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Gaza Baptist Church

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Gaza Baptist Church
LocationGaza City, Gaza
CountryPalestinian Territories
DenominationBaptist, Evangelical
Specifications
Number of floors6

The Gaza Baptist Church is a Baptist church in Gaza City, Gaza, Palestinian Territories.[1][2][3] The Church is one of only three Christian churches in the Gaza Strip, and the only one that is Protestant and evangelical.

The Gaza Baptist Church and its congregation of about 200 have been adversely affected by ongoing violence and chaos related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Several church members have become casualties of violence between warring Palestinian factions, and after the murder of a Church leader by unidentified militants in 2007, a number of others were advised by the Gaza authorities to leave Gaza for their own safety. As a result of this situation and of ongoing Israeli travel restrictions, the Church's leadership, including its pastor, still lives in exile, and is only occasionally able to return.

Church description and activities

The church was founded in the 1950s.[4] It is pastored by Hanna Massad.[5]

The church, which has historically ministered to approximately 150–250 of Gaza's 2,500 Christians, is one of only three Christian churches in the Gaza Strip.[6][7] Among Church of Saint Porphyrius and Gaza Latin Church on Zeitoun Street, Gaza Baptist Church is the only Evangelical church in all of Gaza.[7][8] The church opened Gaza's first public Christian library in 2006.[9]

The church's building is six stories tall.[10] The first two floors are a dedicated public library, which serves both Christian and non-Christian books.[11] The fourth floor is used for outreach, the fifth floor is a lodge for guest workers from abroad, and the sixth floor is used as a worship hall.[9]

Gaza's Christian minority has traditionally enjoyed good relations with the territory's larger Muslim majority.[12] Prior to the breakdown of law and order in 2007, the Church ran youth programs, a library, and medical clinics. As of May 2010 it was still running a school for about 250 students, many of whom are Muslim.[4]

Recent history

Israeli bomb attack

On or before February 2007, the Church's public library was subjected to arson attacks on three separate occasions.[10] During an Israeli air raid in December 2008, the building was damaged by a nearby bomb blast.[13][14]

Fatah-Hamas conflict

Because of its height, unusual in this mostly low-rise city, the Gaza Baptist Church building was repeatedly commandeered by Fatah and Hamas troops as an observation post during the Fatah–Hamas conflict.[6] This resulted in several of Gaza Baptist Church's staff being caught in crossfire. In one instance, a church librarian was hit by gunfire during a firefight between opposing factions.[6] On a similar occasion, the church bus driver, a 22-year-old newlywed, was killed.[6] The Church was raided and temporarily seized by Fatah police in February 2007.[15]

Death of church leader

In October 2007, one of Gaza Baptist Church's leaders, Rami Ayyad, was kidnapped, publicly beaten, and murdered by unidentified militants.[16][17][18] Ayyad—one of many Palestinian Christians to be murdered for his religious faith[1][19]—had been the manager of Gaza's only Christian bookstore, The Teacher's Bookshop.[12][20] Following Ayyad's death, Gaza authorities advised Pastor Massad to relocate in order to ensure the safety of himself and his family.[4] As a result of the violence, regular attendance at the church was adversely affected in following months.[21][22]

Israeli blockade and travel restrictions

After the murder of Ayyad, seven of the Church's leaders, including its pastor Hanna Massad, followed the advice of authorities and left Gaza. Massad moved with his family to Jordan and five of the other six moved to the West Bank near Bethlehem. Since then, with rare exceptions, only Massad has been allowed to return by the Israeli authorities. The five who moved to Bethlehem have been prohibited from leaving the area, as a result of which, some have not seen family members for years.[4]

