A devastating explosion rocked Al Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City on Tuesday (October 17), resulting in the tragic loss of approximately 500 Palestinian lives. This incident stands as the deadliest single event since the outbreak of hostilities between Israel and Hamas following a cross-border attack by Hamas on October 7.

The Israeli military has denied responsibility for the bombing, asserting that their intelligence indicated the hospital was struck by a failed rocket launch originating from the Palestinian Islamic Jihad military group in Gaza.

Injured people are taken into hospital after hundreds of Palestinians were killed in a blast at Al-Ahli hospital in Gaza that Israeli and Palestinian officials blamed on each other.

Global leaders react

US President Joe Biden expressed his outrage and deep sorrow over the Al Ahli Arab Hospital explosion. "I spoke with King Abdullah II of Jordan and Prime Minister Netanyahu of Israel, and have directed my national security team to continue gathering information about what exactly happened," he said.

"The United States stands unequivocally for the protection of civilian life during conflict and we mourn the patients, medical staff and other innocents killed or wounded in this tragedy," Biden added.

Image: Reuters

Additionally, Biden vowed to demonstrate the United States' solidarity with Israel during his visit to the country. He offered his assessment that the explosion at the Gaza Strip hospital did not appear to be the work of the Israeli military, suggesting it was carried out by another party.

"Based on what I've seen, it appears as though it was done by the other team, not you," Biden told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during the meeting.

Biden, however, didn't offer details on why he believed the blast was not caused by the Israelis. He lamented the hospital explosion and acknowledged the suffering endured by both Israelis and Palestinian civilians, emphasising that Hamas did not represent all Palestinians.

The World Health Organization (WHO) strongly condemned the attack on the hospital, highlighting that the facility was operational, serving patients, healthcare providers, and internally displaced individuals.

"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. Early reports indicate hundreds of fatalities and injuries," it said.

.@WHO strongly condemns the attack on Al Ahli Arab Hospital in north Gaza.

Early reports indicate hundreds of deaths and injuries.We call for the immediate protection of civilians and health care, and for the evacuation orders to be reversed.#NotATarget https://t.co/6I4t99WV03— Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) October 17, 2023

"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," WHO added.

Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh decried the hospital massacre, characterising it as a reflection of the enemy's brutality and a potential turning point in the conflict. "The hospital massacre confirms the enemy's brutality and the extent of his feeling of defeat," he said, adding that the attack will be "a new turning point."

In contrast, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted that it was terrorists in Gaza who had attacked the hospital, not the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF).

"The entire world should know: It was barbaric terrorists in Gaza that attacked the hospital in Gaza, and not the IDF. Those who brutally murdered our children also murder their own children."

يجب على كل العالم ان يعرف-الإرهابيون المتوحشون في غزة هم الذين ضربوا المستشفى بغزة وليس جيش الدفاع الإسرائيلي.

من قتل بوحشية أطفالنا، يقتل أطفاله ايضا.— Benjamin Netanyahu - בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) October 17, 2023

The IDF spokesperson corroborated this by pointing to an analysis of their operational systems indicating that a barrage of rockets had been launched by Gaza-based terrorists in close proximity to the hospital at the time of the incident.

"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."

Islamic Jihad struck a Hospital in Gaza—the IDF did not.

Listen to the terrorists as they realize this themselves: pic.twitter.com/u7WyU8Rxwz— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) October 18, 2023

The Syrian Presidency held Western countries, particularly the United States, responsible for the hospital massacre and others, accusing them of collaborating with the Zionist entity in operations targeting Palestinians.

"Syria holds Western countries responsible especially the United States of America, for this massacre and others, since they are a partner of the Zionist entity across all organized operations designed to kill Palestinians," it said.

إن الجمهورية العربية السورية تحمّل الدول الغربية وفي مقدمتها الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية مسؤولية هذه المـ.ـجزرة وغيرها من المـ.ـجازر، لكونها شريكة للـ.ـكيان الصـ.ـهيوني في كل عمليات القتـ.ـل المنظم ضد الشعب الفلسـ.ـطيني.

— Syrian Presidency (@Presidency_Sy) October 17, 2023

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan called upon humanity to take action against the unprecedented brutality in Gaza. "Hitting a hospital containing women, children and innocent civilians is the latest example of Israel's attacks devoid of the most basic human values. I call on all humanity to take action to stop this unprecedented brutality in Gaza."

İçerisinde kadınların, çocukların, masum sivillerin olduğu bir hastaneyi vurmak, İsrail’in en temel insani değerlerden yoksun saldırılarının son örneğidir.

Gazze’de yaşanan ve tarihte benzeri olmayan bu vahşeti durdurmak için tüm insanlığı harekete geçmeye davet ediyorum.— Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (@RTErdogan) October 17, 2023

The hospital explosion has led to the cancellation of meetings between President Biden, Arab leaders, and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Jordan. Jordan declared three days of mourning, underlining the destabilising impact of the ongoing conflict.

Hezbollah supporters protest over Gaza hospital strike, in Beirut

This tragic incident has further complicated the already precarious situation in the region, with concerns emerging about potential escalations along Israel's northern border with Lebanon, where Hezbollah operates.

Stay updated with our real-time coverage of the Israel-Palestine conflict here

(Edited by : Pihu Yadav)

First Published:Oct 18, 2023 6:14 PM IST