Maronite Patriarch Béchara Boutros Raï met with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Rome, where they discussed the situation in the region. Meloni commented on the meeting, stating on her "X" (formerly Twitter) platform, “I had an interesting exchange with him about the situation in Lebanon and the Middle East. Protecting and promoting religious freedom, interfaith dialogue, and safeguarding minority rights are priority goals for the Italian government.”
On the other hand, the patriarchs, bishops, priests, and laypersons from Middle Eastern countries participating in the synod in Rome strongly condemned "the criminal act against the Baptist hospital in Gaza that resulted in hundreds of dead and wounded." They expressed in a statement, "We pray for the souls of the victims and the comfort of their families and for the healing of the wounded, and we implore God to touch consciences to stop this devastating war and others and to bring peace among peoples."
The bishops continued their statement, "Innocent people in the world have the right to live in safety and realize their potential according to God's salvific plan." The participants urged the international community to work seriously towards establishing peace in the Middle East and the world and to respect human life and its sanctity.
