logo
Israel's Deadly Attack On The Holy Family Church In Gaza Is A Heinous Crime And Crime Against Humanity

Israel's Deadly Attack On The Holy Family Church In Gaza Is A Heinous Crime And Crime Against Humanity

Scoop5 days ago
The New African Charter International (NACI) is saddened by the unprovoked criminal and brutal attack on a place of worship in Gaza. In particular, NACI condemns in the strongest terms the heinous and cowardly attack on the Holy Family Church in Gaza, Palestine on Thursday 17th July, 2025. It is reported that two people were killed and many others wounded in that terror attack, including the Church's Priest-Father Gabriel Romanelli.
According to reports on the ground, the Holy Family Church is the only place of worship that until before this attack, that had survived Israeli aggression on Palestinian lands and territory. It is also reported that this Church was being used to serve as a sanctuary for dozens of internally displaced Palestinian families seeking refuge from the ongoing Israeli campaign of extermination of whole peoples, whole nations and whole regions, as well as the destruction of the environment.
We condemn these and all acts of terrorism against all peoples. NACI is committed to a culture of peace, non-violence and respect for the right to life. The violation of life committed in this latest Gaza Church attack is abhorrent and speaks of an atmosphere prevailing in occupied Palestine today, where every living thing is a target for liquidation with no exception.
However, we recognize that the ongoing unstopped genocide and race cleansing campaign on Palestinian Arab lands and territory, is aggravated by the unjust and race-filled structural system of the UN decision-making process, which allows Israel to launch brutal attacks on Palestine with impunity, and with no regards to international law and principles. This speaks of the absence of concrete action from the nuclear powers and permanent UN Security Council members-states, to protect and defend human rights and international law.
While we call for a structural reform of the process, allowing for more efficient and effective approach in resolving international conflicts and a better protection of civilians, NACI demands an end to the grave injustice meted on Palestinian Arab people. The current situation in the occupied Palestinian lands and territory has been lasting for over half a century, and there is no defined hope that the United Nations would be allowed to shoulder its responsibility, to resolve the Palestinian question.
NACI is deeply concern by the lack of alternatives to a violent intervention in the Palestinian situation. The latest Israeli attack on the Church in Gaza is a grave injustice and stands condemned by all. It is deserving of utter condemnation and repudiation by all elements of society, and has indeed been so condemned and rejected. For this, we appreciate the prompt statement issued by Pope Leo XIV in the Vatican, expressing profound sorrow over the loss of life and injuries caused by the Israeli assault. The Pontiff reiterated his call for an immediate ceasefire to allow peace to prevail in that region.
It is universally accepted that terrorism in whatever form or manifestation is unjustifiable and constitute heinous crime and crime against humanity, regardless of its motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed. War criminals have of late find it a luxury to export their trademark to targeted countries of the world that are on the list for destruction.
In the face of Israeli brutality towards Palestine and other countries, the international civilized community must stand together to save humanity against actions of war criminals. We condemn the lack of respect of international law and the disregard for United Nations Charter, the core of Israel's regional and foreign policy towards its neighbors and humanity.
More so, we call on the United Nations Security Council to retrieve influence on the situation and to organize in order to ensure security in the face of violence and to guarantee justice for all Palestinian Arab people, whether living at home or displaced or in refugee camps or in exile. It is thus incumbent upon United Nations Security Council to immediately, and by all means, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and other obligations under international law, including international human rights law, international refugee law and international humanitarian law, to stand with all victims of such heinous attacks in occupied Palestine and around the world.
Our deepest sympathy and condolences go to the families of the victims in the Israeli attacks on the Church in Gaza, and wish a speedy and full recovery to those who were injured in this despicable act. NACI advocates the human rights and freedoms of Palestinian Arab people as they fight for their rights to exist equally with other human race and colour; and to uphold the rights of Palestinians to life.
God save Palestine and Palestinian people!
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

