Gaza Church Hit In ‘Israeli Strike On Hamas’; Several Reported Killed
By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
GAZA/JERUSALEM (Worthy News) – A Greek Orthodox church in the Gaza Strip sheltering hundreds of displaced Palestinians was hit overnight by a deadly Israeli air strike, church officials said, but Israel denied it was the intended target.
Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry said 16 Palestinian Christians were killed in the attack on the Greek Orthodox Church of St Porphvrius. The Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem did not mention a death toll.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that “as a result of the IDF strike, a wall of a church in the area of the center was damaged,” and there were reports of injured and killed people.
“We are aware of reports on casualties. The incident is under review,” the IDF added.
Israeli fighter jets that carried out the attack were trying to destroy a Hamas command center near the church that the military believes has been involved in launching rockets and mortars toward Israel, the statement said.
“The IDF can unequivocally state that the church was not the target of the strike,” the IDF stressed.
Israel has also made clear it does not target civilians but seeks to destroy “Hamas terrorists,” who it says are hiding among civilians, using them as human shields.
TENSIONS REMAIN
The explanation did little to ease tensions with the Orthodox Church, saying in a statement: “The Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem expresses its strongest condemnation of the Israeli air strike that has struck its church compound in the city of Gaza.”
Palestinian officials said at least 500 Muslims and Christians had taken shelter in the Greek Orthodox Church of St Porphvrius from Israeli bombardments.
Witnesses saw a wounded boy being carried from the rubble in the dark of the night. A civil defense worker told reporters that two people on upper floors had survived. Those on lower floors had been killed and were reportedly still in the rubble.
The overnight church strike came amid broader concerns about Christians living among Gaza’s 2.3 million Muslim population.
“Our local partners tell us that Gaza is home to more than 1,000 believers, and of course there are Christians in Israel, both Messianic Jews and non-Jewish background believers,” said Christian advocacy group Open Doors.
“In the midst of the violence between Israel and Gaza, both Palestinian and Israeli Christians are asking their brothers and sisters around the world to pray.”
Open Doors said it had received prayer requests from local believers to “Pray for the believers in Gaza who are caught in the middle of the conflict.”
DEFENDING STRIKES
But Christians also asked to “Pray for the Israeli families who mourn for loved ones who were killed or taken hostage.”
Israel says its air strikes in Gaza have been prompted by Hamas militants launching massive attacks on Israel that killed some 1,400 people including Holocaust survivors and babies and toddlers.
More than 200 people, including children, were taken hostage from Israel, several sources confirmed.
Palestinian officials say more than 4,000 people have been killed in Gaza in Israeli retaliatory strikes since Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, although those figures were hard to verify independently.
Open Doors said local believers have urged fellow Christians to “Ask God to protect innocent people during this conflict” and to pray “for those who have been driven out of their homes.”
It was also crucial to “Pray for peace” and “that, somehow, God will work through this situation to bring more people to Him—and that His people will be salt and light,” Open Doors added.
If you are interested in articles produced by Worthy News, please check out our FREE sydication service available to churches or online Christian ministries. To find out more, visit Worthy Plugins.