AN MP with family are trapped in a Gaza church said to be surrounded by Israeli snipers has shared harrowing voice messages she has received detailing how they fear starving to death.
LibDem MP Layla Moran (below), who is half Palestinian and who has suffered the death of one family member in Gaza in the conflict, asked when her family's “nightmare” would end as she shared a voice note from her cousin’s daughter on Twitter/X on Tuesday.
Moran has been sharing updates from her family who she said are trapped in a Catholic church in the Zeitoun area of Gaza City, which was surrounded by tanks and snipers.
On Wednesday, she said the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) had abandoned their positions – but said there was still no food for those sheltering.
Moran's cousin is trapped in the church and her daughter sent her the following voice message: "Look Layla, I will put you in the picture of what's happening. I was able to talk to mum just right now. One of the numbers in her room was okay, and I was able to talk to her. She said, we are locked in. We cannot go out.
"And she has nothing to eat for tonight, even only can of corn. And she told me no bread, nothing. I didn't ask about the water. I forgot. But she said we take care if we want to go to the bathroom, because all snipers around and they still at the gate of the church, the tanks.
"But I am worried about the food. This is the only thing. That's why I said I will send you a message to show them how if people didn't die from their missiles, they will die from hunger."
The Vatican News reported that a mother and her daughter had been shot dead by an Israeli sniper when they left the church.
This is the haunting voice of the daughter of one of my cousins in the Church. Tanks still outside. Down to almost no provisions. I’ve been told food and water was delivered by the IDF but no sign of it yet. When will this nightmare end? Transcripts below: pic.twitter.com/paTfclDfIL
— Layla Moran 🔶 (@LaylaMoran) December 19, 2023
Father Gabriel Romanelli, the parish priest, told the site: “The situation already goes beyond tragedy.”
Pope Francis (below) condemned the attack on the Holy Family Church, saying there were no terrorists sheltering in the church, only “families, children, people who are sick and have disabilities, and nuns”.
Moran previously said the church was “only admitting Christians who are known to the community” and that the parish had “nothing to do with Hamas”.
People who left the building to go to the toilet had been shot at by Israeli snipers, Moran added.
Ceasefire talks
It comes as Hamas said its top leader Ismail Haniyeh had arrived in Cairo for talks on the Gaza war with the Egyptian authorities.
Egypt, along with Qatar have both played a key role as mediators between the militant group and Israel since the war that began with Hamas’ October 7 attack.
Negotiations are underway on another ceasefire and the release of more hostages held by the militant group, but the two sides were believed to be far from an agreement, the Associated Press reports.
The militant group is putting up stiff resistance in the territory after more than 10 weeks of heavy Israeli bombardment and fierce urban combat that has killed nearly 20,000 Palestinians.
Haniyeh’s visit comes a day after Hamas fired rockets that set off air raid sirens in central Israel.
That was a show of strength during a war that has devastated much of northern Gaza and driven some 1.9 million Palestinians – nearly 85% of the population – from their homes.
The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said the death toll since the start of the war had risen to more than 19,600. It does not distinguish between civilian and combatant deaths.
Hamas and other militants abducted some 240 people in the October 7 attack. They are still holding an estimated 129 captives after most of the rest, mainly women and children, were released last month.
Israel’s military says 131 of its soldiers have been killed in the Gaza ground offensive. Israel says it has killed some 7,000 militants, without providing evidence, and blames civilian deaths on Hamas, saying it uses them as human shields when it fights in residential areas.
Pressure grows on Israel
UN Security Council members are negotiating an Arab-sponsored resolution to halt the fighting in some way to allow for an increase in desperately needed humanitarian aid deliveries to Gaza.
A vote on the resolution, first scheduled for Monday, was pushed back again until Wednesday as talks continued in the hopes of getting the US to abstain or vote “yes” on the resolution after it vetoed an earlier ceasefire call.
France, the United Kingdom and Germany – some of Israel’s closest allies – joined global calls for a ceasefire over the weekend, as anxieties mount over the death toll of the conflict.
In Israel, protesters have called for negotiations with Hamas to facilitate the release of scores of hostages still held by the group.
US President Joe Biden’s administration has called on Israel to take greater steps to spare civilians but has continued to provide diplomatic and military support for the offensive.
