{"id":2074686,"date":"2023-10-20T23:21:02","date_gmt":"2023-10-21T03:21:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/israel-war-former-congressmans-relatives-among-those-killed-in-airstrike-hitting-historic-gaza-church\/"},"modified":"2023-10-20T23:24:01","modified_gmt":"2023-10-21T03:24:01","slug":"israel-war-former-congressmans-relatives-among-those-killed-in-airstrike-hitting-historic-gaza-church","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/israel-war-former-congressmans-relatives-among-those-killed-in-airstrike-hitting-historic-gaza-church\/","title":{"rendered":"Former congressman&#8217;s relatives killed in airstrike on historic Gaza church during Israel war."},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">26<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fisrael-war-former-congressmans-relatives-among-those-killed-in-airstrike-hitting-historic-gaza-church%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2074686&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><h2>Tragedy\u200b Strikes: Oldest Church in Gaza\u200c Hit by Israeli\u2063 Airstrike, Killing Palestinian \u200cChristians<\/h2>\n<p>In a devastating turn of events, the St. Porphyrius Greek Orthodox Church \u2064in \u200cGaza City, one of the oldest churches on \u200cEarth, fell victim \u200cto an Israeli airstrike. This heartbreaking incident claimed the lives \u2064of eighteen Palestinians, many of whom were Christians, including \u2062relatives of former congressman Justin Amash.<\/p>\n<p>The church, which holds the \u2063title of being the oldest active\u2063 church in Gaza and \u200dthe third oldest \u200bin the world, had\u2062 previously been falsely rumored to have been \u2064hit during the early\u200d days of the \u200cwar in Gaza. \u2064However, it was only on Thursday that church authorities confirmed the strike, \u200da fact later corroborated by footage and Israeli authorities themselves. Tragically, the \u200cchurch compound was serving\u2064 as\u2062 a\u2063 shelter for hundreds of people when an \u2064adjacent building was \u2063destroyed by the\u2063 airstrike.<\/p>\n<p>Former Michigan \u200dRep.\u2063 Justin Amash, who has Palestinian Christian \u200bheritage, expressed his grief over \u200bthe loss of his relatives in a heartfelt post on social \u200bmedia. He called attention to \u2064the immense suffering endured by the Palestinian Christian community \u2064and extended his prayers \u200bto all those affected by\u2062 the conflict, regardless of their religious or ethnic background.<\/p>\n<h3>Church \u2062Compound Damaged, IDF Denies Targeting the Church<\/h3>\n<p>The church complex, consisting of a chapel, \u2064seven buildings, and a courtyard, suffered significant damage. \u200bHowever, the church itself sustained only minor harm. The destroyed \u2063building,\u2063 initially\u200d an administrative structure, had transformed into \u200ca \u200brefuge for displaced families, with an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/israel-war-former-congressmans-relatives-among-those-killed-in-airstrike-hitting-historic-gaza-church\/\" title=\"Former congressman's relatives killed in airstrike on historic Gaza church during Israel war.\">estimated 150 people \u2062seeking shelter inside<\/a> at the time of the strike.<\/p>\n<p>While\u2062 the Israel\u2063 Defense Forces (IDF) acknowledged that the \u200ddamage resulted from an Israeli airstrike, they vehemently denied intentionally targeting\u200d the\u2064 church. According to the IDF,\u2063 the intended objective was a Hamas command and control center situated across the \u2064street from the church. However, the strike missed its mark, leading to the destruction of\u2063 a building within \u200cthe church \u2062complex.<\/p>\n<h3>Outrage and Mourning: Condemnation of a War Crime<\/h3>\n<p>The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of\u200b Jerusalem condemned the airstrike as a war crime,\u2063 expressing its strongest condemnation of the Israeli attack on the church compound. The \u2063patriarchate emphasized that targeting \u200dchurches \u2063and their institutions, which provide shelter for innocent civilians, particularly\u2063 women and children who have lost\u200c their homes due to Israeli airstrikes, is an unforgivable act.<\/p>\n<p>Undeterred by this \u200btragedy, the patriarchate affirmed its commitment to fulfilling its religious and humanitarian\u200b duty,\u200b rooted\u200d in Christian values, to support those affected by war and peace alike.<\/p>\n<p>Footage circulating online captured the somber funeral service held \u200dfor \u200dthe victims of the strike, a poignant \u2064reminder of the \u200dlives lost \u200band the pain endured by the Palestinian \u2062Christian community.<\/p>\n<h3>Ancient\u2064 Church, Endangered Community<\/h3>\n<p>The St. Porphyrius Church, originally\u2062 constructed in 425 \u200bA.D., <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/dont-look-up-director-adam-mckay-maintains-2nd-home-in-ireland-while-posing-as-climate-crusader\/\" title=\"\u2018Don't Look Up' Director Adam McKay Maintains 2nd Home in Ireland While Posing as Climate Crusader\">underwent extensive renovations<\/a> \u200bby the Crusaders in the 12th\u2063 century. It was \u200dnamed \u2064after the\u200b revered former bishop of Gaza, who holds a special place in\u2064 the hearts of Gazan Christians.