On Palm Sunday morning, Israeli forces bombed al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza, the only fully functioning hospital remaining in the region. The hospital is a ministry of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem and the Middle East.
Bishop Lawrence Provenzano of Long Island called the attack "appalling," noting the hospital’s ties to their partner diocese. “We join with people of faith across all traditions in praying for a permanent ceasefire and the restoration of peace in the Holy Land, especially as we begin Holy Week,” he said.
Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe emphasized the grave humanitarian crisis now unfolding. “The emergency department, the pharmacy, the chapel, and other essential facilities have been severely damaged, and patients are without shelter or medical care,” he said. “No matter how we understand the causes of violence in the Holy Land, we can surely agree that we must support our fellow Anglicans in alleviating the devastating humanitarian crisis now unfolding in Gaza.”
He urged Episcopalians to pray for the hospital’s staff and patients, give generously to the Good Friday Offering to support ministries in the Diocese of Jerusalem, and advocate for peace by contacting their members of Congress. “May God grant [the people of the Holy Land] a future free of violence and suffering,” he said.
Read the full statement by Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe
Statement from the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem and the Middle East