Gaza’s Christian community is in mourning following the deaths of a mother and her daughter who were killed in an Israeli attack in Gaza City. The strike, which hit the ground floor of a residential building in the Remal neighborhood, claimed the lives of five Palestinians in total.
The victims were identified as Maysa Abu Daoud and her daughter, Mary al-Najjar. According to Palestine’s Higher Presidential Committee for Church Affairs, both women were Palestinian Christians from Gaza City who dedicated their time to supporting fellow parishioners and displaced individuals sheltering at the Holy Family Church.
Funeral Held at Saint Porphyrius Church
A funeral service for Maysa Abu Daoud and Mary al-Najjar was held on Saturday at Saint Porphyrius Church, located in Gaza City’s Old City. Patriarchs and local community members gathered to pay their respects and honor the two women.
In an official statement, the patriarch extended heartfelt condolences to the surviving family members, loved ones, and the broader Christian community in Gaza who are enduring the ongoing conflict.
Context of the Attack
The strike occurred amid what reports describe as ongoing violations of a United States-brokered ceasefire agreement between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas. According to health authorities in Gaza, more than 1,000 people have been killed since the ceasefire was brokered, adding to the immense civilian toll recorded since the wider war began in October 2023.
Local authorities and humanitarian organizations continue to monitor the humanitarian situation in the enclave as casualties mount from recurring military strikes across various neighborhoods in Gaza City and surrounding areas.
