Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has acknowledged that the IDF struck the Holy Household Church, blaming the incident on “stray ammunition”
The Israel Protection Forces (IDF) has shelled the one Catholic church in Gaza, reportedly killing three individuals and injuring a number of extra, prompting Pope Leo XIV to ship a telegram to the parish expressing his condolences. West Jerusalem has acknowledged the lethal incident, attributing it to “stray ammunition.”
Israel has already drawn worldwide censure for the destruction left by its battle with Hamas and different militant teams in the Palestinain enclave, which has left 92% of houses there broken or destroyed, in response to a Might, 2025 UNRWA assertion.
Pope Leo XIV stated in a telegram despatched by church officers that he was “deeply saddened to be taught of the lack of life and damage attributable to the navy assault.”
He referred to as for an “fast ceasefire” in Gaza, as quoted by the Vatican Information. In an announcement on Thursday, the Catholic charity Caritas Internationalis stated that the church served as a shelter for displaced civilians, “who have been merely attempting to outlive.”
The group referred to as for an finish to “assaults on civilians, particularly these searching for refuge in church buildings, different locations of worship and clearly marked humanitarian areas.”
The Israeli International Ministry issued an announcement, quoting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as saying that Israel “deeply regrets {that a} stray ammunition hit Gaza’s Holy Household Church.”
The diplomats famous that the incident is being investigated, with Israel being supposedly “dedicated to defending civilians and holy websites.”
The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, instructed the Vatican Information web site that the Holy Household Church was “immediately” hit by a tank shell.
In a put up on its Telegram channel, Hamas slammed the Israeli assault as a “new crime dedicated in opposition to locations of worship and harmless displaced individuals.”
Israeli strikes throughout Gaza on Thursday alone killed at the least 32 Palestinians, Al Jazeera wrote, citing native medical sources.
In October 2023, simply days after the battle broke out, the Israeli military equally bombed the Church of Saint Porphyrius, killing at the least 18 individuals.
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