Crisis in Gaza: We have been able to act swiftly because of your generosity.
We have seen shocking and deeply distressing scenes of violence in Gaza. For eleven days in May this year, missiles flew out of Gaza and bombs fell on the people of this tiny enclave as the fragile peace in this region failed once more. Fortunately, a ceasefire is now in operation; however, the aftermath of this devastating period continues to cause suffering for the already vulnerable Christian community in Gaza. The physical damage is obvious. Father Gabriel Romanelli, Parish Priest of the Holy Family Church in Gaza completed a needs assessment of his parish community with the help of experts sent under the direction of the Latin Patriarchate. They discovered that fifty Christian families required help to repair damage to their homes, including windows, doors, cracks in the walls and solar panels without which, many families are left without a key source of power. As we are in regular contact with Fr Gabriel and Sami El-Yousef, CEO of the Latin Patriarchate, Friends of the Holy Land were able to act quickly to send US$40,000 immediately to cover the cost of the repair of 32 of these homes from our emergency
reserves. Our immediate focus, working with partners such as the Pontifical Mission and the Latin Patriarchate, is to allow these families to go home. “More disturbing than the physical damage are the reports of the emotional damage experienced by the whole population of Gaza, who feel helpless and abandoned and are traumatized.” Sami El-Yousef, CEO Latin Patriarchate According to the national helpline operated by the UN Protection cluster in Gaza, parents are desperate to know how they can help their children who are suffering from trauma, fear, and panic. There will be a significant need for Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) programs for parents and children in the months ahead. If appropriate psycho-social help is provided in the early stages following an emergency, there is strong evidence this can help these children recover more quickly and reduce the risk of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) developing in the longer term. With this in mind, we have also sent US$10,000 from our emergency reserve to fund an immediate programme of pastoral, group and individual therapy, games, and childfriendly activities to help people of all ages cope with the trauma. These will be organized by Father Gabriel and use the facilities of the parish in Gaza as a first step.
Giving hope to vulnerable Christians