Three people died and several were injured after attack on Holy Family Church in Gaza
VATICAN CITY — The humanitarian tragedy in the Gaza Strip and the need for urgent assistance were part of discussions between Pope Leo XVI and Mahmoud Abbas, president of Palestine and the Palestinian National Authority.
Abbas telephoned the pope July 21 “concerning recent developments in the conflict in the Gaza Strip and violence in the West Bank,” the Vatican press office said in a communique.
“During the telephone call, the Holy Father repeated his appeal for international humanitarian law to be fully respected, emphasizing in particular the obligation to protect civilians and sacred places, the prohibition of the indiscriminate use of force and of the forced transfer of the population,” the press office wrote.
“Given the tragic humanitarian situation, emphasis was placed on the urgent need to provide assistance to those most vulnerable to the consequences of the conflict and to allow the adequate entry of humanitarian aid,” it said.
The United Nations’ World Food Program reported that a large number of civilians, who were “anxiously waiting to access desperately needed food supplies,” were suddenly fired upon by Israeli tanks, snipers and other gunfire July 20 just as the U.N. convoy of 25 trucks bringing food to northern Gaza had crossed the final Israeli checkpoint in Gaza.
The Gaza health ministry, which is run by the government of Hamas, said at least 67 people were killed. The Israel Defense Forces said it had fired “warning shots,” and it disputed the reported number of deaths.
The WFP reported that “countless lives” were lost and “many more suffered life-threatening injuries. These people were simply trying to access food to feed themselves and their families on the brink of starvation.”
The “violent incident comes despite assurances from Israeli authorities that humanitarian operational conditions would improve, including that armed forces will not be present nor engage at any stage along humanitarian convoy routes,” the WFP said July 20.
“Without these fundamental conditions in place, we cannot continue providing life-saving support across the Gaza Strip,” it said, underlining its repeated warnings that the hunger crisis in Gaza was worsening.
“People are dying from a lack of humanitarian assistance. Malnutrition is surging with 90,000 women and children in urgent need of treatment. Nearly one person in three is not eating for days,” it said, reporting that a two-pound bag of flour costs more than $100 in local markets.
The Gaza health ministry said July 20 it estimated 18 deaths “due to famine” over the past 24 hours.
According to the Gaza ministry and the Israeli ministry of foreign affairs, respectively, more than 59,200 Palestinians and more than 1,980 Israelis have been reported killed in the Israel-Hamas war as of July 20. More than 200 journalists and media workers and more than 220 humanitarian aid workers have reportedly been killed.
The majority of casualties have been in the Gaza Strip.
Gaza’s Catholic pastor recalls ‘terrible’ attack
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Father Gabriel Romanelli, lightly injured in the leg during the Israeli military strike on the Holy Family Parish compound in the Gaza Strip July 17, told L’Osservatore Romano that what happened in the parish was “terrible” and that “the situation continues to be very serious.” He asked the universal Church community for prayers: “let’s try to convince the whole world to end this war,” he said.
Palestinians gathered to receive food from a charity kitchen in Nuseirat, central Gaza Strip, July 20.
In a statement issued on July 17, the Israel Defense Forces, or IDF, said, “An initial inquiry into reports regarding injured individuals in the Holy Family Church in Gaza City, suggests that fragments from a shell fired during operational activity in the area hit the church mistakenly.” It added that the cause of the incident “is under review.”
“The metal fragments injured many others. There were fifteen wounded, three of whom have died. The doorman, Saad, died, along with the two elderly women,” parish pastor explained to the Vatican flagship newspaper and its journalist Roberto Cetera.
Father Romanelli said two people remain seriously wounded — not in life-threatening condition anymore, “but they’re still in very serious condition.”
Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa entered the Gaza Strip July 18 together with Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos III, offering his support, closeness and prayers following the July 17 attack.
Cardinal Pizzaballa remained in Gaza City until July 20, and celebrated Sunday morning Mass in the parish church.
“It was a deeply heartfelt visit, truly beautiful. In the midst of this tragedy, we’ve felt comfort, prayer, the closeness of our pastors, all the faithful and all people of goodwill,” Father Romanelli said.
