Israel cancels travel permits for Gaza Christians

The Orthodox Church of San Porfirio announced it on its social networks. At the moment, there is no official explanation from the Israeli government on the reasons for the decision. At least 700 Christians had obtained permission to travel to Jerusalem. Among the reasons, the recent tensions on the borders with Gaza, Lebanon and Syria.

Jerusalem () – A new blow to the religious freedom of Christians in Gaza and the Holy Land, a reality already marked by tensions and attacks in recent weeks that hit symbolic buildings and places of worship, on the eve of the celebrations of the Orthodox Easter. Indeed, in the last hours, the Israeli authorities canceled the travel permits of the faithful of the Strip who had previously obtained the go-ahead to travel to Jerusalem and Palestine, participate in the celebrations and visit their relatives.

The Orthodox Church of San Porfirio de Gaza communicated this in a note published in its Facebook page. The notification to the community came through the Palestinian Ministry of Civil Affairs and, for the moment, there is no official explanation from the Israeli government as to the reasons for the sudden retreat.

According to some local sources, behind the blockade are the recent tensions on Israel’s borders with Gaza, Lebanon and Syria, where in recent days there have been rocket attacks, shootings and incursions by fighters with the Star of David that attacked specific targets at other side of the border. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) Daily The National News reported that, before canceling it, Israel had granted permission to about 700 Christians. A figure similar to that granted at Christmas, according to what he pointed out in an interview with the Patriarch of Jerusalem of the Latins, Pierbattista Pizzaballa, who added that for Easter the number was drastically reduced, specifically to “just under 200”.

Unlike the Catholic Easter, the Orthodox Easter is celebrated a week later and this year falls on Sunday, April 16. For major holidays such as Christmas and Easter, Christians in Gaza – under Hamas control – must request special permission from the Israeli authorities to leave and travel, which becomes an opportunity not only to attend the rites, but also to also to visit relatives and friends who live in Jerusalem or Bethlehem.

The Strip’s Christians, which numbered about 3,000 a decade ago, have dwindled to 1,000 today. Of these, the majority belong to the Orthodox Church, but there are also communities of Catholics (the latter linked to the Sagrada Família parish) and Protestants.