Church clergy have warned that Gazans “cannot yet see the light at the end of the tunnel” this Christmas, despite an official ceasefire being declared.

Nathalie Rafferey, from Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), told Premier Christian News that conditions were “harrowing,” with a lack of necessities such as water, electricity, and medicine. 

Gaza’s only Catholic Church, the Holy Family, is supported by the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, a partner of ACN. 

Father Gabriel Romanelli, parish priest, told ACN: “Our situation is better than a month-and-a-half ago, when the ceasefire began, but this does not mean that things are well. They remain very serious, very delicate.

“Many people are saying that the war is going to end, but it has not ended yet. And therefore, peace has not yet arrived.

“The greatest concern at the moment is the fact that Gazans cannot yet see the light at the end of the tunnel – they cannot see any clear sign that peace is arriving.”

Fr. Romanelli said clergy “constantly try to light a flame of hope” amid the humanitarian crisis. 

There has been no electricity for two years, and drinking water is restricted. Heavy rainfall has turned the ground into mud and waste-contaminated pools, posing a significant health risk. 

“Medication for chronic illness, such as diabetes or high blood pressure, are scarce and the population desperately needs winter clothing for the cold weather, because most people have lost their homes, and are seeking shelter,” he added. 

More than 400 people live in the Holy Family Church compound, most of whom are Christian. 

The church continues to hold services, including daily mass and recitation of the rosary. 

Church leaders in Jerusalem have also warned that violence persists in the region, despite the announcement of a ceasefire in October.

Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, visited the Holy Family Church last week and praised parishioners as a “powerful witness of resilience and hope”.