Indian migrants in Holy Land safe, says chaplain

Jerusalem, 18 July 2014: Catholic migrants from India are safe in Holy Land and are praying for peace amid Israeli air strikes and Hamas rockets, says Capuchin Father Tojy Jose, head of the Indian Chaplaincy there.

“Migrants and tourists are apprehensive about the current situation, especially the newly arrived ones: for them it’s a new and terrifying experience,” he told Catholic news agency CNA July 11.

Since July 7 Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip have fired hundreds of rockets on Israel, and the Israelis have responded with a comparable number of air strikes on the Gaza strip.

More than 100 Palestinians have died, according to the Palestinian health ministry, which has also reported that 675, most of the civilians, have been injured.

Father Jose said that many outdoor activities of Israeli immigrants have been cancelled, and that “attendance in the church has decreased, as it is not safe to travel.”

The Indian chaplain said that migrants relatives and friends in India are worried by the current unrest in Palestine and Israel, and continue making enquiries about the security and safety of their loved ones.

“This conflict has affected everyone living in this region, especially the aged, sick, disabled, migrants, and children. It has far-reaching effects on these people,” he said.

The international community has called for a ceasefire, but none seems to be in sight. The recent escalation in violence between Israel and Hamas followed the June kidnapping and murder of three Israeli teens and the July 2 killing of a Palestinian teenager in Jerusalem.

The Gaza Strip is a 141 square mile area, part of Palestine, located to the west of Israel and home to 1.7 million persons.
Since Hamas came to power there in 2007, Israel has conducted an economic blockade of the Gaza Strip, restricting the flow of persons and goods in an effort to limit rocket attacks on Israel launched from the territory.

- catholic news agency