He refers to the Gospel of Sunday 20 January, the one that recounts the wedding at Cana, to say that the first day of truce «was like the wedding of the Holy Land. « It was a historic day. I was lucky enough to speak with both people from Jerusalem and those from the north because I went to celebrate in Cana of Galilee. Yesterday was not the wedding of Cana, but that of the entire Holy Land. It was finally a different day after 471 in which we always felt war, always deaths, destruction, missiles. Finally I saw the smiles on people’s faces and I was also able to talk to the people of Gaza and hear how happy they were.” Father Faltas also thinks of the “families of the hostages who, after all these days and these deaths, were able to embrace three of their loved ones again. A very beautiful moment for everyone, for everyone.”
Now, however, he too hopes that the truce can hold and that it is «the beginning of a project. The peace process must continue to achieve lasting peace. There has been this war between Palestinians and Israelis for 70 years, 70 years of victims, deaths, destruction. I think now is the time to put an end to all this. If not we do it now, after all these victims on both sides, Palestinians and Israelis, when will peace be made? This is the right time for true peace.”
The Franciscan explains that Aid is entering Gaza, «on the first day of truce at least 525 trucks and then, according to the agreement, 600 must enter every day with Egypt’s commitment». Aid that “must go to poor people”. Thinking about the images that different people have framed armed Hamas militiamen on the streets of Gaza Father Ibrahim underlines that «they must demonstrate to everyone that this humanitarian aid reaches the people in need”. And, for the future, he imagines a return to the Strip of the Palestinian National Authority. «I hope that Israel will also help this return of Abu Mazen and the West Bank authority to the Strip. The PNA is ready and I believe that this is the only solution to achieve peace”.
