Gaza - “We cannot close our eyes and hearts to hungry and scared children. We cannot remain indifferent to knowing that 60,000 pregnant women in Gaza suffer from hunger and malnutrition in their delicate and important condition: that of giving life.” said Fr. Ibrahim Faltas, Vicar of the Custody of the Holy Land, in an interview with the Italian Catholic news agency, SIR

Fr. Faltas emphasized the dire plight faced by innocent civilians caught in the crossfire of the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.

He drew attention to the alarming statistics, revealing that an estimated 60,000 pregnant women in Gaza endure the harsh realities of hunger and malnutrition, placing their own lives and the lives of their unborn children at risk. He underscored the urgency of addressing this humanitarian crisis, stressing that the vulnerable cannot afford to wait for political permissions or global consensus to receive essential aid.

"We cannot turn a blind eye to the suffering of the defenseless," Fr. Faltas declared, urging swift action to alleviate their plight. "We can’t just tell them that their hunger must wait until the powerful people of the world have given their permission to feed them or just leave them starving."

"Our hearts cannot remain indifferent to the plight of hungry and frightened children," Fr. Faltas continued. "Humanity will fall into an abyss if it does not satisfy the primary needs of the defenseless."

The Vicar of the Custody of the Holy Land shared poignant accounts of children left orphaned and mothers mourning the loss of their offspring, painting a grim picture of the human cost of war. He spoke of Gazawi children facing the imminent threat of starvation and mothers risking their lives to give birth amidst the chaos of falling bombs.

Expressing disbelief at the indifference of certain individuals to the suffering of innocents, Fr. Faltas questioned how the trauma of those who have lost loved ones can be erased, and how the cries of anguish from grieving mothers and orphaned children can be silenced.

"I listen to their stories; I read their stories, and I try to understand how certain adults don’t feel the need to stop, to help, to stop committing injustices," the Franciscan friar lamented. "How can we cancel the trauma of someone who was under the rubble and saved himself while other members of his family died next to him? How can we console that child of a few years old who tries to console his mother who has lost another child?"

Fr. Faltas called upon the global community to pray for enlightenment and compassion, urging the light of truth to dispel hypocrisy and awaken consciences. He reiterated the imperative to stand in solidarity with those afflicted by the horrors of war, advocating for truth, justice, and peace in the midst of adversity.