Statement of Caritas Internationalis and Caritas MONA.
This morning we were devastated to learn of the death of our colleague Viola, 26-Year-old, who was killed alongside her husband and their infant daughter in an airstrike attack on the St. Porphyrios Orthodox Church in Gaza. May they rest in peace.
The Church provided refuge for around 500 people, including 5 dedicated members of Caritas staff, along with their families. At least 17 people lost their lives and others are still under the rubble.
Since October 7, Israel has imposed a total siege on Gaza’s more than 2 million citizens. Water, food, and electricity were cut off, medicines are running short, and arbitrary shelling was intensified. Gaza has already been under blockade for 16 years. Half its population are children and almost 2/3 are refugees.
Caritas Internationalis and Caritas MONA condemn in the strongest terms the arbitrary and deliberate targeting of civilians and civilian infrastructure.
We insist that all parties must cease fire, protect civilians, grant immediate, safe, unimpeded humanitarian access, and uphold international law.