Worldsfeed News Desk: In Gaza City, a massive explosion shook a crowded hospital where wounded Palestinians sought refuge, resulting in the deaths of hundreds, as reported by the Hamas-run Health Ministry. Hamas attributed the incident to an Israeli airstrike, while the Israeli military claimed it was due to a rocket misfire by Palestinian militants.
The Ministry of Health stated that at least 500 people lost their lives in this tragedy.
Amid the escalating turmoil in the region and with President Joe Biden’s visit to the Middle East aimed at curbing the conflict’s expansion, Jordan’s foreign minister announced the cancellation of a regional summit scheduled for Wednesday in Amman. This summit was intended to include meetings between President Biden, Jordan’s King Abdullah II, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi.
Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi expressed concerns that the Israel-Hamas conflict was pushing the region to a critical point. He stated that Jordan would only host the summit once all participants were in agreement regarding its purpose: to halt the war, uphold the humanity of the Palestinians, and provide them with the assistance they urgently require.
As a result of this development, President Biden’s visit will now only include a stop in Israel, according to a White House official.
The explosion at al-Ahli Hospital left a scene of horror and devastation. Authenticated video footage from the hospital revealed the building engulfed in flames, with the hospital grounds littered with the bodies of victims, including many young children. Blankets, school backpacks, and personal belongings were scattered across the grass.
This tragic event unfolded as the United States attempted to negotiate with Israel for the delivery of crucial supplies to the desperate civilian population, humanitarian organizations, and hospitals in the besieged Gaza Strip. The region has been under a severe blockade since Hamas’ recent violent actions in southern Israel. Hundreds of thousands of people are desperately seeking basic necessities like bread and water.
Hamas denounced the hospital explosion on Tuesday as a “horrific massacre,” placing the blame on an Israeli strike.
The Israeli military, on the other hand, attributed responsibility to Islamic Jihad, a smaller but more radical Palestinian militant group that often collaborates with Hamas. According to the military, Islamic Jihad militants launched a rocket salvo near the hospital, and “intelligence from multiple sources” indicated their involvement.
During a press briefing, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, the chief army spokesman, explained that there were no Israeli air force, ground, or naval attacks in the area at the time of the explosion. Radar data revealed outgoing rocket fire, and intercepted communications among militant groups suggested that Islamic Jihad was behind the rocket launches.
Rear Adm. Hagari also shared aerial footage captured by a military drone, which showed an explosion inconsistent with Israeli weaponry. He clarified that the blast occurred in the hospital’s parking lot.
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