President Joe Biden has publicly stated that Israel was not responsible for the missile strike on Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital in Gaza, which resulted in the deaths of hundreds of people. Israeli intelligence officers have attributed the rocket attack to the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), an independent Muslim paramilitary organization. They claim that the missile misfired and struck the medical facility while the jihadists were launching rockets at Israel.
Key Takeaway
President Biden has declared his support for Israel’s denial of involvement in the missile strike on Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital in Gaza. The incident has raised tensions in the Middle East and led to widespread protests against Israel.
Israeli officials have released footage and an audio clip purportedly featuring two Hamas terrorists discussing the explosion and placing the blame on PIJ. The relationship between Hamas, which governs the Palestinians in Gaza, and PIJ is complicated, as the two groups occasionally cooperate despite tensions.
One of the alleged terrorists is heard in the audio clip questioning whether the rocket belongs to PIJ, to which the other responds that it appears to be the case and laments that it misfired and hit the hospital. The Palestinian Health Ministry, on the other hand, has released a statement asserting that Israeli airstrikes were responsible for the bombing, highlighting that the hospital was housing thousands of displaced people.
The death toll from the hospital blast varies depending on the source, with estimates ranging from 200 to 500 individuals. The incident has sparked major protests across the Middle East, with hundreds of anti-Israel demonstrators taking to the streets in Jordan, Iraq, and Lebanon.
President Biden’s visit to Israel, where he met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, came amidst the escalating tensions. Originally, Biden was scheduled to attend a summit with leaders from Egypt, Palestine, and Jordan, but Jordan’s King Abdullah abruptly canceled the meeting.
