Israeli Airstrike in Gaza City Kills Two Palestinian Christian Women

Two Christian women—Maysa Abu Daoud and her daughter Mary al-Najjar—were killed on October 2, 2026, when an Israeli air strike struck the ground floor of a residential building in the Remal neighbourhood of Gaza City. The strike hit the building at about 1:30am, according to Mary’s son, Fouad al-Najjar. The attack occurred amid a United States-brokered “ceasefire” agreement with the Palestinian group Hamas, adding to a death toll that the Ministry of Health in Gaza states has reached at least 74,228 since the war began in October 2023.

The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, expressed “deep sorrow and grief” over the “tragic” killing. In a statement, the Patriarchate noted that the victims—identified in their records as Mrs. Maysa Khader Ibrahim Abu Daoud (Ayyad) and Mrs. Mary Hafez Michel Najjar (Abu Daoud)—were killed in an Israeli air strike that took place on October 2, 2026. Cardinal Pizzaballa extended condolences to the families of the deceased and the Christian community in Gaza, offering prayers for comfort and strength.

Funeral Rites at Saint Porphyrius Church

Mourners gathered on Saturday, 3 October 2026, at Saint Porphyrius Church in Gaza City’s Old City to hold funeral services for the two women. Civil Defence members carried the bodies of Maysa Abu Daoud and Mary al-Najjar during the funeral at the Greek Orthodox Church of Saint Porphyrius. Palestine’s Higher Presidential Committee for Church Affairs stated that both women had dedicated their time to assisting parishioners and displaced individuals sheltering at the Holy Family Church. Ramzi Khoury, chairman of the committee, characterized their deaths as a “painful loss” for their families, the church and its parishioners.

The tragedy compounds the toll borne by Gaza’s Christian population, which numbers fewer than 1,000 people. Previous military actions throughout the conflict have impacted local Christian institutions. An October 19, 2023, strike on the Saint Porphyrius Church compound killed at least 18 people. Subsequent incidents included a December 2023 shooting inside the Holy Family parish compound and a July 17, 2025, strike on the Holy Family Catholic Church compound that left three dead and wounded others, including parish priest Father Gabriel Romanelli.

Surviving Family Appeals for an End to Hostilities

Mary al-Najjar’s 14-year-old son, Fouad al-Najjar, recounted to the Anadolu news agency that the strike hit the building at about 1:30am. Expressing his grief over the loss of his mother and grandmother, Fouad appealed for an end to the war, noting that Palestinians were losing their loved ones every day. Palestinian Lutheran pastor Munther Isaac, who serves in Ramallah and directs the Bethlehem Institute for Peace and Justice, wrote on X: “The genocide continues in Gaza.”

Photo: KSAT

Meanwhile, reporting highlighted broader escalations across the Middle East. While an Israeli strike in central Gaza killed one Palestinian and wounded at least 11 others near the Aqsa Martyrs Hospital—with the military claiming it targeted a known Hamas militant—clashes also intensified elsewhere.

The Continuing Toll Under the Ceasefire

Despite the implementation of a U.S.-brokered “ceasefire” agreement in October 2025, violence has persisted across the enclave. Ministry of Health figures indicate that at least 1,445 Palestinians have been killed since the start of the “ceasefire” in October 2025. Palestinians across the Gaza Strip report a surge in Israeli fire and airstrikes, while reports note that seven Israeli soldiers have also been killed in Gaza since the ceasefire.

Photo: The Times of Israel

As the international community monitors fragile diplomatic arrangements across multiple fronts, the question remains whether enforcement mechanisms will halt the casualties affecting civilians, including the remaining members of Gaza’s Christian minority.

More on this story: Patriarch Mourns Two Christian Women Killed in Gaza City Strike