Gaza, Jun. 19, 2007 (CWNews.com) - On June 14, a school administered by the Sisters of the Holy Rosary was demolished in the Gaza Strip. In the chapel adjoining the sisters’ convent, the crucifix and a statue of Christ were broken and prayer books burned.Father Manuel Mussallam, the only Catholic priest currently living in Gaza, denounced the sacking of the school and convent, describing it to AsiaNews as a "barbaric act." The incident occurred during the course of fighting between two Palestinian factions: al Fatah and Hamas.
Although the school and convent are located near a police station, a spokesman for Hamas-- which now controls the Gaza Strip-- said that the group was not responsible for the violence against the Catholic nuns. Salah Bardawil said: "The Christians are our brothers in Gaza and everywhere, and we will protect their holy places and school, as we do our Islamic schools."
