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Christian leaders in the Holy Land say they “strongly denounce” the Israeli attack on the Holy Family Catholic Church in Gaza, which happened on Thursday.

A shell from an Israeli tank Israeli hit the compound of the only Catholic church in the Gaza Strip, killing three people and wounding 10 others, including the parish priest, Father Gabriel Romanelli.

The Gaza war broke out following an Oct. 7, 2023, surprise attack by Hamas militants that left 1,200 Israelis dead and more than 250 taken as hostages. Of the roughly 100 hostages who remain in Gaza, a third are believed to be dead, according to Israeli Defense Forces.

Israel immediately launched a retaliatory offensive in Gaza to oust Hamas from leadership, with the subsequent conflict resulting in the deaths of over 70,000 people in Gaza, according to Palestinian estimates.

A peace deal made earlier this year has broken down, and Israel has increased its attacks on Gaza.

Since the beginning of the Gaza war, Pope Francis – who died in April – spoke regularly with Romanelli and the people at the parish.

In a message released on Friday, the Patriarchs and Heads of the Churches in Jerusalem said they held “profound solidarity” with the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the people sheltering in the Gaza church.

“In unyielding unity, we strongly denounce this crime. Houses of worship are sacred spaces that should be kept safe. They are also protected under international law,” the message said.

“Targeting a church that houses approximately 600 refugees, including children with special needs, is a violation of these laws. It is also an affront to human dignity, a trampling upon the sanctity of human life, and the desecration of a holy site,” the statement continued.

“We, the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem, call upon world leaders and United Nations agencies to work towards an immediate ceasefire in Gaza that leads to an end of this war. We also implore them to guarantee the protection of all religious and humanitarian sites, and to provide for the relief of the starving masses throughout the Gaza Strip,” the Church leaders said.

“Our prayers and support remain steadfast, calling for justice, peace, and the cessation of the suffering that has descended upon the people of Gaza,” the statement concluded.

Out of the Gaza Strip’s population of more than two million, about 1,000 are Christians. Most of them are Orthodox, but there are about 135 Catholics in the territory.

In a message signed by Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin on Thursday, Pope Leo XIV said he was “deeply saddened” to learn about the military attack on the Catholic Church in Gaza, and that he “assures the parish priest, Father Gabriele Romanelli, and the whole parish community of his spiritual closeness.”

“In commending the souls of the deceased to the loving mercy of Almighty God, the Holy Father prays for the consolation of those who grieve and for the recovery of the injured,” the statement says.

“His Holiness renews his call for an immediate ceasefire, and he expresses his profound hope for dialogue, consolation and enduring peace in the region,” Parolin writes.

The Israeli military said an initial assessment indicated that “fragments from a shell fired during operational activity in the area hit the church mistakenly.” It said it was still investigating.

The military said it only strikes militant targets and “makes every feasible effort to mitigate harm to civilians and religious structures, and regrets any unintentional damage caused to them.”

On late Thursday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office issued a statement expressing its regret on the tank hitting the church.

“Israel deeply regrets that a stray ammunition hit Gaza’s Holy Family Church,” the Prime Minister’s office said. “Every innocent life lost is a tragedy. We share the grief of the families and the faithful.”

The statement also expressed gratitude to Pope Leo for his “words of comfort.”

U.S. President Donald Trump spoke to Netanyahu after learning of the attack.

“It was not a positive reaction. He called Prime Minister Netanyahu this morning to address the strikes on that church in Gaza,” a White House spokeperson told reporters.

“And I understand the prime minister agreed to put out a statement. It was a mistake by the Israelis to hit that Catholic Church. That’s what the prime minister relayed to the president,” the spokesperson said.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres also strongly condemned the Israeli strike on Gaza’s only Catholic church.

“Attacks on places of worship are unacceptable. People seeking shelter must be respected and protected, not hit by strikes,” Stephanie Tremblay, a spokesperson for the Secretary-General, said on Thursday.

Follow Charles Collins on X: @CharlesinRome