Israel admits to damaging church in Gaza bombardment

The Israeli army on Friday acknowledged that a church in Gaza suffered damage when its forces targeted a site it said was "close to" a Hamas commander in Gaza.

"Fighter aircraft targeted the headquarters of a military member of the Hamas (Palestinian) organization, involved in firing rockets and mortar shells towards the territory of the State of Israel," the Israeli army's press office told Anadolu.

The office added: "The aircraft launched a raid on the target, and (with) the 'explosion wave' resulting from the raid, the wall of a church located in the area was damaged."

Israel is "aware of injuries is known to us and the circumstances of the accident are being investigated," it added.

Earlier, Gaza Health Ministry spokesman Ashraf Qudra said that at least 16 Palestinian Christians were among those killed in direct Israeli attacks on a Greek Orthodox church on Thursday evening in Gaza City.

Qudra added that the death toll in Gaza from Israel's ongoing bombardment has climbed to 4,137.

The number of injured has risen to 13,300, he told a news conference, adding that over 1,000 others are missing.

The strike hitting the church follows Tuesday's airstrike on a church-affiliated hospital, killing some 500 people and wounding hundreds of others. Israel has denied any role in the strike on the Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital.