Latest news with #CaritasJerusalem
India.com
20-07-2025
- Politics
- India.com
Pope Condemns Israeli Attack On Gaza Church, Calls For End To Barbarity Of War
Pope Leo XIV has strongly condemned an Israeli attack on Gaza's only Catholic church, which killed three people on Thursday. During his Sunday Angelus prayer, the Pope expressed his deep sorrow and appealed for an end to the "barbarity of war," AL Jazeera reported. He urged the international community to "observe humanitarian law and respect the obligation to protect civilians", emphasising the need to avoid collective punishment, indiscriminate force, and forced displacement. "As well as the prohibition of collective punishment, of indiscriminate use of force and forced displacement of the population," he added. Among those killed were the parish's 60-year-old janitor and an 84-year-old woman who was receiving psychosocial support inside a Caritas tent in the church compound, according to the Catholic charity Caritas Jerusalem. Israeli attacks across Gaza on Thursday killed at least 32 Palestinians, including 25 in Gaza City alone, as per AL Jazeera. Meanwhile, Gaza's Health Ministry said that at least 130 people have been killed and 495 wounded by Israeli attacks in the past 24 hours. That brings the death toll since the start of Israel's war to 58,895, with 140,980 people wounded. According to AL Jazeera, in the last two years, as well as its war on Gaza and increasingly violent occupation of the West Bank, Israel has launched attacks on Iran, Lebanon, Syria and Yemen. The most recent attacks on Syria were launched this week, going so far as to hit the country's Ministry of Defence. The Israelis point to their justifications for the attacks on Syria, principally, in Israel's telling, to defend the Syrian Druze minority. In Lebanon, Israel claimed it wanted to stop the threat posed by Hezbollah. The attacks on Iran, it said, were to end that country's attempt to build a nuclear bomb. And in Yemen, Israel's bombing was a response to attacks from the country's Houthi rebels.
The Advertiser
18-07-2025
- Politics
- The Advertiser
Christian leaders in Gaza after Israel's church strike
Top church leaders in Jerusalem have headed into Gaza in a rare solidarity visit to the territory one day after an Israeli shell slammed into its only Catholic church, killing three people. 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 Top church leaders in Jerusalem have headed into Gaza in a rare solidarity visit to the territory one day after an Israeli shell slammed into its only Catholic church, killing three people. 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 Top church leaders in Jerusalem have headed into Gaza in a rare solidarity visit to the territory one day after an Israeli shell slammed into its only Catholic church, killing three people. 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 Top church leaders in Jerusalem have headed into Gaza in a rare solidarity visit to the territory one day after an Israeli shell slammed into its only Catholic church, killing three people. 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
Sydney Morning Herald
18-07-2025
- Politics
- Sydney Morning Herald
Israeli shell hits Gaza church that late pope called every day
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. Romanelli was lightly wounded. 'We were struck in the church while all the people there were elders, innocent people and children,' said Shady Abu Dawood, whose mother was wounded by shrapnel to her head. 'We love peace and call for it, and this is a brutal, unjustified action by the Israeli occupation.' The Israeli military said an initial assessment indicated that 'fragments from a shell fired during operational activity in the area hit the church mistakenly'. It said it was still investigating. The military said it only struck militant targets and made 'every feasible effort to mitigate harm to civilians and religious structures, and regrets any unintentional damage caused to them'. Loading 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. Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni blamed Israel for the strike on the church. 'The attacks on the civilian population that Israel has been demonstrating for months are unacceptable,' she said. The church is just a stone's throw from Al-Ahli Hospital, Naem said, noting that the area around both the church and the hospital has been repeatedly struck for more than a week. The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem, which also has a church in Gaza that previously sustained damage from Israeli strikes, said the Holy Family Church was sheltering 600 displaced people, including many children, and 54 people with disabilities. It said the building suffered significant damage. Targeting a holy site 'is a blatant affront to human dignity and a grave violation of the sanctity of life and the inviolability of religious sites, which are meant to serve as safe havens during times of war', the church said in a statement. In the last 18 months of his life, Francis would often call the lone Catholic church in the Gaza Strip to see how people huddled inside were coping with a devastating war. The Washington Post reported that Francis used to ring Romanelli every evening. Francis had repeatedly criticised Israel's wartime conduct, and last year suggested that allegations of genocide in Gaza – which Israel has rejected as a 'blood libel' – should be investigated. The late pope also met the families of Israeli hostages and called for their release. Only 1000 Christians live in Gaza, an overwhelmingly Muslim territory, said the US State Department's international religious freedom report for 2024. Most are Greek Orthodox. The Holy Land's Christian population has dwindled in recent decades as many have emigrated to escape war and conflict or to seek better opportunities abroad. Local Christian leaders have recently denounced attacks by Israeli settlers and Jewish extremists. Separately, another person was killed and 17 were wounded on Thursday in a strike against two schools that sheltered displaced people in the Al-Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza, Al-Awda Hospital reported. The Israeli military did not immediately comment on the strike. The Gaza Health Ministry said that over the past 24 hours, local