Christian leaders make a rare visit to Gaza after fatal Israeli church attacks

Cnn
–

On Friday, leaders of the Catholic and Greek Orthodox Church visited the only Catholic Church of Gazas in which three people were killed a day earlier in an Israeli strike.

In view of the strict control of Israel, the visit is very unusual about access in and outside the territory.

Israel says that it is “deeply regretted” the incident and blame stray ammunition for the strike. An investigation is underway.

Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin American patriarch of Jerusalem, visited the enclave after a statement by the Latin patriarchy of Jerusalem together with Theophilos III, the Greek Orthodox Patriarch by Jerusalem, the enclave.

The two expressed “the common pastoral concern of the churches of the Holy Land and their concern for the community of the Gaza Strip,” said the patriarchy, who is responsible in Gaza.

They brought food aid and medical care to the area that is exposed to a humanitarian crisis. The patriarchy also said that the leaders ensured that the injuries in the Israeli attack outside the Gaza were evacuated for treatment.

The church in Gaza has become protection for the tiny Christian community of enclave and others during the conflict.

Around 600 people, most of them, were given refuge in the church before it was hit, the patriarchy said in a statement on Thursday.

Pope Leo received a call from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday, in which the Pope put the importance of protecting the cult sites, said the Vatican.

During the call, Leo renewed his demands to achieve a ceasefire from the warfare pages in Gaza.

Pope Leo “pressed his concern for the dramatic humanitarian situation of the population in Gaza, whose heartbreaking price is paid in particular by children, the elderly and the sick”, according to the statement.

Netanyah's office confirmed the call and said that the Israeli guide “expressed Israel regret for the tragic incident” and offered his “warm condolences” to the families of the strikes.

There was international conviction of the attack, including the most important Israeli allies in the United States, which was at a time when it was no longer released in Gaza.

Almost 59,000 people died during the conflict, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, and the ceasefire talks are still coordinated.

Dr. Fadl Naim, director of the Al-Ahni Hospital in Gaza, asked why the injuries were able to go in the attack when others are excluded.

“Is it an attempt to polish the image of the crew or a discriminatory law – treat the wounded differently based on religion?” He asked for X.

“What about the tens of thousands of injured Palestinians who are refused their fundamental right to treat?”

This story has been updated with additional developments.