UN Official Reiterates Call For Gaza Ceasefire As ‘Nightmare Of Historic Proportions' Unfolds
UN Official Reiterates Call For Gaza Ceasefire As ‘Nightmare Of Historic Proportions' Unfolds

Scoop

time2 hours ago

  • Scoop

UN Official Reiterates Call For Gaza Ceasefire As ‘Nightmare Of Historic Proportions' Unfolds

23 July 2025 Khaled Khiari, Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East, told ministers and ambassadors that ongoing talks must lead to a permanent end to hostilities, the release of all hostages, unimpeded entry of humanitarian aid and for recovery and reconstruction to begin. He painted a grim picture of conditions on the ground, citing expanded Israeli military operations, particularly in Deir Al-Balah, which have led to further mass displacement. UN premises were also struck, hampering humanitarian operations and exacerbating the already dire situation. ASG Khiari briefs the Security Council. Humanitarian toll deepens At least 1,891 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since 30 June, according to figures from Gazan health authorities, including 294 people reportedly killed while attempting to collect aid near militarised distribution points. Evacuation orders continue to force repeated displacement while food insecurity and malnutrition are worsening despite a limited uptick in the entry of humanitarian supplies. On the Israeli side, 13 soldiers have been killed in the same period. Palestinian armed groups have continued sporadic rocket attacks into Israel. According to Israeli sources, 50 hostages, including 28 believed to be dead, are still being held by Hamas and other groups. ' The Secretary-General has repeatedly condemned the continued holding of hostages by Hamas and other armed groups,' Mr. Khiari stressed. ' Hostages must be released immediately and unconditionally. ' Places of worship struck The briefing also highlighted growing concerns about civilian casualties and attacks on protected sites. Mr. Khiari condemned a 17 July strike on the Catholic Church of the Holy Family in Gaza City, which killed three and injured several others. The strike forced the evacuation of roughly 600 Palestinians, including children and persons with special needs, who had been sheltering there. The Israeli Prime Minister's Office expressed regret, describing the strike as the result of 'stray ammunition' and said an investigation was underway, Mr. Khiari reported. Dire fuel shortages Since 9 July, Israel has allowed limited fuel deliveries through the Kerem Shalom/Karim Abu Salem crossing after 130 days of a full blockade. However, the amount is ' a fraction of what is required to run essential life-saving services in Gaza, where nearly every aspect of life depends on fuel ', Mr. Khiari warned. Occupied West Bank Turning to the occupied West Bank, Mr. Khiari reported high levels of violence, including deadly Israeli military operations, attacks by settlers on Palestinians and retaliatory attacks by Palestinians against Israelis. He noted that the Palestinian Authority (PA) is facing a severe fiscal crisis, with $2.7 billion in withheld clearance revenues, crippling its ability to pay salaries and provide basic services. ' Unless urgently addressed, the deterioration of the PA's fiscal and institutional situation could have catastrophic consequences, undermining the significant progress made over many years to build up Palestinian institutions,' he warned, urging immediate international support. Tensions in the wider region Mr. Khiari also highlighted continued tensions along the Blue Line between Lebanon and Israel as well as renewed violence in Syria's Sweida region and Israeli airstrikes on Syrian territory. He urged both Israel and Syria to adhere to the 1974 Disengagement Agreement and to avoid any actions that risk escalating the conflict. Call for a political horizon Mr. Khiari concluded by reiterating that only a revived political process towards the two-State solution can deliver a sustainable solution. ' Our goal is clear: realising the vision of two States – Israel and a viable and sovereign Palestinian State of which Gaza is an integral part – living side by side in peace and security within secure and recognised borders on the basis of the pre-1967 lines with Jerusalem as the capital of both States,' he said.

