Palestinian Ambassador to the United Nations, Riyad Mansour, on Wednesday accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of spreading falsehoods regarding the deadly blast at a hospital in Gaza City that killed 500 people. Hamas and Israel traded accusations on Tuesday, with Hamas saying the blast was the result of an Israeli airstrike. Israel’s army denied the charges and claimed the hospital was struck in a failed missile attack by Palestinian militants.
Netanyahu backed the claim and blamed Islamic Jihad militants for the attack.
"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," he posted on social media platform X.
"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," he added.
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Riyad Mansour vehemently disputed Netanyahu's assertions.
"He is a liar," Mansour declared, "His digital spokesperson tweeted that Israel did the hit thinking that there was a base for Hamas around this hospital, and then he deleted that tweet. We have a copy of that tweet... Now they changed the story to try to blame the Palestinians."
The Palestinian Ambassador further stated, “The Israeli spokesperson of the Army made a statement in which he said evacuate the hospitals...Their intention is to evacuate or hospitals will be hit and they are responsible for that crime and they cannot fabricate stories to deal with it.”
{{/usCountry}}The Palestinian Ambassador further stated, “The Israeli spokesperson of the Army made a statement in which he said evacuate the hospitals...Their intention is to evacuate or hospitals will be hit and they are responsible for that crime and they cannot fabricate stories to deal with it.”
{{/usCountry}}The Israeli government has yet to respond to these specific allegations from the Palestinian Ambassador.
Even amid the uncertainty over what caused the incident at the Christian-run hospital, there was rapid and widespread international condemnation.
"The responsibility for this crime must be clearly established & the perpetrators held accountable" said EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell.
An "outraged and deeply saddened" US President Joe Biden denounced the attack while en route to the Middle East.
From Tripoli to Tehran there was a furious response across the Muslim world.
Protestors in Jordan -- home to millions of Palestinian refugees -- tried to storm the Israeli embassy.
In Lebanon, demonstrators clashed with security forces outside the US embassy. Stones were hurled and a building set on fire.