Jerusalem Church condemns Israel's shelling of an Orthodox centre in Gaza

Consequences of Israel's strike on the Orthodox Center in Gaza. Photo: the Jerusalem Patriarchate website

The Jerusalem Patriarchate condemned the Israeli shelling of the Orthodox Cultural Centre in the Tel Al-Hawa area of the Gaza Strip, reports the Patriarchate's press service.

The statement says that the shelling of Gaza is "a stark embodiment of Israel’s unwarranted determination to destroy the civil infrastructure and social service centres, as well as shelters for civilians trapped in the besieged enclave". The Patriarchate highlights that social, cultural, and sports centres have become vital providers of essential humanitarian services and safe havens for those affected by Israeli airstrikes targeting residential areas.

The Patriarchate noted that the Israeli military "has targeted 19 places of worship, including mosques and churches, in Gaza during the past three weeks of the devastating conflict."

"Such attacks on civilians, particularly children, and the deliberate destruction of civilian infrastructure, cannot be justified on rational or humanitarian grounds and are fundamentally at odds with even the most basic moral values.," says the Jerusalem Patriarchate.

The Patriarchate reiterates its firm demand for an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and pledges to continue its international efforts to achieve this goal as soon as possible.

As reported, the Jerusalem Patriarchate called the strike on the temple in Gaza a war crime.

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