Jerusalem’s Christian leaders deplore ‘heinous’ Israeli attack on Gaza’s Catholic parish

July 18, 2025

The patriarchs and heads of churches in Jerusalem denounced the Israeli military attack on Gaza’s sole Catholic parish.

“We, the Patriarchs and Heads of the Churches in Jerusalem, join together in profound solidarity with the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the people sheltering in Holy Family Catholic Church in Gaza, as we bear witness to the heinous attack by the Israeli Army on the church compound there on Thursday morning, July 17, 2025,” they said.

“In unyielding unity, we strongly denounce this crime,” they continued. “Houses of worship are sacred spaces that should be kept safe. They are also protected under international law. Targeting a church that houses approximately 600 refugees, including children with special needs, is a violation of these laws. It is also an affront to human dignity, a trampling upon the sanctity of human life, and the desecration of a holy site.”

Jerusalem’s Christian leaders called on “world leaders and United Nations agencies to work towards an immediate ceasefire in Gaza that leads to an end of this war. We also implore them to guarantee the protection of all religious and humanitarian sites, and to provide for the relief of the starving masses throughout the Gaza Strip.”

“Our prayers and support remain steadfast, calling for justice, peace, and the cessation of the suffering that has descended upon the people of Gaza,” they concluded.

The statement from the patriarchs and heads of churches in Jerusalem followed an earlier statement from the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem. Pope Leo XIV expressed his sorrow, spiritual closeness, and prayer in a telegram.

The Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land also published a message of condolence.

“In communion with the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, the Christians of the Holy Land, and Pope Leo, we mourn the lives lost and pray for the wounded, their families, and the entire community that continues to suffer amid the senseless devastation of war,” the Franciscan province stated. “Once again, we strongly denounce the unacceptable and cynical reality in which defenseless civilians, places of worship, and humanitarian structures become targets of violence and destruction. Posthumous requests for apologies unfortunately sound like a repeated refrain aimed at masking warlike behaviors that can no longer be tolerated.”

The Custody added:

We firmly condemn any act that harms the civilian population and reiterate the urgent need for an immediate ceasefire, the end of the war, and the start of a process that leads to a just and lasting peace. Every passing day, the human cost becomes more unbearable, the world’s silence more deafening, and the paralysis of the international community more unjustifiable.

The Custody of the Holy Land joins in prayer with all those who work for peace, justice, and the protection of every human being, regardless of their people or religion. In these dark days, we ask the Lord of Peace not to abandon His people and to convert hearts toward compassion, responsibility, and dialogue.

L’Osservatore Romano reported that Saad Issa Kostandi Salameh, the parish doorman, and Foumia Issa Latif Ayyad, a woman, were killed in the attack. Father Gabriel Romanelli, the parish priest, was injured and briefly hospitalized. Suhail Abo Dawood, a young Catholic who writes regularly about Gaza for the Vatican newspaper, suffered serious shrapnel wounds.

All of the dead and wounded are Christians, the newspaper reported.

The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also issued a statement:

Israel deeply regrets that a stray ammunition hit Gaza’s Holy Family Church. Every innocent life lost is a tragedy. We share the grief of the families and the faithful. We are grateful to Pope Leo for his words of comfort. Israel is investigating the incident and remains committed to protecting civilians and holy sites.

 

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Further information:

• PATRIARCHS AND HEADS OF THE CHURCHES IN JERUSALEM" STATEMENT ON THE ATTACK ON HOLY FAMILY CATHOLIC CHURCH IN GAZA (Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem)
• Statement of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem
• Telegram of the Holy Father, signed by Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, for the victims of the military attack on the Church of the Holy Family in Gaza, 17.07.2025 (Holy See Press Office)
• Message of condolence and solidarity from the Custody of the Holy Land for the victims of the attack on the Gaza parish (Custodia Sanctae Terrae)
• Gaza, bombe sulla parrocchia (L'Osservatore Romano)
• Israeli forces hit Catholic parish in Gaza; two killed (CWN, 7/17/25)
• Statement from the Prime Minister's Office (gov.il)