Israeli sniper kills 2 women inside Gaza church

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GAZA, Dec 17: In a tragic incident on Saturday, an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) sniper shot and killed two women within the Holy Family Parish in Gaza, as reported by the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, the overseeing authority for Catholic Churches across Cyprus, Jordan, Israel, Gaza, and the West Bank.

The majority of Christian families in Gaza sought refuge inside the parish since the onset of the war, according to the patriarchate’s statement. The two victims, identified as a mother and daughter, were walking to the Sister’s Convent when the sniper attack occurred. The patriarchate noted, “One was killed as she tried to carry the other to safety.” Additionally, seven others sustained gunshot wounds in the assault.

The statement highlighted the absence of any warning or notification before the attack, emphasizing that the victims were shot “in cold blood inside the premises of the parish, where there are no belligerents.”

The patriarchate further disclosed that IDF tanks also targeted the Convent of the Sisters of Mother Theresa, a part of the church’s compound, housing 54 disabled individuals. The attack destroyed the building’s generator, its sole electricity source, along with fuel resources, solar panels, and water tanks. The rockets rendered the convent “uninhabitable.”

CNN reached out to the IDF for comment on the incident. Meanwhile, UK lawmaker Layla Moran, representing Oxford West and Abingdon, expressed deep concern for her family members taking refuge in the church, describing them as “beyond desperate and terrified” amidst worsening conditions.

Moran had previously informed the UK House of Commons on November 15 that a family member sheltering in the church had died, and electricity generators had ceased functioning. She also mentioned reports of white phosphorus and gunfire in the compound, indicating casualties among non-combatants.

CNN cannot independently verify the conditions surrounding the church or confirm the allegations of the use of incendiary munitions, which may be illegal in certain circumstances.

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