Religious Leaders Arrive with Aid
Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa and Patriarch Theophilos III crossed into Gaza on Friday to deliver hundreds of tons of food, medical supplies, and first aid kits to the Holy Family Church compound, an act that showed support for the local Christian group and families in need. This trip is one of the few times since October that outside church figures have been allowed in, as access has tightened amid ongoing fighting.
Details of the Strike
A day before their arrival, what Israel called stray ammunition hit the only Catholic parish in Gaza, killing three people who had sheltered there and injuring ten more, including the parish priest, Father Gabriel Romanelli.
The victims were Saad Salameh, 60, who worked as the church janitor, and two elderly women, Fumayya Ayyad, 84, and Najwa Abu Daoud, 70. Around 600 displaced people, among them about 50 Muslim children with disabilities, had found refuge inside the compound.
Messages from the Vatican
As they entered, Cardinal Pizzaballa received a call from Pope Leo XIV, who told him it was urgent to stop the killing and to make sure no more people lose their lives in Gaza. “This must not happen again,” the cardinal later told Vatican News, urging leaders to push for talks that could ease the crisis.
Medical Evacuation Efforts
The delegation worked with local teams to move the wounded out of the territory to hospitals in neighboring areas, aiming to give them care that local clinics cannot provide amid shortages. Cardinal Pizzaballa will stay in Gaza until Sunday so he can meet families and see for himself what aid is most urgent.
Response from Israel and International Figures
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed regret for the deaths, calling the event tragic and linked to stray fire, but he did not offer details on how the mistake happened. On Friday, Pope Leo also spoke with Netanyahu to share concerns about the rising death toll and to press for a break in the violence.
Community Impact and Numbers
Gaza’s health ministry reports that more than 58,000 Palestinians have died since the war began in October 2023, and many more have lost homes, water, and electricity. The strike on the church compound points to the wider danger that civilians face every day, as shelters become targets for shelling and gunfire.
Personal Analysis
I think these visits by church leaders matter more than ever, because they give a human face to aid efforts in a place where the news often shows only harsh images of conflict. And their willingness to stay days longer shows they want to learn what people really need, not just deliver supplies and leave.
But at the same time, this trip highlights how little safe space remains in Gaza, as even places of worship can turn into sites of death. It also underlines that outside voices must keep pushing for breaks in fighting, because every pause could save lives.
Sources: DW
