A senior Hamas delegation visited on Wednesday the Church of the Latin Monastery in Gaza and congratulated Gaza Christians with their New Year holidays.

The Hamas delegation congratulated the Father of the Church Gabriel Romanelli on his recovery after undergoing medical treatment in the West Bank.

During the visit, Head of Hamas Political Bureau Ismail Haniyeh phoned the Pastor of the Church and he confirmed that the Palestinian are united.

The Hamas chief wished a speedy recovery for Father Gabriel.

The Hamas delegation consisted of Hamas official Dr Basem Naim along with several senior Hamas officials and Muslim clerics.

Father Gabriel Romanelli, his deputy Yusuf Asaad, and representatives of the Church received the Hamas delegation.

Dr Basem Naim declared that this visit is to recognise the national role played by Father Gabriel, stressing that Christians are an integral part of the Palestinian people.

Head of High Judicial Council, Dr Hasan Aljuji, who was part of the delegation, emphasised that the Palestinians and Christians share rock-solid historic ties.

“We have a joint national issue that is to gain liberation, end the Israeli occupation, and establish the Palestinian state and Jerusalem as its capital,” he added.  

He confirmed that all Palestinian should patriciate in this path, including all the Muslims and Christians.

According to the Holy Quran and the Palestinian Basic Law, we, Christians and Muslims, have an equal degree of citizenship, Aljuji explained.

The Deputy of the Ministry of Interior in Gaza Tawfiq abu-Naim said that he paid this visit to represent the Ministry, wishing Father Gabriel a speedy recovery.

“On this occasion, we congratulate the Church on the coming of the new year and wish it would be a year of prosperity in which the pandemic would end,” he added.

Father Gabriel Romanelli thanked the delegation for this visit, stressing that Hamas has been keen on paying such lovely visits to the Church and the government in Gaza keeps in touch with the Christians.

He concluded: “The Catholic Church and the Christians in general are an integral part of the Palestinian people.”

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