Cardinal Pizzaballa Delivers Aid Gaza After Israeli Church Strike Killing Three

Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa entered Gaza to deliver humanitarian aid following an Israeli strike on the Holy Family Church, the region's only Catholic church, which caused three deaths and multiple injuries. The attack severely damaged the church near its main cross, sparking skepticism from Pizzaballa and Vatican officials about Israel's claim that it was a stray ammunition accident. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu pledged an investigation and expressed commitment to protecting civilians and holy sites, but doubts persist due to previous unresolved incidents. Pope Leo XIV spoke with Cardinal Pizzaballa, expressing sympathy for the victims and reaffirming his commitment to peace and ending the violence in Gaza and the broader Middle East. The Cardinal, accompanied by Jerusalem's Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III, brought significant aid for both Christian and Muslim residents enduring the conflict. The church has served as a shelter for many Palestinians since the outbreak of the conflict in October 2023, when Hamas militants launched a deadly attack on Israel, prompting a large-scale Israeli military response.