Fri Jul 18 12:18:20 UTC 2025: **NEWS ARTICLE**

**Jerusalem Church Leaders Visit Gaza After Deadly Strike on Catholic Church**

**Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip – July 18, 2025** – In a rare show of solidarity, top church leaders from Jerusalem entered Gaza on Friday following an Israeli strike on the Holy Family Catholic Church that killed three people and wounded ten the previous day.

The delegation, led by Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Pierbattista Pizzaballa, and Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III, aimed to express the “shared pastoral solicitude of the Churches of the Holy Land” for the affected community. The patriarchs visited the damaged church, where they surveyed the damage and offered comfort to the parishioners.

According to the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, the delegation also planned to deliver hundreds of tons of food aid, medical supplies, and equipment to families within Gaza. Additionally, they facilitated the evacuation of those injured in the attack to hospitals outside the territory.

The strike on the church, which was sheltering both Christians and Muslims, including children with disabilities, drew widespread condemnation. Pope Leo XIV renewed his call for an immediate ceasefire, and President Trump reportedly expressed his frustration to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Israel has expressed regret for what it described as an accident, stating that an investigation is underway. Initial assessments suggest the church was hit by “fragments from a shell fired during operational activity in the area mistakenly.”

This visit marks a rare instance of outsiders entering Gaza since the start of Israel’s offensive in May, with only a limited number of aid workers and Palestinians needing medical care having been able to enter or exit.

The conflict between Israel and Hamas continues to rage, with over 58,600 Palestinians killed in Gaza since October 7, 2023, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The Ministry asserts that women and children make up over half the dead.

Read More