3 killed by strike at Gaza's only Catholic church; Israel launches probe, expresses 'deep sorrow'

[Michie]

Archbishop Alexios blesses the bodies of Saad Salameh and Foumia Ayyad, killed earlier in an Israeli strike that hit the Holy Family church in Gaza City, during their funeral ceremony at the Saint Porphyrius Church on July 17, 2025. An Israeli strike on Gaza's only Catholic church killed three people on July 17, the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem said, as Israel said it "never targets" religious sites and regretted any harm to civilians. | OMAR AL-QATTAA/AFP via Getty Images

The Israeli military will investigate reports that a tank strike on the sole Catholic church in Gaza killed three people and injured several others amid the war with Hamas, vowing to publish the results of the probe amid criticism from Catholic leaders.

In a statement Thursday, the Latin Patriarchate in Jerusalem decried the strike at the Holy Family Church in Gaza City, which has sheltered hundreds of people since the war began.

Father Gabriel Romanelli, the parish priest and confidant of the late Pope Francis, is among those who have been injured. Video shared online shows the priest sitting with his leg bandaged, while photos show damage to the church's roof, with a large chunk missing near a stone cross.

Continued below.

3 killed by strike at Gaza's only Catholic church; Israel launches probe, expresses 'deep sorrow'

The Israeli military will investigate reports that a tank strike on the sole Catholic church in Gaza killed three people and injured several others amid the war with Hamas, vowing to publish the

www.christianpost.com

 

[Canuckster]

An American recently killed in the West Bank and now this. Israeli tank drivers can't tell the difference between a church with a cross on it and a Hamas bunker?

 

[Friedrich Rubinstein]

An American recently killed in the West Bank and now this. Israeli tank drivers can't tell the difference between a church with a cross on it and a Hamas bunker?

An American that Hamas celebrated as a martyred member of theirs. And we don't know what the tank was firing at, the shell could've easily penetrated the intended target and then hit whatever was behind it - even if it was a church. With the amount of military operations in Gaza, that's not in the least surprising and doesn't indicate intent.

 

[RileyG]

Lord have mercy!

 

[Canuckster]

An American that Hamas celebrated as a martyred member of theirs. And we don't know what the tank was firing at, the shell could've easily penetrated the intended target and then hit whatever was behind it - even if it was a church. With the amount of military operations in Gaza, that's not in the least surprising and doesn't indicate intent.

I'm sure they'll come up with a similar, if not as good, explanation as yours.

 

[Vanellus]

An American that Hamas celebrated as a martyred member of theirs. And we don't know what the tank was firing at, the shell could've easily penetrated the intended target and then hit whatever was behind it - even if it was a church. With the amount of military operations in Gaza, that's not in the least surprising and doesn't indicate intent.

The magic tank shell theory - why not suggest it was a misfired Hamas shell while you're at it?
How many results of these "reviews" have been made public? Why are no independent reviews allowed?
Maybe the church didn't have its headlights on? i.e. the IDF version can be a lie. Why not in this case?

Pope expresses sadness after Israeli strike on Gaza church kills three

IDF report into deadly attack on aid workers is 'full of lies', Palestinian Red Crescent Society says

 

[Friedrich Rubinstein]

The magic tank shell theory - why not suggest it was a misfired Hamas shell while you're at it?
How many results of these "reviews" have been made public? Why are no independent reviews allowed?
Maybe the church didn't have its headlights on? i.e. the IDF version can be a lie. Why not in this case?

Pope expresses sadness after Israeli strike on Gaza church kills three

IDF report into deadly attack on aid workers is 'full of lies', Palestinian Red Crescent Society says

Scoffings are not arguments, just discrediting the scoffer.

This is the damage that the church sustained:

Does that look like a deliberate hit to you? That's about the least likely place to hit if you actually wanted to kill someone inside the building.

 

[Ignatius the Kiwi]

This only makes Christian Zionists want to give Israel even more money and support.

 

[Vanellus]

Scoffings are not arguments, just discrediting the scoffer.

