Church of Saint Porphyrius airstrike

On 19 October 2023, an Israeli airstrike hit a building belonging to the Church of Saint Porphyrius complex, a Greek Orthodox church in Gaza City, killing 16 Palestinian civilians, who were sheltering there along with around 500 Christian and Muslim Palestinian residents of the Gaza Strip during the 2023 Israel–Hamas war.

Church of Saint Porphyrius airstrike
Part of the 2023 Israel–Hamas war
Saint Porphyrius Church in 2022
LocationGaza City, Gaza Strip
Date19 October 2023
TargetBuilding adjacent to the Church of Saint Porphyrius
Attack type
Airstrike
Deaths16 Palestinian civilians
InjuredSeveral
Perpetrators Israeli Air Force

The Israeli military claimed that the explosion resulted from one of its airstrikes, allegedly targeting a nearby Hamas rocket and mortar launch command post.[1][2][3] The airstrike caused damage to the church's exterior and led to the collapse of an adjacent building belonging to the church complex. Several injured Palestinians were transported to the hospital.[4][5]

Background
Main article: Church of Saint Porphyrius

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 AD395 to AD420. The church was also damaged during the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) bombing campaign in the Gaza Strip in July 2014, where 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.[6]

Airstrike

Palestinian officials stated that at least 500 Muslims and Christians had been sheltering in the Church from IDF bombardments.[7] 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.[8] 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.[6]

Video footage from the church after the airstrike was published and appeared to show a young wounded boy being carried from the rubble.[7] Another video published shows people searching through the rubble of the building.[8]

Casualties

16 Palestinians were killed in the airstrike.[9][4][1][7] 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.[7]

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.[4]

Former U.S. Congressman Justin Amash announced that several of his relatives were killed in the airstrike.[10]

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.[11]

See also

References
  1. "Seventeen People Killed in Airstrike on Gaza Church". Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on 20 October 2023. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
  2. Zraick, Karen; Harouda, Ameera (20 October 2023). "Israeli Airstrike Hits Greek Orthodox Church Compound in Gaza City". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 24 October 2023. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
  3. Subramaniam, Tara; Edwards, Christian; Sangal, Aditi; Levenson, Eric; Vogt, Adrienne; Meyer, Matt; Powell, Tori; Tucker, Emma (19 October 2023). "October 19, 2023 - Israel-Hamas war". CNN. Archived from the original on 20 October 2023. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
  4. "'War crime': Israel bombs Gaza church sheltering displaced people". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 20 October 2023. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
  5. "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.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. 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.
  9. "'Destruction chased them': funeral held for those killed in Gaza church airstrike". The Guardian. 20 October 2023. Archived from the original on 23 October 2023. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
  10. 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.
  11. 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.
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