Israel Strikes Gaza's Oldest Orthodox Church, Casualties Reported

Israel has targeted the Greek Orthodox Church of Saint Porphyrius located in the Gaza Strip with missile strikes. Reports indicate that there are nine casualties, though there may be dozens more trapped in the church's rubble.

It is noted that most of those caught in the debris are parishioners seeking shelter from airstrikes, as well as forcibly displaced individuals from northern and southern Gaza. According to some reports, around a thousand people have sought refuge in the church, the adjacent school, and other facilities.

Archbishop Alexios, who was inside the church, reported that about 400 people are currently residing in the monastery. “They hit the offices and the entrance of the monastery. The entire building collapsed. Bulldozers are needed to see how many people are left in the rubble,” the archbishop told the ERT-1 television channel.

Last week, news spread that the church had been destroyed due to shelling, but this was later denied. It was subsequently revealed that the church's rectory had been destroyed by a missile strike.

It is recalled that on the morning of October 7, Israel came under an unprecedented missile attack from the Gaza Strip. The Israeli army's press service reported that extremists launched more than 3,000 rockets. Additionally, dozens of terrorists invaded border areas in southern Israel. The military wing of the Palestinian Hamas movement announced that it was conducting an operation named “Al Aqsa Flood” against Israel. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) also announced the commencement of “Operation Iron Swords” against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

According to the latest data, the number of casualties in the Gaza Strip has exceeded 3,400, while the death toll among Israeli citizens is around 1,000.