Gaza’s Christians praying for a peaceful Christmas

Gaza’s small Christian population is preparing for what it hopes to be its first peaceful Christmas in two years.

The troubled territory has just three churches, one among which was of special interest to the late Pope Francis.

Despite his failing health, Pope Francis was involved with the Holy Family Church on an almost every day basis in the ultimate months of his life.

The church itself suffered losses through the war – plenty of parishioners were killed by Israeli sniper fire and by what was possibly a tank shell that hit the church.

Father Gabriel Romanelli, the parish priest, who himself suffered injuries and refused to desert his flock despite IDF evacuation orders, said that the church was doing its best to organize for Christmas in what remain extremely difficult circumstances.

Speaking to charity Aid to Church in Need, Father Romanelli said, “The world should know that there are over two million people here who don’t have anything and wish all the things.

“We are deciding what to organise and we’ve begun rehearsing choirs and dabkes – Palestinian group dances – and we may even hold a small show outside the partitions of our compound, if conditions permit.”

While officially there may be a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, small scale violations proceed. On Tuesday 4 people were wounded when an IDF drone targeted civilians within the Al-Tuffah district of Gaza.

Despite this, conditions have improved somewhat because the ceasefire got here into effect in October.

Some items remain difficult to acquire, though, and plenty of persons are still in need of aid.

Father Romanelli said, “Since the fighting stopped, the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem has managed to send us essential aid with which we’ve been in a position to help over 12,000 families”.

He added that he’s attempting to get some chocolate “whatever the fee… [hoping] it would do everyone good”.

For much of the conflict a whole bunch of locals, mostly Christian, took refuge within the church, a situation which largely continues despite the ceasefire.

Fr Romanelli said, “Some have tried to scrub their houses or what’s left of them. There isn’t any sign of reconstruction, the shortage of means causes suffering and the shortage of prospects leaves people agitated.

“We should pray. We should pray loads – for peace, and for all of the inhabitants of this Holy Land, be it Gaza, Palestine or Israel.”