Without heating and facing acute power shortages, Gaza is sinking into extreme hardship as winter approaches.
“The overall situation in Gaza is becoming more dire and unlivable every day. Words are no longer enough to describe it,” Father Gabriel Romanelli, pastor of the only Catholic parish in the Palestinian enclave, told Aid to the Church in Need (ACN).
Torrential rains in recent days have further worsened the living conditions of displaced people, leaving tens of thousands of tents submerged.
“Families have lost the little they still had to eat and sleep on,” the priest laments.
According to the latest humanitarian assessments, more than 106,000 people have been directly affected by severe weather, while over 26,000 households have requested assistance after flooding damaged their shelters and personal belongings. More than 6,000 family shelters are reported destroyed, with an additional 17,400 sustaining damage.
The rains have also turned deadly. Among the victims were a mother and her three young children, who were killed when a sand embankment collapsed onto their tent in Deir al-Balah. Humanitarian organizations have also confirmed the drowning of an infant.
As winter sets in, Father Romanelli describes an increasingly grim reality: “Heating is impossible—unthinkable”.
Many homes have lost windows and structural exterior walls to bombardments. The tarpaulins and plastic sheets used to patch these openings are frequently torn or ruined. Furthermore, with shorter days and reduced sunlight, existing solar panels will generate far less electricity.
“New panels should be allowed into the enclave, but no one seems to hear the cries of the population,” Father Romanelli says.
Praying by Candlelight and Flashlight
The parish compound itself faces severe power rationing. Its generator runs for only a few hours a day, and the limited energy produced is reserved strictly for basic lighting, cooking, and recharging batteries.
“When night falls, Gaza becomes a land of darkness,” the pastor laments.
“Many families pray by the faint light of flashlights or candles,” adds Bishop Shomali, Patriarchal Vicar for Jerusalem and Palestine, who also spoke with ACN.
Humanitarian agencies report that approximately 1.4 million people—around 65% of Gaza’s population—are currently living in tents or makeshift shelters. Nearly one million displaced residents are situated in flood-prone zones, making the upcoming winter months exceptionally hazardous.
Meanwhile, physical danger remains omnipresent. The Auxiliary Bishop of Jerusalem recalled the deaths of two Orthodox Christian women during a strike on Gaza City on October 3: “No place in the Gaza Strip can be considered safe”.
The Israeli military front line is currently located just 60 meters from the parish compound, which houses both the church and its school. Every day, 15 buses transport students and faculty, with strict safety measures coordinated each morning and afternoon to minimize risk during transit.
A Church Alongside the Most Vulnerable
“No one offers a glimmer of hope; no one says the war will end, or that the people of Gaza will be able to rebuild their homes and become self-sufficient again,” Father Gabriel observes. Humanitarian aid, which trickles into the enclave irregularly, falls critically short of meeting basic needs.
Despite the overwhelming adversity, the parish remains steadfast in its mission to “continue doing good”. It currently shelters 80 displaced people, distributes clean drinking water to surrounding neighbors—the vast majority of whom are Muslim—and shares incoming food provisions.
“Most of our neighbors lack everything. And when I say everything, I truly mean everything,” Father Romanelli emphasizes.
The Latin Patriarchate supports the parish’s relief work alongside partner Catholic organizations. “We especially value how ACN listens to our genuine priorities and strives to respond to the needs we observe on the ground,” Bishop Shomali notes.
Among the primary initiatives currently funded by ACN in Gaza is an emergency relief program designed, among other priorities, to help 148 Christian children endure the harsh winter conditions.
The bishop also expressed deep gratitude to benefactors, noting that their contributions often represent “a personal sacrifice” that delivers an essential reassurance: “The Christians of the Holy Land have not been forgotten!”
Even amid severe hardship, the Church continues to stand as an active sign of Christian hope and solidarity, serving all those in distress regardless of religious affiliation or background.
Pastoral operations have also been bolstered by the arrival of Father Luis Montes, a fellow priest from the Institute of the Incarnate Word, who was formally welcomed on Sunday, November 8, during a Mass that he celebrated.
“It is a true blessing,” the pastor notes.
Father Romanelli remains determined to amplify the voices of Gazans who go unheard. He urges that the enclave not be forgotten by international media or world leaders, and calls for border crossings to open so medical teams can enter and patients requiring critical care can safely evacuate. Above all, he insists that immediate humanitarian needs must not eclipse the fundamental necessity of a just and lasting peace: “Peace is possible and justice is necessary, for Israelis and Palestinians alike”.
The pontifical foundation Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) has partnered with the local Church for years to sustain Christian communities across the Holy Land. Its initiatives include job-creation programs for Christian families in Bethlehem and Jerusalem, modernizing a Catholic printing press in Bethlehem, and supporting the Latin Patriarchal Seminary of Beit Jala, including upgrades to facilities dedicated to religious formation.
The foundation also funds Christian education, particularly for students from economically disadvantaged families, allocating approximately €420,000 across the Holy Land between 2025 and 2026. In Gaza, ACN is currently focusing its resources on an emergency relief program to help families withstand the brutal winter elements.