A Catholic priest in Gaza is pleading for the war to stop as the strip continues to sink into a deeper humanitarian and health crisis. 

Gaza’s only Roman Catholic parish priest, Fr. Gabriel Romanelli, told Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) about the “very serious” situation caused by dire living conditions and ongoing violence.

Despite the ceasefire called on 10 October 2025, authorities in the Gaza Strip say more than 500 Palestinians have died since then. 

Speaking before these attacks, Fr. Romanelli said: “The war is not over. Some bombing continues notably behind the Yellow Line. Houses have been destroyed, deaths and injuries continue to be recorded.”

The Yellow Line designates the military frontier established at the time of the ceasefire on 10 October 2025. 

The line separates the zones controlled by Israel, in the east and the south, from the zone controlled by Hamas in the west.

The latter includes Gaza City where the Holy Family Roman Catholic Church is situated.

Fr. Romanelli said thousands of people continue to suffer and there were few signs of hope – with many people living in tents that get drenched when it rains.

Borders have been closed, and the electricity and water infrastructure are in ruins.

Water is poorly treated, badly stored or contaminated during transport and distribution, facilitating the spread of disease. 

The parish priest added: “It is absolutely essential that the war stops. It seems that no one in the world is really involving themselves in an effective way. 

“The 2.3 million inhabitants of Gaza need at the very least to have the minimum human conditions to rebuild their lives. 

“There are very many sick and wounded people without access to suitable medical care or who are waiting to be able to leave the enclave for treatment because the hospital system has become a phantom.”

Fr Romanelli said: “They did not die of natural causes. Respiratory and digestive diseases are multiplying. We have all fallen ill more than once.

“The epidemics are taking a turn for the worse because of the lack of heating, proper shelter and medicine.”

Recent torrential rain caused buildings to collapse and those that are still standing are very fragile. The priest said one school teacher lost five family members this way. 

The Catholic priest said thanks to the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem and organisations including ACN, aid has been able to enter. 

He added “The patriarchate continues to do an enormous amount of good for thousands of families in Gaza.”