By Charles Igwe
In an interview with Aid to the Church in Need-Italy (ACN-Italy), Monsignor William Shomali, Auxiliary Bishop of Jerusalem and Apostolic Administrator of the Latin Patriarchate, provided a detailed account of the severe hardships faced by Christians in the Holy Land, particularly those in the Gaza Strip amid the ongoing conflict.
Monsignor Shomali reported that before the outbreak of the war, there were 1,017 Christians living in Gaza. Following the escalation of violence, the majority sought refuge within the Latin parish complex, while others found shelter in the Greek Orthodox community. These displaced individuals are enduring significant shortages of electricity, potable water, and food. Recently, they managed to acquire sacks of flour and, on one occasion, received frozen chickens, which had to be consumed immediately due to the lack of refrigeration facilities.
The conflict has resulted in the destruction of many homes, forcing most Christians to live in classrooms of the parish schools. This displacement has halted educational activities, as families occupy the classrooms that would otherwise be used for teaching. Monsignor Shomali expressed uncertainty about the future reconstruction efforts in Gaza, emphasizing the additional financial strain of continuing to pay the full salaries of the teachers from the two affected schools.
The human toll has also been devastating, with thirty Christians killed in various explosions. Over 250 individuals, including those with dual nationality, the sick, and students seeking to continue their education, have left Gaza. Some have paid between $7,000 and $8,000 for permits to exit through the Rafah border crossing, which is currently closed, leaving Gaza’s residents trapped in what Monsignor Shomali described as “a great prison.”
The conflict’s impact extends beyond Gaza, affecting Palestinian Christians in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, where nearly 40% of the community relies on tourism for their livelihood. The sector had just begun to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic when the conflict erupted on October 7, leading to a halt in pilgrimages and a significant loss of jobs and income. According to the Latin Patriarchate, over 3,000 families in the tourism sector alone have lost their employment, exacerbating the economic crisis.
Internationally, the ideological divide between supporters of Israel and Palestine threatens to drown out or distort the voices of local Christian communities for political purposes. Bishop Shomali emphasized that both sides in the conflict desire peace but questioned how a resolution could be reached given the strong ideological claims to the land by both Jews and Palestinians. He advocated for a two-state solution with Jerusalem as an open and shared city, asserting that force only breeds more hatred and violence, while a just solution could bring lasting peace and reconciliation.
The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, supported by Aid to the Church in Need, has initiated various humanitarian projects to assist the affected Christian communities. These efforts include providing medical aid, scholarships, housing rentals, and economic assistance to families in need. The Saint Yves legal branch of the Patriarchate has worked to improve conditions at checkpoints, some of which have been reopened following closures on October 7. Additionally, the Patriarchate has created work scholarships, employing 400 workers with monthly salaries of $650 to help alleviate economic hardships.
Concluding his remarks, Monsignor Shomali expressed profound gratitude to ACN’s benefactors for their ongoing support of pastoral and humanitarian projects in the Holy Land. He assured them of prayers in the Holy Places, trusting that their generosity will be rewarded a hundredfold by the Lord.
