War on Gaza: British-Palestinian MP fears family will 'not survive until Christmas'
British-Palestinian MP Layla Moran has said that she fears that her extended family members, who are sheltering in a church in the Gaza Strip, will not survive until Christmas.
Moran's grandmother, her son, his wife and their 11-year-old twins have been trapped in the besieged Holy Family Church in Gaza City, in the northern part of the strip, for 60 days.
"I fear my family under siege by Israeli forces in a church in Gaza will not survive until Christmas, between the snipers and the lack of water," Moran, the Oxford and Abingdon MP, told the Guardian.
Moran's family had sought shelter in the church, where other Palestinians had also taken refuge, when the Israeli military bombed their home in the first week of the war.
Moran has been staying in touch with her family through sporadic phone calls and said her relatives are "absolutely terrified" as the Israeli military recently escalated its operation in the area.
New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch
Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters
On Saturday, the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem said a mother and daughter were killed "in cold blood" inside the Holy Family Church complex by Israeli sniper fire as they walked to a convent of nuns in the compound.
Seven more people were shot and wounded as they tried to protect others.
The patriarchate added that a tank had also fired on the Convent of Sisters of Mother Theresa in the compound sheltering 54 disabled people, causing a fire that destroyed the building's generator, its only source of electricity.
The compound's solar panels and water tanks have also been destroyed, the statement said.
Pope Frances on Sunday deplored the killing of the two women and the attack on the church compound.
"Unarmed civilians are the objects of bombings and shootings. And this happened even inside the Holy Family parish complex, where there are no terrorists, but families, children, people who are sick or disabled, nuns," Frances said.
"Some would say 'It is war. It is terrorism.' Yes, it is war. It is terrorism," he said.
'They literally can't move'
The Israeli military laid siege to the compound last week, according to Moran, and has taken the building opposite the church, positioning snipers "at every window with their guns pointing into the church".
Her relatives reported that Israeli forces had targeted the compound with white phosphorus and gunfire.
"There's also a tank that's taken up position outside. Anyone trying to move around is being shot at, so they're obviously just not moving," she added.
Moran said her family told her that two men, a bin collector and a janitor, were also shot and killed outside the church.
The MP's grandfather died last month, in part from dehydration, after not being able to get to hospital to receive medical treatment.
Over 19,400 Palestinians have been killed, the majority being women and children, since the start of the war. Around 1.9 million people, or about 85 percent of Gaza's population, have fled their homes.
"They're so worried. They literally can't move. They can't even leave to go to the toilet, so they're going to the toilet where they're sleeping," Moran said.
Northern Gaza has borne the brunt of Israel's relentless bombing campaign and ground offensive since 7 October, with 80 percent of the destroyed or damaged buildings being in the north, according to the UN.
"If they survive, I will be getting my family and others to give their testimony to the international criminal court, because that's the place where justice will be done," Moran said.
Middle East Eye delivers independent and unrivalled coverage and analysis of the Middle East, North Africa and beyond. To learn more about republishing this content and the associated fees, please fill out this form. More about MEE can be found here.
