Gaza Herald_ Father Gabriel Romanelli, pastor of the Holy Family Latin Church in Gaza, affirmed that the church is sheltering 450 displaced people, including the elderly, sick, and children. He stressed that they will not leave despite the “evacuation orders” issued by the Israeli occupation forces for residents of the city.
In a recorded message published Wednesday evening by the Vatican News, Romanelli said that Pope Francis personally called him after the Israeli evacuation orders were issued.
“We told him that we are okay, even though the situation remains very difficult,” Romanelli said. “The Pope gave us his blessing, prayed for us and for peace, and he is following everything closely. He is committed to working for an end to this war.”
The priest emphasized that “most residents do not want to leave,” adding, “The danger is everywhere, but many prefer to stay in the city. We are trying to accompany them and help them as much as we can.”
Despite the hardships, the church recently celebrated a wedding and welcomed the birth of a child. “Amid so much pain, God blesses us with signs of life and joy,” Romanelli said.
He concluded with a call to prayer: “We continue to pray for peace—for all of Gaza, for the Middle East, and for the world. May God grant us peace.”
On August 26, the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate and the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem issued a joint statement expressing deep concern over developments in Gaza. They warned of the risks of mass forced displacement of civilians and condemned the ongoing Israeli aggression.
The statement noted that since the beginning of the war, the Saint Porphyrius Orthodox Church compound and the Holy Family Latin Church compound in Gaza have become shelters for hundreds of civilians—among them the elderly, women, and children. The Latin compound has also long provided care for people with disabilities through the Missionaries of Charity.
The two patriarchates cautioned that conditions for the displaced inside these church compounds are deteriorating due to hunger and malnutrition, warning that leaving Gaza for the south would amount to a “death sentence” for many. Priests and nuns have decided to remain to continue caring for those who seek refuge in the church.
They stressed that “there is no justification for the deliberate and forced mass displacement of civilians,” calling for an immediate halt to the war, an end to the cycle of violence, and prioritizing the common good after the devastation inflicted on lives and property.
The statement also urged the international community to act swiftly to end what it described as a “senseless and devastating war.”
The steadfastness of Gaza’s churches in refusing to abandon the most vulnerable underlines both a spiritual and humanitarian resistance in the face of immense suffering. By choosing to remain, priests and nuns are bearing witness to the resilience of the Palestinian people and the moral failure of an international system that has allowed such devastation to unfold unchecked. Their stand is not only an act of faith but also a call for justice and peace in a land where both remain brutally denied.
