Three people are dead and several more are injured, including a Catholic priest, after an Israeli projectile hit the only Catholic parish in Gaza.
An Israeli tank unit struck the Holy Family Church in Gaza, killing three and wounding at least nine others, according to the Latin Patriarchate in Jerusalem, the Catholic branch overseeing Israel and Palestine.
“This morning, at approximately 10:20 a.m., the Compound of the Holy Family in Gaza, belonging to the Latin Patriarchate, was struck by the Israeli army. As of this hour, three individuals lost their lives as a result of the injuries sustained and nine others were wounded, including one in critical condition and two in serious condition,” the patriarchate said in a statement.
The patriarchate strongly condemned the Israeli strike and called for the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza to come to an end. It offered condolences to the families of those who perished and offered prayers for the recovery of the wounded.
Pope Leo XIV similarly condemned Israel’s strike on the Catholic parish and reiterated his call for the conflict in Gaza to end with a cease-fire, echoing his predecessor, the late Pope Francis.
“I am deeply saddened to learn of the loss of life and injury caused by the military attack on the Holy Family Catholic Church in #Gaza,” the pontiff said in a statement shared on X.
“I assure the parish community of my spiritual closeness. I commend the souls of the deceased to the loving mercy of Almighty God, and pray for their families and the injured. I renew my call for an immediate ceasefire. Only dialogue and reconciliation can ensure enduring peace!” the Holy Father added.
The IDF is investigating the incident and revealed the results of its initial findings a few hours after the strike occurred.
“An initial inquiry into reports regarding injured individuals in the Holy Family Church in Gaza City, suggests that fragments from a shell fired during operational activity in the area hit the church mistakenly. The cause of the incident is under review,” the Israeli military said in a statement.
“The IDF directs its strikes solely at military targets and makes every feasible effort to mitigate harm to civilians and religious structures, and regrets any unintentional damage caused to them.”
Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Catholic prelate who oversees the patriarchate, questioned whether the Israeli Defense Forces mistakenly hit the church amid the fog of war.
“What we know for sure is that a tank, the IDF says by mistake, but we are not sure about this, they hit the Church directly, the Church of the Holy Family, the Latin Church,” he told the Vatican’s news agency.
“We don’t have complete information about what has happened in Gaza today because the communication in Gaza is not that simple,” he added.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said President Trump did not react positively to news of the strike and spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about it.
“It was not a positive reaction,” Leavitt told reporters. “He called Prime Minister Netanyahu this morning to address the strikes on that church in Gaza.”
She said Netanyahu told Trump the attack was a “mistake” and directed further inquiries to a statement from the Israeli prime minister’s office.
“Israel deeply regrets that a stray ammunition hit Gaza’s Holy Family Church. Every innocent life lost is a tragedy. We share the grief of the families and the faithful,” the statement reads.
“We are grateful to Pope Leo for his words of comfort. Israel is investigating the incident and remains committed to protecting civilians and holy sites.”
Before his death, Pope Francis called Fr. Romanelli and the Holy Family parish on a daily basis to provide comfort and voice support. The Latin Patriarchate described the church as a “sanctuary” for people caught in the crossfire of the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas.
Israel and Hamas have been fighting the war in Gaza since Hamas slaughtered over 1,000 innocent civilians and captured over 250 hostages on October 7, 2023.