The Catholic Church in the Holy Land has warned that restrictions on humanitarian access continue to deepen the crisis in Gaza and the West Bank, even as limited movement resumed at a key border crossing.
In a report to the Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need, George Akroush, director of the Development Office of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, said Israeli authorities have blocked emergency shipments into Gaza, leaving communities without essential medical and humanitarian supplies.
“Since Saturday, 7th March not a single humanitarian shipment was delivered to Gaza, including medication, spare parts for hospitals, not even antibiotics,” Akroush said.
He said Church efforts to assist those in need have been severely constrained, including support for the enclave’s only Christian hospital.
“We are trying our best to help the only Christian hospital there, which is very close to the Catholic compound, but all the channels that the Latin Patriarchate used to communicate with the authorities were closed,” he said. “They say that everybody is involved in the war.”
The restrictions follow Israel’s decision to close crossings into Gaza from March 1, citing security concerns as violence escalated in the region.
On Thursday, March 19, limited movement resumed at the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt, according to Agence France-Presse. Palestinian patients were allowed to leave for treatment, while some stranded residents were permitted to return under strict controls and screening procedures.
AFPTV footage showed aid trucks passing through Rafah but routed to the Israeli-controlled Kerem Shalom crossing for inspection before entering Gaza. Egyptian officials said entry into Egypt remained capped at 50 patients per day, each allowed up to two companions, with similar limits imposed on those returning to Gaza.
Despite the reopening, access remains severely restricted, with only small numbers of people allowed to pass and humanitarian deliveries subject to tight regulation.
The continued limitations have disrupted not only emergency response but also the Church’s pastoral and educational work.
“We were about to share that we decided to reopen the school, first with 400 students, then 600, and then 1,000, but with this war, we are not sure whether we can stick to this plan,” Akroush said.
At the Holy Family Church compound in Gaza, around 250 people remain sheltering, including 50 persons with disabilities cared for by the Missionaries of Charity, even as about 300 others recently left after more than two years.
Akroush said the situation in the West Bank is also worsening, with new restrictions affecting both aid delivery and livelihoods.
“180,000 Palestinians from the West Bank used to have permits to work in Israel. After the 7th October attacks in 2023, the number dropped to 15,000,” he said.
“Unfortunately, now even those have lost access to their livelihoods, including teachers and support staff at the Christian schools in Jerusalem.”
He said the loss of access is straining Church institutions, noting that many workers commute daily from the West Bank.
“This is a big challenge that we have to face, because 40 percent of our high-quality teachers and support staff come from the West Bank on a daily basis,” he said.
Israeli authorities have said manpower constraints limit checkpoint operations, but Akroush questioned that explanation.
“In my opinion, this seems to be just a pretext to exert more pressure on the Palestinian communities, because we see Israeli soldiers doing incursions every day in the West Bank, and they have even been filmed supporting settler attacks against Palestinian villages and towns,” he said.
“They are everywhere in the West Bank, but when it comes to facilitating access, they say that they don’t have sufficient human resources.”
The worsening conditions are also prompting many Christians to consider leaving.
“Many are hoping to go to Jordan and then apply to move to some European or Western countries. Even the people who think that they are not ready yet for immigration are trying to secure documents that can allow them to leave,” Akroush said.
Despite the crisis, the Church continues its work with support from Aid to the Church in Need, which has expanded assistance since the October 7 attacks.
“Patriarch Pizzaballa often describes the mission of the Church in these difficult times as a jackhammer that slowly and persistently strikes hard rock until it begins to crack,” Akroush said.
“Each act of service, each job created, each child returning to school, and each family supported represents another small break in the rock of despair.”
