Bishop Dawani, Archbishop Chacour and Bishop Younan pray in the church at Al Ahli Hospital, Gaza(Photo: © Diocese of Jerusalem)Two bishops who were denied entry for a pastoral visit to Gaza have now been able to make the trip
The Rt Rev Suheil Dawani, Bishop in Jerusalem, and Bishop Munib Younan of the Lutheran Church were turned back at the Erez crossing into Gaza in early February.
But last week, on 10 March, the two bishops, accompanied by Greek Catholic Archbishop Elias Chacour, were finally able to visit the Anglican diocesan Al Ahli hospital.
Driving in Bishop Dawani’s car, the three church leaders made their way through the badly damaged area of northern Gaza to the hospital, which has served over 400 casualties during the recent crisis.
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Bishops blocked at Gaza checkpointThe bishops met the hospital’s director, Suhaila Tarazi, and medical director, Dr Maher Ayad. The demands on the hospital for ongoing care and rehabilitation of the victims continue to stretch resources.
A statement form Bishop Dawani’s office praised the staff for “exemplary care for all in need, regardless of faith or ability to pay, in keeping with the highest standard of medical ethics”.
During the visit the three bishops stopped in the hospital church to pray for peace, and for the dead and wounded in the most recent conflict.
Bishop Dawani also sought to encourage the 3,500 Christians living in the Gaza strip. “Christian presence must be empowered and must remain in the Holy Land,’’ he said.
The bishop told Gazan Christians to “look forward and build up what has been destroyed, to keep faith and hope in the future, and carry on living in hope of a more normal situation despite all the hardships they have been facing.”’
The bishops also met Constantine Dabbagh, director of the Near East Council of Churches Refugee Works, with a brief stop at the NECCRW clinic to hear reports of their work.
They also spoke to the media about their visit, explaining that they came to personally show their support and thank the medical staff, and to pray for peace in the region and reconciliation between the Palestinians and the Israelis.