Iranian missiles devastate Jaffa parish, Soroka Hospital in Israel. Gaza hospitals face crisis. Franciscan friar condemns civilian toll in Iran-Israel war.
Newsroom, June 23, 2025, Gaudium Press — Father Ibrahim Faltas, a prominent Franciscan friar and former custos of the Holy Land (2016–2022), detailed the devastating impact of Iranian missile strikes on Israel during the Iran-Israel conflict in the June 20, 2025, edition of L’Osservatore Romano. The week-long barrage has inflicted terror, death, and destruction across the Holy Land, severely damaging the Franciscan parish of St. Anthony in Jaffa and Soroka Medical Center in Beer Sheva, while exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Jaffa Parish and Community Reeling
On the seventh night of the conflict, a missile struck near the St. Anthony parish in Jaffa, causing significant damage to the church’s premises and adjacent convent. Father Faltas, now vicar to the current custos, reported that parishioners’ homes and businesses were also affected, leaving the community in fear of further attacks. “Cities are isolated, holy places are closed, people are asked not to go out and to seek safe refuge,” he wrote, noting widespread challenges including food shortages, untreated health emergencies, and rising psychological trauma.
Soroka Hospital Damaged, Staff and Patients Injured
Among seven strategic sites targeted by Iranian missiles, Soroka Medical Center in Beer Sheva sustained substantial structural damage. The hospital, serving over one million residents in southern Israel, reported minor injuries to approximately 80 staff and patients, primarily from shattered glass and debris. The strike hit an evacuated surgical ward, averting a worse outcome. Israeli authorities condemned the attack as targeting civilians, while Iran claimed it aimed at a nearby military site.
Gaza’s Hospitals Face Dire Crisis
Father Faltas highlighted the worsening situation in Gaza, where Khan Younis hospital’s lack of electricity threatens premature babies’ lives. The hospital director warned that within 48 hours, newborns could die from malnutrition due to a milk shortage. “The right to life is the same, identical less than 100 kilometers away,” Faltas stressed, urging attention to Gaza’s plight amid the regional suffering.
Civilian Toll Sparks Outrage
“The toll of these attacks is shocking, because those who die and those who suffer are mostly civilians,” Father Faltas said, decrying strikes on places serving the vulnerable. A Washington-based Iranian human rights group reported at least 639 deaths in Iran, including 263 civilians, while Israel recorded 24 deaths and hundreds injured. Faltas called for recognition of the universal right to life and dignity, emphasizing the shared humanity of those affected.
As the Iran-Israel conflict escalates, with Israel targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities and Iran launching retaliatory missile strikes, Father Faltas’s account underscores the profound toll on civilian infrastructure and lives across the Holy Land.
- Raju Hasmukh with sources from L’Osservatore Romano.
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