'At least 500 killed' in hospital bombing in Gaza as Israeli military deny responsibility
17.10.2023 - 21:47
/ manchestereveningnews.co.uk
A blast has rocked a Gaza City hospital packed with wounded and other Palestinians seeking shelter, killing hundreds of people, the Hamas-run Health Ministry said. The Health Ministry said at least 500 people had been killed in the bombing.
Hamas blamed an Israeli air strike, while the Israeli military said its intelligence shows the Anglican Al-Ahli Baptist hospital was hit by a rocket misfired by Palestinian militants.
A video that the Associated Press confirmed was from the hospital showed a fire engulfing the building and the hospital’s grounds strewn with bodies, many of them young children.
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The carnage came as the US tried to convince Israel to allow the delivery of supplies to desperate civilians, aid groups and hospitals in the tiny Gaza Strip, which has been under a complete siege since the deadly rampage by Hamas in southern Israel.
Hundreds of Palestinians had taken refuge in al-Ahli and other hospitals in Gaza City in the past few days, hoping they would be spared bombardment after Israel ordered all residents of the city and surrounding areas to evacuate to the southern Gaza Strip.
Hamas called Tuesday’s hospital strike 'a horrific massacre', saying it was caused by an Israeli strike. The Israeli military, however, said Palestinian militants had fired a barrage of rockets near the hospital at the time.
“Intelligence from multiple sources we have in our hands indicates that Islamic Jihad is responsible for the failed rocket launch,” it said.
Ambulances and private cars rushed some 350 casualties from the al-Ahli blast to