Layla Moran: she has relatives in a Gaza church compound that is allegedly being targeted by IDF snipers and Israeli politicians are lying by saying this would not happen.

A mother and daughter have been shot dead – allegedly, by an Israeli military sniper – in a church compound in Gaza City. They were trying to go to a toilet.

Here‘s The Guardian:

[It] was a “cold–blooded killing”, the most senior Catholic cleric in England has said.

Cardinal Vincent Nichols, the archbishop of Westminster, said the shooting did “nothing to further Israel’s right to defend itself”.

The two women were killed inside the Holy Family parish in Gaza City on Saturday, according to the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem. Most of Gaza’s Christian families have taken refuge in the compound since the start of the war.

Nahida Khalil Anton and her daughter Samar were shot as they walked to the sister’s convent, the patriarchate said. One was killed as she tried to carry the other to safety.

“Seven more people were shot and wounded as they tried to protect others inside the church compound. No warning was given, no notification was provided. They were shot in cold blood inside the premises of the parish, where there are no belligerents.”

Nichols, who has twice visited the parish, told Sky News on Monday: “This [happened] within what has been clearly designated as a church place, which I cannot believe for a minute has rocket launchers in it [as Israel claims]. It’s a community that, since October, has sheltered hundreds of people and looked after them.”

He added: “It’s certainly a cold-blooded killing. What absolutely puzzles me is that this does nothing to further Israel’s right to defend itself.”

On Sunday, Pope Francis suggested Israel was using “terrorism” tactics in Gaza as he deplored the killing of the women.

The Pope did indeed say that:

Relatives of Liberal Democrat (and part Palestinian) MP Layla Moran – her grandmother, her son, his wife and their 11-year-old twins – had been inside the same church since their home was bombed in the first week of the war, she has told the same newspaper.

She said Israeli forces had since “taken the building opposite the Holy Family church, and there are now snipers at every window with their guns pointing into the church. There’s also a tank that’s taken up position outside. Anyone trying to move around is being shot at.”

So she’s pretty clear on who is likely to have shot anybody within that church complex. So is the Catholic Archbishop of Westminster and so is the Pope.

But it seems Israel isn’t even admitting there are Christian churches in Gaza, let alone Christians themselves.

Here’s the (London-born) deputy mayor of Jerusalem, making herself and her adopted country look completely psychotic:

Furthermore…

https://twitter.com/ToryFibs/status/1737212232709050373

He’s certainly telling falsehoods.

For one, a blood libel is an accusation that Jews are using the blood of Christians in their religious rituals. There wasn’t even the slightest hint of such an accusation here.

For another, we know that Israel absolutely does target civilians. Remember those three Israelis, who had been Hamas hostages, but managed to free themselves only to be shot by (guess who?) Israeli Defence Force snipers? Read:

It seems abundantly clear that Israeli military forces do indeed target civilians – including their own.

Finally, as to Hamas giving new meaning to the expression, “human shield”… Take a look at this:

So there you have it.

Israeli military personnel deliberately targeted people in a church complex that was not being used by combatants – this is a war crime. Israeli military personnel habitually target non-combatant civilians – this is a war crime. Israeli military personnel habitually use Palestinian civilians (including children) as human shields. This also is a war crime. And their representatives lie about it to give western governments an excuse to stay sweet.