Holy Land Bishops Welcome Gaza Ceasefire

Jerusalem, January 17, 2025: The Assembly of Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy Land has welcomed the announcement of a ceasefire in Gaza, following 15 months of ongoing conflict. In a press release issued yesterday, the Assembly—which includes all Catholic bishops, eparchs, and exarchs in Jerusalem, Palestine, Israel, Jordan, and Cyprus—expressed satisfaction over the temporary halt in hostilities in Gaza. However, it stressed that the ceasefire is just "the first step" in a longer process to address the deeper issues at the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The ceasefire was officially announced on January 16, 2025, and has brought relief to the war-torn region, although the Assembly warned that it does not mark the end of the broader conflict.

"We are relieved by the ceasefire, but we must be clear that the end of the war does not mean the end of the conflict," the Assembly said in its statement. "What is needed now is a long process to address the deep-rooted issues that have fuelled this conflict for generations," it added. In this regard, their Assembly called on the international community to “develop a clear and just political vision for the post-war period.”

The Assembly, in their statement, also expressed hope for the resumption of pilgrimages to the Holy Land. Due to the ongoing conflict since October 2023, Christian pilgrims have virtually disappeared from the area, dealing a severe blow to the region’s tourism-dependent economy. "We eagerly await the return of pilgrims to the Holy Places," their statement said.

Concluding their statement, the Assembly referred to the 2025 Jubilee Year, themed ‘Pilgrims of hope,’ which they see as a sign of God’s faithfulness. "At the beginning of this Jubilee Year, dedicated to hope that does not disappoint, we read the ceasefire as a sign that reminds us of God's faithfulness," the Ordinaries wrote.

The Catholic community in the region remains hopeful that the ceasefire will pave the way for lasting peace and renewed hope for all.

Courtesy: Vatican News