Christians Killed in Gaza

Since the war with Israel began, most of the 800 or so Palestinian Christians in Gaza have sheltered in two churches in the north — about 300 in the Saint Porphyrius Greek Orthodox Church and about 500 in the Holy Family Catholic Church. Both are in Gaza City, where much of the fighting has occurred. In fact, an air strike hit Saint Porphyrius on October 19, killing 18 of the hundreds sheltered there and wounding many others.

A few dozen Christians made it out of the country safely, but the majority have chosen to stay, not only because of the dangers of fleeing south or east, but because they want to minister to the hurting and shine Christ’s light in the darkness. Some have helped hand out what little food, medicine and other supplies are available. But such resources are limited, and many of the food stores held at Saint Porphyrius were destroyed in the air strike.

Winter further complicates these brave Christians’ situation because those who fled their homes in October wore summer clothes, but now that winter has arrived they are in desperate need of blankets, fuel and warm clothing. One elderly Christian woman has already died from the cold.

In another tragedy, the 84-year-old pianist at Gaza Baptist Church, Elham Farah, encountered sniper fire when she ventured out of Holy Family Church to check on her apartment. No help could get to her in time and she died from the bullet wound to her leg. Several other believers have also lost their lives due to scarcity of medical help.

The October 7 strike on Israel came on the anniversary of Rami Khader Ayyad’s brutal kidnap and murder in 2007, after Hamas took over Gaza. The Palestinian Christian managed the only Christian bookstore there and directed the Bible Society, which was bombed a few months before his death. At the time, about 3,500 Christians lived in the Gaza Strip. The hardships endured through Israel’s blockade, as well as persecution from Muslim extremists in Gaza dwindled that number to today’s 1,000. In this present conflict, the Bible Society was hit by a missile, destroying the office and injuring two staff members. (K. Schmitt, CT, November 29)

Hamas-controlled Gaza is 99% Muslim. Already in this war, an estimated more than 15,000 Palestinians have died without ever hearing the good news about Christ, and another 3,000 or so are still missing, possibly buried under rubble.

But God has been moving in the midst of tragedy. One report said 200 displaced Palestinians met Jesus in their dreams on the same night. Let’s continue to pray for thousands more to come to Christ before it’s too late.

Gazan believers have asked for prayer regarding the following:

“Comfort for those who have lost loved ones: Please pray for God’s comforting presence to surround and sustain those who are grieving. The pain of losing loved ones is immeasurable, and we need strength to endure it.

“Overcoming fear and experiencing peace: The situation in Gaza is filled with fear and uncertainty. We seek the Lord’s peace to envelop our hearts and minds, giving us the courage to face these difficult circumstances.

“Aid: We pray for the ability to send aid to those who are suffering in our community. The needs are great, and any assistance would be a ray of hope in these dark times.

“Swift resolution to the conflict: Our ultimate prayer is for an end to the ongoing war, so that the people of Gaza can begin the process of healing and rebuilding their lives.

“Prayers for the safety of everyone involved.”

Pastor Hanna Massad, Christian Mission to Gaza

Lord, we ask You, please, to be a Shield around every believer in Gaza. Place Your angels in their midst them to guard them, fight for them and keep them safe. Provide for their every need. What little they have, multiply it so abundantly they will also share with many others in need. Make them a light in the darkness, pointing the lost to You. Keep them warm this winter, Lord. Supply them with food, water, warm clothes, fuel, blankets medicine, medical care and everything they need to not only survive this war but be a blessing to others in the midst of it. Fill the places where they shelter with Your felt presence. Comfort those who have lost so much, and heal their minds and bodies. Cast out fear with Your perfect love and show these believers Your perfect plans in the midst of all their suffering. Use them to spread Your love and to get Bibles into the hands of those who hunger for You. Fill them with peace, even joy, in the midst of battle. May faith-filled songs rise up to You as sweet incense from the churches and other places where they gather together to shelter and encourage one another. From out of so much death, bring forth LIFE, Lord. Spark a church-planting movement in Gaza that spreads all throughout the Middle East. Draw every Muslim heart to Yourself, and then place Christians there in their midst to clearly share Your good news that brings freedom. Replace hatred with LOVE, war with PEACE, and death with new LIFE. Make the horrific acts of these terrorists who claim to serve “God” so repulsive, millions of Muslims will balk at such religion gone wrong and hunger for what is right. May they seek You with all their hearts and find You. In Your name, Jesus, Amen.

Visit our Israel-Gaza page to continue praying:

Pray for Israel, Gaza and Iran in These Trying Times

Mikaela Vincent and her husband are missionaries who live by faith, trusting in God to provide for their needs as they pray for and share Christ with the nations. If you would like to help their ministry through giving a donation, shopping at Mikaela’s online bookstore, praying for them or inviting them to speak at your church, retreat or other event, click the buttons below:

Join the army! Pray through the news for God’s purposes to prevail. To get the daily posts delivered to your inbox in time for your morning quiet times, enter your email address in the space below:

For 30 Days of Prayer for Global Awakening, a book of prayers for every heart, home and country to awaken to God’s love, and Bible studies on fighting for what matters most, visit MoreThanAConquerorBooks.com.

When you click on the above links to books I have authored, as a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, I may receive a small commission for certain purchases.

But please ignore unrelated advertisements WordPress places in this post. The author has not approved those links and does not receive any money from them.

Thank you for your support! If you’d like to know more about how you can help the Vincents’ ministry, please contact Mikaela.