This is the damage that the church sustained:
View attachment 367614

Does that look like a deliberate hit to you? That's about the least likely place to hit if you actually wanted to kill someone inside the building.

Assertions by you without evidence are just empty wind. Can you see the "intended target" the magic tank shell went through before hitting the church? How do you know they weren't aiming at the cross which we can see - or was that added later by Hamas?

 

[Friedrich Rubinstein]

Assertions by you without evidence are just empty wind. Can you see the "intended target" the magic tank shell went through before hitting the church? How do you know they weren't aiming at the cross which we can see - or was that added later by Hamas?

Do you think they were aiming at the cross? Then they didn't intend to kill anyone inside, as I said. Personally I think if they had aimed for the cross they would've hit it, but you are free to disagree on that.

However, I do think it is utterly hypocritical to throw a fit over a damaged church in the middle of an active war zone. There are thousands of munitions flying around on a daily basis, of course things are going to get hit that weren't intended to get hit. Just like in every war. It took Israel 2 years to accidentally hit a single church, while Russia has damaged or destroyed some 600 more churches in just 4 years. If you want to be upset about damaged churches, how about the 50 churches that were burned down or attempted to be burned down in the French territories in 2024 alone? Or the at least 24 churches destroyed by arson in Canada since 2021? Churches are being destroyed on purpose in various countries during peace time, it is ridiculous to scold Israel over a single damaged one during a war.

 

[FaithT]

Lord have mercy!

I used to always hear that the Israelis were the “good guys” they don’t seem any better than the other side.

 

[Vanellus]

https://edition.cnn.com/2025/07/23/middleeast/israel-gaza-aid-blockade-starvation-risk-intl-hnkDo you think they were aiming at the cross? Then they didn't intend to kill anyone inside, as I said. Personally I think if they had aimed for the cross they would've hit it, but you are free to disagree on that.

However, I do think it is utterly hypocritical to throw a fit over a damaged church in the middle of an active war zone. There are thousands of munitions flying around on a daily basis, of course things are going to get hit that weren't intended to get hit. Just like in every war. It took Israel 2 years to accidentally hit a single church, while Russia has damaged or destroyed some 600 more churches in just 4 years. If you want to be upset about damaged churches, how about the 50 churches that were burned down or attempted to be burned down in the French territories in 2024 alone? Or the at least 24 churches destroyed by arson in Canada since 2021? Churches are being destroyed on purpose in various countries during peace time, it is ridiculous to scold Israel over a single damaged one during a war.

"Throw a fit", "upset". Evidently it is you rather than I who has thrown a fit. It may have escaped your notice that I didn't start this thread and it was only the nonsensical nature of your magic tank shell theory that prompted my post #6. And now you come up with this nonsensical comparison with Ukraine which is much bigger and has (or had) far more churches than Gaza had for a much greater Christian population.

It didn't take "2 years" but only 13 days for the IDF to "hit a single church"
‘Destruction chased them’: funeral held for those killed in Gaza church airstrike
Church of Saint Porphyrius - Wikipedia

In October 2023, it was the site of an airstrike by the Israeli Air Force,[11][12][13] which hit two halls sheltering Gazan Palestinian Muslims and Christians, causing the collapse of at least one building,[14][15] and killed between 16 and 18 civilians.[16] The church was targeted again in July 2024.[17

Israel is "accidentally" stopping aid convoys entering Gaza leading to "accidental" mass starvation and now over 100 deaths so far caused by lack of food, and using the same lying excuse that has been used in Yemen. The IDF is "accidentally" shooting dead those forced to go to the US/Israeli food supplies. Accidental in the above of course means deliberate.

https://edition.cnn.com/2025/07/23/middleeast/israel-gaza-aid-blockade-starvation-risk-intl-hnk

The euphemistically called "humanitarian city" is really a concentration camp according to Ehud Olmert, former Israeli PM.
https://edition.cnn.com/2025/07/14/middleeast/israel-gaza-ehud-olmert-concentration-camp-intl

 

[lifepsyop]

View attachment 367614

Evangelical Zionism will pass away with the boomer generation.