The nuns and their 60 guests, most of whom are disabled and handicapped, are trapped in the facility without food, water, medicine, electricity or gas, according to Sr Chiara.

The "whole area" where the nuns' facility is located "is surrounded by the Israeli army" said Fr Francis Xavier Rayappangari.

"Communications with the outside world have been cut off" said Fr Rayappangari, Commissary of the Holy Land in India.

"Sometimes, some generous and courageous people bring something to eat. Whatever they receive from outside, the sisters serve their guests first. If there is anything left, they eat that. Sometimes they only have one meal a day."

The convent of the Sisters of Mother Teresa and the Holy Family parish are near the al-Shifa hospital. The hospital has been under siege by Israeli forces for days.

Local sources report that the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) gave the nuns an opportunity to be evacuated, but not the disabled and the remaining staff.

The nuns declined to leave.

Hamas deny building tunnels

The IDF are hunting for Hamas members and weapons in the underground tunnels. The hunt has worsened the humanitarian crisis, with doctors and patients under attack, including children.

The intense combat in the area has affected not only the nearby Holy Family Catholic Church, the lone Catholic parish in Gaza, but also the small Missionaries of Charity convent.

Rayappangari also said witnessing the horrors of war has become a daily occurrence not only at the convent but also at the nearby parish, where an estimated 700 people have sought refuge from the shelling and combat.

"One lady wanted to go home in order to take a bath" Fr Rayappangari said, recounting a story he heard from the sisters. "As she stepped out of the campus, she was shot and died bleeding.

"May the Prince of Peace give peace to this land" he said.

Sources

Asia News

Crux Now

Premier Christian News

The opposing versions emerged at an afternoon press conference with 10 Palestinians who met the pope on Wednesday morning at his Vatican residence. That meeting followed a separate one with Israeli relatives of hostages in Gaza.

"When we shared the stories of the families that have been killed (in Gaza) he mentioned 'I see the genocide'," said Shireen Awwad Hilal, who teaches at the Bethlehem Bible College.

"It was very clear, the word genocide did not come from us. It came from His Holiness, Pope Francis," she said.

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The Council's leaders made the announcement on November 5 to express deepening concern over the escalating humanitarian crisis engulfing Palestinian civilians in Gaza.

In lieu of the usual Christmas bazaars, gift distributions, decorations, and scout parades, the Council has called for a solemn observance of Christmas through prayer and religious rituals.

"We cancelled the external celebrations of Christmas.

"The decision was made to focus on the spiritual meaning of Christmas—the birth of Jesus.

"It's solidarity with the people of Gaza.

"We will focus only on the religious celebration, including worship services and songs inside the churches and nothing outside the churches," explained Fr Rifat Bader, director of the Catholic Center for Studies and Media in the Jordanian capital.

Heroes in Gaza

In Jordan, there is a deep connection to the Christian community in Gaza, with Father Bader revealing that one of his cousins is a Dominican Sister of the Most Holy Rosary of Jerusalem serving in Holy Family Parish in Gaza.

Father Bader's sister, along with an Egyptian nun, provides vital support to the Christian community and ordinary citizens in Gaza City.

Bader acknowledged the heroic efforts of these sisters.

"They are putting aside their own personal fears to take care of the people they live with day and night inside the church.

"These are heroes in Gaza, and we pray that God will protect them to ensure the continued Christian presence in Gaza."

He highlighted that Jordanians and Jordan's Palestinian descendants share in the suffering of the people of Gaza due to their geographical proximity.

Bader explained why Jordan's Christians have been asked to cancel Christmas celebrations this year.

Bader stated, "We are the closest country to Palestine, to Gaza, which is why we are not celebrating Christmas with joy this year."

Sources

Agenzia Fides

The Catholic Register

CathNews New Zealand

The Pope has made it clear that pursuing peace is a top priority.

Meanwhile, Vatican officials are working tirelessly to promote peace through various channels.

"I encourage faithful to take only one side in this conflict, the side of peace" Francis said during his weekly audience on October 18.

