More than £56,000 has been sent to help a Christian hospital in Gaza continue its life-saving work, thanks to an appeal launched by the Bishop of Norwich.
Bishop Graham visited the Al-Ahli Hospital in northern Gaza just three days before Hamas launched its deadly attack on Israel on October 7, sparking the devastating conflict.
Shortly after the bishop returned home the hospital compound was hit by an explosion. When he heard of the conditions staff faced as they tried to treat desperately sick and injured patients without water, electricity, food, fuel or safe shelter, Bishop Graham set up an emergency appeal.
He said: “I’m so very grateful to all who have contributed to the Al-Ahli Hospital Appeal. Having visited the hospital last October I know of the dedicated staff there and I can’t imagine the appalling conditions they are working under or the horrific injuries of the innocent civilians to whom they are bringing the healing love of Jesus in body and soul. I continue to pray for peace in this horrendous situation.”
The Al-Ahli hospital is run by the Anglican Diocese of Jerusalem and its staff treat people regardless of ethnicity or religion.
Money raised by people across Norfolk and Waveney through fundraising events, church collections and individual donations, has helped keep the hospital functioning by funding emergency supplies of medicines, fuel, food and water for staff to treat thousands of desperately ill and injured patients.
James South, senior finance officer for the Diocese of Norwich, said he had noticed surges of donations after news reports from Gaza and when Bishop Graham talked about the hospital in the national and local media.
Suhaila Tarazi, director of the Al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza, said in a video that the past nine months had been unimaginably harsh – but its staff were determined to ‘embody the Christ-like mission of aiding the oppressed and injured.’
“We believe there is a better tomorrow and are determined that the hospital will continue to operate as a symbol of our Christianity and express love for our people,” she said.
Bishop Graham was in Israel and Gaza last October for a theological conference and visited the hospital with the Archbishop of Jerusalem. His emergency appeal closed this spring and all donations have been transferred to the hospital via the non-political ecumenical charity Friends of the Holy Land, which works across the region.
Find out more from Suhaila Tarzi’s video, recorded for the Friends of the Holy Land.