Arsonists are believed to have started a fire which has damaged a Roman Catholic church on the Sea of Galilee in northern Israel, police say, according to BBC News.

The church at Tabgha is built where Christians believe Jesus performed the miracle of the loaves and fishes, also known as the Feeding of the 5,000.

Hebrew graffiti found on a wall is thought to indicate the attack may have been the work of Jewish extremists.

Police detained 16 teenagers for questioning but later released them.

Spokeswoman Luba Samri told the AFP news agency that they were freed "with no conditions attached, after being interviewed and giving statements".