Anglican hospital in Gaza bombed

Image: Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem

The Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem have issued the following statement:

This morning at about 10.20am local time, Israeli forces fired inside the compound of our Al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza City, killing three journalists, as well as two others, including a father who was escorting his son to our surgical unit for treatment from previous injuries. In addition, this unprovoked assault against civilians wounded thirty other bystanders, among them four of our hospital staff.

The Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem condemns this attack in the strongest possible terms, calling upon the Israeli Army to respect the internationally protected sanctity of Ahli Hospital and all other hospitals throughout the Gaza Strip, as their beleaguered doctors, nurses, and medical staff seek to treat those innocents, mostly women and children, who have been severely injured in continued military assaults. We further call upon the leaders of the international community to enforce the combatants' adherence to the Fourth Geneva Convention with respect to its provisions for special protections for hospitals, medical personnel, journalists, and civilians in general.

Finally, we bid Christians and others of goodwill around the world to join us in their continued prayers and efforts to bring this conflict to a speedy end, leading to the release of all captives, the more comprehensive treatment of the wounded, the feeding of the desperately hungry, and the rebuilding of the tens of thousands of homes and hundreds of public facilities that have been destroyed. Only in this way, we believe, can the healing begin, and the pathway towards a just and lasting peace open for all of those living in our beloved Holy Land.

The Archbishop of York said in a statement:

Standing with Archbishop Hosam and our Palestinian Anglican sisters and brothers, I condemn yet another callous, reckless attack on the Anglican-run Al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza.

Despite our repeated requests, the Israeli Government has been unable to prove its claims that Al-Ahli Hospital has been used by Hamas.

Instead this is part of a relentless and outrageous pattern of attacks on hospitals and healthcare facilities in Gaza. There is no justification for this under international humanitarian law.

These bombings must stop. As the Church of England bishops said recently, this war of aggression must cease. Renewing that call, I join with our Anglican sisters and brothers in Palestine and Israel in crying out for justice, mercy and peace.

Stephen Cottrell
Archbishop of York