Two Christian women has been killed by the soldiers of the Israeli Defense Forces near the Holy Family Church, the only Catholic church in Shejayia area of Gaza. The spokesperson of IDF also confirmed the incident.
According to a statement sent to Fox News Digital, the IDF spokesperson said the incident occurred during an operation against Hamas terrorists, and it was directed against an assumed threat in that area of the church, which was part of its action against Hamas. The names of the victims were Nahida and her daughter Samar.
The Telegraph reported that several people were trapped in the church due to the attack. Speaking on the incident and expressing her concern, a Liberal Democrat in the United Kingdom, Layla Moran, said she is worried for her extended family as they have no access to water or food.
She was quoted as saying, “I am desperately worried for my extended family in Gaza City. There are snipers at every window pointing into the church. (They are) still shooting anyone emerging from buildings to use, for example, toilets. (There are) still no food or water.”
One of the relatives of the victims, Hammam Farah, also made reports about the situation on X (formerly Twitter). He wrote, “This morning Israeli snipers shot and killed my two family friends in an attack on the Holy Family Catholic Church in Gaza.
“Nahida (Um Emad Anton) and Samar, mother and daughter, were walking to the Sisters’ Convent to use the only bathroom. One was killed as she tried to carry the other to safety. Their bodies remain strewn across the church courtyard. The water tanks and solar panels were also struck. We don’t know if they have enough water to survive. The Christian community in Gaza is on the verge of extinction.”
In his Angelus address, Pope Francis spoke against the attack, terming the situation as terrorism and war. He also called for prayers for peace. A top diplomat in Italy, Antonio Tajani, also urged the IDF and Israeli government to seek the protection of Christian places of worship.
According to the Israeli army, they are investigating the attack at the church, noting that they do not target civilians, but only terrorists. However, there are complications in their operations as Hamas’ strategy is to use holy sites and civilians as cover for their operations.
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