Holy Land vicar deplores scope of child casualties in Gaza (L'Osservatore Romano)

Father Ibrahim Faltas, OFM, vicar of the Franciscan province in the Holy Land, said in an interview with the Vatican newspaper that “the sheer number of children killed in Gaza is horrifying.”

“Families in Gaza are typically large, and the population is very young,” said the vicar of the Custody of the Holy Land, when asked why “no other war has seen such a high percentage” of child casualties. “The killing of innocent children, who are blameless and incapable of causing harm, is a stain humanity will never be able to erase from its history,” he said.

“Estimates suggest that around 20,000 children have been orphaned,” Father Faltas added. “One of the great tragedies of this war is that we’re unable to help: humanitarian aid can’t get through ... It’s devastating to be so close, yet so powerless.”