Fr. Gabriel Romanelli, pastor of the Church of the Sacra Family in Gaza, denounced that after the rupture of the truce agreed with Hamas, the Army of Israel has launched new attacks very close to its parish.
As stated to Vatican News, The bombings occurred just 300 or 400 meters from the Church, which aroused the faithful and caused a growing feeling of insecurity throughout the community.
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“The bombings woke us up, they were very close; fortunately, sparks did not arrive and we are fine, but in the entire strip we already speak of more than 350 dead and more than a thousand injured,” said Father Romanelli.
The parish building, the only Catholic temple of the Gaza Strip, became the beginning of the war in an impromptu shelter where 500 people now live. Most are orthodox, Protestant and Catholic Christians, but also serves as a refuge for more than 50 Muslim children with disabilities with their families.
The priest of the Institute of the Incarnate Word (IVE) stressed that, given the persistent uncertainty, some of the families, who had returned to their homes by decreeing the high fire, have decided to return to the parish, feeling more safe “with Jesus”, although there is no completely safe place in the region.
“Here we are with the sisters of Mother Teresa, the religious of my congregation of the embodied verb, the sisters of the same congregation, and the ‘the’It serves the Lord Y of the Virgin of Matàrà‘(Servants of the Lord and the Virgin of Matará). We all strive to do good, serve, pray and assist both elders and children, including those with special needs, to prevent them from suffering, since children are like sponges and perceive if adults are anxious, ”he added.
Father Romanelli also recognized the support they are receiving from the Latin patriarchy of Jerusalem, whose representative is Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, especially to channel the humanitarian aid that has been able to enter in recent days, thanks to the truce in Gaza and the West Bank.
“We continue to pray to convince everyone that peace is possible, that we must work for it and for the works of justice, hoping that the Lord grants this part of the Holy Land a period of peace, for Palestinians and Israelis,” he concluded.
Victoria Cardiel
Victoria Cardiel is a journalist specialized in social and religious information issues. Since 2013, he has covered all the news of the Vatican for various media, such as the Spanish news agency Europa Press, or the weekly of the Archdiocese of Madrid, Alfa and Omega.