This was the Church of the Sagrada Familia de Gaza after the Israeli attack

The Church of the Sagrada Familia, the only Catholic in the Gaza Strip, has been seriously damaged after an air attack perpetrated by the Israeli army on July 17, which left at least three dead and a dozen injured.

The images disseminated by Cáritas Jerusalem show the devastating impact of the bombing. Much of the structure, especially the upper right area of the building, has been destroyed. However, the cross on the top of the temple has remained intact.

There are also the debris scattered by the entrance to the Church, which had become the home and refuge of this small Christian community, which represents only 0.05% of the population in a mostly Muslim region.

Since the war began in 2023, the Christian community of Gaza has resisted with admirable spiritual strength, under the pastoral care of the Argentine priest P. Gabriel Romanelli, whom Pope Francis called on the phone every afternoon.

Thanks to the support of the patriarchy of Jerusalem, the parish held around 500 people, including numerous children, who continued to smile despite the bombs.

This Friday, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, and the Greek Orthodox patriarch Teófilo III, made a visit to the community, which continues to be shocked after the attack.

Humanitarian aid is coming thanks to organizations such as Cáritas Jerusalem, who has committed to attend as many Gazati families affected by the conflict.