Israel says failed Islamic Jihad rocket caused Gaza hospital blast

Israel claims explosion was a result of a failed rocket launch by Palestinian Islamic Jihad, another militant group in Gaza

Israeli army spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari at the Israeli Ministry of Defence in Tel Aviv on Wednesday. AFP

Live updates: Follow the latest news on Israel-Gaza

Israel's military on Wednesday provided what it described as evidence that a misfired Palestinian rocket, rather than one of its own munitions, caused the explosion at Al Ahli Arab hospital in Gaza on Tuesday night in which hundreds of people died.

Hamas, the Palestinian group that controls Gaza, has blamed the blast on Israel. Israel claims it was a result of a failed rocket launch by Palestinian Islamic Jihad, another militant group in the enclave.

In an English-language briefing televised shortly before US President Joe Biden landed in Israel for a solidarity visit, chief military spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said an investigation had "confirmed that there was no [Israeli] fire from the land, sea or air that hit the hospital”.

“Our radars tracked rockets fired from within Gaza at the time of the explosion. The trajectory analysis from the barrage of rockets confirms that the barrage of rockets was fired from close to the hospital,” Adm Hagari said on Wednesday.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Tuesday he was "horrified by the killing of hundreds of Palestinian civilians in a strike on a hospital in Gaza today, which I strongly condemn." France's President Emmanuel Macron said on X, formerly Twitter, that "nothing can justify striking a hospital. Nothing can justify targeting civilians," and that a thorough investigation should be launched.

US President Joe Biden, arriving in Israel on Wednesday, said he believed the air strike "appears as though it was done by the other team."

Asked to explain the size of the explosion at the site, the Israeli army spokesman said it was consistent with unspent rocket fuel catching fire. "Most of this damage would have been done due to the propellant, not just the warhead," he said.

The Israeli army is under extreme scrutiny over its denials that it was responsible for hitting the hospital in Gaza in what is being labelled as the deadliest single Israeli strike on Gaza since the war began on October 7.

The scene at Al Ahli hospital in Gaza on Wednesday after Tuesday's blast. EPA

Reporters pressed Adm Hagari on previous Israeli army claims that were later retracted after further inquiries. The case of slain Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was also raised.

Abu Akleh, 51, died after being shot in the head on May 11, 2022. She was wearing a bulletproof jacket with the word "Press" written across it. Israel initially denied responsibility and blamed Palestinian gunmen operating in the area, only to later concede there was a “high possibility” one of its soldiers accidentally shot the Al Jazeera journalist while she was covering a military operation near Jenin.

“We have to be credible. You mentioned Shireen Abu Akleh … we have to be credible. We learnt our lesson. This is not Jabalia, this is a hospital. We had to check and double check,” Adm Hagari said.

To add more evidence, the Israeli army on Tuesday also published what it alleged was an audio recording of a conversation, with English captions, between militants speaking about rockets misfiring.

An aerial view of the complex housing the Al Ahli Arab hospital in Gaza City in the aftermath of Tuesday night's blast. AFP

People inspect a church on the premises of Al Ahli Hospital in Gaza City where hundreds of Palestinians were killed in a blast that Israeli and Palestinian officials blamed on each other. Reuters

A woman among the debris outside Al Ahli Arab Hospital in central Gaza. AFP

People at Al Ahli Arab Hospital in central Gaza. AFP

The scene at Al Ahli Hospital after an air strike in Gaza City. EPA

A doctor at Al Ahli Hospital after an air strike in Gaza city. EPA

Emergency services search the rubble at Al Ahli Hospital after an air strike in Gaza city. EPA

Palestinians wait for treatment at Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza city after being wounded in an air strike that killed at least 500 people at Al Ahli Hospital. AP

Ambulances and private cars rushed about 350 casualties from the blast at Al Ahli to Al Shifa, Gaza City's main hospital. Reuters

Children in an ambulance on the way to Al Shifa Hospital. Reuters

Al Shifa Hospital was already overwhelmed with wounded from other strikes. Reuters

A wounded Palestinian on the floor in Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. AP

Hundreds of Palestinians had taken refuge in Al Ahli and other hospitals in Gaza City, hoping they would be spared bombardment. AFP

The explosion at Al Ahli Hospital left gruesome scenes. EPA

Many of the victims of the blast at Al Ahli Hospital were young children. AP

A wounded Palestinian woman is taken for treatment. AFP

Wounded Palestinians wait for treatment. AP