On Palm Sunday, a significant day for Christians worldwide, an Israeli airstrike targeted the Al-Ahli Arab Baptist Hospital in northern Gaza, killing a young girl during a forced evacuation. The attack came after Israel issued an evacuation warning and claimed the hospital was being used as a Hamas command center—an allegation denied by both the hospital authorities and Hamas. The Diocese of Jerusalem, which runs the hospital, condemned the bombing, calling it a “blatant attack on sacred space during Holy Week.” The hospital’s emergency room, pharmacy, outpatient ward, and surrounding facilities were heavily damaged, rendering it temporarily out of service and forcing patients to be transferred to other medical centers amid chaos and fear.

The same day, a separate airstrike in Deir al-Balah killed six brothers and their friend in a car, all of whom were reportedly working for a local charity distributing food. Their father, devastated, questioned the reason behind their deaths, calling them innocent victims. Another strike hit a municipal building in the area, killing three more people, while yet another in Khan Younis claimed three lives. These attacks occurred as Israel announced it had completed the Morag corridor, further isolating the southern city of Rafah and promised a rapid expansion of its military operations across Gaza. Israeli officials said these steps are part of efforts to force Hamas into releasing the remaining hostages and accepting new ceasefire proposals.

Gaza’s health ministry reports over 50,000 Palestinians have been killed since Israel’s military offensive began in response to Hamas’ October 7 attack on southern Israel, which left 1,200 Israelis dead and around 250 taken hostage. International organizations, including Medical Aid for Palestinians, have condemned repeated Israeli strikes on medical facilities, stating that the Al-Ahli Hospital has now been hit five times. The health ministry and humanitarian groups are calling for an independent international investigation, insisting hospitals should be protected under international law. Despite mounting global pressure, Israel maintains that its operations target militant infrastructure, though it has yet to provide verifiable proof for claims against the hospital.