Israel has categorically denied responsibility for any involvement in the recent explosion at a hospital in Gaza, which Hamas claims resulted in the tragic death of at least 500 people, with more feared trapped under the rubble..
Intelligence information made public by the Israeli army contends that the explosion that struck al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza City was the result of a rocket misfired by Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorists.
However, these claims have been met with strong opposition from Islamic Jihad, which refutes the Israeli narrative and accuses the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) of attempting to cover up what they describe as a “horrifying crime and massacre against civilians.”
The hospital was reportedly serving as a shelter for hundreds of people at the time of the blast, and Hamas has condemned the incident as a “horrific massacre” and a “crime of genocide.”
The tragic incident unfolded against a backdrop of efforts by the United States to persuade Israel to allow the delivery of supplies to civilians, aid groups, and hospitals in the beleaguered Gaza Strip.
The region has been under a comprehensive blockade since a deadly incursion by Hamas in southern Israel.
This devastating event also comes on the eve of U.S. President Joe Biden’s scheduled visit to the region, where he aims to express support for Israel and work towards preventing further escalation of the conflict.
In a notable protest against the airstrike, Palestine’s President Mahmoud Abbas has reportedly canceled a meeting with President Biden.
The Israeli military, in an analysis of its operational systems, has suggested that the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization was responsible for the failed rocket attack on the hospital.
According to the IDF, a “barrage of rockets” fired by Gaza-based terrorists passed in close proximity to the Ahli hospital at the time it was hit.
An IDF spokesperson emphasized that hospitals are considered “highly sensitive buildings” and are not targets for the IDF. The Israeli military has urged caution in reporting unverified claims made by terrorist organizations.
Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh has also weighed in, placing blame on the United States for the attack and asserting that Washington provided Israel with “cover for its aggression.”
Haniyeh characterized the hospital incident as a demonstration of the enemy’s brutality and a turning point in the ongoing conflict, calling for widespread Palestinian and international protests against Israel.
Former Hamas chief Khaled Meshaal echoed this call, urging protests in front of Israeli embassies worldwide in response to the hospital blast, underscoring the global repercussions of this tragic event.