(ReliableNews.org) – On the morning of October 7, Hamas — a Middle Eastern terrorist organization — launched thousands of missiles upon Israel. The group continued its flurry of explosives with a well-planned attack by land, sea, and air. The unprecedented surprise event sparked retaliation, with Israel attacking back — hard.
So far, the death toll has reportedly grown to reach at least 4,400, and the number of wounded has breached nearly 16,000. Ten days after the initial attack, a rocket struck a hospital in the middle of Gaza City, allegedly claiming at least 500 innocent lives. Whether Israel or Hamas fired that deadly rocket is currently the subject of much debate.
What Happened?
The Al Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza was not only being used to treat the injured but was also the site of thousands of displaced residents seeking shelter. Initial reports blamed the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) for the explosion, which it quickly denied. According to ABC News, the IDF pointed the finger at the Palestinian Islamic Jihad for the blast, claiming the hospital attack was actually a failed launch, and the building was hit by mistake. The Israeli military organization said it analyzed the data, which showed a group of enemy rockets fired toward Israel. One of those rockets apparently struck the hospital on the way by. That particular Islamic Jihad often works closely with Hamas, who insisted the hospital strike was from Israel.
Other Comments
Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, an IDF spokesperson, held a press briefing confirming that Israeli forces did not have any air force, ground, or naval attacks in the hospital area at the time of the explosion. Hagari said intelligence communications indicated the rocket blast was one of 10 fired by the Islamic Jihad. He said Hamas was aware of the incident and “decided to launch a global media campaign to hide what really happened.” During the briefing, he said the rocket blast hit the hospital parking lot — not the hospital itself, which is still “intact.” Hagari also said Hamas inflated the number of casualties.
President Joe Biden, who arrived in Israel on October 18, made comments about the hospital attack. The US leader said he was “outraged and deeply saddened” by the tragedy, stating he immediately spoke with Jordan’s King Abdullah II and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu upon hearing the news. He instructed the US national security team to look into the matter.
Senators Mark Warner (D-VA) and Marco Rubio (R-FL) from the Senate Intelligence Committee said they reviewed the intelligence, which confirmed the IDF’s account that the hospital explosion was a “failed rocket launch by militant terrorists” — not Israeli forces.
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