Israel says it ‘deeply regrets’ strike on Gaza’s only Catholic church, pledges investigation

WNN — 

Israel said Thursday that it “deeply regrets” a deadly strike on Gaza’s only Catholic church, which killed three people.

The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, which has jurisdiction for Latin-rite Catholics in Gaza, said the Holy Family Church was struck by Israel on Thursday morning. The church has become a shelter for the enclave’s tiny Christian community amid the 20-month war.

The office of Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that “Israel deeply regrets that a stray ammunition hit Gaza’s Holy Family Church. Every innocent life lost is a tragedy.”

“Israel is investigating the incident and remains committed to protecting civilians and holy sites,” the office added in a statement.

In a Vatican telegram on Thursday, a church official said Pope Leo XIV is “deeply saddened” by the strike.

Calling the hit a “military attack,” the Vatican’s Secretary of State Pietro Parolin said: “In commending the souls of the deceased to the loving mercy of Almighty God, the Holy Father prays for the consolation of those who grieve and for the recovery of the injured.”

Church ‘directly’ hit

Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, told Vatican News that the church was hit “directly” by a tank Thursday morning.

The parish priest, Father Gabriel Romanelli, was injured in the attack, the patriarchate said, alongside a number of others. Romanelli is an Argentine who has ministered in Gaza for close to 30 years.

It named the three killed as Saad Issa Kostandi Salameh, Foumia Issa Latif Ayyad and Najwa Abu Dawood. Several others were also injured.