LONDON: The archbishop of Canterbury on Sunday warned of the “grave danger” facing patients in Gaza after a hospital was hit by an Israeli rocket.

Justin Welby, the most senior cleric in the Church of England, took to X after the Ahli Hospital, which is run by Anglicans, was damaged overnight.

Over a million Palestinians are currently faced with a stark choice of remaining in place or heading south after the Israel Defense Forces warned residents in the north of the Gaza Strip to evacuate.

“Hospitals and patients in Gaza are in grave danger,” Welby said. “The seriously ill and injured patients at the Anglican-run Ahli Hospital — and other healthcare facilities in northern Gaza — cannot be safely evacuated.

“They are running low on medical supplies. They are facing catastrophe. The Ahli Hospital was hit by Israeli rocket fire last night, with four staff injured in the blast. Other hospitals have also been hit.”

He added: “I appeal for the evacuation order on hospitals in northern Gaza to be reversed — and for health facilities, health workers, patients and civilians to be protected.

“The evil and barbaric terror attacks on Israelis by Hamas were a blasphemous outrage. But the civilians of Gaza are not responsible for the crimes of Hamas.

“Please continue to pray for all innocent people, Israeli and Palestinian, who are caught up in the terrible violence in the Holy Land.”

On Saturday, Welby issued a statement calling for the establishment of humanitarian corridors to allow civilians to leave Gaza.

“I plead that the sins of Hamas are not borne by the citizens of Gaza, who themselves have faced such suffering over many decades. The price of evil cannot be paid by the innocent. Civilians cannot bear the costs of terrorists.”