Jenan Taylor
14 April 2025
A child has died as patients and staff raced to evacuate Al Ahli Arab Hospital minutes before it was bombed by the Israeli army on Palm Sunday morning.
The twin strikes caused widespread damage, including to the hospital’s emergency department and pharmacy buildings and the nearby St Philip’s church, according to the Diocese of Jerusalem.
In a statement, it said the Israeli army ordered patients, staff and displaced people to evacuate 20 minutes before the attack.
The diocese said no injuries or deaths were suffered as a result of the bombing.
“However, one child who previously suffered a head-injury tragically died as a result of the rushed evacuation process,” it said.
Read more: Sick and injured forced to leave as Al Ahli Hospital shut down
The bombing, coming at the start of Holy Week, was the fifth the hospital has been subjected to since the war started in October 2023.
According to the BBC, Al Ahli Arab was the only fully functional hospital left in Gaza.
Anglican Overseas Aid told The Melbourne Anglican in November the hospital saw 750 people a day, and that 1.2 million children and women needed healthcare and psychosocial care.
Chief executive Jo Knight said the damage caused by this attack hindered Al Ahli’s ability to accept new patients until repairs were possible.
She said while 50 patients were safely relocated, 40 critical patients remained in need of urgent care.
The Diocese of Jerusalem condemned the attack and called on governments and people of goodwill to intervene to stop all kinds of attacks on medical and humanitarian institutions.
Ms Knight said AOA stood with the diocese and with its Anglican family in Palestine.
To donate to AOA’s recovery efforts, see here.
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