Christian leaders in Gaza after Israel's church strike
The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Pierbattista Pizzaballa, and Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III entered Gaza on Friday morning to express the "shared pastoral solicitude of the Churches of the Holy Land", read a statement released by the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem.
The patriarchs and their delegation arrived at the Holy Family Catholic Church in Gaza in the afternoon.
As well as the three people killed in the strike, 10 were wounded, including the resident priest. The church compound was damaged.
The delegation was also planning on sending hundreds of tonnes of food aid, medical supplies and equipment to families inside Gaza, the patriarchate said, adding they also had "ensured evacuation" of individuals injured in the attack to hospitals outside Gaza.
The attack drew condemnation from world leaders and religious figures.
Pope Leo XIV on Thursday renewed his call for an immediate ceasefire in response to the attack and President Donald Trump called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to express his frustration.
Israel on Thursday expressed regret over what it described as an accident and said it was investigating.
The visit by religious leaders on Friday marked a rare entrance to the territory by a delegation of outsiders, as Israel has essentially sealed its borders.
At the time of the strike, the church compound was sheltering both Christians and Muslims, including a number of children with disabilities, according to Fadel Naem, acting director of Al-Ahli Hospital, which received the casualties.
The Catholic charity Caritas Jerusalem said the parish's 60-year-old janitor and an 84-year-old woman receiving psychosocial support inside a Caritas tent in the church compound were killed in the attack.
Parish priest Gabriel Romanelli was lightly wounded.
"The Latin Patriarchate remains steadfast in its commitment to the Christian community and the entire population of Gaza. They will not be forgotten, nor will they be abandoned," read the statement from Caritas.
Netanyahu released a statement saying Israel "deeply regrets that a stray ammunition hit Gaza's Holy Family Church".
The prime minister called Pope Leo on Friday, the Vatican said, in which Leo renewed appeals for a ceasefire and an end to the war, called for the protection of civilians and places of worship, and expressed fresh concern for "the dramatic humanitarian situation" in Gaza.
The Israeli military said an initial assessment indicated that "fragments from a shell fired during operational activity in the area hit the church mistakenly".
Israel has repeatedly struck schools, shelters, hospitals and other civilian buildings, accusing Hamas militants of sheltering inside and blaming them for civilian deaths.
Palestinians say nowhere has felt safe since Israel launched its offensive in response to Hamas' October 7, 2023, attack.
Hamas-led militants killed some 1200 people, mostly civilians, in the October 7 attack and abducted 251 people, most of whom have since been released in ceasefire agreements or other deals.
Fifty hostages are still being held, less than half of them believed to be alive.
Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed more than 58,600 Palestinians, according to Gaza's health ministry.
with Reuters
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