At Least 300 Dead In GAZA HOSPITAL BOMBING

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https://www.reuters.com/world/middl...ike-hospital-gaza-health-ministry-2023-10-17/


<Snip>
GAZA, Oct 17 (Reuters) - An Israeli air strike killed at least 300 people at a Gaza City hospital on Tuesday, authorities in the Palestinian enclave said, and the United Nations said an Israeli strike also hit one of its schools being used as a shelter.

A Gaza civil defence chief said on Al-Jazeera television that more than 300 people were killed at Al-Ahli al-Arabi Hospital. A Gaza Health Ministry source said at least 500 people were killed. Both departments are under the Hamas-run government.
<End Snip>



And the F-up begins? Perhaps. I had begun to be hopeful that, if only for show, Israeli President Netanyahu and the chain of Israeli military command was going to have the wisdom, to benefit from Biden's sage advice, that Israel learn from America's mistake, which had turned the full support of the world, after 9/11, ultimately on its head, and ultimately brought criticisms of the U.S., even from our allies.

But even we did not go around blowing up hospitals. This is not a matter of "anti-Semitism," but merely the reality that, though Israelis may believe they have good reason to ignore the rules that apply to the rest of the world-- the rest of the world, doesn't see it that way.

Israel only hurts its own objectives-- of keeping this engagement from widening; of securing the release of hostages-- if it does things like this. It would be equivalent to the despicably evil things, done by Syria's "President" Assad, to his own people; so there is no double standard, among those who condemn both.

Because of this incident, President Biden's diplomatic trip to the Middle East, in support of Israel, is now endangered. However, I will underline, that this is still a developing story, and I am hearing both sides, in the American "left wing," mainstream media. There is an Israeli journalist on the T.V., right now, saying definitively that "Israel does not target hospitals," and that it would be foolish of them, to do so. I hope he is right. There are indications that this could actually be a case of a Palestinian rocket, which was mis-targeted.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.cn...eek-2-tuesday-intl-hnk/index.html?bshm=rime/2

<Snip>
Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital was sheltering thousands of displaced people when it was bombed Tuesday, the Palestinian Health Ministry said in a statement. Many victims are still under the rubble, it added.

Palestinian officials blamed ongoing Israeli airstrikes for the lethal incident. But the Israel Defense Forces has “categorically” denied any involvement in the hospital attack, blaming instead a “failed rocket launch” by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad group, a rival Islamist militant group in Gaza.
<End Snip>


Even if this turns out to be the case, that this rocket was of Palestinian origin, that doesn't mean that any of the other actions that Israel has taken-- like cutting off water-- haven't been, at best, highly questionable. And it is because of the apparent indifference to Palestinian "collateral casualties," that people are so ready to believe the Israeli military strike narrative, versus the explanation of a Palestinian misfire (or, who knows-- perhaps even an intentional self-targeting?). If Netanyahu understands what is in Israel's best interests, he will pay more attention to the war's P. R. theater, and to public perception, outside of just Israel.

 

It was a misfired Hamas bottle rocket!

 

That possibility-- that the rocket was fired by a rival Islamist militant group, Islamic Jihad-- is already in my OP. I am leaning towards believing that, but it has not yet been proven.

 

Hamas could have done this on purpose as to fire up the freedom fighter recruitment campaign Iran is advertising.

 

And yet the Jew haters have already made up their minds. Jihaddies hell bent on destroying Israel would never admit to one of their bottle rockets going astray. Why waste a good misfortune when you can use it against your sworn enemy?!

 

It was OBVIOUSLY a Mis-Fire from the Palestinians...

 

Good ol fashioned war crimes.

 

Strictly in the interests of accuracy:
as I have already stated, and as everyone who is making the Israeli defense, in this case (which I've quoted), has also said: this rocket that is being pointed to, as the culprit, was not launched by Hamas, but by the group "Islamic Jihad."

 

As you would know, if you'd read my OP, I am keeping an open mind.

 

When have any rockets fired from Gaza had enough explosive power to significantly damage a single room let alone kill 500 people? The missile was fired by the Israelis and probably deliberately

 

Maybe. As an incidental note, those saying this have all pointed to a rival group in Gaza, "Islamic Jihad," not at Hamas (which of course does not redeem Hamas, from their terrorist assault on Israel).

 

Does the truth mean anything to you?

It's an Israeli army strike and it's not 300 dead, it's 500.

 

The initial reports that I saw, which was over an hour ago, blamed Hamas. I'm sure the story will change and time goes on.

 

This event will clearly get much scrutiny, so I encourage all-- on both sides-- to postpone their final judgements.

