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

[Silence1]

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

@Desertrose2023 I'm a bit puzzled too. I think they have said it's in a combat zone. As far as I can tell, these people were unable to evacuate and so they are now stuck there. The Guardian reports Layla Moran saying that food, reportedly delivered, has not been seen by the people stuck there, and they are down to their last can of corn.

They had no mercy for premature babies trapped in incubators so none can be expected when it comes to Gaza’s Christians. That doesn’t make it any more horrific though. And the week before Christmas while the world just watches on in silence.

@Desertrose2023 Well, it's certainly ironic to have people under siege in a church at Christmas. Although the story of how Joseph and Mary were turned away from every safe place, and how Mary had to give birth in a stable rather than in a comfortable home - is a little like the situation facing the people of Gaza.
I'm not a Conservative voter, but Alicia Kearns has been principled throughout the whole series of events. I don't know how to link, but she is challenging Sunak in a video clip on the Guardian live re: how can he say there have been too many civilian deaths while insisting on no immediate ceasefire.

@stormy4319trevor
yes I too see the links with the nativity. Makes me think of a Christmas T shirt I saw recently which said
”Rejoice in the birth of a brown skinned undocumented migrant”
And of course Jesus was Jewish.

@MissyB1 One of the messages of Christmas is to care for the hungry, the homeless, the suffering. It should be a time of peace, good will and giving. Let's hope politicians find a little Christmas spirit and bring about a ceasefire for all, and secure peace.

The ex defence secretary has recently written an article about the conflict and has called it “Israel's killing rage that will fuel conflict for 50 years and radicalise young muslims across the world”.

“Northern Ireland’s internment taught us that a disproportionate approach by the state can serve as a terrorist organisations best recruiting sergeant“the former soldier added.

The uk sought out the IRA and didn’t just bomb Ireland indiscriminately, can you imagine the uproar, it’s just inhumane, no matter what race, colour, religion or creed. It’s heartbreaking to see the pictures coming out of Gaza, I can’t watch anymore, it reduces me to tears, especially the babies in the premature baby unit. Can you just imagine how the staff must be feeling having to leave these poor mites, I was so upset. I saw an interview with one of the fathers, the pain and anguish he felt was hard to watch.

I have donated to Red Crescent, who are an arm of the Red Cross. They are helping wherever they can on the ground in Gaza. If you do nothing else and despair at the images donate whatever you can to these guys, they are putting their lives at risk to save innocent civilians.

Here you go:

I’ve just checked in with a friend of mine who has family in Gaza. Her family are in the church. This is (verbatim) what she’s told me:

they’re still alive but scared to even look out of the windows snipers are everywhere and they are bombing everywhere as well
They’re still trapped in the church
Anyway it is not safe to leave
And also their homes are demolished
So basically no place to go
They went to check on their homes during the truce
But everything is gone
Even my grandparents house which was built in the 1930s
Is gone they even stole their jewelry laptops, …etc
Nothing is left
the worst part is that no journalists can reach where they are.

Im devastated for her. She’s asked me to keep them and Gaza in my prayers. There’s literally nothing else we can do for them except pray. I think this has pushed me over the edge tonight.

Well according to the Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem we have all just been worrying for no reason as there are apparently no churches or Christians in Gaza
So thats' the end of that. Nothing further to be said

https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/no-christians-church-gaza-jerusalem-deputy-mayor-israeli-army-kills-two/#:~:text=Speaking%20on%20LBC's%20Nick%20Ferrari,instead%20of%20accepting%20a%20ceasefire.

@Desertrose2023 that sounds terrible. They are definitely in my prayers

Does she really think we are all idiots? I have seen alot of extremely eye brow raising questionable things said by Israeli officials but this one is really taking the biscuit so to speak

Thank you @Parkingt111
I’m sure she will appreciate that a lot

This level of barbarism is unbearable. That Deputy Mayor thinks it is ok to do this to people as long as you pretend you aren't and they believe they can convince everyone that the Christians were killed by Muslims, because Muslims are just so randomly violent like that.

@Desertrose2023 So sorry to hear this. I will pray for them also.

Some spokespeople do seem quite confused, Layla Moran said she wasn't sure they know where the church is, as they were talking about a different place from where her family are.

Israeli authorities are smart enough not to bomb the Holy Land at Christmas. Even mainstream media would take an interest in that. I expect a humanitarian pause for a short while for the sake of optics and then they'll resume the genocide once Christmas is over.

The Israeli military is claiming that they shot the two women because they were Hamas spotters 🙄

@braticus seriously? I mean Hamas must be getting pretty desperate or super-wily to use an elderly lady tottering across a courtyard on a toilet break [no disrespect to the elderly] for a spotter

Or is this another party who is getting desperate/trying to be super wily trying to explain the utter absurdity of besieging a christian church as Hamas-adjacent

@Efacsen I don't even think we're expected to believe it but it gives them and our government/media enough cover to talk around the issue/ give disingenuous arguments like usual.

The poor ladies. To be murdered in such a brutal way and then to not even be given dignity after their death

Praying for patience and healing for their families and loved ones

Pleased to see these 2 women's photos here

Nothing new on Layla Moran's twitter account since yesterday

Hope that the IDF made good their promise to provide food and water

How a sniper’s bullet utterly shattered the last vestiges of sanctuary in Gaza’s only Catholic church | The Independent