The shepherd of Latin Rite Catholics in Israel and Palestine has announced he was willing to lay down his life in exchange for all the very young hostages Hamas have.
Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, said on Monday (October 16) that he was willing to exchange himself for the children taken hostage by Hamas inside Gaza.
"I am ready for an exchange, anything if this can lead to freedom, to bring the children home. No problem," he told journalists in Italy at a video conference. "There is total willingness on my part."
The prelate added that it was necessary to "find a way to get the hostages back."
This statement came after he called for a day of prayer and fasting for peace in the Holy Land, as well as the Vatican's willingness to broker a peace agreement between Israel and Palestine, as per Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin.
Imitating the Good Shepherd
Pizzaballa, who was newly-minted a cardinal by Pope Francis last month, said he would still consider trying to win the release of the hostages despite him and his office not having any direct contact with Hamas.
This statement by Pizzaballa, the first modern Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem who was named a cardinal, echoed a passage in the Christian Bible, where Jesus called himself the "good shepherd" who was willing to lay down his life for his sheep.
Earlier on Monday, the Israel Defense Force confirmed that at least 199 people were taken hostage by Hamas.
Pizzaballa was quoted by Reuters that there were about 1,000 Christians sheltering in church buildings in northern Gaza after their homes were destroyed by Israeli strikes.
"They don't know where to go because moving is dangerous," he added.
