An airstrike struck the Holy Family Catholic Church in Gaza, the only Catholic church in the region, causing injuries and damage. The attack injured the parish priest, Father Gabriel Romanelli, and others, with some in critical condition. The church, which is a refuge for displaced civilians, including Christians and Muslims, was confirmed to have been hit by the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem. The incident raises concerns about the protection of religious sites during the ongoing conflict.
15 days ago
On Thursday, July 17, 2025, the Holy Family Church in Gaza, the sole Catholic parish in the Gaza Strip, was struck by an Israeli attack, reportedly a tank shell 1 3 5 6 11. The incident, occurring around 10:20 a.m. local time, resulted in the deaths of three individuals and injuries to at least 14 others 1 3 4 7 9 11 15 16. The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem confirmed the strike, expressing profound sorrow and condemning the attack as a "flagrant violation of human dignity and the sanctity of religious sites" 1 3 11.
The three fatalities were identified as Saad Issa Kostandi Salameh, 60, the parish maintenance manager who was in the courtyard; Foumia Issa Latif Ayyad, 84; and Najwa Abu Daoud, 70, both of whom were receiving psychological care in a Caritas psychosocial support tent 4 7 9 14 15 16 18. They later succumbed to their injuries at Al-Mamadani Hospital, which faced critical shortages of medical supplies and blood units 9 16.
The parish priest, Father Gabriel Romanelli, an Argentine native, was among those injured by shrapnel in his leg, though his condition was described as mild 1 3 4 5 7 11 12 14 15. He returned to check on the wounded after receiving treatment 1 7 11. Eight other people were rushed to Al Mamadami Hospital 4 7 15.
The Holy Family Church complex, which includes a school and a convent, has served as a makeshift shelter for over 500 displaced civilians since the Israel-Hamas war began in October 2023 1 4 5 14 15 18. This diverse community includes Orthodox Christians, Protestants, Catholics, and over 50 Muslim children with disabilities and their families 4 14 15. Father Romanelli had consistently urged those sheltering to remain indoors due to escalating dangers and heavy shelling in the surrounding al-Zaytun neighborhood, a warning credited with preventing a greater loss of life 7 9 11 12 15 16.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) stated they were investigating the incident, with a spokesperson expressing "deep regret" over the damage and casualties 1 3 11 18 20. The IDF claimed the church was "mistakenly" hit by "fragments from a shell" during a military operation, asserting efforts to mitigate harm to civilians and religious sites 18 20. However, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, expressed doubt that the attack was unintentional, noting a direct hit by a tank 5.
Pope Leo XIV conveyed his profound sorrow, renewing calls for an immediate ceasefire, dialogue, and lasting peace in the region 1 3. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni condemned the Israeli attacks as "unacceptable," stating that "no military action can justify such deportment" 4 11 14. Caritas Internationalis and Caritas Jerusalem issued statements of solidarity, urging respect for places of worship and humanitarian shelter, unrestricted aid access, and an end to civilian assaults 9 16.
This is not the first time the Holy Family parish has been affected by the conflict; in December 2023, two women were killed by an Israeli sniper within the compound, and its surroundings were shelled in December 2024 1 4 6 14. The Latin Patriarchate had previously condemned these incidents 4 14.
The attack occurred shortly after Cardinal Pizzaballa and Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III spoke out against "systemic and targeted" attacks on Christians by illegal Israeli settlers in the West Bank 18 20. Humanitarian organizations, including Caritas Jerusalem, highlight the dire situation in Gaza, with an "unprecedented level of devastation," acute hunger, and severely limited access to medical supplies and drinking water 7 9 15. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) had visited the church compound on July 1 to assess the situation 4 14. The late Pope Francis had also maintained regular contact with Father Romanelli and the parish community, frequently calling to offer encouragement 4 6 14.
What constitutes just war, and how is it applied?
The Catholic Church's teaching on just war outlines strict conditions under which military force may be considered morally legitimate. This doctrine aims to limit the outbreak of war and govern its conduct .
For a war to be considered just, several rigorous conditions must be met, traditionally categorized into jus ad bellum (justice in going to war) and jus in bello (justice in waging war) .
Jus ad Bellum (Justice in Going to War):
Jus in Bello (Justice in Waging War):
While the Church has historically accepted the argument that unjust aggression should be resisted by legitimate political authorities to defend the common good and protect innocent life, recent papal teachings emphasize the extreme difficulty of applying the just war criteria in the modern era .
Pope Francis, in Fratelli Tutti, states that it is "very difficult nowadays to invoke the rational criteria elaborated in earlier centuries to speak of the possibility of a 'just war'" . He highlights that war can be easily justified with various excuses, and the development of nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons, along with new technologies, has given war an uncontrollable destructive power over innocent civilians . The risks of war will likely always be greater than its supposed benefits, leading to the conclusion, "Never again war!" .
Similarly, the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church affirms that a war of aggression is intrinsically immoral and that the use of force for legitimate defense must meet strict conditions, with the power of modern means of destruction weighing heavily on the proportionality criterion . The Catechism of the Ukrainian Catholic Church also notes that, given the destructive nature of contemporary warfare, "practically no conditions exist for a just launching of war" due to the potential for widespread destruction .
The evaluation of these conditions for moral legitimacy belongs to the prudential judgment of those responsible for the common good . However, the Church consistently encourages the work of peace and the building of competent international authorities to prevent warfare, emphasizing that international law is a privileged means for building a more human and peaceful world .