Confusion still reigns around the circumstances of the tragic explosion that struck Al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza on October 17. The Israeli authorities and Hamas blame each other for this catastrophe. While Hamas accuses Israel of having deliberately bombed the hospital, the Israeli army maintains that the explosion was due to a rocket fired by Islamic Jihad which deviated from its trajectory.
Despite everyone’s statements, it is difficult to draw clear conclusions from all the images and videos circulating on the Internet. However, certain elements make it possible to reconstruct the course of events.
A video filmed by the Al Jazeera channel shows a rocket veering off course and exploding in mid-air. A few seconds later, a first explosion was observed on the ground, followed by a second which directly hit Al-Ahli hospital. The solar panels on the roofs of the establishment allow it to be clearly identified. Other videos taken from different angles confirm this scene and show the extent of the damage.
The day after the explosion, new images reveal the extent of the destruction. Burned cars, debris and clothes strewn on the ground bear witness to the violence of the explosion. Lifeless bodies, sometimes mutilated or burned, are also visible, creating a scene of tragic reality.
However, despite this visual evidence, the debate over responsibility persists. Hamas accuses Israel of using a US military arsenal to bomb civilian targets, while the Israeli military maintains the rocket was fired by the Islamic Jihad terrorist group.
US President Joe Biden, visiting Israel at the time of the explosion, also supported the Israeli version. According to him, available information seems to indicate that it was a rocket deflected by a terrorist group.
In the absence of concrete evidence and reliable data, it is therefore difficult to unravel the truth in this tragedy. The victims of the explosion at Al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza deserve a thorough and transparent investigation so that justice can be served and such tragedies do not happen again.