within the Ahli Arab Hospital compound of Gaza City in which one patient died, BosNewsLife monitored Friday, January 24.
The St. Philip’s Episcopal Church located in the centre of the hospital complex "sustained a direct hit by a guided missile," officials said in a statement obtained by BosNewsLife.
It was one of 11 missiles reportedly fired by Israeli helicopters in Gaza City as part of an apparent response to Thursday’s killings of three Israeli soldiers by Palestinians in the hills of Hebron, a town known for tensions with Jewish settlers.
Troops also killed a Palestinian mother and her son in the West Bank region in unclear circumstances after one of them fired on an army outpost, Israeli officials said.
ELDERLY WOMAN
Shortly before the attack at the church, "an elderly woman had arrived at the emergency room…" said Nancy Dinsmore, of the Development Office Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem.
"The doctor began to examine her and just then the missile hit next door, and throwing him to the ground. It took a few minutes for the electrical generator to come on, and by the time he was able to get to her, she had died" apparently of fear, she said.
Dr. Salah, Ahli Arab Hospital’s physician on call, apparently awoke to the sound of an explosion in the distance. The next explosion was said to be "nearer and louder" as the electricity failed.
MISSILE APPROACHING
"Within the next few minutes he saw the distinctive light of a missile approaching," said Dinsmore quoting the doctor. "As he lay in his third floor bed, he watched as the missile passed within 10 metres (apr. 30 feet) of his head and hit St. Philip’s Church as the storm of wind and glass passing like a train through his bedroom."
"There was glass everywhere; in his bed, in his hair, covering the floor," said Dinsmore.
Built at the turn of the last century, St. Philip’s Episcopal Church was reconsecrated in 1996 in the presence of several bishops including the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. George Carey along with Palestinian President Yasser Arafat, officials added.
Witnesses said the church’s century old stained class windows were shattered, and crystal from it’s chandeliers littered the floor. Several church leaders and Christians gathered at the site to pray and express their outrage over the air raid.
"TERRORIST ATTACK"
"This is an act of terrorism against our church," the Associated Press (AP) quoted Anglican Church Bishop Riah Abu El-Assal as saying. "Its location next to the hospital is well known. There is no room for mistakes, and they (Israeli military officials) didn’t even bother to issue a statement to express their regret," he said as smoke rose from the chapel (Pictured: Bishop Rev. Riah Abu El-Assal").
While missionary workers and Anglican church officials have also reported Israeli raids in other Christian institutions, Friday’s violence was the first Israeli air attack on a church in recent memory.
Israel is known to have avoided attacks against churches, a policy that led to last year’s near 40 day standoff at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, with Palestinian militants hiding inside and Israeli troops surrounding the area.
HOSPITAL DAMAGED
"We collected money from so many individuals who supported the renovation of the Church, and in a minute it is gone," explained Suhaila Tarazi, the director of the adjacent Ahli Arab Hospital.
The hospital and Pediatric Clinics were reportedly also damaged with the collapse of the false ceiling and ventilation system. Witnesses said that glass littered the floors throughout the building, including the morgue, as windows were broken and doors separated from their frames by the force of the blast.
"God forgive them they do not know what they are doing. I will repeat the words of Jesus on the day he was crucified," said Hospital Director Tarazi. "Despite this we will continue our mission of love and peace to all people. I call upon our friends, all over the world, to keep us in your prayers and help us to overcome this tragedy. I am sure that one day peace will prevail."
