The Holy Family Catholic Church in Gaza, the only Latin-rite Catholic parish in the Strip, was hit on Thursday in a wave of new Israeli airstrikes. The attack left three civilians dead and several injured, including the parish’s pastor, Father Gabriel Romanelli of the Institute of the Incarnate Word.
The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem confirmed the news, while Caritas Jerusalem identified the deceased as Saad Issa Kostandi Salameh, a 60-year-old maintenance manager; 84-year-old Foumia Issa Latif Ayyad; and 70-year-old Najwa Abu Daoud. The two women were receiving psychological care inside a Caritas tent at the parish when the explosion occurred.
Father Romanelli, a native of Argentina, sustained leg injuries and was taken to Al Mamadami Hospital, according to Avvenire, the newspaper of the Italian Bishops’ Conference. His condition is not considered life-threatening. Eight others were also wounded.
This is not the first time Holy Family parish has been attacked. In December 2023, an Israeli sniper killed two women inside the compound. The Latin Patriarchate at that time condemned what it called a “cold-blooded” assault in an area where “there were no combatants.”
The parish, located in Gaza City’s al-Zaytun neighborhood, has served as a shelter for over 500 people since the Israel-Hamas war began in October 2023. Among them are Catholics, Orthodox Christians, Protestants, and more than 50 Muslim children with disabilities and their families.
Despite the ongoing conflict, Father Romanelli had chosen to remain in Gaza to minister to his flock. Although he was evacuated to Jerusalem in 2023, he later returned “in a gesture that demonstrates his pastoral commitment and spiritual resilience,” according to Avvenire.
The latest attack drew strong condemnation. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni declared, “The attacks against the civilian population that Israel has been carrying out for months are unacceptable. No military action can justify such deportment,” she wrote on X.
Pope Leo XIV echoed those concerns in a telegram sent by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican Secretary of State. The Holy Father expressed “deep sorrow for the loss of life and for the injuries caused by the attack” and renewed his urgent call for “an immediate ceasefire.” He also commended the souls of the deceased to “the loving mercy of Almighty God,” offering prayers for the wounded and grieving.
The Pope’s message of support to Holy Family comes just months after his final call to the parish—two days before his death on April 21. Throughout the war, he had kept in regular contact with Father Romanelli, showing his solidarity with Gaza’s suffering Christian community.
On July 1, a United Nations humanitarian delegation made a surprise visit to the parish to assess conditions. According to Servizio Informazione Religiosa, the church continues to be a critical refuge for those displaced by war, even as it endures frequent shelling.
With more than 60,200 lives lost since October 2023—58,313 Palestinians and 1,983 Israelis, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry—the Holy See and the Latin Church in Jerusalem are pleading once more for peace. As the Holy Father declared, “profound hope for dialogue, reconciliation, and enduring peace in the region” must not fade—even amid tragedy.
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