The Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) says that one priest and seven religious sisters are looking after 512 Christians who are sheltering from the conflict at Gaza’s only Catholic church. For the past two weeks, the area around Holy Family Parish Church has suffered intense military clashes and shelling.

The faithful taking refuge include 120 children and 84 people who are over the age of 65. ACN says they have daily Mass, pray the Rosary together and are given catechesis (education on Catholicism).

However, the children are said to be even closer to their faith than ever before.

The parish organises activities for children and meetings for trauma healing through prayer, with help from the staff of the St Thomas Aquinas Catholic Centre, which moved to the Holy Family compound after its building was bombed.

The local source said that those sheltering at the church “are all exhausted – no one can really experience what they are going through”.

He added: “With God’s grace, our children are now even closer to their faith than ever before.

“It is a very special Easter. We are closer than ever to the crucified Saviour.”

Sister Nabila Saleh of the Rosary Sisters – one of the Sisters staying at the Holy Family Church – requested prayers for peace.

She said: “Pray for us, pray for the whole population, that this war might end.”

Hundreds of people have taken refuge in the Holy Family Parish Church since the conflict between Israel and Hamas began in October. In December the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem confirmed that shrapnel from Israeli military strikes on buildings in the vicinity of the Holy Family Church had destroyed water tanks and solar panels on the roof of the church. Other buildings in the parish complex were also damaged.

Last month ACN reported that, out of about 1,000 Christians remaining in Gaza, 30 have lost their lives because of the conflict – 19 have been killed by military action and 11 have died due to a lack of medical care.