Overview
- The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem said Israelis and Palestinians need a change of political and religious leadership to open new prospects.
- He warned that peace must be carefully prepared over time, noting that previous failed agreements counsel patience and groundwork.
- Pizzaballa urged a shift in public language away from contempt and exclusion and called for concrete gestures that rebuild trust among communities.
- He said the Sharm el-Sheikh agreement backed by President Donald Trump sparked popular joy but faces early obstacles, citing the Rafah crossing’s closure and reports of arbitrary executions in Gaza.
- In Rome he accepted the Achille Silvestrini prize on behalf of Gaza’s Sacra Famiglia parish and visited Bambino Gesù hospital to sign a pediatric health training agreement for the Strip, while appealing for pilgrimages to resume in the Holy Land.