With Sorrow And Solidarity, Christians Up Pressure On Israel After Deadly Gaza Church Strike

The religion was watched complete intimately by nan late Pope Francis, who said regular pinch its parish leader and erstwhile talented his popemobile to nan children there.

In a uncommon and risky sojourn to Gaza — mostly sealed disconnected from overseas officials — Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, nan Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, and Theophilos III, nan Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem, led a delegation into nan territory connected Friday to show their support.

Video footage captured their presence astatine nan church, greeted by cheers and ringing bells.

“On behalf of each nan Christians of our land, each nan churches each complete nan world are agreed pinch america successful this moment,” said Pizzaballa, who besides led Sunday greeting wide astatine nan church.

President Donald Trump called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pursuing nan strike.

White House spokesperson Tammy Bruce said it was an understatement to opportunity Trump was not happy pinch Netanyahu during nan call, adding that nan U.S. had asked Israel to analyse nan onslaught and “ensure that each civilians, including Christian civilians, stay safe.”

"Everyone is appalled," she said.

On Friday, staunch Trump state Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) introduced a measure to portion $500 cardinal successful U.S. subject backing to Israel, a measurement that was overwhelmingly rejected but marked a uncommon rebuke.

Netanyahu said that Israel “deeply regrets that a stray ammunition deed Gaza’s Holy Family Church" and called Pope Leo connected Friday night.

The Israel Defense Forces said it was reviewing nan incident. Israel’s Foreign Ministry said nan results of nan investigation would beryllium published.

Bruce called nan premier minister’s consequence “an due start” and reiterated Israel’s framing of nan onslaught arsenic an accident.

But admissions of regret person not satisfied nan grieving Catholic community, which has amplified its calls for a ceasefire.

The Jerusalem branch of nan Vatican’s Caritas federation named 2 of nan dormant arsenic Saad Salameh, 60, nan church’s janitor, and Fumayya Ayyad, 84, who had been sitting wrong a Caritas psychosocial support shelter erstwhile nan blast sent shrapnel and debris flying. The pope named nan different arsenic Najwa Ibrahim Latif Abu Daoud.

Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, president of nan U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, called for bid and an “immediate ceasefire” pursuing nan strike, echoing Pope Leo and renewing calls made truthful often nether Francis.

“With nan Holy Father, nan Catholic bishops of nan United States are profoundly saddened to study astir nan deaths and injuries astatine Holy Family Church successful Gaza caused by a subject strike,” Broglio said successful a statement. "May location beryllium bid successful Gaza."

Pax Christi International, a Christian bid organization, condemned nan strike, and called for "an contiguous and imperishable ceasefire."

Yet while those calls whitethorn person intensified successful nan aftermath of nan attack, location was small motion of 1 this weekend.

Since Pizzaballa visited nan Holy Family Church connected Friday, Israeli aerial strikes had killed more than 100 group successful Gaza, according to section wellness authorities.

On Sunday, nan Israeli subject issued removal orders that suggested its crushed violative whitethorn beryllium astir to widen into caller areas astatine nan bosom of nan enclave, while nan United Nations said that civilians were starving and successful urgent request of aid.

Pizzaballa, person to nan carnage than astir foreigners person managed since nan existent conflict began, erstwhile again called for peace.

"Churches each complete nan world, particularly nan religion successful nan Holy Land, nan Greek Orthodox, and each nan churches, will ne'er wantonness and neglect you," he said, addressing nan church.

“We are moving successful nan negotiated world successful bid for a ceasefire, to extremity this war, this tragedy,” he said.