Death – Obituary – Accident and Crime News : Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have confirmed an “incident” at the last Catholic Church in Gaza following accusations from the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Pierbattista Pizzaballa, that soldiers shot and killed two Christian women and struck a convent. In a letter on Saturday, Pizzaballa described the events that took place at the Holy Family Church in Gaza, stating that the victims, Nahida and her daughter Samar, were “shot and killed as they walked to the Sisters’ Convent. One was killed as she tried to carry the other to safety.”
The IDF spokesperson responded to these allegations, stating that an initial review suggests that IDF troops were operating against a threat identified in the area of the church. The IDF is conducting a thorough review of the incident. Pizzaballa claimed that multiple other Christian parishioners were wounded in the attack, which he believes was unprompted and without warning, as there were no combatants in the complex.
The Holy See republished Pizzaballa’s report through its official news agency, Vatican News, stating that the Israeli military entered the compound of the Holy Family Catholic Parish in Gaza and shot at anyone leaving the church. The Vatican News report also mentioned that the IDF justified the attack, claiming the presence of a missile launcher in the parish.
The Holy Family Church is the only Catholic Church in the Gaza Strip and home to the Missionaries of Charity, an order founded by Mother Theresa that serves the sick and disabled. Pizzaballa reported that a rocket fired from an Israeli tank struck the nuns’ convent, causing damage to the building and rendering it uninhabitable.
As a result of the attack, disabled residents sheltered in the complex have been displaced, with no access to essential resources. Solar panels and water tanks, essential for the survival of the community, were also destroyed.
Pope Francis addressed the situation during a Sunday address, expressing his concern for the ongoing violence in Gaza. He called for prayers for peace and condemned the targeting of unarmed civilians, including those seeking refuge in the Holy Family Parish.
The IDF maintains that its operations only target terrorists and terror infrastructure, and does not intentionally harm civilians or religious sites. They claim that the terrorist organization Hamas uses civilians and holy sites as human shields for their activities. A review of the IDF’s operational findings supports their claims.
The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem is closely monitoring the situation and plans to provide further information as needed.