Beirut, July 18: A Holy Family Catholic Church sheltering hundreds of displaced civilians in Gaza was hit by Israeli tank fire on Thursday, killing three and injuring ten others, including a priest. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed “deep regret” over the incident.
Netanyahu’s statement came after a phone call with US President Donald Trump. He called the deaths a result of “a stray ammunition” that mistakenly hit the church compound. “Every innocent life lost is a tragedy,” Netanyahu said.
However, the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem condemned the attack in blunt terms. It confirmed the church had been sheltering about 600 people at the time, including 54 individuals with special needs.
“The people in the Holy Family Compound are people who found in the Church a sanctuary — hoping that the horrors of war might at least spare their lives, after their homes, possessions and dignity had already been stripped away,” the Patriarchate said in a statement.
Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, told Vatican News, “What we know for sure is that a tank — the IDF says by mistake, but we are not sure — hit the Church directly.”
According to reports, the attack happened around 10:30 AM (local time). Among the injured was parish priest Father Gabriel Romanelli, who was seen with a bandage around his leg. AFP images from Gaza City’s Al-Ahli (Baptist) Hospital showed injured people being treated, with some receiving oxygen and blood transfusions. Two white body bags were seen lying on the floor.
Shadi Abu Daoud, a displaced resident, lost his 70-year-old mother in the blast. “In the morning, a tank shell targeted us and hit the church, and a number of civilians were killed and wounded,” he said.
The Gaza civil defence spokesman, Mahmud Bassal, confirmed the casualties.
While White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed President Trump had a tense call with Netanyahu after hearing about the church attack. “It was a mistake by the Israelis to hit that Catholic church, that’s what the prime minister relayed to the president,” she stated.
The Vatican also responded, with Pope Leo XIV saying he was “deeply saddened” by the deaths. Pope Francis, before his passing, had maintained regular contact with the Gaza church community throughout the ongoing conflict.