Israel attack on Greek Orthodox Church in Gaza 'crime against religions', authorities say

Palestinian authorities, on Tuesday, called an Israeli attack on the Greek Orthodox Saint Porphyrius Church in Gaza City a “crime against religions”, Anadolu Agency reports.

Damage was reported in the attack on the building, where dozens of displaced Palestinian Christians had taken refuge.

“The Israeli army committed a new crime by targeting Saint Porphyrius Church in Gaza City,” Ismail Thawabteh, Director of Gaza’s Government Media Office, told Anadolu.

“This is a crime against religions and is part of the ongoing genocide against Palestinians since 7 October,” he added.

The Palestinian official said that more than 600 mosques and three churches have been destroyed in Israeli attacks in Gaza since 7 October, 2023.

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“These are crimes against religions and religious teachings,” he said. “Israel does not respect anything, and its army used 2,000-pound rockets and bombs (in attacking) churches and places of worship.”

Foad Ayyad, a displaced Christian in the Church, said two missiles hit the building at dawn.

“I was inside the Church with my child when we heard a loud explosion and saw smoke rising,” he told Anadolu.

“Israel does not differentiate between mosques and churches in its attacks,” he added.

Photos taken by Anadolu showed unexploded ordnance on the Church’s ground.

Saint Porphyrius Church is one of the oldest Christian sites in Gaza. It was built in the 5th century and named after Saint Porphyrius, whose tomb is inside the Church.

Flouting a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire, Israel has faced international condemnation amid its continued brutal offensive on Gaza since a 7 October, 2023 attack by Hamas.

At least 39,400 Palestinians have since been killed, mostly women and children, and nearly 91,000 injured, according to local health authorities.

Over nine months into the Israeli war, vast tracts of Gaza lie in ruins amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water and medicine.

Israel is accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice, whose latest ruling ordered it to immediately halt its military operation in the southern city of Rafah, where more than 1 million Palestinians had sought refuge from the war before it was invaded on 6 May.

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