Netanyahu apologizes for "accidental" strike on Catholic church in Gaza – it was DELIBERATE
By ramontomeydw // 2025-07-23
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  • Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu apologized to Pope Leo XIV for the IDF’s "accidental" strike on Holy Family Catholic Church in Gaza, attributing it to "stray ammunition" and offering condolences for the three deaths and 10 injuries, including a priest linked to Pope Francis.
  • Despite Israel's claims of unintentional harm, Cardinal Pizzaballa and others openly doubted the "mistake" narrative. The Vatican condemned Gaza's humanitarian crisis and reiterated calls for a ceasefire, though it avoided directly blaming Israel.
  • The strike follows other IDF actions against Gaza's Christian minority, including the October 2023 bombing of Saint Porphyrius Church (18 killed) and damage to Gaza Baptist Church during the Al-Ahli Hospital explosion. Shelling resumed within 24 hours of Netanyahu's apology, killing 14 more.
  • Gaza's vanishing Christian community (under 1,000 remaining) has served as a interfaith bridge. The Vatican's deployment of clergy to Gaza challenges Israel's blockade, while Pope Leo XIV's diplomacy contrasts with U.S. frustration, revealing allied fractures.
  • With over 58,600 Palestinian deaths (70 percent women/children) since October 2023, the church attack underscores the paradox of Israel's campaign against Hamas: Massive civilian casualties, even in protected religious sites, rendering diplomatic apologies hollow amid famine and stalled ceasefires.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has issued an apology over the Israel Defense Forces' (IDF) "accidental" strike on the Holy Family Catholic Church in Gaza on Thursday, July 17. The Israeli leader apologized to Pope Leo XIV – the head of the Roman Catholic Church – during a phone call on July 18. He described the strike as being caused by "stray ammunition" from Israeli tanks, and offered condolences to the casualties. The attack killed three Palestinians and injured 10 others – including a priest who had maintained a close bond with Pope Francis, Leo's predecessor as pontiff. While Tel Aviv insists that the attack on the church was "unintentional," it has drawn rare Vatican-led condemnation and reignited scrutiny over the IDF’s targeting of civilian shelters and houses of worship in its nearly nine-month campaign against Hamas. Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, openly doubted Israel's claims of error after touring the damaged church Friday. "We are not a target. They say it was a mistake. Even if everybody here believes it wasn't," he told Corriere della Sera. The Holy See, while stopping short of directly blaming Israel, called Gaza's humanitarian crisis "dramatic" and renewed demands for a ceasefire. (Related: Holy Family Catholic Church in Gaza struck amid conflict, raising concerns for civilians and Christian minority.) The incident is the latest in a pattern of lethal IDF actions against Gaza's Christian minority. In October 2023, Israel bombed the historic Church of Saint Porphyrius, killing 18 civilians. Days later, shrapnel from an airstrike damaged the Gaza Baptist Church during the controversial Al-Ahli Hospital explosion – an event Israel attributed to a Palestinian rocket misfire. Despite Netanyahu's assurances to protect holy sites, Palestinian health officials report that Israeli shelling resumed within 24 hours of the church apology – killing at least 14 more people overnight.

Holy See vs. Tel Aviv: A diplomatic clash over Gaza

Since October 2023, Gaza's Health Ministry – considered reliable by the United Nations – has documented over 58,600 Palestinian deaths, 70 percent of whom are women and children. Historical parallels underscore the significance of the church strike. Gaza's Christian community, already dwindling from 3,000 to under 1,000 since 2007, has long served as a bridge between faiths in the region. The Vatican's decision to dispatch high-level clergy to Gaza marks a symbolic challenge to Israel's blockade, with Pizzaballa vowing to maintain a Catholic presence "whatever happens." Meanwhile, the pontiff's diplomacy contrasts sharply with U.S. President Donald Trump's reported private frustration, highlighting growing fractures even among Israel's allies. As global scrutiny intensifies, the Holy Family Church attack crystallizes the enduring paradox of Israel's Gaza offensive. This campaign, ostensibly aimed at Hamas, continues to exact an unbearable toll on civilians – including those under the sanctuary of centuries-old religious institutions. With ceasefire talks stalled and Gaza facing famine, diplomatic apologies ring hollow for families sifting through rubble – whether in churches, hospitals or the ruins of their homes. Visit OutrageDepot.com for more similar stories. Watch this clip showing the aftermath of Israel's strike on the Abu Helou School in central Gaza. This video is from the Cynthia's Pursuit of Truth channel on Brighteon.com.

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More than 300 KILLED in 48 hours as Israel’s assault on Gaza Strip continues. Israeli strikes kill 88 Palestinians in 24 hours as Gaza faces catastrophic hunger crisis. Former MEP condemns hypocritical EU for being "totally complicit" in Gaza genocide. Sources include: RT.com YnetNews.com APNews.com Brighteon.com
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