Patriarchs and heads of churches in Jerusalem condemn the occupation's bombing of the Latin Church in Gaza.

The patriarchs and heads of churches in Jerusalem condemned the Israeli occupation's bombing of the Latin Church in Gaza City yesterday, Thursday.

The Patriarchs and Heads of Churches said in a press statement on Friday: “We express our solidarity with the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem and those who took refuge in the Holy Family Catholic Church in Gaza City, following the criminal attack launched by the Israeli army on the church compound on Thursday morning. This attack resulted in extensive damage to the church buildings, claimed the lives of three people, and injured ten others, including the church’s pastor, Gabriele Romanelli.”

The statement continued: "Places of worship are sacred places that must be protected from violence. They are also protected under international law. Targeting a church that houses nearly 600 displaced people, including children with special needs, is a flagrant violation of this law, an insult to human dignity, a violation of the sanctity of life, and a desecration of a holy place."

The Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem called on world leaders and UN agencies to take urgent action to enforce an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, leading to an end to the war. They also called for full protection of all religious and humanitarian sites, and for urgent relief to be provided to hundreds of thousands of starving people in the Gaza Strip.

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