&w=3840&q=100)
Christian leaders make rare visit to Gaza after Israeli strike on Catholic church kills 3
Archbishop Alexios of the Saint Porphyrius Church (C) receives Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Pierbattista Pizzaballa (3rd-R) and Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos III (4th-L) during their visit to the Saint Porphyrius Church in Gaza City on July 18, 2025. AFP
Clergy members from the Catholic and Greek Orthodox Churches have paid a visit to Gaza's only church after Israeli strikes hit the complex, killing three people.
Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa entered Gaza, a highly unusual move due to Israel's control over the region, with Theophilos III to bring aid to the victims of the airstrike as he and a Vatican official questioned Israeli explanations for the incident.
Cardinal Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, and Theophilos III, the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem, expressed 'the shared pastoral solicitude of the Churches of the Holy Land and their concern for the community of Gaza.'
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
Three people died and several were injured, including the parish priest, in the strike on the Holy Family Church compound in Gaza City a day earlier. Photos show its roof has been hit close to the main cross, scorching the stone facade and shattering windows.
Israel 'regrets' strike on church
Meanwhile, Israel has expressed 'regret' over Gaza's only Catholic church. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said, 'Israel deeply regrets that a stray ammunition hit Gaza's Holy Family Church. Every innocent life lost is a tragedy.'
'Israel is investigating the incident and remains committed to protecting civilians and holy sites,' the office added in a statement.
The church has sheltered hundreds of Palestinians since the start of Israel's military campaign against Hamas in the enclave in October 2023, following the group's deadly attack on Israel.
In an interview with Italy's Corriere della Sera daily, Pizzaballa said a Catholic presence would remain in Gaza 'whatever happens,' and he expressed doubts about Israel's explanation that the strike was a mistake.
'We are not a target. They say it was an error. Even if everybody here believes it wasn't,' said the cardinal, who is Jerusalem's Latin Patriarch, the top Catholic authority in the region,' he said.
Pope Leo speaks to Netanyahu
Meanwhile, Netanyahu called Pope Leo on Friday following the country's attack on the Gaza church.
The Vatican, in a statement, said, 'During the meeting, the Holy Father renewed his appeals for renewed impetus to negotiations and for a ceasefire and an end to the war. He reiterated his concern for the dramatic humanitarian situation of the population in Gaza, whose excruciating price is being paid especially by children, the elderly, and the sick.'
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
The pope also called for protecting places of worship and the people of Palestine and Israel.
With inputs from agencies
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
14 minutes ago
- First Post
Freedom Flotilla's Handala approaches Gaza, faces Israeli navy threat
An aid vessel launched by the Freedom Flotilla, carrying 19 activists and two journalists, is nearing Gaza in defiance of Israel's blockade. Named Handala, the boat could face interception like its predecessor Madleen, as tensions mount over humanitarian access. read more The Freedom Flotilla ship "Handala" as it leaves for Gaza at a port in Syracuse, Sicily, southern Italy. AFP The activist group Freedom Flotilla announced Saturday that its latest aid boat dispatched to Gaza was approaching the territory and planned to land there the following morning in defiance of an Israeli blockade. The vessel, named the Handala after a popular Palestinian cartoon character, was just 105 nautical miles (194 kilometres) from its destination, organisers said – closer to Gaza than its predecessor the Madleen was when it was intercepted in June. The Israeli navy said it would likewise block the new vessel from reaching the war-torn Palestinian territory. 'The [Israeli army] enforces the legal maritime security blockade on the Gaza Strip and is prepared for a wide range of scenarios, which it will act upon in accordance with directives of the political echelon,' an army spokesperson told AFP on Saturday. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Carrying 19 activists and two journalists from various countries, the Handala first set sail from Sicily on July 13 in a bid to break the Israeli blockade on Gaza and deliver aid to its population. The territory is facing severe shortages of food and other essentials, with the United Nations and NGOs warning of an imminent famine. The Handala's crew said in a post on X that they would go on a hunger strike if the Israeli army intercepted the boat and detained its passengers. The last boat sent by Freedom Flotilla, the Madleen, was intercepted by the Israeli army in international waters on June 9 and towed to the Israeli port of Ashdod. It carried 12 campaigners on board, including prominent Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg.
