Church in Gaza hit by “Israel” was the one Pope Francis called every night

Three members of Gaza’s Christian community were killed on Thursday when an 'Israeli' airstrike hit the Holy Family Catholic Church—the only Catholic church in the besieged enclave, according to the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem.

The church compound, which had been sheltering hundreds of displaced civilians, sustained heavy damage in what officials described as a “flagrant violation of human dignity” and an act that targeted innocent civilians.

The Latin Patriarchate confirmed that two people were killed instantly, while a third died later from wounds sustained in the attack. Among the injured was Father Gabriel Romanelli, the parish priest, who appeared at Gaza City’s Al-Ahli Hospital with a bandaged leg. Photographs from the hospital showed injured civilians being treated in makeshift tents.

Father Romanelli had maintained a close relationship with the late Pope Francis, who contacted him daily throughout the war until his passing in April.

The Holy Family Church compound had been providing refuge to approximately 600 displaced Palestinians, including 54 people with special needs, since the war began. Elias Al-Jaldah, a member of the Agents Council of the Arab Orthodox Church in Gaza, revealed the shelling occurred "only 10 minutes after the prayer service ended," warning that a "horrific massacre" would have occurred had worshippers still been present. Jaldah strongly condemned the attack as "part of a systematic campaign targeting churches" aiming to force Gaza’s Christian community to leave, asserting their resolve to remain.

Pope Francis's Personal Connection to the Church

The Holy Family Catholic Church holds profound significance due to its unique connection with the late Pope Francis. From October 9, 2023, just two days after the war's escalation, until his passing in April 2025, Pope Francis famously initiated and maintained almost daily phone calls to the church. He would speak with Father Gabriel Romanelli and his assistant, Yusuf Assad, typically around 7 p.m. local time in Gaza.

These brief but deeply meaningful calls, often via WhatsApp, served as a vital lifeline and source of comfort for the small Christian community and other displaced individuals sheltering within the compound.

Father Romanelli recounted that Pope Francis would ask simple yet profound questions like "How are you?" and "What did you eat?", listening intently to the struggles of hunger, fear, and cold. He would offer blessings and prayers, embodying his message of "closeness, compassion, and tenderness." Church members regarded him as a "saint" and a "beloved father figure" who consistently fought to protect his "small herd" and would tell them, "I am with you, don't be afraid." His last recorded call reportedly occurred just days before his death.

Vatican and Global Outcry

Current Pope Leo XIV expressed his grief, stating he was "deeply saddened" by the attack and renewed his call for an immediate ceasefire. I

nternational condemnation was swift, with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni describing the attack as "unacceptable" and her Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani calling it "a serious act against a Christian place of worship." Monsignor Pascal Gollnisch, head of the Catholic charity l'Oeuvre d'Orient, directly stated there was "no strategic objective, there were no jihadists in this church. There were families, there were civilians. This is totally unacceptable."