Christian Mother And Daughter Killed By IDF At Catholic Parish In Gaza
The Latin Catholic Patriarchate said that an elderly Christian woman and daughter were 'murdered' by the IDF.
Two Christian women were killed on Saturday by an Israeli sniper at the Catholic Holy Family Parish in Gaza, according to a statement by the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem.
The statement said that ab approximately noon local time on Dec. 16, an IDF marksman "murdered two Christian women inside the Holy Family Parish in Gaza, where the majority of Christian families has taken refuge since the start of the war.” Identifying the two victims, the statement said, “Nahida and her daughter Samar were shot and killed as they walked to the sisters’ convent...One was killed as she tried to carry the other to safety.” Another seven people were “shot and wounded” while trying to “protect others inside the church compound.” the statement said.
Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, said in the statement, “No warning was given, no notification was provided,” the patriarchate said. “They were shot in cold blood inside the premises of the parish, where there are no belligerents.”
According to Vatican News, the IDF was "justified by Israelis” who “claimed the presence of a rocket launcher in the parish.”
Before the two women were shot, “a rocket fired from an IDF tank targeted the Convent of the Sisters of Mother Teresa (Missionaries of Charity).”
“The convent is home to over 54 disabled persons and is part of the church compound, which was signaled as a place of worship since the beginning of the war,” the statement said. The building’s generator and its fuel resources were destroyed, the statement said, while the 54 disabled persons at the facility “are currently displaced and without access to the respirators that some of them need to survive.”
The statement said that the patriarchate is “at a loss to comprehend how such an attack could be carried out, even more so as the whole Church prepares for Christmas.”
“Together in prayer with the whole Christian community, we express our closeness and condolences to the families affected by this senseless tragedy,” the statement said.
Joining in condemning the attack was the head of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales. Archbishop of Westminster Cardinal Vincent Nicholas said he was"heartbroken" over the deaths condemning the ‘seemingly deliberate and callous killing’ of two women at a church in Gaza.
The strike at the Catholic parish in Gaza echoes the October attack on the historic Greek Orthodox Church of St. Porphyrius, Gaza’s oldest active church. About two weeks into the war, hundreds of civilians were in the church when Israeli forces struck and killed 18 people and wounded 20 others.
President Biden has joined others in criticizing Israel because its “indiscriminate bombing” is eroding support for its war in Gaza as the death toll rises.
Victim Nahida.
Victim Samar.
Here follows the statement of Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem:
Around noon today, December 2023 16, a sniper of the IDF murdered two Christian women inside the Holy Family Parish in Gaza, where the majority of Christian families has taken refuge since the start of the War. Nahida and her daughter Samar were shot and killed as they walked to the Sister's convent. One was killed as she tried to carry the other to safety. Seven more people were shot and wounded as they tried to protect others inside the church compound. No warning was given, no notification was provided. They were shot in cold blood inside the premises of the Parish, where there are no belligerents.
Earlier in the morning, a rocket fired from an IDF tank targeted the Convent of the Sisters of Mother Theresa (Missionaries of Charity). The Convent is home to over 54 disabled persons and is part of the church c9ompund, which was signaled as a place of worship since the beginning of the war. The building's generator (the only source of electricity) and the fuel resources were destroyed. The house was damaged by the resulting explosion and massive fire. Two more rockets, fired by an IDF tank, targeted the same Convent and rendered the home uninhabitable. The 54 disabled persons are currently displaced and without access to the respirators that some of them need to survive.
In addition, as a result of the heavy bombing in the area, three people were wounded inside the church compound last night. Furthermore, solar panels and water tank, which are indispensable for the survival of the community, were destroyed.
Together in prayer with the whole Christian community, we express our closeness and condolences to the families affected by this senseless tragedy. At the same time, we cannot express that we are at a loss to comprehend how such an attack could be carried out, even more so as the whole Church prepares for Christmas.
The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem follows this developing situation with great concern and shall provide additional information as needed.