Israeli strike hits Gaza Church, kills two

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An Israeli military strike hit the Holy Family Catholic Church in Gaza City on Thursday, killing two civilians and injuring several others, according to the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem.

In a statement, the Patriarchate confirmed the deaths and condemned the attack on the church compound, which has been sheltering hundreds of displaced people, mostly children and vulnerable individuals.

“With deep sorrow, the Latin Patriarchate can now confirm that two persons were killed… We pray for the rest of their souls and for the end of this barbaric war,” the statement read. “Nothing can justify the targeting of innocent civilians.”

The Israeli government said it “never targets religious sites” and expressed “deep sorrow” over the damage and casualties. It added that the incident was under investigation.

Photographs from AFP showed the wounded being treated at Al-Ahli Hospital (also known as the Baptist Hospital) in Gaza City, with some arriving on stretchers and requiring oxygen support. Father Gabriel Romanelli, the parish priest, was seen with a bandage on his leg.

The Latin Patriarchate reported that large parts of the church compound were destroyed. It stated that approximately 600 displaced people, including 54 individuals with special needs, had been sheltering there.

“This strike is a flagrant violation of human dignity and a blatant attack on the sanctity of religious sites, which should offer safe refuge in times of war,” the Patriarchate said.

International Condemnation

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni described attacks on civilians as “unacceptable,” while her Foreign Minister, Antonio Tajani, called the church strike “a serious act against a Christian place of worship.”

Monsignor Pascal Gollnisch, head of the Catholic charity l’Oeuvre d’Orient, told AFP:

“It is a Catholic church known for its peaceful mission. There were families, not fighters. This is totally unacceptable, and we condemn this act in the strongest possible terms.”

Pope Francis, who passed away in April, had maintained regular contact with the church during the war. In his final Easter message, he condemned the “deplorable humanitarian situation” in Gaza.

Background to the Conflict

Gaza’s Christian population numbers about 1,000, mostly Orthodox. According to the Patriarchate, around 135 are Catholics. Since the beginning of the war in October 2023, many have sought refuge at the Holy Family Compound.

The war began after a Hamas-led attack on Israel that killed 1,219 people, mostly civilians. Israel’s retaliatory campaign has since resulted in at least 58,573 Palestinian deaths, according to Gaza’s health ministry, most of them civilians.

Media access to Gaza remains highly restricted, making independent verification of casualties difficult.

As the conflict enters its 21st month, humanitarian conditions in Gaza have worsened dramatically, with widespread displacement and severe shortages of food, water, and medicine.