By Antonio Graceffo
The October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel, which killed 1,440 people, were shocking in their cruelty, eliciting an extreme response from Israel. Prime Minister Netanyahu is determined to eliminate Hamas once and for all.
After neutralising the terrorists in Israel, the Israel Defense Force (IDF) has cut off access to Gaza, not allowing anything in or out. The targeting of civilians, as well as images and videos of the brutalisation of victims, including women, children, and the elderly, has made it difficult for many people around the world to feel sympathy for the Palestinian cause.
Human rights groups have asked Israel to allow humanitarian aid to pass through. However, Hamas taxes everything that goes in, including aid. Israel is blocking aid to Gaza because it fears that it will end up in the hands of Hamas. Jerusalem has stated that aid would be allowed into Gaza if the more than 190 Israeli hostages were released.
Human rights organisations argue that not all Palestinians are affiliated with Hamas. On the other hand, because Hamas members do not wear uniforms and often blend into the larger civilian population, it is challenging for the IDF to distinguish between terrorists and non-terrorists, as well as those who support terrorism and those who do not.
However, it’s important to note that Palestine’s small Christian community is not associated with Hamas. Mr Anton Asfar, Secretary General of Caritas Jerusalem, a Catholic aid organisation, explained during a phone interview that the blockade affects not only Muslims in Gaza, but also Catholics and other Christians.
Vanishing minority
Mr Asfar recounted the relatively small size of the Christian population in the Middle East, saying, “Christians in the Holy Land are few in number, about 200,000.” He estimated that in Jerusalem, where he is based, there are fewer than 10,000 Christians from various denominations, including Latins, Roman Catholics, Greek Orthodox, Syriacs, and Armenians. “And the number has been decreasing,” he said with sadness. In 1922, approximately 25 percent of Jerusalem’s population was Christian, but today, Christians account for only about 2 percent of the population.
In Israel, the Catholic Church operates schools, hospitals, and other services that are open to people of all faiths. Caritas Jerusalem is an organisation “Inspired by Gospel values and Catholic Social Teaching, [which] responds to disasters, promotes integral human development, and advocates for the causes of poverty and conflict.”
Mr Asfar was concerned because he wanted to provide aid to staff members and to Catholics in Gaza. He stressed, however, that the organisation assists all people regardless of race, religion, or nationality.
In Gaza, there are only about 1,000 Christians from the Greek Orthodox and Roman Catholic faiths. The predominant language among Catholics in both Israel and Gaza is Arabic. Mr Asfar stated, “The Christians are considered Palestinians by the Israelis.” However, in Israel, they can also speak Hebrew. In Palestine, they speak Arabic. He said that in Palestine, the Christians share the same culture and schools as the Palestinians. In fact, the majority of the students at the Catholic schools in Gaza are Muslim.
“The Christians in Gaza are suffering now just as much as the Muslims,” he lamented.
“Christians are displaced as much as Muslims. We have many staff working in Gaza. Many of them have had their houses destroyed. Both Catholics and Muslims have sought refuge in the convents and schools of the Catholic Church.”
Fr Gabriel Romanelli, the pastor of Holy Family parish in Gaza under the jurisdiction of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, reported that “200 parishioners were taking shelter in the church, monastery, St Thomas Aquinas Centre, and Holy Family School, along with several congregations of women religious: the Sisters of the Incarnate Word, the Rosary Sisters, and the Sisters of Charity.” An additional 120 families have also sought refuge in the Greek Orthodox complex.
This article originally appeared in Mercator on October 19, 2023
