Holy Land Custos: Fear is growing that Gaza's Christians will disappear

By Roberto Cetera - L'Osservatore Romano

"Particularly in Gaza, where the the Christian community is a very small community, I fear that because of the war, the risk is that the Christian community in Gaza will disappear. I hope not. But it is very dangerous for the Christians to remain in Gaza since now the information that we have are that the Christians are safe in this moment, but we don't know the evolution during the next days."

This is the impression offered by the Custos of the Holy Land, Fr. Francesco Patton, OFM, who in an interview with L'Osservatore Romano's Roberto Cetera discussed the dramatic escalation of violence, in Gaza by Hamas, which has caused alarm across the globe.

As if time of pandemic

Fr. Patton said the situation in Jerusalem at the moment borders on the surreal, with very few people outside.

"The situation in the Old City in this moment is something surreal, because there are no people in the streets, only police checking the situation," he said. "It seems to be back to the time of the pandemic in the southern part of the country."

Deadliest terrorist attack on Israel in modern history

A 7 October attack by Hamas prompted Israel to issue an official declaration of war.

The Palestinian Islamist organization’s unprecedented land-sea-air military operation is considered to be the deadliest terrorist attack on Israel in its modern history, reportedly killed some 900 Israelis, including many civilians, while around 100 were taken hostage.

'A situation of war'

Fr. Patton explained that what most people know about what is happening comes from online sources, since they have "no presence of the Custody of the Holy Land except in Jaffa and in Ramle."

"But I think that the situation, from the voices that we hear, is a situation of of war," he lamented. "Not all the dangerous cities are in this moment safe."

Regarding the situation in the south of Israel, Fr. Patton said his office has very little information since the Custody of the Holy Land has no presence there. 

However, he said, "I think that in this moment, the situation is not good."

Dangers facing Christians in Gaza

Fr. Patton also expressed concern for the Christian population in the Holy Land at the moment, especially in the Gaza Strip.

"The Christian population is always a peaceful population and the risk when there are conflicts, confrontations and war, is that the Christian population is the first victim after every war," he said. "Some of the members of our communities leave the country."

"Particularly in Gaza, where the the Christian community is a very small community, I fear that because of the war, the risk is that the Christian community in Gaza will disappear. I hope not," he said.

"But it is very dangerous for the Christians to remain in Gaza," he concluded, "since now the information that we have are that the Christians are safe in this moment, but we don't know the evolution during the next days."