
Israeli forces has bombed the Holy Family Church, Gaza’s sole Catholic sanctuary, on Thursday, killing at least three civilians and injuring several others, including a priest, as it sheltered displaced Palestinians, primarily children and elderly.
The assault killed a 60-year-old janitor and an 84-year-old woman receiving aid in a Caritas tent, with at least ten others injured, one critically, according to the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem.
Father Gabriel Romanelli, the church’s pastor, sustained minor injuries but was seen bandaged yet resilient in verified footage.
The attack, condemned as a violation of international law, targeted a site sheltering peaceful civilians, stripping away one of the few remaining sanctuaries in Gaza.
Israel’s assault on religious sites, including churches and mosques, reflects a broader pattern of systematic targeting of Gaza’s cultural heritage.
A UN report last month accused Israel of committing crimes against humanity, including “extermination,” by attacking civilians in religious sites and schools, with over half of Gaza’s religious and cultural sites destroyed.
The Church of Saint Porphyrius, Gaza’s oldest, was bombed in October 2023, killing 18.
Hamas condemned the attack as part of a “war of extermination” against Palestinians, while Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called Israel’s actions against civilians “unacceptable.”
The Israeli military claimed the strike was “under review” and expressed regret, despite its repeated attacks on sacred sites.
The attack drew sharp criticism from global leaders, with Pope Leo expressing sorrow and renewing calls for an immediate ceasefire to end the “horrible war in Gaza.”
UN officials described Gaza’s conditions as “unspeakable,” with children bearing the brunt of the violence, noting an average of 28 child deaths daily.
The bombing of the Holy Family Church underscores the relentless destruction of Gaza’s civilian infrastructure, leaving its 1,100-strong Christian community and others with nowhere safe to turn.
As the death toll in Gaza climbs to 58,573, with 139,607 wounded, the international community faces mounting pressure to address Israel’s actions and protect the besieged enclave’s vulnerable population.