Pope Leo XIV Sends Condolences to Gaza Priest After Strike Kills Christian Mother and Daughter
An Israeli airstrike on a residential building in Gaza City in the early hours of Oct. 3 killed five people, including a Christian mother and daughter, Maysa Khader Ibrahim Abu Daoud and her daughter Mary Hafez Michel Najjar, who had long sheltered at Gaza's Holy Family Catholic Church and served its parishioners and displaced people. Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa issued a statement of mourning on Oct. 3; their funeral was held the same day at St. Porphyrius Greek Orthodox Church. In his Oct. 4 daily video update, Holy Family parish priest Fr. Gabriel Romanelli read a personal condolence message from Pope Leo XIV: 'Ever since hearing the painful news about Maysa and Mary, I have been praying for them, their families, and everyone in Gaza. How long, Lord?' Reuters reported the Israeli military said the strike targeted Hamas political office leader Ali al-Amoudi.
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：加沙圣家堂（拉丁礼天主教会）外观。摄影：Dan Palraz，CC BY-SA 4.0，来源：Wikimedia Commons
