Jerusalem Patriarchate condemns airstrike on Al-Ahli Arab hospital in Gaza on Palm Sunday

With profound grief and concern, the Patriarchate of Jerusalem has condemned the Israeli airstrike that hit the Al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza on Palm Sunday, 13 April 2025 — a sanctuary of healing long dedicated to the ministry of mercy.

“Sorrow grips us this Palm Sunday: a refuge of healing is struck in the land of the heavenly physician of souls and bodies,” the Patriarchate declared in its official statement.

In the early hours of Sunday, the hospital’s emergency wing and other critical medical units were rendered inoperative. Patients, including children, were evacuated under chaotic and dangerous conditions. A 12-year-old child tragically lost their life during the evacuation.

“This death, like all others, is a silent cry… the age of innocence suffers when it should instead be receiving care.”

The Al-Ahli Hospital had stood as one of the last remaining beacons of medical hope in Gaza, as dozens of other healthcare facilities have been destroyed over recent months.

The Flame of Faith Remains

Despite the devastation, the Patriarchate emphasised that “the light of faith remains unextinguished.” In the historic Church of Saint Porphyrius in Gaza’s Old City, solemn services and prayers were held to mark Palm Sunday.

“The testimony of Christ’s peace remains alive, even when affliction surrounds the altar,” the statement reads.

A Call to Prayer and Hope

As the Church of Jerusalem walks daily in the path of Christ’s Passion and Resurrection, it cannot look away from the suffering unfolding in its midst.

“We bear witness to the truth: that mercy is stronger than hatred… and humanity, even amid calamity and pain, does not falter and does not despair.”

The Patriarchate concludes its message with a call to prayer, solidarity, and unwavering hope — a spiritual resistance to the darkness that seeks to extinguish compassion and justice.

Source: Patriarchate of Jerusalem