https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20231216-mother-daughter-killed-by-israel-army-in-gaza-church-grounds-patriarchate

Mother, daughter killed by Israel army in Gaza church grounds: patriarchate

Jerusalem (AFP) – A Christian mother and daughter were shot dead by an
Israeli soldier on the grounds of a Catholic church in Gaza City on
Saturday, the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem said.

Issued on: 16/12/2023 - 20:49Modified: 16/12/2023 - 20:47
1 min
Seen here in the runup to Christmas 2021, the Church of the Holy Family
is the Gaza Strip's only Roman Catholic church and has been sheltering
displaced Christian families since the Israel-Hamas war erupted in October
Seen here in the runup to Christmas 2021, the Church of the Holy Family
is the Gaza Strip's only Roman Catholic church and has been sheltering
displaced Christian families since the Israel-Hamas war erupted in
October © MAHMUD HAMS / AFP/File

"Around noon (1000 GMT) today... a sniper of the IDF (Israeli army)
murdered two Christian women inside the Holy Family Parish in Gaza,"
where Christian families have been sheltering since the Israel-Hamas war
broke out, the patriarchate said in a statement.

"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," it added, without specifying the victims' ages.

Seven more people were wounded by gunfire as they tried to protect
others, the statement said.

The Israeli army did not immediately respond to a request for comment
about the incident on the grounds of the Gaza Strip's only Catholic church.

The patriarchate said no warning was given before the shooting started,
adding: "They were shot in cold blood inside the premises of the Parish,
where there are no belligerents."

The war in Gaza was triggered by Hamas's unprecedented October 7 attack
on Israel, which killed around 1,140 people, most of them civilians,
according to official figures.

Israel's campaign to crush the militant group has so far killed at least
18,800, mostly women and children, according to the territory's
Hamas-run health ministry.

© 2023 AFP