IN the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, a crowded hospital in Gaza City, Al-Ahli Arabi Hospital, was destroyed, resulting in the tragic loss of at least 500 lives.
Both sides, Israel and Hamas, are blaming each other.
Al Ahli Arab Hospital was one of 20 in the north of the Gaza Strip facing evacuation orders from the Israeli military.
Hamas accuses the Israeli Air Force of causing the hospital’s destruction, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denies Israeli involvement, blaming “barbaric terrorists” in Gaza. However, the international community is skeptical.
The world has reacted strongly. Iran holds the United States and other nations supporting Israel responsible.
The World Health Organization representative of the Palestinian territories condemned the blast and said hospitals should never be targeted in a conflict.
Israel has imposed a full blockade on the Gaza Strip after it was attacked by Hamas on Oct. 7, cutting off its electricity, fuel, and water.
The Hamas attacks also prompted extensive Israel airstrikes on Gaza.
Saudi Arabia denounces Israel for violating international laws. Russia and the United Arab Emirates have called for a U.N. Security Council meeting, and protests have erupted in Jordan and Lebanon.
Experts question how an errant rocket could cause such destruction, as the rockets used by Palestinian groups like PIJ or Hamas typically can’t bring down buildings, while Israel has advanced bombing capabilities.
Meanwhile, The Israeli Defense Forces or IDF claimed that the destruction of the hospital was a result of a failed rocket launch by the Islamic Jihad organization
The IDF also released a recording of a conversation regarding the incident by the Islamic Jihat Terror Organization.
The hospital incident is part of an 11-day conflict, with Israel retaliating for an earlier attack that resulted in the death of 1,400 Israelis. The situation remains tense, and the international community is calling for a resolution to the violence.