Mauritian priest and 35 Pilgrims Stranded in Bethlehem

Catholic Priest Father Gerard Mongelard is currently trapped in Bethlehem, Israel, along with 35 Mauritian pilgrims due to major disruptions in international air services caused by the ongoing state of emergency.

These pilgrims began their pilgrimage on September 28. They were scheduled to take a flight from Jerusalem to Istanbul at 8:00 PM on Sunday night. However, all flights were cancelled.

Father Mongelard told Le Mauricien they are safe in a hotel, saying, “We are waiting. We do not know how long this war will last; for now, we are in waiting.”

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade, through a statement, has indicated that measures are being taken to assist them.

This declaration followed an attack by the Hamas, a Palestinian organisation, from Gaza on Saturday, October 7. The attack triggered one of the most significant escalations in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in years.

Hamas launched rocket attacks and sent dozens of armed fighters who managed to breach Israel’s southern border.

The offensive has resulted in hundreds of casualties and an unspecified number of hostages.

A few hours later, Israel responded with a wave of airstrikes on Gaza, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of Palestinians.

Source: Le Mauricien