Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Jerusalem (Agenzia Fides) – A delegation comprised of Jewish rabbis, Catholic priests, and Muslim imams, in recent days visited the Gaza Strip, offering the people a message of peace and hope. Their goal was to bring words of comfort, show their solidarity, and spread awareness of the people's needs, so as to promote humanitarian assistance.
The initiative was dubbed “The Peace Convoy” and the group was greeted with joy and enthusiasm by the local people, suffering from the recent conflict that has brought war, pain, and destruction since this past January in Gaza. The organizers of the trip were the interreligious movement “Hommes de Parole,” which is headquartered in Geneva (Switzerland) and has spread to many countries throughout the world.
Caritas of Jerusalem also participated in the initiative, as they are working in the humanitarian effort in Gaza (see Fides 24/3/2009). They took advantage of the occasion to once again survey the situation in Gaza and distribute sanitary aid kits to over 2,100 families, with soaps, detergents, linens, and various objects for personal hygiene. The delegation of religious leaders brought words of hope and encouragement to the people and affirmed that Gaza's inhabitants “will not be abandoned.” Many children and youth welcomed the convoy as it visited the various towns in the Gaza Strip.
The delegation could observe the difficult living conditions of thousands of families living there, who have been living in tents (there are nearly 16,000 internal refugees), and assured their dedication to improving the material and psychological conditions of the sick and suffering of the conflict.
All of them have called for humanitarian assistance and an aid plan for rebuilding and development in Gaza.
The presence of the representatives from three religions also gave witness to “solidarity without boundaries,” in an effort to free consciences from hate and mistrust, and uprooting the idea that the conflict between Israel and Palestine is a conflict between religions.
In addition, among the many initiatives for solidarity that exist, the closeness of the Holy See and the Universal Church with the people of Gaza is reflected in the donations collected in the Misa “in Coena Domini” (the Lord's Supper), which will be celebrated by Benedict XVI on Holy Thursday (this April 9). All the proceeds from this Mass' collection will go to help the people of the Gaza Strip. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 1/4/2009)
