Posted on 10/21/2023 10:17:10 PM PDT by Morgana
A former U.S. congressman said several of his relatives were among the casualties when an Israeli airstrike hit a church in Gaza, which killed at least 18 people.
Justin Amash, a Palestinian-American who formerly represented Michigan, revealed on social media that his relatives had been taking refuge in the Saint Porphyrius Orthodox Church compound in Gaza, partially destroyed by an Israeli airstrike on Thursday.
"With great sadness, I have now confirmed that several of my relatives were killed at Saint Porphyrius Orthodox Church in Gaza, where they had been sheltering, when part of the complex was destroyed as the result of an Israeli airstrike," Amash wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. "Give rest, O Lord, to their souls, and may their memories be eternal."
The Israel Defense Forces admitted that a portion of the church complex had been damaged during an airstrike targeting Hamas military compounds but maintained that the church itself was not the intended target. The Patriarchate of Jerusalem accused Israel of a "war crime."
Israel has carried out retaliatory airstrikes since Hamas attacked communities in southern Israel on Oct. 7, killing over 1,400 civilians, including 30 Americans.
Amash was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 2011 to 2021 and left the Republican Party in 2019 to join the Libertarian Party.
Palestinian officials noted that the Greek Orthodox Church of St. Porphyrius sheltered around 500 Muslims and Christians from Israeli bombings. Palestinian health officials claim as many as 16 of the victims were Christians.
"The Palestinian Christian community has endured so much," Amash tweeted. "Our family is hurting badly. May God watch over all Christians in Gaza — and all Israelis and Palestinians who are suffering, whatever their religion or creed."
Fr. Issa Musleh of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate in Bethlehem told Al Jazeera dozens were found injured as rescue efforts continue. Ibrahim Jahsan, a Christian residing in Gaza, had taken refuge in the church along with his pregnant wife and two young children. He told Al Jazeera that he believed that the church would provide a safe sanctuary during the conflict.
On Friday, a mass funeral was held in the church courtyard where the bodies, wrapped in white sheets, lay next to the debris that claimed their lives, The Guardian reported, noting that four of the deceased were small children.
Palestinian health officials report over 4,100 Palestinians killed since airstrikes began, with over 13,000 injured.
In a joint statement, United Nations agencies called for a "humanitarian ceasefire, along with immediate, unrestricted humanitarian access throughout Gaza to allow humanitarian actors to reach civilians in need, save lives and prevent further human suffering." The agencies state that over 1.6 million people in Gaza are in critical need of humanitarian aid.
The Israeli government warned over 1 million people in northern Gaza last week to evacuate to southern Gaza as it readies for a potential ground invasion.
On Saturday, the first convoy of humanitarian assistance crossed into Gaza since the Hamas attack on Oct. 7.
"The opening of this essential supply route was the result of days of diplomatic engagement at the highest levels," U.S. President Joe Biden said in a statement. "I made it clear from the outset of this crisis — in both my public statements and private conversations — that humanitarian assistance was a critical and urgent need that had to get moving, and I express my deep personal appreciation for the leadership of President Al-Sisi of Egypt, Prime Minister Netanyahu of Israel, and the United Nations to allow the resumption of this assistance."
I know this may come as a complete surprise to a lot of you but there are actually Christians in Gaza, have been for about 2000 years now.
Opus?
?
War is hell.
This is a JUST war.
Each and every Christian Pali cannot be called out by name and protected by the IDF.
GET YOUR ASSES SOUTH OF WADI GAZA!!! You have been warned. Don’t flaunt it... don’t push the IDF... don’t act like idiots... GET YOUR ASSES SOUTH OF THE RIVER!!!
You have been warned. Amply warned! DO IT.
Well I hope they get moving ...
The animals are hoping they can hide among the innocent.
If they stay .... well ... all bets are off.
Don’t know if you’re aware of Amash being a RINO who voted for articles of impeachment against Trump.
Not to mention any Christians in Gaza are either subjugated dhimmis who Hamas actively uses as human shields more than they do their supposedly own people, or actively helping Hamas due to antisemitism.
“You have been warned”
Wait just a Achemd the Dead Terrorist second here!
These are Christians not Muslims. They don’t support or fund Hamas, that is the Moose-Limbs.
So why do they need to leave?
We have all made the jokes about it’s only in Islam that does the terrorism, not Christians. If we really believe this when why are they being punished???
I’m willing to bet they want Hamas gone too. Do you think they want to live under Islamic Law? Think about it.
You don’t know any of that.
Yes, they are second class citizens in Palestine.
With Amash it’s like “ Amash I hardly knew ye” when it comes to politics.
In fact I didn’t know him at all.
I would not wish his relatives dead no matter what he did.
I’m am glad he’s a “former” congressman now that you have told me this.
IMO, anyone who calls themselves by the appellation “Palestinian Christian” (or vice versa) has abrogated the “Christian” part, since there are no such people as “Palestinians”, not to mention the antisemitic core of adopting the moniker of “Palestinian” meaning to be against the existence of the State of Israel and seeking its destruction.
“You don’t know any of that.”
Nor do you.
Pull your head out of your ass. IF a Christian church was bombed — that’s a HUGE if, considering the fog of war and the lying press at work — it was accidental. They are NOT!!! “being punished”. Just stop your ignorant ranting.
Christians ALSO need to move the hell south of the river!
Think about it.
Nor would I, frankly.
I suspect the scenario I postulated at first, Hamas using them as human shields, applies.
“Yes, they are second class citizens in Palestine.”
From what I have been told life is hell with the Muslims. Now that have this.
“Hamas using them as human shields, applies.”
So freaking what???? They are Christians and they will pray for them.
Israel can get them when they come out of the church. They have to come out sometime.
Sorry, not sorry I will defend Jesus here. I stand with Jesus. I do what he says.
Unless they can’t leave, they should be using their heads and getting out.
There is no answer to this, unless you are willing to accept Israeli casualties on a routine basis. The only answer to an aggressive enemy is more aggression than he.
Christians are called to spread the Gospel to ALL people.
I do not condemn any Christian who has taken on the task of bringing the Gospel of CHRIST to Palestine.
But I do pray that for their sake, and the Gospel’s, they remove themselves south of Wadi Gaza as Israel has demanded.
There are plenty of Christians in name only.
And of course, there’s the Koran’s anti-gospel, which proclaims that Jesus was not the Son of God nor was he crucified.
Be sure you know what Jesus says here.
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