Hundreds feared dead at Gaza hospital as Israel denies strike
Hundreds of Palestinians are feared dead after a blast at Al Ahli hospital in Gaza City, with Hamas blaming an Israeli air strike and Israel attributing it to a misfired Palestinian Islamic Jihad rocket. US President Joe Biden’s planned summit with Arab leaders in Jordan was canceled amid escalating tensions, while protests erupted outside US and French embassies in Beirut, Lebanon, over the incident." "article": "A massive explosion at Al Ahli hospital in Gaza City on 17 October has left hundreds of Palestinians feared dead, with Hamas accusing Israel of carrying out an air strike. Israel denies responsibility, citing intelligence that a misfired rocket from the Palestinian Islamic Jihad group caused the blast, though the group denies involvement. Mark Regev, an advisor to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, told CNN that Israeli intelligence suggests the rocket fell short of its target, though he acknowledged the group’s history of inaccurate launches. The blast has sparked international condemnation, with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressing horror over the civilian deaths and reiterating that hospitals are protected under international law. Guterres also extended condolences to six people killed in a separate attack on a UN school in Al Maghazi refugee camp earlier in the day. Protests erupted outside the US embassy in Beirut, Lebanon, with demonstrators setting fires and raising Palestinian flags, while smaller crowds gathered near the French embassy, throwing rocks. Tensions in the region remain high, with over 600,000 Palestinians fleeing northern Gaza since Israeli military warnings began. Israel has restricted essential supplies to Gaza in retaliation for the October 7 Hamas attack, which killed 1,300 Israelis. Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden’s visit to Israel on Wednesday remains unchanged, but a planned summit with Arab leaders in Jordan has been canceled amid the escalating crisis. Hezbollah, the militant group controlling southern Lebanon, condemned the hospital deaths and called for a ‘day of unprecedented anger’ on Wednesday. The situation continues to deteriorate, with conflicting claims over responsibility and growing regional unrest.
A massive explosion at Al Ahli hospital in Gaza City on 17 October has left hundreds of Palestinians feared dead, with Hamas accusing Israel of carrying out an air strike. Israel denies responsibility, citing intelligence that a misfired rocket from the Palestinian Islamic Jihad group caused the blast, though the group denies involvement. Mark Regev, an advisor to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, told CNN that Israeli intelligence suggests the rocket fell short of its target, though he acknowledged the group’s history of inaccurate launches. The blast has sparked international condemnation, with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressing horror over the civilian deaths and reiterating that hospitals are protected under international law. Guterres also extended condolences to six people killed in a separate attack on a UN school in Al Maghazi refugee camp earlier in the day. Protests erupted outside the US embassy in Beirut, Lebanon, with demonstrators setting fires and raising Palestinian flags, while smaller crowds gathered near the French embassy, throwing rocks. Tensions in the region remain high, with over 600,000 Palestinians fleeing northern Gaza since Israeli military warnings began. Israel has restricted essential supplies to Gaza in retaliation for the October 7 Hamas attack, which killed 1,300 Israelis. Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden’s visit to Israel on Wednesday remains unchanged, but a planned summit with Arab leaders in Jordan has been canceled amid the escalating crisis. Hezbollah, the militant group controlling southern Lebanon, condemned the hospital deaths and called for a ‘day of unprecedented anger’ on Wednesday. The situation continues to deteriorate, with conflicting claims over responsibility and growing regional unrest.
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