faced with Israeli bombings, Christians are leaving the territory little by little

There were a thousand of them before the attack on October 7, at least 30% of them have left and there could be more in the coming weeks.

Christians in Gaza are in danger, warns the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem. For the first time since the advent of Christianity almost 2,000 years ago, there is a real risk that they will disappear from a territory they have always occupied. Since October 7, 32 have died, including 20 in bombings or exchanges of fire and the others from lack of care.

The last Christians in the enclave have practically all taken refuge in two churches in Gaza City. “I lived like the people and I shared what they suffered”said Sister Nabila, speaking in the past tense, because she left a few weeks ago, like 300 other faithful. “I have a liver problem and I have seen a lot of suffering. It is very difficult to abandon my mission in Gaza and then see the country destroyed. Everything is destroyed in Gaza…”, laments Sister Nabila.

No escape plan

According to the Latin patriarchy, there should be another 300 more paying exorbitant sums to leave the enclave in the coming weeks. “This could mark the end of Christianity in Gazaalerts Marie-Armelle Beaulieu, editor-in-chief of Holy Land Magazine. The churches do not organize the outing today. We are still witnessing something dramatic. We have 2000 years of continuous presence of Christians in Gaza, if we give up, that is to say if we facilitate departures, we confirm the erasure of a two-thousand-year-old community.”

“Christians are not guests here, Christianity was born here.”

Marie-Armelle Beaulieu, editor-in-chief of Terre Sainte Magazine

at franceinfo

“We can’t let go, complements Marie-Armelle Beaulieu, because that if we start to let go of that, we will be invited to let go of the Christian community which is in the West Bank, we will be invited sooner or later to let go of the Christian community which is in Jerusalem and that which is in Israel.”

Israel offered the Christians of Gaza an evacuation plan: the clerical authorities refused it, so as not to abandon a land occupied by churches for nearly 2,000 years.