On February 12, 2025, a delegation of four bishops from Austria visited Caritas Baby Hospital in Bethlehem as part of their tour of the Holy Land. The visit aimed to gain firsthand insight into the general situation in the region and assess the impact of the ongoing war on the West Bank and the Christian community.
The delegation comprised Bishop Dr. Tiran Petrosyan, Pontifical Legate of the Armenian Apostolic Church for Central Europe and Scandinavia and Chairman of the Ecumenical Council of Churches, Bishop Manfred Scheuer of Linz, the Vice Chairman of the Ecumenical Council of churches; Bishop Vicar Dr. Nicolae Dura of the Romanian Orthodox Church; Mag. Thomas Hennefeld, regional superintendent of the Evangelical Church H.B. (Helvetic Confession). And accompanying them was Mr. Andreas Kickinger from Biblical Travels Ltd.
Upon their arrival, the delegation was warmly received by Caritas Baby Hospital CEO Issa Bandak and Marketing and Communication Manager Shireen Khamis. The visit included a guided tour of the hospital’s facilities, highlighting its vital role in providing pediatric care amid the ongoing emergency. The delegation also visited the construction site of the hospital’s upcoming pediatric surgery unit, set to open in 2026, which will significantly enhance medical services for children in the region.
The visit concluded with an in-depth discussion on the pressing challenges facing the healthcare sector in the West Bank, particularly in the context of the ongoing conflict. The delegation expressed their solidarity with the hospital’s mission and the wider humanitarian efforts in the region.
