Historic church sheltering civilians struck in deadly Gaza City blast

The Washington Post: The historic Church of St. Porphyrius in Gaza City was struck during an airstrike, resulting in the death of at least 16 Christians and injuring an unknown number. The church had been providing shelter to displaced Palestinians. The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem blamed Israel for the attack, while the Israel Defense Forces claimed the strike targeted a Hamas control center and inadvertently damaged the church. The church dates back to the 5th century and is an important community refuge. A Palestinian American woman with family ties to the church expressed outrage at the situation, criticizing Israel’s call for mass evacuation from the densely populated Gaza City as impractical. Christians constitute about 1% of Gaza’s population and have previously faced discrimination and restrictions. The Patriarchate of Jerusalem emphasized its commitment to its humanitarian duty, stating that targeting churches sheltering innocent citizens cannot be ignored.

The entire article can be read at the link https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/10/20/gaza-church-strike-saint-porphyrius/