Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Pope Leo XIV on Friday morning following the accidental strike on Gaza’s Holy Family Catholic Church that killed three people and wounded ten others, including a priest, according to a Vatican announcement.
During the call, the Pope expressed his concern about the humanitarian situation in Gaza and called for the revival of negotiations to end the war. He emphasized the urgent need to protect holy sites and the faithful throughout Palestine and Israel.
Netanyahu had expressed deep regret over the incident on Thursday night, stating: “Israel deeply regrets that a stray ammunition hit Gaza’s Holy Family Church. Every innocent life lost is a tragedy. We share the grief of the families and the faithful. We are grateful to Pope Leo for his words of comfort.”
The Prime Minister assured that Israel is investigating the incident and remains committed to protecting civilians and holy sites, despite the challenging operational environment created by Hamas’s military tactics.
The church strike underscores the difficult conditions Israeli forces face in Gaza, where Hamas has systematically embedded its military operations within civilian areas. The Palestinian terror group deliberately positions fighters, weapons, and command centers among Gaza’s civilian population, using schools, hospitals, mosques, and residential buildings as operational bases.
An initial IDF inquiry found that fragments from a tank shell fired during operational activity in the area mistakenly hit the church. “The IDF directs its strikes solely at military targets and makes every feasible effort to mitigate harm to civilians and religious structures, and regrets any unintentional damage caused to them,” the military stated.
Hamas’s strategy of embedding itself within civilian infrastructure creates an environment where civilian casualties become almost inevitable during military operations, as Israel accuses the terror group of using Gaza’s population as human shields—a practice that violates international law.
Following the incident, Pope Leo XIV issued a strong statement: “I am deeply saddened to learn of the loss of life and injury caused by the military attack on the Holy Family Catholic Church in Gaza. I renew my call for an immediate ceasefire. Only dialogue and reconciliation can ensure enduring peace!”
The Pope’s conversation with Netanyahu reflected his broader concern for the humanitarian crisis affecting Gaza’s population, “with children, the elderly and the sick paying the most heartbreaking price,” according to the Vatican statement.
Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, visited the Gaza parish on Friday alongside Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III. During their visit, Pope Leo XIV called Patriarch Pizzaballa to express his “closeness, care, prayer, support, and desire to do everything possible to achieve not only a ceasefire but also an end to this tragedy.”
The church leaders organized humanitarian convoys carrying hundreds of tons of food, medical supplies, and equipment to Gaza, while facilitating the evacuation of those wounded in the church strike.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry emphasized that the country “never targets churches or religious sites and regrets any harm to a religious site or to uninvolved civilians.” The ministry promised a transparent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The tragic accident highlights how Hamas’s deliberate embedding within civilian areas creates operational challenges that can result in unintended consequences for innocent Palestinians and religious communities. Since ending a ceasefire in March, Israeli forces have conducted regular operations against Hamas militants, but the terror group’s use of civilian infrastructure as cover complicates efforts to avoid civilian casualties.
Netanyahu’s call to the Pope demonstrates Israel’s commitment to maintaining dialogue with religious leaders and addressing humanitarian concerns, even as military operations continue against Hamas forces that operate from within Gaza’s civilian population.
