JERUSALEM, October 22, 2026 (WAFA) — Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa warned that the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip remains unresolved, while raising concerns over Israeli colonists’ attacks on Christian villages in the occupied West Bank and their impact on people's confidence in their future amid fears of a continued decline in the Christian presence in the Holy Land.

In an interview with the US-based National Catholic Register, published on Wednesday, October 21, Pizzaballa said conditions in Gaza had changed little, particularly on the humanitarian front. He noted that the war had not fully ended and that violence and casualties continued despite the existing ceasefire.

“The fires of war have subsided, but they have not been completely extinguished. There are still incidents of violence, war and death. There is a ceasefire, but it is not always respected,” he said.

He stressed that the real problem remained humanitarian, noting that reconstruction had yet to begin and that residents continued to live in extremely precarious conditions, dependent on aid.

Pizzaballa said he continued to visit the Gaza Strip whenever possible, adding that it was difficult to predict when the crisis would end because developments across the region were directly and indirectly interconnected.

Turning to the occupied West Bank, the Latin Patriarch expressed concern over Israeli colonists’ attacks on Christian villages, particularly the assault on the town of Taybeh, east of Ramallah, on October 17.

M.N