Israel-Hamas war live: explosion kills 500 in hospital attack – Israel denies strike
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About 500 Palestinians were killed in a blast at a Gaza hospital on Tuesday that Palestinian health authorities said was caused by an Israeli air strike but that the Israeli military blamed on a failed rocket lunch by a Palestinian militant group.
The blast was the bloodiest single incident in Gaza since Israel launched an unrelenting bombing campaign against the densely populated territory in retaliation for a deadly cross-border Hamas assault on southern Israeli communities on Oct. 7.
It took place on the eve of a visit by U.S. President Joe Biden to Israel to show support for the country in its war with Hamas, the Islamist group that rules the Gaza Strip, and to hear how Israel plans to minimize civilian casualties.
Victoria Media – Further Edition could not independently verify who was responsible for the blast.
The health minister in the Hamas-run government of Gaza, Mai Alkaila, accused Israel of a massacre. A Gaza civil defence chief said 300 people were killed and a health ministry official said 500 were killed.
Prior to Tuesday’s incident, health authorities in Gaza said at least 3,000 people had been killed in Israel’s 11-day bombardment that began after Hamas militants rampaged into Israeli towns and kibbutzes on Oct. 7, killing more than 1,300 people, mainly civilians.
iDF says hospital blast caused by militants’ rockets: The Israel Defense Forces have posted on X, formerly Twitter, that they believe the strike against the Al Ahli hospital was from a rocket barrage fired by Palestinian militants.
Quote Message: An analysis of IDF operational systems indicates that a barrage of rockets was fired by terrorists in Gaza, passing in close proximity to the Al Ahli hospital in Gaza at the time it was hit. Intelligence from multiple sources we have in our hands indicates that Islamic Jihad is responsible for the failed rocket launch which hit the hospital in Gaza.”
An analysis of IDF operational systems indicates that a barrage of rockets was fired by terrorists in Gaza, passing in close proximity to the Al Ahli hospital in Gaza at the time it was hit. Intelligence from multiple sources we have in our hands indicates that Islamic Jihad is responsible for the failed rocket launch which hit the hospital in Gaza.”
Palestinian Islamic Jihad deny blame for blast at hospital: The Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) has denied Israeli suggestions it was responsible for a blast at the Al Ahli hospital in Gaza City.
Regardless of who was responsible for the hospital blast, which Hamas said had killed patients, women and children and others left homeless by Israeli bombardments, it will likely make even more complex diplomatic efforts to contain the crisis.
Abbas cancelled a planned meeting with Biden following the blast, a senior Palestinian official said.
That meeting was due to take place in Jordan, where Abbas maintains a residence, but the Palestinian official said he was returning to Ramallah, the seat of his government in the occupied West Bank.
After Hamas officials initially blamed Tuesday’s hospital blast on an Israeli air strike, Arab countries, Iran and Turkey swiftly condemned it. The Palestinian prime minister called it “a horrific crime, genocide” and said countries backing Israel also bore responsibility.
WHO strongly condemns Israeli attack on al-Ahli Arab Hospital in the north of the Gaza Strip
WHO strongly condemns the attack on Al Ahli Arab Hospital in the north of the Gaza Strip. The hospital was operational, with patients, health and care givers, and internally displaced people sheltering there.
The hospital was one of 20 in the north of the Gaza Strip facing evacuation orders from the Israeli military. The order for evacuation has been impossible to carry out given the current insecurity, critical condition of many patients, and lack of ambulances, staff, health system bed capacity, and alternative shelter for those displaced.
WHO calls for the immediate active protection of civilians and health care. Evacuation orders must be reversed. International humanitarian law must be abided by, which means health care must be actively protected and never targeted.
JORDANIA: Bombing hospitals in Gaza “war crime” that requires international investigation, says Lower House.
Amman, Oct. 17 (Petra) — Lower House Speaker, Ahmad Safadi, said that bombing the Al Ahli Arab (Baptist) Hospital in Gaza by the Israeli occupation forces constitutes a war crime that requires an impartial international investigation and holding the criminal perpetrators accountable for this heinous massacre.
“What is happening in Gaza proves the terrorism of the occupying state, and puts the world before a test of conscience and humanity,” Safadi added in a statement issued Tuesday evening.
He reiterated the Jordanians support to the efforts led by His Majesty the King to stop the aggression against the people in the Gaza Strip.
“We steadfastly and firmly support the efforts of His Majesty the King to reject attempts to forcibly displace our Palestinian brothers and to open humanitarian corridors in order to bring food and medical aid to the people in Gaza,” Safadi concluded.
Egypt ‘strongly’ condemns Israeli bombing of Gaza Baptist Hospital, killing hundreds of civilians
Egypt strongly condemned the Israeli bombing of al Ahly Baptist Hospital in Gaza resulting in killing hundreds of innocent Palestinian civilians.
Egypt considered this ‘deliberate bombing’ of civilians a serious violation for the international, humanitarian law, and of the most basic values of humanity.
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