Israel last week attacked the only Catholic church in the Gaza Strip, killing three people and wounding 10 others, according to the parish priest.

I express my profound sadness regarding last Thursday’s attack by the Israeli army on the Catholic Parish of the Holy Family in Gaza City, which as you know killed three Christians and gravely wounded others,

Ahmed Qandil, who specialized in general surgery, had been on his way to Al-Ahli Arab Baptist Hospital when he was killed, Gaza’s Health Ministry spokesman confirmed to AP. Father Gabriel Romanelli, pastor of the Holy Family Parish,

As U.N. agencies issue dire warnings of humanitarian collapse in Gaza, the Catholic arm of an organization that promotes Christian engagement in the Near East has announced a nine-day novena prayer for peace in the Holy Land to begin on July 16.