Sr. Nabila's appeal from Gaza: ‘We want peace, respect for human rights’

By Federico Piana

It is extremely difficult, nearly impossible, to connect with people in Gaza.

Telephone lines are practically a mirage and the internet works intermittently, even when the lights are on for just a few hours each day.

Braving these odds, Sister Nabila Saleh succeeded recently to entrust her appeal to Vatican News, which she addressed to the whole world.

"I ask the world for peace, for respect for human rights. I ask everyone to help Gaza because the population is suffering," says the religious sister.

She notes that there is no more time to waste, explaining that "houses no longer exist, food is almost finished, and what little is found costs five times more than normal."

Sr. Nabila says it will soon be impossible to survive if something does not change.

Wounded still holed up in parish

The sister of the Congregation of the Rosary of Jerusalem is holed up in the Latin-rite Catholic parish of the Holy Family, along with the majority of Christians from Gaza.

They have taken refuge there ever since the war between Israel and Hamas began on October 7.

She points out that there are still seven people who were wounded in a shooting last December that killed an elderly mother and her daughter, who were staying in the church compound.

Despite all attempts, they have not managed to transport the wounded to a hospital that could accommodate them.

"We have only been able to give them primary care,” says Sr. Nabila. “Two of them would need to be operated on urgently, while the others still have many shrapnel pieces in their bodies."

Medicines top the list of things that are lacking in the Catholic parish, as in most of Gaza.

However, notes the sister, "the King of Jordan has had food and medicine dropped by planes for us. Twice."

Endless terror

At the same time, Israeli tanks have returned to the streets of Gaza City.

"After three or four days of calm,” says Sr. Nabila, “the war has returned as violent as before. Tanks are in the neighborhood, they are also close to our school. We hear shooting but thank God nothing has happened in our parish."

Despite the difficulties, Sr. Nabila says that people in the parish have not given up hope.

“We hope in the Lord,” she says. “If we did not have faith here, we would all be dead already."