Pope Francis Reaches Out to Gaza’s Catholic Community Amid Escalating Violence
Vatican City – Pope Francis has reached out to the priest leading Gaza’s small Catholic community twice, offering prayers and expressing his support amidst the ongoing conflict between Hamas and Israel, according to the Vatican. The pontiff made the calls following the recent Hamas attack on Israel.
Father Gabriel Romanelli shared his conversation with the 86-year-old pope with Vatican News, the official media outlet of the Vatican. “The pope called me a few minutes ago… he expressed his closeness and offered his prayers,” Romanelli stated. He also expressed his gratitude to Pope Francis for his remarks made on Sunday, where he called for peace in Israel and Palestine and the cessation of attacks and weapons, emphasizing that terrorism and war are not the solutions.
Romanelli added that the pope also called him the previous day, expressing concern for the well-being of the parishioners. Unfortunately, Romanelli is currently stuck in Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank after leaving Gaza to collect necessary medications and is unable to return.
Despite the challenging circumstances, Romanelli assured that the Christian community is coping as well as possible. The parish is currently providing shelter for approximately 150 refugees.
Meanwhile, the death toll from the ongoing conflict surpassed 3,000 on Tuesday, marking the fourth day of intense fighting since Hamas launched an unexpected attack on Israel.
Pope Francis’ outreach to Gaza’s Catholic community sends a message of solidarity and support during these challenging times. As the violence continues to escalate, Pope Francis’ words and prayers bring hope to those affected and call for a peaceful resolution to end the bloodshed.
