Catholic school in Gaza, the Holy Family School located in the Old City, reopened its doors this morning to welcome around 1,000 students after nearly three years of war following the 7 October 2023 attack. The parish priest, Father Gabriel Romanelli, stated that the reopening of the school is «a sign of hope» and «a light in the middle of darkness» for a population that has endured immense suffering. Although affiliated with the Catholic parish, the school serves the entire local community, as the majority of its students are Muslim.
Speaking to a delegation from the pontifical foundation Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) visiting the Holy Land to assess local Church needs, Father Romanelli emphasized that the needs in Gaza remain massive:
“For the students and the families, the reopening of the school will restore a certain sense of normality. We have worked hard to ensure that it is a safe environment. There is practically no place left in Gaza that has not been destroyed; the destruction is everywhere. But we have made a great effort to make the school a clean environment, where children who have been through so much suffering can feel safe”.
Uniting Christian students at the Catholic school in Gaza
Prior to the war, five Christian schools operated in Gaza: three Catholic, one Orthodox, and one Evangelical. Now, for the first time, all Christian students will attend the same institution. George Akroush, Director of the Project Development Office of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, informed ACN that around 130 Christian students will study at Holy Family School, representing approximately 13% of the total student body:
“For the first time, all Christian students in Gaza will study together in the same Christian school. This creates a strong sense of community and shows that the Church remains close to them, accompanying them amid everything they are experiencing”.
The reopening follows the departure of internally displaced families who had been sheltering in the school building, where more than 450 people sought refuge from bombardment.
Psychosocial care and ongoing pastoral presence
The parish continues working to restore a sense of routine to local families. Every Sunday following Mass, Father Romanelli accompanies parishioners to the Gaza City beach to provide moments of recreation, despite debris along the shoreline.
Because both students and teachers carry deep emotional trauma, the institution has adapted its academic curriculum:
“In the past, for example, we had never included psychosocial support in the school curriculum. Now it will be an important part of the work we do with both children and teachers. Everyone in Gaza is carrying deep trauma”.
Furthermore, the school will offer extracurricular activities after regular class hours to provide a safe gathering space for children. Father Romanelli noted that seeing 1,000 students arrive in uniform reassures the community that a future exists. Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) continues its long-standing financial and pastoral assistance to the local Church in the Holy Land and Gaza.
