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Biden ‘outraged’ by Gaza hospital blast killing 500; Israel, Hamas trade charges
The Hamas-run health ministry said an Israeli airstrike killed at least 500 people at al-Ahli Hospital, but Israeli authorities denied involvement.
US President Joe Biden on Wednesday expressed outrage over a blast at a Gaza City hospital that killed about 500 Palestinians and directed his national security team to continue gathering information to gain a clearer understanding of the events leading up to the explosion.
"I am outraged and deeply saddened by the explosion at the Al Ahli Arab hospital in Gaza and the terrible loss of life that resulted," President Biden said in a statement.
“Immediately upon hearing this news, 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 added.
Israeli and Palestinian officials blamed each other for the explosion that has resulted in by far the highest death toll in any single incident in Gaza during the latest spate of violence. Gaza officials contend that an Israeli airstrike was responsible for the deaths while Israel insists that a failed Palestinian rocket attack triggered the catastrophic blast.
A spokesperson for the Israeli military said analysis by its operational system showed "an enemy rocket barrage" aimed at Israel was passing the hospital at the time of the strike and blamed the Palestinian Islamic Jihad militant group. Islamic Jihad denied that any of its rockets were involved in the hospital blast, saying it did not have any activity in or around Gaza City at that time.
The blast took place on the eve of a visit by the US President to Israel to show support for the country in its war with Hamas and to hear how Israel plans to minimize civilian casualties.
“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 stated.
Earlier a Gaza civil defence chief said 300 people were killed in the hospital strike and a health ministry official said 500 were killed.
While briefing reporters, Israeli Military spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari cast doubt on the Palestinian death count and claimed there was no direct hit on the facility. He said military drone footage showed “a kind of hit in the parking lot.”
He said the military did have an Israeli air force operation in the area around the time of the hospital blast, "but it was with a different kind of ammunition that does not ... fit the footage that we have (of) the hospital."
On the death count, Hagari said: "I don't know how many people (were) hit here, even. Nobody can verify it yet."
