In 1974, the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem founded the Holy Family school, which has over 1,200 students. In 2000, the Rosary Sisters founded another school (kindergarten and elementary) which has around 500 students.[when?] The schools provide education to children regardless of religion, and many local Muslims send their children to the schools.[7][8]
From 1995 to 2009, Manuel Musallam, a noted Palestinian peace activist, was parish priest of the Holy Family community.[9] In 2007, the Rosary Sisters' convent was looted and vandalized by unknown perpetrators. When asked about Muslim-Christian relations in Gaza after the attack, Musallam said that relations were excellent, and that Muslims in the community had promised to help repair the damage.[8]
During the 2014 Gaza War, the parish school and the pastor's office were partially destroyed by an Israeli airstrike aimed at a nearby house.[10]
Entrance to the Holy Family compound
In 2021, the Catholic community in the Gaza Strip consisted of 133 people. The Rosary Sisters' school was damaged by an Israeli airstrike during the 2021 Israel–Palestine crisis.[11]
During the 2023 Israel–Hamas war, the church, school, and convents have sheltered several hundred refugees,[12] including Christian families whose homes were destroyed.[13][14][15] On 9 October, Pope Francis called the parish priest, Gabriel Romanelli IVE, to offer prayer for the Christian community of Gaza. At the time, Romanelli was stranded in Bethlehem and unable to return to Gaza due to the war.[16] On 16 October, Pope Francis called Yusuf Asaad IVE and Nabila Saleh SSVM, both serving at Holy Family, to offer more support for the faithful of Gaza.[17][18] On 4 November, the Rosary Sisters' school was destroyed when it was targeted by an Israeli air strike.[19][20] As of 1 December, Romanelli, still unable to return to Gaza, reported that 600 people were sheltering in the church. He also thanked Pope Francis and Patriarch Pizzaballa, and said that the pope had called the Holy Family parish daily.[21][22] On 11 December, Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) reported that the church had been damaged by shrapnel from Israeli airstrikes, which destroyed solar panels, water tanks, and other buildings in the parish complex. ACN also reported that the parish has run out of fuel, cutting off most communication.[23] British-Palestinian MP, Layla Moran, who has family members sheltering there, has stated, "I fear my family under siege by Israeli forces in a church in Gaza will not survive until Christmas, between the snipers and the lack of water."[24] Media outlets have reported that around 650 Palestinian Christians have used the church as a refuge since the start of the war.[25]
On 16 December, Naheda and Samr Anton were killed by gunfire in the church compound. The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem said: “Nahida and her daughter Samar were shot and killed as they walked to the Sister’s Convent. One was killed as she tried to carry the other to safety. Seven more people were shot and wounded as they tried to protect others inside the church compound. No warning was given, no notification was provided. They were shot in cold blood inside the premises of the Parish, where there are no belligerents.”[26] The Patriarchate said the shooter was "a sniper of the IDF".[27] The incident was widely reported[28][29][30] and condemned by church figures including Pope Francis[31][32] and the Archbishop of Westminster, CardinalVincent Nichols.[33][34] The Israeli military said it had not targeted the church.[35] Following an investigation, the IDF alleged that Hamas had fired an RPG from the vicinity of church, and that IDF soldiers had fired back and hit Hamas spotters. The Catholic Church has maintained no Palestinian belligerents were in the area, and the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem issued a fiery rebuke, stating the woman had been "intentionally targeted" and "killed “in cold blood.”[36][37]
On 7 July 2024, an Israeli airstrike targeted Holy Family Catholic School, killing four people sheltered there, including Palestinian Deputy Labor Minister Ihab al-Ghussein.[38][39][40] The attack was condemned by the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem.[41]
