Callahan said that while in Egypt, “we made the determination that it would be good to go into Gaza.” The two territories share a short border in Egypt’s northeastern corner. “So I went in overnight and spent part of two different days there,” he said.
Callahan said he met with CRS workers while visiting Gaza. “I got to see the reality of what the situation is, and what type of distributions we do,” he said. “Our team was doing a phenomenal job of registering people for supplies, really a tremendous job.”
Callahan said he was able to witness the countless displaced individuals and families that have struggled in Gaza since the conflict began. “In Gaza City, there are no sidewalks, because they’re now filled with shelters and tents,” he said.
The CRS team also visited the West Bank and met with the Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa.
“We got a full picture of the Church in the region,” he said, “including their main concerns and how CRS’ help has been so far.”
Though thousands have died in a conflict that has no end in sight, Callahan said people in the region are driven simply by a desire for the war to be over.
“People were calling for peace so they could go home and rebuild their lives,” he said. “I didn’t see any violence or animosity. People were trying to protect their families.”
“I think it’s imperative to us to provide assistance so they can do just that, and get out of the cycle of violence,” he said.
Daniel Payne is a senior editor at Catholic News Agency. He previously worked at the College Fix and Just the News. He lives in Virginia with his family.
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