Memorial service held for victims of the 1974 Athalassa Hospital bombing

On Wednesday, August 5, 2026, a memorial service was held near the Nicosia General Hospital to honor the 31 patients and two nurses who were killed during the Turkish aerial bombardment of the Athalassa Hospital on July 20, 1974. The victims included three Turkish Cypriot patients who perished when Wards 1 and 2 of the facility were struck during the conflict.

The ceremony was attended by state officials, including Savia Orphanidou, President of the Parliamentary Committee on Health, as well as representatives from the State Health Services Organization (OKYPY), the Nicosia District administration, trade unions, and surviving relatives. The event featured a memorial prayer, speeches, and the lighting of a ceremonial flame by the Pericles Demetriou Runners Club.

In 2023, a permanent monument bearing the names of all the victims was erected at the original site of the destroyed wards. During the event, speakers emphasized the necessity of preserving historical memory, honoring the sanctity of human life, and acknowledging the lasting consequences of war, while calling for the avoidance of violence and fanaticism in society.