Layla Moran's family trapped in Catholic church and under attack from IDF

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BBC article Layla Moran's family among hundreds trapped in Gaza church - BBC News

It's very possible that all the Gazan Christians could be completely wiped out 💔

Dreadful. The suffering in that article is shocking.

It is sad that the Christian community in Palestine is declining. I think there is a common misconception that the Palestinians are all Muslims. The Christian community has also been targeted indiscriminately by the IDF for years and this is ramped up at significant times such as easter and for the Muslims at Ramadan. Also just how distant are those in America and UK who celebrate Christmas yet have no idea that the roots of Christianity are in Palestine!

surely every christian knows that christianity has its roots in bethlehem and jerusalem and surrounding areas.
i don't know who the lady named in the title is, but it is a very concerning situation.
i thought biden was trying to call for a ceasefire, wasn't he.
but they don't seem to listen to anyone.
it is baffling how they can justify this action.

Is this self defence?

Incredibly sad to read this

It's a pattern of behaviour for the IDF; kill civilians and destroy anything which provides the rest with the means to survive.

I'm struggling to accept this is happening and both the US and UK keep supplying Israel with the means to continue it's assault on Gaza. It's not just the Israeli government who need to be dealt with by the ICC.

I'm shocked by this what possible excuse would the IDF have for this? Clearly these people are not hamas'. Has anyone called them out on this yet?

@tinatsarina it won't make a difference even if anyone does

Layla Moran on the BBC today where she is talking about what is happening at the church. There is a sniper on the ground shooting, they are running out of food and water and there are also disabled people sheltering in the church. I haven't seen any updates or reassurances that the situation has improves

Moran said her family and hundreds of other people sheltering at the church complex are trapped by the threat of shooting, "As they try and leave their rooms... there is firing at them."
Moran added that the timing of the attacks, just a week away from Christmas Eve, were adding to the distress; "This is an incredibly important time for Christians and yet they're doing this to Christians in a church."
She told the BBC she doesn't know why this was happening and said; "Either the rules of engagement are being ignored or there is a plan to clear the whole of Gaza."
"My family are not justifiable collateral

I'm coming to the point that I think Palestinians should just give up all land in both Gaza and the West Bank to Israel and leave. Let Israel have every fucking blood soaked inch. The rest of the world should open its arms and take Palestinians in, they can't live like this .

I think that when the IDF accidentally shot the hostages, it illustrated what has been happening all along.

They shot those men, who were unarmed and had white flags, simply because they assumed they were Palestinians. They are merrily killing all of them. They just got caught out this time.

As far as I can see - might have missed it - no-one from the the Israeli gov or IDF has made any comment as to why this is happening

I’m sure there will be a poster along any moment now with some iteration of the following:

1 There’s probably a Hamas “command center” near/under/above/inside/within 1 mile of the church (i.e. the Al Shifa narrative)

2 These Christians are all human shields of Hamas, the IDF aren’t to blame (the deflection of accountability narrative)

3 that’s terrible but it’s what happens in war, Israel probably told them to evacuate but they didn’t heed the warning (ie the victim blaming narrative)

4 why is Israel being held to a higher standard in having to protect Christian civilians ? Don’t we know that in Saudi Arabia they throw Christians from the rooftops? Where is all the outrage over that? (the whataboutery narrative)

4 where are the “Arab” countries in this? Why aren’t they offering shelter to their fellow Arab Christians? (see narrative 2 above)

No, @efacsen I don't see any reason given either. Even more alarmingly, Layla Moran is the only politician commenting on it. I don't understand why the world's politicians are so silent on all atrocities, but are they really going to quietly accept the slaughter of innocents, in a church, on Christmas day? Because that is where this is heading.

@stormy4319trevor Layla Moran is on X (twitter) where she is giving updates when there is any.
She said that it has reached the stage where nothing can be done, except raise the alarm.
I would like to see more senior members of Parliament doing so (hopefully)
It is tragic for those outside of Palestine who know their loved ones are at deaths door but there is so little they can do to help them

@Parkingt111 I hope some other politicians will speak out also. Did you see David Cameron co-authored a piece calling for a sustainable ceasefire? That is the first time anyone in the UK government has suggested it, I think. So seems like progress. It's awful for all those with family trapped in Gaza, may there be an end to the madness soon. It's awful for the world to see such loss of life and reckless cruelty accepted by our representatives. I'll never forget those politicians who endorsed withholding water from children, back when this began. They helped set this all in motion.

There really is a warped mentality in mumsnet that thinks that as long as it’s soldiers doing the killing it’s ok.

I do not think this is true.

There are some people who swarm threads, drop anti semite accusations, shut down anyone who questions, and fill the threads with whataboutery.

But most decent people see what is happening - and have no stomach for it.

Do you not understand what a sustainable ceasefire is? Obviously not as Cameron is not asking for a ceasefire now.

"

He said: "Our goal cannot simply be an end to fighting today. It must be peace lasting for days, years, generations.
"We therefore support a ceasefire, but only if it is sustainable."

Therefore the subtext is not to stop fighting today but after Israel is safe from future terrorist attacks.

So sorry to disappoint you but he is actually calling for what Israel is calling for too.

No evidence for what Layla Moran has said.

So you think it's all lies?
Israeli forces kill two women at Holy Family Parish in Gaza, Catholic authorities say - The Washington Post

“The information provided by the Cardinal, gives a picture of seemingly deliberate and callous killing by IDF soldiers of innocent civilians: an elderly woman and her daughter in the grounds of a church. This killing has to stop. It can never be justified.
Cardinal Vincent Nichols' Statement on Holy Family Parish in Gaza - Catholic Bishops' Conference (cbcew.org.uk)

Well said . There is still no evidence that this happened - not saying it is lies but in the world of social media, we would expect to see video /photographic evidence.

The key words are "Catholic authorities say".