Media Release

Wednesday October 18^th 2023 

Anglican Overseas Aid condemns the attack on Al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza and calls for an immediate ceasefire 

Anglican Overseas Aid (AOA) is deeply saddened by the horrific attack on Al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City, which has reportedly killed and injured hundreds of civilians, including many children and women, on Sunday night. 

Al-Ahli Arab Hospital is the oldest hospital in Gaza, founded in 1882 by the Church Mission Society of the Church of England. It is currently managed by the Anglican Episcopal Church in Jerusalem, and has been a long-standing partner of AOA. The hospital provides vital health care services to more than 45,000 Gazans each year, regardless of their religion, ethnicity, or political affiliation¹ 

The hospital’s Diagnostic Cancer Treatment Centre was already severely damaged by Israeli airstrikes on October 14, injuring four hospital staff members and affecting the mammography and ultrasound departments² The latest attack on the hospital compound, which was sheltering thousands of displaced people, is a grave violation of international humanitarian law and human rights. 

AOA strongly condemns this attack and all other attacks on civilians and health facilities in Gaza and Israel. We call for an immediate ceasefire and an end to the violence that has claimed more than 2,000 lives and injured more than 10,000 people since October 6. We urge all parties to respect the sanctity of life and the dignity of all people. 

We stand in solidarity with our partners at Al-Ahli Arab Hospital and the Episcopal Church in Jerusalem, as well as with all the people of Gaza and Israel who are suffering from this devastating conflict. We pray for peace, justice, and healing for all. 

Anglican Overseas Aid has been working with the al-Ahli Arab Hospital since 1988. The hospital is run by the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem and provides healthcare to patients regardless of ethnicity, religion, political affiliation, or economic status.