Gaza’s Christians mourn mother and daughter killed in Israeli attack
Gaza Christian communities are mourning the deaths of a mother and daughter killed alongside at least three other Palestinians during an overnight Israeli air attack on a residential apartment in western Gaza City. Health officials report the strike killed five people total, including four women. The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, expressed deep sorrow over the deaths. Pope Francis also wrote to the pastor of Holy Family Parish to offer condolences following the tragedy. The victims had previously moved from a church refuge into the rented flat.
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- ✓ Maysa Khader Abu Daoud and her daughter Mary Hafez Najjar were killed in an Israeli strike on a residential apartment in Gaza City.
- ✓ Health officials confirmed the strike left a total of five Palestinians dead, including four women.
- ✓ Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa expressed deep sorrow and grief over the killing of the two Christian women.
- ✓ Pope Francis wrote to Father Gabriel Romanelli, pastor of Holy Family Parish, following the attack.
What changed
Religious leaders including Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa and Pope Francis formally expressed condolences over the deaths of Christian residents killed in the Gaza City strike.
Live updates
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Gaza Christians Mourn Mother and Daughter Killed in Strike
Gaza Christian communities are mourning the deaths of a mother and daughter killed alongside at least three other Palestinians during an overnight Israeli air attack on a residential apartment in western Gaza City. Health officials report the strike killed five people total, including four women. The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, expressed deep sorrow over the deaths. Pope Francis also wrote to the pastor of Holy Family Parish to offer condolences following the tragedy. The victims had previously moved from a church refuge into the rented flat.
Why it matters
The targeted strike occurred as families continue to endure devastating conditions across the Gaza Strip amidst ongoing military operations. The killings have drawn condemnation and grief from prominent religious leaders internationally and locally. Christian communities in Gaza remain heavily impacted by the prolonged conflict, seeking refuge in churches and limited shelters.
What is confirmed
- Maysa Khader Abu Daoud and her daughter Mary Hafez Najjar were killed in an Israeli strike on a residential apartment in Gaza City.
- Health officials confirmed the strike left a total of five Palestinians dead, including four women.
- Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa expressed deep sorrow and grief over the killing of the two Christian women.
- Pope Francis wrote to Father Gabriel Romanelli, pastor of Holy Family Parish, following the attack.
Still unconfirmed
- Reports state the mother and daughter had recently moved from a church refuge into a rented flat before the strike occurred.
What to watch next
- Any official statements from the Israel Defense Forces regarding the specific targets in western Gaza City
- Further casualty reports from health officials regarding the residential building strikes
confidence 90%Sources used for this update (17)
- The Times of Israel — IDF says it killed Oct. 7 Hamas operative identified as journalist, vows to expose others
- Reuters — Israeli strike kills five in Gaza, health officials say
- Haaretz — Gaza Health Ministry report shows excess 2025 deaths lower than experts expected
- Democracy Now! — “Buying More Time for the Genocide”: Muhammad Shehada on Trump’s Gaza Plan 1 Year Later
- www.aljazeera.com — Israeli air attack on Gaza City apartment kills at least five | Gaza News
- lpj.org — Condolences on the death of Maysa Khader Abu Daoud and Mary Hafez Najjar
- Al Jazeera — Gaza’s Christians mourn mother and daughter killed in Israeli attack
- U.S. News & World Report — Israeli Strike Kills 1 Palestinian in Gaza, and Other Mideast News
- WRAL — Yemen's government declares a major operation against the Houthis, and other Mideast news
- www.aljazeera.com — Gaza’s Christians mourn mother and daughter killed in Israeli attack
- www.middleeasteye.net — ‘The Israeli occupation does not distinguish’: Gaza family mourns Christian mother and daughter | Mid....
- countercurrents.org — Four Women, Two Christians, Killed in Israeli Strike on Gaza Residential Apartment | Countercurrents
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