed Under: Christmas, Feature, News, World News Now, the streets of Bethlehem — normally filled with pilgrims at this time of the year — are empty, and many stores and restaurants dependent on tourism are closed.
In times of darkness, faith is all you have, says Cardinal Pizzaballa December 20, 2023By Judith Sudilovsky OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, World News While faith cannot change anything in moments of great darkness such as the one Israelis and Palestinians are currently living through in the Israeli-Hamas war, it can, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa said, create “a small light” which will give “orientation.”
‘We have nothing except our church — faith is stronger than war,’ says young Gaza Christian December 19, 2023By Judith Sudilovsky OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, World News The world has become small and dangerous for the 600 Palestinian Gaza Christians sheltering at the Holy Family Parish church compound in Gaza City almost since the start of the Israeli-Hamas war Oct. 7.
Israeli army denies targeting Gaza church where Pope Francis says ‘unarmed civilians’ were ‘targets’ December 18, 2023By Judith Sudilovsky OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, World News Following a series of attacks on Christians in the Gaza Strip by Israeli forces Dec. 16, including the killing of a mother and daughter at a Catholic church, the Israeli Defense Forces said that it “takes claims regarding harm to sensitive sites with the utmost seriousness.”
Priest: Gaza Christians suffer much as Israeli strikes on strip continue but aren’t losing hope December 12, 2023By Judith Sudilovsky OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, World News As the humanitarian crisis escalates in Gaza — amid tens of thousands of Palestinians gathered near Gaza’s border with Egypt, attempting to flee, and a health care system on the verge of collapsing — a Gaza priest warned that Christians in Gaza are suffering a lot.
Hospital close to Christ’s birthplace in Bethlehem struggles to operate amid war December 7, 2023By Judith Sudilovsky OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, World News The Holy Family Hospital in Bethlehem, located just 1,500 steps from the birthplace of Christ, is confronting significant challenges amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip 45 miles away.
On third day of cease-fire, more Hamas hostages freed; Israel releases more Palestinians November 27, 2023By Judith Sudilovsky OSV News Filed Under: News, World News The Hamas militant group Nov. 26 released a third group of hostages numbering 17, who include 12 Israelis, one American woman and an Israeli-American child and three Thai nationals, according to The Associated Press, and Israel confirmed it freed another 39 Palestinians.
Israel agrees to hostage deal with Hamas; church leaders hope it will lead to end of war November 22, 2023By Judith Sudilovsky OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, World News The Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, expressed his happiness at the late-night hostage-exchange agreement reached between Israel and Hamas Nov. 21, and said he hoped it would lead to end to the war which broke out after an Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attack on 22 southern Israeli agricultural communities along the border with Gaza.
Patriarchs, church leaders urge Holy Land’s Christians to ‘stand strong’ In Advent message November 14, 2023By Judith Sudilovsky OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, World News Christmas in Bethlehem and the Holy Land this year will be one of solemnity, prayer and fasting as the Patriarchs and Heads of the Churches in Jerusalem called upon the faithful to forgo any “unnecessarily festive activities” during the Christmas season this year and to “stand strong” with those facing the afflictions of war, focusing more on the spiritual meaning of Christmas.
As world prays for peace in Holy Land, Israeli-Hamas war intensifies by air, on ground October 30, 2023By Judith Sudilovsky OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, World News As the world prayed for peace in the Holy Land Oct. 27, Pope Francis called for the war to halt and prayers to continue during the Angelus Oct. 29, as death toll in Gaza passed 8,000 and Israeli troops gradually increased their ground activity in the Gaza Strip, without calling it an “invasion.”
