A comprehensive IDF Southern Command investigation into Thursday's tragic strike on Gaza's Latin Holy Family Church has determined that three fatalities and multiple injuries resulted from unintended munitions deviation during active military operations, triggering immediate protocol revisions for combat near sacred sites.
"During the operation, modifications were implemented to enhance firing precision, and following the incident, protocols for engaging targets near religious buildings, shelters and additional sensitive locations were refined," the IDF communicated.
The IDF further noted that "according to requests from patriarch representatives in Jerusalem, the IDF through the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories facilitates humanitarian assistance including food supplies, medical equipment and pharmaceuticals to the church in the Strip. Furthermore, recent days saw the coordinated entry of a delegation representing the Greek and Latin Patriarch, accompanied by Christian clergy members visiting the church in the Strip. Concurrently, the evacuation of incident casualties was arranged for ongoing medical care." The statement further said, "The IDF directs its military strikes exclusively toward military objectives and operates to the greatest extent possible to reduce harm to civilians and civilian infrastructure, including religious establishments. The IDF expresses regret over any civilian casualties."
Israel's Foreign Ministry expressed deep sorrow over the damage to the Holy Family Church in Gaza City and over any civilian casualty. "Israel never targets churches or religious sites and regrets any harm to a religious site or to uninvolved civilians," it said on X on Thursday.
The Foreign Ministry indicated that the IDF is examining the incident, noting that the circumstances remain unclear and promising that investigation results will be published transparently.
Vatican News reported that the church was hit by tank fire, with Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, confirming that two of the wounded individuals remain in life-threatening condition following the strike on the religious facility.
"What we know for sure is that a tank, the IDF says by mistake, but we are not sure about this, they hit the Church directly, the Church of the Holy Family, the Latin Church," Cardinal Pizzaballa told Vatican News. "There are four people seriously wounded, among these four, two are in very dramatic conditions and their lives are in serious danger."
