The White House confirmed on Thursday that President Donald Trump called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after a Catholic church in Gaza was hit by a shell in an Israeli strike. Church officials reported that three people were killed and 10 were wounded in the strike.
During a Thursday press conference, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt was asked about the president’s reaction to the Holy Family Catholic Church in Gaza being hit in an Israeli strike, which killed three people and left 10 wounded, according to The Associated Press. In response, Leavitt said, “It was not a positive reaction. He called Prime Minister Netanyahu this morning to address the strikes on that church in Gaza. And I understand the prime minister agreed to put out a statement.”
“It was a mistake by the Israelis to hit that Catholic Church,” the White House press secretary added. “That’s what the prime minister relayed to the president, and you should look at the Prime Minister’s statement that will be coming.”
Following Trump’s phone call with Netanyahu, the Prime Minister’s Office released a statement on X, formerly Twitter, saying, “Israel deeply regrets that a stray ammunition hit Gaza’s Holy Family Church. Every innocent life lost is a tragedy. We share the grief of the families and the faithful.”
“We are grateful to Pope Leo for his words of comfort,” the Prime Minister’s Office added. “Israel is investigating the incident and remains committed to protecting civilians and holy sites.”
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In a statement on social media, the Israel Defense Forces confirmed that an initial inquiry into the strike that hit the Holy Family Catholic Church in Gaza City suggested that the church was “mistakenly” hit by fragments from a shell that was fired as part of “operational activity in the area.” Israel’s military noted that the cause of the tragic incident remains under investigation.
“The IDF directs its strikes solely at military targets and makes every feasible effort to mitigate harm to civilians and religious structures, and regrets any unintentional damage caused to them,” the Israel Defense Forces stated.
In another post on X, Lt. Col Nadav Shoshani, a spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces, emphasized that Israel’s military “does not target religious institutions and takes many precautions to avoid harm to civilians or holy sites.” Shoshani added that the Israel Defense Forces is dedicated to protecting “the freedom of religion for people of all faiths.”
