West Bank pastor raises alarm over Israel’s 'extermination' of Christians in Gaza

The pastor of the Greek Catholic church in the occupied West Bank city of Ramallah has raised the alarm over the "extermination" of Christians in Gaza as a result of Israel’s ongoing war on the Strip.

In an interview with the Arabic news site Arabi21, father Abdullah July said that the number of Christians killed in the enclave since October has topped 50 people.

He added that Christians have been under immense pressure from Israeli forces to leave the enclave, highlighting that if attacks against the community continue, the Christian presence in the Strip will be reduced to “mere historical memories and churches will turn into museums”.

He also hit out at countries supporting Israel’s military actions and the failure to secure a ceasefire.

"Israeli aggression has exposed the racism and hypocrisy of the West, especially given their strong support for Israel and believe all their false narratives, turning a blind eye to their crimes and horrific massacres," he said.

There are an estimated 800 to 1,000 Christians in Gaza, with the majority of them Greek Orthodox. Half of them are indigenous to Gaza and half are refugees or descendants of refugees from Jaffa, Jerusalem, Lydda, and Ramle.

"The great western interest in Israel came at the expense of the Christian presence in Palestine," July added.

The war has wreaked havoc on the Strip’s infrastructure, with Israeli air strikes targeting places of worship including churches and mosques.

Al-Ahli Hospital, the only Christian hospital in the Gaza Strip, which is run by the Anglican church, was severely damaged by Israeli missile fire in a devastating explosion on 17 October that killed hundreds. 

According to July, there is also a great deal of scaremongering and messaging calling on Christians on Gaza to leave the Strip, which he believes only serves to fragment and divide people.

He added that church leaders in the West Bank face “pressures and veiled threats” as well as “repeated intimidation operations” from Israeli authorities.

Several religious and political leaders have in recent months highlighted the attacks on Palestinian Christians in Gaza, saying it could be the biggest blow to the community.

Israel’s war on Gaza has killed at least 39,000 Palestinians and wounded over 90,000 others since 7 October.

The war has plunged the enclave into a deep humanitarian crisis with overcrowding and the spread of disease rife.