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India.com
4 days ago
- Politics
- India.com
Pope Condemns Israeli Attack On Gaza Church, Calls For End To Barbarity Of War
Pope Leo XIV has strongly condemned an Israeli attack on Gaza's only Catholic church, which killed three people on Thursday. During his Sunday Angelus prayer, the Pope expressed his deep sorrow and appealed for an end to the "barbarity of war," AL Jazeera reported. He urged the international community to "observe humanitarian law and respect the obligation to protect civilians", emphasising the need to avoid collective punishment, indiscriminate force, and forced displacement. "As well as the prohibition of collective punishment, of indiscriminate use of force and forced displacement of the population," he added. Among those killed were the parish's 60-year-old janitor and an 84-year-old woman who was receiving psychosocial support inside a Caritas tent in the church compound, according to the Catholic charity Caritas Jerusalem. Israeli attacks across Gaza on Thursday killed at least 32 Palestinians, including 25 in Gaza City alone, as per AL Jazeera. Meanwhile, Gaza's Health Ministry said that at least 130 people have been killed and 495 wounded by Israeli attacks in the past 24 hours. That brings the death toll since the start of Israel's war to 58,895, with 140,980 people wounded. According to AL Jazeera, in the last two years, as well as its war on Gaza and increasingly violent occupation of the West Bank, Israel has launched attacks on Iran, Lebanon, Syria and Yemen. The most recent attacks on Syria were launched this week, going so far as to hit the country's Ministry of Defence. The Israelis point to their justifications for the attacks on Syria, principally, in Israel's telling, to defend the Syrian Druze minority. In Lebanon, Israel claimed it wanted to stop the threat posed by Hezbollah. The attacks on Iran, it said, were to end that country's attempt to build a nuclear bomb. And in Yemen, Israel's bombing was a response to attacks from the country's Houthi rebels.
NBC News
4 days ago
- Politics
- NBC News
Pope calls for end to 'barbarity' after deadly Israeli strike on Gaza's only Catholic church
The church was watched over closely by the late Pope Francis, who spoke daily with its parish priest and once gifted his popemobile to the children there. In a rare and risky visit to Gaza — largely sealed off from foreign officials — Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, and Theophilos III, the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem, led a delegation into the territory on Friday to show their support. Video footage captured their arrival at the church, greeted by cheers and ringing bells. 'On behalf of all the Christians of our land, all the churches all over the world are united with us in this moment,' said Pizzaballa, who also led Sunday morning mass at the church. President Donald Trump called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu following the strike. White House spokesperson Tammy Bruce said it was an understatement to say Trump was not happy with Netanyahu during the call, adding that the U.S. had asked Israel to investigate the strike and 'ensure that all civilians, including Christian civilians, remain safe.' "Everyone is appalled," she said. On Friday, staunch Trump ally Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) introduced a bill to strip $500 million in U.S. military funding to Israel, a measure that was overwhelmingly rejected but marked a rare rebuke. Netanyahu said that Israel 'deeply regrets that a stray ammunition hit Gaza's Holy Family Church" and called Pope Leo on Friday night. The Israel Defense Forces said it was reviewing the incident. Israel's Foreign Ministry said the results of the investigation would be published. Bruce called the prime minister's response 'an appropriate start' and reiterated Israel's framing of the strike as an accident. But admissions of regret have not satisfied the grieving Catholic community, which has amplified its calls for a ceasefire. The Jerusalem branch of the Vatican's Caritas federation named two of the dead as Saad Salameh, 60, the church's janitor, and Fumayya Ayyad, 84, who had been sitting inside a Caritas psychosocial support tent when the blast sent shrapnel and debris flying. The pope named the other as Najwa Ibrahim Latif Abu Daoud. Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, called for peace and an 'immediate ceasefire' following the strike, echoing Pope Leo and renewing calls made so often under Francis. 'With the Holy Father, the Catholic bishops of the United States are deeply saddened to learn about the deaths and injuries at Holy Family Church in Gaza caused by a military strike,' Broglio said in a statement. "May there be peace in Gaza." Pax Christi International, a Christian peace organization, condemned the strike, and called for "an immediate and permanent ceasefire." Yet while those calls may have intensified in the wake of the attack, there was little sign of one this weekend. Since Pizzaballa visited the Holy Family Church on Friday, Israeli air strikes had killed more than 100 people in Gaza, according to local health authorities. On Sunday, the Israeli military issued evacuation orders that suggested its ground offensive may be about to extend into new areas at the heart of the enclave, while the United Nations said that civilians were starving and in urgent need of aid. Pizzaballa, closer to the carnage than most foreigners have managed since the current conflict began, once again called for peace. "Churches all over the world, especially the church in the Holy Land, the Greek Orthodox, and all the churches, will never abandon and neglect you," he said, addressing the church. 'We are working in the diplomatic world in order for a ceasefire, to stop this war, this tragedy,' he said.