hospitals had received the bodies of 94 people killed in Israeli strikes and another 367 wounded. Meanwhile, there has been little visible progress from months of indirect talks between Israel and Hamas aimed at a new ceasefire and hostage release agreement, after Israel ended an earlier truce in March. Early on Friday AEST, Axios reported that Qatar, Egypt and the US had presented Israel and Palestinian Islamist militant group Hamas with an updated Gaza ceasefire proposal, citing two sources. The two main updates in the latest proposal had to do with the scope of the Israeli military's withdrawal from Gaza during a ceasefire and the ratio of Palestinian prisoners to be released for each Israeli hostage. The Qatari prime minister is expected to meet Hamas leaders in Doha on Saturday to seek their agreement to the updated proposal, the report added. Hamas-led militants killed about 1200 people, mostly civilians, in the October 7, 2023 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
Shafaq News
18-07-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Church leaders visit Gaza after Israel kills three at Catholic compound
Shafaq News – Gaza Two senior Christian leaders visited Gaza on Friday in a rare show of solidarity, a day after an Israeli shell hit the territory's only Catholic church, killing three people and wounding several others. Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Pierbattista Pizzaballa and Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III crossed into Gaza to express what they described as the 'shared pastoral solicitude of the Churches of the Holy Land,' according to a statement from the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem. The patriarchs arrived at the Holy Family Catholic Church compound, which suffered damage from Thursday's strike. In addition to the three fatalities, ten others were injured, including the church's resident priest. The visit marks one of the few instances of international figures entering the besieged territory since the start of Israel's latest military campaign in May. Access to Gaza has been severely restricted, with only a limited number of aid workers and Palestinians in need of urgent medical care allowed to leave. The church leaders also announced the delivery of hundreds of tons of food, medical supplies, and other humanitarian aid to families in Gaza. Injured civilians from Thursday's attack were reportedly evacuated for treatment outside the enclave. The attack on the Catholic church compound drew strong condemnation from global religious and political figures. Pope Leo XIV reiterated his call for an immediate ceasefire on Thursday, describing the deaths as "deeply distressing." US President Donald Trump reportedly contacted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to express his frustration over the incident. Caritas Jerusalem and Caritas Internationalis issued statements expressing their sorrow and outrage over the deaths. Alistair Dutton, Secretary General of Caritas Internationalis, described the attack as a 'painful reminder of the appalling conditions' civilians are enduring under siege and urged all parties to uphold the sanctity of life and the protection of non-combatant spaces. Just three days before the strike, Caritas Jerusalem had warned in a report that the humanitarian crisis in Gaza had reached 'an unprecedented level of devastation,' with civilian life disintegrating under the weight of the ongoing conflict. The Israeli military expressed regret for what it called an accident and announced an investigation into the incident. Prime Minister Netanyahu released a statement saying Israel 'deeply regrets that a stray ammunition hit Gaza's Holy Family Church.' Israel has come under international criticism for repeated strikes on schools, hospitals, and other civilian infrastructure, often alleging that Hamas fighters operate from within those areas. Palestinians, however, say no place in Gaza has felt safe since the offensive began following the October 7, 2023. According to Gaza's Health Ministry, more than 58,600 Palestinians have been killed in the conflict so far, with women and children comprising over half of the casualties.
The Hindu
18-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Catholic, Greek Orthodox leaders enter Gaza in rare solidarity visit after Israel's church strike in Gaza
Top church leaders in Jerusalem headed into Gaza on Friday (July 18, 2025) in a rare solidarity visit to the territory one day after an Israeli shell slammed into its only Catholic church, killing three people. The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Pierbattista Pizzaballa, and Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III entered Gaza in the 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 tons 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. Pope Leo XIV calls for ceasefire The attack drew condemnation from world leaders and religious figures. Pope Leo XIV on Thursday (July 17, 2025) 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 (July 17, 2025) expressed regret over what it described as an accident and said it was investigating. The visit by religious leaders Friday marked a rare entrance to the territory by a delegation of outsiders. With the exception of a trickle of aid workers and a small number of Palestinians needing medical care outside the territory, very few have been able to enter or exit Gaza since the start of Israel's latest offensive in May. Church was shelter for many 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 Israeli military said an initial assessment indicated that 'fragments from a shell fired during operational activity in the area hit the church mistakenly.' It said it was still investigating. 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' Oct 7, 2023, attack. Hamas-led militants killed some 1,200 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 over 58,600 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which has said women and children make up more than half of the dead. It does not distinguish between civilians and militants in its tally. The ministry is part of the Hamas-run government but is led by medical professionals. The United Nations and other international organisations consider its figures to be the most reliable count of war casualties.
