Israeli Foreign Minister Sa’ar condemns 'cowardly terrorist attack in the Mar Elias church in Damascus'

Following the deadly terror attack at the Mar Elias Church in the Douweila neighborhood of Damascus on Sunday, which killed at least 25, several leaders and officials across the Middle East expressed condemnation of the killings. 

While people were praying inside the church, the terrorist entered and fired several shots before activating an explosive vest. 

Local Syrian media said that several children were also among those injured in the explosion. 

Reports in Syria said that security forces set up a checkpoint around the area to ensure no other terrorists could reach the site while rescue teams were working. 

At time of publication, no group had claimed responsibility for the attack, but the Syrian government has identified ISIS as the likely sponsor of the attack. ISIS has a long history of carrying out attacks against Christians in the country, and could be using the bombing to stir up sectarian violence. 

The incident marks the first such suicide bombing in Syria in several years as the new Syrian government attempts to unite the country, which was wracked by civil war for over a decade. 

The Syrian Ministry of Foreign affairs and Expatriates released a statement condemning the attack, saying it was “carried out by a suicide bomber affiliated with ISIS, resulting in a number of innocent civilian casualties and injuries.” 

“This criminal act, which targeted members of the Christian community, is a desperate attempt to undermine national coexistence and destabilize the country. It is a response by the remnants of terrorism to the ongoing achievements of the Syrian state and leadership,” the ministry said. 

It added that the incident “is not just an attack on a specific sect, but rather an attack on the entire Syrian identity.”

Maronite patriarch Cardinal Bechara Boutros al-Rai said, “Targeting Christians in the East is an affront to the very fabric of this region, which is now facing existential threats to its civilizations, cultures, and heritage of diversity.” 

Theophilos III, the Greek Orthodox patriarch of Jerusalem, called the attack “a barbaric act that is not only an assault on Christians in Syria but also a deep wound to the dignity of all humanity.” 

President Ahmad al-Sharaa expressed condolences for the attack, saying, “We offer our deepest condolences and sincere sympathy for the families of victims who passed away in the criminal bombing that affected all the Syrian people, wishing a quick recovery for the wounded.” 

Tom Barrack, the U.S. Ambassador to Turkey, and envoy to Syria, posted a statement to 𝕏, saying, “We would like to express our condolences to the victims, families, and individuals impacted by the terrorist attack today at Mar Elias church.” 

On behalf of @POTUS and the American people, we would like to express our condolences to the victims, families, and individuals impacted by the terrorist attack today at Mar Elias church in al-Duwaileh.

These terrible acts of cowardice have no place in the new tapestry of…

— Ambassador Tom Barrack (@USAMBTurkiye) June 22, 2025

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan condemned “the heinous terrorist attack against the Mar Elias Church in Damascus, the capital of Syria.” 

“We stand with the Syrian people and government against this vile act of terrorism, which targets Syria's peace and security, internal peace and culture of living together, and the stability of our region,” Erdoğan continued. 

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar was the only Israeli government official to comment publicly on the attack. He wrote on 𝕏: “Horrified by the cowardly terrorist attack in the Mar Elias church in Damascus today, in which at least 20 innocent worshippers were murdered.” 

Horrified by the cowardly terrorist attack in the #Mar_Elias church in Damascus today, in which at least 20 innocent worshippers were murdered.
My condolences to the families of the victims and to the Christian community in Syria.

— Gideon Sa'ar | גדעון סער (@gidonsaar) June 22, 2025

“My condolences to the families of the victims and to the Christian community in Syria,” Sa’ar continued.