There's been a war in the Gaza Strip for 20 months. The armed forces of the judaic state ravage this Palestinian enclave; respective twelve people are killed all day. The Israeli authorities intend to drive its inhabitants to another countries.
About a 1000 Christians lived in the Gaza Strip before the conflict broke out. 500 of them took refuge in the Catholic parish of the Holy household in the town of Gaza. Bishop William Shomali, who is the Vicar of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem for Palestine, said Israel wanted to remove residents from the northern part of the enclave. Christians were besides ordered to evacuate south but disobeyed. In the parish they felt safe, and they feared that in the south, without food and medicine, among thousands of another helpless refugees, they would be destroyed.
On July 17, at 10.20 p.m., an Israeli tank fired a rocket that hit the roof of a church close the cross. Bullets and shrapnel have fallen into the courtyard. Caritas Jerusalem released a message: “Two older women in our intellectual support shelter were badly injured and were transported to Al-Ahli infirmary by ambulance after 15 minutes. 3 young people stood at the entrance to the church. They besides suffered serious injuries and were transported to the infirmary by private cars.”
Victims from the shelter are 84-year-old Fumaja Ajad and 69-year-old Najwa Abu Daud. The doctors, however, could not give them effective help, had no medicine or blood supply. Both Christian women died. A 60-year-old doorman of the Saad Issa Kostandi Salameh Church besides suffered death in the attack.
An annoyed Donald Trump called his ally, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanjah, and urged him to make a statement. The head of the judaic state said: “Israel profoundly regrets that stray missiles hit the Church of the Holy household in Gaza. all life lost is simply a tragedy. We combine in pain with families and faithful.”
However, many Christians in the Holy Land believe that the army deliberately shot the temple to force Christ’s followers to evacuate. “They say it was a mistake. Even if everyone here thinks they were not," said the Latin Cardinal of Jerusalem Pierbattista Pizzaballa. On 18 July, Pope Leon XIV had a telephone conversation with Netanyahu, in which he reiterated his appeal for a ceasefire and the end of the war in the Gaza Strip and expressed concern over the dramatic humanitarian situation in the region. On the same day, the Israeli authorities allowed Cardinal Pizzaballa and the Greek patriarch of Jerusalem Theophile III to arrive in Gaza. Both hierarchs brought along tons of food, medicine, and another help.
