(OSV News): “Suddenly, we were sitting in a hall next to the church, when we were shocked by the force and sound of a missile hitting the building,” Nathalie Sayegh, a Caritas Jerusalem employee said recounting the moment when a the projectile fired from an Israeli tank crashed into an annex of the Greek Orthodox church of St. Porphyrios in Gaza City on July 29. The missile did not explode, miraculously sparing the lives of many displaced Palestinians, mainly Christians who have sheltered there since fighting erupted between Israel and Hamas on 7 October 2023.
“There were some 70 people present in the hall at the time,” Sayegh said, adding, “People panicked, screaming as the missile penetrated the annex roof, hitting a room before reaching a hall filled with displaced people where the shell fell from the ceiling. It failed to explode on impact.”
She said, “Thank the Lord, it did not detonate, otherwise we would have been left with nothing but remnants,” nevertheless she pointed out that, “There was great damage done by the missile’s impact to the hall and other areas, including the priest and bishop’s residence. Three women were injured by the impact and debris from the walls, but no severe injuries were reported. One suffered injuries to her hand.”
St. Porphyrios Church was the scene of a previous Israeli missile strike, on 19 October 2023, and it was deadly [Sunday Examiner, 27 October 2023]. An Israeli airstrike damaged one of the four buildings on the church compound causing the ceiling to collapse and killing at least 18 civilians, including children. At the time more than 450 Christian and Muslim Palestinian residents in Gaza had been sheltering there.
Suddenly, we were sitting in a hall next to the church, when we were shocked by the force and sound of a missile hitting the building
The Israeli military said the explosion resulted from one of its airstrikes, which had targeted a nearby Hamas rocket and mortar launch command post.
A statement from Caritas Jerusalem said that the July 29 incident “underscores the vulnerability of the displaced and the critical need for safety in conflict zones.”
It said, “Caritas Jerusalem thanks the Lord for protecting the internally displaced who were seeking refuge in the church compound and reiterates that nowhere is safe in Gaza. Please pray with us for an immediate ceasefire and an end to this tyranny.”
Meanwhile, the Assembly of Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy Land condemned the attack in which 12 children were killed while playing on a soccer field when a rocket struck the Israeli-controlled small town of Majdal Shams near Lebanon.
“These innocent lives, full of hopes and dreams, were taken in an unspeakable act of violence, deeply grieving all who hold life sacred,” the assembly said in a July 28 condolence message.
“We extend our heartfelt condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims and to the entire Druze community in the Holy Land,” the message said. “The loss of these children is an unspeakable tragedy, leaving a profound impact on us all. Words cannot fully express the grief and indignation we feel in the face of such an abhorrent act of violence.”
At least 44 other people were injured in the attack. Although Hezbollah did not claim responsibility, days later, Israel carried out a strike on Beirut, which claimed a life of a top Hezbollah commander, the military organization confirmed. The Beirut strike killed at least two children and injured 74 other people.
