Israel blames mistake for Gaza church attack and apologizes
"Israel deeply regrets that a stray ammunition hit Gaza's Holy Family Church," Netanyahu's office said.
Israeli soldiers in Gaza
The Israeli government apologized for an attack Thursday that left three dead and at least 10 wounded at a Catholic church in the Gaza Strip, attributing the incident to an error.
"Israel deeply regrets that a stray ammunition hit Gaza's Holy Family Church. Every innocent life lost is a tragedy. We share the grief of the families and the faithful," the Israeli Prime Minister's Office of Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement.
"We are grateful to Pope Leo for his words of comfort. Israel is investigating the incident and remains committed to protecting civilians and holy sites," he added.
Following the incident in Gaza, Pope Leo XIV expressed his sorrow over what happened and called for an immediate ceasefire.
JNS
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JNS (Jewish News Syndicate)
Trump asked Netanyahu for explanations
The statement from Netanyahu's office was issued after President Donald Trump contacted the Israeli prime minister to ask him to provide explanations regarding the incident.
Caroline Leavitt, White House press secretary, said Trump did not have a "positive reaction." She also added that Netanyahu pledged to issue a statement to acknowledge that it was a mistake.
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