Prime Minister Netanyahu and Pope Leo Speak Amid Tensions with Christian Community and Possible Release of More Hamas Hostages

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke today with His Holiness Pope Leo.

The Prime Minister expressed Israel’s regret for the tragic incident in which stray ammunition accidentally struck the Holy Family Church in Gaza. He sent Israel’s heartfelt condolences for the families of those hurt in the incident.

The Prime Minister also gave His Holiness an update on Israel’s efforts to secure a hostage release deal and a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza, efforts that have so far not been reciprocated by Hamas.

Several other issues have arisen as well:

– The beating death of a Palestinian-American Christian by a group of Jewish extremists who were confronting Palestinians in Judea and Samaria, earning a rare rebuke from Ambassador Mike Huckabee,

– Disagreements over visas for certain Christian groups, which again prompted an intervention from Huckabee, who was able to resolve the problem only after threatening public criticism of Israel,

– Concerns, predating the war, about the mistreatment of some Christian tourists in the Old City of Jerusalem, which sparked condemnation from Israelis but also drew negative comment from the Vatican, and

– Israel has also intervened to save Christians and Druze in southwestern Syria, where they are threatened by radical Sunni Islamic extremists within the military of the new Syrian government.

NOTE: Israel remains the safest country in the Middle East for Christians, and protects access to Christian holy sites.

**UPDATE**

Tens of thousands of Israelis marched to the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv Saturday night with renewed calls to bring the war in Gaza to a close—just one day after President Trump said another 10 hostages held by Hamas would be set free “very shortly.”

The president said:

We got most of the hostages back. We’re going to have another 10 coming very shortly, and we hope to have that finished quickly.

Einav Zanguaker, whose son Matan is being held hostage in Gaza, piggybacked on Trump’s prediction, calling on Israel to “abandon the madness of eternal war.”

Ahead of the rally in Tel Aviv, she said:

This is the time for Israel to join hands with the US … and to advance Trump’s vision for ending the war and returning all the hostages.

As many as 50,000 Israelis joined in the rally Saturday night, local media reported, marching to the U.S. Embassy carrying Israeli and American flags and chanting “not right-wing, not left-wing, the hostages before everything else,” in Hebrew.