Joan Mas Autonell
EFE Jerusalem |
The powerful explosion that Palestinian sources say almost caused 500 dead in a hospital in Gaza led to one endless accusations about who caused the tragedy: Palestinians blame Israel for a bombing, and the Israeli army blames the Palestinian Islamic Jihad group for the failed launch of a rocket that hit the health facility.
Since independent experts do not have access to the area and many details still need to be clarified, only what the Palestinians denounce about this incident is known so far Largest massacre in Gaza in the war between Israel and Palestinian militias which already takes 12 days.
What do the Palestinians say?
On Tuesday, October 17, at 7:00 p.m. local time (4:00 p.m. GMT), a massive explosion occurred in the compound of Al-Ahli Hospital, where approximately 2,000 Gazan civilians were seeking refuge from Israeli bombing.
According to him Gaza Ministry of Health The blast, controlled by the Islamist group Hamas, killed at least 471 people due to an Israeli bombing attack.
Hamas described what happened as a “horrible massacre” and “genocide crime,” among many others it says Israel has committed in that war and four other previous armed conflicts since 2008.
The Gaza Civil Defense He also assured that, despite the “tragedies in wars and days gone by,” it was “an unprecedented massacre” that “tantamounts to genocide” for which Israel is responsible.
Al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza on October 18, 2023 after the explosion. EFE/EPA/Mohammed Sable.
What does Israel say?
After the explosion the… Israeli army He assured that he had conducted an investigation which concluded that this was due to a failed rocket launch by Islamic Jihad from near the hospital.
Collecting information from its surveillance system drones, the army assured that it was not attacking in the area at the time of the explosion and said it had identified the trajectory of a projectile fired shortly before.
The Israeli military spokesman accused the Palestinians of “inflated casualty counts” and said there was “no direct impact on the hospital” and that it was a minor explosion in a parking lot at the medical center.
Related to Aerial photographs published by the Israeli army and photos from the local pressthe explosion did not leave a crater at the impact site, suggesting it came from 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 missile’s warhead, which would have caused more damage.
In the images of the affected location, burnt 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 some destroyed.
The army also spread the Recording a conversation allegedly between Palestinian militiamen from Gaza who reported the impact and suspected it was caused by an Islamic Jihad projectile.
What does Islamic Jihad claim?
Islamic Jihad (PIJ) – the second largest military power in Gaza after Hamas – denied responsibility and accused Israel of making up “lies” and “false accusations” after committing “a brutal massacre.”
“The weight of the warhead, the angle of fall of the bomb and the extent of the destruction” are “documented” evidence of “an air attack by a fighter aircraft,” the YIP assured.
There have been reports in the past of rockets fired at Israel by Gaza militias, striking the enclave and causing deaths, particularly by Islamic Jihad, which had a very rudimentary arsenal.
Gaza residents and some analysts and journalists who have covered the region for years are skeptical about the possibility that an untechnical PIJ projectile caused nearly 500 deaths.
Islamic Jihad, a group distinct from Hamas but allied to and with similar Islamist ideas, joined Hamas’s surprise attack against Israel on October 7, when the war broke out.
The USA supports Israel
The incident occurred just hours before the President of the United States’ stormy visit to Israel on October 18. Joe Bidenwho confirmed the Israeli theory about the explosion based on, as he said, data collected by the Pentagon.
The US Secret Service He also attributed the attack on the hospital to Islamic Jihad.
US officials said they had come to the preliminary conclusion that the explosion was caused by a missile fired by Islamic Jihad based on various evidence, including satellite images and videos.
Also the spokesman for White House National Security Council, Adrian Watsonstressed that the information showed that Israel was “not responsible” for the hospital explosion.
Sources:
Gaza Ministry of Health.
Hamas.
Gaza Civil Defense.
Israeli army.
Islamic Jihad.
Statements from Joe Biden.
United States intelligence agencies.
Adrienne Watson, spokeswoman for the White House National Security Council.
EFE information.