Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni condemned Israel over recent attacks in Gaza, marking a further step in her increasingly critical stance toward actions in that besieged enclave.
On Thursday morning, the only Catholic church in Gaza was hit in the attacks, resulting in the deaths of two people and injuries to several others.
“Israeli attacks on Gaza have also struck the Church of the Holy Family. Attacks on 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 generally supported Israel and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, but she has recently expressed growing concern and criticism regarding Israel’s military action in the Gaza Strip. In May, Meloni stated that Israel must respect international law in its military operation in Gaza.
In the attack, a church priest, Father Gabriel Romanelli, was also wounded. During the war, he regularly received calls from the late Pope Francis.
Pope Leo XIV expressed his sorrow over the victims of the incident in a telegram published by the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, reiterating his calls for an “immediate ceasefire” in Gaza. The Pope also expressed his spiritual closeness to Romanelli.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) stated they are “aware” of the reports about the incident and that the matter is being reviewed. In a statement published on the X network, the Israeli military added that it “regrets” any harm caused to civilians and religious sites.
