Pope Leo XIV has renewed his name for a Gaza ceasefire after three folks sheltering within the Catholic church in Gaza Metropolis have been killed in an Israeli strike.
A telegram mentioned the Pope was “deeply saddened to be taught of the lack of life and damage brought on by the army assault” on the Holy Household Church.
The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, which oversees the church, mentioned it was “struck by the Israeli military”. 9 different folks have been wounded, certainly one of whom is in a essential situation in hospital. The parish priest was flippantly injured.
Israel’s prime minister mentioned it “deeply regrets {that a} stray ammunition hit” the church and the Israeli army mentioned the incident was underneath evaluate.
Many displaced households from Gaza’s small Christian neighborhood have been residing within the church compound because the battle started after their very own houses have been destroyed.
Whereas he was alive, the late Pope Francis known as them on a near-daily foundation.
A video and photographs shared with the BBC confirmed the roof of the Holy Household Church was hit, near the cross, and that home windows have been damaged.
TV footage confirmed the Argentine parish priest, Father Gabriele Romanelli, strolling unsteadily and checking on a person on a stretcher on the Al-Ahli hospital in Gaza Metropolis.
The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, informed the Vatican Information web site that the Holy Household Church was hit by a tank shell.
“What we all know for certain is {that a} tank, the IDF [Israel Defense Forces] says by mistake, however we’re not certain about this. They hit the church instantly,” he mentioned.
The charity Caritas Jerusalem mentioned the shell hit the church roof, “scattering shrapnel and particles throughout the yard”.
“On the time, some people have been exterior the principle constructing, together with two aged girls who have been sitting inside our Caritas psychosocial assist tent. Each have been severely wounded and have been transported by ambulance to Al-Ahli Hospital after a 15-minute delay,” it mentioned.
“Three younger individuals who had been standing on the entrance of the church have been additionally badly injured and have been rushed to the hospital utilizing personal autos.”
Later, the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem introduced that “three people misplaced their lives on account of the accidents sustained and 9 others have been wounded, together with one in essential situation and two in severe situation”.
It named these killed as Saad Issa Kostandi Salameh, the 60-year-old parish janitor, Foumia Issa Latif Ayyad, 84, and Najwa Abu Daoud.
The patriarchate mentioned it “strongly condemns this tragedy and this concentrating on of harmless civilians and of a sacred place”.
“Nonetheless, this tragedy isn’t larger or extra horrible than the numerous others which have befallen Gaza. Many different harmless civilians have additionally been harmed, displaced and killed,” it added.
The Vatican’s secretary of state despatched a telegram to the victims saying Pope Leo was deeply saddened by the lack of life and had assured Father Romanelli “and the entire parish neighborhood of his non secular closeness”.
“His holiness renews his name for a right away ceasefire, and he expresses his profound hope for dialogue, reconciliation and enduring peace within the area,” it added.
Within the night, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu mentioned: “Israel deeply regrets {that a} stray ammunition hit Gaza’s Holy Household Church.”
“Each harmless life misplaced is a tragedy. We share the grief of the households and the trustworthy.”
The IDF mentioned an preliminary inquiry prompt that “fragments from a shell fired throughout operational exercise within the space hit the church mistakenly”.
“The reason for the incident is underneath evaluate,” it added.
Requested by reporters, White Home press secretary Karoline Leavitt mentioned US President Donald Trump had rung Netanyahu to debate the problem.
“It was a mistake by the Israelis to hit that Catholic church, that is what the prime minister relayed to the president,” she mentioned.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni mentioned: “The assaults in opposition to the civilian inhabitants that Israel has been finishing up for months are unacceptable.”
“No army motion can justify such an angle,” she added.
The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate in Jerusalem additionally condemned the strike, which it known as a “flagrant violation of human dignity and a blatant violation of the sanctity of life and the sanctity of non secular websites”.
It estimated that 600 displaced folks have been sheltering inside on the time, nearly all of whom have been youngsters in addition to 54 folks with particular wants.
The Holy Household Church falls inside a part of Gaza Metropolis that the Israeli army has beforehand informed locals to depart.
Caritas Jerusalem mentioned Father Romanelli had urged folks to stay within the rooms “because of the presence of Israeli tanks close to the church compound and steady strikes in shut proximity”.
“If Father Gabriel hadn’t warned us to remain indoors, we might have misplaced 50 to 60 folks immediately. It could have been a bloodbath,” one Caritas employees member mentioned.
Greater than 20 individuals are reported to have been killed by Israeli assaults in Gaza on Thursday.
Within the north, medical sources mentioned eight males defending support lorries and a pair and their 5 youngsters have been amongst these killed.
Israel launched its battle in Gaza in retaliation for the Hamas-led assaults on 7 October 2023, which killed about 1,200 folks and led to 251 others being taken hostage.
Israeli assaults have since killed greater than 58,500 folks in Gaza, in line with the Hamas-run well being ministry. The ministry’s figures are quoted by the UN and others as essentially the most dependable supply of statistics accessible on casualties.
