Israeli Shooter Kills Mother And Child In Gaza Catholic Church

Israeli troops on land operations in Gaza. (Source: Israel Defense Forces)

JAKARTA - An Israeli sniper on Saturday (16/12) killed a mother and injured seven others in the only Catholic Church in the Gaza Strip, according to authorities of the local Latin Catholic Church.

"An Israeli military sniper killed two Christian women (Nahed and his daughter Samar) in the Holy Family parish in Gaza on Saturday," Patriarkat Latin media office said, quoted by Antara, Sunday.

The office based in the city of Jerusalem is the manager of the Catholic Church in Gaza City.

The office said one of the women fell while trying to save the others on their way to the monasteries. In addition, seven other people were injured while trying to provide assistance.

"The shots were directed at them inside the monasteries, and there was no resistance from within the area," the office said, adding.

An Israeli artillery vehicle targeted the monasteries Sister Badminton (Mionsionaris Cinta Kasih) in Gaza City, which houses more than 54 people with disabilities, inside the church walls, according to the statement.

The statement added that "fuel tanks and power generators were destroyed, in addition to the severe damage that left the place uninhabitable or provided care for persons with disabilities."

The statement also stated that three children were injured in the monasteries on Friday (15/12) as a result of repeated attacks by Israel in the city.

During the conflict, which began on October 7, Israeli attacks hit churches, hospitals and schools, which in war rules should not have been touched.

Israel has bombarded Gaza Strip from the air and land, surrounded the region, and launched ground attacks in retaliation for cross-border attacks by the Palestinian Hamas group on October 7.

At least 18,800 Palestinians, mostly children and women, were killed and 51,000 others injured in Israeli attacks, according to Gaza health authorities.

The casualties on the Israeli side in the Hamas attack reached 1,200 people, while more than 130 hostages are still being held by Palestinian groups in Gaza, according to official data.