logo
Archbishop of Westminster condemns ‘appalling strike' on Gaza church

Archbishop of Westminster condemns ‘appalling strike' on Gaza church

Independent17-07-2025
The leader of Catholics in England and Wales has backed the Pope's call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza after an 'appalling strike' on a church in the war-torn region which left several dead and injured.
Israel's foreign ministry expressed its 'deep sorrow' over damage to the Holy Family Church 'and over any civilian casualty', adding that the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) are examining the circumstances.
Pope Leo said he was 'deeply saddened to learn of the loss of life and injury caused by the military attack' on the church.
Three people died while nine others were wounded, the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem to which the church belonged said.
Parish priest Father Gabriel Romanelli – a friend of the late Pope Francis – was among those injured.
Archbishop of Westminster Cardinal Vincent Nichols said the church had been a 'place of sanctuary and spiritual support amidst the horrors of war'.
He said: 'I condemn this appalling strike on the Holy Family Church in Gaza, pray for the dead and injured, and stand in solidarity with Fr Gabriel Romanelli and the people sheltering in the compound – Christians and Muslims alike.
'For 20 months, the Church of the Holy Family has managed to be a place of sanctuary and spiritual support amidst the horrors of war, feeding and protecting hundreds of people.
'I add my voice to Pope Leo's call for a return of hostages, and an immediate ceasefire to end the suffering in Gaza and bring peace to the region. I encourage you, in your homes and parishes, to pray for peace and an end to this war.'
Israel's foreign ministry, in a post on social media platform X, said Israel 'never targets churches or religious sites and regrets any harm to a religious site or to uninvolved civilians'.
Re-stating his call for an immediate ceasefire, Pope Leo said: 'Only dialogue and reconciliation can ensure enduring peace.'
Earlier this week the Archbishop of Jerusalem, in an address to the Church of England's General Synod in York, likened the 'horrifying' food distribution system for Palestinians in Gaza to 'hunger games', in an apparent reference to the dystopian film series of the same name.
Archbishop Hosam Naoum urged Church leaders to support a two-state solution between Israel and Palestine and call for a permanent ceasefire.
At least 20 Palestinians were killed at a food distribution centre run by an Israeli-backed American organisation in the Gaza Strip, mostly from being trampled, it was reported on Wednesday.
A day earlier, the United Nations human rights office said 875 Palestinians have been killed while seeking food since May, including 674 killed while on their way to Gaza Humanitarian Fund (GHF) food sites and the rest while waiting for aid trucks entering Gaza.
The Anglican bishop, who is chief pastor of 28 parishes across Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon, described a situation where 'medical supplies are in short supply; food distribution system is horrifying, with three sites open one hour a day for two million people – it looks for me like hunger games'.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Syria expected to hold parliamentary election in September
Syria expected to hold parliamentary election in September

Reuters

time4 minutes ago

  • Reuters

Syria expected to hold parliamentary election in September

July 27 (Reuters) - Syria is expected to hold its first parliamentary election under the new administration in September, the head of the electoral commission told state news agency SANA on Sunday. Voting for the 210-member People's Assembly is scheduled to take place between September 15 and 20, said Mohamed Taha, who is overseeing the electoral process. President Ahmed al-Sharaa has received a draft electoral law that amends a previous decree and raises the number of seats from 150 to 210. A third of the seats will be appointed by the president. The government has pledged broad representation and said it will allow foreign observers to monitor electoral committees overseeing the vote. Officials said areas outside government control, including Kurdish-held regions in northern Syria and the Druze-majority province of Sweida, would continue to have seats allocated based on population. The new assembly is expected to lay the groundwork for a broader democratic process, which critics say currently lacks sufficient participation from minority groups. It will also be tasked with approving landmark legislation aimed at overhauling decades of state-controlled economic policies and ratifying treaties that could reshape Syria's foreign policy alliances. In March, Syria issued a constitutional declaration to guide the interim period under Sharaa's leadership. The document preserves a central role for Islamic law while guaranteeing women's rights and freedom of expression. It raised concerns of civic groups and Western nations about the concentration of power among the country's Islamist-led leadership.

UK's Starmer to convene cabinet meeting, most likely to discuss Gaza
UK's Starmer to convene cabinet meeting, most likely to discuss Gaza

Reuters

time4 minutes ago

  • Reuters

UK's Starmer to convene cabinet meeting, most likely to discuss Gaza

LONDON, July 27 (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will convene a cabinet meeting next week, a government source said on Sunday, most likely to discuss the situation in Gaza after coming under growing pressure to recognise a Palestinian state. The Financial Times, which initially reported the story, said ministers, currently in a summer recess until September 1, would reconvene to discuss Gaza. Starmer's office did not immediately reply to a Reuters request for comment. The recall comes after Starmer said on Friday the British government would recognise a Palestinian state only as part of a negotiated peace deal, disappointing many in his Labour Party who want him to follow France in taking swifter action. President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday France would recognise a Palestinian state, a plan that drew strong condemnation from Israel and the United States, after similar moves from Spain, Norway and Ireland last year. More than 220 members of parliament in the UK, mostly Labour members representing about a third of the House of Commons, wrote to Starmer on Friday urging him to recognise a Palestinian state. Successive British governments have said they will formally recognise a Palestinian state when the time is right, without setting a timetable or specifying the necessary conditions. Starmer's approach has been complicated by the arrival in Scotland on Friday of U.S. President Donald Trump, with whom he has built warm relations. In foreign policy terms, Britain has rarely diverged from the United States. Israel has been facing growing international criticism, which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government rejects, over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store