Israeli Airstrike Hits Historic Gaza Church, Kills 18 Including Ex-Congressman's Relatives

Israeli Defense Forces claim the airstrike was intended for a nearby Hamas command, control center, and denies targeting the centuries-old St. Porphyrius Greek Orthodox Church sheltering hundreds; Former Congressman Justin Amash and the Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem condemn the attack.

Eighteen Palestinians, most of whom were Christians, were killed in an Israeli airstrike that hit the St. Porphyrius Greek Orthodox Church in Gaza City, one of the world's oldest active churches. Among those killed were relatives of former US Congressman Justin Amash.
The church grounds, which included a chapel, seven buildings, and a courtyard, were being used as a shelter for hundreds of displaced families during the conflict. The bomb destroyed an administrative building that housed around 150 people.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) acknowledged the strike but 'categorically' denied targeting the church. They claimed the intended target was a nearby Hamas command and control center, but footage suggests the airstrike hit the church compound instead.
The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem condemned the strike as a war crime, stressing that targeting churches and their institutions, particularly those providing shelter for innocent civilians, is unjustifiable.
Israel has continued its airstrikes in Gaza after a Hamas attack killed more than 1,000 people, leading to a severe humanitarian crisis. More than 4,100 Palestinians have been killed and over a million left homeless, according to Palestinian health officials and the United Nations.