Two women were killed in a Gaza church, challenging Israeli self-defense claims, according to a British cardinal. The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem reports that Nahida Khalil Anton and her daughter Samar fell victim to an Israeli sniper within the Holy Family Church precincts, as stated by Cardinal Vincent Nichols. He stressed the absence of any warning and dismissed the possibility of rocket launchers at the site.
Cardinal Nichols highlighted the church's role in sheltering and aiding hundreds since October. Furthermore,
Pope Francis has labeled the incident as warfare and terrorism.
Israeli military officials deny targeting civilians based on religious grounds. Meanwhile, civilians remain besieged in the church, disconnected from the outside world, living in constant fear, as described by Fifi Saba, a relative of one of the trapped.
British MP Layla Moran, of Palestinian descent, fears for her family's survival inside the church. They are without essentials and an elderly family member has already perished from dehydration. Moran calls for urgent humanitarian aid as Christmas, deeply connected to Palestine, approaches.