An Israeli tank strike killed three people and wounded a priest in the only Catholic church in the Gaza Strip on Thursday morning (July 17), with the military saying in its first investigation “snip from the shell” being accidentally attacked by structures.
Pastor Gabriele Romanelli needed treatment in the incident that killed two women and two women who took shelter at Holy Family Church in Gaza City.
A post from the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) said later Thursday that the initial investigation “indicatively suggests that fragments from the shell fired during operational activities in the area were accidentally attacked by churches.”
The IDF said the cause of the incident was under review, claiming that it would only attack military targets and “put all viable efforts to mitigate harm to civilians and religious structures and regret the unintended damage caused to them.”
The Latin patriarchy in Jerusalem, which oversees the church, said nine people were injured in the strike.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry issued a statement saying it regrets harm to religious places and civilians who are not involved.
Displaced people in Gaza’s small Christian community have lived on church grounds since the home was destroyed in an Israeli military campaign ending Hamas after the terrorist attacks on October 7, 2023.
The Pizzabara Cardinal of the Piabattista Cardinal, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, expressed doubt that the strike was the result of a mistake.
“What we definitely know is that the tank is saying it wrong, but we don’t know about this. They hit the church directly,” he told Vatican News.
Charity Caritas Jerusalem said the shells had hit the roof of the church.
“At that time, some individuals were outside the main building, including two elderly women who were sitting inside Caritas’ psychosocial support tent,” Caritas said. “Both were seriously injured and were taken to Al Ali Hospital after a 15-minute delay by ambulance.”
Caritas said three young people standing at the entrance to the church building were also seriously injured and rushed to the hospital.
CNN examined images showing the church being damaged by the attack, but reported that the cross on the roof appears to be intact.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement read on Thursday, “Israel deeply regrets that his lost ammunition has collided with the Holy Family Church in Gaza. All innocent lives lost are tragedy.”
The Latin patriarch of Jerusalem Pizzabara said three people lost their lives and nine others were injured. The patriarchy has identified those killed as Saad Issa Kostandi Salameh, who Caritas Jerusalem said to be a 60-year-old parish custodian. Foumia Issa Latif Ayyad, 84; and Najwa Abu Dawood.
The Vatican telegrams to the victims, and Pope Leo IVX was deeply saddened by the loss of life, assuring Romanelli a “wide parish community of his spiritual intimacy.”
“His holiness renews his call for an immediate ceasefire, and he expresses his deep hopes for regional dialogue, reconciliation and lasting peace.”
White House press chief Caroline Leavitt said President Trump discussed the issue with Netanyahu and that Netanyahu said it was “a mistake” by Israelis that “it strikes that Catholic church.”
At the time, an estimated 600 displaced people were evacuating within the church, according to the BBC.
“The Holy Family Church is classified as part of Gaza city where Israeli forces previously told locals to leave,” the BBC reported.
Caritas Jerusalem said Romanelli urged people to stay in the room “because of Israeli tanks near the church, and due to the continuous proximity of the proximity.”
“If Father Gabriel hadn’t warned us to stay indoors, we could have lost 50-60 people today,” Caritas staff told the BBC. “It would have been a massacre.”
According to Hamasran Health Ministry, the Israeli attacks have killed more than 58,500 people in Gaza.
This incident was not the first time an IDF had attacked a church. According to the Washington Post, on December 16, 2023, IDF Sniper Fire killed an elderly woman and her daughter in a compound from the Holy Family Church.
Following the fire of an IDF sniper who says Catholic Church sources killed Nahida Khalil Anton and her daughter Samar Kamal Anton, the latter brother told the Washington Post that he and others attending the church building went out and saw his mother and sister down their faces.
“When we saw Samar, we all rushed to save her and the snipers injured us two children and my two children,” Issa Anton posted over the phone.
The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Pizzabara said at the time, IDF snipers killed two Christian women on the grounds of a church in the Shejaia area of Gaza city.
“Seven more people were shot dead and injured as they tried to protect others within the church compound,” Pizzabara said. “No warnings were given, no notices were provided. They were shot with cold blood on the parish grounds where there were no warriors.”
On December 17, 2023, the IDF issued a statement acknowledging that “the incident occurred” at the church complex.
“The initial review suggests that the IDF forces operating against Hamas terrorists in the region were operating against the threats identified in the church area,” the IDF said at the time. “The IDF is conducting a thorough review of the incident.”
Christians are said to have lived in Gaza since the first century. When Hamas assumed full control in 2007, fewer than 1,000 Christians remain on the strip, estimated to have fallen from 3,000. The resulting Israeli lockdown in Gaza has led many Christians to escape poverty that has worsened.
