The strong explosion that according to Palestinian sources last night caused almost 500 deaths in a hospital in Loop has led to endless cross-accusations about who caused the tragedy: the Palestinians blame Israel of a bombing, and the Israeli Army blames the Islamic Jihad group Palestine for the failed launch of a rocket that fell into the health facility.
In the absence of access by independent experts to the area and many details to be unraveled, this is what is known about this incident that the Palestinians denounce is the largest massacre on Gaza in the war between Israel and the Palestinian militias that has already lasted 12 days.
What do the Palestinians say?
Yesterday around 7:00 p.m. local time (16:00 GMT), there was a major explosion on the grounds of Al Ahli Hospital, where some 2,000 Gazan civilians were taking refuge from Israeli bombing.
According to the Ministry of Health in Gaza – controlled by the Islamist group Hamas – the explosion left at least 471 dead due to an Israeli bombardment.
Hamas described what happened as “horrible massacre” and “a crime of genocide” among the many that he believes Israel has committed in this war and four other previous armed conflicts since 2008.
The Gaza Civil Defense also assured that it was “an unprecedented massacre” although “tragedies in wars and days gone by,” which “amounts to genocide” for which Israel is responsible.
What does Israel say?
After the explosion, the Israeli Army assured that it carried out an investigation that concluded that it was due to a failed rocket launch by Islamic Jihad from near the hospital.
The Army collected information from the drones of its surveillance system and assured that it was not attacking in the area when the explosion occurred, and claimed to have identified the path of a projectile launched shortly before.
The Israeli military spokesperson accused the Palestinians of “inflate victim figures”, said “There was no direct impact on the hospital” and that it was a minor explosion in a parking lot at the medical center.
Based on aerial images released by the Israeli Army and local press photos, the explosion did not leave a crater at the point of impact, suggesting that it was caused by a rocket and not an Israeli missile.
The deflagration caused by the self-propelled projectile’s fuel could have been much more destructive than the rocket’s own warhead, which would have caused more damage.
In the images of the affected place, burned cars can be seen in an area of a few hundred square meters next to the hospital, with about twenty cars parked, several burned and a few destroyed.
The Army also released a recording of a conversation supposedly between Palestinian militants from Gaza who reported the impact and suggested that it was caused by an Islamic Jihad projectile.
What does Islamic jihad allege?
Islamic Jihad (PIJ) – the second largest military force in Gaza after Hamas – denied responsibility and accused Israel of “make up lies” and “false accusations” after committing “a brutal massacre.”
“The weight of the warhead, the angle of fall of the bomb and the magnitude of the destruction” They are tests “documented” of “an aerial bombardment from a fighter plane”, assured the YIP.
In the past, there were reports of rockets from Gaza militias launched towards Israel that fell in the enclave and caused deaths, especially by Islamic Jihad, with very rudimentary arsenal.
Residents of Gaza, some analysts or journalists covering the region for years are skeptical about the possibility that an unsophisticated PIJ projectile caused almost 500 deaths.
Islamic Jihad, a group different from Hamas but allied with and with similar Islamist ideas, joined the latter’s surprise attack against Israel on October 7, when the war broke out.
US Supports Israel
The incident occurred hours before the lightning visit today to Israel of the President of the United States, Joe Biden, who validated the Israeli thesis about the explosion based on data collected – as he said – by the Pentagon.
US intelligence also attributed the attack on the hospital to Islamic Jihad. US officials said that based on various evidence, including satellite images and videos, they have reached a preliminary conclusion that the explosion was caused by a rocket launched by Islamic Jihad.
Also the spokesperson for the White House National Security Council, Adrienne Watson, stressed that the information shows that Israel “is not responsible” of the explosion at the hospital.
Source: Gestion
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