Apparent Israeli incursion arrives at the Catholic Church in Gaza, according to reports, killing at least 2 people and wounding priest

The Latin patriarchy of Jerusalem, which supervises the Catholic Church of the Sagrada Familia in the city of Gaza, said Thursday that several people were injured in “a raid” in the Church, including the pastor, Father Gabriel Romanelli. The patriarchy later said that two people died in the incident.

“With a deep sadness, the Latin patriarchy can now confirm that two people were killed as a result of an apparent attack by the Israeli army that hit the Holy Family complex this morning,” said the patriarchy in a statement. “We pray for the rest of his souls and by the end of this Barbara War. Nothing can justify the orientation of innocent civilians.”

In a statement provided by the Church in Rome, Pope Leo XIV said that he was “deeply sad when he learned of the loss of lives and injuries caused by the military attack” in the Church, adding a renewal of his “call to a high immediate fire.”

Earlier on Thursday, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said that “Israeli raids in Gaza” had hit the Church of the Holy Family, condemning “the attacks against the civilian population that Israel has carried out for months” as unacceptable.

“No military action can justify such behavior,” the Italian leader Said on social networks.

Israel’s defense forces said it was “aware of the reports on the damage caused to the Church of the Sagrada Familia in the city of Gaza and the casualties in the scene. The circumstances of the incident are under review.”

“The IDF make each effort feasible to mitigate the damage to civilians and civil structures, including religious sites, and regrets any damage caused to them,” said the army in the statement, which he shared on social networks.

The Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that “Israel expresses a deep sadness for the damage to the Church of the Sagrada Familia in the city of Gaza and about any civil victim,” and said that the result of the investigation of the FDI would be published transparently. “

“Israel never addresses churches or religious sites and regrets any damage to a religious site or civilians not involved,” said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

On the early Thursday, the patriarchy of Jerusalem said that several people were injured in the strike, including Father Gabriel Romanelli, the parish priest of the Church, and that “the Church suffered damage.”

The CBS News team in Gaza saw Romanelli take the Al-Ahli hospital in the city of Gaza. He seemed to have suffered a right -legged injury.

The Italian Catholic news agency, Sir, previously reported that six people were injured in the Church, two of which, according to him, were critical.

He said that the parish had been hosting around 500 displaced Christians, but Fadel Naem, the interim director of the Al-Ahli hospital, told Associated Press that they were Christians and Muslims who took refuge in the church, including several children with disabilities.

The late Pope Francis regularly called Romanelli to register with him and the people who stay in the Church during the war in Gaza. In his last public appearance, one day before his death, Francis asked for a high immediate fire in Gaza, as well as the release of Israeli hostages.