On 16 December 2023, two Palestinian Christians, Naheda Anton and her daughter Samr Anton, were shot and killed while walking inside the grounds of the Holy Family Church to go to the bathroom during the 2023 Israel–Hamas war. The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem said: “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.”[1][2][3][4] Hamas and the Patriarchate said an Israeli sniper killed the women.[5][6]

Al Jazeera said others died after Israeli troops prevented medical aid reaching the wounded.[7] The pair were part of a large group of civilians, including other Palestinian Christians, that had been taking refuge in the church. The sister of one of the civilians told the BBC that those in the church were scared to leave for fear of being shot at, adding that "they believed the Israelis were shooting anything that moves".[8] Reportedly IDF bombs have leveled most of the buildings around the church, and many have reported Israeli tanks and snipers in the surviving buildings overlooking the compound. The churches generators were destroyed due to the bombs, along with their solar panels, water tanks and fuel resources.[9]

The Patriarchate said that earlier in the morning, an Israeli airstrike hit the Missionaries of Charity convent, which housed 54 disabled people; the rocket attack caused a large explosion and displaced all of the residents.[10][11]

The Israeli military said it had not targetted the church and that church representatives had not mentioned an attack or civilian deaths when they spoke to the IDF on 16 December.[12] Following an investigation, the IDF said that Hamas had fired an RPG from the vicinity of church, and that IDF soldiers had fired back and hit Hamas spotters.[13]

Reactions

Pope Francis condemned the attack and said: “Some would say ‘It is war. It is terrorism.’ Yes, it is war. It is terrorism".[14][15] This was the second time that the Pope had used the word “terrorism” while speaking of events in Gaza.[14][15]

The Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, the most senior Catholic figure in the United Kingdom, said: "They were shot in cold blood inside the premises of the Parish, where there are no belligerents."[16][17]

Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem Fleur Hassan-Nahoum, speaking on LBC, was asked about reports of snipers outside the church, and said: "I saw the reports this morning. The church? There are no churches in Gaza." She added: "Yes, unfortunately there are no Christians because they were driven out by Hamas."[18]

Italian Foreign Minister, Antonio Tajani, condemned the killings, saying: "An (Israeli) sniper shot two women inside a church. This has nothing to do with the fight against Hamas because the terrorists are certainly not hiding in Christian churches."[19]

References

  1. ↑ Berger, Miriam; Bellware, Kim (2023-12-16). "IDF kills two women taking shelter at Gaza church, Catholic authorities say". The Washington Post. OCLC 2269358. Archived from the original on 2023-12-17. Retrieved 2023-12-18.
  2. ↑ "Two women killed in Israeli attack on Holy Family parish in Gaza – Vatican News". www.vaticannews.va. 2023-12-16. Retrieved 2023-12-19.
  3. ↑ "Israeli Snipers Kill Mother, Daughter Sheltered in Holy Family Church". Palestine Chronicle. 2023-12-16. Retrieved 2023-12-16.
  4. ↑ King, Laura (2023-12-19). "In Bethlehem, the home of Jesus' birth, a season of grieving for Palestinian Christians". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2023-12-20.
  5. ↑ Da Silva, Chantal (2023-12-18). "Fears mount for Gaza's tiny Christian community after mom and daughter shot dead". NBC News. Retrieved 2023-12-19.
  6. ↑ Statement by the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, 16 December 2023. Retrieved 28 December 2023.
  7. ↑ "Dying, injured Palestinians besieged in Gaza church by Israeli soldiers: Analyst". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 23 December 2023.
  8. ↑ Snow, Oliver (2023-12-18). "Gazans trapped in church fear being shot, says relative". Retrieved 2023-12-21.
  9. ↑ Trew, Bel (2023-12-20). "How a sniper's bullets utterly shattered the sanctuary in Gaza's only Catholic church". The Independent. Retrieved 2024-01-08.
  10. ↑ "Gaza, 16th December 2023". Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem. Retrieved 2023-12-16.
  11. ↑ Chen, Heather; El Damanhoury, Kareem; Karadsheh, Jomana; Ehlinger, Maija (2023-12-17). "Pope speaks out after IDF sniper kills two women inside Gaza church, per Catholic authorities". CNN. Retrieved 2023-12-18.
  12. ↑ "IDF refutes claim it targeted sole Catholic church in Gaza after 2 women said killed". The Times of Israel. 18 December 2023. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  13. ↑ "IDF again denies killing mother and daughter at Gaza church, cites Hamas fire in area". The Times of Israel. 2023-12-21.
  14. 1 2 McDougall, A. J. (2023-12-18). "Pope Sounds Off After Israeli Sniper Kills 2 at Catholic Church in Gaza". The Daily Beast. Retrieved 2023-12-18.
  15. 1 2 McCordick, Jack (2023-12-17). ""It is Terrorism": Pope Francis Denounces Killing of Two Christian Women in Gaza". Vanity Fair. Retrieved 2023-12-18.
  16. ↑ Birrell, Donna (December 17, 2023). "Cardinal Vincent Nichols expresses horror at 'callous' killings in Gaza's Catholic Church compound". Premier Christian Radio. Retrieved 2023-12-18.
  17. ↑ Sherwood, Harriet (2023-12-18). "Cardinal condemns 'cold–blooded' killing of two women in Gaza church". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2023-12-18.
  18. ↑ "No Christians in Gaza, claims Jerusalem deputy mayor after Israeli army kills two women at church". LBC. Retrieved 2023-12-20.
  19. ↑ "Gaza church killings at odds with war on Hamas, Italy tells Israel". Reuters.
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