GAZA, April 13, 2025 (WAFA) — Christians in Gaza commemorated Palm Sunday today at Saint Porphyrius Greek Orthodox Church, just hours after an Israeli airstrike struck the nearby Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital, which resulted in the destruction of the emergency department and damage to other sections.

The service, which marks the beginning of Holy Week and the lead-up to Easter, was held under a somber atmosphere. Joy was notably absent from the faces of worshippers—particularly children—who typically celebrate the day with festive clothing and candlelit processions. Instead, the occasion was overshadowed by the devastating attack on the medical facility located just a few hundred meters away.

Saint Porphyrius Church, the oldest in Gaza, is located in the Al-Zaytoun neighborhood and is named after the 5th-century bishop Saint Porphyrius, who is buried there. Despite its historical and spiritual significance, the celebration was muted in light of the ongoing Israeli aggression.

Earlier in the day, Israeli warplanes bombed the emergency and reception building of the Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital, operated by the Episcopal Anglican Church in Jerusalem. The hospital sustained severe damage and fires broke out in multiple departments, rendering it non-operational. The adjacent church also suffered significant damage in the attack.

Saint Porphyrius Church lies approximately 230 meters south of the Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital and dates back to the 5th century AD, serving as a central place of worship for Gaza’s Orthodox Christian community.

M.N