Christian Leaders in Jerusalem Affirm Determination of Priests and Nuns to Remain in Gaza

The Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem, Theophilos III, and the Latin Patriarch, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, have reaffirmed their unwavering support for priests and nuns in Gaza who refuse to abandon their mission despite war, hunger, and mounting threats.

In a joint statement published on their official websites, the patriarchs declared that clergy and religious in Gaza, including the Missionaries of Charity and parish priests of the Latin Holy Family and Greek Orthodox St. Porphyrius compounds, “will neither evacuate nor flee” even as the Israeli Defense Forces intensify their offensive. Instead, they have chosen to remain with the hundreds of civilians, elderly, children, and persons with disabilities who have sought shelter in church facilities.

“Leaving Gaza City and trying to flee to the south would be nothing less than a death sentence,” the patriarchs noted, insisting that the Church’s mission is to bear witness to mercy and Christian charity amid devastation. They warned that “there can be no future based on captivity, displacement of Palestinians, or revenge.”

AsiaNews reports that Gaza’s Christian institutions, once considered sanctuaries, have not been spared destruction. Yet priests and nuns continue to serve, often at great personal risk. The Sisters of Mother Teresa, who have been present in Gaza for over fifty years, provide daily care for disabled children and vulnerable adults, regularly visiting the poor and sick even under bombardment.

According to AsiaNews, the patriarchs also condemned forced displacement, appealing to the international community to end the “spiral of violence” and secure the release of both Palestinian civilians and Israeli hostages. “All peoples, even the smallest and weakest, must be respected… especially the right to live in their own lands,” the statement emphasized.

By their decision to stay, priests and nuns in Gaza embody the Church’s solidarity with a suffering people. Their presence, despite the threat of death, stands as a profound witness to faith, unity, and charity in one of the darkest chapters of the conflict.