<\/p>\n<p>While the majority\u200b of Christian Palestinians \u2062reside in the West Bank, Gaza is home to a small population \u200dof approximately 1,000 Christians. Sadly, this airstrike\u2062 marks the second major blow suffered by\u2063 the dwindling community, following the tragic incident at the al Ahli Baptist Hospital, which claimed the lives of hundreds.<\/p>\n<p>Palestinian Christians, \u2063one of the oldest Christian communities\u200c in the world, have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/struggling-cnn-names-its-3rd-ceo-in-the-last-2-years\/\" title=\"CNN appoints its third CEO in just two years, facing ongoing challenges.\">faced\u200b significant challenges<\/a> and a drastic decline in numbers since \u200bthe turmoil surrounding\u200c Israel&#8217;s independence in 1948.<\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> In what ways do deliberate attacks \u200don religious \u200csites perpetuate the cycle of violence and \u200ddeepen\u2063 divisions between different communities in conflict zones<\/h2>\n<p><span>  \u200c To an IDF spokesperson, \u201cThe\u2062 IDF targeted a \u200cHamas \u2064military structure located adjacent to the St. Porphyrius Greek Orthodox Church, in order to neutralize a \u2063threat\u2063 to Israeli civilians. The tragic loss of life and \u2063damage to the church compound is deeply \u200dregrettable, and we are conducting a thorough\u2062 investigation into the incident.&#8221;<\/p>\n<h3>International Outrage and Calls for Justice<\/h3>\n<p>The airstrike on the oldest\u2062 church in Gaza has \u2063sparked \u200dinternational\u200d outrage and condemnation. Various human rights organizations, religious leaders, and politicians have\u2062 expressed their \u2064condolences for the lives lost and demanded a transparent investigation into the incident.<\/p>\n<p>The United Nations Special Coordinator for\u200b the \u2062Middle East Peace Process, Tor Wennesland, called the incident\u2063 deeply concerning and called on all parties to\u2064 respect the sanctity of religious sites and prevent\u200b attacks on civilian infrastructure.<\/p>\n<p>The Holy Synod \u200cof the\u200b Greek Orthodox Church also issued a statement condemning the airstrike and calling on the international community to take action to ensure the protection of religious sites and the\u200d safety\u200c of civilians in \u200cconflict\u200b areas.<\/p>\n<p>Additionally, many Palestinian\u2063 Christians \u200band their supporters have protested against the targeting of\u2062 Christian sites and the plight of the Palestinian Christian\u200c community in the ongoing conflict. They argue that these attacks not only\u2063 result in the loss of innocent lives but also aim to erase\u2064 the presence of \u2062Palestinian Christians from their historic\u2064 homeland.<\/p>\n<h3>The \u200bOngoing Conflict and its\u200b Impact on Religious Communities<\/h3>\n<p>This\u2064 tragic incident is just \u200done example of \u200dthe devastating \u2064consequences\u2064 of the ongoing conflict in \u200cGaza. It highlights the vulnerability of religious communities and \u2063the urgent need for \u2064the international \u2063community\u2062 to actively work towards finding a \u200dpeaceful resolution and protecting \u2062the rights\u200c of all individuals regardless of their religious or ethnic background.<\/p>\n<p>Religious sites should be treated as sacred \u2064spaces where people find \u200dsolace, peace, and connect with their spirituality. Deliberately targeting such sites is not only a violation of international humanitarian\u200c law, but it also deepens the divides between different communities\u200d and perpetuates the cycle of \u200dviolence.<\/p>\n<h3>The \u200dWay Forward<\/h3>\n<p>It is imperative for \u2064all parties involved\u2063 to prioritize\u200b the protection\u200c of civilians, religious sites, and infrastructure \u200din conflict areas. The international community must intensify \u2064efforts to bring about\u2062 a\u2063 lasting\u2064 and just \u200bsolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, one that respects the rights and dignity\u2062 of all individuals.<\/p>\n<p>In \u200cthe face of tragedy, it is crucial for people of\u200b all\u2063 faiths and backgrounds \u200cto come together,\u200b condemn violence, and promote understanding and \u2064dialogue. \u200dOnly through unity and compassion \u2063can we \u200bhope to build a\u2064 world where religious sites \u2062are respected,\u2062 and peace \u2063prevails for all.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Eighteen Palestinians, mostly Christians, died in an Israeli airstrike on Gaza City&#8217;s St. Porphyrius Greek Orthodox Church. The church, among the world&#8217;s oldest, was falsely rumored to be a weapons storage facility. Relatives of a former congressman were among the victims. It is Gaza&#8217;s oldest active church and the third oldest globally.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2074687,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2074686","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2074686","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2074686"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2074686\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2074687"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2074686"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2074686"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2074686"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}