The Israeli blockade of Gaza, according to Massad, has led to "[a] lot of desperation and hopelessness among the people ... more poverty and more suffering".[23] The cost of living has increased and medical equipment is in short supply. However, most agree that the Israeli travel restrictions are even more difficult to endure. Massad summarized the plight of Palestinian Christians as like living "between two fires. Muslim persecution and Israeli occupation."[4]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Alford, Deann (2007-10-08). "Christian Bookstore Manager Martyred in Gaza City". Christianity Today. Retrieved 2010-09-20.
  2. ^ "Palestinian Christian activist stabbed to death in Gaza". Associated Press. Haaretz. 2007-10-07. Retrieved 2010-09-20.
  3. ^ Silver, Eric (2007-10-08). "Gaza's Christian bookseller killed". The Independent. Retrieved 2010-09-20.
  4. ^ a b c d e Belz, Mindy (2007-05-08). "Gaza's sturdy but small Christian population confronts Islamic militancy and the Israeli blockade". WORLD Magazine. 25 (9). Retrieved 2010-09-20.
  5. ^ Alford, Deann (2005-06-17). "Love in the Land of Enmity". Christianity Today. 49 (7). Retrieved 2010-09-20.
  6. ^ a b c d Jansezian, Nicole (2007-06-10). "Gaza's forgotten Christians". Israel Today Magazine. Retrieved 2010-09-20.
  7. ^ a b Abu Rizk, Mounir (2007-10-20). "Christians in Gaza: An Integral Part of Society". Asharq Alawsat. Retrieved 2010-09-20.
  8. ^ "Middle East Christians: Gaza pastor". BBC News. 2005-12-21. Retrieved 2010-09-20.
  9. ^ a b Blake, Daniel (2006-11-23). "First Christian Public Library Opens in Gaza". Christianity Today. Retrieved 2010-09-20.
  10. ^ a b "Gaza Baptist Church seized by Fatah". Mission Network News. 2007-02-07. Retrieved 2010-09-20.
  11. ^ "Embattled Christians In Gaza Open Library Amid Violence". BosNewsLife. 2006-11-22. Retrieved 2010-09-20.
  12. ^ a b "After murder, Gaza's Christians keep low profile". Associated Press. MSNBC. 2007-12-23. Retrieved 2010-09-20.
  13. ^ Allen, Bob (2009-01-06). "Gaza Baptist Church caught in crossfire". Associated Baptist Press. Retrieved 2010-09-20.
  14. ^ Kelly, Mark (2009-01-05). "Gaza Baptist Church's building sustains damage in Israeli air strike". Baptist Press. Retrieved 2010-09-20.
  15. ^ Alford, Deann (2007-02-07). "Fatah Police Seize Gaza Baptist Church". Christianity Today. Retrieved 2010-09-20.
  16. ^ Sudilovsky, Judith (2007-10-11). "Gaza Christians express unease after killing of prominent Christian". Catholic News Service. Retrieved 2010-09-20.
  17. ^ Hendricks, Shawn (2007-10-09). "Slain Baptist in Gaza had gentle but bold witness". Baptist Press. Retrieved 2010-09-20.
  18. ^ Klein, Aaron (2007-10-11). "Christian Bookstore Owner Was Tortured Before His Death". The New York Sun. Retrieved 2010-09-21. The owner of a Christian bookstore in the Gaza Strip who was found dead this weekend was publicly beaten by Islamic gunmen accusing him of spreading Christianity, witnesses and Palestinian Arab security officials said.
  19. ^ Ormestad, Catrin: "'I know how to make you a Muslim'", Haaretz, 2007-11-01.
  20. ^ "Palestinian Christian activist found dead in Gaza City". The Jerusalem Post. 2007-10-07. Retrieved 2010-09-20.
  21. ^ Weber, Jeremy (2008-03-10). "A dwindling Christian population battles fear and economic hardship". Christianity Today. 52 (4). Retrieved 2010-09-20.
  22. ^ Smith, James A. Sr. (2008-01-29). "An urgent call for prayer; Gaza Christians 'desperate'". Florida Baptist Witness. Retrieved 2010-09-20.
  23. ^ "American Baptist leader says Gaza flotilla reveals need for Mideast peace", Bob Allen, Associated Baptist Press, 2010-06-07.

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