❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Holy Family Catholic Church was struck during the ongoing conflict in Gaza, resulting in fatalities.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Victims included Christians and Muslims sheltering at the church, with injuries reported for the parish priest, Father Gabriel Romanelli.
📍WHEN & WHERE: The attack occurred in Gaza City amidst ongoing Israeli strikes.
💬KEY QUOTE: “The attacks on the civilian population that Israel has been demonstrating for months are unacceptable.” – Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni
🎯IMPACT: The incident highlights the plight of Gaza’s Christian minority, one of the oldest Christian communities in the world.
Israeli officials have issued an apology after Gaza’s Holy Family Catholic Church, a sanctuary for many Christians and Muslims during the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, was struck in an attack that left three dead and several injured, including parish priest Father Gabriel Romanelli. Witnesses attribute the damage to Israeli tank shelling.
Fr. Romanelli, who has maintained a close relationship with the Vatican and spoke regularly to the late Pope Francis, was treated for injuries to his leg, but is reportedly in stable condition. Two people were reported dead initially, with a third person now believed to have succumbed to their injuries.
The church compound, home to a small Catholic community of approximately 135 people, has served as a shelter for civilians, including children with disabilities. Fadel Naem, acting director of Al-Ahli Hospital, confirmed that both Christians and Muslims were present during the attack.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry has released a statement on the incident, saying, “Israel expresses deep sorrow over the damage to the Holy Family Church in Gaza City and over any civilian casualty. The IDF is examining this incident, the circumstances of which are still unclear, and the results of the investigation will be published transparently.”
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who is Catholic, condemned the incident, stating, “The attacks on the civilian population that Israel has been demonstrating for months are unacceptable. No military action can justify such an attitude.”
Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani echoed her sentiments, calling the strike a “serious act against a Christian place of worship.” Both leaders called for an immediate cessation of violence.
Pope Leo XIV, head of the Roman Catholic Church, also released a statement, saying, “I assure the parish community of my spiritual closeness. I commend the souls of the deceased to the loving mercy of Almighty God, and pray for their families and the injured. I renew my call for an immediate ceasefire. Only dialogue and reconciliation can ensure enduring peace!”
The attack comes amid intensified strikes across Gaza, where civilian casualties continue to rise. Reports indicate that 22 people were killed in Gaza on the same day, with ongoing concerns over the safety of the region’s small Christian population.
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