Jerusalem Patriarch Theophilos III and Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa have inaugurated a new medical clinic in the Gaza Strip aimed at providing healthcare services to civilians affected by the ongoing conflict and humanitarian crisis.

The opening ceremony for the St. Joseph Clinic took place on June 22, according to Malteser International. The facility was established through a partnership involving the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, and the humanitarian organization Malteser International.

The new clinic is expected to provide primary healthcare services to approximately 100 patients per day. Around 30 healthcare professionals, including doctors, nurses, and pharmacists, will staff the center.

The inauguration was one of the key events during a joint pastoral visit to Gaza by leaders of the Holy Land’s Christian communities. Accompanying Patriarch Theophilos III and Cardinal Pizzaballa was Dr. Josef Blotz, Grand Hospitaller of the Order of Malta, along with representatives of several international humanitarian organizations.

Clinic officials emphasized the urgent need for additional medical services in Gaza, where much of the healthcare infrastructure has been destroyed or severely damaged during the conflict. According to the clinic’s medical director, Dr. Ali Ibrahim al-Musaddar, the region continues to face significant challenges due to shortages of medicines, healthcare workers, and functioning hospitals.

As a result, residents are struggling not only with war-related injuries but also with increasing cases of infectious and skin diseases. Children, elderly people, and families displaced by the fighting remain among the most vulnerable groups, facing difficult living conditions and limited access to sanitation.

Project organizers said the St. Joseph Clinic is intended to become an important healthcare hub for Gaza’s civilian population. The initiative was launched with support from local Christian communities and international partners.

Funding for the project was provided by the foreign ministries of Germany and the Czech Republic, UNICEF, and the Catholic Archdioceses of Munich and Paderborn.

The Order of Malta reported that since the outbreak of the Gaza conflict in 2023, its humanitarian agencies have delivered more than 200 tons of medicines, medical supplies, and other essential aid to the territory.