By CNA Suhail Lawand
As the fighting between Hamas and the Israeli army continues in the Holy Land, the Catholic Church in Gaza is doing everything in its power to alleviate the burden of war on its affected members.
The bloodshed and displacement have not spared the civilians in Gaza, who have borne the brunt of the raging war in a region that has not known safety and stability for about 75 years.
In an exclusive conversation with ACI MENA, CNA’s Arabic-language news partner, Nisreen Antoun, Holy Family parish’s project manager, revealed that there are 20 homes of Christian civilians that were completely destroyed as a result of Israeli bombing as well as homes that were partially damaged.
Holy Family Church is the only Roman Catholic parish in the Gaza Strip and is located in the northern part of Gaza City. Israel’s military had ordered the Palestinian civilians to evacuate south last week, but the church today still has several hundred people taking refuge in its buildings.
Antoun said the number of Christian refugees coming to the church to date is estimated to be approximately 500 people in addition to others residing in the Greek Orthodox Church of St. Porphyrius.
Antoun described what the church is providing for the displaced families.
“We opened the halls and rooms in the church and school,” he said. “We supplied the displaced with mattresses, pillows, and covers. We also provide them water, food, and personal hygiene items.”
