ISTANBUL

The archbishop of Bologna, Italy and the head of the city’s Jewish Community on Tuesday issued a joint declaration condemning the massacre of civilians in Gaza, urging an immediate halt to the violence.

“No cause can justify the massacre of innocents. Too many children have died. No security will ever be built on hatred,” Bologna Cardinal Matteo Maria Zuppi and Daniele De Paz, president of the Jewish Community of Bologna, wrote in the statement, according to Italian news agency SIR.

The two called for mutual recognition, protection of human rights, and a return to dialogue, which they described as “the only alternative to destruction.”

“Everyone, stop. Let the weapons, the military operations in Gaza, and the rocket fire toward Israel cease. Let the hostages be freed and the bodies returned. Let the hungry be fed and the wounded be treated. Let humanitarian corridors be permitted. Let the occupation of lands intended for others cease,” they wrote.

Zuppi and De Paz also condemned “every terrorist act that strikes defenseless civilians,” and called for rejection of all forms of antisemitism, Islamophobia, and discrimination against Christians.

“May pain unite, not divide. May pain not cause more pain. Dialogue is not weakness, but strength. Peace is always possible. And it starts here, with us. Everyone, stop!” they added.