Rocket appears to have struck a parking lot area, and reports suggest the hospital was damaged, not destroyed
Al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza City was attacked on Tuesday night, resulting in loss of life. There are conflicting reports about the nature of the attack and those responsible. Initially, Hamas claimed that the hospital was damaged by an Israeli airstrike. However, Israel countered the claim after an investigation, saying the hospital was hit by an errant missile fired by militants in Gaza.
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Complicating matters further, online video footage is circulating on social media suggesting that the hospital was not directly hit by the rocket. Instead, the missile seems to have hit a nearby parking lot. This led to many conflicting claims regarding who was responsible for the incident, the exact location of the missile impact, and the death toll. As this is a complex and evolving situation, it is critical to rely on reliable news sources and official statements for the most accurate information.
Who’s responsible?
Hamas launched rocket attacks targeting Tel Aviv and central Israel on Tuesday.
Following the explosion at Al-Ahli Hospital, senior Hamas officials told Fox it was too early to provide a detailed statement.
After an investigation, Israel said the rocket responsible for Tuesday’s hospital strike was attributed to Palestinian Islamic Jihad, a group designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the United States Department of State and known to receive support from Iran.
According to IDF (Israel Defense Forces) officials, an analysis of their operational data showed that terrorists from Gaza fired a barrage of rockets that went very close to Al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza at the time it was damaged. They claimed that intelligence from multiple sources indicated that Islamic Jihad was responsible for the rocket launch that eventually hit the hospital.
In response to the initial claims, Israel immediately denied the allegations. Meanwhile, President Biden, who visited Israel on Wednesday, indicated that intelligence provided by the Pentagon supports Israel’s claim that the explosion at the hospital originated from rocket fire in Gaza.
Biden reiterated his stance later that day, stressing his belief that Israel should not be held responsible. National Security Council spokesman Adrian Watson also reiterated the US position. While they continue to gather information, their current assessment, based on analysis of aerial images, intercepts, and open source data, is that Israel is not responsible for the hospital explosion in Gaza, she said.
Where did the rockets fall?
Initial reports indicate that the failed rocket launch caused direct damage to the hospital. However, Israeli media later shared footage showing rockets fired from Gaza and landing in a hospital on their own territory.
Separately, Keshet 12 News aired footage on Tuesday showing multiple rockets being fired at Israel. Shortly after, an explosion occurred in Gaza along the trajectory of these rockets.
Contrary to the initial narrative provided by Hamas, images and videos circulating on social media portray a different perspective. The materials depict a parking lot with several damaged cars and in the middle of it, a depression indicating where an object exploded.
When images of the parking lot after the explosion are compared to typical craters left by Israeli missile strikes, the explosion may have been caused by a different type of missile.
Although the rocket appears to have hit the parking lot, it is important to note that the Hamas-run hospital, which is treating wounded Palestinians and sheltering many, was damaged but not completely destroyed.
Casualty numbers
The death toll from the blast at Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital in Gaza City is disputed. Initially, Gaza’s health ministry reported at least 500 dead and blamed an Israeli airstrike, a claim Israel disputed.
According to the latest information, the death toll in the blast has not been confirmed. Reuters cited the Hamas-run Palestinian Health Ministry as saying 471 people had died as of 3 p.m. On Wednesday.
During his meetings with Israeli officials on Wednesday, President Biden expressed his support for Israel and issued warnings to Iran and Hezbollah, underscoring the importance of the situation in the region.