More than 50 Christian family homes and a Christian school have been destroyed, and other Christian buildings have been badly damaged by airstrikes in Gaza, according to a charity’s project partner.

One of the buildings destroyed has been the Rosary Sisters School. The school had 1,250 students, both Christian and Muslim, and was one of the largest institutions in Gaza educating poor communities.

“We pray for peace, justice, and a swift end to the suffering in Gaza.”

Despite the order for all civilians in Gaza City to evacuate to the south of the strip, Sister Nabila stressed her decision to remain with the community in the parish until the end.

She said it would be logistically impossible to move the elderly, children, sick and those with disabilities.

She explained: “We will not go and leave our people. We are here to accompany them, we cannot possibly abandon them.”

Most Christians in Gaza are sheltering at the Holy Family Church and the Orthodox Church of St Porphyrius, and only have enough supplies for just over a week, according to ACN’s source.

The source added, “The fighting is coming closer and closer.

“But without a humanitarian truce there can be no evacuation because people are very scared – they are hearing about bombing in other areas in the Gaza Strip.

“Moreover, famine and lack of water and shelter are terrible in these other areas as well.”