Nahar Net
6 days ago
- Politics
- Nahar Net
Top Holy Land clerics visit Gaza after deadly church strike
by Naharnet Newsdesk 18 July 2025, 16:53 Top church leaders in Jerusalem headed into Gaza Friday in a rare solidarity visit to the territory one day after an Israeli shell slammed into its only Catholic church, killing three people. The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Pierbattista Pizzaballa, and Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III entered Gaza in the morning to express the "shared pastoral solicitude of the Churches of the Holy Land," read a statement released by the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem. The patriarchs and their delegation arrived at the Holy Family Catholic Church in Gaza in the afternoon. As well as the three people killed in the strike, 10 were wounded, including the resident priest. The church compound was damaged. The delegation was also planning on sending hundreds of tons of food aid, medical supplies and equipment to families inside Gaza, the patriarchate said, adding they also had "ensured evacuation" of individuals injured in the attack to hospitals outside Gaza. The attack drew condemnation from world leaders and religious figures. Pope Leo XIV on Thursday renewed his call for an immediate ceasefire in response to the attack and President Donald Trump called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to express his frustration. Israel on Thursday expressed regret over what it described as an accident and said it was investigating. The visit by religious leaders Friday marked a rare entrance to the territory by a delegation of outsiders. With the exception of a trickle of aid workers and a small number of Palestinians needing medical care outside the territory, very few have been able to enter or exit Gaza since the start of Israel's latest offensive in May. At the time of the strike, the church compound was sheltering both Christians and Muslims, including a number of children with disabilities, according to Fadel Naem, acting director of Al-Ahli Hospital, which received the casualties. The Catholic charity Caritas Jerusalem said the parish's 60-year-old janitor and an 84-year-old woman receiving psychosocial support inside a Caritas tent in the church compound were killed in the attack. Parish priest Gabriel Romanelli was lightly wounded. "The Latin Patriarchate remains steadfast in its commitment to the Christian community and the entire population of Gaza. They will not be forgotten, nor will they be abandoned," read the statement from Caritas. Netanyahu released a statement saying Israel "deeply regrets that a stray ammunition hit Gaza's Holy Family Church." The Israeli military said an initial assessment indicated that "fragments from a shell fired during operational activity in the area hit the church mistakenly." It said it was still investigating. Israel has repeatedly struck schools, shelters, hospitals and other civilian buildings, accusing Hamas militants of sheltering inside and blaming them for civilian deaths. Palestinians say nowhere has felt safe since Israel launched its offensive in response to Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack. Hamas-led militants killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, in the Oct. 7 attack and abducted 251 people, most of whom have since been released in ceasefire agreements or other deals. Fifty hostages are still being held, less than half of them believed to be alive Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed over 58,600 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which has said women and children make up more than half of the dead. It does not distinguish between civilians and militants in its tally. The ministry is part of the Hamas-run government but is led by medical professionals. The United Nations and other international organizations consider its figures to be the most reliable count of war casualties.
