Baltimore, Md., Nov 14, 2023 / 15:03 pm
The president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), Archbishop Timothy Broglio, on Tuesday called on Israel to pursue negotiations in its war with Hamas terrorists.
When asked about Israel’s military actions in the Gaza Strip and civilian casualties suffered since the outbreak of the war, Broglio said it is an issue he feels “very strongly about” and said that Israel should “find a way to negotiate.”
“I realize the atrocities that were committed against the Israelis in a certain sense provoked a response. But I think that response should always be between warring parties and in some way or another, we should try to save civilians and try to keep them out of the conflict,” Broglio said at a press conference at the bishops’ annual fall meeting in Baltimore.
More than 1,200 Israelis were killed and thousands more were wounded in the wake of Hamas’ large-scale surprise attack on Israel on Oct. 7, according to Israeli authorities. In response, Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, declared war on Hamas, initiating a campaign that has resulted in thousands of civilian deaths.