Israel says that deviation from ammunition caused mortal attack on the Catholic Church of Gaza

The Israel Defense Forces (FDI) said on Wednesday, July 23 that a “ammunition deviation” caused the accidental attack on the Church of the Sagrada Familia in Gaza, an incident that resulted in three deaths and several injured last week.

The July 17 attack claimed the lives of three civilians in the Church and left nine injured, including the parish priest, Fr. Gabriel Romanelli. The Church has served as a refuge for more than 600 people since the conflict between Israel and Hamas began in October 2023, including Catholics, Orthodox and Muslim Christians.

Israeli officials They said last week that the parish was “reached by mistake” by fire of the IDF. In a statement on July 23, military spokesman Shoshani said that an IDF investigation showed that the Church was achieved “due to an unintended deviation of ammunition.”

“The impact caused the structure and injured several Gazati civilians,” said Shoshani. The statement did not mention the three deaths in the parish.

The IDF “direct their military attacks only to military objectives and work to mitigate the damage to civilians and civil infrastructure as much as possible, including religious institutions,” reads the statement.

The Israeli army “regrets any damage caused to civilians,” he adds.

“Serious Dangers”

In a statement released on Wednesday, the Latin patriarchy of Jerusalem said he learned the results of the investigation through media reports.

“The published conclusions of the investigation only underline the serious danger of carrying out military operations in the vicinity of religious and civil sites,” said the patriarchy.

The findings “once again highlight the vital importance of respecting the principles of international humanitarian law.”

In the FDI Wednesday statement, it is read that the Army has “facilitated the entry of humanitarian aid, including food, medical equipment and medicines, to the Church of the Sagrada Familia in Gaza”, although the patriarchy said Wednesday that it helps it “has not yet been delivered” to the parish.

Humanitarian workers would distribute food and medical supplies to the parish and surrounding neighborhoods once they were allowed to enter the area, said the patriarchy.

The bombing has greatly fueled tensions in a region already full of conflict, particularly in the almost two years since Hamas invaded Israel, unleashing a prolonged conflict that has left tens of thousands of dead.

The Church of the Sagrada Familia, the only Catholic parish in Gaza, has often been at the Center for Media and International Attention in the midst of the conflict. He has provided shelter and helps hundreds of people in the region devastated by war.

Pope Francis made regular night calls to the parish for approximately a year and a half before his death, and the children of the parish called the Holy Father “grandfather.”

Although the FDIs issued an admission of unprecedented error last week, the Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, further fueled tensions when he suggested to an Italian newspaper that the attack could have been intentional.

“They say it was a mistake. Although everyone believes that it was not,” said the purple last week.

Translated and adapted by the ACI Press team. Originally published in CNA.