In photos: Aftermath of deadly Israeli attacks on Gaza

What Happened

On 3 October 2026, an Israeli strike hit a residential building in the Rimal neighbourhood of Gaza City, killing Maysaa Abu Daoud and her daughter Mary al-Najjar, according to AFP photo captions. The funeral took place at the Greek Orthodox Church of St Porphyrius in Gaza City's Zaytoun neighbourhood, with Archbishop Alexios of Tiberias and the parish priest leading prayers. Mary al-Najjar's daughter Esther was consoled by her father during the funeral. AFP and Reuters photographs also showed people inspecting debris at the heavily damaged building and Palestinian children walking past the site. The captions attribute the deaths to an Israeli strike but do not include a statement from Israeli authorities or an independent casualty verification.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

The strike in Rimal, a residential area of Gaza City, adds to the civilian toll in the Israel–Palestine conflict and highlights the exposure of densely populated urban neighbourhoods to aerial attacks. The funeral at the Greek Orthodox Church of St Porphyrius indicates that Gaza's small Christian community is directly affected by the war, and the deaths of two named Palestinian Christians may draw attention to the shrinking Christian presence in the enclave and the broader humanitarian crisis.

Watch For

Possible Israeli military statement or confirmation of the strike on the Rimal building; updates from the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry on the total number of casualties from the attack; reactions from Greek Orthodox Church leadership or Christian communities; and any further strikes in Gaza City's Rimal or Zaytoun neighbourhoods in the following days.