The Church of Ireland's Archbishop of Dublin has said he shares the outrage and the sadness of the brave staff at the Al-Ahli Arab hospital in Gaza city that was targeted by Israeli airstrikes.
The hospital, which has been supported by the Church of Ireland Dioceses of Dublin and Glendalough through their relationship with the Dioceses of Jerusalem can now no longer function, leaving the injured and the sick out of the streets of Gaza city.
Archbishop Dr Michael Jackson said whilst there had not been any direct casualties from the airstrikes, a child died because they could not access care following the attacks.
"I think a child who had been treated was disconnected from the treatment and died, not perhaps as a direct result of the airstrike, but as a result of what happened following it."
He added that he had seen pictures and heard reports of "people really trailing or dragging the beds of relatives, coming out into the street".
"I have really admired how people have kept going, how they've done as much as they can with shrivelling resources and now to find all they can do is flee from the last functioning facility in Gaza city is beyond heartbreaking and incomprehensible."
The Archbishop also made a plea for mercy and for more international humanitarian aid to be allowed into Gaza.
"This is not a political statement. This is not actual political action. This is where humanity meets humanity."
Archbishop Jackson said he spent two days in Gaza city and had visited that hospital, which he found to be a place of "tremendous professionalism, of tremendous compassion and care for anybody and everybody who needed to be there".
He said whilst it was rightly referred to as a Christian facility, it excluded nobody.
Archbishop Jackson added that the chapel at the hospital that he visited was still standing, with four walls.
"I celebrated communion there with the Christian people who worked in the hospital and that was a tremendously tender moment. There were 17 people and I think maybe nine nationalities."
He said on Palm Sunday people were already thinking in their hearts and minds of some connection with that part of the world, and he called for prayers for those who had died and for those who were struggling to live without basic needs like water, food, dignity and medical facilities.
