The only Catholic parish in Gaza city has been forced to radically cut back on the aid it provides because of the three-month aid blockade, which was only partially lifted on 22 May.
Father Gabriel Romanelli told Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) that the parish has reduced resources to feed Christians sheltering in the church, and a number of families living nearby, because Israeli authorities stopped emergency supplies from entering the territory.
He said: "For three months, we haven't received any aid. So, for now, we're rationing everything we have, and only after this rationing we can distribute it to the refugees in the compound and to people from outside."
However, he told ACN that the Church recently managed to distribute water both inside and outside the Catholic compound.
On 22 May, Israel permitted 90 aid lorries to enter the Gaza Strip, and since then the Israelis only allowed a few lorries to re-enter.
The UN estimated that around 500 trucks are needed every day to meet basic needs.
Father Romanelli said that "inside the parish compound, we are doing as well as possible, though we hear a lot of shelling, and sometimes shrapnel reaches our compound". The priest added that he has seen signs of mental illness, including depression, among the faithful. He went on to say that his main challenge is organising life in the parish under war-time conditions.
The Church follows a regular schedule to assist Christians spiritually. Whenever possible children have regular school lessons and other activities.
Father Romanelli concluded: "The most serious thing we see is that no one is talking about the end of the war or the right to stay here, or to rebuild homes, to start over. So we pray, and we ask people to pray and work for peace."
When the current conflict in Gaza broke out, most of the Christian population took refuge in the Holy Family Catholic parish and in the neighbouring Orthodox compound.
The Israeli military offensive in the Gaza Strip followed the terrorist attacks of 7 October 2023 carried out by Hamas and other jihadist groups operating from the territory.
The Catholic parish of the Holy Family looks after around 500 women, children and men, including a group with disabilities being looked after by the Missionaries of Charity.
Since the outbreak of the war on 7 October 2023, ACN supported humanitarian programmes run by the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem to address the difficult situation for Christians in Gaza, East Jerusalem, and the West Bank.
The emergency relief aid package from ACN provided Christian families in Gaza with basic needs and medications, including food, medicines, water supply, fuel and hygiene kits, among other humanitarian and pastoral services.
ACN's Malta national director, Stephen Axisa said: "ACN still wants to help Christians in Gaza through food and necessary medicines."
Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, said: "Thank you Aid to the Church in Need and benefactors, for helping our Church to continue to live, despite the emergency."
Like other Palestinians, the few Christians remaining in Gaza are exhausted and traumatised. The war continues to leave a trail of devastation and despair.
"In this Jubilee Year of Hope, now is the time to shine a greater light of hope on our brothers and sisters who are being affected by this ongoing crisis. By supporting life-saving projects by Aid to the Church in Need (Malta), you can help bring hope and relief to countless families in need," said Axisa.
Your kind donation today will assist ACN.
For more information please phone on 2148 7818, 7922 5500 or email: [email protected]. For emergency donations to help Christians visit https://www.acnmalta.org/donate/