US President Donald Trump expressed fury over the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) airstrikes Thursday, on the Holy Family Catholic Church in Gaza, which killed three people and injured at least ten others, including the parish priest Father Gabriel Romanelli. The church, the only Catholic place of worship in Gaza, was sheltering hundreds of Palestinians at the time.
Trump was reportedly furious after learning of the attack, and he directly contacted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to express his displeasure. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that Trump's response was "not a positive reaction" and that Netanyahu agreed to issue a statement acknowledging the strike as a "mistake."
Pope Leo XIV and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni also criticized the attack.
Following the phone call with Trump, Netanyahu, issued an apology, acknowledging the strike as a mistake.
In a statement, Netanyahu expressed "deep regret" for the incident, attributing the attack to "stray ammunition" that mistakenly hit the church. He emphasized that Israel is investigating the event and remains committed to protecting civilians and religious sites.
The IDF stated that an initial inquiry suggested fragments from a shell fired during operational activity in the area hit the church mistakenly. The military claimed it makes every feasible effort to mitigate harm to civilians and religious structures.
Meanwhile, US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee has threatened to publicly declare that Israel no longer welcomes Christian groups, following the IDF airstrike on Gaza’s only Catholic church.
Huckabee’s letter suggested that the broader system of treating Christian visa applicants is broken, warning that unless the process is reversed, the United States might consider retaliatory measures, including restricting visa access for Israeli citizens seeking to enter the United States.
The Ambassador threatened to publicly announce that Israel no longer welcomes Christian organizations and that their donations are met with hostility. He also warned American Christians to reconsider travel to Israel if the issue is not resolved.
Huckabee’s letter highlighted concerns about the Interior Ministry’s treatment of Christian visa applicants, with reports of lengthy questionnaires and delays in processing clergy visas.
"I work for ALL American citizens who live in Israel-Jewish, Muslim or Christian. When they are terrorized or victims of crime I will demand those responsible be held accountable w/ real consequences. Was in Taybeh today to meet with people of that village to listen & learn." Huckabee wrote on X.
He wrote in another post, "Taybeh is a quiet Palestinian Christian village south of Jerusalem w/ a lot of American citizens that has been vandalized-including fires set at ancient church. I visited there today. Desecrating a church,mosque or synagogue is a crime against humanity & God."
Huckabee is a self-professed Christian Zionist and staunch supporter of Israel and PM Netanyahu. The Jewish nation, before the recent ongoing war in Gaza, enjoyed strong support on the American right. But that has started to change as growing number of conservatives oppose the bipartisan pro-Israel consensus in Washington DC. IDF has killed over 51,000 Palestinians including over 20,000 children since the war started on Oct 7, 2023.
The Daily Wire host Michael Knowles, a Catholic commentator and staunch supporter of Israel, slammed the Jewish nation over the attack on the Holy Family Catholic Church, reflecting a broader frustration among some conservative and Christian commentators.
“You’re losing me," Knowles said in a recent episode of his podcast. "You’re losing me, when you strike churches, the only church in Gaza, even if accidentally, but especially if not accidentally, you’re losing me.”
Knowles expressed concern that such actions risk alienating Christian allies, emphasizing the need for the war in Gaza to end to avoid further political consequences for Israel. He suggested that continued strikes on civilian and religious sites could erode support among its allies.
The Daily Wire host further urged that the conflict must conclude to prevent further damage to Israel’s international standing., and that the Jewish nation should face consequences if such incidents continue.
