Pressure from the Vatican
Catholic Leaders: No Famine in Gaza, Pressure Must Be Directed at Hamas
Latin Patriarch Pierbattista Pizzaballa visited with Catholics in the Gaza Strip over the weekend. Upon his return to Jerusalem, he was clear that there is no famine in Gaza, and that it is up to Hamas to uphold the conditions of the ceasefire.
Senior Catholic officials in the region said there is currently no famine in Gaza and urged the international community to focus its pressure on Hamas, arguing that the terror group’s refusal to accept a political framework for Gaza’s future is the primary obstacle to stability and recovery.
Speaking in Jerusalem after visiting Gaza over the weekend, Latin Patriarch Pierbattista Pizzaballa said that while humanitarian needs remain serious, conditions on the ground have changed markedly. “The food is there, at least,” he said. “We have to say that there’s not any more famine or hunger. Things are entering. Not everything, but it’s a totally different situation compared to six months ago.”
Pizzaballa emphasized that the central issue facing Gaza is no longer the absence of aid, but the absence of political progress. He said international actors should apply sustained pressure on Hamas to agree to US President Donald Trump’s 20-point vision for Gaza’s future, which he described as the only existing roadmap. “We know it’s not simple,” he said, “but it is the only roadmap we have, so we have to continue this.”
Bishop William Shomali, patriarchal vicar for Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza, echoed that assessment, noting that food, including fruits and vegetables, is available in Gaza’s markets. However, he said widespread unemployment and poverty limit access. “The problem is money,” he said. “Many people don’t work, they don’t have income, and they depend on aid.”
Shomali also pointed to shortages of antibiotics and basic medicines, underscoring that while supplies exist, the civilian population remains vulnerable under Hamas’s control.
Pizzaballa argued that countries maintaining ties with Hamas bear particular responsibility. “Those who are in relations with Hamas should work a lot in order to convince them,” he said, adding that Gaza cannot move forward without a fundamental change in governance. “We are convinced that Gaza needs to turn the page and to have a completely different future.”
While avoiding direct political prescriptions, the patriarch was clear in condemning continued violence. “We saw the result,” he said. “It broke.”
The remarks reflect a growing view among regional religious leaders that humanitarian improvement alone will not resolve Gaza’s crisis, and that meaningful progress depends on sustained international pressure on Hamas to abandon violence and accept a political framework for the territory’s future.