According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, one young girl died during an evacuation that followed an Israeli warning, as medical personnel were unable to administer critical care in time.
Israel intensified its strike across Gaza on Palm Sunday, hitting a hospital in northern Gaza and other areas, killing at least 21 people, including children. Israel has vowed to expand its security presence in the small coastal strip. The strike on Al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza City was the most recent of several attacks on northern Gaza.
Dr. Fadel Naim, the hospital director, reported that the emergency room, pharmacy, and nearby buildings suffered extensive damage, impacting over 100 patients and many staff members.
According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, one young girl died during an evacuation that followed an Israeli warning, as medical personnel were unable to administer critical care in time. Israel claimed it targeted a Hamas command and control center within the hospital, though no evidence was provided. Hamas has denied the accusation.
Al-Ahli Hospital, operated by the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem, came under attack on Palm Sunday, prompting the diocese to issue a statement condemning the incident. The statement emphasized the significance of the timing, noting it occurred at the beginning of Holy Week, “the most sacred week of the Christian year.”
Palm Sunday commemorates the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. In Gaza City, worshipers observed the occasion in a church that stood in stark contrast to the surrounding devastation, with its gilded trim and intact structure.
Footage from the Associated Press revealed the hospital’s collapsed roof and surrounding rubble. Dr. Munir al-Boursh, director general of the health ministry, described how patients had to be taken outside in beds and were forced to sleep in the streets.
“Nothing was left safe inside the hospital, or all over Gaza,” said Mohammad Abu Nasser, an injured man, speaking from his bed outside as he looked at the destruction.
(With inputs from the Associated Press)
