Israeli strike on Gaza’s only Catholic church kills 2, cathedral official says
The Israeli Defence Forces said they are reviewing the incident and regret any damage, while Pope Leo said he was ‘deeply saddened’ by the attack
An apparent Israeli strike on Gaza’s sole Catholic church killed two people and injured several others, the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem said on Thursday.
“Two persons were killed as a result of an apparent strike by the Israeli army that hit the Holy Family Compound this morning,” the Patriarchate said in a statement.
Earlier, there were conflicting reports about whether the attack had caused deaths.
The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) said it was “aware of reports regarding damage caused to the Holy Family Church in Gaza City and casualties at the scene. The circumstances of the incident are under review.”
“The IDF makes every feasible effort to mitigate harm to civilians and civilian structures, including religious sites, and regrets any damage caused to them,” its statement added.
In a rare move, the Israeli Foreign Ministry posted an apology on social media. “Israel expresses deep sorrow over the damage to the Holy Family Church in Gaza City and over any civilian casualty,” the ministry said.