The Most Rev'd Hosam Naoum, the Palestinian Archbishop of the Episcopal (Anglican) Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East, including Bahrain, told Sky News’ John Sparks it has been more difficult to share a message of ‘hope and peace’ this Easter.
He said ‘war is not the answer’ as polling shows Israeli Jews and Palestinians are less likely than ever to seek peace with each other.
Israeli strikes killed 77 Palestinians in Gaza in the past 24 hours, health authorities said on Sunday, as Egypt hosted an Israeli delegation for a new round of talks in a bid to secure a truce with Gaza's Hamas rulers.
More than 32,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's military offensive in Gaza since October 7, according to the health authorities.
The war erupted after Hamas fighters broke through the border and rampaged through communities in southern Israel, killing 1,200 people and abducting 253 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.
In a multicultural, multi-faith, multi-ethnic diocese spread across five countries, Archbishop Naoum is a strong advocate for peace and reconciliation. In May 2023, he carried the Bible in the Royal procession at the Coronation of Britain’s King Charles III and Queen Camilla.
He was born in Haifa in 1974 and grew up in Shefa’amr in Galilee. He will be visiting Bahrain in May.