Catholic Patriarch in Jerusalem offers to be exchanged for Israeli children held hostage in Gaza

Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Patriarch of Jerusalem, offered to exchange himself for Israeli children taken hostage by Hamas in Gaza on Monday.

Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Patriarch of Jerusalem, offered to exchange himself for Israeli children taken hostage by Hamas in Gaza on Monday.

Pizzaballa, who represents Pope Francis in the Holy Land, made the offer in a video conference with Italian journalists on Monday.

"I am ready for an exchange, anything, if this can lead to freedom, to bring the children home....The first thing to do is to try to win the release of the hostages, otherwise there will be no way of stopping [an escalation]."