IDF Strike on Gaza's Catholic Church: Not an accident, but a violation

Source: HCEF

Rateb Rabie, KCHS, President/CEO, of the Holy Land Christian Ecumenical Foundation writes:

On July 17, 2025, the Holy Family Catholic Church - the only Latin-rite Catholic church in Gaza - was struck by an Israeli military (IDF) raid. This attack resulted in three fatalities and several injuries, including to the parish priest, Father Gabriel Romanelli, who has maintained daily contact with His Holiness Pope Francis throughout the crisis.

HCEF offers its deepest condolences to the bereaved families and prays for the swift recovery of the wounded. We lift up all the innocent civilians of Gaza who continue to face death, displacement, and destruction under the weight of an increasingly unbearable humanitarian crisis.

The Holy Family Church served not only as a place of worship but also as a sanctuary for over 500 displaced men, women, and children, seeking refuge from the relentless Israeli bombardment. Striking this church is not merely a tragic military error; it is a serious violation of international humanitarian law and a direct assault on the principles of religious freedom, human dignity, and the protection of civilians in times of conflict.

Such attacks have not been limited to this church alone. Since the beginning of the war, religious sites across Gaza-including churches, mosques, and other faith-based institutions-have also been targeted, compounding the humanitarian crisis and deepening the suffering of an already devastated population.

While the IDF has acknowledged responsibility for the strike and claimed it was unintentional, church leaders, international observers, and humanitarian organisations have expressed strong skepticism, citing the patterned targeting of civilian infrastructure. This attack sends a chilling message to the Christian community in Gaza and beyond, suggesting that no sanctuary is safe and that religious minorities are not exempt from indiscriminate violence. And to get them out of the northern portion of Gaza as Israel seeks to corral the entire Gazan Palestinian population in the south.

His Beatitude Cardinal Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, strongly condemned the attack, calling it a "violation of sacred space" and an act of "humanly and morally unjustified" suffering. He issued a solemn appeal to international leaders to act swiftly to halt this tragedy.

"Death, suffering, and destruction are everywhere in Gaza," the Patriarch stated. "The time has come for leaders to raise their voices and do all that is necessary to stop this tragedy."

In immediate reaction, HCEF has launched an international advocacy campaign to:

- Rally communities, churches, and faith-based institutions worldwide to publicly condemn the attack.
- Demand a permanent ceasefire to halt further atrocities and the ongoing genocide.
- Call for urgent and unhindered humanitarian access to Gaza to alleviate the starvation and suffering of its civilian population.
- Clarify that this attack was carried out by the Israeli military, not by any internal Palestinian group, in order to counter misinformation and deflect blame from victims.

We urge all people of faith and conscience to stand with us in seeking justice, protection, and accountability. This attack must not be forgotten. We must speak up-not only for the Christians in Gaza but for all innocent civilians who are enduring unimaginable suffering.

"This horrific war must come to a complete end-so that we may commence the long work of restoring human dignity."

Let us act now. In solidarity, in faith, and in justice.

Blessings and Peace,

Rateb Rabie, KCHS, President/CEO, of the Holy Land Christian Ecumenical Foundation

LINK

Holy Land Christian Ecumenical Foundation: https://hcef.org/