Rocket Misfire Likely Cause of Deadly Gaza Hospital Blast, Says Human Rights Watch

Al-Ahli Hospital In Gaza Blasted By Misfired Rocket – Reports HRW

A satellite image shows Al-Ahli hospital, caught amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in Gaza on November 7, 2023. The explosion at the hospital, which resulted in heavy casualties, has sparked controversy and conflicting claims from both sides.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has released its findings, indicating that evidence points to a misfired rocket as the likely cause of the blast that devastated the hospital on October 17. This incident led to widespread outrage across the Arab world. While Palestinians attribute the explosion to an Israeli air strike, Israel contends that it was initiated by a misfiring Palestinian rocket launch.

The health ministry in Gaza reported 471 fatalities, though Israel disputes this number. According to an unclassified U.S. intelligence report, the death toll ranges “at the low end of the 100 to 300 spectrum.”

In response to the HRW report, the Al-Ahli hospital blast has emerged as a highly contentious event, with both sides accusing each other of misinformation and war crimes. Senior Hamas official Basem Naim dismissed the HRW report as biased and inconclusive, claiming that no substantial evidence or witness testimonies were provided to support their findings.

On the contrary, Emmanuel Nahshon, deputy director general for public diplomacy at Israel’s Foreign Ministry, criticized HRW for the time it took to release its opinion, calling it “half-hearted.”

The HRW report stated that the high killed-to-injured ratio and the disproportionate damage at the site raise questions. HRW urged both Gaza and Israel to disclose all evidence regarding the hospital explosion to facilitate a comprehensive investigation.

As the conflict continues, hospitals in Gaza have ceased functioning normally, hosting displaced individuals and those unable to flee. Palestinians allege that Israel targets hospitals and schools, while Israel contends that Hamas uses civilians as shields by positioning military bases in civilian areas.

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