Bishop Shomali: Gaza residents continue to face extreme hardship

By Jean-Charles Putzolu

Gaza is, in theory, protected by a ceasefire that came into effect on 10 October 2025. In theory only, however, because over the past nine months Israeli raids have continued throughout the Palestinian territory.

In an interview with Vatican News, Bishop William Shomali, Vicar General of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, reflected on the dramatic reality and that, during this period, far from newspaper front pages and television screens, the tragedy of Gaza has remained unchanged.

According to figures compiled by Gaza’s Ministry of Health, more than 1,000 people, including 265 children, have been killed during the nine months since the ceasefire came into effect. Another 3,400 people have been injured. The United Nations has considered these figures reliable and incorporated them into a report published in early July.

Bishop Shomali, how would you describe the daily lives of Palestinians in Gaza?

People in Gaza are now confined to just 47% of the territory, because the Israelis have taken control of the remaining 53%. As a result, the population density is extremely high. Eighty percent of the infrastructure remains destroyed, including not only buildings but also water and electricity systems. Many schools and universities no longer exist. Thousands of people are living in tents.

Is enough humanitarian aid reaching Gaza today?

When we speak of humanitarian aid, we mean food, medicines, and everything necessary for survival. Personally, I distinguish between food and everything else. Some medicines are entering Gaza, for example, but not all the medicines that are needed, and only in limited quantities. For the past few months, the food entering Gaza has been imported from Israel by merchants. It is then sold inside Gaza. Patriarch Pierbattista Pizzaballa, who visited Gaza in June, found the market better supplied than it had been during his previous visit shortly before Christmas. I was with him at that time, and I saw with my own eyes that there were still very few goods in the shops. When I say “shops,” I mean one or two tents set up next to each other—that is all. These are not supermarkets. Merchants operate these tents and sell food from them.

We know that many Gazans no longer have jobs. How are they managing to buy food?

Many people who were employed and received salaries—especially those working for the Palestinian government—continue to be paid. Teachers in the schools and employees in various public institutions are still receiving their salaries. Our own teachers continue to receive theirs. However, we now have to help everyone else by providing money. Previously, we helped by distributing food. Now we can help by giving people cash so they can buy food themselves. That is what we are doing for our parishioners who are staying in the compound of Gaza’s Latin parish.

According to the U.S. peace plan, we should now be in phase two, which calls for Hamas’s demilitarization, the start of reconstruction, and the release of reconstruction funds. Where does phase two stand?

Reconstruction is tied to demilitarization. But demilitarization—the first phase—has not been completed. Hamas is still present in the district. It is Hamas that controls security in the area inhabited by Gaza’s residents. Therefore, reconstruction cannot begin. I would also like to add that, in this situation, children have nothing to do because they are not going to school. They spend their days collecting wood, nails, and anything else that might be reused or sold. But this coming September, we hope to reopen our school at the Holy Family Parish. We expect to enroll 1,000 children. In this way, they will no longer spend their days idle in the streets with nothing to do. It is important for them to begin learning again. Little by little, they will be able to overcome the shock and trauma of the war.