Israel-Catholic relations hit new low despite call between PM Netanyahu & Pope Leo after IDF mistakenly hit Gaza church

Despite public apologies for the errant IDF tank shell that killed three people in a Catholic church in Gaza, relations between Israel and the Vatican hit a new low as the church issued a harshly worded statement against Israel on Monday.

Pope Leo XIV and Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke on the phone on Friday, after the prime minister expressed Israel’s “deep regret” at the incident.

“Every innocent life lost is a tragedy. We share the grief of the families and the faithful,” Netanyahu’s office said in a statement.

The Vatican said on Friday that the pope “repeated his appeal for a renewed push for negotiations, a ceasefire and an end to the war. He again expressed his concern about the tragic humanitarian situation of the population in Gaza, whose children, elderly and sick are paying an agonizing price.”

“Finally, His Holiness reiterated the urgent need to protect places of worship and, especially, the faithful and all people in Palestine and Israel.”

Despite the personal call, the Vatican said on Monday that this wasn’t “enough to erase the damage” done in the strike.

During the pope’s Sunday prayer, Leo explicitly listed the names of the dead, adding, “I am especially close to their families and all the parishioners.”

“Sadly, this act adds to the continuous military attacks against the civilian population and places of worship in Gaza,” Leo said. “I again call for an immediate halt to the barbarism of the war and for a peaceful resolution of the conflict.” 

“I renew my appeal to the international community to observe humanitarian law and to respect the obligation to protect civilians, as well as the prohibition of collective punishment, the indiscriminate use of force, and the forced displacement of the population.” 

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Holy See Secretary of State, told Vatican News, “The Holy Father, in today’s Angelus, in which he recalled the tragic events in Gaza in recent days, also wished to explicitly remember certain victims. Clearly, in the names of these victims, all the victims of the tragedy in Gaza are represented.”

“All are the object of an unacceptable violence; all are victims of a conflict that must end as soon as possible. We take them all into our hearts, we truly feel them all present within us, and for all – for everyone – we implore the peace of God and, above all, through their sacrifice, their blood, we pray for the end of this tragedy.”

The election of Leo XIV had given rise to hopes that the relations between the Jewish State and the Catholic church could be restored, after the previous Pope Francis had caused anger and consternation with comments about Israel’s “cruelty” in Gaza, accused it of committing “genocide,” and endorsing a nativity scene featuring the baby Jesus draped with a Palestinian keffiyeh.

Shortly after Leo’s inauguration, he reaffirmed the “special relationship” that Christians have with Judaism. “Because of the Jewish roots of Christianity, all Christians have a special relationship with Judaism,” he said. 

“The theological dialogue between Christians and Jews remains ever important and close to my heart,” he continued. “Even in these difficult times, marked by conflicts and misunderstandings, it is necessary to continue the momentum of this precious dialogue of ours.”