While the Israeli government has said that tank fire on the Gaza parish on July 17 was not deliberate, Cardinal Pierrebattista Pizzaballa has expressed doubts.
Newsroom (18/07/2025, Gaudium Press ) An Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) tank unit opened fire on the Holy Family Church in Gaza City, the territory’s only Catholic parish, on Thursday morning, killing three people and injuring several others. While Israeli officials claim the strike was unintentional, Cardinal Pierrebattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, has expressed skepticism, and sources close to the patriarchate suggest the attack may have been retaliatory.
The incident occurred at the Holy Family parish, a refuge for an estimated 700 people, including most of Gaza’s 140 Latin Catholics and many Orthodox Christians, who have sought shelter there since Israel’s ground invasion of Gaza began in response to the Oct. 7, 2023, attack that killed over 1,000 people, primarily civilians.
Israel’s foreign ministry issued a statement on social media expressing “deep sorrow” for the damage to the church and any civilian casualties. “The IDF is examining this incident, the circumstances of which are still unclear, and the results of the investigation will be published transparently,” the statement read. “Israel never targets churches or religious sites and regrets any harm to a religious site or to uninvolved civilians.”
However, Cardinal Pizzaballa cast doubt on the IDF’s account. “What we know for sure is that a tank, the IDF says by mistake, but we are not sure about this, they hit the church directly, the Church of the Holy Family, the Latin Church,” he said. The cardinal noted that communication challenges in Gaza have made it difficult to gather complete details about the incident.
Sources close to the patriarchate’s chancery told The Pillar that some Church officials believe the strike may have been a deliberate act of retaliation. The theory stems from a recent meeting of Christian leaders in the West Bank town of Taybeh on Monday, where Cardinal Pizzaballa and Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III condemned Israeli authorities for facilitating settler attacks on local Christians. Taybeh has faced multiple incidents, including a recent arson attack. In a joint statement, the leaders called for Israeli authorities to hold “these radicals” accountable for their actions.
The Holy Family parish has been a focal point of tragedy during the ongoing conflict. On Dec. 16, 2023, Naheda Anton and her daughter Samr were killed inside the parish compound. Fr. Gabriel Romanelli, the parish priest, alleged they were shot by an IDF sniper, though the IDF denied responsibility. Fr. Romanelli, who was in Bethlehem at the start of the invasion, only returned to the parish in May 2024.
As the IDF’s investigation continues, the attack on the Holy Family Church has heightened tensions, raising questions about the safety of religious sites and civilians in the conflict zone.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from The Pillar
Related Images:
