G a z a – Ongoing battles between the rival organisations of Fatah and Hamas have brought the Baptist congregation in Gaza-Strip into acute danger. In a call for prayer, Pastor Hanna Massad reported that late on the evening of 2 February fighters belonging to President Mahmud Abbas’ Fatah party forced their way into the church building in Gaza city. They intend to use the six-story building as a watchtower for armed encounters with followers of Hamas: the governing, radical Islamic party. After the watchman employed by the church had refused to hand over the bulding’s keys, the Fatah fighters broke in forcefully. The building houses a worship chapel, a medical practice, guest rooms and a public library with 17 000 volumes. Because of the ongoing battles, Massad is not able to leave the house. He calls this the worst situation he has ever experienced. Street battles are constantly flaring up. Due to the unstable situation, the worship service could not be held on Sunday morning. Massad concludes: “It is very dangerous. We are in God’s hands.”

The European Baptist Federation and the interdenominational “Open Doors” mission have appealed for prayer for Gaza’s 1,4 million inhabitants. Ninety-nine percent of them are Muslims.