Time of India
32 minutes ago
- Time of India
No proof Hamas routinely stole UN aid: Israeli military officials
JERUSALEM: For nearly two years, Israel has accused Hamas of stealing aid provided by the United Nations and other international organisations. The govt has used that claim as its main rationale for restricting food from entering the Gaza Strip. But the Israeli military never found proof that the Palestinian militant group had systematically stolen aid from the United Nations, the biggest supplier of emergency assistance to Gaza for most of the war, according to two senior Israeli military officials and two other Israelis involved in the matter. In fact, the Israeli military officials said, the UN aid delivery system was largely effective in providing food to Gaza's hungry population. Now, with hunger at crisis levels in the territory, Israel is coming under increased international pressure over its conduct of the war in Gaza and the humanitarian suffering it has brought. Israel has largely brushed off the criticism. David Mencer, a govt spokesperson, said this past week that there was "no famine caused by Israel." Instead, he blamed Hamas and poor coordination by the United Nations for any food shortages. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Up to 70% off | Shop Sale Libas Undo Israel moved in May toward replacing the UN-led aid system, opting instead to back a private, American-run operation guarded by armed US contractors in areas controlled by Israeli military forces. Some aid still comes into Gaza through the UN and other organisations. The new system has proved to be much deadlier for Palestinians. According to the Gaza health ministry, almost 1,100 people have been killed by gunfire on their way to get food handouts under the new system, in many cases by Israeli soldiers who opened fire on hungry crowds. In the latest such incident, three people were killed by Israeli gunfire while waiting for aid in three separate incidents in northern, central and southern Gaza, said the civil defence agency on Saturday. In total, at least 25 people were killed, reports AFP. The military officials who spoke to The New York Times said that the original UN aid operation was relatively reliable and less vulnerable to Hamas interference than the operations of many of the other groups bringing aid into Gaza. Hamas did steal from some of the smaller organisations that donated aid, according to the senior Israeli officials and others involved in the matter. But, they say, there was no evidence that Hamas regularly stole from the UN, which provided the largest chunk of the aid.
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
44 minutes ago
- First Post
Macron's Palestine move could tilt West Asia dynamics as US and Israel dig in
French President Emmanuel Macron's bid to recognise a Palestinian state could shift power dynamics in West Asia, pressure Western allies and revive long-stalled peace efforts amid growing frustration over the ongoing war in Gaza. read more French President Emmanuel Macron's announcement to officially recognise a Palestinian state this September may not immediately alter realities in Gaza or halt Israel's war but it has injected new momentum into the global debate over peace and statehood in West Asia, especially at a time when the United States and Israel have stepped back from diplomacy, blaming Hamas for failing to reach a deal and stating that they would 'consider alternative options'. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD If implemented, France will become the first Western permanent member of the United Nations Security Council to grant such recognition, joining China and Russia. This could shift power dynamics within the council and add pressure on Western allies to reconsider their positions. Macron's announcement follows months of failed attempts to build consensus with G7 allies like the UK and Canada. While those efforts faltered due to fears of antagonising the United States, France has decided to move ahead unilaterally. French diplomats say the country will now attempt to bring others on board ahead of a broader peace-focused conference in September. Although symbolic, Macron's move highlighted a growing frustration with military-led approaches to the crisis. With war continuing in Gaza, peace talks dormant and civilian casualties mounting, the French president has sought to revive the long-stalled two-state solution as the only credible path to a lasting resolution. 'The prospect of a negotiated solution… seems increasingly distant. I cannot resign myself to that,' Macron wrote to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, reaffirming his country's intent. He added that recognising Palestine is essential to keeping diplomatic options alive and meeting the legitimate aspirations of both Israelis and Palestinians. Macron's decision also serves a domestic purpose: addressing mounting public pressure over the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. But given France's influential position in the EU and the UN Security Council, its move could ripple far beyond its borders. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Strategic analysts note that Macron's timing is deliberate. With less than two years left in office, he is seeking to define his legacy in foreign policy. His decision comes at a moment when US-led efforts have largely stalled, and Israel has shown little appetite for negotiations. The United States and the UK, still opposed to recognising Palestinian statehood, could soon find themselves isolated on the Security Council if more countries follow France's lead. 'This could set a diplomatic precedent among Western powers,' David Rigoulet-Roze of the French Institute of Strategic Analysis told AP. France would be the first G7 nation and the most influential European power to endorse Palestinian statehood, lending the move symbolic and geopolitical weight. Already, 147 countries have recognised Palestine; France would be the 148th, and the most powerful among them in Europe. While Germany has ruled out recognition and the UK has no immediate plans to follow suit, Macron's initiative may force a re-evaluation among Western capitals. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Israel and the United States have denounced the move, accusing Macron of rewarding Hamas following its October 7, 2023 attack that triggered the ongoing war. Trump has dismissed the announcement as inconsequential, although he softened his tone by calling Macron 'a good guy'. With Gaza in ruins and Israeli settlement expansion continuing in the West Bank, hopes for a viable two-state solution may seem distant. Yet Macron's recognition bid could redefine the contours of diplomacy, forcing difficult conversations in Western capitals and possibly creating new space for negotiations in the long run. With inputs from agencies
