JERUSALEM, April 13, 2025 (WAFA) — The Anglican Diocese of Jerusalem has strongly condemned the Israeli missile attack last night on the Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City, an affiliate hospital of the diocese, marking the fifth such strike on the hospital since the outbreak of Israeli aggression in 2023.

According to a statement released by the Diocese, the Israeli missile strikes destroyed the hospital’s two-storey Genetic Laboratory and inflicted damage on the Pharmacy and Emergency Department. The surrounding area also sustained collateral damage, including the nearby church of St. Philip’s.

“This attack, carried out on the morning of Palm Sunday and the beginning of Holy Week, is especially appalling,” the Diocese said. “The Diocese of Jerusalem condemns in the strongest terms today’s missile attacks on the Ahli Arab Hospital, an institution run by the Anglican Church in Jerusalem.”

The statement noted that twenty minutes before the bombing, the Israeli army had issued an evacuation order, instructing all patients, staff, and displaced persons to immediately vacate the premises. While the advance warning prevented mass casualties, the Diocese reported a tragic death during the evacuation.

“We thank God that there were no injuries or deaths 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,” the statement read.

The Ahli Arab Hospital, one of the few functioning Christian-run medical institutions in Gaza, has been a repeated target during the ongoing conflict. The Diocese called on the international community to take urgent action.

“We call upon all governments and people of goodwill to intervene to stop all kinds of attacks on medical and humanitarian institutions. We pray and call for the end of this horrific war and the suffering of so many.”

M.N