Israel’s war on Gaza has destroyed homes and hospitals and also targeted the territory’s religious institutions, with officials accusing it of deliberately striking clerics and churches to erode the enclave’s social fabric.
The Gaza Government Media Office said at least 233 Muslim imams, preachers and scholars, along with 20 Palestinian Christians, have been killed since Oct. 7, 2023.
Ismail al-Thawabteh, who heads the media office, told Anadolu that the killings form part of a "systematic campaign to silence religious voices and dismantle pillars of resilience."
"Clerics are vital in reinforcing national identity, nurturing faith, and preserving social cohesion. Their elimination aims to sap morale and extinguish the discourse that exposes Israel’s crimes," he said.
Among those killed were well-known figures across Gaza’s religious and academic life:
Al-Thawabteh said Israel has also leveled 828 mosques completely and severely damaged another 167 since the war began, leaving many neighborhoods without functioning places of worship.
The enclave’s small Christian minority has also faced direct assaults. Three major churches, the Orthodox Church of St. Porphyrius, the Catholic Church of the Holy Family, and the Baptist Evangelical Church, have been bombed, some more than once.
At least 20 Christians, including elderly parishioners, women and children, were killed in these attacks, according to officials.
A July strike on the Holy Family Church killed three civilians and injured nine, including parish priest Father Gabriel Romanelli. In October, an Israeli attack on St. Porphyrius Church killed 18 worshippers who had taken shelter inside.
"These assaults are not simply battlefield violations; they are attacks on the shared history and identity of the Palestinian people,” Thawabteh said, warning that targeting clergy and places of worship constitutes religious persecution under international law.
Displaced Christian families have sought refuge in churches, only to face further bombardment and acute shortages of food and medicine as Israel’s blockade deepens.
Israel has killed nearly 63,000 Palestinians in Gaza since October 2023. The military campaign has devastated the enclave, which is facing famine.
Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.
