The Roman Catholic church officials stated that on Saturday, the Israeli military sniper shot and killed a mother and daughter inside a church compound in northern Gaza where several Palestinian Christian families have taken refuge.
The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem reported that “one of the females was killed while trying to carry the other to safety” in the compound of the Holy Family Church in Gaza City. Seven others were also shot and wounded in an attempt to protect others, as stated by the patriarchate in a statement published on Saturday.
The patriarchate said, “No warning was given, no notification was provided.” They added, “They were shot in cold blood inside the premises of the parish.”
It was also reported that Israeli rockets were fired at a convent in the church compound earlier on Saturday, causing severe damage to the structure. The sole generator and fuel supply of the building were destroyed. The statement also mentioned that 54 disabled individuals had been living in the convent, and some were left without working respirators that they need to survive.
The Israeli military has refuted any knowledge of an attack at the Holy Family Parish.
On Sunday, Pope Francis condemned the killings in his weekly address. He expressed his sorrow over the events, stating that he continued to receive “very serious and sad news about Gaza.”
The pope identified the two who were killed as Nahida Khalil Anton and her daughter Samar Kamal Anton. He also mentioned that they and the others who were shot had been on their way to use a bathroom.
Layla Moran, a member of Britain’s Parliament, said in an interview on Sunday that members of her extended family across three generations had been sheltering at the Holy Family parish compound. She expressed concern over the safety of her relatives currently there.
The compound has seen a “huge escalation” in gunfire, with no warnings from the Israeli military. According to Ms. Moran, families at the church have remained trapped in schoolrooms with dwindling supplies of food and water.
The dire humanitarian situation at the church and the killing of the two women on Saturday “makes a mockery of the suggestion” that the Israeli military tries to keep civilians safe, she said.
Ms. Moran said a sixth member of her family who was sheltering at the church, died after he became dehydrated and could not be taken to a hospital. Nearly every health care facility in northern Gaza had stopped functioning, contributing to the man’s death.