“The hall next to the church was hit last night Sacred porphyry in Gaza, which provided accommodation for 411 people. Among them were five employees of Caritas Jerusalem and their families. Viola, a 26-year-old laboratory technician at Caritas Jerusalem, was killed along with her child and husband. Viola’s sister and her two children are among the victims. At the time of writing, the death toll stands at 17, with dozens more injured. Unfortunately, it is expected that the numbers will increase as the hours go by,” reports Caritas Internationalis
“At least 17 people have lost their lives and others are still lying under the rubble,” states the same source, emphasizing that “Israel has imposed a total siege on Gaza’s over 2 million citizens since October 7th. “Water, food and electricity.” Areas have been cut off, medicines are in short supply and indiscriminate bombings have increased.”
“Our hearts are close to all those affected by this devastating attack,” and “Caritas Italiana prays together with Caritas Jerusalem and offers closeness and support to the many grieving families. She unites her voice with that of the people living in …” Given this difficult and complex situation, we strongly call on all parties to the conflict to call for an immediate ceasefire, the opening of humanitarian corridors to provide relief to the affected population and the start of peace talks to put an end to this horror to set,” says a statement from the charity.
Army, we hit the wall near the church in Gaza
The Israeli army admitted an airstrike hit “a wall near” the church. The Israeli Air Force carried out raids against a command and control center of the terrorist organization Hamas, which was used to fire rockets and mortars,” said military spokesman Daniel Hagari. “We know there were casualties and we are investigating the incident,” he added, reiterating that “Hamas is deliberately placing its positions in civilian areas used by Gaza residents.”
Orthodox Patriarchate “Attacking Church War Crimes”
The Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem expressed “its strongest condemnation of the Israeli airstrike on its church compound in the city of Gaza.” “The targeting of churches and their institutions, as well as the shelters they provide to protect innocent citizens, especially children and women, who have lost their homes to Israeli airstrikes on residential areas in the last thirteen days represents, he said, “constitutes a war crime that is not permissible.”
“Despite the apparent attacks on the facilities and accommodation of the Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem and other churches, including the hospital of the Episcopal Church of Jerusalem, other schools and social institutions, the Patriarchate, together with the other churches, remains committed – continuation – of its religious and moral “To fulfill our duty to provide assistance, support and refuge to those in need, in the face of the ongoing Israeli demands to evacuate these civilian facilities and the pressure exerted on the churches in this regard.” The Patriarchate therefore emphasized that it “is religious and humanitarian duty, rooted in his Christian values, will not give up providing everything necessary in both war and peace time”.
The attack on the church in Iran is another crime of the regime
“The bombing of the historic St. Porphyry Church in Gaza, where women and children sought refuge, is the latest crime of the apartheid regime.” This is what Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian writes on X. “The brutal behavior of this hateful regime in “The desecration of religions and the attack on the historical and cultural heritage of humanity,” he continues, “is similar to the behavior of terrorist groups and ISIS.”
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