Home Is Where The Heart Is – And Where Development Begins
Home Is Where The Heart Is – And Where Development Begins

Scoop

time2 hours ago

  • Scoop

Home Is Where The Heart Is – And Where Development Begins

23 July 2025 Mathare, one of the country's largest slums, houses upwards of 500,000 people in five square kilometres, cramming them together and storing the human waste they produce in uncovered rivulets. But, when he recounted the visit later to UN News, this was not the image that stuck with him the most. What he remembered most clearly was a group of boys and girls, dressed in navy blue school uniforms – the girls in skirts and the boys in pants, both with miniature ties underneath their vests – surrounded by squawking chickens and human waste. There was no formal or UNICEF-funded school nearby. But, the Mathare community had come together to create a school where their children might just have the chance to break an intergenerational cycle of poverty and invisibility. 'That was a message for me that development should be localised. There is something happening at the community [level],' said Mr. Jobin. Globally, over one billion people live in overcrowded slums or informal settlements with inadequate housing, making this one of the largest development issues worldwide, but also one of the most underrecognised. 'The first place where opportunity begins or is denied is not an office building or a school. It is in our homes,' UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed told a high-level meeting of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) on Tuesday. A litmus test Mr. Jobin was one of the experts taking part in the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development at UN Headquarters in New York this month to discuss progress – or lack thereof – towards the globally agreed 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). One of the goals aspires to create sustainable cities and communities. However, with close to three billion people facing an affordable housing crisis, this goal remains unrealised. 'Housing has become a litmus test of our social contract and a powerful measure of whether development is genuinely reaching people or quietly bypassing them,' said Rola Dashti, Under-Secretary-General for the UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA). Housing as a mirror for inequalities With over 300 million unhoused people worldwide, sometimes it is easy to forget about the one billion people who are housed inadequately. These people, who populate informal settlements and slums, live in unstable dwellings and in communities where few services are provided. 'Housing reflects the inequalities shaping people's daily lives. It signals who has access to stability, security and opportunity and who does not,' said Ms. Dashti. Children living in slums or informal settlements are up to three times more likely to die before their fifth birthday. They are also 45 per cent more stunted than their peers as a result of poor nutrition. Women and girls are more likely to experience gender-based violence. And human trafficking and child exploitation are also more prevalent. An intergenerational invisibility People in informal settlements are often not a part of the national census, according to Mr. Jobin, meaning that they are not taken into consideration in policies, social programmes or budgets. Even if they were given social protections, these settlements rarely have addresses at which families could receive cash transfers. This is why experts often say that the people living in informal settlements and slums are invisible in official data and programmes. 'You're born from an invisible family, so you become invisible,' Mr. Jobin said. 'You don't exist. You're not reflected in policies or budgeting.' This invisibility makes it almost impossible to escape poverty. 'You become a prisoner of a vicious circle that entertains itself and then you reproduce yourself to your kid,' he said, referring to an inescapable cycle of deprivation. The urban paradox More and more people are migrating into urban centres, leading to the growth of these informal settlements. With their growth comes more urgency to address the issues. The World Bank estimates that 1.2 million people each week move to cities, often seeking the opportunities and resources that they offer. But, millions of people are never able to benefit, instead becoming forgotten endnotes in an urban paradox that portrays urban wealth as a protection against poverty. By 2050, the number of people living in informal settlements is expected to triple to three billion, one third of whom will be children. Over 90 per cent of this growth will occur in Asia and Africa. 'These statistics are not just numbers; they represent families, they represent workers and entire communities being left behind,' said Anacláudia Rossbach, Under-Secretary-General of UN Habitat, which is working to make cities more sustainable. Housing as a human right It is not just national and local governments which struggle to contend with informal settlements. Organizations like UNICEF are also 'blind', Mr. Jobin said, regarding the scope of problems in informal settlements. Development partners face twin issues in designing interventions. There is not enough national data and informal governance, or slum lords, can be more critical for coordinating programs than traditional governmental partners. 'We know the issue, but somehow we have not really been able to intervene,' he said. Ms. Mohammed emphasised that 'we need to begin to see adequate and affordable housing as more than just a result of development; it is the foundation upon which all other development must rest." 'Housing is not simply about a roof over one's head. It's a fundamental human right and the foundation upon which peace and stability itself rests.'

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