An article on aljazeera.com describes how the Church of Saint Porphyrius has become a sanctuary for those displaced by Israeli bombing in Gaza, across all faiths. To read the full article click here

Mohammed R Mhawesh spoke to Walaa Sobeh, a Palestinian Muslim, who took refuge in the church.

'she found not just sanctuary, but a feeling of belonging to “one family” — united by both the terror of bombs exploding around them and a hope that they could survive Israel’s attacks.

So she telephoned other relatives in north Gaza and asked them to make their way to the church, too. Sobeh and her family are among hundreds of Palestinians across different faiths who have found safety — at least for now — at the church.'

“We are here living the day, not sure if we can make it to the night. But what eases our pain is the humble and warm spirit of everyone around,” Sobeh said. She described receiving “enormous support from the priests and other people in the church who volunteer tirelessly around the clock to help the displaced families”.

So far, the church has escaped Israeli missiles.

The article finishes:

To Sobeh, the fact that families of different religions are together under the church’s roofs amid the trauma of the bombing is in itself an act of resistance.

“Israel’s purpose is to shatter our community and displace us,” she added, her voice shaking. “They might be able to kill us. But we will continue to be together as Palestinians, dead and alive, Muslims and Christians.”

To read the full article click here