By Vatican News
The Caritas Baby Hospital in Bethlehem is celebrating 71 years of active service this year.
As the war in Gaza rages on, adding to the already difficult situation in the region, over 410,000 children under the age of 18 are subjected to challenging conditions in many fields.
Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, Archbishop of Bologna and President of the Italian Bishops’ Conference, has just returned from a visit to the Holy Land where he visited the paediatric hospital in Bethlehem. Accompanied by 160 pilgrims from his diocese, Cardinal Zuppi was greeted on 15 June by Shireen Khamis, from the hospital’s press office.
The difficulties caused by war
Khamis explained to Cardinal Zuppi that “the war makes it even harder for families to bring their children here for treatment”.
“In the first three months of the conflict, 7,000 children were unable to receive the care they needed due to the numerous Israeli checkpoints. Moreover, the war has deepened the already severe economic crisis. Many families, deprived of income from tourism and pilgrimages, cannot afford medical care”, she explained.
Despite these hardships, the Caritas Baby Hospital remains steadfast in its mission. “In mid-March”, Khamis told the visiting Cardinal, “we welcomed 68 children from the Gaza Strip. They are now under the care of SOS Children’s Villages, with medical treatment provided by our hospital”.
A source of comfort
Cardinal Zuppi visited the patients and their parents, offering them words of comfort. He also took the time to converse with the dedicated medical staff. “This is a place where the immense suffering of children is met with compassion and care. But we must recognise that not every child is so fortunate,” he noted.
“We must begin here to understand what the most vulnerable need to ensure they receive all they are entitled to. The suffering of children is unacceptable, and we must work to make adults understand this.”
Remember all children
The Cardinal emphasised the importance of remembering all children affected by conflict, citing the tragic deaths of Israeli children in October and the ongoing deaths and casualties among Palestinian children in Gaza over the past eight months.
He recalled hearing firsthand from some of the patients about horrific experiences in Gaza, “such as undergoing amputations without anaesthesia.”
Cardinal Zuppi went on to stress that “we must strive to create a future that is possible for these children. By looking into their eyes, we understand our responsibilities. Hatred, the relentless logic of violence, and the failure to recognise the suffering of others while focusing only on our own pain—all these perpetuate further violence and claim more innocent lives, especially among children”.
Finally, Cardinal Zuppi highlighted the essence of his visit saying he strives, “to understand these pains and confront them with a united love, by being close, offering help, and praying fervently for the courage to achieve a ceasefire and urgently pursue dialogue.”
Source: SIR News Agency – Vatican News
