Netanyahu Apologizes Over Israeli Military Raid on Catholic Church in Gaza

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed regret over the tank attack by Israel that struck the Holy Family Church in the city of Gaza on Thursday morning, July 17, 2025. The attack resulted in the deaths of three individuals and injured ten others, including Pastor Gabriel Romanelli.

"Israel deeply regrets that a stray ammunition hit Gaza’s Holy Family Church. Every innocent life lost is a tragedy," Netanyahu said in an official statement after speaking on the phone with U.S. President Donald Trump, as quoted from Politico.

According to Channel News Asia, the Holy Family Church in Gaza is the only Catholic church in the region. The attack occurred around 10:30 a.m. local time. The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem stated that the shell from an Israeli tank directly struck the church compound. The Israeli military stated that initial investigations indicated that tank shell fragments accidentally struck the church compound.

Response from the Vatican and Catholic Community

Pope Leo XIV expressed condolences over the incident. He was "deeply saddened to learn of the loss of life and injury caused by the military attack." The Pope also reiterated his call for a ceasefire in the conflict between Israel and Hamas. Pastor Romanelli reportedly received frequent phone calls from the late Pope Francis during the war.

Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, doubted that this incident was a technical error. "What we know for sure is that a tank, the IDF (Israeli military) says by mistake, but we are not sure about this, they hit the Church directly," he said.

The Latin Patriarchate, which oversees the Catholic community in Israel, Palestine, Jordan, and Cyprus, also condemned the attack. They stated that at the time of the attack, the church compound housed around 600 refugee residents, mostly children, and 54 individuals with special needs. "The people in the Holy Family Compound are people who found in the Church a sanctuary - hoping that the horrors of war might at least spare their lives, after their homes, possessions and dignity had already been stripped away," they expressed.

Condemnation from the U.S. and Europe

The attack triggered strong reactions from various world leaders. President Trump reportedly expressed his displeasure in a phone conversation with Netanyahu. "It was not a positive reaction," said White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt.

She said it was an error by Israel to attack the Catholic church; that is what the Prime Minister conveyed to President Trump. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who has been known as a supporter of Israel, also deemed the attack on civilians as an unacceptable act. Similar condemnations came from several other leaders, including those from France.

Violence in Gaza Continues

Gaza is a predominantly Muslim-populated area with a very small Christian community. According to data from the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, out of around two million residents, only around 1,000 are Christians, mostly Orthodox, and about 135 of them are Catholics.

The attack last Thursday also resulted in the deaths of at least 22 other individuals at various locations in Gaza due to Israeli airstrikes. Since the start of the war between Israel and Hamas on October 7, 2024, the Gaza Health Ministry has recorded nearly 60,000 fatalities.

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