The Advertiser
6 days ago
- Politics
- The Advertiser
Christian leaders in Gaza after Israel's church strike
Top church leaders in Jerusalem have headed into Gaza in a rare solidarity visit to the territory one day after an Israeli shell slammed into its only Catholic church, killing three people. The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Pierbattista Pizzaballa, and Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III entered Gaza on Friday morning to express the "shared pastoral solicitude of the Churches of the Holy Land", read a statement released by the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem. The patriarchs and their delegation arrived at the Holy Family Catholic Church in Gaza in the afternoon. As well as the three people killed in the strike, 10 were wounded, including the resident priest. The church compound was damaged. The delegation was also planning on sending hundreds of tonnes of food aid, medical supplies and equipment to families inside Gaza, the patriarchate said, adding they also had "ensured evacuation" of individuals injured in the attack to hospitals outside Gaza. The attack drew condemnation from world leaders and religious figures. Pope Leo XIV on Thursday renewed his call for an immediate ceasefire in response to the attack and President Donald Trump called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to express his frustration. Israel on Thursday expressed regret over what it described as an accident and said it was investigating. The visit by religious leaders on Friday marked a rare entrance to the territory by a delegation of outsiders, as Israel has essentially sealed its borders. At the time of the strike, the church compound was sheltering both Christians and Muslims, including a number of children with disabilities, according to Fadel Naem, acting director of Al-Ahli Hospital, which received the casualties. The Catholic charity Caritas Jerusalem said the parish's 60-year-old janitor and an 84-year-old woman receiving psychosocial support inside a Caritas tent in the church compound were killed in the attack. Parish priest Gabriel Romanelli was lightly wounded. "The Latin Patriarchate remains steadfast in its commitment to the Christian community and the entire population of Gaza. They will not be forgotten, nor will they be abandoned," read the statement from Caritas. Netanyahu released a statement saying Israel "deeply regrets that a stray ammunition hit Gaza's Holy Family Church". The prime minister called Pope Leo on Friday, the Vatican said, in which Leo renewed appeals for a ceasefire and an end to the war, called for the protection of civilians and places of worship, and expressed fresh concern for "the dramatic humanitarian situation" in Gaza. The Israeli military said an initial assessment indicated that "fragments from a shell fired during operational activity in the area hit the church mistakenly". Israel has repeatedly struck schools, shelters, hospitals and other civilian buildings, accusing Hamas militants of sheltering inside and blaming them for civilian deaths. Palestinians say nowhere has felt safe since Israel launched its offensive in response to Hamas' October 7, 2023, attack. Hamas-led militants killed some 1200 people, mostly civilians, in the October 7 attack and abducted 251 people, most of whom have since been released in ceasefire agreements or other deals. Fifty hostages are still being held, less than half of them believed to be alive. Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed more than 58,600 Palestinians, according to Gaza's health ministry. with Reuters Top church leaders in Jerusalem have headed into Gaza in a rare solidarity visit to the territory one day after an Israeli shell slammed into its only Catholic church, killing three people. The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Pierbattista Pizzaballa, and Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III entered Gaza on Friday morning to express the "shared pastoral solicitude of the Churches of the Holy Land", read a statement released by the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem. The patriarchs and their delegation arrived at the Holy Family Catholic Church in Gaza in the afternoon. As well as the three people killed in the strike, 10 were wounded, including the resident priest. The church compound was damaged. The delegation was also planning on sending hundreds of tonnes of food aid, medical supplies and equipment to families inside Gaza, the patriarchate said, adding they also had "ensured evacuation" of individuals injured in the attack to hospitals outside Gaza. The attack drew condemnation from world leaders and religious figures. Pope Leo XIV on Thursday renewed his call for an immediate ceasefire in response to the attack and President Donald Trump called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to express his frustration. Israel on Thursday expressed regret over what it described as an accident and said it was investigating. The visit by religious leaders on Friday marked a rare entrance to the territory by a delegation of outsiders, as Israel has essentially sealed its borders. At the time of the strike, the church compound was sheltering both Christians and Muslims, including a number of children with disabilities, according to Fadel Naem, acting director of Al-Ahli Hospital, which received the casualties. The Catholic charity Caritas Jerusalem said the parish's 60-year-old janitor and an 84-year-old woman receiving psychosocial support inside a Caritas tent in the church compound were killed in the attack. Parish priest Gabriel Romanelli was lightly wounded. "The Latin Patriarchate remains steadfast in its commitment to the Christian community and the entire population of Gaza. They will not be forgotten, nor will they be abandoned," read the statement from Caritas. Netanyahu released a statement saying Israel "deeply regrets that a stray ammunition hit