For nearly two years, Holy Family Church in Gaza has been a rare sanctuary in a war-torn land — sheltering hundreds of Muslim and Christian families. But a recent Israeli strike shattered that fragile peace, killing three people and injuring nine more. The world has taken notice. From the Vatican to Washington, religious and political leaders are demanding accountability, protection for civilians, and an end to the violence.
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For 21 months of war, Gaza’s only Catholic church, Holy Family Church, has served as a fragile refuge. Within its stone walls, hundreds of Muslim and Christian families sought shelter from the relentless Israeli assault.
That sanctuary was violently disrupted on Thursday when Israeli shelling hit the church compound. The strike killed three people — including the church’s janitor — and wounded nine others, among them a priest. The attack has since triggered global condemnation and rare direct responses from both the Vatican and the United States.
On Sunday, Pope Leo XIV expressed “deep sorrow” and condemned the ongoing violence, describing it as “barbarity of war.” He read out the names of those who died at the church and emphasized the need to protect civilians and places of worship in Gaza.
Though damaged, Holy Family Church still stands. Its sacred icons — crucifixes and paintings of the Virgin Mary and Jesus — remain on the walls. But broken windows, blackened stone, and candlelit prayers now mark the toll of the attack.
The church has long been under the watchful eye of the late Pope Francis, who kept in touch with its parish priest and once gifted his popemobile to children there.
In a rare and risky show of solidarity, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, and Theophilos III, the Greek Orthodox patriarch, visited Gaza on Friday. Greeted with cheers and ringing bells, they arrived at the church to offer support.
“On behalf of all the Christians of our land, all the churches all over the world are united with us in this moment,” said Pizzaballa, who also led Mass on Sunday.
Following the strike, U.S. President Donald Trump called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. According to White House spokesperson Tammy Bruce, Trump expressed deep dissatisfaction and urged Israel to investigate the incident. The administration emphasized the need to ensure the safety of all civilians — including Christian communities.
“Everyone is appalled,” Bruce stated.
In a rare move, Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene introduced a bill to cut $500 million in U.S. military funding to Israel. Though the bill was overwhelmingly rejected, it marked a notable rebuke.
Netanyahu later issued a statement, saying Israel “deeply regrets that a stray ammunition hit Gaza’s Holy Family Church.” He also called Pope Leo on Friday night to express his condolences. The Israel Defense Forces announced an investigation into the incident, and the Foreign Ministry committed to publishing the results.
While some officials described Israel’s response as “an appropriate start,” it has done little to ease the grief of Gaza’s Catholic community. Calls for an immediate ceasefire have only grown louder.
Caritas Jerusalem, a Catholic humanitarian organization, identified two of the victims as Saad Salameh, 60, the church’s janitor, and Fumayya Ayyad, 84, who was killed while sitting inside a Caritas psychosocial support tent. Pope Leo also named the third victim as Najwa Ibrahim Latif Abu Daoud.
Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, joined the pope’s call for peace, urging for an “immediate ceasefire.”
“May there be peace in Gaza,” Broglio said in a statement.
Christian peace group Pax Christi International also condemned the strike and demanded “an immediate and permanent ceasefire.”
Despite the growing outrage, no signs of a ceasefire emerged over the weekend. Since Cardinal Pizzaballa's arrival on Friday, over 150 more people have reportedly been killed in Gaza, according to local health authorities.
On Sunday, the Israeli military issued new evacuation orders, suggesting the ground offensive might soon expand. The United Nations warned that civilians in Gaza are starving and in desperate need of aid.
In the midst of this unfolding crisis, Cardinal Pizzaballa, still in Gaza, renewed his plea for peace.
“Churches all over the world — especially in the Holy Land — the Greek Orthodox and all Christian churches, will never abandon you,” he assured the congregation.
“We are working diplomatically for a ceasefire, to stop this war, this tragedy,” he said.
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