The pontifical foundation Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) has published a report highlighting that the Christian community in Gaza, Palestine, “is going through the worst period” since the start of the war on 7 October 2023.
According to the report published on 8 March, Gaza faces difficult times, with bombings, interrupted communications, and food shortages. Sister Nabila Saleh, a nun of the Holy Rosary congregation, described the situation as distressing, but she is grateful for God’s grace even in adversity.
“The little we have is due to the Grace of God. People from outside suffer even more than us because they do not have that consolation at this time,” said the nun.
The Holy Family parish in the Al Zeyton neighborhood in the north of the Gaza Strip is one of the places affected by intense clashes and shelling. This temple currently houses 128 families — a total of 512 Christians, including Catholics and Orthodox — including 120 children under 18 years of age, including 60 with disabilities, and 84 elderly people.
An ACN project partner operating in the area, whose name cannot be revealed for security reasons, reported that “the intensity of military operations increases” every time a truce is mentioned, and that food shortages are in a critical point.
“Food is simply scarce and it is difficult to find where to buy it. The Christian community takes advantage of every possible opportunity to secure some drinking water and food,” he explained.
The food supply is limited to two meals a week and one loaf of bread every two days per person, provided by the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem with the help of organizations such as ACN. However, the community often must share small portions to survive.
Access to clean water is a challenge, and many people have lost weight due to food shortages. Health problems are serious, with sick children and the elderly needing urgent medical attention, which is difficult to obtain amid the conflict.
“People walk for long hours to get a small box of food, which in the end is not even enough for three people. Due to this forced diet, sharing is becoming part of daily life and a new Christian identity,” the project partner tells ACN.
The health situation is also alarming. Due to the shortage, many people have experienced weight loss. Additionally, children are suffering from a virus outbreak causing nausea and diarrhea, while several elderly people are facing serious illnesses requiring hospitalization.
Despite the difficulties, faith remains a powerful force for the community. Religious and psychological support activities are carried out, including daily Masses, catechesis and trauma healing meetings through prayer.
Priests and nuns, like Sister Nabila, play a crucial role in caring for the community, despite being exhausted. Sister Nabila highlights that, despite everything, the faith of the community is strengthened.
“They are all exhausted, no one can really experience what they are experiencing. But with God’s grace, our children are now even closer to their faith than ever before. “It is a very special Easter, we are closer than ever to the crucified Savior,” he declared.
Although communication with the community is difficult, their constant request is simple: “Pray for us, pray for the entire population so that this war ends.”