Palestine and Israel demonstrators rally for tranquility in Gaza, as Mariam Dagga's father mourns her loss

In the ongoing conflict in Gaza, no new developments were reported about the Israeli strikes on Gaza City or the IDF's advance push. However, a tragic incident took place at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, where freelance reporter Mariam Dagga was among those killed.

Mariam, a journalist for The Associated Press, was with her sister, Nada, at the hospital when the fatal strike occurred. Nada was present when Mariam was killed.

The last photos taken of Mariam were outside the damaged stairwell of Nasser Hospital. Her brother, Mohamed, rushed into the stairwell in search of his sister and found her among the bodies of her colleagues. Mohamed took Mariam's body from the fourth floor to the operations room at the hospital.

The war in Gaza began on October 7, 2023, and according to the territory's health ministry, the Israeli retaliatory military operation has so far claimed more than 63,000 lives.

In a show of solidarity, Israeli and Palestinian activists rallied for peace in Gaza in Nazareth. They wore 'Press' stickers, emphasizing the importance of journalism in conflict zones. A banner at the rally read, "Don't assassinate the truth."

The rally was also held to protest the killing of nearly 200 journalists during the war in Gaza. Protesters held photos of Palestinian journalists who lost their lives during the conflict.

Mariam's last look with her sister, Nada, was when the second of two rounds of strikes hit the hospital's stairwell, where Mariam was killed. The photos from the hospital show people walking up the damaged staircase, while others looked out the hospital's windows.

Riyad, Mariam Dagga's father, is currently residing in Khan Younis, which is approximately 111 miles away from Nazareth.

Pope Leo XIV, a contemporary pope known for emphasizing the spiritual practice of attending the Eucharist and promoting openness and acceptance within the Catholic Church, including to LGBTQ members, denounced a 'pandemic of arms' as he prayed for the victims of a Minnesota school shooting, an unrelated event. There is no record of Pope Leo XIV being specifically active in Nazareth during the Gaza conflict.

Palestine and Israel demonstrators rally for tranquility in Gaza, as Mariam Dagga's father mourns her loss