Reports of an evacuation order surrounding Holy Family Parish in Gaza City have been clarified by its pastor. Speaking to Vatican Media on August 19, Father Gabriel Romanelli, IVE, said: “There has been NO order of evacuation in this area of our neighborhood. Our area is in the Old City of Gaza, within the larger neighborhood of Zeytoun.”
Still, the situation remains grave. “The area is dangerous. Bombings can be heard night and day. Some far away, others closer. At times, even shrapnel arrives,” Fr. Romanelli explained. “Unfortunately, the war continues. And, with the war, every day more dead, wounded, and destruction are added... and the needs of every kind for the entire civilian population of Gaza grow.”
Despite the danger, the priest struck a note of gratitude: “We are well, thanks be to God. We continue to pray for peace.”
A shelter for all
Since the outbreak of war on October 7, 2023, Holy Family Parish — the sole Catholic church in Gaza — has become a refuge. Its compound houses a school, convent, multipurpose center, and Missionaries of Charity building. Together, these spaces now shelter several hundred displaced people.
Those who have sought safety within its walls include Catholics, Orthodox, Protestants, and Muslim families, among them at least 50 children with disabilities. The church has become a rare space of protection and coexistence in the midst of ongoing violence.
Scarcity and survival
Caritas Jerusalem warns that essential supplies are running out. Food, clean water, and medicine are nearly exhausted. “People are dying of hunger. All the children are suffering from malnutrition,” the aid group has said.
In the midst of such scarcity, small signs of hope emerge. Even while rumors of evacuations spread, a humanitarian agency delivered vegetables at the church gates. For Fr. Romanelli, this coexistence of fear and provision sums up life in Gaza today: peril on every side, yet grace breaking through in unexpected ways.
Wounds of war
The parish itself has not been immune to violence. On July 17, a tank round struck the church compound, killing three civilians and injuring several others, including Fr. Romanelli, who sustained a wound to his leg.
At the time, Pope Leo XIV mourned the victims by name and called for an end to what he described as the “barbarism of war.” His appeal echoed the Vatican’s long-standing plea for dialogue and reconciliation in the region.
Israel later said the strike was accidental, describing it as “a deviation of munitions,” and expressed regret. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office affirmed that every innocent death is “a tragedy” and pledged to protect holy sites.
A prayer that endures
Even as bombardments continue around Gaza City, Holy Family Parish endures as both sanctuary and symbol. Its pastor, together with those sheltering under its roof, continues to pray for an end to the violence.
