Joint visit of Church leaders to Gaza after deadly Church attack on Thursday

Top church leaders in Jerusalem made a rare solidarity visit to Gaza on Friday, just one day after an Israeli shell hit its only Catholic church, resulting in three fatalities.

The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Pierbattista Pizzaballa, along with Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III, conveyed the "shared pastoral solicitude of the Churches of the Holy Land," as stated in a release from the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem.

The patriarchs visited the Holy Family Catholic Church, which was damaged in the attack.

Additionally, the delegation planned to send hundreds of tons of food aid, medical supplies, and equipment to families within Gaza, according to the patriarchate, which also mentioned they had "ensured evacuation" of those injured in the attack to hospitals outside Gaza.

The incident has drawn condemnation from global leaders and religious figures.

Pope Leo XIV reiterated his call for an immediate ceasefire on Thursday in light of the attack, while President Donald Trump reached out to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to express his frustration.

On Thursday, Israel expressed regret over what it termed an accident and stated that an investigation was underway.

The visit by the religious leaders on Friday represented a rare entry into the territory by an external delegation.

Aside from a small number of aid workers and a few Palestinians requiring medical treatment outside the territory, very few individuals have been able to enter or exit Gaza since the onset of Israel's latest offensive in May.

At the time of the strike, the church compound was providing shelter to both Christians and Muslims, including several children with disabilities, as reported by Fadel Naem, acting director of Al-Ahli Hospital, which treated the casualties.

The Catholic charity Caritas Jerusalem reported that the parish’s 60-year-old janitor and an 84-year-old woman receiving psychosocial support inside a Caritas tent in the church compound were killed in the attack.

Parish priest Gabriel Romanelli sustained minor injuries.

Netanyahu issued a statement expressing that Israel "deeply regrets that stray ammunition struck Gaza’s Holy Family Church."

The Israeli military reported that an initial evaluation suggested that "fragments from a shell fired during operational activities in the area mistakenly hit the church."

It mentioned that the investigation is ongoing.

Israel has consistently targeted schools, shelters, hospitals, and other civilian structures, accusing Hamas militants of taking refuge within them and attributing civilian casualties to them.

Palestinians assert that no place has felt secure since Israel commenced its offensive following Hamas’ attack on October 7, 2023.

Hamas-led militants killed approximately 1,200 individuals, primarily civilians, during the October 7 assault and took 251 hostages, most of whom have been released through ceasefire agreements or other negotiations.

Currently, fifty hostages remain captive, with fewer than half believed to be alive.

Israel’s retaliatory campaign has resulted in the deaths of over 58,600 Palestinians, as reported by Gaza’s Health Ministry, which states that women and children constitute more than half of the fatalities.

The ministry does not differentiate between civilians and militants in its reports.

Although it is part of the Hamas-led government, it is managed by medical professionals.

The United Nations and various international organizations regard its statistics as the most credible count of war casualties.