Patriarchs of Jerusalem visit bombed church in Gaza
Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, has entered Gaza to visit the Holy Family Church that was bombed by Israel on Thursday, Vatican News has reported.
A shell fired from an Israeli tank struck the Catholic church, the only one in the Strip, killing three people and wounding 10, including the parish priest Gabriel Romanelli.
Pizzaballa conducted his visit along with the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem, Theophilos III. As they entered the enclave, Pope Leo XIV called Pizzaballa to “express his closeness, care, prayer, support, and desire to do everything possible to achieve not only a ceasefire but also an end to this tragedy”, the report said.
According to a statement from the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, the Latin Patriarch will assess the “humanitarian and pastoral needs of the community to help guide the Church’s continued presence and response”.
As part of the visit, tonnes of food supplies, first aid kits and medical equipment were delivered to Gaza, it added.
Pizzaballa and Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem, Theophilos III, visit the Church of the Holy Family, which was hit in an Israeli attack on Thursday
Pope receives call from Netanyahu after Gaza church attack, urges ceasefire talks
Pope Leo XIV received a call from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier this morning, with the head of the Roman Catholic Church renewing his appeal to revive negotiations between Israel and Hamas to end the war on Gaza.
The call comes after an Israeli tank struck Gaza’s only Catholic church on Thursday, killing at least three people and injuring 10.
The pope expressed “concern for the dramatic humanitarian situation of the population in Gaza, the excruciating price of which is being paid in particular by children, the elderly, and the sick”, according to remarks carried by Vatican News.
Leo also “reiterated the urgency of protecting places of worship and, above all, the faithful and all people in Palestine and Israel”.
‘You are not forgotten,’ church leader tells Palestinians in Gaza
Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Pierbattista Pizzaballa says his visit to Gaza aims to show Palestinians they “are not neglected, not forgotten”, particularly after yesterday’s deadly Israeli bombing of the Holy Family Church in Gaza City.
As we reported earlier, Pizzaballa made a rare trip to Gaza today alongside Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III to support Palestinians following the attack.
“We will do everything in order to be all as close to you and to support all of you,” Pizzaballa said. “I can assure from you the prayer also of [His] Holiness Pope Leo XIV, that called today, knowing that we are going to enter [Gaza], and he brings also his blessing to all of us, to all of you.”
Three people were killed and 10 others were wounded in the Israeli attack on the Gaza church.
