The parish priest of Gaza City’s Holy Family Church has said 450 people are still sheltering at the Catholic sanctuary, including the elderly, sick and children.

Father Gabriel Romanelli said “most of the population does not want to leave”, despite orders by the Israeli military to leave the city and move south.

“Everywhere there is danger, but many want to remain in the city. We try to accompany them and help as we can,” Romanelli told Vatican News on Wednesday.

Romanelli, who said the church recently received a call from Pope Leo XIV, said he and his church “continue to pray for peace, for the whole of Gaza, for the Middle East, and for the world”.