Headline: US Intelligence Shows Al-Ahli Hospital Blast Caused by Failed Rocket Launch, Contradicting Earlier Claims
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The US intelligence community has revealed that the blast at the Al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza, which was initially blamed on Israeli airstrikes, was actually caused by a failed rocket launch by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror group. According to reports, the US believes that the death toll ranges from 100-300, while a European official puts the number at 50 or less. These numbers contradict the claims made by Hamas health authorities, who had initially claimed a death toll of 500.
Israel has provided evidence to support its claim, including satellite images showing minimal damage to the hospital and the absence of large craters that are typically left by IDF airstrikes. Despite this evidence, the Arab world continues to blame Israel, leading to massive protests in several regional capitals. Anti-Israel demonstrations and antisemitic incidents have also increased worldwide following the initial blame on Israel for the hospital explosion.
The US State Department criticized media organizations for reporting Hamas’s claim without proper verification and urged everyone to collect all available information before drawing conclusions. The department emphasized that media outlets should exercise caution when accepting claims from a terrorist organization like Hamas.
As part of its evidence, Israel presented an intercepted conversation between Hamas officials, confirming that the blast was caused by a Palestinian Islamic Jihad projectile that fell short. This conversation, along with video footage, shows that the explosion occurred in the hospital’s parking lot, rather than inside the building itself. Additionally, the IDF stated that it does not target hospitals and that its airstrikes typically leave significant damage.
Hospitals have been viewed as safe havens for displaced Gazans during the conflict, as they have been relatively spared from strikes. However, Israel has accused Islamic Jihad of causing deaths among Palestinians with rockets that fall short inside Gaza.
In a broader context, Israel has been conducting intense airstrikes since October 7, targeting Hamas’s infrastructure following the breach of the Israeli border fence by thousands of terrorists. The conflict has resulted in a high number of casualties, with Hamas-run Gaza’s health officials reporting around 3,700 deaths due to Israeli bombings.
The Al-Ahli Hospital blast serves as a reminder of the importance of verifying claims before assigning blame in a conflict that has already pitted different narratives against each other.