Israel’s Prime Minister’s Office on Thursday expressed regret over an Israeli military strike that killed three civilians at Gaza’s only Catholic church, following a phone call from US President Donald Trump who strongly urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to respond to the incident.
“Israel deeply regrets that a stray round hit Gaza’s Holy Family Church,” the statement said. “Every innocent life lost is a tragedy. We share the grief of the families and the faithful.”
Although not directly attributed to Netanyahu himself, the statement also thanked Pope Leo XIV for his “words of comfort.” The Pope had issued a message mourning the loss of life and renewing his call for a ceasefire, though he stopped short of condemning Israel.
Israel is “looking into the matter” and maintains its commitment to safeguarding civilians and holy places, the Prime Minister’s Office stated—hours after an IDF strike hit Gaza’s only Catholic church.
Just prior to the statement, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt disclosed that President Trump had made a direct and stern call to Prime Minister Netanyahu after learning of the incident.
Asked how Trump reacted, Leavitt stated bluntly, “It was not a positive reaction.” She added that Netanyahu agreed during the call to clarify the strike was a mistake.
Shortly after Netanyahu’s statement, the Israeli military said that shrapnel from a tank shell fired during operations in Gaza City hit the church.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated that a preliminary investigation was conducted following reports of casualties and structural damage at Gaza’s Holy Family Church.
“Fragments from a shell fired during operational activity in the area mistakenly struck the church,” the IDF said, noting that the incident remains under review.
“The IDF targets only military objectives and takes all feasible measures to avoid harming civilians and religious sites. We regret any unintentional damage caused,” the statement added.
Images from the scene revealed significant damage to the church building, with a large section struck near the prominent stone cross that crowned the place of worship. Several windows were also shattered in the blast.
Earlier in the day, Israel’s Foreign Ministry addressed the incident, stating that the country “expresses deep sorrow over the damage [to the church] and over any civilian casualty.” The ministry emphasized that Israel “never targets churches or religious sites and regrets any harm to a religious site or to uninvolved civilians.”
Doctors at al-Ahli hospital said two women were killed. The third fatality, who died later, was male. The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem named the dead as Najwa Abu Daoud, Saad Issa Kostandi Salameh and Foumia Issa Latif Ayyad.
Among those injured in the strike was Parish Priest Fr. Gabriel Romanelli, a close confidant of the late Pope Francis. Romanelli was known to speak with the pontiff nightly during the war in Gaza.
The church had been serving as a refuge for both Christians and Muslims, including several children with disabilities, according to Dr. Fadel Naem, acting director of Al-Ahli Hospital, which treated the wounded.
Out of Gaza’s population of over two million, approximately 1,000 identify as Christians—most of them Orthodox. According to the Latin Patriarchate, around 135 Catholics remain in the territory.
Since the outbreak of war in October 2023, members of Gaza’s small Catholic community have taken shelter at the Holy Family Church compound in Gaza City, alongside a number of Orthodox Christians seeking refuge.
More than 21 months of conflict have devastated Gaza, creating dire humanitarian conditions. The vast majority of residents have been displaced at least once, and the region faces acute shortages of food, water, and medical supplies.
The war began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas militants launched a surprise invasion of southern Israel, killing 1,200 people and abducting 251 others to Gaza. According to Israeli authorities, 49 hostages remain in captivity, along with the body of an IDF soldier killed in 2014.
The Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry claims more than 58,000 people have been killed or are presumed dead since the conflict began. However, those figures cannot be independently verified and do not distinguish between civilians and combatants.
Israel says it has killed approximately 20,000 Hamas fighters in Gaza as of January, in addition to 1,600 militants during the October 7 attacks. Israeli officials maintain that the IDF takes steps to avoid civilian casualties but argue that Hamas routinely operates from civilian infrastructure—including homes, schools, hospitals, and mosques—using civilians as human shields.
