Violence and military operations by Israeli forces in Gaza have placed the Christian community in a challenging situation, church leaders lamented.
In a Vatican News report, Fr. Gabriel Romanelli, the parish priest of the Holy Family Parish, and Sister Nabila Saleh of the Sisters of the Rosary of Jerusalem, have expressed concerns about the safety and welfare of around 600 Christians sheltering in the city’s only Catholic church.
With Israel preparing for a ground invasion of Rafah, its forces have increased operations in Gaza City, targeting the Turkman and Zaitun neighborhoods.
This has led to the destruction of the Rosary Sisters School and forced the parish to limit food distribution to three days a week.
Fr. Romanelli, unable to return to Gaza City since October 7, 2023, described the situation for Christians and civilians as dire.
“The situation is getting worse by the hour as the death toll rises,” he said.
Sister Nabila, sheltering with displaced Christians at the Holy Family Parish, spoke about the community’s determination to stay despite the risks.
“The thing that hurts the most is that no one is doing anything to stop this war,” she said.
The conflict has resulted in over 29,000 Palestinians killed and more than 69,000 injured, according to the Hamas Ministry of Health.
Fr. Romanelli noted that the displaced Christians, including those from the St. Porphyrius Greek Orthodox Church, are “tired, sad, and heartbroken.”
The priest also mentioned a recent Lenten Way of the Cross celebration. “In every station, we prayed for the victims of this war, for peace, for those who suffer,” he explained.
