Israel expressed “deep regret” over Thursday’s incident in Gaza, where three Christians were killed by an errant Israeli shell fragment that hit the Catholic Holy Family Church, the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office stated.
“Every innocent life lost is a tragedy. We share the grief of the families and the faithful. We are grateful to Pope Leo for his words of comfort,” the statement read.
“Israel is investigating the incident and remains committed to protecting civilians and holy sites.”
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The statement followed a phone call between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump, who, according to reports, was upset and demanded to speak with Netanyahu after being informed of the incident.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that the president’s reaction was “not positive.”
A U.S. official told the news outlet Axios that Trump requested clarification over the incident and demanded Netanyahu publicly admit Israel made a mistake.
On Thursday, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, said that an IDF tank shell had hit the church, while the Israeli statement spoke of “stray ammunition.”
In a late-night statement by the IDF, the military said that an “initial inquiry” showed 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 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.”
Pope Leo XIV had called for “an immediate ceasefire” in a statement on Thursday, expressing his “profound hope for dialogue, reconciliation, and enduring peace in the region.”
The pope also called Patriarch Pizzaballa on Friday, as he entered the enclave to visit the church in Gaza City, together with the Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III.
Of the estimated 1,000 Christians in Gaza, only about 135 are Catholic. Hundreds of Catholics and Orthodox believers have been sheltering at the church for the duration of the war.
Pope Leo sent Pizzaballa his “closeness, care, prayer, support, and desire to do everything possible to achieve not only a ceasefire but also an end to this tragedy.”
“Pope Leo repeatedly stated that it is time to stop this slaughter, that what has happened is unjustifiable, and that we must ensure there are no more victims,” the Patriarch told Vatican News.
According to the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, Patriarchs Pizzaballa and Theophilos III visited the Gaza church to “stand alongside those affected by recent events.”
“The Patriarchate ensured the evacuation of individuals injured in the attack to medical institutions outside Gaza, where they will receive care,” said the statement.
“The Latin Patriarchate said it remains steadfast in its commitment to the Christian community and the entire population of Gaza,” it said. “They will not be forgotten, nor will they be abandoned.”
In another statement, the Patriarchs and Heads of the Churches in Jerusalem expressed their solidarity with the Catholic community in Gaza over the “heinous attack by the Israeli Army on the church compound,” and strongly denounced “this crime.”
“Targeting a church that houses approximately 600 refugees, including children with special needs, is a violation of these laws. It is also an affront to human dignity, a trampling upon the sanctity of human life, and the desecration of a holy site.”
The joint statement closed by calling “upon world leaders and United Nations agencies to work towards an immediate ceasefire in Gaza that leads to an end of this war.”
This article was originally published by All Israel News.
ALL ISRAEL NEWS is based in Jerusalem and is a trusted source of news, analysis and information from Israel to our Christian friends around the world.
