Israel Denies Gaza Hospital Strike

YESTERDAY a Gaza hospital was hit by a rocket that Palestinian authorities claim has killed hundreds of  people.

On Tuesday, October 17, a massive explosion devastated the Al Ahli Arab Hospital in central Gaza, resulting in the reported deaths of 500 people, according to the Health Ministry controlled by Hamas, writes the Express.

Israel Denies Involvement

The Israeli military has swiftly countered allegations of its involvement in the tragic event, pointing the finger at a misfired missile by a Palestinian militant group. The Israel Defence Force (IDF) issued a statement, saying ‘From the analysis of the IDF’s operational systems, an enemy rocket barrage was carried out towards Israel, which passed in the vicinity of the hospital, when it was hit.

‘According to intelligence information, from a number of sources we have, the GAP organization is responsible for the failed shooting that hit the hospital,’ the statement concluded.

Hamas Accusations

Hamas, however, has a different take on the incident. They labelled the explosion as a ‘crime of genocide’ and implicated Israel in the attack. Their statement, posted on Telegram, read: ‘This also exposes the American and Western support for this criminal occupation.’

They added, ‘The international community and the Arab and Islamic countries must assume their responsibilities and intervene immediately, now and not tomorrow… to stop the arrogance of the occupation and its fascist army, and hold it accountable for the genocide it has been committing for the eleventh day in a row in the already blockaded area.’

Photos on social media, still awaiting verification, depict the extensive damage to the hospital’s infrastructure. The Palestinian Red Cross released a video on X, suggesting that the hospital was packed with ‘thousands of displaced individuals’.

Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president has declared three days of mourning after the catastrophic incident and urged global intervention. A communique from the Palestinian Liberation Organisation, chaired by Mr Abbas, stated: ‘What is taking place is genocide. We call on the international community to intervene immediately to stop this massacre. Silence is no longer acceptable’

The Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) has refuted Israel’s claims that they caused the disastrous blast. Ismail Haniyeh, thought to be the Hamas group’s leader, insinuated that the US had a role in the attack.