Israel-Hamas war: ‘At least 500 killed’ in strike on hospital as IDF denies blame

A hospital in Gaza City was hit by an airstrike killing an estimated 500 Palestinians in the deadliest single incident since the Israel-Gaza conflict began on 7 October.

The Anglican Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital was holding thousands of displaced Palestinians, including women and children.

Palestinian authorities blamed an Israeli airstrike, with Hamas leader Ismail Haniyehi stating that the “hospital massacre confirms the enemy’s brutality”.

However, the Israel Defence Forces said: “Following an analysis by the IDF’s operational systems, a barrage of rockets was launched toward Israel, which passed in the vicinity of the hospital, when it was hit.

“According to intelligence information from a number of sources we have, Islamic Jihad terrorist organization is responsible for the failed rocket launch that hit the hospital.”

A spokesman for Palestinian Islamic Jihad has also denied it is responsible for the Gaza hospital strike.

Protests have already begun in the West Bank, while several Middle Eastern leaders have condemned the “barbaric” attacks, which occurred shortly before President Joe Biden’s visit to the region.

A fire was spotted burning Tuesday at the US Embassy compound in Beirut, Lebanon, Fox News reports.

The compound has been the locus of intense protests.

Intense demonstrations have taken place across the region as the Israel-Hamas war continues.

The Israel Defense Forces killed a Palestinian protester late Tuesday, Al Arabiya reports, citing the Palestinian health ministry.

Few details were immediately available about the incident, described as taking place during a “confrontation” in Nabi Saleh village, near the West Bank city of Ramallah.

The explosion Tuesday at a hospital in the Gaza Strip has given extra urgency to calls from members of Congress for Joe Biden to push for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war.

“Bombing a hospital is among the gravest of war crimes,” Democrat Ilhan Omar said in a statement Tuesday on X. “The IDF reportedly blowing up one of the few places the injured and wounded can seek medical treatment and shelter during a war is horrific. @POTUS needs to push for an immediate ceasefire to end this slaughter.”

Israel, Hamas, and Palestine Islamic Jihad all deny being behind the explosion.

A spokeperson for the Israel Defense Forces says the country may publicly share intelligence backing up the country’s claims that it wasn’t behind an explosion at a Gaza hospital that killed an estimated 500 people.

IDF spokesperson Lt Col Jonathan Conricus told CNN the country is considering releasing the information.

“We’re in the progress of declassifying,” he said. “I cannot promise yet that we will but maybe because of the importance and because what is at stake here that may happen.”

The Israeli bombardment of Gaza has killed at least 3,000 people, and has involved strikes on targets including refugee centres and a border crossing with fleeing civilians.

The war, which has claimed over 1,400 Israeli lives, began earlier this month when Hamas militants launched a surprise attack, killing and kidnapping numerous civilians.

Joe Biden condemned the recent explosion at a Gaza hospital as a tragic loss of civilian life, but was careful not to assign blame, as both Hamas and Israel claim the other was responsible for the killing of nearly 500 people who died in the tragedy.

“I am outraged and deeply saddened by the explosion at the Al Ahli Arab hospital in Gaza, and the terrible loss of life that resulted,” Mr Biden told reporters on Air Force One. “The United States stands unequivocally for the protection of civilian life during conflict and we mourn the patients, medical staff and other innocents killed or wounded in this tragedy.”

The president said he had spoken with King Abdullah II of Jordan and Prime Minister Netanyahu of Israel since and has directed his national security team to collect more information.

Hundreds of Palestinians turned out in the West Bank city of Ramallah on Tuesday in protest of an explosion at a hospital in Gaza that killed an estimated 500 people amid the ongoing Hamas-Israel war.

Hamas accused Israel of launching an airstrike on the hospital, while the IDF denies responsibility and blames Palestinian militants instead.

The Palestinian Authority, which exercises partial control over the occupied West Bank, reportedly fired tear gas and stun grenades into the crowd of demonstrators in Ramallah, Al Jazeera reports.

Some of the demonstrators were reportedly chanting, “The people want the fall of the president.”

Many Palestinians are critical of PA President Mahmoud Abbas for collaborating with Israeli security services in the West Bank.

Mr Abbas, who was set to meet with US president Joe Biden tomorrow, reportedly plans to return to the West Bank immediately.

Nadia El-Akla, who is married to Humza Yousaf, said on LBC that her three young cousins were struck by shrapnel from the drone as they were sitting outside their house.

The SNP councillor’s mother, father and many of her extended family are trapped in Gaza as the conflict between Israel and Hamas takes place around them.

The 39-year-old said her mother, a retired nurse, had been treating the family for their injuries due to the lack of hospital space.

Get the details via Independent TV.

Protestors in Jordan clashed with police near the Israeli embassy in the capital of Amman on Tuesday 17 October 2023.

Police fired teargas to disperse protestors and barricaded the route to the embassy.

Demonstrations began after a strike on a Gaza hospital that Palestinian authorities blamed on Israel.

Israeli officials have claimed Palestine is responsible for the attack.

Jordan’s King Abdullah described the bombing of a Gaza hospital that killed 500 Palestinians and injured hundreds as a “massacre” and a “war crime”.

More than 500 people were killed in the explosion and fire at the Anglican Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital, the Gaza health ministry said.

Israel claims the strike was the fault of a “failed rocket launch” by militant group, Palestinian Islamic Jihad.

The explosion comes on the eve of Joe Biden’s visit to Israel and because of the explosion, Jordan cancelled its summit with the US president.

Get the details via Independent TV.