DaysofPal- In one of the most outrageous and widely condemned attacks, Israeli occupation forces killed three people and injured several civilians, including the church priest, in a strike targeting the Gaza Strip’s sole Catholic Church.
The church was sheltering hundreds of displaced Christians and Muslims who had fled the horrors of the ongoing war.
The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem confirmed in an official statement that the bombing struck a tent operated by Caritas, a Catholic humanitarian organization, within the church compound.
The attack resulted in the deaths of three people who had been receiving psychological support inside the tent.
Father Gabriel Romanelli, the Argentinian priest of the church known for his close ties with Pope Francis, was wounded in his leg and transferred to Al-Quds Hospital for treatment. Medical sources have reported that his condition is stable.
The church, considered the last active Catholic place of worship in the Gaza Strip, had been sheltering more than 600 displaced people, including children, the elderly, and people with disabilities, who had taken refuge there after being driven from their homes by bombing. Eyewitnesses reported that much of the wooden and structural parts of the church were damaged, with blood and personal belongings scattered throughout the rubble.
The Patriarchate of Jerusalem stated: “What happened is not only a violation of a religious site, but a crime against innocent people who sought safety in the house of God. This attack cannot be justified under any military pretext.”
The Vatican expressed “deep pain and great sorrow,” calling for an immediate ceasefire and warning against the continued targeting of civilians and places of worship.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni described the attack as “unjustifiable under any security rationale,” calling for an international investigation and accountability for those responsible.
This assault follows months of continued escalation in Gaza. In October 2023, Israeli forces bombed the Orthodox Church of Saint Porphyrius, killing 18 civilians who were taking shelter inside. That attack, too, was widely condemned by rights organizations and Christian institutions.
As civilian casualties rise and even places of worship come under attack, calls are growing louder for the international community to take meaningful action to end the aggression and launch investigations into potential war crimes.
Human rights groups insist that impunity is what allows the Israeli occupation to escalate its targeting of civilians.
The Holy Family Church massacre is not merely an attack on a religious building; it is an assault on a symbol of refuge and humanity during wartime and a grim reminder that in Gaza, no place is safe anymore: not for children, not for women, and not even for those seeking sanctuary in houses of worship.
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