Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, issued a statement expressing profound sorrow following the deaths of Maysa Abu Daoud and her daughter Mary al-Najjar in an Israeli air strike in Gaza City. The two women were killed when the attack struck the ground floor of a building in the Remal neighbourhood on Saturday, along with three other Palestinians. Their deaths represent the latest incident attributed to Israeli military action since the United States-brokered ceasefire agreement with Hamas took effect.
The two women were longstanding members of Gaza’s Christian community, dedicating themselves to assisting parishioners and displaced individuals sheltering at the Holy Family Church. Their funeral was conducted at Saint Porphyrius Church in Gaza City’s Old City. Ramzi Khoury, chairman of Palestine’s Higher Presidential Committee for Church Affairs, characterized the incident as a significant loss for their families, the church community, and its congregants.
Mary al-Najjar’s 14-year-old son, Fouad, recounted that the strike occurred around 1:30am local time. He stated that both his grandmother and mother were killed in the attack and called for an end to what he described as an unjust conflict, noting that Palestinians have endured continuous loss and destruction since the conflict began in October 2023.
Gaza’s Christian population, numbering fewer than 1,000 individuals, has experienced particular hardship throughout the conflict. The community has suffered multiple documented attacks on churches and homes. Notable incidents include an October 19, 2023 attack on the Saint Porphyrius Church compound that killed at least 18 people, a sniper incident at the Holy Family parish compound, and a July 17, 2025 strike on the Holy Family Catholic Church compound that killed three people and wounded the parish priest. According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, Israeli military actions have resulted in at least 74,228 deaths overall, with at least 1,445 deaths occurring since the ceasefire began in October 2025.
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