The leader of Gaza’s Holy Family Church has told SAT-7 that he is “not a superhero” for staying by his congregation’s side following a deadly strike on the building and a mounting famine crisis in the territory.

Father Gabriel Romanelli, who is Argentinian, spoke to SAT-7 ARABIC’s “You Are Not Alone program” after the Holy Family Church was hit on 17 July. He was among 15 people who were injured during the blast, which claimed three lives.

“There were strikes around us, but we never expected them to hit the church,” he said. “The church almost got hit before. It is a shock, but we are also part of Gaza, and we are used to the dead and injured. We have hope in the Lord, but we don’t know when the war will end. We can’t see any signs of it.”

Father Romanelli emphasized that although he is not Palestinian, he refuses to leave Gaza. “I’m not a superhero, but I am a father, and it is my duty to be by my congregation’s side,” he said.

SAT-7 has been in contact with the Holy Family Church throughout the conflict and reassured them of our ongoing support and concern after the strike.

Famine concerns

International concerns have been mounting in recent weeks over widespread famine in Gaza, amid haunting images of children suffering from severe malnutrition. Temporary and partial pauses in military activity are taking place in parts of Gaza this week to allow vital aid in, with the UN aid chief Tom Fletcher describing the next few days as “make or break”.

“We are in need of everything,” said Father Romanelli. “There’s a shortage of everything. Every day people are dying… There’s a shortage of food. There’s  famine. We need water and medicine.”

The Holy Family Church has been sheltering over 500 people, Christians and Muslims, since the start of the war. The late Pope Francis had called them daily to offer encouragement and support throughout the conflict before his death in April.

In a previous interview with “You Are Not Alone,” Father Romanelli shared a moving call for peace:

“Our church is called the Holy Family, because we remember that when the Holy Family fled Herod’s hands from Bethlehem, according to tradition they passed through here on their way to Egypt. So, we ask this Holy Family to come back to Gaza and bring us peace.”