Maysa Abu Daoud and her daughter Mary al-Najjar were among five Palestinians killed in an Israeli air strike that hit the ground floor of a residential building in the Remal neighbourhood of Gaza City on Saturday, October 2, 2026. The attack, which also claimed the life of academic Dr. Yasmin Khamis Al-Bobo and her mother Halloum Al-Bobo according to regional reporting, struck near the Haidar roundabout at approximately 1:30 am while residents were asleep. The incident marked a violation of a United States-brokered ceasefire agreement between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas that took effect in October 2025.
Condolences From Religious Leaders and Local Grief
The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, expressed deep sorrow and grief over the tragic killing of the two Christian women. In an official statement, the patriarch extended heartfelt condolences to the families and the local Christian community. He asked the Lord to grant the deceased eternal rest in His Kingdom and provide their loved ones with hope, strength, and the grace of consolation. Their funeral took place on Saturday at Saint Porphyrius Church in Gaza City’s Old City, where relatives gathered for prayers and hymns.
Ramzi Khoury, chairman of Palestine’s Higher Presidential Committee for Church Affairs, described the deaths as a painful loss for their families and parishioners. The two women had devoted their time to helping parishioners and displaced people sheltering at the Holy Family Church. Meanwhile, 14-year-old Fouad al-Najjar, Mary’s son, recounted the loss of his mother and grandmother to news agencies during the morning hours following the strike. “May God have mercy on them,” he said. “We are exhausted by this war and have endured so much,” he said.
Did You Know? The Gaza Strip is home to fewer than 1,000 Christians, a community that has faced multiple strikes on its religious compounds since the war began in October 2023, including a compound attack on Saint Porphyrius Church on October 19, 2023, that killed at least 18 people.
Broader Casualties and Educational Toll in Gaza
Human statistics indicate that approximately 194 thinkers, academics, and researchers, alongside more than 830 education sector employees, have been killed during the conflict. Dr. Yasmin Khamis Al-Bobo, a lecturer and head of the Multimedia Department at the University of Palestine, was among them. She held three master’s degrees in sustainable development, information systems, and management.
Palestinian Lutheran pastor Munther Isaac, serving in Ramallah and directing the Bethlehem Institute for Peace and Justice, posted on X that the genocide continues in Gaza. Surviving family members, including 14-year-old Fouad al-Najjar, appealed for an end to the destruction after nearly three years of continuous warfare. The conflict has resulted in the destruction of roughly 90% of infrastructure, making life almost impossible without basic services.
Answers regarding casualties in the Remal neighbourhood strike
Who was killed in the Remal neighbourhood air strike?
The strike killed five Palestinians on the ground floor of a building, including Maysa Abu Daoud, her daughter Mary al-Najjar, and Palestinian academic Dr. Yasmin Khamis Al-Bobo alongside her mother Halloum Al-Bobo.
What has been the impact on Gaza’s Christian community?
The community, numbering fewer than 1,000 people, has suffered multiple casualties throughout the war, including previous attacks on the Saint Porphyrius Church compound and the Holy Family parish compound.
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