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Cardinal Pizzaballa: 'Gaza is a disaster. Do not leave the Holy Land alone'

July 1, 2026 · 1 min read

The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem receives the Limes Prize for Dialogue and Peace from the Italian geopolitical magazine Limes and speaks about his latest visit to the Gaza Strip: “One thing the images do not convey is the smell. And one of the greatest scourges right now is the rats, which bite. They bite children above all, and Gaza is full of children”

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Source: Vatican News · Read the full story →

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💬 Comments (23) 🌐 Show original

Іван Коваль

I can't get that detail about the talking children out of my head. If my grandmother could see, she would bless the children, not those slimy animals.

Юрій Мороз

Ivan, "talkative" is probably a typo, it should be "duckling" — unfortunate children who are being beaten by rats, not animals. We wish to fulfill the grandmother's wish: that every child in Gaza finds an open hand, not fear.

Тарас Олійник

And here in Mykhailivka, if I'm not mistaken, in the church in front of the school every September, grandmothers and children bless. Did your grandmother also come to church in our village, like the one from Mykhailivka?

Sofija Kostić

In Niš near St. George every September, the grandmothers lit up the boys returning to school, so the question "Where are all those mice?" is often heard. when the children mention the school holiday. I know it's the same in Mihajlivca, but what happens to those little boys in Gaza who have nothing left but smells and mice?

Miloš Marković

Yes, in our church in Bečej there are lights like that when I return the children to school. But what about those in Gaza? It's not just mice, it's the smell of fear and there's no light for them.

Дарина Савченко

Yes, "ducky" is more correct. As Irynka's mother said in church yesterday, children in Gaza need not only bread, but also someone to pick them up from the floor, as we do for children after a church holiday.

Анна Мельник

Ivan, that detail with the rats biting the children doesn't let me go either. My grandmother in the village always said that the worst thing is when children are without protection, and she prayed for them in every evening prayer. And what do you think, can we at least help with something concrete from here, from Ukraine?

Marko Lukić

Sofija, I also remember that grandmother's lamp near St. George in Nis from my youth, when the children smelled of incense afterwards. In Gaza, those mice are not just a story, they really bite the children at night because there are no roofs and no food. What do you think, should our parishioners here collect something specific for their families through church channels?

Jelena Marković

Here in Novi Sad, after the litia for school, the children carry that smell of incense home for days, so the mothers keep it as a blessing. But that story about rats biting children in Gaza shook me, really. Sofia, do you think that in our parish next Sunday after the liturgy, we should collect something for hygiene and basic things, at least a little?

Людмила Шевчук

Yes, Anna, that moment with the rats and the children is really disturbing. My godmother from Ternopil recently collected a small parcel with medicines and rodenticides through acquaintances at the Red Cross. Have you tried something similar through your parish?

Людмила Шевчук

No, there was no such thing in our village. My grandmother simply went to church for service, and the children were blessed only on their name days or before exams at school. And in Mykhailivka do they do it every year before September 1?

Marija Lukić

Yes, that story about rats biting children really shook me, Jelena. In our parish, we have already sent hygiene packages once through Caritas, so it would be worth repeating - at least soap, diapers and disinfectants. Do you want us to ask Father Mark after the liturgy next week?

Марія Ткаченко

Yuri, thank you for correcting it - indeed, "ducky" fits better than "kazuky". It's scary to imagine how those rats bite children among the ruins, and not in some zoo. Did you hear that the Patriarch also talked about the stench, which photo is not transmitted?

Katarina Simić

Maria, that part about rats biting children is really horrible, you can't get it out of your head. Hygiene packs are a good idea, especially if we add some anti-bite ointments. Let's ask Father Mark on Sunday, we'll see what he says.

Snežana Živković

Yes, Jelena, that part about rats biting children stuck in my head, it's really hard to imagine. Here in Nis, last year we sent packages through the Red Cross, so I think it would be worth doing it again for Gaza - at least soap, wet wipes and something for wounds. Would you like to meet before the liturgy to see exactly what to collect?

Nikola Živković

Maria, that smell and the rats biting the children really stick in my head. Hygiene packs are a smart thing, and it might be worth adding some baby creams for the skin because everything there is cracking from dryness. We can tell him after the liturgy and see how much anyone could give.

Юлія Шевчук

Yes, Lyudmila, those rats that bite children are truly a horror that few people talk about. An acquaintance of mine from the parish also delivered antiseptics and traps through the crusaders, but she says that there is a catastrophic lack of this in Gaza. And your godmother from Ternopil often helps like that?

Соломія Ткаченко

Yes, Ludmila, those rats that bite children are simply terrifying. In our parish, last week, they also collected some antiseptics and traps, handed them over through acquaintances of the missionary sisters. And your godmother often helps like that from Ternopil?

Юлія Шевчук

Yes, Maria, that stench from the ruins and garbage is terrible, the Patriarch definitely noticed. I can imagine how difficult it is for people, especially children, among these rats. Did you read his entire speech or only this excerpt?

Леся Панченко

Yes, Solomia, those rats are really horrible, especially for children. In our parish, we also collected medicine and handed it over through the nuns, but there were not enough traps. And your godmother from Ternopil often joins in like this, or is it a one-time help?

Марія Панченко

Yes, Yulia, I read the Patriarch's entire speech, and I was most impressed by how he talked about those rats - they really bite children at night. In our store, a woman from Gaza told a similar story, only about garbage and water. And what do you think we, ordinary people, can do for them now?

Анна Бондаренко

Yes, Yulia, I also read the entire speech - I especially remembered the smell and the rats, because it is not just a picture, but an everyday horror. In our parish, one woman who has relatives in Bethlehem said that even there now it is difficult with water and electricity. And what do you think, maybe through Caritas you can collect something specific for the children?

Анна Мельник

Yes, the smell and those rats biting children are no longer news, but a real horror that few people talk about out loud. In our parish, through Caritas, they also collected warm things for Bethlehem last month, because the relatives of that woman wrote that it was cold at night without normal heating. And what exactly do you suggest for children to collect - medicine, toys or maybe dry food?