Israel strikes Gaza hospital on Palm Sunday, leaving the last functioning medical facility in Gaza City inoperable and raising questions about military targeting during Holy Week.
At a Glance
- Israeli airstrike destroyed the emergency department of Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital in Gaza City on Palm Sunday
- The hospital, operated by the Episcopal Anglican Church in Jerusalem, was the last fully functional medical facility in Gaza City
- Attack occurred just 18 minutes after an evacuation order, resulting in the death of at least three critically ill patients
- IDF claimed the facility housed a Hamas command center but provided no evidence for this assertion
- Christian religious leaders have strongly condemned the attack, which occurred at the beginning of Holy Week
Hospital Destruction During Holy Week
An Israeli airstrike has destroyed the emergency department of Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital in Gaza City on Palm Sunday, rendering the last fully functional hospital in the area inoperable. The hospital, operated by the Episcopal Anglican Church in Jerusalem, was struck as Christians were observing the beginning of Holy Week. The attack also damaged the adjacent Saint Porphyrius Church, which is the oldest church in Gaza, located in the Al-Zaytoun neighborhood. The timing of the strike during a significant Christian holy day has amplified condemnation from religious leaders worldwide.
Reports indicate that multiple departments of the hospital caught fire following the airstrike. According to sources at the scene, the attack occurred just 18 minutes after an evacuation order was issued, leaving little time for staff to safely relocate critically ill patients. The World Health Organization’s Director-General has confirmed the hospital is now completely out of service, further depleting Gaza’s already strained healthcare system. This marks the fifth time the hospital has been bombed since the beginning of the current conflict in 2023.
Military Claims vs. Eyewitness Accounts
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has claimed the hospital housed a “command and control centre used by Hamas,” using this as justification for the strike. However, international observers note that no evidence has been provided to support this assertion. The IDF stated it took measures to minimize civilian harm, including issuing warnings before the attack. Local journalist accounts contradict this timeline, with reports that a doctor at the facility was instructed to evacuate immediately, giving staff and patients mere minutes to flee before the bombing began.
Eyewitness Khalil Bakr described narrowly escaping the bombing with his three injured daughters, highlighting the chaotic evacuation that took place in darkness. Footage from the scene showed staff and patients rushing to evacuate from a courtyard as the attack commenced. The Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem has strongly condemned the missile attacks, emphasizing that targeting a medical facility violates international humanitarian law, which classifies attacks on health facilities and personnel as potential war crimes.
Impact on Gaza’s Healthcare System
The destruction of Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital represents a significant blow to Gaza’s collapsing healthcare infrastructure. Before the attack, it was the last fully operational hospital in Gaza City, providing critical care to civilians caught in the conflict. The strike is part of a broader pattern of healthcare facility targeting that has severely restricted medical access for Gaza’s population. According to local health authorities, over 50,933 people have been killed in Gaza since the conflict began, with 1,563 fatalities recorded just since March 18.
Christians in Gaza had gathered at Saint Porphyrius Greek Orthodox Church for Palm Sunday services when news of the nearby hospital bombing spread. The traditionally joyful commemoration marking Jesus’s entrance into Jerusalem was instead marked by somber reflection on the ongoing violence. The Archbishop of York joined other religious leaders in expressing grief over the attack, particularly its timing during Holy Week, which is considered the most sacred period in the Christian calendar.