Gaza's Holy Family Church". The prime minister called Pope Leo on Friday, the Vatican said, in which Leo renewed appeals for a ceasefire and an end to the war, called for the protection of civilians and places of worship, and expressed fresh concern for "the dramatic humanitarian situation" in Gaza. The Israeli military said an initial assessment indicated that "fragments from a shell fired during operational activity in the area hit the church mistakenly". Israel has repeatedly struck schools, shelters, hospitals and other civilian buildings, accusing Hamas militants of sheltering inside and blaming them for civilian deaths. Palestinians say nowhere has felt safe since Israel launched its offensive in response to Hamas' October 7, 2023, attack. Hamas-led militants killed some 1200 people, mostly civilians, in the October 7 attack and abducted 251 people, most of whom have since been released in ceasefire agreements or other deals. Fifty hostages are still being held, less than half of them believed to be alive. Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed more than 58,600 Palestinians, according to Gaza's health ministry. with Reuters Top church leaders in Jerusalem have headed into Gaza in a rare solidarity visit to the territory one day after an Israeli shell slammed into its only Catholic church, killing three people. The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Pierbattista Pizzaballa, and Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III entered Gaza on Friday morning to express the "shared pastoral solicitude of the Churches of the Holy Land", read a statement released by the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem. The patriarchs and their delegation arrived at the Holy Family Catholic Church in Gaza in the afternoon. As well as the three people killed in the strike, 10 were wounded, including the resident priest. The church compound was damaged. The delegation was also planning on sending hundreds of tonnes of food aid, medical supplies and equipment to families inside Gaza, the patriarchate said, adding they also had "ensured evacuation" of individuals injured in the attack to hospitals outside Gaza. The attack drew condemnation from world leaders and religious figures. Pope Leo XIV on Thursday renewed his call for an immediate ceasefire in response to the attack and President Donald Trump called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to express his frustration. Israel on Thursday expressed regret over what it described as an accident and said it was investigating. The visit by religious leaders on Friday marked a rare entrance to the territory by a delegation of outsiders, as Israel has essentially sealed its borders. At the time of the strike, the church compound was sheltering both Christians and Muslims, including a number of children with disabilities, according to Fadel Naem, acting director of Al-Ahli Hospital, which received the casualties. The Catholic charity Caritas Jerusalem said the parish's 60-year-old janitor and an 84-year-old woman receiving psychosocial support inside a Caritas tent in the church compound were killed in the attack. Parish priest Gabriel Romanelli was lightly wounded. "The Latin Patriarchate remains steadfast in its commitment to the Christian community and the entire population of Gaza. They will not be forgotten, nor will they be abandoned," read the statement from Caritas. Netanyahu released a statement saying Israel "deeply regrets that a stray ammunition hit Gaza's Holy Family Church". The prime minister called Pope Leo on Friday, the Vatican said, in which Leo renewed appeals for a ceasefire and an end to the war, called for the protection of civilians and places of worship, and expressed fresh concern for "the dramatic humanitarian situation" in Gaza. The Israeli military said an initial assessment indicated that "fragments from a shell fired during operational activity in the area hit the church mistakenly". Israel has repeatedly struck schools, shelters, hospitals and other civilian buildings, accusing Hamas militants of sheltering inside and blaming them for civilian deaths. Palestinians say nowhere has felt safe since Israel launched its offensive in response to Hamas' October 7, 2023, attack. Hamas-led militants killed some 1200 people, mostly civilians, in the October 7 attack and abducted 251 people, most of whom have since been released in ceasefire agreements or other deals. Fifty hostages are still being held, less than half of them believed to be alive. Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed more than 58,600 Palestinians, according to Gaza's health ministry. with Reuters Top church leaders in Jerusalem have headed into Gaza in a rare solidarity visit to the territory one day after an Israeli shell slammed into its only Catholic church, killing three people. The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Pierbattista Pizzaballa, and Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III entered Gaza on Friday morning to express the "shared pastoral solicitude of the Churches of the Holy Land", read a statement released by the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem. The patriarchs and their delegation arrived at the Holy Family Catholic Church in Gaza in the afternoon. As well as the three people killed in the strike, 10 were wounded, including the resident priest. The church compound was damaged. The delegation was also planning on sending hundreds of tonnes of food aid, medical supplies and equipment to families inside Gaza, the patriarchate said, adding they also had "ensured evacuation" of individuals injured in the attack to hospitals outside Gaza. The attack drew condemnation from world leaders and religious figures. Pope Leo XIV on Thursday renewed his call for an immediate ceasefire in response to the attack and President Donald Trump called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to express his frustration. Israel