Israel releases video claiming misfired rocket caused deadly Gaza hospital blast [video]
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) has released video evidence claiming that a Palestinian rocket misfired and struck a hospital in Gaza City overnight, killing hundreds of people. The bombing of the al-Ahli hospital in Gaza City produced shocking scenes, with fiery footage emerging showing the building ablaze and strewn with dead bodies in the aftermath.
However, Israel has strongly denied responsibility, instead releasing raw drone footage, audio recordings and radar data that it says proves the strike was caused by a failed rocket launch by Palestinian militant groups. In the video released by the IDF, a rocket can be seen streaking up from Gaza towards Israel before it suddenly changes course and its engine flames out. Moments later, a pair of large explosions are seen erupting at a location in Gaza City that Israel says corresponds to the location of al-Ahli hospital.
The IDF analysis argues this proves the rocket did not reach its target in Israel and instead crashed back down in Gaza, causing the devastating double blast that partially destroyed the hospital. In a statement alongside the video evidence, the IDF said “A rocket aimed at Israel misfired and exploded at 18:59—the same moment a hospital was hit in Gaza. This is the tragic result of firing rockets from densely populated neighborhoods.”
In addition to the raw video footage showing the rocket’s change in trajectory, the Israeli military also released an audio recording purportedly of Hamas militants discussing the failed rocket launch carried out by Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ). A map presented by the IDF also showed radar data pinpointing the location of the launch site for the PIJ rockets close to the al-Ahli hospital. The location data and video evidence seems to support the Israeli claim that a misfired rocket, not an airstrike, caused the massive explosions.
However, the strike has triggered outrage across the Arab world, with nations like Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and others condemning Israel. The militant group Islamic Jihad in Gaza also rejected Israel’s account, instead insisting the blast was caused by an Israeli airstrike targeting the hospital. A spokesman for Islamic Jihad said Israel was “trying to cover for the horrifying crime and massacre they committed against civilians” with its claims of a misfired rocket. Israel has categorically denied carrying out any attack on the hospital from land, sea or air.
The fallout from the incident continued to spread on Tuesday, with Iran issuing ominous threats against Israel. Iran’s foreign minister declared that “the time has come for the global unity of humanity against this fake regime more hated than ISIS and its killing machine.” The Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, a Iranian proxy, also called for protests across the region dubbing November 1st as a “day of rage” in response to the hospital bombing.
With tensions spiraling out of control, the death toll from the incident continues to climb with health officials in Gaza now estimating between 200-300 people may have died in the al-Ahli hospital explosions. The casualties include both patients and medical staff inside the building. Doctors at al-Shifa Hospital, the largest medical facility in Gaza where many of the survivors were rushed to, described catastrophic wounds among the victims and said the trauma unit was overflowing.
Adding further complications, the shocking incident occurred just as U.S. President Joe Biden was due to touch down in Israel on Wednesday for meetings focused on de-escalating violence between Israel and Palestinian militants. Biden had been scheduled to hold talks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas alongside Jordan’s King Abdullah II, however both leaders cancelled the meeting in the aftermath of the deadly hospital bombing.
While Israel continues to deny involvement and presents evidence purporting to prove Gaza rockets caused the blast, doubts still linger. Critics argue Israel should open itself up to an independent investigation if it wants to conclusively refute claims its forces struck the hospital. Palestine and other nations have called for a full U.N. probe. For now, the propagandist battle over blame for the attack continues to rage as violence in the region shows no signs of abating. With innocent lives continue to be lost, there are fears the crisis could spiral into a full-fledged regional conflict with catastrophic consequences.
The escalating Palestinian death toll has further inflamed tensions in Gaza and the wider region. Israel has come under increased political and diplomatic pressure to avoid civilian casualties as it carries out airstrikes against alleged militant targets in the crowded Gaza Strip. Israel and Palestine both claim the other side is purposefully placing civilians in harm’s way in order to gain tactical advantages in the propaganda war. For citizens of Gaza living under a 15-year Israeli-led blockade, anger against Israel continues to mount with each new reported civilian death.
Reports from Gaza paint a grim picture of the worsening humanitarian situation. With the territory’s main hospital destroyed, the already overburdened and under-resourced health services in Gaza are at breaking point. Doctors described frantically treating the wounded in hospital corridors and storage rooms due to the massive influx of casualties since the conflict reignited last Friday. Fuel shortages now threaten to shut down Gaza’s only power plant this week, leaving millions with only a few hours of electricity per day as temperatures drop at night.
While the political dynamics remain volatile, calls are rising from the international community for all sides to show restraint and de-escalate immediately to prevent further loss of innocent life. The targeting of healthcare facilities and infrastructure is widely seen as a war crime. As missiles continue flying in both directions, world leaders fear this latest crisis could ignite a devastating regional conflagration if cooler heads do not prevail. The hopes now rest on diplomacy to gain the upper hand over violence and vengeance before Gaza and Israel descend into an all-out war with untold human costs.
