Pope Leo XIV has called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza after an Israeli air strike killed three people at a Catholic church in the enclave that Pope Francis used to call every night for updates on the conflict.
Fourteen people were also injured in the attack on the Holy Family Church in Gaza city, including parish priest Father Gabriel Romanelli.
“His Holiness Pope Leo XIV was deeply saddened to learn of the loss of life and injury caused by the military attack on the Holy Family Catholic Church in Gaza," said a statement issued through the Vatican's Secretary of State Pietro Parolin.
"His Holiness renews his call for an immediate ceasefire and expresses his profound hope for dialogue, reconciliation and enduring peace in the region."
The church sustained "extensive damage" in the attack, the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem said.
"Targeting a holy site currently sheltering approximately 600 displaced persons, the majority of whom are children and 54 people with special needs, is a flagrant violation of human dignity and a blatant violation of the sanctity of life and the sanctity of religious sites," the Patriarchate of Jerusalem said.
"The bombing destroyed large parts of the complex and those with special needs were forced to evacuate the area, some of whom were unable to receive the respirators they rely on for survival."
Father Carlos Ferrero, a priest at the church, told The National that two people had died and 14 were injured. The death toll was later raised to three.
The Israeli military said it was "aware of reports regarding damage" to the church and casualties.
"The circumstances of the incident are under review," it added, claiming it made "every feasible effort to mitigate harm to civilians and civilian structures, including religious sites".
The Israeli Foreign Ministry issued a statement on X saying the "results of the investigation will be published transparently".
"Israel never targets churches or religious sites and regrets any harm to a religious site or to uninvolved civilians," it added.
Sister Nabila Saleh, who led the Rosary Sisters' School in the church compound before poor health forced her to leave the territory last year, told The National that the Israelis "bombarded the church directly".
Now based in Jordan, she said she spoke to a parish priest in Gaza on Thursday morning who confirmed the strike and injuries.
Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said: "Attacks against the civilian population that Israel has been carrying out for months are unacceptable. No military action can justify such behaviour.”
Italy's Ansa news agency reported that six people had been seriously injured, while Father Romanelli, who used to update the late pope on the war, suffered minor leg injuries.
Earlier, Sister Saleh told The National that Francis used to call the church every day. On most days, priests and parishioners said the calls lasted about 15 minutes, during which the pontiff would speak to church leaders and Palestinians sheltering at the church.
The gesture, for Palestinians, became a daily reminder that Gaza was not forgotten.
Pope Francis was unwavering in his stance on the Gaza war. He was one of the most consistent global voices calling for a ceasefire and unrestricted access for aid.
Witnesses of the bombing told The National that the church was hit 10 minutes after prayers had ended. Had it taken place earlier, more deaths would have been likely, they said. The place of worship was considered a safe zone under international law.
“If they had still been inside, we would have witnessed a horrific massacre,” said Elyas Al Jelda, a member of the Board of Trustees of the Arab Orthodox Church in Gaza. “This strike is part of a systematic assault that churches have faced for months. It’s an attempt to pressure Christian families to leave.”
Others described scenes of chaos as emergency crews responded to the attack. Mohammed Saqqa Allah, a resident living adjacent to the church, said “most of the injured were women, people with no connection to the conflict".
According to Ismail Al Thawabta, director of the Government Media Office in Gaza, the attack is the third church sheltering displaced civilians that has been hit.
“What happened at the church is not an accident, it’s part of a broader, deliberate strategy to destroy Palestinian society, regardless of religion,” he said.
The attack is the second time the Holy Family Church compound has been hit by the Israeli military since the war began.
“It is a very terrible situation,” Sister Saleh told The National. “I know the situation is bad because they don’t have the possibility to respond because of the bombing.”
She recalled fear among parishioners in 2023 when she lived in the church compound as Israeli snipers shot dead two women walking from the church to a convent building. The Roman Catholic Church condemned that attack, while the Israeli army denied its snipers were involved.
“I’m very scared and anxious,” Sister Saleh said. “Every day we pray for the people in the church.”
The Roman Catholic Church has often called for an end to the Gaza war. At least 17 people were killed in a separate incident in October 2023 when Israeli bombs hit the nearby historic Greek Orthodox Church of Saint Porphyrius.
