The Catholic community in Gaza is facing new uncertainty as the neighborhood surrounding the Holy Family Church, the only Catholic parish in the Strip, has been placed under an evacuation order.
Fr. Gabriel Romanelli, parish priest of Holy Family, told the Italian press agency ANSA that “an evacuation order has been issued for the entire neighborhood. And they said they’re starting to distribute tents” (Vatican News). The order is part of an Israeli relocation plan to move thousands of Palestinians from northern Gaza to the south, raising international concern over worsening humanitarian conditions.
Yet Fr. Romanelli questioned the practicality of such a plan, asking, “where can they find the space for all the inhabitants” of the Gaza Strip, “two million three hundred thousand people?” (Vatican News).
PRAYER FOR THE INNOCENT VICTIMS OF WAR
Life in a War Zone
The parish priest described daily life under bombardment as a constant trial of faith and endurance. During Sunday Mass, he recounted that they “heard a very loud explosion nearby that broke a water tank,” noting with relief that “luckily, nothing happened, only material damage” (Vatican News). He added with sorrow that it was simply “another Sunday of war.”
Fr. Romanelli also spoke of the confusing reality for residents, explaining that while the evacuation order loomed, at the same time “an association distributed some vegetables, tomatoes, and potatoes, which people welcomed” (Vatican News).
Humanitarian Crisis Deepens
The humanitarian toll continues to mount. On August 17, an Israeli airstrike on al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza City killed at least seven people, according to local health officials (Vatican News). This attack, coupled with the ongoing relocations, has deepened fears for the safety of both civilians and hostages still held by Hamas.
Thousands of Israelis protested in Tel Aviv over the weekend, voicing their opposition to the relocation plan, which they warned could endanger the roughly twenty hostages still in captivity. Hamas has also rejected the proposed relocations (Vatican News).
Parish Still Recovering from Attack
This latest order comes just one month after the July 17 attack on the Catholic parish itself, which left three people dead and several others wounded, including Fr. Romanelli, who suffered a minor leg injury. Reflecting on the ongoing suffering, he emphasized that “the children require everything” (Vatican News).
Speaking more broadly about the conflict, he lamented the stalemate between the two sides: “There is no agreement; they do not want to release the hostages, or only partially; the other side says ‘no, all together’… the only thing that is certain is that the bombs continue to cause deaths of civilians and children; the numbers are terrible” (Vatican News).
A Call for Prayer
For Catholics worldwide, the plight of the Holy Family parish is a call to solidarity and intercession. The Church in Gaza, though small, remains a beacon of faith amid devastation. As Fr. Romanelli and his community endure “another Sunday of war,” the global Catholic community is urged to keep them in prayer, asking God to protect His people and bring peace to the Holy Land.
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