Parish priest in Gaza assures that a ceasefire is necessary but not the solution

Father Gabriel Romanelli, parish priest of the Holy Family, the only Catholic church in Gaza, told EWTN News that the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas is a necessary step for the reconstruction of the region, but “it is not the solution to the conflict.” “, nor is it synonymous with peace, justice or reconciliation.”

“This war has broken the mold. No one has experienced a war like this and it will be difficult to get rid of the traumas that war causes: so many deaths, so much destruction and loss,” said the Argentine priest.

This week, Israeli and Hamas forces agreed to a ceasefire that will stop the fighting in Gaza and facilitate a hostage exchange. The agreement, which was negotiated by the United States, Qatar and Egypt after 15 months of war, will be implemented on Sunday.

In addition to a pause in fighting and the exchange of hostages, the agreement also includes provisions for a major flow of humanitarian aid from Egypt and Jordan to the Gaza Strip and orders a limited withdrawal of Israeli troops from the region.

In the parish of the Holy Family many Gazans found refuge in the midst of the intense bombings. In addition to material aid, the Catholic community was a beacon of hope in the midst of violence. Father Romanelli considers it essential to keep the evangelical virtues alive in order to achieve definitive peace. As of August 2024, there were fewer than 400 Catholics left in the territory of Gaza, according to figures from the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem.

“Let us not forget that by looking towards God we still have about 500 refugees here and thanks to the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, that is, our diocese, we have been able to help – for example, last month – about 10,000 families. An estimated 60,000 people, with food. “It is a miracle,” added the priest.

The people who live in Gaza “are very hard hit” by the aftermath of the war, the priest continued, and said that it will be very difficult to get “the noises of bombs and bullets” out of their minds. Faced with this difficult situation, he stressed that it is vital to turn to God, who always helps with his grace.

Furthermore, he added that “he trusts many men and women of good will in the world who effectively want peace for both Palestine and Israel.”

Regarding the situation of children in the region, Father Romanelli explained that many families feel very deep roots in their land, which is why it is very difficult for them to leave it even though their houses are destroyed.

“The fatalities number in the tens of thousands. The children alone who have died are more than 17,000 and the injured, in total, more than 109,000. We have tried to make an oasis, sometimes it is crazy because you can hear the drones, like now because the truce only begins on Sunday, therefore there are bombings. Yesterday there were 80 dead and more than 200 injured,” commented the parish priest.

Until December 2024, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) estimated that the number of children killed in Gaza During the last 14 months of war it reached 14,500. In addition, the organization echoed the total death toll, shared by the Gazan authorities, which stands at more than 45,000.

“But we try to make the climate as safe as possible,” he said. “We sing and then we play some games, but we don’t have large gatherings because the splinters fall everywhere. The child, within everything, perceives that he is safe, he feels loved,” added Father Romanelli.

In the parish “everyone prays”, especially the young people, who in the midst of war make many plans for life. Parishioners of the Holy Family “pray for everyone,” including the Israeli hostages in Gaza territory.

“Every day the Mass with the sermon, the adoration of the Blessed Sacrament for one hour, in silence —a way of saying it, but we try to remain silent—”, explained the priest.

Finally, he sent a message to the Gazans, whom he called not to lose hope in God, not to allow themselves to be overcome by violence but to be builders of peace, “to be called children of God.”

“Let’s break the barriers of mistrust, of disunity, to work together. It is not a utopia, it is very difficult, but we have the help of God and many people. Then, begin to rebuild the Gaza Strip, which was crushed – to tell the truth -. Rebuild it morally, spiritually and also materially,” he concluded.