Pax Christi statement on women murdered by Israel in Gaza's Catholic parish

Nahida, killed by Israeli sniper today in Holy Family parish

Pax Christi, England and Wales is horrified to learn from His Beatitude, Cardinal Pizzabella, Patriarch of Jerusalem, that, 'Around noon today, December 16, 2023, a sniper of the IDF murdered two Christian women inside the Holy Family Parish in Gaza, where the majority of Christian families has taken refuge since the start of the war. 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.

'They were shot in cold blood inside the premises of the parish, where there are no belligerents.'

Seven others were wounded as they tried to offer protection; no warning was given.

We ask you to

- join in prayer and in offering deepest sympathy and continued solidarity with the innocent victims of this 'senseless tragedy';

- share this information widely in your parish and community;

- contact your elected representative and the Foreign Secretary, send them the story, ask for their response and that they call for an immediate ceasefire to end the slaughter of innocent civilians;

- Contact MPs: www.writetothem.com/

- Write to: The Rt Hon Lord Cameron, Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs,

Foreign & Commonwealth Office, King Charles Street, London SW1A 2AH

See also: UK MP Layla Moran's family among hundreds trapped in Gaza church
www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-67736723

Layla Moran Lib Dem MP for Oxford West & Abingdon tweeted yesterday: "It's been a horrible few days. My family in the Catholic Church in Gaza city are reporting white phosphorous and gunfire into their compound. The bin collector and the janitor have been shot and their bodies are laying outside and remain uncollected.

The generators have also stopped working and so calls are v short now. No internet of course. They are beyond desperate and terrified. It's been over 60 days now and it's just getting worse and worse. The only thing we can do now is raise the alarm so please RT if you can."