Maronite Patriarch Beshara Raï arrived in the city of Tyre at the head of a delegation. Raï stated that "peace is a divine gift, and the region is paying the price of a fierce war that shows no respect for the rights of the people. We will visit the Islamic and Christian authorities in the city to tell the people of the South that we are with you and by your side." He pointed out that "the devastating war is not confined to Gaza, and we fear its extension; what we see does not adhere to any international or humanitarian charter, and we want peace."
Patriarch Raï and his accompanying delegation began their southern visit at the Maronite Church of Our Lady of the Seas in Tyre with a prayer in the church. They then moved to its hall where they were received by several dignitaries, including MPs: Ali Khreis, Michel Moussa, Inaya Ezzeddine, Hassan Ezzeddine, Hussein Jashi, and former MP Emil Rahme. Also present were the Mufti of Tyre and the Jabal Amel region, Judge Sheikh Hassan Abdullah, the Bishop of Sidon and Deir al-Qamar for the Greek Catholic Church, Eli Haddad, represented by the Patriarch of the Greek Catholics, Joseph Absi, and Archbishop of the Maronite Archdiocese of Tyre, Bishop Charbel Abdullah, along with other religious leaders.
Among the attendees were also the commander of the western sector of UNIFIL, General Joe Annibale, a delegation from UNIFIL, representatives of the Lebanese security and military forces, and local officials including the Mayor of Tyre, Mohamed Jafal, and heads of various municipalities.
Patriarch Raï is visiting the southern region to assess the conditions of the locals and stand by them during these critical circumstances, particularly visiting the Bishopric of Tyre to visit the community, followed by a visit to the Greek Catholic Bishopric in the city for the same purpose, and a similar visit to the Dar al-Fatwa and the Supreme Islamic Shiite Council.
Commenting on the visit, Father Claude Nader, the Secretary-General of the Council of Catholic Patriarchs and Bishops, noted that the patriarch's visit to the south was planned in advance but postponed due to his presence in Rome. He confirmed in a statement via Voice of Lebanon that "the purpose of the patriarch's visit is primarily to express the church's presence alongside its people, and secondly to affirm that Lebanon should not bear alone the consequences of the ongoing war in Gaza."
