MELONI CONDEMNS STRIKE ON GAZA’S ONLY CATHOLIC CHURCH
In a devastating escalation of violence, the Holy Family Catholic Church—Gaza’s sole Catholic sanctuary—was struck by an Israeli shell on Thursday, as reported by the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem. This sacred compound, which has been a refuge for hundreds of displaced civilians since the onset of the war, now bears the scars of conflict, sustaining severe damage in what officials are calling a “flagrant violation of human dignity.”
The patriarchate confirmed that the strike ravaged parts of the complex, which had been providing shelter to approximately 600 Palestinians fleeing violence. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni voiced her outrage, stating, “Israeli strikes on Gaza have also hit the Holy Family Church,” labeling the attacks on innocent civilians as “unacceptable.”
According to reports from Italy’s ANSA news agency, the tragic strike resulted in the loss of at least two lives, underscoring the dire humanitarian crisis unfolding in the region. As one of the last remaining Christian sites in the enclave, the church’s role as a sanctuary for displaced families has never been more critical.