Global outrage over Israel's bombing of Gaza's al-Ahli Baptist Hospital on Palm Sunday

Israel is at the receiving end of international outcry after its military bombed Gaza City's Anglican-run al-Ahli Baptist Hospital on Palm Sunday, triggering concerns over a new humanitarian catastrophe.

The bombing, which killed several people, including a child, forced critically ill and wounded patients to scramble into the streets to survive.

The hospital was the largest partially functional hospital in northern Gaza, catering to hundreds of Palestinians.

The twin strikes obliterated the hospital’s two-storey genetic laboratory, damaged the pharmacy and the emergency department buildings. Surrounding buildings were also damaged in the attack, including a church building.

The hospital’s orthopaedic surgeon, Dr Ahmad Al-Shurafa, issued a statement on Monday afternoon, saying: "The hospital is now completely out of service until further notice due to multiple airstrikes by Israeli forces that targeted key hospital buildings, resulting in the complete suspension of most if not all medical services. Our medical teams in the hospital continue to face a serious and ongoing threat to their safety".

Al-Shurafa added that surviving staff members are no longer able to provide any emergency services, and teams have already started turning wounded and ill people away.

"Regrettably, the level of care we can provide is quite similar to that of a hostel. We are unable to perform any surgical procedures, as these patients require laboratory diagnostics, pharmacy support, and emergency referrals in case of complications—all of which have ceased entirely due to the recent attack," he said.

International condemnation

The Diocese of Jerusalem said it was "appalled" at the bombing, "now for the fifth time since the beginning of the war in 2023 – and this time on the morning of Palm Sunday and the beginning of Holy week".

Egypt described the bombing as a "gross violation of international humanitarian law and all international norms".

Other Arab states also weighed in, with the Jordanian foreign affairs ministry calling the bombing a "flagrant violation of international and humanitarian law". The ministry further pointed out that it constitutes a "violation of the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilians in Times of War".

Saudi Arabia called it a "heinous crime," with the foreign affairs ministry issuing a statement calling on the international community to "assume its responsibility" and stop repeated violations against civilians in Gaza.

Britain’s foreign secretary, David Lammy, urged for such bombings to end, saying: "Israel’s attacks on medical facilities have comprehensively degraded access to healthcare in Gaza. Al-Ahli Hospital has been attacked repeatedly since the conflict began".

Rights group Euro-Med Monitor highlighted that the bombing of the hospital marks a dangerous escalation amid a "systematic strategy to dismantle the means of life in Gaza". The group further said Israel is eliminating the last resort places for civilians.

The World Health Organisation, Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, denounced the strikes, pointing out that they destroyed key equipment, including x-ray machines, a laboratory and a pharmacy.

The destruction of vital medical facilities comes amid Israel’s over month-long blockade on the Strip, which has prevented food, medicine and vital equipment from entering the enclave.

Israel severely bombed the al-Ahli Hospital in October 2023, killing almost 500 people.

While Israel blamed the attack on a failed rocket launch by Hamas or Palestinian Islamic Jihad, a Forensic Architecture investigation states that "footage in fact shows an exploding Israeli interceptor".

The investigation further states: "The trajectory shows the missile was launched from outside Gaza, near a known Israeli missile launch site that is part of its ‘Iron Dome’ air defence system. The shape of the missile’s trajectory, turning twice in mid-air, again suggests that this is a guided Israeli interceptor, rather than a Palestinian rocket which would follow the arc of a ballistic trajectory".

Israel was not held accountable for the attack, and has continued to pound Gaza for more than a year. The Gaza government media office reports that at least 61,700 Palestinians have been killed by Israel since October 2023.