‘We cannot let death and its sting (1 Cor 15:55) be the only word we hear’
By 
Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa (Video screenshot)
By Kate Anderson
Daily Caller News Foundation
Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa said Monday that he would be willing to do “anything,” even offer up himself, for the safe return of the hostages held by Hamas, a Palestinian terrorist organization, according to the National Catholic Register.
The Israeli government confirmed that Hamas had taken at least 199 hostages, including some Americans, during their surprise attack that began on Oct. 7, which left over 1,300 Israelis dead and thousands injured, according to The Times of Israel. Pizzaballa, the head of the Catholic churches in Israel, the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, Jordan, and Cyprus, told reporters during a video conference that he was prepared to do whatever was necessary to “bring those children home,” according to the National Catholic Register.
“Am I ready for an exchange? Anything, if that can lead to freedom and bring those children home, no problem,” Pizzaballa said. “There is an absolute availability on my part.”
Hamas had previously threatened to kill hostages if Israel did not stop bombing the Gaza Strip after thousands of rockets were launched into Israel. The terrorist organization claimed Friday that nine Israeli hostages were killed in Israeli rocket attacks.