
The Roman Catholic Church’s top official in the Holy Land expressed his willingness on Monday to exchange himself for the children taken hostage by Hamas terrorists and being held in Gaza as officials around the world work to free those kidnapped amid an imminent Israeli ground assault. Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa made the heartfelt, though unofficial, offer in a response to a reporter’s question during an online meeting with Vatican-based journalists. "If I’m available for an exchange?" Pizzaballa responded. "Anything, if this could bring about the freedom of children, no problem....