St. Porphyrius Orthodox Church: A witness to Israeli destruction in Gaza

The historic St. Porphyrius Orthodox Church in Gaza, which dates back to the year 425 AD, is considered the oldest in Gaza and stands atop the tomb of St. Porphyrius, a fifth-century monk and bishop of Gaza.

Located in the Zaytoun neighborhood, just about 250 meters away from the Arab Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital, suffered devastating Israeli shelling on Tuesday night.

The scene of destruction was tragically repeated at the St. Porphyrius Church on Thursday night leading to hundreds of martyrs and injured.

According to eyewitnesses, an Israeli airstrike caused significant damage to the church's walls and led to the collapse of a nearby building. Tragically, it also resulted in deaths and injured several others as they sought refuge within the church from the Israeli bombardment.

Israel acknowledged that the targeted airstrike hit a location affiliated with Hamas near the church, reportedly used for launching attacks against Israel using rockets and mortar shells. Israel has accused Hamas of deliberately positioning itself in civilian-populated areas, using Gaza residents as human shields.

However, AFP reported that some eyewitnesses near the church claimed that the strike apparently hit a target distinct from the church, mentioning that the church did not house any weapons or military infrastructure.

In response to the devastating airstrike, the Patriarchate of the Orthodox Church in Jerusalem issued a statement, condemning the attack as a war crime that cannot be ignored.

They highlighted that such strikes targeted churches and their affiliated facilities, which are meant to provide refuge and protection for civilians during war.