Pope recalls Israeli-American killed in Gaza, calls for hostages’ release September 16, 2024By Justin McLellan Catholic News Service Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, News, Vatican, World News Pope Francis lamented the death of an Israeli-American hostage abducted by Hamas and called for the immediate release of all hostages being held in Gaza.
Israel plunges into massive protests as Israeli-American, 5 other hostages found dead in Gaza tunnel September 2, 2024By Judith Sudilovsky OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, Vatican, World News In what was a devastating Sunday morning for hostage families, Israel said Sept. 1 that it had recovered the bodies of six hostages in Gaza, including Israeli-American Hersh Goldberg-Polin, whose parents became outspoken global advocates for all hostages to be released.
As war frightens away tourists, Catholic activists pray for peace during Holy Land pilgrimage September 2, 2024By Paul Jeffrey OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, World News The Holy Land’s sacred sites overflow with tourists in normal times, but with war in Gaza, most airlines have canceled flights to the region. The streets of the Old City of Jerusalem are deserted with merchant’s stalls shuttered.
Holy Land patriarchs call for rapid cease-fire as war’s one-year mark approaches August 29, 2024By Judith Sudilovsky OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, World News 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.
Pope to bishops in Middle East: ‘Keep hope burning’ August 28, 2024By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, News, Vatican, World News Pope Francis asked Catholic bishops in the Middle East to always be “signs of hope, a presence that nurtures words and gestures of peace, brotherhood and respect.”
Jerusalem cardinal: Interreligious dialogue currently in ‘crisis’ August 21, 2024By Justin McLellan Catholic News Service Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, News, Vatican, World News Three hundred days after the outbreak of war in Gaza, the cardinal at the heart of the Holy Land said interreligious relations have reached a low point.
World Humanitarian Day highlights tragic record sacrifice of aid workers in war zones August 19, 2024By Junno Arocho Esteves OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Disaster Relief, Feature, News, War in Ukraine, World News As the world commemorates World Humanitarian Day 2024, the latest figures on the dire circumstances aid workers face on the frontline highlight the alarming increase in attacks against them and their work to relieve the suffering of civilians caught in the crossfire.
Amid war, it’s ‘kind of business as usual’ in Jerusalem with ‘a certain fearfulness,’ priest says August 19, 2024By Gina Christian OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, World News As the Israel-Hamas war edges toward the one-year mark, OSV News spoke with Jesuit Father John Paul, rector of the Tantur Ecumenical Institute in Jerusalem, ahead of his return to Israel following a brief visit to the U.S. in early August.
Pope pleads for restraint in Middle East after killing of Hamas leader August 5, 2024By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, Vatican, World News As fears of a widening war in the Middle East grew again in early August, Pope Francis pleaded with the region’s leaders to exercise restraint and engage in dialogue.
Amid devastation of Israel-Hamas war, miracles happen, says Caritas Jerusalem August 1, 2024By Dale Gavlak OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Disaster Relief, Feature, News, World News The staff of the international Catholic relief arm Caritas Jerusalem are expressing praise and gratitude for God’s seeming miraculous intervention on a Gaza church compound July 29.
Israel calls for entire Gaza City evacuation; U.S. bishop urges places of refuge not be targeted July 12, 2024By OSV News OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, News, World News The Israeli military July 10 called for all Palestinians to leave Gaza City and head south, as the chairman of the U.S. bishops’ Committee on International Justice and Peace urged civilians not be targeted and “remain outside the sphere of combat.”
Eastern church leaders describe heroic witness on front lines in conflict-ridden regions July 9, 2024By Laura Ieraci OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, News, Religious Freedom, War in Ukraine, World News The heroic work and witness of the Eastern churches in some of the world’s most conflict-ridden regions was highlighted at the annual Catholic Media Conference held in Atlanta in June.
