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.”
Pope condemns targeting of unarmed civilians in Gaza December 18, 2023By Justin McLellan Catholic News Service Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, Vatican, World News Pope Francis condemned the Israeli military’s killing of two Christian women sheltering at a Catholic parish in Gaza and an attack on a convent, noting that in the current fighting “unarmed civilians are targets for bombs and gunfire.”
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.
Pope asks Mary to watch over Ukrainians, Palestinians, Israelis December 8, 2023By Justin McLellan Catholic News Service Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, Vatican, War in Ukraine, World News Mary’s conception, free from original sin, shows that the destiny of humanity lies in life, brotherhood, harmony and peace rather than death, hate, conflict and war, Pope Francis said on the feast of the Immaculate Conception.
Senate Republicans block Ukraine-Israel emergency aid over border, raising Catholic concerns December 8, 2023By Kate Scanlon OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, U.S. Congress, War in Ukraine, World News Senate Republicans Dec. 6 blocked an emergency spending bill to provide billions of dollars in wartime aid to Ukraine and Israel while calling for strict new policies at the U.S.-Mexico border opposed by some Catholic immigration advocates.
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.
Message of Peace Light, now in U.S., seen as more urgent amid Israel-Hamas war December 4, 2023By Alicia Venter OSV News Filed Under: Advent, Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, World News As Catholics across the New York metropolitan area were given the opportunity to light their first candle of the Advent season the weekend of Dec. 2-3, a flame drawn from a source that dates back 1,000 years arrived at John F. Kennedy International Airport in Queens.
Fighting in Holy Land, bombing in Philippines prompt prayers from ailing Pope December 4, 2023By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, Vatican, World News The end of the temporary cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas “means death, destruction, misery,” Pope Francis said.
Israel-Hamas truce has been extended by two days; more hostages scheduled to be released November 27, 2023By OSV News OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, World News Qatar’s foreign affairs ministry said Nov. 27 that an agreement has been reached to extend the Israel-Hamas truce for another two days. The announcement was made by a ministry’s spokesperson on X on the final day of a four-day cease-fire in which hostages abducted by Hamas in October have been released in exchange for Palestinian […]
Biden celebrates release of some Hamas hostages, says it is ‘only a start’ November 27, 2023By Kate Scanlon OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, World News President Joe Biden said Nov. 26 that he and first lady Jill Biden, “together with so many Americans are praying,” for 4-year-old Abigail Edan, an Israeli-American child who was in the third group of hostages released a few hours earlier by Hamas.
For ‘Red Week,’ parish remembers suffering of Jews and Muslims along with persecuted Christians November 23, 2023By Sam Lucero OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, Religious Freedom, World News A prayer service to spotlight the persecution of Christians around the world expanded its focus this year as one Wisconsin parish included both Muslims and Jews in its remembrance.
Pope holds separate meetings with Israelis, Palestinians at Vatican November 22, 2023By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, Vatican, World News With hopes growing for a temporary, humanitarian cease-fire, Pope Francis met at the Vatican Nov. 22 with relatives of Israelis held hostage by Hamas and, separately, with relatives of Palestinians suffering under the Israeli siege of Gaza.
