A United Nations delegation on Tuesday made a surprise visit to the parish of the Sagrada Familia, the only Catholic Church of Latin Rite in Gaza, which welcomes hundreds of people displaced by the war.
According to the Servizio Informazione Religiosa (Sir), the news agency of the Italian Episcopal Conference, representatives of the United Nations Humanitarian Affairs Coordination Office (Ocha) visited the parish on July 1 to evaluate the current situation there.
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“It was his first visit here to the parish,” He said to Sir Argentine priest Gabriel Romanelli, pastor of the parish of the Sagrada Familia. “The delegation wanted to verify our conditions, greeted our displaced and picked up their testimonies of anguish.”
Father Romanelli said that the members of the delegation greeted the displaced people and “collected their testimonies of anguish.”
“Despite the critical situation, the UN representatives visited the parish facilities, toured the complex and also dedicated time to seriously disabled children – all of Muslim families – who are treated with love for the missioners of charity,” said Fr. Romanelli to Sir.
“We also had a prayer for peace in the church,” he added. “When they said goodbye, we thanked us for the work of solidarity and hospitality that we carried out for the Christian community and the many needy Muslim families living here in our neighborhood.”
Since the beginning of the war, the parish in Gaza has helped the local population since Israel began its war after the attack of Hamas militants on October 7, 2023. Since then, thousands of Palestinians in the enclave have been killed, wounded or displaced.
In Another interview with SERRomanelli said that the silence of the international community before the humanitarian crisis faced by the Palestinians was “as deadly as weapons in Gaza.”
The Israel Defense Forces (FDI) were criticized after soldiers allegedly fired against unarmed refugees waiting for humanitarian aid trucks. In addition, a recent investigation by the Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported that soldiers were ordered to shoot against unarmed civilians, which caused investigation into possible war crimes.
However, Romanelli said that those who live in Gaza do not know what to expect, since they are often told “that a truce is imminent” only to receive evacuation orders “in forecast of military operations” the next day.
“One day humanitarian aid is announced; the next, Israel blocks its entrance. All are under strong psychological pressure,” said the priest. “All we know here is that the death toll continues to increase. People wanders from one part of the strip (de Gaza), dragging how little they have left.”
As the only Catholic Parish of Latin Rite in the enclave, the parish of the Sagrada Familia received special attention from the late Pope Francis, who called Romanelli every day. Pope Francis made his last call to the parish two days before his death, on April 21.
Translated and adapted by the ACI Press team. Originally published in CNA.
JUNNO ARCHHO ESTEVES
Junno Aroccho Esteves is an independent journalist based in Malmö, Sweden. Born and raised in the United States, he covered the Vatican as a correspondent for 12 years for several media, such as Zenit, Vatican News and Catholic News Service. He has also been responsible for Communication of the Institute of Anthropology of the Pontifical Gregorian University of Rome and Communication Consultant of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors.