In Jerusalem, the Israeli military has refuted any involvement in an explosion that resulted in the death of hundreds of people at a hospital in Gaza City. They claim that the explosion was caused by a misfired Palestinian rocket, not by any Israeli action.
While Hamas, the Palestinian militant group in control of Gaza, has accused Israel of causing the blast, Israel contends that it was due to a failed rocket launch by another militant group in Gaza, Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
The Israeli military’s investigation found no evidence of IDF (Israel Defense Forces) fire hitting the hospital and noted that there was no structural damage to nearby buildings consistent with an airstrike. They provided radar data indicating that rockets fired by terrorists in Gaza were in close proximity to the hospital when the explosion occurred.
Regarding the size of the explosion, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari explained that it was consistent with unspent rocket fuel igniting, causing significant damage primarily due to the rocket’s propellant, rather than the warhead itself. The Israeli military spokesperson also accused Hamas of exaggerating the number of casualties from the incident and challenged their ability to quickly determine the cause of the blast.
This explosion resulted in a high death toll and has led to protests in various regions, including the occupied West Bank, Jordan, and Turkey. The Israeli military also mentioned that they had intelligence suggesting communication among terrorists about misfired rockets, though they did not provide specific details.
In response, Islamic Jihad denied Israel’s claim of responsibility for the explosion and accused Israel of attempting to evade responsibility for the incident, calling it a “brutal massacre.” They stated that they do not use places of worship or public facilities, especially hospitals, for military purposes.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed condolences and support for Palestinians’ “legitimate aspirations” to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, particularly addressing the deadly hospital blast in Gaza during his regional tour in Amman.
Source: Arab News