 

Who knows. One thing for sure, that was a particularly large bomb. So I'm guessing Israeli.

 

It is funny that Israeli media, & government spokespersons have cited Al Jazeera, as the first to report of Islamic Jihad's misfired rocket-- yet this Al Jazeera story, does not mention anything about that possibility.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.al...-say-500-killed-in-israeli-strike-on-hospital

<Snip>
At least 500 people have been killed in an Israeli air raid on al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza, according to Palestinian authorities in the besieged territory.

Several world leaders have condemned the attack.

Here are some of the early key reactions:

Palestine
A spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas denounced the air raid as an act of “genocide” and a “humanitarian catastrophe”.

Abbas has also withdrawn from a previously scheduled meeting with US President Joe Biden, who is set to arrive in the region on Wednesday.


Jordan
In a statement on Tuesday, the Jordanian foreign ministry strongly condemned Israel’s attack and emphasised the need for international protection for Palestinian civilians and an end to the fighting.

King Abdullah II said Israel’s bombing of Gaza hospital was a “massacre” and a “war crime” that one cannot be silent about.


Egypt
The Egyptian government has issued a statement denouncing the attack “in the strongest terms”, calling on the international community to step in and prevent further violations.


Qatar
Qatar’s foreign ministry said the attack marked a dangerous escalation.
“The expansion of Israeli attacks over the Gaza Strip to include hospitals, schools, and other population centres is a dangerous escalation,” the statement reads.


World Health Organization (WHO)
“WHO strongly condemns the attack on Al Ahli Arab Hospital”, the UN health agency’s director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on the social media platform X, adding that early reports indicate “hundreds of deaths and injuries”.

“We call for the immediate protection of civilians and health care, and for the evacuation orders to be reversed.


The Arab League
Arab League chief Ahmed Aboul Gheit said that international leaders must “stop this tragedy immediately” in response to the attack.

“What diabolical mind intentionally bombards a hospital and its defenceless inhabitants?” he wrote in a social media post, saying that “Arab mechanisms will document these war crimes and the criminals will not get away with their actions.”


Turkey
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has denounced the attack in a statement on social media.

“Hitting a hospital containing women, children and innocent civilians is the latest example of Israel’s attacks devoid of the most basic human values,” he said.

“I invite all humanity to take action to stop this unprecedented brutality in Gaza.”


Canada
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau condemned the attack and stressed the importance of adhering to the laws of war.

“The news coming out of Gaza is horrific and absolutely unacceptable … international law needs to be respected in this and in all cases. There are rules around wars and it’s not acceptable to hit a hospital,” Trudeau told reporters.


Iran
Iran’s foreign ministry has denounced the air raid as an attack on “unarmed and defenceless people”, Iranian state media reported.

<End Snip>

 

The truth is undefined. There are claims it was a misfired rocket from Palestine towards Israel. Hamas says it was an air strike. I’m not taking their word on anything and will wait and see who actually did it. We can all see you picked your side already though.

Here’s some truth for you:

It wouldn’t be the first time an unguided homemade Palestinian rocket did this if that’s what happened.

https://www.hrw.org/news/2021/08/12/palestinian-rockets-may-killed-civilians-israel-gaza

https://www.gov.il/en/departments/news/islamic-jihad-rocket-kills-children-in-gaza-6-aug-2022

 

Just like Natanyahu could have green-lighted this attack knowing that the IDF has limited time to kill as many Palestinians as they could before Biden's arrival.

 

Evidence is pointing to a short round launched by Hamas...

https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog-october-17-2023/

 

What did the Israelis attack the hospital with? Artillery? Rocket? Air-to-ground missile?

We can rule out artillery, because there was only one explosion and one arty round won't do that much damage.

 

A homemade rocket does not have the explosive power to kill 500 and injure many more

 

Human Rights Watch also determined that a Palestinian rocket that misfired killed seven people in Jabalya in the Gaza Strip on May 10. Human Rights Watch based this finding on witness interviews, site visits, an inspection of rocket remnants, and a review of video footage.

"Tonight, Islamic Jihad terrorists fired a rocket towards Israel which fell short inside Gaza, hitting a Palestinian home in the Jabalia neighborhood and tragically killing at least four children."

Yes, it would.

This is the largest rocket Gaza has.



There is no way that kills 500 people.

 

Not rival, but Hamas themselves. Apparently there has been no less than 400 failed rocket launches, and when it happens the rockets can hit their own infrastructure, or go out to sea or wherever. It makes sense since the launchers are home made.

 

On the other hand , a 1000# GBU would do it easily.

 

Not all the rockets Hamas is using are homemade.