Tragedy Strikes: Deadly Blast Hits Greek Orthodox Church in Gaza City

The historic Church of St. Porphyrius in Gaza City, which was sheltering hundreds of displaced Palestinians, was struck in a deadly blast. The casualty count and extent of the damage are still unclear. The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem blamed Israel for the strike, while the Israel Defense Forces stated that a strike targeting a Hamas control center had damaged the church's wall. The Church of St. Porphyrius, Gaza's oldest active church, has long been a place of refuge for its members, who are a religious minority in the Gaza Strip. Christians make up about 1 percent of Gaza's population and have faced restrictions and discrimination.