Vatican City: Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, has appealed to the international community not to forget the suffering of people in the Holy Land, describing the humanitarian situation in Gaza as a disaster and urging continued efforts for dialogue, understanding and peace.
Speaking after receiving the Limes Prize for Dialogue and Peace in Bergamo, Italy, from the Italian geopolitical magazine Limes, Cardinal Pizzaballa reflected on his recent visit to Gaza and shared heartbreaking details of the conditions faced by civilians living in the war torn territory.
The Cardinal visited Gaza on June 22 and 23 together with Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem. Recalling what he witnessed, he said entire cities had been destroyed beyond recognition. He said Rafah had effectively disappeared and that much of the area had been reduced to rubble.
According to the Cardinal, many displaced families are now living in tents surrounded by damaged roads and overflowing sewage. He said one of the realities that photographs and television images cannot capture is the unbearable smell that fills the area. He also described the growing problem of rats, saying they often bite children, who make up a large part of Gaza's population.
He spoke with sadness about seeing children playing near sewage instead of attending school. He said many of them spend their days in unsafe and unhealthy conditions because schools remain closed and normal life has completely broken down.
Cardinal Pizzaballa said there has been little improvement in daily life despite periods of reduced fighting. While some food is now entering Gaza, he explained that many essential supplies remain restricted. Even basic educational materials such as desks, pencils, notebooks and glass for repairing school windows are still difficult to obtain because they are classified as dual use goods.
He said Church institutions are trying to prepare schools for reopening by recycling whatever materials they can find, but resources remain extremely limited.
The Cardinal also highlighted the growing mental health crisis among children and mothers. Healthcare workers in Gaza, he said, have stressed the urgent need for trained professionals who can help people cope with the severe psychological trauma caused by months of violence, displacement and loss.
Expressing his personal feelings, Cardinal Pizzaballa said he experiences profound sorrow whenever he reflects on the suffering of civilians and admitted that he struggles to understand the scale of the tragedy unfolding before the world.
His remarks came as reports continued to emerge of fresh violence in Gaza. Recent Israeli airstrikes reportedly struck areas where displaced Palestinian families had taken shelter, destroying tents and forcing many women, children and people with disabilities to spend the night outdoors. Several deaths were also reported in central, southern and northern parts of the territory.
The Cardinal also drew attention to the situation in the occupied West Bank, describing it as equally serious. He said Palestinians often experience a lack of legal protection and face repeated acts of violence, intimidation and restrictions from Israeli settlers.
He claimed that settlers establish checkpoints, damage farmland, cut down trees and prevent Palestinians from cultivating their land. He also alleged that complaints to the Israeli military frequently fail to stop such incidents because the attackers leave before security forces arrive.
Despite the violence and growing divisions, Cardinal Pizzaballa insisted that dialogue remains essential. He acknowledged that the attacks of October 7 continue to have a deep impact on Israeli society and have influenced public attitudes and political developments.
He said Israeli society today is becoming increasingly divided, with more hardline religious and political groups gaining influence. He warned that these changes are creating new tensions not only with Palestinians but also within Israeli society itself.
The Cardinal also spoke about the changing character of Jerusalem. He said the city has experienced significant demographic and social changes in recent years, with shifting population patterns and a declining Christian presence. He noted that different communities are increasingly living separate lives, making meaningful interaction and mutual understanding more difficult.
Reflecting on the wider causes of conflict, Cardinal Pizzaballa warned against the spread of hostile and exclusionary language. He echoed the concern expressed by Pope Leo XIV that the crisis of language has become one of the deepest roots of modern conflicts, making reconciliation even harder to achieve.
He concluded with an appeal to journalists, media organisations and the international community to continue paying attention to the Holy Land. He urged them not to allow the conflict to disappear from public discussion as global attention shifts to other crises.
Cardinal Pizzaballa said the people of the Holy Land should not be isolated or forgotten. He called for empathy, understanding and dialogue across communities, saying the world must help those living through the conflict find hope and avoid being left alone in their suffering.