The gunfire at a church in Karak: The attack did not end

On Friday, 23 October 2026, gunmen opened fire outside St. George’s Greek Orthodox Church in Hamoud village (Karak Governorate, Jordan) as people gathered for a funeral. By the end of the attack, nine people had been killed and around 50 injured. Three suspects were arrested on Monday, 26 October, as the investigation continued.

Today, the church stands as a painful reminder of what happened. Shattered glass and bullet marks remain. Police officers guard the area, and the olive trees that stood for generations surrounding the church offer little comfort.

For those who were there, the attack did not end when the shooting stopped.

Unexpected attack

One of the survivors described how an ordinary funeral turned into a scene of terror. In their community, men traditionally gather outside during funerals while women enter the church. And when he heard the gunshots outside, he immediately dropped down to the floor.

The gunman continued firing, pausing to reload before shooting again. A witness described the attacker firing repeatedly at some of the same victims to make sure they are dead.

“No one expected this to happen at a church,” he said.

The gunfire began near the church’s main entrance. According to the survivor, an injured person managed to close the church doors, helping protect the approximately 100 people gathered inside. The gunmen then fired at the church windows.

Watch the damage at the church after the attack:

He believes that if the attacker had managed to enter the building, the consequences could have been far worse. It would have been a massacre.

Yet even as the community counts the lives lost and the injured, the impact of the attack is also being measured in sleepless nights and a sense of fear.

“I still can’t sleep properly since the shooting took place because of the horrors I saw. What happened is surprising, because we have always lived with our Muslim brothers peacefully in Karak,” he said.

Although Jordan has experienced terrorist attacks before, including violence in Karak in 2016, an attack on people gathered for a church funeral struck at unexpected.

A lingering fear

On 26 October, authorities announced that three suspects had been arrested following the attack. Investigations continue.

Yet the arrest of suspects cannot, by itself, restore the sense of security that was lost. Fear is still dwelling. The attack has left people considering very different paths forward. Some may think about acquiring weapons to protect themselves (especially in the villages). Others may consider leaving Jordan and seeking safety elsewhere. For others, the violence has strengthened their determination to stay, remain rooted in their country and continue living alongside their Muslim neighbours.

When asked what gives Christians security in Jordan today, a Jordanian Christian answered from the heart of his faith.

“Jesus is the only source of security. I’m not afraid of death.”

“They were all loved”

For those who survived the shooting, the pain extends to the families who lost loved ones, the injured who continue to recover, and the wider community trying to understand what has happened.

When one survivor was asked how others could pray for her, her answer was not focused on herself alone.

“Pray that God brings comfort to the families of those who lost their lives; I can feel their pain; they were all loved... pray for me and all those who were at the church ... for things to calm down...”

Her words carry the weight of collective mourning. She knows that the people who died were more than names in a news report. They were beloved members of families and friends whose absence will be felt long after the church doors reopen.

Trauma healing will be essential in the months ahead and hopes to provide support for those affected. There may also be a need for practical assistance for families who have lost their sole income provider.

Such support cannot undo what happened, but it can help families face the future without carrying every burden alone.

As brothers and sisters in the Lord, thank you for standing with them and remember them in prayer.