‘We Have Clear-Cut Evidence’, Says Israeli Envoy to India on Gaza Hospital Blast

A massive blast in Gaza on Tuesday night, tearing through a hospital, has sparked global condemnation and protests worldwide. Hundreds of people have died in an explosion that Hamas attributed to an Israeli airstrike. The Israeli military refused the allegations, saying the explosion was instead caused by a misfired Palestinian rocket. Leaders around the world, including US President Joe Biden and United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, have expressed outrage over the attack.

Israel’s envoy to India, Naor Gilon, accused the Palestinian Islamic Jihad of targeting civilians at Al Ahli Hospital, claiming to possess ‘clear-cut evidence.’ “Al Ahli Hospital was hit by a rocket of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad…They tried to hit our children, but on the way hit their own children…It’s really a pity that many around the world are cooperating with them,” he said.

“In our technological world, everything is documented. We have clear-cut evidence that it was a Palestinian Islamic Jihad rocket. The Palestinian terrorists and their allies immediately take out their victim cards. After cowardly murdering, abducting and abusing defenceless Israeli citizens, they are afraid to confront the IDF, they are trying to create international pressure to prevent us from taking action,” the Israeli envoy was quoted as saying by ANI.

Earlier, IDF spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, in a briefing, told reporters, that radar detected outgoing rocket fire at the same moment the blast at the Gaza hospital occurred on Tuesday, and intercepted communications between terror groups indicating that Islamic Jihad fired the rockets. The Israeli army determined there were no air force, ground or naval attacks in the area at the time of the blast at the Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital, The Times of Israel reported.

Hagari also shared aerial footage collected by a military drone that showed a blast that he said was inconsistent with Israeli weaponry. He said the explosion occurred in the building’s parking lot. The Israeli military supported its case with before and after video footage of the impact area of the explosion.

The war that began on October 7 has become the deadliest of five Gaza wars for both sides. The Gaza Health Ministry said 2,778 Palestinians have been killed and 9,700 wounded. Another 1,200 people across Gaza are believed to be buried under the rubble, alive or dead, according to agencies. Over 1,400 Israelis have been killed, and at least 199 others, were captured by Hamas and taken into Gaza.

(With agency inputs)