MP Concerned for Family Trapped in Gaza Church Ahead of Christmas

A Member of Parliament (MP) has expressed her fears for the survival of her family members who are currently trapped inside a church in Gaza. Layla Moran, the foreign affairs spokesperson for the Liberal Democrats, revealed that around 300 people, including her five relatives, are stuck in the Holy Family Church complex in Gaza City. Despite their desperate situation, Israeli forces have forbidden them from leaving.

According to Ms Moran, her family has sought refuge at the Catholic church for over 60 days. Disturbingly, she shared that those inside the complex informed her that the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have used white phosphorus in the compound. Furthermore, eyewitnesses claim that a sniper shot and killed two women who ventured into the courtyard.

The IDF, however, has categorically denied using white phosphorus in Gaza. In a statement, they asserted that there is no evidence of the two women being killed by a sniper. Ms Moran expressed her confusion and concern over the situation, demanding that the Israeli government leave her family alone. She criticized the Israeli army for purportedly targeting civilians, contradicting their claim of protecting them.

Extended Family’s Tragic Circumstances

The extended family members of Ms Moran, comprising a grandmother, her son, his wife, and their 11-year-old twins, are Christian Palestinians who sought refuge in the Holy Family Church after their home was destroyed in an IDF bombing. Tragically, Ms Moran revealed that her 81-year-old relative, whom she described as the “oldest of them all” and a grandfather figure, passed away partly due to dehydration while seeking shelter at the church.

Regarding the duration of her family’s stay in the complex, the MP admitted that they are in the dark. She expressed bewilderment at the lack of communication from the Israeli authorities, questioning why it took so long for them to address the situation. Ms Moran emphasized that there had been no warning, leaflet drops, or phone calls to the father or the priest of the church. However, they did manage to contact the priest, who informed them that there would be a temporary ceasefire between 2 pm and 4 pm that day.

Pope Condemns Church Shooting

The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, an ecclesiastical office for Latin Catholics in the region, reported that two women were killed by the IDF at the Holy Family Church on Saturday. They identified the victims as a mother and daughter who were walking to the Sister’s Convent when the shooting occurred. One woman died while attempting to carry the other to safety, and seven others were injured in the attack.

Reacting to these reports, the Pope expressed his dismay that unarmed civilians are becoming targets of bombings and gunfire. During his weekly Angelus prayer, he condemned the acts of violence, referring to them as terrorism and war. The Pope called for an end to war, quoting scripture that proclaims, “God puts an end to war… the bow he breaks and the spear he snaps.”

The IDF responded to these accusations by stating that during discussions with community representatives, no reports of an attack on the church or civilian casualties were raised. They claimed that their operational findings supported this conclusion.