2024 Derdghaya Melkite Church airstrike

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2024 Derdghaya Melkite Church airstrike
Part of the 2024 Israeli invasion of Lebanon
Rescuers among the ruins of the destroyed church
Derdghaya Location within Lebanon
Location	Derdghaya, Lebanon
Date	9 October 2024
Target	St. George Melkite Catholic Church
Attack type	Airstrikes, massacre
Deaths	8+
Perpetrator	Israel Defense Forces

On 9 October 2024, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) conducted an airstrike on the St. George Melkite Catholic Church in the village of Derdghaya,[1] in Southern Lebanon, as part of the 2024 Israeli invasion of Lebanon.[2] The airstrike killed at least eight people inside the church. The IDF also hit the house of a priest and the parish offices.[3]

Background

As a result of the 2024 Israeli invasion of Lebanon, 1.2 million Lebanese citizens have been displaced from their homes.[4] The Melkite Church in Derdghaya, Tyre District was housing some of these displaced in the church and two of the adjoining halls.[2][3]

The church had been previously bombed by Israel in 1978 and again in 1992.[5] According to the priest of the church, Father Maurice el Khoury, the church lost its western wall during the First Israeli invasion of Lebanon in 1978, and residential rooms of the church were hit by Israeli airstrikes in 1992.[1]

Airstrike

The Catholic pastoral aid organization, Aid to the Church in Need reported that on 9 October 2024, an Israeli missile hit the church, completely destroying it and killing at least eight people inside.[2] Another missile hit a priests house and a three-story building which had the parish offices, completely destroying them as well.[3][5]

The Israeli army claimed that the attack was directed against militiamen.[6]

Reactions

Religious leaders

On 11 October 2024, Pope Francis released two statements on Twitter stating,[7]

All nations have the right to exist in peace and security. Their territories must not be attacked, and their sovereignty must be respected and guaranteed through peace and dialogue. War and hatred bring only death and destruction for everyone. #Peace

and [8][3]

I call for an immediate ceasefire in all theatres of conflict in the Middle East, including Lebanon. Let us #PrayTogether for the Lebanese people, especially for residents in the south who have been forced to flee their homes. May they soon be able to return and live in #Peace.

The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, issued a statement that same day saying “We will not surrender to events that seem to drive us apart, but we will always seek to be thirsty builders of peace and justice.”[3]

References

1. Jo, Lujain; Ammar, Hassan (23 December 2024). "In the ruins of a bombed-out church in Lebanon, there's now a tiny Christmas tree". Associated Press.
2. Balog, Amy (10 October 2024). "LEBANON: At least eight killed in airstrike on church". acnuk.org. Aid to the Church in Need.
3. Henríquez, Andrés (11 October 2024). "Israeli missile destroys Catholic church in Lebanon; at least 8 dead". catholicnewsagency.com. CNA.
4. Berger, Miriam; Pietsch, Bryan; Sands, Leo; Chamaa, Mohamad El (4 October 2024). "Israel unleashes major strikes near Beirut as Lebanon campaign escalates". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
5. "LEBANON: Israeli airstrike hits Melkite Greek Catholic Church, eight dead". hrwf.eu. Human Rights Without Frontiers. 14 October 2024.
6. "Lebanon: Israeli air force also strikes a church in Derdghaya". asianews.it. Fondazione PIME Onlus – AsiaNews. 11 October 2024.
7. @Pontifex (11 October 2024). "All nations have the right to exist in peace and security. Their territories must not be attacked, and their sovereignty must be respected and guaranteed through peace and dialogue. War and hatred bring only death and destruction for everyone. #Peace" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
8. @Pontifex (11 October 2024). "I call for an immediate ceasefire in all theatres of conflict in the Middle East, including Lebanon. Let us #PrayTogether for the Lebanese people, especially for residents in the south who have been forced to flee their homes. May they soon be able to return and live in #Peace" (Tweet) – via Twitter.