Israeli sniper kills in 'cold blood' mother, daughter in Gaza church

An Israeli military sniper has shot dead a Christian mother and daughter on the grounds of a Catholic church in the Gaza Strip sheltering displaced Palestinian families. 

The fatal shooting took place inside the Holy Family Parish in Gaza City at around noon on Saturday, the Latin Patriarchate of al-Quds, which oversees Catholic Churches across Cyprus, Jordan, the Israeli-occupied territories, Gaza and the West Bank, said in a statement.

“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,” it added.

The patriarchate also said that no warning was given before the shooting and that the victims “were shot in cold blood inside the premises of the Parish, where there are no belligerents.”

Seven more Palestinians were also wounded by gunfire as they tried to protect others at the church, according to the statement.

The patriarchate further said that an Israeli tank fired three projectiles, destroying a convent’s generator and fuel supplies, and rendering a building housing 54 disabled people uninhabitable.

"The 54 disabled persons are currently displaced and without access to the respirators that some of them need to survive," it noted.

Meanwhile, the Vatican press agency said the Israeli strikes wounded three people.

MG