Hundreds of people die in an attack on a church in Gaza City. The Israeli Air Force claims responsibility.
Gaza – An explosion destroyed a historic Greek Orthodox church on Thursday evening Gaza Strip shocked. Videos emerged early Friday morning showing obvious damage and casualties at St. Porphyrios Orthodox Church in Gaza. The Washington Post geographically located the explosion and confirmed the location of the church based on the video. The region’s oldest church is said to have served hundreds of Palestinians because of the War in Israel served as a place of refuge.
At least 18 dead and over 100 missing under the rubble
The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem in a statement on Thursday evening blamed the Israeli Air Force and its operations over the Gaza Strip. On Friday, the Patriarchate said the number of dead recovered so far was 18, including nine children. Another 100 victims are still believed to be under the rubble. The German aid organization Caritas International in Freiburg said that a local employee of Caritas Jerusalem was also among the victims.
A deacon from the Church of St. Porphyrios said Washington Post, several hundred displaced Christians had found refuge on the site. Rescue workers were still searching the rubble early Friday. A Palestinian American who moved from Gaza to the Strip in the early 2000s USA came, told the US newspaper that she had relatives and friends who were taking refuge in the church at the time of the attack. Some of them were injured.
According to our own investigation: The church was hit in an attack on a Hamas command center
First, Israel Defense Forces spokesman Lt. Col. Richard Hecht said Friday morning Newsweek, that the Israeli army was investigating the incident but was “well aware” that “the church was damaged.” Hecht said the IDF planned a visual confirmation of “what happened” and “what we were aiming at.” He indicated that the information would be released in a timely manner and that the Israeli military was working hard to clarify the situation.
The press secretary later said in a statement Newsweek, that the Israeli army was responsible for the damage to the church, but that it can “clearly determine that the church was not the target of the attack.” “Last evening, Israel Defense Forces fighter jets attacked the command center of a Hamas-Terrorists involved in firing rockets and mortars Israel was involved,” the statement said. As a result of the attack, the wall of a church near the center was damaged.
Most recently, Hamas and Israel accused each other of hitting a hospital. US intelligence says there is evidence that the rocket that hit a hospital in the Gaza Strip was fired by the Islamic Jihad terrorist group.
St. Porphyrius Church in the Gaza Strip: Historical building from the 5th century
The original construction of the Porphyrius Church dates from the 5th century, the current building is around 700 years younger. Located in a historic district of Gaza City, it is named after the former Bishop of Gaza, Saint Porphyrius, who is said to have died there in 420 AD. The Orthodox Patriarchate strongly protested against the bombing of churches and religious buildings in the Gaza Strip. This cannot be accepted.
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