Gaza Priest Remains Amid Conflict, Receives Call from Pope

Gaza: Father Gabriel Romanelli, the priest of the Catholic Holy Family parish in Gaza, stated on Tuesday that he plans to remain in the region despite Israel’s military offensive aimed at gaining control of Gaza City.

According to Ansa News Agency, the Vatican announced on Tuesday that Pope Leo XIV had personally called Romanelli to convey his “concern” and assure him of his “prayer and closeness.” Romanelli shared on Italian State broadcaster Rai’s Agora program that the challenging situation in Gaza has worsened over time. Despite the dire circumstances, he reassured that they are managing, even as sounds of shelling are frequently heard, especially in the west and northwest areas of Gaza City.

Father Romanelli and his parish are located in the eastern part of the city, where they continue to harbor around 450 refugees. Romanelli noted that they are distributing available resources not only to the refugees but also to neighboring residents, who are numerous.

In a previous incident, Romanelli was among those injured in an Israeli strike on the Holy Family Catholic Church in July, which resulted in the deaths of three individuals. Prior to his passing in April, Pope Francis had maintained near-daily communication with Romanelli, particularly following the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war in October 2023.