Everything we know about 'Israel's' deadly church bombing in Gaza
The compound, which has been sheltering hundreds of displaced civilians since the war began, sustained heavy damage in what church officials condemned as a 'flagrant violation of human dignity.'
'With deep sorrow the Latin Patriarchate can now confirm that two persons were killed as a result of an apparent strike by the Israeli army that hit the Holy Family Compound this morning,' the patriarchate said in a statement. 'Nothing can justify the targeting of innocent civilians.'
The patriarchate said the strike destroyed parts of the complex, which had been providing refuge to around 600 displaced Palestinians, including 54 people with special needs. Photographs from Gaza City's Al-Ahli Hospital (Baptist Hospital) showed the wounded being treated in makeshift tents. Among the injured was the parish priest, Father Gabriel Romanelli, who was seen with a bandage on his leg.
- "We would have witnessed a horrific massacre" -
Elias Al-Jaldah, a member of the Agents Council of the Arab Orthodox Church in Gaza, revealed that the shelling took place 'only 10 minutes after the prayer service ended,' warning that had worshippers still been present, 'we would have witnessed a horrific massacre.'
Jaldah strongly condemned the attack, insisting it was not a mistake but 'part of a systematic campaign targeting churches and their affiliated centers throughout months of this genocidal war.'
He argued that such strikes aim to pressure Gaza's Christian community to leave, saying, 'they are trying to force Christian families to abandon their land, but they have clung to it and stood firm.'
Underscoring the shared suffering of all Palestinians, Jaldah said, 'Christians in Gaza, like the rest of their people, have paid the price and endured all the hardships. But they made a decisive choice: to live in their areas in the northern Strip or be buried there.'
- Vatican and global condemnation -
Pope Leo XIV expressed his grief, saying he was 'deeply saddened' by the attack and renewed his call for an immediate ceasefire. The late Pope Francis, who maintained regular contact with Father Romanelli during the war, had repeatedly condemned the 'deplorable humanitarian situation' in Gaza before his death in April.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni described the attack as 'unacceptable', while Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani called it 'a serious act against a Christian place of worship.'
Monsignor Pascal Gollnisch, head of the Catholic charity l'Oeuvre d'Orient, was more direct, 'There was no strategic objective, there were no jihadists in this church. There were families, there were civilians. This is totally unacceptable and we condemn in the strongest possible terms this attitude on the part of Israel.'
Monsignor Gollnisch's words echoed the sentiments of many humanitarian groups, 'This church is known for its peaceful attitude, for being a peacemaker. These are people who are at the service of the population. To target them is beyond comprehension.'
Additionally, Jordan issued a strong condemnation of the 'Israeli' shelling. The government described the strike as a clear violation of international law and international humanitarian law, with specific reference to the 1949 Geneva Convention on the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War.
The Higher Presidential Committee for Church Affairs in Palestine expressed deep alarm. In a strongly worded statement, the committee denounced the strike as 'a blatant violation of international humanitarian law and the sanctity of religious sites.'
It warned that such attacks pose 'a direct threat to the authentic Christian presence in the Holy Land' and reiterated that targeting churches and other religious institutions 'under any pretext is unacceptable and reprehensible.'
The committee urged the international community and human rights organizations to act immediately to protect places of worship in the Gaza Strip and to stop 'the ongoing assaults targeting civilians and holy sites alike.'
It also pledged to continue coordinating with local churches and relevant institutions to follow up on the situation until all details of the strike are fully clarified.
- Hamas' response -
In an official statement, Hamas described the incident as a 'new crime' committed by the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) against places of worship and innocent displaced people. The group condemned the attack as part of a broader campaign of 'genocide' targeting all components of the Palestinian population.
- 'Israel' denies targeting religious sites -
The IOF said it was reviewing the incident. 'Israel never targets churches or religious sites and regrets any harm to a religious site or to uninvolved civilians,' the foreign ministry posted on X, adding that it was investigating the circumstances.
Israel expresses deep sorrow over the damage to the Holy Family Church in Gaza City and over any civilian casualty.
The IDF is examining this incident, the circumstances of which are still unclear, and the results of the investigation will be published transparently.
Israel never…
— Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) July 17, 2025
The 'Israeli' military also issued a brief statement confirming awareness of an attack on a church in Gaza City and announced it is investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident. However, no further details or explanations were provided.
'The IDF makes every feasible effort to mitigate harm to civilians and civilian structures, including religious sites, and regrets any damage caused to them,' the statement added.
According to 'Israeli' media, an investigation into the recent strike on the church in Gaza suggests that the damage may have been caused by either a tank shell or a drone.
However, this is not the first time 'Israeli' strikes have hit Christian sites in Gaza. The Holy Family Church was previously damaged during this war, and the Greek Orthodox Saint Porphyrius Church, one of the oldest in the world, was struck earlier, killing and injuring dozens of displaced families sheltering there.
- Community under siege -
Out of Gaza's more than two million residents, about 1,000 are Christians, most of them Orthodox. The Catholic population, according to the Latin Patriarchate, is just 135 people. Since the war began in October 2023, many have taken refuge in the Holy Family Compound, which has long been known as a safe haven.
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