GAZA – St. Philip’s church, once a sanctuary for Gaza’s small Christian community, has transformed into an impromptu hospital due to the overwhelming needs caused by nine months of intense Israeli military action that has crippled the Palestinian enclave’s health system.
The Anglican-run Al-Ahli al-Arabi hospital, along with other medical facilities in Gaza, is overwhelmed, leading priests to repurpose the church into a space for medical care. Beds are now placed along the stone walls under the church’s vaulted roof, with doctors attending to patients who cannot find space in the overcrowded hospital.
“The space designated for prayers was converted into a clinic due to the lack of available places. Today, our priority is to save the life of every human being that we can,” said Priest Munther Isaac, wearing his clerical collar.
A man fanned an elderly patient wearing an oxygen mask, while crosses carved into the nave’s walls remained a solemn reminder of the church’s original purpose. St. Philip’s is located within the same compound as the Al-Ahli al-Arabi hospital.
“There was no place to admit patients to the departments so we were forced to turn to this place, which is a place for Christians to worship here in Gaza,” said Doctor Mohammed al-Sheikh. “Due to the shortage of supplies we used pews as beds for the patients.”
The conflict began on October 7 when fighters from Hamas, a Palestinian militant group, launched an attack on Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking approximately 250 hostages, according to Israeli reports. Israel responded the same day with extensive bombardments and a ground invasion in Gaza, which Palestinian health authorities claim have resulted in over 38,000 deaths and more than 80,000 injuries.
The high number of casualties, combined with widespread disease and malnutrition among the 90% of Gaza residents made homeless by the conflict, has overwhelmed the enclave’s health system. Many hospitals and health facilities have been rendered inoperative due to the military campaign, according to the World Health Organisation, leading to severe shortages of medical supplies.
Israel asserts it does not deliberately target health facilities or obstruct medical supplies from entering Gaza.
“In this church, which is no longer a house of worship but has been turned into a nursing facility, we are getting some basic medical services,” said Abu Mohammed Abu Samra, accompanying his sick mother being treated at St. Philip’s. “It shows the solidarity between Muslims and Christians in northern Gaza.”
While there is a significant Palestinian Christian population in the West Bank, the Christian community in Gaza is very small. Gaza has been under the control of the Islamist group Hamas since 2006. Despite the ongoing conflict, life continues outside St. Philip’s, with signs of war damage evident on the bustling streets.