On the night of 17 October, a tragic explosion occurred in a hospital in the Palestinian Gaza Strip, killing at least 500 people, including patients, women and children. This is the most serious civilian casualty since the outbreak of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, which has aroused strong condemnation and concern from the international community. However, with regard to the responsibility for this tragedy, the Palestinian and Israeli sides have each other's own words, accusing each other of being the culprit.
The Palestinian side said that the Israeli army attacked the hospital, and the Pakistani president strongly condemned it
According to Palestinian news agencies and other media reports, at about 9 pm local time on the 17th, the Israeli army airattacked the Baptist Hospital in the north of Gaza City, resulting in a large-scale explosion and fire inside the hospital. Palestinian health authorities later released information that the airstrikes had killed at least 500 people, mostly patients, women and children in hospitals. In addition, hundreds of people were injured, many of them seriously.
Palestinian Health Minister Mai al-Kaila strongly condemned the Israeli attack on hospitals in the Gaza Strip in a statement. "This is a massacre against civilians and innocent people, a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law and basic norms," she said. ”
She also called on the international community to intervene immediately to stop Israeli atrocities and to provide urgent humanitarian and medical assistance to the Gaza Strip.
In the early morning of the 18th local time, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas also issued a strong statement, condemning Israel for "committing intolerable and terrible acts of war massacre."
He warned that Israel must cease its violence against civilians and live up to its consequences. He also called on the international community to provide international protection to the Palestinian people and called for an immediate and emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council to condemn and sanction Israel's actions.
Abbas announced three days of mourning throughout Palestine for the victims of the hospital airstrikes and Palestinians killed in the current round of the conflict.
In addition, demonstrations broke out in many parts of Palestine to protest the Israeli attack on the Gaza Strip and to express condolences and support for the victims.
In the West Bank city of Ramallah, thousands gathered in front of the presidential palace, holding Palestinian flags and placards and chanting anti-Israel slogans. In the Gaza Strip, many people also took to the streets, holding pictures of the victims and coffins to express their anger and grief.
The Israeli military said intercepted communications indicated that Jihad fired rockets at the hospital
In the face of Palestinian accusations, the Israeli military denied them, and in turn accused the Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad of firing rockets at the hospital, causing the explosion. The Israeli military also released videos and pictures that were allegedly evidence in an attempt to prove its claims.
According to "The Times of Israel" and other media reports, IDF spokesman Daniel Haggari said at a press conference held on the evening of the 17th that Israeli military radars detected rockets fired from the Gaza Strip towards Israel and intercepted the attackers' communications.
Intelligence indicated that Islamic Jihad fired the rocket and attempted to detonate it in Israeli airspace. However, one of the rockets failed and landed near a Baptist hospital in the Gaza Strip, causing an explosion.
The Israeli military also showed an aerial video taken by a drone, which it said was footage of rockets exploding in Gaza. In the video, a white trail can be seen falling from the sky, then creating a huge ball of firefire and smoke on the ground.
The Israeli military says this is inconsistent with its weaponry, but with the rockets used by Islamic Jihad. The Israeli military also said there were no airstrikes or other military operations in the area at the time of the hospital explosion.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also delivered a televised speech on the morning of the 18th, supporting the Israeli military's statement and accusing Islamic Jihad of being the culprit of the hospital bombing.
"Last night, there was a terrible tragedy in the Gaza Strip," he said. A rocket fired from Gaza landed on a hospital, killing hundreds. This was carried out by Palestinian armed factions in the Gaza Strip, not by the Israeli army. He added: "We are deeply saddened and sympathetic to this incident. We extend our most sincere condolences to the bereaved families. ”
For its part, the jihad rejected the Israeli accusations and in turn accused Israel of "trying to evade responsibility for the brutal massacres it committed."
Daoud Shehab, a spokesman for the jihadi group, said in a statement: "We completely deny any involvement in this incident. This is an absurd and false accusation designed to cover up Israel's crime of relentlessly bombing civilians and hospitals in Gaza. He added: "We will continue to resist Israeli aggression and occupation and defend our people." ”
There is little hope for peace The Palestinian-Israeli conflict continues to escalate
The hospital explosion undoubtedly added fuel to the already tense Palestinian-Israeli situation and further escalated the conflict between the two sides. According to Lianhe Zaobao and other media reports, there has been an exchange of fire between armed factions in Israel and the Gaza Strip, with hundreds of rockets and missiles fired at each other, causing more casualties and property damage.
So far, at least 1,000 people, including civilians and children, have died in this round of conflict. The two sides have not shown any willingness to cease fire or negotiate, instead vowing to continue to strike at each other.
In this protracted war, both sides paid a heavy price, but neither gained any substantial benefits. Despite its strong military strength and international support, Israel has not been able to eliminate the armed factions in the Gaza Strip, but has triggered discontent and protests from the international community and its own people.
Although the Gaza Strip has received assistance and encouragement from some Arab countries and regional forces such as Iran, it has not been able to escape the blockade and attacks of Israel, but has fallen deeper into poverty and misery. Neither side realizes that this war will only trap them in a vicious circle that can neither achieve their goals nor guarantee their own security.