Italian foreign minister criticizes Israel for shooting inside Gaza church

By Giovanni Legorano

ROME (AA) - Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani criticized Israel on Monday for allegedly shooting inside a Christian compound in Gaza, in a rare Italian reprimand on how Israel is conducting the war against Hamas.

“It seems serious to me that there are snipers who shoot inside Christian churches. The terrorists aren’t there. Hamas terrorists are in the underground tunnels,” Tajani said on the sidelines of an event at the Foreign Ministry in Rome.

The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem said over the weekend that a woman and her daughter were shot dead in the compound of the Holy Family Parish in Gaza. The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem also said that seven other people were shot and wounded in the same place.

The incident was deplored by Pope Francis on Sunday, who suggested that Israel was using “terrorism” tactics in Gaza. The Pope named the two killed women as Nahida Khalil Anton and her daughter Samar.

Tel Aviv said the incident was under review.

“Obviously the condemnation of what Hamas has done which provoked this conflict is very firm, but we urge Israel to always have a proportionate reaction and safeguard civilian lives,” Tajani added.

“This is why I launched an appeal to both the Israeli army and the government not to hit worship places where there are defenseless people."

Like many Western countries, Italy has offered its full support to Israel after the attacks of Oct. 7, but has started to voice its growing concerns about the rising numbers of deaths, including of civilians, in the Gaza Strip.