At least 16 people were killed Friday in an Israeli airstrike on a centuries-old Christian church in Gaza where at least 450 people were taking refuge.
Dozens of people were injured at St. Porphyry Greek Orthodox Church, although the exact number had not yet been determined because rescuers were still there for survivors, a spokesman said. The National.
“A man lost his wife, his daughter and his granddaughter,” said Father Issa Musleh of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate. “Families are erased. »
The church dates back to the 5th century AD and is not far from the Al Ahli Arab Hospital, where a bomb attack on Tuesday killed at least 470 people.
“It’s a heritage site,” Father Musleh said. “They are trying to erase our history. They want us to have no past.
Saint Porphyrius is the oldest church still in use in Gaza and is located in the city’s historic district. It is also one of the oldest in the world.
“We condemn in the strongest terms what is happening to our holy sites – the mosques and churches of Gaza,” Father Musleh said.
“Hospitals can no longer cope or carry out their usual tasks without food, fuel or even medicine.
“(The Israelis) are trying to put pressure on us. But we’re not going anywhere.
Witnesses recounted The National Hundreds of people were inside the church seeking shelter from Israeli airstrikes.
“We were inside the church and suddenly the bombing hit the building, which was only one story,” said Tark Saba, a Gaza resident who had taken refuge with his family in the ‘church. The National.
Although his father, mother and two brothers were injured and taken to hospital, he was helping civil defense search for survivors.
“I’m trying to find some of our belongings, but our priority is getting people out of the rubble,” he said.
An injured woman said The National they felt safe when “suddenly, without any warning, the bombings began. An entire floor fell on our heads.”
The Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem expressed its “strongest condemnation” of the strike.
“Target churches and their institutions, as well as the shelters they provide to protect innocent citizens, especially children and women who lost their homes due to Israeli airstrikes on residential areas over the past 13 days , constitutes a war crime that cannot be ignored. “, declared the Patriarchate.
Updated: October 20, 2023, 10:17 a.m.
