Leaders from the Catholic and Greek Orthodox Church visited Gaza’s only Catholic church on Friday, where a day earlier three people were killed in an Israeli strike. The visit is highly unusual given Israel’s tight control over access in and out of the territory.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Pope Leo on Friday, the Vatican said, a day after an Israeli strike on Gaza's sole Catholic church killed three people and injured several more.

On Thursday, an Israeli shell struck the compound of the only Catholic church in Gaza, killing three people, wounding 10 and damaging the building.