Currently in intensive care, the seven-year-old is the only person to be seriously wounded by Iran’s attack against Israel because her house and village were not covered by Israel’s Iron Dome defence system. Nothing is known of the fate of Bedouins taken hostage to Gaza. Bedouins in the Negev remain embroiled in disputes and risk seeing their homes demolished and their villages disappear.
The auxiliary bishop of Jerusalem and patriarchal vicar for Palestine looks at the protests in Amman. Diplomatic relations with Israel allow aid to be sent to Gaza. Some students from Gaza’s Holy Family Parish arrived in Amman thanks to the Patriarchate’s support. Pope Francis “is the only balanced voice.”
Today's news: over 243 million children in East and Southeast Asia at risk from heat waves:; Beijing denies top management access to two US companies for selling arms to Taiwan; The Taliban want to black out Facebook (and social media) by blocking the few sources of information; Islamabad negotiates the renewal of the rescue plan with the International Monetary Fund; Over 98,000 people evacuated in Kazakhstan due to flooding.
Gong Saelao was one of the many migrant workers grabbed in the 7 October terrorist attack. Released in late November, for weeks he thought he “might not return home alive". Over time, his kidnappers became friendlier. The fate of the people still held in Gaza remains a mystery. US President Biden urges “a ceasefire [. . .] for the next six, eight weeks”.
Today's news: reports of workplace abuse have doubled in South Korea in five years; Baghdad will send 10 million liters of fuel to the Gaza Strip; Public apology from a company in Malaysia for a shoe logo that resembles the word "Allah"; The Taliban have built a wall around the Eidgah mosque in Kandahar for fear of ISIS attacks: Moscow has slowed issuing work permits to migrants from Central Asia.
The Custody, a Jewish group and Tag Meir activists offered gifts to Muslims leaving al-Aqsa every Thursday at the Damascus Gate. Fr. Pari: An initiative that has been carried out for some time, but this year takes on special value in the context of war. Years to rebuild relations and trust, but the role of Christians will be essential because they are the only ones who have 'forgiveness' as an intrinsic element 'of faith'.
