Hundreds of Christians and Muslims were sheltering inside Saint Porphyrius church on Thursday evening when an Israeli missile brought down part of the church, killing at least 16 people among them 5 children at least.
Dozens of men searched the collapsed building into the night, looking for survivors – and for bodies to retrieve the next day. Those on the lower floor had been crushed to death, while people higher up had survived to face another day of attacks.
“They felt they would be safe here,” a man cried out. “They came from under the bombardment and the destruction, and they said they would be safe here, but the Israeli destruction chased them and killed them .”
The Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem, which runs the church, said many of those inside at the time were women and children, and accused Israel of targeting churches among other holy places.
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