Palestinians on October 20 search the destroyed annex of the Church of St. Porphyrius after it was hit by Israeli airstrikes (AFP)

A former Michigan Republican member of Congress lost several family members in Gaza after Israeli strikes targeted the Orthodox Church of St. Porphyrius.

Former Michigan Rep. Justin Amash posted on X, that "with great sadness," he has confirmed the death of numerous relatives while they had been sheltering, adding that the "Palestinian Christian community has endured so much."

I was really worried about this. 😔 With great sadness, I have now confirmed that several of my relatives (including Viola and Yara pictured here) were killed at Saint Porphyrius Orthodox Church in Gaza, where they had been sheltering, when part of the complex was destroyed as… pic.twitter.com/w5k1xEeTgF
— Justin Amash (@justinamash) October 20, 2023

Israeli occupation forces confessed that a strike on the grounds of the St. Porphyrius Greek Orthodox Church in Gaza City on Thursday night was caused by their own aircraft.

The Ministry of Interior in Gaza announced the new massacre that killed and wounded hundreds of people seeking refuge inside the Church.

According to the Ministry, the occupation made a direct target at the ancient church building on Omar al-Mukhtar Street in the Gaza Strip.

The Ministry pointed out that the church housed dozens of displaced people, who were taking shelter inside the church, most of whom were women and children.

This massacre came two days after the Israeli occupation committed a heinous crime by targeting the Baptist Hospital in central Gaza, killing over 500 martyrs in a clear targeting of cadres, crews, and medical capabilities within the Strip.

The Syriac Orthodox Bishop of Mount Lebanon and Tripoli, George Saliba, denounced yesterday the recent attacks carried out by the Israeli occupation army on the Gaza Strip, which targeted the Greek Orthodox Church of St. Porphyrius.

In statements to Al Mayadeen, Saliba affirmed the unity of the Lebanese and Palestinian peoples, stressing that Gaza is the lung of Palestine and that the occupation kills women and children and uses the most lethal weapons.

Saliba pointed out that "Israel" was built on blood for 75 years, stressing the legitimacy of the right to self-defense, and that "whoever oppresses people must bear responsibility."

The bishop explained that whoever supports "Israel" with such force does not care about the fate of others, pointing out that the West is not Christian and stressing that "selfishness and love of sovereignty are its religion and its goal."

The Greek Orthodox Archbishop of Sebastia in al-Quds Archbishop Atallah Hanna sent an urgent appeal to the Pope and the heads of churches in the world to raise their voices and not limit themselves to prayers, indicating that "the authority must have a clear and frank position to support the people of Gaza who are being liquidated."