Vatican diplomats have aligned with international voices in urging a renewed pursuit of a two-state solution for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

They are advocating for the establishment of a viable Palestinian state alongside security assurances for Israel. This is a stance consistent with the Holy See's position since 2013.

Pope Francis also urged the faithful to support the cause of peace. He emphasised the importance of dialogue to end the cycle of violence.

During a visit to a military cemetery on All Souls Day, Francis commented "Wars are always a defeat, always. There is never a total victory. One side wins over the other. But behind that, there is always defeat in the price that has to be paid."

Francis has also called for a ceasefire in Gaza and the creation of humanitarian corridors to help relieve the suffering of its besieged inhabitants.

Serious concern

Meanwhile, Vatican diplomats have engaged with world leaders, including US President Joe Biden and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, to promote this message of peace.

The Vatican's Secretary for Relations with States, Archbishop Paul Gallagher, expressed serious concern to Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian about the situation in Israel and Palestine.

In response to the conflict in Ukraine, Pope Francis appointed Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, the Archbishop of Bologna, as his personal peace envoy.

It remains unclear whether the pope will appoint another envoy for the Mideast. However, Zuppi has weighed in on the hostilities in Gaza. He underlined the need "for an authoritative Palestinian leadership that is capable of defending its people."

Francis admitted to Italian news channel TG1 that, without paths for dialogue, "the war in the Holy Land scares me" and talked about his concerns for an escalation of the conflict.

"The time is very dark" he said. "We can't seem to find the ability to think clearly and I will add that it's a further defeat. It's been this way since the last world war, from 1945 until now, one defeat after the other because wars never stopped."

Sources

Religion News Service

Reuters

The injury and death of so many innocent people puts the entire area at risk of sinking into "a spiral of death and destruction," he says.

Most alarmingly, children are and will continue to be victims, he adds.

As armed violence between Israel and Hamas intensified over the weekend, Francis spoke of finding ways to end the conflict and restoring peace to the region.

On Sunday - after reciting the "Regina Coeli" prayer with hundreds of people in St. Peter's Square - he begged leaders of both sides "to put a stop to the roar of weapons and to follow the paths of peace, even with the help of the international community."

The death and injury count keeps rising. As of Monday morning nearly 200 Palestinians had been killed in Gaza, including 58 children. At the same time, at least 11 Israeli's had been reported dead. One of those victims was also a child.

"Many people have been injured and many innocent people have died. Among them are even children, and this is terrible and unacceptable. Their death is a sign that one does not want to build the future, but wants to destroy it."

Francis told the crowd that the growing hatred and violence in different cities in Israel - many of which have mixed Jewish-Arab populations - "is a serious wound to fraternity and to peaceful coexistence among citizens, which will be difficult to heal if we do not open immediately to dialogue."

Jewish mobs had destroyed Arab property, while Arab mobs attacked Jewish businesses and burned synagogues. There have been attempted lynchings on both sides over the past week.

"Where will hatred and vengeance lead? Do we really think we can build peace by destroying the other?" he asked.

He appealed for calm, a cease-fire between Israeli and Palestinian forces and constant prayers so "Israelis and Palestinians may find the path of dialogue and forgiveness, to be patient builders of peace and justice, opening up, step by step, to a common hope, to a coexistence among brothers and sisters."

He then led those gathered in the square in praying the Hail Mary for the victims, the children and for peace.

He went on to invite those gathered in St. Peter's Square to pray unceasingly so "that the Israelis and Palestinians may find the path of dialogue and forgiveness, to be patient builders of peace and justice, opening up, step after step, to a common hope, to a coexistence among brothers and sisters".

Citing the Document on Human Fraternity, which he signed in 2019 with Al-Azhar Imam Ahmed el-Tayeb, Francis launched his appeal for peace:

"In the name of God who has created all human beings equal in rights, duties and dignity, and who has called them to live together as brothers and sisters."

Francis and Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan have reportedly spoken this week about the ongoing attacks.

Source

• La Croix
• Catholic News Service
• Image:Daily Mail