The High Committee for Church Affairs, affiliated with the Presidency of Palestine, also pointed out that the church was directly targeted. They stated, "This is a war crime within the scope of the Geneva Convention and many international agreements. This is a crime against Palestinian civilians and civilians in the Gaza Strip, Jerusalem, and various occupied Palestinian territories. It adds to the ongoing crimes of occupation against places of worship."
It was reported that "a significant number of people died and were injured" in the Israeli attack on the church where hundreds of displaced Palestinians had taken shelter.
According to the Palestinian official news agency WAFA, a girl lost her life in the attack on the historic Saint Porphyrius Greek Orthodox Church in the Ez-Zeitun neighborhood in the southern Gaza City. The historic church suffered serious damage in the attack, and a nearby building was also destroyed.
The Saint Porphyrius Greek Orthodox Church, affiliated with the Anglican Church in Jerusalem, is located approximately 250 meters from the Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital, which was bombed by Israel on October 17, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of people.
It is known that approximately 1,000 Christians live in the area attacked by Israel, and those whose homes were destroyed sought refuge in the church and its affiliated buildings.
The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem stated, "We strongly condemn the Israeli bombardment targeting our church in the city of Gaza."
