(LifeSiteNews) — Father Gabriel Romanelli, an Argentinian Catholic priest in Gaza, is sounding the alarm on the continued bombardment of civilians by the Israeli Defense Force.
In a message sent to Aid to the Church in Need, Romanelli, who is from Buenos Aires, highlighted the escalating number of deaths that have occurred in the region.
“Recently the number of children killed in this war surpassed 17,000. More than 17,000! It’s terrible, terrible. We have had over 50,000 people killed in this war, and over 110,000 wounded, many of them amputees,” he said.
Romanelli is the parish priest of Holy Family Church in Gaza, which was been repeatedly targeted by Israeli soldiers. Just last month, bombing strikes came within 400 meters of the compound. In 2023, Israeli snipers were accused of murdering two women who were sheltering at the church.
“Seven more people were shot and wounded as they tried to protect others inside the church compound,” declared Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa. “No warning was given … they were shot in cold blood inside the premises of the parish.”
Romanelli is a member of the Institute of the Incarnate Word and has been stationed in Gaza since 2019, having previously spent time in Egypt. He pleaded for peace in his video message.
“One more day of war won’t solve the situation: it will only make it worse,” he said.
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The conflict has dragged on since October 2023. While the USA has spent considerable energies attempting to forge a ceasefire and peace agreement, Israeli Prime Minster Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly torpedoed the proposals. Moreover, President Trump has reiterated his controversial plan to ethnically cleanse Gaza of Palestinians and for the US to take over the region.
Romanelli recently told Vatican News that Pope Francis contacted him after his 38-day stay at the Gemelli Hospital in Rome. He said Francis expressed support for him and Holy Family and also shared his opposition to turning Gaza into beachfront property for the United States.
“You cannot move and deprive people of their rights, first of all the right to life and to live in their land, and to have assistance and property, their affection, and their business. True peace must be built on justice, not injustice,” Romanelli said.
Pizzaballa has issued multiple statements echoing Romanelli’s remarks. Since 2023, he has called out the Israeli government’s blocking of humanitarian aid and he has offered himself in exchange for prisoners. Pizzaballa has also called for “new leadership with vision” in both the political and religious arenas, an indirect criticism of Netanyahu who has repeatedly rejected international resolutions passed at the United Nations to bring the conflict to a halt.
Romanelli explained that there are around 500 mostly Catholics but also Orthodox and some Muslim families at the Holy Family compound. He urged Catholics to pray to Our Lady of Fatima so that the war would quickly come to an end.
