Two women were killed and several people were injured following a strike which hit the Catholic parish in the Gaza Strip, doctors at the Al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza City said on Thursday.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu apologized Thursday for the Israeli Defense Force's bombing of Gaza's only Catholic church Thursday morning.

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.