Al-Ahli Hospital was recently honored by the United Church of Christ’s General Synod and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) General Assembly for its continuing work and commitment, even under extreme duress.
While the award was presented in absentia, it was later conveyed to the Hospital Director, Ms. Suhaila Tarazi, by Canon Peter Makari during a ceremony held at Al-Ahli.
The award read as follows:
Al-Ahli Arab Hospital, a ministry of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem in Gaza, is presented with the Global Ministries Award of Affirmation for its critical and courageous ministry of health care provision in one of the most densely populated and de-developed places in the world. Gaza has a population of almost 2 million Palestinians, almost three-quarters of whom are refugees, who live under Israeli blockade and with frequent military assaults. The UN has warned that Gaza will be uninhabitable by 2020. Al-Ahli hospital has continued to serve the people of Gaza—most of whom are Muslims with a small number of Christians—with medical care (often free of charge) in the most trying of circumstances, with frequent electricity outages and fuel shortages, depleted medical supplies, and even structural damage that is not easily repaired due to the denial of permission of construction materials entering Gaza. Even so, the courageous medical and professional staff persevere, remaining committed to their calling to provide care and hope, delivered in a spirit of love and service.