According to the provisional toll of the Syrian government, more than thirty civilians were killed in a raid on a hospital run by Medecins sans Frontieres (Doctors without Borders) in Aleppo. The victims of this massacre are unfortunately only some of dozens of deaths and hundreds of injuries caused by the resumption of fighting in the city between the rebels and government.
In the raid on the hospital which occurred on the evening of Wednesday 27 April, one of the people killed was Mohammed Wasim Moaz, the last paediatrician residing in the districts of Aleppo controlled by the rebels. The head of UN humanitarian aid, Stephen O'Brien, has alerted the Security Council of the "new serious deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Syria" and described as "catastrophic" the situation in Aleppo.
The Salesian Oratory has had to close. It is Holy Week in the Eastern Churches, the time when the bombing has increased in recent years. The people are exhausted and almost without hope, waiting perhaps for a new appeal of the Pope that can bring about a change: "The people hope that the Holy Father will make a speech to the international community, we must give hope to the people," continues Fr Georges.
At the request of the youth of Aleppo, as early as February last, Fr Fattal invited all the parishes and communities of the Salesian Family to do an hour of Eucharistic adoration per week - possibly on Monday afternoon, in spiritual communion with the community of Aleppo - to ask for peace in Syria. His appeal has been endorsed by the Rector Major, Fr Ángel Fernández Artime, in his video "Dear Confreres."
Fr Fattal now renews his call: "thanks for remembering us Salesians of Aleppo and all our young people. We ask you to pray for us."
