Catholic leaders in Holy Land say it will take much more than a ceasefire to end conflict

John Lavenburg/Crux• January 17, 2025

The Catholic ordinaries in the Holy Land have said that while the ceasefire agreement Israel and Hamas are closing in on is a necessary step, more has to happen to “credibly address the deep-rooted issues” at the core of the conflict.

“We hope that this ceasefire will mark an important end to the violence that has caused immeasurable suffering,” the Catholic ordinaries said in a 16 January statement. “It is a necessary step to halt the destruction and meet the urgent humanitarian needs of countless families affected by the conflict.

“However, we are aware that the end of the war does not mean the end of the conflict. It is therefore necessary to seriously and credibly address the deep-rooted issues that have been at the root of this conflict for far too long.

“Genuine and lasting peace can only be achieved through a just solution that addresses the origin of this long-standing struggle,” they continued. “This requires a long process, a willingness to acknowledge each other’s suffering and a focused education in trust that leads to overcoming fear of the other and the justification of violence as a political tool.”

Founded in 1992, the Assembly of the Catholic Ordinaries in Holy Land includes the bishops, eparchs and exarchs of the Catholic Church holding jurisdiction over the territory of the Holy Land: Jerusalem, Palestine, Israel, Jordan and Cyprus. The ordinaries belong to the Latin Church, Maronite Church and the Greek Melkite, Armenian, Syriac and Chaldean Catholic Churches.

Currently, the assembly has 27 members. It is statutorily chaired by the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, currently Italian Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa.

Pizzaballa, in a 16 January statement, called the ceasefire the “necessary turning point we needed”.

“The hope is that this is the beginning of a process – albeit lengthy – that will, hopefully, bring lasting peace,” Pizzaballa said, while also noting that in the immediate future the ceasefire agreement should make it easier to get humanitarian aid into Gaza where people are “in desperate need of support”.

Bishop Elias Zaidan, chair of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Committee on International Justice and Peace, also said he receives the news with great hope, calling it “an encouraging sign of peace for a region that has seen far too much bloodshed and destruction”.

“I pray that this peace can take firm and lasting root in the Middle East, and I renew my gratitude for the crucial, peace-building role that the United States has played in this ceasefire and hostage release,” Zaidan, bishop of the Maronite Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon, said in a 16 January statement.

The ceasefire agreement was initially announced on 15 January; however, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on 16 January that a “last minute crisis” with Hamas was holding it up. If finally approved, the agreement would bring an end to the fighting in Gaza for a period of 42 days, and involve the freeing of dozens of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners.

Of the estimated 100 hostages who remain in Gaza, one third are believed dead, according to the Israeli Defence Forces.

If the ceasefire begins, Israel and Hamas would need to reach a second agreement for it to continue beyond the initial 42-day period of the ceasefire.

The Catholic ordinaries said in their statement, which was published before Netanyahu announced the deal was on hold, that they pray the ceasefire brings a sense of “serenity and relief”, and that it will “allow all to find solace, rebuild their lives and regain hope for the future”.

The Catholic ordinaries expressed an “unwavering hope” that they maintain for the future. They also expressed hope that the ceasefire agreement inspires new efforts “for dialogue, mutual understanding and lasting peace for all”, and called on political leaders worldwide to lead those efforts.

“Finally, we call on political leaders and the international community to develop a clear and just political vision for the post-war period,” the Catholic ordinaries said. “A future built on dignity, security and freedom for all peoples is a prerequisite for true and lasting peace.

“We urge all parties to implement the immediate steps and negotiate the future steps of the agreement in good faith,” the Catholic ordinaries continued.

Similarly, the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development – the official aid agency of the Catholic Church in England in Wales – said that the temporary pause to the fighting brings a “welcome respite”, but also highlighted the need for a long-term agreement and solution.

“This temporary pause will bring a welcome respite in hostilities, but it is vital this pause extends into a long-term ceasefire,” Janet Symes, the agency’s head of region for Asia and the Middle East, said in a 15 January statement.

She said that a “sustainable” and “just and lasting peace” is required to end both “the occupation” and “the suffering of people in Gaza”, as well as to bring “peace and security across the region”.

Photo: Palestinian children play on a makeshift tire swing as the sun sets over a displacement camp alongside the rubble and destruction of Khan Younis, Gaza, 7 November 2024. (Photo by SAEED JARAS/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images.)