Following the explosion in Gaza al-Ahli hospital, conflicting accounts on the nature and party responsible for the attack that claimed hundreds of lives have emerged. The incident, which occurred on Tuesday, October 17, has intensified the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict, especially during US President Joe Biden's visit to Tel Aviv.
What happened in the Gaza hospital?
On the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday (October 17-18), an explosion took place at the al-Ahli hospital in Gaza, which had been inundated with victims of Israeli airstrikes and civilians seeking refuge on the hospital grounds.
Who is responsible for the attack?
After the explosion, an immediate blame game started with Gaza's Hamas-run Health Ministry accusing an Israeli airstrike of causing the explosion, claiming that it resulted in the deaths of at least 500 people, including innocent children.
In contrast, however, Israeli authorities swiftly denied any involvement and instead pointed the finger at a misfired Palestinian rocket as the likely cause. The Israel Defense Forces even released an audio recording of Hamas operatives allegedly talking about a misfired rocket causing the Gaza hospital blast.
Amid the conflicting claims, the Israeli military maintained its stance, asserting that it had no involvement in the hospital explosion. According to their official statement, the blast was a result of a misfired Palestinian rocket. The military went on to report that Palestinian militants had fired a barrage of rockets in the vicinity of the hospital around the same time.Israel Ambassador to India Naor Gilon also tweeted claiming that the hospital in Gaza was hit by an "Islamic jihad rocket."
What are the consequences?
Outraged by the hospital blast, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Jordan's King Abdullah II announced their withdrawal from a planned Arab summit with President Joe Biden, scheduled for Wednesday, October 18. In a matter of hours, the White House and Jordan's government confirmed the cancellation of Biden's meeting with Arab leaders, highlighting escalating tensions.
The international response was swift, with several Arab nations condemning the hospital attack and declaring days of national mourning. Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi decried the explosion as "a clear violation of international law and humanity."
Protests erupted in various Arab cities, including Beirut, where demonstrators gathered outside the French embassy and a UN facility to voice their discontent over the international community's response to civilian casualties in Gaza. In Amman, Jordanians gathered outside the Israeli Embassy in a display of public outrage.
The Russian Foreign Ministry has classified the strike on a hospital in Gaza as a crime and an "act of dehumanization." They have called on Israel to provide satellite images to substantiate that it was not responsible for the strike.
