Gaza Catholic church strike kills two, China calls for restraint in Syria

TOP HEADLINES:

• Israel launched powerful airstrikes in Damascus, blowing up part of the defense authority and hitting near the presidential palace. READ MORE BELOW

• Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni reacted angrily after Israeli strikes on Gaza hit the territory's only Catholic church, killing at least two people. READ MORE BELOW

• China called for respect of Syria's sovereignty. READ MORE BELOW

• Syrian government officials and leaders in the Druze religious minority announced a renewed ceasefire after days of clashes that have threatened to unravel the country's postwar political transition and drawn military intervention by powerful neighbor Israel.

• Yemen's Huthi rebels claimed a missile launched at Ben Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv, after the Israeli military said it intercepted a missile fired from the Arabian Peninsula country.

• U.S. President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, said that negotiations for a ceasefire in Gaza were going well.

IN DETAIL

Israel attacks Damascus

Israel launched powerful airstrikes in Damascus on Wednesday, blowing up part of the defense authority and hitting near the presidential palace as it vowed to destroy government forces attacking Druze in southern Syria and demanded they withdraw.

The attacks marked a significant Israeli escalation against the Islamist-led administration of interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa. 

Describing Syria's new rulers as barely disguised jihadists, Israel has said it will not let them move forces into southern Syria and vowed to shield the area's Druze community from attack, encouraged by calls from Israel's own Druze minority.

The United Nations Security Council will meet on Thursday to address the conflict, diplomats said.

"The council must condemn the barbaric crimes committed against innocent civilians on Syrian soil," said Israel's ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon. "Israel will continue to act resolutely against any terrorist threat on its borders, anywhere and at any time."

Scores of people have been killed this week in violence in and around the predominantly Druze city of Sweida, pitting fighters from the Druze minority against government security forces and members of Bedouin tribes.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights said 169 people had been killed in this week's violence. Security sources put the toll at 300. 

Druze, followers of a religion that is an offshoot of Islam, are spread between Syria, Lebanon and Israel.

Following calls in Israel to help Druze in Syria, scores of Israeli Druze broke through the border fence on Wednesday, linking up with Druze on the Syrian side, a Reuters witness said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the Israeli military was working to save the Druze and urged Israeli Druze citizens not to cross the border. The Israeli military said it was working to safely return civilians who had crossed.

Airstrike on Gaza's Catholic church kills two

An apparent Israeli strike on Gaza's sole Catholic Church killed two people and injured several, the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem said on Thursday.

"Two persons were killed as a result of an apparent strike by the Israeli army that hit the Holy Family Compound this morning," the Patriarchate said in a statement.

Earlier, there were conflicting reports about whether the attack had caused deaths.

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said it was "aware of reports regarding damage caused to the Holy Family Church in Gaza City and casualties at the scene. The circumstances of the incident are under review."

"The IDF makes every feasible effort to mitigate harm to civilians and civilian structures, including religious sites, and regrets any damage caused to them," its statement added.

The Holy Family Church in Gaza spoke in a separate statement of "a number of injured, some in critical condition."

The Patriarchate earlier said the parish priest, Father Gabriel Romanelli, was among those injured, and his church had sustained damage.

Father Romanelli, an Argentine, used to regularly update the late Pope Francis about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict via calls and messages. Footage from the hospital showed him to be lightly injured, with a bandaged left leg but able to walk.

The Vatican did not respond to a request for comment.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni blamed Israel for the strike on the religious compound.

"The attacks against the civilian population that Israel has been carrying out for months are unacceptable. No military action can justify such an attitude," she said in a statement.

China urges respect for Syria

China called for respect of Syria's sovereignty on Thursday.

"Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity should be respected," foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said, adding: "Amid the ongoing turbulence in the Middle East, actions that could escalate the situation must be avoided".

The Russian Foreign Ministry also condemned the Israeli campaign.

"The new wave of violence in Syria is deeply concerning," the ministry said in a statement.

"The Russian side has repeatedly condemned Israel's arbitrary use of force in Syria. These attacks, which constitute a gross violation of the country's sovereignty and international law, deserve strong condemnation."

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was similarly critical. 

"The Secretary-General further condemns Israel's escalatory airstrikes on Suweida, Daraa and in the centre of Damascus, as well as reports of the IDF's redeployment of forces in the Golan," Guterres's spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement.

Turkiye's Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the attacks and said they were an attempt to sabotage Syria's efforts to achieve peace, stability and security.