In the Gospel of Luke, the disciples woke Jesus in fear, crying out as they faced a violent storm. Jesus rebuked the winds and the waves, bringing calm to the chaos. He then asked, "Where is your faith?" Amazed, the disciples questioned, "Who is this, that even the winds and waters obey him?" (Luke 8:24-25)

Today, we find ourselves in a different kind of storm as violence continues to escalate in the Holy Land. Israeli bombardments across the Gaza Strip continue, with devastating consequences. Since October 2023, more than 1,540 Israelis and foreign nationals have lost their lives, with over 2,270 soldiers injured. In Gaza, the death toll exceeds 41,000, with around 95,000 injured. In the West Bank, nearly 700 have been killed, and 6,000 injured.

“Many months have now passed since the beginning of this terrible war. The suffering caused  by this conflict and the dismay at what is happening are not only unabated but seem to be  fuelled again and again by hatred, resentment, and contempt, which only intensify the violence  and push away the possibility of finding solutions. Indeed, it is becoming increasingly difficult  to envision a conclusion to this conflict, whose impact on the lives of our people is greater and  more painful than ever before. It is becoming increasingly difficult to find people and institutions  with whom a dialog about the future and peaceful relations is possible. We all seem to be  crushed by this present, which is characterized by so much violence and, admittedly, anger”  H.B Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa.