Muslim Gaza Refugees Find Shelter In Greek Orthodox Church

[hrmjustin]

Reuters | By Nidal Al-Mughrab

(Reuters) - About 1,000 Palestinian Muslims fleeing Israeli shells devastating their Gaza neighborhood have found shelter in a building they otherwise would rarely if ever enter, the city's 12th-century Greek Orthodox Church.

Despite its thick walls dating back to the Crusades, the Church of Saint Porphyrius was still not a very safe haven. Shortly after they arrived, Israeli aircraft bombed a nearby field, spraying shrapnel on the church and damaging graves.

But children from the Shejaia district, where some 72 Palestinians - many of them women and children - were killed during fighting between Israeli forces and Hamas militants on Sunday, were busy playing football in the yard on Tuesday.

Their mothers watched on mattresses and plastic chairs provided by the church, along with food, blankets and toys.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/24/gaza-refugees-church_n_5613961.html?utm_hp_ref=religion