German Archbishop: What is happening in Gaza is an insult to human dignity

The President of the German Bishops' Conference, Georg Bätzing, criticized the Israeli government for the deteriorating humanitarian conditions in the Gaza Strip, asserting that what is happening there constitutes an "insult to human dignity".

His remarks came during the opening of the autumn meeting of the bishops in the city of Fulda in Hesse, where he stated that tens of thousands have lost their lives, many are suffering from hunger, and hundreds of thousands are facing forced displacement.

At the same time, Bätzing held the "Hamas" movement responsible for what he described as a "hell," referring to its attack on October 7, 2023, and its ongoing hostage-taking. He emphasized that the Catholic Church stands with Israel, just as the German government and European countries do, but it criticizes the Israeli government's handling of the crisis.

Bätzing also stressed that the only solution lies in the establishment of two states, calling on world leaders to work seriously towards achieving this path.

In another context, he warned of the rise of anti-Semitism in Germany, pointing out that Jews there face attacks in their daily lives, and that hate crimes against them are "increasingly concerning." He called for the need to set clear boundaries to address this phenomenon.