‘The Israeli occupation does not distinguish’: Gaza family mourns Christian mother and daughter

The Israeli occupation fails to differentiate between lives, as evidenced by a tragic incident in Gaza City. Mary Abu Dawud, a Christian mother, and her daughter Maysaa were among five Palestinians killed when their building was struck by three Israeli air strikes. The attacks occurred at around 1.30am on Saturday, killing them as they slept in their apartment in the al-Asala residential building.

Fourteen-year-old Fuad, who had been staying with his father following his parents' divorce, woke up to the devastating news. His father had been waiting for him to wake up after learning of the attack, and they rushed straight to the hospital. Upon arriving, they discovered that both Mary and Maysaa had been killed, and their bodies were already shrouded.

Relatives and members of Gaza's Christian community gathered at St Porphyrius Church for the funeral prayers. The scene was described as a horrific ordeal. Emad Kullab, a 30-year-old resident, recounted the terror he experienced when the strikes hit his building. He described the scene as "the whole world being turned upside down," with dust and rubble obscuring their vision and hearing screams for help from neighbors. The Christian mother and daughter were among the immediate casualties of the attack.

The Palestinian church identified the victims as Maysaa Khader Ibrahim Abu Dawud, a mother, and Mary Hafez Michel al-Najjar, her daughter. They had spent much of the war at the Holy Family Catholic Church before moving to their apartment in Gaza City. The tragic incident underscores the indiscriminate nature of the Israeli occupation.