The Israel military has released footage showcasing the impact of recent events in Gaza, specifically focusing on the explosion at a local hospital.
Hamas and Israel exchanged allegations following a devastating blast that tore through a hospital in war-torn Gaza, resulting in a tragic loss of life. Hamas insists that the explosion resulted from an Israeli rocket strike, while the Israeli government led by Benjamin Netanyahu denies any involvement. The Israeli military, in contrast, places the blame on Palestinian militants, suggesting that an Islamic Jihad rocket misfired.
To support their claims, Israel has made available a series of videos depicting the explosion. One of these videos reveals the hospital and its surroundings both before and after the rocket impact.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) shared the video with the statement: “A failed rocket launch by the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization hit the Al Ahli hospital in Gaza City. IAF footage from the area around the hospital before and after the failed rocket launch by the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization.”
The footage illustrates that the building caught fire after the rocket landed in the hospital’s parking lot. The Israeli military asserts that their weaponry, particularly their rockets, produce substantial impact and create craters upon impact. Interestingly, the video shows no visible craters near the hospital, and the building itself appears to have sustained limited damage.
A failed rocket launch by the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization hit the Al Ahli hospital in Gaza City.
IAF footage from the area around the hospital before and after the failed rocket launch by the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization: pic.twitter.com/AvCAkQULAf
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) October 18, 2023
Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, the chief Israeli military spokesperson, explained that the size of the explosion at the site was consistent with unspent rocket fuel igniting. He emphasized that the majority of the damage resulted from the propellant rather than the warhead.
Hagari also accused Hamas of inflating the number of casualties from the explosion, and he cast doubt on their ability to ascertain the cause of the blast as swiftly as they claimed.
Health authorities in Gaza reported that the explosion at the Ahli Arab Hospital resulted in the tragic loss of nearly 500 lives. On the ground, scenes of chaos unfolded as the deceased and injured were transported to nearby medical facilities.
At the Al-Shifa hospital, numerous bodies were seen covered with blood-stained sheets and white plastic wrap on the floors, as stunned relatives tried to identify their loved ones.
In the wake of the explosion and with tensions running high, Arab leaders canceled a summit with US President Joe Biden, who had just arrived in Israel.
Countries including Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates have condemned the attack and placed blame on Israel.
Before the tragic incident on Tuesday, health authorities in Gaza had already reported the loss of at least 3,000 lives during Israel’s 11-day bombardment, which began following a Hamas rampage on October 7 targeting southern Israeli communities. The previous events resulted in the death of 1,400 people, with around 200 taken into Gaza as hostages.
These developments have raised concerns about a potential escalation of conflict in the Middle East. The United States has dispatched aircraft carriers to support Israel, while Hamas allies, including Iran and Hezbollah, have pledged to respond in the event of an Israeli ground invasion of Gaza.