On 19 October 2023, part of the Church of Saint Porphyrius, a Greek Orthodox church in Gaza City, in the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories, was damaged during an Israeli aistrike, killing at least 18 Palestinian civilians during the 2023 Israel–Hamas war. Over 450 Christian and Muslim Palestinian residents of the Gaza Strip had been sheltering there.[1]
| Church of Saint Porphyrius airstrike | |
|---|---|
| Part of the Israel–Hamas war | |
 Saint Porphyrius Church in 2022, before the Israeli airstrike | |
  Church Location within the Gaza Strip | |
| Location | Gaza City, Gaza Strip, Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories |
| Date | 19 October 2023 |
| Target | Building adjacent to the Church of Saint Porphyrius |
Attack type | Airstrike |
| Deaths | 18 Palestinian civilians |
| Injured | Several |
| Perpetrators |  Israeli Air Force |
According to the Israeli military the explosion resulted from one of its airstrikes, which had targeted a nearby Hamas command post.
Background
The Greek Orthodox Church of Saint Porphyrius is located in the Zaytun Quarter of Gaza's Old City, and houses the tomb of Saint Porphyrius who was a bishop in Gaza from 395 to 420.[2] The church was also damaged during the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) bombing campaign in the Gaza Strip in July 2014, in which its water tanks were destroyed and a neighboring home was damaged by IDF tank shells. During the shelling in 2014, the church had been offering refuge to Gaza citizens and had held Ramadan prayers in the courtyard. According to CBN News that same year, Greek Orthodox Archbishop Alexios had said off-camera that Hamas had used Church grounds to fire rockets.[3][4]
Saint Porphyrius is less than 300 metres (980 ft) from the al-Ahli Arab hospital compound where an explosion killed and injured hundreds of people who had fled there to escape Israeli airstrikes.[5]
Airstrike
Palestinian officials stated that at least 500 Muslims and Christians had been sheltering in the church from IDF bombardments.[6] A member of the community indicated that about 100 people had been sheltering in the two story building hit by the strike, with about 400 spread across the entire complex.[7] In an initial statement, the IDF stated that Israeli fighter jets had hit a nearby command and control centre that was being used by Hamas to attack Israel. The IDF acknowledged damage to the church and reports of casualties resulting from the strike.[2]
The airstrike caused damage to the church's exterior and led to the collapse of an adjacent building belonging to the church complex.[8]
The neighboring Katib al-Wilaya Mosque also sustained damage as a result of the airstrike.[9]
Video footage from the church after the airstrike was published and appeared to show a young wounded boy being carried from the rubble.[6] Another video published shows people searching through the rubble of the building.[7]
Casualties
At least 18 Palestinian civilians were killed in the airstrike.[1][10] A civil defense worker reported that those on the lower floors had been killed, while most of the survivors had been on the upper floors.[6] Several injured Palestinians were transported to the hospital.[11] Among those killed was photographer and archivist Marwan Tarazi, custodian of Kegham Djeghalian's 20th-century photography studio archive.[12][13]
Reactions
The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem strongly denounced the attack as a war crime and accused the Israeli military of targeting churches and civilian shelters.[8] Amnesty International called on the attack to be investigated as a possible war crime.[14]
Former U.S. Congressman Justin Amash announced that several of his relatives were killed in the airstrike.[15]
Pope Francis mentioned the strike in a call for an end to the fighting, humanitarian aid to be allowed into Gaza, and the release of the hostages held by Hamas.[16]
See also
References
- ^ a b "Israel/OPT: 'Nowhere safe in Gaza': Unlawful Israeli strikes illustrate callous disregard for Palestinian lives". Amnesty International. 20 November 2023. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
- ^ a b Ditmars, Hadani (20 October 2023). "Historic Greek Orthodox church in Gaza hit by deadly missile strikes". The Art Newspaper - International art news and events. Archived from the original on 23 October 2023. Retrieved 22 October 2023.
- ^ Harkov, Lahav (7 August 2014). "Foreign press gives mixed accounts of Hamas intimidation in Gaza". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 23 November 2023.
- ^ Moschonas, Alexios (6 August 2014). "Gaza Bishop: Hamas Used Church to Fire Rockets" (Interview). Interviewed by George Thomas.
- ^ Vargas, Ramon Antonio (21 October 2023). "Former US congressman says family members killed in Gaza church blast". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
- ^ a b c Al-Mughrabi, Nidal (20 October 2023). "Orthodox church says it was hit by Israeli air strike in Gaza". Reuters. Archived from the original on 20 October 2023. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
- ^ a b Berger, Miriam; Hill, Evan; Ables, Kelsey (20 October 2023). "Historic church sheltering civilians struck in deadly Gaza City blast". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 20 October 2023. Retrieved 22 October 2023.
- ^ a b "'War crime': Israel bombs Gaza church sheltering displaced people". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 20 October 2023. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
- ^ Saber, Indlieb Farazi. "A 'cultural genocide': Which of Gaza's heritage sites have been destroyed?". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 22 March 2024.
- ^ Gostoli, Ylenia; Abu Riash, Abdelhakim. "'We were baptised here and we will die here': Gaza's oldest church bombed". Al Jazeera English. Retrieved 28 October 2023.
- ^ "Several dead and injured by Israeli strike at church in Gaza". The New Arab. 20 October 2023. Archived from the original on 21 October 2023. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
- ^ Allam, Hannah (27 December 2023). "Songs of grief and defiance fuel Arab solidarity for Palestinians". The Washington Post. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
- ^ Atef Abu Saif (2023). "The Second Preliminary Report on the Cultural Sector Damage" (PDF). Arab Lit. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
- ^ "Israel/OPT: detailed investigation into two Israeli attacks in Gaza shows mass killing of civilians". Retrieved 21 April 2024.
- ^ Kesslen, Ben (20 October 2023). "Former Congressman Reveals 'Several' Family Members Killed in Israeli Airstrike on Gaza Orthodox Church". The Messenger. Archived from the original on 21 October 2023. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
- ^ O'Connell, Gerard (22 October 2023). "Pope Francis pleads with Israelis and Palestinians: 'Stop, stop' the war". America. Archived from the original on 22 October 2023. Retrieved 23 October 2023.