Gaza: Israeli missiles destroy house near Catholic church

Holy Family Church Gaza

Gaza's Catholic parish church was dangerously close to an Israeli missile strike yesterday. Brazilian Sister Laudis said: "Yesterday afternoon, after five pm three missiles destroyed a house very close to the parish." She explained that for several days the Sisters of Mother Teresa, together with 28 disabled children and nine elderly women that they care for, moved to the parish because they felt it was a safer place. All of them will remain in Gaza, along with the parish priest Fr Jorge Hernandez, she said.

During the five hour truce planned for today - from 10am to 3pm local time - aid workers were rushing to bring in humanitarian aid and help evacuate a few hundred people. Among others, the three Sisters of the Institute of the Incarnate Word - all foreigners - operating at the Catholic parish dedicated to the Holy Family are preparing to leave the Strip.

The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem report that there will be permanent Eucharistic Adoration in the parish starting from today and the Holy Mass was celebrated "to implore forgiveness for all, justice and peace".

Fr Jorge and Sr Gladis from the Institute of the Incarnate Word, Fr Jorge say the small Catholic community and the entire population of Gaza, is suffering from severe stress. Fr Jorge said: "Young children are beginning to get sick because of fear, stress, shock waves and for the continuous noise. Parents are doing everything they can to distract them by playing, jumping and dancing every time they hear an explosion".

The death toll of the Israeli military operation on the Gaza Strip has caused at least 227 deaths among Palestinians, mostly civilians. In the few hours of the ceasefire, the population of Gaza was out in the streets to get money from the banks and buy basic necessities.

Source: Fides