The historic Church of St. Porphyrius, Gaza’s oldest active church, was struck Thursday as it sheltered hundreds of Palestinians displaced by the war, according to religious officials.
The casualty count and extent of the damage were not immediately clear. The Washington Post geolocated the strike and confirmed the location of the church based on a video that shows people searching through rubble of a destroyed building. The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem blamed Israel for the strike.
Israel Defense Forces said in an email statement that a strike targeting a Hamas control center “damaged the wall of a church in the area,” and that it is “aware of reports on casualties” and reviewing the incident.
The Church of St. Porphyrius’s original structure dates back to the 5th century, and the current structure was built in the 12th century. Located in a historic quarter of the city, it is named after a former bishop of Gaza, Saint Porphyrius, and placed where he is believed to have died in A.D. 420. Characterized by thick walls and a richly decorated interior, the church has long been a place of refuge and community for its members, who are a religious minority in the Gaza Strip.