on Thursday expressed regret over what it described as an accident and said it was investigating. The visit by religious leaders on Friday marked a rare entrance to the territory by a delegation of outsiders, as Israel has essentially sealed its borders. At the time of the strike, the church compound was sheltering both Christians and Muslims, including a number of children with disabilities, according to Fadel Naem, acting director of Al-Ahli Hospital, which received the casualties. The Catholic charity Caritas Jerusalem said the parish's 60-year-old janitor and an 84-year-old woman receiving psychosocial support inside a Caritas tent in the church compound were killed in the attack. Parish priest Gabriel Romanelli was lightly wounded. "The Latin Patriarchate remains steadfast in its commitment to the Christian community and the entire population of Gaza. They will not be forgotten, nor will they be abandoned," read the statement from Caritas. Netanyahu released a statement saying Israel "deeply regrets that a stray ammunition hit Gaza's Holy Family Church". The prime minister called Pope Leo on Friday, the Vatican said, in which Leo renewed appeals for a ceasefire and an end to the war, called for the protection of civilians and places of worship, and expressed fresh concern for "the dramatic humanitarian situation" in Gaza. The Israeli military said an initial assessment indicated that "fragments from a shell fired during operational activity in the area hit the church mistakenly". Israel has repeatedly struck schools, shelters, hospitals and other civilian buildings, accusing Hamas militants of sheltering inside and blaming them for civilian deaths. Palestinians say nowhere has felt safe since Israel launched its offensive in response to Hamas' October 7, 2023, attack. Hamas-led militants killed some 1200 people, mostly civilians, in the October 7 attack and abducted 251 people, most of whom have since been released in ceasefire agreements or other deals. Fifty hostages are still being held, less than half of them believed to be alive. Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed more than 58,600 Palestinians, according to Gaza's health ministry. with Reuters
Leader Live
6 days ago
- Politics
- Leader Live
Religious leaders enter Gaza in rare solidarity visit after deadly church strike
The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Pierbattista Pizzaballa, and Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III entered Gaza on Friday morning to express the 'shared pastoral solicitude of the churches of the Holy Land', according to a statement released by the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem. The patriarchs and their delegation arrived at the Holy Family Catholic Church in Gaza in the afternoon. As well as the three people killed in the strike, 10 were wounded, including the resident priest. The church compound was damaged. The delegation was also planning on sending hundreds of tons of food aid, medical supplies and equipment to families inside Gaza, the patriarchate said, adding they also had 'ensured evacuation' of individuals injured in the attack to hospitals outside Gaza. The attack drew condemnation from world leaders and religious figures. Pope Leo XIV on Thursday renewed his call for an immediate ceasefire in response to the attack and US President Donald Trump called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to express his frustration. Israel on Thursday expressed regret over what it described as an accident and said it was investigating. The visit by religious leaders on Friday marked a rare entrance to the territory by a delegation of outsiders. With the exception of a trickle of aid workers and a small number of Palestinians needing medical care outside the territory, very few have been able to enter or exit Gaza since the start of Israel's latest offensive in May. At the time of the strike, the church compound was sheltering both Christians and Muslims, including a number of children with disabilities, according to Fadel Naem, acting director of the Al-Ahli Hospital, which received the casualties. The Catholic charity Caritas Jerusalem said the parish's 60-year-old janitor and an 84-year-old woman receiving psychosocial support inside a Caritas tent in the church compound were killed in the attack. Parish priest Gabriel Romanelli was lightly wounded. 'The Latin Patriarchate remains steadfast in its commitment to the Christian community and the entire population of Gaza. They will not be forgotten, nor will they be abandoned,' read the statement from Caritas. Mr Netanyahu released a statement saying Israel 'deeply regrets that a stray ammunition hit Gaza's Holy Family Church'. The Israeli military said an initial assessment indicated that 'fragments from a shell fired during operational activity in the area hit the church mistakenly'. It said it was still investigating. Israel has repeatedly struck schools, shelters, hospitals and other civilian buildings, accusing Hamas militants of sheltering inside and blaming them for civilian deaths. Palestinians say nowhere has felt safe since Israel launched its offensive in response to Hamas's attack on October 7 2023. Hamas-led militants killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, in the October 7 attack and abducted 251 people, most of whom have since been released in ceasefire agreements or other deals. Fifty hostages are still being held, less than half of them believed to be alive. Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed more than 58,600 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which has said women and children make up more than half of the dead. It does not distinguish between civilians and militants in its tally. The ministry is part of the Hamas-run government but is led by medical professionals. The United Nations and other international organisations consider its figures to be the most reliable count of war casualties.
