The Higher Presidential Committee for Church Affairs in Palestine expresses its deepest concern and unequivocal condemnation of the brutal Israeli bombardment that targeted the Holy Family Catholic Church in Gaza, early this morning. The assault left several injured, including the parish priest, Father Gabriel Romanelli, and caused severe damage to the church structure.
This heinous attack on a house of worship is not only a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law but also a blatant affront to the sanctity of religious sites. The Committee views this strike as part of a systematic campaign that endangers the indigenous Christian presence in the Holy Land, and categorically rejects and denounces any attempt to justify the targeting of churches and religious institutions under any pretext. Such actions are war crimes and must not be met with silence.
The Committee urgently calls on the international community and all human rights and faith-based institutions to take immediate action to stop these relentless attacks against civilians and holy sites in Gaza. The world must not turn a blind eye to these crimes. The Committee will continue to closely monitor this development, in coordination with local churches and relevant institutions.
