GAZA:A Zionist attack targeted Gaza’s sole Catholic church, resulting in the death of three individuals on Thursday, according to the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem. Pope Leo XIV expressed his “deep sorrow” over the loss of life, as reported by a witness who stated that a tank shell struck the church. AFP footage captured injured individuals receiving medical care at Gaza City’s Al-Ahli Hospital, also referred to as the Baptist Hospital, with one patient receiving oxygen and blood while lying under a foil blanket.
People who were grieving stood beside two white body bags placed on the ground. “In the morning, a tank shell hit us and struck the church, resulting in several civilians being killed and injured,” said Shadi Abu Daoud, a displaced individual whose 70-year-old mother was among those killed in the attack. The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem identified the deceased as Najwa Abu Daoud, Saad Issa Kostandi Salameh, and Foumia Issa Latif Ayyad.
“At around 10:20 am this morning (0720 GMT), the Holy Family Compound in Gaza… was hit by the (Zionist) military,” stated a report. “Up to now, three people have died due to their injuries, with ten others injured,” including the community’s priest, Father Gabriel Romanelli, it noted, updating an earlier count of two. An AFP image depicted Father Romanelli with a bandage on his lower leg at Al-Ahli Hospital.
A spokesperson for Gaza Civil Defense, Mahmud Bassal, verified that three individuals lost their lives in a Zionist attack on a church located in Gaza City, which had maintained consistent communication with the late Pope Francis throughout the conflict. Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, stated to Vatican News: “We are certain that a tank was involved, according to the IDF it was an error, but we cannot confirm this, as they directly targeted the Church.”
The patriarchate, which oversees Catholics in the Zionist entity, the Palestinian Territories, Jordan, and Cyprus, stated it “strongly condemns this strike and the targeting of innocent civilians.” The location was providing shelter to approximately 600 displaced individuals, mostly children, with 54 having special needs. “The people at the Holy Family Compound are those who found refuge in the Church — hoping that the horrors of war might at least spare their lives, after their homes, belongings, and dignity had already been taken away,” a statement said.
It was reported by Gaza’s civil defense agency that Zionist attacks occurred in other parts of the Palestinian territory.
The area resulted in the death of at least 27 individuals, with foreign leaders, including those from France and Italy, describing the church attack as “unacceptable.” Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni attributed the strike on the religious site to the Zionist entity. “The attacks on the civilian population that (the Zionist entity) has been conducting for months are unacceptable. No military operation can justify such behavior,” she stated.
More than two million people live in the Gaza Strip, with approximately 1,000 of them being Christians. The majority belong to the Orthodox community, while the Latin Patriarchate reports around 135 Catholics residing in the area. Pope Francis consistently urged for an end to the conflict that began in October 2023. In his last Easter message, released a day before his passing on April 21, he criticized the “disgraceful humanitarian crisis” in the Palestinian region. Monsignor Pascal Gollnisch, who leads the Catholic charity l’Oeuvre d’Orient, expressed to AFP that the raid was “completely unacceptable.” He stated, “It is a place of worship. It is a Catholic church recognized for its peaceful nature and role as a peacemaker. These individuals serve the local population.””There was no military target, and no extremists were present in the church. There were families and ordinary citizens.”
Over 21 months of conflict have led to critical humanitarian situations for the people in Gaza, causing the majority of residents to be displaced at least one time and resulting in significant shortages of food and other necessary supplies. The Zionist military operation has resulted in the death of at least 58,667 Palestinians, primarily civilians.
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