Girl dies during evacuation as Anglican-run Al-Ahli Hospital is hit on Palm Sunday
The Archbishop of York has condemned as “appalling” Israel’s latest strike on the Al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza, which left a girl dead and forced the evacuation of patients in the early hours of Palm Sunday.
The strike targeted the Anglican-run Al-Ahli Hospital, the only Christian hospital in Gaza, according to the Diocese of Jerusalem (DoJ), which oversees the institution. The hospital was hit around dawn on one of Christianity’s holiest days, causing severe damage to facilities and surrounding buildings, including a nearby church.
The Gaza health ministry reported that a young girl tragically died during the chaotic evacuation, as medical staff were unable to provide her with urgent treatment in time. A 20-minute evacuation warning was reportedly issued by the Israeli army before the strike.
In a strongly worded statement, the Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, said:
“The Anglican-run Ahli Hospital in Gaza is a place of healing and care for Palestinians living through unimaginable suffering.
In unbearable conditions, its heroic doctors and nurses have cared for civilians who have endured 18 months of devastating violence. For the only Christian hospital in Gaza to be attacked on Palm Sunday is especially appalling.
I share in the grief of our Palestinian brothers and sisters in the Diocese of Jerusalem.”
He offered prayers for the hospital’s staff, the patients, and the family of the girl who died. “At the start of Holy Week, I join the cries of Christians around the world for an end to this violence – and for justice, security, dignity and peace for Palestinians and Israelis.”
This marks the fifth time Al-Ahli Hospital has been struck since the war began in 2023, the Diocese of Jerusalem said. It added that Sunday’s strike destroyed the hospital’s genetic laboratory and caused serious damage to the pharmacy and emergency unit. Surrounding structures, including the Church of St Philip, were also affected.
Images released by the diocese show shattered walls, debris-strewn rooms, and rubble littering the streets around the hospital compound.
In a public statement, the Diocese said:
“A mere 20 minutes prior to the attack, the Israeli army ordered all patients, employees, and displaced people to immediately evacuate the hospital premises prior to its bombing.
We thank God that there were no injuries or deaths as a result of the bombing. However, a child who had previously suffered a head injury died as a result of the rushed evacuation process.”
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Israel stated that the hospital had been used by Hamas as a command and control centre to plan attacks against Israeli forces and civilians. It said that steps were taken to avoid civilian harm, including issuing warnings and employing precision strikes guided by aerial surveillance.
Hamas has denied the accusation and called for an independent international investigation into the incident.
Responding to the attack, Foreign Secretary David Lammy posted on X (formerly Twitter):
“These deplorable attacks must end. Israel’s attacks on medical facilities have comprehensively degraded access to healthcare in Gaza. Al-Ahli Hospital has been attacked repeatedly since the conflict began.
Diplomacy, not more bloodshed, is how we will achieve a lasting peace.”
Later on the same day, another Israeli airstrike killed six brothers in Gaza, including one who was just 10 years old, when their vehicle was targeted. Their father, Ibrahim Abu Mahadi, said the boys worked for a food distribution charity. “For what sin were they killed?” he asked.
The Diocese of Jerusalem, which covers Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon, has urged global leaders to act immediately to prevent further attacks on medical and humanitarian sites.
“We pray and call for the end of this horrific war and the suffering of so many,” the Diocese said.
