Pope Leo XIV has expressed deep sorrow over an Israeli military strike that hit the Holy Family Church in Gaza, resulting in the deaths of two people and injuries to several others, including the parish priest.
The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem confirmed that the attack targeted Gaza’s only Catholic church, located in the Zeitoun neighborhood. The church compound also sustained significant damage.
In a message conveyed through a telegram by the Vatican Secretary of State, the Pope said he was “deeply saddened to learn of the loss of life and injury caused by the military attack on the Holy Family Church in Gaza.”
He renewed his appeal for “an immediate ceasefire,” and expressed “profound hope for dialogue, reconciliation and enduring peace in the region.” The Vatican message did not directly name Israel.
Israel’s military responded by stating it “never targets religious sites” and announced an investigation into the incident.
The Gaza Strip, home to more than two million people, has a small Christian population of around 1,000—of which about 135 are Catholics, according to the Latin Patriarchate.
The strike on the church occurred amid a wider escalation, with Gaza’s civil defence agency reporting at least 20 more fatalities from Israeli airstrikes across the territory.
