A top Catholic leader in Jerusalem is willing to put his own life on the line to save Israeli children being held hostage by Hamas, according to multiple news reports. Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Catholic patriarch of Jerusalem, told journalists Monday that he would take part in an exchange for child hostages after specifically being asked if he would. “I am ready for an exchange, anything, if this can lead to freedom, to bring the children home. No problem. There is total willingness on my part,” he said, according...

“Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends,” John 15:13 proclaims. During a video conference interview on Monday, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Patriarch of Jerusalem and Pope Francis’ representative in the Holy Land, said that he was willing to exchange himself for the hostages in Gaza, according to Reuters. “I am ready for an exchange, anything, if this can lead to freedom, to bring the children home. No problem. There is total willingness on my part,” he said. “The first thing to...

Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Patriarch of Jerusalem and the papal representative to the Holy Land, on Monday offered to exchange himself for the Israeli children taken hostage during the savage Hamas attack last weekend. The exact number of people kidnapped from Israeli border villages by Hamas is not known to the public, but various authorities estimate the number at 150 to 200, including at least a dozen children. Another Palestinian terror gang, Islamic Jihad, claims it has taken 30 hostages of its own. Hamas has threatened to murder its hostages if...

Pope Francis's representative in the Holy Land said on Monday he was willing to exchange himself for Israeli children taken hostage by Hamas and held in Gaza. Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Patriarch of Jerusalem, made his comment in response to a question during a video conference with journalists in Italy. "I am ready for an exchange, anything, if this can lead to freedom, to bring the children home. No problem. There is total willingness on my part," he said. "The first thing to do is to try to win the...

The leader of the Catholic Church in Jerusalem said he would be willing to offer himself in exchange for the safe return of Israeli hostages held by Hamas. Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, an Italian national who serves as the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, said he was willing to do "anything" to ensure "those children [come] back home." Hamas has been holding some 200 hostages since they launched terrorist attacks in Israel on Oct. 7. More than 4,000 people have been killed since the attacks began and Israel responded with airstrikes in...

Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa said Monday that he would be willing to do “anything,” even offer up himself, for the safe return of the hostages held by Hamas, a Palestinian terrorist organization, according to the National Catholic Register. The Israeli government confirmed that Hamas had taken at least 199 hostages, including some Americans, during their surprise attack that began on Oct. 7, which left over 1,300 Israelis dead and thousands injured, according to The Times of Israel. Pizzaballa, the head of the Catholic churches in Israel, the Gaza Strip and the...

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.

Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa said Monday that he would be willing to do “anything,” even offer up himself, for the safe return of the hostages held by Hamas, a Palestinian terrorist organization, according to the National Catholic Register. The Israeli government confirmed that Hamas had taken at least 199 hostages, including some Americans, during their surprise attack that began on Oct. 7, which left over 1,300 Israelis dead and thousands injured, according to The Times of Israel. Pizzaballa, the head of the Catholic churches in Israel, the Gaza Strip and the...

Pope Francis' representative in the Holy Land said on Monday he was willing to exchange himself for Israeli children taken hostage by Hamas and held in Gaza. Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Patriarch of Jerusalem, made his comment in response to a question during a video conference with journalists in Italy. "I am ready for an exchange, anything, if this can lead to freedom, to bring the children home. No problem. There is total willingness on my part," he said. "The first thing to do is to try to win the...