An Israeli strike hit a Catholic church in Gaza City on Thursday, resulting in the deaths of three individuals and injuries to at least six others, including the parish priest, according to church officials.
Several hundred Palestinians were taking shelter at the Holy Family Catholic Church compound when the roof was struck around 10:10 a.m., causing shrapnel and debris to scatter. Farid Jubran, a spokesman for the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, stated that it remains unclear whether the munition was dropped from an aircraft or fired from a tank.
The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed deep sorrow over the damage to the Holy Family Church in Gaza City via its official X account, noting that the Israeli military is currently examining the incident.
In response to the attack, Pope Leo XIV called for “an immediate cease-fire” in Gaza through a public statement.
Negotiations between Israel and Hamas regarding a new U.S.-backed cease-fire proposal have shown no significant progress this week. Israel has maintained its ongoing military operations in the Gaza Strip, asserting that these actions are aimed at incapacitating Hamas, which has governed the area for years.
Since the collapse of the previous cease-fire in March, more than 7,750 Palestinians have reportedly been killed, with approximately 100 confirmed dead in hospitals across the territory in just the past few days, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. The ministry does not differentiate between combatants and civilians in its casualty figures, with some fatalities occurring while individuals were searching for food at distribution sites.
Overall, more than 55,000 Palestinians have lost their lives in the conflict that began with a Hamas-led assault on Israel on October 7, 2023. The ongoing fighting has resulted in a severe humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where widespread hunger and difficulties in accessing food, water, and shelter persist.
Following the church strike, Italy’s prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, condemned the Israeli attacks on civilians in the region as “unacceptable,” asserting that “no military action can justify such conduct.”
Among the injured was parish priest Gabriel Romanelli, who had been regularly updating Pope Francis on events in Gaza nearly every evening during the pontiff’s final year, according to Jubran.
Saad Salameh, 60, the church’s janitor, was reported to be in the yard at the time of the strike, while Fumayya Ayyad was in a tent within the compound, both of whom died within hours. The third victim was identified as Najwa Abu Daoud.
Additional reporting was contributed by Ameera Harouda and Rawan Sheikh Ahmad.