Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni condemned Israel for its recent attacks in Gaza, a further step in her increasingly critical approach to the government’s actions in the besieged enclave.
On Thursday morning, strikes hit Gaza’s only Catholic church, killing two and injuring several others.
“Israeli raids on Gaza also hit the Holy Family Church. The attacks against the civilian population that Israel has been carrying out for months are unacceptable. No military action can justify such behavior,” Meloni wrote on X on Thursday.
Meloni has been a general supporter of Israel and the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, but has recently voiced increasing concern and criticism regarding Israel’s military action in the Gaza Strip. In May, Meloni said that Israel must respect international law in its military operation in Gaza.
Also injured in the strike was the church’s priest, Father Gabriel Romanelli, who received regular calls from the late Pope Francis throughout the war.
Pope Leo XIV expressed his sorrow for the victims of the incident in a telegram published by the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, renewing his calls for “an immediate ceasefire” in Gaza. The pope also conveyed his spiritual closeness to Romanelli.
The Israel Defense Forces said they were “aware” of the reports regarding the incident and that the matter was under review. In a statement posted on X, the Israeli military added that it “regrets” any damage caused to civilians and religious sites.
This story has been updated to clarify the nature of the attack on the church.
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