The Holy Family Church in Gaza City was shelled by Israeli tanks, resulting in 8 wounded, 4 of them seriously. Photos show part of the church’s roof next to the cross blown away by the tank fire, with burn marks down the wall and shattered windows. The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem said that two women were killed, adding, “We pray that their souls rest [in peace] and for an end to this barbaric war. Nothing can justify the targeting of innocent civilians.”
One of the wounded was the parish priest, Father Gabriel Romanelli, who was very close with the late Pope Francis. The two had spoken every night since the beginning of Israel’s massacre on Gaza until the Pope’s death, and Father Romanelli considered the Pope’s constant attention to the church as a form of putting it under Francis’ protection.
Israel said that it is probing allegations that its military struck the church, but assures one and all that they have no policy of shelling churches. It makes “every feasible effort to mitigate harm to civilians and civilian structures, including religious sites, and regrets any damage caused to them.”
The Catholic charity Caritas Jerusalem said: “Yesterday, the threat became especially severe due to the presence of Israeli tanks near the church compound and continuous strikes in close proximity…. The explosion occurred near the cross on the church roof, scattering shrapnel and debris across the yard.” It said that Romanelli had been urging people to stay inside their rooms over the past week as the fighting in the area intensified, and quoted a Caritas colleague: “If Father Gabriel hadn’t warned us to stay indoors, we could have lost 50 to 60 people today. It would have been a massacre.”
