“This attack constitutes a serious violation of International Humanitarian Law and adds to the destruction of places of worship in the Strip, which provide care amid the extermination of the Palestinian people,” he wrote on the social media platform X.

According to BBC, at least three people were killed and several others wounded, including the church’s Argentine pastor, Gabriel Romanelli. Pope Francis expressed his deep sorrow over the attack on the institution, where multiple Christian families had been sheltering since the start of Israel’s offensive in Gaza after being displaced by the destruction of their homes.

It is estimated that around 600 refugees, mostly children and people with special needs, were inside the church before the bombing. Notably, this church is located in a part of Gaza that the Israeli military had previously ordered evacuated.

jrr/mem/bbb