EDM 1742: Church of the Holy Family, Gaza

That this House expresses shock and extreme concern that Israeli forces stand accused of attacking the Church of the Holy Family in Gaza, killing three people and injuring 10 others including the parish priest, Father Gabriel Romanelli; notes that the church and its compound were providing shelter to hundreds of displaced people with the support of Caritas Jerusalem, a sister organisation to the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development and the Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund; further notes that Caritas Jerusalem has already lost two staff members who were killed along with their children during heavy shelling; and believes that the call of Caritas Internationalis to respect and protect places of worship and humanitarian shelter, stop attacks on civilians, especially those seeking refuge in places of worship and other humanitarian places such as schools and hospitals, and to ensure that access to aid and medical support for civilians, should be observed by those involved in military action in Gaza and the West Bank should be heeded.