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Qatar Tribune
3 days ago
- Qatar Tribune
Three dead in Israeli attack on Gaza church
dpa Tel Aviv An Israeli attack in the Gaza Strip struck the territory's only Catholic church on Thursday, killing three people. The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem said that the Holy Family Church in the centre of Gaza City had been hit, and that nine others were injured, three of whom were in critical condition. According to the Vatican News portal, the dead were the church's 60-year-old janitor and an elderly woman. There was no immediate information about the third victim, who later died. The parish priest reportedly suffered minor injuries. The Israeli Foreign Ministry said the circumstances of the incident were still unclear. 'Israel expresses deep sorrow over the damage to the Holy Family Church in Gaza City and over any civilian casualty,' it posted on X. 'Israel never targets churches or religious sites and regrets any harm to a religious site or to uninvolved civilians,' the ministry added. The Israeli military acknowledged reports of damage to the church and casualties in the area, and said the circumstances were 'under review.' The military stressed that it 'makes every feasible effort to mitigate harm to civilians and civilian structures, including religious sites, and regrets any damage caused to them.' The Palestinian WAFA news agency reported that around 600 displaced people had been housed in the church. The Latin Patriarchate in Jerusalem published a photo of the church showing damage to the roof. Gaza's small Christian minority Approximately 1,000 Christians live in the Gaza Strip, out of a total population of more than 2 million. There are three churches in the coastal strip, with the Church of the Holy Family being the only Catholic place of worship. Pope Leo XIV repeated his call for an immediate ceasefire following the incident and said he was 'deeply saddened' at the loss of life. In a telegram published by the Latin Patriarchate, he called for 'dialogue, reconciliation and enduring peace in the region.' Meloni: 'Unacceptable' attacks Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said 'the attacks against the civilian population, which Israel has been demonstrating for months, are unacceptable.' The Israeli military consistently emphasizes that it is acting against the Palestinian Islamist Hamas organization and other militant groups and takes measures to spare civilians in the Gaza Strip. At least 32 killed in other attacks, medics say According to medical sources in the Gaza Strip, at least 32 people have been killed in Israeli attacks across the coastal strip since the morning. The information could not initially be independently verified.
Qatar Tribune
4 days ago
- Qatar Tribune
Israeli strikes hit near Syrian presidential palace, military sites
dpa Damascus The Israeli military launched an attack near the Syrian presidential palace in Damascus on Wednesday, as Israel vows to protect Druze civilians amid brutal sectarian violence in Syria's south. An Israeli military representative said there was a 'military target' in the vicinity of the palace, which is the official seat of President Ahmed al-Sharaa, but did not provide any details. Israeli jets delivered three precise airstrikes on the Syrian capital, according to a dpa reporter at the scene and a monitoring group, with other targets including the entrances to Syria's Ministry of Defence and the General Staff headquarters. Thick black smoke billowed over the area as ambulances rushed to the site. Residents nearby told dpa that the blasts shook their homes and shattered windows. The debris included chunks of concrete and metal from the General Staff building, striking vehicles in Umayyad Square. Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said: 'It seems they were targeting the Syrian defence minister or sending him a direct message, as he was leading operations in Sweida,' in southern Syria. Syria's SANA news agency quoted the Ministry of Health as saying at least 18 people were injured in the Israeli strikes. The Israeli military said earlier on Wednesday its fighter jets had carried out attacks on the 'regime's military headquarters.' The Israeli military said the operation was a response to the unrest in southern Syria, where government forces have been accused of violent repression against the Druze minority. Israel struck other parts of Syria this week. Israel said it was monitoring the Syrian government's actions and aimed to support the Druze community, describing them as allies. Many Druze serve voluntarily in the Israeli army. Clashes between Sunni Bedouins and Druze civilians in southern Syria have escalated sharply in recent days, centred on the Druze-majority city of Sweida. Syrian government troops were deployed to the area. The troops, along with allied groups, have been accused of attacks on civilians, including executions. According to the UK-based observatory, forces have executed Druze civilians during the crackdown. The monitor estimates that around 300 people have been killed in the violence since Sunday. Since the beginning of the year, the observatory has documented 70 Israeli attacks on Syrian territory - 60 by air and 10 by land - targeting or damaging some 102 sites, including weapons depots, military positions and vehicles.
Qatar Tribune
5 days ago
- Qatar Tribune
EU threatens accession candidate Georgia with sanctions
DPA Brussels The EU is threatening Georgia, a candidate country for membership, with sanctions over violations of core European values. Georgia's democratic backsliding will not go without consequences, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said following a meeting of bloc foreign ministers in Brussels. 'They have certain conditions they have to comply with,' she told reporters on Tuesday. One possible option, she said, would be to suspend visa-free travel or the current EU-Georgia partnership agreement. Kallas urged the Georgian government to make changes by the end of August. These include safeguarding the freedom of assembly and expression, respecting the right to privacy, and adhering to anti-discrimination laws. Kallas stated that the EU does not wish to harm the Georgian population but emphasised that the credibility of the European Union is also at stake. The criticism is primarily directed at the current ruling party, Georgian Dream, which has been accused of restrictions on independent media and non-governmental organizations. Brussels also has concerns that Georgia is being influenced by Russia. In response to the developments, the EU had already frozen Georgia's accession process last year. Candidate status was granted to the country of 3.7 million people at the end of 2023, after it applied for EU membership shortly after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
