Latin Patriarch Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the top Catholic figure in Israel and the Palestinian territories, presides over Christmas Mass from the Holy Family Church in Gaza City, the only Catholic church in the Strip.
“This visit marks the beginning of the Christmas celebrations among a community that has lived and continues to live through dark and challenging times,” said the Patriarchate on Friday, when Pizzaballa entered Gaza for the third time since Hamas invaded Israel on October 7, 2023, launching two years of war.
In July, an IDF tank shell hit the church, killing three people and injuring several, including parish priest Fr. Gabriel Romanelli. The strike sparked international condemnation and an expression of “deep sorrow” from Israel, which says the incident was an accident.
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