Jakarta, Indonesia Sentinel — Israel launched an airstrike on a Catholic church compound in Gaza on Thursday, July 17. The strike has killing three people and injuring several others.
The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, which oversees the church, confirmed the strike targeted the Holy Family Catholic Church which is the only Catholic church in the Gaza Strip. The victims, the Patriarchate said, were two women and one man who had sought refuge in the church complex amid ongoing violence.
He condemned the strike, calling it an attack on innocent civilians and a sacred place. “This horrific war must be brought to a complete end immediately,” he said, as reported by Reuters on Thursday, July 17.
The Holy Family Church added in a separate statement that several people were wounded in the attack, with some in critical condition. The church had been serving as a shelter for displaced residents whose homes had been destroyed.
Pope Leo XIV, the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican, responded to the incident by offering prayers for the victims. “We pray for the souls of the departed and for an end to this brutal war,” the Pope said in a statement, as quoted by AFP. “There is no justification for targeting innocent civilians.”
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The Israeli military said it is investigating the incident. The country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), expressing sorrow over the casualties.
“Israel deeply regrets the damage to the Holy Family Church in Gaza City and the civilian casualties that may have occurred,” the ministry said in a post, according to Al Jazeera.
Despite the apology, the ministry insisted that Israel does not target churches or religious sites. However, reports from various sources note that dozens of mosques have been struck since the beginning of Israel’s military operations in Gaza.
The attack adds to growing international concern over civilian casualties and the targeting of places of worship during the conflict, as humanitarian conditions in Gaza continue to deteriorate.
(Raidi/Agung)
