Two Killed As Israel Strikes Catholic Church In Gaza
Two women were reportedly killed and several others injured on Thursday when a missile hit the Holy Family Church, the only Catholic parish in the Gaza Strip.
According to Reuters, initial reports from doctors at Al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza City confirmed the deaths and multiple injuries, including that of the parish priest, Father Gabriel Romanelli, who sustained light leg wounds.
The Argentine-born cleric has been known for keeping the late Pope Francis updated on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, said a tank shell from the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) struck the church, leaving four people seriously wounded, two of whom are in critical condition and “in serious danger.”
He added that communication challenges in Gaza have made it difficult to get full details of the incident.
“There are also other injured but less problematic, among them also the parish priest,” Pizzaballa told Vatican News.
According to the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, the church sustained considerable damage but no deaths have been officially confirmed by Church authorities so far.
The church is currently sheltering around 500 displaced Christians.
The Israeli military said it is reviewing the incident. In a post on X, the IDF stated that it “is aware of reports regarding damage caused to the Holy Family Church in Gaza City and casualties at the scene. The circumstances of the incident are under review.
“The IDF makes every feasible effort to mitigate harm to civilians and civilian structures, including religious sites, and regrets any damage caused to them,” they added.
Reacting to the incident, the Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni described the strike as part of a pattern of “unacceptable” attacks against civilians.
“Israeli raids on Gaza also hit the Holy Family Church. The attacks against the civilian population that Israel has been carrying out for months are unacceptable. No military action can justify such an attitude,” she said.
Italy’s Foreign Minister, Antonio Tajani, also condemned the strike, calling it a “serious act against a Christian place of worship” and urged a halt to hostilities.
Two Killed As Israel Strikes Catholic Church In Gaza is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
